IPSY vs BoxyCharm: Which Beauty Box Is Safer?

The Bottom Line

IPSY Original wins this comparison, but not because it is a good service. It and IPSY Extra, which was called BoxyCharm until March 2026, are the same company selling two tiers of the same programme. They share a Trustpilot profile, a BBB file, and an identical set of customer service complaints. IPSY Original wins because you risk less money, about $17 a month delivered against $32, for a subscription with documented operational problems.

One naming note before anything else: in March 2026 IPSY renamed its whole lineup. Glam Bag became IPSY Original, BoxyCharm became IPSY Extra, and Icon Box became IPSY Ultimate. Reviews written before that date use names that no longer appear anywhere on the site.

Critical Warning

Both services operate under the IPSY parent company and share identical trust indicators:

• 2.2/5 Trustpilot rating across about 6,200 reviews, which Trustpilot labels Poor
• 342 BBB complaints closed in 3 years
• A+ BBB rating that masks customer service problems
• Widespread cancellation difficulties reported by customers

The A+ BBB rating is misleading. It means the company responds to complaints, not that customers are satisfied. Proceed with caution for either subscription.

Quick Comparison

Why IPSY Original Wins

Lower Financial Risk

With IPSY Original at $15 plus $1.99 shipping, you risk roughly half the money compared to IPSY Extra at $32. Given that both services have:

• Reports of continued charges after cancellation
• Difficulty reaching customer service
• Delayed or missing shipments

The lower price point means less money at risk if you experience these common issues.

Better Entry Point for Testing

If you’ve never tried either service, IPSY Original lets you test the IPSY family experience for less. If you encounter the cancellation difficulties that many customers report, you’ll lose less money resolving the issue.

Adequate for Beauty Discovery

For trying new products, deluxe samples provide enough product (5-15 uses) to evaluate whether you like a formula. You don’t need a full-size product you might not use if the color or formula doesn’t work for you.

What’s In Each Box?

IPSY Original ($15 plus shipping)

• 5 deluxe-size beauty products
• 1 product you choose from curated options
• Collectible Glam Bag
• Mix of makeup, skincare, and hair products
• Members-only shop access with 70% off deals

IPSY Extra, formerly BoxyCharm ($32)

• 5 full-size beauty products
• 3 products you choose from curated options
• Up to $200 retail value
• Mix of makeup, skincare, and beauty tools
• Access to same IPSY members-only shopping

The Customer Service Problem

Both services share the same documented issues:

Cancellation Difficulties

• Multiple customers report cancellation requests being ignored
• Charges continue after cancellation attempts
• No phone support available (email only)
• Some customers resorted to credit card disputes

Shipping Issues

• Delayed shipments with no refunds offered
• Missing packages with slow resolution
• Inconsistent delivery timing

Account Problems

• Difficulty accessing accounts to cancel
• Billing issues reported frequently
• Personalization not matching preferences

If you subscribe to either, document everything and monitor your credit card statements carefully.

Value Analysis

IPSY Original Value

BoxyCharm Value

IPSY Extra offers far better raw value per dollar, and if you will genuinely use five full-size products a month it is the better buy. The higher price simply means more money exposed to a service with known support problems.

Who Should Choose IPSY Original?

Choose IPSY Original if you:

• Want to test beauty subscriptions with minimal risk
• Prefer trying samples before committing to full-size
• Have a limited beauty budget ($16/month is accessible)
• Want cute collectible bags for travel or organization
• Are comfortable with email-only customer support

Who Should Choose BoxyCharm?

Choose BoxyCharm if you:

• Definitely want full-size products, not samples
• Use makeup/skincare frequently enough to finish products
• Have space to store 5 new products monthly
• Are willing to accept higher financial risk
• Already know you like products from brands they feature

Who Should Choose Neither?

Consider avoiding both if you:

• Prioritize responsive customer service
• Need easy cancellation options
• Have had issues with subscription boxes before
• Are not prepared to dispute charges if needed
• Want guaranteed delivery timing

Alternatives to consider:

• Allure Beauty Box: a different parent company, so a genuinely separate service record
• Direct brand subscriptions: usually better support, at the cost of discovery
• Not Birchbox Monthly. We previously listed it here and have removed it. Its BBB grade is F with every complaint on file unanswered, and it stopped shipping to paying customers in 2022. It is not the safer option it looks like.

Risk Mitigation Tips

If you do subscribe to either service:

1. Use a credit card with strong purchase protection
2. Screenshot your subscription details and cancellation attempts
3. Set a calendar reminder before renewal dates
4. Document all communications with customer service
5. Check statements monthly for unexpected charges
6. Cancel early if you want to stop (don’t wait until renewal day)

Final Verdict

Winner: IPSY Original

This isn’t a recommendation so much as harm reduction. Both IPSY services have significant customer service issues documented across Trustpilot, BBB, and Reddit. IPSY Original wins because:

1. Roughly half the price, about $17 delivered against $32, means half the exposure
2. Deluxe samples are adequate for discovery
3. Same parent company issues affect both equally
4. Lower commitment if problems arise

If full-size products are what you actually want, IPSY Extra remains a reasonable buy on value alone. Proceed knowing the support record applies equally.

Best approach: start with a single month of IPSY Original and never prepay. If the experience is good, move up to IPSY Extra. If it is not, you have risked about $17 learning that.

One Thing to Know About the A+ Rating

It is worth being precise about why we keep flagging IPSY’s BBB grade rather than treating it as reassurance.

An A+ from BBB measures responsiveness. IPSY answers its complaints, so it earns the grade. What the grade cannot tell you is whether the answer helped. With 342 complaints closed in three years and a Trustpilot score of 2.2, the most consistent reading is that IPSY replies promptly and customers remain unhappy with the outcome.

That is a different failure than a company ignoring you, which is what an F grade usually signals. It is better, but it is not good, and it is why we rate both of these boxes below 4.0 despite the A+ sitting on their profiles.