To get started, I created a profile on IPSY and answered questions like how often I'd like to receive skincare items, what colours of lip products I prefer and various questions along those lines. Based on that, they curated a bag of four surprise items for me, including the addition of one product I picked from a selection that was offered to me.
While the subscription only costs $13 USD per month, when you factor in the currency conversion and shipping, it works out to about $25 Canadian per month.
Here's everything I got and whether or not I think it was worth the price.
What's in IPSY's September 2023 bag?
The September 2023 IPSY makeup bag.
- Beauty For Real Liquid Eyeshadow in Twilight
- Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional: Super Setter
- Innisfree Pore Clearing Clay Mask 2X with Super Volcanic Clusters
- Lavido Aromatic Body Lotion in Patchouli & Vanilla
- Purlisse Beauty Halo Glow BB Cream Highlighter in Champagne Gold
Beauty For Real Liquid Eyeshadow in Twilight
Beauty For Real Liquid Eyeshadow in Twilight
I generally opt for a gold eye shadow to complement my medium brown skin tone, but I do love changing things up a bit.
This pretty plum shade has a metallic tint that goes on the eyelid super easily and dries to a matte almost immediately, which is great if you want to layer other shadows on for a more dynamic look, but I really also love how it looks on its own.
It's funky without being super dramatic, and unlike some liquid eyeshadows I've tried in the past, it doesn't seem to crease in my lids after a couple of hours.
It's not a shade I'd typically reach for or even consider trying, so I'm grateful it's something that was in this month's bag!
P.S. I'm an idiot and initially thought this was a lipgloss, I 100% recommend that you do not apply this to your lips as the formula is not tasty.
Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional: Super Setter
Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional: Super Setter.
I love Benefit's eyebrow products but haven't tried their skin stuff out as much, so I was pleased to see this deluxe-sized mini.
I haven't been wearing much makeup lately due to laziness, so I was interested to see if this spray would live up to its promise to refresh my skin, help blur the look of pores and mattify excess shine.
I did find it refreshing and I found it helped to get rid of the greasy look I've been dealing with due to lack of cleaning my face, so it could be a solid contender to spray on my skin for the mornings when I can't be bothered to deal with life.
I wouldn't say it helped overly much to blur the look of my pores, but that might be a me problem!
It also promises to lock your makeup in for 16 hours, and while I can't attest to that, many reviews say it works great at keeping your look put together.
Innisfree Pore Clearing Clay Mask 2X with Super Volcanic Clusters
Innisfree Pore Clearing Clay Mask 2X with Super Volcanic Clusters.
As mentioned above, I haven't been doing a great job at taking care of my skin, so seeing a "pore clearing clay mask" was exciting as my pores are currently full with sebum and sadness.
I cleaned off the other products I had on and then slathered this mask on and let it sit for about 20 minutes while I listened to Taylor Swift and contemplated my life. I like that the mask didn't get that super tight feeling on my face that you sometimes get with masks, and it was easy to wash off.
My skin felt well and truly cleaned as well as exfoliated and my face was considerably less greasy than it was before the mask, so I'll definitely be adding it to my skincare routine once or twice a week.
Lavido Aromatic Body Lotion in Patchouli & Vanilla
Lavido Aromatic Body Lotion in Patchouli & Vanilla.
I was pleased to see a brand I've never tried, which to me is one of the highlights of trying a subscription!
This Lavido hand cream is very, very scented and has the most wonderful patchouli smell. It says there are notes of vanilla in there, but it's not a scent I was able to pick up on.
"Formulated with organic shea butter, aloe, and jojoba, this soothing cream will have your skin feeling smooth and supple in no time," says IPSY.
My cuticles were looking a little dry and ragged before using the lotion, and they did look and feel noticeably softer after working it into my skin.
Some users say that the smell of the product is overpowering, and while I agree it's quite strong, I really enjoy it — just something to bear in mind if scented products aren't for you!
Purlisse Beauty Halo Glow BB Cream Highlighter in Champagne Gold
Purlisse Beauty Halo Glow BB Cream Highlighter in Champagne Gold.
I love a good highlighter, but this one is not for me, unfortunately.
I can't quite put my finger on why, but something about the texture of this feels off to me. It didn't blend nicely into my skin and sort of felt cakey once it dried.
In terms of colour, I found it to be much less pigmented than other products I've tried, and while that might be what some people are looking for, I prefer to shine bright like a diamond when using highlighter.
Is IPSY a good subscription?
For about $25, I'd say that IPSY is a good subscription. For September 2023, I enjoyed four of the products I received as well as the cute makeup bag.
As for the product I didn't like... well, it happens!
How much does IPSY cost?
The September 2023 IPSY package.
While the subscription only costs $13 USD per month, when you factor in the currency conversion and shipping, the IPSY Glam Bag works out to about $25 Canadian per month.
These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included.
