What ipsy does

IPSY, operating as Personalized Beauty Discovery, Inc., is a US-based direct-to-consumer beauty subscription platform founded in 2011 by Michelle Phan, Marcelo Camberos, and Jennifer Goldfarb, and now owned by parent BFA Industries following the 2020 acquisition of competitor BoxyCharm for approximately $500 million and a 2023 operational merger. The company serves over 20 million beauty community members through three subscription tiers (IPSY Original / Glam Bag at $15/month, IPSY Extra at $28+/month, and IPSY Ultimate at $65/quarter) shipped from warehouses in North Carolina and Missouri, supplemented by an IPSY Shop e-commerce marketplace, gift subscriptions, and an emerging IPSY Wellness vertical. Its technology stack includes a Beauty Quiz personalization engine, an AI-first beauty consultant platform with AR try-on capabilities, and a 2026-deployed OnePint.ai inventory availability platform supporting millions of recurring shipments and thousands of SKUs.

The go-to-market is hybrid: product-led growth via the quiz-driven onboarding funnel is layered with community-led acquisition through 1,000+ creator partners, social media presence across Instagram/TikTok/YouTube/Snapchat/Pinterest/Facebook, experiential pop-ups (e.g., the April 2026 NYC SoHo event), cultural partnerships (Las Vegas Aces, Marilyn Monroe centennial, Ash K Holm, Natasha Denona Icon Boxes), and an annual Beauty Discovery Report. Revenue mechanics are primarily recurring subscription fees (monthly/quarterly/annual billing) augmented by add-on transactions, points-driven engagement and referrals, mystery/limited drops, and gift purchases. The company operates across the US, Canada, and Mexico with announced plans for UK and European market entry by 2026. Leadership comprises Galen Smith (CEO), co-founder Marcelo Camberos (Chairman), co-founder Jennifer Goldfarb (Board Member), and functional C-suite leads including Sree Sreedhararaj (CTO, succeeded Tony Bacos in August), Francine Li (CMO), Jenna Habayeb (CBO), and Sarah Rose (CPO).

Name

ipsy

Legal name

Personalized Beauty Discovery, Inc.

Website

https://ipsy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

IPSY is a US-based direct-to-consumer beauty subscription platform serving over 20 million members through tiered monthly and quarterly boxes (IPSY Original, Extra, Ultimate), personalization via its Beauty Quiz and AR try-on, and a creator-driven ecosystem of 1,000+ partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Mateo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Monthly and quarterly subscription fees from IPSY Original (Glam Bag), IPSY Extra (BoxyCharm), and IPSY Ultimate tiers. Auto-renewing subscriptions billed monthly, quarterly, or annually with add-on purchases available.
2. Add-On Products: Additional products available for purchase beyond the base subscription, shipped with monthly boxes for additional revenue per member.
3. Gift Subscriptions: One-time gift purchases for 3, 6, or 12-month subscriptions to IPSY Original or IPSY Extra.
4. Points Program Redemption: Members earn points through social media follows, product reviews, and referrals, redeemable for rewards shipped in subscription boxes.
5. Mystery Bags and Limited Drops: Special mystery bag and limited-edition product drops (e.g., Marilyn Monroe collection) that drive accelerated sell-through and engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ipsy operates a direct-to-consumer beauty subscription platform delivering personalized monthly and quarterly boxes of curated beauty samples and full-size products. Offerings span three tiers (IPSY Original/Glam Bag, IPSY Extra, IPSY Ultimate/Icon Box) plus the IPSY Wellness vertical, IPSY Shop e-commerce, and gift subscriptions, all driven by an AI-powered Beauty Quiz personalization engine and supported by creator partnerships.

Product overview

IPSY operates a tiered beauty subscription platform consisting of three core subscription products: IPSY Original (Glam Bag) for discovery-focused sampling at $15/month, IPSY Extra for full-size product expansion at $35+/quarter, and IPSY Ultimate for premium quarterly prestige boxes at $65/quarter. The platform also includes an IPSY Wellness vertical for functional wellness products and an IPSY Shop for direct purchases. Personalization is driven by the Beauty Quiz, which collects member profile data to curate product recommendations. The platform tests over 8,000 products annually and collaborates with 1,000+ creator partners. Mystery Bag drops and limited-edition collaborations (Marilyn Monroe, Natasha Denona, Ash K Holm) drive engagement alongside the annual Beauty Discovery Report.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IPSY Original (Glam Bag): Monthly subscription delivering 5 deluxe-size beauty samples in a bag, with choice of 1 product every month, up to $70 value monthly.
• IPSY Extra
• IPSY Ultimate (Icon Box)
• IPSY Wellness

Products and services

• IPSY Original (Glam Bag) Monthly beauty subscription delivering 5 deluxe-size beauty samples in a bag, with members choosing 1 product every month. Personalized based on Beauty Quiz responses with up to $70 value monthly, starting at $15/month.
• IPSY Extra Monthly subscription offering 5 full-size beauty products with members choosing 3 products every month. Targets beauty lovers expanding their collection with up to $200 value monthly, starting at $35/3-month subscription.
• IPSY Ultimate (Icon Box) Premium quarterly subscription delivering 8 full-size prestige beauty products from brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, Tatcha, Laura Mercier, and NARS. Seasonal format aligned with evolving beauty routines, valued at up to $400 for $65/quarter.
• IPSY Wellness Wellness platform extension offering functional beauty and micro-dose wellness products from brands like Efpy, focusing on everyday rituals and emotional wellbeing integrated into the beauty subscription experience.
• IPSY Shop E-commerce storefront offering limited-time beauty deals and special offers from curated brands. Members can purchase additional products at exclusive discounts up to 80% off, available without active subscription.
• Gift Subscriptions Gift subscription program allowing users to send IPSY subscriptions to recipients who take a Beauty Quiz to get matched. Valid for 3, 6, or 12-month subscriptions for IPSY Original or IPSY Extra.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Authentic Brands Group (Marilyn Monroe)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2026IPSY partnered with Authentic Brands Group for Marilyn Monroe's 100th birthday centennial, releasing limited-edition June bags celebrating the icon's beauty legacy. Available to over 20 million IPSY members as collectible products reimagining Monroe's iconic look.
• EfpyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 May 2026Efpy, a functional beauty brand specializing in micro-dose wellness products, launched on the IPSY Wellness platform, expanding its distribution reach to IPSY's subscriber base.
• Las Vegas AcescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 April 2026IPSY named official beauty partner and jersey abdomen sponsor for the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces. Partnership includes community and branding activations throughout the season, positioning IPSY in sports and women's empowerment contexts.
• OnePint.aicoreTechnology or Integration · 12 January 2026OnePint.ai partnered with IPSY to deploy a unified Inventory Availability Platform delivering real-time visibility and intelligent control across IPSY's subscription and ecommerce operations. Addresses inventory complexity from millions of recurring shipments and thousands of SKUs across multiple sales channels, enabling IPSY to scale while improving reliability.
• Natasha DenonacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2025IPSY collaborated with makeup artist Natasha Denona to create the first IPSY Ultimate box, launching exclusively on IPSY.com with beauty and skincare products designed to inspire creativity among subscribers.
• Ash K HolmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2025IPSY launched August Icon Box collaboration with celebrity makeup artist Ash K Holm, featuring curated skincare and makeup products from Patrick Ta Beauty, Makeup by Mario, and Elemis. Positioned as a beauty education experience with expert-approved essentials and pro tips.
• BoxyCharmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023IPSY merged with competitor BoxyCharm in 2023 under parent company BFA Industries, creating a unified membership offering and reshaping the beauty subscription box competitive landscape.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Scentbird: Scentbird runs a beauty/fragrance subscription service with quiz-based personalization, comparable in GTM motion (community-led, quiz-driven acquisition) to IPSY. Focuses on fragrance sampling and full-size fulfillment, an adjacent but overlapping category.
• Birchbox: Birchbox pioneered the beauty-subscription model with a monthly sample box at a similar $15 price point and a quiz-driven personalization approach. Closest direct competitor to IPSY Original in both product and target consumer.
• Dollar Shave Club: Dollar Shave Club pioneered the personal-care subscription box with quiz-driven, low-friction DTC fulfillment before its $1B Unilever acquisition. Comparable in GTM mechanics and recurring-revenue model to IPSY's personal-care-adjacent beauty offering.
• BoxyCharm: BoxyCharm was IPSY's primary direct competitor in full-size beauty subscriptions before being acquired by parent BFA Industries for ~$500M and merged with IPSY in 2023. Now a sister brand within the same operating company.
• FabFitFun: FabFitFun runs a seasonal lifestyle/beauty subscription box with curated full-size products across beauty, wellness, and home. Comparable subscription mechanics, ARPU tiering, and member-experience focus to IPSY Extra/Ultimate.
• Allure Beauty Box: Allure Beauty Box is a monthly beauty-sample subscription operated under the Allure media brand, directly competing for the same discovery-oriented beauty enthusiast. Shares the curation + sampling playbook with IPSY Original.

Others

• Stitch Fix: Stitch Fix applies a data-driven personalization and subscription-style fulfillment model to apparel. Useful as a comparable for IPSY's quiz-to-box logistics and AI-personalization roadmap, despite the different category.

Broad incumbents

• Sephora: Sephora is the dominant prestige beauty retailer with a strong loyalty program (Beauty Insider) and sampling culture. Overlaps with IPSY as both a brand partner and a competitor for prestige-product discovery, but operates a much broader assortment.
• Ulta Beauty: Ulta Beauty is the largest US specialty beauty retailer with a mass-to-prestige assortment and a robust loyalty program. Comparable to IPSY as a destination for beauty discovery, but with a much wider omnichannel footprint.

Regional players

• Glossybox: Glossybox is a leading international beauty subscription box, especially strong in Europe and the UK. Highly relevant peer for IPSY's planned UK/European expansion given overlapping product, model, and target demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/ipsy
• Instagraminstagram.com/ipsy
• TikToktiktok.com/@ipsy
• Pinterestpinterest.com/ipsy
• Facebookfacebook.com/ipsy
• Xx.com/ipsy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ipsy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ipsy