Which Natural Hair Subscription Box Service is For You?

You’ve seen Instagram posts from your favorite vloggers sharing their excitement over colorful boxes of natural hair goodies. Conditioners, curl creams, gels, shampoos and more! Or as we at 4CHC like to call them, every product junkie’s little piece of heaven on earth.

Just what are these boxed-shaped bundles of joy? And how can you get your hands on one? They are known as hair subscription boxes.

There are several subscription services that cater to natural hair and allow you to try several products for the price of one or two. But how do you know which one is right for you and your tresses? Below, we compare three of the most popular boxes – curlBOX, CurlKit and COCOTIQUE – to help you decide.

curlBOX

Price: $20/month

Subscribers to curlBOX receive five to seven “curly hair” products each month from established and emerging natural hair brands. Aunt Jackie’s, Brown Butter Beauty, Carol’s Daughter, Kynx and Shea Moisture are just a handful of the companies that partner with this subscription service.

One of the good things about curlBOX is that as a subscriber, you are given the opportunity to try more than one product from a particular brand every month. This means you’re able to test if the different items in a product line mesh well. Additionally, there’s a “Box Breakdown” section on curlBOX’s website, where you can find more details about the products. However, keep in mind that curlBOX operates on a first come, first serve basis, so joining the email list won’t guarantee your membership. You must order a subscription within the time frame that the list is open.

CurlKit

Price: $20/month

Those who sign up for a monthly CurlKit subscription get anywhere from six to nine products such as butters, conditioners and pomades – many of the types of products you would likely need to get through wash day. Most of the items are sample size but the box may also include a full-sized version of a particular product.

The brands CurlKit partners with include As I Am, Camille Rose and Kinky-Curly, among others. You won’t know what to expect in your box until you receive it. “The surprise is part of the natural curl experience!” CurlKit’s FAQ page reads.

CurlKit also ships internationally, a perk unavailable with curlBOX and COCOTIQUE. Subscription payments are charged to your credit card every 15th of the month until you cancel. Once you’ve tried the samples you have the option to purchase the full-sized version of many of the products directly from CurlKit’s online shop.

COCOTIQUE

COCOTIQUE takes things a step further and delivers both beauty and lifestyle products – about five to eight sample items, plus a few full-sized products – to subscribers. These include hair, nail and skin care, and fragrance samples. For example, Miss Jessie’s Coily Custard, which is a wash and go styler, and a one-year subscription to Hype Hair magazine were both a part of the November 2014 box.

As a bonus every month, one subscriber gets a little something extra special, such as a gift certificate for clothing, shoes, jewelry or full-sized beauty products.

What do you look for in a subscription box?