Yahoo News Best beauty subscription boxes: Get makeup and skincare products each month in the UK
There are few things that compare to the thrill of an eagerly-awaited parcel arriving from the postman and we have just the thing you’ll be ecstatic to receive.
Beauty subscription boxes are revolutionising the way we shop, offering everything from razor heads to lipsticks delivered straight to our door.
If you are a lover of all things beauty then you'll most likely have a never-ending wish list of things you want to buy. But with thousands upon thousands of cosmetics and skincare heroes released each year, how to work out which ones are worth investing in?
Enter: the beauty subscription box - a simpler and less pricey way to get your beauty fix. These special packages are delivered straight to your door every month, filled with the newest hair, skincare and makeup buys, so you can spend less time wandering up and down the aisles, and more time on pampering yourself.
Some beauty boxes contain a surprise mix of goodies, picked out by the curator, while other brands allow you to choose which products you want. The contents can also range from sample to full-sized versions – all for much less than you would pay in the shops.
So, if you are trying to spend less on beauty, but still want to keep up-to-date on the hottest new releases, then it's time to sign up.
Whether you’re in search of a skincare brand with a difference, or a new signature scent, there are plenty of beauty subscription box services to suit your needs and budget. They also make great presents as the gift that keeps on giving.
Here’s our guide to the best.
FFS
The name is not what you think. While it may immediately conjure words we wouldn’t publish in the Evening Standard, it actually stands for Friction Free Shaving - which gives you some indication of what this subscription service provides. Each month, you can have razor-related essentials delivered to your door.
Begin with the hair removal instrument that comes in an array of premium constructions and finishes with SmoothGlide blades and a Vitamin E strip for nourishing your skin throughout the defuzzing process. Opt for the tool of your choice, followed by the cream, scrub or balm and then the regularity of your future deliveries (monthly or every two months) of blades and the lotion top-ups. You can also add other items like wax strips and deodorant, which much like the rest of the offering is all high-quality, luxe and eco-friendly.
Shaving made easy.
FeelUnique beauty subscription box
The beauty retailer is turning the notion of beauty subscription services on its head and giving you the chance to customise your own box. From the contents to the length of time, it’s entirely flexible. You opt for five deluxe samples and can amend the duration to be three, six or twelve months or simply just a one-time treat. Brands include cult names like Olaplex, CeraVe, SkinCeuticals, Estee Lauder and Decleor.
Glossybox
The monthly charming pink box from Glossybox is something we can see arriving at the home of Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods.
Not only do you receive five must-have products, but there are also tips and tricks from the Glossybox beauty experts. Expect brands like Huda Beauty, Nars, Weleda and Maria Nila as well as the brand’s acclaimed in-house skincare range. If you love experimental with new makeup but don't want to over invest in products you're unsure about this is an excellent box to test the water.
Birchbox
We. Love. This. Box. Birchbox, the bellwether in the beauty subscription box game, packs the essentials you didn’t know you needed into a pretty-looking parcel and sends it your way.
Subscribers can look forward to brands such as Nuxe, Lumene, Laura Mercier, Benefit and Caudalie. The package can also be personalised to suit your skin type, hair type and beauty style. We also love their section dedicated for Korean beauty products, loads to discover and try out with this one.
lookfantastic Beauty Box
With six products worth over £50, lookfantastic’s Beauty Box is a real bang-for-your-buck option that doesn’t skimp on the good stuff.
It’s beautifully packaged and offers skin, hair and makeup products from brands including Benefit, Eve Lom and Bloom and Blossom.
From £15 per month | lookfantastic
Latest in Beauty
Latest in Beauty offers subscription collection boxes or a build-your-own service of three, six or nine products to try each month, meaning you can choose the plan that suits your budget. Working with over 500 brands, you can expect to find goodies from the likes of Elemis, Bare Minerals and Clinique, ranging from tester to full size. This is a great one if you’re looking to broaden your beauty horizons and discover new brands.
From £12.95 per month | Latest in Beauty
Mask Time
If you are not already indulging in self-care Sundays then signing up to the Mask Time subscription box will certainly encourage you to do so. In each box, you are treated to eight to 10 face masks targeted to your skin type that tap into the latest Korean beauty trends and with menu-like descriptions of what each one contains. There’s no commitment, so you can just purchase the boxes if and when you want or need them.
Nomakenolife
Stay ahead of the Japanese beauty trends and latest buzz ingredients with a monthly beauty box subscription to Nomakenolife. Offering eight to nine niche beauty products from a curated selection of brands from Tokyo and the Land of the Rising Sun, the box is uniquely adorable and full of exclusive cosmetics and skincare. It might look cartoonish with the featured anime themes but the products are luxury all the way. There is also free shipping to the UK.
From $31.50 a month | Nomakenolife
MINTD
When only the best will do, choose MINTD. No, seriously it's amazing. Specially curated and chicly designed, MINTD boxes include lesser-known high-end skincare brands such as Votary, Omorovicza and Sunday Riley. Each box offers four to five full-sized products with a minimum RRP of £160.
âThe Perfume Society Discovery Box
Finding your perfect scent just got easier with The Perfume Society’s monthly Discovery Box. This generous package, which can also be bought as a one-off, is filled with samples of the latest perfumes from brands like Miu Miu, Prada and Jimmy Choo.
Subscribers are also treated to sample-sized skincare extras like moisturisers and masks. One of our favourite parts is the helpful smelling notes for each scent.
From £19 per month | The Perfume Society
Roccabox
Bravo! We love the mix of never seen before goodies and beauty buzz heroes you get with Roccabox. Stuffed with iconic labels and new indie favourites you'll get a few full-size products and a few travel-ready luxuries for just £10 a month.
There is no long term commitment either, you can subscribe for a monthly dose of personal pampering or buy as a one off #treatyoself gift.
We discovered a new fab mascara by Ellis Faas and an Antomicals sheet mask that's become our in-flight redeemer for sad skin. We even used the empty box to store all our hair clips, pins and ties once we devoured the contents.
A satisfying subscription for anyone craving new and reliably excellent products.
Period Subscription Boxes
Mondays
Here's a cold hard fact to wake you up: Women use 11,000 period products in their lifetime, most of which are single-use plastics.
Mondays products are 100 per cent plastic free, made with organic cotton AND packaged with sustainable materials.
What's also impressive is the option to customise this box—10 super tampons, six regular and four liners or the other way around. You can also subscribe and opt in to a monthly service or simply purchase as a one time buy.
Mondays have also launched the Menarche Kit - designed to celebrate a girl's first period and foster an encouraging conversation for girls. This is a very well considered, genuinely useful and thoroughly sustainable brand any women still getting her period should consider.
Freda
The Freda subscription box is the very first in the UK to deliver organic and natural period care to your door. Each month, you will receive 16 products of your choice including; pantyliners, night pads, day pads and tampons while fighting against period poverty around the world. There are even teen variations and a starter box.
