So, I'm just a wee bit behind on reviews. I was really hoping to finish all of my May reviews before May ended, but that just didn't happen. Anyway, here we go...
Birchbox is actually the first subscription box I attempted to get. However, you cannot sign up automatically - you are first placed on their waiting list. When I submitted my request I believe they said it was a 3-4 week wait and it did take closer to the one month mark to be accepted. Once I was accepted it asked me to fill out my profile, which is what your received products are supposed to be based on. There is lots of controversy over whether this is really the case or not. I will let you know how I felt about it as I review each product in my box.
Now, here's where the details fade my memory and I cleaned out my email recently, thus deleting all information that would help me remember more accurately. But, I believe that once I received the email letting me know I had been "accepted" I had one week to accept the invitation. Failure to do so would result in me having to sign back up on the waiting list and going through the process again. Since I was so excited to start my subscription I signed up immediately. If memory serves correct you had the option to sign up for a month-to-month, 3-month, 6-month or annual subscription. Depending on which subscription you chose you would receive a set amount of points that can be used for purchases in the Birchbox shop for full sized products. I chose to do the month-to-month in case I was disappointed. By doing so I received 10 points which is equivalent to $1.00. Sorta. Every 100 points is worth $10.00, but you cannot redeem points except in 100 point increments. So technically my 10 points alone aren't worth anything.
Speaking of points, it's one of my favorite parts of this subscription so I will talk a little bit about other ways you can earn points. If you make purchases in the shop you will earn 1 reward point for every $1.00 spent. I *think* you can also earn points on purchasing gift subscriptions, but please don't quote me on that. Of course, you can receive points for every person you refer who signs up - 50 for each one. And, my favorite, every month you have 30 days to review the products you receive in your subscription box. For each item you review you will receive 10 points.
Ok, so after all of that you might be asking yourself - what the heck is Birchbox?
According to their website it is "the best way to discover new beauty, grooming and lifestyle products. You will receive monthly deliveries of top product samples from high-end brands." I would describe it as a monthly box costing $10.00 per month which contains approximately 5, normally sample sized, beauty products. Sometimes there are full-sized items and the type of products might include make-up, facial cleansers and other similar products, shampoos etc.
Alright, let's get to the good stuff. My box. You should note that they send out several varieties of boxes each month. I think this is to help stick better to your profile answers. I cheated and looked up spoilers ahead of time so I knew what all the boxes had. I also looked up my own box on the website to see which one I was getting. I will be honest, it wasn't one of the ones I had on my "wish list" but it wasn't on my "please oh please don't let that be my box" list either :) For those who care, I received box 18.
Upon opening was the information card letting me know what I would find inside, including a description of the product and how much the full size product costs (in their shop anyway).
First look of the actual products. As you can see it appears that I received a total of four products - all sample sized. Neither of those is the case which I will discuss as I get to them.
The first thing I did was open the yellow container seen on the left of the box. Inside I found 3 foil packets of Weleda Citrus Hydrating Lotion. This was my "beauty extra" for the month. I know lots of people that got a pen which was considered a lifestyle extra. Many of those people were very unhappy. I was actually hoping to get one. Go figure ;)
Here is the description of the lotion according to my information card. "A creamy lotion that uses sustainably harvested plant oils and natural hydrators to restore skin's moisture levels." Full size cost $16.50
I'll be honest my first impression was that it was going to take two, if not all three, of these packets to use all over. I have very, very dry skin with extremely rough patches on my elbows and knees. So, imagine my surprise when I went to put it on after a shower and was able to use an ample amount from just one of those small packets. I was thrilled! I used the other two the following two nights. And, my opinion after three days of use is that it does a pretty good job of moisturizing. It is a runnier lotion than I normally use which causes it to go a lot further. And, it did leave certain parts of my body feeling and looking very hydrated. However, it did nothing to help the rough patches I have which was disappointing.
However, in the end I'm still glad to have received this because it saves me from spending $16.50 on a full size bottle next time I see it at Target :)
Sample Value: Unsure as I forgot to log how big the packets were. The full size bottle is 6.8 ounces so I'll just be generous and say the three samples were worth a total of $1.00.
Next up is another sample found inside the yellow container; meaning I really got five samples, not 4 :) This was a teeny, tiny Supergoop! Daily Correct SPF 35 CC Cream. The product itself I was super excited to receive, the 3mL container had me slightly frustrated as I was certain there was no way I'd get enough use out of it to see if I liked it or not.
Based on my description card I learned that "this next-generation CC cream provides corrective coverage and triple protects against UVA, UVB and infrared-A rays." Full size cost $32.00.
I am horrible about remembering to apply sunscreen, especially to my face which is not a good thing since I live in the hot, hot desert. So, I was hopeful that this product would offer great coverage as well as protect from the sun. I'll be honest the first day I put it on was a day that I had no real plans, in case it wasn't the right shade or made my face look all funky. Upon initial application my face was slightly tingly (not a good feeling!) and turned slightly pink and blotchy. I'm not sure if this was normal or if I had a slight allergic reaction, but it did go away after ten minutes or so. The blotchiness did remain and I was certain that it wasn't a product for me. However, a few hours later it did appear to even out and blend well with my skin; but, it just wasn't enough coverage for me. I like to look somewhat natural, but not like I'm not wearing make-up at all. I was pleasantly surprised that there was actually enough in the container to last me four uses, but in the end I was not impressed enough with the product to consider it a necessary edition to my make-up drawer.
Sample Value: The full size is 1.6 fl oz putting the sample value at $3.23
To the right of the yellow packet of goodies I found Folle de Joie perfume. Instantly I loved how even though it came in a 2 mL sample size it still had a spray nozzle attached to it. I absolutely despise the samples that you have to just pour it out!
This was actually the first thing I took out of my box and used as I was running out the door. According to the handy info card this perfume is "...a carefree scent of mandarin, rose and sandalwood." Once I sprayed it all I kept thinking was that I smelled like a nice, little, old lady who got carried away in the perfume department. I had hopes that the scent would grow on me as the day wore on, but it did not. I know perfumes can smell different on everybody due to body chemistry and it's a matter of personal preference, but it's not my preferred smell.
Sample Value: Full size is $98.00 for 3.4 fluid ounces making my sample worth around $6.66
The next item is actually the last one I tried, which was the Soleil Organique Environmental Defense Sunscreen Stick SPF. Again, I am horrible with remembering to apply sunscreen so I like that this is something small enough (0.6 oz) and easy enough to throw into my purse for everyday use. What got me more excited is when I realized this was a full size product worth $18.00!
The provided card even tells you it's "perfect for travel, this mineral sunscreen is transparent and protects your complexion from damaging UV rays."
When I first opened the sunscreen I was not a fan of the smell, almost like dirt. I became even less of a fan with the application. It did not glide, left small chunks on my arms and was hard to blend in. It appeared to skip several areas and I did not feel that it gave good coverage at all. As far as the protection I really can't fully say. I only wore it that one day as I couldn't handle how sticky it made my skin feel when I had it on. I definitely will not be buying this product.
Sample Value: Full size worth full value of $18.00
The last product is the one I was most excited about receiving due to many, many excellent reviews - Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle. This product is a Birchbox exclusive and I'm so glad I got the opportunity to sample it.
When referring to my info card it states that it is "great for all hair types, this nourishing elixir locks in color, adds shine and instantly detangles."
All I can say to that is yes, yes and yes. And so much more. I have used this everyday since receiving my box. I've used it on wet hair prior to blow drying, wet hair that I let air dry and in the morning on hair that was already dry. It makes my long, thick hair easy to brush, shiny and it smells so, so good! I am beyond in love with this product and will most definitely be buying it!
I did have issues with the nozzle initially. I sprayed it several dozen times without any luck getting the product out. After further research I discovered this is actually quite a thick solution and was advised to unscrew the nozzle, dip the "straw like end" in a cup of warm water and spray until the water came out to unclog the nozzle. This worked perfectly and I haven't had any issues since.
Sample Value: Full size is 8 oz priced at $21.95, making the 1.25 oz sample worth $3.43
So, what are my overall thoughts on Birchbox?
First, I felt that all the products I received did fit within my beauty profile answers. Were there other boxes or products I would have liked to get? Sure! Was there anything in my box that made me wonder why I got it? Nope! Since this is my first month I'm not sure if that will always be the case, but for this one it was.
Next, the value aspect. The total value of products I received came out to $32.32 which is far beyond the $10.00 I actually paid for the box. Now, this argument can go in so many directions. The only product I truly loved was the Beauty Protect & Detangle worth around $3.43 which is way less than what I paid. However, I feel like I still got my value's worth because of the products I had the chance to try. I had seen Weleda lotion several times and considered buying it. But because I had a chance to use the samples I realized it would have been a waste of my money. In a way, that saved me $16.50 ;) So, to me it was worth the $10.00, plus I got 50 points (approximately $5.00) in rewards for leaving my reviews on the Birchbox website.
I guess what I'm saying is that I'm happy with my subscription and have no intentions of canceling.
Do you subscribe to Birchbox? Which box did you receive in May?
*** All links are affiliate links. If you use them to set-up your subscription I will receive 50 points in my Birchbox account. All opinions are my own and I did not receive any form of compensation for writing this review. ***