The popularity of beauty subscription boxes has been increasing rapidly ever since they were introduced with recent stats showing a 40% rise since last year. Subscription boxes are probably the best way to experiment and discover new products on a consistent level. We all know beauty products are definitely not one size fits all kind of deal and unlike finding new products through recommendations, guru advice, online reviews, beauty boxes allow you to try the product first hand on your own skin. Initially, the COVID19 pandemic put a strain on subscription box brands similarly to most companies.; however as consumers began to “spend more time at home and continue to avoid stores, they are looking to beauty subscription boxes as a means to acquire new products”. While samples and miniature products can provide some of these benefits too, subscription boxes can save you a great deal of time and effort on research and decision making; after you have set up a subscription, all there’s left to do is receive your products and have fun experimenting!
Back To The Beginning
Subscription boxes began to join the beauty industry a decade ago when Birchbox, also known as the original beauty box, made its launch in 2010. Interestingly, the founders of the brand, Katia Beauchamp and Hayley Barna, were not yet involved in the beauty industry before starting Birchbox but instead noticed a gap in the market on account of their own experiences. Not being heavily involved in the industry from a consumer perspective either, Beauchamp wondered “why it was so hard to find the best products.” The pair were determined to help consumers find the best products for them in a way that doesn’t require tirelessly “researching the latest launches”. Around a year later, Glossybox appeared onto the scene. This was the first subscription box in Europe and a great choice for those looking to expand their product range.
How Does it Benefit You?
It’s easy to see how subscription boxes are benefiting consumers but how do they benefit beauty brands? Well, the variety of options heightens the chance of consumer intrigue and will broaden your audience immensely. This is also great even if you are a small brand; with most subscription boxes consisting of multi-brand travel size products, they serve as an inexpensive way to easily distribute products to new audiences. It’s effective for advertising through the promotion of the box whether it be on Birchbox’s IG account or through an influencer. Although it might be more challenging to persuade consumers to make a commitment to your brand, your audience will bring you a consistent purchase. It’s also a great way for small brands to make themselves known to their particular audience. For example, if your brand falls into the growing category of green beauty, specialized subscription boxes would be a good way to connect with the consumers interested in green beauty. Natural beauty brands such as Indie Lee and Lily Lolo have been participating in The Detox Box, a beauty box consisting solely of natural beauty products to reach their target audience.
Ten Years of Evolvement
The last decade has seen vast growth in the business of subscription beauty boxes in both quantity and variety. Now that the trend has been around for a while, brands are finding their own way to stand out through creating a niche. The original subscription boxes tended to focus on an all-rounded beauty set. While those options are still available, more specific sets are now being offered too; for example, you may not want to commit to a subscription full of random products but you might love doing your nails, in which case you could subscribe to Meebox and receive a selection of nail goodies to experiment with every month. If you are into organic beauty, you might want to try the all-natural Lovelula beauty box.In case you always want to be on top of the hottest new trends, you might want to try the Latest In Beauty box where you can hand pick your own products for £15 a month or receive a surprise selection of premium products from Cohorted for £39.99. However, many consumers still love the classic skincare and makeup boxes; they are also proving helpful through the pandemic with an increased demand for online retail. It may be a good idea to investigate what different groups of consumers are interested in experimenting with and would be willing to purchase on a regular basis.
Things have been consistently going uphill for beauty subscription boxes since they were introduced to the scene. This trend is likely to continue and perhaps increase especially with the pandemic encouraging consumers to opt for online retail in order to avoid shopping in stores. In May 2020, the “daily average subscriber growth was 20% higher than in the first quarter” of the pandemic. This can also serve as an opportunity for consumers to discover the benefits of using subscriptions and continue to use them as a result.
Have you signed onto any subscription boxes? If not, what kind of brand would you go for?
Wow, this product is very nice. It keeps the skin very beautiful. Beauty products should be done to increase the radiance of the skin.