Birchbox sends samples (and sometimes full sizes) of new and exciting beauty products from top brands for $15/month. Birchbox is one of the original beauty subscription boxes and is a great way to discover new makeup, hair care, and skincare products without breaking the bank. I received one of the two curated Clean Beauty options.
This is one of our top recommendations if you are looking for a subscription box - the value and sample sizes are amazing. (Check out our list of the best beauty boxes for 2021 and our reviews of Cheap Subscription Boxes for more recommendations!)
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First Impressions
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Included is a product card that lists the products in your Birchbox on the front, with a Birchbox Tip listed on the back. This month’s Birchbox came in a little mesh bag. I think I may prefer the box or the stasher that the products have come in previously. But I’m sure I’ll find a use for this bag.
Now, on to the items!
MEGABABE Space Bar Detoxifying Charcoal Underarm Bar, 36g - Estimated Value $2.91
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This is a product that I’ve received before and also repurchased. This soap has become my go-to for fresh pits. I’m really not a soap bar kind of gal. I tend to always use a shower gel or body wash, but I make an exception for this spectacular product. It works so incredibly well. After every use, my underarms feel squeaky clean and stay smelling fresh all day long. Another thing I love about this product is that it works really well removing that pesky old deodorant residue that always tries to stick around. It has a very clean, natural scent and is formulated with active charcoal that helps detoxify underarms and absorbs and washes away odor-causing bacteria. This is a product I highly recommend to all the babes in my life.
DAVINES Solu Shampoo, 75 ml - Estimated Value $9
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This is another product I’ve received before and repurchased for myself. This is one of the best clarifying shampoos I’ve ever used. It’s definitely not an everyday shampoo for me, since I find it can be a little bit stripping. But whenever I need a really good cleansing, I use this shampoo, and it removes everything from dirt, to oil, to product buildup, leaving behind fresh, clean hair. It has a great fresh scent and doesn’t leave my hair feeling too dry. I really like the more runny formula this product has. It’s much thinner than most other shampoos I use. It’s gentle, paraben, sulfate, and chemical-free.
ORIBE Gold Lust Masque,15 ml - Estimated Value $6.60
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I have to be honest, this product did not really work for me. I think perhaps it's for people with finer hair. With my hair texture, I found that this product almost completely disappears. It’s very lightweight, which may work for people with a different hair texture, but my thick, textured hair needs something a bit more heavy-duty when it comes to a mask. The scent is pleasant and reminds me of a high-end salon. I would have loved to pass this on to a friend with finer hair to see how it worked for her, but my giant head of hair used every last drop of this sample.
REAL CHEMISTRY Environmental Rescue Rich Cherry Lip Peel, 5 ml - Estimated Value $11.33
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This is a new type of product for me. I’ve always used lip scrubs and lip masks but never a lip peel, so I was very intrigued by this product. I found it to be a very gentle, exfoliating peel. It’s a clear gel that is virtually unscented. It worked well removing all the dry, chapped skin on my lips and left them feeling baby-soft and smooth. I found it to be a little drying on my lips, so I definitely recommend following it up with a lip mask or some lip oil.
BENEFIT COSMETICS Playtint Lip & Cheek Stain, 2 ml - Estimated Value $6
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This is an interesting alternative to a powder blush. It comes in what resembles a nail polish bottle, but with a doe foot applicator. The shade is a lovely light pink that blends nicely into my cheeks, giving me a natural-looking flush. It’s super lightweight and easy to apply, but I found it’s best to blend immediately after applying. If the product begins to dry down a little before you blend, it can look a little patchy. I didn’t get all-day wear from this stain. I have pretty oily skin, and I think my face sort of just absorbed the product. If you have skin a little more on the dry side, this will probably work perfectly for you.
Check out this swatch of the BENEFIT COSMETICS Playtint Lip & Cheek Stain.
Verdict
This month’s Birchbox was a very interesting mixture of products. I’ve received the Megababe underarm bar and the Davines shampoo before. I love both of these items. The underarm bar leaves my underarms feeling fresh and super clean, with no old deodorant residue, and the shampoo is perfect for when my hair needs a real deep clean to remove oil and product buildup. The Real Chemistry lip peel was definitely new and exciting to me, but the sample was so incredibly small, which was kind of a letdown for me. They give you this great new product to try, but there’s only a speck of it… Oribe’s hair mask didn’t work for my hair, but what I did notice was that it was ultra-lightweight and would probably be perfect for someone with finer and thinner hair. Lastly, the Benefit Cosmetics lip and cheek stain is a great alternative to powder blush and blends nicely into skin, leaving a healthy, natural flush behind. It absorbed quickly in my skin, but somebody with a less oily face would probably get all-day wear. Overall, this Birchbox felt a little disjointed to me. While I did enjoy a number of the products, there wasn’t the same cohesion in the curation that there usually is.
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Value – Was This Box Worth It?
The Cost: $15
Value Breakdown:
- Soap Bar $2.91
- Shampoo $9
- Masque $6.06
- Lip Peel $11.33
- Lip & Cheek Stain $6
The total value of my box was $35.84, which is a decent value for a $15 box.
Other Things You Should Know
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you'll likely start with next month's box.
What do you think of the November 2021 Birchbox?
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