I’ve already reviewed the July 2015 Birchbox, but I signed up for another Birchbox account so I could take advantage of Birchbox’s Upgraded Beta subscription plan. If you aren’t familiar with the new Beta Upgraded subscription, for an additional $20 a month, you’ll get two full-size makeup or nail polish products in addition to your 5 samples.
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Birchbox
The Cost: $10 a month (plus $20 for this upgraded box)
The Products: Beauty and lifestyle samples selected by the Birchbox team.
Ships to: US, France, Spain and the UK and Canada
Check out all of my Birchbox reviews and the Beauty Subscription Box Directory!
Each box comes with a card detailing the items included. The two full-size items are listed at the bottom.
This month the full sized items arrived in their own box - I like it!
Smashbox Full Exposer Mascara - Value $20
This is one of the best mascaras I've sampled recently. The formula adds a good amount of length and volume. It took me a lot of brush strokes to get the amount of volume/length I wanted, but there were no clumping issues, so that's fine by me!
Laura Geller Beauty Bronze-n-Brighten - Value $33
This is one of those products that will last me a very long time - I only needed one sweep of color to get the amount of bronzer I wanted. (I swatched it in the last picture). I've always liked Laura Geller baked products, and this bronzer is a very natural looking shade for my skintone.
Now on to the regular 5-item samples!
Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray – 1 oz Value $10
This spray adds some texture and it smells fabulous. (One of the reviewers on Birchbox described this spray as overpriced hair perfume!)
dr. brandt microdermabrasion skin exfoliant - .25 oz Value $9.75
This exfoliator has a fresh, citrus scent, and the formula is super fine - you only need to use it once or twice per week.
StriVectin-AR Advanced Retinol Eye Treatment - .17 oz Value $25.50
At first I thought this StriVectin sample looked too small to be able to try for a decent period of time, but since it is an eye cream, this sample is actually a good size. (It's 1/3 of the full size). This eye treatment targets fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles. Hopefully I'll be able to see some results before this sample runs out. StriVectin products usually make good on their promises in my experience!
Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Liquid - 10 ml Value $2.30
This is a lightweight formula designed to add moisture to your skin - it goes on before your makeup. (I realize as I read that sentence to myself, I just described pretty much any moisturizer!) Anyway, this one is a liquid, and I like how smooth it left my skin feeling - it could definitely work as a primer alternative.
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso – .05 oz Value $11
All Birchbox subscribers are getting this Liquid Lipstick for July.
The pigment in this formula is insane. Be very careful applying it – because it takes a serious effort to remove it if you make any mistakes! The finish is matte, and it’s a very bold color. Here is a swatch:
(Laura Geller Bronzer swatched on the right).
Verdict: This box has a value of about $111.55. I'm very happy with that value for the $30 cost. (It's the best value I've received for an Upgraded box yet). I think this is my favorite Upgraded Box so far - I love both of my full-size products, and I'll use all the samples as well.
What do you think of the Birchbox Upgraded Beta subscription box?
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