Ipsy Review – December 2013
Ipsy is a monthly beauty and makeup subscription box. I definitely recommend this subscription if you’re looking for a good value and full size makeup products. At $10 a month, it’s almost always a win every month!
This month’s theme is Celebration – very fitting for holiday and New Year’s Eve parties!
The Subscription Box: Glam Bag by Ipsy
The Cost: $10 a month (free shipping)
The Products: Full size and samples of makeup and beauty products. (Plus a makeup bag!)
Ships to: US and Canada
Check out all of my Ipsy reviews and the Beauty Subscription Box Directory!
Normally I don’t spend any time talking about the bag itself in Ipsy reviews, but I really love this month’s bag! The red lining is perfect!
Nicka K Nail Polish in Classic Taupe – Value $5
POP Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eye Shadow Trio in Naturally Bare – Value $6
I’ve never tried Nicka K nail polish before, but I already love the bottle design! The taupe color is great for me too.
Be a Bombshell The One Stick in Flustered – Value $16
NYX Lipstick in Ceto – Value $4
This probably isn’t really fair for me to say since I get so many subscription boxes, but I think I need a break from Be a Bombshell and NYX products! I feel like they’ve been in so many boxes lately! To be fair though, The One Stick is completely new to me.
Mirabella Eye Blender – Value $27
I will never complain about getting makeup brushes in subscription boxes. I always want to have backups! This blender brush is great, and I love the weight of the metal handle.
Verdict: I paid $10 for this box and received $58 worth of products – Ipsy always impresses me with the value of their boxes! And everything in this box was full size! Like Birchbox and POPSUGAR, Ipsy is one of those subscriptions I know I’ll subscribe to forever!
What did you get in your December Ipsy bag?
Written by Liz Cadman
I got the same one as you! Loved this bag!
Love My Ipsy!
Wonderful bag! I love NYX and don’t think I’ll ever get tired of them, but I’m a bit over Be a Bombshell right now too. Especially this month’s product; that One Stick is just… weird. lol I got Flustered as well and I can’t imagine how I’m going to use that on any part of my face!
Comment
The one stick may be a good product if its in an appropriate colour for the wearer and helped along with things like mineral makeup on top when used as a blush and a good base when used as lip colour. I can’t see myself reaching for the one stick I received in flustered very often.
I loved by bag. My favorite has to be the nail polish! You can read my review here: http://mittenswithbuttons.com/december-ipsy-glam-bag-review/
My Ipsy bag was a little different then yours. I luv Ipsy! This is only my second bag but so far ive not been disappointed. I also subscribe to Birchbox and was a little disappointed on December box, expected something more fitting to the theme. My only prob with both services is I keep getting red lipsticks which I dont wear. Im sure it has to do with my profile. Any suggestions on what to change on profile so I will get more nude color lip??
Rate the products you got in your Glam Room 🙂 It gives the option to rate the shade!
I really liked this month’s bag – the one stick actually seems really cool! The only bummer was I got the English Laundry perfume and it leaked ALL over my bag. I really don’t like the smell and I don’t think it will come out of the super cute makeup bag we got this time. I emailed Ipsy about getting a replacement item and makeup bag – I hope they are able/willing to do it!
I see you use a referral link for Ipsy, is it not yours? Do you not get any of the bonus items anymore or do you just prefer not to show it anymore?
Actually, for the past few months there’s been a bug with my ipsy account that prevents me from accessing my points section! 🙁 So I haven’t gotten to use any points for a while.
My ipsy is exactly like Liz’s. So glad dodged the lashes too! Except for the color stick I like everything. On top of the items you get a nice little bag every month. I think all in all ipsy is the best game in town and for $10.
I liked my bag and items but my NYX nail polish had a broken brush.
Hi Carissa,
I don’t know if you’ll see this, but if you haven’t let Ipsy know about the defect, you really should. They have great customer service (email) and any time I’ve had a problem they have been great with replacements or a similar product!
My bag was way different; it’s almost as if they’re finally paying attention to profiles! I got the shadows in the silvery palate, the Bombshell stick in the darker red (yay!), the makeup brush you got, the natural eyelashes, and the JCat lip crayon in red. I’ve only tried the crayon (I am loving the crayon phase the boxes seem to be going through; Ipsy sent me my new favorite last month: a berry Bombshell crayon), and it was very very red. With a dark gloss on top or stain underneath, it’ll be awesome.
Looking at all the options this month, I’d say I got exactly the things I’d have chosen for myself, in exactly the colors I’d pick. I’m AMAZED. I cancelled ipsy for several months, and then restarted last month. Soooo glad I did!
Another one with the same bag, same colors. I’m good with the POP and the NYX. I’d never use the BaB product so the color doesn’t matter to me. I can see the lips/cheeks aspect but how some of the colors would ever look good on eyes … I don’t see it. I wanted a perfume or the Jessie polish but overall I’m just glad I dodged the lashes. The bag is great, isn’t it? I’ve been with Ipsy since July and I think this is the best quality bag so far.
I am personally ready for a break from NYX and POP products! They come in everything and I don’t like them. I get Pixie a lot too…. but I love Pixie so that is just fine with me!
Glad I’m not the only one who needs a break from some of these brands. But I agree about Pixie – I love their makeup! 🙂
Would have MUCH preferred your bag to mine. I would have loved your NYC rather than the Caramel Mocha (ugly color) J Cats pencil, and your brush rather than the stinky fragrance, and your Bombshell color (I got Sunset which is very dark and orange & I am not. I do like the bag, the Bzzz Bzzz polish, and the shadow trio. For $10 I’ll keep subscribing but it could have been just so much better.
I got the exact same bag too. Loved everything but especially the bag because it was just so nice this month
My bag (1st one) was slightly different but I loved it! Full sized lip crayon that matched the full sized all-in-one stick (love), the eyeshadow trio in neutral shades (love), false eyelashes plus the glittery nail polish sample….tons of product!
Yay – glad you loved your first bag! 🙂
You are the reason I subscribed to Ipsy! And I’m so glad I did. This month’s bag was my 3rd and best bag ever! The only thing I wasn’t happy with was the color of my lipstick (which my mom can wear) and the Demeter perfume (which I’m trading for the Starrily Bzz Bzz nail polish because I’m in love with their polish). So this was a complete win for me! Also better than BB! I cancelled my subscription after 2 boxes and switched to Ipsy based on your reviews! 🙂 So thanks so much!
I got exactly the same bag same colors and everything
Agree about subscribing to Ipsy forever. Birchbox on the other hand has gone from bad to worse every month. December took the cake for being worst box ever. I can’t wait for my BB subscription to end.
I agree, Caroline. I received my Birchbox this month and what a disappointment for December ~ some real bombs here. Two LA Fresh Deodorant Wipes, teabags and an LAQA & Co. red, red, RED lip crayon, a color I will never, ever use; I keep getting this shade in the different subscription boxes I get ~ UGH! Like Liz, Im also a tad tired of Be a Bombshell and NYX items in my boxes. Can I also add Aveeno moisturizers and any and all hair styling gels to my “do not send” list? ha ha
I LOVE the black bag too! As for the products, I got the eye shadows and the blush in “Girl Crush,” which is a light pink w/sparkles. I like it. I got the fake eyelashes and J.Cat big lip pencil in Carmel Mocha. I also got the “English Laundry” fragrances. I don’t like to wear perfume, so I didn’t like that but the rest was good. The lashes I probably would only wear for Halloween, but overall I love Ipsy.
I agree I am tired of all the NYC lipsticks and blushes
While I think the value of this month’s bag is good, I am most excited about the bag and my bonus item I ordered, the beauty blender. Like you, I am tired of getting Bombshell and NYX in the bags. I do love the brush you rec’d, I also got the Bombshell stick and Pop palette, plus mini gold/blk flecked nail polish, J.Cat (also tired of this brand, lol) lip pencil crayon, and false eyelashes. Most of it I’ll be giving away, but that’s okay, I’m still happy to pay $10 for everything 🙂
Tracy
http://www.TracysNotebookofStyle.com
I got the same exact bag as you, Tracy! 🙂 I’m happy about the One Stick (I don’t have any blush on hand right now, and it was the perfect color for me), the eyeshadow trio, and the nail polish mini. The false lashes I will probably never wear, and the lip pencil I don’t need after getting a lip crayon and lipstick in the last bag. But 3/5 ain’t bad for $10!
Mine isn’t here yet, but of course I checked my glam room. We are getting nearly the same box. I also need a break from NYX and Be a Bombshell. My skin doesn’t care for their ingredients, so I never use them! I don’t get as many subscriptions as you do…and only 3 “Beauty subs” and I am sick of both of those brands! The brush makes up for it, though! I love the mirabella brand.
Agree – I would pay $10 for the Mirabella brush alone!
Someone on the ipsy site noted that the all-in-one stick has parabens, which is probably why your skin doesn’t like it. Until I started reading this blog, I’d never heard of them. Once I saw your post, I looked it up. Not good!
I won’t use those crappy ingredients either. Melamine, anyone?
I got the exact same products as you, same colors and everything! What are the odds?! I’m so happy with this month’s bag..such great value. Thanks for your reviews! Your site is the only reason I started subscribing to boxes, and I’m totally hooked now! I check your site more than I check my email and Facebook! Love it!
Ipsy bag twins! 🙂 And thanks so much for the site praise – it means so much to me! 🙂