My Birchbox vs. Ipsy series compares both subscriptions every month and gives you a good idea of what kinds of products to expect in each. I pay for both of these subscriptions on my own, and I’m not getting paid to write these reviews every month. I just love getting these boxes/bags in my mailbox in the middle of every month. I know that one month’s worth of reviews isn’t enough to make an informed decision, which is why I continue to write these posts. My hope is that if you’re on the fence between the two, these posts will help you make the decision about which subscription beauty box is right for you.
Here’s my breakdown of Birchbox vs. Ipsy – March 2015 edition:
Birchbox
Products (left to right,top to bottom)
- Smashbox Cosmetics long-wear lip lacquer (coral)
- Whish three wishes body butter (lavender)
- Yes to Cucumbers facial towelettes
- Beauty Protector protect & oil
- Jouer eye definer (chocolat)
When I first saw the products in my box after getting my sneak peak email, I was a little disappointed. However, after receiving my box, my opinion has changed a bit. The Smashbox lip lacquer is far from my ideal shade, but the formula is AMAZING. It’s creamy, smooth, non-drying, and not sticky. With some blotting, I think it’s something I could actually wear. I was surprised (and excited) to get a full-sized eyeliner in my box and even more excited when I swatched it on my hand. The “chocolat” color is a shimmery copperish-brown. I’m not usually a fan of shimmery eyeliners, but this one is awesome! I left the eyeliner on my hand for a few minutes, and when I tried to remove it, it wouldn’t budge. Even my saliva wouldn’t take it off. This eyeliner has staying power! I’ve used the Yes To Cucumbers wipes before, and for some reason, this brand always burns my eyes and the skin around my eyes. Looks like I’ll be giving these to a friend. I haven’t tried the hair oil yet, and I’m usually not a big hair oil person. But, it has the same smell as Beauty Protector’s protect & detangle, so I’m willing to give it a chance. I haven’t opened the seal on the body butter to try it out yet or see what it smells like, but I’m a little nervous about the lavender scent. Alex loves lavender, but it’s not really my thing. The reviews say the scent is really light, and it may be something that I like. We’ll see.
Ipsy
Products (left to right, top to bottom)
- VINTAGE by Jessica Liebeskind illuminating face highlighter
- NYX Cosmetics butter lipstick (hunk)
- Pur-Lisse Beauty pur-delicate gentle soymilk cleanser & makeup remover
- Dr. Brandt Skincare pores no more anti-aging mattifying lotion
- Boo-Boo Cover-Up (medium)
I was really excited about my Ipsy bag when I saw the sneak preview – mostly because I felt like it made up for last month. I tried the lipstick right away because I’ve been wanting a purple-y lipstick. The color wasn’t as intense as I thought it would be, but the formula was amazing! It was super creamy and didn’t try out my lips. I haven’t used the VINTAGE highlighter yet, but it’s very glittery and pink. I’m just not sure it’s going to look good on me.The boo-boo coverup shade is perfect for me, and I’m excited to try it out the next time I have a cut or pimple that needs to be covered. The last time I got a pure-lisse product in my Ipsy bag, I was obsessed with it, and I’m hopeful that this one will be just as good. Between Birchbox and Ipsy, I’ve gotten several Dr. Brandt products, and I’ve loved each and every one of them. With the addition of the mattifying lotion, I now have multiple products from the “pores no more” line. I’m excited to be able to try them all together and to see how they work as a group.
This month, Ipsy and Birchbox are tied.
I really thought Ipsy was going to be a clear winner, but after actually looking at and swatching some of the products from my Birchbox, I’m a lot happier with it. I think both boxes were pretty good, and although I don’t think I’ll buy any of the full-size versions, the sample sizes are decent enough to where I can get a good amount of use out of them.
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