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?

About ten years ago I used to get a craft one (scrapbooking ). I loved it - loved realising that it was nearly delivery date, loved savouring the closed box, loved exploring the contents, loved using the stuff, loved looking online to see what others had made. Bliss.

This thread has got me thinking what box I would subscribe to now if money was no object...

Glower Fri 09-Aug-19 12:33:04
I briefly subscribed to Birchbox and promptly cancelled. I ordered towards the end of the month and they clearly scraped the barrel for what to put in my box!

Everyone gets the same order , there will be one item you have a choice from 2 colours , but that's about the only difference to the boxes , they also get sent out to everyone at the same time?

@pelirocco123 how much is fab for fun in the Uk? It's $50 here which seems a bit steep for me! I know friends love it though.

@ImNotWhoYouThinkIam Can you post details of the Harry Potter one? DD2 might like it.

Paper gang is my favourite one, it has stationary in it and fits through the letter box.
I have had cards, metal straws, pins, pens and desk jotters recently and love all thing stationary so it’s a win win for me

I get Reading In Heels - it’s a book, tea bag, snack and beauty product. No waste as I love reading and basically it’s the best.

Have had Birch Box before and like it but end up drowning in samples. My Little Box was also very good but they sadly went out of business :(

Tried one of the beauty ones for a few months but was a waste of money really - I'd never buy they stuff out of choice yet I was paying for it and still not choosing it!

Ended up with loads of small make up bits which I've got duplicates of, and I don't get through make up quickly at all and a lot of stuff (bronzer, primer, foundation etc) i don't use anyway so is just sitting in a drawer getting old.

Also the amount of waste is ludicrous - loads of plastic packaging for the small amount of product you actually get.

And as a pp has said, doesn't go through the postbox so you have to have patient neighbours who will take this crap in for you every month!

I forgot that our Riverford box was technically a subscription box- I love it! Organic, environmentally friendly, gorgeous quality and really encourages us to cook more and use a wider variety of veg than we would have otherwise. We usually just get fruit and veg but sometimes get the meat as well- it’s really easy swap to another box or skip a week.

I get look fantastic’s box every month have done for nearly a year. I quite like the stuff I’ve had, used most of it tried don’t stuff that I loved and bought again. Things I don’t use like self tan teenage dd and her friends take off my hands and the sample sizes are handy when I’m travelling and not checking a bag on a flight. Each to their own I guess we all buy stuff that seems like a swizz or a waste of money to others this is mine and my treat to myself.

I do Causebox, I love it. And I have a Billie razor subscription.

@steff13 are Billie good? They're a LOT cheaper than the usual ones.

I get the beer52 craft ale one quarterly. Some beers I’ve liked, some I haven’t. But they even get unique or very hard to get beers so I’m up for trying that.

Does Smol count?

DS used to get Geek Box- he liked the parcel of bits each month, I liked the fact that he got a new T-shirt each month. When he grew I wanted to change the T-shirt size, I couldn’t just do that. I had to cancel and then restart it. I didn’t bother to restart it.

I like the Latest in Beauty one. You can choose what goes into your box every month, so nothing gets wasted.

@Bumbl I get the Willoughby Book Club one. I absolutely love it. It helps if you really explain what you like to read.

My friend bought it for me for a year. I was so sad when it ran out dh renewed it for 6 months. Its just run out. I'm going to have a break because I have other reading to do and I'll get it again at Christmas.

It's the highlight of my month.

I think it just encourages consumerism. I had a M & S beauty advent calendar when it came out, and it was the same principle. Lots of stuff in small sizes that I didn't need, in excess packaging, and added to the whole spend spend spend mentality around Christmas.

They're not running these businesses like a charity. It's consumerism at its most annoying and pointless

I get the Cohorted beauty box - it's fab. Really high end products and lots of full sized ones as well. Over £100 worth for £40. I also subscribe to Freddie's Flowers so get a bunch every couple of weeks. Again very much worth the money and beautiful flowers for £24 a time. I easily spend that amount in beauty products and flowers so don't think it's too expensive.

I did have a Birchbox for a while, but got fed up with it as the products weren't really my thing and I ended up giving them away to my nieces. Also had latest in beauty for a while, but it was the same old stuff each month and got boring. Cohorted is amazing

catofdoom I like my Billie razors a lot. The handle is nice, and the blades are good too.

I subscribe to Sniph, they send you a different travel-sized scent each month. They're all from boutique brands and I've had some really interesting ones. They actually last the whole month, too. Would recommend to people who like perfume.

Pink parcel was good but I only ever get when there’s an offer on.

I really love the Perfume Society boxes as you don't have to commit to one a month, you just buy the ones you like the look of. I find them excellent for hard to get perfume samples. You can subscribe as a VIP member, which gives you discounts, but you don't have to and you only get the boxes you order. They're usually £15 for VIPs and £19 for non members.

Oh I love them, I have a really lovely gin subscription box and when
I’m skinny I sign up to a cake subscription box.

@TeenTimesTwo

www.lootcrate.com/crates/wizarding-world

It ships from America and takes forever to arrive but its fab. We've had stationary, bags, a picnic blanket, umbrella, scarf, collectables. Some of it is limited edition stuff.

We get Scrawlr box each month - £15 for some art products, paper, suggestions/inspiration.

I really like it as its often products id not think to try, or would baulk at the expensive and its rarely NOT been worth more than the 15 quid.