As part of the Beauty Box Subscription Dilemma series, I unboxed some of the most popular beauty subscription box services out there! When I launched the project, I listed the boxes I would be reviewing. Unfortunately, I did not get to all of them! I did unbox some boxes that were not on my original list and didn’t unbox some that were on my original list. Of course, other boxes that didn’t make my initial list were ones I learned about AFTER I started my project and before I had enough time to unbox wih you.
None of these links are affiliate links, so do not worry friends! However, if you do end up trying a box (or two) please use links from my site so at least I get some referral cred from traffic. If you purchase anything and they ask how/where you found out about them… help a sister out and fill in yours truly at Setareh Beauty. (Thanks, lovelies.)
I’m sure you know, it takes a lot of work (time + money) to put these types of things together, and the little itty bitty recognition I get when you use one of my links helps. I would appreciate it even more if you share this post with those you love or should know about this project.
I have categorized the boxes into Budget, Moderate, Pricier. I’ve ranked them in their category and also collectively at the end! I hope this helps you in your or your gift giving decision making!
I don’t love the Previse, as it isn’t hydrating enough for me but it does the job and I’m glad I get to use it in its entirety. It would probably better suit someone with more oily skin.
As much as I wanted to love the mascara, it was okay. I think 100% Pure could make a better brush and that would improve the application process immensely. However, Goodebox opened me up to 100% Pure Cosmetics and I’m SO glad for that. I’ve had so many clients interested in “clean and green” cosmetics. I’m proud to refer them to this line of fruit-pigmented cosmetics. I saw they have a retail store in Santana Row in San Jose, so that’s awesome. I hope to be doing a product review on this line and their competitors, so stay tuned and let me know!
I would purchase a Glossybox subscription in a heartbeat. You can tell a lot of love goes into their boxes. Check out my Glossybox unboxing here.
I have a feeling that most of my clients my age or older are looking for this box! At $25/box…this is truly such a great price for what you get. The mybody nighttime moisturizer is fantastic, although I’m not sure I would purchase it at retail price. I’m SO glad I got to try the brand, though. I love the pump! Both the oils are amazing. I have one at my bedside and the other in my medicine cabinet. Oils have such historic roots in beauty regimes and I’m glad they are becoming more available and recognized as amazing beauty products, thanks to BeautyDNA who obviously knows what they are doing.
Between the two boxes, I received four nail polishes, one lip-gloss (the smell is AMAZING), one lipstick, and an eye shadow 101 stick. For the sake of this series, I did actually test out their nail polish and oh man, I was/am impressed! It is the quickest drying/long-lasting nail polish color I’ve ever used and the color(s) is/are phenomenal on the nails. They actually look like the color in the bottle. Rarely am I impressed by nail polishes…but I’ve been wearing Julep’s nail polish WITHOUT a clear coat (check out the last videos/unboxings) and it’s still on and looks great. Yes, there’s some chipping but for it being almost a week old, that’s pretty darn good. Remember, I chase around a 3.5 year old and we live in an old home with no dishwasher, if that helps.
Although I’ve used the lip gloss occasionally, the product I most love is the eyeshadow 101 stick. I I had to be really nit picky, the color stick constantly slides back down into the tube… it’s just a matter of unscrewing it back up and it’s fine… but like I said, that’s super nit picky. It’s an amazing color and formulation.
There was supposed to be a nail polish in the tube but there wasn’t. I believe they threw in some of the extra biotin chews to make up for that. That actually is better for me BUT if you are a nail polish fiend, then you would’ve been disappointed. The quality of makeup was meh. Basically, I feel like Testtube Beauty crammed a bunch of deluxe drugstore sample freebies into a tube. I could be wrong… but that’s just how I feel.
Ok, at $21/month, it can get costly. It’s worth it. For me, every month might turn excessive (especially considering how much makeup I already have) BUT this is a great, every once in awhile box for me.
Yes, yes, yes. Just do it and thank me later. This is perfect for you luxury women, who don’t want to sacrifice quality for quantity. As far as a BeautyDNA monthly subscription…I think one box/month would be excessive… unless you are trying to build a fabulous collection. As you saw, I received two large oils in two consecutive months. If you are worried about that, you should probably update your profile (which I did not do—shame on me) or making this a quarterly or twice a year box. For me, time is money. It’s hard for me to try on a blouse in a store or even a perfume as I’m often time toting around my rambunctious little guy….so this is the perfect solution. Trust me, you need at least ONE BeautyDNA box/year…at a minimum.
If you are an ipsy or Birchbox subscriber, I’d recommend trying out BB5. The only reason BB5 is coming in 3rd is because I am a professional makeup artist and have a huge kit and getting more makeup products is not necessarily what I need. BB5 will be a box I will subscribe to in the future every now and then J It is def a box I will recommend to my clients who I feel like the items are higher end and that you get way more bang for your buck. I will totally sacrifice $12 from my coffee budget and snag a BB5 in a heartbeat. Great job!
I discovered Mishibox after Memebox, and like I mentioned earlier, I’d be more than happy to do a separate series on Korean Beauty boxes! I was super impressed with Mishibox’s customer service – they were extremely timely, professional, and personal in their communication with me. They even provided me a discount code for highly sought after and coveted SoKo beauty products.
The LaRitzy box is one I consider to be a competitor to Goodebox or Petit Vour. LaRitzy wants to show women that cruelty-free beauty products are the way to go! Their packaging is super cute and I love their Instagram feed. If you are a cruelty-free consumer (or any consumer who wants to buy their makeup more consciously), you need to jump on LaRitzy box right meow.
Now THIS is a cool service. For $10/month (no subscription required) you get to test out the luxury beauty products you want. Think Chanel, Giorgio Armani, YSL, Tom Ford, etc. You pick the five and they send you enough to get at true sample at home. No department store makeup counters and the ridiculous sales pressure that comes with them. Let’s be honest, that takes a lot of time (and money). This is a box I will check out when I run out of some of my faves :
Glowing Beets offers their subscribers 3-4 deluxe or full-sized, high quality, natural beauty products per month delivered to you for healthy living. Another competitor to Goodebox (or what is now called the Goodbeing box), Glowingbeets is a bit pricier but after browsing their website, it looks like they may carry more higher end products than some of the other boxes.
Hope this helps you in your own decision or your decision to gift a loved one! I truly believe all of these companies really want to please their subscribers…what works for one person, may not work for the other… and THAT’S OK!
Please leave me some feedback and I look forward to my next series TBA!! Make sure to subscribe to be in the know. Trust me, I hardly send out emails…when I do, you DEF want to read them.
XO,
Natalie
Been answering your beauty questions since 2014!
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Beauty is about perception, not about make-up. I think the beginning of all beauty is knowing and liking oneself. You can't put on make-up, or dress yourself, or do you hair with any sort of fun or joy if you're doing it from a position of correction.