Birchbox - 2 Month Review
Back in 2010, when I was the ripe old age of much young and better looking (but way more of a total mess), Birchbox came on the scene offering Gals and Say-something Boyz an opportunity to get a monthly box of beauty treats for $10. I remember my co-workers and I all signing up on the same day, frantically filling out our online profiles with our skin types, beauty concerns, and cup sizes. I had never played sport so I randomly guessed at my cup size. To this day, I'm not sure why that was ever an important question.
Before I get sued, they never asked my cup size... but I have a feeling they wanted to know.
BBox Gal has been all over social media platforms for the past 7 years. 2 years after their initial launch, they launched BirchboxMan and I immediately abandoned my makeups subscription for a more dude-worthy box but, soon after, moved to Chicago and cancelled my subscription because I was poor and living in a closet of a studio apartment. You had to walk through my closet to get to the restroom... I had no means for frivolous spending which is THE BEST kind of spending.
So the years went by and I wanted to know if my old friend BBox could spark the flame that once lit up my evenings back in Dayton, Ohio. Here's the scoop:
Getting Started
The sign-up process is easy and fun; you fill out your demographics, skin type, hair type, skin concerns... you basically get to spend 10 minutes talking about yourself in an effort to get the best possible box possible. The boxes contain skincare, haircare, fragrance, makeup, and miscellaneous other goodies.
Fill Out Your Profile
Tell us about your beauty preferences and we’ll use them to customize your box.
Explore Your Box (... just me, or really interesting wording?)
Your five monthly beauty treats will be a mix of prestige and niche brands. Discover new favorites and see what works for you.
Buy What You Love
Purchase full-size versions of your fave samples (they ship free!). Get $1 back in Loyalty Points for every $10 you spend in our Shop.
Better Your Box
You can choose one of your samples each month starting with your second box. Plus, review products so we learn more about you.
How Much Is It?
Unlike BirchboxMan, there is only one subscription option for women. It's $10 a month but you have 3 options to pay.
Monthly $10/Month
Yearly $110/Year
3 Months $30/3-Months
Peek @ My Box
Marcelle BB Cream Golden Glow
Meh?
amika Un.Done Texture Spray
Not for me. It made my hair feel super dry and the scent reminds me of growing up poor and smelling a lot of designer-imposter perfume at Dollar General.
Vasanti® Eye Wonder 2.0 Super Powered Eye Cream with Ceramic Tip
Yea... I didn't get this?
Daily Concepts Your Facial Micro Scrubber
This thing... I don’t even know. It’s a little scrubber that fits on your fingers. I use a Clarisonic so she is ahhhl set.
Lord & Berry Glow Strobing Pencil - Travel-Size
Decent sized pencil, considering it's an actual pencil you sharpen (so it'll last a while). But it's kind of hard, considering it's mean to "glide" on.
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray
I don't think these sprays are right for me... they make my hair feel gross and dry.
Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner
YAS! I will never turn down a new liquid eyeliner and this one does not disappoint. I'm a Kat Von D Tattoo Liner kinda gal, but I'm into this.
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré (24-Hour Miracle Cream)
My face is a monster... I don't really "try" moisturizers.
Balance Me Congested Skin Serum
Tried this on my nose to see if it helps for blackheads (not that I have any but to see if it helps KEEP me from getting any).
Coastal Scents® Blush & Bronzer Palette
These... are the size of eyeshadows so I'm not sure how much utility they have to be used as a blush or bronzer. But, if you think of them as shadows, they're decently-sized.
Review/Thots
"In my opinion, $10 a month for a box that includes deluxe samples of cosmetics, is worth it."
What I've always like about the beauty industry is that there are SO... MANY... PRODUCTS. Well, for "women," that is. The options for what could come in the original version of Birchbox are virtually endless because so many products are geared toward women. The inclusion of makeup samples add a really fun opportunity to really try specific products before you buy them. It's one thing to get a shampoo and conditioner packet and use it 1 time, it's anther to get a bronzer that you can used 20 times.
In my opinion, $10 a month for a box that includes deluxe samples of cosmetics, is worth it. I mean, so many of us work to rack up our Sephora VIB points just to cash 1,000 in for a mascara sample for our gym bags. I've never been a fan of single-use samples but the makeup makes up for it.
I want to review Birchbox as it's own entity without comparing it to other subscription boxes so I will say... I think they do a good job here. While there are so many other subscription boxes around now, I have to hand it to one of the first that has been around, doing their thang for 7 years.
Survey says... medium-medium/large heart on for Birchbox. The liquid eyeliner they sent me reeeeally kicked it up to that medium/large spot.