I've had my eye on the Ipsy subscription for quite awhile. It seems that over the last few years I've had pretty much every subscription under the sun. I've done Luxebox, Topbox, Beauty Box 5, Julep, Birchbox and NOW, FINALLY, it's time for Ipsy!
What is Ipsy?
Ipsy is a monthly beauty box subscription that customizes your monthly offerings to your beauty profile. Unlike several other subscription boxes that CLAIM they do the same thing, Ipsy usually has 20+ different products every month so you're more likely to have customized options than boxes that only have 5-10 products in their rotation. Also? Ipsy focuses more on makeup products, which is great because I'm tired of all the skincare products I was receiving from other boxes. Ipsy costs $10, + $4.95 for shipping. But the catch for Canadians is that it's charged in USD so this box can be anywhere from $18-20, so the value of each box has to be held to a higher standard than other boxes. They also offer points for reviews on their website, so you can build up to redeem for more products.
What I received in my Ipsy June 2015 Glam Bag:
OXG Healing + Vitamin E Penetrating Oil
I have complex hair. It's thick and long and often gets dry at the ends, but I also don't react well to product full of silicone or other bonders as they leave my hair and scalp oily and greasy. THUS, I rely heavily on hair oils when I'm drying my hair to tame my locks. And I have to say? This OGX oil is THE SHIT. It has a bit of an almond smell, it works through the hair really easily and doesn't rest heavily or leave a residue. A+ in my book.
AURORA Gel Effect Nail Polish
I'll never say no to a nail polish, but lately I haven't received many quality ones from my beauty subscriptions. AURORA is a nice surprise because it's a very summery colour and totally mathes my Too Faced Lipstick! I'm currently swatching some other nail polishes but I'm really looking forward to testing out this bright hue.
Swissco Electroplated Eyelash Curler
I've got a secret to tell you... I never curl my lashes! I have a sub-par eyelash curler that I must've bought in my teens, but it pinches! Since I wear glasses 90% of the time, I never worry about eyelash curling, but maybe it's because I had a bad tool? This eyelash curler is MUCH more gentle than my old crummy one, so maybe I'll become an eyelash curling master pretty soon? ;)
Too Faced Melted Candy & Trestique Marimoto Pink Pearl
tre'StiQue Mini Shadow Crayon in Marimoto Pink Pearl
I'm a fan of eyeshadow crayons because they are easy to put in my makeup bag for those on-the-go looks and tre'StiQue's is actually one of the nicer shadow crayons I've ever owned. I was worried when I got the bag that it would be another boring taupe but the Marimoto Pink Pearl is a perfect shade for those softer, simpler looks. It's a nude pink shimmer that looks almost like a champagne that is buildable and can be used as a soft base, a highlighter or even a full look on your lid. The consistency isn't bad and its not too oily like some other ones I've owned. All in all, it's a handy little product.
Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick in Melted Candy
This, this, this. The sneak peek this month was that every Ipsy subscriber would either get this or a Smashbox primer, and as I've already got lots of primer, I was really hoping for this Melted lipstick! I own one in Melon but I know that Melted Candy, a hot pink fuschia, is their most popular shade so I really wanted to give it a whirl. It's a bright, bold colour and while it is drying, the same way most other Too Faced products are, it's totally worth it with a good lip balm in tow.
The Ipsy Glam Bag
Another fun thing about Ipsy is that each month is delivered to you in a special monthly 'Glam Bag'. These are VERY popular with Ipsy lovers and I've seen people selling them for $20 a few months down the line! This month's is an on-trend lightweight neoprene bag with a hot pink zipper. It's not the flashiest one I've seen but it can be CLEANED which, as any makeup lover knows, is a relief.
Verdict?
My only misgiving with Ipsy is that it's charged in USD. So it's definitely the priciest monthly box I've had in awhile (I bought Julep when it was still less than $20 a month, and Luxe Box was quarterly.) But if this is any indication of the quality, I'm totally impressed so far.
If you want to try Ipsy for yourself, sign up with my referral link.
