IPSY is a monthly beauty and makeup subscription box. For $15 per month, you get five full-sized 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 amazing. 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 our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes).
First Impressions
Each month, IPSY subscribers get a makeup bag in addition to their items. This month’s theme is ‘The Soft Reset,’ and I’m here for it. Who couldn’t use a reset every now and again? I sure could. The bag itself is a powdery pink with an all-over paisley design and matching teardrop-shaped zipper hardware, giving it a very retro, ‘70s-inspired feel. Neither the color nor the paisley print is really my personal style, but I can definitely see the throwback appeal – and that kind of vintage look seems to be having a moment again lately.
Included is a product card that features a list of the products and beauty tips.
Now, on to the items!
HOLA NEON Lip Drip Lip Oil in Gloss Me, 3.5 g - Retail Value $21.00
I always love a good lip product, and Hola Neon’s Lip Drip Lip Oil in Gloss Me – my first intro to this brand – didn’t disappoint. The pale pink shade gives my lips plenty of shine with just a slight wash of color, so it’s light enough that I’d consider it more of a neutral, barely-there look than anything particularly noticeable. Interestingly, it doesn’t leave my lips feeling hydrated at all, which is a little unusual for something like lip oil, but the tradeoff is that the formula isn’t sticky whatsoever – and that’s definitely something I appreciate. Beyond that, there honestly isn’t too much to say: it’s a straightforward tinted lip oil, and it does its job adequately without doing anything especially groundbreaking.
Here is the swatch for the Hola Neon Lip Drip Lip Oil in Gloss Me.
PEAR NOVA Lid Focus Brush, 1 pc - Retail Value $18.50
Pear Nova’s Lid Focus Brush isn’t something I’ll get a ton of use out of personally, simply because I don’t wear makeup anywhere near as frequently as I once did. But I can absolutely appreciate how useful it would be for someone who is heavy into eyeshadow. The small, tapered brush head is appropriately sized – not too big or too tiny – and gives you really good control when applying or blending color. It’s particularly good around the inner corners of the eyes and other areas where you need a bit more precision. The bristles are also nice and gentle against the delicate eyelid area, and so far I haven’t noticed any shedding, which is always a plus. It’s vegan, sleek in design, and ultimately does what it should. If you wear makeup regularly, you can never really have too many brushes, and I imagine you’d be quite pleased to add this one to the collection.
MI-EL SKINCARE Strawberry Kiss Sugar Body Scrub, 32 ml - Estimated Value $4.48
First things first: this Strawberry Kiss Sugar Body Scrub from Mi-el Skincare is a pretty tiny tube for something meant to be used all over your body… Realistically, you’re looking at about one or two legitimate uses depending on how much ground you’re trying to cover. That being said, it was still a nice way to sample another brand that was completely new to me, and the scrub itself is actually pretty effective at sloughing away dry skin and leaving things feeling noticeably smoother. Unfortunately, the scent was a bit of a turn-off for me. I’m normally a fan of fruity fragrances, but there was something about the artificial strawberry notes that reminded me of Play-Doh, which always made me feel sick as a child, so that particular association was not doing this one any favors. Scent aside, I do appreciate the addition of hydrating ingredients like coconut oil and cocoa butter, and the tiny tube does have one practical advantage: it’s pretty much the perfect size to toss into an overnight or holiday travel bag without having to use much brain power.
LANEIGE Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Gel Moisturizer, 10 ml - Estimated Value $7.60
Laneige products are all the rage, right? So I was pretty pumped to finally try the Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Gel Moisturizer, and I’m happy to say it lived up to my expectations. My skin practically drank this stuff up, leaving it feeling much more hydrated, plump, and buoyant, which it desperately needed… My skin had been looking a little dull as of late. Gel moisturizers have long been a favorite of mine, especially for my face, because heavier formulas tend to clog my pores and leave me with those annoying little breakouts – gels, on the other hand, have really helped me avoid that problem. This lightweight formula is actually intended for oily and combination skin and includes Blue Hyaluronic Acid for hydration along with mint leaf extract, which adds to that wonderfully cool, refreshing feeling on the skin. Honestly, this is exactly the kind of moisturizer I’d keep in my skincare fridge and slather on at the end of the day for an extra refreshing little moment. Highly recommend.
PACIFICA BEAUTY Dream Moon Sample Spray Perfume, 1.5 ml - Estimated Value $0.68
I’m honestly just not a perfume girlie, and Pacifica Beauty’s Dream Moon Spray Perfume was never going to be an easy sell for me. I’ve always been extremely sensitive to fragrance, particularly alcohol-based perfumes like this one – and unfortunately the scent that comes through most strongly to me is one of my least favorites: rose. Pacifica describes the scent as a blend of pear, bergamot, coconut, vanilla, sandalwood, and more… But my nose basically skipped past everything else and went straight for the floral notes. I’ve never been much of a floral person either, so this one is definitely a pass for me. That being said, no one thing is for everyone, and I can see someone who truly enjoys perfume and rose-forward scents appreciating it much more. I do give Pacifica points for the formula being 100% vegan and cruelty-free, which is a big deal to me. My real gripe is the sizing of this product – the tiny vial feels more like a free fragrance sample than something that should have counted as one of the five products in this month’s lineup.
The Verdict
This month's IPSY Original ended up being fairly middle-of-the-road for me, with one standout skincare product and a few others that were useful without necessarily earning a permanent spot in my routine. The Laneige gel moisturizer was easily the highlight, thanks to its lightweight gel texture, cooling feel, and ability to leave my skin looking and feeling noticeably more buoyant. Hola Neon’s lip oil in Gloss Me was another solid pick, delivering plenty of shine and a subtle, barely-there tint without any of the stickiness, though I do wish it were a touch more hydrating. The sugar body scrub from Mi-el Skincare did a solid job of sloughing away dry skin and included some nice moisturizing ingredients, but the artificial strawberry scent wasn’t my favorite. If you’re an avid makeup wearer, Pear Nova’s lid brush could be a win; it’s soft, sleek, and well-sized for precise eyeshadow application. Lastly, Pacifica Beauty’s perfume was a miss for me between the rose-heavy scent and my general sensitivity to fragrance, and the incredibly tiny sample also felt a bit underwhelming as one of the five products in the bag. Overall, this month’s product round-up didn’t hit too hard for me, but that’s more a matter of personal preference than poor performance, and there was at least a nice variety of products to try.
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Value – Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $15
Value Breakdown:
- Lip Oil: $21.00
- Lid Brush: $18.50
- Body Scrub: $4.48
- Gel Moisturizer: $7.60
- Perfume: $0.68
The total retail value of these five items adds up to about $52.26, which is an okay value for a $15 bag.
Other Things You Should Know
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, but sign up to receive the September 2026 bag while stocks last.
What do you think of the August 2026 IPSY Original?
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