BoxyCharm Beauty Subscription Box Review – January 2015bo
BoxyCharm is a full-size and deluxe-size makeup and beauty subscription box. When they first started they were featuring drugstore brands like Revlon and L’Oreal, but lately they’ve been using mid-tier and high-end brands. (If you check out my earlier BoxyCharm reviews, you can definitely see the improvement in curation!)
This box was sent to us for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
The Subscription Box: BoxyCharm
The Cost: $21 a month
The Products: 5-6 drugstore beauty items that will include nail care, skin care, makeup, haircare, fragrance and more. (At least 4 of those items will be full-sized).
Ships to: US
Check out all of my BoxyCharm reviews and the Beauty Subscription Box Directory!
Each box comes with a card detailing the products included.
tarte cosmetics Maracuja Bronzing Serum – FULL SIZE! Value $47
After seeing spoilers for this box, this was the item I was most excited to try. (I think tarte cosmetics makes the best natural looking tanning products.) This bronzing serum is part serum oil and part self-tanner. You put 2-3 drops on your skin and then wash your hands immediately after.
I just tried it out and found the oil to be pretty moisturizing and quick absorbing. It does have that self-tanner scent, which I don’t love, but it isn’t too bothersome. I used more than 2-3 drops because I wanted to apply it to my neck as well for a more even/natural look. If I like the golden glow that is supposed to develop in a few days, I will definitely buy more of this oil in the future. I love multi-tasking products that work well – and remembering to put on self-tanner regularly isn’t something I usually do, so fingers crossed this is my new favorite product!
(When BoxyCharm revealed this spoiler item on their facebook page they said it was “perfect for all skin tones.” I would have to disagree. If I didn’t want the self-tanner part of the serum I wouldn’t be using this product – I would go for a regular serum without a self-tanner smell.)
The box also came with a tarte cosmetics coupon for 20% off from 2/3-2/12 with code BOXYJAN.
Mirabella Face Prime – FULL SIZE! Value $29
I was surprised that this was a full-sized primer (it is less than half an ounce), but after using just a dab of the product, I can see that a little goes a long way. This primer is clear, and it does a great job of creating a flawless feeling surface to apply makeup.
Beauty for Real The Perfect Pencil in Nude – FULL SIZE! Value $14
Beauty for Real Lip Cream in “Always There” – FULL SIZE! Value $22
The Beauty for Real lip liner pencil only comes in one color – and fortunately I like it a lot. It’s just a few shades darker than my regular lip color, so it works great for an everyday look.
I couldn’t sample this lip cream since I’m allergic to one of the ingredients (Red 40 Lake), so I’ll be swapping it or passing it along to a friend. (It comes with a built in mirror and light I put on for the photo).
Pur-lisse Skin Sparkle Flash Tattoos – Value $12
Jewelry tattoos are definitely having a moment in subscription boxes! The card lists 1 sheet of tattoos, so I’m not sure if I accidentally received two sheets in my box, or if all subscribers received two sheets).
Verdict: This box has a value of about $124. As always – I’m so impressed with the value of BoxyCharm boxes – I don’t know how they do it! I really like the serum, primer and lip liner in this box, so the value is high for me personally too.
What did you think of the January BoxyCharm Box?
Written by Liz Cadman
I have fallen in love with that lip pencil. It works beautifully & makes me look like I actually have an upper lip now (thank you!!). The entire box was worth it for me just to discover that product. As for the lipstick, I didn’t like the color that I got at all which sucks since the little light in it is so darn cool. I’m not sure about the bronzer. The scent really turned me off of it, and after two applications I have red spots on my face. I’m going to try it again, and hope it works out because I would love it to work. I am looking forward to trying out the Mirabella primer. I put some on my hands just to test the consistency & one tiny little drop really does spread out quite a bit, so I would expect this tiny little tube to last awhile. For the price, it better!
I’ve been using the bronzer for a good month now & have decided that I really like it. It doesn’t give much of a tan, but more of a glow, and it evens out my skin tone quite nicely. I still haven’t gotten used to the smell though. The smell is just disgusting but seems to go away after awhile, although you don’t want to get it on your clothes or you’ll be smelling it all day.
Still loving that lip liner too!!
Great box
I think boxycharm is the best box out there! Especially value wise! Anybody see the new beauty joy sub box? Omg Liz you have to review it!
I put on the Tarte Bronzing Serum for the first time not too long ago. When I was typing my last comment here, my face began to get very hot and felt as though it was burning so I looked up what was in the serum…bergamot…which I’m crazy allergic to. Help!
I was a bit dubious about this box before I received it and was sad it would be my first Boxycharm. However, the bronzing serum and lip cream were a very pleasant surprise. I do not use tanning or bronzing products as they usually look ridiculous on my pasty white skin but the, Tarte oil went on beautifully and my my red, blotchy, uneven, rosacea prone skin feel better after only one use. I’m looking forward to seeing how it improves my skin over a few weeks time. The lip pencil was a nice shade but it’s a pencil and did not go on smoothly or evenly. The skin jewelry will be used on my fingers to look like rings.
Does anyone know how the review process works for Boxycharm? It doesn’t seem as intuitive as Birchbox.
Once you’ve logged in, click on “The Shop” tab on the top menu. From there, you can see past products offered by Boxycharm. Click whichever item you would like to review, and under the star rating, there is an option to add your review. In my experience, it takes a while before the current month’s products appear, which is why January’s items aren’t showing quite yet. I would check back in a couple of weeks.
Thanks so much Beth!
I wish boxycharm shipped to Alaska…
Love this box. I didn’t realize the lip gloss had a light. Too cute!
This wasn’t my favorite Boxycharm either, but I still love them. I swapped the self tanner and lip liner. And am I the only one who thinks temporary tattoos for adults are totally ridiculous?? I mean great for teens or people 22 and younger. Past 25 kind of ridiculous, but that’s just me. As much as I love lip gloss wasn’t super excited for the lipgloss since I got one in a FFF box. I love Tarte products and was hoping for something else.
I loved this months box…I love all Boxycharm boxes!! If you don’t want the self tan portion of the oil Tarte has the Maracujo Oil that is phenom!! And yes you are lucky to receive 2 sheets!! Only got one! The lip gloss I received in another sub so I may gift this one!!
I am also allergies to red dye. What type of lip products do you use instead?? I have found a few color change products that don’t have red dye in them but it’s mainly Clear gloss for my use.
I’m only allergic to red 40, so most other red dyes are fine. 100 Percent Pure, Alima Pure, Juice Beauty and Vapour are some great brands that only use naturally derived colors for their lip products. Hope that helps! (Alima Pure’s Lip Tint is my current obsession!)
Hi, I was also wondering if it is too late to order this? Also wondering if anyone has a coupon or referral code I could use? Thank you!
Hi, the box is still available and unfortunately there are no coupon codes but it is well worth it! Here is my referral link if you are interested. (Liz- if you don’t allow referrals please delete- I wasn’t sure!)
{https://www.boxycharm.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/10981/}
And liz, could you please remove my last name from the previous post? Ugh.
I think if you click on the word “BoxyCharm” in the “BoxyCharm is a full-size and deluxe-size makeup and beauty subscription box.” sentence at the top of this post that would be using Liz’s referral link?
I was so disappointed in this box. I don’t self tan so I think that kind of item is too specific. The lip liner looks awful on me, way too dark. The lip cream was a mess on my lips. The primer didn’t do anything for me. The only thing that was useful was the tattoos because I gave them to my 13yr old daughter. Ugh what a waste of $21!
Maybe you can swap the the bronzing serum?
How do you get into swapping? Self tanners are not for me but I really would not like it go to waste either.
Yaaaaay Tarte! Excited to see better brands, but I’m not excited that it’s a tanning product when it’s not really my thing – I’m hoping it’ll fetch a good price on eBay!
I really like this box. I actually just signed up when I saw the full sized tarte, it was just too tempting! It was not exactly what I thought it would be, I have the regular tarte oil and this one is much thinner, closer to a self Tanner than a face oil, but I still really like it. The directions say to put 2 -3 drops on hands and apply to face but I needed to use way more to cover mine
I loved my boxycharm!! They do an amazing job every month! You got lucky Liz, I only got one sheet of Tattoos.
Wow! What a Great Box!! Can you still order this or will you end up getting next months box? I wanted to ask you if the face serum clogs pores at all? Thanks for All of the awesome Review’s!!!
If you order now you should be able to get this month’s box!
Tako~ Great! Thanks for letting me know!!