I asked you guys a while back if you’d be interested in my thoughts on some popular beauty box subscriptions, and which ones are the most bang for your buck, so here we are! I wanted to wait a bit after posting my creamy shrimp pasta recipe, given the current state of affairs. I feel like it is appropriate to post again this week, and to finally get into those beauty box reviews you asked for! I hope that this post helps answer any questions you have and provides some insight into which box is best for you!
FabFitFun Beauty Box
You’ve probably already heard of FabFitFun, and if you haven’t, then I don’t know what to tell you. They’re all over Instagram, with tons of influencers posting about them, along with that girl from high school who you don’t talk to anymore but still creep on from time to time. Well, after receiving this box for a little over a year, I can tell you that this box has it all. It comes seasonally, meaning you get 4 a year, for $49.99 per box. The box contains many products, ranging from skincare and beauty products to lifestyle products such as sleeping masks, reusable straws, and umbrellas, as well as fitness items like workout bands and yoga mats.
My favorite part about this beauty box is that you get to customize each box you receive. FabFitFun will allow you to choose a handful of the products you receive, while also leaving a few as “mystery” products. This was always my favorite part (aside from actually receiving the box), but make sure you customize as soon as customizations open, or else you run the risk of missing out on a product you really want because it’s gone due to popularity! All the products they send are also full-sized, so you’re definitely getting some bang for your buck.
If you ever find yourself in a bind financially and can’t afford the box, you can always cancel before the next billing date.
BoxyCharm Beauty Box
After some time seeing BoxyCharm on social media, I decided to give them a try. They differ from FabFitFun in that you can pay for it monthly, or you can purchase 3 months at a time, 6 months at a time, or 12 months at a time. Although you end up saving money through purchasing multiple months at once, I chose the monthly box for $25 billed monthly. The boxes renew automatically and you can cancel at any time.
Now to the products inside the box. I’ll be honest with you, there aren’t near as many products as there are in the FabFitFun boxes. I usually received about 4-5 products each month compared to about 10-11 from FabFitFun. This isn’t surprising considering you pay less, but the boxes don’t feel as personalized and they’re definitely a lottery. If you’re looking for a combination of quality, full-sized, and travel size products and are okay with anything, then this box is definitely the one for you. Although you do get fewer products on a monthly basis compared to the quarterly FabFitFun boxes, you do end up getting more products in total considering you get the BoxyCharm box monthly instead of quarterly.
Their products don’t range in variety like FabFitFun, and they focus primarily on makeup, with some skincare and haircare sprinkled in. However, you also do a quiz before getting your first box, so I’m sure it varies with everyone! It does make me sad though that I never seem to receive any of the products they’re advertising for the month, so that can be a letdown.
Ipsy Beauty Box
Oh Ipsy, the budget-friendly beauty subscription box. First off I will say my favorite thing about Ipsy is that all of your products for the month come in a makeup bag each time. The bags are always so cute and definitely well made! This was the last beauty “box” I subscribed to, and I’m kind of glad I did. Ipsy is wonderful, especially if you’re looking to try new products on a budget, but it personally isn’t my go-to.
My qualms with Ipsy compared to the other beauty boxes is that all the products are trial size, and you don’t get very many. This is to be expected however when you only pay $12 a month for it. All the products are packaged in the makeup bag unless there is a product that’s too big for the bag, which are usually makeup brushes. The products aren’t bad, but I wish they were slightly larger than the trial size. Another thing about Ipsy that irked me and might keep me from going back is how difficult the cancellation process was! They really don’t want you to leave. After you initially hit that cancel button, they spam you with about 4-5 more popups trying to get you to stay all while hiding the cancellation button on the bottom of the popup in fine lettering, obviously trying to trick you into clicking a button of verbiage that makes you stay. This didn’t sit well with me – it just kind of screams desperate to me. It’s worse than trying to cancel a HelloFresh membership.
If you enjoy a beauty subscription box that has a small variety of travel-size products with no option to customize but is budget-friendly, Ipsy is definitely for you.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know a little more about the boxes and what you get, I hope you’re able to make a more informed decision on which beauty box you might subscribe to next! My personal favorite is no doubt FabFitFun. I truly believe that you get the most for your money with them – full-sized products, a variety of products, and customization. There is no doubt in my mind that they’re telling the truth when they say you’re getting $200+ worth of items for only $50 (plus shipping is free in the contiguous US).
BoxyCharm is a close second, but I wish it felt like there was more effort put into the boxes, however, the products are still great quality, especially when only paying $25/month.
Ipsy is last on my list, just because I prefer to have full-sized products. I do love how budget-friendly they are for a beauty subscription, however, and the cosmetic bags are always stylish.
The bottom line though is that these beauty subscription packages all provide you the opportunity to try new brands that you otherwise wouldn’t, which is the best part and the whole point of it! So go on, order your beauty box and try something new. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a new eyeliner you can’t live without or a new go-to skincare product that you’ll swear by.
Already subscribe to one or all of them? Tell me which one is your favorite and why! I’d love to see fresh perspectives, and if you’re a newcomer, let me know how your first box turns out!