Carmine smashs GlossyBox this Feb!

Ok so with trepidation I accepted the hideous Orange box that signals the arrival of Carmine's February box, after the epic fail that was GlossyBox this month I didn't dare hope for anything amazing but how wrong I was!

                                               

Three Full size items, two generous samples and a bonus perfume sample made up this impressive offering and Here is what I got;

Andrea Fulerton Nail Varnish full size in Julia, great product the first coat went on easily smoothly and had great coverage, the colour isn't me but I would defiantly buy. I think you can get this in Superdrug and if not definitely online!!

Balance Me Super Moisturising Body Wash Full Size, so I had a quick shower tried it out really liked how silky it made my skin feel but not so keen on the Herby smell but that's my personal taste I would use it again but I'd probably buy the Rose one just for the smell factor!! I liked last months Balance Me radiance oil so this is nice to compliment that.

SteamCream Tin moisturiser full size, Okay so after 10 minutes of trying to get into the bloody thing I succeeded and yeah its a cream!! Doesn't smell bad absorbs quickly and isn't greasy can be used from head to toe according to the blurb and I think its one for popping in my handbag for on the go moisturising! 

White Glo toothpaste 24g, Unusual to see a toothpaste sample but I kinda like it and lets face it as a tea drinker anything that can help keep my teeth white has got to be good!  

Diego Dalla Palma Lipstick in N0.32 mini sample, Ok well the colours naff on me but the lipstick went on nicely and gave good coverage and is still there now! Not sure I'd buy as I'm happy with my current lippy but it's a quality sample.

Yardley London Peony fragrance sample, Nice touch as an extra but would have been pissed if this had been counted as a sample!! But that's just my fickle self!! Smells ok not sure its one I'd buy but its not terrible.

So yeah that was my box and I'm really impressed, to give Three full size samples made this box extremely good value and they were nice samples. Not everything was to my taste but they were what they should be which is luxury samples from quality brands. 

So big thumbs up to Carmine both boxes from them have been consistently good value and more importantly fair! 

Everyone who subscribes gets the same samples the only variation being the colour/fragrance or design which for me puts them a notch above GlossyBox who just has too much variation in the value and quality of their different boxes. 

I wait to see what March brings and whether GB can redeem themselves!

February's GlossyBox

So after last months fabulous box I have been sat by my letterbox eagerly anticipating February's offering to the Glossy girls and boys! The box arrived and as I expected was beautifully presented and I eagerly removed the paperwork and undid the bow to reveal......well not a lot!! Unfortunately I was one of the unlucky Glossy girls this month and got the bum box! I know I know I'm sounding like one of those moaners who jealously eyes up what others got and feels hard done by. But I really do feel hard done by!!

Here's what I got, Duwop Venom Gloss in buttercup, Dr Bronner Lavender Hand Sanitiser (full size), Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Relaxing Balm, BM Beauty Pure Mineral Eyeshadow in Deep Purple and Como Shambhala invigorating shower Gel. 

Where to begin well firstly the full size item was the hand sanitiser....Lavender.....costs £1.99......Vile. Nothing else can really be said other than I didn't like it and promptly gave it away! The Shower gel....smells rank.....yuk!! Again not my cup of tea and again promptly given away. 

Then there was the Duwop Lip gloss, this I actually really liked does exactly what it says and plump's the lips although if you're not used to these plumper's the tingling sensation can if excessively applied really sting. I Liked it and liked the colour it suited me and didn't look bad so that for me was the star in my otherwise c**p box!! 

Also I like the Paul Mitchell hair balm although for me wasn't new or exciting as I already have it but still a nice travel size for when I go on holiday and a nice product. 

Then there was the eyeshadow, It's a deep metallic Purple and when applied I looked like I had two black eyes!! It wasn't my colour so I don't want to be down on the actual product which seemed nice but just didn't suit me.

So all in all a shitty Month for this Glossy Girl, I was really unimpressed with my box and then I went online and read what others had got AND THEN I was pissed!! I'm not the only one either GlossyBox's facebook page reads like a how not to on customer service. Literally hundreds of pissed Glossy Girls who got the same box as me and nothing but stony silence from GlossyBox itself.

Of course not everyone was disappointed, mainly those who got the better boxes with the nicer products and those are the ones keen to point out what sore losers us bum box recipients are being and of course not everyone is going to be happy that's a given and the risk you take when you sign up but when you look at the monetary value of these boxes and see the cavernous difference between my box and the "Best" box then you start to question the fairness of it all. My full size sample was worth £1.99 and in the "Best" box the Becca beach tint was worth £20.....big difference especially when you consider we're all paying the same amount of money but aren't all getting the best value for that money. But my gripe is not just with the monetary value but with the contents of the boxes themselves. I signed up to this because the blurb promised LUXURY Samples and high end brands that I could discover and buy into, a £1.99 hand sanitiser is neither luxury or high end. 

Moaning aside I did seriously consider whether I should continue with GlossyBox or call it quits however being the sucker that I am the little card they included which hinted at March's "Mystery" box has wet my appetite and I feel compelled to hang on in there and hope next month I get the better or best box!! 

I'm now eagerly awaiting Feb's Carmine box and keeping my fingers and toes crossed its a good one I don't think my fickle little self could take another bum box!!

GlossyBox vs Carmine the Judgment!

Ok so both boxes arrived, GlossyBox looked more appealing to me but then I'm not an orange girl!! Opening both boxes the Carmine box was a challenge it just didn't want to come apart!! However I soon broke in and this is what I got;


Carmine had in it; Korres wild rose 24-hour moisturising and brightening cream 10mls, Eldora False Eyelashes, Balance me Radiance face oil 5ml, Westlab Himalayan Pink salt sachet, and an Eyeko Fat Eye Stick full size.


GlossyBox had in it; Eyeko Skinny eyeliner full size, Davines Moisturising Balm 75ml, Davines Cleansing Nectar 90ml, FAB Gentle Body Wash 2oz and A Murad primer in Dewy Finish 5mls plus there was a valentines inspired sweet!


Of the two boxes the Glossy box was this months winner for me. This is down to the fact that the samples were of a generous size the products themselves were divine I really like all of them although the eyeliner was in a pink which isn't a colour I'd ever choose but looked ok on. And the glossy box represented better value for money. The Carmine box wasn't a failure though, the eyelashes are gorgeous and the Korres moisturiser and Balance me oil are both products that worked really well but the samples were tiny compared to GlossyBox so purely on value for money GB wins but also on a personal level I will use all the products in GB but not Carmine. I'm going to stay subscribed to both companies for another month to see how the next boxes compare but great first impressions and I really like the premise and execution of the products. I've never heard of some of these companies but their products are great One I will def be buying is the Murad Primer as that made my skin look natural but fresh and that was the point in signing up, to find products I would like and buy, so a happy me today!

Glossybox vs Carmine

Ok well as a mum of an active toddler I don't seem to have much time for myself these days and found myself out of touch with the latest beauty products and brands.

So after reading an article from Jezabel on the American company Birchbox I decided to see what the Uk comparatives are, step in Glossybox.co.uk and Carmine.co.uk. For those who don't know what they are basically you pay £10 a month plus £2.95 P&P to subscribe and each month you get a very pretty box with five samples (sometimes one or two will be full size) of beauty products for you to trial and review if you want. Obviously these company's are hoping you will then go on to purchase full size or more of the products you like and to nudge you into doing this you'll get discount codes in the box.
Both companies offer 50% off your first box so I decided after researching through youtube and facebook to send of for both companies boxes and compare and see which I felt was better value and more suitable for me. So that's exactly what I've done both sites are easy to navigate and signing up is easy.


At this point without having received my boxes I liked the glossybox site because you can pay though Paypal but the Carmine site I felt had a better survey for you to complete to help them choose products suitable for your individual needs, the Glossybox's survey made me choose my foundation colour with a selection of colours and in all honesty none matched my skin or looked like the foundation I buy whereas Carmine asked my skin tone and just felt better at determining what kind of colours etc I'd like, of course the proof will be on the contents of my second box and how appropriate they are to me so the jury is out!


I'll let you know what comes in the boxes and my views on them when they arrive!