Glam Bag/Ipsy August and September 2012 Shipments

The August Glam Bag, themed "Endless Summer," was an orange mesh zipper bag that was trimmed in hot pink with skincare, fragrance, eyeshadow, and nail products as well as a bonus lip product from My Glam.  (Incidentally, My Glam has become Ipsy so all references to the program and website will refer to their new name.)

Here's a review of the items I received and descriptions as reflected on the brand websites:

Eclos - Moisture Therapy Regenerative Cream - 7 ml/.25 fl oz deluxe sample; Full size 60g/2 oz; $24.99 - This medium-weight moisturizer with restorative benefits helps smooth and brighten for a youthful finish. Hydration replenishes dry, dulling skin suffering from the signs of aging. Powerful extracts and antioxidants boost collagen levels for noticeable tightening and firming. Exclusively formulated with rejuvenating Apple Stem Cells, clinically proven to significantly reduce wrinkles and improve skin texture in two weeks. Formulated without parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances or dyes, mineral oil or petroleum. Directions for use: Apply to clean skin day and night. Can also be applied over EclosTM Cellular Activator Face Serum for optimal results.  My thoughts: I liked the feel of this product but didn't find the sample large enough to result in a firmer skin or a reduction in my fine lines.  For a drugstore product, I did like the formula though.  There is mild fragrance to the cream. There is an offer code for $10 off as well as a free cleanser on ipsy.com.

Eclos - Cellular Activator Facial Serum - 15 ml/.5 fl oz. deluxe sample; Full size 50ml/1.7 fl oz. $24.99 - This lightweight serum from Eclos helps wake up skin's self-renewal process to revitalize fatigued, stressed skin. Unique plant extracts help boost firmness and tone to smooth out fine lines and damage. Exclusively formulated with rejuvenating Apple Stem Cells, clinically proven to significantly reduce wrinkles and improve skin texture in two weeks. Comfrey, Gotu Kola, Tumeric and Green Tea antioxidants shield against skin aging environment assaults, helping to prolong a youthful appearance. Formulated without parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances or dyes, mineral oil or petroleum.  Directions for use:  After cleansing, lightly smooth a thin layer over skin in the morning and at night. May be used underneath EclosTM Moisture Therapy Regenerative Cream for optimal results.  My thoughts: I liked the texture of this serum.  There is a mild fragrance to it though.

Demeter - Roll On Perfume Oil - Clean Skin - Full size .29 fl oz/$10 - Simple. Subtle. Singular scents. Each Day. Everywhere. Demeter Perfume Oils are long-lasting and formulated with Jojoba Oil and Vitamin E to pamper and soften the skin. The convenient roll-on applicator is perfect for anyone looking for a great scent on the go. Apply to pulse points, wrists, and neck. Use as needed to refresh fragrance. Or, mix, match and layer them directly on the skin to create your own personal fragrance experience.  What's sexier than clean, post bubble-bath skin? A blend of orange, lemon, white rose, bergamot peach and vanilla, make for the perfect shower-fresh scent.  Clean Skin by Demeter is a virtually transparent and delicate fragrance. Smells like the best version of you - just better.  My thoughts: This fragrance was very mild and pleasant.  Great for my gym bag as it is a workout-friendly scent.  There is also a 20% off coupon code on the ipsy website.

Circus by Andrea's Choice - Nailcolor - Spectacle - 13.2 ml/.45 fl oz; Full Size price unavailable as product launches Fall 2012 - The Circus Collection includes: Reverso, Ringmaster, Spectacle, Somersault & Tightrope. Each chip-resistant shade is vegan, cruelty free and free of Formaldehyde, Toluene and DBP.  My thoughts: This polish applies somewhat streaky so it requires several coats, though it dries to a glossy finish.  Spectacle is a bright, orange shade more suited for my tootsies as I prefer neutral shades on my hands.

S.A.L.T.Y Cosmetics - Eye Shadow - Glama-ZOID! - 1 g jar; Small size 1.25 g/$4.50 - S.A.L.T.Y. Cosmetics is dedicated to producing a line of loose mineral, luxury eyeshadows, custom blended by hand. The array of colors and shades is designed to help you express your inner diva! Glama-ZOID!, an iridescent violet pink satin has a sexy touch of light reflecting sparkle. This shadow is perfect for all skin tones and works as an amazing highlighter for brow bone and inner corners. Best of all, this shade was created exclusively for the myglam community. We hope you glam it up and enjoy.  My thoughts: This opalescent shadow is finely milled and makes a nice highlighter not just for the brow bone and inner corners of the eyes, but a light application along the bridge of the nose, top of the cheekbones and over the cupid's bow provides a nice luminescent effect.

myglam - Glam Gloss - 01 - 7 ml/.23 fl oz - My thoughts: This light pink lip gloss is very smooth and not too sticky.  I love the texture of it.  Unfortunately, there wasn't any information on ipsy.com.  Wondering if there are more to come.

Overall rating:  Booyah!  for value of the product contents and introducing me to Eclos skincare products, the lovely, wearable Glam Gloss, lovely highlighter and the full size Clean Skin perfume oil.  These made up for the BOO-BOO! polish shade which did not suit me.

***** 

The September Ipsy Glam Bag, was a sleek, black zipper bag with a wristlet handle that contained hair care, nail, eye and lip products as well as a bonus $20 promo code for Just FAB.

Here's a review of the items I received and descriptions as reflected on the brand websites:

SOHO - Smudge Brush  - Full size $5.97 at walmart.com - The SOHO Smudge Brush is the perfect tool for creating a modern smoky eye and works great for smudging liner, blending colors, and for applying shadow directly into the lash line. The brush has a sleek, lightweight aluminum handle with a dense, contoured brush head for superior application. My thoughts: I find the handle too long but like the feel of the brush as well as the bristles.

Carol's Daughter - Monoi Repairing Split End Sealer - 10 ml/.38 oz. deluxe sample; Full size 1.7 fl oz; $25 - A repairing lotion that instantly binds the frayed and separated ends of your hair so you can skip the trim and keep your length. For over 2,000 years, Tahitians have used Monoi Oil for its natural reparative properties that undo and prevent damage from the sun, sea and surf. Made of ingredients that only grow in Tahiti, Monoi Oil is made in a 15-day ritual using Tiare Gardenia Flower blossoms and Coprah Coconut Oil. Apply a pea-sized amount to wet or dry hair. Make sure to smooth completely through to the ends. Style as usual.   My thoughts: As I have dry, color-treated curly hair, this repairing treatment is right up my alley. There is a $5 off code on ipsy.com that I will definitely be taking advantage of.

Jane - Sparkle Gloss - Sparkle Pink - 6 ml/.2 fl oz;  1/3rd of the Friends of Jane Collection (3 tubes for $9.99) - Shimmer Gloss offers moisturizing, light reflecting medium coverage for your lips. Your lips will relish in the moisture-rich, Vitamin E infused formulas for a variety of gorgeous lip looks. Wear alone, over lipstick or mix and match to create custom shades.  My thoughts: The gloss has a nice texture but as I found that I needed to be careful when applying to be sure that the rich, deep pink color was evenly distributed.  There is a promotion code for 20% off a future purchase of $14.99 or more on ipsy.com.

Mirabella - Eye Colour - Semiformal - Full Size 2g/.07 oz; $10 - Eye Colour mineral eye shadows create flawless, long-lasting looks with an alluring array of shimmer, sheen and matte formulations. Semiformal Eye Colour, one of 40 shades available, contains a lightly pearlized sheen to softly illuminate the eyes. This talc-free formula gives smooth application and beautiful, pure color. The formula is also paraben-free, gluten-free, fragrance-free as well as D4 and D5 free.  My thoughts: Semiformal is a shimmery medium brown shade that is perfect for a transition shade.  There is a promotion code for 30% off on ipsy.com.

Circus by Andrea's Choice - Nail Color - Tightrope - 13.2 ml/.45 fl oz; Full Size price unavailable as product launches Fall 2012 - The Circus Collection includes: Reverso, Ringmaster, Spectacle, Somersault & Tightrope. Each chip-resistant shade is vegan, cruelty free and free of Formaldehyde, Toluene and DBP.  My thoughts: This polish applies somewhat streaky so it requires several coats, though it dries to a glossy finish.  Tightrope is a vibrant purple-fuschsia  shade more suited for my tootsies as I prefer neutral shades on my hands.  I will say of all the Circus shades I have received, I did like this one the most.

Overall rating:  Booyah!  for value of the product contents and introducing me to Carol's Daughter products; can't wait to try the other products in this line.  

May 2012 Glam Bag

This month's Glam bag, a blue case with a pink "lips" pattern, contained a full-size lipstick, a fragrance sample, 2 cosmetic brushes and a package of Nail Bling.

Contents were as follows:

• Zippered case
• Studio Gear Lipstick in Caramel
• Philosophy Fragrance Vial sample - Love Sweet Love
• Miss Beauty Nail Bling stickers
• My Glam Concealer Brush
• My Glam Defining Eyeliner Brush

Here's a close-up of the brushes as well as the lipstick:

While I can always find use for the monthly zippered cases I receive, other than the cosmetic brushes, I didn't find this month's shipment as great as past installments.

Overall rating: Boo-Hiss!

The nail bling stickers, lipstick shade and fragrance are not items I will use so other than the case and brushes, this month's shipment was a miss!  I am starting to question if the stylists at My Glam paid attention to the answers I provided to their quiz when I joined.  

Glam Bag is a monthly beauty sampling program (myglam.com) and membership costs $10 per month or $110 a year (one bag free).  As always, shipping is free.

Hoping that June's bag brings me some goodies I can use.

Glam Bag Shipment March 2012

Hi Beauties!


Just received my Glam Bag March 2012 shipment and wanted to show you what was in this month's goodies.

The green-motifed glam bag contained the following items:

• Keracolor Color Enhancing Leave-In Treatment in Natural (5 ml) -- Includes an exclusive offer to Glammies -- Keracolor Natural enhances dimensional highlights for all hair types -- adding volume, luminosity, and vibrancy to all tones.  Infused with our C.E.T. Complex to Enhance, Protect, Strengthen, and Hydrate.
• Pur~Lisse Pur~Protect Essential Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 (0.14 oz/4ml) -- Includes 20% savings from Dermstore.com on Pur~lisse Pur-Lip Comfort and Pur~Protect SPF 30 -- Hydra-shield Complex provides balanced UVA/UVB sun protection, while Vitamin E and Soy Proteins let skin's softer, supple side shine through.  White Tea calms sensitive skin.  Absorbs quickly for grease-free application.
• Pur~Lisse Pur~Lip Comfort Daily Lip Nourisher (.5 oz/15g) -- Comfort dry, chapped and cracked lips with our exclusive petroleum-free lip moisturizer.  Formulated with fruit butters and vegetable oils.  Provides amazing healing benefits for soft, moist and youthful-looking lips.  This is a full-sized product that retails for $22.
• Murad Eye Lift Perfector (.015 fl. oz/0.44 ml)  -- Increase your skin's firmness by 50% in as little as 15 minutes with this revolutionary product, which relies on exclusive firming and illuminating complexes to address dark circles, both instantly and long-term. A subtle tint adds just the right amount of coverage.
• Dermstore.com Coupon Code -- $25 off orders of $50 or more
• My Glam Brush Brush Case --  Includes My Glam Classic Crease brush in case with magnetic closure.

Overall Rating:  Booyah! considering receipt of a full-sized product, coupon codes and My Glam Classic Crease Brush and case.

Have you subscribed to Glam Bag yet?  So glad I got in before they closed membership to address popularity concerns and service.  Here's hoping they open up again soon.

My First Glam Bag Shipment - February 2012 and Giveaway

I have been following Michelle Phan for quite some time so I couldn't help but subscribe to the beauty sampling program she, her sister, and other youtubers/beauty bloggers created called Glam Bag (www.myglam.com/the-bag).  The program starts with a brief quiz consisting of 14 questions.  I paid for a monthly subscription of $10 which gets me a monthly shipment of a make-up bag (not a box) and 4 or 5 samples of products.  You can also sign up for an annual subscription which costs $110 so you get 1 month free.

The February shipment, of course a Valentine's Day theme, included 4 products, a gift card, two Ghirardelli chocolates (one milk chocolate and one dark chocolate) from the MyGlam Team, and a cute pink zippered make-up bag with black hearts.

Here's a breakdown of the products with descriptions as reflected on the Glam Bag insert card (italicized comments are my own):

• X Out - Shine Control (20 ml) - Stay flawless and shine-free with this oil-free moisturizer with a mattifying complex.   A promotion code for a free gift with purchase is included.  (From the makers of Proactiv.)

• NYX - Roll On Shimmer (1.5 g) in Mauve Pink - NYX's brand new, intensely rich, shimmering powder that can be applied to the eyes, face, and body.  A promotion code for a discounted purchase of other Roll On Shimmer Shades. (There are 16 shades in this range) is included.  (This is a full-sized sample that retails for $4.50 at in a shade that works nicely for me.  Kudos to NYX for coming up with a simple way to add shimmer without the mess or needing a makeup brush. See swatch below.)

• Premier - Instant Stretching and Revitalizing Mask (a.k.a. "The Cinderella Mask"; 2 ml) and Moisture Complex (2 ml) - Luxury skincare rich in life-enhancing minerals from the Dead Sea waters. A promotion code for discounted purchase is included as well as details on how to enter to win a $1000 shopping spree.

• NuMe - Professional Styling Tools and Hair Extensions ($100 Gift Card) - Enjoy $100 towards NuMe's products.  Hair tools that will revolutionize your everyday look.

• Freeman - Facial Mask Sachet in Pineapple (15 ml) - Turn your date night prep-time into a soothing spa experience with easy-to-use skin-perfecting masks.

Overall Rating:  Booyah! 

I love the cute little bag and the sweet surprise the MyGlam Team sent for Valentine's Day.  Can't wait for future shipments.

Have you subscribed to Glam Bag or do you plan to?  Please comment below and follow this blog by Friday, February 24th (6 PM Eastern) for a chance to win my NuMe Gift Certificate.

Good luck!