My January Ipsy Bag

By Makeupchicliterarygeek @DoriaJM
I originally began subscribing to Ipsy (formerly MyGlam) back when they launched. The first few months were awesome, then I got a bit disenchanted with them and cancelled. A fabulous group of bloggers I'm friends with convinced me to re-join. I did and I have to say, so far I'm pretty impressed! I shared it earlier on instagram (@DoriaJM_BeautyPopShop), but wanted to share it here as well.
Note: I'm happy to say that this bag does not smell horribly off or chemically. Granted I have  sensitive nose, my first few bags in the very early months were horrifically smelly. 
Here's what arrived in my mailbox today:

Left to Right: Josie Maran Argan Oil, BigSexyHair Hair & Play hairspray, Nailtini polish in Bloody Mary, Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter, Soho "Crease" brush

I think this is well worth $10.
My Thoughts
  • Josie Maran Argan Oil - I am a big natural oil user. I'll definitely be putting this to use!
  • BigSexyHair Hair & Play hairspray - While I'm not a huge hairspray user, it's nice to have a little bit lying around for that occasional occurrence when I need it. 
  • Nailtini polish in Bloody Mary - I like Nailtini and own a few. While I love red polish, I'm a tad picky about shades and Bloody Mary isn't quite a red I'd pick for myself. That being said, it's full-size which is pretty darn good!
  • Pacifica Tuscan Blood Orange Body Butter - Pacifica is a fabulous company that puts out "healthy" products without parabens, mineral oil, etc. Right down my alley! This lotion is 100% vegan and proceeds of which support clean water initiatives. Pretty fabulous in my book! I will definitely be using this. I think I'll keep it in my purse because it's a nice size, but not too large.
  • SoHo "Crease" Brush - This is probably the one product I was "eh" about. Ironically, one of the reasons I cancelled originally was because I got 1 or 2 makeup brushes in each kit. Now, if you're new to makeup or simply less picky that probably wouldn't have been a deal-breaker. I am extremely picky about makeup brushes (which you likely know if you follow my blog). I like super soft, nicely weighted brushes. I've stopped purchasing natural hair brushes (I wrote a post long ago about why that you can find if you search "cruelty-free" I believe) and now only use vegan brushes. It's hard to find good vegan brushes in my opinion. But again, I'm picky. Anyway, I think this "crease" brush may work for some people. For me, it's just not quite something I'd use. It's a bit rough (again, I'm sensitive about my eyelid) and it's far too big for me to use on my crease. My crease brushes are denser, less fluffy and smaller. I just can't keep a large brush like this in my crease only. This would cover too much of my lid. But again, some may like it. Value-wise it's not a bad addition to the bag if you'll use it.
Where to Subscribe
You can subscribe through Ipsy's site HERE. 
Price
The monthly subscription for Ipsy i $10/month which includes shipping.
Final Thoughts
So far I'm content. We'll see what next month has to bring. I know November's bag had Nailtini in it as well. Typically duplicate products in multiple bags turn me off so if I start seeing repeats I may reconsider my subscription, but for now the value is far out-weighing the $10 per month in my opinion!
Other subscription services I've tried:
Birchbox (cancelled and renewed twice - not currently subscribed)
Conscious Box (LOVED and considering getting another subscription)
There are about 5 or 6 other smaller subscriptions I've reviewed for in the past. None I can recall being impressed with. Do you have a favorite beauty subscription?