In the month of October Glossybox USA collaborated with Byrdie.com to bring us their editors’ favorite products [for those that don’t know, Byrdie is an online beauty magazine from the creators of WhoWhatWear]. I don’t subscribe to Glossybox on a regular basis, but I always buy their collaboration boxes because they are usually the most impressive and contain at least one product that ends up being my favorite. This month, I found two!
HOW IT WORKS
Glossybox is one of the most popular international beauty subscription boxes, and now it finally came to the US. Each month Glossybox subscribers receive up to six deluxe-size to full size products from crème de la crème of international brands. At $21/month this is one of the more expensive monthly beauty boxes, but the value of your box will always be way above.
If you would like to use my referral link click here to join Glossybox. Thank you!
tarte Cosmetics Light, Camera, Flashes Mascara in Black
As excited as I am to try this mascara, I currently have at least five different ones open, and that’s not counting the sample-sized tubes. Mascaras tend to dry out within a few months after being used for the first time, so I try to keep the new ones unopened for as long as I can. I read some reviews about Lights, Camera, Flashes, and many people mention how it works wonders for defining and lengthening their lashes thanks to a unique dual-sided molded brush with silicone bristles. I also adore pretty packaging, so I couldn’t resist mentioning the fabulous golden squeeze tube it comes in.
balance Me Shine On Limited Edition Tinted Lip Salve in Super Soft Beige
I rarely get lip glosses that I can actually use in my beauty subscriptions, so this is one of those rare gems. I say that every time, but I avoid petrolatum in my lip products because I lick my lips all the time and end up eating a lot of it, which is not healthy. Balance me tinted lip salves are made without the use of petrolatum and contain a very impressive mix of extracts and natural oils, most of which are organic. The color looks very scary in the tube, but in reality it gives the lips the faintest tint, which isn’t really noticeable at all, so it works kind of like a clear lip gloss. My chronically chapped lips instantly feel hydrated and look soft, and I know I’m not ingesting any nasty chemicals even if I keep licking them all day. I only have two complaints: my tube was half-full, and I guess that’s how they all come; and the moisturizing effect is not long-lasting, so I had to reapply pretty often. Ok, make that 3 complaints: I wish it was cheaper so I could buy a few more tubes, because I’m officially in love with the formula.
fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream
I wanted to like this moisturizer, I really did, because I’m a fan of many other fresh products, including their fabulous Sugar lip balms. However, my skin just kind of said “meh” to it, probably because all of the relevant ingredients are at the very end of the ingredient list [the ingredients are always listed according to their concentration, starting with the highest]. It honestly felt like a lower end cream, and I think there are much better products with better formulas within the same price range. This was the first fresh product I was disappointed in, and hopefully the last. I would also like to note that it smells like warm cucumbers, and oddly enough I actually like that.
SESHA Renu Exfoliating Gel
This type of rub-off exfoliating gel is a huge thing in Japan, South Korea and other Asian countries, where cleansing is considered to be the most important part of daily skin care routine. Basically, you put a dollop of this gel on your face and start rubbing it in circular motions until you see white flakes falling off. Those flakes are actually dead skin calls that were lifted up thanks to the enzyme complex. After using this gel, my face felt incredibly clean and soft, and I am thinking about purchasing the full-sized version.
Bvlgari Eau Parfumée Au Thé Vert
Au The Vert is a unisex fragrance from Bvlgari. It features top notes of coriander, orange blossom, mandarin orange, bergamot, cardamom and lemon; middle notes of jasmine, lily-of-the-valley and bulgarian rose; and base notes of sandalwood, amber, musk, green tea, precious woods and cedar. What I like most about this sample is the tiny bottle, which is the exact replica of the full-sized packaging. I think it’s a really nice touch, and I wish more companies would do that for their samples. Usually I like citrusy notes, but this one was a bit too fresh for me, hiwever, I wouldn’t mind smelling this on a guy.
THE VERDICT
I think Byrdie did a wonderful job curating this box – all of the featured products are high quality and the sizes are very generous, even for a collaboration box. I’m kind of regretting that I didn’t buy an extra gift box at a discounted rate, but that’ll teach me to always grab one in the future when I feel that I’m going to love the contents.
Are you a Glossybox subscriber? What did you think about this box?
| Product | Retail value |
|---|---|
| tarte Cosmetics Light, Camera, Flashes Mascara | $23.00 |
| balance Me Shine On Limited Edition Tinted Lip Salve | $19.39 |
| fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream | $12.35 |
| SESHA Renu Exfoliating Gel | $17.35 |
| Bvlgari Eau Parfumée Au Thé Vert | $7.75 |
| Box Retail Value | $79.84 |
