The UK beauty subscription box guide

Beauty subscription boxes have become seriously popular over the past few years. For a small fee, you’ll be sent a surprise box of beauty goodies each month, which can make for a very nice surprise in the post. I’ve put together a quick guide of boxes currently available in the UK. If you’re thinking of signing up to receive one, but aren’t sure of your options, I hope this guide will help.

Birchbox – for £10 per month plus £2.95 postage, Birchbox will send you out a box of 4-5 beauty treats per month. The boxes are often themed ( the Harper's Bazaar box for example) and you’ll usually receive a mixture of travel-sizes, full-sized products and the odd (slightly annoying) sachet. Previous brands in the boxes have included Benefit, HD Brows, Models Own and Laura Mercier. Review of May's box here.

Glossybox UK – inside your monthly Glossybox, you’ll receive 4-5 products that are usually a mixture of full-sizes, travel sizes and the odd sachet or perfume sample. Glossybox try to send our brands you might not have heard of before, so it’s a good way of discovering new brands, however there can sometimes be a bit of repetition if you’ve subscribed for a long time. It costs £10 per month plus £2.95 postage and has previously included brands such as So Susan, Ciate, Max Factor and Philip Kingsley. Review of December's box here.

MeMe box – hailing from Korea, MeMe box are slightly different from other boxes as they work on a pay as you go basis. Rather than having a monthly subscription, you simply order the boxes you like the look of and wait for them to arrive. The boxes are usually themed, and are a fantastic way to discover Korean and other Asian beauty brands. There tends to be a long lead time with these boxes (one might go on sale that won’t be shipping for another 6-8 weeks) and you’ll need to allow a couple of weeks for shipping time once it’s been dispatched. I’ve bought several of these boxes and have been really impressed with each one so far – they’re completely different to many of the UK boxes and I’ve loved discovering new Korean brands. They range in price from around $23 - $36 excluding shipping, but usually have a contents value of at least twice that.

My Little Box – the newest monthly box on the scene, My Little Box recently launched in the UK after being a big hit in France. It’s a mixture of beauty and lifestyle products with a Parisienne edge. Expect to find one product from their own beauty line inside (which are usually very good quality), along with brands such as OPI, L’Occitane and Kerastase. You’ll also find one or two lifestyle products (think scarfs, sunglasses cases, cute jewellery) which all fit into the monthly box theme. You’ll also receive a great quality mini magazine in each box and at £14.95 per month (including postage) I think it’s pretty good value.

You Beauty Discovery – at £6.95 per month, this is the cheapest of the beauty boxes but is also great value. Each month, you sign in to your account and select two samples (out of a selection of 8-10) that you’d like to receive. You’ll also receive a couple of extra samples (usually smaller, sachet type samples) as extras, that are chosen by You Beauty Discovery. Previous brands have included Co Lab, Essie, BECCA, MOA, Lanolips and The Organic Pharmacy.

Latest in Beauty – rather than a monthly subscription, Latest in Beauty put together seasonal boxes that you can purchase as and when you choose. These are usually around the £15-£20 mark but always have contents that are worth around 3-5 times that value. They are themed boxes, e.g. The Glamour Magazine Edit, and are a great choice if you like to know exactly what you’ll be getting inside your box as there are no surprises. Previous brands have included Philip Kingley, Lola, Inika, Elemis, Crabtree & Evelyn and Burt’s Bees. Review of the Beauty Bible Loves box here.

Look Fantastic – this box has recently launched and is proving to be seriously popular! There are a limited number of these which launch monthly and you’ll need to sign  up each month in order to receive one. They sell out very quickly and the contents are kept a secret, but they’ll contain at least six products in a mix of hair, body, skincare and makeup. At £15 per month this is good value – the box contents are usually worth at least three times this and previous boxes have included Elemis, Ole Henriksen, Bourjois, Eve Lom and Glamglow.

Love Lula – if you’re a fan of natural and organic beauty, then Love Lula is a great option. For £12.50 per month, you’ll receive a selection of organic and natural makeup, skincare and body care. Previous boxes have included brands such as John Masters Organics, Inika, Bodhi & Birch, Pai, Suki and Ecotools.

Do you subscribe to any beauty boxes? Which ones are your favourites?