September's Ipsy Bag

Happy Monday!

I received my Ipsy bag pretty late into the month. I received 5 products total. This bag isn't my favorite...but there are some highlights!

Victoria Jackson Taupe Brow Pencil

The texture surprised me...it's like an eye liner pencil! I was afraid that it would apply too heavily on my brows and since it doesn't come with a spool, you cannot blend it out! My worst nightmare came true... It is extremely pigmented and because of the texture, it is hard to apply with a light hand. I ended up using a Q-tip to blend it out. It might be better to dot it in different regions of the brow, and then go in with a brush to blend it. However, I do think it is great for a dramatic look. If you cosplay, this would be a great brow pencil for male characters. The built-in sharpener surprised me too. I didn't realize there was one until I read Ipsy's page. It's cool, but I don't see the use of it since you cannot really control application.

J.Cat Beauty Fantabulous Lipstick in Honeycrisp

At first glance, I thought it was a concealer. The color I was given is basically the same shade as my skin. If I were looking to conceal my lips, I would probably go for this color...but not really. It's pretty shear. One coat on the lips doesn't do much. This might be the most confusing lipsticks I have received so far. It smells great though--a sweet vanilla. I have no idea what to do with it now.

Starlooks Obsidian Kohl Eye Pencil

I like to use liquid and gel liners because most pencil lines I come across make me look like a raccoon by the end of the day and they are difficult to remove. The pencil applies smoothly and it is very pigmented. Like a lot of pencil liners, you can easily smudge this and turn it into a smoky eye look. I wore it for a couple of hours and even fell asleep with it on and no smudging! I think I'll give this pencil another go!

NYX Single Eye Shadow in Purple

This color is gorgeous. I love the pay off after just one swipe. It's also very buildable. With a lighter shadow, you can easily use it for the day and since it's not a loud color, it is also very work friendly. If you pair it with a darker shadow, you could work it for night as well. I'd suggest adding some shimmer just so that your eyes stand out a bit more. It's an understated, but nonetheless beautiful purple hue.

Elizabeth Mott It's So BIG Volumizing Mascara

Okay...did anyone get caught off guard reading the label? Haha, maybe it was just me. I like trying out different mascaras because I still haven't found a formula I love. I tried high end and drug stores, but still nothing that I like. This mascara looked promising. I curled and applied on one coat. The formula is very wet, which means less clumping. That also means it's not waterproof. After applying one coat, you see more definition between individual lashes because of the brush. I applied a second coat and that's when things went down hill. My lashes started to droop... I really wanted to love the mascara because the brush does such a good job with separating and coating individual lashes, but I think the formula still needs work. It will probably work better if you prime your lashes first.

So the verdict?

The physical bag was a miss for me. I like the pattern and color, but the template just feels cheap. Ipsy shot itself in the foot after giving us nicer bags in the previous month. In terms of the products, I see 3 out of 5 that I would revisit, which are the brow pencil, eyeliner and shadow. The low was the lipstick...I am still trying to think of a way to salvage it. And the product that sits on the edge is the mascara. Something about it makes me want to like it, but it just didn't perform.

If you liked what you saw, click here to subscribe!! What products caught your eye? Let me know! Until next time.

<3 Debbie

I was not sponsored. I subscribe to Ipsy.