Birchbox vs. Ipsy: July 2016

We have a super exciting (and super late) new post today! We are starting a battle of the subscription services series! We are taking July’s Birchbox and Ipsy and putting them head to head.

Both are monthly beauty subscription services for $10 a month including 5 deluxe samples and a collectible box/bag  I like to rate mine on two different point scales.

First impression points: Each item has a potential to get 1 point including the box/bag that everything comes in. These points are awarded to products I’m keeping, anything I’d be willing to toss doesn’t get a point. Total of 6 points possible for the month.
Product breakdown stars: Each item (and the bag/box) can get 1-5 stars depending on how impressed I am with the quality of the items after trying them out several times. Total of 30 stars possible for the month.

Let’s get right on into it!

Ipsy

Here’s an overview of this month’s bag and I do need to mention that I’m missing one of my samples here. My dumb self decluttered the makeup brush that came in this month’s bag before I got around to taking pictures of everything. Oops. It was a flat synthetic eyeshadow brush from Vasanti Cosmetics. No first impression point because it was nothing special (and I didn’t keep it) and 1 star. 

This month’s bag is a silver hologram with cute little umbrellas. Very summery, but I do have to admit, I’d like it a lot more if it didn’t have the massive Ipsy logo splattered across the front. I’ll give it the first impression point because it’s not the worst they’ve ever had. 2 stars. 

I wasn’t too thrilled to receive this right after getting it in my Birchbox last month (this photo is actually of the Birchbox one that I’ve been using, the one that came in the bag is still nice and plastic sealed with a cap). How much spray water can one person really use? No first impression point because I’m probably going to declutter it and 2 stars.

Where do I even begin with this lotion? It smells like heaven (or more specifically, lemon cream), it’s non-greasy, and has shea butter, coconut oil, and aloe vera in it. I can’t stop using it. This has rightfully earned its first impression point and 5 stars because I can’t give it 6. 

I love it when subscriptions include high-end brands. This Too Faced primer is more of a lotion than a silicone primer, and it smells like coconut. It’s absolutely lovely. This definitely gets a first impression point and 5 stars. 

Last but not least, we have an eyeshadow sample from The Balm. I appreciate that it’s a neutral color, but I personally don’t like how warm toned and red this brown shade is. It gets a first impression point for being a more well-known brand, but it only gets 3 stars from me.

Ipsy monthly totals:

4/6 first impression points 

18/30 stars

Birchbox

Birchbox has made a lot of changes this month that have made a lot of people really angry. To sum it up: their point system used to be one of the best out there. Every product you reviewed gave you 10 points, and when you saved up 100 points it was equal to $10 to spend at their online store. You could save your points up to $30 before they started to expire, and tons of people were getting free high end makeup this way. They decided that starting in July, they were only going to let subscribers review 5 products A YEAR for a grand total of $5 annually in their store. Yippie. They’ve lost tons of subscribers recently because of this change, and for good reason. It’s not a good idea to piss off the people that are bringing in the money. Anyway, all that aside, let’s get into the July box.

Here’s an overview of my box. I’ve got to say, I’m not too impressed.

The box itself is…fine. To me, it kind of looks like fingerprinting on the top, but it’s not one I’d necessarily get rid of. 1 first impression point, 1 star. 

Unfortunately, they’re actually count in this as two samples. Umm…what gives? This is the MINU shampoo sample. 1 first impression point, 3 stars because it smells alright and it’s a large shampoo bottle. As far as the two conditioner foil packets, that is a cheap rip off if you ask me. No first impression point, 1 star. Step it up Birchbox.

Next up is the sample that I chose this month. This is the Marcelle curling and lengthening mascara. From the pictures I’ve seen online, it has a nice curved want. 1 first impression point, 4 stars (I haven’t tried it yet because I have a bunch of mascaras opened right now, but I’m giving it 4 stars because I love trying new mascara).

Next up we have the Dr. Brandt Pore Perfecting Exfoliator. I know this is supposed to do all kinds of stuff for your pores, but to me, it’s just another face wash (and I have half a billion face wash samples from Birchbox, not really looking for another one.) No first impression point, 1 star. 

And finally, we have a blush/bronzer duo from Cargo in the shade “Catalina and medium”. The bronzer is glittery, the blush is Barbie pink, and it arrived broken. No first impression point, 1 star. This guy is going straight in the trash.

Birchbox monthly totals:

3/6 first impression points

11/30 stars. 

As you an probably guess, Ipsy is this month’s winner! Birchbox is usually a clear favorite for me, but man this month really sucked for them! I’m hoping that their sample quality won’t go down now that they’ve lost a bunch of subscriber money, but the change to their point system could really cause them to crash and burn.

I’m so excited to continue this series next month with August’s Birchbox and Ipsy! Until then

TF