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# The Business of Beauty Boxes

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/IQpOq2SG.m3u8" -->
## Video: The Business of Beauty Boxes

[Watch (HLS stream): The Business of Beauty Boxes](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/IQpOq2SG.m3u8) (3:16)

![The Business of Beauty Boxes](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/IQpOq2SG/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2012-02-16. Mail subscriptions to sample boxes are boosting the beauty industry. Watch these YouTube beauty mavens "unbox" their products_


---

Jul 27, 2023 3:22 PM UTC

---

## More From This Series

[All Videos](https://time.com/video/)

[Are Monthly Subscription Boxes Worth the Costs? MONEY](/video/jqirF7OC/)

### Are Monthly Subscription Boxes Worth the Costs? MONEY

[YouTube Jumps On The Subscription Bandwagon](/video/IDPWJRDn/)

### YouTube Jumps On The Subscription Bandwagon

[YouTube Reportedly Set to Launch Subscription Service](/video/rmqDcXjQ/)

### YouTube Reportedly Set to Launch Subscription Service

---


## Transcript

This is my first step in every eye look that I ever do. I've used one of these sort of things in my bath before and it wasn't that great. It's quite fancy. So if you go on to you tube and you type in beauty box or you type in the name of any specific beauty boxes you will literally get thousands of hits. Hey you tube so a couple of days ago I got my January beauty box. [ MUSIC ] You will see woman opening up there packages [ LAUGH ] and showing you what they got. Its actually pink which I love. They will be holding up their samples. You actually get three full size products in this box. My name's Anita Hamilton, I'm a contributor to time.

com. And I wrote this story on Beauty Boxes. [ MUSIC ] Beauty Boxes are monthly subscription services that you sign up for on the internet. Each month you receive a small box. Which contains four to six samples of makeup, cream, lotion, mascara, eyeliner. And the idea's that you get to try a limited selection of samples, and if you like them, you might then go online and buy something. There's a viral marketing aspect to this. You might tweet, hey I love this new, you know, body polish I got. [ MUSIC ] Or you might, you know, write on your blog. Hey, here's what I got. You might post pictures.

Or you would do it on Facebook or Youtube. [ UNKNOWN ] Is a really good brand. So I'm pretty per chuffed to have these, actually. There are certain, you know, bloggers and so forth who have actually created, like, a brand for themselves as far as, you know? They go through everything, and they tell you, oh, this is so much better than the other one. Here they're just comparing different boxes or different products in general. So they really build their own reputation and you know, they can be, it's, it's funny, it's fun. Just the comments they make, just makes you laugh. So, I was really happy to see that.

You guys know that I'm a big Nix fan too. [ LAUGH ] Sounds like Nix like what sport? Is it like basketball or something? The full size is $ 45. I'm assuming this is not the full size, but I mean, it's a, it's a ample sample. [ LAUGH ] Oh, my God. Didn't even plan that. That smells so sweet. It smells like a candy bar. Not a candy like, chocolate bar, candy orange bar. Or put sugar on it or something, I don't know, it smells so good. [ MUSIC ] The global beauty business is 382 billion dollars each year. And even though a lot of businesses are going online, beauty has been really slow to go online, it's only about 4- 6 % of total sales.

And the reason why is cause people want to try things before they buy it and you know make- up isn't cheap. So, these new monthly services are bridging the online with the offline and it's just such a huge growth potential. For me the idea of this is like getting a little touch of luxury in your, in your kind of post every month and getting. Products that you might never get to try usually. Beauty is one of the first industries, consumer idustries, to rebound from the recession. The whole idea of affordable luzry, and, of course, beauty boxes play right into that. Until next time, adios. I'll talk to you guys soon.

I will see you in max videos. Bye. [ MUSIC ] [ SOUND ] [ BLANK_AUDIO ]

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