December Ipsy Bag Review

Another month, another Ipsy bag in my mailbox! This month it feels like a Christmassy reward to myself after a stressful finals week and holiday shopping.

The bag itself impressed both me and my mom, it's a gorgeous hot pink velvet bag with pink fur on it and gold accents. The interior is shiny gold as well, and I definitely will try to use this bag in the future!

If you didn't know, with Ipsy you have the option of accumulating points which can be spent on extra items. You can get points by reviewing the products you are sent, getting friends to sign up with your code, or sharing/following different things on social media. I had about 350 points built up and I decided to get one of the extra items, so that was included in this bag along with my usual five products!

Ouai Haircare Wave Spray 1 oz $26 for 5 oz
I haven't tried this yet, but I'm excited to! Whenever I go out I always straighten my hair, but I've been looking for ways to wear it natural. I've tried a few sea salt wave sprays but they made my hair feel crunchy and frizzy, so I can't wait to give this a go and see if it fares better. The reviews on Sephora are okay if a little mixed, but I'm glad I can buy the full size from Sephora if I end up liking it!

theBalm Mad Lash mascara sample $18 for full size
I've gotten quite a few theBalm products from Ipsy and although I'm never pleased by the sample size, I end up liking the quality. This mascara is no exception; it's smaller than your average sample mascara but the curved wand fits perfectly into the lashes and lengthens them beautifully without clumping. I can't wait to use this more and I would consider getting the full size! theBalm often has products on Hautelook for major discounts so I recommend checking out that app if you're interested in this mascara or anything else from theBalm, including their highlighters and eyeshadow palettes.

Hanalei Lip Treatment 5 ml sample $20 for 15g
This is a very small tube of a thick lip balm. I've only used it once and I'm on the fence about it. I always apply a lip balm before I go to sleep and I don't think that this one did any better or worse than my usual ones. It smells really good, like a brand new MAC lipstick! The texture is very thick and I think it's meant to seal in moisture rather than add moisture to the lips. I'm sure I will use it all, but I would never spend $20 on a lip balm unless it's tinted or a miracle worker.

Pin up Swatch

Ciate Liquid Velvet liquid lipstick in Pin Up sample $19 full size
I haven't worn this out yet, but from the swatches the color is a beautiful light berry. The doe-foot applicator is a bit larger than I'm used to so it may be harder to be precise with, but this is said to be a moisturizing formula which I am always down for!

Tarte Maracuja Oil 7 ml sample $48 for 50 mL
I've heard so much about the benefits of this maracuja oil (made 100% from Passionfruit seeds) so I'm glad to have this sample to try! The bottle is pretty and high-quality with a gold pipette dispenser, fake wood lid, and purple glass bottle. I've been using just a few drops each night and it absorbs into the skin very quickly. I don't like the smell at all, it's very earthy and reminds me of olive oil, but it disperses soon after application. I use such a small amount that I think this little bottle will last me more than a month so I will see if there really are benefits to my skin!

Living Proof Restore Hair Mask Treatment 1 oz sample $42 for 8 oz
I've always wanted to try Living Proof so when this hair mask was offered for 250 points I snatched it up. The sample is smaller than I thought it would be, but I can probably get 3 or 4 uses out of it, definitely enough to decide if I want the full size. It doesn't have a strong scent and the reviews on this look promising, so I'm hoping for the best!

Overall I'm very happy with this month's bag and my purchase. Although everything is sample-sized, there are three notable brands that I like included and all of it is something I will use. It's a good mix of haircare, makeup, and skincare that I've come to expect from Ipsy.

Have you tried any of these products? Which would you be most excited about?

Xx Katie