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 2018!
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 April 2018 (Check out the full Birchbox review)
Number of items: 6
Full-size items: 0
Deluxe size items: 1
Brands featured: Eyeko, Acure, Davines, Clarins, Jane Iredale
Categories featured: Skincare (2) Makeup (2) Haircare (2)
Total Value: $32.38
Favorite item in the box: I liked everything in this box, but most items I had sampled before, so nothing stood out as my favorite.
Ipsy April 2018 (Check out the full Ipsy review)
Number of items: 5
Full-size items: 2
Deluxe size items: 2
Brands featured: Smashbox, Bellapierre, Trust Fund Beauty, Delectable, Biorace
Categories featured: Makeup (3) Skincare (2)
Total Value: $72.98
Favorite item in the box: Bellapierre Banana Setting Powder
A full-size setting powder that will last me for months? Yes, please! This yellow setting powder is designed to help counteract redness and discoloration. (Great for setting concealer for undereye circles, too.)
Play! by Sephora April 2018 (Check out the full Play! by Sephora review)
Number of items: 6
Full-size items: 0
Deluxe size items: 0
Brands featured: Make Up For Ever, Purity, Urban Decay, Kiehl's, Dr. Dennis Gross, Elizabeth & James
Categories featured: Makeup (3) Skincare (2) Fragrance (1)
Total Value: $31.83
Favorite item in the box: Urban Decay Hi-Fi Shine Ultra Cushion Lip Gloss in SPL
This SPL shade is described as a “holographic candy pink with iridescent sparkle.” It goes on sheer, has a minty flavor, adds shine without a lot of stickiness, and the holographic shimmer is beautiful. Here it swatched above the Make Up For Ever foundation:
Verdict: Ipsy is the winner for me thanks to the value and the samples sizes. All boxes were great this month, though!
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 April? And what was your favorite product?
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