Canadian myGlam Bag December 2012 by IPSY - Open Bag Time!

Time for another Open Bag session with the myGlam bag for December 2012 by IPSY! This month's theme is "Haute Holiday" and the contents in the bag should be able to help create a holiday party-ready look! I try to list as many prices in Canadian currency, but for those I cannot find online I will list in US dollars.

Of course it has to come in the usual hot pink protective parcel bag:

This month's bag is a silvery-grey fabric with a glossy finish. The shape is roughly that of a rectangle, flat at the bottom so it is very roomy. The inside is lined with hot pink material with "ipsy imprinted all over. The zipper has a silver dangling charm. Overall, a sturdy and useful make up case, or it will definitely work as a pencil case if you wish.

Also in the packaging is the usual greeting card and another card with coupon codes for the brands included in the bag this month.

First item out of the bag also happens to be the tiniest of the bunch: NYX Ultra Pearl Mania in LP13 Sky Pink Pearl. This is a full size item at 0.06 oz. (Sorry the lighting of my picture is making it appear more yellow than it really is.) This is basically a loose powder eyeshadow that is very finely milled and has a pearly sheen finish.

"It’s not hard to sparkle with one of our ultra-shimmering loose shadow powders that can be used on eyes, cheeks, even lips. These finely-milled mineral eye shadows are high-impact, long-lasting—and a little addictive." - NYX $3.99CAD

Next is Be A Bombshell Lip Gloss in Hot Mess (love the name!), another full-size 3gm product! The gloss is a bright, pigmented, blue-based red that has no sparkle or shimmer in it. The finish is semi-see through, thus giving a jelly-like appearance and is very glossy. It is smooth on the lips and not very sticky, which I really prefer! It has a doe foot applicator that is very easy to control. The packaging is reminiscent of MAC CreamsheenGlass glosses.This lipgloss is a great "starter" colour for those who are looking to venture into the red lips but are still intimidated by lipsticks, since the gloss is pigmented enough to give colour on its own, yet still buildable so you can control the intensity of the colour. What better time than holiday dinners and New Year Eve parties to rock the red lip? :)

"No Bombshell look is complete without luscious, shiny lips! The Bombshell Lipgloss formula is longlasting and will send whistles your way all day long." - beabombshellcosmetics.com - $14.00US

Next up we have a package of Highligher Paper (shade: St. Barts) by Mai Couture. This brand was first featured in the inaugural myGlam bag back when it first lauched in the US and was only available to US residents. At that time they had given the brand's blush paper and this time around, at the 1-year anniversary, we get to try the highlighter papers too! This is a half-size product with 25 sheets, with the full-size having 50 sheets per pack. The idea of these paper is that you can touch up on-the-go, as well as being super easy to use when you are first applying your makeup. Instead of using a powder product with a brush, tear off one of these sheets and dab/swipe it across the area of the face you which to use the highligher, and the product comes off the sheet onto the skin! Interesting concept, and I agree this will make touch-ups much easier!

"Baby, you were born to shine…with just a bit of help from Mai Couture Highlighter Papier. Wherever your day takes you – home, the office, 40,000 feet – just one sheet of Mai Couture Highlighter Papier will turn up the wattage on lackluster skin in seconds flat. Perfect for both the face and body and great on all skin tones, Mai Couture Highlighter Papier adds beautiful flawless luminosity hygienically and easily while letting you travel light. It’s time to say goodbye to messy brushes or things shattering in your bag. " - Mai Couture  - $28 for full-size.

Fourth product is the Mirabella Primer For Face and Eyes, full-size, 12.85gm of product. Mirabella is a mineral makeup product company. This primer is quite runny in consistency, and comes out clear. The product is very thin on the skin and provides a very smooth surface on your skin that becomes nicely prepped for foundation. I find that it does indeed prolong the wear of my foundation, allowing it to last nicely throughout an 8-hour work shift and a 2 hour dinner after that. I haven't tried it out on my eyes as I am very content with my Urban Decay Primer Potion and Too Faced Shadow Insurance, but perhaps one day I will try it out! The squeeze tube is quite handy and I prefer this type of packaging as I feel I'm able to keep the product inside more sanitary. 

"Silky, smooth, clear formula primer slides on the skin creating the perfect base for any mirabella foundation. Avoid lash-line. Use sparingly. Paraben-free, Dye-free." - Mirabella - $29.00US

Fifth and final product this month's myGlam bag is the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero. We receive the travel size at 0.8g (full-size = 1.2g). This size of the 24/7 pencil is usually only found in the pencil sets that Urban Decay holiday value sets, but with 75% of the full-size amount, this is a very generous deluxe sample :)  This eye pencil is a personal favourite of mine for some time, as the formula is super creamy so it doesn't tug at the lashline, yet still delivers amazing staying power for me, including at the waterline and tightline. This is no longer the "blackest" eye pencil that Urban Decay offers (that would be the shade "Perversion") but Zero is more than black enough for daily use and appropriate for most special outings/evening parties. I'm really happy to have another back-up of this pencil. The pencil is quite pricey if you are to purchase at regular price from Sephora, so if you would like to check out something that is more budget-friendly, I highly recommend the NYX Slide-On Pencil range, as the quality is nearly identical (to me) and the colours offered are awesome too.

"Creamy, forever-lasting, award-winning and waterproof, 24/7 pencils delight you with lush tropical hues, deep metallics, and unusually vibrant neutrals." - Urban Decay - $22.00CAD

I am, once again, impressed and satisfied with this month's myGlam bag. For $10.00US + $4.95US shipping fee, I received almost $78.00 worth of product, all of which I know I will be making a use of. I am eagerly awaiting for the January myGlam to arrive at my doorstep in a few weeks :)

Disclaimer: Subscription to IPSY and myGlam bag is purchased by my own money, and all mentioned in the above post are my honest opinions.