Facebook PixelIpsy November 2020 Review | MSA
My Subscription Addiction
My Subscription Addiction
Our reviewers research, test, and recommend the best subscriptions and products independently; click to learn more about our editorial guidelines. We may receive commissions on purchases made through links on our site.

Ipsy November 2020 Review: Tatcha, First Aid Beauty, and more!

Megan K.
ByMegan K.Nov 19, 2020 | 17 comments

Ipsy
4 overall rating
1813 Ratings | 300 Reviews

Ipsy is a monthly beauty and makeup subscription box. Each month you get full-size or deluxe-sized products, plus a cute makeup bag.

This is one of our top recommendations if you are looking for a subscription box - the value and sample sizes are great. (Check out our list of the best beauty boxes for 2020 and our reviews of Cheap Subscription Boxes for more recommendations!)

(FYI – Just like Birchbox, Ipsy sends out many different variations of their bag each month – so my review is just one of the bag variations you might receive!)

My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

About Ipsy Glam Bag

The Subscription Box: Ipsy

The Cost: $12 a month + free US shipping. Save with an annual subscription.

The Products: Full-sizes and samples of makeup and beauty products. (Plus a makeup bag!)

Ships to: The US for free and Canada for $2.95

Delivered via: DHL or FedEx + USPS

My Ipsy Glam Bag November 2020 Review

 

Included is a card with our product list and additional info!

 

Each month, Ipsy subscribers get a makeup bag in addition to their items. This month features a color-blocked design in navy, tan, and brown. The material is a faux leather and the interior is a peachy color.

 

EYEKO Rock Out and Lash Out Mascara in 'Carbon Black', 2 mL  - Estimated Value $6.50 (buy a full size 8 mL for $26.00)

Meh. I am just not an Eyeko fan. And I always find black mascara samples a little lackluster. This one does come in a cool squeezy tube and with a unique brush shaped like a guitar (hence the Rock Out name). It works fine and coats my lashes with a dark black finish. I found it added more volume but not a ton of length.

 

Tatcha The Deep Cleanse Exfoliating Cleanser, 25 mL - Estimated Value $6.33 (Buy a full size 150 mL for $38.00)

This was my choice item!

I chose this sample because I haven't tried many items from the crowd-pleasing brand, and I thought the little bottle was precious. I really liked this stuff! It has these slightly oversized scrubbers inside that massage my face and provide some exfoliation without being too harsh. I found this did give quite a nice and deep cleanse without leaving my already dry face feeling stripped. I also loved the soft fresh scent!

 

MOTD COSMETICS A Perfect 10 Tapered Face Brush - Retail Value $22.00

I love a bigger, fluffy brush like this because they can be used for so many different applications! I like to use them for applying liquid foundation for a sort of airbrushed look, applying loose powders, and even powder blushes. This brush head is pretty dense and features vegan bristles.

 

CONTEXT Nail Lacquer in 'The Morning After', 9 mL - Retail Value $15.00

I love a dark and moody nail polish and this one reads as black when on the nails but is actually a deep, deep teal. It absolutely needs at least 2 coats since the first one is super sheer and, honestly, not great to look at. Add on that second one and it changes into this edgy and super glossy color that looks nice even on my tiny nails. Polish doesn't stick to my nails well (even a professional gel polish will barely last me a week if I am lucky) so I hate to give an opinion on longevity, but I got through 2 days before noticing any peeling or chipping.

Chic!

 

FIRST AID BEAUTY Ultra Repair Face Moisturizer, 0.34 fl oz - Estimated Value $5.20 (Buy a full-size 1.7 fl oz g for $26.00)

My last little item is a moisturizer I have tried before. FAB is a good brand for anyone looking to avoid fragrances. I didn't really love this formula because it feels a little lightweight for what my skin needs and there are a few alcohols in here that I avoid. This formula falls into that "just ok" category for me personally, but if you have oily skin, this might be a better choice for you.

Verdict: My November Ipsy Glam Bag had some good items inside, though I didn't find it perhaps the most exciting delivery I have had from them. I really liked the nail polish, Tatcha cleanser, and the makeup brush. I was less crazy about the FAB cream and I could go for a few years without seeing an Eyeko mascara, please. The value lands around $55.03, which is quite nice for this $15 subscription. 

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Possibly! As of publication, there was no Ipsy waitlist. Check here to see what month you’ll get first.

Good to Know: Ipsy sends out variations. You may get a completely different bag than me.

Value Breakdown: At $12 for this box, here is what you are paying approximately per item:

  • Eyeko Mascara $1.42
  • Tatcha Cleanser $1.38
  • MOTD Cosmetics Brush $4.80
  • Context Skin Polish $3.27
  • First Aid Beauty Cream $1.13

Alternatively, each item has an average cost of $2.40. 

Check out all of our Ipsy reviews and the best beauty subscription boxes of 2020, as recommended by our readers!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What do you think of my November Ipsy Glam Bag? What items did you get in your bag?

Starting at $14.00
Subscribe Now

IPSY Glam Bag is one of the most popular and affordable subscriptions around, and our readers have selected it as one of the top beauty boxes for the last 5 years running! IPSY Glam Bag connects members with five makeup, skincare, hair care, and other beauty sample... read more.

Megan K.
Megan K.
I love natural/vegan beauty products, Korean skincare, unique jewelry, and weird candies from far away places. When I am not waiting for my next exciting box you can find me painting or taking photographs of interesting people. I never leave home without pug hair somewhere on my shirt and a bold lipstick on my smile.

Join the Conversation

Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.

17 comments

JRose

I received 111skin day cream my choice. Hydrate my face well doesn’t dry it out
My third time getting Avette coconut foam wash
Eyeco mascara I do like mascara and eyeco a good one.
Mischo nail polish in a pretty dusty rose color, looks good on my toenails.
Tarte shape tape, I just got one a few months ago this one is smaller. Doesn’t take much to use, a little goes a long way
Add ons I am happy I got the sleeke hair shampoo and conditioner made a difference in one use. Restored color and doesn’t look dull anymore
Tatcha deep cleanse makes my face feel soft
Glow recipe banana moisture cream
First aid beauty ultra repair moisturizer
Beauty crop stuck on you, It felt a little thick so I lighty sprayed a brush and it glides on nicely, happy to have snagged it. December regular bag is going on pause from getting to many repeats. I wrote them so they let me review them again so I wouldn’t miss out on points. Can’t wait for December for the plus bag and add ons I can pick

Reply ButtonReply

LJ

I got the same brush as the review and was surprised how much larger it was than I imagined based on the pic in the app. I’m happy I received it along with my choice item of the eyeshadow primer. Those two items made the bag worth it for me and yes, mine also has a very strong chemical smell.

Reply ButtonReply

Dootsie

The off-gassing on this bag is INCREDIBLE. Every product that came out of the envelope reeeeeeks.

Reply ButtonReply

Misti

I have the same exact problem with nail polish not staying on my nails but it has to do with natural oil on my nails so before I paint each nail I use a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and nail polish does last longer.

Reply ButtonReply

Annette

I got the MOTD brush $22, the Tarte concealer (tiny sample worth $1.25), Glow recipe Banana Souffle $8, Eyeko mascara , $6.00, a vanilla lip balm $4.99, yep was told the bag was worth $8..I did like what i got other than the Eyeko but the value did seem off to me too!!

Reply ButtonReply

Annette

Sorry this was meant to be to be a reply to Charlotte below.

Reply ButtonReply

Charlotte

I have super picky skin, and that FAB cream is my HG. It’s what I use when my face gets angry at me – redness, flaking, sensitivity, you name it, it fixes it. I’ve even used it to heal my skin after getting bad chemical burns from a face mask. I don’t know why it works so well for me – the colloidal oatmeal, I guess? My one complaint is that I have an issue with it pilling (I tend to really slather it on) if I try to rub it into my face or apply another product on top before it’s fully absorbed. I find it plenty hydrating, though in the winter I pair it with FAB’s Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum. Sorry it didn’t work out for you!

I was kind of underwhelmed in general by the products this month. The spoilers were great, but there was a lot of filler. Happy for my ABH mini lipstick and MOTD brush, but the rest was disappointing.

Reply ButtonReply

Snow

I think the eyeko mascara review was mixed in with a hempz lip balm one 🤔

Reply ButtonReply

Megan K.

Haha, copy and paste fail on my part. Thanks for the catch, Snow! ♥️

Reply ButtonReply

Dawn

I received the shape tape (so tiny an one shade off)… my fault since it was my pick. The brush was quite nice, but I don’t use them. The FAB is not my preferred type of moisturizer, the Eyeko is trash… the brush is ridiculous and you get THICK lashes with no additional length. And it is a bear to remove 😩 And the SJP rollerball fragrance smelled like an old lady rolled in baby powder. I am no Spring Chicken, but I am about 20 years younger than the age I might be willing to revisit this scent… but I doubt I ever would. I added on the Sunday Riley retinol, full size, and 4 other items to offset the disappointment. So this months Ipsy cost me an extra $32. Woo hop!

Vb

I got the exact same bag, I even picked the Tatcha cleanser for the same reason..

Reply ButtonReply

Annette

to clarify, they gave the make-up bag itself a RV$8.

Reply ButtonReply

Annette

My 5 items only added up to $42, I sent a message to customer service. I was under the impression you always got a bag of $50 or up. They gave my bag a RV of $8. Oh well! I did like most of my products though.

Also did anyone else’s bag smell like Petroleum? Mine is awful!!

Reply ButtonReply

Charlotte

Did you have the same bag I did? Because that’s what my bag contents (MOTD brush, FAB moisturizer, Kokie highlighter, Avette cleanser and ABH lipstick) added up to, as well. I didn’t know that they considered the bag to be worth $8. That’s…suspect.

Reply ButtonReply

Lynda

Hmmm. And all this time I kind of thought the bag was a gift.

Sharon

@ Annette… my bag also smelled, so overwhelming, that I tossed it right into the trash and proceeded to cancel my subscription.

Reply ButtonReply

Annette

I hung mine on a hook in the garage to air out, I am not ready to check it yet, LOL!!!