To think subscription boxes are a swizz?

[ketchupontoast21]

Loads of my friends seem to be signing up for subscription boxes like Birch Box lately where you basically get a box containing five mystery products a month for a fee of about £10. Apparently it ranges from make up, to skincare, hair products, creams and bath gels. You don't know what you're going to get so it's all a surprise.

On one hand I like the idea of a little treat each month and the chance to try new products. But I can't help but think it could be a giant waste of money if you end up with products you don't like or ones that are very cheap (a soap or bog standard shampoo for example). What are people's thoughts? Are they worth the money?

dad I think that was Cosmetics to Go, which I remember too, and they did indeed become Lush.

I don't do beauty ones, but have a baking box subscription and I really look forward to it each month.

You get all of the dry ingredients & recipe cards. They vary in skill and you learn new techniques- it's great fun. There is a closed FB group where people post their bakes and then there is a little competition where you vote for your fave.

My friend gets graze boxes and raves about them, but I would just eat them as soon as they came through the door!

@ketchupontoast21

Does anyone know of any good (cheap) ones for kids 8+? My ds would go mad for a parcel in the post every month!

www.cratejoy.com/box-insider/subscription-boxes-for-kids-uk/

Sounds like an expensive crock of shit

I also used to love Spicebox. Got a 3-month subscription for xmas and you get sent unusual spices and recipe cards for dishes from around the world. Again, value wise it's obviously not going to match the supermarket, but they had unique blends and really interesting recipes I'd never have thought to try (or even heard of).

I'm subscribed to glossy box and candle belle wax melt box. I think they're fun. I get why people would think glossybox, birchbox, pink parcel ect is a waste of money. I use up all products in glossy box and then use the box to keep things or recycle.

I get a monthly flower delivery from Bloom and Wild, and really love it. I signed up when they were a new company, so have a very good rate. You can pause the subscription at any time, or obviously cancel if you want to.

I love beauty products, but would rather have one amazing thing I know I really want than £120 worth of things I might not like, and which would sit in a drawer or be donated.

My friend gets graze boxes and raves about them, but I would just eat them as soon as they came through the door!

Yes, so would I! Who are these people who have the willpower to graze on little healthy snacks all day long .

I just cancelled my Birchbox last month after getting it for just over a year. It was ok at first but eventually you notice you're getting sent the same sort of crap all the time. So many bloody make up brushes!! They don't really take your beauty profile into consideration when allocating items either. I did get a few things I loved and purchased again but not enough to justify the monthly cost.

@Judystilldreamsofhorses yes I think you're right - when you for up the cost throughout the year you could be buying a couple of lovely products rather than have a drawer full of stuff.

Someone recommended birch box to me and I've just had my second box. I cancelled as I wasn't that impressed with the first and thought I'd see what the second one brought.

My issue is there isn't enough detail in making your profile - like the colours of make up I prefer or scents I like. This month I got a strawberry body scrub but I'll not use it as I don't like fruity scented stuff.

I love the idea of the yum yum box for kids though and may investigate it.

I couldn't care less about the boxes but I am so happy that you used the word 'swizz' OP. I never hear it any more except when it comes out of my own mouth, which is in itself a bit of a swizz.....

I've done Birchbox, Ipsy, yuzen, petit Vour, boxy charm and Kiwi crate for DS.

I LOVED Yuzen (four times a year, full size products, all chemical free) but they stopped.

Petit Vour was my next favourite.

I might try fab fit fun as lots of friends get it and say it's great, these were their last two boxes and they're incredible!!_
_
fabfitfun.com/magazine/summer-2019-box-full-reveal/

fabfitfun.com/magazine/spring-box-2019-full-reveal/

I used to get the look fantastic beauty box and really enjoyed it, it was such a nice little pick me up (I was suffering depression at the time) and I found some nice new products

I git DBro an olive subscription for Christmas and he loved it!

I get a graze box once a fortnight and a monthly simply cook box. 9/10 I like the recipes in the latter, and we all enjoy trying new dishes. I prefer that to the ones where you get the fresh ingredients as well, because you can just cook it as and when. I used to get birch box, but cancelled after a few months as I wasn’t using enough of the items. I recently started getting ds2 a science crate thing from kiwi. The projects are quite good quality, and it’s been a nice way for us to have 1-1 time together, doing something a bit different.

We’ve just ordered, for my baby, the Sassy Bloom box, hopefully that will be good.

In the past I’ve had glossybox, which I found good, however sometimes the products repeat themselves! I think I had about 3/4 lipcotes at one point. I also tried pink-parcel which is period products and some other treats. Enjoyed that one more, however I wouldn’t say either were brilliant value.

It’s a nice treat to look forwards to

I'd rather use the money to buy things I was certain I wanted and would use, than take the risk of getting unwanted mystery items.

However, I can see that if money were no object, it might be fun to get a box of stuff in the post every month!

This one looks bloody ridiculous though.

I found a lot of them (Ipsy and Birchbox especially) really start to repeat themselves after a few boxes.

I LOVE glossybox

Anything I don’t like I save for secret Santa boxes 😂

I used the stuff I didn't want and put in little gift packs for family.

I worked on a reception desk that allowed staff to have things delivered at work (because I clearly didn't have enough shit to do) and many of the staff had various subscription packages turn up.
I firmly believe that the actual products were irrelevant, it was a return to your childhood birthday morning waiting for the post man. It was actually adorable watching their little faces light up and I always insisted they open them up in front of me .

re for kids - we did BakedIn cake boxes for 18 months. All the ingredients apart from the fresh ones, pre-weighed in numbered bags, plus easy to follow recipe. Good fun and it made us more adventurous.

These deliveries although nice or convenient are not exactly good for the environment are they? Unnecessary packaging and the delivery.

@VoleClock swizz is a very underrated word ;)