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Ipsy Haul: Female-Founded Faves Review – March 2021

Jessica Hapak
ByJessica HapakMar 22, 2021 | 5 comments

Ipsy
4 overall rating
1813 Ratings | 300 Reviews

Ipsy is a monthly beauty and makeup subscription box. Each month you get full-size or deluxe-sized products, plus a cute makeup bag.

This is one of MSA's top recommendations if you are looking for a subscription box – the value and sample sizes are amazing. (Check out our list of the best beauty boxes for 2021 and our reviews of Cheap Subscription Boxes for more recommendations!)

The Ipsy Shopper section features curated Hauls, mystery bags, and other sets available at a discount. This is a review of the  Female Founded Faves Haul, which is still available for purchase.

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

About Ipsy Glam Bag

The Box: IPSY Female-Founded Faves Haul

The Cost: $59.99

ACTIVE DEAL: Limited Time Only! Subscribe Today & Get a FREE Plant Profusion Eye Cream from GOLDFADEN MD valued at $145! No coupon needed - just use this link.

The Products:

  • BaubleBar Hoop Dreams Set 3 pairs
  • Saints & Sinners Haircare Divine Dry Finish Texture Spray 6.5 oz
  • Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Masks 6 ct
  • Yensa Beauty Pumpkin Turmeric 2-in-1 Radiance Polishing Mask 2.5 oz
  • ClarityRX Good To Go 3-in-1 Facial Treatment Pads 20 ct
  • Hola Neon Glass-Shine Gloss in Bardot 4 ml
  • Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream 50 ml
  • Dominique Cosmetics Skin Gloss in Golden Dew 5 g
  • Beautyblender Beautyblender Joy Makeup Sponge

Ships to: The US and Canada

Ipsy Haul: Female-Founded Faves Review

 

BaubleBar Hoop Dreams Set, 3 pairs

I love the inclusion of earrings into this set. I think it adds something to the overall curation. While I do love hoops, I do not love these huggies. I like the minimalist style and how the three pairs all have something to jazz them up -- pave rhinestones on the Sirena pair, the pearls on the Sienna pair, and the single rhinestone on the Pave pair are all aesthetically pleasing to my eye, but trying to put them on makes me self conscious about my ear lobes (which I didn't even know was a thing). These earrings are definitely dainty, but it’s to the point that my fingers feel clumsy when I am trying to put them on. If you swipe through the photo gallery, you can see a photo of me wearing the pearl-embellished "Sienna" style- these truly are itty-bitty earrings with a touch of lovely sparkle.

 

Saints & Sinners Haircare Divine Dry Finish Texture Spray, 6.5 oz - Retail Value $25.00

While most of my curls are not lacking in texture, my hair can sometimes lack volume at the roots. I tried this texture spray out by spraying a small amount at my roots and then flipped my hair upside down to try and finger comb it through. When I flipped my hair back to normal I definitely saw a bit of lift at my scalp, but it didn’t feel like there was any heavy residue left behind. This had a light lavender rose scent that I found pleasant, too.

 

Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Masks, 6 ct – Retail Value $25.00

I have gone through more than one box of these eye masks over the years, and I am still really happy to have a new box to add to my stash. These eye masks feature gold foil on one side that makes for fun selfies and just feeling better about yourself when you wear them (at least in my experience). Besides the aesthetic, these masks are made with a serum formulated with aloe, calendula, peptides, and amino acids to nourish and soothe the delicate skin around your eyes. These do a great job if my skin is feeling dry, but the serum never feels heavy on my skin.

 

Yensa Beauty Pumpkin Turmeric 2-in-1 Radiance Polishing Mask, 2.5 oz – Retail Value $45.00

I have tried a few Yensa products through my Ipsy Glam Bag Plus subscription, and I like their focus on using superfoods in their formula. This mask is made with 8 types of orange botanicals -- pumpkin, turmeric, papaya, grapefruit, ginger, carrot, honey, and oranges. This also has sugar and rice powder for mild exfoliation, and to use you apply to damp skin, wait, 5-10 minutes, and then gently massage the mask in before rinsing away. This definitely made my skin feel refreshed after I used it, and I didn’t notice any inflammation or irritation on my sensitive cheeks (I made sure to massage incredibly gently, however). I don’t think I would repurchase it for the retail price, but I love getting it at a discount in a kit like this.

 

ClarityRX Good To Go 3-in-1 Facial Treatment Pads, 20 ct - Retail Value $24.00

I’m a big skincare enthusiast, so it’s rare that a type of product surprises me -- but this one pleasantly did. I find it rather innovative -- it’s a 3-in-1 “facial” that functions as a cleansing micellar water, a serum to hydrate, and a vitamin C serum to treat. It’s all neatly packaged inside a foil packet, meaning these would be super convenient for travel or to keep in your purse should an impromptu need arise. I found the pre-moistened square to be more saturated compared to a pack of cleansing wipes, and it left my skin feeling soft but not sticky.

 

Hola Neon Glass-Shine Gloss in Bardot, 4 ml – Retail Value $17.00

This pale pink gloss really brings the shine. I can see why they named it “glass-shine.” I loved the color of this lip gloss -- it is a neutral, sheer pink that looked really natural on my face in a way that just made me feel pretty. This definitely had a touch of stickiness on me, but it wasn’t goopy.

 

Dominique Cosmetics Skin Gloss in Golden Dew, 5 g – Retail Value $25.00

Based on what I have seen lately I think sheer, dewy highlighters are trendy right now. I am not mad about it -- they can give my skin a really lovely glow without it being obvious I am wearing highlighter. This skin gloss has a cream formula that I chose to apply with my fingers and blend in that way, and I really liked the pale champagne color of 'Golden Dew'.

Here are the swatches. I did a heavy swipe of the skin gloss to give you a better idea of the color and sparkle, and then a lighter swatch to give you a better idea of what it looks like blended out. Underneath it is a swatch of the Hola Neon gloss.

 

Kate Sommerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream, 50 ml – Retail Value $70.00

I was really looking forward to trying this moisturizer, and it did not disappoint. The formula is made with goat’s milk, milk proteins, aloe vera, jojoba, and avocado oil (just to name a few stars), and it truly was moisturizing to my skin. I was surprised by the thin texture of this cream -- it was very liquidy for a cream moisturizer. While it wasn’t what I was expecting, it really worked for my skin -- this will be especially perfect heading into the humid and hot months here in Louisiana because it isn’t heavy or greasy in the slightest. I do want to mention that I think the packaging on this jar is slightly different than the packaging sold on the Kate Sommerville website -- the website depicts a pump top jar that is more sanitary, but the amount of product received is the same.

 

Beautyblender Makeup Sponge in Joy – Retail Value $20.00

There will always be a soft spot in my makeup-loving heart for Beautyblenders -- does anyone else remember long ago when Birchbox featured them for the first time (I was in undergrad so we’re talking at least 6 years ago) and the drama that ensued because only a select few received one? I remember being in a Birchbox swap group on Facebook (I didn't know about the MSA swap feature at the time), and those pink sponges were the unicorn almost no one could get their hands on. That made me really want to try one, and once I finally did I became hooked on the iconic blending sponge. Sure, there are other sponges out there that will do the job, but I always come back to this reliable egg-shaped sponge. I really like this cheerful yellow color instead of the signature pink, and I enjoy using it to apply tinted moisturizer to get a natural finish that makes me look more put together.

 

Verdict: I'll be honest -- as an Ipsy subscriber I usually look wistfully over the hauls they release, but don't pull the trigger on them. I'm glad I was able to get one of these, though -- it was great. My favorite product discoveries were the Kate Sommerville moisturizer and ClarityRX facial wipes, and I really enjoyed getting another Beautyblender and more Wander Beauty Eye Masks. I also really appreciate that Ipsy curated a box featured products from female-founded brands during Women's History Month. Value-wise, everything except the earrings added up to $251, which is $37 below the promised value of $288. That being said, I think $37 is a reasonable value to attribute to the earrings based on the BaubleBar website, so I do think they meet their promised value. Plus, this set has so many winners that even if you don’t like one or two items this could still be a darned good deal at the $59.99 purchase price because you’re saving a little more than 75% off of the retail prices for the items included.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, the Ipsy Haul: Female-Founded Faves is still available for purchase!

ACTIVE DEAL: Limited Time Only! Subscribe Today & Get a FREE Plant Profusion Eye Cream from GOLDFADEN MD valued at $145! No coupon needed - just use this link.

Value Breakdown: At $59.99 for this box and a value of $251 for everything except the earrings, here’s what you are paying approximately per item:

  • Saints & Sinners: $5.98
  • Wander Beauty: $5.98
  • Yensa Beauty: $10.75
  • ClarityRX: $5.74
  • Hola Neon: $4.06
  • Kate Sommerville:  $16.73
  • Dominique Cosmetics: $5.98
  • Beautyblender: $4.78
  • BaubleBar: n/a

Alternatively, each of the 9 items has an average cost of $6.67.

Check out all of our Ipsy reviews and the best beauty subscription boxes of 2021, as recommended by our readers!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What do you think of the Ipsy Haul: Female-Founded Faves?

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IPSY Glam Bag is one of the most popular and affordable subscriptions around, and our readers have selected it as one of the top beauty boxes for the last 5 years running! IPSY Glam Bag connects members with five makeup, skincare, hair care, and other beauty sample... read more.

Jessica Hapak
Jessica Hapak
I am a staunch believer that pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza and when I’m not working as a family law attorney I enjoy hiking the Louisiana trails (alligator sightings are a favorite!) or relaxing with Duchess, my cat. I’m a sucker for anything labeled a mystery box and I’ve never met a bath bomb I didn’t like.

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5 comments

Dawn

Great review! I hope they offer the Clarity in an add-on offer. And maybe the Yensa product. I received an awesome lip oil from them from some sub box. Looking forward to your next Fortune Cookie Soap review. I received my first box and it is a definitely a box that made me smile.😊

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Boxy Fox

I’m tempered by the Clarity pads as well!!!! I hope to see them in another box soon. They’re nearly a dollar a pop. I also would have liked to see what the product inside looks like.

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Carol

Great review! I like when these sets include jewelry. I received a cute, dainty necklace in one. I usually go for bolder styles, but I really like it for layering and it was something that I wouldn’t think to buy on my own.

I’m really into those glossy highlighters (and eyeshadows!) at the moment. I hope that Skin Gloss shows up in a flash sale or add-ons (or cheap on a resale site lol). I don’t want to buy a whole big haul.

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Prettypony

No other sponge can compare to a Beauty Blender.

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Laura P.

Thanks for another great & thorough review Jessica. I love the earrings the most! They look cute on you but it can difficult for me also to put this type of small hoop on. I’m totally tempted to buy this box because the ClarityRX is calling my name, but I can’t spare the funds right now. 😖 Hopefully some items will find their way to swap. ☺

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