Battle of the Beauty Boxes: Glossybox | Birchbox | Look Fantastic

Month after month my most read post is “Birchbox Vs. Glossybox Vs. Latest In Beauty – Which is Best?” and it’s also one of my oldest, so I thought it was high time I updated it.

The first big difference between my original post and this one, is I’ve swapped out Latest in Beauty for Look Fantastic.  Please correct me if I’m wrong but I feel Latest in Beauty has fallen from its once pedestal since the arrival of stronger and better competition.  Look Fantastic has firmly cemented itself as a box dominating the market and is certainly vying for that coveted “best beauty box” title.

Instead of going through the contents of each box product by product, I’m going to write a brief overview of each, touching on packaging, contents and value for money, before coming to a final decision who gets crowned “best beauty box”!  The reason for this is these are all last month’s (August) boxes, so discussing if the products are fabulous or not, will most likely have no relevance if you’re thinking of signing up for September’s box.  Secondly, there are an array of great blogs and websites out there which already do that, such as All Subscription Boxes, where I use to be a contributor and I know how comprehensive their reviews are so would happily recommend them as a great resource.

Glossybox

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Packaging 

Glossybox tends to keep their packaging boxes the same month after month.  Thankfully they are very pretty and make for adorable storage boxes.  If you’re a true girly girl this powder pink box is impossible to resist!

Contents

Glossybox has managed to stand the test of time and August’s box marked their impressive 5 year anniversary.  I tend to find they specialise in more interesting products, so don’t expect purely beauty in a Glossybox!  Most months include some sort of beauty tool such as a makeup brush, beauty sponge or detangling hairbrush.  This makes Glossybox far more unique in its contents than some its counterparts.

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On the flip, I side I feel their brands are less high end or well known.  Brands they work with include Hawaiian Tropics, Revlon, Aussie Hair and MUA.

I thought the addition of the adorable canvas makeup bag in August’s box was lovely.  However, it is worth noting the inclusion of it was at the cost of another product, whereas Birchbox always provides a small cosmetic pouch as an added extra and not as an alternative.

Value for Money

Glossybox has a fairly comprehensive offering of subscriptions, ranging from 1 month to 12 months and the longer you sign up for the less you pay per box.  Glossybox and Birchbox cost the exact same on a month per month basis but do vary slightly by a couple of pounds if you opt for a longer time period.

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Birchbox

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Packaging

The August Birchbox box is a classic example of what they do best.  Each month Birchbox has a different theme and always comes up with something unique and surprising.  In August Birchbox had a serious makeover and became a Birchbag!  The Birchbag, was made out of scuba material and followed its theme, “Dive In”, to a T.  It’s fun quirks like these that keep Birchbox fan hooked.

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Contents

Birchbox is a big player in the beauty box market so they certainly have access to some of the best and higher end brands.  You can expect the likes on Caudalie, Laura Mercier, Rituals and Beauty Blender to name but a few.  Contents vary across the box from makeup, skincare, haircare and bodycare, so there’s a wide variety.

The thing I like the most about Birchbox is the, “a little extra”.  This usually is more lifestyle related than beauty and can range from an exert from a book to yummy snacks or generous discount codes.

Value for Money

Birchbox has 3 offerings, a monthly, half annually or yearly option.  Personally, I don’t think the financial benefit of signing up to the 6 months subscription is at all worth it.  All you get is free shipping on your first box, saving yourself £2.95.  If you opt for the annual option, it comes to £100 (plus p&p) which means you receive the equivalent of two free boxes.

The one great plus about Birchbox is you can really tailor your boxes when you initially sign up, as there’s a detailed questionnaire which gives you the option to prioritise or opt out of certain product types.  At least if you do splurge on a whole year you’re safer in the knowledge that you’re more likely to receive products suited to you.

Look Fantastic

Packaging

There isn’t a huge amount to say about the Look Fantastic boxes, other then they are very big!  Much bigger then Glossybox or Birchbox.  Depending on your outlook, it’s either a good thing because you can store far more in them or a total waste of packaging as the products are often swimming in all that space.

Contents

Look Fantastic is unlike other beauty subscription services as it began as an online beauty boutique before launching a beauty box.  It’s definitely evident being a leader in the online beauty market provides them access to the pick of the crop in terms of contents for their boxes.  The brands included are always strong, samples sizes are generous and you get a bigger selection of products.

My experience with Look Fantastic is it’s a skincare based box.  Personally, I’m a big fan of that, I prefer to receive that over makeup, as I nearly always get the wrong shade or a colour I would NEVER wear!  Also, it’s great to get the opportunity to road test skincare for a week or so before splurging on the full size.

Not every month but on some months they also throw in an Elle magazine which I think is a huge bonus and if I’m honest one of my favourite features about Look Fantastic.

Value for Money

With Look Fantastic’s boxes you do pay extra for the quality and quantity.  Boxes are £15 on a monthly subscription basis and like the other two boxes, the individual cost decreases the more months you commit to.  Although, unlike the other two boxes, the savings are much more considerable and worthwhile.

Conclusion

When I did this post two years ago I struggled to pick an overall winner and there was a neck and neck tie (click HERE to find out who it was between).  This time around I have no doubt who’s top in the battle of the beauty boxes.  They win by a mile based on the quality of their brands, the quantity products and the generous sample sizes.  The crown, without a shadow of a doubt, goes to Look Fantastic.

Let me know which is your favourite beauty box is and why.  I would definitely be interested to hear about some more unusual ones, after all the world of beauty box subscriptions is a vast one and I’m sure there are loads out there I’ve never heard of!