Birchbox vs Glossybox: January Edition

Hey lovelies!  Last month I started my Birchbox vs Glossybox series (which I seriously should have started months ago!)  This month, Birchbox's theme was 'Best Year Ever' and Glossybox had its 'The Man Repeller' curated box.  Read on to see what I got, and what I thought! {More, after the jump}

For anyone unfamiliar with Birchbox, you pay only $10 a month (includes shipping) for 4-5 hand-picked, beauty and lifestyle samples.  Most brands are higher end and it's an opportunity to really try products that you can't afford to take the chance and buy and not like.  I've been a subscriber for 2 years now, and LOVE it!

So, here was my Birchbox contents.  Yes, this is all.  (Was my thought!)  I do love the Balm cosmetics Put a Lid On It eyeshadow primer, as I love all the Balm products which I was introduced to through Birchbox.  The My Prime mattifying moisturizer is a great product too.  I still haven't tried the Frownies and the hydrator spray yet, but I've heard really good things about this product.  And finally, another sample of Juicy Couture perfume.  It's nice, with all the perfume samples I seriously never need to buy perfume again.  Or at least not for the next year or two.

Surprisingly, my favorite part of the box this month was this 'poster' of 26 ways to make this 'My Best Year'.  There's great tips that I actually really love!  

Glossybox costs $21 a month (including shipping) and gets you 5 luxury travel sized beauty products.  In my experience though, there's always at least 1 full-sized product, and the value of the products far exceeds the cost of the box.  This month's theme was The Man Repeller, and these are all Leandra Medine's can't live without winter products.  Cool theme, no doubt.

These three products I was meh about.  The perfume smells great, but I'm kinda over perfume samples, I've got wayyyy too many!  The Le Metier De Beaute lotion is fabulous, but I can't stand the foil one use packets.  You can't tell how a product works after only one use, so these are pretty useless, imo.  The Fresh mattifying serum is great.

These were my fave products.  One of the new OPI Liquid Sand polishes, from Mariah Carey's line, a mini Estee Lauder mascara, Sebastian Potion 9 is a fabulous styling cream, and this Tarte Achiete cheek stain (which is a pre-release, you'll be able to buy it in March) is absolutely amazing.

My two fave products, which were also full sized.  Rad, right?

THE VERDICT
Birchbox left much to the imagination this month, especially with a 'Best Year Ever' theme.  In its defense, I could never cancel my subscription because I love the brands I've been introduced to and have really found some can't live without products.  Although there have been some not so fabulous boxes, there have been some pretty rad ones too.  I know alot of people get upset there's no full sized products anymore, but they advertise 4-5 samples a month, so you know what you're getting.  Anything else is a bonus, right?

Glossybox nailed it, again, as usual.  I was super stoked to get some Liquid Sand polish, and this new Tarte cheek stain is incredible.  These two (full sized) products alone more than make up for the cost of the box, and I couldn't be happier.

THE WINNER 
Glossybox, hands down.  Would you pick the same?

xx
Lia