Battle of the Boxes: April 2015 - Ipsy, Birchbox and Sample Society

Hello there lovelies!

I received three subscription boxes for the month of April: Birchbox, Ipsy, and Sample Society. 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 do still plan to cancel 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,  Birchbox and Sample Society 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 April!

Battle of the Boxes, September 2014 : Ipsy vs Birchbox

Welcome to the Battle of the Boxes, a comparison of two subscription boxes resulting in one of them being named the champion of the month (based solely on my opinion)!  The opponents may vary from month to month, but they will always be in the same price and content range.  In the ring for the September 2014 edition , we have Birchbox and Ipsy. Both are beauty subscription boxes that cost $10/ month and are made up of various beauty products, from makeup and skincare to hair products and body creams. Shall we compare the two and see which one comes out victorious??

First up, Birchbox:

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!

They usually have several different themes for the boxes each month, and the one I received was  "Wet Paint"; each box includes a card with a description of each item in the box, as well as the cost for the full sized item. The items I received were:

                                


Pixie She Butter Lip Balm in Honey Nectar - Full sized product, $8 value.
I've been wearing this lip balm every day since I got it; it is super moisturizing, it has a nice sweet scent and a barely-there color which makes it perfect for daily use. It is my first Pixi product, and it makes me want to try other items from this brand.

Davines OI/ Oil Absolute Beautifying Potion - 1.69 ounces, $17 value (Bonus OI/Shampoo and OI/Conditioner included, a $2.75 value)

I am a big fan of the Davines line of haircare products - I have received several samples, and I have loved them all! I would definitely purchase them, if I wanted to spend the money ever run out of samples! The Davines OI/ Oil Absolute Beautifying Potion is rather pricey - the full sized product is $41 for 4 ounces, so this 1.69 ounce sample is a great product to receive!

Dr. Jart+ Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm - .2 ounces, $5 value

The name is quite a mouthful - try to say it 3 times fast! This product seems to only come in one shade, and it is a little light for my end-of-summer tanned skin, but it should work for me as the tan fades. I'm always on the lookout for a BB Cream to use on my casual, no-makeup-look days, so we'll give this a go and see if it's my next favorite thing. 

Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream  - .1 ounce, $1.25 value

This product is just "meh" for me. Plain skin cream does not make me happy, especially when it is such a puny sized sample that I cant't even apply it to my body more than once. SMH.  

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser Mini Starter Kit - 1 ounce, $7.50 value

This was my Birchbox "pick your own item" choice, and I am so happy with it! I had heard of this cleanser before, but never really thought of trying it until now, and I must say I am hooked and will be purchasing the full size!

This box has a total value of about $41.50, which - for a $10  subscription - is pretty awesome! While only one item is full sized (the Pixi lip balm), I feel that(with the exception of the Yu-Be Cream), the deluxe sized samples will last me awhile and really give me the chance to try out the products. 

Next up, Ipsy:

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.

Ipsy's theme for September was "Street Style"; unlike Birchbox, Ipsy does not include a card with the description and value of each item.

NYX Hot Singles Eyeshadow in the shade Arrogance - Full sized product! $4.50 value.
This shade is described as a violet smoke; it's really pretty, and I can't wait to create a fun purple smokey eye with it!

 

 

Crown Brush Deluxe Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet - Reg. $17.50, currently on sale for $6.99.
This is a great brush to have as it is a multitasker, and the bristles are nice and soft; I will be adding this to my travel bag!

Hikari Lipstick in the shade Cabernet - Full sized product, $13 value.
I'm loving this wine shade right now - perfect for fall!

Pacifica Natural waterproof Eye Pencil in Fringe - .026 ounces, $3
It is is nice to receive a product that is both vegan and cruelty free, with no phthalates, parabens or petroleum. Fringe is a coffee brown shade, which is neutral and easy to wear.

Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask - 1 ounce, $5 value.
Not the most thrilling item in the bag, but I am interested to see if it does anything for my recovering, over-processed hair.

This bag had an overall value of about $37.50, which is pretty good considering that it costs $10 to purchase! This bag contained 3 full sized items, and 2 deluxe sized samples. I am very pleased with 4 of the 5 items, and the fifth (the conditioner) is still an item I will use, so for me this is a win!

It was a stiff competition this month, as both bags had a lot of items I will use, and many of the products were full sized; however I think that, after comparing the two subscriptions, for me the winner of the September 2014 Battle of the Boxes is: BIRCHBOX! Were you surprised? I am, because normally I would go for the box that has more makeup items, however I just love the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser, the Pixi Lip Balm, and the Davines hair products! These are items I will use daily until the samples run out, and then I will purchase the full sized products. Great job Birchbox!

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

Do you subscribe to either beauty box? If so, did you have a favorite this month?

~Jessica

Disclosure: this post includes referral links

August 2014 Birchbox Unboxing

Hello there, welcome back!!


I'm so excited to have received this month's Birchbox!! For those of you who may not be familiar with Birchbox, it 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. Birchbox 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!

Birchbox ships their boxes within other boxes (like a nesting doll), and this month the outer box was hot pink, and had an address label that was just too cute - I often imagine people refer to me as I've never been called "Queenly" before, and I like it!

The items typically come packaged in a simple brown cardboard box, however from time to time they do mix it up if they have a special collaboration going on.

 These boxes can easily be reused to store small items or to wrap presents in, 

so go ahead and keep your boxes!

Each month there is a theme, and for August it was "Lighten Up". The box comes with a card describing the items you received on one side, and a cute little statement on the other side; my card instructed me to "Keep Calm and SPF On".

I usually open the box to view the contents before I read the card - 

it intensifies the surprise factor for me.

First look inside my August 2014 Birchbox

 The first items to catch my eye were the Neil George Shampoo & Conditioner.

 (1.69 oz each, $9 total value)

I was very happy to receive both items of equal size, as that doesn't always happen; sometimes I get a good sized shampoo with a tiny packet of conditioner, and other times just the shampoo or conditioner by themselves. In my opinion, it's so much better

 to get to try the two together, as they go hand in hand. 

 Next is Key West Aloe Moisturizing Lotion in their Mango scent.(1 oz, $2 value) 

This lotion smells like the beach; I look forward to trying it out on my upcoming vacation. 

This little guy is the pillow box that comes in most Birchboxes.

 There are usually a couple of smaller items tucked away inside - 

like a surprise inside of a surprise (they really like that nesting doll approach)! 

Let's see what we have this month...

It's the Nugg beauty Revitalizing Face Mask! ($2.99 Value)

I love a good face mask - there's just something about walking

 around  your house with a thick layer of goop on your face,

 hoping nobody decides  to drop by before you wash it off.

 Finally, we come to my product choice for the month:

Laura Geller Cool Lids Eyeshadow in the shade Silver Sands. (0.17 oz, $12.50 value)

 Birchbox recently began letting subscribers choose one product from a small selection of items, thus creating a more custom-made box. This month you had your pick of a bronzer, eyeliner, lip & cheek stain or cream eyeshadow; as you can see, I chose the shadow.

  I'm very excited to try this out and let you know my thoughts on it!

Final Thoughts: Overall, I really enjoy this month's box! I spent $10 on it, and it has a total value of roughly$26- not too shabby!! On top of that, if I give a review on all 5 products, I will get 50 points (or $5 to use in the shop)! I am pleased with the size of all of the samples, especially the shampoo and conditioner, and I am most excited to try out the eyeshadow! If you're subscribed to Birchbox, what did you think about you August box?

If you're interested in trying out Birchbox for yourself, click here.

~Jessica

Disclosure: this post includes referral links