Ipsy Icon Box November 2023 Unboxing & Review – Pat McGrath Edition
I was beyond excited when I found out that our November 2023 Icon Box will be curated by the makeup legend herself, Pat McGrath! I just had a feeing that she would choose some of the most coveted and beautiful products to be included, plus the possibility of sampling more goodies from her namesake line was very exciting. I finally received my box, and she did not disappoint. In fact, this might be one of my favorite Ipsy boxes yet. Let me know if you agree!
HOW IT WORKS:
Ipsy Icon Box is a new quarterly upgrade for existing Ipsy subscribers curated by beauty industry icons, such as Anastasia Soare, Pat McGrath, and others. To receive it, opt-in on the website to get the Icon Box instead of your regular Glam Bag that month. Icon Box is available every February, May, August, and November and costs $58/quarter. This delivery includes 8 full-sized products worth up to $350 and allows some customization by allowing you to pick three of the eight items. Click here to check it out.
IN THE BAG:
1 // The Quick Flick Perfect Wings Eyeliner Stamp in To The Point Intense Black ($29.99) – It takes some getting used to, but once you hone the stamp placement technique, the whole process of getting perfect even wings will take less than a minute for both eyes. As someone who dreads spending too much time evening out the wings and making sure they are even, I definitely appreciate a product that makes things easier for me. The formula is pretty long-lasting and doesn’t smudge easily on my slightly oily, hooded eyelids, and the color is true get black, not dark gray. This is pretty much the same concept as Kaja Wink Stamp eyeliner, which I also adore. 4/5 – docking a star because the stamping takes some getting used to.
2 // Mischo Beauty Setting Spray ($21) – Most setting sprays I tried before leave my skin with a matte, hairspray-like finish, but this one is different. Not only does it help my makeup last longer, it actually gives my skin a healthy dewy glow. If you want your face to look like a glazed donut or a dewy dumpling, this is a product for you. If you already have oily skin and prefer to keep things matte, avoid it at all costs. This spray is good at what it does, but it won’t work for everyone. 4/5 – not an all-around crowd pleaser, but those who love it, will love it a lot.
3 // Drunk Elephant Silkamino™ Conditioning Leave-In Milk ($32) – I was really curious to try Drunk Elephant haircare since it first came out but never felt the need to buy any because I stocked up on Amika and Living Proof during past sales still have a lot of shampoos and conditioners to finish. However, after trying this leave-in milk, I am now tempted to buy the rest of the line and try everything together. This milk is essentially works as a detangler, heat protector, and frizz control. It’s not too heavy and I could easily use it on my fine hair without sacrificing volume. It certainly helped my hair look smooth if I use it immediately before heat styling, but didn’t do anything if I left my hair to air dry. 4/5 – probably won’t work for all hair styles, and doesn’t do much if you just air-dry.
4 // Herbivore Botanicals SUPER NOVA 5% Vitamin C + Caffeine Brightening Eye Cream ($48) – I already have 2 eye creams open right now but still couldn’t resist trying this one as soon as I opened the box. Like all Herbivore Botanicals products, it smells amazing! The texture is thick and very creamy, so you need to use it sparingly to avoid applying too much. It spreads on the skin without tugging, which is ideal for eye area because you definitely want to minimize the friction to avoid redness. I’ve been using it in my routine for a couple weeks so I can’t speak for the brightening benefits, but it definitely depuffs like a champ. Caffeine is the star ingredient for me here, not Vitamin C. 4/5 – haven’t noticed all the claimed benefits yet, but the instant depuffing effect is impressive.
5 // Lys Beauty Speak Love Glossy Lip Treatment Oil Duo in OG & Lovable ($24) – Ok, so I’ve seen this brand at Sephora and it’s constantly being suggested to me by friends, influencers, and newsletters. I figured it must be good, but never really felt the urge to try anything. Until now… This lip gloss duo was the first thing (things?) I tried from the brand so far and they might have pushed me over the edge to try more now. I was *shocked* at the quality! These lip oils wear like lip gloss: they feel nourishing but don’t have that oily sheen I typically associate with beauty oils. Another thing I appreciate is the color is not transparent and actually shows on the lips, so you can have multiple shades in your collection and they won’t all look the same. The only thing I don’t care for is the applicator – I find it too messy, there’s always some product smudged all over that plastic tip after each application so I have to wipe off the excess before I close the lid. I feel like it will waste product over time. Other than that, the quality is fantastic and the value for money can’t be beat. 4/5 – perfect product, mildly frustrating packaging.
6 // Danessa Myricks Dew Wet Balm in Rosewater ($22) – I love seeing another WOC-owned brand in a Pat McGrath box! Danessa’s makeup aesthetic is right up my alley – her products bend the lines between makeup and skincare, and formulas often morph into the skin seamlessly, which makes them look like part of your body rather than makeup you’re wearing. This balm has a very appropriate name, too, you get exactly what it says – wet, dewy, and glossy finish. This is definitely not a product for everyone, but if you like the true glass skin effect where your face has that strategically placed glow but without any shimmers or glitter so it looks 100% like your own skin, look no further! This particular shade is tinted so it works best in the areas where you would normally apply blush, but the brand also has other colors and a clear gloss so there’s something for everyone. I absolutely adore how it looks on my face, it gives me the most natural dewy finish which is especially flattering on no-makeup days! You also get a lot of product for $22 so it should last a long time. 5/5 – love everything about it!
7 // Pat McGrath Labs Dark Star Mascara in Xtreme Black ($34) – Finally, we got to a Pat McGrath product! I actually kind of expected to get more than one in my bag, but I’ll happily take this mascara over a palette or a lip color I can’t use. I actually already tried it before when it first launched, and I thought it gave me beautiful results. This is one of those do-everything, ultra bold mascaras with a bushy, fluffy, hourglass-shaped wand that lifts, curls, and thickens every lash. The formula is thick and waxy, it can look spidery if you apply too many layers so I always used it very carefully. The only con I can think of is that the formula is perhaps a bit too waxy, so when you apply several layers, it might not dry all the way, which can result in some undereye smudging. I don’t have those issues when I’m wearing only 1 or 2 coats, but when I do more, I definitely need to touch up the smudging by mid-afternoon. 4/5 – tends to smudge if you apply 3+ coats.
8 // Murad Rapid Collagen Infusion ($89) – I’ve been on a Murad kick since last year, and always happy to try more things from one of my favorite brands. Rapid Collagen Infusion is one of those “instant fix” products that makes your skin look better right away, and also helps improve hydration on a deeper level over time with consistent use. This serum works by filling the dry cracks and fine lines, and plumping the skin surface to make it look smooth in as little as two hours. You can literally watch those lines disappear before your eyes! If it was in my budget, I would use it every single day, but since this serum costs almost $100 and you don’t get that much in the bottle, I save mine for special occasions and date nights. 5/5 – even though the results are temporary, they are so dramatic! Very cool product to use, works almost like magic.
BOTTOM LINE:
This was one of my favorite Ipsy boxes ever, and I even got to try some of the products that I’ve been eyeing at Sephora for months. This is precisely what I expect from my beauty boxes – discovery and pure excitement – and the latest Ipsy Icon box delivered just that. While not everything got 5 stars, I genuinely enjoyed all products. Not gonna lie, trying to stay objective in my rankings was the hardest thing, and felt a little petty at times when I docked a star for something minor, like packaging or initial difficulty of use. Also, $300 value for $58, not bad at all!
So, what do you think? Would you like this box if you received it? Do you think it’s worth the $58 premium price?
