Birchbox Vs. Glossy Box - A Boxing Match

There is now a new way to try out make up that saves the back of your hand from lipstick smears, blotchy foundations, and random eyeliner swipes.
The latest craze in finding new beauty products is with the pot luck services, that based on a quickly filled out form, will send you surprise products to try out and make you try something new.
It costs from £10.99 per month from both GlossyBox, the most well known company who offer this service, and their contender today, BirchBox.
I decided to test out these services, and they're ready to start boxing!

GlossyBox has a nice and simple design, while Birchbox's design seemed a little odd to me, reminding me strangely of The Book Thief that I watched a few nights before....


Inside the GlossyBox there was a pretty box which I can keep and re-use.
 The BirchBox wasn't a very pretty box, but I'm assuming this is an Eco Friendly style or been made to look as such. It's also rather smaller than it's counterpart.
 The GlossyBox was filled with a variety of different products but mainly of a pink variety!
The BirchBox seemed more sparse, although only having one less product than GlossyBox the products seemed a bit smaller.
 

Once opened, the GlossyBox was stuffed with black shredded paper, and the products all nestled together. I was quite glad to see full sized products in there along with only two smaller bottles.

Within the products came this Nougat London body shimmer, which I struggled to get into due to the lack of a lip around the foil, and it not coming off easily which prompted my fiance to claim it was a sign of shoddy manufacturing.
After stabbing it open with a pen (!) I sampled the product and found it to be the worlds most subtle body glitter. As a moonlighting Burlesque Dancer it fell a bit flat for me but it would be perfect for a small child with the words "fairy goo".
The chocolate is a lovely touch, and Lindor is a good brand too, it's just a shame that I'm vegan and can't actually eat milk chocolate. Maybe dietary requirements should be an additional questionnaire field, but Edd was happy for the treat.
These backcombing brushes are also rather useful tools, and although I have one already, it was nice to have a tool included into the mix.

Yes these may look like hotel samples, but more those cute boutiquey hotels that are on the quirkier side but also big on luxury. 
My hair did feel lovely and soft, and the conditioner was quite easy to distribute rather than most who tend to sit in one area and ignore others. 
I was also pleased to see it contained no Lanolin which is the gross ingredient found in most conditioners that make them non vegan friendly.

Once I pulled out this nail polish I immediately thought how it would look amazing on my fictional dressing table I want in my future home.
I wasn't over joyed with pink, but I whipped it on anyway and now I'm in love with this brand I'd previously never heard of. 
It went on easily and although thin it gave good colour. The thing that surprised me the most was how my first thumb was completely dry to the touch by the time I'd painted the last little finger, and then that the second thumb was also dry to the touch. 
It's super fast drying! It also contains no formaldehyde or chemical ingredients filling most polishes. It's had some slight 'chippage' but no where near what my nails usually suffer and I will be buying this product again! Give them a try at Ciate Nails!
The lipstick was a full sized Maybelline in a nude colour which I did scrunch my face at, I prefer a strong lip, but it looks okay when on so it proved me wrong, as of yet I've still not worn it outdoors.
These two products on their own made the box worth it, the nail polish alone costing £9, but I would have liked a colour choice more suited to my usual make up requirements, and I think having a profile photo of each user in their standard make up styles may help to suit colours, preferences, and styles to the users.


The BirchBox contained a small bag which held the products, and didn't quite instill the same amount of excitement, opening a drawstring rather than the GlossyBox feel of receiving a present (that you paid for...) and the products kinda rolled around in the bottom.

I've used Nail Rock products before and didn't really rate them, but this product just confused me. You paint your nails, and then dab them in glitter? But you can get nail polish with the glitter already in...? Also who really wears glitter nail polish now, as it's just so annoying to take it back off again.
I actually didn't want to test this product, as I didn't want to be battling with millions of cotton pads and a mugs worth of nail polish remover.
The Eyeko liner was the highlight, and featured all over the promo from Birchbox. It seems to be the only felt liner in existence that draws a lovely even line, and means for the first time in my life, I can draw really thin barely there eyeliner!
Now women are running up to me in the street brandishing khols and hoping I can also enrich their life, but without this secret weapon I have to run, but I look great while doing it!

As both companies did the same by putting chocolate in the box, and I can eat dark chocolate, me and Edd both got a little snack out of it, sadly mine was only two bites worth of snack! Bigger bars please!
The "Urban Veda" again surprised me when after using, which I noted didn't make for much of a lather, but had very small exfoliating particles so did give a good scrub, but it left my skin really soft and looking a bit clearer. I may buy this again.

I wasn't sure how I was meant to use this Beauty Protector Hair Oil as it preferred to tell me about softness and shine rather than have on the bottle instructions.
It may have been inside the fliers I didn't read but it was too late by this point.
It's easy enough, just putting a few drops onto your hands and rubbing through damp hair but I didn't expect much to happen. 
I was wrong, my hair was soft and thick, I'm surprised only a few drops could have such an affect and I can get some use out of this tiny bottle and may even buy again.
The Gilchrist and Soames Shower Gel made me do an eye roll due to how average hotel sample it was, and didn't really fill me with any excitement for this product at all.
It had a musky smell, and gave good lather, and soft skin so I would steal the bottle from a hotel, but I wouldn't go out and buy it, it's not exciting enough!

From testing out both, I think the GlossyBox was more fun and interesting for me, grabbing my attention instantly with cute products and polished style.
The BirchBox style didn't seem quite so girly, but upon testing the products I did find I liked the products inside, but I'm not sure I would have really given them as much of a chance if it wasn't for testing them out for this blog.
If you want a girly treat every month, I recommend signing up to GlossyBox, but if you want to discover new ranges and things you would never think to try, go for BirchBox.

Myself, I'm too girly, and am trying out GlossyBox for another month, but not Birchbox, but I'm happy with the products I found via this delivery.

Have you tried out both?
Which was your favourite?
What's been your experience with either company?


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