Ipsy Review – July 2020

ByMegan K.Jul 17, 2020 | 71 comments

Ipsy July 2020 unboxing and review

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 our top recommendations if you are looking for a subscription box - the value and sample sizes are great. (Check out our list of the best beauty boxes for 2020 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: $12 a month + free US shipping. Save with an annual subscription.

The Products: Full-sizes and samples of makeup and beauty products. (Plus a makeup bag!)

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

Delivered via: DHL or FedEx + USPS

My Ipsy Glam Bag July 2020 Review

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Included is a card with some tips on how to 'staycation' well this summer.

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Each month, Ipsy subscribers get a makeup bag in addition to their items. This month feels very '90s! The body is a transparent vinyl and the pull is a little airplane.

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HUANGJISOO Sakura Peeling Radiance Pads, 10 pads - Estimated Value $4.17 (Buy 60 pads for $25.00)

I get really excited when I get any of the pads from this brand inside a box. The last ones I tried were the Mungwort Rescue Soothing Pads which are AWESOME for skin with redness. This formula is more of a peel sort of deal and inside are pads marinating in a PHA blend. What are PHAs? Kind of like close relatives of AHAs. Basically they are really awesome chemical exfoliants that help unclog and smooth your skin. PHAs are really great for sensitive or reactive skin because they can be more gentle than some AHAs or BHAs. This is because the molecule size of a PHA is larger, meaning they don't absorb as deeply into the skin. If you have struggled with other exfoliating acids, these are something you should try for sure. Just be sure to always wear sunscreen after using any exfoliator! These pads make application a snap! They are oversized and drenched in solution. Simply wipe on clean skin and follow up with a moisturizer.

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Firma Beauty 201 Tall Blender Brush - Retail Value $12.99

I never understood the value of having many eyeshadow brushes until school. Seriously, if I didn't have a ton of them I would spend half of my time cleaning brushes between clients. No one has time for that! Even if you don't need a ridiculous amount of makeup brushes, this is a nice little blender for any collection. The fluffy dome makes it especially great for crease work! The bristles are synthetic and cruelty-free.

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Glow for a Cause Lip Love Flirt, 0.14 oz - Full Size! Retail Value $8.00

So... I found this product a little off. I don't know if it had something to do with traveling to me in the heat or a batch that wasn't right. It looks like all the pink tint in mine has fallen to the bottom of the stick, leaving the top clear. It also had a weird scent that reminded me a little of crayons? From the description, I was expecting watermelon. Not sure if I should reach out to Ipsy on this or if it is how it is meant to be. Anyone else get this balm this month?

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Purlisse Beauty Illuminating BB Cream SPF 30 in 'Fair', 7 mL - Estimated Value $6.13 (Buy a full-size 40 mL for $35.00)

I have been wanting to try this BB cream for a long while so when it was a choice item, I jumped! I like that this formula has SPF 30 and a dewier finish than the original. It has just enough coverage and the 'Fair' shade is a great match for my face. It wears really light on my skin, even with the sunscreen inside, which makes this an ideal summer BB cream for me.

This isn't blended all the way because you wouldn't be able to see it! Really happy with this match.

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Seraphine Botanicals Daisy + Pearl - Natural Radiance Booster, 3.5 g - Full Size! Retail Value $22.00

Our last item is a full-size radiance booster from clean and vegan brand Seraphine Botanicals. This shade is very pretty! It is a cooler champagne that can be used lightly on the cheeks as well as on the lids. The shimmering particles are very small, which gives more of a dewy look to my cheeks when applied and the formula is smooth as butter!

Verdict: This was a very good Ipsy Glam Bag! The value was high this month, around $53.29. That is a great deal for $12. This was also my first month partaking in a product choice and I am very happy with my chosen BB cream. The radiance boosting powder was also gorgeous, the brush was good quality, and the peel pads are some of my faves. The only dud here was the lip balm, but I am actually still just really confused about it overall. Even without the balm, this was still a great assortment and I probably just found my new fave BB cream for the rest of the summer and into fall.

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 $12 for this box, here is we paid approximately per item:

HUANGJISOO Pads $0.94
Firma Beauty Brush $2.93
Glow for a Cause Balm $1.80
Purlisse Beauty BB Cream $1.38
Seraphine Botanicals Booster $4.95

Alternatively, each item has an average cost of $2.40.

Check out all of our Ipsy 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 my July Ipsy Glam Bag? What items did you get in your bag?

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Ipsy

4 overall rating

1811 Ratings | 298 Reviews

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.

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

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.

Read More By Megan K. >

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71 comments

Leah

I got the same bag! I am such a sucker for Ipsy! Even when I got items that didn’t match my profile, nail polish every month, or a coconut item every month (which I can’t use because of allergies) I am still always happy with most items and pass on what I can’t use. The price point is so worth it. The sales they have are amazing! I can’t stop buying stuff from them. I am obsessed with the cute minis to try new items, and their amazingly discounted sets they put together. Thinking I could save a little bit more money if I get a second glam bag but I’m worried I would just end up with the same stuff in both.
My glam bag hasn’t arrived yet but I completely understand. The funny thing is that I received other Ipsy packages already that I ordered after my bag shipped. Not worried though.
I am on the waitlist for the $25 and $50 bags, which I am hoping will make me order less from their sales… Lol

SarahJA

Yeah, I get those bags, too. They don’t keep you from the Flash Sales, sorry.
😉

Jamey

Mine is LOST and usps says the never got the box….its got my box and over 100 of add ons. And they are STILL giving me the run around about how they know I’m “excited for my box and that it still could show up” even after showing them the tracking and I spoke to usps and they looked at the “tracking” and called me back and said they never got the package

Jordan Kramlich

I am in the same boat!! I still haven’t gotten my July bag or add ons…. I’m so upset. I had three add ons I really wanted. They told me they are going to have to resend my bag but that my add ons are out of stock. I know that COVID has everything working differently and a bit slower, but this has been the worst customer service experience that I have ever encountered trying to track this package down and now not even getting what I ordered.

Any advise on what I can do?

Alice

I’m receiving similar response…or lack of…regarding my missing Plus, Ultimate and add ons. It was frustrating at first, and now I’m getting angry with their vague attempts at tracking my purchases. This has nothing to do with covid. There are too many customers this month in a similar situation with missing purchases. I’m getting concerned that I wot get a refund if my orders don’t arrive.

Annie

that lip balm was great the first time they sent it out. I’ve ordered more because I liked it so much, but they came as you described. I think Ipsy is trying to get rid of old products

Kimmysaki2

I’m obsessed with the watermelon glow Chapstick and have purchased a total of 5 from ipsy. I have never had any problems with them, however the last time I purchased it was over 3 months ago. The main thing I enjoy about this Chapstick is how wonderful it tastes/smells, exactly like watermelon. So if it is off in Colorado and tastes like crayons you definitely got a defective product. 😒😞😣

Paige

Ipsy has nothing to do with when you get your bag. Fedex, and DHL are crammed with orders to deliver due to people being stuck at home and ordering things online like crazy. It is those companies who are the ones who need to get their crap together. Fedex is known for missing delivery dates and even sometimes marking it as delivered when it wasn’t. I was supposed to have mine delivered on Saturday, with no show. When i checked the tracking it said no tracking info available at this time, delivery pending “Rolls eyes”. So sucks for us.

Ash

They need to get their shipping issues fixed, seriously. This is ridiculous. It shouldn’t be in transit and untraceable for two stinking weeks!!! 😡😠😡😠

Adeline Chew

I got an email today they just shipped mine 7/19/20, ran out of what I was supposed to receive. So they subbed it with what I’m not supposed to receive anymore, a highlighter. Contacted customer service, they told me, not happy I can unsubscribe and sorry to see you leave. Since when did they become so terrible?

Brooke

Fight back and forth. Eventually they will admit they are wrong and give you a points credit. Use that email as “proof” that they did something wrong, then go fight it with your cc company.

Heather

My bag hasn’t even left their warehouse yet either, do you mind me asking which item they said they ran out of? I’m afraid the same thing is going to happen to me also, they already said one of my add ons is out of stock.

Pink5

Completely agree.

Shari

I agree, neither one of my Ipsy bags, plus or Glambag have arrived, neither tracking works!

Marion

Yes, I’ve seen several posts about that lip balm, including bad smell & brownish discoloration.

Charlotte

Sounds like the oils in the lip balm went rancid in the heat. Definitely reach out to Ipsy!

SquirrelyGirl

I’ve gotten that balm before and it’s one of my favorites. Definitely reach out. It is really nice refreshing watermelon and pink all the way through. Something was wrong with yours. It might go bad quicker than other chemical laden brands, due to the lack of them in their products.

Nikkim

Mine has been shipping with FedEx for about 6 months now. But this month it was shipped with DHL, and my bag is way slower it shipped out early like on the 6th I think and I’m supposed to get it tomorrow lol

Kigiyuk

I got the coveted Sunday Riley Juno oil and I LOVE it! I’m new to oils and serums but it is doing wonders for my dry, old face.
I also got:
TheBalm GRL PWDR: gave me a rash, no thanks.
Ariul Fresh Herb lotion which smells like old people, again no thanks
Kokie Cosmetics liquid eyeliner which is super fun!
A cute pink blending brush.

I added on:
Purlisse coconut oil and plumeria body butter which is lovely! Purlisse is always a winner for me.

Michelle

Great review! I have received a few items in this heat that seemed off. It is so hot!

Megan K.

Yeah! It has been ridiculous in Pittsburgh this week. And I am from Tennessee, so me complaining is really bad!

Luxn

In one of Tati’s videos she talks about one of the signs that lipstick has gone bad/expired is smelling like crayons. I don’t know about whether lip balms in general would exhibit the same smell when expired, but it’s definitely worth looking into – esp coupled with the “sinking” of the color.

My box has been sitting for 8 days with no movement and I’m just imagining my precious skincare degrading in the heat 😭. This will be my third month and haven’t had this issue yet. I hope it’s just a Covid thing because I don’t think skincare and makeup should be sitting in shipping warehouses for a long time in the summer. I wish Ipsy would use UPS, haven’t had an issue with them at all!

Julie B

Got my bag yesterday, and I chose the Purlisse cream also. The star of the month was the add-on ABH Jackie Aina palette. The colors are gorgeous! I was worried cuz some people didn’t get it even after placing the order due to becoming out of stock.

Redwoods301

I’m so excited to get mine, I know it’s still very, very summer, but the color way feels so fall, which I’m a sucker for.

Amanda

I received the ABH palette but not the liquid lipstick. Did this happen to anyone else? I contacted Ipsy and they are issuing a refund. I love the eyeshadows but was also looking forward to trying their lip product.

Julie B

I did get the lipstick together in a plastic bag with the palette. I was a little taken aback by the very brownish color and set it aside, but have since seen that they describe this shade as plummy brown so maybe I’ll try it. I’m glad they issued you a refund.

Angela

I chose the Purlisse and am hoping for that eyeshadow brush and Seraphine radiance booster. I really want the Sunday Riley serum. I think you got a pretty good bag I’ve never tried that lip balm but I would tell them it was spoiled. I get three regular glam bags and two plus bags and only two are in transit the rest I have no idea. Last month I didn’t get mine til the last couple days of the month.

Megan K.

I was happy with it aside from that balm. I think I will have to reach out. It was pretty off.

Stacie

I got that lip balm a couple of months ago and I think mine was spoiled or rotten.. the taste and smell almost made me throw up..
I’m still waiting on my ultimate and plus boxes.. they’ve been just sitting somewhere for almost 2 weeks now.. I just want a refund at this point..

Megan K.

Yikes on both counts. I hope your bags start moving soon!

sparker

I got the same bag! No issue with my lip balm, though. I was pleased with everything.

Megan K.

Bag twins! <3

sparker

I don’t think I’ve ever bag twinned with MSA before so I was pretty pumped!

tammy g.

this month was terrible to me…i get 2 reg. ipsy bags..and i did not get one of the sunday riley face oil..and i have it marked in the beauty section…ipsy your going down hill to me..

Robyn

I ALSO got that lip balm once and I was excited until I received it… no tint and the scent was nowhere to be found… reminded me of cheap grocery store chapstick with that word smell. I eventually threw it away.
Reading everyone’s comments, looks like it’s pretty split on what others got for this lip balm. Weird.

Megan K.

Yeah…. certainly a lot of different experiences. Weird!

Cris Blanton

I had that balm before in an Ipsy bag and it is awful. It was the exact same, color off, smelled funny, and it was so mushy you couldn’t even apply it!

My bag is still showing “order fulfillment/assembly” stage. My timeline also has no dates like it usually does. Ipsy did send me an update stating that due to an inventory shortage, I would not be receiving one of my add-ons. They did refund me for that item. However, there was no mention of when my bag would ship. Last month, I received my bag on the 10th.

Kristen

I am in the exact same boat! It is so frustrating! I had my flash sale item delivered friday but still no mention of a bag! At this rate it will be August before we see them, I think I am going to skip next month or so because of the shipping issues. Allure was late this month as well, just received July’s box yesterday!

Jasmyn Binder

Same!!! My bag still shows in assembly and I haven’t received any emails at all. Ugh. Have a feeling too since I picked a Sunday Riley item I don’t be receiving that now either. What’s going on with Ipsy?!?!

Heather

Mine is also still showing in assembly. I reached out to them about it and they said their warehouse is taking longer to prep bags with add ons and point items. Makes no sense to me, those bags should go out first I would think. I’ve never had it take this long for them to ship. I got an email yesterday evening saying that one of my add ons was now out of stock so they refunded it and gave me 600 points. Then a follow up email after that, it said sorry for delay of bag shipment and it should ship in next 3 business days…I am going to make my choice for August before my bag even ships. I don’t even think I’ll get this bag until August it seems like!

Those radiance pads look very interesting! Still waiting for my bag, but this bag looks much better than mine. Whenever I skip a month, the bag I get when I start back seems even less linked to my profile.

Cathy

I am also getting Purlisse Beauty BB Cream and Seraphine Botanicals Booster. My bag has been stuck in processing since the 7th. I get add ons super quick but this is my first Ipsy bag in 2 years. its sure taking its sweet time.

Cathy

Its July 21 and still in Assembly. Really Ipsy? I just resubbed after 3 years off. THis is likely going to be my first and last bag.

Errmmm

I got the Purlisse in fair and wore it last night when I went for a walk. I wanted to see how it kept up in the heat and under a mask, and it was pretty good! I have the Seraphine Botanicals (got it through IPSY a few months ago) and it’s SO pretty. I pat it on/above my cheekbones (or where my cheekbones are supposed to be – it’s been a while since they’ve made an appearance, lol). It’s a beautiful glowing addition to whatever makeup look you’re going for.

I hope you love both!

Ashley

I got that lip balm a lonnng time ago, and it wasn’t that weird color. It also smelled fruity. I really liked that balm and used the whole tube. It looks like something is wrong with the one you got or else it’s really old.

Shauna

I got that lip balm before and the smell was too off putting to use. Good to know it wasn’t just me. I also have another one from the same brand I got in Ipsy that is called natural and it’s just clear, unscented and it’s much better.

SarahJA

I received the exact same box! I chose the BB cream, as well. Not real thrilled with it… I think I just prefer more coverage. This is the first time for the lip balm, so I’m excited about that! All in all, it was a pretty good Ipsy month! (still waiting on my Plus bag to arrive!)

mwnicci

I received the balm before. I like it a lot. It goes on smooth and soft and smells really good. It also has the slightest tint. I would reach out to CS.

Megan K.

Yeah I think I might have to. Too many different experiences with the same product is odd.

Melanie

I have all three levels of Ipsy and one has not shipped yet the other two say they shipped one 07/08 and the other 07/15 neither has been scanned. Anyone else having this issue?

amber

My reg bag shipped really early, so I was hopeful that I would get it fairly quickly….nope. It was “tendered to delivery service provider” 7 days ago. USPS either hasn’t received it yet, or it was never scanned. My plus bag hasn’t shipped yet.

Cheryl

This shipping “hand-off” scheme does nothing for customers.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s Ipsy or another vendor with whom I’ve placed an on-line order, it either sits at USPS for up to a week before it moves once they’ve received it, or they never update the tracking and it just shows up on my doorstep. I went in person to USPS once (months ago, pre-pandemic) to ask where my package was (when the originating carrier indicated that USPS had received it) and USPS stated that since their system did not show a receipt scan they did not have the package and could do nothing. I then spoke with a USPS manager who claimed to have gone in the back and looked for it (“nope, we don’t have it). Guess what? Package was on my doorstep the next day (and tracking never updated). It’s stunning how often the tracking is simply not used.

Cheryl

My Plus shipped very late and has finally moved to the first transfer point.

My regular bag tracking is still saying it’s awaiting receipt by DHL (no surprise there–DHL is horrible).

I had the same issue last month, where my bags seemed to be sitting in the warehouse for more than a week. I contacted Ipsy customer service and they said they were moving, but the “tracking hadn’t been updated yet.” I don’t see the point in tracking if the carriers don’t update it!

At this point, I doubt I will be able to submit product reviews before next month’s choice.

Jen R

Last month my bag made it through DHL, but went into limbo between there and USPS and never moved forward. I contacted Ipsy CS and they told me I had to wait until 15 business days after it had shipped, and then they could resend it. I waited and then they did resend it to me, but it wasn’t exactly the one I had been supposed to get. Luckily I still got my choice item and the one other thing I really wanted. It finally arrived on Monday, and now my July bag is coming today. LOL. Meanwhile that original June bag is still in limbo, watch it show up in like December when someone moves a box.

Val

My plus bag tracking shows enroute to DHL on 7/8 but nothing since.

Dea

My Plus bag was shipped north of the warehouse instead of south, and USPS hasn’t updated the tracking in 8 days. I have no idea where it is.

The word “dewy” used to mean either “sweaty” or “oily” and have negative connotations. Since highlighters were invented, suddenly it’s considered a desirable quality to have a shiny face. File under “I don’t get it”.

Megan K.

Hi Dea! I have super dry skin that looks flat, so I need some dimension most of the time. I also, admittedly, like a really radiant finish.

“Dewy” is geared toward people who prefer a natural, skin mimicking look rather than people who like a matte look—which is not so much natural. Preference for sure. You can always throw on some powder over it. I like a dewy look and don’t use highlighter, nor do I look “sweaty” or “oily” unless I just got done exercising (in which case I earned it and wear it with pride). “Matte” used to mean dull and flat yet here we are.

Alice

Agree. I have natural dew!

Nancy

Mine are all over the place as well. I have3 too. They seem to have passed the shipping part and went right to..Watch and learn…I went into my accounts and checked shipping that way, only have 1 to go. Good luck!!

Lawden

So I had a similar issue, my regular bag shipped a few days before my plus and I got it three days ago whereas my plus looks like it hasn’t even been picked up. I reached out and the rep was very helpful and said that she could see it has been scanned but it’s just not updated for me to see. I’m sure yours is the same situation! Hopefully we will get ours this upcoming week!

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Ipsy Review – July 2020

About Ipsy Glam Bag

My Ipsy Glam Bag July 2020 Review

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