Beauty boxes that give the most bang for your buck

The perfect gift for you or a loved one during lockdown...

beauty boxes

Whether it is untwisting a new lipstick or the feel of a brand new brush, the satisfaction of opening an un-touched piece of make-up is hard to match.

So what if we told you that you could enjoy that feeling every single month with a beauty box? Imagine the sheer thrill that comes with discovering what's inside one of the best beauty advent calendars 2020 landing through your letterbox on a monthly basis. (Plus, if your calendar supply is depleting, beauty boxes are a brilliant way to top up your favourite beauty goodies.)

If you haven't already invested in a monthly beauty box, there is no better time to start than now. Subscription boxes are a great way to treat yourself to a surprise you know you'll love every month - because you can never have too many beauty products - right? Plus, now that we're unable to shop for makeup in all our favourite department stores, it's the perfect time to get some new bits delivered!

And if you've got a family member, friend or loved-one who is obsessed with all things beauty, beauty boxes make great gifts! Many of the beauty boxes below, like the Birchbox and lookfantastic box, have flexible subscriptions ranging from one to 12 months.

Depending on how much you can afford or how generous you are feeling, you could get a gift that keeps on giving. Beauty boxes are also a great way to spread the cost of present buying.

Beauty Boxes: Which one will you choose?

The M&S Summer Beauty Bag 2020, £110

Okay, so this isn't technically a box, more a bag - but it's chock full of lovely bits that'll help see your skin through the balmy summer months. While we may not be heading off on our holidays this year, we can pamper our skin as though we are with these 11 travel bag products. There are five full-size items, including aPercy & Reed No Oil Hair Oil, Sun Smart After Sun Face Mask, a Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen, Autograph Colour Shine Lip Lacquer, and Pure Super Hydrate Day Cream. All products will help to hydrate, moisturise and take care of skin, body and face in the sun - and that's something we all need right now.

The GLOSSYBOX Beauty Box subscription, £10 a month

GLOSSYBOX is the original beauty box, and is a subscription box which means you can sign up to get it for one month, or for three, six, or 12 months. The products are a surprise from month to month, but customer reviews have revealed that previous boxes have included an eyeshadow palette, lip balm, highlighter, and a sheet mask.

The Sam & Nic Edit, £28

beauty boxes

As fully trained make-up artists (and two of the internet’s most-trusted beauty experts) sisters Sam and Nic Chapman certainly know a thing or two about the products everyone should have in their make-up bags. Created in collaboration with Estée Lauder, this box contains £95 worth of beauty goodies across skin, make-up and haircare. From Bumble & Bumble’s brilliant Thickening Dry Spun Texture Spray to Glam Glow’s Bubble Sheet Deep Cleanse Mask, it’s the perfect party-prep box to splurge on as Christmas approaches. Even better, 10% from the sale of each box will be donated to Breast Cancer Haven and Look Good Feel Better, the charity partners of The Estée Lauder Companies UK & Ireland. Beauty that does good? Consider us sold.

The Birchbox Beauty Box, £12.95

Packed with 5 beauty goodies each month for just £10, Birchbox is amazing value. Amongst the 5 hero products in previous month's boxes, subscribers can enjoy an Eye Mask, mascara, and face cream. he mini size makes it perfect for travelling or giving skin a quick pick-me-up on the go.

The Parcel London Box: Beauty Insider, £92

beauty boxes

If you haven’t heard of Parcel London, get them on your gifting radar, pronto! Not just limited to beauty, you can take advantage of their pre-curated parcels, themed from Digital Detox to Coffee Lover, (there’s even one for new parents and their babies!) or create your own from their gorgeous range of high-end goodies. Their pre-packed Beauty Insider box was curated by Instagram account @thisisbeautygram and is filled with, as you’d expect, some very social-media friendly products. The BYBI Strawberry Seed Skin Booster is our top pick thanks to its skin-soothing properties and recyclable bottle. Whilst these boxes aren’t currently available to subscribe to, the quality of products from Parcel London more than justifies a monthly visit to their website.

The Friction Free ShavingBox

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Although this box is a little more niche we still think it is a great subscription to buy into. Friction Free is the first razor delivery service and it means that you'll never have to worry about a blunt, over-used razor ever again! Prices start from just £5 with free postage and will get you a razor plus four refill blades a month.

The Roccabox Box, £10

beauty boxes

With each box carefully curated and themed, October’s Roccabox is filled with everything you need to transition your skincare routine and make-up bag into autumn. As the air outside gets colder and the heating gets cranked up inside, skin becomes noticeably drier – something Balance Me’s Hyaluronic Plumping Mist and Cetaphil’s Moisturising Lotion can help fix. Whilst the Bella Pierre’s Kiss Proof Lip Cream and 3ina Pen Liquid Eyeliner will help you perfect a rosy red lip and flawless feline flick. Products are a mix of travel and full size, taking the total cost if you bought them separately to £48. Not bad for a tenner, eh?

Which one will you be snapping up?

Jessica Ransom

Jessica is a Senior Food Writer at Future and is an enthusiastic, self-taught cook who adores eating out and sharing great food and drink with friends and family. She has completed the Level 1 Associate course at the Academy of Cheese and is continually building on her knowledge of beers, wines and spirits. Jessica writes food and drink related news stories and features, curates product pages, tests and reviews equipment and also develops recipes which she styles on food shoots.