Roccabox | Meet the Maker

Beauty subscription boxes are the best way to discover new beauty products without the hassle and cost of committing to the full-size.

While the big beauty boxes like Birchbox and Glossybox benefit from big advertising spending and pop-up stores, a wave of new independent beauty boxes is coming through, intending to shake things up.

One of the fastest-growing new independent beauty box brands is UK based Roccobox., who handpick 5 x beauty, skincare and haircare treat from the best beauty brands they can find.

We spoke with the founder and beauty industry expert,  Tia Roqaa, to tell us more about the business and how it all got started.

What sparked your decision to start up your box and how did you get started?

Realising that every time I went shopping for beauty products I would come home having wasted money on products that either didn't suit me or weren't quite what I was looking for because the traditional retail environment didn't allow for me to experiment, or try products properly free from sales assistants attempts to make me purchase something! I always felt that being able to try new brands and discover new products from the 'safety' of my own bathroom, where I could really put things to the test, or try skincare out on bare skin, or try out make-up in natural lighting, would be such a convenient, more effective and altogether more enjoyable experience.

Describe your box in three words?

Fun, sassy, incredible value (ok, that's four...)

Where did your box name come from?

My surname is Roqaa, which just seemed to fit so well!

Are you a creator or curator?

Both! I'm the creator of Roccabox but also co-curator, as every month together with my wonderful team of beauty-savvy ladies we curate a different box for our subscribers. Each month has a theme, with each one given so much thought, and then together we carefully edit a perfect selection of products.

What was your most popular box?

It's difficult to say - what's great is that every month is so different, so the variety and balance across our monthly boxes are really popular and means that every box tends to be a big hit. Our brand content is something that we get lots of praise for - Our subscribers love that we feature such premium brands, particularly as our boxes are so affordable. We also get such great feedback as we frequently include hero products that our customers get really excited over, and full-sized products always feature heavily - which again makes our monthly boxes so popular. Our limited edition boxes are also a massive hit too - we frequently collaborate with celebrities, or make-up artists, or media titles, to produce ultra-deluxe boxes and these always sell out almost immediately.

How many people are involved with producing your subscription box?

We have a team of 8 (including myself) behind the production of the box - which includes all the creative elements, brand placement as well as PR and marketing - and in addition we work with an external fulfilment team who are excellent.

Which subscription boxes do you subscribe to?

No beauty subscriptions that's for sure - with all the approving, testing and trying I do for Roccabox my bathroom cabinet and make-up bag are both bursting at the seams! I do sometimes toy with the idea of a florist subscription though, as I think a regular delivery of fresh flowers would be gorgeous

Name a celebrity subscriber you’d love to have as a customer?

Victoria Beckham and Olivia Atwood. Yes, I am aware that they're both very different... but I love them both! Victoria Beckham's beauty line is at the top of my beauty wish-list and I've just always been a huge fan of her personally. And I think Olivia Atwood is just brilliant! She's really into her beauty, her make-up, she's cheeky, sassy, trend-led - she's very Roccabox!

If you could put anything in your box, with money or scarcity no object, what would it be?

Ooh, it would probably be a Space NK collaboration, with products from across their ranges. I love all the brands they stock, so a huge selection would be the dream!

What do you love about uOpen?

It's such a varied and easy-to-use marketplace for consumers with such an assorted pick n mix of subscriptions. With the closure of traditional retail throughout successive lockdowns, this type of service that allows access to a variety of subscription services has actually become a real lifeline for many consumers. I also find it a great place to find gifts- especially when buying for those people who seem to have everything!

A massive thank you to Tia for taking the time to give us a real insight into Roccabox. As you have learned, Roccabox is a small independent company working hard to deliver a unique beauty box experience.

Roccabox Discount Code
To support Tia and her team, why not try signing up for the next monthly Roccabox and use the discount code THANKS10 for a 10% discount when buying via uOpen using the link below.