Tag: Ipsy
July 2026 Ipsy Bag – Passport to Play
July’s bag is kind of a dud…not the makeup bag itself, but the contents…
I mean, I guess my product choice was fine – Tatcha The Melting Balm in “Pinku” – but I have enough lip gloss to lubricate an oil rig.
Also in this month’s bag: Ace Beaute Ready In Five Hydrating Creamy Concealer in “F2” (I am too old for concealer – it makes me look like one of those crusty-eyed white dogs); BLAQ Beyond Hope Rejuvenating Serum; Grace & Stella Eye Mask Heroes; and Seraphine Botanicals Power Curl Mascara. Meh.
I subscribe to the original ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and ipsy Ultimate (formerly Icon Box, and before that – Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
June 2026 Ipsy Bag – Blend the Rules
I’m not gonna lie…the first thought in my head when I saw this month’s ipsy bag was…those look like luscious lips. Juicy, wet, FLAPPY lips.
I’m not gonna lie…this month’s bag is mostly a dud. While I love my product choice – Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream – the rest are very underwhelming. Also inside the flappy lips: Beauty for Certain Lip + Cheek Stick in “Sangria” (will be giving away); Bodyography Lip Pencil in “Timber” (meh); Skin&Co Roma Truffle Therapy Amino-Peptide Complex Face Serum (I got this in my very first Birchbox – I have been using it at night); and BISHA Essential Baby Eyeshadow Duo. The stuff isn’t horrible – it’s just not exciting.
I subscribe to the original ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and ipsy Ultimate (formerly Icon Box, and before that – Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
May 2026 Ipsy Ultimate – Summer Collection
Ipsy is really pushing the Natasha Denona these days…I’m not even mad.
Two of my products choices were Natasha: Natasha Denona My Dream Eyeshadow Palette ($72) and Natasha Denona My Dream Cheek Trio ($48). Be careful with the eye palette – she is SUPER pigmented. I didn’t realize that the cheek trio was a single blush shade and two highlighters – with a cream texture, no less. Even so – I LOVE the blush shade. it applies wonderfully with my usual brush and it reminds me of NARS Orgasm. Definitely a keeper.
I haven’t had a chance to try my other product choice yet – Rare Beauty Find Comfort Bouncy Body Cream – Awaken Confidence ($36).
Most of the other products were really nice: YSL Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick ($43 – although I would never spend $43 on lip gloss, I can see why it’s so much – it’s great); BISHA Essential Setting Powder in “Tokyo Translucent” ($40 – perfect for when you don’t want full foundation, but don’t want to be shiny); Ciele The Blush Brush ($32 – haven’t tried it yet); and Dermalactives Resurfacing Honey and Charcoal Mask ($159 – fucking expensive, but it makes my skin butter smooth, so I get it).
The final product is an abomination of god: Makeup by Mario Ultra Suede Cozy Lip Creme in “Nude Suede” ($26). It was like putting concealer on my lips – totally unusable. This one is going in la basura.
Except for the abominable lip creme, this is a really nice box. The box value is $456, one of the higher combinations I’ve gotten.
I subscribe to the original ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and ipsy Ultimate (formerly Icon Box, and before that – Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
April 2026 Ipsy Bag – Dare to Daydream
Dare to daydream? I spend more time daydreaming than doing my actual job…shhhh…
My product choice this month was Tatcha The Dewy Milk Moisturizer and it was so good that I’ve already used it all up. The only thing that threw me was the bluish purpley shade – it reminded me of Ube or maybe even Bantha Milk?
The BelláPierre Cosmetics Purifying Milky Cleanser doesn’t seem to clean my face very well – I get makeup residue when I tone my face after using it. I gave the Memoire Archives “First Class” to my son’s girlfriend – it didn’t smell bad, it just did not smell like me. The Ruby Rose Cosmetics Lip Oil in “Watermelon” is quite nice. I haven’t tried the YSL Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara yet.
The bag itself is fine, I guess…nothing too exciting about it, except the pearl zipper pull..
I subscribe to the original ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and ipsy Ultimate (formerly Icon Box, and before that – Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
March 2026 Ipsy Bag – Do Less Glow More
March’s bag was a bit MEH. The only item I am obsessed with is the Mudmasky French Kiss Lip Butter in “Limoncello & Orange” – it smells SO GOOD.
I take that back – I also have been using my product choice as a night cream – LANEIGE Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Gel Moisturizer. It smells like luxury and I wake up with smooth SMOOTH skin.
Also in this month’s meh bag: Manna Kadar Cosmetics Pink Mirage Eyeshadow Palette; Mi-el Skincare Strawberry Kiss Sugar Body Scrub; and a Pear Nova Lid Focus Brush.
I subscribe to the original ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and ipsy Ultimate (formerly Icon Box, and before that – Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
February 2026 Ipsy Ultimate – Spring Collection
No curator for this quarter’s Ipsy Ultimate. I’m not even mad though – I usually have to Google who they are these days.
My favorite product choice this month was Fable & Mane SahaScalp Wild Ginger Purifying Scrub ($36). With the psoriasis flare I had a few months ago, my scalp is still recovering. Of course, my first stop was a new dermatologist to get a topical steroid to get it under control…but this scrub has really helped knock the mummy dust off of my scalp. I might actually purchase this when I run out.
My other two product choices were meh – not a lot of good products to choose from this month. I picked Tatcha Camellia Gold Spun Moisturizing Lip Balm ($32), which is like the Goldschlager of lip balms, and NARS Cosmetics Quad Eyeshadow Palette in “Kuala Lumpur” ($55), which is almost too pink for me. I’ve only used it once and I don’t foresee reaching for it often. I was hoping for more of a NARS Orgasm pink.
The products I did not get to pick were pretty good. I got Kevyn Aucoin Indecent Mascara in “Black” ($32 – one of the best mascaras I’ve tried – no clumps!); Rodial Collagen Drops ($95 – I’ve been using this on my face at night and I can definitely tell a difference in some of my deep wrinkles); Il Makiage Shade Addict High Impact Eye Color Palette ($68 and a much better match for my skintone than the NARS palette); Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Wand Duo in “Pillow Talk” + “Pinkgasm” ($84 and gifted to my big sis with a bunch of other Tilbury samples); and Dr. Brandt Skincare Glycolic Skin Renewal Mask ($52 – haven’t tried it yet).
$454 in this quarter’s box – I’m very pleased with my choices.
I subscribe to the original ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and ipsy Ultimate (formerly Icon Box, and before that – Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
January 2026 Ipsy Bag – The Year of Yes
The Year of Yes…I don’t know about that. Seems kind of dangerous to be declaring shit like that in January?
The past month has been a blur. The only product I’ve tried is my product choice – Korres Apothecary Wild Rose Brightening Sleeping Facial. It’s a nice, thick face cream and it smelled really nice.
Also in this month’s MEH bag: Girlactik 2-in-1 Luminous Tint Foundation; IBY Beauty Hilite Powder Brush (are people still wearing highlighter?); Luna Magic Lip Pencil in “Strawberry Mojito”; and Moonslice Beauty Cream Blush in “Cutie Pie” (when did they stop calling it ‘rouge’?).
Even the makeup bag is a bit MEH – it looks like an astronaut maxi pad.
I subscribe to the original ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and ipsy Ultimate (formerly Icon Box, and before that – Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
December 2025 Ipsy Bag – Play Beauty Spread Joy
…December has been so busy that I’ve only tried one of the samples!
My product choice this month was Briogeo Hair Care Superfood Avocado + Kiwi Mega Moisture Hair Mask. I picked it because I have more shampoo than conditioner and can use it with leftover shampoo.
The rest of my products were Eleman Beauty The Gel Lip Pencil in “So Sultry”; Ellis Brooklyn “Dear Sky” (wearing it right now – I love this scent on me, very juicy and fruity); Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Balm Gloss in “Rose”; and Beauty for Certain Tubing Brow Gel (I shall be gifting this one – I don’t need tubes hanging off my 3 eyebrow hairs).
The bag has bows on it, so I am saving it for my son’s girlfriend – she loves ribbons and bows!
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and Icon Box (formerly Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
November 2025 Ipsy Ultimate – Natasha Denona
Ipsy Icon Box (previously Ipsy X) is now called Ipsy Ultimate. Nothing like a rebrand, huh?
At least I’ve heard of Natasha Denona. I prefer the boxes curated by brands (like Natasha Denona) or by actual celebrities. I have wasted too much time googling celebrity makeup artists, or worse…influencers…and I literally do not care.
The biggest surprise of the box was the Natasha Denona Yucca Palette ($69). I was expected to look like a tumbleweed, but all the earthy desert tones really pop on my skin. Who knew that my best eyeshadow color would be mustard yellow? The box also came with Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealer ($30), but I haven’t tried it yet. I should…I’ve been eating macadamia nuts all week and my skin is garbage.
My product choice were pretty good this month. I picked Tatcha The Matcha Cleanse ($40 – I would never spend $40 on face wash…but this is a nice fucking face wash); Salt & Stone Black Rose & Oud Body Lotion ($20 – I am in love with this woody rose scent); and Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Eye Cream ($44 – a bad pick, I think I thought it was face cream – boo!)
Also in this month’s box: Lithe Beauty Soft Fill Lip Pencils in “Dusk” & “Scarlet” ($32 – nice, soft lip pencils); Bisha Essential Eye Designer Duo Set in “Downtown Black” & “Uptown Brown” ($58 – haven’t tried yet); and Persona Cosmetics Volumizing Tubing Mascara in “Black” ($24 – haven’t tried yet).
$317 worth of products this quarter!
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and Icon Box (formerly Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
October 2025 Ipsy Bag – Work Your Magic
I am in love with this month’s ipsy bag. The bag itself, but the products are nice, too.
I don’t know how my ipsy bags have turned into mostly skincare – I haven’t updated my profile in at least 5 years, if not 10. I have enough weird eyeliners and makeup brushes, I ain’t even mad.
My product choice this month was e.l.f. Skin Stick it To Zits. I picked out pimple patches because my daughter uses them…but then she acted all offended when I tried to give them to her. Like I was saying she has bad skin? Teenagers are THE WORST.
Also in this month’s snaky bag: Dr Lili Fan Probiotic Defense Toner (been using the shit out of it – the tiny bottle is almost empty); Soroci Vita-C Intensive Serum (Nice on my skin before bed); Glow Recipe Avocado Ceramide Moisture Barrier Cleanser (I’ve been using the shit out of this too); and All Moringa Nourishing Mask (I used this today before my shower – it smells like pickles and I looked like Oscar the Grouch).
A great bag! I’ll use everything, except the zit stickers…maybe my son’s girlfriend would like them?
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and Icon Box (formerly Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.