Birchbox vs. Ipsy: February Matchup

at Tuesday, February 26, 2013 | 5 comments

Here we go again! My most popular posting is here again for a second month. I plan on doing this each month for those who want to catch up see my January matchup here.

The Contenders:



*Birchbox:
Type: Beauty Box
Cost: $10/month includes shipping
What is it?: Every month you receive a box of 4-6 beauty and lifestyle products. Each month there are about 30+ different boxes that you might be sent which makes each month a surprise. Birchbox is a great forum to learn about and discover new products and brands. Birchbox has a points system given when a subscription plan is purchased, reviewing products, and buying full-size products in their shop. Every 100 points can be used as $10 off. Use my referral code to get started but know that Birchbox has a waiting period of usually 4-5 weeks.





*Ipsy:
Type: Beauty Box
Cost: $10/month includes shipping
What is it?: Created by some of the top beauty bloggers/youtubers around, Ipsy subscribers receive a Glam Bag (a cute makeup bag) monthly with deluxe samples and full-size make-up products (usually 5-7 products). Ipsy sends out the same bag to everyone every month with some small differences usually based off of the Beauty Quiz you take when you sign up. Ipsy gives you a forum to load videos and pictures featuring looks made with your Glam Bag. Unfortunately, there is no room right now for new subscribers. I'll post when there is availability again.

For those new to the matchup- each month I pair up products from my month's Birchbox & Ipsy boxes to see who reigns supreme! You can check out my Feb Birchbox unboxing here and my Feb Ipsy unboxing here for details on the products and values etc etc.

Ok- disclaimer- last month was super easy to pair up products: hair round, eye round, lotion round. You get the idea. This month.... was more difficult. So to be extra fair I grouped things up a bunch of different ways and each time the overall result was the same so don't judge my pairings titles- it all worked out in the end. On to the good stuff:

Round 1: Primer

Ipsy

Birchbox

This is the easiest matchup to make- 2 boxes and 2 primers. Bam! From Ipsy a Pixi primer and Lancome from Birchbox. I have tried them both now and here's my thoughts:

Ipsy: Pixi Flawless & Poreless primer. This is a tinted primer that has done nothing to make my pores smaller. It also doesn't leave the silky smooth feeling I want in a primer.
Birchbox: Lancome La Bare Pro primer. Love this product. Very similar to my current primer and leaves my skin primed and ready.

Winner: Birchbox (uh duh)

Round 2: "Extras"

Birchbox

Ipsy

This round is made up the "extras" found this month- kind of confusing but in my Ipsy bag I received all makeup products so this is the only non-actual makeup (a tool) and in Birchbox I received a treat.

Ipsy: Lash Card mascara shields. I have yet to use these but I loved getting them in my bag this month.
Birchbox: Ghirardelli Caramel Milk Chocolate Square. Yum. Delish chocolate.

One I could pick up at any store and no longer exists as I ate it in two seconds, the other will help me look fabulous.

Winner: Ipsy 

Round 3: Give me some color!

Ipsy

Birchbox

Ipsy sent out all things black and Birchbox focused on beauty products (not makeup) so here are the two products from my boxes that actually had some color in them!

Ipsy: Coastal Scents quartet eyeshadow "In the Spotlight." I've tried the two left shadows and they are alright. But c'mon is someone as incredibly pale as me really going to wear yellow eyeshadow?? I'll look sickly.
Birchbox: Color Club Nail Polish in Wild Cactus. I still haven't used this color but it's going on this weekend for the North Texas Irish Fest- woot for March and green!

This wasn't a hard pairing... Yellow eyeshadow.

Winner: Birchbox

Round 4: The "Highs"

Ipsy

Birchbox

The "Highs." Here were the two products I was the most excited to use aka the highs of the boxes!

Ipsy

Birchbox

Wow. I was so excited for these products. Oh right... you can't hear sarcasm when when I type. Pfft. Another mascara sample to add to my thirty others and a foil packet with a giant FREE stamped on it for curls I don't have or want?

Ipsy: POP Smokey Lash's Kapow Mascara. I was not stoked for this product. I remembered to give it a try though since some mascara samples have turned out to be real winners. I wore it for about a week straight mainly to make sure I knew who the culprit was. Culprit of what? Oh, the giant raccoon eyes I was getting. This mascara flakes and rubs off on your undereyes making it look like you have circles under your eyes. Boo. Some people have had good experiences with it though so it seems like a 50% problem.
Birchbox:  Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls. A product to get those big soft curls you want. My hair does not do big soft curls. This will not be used.

This is a toughy. A product I don't like or a product I will never use. Gotta go with the one I didn't immediately trash.

Winner: Ipsy

So... Ipsy Wins! 3-2

In a very close 3-2 race, Ipsy reigns supreme for the second month of the year. To be fair, I should say there were ways I originally matched this up where the polish might lose or eyeshadow win etc and while Ipsy mainly won 3-2 there were some 4-1 matchups. What I'm saying is I tried to make the playing field even and Ipsy just always won. I'll be here every month so we'll see- it could be a 12/12 Ipsy year.

January: Ipsy 4-1
February: Ipsy 3-2