Beauty boxes have never been a “one size fits all” situation. Everybody has different beauty needs based on their specific genetics, ethnicities, skin colors, and body types. We are all so unique, and it’s beautiful! So one box of products is not going to meet all of your needs or mine. This is particularly true for Women of Color (WOC), which is why we wanted to check out beauty subscription boxes curated specifically for all the beautiful women with melanin-rich skin!
One very loved, but unfortunately, not in operation anymore, beauty subscription box for WOC was The Onyx Beauty Box. Because Onyx isn’t sending out subscriptions, we wanted to compare it to a popular beauty box for WOC: Cocotique. The difference between Cocotique and Onyx Box is that Cocotique gives you more items each month for a slightly higher price. Let’s check it out!
How Do They Work
The Onyx beauty subscription is no longer available, but Cocotique is an amazing beauty box alternative for WOC, and here’s how it works!
Cocotique
Cocotique is a beauty subscription box specifically curated for WOC. There are two different beauty subscriptions you can choose from: The Signature Beauty Box and the Makeup Lovers Box.
To get started, you’ll choose the subscription type that best fits your budget and lifestyle, and then checkout. The subscription options are listed below:
| The Signature Beauty Box | The Makeup Lovers Box |
|---|---|
| Monthly Subscription | Quarterly Subscription |
| 3 Month Subscription | Annual Subscription |
| 6 Month Subscription | |
| Annual Subscription |
The Signature Beauty Box is a monthly beauty subscription box that is focused on self-care items and lifestyle products specifically for WOC. The Makeup Lovers Box is a quarterly subscription that sends you full-sized makeup from brands that are black-owned and women-owned. These boxes ship in December, March, June and September of every year.
Once ordered, your subscription box will hit your doorstep mid-month, and you’ll never have to pay for shipping! Subscriptions auto renew every month. If there is a product that you LOVE, Cocotique has made it simple for you to purchase in the Cocotique shop.
A perk of subscribing to Cocotique is their rewards program, COCOHearts.
The way COCOHearts works is you can earn a COCOheart by doing certain things like leaving reviews on your samples, completing surveys, and even just purchasing a box! You can use these COCOHearts within Cocotiques online shop, and they’ll never expire.
Onyx Box
The We Are Onyx beauty box was discontinued in 2018, and no longer offers a subscription service! This was a beloved beauty box for many Women of Color (WOC), and Cocotique is a great alternative, so we wanted to show you how they compare.
We Are Onyx beauty box was created to help WOC find products that suited to their specific beauty needs. It helped many women try a variety of products, and find their tried and true favorites. We’ll cover the cost and what you would’ve gotten in this subscription box later.
Pros/Cons
Cocotique
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Geared specifically toward WOC and different ethnicities. | Not customizable. |
| Free shipping. | May get products that you don’t like or use. |
Affordable way to try new products. | Doesn’t ship to Alaska or Hawaii. |
Different subscription options available. |
Overall, Cocotique has a lot going for them. We love that they offer free shipping (the worst when it’s not!), and that there are different subscription options available to choose from. What we don’t love is that you can’t customize your box to YOU. This means you’ll get items you don’t like from time to time, which can be wasteful.
Onyx Box
The We Are Onyx beauty subscription box has been discontinued, so there are no pros or cons to list.
How Much Do They Cost
Cocotique is a very affordable way of trying out new products. The Onyx Beauty Box is no longer available for purchase.
Cocotique
There are two different boxes you could subscribe to with Cocotique, and multiple subscription options within each. I’ve laid it all out for you:
| Subscription Length | Signature Beauty Box | Makeup Lovers Box |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $30.99 | – |
| 3 Months | $87.99 | $35.00 |
| 6 Months | $170.99 |
– |
| Annually | $340.99 | $120.00 |
These subscriptions auto renew, and shipping is free!
OnyxBox
When the Onyx Box was in operation, subscribers would pay $25.00 per month and free shipping.
What Do You Get?
Both of these subscriptions offer WOC makeup, skincare, and hair care options that suit their specific beauty concerns.
Cocotique
Signature Beauty Box: This is a monthly subscription, and you’ll receive 5-8 full size and deluxe travel size beauty products. These products can include makeup, fragrance, lifestyle/wellness, skincare and hair care.
Makeup Lovers Box: This is a quarterly subscription, and you’ll get 5-7 FULL size makeup products. These products come from amazing Black-owned/ Woman-owned brands.
Some of the brands you might see in your Cocotique box include: Palmers, Ecolips, specifically works with brands who create products for women of different ethnicities. Palmers, Ecolips, Wellness Therapy, Saint Luxe and Urban Hydration.
Onyx Box
The Onyx beauty box had 4-6 deluxe sample sized, and sometimes full sized, beauty products delivered to your doorstep each month. The products were varied and could include hair, makeup, lifestyle or skin products. You would have 4 products curated for you each month, and then get to customize your box by picking the 5th item.
Final Thoughts
Although beauty boxes are not a “one size fits all” situation, you can find beauty box subscriptions that focus on women with melanin rich skin tones. Many WOC were sad after the We Are Onyx Beauty Box closed its doors back in 2018 because it provided a simple way for them to try out products and learn about brands specifically for ethnic skin.
Cocotique Beauty Box seems to be very comparable to Onyx, and maybe even better of a beauty subscription in many ways. It’s a winner in our books, and we recommend you give Cocotique a try!
