You may remember last month's Glossybox review - I wasn't impressed with it at all, and swore if the June box was bad that I'd cancel my subscription. Well unfortunately July is a dud too, so:
This month, the theme is Vive la France. The box is a special edition one illustrated by Jamie Lee Reardin, and the box is full of French products. Well, I say "full" - but more on that in a minute. There's no denying that the box itself is very pretty.
All very French and very lovely, non? Well, no.
The first thing to greet me when I undid the ribbon was this thing.
Glossybox Exclusive Pouch | Full Size | £3.99/€5.74
"A pouch" I thought. "Isn't that a nice little extra this month, I could probably use it for gel pens". But no, friends. Not a nice little extra. This is one of the five products this month. Now don't get me wrong - I love that they included something that wasn't makeup or skincare, and it is cute (if you have a teenage girl in the house I'm sure she'd chew your arm off to get it as a pencil case), but it also means that there are just four products in the much-hyped box.
Noxidoxi Enhancing Serum Base
Full or Sample: Sample 25ml Worth: £20.75/€29.85 Available: noxidoxi.com
This is nice. It's a serum containing a load of waffle that supposedly gives you the skin of a newborn - the trials were conducted on women who smoked (info from the Noxidoxi website linked), and this is marketed as anti-pollution. It's all very French, running around with your long cigarette but without the skin of a crone. Would I buy it? No. Will I use it? Yeah, I like bases so I will.
Teoxane Cosmeceuticals Perfect Skin Refiner
Full or Sample: Sample 15ml | Worth: €41.74| Available: online-care.eu
This was nice to receive too. It has hyaluronic acid and glycolic acid, and even though it's a sample it has a pump, which is a huge plus. I am fond of my acids so I'll use this at night. When you're using anything like this make sure and use a high factor SPF the following day.
Lollipops Lip Balm Délicieuse
Full or Sample: Full 10ml | Worth: €4.99 | Available: lollipopsmakeup.fr
This is the only full sized product in the box and I think that's really shitty considering it's under a fiver. When one of your products is a pencil case (I know it's a pouch but I see a pencil case) - you'd expect at least two full sized products or at least one decent one. What can I say about this? It has the consistency of carmex, it smells like sweets, it doesn't tingle on the lips, it contains Vitamin E and UV protection. This is the fifth lip balm this year. Fifth. Out of seven boxes.
Vichy Liftactiv Advanced Filler
Full or Sample: Sample 5ml x 2 | Worth: €11.66 for both | Available: Boots
These were the final straw for me. Two 5ml samples of Vichy Liftactive Advanced Filler - This contains retinol and supposedly helps with aging - other subscribers got a 15ml pot of Vichy's Aqualia Thermal Light Cream, which I was looking forward to - but alas, it was not to be. Obviously because I am 32 they sent me the wrinkle filler instead, so cheers for that.
And that's all folks - what a scaldy looking box.
Box Cost: €18.94
Box Worth: €88.24 (I'm not including that pouch)
I like Glossybox as a company - they've always been more than good to me, they've replaced my one and only leaking product without any fuss, they got back to me straight away and sorted out an account issue for me last month, and they sent me an incredibly generous gift after they saw my lipstick holder - but I can't keep subscribing to this when the exchange rate is so bad and the products just aren't hitting the spot. The sneak peek for next month is a full sized Manna Kadar eyelash primer - I'll still receive the August box as per terms of cancellation, but I'm not going to be sitting waiting for the postman, unfortunately.
I know there's an amazing collectors edition box coming in December featuring NARS that will be around the £30 mark - but for now I'm done with monthly subscription boxes, it's too much money, if I include the August box, Glossybox has cost me the guts of €150 this year. Which makes me feel a little bit sick.
Hmm that box was shite. Even if you paid in pounds it wasn't worth it! I think they spent too much time on the box and not the actually contents. I'd sooner the box was ugly as sin if that meant the goodies were actually good. X
ReplyDeleteSee, I'm the same. This happened with the Marilyn Monroe box too - lovely illustrations but I haven't used one thing from the box apart from Astral, and you can get that in Tesco!
DeleteWas gonna snapchat you about this again but seriously, I'm sickened for you. With little samples like that, you'd be better off spending over 15 on most beauty sites, getting a full size products and then picking the bonus samples. I know that takes the surprise out of it, but feckin' freebie chemist testers are hardly a surprise I'd want.
ReplyDeleteThat's it, the samples tipped me over the edge, I know it's an expensive product full size but tiny samples irritate me - that and the pouch, GRR
DeleteI have always loved the idea of Glossy Boxes. I like mail. I like surprises. I like trying new products. But I don't think I ever saw a month's Glossy Box that actually impressed me. I think the idea is there but in reality they're incredibly underwhelming
ReplyDeleteThat's why I've subsribed for as long as I have - I love getting the box in the post (and I love that it comes by post and not courier) - and I love the monthly anticipation but jesus, there have been so many let-downs. The highlight for me this year was discovering Philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar and the Sass product, but everything else is a blur.
DeleteOther than the first product, this box looks so dull! Can't believe they've counted the pouch as a product too - I unsubbed a long time ago but still have no urge to rejoin, they seem to be getting lazier and lazier!
ReplyDeleteMilly // Mini Adventures
The pouch would be a cute extra, or just put the products in the pouch - but I can't believe that they counted it as a product either!!
DeleteI cancelled my subscription after the awful May box, and still had to pay for the June box. I had a sneek peek at this months box last week from UK bloggers to see was I missing out, and NO I wasn't! I thought the pencil case thingy was an extra bonus product but seriously?? All I miss from GlossyBox is the actual boxes. I use them in my drawers for storage. This month I bought a NeoStrata Face Wash for €19 which is what I would have spend on a subscription, and it's something I will use and will last months. I can't see myself ever going back to GB, they were amazing years ago but now a pile of shite!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have to pay for the August box too, but I'm annoyed with myself for keeping it up this long! You're right, I love Green Angel eye gel and it's €20 and I've been sparing mine because I know I'll have to buy it again soon and I could have gotten a new one instead of a Glossybox!
DeleteI can see why you cancelled! They put more effort into the design than the actual content. I do like the zipper bag but it really should have been a bonus. I can't see myself subscribing again to Glossybox unless they have a complete overhaul xx
ReplyDeleteI think if the pouch was a bonus and everyone got the same Vichy product I would have kept it up for a little longer. Still have to pay for the August box because of Terms and Conditions but I'm not holding my breath!
DeleteI think you made the right decision in cancelling your subscription for they are just a waste of money. But in fairness to them, the box this month is so cute and it seems to have great products.
ReplyDeleteThe box itself is lovely, I do agree - it's definitely a keeper. I just couldn't believe it when I added it up, it's an awful amount of money to spend over the course of a few months on things I never use.
DeleteI actually liked this box because the skincare bits are right up my alley - but then again, I got the Vichy pot!
ReplyDeleteI think if I had gotten the Vichy pot I'd have kept the sub a little longer - I do like the two bases that were in the box, it's nice to be able to try something new like that - and the design of the box is gorgeous, but it's just too expensive with the exchange rate as bad as it is. Who knows, maybe if it picks up again in the future I might go back but I'm hoping one of the Irish ones comes back first!
DeleteI also cancelled my subscription, its pretty sad but these subscription boxes need to up their game. I am on the verge of feeling the same way about ipsy too. Lets give them a little longer. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI think that they're getting to be very samey, I'm not familiar with Ipsy but I know that Glossybox and Birchbox seem to have a lot of crossover when it comes to products.
Deletethe box is absolutely gorgeous though, definitely one to display! the products are definitely not impressive though! i tried out one of those subscription boxes once a long time ago, i only lasted 2 boxes though and unsubscribed because i never got anything worth the money! i was getting little sachets of things and hardly any proper products!
ReplyDeleteThe little sachets and tiny tubes drive me mad, there's rarely enough in them to even find out if you like a product enough to buy the full size or not. They had a Philosophy sample a few boxes back that was decent, and I bought the full size - but those Vichy things are tiny. The box is a beauty, definitely one for the top of the wardrobe!
DeleteSuch a shame about Glossybox. I've never signed up just cos I can't justify more products to Himself Indoors. You're doing the right thing by cancelling! x Becca
ReplyDeleteI like your honest reviews of these I have thought about joining but I don't think it would be worth my money better to put by a bit and save for what I really want xx
ReplyDeleteSharon, haven't gotten a glossy box in over a year, they started out great and then got shit very quickly. I would love to try the 'my little box' subscription though... They look awesome xx Siobhan
ReplyDelete