October Birchbox Review: Small Things That Make A Big Difference
If you've been following me for a little while, you might have already read about my obsession with subscription boxes. I love them! They make my life so much easier, and at the same time, help me feel a little more glamorous. With a busy (and currently VERY Mommy-centered) toddler and a sweet-as-can-be but not-yet-sleeping-through-the-night baby, time is a luxury I can rarely afford, so box subscriptions help keep me on top of my style game. Or at least not on the very bottom of my style game. Birchbox was the first subscription box I ever tried back in 2015 I believe it was, and I've been pretty pleased with them so far.
How does it work? You go to their website, fill out a beauty profile, and they send you the goods! Boxes are sent once a month, between the 1st and 10th, and you can cancel at any time if it's not for you. You choose from 3 options every month: The curated box, which you will know exactly what is in it before selecting; the sample choice box, in which you will select one item ahead of time from a specific list of options and the other 4 items will be chosen for you based on your profile; and the complete surprise box, in which all 5 items will be chosen based on your profile. Once your box is sent, you'll get a tracking number so you can stalk it while you are anxiously awaiting your goodies, which is totally what I do. You'll get an email with what's in your box prior to it's arrival which you can choose to look at before it gets there, or just wait for the surprise. I'll be honest, sometimes I peek!
If you want to check out my last review, you can find it here:
Now let's get to the goodies!
The theme for this month's Birchbox was "Behind the Scenes," so they featured items that they felt did the hard work of keeping subsribers looking fabulous, but maybe aren't the "ka-pow" kind of products in terms of glitz and glamour. Translation: totally my kind of box! I typically go for a pretty natural look, so I liked everything in this box.
*Avène Hydrance Intense Rehydrating Serum (Full Size $38): This was my sample choice this month, so I was really excited to try it out. I got the Marcelle serum in my last box and liked it a lot, but the sample sizes are so small for these that I was getting close to running out. I have sampled the Avène thermal water before, and was pleasantly surprised, so I'm looking forward to seeing if this has the same lasting effects. I've only used it once so far, but I like how it feels on my skin. I put it on after showering last night and my skin felt really good when I woke up this morning! I won't likely purchase the full size of this one though, strictly because of the price.
*Davines LOVE Smoothing Shampoo - For Coarse or Frizzy Hair (Full Size $26): Oh my heart, I've loved all things Davines that I've gotten in my past Birchboxes and this is no exception. The sample size for this one came in a bottle so I'll get more uses out of it - yay! My hair definitely has a bit of frizz going on, and this shampoo helps a little bit. Even if it didn't, the smell is totally worth it. I feel like I've just come from the salon every time I use Davines. Every now and then, Birchbox throws in a free foil-sized sample packet, and I got the conditioner sample of this in my box this month too! Score! As with the Avène serum, I won't be purchasing the full size of this one either. I love it, but can't justify spending $26 on a bottle of shampoo. I'm a $3 or less gal when it comes to that.
*Lipstick Queen Lip Liner in Nude (Full Size $18): I'll be honest here. Lip liner terrifies me. I always think I'm going to mess it up or get the wrong shade and look, well, not quite normal. I think way back in the late 90s/early 2000s I think it was, when starkly different lip liner/lip stick combinations were cool. I am always afraid I'd end up looking like that!! Thanks to Birchbox though, this mama is converted. They sent literally the perfect nude shade. I love it! I've recently fallen in love with this Maybelline Lip Stain (seriously, I have 4 different colors - it works!) and tried my new lip liner today with my stain in Timeless Toffee:
(Don't mind the shine on my forehead, office lights are not kind to me). It blended perfectly and kept my lip stain inside the lines. Definitely will be using this. The sample size is pretty decent as well! I won't be purchasing the full size one, again, due to the price, but love that it came in my box.
*OUAI Rose Hair & Body Oil (Full Size $32): I was a bit surprised and honestly a little disappointed that I got this in my box. It's not that I don't like it, I actually really do! It's more because they JUST sent me a hair oil last month. If you use hair oil, you know that it lasts a long time because you only need a little bit at a time. I really like the smell of this one - it's got a light rosehip scent to it, which is very pleasing to my olfactory senses! Because I am still working on my other hair oil, I'll probably use this sample as a body oil instead, especially as the weather gets more cold and dry. This is a sample I'll probably stash away and pull out when winter gets harsher.
*The Beauty Crop Glow Milk Liquid Highlighter (Full Size $19.50): Honestly the jury is still out on this one. I'm kind of ignorant when it comes to liquid highlighters, I just really don't know how to use them. I tried it this morning, though you likely cannot tell from the photo above (thanks to aforementioned fluorescent office lighting). I like this one as opposed to a different liquid highlighter I'd received in a previous Birchbox, because it's a much lighter formula and doesn't go on as thick. It's got this nice little brush that you use to apply it as well, very similar to a nail polish brush. I'm very basic when it comes to contouring/blush/highlighting, so I don't feel like I really know how to make the most of this one. I'll give it a few more tries and see how it goes. Maybe Birchbox just knows that I need to try these things more to really get the hang of them. Verdict: I'm not in love with it, but I don't hate it!
Another thing Birchbox sent in this month's box was this handy dandy little Holiday Planning card:
We are over halfway through October, which means yes, it's time to start thinking about holiday gifting. I know this is a marketing ploy for Birchbox, but it's also a great way to think outside the box if you're looking for something other than clothes or a gift card for someone for the holidays. I may or may not be using this card myself, but I appreciate the idea of sending it for those write-it-down people like me.
Overall, I was really pleased with this month's Birchbox. I'll definitely use all of the products, some probably more than others, but every single one will be used, and I felt like they did a pretty good job of staying in line with my beauty profile. If you've been curious about checking Birchbox out, you can use my referral link, and it will take you right to where you need to go to get the ball rolling, no trying to figure out how to sign up yourself. Time is of the essence, I know!
If you use any of these products, or if you use other subscription boxes, I'd love to hear your thoughts. I'm always up for trying new things!