Everyone’s doing a little better today—no more fevers, just a little congestion—and Peanut made it back to school today, yay! I managed to use some of my Peanut-free time to write up my February Ipsy Glam Bag post. There are loads of goodies this month.

Seriously, Ipsy is totally killing it for me these days—and I got another nail polish!

When I saw that I was getting one of two shades of Trust Fund Beauty nail polish, I had my fingers crossed for $12 Latte, since I already have a mini of the other color, I Give Good Tweet. When I opened my Ipsy bag on Tuesday, out fell the deep, mauve-toned brown I had been hoping for. Awesome. (I’ve lucked out once before, when I received Urban Decay’s Lounge eyeshadow instead of Fireball, which I already had.)

I’ve also recently accumulated a lot of Ipsy points, mostly via referrals, so I have to give a huge thank you to those who used my referral link to join Ipsy! I was able to redeem some of the points for a couple of things last month, so I received those with my February Glam Bag.

Last time, I complained about how Ipsy’s point rewards always sold out too quickly, and that there weren’t enough of them. Lately, I’ve found it easier to jump onto the new rewards: they seem to upload refresh them on Friday nights (my time is EST). The point amounts required seem to have increased a little, but they’re also kind of inconsistent with regard to the dollar value of the rewards, too. I’ve seen an item retailing ~$6 cost ~400 pts, and an item retailing ~$40 cost ~800 pts. Who knows? Anyway, I don’t know if they really did anything or if I am just checking the rewards more often and lucking out, but it does feel like it’s been improved!

So…I love, love, love my Ipsy bag this month! Here’s what I got (four out of five are full-sized products!):

What I Redeemed 800 Ipsy Points For

• Ren Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream (200 Ipsy Points for 30 mL deluxe sample; 50 mL full size US$45 / CA$56)
• Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder in Crown of My Canopy (300 Ipsy Points for 5.4 g full size; US$4.99)
• Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder in Precious Petals (300 Ipsy Points for 5.4 g full size; US$4.99)

What I Received

• Juice Beauty PHYTO-PIGMENTS Last Looks Cream Blush in Flush (3 g full size; US$24)
• Naked Cosmetics HD Finishing Powder in Banana (0.35 oz full size; US$23.99)
• NYX Butter Lipstick in Lifeguard (4.5 g full size; full size US$6)
• True Botanicals Resurfacing Moisture Mask (7 mL sample; 50 mL full size US$90)
• Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in $12 Latte (17 mL full size; US$15)
• Ipsy makeup bag

Ipsy Coupon Codes

• Juice Beauty: 25% off any purchase + free shipping on $30 orders with code ipsy217 (through 03/31/2017)
• Naked Cosmetics: 30% off any purchase with code IPSY30 (through 03/31/2017)
• NYX: 25% off Butter Lipstick with code BUTTERUP (through 03/31/2017, US only)
• True Botanicals: 15% off your first purchase with code TRUEIPSY15 (through 03/31/2017)
• Trust Fund Beauty: 30% off any purchase with code IPSY30 (through 03/31/2017)

Here are some more detailed product shots:

REN Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream

200 Ipsy Points for 30 mL deluxe sample; 50 mL full size US$45 / CA$56

I’ve been wanting to try REN skincare for a while, but never bit the bullet. 30 mL is still a pretty hefty size for a moisturizer: it still takes me forever to go through that much! [Made in China.]

Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powders in Precious Petals & Crown of My Canopy

300 Ipsy Points (each) for 5.4 g full size; US$4.99

Wet N Wild: is there a better cheap ‘n’ cheerful brand?! Their packaging kind of sucks most of the time, but the products themselves are typically way better than their price tags suggest. Aren’t these two pretty? The embossed design and the sandy colors and texture mean these remind me of fossils in sandstone. [Made in USA.]

Juice Beauty PHYTO-PIGMENTS Last Looks Cream Blush in Flush

3 g full size; US$24

I’ve never tried Juice Beauty before. I always thought it was strictly a skincare line, so color me surprised! This is a full-sized cream blush that comes in a beautiful compact with a mirror. I’m normally more of a powder blush girl, but I do like cream blushes—particularly when it’s winter and my cheeks start getting flaky. The terracotta pink also looks perfect for my skintone! [Made in USA.]

Naked Cosmetics HD Finishing Powder in Banana

0.35 oz full size; US$23.99

I can never have enough face powders, and this one looks very nice! Love the yellow-tone for my skin, as well. Naked Cosmetics apparently specializes in mica pigments, and sells direct to salons. They manufacture their products in Tampa Bay, FL. [Made in USA.]

NYX Butter Lipstick in Lifeguard

4.5 g full size; full size US$6

Ipsy have actually sent me a NYX Butter Lipstick before, in one of my first Ipsy bags. I loved it (a MLBB shade called Pops, now discontinued), though I have forgotten about it of late. Definitely need to dig it up again. The new shade they have sent me is a classic deep red called Lifeguard. Frankly, as much as I love red lipsticks, I have loads and would prefer that Ipsy sent more MLBB or off-the-wall shades. Ripe Berry was the other color option, and I’d have preferred to have gotten it, instead. Maybe I need to change my Ipsy quiz profile so they start sending me purple and blue lipsticks instead of Hollywood reds all the damn time. Butter Lipsticks rock, though, and I love red lipstick, so this is still a yay! [Made in Taiwan.]

True Botanicals Resurfacing Moisture Mask

7 mL sample; 50 mL full size US$90

This brand is new to me, and they are really quite expensive. This particular mask I received retails for US$90 for 50 mL, meaning my 7 mL sample is worth $12.60. I also noticed a serum on their site retailing for over $375. Yeouch. Welp, I guess I will really be hoping that this mask is not in any way miraculous! Hahaha. [Made in USA.]

Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in $12 Latte

17 mL; US$15

As I said above, I was happy to have received $12 Latte instead of the other Ipsy option this month, I Give Good Tweet, since I already have a mini of that. That said, I’d have preferred to have gotten to try LAW Beauty Essentials nail polish, the other nail polish some Ipsters got this month, since that’s a brand that’s new to me. I do love my Trust Fund Beauty polishes, though, so I’ve no real complaints. $12 Latte looks like a splendid vampy brown, as well. [Made in USA.]

Ipsy Glam Bag “Much Love” Makeup Pouch

I like the concept of the design (denim + neon detail) but the execution is a little plain and even sloppy.

Glam Bag Verdict

I seriously think this is the best Glam Bag I’ve gotten, ever! I’m very happy with every item and look forward to using all of them.

Some other Ipsy items for February 2017 that I would have liked to try:

• LAW Beauty Essentials Nail Polish in Whatever, Leave a Text
• Marsk Mineral Eyeshadow in You’re Toast
• MOR Hand & Body Milk in Rosa Noir
  
• Promise Organic Nourishing Coconut Milk Daily Facial Scrub
• kensie kensie Deluxe Mini Purse Sprayer
• NYX Butter Lipstick in Ripe Berry
• Indie Lee Rosehip Cleanser

Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

‘Cause you made it all the way down here, I’ll leave you with a cheery tune. Here’s “Walking In the Sun” by Travis, from 2004. (Steve Bannon makes a cameo at 02:15.)