The Birchbox vs Ipsy post series compares my Birchbox and Ipsy subscription every month to give you a good idea what you can expect from the two most popular beauty subscription boxes. (And since both boxes are $10 a month, it seems fair to stack them up against each other).
And now we've added Play! by Sephora to the mix! (Thanks, everyone, who suggested this addition!)
If you are interested in finding other great beauty boxes, check out our Top 15 Beauty Subscription Boxes for 2016!
FYI – I pay for these subscriptions, and as a regular customer, I get one of many variations available each month. So while one month alone might not be enough info to make a decision, looking at the results over several months should give you a good picture of what to expect with each box.
Birchbox February 2017 (Check out the full Birchbox review)
Number of items: 5
Full-size items: 1
Deluxe size items: 0
Brands featured: Clean, Vasanti, Bumble and Bumble, Acure, PBJ Smoothie Stick
Categories featured: Skincare (1) Makeup (1) Haircare (1) Fragrance (1)
Total Value: $34
Favorite item in the box: PBJ Smoothie Stick
This is my new favorite lip crayon. It’s creamy, it adds a little moisture, and the pigment is great.
Ipsy February (Check out the full Ipsy review)
Number of items: 5
Full-size items: 2
Deluxe size items: 0
Brands featured: Luxie, MOR, IBY Beauty, Elizabeth Mott, IT Cosmetics
Categories featured: Makeup (3) Tools (1) Body lotion (1)
Total Value: $43
Favorite item in the box: IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Illumination Anti-Aging Concealer
IT Cosmetics is my favorite concealer of all time, and this is their new Illumination version of the concealer.
If you have dark circles like I do, this is the BEST concealer I’ve found for full coverage. It goes on a little tacky to the touch, but it’s still easy to blend out, and it stays put. I recommend setting it with a powder, and then you are good to go!
Play! by Sephora February 2017 (Check out the full Play! by Sephora review)
Number of items: 6
Full-size items: 0
Deluxe size items: 0
Brands featured: Nars, Sephora, Origins, Clinique, Marc Jacobs, Too Faced
Categories featured: Makeup (4) Haircare (1) Fragrance (1)
Total Value: $34
Favorite item in the box: Clinique Pep-Start Hydroblur Moisturizer
A fragrance-free, mattifying primer that blurs my pores? Count me in! I wouldn't recommend this if you are looking for a great moisturizer, though. I think Clinique should have named this a primer!
Verdict: This is another month for me without a clear winner. (Hopefully that changes in March!) Every box had some great items, and some items I wasn't crazy about. The values are pretty close, too. That being said, here are my general suggestions for which box to pick:
Birchbox: Birchbox allows you to pick one of your samples or the curated box for each month, so if you want to have a little more control over your box, this is a good choice. They also have a ton of great high-end brands. If you are concerned about the value of your boxes, I recommend going for the curated box each month - the values with those boxes seem to be consistently good.
Ipsy: This will likely be the highest value out of all 3 boxes every month. It's also the best of the 3 if you are looking for full-size items. The one thing to keep in mind is that Ipsy samples both high-end, mid-tier, and drugstore brands, so you're going to get a mix of price point brands.
Sephora: I recommend this box for the brands - if Sephora carries the brand, it may appear in the box, which means they have a ton of inventory to pick from, and you're going to get great brands across the board. Sample sizes may be small for some products, but you get 5 beauty samples PLUS a fragrance sample.
What was your favorite box for February? And what was your favorite product?
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