Ipsy

Buying makeup is expensive. Buying good makeup is astronomical! What most of the wonderful tutorials on YouTube do not mention is how much they paid to acquire all the proper tools to look that amazing. Having the necessary tools for any job can make or break your outcome. You can drive a nail into a wall with a high heel to hang a mirror but a hammer would make the job easier. If you hang a mirror with a nail the mirror will probably fall, a screw with a wall anchor would most likely ensure that the mirror will stay in place. The point is, to do the best job you need the best tools.

How do you know what tools are the best? What works for some doesn't always work for others especially when it comes to makeup. Different skin tones and different eye colors and different facial features all come in to play when applying the best makeup look for you. I'm sure you already know that good makeup is not cheap, and nothing is more disappointing than spending $20 on a good brand of makeup and then discovering the color doesn't look that great on you. You can't take it back so now you're just stuck with something that you are never going to use.

There is a solution! There are several different companies on the internet that will send you samples of makeup and beauty products every month at a very affordable price. This month I am going to tell you about my experience with one such web service called Ipsy.

Ipsy is an awesome site that sends you 5 sample sized makeup and makeup related products for $10 a month. If you are a baller on a budget and addicted to makeup this site is a lifesaver. They have you fill out a survey, what you like, what's your skin tone etc. Then they send you products that fall in this criteria every month. I have received very high-quality samples of brands that I will only buy from now on. I have received concealer's, lipsticks, lip liners, eyeliners, eyeshadows, highlighters and all kinds of makeup that I would be too afraid to experiment with if it had not come to my doorstep. I have received, eye serums, face masks, soaps, and some really nice brushes. Every month your 5 items are sent to you in a unique makeup bag. What you receive for this $10 a month is well worth it.

PROS: VARIETY!!! The items they send you are very high quality and allow you to try looks that you previously may not have been able to try with your personal makeup inventory. We all get in the habit of buying what we know looks good and it makes it a little harder to try new things. It really is a money saver when you think about it. For 1 year you spend $120 and receive 60 samples. I can spend $120 in 5 minutes at Ulta. $120 a year, for 5 samples every month breaks down to about $1.20 per sample and that does not include the bag you receive every month. Some I keep, some that I know I will never use I give to my kids, some, I give to my sister and my mom, or I sell them on online garage sales for like $3 a pop.

CONS: Not every product is a winner. That really isn't even that much of a con when you consider that buying the product for yourself just to try would have cost you up to 4 times what the sample cost you.

Final Assessment: The gain totally outweighs the risk with this one. I love this service and will continue on with it until I have no more storage for my samples.

If you use this service please share you experience in the comment section. If you use a similar service please let me know what you use. I would love to try it.