Comparing Monthly Beauty Subscription Boxes
Subscription boxes are one of the most popular fads right now. There are monthly “flow” boxes, lifestyle boxes, pop culture boxes, and my fave of all, beauty boxes, which send you makeup and skincare products in each package. I’ve seen a girl walking out of the campus post office with two metallic pink packages tucked under her arms!
Two of the most popular beauty subscription boxes are Birchbox and Ipsy. But every person is different, so here’s an overview of what either of them are about:
Birchbox
- $10/month for Women’s box, $20/month for Men’s box
- Grooming, makeup, skincare, lifestyle
- Items received are sample-sized
- Customizable preferences page
- Wide range of brands participating, such as DKNY and Fekkai
My Experience with Birchbox
I received a lot of makeup, some with prestigious brand names, but since they were samples, they didn’t last me very long. I found out that I prefer full-sized (or at least larger-sized) products in my monthly box.
Ipsy
- $10/month
- Monthly box comes with 4-5 items and a makeup bag
- Customizable experience using profile quiz and product reviews
- More full-sized products but occasionally you get a sample or two
- Brands vary between indie and prestigious brands like Urban Decay
My Experience with Ipsy
Sometimes I get a dud or two in my box, like the tanning oil in July (I don’t use tanning oil, and my profile reflects this…so why?!), but for the most part I enjoy the larger sizes and the cute makeup bag that comes every month.
