This month I couldn't resist, I was getting the Birchbox anyway (as some of your might know I'm attempting to try and find the best beauty box by trying each, our June Glossybox post is here) but when I saw this month was a limited edition Glossybox the shopaholic in me took over and I was entering my paypal password before I had the chance to box her back up. This does allow me, however, to pit the boxes against each other (baring in mind this is based on one month, on the products that I received, and so results and opinions may obviously vary). This is quite a long post, I'll write about the Glossybox and it's stand out products, then do the same for Birchbox then pit them against eachother properly, feel free to skip to the bottom.
I'm going to start with the Glossybox
First of all, the packaging. I'm a sucker for pretty things and I have to say that I really think Glossybox nailed it with this month's box. It's summery without being in your face girly, and it's nice enough (and most importantly subtle enough) to use again. I also liked the fact that even the tissue paper inside was coral themed, and it was nice to see the trademark black paper/pink ribbon combo swapped for a much more suitable white paper/blue ribbon. Inside, I received a Ciate paint pot in "Island hopping", Coola Rose essence tinted moisturised (mineral sunscreen), Bamboo Style Boho Waves tousled texture mist, Anatomicals "spray misty for me" facial spritz and Nip+Fab Shine Fix. I have to say, I was really disappointed to not be amongst the lucky lot that got two Sleek pout paints to play with this month, but beggars can't be choosers.
I definitely didn't like this box as much as my June Glossybox, however I do think the Ciate and Nip+Fab are lovely stand out items. The Ciate paint pot is a gorgeous red/orange shimmer that is lovely and eye catching in the sun, but will transfer really nicely into Autumn too. It's exactly the quality I've had from ciate in the past, lovely sheen, no bubbling and stands the test of time without chipping, cracking or flaking off. Nip+Fab never seem to let me down, and shine fix is a mattifying gel that does exactly as it promises (it also doesn't have a horrible chemical smell like some gel fixes I've had in the past) and I've been using it as a primer to tone down a shiny T-zone in this hot weather.
Onto the Birchbox
This is my first Birchbox but my, oh my, am I impressed. The packaging is much more basic than the glossybox and I was uninspired to look at it at first, but the classic design has come to grow on me, and I absolutely love their inclusion of a lovely little drawstring bag inside instead of the crumpled up paper and tissue that Glossybox have opted for. The whole box feels a little bit more grown up than the Glossybox, and I feel like that might just give it the edge in terms of design. I received all manner of delightful little treats in this box.I got Blanc Cachemire Creme De Jour Protectrice, Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle, theBalm cosmetics InStain Powder Staining Brush, Weleda Skin Food, Laura Geller Inkwell Gel Eyeliner and Some Chia Seeds from The Chia Co. I absolutely loved the inclusion of the chia shots, which just seemed like an extra added little bonus. I also like that you can find most things in their boxes in their online shop.
Standout products in this box were definitely theBalm cosmetics inStain, Laura Geller Inkwell Gel Eyeliner and (of course) Weleda Skin Food. theBalm inStain is one of my favourite products of the year, no exaggeration. I got "swiss dot", which is a quite deep pinky coral and suits my skin perfectly. This is a powder stain, which I struggled to get used to but have found quite easy to blend out even though it stays put all day. This gives a lovely flush of colour that doesn't need reapplying throughout the day and it has adorable packaging (a magazine cover that you open to reveal the blush). I've already ordered a full sized one of these, I honestly can't recommend it enough. The Laura Geller Gel Eyeliner I received is actually a deep shimmery purple, it applies really neatly using the brush and stays put, or can be smudged out gently for a softer look. The colour is a really nice change to black and doesn't look as harsh, and the texture of the gel is much better than quite dry ones I've tried in the past. When my own liquid eyeliner runs out I'll be considering buying the black as well. Finally Weleda Skin Food... There's not much to say about this, it's a product that speaks for itself (and has celebrities speaking for it). It's amazing, literally a miracle cure - as long as you can get past the...ahem...distinctive smell.
So which is better?
This is a really hard one. Although I really enjoyed the special edition Glossybox box, I still think the Birchbox has a sophisticated edge, and is also more size appropriate for what's inside, plus their use of a reusable bag instead of paper and tissue just seems to be a more practical idea, and saves me throwing the insides of the box out every month. I also love the amount of literature that comes with the Birchbox, I feel much more supported through my use of the products than I do with the Glossybox.
For exactly the same price (£10 + £2.95 p&p) I feel like the Birchbox is just beating Glossybox to the post. It seems more grown up overall, and although both have stand out items, I feel like there are some things in my Glossybox I won't ever use again, something I don't feel with my Birchbox. It's definitely a toss up, and it's all about preference of course, but I would definitely recommend the Birchbox over the Glossybox (sorry, Glossy), although I will be continuing to get both !
If you actually read through this whole thing, give yourself a pat on the back (and go and order yourself a Birchbox... or a Glossybox)
Sammy xo
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