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 October 2017 (Check out the full Birchbox review)
Number of items: 5
Full-size items: 0
Deluxe size items: 1
Brands featured: Stila, Comfort Zone, Kiehl's, Matrix Biolage
Categories featured: Skincare (2) Makeup (1) Haircare (2)
Total Value: $32.80
Favorite item in the box: Comfort Zone Hydramemory Cream Gel
This product is new to me and I’m a fan! First, the sample is completely full! (If you’ve ever gone to sample a little tube and found it to be mostly air, I’m sure you can appreciate this, too!)
The cream/gel hybrid formula is super light, absorbs quickly, and gave my skin such an amazing finish – with no silicones!
Ipsy October 2017 (Check out the full Ipsy review)
Number of items: 5
Full-size items: 2
Deluxe size items: 0
Brands featured: Context, IT Cosmetics, Smashbox, Rimmel London, BLAQ
Categories featured: Makeup (3) Skincare (2)
Total Value: $62.17
Favorite item in the box: Context Vitamin C All Day Eye Cream
This formula is lightweight, hydrating, absorbs quickly, is fragrance free, and ingredient-conscious! Pretty much a dream eye cream! (Plus, full-size!)
Play! by Sephora October 2017 (Check out the full Play! by Sephora review)
Number of items: 6
Full-size items: 0
Deluxe size items: 0
Brands featured: Sephora, Becca, Make Up For Ever, BareMinerals, Philosophy
Categories featured: Makeup (4) Skincare (1) Fragrance (1)
Total Value: $28.32
Favorite item in the box: There a lot of products I like in this box, but the BECCA First Light Priming Filter is new to me, and I love that it is a silicone-free primer.
Verdict: I think Ipsy is the winner this month! All boxes were great this month, but Ipsy finally sent me some high-value full-size items again!
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 October? And what was your favorite product?
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