Farewell Glossybox - February Edition

I've been debating weather to give up my monthly subscription to Glossybox for quite some time. The February box marked my 16th box and first and foremost I've run out of things to do with the boxes themselves. Secondly I've not been particularly impressed with the offerings recently certain brands keep making it into the box month after month (anatomicals) and I find there are nowhere near enough products that make me go wow I need this full size. I've also found that I read so many blogs these days that my £13 a month could be much better spent on something I actually really want and will love.

I've nothing against the Glossybox brand at all and I've found their service and responses to be some of the best customer service I've experienced. However the boxes just aren't what they used to be and for me the debate ended with this February box and I've cancelled my subscription.

There's nothing particularly bad about the February box but again not a single thing made me go wow I'm so glad I paid £13 to find this little gem. Yet another shower gel and yet another anatomicals product. I personally find the scents of this brand really unappealing and despite the cute packaging I've had one of their products in a good 4 boxes now. The MeMeMe fatcat mascara was nice but didn't blow me away - it gave me every day lashes but nothing that I would rave about. Not a huge fan of loose eyeshadows so the Mica Bella product in this box didn't tick all of my boxes but it is a lovely shimmery brown that I will definitely get use out of.

Then came the Miners Cosmetics Lipstick. I don't have a particularly positive feeling towards Miners as they are local brand and always seem to be in the 99p bin of my local pharmacy. Getting your product in a Glossybox is such an amazing opportunity to get in the hands of so many beauty loving women it's ridiculous. They just took that opportunity and slapped it round the face by providing perhaps the ugliest shade of lipstick I've ever come across. Named 'mulled wine' it's a deep browny gold tone that I can't imagine suiting anyone. For the first time in my Glossybox history this one didn't even make it to the hands of friend, nor the back of my drawer it literally went straight in the bin.

The best product from this box was the Vidal Sasoon Shine Spray - a perfect little mini for travel that gives a gorgeous glossy finish to my hair.

Basically this box made my decision pretty easy and I did cancel my subscription straight after it came. I'm not ruling out Glossybox forever but it's just not for me right now. Also I really wanted to give my spending ban a full go and I start really clearing out my drawers full of samples I've accrued since I started my Glossybox subscription many months ago.

November Glossybox 2012

It's Glossybox time again - this month I'm a happy girly I really liked this box. It's god a good mix of different products that all do different things so you know it's going to be fun to try them all out.

Ayuuri Sandlewood Face Cream - Never in my life have I seen a face cream so big. This would last you so long - I actually don't really like the scent. Whenever something contains Patchouli I'm sad I just had the smell of this essential oil and it jumps through this cream quite strongly. I prefer face creams that are unscented or really lightly fragranced as I find ones with such strong scents just break me out. I will be passing this product on to someone lovely as I'm sure if you like the scents it will be fab maybe on a slightly older less acne prone skin type.

Burberry Body Perfume - I love the packaging of this sample. This is how Glossybox perfume samples should be it's ideal for your handbag. I really wanted to love the scent as it's ideal to take just about everywhere with you. For me though this is definitely a scent for a slightly older woman it's very deep and quite strong and will be going to my mum as I know she'll adore it.

Alison Claire Natural Beauty Mango Body Butter - This is my favourite product I love the pump dispenser and the strong mango scent I want to jump in a bath full of it. It's super thick and just a lovely body butter.

Nails Inc Top Coat - A girl can never have enough top coats and this is a particularly nice one in a cute little mini bottle. I like.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant - Me and my skin love dermalogica so I'm excited to try this out. It's a very decent sized sample so I'm looking forward to giving this a good go in the next few weeks.

Overall I loved this box I think Glossybox are getting back to their good range and selection after a few duff boxes in a row. I'm excited to see this year's Christmas box next month as last year's was one of my favourite boxes ever.

Glossybox Exclusive Edition Box

When I got the email from Glossybox about their new Exclusive Edition box I literally got straight on the website and ordered it. It's a new concept from Glossybox that offers current subscribers an exclusive box to buy for £20 + P&P. Really clever idea that gives subscribers an extra incentive to stay signed up. I have been umming and arring about buying Moroccanoil for months and knowing this little bottle retails for £12.50 alone it was no brainer for me to buy this box and get to try out all the other products which too appealed. 

The box also comes with a little mini magazine which gives a page explanation about each product and the brands that make them. I like this little extra touch and it's a nice differentiation from the standard monthly Glossybox. 

The products in this Exclusive Glossybox are - Moroccanoil  a Kosmea Radiance 24/7 youth boost sample, Ole Henniksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster, REN Glycolatic Radiance Renewal Mask and a Mama Mio Clean Slate foaming cleanser. I'm excited to try all of these products and as they are all so nice I'm going to give separate reviews to each of them in the next few weeks. 

I really liked this concept and I'm excited to see what Glossybox do with the next box - I'm kind of hoping they aren't all this enticing as I'll be spending far too much money on them!

Glossybox - October

I have to admit I had pretty much convinced myself that this would be last Glossybox after the disappointment of Septembers box. However as usual I've ended up loving this box yet again which has steered me away from cancelling my subscription again. This month I received the anatomicals body scrub, yves rocher lipstick, dermalogica clean start 3 step skin care and skinetica acne soother.

I received the dermalogica clean start in a box a few months ago and absolutely adored the matte moisturiser that I used up quickly over the summer so I'm happy to have this back and they are all ideal for weekends away and staying over at my boyfriends. I love the Yves Rocher lipstick it's such a bright red and the perfect Christmas party colour (yes I'm already in Christmas mode). Anatomicals always come up with the goods in terms of packaging and the product and I'm sure this scrub will be a winner. Finally I have never heard of Skinetica but I'm always up for trying out products that claim to clear up blemishes and spots.

Overall this box was one of my favourties - I can use all the products in it and I'm excited to try it all. I do kind of wish you could opt out of having the products in an actual box as I've become a little inundated with them and I've run out of idea's of what do with them. I'm sure they'll come in handy as Christmas sets in but for now I seem to have so many that I don't want to throw out as they are so pretty.

Glossybox, June 2012.

It's Glossybox time again, getting this little box of treats has made coming back to England not so heartbreaking. I've decided to just do a little first thoughts posts on this one as I just felt like I already had a lot to say about it. 

Glossybox - Serie Exclusiv Pro Beauty Brush 

RRP £15 

I liked the little black branded mirror in last months box and I like this little brush too. It's a cute little size and it quite a bit shorter than my other brushes so I think this would be ideal for taking out and about. The bristles are really soft and densely packed in so I think it definitely has lasting ability. I was quite surprised to see an RRP next to this item as I thought the branded beauty bits were kind of zero value but fit nicely in the box - maybe a brand extension into beauty extra's is coming - if it is I think it would be a brilliant idea for them to go into their ranges of brushes and other little bits. 

Yves Rocher France - Mini Mascara ultra-volume sexy pulp 

RRP Full Size £16.90 Sample Worth £4.69

I've never heard of the brand before and I'm pretty loyal to L'Oreal Million Lashes but I do love little mini mascara's for night out top ups. I don't like the name at all 'ultra volume sexy pulp' the word pulp just makes me think of the gross fruit that's left after you've made a smoothie. It's a good mascara and offers good coverage to my lashes, I've just stocked up on Benefit Bad Gal Mini Mascara's from Glamour Magazine so I have a lot of mini mascara's right now but this is definitely a cute little addition. 

BM Beauty - Summer Warmth Bronzer 

RRP Full Size £8 Sample Worth £2 

This is a lovely shade and a soft product - I just can't use loose bronzer, I get it everywhere and the tiny sample pot means I can't really get coverage on a brush without it going everywhere and losing all of the product. For me it's a little pointless sample I'm thinking I can use it as an eye base though as it's a lovely brown for that too if its built up. 

Clean Start by Dermalogica - Day/Night 3-Step Kit 

Full Size £12 Kit 

I so wish I'd received this before going on holiday as it is perfect for travelling. Dermalogica is always a brand that's on my wish list that I can't afford to buy so I'm so looking forward to trying this little set out. It all smells gorgeous and I love that the toner is a spray dispenser and the moisturier is Matte SPF 15 it is literally perfect for a holiday. 

Vichy - Dermablend Ultra Corrective Foundation Cream Stick 

Full Size £19 Sample Worth £8 

This in my view is the perfect kind of sample for a skin product. Featuring 6 different shades allows you to try the product whilst also working out what's right for you if you want to purchase it. I have a few horrible marks on my cheek from spots previously so I am looking forward to trying it out on them although I won't need the full size product as it's not an area that bothers me hugely. I love that this has been featured though and I hope more brands offer little samples like this - it would be brilliant to get foundation samples like this so you can really work out which shade to buy from the comfort of your home and in all different lights. 

Overall I really like this box my favourite item by far was the Dermalogica kit and I think its going to make me want to buy the whole full size kit after using it up. I'm a bit skin care mad at the moment, so expect a lot of it other the next few weeks :) 

Glossybox - Harrods Collaboration March 2012

One of the reasons I first signed up to Glossybox was to get box of surprises each month. However it turns out I don't do surprises very well and always end up reading sneak peak blog posts as soon as they appear. When I saw that this months was a Harrods collaboration I was very excited. Mostly as the things in Harrods are so unattainable to most people I was excited to try some brands I hadn't even heard of and products I probably won't be able to afford for a very long time. 

I've decided to keep it about my initial thoughts of each product this month as overall I was really pleased with my box. When I saw some of the pictures of the event I really wanted to get the Burberry lipstick and I know a lot of people have complained that they haven't received this. I'm kind of glad I didn't on reflection because I just think the colour wouldn't suit me and my main lust for it was the packaging rather than being able to use it! I'm glad I got 5 products I will actually use and that I'm really excited to try out. 

I've also worked out how much each sample is worth (mainly did this as I was intrigued at the Revive cream's worth) but also I find it really useful on other blogs when weighing up if the subscription is kind of worthwhile. I don't really subscribe to 'get my money's worth' but it is nice to keep in the back of your mind when sticking to the subscription so I've included it in mine. Altogether my box came in at Sample worth: £49.72 which I think is quite amazing considering I paid £12.95 including P&P. I think it's one of the highest valued boxes - obviously a collaboration with London's most prestigious department stores pays off!

Versace – Vanitas Versace

Full Size 30ml -£45

Sample 4.5ml - £6.75

I don’t mind perfume samples being featured in Glossybox’s but I really don’t like those kind of little tubes or sachets you can pick up at counters. This is exactly what I think perfume samples should be like – a miniature little bottle wrapped in a perfect little box.  I actually really love the smell of this and it is perfect for nights out. I think this kind of thing sums up Glossybox it is exactly what I signed up for – luxury samples and I just adore it – it is so cute!  

Bliss – Blood Orange and White Pepper Body Butter

Full Size 200ml -£20.50

Sample 50ml - £5.12

I adore the packaging of this product it’s so bright and eye catching yet simple. At first I couldn’t really smell anything other than orange in this but after it settles onto the skin you do get a hint of a kind of peppery tone coming through – either that or I’m smelling so hard I’m imagining things. Either way I love the fresh scent and this will be a perfect product to pop into my hand bag this summer!

Revive – Intensite Crème

Full Size 60ml -£235 :0!!

Sample 7ml - £27.42

Seriously £235 for full size – I’m almost too scared to use this product with my tiny little product being worth more than I would spend on my high end foundations! I’ve never heard of the brand before and I will be sparingly applying this in the mornings after my normal routine as suggested on the Glossybox card. I can easily say though however soft and delicious this crème is I will never be purchasing this product – I love that it was featured though it kind of adds that little special extra to the Harrods collaboration. I would never have had the chance to try such an expensive crème before – I swear gram for gram this comes in more than gold no?!

Lancome – Teint Miracle

Full Size 30ml -£27

Sample 5ml - £4.50

It’s weird this was featured actually as had a conversation with my friend who had just bought this and was raving about it so was glad to get it to try out. Mine was in shade 03 Beige which is actually probably my natural skin colour but a little light for me with tan – on test though it’s lovely and creamy and gives good coverage without being cakey.

Clarins – Extra Firming Body Cream

Full Size  200ml - £39.50

Sample 30ml - £5.93

I’ve wanted to try Clarins creams for ages as they’ve never appeared in my boxes in the past so I’m glad this was featured. I can’t actually find it in the Harrods Glossybox link so maybe it’s just being used up from previous boxes – either way I’m pleased and glad it was in as it’s a product I’ll definitely use. It’s lovely thick and creamy – the smell is really nice and subtle I don’t find it too overpowering like some creams are. 

Overall I'm super happy with my selection they are all products I will be using and that make welcome additions to my beauty cupboard. I'm a little bit obsessed with skin care at the moment so glad my box was mostly made up of this rather than make-up!

I sometimes think working in the Glossybox customer service team must be one of the hardest jobs - on release week all I see is gripes about what people received and how they weren't happy despite it being a surprise. So I wanted to make sure I mentioned some amazing service I received following last months box. My Dr Bronner hand sanitizer pump didn't work properly so I emailed them to see if I could arrange a replacement and a new one arrived in a matter of days. I was so impressed with how quickly and sweetly they dealt with my problem and wanted to give this a mention. 

I think Glossybox have got back to their original concept with this box - it's all about luxury samples that you want to try out and maybe wouldn't just pick up due to price or availability. I adore the little mini foundation and perfume bottles little things like those make it for me! 

What did you think of this months box? 

Glossybox February

It's sooo sunny I couldn't get any photo's that weren't glaring with sunlight. So I've decided to use these anyways it's nice it reminds me of the sun beaming through my window so apologies.

I've recieved my February Glossybox really late because they had some problems with the processing of it - so I know you've seen all this before but decided I'd put it up to share my thoughts rather than do the usual image heavy post on each product.

Becca Beach Tint Watermelon - I was so glad I got this instead of the lip gloss. I love it! It's a gorgeous corally tint for both lips and cheeks its super creamy and a really nice deep colour so a little goes a long way.  I know I have a tan all year round but I'm especially looking forward to using this on holiday on naturally tanned skin I think it will look amazing.

Dr Bronner Lavender Hand Sanitiser - At first I was like why the hell do I have a hand sanitiser in my Glossybox and then I thought it's actually quite a cute little handbag type product for when your out and about. There is one major flaw to this product though - it smells of lavender. Lavender is for bed time and to make you all sleepy and relaxed. I can't imagine ever needing to use this product other than being on the go and that is definitely a time I do not need lavender in my life. In a nice mint or fresh fruity smell it would be fine but this was a bit of a confused product in my view.

Awapuhu by Paul Mitchell - I didn't realise this was a Paul Mitchell product until reading the card that canme with the box as the Awapuhu branding takes over the packaging. I adore the smell of this product its a delicious ginger. The pump is ideal to dispense and its lovely on my hair. It's soft by touch and leaves a really nice shine to the tips of my hair. I like.

BM Beauty Pure Mineral Eyeshadow - I like that it's a strong black colour but I have never gotten on with loose shadows like this I just make a huge mess. I've got a lot of shadows in this colour range too so I've decided to keep it wrapped for my upcoming give away as I think its a fab little pot that just won't get much love in my make-up bag but I know lots of people love it.

Como Shambhala - This product smells gorgeous yet again and it is what it is - a shower gel. I like getting products like this in my Glossybox as otherwise I will simply buy a £1 showergel so its nice to have a little bit of luxury. I am currently inundated with shower gels so I've decided to pop this in a giveaway (coming soon) too. What I would say though is this product comes in at a whopping £20 for the full size I simply can not understand why anyone would spend so much on it. You would really have to be making some money to put that down on it.

All in all I was quite pleased with this month, the Becca tint and Paul Mitchell hair products were definitely favourites. I've been considering giving up my Glossybox subscription as I kind of feel I'd rather buy a MAC lipstick each month and get more use from it. However I do love the little boxes and the whole idea of it still - I'm undecided. Also the March/ Harrods collaboration looks very exciting so I'm looking forward to receiving that!

December Glossy Box Unpacked.

I wasn't that impressed with the November GlossyBox as it was mainly skincare products that didn't really suit me and perfume samples that smelt pretty foul in all honesty. However I kept faith and thought that the December box being the one before Christmas would be something good. And I was very very right. I'm very happy this month - everything in the box is right up my street! I can use it all and even though I never expect it there were some full size products in there too - which is always a bonus. 

Cargo Cosmetics Lip Gloss 

Deborah Lippman Razzle Dazzle Nail Varnish 

Deborah Lippman Stripped to go Sachet 

FAB Face Cleanser 

Nouveau Lashes Noir Mascara 

Rituals Foaming Shower Gel (mine was lotus flower and green tea)

Cargo Cosmetics Lip Gloss - I can't really use lipgloss as I have crazy sensitive lips although I tested this gloss on my hand it was super soft and the colour is delish so one of my friends will definitely be getting this one at the weekend!

Deborah Lippman Razzle Dazzle Nail Varnish - I was very excited to see this colour in my box I absolutely love sparkly nails and this colour is gorgeous. It takes a good two or three coats to get a decent colour and I found it was hard to get it to dry without smudging as it took ages to dry. Also as this is a mini varnish the brush is super small so is also hard to apply but I'm sure the bigger bottles wouldn't have this problem. 

Deborah Lippman Stripped to go Sachet - does what it says an ok smell considering it removes nail varnish and works well! 

FAB Face Cleanser - am yet to use this one for long enough to really give an opinion. However on first wash it smelt delicious and went on very softly so I was impressed!  

Nouveau Lashes Noir Mascara - I'm pretty loyal to my million lashes mascara so never really try any others this full size mascara is lovely though. The brush is perfect for lower lashes - however would never spend the £18 price tag on it as much prefer my staple mascara. 

Rituals Foaming Shower Gel - For me this was the real winner a full size foaming shower gel my scent was lotus flower and green tea and it is completely divine. The smell really wakes you up and it foams up so much from the smallest amount! I will definitely consider buying this above any product in this months glossybox!