Ipsy September 2019 Subscription Box Review

Ipsy Bag

Cost: $10 monthly, $110 annual

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month Ipsy sends out a cute makeup bag of samples and full size items. You can review your bag for points that you can trade in for reward items. The rewards change often and the range between 300 points and 1000 points. You can get around 95 points every month.

If you want to subscribe you can subscribe HERE and skip the waitlist. That is my referral link so I do get points to spend but I’m not an affiliate I don’t make any money or anything it’s just one beauty junkie to another.

Though that is changing now so I’ll talk more about that later and next month.


The bag this month is so so cute I love the constellations on it and the fake quartz zipper pull and that it is a nice canvas. This will be the first bag in a while that I am keeping.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask

Full Size: 80 ml

Full Size Cost: $45

Sample Size: 10 ml

Value: $5.63

I love this sleeping mask but it is so expensive. It really does leave my skin looking glowy and and hydrated and soft when I use it.

L.O.C.K. COLOR Unicorn Glow Hydrating Primer

Full Size: 30 g

Full Size Cost: $12

Sample Size: 10 g

Value: $4

This is supposed to be a collagen infused primer that makes your skin look plumper and I would say it did do that but it is nothing particularly spectacular.

111 Skin Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel

Full Size: 15 ml

Full Size Cost: $190

Sample Size: 7.5 ml

Value: $95

I fucking choked when I saw the price of this. For that price it better do some magic. I tried it before looking at pricey and didn’t feel like it was all that special but um maybe it gets better with time. Because for that pricey it better do magic for my eyes and cook me dinner too.

Ofra x Madison Miller Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Oh My Ry Ry

Full Size: 8 g

Full Size Cost: $20

Sample Size: 6 g

Value: $15

I feel like every Ofra Liquid Lipstick I have is in this same mauve color. The formula on these is pretty light and mousse so they aren’t too uncomfortable to wear.

The Beauty Crop Eyeshadow in Seren

Full Size: 3 g

Full Size Cost: $?

Sample Size: 3 g

Value: $?

So they don’t seem to sell single eyeshadows anymore so I don’t know how much this is but it is full size. This is a pretty metallic plum color. Very smooth and creamy.


So i got a full size eyeshadow and a crazy expensive eye cream that is almost worth what i spend on the this whole subscription each year so that is a win.

So starting next month the Ipsy bag is going up to $12 a month, $132 a year. The bag will now be worth $50+ a month (which it almost always was anyway…) and you will get to customize one item each month starting with the October bag so I will see how that goes next month and talk more about it then.

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $119.63

Skincare: 2

Makeup: 3

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 1

Deluxe Sample: 2

Sample: 2

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

Sephora Play! August 2019 Subscription Box Review

Sephora Play!

Cost: $10.00 monthly + tax

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month our favorite money sucking store Sephora sends out a curated box of higher end samples to try out. Every month you receive 5 samples and a perfume sample. The boxes are customized with a few different variations being sent out each month.

There is a small survey that Sephora has you take that helps Sephora curate a box to your needs. There is also a card included in the box for a complimentary mini makeover and 50 extra points if you purchase something in store and now online too.


Wow this is a star studded box this month.

Laura Mercier Caviar Volume Panoramic Mascara

Full Size: 12 ml

Full Size Cost: $25

Sample Size: 3 ml

Value: $6.25

This glossy black packaging with almost steel looking silver designs is giving me feels I really like it. This is supposed make your lashes look bold but also like soft and touchable at the same time. I will never run out mascara as long as I live. The brush is the kind I like with natural bristles and a nice twist in it that I feel really lengthens and defines my lashes.

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dance Fever

Full Size: 2.4 g

Full Size Cost: $27

Sample Size: 1.8 g

Value: $20.25

This is a nice brown nude I think this is one of the new shades they just launched but I am not sure. I like The Nars Matte pencils they are super smooth and feel really comfortable on. Don’t confuse them with the Satin pencils though those slide all over your face.

Sunday Riley A+ High-Dose Retinoid

Full Size: 30 ml

Full Size Cost: $85

Sample Size: 5 ml

Value: $14.17

I have another tube of this I can’t remember if it came in Sephora or Macy’s but I am waiting until fall when I am in the sun less to try retionol for the first time. But more of a super expensive retional is not going to upset me I now have a third of a full bottle.

Moroccanoil Moroccanoil Treatment

Full Size: 50 ml

Full Size Cost: $34

Sample Size: 10 ml

Value: $6.80

I love this hair oil it absorbs really well and makes my hair so soft and shiny.

Algenist Genius Sleeping Collagen

Full Size: 60 ml

Full Size Cost: $98

Sample Size: 8 ml

Value: $13.07

This feel really nice on but I don’t know about long term yet. It feels really moisturizing and just good and soft on my skin.

Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream

Full Size: 50 ml

Full Size Cost: $58

Sample Size: 5 ml

Value: $5.80

This is a very thick heavy cream I don’t know how that will work for me I am not into super thick or heavy creams.


This was a really star studded box with really big name expensive brands I am super happy with this months box it was really great!

Quick Summary:

Total Value: $66.34

Skincare: 3

Makeup: 2

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 1

Perfume: 0

Other: 0

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 0

Deluxe Sample: 1

Sample: 5

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup

Macy’s Beauty Box August 2019 Subscription Box Review

Macy’s Beauty Box

Cost: $15

Cycle: Every Month

What is it: Every month you will get a bag, a $5 off coupon (sometimes $10), 5 deluxe samples and 1 bonus sample. Why not just say 6? I don’t get it.

All the brands will be brands you can find in Macy’s which is cool since they sell Mac and a lot of other brands that are never to rarely in subscription boxes.

The cool thing about the coupon is that it is good in stores and online also Macy’s does have sales and $5 products so if you are strategic you can score a free product every month. Depending on your state you may still have to pay tax but it is still basically free.


This bag has super 80s vibes this month to me at least with the double vision pink and blue lips on black idk I wasn’t there but I assume that’s what the 80s was like.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe Cucumber and Green Tea

Full Size: 2 oz

Full Size Cost: $5

Sample Size: 2 oz

Value: $5

I don’t love the green tea spray my favorite is the orange blossom one but I can use the green tea one and I have become addicted to facial sprays so it is nice to have more and one that I could travel with if I wanted to. The scent of this is pretty inoffensive and it is a fine facial spray not my favorite but it is ok.

SK-II Facial Treatment Mask

Full Size: 1 Mask

Full Size Cost: $17

Sample Size: 1 Mask

Value: $17

Sorry this picture is so shitty it is really hard to take a picture of essentially a crumpled aluminum foil bag. The price on this is ridiculous who the hell would spend $17 dollars on a sheet mask. I don’t find the SK-II products to do anything for my skin but when I want to feel Extra as hell I’ll use this.

Juicy Couture Oui Perfume

Full Size: 50 ml

Full Size Cost: $85

Sample Size: 1.5 ml

Value: $2.55

I love this I have it in a full size and always to happy to have a mini to travel with. To me this scent is really light and good for summer but I don’t really know how to describe the scent at all. The scent description is watermelon which I can see and the jasmine and techno woods. What the hell is a techno wood and what does that smell like?

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil in Chaos

Full Size: 1.2 g

Full Size Cost: $22

Sample Size: 1.2 g

Value: $22

This is my favorite eyeliners so thrilled to get a full size one in a color I don’t have. The only way I can describe this shade is University of Delaware blue it is the exact shade of the blue from Udel. Any way these are super smooth amd pigmented and last really well and I hate that they are $22 because that is ridiculous for eyeliner either way in love. And this is the second product we got that is more expensive then the bag and the 3rd full size item craziness. Swatched Below.

Tarte Tarteist Lip Paint in Rose

Full Size: 6 ml

Full Size Cost: $20

Sample Size: 1 ml

Value: $3.33

I swear every color I have of this all looks the same. The same neutral dusty rose color and this is the same despite them all having different shade names. I am not super into the shades these come in. The wear fine though they are comfortable. Swatched Below.

Tony Moly Mini Berry Lip Balm in Cherry

Full Size: 7.2 g

Full Size Cost: $5

Sample Size: 7.2 g

Value: $5

How adorable is this thing?! I mean totally impractical to carry around ant the little stem is like stretchy rubber so fun to play with but I foresee that ripping off really easily. This is a peachy pink tinted really nice feeling lip balm I hate tinted balms in pots I think it is messy and gross but this is too cute and tastes too good (cherries) to not use. Swatched Below.

Lovely colors. Eyeliner, lip paint, lip balm.

This was another great month. 4 of the 6 items are full size from a bag that only promises samples like it can’t be better then that. This has really become my most favorite bag in terms of value you for price and use I get out of products and the excitement I have wondering what I’ll get each month. I really love this bag and the coupon makes for a nice ok let’s go to Macy’s and see what free thing I am going to get this month and there are always $5 options that I am happy to grab for free.

Total Value: $54.88

Skincare: 2

Makeup: 2

Tools: 0

Hair Care: 0

Perfume: 1

Other: 1

And as far as sizes:

Full Size: 4

Deluxe Sample: 0

Sample: 2

<3 Nightmare Before Makeup