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GlossyBox Subscription Review – July 2019

Megan K.
ByMegan K.Jul 15, 2019 | 35 comments

Glossy Box July 2019 beauty box subscription review

GlossyBox
3.3 overall rating
480 Ratings | 116 Reviews

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

open pale pink box with black ribbon

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

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.

all of the items inside the box this month

About this Box

The Subscription Box: GLOSSYBOX

The Cost: $21 a month. Save with longer subscriptions.

The Products: Deluxe and full-size beauty products.

Ships to: US and Canada

GlossyBox July 2019 Review

 

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

 

Also included were two promo cards for Naked Wines, and Hello Fresh.

 

Leighton Denny Miracle Mist, 75 ml - Full Size! Retail Value $15.03 USD/£12 (currently sold out)

I don't see myself using this much since I get my nails done pretty often. I am actually really bad at painting them myself. I think I might pass this on to a friend who is way into nail art. I can only imagine how speeding up the drying process for some of her more intricate designs might be helpful!

 

Oryza Beauty Lipstick in 'Japonica', 3.8 g - Full Size! Retail Value $22.50

So I knew this color wasn't ideal for me as soon as I opened it. I still put it on and displayed my look to Marne, resident lipstick goddess. Her response was simply "No." Ouch. This is a rather orange nude shade with a warmth that I cannot make work. The formula itself is creamy, and feels nice, but I think this color should probably be reserved for someone else.

lipstick swatch on megans arm

Far too warm!

 

Luscious Camera Powder, 5.5 g - Full Size! Retail Value $29.00

This power gives a nice blur finish, but I will admit that I can see some of the white pigment if I apply it with a heavy hand. This works really well for my fair skin, but I wonder if someone with a warmer or darker tone would find it as beneficial. I think the camera-inspired packaging is really cute!

 

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist, 15 ml - Estimated Value $6.30 (Buy a full size 200 ml for $59.00)

I thought this bottle would be a little bigger, but I am still very excited about it. I adore this brand and I already have the full size of this mist which I use religiously before applying more expensive serums at night. This little glass bottle is perfect for my weekender bag or purse. This mist is very hydrating and smells of pure roses.

 

Afterspa Makeup Remover - Mini Size! Retail value $4.00 (On sale for $2.30)

Finally, our last item is a reusable makeup remover cloth. I have a few of these and they work really well with just water! This little mini one is great for stashing to use later on a trip or in the guest bathroom.

Verdict: GlossyBox has a value of $76.83, which is good for this $21 box. Though the lipstick was pretty bad on me and I won't use the nail drying spray (both together do subtract a big chunk of that value) I did enjoy the other items. I still wish the rose mist was larger because I love it so much! I am still happy it was a sample this month. The setting powder has a great finish on me, and I really enjoy having another makeup remover cloth.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes! If you sign up in the month of July, this should be your first box!

Value Breakdown: At $21.00 for this box, here’s what you are paying approximately per item:

  • Leighton Denny Nail Drying Spray $4.11
  • Oryza Lipstick $6.15
  • Luscious Cosmetics Powder $7.93
  • Jurlique Rose Mist $1.72
  • Afterspa Cloth $1.09

Alternatively, each item in this box has an average cost of $4.20.

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

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What's your favorite item from this month's GlossyBox

Starting at $21.00
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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.

Megan K.
Megan K.
I love natural/vegan beauty products, Korean skincare, unique jewelry, and weird candies from far away places. When I am not waiting for my next exciting box you can find me painting or taking photographs of interesting people. I never leave home without pug hair somewhere on my shirt and a bold lipstick on my smile.

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35 comments

Angela

So I am on a low income and wanted to treat myself to one of these boxes for a while to see if they were good value. Through a promo link on FB Messenger I won a free Holiday Box with a purchase so was really excited to order one month with one box free for just $21. I signed up July 24th. The box arrived reasonably quickly but without the free Holiday box. I chased this up asking for a tracking number NUMEROUS times and every reply failed to provide tracking before I was eventually offered a $10 credit as the box hadn’t shipped, I declined this as this holiday box boasted 5-6 full sized products worth like $100 (allegedly). While continuing to chase further this missing box I was charged a further $21 for an August box!? I signed up for ONE month, the month of July. I was told pretty much this was tough luck as I hadn’t cancelled my ONE month subscription by July 14th. I signed up on JULY 24TH so basically was not able to cancel by that logic meaning they falsely advertise a ONE month box knowing they are going to charge you further. I am STILLLLL waiting for the free holiday box, I STILLLLLL have no tracking number and they are REFUSING to cancel and refund the August box because I could not time travel back to before I was a customer to cancel my future order. The july box was also hugely disappointing and not even worth $21. I cannot comment on the holiday box as I STILL dont have it and see no sign of getting it either. Throughout the service has been TERRIBLE and they treat new customers appallingly.
Bear this in mind that if you want to cancel to trawl the small print as they will rinse you fir every penny and fail to help you. There is a reason they dont have reviews on Facebook. They are a terrible unethical company to deal with. 

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GMForever

I just read your post and I had the same issue as you. I signed up for the July box with the offer to get the Holiday box free. Just like you, I did not get the Holiday box and they too offered me 50% back as store credit for not getting the Holiday box! I was so mad and the person I had on the phone acted like it was no big deal and that I should just take the store credit they offered as it was the only solution. I wrote them a lengthy message expressing my frustration. They then had the bundle offer (get 2 mystery boxes for $20) and I skipped, a month later another bundle offer and I skipped again as I was so angry with their CS. But last week when I saw what people received for the previous bundle, I had a second thought and went on their site and saw that it was offered again. Since I had some store credit, I thought why not, just use the creidit on the bundle offer hoping to get some nice boxes like others did. Today, I received my order, and guess what??? They sent me only one box, yes one box instead of two. I just couldn’t believe my (bad) luck. I called them immediately as I was soooo upset. And once again, I had the same person on the phone (she sounded exactly like the one I talked to back in July) and of course, she again offered to give me $10 back in store credit. I told her she already did that to me last July with the missing Holiday box, which is now back in stock by the way. So I told her why don’t you send me the Holiday box since it was missing from my July order and now another missing box from the bundle. She told she can’t do that as it is not an option and she refused to let me return the single box I received today for a full refund. I am not interested in getting $10 back, I want my bundle as advertised. They have the worst CS ever. Sorry you had the same bad experience than me, at least I don’t feel alone.

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kimi

You can try to do a charge back on the August box as item not as described for the July box. I would continue to call them . The holiday box was there error. With Glossy if you order a box after the 15th of the month , you will get the next month subscription box. Just make sure you cancel out for Sept if you have not already. Good luck.

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Annette

I ordered, it says I am getting Julys box- variation 4 (on my shipping/ order conf) …anyone know which that is?

TIA

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kimi

Just received an email Glossy Mystery Bundle . 2 boxes for $20.00. it is showing up on their site.

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Carla

AGREED that lipstick was AWFUL! I gave mine away and it didn’t look nice on my friend either!! I like the face mist and the cloth also. Those kinds make up remover cloths do work. I have like 10 of them and wash them in a small load all together and save on buying make up wipes and make up remover cotton rounds.

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Carla

For me GB is worth it! Why? Because I got my 12 month sub at 25% OFF which made it under $157. For me that’s $13.08 per box and shipping is included! I don’t love everything in my box BUT it’s been a great value for the price I am paying. See if the GLOSSY25 code still works or not. It did as of last week. I was able to use it on a 12 month SUB.

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Carla

GB has a GB mystery bundle going on now. TWO mystery boxes for $20! Only $10 each includes free shipping. I ordered a pack. July 17, 2019

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Laurie

The lipstick is awful. It doesn’t cover well, so my purple/lips show through the orange – ugh. The nail spray works like a charm. I put in two coats, one right after the other an then a top coat. A couple sprays and it was hardened. I put in my flip flops and away I went. The makeup remover works perfect you to clean your glasses. I have others that I use, but this one was perfect to stash in my handbag. The powder is nice and so is the Jurlique. I thought it would be bigger too. It was my first GlossyBox. I get three other subs, but finally caved and got this one too.

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Emilia

I got the exact same box. The only item I am using is the face mist. The lipstick goes to my collection. All the others are wasted on me. I paid $13 for this box, so I am not too mad.

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Luna

Now that you mention it, I think that mist was smaller than what they originally showed in their spoilers. I’m pretty sure they pictured the 1oz bottle, which still isn’t a full size, but still a generous “sample”. I ended up getting a mauve-y lipstick color, which is perfect for me. I ended up gifting the makeup remover wipe since I don’t use those, and the nail spray since I already tried it a few years back when I originally received it in Glossybox and I didn’t think it did anything for my nails. Plus it had a super strong chemical smell too!

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Megan K.

I use that rosewater daily and I am obsessed with it. Marne recently grabbed me a bottle at Marshalls for $18. I am guessing it was there since they used to sell it in white bottles and now they have gone to pink?

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Luna

That’s what I’m thinking too. I’ve seen them there for a while now, and I read a comment here that they reformulated the mist (maybe that’s why it burns some people now??? :O ), so now it all makes sense why they’ve had an abundance of them at Marshalls/TJ Maxx. I was so tempted to get one just because it was there and I love it so much, but I already have a full size bottle waiting to be used… but the restraint is still hard! lol

StellaMarina

My favorite thing about Glossybox this month is the pretty pink box. The quality and value has been going down for some time. Unfortunately I missed the cancellation deadline and was renewed for three more months. Glossybox, you have one month to wow me, otherwise I’m cancelling.

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Chantel

Call them, they might let you cancel.

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Jo

The Miracle Mist nail spray is Awful! I’ve used drugstore drying sprays that work pretty good. That stuff actually seemed to do the opposite?? Even after several hours my nails were still not completely dry.
And I was at an out of town baseball tournament so I was stuck with goopy nails until the next morning. Yuck

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Luna

I sort of felt the same way when I tried it. I didn’t think it made my nails dry any faster. All it did was make me feel like I got my fingertips a little wet (which I couldn’t wash off since I didn’t want to wash off the product on my nails).

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Nina

This was my last box from Glossybox.. finally decided to cancel after months of being unimpressed. For the money there’s just better options out there. Their LE boxes are often great though.. and I’ll continue to check spoilers in case I want to resub. Thx for the review!

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amarante

I got this box and I also agree that this was a terrible value for a $21 box – but the reality is that almost every review on this site closes with the reviewer stating that it is a great box for the money LOL.

Their stated values were particularly suspect – The card read that Jurlique stuff retailed for $69. A 100 ml bottle retails for $42.

The nail drying spray looks as if it is old obsolete product since it is no longer sold anywhere.

The makeup remover is a very strange item. Why does one want to use a cloth that needs to be put in the washing machine after every use? How often does one run a wash as opposed to washing one’s face? I have a stack of cheap white washcloths I got from amazon which are great for removing makeup while also providing a bit of exfoliation as a bonus.

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Megan K.

Hey Amarante! Deciding on value is a rather subjective thing, so let me try and explain a little where I come from with my thoughts and how I come to these conclusions. From a purely number based standpoint, a box with a value of $76 is a “good” value for a $21 purchase. (For example, if I was at Anthropologie and found a shirt marked down from $76 to $21, I would be pretty happy with that value. And probably buy one in every color.) I personally didn’t love every item this month, but I can’t deny that overall value is there, especially if another person receiving the box loved the items. I hope this helps provide some clarity! Let me know if I can answer any questions. 🙂

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amarante

I understand that theoretically one is receiving products worth $X more than what one is paying but the economics of beauty box subscriptions are such that one’s expectations are that obvious low value items being liquidated by suppliers are offset by good items – especially in a box that is $21. One has to factor in that one is in effect participating in a lottery – a lipstick might retail somewhere for $22.50 but one takes a chance on it being a shade that looks terrible.

This box was particularly filled with “fillers (no pun intended) – a nail spray that isn’t sold anymore; a wash cloth that serves no particular function; a small bottle of rose mist that carried an inflated retail value on the card. None of these items would – I think – be items people would specifically purchase even at the discounted prices.

But my comment is that it is fair to compare apples to apples. Ipsy Glambag Plus is roughly the same price and provides much better value for the money. Therefore when one closes a review by stating that it is a “good value” for a $21 box, I think a more objective consumer friendly review would compare it to Boxycharm, Ipsy Plus or equivalently priced boxes and not value it in a vacuum.

With the rising competition of beauty boxes that are offering desirable items at equivalent price points, Glossybox needs to step up its game and I think the reviews should reflect that it is at the bottom of the pack (at least in my opinion) when compared to more or less equivalently priced boxes.

JuJu

Which cloths did you get?

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amarante

I got the one in the picture. Directions state that you need to clean in the washing machine. That’s pretty non-functional since it means I would need at least 7 of these to use every night – if not more.

Melissa

I was excited about the rosewater mist until I actually tried it. To me, a ‘mist’ should spray lightly and this sprayed rather harshly. It also stings my face whenever I apply it.

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Megan K.

The full size has more of a true mister nozzle if that helps at all! I am surprised it burned though. I have always found it super gentle!

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Jo

I didn’t have a problem with my sprayer, but holy cats I did Not expect a rosewater mist to burn!!

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JuJu

I don’t think that this is a good value for a $21 box. Frankly, don’t understand how Boxycharm is still even in business, when you compare their boxes to Boxycharm or Ipsy Plus.

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Donna

You mean how is glossybox still in buisness not boxycharm right? I think it’s because they always come up with a sale around black Friday that brings their boxes down significantly. I personally would never purchase that stuff for the full price, and I am not renewing my annual membership without the discounted 30% off.

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JuJu

Oops! Sorry, yeah, I mistyped – I meant Glossybox! 😊

Christy

Good point. I don’t subscribe to Glossybox anymore (still have PTSD from their CS), but I found myself thinking that this was a pretty good box. But you’re right — when I compare it to my Ipsy Plus, Ipsy blows Glossy out of the water. For just $4 more, I got five awesome, high-end, full-sized products that were tailored to me specifically. Can’t beat it.

On another note, great review Megan! (per usual). I don’t get Glossy, or really even care about it, but I read this review to get me going on a Monday morning because I knew it would be entertaining. And like you, I am a fair skinned sister and when I saw that orange monstrosity of a lipstick, my body reacted with an involuntary shudder.

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Wendy

Christy, do you really actually have PTSD from their customer service? That is a pretty heavy term to use so flippantly. For people who actually suffer from this condition, after having been traumatized by an event or series of events in their lives, they suffer horribly for years or even decades after. Mood swings, crying spells, irrational anger, paranoia, nightmares/night terrors, problems in relationships, problems sleeping, problems functioning “normally”. Jumping at every noise, being hyper aware of stimuli or totally spaced out. Depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts. It’s a terrible, consuming, diagnosable condition that many people suffer with, and i do mean suffer, not just them but their loved ones, too. So, to hear you so casually toss around that dealing with a companies customer service gives you PTSD is both an insult and a trigger for those of us that truly have our lives affected by this terrible disease. Maybe less drama and more sensitivity to others would be kinder going forward.

Kristin

Count your blessings my Ipsy matches are terrible, I’m lucky if I get 1-2 items that match my profile/preferences. I resubbed since everyone was mentioning how much better their customization is and they still send more items I rate rarely then they do frequently or sometimes. I’ve opted out of lipstick and lip glosses and still get lip glosses, so I can’t even count on the opt outs.

Megan K.

Oh Christy…. it was a BAD color on me. Sometimes I wear less than ideal shades because I just like them and I don’t care, but this was a shade I could never even attempt in public.