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.
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
This review is of the Sample Choice, $10 a month, box.
The Subscription Box: Birchbox
The Cost: $10 a month (get one month free and $10 to spend in the shop with an annual subscription!)
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The Products: Beauty and lifestyle samples selected by the Birchbox team.
Ships to: U.S., France, Spain and the U.K. 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!
Each box comes with an info card.
The flipside of the info card lists information about each item they sent in my box.
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray – 1 oz, Value $5.41
Oribe is one of many brands I love all thanks to Liz, so I had to pick it as my chosen sample. In fact, a full-size of this texturizing spray is something I bought when I visited the Birchbox Soho store (click through to read about my visit!). This is a great multi-functional product: part texturizing spray and part dry shampoo. It does a great job with extending my style (which I’ve learned is the posh way to say “I didn’t wash my hair today”) and giving my naturally straight, flatter hair some texture. It’s also helpful for up-dos and such, too.
Manna Kadar Eye Candy Priming Shadow Stick in Jelly Bean – 1.5g/.05 oz, Value $14.40
This is a new product from Manna Kadar to me, and I’m pretty happy with it. I’ve found myself really gravitating towards shadow sticks this summer for one-swipe, low-effort looks. This shade is a shimmery taupe and is a “priming shadow” so you don’t need to use a primer with it, which cuts out another step in my makeup application process. I like the color and performance of this!
My shadow stick came kinda broken – the product was loose in the tube and had mushed against the cap a little. Fortunately, it wasn’t too bad and ultimately didn’t affect usability much. From the reviews of this product on Birchbox’s website, though, it looks like many other subscribers weren’t as lucky.
Mellow Matte Liquid Lip Paint in Tehran – 1.5g/.05 oz, Value $7?
I’m not sure on the value here because my tube of lip paint definitely says .05 oz, but the weight on the full-size is listed on Birchbox’s site as .01 oz. I’m guessing it’s supposed to be .1 oz, and that this is a half-size sample.
That being said, I really like this product! The brand is new to me, but the color and formula are great. This is a soft brown nude and looks like a great neutral shade on me.
Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - .24 fl oz, Value $9.48
I was really excited to see a sample this size of Estee Lauder in my Birchbox! I’ve heard a lot of people love this foundation, but I don’t think they offer a shade light enough for me. Birchbox sent me 1W2 “Sand,” which is the lightest family of colors but in the warm/golden undertones. I really need a fair neutral undertone.
Kiel’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream - .25 fl oz, Value $4.04
This moisturizer is non-greasy and the light gel-cream formula helps to hydrate and condition your skin. It also has a light, clean scent.
Unfortunately, my skin type is dry, not normal to oily. I reached out to Birchbox's customer service about this, as well as the Estee Lauder foundation that won’t work for me, and they said they can’t ship the specific foundation sample I think I’d need. However, to make up for the two samples being a bust for me, they offered to send me 2 samples from the $25 category in their Gifts with Purchase section of their shop. I chose the Acure Organics Purifying Fruit Peel and a Pura Vida bracelet.
Here are swatches of the shadow stick, the lip paint, and the foundation for you. As you can see, it’s too warm/dark for me.
Here’s a look with the shadow stick and liquid lipstick. I love the nude shade of the lipstick.
And here’s what the shadow stick looks like on my lids. I blended some other colors into my crease and corners to complete the look, but I liked the shadow stick as a base. It’s a little cooler of a shade than I normally wear, but it’s still very pretty.
Verdict: This was a pretty good Birchbox for me, all things considered! Especially if the foundation worked for me, I think this would be a really great box. I am a little bummed about the two samples I won’t really be able to use, but I am also happy with the customer service’s solution of sending me two gifts with purchase items of my choice. As far as value goes, everything adds up to $40.33, which I’m happy with from a $10 discovery box.
What do you think about Birchbox? What sample did you choose for June?
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