14 August 2012

Glossybox August 2012: The Last Box

Well, my final Glossybox arrived today and in a way, I'm glad it was only OK, because a really great box might have changed my mind about unsubscribing. The August 2012 Glossybox is also representative of most of the boxes I have received: several products I'll use but none that I need and none that I will repurchase. Before I unveil my 'International Superstars' Glossybox, though, I'll quickly review the products in last month's box. The July box was one of my favourites and I really liked the Jelly Pong Pong lip frosting, the Elizabeth Arden moisturizer and the Monu bronzing cream, which gives a really natural glow (I still haven't been brave enough to try it on my face). I am pleased with the HD Brows eye and brow palette too, although I think I need more practice before my technique is as precise as with a pencil. The Clynol shampoo is fine too.

As it was such a lovely sunny evening, I decided to walk home through Regent's Park and snap a few pictures of the products I received in my August box there. This month's box is supposed to contain "hero products from around the world," which is a great theme that didn't quite live up to my expectations.

August 2012 Glossybox. Top: Vera Valenti eyeshadow palette, imPress nails,
Lipcote. Bottom: Alessandro Pro White, GB lipstick, DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

1. Alessandro Pro White (full size--I think). This is an "optically brightening effect nail polish." I assume you paint it onto bare nails, although they don't say (nor are there further instructions on the Alessandro website). I'll give this a whirl, although I am usually wearing a coloured varnish on my nails unless I'm applying a treatment. This is highlighted as a German product but it's made in France... Not that I really care. £7.85.

2. DHC Deep Cleansing Oil (30 ml). I always like the idea of cleansing oils but even though some are suitable for oilier skins, like mine, I always feel like I need another good wash after I've used one. I'll try this Japanese cleansing oil out as a make-up remover but I'm happy with my Bare Minerals cleanser. £18.50 for the 200 ml full size.

3. imPress Press-On Manicure in 'over the moon' (full size). Hmm... Déjà vu. I received one of these imPress sets in my February Glossybox in a rather hard to wear shade of bright orange. I finally tried them out a few weeks ago and wasn't too imPressed. Not many of the included nails were a good fit for my fingers and I really loathed the feeling of wearing the fake nails--this is probably just me, though, and would be the same with most press-on nails. My right index finger started coming unstuck within a day or two; the others lasted about four days. I do like the pretty butterfly pattern on this new set but even thinking of that fake-nail feeling makes me cringe so I probably won't be using these. £7.99. [NB Glossybox valued the last set at £17.40, which I thought was way overpriced given the $5.99 US retail price. £7.99 is a more reasonable valuation.]

Top: A few of the 'International Superstars' from my box
Bottom: swatches of the eye shadows (left three) & lipstick

4. Vera Valenti L'Ombre à paupière Margarita in brown and green (full size). A Spanish product with a French name... Anyway, I was quite pleased when I first saw this eye shadow palette--there were six neutral peachy and pinky brown shades and then four harder to wear greens. The quality isn't great, though; I had to press really hard to pick up enough colour when swatching the shades and they don't seem very pigmented. At 38.5p per shadow, that is probably to be expected. Interestingly, the Vera Valenti website tells me I'm not allowed to access the site because I'm not in Spain; what, not even to look, Vera? I probably won't be using these shades very often, anyway. £3.85.

5. Lipcote (full size). This is the Team GB's entry in the Glossyboxolympics. My co-workers all tell me they used to use this lipstick sealer back in the '90s, so it's hardly new. It really stings when you apply it and makes your lips feel pretty dry, but I guess it does the trick. I usually wear fairly subtle pink lip glosses rather than bright lipsticks in need of sealing, but if you're more of a vamp than me, this may come in useful. £3.99.

6. Yes, that's right, there is another bonus Glossybox-branded product this month. This time, it's a lipstick and I actually quite like it. It's a pretty, rosy pink called 'glossy pink' and it's nice and creamy and applies well. The £9.50 RRP they list may be a little optimistic, but I'm glad this product was included.

Total value of the products in this month's Glossybox: about £36 (including the bonus product).

Overall rating: 2.5/5. Glossybox definitely seem to be going for quantity over quality this month. Given the issues they had last month from the people who didn't get the high-value HD Brows palette, maybe they think it's better to hedge their bets and offer people more products, so there is a greater chance that people will like at least something. There were lots of full-size products, but a lot of cheap items too--the sample of the only high-end product, the cleansing oil, was pretty small.  The lipstick is my favourite and I'll probably use the cleansing oil and maybe the Pro White polish too; the others either aren't my thing or are just unappealing. Or both.

Depending on what happens with the range and quality of the products, I may resubscribe to Glossybox in the future, once I've worked through the huge backlog of beauty products and samples in my bathroom. I've had a good experience with the service--my boxes have almost always arrived the day after dispatched, I've never had a broken or missing product, and although I haven't always loved everything in my boxes, I have usually had a good mix of products. The point of these beauty subscription services as a consumer is to discover new brands and I'm not sure I've been a great example of this because I haven't repurchased anything I got in a Glossybox--I'm probably just too faithful to the products I already love. I've definitely enjoyed sampling things I wouldn't normally buy, like the Burberry lipstick, the HD Brows palette and the Murad primer.