Whenever I previously heard of subscription bags and boxes, was always interested. I finally decided to pick one and give it a try. I personally chose the Ipsy Glam bag. I had heard many positive comments about this bag and the products you receive in it. The basis of subscription bags or boxes is that monthly, or sometimes bi-monthly or seasonally, you receive your bag or box in the mail. There is a set number of items, or a set price that was used to pick the items you get. Ipsy and others, such as Birchbox, are beauty based. Your subscription can consists of hair, makeup, nail, and skin products. There are other boxes, such as Fab Fit Fun, that send a mix of beauty and fitness products. There are food subscription boxes, such as Graze, that send a variety of healthy snacks to try. You can even get a subscription box for your dog called the Bark Box. As with everything, all subscription bags and boxes have pros and cons. Decide for yourself if a monthly subscription is good for you!
Turn Ons:
-You discover products and brands that you would never consider otherwise: While many subscriptions have well-known products, they also have smaller, not-as-popular brands.
-You get try out things you may be hesitant to try: Some scrubs, hair treatment and oils, and certain make ups can look interesting, but you may be hesitant to spend money to try them. You will often receive smaller bottles and products of these types of things that you can try.
-It’s something to look forward to every month: I know that I get all giddy whenever I know my bag has been shipped and I can’t wait to open it and see what’s inside!
-It’s a great deal overall: You always spend less money than if you were to buy the products individually.
-The products usually come in cute boxes or bags that you can use for other things: The Ipsy bags, as well as many other subscriptions’, are super cute and reusable.
-You get a bunch of amazing products for a low price: You may see these products but not want to purchase them due to price, and then you get them in your subscription bag. It’s awesome!
-The products give you new style ideas: You will sometimes get an eye shadow colour you don’t normally use and it may give you inspiration for a new look or style to try!
Turn Offs:
-You may not use every product: When getting so many products each month, you may not love every one, however you could gift them to friends or family or just give them to someone who would use them.
-If the bag or box is not Canadian but you are, you may not have considered the extra pricing for the exchange rate and shipping.
-Sometimes things might not match your skin tone or preference: Although they do try their best to match everything to your specific skin tone, eye colour, etc., it may not always match since the colour you think you are on a computer may be entirely different. This is something you have to accept.
-You will not always get 100% what you would like: Sometimes you’ve seen stuff online that they say could be in your monthly box or bag, and you may want or expect a certain item and not get it. This is part of the process, but you will get a bunch of great items that you should be willing and excited to try anyway.
Overall, I believe that subscription bags and boxes are great deals with amazing products. Like anything, they have minor “turn offs” and they aren’t for everyone. However, if you are into trying new products and love beauty, you must give them a try! As previously stated, there are subscription bags and boxes for almost anyone, whether it’s food, fitness, beauty, etc. Here is a list of many different subscription boxes broken down into categories with a small description. http://habitualhomebody.com/monthly-subscription-boxes-like-birchbox/ .