NEWSFLASH…Lust Have It aquires Glossybox

For those of you who are unaware, which would be most of you unless you check email at the crack of dawn…. Lust Have It have acquired Glossybox.

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This could be a great thing…or it could be a disaster. Why? Lust Have It are amazing…their monthly boxes never fail to impress me and their customer service is fantastic. They’re a distinctly Aussie company with a genuine Aussie feel. A mix of well-known brands and cult ready to discover brands. In short they get it right every single month! Glossybox didn’t, which is clearly why they’re being ‘acquired’.

My love-to-hate relationship with Glossybox has been well documented here. I think the presentation of their boxes has been amazing, their products in the beginning were more of a hit and now they are frequently a miss and their customer support has been sketchy. What Glossybox have been good at is marketing. Flash without the quality. They have a loud Facebook and Twitter presence, many competitions and have been wooing bloggers big-time with events and boxes for review that are better and flashier than what the average consumer receives and they’ve made it clear they are courting bloggers who flatter them. If you give an honest or unflattering review…well, they’re quick to exclude you from their inner circle.

I have never received a beauty box for review from any of the beauty box subscription services. To date I have paid for every box I have ever reviewed on Beast and Beauty and my opinions are my own. Even if I received a box for review I would be open and honest about my likes and dislikes and maybe this is what Glossybox feared.

You can’t have it both ways. If you want to court bloggers and have the exposure, you have to be prepared for the truth and sometimes, if your product just isn’t cutting it in the competitive beauty box market the truth hurts as it clearly has for Glossybox.

What I found interesting has been the approach by both companies… The Lust Have It email came through with the subject “Lust Have It Acquires Glossybox’ and the email from Glossybox has the subject ‘GLOSSYBOX & Lust have it! are joining forces to become bigger and better!’….well, bigger doesn’t always mean better guys!

I just hope that Lust Have It continue to provide the same quality boxes, with quality well known and fresh brands they’re always provided and don’t head down the Glossybox path of flashy social networking without a quality product to back it all up! I am interested to know if Lust Have It boxes will continue to be priced at $14.95 a month and what will happen to Glossybox subscribers existing accounts and Glossydot reward points.

All attempts at acessing the Glossybox website lead redirect to the Lust Have It website meaning all record of our accounts and reward point are not accessable…Let’s hope all the reward points are moved over to Lust Have It in a months time as promised in the email and that customers are not overcharged or charged twice for their subscription. I am eager to see what happens next!

Glossybox…The March Edition

So what’s inside?

• Absolutely Gorgeous  Macadamia Face Cream
• Avene Eau Thermale  Cleanser
• Klorane Dry Shampoo
• Kosmea Hydrating Rosewater Mist
• Tabu Anti-perspirant or Fragrance
• Power Balance Bracelet

The GOOD:

More Kosmea! Yay! I love this stuff, I just wish it was a bigger size sample. The Klorane is also awesome, and I’m in need of another dry shampoo so this was perfect timing! I used the Avene Cleanser today and it was quite lovely, so I might go and purchase a few items from my local chemist warehouse. The macadamia face cream looks interesting!

The BAD:

Strangely enough Glossybox hasn’t included the prices or sizes of the products on the included card which is annoying because I like to know what items are worth if I consider purchasing. I am also not a fan of the Tabu fragrance, it’s just not me but it is a decent size so I’m sure I can find someone to make use of it. Also…:( No full size products like the other brands this month. Plus why include the Power Balance bracelet…these have been proven to be a sham!

What did you think of this months GlossyBox?

Battle of The Valentine’s Beauty Boxes

I can’t keep spending $60 a month on beauty box subscriptions, especially when they seem to rarely deliver. This month they all promised big boxes. Lust Have It, having not produced a January box promised a huge comeback, Glossybox promised a huge hot pink Valentines box and Bellabox and I Love This Box have been kind of quiet.

In terms of delivery, Lust Have It had the box to me on Thursday, Glossybox arrived on Friday and ILoveThis Box was waiting for me today. 3 words Bellabox….Where are you?

So, in order of delivery first up we have LustHaveIt!

Lancome Juicy Tube (7g sample provided RRP AUD $46 for 14g), Davroe Tame Lemongrass Detangler (50ml sample provided RRP AUD $21.50 for 315ml), Sasy n Savy Rose Lavender Hand n Nail Repair Creme (5ml sample provided RRP AUD $25 for 100ml), Lush Sugar Scrub (100ml sample provided I think RRP AUD $6.50 for 100ml), Taut Collagen Infusion Mask (1 sample provided RRP AUD $44.95 for 5 pack)

I think the Lust Have It team were banking on the juicy tube being enough, It was definitely my favourite inclusion and reminded me of my uni years when these were all the rage. The Lush sugar scrub is something I am also keen to try. The Taut mask piques my curiosity and the hair detangler is ok, not exciting. The hand cream sample? too tiny to qualify as a fifth sample and feels a little like  an afterthought. Would have preffered another decent  sized sample, especially considering this is the comeback box.

Next, it’s the much hyped Valentine’s edition of Glossybox…

Bobbi Brown Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara (3ml sample provided RRP AUD $48 for 6ml), Jane Iredale Tantasia Self Tanner (5ml sample provided, RRP AUD $54.00 for 124ml), Proactiv Deep Cleansing Wash (60ml sample provided RRP AUD $39.95 for 475ml), Star and Rose Floral Wonderland Emergency Nail Files (12 files provided no RRP AUD provided), Polished London Nail Enamel in Fushcia (Full size 10ml, RRP AUD $7.99) Also included was an coupon for get $20 off the Proactiv system, a coupon for $15 off any Active Skin order over $75 and some sweet heart lollies.

This was definitely the most publicized of all the boxes and to be quite honest the Glossybox team had a lot of ground to make up with me after the full size fiasco of the January box. Overall, I think I got the better version of the three boxes that went out, but I can’t help wondering who got the full size Bobbi Brown products this time.

Lastly, the leader of the pack this month…I Love This Box.

Keratinology by Sunsilk – Overnight Treatment  (100ml provided RRP AUD $13.95 for 100ml), Elizabeth Arden - Red Door EDT (10ml sample provided, RRP AUD $55.00 for 30ml), Rimmel – Lasting Finish Kiss & Stay Lip gloss in Cherry (fullsize provided RRP AUD $14.95), The Aromatherapy Co. – Rose & Patchouli Bath & Shower Gel ( 200ml fullsize RRP AUD $13.95), Nail File (RRP AUD $4.95) Also included was some yummy red jelly beans.

Without a doubt my favourite of the beauty boxes so far this month. 3 fullsize products is hard to beat. I am so glad I got the shower gel as I have way too many hand creams at the moment. I also can’t wait to try the hair treatment and the Red Door sample will be handy to keep in my desk drawer at work.

 

So far so good….I’m keeping all three and will probably drop one or two after the March boxes.

Which was your favourite of the subscription boxes this month?

Glossybox…Not so glossy after all.

Okay, this is probably not going to be the most popular post, especially with the team at Glossybox but since I have been raving about Glossybox recently I think it is only fair to share what I have discovered that has me baffled and to be honest, annoyed. I am a blogger who gives my honest opinion and since I have honestly been raving about them here and on other blogs, I feel I should be honest about what concerns me also.

It would seem that not everyone gets the same things in their monthly subscription box after all. No, I’m not talking samples.

Browsing blog posts I came across a blogger who reviewed her January box. She was delighted to receive a full size Estee Lauder serum…. Yes, you read that right a full size Estee  Lauder serum.

Of course, I was taken aback and confused, so I contacted Gossybox via Twitter to confirm and yes, they confirmed some subscribers received a full size serum but they “try to even it out as much as possible.”

I am seriously considering unsubscribing….It’s not that a selected few get full size items that is bothering me most (though if they are evening this out it cant be a completely random process)

It is the fact that Glossybox don’t make this public… leaving it for us to discover and then feel shattered we are not the chosen lucky ones. Yes, chosen because if they are ‘evening it out’ then surely there is some level of choice involved.

It just doesn’t sit right with me.

What do you think? Keep the subscription or cancel it and put the money towards saving for a serum?

Glossybox: The Australia Day Edition!

How was your Australia Day?

I hope you had an amazing day celebrating in the Australian sun with friends and family if you are in Oz, If you are an expat I hope you had a great Australia Day abroad! I spent Australia Day eve shopping, getting a hair treatment and manicure and visiting friends! It was lovely. Australia Day itself was quiet and low key…I cought up on reading my favourite blogs and watching lots of daytime television!

Luckily for me I also got to play with the goodies in my Glossybox that finally arrived on Australia Day eve! First up the extras… How lovely to open up my glossybox and find these two $25 gift cards for the iconic. have found some cute shoes I’m thinking of purchasing with them already.

Also I know opinion was divided but I thought the addition of the cute Australia Day themed tattoos was a fun way to pay tribute to the festivities.

The Good

I was ecstatic to discover that a generous sample of Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex RRP $105 AUD 30ml as it will be my first chance to use Estee Lauder skincare products and I’m in need of a good serum.

Next up it was fantastic to receive a gorgeous pink shade FULLSIZE Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Fast Dry Nail Colour RRP $13.95 AUD 9.17ml. I love the gorgeous baby pink shade, perfect for french manicures and this products inclusion alone is almost worth the cost of the box!

I’m also happy about the two sheer cover products in the mix since I have never used sheer cover before. Yes, I know it’s another lipgloss RRP $19.95 AUD 2.5g, but it’s FULLSIZE and the Pink Prailine shade is lovely, so I’ll definitely be using it and I’m keen to keep the FULLSIZE Sheer Cover Nourishing Moisturiser  RRP $29.95 AUD 60ml at work for when I need an extra dose of hydration.

While, The Nivea Rich Nourashing Body Moisturiser RRP $5.40 AUD 250ml didn’t excite me, after all the goodies above it wasn’t a let down as again, it will sit in my desk drawer at work and I’ll use it up in no time.

The Bad

Ok, so while the box itself was fantastic, the HUGE wait was not. It was over a week since I received the tracking email to when I actually received the box. Glossybox has had some problems with Australia Post which I hope they are working on, because it would be nice to get the box early to mid month instead of the end. The anticipation is a killer!

My Verdict!

Not a sachet to be seen! Glossybox for me is without a doubt the leading lady in the Australian Beauty Box market. Each month they deliver products that have a combined total at or above the cost of the monthly subscription as well as being innovative in including both well known and little known or unknown products to the mix. They have yet to disappoint me and there is huge buzz around the HOT PINK glossybox being released in February, so if you have been thinking of subscribing I would do it now before they sell out!

December Glossy Box

Home from another busy day at work, Xmas shopping and dinner with my gorgeous cousin to discover this waiting for me!

Going to keep this short and sweet because my bed is literally calling to me, but once again Glossybox does not disappoint. Actually Bellabox, LustHaveIt and Glossybox were awesome this month, the only let down for me was I Love This Box.

So without further ado….The Goodies…

Tigi Haircare Bedhead Manipulator (Fullsize) RRP AUD $23.95

Gorgeous Lip Pencil (Fullsize) RRP AUD $25

Clinique Turnaround Overnight Radience Moisturizer RRP AUD $90 (and voucher for consultation and 7-day trial)

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Creme RRP AUD $16.99

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Dream Curls Curl-Perfecting Spray RRP AUD $16.99

Which beauty box did you think was the best this month?

Finally, I am taking a break from Beast and Beauty to recharge and relax before 2012 hits, so I will be back sometime soon after new year, but until then please have an amazing Christmas and and Exciting NYE!

Also I have news….Confirmation from the breeder that Beast (my new puppy and soon to be co-author) will be here soon. Mama dog is up the duff and beast is due to be born in mid January…..I AM SO EXCITED!
P.S. My blog sale is still up and running over the Xmas period, so grab yourself a bargain and click here!

Review: GlossyBox…Worth The Wait

IT HAS ARRIVED!

After the disappointment that was Bellabox and the overall Meh experience that was LustHaveIt! I present to you the beauty sample company that finally (almost) got it right!

This gorgeous package was waiting for me when I got home from a looong day at work. Just gorgeous, it is all in the details darlings. Open up one layer to find a good quality cute box…which I shall reuse at christmas time for gift boxes it is that good! Then….like a beauty pass the parcel open up that layer for a tiny bag of pink jellybeans! Score!

Okay…all well and good you tell me but what about the actual samples themselves. I can hear you all screaming from here…but it is so worth the wait for not one but two full size products. There is a yummy Miranese lip gloss….in a plummy red colour unlike any in my collection (Yay!) and a fullsize Bio Oil which I am super keen to try on a few of my scars and skin pigmentation.

If thats not enough to thrill you, because lets face it, we beauty bloggers are a hard bunch to please there is also an adorable blue shade of Essie nail polish, a Jurlique Ultra Firm and Lift Cream and A Bobbi Brown Cleansing Oil Sample (15ml).

Not to sound all home shopping channel on you….but that’s not all…

Included in the box was a 15% off storewide at Jurlique (will come in handy on my next visit to town) and and exclusive offer for a free Mirenesse Superlong Gel (Hurry its for the first 500 people only, don’t say I didn’t warn you!)

So, what are the two things I think GlossyBox can improve on…

I did have to wait until the 28th of November for my box to arrive…Especially difficult considering I received my LustHaveIt and Bellabox by mid month. Let’s hope they get the December box out and delivered by Christmas!

I also would have loved a card inside with information about the products in the box, what they do, how much the RRP is and where to purchase them.

Otherwise Glossies….Keep Up The Great Work!

P.S…
Have you entered to WIN a Hello Kitty cosmetic pack?