Why I Canceled my Glossybox Subscription

I don't usually do rant-y posts like this, but I feel it's necessary in this case.  I received terrible service from Glossybox, and I know I am not alone.  My experience with Glossybox has been awful, and I feel compelled to share it with others who might be considering the service.  This will be a long post.

Like many others, I was excited to hear that the Glossybox beauty sample subscription service was finally coming to the U.S.  Glossybox had received fantastic reviews from many European bloggers, and I recall that one time they included in their box a full-size Rouge Bunny Rouge lip gloss.  That was enough to pique my interest.  Priced at $21 per month, they charge more than other sample services (such services average $10-$15 here in the U.S.), but they promised to include larger travel-sized samples.  I thought it was definitely worth checking out.

I didn't make it in time to get the May box, which was a bummer because it was a fantastic box that included a mini Burberry lipstick (and if you have read my blog you know all about my love for Burberry), but I was able to sign up for June and was certain June's box would be just as fabulous.

I paid for my subscription on May 14.  It wasn't until 6 weeks later on June 28 that I received confirmation that my June box had shipped, which irked me but at least it was finally on its way.  I clicked the tracking information, and it said that my box had been received by their third party shipper in Kearny, NJ on June 22.  That was the last update the tracking information would receive.

Although I was annoyed, I waited patiently for my box.  I checked the tracking information daily, only to see that my box was still in Kearny, NJ.   I contacted Glossybox about the issue and was told that the boxes had shipped out late and that's why I still hadn't received mine (no kidding!  I figured that much out myself), but that the box was on its way and I would receive it soon.  Despite my repeated questions, no one addressed the issue of the tracking information saying my box had been in NJ since June 22.

On July 2, I still had not received my box and the tracking information still had not updated, but I received an email from Glossybox confirming that I had been charged for a July box.  This upset me, because I had been counting on evaluating my June box before deciding whether I wanted to continue with July.  This was why I had selected the month-to-month option as opposed to a 6-month or 1-year membership.

Many others were upset as well at being charged for July's box before they received the June box.  Several people complained via Facebook about this, and Glossybox merely stated that it's their policy to charge in the beginning of the month and ship at the end; they were not at all apologetic and did not say anything about fixing the problem in the future.  Their Facebook page became inundated with unsatisfied customers who could not get an adequate response from customer service letting Glossybox know how they felt and asking to be refunded.  I was one of those people, and Glossybox deleted my comment.

I again contacted Glossybox via email and was told that it was their policy to charge in the beginning of the month and ship at the end, which was why I was charged for July before I had received my June box. I was finally able to get the July charge refunded after threatening to file a dispute with my credit card company.

In the beginning of July, reviews of the June boxes started to trickle out.  A lot of people were disappointed in their boxes.  Many reported that one of the samples, a small bottle of body wash, had leaked all over the inside of the box while it was in transit, coating everything on the inside of the box and ruining the box itself.  Glossybox was requesting that anyone who had this complaint send them photo evidence of the damaged box.  In several cases, people reported on Facebook that instead of replacing all the damaged contents of the box, Glossybox merely sent a replacement body wash sample.  I was very disappointed to hear all of this was going on, and I was growing more anxious to see in what condition my box would arrive.

On July 10, almost two months after I had paid and two weeks after it had shipped, I still had not received my June box.  I again contacted Glossybox.  I was told that they looked at my tracking info (FINALLY), and a replacement box would be shipped to me ASAP.

On July 18, I still had not received an update or tracking information for the replacement box, so I contacted them again regarding the replacement.  I  have not received a response.  It is now July 23, two weeks after I was assured that a replacement would be sent, and I have not received any update or tracking information for the replacement box.

I called customer service today to tell them to forget about sending the replacement and to just refund my payment.  I was told that my replacement box had in fact shipped on July 16 (a week after I was told it would go out ASAP) and they could not give me a refund for a box that has already shipped.  For some reason, no tracking number was ever sent to me even though Glossybox said that it should have been sent.  The replacement box is now somewhere in Indiana and is still making its way to Seattle.  I am fairly certain that if my June box ever arrives, it will not make it here until August.

I have been a Birchbox subscriber for about six months now, and have never once experienced a problem.  Some boxes have been better than others in terms of my personal taste, but I would say that in terms of quality, overall the boxes have gotten better over time.  I receive my boxes in the same month that I am billed, and the boxes always arrived nicely packaged with nothing leaking, missing, or otherwise.  From what I have heard from others who have experienced problems, Birchbox has addressed the issue immediately and to the customer's satisfaction.  All of this, and Birchbox is only $10 per month.  I haven't even been able to get a box from Glossybox.

Glossybox has stated that in response to overwhelming customer demand, they will start charging people closer to when the boxes will ship (they will charge second week and ship the third week, I believe).  On their Facebook page they said that everyone will have their tracking information this month by July 25.  The way I see it, with how extremely slow their shipping has been, most people are still likely to receive their boxes sometime in August.  It is also likely that many will again be charged for August boxes before they receive their July box.  Although I hope it does, I do not see how this new policy is going to change anything at Glossybox.

Glossybox has been all too eager to part people from their money, but very reluctant to provide the product or adequate service related to the product.  It has been 2.5 months since I paid for my June box, and I have yet to receive it.  The replacement that they told me they would send two weeks ago is still nowhere near arriving in Seattle.  Any response Glossybox has given to my requests has been after repeated attempts on my part to contact them, and their responses in general have not adequately addressed my concerns.  I have canceled my Glossybox subscription, and I am not likely to return.  It would take a major turn-around for me to consider purchasing a subscription in the future.  For the record, in case it isn't clear, it is not necessarily that I have had problems, but how poorly Glossybox has handled those problems, that made me decide to cancel and will keep me from going back.

If you are trying to decide whether to join Glossybox, I urge you to do research beforehand!  Check out their Facebook page, where many customers have posted their dissatisfaction with the service (although I know that Glossybox sometimes deletes these comments), and check out what bloggers have to say.  And finally, understand that while not everyone has had problems with the service, in the strong likelihood that you are one of the many who do encounter difficulties, Glossybox will probably not be of much help.

Burberry Beauty Fall 2012 Palette Images and Launch

It's all Burberry all the time over here lately.  Not a bad thing if you ask me!  These are the new Burberry Eyeshadow Palettes launching for fall:

Not the most hi-res image, but it's what I've got for now.  There are six of them (I was originally told there would be four)!  I think the diagonal design is interesting.  It's not what I expected; I thought they'd be squares similar to the Sheer Summer Glow palette from this year's summer collection.  I'm not sure about how I feel towards it aesthetically (doesn't seem classic like the rest of the line), but I like that you get more of the mid-tone shades that you are likely to use the most.

I'm told that these will hit counter in the U.S. along with the rest of Burberry's Fall line (matte foundation, new eyeshadow shades, new lipsticks, etc. I mentioned in this post) in Mid-August.  More info to follow as I receive it!

All images are from Burberry

Burberry Beauty Lip Glow Trio and Gift with Purchase - Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Exclusive

As part of Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale, Burberry Beauty is offering a limited edition trio of lip glosses for $65: Rosewood No.1, Blush No.4, and Nude Beige No. 9.  I gave details about it in this post.  The colors are all part of the permanent range, but to purchase all of them it would cost $81 so the set discount is a nice one.  They are also offering a Gift with your $125 purchase that only available if you purchase from a counter.  I'll have pics of that at the end of this post.

Burberry Beauty Anniversary Sale Trio

I purchased the trio, and have photos and swatches for those of you who don't live near a counter.  This trio is available online through the Early Acces tab for cardholders, and will be available to the general public starting next Friday.

More details, photos, and swatches after the jump!

Chanel Joues Contraste in Fleur de Lotus

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Early Access for Cardholders is in full swing, and there are some great deals to be found.  Not to worry, if you are not a cardholder, you will be able to shop on July 20 when I am told there will be much stock replenishment.

Chanel is offering the Fleur de Lotus collection, an Asia exclusive earlier this year, as part of the Anniversary Sale.  It is available only at counters, not on the web.  I picked up the much-heralded Joues Contraste in Fleur de Lotus, and it does not disappoint.

Some pieces from Chanel's Fleur de Lotus Collection

More details and swatches after the jump!

Burberry Beauty - Fall 2012 Collection Tidbits

Burberry Beauty Fall 2012 - image c/o Burberry.com

Last weekend I caught up with Angie at the Burberry Beauty counter in the Nordstrom Bellevue Square.  She had a lot to tell me about Burberry Beauty's fall releases.  No pics yet, but hopefully they, along with some more details, will come soon.

The look will be a softly smoked eye with neutral cheeks and lips, as seen in the image above.  

1. Eye palettes - Burberry will be releasing its first ever eye palettes this fall, designed to create a soft, smoky eye.  There will be four, each with its own color theme.  Right now we know there will be a mocha-themed palette and purple-themed palette.  More details as they are available!

2. Matte foundation - Burberry will be adding a matte foundation to its line-up.  I can't wait to try this one.

3. New eyeshadow shades - Burberry will roll out several new shades of its sheer eyeshadow, and will be discontinuing some of the old ones.  At least some of the new shades will be updated versions of the discontinued ones.

At this time, it looks like all of these products are additions to the permanent range.

We have some great things on the horizon from Burberry Beauty.   I am anxious to see them in action; Burberry has an impressive range thus far, and I'm always thrilled with their products.  When I learn more, I'll definitely share it.

Burberry Beauty Lip Cover Soft Satin Lipstick in Primrose Hill Pink

My Burberry obsession continues.  While I was at the Burberry counter this weekend, I picked up the Lip Cover in Primrose Hill Pink ($30), which was released as part of the Spring collection a few months back.  Love!

Burberry Beauty Lip Cover in Primrose Hill Pink

More details and swatches after the jump!

Burberry Beauty Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Exclusives

Image c/o Nordstrom.com

During Nordstrom's upcoming Anniversary Sale (starts mid-July) Burberry Beauty will offer 1) a set of three lipglosses at a special price, and 2) a gift with $125 purchase.

The Lip Glow set includes Rosewood No.1 (mauve pink nude), Blush No.4 (warm pink), and Nude Beige No.9 (light peach beige) Lip Glow glosses, and is priced at $65.

Burberry Beauty - Lip Glow in Rosewood No.1

Burberry Beauty - Lip Glow in Blush No.4

Burberry Beauty - Lip Glow in Nude Beige No.9

Burberry's Lip Glow glosses are normally $27 each, so this set will save you $16.  The Lip Glow formula is sheer to semi-sheer depending on the shade, and is also moisturizing to the lips.  Be warned that if you are looking for lots of color these will not likely be for you.  Instead, these glosses provide polish, shine, and a hint of color.  They are among my favorites; they are excellent for daytime wear, and for evening over a lipstick or paired with a smokey eye.

The gift with $125 purchase will be a black Burberry Beauty cosmetics pouch (about the size of an iPad) containing a dual-sided magnifying mirror compact (in Burberry's signature gunmetal check packaging), a mini Lip Cover lipstick in Rosewood No.4, and a mini Burberry Body perfume (deluxe sample size; more than a regular sample).  No pics at this time but I will update when they are available.

You can pre-order the Lip Glow set (along with all your other Burberry Beauty needs so you can receive the GWP) by calling Angie at the Nordstrom Bellevue Burberry Beauty counter, 425-455-5800 x1043.  As always, she can ship your order to you free of charge once it is available.  Let her know you read about Burberry here at PrettyAddicted!

UPDATE: Check out the promotional images for the Lip Gloss Trio and the GWP at CafeMakeup!

UPDATE: I have photos, swatches and details about the trio and gift with purchase in this post!

Lip Glow images c/o Burberry.com

Upcoming Events - Burberry Beauty and Meet Francois Nars

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The weekend of June 15-16 is a big one at the Nordstrom Bellevue Square in Bellevue, WA.  It's their big Summer Beauty Event, and several things will be happening.  A couple of them I wanted to mention specifically:

Burberry Beauty is giving a mini lipstick with a $75 purchase.  In my experience, it's pretty easy to drop that at Burberry Beauty ... the products are amazing and it's hard not to buy everything!

And the special surprise is ...

Francois Nars himself (!!!!) will be in store at the NARS counter on Saturday June 16 from 2p-4p.  You can presell one of his two books or a brush set for him to autograph, and you can wait in line to meet him.  I don't have to say what a big deal this is (but I just did)!  How exciting for us up here in the Pacific Northwest!

If either of these things interest you, call Angie Streeter at the Nordstrom Bellevue Burberry counter and she can get you set up, and/or she can ship your purchases to you free of charge.  Angie is great; she's always helpful and will answer any questions you may have about either event.  You can reach her at 425-455-5800 x1043.

UPDATE: Mr. Nars will be signing only the books/brushes available for purchase, and he will not be posing for pictures other than to "lean in."  In other words, you can take pics but he won't get up from the table.

Rouge Bunny Rouge EOTD - Nest of Plenty

Today I reluctantly present my first attempt at an Eye of the Day (EOTD), featuring the Rouge Bunny Rouge products used in the Nest of Plenty look.  Now let me just say, I got a little happy with the flash but given the cloudy weather today, it was the best pic of the lot; it shows the colors nicely.  They are slightly more reflective in this pic because of the shimmer reacting with the flash, but otherwise pretty accurate.  If anything, the colors are slightly darker and more blue/purple in real life.  Click to enlarge.

Rouge Bunny Rouge Nest of Plenty EOTD

On Eyes:

• NARS Pro Prime
• RBR Luminous Skin Wand in Orionis as concealer
• RBR Eye Shadow in Trumpeter Koel along the upper and lower lashline, and a tiny bit in crease just to add definition
• RBR Lilac Reef Curassow patted all over the lid and browbone
• RBR Eye Duo in C-Major/A-Minor (purple side) layered over Lilac Reef Curassow
• Urban Decay 24/7 eyeline in Zero along the upper and lower waterline
• RBR Feline eye khol in Vera lightly layered over UD Zero on lower waterline
• RBR Trumpeter Koel layered over Vera and over upper lashline
• RBR Loose Glitter Pigment in Wishing for Wings in inner corner, blended out a little over upper and lower lashline,  and patted into the inner third of the lid
• Chantecaille Faux Cils Longest Lash mascara

So there it is.  Overall these are gorgeous products that are delightful to use, and I will have swatches of them soon.  For now, enjoy my rudimentary photography skillz!

RBR products are available from Zuneta (London-based but ship worldwide) and BeautyHabit (U.S.-based, U.S.-only shipping).  Both have fast shipping and excellent customer service!

Burberry Sheer Summer Glow Palette - Summer 2012

I've been using my Burberry Sheer Summer Glow Palette for about a month now, and I love it.  It's quite a shame that it's limited edition, as I've found it to be versatile and high quality.  I'm considering a back-up.

Burberry Beauty Sheer Summer Glow Palette

More details and photos after the jump!

Coming up for air...

I'm back after an unplanned break.  Things will probably continue to be slow, but I am working my way back to normal. Unfortunately, my husband's father lost his battle with cancer a few weeks ago.  The past several weeks have been emotional to say the least.

I've missed blogging, but I haven't been feeling up to it and quite frankly haven't had much time.  I think I am ready to come back though so expect some posts soon.

Thank you for your continued support.

Burberry Beauty Lip Mist Natural Sheer Lipstick in Field Rose and Nude Peach - Iconic Nude Collection Summer 2012

These Lip Mist shades are part of Burberry Beauty's Iconic Nude Collection, and will be added to the permanent line.  There are four new shades in all; I purchased two: Field Rose and Nude Peach.

Burberry Beauty Lip Mist in Field Rose

Burberry Beauty Lip Mist in Nude Peach

Swatches and more details after the jump!

Sneak Peek - Burberry Beauty Iconic Nude - Summer 2012

I just got home and wanted to share a quick look at the goodies I picked up:

L to R: Sheer Summer Glow Highlighting Palette, Nude Peach Lip Mist, Field Rose Lip Mist

I haven't had a chance to take color-accurate pics (this one is a bit washed out) or swatch or any of that good stuff, but don't worry it's all coming up!

Summertime de Chanel - Soleil Tan de Chanel Sable Rose vs. Bronze Rose

I was curious (and I know others are as well) about how Chanel's new Soleil Tan de Chanel in Sable Rose compares to last year's Bronze Rose*, which is similar in concept and has identical packaging.  Despite the overcast weather here, which is really hampering my blogging efforts the last couple of days, I did my best to take some pics.  I love Bronze Rose from last year's collection.  I have a hard time with bronzer because of my pale skin, and Bronze Rose was just perfect for me.

How does Sable Rose measure up?

L: Chanel Bronze Rose; R: Chanel Sable Rose

Swatches and details after the jump!  As always, click the images to make them larger.

Summertime de Chanel Le Vernis in Holiday vs. Chanel Distraction

I received a question about Holiday versus Distraction (released earlier this spring with the Les Roses Ultimes de Chanel Collection).  It's quite overcast today, my nails are not in the best shape, and the swatch is sloppy (sorry!) but I thought I would post a photo to show how they compare (or don't, really) to each other.  Observe:

L: Chanel Distraction; R: Chanel Holiday

In this photo, Distraction shows up a bit more pink and less coral than it actually is, probably because of the fuschia shimmer in it.  Holiday shows up pretty true to color, maybe just a tad lighter.  You can see that they are very different, so if you already own Distraction you can order Holiday without worry.

Burberry Beauty Iconic Nude Collection Summer 2012 - Lip Mist Swatches

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My Burberry Beauty counter had testers of the new Lip Mist shades coming in their Iconic Nude Collection for summer.  They are $30 each and will be added to Burberry's permanent line.  They are:

• Pink Heather No. 210 (neutral-cool medium pink)
• Nude Honey No. 211 (nude beige)
• Nude Peach No.  212 (effectively, a nude peach)
• Field Rose No. 213 (warm rosey pink)

Top to bottom: Nude Honey, Nude Peach, Field Rose, Pink Heather

It's a little hard to tell in this pic, but Nude Peach and Field Rose do look different when applied.  I would say they go on true to their descriptions above (as do the others).  The formula is meant to be a sheer lipstick/gloss hybrid, so you won't get much in the way of opacity with these (EDIT: although they are more opaque than a lot of lip glosses IMO).  They add noticeable color while still allowing your natural lip color to come through.  I find that they glide on easily and add moisture to my lips.

I wanted to swatch the new Sheer Summer Glow Palette ($50), but my SA Angie said the tester unfortunately had been stolen and it was the only palette they had.  The Iconic Nude items are not yet in store; they will arrive next week.  Angie told me the palettes are limited edition and they will only be getting a very small number of them (about 50).  You can pre-order by calling Angie at the Nordstrom Bellevue Burberry counter at 425-455-5800 x1043.  EDIT: I forgot to mention that Nordstrom will ship for free!

EDIT: Added promo image up top.

Summertime de Chanel 2012 - Rouge Coco Shine Comparisons

I have done a quick swatch of the new Rouge Coco Shines for Chanel's Summer 2012 Collection, Summertime de Chanel.  I swatched the two new shades, Empreinte (shimmery sheer nude) and En Vogue (shimmery sheer coral).  Empreinte is so pretty and shimmery but it barely shows up so I didn't think a comparison was really necessary.  I thought it might be helpful though to compare En Vogue to some of the other corally shades in the Rouge Coco Shine range.  Here you go, in direct sunlight:

Top to Bottom: Rebelle, Sari D'eau, Empreinte, En Vogue, Flirt

I was surprised that I really liked En Vogue.  It looks pretty orange in the tube, but applied it has some pink in it that makes it more wearable.  It is remarkably similar to Flirt, which MAYBE has a bit less pink in it.  With the formula being so sheer, I would say that you don't need both.

I hope the swatches are helpful!  I made some purchases, so there is more to come from Summertime de Chanel :)

UPDATE: The collection is now online at Chanel's website.  Free shipping on any order til 5/4/12!

Rouge Bunny Rouge Gleaming Temptations Lip Gloss in Love Tricks

My Beautyhabit.com Rouge Bunny Rouge order appeared on my doorstep in record time!  I ordered Thursday, and it arrived today (Saturday) via USPS Priority Mail.  Well done, Beautyhabit!

I ordered two RBR Original Skin For Love of Roses blushes: Gracilis and Habanera.  They came with a full size Gleaming Temptations lip gloss in Love Tricks.  First I will show you Love Tricks, as there don't appear to be many swatches out there.

Rouge Bunny Rouge Gleaming Temptations Lip Gloss in Love Tricks

More details and swatches after the jump!

Rouge Bunny Rouge comes to BeautyHabit.com!!!

I can barely contain myself ... Rouge Bunny Rouge is now available in the U.S. through California-based BeautyHabit!  If you have looked at my blog at all you know I am obsessed with RBR.  Until now, RBR was available to the U.S. only through U.K.-based Zuneta.com, which has outstanding customer service and comes highly recommended.  Seriously, they are a fantastic company!  Shopping with them can be a drag on the wallet, however, with the dollar to pound conversion fluctuating as it does.  Totally not their fault, just a fact of life.

Enter BeautyHabit.com!  BeautyHabit will make it easier for those of us in the U.S. to get our hands on the latest and greatest from this wonderful brand.  They are currently offering a free Gleaming Temptations Lip Gloss in Love Tricks (a sheer lilac mauve with an opalescent sheen) with your purchase of 2 or more RBR products.  Use code LOVERBR through 4/25 or while supplies last.  Hop to it!

You can see Love Tricks at the bottom of the image - just click to enlarge it.  Never one to pass up a GWP, I ordered two Original Skin blushes - Gracilis and Habanera.  Will you be ordering anything now that RBR is available stateside?

Preview: Summertime de Chanel - Summer 2012

I don't know about you, but I am ready for summer.  It's not even really spring here; it's 45 degrees and raining where I am, so all I have to keep me going right now are these promo shots of Chanel's gorgeous upcoming summer collection.   Let's have a look!

More images and info after the jump!