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How does ipsy work?
Type of subscription: beauty
Frequency: monthly
Product size: sample, although most people will receive at least one full sized item
Amount of products received: 5, always
Cost: $10/month or $110/year
Each month you recieve a themed makeup bag stuffed with products. It’s a “try before you buy” type of subscription, and a generally fun way to find new things that you love (or hate). Every person’s bag is a different variation based off of the style quiz they complete upon signing up. That means you probably won’t get the same thing as your friends, which is pretty cool!
Ready to take the plunge? Use my referral link —> ipsy. Using this link will earn me ipsy points, which I can use to purchase extra items to add to my bag every month. Thanks!
I pay for this subscription.
This month’s theme is “Go There.” I think this is a super fun concept for a bag, and really new. Something I’ve never seen before. The story about Paris gives me real travel envy!
Bag #16 (May 2018)
This bag featured an exterior covered in different passport stamps. The back of the bag and the interior are a bright orange, and the zipper tab sports a small airplane.
So this glambag is a little strange, because the items that were pictured on my app were not the ones that were sent to me. Long story short, I recently moved. I changed my address, but apparently if you don’t have it changed before the first of the month ipsy won’t honor it (dumb). That being said, they sent my bag to the wrong address and it never got re-routed to me. I emailed ipsy about this and received an uncharacteristic response from their customer service, basically saying that it’s my fault the bag didn’t make it to me and that they don’t usually send out replacement bags but they would try to if they had remaining products. You guys can’t even imagine how angry I would be if they didn’t “have any remaining products” for me.
SUR.MEDIC+ Pore-less Carbonic Peel Mask x2 (full size!) – retail $4/mask
Originally, I was supposed to receive the NYX Professional Makeup Soft Matte Lip Cream in Cairo. When I saw this, I was pretty annoyed. I received a NYX Lip Cream in my bag in April, and I’ve told them MULTIPLE times to not send me nude tones anymore for lipsticks. Unfortunately, I think I’d have actually preferred the lipstick to this mask. I just hate wearing masks. I find them uncomfortable and I never really see the benefits on my skin. But that’s just my unpopular opinion. This bamboo charcoal sheet mask is made with carbonated water and is meant to brighten and smooth your complexion.
Terrifying.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum – full size $36
Instead of this serum, I was supposed to receive the Tarte Cosmetics Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder. To be fair, I already own the powder, so I don’t mind this product substitution. Thankfully, this serum absorbs really quickly and doesn’t leave behind any stickiness, and it doesn’t bother my sensitive skin. It makes my skin feel super soft and smooth. Thumbs up!
SLMISSGLAM Sparkle Everyday Glam Beauty Sponge (full size!) – retail $17.50
This is the only product from the bag that I was actually supposed to receive in my original bag. I haven’t been impressed with SLMISSGLAM (I’ve received two of their brushes so far), so I wasn’t super thrilled to get this product. This blender is tiny, and barely gets bigger when wet. The tapered wedge tip and small size make it ideal for concealer, but it’s so soft that it’s really ineffective at its job. Let’s just say, my opinion is unchanged.
Doucce Maxlash Volumizer Mascara – full size $22
In my original bag I should have received the Air Repair Skincare Complexion Quenching Facial Mist, but instead I received this mascara. I’ll be honest, I’d have rather had the face spray. I have so many mascaras that I don’t know what to do with them, and I plan on getting eyelash extensions soon so I really can’t afford to keep reviving them. On top of that, I already own this sample. So you can see why I’m totally unexcited. As far as the mascara goes, I actually like it. I’m not a fan of the chubby brush (not ideal for corners), but I like that it’s super black and that it really lengthens my lashes.
One eye for comparison.
Both eyes.
DLS Eyeshadow in Bikini (full size!) – retail price $12
So I don’t have a stock picture for this item, because it wasn’t even one of the items listed for the May glambag. It’s literally just an extra item they had laying around that they threw into the bag. And here’s the best part, they actually already gave me this shadow in one of my previous bags. So that’s really. freaking. cool. I’m not even going to bother reviewing it, because I ALREADY DID ONCE. Instead of this product I should have received the Elizabeth Mott Shimmer Eyeshadow in Mermaid Teal. I think you can guess which one I’d have rather had.
Verdict:
I’m pretty annoyed. I would rate this bag a 1 out of 5 starts. The only item that I even remotely enjoyed was the serum. Let me be honest when I say that I am generally a very patient person. I never jump to blame, and I always try to look at situations from both sides. However, after being blamed for the bag being lost I was pretty taken aback. This wasn’t the ipsy customer service that I have grown to know and love. And I can understand that some products run out, no big deal. But they sent me two products that I already own, and one of them they sent me themselves just a few months ago!
Sigh.
Crossing my fingers that June is a better month for me and ipsy.
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