Birchbox vs. Glossybox | FEBRUARY

You’ll have undoubtedly seen glamorous images of these Insta-worthy beauty boxes dominating social media. There’s a wide selection on offer right now, but I’ve opted to focus on Birchbox and Glossybox. Both of these company’s boxes retail at £10 per month, plus P&P (£2.95 for Birchbox, £3.25 for Glossybox) and each contain five mystery beauty products, personalised to your own beauty profile (well, sort of), all wrapped up in a pretty parcel for you each month. Both also have a rewards scheme, where you can earn points by completing surveys on your products. So, are they worth the hype?

BIRCHBOX

Beautybox Feb 1

My February Birchbox, as seen on my Instagram

In the month of love, I finally relented and gave in to those adverts (I’m a marketer’s DREAM) and signed up to Birchbox. The thing that finally made me take the plunge was the fact that February’s box came with a Spectrum Collections eye contour brush. Now, if you’ve never heard of Spectrum Collections, then you are in for a TREAT, my friend. They’re 100% cruelty-free and vegan, not to mention utterly gorgeous and reasonably priced, so what’s not to love? When the box arrived, I was ridiculously giddy! It’s like getting a mystery present each month, beautifully packed and brimming with goodies. February’s Birchbox was in collaboration with stationary gems, Papier, and the packaging did not disappoint. But looks only get you so far and it’s what’s on the inside that counts… So, what did I get?

  1. Spectrum Collections C06 Tulip Eye Contour Brush

Just in case it wasn’t totally clear above… I BLOODY LOVE SPECTRUM and cannot recommend them enough. This is another of their winners, it’s a great brush for blending shades in the crease of your eye, across your upper lip and adding some shade below your lower lashes. You can create such a range of looks, it’s absolutely fabulous.

  1. POP Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eyeshadow Trio

This is a lovely handbag sized trio of natural shades that really work well together. The colour trio is titled Champagne Mocha, and they’re in hues of pinks and one brown that is great for adding a bit of drama. I did a bit of research and the brand seems to be cruelty-free, but there’s not much solid information so I wouldn’t jump at purchasing anything from this until there was some clear, reliable information.

  1. KEEOME Hydration Therapy Mask Sheet

I’m a bit behind with this whole sheet-mask-trend, but despite resembling a chilled slice of discount wafer thin ham, they are actually pretty brilliant. They’re jam-packed with revitalising ingredients (Keeome’s has mulberries in it!) and vitamins A and E to give your skin some seriously intense moisture and TLC. I couldn’t resist some sending some ugly Snapchats whilst letting mine work its magic. For a pack of 6 masks at full price, it’s a whopping £35 in the Birchbox shop. I’m just not rich enough for that kind of a splurge.

  1. NUXE Huile Prodigieuse

This is a multipurpose oil for your hair and your skin. It’s fIMG_9678airly decent, it adds shine to dry ends but don’t put it any higher than the mid-lengths of your hair, or you end up looking like you haven’t showered since 1995. I put it on my elbows and knees for a bit of added moisture on dry zones.

 

  1. Beaver Professional Daily Moisture Conditioning SprayIMG_9679

This spray acts as both a hydrator and a detangler, aiming to manage frizz and keep hair well conditioned and protected from heat damage. The sample is great for weekend getaways and has come in handy when visiting my family, but it’s not my favourite hair product of all time. A full size bottle is £11.50, but I just don’t love it enough to buy it.

BONUS: For signing up this month, I also got a Smith and Cult Lip Lacquer, which I love and use pretty frequently. It’s a gorgeous muted dusky pink that adds a pop of colour throughout the day. It’s also great over the top of lipsticks to add shine.

GLOSSYBOX

Beautybox Feb 2

Glossybox’s February Offering 

Because one beauty box wasn’t enough, I also signed up for Glossybox on their monthly plan. There’s no such thing as too many presents and receiving this sumptuous pink box in the post really does make my day. I got a Valentine’s Love edit and each item was picked with romance in mind.

  1. La Theorie Des Volcans Noir Eternae Youth Potion Face Scrub

My mum always told me you should begin investing in anti-ageing products as soon as you hit your mid twenties. Well, I’m there my friends, and my concerns are LOUD. This scrub is gorgeously gentle and it’s vegan! Winning.

  1. Garnier Ultimate Blends Honey Treasures Strength Restorer Balm

I’m not that fussed about hair balms. To be honest, I find them a little boring and rarely notice a difference in my hair. Plus, I know Garnier are not a cruelty-free company, so I gave this to a friend at work.

  1. Ciate London Paint Pot in Fade to Greige

I bloody love this shade of taupe nail varnish, it’s so versatile! The colour glides on and is long lasting and the company are cruelty-free, so they get brownie points from me. I got so many compliments on my nails wearing this shade!

  1. MDM Flow Semi-matte lipsticks

Matte lippies are gorgeous, fresh and beloved worldwide right now, so to receive this little beauty in my first Glossybox was a pleasant surprise. These lipsticks are cruelty-free, handmade in London and offer some cool AF shades. I will definitely be buying more of these!

  1. Jeanne Arthes L’Eau de Rose

I raced through this bottle of perfume in rapid speed. It was full size in the box, but it wasn’t the largest bottle in the world (30ml) and the scent isn’t that long lasting, either. But it is HEAVENLY. It’s fresh, floral and feminine – all scent traits I’m a big fan of. The downside is that I’ve been struggling to find reliable sources as to whether this brand is cruelty-free, which is a shame, because if it was confirmed that it wasn’t tested on animals, I’d buy it again in a heartbeat!

FEBRUARY’S WINNER? It’s got to be Birchbox for this month. I felt there was a greater range of products and it seemed to be better value for money. They also have their own shop where you can purchase the products full size, which Glossybox don’t have. Plus, I got a Spectrum brush which is always going to be pretty hard to beat.

Apologies for the ridiculous length of this post, I got a little over excited. Hope you enjoyed reading!

Jess XO

5 Comments

    • May 3, 2017 / 6:52 am

      Thank you! Although, my March box wasn’t the best – will upload a post about it this week!

        • May 4, 2017 / 11:57 am

          It’s on the blog now, would love to know your thoughts! Thanks for reading XO

          • May 4, 2017 / 10:44 pm

            I will definitely check it out ☺️

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