Birchbox: beauty samples, $10/month
Promo: subscribenow50 to get an extra 50 points when you sign up
I paid: $5 with an expired promo – Box retail value: $24, My value: $17
Enjoyment factor: ☺
Canceling: painless, through website
Birchbox is a monthly subscription which sends you five beauty samples every month, generally a mixture of skin/haircare and makeup. It comes in a cute little box that you can reuse. You can review each sample and receive 10 points, and exchange 100 points for $10 off their online store, including gift subscriptions to their box. When you subscribe, you can fill out a questionnaire telling Birchbox which type of products interest you, though you may still get products you don’t care for. Lately, Birchbox has allowed subscribers to choose between a curated box that lists what samples are included, and a mystery box, with a choice of selecting one sample while supplies last.
I had already gotten a Birchbox this month, through a gift subscription I gave to myself using accumulated points, but the first box of every gift subscription is a “customers favorite” box rather than the monthly box. I didn’t want to miss the October box (though, in reality, there is little difference among each month’s box) so, when I saw a now-expired promo that gave you your first box in a new subscription for just $5, I started a new account and got this box. Because it was the first box of a new subscription, I was not able to choose any of the samples. Still, I was quite happy with what I got. Only a couple of the items were repeats and the box had a value $24. We will use all the items, and I’ll probably gift the lipstick, so I’m pretty happy.
This is what I got:
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré (nourishing moisturizer), 5 ml, $2
The sample of this lotion is pathetically small. And yet it’s full of pretenses with packaging mostly in French and even a box that boasts of having shea butter, beeswax, aloe vera and soy protein (and no parabens!). The main ingredients in this lotion, however, are water, mineral oil and stearic acid (a cheap emulsifier). The lotion doesn’t really have any expensive ingredients, so it’s clear that this is all about marketing. At least, it’s made in France.
I tried it and I found it to be pretty oily and slow to absorb. It’s not scented per se (it has a chemical that is meant to mask natural smells), but it has a waxy smell. I wouldn’t buy it, but I’m sure I’ll use this in one sitting.
Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels, 1 pair, $4
I got some of these eye gels before, and I traded them before actually using them. This time I’m going to try them. Tomorrow morning, to be more exact. Made in Korea.
Eyeko Black Magic Mascara, 4 ml, $10
I’m giving this mascara a mixed review. I liked the brush, which was very easy to use and fit my eyelashes very well, and the mascara did a good job of making my eye lashes look fuller. On the other hand, I found the formula a little clumpy, it didn’t add any length to my eye lashes, but it also did not smudge. My biggest issue, however, is the container. I had to hold it with one hand while applying my mascara with the other, which is not ideal. I much rather have a tube that can stand by itself.
I think my kids had problems with the tube as well, as after I came back home I found it smeared with mascara all over. It’s made in Korea.
amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo, .75 oz, $3
I’ve had this dry shampoo before and it works fine. My daughter likes the name and the container. It’s a pretty small sample, though, they could be more generous. Made in US.
ModelCo Ultra Long-Lasting Lipstick in “kitty” (pale pink), .12 oz mini, $7
I’ve now gotten the three colors of this lipstick, though I’ve only opened the red one. This color seems more wearable for me, but I hesitate to open it because I found the red one to last very little. It transferred to anything I put to my mouth and faded very quickly, while staining anything it touched. I’ll probably swap it. It says it’s made in Taiwan.