Ipsy Glam Bag November 2013

Oh my goodness!  I'm writing a blog post!  It's a miracle!

If you are reading this, thanks for sticking with me!  It's been a rough ride lately.  In fact, if you remember, a few months ago I posted something about how I hoped Lady (Bad) Luck was done with me.  Well, she wasn't.  But it didn't kill me, and according to the old saying, I should be stronger now, right?

Bu I'm not here to whine!  I'm here to review my Ipsy bag!  This month was an interesting one.  It's the anniversary of my first Ipsy bag (Nov 2012), and I'm afraid my expectations of awesomeness got in the way.   It was definitely a decent month, but once again, all the variations just made me jealous of other bags!  Ipsy, when will you learn!?

Here's what I got this month:

Why yes, that IS my blurry finger in the upper right-hand corner.

Nice, right?  6 items this month!  Almost everything full-sized!  And while calculations are still swirling around, this particular variation was worth over $80!  So, go Ipsy on that part.  But there were a few ways that this bag could have been even better.  So let me start with the item that made me want to throw my computer across the room when I saw it pop up in my Glam Room.

Le sigh

Mascara?  Really, Ipsy?  I love that you sent out a full size em Cosmetics product in every Glam Bag this month.  But there were other cosmetic items they sent in this em category:  Lipsticks! Lip balm! Eyeliner!  And I get another freakin' black, non-waterproof, *insert temper tantrum here* gosh-darn MASCARA!!!  I am DROWNING in mascara, if anyone knows of a way to do my Ipsy profile so I don't get any more mascara, please let me know!

OK.  Over the mascara.  SOMEONE'S getting it for Christmas.  Moving on.

Pretty!

Nailtini!  Now this I remember from my first Ipsy bag!  We all got a super-glittery color called Millionaire.  It may or may not have started me on an obsession with buying more nail polish that has resulted in two boxes overflowing with nail polish, tools, a stamping kit, nail stickers, some press-ons... etc.  This shade is called "Caviar Cocktail" and is a beautiful medium silver.  It coordinates nicely with the light silver shade I recently purchased (NYC's TriBeCa Silver), and the dark silver shade I got in my Birchbox (Color Club's Dark N' Stormy).  50 Shades of Grey manicure, anyone? The other color sent was a light gold color (called Champagne, I think) and I'm glad I got the silver, as I have several gold polishes!

Just look at that pretty manicure!

Bronzer may be an odd choice for November, but this is one of my favorite items in the bag!  I got the lighter shade of Pixi Bronzer in Subtly Suntouched, and it is a beautiful light peachy gold color.  I'm totally using it as my blush this week!  I also love that Pixi FINALLY sent out a color cosmetic item.  The last few items they've sent, primer and mascara (OF COURSE) were not to my taste, but I can see using every last bit of this beauty!

Mud.  They sent me mud.  

Expensive mud, though!  This was the other variation item.  I'm a little cranky they sent me MUD instead of eyeshadow, but the other options were hairspray, false eyelashes, or argan oil.   And thankfully, the expensive mud trades well!  This little dude is about to go be very happy in its new home.  Oh, and since apparently I've forgotten to tell you what it is, it's GlamGlow YouthMud mask.  0.5 oz, which will probably be good for several applications.  Just not on my face.

Oooh, naughty name!

Be A Bombshell items have also shown up before.  I got a lipgloss (called "Hot Mess") last December, and a blush ("Sweet Cheeks") in April.  The gloss wasn't my favorite, but I did love the blush.  And I was prepared to love this lip pencil, until I got the color variation I DIDN'T want.  Hot Damn is a bright red, and I can't even count the number of red lipsticks I've gotten from various subs.  If I had gotten Shameless (a really pretty berry color) I would have used it, but I'm thinking this will make someone else - someone who doesn't have an extensive red lipstick collection - very happy.

I thought about putting it on my husband while he was sleeping, but then I read in someone else's review that it was really hard to get off.  Maybe I'll use a really bright lipgloss on him.  Haha!  Just kidding, honey!*

Have you tried to take a picture of an eyeliner lately?
It is HARD.

And last, but definitely not least, a Gem Eye Pencil from Starlooks!  I think you all might remember my cranky snark-fest about getting a plain black eyeliner from them a few months ago.  This, however, is completely different!  Several months ago, I got my first Gem Eyeliner in Fancy (a light silvery-green), and it is gorgeous, and creamy, and the perfect inner-eye highlighter.  I wanted more.  But they're $14 each, and I'm super-cheap, so I've just drooled over them til now.  But I got Amethyst (light sparkly purple), which I totally wanted, instead of Topaz (light silvery-blue).

And since I cancelled my Starlooks sub a few months ago due to makeup overload, Ipsy is now my sole source of Starlooks makeup.  So please, send more Gem Eye Pencils, Ipsy!  I want moooooore!

So, on the whole, not a bad month.  Had I gotten a lipstick from em, and one of the BH eyeshadows (other variations), I would have probably been over the moon.  But I am happy!  The mascara and lip pencil will make great presents, the GlamGlow is scoring me some awesome trade items, and I LOVE the nail polish and eyeliner.

Oh yeah, I forgot to talk about the bag itself.  Gold faux snakeskin with a hot pink zipper.  I think it will make my 7-year-old niece VERY happy!

I am starting to wonder if I'm over the Ipsy bag.  I'm not planning on cancelling anytime soon, but I'm definitely going to try to tweak my profile.  I know, it's a lost cause.  But I'm going to try anyway!  And just in case my incredibly positive review (heh) has swayed you, please feel free to use my Ipsy referral link to sign up!

What was in your Ipsy bag this month?  Did you love it? Hate it?  Ready to cancel or lifelong subscriber? 

Love you all!  Stay beautiful!

There are referral links in my post, they are the ones with the word "Ipsy".  Any other links go directly to the individual company's website, and are not referrals.  

*hopefully my husband doesn't read this post.  If he locks up all my makeup tonight before bed... then I'll know he did!