The Birchbox vs Ipsy vs Sephora post series compares my Birchbox and Ipsy subscription every month to give you a good idea what you can expect from the three most popular beauty subscription boxes. (And since all 3 boxes are $10 a month, it seems fair to stack them up against each other).
If you are interested in finding other great beauty boxes, check out our Top 31 Beauty Subscription Boxes for 2017!
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: 7
Full-size items: 1
Deluxe size items: 0
Brands featured: Arrow, Davines, R+Co, Benefit, Clarins
Categories featured: Skincare (1) Makeup (2) Haircare (4)
Total Value: $42
Favorite item in the box: Arrow Boost Color Enhancing Lip Balm – $14
I’ve sampled this lip balm before and it is great. (It’s from Birchbox’s own ARROW line – multi-tasking products that are vegan, paraben-free, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.)
The formula goes on clear, but it gives you a pink tint color once it is on. The formula is moisturizing and gives your lips a healthy looking shine, too!
Ipsy February (Check out the full Ipsy review)
Number of items: 5
Full-size items: 2
Deluxe size items: 0
Brands featured: Tarte, Vasanti, Dr. Brandt, Ouai, MPrincess
Categories featured: Makeup (2) Tools (1) Skincare (1) Haircare (1)
Total Value: $59
Favorite item in the box: The bag!!
I think this is my favorite ipsy glam bag of all time - it's so pretty! I just love the blush color with rose gold zipper hardware!
Play! by Sephora February 2017 (Check out the full Play! by Sephora review)
Number of items: 6
Full-size items: 0
Deluxe size items: 2
Brands featured: Benefit, Make Up For Ever, Glamglow, Living Proof, Algenist, Atelier
Categories featured: Makeup (3) Haircare (1) Skincare (1) Fragrance (1)
Total Value: $52
Favorite item in the box: Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow in I-544
It's tough to pick a favorite this month, but I just can't get over how gorgeous this eyeshadow shade is. And it's a really wearable shimmer for me, too. (Swatched in the review.)
Verdict: My favorite this month is Play! by Sephora. I love the box #477 I received. So many of my favorite brands and the sample sizes were excellent, too. Really, every single item was a hit!
Of course, my favorite box varies every month, so 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 March? And what was your favorite product?
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