Sample Society June 2014

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Saffyra said:
I figured it out and cancelled.
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I'm not far behind you. I don't mind a perfume or a moisturizer here and there (I'm picky with perfume so I know I won't use half of it, but I realize it's inevitable that I will get some here and there with theses boxes) but a 6 item box, with nothing but those two items is a bit much. I'm going to wait for the July spoiler, then decide to cancel or not, since it restarts after you cancel.

After a great first month, it's starting to look bleak. (June is month 3 for me.)

 
My dashboard is updated. I have the same Murad serum as it was last month. oh well, do not think I will bother. All the rest is fine with me (I am a skin care obsessive freak).

 
panicked said:
Has anyone heard what's in Kit A?
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Borghese Fango Deep Hydration Finishing Treatment-SS
 
Juliette Has A Gun Anyway Eau de Parfum Deluxe Sample
 
H2O Plus Night Oasis Oxygenating Rejuvenator Deluxe SS
 
Karin Herzog Vita-A-Kombi 2 - 3ml
 
Orlane Paris Hydro-Matifying Care Deluxe Sample SS
 
Pur~lisse Pur~Moist Hydra-Balance Moisturizer Deluxe SS
 
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Jennifer Leigh said:
If you don't like the contents, you should cancel while you still can so you don't waste your money. You can always re-sub. BUT! If you do stick around and do send the email, I hope you will share here what they say.
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Gladly. :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />   I looked at the dashboard when it updated this morning, and e-mailed them this:

I just looked at the dashboard for my June Sample Society box. This is my second box. I received only skincare products in my first box, and two perfume samples and several moisturizer samples in the second box. 
Is this typically what the Sample Society boxes will contain going forward? Skincare and/or perfume? I was under the impression from reading reviews of past boxes that they contained a wider variety of products - some skincare, some haircare, some bath and body products, the occasional cosmetic product. Have you changed the the boxes to feature mainly skincare items?
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And received this back:

Thank you for emailing us. We normally do have greater variety of samples in the monthly beauty boxes.

Unfortunately, these boxes are built based on what is provided by the manufacturers. Basically, it is pure chance what will be in the box every month. We have no way of really customizing the beauty box for every month. I am sorry I was not able to give you a better answer.
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Interesting.  My first thought is, don't you have someone working with the manufacturers of the products you sell, encouraging more manufacturers to participate in Sample Society?  I imagine that companies like Ipsy and Birchbox have a staff of people doing outreach with manufacturers and vendors. 

But I guess that's really the difference.  Ipsy, Birchbox, Glossybox, etc - they were built from the ground up as subscription box companies, some of which also happen to sell products.  Beautybar is primarily an online store that added a subscription box as a promotional tool for their store.

 
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Lyllis said:
Gladly. :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />   I looked at the dashboard when it updated this morning, and e-mailed them this:

And received this back:

Interesting.  My first thought is, don't you have someone working with the manufacturers of the products you sell, encouraging more manufacturers to participate in Sample Society?  I imagine that companies like Ipsy and Birchbox have a staff of people doing outreach with manufacturers and vendors. 

But I guess that's really the difference.  Ipsy, Birchbox, Glossybox, etc - they were built from the ground up as subscription box companies, some of which also happen to sell products.  Beautybar is primarily an online store that added a subscription box as a promotional tool for their store.
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This is really good info, it would help ladies decide if they want to sub/remain subbed.  

While I'm not thrilled with a box full of moisturizers and perfume, SS gives me a wider variety of higher end products that I just would never come across or get to sample from Birchbox or Ipsy.  I like all three in their own individual ways (well except Ipsy, I have love/hate for Ipsy and sometimes Birchbox too). 

 
Oh man, I should have subscribed to this month! I really want to try the Juliette Has A Gun perfume and I love moisturizers. XD

 
Didn't they used to give members a free subscription to Allure magazine? Did they drop that perk? 

Trying to decide whether I want to risk this one or not...

 
Yesterday at TJMaxx, I picked up full size Ole Henriksen Apricot cleansing lotion for $9.99 :wub:

 
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@@GirlyGirlie they used to give out a free subscription. I can't remember when they stopped. I think, don't quote me on this because this was back when they first started, they automatically sent out the magazine when you subscribed. Such a shame I can't remember. I used to think to myself they should give members the option of a digital or printed copy because my mailbox was crammed all the time with paper. This coffee is really strong.

 
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OiiO said:
You can also buy Shiseido, Clarins, Pacifica and DermOrganic at TJ Maxx, but that doesn't make them bad brands :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> Just sayin'.
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No, you can get a lot of great stuff at tjmaxx. But it's cheap. I can get some shiseido there for under 15$. I don't wanna pay for a sample of something I can get there for so cheap. Just sayin :p /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
Wow! I love shiseido translucent powder--must look at my TJMaxx, but it is a smaller store--please have it, please have it!

 
It's interesting that Sample Society doesn't actively reach out to brand partners and cultivate a relationship with them like Ipsy and Glossybox seem to. Those two boxes especially seem to have a "theme" each month and as much as people knock Ipsy for being low end, I tend to love almost everything they send, and I actually love the bags they send too. I'm a photographer and I use them for organizing all of the tiny little things I have like adapter plugs, batteries, etc...

That said, I'll probably resub to SS for another month, but if it's going to turn into a Moisturizer and Perfume Sample box, I'm out. I have enough moisturizers to last several years, and I can get a sample of any perfume I want at Nordstrom or Sephora for free. I want a reason to justify the over $16 I'm paying per month for this, after taxes

 
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I understand I signed up for a box that I have no control over and I don't want to gripe, however I'm a little let down. This is my first SS and I had such high hopes, but a box full of moisterizers (kit A)... it feels thrown together.  Don't get me wrong, I will use them and I'm going to give SS another month or so since I've read such wonderful reviews about them, I'm really hoping they step up their game.  But compared to my Glossybox and Ipsy this box is well... hoe-hum.  Granted, I pay more for my Glossy and Ipsy is a completely different service, but I won't be rushing home from work to rip into this one. 

 
Sample Society has always been a little too heavily skincare-focused for me.  When they first started up and before they started sending out box variations, they sent acne treatments out two times in three months.  They may have been high-value samples, but I do not have acne, and I have sensitive skin, so I have to be super careful about skincare.  I've had more than one box where I've received at least three anti-aging moisturizers.  Anti-aging stuff seems to be my skin's mortal enemy.  Birchbox sends out skincare, but they don't typically send out three or four skincare items in one box.

(I'm big on color, so my favorite subs are currently indie pigment and nail subs:  Glamour Doll Eyes, innocent+twisted alchemy, and Rainbow Honey.  The first two are hard to get into because there are only a limited number of slots available on a specific day/time each month, but the third doesn't have limited slots, and if you missed signing up for this month but still want the current bag, you can buy that separately.)

 
So I decided to cancel my subscription today. I like skin care samples but I don't understand how you're supposed to know if you like the sample when they are usually so small. I subscribed to the QVC New Beauty test tube! I've watched many reviews and it always includes 1 or 2 full size makeup products in it. I will have to wait until August though. : (

 

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