Monthly subscriptions are far from anything new, but they are more prevalent today than ever before. Why buy one song off of iTunes when you can have all the songs off of Pandora or Spotify for one flat monthly rate? Recently, more and more monthly beauty boxes have popped up, each with their own special style.
I have subscribed to Ipsy for about a year now, which is a monthly makeup box, and I have to say that I am infatuated. There is no better feeling than receiving a little surprise bundle of self care and luxury in the middle of a drab week.
The box is customized to the kind of products you like, but you don’t know what’s in the box until you open it. Since not everyone gets the same products in their box, my sister who also gets an Ipsy box but has faster mail service than me, can’t ruin my surprise either. Most products are on the small side, but they are from really nice and fun brands like Urban Decay or Tarte. This stuff beats random drugstore products any day.
This box, though a delight, is not the answer if you’re looking to never visit the makeup counter again. The products are not evenly distributed; I received myriad eye products and lipstick, but only one concealer. Since Ipsy doesn’t send the same product twice, you’ll be running out to buy products you’ve fallen in love with but ran out of.
The concept behind a beauty box is to be able to try different products you might not have found or chosen for yourself. If you have tried-and-true products that work for you and you are not looking to switch it up, then beauty boxes are not for you. If you’re like me and enjoy trying new brands and products, have the time to play around with your makeup and aren’t too attached to one look, then I would definitely give it a try.
Not all beauty boxes are created equal, but the price will reflect that. Walmart and Target have boxes of drugstore makeup products for $5 to $7. These types of boxes aren’t worth it to me because drugstore makeup is super accessible and not that expensive in the first place.
Ipsy and Birchbox are both $10 a month, and give five sample-size products a month, but Birchbox gives everyone the same box and Ipsy is more customizable. This is probably the best option for college students looking for high-end products.
Then there are higher-end boxes like FabFitFun with lots of different luxury beauty products that come four times a year for $50 dollars a box. This has more than just makeup products, including nail polish, vitamins and even stylish gym bags. My mom loves her FitFabFun boxes, but they may be a bit impractical for college kids.
There are some very cool niche boxes such as LiveGlam makeup brush club which, true to name, only delivers makeup brushes. There is also the Vegan Cuts makeup and beauty box which gives you four to seven vegan, gluten-free and cruelty-free beauty products each month.
Zoe Stitzer is a freshman studying journalism news and information at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you agree? Let Zoe know by tweeting her @zoe_stitzer.
