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Ipsy Glam Bag Plus December 2020 Choice Time!

MSA
ByMSADec 2, 2020 | 74 comments

Ipsy Glam Bag Plus
4.3 overall rating
242 Ratings | 28 Reviews

It’s time to pick three of the items for your December 2020 Ipsy Glam Bag Plus!

Ipsy Glam Bag Plus recently announced Ultra Personalization - subscribers will be able to choose 3 of their 5 full-size products every month! Choice will be open on the 2nd. You also have the option to skip Choice and let Ipsy choose all 5 items for you. You will also have access to Add-Ons on the 1st.

Here's what my December bag like for one of our accounts:

Product Choice #1:

Product Choice #2:

Product Choice #3:

 

FYI - Your product selection will differ based on your profile and availability

At the bottom of the page, click “Confirm & Shop Add-Ons”. You also have the option to skip Choice and go straight to the Add-Ons. In that case, Ipsy will choose all your Glam Bag Plus products for you.

Which product are you choosing for your December 2020 Ipsy Glam Bag Plus?

And here are all the products Ipsy is sending in Glam Bag Plus this month:

And if you are new to Ipsy Glam Bag Plus, it's $25 a month. Check out our Ipsy Glam Bag Plus reviews to see what you can expect each month.

Starting at $28.00
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74 comments

Lola

I just got my bag after not receiving a shipping notice or tracking number. I’m missing one of my choice selections and my add-on, and I don’t have the free trial of Refreshments that was supposed to ship with the bag. Has anyone else had trouble with Refreshments? I don’t want them to charge me next month when I haven’t even gotten the sample.

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Tiffany Adair

I got my Ipsy bag a few days ago and was missing the Complex Culture translucent setting powder. I got in touch with Ipsy and they are sending me a powder. I got my Ipsy on Dec. 11! Earliest I’ve ever gotten it! I’m so-so with my bag: QMS moisturizer (I
have oily skin so might not be using…), Il Makiage eyeshadow, Tula scrub, Complex Culture translucent powder and air repair eye cream…

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Lola

It was so weird- instead of my full-sized Smith & Cult nail polish, I got this teeny tiny tube of Claudalie something. Customer service got right back to me and said they’re sending my missing items, including the starter kit for Refreshments.

Hallie

The last two months my non choice items have been repeats. Bummer. Repeats I didnt love in the first go round. I decided to switch to every other month. It’s a good deal but not if I keep getting repeats. I hope this also cancels my Luxe. Anyone else. Notice you cant cancel it?

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Aidan

You don’t have to worry about Luxe. December is the last month for it.

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Robin

Huh? Are you maybe confusing Ipsy Glambag Ultimate with Boxy Luxe.

Mackenzie

I signed up for GBP today based on the ability to choose my options and it gave me a random bag. What gives???

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Dea

You have to be signed up before the end of the month to get choices for the following month. It’s in their FAQs. Signing up after the choice window means a random bag. Hope this helps.

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Mackenzie

I was also especially disappointed because on my survey I indicated I wouldn’t like scrubs/exfoliants (I have mega sensitive skin) or eye creams, and I got both. I guess I’ll be trading some things!

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Cheryl

My bag is o.k.

There were so many repeat products in the pool!

Regardless, even though I have eyeshadow as a LOVE and there were palettes that I hadn’t received yet, Ipsy chose an Il Makiage single eyeshadow for me, despite my not giving it a very good review when I received one a few months ago. The best I can say is that it’s not the same color I’ve previously received.

I had few other makeup choices. I ended up with Complex Culture setting powder and the rest skincare: Tula sugar scrub (Ipsy’s 2nd choice), Odacite serum, Go-To cleansing oil.

I wish I could get more excited, but it’s just not happening.

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Aidan

While I am really impressed with the choices of the MSA bag, looking at all the items available makes me so happy I skipped. There are at least 30 items from past bags! I can see many items I’ve gotten in the past and several that I know were choices too. Ipsy, what gives?

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Dea

Ladies, I’m puzzled about how ipsy divides items between categories. Any ideas? I took screen shots of my choices this time, and I see no rhyme or reason. The three categories are not delineated by product category (makeup/skincare/hair/nails). I thought maybe they are sorted by price range, but my three categories had the price ranges of $22-$140, $22-$58, and $18-35, which are relatively wide ranges. The Ciate eye lustre in pink was in one category and its brother in bronze was in another category (I took both).

This is merely scientific curiosity. I’m very happy with the selections I was offered – they were varied and good matches for my profile. The two items they picked for me were 100% me. I’m just really curious as to how the products are assigned between the three choice groups. Do you know?

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Alice

I wish I knew, too. It appears to be a random roll.

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Dea

My husband, the former production manager, suggested that the groupings might be by the number of products in stock. So a rough example: the four/five items in category 1 would be products for which ipsy currently has 1,000 of each in stock, the products in category 2 would be those that they have 800 of stock, or something like that. This theory may explain why people who looked at their choices but walked away for a few hours reported that they came back to find that their available choices had changed. The choices change fluidly, which must be by availability. So under this theory, the groupings are by availability to equalize the offerings by supply and so as not to be left with lopsided stock (too much of a few products).

Marion

I wish I knew!

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DoxyMama

I skipped the Plus bag for December but kept my base bag. If I want to sub to Plus next month, will I be able to choose three items or will they just choose for me?

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Aidan

If you just skipped you should be fine. If you canceled that’s another thing.

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Mel

I’m kind of underwhelmed. I mean, the bag is good, just nothing I was super jazzed about. There are a few items I would have preferred, however, I have received probably half of the items so they did a good job avoiding repetition in my choices.

IPSY Chose

* NOMAD COSMETICS – Tuscany palette. Looks fine. I’ve been happy with Nomad, but it will live in the unused palette drawer for a while.

* WANDER BEAUTY – Black eyeliner. I like Wander beauty so I’m no unhappy about this. It’s a gel pencil which is what I like to use on the inside corner as my eyes water too much for liquid. I use liquid on the outside and wing.

I CHOSE

* QMS – Day and Night cream. I might actually have this in my excess drawer. Not sure. Creams are always nice to receive.

* CONTEXT SKIN – Vitamin C Eye Cream. Eye cream is always welcomed. I had an eye cream choice in each of my three choices.

* ODACITE – Wild Carrot Serum. Hoping this doesn’t break me out.

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Jennifer

Super happy with mine. Ipsy chose the iby eyeshadow palette and the Tula scrub. I chose the R+co, day and night cream and smith and cult nail polish. The only thing I don’t really care for is the eyeshadow because I have enough to last a lifetime.

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Marion

Dude, you have, like, my dream bag.

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Amanda

It really is a perfect bag!! I love r+co and Tula products so I was super excited to see them in spoilers but neither were there to choose from. Even though my profile says I love those 2 brands so I had to add them on!! I just don’t understand there process at all about how they pick what to go I’m our bag because here lately it don’t seem like they use my answers on the beauty quiz AT ALL. It seems like they pick the complete opposite of it

Jennifer

The two things I wanted based on spoilers were the Tula scrub and R+co. Plus I have another shade of smith and cult nail polish so I was happy to snatch that up because it’s my favorite. I was up at 4:30 am because I couldn’t sleep so I went on and chose then. I don’t know if I had better choices because I was on so early?

Heidi

Ipsy selected the Tula facial scrub and the Trestique lip duo for me. (Not that into the lip dui since we all are wearing masks but I am excited to try Tula since people seem to rave about the brand.)

I picked:
QMS ACE Vitamin Day & Night Cream
ODACITÉ CaR | Vital Glow Wild Carrot Serum Concentrate
SMITH & CULT Nail Lacquer in Bitter Cashmere Daydream

It’s all OK but nothing that wows me like crazy. I also bought Verb and a Briogeo hair mask samples.

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Allison

I’m really happy with my bag this month.

Ipsy picked:
-Il Makiage Eye Color in Eyes on the Prize (this color is a lot better than the brown one I received in my July bag)
-Tula Skincare Go Away Acne Spot Treatment (hopefully this will help with the breakouts I’ve been getting from wearing a masks)

My picks:
-Complex Culture Translucent Finishing Powder in Clarity
-111Skin 3 Phase Anti Blemish Booster
-QMS ACE Vitamin Day & Night Cream

Add ons:
-EVIO Beauty Rejuvenating Mask
-Glam Up Sheet Masks in Avocado and Acai Berry
-Preventive Measures 101 Lip Balm in Passion Fruit
-Hey Honey Good Morning Honey Silk Facial Serum
-Ciate London Creme Eyeshadow in Cupid

Even though I’m really happy with my bag this month, it’s a lot better than last month, I plan on cancelling both my Glam and Plus bags within the next couple months. I’m on makeup overload. I want to use up my points before I cancel.

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Jackie

I wasn’t impressed with the choices I was given. So much so I didn’t even care if my choices went through (they did) because I thought maybe I would get better choices if I waited.

After my bag was confirmed I went to look at all the items and was shocked by how many of them I have already. Why are they not getting more than 3 new products every month???

Are there really THAT many new customers that they don’t see the need??

No wonder why I didn’t have that great of options.

Ipsy chose the IBY palette and the black eye liner. I wasn’t overly excited about either one. Would’ve rather got the Complex palette.

I chose the ciate eyeshadow in Cupid & Eclectic. Also the Smith & Cult nail polish.

A little repetitive if you ask me. Would’ve chose the hair product if it was offered. Also was surprised I wasn’t offered any lip product this month which is one thing I can never get enough of. Don’t feel the same about eye shadow; I have so much. Feels like overkill I am getting 3 different eye shadows in one bag. The nail polish at least breaks up the product categories a little.

I am surprised more people aren’t complaining this month, especially since its the December box. I was hoping for better choices.

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Deb

I couldn’t agree more. There were so many repeats. The Wander Beauty Eye Palettes are almost two years old. The Moods Eye Palette in choice was over 2 years old and its terrible. The Huda face Palette was sent out long ago as well, same with the Eyeko and the list goes on. I can understand if you are new to Ipsy – but what about long term subscribers ?

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Dana

I agree. I love having the choice option but I’m sick of repeating products

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Marion

PSA the Odacite serum is only 0.17 oz! It will be really tiny, so don’t pick it if that bothers you!

I was bummed not to get the R+Co or either Tula product in choice options. Other than that, I’m pretty happy with my bag.

Ipsy chose the IBY palette (👍 hoped for this!) & Complex Culture brow product for me (managed to dodge ALL CC items until now… booo…) & I chose the Odacite serum, Smith & Cult polish, & Violet Voss Berry Burst palette. I received the VV HG mini palette as a bonus a while back, so I’m curious to compare it with Berry Burst.

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Tiffany A

Marion, your clapback was sweet and hella classy. I dont know why some folks feel the need to question someones rationale and get snarky.

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Peg

Nice Marion – I love the way you answered this – eloquently and fact based. Sorry you had to endure a couple of haters. I totally agree with you and feel the same way. These boxes have not always been transparent and there have been scandal’s galore – so I think its wise to be cautious.

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Marion

My hope is that if people are seeing my comment as baselessly negative, I’m doing an adequate job of explaining why my opinions are formed that way so that others can get information that I feel is important.

Tiffany

OMG, Marion snapped with the response. That’s how you keep it classy ladies, take notes. Seriously though, more frequently I am seeing responses that are aggressive and I notice a few people that are going out of their way to shame someone or belittle them. I say that for 2021 we become nicer towards others. If you dont agree with someone’s thoughts or actions, its okay, you don’t have to like everything or everyone. But please don’t attack them or try to ridicule them. It’s gross. How hard is it to keep scrolling? Soon people wont want to post or speak their truth for fear of being shamed or questioned. Please everyone lets do better, be better. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk, 🤣🤣🤣 end PSA. ❤

Miss Love

I got the cc palette last month in my plus and ipsy chose it for me. I loved the color story and fits my taste perfectly. I have a couple of the brushes and I absolutely love them. But this palette didn’t meet my expectations. It was hard to build and the colors weren’t pigmented enough. The packaging and palette is pretty but the eyeshadows just weren’t anything special. I also got choices to pick 3 of the lip creams and got dusty rose and mauve nude. Again the packaging is cute and nice and I love the mauve nude shade but the dusty rose wasn’t as good as this. The dusty rose was blotchy and not spreading evenly on my lips . I don’t get it, I didn’t have this issue with the mauve nude. I was crossing my fingers hoping they wouldn’t pick any CC products for me unless it was a brush I didn’t have .

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Jennifer

I agree with you Marion!!

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Victoria

You’ve never tried a CC product but yet you’re already disappointed?

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Marion

Item Beauty & Complex Culture are the (only) two brands under the Madeby Collective “brand incubator” company…. which used to be called Ipsy Labs.

(Pure speculation on my part, but I figure after the first 3 disaster “collabs” Ipsy did, they wanted to divorce the Ipsy brand from the products that they produce.)

Victoria

Isn’t Item Beauty Addison Rae’s brand?

Marion

Because Ipsy absolutely blew it with their first 3 “collabs” with Tetris, Betty Boop, & Gigi Gorgeous. Those were so universally hated that Ipsy got wise & stopped putting their name on things by starting an “incubator” with a couple seed companies (Complex Culture & Item Beauty are both Ipsy companies). Fool me once, shame on you, etc. (Man, I remember back to the times when I was SO EXCITED about the Tetris collab 😢).

It’s not about “brand names” vs generic. If that were the case, I certainly wouldn’t be subscribing to Ipsy, I’d be shopping exclusively at Sephora or something. Most “brand name” cosmetics companies do not manufacture their products themselves. They create a formula based on what they think they can sell, then contract a lab to produce the product. Often, cosmetics are even produced overseas. Still, the original company is ultimately in control of the process from start to finish, & each ingredient has been carefully thought out and has had a cost/benefit analysis. But there are brands that perform a practice called “white labeling.” These brands go to companies that have already fabricated products — they have their own lipstick formulas, their own blush formulas, their own eyeliner markers, their own shadow palettes, etc. All the white-label brands do to make these products “theirs” is to print their label on the component. Literally, that’s it. You can often find exact duplicates of products from companies like Grace & Stella, Hikari, Dirty Little Secrets, Appeal Cosmetics, etc on sites like Ali Express for literal pennies, when the companies claim the value of the product is 20x that. These companies are often involved in scandals (such as lying about personally developing a product — look up the Dirty Little Secrets & Faccia nonsense) or are sending out bad product (either straight up inferior or contaminated in some way — look up the Be a Bombshell mascara Ipsy incident). They have no say at all in what ingredients go into the products, and frankly don’t seem to even care. They’re interested in quickly acquiring cheap product that can be pushed out quickly to subscription boxes so that they can turn a profit.

I don’t know if Complex Culture & Item Beauty are white labeled, or are created based on Ipsy specs, but at this point, I’m not inclined to trust Ipsy blindly, & their lack of transparency regarding the two brands is, as the kids are saying, highly “sus.”

Victoria

How do you know you don’t like it if you’ve never even tried it?
I’ve seen nothing but overwhelmingly positive reviews for their brushes, lip gloss and eyeshadow pallets.

Hopefully you’ll be surprised. Doubt it though with your attitude going in……

Valeriea

CC is exceptional quality (those BRUSHES!! WOW!) but Marion isn’t about quality she’s about “brand names” because marketing has told her that means, “better”…..

Marion

Yeah, I don’t like sub-box brand items. I like discovering new brands (that are actual brands, not private-label stuff).

Rachel Amatuzzi

Ipsy picked a brow gel (ok, but not exciting) and the veriphy eye cream. I picked the ciate liquid eye shadow, odacite serum, and light blue Smith & cult nail polish. I would have really liked the r & co hair product instead of one of ipsy’s picks, but I’m pleased with this month. I added on the Anastasia lipstick in crush, hey honey morning serum, and illamasqua foundation.

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Della

IPSY chose for me the IBY Fireside palette and Wander Beauty gel eyeliner which I am totally ok with. I chose the Complex Culture setting powder, Odacite serum and Illamasqua veil primer. I’m looking forward to this bag! I revamped my eye makeup routine and excited to try the eyeshadow colors, and the primer 😀

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Nicole

I really love that primer!

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Ranee

What is this buy one get one free on add-on now…anyone get this deal now?..

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Bluebell

I had the buy one, get one today too. About a month ago Ipsy sent me an email saying they were sorry my November choices did not fit my profile due to a glitch, so they would give me a $3 credit for add ons this month (Dec). My choices seemed fine last month so I was surprised.

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Nicole

I didn’t see my email, but I was wondering what my credit was about. Now I know.😊

Becca

I got the same email & credit

Lola

Ipsy picked the complex culture brow gel and Tula sugar scrub. I picked the QMS day/night cream, smith & cult polish, and R+Co. I added on the carrot serum because I couldn’t decide between that and the R+Co. Super happy!

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Amber P

I lost my debit card a week or two ago and haven’t activated my new one yet so billing hasn’t gone through this month yet for me but looking at the choices I may just skip. I have A LOT of those items (dupes of some by choice) and what I don’t have nothing really jumps out.

Makes me wonder what they would have chosen for me.

I’ve really enjoyed my GBP but I do have a lot to work through so maybe I will just go ahead and skip December.

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Dea

ipsy picked: Veriphy eye cream (I love eye creams) and Tula scrub (yay!)

I picked: Ciate cream eyeshadow in Cupid (really wanted it from the spoilers), Ciate cream eyeshadow in Eclectic, and Complex Culture translucent powder (I use powder every day to mattify my face so I will always grab a translucent powder if it’s offered to me).

Shelled out for the Juice Beauty moisturizer and the 111Skin serum, both products that I love.

What an AWESOME month!!!!!

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Dana

Have you used the 111 skin booster before? What did you think?

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Dana

Thanks!!

Dea

My skin loves 111Skin products, so I like to grab them in beauty boxes since I’ll never agree to pay their real prices. I used another serum/booster from this brand and adored every drop. Looking forward to this package!

Becca

I love it. It works well for me. I love all their products!

Quinn Emler

I also loved Ipsy’s picks for me and my choices. Ipsy picked the Complex Culture Full Time Eyeshadow Palette -Edit 1, and the Wander Beauty Skyliner Automatic Gel Eyeliner in jet black

I picked:

Laruce Beauty Face Set brushes (I’ve previously received these and I love them)

111skin- 3 phase blemish booster

Smith & Cult – Bitter Cashmere Daydream

I’m very happy with my Glam bag and my Glam bag plus this month.

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Virginia

Ipsy picked: Tula Exfoliating Sugar Scrub, Wander Beauty Gel Eyeliner

I picked: Go To Fancy Face Nourishing Oil Cleanser, R+CO Centerpiece Elixir Spray, Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer

Added on: Sunday Riley CEO & Anastasia Liquid Lipstick in Crush

Actually really excited for most of these items! I’ve been impressed with how many choices Plus has had that are items I would pay full price for. Definitely has been worth it so far although I’m getting close to product overload.

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Dana

Ipsy picked an il mackiage eye shadow in eyes on the prize and a Tula spot treatment. Actually really happy with those picks. My skin needs all the help it can get lately and I was jealous of those shadows when people got them in their bags in the spring.
I was less excited with my choices. I chose the Dominique cosmetics highlighter, 111 skin blemish booster and eyeko mascara

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Marie

Ipsy chose for me the Illamasqua eyeshadow single in Alter Ego and the Tula Sugar scrub. I chose the Dominique Cosmetics Skin Gloss in Golden dew, the Odacite carrot serum and the Shaina B Miami blush and highlight palette.

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Page

Ipsy chose the Nomad Tuscany palette and the Wander Beauty gel eyeliner. ( I was disappointed only because I got the larger Nomad palette last month and I have so many black eyeliners.

I chose:

Odecite carrot serum (This was one I had hoped would be in choice so happy to try the serum.)

Smith & Cult polish in bitter cashmere (I have 9 polishes in this brand so was glad to get this new color although for winter it was an odd color. Very spring.)

Laruce brush set. (This was the best of the choices in the category and since they seem determined to clean out the warehouse and make sure we all get this brush set at least I got it out of the way.)

The Add Ons were just okay so I just got another Hanalei lip treatment.

I was hoping for a good Tula product or even the 111 Skin booster in choice since it’s a special holiday month. Just really underwhelmed and I’ve been really happy the past 3 months with the new format.

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Robin

Ipsy picked that IBY Palette for me, but my 2nd thing was a Wander Beauty Gel Eyeliner.

Again, I stressed like crazy over the choices. I may not be cut out for this. 😂 Ultimately I went with:

Illamasqua Hydra Gel Primer
Odacite Carrot Serum
Context Skin All Day Eye Cream

And now I will continue obsessing over whether or not I made bad choices. Lol

Using the bogo $3 discount, I also added on:

Estate Cosmetics Liquid Liner
It Cosmetics Superhero Mascara
Tarte Big Ego Mascara

Soon I might have tried (and probably hated) most eyeliners and mascaras in existence. 😛

I got to it right away, but didn’t have some of those choices. The Laura Palette seems more suited for me than the warm ones it showed me as options. Not sure their system always completely makes sense, at least from a customer standpoint. I can’t think of anything in my profile or reviews that would necessarily exclude certain items.

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