Let me start off by saying that we all know that in college, there is never enough time in the day—you probably think that I’m talking about homework. Homework?? There’s not enough time in the day to stare do my makeup every morning or run to CVS whenever I absolutely must have that new TSwift red lipstick or a new shade of baby blue nail polish! And there is certainly not enough money to do that. So, girls, I have a solution. I have a solution to both the time and the money issue. It’s called Ipsy.
For those of you who don’t know about Ipsy, it is one of the million trillion makeup subscription packages. But Ipsy is amazing on SO many levels:
- When you sign up for Ipsy, you take a beauty quiz about everything from your skin tone and your hail color/texture to how adventurous you are with makeup and what brands you like. This quiz is how the Ipsy stylists personalize your glam bag each month.
- You pay $10/month
- You get 4-5 beauty/hair/skin products a month (that means each product is only $2!!)
- You get to try new products you wouldn’t normally try
- If you want more of a product, you can just buy it from Ipsy online!
- You get a free makeup bag! All of the products come in a monthly “glam bag” which you get to keep!
And if all of that wasn’t enough to get you hooked already, let me tell you about some of the amazing products I’ve received recently.
Here are my All Time Top Ten Favorite Ipsy Products:
From the December 2013 Glam Bag: Celebration
Mirabella Eye Blender Brush
Beauty tools are some of my favorite things to get in an Ipsy package because they’re so expensive everywhere else. You could pay upwards of $30 for a good brush at Sephora.
I have found it particularly challenging to find good blender brushes because the bristles are often stiff and straw-like, but this Mirabella blender brush is super soft and does an amazing job blending eye shadow.
J. Cat Beauty Big Lip Pencil
This big lip pencil is fantastic. I could not rave about it enough if I tried. The color is the classic Taylor Swift bright red—amazing. When you apply this to your lips, it goes on like silk and feels like a creamy lipstick, but it stays like a lip stain.
From the February 2014 Glam Bag: The Look of Love
POP Beauty Plump Pout Mini Lip Gloss
Although it may not look it in this picture, this lip gloss is surprisingly versatile. The intensity of this lip gloss really depends on how much you apply—one light application is perfect for an interview or work, but a few more and you’re set to go out!
Zoya Nail Polish
The awesome thing about Ipsy is that they often send you up and coming brands, but, once and a while, they send you a brand they know you’ll love, like Zoya.
This Zoya nail polish is perfect for a romantic date or a week when you’re not feeling particularly adventurous in the nail polish department. It is not too light at all and is perfect on all skin tones.
City Color Be Matte Blush
I had never heard of City Color before Ipsy sent me this blush, but after trying this Be Matte blush, I will definitely be buying more of their blushes in the future. This blush is super pigmented and gives a great color without being too shiny like many blushes.
From the March 2014 Glam Bag: Destination Beauty
NYX Love in Rio Eye Shadow
This eye shadow is perfect for a look on the go. The natural shades make this palate great for any day and any occasion.
Pixi Beauty Flawless Beauty Primer
This primer is by far my favorite product I have ever received from Ipsy. It has some color to it, so it is perfect for a light coverage if you don’t want to wear foundation over it (which is what I often do). Unfortunately, I ran out of this already because I wore it literally every day, but I will certainly be ordering more!
From the July 2014 Glam Bag: Sensationally Sunkissed
Elizabeth Mott Tints & Sass Lip Stain
I have gotten complements every time I have worn this lip stain. It is literally the perfect lip stain. It is a beautiful ruby red and its staying power is incredible, and it is pigmented enough to wear on its own or with a shade of light pink over it to tone it down.
From the August 2014 Glam Bag: Beauty Schooled
Manna Kader Cosmetics Sheer Glo Shimmer Lotion
This shimmer glow lotion is amazing. It does exactly what it says…gives you a fantastic glow without making you look shiny. I love wearing this on its own when I just want a nice glow or mixing it with foundation to have a lighter and more shimmery coverage.
From the October 2014 Glam Bag: Beauty Candy
ROUGE by Rihanna Eau de Parfum Spray
When I received this product, I could not believe that Ipsy sent me a full sized perfume. ROUGE is a soft, almost flowery sent without being too over-the-top feminine. It is just like Rihanna, feminine with an edge—perfect for any occasion.
A few final words…
A few final notes about these products…for makeup products such as the blush, the nail polish, and the eye shadow, Ipsy offers many different selections of colors, and they will send you a different one based on your answers to the quiz.
Lastly, Ipsy is amazing (if I haven’t said that enough times already). The products are fantastic. There is always a wide variety and the products are extremely versatile. And the best part about Ipsy? Getting a makeup package every month in college! I mean, who doesn’t love packages…especially if there’s makeup in them?!
P.S. Stay tuned for my next Makeup on a College Budget Blog: Organization!