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.
One of the perks of being an Ipsy subscriber is access to their shop- along with discounted products and bundles, you can also shop mystery bags! This is a review of the Ipsy Stardust Mystery Bag, which is still available for purchase but only available for current subscribers.
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes).
First Impressions
1 of 5
This mystery bag comes with five items and a larger silver makeup bag to store all of your loot. This bag is bigger than your standard-size Glam Bag, and even has an inner pocket.
Here's a screenshot of what the description looks like from my personal Ipsy account.
The Breakdown – What’s Inside My Ipsy "Stardust" Mystery Glam Bag
Seraphine Botanicals Pumpkin + Silk Luminous Pre-Makeup Base, 15 g - Retail Value $34
I've tried a few Seraphine Botanicals products before, but this primer was new to me. It really gives your skin a bit of luminosity that dull skin may be lacking that looks really natural under foundation, and I like that it's formulated with skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid and pumpkin seed oil. I do see this being more for those who have normal-to-dry skin rather than oily skin, which is probably why I liked it so much. It's not life-changing, but it's certainly nice to use.
The Beauty Crop Stuck On You Eye Primer, 4 g - Estimated Value $17
1 of 2
I can't tell you the last time I received a full-size eyeshadow primer in a subscription box- I was very pleased by this inclusion. This has a slight tint to it that is a few shades different than what my actual skin looks like, but once I start layering eyeshadow on, you can't tell it's there. I do feel like it helped with the shadows wear longer without creasing, and it also helped some of the more vivid shades stay vivid. It can be a little awkward to pat my finger into this pot and then pat it onto my eyelid because I like to keep my nails long, but other than that I don't have anything negative to say.
Huda Beauty Coral Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette, 9.9 g - Estimated Value $27
1 of 3
I don't think this palette is available for sale any longer- if it is, I am having difficulty finding it. This is definitely a palette that screams fall, with a lot of burnt-orange-hued shades that remind me of autumn leaves changing colors. Some of the mattes here worked just fine, but a few of them were patchy on me. There were only two shimmers, but I loved both of them- they had duo-chrome color shift going on that made my sparkle-loving heart happy.
Here is the palette swatched.
1 of 2
And here I am wearing three shades from the palette on top of the Beauty Crop primer.
Bali Balm Lemon + Black Pepper Lip Balm, 15 mL - Retail Value $9
This isn't my first lip balm from Bali Balm, but I was stoked to see the brand again. They make some mega-nourishing lip balm formulas that drench my lips in moisture while leaving a glossy finish that's quite pretty. I didn't really pick up any lemon or black pepper notes, but my lips loved the castor oil, shea butter, coconut oil, and cocoa butter this is formulated with.
Frank Body Brightening Vitamin C Mask, 1.7 oz - Retail Value $25
For being labeled a "brightening" face mask, I wasn't expecting this to have so many exfoliating active ingredients like salicylic, lactic, and glycolic acid. This had a thin, watery texture which I also wasn't expecting- with masks I am usually expecting textures with thicker, creamier consistencies. I applied this to clean skin and left it on for five minutes, and when I washed it away I did feel my skin was noticeably more radiant. Was that specifically because of this mask, or was it because I had spent most of the day being a reclusive goblin before finally doing some skincare at 9 pm? I digress- I would use this mask before I was going to go out or a special occasion where I wanted my skin to be in tip-top shape, but I would follow up with a sheet mask to soothe the mild redness the exfoliation left behind.
Value – Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $30
Value Breakdown:
- Seraphine Botanicals: $34 → $9.11
- The Beauty Crop: $17 → $4.55
- Huda Beauty: $27 → $7.23
- Bali Balm: $9 → $2.41
- Frank Body: $25 → $6.69
Everything in my Stardust Mystery Glam Bag adds up to $112, which is above the promised value of $103.
Key Takeaways
After an MSA Forum user asked a question about Ipsy's mystery bags, I knew I wanted to revisit them (I've reviewed them before, but it's been a few years). Overall I like the items in the Stardust mystery bag, though I do think it's important to note that two of the products seem to no longer be available for sale, which may concern some buyers about how old this stock is. All of the products performed well for me (and none of them had any off smells or any indications they shouldn't be used), and I think this covered a good mix with a skincare product, lip product, eye primer, eye palette, and face primer. There will always be a little risk associated with buying a mystery bag, but for the $30 price, I thought this one was a pretty solid deal.
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? Yes, this is still showing up as available- but you have to be a current Ipsy subscriber.
Am I able to customize my bag? N0- you can customize your monthly Glam Bag, but not this mystery bag.
What do you think of my Ipsy Stardust Mystery 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.