To treat myself to the new year, I decided to invest in getting a makeup subscription box. The idea behind makeup subscription boxes is to not only expose yourself to new brands and products, but to also give new products a trial run before buying their full sizes. Plus, with some boxes at only $10 a month with free shipping, it is both a fun and cost efficient purchase.
However, I just could not decide between subscribing to either Birchbox or Ipsy. Both of them were $10 a month and both surprised you with beauty samples at around the value of $40. I ended up subscribing to both Birchbox and Ipsy and would then unsubscribe to the beauty box I liked least after one month. Plus, they pick your samples based on what you like! After filling out similar makeup preference quizzes on both sites, (I had to promote Ipsy on social media in order to get off their wait list, which I did not enjoy.) my orders were placed. My boxes arrived at about the same time, with Ipsy arriving only a few days sooner than Birchbox.
First off, the Ipsy box is not a box at all; the beauty samples come inside an adorable makeup bag that can also be used as a clutch. Inside the bag, I received my surprise samples: SLMissGlam Blend Beauty Brush L34, ModelCo Blush Cheek Powder in Peach Bellini, F.U.N. Laquer Nail Polish in TGIF, Manna Kadar Cosmetics Fantasy 3-in-1 eyeshadow, and Global Beauty Care Dead Sea Wash Off Mask.
I enjoyed the variety of products that Ipsy provided, but unfortunately, I was not impressed with the majority of them. The blending brush was not nearly as good as the ones that come free with most eyeshadow palettes. The Manna Kadar eyeshadow had very little pigmentation. The Dead Sea face mask was alright, but was not worth the mess that it took to wash off. I’m not a fan of nail polish in general, which I disclosed in the preference quiz I took, so I did not like the F.U.N. Laquer polish. However, I really enjoyed the both the pigmentation and the color of the ModelCo blush.
On the contrary, the Birchbox comes in an actual box with a cute design that is revealed after opening several layers of packaging. It comes with a paper that describes each sample and lists its full size price (Ranging from $18 to $38). Just like Ipsy, my Birchbox came with 5 surprise beauty samples: Arrow Endure Water-Resistant Mascara, Evologie Intensive Blemish Serum (It can be applied under or over makeup, which is awesome), Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner, Obliphica Professional Seaberry Serum (Medium to Coarse Hair), and Real Chemistry Luminous 3-Minute Peel for Body.
Surprisingly, I enjoyed every single Birchbox sample. The Evologie and Real Chemistry samples improved the appearance and feel of my skin, the Obliphica serum rejuvenated my hair, and the mascara and eyeliner enhanced my eyes immensely. Aside from the products themselves, Birchbox truly has the upper hand in value. The majority of the Ipsy samples could easily be swatched before purchase in store and one could determine right then and there if it should be bought. In the case of mascara, skin care, and hair care products (what the Birchbox samples consisted of), you cannot swatch them and therefore have to take an economic risk in buying them. Therefore, I think that Birchbox better exemplifies the real idea behind makeup subscription boxes.
The winner is Birchbox!
