Beauty Box Comparison: Birchbox vs. Ipsy vs. Glossybox

Fact: There are a lot of you wondering “is Birchbox worth it?“. How do we know? Because there are literally thousands of you landing on our blog after searching that question, as well as similar searches about Glossybox and Ipsy.

With that in mind, we decided to compare each of these three popular subscription boxes – Birchbox vs. Glossybox vs. Ipsy – to help you find out which beauty box is the best for you. Check out our beauty box comparison chart below, then keep reading to see detailed reviews of each subscription box.

Beauty Box Comparison Chart
Birchbox vs. Glossybox vs. Ipsy

Source: Facebook

Birchbox

The cost: $10 / mo.
No. of samples: 5 per month + the occasional bonus
The type of products you’ll receive: Personally, I tend to receive a lot of hair and skincare products from Birchbox, and very minimal makeup.
Brands: The brands in Birchbox tend to be the type you’d find at Sephora or Ulta, mixed in with some up-and coming brands. Some of the brands in the last few boxes I’ve received from Birchbox include St. Tropez, The Balm, Oribe, Supergoop! and Benefit.
What we love about Birchbox: Each month, your products come shipped in a super cute box that you’ll actually want to hang onto! Check out a few of our ideas for reusing Birchboxes. There are some great perks available, like Birchbox Points, which are awesome. I’ve earned over $500 worth of points for reviewing products, full-size orders and referrals. Also, Birchbox has a great Bonus Shop! There are tons of freebies available.
The downsides: While Birchbox is great, there are a few things we’d change. I wish there was a bit more variety in products received. I’m receiving so many hair products and BB cream! Also, there have been a few instances where I’ve received the same product more than once.

Click here to learn more about Birchbox.

Source: Facebook

Ipsy

The cost: $10 / mo.
No. of samples: 4 – 5 per month
The type of products you’ll receive: Ipsy’s Glam Bag tends to be centered around makeup (eyeshadow, lipgloss, blush, etc.) with the occasional hair care product thrown in.
Brands: The brands in Ipsy’s Glam Bag run the gamut from drug store brands like NYX and Maybelline to the type of brands you’d find in Sephora, like Benefit.
What we love about Ipsy: The best thing about Ipsy is that most of the items they include are full-size products. Also, subscriptions are sent out in new, cute makeup bag each month, which is pretty sweet.
The downsides: As many people have mentioned in other reviews, Ipsy’s Glam Bag tends to skew more towards drug store products. Also, the colors can be hit-or miss at times – although this seems to be the case with most beauty boxes.

Click here to learn more about Ipsy.

Source: Facebook

Glossybox

The cost: $21 / mo.
No. of samples: 5 per month
The type of products you’ll receive: Glossybox tends to feature pretty equal mix of skincare products, makeup and perfume.
Brands: Glossybox features a mix of higher-end brands like Bulgari and Burberry, to the types of products you’d spot at Sephora, like Benefit.
What we love about Glossybox: As the name implies, Glossybox is a glossier version of the traditional beauty box. The products are more luxurious and high-end, which is great. In fact, we plugged the numbers and found a Glossybox we reviewed contained $65.98 worth of products. The products come beautiful packaged like a gift (ribbon and all!) in a gorgeous box, which makes unboxing a Glossybox feel extra-special.
The downsides: Honestly, the only real downside we’ve found with Glossybox is that at $21 per month, it’s a bit more of a financial commitment than Birchbox or Ipsy.

Click here to learn more about Glossybox.  

We’d love to hear your thoughts and crowdsource some more feedback! Have you had a chance to try Birchbox, Ipsy or Glossybox? If so, what has your experience been like? If you’ve tried more than one beauty box, which has been your favorite?