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Ipsy Glam Bag Ultimate Review – May 2020

Megan K.
ByMegan K.May 26, 2020 | 20 comments

Ipsy Ultimate review may 2020

Ipsy Glam Bag Ultimate
2.6 overall rating
211 Ratings | 10 Reviews

Ipsy Glam Bag Ultimate is a monthly makeup and beauty subscription box. Each month includes 8 full-sized items & 4 deluxe samples, in addition to a beauty bag! 

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

About Ipsy Glam Bag Ultimate

The Subscription Box: Ipsy Glam Bag Ultimate

The Cost: $50 a month + free US shipping. Save with an annual subscription.

The Products: 8 full-sized products & 4 deluxe samples

Ships to: The US for free and Canada for $2.95

Our Ipsy Glam Bag Ultimate May 2020 Review

 

We received a really detailed info booklet this month, which is great because I really missed this inclusion in previous months!

 

This month, our bag is a sunset-inspired ombre fade from yellow to wine. It also has a coordinating tassel!

Now, on to the items!

 

Il Makiage Waterproof Lipliner in 'Vintage', 1.2 g - Full Size! Retail Value $17.00

I like lipliners that stay very similar to lip color shades I would wear anyway because I don't love a super harsh liner line. I also like to use these as an entire lip color themselves alone too, because they stick around for a really long time. This is a very pretty dusty cool pink that feels likes a nude shade, but it much more wearable.

A nice, soft pink.

 

Way of Will Invigorating Hand & Body Lotion, 1 fl oz - Estimated Value $3.50 (buy a full size 8 oz for $28.00)

I really like this thick and moisturizing lotion, but the sample packaging makes it nearly impossible to use! The bottle is too hard to squeeze and the lotion itself is too rich to come out when you turn it upside down. I ended up using the end of a makeup brush to scoop some out which is less than ideal for sure. As far as the formula itself (the full size comes with a pump!) it feels great on the hands and has a nice citrus scent that Will and I both enjoyed.

 

 

Ciate London Watermelon Burst Hydrating Lip Oil, 5 ml - Estimated Value $8.00 (buy a full size 10 ml for $16.00)

Does anything feel more summery than watermelon lip gloss?? This stuff is great! Super glossy with an amazing watermelon scent, I love this on bare lips as well as over any favorite lippies. While this is called an oil, it feels more like a thinner gloss, which I actually like more since it sticks on my lips longer and gives a truly plush glossy finish.

 

 

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C + E Cleansing Oil, 3.4 fl oz - Full Size! Retail Value $38.00

As someone who likes the majority of Sunday Riley products she has tried, I am always happy to find a full-size product from this brand in any box. I personally like oil cleansers, and this was a nice one, though I am not sure I would pay the full retail for it. But getting it inside a box? Sure! It is a thinner clear oil and has a slightly bitter citrus scent that was earthy but might not be for everyone. I liked it! I like to apply this to dry skin and massage, then rinse off. The AHAs and BHAs inside help provide a little exfoliation and softening, while willow bark is calming. A little of this goes a long way, so this should last a long, long time!

 

 

St. Tropica Beach Goddess Hot Oil Hair Mask, 3 oz - Estimated Value $10.00 (buy a pack of three pouches totaling 4.5 oz for $15.00)

I feel like my hair has been in a bun for the last 2 months straight, and I have been ignoring it more than ever before due to this new WFH lifestyle. It might be a good chance to show it some extra love and perhaps add a little shine to my topknot! This bottle is microwaveable, but I decided to warm it up in hot water, on my stovetop. I am not a lover of coconut scents, but I love this super warm and natural coconut scent! The majority of this formula is actual virgin coconut oil which gave my hair such shine, but also made me really happy I didn't use this on my roots! My hair was certainly softer and shinier, which is a win for me. The tube advises you can get 3 uses out of it, but with my thick hair it is likely closer to 2.

 

 

Dermedicine Weightless Face Moisturizer with SPF 25, 2 fl oz - Full Size! Retail Value $60.00

I love it when a favorite item in box comes from a brand I didn't even know of. I adore this moisturizer! I am a massive SPF fan and while I wish this was SPF 30, I'll take 25. This formula feels wonderful on the skin, and absorbs into my face without the dreaded sunscreen chalk or grease. My skin looks and feels better after applying this than before, and she scent is some sort of heavenly blend of flowers and herbs. A+.

 

 

PureHeals Pore Clear Black Charcoal Peel-off Mask, 100 g

I feel like I have tried this product before, or something incredibly close to it! It is likely made for skin that isn't as dry as mine, and maybe a face that believes in dermaplaning. On my (fuzzy) face, it was really uncomfortable to peel this off. My skin also felt so dry after. I recommend using this as more of a spot treatment personally, as the charcoal inside really is great for oily areas of your face and blemishes.

 

 

Skone Insanely Intense Tattooed Eyeliner in 'Jet Black', 0.04 oz - Mini Size! Retail Value $14.00

Aaah, a black eyeliner. Hello. This is a true black shade with a felt-style marker tip. The end is flexible, meaning you can make thinner and thicker lines. This formula def. had staying power, and felt extremely waterproof!

The finish has a just barely-there sheen.

 

Tarte Sugar Rush Sugar Coat Velvet Liquid Lipstick in 'Sprinkle', 4.3 g - Full Size! Retail Value $15.00

I LOVED this lippy! It has that truly velvet finish that never dried down (or died me out) but looks powdery and matte. It is the perfect sort of pick for an ombre style lip too, though I prefer to coat my entire pucker with it. This shade is a cooler berry that is super flattering on my lips.

I think the shade is very pretty.

 

Foxybae Rose Gold Detangling Brush - Retail Value $12.95

I am almost ashamed to admit this, but I don't really brush my hair that often. I literally won't do it until I start to get a bad tangle because it makes my drier hair look super fluffy. That being said, I do need to have a hairbrush laying around and this luxe-looking rose-gold is very pretty on my dresser indeed! The bristles didn't look super substantial but they were totally strong enough to get through my mess of hair with ease, even when it was wet.

 

 

Laura Geller New York Central Park Face, Eye, and Cheek Palette

What a cute little palette! It consists of 4 eyeshadows (3 matte and 1 shimmer), a blush, and a highlighter. The eyeshadows are all very soft except for the shimmer, which is borderline metallic. (The 'Turtle Pond' shade does have like a tiny bit of shimmer, but wears like a matte.) They feel very posh together and create a super-refined eye look. The blush is such a pretty shade of spring peach and the pigment is strong, so use sparingly. The highlighter is a medium rose golden sort of shade and could also double as a gorgeous eyeshadow.

Here are the eyeshadows from top to bottom: Turtle Pond, Sheep Meadow, Belvedere Castle, and Cherry Hill.

And here is the blush 'Strawberry Fields, and the highlighter 'Bethesda Terrace.

 

British Rose Hydrating Sheet Mask - Estimated Value $6.00 (buy a 5 pack for $30.00)

Shea Butter Nourishing Sheet Mask - Estimated Value $6.00 (buy a 5 pack for $30.00)

Finally, our last addition was a pair of Korena sheet masks. I have used this brand before and I really like it! In general, I find that Ipsy sends great sheet masks. The first one I reached for was the rose because, well, I love rose anything. The mask fit well and was nicely hydrating to my parched skin. The delicate rose scent felt fancy and girly. The shea packs more of a moisture factor, and the serum was downright heavenly on my face. Both masks fit very well.

Verdict: I don't have a complete total estimation for the value of this box (I couldn't verify the retail values of the Laura Geller palette or the charcoal peel mask) but even without some items the value is at least $190.45. That is totally respectable for a $50 box, plus free shipping. There are always so many items in Ultimate, but if I had to pick a handful of favorites this month it would be the Dermedicine moisturizer, the Sunday Riley cleanser, and that marvelous Tarte velvet lippy! The charcoal mask and the black eyeliner were the only things I didn't get too excited about, but there was more than enough in here to make this feel like a great bag.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No. The next Ultimate shipment will be in June! As of publication, there was no Ipsy waitlist. Check here to see what month you’ll get first.

Value Breakdown: This box costs $50 so each of the 12 items has an average cost of $4.17 (I counted the mask set as a single item and this calculation does not include the bag!).

Check out all of our Ipsy Glam Bag Ultimate reviews and the best beauty subscription boxes of 2020, as recommended by our readers!

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

What do you think of the May Ipsy Glam Bag Ultimate? Which items did you get?

Starting at $50.00
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Ipsy Glam Bag Ultimate is a monthly makeup and beauty subscription box - each month includes 8 full-sized & 4 deluxe samples, in addition to a beauty bag! (Shipping is free to the US, and an additional $4.95 to Canada).

Megan K.
Megan K.
I love natural/vegan beauty products, Korean skincare, unique jewelry, and weird candies from far away places. When I am not waiting for my next exciting box you can find me painting or taking photographs of interesting people. I never leave home without pug hair somewhere on my shirt and a bold lipstick on my smile.

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20 comments

Alice

I have long, straight fine hair. I haven’t used a brush since I was in my teens. I’m 60. I use a broad tooth comb and never while wet. Sometimes I just use my fingers.

About the peel off…this is the best one I’ve ever tried. It actually peels in one piece and really clears pores. I use it on T-zone only. Be sure to lay it on thickly and let dry thoroughly. Love it.

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AprilAriesPb

If you are concerned about peel off mask due to pulling while removing or dryness after the fact, put a thin layer of moisturizer on your face first and let absorb for a couple of minutes. Then put on your mask. This should correct those issues. I actually like peel off mask now that I do this.

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Megan K.

I will have to try that. I think I also have a furry face which just doesn’t help!

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Tanya

I have skipped the Ultimate since October, but decided this one would be worth the gamble. I LOVE it! I got so many things I love this time. After the first two “ultimate” box fiascos, I’m glad to really like one!

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Shari

Ipsy, is a great box and here lately it is getting better, and better I think the deluxe box may be finding it’s niche.
Both Sunday Riley, and Tarte are two of my go too products.
Different products seem to work on different people. Ipsy has definitely helped me to find products that my skin loves.
I am trying out a new box this month, or new for me anyway. I may just upgrade to the deluxe Ipsy next month.
I love me some Ipsy, it is a great box without the Drama, and questionable practices of some boxes.

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Kathy

That’s also how I view ipsy: great box, less/no drama, no questionable practices as far as I’ve seen. Yeah customer service might be spotty and you might not get everything you wanted, but I think allowing users to pick one item of their choice per month has really helped with that + customer service for such a large company is bound to have some bad workers (unless all the workers are bad…in which case it’s probably not the workers but the company itself)

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Crystal

This looks like a great bag! I keep thinking of upgrading my regular Ipsy.

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JackieCupcake

I got the lotion in my regular bag and have been using a makeup spatula to get it out! They’re actually really nice little tools and great for things like this.

I, also, almost never brush my hair. I think it definitely has to do with the texture. Mine is wavy and thick, and brushing it makes it giant and takes out my tighter waves. Don’t be embarrassed!

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Shauna

I think the $2.95 shipping to Canada mentioned in the description here only applies to the glam bag. We can’t get plus or ultimate in Canada.

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Beth

Semi bag twins! I also got:
*Sunday Riley Clensing oil (my choice♥️)
*Foxy Bae brush (my second choice♥️)
*Dermedicine SPF Moisturizer
*Sugar Rush lippy in Sprinkle (l♥️ I’m SO glad I didn’t get the brown cupcake color 🙌🏼)
*Way of Will lotion (♥️ agree with you on difficult to get out of the bottle)
* Pureheels charcoal mask (received it in a sample size a few months ago & ♥️)
*Beach Goddess hot oil hair treatment (excited to try)
*British Rose Hydrating and Shea Butter Nourishing Sheet Mask Set (meh)

*I got the Smashbox pallette ♥️

Different than yours…
Sundays Nail Polish in No. 8 ♥️
Lip Oil in Candy Apple ♥️
ETAT LIBRE D’ORANGE perfume sample (I’m extremely picky about my perfume but this scent is nice)

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Christina

Box twins! I liked this box overall but would have loved OP’s variation more!

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Lori

Box twins!

I like most everything so far though the perfume was too floral for me. And the nail polish was fine, but chipped right away (which I knew from past Sundays colors from ipsy).

I LOVE the tarte liquid lip, but I added on the Tarte Jelly and it is the tiniest sample ever! I can’t believe I paid $3 for it! It wasn’t great, too thick and waxy and the smell was like cheap kids’ makeup (though that could be nostalgic for some). Oh well, you can’t win em all.

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Nilkim

I don’t hardly brush mine either. You’re not alone lol. I get the pyramid hair 😂

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Luna

My hair hasn’t seen a hairbrush in 10 years! 😀 I finger comb my hair, and only use a smoothing brush on my scalp when I want to wear my hair back. I do use a wide toothed comb after I wash it, but I really don’t need to since my detangler does an awesome job of getting them all out on its own.

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Randie

Same! I bought a shower comb to use while conditioning and haven’t looked back since.

Jody

I love that Ciate London watermelon lip oil. I actually bought that full price from their website a couple of months ago when it came out and was wishing for warmer weather! I was ahead of my time. What a bargain to get in the box this month!

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Christy

Thanks for the stellar review, Megan!

I also got the SR cleansing oil and as someone who has never used an oil cleanser, I appreciated the explanation. I also discovered the pretty Il Makiage lip liner and Tarte Sprinkle, which I will try to purchase. I got the Tarte Cupcake in my box and I was SOOOO pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t looking forward to this lippie because I thought that in the picture, it looked straight-up brown. Also, I generally don’t enjoy mattes because they usually feel like I applied tar to my lips – but this formula was so pleasant and comfortable. Huge win!

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Megan K.

Awesome Christy! I am glad you discovered some new things you love. I wanted to mention that if you love that Tarte formula, Touch en Sol has a lipstick that is super similar and had the same powdery finish but with more of a sheer vibe. https://touchinsol-us.com/collections/lip-1/products/pretty-filter-soul-velvet-lipstick

Thanks for reading!

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RubyWooWhoo

I wish I could get happy about that Dermedicine SPF, but so far I’m still side-eyeing it. I usually use SPF 50, so this is weak sauce for me and I can’t find any real info about this brand. Can’t see this standing up to the summer sun here in the deep south, but maybe in wintertime I’ll pull it out and use it.

Christy

Ohhh, nice. Thanks for the heads up!