When people complain that I receive too many packages in the mail, I respond, wouldn’t you want to get little presents every day? A critical part of self-care is giving yourself little presents and making it routine. Whatever your taste or interests, you deserve a present every month at least. Treat yourself to the best subscription boxes under $20. We’ve ranked the top 10 best subscription boxes.
Our #1 Overall Subscription Box (Makeup)
Ipsy Glam Bag – $12/month
The Ipsy Glam Bag is at the top of my list. This is the one if you only have room in your budget for one box. For just $12 a month, they’ll send you a cute reusable makeup bag full of sample sized (and some full-sized) makeup and skincare products! This is perfect for anyone who has a slight fear of commitment. You can try smaller versions of high-end makeup to see if you like the products before shelling out for larger versions.
I’m obsessed with the great selection and high-quality products in the Ipsy Glam Bag each month. I’m pleasantly surprised each time. The price can’t be beaten, and you can get free bonus products by referring friends.
Now, in no particular order, the rest of my Top 10 best subscription boxes are under $20.
Scentbird – $14.95/month
Someone once told me that a superstar always smells fantastic. I took that to heart and spent much time (and money) searching for my ‘signature scent.’ I wish I had found the Scentbird subscription box sooner. For $14.95 each month, they’ll send you high-quality perfume samples in great sizes (8mL) that don’t feel cheap!
You take a quiz to help narrow down the scent profile you’re looking for, and they send you a vial case with your first month’s subscription. Scentbird carries designer perfume samples like Versace, Gucci, and Oscar de la Renta. You can choose which scent you want monthly or have Scentbird surprise you. Going forward, each new scent you receive fits in the vial case and looks so lush!
The Best Subscription Boxes for Hot Sauce.
Hot Sauce of the Month Club – $14.99/month
Feeling spicy? Then you need the Hot Sauce of the Month Club subscription box. For under $15 Heat Hot Sauce Shop curates a custom box of artisan hot sauces. Choose your heat level and wait patiently to receive a box full of spicy hot sauces and custom-tasting cards.
I’ve always been a tabasco or sriracha girlie, but with this subscription box can try new and award-winning sauces. And if you’re a real fanatic, you can even receive early releases on new hot sauces and brands!
Our Top Face Mask Subscription Box
FaceTory – $19.90/month
On a Sunday evening, you can find me sitting on my couch with a hot cup of tea and a face mask marinating on my skin. It’s the ultimate self-care and the perfect setup for the week ahead. However, I find that the face masks at local drug stores are expensive and often weak or ineffective.
Enter K Beauty. Korean Beauty (or K Beauty) products are top-tier and include ground-breaking ingredients such as snail mucin, bee venom, and manuka honey. Look up their benefits, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Because K Beauty products can be hard to find in stores, FaceTory sends you 7x sheet masks and two monthly bonus items for under $20! For my fellow self-care queens (and kings) I recommend FaceTory.
The Mighty Fix – $15/month
We’re all trying to make healthy and eco-friendly swaps where we can – in our homes especially. Sometimes starting that process can be daunting – which products do I try first, which are healthy? For only $25 a month, this subscription box takes the guesswork out of it. A company called MightyNest offers a subscription that delivers clean, healthy alternatives to products you may already be using – MightyFix.
Each month, MightyFix sends one product for you to try, such as non-toxic cleaning supplies, safe food storage solutions, clean body care, and items to help you start to exclude one-time-use plastics. I like that you can customize which products you receive, like specifying a vegan option or requesting only household products (and no body care items). It’s all very green!
Rooted Mystery Jungle Subscription Box – $20/month
I love plants. My apartment is pretty much a jungle at this point. If you also have a green thumb, this subscription box is perfect. Each month, a company called Rooted curates and grows a small plant just for you. They’ll send over a surprise mystery plant in a 4” grow pot on the first week of each month.
Even if you don’t know much about plants, they have descriptions and helpful articles to share. With this subscription, Rooted sends over a new plant each month, so you’ll never get a duplicate and can continue your jungle journey!
Vellabox – $12/month
Did you even clean it if you’re not lighting a fresh candle after you’ve cleaned the house? We couldn’t make a list of the best subscription boxes without including a candle subscription. . I usually shop at Marshall’s for my $3.99 and $7.99 soy candles, but no more. Vellabox sends unique artisan candles made by small brands in the USA. For $12 a month, you get an affordable aesthetic candle + a surprise gift! The surprise gift is usually a lifestyle item from a brand Vellabox loves or is in partnership with. It’s a $10 value, so you get your money’s worth with this subscription box.
If you’re feeling like a splurge, there are other sizes like 8oz and 12oz to choose from for a little more cash. But regardless of size, each candle is curated to your scent preferences after you take a short quiz, so you know you are constantly receiving a custom candle that smells fantastic!
The Top Tea Subscription for Tea Lovers
Simplicity Teas – $14/month
Remember around #4 on this list when I mentioned my Sunday self-care with a hot cup of tea in my hand? Here’s the tea. Simplicity Teas subscription box offers truly unique and fancy loose tea leaves monthly. This ‘teas of the month club’ will send you unique flavors to try that you cannot get in stores – like Key Lime Pie or Maple Waffles.
Simplicity Teas is woman-founded, and each tea they send has a purpose and health benefits. Some are good for sleep, digestion, or anxiety relief. I know we could all use some of that. Their monthly subscription box comes with a reusable loose-leaf tea infuser with tasting notes and brewing instructions. Just add hot water.
Yes Plz Coffee – $17/month
If coffee is more your speed, our best subscription boxes list covers you. Yes, Plz Coffee offers a unique monthly subscription box for only $17. If you’re a coffee snob, Yes Plz send single-origin and blend coffee grounds sourced globally and roasted in LA. Instead of offering a vast selection of roasts, they remove the guesswork and focus on one release each week – sent right to your doorstep. You can customize the size and frequency of your shipments as well.
Besides the cute packaging, each box comes with a 12oz bag of coffee, a sticker, and info cards for each blend. We had to add Yes Plz Coffee to our best subscription boxes list. As a bonus, they include a QR code that takes you to a Spotify or Apple Music playlist you can enjoy with your brew. Music is a huge part of coffee shop culture, and Yes Plz Coffee brings it right to your door with a curated playlist each week, including songs that were listened to while that blend was developed and roasted.
The Best Subscription Boxes Clothing Recommendation
Stitch Fix – $20/month
If your wardrobe needs a bit of uplifting, or if you want to change your look with the seasons, you can get a personal stylist for $20 a month. They use tons of data to create stylist recommendations for you – client data is provided directly, plus merchandise data like inseam, pocket shape, fit, and silhouette. It comes from a quiz you take on their website with ‘90+ meaningful data points, so you know it’s thorough.
I can confirm that my dad has tried this and loved it. He’s not the most fashion-forward guy, but Stitch Fix hooked him up with high-quality clothing that he can try on, wear, and return!
If you want to take a page out of my self-care book or give yourself a little present every month, I hope our list of the best subscription boxes can help you get there. Let us know which ones you’ve tried.
Happy ordering!