It’s that time of the month  - Glossybox time! Today I’m going to talk to you about my experience with the beauty box and their service. This special Valentine’s Day edition has been a little less than glossy for the company…read on to find out why. 

Glossybox review: The Valentine’s Edition

Back in September of last year, I reviewed the September Glossybox for Lady M. I was delighted with it at the time, and enjoyed all the products. But then came a snag. Glossybox take payment out at different times every month, and always at the end, so while I was on holiday I received an email saying they’d been unable to take payment. I was given about a day to remedy this, and being on hols, I didn’t manage to get to the bank and put money in. So they took it upon themselves to cancel my subscription.

I understand that as a company, they can’t give people infinite chances to pay up, but I was shocked that they’d simply cancelled my subscription, instead of, say, freezing it instead. As a result, I didn’t bother resubscribing, and chalked it up to experience. Come January, I had an email from Glossybox advertising their very special Valentine’s Day box. It was hot pink. There was no way that I was going to miss out on that box, so I quickly signed up again. With their first ever box containing a full size Nars illuminator, I felt sure that any ‘special edition’ box was going to be a bit of a corker.

It turned up on Monday – a freezing cold, drizzly Monday – and I tore into it like an overexcited toddler at Christmas. Wow, the box was beautiful. I slipped the lid off, loosened the ribbon, and pulled back the tissue. I first zeroed in on the Clarins. Clarins? Really? Having worked in a department store perfumery in a previous life, Clarins samples were ten a penny. My room is still rammed full of them, actually. I could construct furniture out of my Clarins sample collection.

But that wasn’t Glossybox’s fault. That was my fault, for being a jaded old beauty hack. I explored the rest. Murad Primer? Very nice, and on testing did a great job at holding my makeup all day. Eyeko Skinny eyeliner in plum? Not my thing, really, but again – personal tastes and all that. And finally, FAB Body moisturiser (mistakenly listed on the card as Body Wash). Meh. Oh, and a sweet. So…where was my amazing Valentine’s Day box? I was expecting some yummy candy coloured makeup! Maybe some red lipstick…some perfume…But the thing is, my review of the actual products isn’t important. If you subscribe to Glossybox, you won’t get these same items anyway. But I can review the service.

From looking at the Facebook page for Glossybox.co.uk, this box has been something of a PR disaster. They’ve come under flack before (the inclusion of a sample of Batiste dry shampoo seriously pushed the boundaries of ‘luxury product’ last year), and it seems that customers are starting to really turn on the service. As I said, the products are subjective. One woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure. I adored the ‘Plum’ perfume sample I had in my last box, but it was generally panned by everyone else.

So what’s the problem? Where has it all gone wrong? I thought I’d make a list. I love lists:

1. Overhyped box – Glossybox made this out to be AN AMAZING BOX. Like, you’d be a complete fool to miss out. By doing this, expectations were much higher, and were subsequently dashed
2. Delayed the box due to ‘how special it is’ – Glossybox pushed back the date on this box by a couple of weeks due to the promised amazingness. I’m fairly sure many subscribers are bemused as to why it took longer to produce this, regardless of whether they liked it or not
3. No V Day theme – For a special Valentine’s Day edition, it’s not at all romantic or Valentine-y. Only the packaging reflects the theme
4. Three different possible boxes, of different values – Glossybox run a ‘lucky dip’ system whereby you get one of three different boxes. Unfortunately, these are not all of equal value, so it’s the luck of the draw as to whether you get the best box or the cheapest one…
5. Bloggers got sent roses and better contents, despite not paying – …or is it the luck of the draw? Bloggers who are ‘ambassadors’ for the brand all got sent big bouquets of roses. By some weird stroke of ‘luck’, they also all got the boxes with the best contents, despite getting their boxes for free. This then sets up the Glossybox precedent as one of: ‘it doesn’t matter what our paying subscribers get, as long as the bloggers are happy and keep talking it up’. Their PR ploy has backfired somewhat, with this particular issue being thrown back at them by unhappy subscribers
6. Press mentioned a ‘treat’ – all the publicity about the box mentioned an extra special ‘treat’. Unless there’s something nestled at the bottom of the box (there isn’t) then I can only assume this is the sweet we’ve been given. I think most people were probably expecting a bonus product…
7. Issue with products themselves – I was a subscriber who got Clarins products. Splashed across the Glossybox page are hundreds of complaints about one of the samples being practically empty. This is the case for me too, and quite simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH. And while this is most likely an issue with Clarins, my contract is with Glossybox
8. Silly mistakes/carelessness – I know I’m being harsh on Glossybox, but the incorrect description of body wash, when we actually got moisturiser, is a silly oversight. If you’re going to delay the time it takes to send out a box, at least make sure it’s all been carefully checked

In conclusion, I have been extremely unimpressed with this service, I’m sad to say. I love the concept of getting a box full of goodies, but it hasn’t been well executed, and the Facebook backlash has demonstrated that. I must mention that Glossybox themselves have been good at replying to people and handling concerns, so their customer service team at least is doing well. Unfortunately, that isn’t good enough for me. And as for the themed box? I don’t know about you, readers, but some unscented body moisturiser and anti-ageing cream doesn’t put me in the sexiest of moods. But hey…whatever works for you. I don’t judge.

I didn’t contact them and ask for a free box, I am a paying user of the service, and I seriously take issue with all bloggers mysteriously receiving much better boxes than subscribers. I think that’s a poor attitude to have (and I’m sure Glossybox aren’t the only offenders). I’m disappointed that I’ve had to write this review, but I was honest in praising them back in September, and I must be honest in my criticism. As someone who is extremely interested in how businesses use social media, I was fascinated to watch this issue unfold. It’s an abject lesson to companies to over-hype at your peril. I’m giving Glossybox one more month, and then I shall make my decision. That is, if they don’t unsubscribe me again themselves…

What do you think? Are you a beauty box subscriber? Did you get a Glossybox this month? Am I totally off base in my expectations? Leave a comment below or get in touch @ameliafsimmons.