Ipsy March 2016 Glam Bag Review

I know it’s already April, but here’s my Ipsy March 2016 Glam Bag Review. 🙂

Friday Beauty Craving: I resubscribed to #Ipsy and here’s what arrived: Caviar Anti-Aging Miracle Multiplying Volume Mist from #Alterna; Aphrodite Olive Oil Eye Cream; It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye™ Concealer; Modelco Lip Lacquer in Morocco; and Mannakadar Beauty Eyeshadow in Fantasy. #beauty #nyc #fridaybeautycraving

A photo posted by Mariel Jimenez (@nyminutenow) on Mar 18, 2016 at 7:05am PDT

It feels like I’ve lived in a bunker all these post-beauty-editor years and now I’ve emerged, and left and right, there are all these AMAZING products churned out by cosmetic companies and more notably, vetted by AWESOME YouTube vloggers. I’ve recently been watching Nicole Young of Young Wild and Polished (I wanna be friends with her! Nicole, if you’re reading this, hi!) and Manny MUA (who just hit 1M subscribers! Soo thrilled for him!). ADORE! (Yes, that’s a lot of all-capped As, exclamation marks and parentheses. 🙂 )

Given my recent “reintegration” into the world of beauty, along with more frequent trips to Sephora, I also reactivated my Ipsy subscription. Here’s what was inside my March Glam Bag and what I thought about the products:

[Individual product images courtesy of Ipsy.]

1) Aphrodite Olive Oil Eye Cream

This was a pleasant surprise. I expect skincare items in samplers to be a bit sketchy, and most eye products in general, gimmicky—and yes, even those form large cosmetic companies (oh, Clarins, why did you put mineral oil in your $89-Double Serum??!). But this one is legit. I read ingredients all the time at work so a quick scan of the back of packaging yielded good-for-you ‘INCIs’ such as, well, olive oil, argan oil—which I already use on my face—shea butter and grape juice extract.

This olive oil eye cream felt nice and smooth and pure on my undereyes and lids. It also had a gentle cooling feel and a light, very subtle fresh scent. I’m parking this next to my bed.

2) ModelCo Lip Lacquer in Morocco

Modelco!!! Modelco!!! I did NOT know they were still around! (Again, see bunker comment.) I first came across this Australian brand during my beauty editor days, they made a big splash back in the day with their Tan Airbrush In A Can.

This lip gloss is your classic shiny lip gloss. Speaking of the early aughts, this is your tried-and-true, go-to gloss just as your old Lancôme Juicy Tube was. Gosh, that totally dates me. 🙂 It is the total opposite of the popular matte liquid lipsticks that you see so much today. Yes, I’m talking to you, ColourPop.

3) It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye™ Concealer

This has the same full coverage as my one-and-only, go-to Laura Geller The Real Deal Concealer. Bye Bye Under Eye is a little bit more emollient and blendable. At first I thought perhaps it was loaded with silicones (which, by the way, I don’t understand why they get a bad rap when silicone treatments are actually prescribed for post-surgical scarring, and don’t they come from sand? They are also used for bakeware). But I read the ingredients and nope, no silicone.

I admit, this took a bit of time to grow on me. I found it a bit too goopy and sticky in the beginning. Plus, you need to dot in on thin layer by thin layer.

4) Manna Kadar Beauty Eyeshadow in Fantasy

A creamy rose gold. Like!

5) Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Miracle Multiplying Volume Mist
TBH, I have not tried this product yet. 🙂 Feel free to leave a comment here and/or send me a Snap @nyminutenow if you have!