Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Ipsy, $10 a month, beauty samples
I paid $11, including tax
Box Retail value: $49 , My value: $22*
Ipsy is the main competitor to Birchbox, offering five beauty samples a month, also for $10. Ipsy has a reputation for sending out more make-up items and Birchbox specializing on skin care. I don’t usually notice a difference, but this time we got two makeup items on Ipsy and just one on Birchbox. I actually got Ipsy for my 13-yo daughter, and this month she’s happy with the bag.
Ipsy samples come in a mini-makeup bag which changes every month. My daughter likes this month’s bag. This month’s box has a value of at least $30, as some of the products don’t seem widely available it’s difficult to determine their actual retail price. However, given that my daughter won’t be using the eyeshadow or lipstick, and that the products she got were not particularly special, we probably just broke even between the actual value of the products and what we paid.
These were the contents of the bag:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
This month we got four full size products (eyeshadow, lipstick, lip balm and tweezers) and one small sample (dry shampoo).
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Nicka K New York Quad Eyeshadow in Sierra , full size: 8g, $5
The colors are a little bit more on the tan side in real life. It’s a very nice compact for the price. Unfortunately, the eyeshadows are made in China which always brings fear of contamination my way.
It’s nice that Ipsy is including so many full size products, however it’d be much nicer if these weren’t from bottom-barrel brands. I suspect Nicka K will be available in your local dollar store fairly soon.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Teeez Trend Cosmetics Read my lips lipstick in Killing Me Softly, 2 g, $22
Teeez Trend is a Dutch brand sold at drugstores in the Netherlands. They don’t seem to be in stores in the US and Teeez Trend does not sell on its website. This particular line does not appear on Teeez’ website or anywhere else, so I’m guessing on the price based on what their other lipsticks sell for in Europe.
Ipsy described the color as a light red, but on my daughter it looked more like coral – a color that doesn’t work for her. It look even more hideous on me. It did make her lips look plumper.
Update: Apparently, the introduction of this lipstick in the Ipsy is the launch of Teeez Trend in the US. They’ve slimmed down their lines (they only list three lipsticks now, for example), but they are now selling from their website. This lipstick is listed as selling for $22, however, as it’s a new product and only available in one color, I’m not sure that that can be considered its market value.
Made in the European Union.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Jersey Shore Cosmetics Mongongo Lip Conditioner in Vanilla Coconut Cream , regular size .15 oz, $10 ($8 on on Amazon.comImage may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
)
This is a run of the mill lip balm made with sunflower oil, beeswax and cocoa butter, which uses a tiny bit of mongongo oil to differentiate itself and be able to charge $10 for a product that costs pennies to make. My daughter says it feels like any other lip balm, however it gets very good reviews on Amazon.
Update: My daughter decided that she really likes this lip balm. She likes the creamy consistency and loves the flavor.
Made in the US.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Crown Brush Professional Tweezers, mini size, $10.5
My daughter says that these work, but she likes my Revlon tweezersImage may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
better
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Eva NYC Freshen Up Dry ShampooImage may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
We all use a lot of dry shampoo, and my daughter was happy to get this. However, she feels it’s a pretty average dry shampoo, with nothing really to distinguish it.
*”Retail value” refers to the total price for which the products in the box sell at major retailers or, when the product is an exclusive, by the manufacturer. In the case of samples, I arrive to this value by determining the per-unit price of a full size item, and then multiplying it by the units in the sample. “My value” refers to the combined value of the products in the box that my family and I will actually use. To be a good value, a beauty box should have a retail value that is at least twice that of the subscription price and my value for the box should be higher than its price.