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Glossybox USA September Review & Swatches

ByCordelia

It’s time for another Glossybox USA. This time I’ve got the September box for you to check out.

For my previous Glossybox Reviews and recaps:

August Glossybox USA
lip gloss (ugly)
nail polish (ugly)
vitamin c serum (liked)
biolage oil for hair (another hair product? really?  did not like)
skin primer (interested in)

July Glossybox USA
lip gloss (pretty)
‘universal’ eyebrow pencil (did not like)
feet lotion(more creams?)
hand lotion (more creams?)
shampoo (discontinued, couldn’t use)
conditioner (discontinued, couldn’t use)

June Glossybox USA
body creme (interested in)
mascara (interested in but it sucked)
firming cream (disliked)
shave cream (disliked)
stinky perfume (disliked)
hair masque (couldn’t use)

Inagural May Glossybox USA
skincare sampler (interested in)
lavender and peppermint shampoo (lavender is awful to me, couldn’t use)
eye gel (interested in)
opi polish (generic pink)
kryolan high gloss (liked)
cargo eye bronzer (liked)

Since the start of the program:
5 hair products that I could not use (not cruelty-free, not sulfate-free, etc)
1 perfume that smelled like pine sol
1 mascara that did not perform well for me
5 body / feet / hand creams
1 blah lipgloss (ellis faas milky lips)
2 blah polish (illamasqua brown polish, opi pink polish)

Products I’ve liked:
2 nice lipgloss (kryolan, senna cosmetics)
ole henrickson vitamin c serum
cargo eye bronzer

Now on to the new box!

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 Shade 31 Golden Beige

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 – shade 31 Golden Beige – $29.99 for 1.69 oz. (received full size)
For a minute, I was super excited over receiving this! I’ve wanted to try this BB cream out for a long time. Then, sadly, I looked at the shade I received – 31 Golden Beige. It’s too dark for me. WAY too dark for me. It fits a friend of mine who wears this and loves this when she has a tan. So it’s going to her.

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 Shade 31 Golden Beige Swatch

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 Shade 31 Golden Beige Swatch on skin

This is a CLASSIC example of why Glossybox should ask simple questions such as what’s your basic shade range? When looking at swatches of this product, I MIGHT be able to wear 13 Milky Beige, which is their palest shade. And that’s a maybe, not 100% sure. But it would at least be much closer to my skintone than Golden Beige.

I’ve heard that other bloggers received other shades, so it’s like they randomly chucked a BB cream in a box and sent it out. If they’d taken just a BIT of time to ASK, they would have gotten better feedback and PR.

So much like with Illamasqua with the August box, I’m disappointed. As far as I’m aware, Missha is cruelty-free.

Kryolan for Glossybox Lipstick

Kryolan for Glossybox – Glossy Pink lipstick – $14 for .14 oz (received full size)

When I saw that Kryolan had made a lipstick for Glossybox, I was initially excited. Even more so, because it’s a pink. Sadly, I find it boring. It’s a neutral pink.

Kryolan for Glossybox Lipstick in Glossy Pink

Kryolan for Glossybox Lipstick in Glossy Pink Skin Swatch

This is a nice, everyday pink. It’s probably a holy grail lip shade for some ladies. I think a lot of people will find it appealing. It’s not brown. I was really hoping for a different shade of pink. As far as I’m aware Kryolan is cruelty-free.

Global Keratin GKHair Shampoo and Conditioner

GKHair Balancing Shampoo and Conditioner $20 for full size, sample size isn’t stated on the bottle, maybe 4oz? (received sample sizes)

I’m guessing that these are another set of discontinued hair products. When I visit the website on the bottle which says ‘globalkeratin.com it says ‘we’re rebranding as GKhair.’ It also said I was sent moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, but the bottles say balancing shampoo and conditioner. I can’t tell if GKHair is cruelty-free or not.

Additionally, I can’t find an ingredients listing. I’m not putting these products on my hair without knowing if they’re sulfate-free and cruelty-free. I’ve had enough allergic reactions for one month!

I think it is in extremely poor taste for Glossybox USA to send another set of discontinued hair products, if this is the case. I also think it’s bad to send products without an ingredients listing.

Anyway, I’ve saved the best for last.

Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water

Koh Gen Do – Cleansing Spa Water – $13 for 3.38 oz (received full size)

Described as ‘Made with mineral-rich Japanese hot spring water, this best selling spa water is infused with six essential herbs to protect and nurture skin. In a single sweep, it gently removes makeup and skin’s toughest impurities.’

  • Rosemary leaf extract
  • Sage leaf extract
  • Lavender extract
  • Artemis Princeps Leaf extract
  • Perilla Ocymoides leaf extract
  • Ginger root extract

 

Koh Gen Do Promise - not tested on animals

I just had to share with you the Koh Gen Do promise. I love that they explain their testing stance.

Now I bet you’re wondering how it works? Well, I’ve tested it twice. So far so good! I’ve used it to remove my mascara and eyeliner, which is does gently and easily. I’ve also used it to remove eyeshadow, mascara and eyeliner.

It claims:

  • Quickly and gently remove makeup leaving nutrients to replenish and rejuvenate the skin.
  • Removes waterproof makeup and skin impurities
  • Rinse free
  • Oil free
  • Safe for contact lens wearers

It removed my makeup quickly, without irritating my eyes or making them burn. It didn’t need to be rinsed off. I wasn’t left with an oily feeling. It didn’t bother my contacts.

I might be in love! So Awesome. I will be doing a full review of this after I’ve used it for 2 weeks and if I love it as much then as I do now, I’ll be purchasing this. This is the FIRST ITEM from Glossybox that I have truly loved and think I would repurchase.

Products I loved:
Koh Gen Do Cleansing Water

Products I’m neutral about:
Kryolan for Glossybox Glossy Pink Lipstick

Products I hated:
Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 in 31 Golden Beige (CANNOT WEAR THIS COLOR)
GKHair Balancing Shampoo
GKHair Balancing Conditioner

If I count the Koh Gen Do Cleansing Water and Kryolan lipstick, my value is $27.
If I count the cleansing water, lipstick and BB Cream, it would have been $56.99

I actually feel like the value of this box is exceptional. It would be even better for me if they’d sent me a bb cream shade I could use, such as the Missha Milky Beige!

What do you think about Glossybox USA September? Do you love it or hate it? Are you interested in any of these products?

Glossybox USA retails for $21

Products sent for consideration. All opinions are my own.

Cordelia Frost is the creative force behind Phyrra, a treasure trove for cruelty-free indie and goth makeup enthusiasts. She's the author of the game-changing 'Hooded Eyes Makeup Manual' a must-read for hooded eyes makeup.

Cordelia's world is a kaleidoscope of alternative beauty, gothic fashion, and life-enhancing tips, making every visit to Phyrra a journey into a more colorful and inspired self.

34 Comments

  1. Phyrra, do you think who is NC 45 from the MAC to use the Missha in color 31? Please answer me.

  2. Pingback: Glossybox USA for November | Phyrra | Beauty for the Bold

  3. i called glossybox about the how dark the shade i received for the missha bb is and they informed me that they will ship me out no. 13 within 5-7 business days. i will say…i’m not always stoked on the whole box, but i love their customer service.

    1. also i am obsessed with that cleansing water myself! it works like a dream.have you filled out your beauty profile on glossybox’s site? when i called to complain that no.21 was too dark i realized i didn’t put “fair” as my complexion but just “light”. 

  4. Thanks for this! A lot of my friends have started signing up for Glossyboxes, but like you, I am allergic and sensitive to LIFE, so I’ve been hesitant. This seals the deal on my hesitation. The Koh Gen Do water sounds amazing, though!

  5. I guess maybe this is at least a slight improvement over previous months? The BB cream would’ve been nice if it weren’t impossible to wear! I’m OK with the lipstick and glad that you like the Spa Water (yay for aggressively cruelty-free companies!), but the hair products are a major pass.

  6. Hmm… you haven’t had very good experience with the Glossy Box, I’m glad I haven’t really looked into it much. I’ll be looking for your review of the Spa Water, that sounds promising!

  7. Missha is good stuff!  I always go back to it.  I mix it in with other foundations, wear it on it’s own, or under a mineral foundation/powder.  I really like it.  

  8. Phyrra, I hope this helps! I specialize in BB’s, and I know Missha products well. First, as a cruelty free brand, they claim they are, and it’s their official position, however they’re lacking in some of their confirmation with their claims, and so KARA (Korean Animal Rights Association) does not give them an official pass. Second, 21 and 13 are both SO LIGHT that I think either would have been compatible, even with your paleness. I’m the whitest non-white person ever, and 21 is FAR lighter than almost any BB available already, and 13 is just slightly less pigmented. The number 1 mistake people make with BB’s is applying them like foundation (ie, way too much of it!), and if you avoid that, BBs look a ton better and blend well. Many people unfamiliar with BBs start with Missha, and when they do their reviews they make this mistake, just something to think about when researching.Third I was SO JELLY when I saw what people were getting Korean products in their Glossyboxes, but what sense does it make for them as a company not to ask BASIC questions about their customer’s skin color? WTF. I think that’s such a huge waste. Right now I’m limited in my subscription services because too many are behind with customer’s needs. Thank you for sharing your experience with Glossybox, I’d be better off taking $21 and randomly buying products on ebay than subscribing to them.

  9. Phyrra, I hope this helps! I specialize in BB’s, and I know Missha products well. First, as a cruelty free brand, they claim they are, and it’s their official position, however they’re lacking in some of their confirmation with their claims, and so KARA (Korean Animal Rights Association) does not give them an official pass. Second, 21 and 13 are both SO LIGHT that I think either would have been compatible, even with your paleness. I’m the whitest non-white person ever, and 21 is FAR lighter than almost any BB available already, and 13 is just slightly less pigmented. The number 1 mistake people make with BB’s is applying them like foundation (ie, way too much of it!), and if you avoid that, BBs look a ton better and blend well. Many people unfamiliar with BBs start with Missha, and when they do their reviews they make this mistake, just something to think about when researching.Third I was SO JELLY when I saw what people were getting Korean products in their Glossyboxes, but what sense does it make for them as a company not to ask BASIC questions about their customer’s skin color? WTF. I think that’s such a huge waste. Right now I’m limited in my subscription services because too many are behind with customer’s needs. Thank you for sharing your experience with Glossybox, I’d be better off taking $21 and randomly buying products on ebay than subscribing to them.

  11. It’s sad that they give great sizes of the products but that doesn’t help if you cant use them. That’s a waste, when you send out products to alot of people with blogs and they can’t review them. I agree that they should  do a profile. Which is why i been using birchbox. Granted not all companys coloring is a match, but when i put my skin color as light, i get products in light. I was wanting to try glossybox, but after seeing they put random things in for such a high price, not worth it for me even though i like getting samples to play with. BTW, i do like the lipstick, though you know im going for more neutral looks lately. Did it seem like it would wear well, was it creamy enough? it looks pigmented enough.

    1. Amber M It had a really nice texture. It felt like it had good color payoff when I swatched it, though I didn’t wear it on my lips.

  13. I’m using this same Missha thing in color #21. I’m guessing it would be the right color for you too, this time of year. In the dead of winter, you might be so pale as a 13.

      1. Hrm. When I was looking online, I was really trepidatious about 21. I was worried it would be too dark, but I got it anyway because I am very mildly tanned. I was surprised.  It’s paler than it looks online, and doesn’t oxidize darker on me at least. If you can buy samples off ebay to test the colors, it might be a good idea. I would compare 21 to L’Oreal’s palest ivory foundation shade, if that helps any. I have not tested 13 though. 

      2. Phyrra For some reason, the online swatches are darker than irl. I’m NC15ish and I find the orange Holika bb cream to suit me, but #13 was too pale for me. #21 might suit you, but I’m afraid it might be a hint too dark. I saw a review on Nouveau Cheap and the reviewer says she’s a NC20 and #21 was a bit pale for her, so take that for what’s it’s worth.

  14. I’ve been waiting to see what you said. My paid for box actually contained a good shade of the BB cream (#21 which is the one I purchased from them before), I had a full size primer (sick of primers though), the lipstick which is fine but like you said not special and the hair products. I have a keratin treatment so those might work for me but I didn’t know they were discontinued. I think you were kinder in your review than I expected you to be actually. I agree about the color matching on the BB. I got lucky but I know my blog partner got one that is practically white on her.

    1. Marcia beauty info zone I am only presuming that the hair products are discontinued since I couldn’t find them on their website and their website said they were rebranding. I bet the one your blog partner got is 13.

  15. Oh man.  I would be so pissed about the Missha BB cream!  I super want to try that one so it would be like “Oh look you got something really cool except NOT!”  It’s like dangling a carrot or something.  Ugh!  And the discontinued hair products with no ingredient listing is just…

  16. Lame LOL. I want to try that BB cream too but I’m pretty sure the lightest shade will be too dark once it oxidizes on my face. Would’ve been nice to see someone pale review it.

      1. Phyrra spooki This one is supposed to “adjust” lol. The other BBs I use don’t oxidize much or at all. Some people say Perfect Cover oxidizes a lot and other people say it barely does at all.

        1. spooki Phyrra It must depend on your skin pH or something? On me it doesn’t oxidize at all that I can tell. I wear an NC15 in MAC, as a comparison. But that’s a touch too yellow whereas the Missha stuff is not. It’s a really neutral shade in the #21. 13 looked like it might be equivalent to a MAC level 10.

        4. gothchiq spooki  I’ve got the Face Atelier toner 🙂 it works really well too. Also, I have a few foundation matches, as some lines are creating lighter and lighter foundations, and darker and darker ones for those of us on opposite ends of the spectrum. My friend Brittany often has problems finding foundations dark enough for her.

  17. That’s seriously a stupid idea to just send random BB Cream colors. I mean it’s one thing to send a beige gloss – perhaps some people won’t prefer the color, but it’s probably not excluding a particular skin tone (for instance I might have liked the Ellis Faas Milky Lips and I’m pale, too) The BB Cream is just unusable for you, though, and it would have been a waste of product if you hadn’t known someone to give it to. And don’t even get me started on sending products with no ingredient listings. I’m not really sensitive to much, but I know I’m lucky like that. Ugh

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