Birchbox is a beauty sample subscription box that sends 5 new items to test out each month so you can try before you buy. Birchbox is $15 a month, or sign up for longer terms and save a buck or two per month. Birchbox lets you choose a monthly sample during selection time or you can let Birchbox decide. You can also pick a pre-curated box and from now on they are supposed to have at least two different curated boxes to choose from (August had 3 different curated box choices). This is a review of a monthly box with no sample choice.
NOTE: You can read all about the recent changes, including pricing structure and ACE prices.
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Birchbox sends the cutest boxes and I have them all over my dresser, corralling beauty products. For August Birchbox sent boxes that they have used in the past. I know I’ve received this box at some point before.
Birchbox always has an info card and this month it was on thin paper that can be folded into a Cootie Catcher! The theme for August was “Sweet Summertime”.
The information card gives brief details on each item as well as the price if you were to buy the full size. Keep in mind that Birchbox sends a variety of product combos each month and your box may vary from mine.
My items were wrapped in tissue paper.
One more card was in the box. The front had a code you can enter at checkout to receive bonus points when you make a shop order.
You earn points when you purchase items from the shop, with ACE’s earning a little bit more.
I filled out a profile when I joined so I could let Birchbox know which types of items I would like to receive, plus I selected my skin type, hair type, and other info so they could send products that work for me. Of course, when you choose a curated box then you get what was promised, with nothing chosen based on your profile.
Everything in my box!
Pūrlisse Watermelon Energizing Sheet Mask ($3) Birchbox offered 3 sample choice items this month – this mask, the hair item below, and a lip plumper. I wasn’t feeling the choices this month so I’m kind of bummed that I received two of them but just know that this might happen. It says it is for all skin types but also says normal and oily.
Place the mask on a clean face and then relax for about 15-20 minutes. Watermelon and cucumber extracts are supposed to help hydrate and refresh skin while aloe may help reduce redness.
Amika Bushwick Beach No-Salt Wave Spray ($5) Ouch, this product is not getting any love according to the votes it has received on Birchbox (with 44% of voters giving it one star). Since it promised volume (and I have flat hair) I thought I would give it a try and used 3 sprays (one on each side of my head and one on the crown). I had a hard time blow drying my hair, it made it hard for me to drag my brush through. It also left it a staticky mess and I ended up having a bad hair day. It smells nice and it can be spritzed on before air drying but for me this was an easy pass.
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment ($7.25) My hair is very fine but this item promised to give me volume so I gave it a try. It also helps shield hair from UV rays, protects color for those who dye their hair, and protects against heat drying. I used just a bit of this leave-in product on my hair but didn’t get that promised volume and in fact my husband commented on how thin my hair looked. It left it stringy by the end of the day and made it hard to curl. If you have thicker hair (literally any hair that is not mine) then this nice smelling product will probably work well for you.
Marcelle CC Cream Golden Glow ($7.41) Birchbox has started resending products you may have tried in the past. One item I remember from way back when was this CC cream.
It’s supposed to provide 12 benefits for the skin, like evening skin tone and soothing dry skin. I have it swatched below and you can see that it is way too dark and yellow for my rosy toned skin. I am pretty sure I rated it low in the past so I’m not sure why I would receive it again. It went on smoothly and spread quickly but again, it was the wrong color for me.
Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm ($2.90) I know I’ve tried this product before but it has had a name change and makeover. It is 100% medical grade lanolin and feels similar to petroleum jelly. My lips have some sort of irritation right now and this helped them feel better. It really doesn’t have a scent or flavor, and it is called nipple balm because nursing women may apply it to that part of their anatomy and it shouldn’t cause any problems for a nursing baby. You may also apply it to cuticles or other dry skin spots (elbows etc.) or even rub on lashes.
Love Of Color One & Done Shadow Stick in Empress Me ($10) I have received LOC shadow sticks in the past and am always happy to receive one in my box. The color, Empress Me, was new to me and is described as a “deep rose gold”.
I applied a base color to my lid and then simply used this like a crayon on my crease. It was absolutely perfect, no fuss, no muss. It can be blended but you need to do it quickly before it sets.
Here are the CC cream and the LOC swatched on my arm. The top swatch is where I tried to blend out the CC but you can see that it is all wrong for my skin tone. The shadow was exactly what I wanted for my crease and I couldn’t be happier about that item.
As usual I had some hits and misses in my monthly Birchbox but I think that is the whole point of this sampling service. Think about things you try (or even buy) at the store – you might buy something because you think it sounds good, but it doesn’t always work out well. Every once in a while you find that miracle item but you know that those Holy Grail products are hard to come by. This is why I like Birchbox, because they let me try before I buy and sometimes I find an amazing product, but yeah most of them are not going to be perfect. I think many of these items fit my profile and I was really happy with the LOC and the lip product, while the hair products and the CC cream didn’t work for me. The value for my August box was around $35.56, not bad for the price paid but keep in mind that your box value may differ depending on which items you receive.
What did you think of the August 2019 Birchbox? What did you get in your box?
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