My Ipsy December glam bag may have been my favorite in 2014! Read on for my reviews of my Ipsy December 2014 glam bag, which included the Beauty Without Cruelty Facial Cleanser, Crown Brush Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet Brush, NYX Cosmetics Butter Lip Balm, Pixi By Petra Fairy Dust, and Tarte Deluxe Lights, Camera, Lashes^TM 4-In-1 Mascara.

The bag: The bag itself was perhaps the biggest disappointment this month. I expected something cheery and festive for the holiday season, but instead this month's bag was just plain black. It did have a pink zipper with a cute heart keychain but aside from that the bag was very boring and unimaginative.

Beauty Without Cruelty A.H.A. 3% Facial Cleanser: I love the concept of this facial cleanser more than the product itself. An all-natural, organic facial cleanser is exactly the type of product that I want to get in my Ipsy glam bags. The alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are supposed to gently and deeply clean and actively clarify your skin without disturbing its natural balance. Unfortunately, the Beauty Without Cruelty facial cleanser is just too harsh for my hyper-sensitive skin at this type of year. I only use Cetaphil face wash because anything else irritates it due to the dry, cold weather in NYC. The BWC cleanser does have a nice, gel-like consistency and a pleasant, natural smell. After using this facial cleanser for a few days, I noticed angry red bumps around my jawline. I'll save this product for the summer. Price: $2.99 for 2 fl oz

tarte deluxe lights, camera, lashes^TM 4-in-1 mascara: The Tarte masacara is my favorite product in this month's bag. This is a high-end brand and a high-quality product in my $10 subscription! Too bad the sample size is miniscule - I'm not sure how many uses I can get out of this, but it'll be perfect for travelling. The brush is small and precise and really seems to grab every lash. The black formula is smooth and the least-clumping mascara I've ever used. With just two coats my eyelashes look longer, fuller, and without a single clump or dragging of a lash. Price: $10 for sample size

Pixi by Petra Fairy Dust in Brightening Bare: The fairy dust highlighter and eyeshadow is a perfect shade for me. By now, you probably know that I really like brown, shimmery colors. This is a bit on the lighter side of the spectrum but because of that I can use it as a highlighter on my cheekbones. Though the applicator is gentle on the skin, the product has a lot of fall out. When I apply it onto my eyelids, a lot of glimmer falls onto my cheeks or eyelashes. I wish it stayed put where I applied it. However, once blended onto my eyelid, I had no problems with smudging or creasing. Price: $10.00

Crown Brush Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet Brush: This eyeshadow brush was a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect much but the Crown Brush brand turned out to be high quality, with the gentlest bristles that are also very strong - so far, not a single one has fallen out or moved out of place. It is very easy to apply eyeshadow with the bigger end of the brush, and I even used the crease side to line my eyes with a dark eyeshadow. I do wish it came with a case because I can't store this brush in any other way but horizontal in fear that it'll mess up the shape of one side of the brush. Price: $10.51

NYX Cosmetics Butter Lip Balm in Red Velvet: NYX, the goddess of lip products. I expected this lip balm to be more balmy with super-moisturizing properties and a sheer shade. Instead, the NYX butter lip balm makes pigmentation a priority. The color is very vibrant and perfect for the holidays. The first time I used this lip balm I found my lips getting chapped within a few hours and the product had faded from everywhere except the outline of my lips. The second time I wore this I knew to re-apply more often and when I did I found my lips stayed smooth and the color last longer. It doesn't come close to their amazing butter lip gloss, but it's a fun lip balm for the holidays. Price: $3.99

The total value of my December 2014 Ipsy glam bag came up to about $40. My favorite product is the tarte mascara, which I would definitely consider buying in full-size - if I get a raise next year! The most disappointing product is the Pixi fairy dust. I liked the color and pigmentation but the fall out really annoyed me.

Did you get the same products in your bag? How did it differ? What did you think of your products this month? Let me know in the comments section below!