14 Best Makeup Subscription Boxes For a Monthly Surprise in Your Mailbox
Give the gift that truly keeps on giving.
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Everyone loves receiving packages — that's a fact. The joy of seeing the mailman walk up to the door with a package is almost Pavlovian, and let's be real, the best kind of packages to get are the ones you totally forgot about. Makeup subscription boxes are the best way to experience the unboxing pleasure of your favorite gift-giving holiday every single month.
If you love testing out the latest false eyelash trends and are constantly in need of a new lip gloss (they're so easy to misplace!) you'll want to check out beauty subscription boxes. Perhaps you've seen influencers post about their favorite subscription, or maybe you have a friend who raves about her monthly box and is constantly showing off her new finds. They're onto something — a monthly beauty subscription box is one of the best ways to find new brands at a discount and test out samples before investing in full-size items. And if you've been meaning to curb your spending, add a makeup subscription box to your birthday wishlist. Hint: They make great gifts for your friends, too.
Here are a couple of things to consider as you pick out the best makeup subscription box to try out.
- Do you want makeup, skincare, haircare, or fragrance? Some boxes specialize in a specific category, like fragrance or makeup, while others will send a curated assortment of lifestyle goodies from blush and bronzer to blanket scarves.
- What is your budget? Subscription boxes cater to every budget, whether you're willing to shell out some serious dough to discover the hottest new brands or just looking to receive fun samples in the mail for the price of a couple of lattes.
- What kind of brands do you want to try out? Beauty subscription boxes partner with a variety of different brands. Are you looking to try out drugstore products you can easily purchase again, or are you on the hunt for luxury skincare products straight from Europe?
- Do you want samples or full-size products? Some beauty boxes will send a mix of both, while others specialize in just travel-sized items or just full-size products. The best way to determine which is right for you is to take a look at your beauty stash — are you the kind of person who uses products up until they're empty, or do you have a graveyard of half-used lotions because you prefer testing out new items?
- Do you want the box curated around a certain cause? We're talking vegan, cruelty-free boxes, boxes that boast indie brands, female-owned beauty brand boxes, etc.
- How frequently do you want to receive deliveries? While once-a-month deliveries are the most common, some subscription boxes allow you to receive shipments every two or three months. Others offer flexible pause and skip options.
We've rounded up the best makeup subscription boxes to help you find the perfect one. Here are our top picks.
Type of product: Makeup, Skincare
Product size: 5 deluxe-sized samples
Subscription plans: $13/month
Brands you might receive: Benefit Cosmetics, Cocokind, First Aid Beauty, Item Beauty
Each month your five samples (one of which you get to select!) arrive in an adorable, collectable makeup bag. Once you receive your goodies, you'll rate what Ipsy sent you and they'll take that feedback into account for next month's shipment.
Pros
- Test out a designer fragrance before investing in the full bottle
Cons
Type of product: Fragrance
Product size: 8mL bottle (about 120 sprays)
Subscription plans: $16.95/month, $8.47/month for your first month
Brands you might receive: Gucci, Prada, Marc Jacobs, Versace
Can't commit to buying a full bottle of a new perfume? Enter Scentbird, the subscription that lets you wear designer spritzes on a budget. Take a quick quiz (Feminine or masculine fragrances? Warm or fresh? Sophisticated or playful?) and let the site analyze your answers — they'll give you personalized recommendations for your next fragrance. You'll get to test out a new fragrance for a month and see how the perfume interacts with your unique pH levels and body chemistry.
Type of product: Skincare, Makeup
Product size: At least 3 full-size and 3 deluxe samples
Subscription plans: $23/month, $16 for your first month
Brands you might receive: Sunday Riley, Rare Beauty, Elemis, Milk Makeup
This box is a real treat, because each product is editor-tested and approved. You'll be able to get out of your beauty comfort zone with popular, award-winning skincare and makeup products that you might not have otherwise been able to try.
Type of product: Makeup, Skincare
Product size: Full-size items
Subscription plans: $28/month
Brands you might receive: Tatcha, Huda Beauty, Glow Recipe, Tarte
Love your Ipsy Bag and ready to add a little more oomph each month? Upgrade from 5 samples to 5 full-sized items (!!) with their Glam Bag Plus. You'll get to choose 3 products and then Ipsy will add on two more full-size items for a total value of $120.
Type of product: Makeup, Skincare
Product size: 5 sample products worth $75+
Subscription plans: $21/month, $18/month with a 1 year commitment, $17.50/month with a 1 year commitment and upfront payment of $210
Brands you might receive: TONYMOLY, Benefit Cosmetics, Becca, Burberry
GlossyBox has over 500 partners and ships to ten countries: USA, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden. There is a new theme for each month's box, and you'll get a Glossymag in each box with articles, makeup tips, and beauty advice to go along with your products.
FabFitFun Seasonal Box
Type of product: Makeup, Fashion, Skin, Hair, Life
Product size: 8 items, you pick 3
Subscription plans: $49.99/season, delivered 4 times a year, or $179.99/year at $44.99/box
Brands you might receive: Kate Spade, Fenty, Coach, Living Proof, Free People
The best way to describe FabFitFun? Christmas morning, every single month. Not only does the brand offer makeup, haircare, and skincare products that you'll love receiving, but they also include everything from candles to hot tools to bags to jewelry. If you're a shopaholic from head-to-toe, this box will help curb your spending and satisfy that urge to shop by delivering your monthly dose of newness right to your door at a discounted price.
Type of product: Skincare, Makeup
Product size: 2-6 items in full and travel sizes
Subscription plans: $15/month
Brands you might receive: Oribe, Kiehl's, Stila Cosmetics, Sunday Riley
One of the perks of Birchbox is that you have two options — receiving a curated monthly Birchbox or receiving a box customized to you, including a product you select. Getting to hand-pick some of your items is one of the best parts of this subscription, because that minimizes the risk of ending up with accidental duplicates, products you don't want, or lipstick colors you would never wear.
Boxycharm Base Box
Type of product: Makeup, Skincare
Product size: 5 full-size products
Subscription plans: $27.99/month for the Base box, $35/month for the Premium box
Brands you might receive: Too Faced, Wander Beauty, Glow Recipe, Rare Beauty
Yes, you read that right — Boxycharm will send you an entire box of full-size products every month. This particular box tends to have more makeup than skincare or other beauty products, so if that is what you're searching for, this is the box for you. You'll be able to upgrade your box with BoxyLuxe to get 3 extra full-size products for an additional $24.99.
Pros
- Pause or skip a box anytime
Cons
Type of product: Skincare, Makeup
Product size: 6 sample- or full-size products
Subscription plans: $26/month, or $23/month with a 1 year commitment
Brands you might receive: Osea, Juice Beauty, Pacifica
The Kinder Beauty box promises that every single product you receive will be vegan, cruelty-free, and free of most common toxins (no parabens, sulfates, talc, or formaldehydes, to name a few). This box is the perfect way to discover new beauty brands that don't test on our furry friends or use any sort of animal product in the manufacturing process.
Type of product: Fragrance, Bath, Skin
Product size: 4-5 full-size products
Subscription plans: $49.99/month
Calling all bath lovers — this monthly subscription box from the self-care experts at Lush is full of exclusive skin and body must-haves that will help you destress. After you've tried all of the products in the kit, vote for your fave online for a chance to see it return in the next month's box.
Type of product: Skincare, Beauty
Product size: 6 sample- or full-size products
Subscription plans: $19/month, $16/month with a 1 year commitment
Brands you might receive: Ole Henrinksen, Bare Minerals, Bobbi Brown
LookFantastic started out as a European site that is now available in the USA, so if you've been wanting to try out European beauty brands (for that French girl vibe, ofc) and luxurious, higher-end products, this is the monthly themed box for you. Some reviewers report that you're less likely to receive full products in this box, but will get plenty of expensive travel sizes — and typically at least one full size item.
Pros
- Full product visibility — each month you know what you're receiving
Cons
Type of product: Skincare, Makeup
Product size: At least 6 sample- or full-size products
Subscription plans: $24.95/month, or $21.95/month with a 1 year commitment
Brands you might receive: Elemis, Tocca, Boscia, Caudalie
The skincare junkie in your life will absolutely love this gift. High-quality samples are the perfect way to discover which hot new products really live up to the hype — so that you can invest in the full-size versions for your dewiest skin ever. This box is put together by beauty experts who curate a monthly selection that's bound to please.
Type of Product: Makeup and Skincare
Subscription plans: Deliveries every 1, 2, or 3 months
If you know you’re going to keep repurchasing your faves, why not get a 15% discount while you’re at it? For the kind of makeup shopper that knows exactly what you want, no surprises involved, Ilia just launched a subscription that allows you to receive monthly (or bi- or tri-monthly) deliveries of their bestselling products like their famous Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 to their Limitless Lash Mascara.
Type of product: Fragrance
Product size: 10mL rollerball
Subscription plans: $20/month
Skylar's monthly Scent Club is the perfect gift for your loved one who loves perfume but can't commit to one scent. Each month, a new Scent Club exclusive fragrance will arrive at their doorstep. Plus, if they don't like the notes included in the upcoming month's scent, they can choose to opt out of the next box or substitute the rollerball with one of the past Scent Club perfumes or one from Skylar's core collection.
Hannah is the assistant shopping editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things from cute apartment decor to trendy fashion finds, TikTok products that are actually worth your $$$, and the perfect gift to buy for your boyfriend's mom. She previously wrote for Seventeen and CR Fashion Book. Follow her on Instagram for hot takes on red carpet fashion and unhinged updates on the books she’s reading on the train.
Abby is an editorial assistant at Seventeen, covering pop culture, beauty, life, and health. When she's not busy watching the latest true crime docuseries, you can find her strolling through Sephora, thrifting the perfect dress, or jogging with her pup.
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