We love spending money on ourselves - we really do. Besides clothes, our second greatest expense collectively is on our bodies. Whether Kimmi is spending exorbitant amounts of money on the best facial products out there (she has an amazing collection of products) or I'm spending a stupid amount of money at The Body Shop, we are two girls who know how to spend. And that's why we love the idea of Rubybox and Glossybox.
Summarised, both of these companies offer a box of 3 - 5 samples of beauty, perfume, face and hair products. You pay a monthly fee, and receive a beautifully packaged parcel of delights delivered to your door. Generally the products are only samples, and so are small, but sometimes you get full sized products that pay themselves back over and over again (like the full sized L'Oreal Revitalift Clinical Repair Face Cream and the full sized Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner we got). What's really great about a service like this is that the products you receive are generally high-end, expensive ones. This is great, as not only do you get to treat your body/hair/face with an awesome product, but you get to test them out first too, before committing to buying the full size.
So which box do you go for - Glossybox or Rubybox? The choice really lies with you, but to help you make a decision, here are a few facts and opinions on the two services:
- Ruby Box is the first 'sample box' business of its kind in South Africa and was formed when a beauty editor and an online marketer found that there was a gap in the luxury product testing market.
- Both Rubybox and Glossy box deliver to your front door for free.
- Rubybox is R100 per month, while Glossy Box is R130.
- Both allow you to cancel your subscription at any given time - no contracts, no fuss. You can also buy 6 month to year long subscriptions at a discounted price
- Both services offer a rewards and points system for recommeding friends to join. With Ruby Points, you can buy some of the featured products on their online boutique (which is quite reasonably priced). Glossybox points allow you to get a free box after you've earned 1000 Glossy dots. These dots are earned by telling friends about their services.
- We personally feel that the Glossybox corporate I.D is better - the website is prettier, the box that the products come in is packaged beautifully and their colour scheme and logo is very appealing. We also find them to be a stronger presence on Facebook and Twitter, by thier very regular updates and informative articles. Where the Rubybox website lacks in the "glossy" prettiness, they make up in functionality. This website is easy to use and offers a range of things to keep you occupied. You can update your beauty profile online (this helps the folks at Rubybox tailor-make your box), you can shop at their online boutique (using a combination of Ruby points and money) and you can participate in surveys to earn more points. Rubybox also has a great online question and answer live chat that allows you to directly chat to a consultant over a messaging application. Perfect if you have questions.
Personally, we feel that Rubybox is the better option to go for. When comparing the contents of the boxes month by month in each service, we found that Rubybox offered a great range of products and a broader variety of brands. There were always different brands in each box, and always different types of products, while Glossybox tended to have three different products, but of the same brand. This is of course something we're sure that will change as they gain more leverage and staying power. Rubybox also comes in R30 cheaper, and has been around for longer.
Either way, the concept of this service is great for anyone who likes splurging out on body products, but wants to give them a little test drive. From the two Ruby boxes we have received so far, we are aboslutely sold on Africology, love Calvin Klein's Beauty fragrance and we can't get enough of Aussie's 3 Minute Miracle Frizz Remedy. Oh for the love of shopping...
All pictures sourced from the Rubybox facebook page and website, as well as the Glossybox facebook page and website. Labels: Beauty, events, glossybox, Product Review, Ruby and the Swallow, Rubybox Beauty
