Fans of the PLouise makeup brand can grab themselves a monthly haul that includes exclusive products through a one-off purchase or subscription plan.
Dispatched at the start of each month, the brand’s Budget Box guarantees purchasers ‘newness’.
Who does the Budget Box appeal to?
This subscription box is ideal for PLouise devotees who want to be among the first to try new launches. Exceptional boxes this year have included an Easter egg-shaped tin filled with goodies and the Ready, Set... Pack Your Sh*t And Go! suitcase, which was stuffed with all-new products that included a primer, setting spray and a full face of makeup. When the suitcase later went on general sale, it quickly sold out.
The Budget Box is also perfect for aspiring or established makeup artists who want to build a full collection of PLouise products. For this reason, boxes often include multiple shade variations of the same product. Recent examples include lip bases and lip pencils.
This subscription is the preferred option for those who don’t want to chance receiving duplicates in PLouise’s popular mystery boxes. It’s also a cost-effective way to collect gifts for birthdays and Christmas.
How much does the PLouise Budget Box cost?
A one-off purchase or monthly subscription costs £30 plus a delivery charge (mine was £1, but shipping is likely to be higher if you don't live in the UK). There are discounts available for those who want to purchase a six-month or 12-month subscription in advance. For example, the six month option currently includes one month free and the 12 month subscription will give you two months free.
After the first payment, monthly subscriptions are taken out of the bank towards the end of the month. The boxes are packed and shipped in around seven working days from the start of the following month. They usually arrive on doorsteps within 48 hours of being dispatched. It is important to note that the boxes are dispatched over several days, so some subscribers will receive them before others.
One-off purchases are available on a first come, first served basis.
Can you see what is in a box before you purchase it?
Yes, PLouise previews boxes around a month in advance on its TikTok channel.
Is it possible to specify a skin tone?
No. The Budget Box has too many subscribers to currently make this possible.
What I received in my first box
My Budget Box, paid for in August and delivered in September, contained a Take Me Away lip liner bag, featuring 10 lip liner pencils in assorted shades. It also included a Play Your Cards Right lipstick palette in pink/nude shades. Finally, my box also boasted an After Dark bundle. I got Midnight Muse, which included the After Dark smokey eyeshadow palette, Own The Night false eyelashes with glue and two Glisten To Your Heart glitter eye liners.
What were the contents worth?
The lip liner bundle retails for £22 but, purchased individually, the liners cost £12 each.
As for the lip palette, that sells for £14 and is available in three shade variations.
The liner bundle and palette are available together for £25.
The After Dark bundles retail for £25. They include skincare and makeup variations and each include at least three products.
So, the total value of my box was £50 (if you take the lip products as one bundle). Individually, the products were worth over £150.
Did it deliver value?
Yes, 100 percent. I saved £20 - more if you take into account the individual retail value of the lip liners.
The quality and presentation of the products was also high. Put it this way, I won’t be needing any new lip colours for a very long time!
Budget Box controversy
Unfortunately, the first box I purchased was mired in controversy. Subscribers were fuming after the ‘exclusive’ products were sold by PLouise on TikTok before the Budget Box was shipped. In fact, the Take Me Away lip liner bundle and lipstick palette were included in mystery boxes as well as being listed for sale on the brand’s website. Things went from bad to worse when the After Dark bundles were also sold (in limited numbers) on TikTok. Some found their way onto Vinted. However, they were not listed in advance on the website.
Many subscribers said they felt the box had lost its ‘newness’ appeal, with a few vowing to cancel their subscription. Facebook groups dedicated to the brand were awash with complaints. Numerous subscribers said they would prefer to buy products individually and choose their preferred shade, rather than rely on a box that may not contain exclusive products and may not deliver the right shade selection.
Other complaints included the 'random' choice of lip products - meaning there was no guarantee the liner and palette shades would match. Some thought this was a ploy to get them to buy the matching products separately.
Personally, I was grateful to receive products worth £50 for £30. This box introduced me to makeup that I probably would not have purchased individually, but did add value to my collection. I am a fan of PLouise lip liners because they are super-soft and creamy and I love the design of the lip palette.
The only thing that bothered me (and this is just my impatience talking), the box seemed to take forever to arrive. Apart from August seeming to drag, it honestly felt like a lifetime from placing the order to getting the box in my hands. I subscribed on August 10 and my first box arrived on September 12. I'll try to put next month's out of mind to see if the time passes any more quickly.
Will I continue my subscription?
Yes!
Final thoughts
While it was a bit galling to realise I wouldn’t be among the first to sample the new products in this box, I was pleased with everything I received. From the packaging to the formulas, it satisfied my beauty addict cravings. At the end of the day, all the products were new to me. And I will use them.
For me, this box’s strongest point was value for money.
What I like about this brand is that all of its products are giftable. So, if I receive anything I know I won’t use in a future box, I will simply put it aside to give to someone at Christmas.
So, if you don’t want to chance receiving something you already own in a mystery box and want to save money, I’d say the Budget Box is the no-brainer way to go.
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