Glossybox VS Birchbox, June 2018.

June is almost over so what better time to review and compare this month's Birchbox and Glossybox? Both boxes cost £10 a box on a month to month basis, so I think it's always interesting to compare what you get for your money with each box considering they're the same price. Birchbox's P&P costs £2.95 and they use Hermes for delivery. I find the service lacking here, as the drivers have just left my boxes outside in different places without even ring the doorbell or pushing a card through telling me where they've put it. Glossybox's P&P costs £3.25 through Royal Mail's tracked service which I've never had a problem with.

Birchbox came in a gorgeous tin instead of the usual cardboard drawer. I don't know what I'm going to use it for but I'm definitely keeping it.

My favourite product inside Birchbox was the Ella Eden Compact Eyeshadow in the shade Julia. (Full size, RRP £12.99) This is such a pretty, subtle shade that is perfect for everyday.

The next product is the Number 4 Smoothing Balm. I'm not a fan of receiving hair products in subscription boxes so I probably won't keep this.

Next up is Lord & Berry Strobing Highlighter Pencil. I've seen highlighter sticks before but they're all chubby compared to this one. I'm probably just use this one for underneath by brow bone but it's a lovely shade.

Being a pale girl, I'm also happy to see sun protection in a beauty box. The Polaar Sun Fluid Face & Body is SPF30 and the perfect size to throw in a handbag to use as a top up throughout the day.

I'm looking forward to trying Benefit Porefessional Pearl Primer, I just wish the sample wasn't so tiny! I haven't tried the normal porefessional either yet but I do like a bit of glow in my primer sometimes.

Also in the tin was an extra from Whittard of Chelsea of three individual teabags. I won't be using these as I'm a commoner when it comes to a cuppa, tetley or nothing!

So Birchbox had one full size product, making the overall value not that impressive. The sneak peak for July is a Manna Kadar full sized long-wear powder with two shades to choose from.

Glossybox came in the usual baby pink box and was very skincare heavy this month, so it wasn't one of my favourites.

First up is the Monu Skin Eye Cool Gel. (Full size, RRP £24.95) This sounds like it'll be good for me as I suffer with dark circles and dry skin on my undereyes.

The Gatineau Strategie Jeunesse Firming Throat gel is also a full sized products and has an RRP of £49! I've passed this on to my mum as she'll get more use out of it than me.

Another product my mum claimed is the Novex Mystic Black Deep Hair Mask. This sounds like a miracle product for dry hair and as I suffer from oily hair, I was more than happy to give this away, it did smell lovely when I had a quick sniff in the pot though.

We have another skincare product in the Nip + Fab Glycolic Scrub Fix. Out of the three skincare products, this is the one I'm most excited about. I love Nip + Fab as a brand so I have high hopes for this.

My favourite boxes are the ones that are makeup heavy but the only makeup in this month's box is the Laritzy Cosmetics Shade Stix in the shade Aloha (Full Size, RRP £18.) I haven't dabbled in cream bronzer before so this is a little scary to me but I'm going to give it a try.

The sneak peak for next month is a Sea Water Hair Spray by Senhor Do Bonfim for beachy waves. I'm more excited about this than Birchbox's sneak peak so I'm looking forward to that already.

I wasn't really blown away by either box this month. It's the first time I haven't loved one box more than the other but Glossybox did give more value for money.

Which box do you prefer? Are you subscribed to any of these?

Danni
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First Impressions of Quirky Crate: May 2018.

Quirky Crate is an American based subscription boxed based on all things quirky. I love the idea behind it and if I lived in the US, it'd be a no brainer that I'd continue with this subscription. As it is, I ended up paying about £50 in total for this box, including £15 in customs fees.

How cute are these sticky notes? I don't know when I'll use them but the design is very cool. I'll be using the heart shaped lock on my suitcase on my upcoming Los Angeles trip as my case is pink so it's a good match for that.

The patch and pin are my favourite things from the box, and I believe they are products that subscribers receive every month with a different pin brand featured in each box. The keyring I'm not too bothered about but it will be going on my car keys for some extra sparkle.

The owl LED nightlight is a miss for me, I hate birds so I'm going to passing this on to someone else. Socks are another product that are featured in every box and these moon ones are really cute. The watermelon bag is perfect for summer and I can't wait to use it!

I really enjoyed opening this box, there was so much to go through, it really felt like a present to myself. I just can't justify £50 a month for this so unfortunately this box had to be a one off purchase. If this box is something you might be interested in you can subscribe via Cratejoy here.

What do you think of Quirky Crate? Do you know of any similar UK based subscriptions?

Danni
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What I've Been Reading: May 2018.

I only managed to make it through 4 books in total over the past month but there were sooooo many I started and gave up on that just weren't for me. I'm only going to talk about the 4 that kept my attention here so let's get started!

Panic

Lauren Oliver
Current Kindle price: £3.99

"Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a poor town of twelve thousand people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She'd never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game; he's sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he's not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for. 

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them- and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most."

This is the second novel by Lauren Oliver I've read. I really liked but it didn't quite live up to the standard of Before I Fall. The book revolves around four main characters and the game of panic. Panic isn't an easy thing to participate in, one of the characters even has to play russian roulette. This isn't something I'll reread but I'm glad I gave it a chance.

The One
John Marrs
Current Kindle price: £4.99

"One simple mouth swab is all it take. A quick DNA test to find your perfect partner- the one you're genetically made for.

A decade after scientists discover everyone has a gene they share with just one other person, millions have taken the test, desperate to find true love. Now, five more people meet their Match. But even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking- and deadlier- than others."

Definitely my favourite book of the month! This is the second book I've read by John Marrs, and I thought this was even better than The Good Samaritan. This is so different to anything else I've ever read and I can't recommend it highly enough. It focuses on five sets of people who have been matched, all with different circumstances and I was hooked from the start. For me, the most interesting of all the couples was Christopher and Amy and how they were when the book ended was really satisfying.

The Accident
Dawn Goodwin
Current Kindle price: 99p

"Veronica Pullman's comfortable suburban life comes to a shuddering halt when her young daughter, Grace, tragically dies in a car accident.

Months later, unable to come to terms with her daughter's death, detached from her husband and alienated from her friends and family, a chance encounter on a rainy street pushes her into an unlikely new friendship.

Scarlet is everything Veronica could've been: feisty, adventurous, unpredictable. But as she approaches what would've been Grace's 10th birthday, it becomes clear to Veronica that the friendship she thought was saving her life could be costing her everything.

Consumed by grief and left questioning her own sanity, is there anyone she can really trust or is someone out to torment her as part of their twisted game?"

This wasn't bad but I found this way too predictable. I guessed the truth about Scarlet pretty early on so the big reveal wasn't exactly shocking but for 99p, it's a good read and well written.

The Babysitter
Sheryl Browne
Current Kindle price: £1.99

"Mark and Melissa Cain are thrilled to have found Jade, a babysitter who is brilliant with their young children. Having seen her own house burn to the ground, Jade needs them as much as they need her. Moving Jade into the family home can only be a good thing, can't it?

As Mark works long hours as a police officer and Melissa struggles with running a business, the family become ever more reliant on their babysitter, who is only too happy to help. And as Melissa begins to slip into depression, it's Jade who is left picking up the pieces.

But Mark soon notices things aren't quite what they seem. Things at home feel wrong, and as Mark begins to investigate their seemingly perfect sitter, what he discovers shocks him to his core. He's met Jade before. And now he suspects he might know what she wants...

Mark is in a race against time to protect his family. But what will he find as he goes back to his family home?"

This was a good read, shocking and dark in places, I was kept on the edge of my seat. One of the best thrillers I've read so far this year, I'm interested to read more by Sheryl Browne.

What were you reading in May? Have you read any of these books before?

Danni
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