This month was my first month with Ipsy. Ipsy is a subscription service, created by Michelle Phan, that includes deluxe samples and full-sized beauty products along with a cosmetic bag for $10/month. For this month, I received 5 products in my Glam Bag. Keep reading to discover the products in my bag and my initial thoughts on the service.
I was excited to try a new subscription service after having Birchbox for so long. I had a subscription with Birchbox for a year and a half. I loved being exposed to new brands and earning points to use in the Birchbox shop. I cancelled my membership because I got a little bored with it and wanted to try something else. I still highly recommend signing up for Birchbox! You can find all of my Birchbox reviews here.
I thought about signing up for Ipsy from the beginning (back when it was My Glam), but I knew that it would have some kinks to be worked out since it was a new business. I stayed updated on it and sure enough, I saw a lot of people complaining about a myriad of problems. More recently, it seemed as though the service had been greatly improved and I thought it was an ideal time to jump in line. I was briefly placed on a waiting list (this bag is popular!), but was given my subscription spot shortly after.
Now, let’s check out my bag!
Ipsy Glam Bag – Beach Beauty
It appears as if this bag was intended for beach use, hence the theme “Beach Beauty”. It’s a plastic tubular pink bag with a zipper. I don’t feel this was a necessary item. I love cute cosmetic bags, but this one doesn’t thrill me. I’ll probably keep it around for travel though. It might be good for a wet razor or something.
Price for full size: $19.95 (5.1 oz.) from Ulta
My sample size: 1.7 fl. oz.
About: A spray that gives body and nourishes hair while adding beachy texture. Apply to damp hair. Contains Argan Oil.
My comments: What a great sample size! It’s huge!! This is probably the travel size version of the product. It came in a plastic ziplock bag – that’s great because I’ve had samples leak before in Birchboxes. It was a nice precaution that I appreciated. The scent of this spray is cool; it reminds me of sunscreen!
Price for full size: $32.50 (2 oz.) from derma e
My sample size: 1 oz.
About: A scrub that buffs skin to help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and acne scars.
My comments: Considering the 2 oz. size is $32.50, then my sample is worth $16.25. That alone is more than the amount I paid for the whole bag! The scrub has a lemon scent and contains Dead Sea Salt along with Volcanic Sand. I tested it on my hand and it feels like it’s a little abrasive. I’ll have to use some caution when using it on my face. This is a 100% vegan product.
Price for full size: $17.95 per palette (they’re only $9.95 each right now!) San Francisco, Malibu, and Hollywood from BH Cosmetics
My sample size: 3 eyeshadows (1 from each palette)
About: BH Cosmetics is offering 3 different palettes containing blush and eyeshadow. The sample came with a rich purple, a bronze-y brown, and a bright gold.
My comments: Cute sample. I know about BH Cosmetics, but don’t own any products from them. It took awhile to build up swatches of each eyeshadow; they are pretty shadows though. I’m not sure of the quality yet.
Price for full size: $25 for a kit of 6 crayons from POP Beauty
My sample size: 1 crayon (0.1 oz.)
About: Nourishing balm that plumps lips and add long-lasting color.
My comments: My crayon came in the shade Coral Crush. When applied, it provided solid color, not just a tint. It feels and smells a bit minty. This was an awesome sample to find in my bag. I always see the brand in Ulta and look through the products. It doesn’t appear that these crayons are sold individually at all, just in the set. It would be nice to buy them separately, but on the bright side, you can always buy the set and give the extras to friends as gifts – or just keep them all for yourself!
Price for full size: $36 (1.7 oz.) from Coola
My sample size: 0.23 fl. oz
About: A tinted moisturizer that protects from the sun. It’s water-resistant, anti-aging, hypoallergenic, and vegan friendly.
My comments: I’ve never heard of this brand. They offer a broad range of organic suncare products. Sun protection is a huge deal and people often overlook it, so I’m glad to have been introduced to a company that focuses on suncare. The tinted moisturizer is very sheer with a light rosy scent.
Overall thoughts
I loved the contents of my bag this month! The sample sizes were bigger than anything I expected and there were brands I recognized. I felt like the value of everything was well above $10.
The one part I didn’t like was that there wasn’t an itemized list in the package, like Birchbox provides. I like seeing what the full size price is and little blurbs about each product without having to look them up. Luckily, the info can be found on the Ipsy site, it just takes a little more effort.
One nice thing is that there are offers you can take advantage of when purchasing full size products from the brands that came in your bag.
It also looks like you can earn free product for your referals, which is cool!
Disclaimer: Product was purchased by me. All opinions stated in this post are soley my own. A referral link was used.
Contact: ashley@peekandponder.com
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