The Best Beauty Box Subscriptions

Saturday, September 14th

2024 Beauty Box Subscription Reviews

IPSY

• Costs $14 to $60 per month
• 3 box styles
• Design your own box (some options)
• Valued at $70 to $350 per box
• Full-size items in the high-end boxes
• Makeup and skincare
• Luxury items included
• 80% off at members-only store
• "A+” rating from the BBB

IPSY is a beauty subscription service designed to bring a selection of personalized beauty products directly to your doorstep, simplifying the process of finding your new favorites. You play a crucial role in shaping the contents of your bag, whether it's by sharing your preferences in the Beauty Quiz or adding extra products to your shipments. This makes IPSY one of the most individualized beauty subscriptions available. Founded with a clear mission, IPSY aims to inspire individuals worldwide to express their distinct beauty.

Makeup and skincare for tons of brands

IPSY specializes in makeup and skincare items, though you can find hair products, makeup brushes, and body products as well. You can expect to find luxury brands as well as fan favorites inside your IPSY boxes. Some of the names that might excite you include Drunk Elephant, Tatcha, Charlotte Tilbury, MAC, Tarte, Rare Beauty, Laneige, Dr. Jart, Glow Recipe, Anastasia, and more.

What can you expect?

There are a few different boxes to choose from at IPSY, but one of the recent packages included the following items:

• Kosas Revealer Concealer
• Dazzle Me! Get a Grip! Makeup Setting Spray
• Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream
• Karma Beauty Replenishing Truffle Leave-In Conditioner
• Ofra Cosmetics Lip Gloss in Blissful
• Goldfaden MD Plant Profusion Night Cream

Boxes valued from $70 to $350

There are three different boxes that you can get through IPSY, and one of them will sound familiar from another one of our reviews: BoxyCharm. Since that box is owned by IPSY, you're subscribing through the same parent company. But if you want to branch out from BoxyCharm, you can pick out the Glam Bag or the Icon Box depending on what you're hoping to get. The Glam Box is the most "basic” box. This option offers you deluxe-size beauty samples with a total box worth up to $70 plus a cute makeup bag. BoxyCharm comes in as the mid-tier subscription with five personalized items in each box with a value of up to $200. Finally, the Icon Box is top tier with quarterly payments. This is a members-only upgrade (so you can only get it if you're already getting a Glam Bag or a BoxyCharm. The Icon Box includes 8 full-size products with a value of up to $350 per box. You get this every three months instead of your normal box or bag.

Monthly and quarterly pricing

Despite having three different boxes, IPSY keeps the pricing simple. The Glam Bag and the BoxyCharm box are both billed on a monthly schedule that you can cancel at any time. The Glam Bag costs just $14 per month, while BoxyCharm (as we discuss in its own separate review) costs $30 per month. Finally, the Icon Box is the only different one. This is billed $60 per quarter and it comes in as a replacement for one of your other boxes at the time that you're billed. So, you do already need to be paying a monthly subscription, but it will feel like one of your months you get charged $60 instead of your regular fee.

Up to 80% off at the IPSY store

IPSY offers direct access to an online store where you can purchase extras to supplement your subscription boxes. Subscribing to any IPSY box gives you the advantage of exclusive shopping events, providing round-the-clock access to the online store (which is only accessible by subscribers) and allowing you to enjoy discounts of up to 80% off retail prices.

Solid reputation across the board

IPSY has an impressive reputation with an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau. On top of that, the company has solid reviews overall from customers with a 4.3 average on one third-party review site. With thousands of reviews across the board, IPSY is both a popular and often-used beauty box subscription. Customers love the cute packaging, the quality of the items, and the options to choose between different subscription boxes depending on what they're looking for.

Top pick for variety and quality

With an equally impressive brand lineup as our other top pick (incidentally one of IPSY's boxes) and delivering great value, IPSY distinguishes itself by offering 3 different makeup and skincare boxes with options for upgrades as well. IPSY has garnered a strong approval rating from both satisfied customers and the Better Business Bureau. Although the monthly cost is relatively higher at $14 to $60, the flexibility to cancel anytime coupled with the substantial value received during the subscription period make it a worthwhile choice. With these considerations and the fact that IPSY owns BoxyCharm, our other favorite, IPSY earns 5 stars and the top spot in our review.

Prose

• Costs $34 to $72.50 per box
• Ship on 4, 8, or 12-week frequencies
• 2 box styles
• Design your own box (some options)
• Valued from $68 to $145 per box
• Full-size items
• Hair and skincare
• Eco-friendly
• Vegan products
• "A” rating from the BBB

Prose is a beauty box subscription that stands out by replacing mass-produced items with made-to-order care to provide truly personalized products and customized care for your unique hair and skin. Utilizing ethically sourced and highly effective ingredients, the company's in-house R&D team creatively combines natural and synthetic actives to create innovative formulas that deliver proven results. As a certified B-corporation, Prose prioritizes transparency, incorporating carbon-neutral production and sustainable sourcing practices, striving to positively impact both people and the planet.

Face and hair care

Prose offers two main focuses in its boxes: hair care and skincare. You can incorporate both into your subscription, but to start, you need to fill out a quiz to determine your preferences and help Prose know which products will best suit you. First, you'll be asked about your lifestyle including where you work out (if at all), what kind of environment you spend time in, what your diet is like, and any medical conditions. Prose will also ask you for your location to calculate how much exposure you may have to UV rays and how hard your water is. Then Prose will ask you detailed questions about your skin type, your skin goals, and what you're already doing in your routine. At the end of the process, you'll be suggested the top products for your skin with a price on the side. If you want to get the hair option too, you'll need to go back and do that quiz separately.

Subscribe to hair and skin

There are two box types at Prose: haircare and skincare. You can choose to subscribe to just one or both. In the skincare box, our quiz suggested three full-size items: a serum, a cleanser, and a moisturizer. The value appeared to be around $145 full price. For the hair subscription, we were suggested 2 items: a shampoo and a conditioner for a value of $68 full price. The full price cost, however, isn't relevant unless you want to buy individual items from Prose. If you subscribe you get discounts on each item. You can choose shipment frequencies between 4, 8, and 12 weeks depending on how often you want your products. The price remains the same no matter how frequently you want the boxes shipped.

Prices from $34 to $72.50 per box

So, once you get into all the discounts, the total for the 3-item skincare box (shipped every 4 weeks) is $72.50, which is noticeably higher than many of the other beauty or skincare boxes in your review. For only 3 items and a value of $150 (lower than some of our top contenders), Prose definitely stands out as a more pricey option. The hair care box is a little better, with the total cost for a subscription at $34, which is about half the price of the items in the box. However, this is (again) a much higher-cost selection than at other companies. But, considering the benefits, it might be worth the price.

Products made for your body

The benefits of Prose include three key things: ingredient transparency (you know every single item that goes into your products), personalization (the products are designed for your skin and your hair), and the benefit of eco-friendly practices and vegan products for customers who want to put green practices at the forefront of their purchasing criteria. Plus, if you loved one of the products, you can buy it separately (though with monthly shipments, you'll be set on your favorites for a while), and you can change up your quiz results to try new products if your skin or hair needs change over time.

Praise for the hair care box

There aren't a ton of reviews out there for Prose yet, but the ones we found were pretty solid. On average customers rated Prose 4 stars out of 5. Customers loved how the products were personalized for their care, and how the products made noticeable changes in their hair. But, there were noticeably fewer reviews for the skincare. In addition to the positive reviews, Prose also holds an "A” rating from the Better Business Bureau, showing the company's reliability.

Unique and personalized beauty boxes

While the prices are higher at Prose, we're particularly impressed with the personalization and the detail that goes into designing the skin and hair care packages. Given the positive reviews and "A” rating from the BBB, Prose stands out as a newer but effective option for your beauty box subscription. If you're looking for a natural, eco-friendly solution to try a hair or skincare beauty box, this is a great spot to design a new routine that fits your body best. For this reason, it earns a solid 4.5-star rating in our review.

BoxyCharm

• Costs $30 per month
• 1 box style
• Design your own box
• Valued at $200 per box
• Full-size items in each box
• Makeup and skincare
• Luxury items included
• 80% off at members-only store
• "A+” rating from the BBB

BoxyCharm is a new box offered by the beauty box giant IPSY (another brand in our review). Back in the day, a select few companies dictated beauty trends. Then came YouTube, turning beauty into a movement driven by open conversation. IPSY emerged from this revolution, embracing self-expression and inclusivity. Now, BoxyCharm is combined with and owned by IPSY, serving as the ultimate beauty membership. This box offers full-size items without the hefty price tag - five for the cost of one, giving you more glam for less money.

Specializes in luxe makeup and skincare

BoxyCharm is a mostly makeup and skincare box with some options for body care as well. To get started with this box, you can take the Beauty Quiz to guide your box selections. Yep! This is another box where you get to design your own subscription. You can tailor your upcoming box with three personally chosen products each cycle. You can expect products from brands like Sunday Riley, Milk Makeup, Anastasia, Charlotte Tilbury, HudaBeauty, Drybar, Fenty Beauty, Kate Sommerville, Too Faced, Rare Beauty, NARS, MAC, Glow Recipe, Drunk Elephant and more.

What you'll get

Here's what customers got in a recent beauty box shipment to give you an idea of what you might expect:

• Wander Beauty Trailblazer Eyeshadow Palette
• Glow Recipe Strawberry BHA Pore-Smooth Blur Drops
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Sculpt Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara
• Yensa Beauty Super Serum Silk Concealer
• Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream
• Miss Fame Creme and Powder Blush Duo

Impressive value per box

The BoxyCharm box only has one option or style, but you are allowed to customize up to three items in the box to better suit what you want. Plus, with the online quiz, you can specify which items you want to see more of (or less of). So if you're interested in eye cream but not hand cream, you can let BoxyCharm know. The value per box is around $200 for 5 full-size items, which is a competitive value for the luxury brands offered. Some Sunday Riley products can be over $100 on their own.

$30 per box every month

BoxyCharm is a little different from some of its competitors in that it doesn't offer different monthly payment options. There's just one monthly recurring membership for $30. While this price is higher than some competitors, it's related to the value of the box. With 5 full-size makeup (or skincare items) each month, a $30 fee sounds pretty minimal. Many trips to a luxe makeup store can cost $200 for three items or less (depending on what you stock up on), so 5 full-size items for $30 per month is a solid deal. As an added bonus, you can cancel at any time with no penalties.

Up to 80% off for members

BoxyCharm is now connected with IPSY, which is where you can access the online store to buy items directly. If you subscribe to BoxyCharm, you'll benefit from exclusive shopping events, granting you 24/7 access to the online store with discounts of up to 80% off retail prices.

Impressive reviews and ratings

BoxyCharm is a favorite with customers. They praise the value and variety of items offered by BoxyCharm. Customers offered the company an average of 4.5 stars out of 5 with praise noting that customers never saw repeat items from BoxyCharm boxes despite being subscribed for years. Further, since BoxyCharm is owned by IPSY, we checked that out on the Better Business Bureau, which showed an impressive "A+” rating overall.

Charming option for beauty and skincare

Given the impressive brand list and the value for money, BoxyCharm stands out for providing 5 full-size makeup and skincare items in every shipment. On top of that it has a high overall approval rating, from customers who've used the boxes and from the Better Business Bureau. While the price is higher than some competitors at $30 per month, you can cancel at any time and enjoy a high value for your money during your subscription. For this reason, BoxyCharm earns a high recommendation for your next beauty box subscription.

Allure Beauty Box

• Costs $18.58 to $25 per month
• 1 box style
• Valued at $200 to $300 per box
• Makeup, skincare, and fragrance
• Subscribers get discounts

For over 30 years, Allure has stood as a beauty industry icon. Pioneers in beauty journalism, Allure offers a Beauty Box membership harnessing decades of knowledge and testing. Behind every product in your box lies meticulous vetting, research, and editor-approved selection, embodying the essence of Allure's expertise. The aim is simple: deliver exciting new products and trusted favorites to your doorstep each month, accompanied by exclusive member perks such as discounts on additional buzz-worthy items from an exclusive member store.

High-end makeup and skincare

The boxes at Allure Beauty Box specialize in high-end makeup. With companies on their roster like YSL, Lush, Ahava, Sunday Riley, Tarte, Charlotte Tilbury, Anastasia, and more, the focus is on top-tier makeup, skincare, and fragrance. For example, one of the "limited edition” boxes offered by Allure Beauty Box (separate from the subscription) is the "Ultimate K-Beauty Box” which includes an impressive number of items and high-end Korean beauty brands.

Here's what you can get

Recent beauty boxes delivered by Allure included such things as:

• Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner
• Kahi Wrinkle Bounce Multi Balm
• Dear Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream
• Isntree Chestnut BHA 2% Clear Liquid
• Some By Mi Retinol Intense Advanced Triple Action Eye Cream
• APRILSKIN Carrotene IPMP Hydromelt Cleansing Balm
• Isntree Mugwort Calming Clay Mask
• Medicube Zero pore Pads AHA + BHA
• I'm From Mugwort Essence
• MDP+ Red Lacto Collagen Clear

One box fits all

The actual subscription boxes at Allure Beauty Box offer you a surprise each month with brands listed on their roster. There is only one box "type” each month with a variety of makeup and skincare items (usually around 6 items for a total value between $200 to $300. Each month is a complete surprise, so this is a great place to try out new products if you're unfamiliar with high-end brands that can cost up to $90 per bottle if you buy it outside of the subscription.

Pay monthly, quarterly, or annually

There are three ways to pay for your Allure Beauty Box. You can opt for the Annual Plan at just $18.58 per box, totaling $223 for the first year, and enjoy a Bonus Box with 6 products valued at $309. The Quarterly Plan offers your first 3 boxes for $59 (with each box costing $19.67) billed quarterly. Finally, you can go with the Monthly Plan at $20 for the first box, and the other boxes at $25 each, billed monthly. Each box comes with a free gift, and if you choose one of the longer subscription periods, you have the flexibility to cancel at any time. While plans are non-refundable, the cancellation takes effect at the end of your subscription, with no further charges.

80% off products for subscribers

Allure Beauty Box stands out by offering an online shop where you can buy makeup, skincare, and fragrance items separately from the actual subscription box. You can shop for your favorite luxury products as well as some of the limited edition boxes with up to 80% off for being a subscribed member. However, if you're not a member, you won't be able to buy anything from the Allure Beauty Box site. This perk is for subscribers only.

Mixed reviews across different sites

The reputation for Allure Beauty Box is pretty mixed across the board. Some third-party sites like Consumer Affairs only show a 1.5-star average for this subscription service. The complaints mostly center around frustrations dealing with customer service when there was a problem with an order. On the other hand, other sites rate Allure Beauty Box as high as 4.3 stars with praise for the products included in the box and the cost vs. value for high-end beauty essentials (and some fun items that aren't essential but really level up your beauty game).

Luxury makeup for great value

At the end of the day, if you're looking for high-end makeup, skincare, or fragrance, this might be a good place to start testing out products. With prices from $18.58 to $25 per month, the cost for $200+ in makeup or skincare is a very good value. While the mixed reviews for Allure Beauty Box bring it down in our ratings a bit, it still earns a competitive rating in our review.

BeautyFix

• Costs $21.95 to $24.95 per month
• 1 box style
• Valued at $100 per box
• Skincare and some makeup
• Subscribers get discounts
• Anyone can shop from Dermstore
• "A+” rating from the BBB

BeautyFix, a beauty box subscription offered by Dermstore, aims to enhance subscribers' accessibility to essential skincare treatments. Established in 1999 by a dermatologist, Dermstore provides products focused on skincare needs. Offering professional-strength formulas from leading skincare brands, typically exclusive to dermatologists' offices, Dermstore also features spa care, natural beauty brands, professional hair care, makeup products, and specialty brands from various global origins. The boxes offer full- and travel-size items as well as a promise of 100% authentic premium products.

Specializes in skincare

BeautyFix boxes specialize in skincare more than any other feature. While the boxes can include things like makeup products, hair care, or body care, the primary focus is on face products, skincare, and giving you that healthy glow. You can expect to find a ton of skin-happy brands in your boxes as Dermstore is partnered with brands like bareMinerals, CeraVe, Dermalogica, Estee Lauder, GLO Science, Murad, Olaplex, Tarte, and more. But, we were surprised that some skincare mainstays weren't included (like Drunk Elephant or Sunday Riley).

What can you expect in your box

In case you're interested, a recent box included the following items:

• Slip - Pure Silk Skinny Scrunchie
• SkinCeuticals - Resveratrol B E
• Oribe - Hair Alchemy Mask
• Vichy - LiftActiv Pure Retinol Serum
• Eve Lom - Rescue Mask
• Peter Thomas Roth
• Moroccanoil - Body Souffle
• SkinMedica - HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator

Basic skincare in each box

The BeautyFix box delivers a monthly surprise with a curated selection of makeup and skincare items from an impressive list of brands. Each box typically contains around 8 items, collectively valued around $100. Offering a variety of skin and hair care products, the subscription provides an opportunity to explore and experience new items. However, compared to some luxury brands, BeautyFix's options are more "basic” and are missing some major Korean skincare brands. There is only one box to choose from at BeautyFix, though each one details its contents online, so you can see what you're getting in advance.

Between $21.95 to $24.95 per month

You have three payment options for the BeautyFix box: a monthly plan at $24.95, a 6-month plan at $22.95 per month, or a 12-month plan at $21.95 per month. After your subscription ends, it will automatically renew for the same duration, so if you want to move on from BeautyFix, you'll want to keep an eye on your renewal. The BeautyFix box is sent out on the first working day of each month, with charges processed during the same period.

Rewards for members

On top of your beauty box subscription, you can also buy items directly from the Dermstore online shop. Anyone can shop at the online store, but members earn extra points with each purchase that can translate into cash back or savings on another purchase. Further, if you have any questions about particular products, you can use the "Ask the Esthetician” tool to book a consultation and learn more about what your skin and body need from your skincare routine.

Customers love the name-brand variety

If you're looking for a beauty box with a solid reputation, BeautyFix is a solid option. Dermstore, the company that runs BeautyFix, has an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau. And, according to customers who've used the BeautyFix box, the average rating is around 4.3 stars out of 5. Customers loved that most of the products in the box were name-brand companies, and the array of skincare was impressive to most customers.

Good reputation, but missing some mainstays

While this is a competitive service with a good-standing reputation, there are a few drawbacks that we noticed. First, the price is pretty high and without many of the standard skincare brands like Drunk Elephant, Glow Recipe, or Korean skincare brands, some customers who are skincare superfans might be disappointed. Plus, the price per month doesn't quite match the $100 per box value. While the company's reputation is solid and customers love the options, there are some better values out there if skincare is your #1 goal. For this reason, this beauty box earns a strong rating in our review.

FaceTory

• Costs $19.90 to $49.95 per month
• 2 box styles
• Design your own box
• Valued at $27.93 to $100 per box
• Full-size items in high-end box
• Skincare and face masks
• "A+” rating from the BBB

Established in 2016, FaceTory is a 100% skincare adventure. The company designs products that address your skin worries in an enjoyable and accessible manner. FaceTory's products were researched and envisioned in California, formulated in South Korea, and they maintain cruelty-free standards. The products are free from sulfates, parabens, fragrances, synthetic colors, and EDTA. With a journey that includes testing more than 200 products, featuring over 20 sheet masks, and selling over 4 million products, FaceTory offers six skincare products per box to support your beauty and well-being.

Skincare boxes only offer FaceTory products

Different from some of the other beauty boxes in our review, FaceTory focuses entirely on skincare. There aren't any makeup items in this beauty box. On top of that, FaceTory also offers only its own products rather than providing you with a preview of brands that they've partnered with like other companies. You'll find FaceTory sheet masks, blemish patches, cleansers, spread-on masks, and more, but all of it is from FaceTory itself. You can expect anywhere between 7-11 items in each box.

Two boxes to choose from

There are two different box sets you can choose from FaceTory. The first is a box just for sheet masks. You can get 7 sheet masks in the 7LUX plan as well as 2 free gifts. If you go with the 7LUX Plus plan, you'll get 7 sheet masks and 4 full-size skincare products. The value of the 7LUX package is around $27.93 for the sheet masks, and we're not sure what the value of the free gifts would be. Whereas the value of the 7LUX Plus would be anywhere from $75 to $100 of products.

Value for money isn't great

The 7LUX Monthly Plan is priced at $19.90 per month. For the upgraded experience, the Lux Plus Quarterly Plan is available at $49.95 per month, billed every three months. However, it's notable that the cost value is a little worse at FaceTory than at other companies. On top of not offering any products outside of its own roster, FaceTory's monthly prices are much higher even than some luxury-brand beauty boxes. Almost $20 per month for just face masks doesn't offer a lot of variety or value when the face masks themselves are around $27.93 for 7 of them. You're really only saving $7.

Buy direct to supplement your box

Since FaceTory sells its own skincare, you can always try out one of its products by buying it directly from the shop. So, if you like something from your beauty box, you can pick it up right away. Or if you want to add to your box, you can pick out extras directly from the shop at any time without waiting for your shipment.

Top ratings from K-beauty fans

Despite the higher-than-average prices at FaceTory, it's a favorite with customers. The average rating for this beauty box is around 4.7 stars out of 5. On top of that, FaceTory as a company has an impressive "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau. Customers are raving about the quality of the facemasks. As a staple in K-beauty, it's no surprise that many of the customers are Korean skincare superfans. The quality of the items is praised across the board, and many customers love the diversity of scents and functions for face masks each month.

Best spot to grab some face masks

If face masks are what you're looking for, FaceTory is the place for you. Customers love the variety, scents, and skin benefits of this Korean-based skincare brand. While the value for the money might not be there for customers who want a more diverse selection, FaceTory is a favorite with customers who want to pick out a brand and stick to it. Since it's not geared toward all beauty fans, FaceTory earns a good rating overall, but, if you're in the market for a face mask subscription, try this one out next.

Walmart Beauty Box

• Costs $6.98 per box
• Ships seasonally
• 1 box style
• Valued around $20 per box
• Trial-size items
• Hair and skincare
• "A+” rating from the BBB

Walmart has long been known as the place to go if you want to save money. Surprisingly, Walmart also offers its own version of a beauty box subscription. However, rather than offering high-end products and makeup or skincare items you may never have tried before, Walmart takes it back to basics.

Full range but basic

With products that range from cleansing wipes to fake nail appliques, you can explore a full range of beauty items at Walmart. However, if you're looking for high-end brands or unique items from overseas, you'll be a bit disappointed by the selection in these subscription boxes. But if budget is the primary factor when deciding on your next beauty subscription, Walmart is worth a look.

Specializes in "drugstore” beauty

The Walmart box doesn't specialize in any one area of beauty. Instead, you get a kind of catch-all for different beauty products offered in Walmart stores. You can expect to see brands like Neutrogena, Dove, Covergirl, Kiss, and Scunci on the Walmart roster. Boxes come with 5-7 mini items like the following which appeared in a recent Walmart box:

• John Frieda thickening shampoo and conditioner
• Dove spray on deodorant
• Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Cream
• Covergirl Clean Color eyeshadow palette

1 box of sample sizes

There's only one box to choose from at Walmart, and the Walmart Beauty Box is it. While Walmart doesn't offer an estimated value for the box, customers who've reviewed the box added up the trial-size products. Most boxes are valued at around $20 with 5-7 testers inside for you to try. Sometimes there are slightly more expensive extras like nail polish or stick-on fake nails, so the value will fluctuate some.

Lowest-cost available

The pricing is the most enticing part of this box. Without any luxury makeup items or K-beauty to bring up the cost, Walmart Beauty Box is the cheapest option in our review. For just $6.98 per season, you'll get a shipment of drugstore-quality makeup, skincare, body care, and other fun items. Yep, this box is another seasonal (or quarterly) box. So, you'll get one shipment each spring, summer, fall, and winter for under $10.

A good option for a child's gift

Walmart is a name that equals savings in most customers' minds. You can always find low prices and sale items if you're shopping at Walmart in-store or online. While these sales aren't related to your subscription box membership, you can do a lot of shopping at Walmart with little to no extra cost. Still, you still will be missing out on popular name brands like Tarte, Charlotte Tilbury, Sunday Riley, and Drunk Elephant. But if you have a youngster who wants to start getting into beauty, the Walmart Beauty Box may be a great way to introduce good habits while keeping costs low.

Solid reputation, but some mixed reviews

Given that Walmart is such a large corporation, we were pleasantly surprised to see an "A+” rating for it on the Better Business Bureau. However, this only reflects the business as a whole. To see how the Walmart Beauty Box stacked up against other subscription boxes, we checked out third-party reviews and beauty bloggers. On average, the Walmart Beauty Box earns a 3.8 star rating out of 5. The positive reviews note that Walmart's boxes include items that they might need to buy anyway, allowing them to find more budget-friendly beauty items to add to a regular routine. Other customers were frustrated when some of their items came already dried out or cracked open in the box.

Low-cost box is great for kids

If you're a beauty guru or skincare superfan, this won't be the ideal box for you. It focuses mostly on drugstore makeup and body care. While this can be great if you're looking to try new budget-friendly items, it doesn't do much for customers who want to try their favorite makeup brand. Instead, this box seems perfectly suited for younger beauty fans. Mom or Dad can easily have a seasonal shipment of beauty items that won't break the bank and will offer appropriate and useful items for younger beauty fans to start enjoying. For this reason (and the amazingly low price), Walmart Beauty Box earns a respectable rating in our review. It may not be for everyone, but it's the best price in this lineup, making it a compelling option despite its limitations.

Margot Elena

• Costs $59.99 per quarter
• 1 box style
• Valued at $200 per box
• Full-size items included
• Fragrance and candles

For more than 20 years, Margot Elena has dedicated itself to crafting products and brand experiences to explore, with each designed to spark imagination and offer a delightful break from the ordinary. The range includes popular items such as perfume, hand cream, bubble bath, candles, shea butter soap, bath salt soaks, shower gel, hand sanitizer, body lotion, cosmetics, and an array of options from greeting cards to gift sets - ensuring there's something for everyone.

Scents and soaps galore

While there are plenty of things in a Margot Elena box, the primary focus is fragrance. Whether that comes in the form of perfume, hand cream, or candles, you're getting a collection of items that will make your space (and your care routine) smell amazing. But, if you're looking for makeup or skincare beyond soaps or bath salts, you won't find any options here.

Limited brands

Margot Elena has limited brands (and most of these aren't familiar beauty brands). For example, the complete list of brands includes Lollia, TokyoMilk, Archive, Library of Flowers, The Cottage Greenhouse, Infinite She, and Dead Sexy. So, while you'll get plenty of fun fragrances, this may not be an ideal subscription if you like to try popular brands. But if you're looking for a cottagecore-feeling subscription with delightful natural scents, this may be a great service to try.

What do customers get?

Here's what customers got in a recent subscription box:

• Library of Flowers True Vanilla Perfume
• The Cottage Greenhouse shea butter and salt scrub
• Lollia Dream Perfumed Luminary and Shower Gel
• Margot Elena Happy Home Maker's apron
• TokyoMilk stationery and holiday soap duo

1 quarterly box

Margot Elena only has one box, and it comes in quarterly shipments. You get a Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter box each year. The boxes include pre-selected 6-8 items with many of them being full-size or new releases for you to try. The value of each box is estimated to be about $200 worth of products. Each season has products specialized for that time of the year so you'll be able to enjoy scents that feel more "holiday” during the Winter box, whereas the Spring box has more light and floral options.

Pay $59.99 per quarter

Now, since this is a quarterly box, you're only getting the item delivered every three months. This means the price reflects a more "long-term” use for the items (and the full size of the products). So, every quarter, you'll be charged $59.99 for the Margot Elena box. While this seems more expensive than other companies at face value, if you break up the cost over three months the box would cost around $19 per month, which puts Margot Elena on the low-end price-wise. Considering the items add up to $200 in value, this is a pretty solid deal if you're looking for fragrance-related items.

Not many discounts through this retailer

Like many of the other sites in our review, you can buy items directly from Margot Elena's online store if you want to pick up extras of your favorite scent or just supplement your box if you run out of something during the 3-month window. While there aren't any special deals for being a subscriber, you can earn 10% off your first order of $50+ if you're shopping from the Margot Elena online store. This is a little disappointing compared to some discounts offered by other sites.

Mixed reviews show concerns with customer service

Unfortunately, Margot Elena doesn't have a rating on the Better Business Bureau, so we had to take all of the feedback about this beauty box from third-party review sites and beauty bloggers. There aren't a ton of reviews out there for Margot Elena, and the ones that are out there show a mid-tier rating. For example, the reviews on Trustpilot show an average rating of 3 stars out of 5. This shows a pretty stark mix of 5 and 1-star reviews. According to customers, there were problems getting a hold of customer service at Margot Elena, and some customers have canceled their beauty boxes just due to complications and frustration with customer service. On the other hand, positive reviews show that the items in the boxes are quite good quality and customers agree the scents are soft and pleasant.

For the cottagecore candle fans

While this is a cute box for the cottagecore fans and those who love fragrance or candles, it may not hit the mark for beauty gurus or skincare fans. For this reason, it ranks a bit lower due to the more limited brands and products. Considering, too, that Margot Elena also has pretty mixed feedback and some concerns with customer service, we don't feel super confident rating it among the top beauty box subscriptions. For quality and value for money, Margot Elena earns a mid-tier rating, though it can't go any higher due to the concerns in reviews and the limited inventory.

Macy's Beauty Box

• Costs $15 per month
• 1 box style
• Valued around the same as the items in it
• Makeup and fragrance focused
• Luxury items included
• "A+” rating from the BBB

Macy's beauty subscription box features beauty products, skincare, makeup, and fragrances without committing to full-size products. In Macy's subscription, you'll receive a variety of themed boxes inspired by color palettes, activities (like a glam look for date night), and seasonal themes tailored to your monthly plans. The company also dedicates boxes to your favorite brands, ensuring you get more of what you adore. Just keep in mind that this more affordable option only promises sample sizes in each box, so if you're looking for full-size beauty products each month, you may want to keep shopping.

Lots of fragrance options

The Macy's Beauty Box doesn't specialize in one or two things. Instead the shopping mall favorite offers a bunch of different items in one package, allowing you to try out new samples and then buy the full size directly from Macy's once you figure out what you like best. However, you will find a lot of fragrances since Macy's sells plenty of perfumes and colognes. You can expect to find brands like NYX, Estee Lauder, Smashbox, MAC, PRADA, YSL, and more.

What's in the box?

If you're curious, here's an example of what a previous box included:

• Lancome Monsieur Big Instant Volume Mascara
• Too-Faced Lip Injection Maximum Plump Extra-Strength Lip Plumping Gloss
• NYX Professional Makeup Jumbo Eye Pencil All-In-One Eyeshadow Eyeliner Pencil
• Yves Saint Laurent Libre Eau de Parfum Spray, 5-oz.
• Yves Saint Laurent Men's L'Homme Eau de Parfum Spray, 3.3 oz.
• Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer+ Hydrating Primer with Hyaluronic Acid
• Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Blur Face Primer, 1 oz.

Only 1 box and it's sample size

There's only one box to choose from at Macy's, and it's a sampler. While this can be fun if you don't know what you want, it can also be frustrating if you really like a product and then immediately need to buy more. Macy's doesn't offer an estimated value of its boxes, but customers have said that it's "hard to find one worth the price.” A lot of the draw for Macy's Beauty Box is the fragrance samples from various designers and scent profiles. If you're not into fragrance, Macy's might not be worth it.

Only $15 per box

With only one box, Macy's keeps it simple. The price each month is a competitive $15. Macy promises a bonus coupon with your monthly payment too. However, the value for money with the Macy's Beauty Box just isn't as competitive. $15 per month is a lower-than-average cost, but with only sample-size items in the box, you're not getting much for your money (even $15 worth).

Doesn't stand out from competition

What sets Macy's Beauty Box apart from other makeup subscription services? Honestly, not much. Macy's tries to sell itself with the extra coupon and a "free gift”, but the details on the amounts or value of these "extras” aren't available online. Compared to other companies that offer POC-focused palettes or unique Korean skincare, Macy's doesn't quite stand out from the pack.

Mixed reviews and concerns about cancellation

While Macy's itself has a solid "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau, the subscription box doesn't do quite as well. With an average rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 from different third-party review sites (and a few beauty bloggers), the Macy's Beauty Box has some seriously mixed feedback. Customers who liked Macy's are fragrance fans who love seeing their favorites like YSL on the roster. However, those who didn't enjoy the Macy's Beauty Box experience said that the cost of the box was about even with the value of the samples, meaning you could do just as well buying sample sizes from your local beauty store. Further, many customers complained about how hard it was to unsubscribe, making it a more concerning option to try out than others in our review.

Macy's doesn't impress

While mixed reviews aren't usually enough to knock a company down to a below-average rating, that red flag plus the fact that all of the boxes only offer samples create a beauty box that really isn't doing anything special (even compared to other mid-tier companies). It might be worth your time if you're a fan of fragrance, but otherwise, you may be happier checking out one of our higher-rated options instead.

The Detox Box

• Costs $39.95 to $58.95 per box
• 1 box style
• Valued around $90
• Hair, makeup, skin, and body
• Eco-friendly

The Detox Box is offered by The Detox Market, which calls itself the birthplace of clean beauty. The company originated as a pop-up shop on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California, in 2010. The founder, Romain Gaillard, envisioned creating a space that brings together the best in clean makeup and skincare. Since its inception, The Detox Market has expanded to stores in Toronto, New York, and California, where it carefully selects and curates clean and sustainable beauty and wellness products for a growing community. The company is committed to inspiring change through initiatives like aiming to be plastic-neutral.

One-stop shop, but only one item per box

The box details are unclear. We had to scroll down to the FAQ section to figure out what items might show up in the box, and we found this: "Each month you'll get a box featuring one or more green beauty product(s) from our selected brand(s).” Only one item? This is hands-down the smallest beauty box subscription in our review. The company itself offers skincare, makeup, body products, and hair products, so you'll be getting one of those possible items, but if you're looking for variety, you may be disappointed. Some of the brands you could get as an item from The Detox Box include Indie-Lee, One Love Organics, OSEA, ILIA, RMS Beauty, and more, but not many popular brand names like Drunk Elephant, Tarte, or Sunday Riley.

Delivered monthly, quarterly, or bi-annually

In terms of box styles, there's only one box available: The Detox Market. And that box comes with one (or maybe more) undisclosed items. You can choose to sign up for a monthly commitment, quarterly commitment, or 6-month commitment. However, there are no listed details on the site about the estimated value of each box. Customers in reviews say that the box is usually worth around $90.

High prices for too few products

For the subscription that you can cancel anytime, the company offers a Monthly plan at $58.95, which includes shipping. If you choose the 3-month plan, you'll pay a total of $137.85 per quarter with shipping included and get a box sent to you each month. Finally, the 6-month plan costs $239.70 every six months. In monthly costs, this brings it down to around $39.95 per month, saving you 32% if you subscribe for bi-annual renewal rather than paying month-to-month. In general, the monthly pricing for The Detox Box is extremely high, especially if so few items are included in the subscription box itself. Despite the benefits of eco-friendly products, this doesn't appear to be a good value for your money.

Shop online for extras

You can shop for extras on The Detox Market if you want to supplement your box. If you're only getting one item per shipment, this may be a way to get a bit more product. You can shop by product or concern, which makes the site easy to navigate. However, there aren't any listed sales or discounts for being a subscriber.

Customers aren't impressed

The Detox Market doesn't have any presence on the Better Business Bureau, making it hard to gauge the company as a trustworthy business. However, we were able to find some reviews for The Detox Box specifically. In general, feedback about The Detox Box is mixed. The average rating for the box is around 3.6 stars out of 5. Customers describe the box as "hit or miss” with some products being "okay” but many other boxes include items the customers didn't like or wouldn't use. In general, the curation is something that gets the highest complaints for The Detox Box.

Not worth the cost

At the end of the day, offering customers just one item in a beauty box is completely against industry standards. Even companies that only offer samples offer more than one item per shipment. Plus, the lack of clarity on the site about what you might expect in the box is frustrating and a major red flag. With no BBB score to back up the company, we have to rely on reviews, which show complaints about the product curation. So, if you get only one or two items and they're both no good, you'll be stuck with a box (and possibly an expensive multi-month subscription).

Birchbox

• Costs $17 to $20 per month
• 1 box style
• Design your own box
• Valued at $20 to $40 per box
• One-stop beauty shop
• Anyone can shop from online store
• Eco-friendly

Birchbox promises to be a standout in the beauty box community by delivering "Bespoke beauty at your doorstep". Unlike other beauty boxes that limit your choices or send the same products to everyone, this company gives you the power to choose exactly what you want from samples, travel-size, and full-size options.

Kudos for promoting and celebrating women

The company also focuses on making eco-friendly, sustainably-minded choices easy for you. As a woman-run, led, and founded business, Birchbox is dedicated to uplifting and celebrating women in the beauty industry, honoring their accomplishments. The intentional partnerships with women-founded, owned, and run beauty brands make it easy for the community to shop with their values while finding products best suited for women's needs.

Design your own box

Birchbox is a one-stop shop beauty box, and since you get to pick your own items, you can decide what your monthly surprise will hold. You can choose between makeup products, hair products, skincare, and body care. You can expect to find products from companies like Dr. Botanicals, Benefit Cosmetics, OUAI, Sunday Riley, Oribe, Kiehl's, Living Proof, Peter Thomas Roth, Milk Makeup, Tarte, and more. Since each box is tailored to your desires, there aren't example boxes to look at, but you can expect 4-6 different items in each box that you choose.

Lower-value sample sizes

With this design-your-own method, there's only "one” box available at Birchbox, but it's basically infinitely changeable. However, the value per box is a little lower at Birchbox than with other companies. Since most of the items included in the box are sample size, the average value of each box is around $20 to $40 according to reviewers. Birchbox itself doesn't estimate a per-box value.

Prices from $17 to $20 per month

You can choose three different payment cycles at Birchbox. First, you can choose the Monthly Membership, priced at $20 per month. If you prefer something a little longer, you can try their quarterly option with the 3-Month Membership at $19 per box: you'll enjoy everything from the Monthly Membership, plus a 5% discount each billing period. This plan renews at $57 every 3 months. Finally, you can choose the 12-month Membership at $17 per box. It includes all the benefits of the Monthly Membership, with a 15% savings each billing period. As with the other plans, customization of your box is included, and it renews at $204 per year.

Support for POC customers and brands

Like with many competitors, you can buy full-size items from the shop on Birchbox's website. As another extra, Birchbox intentionally collaborates with BIPOC-founded, owned, and operated beauty brands, providing an effortless way for their customers of color to align their shopping choices with their values and discover products made for them.

Reviews warn customers away

While we'd love to support a company that's working with POC brands and helping the environment, the company's reputation shows that this may not be a trustworthy place to put your money (even for those good causes). Birchbox has an "F” rating from the Better Business Bureau. On top of that, reviews show that customers are highly dissatisfied with the beauty box overall, with an average rating of 1.5 stars out of 5 from third-party review sites. Customers are complaining that despite promising "full-size” items in the boxes, Birchbox sends tiny samples not worth the fee of the box. Customers also complain about late shipping and slow responses from customer service. Overall, most of the reviews are warning potential customers to stay away.

Bottom of the list

While there are a lot of pros promised on Birchbox's site, the reality of the company's reputation is staggeringly poor. Given the repeated warnings from past customers to stay away from Birchbox due to item size and price vs. value (as well as poor customer service), we unfortunately can't recommend the company in any capacity.

GlossyBox

• Costs $20 to $38 per box
• 7 box styles
• Skincare and makeup

Established in Berlin in 2011, GlossyBox stands as the foremost distributor of luxury beauty samples on a global scale. The company is dedicated to bringing you the most thrilling brands from various corners of the world. Whether it's a product showcased on the runways of Milan or the latest skincare routine from Japan, GlossyBox is committed to ensuring you are among the first to experience it. However, with a confusing site and broken links everywhere, it doesn't stand out as one of the primary options for beauty box subscriptions in our review.

Several box types and no subscription

GlossyBox specializes in, well, boxes. Rather than offering a true subscription service, the company offers "edits” which are pre-curated beauty boxes that you can buy one time. There are boxes for "holiday”, boxes for "winter grooming”, boxes for just skincare, and more. However, if GlossyBox has an actual subscription service, it's almost impossible to find it. Instead, you can just add one of their "edits” to your cart, and you're all set, no commitment is required.

7 boxes but many out of stock

There are 7 different boxes to choose from on GlossyBox. From a Valentine's Day edition to an Easter Egg edit, there are tons of unique items to discover. However, when we went to check on the details, 3 of the 7 boxes were out of stock. While the full list of brands offered by GlossyBox wasn't available, we saw some popular names in the boxes currently on sale.

What do you get in the box?

You can expect to find brands like Kenra, Earth Harbor, Evio, and Verb, among others in your beauty box shipment. One example, an Easter-themed box, came with the following products:

• Verb Ghost Scalp Nectar
• Le Rouge Francais Lip and Cheek Tint
• Laritzy Cosmetics Gel Liner
• Dr. Botanical Turmeric Mask
• Grow Gorgeous Defense Mini Spray Daily Concepts Hammam Mitt
• Naobay Hemp and Green Tea Facial Cleanser
• Skin & Co Truffle Therapy Face Gommage
• Rodial Dragons Blood Eye Mask

On the other hand, we didn't see many popular brands like Anastasia, MAC, Sunday Riley, or others that would make this box a more luxe experience.

High prices and checkout problems

Pricing for individual boxes ranges from $20 to $38 depending on which box you choose. There's nothing super complicated about it, but the high-value and luxe items seen in other boxes at this price range are missing from GlossyBox's lineup. We also ran into snags during checkout. We were trying to see if these prices were actually a monthly payment (despite the site not saying so on the product page). But when we attempted to check out we were kicked out of the system, so it may be a problem to actually buy the products if you want them.

Site glitches and missing pages

If the checkout wasn't already a system red flag, there are tons of pages on the GlossyBox site that are just "not found” including the page to sign up for the "Glossy Lounge” which appeared to be the subscription part of the site. However, when we attempted to subscribe, the page wasn't found and we were redirected to a blank screen (on multiple different browsers).

Extremely poor reputation

Given the problems we ran into on the site, it's no surprise that GlossyBox has an extremely poor reputation. The company currently holds an "F” rating from the Better Business Bureau with 50 registered complaints in the last 3 years. Further, the company only has a 1.3-star average from third-party review sites. Customers have complained that they felt their money was "stolen” by GlossyBox and there are multiple complaints regarding customer service. According to the reviews, customers couldn't reach service reps when problems arose and couldn't get anything resolved through GlossyBox itself.

Last place pick

With various red flags like missing pages on the website and out-of-stock beauty boxes, GlossyBox falls quickly toward the bottom of the pack. But the final straw is that on top of all of those concerns, the price is too high for the box value, and with extremely concerning "F” ratings and negative reviews across the board, we can't recommend GlossyBox at all. Considering we struggled to actually purchase the boxes when we tried to go through the checkout process, it's not really worth your time to consider this option.