January Ipsy Review: Fresh Start

For the New Year, Ipsy decided to kick off the January bag with the theme "Fresh Start", which is also exactly what I'm giving my Glam Bag reviews. From now on, Ipsy reviews will have a "bottom line" summary at the top with more detailed product reviews below. That way, people who like to get in and get out with whether the bag was worth it can do just that, and those who want more detail can keep on reading :) 

January: "Fresh Start"

Overall rating: 3.5 stars 

Best product: Benefit Fake-Up Concealer in the shade "Light" was by far the best product I have received from Ipsy, possibly ever. More on that below. 

Worst product: Hikari Cosmetics Mechanical Eye Liner in the shade "Storm". 

Most expensive product: Velvet 59 Velvet Rose Lipgloss in shade "Noisette" retails $19. 

Glam Bag total value (estimate): $53.85

And now for the breakdown...

Pacifica Natural Mineral Coconut Eyeshadow in "Ethereal" 

This month, all ipsters received one of two shades of this eye shadow. I got "Ethereal ", which is a pretty shimmery champagne color. The pigmentation on it isn't fantastic, but it provides a nice subtle shimmer. I actually haven't used it as an eyeshadow yet, but it makes a pretty beautiful highlighter, which is great because I really needed one. Overall, I give the product 4 stars, mainly because I was so excited to have a nice powder highlighter. 

Elizabeth Mott All Over Shadow Brush

I'm always pleased to get a new makeup brush, and Elizabeth Mott's did not disappoint. The brush is cute, has super soft bristles, but is still sturdy enough to really grab onto shadows (that means less fallout for you!). I wish it had been a tapered blending brush instead, since I already have a brush like this, but I like to try out new brush brands. Overall I give it 4 stars. 

(Malin + Goetz) Mojito Lip Balm

I'll be honest: lip balms usually don't have me giddy with excitement. With that being said, my lips get ludicrously dry in the winter, and this couldn't have been more needed. While I think they are being a bit bougie with the scent "Mojito" - it smells like any other mint lip balm - the formula is fantastic. It's thick and hydrating but not overly sticky. It is also super glossy for something marketed as a balm, so if you're looking for something to hydrate and shine, this is a nice option. 3 stars for this product. 

Hikari Cosmetics Mechanical Eye Liner in "Storm"

I only used this eyeliner once so far, but I'm not impressed. Granted, I used it on my waterline, but I found the color payout was weak and the formula not all that fantastic. It swatched okay on my hand, but I had to go back and forth pretty vigorously for the color to really show up. This one gets 2 stars. 

Velvet 59 Velvet Rose Lipgloss in "Noisette"

Initially, I wasn't overly excited about the shade of this lip gloss, but it's really very nice alone or over another lip color. And, as a fun little surprise, it is rose scented, too! The formula is thick but not sticky. I gave this product 3 stars. 

Benefit Fake-Up Concealer in "Light" 

The gold star product in my Glam Bag this month was this concealer from Benefit by a landslide. The funny thing about that is this wasn't a product that was included in the January bag; I spent 500 of my accumulated Ipsy points to get it, and it came along with this month's bag. I couldn't be more satisfied with this product. The concealer itself is nestled in a little hydrating ring. It glides on super smooth, blends beautifully, hydrates, and completely covers my under eye circles as well as my blemishes. Check it out:

Without concealer

With concealer

I fully intend on making this product a part of my makeup regimine once the sample is gone. 5 stars!! 

Overall, this was definitely not the most exciting Glam Bag I've ever received, but I did get a few useful products out of it. I'm looking forward to see what products they pick for Valentine's Day next month!

Are you an Ipsy subscriber? Which products did you get this month? Which did you love and which did you hate? Were you inspired by any of my reviews to try a new product? Comment below!