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I’m a big one proposing to treat myself. I think everyone should have more little treats, always, always. A monthly beauty box subscription guarantees that once a month you will receive a little box of joy at your door. Whether the joy is centered on sample sizes, full-size products, makeup, skin care, or bath and body items largely depends on the service you choose. But I’ve tried a few months of a range of different services, and these are the best I’ve found.
Be sure to check out our related guides on the The best subscription boxes for kids, The best snack boxesand Best Meal Kit Subscriptions for more advice.
Updated December 2024: We have added Ipsy, Boxycharm and LuxSB to our list of recommended services. We also checked for accuracy throughout.
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Are beauty boxes worth it?
WIRED: Beauty boxes are a great way to discover new products, and usually offer excellent value compared to buying the items separately. You can’t put a price on the dopamine rush of getting a gift in the mail every month. (Or maybe in a literal sense, you can, but I still think it’s not cheap.) Products that don’t work for you make good gifts or donation items.
worn out: Some beauty boxes have a lot of environmentally useless plastic bottles and tubes, which can be bulky and difficult to recycle. You will probably receive some products that are not suitable for your hair or skin type, or simply do not work. Most beauty boxes don’t allow for any customization – what you get is truly a surprise.
I reached out to popular services and asked to try at least one month’s worth of boxes, but ideally three months’ worth. I compared the value of the included items to the cost of the box itself. I also took notes on the general variety and likelihood of the average person being able to use it, weighing specialty products against those that work for most people. And yes, I put all these beautiful potions on my face, hair and skin. Please refrain from asking me about the status of my bathroom bench during this testing time.
Note that some brands offer unique boxes that are available for purchase outside of a subscription. I have not tested these or considered them as part of the criteria for this guide.
