Hello friends! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend. It's been feeling particularly spring-like in these parts and I'm loving every single second of it. There's definitely a part of me that's a little perturbed by the fact that it was 70 degrees in Connecticut before the end of February, but as someone who hates cold weather I really can't complain. Anywho, back to the reason you're here! It's time yet again to unbox some beauty goodies and see which of my $10 monthly subscriptions brought their A-game.
For those of you that are new to these parts, I'm a huge fan of monthly subscription boxes and have tried quite a few different ones over the years (you can see which ones here). At the current moment the only two beauty subscriptions I'm receiving are Ipsy and Sephora Play, both of which are $10 a month and contain 5 deluxe sized beauty samples. While these two subs seem pretty identical on paper, they do each have their own unique flair. And that's why I created this series! Not only am I personally nosy and love seeing what other people are getting in their bags, but I also want to give you some perspective on the kinds of products you can expect to receive from each of these subs so you can figure out which one might be best for you!
// THE SCOOP ON IPSY //
What it costs // $10 monthly (includes tax and shipping)
What you get // 5 beauty products and a cosmetics bag specially designed around the monthly theme
Why I like it // Ipsy works with A TON of different brands, both high and low end, mainstream and indie, which means I'm constantly being introduced to new things I might never have heard of otherwise. While you're only promised 5 deluxe samples, Ipsy frequently sends full sized products, especially from drugstore and indie brands. They also take into consideration both your profile and your individual product reviews when curating future glambags, making them better and better with time. In terms of product types, they send everything from makeup and brushes, to skincare, hair products, and nail polish, and your profile allows you to single out which specific kinds of products you like best.
Brands I've sampled // Tarte, NYX, Luxie, Trust Fund Beauty, IT Cosmetics, Royal & Langnickel, Pacifica, the Balm, Briogeo, Pur~lisse, Ciaté, Ofra, Eva NYC
Sound like your cup of tea? If you join from my referral link, I'll get credited 250 points to my Ipsy account. So THANK YOU in advance to anyone who chooses to do that. If you don't want to, that's totally cool! Just go to www.ipsy.com to sign up!
// THE SCOOP ON SEPHORA PLAY //
What it costs // $10 monthly (+ tax if there is a freestanding Sephora in your state)
What you get // 5 deluxe beauty samples and one fragrance sample in a cute, themed drawstring bag
Why I like it // Sephora is well known to be the Candy Land of beauty stores, carrying some of the most highly coveted brands in the market. Their monthly play box is a perfect way to sample up-and-coming products and be introduced to a ton of high end brands without forking over hundreds of dollars. Even though everything you are getting is truly a sample, most contain enough product for several weeks (or maybe even months) of use, giving you plenty of time to decide whether or not something is actually worth picking up in the full size. Every box usually pretty balanced, containing both makeup and skincare, and sometimes a hair or body product as well.
Brands I've Sampled // Bite Beauty, Korres, Bare Minerals, Clinique, Becca, Bumble & Bumble, Smashbox, MUFE, Ouai, Urban Decay, Nudestix, Cover FX, NARS
If Sephora Play sounds like its up your alley, you can sign up here! As per right now there is no referral program, but if you are a beauty insider your monthly subscription fee will earn you 10 points to your account.
Even though I was genuinely pretty excited for products in both bags this month, Ipsy really knocked it out of the park for me. I didn't even realize it until I looked it up just now, but that Luna highlighter was ALSO full sized and retails for $23!! That makes the total value of my bag about $60...for real. On a related sidenote, I've also been considering checking out Boxycharm. Every month I see people's unboxings and I'm experiencing some serious FOMO. I know it's more monthly than these two bags combined, but the value is INSANE. If you're subscribed to Boxycharm let me know in the comments below if you think it's worth it!
Which of these bags would have stolen your heart this month?
*This post contains referral links. For more information regarding my affiliations and disclosures click here.
