October Glymm Box/Bag

 

This is my final Glymm box/bag. Over the last few months I’ve been accumulating more and more samples that I haven’t been super impressed with. In addition to that, I find that I can’t use up my samples fast enough. I also subscribe to Topbox, and decided that between the two, I’ll stick it out with Topbox. Mainly because Topbox has a waitlist and I can’t just stop and restart with Topbox, whereas I can with Glymm… (Granted if I restart with Glymm I’ll be paying $12 instead of my usual $10).

Little pink awareness bonus!

I will say this month’s bag was much better than last months’. There were more samples, bigger sizes, and a better variety of makeup/skincare.

Yay for:

Johnson & Johnson Baby Oil                          88ml

Though many people complained about the ‘uselessness’ of this product, I actually love baby oil. Well, oils in general. I can put them on my cuticles, the ends of my hair, use it as makeup remover, smother it on my feet and elbows when they get dry… there are endless uses for me, especially in the wintertime. Plus it comes in a good sized bottle that I can reuse for travel. And it’s cute.

Miss Jessie’s Baby Buttercreme                                59ml

This smells just like buttercreme. Sweet, sugary, and maybe a little over-the-top for some people. Yes, this is super thick. Yes, it is more like a paste than a crème. But it kind of melts between your palms when you warm it up, and if you only use it on the ends of your hair, I can’t see it making your tresses too greasy. I’m looking forward to using this again and again. Again, it also comes in a cute little pot.

Femme Couture Lightning Lash Mascara      11.3g (Full Size!)

This mascara wand freaks me out a little bit. Not a huge bit because I’ve seen some weird looking mascara wands, but it doesn’t LOOK like it’d do anything. Does that make sense? But anyway I am willing to try any type of new product, and I am aching to find a mascara that doesn’t smudge on me, so I’m glad I get to try this. Plus, it’s full-sized! It’s been months since we got any full-sized products!

Meh for:

Cyberderm H2O Hydration                                        3ml X 2 tubes

On my card it claims that I should have gotten one of these and one of the Cyberderm Sunwhips (a sunscreen). However, I got two of these and am not complaining. This is the more expensive product of the two, and I’ve got plenty of sunscreen leftover from summertime! From previous samples, I don’t think I’m crazy about Cyberderm products… they seem very gimmicky, chemical-y and overprocessed to me. Something about the scent and the packaging, mostly.

Lash Card                                                                    2 Pieces

Uhm. These are a good idea… but I make my own version of these with laminated cards. I reuse them, can clean them, and shape them to my own eyeball. These seem super gimmicky to me, and a total money-grab. I’ll use them, but definitely wouldn’t ever spend money on these.

Overall Impression of October’s Box:

I am very happy with this box. It’s a shame that it’ll be my last one, but I really don’t need to subscribe to multiple beauty boxes. Especially since I have samples piling up and I could be spending my money better elsewhere. I’m sick of reading about the complainers and how unhappy everyone is with their services. If you don’t like it, unsubscribe. I am happy that Glymm seems to be listening to feedback, as they brought back the product card. Hopefully over time they’ll continue to improve.

September Glymm Bag/Box

From what I’ve received here, I (like many others) may be unsubcribing from Glymm. Their products just don’t compare to Topbox.

Now, I’m not saying Glymm is altogether crappy. They have some interesting and fun samples. But they just aren’t as good as Topbox’s. I haven’t gotten a full sized sample from Glymm in months. So that being said, it’s time to commit to Topbox and move on.

I wish it were that simple… I’m waiting for an order from the Glymm store. One of the two items is out of stock so I’m waiting for that to become available. The waiting game.

So this will be one of the last reviews for Glymm… though I’ve already been charged for October so it may be one or two more reviews (depending on how much longer the item will take to get delivered to me).

Yay for:

La Fresh Waterproof Makeup Remover                                                   2 wipes

I like these. We got samples of La Fresh Nail Polish Remover Pads before, and they work marvelously. Surprisingly effective, considering the wipes are NOT that big. These actually smell great too. They’re inexpensive, so if you can find these in stores I’d say pick them up.

Nay for:

I didn’t hate anything.

Meh for:

Evolvh UltraShine Moisture Shampoo + Evolvh UltraShine Moisture Conditioner  59ml

I’ll count these as one. The conditioner smells okay, but I couldn’t actually pick up much of a scent from the shampoo. I am crazy about smells… I love products that smell nice. So it’s kind of curious that the shampoo didn’t have much of a scent at all. Good size though, comes in a good bottle sized for travel. Sadly, Glymm always seems to give out hair products, so I’ve got quite a few of these stockpiled.

Villainess Dulce En Fuego Whipped Body Crème                                 No size information

This is very small. So small, in fact, that it is difficult to make out the label. And my eyesight isn’t terrible. The packaging is actually quite kitschy and quaint, if it were bigger. This is about the size of a lip balm tin. And this is meant to be a crème? Good luck getting this all over one entire limb. It smells okay. Not great, not terrible. Just a kind of natural crème scent.

Bentaberry Super Moisturizing Face Cream for Girls                            3ml

This is miniscule. Paltry. Meager. Almost a little bit insulting. I could maybe use this 3-4 times, not the claimed 7. It smells nice, and I’ve heard great things about Bentaberry… so I wish the sample could give us a better feel to the product. I’m glad I got to try this at all, but I definitely wouldn’t call this a luxury sample.

Overall impression of September’s bag:

Eh. Meh. Decent. Average. Mediocre. Not fabulous, but not entirely disappointing. It’s just hard not to compare Glymm to Topbox, especially when Topbox has been doing so well lately in impressing me!

August Glymm Box/Bag

This month I got my Glymm Bag quite early (on the 16^th of the month). As soon as I took the bag from my Postman’s hands, I noted how light it felt.

Alas, I was not to be dismayed YET.

Then I unwrapped everything and was left very underwhelmed. Well, I like all of the products… but they’re all so SMALL. So yes, there are items that I am stoked about, but only because they’re there in the first place… I’m very unimpressed with the sizing.

Yay for:

Vitamin & Sea Mineral Clay Mask                           5g

This comes in a little glass jar, about the size of a lip balm tin. According to the online product information, this will last 3 uses. I say it’ll last 3 uses if you have a very small face… this isn’t going to go too far. It feels okay… but the scent is a little odd. Very earthy.

Benta Berry Crème Hydratante Regulatrice                      3ml

On the Glymm Facebook page, they were revealing little parts of this product each day, building up anticipation. I think this was very misleading… as we received such a small sample. I’ve heard of Benta Berry before and have heard good things, but I want to be able to try this out for more than just once or twice!

Nay for:

Mai Couture Foundation Powder Paper in Fair Glow       2 papers

I don’t like the idea of smearing paper on my face. That’s pretty much why this isn’t for me.

The Laundress Delicate Wash                                 15ml

I find it very impractical to buy specialized laundry detergent for delicates. I figure that’s what my delicate cycle on my washer is for! I’ll save this for vacations… even though putting regular detergent into a zip-lock baggie and hand-washing would probably yield the same results. What pains me about this month’s bag is that THIS IS THE LARGEST SAMPLE. And it’s laundry detergent!

Meh for:

Naked Princess Luscious Lip Gloss in Barely Blush           0.25g

I’m not crazy about the shade I got. I’d much prefer something darker, though from the looks of it this brand doesn’t supply very many darker shades. It does have a very pleasing scent though, however small the sample may be.

D’Atelier Cologne in Vanilla Insensee                     2ml

This is a very intense smell. Very strong. I much preferred the one we got from D’Atelier Cologne a few months back, that smelled exactly like oranges. I find Vanilla scents a little overpowering.

Overall Impression of August’s Bag:

Bring back the Box! Bring back the product information cards! Bring back full sized products! I saw some other customers got full sized nail polishes in their bags, and I feel very envious. Sigh.

July Glymm Box/Bag

After this disappointing bag, I’m thinking about cancelling my subscription after the next 2 months. The reasoning behind that is that I will have accumulated enough points for that to get something off their online store. I hate being suckered into staying for another 2 months… because Glymm’s products have not been that impressive, and because I don’t think it’s worth the $12 a month. I have to compare them to Topbox… which still costs only $10 a month, and continues to surprise and delight me.

Yay for:

Joico K-Pak Revitaluxe Hair Treatment                          50ml   

As per the instructions, this looks like it’d work the exact same way as a conditioner does. I do really like Joico products, so I’m excited to try this out a few times. The sample size is decent. Scent is very nice.

Mane Teeze Hair Perfume                                                   8ml

I’ve never used a perfume that’s specifically catered to hair, but I do like spraying body spray/mist into my hair anyway, so I’m looking forward to trying this. I don’t think I’d ever pay for hair perfume (why not just use your own stuff?), and I like having most of my body smell the same.

Nay for:

The Glymm Bag                                                                     Orange

I’m getting mighty tired of getting these bags. I have 3 of them now, and they’re just sitting there. I can only use so many cosmetic bags! And I have some that are bigger/cuter/stronger. So why would I use these? Least of all 3 of them!

Meh for:

Coupon for 25% off any nail polish from the Glymm store

Honestly? I go to a discount beauty supply store to get most of my nail polishes. I get China Glaze for like $4, and OPI is about $5-6. So regardless of how much a discount is offered, it won’t beat the deals I can get. Plus I don’t have to pay for shipping… and their brands (RGB, Butter London) are in my opinion, more expensive than they have to be.

Cyberderm PM Anti-Age + Cyberderm H20 Hydration   2 creepy looking syringes

What bothers me most about these is that it implies that it gives the results that only surgical procedures would. I don’t really advocate that. Also, I pulled the little blue cap off, and product sprayed everywhere… so it isn’t exactly very user friendly. Okay, maybe I’m a little daft… but I don’t go around practicing how to use syringes. The product itself? Very light scent… no instant results. But yes, pretty hydrating. No more than other creams or serums I’ve used, though.

Mereadesso Beautiful Body Balm                          30ml

I got the body balm. Other people got the scrub. I wish I got the scrub. That’s the annoying thing about the internet… you can see how green the grass is on the other side. I have so much fn creams and lotions… I really don’t need any more!

Overall Impression of July’s Bag:

I think most people subscribe to these services to get makeup products. That’s my opinion, and it’s backed by most of the complaints I’ve heard. So far, Glymm has been slipping with what they deliver. Rarely do I get makeup from them… and if I do, the sample is typically small. I’m waiting to get impressed. Or for them to redeem themselves by lowering prices or having more promotions. Otherwise, I’m cancelling quite soon.

June Glymm Box/Bag

I love getting two packages in a row in the mail. Yes!

Once again, it looks like Glymm is now mailing out their samples in a little cosmetics bag instead of the old pink box. I’m not sure how I feel about this… I’ve already got plenty of cosmetic bags, and they’re going to start piling up. And fabric bags are a lot harder to recycle than cardboard. Not sure how they think this is being ‘green.’ I can’t really see myself giving these away to people… almost everyone I know has a cosmetics bag!

Also, they’ve gotten rid of the little card that came with every box describing the products. I loved those cards. I have kept all my old ones, so that I can keep track of the different samples and sizes of samples I’ve received in the past. Now we have to go online to search for the information.

Yay for:

La Fresh Acetone-free Nail Polish Remover Wipes                       2 Wipes (2 uses)

I was just about to go out and buy some of these to try. I’m going on vacation in a week and I’ve been considering bringing a little bottle of polish remover. But that is so messy and inconvenient. So I’m glad I will get a chance to try these. I can’t see these as being good for regular use. I mostly view them as being meant for travel.

Clark’s Botanicals Intense Radiance Mask                                     Size not on product

I do like masks. I don’t use them often (once a week maybe), but I do always like trying different types. More than anything I find them very relaxing. On the Glymm website it claims you can get 10-14 uses out of this. I highly doubt that. It’s just a little pot! Unless you have a very tiny face, I say you’re going to get 3-4 uses max.

Belvada Duo Lipstick Harmony                                                       3.4g (full size)

This packaging is ridiculously cool. It’s got lip balm on one end, and a lipstick on the other. You push each side to get access to the other side. In terms of the colour I got for the lipstick (Intense Red), it is a little too intense for me. It’s like bright Crayola red.

Nay for:

They included the Glymm bag as one of their products! I hardly consider that to be part of the 4-5 deluxe-samples I am receiving. Are they going to start including the CanadaPost packaging as well? What about the tissue paper used to wrap the bag? It’s a slippery slope…

Meh for:

Vitamin and Sea Perfect Skin Solution Skin Oil                                  1ml

The only oil I use is olive oil. This sounds like it has a lot of different ingredients in it, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. I’ll try it.

ItIsDream Salvadore Dali Perfume                                                             1ml

Personal preference. The scent isn’t my favourite. It’s too strong! Too sweet, too fruity, too floral.

Overall Impression of June’s Box/Bag:

I think this month was average. Glymm has been making some marketing changes that I don’t entirely agree with. I miss the card outlining the products. I miss the old cardboard box the products used to come in. I didn’t hate any of the products I got, and I’m glad they had a bit of skincare, a little makeup, and other products too. But the very first impression I got when I picked up the bag was, ‘this is so light.’ I for one equate heavier and bigger samples as being more worthwhile. At least I’d get more uses out of it!

May Glymm Box

I didn’t have to wait too long to get my Glymm box this month! I, like every Glymm subscriber, probably noticed that we got emails stating that Glymm would be changing their prices. Now, this doesn’t affect current subscribers. So for all the oldies out there, our price remains at $10 a month as a sign of good faith and for loyalty. However, for any new subbies, their price will be $12 a month.

That’s all fine with me! Besides, from the impression I got from this month, it looks like the quality and amount of samples may be improving.

I did notice on the card that it now lists how many uses that can be expected from the samples. I don’t know how accurate it is, it will definitely depend on the length of people’s hair, how dry people’s skin is… etc. But I will say that three pages of samples is awesome…

Yay for:

Coola Mineral Matte Cucumber Face Sunscreen                           5ml

I was actually in London Drugs the other day looking for sunscreen. It’s tough to find a good sunscreen for the face that isn’t greasy or stinky. But I’m hoping this will fit the bill for now.

NuMe HydroPunch Hydrating Conditioner                                               20ml

Can never go wrong with a conditioner. It has a foil seal, but I can still smell through it and it smells wonderful!

Mereadesso Lip Treats in Sheer Rose                                             Full Size 1.2grams

I am excited for this. It is quite a light pink, but more than anything I’m happy about the size of this. This will last me a long time.

Caudalie Crushed Cabernet Scrub                                                 60grams

Ack. This packaging is so cute. I can’t even handle it! It’s totally in its own little pot, and I’m going to be reusing this for different things. Maybe even candy.

Meh for:

Honorary Meh for the new Glymm bag!

Though like the MyGlam bag available in the States, I do worry that after a few months I’ll have NO clue what to do with all these bags. Cardboard is a lot easier for me to recycle than a gift bag.

Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst-Quenching Serum                      1ml

Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet                                      1ml

These are tiny, and difficult to open. Plus you can’t reseal them! I know Caudalie samples are pricey, but these look like one-use products.

CK One for Her                                                                                  1.2ml

CK Shock for Him                                                                              1.2ml

I like Calvin Klein perfumes, so I’m excited for mine. I do like that these are in spray bottles opposed to those dumb caps you pop open that causes spilling everywhere… the For Him is going to a special someone!

Overall Impression of May’s Box:

I am pleased, and my hope for Glymm has been restored. I think at this point it’s clear that no company is going to keep every customer satisfied at all times. It isn’t the nature of business. But they’ve been listening to feedback, and it seems to me they’re doing their best to make improvements.

April Glymm Box!

I promise, I didn’t get this as late as this is posted. I came back from HK and just felt so drained and stretched thin. Work waits for no one!

But I did want to stick to my routine and post what I received in my April Glymm box.

I received this earlier than Canada Post had predicted (thank God, they’re so behind on updating their statuses).

And yes, I was slightly disappointed. Two of these products I could have gotten as free samples.

Yay for:

Mai Couture Lip Gloss in Femme Fatale                                         Full Size: 5ml

I like this. The formula is decent. It’s a little sticky, and I will say I’d rather a darker colour (this light bubblegum pink washes my lips out). But I do enjoy the consistency of this gloss.

Lucia No 6 Soap in Wild Ginger & Fresh Fig                                   25g

I love soap. It’s a bit small, but it has enough scent to compensate for size. That is all.

Meh for:

Atelier Cologne in Orange                                                            Small. Maybe 1.5ml?

This smells precisely like oranges. I like it a lot, but my main hesitating in loving this is that I could get this free anywhere. The scent lasts a long time and I got compliments the last time I wore it… but it’s horribly expensive for the full size.

Nay for:

Free Your Mane Shampoo and Conditioner                                  Two foil packets

Again, I could get these free anywhere. They’re foil packets which means they’re difficult to reuse (or even get one use of, my hair is pretty long). Also I loathe these packets because they get so slippery in the shower that I can’t open/squeeze/do anything with them.

NuMe Coupon code                                                                          $100 off

This isn’t really worth anything. Everything on the NuMe site costs well over $100, so with the $15 shipping this only puts a reasonable dent in the cost of a product. Plus most girls have hair products already, and I’ve seen this brand at Winners for $50…

March Glymm Box!

People just can’t quit complaining online… I’ve seen so many people frustrated with how they haven’t gotten their delivery yet. I live on the West Coast. Everything takes longer to get to me, so I’m used to it. These people are spoiled, in my opinion. I understand the concept of customer service, and of the principle of good service… but really… did forests burn when your package came late? Did children screen in the streets for their mothers? Did the earth tilt?

Nope. We’re all still here. And you’re bitching about a $10 a month subscription? If it bothers you so much then DO something. Cancel. Post ONCE about it and leave. Don’t just plague the Facebook Wall with your incessant criticisms.

Enough ranting… onto my box!

Yay for:

Ocean Nail Polish in Crimson Catwalk                                Full Size 15ml

First off, I peeked (as I usually do) and was excited to see many people got a BB cream and a nail polish. I was very fortunate to get the nail polish in a colour I actually like! I heard some people got quite sheer neutrals and those looked kind of streaky… I have a lot of reds already but it really won’t hurt to have another. I already painted my nails today but I’ll be sure to try this one out soon.

M. ASAM Magic Fini                                                               5ml

So many people complained WITHOUT TRYING THIS PRODUCT OUT FIRST that this was too dark for them. This isn’t a foundation. It’s like a BB cream. It’s meant to really, really sheer out and blend into your skin. I tried it a bit today (not on my entire face) and it was a little drying… could just be that it snowed here the last two days and my skin is just dry, but we’ll see.

Anastasia Lip Gloss in Sorbet                                               1ml

I find this quite sticky, but I have never minded sticky lip glosses… I’ve always been under the impression that lip glosses are inherently sticky so no complaints. This is actually quite pink. I usually have a lot of peach and red lip glosses, so this is nice. The packaging is also very cute, although small.

Nay for:

NuMe feather hair extensions in green and black                        Full Size (3 Extensions)

This was the main downside to the box. Many people criticized this online, and I’ll have to agree… it seems like NuMe sent out the reject colours. Some people got purple and black, red and black, yellow and black… but no neutral or normal hair colours. I understand it’s a fun piece, not meant for practicality… but it’s too young for me. And I’m still in my early 20s. I can’t imagine going into work with this in my hair either… yikes. I’d look like a bumble bee on acid.

Meh for:

Coup D’Eclat Instant Facial Energizer                                1ml

This one is very similar to the Lise Watier Flash Radiance Vial that I’ve received before in a sample box. However, I am not into glowy/radiance/sheen looks. Just isn’t my taste. But this is a nice bonus, as it wasn’t listed on the card.

Overall impression of March’s box:

I really liked most of the products… I’m ALWAYS happy to get a full size (or even sample size) or nail polish and lip gloss. Honestly I can overlook the fact that I got green feather extensions, because I did get a bonus product (the flash radiance vial). Even though I saw many people got repeat products as their bonus instead of something brand new, I am happy with what I received.