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Ipsy Review #2 – May 2018

closed Ipsy package

Ipsy
4 overall rating
1811 Ratings | 298 Reviews

Ipsy is a monthly beauty and makeup subscription box. Each month you get full-size or deluxe-sized products, plus a cute makeup bag.

This is one of Liz’s top recommendations if you are looking for a beauty box - the value and sample sizes are amazing. (Check out our list of the Top Beauty Boxes for 2017 and our reviews of Cheap Subscription Boxes for more recommendations!)

Ipsy May 2018 review

(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).

About Ipsy

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

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

Ipsy May 2018 Review

This month’s bag features makeup, hair care, and nail products. Let’s see what I got!

The theme for this month is “Go There”. The included info card encourages subscribers to plan their next adventure and Go!

Each month, ipsy subscribers get a makeup bag in addition to their 5 items.

This month, the bag is yellow vinyl with cute passport-like stamps on the front. The back is solid coral and the inside is lined in orange. I love that the bags are of a nice quality. They’re great to give as goody bags or to organize my purse or gym bag.

Neon & Co Hair & Scalp Mask, 20ml

Neon & Co Hair & Scalp Mask, 20ml - Estimated Value $4.80 (Buy 250g for $60)

The full size of this is pricey so I’m glad I got 2 uses out of this sample, but now I want more! It’s not a thick mask and easily combs through wet, detangled hair. It can be left in for 15 minutes or overnight (I left it in while shaving and washing my face). When I rinsed, I could feel that my hair was smooth and hydrated. My frizz was better and my curls bouncier after using this. It smells like sweet flowers too.

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder, 2.2g/.07oz

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder, 2.2g/.07oz - Estimated Value $8.54 (Buy 8.5g for $33)

I’ve been wanting to try this and it does not disappoint. The super fine powder blends easily over my powder foundation (and/or my tinted moisturizer) and has a blurring effect to make my skin look like ‘butta’. It doesn’t accentuate my dry patches or have any weird white cast.

Sugar Arch Arrival Brow Definer in 02 Taupe Tom, FULL SIZE - Retail Value $12.99

This is the lighter of two shades offered for this product and I think it works well for me. The pencil is wedge-shaped so it is great for filling in and defining brows with natural looking strokes. I like that there is a spoolie on the other end to tame and blend. The formula is long-lasting and doesn’t smudge.

Elizabeth Mott Pop! Goes the Shadow Eye Shadow in Goldy, 1.5g/.5oz

Elizabeth Mott Pop! Goes the Shadow Eye Shadow in Goldy, 1.5g/.5oz - Estimated Value $9.75 (Buy 2g for $13)

While I’m not crazy about this shade, the texture is lovely. It’s silky and blendable and looks great foiled. This little pan can be popped out and put into a magnetic palette. I have received so many gold shadows over the past few months and I’m pretty maxed out on them. I updated my profile to “like” adventurous shadow shades, so we’ll see if that makes a difference next month.

Deco Miami Nail Laquer in Namaste by the Pool, FULL SIZE Small, 6ml - Retail Value $8

Deco Miami offers this smaller option in many of their polish colors. The pretty, small bottles are meant to prevent waste while looking cute. I like the packaging and the color but I’m not crazy about the brush. It’s short and wide which seemed to give me less control during application. Here I have on three coats (no topcoat) in order to get an opaque finish. The shine is pretty good but I had chipping by the end of the day. I’d definitely recommend a top coat.

Swatches of the eyebrow pencil and the eyeshadow.

I’ve used the eyebrow definer to tame and fill in my brows and a light dusting of the shadow on my whole lid. The gold is just a little too warm-toned for me to use it foiled.

Verdict: Wow, this month's Ipsy has a value of about $44.08. This value is significantly lower than last month, but I’m still happy with what I received. I love the finishing powder and the brow definer. The hair mask was wonderful as well, though too cost prohibitive to repurchase a full size. This is the second month in a row that I didn't receive a black liner or nude lip color, yay! I think they have been listening to subscriber feedback. I did adjust my eyeshadow color preference to “adventurous” instead of neutrals, so we’ll see how that is reflected next month. Ipsy is a great way to try new products without much risk and I hope next month includes more new products and brands.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, if you sign up in this month, you’ll get next month’s box as your first box. (Check out our Ipsy Spoilers to see what’s coming up next)

Good to know: Ipsy sends out variations. You may get a completely different bag than me.

Value Breakdown: At $10 for this box, here’s what you are paying approximately per item:

  • Neon & Co Hair Mask - $1.09
  • Tarte Powder - $1.94
  • Sugar Brow Definer - $2.95
  • Elizabeth Mott Shadow - $2.21
  • Deco Polish - $1.81
  • Bag – Not counted toward value

Check out all of our Ipsy reviews and the Beauty Subscription Box List!

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

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What do you think of the May Ipsy Glam Bag? What items did you get in your bag?

Starting at $14.00
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IPSY Glam Bag is one of the most popular and affordable subscriptions around, and our readers have selected it as one of the top beauty boxes for the last 5 years running! IPSY Glam Bag connects members with five makeup, skincare, hair care, and other beauty sample... read more.

Tiffany Waldorf
Tiffany Waldorf
Tiffany found out about subscription boxes from a friend who followed MSA. The curiosity started with mystery beauty boxes and grew into an addiction from there. Beauty, clothes, home...she loves the sight of a subscription box in the mail.

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25 comments

Corinne

Hmm. Except for the bag, I didn’t get any of those.

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amy lynn

the lip color I got was lighter than my lips and I am very pale last month I got the same brand and another color that was equally as awful because it was a brown

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Rebecca

I enjoyed my ipsy this month. I got the Eyeko liner, eyeshadow in a metallic taupe, blending brush, nxy lippie in Abu Dahbi, and a hair milk treatment. Overall, everything was good not exciting but good. I’ve had my ipsy for nearly 3 years and have found many good products throughout that time. It’s, for me, the best bang for your buck as far as subscription boxes go. Worth a try.

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Janeta

Hi
For the most part I am happy with my subscription
Now ad then I get odd sample that is not in sinc with my profile
I give it low review and it goes away

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A.M.

I loved my ipsy bag this month- an Huda lip liner (full size), Adesse nail polish in a pretty pink (full size), and Tony Moly mask, derma e toner, Tresique blur stick (all travel sized). My value exceeded $50 and I’ll use it all!

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liz smith

I have tried cancelling my subscription. I can’t find where to cancel at. Any help?

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Lisa

Go under account then under subscription you will see cancel subscription.

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Christine G

On their website go to “account” at the top of the page. Then click edit account settings, then membership, scroll down to the bottom of the first box and click manage membership. Here you can pause your membership or click “help me cancel my membership” at the bottom of the page.

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Julia

I really liked the eyebrow pencil too. It’s actually a good color for me, and I like how it applies and wears. And I got the tarte powder which was kind of a surprise. I got a gold eyeshadow too, just a different brand. I also got the Eyeko black liquid eyeliner which was a disappointment, since I seem to receive them every month. I asked Ipsy customer service if I could not get them anymore, but you cannot opt out of colors, just the category. Bummer. But overall I was happy with my bag this month.

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Dee Dee

I got 1 item in my bag that I liked and it was an eyeshadow brush. I did not select any skincare items in my profile because I’m very particular about that and they sent me a mud facial mask. The lip crayon was just an ok color and drying, the eyeliner uninspiring and facial mist which I had high hopes for is almost impossible to use because the sprayer is faulty. This was my first bag with Ipsy and I will try them one more month because I want to give them a chance.

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Cynthia

New ipsy rewards! 🙂

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Melissa

That eyeshadows is gorgeous on you!!

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Heather

I LOVE that eyeshadow color on you! Very pretty!

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LeeAnn

Have you had trouble with Ipsy not varying the items they send you? I’ve received a highlighter 4 out of my past 5 months (not necessarily complaining haha). My preferences include a wide & adventurous range of products, but I think sometimes I get the same products. Have you seen this happen with your Birchbox or Sephora subscription? Thinking of switching for a bit…

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Morgan

I’ve read a tip that to avoid getting more of the same item, when you review it say ” not for me” for do you like highlighters. “Just ok” might work too if you still want them only I little less frequent. If you’ve regularly rated them highly, it might take awhile to reduce the rate but in theory it should slow down.

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Lee Ann

I’ve gotten a taupe eyeshadow and nyx lipstick in London this month. Last month mascara and gold eyeshadow. I have my preferences for adventurous not that it mattered. I also got the Tony Moly, eyeko eyeliner and doucce mascara. I also got Kat Von D eyeliner and Marc Jacob mascara with my sephora this month. This is why I was probably underwhelmed this month.

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Sara

Tiffany, it’s almost not fair to review the products because you could make ANY color or product look good 😉.

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Michelle

I didn’t like a single thing in my bag 🙁

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endlessjoys

Same! It was the first complete failure I got from IPSY! I hope this is not a trend.

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Crystal

I got only one item that I liked, an eye shadow brush. Unfortunately, I also got the Nyx concealer-lips lip color that many other people got, and everything else was not good but not as bad as the lippie. If it wasn’t for the cute bags and some pretty decent ipsy offers, I would have cancelled a long time ago. I’m seriously considering it though.

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Lisa

I had high hopes for that blue nail polish but it chips worse than dollar store nail polish. So guess its for my toes only. I have not tried tarte yet afraid of the baby powder look I always seem to get. The good news is I got the cairo NYX lipstick and while its not super flattering it does not look like concealer on my lips either.

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Sandi

Hi… Listen… I still STILLLLLLLLLL HAVE not received mine…. They claim their sending another one , Which btw is true!! ( Sux tho
…..I was hoping they would of let me pic out or have a choice to pic at least 1or 2 products ( Think about it.. WE do Pay for it ( my money… Sista gurl 😱 was TAKEN OUT ON THE 1st of this month!!!) IDK…. Kinda sketchy about it… But maybe I’m gonna cancell …I’ve heard that from several people already …Ipsy Needs to STEP IT UP LIKE FOR REAL 🤘 Sorry didn’t mean to come on here to bitch and moan …..They should just either 1. Actually look at our profiles than put stuff in bag or 2. Stop with A bunch of different samples they post and keep it real EVERYONE get’s the same thing just customized from thier profile / or universal products ( like myself I’m latína) Sooooo sorry…. Just ugh….. Something is always up with Ipsy…… I need to really 🤔 about all this… Sorry for ranting 💞💞💞💞🙌👊👊🤦🙌🤘💋😤😤😤😤👀💋

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Lasi

It chipped on me the same day! Very disappointing because I liked the color

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Noelle

This makes me miss Ipsy. I should resubscribe. For $10 that’s a lotta fun!

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Crystal

I’m not sure I would recommend it. She got a pretty good bag. Most people this month got a nearly unwearable lip color. Very much concealer lips. I liked 1 item out of 5 in my bag. Some one else on here said they didn’t like any of them.

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