Escape Monthly Subscription Box Review – November 2014

I just wanted to add my two scents for Escape: when they had their Paris box, I signed up for the regular subscription and the mini subscription, and I also purchased their anniversary box. I got the anniversary box first, and was SOOOOOO happy! It was a really fantiastic box in my opinion. The Paris box was a little bit of a letdown, especially cause I didn’t love the lotion, and I hated the Puerto Rico box (and remember, I got the regular AND mini of both!). I cancelled, but since I liked the anniversary box so much, I decided I’d only go for their special ones. So, I bought the winter special edition, and I ended up really liking it. It came with a mustard, though, and mine was broken (thankfully it didn’t ruin anything else in the box). I emailed customer service, and they got right back to me. Instead of just sending me a replacement mustard, though, they sent me the FULL December Europe box! I was very impressed. So, I think I’ll continue to stick with them just for the special boxes.

Did you see what was in the December Europe box? Holy crap — it was terrible!! I’m SO glad I canceled my subscription.

I also got the December box as my first box. I bought a discount voucher for either $20 or $25 and I wanted the France box, but by the time I redeemed it, the France box was sold out. The customer service told me I can wait until I see the destination I am interested in (within the expiration of my voucher). So I tried this box and it was not bad. I got the angel ornament which is cute and on my tree. I am fine with the products are chosen heavily on food items. I will use them all. I thought the madeleines were priced a little high ($10). I am most excited about mulled wine spices! I spent Christmas in Germany and France and it reminded me of the holiday markets where I had the mulled wines and walked around. But based on Liz’s review in the past (thank you!), I immediately cancelled even though they offered me 30% discount. I wish this subscription offers “skip” option for the destinations you are not interested because it is too much of a risk for the price point in my opinion. Also, I didn’t get a note on next destination… anyone got it?

Holy Moly! I just got my Dec box, so I hope a lot of you hadn’t quit yet! This one blew the past boxes out of the water!! Wow!! Loving this European Christmas box! Liz, did you get it? I’m thinking a review of this one will probably have some redemption value for them. I’m so glad I didn’t give up on them. Even the book (which I normally complain about) is one I’m actually looking forward to reading. I’m a huge Christmas lover, and I love learning about Christmas traditions around the world. I plan on busting out with a lot of these goodies at our annual Christmas Eve Eve party, especially the mulling spices. They smell divine! Looks like full size products mostly too. I’m very, very happy with this box. If I cutie change one thing, I would’ve added more non-edibles. But the book is awesome and the ornament is beautiful.

Oh no that’s too bad. I was going to subscribe to this box on the 1st. I’m so glad to be finding all of this out before I bought something I wouldnt have liked at all.

(Since my name, Nicole, is so common I will be using the new name in my blog posts so I’m not confused with another. I’ll now be, Demure).

A few have mentioned that they have been happy with their individual experiences with customer service but I disagree. I was esp pretty unhappy after my experience with the Paris box. I got two shower washes instead of a scrub and a wash as stated in the brochure. I emailed immediately and was told there wasn’t supposed to be any scrub in the box. Then I see other online reviews showing a scrub and a body wash. Annoyed, I emailed again and got an apology this time, that that was her misunderstanding, and was told the Nuxe scrub would be sent. I waited a week or so, and nothing arrived, so I emailed again and was told they are now out of the scrub, but they got another scrub in and could send that. I stupidly said okay without asking what it was. I was super annoyed when I received the same scrub that I’d already gotten in the Las Vegas box.

The oils in the London box leaked a ton in their bags, and I just tossed them. I couldn’t be bothered to ask for a replacement.

My first box was the Paris box, loved it! The Anniversary box was great too! Puerto Rico box sucked, the the London one was okay. Then we get this one. Can’t decide which was worst, the PR one or this.
I love the idea of this box! It really has so much potential. The guide books as part of the value of the box have always been a turn off for me though. I’d rather have a voucher discount code if we wanted to buy a guidebook. I’ve written them with that advice as well. It would be so much more fun to get a music cd, book, or movie that takes place in the featured locale.
This last box just didn’t have much in it. I don’t think we’d complain about the free lei had their been a bag of Kona coffee in there! I can’t believe there wasn’t any?!
As far as customer service, Rebecca has been super nice and helpful to me, each and every time. I had an item missing in last month’s box so they sent me double of it and about half the London box! So I think they went above and beyond to fix the problem.
I’m still hanging in there, for as long as my LS and Rue La La deals I bought continue. And I ordered their Christmas bonus box (yeah, no book!!). So I hope they are listening to their feedback and suggestions given. It could be an awesome box. Please let it be awesome! Come on Escape Monthly!! You can do this!!

Thanks, everyone! I’ve been hesitant to, and did not want to, but you’ve convinced me to cancel! Now, to find out how…

I cancelled over the summer. I had thought long and hard about getting this box. (I love to travel but due to monetary constraints I haven’t been able to for a while and thought this would be great) I watched many videos and read many blogs before subscribing. I especially loved the actual items or souviniers they’d send from the locations. Then when I actually subscribed it began turning into just another beauty box. The souviniers from the locations were cheap and tacky. I’d have rather had a $10+ item that only came from that destination than a $40 lotion that I could get in any high end store or boutique here.
I don’t wear make up or have a beauty regimen so this over priced beauty box wasn’t for me. 🙁
And I think I made the right decision seeing as with all the places to visit in the world they are already repeating after only a year or so.

First, I am not the Rebecca from Escape.

I do not subscribe to this box but I just want to use this as an opportunity to wonder what is happening with some of these subscription boxes. I just received my latest Fancy Box, my subscription is the original box, not one of the celebrity curated ones.

Every single item this month I have received from past Fancy Boxes. These items appear to be leftovers from past boxes. And, these are not the coveted items, but the undesirables and fillers.

I regard this as very disrespectful of Fancy to a loyal and long time customer, I am extremely unhappy. I subscribed to be surprised with cool and NEW items each month.

I lived in Hawaii for three years. Besides the macadamia nut chocolate candies, I never saw or used the other (bath and body) products…

This box just made me angry. I got the $25 deal, and I don’t even feel it was worth that. The snacks were good, but I feel like they just threw in some hotel toiletries and a 99 cent necklace and called it a day. I thought we were getting a full size moisturizer, but this was like a deluxe size sample. Blah.
I’ve been so let down by sub boxes lately! What is going on? I am sticking to MSA and Birchbox from now on. lol 🙂

Even if you forget thetha value, forget the problems and just look at the products I still hate this box. I hated the flavor of both the snacks and just threw them out. I didn’t like the honey face products either. They seemed too sticky to me. I haven’t tried the shampoo yet but I feel like the conditioner is missing. I also haven’t tried the bath crystals yet but overall this was not a wow box at all. I am really disappointed. If I was in Hawaii I would not have purchased any of these things.

I cancelled after the London box. It used to be a great box. Not so much anymore.

I forgot to add:

The Honey Girl showed up in the Best of Box. There is no way that is 1.7 ounces. I spent a few minutes researching on the internet and think it is part of their gift set which means it is probably around .5 ounces. I see that Jennifer V weighed the cream already and it doesn’t match what Escape Monthly is stating.

The label does not match the label on the website. I clicked on the link and went through some of the product line. The ounces are always listed on the left and the name is on the right. The regular size is clearly labeled 1.7 ounces.

Escape Monthly was one of my first subs. My family and I enjoyed opening the boxes and using the products. I always received excellent customer service from Rebecca.

I did cancel the sub back a few months ago. The last few boxes don’t compare to the boxes in the past. I don’t know what happened, but it has changed. I do hope they bounced back because we did enjoy the sub a lot.

Liz – It is your blog and you are dissatisfied. Don’t do anymore reviews.

This box really made me mad. It is not near the value of what I paid and it is just a bunch of free samples and hotel sized shampoo and lotion. I would have cancelled and still may do so, but I am interested in the Europe box, but then again I am afraid. I really liked the Paris box, but the Puerto Rico box was horrible. I agree that people should just skip this subscription. It is getting worse and worse and there is no consistency.

I subbed to the regular and mini boxes for Paris, and then ended up getting Puerto Rico for both since I forgot to cancel… I was less than enthused about Paris, and just was “eh” about the PR box, so I’m glad I ended my sub. BUT, their anniversary box was my favorite box ever (!!) (Although, the Hawaii eye cream was in that, too), so I decided to get the Christmas box they advertised. Hopefully I’ll enjoy it just as much. But even if there are repeat items, I’m at least expecting them to be the most-liked products, so it won’t be that bad.

Liz i cancelled. I was very disappointed in this box for many of the same reasons as those listed here. I actually had gone down to the mini sub box as the past few months weren’t worth the 39.99 price tag, however the mini contained all of the same stuff as the full size excluding the honey girl from last years box and the macadamia nut cluster things. I called them immediately because the value just was not there even at the re-projected 85 dollars- i was sent the full size box – which did not make me happy and offer 50% off of the December box. I declined . My reasons were because 1. escape advised me that the box value was over 90 dollars- so i expected more that what was received and 2. the justification was that several(people) requested that these be put in the box again. Serious?
Oh and i went to honey girls website they have the 1.75 oz listed at 33.00 however it is obviously much bigger than the travel size we received- the travel size is featured in a travel package for 26.00. So sorry for long post but i thought i would advise i checked out the pricing on some of this and either way box was not the amount promised either time and well we were definitely misled.

I am really glad that I didn’t subscribe to this box for the getaway to Hawaii. The pineapple soap sounds great, as does the bath salts, but from the way this company has misled its customers about the value of products and the host of other problems that seem to be ongoing, I think I will look around for a subscription that provides bath and body products with a reputation for customer service. Any suggestions? And as to the question of whether to subscribe for another month, I agree with the other respondents here. Even negative publicity is publicity so it’s just better to spend your money on a box you actually enjoy and which has honest and trustworthy business practices.

Liz, you’re so kind but I’m on team cancel.

I want to LOVE this box but was super disappointed this month. I’m going to give it one more month……

Wow, as someone who is from Hawaii and has family (my Mom, siblings…) still living in Hawaii – the value on that shell lei is an insult. As stated above, those get handed out for free at stores, churches, etc. lol.

Yikes, lying to customers and trying to cover up their mistakes instead of just being forthright is never a good sign. I won’t be surprised when this box goes out of business in the next few months.

There are so many things wrong with this box and this company. I would say best not to continue with next month and promote a company you don’t believe in.

For those looking for a true Hawaiian subscription box, check out Makana Box. They send true “created in Hawaii” products and none of this tourist trap crap. 🙂