Facebook PixelIpsy Review – April 2019 | MSA
My Subscription Addiction
My Subscription Addiction
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 – April 2019

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 subscription box - the value and sample sizes are amazing. (Check out our list of the best beauty boxes for 2019 and our reviews of Cheap Subscription Boxes for more recommendations!)

(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 Glam Bag

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: the US and Canada

Delivered via: USPS

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

My Ipsy Glam Bag April 2019 Review

My bag this month features skincare, makeup, and nail polish. Let’s see what I got!

A little card is included with info about the theme and other subscriber info each month. There's also a product list with tips on how to use each one. This info is also available on your account, but I love having it right here in the bag.

Each month, Ipsy subscribers get a makeup bag in addition to their 5 items. April's bag has a bright and cheerful lemon print with a yellow zipper and aqua lining inside.

The Balm Cosmetics theBalmJour Creamy Lip Stain in Konnichiwa, 1.7ml - Estimated Value $3.66 (Buy 6.5ml full size for $14)

I'm impressed with the lightweight, mousse texture of this lip color. It keeps my lips moisturized and leaves a flush of color when it wears off. I like how easy it is to apply and wear (no staining or feathering) and that the color is fun but neutral.

111Skin Y Theorem Repair Serum, 10ml - Estimated Value $116.67 (Buy 30ml full size for $350)

Whoa! While I do appreciate trying new products, the price of this is way too high for me to even consider buying more after the sample is gone. And, honestly, I'm not super impressed with it anyway. The watery-gel serum sinks in fast and does leave my skin feeling hydrated and refreshed but it isn't as luxurious as I expected. I have several other serums that give me immediate benefits at a much more affordable price point.

Tarte Base Tape Hydrating Primer, 10ml - Estimated Value $10 (Buy 1oz full size for $30)

I've been thinking about trying a hydrating primer lately so I'm happy to see one included in my bag this month. This one is rich and hydrating and feels more like a moisturizer than a typical primer. I actually feel like it's a bit too rich for wearing under makeup, especially for a matte look, but looks great on its own for a dewy look. I'm not a huge fan of the strong coconut scent though.

Sugar Cosmetics Kohl of Honour Kajal in Black Out, .25g - FULL SIZE! Estimated Value $11.99 (based on other Sugar eyeliners available in the US)

Though this isn't the most intense kajal I've used, it's really easy to work with. The creamy texture glides on without tugging and is easy to blend out before it sets. I don't have issues with smudging and it sticks around all day even on my waterline. I wouldn't say it's completely budge-proof, but it's pretty good. I also like that it doesn't irritate my eyes or run into my eye.

Pretty Woman Nail Polish in Wanderlust, 10ml - FULL SIZE! Retail Value $7.99

I'm so happy to see a vibrant nail color included! This bright blue is a welcome addition to my mostly nude and blush polish collection. Two coats give me opaque, even coverage and the brush is easy to work with. The finish isn't shiny but more of a satin-matte – it's pretty but you'll need a top coat if you prefer high shine. I got a few days of wear out of this manicure before it started to chip which is not too shabby for a 10-free nail polish for me.

Here are swatches of the The Balm lip stain and Sugar Kajal liner.

I really like how this look turned out and think the subtle lip pairs well with the intense dark eye. I started out with a layer of Tarte Base Tape Hydrating Primer followed by a tinted moisturizer. After a dusting of bronzer around my face, I applied a layer of The Balm Creamy Lip Stain. For my eyes, I lined my lash line and water line with the Sugar Kajal liner and used an angled liner brush to smudge it out a bit. There was some liner left on the brush so I worked it into my crease to deepen the look.

Verdict: My April Ipsy Glam Bag has a value of $150.31! Holy moly! That's awesome for a cost of $10. Although most of the value is the (crazy expensive) serum, I still feel like this is my favorite Ipsy bag to date. My favorites are The Balm lip stain and the Pretty Woman nail polish. This is one of the best, inexpensive beauty subscriptions if you want to try new items and play with new colors. 

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Possibly! As of publication, there was no Ipsy waitlist. Check here to see what month you’ll get first.

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:

  • The Balm Lip Stain - $0.24
  • 111Skin Serum - $7.76
  • Tarte Primer - $0.67
  • Sugar Kajal - $0.80
  • Pretty Woman Nail Polish - $0.53
  • Makeup bag - n/a

Check out all of our Ipsy reviews and the best beauty subscription boxes of 2019, as recommended by our readers!

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 my April Ipsy Glam Bag? What items did you get in your bag?

Starting at $14.00
Subscribe Now

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.

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.

36 comments

Pink5

Still waiting for mine to show up.

I’ll probably get it with the May GBP.

Reply ButtonReply

Pink5

I have to laugh at myself.
Shortly after I posted this, I checked the mail , and there it was.
Stamped “Arrived Open”
Missing the brush and add-ons.
Got the Rose Gold Woman eyeshadow instead of the Martini Olive shade the email promised. It’s kind of a peachy shade and very shimmery.
Got the kajal eyeliner as well. It’s not exceptional as I have TONS of black eyeliners.
A mini Buxom mascara and the Moroccan lip balm round out the pack.
Don’t like the bag at all, it kind of useless with the zipper set below the seam.

Glad this was my last regular Glam Bag.
Hopefully the GBP will be a better experience.

Reply ButtonReply

Pink5

So I emailed IpsyCare about this and today received a refund for the full-size add on I chose.
Not sure about the status of the brush and sample size add-on.

I also told them how much I hate DHL and suggested that they just go with the US Postal service for the whole run.

Dawn

Thank you for your honest review Tiffany. I got 2 of the same products, the serum and the primer. I already felt the same way you did about the serum. I’m in my 40’s and was not at all sure about the Tarte primer. I have a blush from them that I absolutely love but have not had too much luck with other products from them. I did not like their shape tape concealer formula so even though I like primers, I immediately put the Tarte shape tape primer up for swap. But, after reading your review, I took it down and tried it. I love the scent! So thank you for letting us know that. However, for woman with aging skin, I did not find it hydrating. It did not work well with my skin too well. I think this is a product that will work for younger skin and oily skin. It did keep my makeup fresh looking. That’s a plus.

Reply ButtonReply

LydiaAS

I had a weird experience with Ipsy recently and I’m wondering if anyone else had a similar one.

I ordered several Ipsy offers this month – all skin care sets (Spring seemed a nice time for them). My last order was canceled with no explanation. When I contacted Ipsy customer service, I was told:

“your order was deemed fraudulent per our internal checks at ipsy.”

There was no explanation of why my order had set off alarms.

Now very concerned, I asked for more info. but received an identical email saying only,
“your order was deemed fraudulent per our internal checks at ipsy.”
No other information.

This has creeped me out so much I am seriously considering canceling my almost 2 year old subscription.

I’m also quite frustrated with Ipsy’s customer service (a first for me). I think it’s inappropriate to send identical bare bones form emails in response to inquiries about a potentially serious account issue.

Anyone else have an experience like this with Ipsy?

Reply ButtonReply

fabiola

we´re also experiencin the same trouble, as many others. They flag you “as fraud” when you wanto to shop something on their shopper, but your card (and money) is rigth enough and not fraudulent when it comes to discount every month the suscription

Reply ButtonReply

Dawn

Wow! That’s not cool at all! I would be asking for a supervisor to take over. I have not had the exact same issue but I did have to push about add ons. I added on 2 it Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye concealer in different shades. Their system won’t let you add on 2 of the same thing. I need those for travel. The email was that I can’t purchase 2 of the same thing. Well, I didn’t. I got 2 different shades, one for summer and one for winter. I asked politely to have my email sent up higher to a supervisor for review. Without further emails or anything else, I noticed later that day that both add ons were in my Glambag online.

Reply ButtonReply

LydiaAS

Thanks, Dawn. I asked for my question to be passed on to a supervisor. So far no response.

Christinat

(I think that) if they suspect reselling they’ll cancel orders. But that’s just my hunch.

Reply ButtonReply

Ronda

No, it isn’t that at all. If you are a regular purchaser of the daily deals, it eventually happens to you. I had asked if it was a suspected resale or anything like that and they told me no. It was simply their back end system flagging… that is all they said they could tell me but, would remove the flag.
It’s happened to me on a couple other sites, after so many purchases I got flagged though easily removed from being flagged. Like I said, strange to flag same card that monthly fees then get charged no problem.

TNTriathlete

How many of the same item did you order? That’s something I worry about when I order backups of things, that they are going to think I am buying them for resale. That’s the only thing I can think of.

Reply ButtonReply

LydiaAS

I only ordered one of each item. I did order more than I normally do in a month, but you’d think Ipsy would approve of the increased business.

Ronda

Everyone I know personally that has Ipsy went thru the same exact thing awhile back. They will say they cannot give any other information about it. A few of my friends were told the flag would be removed from their acct and would be able to go on purchasing but, it wasn’t fixed and they had problems purchasing for quite some time… months. Make sure to ask them to remove the flag. Funny thing and what upset me the most besides their horrible communication during this time was, they went on to charge my same credit card for my monthly fee but kept flagging same card for daily deals fot fraud. I almost cancelled as well over it as I was offended and frustrated. I stayed on though but, mine was fixed pretty quickly whereas my friends weren’t and it became very stressful for them.
Good luck in whatever you choose, but you’re not alone.

Reply ButtonReply

LydiaAS

Thanks, Ronda. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one, although it seems strange that they haven’t found a better way to handle this glitch by now.

If I do keep the subscription I will definitely follow your suggestion and request that the flag be removed.

Lisa

Funny the only thing I liked about Tarte primer was the smell. I prefer silicone primers my go to primer is LA Girl pro prep HD primer.

Reply ButtonReply

TNTriathlete

I am glad you love your bag Tiffany! My bag was nowhere near as good as this. I am especially bummed I didn’t receive the crazy expensive serum. I even have my profile set for skin care. I just have the worst luck with these. I had to drop Sephora because my bags were laughably pathetic.
Okay, that’s my one whine,/complaint for the day. No more!

Reply ButtonReply

Meghan

I just re-subscribed to Ipsy after taking over a year off from the subscription. I received my bag earlier this week, but did not receive the add-on item I purchased. I thought the add-ons were supposed to be shipped with the bag. Is this not the case? Has anyone else had problems with this? I emailed Ipsy’s customer service but have not received a reply yet. I appreciate anyone’s help with this.

Reply ButtonReply

Kathy Piccini

I didnt receive my add-ons initially in my Glam Plus bag and waited over 2 addl weeks to finally get them. BUT I DID get them and they were all correct. My regular ipsy arrived with all 3 add-ons included

Reply ButtonReply

Luna

In my case, they left out an add on by accident. I ordered three add-ons, but only two were in the bag. I emailed Ipsy, and I received a reply by the next day, and they stated they would ship out the add-on right away. I received the missing add-on about one week later.

Reply ButtonReply

Dia

My add-on was shipped separately. I received an email saying they accidentally left it out, and it would arrive in a separate package. It actually arrived about two weeks after I received my bag.

Reply ButtonReply

Meghan

Thank you!

Shannon

Yeah I didn’t receive any of my add ons either. Ipsy care said all are sold out and I’ll be receiving a refund, which I’m still waiting on. So I was so bummed about this situation.

Reply ButtonReply

Meghan

Thank you!

Sabrina

I got the lip stain and tried it this morning. It looked great when I left the house. Then I looked in the mirror before I got to work and I looked like I took part in a zombie feast. It was everywhere. I had to wipe it off. I don’t know what happened, but it was not cute.

Reply ButtonReply

JennR

Aw, that’s too bad! I got the Konnichiwa color in my bag, and added in the Namaste. I LOVE the Namaste color! The Konnichiwa is nice, but right on the edge of being too light on my lips. I really like the formula and for me the Namaste wears down to a “My Lips But Better” look. I swapped for the Salut color, so I’m eager to try out that color, too. I’m sad to hear it didn’t work for you. 🙁

Reply ButtonReply

Michelle

Glad to say I got none of those items.

Reply ButtonReply

Julia

Agree that the Tarte “moisturizing primer” is neither a moisturizer nor a primer, and that the coconut scent was unpleasant. FAB has a similar product that is also a complete dud.

Reply ButtonReply

amber

Guess they just don’t work for your skin, because I happened to like both of them.

Reply ButtonReply

Miss Pippa

Me too. Both of those primers are great in my book.

I also got the Sugar Kajal eyeliner in my Ipsy bag & just love it. It is easy to work with & stays put.

PudgeKat

The primer made my face so shiny and greasy under my makeup! My fave was melting off all day.

Reply ButtonReply

Poppy

Love the smokey liner!

Reply ButtonReply

Courtney S.

Tiffany, what tinted moisturizer do you like?

Reply ButtonReply