Subscription: Ipsy
Cost: $10/monthly + Free Shipping
What's in the box: You'll receive 4-5 full size or deluxe-sized beauty products tailored to you in a collectible bag. You complete a profile upon joining and the products you'll receive will be matched based on that. You can update this profile any time and you'll also be able to review the products you receive for points which you can redeem towards a selection of beauty items.
Ipsy always ships their bags in bright neon pink padded envelops, can't miss it!
Ipsy is very similar to Birchbox where all subscribers receive different variations in their bag, and is mostly dependant on the answers you give in the Ipsy beauty quiz. They try to give you products that match your needs and concerns so not everyone will get the same items. And you can retake the beauty quiz at anytime if you feel that the products didn't really match you.
This review is for my profile so it's just one of the many variations that they sent out.
Every month Ipsy sends their items in makeup bags that they produce exclusively. This month the design is in line with their prep school theme and the material is plasticky and shiny. I can't say it's one of my favorites but that's just my taste.
They also include a card noting the theme for the month and in the back is usually a message from them and this time it's a sweepstakes to win one year of subscription!
And here are my items:
August's theme is "Prep School" and although I've been out of college for awhile now, that doesn't mean I've stopped trying to gain knowledge ;)
Items in Detail:
- Marc Anthony - Nourishing Argan Oil of Morocco Treatment
- Travel size 20.7 ml, Value $4
"Daily, lightweight oil for strong, glossy, frizz-free hair. Whether your hair is curly, straight, thick or thin, this Argan Oil Treatment will become a daily staple in your beauty regimen."
Since my hair is color-treated, it does tend to dry up and get frizzy so this is a match for me. I've used argan oil before and had great results so I'm sure this one will do just fine as well.
- Doucce - Ultra Precision Eye Liner in Black
- Full Size, Value $22
Black eyeliners are a must have in my makeup stash, so I'm happy to receive this! I do tend to like automatic pencils versus the one where you have to sharpen like this one. I find that I waste quite a bit of product just by sharpening it.
The color goes on smooth and is quite deep, so that's good. I also love that it's waterproof and made in Germany. Another great item!
- Hikari - Lip Gloss in Merlot
- Full Size, Value $13
I love lip gloss and I love Merlot, so what a match!
The color Merlot is an intense Red Mauve and it would have been a great item for me, but sadly it's ridden with Paraben which is a no-no in my book, so this will have to be gifted or swapped.
- Jesse's Girl - Eye Shadow Primer
- Travel Size 1.5ml?, Value $2?
I don't like receiving items that doesn't have the ingredients listed, it's not a good sign. And when I went to the website I can see why, it's full of parabens! So sadly, another pass on this item, what's going on here?!
- Aila - Nail Polish in Mister Pookies
- Full Size, Value $17
Mister Pookies is a steel grey with purple undertones color. Typically I tend to steer away from purple, but this color is quite dark that it doesn't really show purple, just ever so slightly.
Aila is a 5 Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, made WITHOUT Parabens and cruelty free product. So happy I got this!
My Thoughts: I have mixed feelings about this month's bag. I will be using 3 out of the 5 items, and the value is definitely still there for me, I'm just disappointed that Ipsy sent out 2 products that are ridden with paraben. I just might email them to see what they have to say about it, and hopefully they'll step up and be more proactive in sending out products with healthier ingredients. But besides that fact, I do like the nail polish, eyeliner and argan oil. And the value of those 3 items alone makes it way worth it to continue subscribing, so I got lucky there. Hopefully next month will be better!
If you haven't joined yet, you can subscribe to Ipsy here and start receiving their monthly bags filled with beauties!
|
Product | Price |
|---|---|
| Marc Anthony Argan Oil | $4 |
| Doucce Eyeliner | $22 |
| Hikari Lip Gloss | $13 |
| Jesse's Girl Eye Shadow Primer | $2 |
| Aila Nail Polish | $17 |
| TOTAL VALUE | $58 |
| Subscription Cost | $10 |