Birchbox vs Glossybox

Monthly beauty subscriptions are becoming big in the makeup world and I jumped on the Birchbox bandwagon about a year ago. I often get stuck in the rut of only using my favorite staple products from my favorite brands (Mac, Nars, Dior and Urban Decay) so I forgot to look at other products or I don't want to spend the money to try them and end up hating them. Birchbox was a way for me to get samples of things that I would probably never think to try so I can figure out if I like them or not without spending a lot of money.

Birchbox is a monthly beauty box that is $10 and contains 4-5 deluxe sample size beauty products. More often than not I receive 4 samples and then a "lifestyle" sample. Sometimes it's a granola bar, sometimes it's some coasters or note cards but it's always a fun extra. There is always a card in each box that explains what the sample is, how to use it and how much a full size retails for. Sometimes I even get a full sized product! Once you sign up your create a beauty profile and they will send you samples tailored around your needs (oily skin, dry hair, etc) once a month and often times they have a theme or a collaborator. After you receive your box you can go online and review your samples for which you get 10 points for every review. For every 100 points you accumulate you get $10 credit from the Birchbox store where you can buy full sized products of things that were in your box. Not everyone gets the same things in their box every month so there are lots of things to choose from. You also get points for referring people.

For an example of what is typically included in a box, here are the last two months of mine.

My June Birchbox, the theme was summer travel:

My July box (which I got today), the theme was the five senses and they teamed up with Glamour magazine:

Usually if I get a sample that I don't really care for or know I won't like (like hair oil, I don't have curly hair so it would be a disaster) i just pass it on to my mom or a friend. My mom usually gets pretty excited about it so I might sign her up for a subscription as a gift. They also just launched Birchbox man for the guy in your life.

I've really liked Birchbox (even though I often complain about getting ANOTHER eye cream sample but I'm 32 so that's to be expected) so when Glossybox launched in the US in May I signed up for that one, too. Glossybox has been a global subscription service but finally launched in the US. It is double the price of Birchbox but the samples are much bigger and higher end. I have liked both of the boxes I have gotten so far but I will say that I don't love their shipping. I didn't get June's box until the first week of July which was frustrating but seeing as they just launched here I'm giving them some time to iron things out to decide which subscription I would rather keep (I signed up with the thought that I would only keep one but I really do love the surprise of it when it comes and they come at different times so...I'm not sure yet). They also don't have points that go towards products like Birchbox does. You get 200 points for referring someone but it has to be through an email and every 1000 points you accumulate you can get a free box. So, eh. Not nearly as exciting as free Kate Spade Twirl perfume (BB has that available right now). I like the packaging a lot more though, the box is big and pink and will be great for Christmas gifts.

My May Glossybox:

The nail polish and toothpaste were full size and yes, that IS a deluxe sample sized Burberry lipstick (which I about died over when I opened it). I didn't like the Phyto hair mask and it's a huge sample so I gave it to my mom and she likes it.

June's Glossybox arrived last week and the contents are already dispersed all over my house but I will say I got a full sized tube of Beauty Addicts mascara, First Aid Beauty shaving cream that I LOVE, Kinerase face cream, Shea Terra Organics body lotion, Wella professionals hair mask (that I LOVE) and a perfume sample (which I hated, can't win them all).

If you want to join Birchbox here is their website:

Birchbox

OR if you love me and want me to earn points for you signing up here is my referral link (because there are a lot of Deborah Lippman nail polishes that I would love to get without paying for, it's almost like shoplifting but without being Winona Ryder)

SIgn up here and help me get free nail polish! Or not. No pressure ;)

The website for Glossy Box is:

Glossybox

I think I am going to start posting every month what I get in my boxes so if you sign up let me know and we can compare!

And lest I go an entire post without talking about my pets (which would be a tragedy), here they are fighting over the outer box that the Glossy Box comes in:

Archie won. She always does.