I ipsy! Do you? A side-by-side subscription box comparison... Plus, Giveaway Alert!

I love makeup! I spend so much time traveling back and forth between Ulta and Sephora, I'm surprised they don't charge me rent! So when I learned of the different companies that offer beauty box subscriptions, I had to give them a try!

Now, there are many, many different companies offering beauty box subscriptions. There's Wantable, Julep's Maven Box, Glossy Box and more. But I heard the best feedback for Ipsy and Birchbox so those are the two I decided to try. 

And I am soooo glad I did! It is so much fun to come home once a month and I find my postal carrier has left me some treats! It's like Christmas morning! So, I thought it might be interesting to do a side-by-side comparison of the two companies' June bags. This will give you an idea what to expect in each bag, in case you have thought of subscribing to a beauty box yourself!

PLUS! We are doing our very first giveaway! I've picked out some samples from some past ipsy bags and Birchboxes. Which we will be giving to one lucky follower!

Now, on with the comparison!

Birchbox • $10 per month

I've been subscribing to Birchbox for several months now, and while I like it, I think ipsy may be spoiling me as they pack many more full-size samples in their bags each month. But Birchbox has a wider range of brands and items to offer. This month's box, however, was a little bit of a letdown for me.

Birchbox June 2013

The June theme is Wanderlust and it is meant to bring summer travel to mind. Here's what's inside:

• A Pack of post cards from different travel destinations
• One of four nail polishes from a brand called Color Club. Mine was the neon green London Calling.
• A tube of SPF30 Facial Moisturizer from COOLA. Unfortuantely, my tube was broken, so it went straight in the trash...   :-(
• Two packets of a vegan nourishing body cream
• A Lil' Lip lip pencil from Laqa & Co. I received the color Lambchop. While it does feel very nourishing and has a pleasing minty smell, I don't think I will ever wear it because it is sooo pink! Here is a swatch below. If you can rock this color with confidence this Spring, this brand certainly feels good on the lips!



Laqa & Co.'s Lil' Lip in Lambchop

• Lastly, I received the Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser from suki. I am most excited about this. It smells amazing and I cannot wait to try it!

This is just an example of what you might receive in your Birchbox. When you join, you fill out a questionnaire that helps determine which items are included in your box. While I said this box was a bit of a disappointment, I have found some great finds in previous Birchboxes and am not ready to even consider canceling my subscription!

Here is a link to Birchbox, if you'd like to give them a try: http://birch.ly/150L6c2

ipsy Glam Bag • $10 plus tax per month

I found ipsy through a video from one of my makeup icons, the awesome Kandee Johnson. This beauty box isn't really a box at all, it's a bag. A glam bag, filled with all kinds of goodies! 

I have loved almost everything I've received in my ipsy bag and this month is no different. Their June theme is On The Wild Side, so of course everything came is a totes adorable leopard print bag! Let's take a look inside:

• Eyelashes and eyelash glue from J.cat. I was beyond excited about this, because false eyelashes have been something that I've wanted to try for a while, but I've been too intimidated. I am soooo excited to give these a try!
• A full size lipliner from Starlooks in Nude. I wear a lot of lipliner to even out the uneven color on my lips so I was excited about this. Unfortuantely, I found the color too brown for me and it was "stolen" by my friend, Lindsey. It will look adorable on her!
• Also from J.cat. a palette of sparking glitter. These are not safety glitter and should not be worn on the eye, but they are still so pretty and I can't wait to wear them. Maybe on my nails or cheeks? I've swatched them below, though it is hard to see the difference in colors. The green is really, really beautiful!





J.cat glittery cream palette.

• A full size mosaic powder in Cafe from NYX. If ipsy keeps giving me full size blushers and bronzers, I may never need to buy another face powder again. No complaints here.
• Lastly, a Chella highlighter pencil in Ivory Lace. I love using whites and creams on the water lines and in the corners of my eyes to brighten things up, so this will definitely be used!

Sorry the lighting is bad. From left to right this is the Starlooks lip liner in Nude,
Chella highlighter pencil in Ivory Lace and NYX mosaic powder in Cafe.

ipsy, too, picks your bag items based upon your survey and I have never been disappointed. Each month, I scour their Facebook looking for clues about that month's goodies. If you'd like to join ipsy, and I highly recommend that you do, here is a link with my referral code: http://www.ipsy.com/?refer=u-hby0dwv8qtd55s

On To the Giveaway!

I've really enjoyed my beauty boxes and thought you all might enjoy them as well! So, comment below on your favorite beauty box subscription service, your favorite summer makeup trend or anything else that's on your mind and you can win this bag o' goodies! We'll pick a winner on Friday, June 28, at noon.

What inside?

• A sample of Benefit's the Porefessional. Minimize the look of pores and fine lines with this great product.
• A sample of Urban DecayEyeshadow Primer Potion. I use this stuff and it's wonderful! It helps your eyeshadow last all day and keeps it from creasing as well!
• A sample of bareMinerals lip glosses in Wild Honey and Sugar Plum
• An eyeshadow duo in Heartache from Two Cosmetics
• A deluxe sample of Juice Beauty's Hydrating Mist -- perfect to pack in your bag for a day at the beach!
• A sample of M Perfect Cover BB Cream
• A sample tube of Joanna Vargas Daily Serum
• Lastly, a sample of Vitivia vitamin capsules, which prevent wrinkles, refine pores and reduce fine lines.
• All packed in an adorable white cosmetic bag from ipsy!

Thanks for stopping by; stay beautiful!

Ginny