Thursday, 23 April 2015
Birchbox vs Glossybox...
Hey there folks,
I'm baaack lol, I took a couple of days off to attempt to get some rest and kick these horrid bugs in the bum, although as is always the case things didn't quite go to plan, I just can't quite seem to leave the mess alone it's like its staring at me taunting me with it's messiness and then I can't help myself I have to pick it up lol. The thing is there's always something else that needs to be done and so here I am almost 2 weeks after I first fell ill still feeling rubbish and living off lockets and sudafed to help combat the sore throat, swollen sinuses and chest infection.
Anyway I thought I'd get back into the thick of things and just hope that eventually I feel better without having to go to the doctors. You've probably guessed by the title that my Glossybox and Birchbox have arrived at last (Yay!!).
I think the worst part of my subscription boxes is definitely the wait, especially since my Birchbox arrives around the 10th of the month but my Glossybox doesn't arrive until around the 20th of the month, those 10 days are almost insufferable as I can't use any of the things I get in my Birchbox until after I've done this post (or at least taken the pics lol).
Since it was the first to arrive I'm going to share my Birchbox with you first, so lets dig in and see what I got this month (queue girly squeal of excitement),
This month Birchbox is another special edition box and this one has a Royal baby theme which was super cute, I got the pink one but there was also a blue one available which is the one my daughter actually ended up getting. I loved the fact that not only was the box itself adorable, but you also have the opportunity to win depending on which box you received and also whether or not the Royal baby is a boy or a girl which I think is a really fun idea. Like always you get several cards with tips on how to use some of your products and also products available to buy in the Birchbox store, and also a card detailing your products and their RRP's which to be honest I have to really fight my urge to cheat and see what products are inside the box lol.
One of the great things about Birchbox is that they often have an option where you can choose one of the samples that you receive, this months sample choices were all from Laura Mercier and you could choose either the mascara, the eye pencil or a face primer. I actually chose the face primer but as they were all sold out they sent me both the mascara and eye pencil which was really cool, instead of feeling disappointed that I didn't get my sample choice I ended up with 2 samples so it didn't bother me at all.
I was really looking forward to trying out both the mascara and the eye pencil as i've heard so many great things about Laura Mercier as a brand but I have to be honest I was majorly let down. The mascara wasn't bad at all but didn't really stand out for me so to be honest I would definitely go drugstore over this particular one and the eye liner just didn't do it for me. For me, one of the most important things for any eye pencil is that it's creamy so that it glides on smoothly, this one however was really dry and instead of gliding on pulled on the delicate skin on my eyes which is the last thing I want lol.
I've yet to try the nail polish although its most definitely on my to do list as I'm loving the vibrant pink colour and can't wait to girlify my nails.
To be honest the Pommade Divine remedy balm was a little 'meh' for me as it's not particularly exciting and I certainly wouldn't ever feel the need to pay £19.80 (a truly random amount) for something like this although I guess the sample size makes it handy to carry in your bag lol gotta find those positives. I was pretty excited though to get the cleanse and polish as I love hot cloth treatments, I can't say for certain whether or not it's any good as I've only tried it once but I will stick with it and let you know how it goes.
Again I wasn't exactly filled with excitement at getting tablets of any kind in my Birchbox and I'm not entirely sure how these ones are beauty related but according to the Birchbox site the ingredients are supposed to provide "the whole package- health, beauty and well being" and since I am 'Still' poorly the vitamins may help me recover more quickly, who knows? The last item in my Birchbox was the "no oil, oil" and I'm always up for any kind of hair product that will tame the otherwise dry frizzy mess I call my hair, I guess it's pretty ok but to be honest I think I will stick to my oil, oil lol, I think this is an ok product for touch ups perhaps or for people who's hair is not massively dry or frizzy but as mine is both of those things I think I need something more hardcore lol. On a side note I may do a blog post soon on my current hair care routine as there are a good few products that go into taming this wild beast.
Lets just take a minute to appreciate the sheer beauty of this months Glossybox, not only is the mint green colour I received one of my fave colours but the quote on the inside of the lid is a lovely touch too "We are all of us stars and deserve to twinkle" (Marilyn Monroe). Now that we have seen the beauty of this months box I've got to say I was really disappointed when I opened up my Glossybox this month. When I first looked inside it seemed a little empty as opposed to previous months (there were actually only 3 products inside so I borrowed the nail varnish my daughter got in her box for picture purposes) plus there was no product card detailing what was inside, how to use and and the RRP's of each product. However I have contacted Glossybox and they have emailed across a product card and are in the process of rectifying the situation. Plus, the show must go on and so I will show you the items that actually arrived (plus the one I pinched from my daughter she'll never know lol) and then add the rest when they actually arrive.
I was really excited when I saw that this was coming in Aprils Glossybox as I love Lord and Berry and every girl needs a good red lip product. This certainly does not disappoint it's really creamy and is super long lasting, the only down side was the fact that it was a little damaged when it arrived, but the lovely people at Glossybox are sending a replacement so that is pretty awesome too.
Don't get me wrong I love a good nail varnish and the colour is pretty, it adds a subtle wash to your nails and could double as a base to make other colours really pop, but since I also got a nail polish last month I wasn't overly impressed to be honest. The moisturiser again is pretty standard, it's a good size for your handbag and absorbs well into your skin but is honestly nothing special.
The very last product in my Glossybox (for now anyway) is this eyeliner pen, although I'm not entirely sure why this is called an eyeliner 'pen' exactly as really it's more of a pencil but as eyeliners go its not a bad one. It applies as you'd expect and smudges out really well to create that perfect smokey eye, use it in conjunction with your Lord and Berry lipstick pencil and you could create a soft, romantic look with just a touch of glamour. Now that's all said and done lets skip to the end and find out which box came out on top and why.
Birchbox total retail value = £105.30 (including the extra Laura Mercier sample)
Glossybox total retail value = £28.08 (including missing products)
Okay so just looking at the total retail value bearing in mind that each box costs around £10.00 per month (plus postage) there is a HUGE £77.22 difference in the total value of each box, but it's important to remember that whilst 3 of the Glossybox products were full sized, only 1 of the products in my Birchbox was full sized so the box value can be a little deceptive. Either way both boxes definitely exceeded the £10 cost of the boxes.
If I was basing my decision solely on the boxes it would be extremely difficult to choose but I'd have to go with Glossybox for no other reason than it's simple, classic elegance. But as I'm really in it for the products, it's got to be said that Birchbox takes it by a landslide. I felt that with Birchbox there was a nice even mix of makeup and beauty, and that they were all high end pretty good quality products. Whereas with Glossybox the products were on the lower end of the scale and to be honest the fact that there were products damaged and missing really influenced my decision. I will of course update the post as and when I receive the missing products but as a big company you really wouldn't expect Glossybox to have made the mistake in the first place.
Anyway thanks for dropping by, I will of course be back soon with more beauty and family life
Alice xoxo
I'm baaack lol, I took a couple of days off to attempt to get some rest and kick these horrid bugs in the bum, although as is always the case things didn't quite go to plan, I just can't quite seem to leave the mess alone it's like its staring at me taunting me with it's messiness and then I can't help myself I have to pick it up lol. The thing is there's always something else that needs to be done and so here I am almost 2 weeks after I first fell ill still feeling rubbish and living off lockets and sudafed to help combat the sore throat, swollen sinuses and chest infection.
Anyway I thought I'd get back into the thick of things and just hope that eventually I feel better without having to go to the doctors. You've probably guessed by the title that my Glossybox and Birchbox have arrived at last (Yay!!).
I think the worst part of my subscription boxes is definitely the wait, especially since my Birchbox arrives around the 10th of the month but my Glossybox doesn't arrive until around the 20th of the month, those 10 days are almost insufferable as I can't use any of the things I get in my Birchbox until after I've done this post (or at least taken the pics lol).
Since it was the first to arrive I'm going to share my Birchbox with you first, so lets dig in and see what I got this month (queue girly squeal of excitement),
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| Lola Barcelona nail polish in Garcia (RRP £7.50) (this is a full sized product) |
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| 1. Laura Mercier mascara in black (RRP from £17.50 for full sized) 2.Laura Mercier eye pencil in violet (RRP from £17.50 for full sized) |
One of the great things about Birchbox is that they often have an option where you can choose one of the samples that you receive, this months sample choices were all from Laura Mercier and you could choose either the mascara, the eye pencil or a face primer. I actually chose the face primer but as they were all sold out they sent me both the mascara and eye pencil which was really cool, instead of feeling disappointed that I didn't get my sample choice I ended up with 2 samples so it didn't bother me at all.
I was really looking forward to trying out both the mascara and the eye pencil as i've heard so many great things about Laura Mercier as a brand but I have to be honest I was majorly let down. The mascara wasn't bad at all but didn't really stand out for me so to be honest I would definitely go drugstore over this particular one and the eye liner just didn't do it for me. For me, one of the most important things for any eye pencil is that it's creamy so that it glides on smoothly, this one however was really dry and instead of gliding on pulled on the delicate skin on my eyes which is the last thing I want lol.
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| Pommade Divine Natures Remedy Balm (RRP £19.80) |
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| Liz Earle Beauty Co Cleanse & Polish (RRP £14.00) |
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| Percy and Reed Smoothed, Sealed & Sensational Volumising No Oil, Oil (RRP £14.00) |
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| Inner Me Energise Me (RRP £15.00) |
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| Lord and Berry lipstick pencil in Kiss (RRP £10.00) |
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| Color Club Nail Polish in Barely There (RRP £4.10) |
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| Astral Original Face and Body Moisturiser (RRP £3.89) |
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| POP Beauty Kajal Eyeliner pen (RRP £6.50) |
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| Bottom is eyeliner drawn straight on Top is eyeliner smudged out |
The very last product in my Glossybox (for now anyway) is this eyeliner pen, although I'm not entirely sure why this is called an eyeliner 'pen' exactly as really it's more of a pencil but as eyeliners go its not a bad one. It applies as you'd expect and smudges out really well to create that perfect smokey eye, use it in conjunction with your Lord and Berry lipstick pencil and you could create a soft, romantic look with just a touch of glamour. Now that's all said and done lets skip to the end and find out which box came out on top and why.
Birchbox total retail value = £105.30 (including the extra Laura Mercier sample)
Glossybox total retail value = £28.08 (including missing products)
Okay so just looking at the total retail value bearing in mind that each box costs around £10.00 per month (plus postage) there is a HUGE £77.22 difference in the total value of each box, but it's important to remember that whilst 3 of the Glossybox products were full sized, only 1 of the products in my Birchbox was full sized so the box value can be a little deceptive. Either way both boxes definitely exceeded the £10 cost of the boxes.
If I was basing my decision solely on the boxes it would be extremely difficult to choose but I'd have to go with Glossybox for no other reason than it's simple, classic elegance. But as I'm really in it for the products, it's got to be said that Birchbox takes it by a landslide. I felt that with Birchbox there was a nice even mix of makeup and beauty, and that they were all high end pretty good quality products. Whereas with Glossybox the products were on the lower end of the scale and to be honest the fact that there were products damaged and missing really influenced my decision. I will of course update the post as and when I receive the missing products but as a big company you really wouldn't expect Glossybox to have made the mistake in the first place.
Anyway thanks for dropping by, I will of course be back soon with more beauty and family life
Alice xoxo
Birchbox vs Glossybox...
Hey there, today I'm going to put beauty box against beauty box to see which one will come out on top!! Birchbox and Glossybox are two monthly beauty subscription boxes both of which cost £10 plus P+P, both boxes send out 4-5 surprise beauty products each month, most of which will be samples however sometimes you get a full sized product thrown in there too definitely making them worth your while. So let's get to it and find the winning box out of Birchbox vs Glossybox!!!
Now each of the boxes have their own perks and benefits, with Birchbox each time you review one of the samples you receive they reward you with 5 points. Then, each 100 points is equal to £10.00 which can be redeemed in their online shop (the perfect way to top up your makeup stash ;)). Whereas with Glossybox with each review you earn between 20 and 40 "glossy dots" which add up to a free box when you have reached 1000 points.
Personally I prefer the way that Birchbox's reward system works, I don't know why but for me I need to have something physical to see it as a reward, so receiving a free box just isn't as gratifying when I receive a box every month already. Plus I find that normally I just can't justify spending £30-£40 on one makeup item and when I use my Birchbox points I'm basically getting it for free and thats my kind of price lol.
Okay so lets start with Birchbox, this month Birchbox has teamed up with Habitat to create a colourful fun looking box (which I am most definitely going to find a use for let me know if you would like me to show you different ways to re-use the boxes) full of tips, tricks and colour swatches.
I love the various tip cards that you get inside the Birchbox, it's always something different (usually about beauty) and this time keeping in mind the team up with Habitat it also has a couple of tips for the home and a 20% off discount code. To be honest I was't particularly enamoured with the whole Habitat theme (not including the box itself of course) after all the only reason I subscribe to Birchbox is to be able to try out beauty products. That being said they didn't count the code as one of the samples so it was forgivable lol. You also get the usual card detailing each product in your box and exactly how to use them, which is particularly helpful with some of the smaller samples as they don't usually have instructions on the packaging/bottle.
So lets just dive right on in and see what is inside shall we?
Again being that this is a beauty subscription box finding a book in my box did not exactly fill me with joy, people are so different when it comes to the things and the amount that they read and although I read a heck of a lot this particular book is not something I would have chosen for myself. I haven't gotten round to reading it yet and to be honest I seriously doubt that I will simply because if I'm going to read a book I like to firstly choose for myself and secondly I prefer to read using my iPad as its just more convenient for me. I do however like the little note book (heres the plan) as its the perfect size to throw in my bottomless pit of a handbag. I really love the perfume (although a slightly bigger sample size would have been great) its got a lovely scent, not too flowery or over powering and lasts a fair amount of time, which is really all I ask for in a perfume and again its the perfect handbag size.
I have received a Philip Kingsley hair product in a previous box and it worked pretty well so I have high hopes for the smooth cream plus what frizzy haired girl doesn't love a good frizz tamer. To be honest I haven't tried either the facial scrub or the tanning oil yet so I can't say how effective they will be but I'm definitely excited to try the tanning oil (which I'll get to this weekend as i have a wedding to go to) as I haven't tried anything like that yet and I do love a good oil whether for my hair or my body. The same can't be said for the facial scrub simply because I do seem to get a fair few facial scrubs and masks in my Birchbox and although most of them work really well I'm not overly keen on constantly changing my face products due to my super sensitive skin.
Now this last product is by far the product I LOVE the most and was a the most excited for, not only because I love a good mascara. With Roller Lash you're supposed achieve beautiful looking curled eyelashes without the need for eyelash curlers. And to tell you the truth I just couldn't wait so I have tried this already and although I won't go in to detail as I will do a full review at a later date it has to be said that my lashes do look great :). Now it's time we moved on to Glossybox so that we can see which box came out on top.
This months Glossybox is the classic pink box as opposed to a themed box (next months theme is Hollywood glam) and is packed with the same care and attention to detail as usual, including a cute black ribbon which I usually keep to use in my hair (it makes a great simple accessory to any hairstyle). And again you get a product card with details, prices and how to use each item although unlike Birchbox there aren't any tip cards which could be seen as a negative I suppose. The other downside with the Glossybox this month is that although the Birchbox arrived around the 4th of March I then had to wait until the 19th for my Glossybox to arrive and let me tell you it was one incredibly long wait.
Anyway...Lets get on with the goodies, the first thing i pulled out of my little box of treats was this carmen lip balm in the shade Berry. I already own a carmen lip balm and it is super moisturising but its in the pink colour, when I tried out this shade though I instantly fell in love. It adds the perfect hint of colour all while leaving my lips super smooth and soft, definitely a lip balm I would recommend. To be honest I have never even heard of the brand NCLA and have yet to try the polish out but the colour is a lovely shade of green that will be a perfect pop of colour for spring, fingers crossed it'll be nice and opaque but I will keep you posted.
Now just let me say, I am in love with the packaging it's very much my kind of mascara tube its a unique shape and design and the wand is pretty cool too. the end of the wand is bent in such a way that it fits your eye shape and tapers of to a smaller point at the end to get those pesky lashes in the inner corner of your eye, plus the bristles are dense enough that you should be able to get a decent amount of volume at the base, now I just have to hope that it lives up to my expectations.
I've tried Dove shampoo and conditioner before so this wasn't particularly exciting but I mean it's a good shampoo/conditioner, it certainly leaves my hair nice and soft but no more so than other shampoo/conditioner combinations that I have tried. Again Naobay is a product that I have never heard of before, but to be honest thats part of the appeal of these subscription boxes, it's a great way of trying new products and brands without having to make a huge commitment. I was pretty impressed with this product as it did do a great job of leaving my skin feeling nice and clean and smooth, the only downside is that my skin felt a little tight afterwards.
Okay, so now I've gone through the various products that came in my boxes this month it's time to decide which box came out on top. I loved the design of both boxes, they were both completely different, one is eye-catching and colourful and the other is simple and classic yet both of them appealed to me and I'll definitely be able to get some extra use out of them. Price wise when you take into account the RRP price of each box Birchbox seems to come out way on top which is actually pretty rare as they're normally a lot closer in price, but... none of the items in Birchbox were full-sized products whereas 4 out of the 5 products in Glossybox were full-sized which is a massive positive as far as I'm concerned. Pushing that aside if we really get down to it and judge it simply on the basis of the products inside and how much use I would get out of them, for me the clear winner is Glossybox, to be honest the only item in the Birchbox that I was genuinely excited to try was the Benfit Roller Lash. Whereas I would quite happily use all of the products in Glossybox maybe with the exception of the moisturising peeling, so this month despite the fact that the Birchbox contained the higher priced items Glossybox contained the more useful products leaving it the clear winner, pop back next month to see who wins the next Birchbox vs Glossybox (I've seen sneak peeks and its looking promising)
See you next time guys - Alison
Now each of the boxes have their own perks and benefits, with Birchbox each time you review one of the samples you receive they reward you with 5 points. Then, each 100 points is equal to £10.00 which can be redeemed in their online shop (the perfect way to top up your makeup stash ;)). Whereas with Glossybox with each review you earn between 20 and 40 "glossy dots" which add up to a free box when you have reached 1000 points.
Personally I prefer the way that Birchbox's reward system works, I don't know why but for me I need to have something physical to see it as a reward, so receiving a free box just isn't as gratifying when I receive a box every month already. Plus I find that normally I just can't justify spending £30-£40 on one makeup item and when I use my Birchbox points I'm basically getting it for free and thats my kind of price lol.
Okay so lets start with Birchbox, this month Birchbox has teamed up with Habitat to create a colourful fun looking box (which I am most definitely going to find a use for let me know if you would like me to show you different ways to re-use the boxes) full of tips, tricks and colour swatches.
I love the various tip cards that you get inside the Birchbox, it's always something different (usually about beauty) and this time keeping in mind the team up with Habitat it also has a couple of tips for the home and a 20% off discount code. To be honest I was't particularly enamoured with the whole Habitat theme (not including the box itself of course) after all the only reason I subscribe to Birchbox is to be able to try out beauty products. That being said they didn't count the code as one of the samples so it was forgivable lol. You also get the usual card detailing each product in your box and exactly how to use them, which is particularly helpful with some of the smaller samples as they don't usually have instructions on the packaging/bottle.So lets just dive right on in and see what is inside shall we?
1. A Perfect Heritage by Penny Vincenzi (RRP £7.99) 2. Catherine Malandrino - Style de Paris (RRP £50.00)
*RRP is for full sized products
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| 1. Philip Kingsley-Smooth cream (RRP £18.00) 2. Janjira-Pomegranate & acai facial scrub cleanser (RRP £24.00) 3. Tan Organic-Self tanning oil (RRP £24.99) |
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| Benefit Cosmetics-Roller Lash (RRP from £17.50) |
1. Carmex-moisture plus hydrating lip balm (RRP £4.49) 2. NCLA-Los Angeles Nail varnish in shade(RRP £13.00)
Anyway...Lets get on with the goodies, the first thing i pulled out of my little box of treats was this carmen lip balm in the shade Berry. I already own a carmen lip balm and it is super moisturising but its in the pink colour, when I tried out this shade though I instantly fell in love. It adds the perfect hint of colour all while leaving my lips super smooth and soft, definitely a lip balm I would recommend. To be honest I have never even heard of the brand NCLA and have yet to try the polish out but the colour is a lovely shade of green that will be a perfect pop of colour for spring, fingers crossed it'll be nice and opaque but I will keep you posted.
Essence-Lash Princess Mascara (RRP£3.30)
Now just let me say, I am in love with the packaging it's very much my kind of mascara tube its a unique shape and design and the wand is pretty cool too. the end of the wand is bent in such a way that it fits your eye shape and tapers of to a smaller point at the end to get those pesky lashes in the inner corner of your eye, plus the bristles are dense enough that you should be able to get a decent amount of volume at the base, now I just have to hope that it lives up to my expectations.
1. Dove-Youthful Vitality shampoo and conditioner (RRP £5.99) 2. Naobay-Moisturising Peeling (RRP £13.71)
I've tried Dove shampoo and conditioner before so this wasn't particularly exciting but I mean it's a good shampoo/conditioner, it certainly leaves my hair nice and soft but no more so than other shampoo/conditioner combinations that I have tried. Again Naobay is a product that I have never heard of before, but to be honest thats part of the appeal of these subscription boxes, it's a great way of trying new products and brands without having to make a huge commitment. I was pretty impressed with this product as it did do a great job of leaving my skin feeling nice and clean and smooth, the only downside is that my skin felt a little tight afterwards.
Okay, so now I've gone through the various products that came in my boxes this month it's time to decide which box came out on top. I loved the design of both boxes, they were both completely different, one is eye-catching and colourful and the other is simple and classic yet both of them appealed to me and I'll definitely be able to get some extra use out of them. Price wise when you take into account the RRP price of each box Birchbox seems to come out way on top which is actually pretty rare as they're normally a lot closer in price, but... none of the items in Birchbox were full-sized products whereas 4 out of the 5 products in Glossybox were full-sized which is a massive positive as far as I'm concerned. Pushing that aside if we really get down to it and judge it simply on the basis of the products inside and how much use I would get out of them, for me the clear winner is Glossybox, to be honest the only item in the Birchbox that I was genuinely excited to try was the Benfit Roller Lash. Whereas I would quite happily use all of the products in Glossybox maybe with the exception of the moisturising peeling, so this month despite the fact that the Birchbox contained the higher priced items Glossybox contained the more useful products leaving it the clear winner, pop back next month to see who wins the next Birchbox vs Glossybox (I've seen sneak peeks and its looking promising)
See you next time guys - Alison
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