If you’re a makeup fan whose favorite part of ordering online from Sephora is the product samples, here’s some good news: the retailer is finally joining the beauty subscription box trend popularized by Birchbox and followed by many other companies. The cosmetics-loving public’s thirst for sample boxes is apparently unquenchable.

This is sort of a reversal of Birchbox, which started as a subscription box and is slowly expanding into retail locations out in the real world. Yet it’s a smart move by Sephora, since research shows that customers who subscribe to Birchbox (and presumably people who subscribe to other beauty boxes as well) buy more makeup and beauty products overall than people who don’t.

Even though the boxes are, you know, mailed to people, Sephora is rolling the concept out by city. The first customers who get to try out the service will be in Boston, Columbus, and Cincinnati next month. Next year, it will expand to other cities. The reason for the regional limits may be because Sephora plans in-person, in-store events for subscribers.

The service will be called “Play! By Sephora,” because “Tiny Tubes of Face Scrub! By Sephora” is too unwieldy a name. The September box’s contents have already been announced: it will include products from Sephora Collection (their house brand), Marc Jacobs, Ole Henrikson, Bumble and bumble, Glamglow, and assorted perfumes. Subscriptions will cost $10 per month.

Sephora Subscription Boxes Are Coming Soon [Racked]

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