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Is IPSY Worth It? The Best Ways to Shop, Save, and Score With Your Membership

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Whether you’re already delighted with an assortment of products every month or you’re thinking about signing up, it’s important to know that there’s so much more to your IPSY membership than meets the eye. As part of the IPSY beauty community, you have direct access to amazing deals and offers (like discounts on your fave beauty brands!) that come with your membership. From press-on nails and toners to lengthening mascaras and exfoliators, the latest and greatest products are at your fingertips.

Read on to learn about all the perks!

Receive Add-Ons Every Month

Want more beauty products in each shipment? Your membership makes it easy.

Starting at 12 p.m. PT on the 1st of each month, and only available until 3 p.m. PT on the 3rd, you can purchase up to 10 extra items (aka Add-Ons) to accompany your subscription. The assortment of Add-Ons includes deluxe samples starting at just $3.50 each and full-sized products for $12, $18, $25, and $50 each. You could save up to 80% off retail—crazy, right? Add-Ons also ship free and are delivered right to your doorstep.

How do we choose Add-Ons products? The majority of our Add-Ons are the best of the best from our memberships, so if you’re not getting a product in your shipment, Add-Ons give you a chance to try something new (or grab something for someone you love).

Read more about Add-Ons.

Look Out for Member-Exclusive Deals

More deals = more fun. That’s why we release new offers—every. single. week. What can we say? We love to spoil you. Here’s where to find these offers:

  • IPSY Shop. The IPSY Shop is available 24/7 and always between 30%–80% off retail prices. Shop all the bundles, sales, offers, and perks in one place. With new arrivals added weekly, our IPSY Shop is perfect for restocking your beauty essentials when you’re running low or helping you to discover brand-new faves in makeup, skincare, haircare, and more. 

  • Mega Drop Shop. Once a quarter (in January, April, July, and October) we'll be amping it up with Mega Drop Shop, our biggest sale on makeup, skincare, haircare, and lifestyle products—save up to 80% off on hundreds of top brands and products.

Benefit With Beauty Boost for BoxyCharm Members

Max beauty. Less money. Add Beauty Boost to your BoxyCharm membership, and you’ll receive first dibs on a bonus premium, full-size product from brands like FENTY, DRUNK ELEPHANT, KATE SOMERVILLE, and more for only $15 a month. This Beauty Boost will be worth at least $40 on its own (a guaranteed savings of 60%!) and ships with your box.

Read more about Beauty Boost.

Surprise Yourself With Mystery Bags

Mystery Bags are filled with an assortment of five popular products from a previous month’s product selection. We love sending out surprises, and Mystery Bags make the perfect gift for you or your friends and fam. Remember that shipment you absolutely loved? Now’s your chance to score it again.

Mystery Bags are available in the IPSY Shop at different times each month (you know, because they’re filled with mystery), so check IPSY.com/Shop often to see when they’re available.

Which Membership Is the Most Worth It for You?

The short answer (and the good news) is that whichever membership you choose, you really can't go wrong. But to help find the right one for you, we'll break down everything you need to know.

To start, we have two base memberships: Glam Bag and BoxyCharm. Beyond that, there’s Icon Box, which is a quarterly, members-only upgrade available only with an active monthly base membership. With Glam Bag, you discover five deluxe-size samples (worth up to $70) for $14/month, and with BoxyCharm, you discover five full-size products (worth up to $200) for $30/month. Choose to go all-in with Icon Box, and you’ll receive eight full-size products curated by a beauty icon (worth up to $350) for $60/quarterly shipment. Icon Box replaces your usual monthly bag or box in February, May, August, and November.

Pro tip: Another feature you’ll love is Choice. If you have a Glam Bag, you get to choose one deluxe-size product that goes in your bag each month. If you have BoxyCharm or Icon Box, this customization is called Build Your Box, and you get to choose three (yes, three!) of your full-size products every month from the 1st to 3rd. Whatever you choose, you’ll always have something to look forward to in your bag.

What Are Refreshments?

Once you’ve selected the best membership for your lifestyle, jazzing up your everyday routine is next! Enter: Refreshments, a new membership that helps you stock up on clean, skin-loving staples starting at just $6. This is a 20% off retail savings for members!

We meant it when we said that more deals = more fun. With Refreshments, you can set up monthly recurring orders on your fave essentials, adding, removing, or skipping products whenever you need to. Your Refreshments membership is separate from your Glam Bag or BoxyCharm, but the good news is that both will ship together—because we get that waiting for new faves is hard.

Learn more about Refreshments.

We hope this helps you make the most of your IPSY membership!

Want in on all the IPSY fun? Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started. Already a member? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and TikTok @IPSY.

About the author
Gerilyn Manago
Gerilyn Manago
Gerilyn is a freelance writer with more than nine years of editorial and social media experience in lifestyle and beauty. Her background includes Allure, Men’s Health, and PEOPLE. Currently, she oversees content for four Napa Valley wine brands.
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Article Last Updated August 5, 2023 12:00 AM