How to swap a beauty box and avoid being scammed: Etiquette to observe

How to swap a beauty box and avoid being scammed: Etiquette to observe

Tips Cosmetopia Digest   Saturday, December 07, 2013

Swapping a beauty box with a stranger over the internet can be exciting and even satisfying but you have to be lucky not to meet feckless cheats, as I recently did. You also need to think, as I am now doing sadly - are you better off spending that amount on yourself at a nice makeup counter? But if you still love the idea of receiving a box of surprises, I'm sharing some tips and pointers for swapping a beauty box with someone, including where you can find a beauty box "swapper".

Beauty box swap with Greek blogger duo: A horrible experience

Beauty box swap with Greek blogger duo: A horrible experience

Swap Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, October 10, 2013

I like the idea of doing beauty box swaps a couple of times every year. So far, I've done one with the awesome Elle Robson from the UK (blog here), which was brilliant - she painstakingly went out and bought me things which I specifically wanted, and some lovely surprises, including a special gift from Cornwall.
This time, my swap was with Jenny and Gogo Kourakou, the Greece-based sister-bloggers of Our Beauty Wonderland - ourbeautywonderland.blogspot.gr. Their blog is in Greek but you can find a translate button on the top right, below the header.
Jenny/Gogo and I decided on a spending limit of EUR30, apart from postage - we agreed that we would both send by registered post with tracking, to prevent nasty shocks. I had asked for purely Greek/regional brands, provided lip glosses, toners and false eyelashes were avoided. They asked for any brands, and asked me to avoid glosses as well. We discussed skin types and so on as well and told each other when we were "going shopping for each other" and when "our shopping" was complete.
They had packed everything in a pouch from Bioplasis cosmetics (posted on their blog), which will come in use for storing shampoos and conditioners. Read on to find out how this beauty box swap went horribly wrong and I was taken for a ride by some clever women.

My first beauty box swap featuring makeup, skin care and other goodies

My first beauty box swap featuring makeup, skin care and other goodies

Swatches Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, May 05, 2013

Last month, the lovely Elle May had asked if I wanted to do a beauty box swap with her. I was apprehensive about the postal services. But I was so excited about it nonetheless.
Elle and I had agreed on a budget of £25 excluding postage, though we did include some gifts in our respective boxes :D We discussed likes, dislikes and allergies and had such fun over quite a few emails. Elle got the box I sent her safe and sound. Her parcel to me arrived on Saturday and I was so thrilled, I almost opened it then and there before realising I needed to take photographs.