Do you have that one skincare product that you swear by and couldn’t live without? For me it’s Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion and No7’s Beautiful Skin Hydration Mask – I have used both of these products for years. However, beauty experts warn that using the same products consistently over a long period of time can make our skin dependent on these products, meaning if we stop using them it can cause potentially severe problems for our skin.
Experts suggest that to avoid skin dependency we should keep mixing up our beauty routines and vary the products we use. For this reason, I decided to try out some beauty subscription boxes which are all over social media. The influencers love them, so I thought I’d give them a go too. Here is what I thought …
GLOSSYBOX
GLOSSYBOX is probably the most well-known beauty box on the market and works with over 100 premium brands to supply you with 5 luxury products each month.
What I got in my GLOSSYBOX …
- Figs & Rouge Satin Soft Blurring Primer & Finishing Fix RRP £38
- NYX Professional Makeup, Lucky Dip (I got a lip gloss) RRP £4
- Nails.INC Palace Gardens Nail Polish RRP £11
- Beautaniq Beauty Nourishing Mascara RRP £15.50
- So Eco Complexion Sponge RRP £6
Value for money – A one-off GLOSSYBOX costs £13.25, whereas if you commit to a 12-month order it is only £11.75 per month. Delivery is included when you order a GLOSSYBOX – meaning no hidden fees at the checkout. For only £13.25 the products I received in this box are valueD at over £70! So it is definitely good value for money.
Would I recommend it? Despite being amazing value for money and arriving in beautiful packaging, GLOSSYBOX was not my favourite beauty subscription box. Unfortunately for me a lot of the products were just not things I will use. I prefer lip sticks to lip gloss, I don’t paint my nails and I prefer to use a makeup brush rather than a sponge, meaning it is only the mascara and the primer I am actually going to use.
The other products won’t be wasted as I am going to gift them to friends, however I think the selection in this GLOSSYBOX just doesn’t suit my needs. I suppose that’s the thing with a random box – you don’t know what you’re going to get and some of the items may feel a little disappointing! For £13.25 though I can’t complain as I will definitely use the primer daily which is worth £38!
Roxy Box
I adore supporting small independent businesses, so when I found Etsy retailer Roxy Box who sell handmade skincare boxes, I got in touch with them and was gifted with a free box. Thank you Roxy Box!
I got a lot of products in this beauty box, however they weren’t all well-known brands apart from some bits which were brands like Nivea and Simple. I personally had a bit of a nightmare with the delivery, as when the box turned up the shower gel had leaked in the post all over the other products. I soon cleaned it off however and the other products (apart from the sweets and scrunchie) were still usable.
What I got in my Roxy Box …
- Shower Cream
- Face wash
- Hand cream
- Body lotion
- Bath Bomb
- Lip balm
- Face wipes
- Make up remover
- Face Mask
- Foot Pack
- Hand Pack
- Eye gel patches
- Lip Mask
- Scrunchie
- Sweets
- Stickers
- Hot Drink
Would I recommend it? If you don’t mind using products you don’t recognize the brand names of then this box is for you, but I personally would rather use a more well known beauty box company which contains products with brands I have heard of/used before. I am definitely fussy when it comes to what I put on my skin!
This box was good value in the sense that the products probably did add up to around £25. However, what I’ve noticed with other beauty boxes like GLOSSYBOX and ROCCABOX is that you get more than what you pay for. For example, the ROCCABOX was only £10 but had over £65 worth of products.
In terms of supporting a small business and receiving a beautifully wrapped box with a lot of products inside, I would recommend Roxy Box. But if you’re looking for high-quality products from well-known brands, this box probably isn’t for you.
ROCCABOX
ROCCABOX is the monthly beauty subscription box providing an affordable and convenient way to discover new brands, try the latest products and access an immersive world of beauty.
What I got in my ROCCABOX …
- Marc Jacobs Beauty – Fineliner Deluxe RRP £8.00
- L’Occitane – Almond Milk Concentrate RRP £12.50
- BeautyPro – Hair Therapy Deep Conditioning Hair Mask RRP £5.95
- Monuskin Professional Skincare – Illuminating Primer SP15 RRP £36.00
- Anatomicals – Mint Hand Sanitiser & Mint Hand Cream RRP £5.00
- ISOCLEAN – Brush Cleaner RRP £1.00
Value for money – The monthly ROCCABOX subscription will cost you £10 per month, with £3.95 P&P per month. There is also a 3-month/6-month/annual bundle which works out slightly cheaper if you’d like to receive the boxes more long-term. For £10 I can’t believe how much comes in one box, especially as all the products in the box I receive are worth over £65.
Of course there are some products I wouldn’t have necessarily bought for myself originally, but I can’t wait to try them all. And if there’s something in the box which you really don’t want, then they can be used as the perfect present for somebody else. I was pleasantly surprised that they weren’t all half-sized miniature products – the Anatomicals set, Monuskin primer and BeautyPro hair mask were all full-sized products, and the other products are perfect for travelling and taking on holiday.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely! ROCCABOX was by far my favourite beauty box and I’ve even signed up for the 3-month bundle so I can get more products before the summer!
I can’t believe I’ve never tried them before – I’ll definitely be sending some of these boxes out to my friends as presents too!
