There’s no shortage of subscription boxes to choose from. Whether you’re looking for artisanal dog treats, organic coffee beans, or patterned socks, there’s a box for that. Beauty is arguably one of the more saturated categories in the subscription box space, but for those who are super-serious about skin care—or just want to experience an array of new brands and products—the advent of dermatologist-developed boxes offers the perfect solution. Here’s what you need to know about three of the most popular derm-backed beauty boxes.
The box: The Box by Dr. Ava
The dermatologist: Dr. Ava Shamban is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon in Beverly Hills, California. Known for her frequent TV appearances on The Doctors and Extreme Makeover, she’s also the author of Heal Your Skin: The Breakthrough Plan for Renewal and is an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
What you get: A mix of full-size, medical-grade products—and even at-home devices—curated by Dr. Shamban as well as coupons for complimentary cosmetic treatments. “We look for products that contain high-quality actives, and I only include solutions that I would share with both my inner circle and patients. It’s a great way to help people evaluate skin care they might otherwise not experience,” says Dr. Shamban. (For reference, the current box includes a sunscreen, a growth factor serum, and one session of truSculpt Flex; future boxes will contain five items.) The box also comes with an informative brochure detailing each item.
Cost: $250 for one box; $850 for an annual subscription (delivered four times per year)
The box: Dermy Doc Box
The dermatologist: Dr. Fatima Fahs is a board-certified dermatologist in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. She’s best known for her Instagram account, @dermy_doctor, where she educates about skin care, debunks common beauty myths, and offers helpful, real-life skin-care shopping advice.
What you get: At least five skin- and hair-care products chosen by Dr. Fahs, a mix of full- and sample-size, with at least a $100 retail value. (The current box features products from brands including Glytone, La Roche-Posay, and Klorane.) There’s also a pamphlet written by Dr. Fahs that includes ingredient info, application tips, and discount codes.
Cost: $50, every three months ( four boxes per year)
The box: Bialife
The dermatologists: Dr. Janelle Vega, a board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon in Coral Gables, Florida, and Dr. Shasa Hu, a Miami board-certified dermatologist; Dr. Vega is an expert in cosmetic dermatology—specifically, injectables and lasers, and takes a holistic approach to skin care. Dr. Hu emphasizes patient education about skin-care basics as well as the latest trends and fads in beauty.
What you get: Slightly different from the other two boxes, this starts with a personalized consultation with one of the derms. You fill out a questionnaire and submit photos; they review the info and create a custom three-month skin-care regimen just for you. The cost of the consultation comes with a credit for purchasing the recommended products on the site, which are all from medical-grade brands such as Alastin, EltaMD, and their own Bialife brand.
Cost: Three months: $125 for one consultation plus a $50 product credit
Six months: $200 for two consultations, at three-month intervals, plus a $90 product credit
Yearly: $375 for four consultations, at three-month intervals, plus a $175 product credit
