Beauty subscription boxes are a brilliant way to drag yourself out of a beauty rut. Neatly packaged and pleasingly priced, these monthly treats are the perfect way to trial new products – and find new favourites – without investing in the full size (or having to move from your sofa).

Where Glossybox once dominated the industry (and yep, it's still one of the best), there is now a specialist beauty box to satisfy your every interest, from niche perfumery to natural skincare and vegan make-up.

There’s flexibility when it comes to commitment, too. Many subscription services now offer the chance to purchase one-off boxes, or have a personally curated package landing on your doorstep once a month (often with added savings to boot).

It's worth looking out for limited-edition boxes too: these fast-selling offerings usually come with unbelievable savings on premium products. (Speaking of which, Cohorted's current collaboration with doctor-backed prestige line MZ Skin is, frankly, a no-brainer).

Whether you’re looking for a sustainable shower routine or an introduction to the world of vegan beauty, look no further. Here, we’re rounding up everything you need to know about the very best beauty boxes.

The Top Beauty Subscription Boxes For May

Sephora
best beauty boxes
Courtesy of Sephora

Sephora Beauty Box, from £11.95 SHOP NOW

Why You Need To Subscribe

This unique subscription box hands over the reigns so you personally curate your own beauty delivery. With a generous menu of sample sizes to browse, every month you'll get the choice of five deluxe products, from Nars and Benefit to Drunk Elephant and Farmacy.

Whether you're ready to subscribe for a year of beauty swatching, testing and trialling or you just fancy a one off trial box to see what the fuss is all about, this fun size box is low commitment and a surefire way to switch up your make-up, skincare and haircare regime.


Lookfantastic
instagramView full post on Instagram

Lookfantastic Beauty Box, from £13 a month SHOP NOW

Why You Need To Subscribe

A beauty box OG, Lookfantastic's monthly deliveries have been making us smile for years.

Expect six products in every box (worth a minimum of £50), with brands ranging from universally loved classics to new, niche picks. This April brings you six cult products from the likes of Pai, Nails Inc and Ciaté.

While you're treating yourself, it wouldn't be the worst move in the world if this limited-edition Boutique Scent edit slipped into your basket, too. Enjoy one of the trial sizes? Lookfantastic have thrown in a £30 voucher to spend on any full-size too.


Glossybox

Glossybox, from £10.80 a month SHOP NOW

Why You Need To Subscribe

Christophe Robin, Brushworks, Magnitone and Frank Body are just a handful of the hair, make-up and skincare brands you'll can find nestled inside your b-e-a-utifully-wrapped Glossybox, which makes the super-reasonable price tag seem like pennies.

And, if you like to stay ahead of the curve, you'll love that the box introduces you to the odd under-the-radar beauty brand, (including some brill vegan make-up lines), too.

Wait, there's more! The Glossybox For You is currently live on the site, and it's a seriously good one for wedding season gifting with. It's packed with nine classic hair and skincare products collectively worth over £155, yet will set you back just £35.


Cohorted



Cohorted Beauty Box, £39.99 SHOP NOW

Why You Need To Subscribe

Yes, Cohorted is significantly pricier than most beauty boxes, but you're getting some seriously luxe (and almost always full-sized) products for your money.

From Ren to Aromatherapy Associates, Fresh and Colour Wow, only the best brands make it into this very boujis monthly box.

Be sure to check out the retailer's special-edition boxes too: right now, you can snap up the MZ Skin Edit, which is worth an outrageous £398. Seriously, if you're into skincare as much as we are, this is one not to sleep on.

Looking to explore more women-owned beauty brands? Don't sleep on the extra-special Female Founders curation, which gives you the opportunity to test and trial exciting drops from Oskia to Floral Street.


Liberty Beauty Drop

The Liberty Beauty Drop, £20 (fully redeemable) SHOP NOW

Why You Need To Subscribe

When we heard the news that Liberty would be launching its own subscription box, we of course expected big things: but we weren't quite anticipating a situation this generous.

The Beauty Drop is the best way to indulge in the joys of the Liberty beauty hall without bankrupting yourself. Sign up for £20 per month, and you'll receive four seriously well-stuffed beauty boxes per year, featuring the likes of Dr. Barbara Sturm, Sisley, Susanne Kaufmann and 111 Skin. Your treats are worth over £300 per year and – here's the best bit – your monthly subscription fee is completely redeemable in the beauty hall. Our advice? Save it all up and buy yourself a perfume at the end of the year.


Roccabox

Roccabox, from £13 a month SHOP NOW

Why You Need To Subscribe

Costing as little as £13 a month (when you sign up for 12 months), Roccabox is one of the most affordable beauty boxes around. Everything from nails, make-up, skin and body-care (even hair accessories) is covered and most of the products are generously-sized, making the value for money more or less unrivalled.

So what about the goodies? Previous boxes have seen everything from Cetaphil and Spectrum to Elie Saab and Kiehl's.


The Natural Beauty Box


The Natural Beauty Box, from £24.95 a month SHOP NOW

Why You Need To Subscribe

This small but mighty beauty box is one of the best for discovering natural, organic and (often) plastic-free beauty brands, which often fly so far under the radar, we struggle to spot them on the shelves.

We can credit the Natural Beauty Box for our new obsessions with the likes of Little Ondine, Odylique, and the dreamy Farryn Amber.


FFS Beauty

FFS Beauty, from £9.95 a month SHOP NOW

Why You Need To Subscribe

This award-winning subscription box means that soft, supermodel legs are finally within touching distance – and for as little as £9.95 per month. Your first box contains a personally chosen colourway of the brand's signature razors, alongside four week's worth of diamond-coated, six-blade razor attachments. Each month that follows, a fresh set of blades will land on your door, exactly when you need them.

Not a militant shaver? Have your box delivered every other month to ensure you aren't wasting any blades. Sensitive skin? Add one of the brand's award-winning exfoliators or shave creams onto your order to upgrade that in-shower experience.