Birchbox October '13 Box Review (finally!)

Ok, this box took nearly all month to get to me and thus my post is so late that everyone already knows everything about every item birchbox sent out this month. However, I like doing this so let's get to it.

When I saw the box preview, I got angry. Why? Because it looked like the epitome of suckitude. Who wants a muslin face cloth? I can get one (or make it) for a lot cheaper than $10, right? Buuuut once I actually got the box, I changed my tune a bit. It isn't quite a great box by any means but it's a relatively solid installment. Not mind-blowing but not enough to drive me to cancel my sub either.

It really doesn't look like a lot!

The chapstick w/o the cleanser/cloth set

Klorane Shampoo with Desert Date

I love hair stuff so this wasn't likely to be on my No! list. Plus, I've come to really like the Klorane brand so this sample is all good. The sample itself is sort of small (really small!) and probably won't be more than enough for one wash but I like it. 8/10


Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

It's a face cleanser sample. There isn't much to say but the fact that I really really REALLY hope it doesn't mess with my skin because everything I try tends to extremely dry it out or conversely make it super oily or a combination of both and the added bonus of chemical burns. I haven't tried it yet but I'll give it a chance to deliver. 8/10


Liz Earle Muslin Cloth

This cloth, though it comes in the same little box as the cleanser sample is counted as a sample by itself. 2 cloths are sold at $6 so I'm calculating that the retail for it is $3. Do I think sending this as its own sample is total bs? YES. I don't like to hate on birchbox but I'm not gonna pull punches when necessary. This is not cool and it kinda feels like getting a teeny bit ripped off. 0/10


POP Beauty Acqua Lacquer

Lip product! Not tiny! Pink! I'm not super sure that the POP lipgloss is full size but it does seem to be. The full size retails for ~$14 so that makes up nicely for the price of the birchbox itself. This is without doubt the best item (for me) in this month's box. It's not majorly gloppy and relatively sheer (with the right application) so it's OK to good. Nothing extremely awesome but, again, a solid sample. 9/10


Chapstick Hydration Lock with CoQ10

I have to admit that this is the item that pissed me off when I looked at the preview on birchbox's website. I said "what the fuuuck?! A Chapstick? Something I can get at a gas station is what I'm getting in my birchbox? However, after trying it, I'm pretty glad that they sent this Chapstick. I'd never buy one myself since I usually get all my lip products from sephora and ulta so I would've never discovered this tiny treasure on my own. This particular Chapstick contains CoQ10 and hyaluronic acid 'beads' to give lips a fuller and younger appearance. I have perpetually dry lips and I have to admit (after buying loads of $25 balms) that this tiny mass market balm has made a noticeable difference in my lip texture in less than two days. I'm in love. 10/10

A last look! 

Box:

Birchbox

Frequency:

Monthly

Price:

$10.00

Perks:

Every $1 spent, equals 1 point, plus you get 10 pts for every item in your box that you review. 100pts= $10.00 with no accumulation limit (so you could have 600 points aka a $60.00 credit/discount)

Recommend? 

Yes! Although I didn't love every item this month, the ones I did like are good enough to keep me satisfied (though I REALLY hope that my box is improved next month because that'll piss me off immensely). I love the point system, the CS,  and the brands they send out, so I'm still a loyal birchbox subscriber but they better do better if they want to keep me as happy as I'd like to be with birchbox.

As always, don't spend cash on anything you don't love!