One of the questions that I am asked a lot by friends and fellow bloggers is which subscription box is the one. The one worth having, the one worth the money, the one which constantly surprises you, the one which has the best products and one which goes that extra mile.
We are blessed here in the UK that there are subscription boxes for beauty, nails, books, food, drink, perfume, dogs, cats, babies, children, flowers, tea, coffee and there are even boxes for that time of the month! I think they make a great gift for people as an alternative birthday, anniversary and Christmas present. I have tried quite a few in my time and have a huge list of those I am yet to try.
Glossybox costs as little as £8.50 per month depending upon the subscription you decide upon (here). - GlossyBox have a minimum box value of £33 which includes at least five products a month. Brands include Caudalie, Decleor, Cowshed, DHC, Essence, GOSH, Givenchy and Jurlique to name a few. So you get a nice mixture of high end v highstreet.
Glossybox costs as little as £8.50 per month depending upon the subscription you decide upon (here). - GlossyBox have a minimum box value of £33 which includes at least five products a month. Brands include Caudalie, Decleor, Cowshed, DHC, Essence, GOSH, Givenchy and Jurlique to name a few. So you get a nice mixture of high end v highstreet.
Birchbox - costs as little as £10 per month (here) and has 1million subscribers worldwide which is quite incredible. Each month a box of four to five products will arrive to your door and you can expect to find brands such as Aromatherapy Associates, Balance Me, Balmi, Crabtree & Evelyn, Egyptian Magic and Illamasqua again to name just a few.
You Beauty - From £6.95 a month (here) and is the one I am still subscribed too. What I love about this box is that you get to choose the products you want as opposed to them being totally unknown until you open the box. Depending upon your subscription you are able to choose 2,3 or 4 products from a shortlist and there will always be a few treats within the box. I find this box really good value for money and you can expect to find brands such as Nuxe, Caudalie, Mandara Spa, Aromatherapy Associates, Foreo, Philosophy, NIP+FAB and St Tropez to name a few.
Latest in Beauty - from £8.99 (here). With LIB there are quite a few options. You can either build your own box with 3,6 or 9 products from a short list and your box will then be sent to you. The Collection aspect for LIB can cost anything from £15+ and they are put together with a theme, you might have had a box from Jane from British Beauty Blogger or you might have had the Sleep Box which sold out really quickly or The GQ Grooming Power Pack which my husband had and reviewed here. For me, the collections are well worth keeping an eye out for because there are some amazing deals to be had.
LookFantastic - Costs as little as £11.25 a month depending upon your subscription (here). With Look Fantastic you get to decide whether you want a 1,3,6 or 12 month subscription sign up and everything else is done for you. Within your box, you are likely to find some big brand names such as Murad, Mio, Bliss, Lord & Berry and Bare Minerals.
Dollibox: £10 a month (here). This is very similar to the original beauty box services, but with slightly more unusual brands great for discovering little-known gems and from my experiences so far, the products have been mostly full-size. There is the option to complete your beauty profile online so you get products that are better suited to your taste and style.
Cohorted - £35 a month (here). When these boxes first came out it was a scramble to get one because they were limited in numbers. Now they are still popular and contains some amazing high-end beauty products. So in the box you might find The Balm, Chanel, Bobbi Brown, NARS, Dior and Lancome to name a few. Cohorted also have some limited edition boxes from time to time which are also worth looking out for.
NailBox - £15 a month (here). Nail Box was the first subscription service in the UK to deliver polishes from the brands mani-pedi addicts know and love. Each month if you are lucky enough to get one because they sell out so quick, you will get a box packed full of nail products. Each nailbox contains five items (including three or four nail polishes and one or two nail tools or treatments) and you can expect to find brands such as CND, Essie, Elegant Touch, OPI and Rimmel to name a few.
The Perfume Society - £15 a month (here). Ideal for those who prefer perfume to beauty or those just looking to find a new scent. The Perfume Society boxes bring you a range of sample fragrances with accompanying smelling notes for each. In the boxes you can expect to find brands such as Elie Saab, Moschino, Bvlgari, Miller Harris, Juicy Couture, Hugo Boss and Penhaligons to name but a few. There is also sometimes a complimentary item such as a hand cream
Those are just some of the boxes I have tried but there is a whole lot more such as - Nourish Beauty Box, A Little Bit Lavish, Pamper Me Box, The Libbie Club, My Little Box, Tili Box from QVC, Lovelula, Love Me Beauty, Look Incredible, So Susan, Moi-Meme, Powder Drawer, Little Known Box and K Beauty. All of which are available here in the UK to subscribe too.
So if you are looking for a gift this Christmas that is a little bit different and gifts that little bit more, then a subscription to a beauty box might just be that very gift!
*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise