Ipsy is a monthly beauty and makeup subscription box. For $13 per month, you get five full-size or deluxe-sized products, plus a cute makeup bag.
This is one of our 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!)
(FYI – Just like Birchbox, Ipsy sends out many different variations of their bag each month – so my review is just one of the bag variations you might receive!)
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
First Impressions
1 of 5
Your Ipsy Glam bag will come in their standard pale pink bubble wrap mailer. When you open it up, you can always expect to find a makeup bag storing your new beauty products and an info sheet with additional details.
Here was the bag every subscriber received this month! The brown and yellow plaid fits the theme of "Back to" perfectly.
The Breakdown – What’s Inside My September 2021 Ipsy Bag
Origins Original Skin Matte Moisturizer With Willowherb, 15 mL - Estimated Value $11.40 (buy the 50 mL version for $38)
I love origins- they were one of the first brands I started using as a teenager, and I’m still happy when their products appear in subscription boxes (their mega mushroom treatment lotion has been treating my skin well for more than 10 years). This is incredibly specific, but I actually was able to try a full-size jar of this moisturizer when it first launched thanks to an Influencer Vox Box four years ago (before I was even writing for MSA!). Back then I thought I had oily skin and really enjoyed it, and while I know now I have dry, sensitive skin, I still really like this moisturizer. Even with my dry skin sometimes the south Louisiana humidity can feel sweltering, so I can appreciate some mattifying skincare. I tried this out with a few serums underneath, and while it wasn’t crazy hydrating it was more than adequate for my morning routine- especially if I wanted to use a hydrating sunscreen that morning. My oily skin friends will really love this moisturizer, but if you have dry skin and this shows up in your Ipsy bag I still consider it worth using.
Goldfaden MD Needle-less Line Smoothing Concentrate, 10 ml - Estimated Value $38.33 (!!!) (buy the 30 mL version for $115)
This serum was really nice- then again I would hope so for that price tag! It’s formulated with seaweed extract, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and red tea extract, and the ingredients list as a whole is rather short. I can’t say this with scientific accuracy, but to me that makes me feel like this has a more potent formulation. What I loved most about this serum is how quickly my skin absorbed it. As I pat it into my face my skin soaked it up fast, and my skin was left feeling soft and smooth with a tiny bit of stickiness that’s taken care of by following up with a moisturizer. This is a great serum for the mornings when you want to use lightweight products, and I enjoyed trying it out.
Les Beauty Full Tinted Brow Gel in Dark Brow, 5 mL - Retail Value $19
1 of 2
I am very low maintenance with my brows- I prefer to swipe on some tinted brow gel and call it a day. That means I'm looking for brow gels with a touch of pigment but not too much and a flexible gel hold that has my brows looking natural but still tamed. This brow gel by Les Beauty was actually perfect! It did a great job of making my brows look naturally groomed without being too much, and the gel hold was soft instead of crunchy. The dark brown shade is a match with my profile too. This may be my favorite discovery in the box!
Grace & Stella Spray All Day Rose Spray, 30 mL- Retail Value $14
This small bottle of pink facial spray is super handy to store in your purse for when you’re on the go. It’s made with rose water, aloe, hydrolyzed collagen, and glycerin, and the formula is refreshing on my skin. The mist does a good job of misting my face instead of making me feel like I’m being targeted by a squirt gun, and I like the (natural) rose scent this spray has.
Somme Institute Eye Cream, 7 mL - Estimated Value $36.87 (buy the 15 mL version for $79)
This eye cream was designed to do it all - firm, brighten, fight puffiness and inflammation, and smooth fine lines. It has quite a long ingredients list, but Somme highlights hyaluronic acid, caffeine, glycolic acid as the main superstars. I’ve become a lot more interested in eye creams once I realized applying them to my mouth under lip balms is the best way to prevent my lips from cracking, so that’s how I used this one. I slathered on a generous bit of this medium-weight cream to my lips and eyes and enjoyed how it felt hydrating without being heavy- and then realized when I saw the price tag on this stuff that I probably used more than $5 worth of product in one go. I enjoy it, though, and anticipate being able to finish this sample rather quickly.
Value – Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $13
Value Breakdown:
- Origins: $11.40 → $1.24
- Goldfaden MD: $38.33 → $4.17
- Les Beauty: $19 → $12.60
- Grace & Stella: $14 → $1.52
- Somme Institute: $36.87 → $4
Everything in my Glam Bag added up to $119.60, which is insane for a $13 subscription box!
Key Takeaways
I have been a long-time subscriber to the Ipsy Glam Bag Plus, but I was excited to start receiving their OG glam bag again. When I first saw the spoilers for this bag I was feeling a little meh, but once the package arrived I found myself enjoying the products more than I expected to. The brow gel was a solid win for me, and a few of the products had values more than double the cost of the entire Glam Bag. In fact, other than the Origins moisturizer every single product had a value higher than the cost of the box. My glam bag had an overall total value of $119.60, which is absolutely insane for a $13 bag. I enjoyed this month, and I look forward to seeing how my future bags become more tailored to me as I give feedback to Ipsy through their handy review system.
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
Other Things You Should Know
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, but sign up now to get the October bag!
Am I able to customize my bag? Yes, towards the end of each month you are given the ability to choose one product to be included in next month's Glam Bag!
What do you think of the September 2021 Ipsy Glam Bag?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.