April Ipsy worth it? What other boxes do you think are better?

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Hey ladies,

Ive been pretty interested in these different subscription services, right now i have Ipsy and Boxyxharm.. but i was wondering if anyone has any other boxes they like more? Im tired of getting things i can go buy at the drug store but thats just me... ;) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> 
Let me know in the comments even if they are a little more than $10, i just want something that i can try nicer stuff out.

Thank youu!

 
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  • Birchbox - that is $10.00.  It isn't makeup heavy - more like skin and hair care products + "lifestyle"   (birchbox.com).  they have a points system (from reviews, referrals, purchasing items in their store - every 100 points is 10.00 in their store!)
  • Starlooks Starbox - that is 15.00 + shipping - it comes out to less than 18.00.  You get their brand (starlooks.com) of makeup, full sized items, each month is different in how many items you get - if you get an eyeshadow palette, that counts as a bigger item than an eyeshadow single. For the most part, everyone gets the same thing - some colors may be different (like everyone gets a lipgloss, but there might be 3 color choices) (only sub I know that gives out a birthday gift - they give out gifts for referrals as well - also they have starbucks - you get $$ for purchasing items in their store and you can use that towards future purchases)
  • Yuzen box (33.00 every quarter) - this is an eco-friendly box - not makeup heavy - they do some makeup, but it is a lifestyle box (yuzenbox.com)
  • saffron rouge inner circle - 24.99 per month.  eco-friendly.  skin, makeup & haircare. (saffronrouge.com) they do have a points system and if you do your reviews, they will add up to a 50.00 gift cert in their store
I will think of some more - I sub to all of the above and then some!!

 
I'm a fan of Birchbox; as the PP said, they're not real heavy on makeup.  Skin care, lotions, shower gels, hair products, sometimes something like tea, or a candle.  I usually get at least one makeup item in each box, though.

Be aware, though, that you're not going to get nearly as many full size items with Birchbox as you do with Ipsy. As you've probably noticed, the full sized products Ipsy sends out tend to be the drugstore or sub-drugstore brands. Since Birchbox sends more expensive products, you just won't get a whole lot of full sizes of those for 10 bucks. 

IMO, the points system more than makes up the difference.  You get 10 points for every review you write for a product in your monthly box, and a point for every dollar you spend in their store. They often do promotions where they'll give you like 35 extra points if you buy $35 worth of stuff in the store.   100 points = $10 credit in their store.   So it's pretty easy to rack up points, I almost always have a $10 credit waiting in the store.

In the end, it really depends on what you're looking for in a subscription box.  If you're looking to get a bunch of full-sized makeup products,  Birchbox won't make you happy.  If you want to try skincare, haircare and makeup products that are a step up from the drugstore brands before you buy them, you might like Birchbox a whole lot. 

When I was deciding which subscription boxes to sign up for, I found Ramblings of a Suburban Mom and My Subscription Addiction to be really helpful. Both sites review a TON of subscription boxes, so it's really easy to look back and see what people have gotten in their boxes over several months.  

And of course, take a look at the various sub box threads right here on MUT.  Loads of information, and really friendly, helpful people to answer your questions. :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
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I'm a fan of Birchbox; as the PP said, they're not real heavy on makeup.  Skin care, lotions, shower gels, hair products, sometimes something like tea, or a candle.  I usually get at least one makeup item in each box, though.

Be aware, though, that you're not going to get nearly as many full size items with Birchbox as you do with Ipsy. As you've probably noticed, the full sized products Ipsy sends out tend to be the drugstore or sub-drugstore brands. Since Birchbox sends more expensive products, you just won't get a whole lot of full sizes of those for 10 bucks. 

IMO, the points system more than makes up the difference.  You get 10 points for every review you write for a product in your monthly box, and a point for every dollar you spend in their store. They often do promotions where they'll give you like 35 extra points if you buy $35 worth of stuff in the store.   100 points = $10 credit in their store.   So it's pretty easy to rack up points, I almost always have a $10 credit waiting in the store.

In the end, it really depends on what you're looking for in a subscription box.  If you're looking to get a bunch of full-sized makeup products,  Birchbox won't make you happy.  If you want to try skincare, haircare and makeup products that are a step up from the drugstore brands before you buy them, you might like Birchbox a whole lot. 

When I was deciding which subscription boxes to sign up for, I found Ramblings of a Suburban Mom and My Subscription Addiction to be really helpful. Both sites review a TON of subscription boxes, so it's really easy to look back and see what people have gotten in their boxes over several months.  

And of course, take a look at the various sub box threads right here on MUT.  Loads of information, and really friendly, helpful people to answer your questions. :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
Does BB let you have a profile for skincare? I love skincare but would hate to get say a ton of acne-fighting products given my extremely dry skin

 
I have both Ipsy and Birchbox. I love them both! I have Ipsy for the bag, full sized makeup products and everything full size and deluxe sizes.

I have birchbox for skin care and higher end samples as well as for the points!! :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
Personally I think it depends on the Month how good or bad ipsy is. Jan 2014 was a terrible month for me, which was followed up by Feb 2014, which was one of the best months ever for me!  

 
Hey ladies,

Ive been pretty interested in these different subscription services, right now i have Ipsy and Boxyxharm.. but i was wondering if anyone has any other boxes they like more? Im tired of getting things i can go buy at the drug store but thats just me... ;) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
I like BirchBox a lot, even if the samples aren't something I'd want. It's a nice complement to ipsy, I find, and their rewards program is completely awesome. I've managed to get an insane amount of freebies from the shop off of my BB points in the four months I've been a member. I've also discovered some things I loved from them -- Agave hair oil (which does wonders for my split ends), Air Repair balm (which I keep in my bag for when elbows or other skin feels dry or rough, since it's a teeny tiny tube and a little goes a long way), the 32 Oral Care breath mint pop rocks (which makes me feel like I'm a kid again, only with fresh breath!), Beauty Protector conditioner and shampoo (which I like almost as much as Alterna, so I'm keeping it as my occasional switch-off product), and the various Supergoop sunscreen products... 

Weirdly, I've generally had good luck with both ipsy and BB. I think GlossyBox, however, is VERY hit or miss. They sent a high end polish one month that was the worst I've ever used, and I used to buy the dollar polishes in my teenage years. When they get something good,though, it's really good (the Truffle Serum comes to mind). However, I've swapped or given away more GB products than I've kept, so I ended that subscription. $21 for hit-or-miss is a waste.

 
Does BB let you have a profile for skincare? I love skincare but would hate to get say a ton of acne-fighting products given my extremely dry skin
The profile has this:

My complexion is best described as:
Dry                          
Combination
Normal  
Oily         
I am most concerned about:AcneAging

Cellulite

Hyperpigmentation or dark spots

Puffiness/dark circles around eyes

Redness or rosacea

Sensitivity

Stretch marks

Sun-protection

 
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I hated bb. I got tea, and the same shampoo 3 times...in 6 months...oh and porefessional. yuck. They just always sent me stuff I hated.

Lip Factory is at the top of my list currently. It's $23 a mont (I think?) and has a mixture of drug storeish brands as well as some others I've never even heard of. It's all makeup/nailpolish (so far) and all the products are full size. Usually you get around 4 or 5 items. Every so often they do an all lip box. I haven't been disappointed so far.

There's also starlooks, and while I haven't really loved a box so far, their cosmetics are good quality and you really get a lot of bang for you buck. Helllloooooo eyeshadow pallet from the month of April.

I think it really just depends on what you're looking for.

 
I really like Glossybox but their shipping is SUPER slow (the only bad thing).  You defintiely get products that you wouldn't find at the drugstore.  This box costs $21 and you always get way more than you paid.

I really like pop sugar but this one is on the higher end $40-ish.  it is a life style box but you get full-sized everything and it is always amazing products.  I haven't ever been disappointed but I have only had 3 boxes so far :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
Alright, I went through my bags from the past year, I have been subscribed since May of 2013.

I got 70 items total over the past year:

19 were items that I love and now use every day or nearly everyday. 

6 of these items were good and I use them every other week to once a month.

26 of these are so-so items that I use every few months.

14 were items that I hated and will not use ever. 

So, on average, every bag comes with 2 items that become new favorites and one that I hate, not too bad in my book really. 

 

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