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12 Best Makeup Subscription Boxes for Every Type of Beauty Lover

Get full-sized and travel-sized samples delivered directly to your door.

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12 best makeup subscription boxes for every type of beauty lover
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We updated this article in October 2022 to add more information about each featured product, including pricing, shipping and return policies. Our top picks still stand, with the addition of a new pick from Sephora.


Makeup subscription boxes are a great way to learn about and test the best beauty products on the market without committing to just one item. For a small fee — anywhere from $7 to $60 a month — you can get full foundations, mini mascaras and setting spray samples sent right to your door. The best part is you can test various products from high-end brands without making the commitment — sample cosmetics from Bulgari, MAC and other luxury options at a fraction of the cost.

There are makeup subscription boxes for just about anyone out there, whether you're into clean beauty, constantly need new makeup brushes or enjoy surprise finds, like a really good lipstick to wear for date night. Most of them require you to take a quick beauty questionnaire to ensure that the products you receive are things you'd actually like and use. To find the right one for you, ahead are the best makeup subscription sets you can buy in 2022.

Our top picks:

Subscription boxes are for more than just makeup. Check out our guides to the best kids subscription boxes, best subscription boxes for teens and even monthly food subscription boxes.

1
Best Overall Makeup Subscription Box

Birchbox BirchBox Monthly Box

Editor’s Choice
BirchBox Monthly Box
Credit: Birchbox

Pros

  • Option to hand select items
  • Great mix of luxury and indie brands
  • In-depth beauty quiz

Cons

    Create your Beauty Profile and BirchBox will send you a curated package of makeup, hair and skincare samples which, according to their site, come from a "mix of prestige and niche brands." Beauty Director April Franzino agrees. "I feel that Birchbox is the most reputable with the best variety of brands and quality of samples," she says. Got a wishlist of your own? Birchbox lets you forego dealer's choice, if you prefer, and allows you to handpick your own selection of samples and full-sized products.

    Each monthly box sends out about two to six items, ranging from travel-sized to full-sized options. After trying out the samples, you can also purchase them on BirchBox while earning loyalty points. There's only one type of box, but you can choose from three different payment plans: Either the standard $15 per month, a prepaid $84 for six months or a prepaid $156 for 12 months.

    CustomizationBoxes are curated according to your Beauty Profile preferences. Members can also choose one specific sample each month
    Subscription cycleMonthly
    ShippingFree
    Return policyFree returns within 90 days of purchase
    2
    Best Value Makeup Subscription Box

    Walmart Walmart Beauty Box

    Walmart Beauty Box
    Credit: Walmart

    Pros

    • Includes affordable drugstore brands

    Cons

    • Mostly sample-sized picks

    At the small expense of $7, Walmart delivers boxes filled with beauty samples (and helpful tips) from best-selling drugstore makeup brands to lead you through each season — four times every year, to be exact.

    To get the most out of your experience, Walmart asks you to complete a short survey detailing your style, skin concerns, hair type, hair styling techniques and beauty interests, then customizes each box accordingly. You cannot see the contents of your box at checkout; however, previous boxes included about five to six picks from brands like NYX, Neutrogena and more. Keep in mind that most of these samples are just that, and don't include quite as many full-sized options.

    CustomizationEach customer fills out a personal survey, which Walmart uses to custom tailor each beauty box
    Subscription cycleSeasonal
    ShippingFree
    Return policyAll sales are final
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    3
    Best Makeup Beauty Box Without Subscription

    Sephora Makeup Must-Haves Set

    Makeup Must-Haves Set
    Credit: Sephora

    Pros

    • Features Sephora's best-sellers
    • Includes a mix of full-sized and mini-sized products

    Cons

    • No customization

    While Sephora no longer sells its Play subscription box, the brand still curates a ton of thoughtful beauty sets for makeup lovers to try out. One of its latest kits, Makeup Must-Haves, includes some of the retailer's best-selling products. That includes Rare Beauty's liquid blush and Urban Decay's setting spray — both top picks from our best blushes and setting sprays roundups.

    Sets start for as low as $6 but average at around $20 to $60. It also offers themed packages like makeup under Sephora's Clean Beauty collection and formulas with glowy finishes.

    CustomizationNot available
    Subscription cycleNone
    ShippingFree
    Return policyFull refund with 30 days of purchase
    4
    Best Amazon Beauty Subscription Box

    Amazon Beauty Boxes

    Beauty Boxes
    Credit: Amazon

    Pros

    • Affordable
    • Prime members earn special discounts

    Cons

    • Not customizable

    When Amazon is your one-stop shop for everything, it's exciting to see that they have their own selection of beauty subscription boxes to browse through. It makes it easier to sign up for popular services such as FaceTory and Allure as well as lesser-known brands for false lashes.

    Plus, Prime members get special discounts on certain boxes, and the best part is you can read reviews from real users you can count on to help you decide on the makeup subscription box that's best for you. Most boxes cost about $15 to $40 on average. Since you're selecting pre-packaged goodies directly from Amazon, you won't be able to customize your boxes, however.

    CustomizationNot available
    Subscription cycleMonthly
    ShippingVaries per box; Typically free for Prime members
    Return policyVaries per box
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    5
    Best Customizable Makeup Subscription Box

    Ipsy Glam Bag

    Glam Bag
    Credit: IPSY

    Pros

    • Pick ideal frequency of products
    • Assortment of luxury and indie brands
    • Different plans let you handpick more items

    Cons

    • Small one-day window to hand select items per bag

    Always get a say thanks to Ipsy's personalizable subscription. Take a beauty quiz that asks about your skin type, eye color, shade preference, comfort level with makeup and more, then Ipsy builds a bag of five makeup and skincare products based on your answers. This includes anything from face highlighters to pore minimizers from that month's collection of goodies. Even better, you can select the frequency of products you'd like to try. Plus, you'll receive your samples in a cute keepsake bag each time.

    Starting at just $13 (!) per month, Ipsy offers three plans. The original subscription lets you handpick one product, while more costly ones let you personally select three. Even still, its most expensive option costs $58 and upgrades your usual bag every quarter to include eight items — that the brand claims are valued at $350 — with the option to select three full-sized options. Just keep an eye on your email, as Ipsy will slide you the option to hand-select the items within 24 hours.

    CustomizationMembers receive five products that best match your beauty profile from that month's Glam Bag collection
    Subscription cycleMonthly
    ShippingFree
    Return policyFull refunds within 30 days of purchase, plus a $5 restocking fee
    6
    Best Full-Sized Makeup Subscription Box

    Boxycharm Beauty Box

    Beauty Box
    Credit: BoxyCharm

    Pros

    • Ideal for more skilled makeup lovers
    • Option to hand select one product

    Cons

    • No returns allowed

    For the beauty guru who knows their way around the latest and greatest, Boxycharm delivers up to five full-sized makeup products valued at $175 or more each month. You'll get products from affordable and prestige brands, like ColourPop, BareMinerals and Tarte. Plus, by completing the Complexion Pack quiz, subscribers can receive foundations and concealers in their own skin tone.

    Take your pick from two monthly subscriptions or one quarterly subscription — with the option to hand select at least one pick. Upon joining, Boxycharm also gifts an added product, plus a $10 off coupon for shopping its entire beauty collection. Be ready to either love it or leave it, though, as the service doesn't offer returns.

    CustomizationEach month, subscribers can choose one product in their box, Premium subscribers can choose up to two and BoxyLuxe subscribers can choose up to three
    Subscription cycleMonthly, 3-month, 6-month and 1-year packages available
    ShippingFree
    Return policyNo refunds, returns or exchanges
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    7
    Best Seasonal Makeup Subscription Box

    FabFitFun FabFitFun

    FabFitFun
    Credit: Fabfitfun

    Pros

    • Unlimited swaps for credit
    • Customize at least four items

    Cons

    • Pricey

    Expect more than just hydrating foundations and moisturizers in these boxes: You can also find cooking tools, planners, water bottles and more. Every four months, you can receive up to eight full-sized seasonal products — plus, you can customize at least four products and add-ons you want in your box. Featured brands include Nars and Glossier, among others.

    Unlike other subscription boxes out there, you can swap products you don't want at any time for credit, which mitigates its higher overall price tag. If you opt for the prepaid plan, you unlock the additional perks of customizing your entire box, plus earlier shipping.

    CustomizationFor one week at the beginning of each season, all members can customize some of the products in their box. Select members can choose more products and get early access to customization
    Subscription cycleSeasonal
    ShippingFree
    Return policyAll sales are final
    8
    Best Makeup Subscription Boxes for Samples

    Macy's Macy's Beauty Box

    Macy's Beauty Box
    Credit: Macy's

    Pros

    • Affordable
    • Ideal for beginner makeup users

    Cons

    • No full-sized options

    Each month, beauty experts choose five deluxe beauty samples, plus a bonus item, for you to try based on each month's theme (for instance, one theme was "Complexion Perfection"). It's worth noting that each box only carries mini-sized versions. The Beauty Box's contents are a surprise, but Macy's tends to pack in both luxury and lesser-known brands. Not only that, but you also get a voucher to receive $5 off your next beauty purchase.

    As a beauty subscriber, you also unlock monthly online videos that show professional how-to styling tips for the contents of your box.

    CustomizationNot available
    Subscription cycleMonthly
    ShippingFree
    Return policyNo returns or exchanges
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    9
    Best Drugstore Beauty Box Without Subscription

    Target Beauty Capsule Black-Owned Beauty Bath and Body Gift Set

    Black-Owned Beauty Bath and Body Gift Set

    Pros

    • Thoughtful themes
    • Several samples in each box

    Cons

    • Limited box types

    Commitment-phobes, rejoice. While other beauty subscription boxes make the canceling process difficult or charge customers for canceling, Target's beauty boxes come without a renewal agreement. Simply add the box of your choice to your cart. Featured boxes include a Night-In Kit, packed with hair care, moisturizers and masks (a loofah, too), while the Black-Owned/Black-Founded Box is a kit featuring hair masks, body lotion and more.

    All these boxes cost just $15 and feature about seven to nine samples. They make great gift sets, especially since they feature familiar favorites from Hero Cosmetics and Shea Moisture.

    CustomizationNot available
    Subscription cycleNone
    Shipping$5.99
    Return policyFull refunds and exchanges within a year of purchasee
    10
    Best Makeup and Skincare Subscription Box

    Dermstore BeautyFIX Subscription

    BeautyFIX Subscription
    Credit: Dermstore

    Pros

    • Curated picks
    • Includes luxury brands

    Cons

    • Online reviews reported more sample-sized products

    Dermstore is known for making hard-to-find skincare products accessible, so it's no surprise that in addition to prestige makeup samples, its BeautyFIX box comes with a mix of full-sized and deluxe samples of skincare and hair products that exceed a $100 retail value with each delivery. Though it doesn't list a set number of products on its site, past BeautyFIX boxes included five total products, while some online reviewers also said the contents included more mini samples than not.

    To ensure you're getting the best of the best, Dermstore's team of experts — dermatologists, estheticians and makeup artists — carefully select each item. One month's box, in particular, featured popular picks from Sunday Riley and First Aid Beauty. The monthly subscription starts at $24.95 for one month and costs a little bit less if you commit to more months upfront.

    CustomizationNot available
    Subscription cycleMonthly
    ShippingFree
    Return policyRefunds available upon support session within first 60 days
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    11
    Best Themed Makeup Subscription Box

    Glossy Box Beauty Box

    Beauty Box
    Now 44% Off
    Credit: GlossyBox

    Pros

    • Also offers seasonal themed boxes
    • Subscribers can earn extra credit

    Cons

    • Online reviews say it sends more samples than full-sized products

    The beauty team at GlossyBox makes it their goal for you to discover five new beauty products every month. They work with your beauty profile to expose you to up-and-coming makeup and hair products from around the world. The brand also offers boxes for special occasions like a Mother's Day box and a birthday box. Each shipment comes as a surprise as they don't reveal the box's contents until after shipping, but the full list of makeup brands they work with is online (hint, hint: Lancome and Tarte, plus many more). Once receiving it, you can look up each product on GLOSSYBOX for a detailed description of its ingredients and usage directions.

    If you don't wish to subscribe monthly, they also have 3-month and 6-month options. Its point system allows you to save toward exclusive boxes, too. Easy ways to earn points include completing product surveys, writing reviews and sharing GLOSSYBOX with friends and family. That credit can go toward the brand's exclusive boxes from its sister site Look Fantastic, which caters to skincare picks. Subscribers also get priority access to limited-edition boxes.

    CustomizationYour beauty profile is used to curate trendy products that best fit your needs
    Subscription cycleMonthly, 3-month, 6-month and 1-year packages available
    ShippingFree
    Return policyRefunds available upon support session
    12
    Best Vegan Makeup Subscription Box

    Love Godly The Essential Box

    The Essential Box
    Credit: Love Goodly

    Pros

    • Occasional option to pick shade and color preferences
    • Includes a wide variety of indie brands

    Cons

    • No custom beauty quiz

    When you're on the hunt for more eco-conscious formulas, you can count on Love Goodly to deliver. They specifically customize their boxes with four to five full-sized products delivered to your door every other month, which, according to the brand, are cruelty-free and vegan. (They claim that each product penned "vegan" leaves out animal-derived ingredients and was not tested on animals.) You've also got a couple of options to choose from, starting with its bi-monthly box that costs $34.95 while the VIP costs $48.95, which has the perk of an additional one to two more full- or deluxe-sized items.

    While there's no beauty quiz to gauge preferences, Love Goodly sometimes sends out a customization survey link that allows subscribers to select their preferred cosmetic shade or style. You just have to sign up for the brand's newsletter or find the link in your renewal email. Love Goodly loves to keep you guessing, but it sometimes reveals one spoiler on their social media or newsletter prior to shipping.

    CustomizationOccasionally, customers will receive a personalization survey via email to customize boxes
    Subscription cycleBi-monthly
    ShippingFree
    Return policyBox sales are non-refundable and non-returnable
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    How we chose the best makeup subscription boxes

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    Our Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab regularly tests beauty products to help you build your best skincare routine and stock up on Beauty Award-winning products. With that said, we know what makeup brands are worth putting on your radar, so our list includes top-rated services that carry brands our experts and editors love, plus ones that come vetted with customer reviews. We also weighed the perks of different subscriptions and selected the above picks based on the ones that stood out above all others.

    What consider when shopping for makeup boxes

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    ✔️Customization: If you prefer a bit more control over your box, you'll get better enjoyment from a subscription with a personalized quiz that gauges all your beauty wishes and desires. Unless otherwise stated, a majority of the above picks tailor their items based on your preferences, with some even letting you handpick a few. Others get down to the nitty gritty, like Ipsy, which allows you to set the frequency of certain items.

    ✔️Subscription cycles: Many beauty boxes offer a lot of flexibility when it comes to their plan offers. For those who want to ease into traditional beauty box subscriptions may get more use from bi-monthly plans, while those who simply love all things beauty can partake in monthly offerings. If you're shopping for someone or simply want to splurge on yourself, quarterly boxes tend to go out every season and can cater their picks to that time of year. The same goes for boxes available for one-time purchase as they often fall under a niche theme, too.

    ✔️Shipping and returns: When you're missing an item or something's arrived damaged, you'll want a support team on standby to swiftly resolve any issues, no matter the case. Though every company operates differently, we removed the guesswork by laying out the return policies for each subscription box recommended above.

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    Why trust Good Housekeeping?

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    Raena Loper is the Updates Editor of Product & Reviews at Good Housekeeping where she regularly refreshes our writeups to reflect the best options on the market. She wrote our beauty makeup box picks with recommendations based on vetted online reviews and standout plans. Associate Product & Reviews Editor Jacqueline Saguin updated the original roundup with new picks and both researched and outlined the benefits, pricing and more.

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