Battle of the Boxes! Birchbox vs Glossybox January Editions!

If you follow me on twitter, you will know that in January I was pretty disappointed to hear some horror story's about the poor Glossybox we had been sent out yet again. I immediately rang my Mum to open the Glossybox for me, in the hope that my box was one of the few 'good' boxes. Alas, upon opening it via facetime, my Mum discovered that the box was pretty poor. After about 30 minutes discussing options and other boxes with mum, I decided to cancel my current subscription and instead subscribe to one of the main competitors, Birchbox. 

After receiving both the January Birchbox and Glossybox, I felt that this would be the perfect opportunity to give you guys a comparison post, so that if your considering subscribing to one of these boxes you have a more informed decision on who to choose or who may be better for you.

First things first lets get down to the price. Both the Birchbox and Glossybox retail at £10 with £2.95 p&p. They both claim to offer at least 5 luxe samples and both have a website where you can purchase the full size products from the box you received. 

First up the Glossybox, I have been subscribed to Glossybox since May 2013 and reviewed my first box here. I have received quite a few amazing boxes, but more recently they have been pretty poor 

like Decembers offering.  In the January box we received:

•  Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream - Full Size £13.50 for 33g however these clearly state "FREE SAMPLE NOT FOR RESALE" therefore in my opinion these are worthless to the grand total of the box.
• Balance Me Super toning body wash - Full Size £10.25 for 250ml, we received a 50ml sample worth £3.42
• The Vintage Cosmetic Company Floral Slanted Tweezers - Full Size product worth £8. In my opinion this is the best product in the box!
• Anatomicals Puffy The Eye Bag Slayer Wake-Up Under Eye Patches - Full Size £6 for 3 patches, we received 2 patches worth £4 
• Montagne Jeunesse Passion Peel Off Masque & Blemish Mud Masque -Two Full Size products worth £1.09 each. 

This brings the overall value of the box to £17.60 which isn't a bad value for money, however, the problem I held with this box is the fact that the samples are in no way luxury. The skin cream is a free sample, which is a pet hate of mine! The body wash is underwhelming, and the face masks (although they are good) are products that I used when I was 10 having a girly sleepover; they just seemed better suited to the Miss Glossybox who targets teens. Saviors of the box for me are the Tweezers and the Anatomicals Under Eye Patches. 

Ultimately though, this box and Decembers box where the reasons I unsubscribed to Glossybox. 

Next up is January's Birchbox. This is my first Birchbox and therefore I have no previous boxes to compare with, however I am now subscribed to Birchbox and so rather than the monthly Glossybox reviews you will be reading monthly Birchbox reviews (unless they go the same way as Glossybox!). In the January box we received: 

• Phillip Kingsley Moisture Balancing Conditioner - Full size £18 for 250ml, we received a 20ml sample worth £1.44
• Benefit The POREfessional -Full size £25.40 for 22ml, we received a 7.5ml sample worth £8.65. I already own a sample size and a full size of this but I can't complain!
• Blanc Cachemire Creme De Jour Protectrice - Full size £54.75 for 50ml, we received a 15ml sample worth £16.42. I'm pretty excited to try this one!  
• Lavera Basis Sensitive Hand Cream - Full size worth £4.45 for 50ml, we received a 20ml sample worth £1.78
• Beekind Body Lotion - Full size worth £12.95 for 8oz (227ml), we received a 30ml sample worth £1.71

+ a Lifestyle Extra 

• ITSU Miso Soup - Three sachets for £2.25,  we received one sachet worth £0.75 

The overall value of this box was £30.75. Which is a pretty amazing sum total if you ask me! That is over three times the amount that I paid for the box. As you can see, the quality of the samples and the feel of luxury from this box means that it completely outshines the Glossybox! The only critique I would have for this box, is that I would have liked to seen a make-up item in the box to replace one of the creams, as 4 creams is a little overboard. That being said they are all for different purposes and I will happily use all of these. I'd also like to point out how much I love there being a Lifestyle Extra, I think its a really unique addition to a beauty box and I hope that this isn't just a one off!

That's it for my opinion and now its time for yours! Who do you think won the battle of the boxes? 

Comment below and let me know!