Battle of the Boxes: May 2015 - Ipsy vs Birchbox

Hello lovely readers - welcome to the May 2015 edition of Battle of the Boxes!

I received two  subscription this month: Birchbox and Ipsy ( for those of you who read this post regularly, I chose to cancel my Sample Society sub - it wasn't living up to my expectations). In my experience, subscriptions can be very hit or miss; most of the time I'm fairly content with the items I receive for $10/mo, but I do have to admit there are times I've been disappointed with the contents of the bag, and  even an occasion or two that I've felt that there wasn't a single item I could use. I often debate about cancelling one of my subs, but then they go and send me an awesome box, and I am once again sucked into subscription box bliss. I plan to cancel (another) one of my subs (some day...), so I like to compare month to month and get an idea of which box I am happiest with most often, and which has the most bang for the buck. I like to compare products received and overall value vs. cost of the subscription. Which brings me to Battle of the Boxes -  a comparison of my Ipsy and  Birchbox  subscriptions! To make cost-comparisons a little easier, I'm going to round the estimated value to the nearest quarter dollar. Read on to see which box reigns supreme for the month of May!




Let's take a look at Ipsy first:

Ipsy is a monthly beauty and makeup subscription that contains full or deluxe sized products, all packed into a cute makeup bag that suits the theme for that month. Like Birchbox, it costs $10/month, and the items vary from bag to bag based on your beauty profile. You can earn points by reviewing the products you receive and making referrals, and those points can be redeemed for select items when you reach 500 or 1000 points. There is a theme each month, and for the month of May it was "Jetsetter".

Let's see what I received in my bag...

Luxie Rose Gold 205 Tapered Blending Brush - Full size! value $12.00
For those who know me, you are aware that I have a bit of a brush obsession; I feel you can never have enough brushes, and I am beyond happy when I receive a brush in one of my subscription boxes! This Luxie brush is 100% Cruelty Free, made with quality synthetic hair bristles that are soft to the touch. The bristles are coated with an antibacterial solution to keep the brush more hygienic between washings. It seems like a nice brush to add to my collection!

Klorane Soothing and Relaxing Eye Patches -estimated value $6.00
Infused with soothing cornflower, these patches are said to calm irritated eyes, reduce puffiness, and moisturize and brighten the delicate eye area. I received two packages of these, which I think is a nice sample size. I am really looking forward to trying these out - they sound refreshing!

Chella Eyebrow Pencil in Tantalizing Taupe  - Full size! value $18.00
This is a mechanical eye brow pencil in a flattering shade for my hair color. It applies very smoothly, it has a fine point that mimics the look of real hair, and I'm happy to have it in my makeup collection!

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Lip Liner in Ozone - estimated value $15.00
This lip liner is 3/4 of the full size product - fantastic! I received the color Ozone, which is basically a clear lip liner that works with any shade of lip color to prime the lips and prevent feathering. The lip liner came with two pods of Urban Decay Revolution Lipgloss that I'm excited to try out (but I was too lazy to  could not calculate the cost of, so I did not include them in the total value)!

Cotz SPF 40 Natural Skintone Matte Sunscreen - estimated value $4.75
This is a oil- and fragrance-free tinted sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum protection and leaves a matte finish. Having oily skin, I am intrigued by the promise of a matte finish sunscreen - I can't wait to see if it lives up to its claim!

Total estimated value for Ipsy: $55.75


Now let's see what Birchbox had to offer:

Birchbox is a monthly subscription service that costs $10/mo and provides you with 4-6 samples hand-picked for you and delivered right to your mailbox! When you subscribe to the service, you fill out a questionnaire that helps them pick items suited to your needs and style. This is one of the original subscription boxes, and it has one of the best points systems: for every 100 points earned, you get $10 to spend in their shop. It's easy to earn points through reviewing the products received, shopping in their store and referring friends! Also, another fun perk that Birchbox introduced a few months back is the option to pick one of your samples each month, or even a fully curated box. I like this option, because you can be sure that you will like at least one of the items you receive each month (provided they offer a sample choice you like).
I did not like the sample choices for the month of May, so I let them "surprise" me with a box created for me by Cupcakes and Cashmere.

Let's take a closer look at the items I received...

Juara Candlenut Body Creme - estimated value $1.75
Candlenut oil is known as a cure for severely dry skin because it is rich in fatty acids, which makes it a great natural hydrator and all-around skin-smoother.This is a deeply hydrating creme that is not greasy. It is a rather small sample, but it will be great to throw in my purse.

Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Day Tint - estimated value $4.75
This product claims to hide redness and irritation, but not accentuate any dry spots or chapping. It is created with ceramides, has an SPF of 15, and a sheer tint that covers imperfections. My skin is anything but dry during these summer months (on really hot days, it can look like I applied suntan oil on my face!), however I do develop dry patches in the winter, so I will give this a try then.

Harvey Prince Sincerely Perfume - estimated value $1.50
This perfume smells so good! I am pretty picky when it comes to fragrance, and don't typically like receiving perfume in my subs, but this one is right up my alley. Sincerely blends together notes of Tuberose, Freesia, Mandarin and Sandalwood to create a mysterious fragrance that is not too heavy. 

Parlor by Jeff Chastain Sea Salt Spray - estimated value $5.00
This is a great spray to have for those days when I want beachy waves. It smells great, is moisturizing, and is free of sulfates, parabens, and gluten. This will fit perfectly in my travel bag so I can add texture to my hair during weekend getaways!

Benefit Lolliblam - estimated vale $9.00
This is a sweet little lip butter that hydrates and adds a touch of sheer, pretty color.  Believe it or not, the sample is actually half of the full size, so there is a good amount of product to try. So far I am quite happy with it!

Total estimated value for Birchbox: $22.00

And the victor is:

While Birchbox had a few fun items I will enjoy using (Lollibalm and Harvey Prince Sincerely perfume), Ipsy was jam-packed with some high-value samples this month, such as the Luxie blending brush, the Urban Decay Lip Liner, and the Chella Eyebrow Pencil. When it comes down to cost comparison, Ipsy blew Birchbox out of the water with a value of $55.75 vs $22.00. Ipsy lured me in from the very beginning by including a makeup brush; because the value is clearly there, and I will use more of the samples (can't wait to try out the Klorane Eye Patches!), Ipsy is the winner for May 2015!

Interested in trying out one of these subscriptions for yourself? Follow this link for Birchbox, or this one for Ipsy.

 What boxes do you currently subscribe to? Which is your favorite this month? 

Thank you for checking out Battle of the Boxes... live a beautiful life! 

~Jessica


*The winner of Battle of the Boxes is based solely on my opinion of which subscription has the better content and overall estimated value. As always, all opinions are my own.
**This post contains referral links