My Refreshments Review
I tried out the different items offered from this new service.
Refreshments is a subscription that promises "clean face and body essentials at an extraordinary value for members who want to jazz up their everyday routines. Member pricing starts at $5 (20-30% off MSRP!)."
I can't count all of the times I have left Sephora or Target, gotten home, and realized I had forgotten face wipes or razor blades. Sure, any excuse to go back out shopping can be fun, if I have the time. I usually don't though, so it ends up being more of an annoying hassle. When IPSY launched its new Refreshments service, I was curious, but didn't feel like wipes and razors could be all that exciting. I took a closer look and found that each formula is clean and the packaging is adorable. Add to that the different scent options, and I was downright curious. And, since keeping an actual shopping list so I don't forget items hasn't seemed to be a thing for me, I decided to try it out.
About IPSY Refreshments
The Subscription Box: Refreshments
The Cost: Member pricing starts at $5.00 per item. 'You can purchase products without a membership, but you won't get the benefit of member pricing.
The Products: Clean face and body essentials like facial wipes, razors, deodorants, creams, and more.
Ships to: Your Refreshments ship together with your IPSY Glam Bag for free.
Pros & Cons
| The Pros |
|
| The Cons |
|
| Is It Worth It? |
|
| I’d Recommend IPSY Refreshments If You |
|
The Sign-Up Process
This is super easy! Simply open your IPSY app (or view your account on the web) and click on the little bathtub icon at the bottom of the screen. Then start adding away!
1 of 3 | Find the Refreshments tab at the bottom of your app.
How to Remove Items from Your Shipment
Canceling a delivery or changing the delivery timeframe was a little harder to figure out at first. Here is a quick guide:
1 of 3 | Click the pink text under your item that displays the delivery timeframe.
You can edit and change your choices per month as often as you need.
Delivery
Your Refreshments will be shipped with your monthly IPSY bag. If you subscribe to multiple bags, it will ship out with whichever is ready to go first. If for some reason IPSY is unable to ship you your bag, they will ship your Refreshments separately. It is also worth noting that your Refreshments are billed separately from your IPSY subscription.
The Items
Per Refreshments, all of their items are:
Always vegan, and free of parabens, phthalates, and sulfates. Formulated without gluten and nut allergens. Our skin-friendly products are cruelty-free, and clinically, allergy, and dermatologist tested.
My Refreshments order arrived the same day as my IPSY delivery but was in its own bag. A different month (when I ordered only wipes) they arrived inside my Glam Bag X delivery.
Refreshments Deodorant
1 of 10
Breezy Deodorant, 2 oz - Member Price $8.00
FYI: This formula is offered in a few different scents: Eucalyptus Julep, Pacific Fizz, Lavender Splash, and Unscented.
So, I started using an all-natural deodorant right after quarantine started. I figured since I was alone all day, testing out different ones to see what worked wasn't a huge risk (sorry, Will!). Though I have never found one that works as well as the aluminum-antiperspirant stuff, after about a year my body has adjusted in a way where I feel comfortable going to the gym with the all-natural stuff. Granted, my gym still requires masks, so maybe I will have to go back to the real stuff someday. Only time will tell!
Anyway, I liked this deodorant. In terms of texture and performance, it reminded me a lot of MYRO. It was super smooth, a little wet, and kind of soft. The glide was effortless and I felt like it gave me a good amount of stink protection, though I was just as sweaty as normal. I have learned that baking soda in natural deodorant is a big no-no for me because it gives me burn-like rashes. This formula is baking soda free and the odor-fighting powers come from ingredients like bergamot and corn starch.
As far as scents go, I liked all of them, and they smell more sophisticated than the playful packaging would suggest. Lavender splash has notes of bright lavender paired with creamy musk, a little citrus, and just the tiniest hint of patchouli. Eucalyptus Julep is almost an evergreen scent that is very wearable and crisp due to the green notes and a little woods and citrus. Pacific Fizz is lighter and a little more feminine, smelling like fresh air, flowers, tart citrus, and a little sandalwood.
Refreshments Facial Wipes
1 of 3
Cleansing Face Wipes, 30 count - Member Price $6.00
I am sure you can imagine that I go through tons of facial wipes. Between swatches, eyeshadow and blush tests, and actually just using them to wipe down my face, these are pretty much gold to me. Price-wise, these are about the same as nicer ones I would grab from Target, but the formula and design edges out beyond the competition for me. Oh, and another biggie: they are biodegradable!
The formula has some really nice ingredients inside: argan oil, panthenol, aloe, and shea. There are a handful of emulsifiers on the tail end that I am not crazy about, but they are common in wipes and you should always be actually washing your face after using wipes anyways. We are all doing that, right? 😉
Refreshments Body Cream
1 of 3
Velvety Body Cream in Citrus Spritz, 8 fl oz - Member Price $9.00
This scent was a little too sweet for me, but it was bright and tangy and felt great for a spring/summer citrus choice. The formula of this cream was indeed velvety! It left my skin soft, smooth, and without any gross and greasy filminess. I also thought it absorbed pretty darn fast! Inside this tube are really lovely things like shea, grapeseed oil, and olive oil that nourish the skin but leave nothing behind other than softness.
Refreshments Body Wash
1 of 2
Pearly Body Wash, 10 fl oz - Member Price $9.00
Though this body wash had the same scent name as the body cream, the scent of this was someone deeper and creamier and I liked it so much more. I also enjoyed the overall texture of this wash and how easily it lathered and foamed. It didn't seem to leave behind any moisture on my body, but the gentle clean feeling felt great!
Refreshments Hand Cream
1 of 3
Luscious Hand Cream in Citrus Spritz, 2 fl oz - Member Price $5.00
This hand cream felt like a much denser version of the body cream and shared the same citrus scent. It reminds me a little of lemon candy. Formula-wise, home run. My hands felt soft, calm, and incredibly nourishing after massaging a pea-sized amount. I just kind of wish it had some in one of the yummy deodorant scents! If you are someone who loves fresh lemons and sugar though, you are going to enjoy this fragrance!
Refreshments Shave Kit
1 of 10
Luxe 5-Blade Razor Kit - Member Price $5.00
Razors are one of those items that I eye-roll at every time I buy because they are just so expensive. I have bought myself a neon green Harry's handle whereas Will has a navy-colored one, just so we can buy the same razors but now share literally the same razor cartridge. Even though Harry's is a lot more affordable than most, I still cringe every time I buy them. While these are about the same price-wise, the autoship functionality makes it easier to set and forget, which helps. Harry's has this same autoship sort of feature too, though, to be fair. I liked these U.S.-made blades and thought the handle was very cute. They have a built-in moisture strip that helps keep your skin from becoming irritated too. I think if I wasn't already happy with my Harry's blades (and the fact that Will and I use the same brand), I would be happy to swap to these. If you are currently on the hunt for an affordable razor blade option though, these are absolutely worth trying!
Refreshments Shave Cream
1 of 2
Pillowy Shave Cream, 4.5 fl oz - Member Price $6.00
My last item was a tube of pearly shave cream. It has a thicker density but is smooth as butter on my legs. It absolutely helped me achieve a close and gentle shave with the Refreshments razors and also left behind a nice amount of hydration. Again, it featured that bright and zesty candied lemons scent like the hand and body cream.
The Verdict
I ended up liking the Refreshments from IPSY more than I thought I would. Admittedly, when this service launched I didn't feel much excitement. I think that is because how exciting can face wipes be? To my delight, the whole line is very fun, beautifully fragranced, and totally affordable. I think most of us have the same sort of basics we have been buying over and over for years, and this service makes these sorts of items feel anything but basic. The formulas were all great, the packaging was adorable, and each of these items made me feel kind of excited to get them open. I think the deodorants would be my favorite of the bunch (I loved the scents!) but the wipes would be a close second. The razors are an undeniably good deal and though I would want to see more scent options for the creams, they left my skin feeling great. If you are already someone who purchases these sorts of items monthly, it is worth your time to compare pricing and give these formulas a try and see if you enjoy these fresh takes on old favorites more than your standbys.
What did you think of Refreshments? Have you tried any yet?
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.