It was months before I finally broke down, I had to try it. It was too much like getting a surprise present every month for me to resist. After a four week period on the waiting list, I finally signed up for a subscription at the beginning of October.
I've definitely read a lot of bad things about Birchbox. People complain about Luna bars in their boxes, that they don't give out enough makeup samples, that the quality is slipping. Still, I had to find out what all the fuss was about. So, this month, I got my first box.
Of course for my first box things couldn't be simple. This month, Birchbox gave subscribers the option to chose between two different boxes: the typical BB box or a special box make in coordination with goop. That's right goop a.k.a. Gweneth Paltrow's blog. Now, for most people this would seem like an easy choice. Gweneth Paltrow is horrible. She uses the n-word freely (and explains it away by citing that she's ~best friends~ with Beyonce). She'd rather die than let her kids eat cup-a-soup. She's just. not. a. good. person. Still, I chose the goop box. Why? Maybe it's because while Paltrow can't "pretend to be someone who makes $25,000 a year" I can glad pretend to be someone with money coming out of my ears. Yeah, that's probably why.
Pictures of what I got and my feelings on it after the break.
As you can see I got a couple of nice things. Only one actual makeup item (the lip gel), but that's okay with me. I'm pretty interested in skin care and other beauty stuff too, so the other samples appeal to me as well.
Now, inside the box.
Pretty cute packaging (not sure how I feel about the goop paper, yuck), but let's get to the samples.
Brightening Cleanser from DDF (Doctor's Dermatological Formula)
This was by far the biggest sample that I got. I definitely will be a little bit cautious with this one. I have pretty dry skin, so I always have to be really careful with cleansers to make sure that they don't make my problem even worse. Right now I use Philosophy Purity Made Simple (which is ah-mazing, but I do wish foamed up a little bit more than it does) along with my Clarisonic Mia and then follow with Clinique's Dramatically Different Lotion for very dry to dry combination skin. This regimen has been working really well for me and I'm a little bit scared to mess it up, but I will definitely give this a try for a couple of days.
Price: Full size: $38 for 8.45 oz.; Sample Received: 4.5 oz.; Worth: $20.24
Beauty Elixir by Orofluido AND Vinoperfect Radiance Serum by Caudalie
As you can see, these were suuuuper tiny samples which definitely turns me off a bit. I mean, the Radiance Serum is supposed to be applied all over your face and neck and with such a small sample I'm not sure if I'll be able to get any more than one or two uses out of it, which is definitely not enough for me to tell whether or not I'm going to want to buy a full size. It's the same situation with the Beauty Elixir. I have very long, thick hair, and I have no doubt that such a small sample won't even be enough for one use. Despite the small size, I'm still pretty pleased by these products the hair elixir smells wonderful and I think it would really build with a conditioner that I use. The Radiance Serum is supposed to be grape-derived, but I don't really smell any of that. However, I hate scented face products, so that's probably a good thing.
Price:
- Beauty Elixer -- Full Size: $29.99 for 3.8 oz.; Sample Received: .17 oz; Worth: $1.34
- Vinoperfect Radiance Serum -- Full Size: $79.00 for 1.0 oz; Sample Received: .06oz; Worth: $4.74
Lip Perfection Gel in Monrose from per-fekt Beauty
Another seriously small sample! I honestly feel like I could have gotten this exact same size sample by just walking into a Sephora and swatching it! Still, it's a pretty cute color. The first photo is more true to the shade. I would say that it's more of a dark brownish pink which is not a shade that I typically go for, but because these shades are supposed to be universally flattering, maybe I'll end up liking it. The back of the package says that it's supposed to stimulate collagen which makes me worried that this will end up burning my lips like most plumping products tend to do. I'll let you guys know if it's seriously horrible. Plus, I try to stay away from glosses just because they are crazy sticky and annoying, so I doubt this will be something I purchase in full size.
Price: Full Size: $24.00 for .33 oz; Sample Received: .002 oz; Worth: Less than $0.01
Lifestyle Extra: Teas from Might Leaf Tea
I am definitely a tea person. It's relaxing and delicious and makes me feel ~smart (which, let's be honest, is a good reason for doing anything). However, I am very picky when it comes to teas, and I try to stay away from using bagged teas (except for my English Afternoon bagged tea because it is my life blood and reminds me of being younger and I CAN'T STOP LOVING IT). I know that this company promises full leaves, but it's really hard to trust bagged teas that say that. I got three different blends: Green Tea Tropical, Organic Earl Grey, and Organic African Nectar. I've never really been a big fan of green teas, so I doubt this blend will change my mind, but I will give it a try. The Organic African Nectar smells fruity and spicy which I like, so maybe I'll like that one. Any Earl Grey usually works for me, so hopefully it won't be horrible despite being bagged.
Price: Full Size: $9.95 for 15; Sample Received: 3; Worth: $1.99
Overall Thoughts
I feel pretty good about this box. Maybe it's because it's my first one and reading so many negative things online recently I had low expectations, but I'm actually pretty surprised. Yes, many of the samples were ridiculously and offensively small, but I still think it will be nice to try some things that I would have never, ever bought, even if it's only going to be enough for a single use. Plus, it definitely was a good value, which makes me feel like I spent my money well.
Monthly Subscription: $10.00
Worth of Box: $28.31
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