Day two. Box two. The cheapest of the boxes (at £10 a month + £2.95 P&P), Birchbox also benefits from having an online store where you can get 15% off! However, the brand does have some more upsides than that, with some great little products in cute little boxes!
Overall Comment | Just a bit flat
FEBRUARY
The first box was… underwhelming. Not bad, just not great. While the Percy & Reed Quite Frankly Flawless Finishing Polish, Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Pixi Pink and Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream were all great products, they were nothing particularly life changing. The Luseta Coconut Milk Hair Mask hasn’t really left much of a lasting impression and The Beauty Crop Eyeshadow Trio in Love You So Latte was soon discarded…
Read More: Birchbox | February 18
Overall Comment | Just a bit flat… again
MARCH
Better than last month, but once again, for some reason this box left me feeling a little flat. It was great that we got a little sample of the product taking the world by storm – the Benefit BADgal BANG Volumising Mascara. However, it was rather sad that it was just a plain black tube, as opposed to a true mini size. The Blaq Peel Off Mask was intense. This stuff dried to your face and the peel of process was both super satisfying and sort of painful… The Manna Kadar Cosmetics Radiance Split Pan Bronzer and Highlighter Duo and Spectrum Collections C06 Tulip Eye Contour Brush were both average and the Sebamed Clear Face Antibacterial Cleansing Foam…. I’m just not a fan of a foam cleanser.
Read More: Birchbox | March 18
Overall Comment | Again…
APRIL
What is it about these boxes? I seem to remember fond memories of by Birchboxes.. and then this! Another flat box. The Model Co Baked Highlighter was pretty but too glittery for me. The Beautaniq Beauty Fill + Tame Brow Gel was really nice but ran out SO quickly! The Cath Kidston Hand Cream and Beauty Protector Protect and Volume were both fine… and then the Birchbox Brush Cleaner is really useful, but you can pick these things up for like £3…
Read More: Birchbox x Cath Kidston | April 2018
Overall Comment | Not bad Birchbox, not bad
MAY
We’re getting there! This month we had the Doucce Luscious Lip Stain in Amber Rose – which is a stunning colour and actually a really nice formula. The Native Unearthed Activated Charcoal Natural Deodorant Balm was actually really nice and it’s converted me to stick deodorants! The Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner is always a welcome surprise. While the Greenfrog Botanic Geranium & Peppermint Botanical Bodywash was not really my thing (not to keen on the scent), the Marcelle New Age Precision 8-in-1 Power Serum was a nice little skincare item!
Read More: Birchbox | May 18
Overall comment | Bit of a waste of money
JUNE
And then it all goes very quickly downhill again! While we have a beautiful little pigment in the Ella Eden Compact Eyeshadow in Julia (which I’ve been using fairly regularly since then), you get the worlds smallest sample of the Benefit POREfessional Pearl Primer. The Lord & Berry Strobing Highlighter Pencil is one of those things I wonder if anyone actually uses. The Number 4 Jour d’Automne Smoothing Balm is fine, but nothing specials. Ditto with the Polaar Velvety Sun Fluid Face & Body, and the Whittard of Chelsea Teabags…
Read More: Birchbox | June ’18
Overall Comment | Just very average
JULY
Slightly better month… the Mannar Kadar Long-Wear Powder in Tifecta is a pretty little blush and the Joliderm Nose Patch was good fun. The Balance Me Congested Skin Serum worked really well and the Percy & Reed Smoother, Sealed & Sensational Volumising No Oil Oil is also a good product. The What’s In It For Me…? Shower Scrub was not my kind of thing, but nothing necessarily bad.
Read More :Birchbox | July 2018
Overall Comment | Just very underwhelming
AUGUST
The favourite product out of here was definitely the PO Pomegranate Superfood Regenerating Sleeping Mask. I really enjoyed it! The Rituals the Ritual of Happy Buddha Foaming Shower Gel, Purify 3-in-1 Cleanser for Face and Eyes, Dirty Little Secret Eyeshadow Crayon and CIE Cosmetics Melting Lip Powder are all just slightly underwhelming products
Read More: Birchbox | August 2018
Overall Comment | A bit better…
SEPTEMBER
This month is a sweet little month. We have a mini Benefit Box O’ Powder in Galifornia, which is actually really good! The Marcelle City 24H Anti-Pollution Day & Night Moisturising Emulsion and Klorane Nourishing Conditioner with Mango Butter were both good products. But the brow product, the Eyeko Brow Liner, is a little harsh for me. And I’ve never really liked the NUXE Huile Prodigieuse OR Multi-Usage Dry Oil Shimmer
Read More: Birchbox | September 2018
Overall Comment | Average… again
OCTOBER
Another kind of average box, what is it about this box? The BeautyPro Thermotherapy Warming Silver Foil Mask was actually really unusual – when it warmed on the skin. The Winky Lux Strobing Balm in Radiant Pink is slightly too dark for me, but if you had deeper complexions, it would be beautiful! The Amika Soulfood Nourishing Mask did great things for my hair. The Daily Concepts Multi-Functional Charcoal Soap Sponge… I really don’t get these and the Schmidt’s Natural Deodorant in Bergamot + Lime is lasting FOREVER!
Read More: Birchbox | October 2018
Overall Comment | Average… again
NOVEMBER
I LOVED the theme of this box, and I feel like this one is definitely one of my favs! I’ve had a few of the Manna Kadar Cosmetics Diamond Dust Roller Eyeshadow in Enchanteds before, and never rally kept hold of them. The Sand & Sky Brilliant Skin Purifying Pink Clay Mask – who doesn’t love a sheet mask? I love receiving night creams, like the Polaar Night Cream. The Dr Paw Paw Original Clear Balm is a classic and it’s nice to get some little Spacemasks Self-Heating Eye Mask to try out.
Read More: Birchbox | November 18
Overall Comment | Average… again
DECEMBER
And then we finish the year! We had a Laritzy Long Lasting Liquid Lipsticks in Power… which is a super quick drying matte lipstick in a very pretty colour! We have another one of those bubble masks – seriously can’t get enough! The mini Balance Me Flash Cleanse Micellar Water will come in handy when travelling. But the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer and Percy & Reed Totally TLC Hydrating Mask are both like one use products… which kind of feels a little pointless. And then the Birchbox Hair Comb and Hotel Chocolat Chocolate Duo both feel like filler products…
Read More: Birchbox | December 18
So, looking back at the last year, this is definitely the worst of the boxes, only averaging at 2.6. I’m not sure, looking back, if I’d say this is the best of the boxes… in fact I’d probably say this is the the worst of the boxes. However, there have been some gems in here over the year!
Have you had Birchbox this month?
Katie x
I had a Birchbox subscription for about 6 months and while some of the products were gems that i’ve gone to purchase in the full-size variety, I got a lot of products that didn’t really suit me and my needs. I do love the designs of their actual boxes though – lol. Have you tried any other subscription services?
Yeah I’ve tried Glossybox & Look Fantastic and reviewed them over the last few days too x
I will definitely go and check them out! <3 <3
This exactly reflects my experience, the boxes are so up and down! I think the fun of the boxes doesn’t last much beyond opening them sadly. I’m also a bit uncomfortable with some of the ways they market themselves:
https://thefeministgadabout.com/2019/04/27/birchbox-and-selfcare/
I’d be interested to hear if this is something you thought about at all when subscribing?
OMG never thought about it like that! Now I’m not sure I ever want to re-subscribe! x