This month, IPSY wanted us to shine. Literally. The box was built around shimmery essentials to help you put your best face forward and let your personality do the talking. And the bag itself? Cute. But the products inside had a very different story to tell. This is one of those months where I'd rather just be honest with you than pretend I found five hidden gems.
I didn't.
What is IPSY Extra?
IPSY Extra is a $32 monthly beauty and makeup subscription box. It always provides great value compared to the cost of the box and includes 5 beauty items, including nail care, skincare, makeup, haircare, fragrance, and more. (At least 4 of those items will be full-sized.) If you are a makeup or skincare addict, we recommend this box!
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
What's Inside
Girlactik Shadow Stick – Retail Value $22
Color: Golda (gold)
Hear me out: I love a good shadow stick. It's one of my favorite lazy-girl makeup moves. Fast, buildable, no brushes. But this one fell short in the most frustrating way. The pigment is so sheer that you have to layer it multiple times just to get actual color, and here's the problem with layering a cream formula: it stops blending and starts sitting there, cakey and uneven. It also smears after application, even with setting powder. The shade itself has real potential. A warm gold shadow stick done right could be everything. This one just wasn't done right.
Would I repurchase? No.
Neogen Hyal Glow Rose Essence – Retail Value $32
Full transparency: the ingredient list on this essence is genuinely impressive. Rosa Damascena flower water makes up 74% of the formula (Damask rose, known for its soothing and antioxidant properties), backed by multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, ceramide 3, niacinamide, and adenosine. This is not a lazy formula. On paper, it checks every box.
In practice? The scent is so intensely floral that applying it felt like rubbing straight rose oil onto my face. I know fragrance sensitivity is personal, and for rose lovers this might be a dream. For me, it's a pass. My skin doesn't do well with heavy fragrance long-term, and nothing here is going to change that.
Would I repurchase? No.
Benefit Cosmetics Dream Sheen Brow Glaze – Retail Value $29
Color: Deep
I'm going to be real with you: I don't think I'm using this wrong. The formula is gel-tinted and sticky in a way that makes blending feel like a battle rather than a step in my routine. The brush is plastic with zero flexibility, which (for a brow product) is a significant problem. It's too wide, too stiff, and too bulky to get anywhere near the definition you'd want. Maybe this works as a brow tint if you're already perfectly shaped and just need a glaze over the top? Even then, I'd struggle to recommend it. This is by far the worst brow product I've tried.
Would I repurchase? No.
Artist Couture Glow Setter Setting Spray – Retail Value $34
This one is fine. Just fine. It's a setting spray that does its thing, and in Florida's heat-and-humidity combo, that's actually a meaningful thing to say. My only real note is that the mist is a bit heavy for my taste; I prefer a finer spray that disappears on contact. Nothing here made me dislike it. It just didn't wow me either.
Would I repurchase? Maybe.
Karma Beauty Sunkissed Smoothie Hair Mask – Retail Value $45
The standout of the box, and honestly, it's not close. The formula is loaded with keratin, argan oil, hydrolyzed wheat protein, and hydrolyzed sericin (silk protein): a solid lineup for rebuilding softness and smoothing the cuticle after a summer of damage. My hair felt genuinely soft after use. One heads-up for my fine-hair people: the keratin smooths the hair shaft by design, which means your hair will sit more on the sleek side rather than the voluminous side after use. Not a dealbreaker, just something to know going in. Also, the jelly-like texture is a little unexpected if you're used to traditional cream masks, but it rinses clean.
Would I repurchase? Maybe.
Value – Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $32
I'm not going to sugarcoat it: no, this box wasn't worth it. The math on paper works out fine, but value isn't just about retail numbers. It's about whether the products actually land. And outside of the hair mask, nothing here did. The Girlactik shadow stick underdelivers, the Benefit brow glaze genuinely baffled me, and the Neogen essence is a beautiful formula I'll never use. If you're on the fence about subscribing based on this month's curation, this wouldn't be the one I'd show you to close the deal.
Other Things You Should Know
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, your first box will be from the next curation.
What do you think of this month's IPSY Extra Box? Which variants are you getting?
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