This is a relative V.S category that has been around since beauty boxes/bags/sample packs have been around. Usually you sign up for a subscription to a beauty website or store which can cost 10-20 greens for about 4-6 products that are deluxe sample sizes, regular tiny samples, or full sized products. It's a great way to test if you like a product without having to buy a full size or go into a store for a sample. The provider ships one out to you every month and you get to do your own hits and misses moment. I've been curious about these subscriptions for a long time and was about to sign up for Birchbox when I heard about it two years ago. So I signed up for them and was put on the waiting list. But then Ipsy aka MyGlam at the time came out and I figured 10 bucks for urban decay full sized shadow? Ummm yeah! I've been with Ipsy for over a year now and even though they still have a long way to go, I still heard great things about Birchbox. I obviously was off the waiting list on to ORDER NOW, so I went for it. In April actually was my first Ipsy V.S Birchbox case, which Birchbox took the cake with. This time I decided to share my experience with you, in hopes you find which works best for you.
So lets get on with the battle royal shall we:
In this corner we have the new contender BIIIRCHBOX~
Ok, so Birchbox is not as flattering on the outside like Ipsy but it's whats on the inside that counts. Well lets hope Birchbox can deliver.
List of products:
1.) Travel sized, Laboratoires Klorane - Dry shampoo with oat milk
2.) Sample sized, folle de joie - eau de parfum
3.) Full sized, Acroball Pilot pen - Teal
4.) 3 day samples, Vitivia Pro vitamins for your face - Vitamin A & C
5.) Sample sized, Super goop! - CC cream
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| Laboratoires Klorane - Dry shampoo with oat milk |
Haven't tried this yet but I am soooo happy I finally got to try a dry shampoo. I hated that Ipsy didn't give me the Big Sexy voluminous powder last month. Birchbox got it, plus it's travel size so I can take it with me. (Birchbox 1)
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| Folle de joie - eau de parfum |
This is actually always nice to receive a perfume sample, but what made me really like it was that it smelled like Jasmine and rose with a nice warm hint in it. I loveed it UNTIL I looked at the price of the full sized bottle and understand why they only sent a sample. 98 greens...ummm no thanks. I'll just save it for a special occasion. (Birchbox 0)
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| Acroball Pilot pen - Teal |
I like the randoms that Birchbox gives you, it sends a message that they aren't all ways about the make up but things you might actually use. I've noticed a lot of Birchbox subies were pretty ugly about this in their comments. I personally don't know when I'd use a teal pen that glides like buttah but I like having the option. Last month they gave Chocolate Macaroons, which I wasn't a fan of but found it interesting. (Birchbox 2)
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| Vitivia Pro vitamins for your face - Vitamin A & C |
These were AMAZING!!!! I actually went ahead to try this product right after and today was the last trial day for me. My skin is going nuts with the sweat and humidity and these were a breath of fresh vitamins. I didn't see a great change in lightening up the dark spots but they soaked straight into my skin and it's never felt so healthy. Glad I got to try such an amazing product, not so much that it's 55 greens for 28 capsules on the website. They are a great product and it seems worth it. (Birchbox 3)
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| Veins!!!! |
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| Super goop! - CC cream |
Ok I know CC creams are making their way around the beauty industry and now DD cream. Just give me the ZZ cream that just makes my face look like I've had 8 hours of sleep and my 23 year old face. What I'm not great on is that it's mostly just BB cream but with the 'added' bonus of a primer and foundation. It's self adjusting to your skin tone, but when I tried to swatch it on my hand it did this yucky sunscreen thing where it tried to change my warm undertone to a cool tone. I wonder if AA cream is really just sunscreen then? Hmmm (Birchbox 0)
In the opposite corner we have our legendary IPPSSSY~
Ipsy got a great idea going with the packaging, a re-usable makeup bag you can take with you. That way you are also getting a random styled bag. Lets see if it can hit us with it's best shot. Fire away!
List of products:
1.) Full sized, Urban decay moondust eyeshadow - Zodiac
2.) Full sized, Zoya nail polish - Julie
3.) Full sized (refills), Yaby concealer - Buff
4.) Full sized, Juice Beauty Relfecting Gloss - Pink
5.) Deluxe sample sized, NuMe finishing serum
6.) Travel sized, St. Tropez - One night only instant glow body lotion
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| Urban decay moondust eyeshadow - Zodiac |
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| Zodiac Swatches |
I am just going out right with this. WHAT ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH thank you Ipsy. I was bummed out when I missed last years bag that had an Urban decay shadow in it. Muuahahaha now I've got one and it is soo pretty. Who ever made my bag this month needs to make my bag every month. This was a great pigmented shadow with great duo chrome flecks of glitter. Just ugh gorgeous. (Ipsy 1)
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| Zoya nail polish - Julie |
I am so glad that Ipsy finally jumped on the Zoya fan base. There are so amazing with their discounts and promos, a fantastic company. I was a bit poop faced though when they decided to give us one of the Spring colors, because I already had three of them. I crossed my fingers to get a color from that collection that I didn't have. But as luck would have it, got a color I already had. What shocked me more was that it was a full sized product, incredible. So I guess if I make a blog sale I'll just add this to the list. I don't know how to rate this cause I already have it, if it was a color I didn't have I'd be more likely to give Ipsy the point. Because it's not like they call you and ask you if you already have this color. (Ipsy 1.5)
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| Yaby concealer - Buff |
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| Buff swatches |
Totally stoked they finally gave me a concealer for once. Every time there was a chance you'd get a concealer they never put it in my bag. This time though, I got one and it was great for me. It's creamy and matches my skin just right. Blends well with a light cover, great for under the eyes. I have to put it in a magnet palette though cause it's a refill which is inconvenient, but good if you got subscribed a couple months ago when they gave us a tiny purse sized magnet palette with a mirror. (Ipsy 2.5)
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| Juice Beauty Relfecting Gloss - Pink |
I was not at all happy about this, mainly because I am a lipstick girl. I do try lip glosses, just not often or at all mainly because my hair gets stuck in them all the damn time. I didn't want to swatch this either since I figured if I wasn't going to use it don't touch it so it might just go into a blog sale. I heard though they are great in the glitter reflecting department and looking at the swatches of it on Google yeah this is nice just not for me. (Ipsy 0)
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| NuMe finishing serum |
Um I have a lot of these from Ipsy, mainly because they haven't updated their personal profile questionnaire in over a year. Every time I ask them they always tell me the same thing, they are working on it and it will be back on sometime this year. They said the same thing last year. Wah wah wah. This I haven't used yet but probably will if I have a sleep over or traveling which is never. Haha but I'll give it a shot my hair is starting to go nuts this summer season and would be nice to quench it's thirst. But again I have about 5 of these serums from Ipsy already and whats the point if I don't use them any way. (Ipsy 0)
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| St. Tropez swatch |
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| St. Tropez - One night only instant glow body lotion |
I am so happy about this, at first thought I didn't know it was a self tanner lotion. I have dabbled in a few and no matter what they left me streaky and a little more yellow then bronzed. Just have to know the trick to making it streak free with my hands not getting stained even when I use gloves. This is a nice step down to a one night glow then wash off tan so I don't have to commit to a week of tan streaks. This was a great have and glad Ipsy gave me a chance to use it. (Ipsy 3.5)
And the winner for this round is.......
To be honest I wasn't sure how this would pan out since Birchbox won last month. Now since I only started this battle of the beauty bags on Paintthatgreen this month, I guess it's fitting. I mean Ipsy gave Full sized products and great Travel sized products for just 10 bucks for 6 items. Birchbox gave 5 sample sized and a few travel sized products for 10 bucks. Ipsy took this month by a lot, Birchbox kinda was less gracious with it's products. I have to say this though, Brichbox's personal bio is always ready to update and change if you want to. Where as with Ipsy some months are a huge mistake, mainly cause I haven't been able to update my personal Bio quiz since the beginning of last year. Ipsy needs to get on that, but who ever made my bag this month I would loveee it if they could make my bags for a whole year. I've been with them for a little over a year and they are fairly new about a year and a few months old but they are ever evolving. The only thing I hate about it, is when you get a product you didn't like and they send you to this horrible Trade center. That has no organization at all and is like a bad sales forum where you do back alley trades with other members that you don't even know. Plus you have to hope that the person trading you has an honor system so that when you do trade, they will trade you the item. Plus Ipsy made it clear anything going on there is not their responsibility, so if someone steals your item your boned. Thing is I don't think Birch box has that feature. Well good luck and hope this helped, because what I didn't like could be something you really liked.
So have great one painters and remember even if you late in the game or ahead of the trend only do it cause it makes you feel good. Bye lovelies
-Val
