Review: December Luxe Box

Another month, another Luxe Box. This month, just for the holidays, they've broken out the big guns and given us a shiny foil version of their usual customized sticker.

In addition to the samples, they've also included a letter thanking customers for their loyalty, and for making Luxe Box such a Big Deal since sending out their first box in February of 2011. That's actually pretty impressive.

First look at the goods:

First up, we've got a Slim Eye Pencil in black from NYX. It's a full-size version, but considering this is a drug store brand that retails for $4, I'd expect nothing less. It's a basic pencil—no bells or whistles in the form of a creamier or waterproof formula. As such, I probably wouldn't buy it because I'd prefer something with a smoother application, but no harm, no foul. My current black eye pencil is a stub, so thanks for taking that off my shopping list for now, LB!

I've also included the LB Belgian chocolate coin we received in this picture too. It's about the size of a chocolate loonie, but I could tell it was better chocolate—creamy and rich, not like cheap Easter chocolate (which has its place, don't get me wrong). It maybe lasted 10 seconds after this picture was taken.

In my little card telling me all about the products, LB tells me this full-sized sample of Yves Rocher's Rouge Dragée lipstick is my thank you for being an existing customer. And it's a pretty enough lipstick—I received colour No. 66, a soft creamy pink that goes on sheer and feels pretty nice. The packaging is a little tacky—the translucent fuchsia reads very '80s Barbie—and it smells like old-school lipstick, but overall, I'll probably wear this often. This is what it looks like on me:



But like, seriously guys? This full-sized "gift" costs $5 in store. That price comes straight from their own little info card. I'm not trying to be a greedy Gus, but I signed up for deluxe samples. And it kind of gets to the heart of my problems with this month's Luxe Box generally, but more on that in a minute.











I also received a bottle of Yves Rocher Italian Mandarin Shower Gel. Which, yes, smells like those delicious Christmas oranges we know and love so well. But also, this is a hotel-sized shower gel, full stop. And not even a good one. If it were Kiehl's or even Lush, I'd forgive you, but I don't need a tiny bottle of drugstore shower gel, LB. My shower is cluttered enough as is. This inclusion felt like a cop out.

And then I got two little spray sample vials of Nina Ricci perfumes, L'Air du Temps and Nina. L'Air du Temps is very floral and rose-based, while Nina is a much more modern scent, an apple-y oriental. Of the two, I prefer Nina—I like smelling a little bit like food generally.

And that was it.

If you didn't get the sense I wasn't impressed by this month's Luxe Box, let me make it clear – I was not impressed with this month's Luxe Box. Maybe it was because the first one I received was so good, but last month's and this month's have felt like they've been increasingly declining in quality. This month, I don't even believe the items I received even added up to the amount I paid for the box ($12)—sure, I got two full-sized items, but they total $9 (by LB's own admission) and then I got a hotel sample shower gel, two perfume samples I could get for free at any beauty counter, and a chocolate coin. And it's unlikely they're paying the retail price to send us these items.

I'm not trying to be greedy, but when you've promised and previously sent items like MoroccanOil, full-sized Lise Watier eyeshadows, and Benefit skincare products, that's what customers are going to expect. I don't care if you want to send me a couple items I can get at Shoppers around the corner, that's fine—but I do expect there to be some level of "deluxe" to your deluxe service. Otherwise, what's the point? Why am I paying full-price for these items I wouldn't have chosen myself? And including a note doubling over, thanking me so profusely for my support, while sending me a bargain-bin box didn't make me feel any better.

While I really like the idea of Luxe Box and I have received some good samples in the past, I don't know if it's going to continue to be worth it for me unless they step up their game. They are the most pricey of the monthly sample boxes (with both Glymm and Topbox being $10), and while last month's had better quality items, I didn't find I liked them that much. I'm going to give them one more month, and if I'm feeling similarly disappointed, I'm switching to another service.

If my review didn't scare you off too much and you'd like to try Luxe Box for yourself, please use my referral code!


Some quick notes from Laura Kathleen: I felt pretty similarly to Amanda on this one, though I didn't piece together the actual financial drawbacks of this month's box. The lipstick and eyeliner are both great—but perfume samples? On signing up for the service, you can "customize" what you are getting in the box (where I asked for no perfume samples, btw) but I'm not going to use these. Like, never. If you want mine, don't hesitate to get in touch!

I think people get this box for different reasons. I am not ordering it to find the next love-of-my-life product that I wouldn't otherwise buy, I'm getting it for the Christmas morning-like surprise I get when it comes in the mail and I open it. And this Christmas morning kind of got shrugged off.

December should be a month that's better than usual, not worse. Let's see what the next month or two has in store.

Did you get any different products in your box? Tell us about them!