Glossybox

I'm pretty sure that at least 2 people have said to me in the last year or so "It's not expensive to have a baby. They don't really cost much until they go to school". However, this is turning out to be a bit of a massive lie. On Friday, to be organised, I thought I would devise an Excel Spreadsheet listing what we need to buy in preparation for the Baby Hare's arrival. I thought that since we are limited for space I would only go for absolute essentials. However, once you have bought the car seat (apparently the hospital wont let you take the baby home without having one), the buggy (apparently you have to take the baby outside for Vitamin D, it cant get Vitamin D from the glare off the telly), some sort of bed (it can't sleep on the floor), drawers (for it to put it's things in), bottles and sterilising stuff (in case it doesn't take to the highly nutritious free boob I'll be offering it) that's quite a lot of dough right there! Just on essentials! This doesn't even taken into account the optional items of Baby Carrier, Baby Bouncing Chair, Changing Table, Bathing stuff and Bath, Clothes, Monitor, Breast Pump (sweet jesus) etc etc etc. Although I guess bathing stuff and clothes should really be on the essential list too. Regardless, the list is endless.

So after I did the 'Excel Spreadsheet of Essential Items' I did another spreadsheet to budget for my new life as a non-working person. To say it was a shock is an understatement. I have had a job since I was 13 years old (which thinking about it now, was probably illegal), then when I left home at 18 I worked in a clothes Shop to pay for my University education and have worked in Advertising ever since. So the thought of not working is rather alien to me. Or more specificially, the thought of not earning my own money is rather alien to me, and since I'm now freelance I wont get any juicy maternity pay from an Employer. Bum. However, my new budget is not an impossibility it just means serious cutbacks. I'll probably be too tired to go anywhere / do anything / buy anything anyway until Baby Hare goes to school so I'm sure it will all work out. There's a very strong chance I'll be turning totally feral in May.

Despite the cutbacks though, one 'New Entry' treat has managed to sneak its way onto the spreadsheet, and that's the monthly 'Glossybox'. (No, this is not a euphemism). I read about Glossybox last week on one of the many spam emails I seem to receive every waking hour and while I don't usually sign up for anything I find in my spam, this seemed like a very good idea indeed.

You pay a monthly subscription fee of £10 (plus £2.95 postage) then each month you receive a box of cosmetics / toiletries to try out along with a money off voucher if you decide to buy any of the products It's all beautifully packaged and you don't need to waddle around the shops to get them! It gets delivered to straight to your door! The other great thing is that you can cancel your subscription at any time, you don't need to commit to a lengthy time frame, you can cancel it whenever you want to. You could, if you were a good friend, buy a 6 month subscription for someone as a gift. Or you could be a selfish old hag like me and just get it for yourself.

My first box arrived this morning and I don't think I could have been any happier, mainly because Glossybox combines two of my most favourite things:

1.) Post - I LOVE receiving it.
2.) Smellies - I LOVE them.

The Glossybox arrives.

The Glossybox within a box. I had sweaty palms by this stage.

Ribbon?! AND a sticker?! Oh. My. God. This is the best post ever!

Products! And not small either! I had a feeling that maybe the items would be sample sized, but I was wrong.

My box contained:

1 x Full size Blink + Go High Definition Mascara. Great timing as I'm about to run out of my current mascara.

1 x Smallish size Cargo Lip Gloss. This is probably my least favourite item as I don't really use lip gloss but I'll definitely be giving it a try.

1 x Medium size Deborah Lipmann Party Glitter Nail Varnish + a Nail Varnish Remover Mitt. The Remover was incredible, it got my old varnish off in a second, and the varnish gives a really even coverage. Hang on this sounds like an advert...its not. I'm just saying it was good.

1 x Small pot of MeMeMe Moisturising Facebase to go under your make up to even out the skin tones. This smells DELICIOUS and goes on a treat.

1 x Full size Rituals Mandarin + Mint Foaming Shower Gel. Again lovely smell although I haven't used it yet.

The Mascara and Shower Gel alone would cost you over £20 if you bought them from a shop so I definitely think its pretty good value. In this particular box I'm not familiar with any of the brands apart from Rituals, but I think that's the point. You can try and hopefully buy, products you wouldn't usually use. According to the website you get completely varied items each month and they do sometimes contain the more well known brands such as Abhana, Dermalogica, L'Oreal, Stila and Yves Saint Laurent!

So although the cutbacks are in place and we have lots of 'essential's to buy, I don't think £10 a month to spend on oneself is too awful and if all the beautifying items makes me look less haggard then The Wig will be benefiting too. Everyone's a winner.

Glossybox website