Ipsy vs Birchbox Review

Ipsy vs Birchbox

Like a box of chocolates, everybody loves a little gift now and then. Aside from candy, there are other ways to treat yourself. For beauty fanatics, the best pick-me-up is a monthly cosmetic subscription box. 

Filled to the brim with in-season makeup, skincare, and hair products, it’s the self-care surprise that gives back. It’s not a matter of vanity anymore—instead, it’s a great way to unwind, relax, and take of yourself. 

If you’re a cosmetic connoisseur, chances are that you know of Ipsy and Birchbox. Popularized for its selection of vogue makeup and self-care products, both subscription-based companies are vying for the number one spot. So, here’s the ultimate question, which brand should you sign up for? 

Stay tuned, as we’ll provide a side-by-side comparison between Ipsy and Birchbox. From price, products, to customer perks, we’ll let you in you the deets before you decide.

About Ipsy

If you’re a longtime Michelle Phan fan, there’s a good chance that you’ve heard of Ipsy before. This online subscription program sends over a box of beauty products to your doorstep on a monthly basis, and let me tell you—it’s anything but random. Designed to cater to your needs and wants, Ipsy curates the best cosmetic brands on the market for first-timers to try out. 

Since its debut in 2011, this Californian brand has amassed a large community of avid beauty lovers. More specifically, they have 3.2 million followers on Instagram. Of course, with a celebrity backing from the one and only Michelle Phan, it’s only natural for Ipsy to partner with several influencers, including Halsey and Patrick Ta. 

About Birchbox

Exclusivity was never valued by the beauty community—but with the upsurge of brands being introduced every year, it seems that you’ll need some background intel to know what’s good from mediocre. 

Catered for non-dermatologists, Birchbox acts as a guide to help customers navigate the expansive world of cosmetics. They offer a monthly subscription program which provides a curated box of goodies designed specifically for you. 

Founded by Hayley Barna and Katia Beauchamp, this New York-based brand continues to lead with an inclusive company mission. 

Birchbox states that they are “a service for people who think of haircare and skincare and makeup as the extra cherry on top of a rich, busy life – not the ice cream, the bowl, and the spoon.” With a promising quote to lead off of, it’s no wonder that they have over 549k followers on Instagram. 

Everybody loves getting a package in the mail—but surprises aren’t indicative of quality. If you can’t decide what subscription box to opt for, let this Ipsy vs Birchbox review provide a rundown of both brands to help in the decision process. We’ll go over their monthly memberships, as well as a few pointers to look out for. 

What to Consider

Target Audience 

There are thousands of beauty brands out there. So, in order to deviate yourself from the competition, you’ve got to know how you stand out and who you cater towards. 

Aside from age, audiences may include budget-conscious shoppers, the luxury clientele, the cosmetically ill-informed, or those who just want the trendiest beauty products on the market. It’s important to figure out your needs beforehand to find a brand that has your best intentions in mind.  

Customization 

Surprises are great and all, but there’s nothing more disappointing than constantly receiving several beauty products that don’t cater to your needs. Fortunately, some subscription brands offer a bit of customization in order to prevent unwanted items. Usually, it’s in the form of an online quiz that customers must fill out beforehand. 

Subscription Flexibility 

Subscriptions should never feel like a deadset contract. Flexibility is must-have, as it provides customers some leniency on changing shipping schedules, delivery frequencies, or upgrading to another plan. As a result, it’s best that you read up on any membership fine print before signing up. 

Product Range 

The whole point of a beauty subscription box is to introduce customers to something new each month. The brand in question should have a vast inventory of cosmetics within its arsenal. It’s also important that they specify what kind of beauty products they carry, as this can vary from skincare, haircare, makeup, or fragrances. 

Accessibility 

Brands like Ipsy and Birchbox were never made to be exclusive. If they’re true to their promise of inclusivity, they should be affordable and accessible to several locations. It’s also worth mentioning that some products are only limited to certain countries for legal reasons. For instance, aerosol cans usually entail special shipping protocols for safety reasons. 

Ipsy vs Birchbox: How Do They Work? 

Ipsy and Birchbox are designed to be a quick 3-step process. Both memberships serve as a headache-free alternative (it’s much better than blindly shopping for products at your local beauty store). These companies offer skincare, haircare, and makeup with a few separate categories pertaining to nails and men’s grooming necessities.

If you’re looking for a quick side-by-side comparison, this Ipsy vs Birchbox review has your back. 

Ipsy:

• Offers a few vegan and cruelty-free brands 
• There are 4 monthly subscription programs to choose from: the Glam Bag, the Glam Plus Bag, the Glam Bag X, and the Refreshments plan. You can cancel your subscriptions at any time
• Depending on what membership you choose, the number of items you get will vary
• Customers must fill out a beauty quiz in order to get started. This entails personal questions such as hair type, skin tone, and their favorite beauty brands 
• Based on your questions, the brand will curate a box specifically for you. You’ll need to fill out the checkout form to complete the order 
• Doesn’t offer complete customization (except for the Refreshments plan) 
• Also provides a Mystery Glam Bag and gift cards on its website 

Birchbox:

• Provides some clean, vegan, and cruelty-free alternatives 
• Offers 4 different subscription programs: monthly, 3-month, 6-month, and yearly 
• Each box contains a mix of 5 to 6 beauty products 
• Members must create an online profile, which includes sharing info about their shopping preferences
• After finalizing your order, the brand will send over a surprise box of cosmetics over to you 
• Doesn’t offer complete personalization (but customers can add-on full-size products if they wish)
• Provides gift memberships for a set price 

The sign-up process for both of these subscription plans is quite similar. With that being said, their memberships are relatively different. For one, Ipsy seems to offer more products at a higher value if you want to upgrade to a bigger plan. 

On the other hand, Birchbox differs in duration, as customers can choose how long they’d like to keep their subscriptions going. But, the number of products you receive are relatively the same. 

Again, it all boils down to what you value the most. Do you favor a larger assortment of products at your next delivery? Or do you prefer to decide how long your subscription plan lasts for? The choice is up to you. 

Ipsy vs Birchbox: Subscription Plans  

Hands up if you’re guilty of skipping the fine print when signing up for memberships. I know it’s an especially boring task to complete, but it’s crucial if you want to mitigate any frustrations in the future. This mainly includes order cancellations, changing delivery frequencies, or offering further customization options aside from the preliminary quiz. 

Luckily for readers, this Ipsy vs Birchbox review will provide a simple overview of what to expect for both subscription plans. 

For Ipsy, it’s important that we provide a rundown of what each membership entails: 

1. Glam Bag: A monthly subscription plan. It includes 5 deluxe-size beauty samples with one ‘choose your own’ product (estimated retail value of $50)
2. Glam Bag Plus: A monthly subscription plan. It includes 5 full-size beauty products with the choice of picking 3 out of the bunch (estimated retail value of $120) 
3. Glam Bag X: A quarterly, members-only upgrade. It includes 7 to 8 full-size products with the choice of picking 3 items. During February, May, August, and December, the Glam Bag X will replace your usual monthly box. (Estimated retail value of $350)
4. Refreshments: A monthly plan. Designed to be completely customizable with no set number of products 

In terms of membership fine print, this Ipsy vs Birchbox review will provide a point-form list of things you should take note of before signing up for a Glam Bag.

• You cannot opt-out of receiving a beauty box 
• Ipsy memberships will automatically renew 
• Members will be billed on the last day of each month 
• Customers can cancel at any time (must confirm before 12:00 pm PT on the last day of the month)
• Members can upgrade to another plan by signing in to their account 
• Add-on products are considered non-refundable and cannot be exchanged 

Now, let’s take a look at what Birchbox has to offer. Again, their memberships differ in terms of duration and not product size. Whether you pick their monthly plan or their yearly box, you still receive 4 to 6 deluxe samples in the mail. 

• Offers a monthly, 3-month, 6-month, and yearly plan. All memberships are billed monthly
• Customers can choose one sample to be added to their box 
• Full-size products can be included for an additional fee 
• All boxes ship within 10 business days 
• Members have the choice to either swap their order for a featured product or to gain Birchbox loyalty points 
• All subscriptions renew. 3, 6, and 12-month memberships cannot be canceled mid-term 

After combing through both membership policies, it’s apparent that order cancellations and plan flexibility are what sets Ipsy and Birchbox apart. 

For one, Ipsy doesn’t offer a given time-frame as to how long you can keep your subscription plan for—as it provides customers freedom to cancel whenever they want. Birchbox works a bit differently, as buyers have to commit to their plans if it’s a 3 to 12-month period. 

Skipping monthly deliveries is also quite different for both brands. While Ipsy doesn’t offer customers a chance to opt-out, Birchbox provides their members with a bit of leniency since they can trade in their boxes for points or a full-size product. 

This Ipsy vs Birchbox review has provided you a brief summary of what to expect for each subscription plan. Hopefully, it’s enough to settle on a firm decision. 

Ipsy vs Birchbox: Price & Value

The convenience of a monthly beauty box shouldn’t just save you from a lengthy Sephora trip. It should also entail some money-saving along the way. Both brands claim to offer high-quality products for a reasonable price. But, this Ipsy vs Birchbox review will be the judge of that. 

Ipsy:

• Offers brands like Huda Beauty, Tarte Cosmetics, Sunday Riley, and Anastasia Beverly Hills 
• Glam Bag: $13/per month
• Glam Bag Plus: $28/per month 
• Glam Bag X: $55/per quarter 
• Mystery Glam Bag: $14
• Refreshments plan: starting at $5/per month (members get 20% to 30% off) 
• Outstanding customer reviews about quality versus quantity 

Birchbox: 

• Offers brands like Acure, Foreo, Hero Cosmetics, and Maude 
• Monthly subscription plan: $15/per month
• 3-month plan: $15/per month 
• 6-month plan: $14/per month
• Yearly plan: $13/per month
• Monthly grooming plan: $10/per month 
• Positive customer reviews on websites such as Influenster and My Subscription Addiction

As this Ipsy vs Birchbox review has mentioned so far, it really comes down to your personal budget and how many products you’d like to receive each month. In our opinion, both companies offer the same degree of quality, as they provide a wide assortment of high-end brands mixed in with more niche titles. They’re also quite similar when it comes to customer reviews.

So, how much are you willing to spend for a monthly shipment of beauty products? I think it’s safe for this Ipsy vs Birchbox review to assume that both of these brands are well worth the money. 

Ipsy vs Birchbox: What Do Customers Think?  

Hype only goes so far when it comes to beauty box subscriptions. For a more in-depth account, this Ipsy vs Birchbox review has scoured the internet to see what customers are saying about both of these brands. To kick things off, let’s take a look at some of the ratings posted on websites such as Influenster, My Subscription Addiction, and Trustpilot. 

Ipsy:

• Influenster: 61k reviews with 4.3/5 stars 
• My Subscription Addiction: 1,875 reviews with 4/5 stars
• Trustpilot: 207 reviews with 2.1/5 stars 

Birchbox:

• Influenster: 2,097 reviews with 3.9/5 stars 
• My Subscription Addiction: 661 reviews with 3.7/5 stars 
• Trustpilot (US): 883 reviews with 2.1/5 stars
• Trustpilot (UK): 2,259 reviews with 3.4/5 stars 

Aren’t swayed by numbers? How about some genuine customer testimonials? This Ipsy vs Birchbox review will provide a summarized list of common feedback for both of these online brands:

Ipsy:

• Customers seem to love their assortment of monthly beauty products 
• Their slight customization options provide members some freedom; this has won the upvote of many subscribers 
• Decidedly affordable and well worth the money given the number of high-quality brands included

Birchbox:

• Their wide selection of products won the approval of many happy customers
• Affordable and served as a great gift for friends and family 
• Allowed members to try out new products and brands every month 

While it seems that most of the buzz is attributed to Ipsy, the positivity for both of these brands is relatively the same. A majority of buyers agree that Birchbox and Ipsy are well worth the splurge given its curation of high-quality products. If anything, almost everyone agreed how exciting it was to get a surprise package of beauty goodies in the mail each month. 

Ipsy vs Birchbox: Promotions & Discounts

From time to time, customers can find exclusive deals for both brands’ subscription plans. It’s worth noting that Ipsy is quite limited in issuing promotions compared to its competitor, but something is better than nothing—right? Let’s take a look at the deals this Ipsy vs Birchbox review has gathered so far:

Ipsy:

• Customers can get a free month of the Refreshments subscription plan (worth up to $18) after signing up
• Select add-ons are offered at a discounted price (for members only) 
• Has a rewards program where customers can accumulate points to gain access to exclusive deals 

Birchbox:

•  Offers a loyalty program for members 
• New customers can input promo code: FREEBOX at checkout to receive 5 mystery grooming samples 
• Has a sale outlet on its website 

Ultimately, deals serve as an extra ‘cherry on top’—but you’ll have to settle on a company first before you get to enjoy any sales or promotions. Ipsy and Birchbox offer a fair amount of money-saving hacks for customers to take advantage of, and it’s always a great idea to keep tabs on their social media pages for updates. 

Ipsy vs Birchbox: Shipping & Returns 

Sometimes the real tie-breaker lies in the shipping or return policy. To help curb disappointment, it’s always best to read up on any added delivery costs—or if the brand ships to only a few select locations. As a heads up, this Ipsy vs Birchbox review will go over both of their policies for readers to compare:

Ipsy:

• Glam Bags typically arrive within 7 to 10 business days 
• Only ships within the United States and Canada 
• Shipping is free for American orders. It costs $3 for Canadian packages 
• Provides a tracking number for customers to use 
• Returns and exchanges are considered ineligible under the brand’s policy 
• Offers a 45-day replacement guarantee for missing or damaged items 

Birchbox:

• Standard shipping is free for orders $50 or more (anything below this amount is charged a fee of $5)
• Also provides other delivery options for a set price, including 2nd and Next Day Shipping 
• Issues a tracking number for customers to use 
• Does offer international shipping to select countries (must visit their international 

websites to make this option possible)

• Beauty boxes ship by the 10th of each month 
• All boxes and gift cards are non-refundable
• Offers a 90-day window for products purchased directly on their website 

At the end of the day, it seems that Ipsy serves as a great option for North American customers. Those who live in other countries may find Birchbox as their only alternative. Aside from this, both brands are entirely different when it comes to shipping costs—which may act as the final deciding factor for some budget-conscious shoppers. 

Who Will You Shop With?

Ipsy and Birchbox are similar when it comes to the subscription format—but their targeted audiences are drastically different. We got a sense of their catered demographics by focusing on their individual membership perks, as well as their product inventory.

In our opinion, Ipsy is designed for cosmetically-inclined trendsetters. It’s a great subscription plan to opt for if you want to stay on top of the latest beauty fads at a reasonable price. 

Birchbox, on the other hand, serves as an excellent alternative for international customers. As the company has mentioned before, they cater to those unfamiliar with the ins and outs of the beauty industry, as the company also offers cosmetic sets and grooming kits for men. 

In addition, their boxes can make for a great gift, as customers can choose how long they’d like their subscription plans to last for. 

From price to shipping policies, this Ipsy vs Birchbox review hopes that you’ll walk away with a more informed decision by the end of this article. No matter what you choose, we’re sure that you’ll be one step closer to achieving your self-care goals. 

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