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Birchbox Subscription Box Review + Coupon – September 2016

Haley Faye
ByHaley FayeSep 17, 2016 | 49 comments

birchbox-september-2016-box

Birchbox
3.7 overall rating
657 Ratings | 188 Reviews

Every month, Birchbox lets subscribers pick between a curated box (all samples revealed) or a single sample choice and be surprised by the rest of the items.

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This is a review of a sample choice box.

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My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).

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The Subscription Box: Birchbox

The Cost: $10 a month (get one month free and $10 to spend in the shop with an annual subscription!)

COUPON: Get $5 (50 points) to spend in the Birchbox shop when you subscribe with coupon code SUBSCRIBENOW50

OR

Try any of these free gift with purchase coupons on orders of $35 or more!And don’t forget your free mystery sample pack on orders of $35 or more!

OR

Use code NATURALEYE at checkout to receive a Free W3LL PEOPLE Expressionist Mascara with your first box!

The Products: Beauty and lifestyle samples selected by the Birchbox team.

Ships to: US, FranceSpain and the UK and Canada

Check out all of our Birchbox reviews and the Beauty Subscription Box Directory!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

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Each box comes with a card that has a blurb of the month’s theme and focus. September is all about multi-tasking products.

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And on the flip side, it details the items included and some tips on how to use them.

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Oribe Restorative Body Crème - 0.41 fl oz, value: $4.50

This body crème is great! The fragrance is a “mix of bergamot, black currant, Sicilian orange, jasmine, sandalwood and amber” and it smells amazing. My skin felt hydrated but not greasy after using. This stuff is pricey, though, so part of me is sad for falling in love with such an expensive product.

Oribe Replenishing Body Wash - 0.41 fl oz, value: $2.02

I really love this body wash – it smells the same as the crème. It suds well and I just enjoyed using it.

Aromachology Totally Edible – 0.069 fl oz, value: $2.84

I know I am definitely not alone when I say that I usually don’t care for perfume samples in subscription boxes, but this perfume just might be one of my September favorites so far! It’s definitely in my top couple perfume discoveries from subscription boxes. This perfume is just up my alley – sweet and a little dessert-y while being balanced out with some musk and bergamot. The top notes in this perfume are raspberry, Sicilian orange, bergamot, lily of the valley, zesty lemon drop, and apple, and the middle and base notes are vanilla, sugar cane, musk, and chocolate.

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I especially adore that it’s packaged in a little mini rollerball! More product and definitely more practical! I didn’t feel like it lasted all day, but I don’t mind toting this around in my purse and reapplying every now and then.

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The Body Shop Drops of Youth Concentrate - 0.2 fl oz, value: $7.60

A little bit of this serum goes a long way! This is an anti-aging treatment which helps to boost surface cell renewal and helps your cells retain moisture. It also helps to even out hyperpigmentation and dark spots. Definitely seems like this little guy does a little bit of everything.

Derma e Microdermabrasion Scrub – 0.5 fl oz, value: $8.13

This is another product that’s new to me that I really like. It’s a facial scrub made with Dead Sea Salt. It smells very fresh and clean and it seems to do a very nice job exfoliating. I also know that salt (and things like swimming in the ocean) are very good for your skin and help with acne and such! I don’t generally have issues with acne so I feel like I’m not a fair judge of that at the moment, but there are many reviews saying that this works well for that, too.

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Milk Makeup Ubame Mascara - 0.25 fl oz, value: $13.04

(my sample choice) True to form for a subscription box addict, I have so many mascara samples I don’t know what to do with and I practically shouldn’t ever need to buy a full-size mascara ever again. However, this mascara totally makes me want to run to buy the full-size. It’s fantastic! With just one coat it made my lashes look longer and fuller with the least amount of clumping I have ever seen from any mascara (and I have tried hundreds and even used to work at Sephora – so I know my mascaras). Fortunately this sample is a good size so I’ll get plenty of use out of it! (pics of the wand and of the product applied below.)

Davines MoMo Shampoo for Dry or Dehydrated Hair – 2.5 fl oz, value: $7.70

Davines MoMo Conditioner for Dry or Dehydrated Hair - 0.4 fl oz, value: $1.50

This shampoo + conditioner are pretty nice – I like Davines in general. This specific line is made with a melon from Sicily to hydrate your hair. I think it works well and smells nice and fresh. (FYI – the conditioner foil packet counts as a bonus in my box).

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Here’s a look at the Milk Makeup mascara wand. It seems a little funky and potentially intimidating at first but I encourage you to give it a shot – I think it’s probably easier to get used to than you think. It works really well, too, and you can turn the wand so you’re precisely using the top ball to target specific parts of your lashes for extra coats and such.

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Here’s a before/after shot for you! On the right you have my bare lashes (but curled) and on the right you have my curled, mascara-ed lashes. I’m really pleased with the performance here.

Verdict: My September Birchbox was really great because it had multiple products that were new to me that I am impressed with and now love. I’m also happy with the number of products I received – 5 deluxe samples, plus a foil packet duo sample (the Oribe), and a bonus foil conditioner sample (from Davines). The value this month adds up to $47.33 for me which is awesome for a $10 box.

What do you think about your September Birchbox? Did you snag a sample choice or the curated box?

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Birchbox ($15 per month) was one of the very first beauty subscription boxes—we’ve been reviewing it since 2012! Each month, subscribers get a new mix of 5 beauty samples, such as makeup, skincare, haircare, and fragrance items. Birchbox lets you choose whether you’d like a box of items picked ju... read more.

Haley Faye
Haley Faye
Haley Faye first discovered the wonderful world of subscription boxes in 2012 and began writing for MSA in 2014. Over the years, she has found many subscriptions to love. Now a mom of three, her favorite boxes are ones that dress her kids, help her get organized, feed her family, send her snacks, and offer educational fun for her children.

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49 comments

Tera

Some of those items are awesome!

I was subscribed several years ago and got bored but recently I’ve resubscribed.
Only issue is that I never know what to do with my cute boxes after I use up or re-home my samples. What do you do with yours? Any awesome suggestions?

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Yuki

I keep leftover Christmas cards in one, small office supplies like post-its and pens in another, and I use the others for organizing toiletries in my bathroom drawers. I’m not sure what I’ll with the new boxes, though 🙂

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nicolle

My box was so disappointing, I’m jealous of yours. I got the most boring items and the milk highlighter i was supposed to get was even missing from my box.

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Kp

I’d be so pissed of i got foil but I got the highlighter. And the cloth thing and the dry shampoo. Any tips to using it the smell make my throat burn. I also got the bonus foil body creme and body wash. Bonus not including the 5. I also got the curated box. I liked both. But Ipsy omg. I would cancel but I didn’t use my points in time and have to wait for it in my next box

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Heather F.

Wow..I had a completely different box, all different items than yours. Also, because I live in the Louisiana area affected by the flood, BirchBox sent an email to me that they would be sending me a gift, which is such a thoughtful gesture..My ‘gift’ turned out to be another free BirchBox, containing all the exact same samples from my September box. ?

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Lori Barnett

Thank y’all ladies I was just about to order birch box and then saw your comment. I get ipsy and this month again 2 week late still haven’t gotten my glam bag ..

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Mars

So are we all aboard about cancelling our sub with Birchbox for a really bad box this month!!! 😉
It’s like they want to get rid of us, they just don’t want to tell us to our face! So the next best thing is to just send us their left over samples!! Message received Birchbox!!!

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Nicole

I’ve only been a member for 2 months now and I am really disappointed in what they call “samples.” I could get most of these items for free from the beauty counter. Is it always like this? I am seriously considering cancelling my subscription.

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Des

This is exactly the same as my box! I haven’t tried the scrub yet, but so far everything else is great. Really pleased, and it’s fun to see how much the value actually is for the items in the box.

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Chrystal

My September box was HORRID! I thought that my Allure box was a disappointment until this arrived. My box contained
*Milk lip + cheek (sadly the mascara was out by the time I made my sample selection) I twisted it up only to see that there was a laughable amount of product with in the tube.
*Bioderma Micellar Water: I was happy to see this revealed as one of my products until it arrived and I realized it was a SINGLE USE sample.
*MOMO shampoo for dry or dehyrdated hair the only decent sized item
*MOMO conditioner for dry or dehydrated hair in a foil packet
*Juara candlenut body cream: I may be able to apply this to my hands 3 times before the tube is empty…
*Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo: I’m one of the few that doesn’t mind receiving dry shampoo so I’m ok with this sample

They should have paid me $10 to receive this giant box of FAIL!

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Malinda

I’m in the same boat! Except I received the Klorane dry shampoo and did not receive the MOMO. I’m seriously considering cancelling!

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Kp

I can’t get over the Super goop lip screen. I got a hair oil that was .06oz and the lips screen is .05oz so why those the lip screen seen like 2 drops

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Liz

I got that piece of plastic too! So annoying!

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Cherished1

What is going on with this box!? This has to be worst one I got this year…maybe even ever! Only thing I liked was item I picked, the Milk makeup highlighter. I got a fancy water spray bottle to hydrate my face by Avene, a one use make up remover by Bioderma, gloss lip pencil in red(so sick of red,never wear it)by LOC;which I think it’s a Birchbox brand actually and last item was of course a dry conditioner by R+Co. Every month for the past 6-8 boxes I have gotten some kind of shampoo or conditioner item and usually they are one use! Anybody else get a box this bad?

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Taylor

I got that box, except mine was missing the LOC lip crayon, I un-subbed, minus the RCo it was a terrible box, and the formula for the highlighter was so bad

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Erinne

Mine sucked too. I got the Milk lip + cheek which I picked but the color is too pink for me (I like more brown tones). A perfume sample (yuck). Shampoo for blonde hair that doesn’t do anything for my dirty blonde hair. Bad smelling body creme and a face wash which I guess is okay but I get some sort of face cleanser in every box from every company so I’m very overloaded. I’m going to check out what the selection for october is and if I hate them, I’m canceling. We don’t even get points anymore for trying the product so when I get bad boxes there is no silver lining anymore.

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Kp

Should be picked the highlighter. I rarely use makeup. But I don’t like pinks or reds lol I still think its better than ipsy where I sometimes don’t even like 1 thing

Emily

I just got five samples and one of them was a perfume vial. Two of the five were leave in conditioner, which I thought was a little odd, especially when you consider that we all received two hair products in the August box. Also, one of my products was different than what was shown on my page, but it was on the card. I’ve never had that happen before. (And I even waited until after the 10th when the samples shown aren’t supposed to change anymore.) However, the sample that I wasn’t supposed to get was a Living Proof leave in conditioner that has probably the most product out of anything I’ve ever received in a birchbox. I’m waiting to see the options for October and if they’re not good then I’m cancelling.

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EC

This box version was far, far better than mine. I selected the Milk cheek/lip product for my sample choice and it turned out to be the only item I like. I received two hair products, both too small to use on my long hair, yet another (Elizabeth Mott) mascara (I don’t care for the brand in general and this was no exception), and a one time use-plastic pack of micellar water. So my box was a basically a mishmash of single use products, a cheap mascara and one worthwhile product. It just feels like Birchbox has given up completely on the sub boxes. I think this was the final coffin nail. Breakup imminent ☹️

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Tina

This was my second box from them. The first I was satisfied with.
I’m extremely disappointed with this one. I’m a new subscriber to Birchbox so I really don’t no much about them compared to others.
Any comments or advice what boxes are the best I’d greatly appreciate!
Tina

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Natalie

I don’t get boxes like yours. Last month a foil conditioner was one of my 5 items…really?!? This month wasn’t better. Next month is my last BB for my annual sub, and I’m done with it. Boxes have been lacking, no more points, LE boxes lacking… BB is no longer for me. We had a couple good years together.

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Candice

It was points that caused my breakup. If I’m not getting points for my reviews, AND all I’m getting are single use products…. well It only took one box of not getting points for me to decide I was done. Cashed out the points I had ( I was trying to save for Curlers) and walked off.

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April

I am jealous of this box!! I got two samples specifically for color-treated hair in my September box. I’ve never even dyed my hair before, and my profile reflects that, but somehow they found their way into my box.

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Nancy

I just ordered the September Box to restart my subscription because it was their 6 yr. anniversary, so I put in EXTRABB, and will recieve 2 boxes. I cannot wait to see what I get, I changed my profile up a bit also!!

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HS

I thought this was for new subscribers only, which I figured since I’d had a prior subscription it wouldn’t work. Does anyone know if I’m wrong about this? Could a previous subscriber take advantage of this code?

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Nancy

I was a subscriber to Birchbox for about a year and then dropped it. So I rejoined with the EXTRABB, and it did work for me. It had only been 4 months since I had cancelled.

Mary

One of my five samples was a little tiny make up remover for one time use only 🙁 Another sample was a tiny body cream I could careless about. My face is oily so the Milk lip + cheek (sample I chose) didn’t work out for me. The dry shampoo leaves a white residue. So the only thing I liked is the Microdermabrasion Scrub wich is valued at $8…and that’s where my $10 went to this month. It’s not cool when other people get to try upto eight samples and I get stuck with little tiny ones that I find no use for. I am cancelling this sub!! On a happy note, I got accepted to Sephora Play so I’m looking forwards to that! Bye Birchbox, you will not be missed.

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Liz

Yes on Play, I have only received one box of theirs so far so who knows how it will be once we’re over the honeymoon phase but it’s been better than BB, which has not been impressive after 3 mos. I haven’t got anything in my shipments like a deluxe size shampoo by Davines, let alone even an $8 Derma E sample. So glad for review sites and everyone’s input here.

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K

SO glad I cancelled. This box has no value compared to ipsy (mine was full of great stuff valued over $60 this month) and play! (again, value is at least 3x the cost of the subscription, with stuff I would never think to try or staples that are better quality than I usually buy. Birchbox is doomed.

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Anna Hoffman

I just got a chance to experience the dark side of BB customer service. After my order was missing the free gift with $35+ purchase, I emailed them. The response I expected: sorry, we will send you the missing item or something else if we no longer have this. The actual response I received was: We are out of the item, don’t worry, we WILL NOT CHARGE you for the item (meaning the FREE GIFT which I NEVER RECEIVED ). The end.
Inerestingly the item (cargo blush) is still on their website showing as available.
Looks like to save money they fired all of their customer service reps. In two months my year is up, then I am gone.

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Caligirl

Was going to cancel but got a really good box sigh…

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Erinne

My box sucked this month. I only got 5 samples and except for the Milk product they were very small. I’m just not happy with BB anymore

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JenMags

Wish I had gotten this box instead of mine. Definitely have to change my profile – as it is – not happy with my impulse to subscribe for a year.

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Stefanie

i will say i have been with Birchbox for almost two years and until this current box each box the samples were tiny but i think it’s pressure from other boxes giving us more for our money. I think birchbox is getting that we want deluxe sizes and verity. i have two other sub boxes and they have kicked Birchbox in the butt multiple times. i was very happy with the sizes and verity which including no mascara thank goodness because i think i have 15 so far please stop the mascara madness. if Birchbox continues in this direction then i might hold on to them if this is just one good box then i will have to let them go. September was a very good box!.

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Brenda

The last two months my boxes have contained completely different items, is this normal?

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Erinne

Depending on your beauty profile you could get completely different items than others

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Kp

I wish I got this box.I gotta go change my profile to redhead with fair skin now lol

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Jenn P

I’m a redhead with fair skin and my box was conpletely different (and much worse) than the reviewed box on here. It won’t help…

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Jenn P

Completely*