Unboxing: Ipsy | June 2014

For the last couple of months I've embarked on a new journey into the world of beauty subscription boxes. And if you're a subscriber to any of the fabulous services available right now, you're probably already addicted to them like I am! Slowly but surely, I've managed to finally catch up with sharing all of my past "Unboxings." Since I have 2 new boxes en route to my house as I type, I thought I should share last month's Glam Bag with you today. If you missed May's Ipsy unbagging, you can find it here.

Ipsy is $10- monthly subscription service where members receive exclusive makeup bags filled with deluxe samples and full-sized makeup and beauty products. In my own personal experience, the value of my bags has exceeded the cost of my monthly payment! It's such an exciting way to discover new products I wouldn't usually purchase, get great discounts on the stuff I try and love, and a really fun resource to build my makeup collection! Beauty Box 5 is another monthly service I'm subscribed to.

June's theme is "Pretty in Paradise," which is quite fitting for summer. It's my favorite season of the year so I'm happy to get anything tailored to simple warm-weather beauty. The bag itself was created by Rebecca Minkoff, and the tropical design is just my style. Ipsy has done a really great job at offering me a variety of products from makeup, beauty, and skincare. My bags never feel too heavy in one type of product.

Here is what was included:

Nicka K New York Shimmer Eyeliner in Blue

$4.99 for .1oz / Sample: Full Size!

I'm pretty familiar with the Nicka K brand, as this is the 3rd product I've gotten in a beauty box. I've also sampled their lipstick and nail polish. I really enjoyed both, so I was really excited to test out this eyeliner too! Although blue isn't a color I would typically buy or even use everyday, it's still a fun shade to have in my collection. This liquid liner is pretty intense and almost has a metallic finish. It's quite beautiful! And the teal blue shade is perfect for summer!

The price of this line is pretty affordable, so I can try other shades without breaking the bank. I've never seen Nicka K in any of my local stores, so I'll most likely have to purchase everything online. That doesn't bother me though because I love online shopping!

NYX Butter Gloss in Eclair

Retail Value: $5- for 8mL / Sample: Full Size!

I love lip products and the NYX brand. So you can imagine how happy I was to get their butter gloss in my Glam Bag! It's exactly like the name implies... a buttery and creamy lip gloss. This shade is a bit too light for my super pigmented lips, but it looks great over nude lipstick. And it smells amazing!

I'm a huge fan of NYX cosmetics and I know I'll be purchasing more of these butter glosses in other shades. A few of the local stores I do my everyday shopping at carry this brand, so I can easily find a good variety of products and shades.

Carol's Daughter Sacred Tiare Styling Cream

Only at Target: $12- for 3oz / Sample: $2- for .5oz

I'm totally cool with getting hair care samples in my beauty boxes. I actually really enjoy discovering new products that help manage my curly Hawaiian hair. In the summertime I try to stay away from hot styling tools and let my natural hair do its thing. This styling cream is definitely something that I would purchase if I saw it in a store. It's made with coconut oil and healthy hair vitamins, has anti-breakage and anti-frizz properties, and even smells like the tropics! 

Right out of the shower, I apply a small amount from mid-shaft working down to the ends of my hair. Then I gather sections in my hand and scrunch them together. This gives me tight and bouncy curls. I just let my hair air-dry as I go on with my day. This styling cream is very lightweight and leaves me with soft, frizz-free hair. And it really defines my curls!

OFRA Universal Eyebrow Pencil

$13- for .4oz / Sample: Full Size!

I currently use the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Brunette, which I'm extremely happy with. But it's nice to have a backup eyebrow pencil of some sort. I'm not familiar with OFRA brand and I'm willing to try anything, I'm just not sure about this "Universal" color. I do have dark brown hair with red highlights right now, so this shade may work for me. Not sure if it will for everyone though...

I don't believe this is a product that I would purchase in the future, since I already have something that I love. But I really haven't given it a good test run to say for sure. It claims to be waterproof too! We'll see.

REALTREE for Her Perfume

Retail Value: $6.99 [Travel Size] for 5mL

I remember specifically not choosing "Fragrance" in the ipsy questionnaire I took, so I was a bit surprised to see this in my Glam Room. I'm just not a big perfume person. I have a few scents that I like, but I don't wear or shop for fragrance these days. Funny thing is, I actually enjoy this scent! It's fresh and pretty, and the packaging is really cute too! I also love that it has a spritzer and is much bigger than your standard perfume sample. It's perfect for summer!

Total Value of June's Box: $31.98

$10- Monthly Subscription

Looks like another high-value bag from Ipsy. Plus 4 out of 5 products this month were deluxe or full-size!! These are the reasons why I love this service. You get such a great value for your money. Be sure to take the beauty survey that helps Ipsy match you to the products you use and like. There may be times when you get something unexpected, but reviewing the items you receive each month helps Ipsy personalize your Glam Bag even more! You'll also earn ipsy points that can be redeemed for free products!

Want to be an ipster? Please subscribe using my link.

Next week I'll be unboxing my July beauty boxes, so stay tuned if you want to see what I got! If you're a current Glam Bag subscriber check out my profile on Ipsy. And feel free to browse my other Beauty posts. You can also stay updated on my recent posts, projects, and photos by following me on instagram, or by "liking" my fan page on Facebook. So why not head over there now and show some love...

Are you a beauty box addict? Which ones are your favorite? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? I'd love to hear it! Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated.

Mahalo for stopping by!