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?

I enjoyed the hotel Chocolat subscription, once upon a time. Some if the educational ones for kids are worth considering.

The beauty industry in general is overpackaged.

I love my Birchboxes. If things got financially tight, they'd be the first thing to go but right now I'm enjoying them.

I don't always use every product - they're often a bit heavy on the tanning or eyebrow products - but what I don't want gets saved and sold on a charity stall twice a year. I use most of the little products and have found 3 that I've been happy to buy full-sized versions of and use regularly.

I also have an endless supply of things like eyeliner and mascara which is good.

FabFitFun is good. It's quarterly and last time there was a Hairdryer and Ceramic Bowls included! As well as a Scarf. One month a Leather handbag. You do have to pay $10 shipping for it to come from the US so it's £52 in total but everything is full sized and it's very, very good value.

I do enjoy Birchbox but I just subscribe for a month cancel, then resubscribe a couple of months down the line. I use sample products in my toiletries bag for going away so I don't have to take full size heavy products. It helped me find new products that I have then purchased full size which I never would have found on my own. I wouldn't want to purchase full size and feel it's a waste of money. I store the other products I have yet to use and just refill my toiletries bag as and when needed.

I'm confused about all the sample size products because from what I've seen there's nearly always a full sized lippy, eye shadow pallet, pencil etc not just sample size stuff? Although I guess with creams and whatnot it's bound to be smaller

This is so bizarre. At Xmas mumsnet is full of people moaning about gifts of 'tat' and not to their taste but here people are paying a monthly fee for the exact same thing.
If at Xmas your mother in law gave you a random hairdryer as mentioned above AIBU would be full of "why has she given me a hairdryer. I have one" and the bowls would be "pointless tat I don't need that I just have to dust".
So odd.

I had Birchbox for a few months and stopped when I had more than enough sample products hanging around in the bathroom. I did use some of the products, both makeup and skincare, and I discovered dry shampoo which I didn't know about previously but now find useful.

For a short time I had a Korean beauty box called Kawaii Panda and I loved it. Ironically I stopped because the boxes were almost too generous and I still have full-size bottles of moisturiser that will take a long time to use up. If I ever finish them, I would go back to KP for a short time because the skincare products and branding were delightful.

For a short time, DP and I jointly subscribed to a craft coffee-and-chocolate box which then went out of business, probably because the products were pretty horrible. They were all very independent-crafter and ethical and so on but they just didn't taste nice. You would think that nice tasting products would have been a priority for the business.

My favourite ever subscription box and one that I find hard to face giving up is Scrawlrbox. It is monthly art supplies such as pens, paint, coloured pencils, paper samples (more useful than you would think as watercolour paper can be expensive) and various bits. It turns out that the difference between a child's pencil sharpener and a professional artist's pencil sharpener is immense, who would have thought. I've had it for about three years and I keep meaning to cancel it to save money but I love it to bits, every box is a nice surprise and I really want to use all the items. This wasn't the case with the beauty boxes, which were slightly more hit and miss.

There's a few of us on this thread that have said we think subscription boxes = overpriced pointless tat.

At Christmas you also get lots of 'wah, l didn't get lots of lovely presents' type posts.

I guess it's that 'we all like different things' again.

I was subscribed to a Japanese beauty box for a while. It's called Nomakenolife, and cost about £23 a month (depending on the exchange rate for $). I loved it, because you'd get some really fun make up and skincare stuff. One of the items I remember, was a handcare pack, complete with little gloves you wear overnight after smothering them with the cream.
The box comes with a leaflet explaining (in English) what the items are.
I ended up cancelling though, because I didn't use most of the stuff, as much as I loved getting it.

I'm now subscribed to Reading in Heels, which I enjoy. Due to illness, I'd gone through a period of a few years not being able to concentrate on a book, but I started slowly getting back to reading, and I can now manage the subscription book, plus another, lighter read after finishing the subscription book and waiting for the new one.

The advantage to me, is that because the book is chosen for me, I read a larger variety of genres now, and if I was left to choose and order a new book, I probably wouldn't bother, I'd just buy more art supplies with the money! Before that, I mainly read fantasy.

Another reason I love Reading in Heels, is that you also get other items with the book. Usually something to eat, something to drink (tea or coffee), a beauty product, and some stationery or tea light candles.

I really look forward to getting my box.

I'm also signed up to a US stencil subscription (Stencilgirl Club), which is expensive ($35 for international orders) but I receive 3 exclusive stencils each month, plus 20% discount on other orders.

I've also bought a couple of one off boxes from another Japanese site called Neko Box, which is sadly in the process of closing down, but you could choose between a Zakka box, which had stationery, washi tape, paper, etc, or a homewares box. I ordered a cat homewares box, and got a plate, a small saki cup, chopsticks, paper coasters, and a print to frame. And I've just ordered one of their closing sale lucky dip boxes, which should be here next week.
Sad that they're closing, as they had lots of gorgeous Japanese bits, and you could also buy items individually if you didn't want a subscription.

I've been considering Scrawlr, but their boxes seem to be mostly pens. I'd prefer an art box that has a range of supplies, including inks, paints, mediums, etc, but can't find a UK based one.

I'm subscribed to a blog called (I think) Which beauty box (don't think it's linked to the Which consumer guides), and the woman who writes it previews different boxes, and reviews others, so you can see whether it's worth signing up to any of them. She also gets FabFitFun, and her items have looked really good. The original box was seasonal, but they're now doing monthly boxes as well.

Oops, that was rather long!

I've just signed up to Birch box inspired by a new job after two babies and feeling like a bag lady most of the time looking forward to something for me every month.

Did have the running in heels book subscription as a gift but didn't think they were value for money at all and two out of the three books were terrible.

Have had gin subscription s in past really enjoyed but just made me drink too much gin!

@pelirocco123
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?

Not everyone gets all the same things with Birchbox — if you look on their website they say ‘here’s some of the things you might receive’ and show approx 10 potential products. My selection just turned out to be a bit disappointing. This was a few years ago so fair enough if you find it better now!

I think they are great for single mums although single mums often don't have the cash to splurge on them whose DC are too young to buy them gifts, and they don't have anyone who takes the DC out to choose something. Yes they are paying, but they would be giving the DC money anyway and it means they actually get a surprise.

I'm lucky to have 2 sisters and my mum, plus a few friends who would step in if needed, who always decide to take the DC out for the day when my birthday or Christmas is coming up. I have taken a few friends DC out to choose things for their mum (and one dad), unfortunately I have a couple of friends who don't live nearby though and have nobody to do this, I still send them stuff but it's not the same

I've had a few over the years, I generally try the first box when there is an offer on and see what we think, I will only subscribe properly if I know it will 100% be used OR I know that any small amount of unused items can go to someone/something in particular. I prefer to do something every other month and don't do it for too long or it loses its appeal

Perfume society I did for a while. Loved getting mini samples of perfumes I'd never heard of before. I would be too self conscious (and too broke!) to try 6 x £90 odd perfumes in a shop but was a fun treat to have them at home. I thought it was really good value given how expensive perfume is.

DH got a Neal's Yard cheese subscription for a year as a big birthday gift from my DSis. It comes quarterly, well packed and with tasting notes. It was really good.

I’ve had a few over the years

Letters from wonderland - really lovely but a lot for what you get

Sugar and sloth - cute metal pin badges and other random bits

Lollipop box - stationary bits and pieces

Another stationary one that I can’t think of the name of

Kawaii box - random cute Japanese bits my daughter got for 6 months

I really like the surprise element. My husband doesn’t really do gifts so it’s a nice way to get surprises through the year

Oh yes, I've also had Graze and Perfume Society boxes. I like the PS boxes, because as well as getting to try loads of samples, they also contain a couple of beauty items in each box. I was a VIP member, and got one box in their sale for only a tenner, and the beauty items in that box, were a NailsInc nail polish, a Benefit mascara, and a Percy and Reed hair fragrance. That box was an absolute bargain!

A friend sent me a Buddy Box once, which was quite nice, but looking at their boxes, there's never really anything I'd want or use, like cardboard door hangers and postcards.

I think subscription boxes can make nice gifts, for those times you think someone needs a treat.

Does anyone get recognition/discount for recommending me for the scrawlr box? I’m thinking of either the month to month or a three month sub for my DD/me.

DH has Harvey’s shaving stuff. He likes the product and it arrives at appropriate intervals.

@ketchupontoast21 in pink parcel there was usually a mixture of full size and sample or full size and cheap (think little things like face masks). I always felt like I got my money's worth.

For example a standard box for £13 for me would contain something like 3.5 packs of always infinity and a few daily liners. A tea bag, a small choc bar (freddo size but something fancy like montezuma), and then 5 products along the lines of a moisturiser, lipstick, eye pencil, face mask and sample size lip plumper. (The December one had extras like a pair of silver snowflake earrings, and they sent me a chocolate bar on my birthday which was admittedly not super fancy quality but its choc nonetheless)

I once had a perfume smash in transit, emailed them a picture and got another one sent tracked 48, which also arrived smashed so I emailed again and got another tracked 24. So I'm really quite happy with the company. I only stopped because my periods stopped on the hormonal iud, though they've brought out a bundle thats a few pounds less without the pads so I might start again.

Considering the way the majority of these companies are trying to market being super in tune and personal with the customer I'd imagine most of the popular ones are similar. I'm quite tempted to try the cheese toastie one.

You know what's a bit sad about this post?
You could all do this for each other. You don't need a corporate box of crap. Post nice things to each other!
I posted a book to a friend and she posted one to me... so much nicer than what you are describing and OK it cost £3 but the joy spreading was worth it.

I had a monthly house plant subscription from my DH for my birthday. I love it; I have half a dozen unusual fairly hardy plants in nice pots that I would never have bought for myself. The amount of packaging each month though is ridiculous

I get Glossy box. The products are usually full size and I've had some great things.
I've got 3 daughters so anything I don't want either goes directly to them or put away as Christmas stocking fillers.

Ooh @Oneborneverydecade, what's the name of that one? It would be nice to get some plants.

I can't use just anything on my skin, and I only use one type of eyeliner, mascara, foundation etc so I'm not sure a beauty subscription box would be my thing...