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.
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This is one of our top recommendations if you are looking for a subscription box — the value and sample sizes are amazing. 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 our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes).
First Impressions
Everything comes packaged snugly in the signature pink Ipsy bubble mailer.
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Included is a product card that features a list of the products and any beauty tips.
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Each month, Ipsy subscribers get a makeup bag in addition to their items. The theme for this month is ‘Anything Is Possible.’ I’m a fan of the sentiment but an even bigger fan of the bag, which is giving me strong Clueless vibes (a true blast from the past). Let’s check out what products have been curated to work alongside the uplifting theme.
Now, on to the items!
HEAD KANDY Mini Hair Care Set with Shampoo, Conditioner, and All-in-One Third Wheel Spray, 50 ml x3 - Listed Value $15.00
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This Head Kandy Mini Hair Care Set really impressed me. It’s a full set of hair care ready to go, whether you’re using it for travel or an overnight trip. The set includes a shampoo, a conditioner, and an all-in-one miracle spray. The entire hair care system has a keratin-rich formula that’s filled with minerals and principal amino acids that helps to heal hair, resulting in less breakage. I appreciate that the formula is safe for color treated hair.
I noticed that the shampoo doesn’t lather much, which I actually prefer, leaving my hair clean but not stripped of its natural oils. The highlight of this set for me is the all-in-one leave-in spray, which helps to fight against heat damage and environmental stressors as well as combat frizz and humidity. I’m thrilled to have this set, and I’m especially excited because the bottles are large enough where I think I can get two uses out of them. This is a big deal for me because often the hair care samples I receive in subscription boxes are too small, not allowing me to get a proper gauge on how they work for hair like mine. So, I’m pretty thrilled!
GROWN ALCHEMIST Hand Cream in Vanilla + Orange Peel, 20 ml - Retail Value $8.00
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I tend to use hand cream as a spot treatment of sorts. In my daily routine, I use body lotion to moisturize myself from head to toe, but I do have a few stubborn spots that tend to crop up every now and then. My elbows, especially, get overly dry, regardless of the season. No matter how much I moisturize them, I am always in need of some extra hydration. I love the Grown Alchemist brand and their products, and this Hand Cream in Vanilla and Orange Peel is divine. I love how non-greasy the formula is, and the scent is incredible. As someone who’s usually sensitive to scents, I generally prefer unscented products, but I have to say, I’m really enjoying the combo of vanilla and orange that this hand cream gives. This cream does a lovely job of hydrating dry skin, thanks to the powerhouse ingredients like vitamin E, rose petal oil, wheat germ oil, and more.
SHADES BY SHAN The Gel Eyeliner in Matcha, 0.28 g - Retail Value $18.00
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I’m pretty familiar with the Shades By Shan brand, and I received The Gel Eyeliner in the shade ‘Matcha.’ Now, some people are fans of lining their eyes with various colors no matter the occasion, and more power to them, but my go-to is a classic black liner. However, I’ve been getting a bit more adventurous when it comes to eye looks, so I decided to give this lovely forest green liner a try. I appreciate that it’s a darker shade while still different enough to add a dose of personality to my everyday makeup. The formula is nice and creamy, causing absolutely zero discomfort upon application, and no tugging or pulling whatsoever. Beautifully pigmented, this eyeliner is also buildable, and with the inclusion of jojoba oil, my eyes never feel dry even after all-day wear. This one’s definitely a keeper for me, and I like being able to shake up my look every now and then.
Here is the swatch of Shades By Shan The Gel Eyeliner in Matcha.
REALHER Mini Mascara #2 in Eye Am Beautiful, 3.5 ml - Estimated Value $4.52
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Mascara is one of those everyday staples for me, and this RealHer Mini Mascara #2 in the shade ‘Eye Am Beautiful’ is perfect for any classic look. The shade looks to be a true jet black, which I appreciate, and the silicone brush does a great job of spreading the product evenly across each eyelash. I like the creamy texture of this mascara and how well it adheres to the lashes without any flaking through the day. No clumping or smudging with this product, and the mascara is buildable, which makes it easy to go from a natural look to a more dramatic one in seconds. When I applied this for the first time, I was pretty surprised by the lash-extending, volumizing effect. I’ll certainly be using this down to the last drop.
REN CLEAN SKINCARE Perfect Canvas Clean Jelly Oil Cleanser, 15 ml - Estimated Value $5.55
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Ohhh, yeah, I love a good jelly cleanser. This Perfect Canvas Clean Jelly Oil Cleanser from Ren Clean Skincare impressed me quite a bit. I was at first thrown off by the inclusion of ‘oil’ in the product name, but as I dug deeper, I learned that this is a three-phase cleanser. What that means is that the cleanser itself begins as a jelly, and as you cleanse, the consistency changes to more of an oil and finally a creamy ‘milk.’ All elements of this cleanser work together to provide a deep clean, removing all the grime, sweat, and dirt from the day while also rehydrating the skin and never stripping it. After a good cleanse, my skin is left feeling smooth to the touch. Now, most often, oil products tend to irritate my skin and cause breakouts, but I’m happy to say that I didn’t experience that thus far with this particular cleanser. The formula does an excellent job of wiping away all signs of makeup, and it has a fresh scent that’s not overpowering.
The Verdict
This was an awesome month for Ipsy Glam Bag! Each of the products in my bag are products that I will get good use from, so I am especially thrilled this time around. The highlight for me was the Ren Clean Skincare cleanser. It leaves my skin feeling smooth to the touch and super clean but not at all stripped. The hand cream from Grown Alchemist is out of this world, especially the scent, and it’s perfect for my sensitive skin thanks to the natural ingredients. Shades By Shan’s forest green gel eyeliner was something I’d been wanting to try, and I’m glad I did because it works great with my skin tone, and the all-day wear is solid.
I really love that this month included a full hair care set, and the samples are actually large enough for me to try them out a few times; I am thrilled. Lastly, the mascara from RealHer… It’s a great mascara, and who doesn’t need another mascara? I’ll always be looking for one, no matter how many I have lying around, and this one does a nice job of separating each eyelash for an even coat and volumizing effect. Overall, I truly thought this was a great bag! The curation was nicely varied, containing a little bit of everything, from skincare, to hair care, to makeup, and the value is there.
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Value – Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $13
Value Breakdown:
- Hair Care: $15.00
- Hand Cream: $8.00
- Eyeliner: $18.00
- Mascara: $4.52
- Cleaner: $5.55
The total retail value of these five items adds up to about $51.07, which is a good value for a $13 box.
Other Things You Should Know
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, but sign up to receive the May 2023 bag while stocks last.
What do you think of the April 2023 Ipsy Glam Bag?
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