Ipsy is a monthly beauty and makeup subscription box. For $14 per month, you get five full-sized 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. Just like Birchbox, Ipsy sends out many different variations of their bag each month — so this review is for 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
One of my favorite features of the Ipsy glam bag is the excitement of the bag design. I have been a subscriber for years, and the fun designs (and of course awesome products) leave me coming back for more. This month's bag was crafted with a vinyl type material that seems to be a bit more waterproof than most. With a beautiful floral and berry design, this was a great introduction to summer. The neutral colored lining and simple gold zipper pull rounds out a pretty and natural design, and I am totally here for it!
Also included is a product card that features "The Secret Garden" theme, a QR code to show the bag picks, and items coming this June.
Now, on to the items!
Some By Mi Retinol Intense Advanced Triple Action Eye Cream - Deluxe Sample - Retail Value $4.00
As soon as this month's customization choice came out, I hurried to the Ipsy website to make my selection. While there were a few full size products available as a selection, I chose this deluxe mini sample of Retinol Eye Cream instead. Made in Korea, this eye cream received decently high ratings on Ipsy's website, and is proven to help brighten skin, act on wrinkles, signs of aging, and skin tone darkening. For use at night, only a small amount of product is needed to apply. This scentless, gentle cream left my skin feeling hydrated without being greasy, and did seem to brighten my skin in just a few uses. I appreciate that this is an affordable brand, and was satisfied with the amount of cream in the tube. After one week of use I do believe I notice a difference in my skin, and I am happy to add this to my nightly routine.
Symbiosis Skincare Prestige Ultra Fine Balancing Sorbet Facial Cryo-Exfoliator - Deluxe Mini - Estimated Value $23.52
When it comes to skincare, I like luxury products, but struggle paying full price. That's where Ipsy comes in. Here we have this prestige facial cryo-exfoliator, that has a pretty significant retail value (the $23.52 is for this sample at SALE price!) Would I pay that much for this product? Definitely not if I hadn't tried it first! This British skincare brand was new to me, and I did really appreciate this inclusion. As you could see by the retinol choice, skincare is pretty important to me, especially at this stage of my life. I currently use an exfoliator a few days a week, but I have to say, this version was much more gentle. With micro crystals, hyaluronic acid, and papaya extract, this did feel a lot more prestige than my current brand. With only a few uses, I noticed a change in my skin, and was happy to try this out. Gentle on my skin and a silky smooth after effect, I enjoyed the light scent, and may have to purchase the larger version to see the longer term results.
Toy Factory Hylash Hyaluronic Serum Mascara - Travel Size - $10.00
Mascara is one of my very favorite makeup items, so I am always eager to try new formulas and brands, in hopes of achieving my desired full-lash look. I don't believe I have ever tried mascara with hyaluronic acid in it, but I was intrigued to see what kind of difference it might make. In my research, I found that the inclusion of this ingredient is to keep lashes from being dry and brittle. I have never had this as a concern, so didn't feel it was necessary for me, but the formula overall was pretty decent. With a fluffy brush, I appreciated the fullness it gave my lashes, but it did take quite a few applications. Creating well separated lashes, the black formula stayed on well without flaking, but is best suited for a more natural look.
Beauty Vaulte Lip Gloss + Lip Liner Set - FULL SIZE - Retail Value $25
As a small lipped person, I really like the way a lip liner and gloss can make your lips look larger. I was extremely excited to try out this set, and was pleasantly surprised with the results. While I was expecting the color to be dark brown, I found it to be more of a maroon and actually really liked it paired with my skin tone. The liner and gloss applied smoothly and neatly, but the staying power just wasn't there. I tend to only wear lipstick if it guarantees wear for 16 hours, and this definitely wasn't that. Overall, I was happy to give this a try, but would only wear this somewhere I can do a lot of re-applying.
Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer - Mini - Estimated Value $10
The last item I received was probably my favorite. Primer is something I use once in a while to try and secure my make-up for a big event. I've tried quite a few in the past, but haven't found anything that works really great. This primer is 94% natural ingredients, and creates a "grip" that your makeup actually sticks to. When applying, it is soft and smooth, but as it dries, it really becomes grippy. My Lancome foundation applies beautifully over this product and stays put for the entire day. I have had many compliments on my makeup recently, and I'm attributing it to this primer! A little bit goes a long way, and I tell you what - this is definitely now a staple in my makeup routine!
Verdict
I love Ipsy Glam Bag and am always excited to try out new beauty products. While I have brands that I adore, I am an equal opportunity makeup user, and love seeing if my current faves can be outdone. While I didn't pick a full-sized item as my choice item this month, I was happy with the results the retinol cream gave, and also enjoyed the other mix of items I received. With a thoughtful curation of skincare and makeup, I was satisfied with all of the products this month, but especially loved the primer. For $14, you seriously can't go wrong! What do you think will be in store for the June curation?! I can't wait to see!
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Value – Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $14
Value Breakdown:
- Retinol: $0.77
- Mascara: $1.93
- Lipgloss Set: $4.82
- Primer: $1.93
- Exfoliator: $4.54
The total retail value of these five items adds up to around $72.52 which is a fabulous value for a $14 box.
Other Things You Should Know
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, but sign up to receive the June 2024 bag while stocks last.
What do you think of the May 2024 Ipsy Glam Bag?
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