This month’s Ipsy Plus box was a mixed bag for me.
The November 2019 theme is Wild Side, so it makes sense that the makeup bag is a leopard print that’s so on trend this fall. I adore the makeup bag with the faux suede tassel. It goes so well with my purse. And I’m finding that this larger size makeup bag is really handy since it holds so much more.
But what about the products inside the November box? Some wins, one big fail.
- Purlisse Brightening Serum: I love the somewhat surprisingly pricey skincare brand, Purlisse. I’ve tried a number of their products, and their Blue Lotus daytime moisturizer with SPF 30 is one of my favorites: lightweight, not greasy. The anti-inflammatory Brightening Serum is certainly a good one, but right now I have millions of brightening serums, serums with Vitamin C etc. Nevertheless, I will use it for the coming season. Since it’s a creamy lotion, it will be good for the winter because it adds hydration. $65
- Ciate London Dewy Stix Highlighting Balm in shade Glow: Though I’ve been curious about the new makeup products from Ciate, the Dewy Stix in the natural, transparent shade Glow is rather confusing for me. I thought it was something to give skin a dewy look on top of a matte foundation, but on Ipsy’s and Sephora’s website it’s called a highlighter. Though stick highlighters are handy, this one doesn’t really give a shimmery or glittery glow. IMHO, it just makes my skin look kind of greasy. I don’t love this. Perhaps I would have liked it more in one of the other shades that it comes in like pink or gold. $26
- GiGi Gorgeous The Only Blush Duo in shades Authentic & Pride: I had never heard of GiGi Gorgeous, but in writing this mini-review I learned that Gigi Gorgeous is a transgender influencer and YouTuber and she’s collaborated with Ipsy to create this product. Her journey sounds very impressive, but now we’ll focus on the blush. The two shades in this attractive face palette are so pretty and definitely suit me. They’re both pinky-peach, and I can’t go wrong with those shades. Not powdery either. Love this! $22
- Belle en Argent Auteur Lip Color in shade Smoking On Screen: Wow, no doubt that this lipstick in the stunning Old Hollywood style embossed silver metal case is clearly my favorite item in this month’s box! It truly is a lipstick to whip out in a restaurant to reapply the gorgeous soft red lipstick. When I saw the deep red-plum bullet and the photos of models wearing it on the Ipsy website, I thought it was going to be a really dark vampy shade, but it isn’t on me. The highly wearable shade is a classic, and it suits me more than a deep vampy red, but now I’m wondering if I need to put on a few coats for a deeper shade. I love the super creamy but lightweight lipstick that’s packed with jojoba and argan oils. $26 on sale for $18 now
- Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion: OK, it looks like I goofed. Big time. Ipsy now gives you the opportunity to select one of your products in each month’s box. I figured I may be better off at least picking one of my products. I went onto the Ipsy website, and I guess I picked oil-free Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion from the options given. I chose it because I typically love Murad products. I didn’t read the details on the product, so my bad. It turns out it’s from the Acne Control collection that certainly won’t suit my skin type especially in winter when I can use all the oils I can get in my moisturizers. My mistake. I’ll be more careful next time. $42
So though I am excited about the cute leopard print makeup bag, the beautiful Belle en Argent lipstick, and the perfect for me GiGi Gorgeous face palette, I’m so angry that I erroneously chose the Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion from the Acne Collection. Stay tuned for the Murad moisturizer in an upcoming giveaway. I’m also disappointed in the Ciate Dewy Stix in Glow. Oh well, there’s always next month!
The value of this month’s bag is $181. Still worth it since I paid $25, and I’ll use at least 3 of the items as well as the makeup bag.
I know I’m always saying how much I enjoy my Ipsy subscription. Another benefit to being an Ipsy subscriber is the substantial discount subscribers get when purchasing products via the Ipsy website. It’s a good thing 🙂
Thanks for the review Allison. I generally love ipsy but this month has me a bit miffed. I received the Gigi bronzer duo…ugh…I make it as clear as possible that I don’t use bronzer and this month they’ve sent me two! I subscribed to all 3 ipsy bags this month by accident,lol. I also received the same lipstick but,as I’m sure I’ve mentioned to you in the past,I don’t do red,plum,magenta etc. I feel the same as you about the Ciate dewy stick. Sigh..every month can’t be a winner. I love the bag and I will say their customer service is excellent! One of my bags somehow didn’t arrive and they are sending me a replacement,yay and thank you to ipsy.I was going to skip a month but I can’t remember if they do something special for the holiday season,I wouldn’t want to miss out. I’ve been trying to decide between Ipsy and Boxycharm.They both have their strong points but I am leaning towards ipsy,overall I’ve been happy with them…I’ll let it ride for now and see how it goes. Thanks again for the review , it’s always fun to see what others receive.Have a great day Allison.xo
Oh wow, Laura, I’m glad that Ipsy customer service has been good, and so glad they’re sending you a replacement. They did that for me as well when I subscribed to the regular Ipsy bag, and I definitely appreciated it. They have also replaced items that were damaged or spoiled.
3 bags in one month, that’s a lot of cosmetics! Hopefully, you can gift some of them to friends/family 🙂
I feel the same way as you about bronzer – I just don’t use it, and I would be unhappy if I got two of them!
It’s a hard choice between Ipsy Plus and Boxycharm. Often they have similar products, which is not surprising. Some months Boxycharm is better and other month Ipsy Plus seems better. I am surprised that I like getting the bigger makeup bags from Ipsy again, and Boxycharm doesn’t have those. Still a tough choice though.
Thanks for adding to the conversation, Laura! Have a good T-day week <3
The lipstick and the blush duo are gorgeous!
Nice haul! The Murad acne product actually sounds perfect for me! 🙂
I think you are committed to Emme Diane skincare otherwise I would definitely send you the Murad 😉
What a good mix! I’ve never heard of GiGi Gorgeous either but that blush duo looks really beautiful. Ill have to look into the brand more.
My bag is similar but more bronzy than yours. I don’t remember what I picked out actually but it might have been the Murad since I got that too. In the meantime, I have a giveaway for my entire Ipsy sub this month if your readers want to enter: http://beautyinfozone.com/beauty/explore-the-november-ipsy-bag-plus-and-enter-the-giveaway/
MarciaF recently posted…Let’s see what’s shining with The Beauty Spotlight Team
Thank you, Marcia, for giving us the link to your Ipsy Plus box giveaway!