Target Beauty Box vs. Walmart Beauty Box: Is One Better Than the Other?

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Since we have beauty boxes on our minds today (given the release of the newest Target Beauty Box, which is now sold out), I thought it was a good time to talk about this. A couple of you commented on my Target post and had some questions about the Walmart Beauty Box, so I wanted to do a compare/contrast for you.

Thanks so much to reader Lindsay for sharing her pic (above and below) of the latest Walmart Spring 2016 Beauty Box. This came in so handy and enabled me to write this post with much greater detail. Thanks again for that, Lindsay!

WALMART BEAUTY BOX:
This is a seasonal box (four boxes per year) that first launched in Fall 2014. I posted about it at that time (I did a few posts about it, actually). There were some wrinkles with this box when it first launched, but it appears that all of those wrinkles have been ironed out since the initial launch. When it first debuted, there were questions about the security of the sign-up page (it IS secure, by the way--you can see the HTTPS here) and some readers said that they were charged twice when they first signed up. But since Fall 2014,  I have heard ZERO complaints about the sign-up process, so it appears that everything is now running smoothly with this service.

The Walmart Beauty Box is free, but you pay $5 for shipping, per box. Once you sign up HERE, you will receive four boxes (one for spring, summer, winter, and fall). You will be billed $5 each time a box ships, for a total of $20 per year.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: When this box first launched, different subscribers received slightly different items in their boxes depending on their age. I was under the impression that Walmart stopped doing this, but I have since been informed by several of you that this is still happening (thank you!) so let me break this down for you:

When you sign up, you will be required to specify if you're under 35 or over 35. From there, you will be assigned one of two boxes: Classic (over 35) or Trendsetter (under 35). When you go into your account, you should have the option to change your preference. Also, thanks to readers Elida and Kelly on Facebook for confirming that when you log into your account and go to your profile, you now have to option to subscribe to BOTH the Trendsetter and Classic boxes ($5 each, so instead of $20 per year you'll pay $40 per year if you elect to subscribe to both). If you don't see this option in your profile, please contact Walmart directly--I can't really help you since I don't subscribe to this box.

TARGET BEAUTY BOX:
This is a monthly box that tends to go live on the Target site on the first Monday of each month (this month's box is now sold out, but the previews are always listed HERE). There's no advance sign-up for this box and there is no subscription option; it's a one-off box, first come first served. These boxes tend to run between $5 and $7 each, and shipping is always free. If you have a Target REDcard, you also get 5% off your boxes.

WALMART SPRING 2016 BEAUTY BOX:

inage credit: Lindsay for Nouveau Cheap

Walmart Spring 2016 Beauty Box

(retail: free; $5 shipping)

The contents of the Walmart Beauty Boxes change with each box. You do not get to preview the box in advance--once you pay, you get what you get, four times per year. Most of the items in this box are deluxe/travel size, but they do often include a full-size item (sometimes more). Also, thanks to reader Elizabeth in the comments below for sharing that she sometimes, instead of a full-size item, may receive a coupon for a free full-size product, shipped separately from the boxes. I have also just heard from several of you who confirmed that you often  receive $$ off coupons in your boxes for various products. Previous boxes have included full-size CoverGirl lipsticks, full-size Rimmel mascaras, full-size Revlon lipsticks, full-size ROC skincare products, full-size Schick Hydro Silk Disposable Razors, and the like (usually one full-size item per box IF there's a full-size item; sometimes there is not a full-size item in these boxes).

Lindsay kindly included a list of the items in the Spring 2016 Walmart Beauty Box, with sizes:

• Colgate Optic White toothpaste 3 oz
• Dove Dry Oil Body Wash 1.8 oz
• Banana Boat Sun Comfort SPF 30 1 oz
• Aveeno Absolutely Ageless Restorative Night Cream .5 oz
• Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer 2 oz
• Curel Rough Skin Rescue 0.7 oz
• Neutrogena Moisture Smooth Color Stick in Pink Grapefruit .08 oz

NO full-size items in the Spring 2016 box, but there are seven items total. Some of the samples are pretty generous, so I think it's a nice deal for $5. Click here to do a Google Image Search and take a look at many of the previous Walmart Beauty Boxes to get an overall feel for this box.

TARGET MARCH 2016 BEAUTY BOX:

Target March 2016 Beauty Box

(retail: $7; free shipping)

The contents of the Target Beauty Boxes change with each box. A few days before each box goes live on the Target site, you're able to preview the contents HERE (they do not specify product sizes in their previews, so you won't know which products will be full-size, deluxe/travel size, or packets until the box goes live).  Most of the items in this box are deluxe/travel size, but they do tend to include at least once full-size item per box; occasionally more (example: a previous Target Beauty Box contained both a full-size NYX Butter Gloss and a full-size CoverGirl Outlast All-Day Face Primer). Previous boxes have included full-size Simple Towelettes, full-size ChapStick Total Hydration Lip Balms, full-size L'Oreal mascaras, full-size Clairol Hair Food haircare products, full-size Revlon lipsticks, full-size L'Oreal makeup setting sprays, and the like. Click here to do a Google Image Search and take a look at many of the previous Target Beauty Boxes to get an overall feel for this box.

Contents of March 2016 Target Beauty Box:

• Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray 2 oz
• Sinful Color Nail Polish in Hush Money 0.5 oz (FULL SIZE)
• Nugg Revitalizing Face Mask 0.33 oz (FULL-SIZE; single-serving)
• Banana Boat Sun Comfort SPF 30 1 oz
• You Are Amazing Hello Beautiful Skin Body Lotion in Juicy Grapefruit 1 oz
• Caress Fine Fragrance Body Wash in Adore Forever 1.8 oz
• Laneige Water Sleeping Mask 0.6 oz
• Clairol Hair Food Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner 0.33 oz x two (packets)
• Coupon for $3 off your $15 Target beauty purchase in-store or online

As you can see, there's a full-size bottle of Sinful Colors in this box, and since Nugg face masks come in single-serving pods, I'm considering that full-size as well. I do want to mention that customers received varying shades of Sinful Colors nail polish in this box (I personally received the shade Hush Money), and I also heard from some of you who received a different scent than I did for the You Are Amazing lotion (I received Juicy Grapefruit).

I also want to point out that there was an overlap in these most recent boxes--the Walmart and Target boxes both contained the same Banana Boat sunscreen.

PROS AND CONS:

Walmart Beauty Box:

This box tends to include popular mass brands (brands owned by Unilever, P&G, Johnson & Johnson, etc.). This is obviously going to be either a pro or con depending on your tastes. A definite pro would be that once you sign up for this box, that's it. You're going to get a box four times a year unless you cancel your subscription. There's no mad dash required to grab this box before it sells out, and it's always $5 (they word it as "free" but you pay $5 for shipping per box). A con would be that you only get four boxes per year. If you love getting a box every month, you won't get that here. And thanks to reader Elizabeth in the comments below for  sharing that she sometimes gets a coupon in the mail (separate from the beauty box) for a free full-size product. That's a definitely pro. Also, if you caught my update above, another pro is that you can choose between boxes geared toward younger subscribers (Trendsetter) and mature subscribers (Classic). OR, you can purchase both.

Target Beauty Box:

This box tends to include a mix of popular mass brands (brands owned by Unilever, P&G, Johnson & Johnson, etc.) as well as smaller brands (Acure, Marlow, Shea Moisture, Nip + Fab. You Are Amazing) that are sometimes Target-exclusive. Over recent years, we've seen an increase in diversity when it comes to the contents of the Target Beauty Box. For example, a while back there was a haircare-themed box that contained some products with a focus on WoC, and we're seeing more Korean beauty products these days as well. Target also occasionally offers boxes for men in addition to boxes that are more female-focused. A definite con would be that you  have to act quickly to get a Target Beauty Box, since these boxes always sell out on the day they go live. You cannot subscribe to this box, so you have to be prepared ahead of time and ready to buy when it goes live. Also, the price is not consistent. Sometimes it's $5, and sometimes it's $7. But shipping is always free. Target always includes a coupon for $3 off your $15 beauty purchase in-store or online at Target in their boxes, and there are no restrictions on this coupon. You can use it on mass or masstige (more expensive brands like Laneige, etc.). So that's another pro.

Additional thoughts: 
I hope that this compare/contrast gives you a better feel for these two boxes. It's impossible for me to say that one is across-the-board better than the other, because it totally depends on YOUR particular needs and interests. Bottom line: they're both inexpensive, and they both give you a variety of products to sample. But I do want to mention that I have not ever subscribed to the Walmart Beauty Box (I already subscribe to the Allure Beauty Box and I also buy the Target Beauty Box every month, and I find that that's more than enough beauty box goodness for me). So if I am missing any pertinent info that you think everyone should know about the Walmart Beauty Box, PLEASE SHARE in the comments below. I based all of my info above on feedback that I have received directly from you, as well as reading many unboxing posts online

PS: I always post here the moment that I know that the Target Beauty Boxes are live. If you'd like to receive a text notification for the next Target Beauty Box, click here for more info.