Monthly Sample Boxes?

Oct 14, 2012

Yasmin K.

Looks like a Julep clone.

Oct 14, 2012

Laura C.

Has anyone ever heard of the monthly subscription service SquareHue.com? Any feedback?

Jul 5, 2012

Yasmin K.

Be very careful. In the last year there have been three that were not what they appeared.

The Posh Pod first claimed they were working with designers then later stated they work with 3rd party vendors. What they were doing was buying products from EBay and some of those products (the MAC items) were counterfeit. They have since shut down.

Makeup Monthly is still around however no one knows where she gets her items. From videos I've seen the products tend to be old discontinued items. It's highly possible the products are purchased on EBay or at a wholesale store/website so there is potential for counterfeit items as well.

GoGo Girlfriend has also shut down. They had continued to take money from subscribers without sending ANY boxes. They claimed the subscriptions were monthly fees for membership and the boxes were free.

Sindulge started off okay then quickly went down the tube and have shut down for now. The owners have stated they'll be back with a celebrity MUA later this year.

I'm now VERY wary of new companies as some send out junk for $10, $12, $15 or $21. Buyer beware.

Jul 5, 2012

Dutchess W.

lisa m. thanks 4 sharing ur glam box! i just joined too... i haven't recieved mine as of yet..:p

Jul 5, 2012

Dutchess W.

this is a reply to what other sampler boxs r out there well lets see there many i have found.. go go girlfriend ,my glambox,,julep maven, beauty army,pretty pink, sampler village,glossy box,lavish box, consious box,bell box, crush cosmetics.. thats just a few..:) hope there all still active.. but this is the ones i found on you tube for you...

May 6, 2012

Yasmin K.

Warning about Glossybox. They sent out an inaugural box to select people and of course that box was full of FULL size products. So it's kind of misleading on their part - kind of how when MyGlam's first bag was fantastic then then the next three were terrible - because according to the Pink Sith, Glossybox has stated that future boxes will have deluxe size samples and might have one full size. So for $21 it may not be worth the price. Guess we have to see.

May 6, 2012

Linda H.

Sample society! They are great and you get deluxe samples, which last longer and is great if you want to treat drive new products. They're new and really haven't put out any makeup yet, just hair and skin care. There's also Glossybox now, which is now in the US, but it costs $21 a month. I'm trying to get on that one. :)

May 1, 2012

Yasmin K.

Yellow Box went out of business last year.

Apr 30, 2012

Kammi K.

Oooh, mahalo for those info!! I'm gonna get ALL of them. In fact, I have some of them. Yellow Box? Sounds interesting. =) 

Apr 19, 2012

Cortney S.

I'm in the process of trying to find a new monthly box thingy (lol) too. I have BirchBox but it's such a hit or miss that I feel like it's not worth the money... some months I get a full size bronzer and i'm so happy, then other months I get 3 fragrance samples and 1 is a repeat -_- along with products i'm really not wowed about... I don't know, still makin up my mind.

Apr 18, 2012

Yasmin K.

I wouldn't recommend The Look Bag as they have multiple issues with bank charges (including people who subscribed to them only to have their credit card #s stolen and used at other sites and they know it came from TLB lack of security because it was on cards not used any place else).

Apr 17, 2012

Baha H.

Idk if you are still looking but TheLookBag is a monthly makeup sample service for $10 a month & accept paypal!

Jan 13, 2012

Malyssa A.

Ya...there's tons of these monthly boxes. They've got them for everything from food (even specifically for vegan in some cases) to beauty products to scrapbooking materials to baby stuff to guy stuff to clothing to....you get the idea, lol.

Personally, I am only subscsribed to Eco-Emi & Julep Maven right now. But once I get through this money rut, due to the holiday, I plan to subscribe to a few others. Just need to figure out which ones appeal to me most, considering I have 5+ that interest me. =]

Jan 8, 2012

Yasmin K.

Thank you Emma! I always thought it was it's own country.

Jan 8, 2012

Emma D.

@yasmin, Tasmania is an Australian state, not its own country!

Jan 7, 2012

Yasmin K.

For the actual links visit my blog. Note, this is an incomplete list since I haven't updated it with a few others ones told to me.

Subscription/Sampling Boxes
Have you ever bought a product, especially an expensive product, to find out that you didn't like it? Sometimes you end up wasting money because you find you can't return it to the store. You can avoid that or even find something new with many subscription companies out there that send you several items to try. Many in the US and Canada begin at around $10 a month and you can cancel at any time.

Beauty Related

In the US:

Beauty Army ($12 monthly)
Launching in early 2012. Choose up to six items per month.
Beautyfix ($49.99 quarterly)
Create a profile and select up to eight items. Items may range from drugstore items like Caress body wash to salon brands like Jonathan product.
Birchbox ($10 monthly)
You get between 4 to 6 samples sometimes deluxe size, sometimes full size and sometimes mini size. For each item you get you can review the item and receive 10 points. Accumulate 100 points and you get $10 off almost any purchase (some restrictions on certain items, see Birchbox for more info). You can stack your points to but points DO expire within 365 days. You also get 50 points if you get people to sign up via referral link and they become a subscriber or place an order with Birchbox.
Cravebox ($10 monthly)
You get 4 to 5 samples ranging in size from full, deluxe and sample size products.
Eco-Emi ($15 monthly, free shipping)
Keep in mind that Eco-Emi doesn't just send out beauty products but other products that are environmentally friendly products ranging from food to health products to household items.
GoGoGirlfriend ($12.95 monthly OR $6.99 monthly)
What you're paying for is for MEMBERSHIP into their "club" and that you supposedly will get a box each month if you pay $12.95 month or one every two months if you choose the $6.99 monthly option. The biggest complaint people have been making lately is that they are not getting their initial box within the two to three week period and when they contact GGG they're told that they're not guaranteed a box, can't be given a refund because they're paying for the membership and not the box. I canceled my own subscription after the first month simply because I felt the products were subpar for $12.99 a month when I can get higher quality sample products from Birchbox.
Julep ($19.99 monthly)
Hand, nail and foot care subscription based in Seattle, WA.
Makeup Monthly ($30 monthly, free shipping)
Turns out that this company is based in WA state. Are possibly selling/shipping discontinued/expired makeup. It does not have a Master Business License to resell (which is what they're doing with the boxes) and it does not have a business license in Federal Way, WA where the PO Box is listed at. Also their domain name is private so there is no way to know who owns the company. Buyer beware when dealing with them as they seem to be operating illegally in WA state.
My Glam ($10 monthly)
This one is new and is by Michelle Phan, Jessica Harlow and other YouTube gurus. Like Birchbox it's a subscription beauty company that sends out "four to five new beauty products each month in a cute makeup bag". From My Glam's FAQs, "Glam Bags are shipped on the last day of every month via USPS mail".
New Beauty's Test Tube ($29.95 + $8.95 shipping, quarterly [every three months])
This subscription service not only sends out deluxe size samples but also full size products. Unlike many other subscription companies this one is sent out once per quarter. 1st Quarter: Jan, Feb, Mar; 2nd Quarter: Apr, May, Jun; 3rd Quarter: Jul, Aug, Sep; 4th Quarter Oct, Nov, Dec.
New Beauty's Test Tube at QVC (auto renewal or one time only). $29.96 + $6.97 shipping/handling (+ tax if your state has tax)
Exactly like New Beauty except this is a QVC version filled with products sold on QVC. Also sold on a quarterly basis. If the links do not work it means they pulled the page due to the product selling out and will not have the page back up until near the start of the next quarter.


Note: Yellow Box Beauty is now out of business and has been removed from my list.

For Men:

His Black Box ($12 monthly)
For men... or women who like men's products. Set up a profile and get four to five deluxe size samples designed for men.
Birchbox Man This may actually NOT be a subscription service for men but rather the limited edition box.
Male Box INFORMATION NOT AVAILABLE


In Canada:

Glymm ($10 monthly)
Loose Button aka Luxe Box ($12 monthly)
Topbox ($10 monthly)


In the UK:

GlossyBox (£10 monthly + £2.95 shipping/handling)
Amarya Beauty Box (£10 monthly or £120 yearly.) If you subscribe to the yearly plan the entire £120 will be billed to your bank or credit card. Like Birchbox, you're awarded points and in Amarya's case you're awarded 120 points if you pay for a year in advance PLUS you get a Santaverde Gift set work £56.
Boudoir Prive (£10 monthly) Also similar to other beauty box subscription services you get between 5 to 6 samples each month and earn loyalty points.
Carmine (£10 per month + pp* or £110 yearly)
Receive 5 exclusive beauty products selected by their expert. Postage and packaging is an additional £2.75 per box.
Feel Unique Beauty Box (£9.95 monthly) According to their site they "send your unique Beauty Box during the first week of every month, filled with 5 deluxe-sized beauty products, plus a bonus beauty sample for extra unique-measure!"
Latest In Beauty (starts at £1 monthly) Now this one is definitely different as they offer three different types of boxes starting at £1 monthly.
The beauty box for only £1 box includes only three samples.
The luxury box you get to choose your products. Price? Unknown.
The themed boxes are offered only six times a year and I believe this box is £4.95.
"What is the difference between the Monthly Beauty Box and Luxury Samples?" This is the answer given in the FAQs, "The Monthly Beauty Box contains small samples (usually sachets or small vials) so you can test out a product a couple of times to get a feel for it. These are provided free of charge – we only ask that you pay a small contribution towards postage and packing. The luxury samples are much larger – similar to travel size products - and allow you to try products for longer. Because they’re bigger and more expensive to send, we have to charge a little more for them." It's kind of odd how payment is made as it's done via text-messaging. Anyone have a Latest In Beauty subscription?


In Australia:

Lust Have It ($14.95 monthly or $160 for 12 months)

This is the most similar to Birchbox right down to awarding of points to redeem for $10 off a purchase. Delivery is for Australia and Tasmania only. At time time I do not know if they ship to New Zealand or not.


In France:

Joliebox (10€ monthly + 3€ shipping)
The site is in French and is for those in France. What you get are 4 to 5 miniature high-end cosmetics ("mini-products, formats and even travel large formats from time to time") plus a magazine. There is a loyalty program but I'm not sure how theirs works.


Beside beauty subscription/sampling boxes there are other types of subscription and sampling services to choose from ranging from clothing to shoes to even children's toys. The following include some of the well know subscription and sampling services out there. With the popularity of subscription services booming this list will continue to grow.

Clothes

Stylemint ($29.99 monthly)
The styling powerhouse known as the Olson twins are back! Stylemint is their latest venture where they will be designing and releaing a new t-shirt each month! (Credit to Melanie for the tip! :D)


Jewelry

Jewel Mint ($29.99 monthly)


Shoes

Shoe mint
$79.98 monthly you can opt to skip if you don't like a pair of shoes) Steve Madden, Rachel Bilson and Nicole Chavez are the designers of the shoes. Opened November 2011.
Shoe Dazzle ($39.95 monthly, can skip before the 5th of each month.)
Owned by Kim Kardashian, this is was among the first of the product subscription services that I heard about. I've been a member since 2008 and while I haven't purchased each month I have loved the shoes I've purchased from there including my exercise shoes which cost over $60 at other stores. In early 2011 they began to offer more than just shoes and handbags and now offer jewelry, haircare/cosmetic products (during the Dazzle Deal) among other items. From time to time they also have 2 pairs for $39.95.
Sole Society ($49.95 monthly, also can skip the month before the 5th of each month.)
Exactly like Shoe Dazzle in that it's shoes but it's $10 more. Styles are practically identical to Shoe Dazzle but sometimes they have some much more cute styles.
Shoe Privee ($39.95 monthly) You can earn "Rewards Points" to redeem for Shoe Privee credit. 1000 = 1 credit. Buy 1 pair of shoes at $39.95 and get 100 points (2.5 points earned per dollar spent). Earn 250 points when you referred someone and makes their first purchase.


Food

Blissmobox ($19 monthly)
Blissmobox ships out organic and eco-friendly products. Unlike other companies you can either let them pick out products for you or you can pick products to try.
Foodzie ($19.99 $29.95 monthly)
Originally Foodzie was $19.99 but recently changed and is now $29.95 per month. According to their FAQs page "Based on customer feedback, we recently made a change to offer a more curated, ever-changing mix of products on the site, along with offering a selection of Foodzie Tasting Boxes to choose from each month. The new Foodzie Boxes deliver a greater experience to everyone, as we are able to offer full size items instead of samples, have the ability to include products like pickles and chocolates which we were never able to include before, and still keep the shipping free on everything purchased through our website."
Like Blissmobox this company also ships out food related products. Unlike Blissmobox you don't get to choose. Members can now select what products they want.

Toys and Miscellaneous products

Babbaco ($29.99 monthly)
Items for infants and children.

Jan 7, 2012

Emma D.

Can't get Birch Box in Aus :(
i've heard Glossy box is birch boxes Uk and AUS brand, has anyone tried Glossy box?
or know any good ones for Aus?

Dec 2, 2011

Marleina M.

Cravebox is starting soon too!!

Nov 28, 2011

Kitty S.

voxbox is new also. might want to look into that, but you have to be "socially" influential. 

Aug 16, 2011

Yasmin K.

For the Canadian companies Loose Button and Glymm, those are the Canadian prices listed. For US companies, all of them do not ship internationally.

Aug 16, 2011

Brandy M.

wat are the prices for in canada?

Aug 13, 2011

Katya S.

Hi girls, there is another sampling program here in the US, it's called GoGoGirlfriend. http://gogogirlfriend.com/
Membership is 6.95 a month and you get 1 box every other month; or you can choose a deluxe membership for 12.95 and get your box every month. These boxes are pretty cool. There are tons of review on these boxes on youtube, so if you wanna know what you can get for your money you can check it out. 

Aug 10, 2011

Yasmin K.

In Canada:

Loose Button aka Luxe Box ($12 per month, free shipping)
Glymm ($10 monthly, free shipping)

http://zadidoll.blogspot.com/2011/07/monthly-sample-boxes.html

Aug 10, 2011

Carly K.

What all are there for monthly programs for canadians?