We Found the Best Beauty Box Subscriptions

Flash back in time to just a few short years ago and start a search for beauty boxes. You’ll find there were just a few popular beauty boxes, each allowing you to sample new beauty products without breaking the bank. With a limited number of potential subscriptions, it was relatively easy to decide which box—or boxes—you absolutely needed to have delivered to your door on a regular basis. Nowadays, however, the same doesn’t hold true. Beauty boxes have grown in popularity exponentially, leading to a market that’s full of them. You can find boxes for nearly every beauty trend, in addition to the old standards. And while we don’t hate the abundance of boxes—options are amazing—it can make choosing the right box for you a challenge. That’s why we’re lending a helping hand and picking a handful of our favorites.  

1. Birchbox

One of the original beauty boxes, you’ll be hard pressed to find a list naming the best boxes that doesn’t mention Birchbox. And there’s a good reason for that. For only $10 a month, Birchbox sends a box containing a curated mix of hair care, skin care, and makeup samples—allowing you to try a little bit of everything. And if you find something you love, earn points by purchasing the full-size through Birchbox. Then you can use your points to score more full-size products or to gift subscriptions to your friends and family.

2. Walmart Beauty Box

Good news, retailers have hopped on the beauty box train. If you can’t keep up with the near-constant drugstore beauty launches, the Walmart Beauty Box might be just what you need. Four times a year, a box filled with new beauty products will ship to you—and all you have to pay is the cost of shipping.

3. BoxyCharm

If you aren’t interested in receiving samples that only offer a use or two, let us introduce you to BoxyCharm. What makes this box stand out from many of its competitors is the fact that each box includes four to five full size products. As for the types of items you’ll receive, BoxyCharm specializes in makeup (although you shouldn’t be surprised to see the occasional nail or skin care product too) and features products that are in line with current and emerging trends.

4. Ipsy Glam Bag

Are you an avid supporter of Youtube beauty gurus? In that case, you’re probably already familiar with the Ipsy Glam Bag. Co-founded by a popular beauty guru, Ipsy is one of many successful beauty influencer business ventures. Besides its origin story, the Glam Bag has two main points of difference from similar beauty boxes. For starters, it isn’t actually a box—you can expect your beauty samples to come in a reusable makeup bag instead. The Ipsy Glam Bag also puts an increased emphasis on personalization, sending “ipsters” five products that are tailored to their needs and interests.

5. Bomibox Mystery Box

You’ve surely noticed that Korean beauty trends are making their way stateside, and at the same time, Korean beauty products are becoming increasingly sought after. The only issue? Locating and trying new K-beauty products isn’t nearly as easy as walking into a drugstore and finding what you need. Hence why it might be nice to receive a K-beauty box with some of the products you’ve been dying to try. That’s where the Bomibox Mystery Box comes in, providing you with eight full sized or deluxe sample sized K-beauty items every month. 

6. Play! by Sephora

If you can’t help but be lured in by the gifts and travel-sized items near the registers in Sephora, you’re likely to love the Play! by Sephora box. Each month—for $10—Sephora sends out collectable bags stocked with five trial-size samples (plus one bonus sample) handpicked from their shelves.

7. Love Goodly

Are you only interested in trying natural, cruelty free beauty products? Don’t worry, there’s still a beauty box for you. Each bi-monthly Love Goodly box features a mix of full size products, with a focus on nontoxic beauty and skin care. And if you happen to get bored of beauty (impossible!) the boxes also include eco-style and home accessories, healthy snacks, and wellness products.

8. Glossybox

Think receiving a pretty pink box full of beauty products every month might do wonders for your mood? We can certainly understand how it might help. Give yourself a monthly pick-me-up with Glossybox, whose signature pink boxes come each and every month with five deluxe sizes samples inside. 

9. Target Beauty Box

Target’s beauty box program offers monthly beauty boxes in addition to boxes with a variety of themes, from face masks to morning makeup. There’s just one thing preventing the boxes from qualifying as a subscription boxes—there’s no subscriptions. Instead, anyone can hop online and order a box when they go live. You’ll just have to be speedy to snag one before they sell out.

10. FaceTory Seven Lux Box

Not everyone wants an almost endless supply of beauty products to test—although we don’t quite understand it. Still, there’s one thing everyone can use more of: sheet masks. You can keep them all for yourself, or bring a few to a girl’s night. Either way, there’s a subscription service to keep your vanity stocked with sheet masks at all times. The FaceTory Seven Lux Box arrives to your door every month, containing seven K-beauty sheet masks to put to use however you see fit.