2026 February’s Ipsy Original bag arrived with the exact energy of a friend who texts “don’t be mad” before showing up at your door. I went into this month fully expecting at least one dud — maybe even a full-on “why would you send me this” moment — but I was still hopeful. That’s the thing about subscription beauty: you brace for chaos, you pray for delight, and you accept that sometimes you’re going to get a mini mascara you absolutely did not ask for.
Still, I love the process. The
unzipping, the first glance, the tiny internal gasp when something is
actually good. February had a little of everything: the chaotic, the
charming, the unnecessary, and the unexpectedly perfect. Let’s get
into it.
BEAUTY CREATIONS COSMETICS Plump & Pout Lip
Plumping Booster Gloss — Pink Lemonade
First Impressions: This gloss burns. Not disastrously, but enough to make you question your choices if you apply it to bare lips. Over other lip products, though, the burn softens into a warm tingle that’s actually pretty tolerable. The taste is good — dangerously good — and licking it will absolutely sting your tongue.
Application & Performance: Over lipstick or balm, it’s fine. On bare skin, it’s chaos. The plumping
effect is real, but it comes with a learning curve. Once you figure out the order of operations, it behaves.
Packaging & Delivery: The “shot” packaging is funny and on theme, but the delivery system is overenthusiastic. Too much product comes out at once, which makes precision tricky.
Will I Use This? Yes — but only over other lip products.
Excitement Level: Pretty high. I needed another lip plumper, and this one fills that need.
Do I Feel Cheated? Not at all. There’s a generous amount of product.
Overall: A spicy, slightly chaotic gloss that works best when handled with respect. Cute, effective, and a little dangerous.
First Impressions: Instant love. It goes on green, melts into the skin, and neutralizes redness without leaving that weird gray green cast most correctors give me. I was pleased immediately, and then even more pleased once it settled. The tube is small, but the dispenser is controlled and nothing gets wasted.
Application & Performance: Smooth, blendable, and genuinely effective. It disappears into the skin while making everything look more even. A little goes a long way.
Packaging & Delivery: Small tube, smart design. The controlled dispenser keeps the product from spurting out, which matters because every drop counts.
Will I Use This? Absolutely. I will squeeze the last drops out of this tube.
Excitement Level: Very high. My skin needs this kind of correction, and most green products turn me into a Victorian ghost. This one doesn’t.
Do I Feel Cheated? Not even slightly.
Overall: A tiny powerhouse. Beautiful performance, smart packaging, and genuinely effective color correction. A new staple.
PRADOS Start with the Slay Primer
First Impressions: This is one of the three primers I’m testing this month — the full “Tale of Three Primers” is coming soon — and this one made a strong showing. It’s a thick, clear gel that goes on smoothly and sinks beautifully into my traitorous pores. It feels like it’s doing exactly what a primer should do.
Application & Performance: Smooth, grippy, and effective. It creates a nice base without feeling heavy or sticky. It behaves well under makeup and doesn’t fight with anything layered on top.
Packaging & Delivery: Opening it was… a journey. So many layers of protection. A full beauty condom situation. But once I got through the packaging gauntlet, the product itself was easy to work with.
Will I Use This? Yes. This will absolutely get used.
Excitement Level: High. The quest for the perfect primer continues, and I’m genuinely pleased to have this one in the lineup.
Do I Feel Cheated? Not really. It’s a mini, so I’m probably only getting three uses out of it, but that’s expected for the size.
Overall: This is a well-done primer that performs exactly as promised. Smooth, effective, and worth testing in the larger “primer showdown.”
SEPHORA COLLECTION Size Up VolumizingMascara
First Impressions: SIGH. I did not need this. I did not need a mini mascara. And yet — here it is. The presentation didn’t help either; it arrived in one of those flimsy cardboard fold-overs they use for perfume samples. Nothing about it felt luxe or exciting.
Application & Performance: I’ll be honest: I didn’t even get far enough to test it. This is going straight to someone else who might actually want it. Mascara is not a category I need more of, especially in mini form.
Packaging & Delivery: Cheap looking, uninspired, and not the experience I expect from a beauty subscription. The only nice thing I can say is that the black of the container was a very lovely black.
Will I Use This? No. This is being gifted to a friend.
Excitement Level: I’m excited that someone else will enjoy it. That’s about it.
Do I Feel Cheated? A little, yes. I have my profile set to rarely send me mascaras — and yet here we are.
Overall: A miss for me. Unnecessary, unimpressive, and not aligned with my preferences. At least the packaging’s black was pretty.
ELEMIS Pro Collagen Black CherryCleansing Balm
First Impressions: This is so good I could almost purr. The scent hits first — not “teen body spray cherry” and not “old candle at the Wiccan bookstore,” but a deep, dark, earthy cherry that feels grown, grounded, and quietly indulgent. It lingers on the skin well into the next day, and cleansing with it feels like a ritual rather than a task.
Application & Performance: Your fingers sink into the balm and meet this soft, velvety texture that melts instantly. It massages beautifully, breaks down makeup effortlessly, and rinses clean without stripping. It’s one of those rare products where the sensory experience and the performance are equally excellent.
Packaging & Delivery: The container is a gorgeous deep black cherry red — rich, moody, and perfectly aligned with the scent. It sets the tone before you even open it. The packaging feels premium and intentional, exactly what this formula deserves.
Will I Use This? As with all Elemis products, I will use this until someone forcibly removes the empty container from my hand.
Excitement Level: Extremely high. It scents my whole bathroom, and I smile every time I walk in, knowing I get to use it again. This is the kind of product that becomes a ritual.
Do I Feel Cheated? Not at all. This is glorious.
Overall: A sensual, grounded, beautifully executed cleansing balm that turns a daily routine into a moment of indulgence. The scent, the texture, the packaging — everything works in harmony. A standout product.
MILANI Conceal + PerfectLiquid Contour in Honey
First Impressions: I’ve heard great things about Milani — it’s one of the drugstore brands people actually trust — but after wrestling with my tarte bronzer, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The shade Honey immediately gave me hope, though. It’s much closer to the tone and temperament of my skin than the bronzer I already own, and that alone made me optimistic.
Application & Performance: The color was exactly right. It blends into my skin beautifully and gives me the warmth I want without looking muddy or harsh. The applicator is surprisingly easy to control, especially compared to other liquid bronzers that seem determined to sabotage me. It performs well, behaves predictably, and doesn’t dry down too fast.
Packaging & Delivery: The tube is on the smaller side, but honestly, that’s a good thing — liquid bronzers can dry out if you don’t use them quickly. The screw-on lid works fine, but it doesn’t have that inner click stop mechanism, so you have to be mindful when closing it. Not a dealbreaker, just something to note.
Will I Use This? Yes. Happily.
Excitement Level: Solidly pleased. It fills a real gap in my collection, and the shade match alone makes it worth keeping in rotation.
Do I Feel Cheated? Not at all. The color works, the formula works, and I’m glad to have it.
Overall: A well-matched, easy-to-use liquid contour that performs better than expected. The shade Honey is a standout, and the formula makes it approachable even for someone who’s had mixed experiences with bronzers. I plan to use it completely.
And with that, February’s bag closes its little
heart-shaped zipper and wanders off into the sunset, leaving me
with one skincare win, two makeup hopefuls, one chaotic gloss, and a
mascara I will never speak of again. It wasn’t a perfect month, but
it had personality — and honestly, that’s half the fun. Here’s
to March: may it be generous, lux, and mascara-free.
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