IPSY is one of the largest beauty subscription boxes on the market. This post will provide you with overview information on some of the best features this box has to offer. If you want to learn more, check out our Ipsy reviews and coupons.
What is Ipsy?
IPSY is the largest beauty subscription service, founded by YouTube makeup guru and influencer Michelle Phan. IPSY was founded on a singular mission: to inspire individuals around the world to express their unique beauty.
Not only is this a subscription service that delivers subscribers a “Glam Bag” filled with deluxe beauty product samples, but it is also an informative, online beauty community.
IPSY’s online platform includes video tutorials on how to apply makeup, customer reviews, and featured celebrity content.
How does IPSY work?
Each monthly bag is compiled so that you can complete a full makeup look with its contents. It usually includes at least one product for each your skin, eyes, and lips. On top of that, your makeup products will come in a stylish, compact makeup bag. What you’ll get in your Glam Bag depends on how you answer your beauty quiz.
The first thing you’ll do when you’re all signed up for IPSY is taking a quick, 2-minute beauty quiz that includes questions about your beauty preferences, skin tone, hair color, and eye color. The quiz will ask you about your favorite makeup brands and which products you’d like to receive more of and less of. IPSY will try to take each of these answers into consideration when building your personally customized bag.
Your bag will arrive around two weeks after your credit card is billed.
What to expect in an IPSY Glam Bag?
There are currently three types of Glam Bags offered by IPSY, each with different perks and set at a different subscription price ranging from $14 to $65 per month.
IPSY Glam Bag
The Glam Bag includes 5 deluxe-sized beauty samples that are customized based on how you answer your beauty quiz upon signing up. Based on your preferences, you’ll receive a mix of makeup products, haircare products, skincare products, and nail products. The Glam Bag comes with the Choice Perk, where Glam Bag members get to hand-pick one item of choice that goes in your bag.
This is their most-popular membership!
IPSY BoxyCharm
BoxyCharm features 5 full-sized products (worth up to $200). Again, these products can be makeup, hair care, skincare, or nail products depending on your beauty quiz responses. The additional customization perk with BoxyCharm is that you have the option to choose 3 of your 5 full-size products, so you can be extra sure you’re getting the stuff you actually want.
Icon Box
The Icon Box is the most comprehensive option IPSY offers. The Icon Box is a quarterly, members-only upgrade to your monthly IPSY membership that includes eight full-size products (worth up to $350) specially curated by beauty’s biggest tastemakers and celebs. You even get to choose three of your full-size products every shipment.
How much does IPSY cost?
- The Glam Bag is $14/month for monthly members. The Gam Bag contains $70+ value.
- BoxyCharm is $32/month for monthly members. The Gam Bag Plus contains $200+ value.
- The Icon Box is $65/quarter for members. The Gam Bag Ultimate contains $350+ value.
Brands You Can Expect In Your IPSY Subscription
Makeup Brands in IPSY Bags
IPSY often features a mix of well-known and indie makeup brands. Some popular ones include:
- Tarte (think their iconic Shape Tape Concealer or Amazonian Clay Blush)
- Huda Beauty (their Obsessions Eyeshadow Palettes are a fan favorite)
- Fenty Beauty (Gloss Bomb, anyone?)
- Anastasia Beverly Hills (hello, Brow Wiz and Liquid Lipsticks)
- Ofra Cosmetics (famous for their highlighters and long-lasting lipsticks)
- Benefit Cosmetics (Gimme Brow and Roller Lash are staples)
- ColourPop (affordable yet high-quality eyeshadows and lip products)
- Morphe (their brushes and eyeshadow palettes are often included)
- Laura Mercier (luxe setting powders and primers)
- Too Faced (Better Than Sex Mascara and Peach Palette, anyone?)
Skincare Brands in IPSY Bags
IPSY also includes a variety of skincare brands, ranging from drugstore gems to high-end favorites:
- The Ordinary (affordable, science-backed skincare)
- Sunday Riley (luxe products like Good Genes and CEO Glow)
- Dr. Brandt Skincare (pore-refining primers and anti-aging creams)
- First Aid Beauty (gentle, hydrating products like Ultra Repair Cream)
- Purlisse (BB creams and moisturizers with a cult following)
- 111SKIN (high-end serums and masks)
- Glow Recipe (watermelon glow and avocado melt products)
- Kate Somerville (exfoliants and anti-aging treatments)
- Hey Honey (honey-based skincare for hydration and glow)
- IT Cosmetics (their Confidence in a Cream is a frequent flyer)
IPSY Membership Perks
IPSY Community
On top of the Glam Bags that get delivered on a monthly basis, an IPSY membership also comes with a huge content platform you can access at any time, chock full of makeup video tutorials, makeup reviews, as well as top-notch beauty advice and tips from popular makeup gurus.
Add-Ons
Subscribers also have access to add-ons, which are additional products you can purchase and have shipped along with your Glam Bag. You can include up to 8 in your order and shipping is always free! Add-ons include deluxe sample size products priced at $3 each, bag swag priced at $3 each, and full-size products ranging from $12- $18 each.
Tip: The deluxe sample size products are a great value and perfect for travel.
IPSY Shopper
Ipsy Shopper includes exclusive offers and daily promotions that allow subscribers to take advantage of any time of the month. There are daily deals on products that are only available in limited quantities IPSY Shopper also includes IPSY-exclusive sets, Mystery Bags, and more. Again, these orders ship to the continental U.S. for free.
IPSY Points
IPSY subscribers earn points by participating in various activities such as reviewing products, reviewing your whole Glam Bag experience, social sharing, and referring IPSY to your friends. Points can be used to redeem free products that are featured at the moment.
These reward products are ever-changing, so if you don’t like what you see, just hang on to your points until something catches your eye. Rewards are updated frequently and tend to sell out quickly. Any Reward you claim will be shipped with your next month’s Glam Bag.
Skipping or canceling your subscription
You have the option to “Skip a Month” in your account settings. With this option, your next Glam Bag will be updated to arrive in the following month. You will not be charged for the month you skipped.
IPSY also has a feature where you can change your Glam Bag frequency from monthly to every other month. This is a good option for members who use makeup at a slower pace.
IPSY also has an easy cancellation process, completely online. To cancel, you can easily do so through your account settings or through chatting with customer service online. Just tell them that you want to cancel your subscription and you’ll be done within seconds. Keep in mind, there is no cancellation fee to pause your subscription and you can resubscribe at any time.
Gifting An IPSY Subscription
IPSY Glam Bags make for a low-cost gift to people in your life who enjoy discovering new beauty brands and beauty products. Since the IPSY product offerings only cost $14 to $65, a good gift option is to subscribe the gift recipient to a Glam Bag subscription for 2-3 months. After that, you can cancel or keep the subscription going for them!
It’s literally the gift that keeps on giving (for as long as you maintain the membership)!
The Bottom Line
This subscription service is for you if:
- You’re looking to experiment with primarily beauty products.
- You like high-quality products from prestigious brands.
- You like trying out new beauty products on a monthly basis.
- You want the flexibility to skip a month or change your preferences anytime.
Sign up for your own IPSY subscription here!
Check out our reviews of the latest IPSY Glam Bags here.