Ipsy review, April 2014

I'm a few days behind in posting this review, but with all the Golden Tote madness, a girl has to pace herself. Anyway, I received my Ipsy shipment last week. It was the first box I'd received from Ipsy, as it took me a while to get off the waiting list. I was really curious to see how Ipsy compared to Birchbox (plus I LOVE the little bags in which Ipsy packs its makeup), so I eagerly opened the package to see what I'd find inside.

I found a bunch of cosmetics and two models peeking out at me!

In all seriousness, I thought the bag was really cute, but holy heck, it REEKED! It smelled very plastic-y, like one of those blow-up inner tubes that kids use in the pool. Are all the Ipsy bags like this? Luckily, the smell has faded, so I'm able to use it without conjuring images of myself floating down the lazy river at a water park.

1. Pop! Goes the Shadow eye shadow in "champagne." This was a cute color (beige, with just a touch of pink to it), but a little too shimmery for my taste, so I'll probably give it to someone who will use it more than I will.

2. Dr. Brandt microdermabrasion skin exfoliant. I always like trying out new skin products, so this will be put to good use.

3. Starlooks Luscious Longwear lip pencil in "nude." I very rarely wear lipstick, but I like the color of this liner. It's light enough that I think it'll look good with colored lip gloss, which is what I usually wear when the occasion calls for painted lips.

4. Urban Decay 24/7 velvet glide-on eye pencil in "black velvet." Hah, the way I situated the liner in this photo makes it look like the model on the package is grabbing the end of it. She'll have to fight me off, though, because I'm really excited to try this out. Though I don't wear it often, I love playing around with eye liner, especially liner that's easy to apply and that doesn't smudge off by the end of the day. This liner promises both!

5. Coastal Scents medium shadow brush. Makeup brushes are always good to have on hand, so this item was a nice addition to the bag.

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I was really happy with my first Ipsy shipment! I can't compare the service to Birchbox yet; I'll have to ride the Ipsy wave for a few more boxes before I can decide which service I like better. Or, I guess it doesn't have to be a contest; I can like both equally. You can't go wrong with any service that delivers cosmetics to your door every month, right?

If you haven't yet tried out Ipsy and would like to do so, head on over here: Ipsy subscription link. The cost is $10 a month, and you'll receive a mix of trial and full-size beauty products, all in a cute makeup bag.