The all-new PLouise mystery box has set TikTok on fire. Just about everyone with even the slightest interest in makeup wants to get their hands on one. It was the top-selling product of its kind when I came across unboxing videos, depicting people revealing what they had received. The company told customers it sold 10,000 in one week and 6,000 in just three days. WOW!
My eyes were literally popping out of my head as I observed happy shopper after happy shopper hold up two-tier eyeshadow palettes, double lip products in quirky packaging and the iconic PLouise blush and highlighter heart compacts. Crikey, some even had a light-up Hocus Pocus palette, complete with lock and key! There was even the odd, recently-launched Mikayla wedding palette thrown into the mix.
Who could possibly pass up the offer of receiving over £60 of PLouise goodies for a mere £30? Not me! Some people had received products worth in excess of £90. I gave in and headed straight to the firm’s website after watching two people unbox the gorgeous World Full of Wonder palette, featuring double layers of amazing purple and blue shadows. ‘Please, let me get that,’ I was praying as I hit the checkout button.
Of course, it is a mystery box, so there are no guarantees. There was also no guarantee that I wouldn’t receive something I’ve already got. So, I was also praying: ’Don’t send me If The Crown Fits, or a Glow With The Flo blush palette, or…’
Delivery and packaging: PLouise mystery box
Before I got to tear the packaging strip off one of PLouise’s legendary boxes, I was resigned to having to impatiently wait for it to be delivered. Oh, how I just wanted to get to the Big Reveal ASAP!
I ordered on a Sunday and hoped the box would be dispatched on Monday. It wasn’t. But it was sent out the day after that, on Tuesday. With 10,000 orders ahead of mine, that wasn’t bad at all. In fact, it was amazing. It took a further two days to reach me. This is great, and a big improvement on my previous order, which took exactly a week to arrive on my doorstep - the same amount of time a Temu package takes to come all the way from China! Lessons have, clearly, been learned.
Delivery times are a strong influencer when it comes to my purchasing decisions so, if PLouise can keep this up, they may get more of my money.
Across the UK beauty sector, standard deliveries, in my experience, are on average dispatched within 24 hours of the order being placed and delivered in around 48 hours. PLouise is pretty much there when it comes to hitting the sweet spot in terms of consumer expectations.
To recap, my mystery box arrived on Thursday - the fourth working day after I ordered it. And, as for the coveted PLouise box, it arrived in pristine condition. The products inside were also nicely protected.
The big reveal: what was inside?
I knew when the postman handed me my box that it didn’t contain a large palette. It was exceptionally light. So, what did I get?
My mystery box contained:
You Give Me Butterflies 10-pan eyeshadow palette in Buttercup Blossom - worth £17
Juicy Drip in Mojito - worth £22 but currently on offer, 3 for £25
The Cheek of It liquid bronzer in Honey Hug - worth £15
The Finishing Touch All Over Body Glow in Fairy Wings - worth £15
Lip Drip in Bossy & Bright - worth £12
Total value of products: £81.
That’s brilliant value. But... There isn’t a single thing in the box that I would have purchased.
I can’t lie, I was disappointed. While the mystery bundle did deliver outstanding value, the products I received weren’t for me. The shades in the eyeshadow palette are not my cup of tea at all. Yellow? But, hey, that’s what a mystery box is all about. It’s the pinnacle of the unknown. The anticipation is everything.
Having seen so many people unbox fantastic eyeshadow palettes, that’s what I was hoping for. I took a chance and, this time, it didn’t pay off. No big deal.
I expect there are plenty of beauty lovers feeling deflated right now, after watching video after video of people opening boxes that contained large palettes. However, let's not forget, there were five items in my box - which is incredible.
The moral of this story is to keep your expectations in check. Don’t assume that, just because content creators on social media platforms have been showing off massive palettes, that your box will contain a huge PLouise showstopper. Of course, it might - but, equally, it might not.
Would I buy a PLouise mystery box again?
For the thrill of the unknown, yes. For the value, yes. For getting products that I absolutely want and will cherish until they are all used up, definitely not - because, of course, you never know exactly what you will be receiving. Am I tempted to order another? No.
I wanted to say that this box surpassed my expectations, but it didn’t.
Because I am an eyeshadow collector, palettes are my be-all and end-all. For that reason, the next time I see someone opening a mystery box that contains a to-die-for palette, I’m not going to take any chances. I will just head over to the PLouise website and order the palette. At least then I will know I’m buying exactly what I want. To be fair to the brand, they’ve currently got about eight palettes on my wish list and I will, no doubt, acquire them over the course of this year. And, yes, the list could get a bit longer - depending on new launches.
PLouise is synonymous with unique, quirky packaging. It is also a world leader on the eye base stage and sets the bar for blendability with its fabulous range of silky-smooth eyeshadows. From lip oils to blush, its increasingly detailed go-to products are helping the brand move ever deeper into mainstream global recognition territory, which is great for PLouise and great for the UK’s influence on beauty internationally.
Here’s to PLouise and a good, old fashioned mystery. In a unique box, of course.
UPDATE: PLouise has launced new £36 mystery boxes which contain products exclusive to its mystery bundles. The best place to find out more if on the brand's TikTok channel.
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