The Pros and Cons of Beauty Subscription Boxes

Sephora Play!, Boxycharm, Boxswalla, Ipsy, the list goes on. The amount of beauty-based subscription boxes and services seems to go up every year. For a (usually monthly) fee, you get a box of new beauty products to try, test, and play with right to your doorstep. Yet, they are an aspect of the beauty industry that I remain on the fence about as it seem every advantage to them brings with it a con, and equally every potential drawback also has an upside.

There's a Constant Refresh of Your Beauty Collection: As I've said, most beauty subscriptions out their send out monthly shipments as a default, and the amount of products as well as the sizes of the products you get does vary from company to company. The majority I've seen seem to offer mostly trial sizes and samples with maybe a full-sized product thrown in here and there. Certain companies, like Beauty Heroes (a company focusing on independent Green Beauty that offers monthly boxes) send out boxes that usually feature 1-3 full-sized products at a time. On the one hand, subscriptions introduce us to a host of new and exciting things that we may have never tried, or even, heard of otherwise. This means always having something new and different to add to your beauty collection and routine, but it also means a constant flood of new product. And while some services will let you delay shipments or cancel midway through a subscription period, others don't and may charge a fee for cancelling.

It's Always a Surprise: Part of the charm of subscription boxes is that they bring the element of surprise. Though this is not true in every case, many companies will only preview a certain portion of their monthly boxes' contents on their websites and social media, leaving the rest of what you'll be getting a mystery. Others offer clues in what you'll get by their general company ethos such as "you get so many beauty samples plus one home or lifestyle item". Others still, may let you pick from a selection of a few items of equal value for one thing in your box, but the rest will remain secret or be selected randomly by the company when they send out your box. On the one hand, the not knowing of what may arrive in the mail is fun-- almost like seeing wrapped boxes under the Christmas tree and wondering what might be inside. But on the other hand, you are paying a price every month for a selection of products you did not, or did not fully, choose.

You May Find New Favorites (But Maybe Not For Long): When trying new-to-you products, it's always a thrill when you discover a new favorite, and subscription products with their variety of newness are a great resource to make that happen. However, it is also common for brands to send out products that they are trying to sell off or are about to discontinue to subscription services in an effort to deplete their stock. In sort of instance, some subscription boxes feature many start-up, independent beauty brands, and while this is a great way for these brands to gain exposure and get their name and products out there, it can be difficult to relocate these products once the sample or product that came with the box is finished. So this is definitely a double-edged sword.

It is clear that, for me, subscription boxes remain a gray area. As with most things in life, there are advantages and disadvantages to everything, but of course, how ever one choose to spend their money is totally a personal decision. But I would love to hear YOUR thoughts on subscription boxes? Have you tried any? Which have you liked? Which have you not? Are you interested or on the fence like me? I'd love to know. Let me know your thoughts by commenting in the comment section below.