Does The Perfect Beauty Gift Exist? Yes — I Found It.

Anytime anyone asks me what my love language is, I facetiously make the same routine remark: gifts. I’m exceptionally adept at receiving gifts, more so than its much loving counterpart: giving gifts. I could say it’s because I come from a family of terrible gift-givers. Growing up, my parents were often at a loss and gave me random items (self-help books, candles, and whatnot), like I was a next-door neighbor or some distant relative. 

You would think that, as an adult, I’d compensate for my less-than-ideal gift-receiving history by becoming the greatest gift-giver of all time. But the truth is, I panic. What tends to happen is that I spend an entire year mentally bookmarking the things I think my loved ones would adore, and when the time comes, my mind blanks and I scramble. There’s a whole lot of hand-wringing and rapid-fire online ordering that often result in presents that they’d never use. Or as a last resort, I turn to gift cards (sorry, Lisa) or a bottle of wine (sorry, Rose). 

That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate and value the immense power of gifting. I recognize that it’s an art form. All I know is this: What differentiates a great gift from a mediocre one — a phenomenal gift from a great one — boils down to thought and intention. Factor in the recipient, their likes/dislikes, and the element of surprise, and securing “the perfect gift” can feel as elusive as finding “the one” on a dating app in 2024.

Well, not anymore. IPSY, the beloved beauty subscription service that delivers a personalized box of favorite and new brands every month, now offers a gifting option, which means figuring out and giving the perfect gift is no longer such a seemingly impossible task. 

This is how it works: You can send a three-, six-, or 12-month subscription of two different kinds of boxes. There’s Glam Bag ($50 for three months, $95 for six, and $180 for 12), which boasts five deluxe-size samples all housed in a makeup bag — perfect for the girly who’s all about experimenting with new beauty trends (or in my case, my friend Mariya who never fails to show up to our dinners with a new eye look). Then there’s BoxyCharm ($100 for three months, $190 for six, and $360 for 12) that comes with five full-size products from cult-favorite brands — perfect for anyone who loves beauty (like my beauty editor friend Marianne whose apartment essentially doubles as a giant beauty closet). 

Neither gifter nor giftee needs to be an IPSY member. Once the gift is sent (which, by the way, you can send right away or schedule, and also leave a custom note), the recipient will be directed to take IPSY’s highly comprehensive Beauty Quiz, which will then inform their uniquely curated selection of makeup, skin care, hair care, and more in their Glam Bag or BoxyCharm. They’ll be asked questions about how comfortable they are with makeup, how often they use specific products, their favorite shades, and more. 

And because they’re able to select one product for Glam Bag, and three for BoxyCharm, the result ends up being a truly delightful mix of familiar favorites and fun surprises — every month. In other words, my bad-gifting streak ends now.