Our reviewers research, test, and recommend the best subscriptions and products independently; click to learn more about our editorial guidelines. We may receive commissions on purchases made through links on our site.
Looking for the latest spoiler for this box? Find it here:
We have the sample choice spoilers for the June 2016 Birchbox! (May sample choice is on May 27th - or May 26th if you are Birchbox ACE, or you spend $25 in the Birchbox shop by May 24th.)
Now through 5/25 (or while supplies last), new subscribers can use coupon code PIXIPALETTE to get this free Pixi by Petra Palette ($12 Value) FREE with your first month of a Birchbox subscription!
Full Details: Use code PIXIPALETTE at checkout to receive a free Pixi by Petra Palette with the purchase of a women’s monthly or yearly rebillable subscription. Offer available while supplies last. Your free gift will ship with your first subscription box. Please note that this code is only valid for new subscribers. Redemption of this code for existing subscribers does not guarantee receipt of these promotional items.
Birchbox 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 just for you (incl... read more.
Liz is the founder of My Subscription Addiction. She's been hooked on subscription boxes since 2011 thanks to Birchbox, and she now subscribes to over 100 boxes. Her favorites include POPSUGAR Must Have, FabFitFun, and any box that features natural beauty products!
Liz is the founder of My Subscription Addiction. She's been hooked on subscription boxes since 2011 thanks to Birchbox, and she now subscribes to over 100 boxes. Her favorites include POPSUGAR Must Have, FabFitFun, and any box that features natural beauty products!
Join the Conversation
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.
Does anyone know which color of the brow gel would be good for darker red hair?
Reply
Dana
Can someone please explain to me how you pick your color? Is it based on how dark your eyebrows are? For example, if you have dark eyebrows do you pick the dark color? Or is this based on something else? I have never used this kind of product before. I literally only wear eyeliner.
Reply
Rena
I was told go a shade a bit lighter. My hair is dark brown but I get the medium shade to just fill in gaps.
Reply
Patty
weird way to do it but I appreciate getting to pick a color out so I don’t end up with Joan Crawford brows hehe I might choose this because I’m a bit obsessed with brows right now and I’m pretty loaded down with everything else.
Reply
Tamara
I’ve tried Gimme Brow and don’t care for it. I’ll stick with my Anastasia BH products, tyvm.
Guess I’m going with the curated box again. Fortunately, it looks pretty good!! Luuuuuurv Davines and that moisturizer is one of my favorites. … Of course, I lose out on the points for reviewing that product. That part sucks. At least there are six products to review.
Reply
LoRi
I was almost tempted by the curated box, until I saw that it had a Davines product. After receiving three Davines products last month and all of them smelling awful I have no desire to try that brand again..
Reply
LoRi
But it also kinda sucks that the sample choice is just which color brow gel you want. I just bought a full size bottle, I don’t need more 🙁
Maybe if I don’t pick anything (for the second month in a row), I won’t get the brow gel..
Reply
Emily
If we don’t choose the curated box or the sample choice, will we get the brow product by default?
Reply
Kori
I have 2 accts and I’m tempted to get the curated box on both so I can have 2 of the Davines Cleansing Nectar samples. I LOVE Davines. I think (and I might be wrong) that the PBJ stick is a different, lighter shade than the one we all received recently. As for the brow gel, I still might select it although I usually use Too Faced brow envy or on light makeup days I just do clear brow gel which works just fine for me.
Reply
joy
The PBJ is a different color this time. I loved the Guava one from the last box and look forward to trying the Raisin the Roof color as well.
Reply
Sherry
My eyebrows are blonde but my hair is dyed strawberry blonde so I need brow products with a little red in them so that sample choice is a bust for me. Might do the curated box, not very exciting but at least the products are all useful.
Reply
Elizabeth
I’ll be going for the brow gel sample. I have thick dark brows and never thought I needed a brow product. Since I got a couple from sub boxes I tried them out and saw that they were very good for filling in small gaps while maintaining a natural look. I found that the tinted gels worked better for this. I am interested to see how the new formula compares with the old one that I received from Birchbox. The sample should last me a while as I only need a little bit for one application.
Reply
Maria
I was wondering about the curated box. I used to be able to buy the curated box separately in addition to my regular bb, but in May you could only get the curated box with a $50 purchase.
Reply
Lori
I noticed that too. That was the first time I’ve seen that happen since I started subscribing last summer.
Reply
Katy
Mmmm…May was my first month for Birchbox so I’m still trying to figure this subscription out. The whole box was a surprise and overall, I was not happy with it. So I don’t think I want to be surprised again. Lol. Plus I don’t see myself really enjoying a brow gel that much. I want to get a box I know I will enjoy and the curated one looks decent to me. Even if the samples are as tiny as my May box, I know I will have fun with the eye shadow stick and the lippie
That Pixie palette I got for signing up this month is awesome by the way. It at least made my disappointing box worth it.
Reply
Traci Rhein
Same here, May was my first box and I hated it. I know people love their site but I don’t think it’s user friendly at all, I never have any idea what I’m doing on it or how to work it…maybe I’m just dumb but I have no problem on any other sub boxes site. I wanted the curated box last month but couldn’t find the option…maybe because I was a late sign up?
I did love the Pixi eyeshadow and it also made me feel better about paying $10 for rediculously small samples.
This month will be my last if it doesn’t get better.
Reply
EC
Birchbox Aces get priority in selecting samples/curated boxes followed the next day by everyone else. It’s not uncommon for choices to be out of stock by the time you get to select. It sounds like you were trying to select before your window opened. In that case you wouldn’t find a way to select because it didn’t yet exist for you. You only have to earn 500 points to become an Ace. You earn at least 50 (sometimes more depending on how many samples you receive) points/month so you hit Ace status in under a year (10 months). You can also earn points with purchases, for each dollar spent as well as bonus point purchase promos. Once you’re an Ace you pretty much have your pick of samples. I manage my Mom’s account and she isn’t an Ace yet but I’ve had decent luck getting her choice each month this year so far.
I wouldn’t drop BB after one month because you’ve already earned $5 in points and after your second month you’ll have $10 you can use (so long as you review your items each month). That makes the second month essentially free. The BB shop pricing is identical to Sephora and Ulta so you can buy something you planned to get elsewhere using the credit.
The site really is pretty user friendly and that’s coming from a truly technologically impaired person here. I think you were just looking for something that wasn’t there at the time you searched. Aces select on the 27th of the month and everyone else on the 28th. Just try to remember to select as early on the 28th as possible to maximize your chances of getting your first choice.
Katherine
I canceled birchbox about 2 months ago & seeing the Brow sample choice I seriously considered re-activating my sub, but honestly one great sample choice is not enough to have me go back to the tiny samples (although the point system continues to be one of the best in the sub world). I rather try to swap for it
Reply
Mona
VERY excited for the brow gel! I usually use Anastasia powder but I’m going on a 2-week trip and I’m bringing very minimal makeup – BB cream, a Dinoplatz cushion blush, mascara and brow gel (which I don’t yet have), so this is perfect! Gotta have my brows on point in my vay cay photos! 🙂
Reply
Mimi
I’ll probably go with the curated box, although I may just let them surprise me. Does anyone know if we’ll be able to choose which color Loc shadow stick we want, or if it’s arbitrary?
Reply
SG
They’ll send one of the two at random. That’s what they did with a Laura Geller blush a few months back.
Reply
Lori
I love Gimme Brow but they sent it in my September box so II won’t get points if I get it. So I guess I’ll be getting the curated box. The sample choice box is so much prettier though.
Reply
Lori
Thank you. I chatted them and they said I could review it for new points. Makes my decision much harder!
Reply
Amber
I think you will get points for it. I wanted to look at the color options so I looked up gimme brow on their site, and they have the new version and the old version listed. Hope this helps 🙂
Reply
c8
Actually, this is a new formula so it might count as a different sample. I’d email support about it to confirm.
Reply
Jay
Since this is the “new” Gimme Brow I’m fairly certain it will register as a new product, and you’ll be able to get review points for it.
Also, I’ve chosen selected samples I’d already received many times and have _never_ missed out on review points. Either I’m simply able to review it like normal, or if the system won’t let me leave a review, I dash off a 2 minute email to CS and they award me the appropriate points.
Reply
Jen
Nothing here appeals to me aside from the PB&J stick, so I think I’ll be skipping this month.
Reply
Julie Eads
I am excited for the brow gel & have already received the PB&J lip smoothie stick (which I love!) so I am definitely going with the sample choice. Then I am going to TRY to be surprised by the rest of the box when it comes… not sure if I can do it though 🙂
Reply
Patty
Did you get that color? Just wondering cause I liked the formula on “Guava” and would love to try other colors be nice to know if all colors behave relatively the same. Sometimes darker colors work but lighter ones don’t or other way around ya know?
Reply
Julie Eads
Actually I got the Guava. Now I want both boxes so I can get the other color… If you have FB they did a FB live the other day and you can see the color on one of the girls. It’s $15 to buy alone so $10 for the box is definitely a way better deal. Hopefully it’s available in the store.
Erin
I want to sign up for June. What day does it switch from May to June?
Reply
Rena
Wait until tomorrow. I got the email saying today is the last day for May in my deactivated account.
Reply
Erin
Thank you!
Miccarty
Thank you I was wondering the same thing!
Dea
I’ll take the curated box, and gift the Nuxe to some unsuspecting, innocent soul.
Reply
Rebecca
What’s wrong with the Nuxe? I haven’t heard of it before but it sounds like there’s a story there.
Reply
Chantteé
It felt like I was washing my face with honey, made my face feel sticky afterward. For me to feel my face is clean, I have to feel no residue after cleansing. If you are planning to use this as a makeup remover or as a first step in a double cleanse routine, maybe this will work fine for you.
SarahFrances
If it’s the same cleanser I got before, it is very heavily scented. Very. Way too much fragrance that close to my nose and eyes. I ended up using it as body wash.
Stacey
I am curious too! I’ve enjoyed the Nuxe products I have used before…
Emily
Wish we were getting one of the other new products from Benefit. Gimme Brow has been around forever, it just looks like they are changing the shades from light/medium and medium/dark to light, medium, or dark.
Reply
Michelle
Is this the same formula as the gimme brow mascara? I’ve read good reviews about that but I’m not so sure about the “volumizing gel” part of this product. I’m low maintence so this might be too much makeup for me to handle. But I’d like to try it if it’s badically the same as the brow gimme mascara!
Reply
Emily
I could be wrong but I think it’s just an updated version of the already existing Gimme Brow. It looks like all they changed is the packaging and the shades. It is a great product though, I’ve been using it for about a year!
Dani
The curated box looks great but I’ve already received three of the products so it doesn’t make much sense for me. I’m guessing every person will receive the brow gel even if you don’t select your shade? I’m kinda bummed also that there is just that one choice.
Reply
Alyssa
I usually base my decision a little bit on which box design I like better, and I am absolutely in love with the sample choice box! I really like the contents of the curated box too, plus that design is super cute, so I’ll probably try to get both as well.
Reply
Danielle
I’m excited! I think I’ll go for the Gimme Brow, but I think the curated box also looks great. May was actually a great month for me, too.
Reply
joy
Much better month than last! I think I’ll get both.
Reply
Emily
Does anyone know if the curated box will be offered for sale on the website this month?
Reply
jess
Wrote CS an email and was told it will be offered as a free gift with purchase, same as last month. Looks like no more purchasing it separately.
Reply
Our reviewers research, test, and recommend the best subscriptions and products independently; click to learn more about our editorial guidelines. We may receive commissions on purchases made through links on our site.
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.