I love surprises. But only if they are surprises that I have asked for and do not require anyone to shout at me “surprise”. I like opening my surprises; I love not knowing what I am going to find. Beauty boxes are my go-to surprise each month. They allow me to discover products I might otherwise pass on, and oftentimes, products that I didn’t know I needed. Sometimes there are even products I have never heard of and I get to take the time (and the absolute joy) to deep dive into a certain ingredient. Surprises and research are everything!

There are a lot of different beauty boxes that you can choose from if you are interested in either makeup or beauty. (And if you are interested in trying new meals, we can dive into that at a later date; or maybe the wine ones which is another one right up my alley) I prefer subscriptions that are tailored to what I want most; I don’t wear makeup often so I am more interested in the skincare. And it has to be a company that doesn’t just throw a bunch of junk in box and call it a day.

When looking for a beauty box subscription there are a couple of factors to keep in mind: your budget, if you want full-size or sample-size products, if the box is tailored to you, and options like the ability to skip months or the ease of cancelling your subscription.

So I once again scoured the sites to find the best options out there for you. By the way, if you are willing to take on additional risks, there are people on Etsy who actually sell boxes of beauty items. But you do risk running into expired products, and even cheaper brands that are probably easier for you to just buy yourself. I don’t want to say all the boxes on Etsy are bad, but be careful here.

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• IPSY

IPSY bills itself as the most personalized beauty subscription available. Not only do they give you a quiz when you sign up for the service, but they also allow you to add products to your monthly box. IPSY memberships start at $14/month for the Glam Bag, but they also have additional boxes like the Icon box for $60/quarter which lets you not only be surprised with items they pick, but also allows you to pick three full-size products yourself. I like this one simply because not only are there a variety of boxes, but they use a beauty quiz to determine what to send me, and they are considered a reputable company. If you have further questions about billing, they spell this out for you as well. (by the way, BoxyCharm has recently joined with IPSY, which is why you won’t see them in this list).

• Birchbox

Birchbox bills itself as different because it allows you to choose what you want in your box (although you can always let the company send you what they think you would like). Like IPSY, this company offers a short quiz to help you narrow down your specific interests. The boxes that you receive will contain sample sizes of products (usually five) and then you can use their shop to buy the full size products if you wish. You also have the option to review the products you received so the company can further tailor their boxes to you. Birchbox offers month-to-month subscriptions, along with prepaid subscriptions (and even commitment subscriptions). A rebillable monthly subscription starts at $25 dollars.

• Allure Beauty Box

This box comes from the editors of Allure Magazine. For this box, you simply choose your plan, and the Allure Beauty Editors handpicked 6+ products (3+ full size), valued at over $100. You also get “exclusive” offers from their beauty store. On Allure’s site they state they work with companies such as Rare Beauty, Sunday Reilly, etc. The Allure Beauty box subscription starts at $21/box for their annual plan. They do not offer a quiz to customize the boxes to your needs, so be prepared to receive items that might turn into re-gifting options. However, if you are looking for the brands, and some of the best of those, this is a reliable option.

• FabFitFun

This box is a little different. These boxes come seasonal, which means four times a year. The boxes include a mix of skincare products, makeup, fashion, wellness items, and gadgets or home decor. FabFitFun only ships full size products and if you don’t like a specific product you can return it for credit in their store. The company does allow you some customization with your box, so you will get items that you will actually want to use. They also provide discounted items/prices through their Add-Ons and Edit Sales, which occur before each season’s box ships. This is a great box if you are looking for more variety in your surprises. The seasonal plan starts at 69.99/box which is billed quarterly.

• GlossyBox

This subscription is another beauty box that offers 5-deluxe sized beauty products. GlossyBox offers skincare, makeup, haircare, and occasionally fragrance. They partner not only with well known brands, but with lesser-known or even new brands to introduce you to a variety of products. They do offer some customization usually in terms of shades or products based on your skin tones. This box is probably best known for their packaging, which tends to be more stylish. They also offer special occasion boxes, which as of this writing includes, “Barbie-themed”, a Valentine’s and Easter edition box. The subscription box usually runs about $21/month, although the special occasion boxes will not be included.

This is only a couple of the subscriptions available out there (there are actually tons), but the ones that I think are not only well-known but also ones you can be comfortable ordering from. I highly encourage before you get involved in any subscription service, that you read the complete terms and conditions. Make sure you know how much you will have to pay, how to cancel your plans especially if you are unsatisfied, and when you will be charged. Also, if the subscription offers either special deals or the ability to replace certain items, make sure that you know how that works.

I hope you can find your next surprise, and that like me, you have a little fun with this one.