See our comparisons of the Best Beauty Subscription Boxes under $20!
BOX BASICS: All subscriptions are under $20 per month, so it’s easy to draw comparisons.
CUSTOMIZATION: Most subscriptions also ask you to complete a basic beauty profile. Ipsy allows you to rate items for Ipsy match and has started allowing a limited number of subscribers to select an item, but that feature isn’t yet universal.
REFERRALS & POINTS: Ipsy offer referral points; redeem points on selected samples in the Ipsy bonus section. You earn points on the monthly Sephora subscription plus you can redeem a PLAY! card in-store for an extra 50 points on any purchase.
VARIATIONS: Play!, Ipsy, and Birchbox send out multiple subscriber variations – we’re showing what we’ve reviewed here, and we would love to hear your experiences in the comments. For Allure, LookFantastic, and Macy’s, everyone typically receives the exact same items, although sometimes Allure Beauty Box has variations.
Play! by Sephora
Items:
- Moroccanoil Night Body Serum ($2.37)
- BeautyBlender Bounce™ Liquid Whip Long Wear Foundation ($40 Full-Size)
- Tarte SEA Water Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 ($6.63)
- Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer ($9.14)
- Urban Decay Cosmetics All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray ($4.12)
- Make Up For Ever Matte Velvet Skin Full Coverage Foundation ($6.01)
Total Value: About $26
For this month, Play! by Sephora included 3 foundation samples, a primer, and a makeup setting spray. The foundation samples they sent are fun to try, but what really stood out is the primer and the setting spray. Those two are both crucial in keeping makeup looking fresh and vibrant. Overall, it’s still a good deal for just $10!
Review: Play! by Sephora October 2019 Review
See Play! by Sephora spoilers + past Play! by Sephora reviews or sign up for directory notifications when we post about this subscription!
Ipsy
Items:
- Marc Anthony Strengthening Grow Long Super Fast Strength Leave-In Conditioner ($1.08)
- Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real! Lengthening Mascara in Jet Black ($8.33)
- Betty Boop x Ipsy Satin Lipstick in Mauve it Baby
- Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish In Adulting ($15)
Total Value: About $24.41
The Ipsy Glam Bag is really fun to get each month, and for October they sent a good variety in the bag. One of the products was missing but there’s another one on the way. The bags are always cute and for the most part, the included brands are well known!
Review: Ipsy October 2019 Review
See Ipsy spoilers + past Ipsy reviews or sign up for directory notifications when we post about this subscription!
Birchbox
Birchbox Regular Box
Items:
- Amika Supernova Moisture and Shine Cream ($5.07)
- Specific Beauty Radiance Repair Night Treatment ($27.30)
- NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Oil Mist ($4)
- Dr. Lipp Moisturising Colour Tint in Sweet Potato ($2.15)
- Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner in Espresso ($9.80 value)
- Model Co Matte Lip Creme in Crème de Nude ($5)
Total Value: About $53.32
The curated Birchbox is amazing, although two leave-in conditioners were a bit much for those who have fine hair. It would have been better if there were body care items (scrubs, lotions, shower gels, etc.) but then again they mainly focus on skin and hair care. The sizes were very generous and there are plenty of opportunities to try these samples and decide if you want to purchase the bigger sizes. That is really what Birchbox is all about – try before you buy.
Review: Birchbox Regular October 2019 Box Review
See Birchbox spoilers + past Birchbox reviews or sign up for directory notifications when we post about this subscription!
Deal: Get 15% off on subscriptions or 15% off on $30+ Birchbox shop orders! Use coupon code FIRST15.
Birchbox
Birchbox Curated Box
Items:
- Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser ($4.60)
- amika Supernova Moisture and Shine Cream ($5.07)
- Love Beauty and Planet Volume and Bounty Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower Shampoo ($4.22)
- Love Beauty and Planet Volume and Bounty Coconut Water & Mimosa Flower Conditioner ($4.22)
- Love of Color Liquid Shimmer Shadow ($10)
Total Value: About $28
The curated Birchbox is dominated by hair care products, including a fantastic shampoo and conditioner combo with a lovely scent. This curated box is satisfying because everything is usable. Though the value is not as high as the past boxes, it’s still a well-put-together box. However, minus some points for arriving in November!
Review: Birchbox October 2019 Curated Box Review
See Birchbox spoilers + past Birchbox reviews or sign up for directory notifications when we post about this subscription!
Deal: Get 15% off on subscriptions or 15% off on $30+ Birchbox shop orders! Use coupon code FIRST15.
Macy's Beauty Box
Items:
- Muslin Face Cloth
- Koh Gen Do Pure Cotton ($3.16)
- Fur FurYou Wash Cloth ($1.22)
- bareMinerals Deluxe Mineral Veil ($24)
- Elemis Superfood Facial Wash ($5)
- Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Power Serum ($34)
- PÜR No Filter Blurring Photography Primer ($15.84)
Total Value: About $83
Macy’s curation this month focused on skincare items for smoother complexion plus makeup that goes on light and fresh! All the skin-friendly and environment-friendly goodies in the curation are awesome. They’re all high-quality and receiving them reminds us to be conscious of our beauty choices as well. There’s no cosmetic bag but the overall value is already satisfying!
Review: Macy’s Beauty Box October 2019 Review
See Macy’s Beauty Box spoilers + past Macy’s Beauty Box reviews or sign up for directory notifications when we post about this subscription!
Allure Beauty Box
Items:
- Kneipp Mineral Bath Salt in Dream Away ($2.38)
- Blue Mercury M-61 PowerGlow Peel ($9)
- Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream ($4.69)
- Sunday Riley Ice Ceramide Moisturizing Cream ($11.47)
- ModelCo Metallic Eyeshadow Trio in St. Tropez ($18)
- ModelCo Eyelites in Granite ($12)
- Bausch & Lomb Lumify Eye Drops ($10.98)
Total Value: About $68.52
Allure this month had all kinds of different products, including bath salts, face cream, eye makeup, and body butter. They even included eye drops! The standout item is the body butter, it smelled amazing and worked well to relieve dry skin.
Review: Allure Beauty Box October 2019 Review
See Allure Beauty Box spoilers + past Allure Beauty Box reviews or sign up for directory notifications when we post about this subscription!
Deal: Get a FREE new member bonus item with your first box! Deal applies automatically, just visit and subscribe.
Look Fantastic Beauty Box
Items:
- Oh K! Illuminating Holographic Sheet Mask ($12.85)
- The Balm Foiled Again Eyeshadow
- Wet Brush Mini Detangler ($6.73)
- EOS Vanilla Orchid Lip Balm ($8.98)
- Look Good Feel Better Blending Brush ($8.98)
- Polåar The Genuine Lapland Hand Cream ($11.57)
- ELLE UK October 2019 Edition
Total Value: About $49
lookfantastic this month is all about skincare and makeup plus beauty tools! There’s a bunch of usable items, like the clear lip balm and the hand cream. Those two are such helpful companions especially now that the weather is getting colder and we’re more likely to get our lips and hands dry and cracked. It’s really impressive!
Review: Lookfantastic Beauty Box October 2019 Review
Of Note: While this box is $22 per month it has free worldwide shipping and if you subscribe to a year you’ll get it at $15 per month (plus you don’t have to pay upfront!). Always a mini Elle magazine plus a nice mix of UK beauty brands. Sizes are smaller but if you don’t live in the US & are willing to pay for a year upfront, this is a great choice!
See Lookfantastic spoilers + past Lookfantastic Beauty Box reviews or sign up for directory notifications when we post about this subscription!
Though we got 7 boxes to compare for the $20 category, we got a sure winner this month! Macy’s is definitely number 1 this month as it ensures that the skin is clean, smooth, bright, and young looking, plus the make-up goes on light and fresh, and some of the products are even environment-friendly! Allure comes in a close second as they included all kinds of useful products that we all love to try or even keep using! The rest of the boxes offers a wide range of beauty, skin and hair care products and we are all thrilled to try them all. It may be confusing to compare these lots of boxes but we can’t deny the fact that it’s fun to explore and try to use the items they offer!
What did you think of this month’s Sephora PLAY!, and Ipsy? Did you have a favorite?
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