December Ipsy Review

So looking at all the spoilers, I decided I would make a master list of what I would hate getting, versus what I would look forward to.

This post will be updated as I actually find out what my bag is, and will later be updated with product reviews.

This post is also going by the spoilers provided by My Subscription Addition.

Products I Would Like/ Would Not Mind Getting:

• Either the Mac or Essence Mascara. I can't remember what I put down for my quiz, as I did get a couple of mascaras lately (the Doucce and Makeup Forever one) that I just was not thrilled with. Either of these two mascaras would be fine by me. I also have never tried a Mac product before. 
• Oribe Dry Shampoo. Now I love dry shampoo. And I heard this one smells really nice. 
• City Color Shimmer Eyeshadow. I've talked about these before on the blog, and have it on good authority these are swoon worthy. 
• and that's it...lol. Not enough for a whole bag, even though I know Ipsy does not provide spoilers for all its products.

Products that I do NOT want to get:

• Please please do not send me loose eyeshadow pigment in white. What weirdness is that?? (specifically, the product is Meech and Mia loose pigment eyeshadow in white).
• Eyeliners. Do not need them, nor want them.
• Liquid lipstick. I do not use this, nor do I want it.
• Smashbox lipstick. I was gifted one of these before, and it was alright. But the one they keep previewing is bright red, which I do not wear. 
• A Luxie shader brush- I usually like brushes, but I've got so many shader brushes. If I had it my way, I would only get blending crease brushes, or flat synthetic brushes. 

Overall, the "categories" of things I do not want include multiple products, which far outnumber things I would actually want. While I was not impressed with the November bag, I don't have much hope for the December one, either. 

As of December 5, ipsy revealed the contents of the glambag. This one is mine:

I'll go through, talk about what I am excited about, and what I am not.

Update, 12/23. So, I did eventually receive my glambag, but it was on the later side. I have made good use of the products, so I'll share my thoughts. 

1.) Tony Moly Green Tea face cream. I am excited for this one. At night, I used a heavier moisturizer about three times a week, but when I don't feel like using that I go for lighter creams. This will be perfect for that. 10 ml= approximate value of $4.00.
After using this, it is a very light moisturizer. I don't feel it's especially interesting or useful, and I would not consider buying a full size of this. 

2.) City Color Eyeshadow Single. Yes! I was hoping to get one of these. Actually, I do hope I get the more neutral of the two, the taupe color, as I am really tired of the berry-toned reds that appear purple in the pan. Fingers crossed. The approximate value of this is $4.00.
LOL I did end up with the berry tone.\, called It's a Girl.  It is actually very pretty when swatched on the hand, as it is a purple-leaning dark pink with a red base. On the eye, though, it is a total dud. For a creamy-seeming shadow, the formula is very stiff. It also SMELLS incredibly chemical. I would still be interested in trying a proper shadow from this line, but one that has been approved of. 

3.) Nyx Faux Blacks Eyeliner. Ugh. I did not want eyeliner. Crayon eyeliner is the worst for me. There is not much information online about this eyeliner, but I am not very happy. Value is $8.00.
Color me surprised! I actually really like this. Dammit ipsy. This is a dark olive green color, and on my lids it is quite obviously green. I especially like it paired with a light gold metallic shadow. For me and my limited range of makeup capabilities, I feel as though this allows me to experiment with color, albeit in a "traditional" way.  This is a total winner, and probably saved the bag for me. 

Here are swatches of the eyeshadow and eyeliner:

Don't let the appearance of the shadow fool you, it is very hard to work with. The eyeliner, however, is creamy to apply, and sets quickly. Once it sets, it does not budge. I did not expect to enjoy this, but I really do. Hoorah!

4.) Another Luxie Brush...And I am not a fan of this kind of eye brush. Approximate value is $14.00.
The brush actually is useful for me, and I have found it best when I am applying matte shadows on the lid. 

5.) Lastly, a quite interesting serum product from Nip and Fab, which I've never tried before. It contains 20 mL of product, and the approximate value is $8.00
Um, I do agree it plumps the skin, and even feels a bit prickly. But the smell kills me- it is straight-up axe. 

Total value of the bag: $38.00. Not too bad. I think this bag is much more interesting than last months, and there are a couple of items I think really make the bag worth it. 

The only thing I wish ipsy would just be more up front about is telling you the specific color you are getting. I don't see why they can't do this. They used to reveal it in an email, but even that is not working for me anymore. 

This page will continue to be updated with product reviews and reflections, so stay tuned! 

Alright. My thoughts. I think the bag is fine, and I am really excited about the Nyx eyeliner. We'll go ahead with January and see what happens.