Battle of the Subscription Boxes IIV: Birchbox vs. Ipsy

That time of the month is here - the battle between Birchbox and Ipsy! Let's dive right in... 

November Birchbox

• Color Club Nail Polish in On the Rocks (full-size: $8) This shimmery grey polish is from the new "Cocktail Hour" collection from  Color Club. I believe this is the third mini Color Club polish I've received from Birchbox - I enjoy getting them.

• Elite Therapeutics Elite Creme (full-size: $45) This is an all-over moisturizer for body and face. Basically, it's a super fancy lotion.

• Laura Mercier Lip Glacé in Quartz (full-size: $24) I was so excited to get a sample from Laura Mercier in this birchbox.... until I saw the color. No joke, it looks like I ate shimmery chocolate and smeared it all over my lips. This shade is not for us fair gals... 

• Shea Terra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap Deep Pore Facial Cleanser (full-size: $16) Any time I can swap my chemical-induced products for organic and natural options, I'm happy. This cleanser claims to clear blemishes and brighten skin tone. The color is scary, but I'm willing to be brave and give it a shot.

• Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy Noir perfume  (full-size: $25-$90) Unfortunately, this sample came shattered in my birchbox (and birchbox CS reps were awesome in dealing with this - THANK YOU, birchbox, if you're reading!) On the upside, my birchbox products smell awesome! I have the original Juicy Couture which is a very versatile, fruity/musky scent, and this is a more sultry version with hints of berry and honeysuckle.

• Ahmad Tea London (full-size: $7) Due to the perfume sample spilling all over my box, I don't think these teas are drinkable anymore (again, thanks to Birchbox CS team for sending another sample my way!). I'm excited to try these British teas when I receive new ones, as I'm a bit of a tea junkie.

November Ipsy Glam Bag

• Kiss EverEZ False Lashes (full-size: $3.99) Full-size product alert! I've tried Kiss lashes before and they're great! The nice thing about these is they come with glue and an applicator. This specific pack has nice long, natural looking lashes which I'm positive I'll get use out of.

• Pixi Beauty Bronzer in Subtly Suntouched (full-size: $18) It's no secret I absolutely love Pixi products, and since I've never tried any of their face powders, I'm thrilled to try this. It's described as a medium honey tan and looks beautiful in the pan. Great size, too - about 1/3 of the size you'd buy in stores.

• Nailtini Nail Lacquer in Caviar Cocktail (full-size: $13) Full-size product alert! This is nearly the same shade that I received in my Birchbox - coincidence or not? I don't love silver nail polishes, but I'm happy to try out a brand that's new to me and to receive it in full-size! 

• .em by Michelle Phan Waterliner in Bronze Kiss (full-size: $20) Full-size product alert! .em cosmetics is a fairly new brand, launched by super-popular YouTube beauty guru, Michell Phan. I've heard mixed reviews about her cosmetics line, but this liner seems like a total gem - it's a beautiful shade and claims to apply without tugging or smudging. I'm excited to give this a go!

• StarLooks Gem Pencil in Amethyst (full-size: $14) Full-size product alert! This is the third month in a row that I've received something from StarLooks -- not that I'm complaining; I've generally liked their products so far. This gem pencil is a silvery lavender color with lots of shimmer and is maybe the best of the three products I've received. It would be a gorgeous liner, or even better smeared out over the lid.

• Be a Bombshell Lip Crayon in Shameless (full-size: $14) Full-size product alert! ANOTHER full-size product! This lip crayon is a burgundy red with shimmer. The lip crayon format makes it super easy to apply. A great color to keep stashed in your purse for fall!

L to R: Lip Crayon, Waterliner, Gem Pencil, Bronzer

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The winner is abundantly clear - IPSY! With five full-size products, and a value of over $60 - the $10/month price tag is so worth it! 

Ipsy and Birchbox are a great way to try out various products before shelling out the money to purchase something in full-size. To sign up for Birchbox, or Ipsy, just click the links in this sentence! Both are just $10 a month for awesome beauty samples delivered straight to your door.

What did YOU get in your Birchbox or Ipsy this month? Let me know in the comments below!

Battle of the Subscription Boxes IV: Birchbox vs. Ipsy

If you follow my monthly "Battle of the Subscription Boxes" posts, you may have noticed that things have heated up! In the beginning, Ipsy beat Birchbox hands down, no doubt about it. However, these last couple months the winner hasn't been so clear. I'll show you what I mean...

October Ipsy

First and foremost, how cute is this bag?!

Coastal Scents Medium Synthetic Shadow Brush (retail: $2.49)

Full-size product - holla!!! Regardless of the fact that this brush costs just a mere $2.49, I am super impressed with the quality. It's very dense and soft, and I can always use more eye shadow brushes.

Bella Terra Mineral Shimmer in Navy (Full-size: $14.99)

This is darn near close to full size (full-size are 2.5g, this is 2.0g) which is awesome, especially considering the price tag on these mineral eye shimmers. This color is absolutely stunning, but I don't often like to wear blue eye shadow so I don't know if this will get touched much.

Star Looks Lip Pencil in Tipsy (Full-size: $12)

ANOTHER full-size product! This is a lip liner from the brand Star Looks in the color "Tipsy" which is a really pretty pinkish coral. It is surprisingly creamy, too. (Recognize this brand? You might have seen it here.)

Big Sexy Hair Spray Clay (Full-size: $18.95)

I have SO many hairspray samples, but oddly enough I'm okay with adding another to my collection since these are so nice for travelling. Birchbox used to use hair samples of this size as their "big" product each month, but I'm happy to say that this big sample is the smallest thing in my Ipsy bag this month. Awesome.

Zoya Nail Polish in Giovanna (Full-size: $8)

Annnnnd another awesome full-size product! Holy jackpot, Ipsy!! Zoya is perhaps my all-time favorite nail polish brand, so I'm overjoyed to add this metallic green shimmer to my collection!

October Birchbox

Joie Folle de Joie (Full-size: $98)

I know there are a bunch of you perfume sample haters out there, but I love them. This scent is described as "carefree yet sophisticated" with hints of California beaches and Parisian charm. I think the packaging is beautiful, and it smells pretty good, too!

POP Beauty Aqua Lacquer in Floating Rose (Full-size: $14)

Full-size alert! I feel like all of a sudden POP Beauty is everywhere, and I'm totally okay with it. Especially if it means I'm receiving a super gorgeous lip gloss for a fraction of the price in my Birchbox!

Miss Jessie's Original Creme de la Creme Conditioner (Full-size: $14)

I've received products from this brand in my previous Birchboxes, but truth be told, I don't know if I've ever tried them! I'm just glad this looks to have enough product to truly give me an idea of whether or not I like it, therefore making me more likely to give this sample a shot. 

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (Full-size: $21.50)

Birchbox counted the cloth this wash came with as a separate sample (retails at $6 for 2 cloths) which I think is stupid. But otherwise, I have heard about this product and have wanted to try it so I'm glad to give I can try it out before deciding to purchase it. Plus, how great is the packaging? (Can you tell I'm a sucker for great packaging? Ha!)

ChapStick Hydration Lock in Vanilla Creme (Full-size: $2.99)

I am a chapstick HOUND. I go through it like no one's business, so this is an awesome sample to receive (in full-size, too!) I've already tried this out and it smells amazing and feels great on the lips.

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As I said, it's getting hard to determine a clear winner between these Birchbox vs. Ipsy battles! I think this month I'm going to have to say Ipsy, just due to the simple fact that all but one product was full-sized. However, I still REALLY enjoyed this month's Birchbox.

If you want to sign up for Birchbox or Ipsy, click the the links in this sentence. Each subscription box costs just $10 a month and you get to try some awesome stuff, which is a great way to test out higher-end beauty products before shelling out some serious cash. See my other Battle of the Subscription Boxes posts to get a good idea of what you'll receive.

So, who do YOU think was this month's winner?