The GQ Best Stuff Box is a quarterly men's subscription from GQ magazine that's $50 a box with free shipping. The box features $200 worth of products that the editors have curated after testing and finding them to be the best in their class. It also usually includes at least one voucher for a high value to be redeemed via the featured brand's website. Although this subscription is geared towards men, most women we know tend to love it for themselves!
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About GQ Best Stuff Box
The Subscription Box: GQ Best Stuff Box
The Cost: $50/quarter + free shipping
The Products: “The GQ BEST STUFF BOX is a quarterly subscription box featuring the things we love—rigorously tested and loved by GQ editors. It includes our favorite electronics, grooming products, and accessories—every box valued at over $200 each”
Ships to: The US (including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico)
GQ Best Stuff Box Summer 2020 Review
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The GQ Best Stuff box always comes with a fold-out info sheet that lists the included items and a little bit about each, along with the retail value.
Bather Blue and Black Striped Swim Trunks - Retail Value $85.00
Like most GQ Best Stuff Boxes, the summer 2020 edition came with a voucher so that subscribers could order their preferred size of the season's offering. In this case, it's a pair of handsome blue, white, and black striped swim trunks from Bather. I think these are awesome and am impressed with the $85 price tag. Kurt agreed and ordered these straight away in a size small. He was also delighted to confirm that shipping is indeed included. I'm guessing it will take a bit longer than usual to receive the trunks due to COVID-19 and I'll report back with an updated review as soon as we have them in hand.
UPDATE! 5/27
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Kurt ordered these trunks May 10th and they arrived May 19th which isn't a bad turnaround for COVID times. The quality is really nice and Kurt loves the colorway and pattern in person as well. These hit him right above the knee so they're not too short or too long. They are fully lined, have a drawstring at the waist, and a single back pocket with a snap that keeps it shut. Kurt would probably never spend $85 on a pair of trunks on his own so these are a special treat. Here's hoping they can get some use this summer! Baby pool in the backyard, maybe?
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Frederic Malle Vetiver Extraordinaire Fragrance, 3.5 mL - Estimated Value $23.45 (Buy a 10 mL travel refill for $67)
This was an item that Kurt just wasn't interested in, sadly. He's not a cologne or perfume wearer- so he passed on checking this one out. I have to say that I love the little box that it came in and thought the presentation was nicer than many fragrances that I've gotten in women-focused boxes. This sample of Vetiver Extraordinaire by Dominique Ropion definitely has a scent that many would label "masculine" although I quite enjoy it myself. It has woody and citrus notes that combine and make a wonderful full-body smell. I'll be holding on to this and will most likely wear it in the fall or winter.
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Context Vitamin C All Day Eye Cream, 0.5 fl oz. - Retail Value $35.00
Eye cream is apparently another item that Kurt has zero interest in. While I sympathize, I thought I'd give it a try on my own. Context is a unisex brand that I always like to see since most products don't really need a gender in my opinion. If you like the results, use it regardless of what color the packaging is! This eye cream has a milky clear look to it and the consistency of a serum. It's thinner than many eye creams and absorbs rather quickly. I, of course, will not see a result anytime soon but it includes grape seed extract which is anti-inflammatory and vitamins C and E which provide healthy antioxidants. There is also no detectable fragrance which is a must for eye creams.
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Oribe Rough Luxe Soft Molding Paste, 0.5 oz. - Estimated Value $11.18 (Buy a full-size 1.7 oz. for $38.00)
If there is one thing that Kurt cares most about with his appearance, it's his hair. Right now, his last cut has grown out long past his comfort level, and each day he longs for the moment he can return to the salon to get it cleaned up. That being said, he was interested in this balm from Oribe but said that it was more suitable for short hair and that he'd have to wait to use this once his hair is back to it's preferred state. A man with boundaries- I like it. I told him how wonderful Oribe products really are since he isn't familiar and he is excited to give it a whirl. This product is firm yet pliable once warmed in the fingertips and has that heavenly Oribe scent that I love from their other products. Kurt has fine hair as I do so we hope that this one doesn't weigh it down.
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Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Cream, 0.67 fl oz. - Retail Value $22.00
This is the exact same product I received recently in my last Fashionsta Mystery Box but in a tube instead of a jar. Kurt has very little facial moisturizer experience but thought that this one was "nice" and "rather refreshing." This moisturizer has hyaluronic acid which means nothing to Kurt but many of us beauty junkies know that it's a super ingredient for youthful, supple skin. I'm confident that if Kurt sticks to using this after his showers that he'll never go back to not using moisturizer.
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Art of Sport Body Bar in Rise, 2 pack - Retail Value $8.95
"I love trying new soaps!" is exactly what Kurt said when he pulled these two bars of charcoal-infused soap out of the Dopp kit. Made with activated charcoal, shea butter, and tea tree oil, this soap has everything he needs to cleanse his body while keeping his skin moisturized. He especially liked that it has tea tree oil and found this soap to be highly "effective." LOL at his glowing review! The scent is ultra-fresh and smells clean and bright.
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Maapilim Serum, 0.5 oz. - Retail Value $29.00
Previously, Kurt had never used anything special on his face, that was until last quarter's GQ box when he was introduced to facial cleanser. He JUST used the last bit of the KOA cleanser from the spring box and noted that his skin was a lot less dry and more balanced. That, my friends, was the gateway. As Kurt said to me, he's not trying to start an intense facial regimen at this time in his life but I can dream, right? Although a little hesitant, he said he'd try this serum. Along with his new moisturizer, he's getting a double-dose of hyaluronic acid in this serum from Tel Aviv's Maapilim. Using just a couple of drops, this serum should be used after cleansing and before a moisturizer like the Peter Thomas Roth also included in the box. The results may not be immediately recognizable for Kurt, but I am secretly hoping he sticks with it and sees results that he likes.
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Boarding Pass Custom Canvas Dopp Kit - Listed Value $30.00
This Dopp kit was one of the items Kurt perked up at and said he'd gladly use for travel. The exclusive color green canvas bag has a zipper, faux leather handle on one end, and plenty of room for his new skincare routine (kidding). But it does have a lot of room and it fits everything that came in the box. Whether or not Kurt begins a 4-step face routine, this can fit shampoo, soap, and whatever else he'll need for a trip (long or short). While our travel plans got squashed this year, I fully hope that will change in the future because we have a lot of places to see!
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Method Men’s 2-in-1 Shampoo + Conditioner, 14 fl oz. - Retail Value $9.99
I would like to have been a fly on the wall in the meeting at Method in which they were naming the men's line. Someone had to have suggested Method Man, right? And then, someone must have said "we can't do that" in regards to the established rapper from the Wu-Tang Clan. So- we are left with the agreed-upon "Method Men." At any rate, this 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner is a full-size bottle, provided by Method as a sponsor of this quarter's box. Kurt normally only uses shampoo since he feels that conditioner makes his hair too poofy but was curious to give this a try. He said he could see using this product maybe once a week since it was "good for his hair" but could tell it’d "probably weigh it down if used frequently." Fine-haired babies stick together, I tell ya.
Verdict: This quarter's GQ Best Stuff Box was very personal-care-heavy which was a bit of gamble for Kurt's interests. Being a skincare junkie, I was excited to watch this all unfold, but I don't think my boyfriend found this one as exciting as the last one we reviewed. He was very receptive to the more common products like bar soap and shampoo, but the moisturizer and serum were a bit harder of a sell for him to try. The fragrance and eye cream were of no interest and the hair paste has a future appointment once Kurt gets his hair cut. The Dopp kit and swim trunks will most likely be his faves, pending the arrival of the trunks. We'll have to check back on those later! This box has a retail value of $254.57 which is a fantastic value for this $50 box. While it may be a hard sell for a lot of fellas, I think anyone who loves skincare would benefit from snatching this up.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, the Summer 2020 box is available now and begins shipping in June.
Value Breakdown: For $50 for this box, here's what you're paying for each item:
- Swim Trunks: $16.69
- Serum: $5.70
- Fragrance: $4.61
- Moisturizer: $4.32
- Dopp Kit: $5.89
- Eye Cream: $6.87
- Hair Paste: $2.20
- Soap Bars: $1.76
- Shampoo/Conditioner: $1.96
Check out all of our GQ Best Stuff Box Reviews and check out some of our other favorite men's subscription boxes!
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Would you grab the Summer 2020 GQ Best Stuff Box for a guy in your life... or yourself?
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