August 2016 Glossybox – What’s In The Box?

Oh dear, where do I start on this one? Not impressed, not impressed at all. You really disappointed me this month Glossybox. I’ve subscribed to Glossybox since about November 2015 and whilst Glossybox has never blown me away, they have never disappointed me as much as they have this month.

This was a ‘special’ box to celebrate 5 years of Glossybox; their birthday box. You’d expect that they would really curate something special for this, wouldn’t you? Well, you would be wrong, so wrong.

Off To A Bad Start

First, we have the disaster that was the MUA palette. A big cock-up is the only way to put it. On the 7th of July subscribers, all got an email asking us to choose which MUA palette we would like in our August box. I chose Glitter Ball. Usually, I would go for a neutral palette but I already owned Heaven & Earth which was the neutral shade palette. Glitter Ball looked like a really beautiful palette and was just different to what I would be inclined to go for. I was looking forward to receiving it.

Now, it’s delivery day and I’m excited to receive my August 2016 Glossybox, knowing I am at least going to have a gorgeous MUA eyeshadow palette in it. Yeah, that excitement lasted as long as it took me to get into the box and past the tissue paper. It was mostly downhill from there.

Now the August 2016 Glossybox looks pretty, and apparently is a collector’s edition birthday design in collaboration with ‘Rae Feather‘. Not someone I’ve heard of…at all. Some fashion designer or something, apparently. Yeah, not of any interest to me I’m afraid. I am not a fashion lover, never have been, never will be. So, I put the card to one side, as I usually do, so as not to spoil myself. I always take photos during the process of opening my boxes.

The box looked nice and I liked the grey ribbon that matched the outer box. It was nothing special, the design didn’t blow me away. It was just, nice. Now this box was supposed to be

…filled with 5 ‘Glossy Greats’ that no beauty obsessive should be without…

Wrong Palette & Broken

I untied the ribbon, opened the tissue paper and this is what I was greeted with. A broken MUA palette, that had leaked everywhere inside and totally got all over something cream underneath everything else. Not only was the MUA palette broken, but it also was not the one I had selected. It was Heaven & Earth which was the palette I deliberately didn’t select as I already owned it. Great start.

I could see when I took the MUA palette out that the dark brown eyeshadow had gone everywhere. I could easily wipe it off the products but there was no way it was coming off the canvas bag. So double disappointment. The wrong palette AND broken and leaked all inside the box.

I just thought, oh well, I’ll just contact Glossybox later and sort it out. So, I continued to look at the rest of the contents.

MUA Eyeshadow Palette – Heaven & Earth

So yes, the first product is the MUA palette; this one is Heaven & Earth. A lovely set of neutral shades. I know this palette is really nice because I already have it in my make-up collection. The shadows are soft and they are also considerably pigmented. It’s a fantastic palette for the price. Just a pity it’s not the palette I selected, and that it was broken. Price £4.00 – full size received

Deep Pore Facial Cleansing Brush by Spa To You

Moving on, we have this Deep Pore Facial Cleansing Brush by Spa To You. It’s a nice facial brush to use with your cleanser to gently buff away dead skin cells and will also help aid blood flow in your face to give you a nice radiant, glow. No worries about batteries running out because it’s manual. Price £6.99 – full size received

Cowshed Wild Cow Invigorating Body Lotion

Then we have a sample size of Cowshed Wild Cow Invigorating Body Lotion. Lemongrass, Ginger and Rosemary blended together along with shea and cocoa butter, to create this refreshing body lotion. It smells nice and fresh, on the citrusy side. As far as body lotions go, it’s very nice. I was just disappointed to see a body lotion. They’re just, well, boring and I’m sorry but there is no way I would pay £20.00 for a body lotion. Hell no!  Full-Size Price £20.00 – sample received

Mudmasky Facial Detox Purifying Recovery Mask

The fourth product in this month’s box was this Mudmasky Facial Detox Purifying Recovery Mask. Now I love skincare and I love masks. This is a sample size though, so a bit disappointing. It would have been nice to have a full-size product. This mask is paraben-free and is PH-balanced; one of the first PH-balanced facial treatments actually. Using all-natural ingredients it claims to tighten pores, whilst hydrating, brightening and smoothing the skin. Again though, I would not pay £53.00 for a face mask. I’m not sure many people would unless money is no object to them. Full-Size Price £53.00 – sample received

Rae Feather Mini Monogram Pochette

Ah yes, lastly we come to the ‘Rae Feather Mini Monogram Pochette‘. Well, mine was ruined as you can see. Really though, Glossybox? A special Birthday box and you put this rubbish in it? A poorly made canvas bag, with some printed design to match the box. Not only that, but you put a value on it of £20.00? Seriously? Pretty sure this could be knocked up for less than a fiver. I’d have been ok to have received this as a bonus item but to include it in the 5 items? Nope. Price £20.00 – full size received

My Overall Thoughts on the August 2016 Glossybox

Disappointing. Thoroughly disappointing. The only 2 full-sized products we received were the Spa To You facial brush and the MUA palette. I can’t even with good conscience even count the ‘pochette’; such a fancy name for a less than a bog-standard bag. Sticking a ‘designer’ print on a plain canvas bag, and a very badly made one at that and saying it’s worth £20.00. Sorry, I don’t buy it…wouldn’t buy it for £5.00 let alone £20.00

This box, given it, was to celebrate 5 years for Glossybox was one of the worst I have received since I subscribed, actually, probably THE worst.  I had decided a few days before receiving my August 2016 Glossybox that I needed to cancel a few subscriptions as I just had too many on the go and it was getting very expensive. I’m a beauty blogger and money doesn’t grow on trees. I hadn’t made my mind up about cancelling Glossybox or just sticking with it, as it was the first beauty box I subscribed to and the one that gave me my subscription box addiction. However, after receiving this box, I was leaning towards cancelling.

Glossybox Customer Service

The day I received my box, which was a Wednesday, I contacted Glossybox to tell them about the broken palette and how it had ruined the ‘pochette’; I even attached photos. I tweeted and their Twitter account replied assuring me to contact them and they’d sort it.

Now it says on their website they respond to emails within 4 working days. It took them till the following Thursday to get back to me. In the meantime, they sent out a mass email as apparently, there had been some error along the line and the wrong palettes had been sent out, and they assured everyone they would receive the palette that they had chosen in their next Glossybox. Also during this time, I was getting more annoyed and I made the decision to cancel my subscription to Glossybox. Not even the spoiler that September’s box would feature a sample Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara could tempt me into staying.

Disappointing

So when I finally heard back from them, they said they would send another bag out in the post, and I’d get my correct palette in September’s box. I had to reply to explain that I had cancelled and this box had been a big part of why I cancelled. Glossybox apologised and just said they would send out my MUA palette in the post. A little disappointed they didn’t try very hard to keep my custom. If they value their customers that much, then I’m glad that I have cancelled my subscription.

A few days later, I received the correct palette that I had selected, which was the MUA Glitter Ball palette. It was as lovely as I thought it would be. The colours are particularly gorgeous and so pretty, pigmented and buttery soft. I’m looking forward to trying them out.

I also received a new ‘pochette’ (YIPEE) – that’s total sarcasm.

They both arrived in separate jiffy bags and I actually facepalmed when I saw that in each bag, they had put a liquid lipstick as an added ‘We’re sorry’ gift I suppose. Would have been more of an impressive gesture if it weren’t for the fact that they were both the same shade but I guess I should appreciate the gesture at least.

Glossybox customer service was pretty slow. I’m going to cut them some slack because I am sure they had A LOT of subscribers emailing them about receiving the wrong palette, plus I do know I wasn’t the only one whose palette also arrived damaged. It’s the first time I’ve dealt with their customer service so I have nothing to compare it to. I am pretty sure they were extremely busy and that is why it took longer than the maximum time they say to allow for a response. Though I did expect a little more in terms of keeping your customer happy. I wasn’t made to feel that valued as a customer, especially when I compare this experience to another subscription box, whose customer service just excelled in all areas.

After All Is Said and Done

However, despite all this, I would still say that Glossybox is a good starting subscription box if you’ve never had one before. I just had a bad experience this month and whilst not happy, it doesn’t alter the fact that until this time, I was very happy with their service and boxes.

How Much Is It?

Glossybox – £13.25 per month inc p&p (available in monthly, 3, 6 or 12-month subscription plans)

Where Can I Buy It?

Glossybox – Website