Ipsy Review – January 2015

ByLiz CadmanJan 15, 2015 | 54 comments

Ipsy Review – January 2015 Bag

Ipsy is a monthly beauty and makeup subscription box. Each month you get full size or deluxe-sized products, plus a cute makeup bag. I think it’s one of the best value beauty subscriptions and a great way to build out your makeup collection on the cheap!

(FYI – Just like Birchbox, Ipsy sends out many different variations of their bag each month – so my review is just one of the bag variations you might receive!)

My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

Ipsy Review – January 2015 Items

The Subscription Box: 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

Delivered via: USPS

Check out all of my Ipsy reviews and the Beauty Subscription Box Directory!

Visit the Ipsy Swap Page to swap for any of the items you see in this review!

Ipsy Review – January 2015 Eyeliner

Coastal Scents Liquid Eyeliner in Jet - FULL SIZE! Value $2.95

Elizabeth Mott All Over Shadow Brush - Value $10

This eyeliner dried pretty quickly and was easy enough to apply - I can't believe the full sized version is less than $3! And as always, I'm happy to get another makeup brush!

Ipsy Review – January 2015 Polish

probelle Nail Lacquer in Into The Blue - FULL SIZE! Value $6

Malin + Goetz Mojito Lip Balm - .20 oz Value $6.85

Blue polish seems to be trending in subscription boxes lately!

I've received this lip balm is one of my favorites - and I'm always happy to have more. (This .20 oz version is actually preferable for me compared to the full size version since this one comes with the right kind of lip balm applicator tip).

Ipsy Review – January 2015 Pacifica

Pacifica Natural Mineral Coconut Eye Shadow in Ethereal - Value $5?

I had tried Pacifica eyeshadow before in an ipsy bag, and found the pigmentation was a little on the low side. I'm not sure if they changed the formula, but this one is much better in terms of pigmentation - it's a great highlighter shade for me. (I'm estimating the value since Pacifica only sells eye shadow palettes.

Verdict: I'm happy that every item in this box is full-sized or is as good as full sized to me! The value of my bag this month is about $31, and I think I'll use everything, so I'm happy with the January ipsy bag.

What did you get from ipsy this month?

Posted in Beauty Subscription Boxes, Subscription Box Reviews, Subscription Boxes for Women

Liz Cadman

Liz is the founder of My Subscription Addiction. She's been hooked on subscription boxes since 2011 thanks to Birchbox, and she now subscribes to over 100 boxes. Her favorites include POPSUGAR Must Have, FabFitFun, and any box that features natural beauty products!

Read More By Liz Cadman >

Join the Conversation

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.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email

54 comments

Jessi

I got on here today and saw where people had emailed ipsy about the wait list so I tried the same thing and it worked! I emailed them and told them that I don’t have social media accounts and within an hour they had emailed me back telling me I was removed from the wait list and I wil be receiving my first bag next month!!! If I would’ve known it was that easy I would’ve done it a month ago! But I am super excited for my first bag and the quick response!

jesyca solis

who else has not gotten off the waiting list after 2 months already? im dying to get my ipsy bag!!!!!! =/ it makes me sad all of my friends have them!

Andrea Duran

Me! I’ve done my research and the wait use to be two weeks! Instead i get these emails every month:

“Skip the Wait and get the March Glam Bag!

Get off the Waitlist now! We’ve decided to make it easier for a VERY limited time… you can skip the Waitlist without a referral! Simply log into ipsy, then click here. After completing the steps, you’ll be all set to receive your first Glam Bag in March.”

Then I go the website and get this:
“Hop your way off the Waitlist with 4 easy steps!
Step 1 of 4

Connect with Facebook and share.”

Ummm no! I don’t want to share on Facebook. I don’t want to share my makeup habits with my friends. I just want my bag. If I get another one of these emails I will cancel everything altogether.

Tara

I just wrote them and told them I didn’t have a fb account and they took me off of the waiting list.

Julie

I emailed them and asked them to cancel me off the wait list as I was on a fixed budget didn’t want to keep waiting for it wondering when it was going to start. They replied back immediately that I was removed from the wait list and would start getting it the next month. If I still wanted to cancel to let them know. I kept it.

Rosa Shoffner

When I was told I was on the wait list, I texted them back and said, if I have to be on a wait list just to cancel my subscription…. And I received a message back from Ipsy immediately saying I was no longer on the wait list! Big lol!

Ellen

I’m on the list 3 months now. So maybe I’ll try and cancel. Too. Maybe the only way to get a bag

Ashley

I actually did the “skip the waitlist”. I created a twitter account and then deactivated it once I got off. Totally worth it!!

Ellen

Yeah, I’m not a big fan of all those social media accounts either. That’s what’s holding me back.
But dang, Birchbox sent three boxes already, in the time I’m on this ridiculous wait list! I’m ready to move on to Beauty Box or so thing.

Pao

It was my first ipsy bag and I really liked the products I got !

– Nourish Eye Cream
– Elizabeth Mott Eyeshadow Brush
– Pacifica Eyshadow in Treasure
– Bellapierre Eyeshadow in Excite
– Malin+Goetz Mojito Lip Balm

I was looking forward to have an eye cream so this was a great product. And since I’m starting to wear makeup, a brush a multiple eyeshadows weren’t too much for me (although the Bellapierre is kind of super duper silver shiny). I cancelled the subscription though since I want to try a lot of subscription boxes and I can’t afford more than one at a time. But I definitely liked my experience =)

Jess

I’m surprised so many people didn’t like the eyeliner, I actually really like it! It’s easy to put on and the applicator is tiny so you can keep a thin line or thicken it. I only needed to do one application. It makes it easy for winged or cateye look. I guess I got lucky mine stayed on all day with NO smudging actually it was a little hard to get off if anything. Haha it was probably my favorite in my bag.

Ellbee

How long can I expect to stay on the wait list without doing the “share” thing? I don’t use Facebook, and I don’t like to give out people’s information. Also do you think Ipsy is too young for me, a mom in my 40’s? Thank you so much to anyone who helps!

Ellen

I’m with you on this. I went on the Ipsy wait list in December 2014. It’s February already! Still waiting. I’m about to cancel it altogether.
And I’m not on Facebook or any of that stuff. AND I’m late 40’s. I got tired of waiting for the Ipsy waiting list and joined Birchbox, and the box came right away. I only subscribed to Ipsy because of the reviews. But I’m, like, done.

Name *

You are never to old to try anything, Receiving new things every month is nice and you get surprises of items/makeup you will always buy and love and some you will never like. But being 40 is not old remember 50 is now the new 40 because people all around are living longer, and yes you want to try new things, because you will be forty and fabulous!!

Sandy

I also did not want to share Ipsy info on FB. Then got put onto a wait list. Contacted Ipsy Customer Care. Was told I would begetting a box this month.

Jess

You can actually “share” and delete it and it still gets you off the wait list, that’s what I did haha. You’re never to old to play with makeup! It’s a fun surprise every month, enjoy! 🙂

Ellbee

Thanks to both of you! I actually got off the wait list by emailing them and explaining that I don’t use those social platforms and they took me right off! So I’m excited to try it out. My girls are still babies so I can’t give things I don’t like to them, and all my teens are boys!! Ha ha. But I can donate it to our food pantry!

BabyDee78

I don’t think so. I’m almost 40 and I love it. If I don’t use it I pass it on to my daughters. I love makeup and this is an easy way for me to try different things.

Jessvii

This month was not a hit for me. I got a lip balm, again. I don’t even use lip balms. And I got a highlighter (like for my face), which really isn’t a useful product for me. Just not a lot of useful items for me this month.

Aimee

I think I got that same highlighter.. It was awful. Didn’t have any “highlighting” or “shimmery” qualities about it. This month was awful for me!

brandy

I received the same products minus the the eye liner.

I get two bags each month and love the variety.

I received the jcat gel eye liner and real techniques eye liner brush, malin and goetz lip balm, nail polish, 2 pacifica shadows and got both shades offered, 2 nourish organic eye creams and eye shadow brush and bella pierre shimmer in a white winter type shade.

I wanted the jouer lip enhancer type product or the lashfood for lashes (something I do not own) the honey mask and another item I wanted and I forget what. Both really popular brands I didn’t receive.

I am pretty happy to finally try gel eye liner and the liner brush is really nice and in purple. 🙂

I’m over bella pierre for the moment, I have so much. The eye creams I’m excited for and my favorite item is the malin and goetz lip balm. It was pretty decent bags. I would have loved another high end but I’m happy. I redeemed some points items as well!

Both bags were valued at about $70-75 not including the rewards items (which made my value at nearly $100 similar to boxycharm.

My Birchbox was also fantastic this month!

Erica

I’ve been subscribing to ipsy since 11/2012 and I’ve always been happy but lately they keep giving us the same brands, just different products. I’m over Pacifica, Be A Bombshell, POP Beauty and Elizabeth Mott. I want to check out new brands! That’s what makes ipsy so much fun.

Also, my friend recently signed up for ipsy with my link but she was put on the wait list. Does anyone know how she can get off the wait list quickly. I had heard there was something you could do on FB, but I can’t remember.

adeline

All I did to get off the waitlist…almost immediately… was to post to facebook and like a few of their stylists. No having to have a friend sign up…..not everybody would have that sort of connection nor do they expect anyone to..and no posting to any other social sites besides facebook. All of this is answered on their website. I’ve also had nothing but great customer service from them ( even though many bags were disappointing and I’ve had other issues) so you can also email ipsy care directly and they should get back to you within 48 hours. They really don’t make it hard to get off the wait list at all if you follow the super easy steps =)

Astra

I didn’t do anything when I was waitlisted and then they sent me my first shipment 2 weeks later.

Jessica

When I signed up for ipsy I was put on the wait list but I got off the same day by liking ipsy on facebook and subscribing to a couple of their youtube channels. I think there was another step too. She should have received an email that tells her what she needs to do to get off the waitlist.

Michelle S

Exactly..it was something like following them on Instagram also….i think I received several emails telling me to do the 3 steps. I didn’t know how to do everything so I was off waitlist for the following month. If you email them they will tell you what to do.

Emily

The only way I know of with getting off the wait list early is to share your link and hope someone signs up with it then u get taken off but whoever signed up has to wait also keep an eye on their fb page they have a link occasionally that they share so you can get off the wait list early which was how I did it I think they do that once a month for the next month so if they share the link sometime this month you won’t get a bag until next month hope this all makes sense and helps!

Jessica

I tthink if you create an account with them on their website, there is a link called “get off the waitlist” and it literally walks you through the steps. It will say like us on facebook. You hit the like button they have. Subscribe to these youtubers and you check off the boxes. It is so easy. You don’t have to go searching for it on the social media sites. You can do it right from the ipsy website. I signed up at the end of august so hopefully they still use this method

Erica

Thank you Emily!

Aimee

I am sooo jealous of what you got in your bag! I just did a blog post on mine actually. I feel like I got ripped off this month 🙁 love your blog, by the way!

Meg

I got the same liner and shadow, and I LOVE the shadow.

Also got the honey face mask, the foil package of lotion, and a really nice full size lip color (it’s a little sticky, but otherwise awesome).

sarah

This months bag was a disappointment for me. I got the liquid eye liner, the lip gloss, the lighter pacifica eye shadow, and the foil packet of moisturizer. I tried to ask ipsy to swap out a product before it shipped because I have read on blogs about people getting allowed a one time switch but they said no and that I should like what I get because they are the hottest new products. Has anyone here ever had ipsy swapped an item before it shipped?

Chantel

My bag
eco-beauty day moisturizer- foil packet with a cap on top. It’s ok but I wish the sample was bigger

Pacifica eye shadow in ethereal- I really like this! Much better than other pacifica eye shadows I have sampled in the past.

bellapierre eye shadow in Whesek- I was a little nervous because it looks so dark in the jar, but once I put it on it’s actually a really pretty.

Eyeshadow brush- I LOVE getting new brushes. No complaints here.

Jouer conditioning lip treatment- this was my favorite item. I love how this makes my lips feel. I am really thinking about buying the full size. (I rarely do that because I get so many products from my many boxes 🙂

I really liked my bag this month. At first I was upset about 2 eye shadows in the same bag, but it ended up I liked both of them.

Tammy

I have no interest in eye products and got four eye products and a highlighter this month. This is the first time I am going to offer an entire box for swap. Bleh! The upside is someone who likes eye products should like it. I understand getting some things that I don’t have marked in the profile, but four products, really Ipsy?

Heather S.

I received the Eco-Beauty moisturizer, the Pacifica eyeshadow in ‘Treasure’, The Malin+Goetz mojito lip balm, Manna Sheer Glo shimmer lotion, and the Hikari eyeliner in ‘Storm’.

I absolutely love this bag. I had no problem with the pigment or the application for the eyeliner, the eyeshadow is GORGEOUS, and the lip balm smells fantastic. It left my lips soft, though I’m a bit sad it didn’t have a taste. Probably for the better or I’d go through this tube so fast.

Victoria

Yep, same bag here! I was happy with it. I think the bag is really cute too.

Twommy

I got the same bag as you (the comment above) and I really like all(most) as usual with Ipsy- it’s like the little SubBox that could. Nothing flashy, inexpensive but always pulls through and doesn’t disappoint. The only item that fell short of making this perfect was the Manna Kadar- and for whatever reason after trying the lip stain as well I’m not finding that Manna Kadar lives up to its claims in terms of staying power. It just doesn’t work for me I’d skip anything from this brand in the future.

Mara

I loved my ipsy bag this month! I received the darker Pacifica shadow–which is beautiful, the light white/silver Belle Pierre shimmer powder, the eye shadow brush, the Malin + Goetz lip balm, and the vegan eye cream. My DD is a competitive cheerleader, so if the shimmer powder is too much for me, it will be perfect for her competition makeup. The lip balm has great reviews and I need it now with this cold weather. I love getting brushes and other tools so that is always welcome. The eye-cream will likely go in my travel bag and I was pleasantly surprised by the Pacifica. A few months ago I was considering canceling, but I am glad I didn’t. I will keep this subscription! Now my DDs say they want subscriptions too. I think I will do it for them for Valentine’s Day.

Emy

I received the same blue nail polish, eye shadow brush, Pacifica eyeshadow in Ethereal, full sized copper colored pigment and an Eco-Beauty deluxe size moisturizer. It’s my first bag (haven’t tried anything yet) but overall am happy with the products.

AmyM

I received the same eyeshadow, liner and lip balm, plus a Laura Mercier foundation primer and a honey face mask (can’t remember the brand). All in all I’m very pleased. Ipsy continues to improve month over month for me.

Michelle S

I received the blue nail polish, the Hikari eye liner, Ethereal eye shadow, Astrida Natural Orange Mint Lip Balm & Teadora Nourshing body cream. The body cream has a very strange scent and although I was happy to receive this I don’t think I will use it because of smell when i have so many other body lotions and creams to use up. I’m glad to have received this lip balm and i know it’s just plastic but i really love this months little make up bag.

sarah

i got the same bag as you this month also. 🙂

Michelle S

We are in the minority! I used a small amount of the body lotion and I might have had a reaction and I never have reactions to any thing!

part of my skin started itching but not 100% sure if that’s what caused it, anyway if you have time and use it can you let me know what you think of it?
Thanks

Lauren

When I saw that I was getting that Pacifica eyeshadow again I was bummed! But, like Liz said it’s a lot better pigmentation than the last time we received Pacifica.

Natasha

I received the same balm, shadow, and eyeliner. I wasn’t a fan of the eyeliner. I am happy I didn’t get the blue polish (I have quite a few different shades already). I loved the LM primer I had in my bag!

Amanda

I got a pretty similar bag. I got the bronzy-brown pacifica shadow and a blue-silver pigment. I like the other stuff in the bag, but the eye shadow products are not my thing. I don’t understand why ipsy even has a profile quiz because they don’t use it at all when assembling these bags. I have on my profile that I don’t want eyeshadow or eyeline and I get one or the other every month – and this month I got two!

Sara

Same here! I’ve changed my profile twice to I don’t want mascara or eyeliner at all and want lip products. I get mascara and eyeliner almost every time and hardly ever a lip product. This month is the first time I’m getting the mojito lip balm, which I love so I’m super excited. Also getting an eyeliner 🙁 , moisturizer, eye shadow and manna kadar sheer glo which I’ve gotten at least 3 times before and not used yet.

Lyla

I’ve heard from several people that the quiz isn’t so our individual bags are personalized. It’s so Ipsy can see what their subscribers want. If a higher percentage of people want mascaras then they’re going to have more mascaras, etc. The products that we each receive are random from what they feature that month.

Jennifer

I received the same balm and the bronzy eye shadow. Only items I liked.

My other 3 were: a retractable liner in Storm (gorgeous color… terrible, awful formula), a foil packet of moisturizer, and that pink shimmer illuminater garbage (the product sinks in and all you’re left with is child glitter).

Heather

I’m glad I’m not the only one who didn’t love the eyeliner formula. I thought it would be easy to apply but I had to press really hard to get the line to show up at all.

Jennifer

I had to draw over the same line 4 times to reach maximum opacity, which is a gorgeous color. Such a dry formula for a liner though… it flaked off D:

Our reviewers research, test, and recommend the best subscriptions and products independently; click to learn more about our editorial guidelines. We may receive commissions on purchases made through links on our site.

Ipsy Review – January 2015

Advertise With MSA

Information

Company