Ipsy Glam Bag X Unboxing and Review

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Hello My Queens,

I have a confession. I have turned into quite the product junkie! From makeup to skin care, hair care to body care, nail polish, tools and everything in between, I want to try it all. So that got me on the hunt to find cost effective ways to try new products. In my research, I came across subscription boxes chocked full of high-end and luxury products for one low monthly cost. Some of the subscription boxes even come with full size products to try. Well I could not pass this up.

For the last 2 months I have been receiving subscription boxes from Allure, Ipsy and in August, I got my first boxes from Boxy Charm. Let me just say, I am absolutely loving the variety of name brand products I have received. Fenty, Origins, Dr. Brandt, 111Skin, Decorte, Herbivore and more. Buying all these products individually would cost a small fortune but luckily for me, and hopefully for you soon, beauty subscription boxes like Ipsy exist so I can try all the things. So let’s dive into some further details about the Ipsy beauty box subscriptions.

When I signed up for Ipsy (which is extremely easy to do by the way) I chose the basic Glam Bag that costs $12 per month. Ipsy recently increased the price to $13, which will take effect in October. There is also an annual option where you can lock in the price of $11 per month if you sign up before September 30th. The Glam Bag comes with five sample size products worth over $50 and it’s shipped to your door for free. Oh, did I mention it comes with a cute little bag. It’s perfect for storing your makeup, samples or little odds and ends. After signing up, you have the option to take a beauty quiz that will help the Boxy Charm algorithm to fine tune choices that you will actually love and use.

There is also a Glam Bag Plus that costs $25 per month with the price increasing to $28 per month starting in October. With this option, you receive five full size products every month, three you get to choose from a personalized set of items. Plus you can add-on up to 8 additional products at deeply discounted prices. This all comes with a cute drawstring bag. I just upgraded to the Glam Bag Plus because I like my full size products. Then there is the Glam Bag X which is sent out every three months in February, May, August and November. It is curated by a different celebrity, such as Khloe Kardashian and Halsey. The Glam Bag X is $55 per quarter and replaces your regular bag for that month. It comes with 7-8 full size products valued at over $350. You will need to be signed up for either the basic Glam Bag or the Glam Bag Plus in order to receive the Glam Bag X. During the 4 months of the year that the Glam Bag X is shipped out, you will only be charged for and receive the Glam Bag X.

Since it was August and I signed up for the Glam Bag X, that is what I received. The Glam Bag X was curated by singer Halsey this time and contained eight full size products, three of which I got to choose. I received some seriously incredible products that I was dying to try out. Here’s what I received:

Dr. Brandt Do Not Age Time Defying Cream, $132
Tarte Clay Pot Waterproof Shadow Liner in Rose Gold, $21
The Nue Co Barrier Culture Cleanser, $42
Herbivore Lapis Blue Tansy Face Oil, $72
Athr Beauty Moonlight Crystal Palette, $58
Fenty Beauty Full Frontal Volume, Lift & Curl Mascara, $24
Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream, $28
About-Face Light Lock Powder, $30

That is $407 worth of beauty products for only $55. Huge savings, right?!? Yes, if you actually like and can use the products you receive. I am happy to report that with the except of one product that I haven’t tried yet, I have really enjoyed using all these products and four of them I have incorporated into my daily skincare routine.

What I Loved

It is a two-way tie when it comes to my favorite product in the August Glam Bag X. I absolutely love Blue Tansy essential oil so it’s a no-brainer that I would enjoy the Herbivore Lapis Facial Oil with Blue Tansy and Squalane. The smell is heavenly, soothing my skin and nerves at the end of a long day. If you are sensitive to smells, skip this one. While the scent is absolute heaven, it is strong due to the essential oil. Because I have combination skin with a very oily T-zone I only use this oil at night but it can be used during your morning and night routine if you have normal skin. My other favorite is the Dr. Brandt Do Not Age Time Defying Cream. It has a barely there light, clean scent, super creamy and makes my skin feel like buttah. Dr. Brandt D.N.A. Time Defying Cream retails for $132. This alone makes this box a major score.

I also love the Fenty Beauty Full Frontal Volume, Lift & Curl Mascara and the Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream. I have an off and on again relationship with my eyes. I love the shape of them and my lashes are naturally long and curly but as a woman in her forties, my eyes are starting to show their, umm, let’s just call it “experience”. These two products help to accentuate the positives and address the negatives. The Fenty Beauty mascara helps my lashes to look fuller and lifted with little to no clumping or having to separate lashes with a spoolie. Even with layering, this mascara doesn’t get cakey. It has replaced the Tarte Sea Curl Mascara I was using. The Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream instantly brightens and de-puffs my “you seriously need more sleep” eyes, giving the illusion that I got a full 8 hours of blissful sleep.

What I Liked

I really like the Nue Co Barrier Culture Cleanser. It has great slip, very low sudsing (great for those with sensitive skin) and there is little to no scent for those who are sensitive to smells. This cleanser has prebiotics, probiotics and postbotics. Unfortunately, the Nue Co cleanser did not do a great job at removing my makeup. After 3 passes, there was still traces of my foundation when I toned my skin. I found that I like this cleanser better as part of my morning routine or during my weekly facial when removing makeup is not an issue. The Barrier Culture Cleanser is good overall, leaving the skin soft and moisturized, but I would not purchase for myself.

Another product that almost made the “Loves” list is the Athr Beauty Moonlight Crystal Palette. I am all about beautiful packaging and this palette has it. I loved the included card as the art is gorgeous with a positive message. There are some bright and gorgeous colors included in this palette that feel creamy, gliding on like a dream. The colors are highly pigmented and come in a variety of mattes and shimmers.

I am going to be the first to admit that I have no idea what the About Face Light Lock Powder is used for or how to use it. One day I decided to swipe some all over my face and it produced a shimmery, golden summer glow that I liked. It is not a look I would go for everyday but definitely a keeper for those days I need a little extra boost.

I still have not gotten around to trying the Tarte Clay Pot Waterproof Shadow Liner but once I do I will update this post with the details.

Whew! There were a lot goodies to unpack in this Glam Bag X. And seriously, you cannot beat the value when you receive FULL SIZE products from brands you know and love, and a few yet to be discovered. My September Ipsy Glam Bag has been shipped and the Glam Bag Plus should be on its way by next week. I will be doing an unboxing of those bags and giving a comparison review of the three subscription levels. So make sure you stay tuned for that. Sign up for the Unapologetically You Newsletter so that you never miss out on all that goes on around here.

Until next time, remember . . .

Be Unapologetically You,