Hi everyone!
Today is a little something different. I thought I would do a review of my very first subscription bag! I picked the Ispy bag because I heard great things about it. Lets take a look!
Here is the bag it came in, navy blue, canvas like and seems to be sturdy. Will be perfect for carting around make up or polish. I love bags like this and use them often. Its a nice touch to the subscription. I'd also like to add that the bag came in a BRIGHT PINK METALLIC bubble mailer. Very nice touch.
Cute little logo and stars on the inside of the bag.
Here is the first item I got. Its Pacifica Body Butter in Tuscan Blood Orange. It isn't full sized at 2.5 fl oz but is the perfect size for your nightstand or purse and would last you quite a long time. Much bigger than sample size. It has a nice flip top cap which is a small detail but makes using it easier since I can't drop the cap and watch it roll under my bed. The packaging is really nice and colourful. I like when body butters come in a tube because I don't have to dig into the tub and get the cream all under my fingernails. The product is 100% vegan and does not test on animals. I love that in a product :) It is also free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oils. peanut oil, and artificial colour. This means it is perfect for my sensitive skin. A portion of proceeds are also donated to support clean water. I like that about this product too.
The scent is wonderful. Tropical and cirtrusy with a hint of sweet and spicy. Its not overpowering and it is actually the type of scent I enjoy the most. It doesn't smell at all like chemicals or fake plastic smell like some products do. It applied really nice and smooth. It absorbed quickly and didn't leave my skin feeling greasy at all. It also kept my hands soft, smooth and moisturized for quite a long time. It has a nice consistency, being substantial without being heavy. I give this product top marks because it does a great job at what it says it will do and it smells quite amazing. The 2.5oz tube retails for 7.00, and the 8oz tube retails for 15.00
HERE. You get 20% off using code BEAUTY20.
The next product is Big Sexy Hair Spray and Play Volumizing Hair Spray. I don't used a lot of hairspray so this sample size is perfect for me. It would also make the perfect travel sized hair spray at 1.3oz. I tried this product and I usually HATE the chemically smell of hairspray. I find it choking. But this one wasn't all that bad. Still hair-spray-like but milder. I liked this product because I could still brush through my hair after applying it. My hair held its shape nicely without being stuck, stringy, fake looking, or wet looking. I'll use this again. The full size product retails for 17.50 (Whoa, is that what hairspray goes for now-a-days?) Get $5 off $25 of Big Sexy Hair Products at Ulta.com with code 70950.
This picture shows the size of the product better in comparison to a standard OPI polish bottle.
Next up is Josie Maran Argan Oil. This comes in a small glass brown bottle with a dropper. They recommend this product as a moisturizer for skin & face, cuticle oil, hair oil, etc. This is the small bottle, I think about 15ml I have a picture here comparing it to a standard OPI bottle. This size would be perfect for your purse and nightstand and in my opinion, would last a long time. A little goes a long way with this oil. I liked this on my cuticles, they sucked it right in and did a good job at moisturizing them. I noticed less peeling and hangnails around my nails. I loved this product in my hair as well. De-tanged my knots after the shower and kept my hair silky and smooth all day. I did not try this on my face or skin. I have very acne prone skin and I know some people swear by this stuff but I just couldn't risk it on my face. I have read that it really helps with dry skin though. This product does not have any scent, which I am sure some people will love. I, on the other hand.. enjoy my argan oil with some scent. I have a bottle of Moroccan Argan Oil that I typically use in my hair. Its a 120ml bottle that I got at winner for $20 (much cheaper) and smells of fruit. Because of the price and scent, I will stick to my own regular oil. I won't purchase this one. The small bottle retails for about $15 and the big bottle at 120ml costs 96$ :O Use code Ipsy15
HERE to get 15% off a 45$ purchase and free shipping.
The next product is a SOHO concealer make up brush. I was so happy to get this in the Ipsy bag as I was in need of a new brush. My last one was from ELF and it broke after about a month. This one feels very sturdy, is full size, and of good quality. The handle of the brush is designed nicely and has grooves for your fingers to fit in. The bristles are thick and applied my concealer very nicely. The thickness kind of made it a pain to wash though. It got all stuck in there. But all concealer brushes I have had have been like this. I would buy this product again. It retails for between 5-11 dollars depending on the store. Get $3 off a purchase of SOHO Make Up Brushes at www.walgreens.com!
Last but not least, the nail polish! I received Nailtini in Bloody Mary. This is my first Nailtini polish. The bottle is tall but not tippy and the handle is nice. I find the bottle just a bit too tall though. I found the polish could drip down the handle while painting. It is full sized at 15ml/.5fl oz.
Here is a quick and dirty swatch with two coats of colour. It applied decently well. The consistency was a bit different that I am used to.. almost sticky? It was also sort of crelly ish, not a creamy polish. It was easy enough to get a clean cuticle line with it though. The colour is nice and bright. A classic red. Two coats was enough for opacity. It also dried very glossy, this picture has no topcoat. I did wear this as a full mani to test wear time. Wear time is always different for everyone with different brands but this one lasted two days before I got bored and took it off. Nailtini retails for $13 dollars. I feel that that is kind of pricey considering there is nothing overly special about it. On there webpage there is a few other colours that look more interesting. I might check those out but if I was looking for a red creme, I most likely would choose a cheaper one. You can get 30% off your purchase
HERE though with code ipsystar.
The Ipsy Bag is only $10 (Plus 4.50 shipping to Canada, which is quite reasonable). What a steal for these products. The value of the bag far far outweighs the price I paid. Plus I love a surprise and I love trying new things. All the products in this bag were cool to try even if I wouldn't have purchased them myself originally. I recommend you give this a try for sure, you can cancel anytime. Sign up here: www.ipsy.com :)
*Heads up* Most of the discount codes won't work for international customers like myself :(
