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?

@MissBattleaxe

Oh, I was tempted to buy one of these! Are they good value for money then? What's the size of the samples like?

I bought my step dad a socks subscription box a couple of years back and he died half way though. I forgot to cancel it and I still feel really guilty that my mum was receiving these blinking colourful socks after he died.

I'm reluctant to buy any more as gifts just in case the recipient dies again.

Porpentina Looks great but too many £££ for me!

@applesandcorns the samples are almost always 2ml sprays, but sometimes you have travel sizes that are 5ml and 10ml. I consider them great value because the Perfume Society has the kind of clout that can get the really good stuff that we "civilians" can't.

They're doing a Harvey Nicks one at the moment that would cost £189 but is only £45. Plus, if you buy any two boxes from their online shop, you get 100ml of Charlotte Tilbury Scent of a Dream.

@MissBattleaxe Thanks! I've already indulged in the Harvey Nicks box (ordered it from Harvey Nicks' site though). That's what's put The Perfume Society on my radar, because I hadn't heard of them before. Have to say, I'm totally loving this box!

Check out their website because I am in love with their Discovery Boxes and they make brilliant gifts too.

We get the Scrawlr box for dd Widdlin, excellent value for money.

I’m seeing Stitch Fix all over my Facebook at the minute. I’m torn between being in awe of this being a thing and being horrified that it’s a thing.

(Also I’m fat enough that it’s irrelevant because they only carry up to UK18s...)

I love how many mini mascaras I get. Not only do I get to try lots of new facial products, I never need to buy a new mascara after 3 months because it's gone gross and crusty. Mascara gets ridiculously pricey if you go by the 3 month guideline, I think I'm saving money paying for Birchbox and getting 4 other things.

Now if only I could not get haircare products, as I'm on the curly girl method and almost nothing they send me is CG friendly...

I had the YOU beauty box for a while then stopped because I had too many tiny bath and shower gels - like staying in a hotel. Now I just put money aside for the Marks and Spencer Beauty Advent Calendar, it's amazing.

Think this is a great way to cover all the Christmas presents I need to get at the end of the year. So far I'm penning in a gin subscription for my mum and a flower subscription for my nan

I used to subscribe to pink box, they did an offer where it was cheap for the first 6 months or something. I had some really lovely products- a beautiful shower oil, nice nail varnish, body lotion. Posh stuff that is never usually buy so it felt like a real treat. On the other hand I also still have a box full of products I'll probably never use. I did love getting the box in the post but couldn't justify the cost in the end, especially as the pill stopped my periods.... I still have most of the sanitary products as I've never needed them!

Sorry it's not pink box is pink parcel!

Does the You beauty box still exist?

It was quite good value

I was looking at fab fit fun but the reviews were dire so be warned!

I got a one off (we’ll twofer actually) Birch box but wasn’t impressed enough to continue. Likewise if the Look Fantastic ones have enough in when they are revealed I might buy but I’m not a regular subscriber.

I’m currently subscribing (for three months) to latest in beauty as you get it pick your products, how many you want to get in your subscription, and how long you want your subscription to last so less of a risk of getting things you don’t like. I got two full sized OPI nail polishes last month which alone covered my subscription cost. This month I’ve gone for ‘green’ products I wouldn’t have otherwise necessarily tried. Their one off boxes (especially the Sunday Times one) can be astonishing value. Once the three months are up I’ll just keep an eye on the monthly reveals and resubscribe when I want to.

Regular boxes by subscription aren’t for me. I researched craft gin boxes for a while, then discovered that if you called the companies directly they can often sell you a similar type of package more cheaply.

I have FFS shaving one and bloom and wild
Used to have pink parcel as they're the only suppliers of the tampons I prefer but now they don't do them

@WelcomeToGreenvale snap! I've had the curlee box a few times which is good

I used to really like London Tea club till it moved to America, keeping the name London Tea club but charging 4 times the amount to deliver the 'London' tea to the UK

I used to get pink parcel (a makeup box) and justified it by the fact it's fairly cheap and they send you supplies of pads/tampons too.
Tbh I just liked the idea of someone sending me a 'present' every month, even if I was paying £13 for it.
I've actually gotten some good stuff out of it though. There was a full size £60 face cream in there one month.

I had Birch box for about 6 months but after not receiving 2 that I had ordered to be delivered to a Doddle locker I cancelled my subscription.

Sounds like landfill to me and one more job to do (ordering it, unpacking it, actually finding the time to try and use them)

They are a disastrous invention environmentally. A clear example of needless consumption that will produce a lot of landfill.

We should be buying less, and only what we need not endless subscription boxes stuffed with landfill .

I started my Birchbox subscription after I did a trial for Mumsnet. I love it. I've only had 1 box that was crap but I sold the bits on. I've used everything else in the boxes I've received.

Oh good grief people.
Just go to an actual shop.
Especially for children's crafts - £20 worth of crafty bits in places like The Works will keep you going for ages. Need ideas? Get a book from the library. And the book clubs that send new books every month - again library instead where the books are FREE!
I can't believe people pay for these!