Glossybox Subscription Review: An Honest Take From a Beauty Insider
Hey there beauty lover! If you‘re as obsessed with trying new makeup and skincare as I am, you‘ve probably been curious about beauty subscription boxes. There are a bunch on the market now, but the one I keep coming back to is Glossybox. I‘ve been subscribed on and off for a few years now, so I wanted to give you my totally honest, thorough Glossybox review.
In a nutshell, Glossybox is a monthly subscription that sends you 5-6 surprise beauty products, including makeup, skincare, haircare, fragrance and tools, with a value of over $60, for just $21 per month. They feature a lot of bougie and global brands you don‘t see everywhere.
Sound fun? I‘ll give you allll the deets on what‘s in the box, how it compares to others, and whether I think it‘s worth your cash. And of course, I‘ll dish on how to get the best deal if you want to try it yourself! Let‘s unbox this together.
How Glossybox Works
First up, here‘s the lowdown on the Glossybox experience. When you sign up, you fill out a beauty profile quiz with info like your skin tone, hair texture, go-to makeup look, and the types of products you want more of. This helps Glossybox customize your box picks.
Then, each month Glossybox curates a pretty pink box with 5-6 beauty surprises based on a theme, which could be anything from "Empowered Women" to "Woke Up Like This". You don‘t get to peek or pick what‘s inside – that‘s part of the fun! It‘s like Christmas every month when your Glossybox arrives.
The items are usually a mix of deluxe sample sizes (bigger than typical samples) and 1-2 full-size products from a variety of prestige and niche brands. Glossybox promises a value of at least $60 per box.
My Glossybox Review
I‘ve received about 20 Glossyboxes over the years, so I‘ve had a lot of experience with the variety and quality of products. Overall, I‘ve been really happy! There‘s always at least 2-3 items I‘m excited to try, and usually 1 item that becomes a new fave I‘ll buy again.
Some boxes are definitely better than others though. I‘d say I‘ve averaged about a 75% success rate, meaning I liked and used 75% of the products over time. There were 2 boxes that were a total miss for me (didn‘t use anything), and 1 box that was an absolute home run (loved it all!).
Here are a few standout products I discovered from Glossybox:
- Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil (smells divine and leaves my skin so soft)
- Steve Laurant Lip Tint (perfect my-lips-but-better shade)
- LASplash Cosmetics Wickedly Divine Eyeliner (doesn‘t budge ALL day)
- Skinchemists Rose Quartz Youth Defence Lip Plump (an Insta-worthy gloss with subtle plumping)
I‘m a makeup junkie, so I‘m always happiest with boxes that have more cosmetic items, but I‘ve received some incredible skincare from Glossybox too. The Sunday Riley, Avant, and Filorga products are all top notch, and not cheap!
For $21 a month, I definitely think it‘s a great deal for the chance to discover so many fun, bougie beauty treats. A lot of these items would cost $20-$30 each at Sephora! Of course, not everything is a winner, but that‘s the risk you take with a subscription box. More on the value breakdown in a bit.
One thing to note is that Glossybox has a lot of repeat brands, like Doucce, Bang Beauty, and Steve Laurant. I like those brands, but I know some subscribers want more variety. And as much as Glossybox claims to customize based on your profile, it‘s definitely not 100%. I have "Prefer Not to Receive Fragrance" checked in my beauty quiz, but I‘ve still gotten a few perfumes. Just something to keep in mind!
What Real Glossybox Subscribers Are Saying
You know I‘m a fan, but what about other Glossybox subscribers? I dug through reviews to find some other opinions:
"I love the variety of brands Glossybox sends, many of which I‘ve never heard of! I‘ve found so many amazing new holy grail products through this subscription. The value is incredible for what you get!" – Sarah M.
"Glossybox is the perfect way to treat yourself! It feels like a present to yourself every month. The products are almost always great quality and I use most of them. Sometimes I wish there was more makeup, but overall I‘m very happy and have discovered some fantastic gems." – Liz K.
"I like Glossybox, but I don‘t love it. The value is good and the packaging is gorgeous, but I often end up with products I don‘t use, like red lipstick or hair oil, even though I have them set to "Rarely" in my profile. I wish they‘d let you preview the box before it ships so you can skip if it‘s not a good match." – Jenn P.
The general consensus is that most subscribers love the chance to discover new luxury beauty products, the presentation feels very gift-like, and the value for money is there. The most common complaints seem to be around customization and wanting the option to preview or skip certain boxes.
Glossybox vs. Other Beauty Subscriptions
There are tons of beauty subscriptions out there now (check out my comparison in the table below), but the most similar to Glossybox would be Boxycharm, Ipsy Glam Bag Plus, and Allure Beauty Box.
| Box | Price | # of Items | Full or Sample Size? | Customization? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glossybox | $21/month | 5-6 | Mostly deluxe samples, 1-2 full size | Minimal, based on profile |
| Boxycharm | $25/month | 5 | All full-size | Minimal, based on profile |
| Ipsy Glam Bag Plus | $25/month | 5 | All full-size | High, choose 3 products |
| Allure Beauty Box | $23/month | 6-7 | Mostly deluxe samples, 1-2 full size | None |
| Birchbox | $15/month | 5 | Deluxe samples | Some, based on profile |
Boxycharm is probably Glossybox‘s biggest competition. It‘s $4 more per month, but you get all full-size products. However, I‘ve found Boxycharm tends to repeat a lot of the same makeup brands.
Ipsy Glam Bag Plus is great if you want more control over what you get since you get to hand pick 3 of the 5 full-size products each month. It‘s the most customizable, but doesn‘t have quite the same element of surprise.
Allure Beauty Box is most similar to Glossybox in terms of the size and type of products, but doesn‘t have any customization. It‘s also $2 more. I‘d say go with Glossybox over Allure, unless there‘s a specific spoiler item you really want.
Birchbox is a little different since it only has sample sizes, which some people prefer. It‘s the cheapest and has a focus on clean/niche beauty brands. Glossybox definitely offers better value, but Birchbox is great if you just want to dabble in new products.
Is Glossybox Worth It?
Okay, but is Glossybox REALLY worth shelling out $21 every month? For me, it is! But of course, it depends on what you‘re looking for. Let‘s break it down:
Based on my experience and calculations, the average Glossybox contains:
- 2 full-size makeup products at $20-$30 each
- 2-3 deluxe samples of skincare/haircare at $10-$15 value each
- 1 deluxe fragrance sample at $5-$10 value
That‘s a total MINIMUM value of $75 worth of products for just $21! Even if there are 1 or 2 items you don‘t end up using, I still think you‘re getting your money‘s worth in terms of trying fun new products.
And that brings me to my next point. Glossybox is PERFECT for beauty lovers who geek out over trying new things, enjoy mini sizes, and like to experiment with their routine. If that sounds like you, I think you‘ll love it!
However, if you‘re very particular about ingredients, brands, shades, or only use clean/vegan products, you‘re better off buying products individually that you know you‘ll love and use. With any beauty box, you have to be okay with getting some surprises that might not be tailored to you.
The bottom line: if you‘re open to discovery, enjoy treating yourself, and want to play with bougie new makeup, skincare, and haircare on the reg, I think Glossybox is 100% worth it! $21 is the price of one prestige beauty product, so in my book, it‘s a steal!
Glossybox FAQ
Before I wrap up this monster review, let me answer some frequently asked questions about Glossybox:
How do I sign up for Glossybox?
Just go to Glossybox.com, choose your plan (1, 3, 6 or 12 months), fill out the beauty quiz, enter your shipping/payment info, and you‘re set! Easy peasy.
Can I customize what‘s in my Glossybox?
Glossybox customizes your box based on the beauty profile quiz you fill out, but you can‘t pick the exact items you receive. It‘s a surprise! But you can update your quiz answers anytime.
What if I don‘t like what I got in my Glossybox?
Unfortunately Glossybox doesn‘t accept returns on products you‘ve opened. If something is damaged, you can contact customer service for a replacement. I like to think of it as a chance to experiment! Worst case, you can pass on items to a friend.
How do I cancel Glossybox?
Just log into your account, go to "Manage Subscription" and click "Cancel". You have to cancel by the 15th of the month or you‘ll get charged for the next box. Be sure to use up any prepaid boxes first before cancelling!
Is shipping really free?
Yes! Shipping is free in the US with all the Glossybox plans. Woo!
Does Glossybox do any discounts?
Glossybox runs promos all the time for new subscribers, like 20% off your first box. I‘ll keep this post updated with any current Glossybox discount codes!
Final Thoughts on Glossybox
Phew, that was a lottt of info! Can you tell I‘m passionate about beauty products?! I hope this Glossybox review helped you decide if this beauty subscription is right for you. I know $21 a month isn‘t nothing, but I truly believe Glossybox is worth it for any beauty lover who wants to treat themselves while discovering amazing new products.
I‘ve personally found so many holy grail makeup, skincare, and haircare items through Glossybox, stuff I never would have tried otherwise. I love the surprise factor and the bougie brands they include. Of course, not every box is perfect, but overall the value and curation is top notch.
My biggest tips are to fill out your beauty profile honestly, update it if your preferences change, and keep an open mind each month! Don‘t be afraid to experiment with new colors or formulas you wouldn‘t normally grab. That‘s the whole point of a beauty box!
If you do decide to sign up, please let me know how you like your first Glossybox! I‘m always dying to see what you get and how the products work for you. Feel free to DM me or tag me in your unboxing pics! And def let me know if you have any other questions about Glossybox – happy to help!
As a reminder, I‘ll update this post whenever I get a new Glossybox myself or if they change anything major. I‘ll also keep it current with the best discount codes. Go ahead and bookmark this page so you always know where to find the real talk on Glossybox!
Thanks for sticking with me through this epic review sis. I‘m signing off now to go play with my latest Glossybox goodies. I hope you find a box you love, or at least a few products that make you feel like the glowing goddess you are! Happy subscribing!
xoxo,
Your Friendly Neighborhood Glossybox Guru
