IPSY is one of the most popular names in beauty subscriptions. Starting at just $14 a month, they promise a personalized mix of deluxe samples and full-size products delivered straight to your door.
For many, it’s the perfect low-risk way to explore new brands. But with 63% of consumers now prioritizing clean beauty, it’s worth asking: Does IPSY’s mass-market mix align with those standards, or is it better suited for those who simply love to experiment?
In this updated IPSY beauty box review, we analyze the December 2025 bag and previous offerings to help you see if this subscription matches your beauty goals.
Plus, you can use an exclusive code to get a 15% discount at checkout: IPSY15
What Is IPSY Beauty Box?
IPSY was co-founded in 2011 by Michelle Phan, a YouTube beauty influencer who had built a massive following through makeup tutorials starting in 2007.
The whole vibe is built on that sense of community. IPSY’s philosophy is pretty simple: beauty shouldn’t be “one-size-fits-all.” Instead of sending everyone the exact same box, they want to help you express your unique style.
That starts with their famous “Beauty Quiz.” Before you subscribe, you tell them everything from your eye color and products you’d like to receive to your favorite tones and brands.
IPSY uses this to curate your bag and give you a level of personalization you don’t usually see in mass-market boxes. But there’s a limit to that personalization.
While you can tell the quiz you want “adventurous” eyeshadow colors, you can’t currently filter by ingredient safety or personal values.
The box is a mix of everything. You might get a nice clean skincare sample one month and a conventional makeup item containing talc or synthetic fragrance the next.
IPSY Beauty Box Pricing
IPSY has three different levels depending on your budget and how much product you want. There’s a $1.99 handling fee added to U.S. orders. Canadian shipping is $6.95 for IPSY Original and $9.95 for IPSY Extra.
- IPSY Original (Glam Bag): $14/month plus handling (up to $70 value). 5 deluxe-size products in a cute, reusable makeup bag, plus the option to choose 1 product. The first bag is only $9.
- IPSY Extra (BoxyCharm): $32/month plus handling (up to $200 value). 5 full-size products every month in a beauty box. You can choose 3 products. The first bag is only $27.
- IPSY Ultimate (Icon Box): $65/quarter plus handling (up to $400 value). This ships every February, May, August, and November. It includes 8 full-size products curated by a celebrity icon and replaces your regular bag for that month.
Yearly subscriptions are available for the IPSY Original and IPSY Extra boxes. The discount amounts to about 1+ month for free if you go that route. Skipping is also possible.
You may cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings; however, it must be submitted before the 25th to avoid charges for the following renewal period.
IPSY Beauty Box Referral System
IPSY gamifies the subscription with a loyalty program. You earn points by referring friends or by reviewing the beauty box you receive, which you can then redeem for “bonus” items that ship with your next bag.
It’s a fun perk, but note that the points expire after 12 months, and you must have an active subscription to redeem them. If you decide to cancel, you lose access to your stash.
Note: IPSY occasionally updates how points are earned. They removed points for simple star reviews. Currently, you need to produce detailed written reviews with photos, which they can license to third parties, to earn points.
What Is Inside the Jaunuary 2026 IPSY Glam Bag?
This box offers makeup product for you to choose from including:
- ACE BEAUTÉ – Fresh Phase Primer
A face primer designed to smooth texture and create a soft base before foundation or makeup.
This product can be useful for makeup longevity, particularly for users with textured skin.
- ĀTHR BEAUTY – The Comeback Mascara in Demi‑Matte Black
A mascara with a demi‑matte finish that focuses on lift and separation without a high‑gloss look.
The brush design and formula should ideally offer definition and volume. Performance often depends on formula thickness and wand type, so results can range from subtle lengthening to more dramatic volume.
- E.L.F. COSMETICS – Pout Clout Lip Plumping Pen
A dual shade lip plumper with conditioning extracts.
Plumping pens aim to enhance fullness and shine, though results vary — some users love the tingle and slight volume, others find the effect mild.
Overall, this beauty box combines basic makeup staples that can be very useful in your toiletry bag.
While products vary in sample size and utility, the mix reflects the typical discovery box experience, a balance of trendy, useful, and try‑before‑you‑buy options.
Users have proven different levels of satisfaction based on personal preferences.
Recent IPSY Beauty Boxes (2025 Overview)
To see if the IPSY algorithm really delivers variety, we tracked the product pools from late 2025.
We noticed a rotating selection of indie brands (like Seraphine Botanicals and F.A.R.A.H) mixed with one or two viral highlights. Here’s a snapshot of the last 5 months.
| Month | Example Featured Brands | Product Highlights | Est. Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2025 | Color Wow, Elemis, Tarte | Color Wow Money Mask (Viral Haircare), Tarte Creaseless Concealer, Pixi Glow-y Lip Oil | ~$80+ |
| October 2025 | Glow Recipe, Benefit, Morphe | Glow Recipe Avocado Cleanser, Benefit Hoola Bronzer, Morphe Brow Pencil | ~$75+ |
| September 2025 | E.L.F. Skin, Innisfree, Origin | E.L.F. Bronzing Drops (Viral Dupe), Innisfree Vitamin C Cream, Origins Apple Peel | ~$65+ |
| August 2025 | Clinique, First Aid Beauty, Dr. Brandt | Clinique Moisture Surge Serum, First Aid Beauty Barrier Balm, Dr. Brandt Exfoliator | ~$70+ |
| July 2025 | Tatcha, Glow Recipe, Benefit | Tatcha The Matcha Cleanse, Glow Recipe Blueberry Cleanser, Juliette Has A Gun Perfume | ~$75+ |
Long-term subscribers might notice a pattern. Elemis products appeared in the November, October, September, and August lineups, often as the primary high-value sample.
Similarly, brands like Seraphine Botanicals and Sophia + Mabelle appear frequently, meaning they could be staples of the subscription’s inventory.
IPSY Ingredient Standards and Clean Beauty Policy
This is where the difference between mass-market beauty and curated clean beauty becomes most apparent.
Unlike subscriptions that enforce a strict “Never List,” like Beauty Heroes, IPSY operates as a broad retailer. Their inventory is composed of products you’d find in a standard beauty aisle: a mix of safe, plant-based indie products alongside conventional formulas.
We analyzed the ingredient lists from the recent 2025 lineups to see how they compare to strict clean beauty standards.
Conventional Ingredients Found
Although some products in the box carry a “Clean” label, many items contain ingredients that are typically restricted by clean beauty retailers due to sourcing or health concerns.
- Talc: The Sophia + Mabelle Blush lists talc as its first ingredient. While common in conventional makeup, talc is usually excluded from clean beauty protocols due to potential sourcing issues.
- PEGs and silicones: The viral Color Wow Money Mask (November) utilizes dimethicone (silicone) for texture and includes PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil. Ethoxylated ingredients (PEGs) are frequently avoided in the clean beauty space due to manufacturing concerns regarding 1,4-dioxane.
- Synthetic dyes and fragrance: Even popular items like the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Balm contain “Fragrance/Parfum.” That’s an umbrella term that can include undisclosed scent chemicals, along with synthetic dyes.
IPSY Clean Beauty Availability
IPSY does allow users to filter for “clean” products when shopping in their add-on store, but the subscription box itself doesn’t guarantee a fully clean assortment. In our analysis of the December product pool, roughly 12 out of 50 products met IPSY’s own definition of “clean.”
This means that for subscribers who strictly avoid specific ingredients, the “surprise” element of the box may result in receiving products that don’t really align with their personal standards.
Note: If you’re looking to build a routine strictly free from these ingredients, you might prefer a service with a “Never List” guarantee. (See our exclusive offer below).
Is IPSY Cruelty-Free?
The subscription offers a mix of brands. While IPSY features verified cruelty-free brands like Pacifica and F.A.R.A.H, they also feature brands like Benefit Cosmetics (included in July, October, and November).
Benefit isn’t certified as cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny or PETA. While the brand states they don’t test on animals, they sell in markets that have historically required animal testing by law.
For subscribers who are strictly cruelty-free, IPSY doesn’t currently offer an option to opt out of specific non-certified brands.
Is IPSY Worth the Price?
IPSY advertises the Glam Bag as having a value of up to $70.
The recent 2025 shows that the theoretical retail value often exceeds that (largely due to the high sticker prices of full-size “filler” items like brushes and indie makeup).
Each bag costs roughly $16 (including the handling fee). Here’s how the recent lineups stack up in terms of raw Return on Investment (ROI).
| Month | Est. Value | Cost | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2025 | ~$85 | $16 | 5.3x |
| November 2025 | ~$80 | $16 | 5.0x |
| October 2025 | ~$75 | $16 | 4.6x |
| September 2025 | ~$65 | $16 | 4.0x |
| August 2025 | ~$70 | $16 | 4.3x |
The average multiplier is about 4.6x.
Mathematically, the deal is unbeatable. For every $1 you spend, IPSY delivers roughly $4.6 in retail value.
But this multiplier assumes that an unknown eyeliner holds the same value to you as an Elemis cleanser. Since subscribers often report discarding the “filler” items (the brushes and the unknown palettes), the usable value of the bag is often closer to the $30 to $40 range.
It’s still a good deal, but it’s less astronomical than what the marketing suggests.
What Do Users Have to Say About IPSY?
The IPSY community is vast, and opinions are very divided. For some, it’s a fun monthly ritual; for others, it’s a subscription trap they can’t escape. The platform holds a 2.7-star rating across 6,080 reviews.
Pros
Many subscribers stay for the gamification of the experience.
One user described the value not just in the products, but in the ritual itself: “Part of the value for me is watching the spoilers… hearing what other people think… then the choice day is fun.”
For these users, the excitement of the “Choice Day” reveal justifies the cost, even if every product isn’t a hit.
Customer service also gets high marks from loyal “Ipsters.” Recent Trustpilot reviews praised specific agents (shoutout to “Je and Ken”) for being empathetic and quick to resolve missing item issues. One subscriber noted, “I’ve had more issues with products being broken or missing and they’ve always made it right.”
Cons
However, the quality concerns are a common topic. A recurring theme on Reddit is the shift in brand quality since the BoxyCharm acquisition in 2020.
Many users noted that bags are increasingly filled with less recognizable brands. One user stated, “I’ve got so much Chinese junk I might as well order from Shein for the same price.”
The cancellation process has also been described by many users as “scammy,” with some reporting unauthorized charges months after cancelling. One former subscriber explained, “After they charged me for a membership cancelled in February… I was charged again in April! This produced an overdraft fee in my bank account.”
Finally, the review system itself is criticized for being broken. Users feel forced to “game” the algorithm, rating a good highlighter just one star just to stop IPSY from sending more highlighters. One user said, “We have to play that game… We wouldn’t have to if they brought back the ‘never’ option.”
Best IPSY Beauty Box Alternative: Beauty Heroes
If you’re drawn to the excitement of a monthly unboxing but have grown tired of the “hit or miss” quality, sample sachets, and questionable ingredients found in mass-market boxes, we have the answer.
Beauty Heroes offers a more curated, luxury-focused experience where every product is a full-size, safe, high-performance and a curated “Hero product” by Beauty Heroes founder and clean beauty expert, Jeannie Jarnot. But how do they compare?
| Subscription | Cost/Month | What You Get | Value vs. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPSY | $14/mo (Glam Bag) $32/mo (Boxy Charm) $65/quarter (Icon Box) |
Glam Bag:5 deluxe samples. BoxyCharm: 5 full-size products. Icon Box: 8 full-size premium products |
You pay a low entry price for high volume, but the value includes a mix of established and emerging brands, repeats, and products that may not suit your profile or ingredient standards. |
| Beauty Heroes | $58.95/mo (one-time $45.95/mo (3-month) $41.95/mo (6-month) $39.95/mo (12-month) |
2 to 3 full-size “Hero” and deluxe/sidekick items. Each box is valued at $125 to $300+. | You pay a premium, but boxes often deliver 2x to 7x their cost in declared retail value. Longer plans boost the return further. |
Note: IPSY’s handling fees and tax are excluded from the cost/month calculations.
IPSY wins on accessibility and pure quantity. If you just want “more stuff” for around $14, it’s unbeatable. However, when you compare IPSY’s Boxy Charm tier (around $32) to an annual Beauty Heroes membership ($39.95/mo), the price gap narrows significantly, while the quality gap widens.
With Beauty Heroes, the minimum value is guaranteed at $125+ (often reaching $300+), and every item is strictly vetted for safety and efficacy. IPSY’s “up to $200” value relies on inflated prices from lesser-known filler brands.
Beauty Heroes also has a 15% store-wide discount (minus a few exceptions) for subscription members.
What Is Inside the January 2026 Beauty Heroes Box?
Odacité is a skincare brand that embodies the boldness and innovation reflected in its name, “audacité” in French.
It is known for its concentrated actives, luxurious textures, and transformative botanicals, the brand elevates daily skincare into an indulgent ritual.
Each product is designed to deliver results while supporting skin health, sustainability, and social responsibility.
| Product | Size | Retail Value | Use | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana Harvest Mega Oil Cleanser | 100 ml | $48 | Apply to dry face, massage to dissolve makeup and impurities, then rinse | Omega-rich Hemp + Safflower Oils cleanse without stripping, Sea Buckthorn supports clarity, Sweet Basil + Lemongrass uplift the senses, Olive Squalene moisturizes |
| Edelweiss Extrême Bioactive Renew Supreme Cream | 50 ml | $78 | Apply morning and/or evening on face and neck for hydration and renewal | Edelweiss Extrême® Complex boosts resilience, Pea Peptides support elasticity, Calendula + Chamomile soothe, Carnosine protects against aging |
| C-Nourish Hydra-Firm Body Cream | 170 g | $52 | Apply daily on body for deep hydration and firmness | Shea + Mango Butters nourish and support barrier, Dual-Source Vitamin C brightens and firms, Squalane + Vitamin E hydrate, Colloidal Oatmeal soothes |
Total Box Value: $178
Exclusive IPSY Beauty Box Coupon Code Alternative
If seeing the difference between a bag of samples and a full-sized ritual has you ready to switch, we have a special invitation for you.
We have secured an exclusive code for our readers to make the upgrade to Beauty Heroes even easier.
Use code IPSY15 at checkout to save 15% off your first subscription.
Note: This code is valid for new 3-, 6-, and 12-month commitments only.
Final Verdict: Which Beauty Box Is Better?
IPSY is ideal for variety seekers and beginners. Each bag spans multiple categories and introduces you to viral trends and big-name brands like Tarte and E.L.F. for a very low entry price. It’s a playful, gamified approach to beauty, but the trade-offs include receiving lesser-known brands, conventional ingredients, and smaller sample sizes.
Beauty Heroes, meanwhile, focuses on clean beauty and performance. Each box is a collaboration with one premium brand featuring full-size products and educational materials. It helps you “use the best” products, not “try everything.”
→ If you want viral trends and low-cost variety, choose IPSY.
→ If you want ritual, safety, and full-sized luxury, pick Beauty Heroes.
If your goal is to explore makeup trends without a major financial commitment, IPSY delivers consistent excitement and discovery. It’s perfect for those who enjoy the “lottery” of a surprise bag.
However, if you’re tired of accumulating samples and prefer strict ingredient policies, fewer but higher-end products, and a sustainable approach to self-care, Beauty Heroes is worth the investment.
For those looking to elevate their routine from “fun” to “functional luxury,” Beauty Heroes is the natural next step. Both subscriptions dominate their respective lanes. It’s simply a matter of whether you want a bag of samples or a box of heroes.
