GlossyBox Subscription Box Review + Coupon – November 2016

ByLiz CadmanNov 11, 2016 | 54 comments

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GlossyBox is a monthly beauty subscription box. They have the best packaging in the business, their products are usually deluxe size or full size, and the value is usually good too.

We've seen MSA readers mention customer service issues they've experienced, so make sure to read comments if you are thinking of subscribing.

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My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

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FYI: GlossyBox sends out multiple variations of the box during some months. So, there may be some variation between what I review and what you receive.

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The Subscription Box: GLOSSYBOX

The Cost: $21 a month (save more with 6-month or annual subscription)

The Products: Deluxe and full-size beauty products.

Check out all of my GlossyBox reviews and the list of the best beauty and makeup subscription boxes!

Ships to: US and Canada

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Each box comes with a fold out card detailing the items included:

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And! We have a sneak peek at the box design for December:

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Now, onto the items!

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Psssst! Instant Dry Shampoo - 1.76 oz (Travel Size) Value $3

This dry shampoo has a nice scent, and I appreciate that it goes on clear - no accidentally giving yourself grey roots!

Lycopene Crema Rinnovante - Size? .5 oz? Value $20?

(There is no size listed on this sample.)

This cream is pretty lightweight and absorbed easily into my skin. It's also paraben-free and uses natural preservatives and fragrances, so that's a plus. (The ingredients aren't listed on the sample, but I found the full list here.)

Borghese Fango Body Refining Polish - .5 oz Value $3

I really liked this scrub! It wasn't too abrasive but still left skin feeling super smooth, too. And it wasn't too oily either - it actually created a bit of a creamy lather when I was massaging it into my skin!

De Bruyere Beaute Jumbo Eye Pencil in Bubble 07 - FULL SIZE! Value $17

This eyeshadow stick goes on creamy and is easy to blend. The color has great pigment and shimmer, too. Here it is swatched:

It was super easy to blend - but definitely use a primer with it if you want it to stay in place!

Palmetto Derma Rejuvenating Antioxidant Mask - 10 ml Value $12.40

FYI - I sampled this before thanks to the October 2015 Boxycharm, and it made my skin red for at least 20 minutes after taking it off. If you have sensitive skin, I recommend skipping this sample. (Or doing a small patch test before using it.)

Verdict: This box has a value of about $55. There are plenty of items I will use in this box, but aside from the scrub, nothing I'm overly excited about. (Which might just be me - I get a LOT of subscription boxes.) One thing about GlossyBox is that they often send international brands, so it's a great box if you like trying out new lines you've never seen before. However, sometimes I miss that brand recognition of awesome full-size product I already know I will love.

What do you think of the November 2016 GlossyBox? Which items did you receive?

Starting at $21.00

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GlossyBox

3.3 overall rating

481 Ratings | 117 Reviews

GlossyBox is a beauty subscription service box that allows customers to sample products monthly. Sampling lets the subscriber fall in love with new products and become life-long brand advocates. Each box is filled with five makeup, hair and skin care products from top brands.

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Posted in Beauty Subscription Boxes, Makeup Subscription Boxes, Subscription Box Reviews, Subscription Boxes for Women

Liz Cadman

Liz is the founder of My Subscription Addiction. She's been hooked on subscription boxes since 2011 thanks to Birchbox, and she now subscribes to over 100 boxes. Her favorites include POPSUGAR Must Have, FabFitFun, and any box that features natural beauty products!

Read More By Liz Cadman >

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54 comments

Shana

Ingredient list for eye shadow stick please???????? I got the cleansing oil box variation. Will love this box If I can use this shadow

Did anyone else’s Biossance wipes have gross sticky glue all over it? The plastic re-closable top looked like it was stuck on with glue that melted and the glue got all over the other samples in the box. Even after trying to wash the wipes package, it will still so sticky (not to mention the re-closable part fell off), that I had to throw the entire thing away. Pretty disappointed this month. The wipes were the only item I was actually looking forward to since I use makeup remover wipes every day. Pretty much everything else is going on the swap site.

Jaclyn

I received my box today and am so happy with it. I received:

– Lycopene cream
– De Bruyere shadow stick in Bubble
– Grapefruit Detox Shampoo
– Palmetto mask
– Biossance cleansing oil

I originally wanted the Borghese (Glossybox introduced me to the brand and I love it), but am glad I received the cleansing oil instead. It’s full size!

Vicki

I got a Rhianna roll-on cologne instead of the Fango. I like it.

Vicki

Not Fango, Borghese.

Carol

Vicki, Borghese makes Fango. The green/brown clay mask is awesome.

Adrianne

I actually was excited to get the psst! Dry shampoo because I’ve always wanted to try it. I was praying the I didn’t end up with another red lip stick, Gerard Cosmetics or not, because I’m so tired of red lipsticks! I don’t wear them ever. But I ended up with the Rihanna perfume and I was pleasantly surprised! It actually smells pretty nice and the wear time is amazing. I still smell it on my wrists 6 hours later. Can’t say much about the eyeshadow stick though, I feel like the initial application is nice and then it wears away with the oil on your eyelids.

Jenn

Well this is my first box since grabbing the $50 off deal and, yeah, I’m already disappointed. Agh. Hopefully it picks up a bit in the next few months. From the boxes I’ve gotten in the past, I’ve been overall satisfied with what they send out if my price point is at the $13.50 range vs $21. Other than the cheap-o hairspray, this box isn’t great but isn’t terrible either. I agree with the others that these $2 items don’t belong in a $21 box. I think they must be throwing them in just to meet the claims of having some full size items?

Michelle

Won’t get my box until tomorrow but if this is the one I get then I am done. Not real thrilled with what they have been sending the last couple of boxes. For $21 I can get 2 others that I’ve seen on here and want to try.

Maurie ONeal

I will be mad if this is my November box.. those are none of the spoilers.. the two face scrubs are great but I already have them… now they are doing TWO holiday boxes? Good thing I was lacking 100 points.

Carla

I too just finished my yearlong sub to GlossyBox and am glad to be done.

GlossyBox’s downfall in quality is a very good example of why one shouldn’t commit to a sub box for more than a few months at a time. You never know when the quality is going to go completely downhill or when the sub will change the “rules” mid year, as what happened with Birchbox’s points program.

Rebecca

I agree; when I got that horrendous July box after getting a pretty bad June box (I still maintain that $2 Sinful polish has no place in a $21 beauty box), I would have jumped ship but couldn’t. However, to be fair to Birchbox, at least they were willing to refund subs when they did that. Their T&C would have justified their not giving refunds. They did try to talk me out of it, especially as I am an Ace (though not for much longer), but that’s their job. I left when they changed the points system, but my experience was that their customer service was always excellent. I can almost guarantee that Glossybox would not have given refunds if it were in Birchbox’s shoes, so to speak.

katie

I liked my box this month. I got Grapefruit Detox shampoo instead of the PSSSSST dry shampoo and Biossance cleansing oil instead of the Borghese (got the Borghese before and did like it). I love GlossyBox.

Dea

The Borghese polish is awesome, and smells like a spa experience.

As for the mask, I was surprised by the comment “The mask is made with natural ingredients, so I don’t think there’s anything bad about the formula”. Natural doesn’t automatically mean good, just like man-made doesn’t necessarily mean bad. Arsenic and strychnine are natural. Most sensitivity reactions are caused by natural products (eggs, shellfish, peanuts, pollen, etc.)

Liz Cadman

Thanks for the feedback, Dea. I’m going to update that part of the review as I don’t want to mislead anyone. Thank you!

Dea

You’re both awesome!

homesweetgliese

That comment bothered me too. Yes, by far, most allergic reactions are caused by plant/animal derived ingredients. That said, the redness isn’t even caused by an allergic reaction. This mask is a chemical peel. If you go to a spa and get a chemical peel, your face is going to turn red. Same goes for when you use a milder version at home. It’s just what peels do (to most people). It’s right there in the ingredient list: glycolic acid and lactic acid. The product instructions warn the user about redness and tingling, and possible photosensitivity (i.e. wear sunscreen). This info is all easily understood and readily available.

Betsy Wetsy

Make up remover wipes? Really? Wow just wow…. AND didn’t even get the rollerball perfume either….. My box didn’t even have 5 items.

JSP

Just finished my 1 year, super cheap Gilt City Glossybox sub…and am more than fine to be done with them. You would think that with many people likely having just finished their yearlong “deal” subs, they would try to send out a “good” box this month to entice people back…but no. Psssst…really? LOL. Oh well…I have too many subs now anyway, so good riddance to Glossy and their many many customer service issues.

Jen

Eww!! That Psssst brand is at Krogers and it’s like all the super cheap stuff, equivalent to Equate from Walmart. I can’t believe they included a brand like that.

Luna

I guess this is proof that Liz/MSA doesn’t always receive the highest value box.

Jen

I just looked and maybe it’s not the same brand because the packaging looks different. But they are both “Pssst”?

Amanda P

It’s the same, I have seen that packaging. It’s either thier old packaging or regional (I bought it on the West coast a few years ago).

Valerie

i never get the same things reviewed, i’m glad this month cuz i really hate dry shampoo!

Toni

I’m sorry (not sorry) but for 21.00 this box sucks .I expect more from a box than this .For 10.00 a month I get way more from ipsy.For 12.00 a month I get a really nice box from beauty box 5.So for 21.00 I expect way more

Luna

I saw the warning on the mask “may leave skin with temporary redness”. That makes me hesitate a little. I think I remember reading reviews of another Palmetto mask (or it could have been the same one) that came in a tub earlier this year in a different box, and all of the reviewers/commenters were saying how that mask left their faces really red afterward and/or it stung pretty bad. Of course, I’m still going to try it (ha!), but with a light touch and staying next to my sink in case I need to rinse it off right away. :O

Kathy

Do you guys mean the rejuvenating antioxidant mask from Palmetto Derma? I got that in my LaRitzy box from before they switched to just sending items from their makeup brand. Contrary to seemingly everyone else, I never had a problem with the mask! It stung my cheeks a bit but that was it. It didn’t really help my skin either though.

sara

Oh man I tried a face mask from Memebox a loooong time ago. It started out fine, then got warm, then warmer, then hot, then super hot and then felt like hellfire on my face, I couldn’t get it off fast enough. I was trying to google it to see if anyone else had the same reaction, no one did lol. It just didn’t mix with my skin for some reason.

Luna

Do you happen to remember which mask it was? Even a vague description will suffice. 🙂 I have many masks from Memebox (in all forms) that are waiting to get used, and now I’m wondering if I have the one you mentioned!

Lindsey

I have sensitive skin, and I tried the palmetto mask, kept it on for about half an hour. It burns a little at first, like a minor sunburn, but that dissipates quickly. My face wasn’t too red, but definitely suited for use in evening. I really liked it. Overall, I didn’t like this month’s box, but the product was a nice find. Anyway, I think you’ll be fine. You can always try it on your hand first, if you’re worried

Luna

I’m not too worried…. the skin on my face is fortunately very tolerant of many different products… although that’s not a bad idea to test it on my hand first.

I just thought that it was interesting how they made that redness claim. I don’t remember ever seeing a product with a warning cautioning that it could leave temporary redness on your face. When I read that, I was thinking… wow, this mask is pretty potent for them to warn users like that.

Mel P

I got the Palmetto mask in my ipsy bag. It did warn of redness and they suggested using it at night.

homesweetgliese

There’s nothing dangerous about the mask. I remember reading all those comments too. People were overreacting, probably because they’d never had a chemical peel before plus they likely didn’t read the instructions. Redness and tingling is totally normal for chemical peels.

Blondie

Yes, it did come in a black tub earlier in the year. I swapped for it and loved it so much that I got another one! Great quality ingredients! It does make my face a little red, esp if I don’t wash it off right when I’m supposed to. But I use a good moisturizer and always use in the evening.

Jenn

There was a bee venom mask that came in a tub from Birchbox that a lot of people said it stung and made their face really red. I got that sample but when I read what everyone was saying about it, I tossed it.

Alice

Just got mine as well. I would have loved the dry shampoo but I always get regular shampoos instead – just my luck lol!

My variation: detox shampoo in place of dry shampoo
Gerard lip pencil in place of scrub

Happy with everything (esp since I got the scrub before) – I like that the pencil is a soft purple, I own nothing like it (I received “ecstasy”), the shadow is pretty though I admit I’m starting to hit eyeshadow stick overload, and I always love a moisturizer, especially a decent enough size to get good use out of. The mask will be swapped or gifted – it worked well the first time I used it, but the second time I got a chemical burn. That thing is potent (effective if it works on you!), proceed with caution

Marion

I also got this lip pencil/detox shampoo variant. My shadow stick was the same shade as Liz’s.

I rarely am interested in the lip products subs send out, but I really did like the looks of that liquid lipstick from the spoiler post. Of course the one time I actually want it, I don’t get it! XD

Bonny

I noticed that. I thought it was a poor choice to send a free sample.

Kathy

Tried to use the coupon code posted for an annual subscription.
My 3 month sub ran out this month [Nov]
Site wouldn’t take it
“Sorry, your voucher code BEAUTY12 is not valid for this product. Please select the correct product.”

Liz Cadman

Hm, I just tried it again to double check and it is still working for me. Maybe try it from a brand new account instead of renewing?

Hope that helps!

Jaclyn

My box is supposed to arrive next Tuesday. I hope to receive the scrub and shadow stick. I really don’t want the dry shampoo. I won’t use it and it’s a product I have trouble unloading on friends.

Jackie

This box seems really light this month. Usually Glossybox does a better job of sending at least 2 items that seem “worth it” but everything in here is very boring to me.

Donna h

Did you notice that the Lycopene cream says “sample not for sale”? I was annoyed at that as I am paying for something that is free to everyone/anyone. Not a great box and will be cancelling very soon.

Rebecca

I noticed that on a mini version of a product that I ordered from Birchbox once. Meaning I actually paid for it, not received in a box. I contacted the company (not Birchbox but the product’s company) to ask if it was cool, and they basically said that they are authorized to do that. Of course both the company and I were all nice about it, but it did disturb me a little at first that I paid for a product that said “sample not for sale”.

Rebecca

It might be important to mention that the full size product that I bought costs over $100. The sample size that I bought was maybe $20, as it wasn’t a foil packet. It was a good sized sample of night cream that actually lasted me a couple of months.

Alice

That’s how all sample boxes work. You’re paying for the curation rather than the sale of products (which is the loophole of how these sub boxes are legally able to do this)

Tbh if you spend hours a day emailing and pay for shipping, you can get as many samples as you want. The benefit of subs is trying out products you didn’t know you wanted plus the occasional perk of a full size product.

Colleen

I received that scrub a couple months ago in my Glossybox and LOVED it!!! This is my first month post breakup with Glossy. Oddly enough, that scrub is the only thing I would’ve been excited about in Novembers box. Thank goodness I should be able to trade for one (or 3) of them. ? I do miss the pretty boxes, I use both the box and the lids to organize product in my drawers. They’re fantastic!

Bonny

I didn’t receive the scrub, and can’t remember what I received in its place. I was not thrilled with this one.

Jenn

I got a rollerball of Crush by Rhianna. I could have done without that!

Emily

I got a rollerball perfume instead. Not at all happy with this box.

Alice

Gah! I wanted the rollerball lol. I’m actually dangerously low on perfume. Not sure how the heck that happened haha!

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GlossyBox Subscription Box Review + Coupon – November 2016

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