Images of Birchbox, Glossy box, Look Fantastic, Cohorted, LoveLula, Treasure trees, Curlee box, Callaly, The Perfume Society and Estrid
Once upon a time, the beauty subscription box market was led by industry giants Birchbox and Glossybox, the most popular brands that still dominate the game today. Now we are frankly spoilt for choice with the wide selection on offer to arrive on our doorsteps every month. Whether you’re a makeup addict, a cruelty-free crusader or somebody that likes a little bit of all of the above, here are the ten best beauty subscription boxes you need to know about right now.
Glossy Box
An OG in this field, this box is priced at £10.00 – plus postage and packaging – a month. Of course, there are other payment options available, including paying up front which makes it a great gift idea for a loved one. You’ll receive a monthly box filled with five new makeup, skincare or haircare mini goodies with a collective worth of over £50. The reason for its popularity can be narrowed down to the affordable monthly price point as well as some of the credible, well-loved beauty brands that have been included in the boxes. From Aussie to Huda Beauty, you will not be disappointed.
Birchbox
At £12.95 a month, yet this time round including postage and packaging, Birchbox will treat your beauty needs every month. In your box, you will receive five products which are a mixture of travel and sample size items with the occasional full-size treat included for a surprise. Create your own beauty profile on your online account, which lets them know if you’re into your haircare or makeup and in turn, watch them personalise your box products to fit your preferences. Birchbox also collaborates with other luxury brands to release one-off boxes which are great if you want a taster for the real deal before committing to a subscription. Check out their current one with Anthropologie.
Look Fantastic
At a slight price incline, Look Fantastic’s subscription box provides you with a whopping six beauty products. That’s one more than the rest for just £15 a month. To give you a comparison, this April’s spring-themed box contains four full-size products and two minis worth over £65 – not too bad if you’re beauty-obsessed like us. Look Fantastic often give beauty box subscribers discounts on their site which is great if you’re looking to restock a newly founded product from your box!
Cohorted
Edging towards the more luxurious higher-end of the beauty box spectrum is Cohorted. At £39.99 a month, you will receive around eight premium products hand-selected by beauty experts. It comes with a complimentary magazine giving all the knowledge on your products and shining a light on the brands. If there is one thing ensured by this subscription box it is quality, which is probably why it was voted by Vogue as their number one choice.
Lovelula
If your ears prick up at the mention of natural beauty, this one is for you. Lovelula is one of the best all-natural beauty subscription boxes, priced at a monthly fee of £14.95. With this subscription you are promised to be given five products with no harmful chemicals, that haven’t been subject to animal testing, won’t present you with unrealistic beauty ideals and ones that celebrate small enterprises too. This box is excellent if you’re very conscious about what ingredients you want to use in your beauty regimes, as this ensures you are using products that are cruelty-free in every sense of the matter. Another great gift too.
Treasure Tress
As we enter the haircare zone, Treasure Tress has to be commended as being a pioneer in the curly hair subscription box community. If you have afro/curly hair and are perhaps transitioning your locks on a natural hair journey, this box is a great shout. It partners subscribers with products that will help improve and maintain the condition of your curls and is friendly to use whether you’re refraining from using heat on your hair and letting it grow, or if you like to chop/change and relax it too. The most amazing part about Treasure Tress is the choice of three boxes. Are you a queen, a tween or a mini-me? That’s right – a box type for every member of the family for £20 a month with four to six full-size items included.
Curlee Box
Another fabulous box for universal curl owners is Curlee Box, which again encourages those to embrace their natural kinks and waves and invest in hair health. Priced at £24 a month for a monthly subscription, this box contains four to five full-size items. Curlee Box aims to expose people to hair care products and brands you may not otherwise know about and through an affordable method. Another great USP that Curlee Box offers is their bi-monthly free from box option, which means the products delivered in that box contain no chemical nasties. Ideal for someone looking to learn about and protect their curls.
Callaly
If you like innovative creations, Callaly is changing the way we think about, buy and experience sanitary products. Every month you can personalise, schedule and receive a box full of organic cotton tampons, liners, pads or their new invention tampliners – visit their website if you want to know more. The boxes, depending on what you want them to contain, are priced between £4 to £10 a month, so chances are you might save some cash and have the luxury of convenience which isn’t always the case when it comes to periods. A really useful subscription with non-toxic products that are better for our bodies too.
The Perfume Society
When it comes to beauty loves, if fragrance is your kryptonite than The Perfume Society will excite you to no ends. Essentially, their discovery boxes include ten perfume sample products or testers from the latest and greatest releases in perfume. This comes a box (which have to be bought separately, not on a subscription basis) priced at £19 or £15 if you’re a VIP member. And when you think it can’t get any better, if you purchase their latest ‘Launches We Love’ discovery box, you’ll be entered in a competition to win a full-size bottle.
Estrid
Where Harry’s and Dollar Shave Club introduced us to shaving on subscription, Estrid has provided us with a female-friendly alternative which avoids wasting plastic on replacing razors and being more sustainable at a convenience. For £7.95, you first receive a handle, two interchangeable 5-blade cartridges and a wall mount to start you off, and for £9.95 a month then onwards you can continue your subscription of blades as and when you need them. Don’t need? Don’t pay. You can also add shave cream, body lotion and body oil wash to your order too for some extra treats every month. The razors are dynamic, the process easy and the results intensely satisfying – what more could you ask for?
Words by Amy Arfi
Graphics by Katie Janes
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