Birchbox review: a new beauty box

December 3, 2013

Here’s our Birchbox review…have you heard of it? It’s a subscription beauty service where you’re sent a monthly box of luxury beauty samples from well-known brands. It’s supported by a blog and Twitter feed, and if you like the samples you can buy the full-sized products from the website.

Birchbox review

I was sent the November box, themed around Icons, to try out. So what was in the box?

Mine included:

  • Laura Mercier body butter
  • Chella Ivory Lace highlighter pencil
  • Weleda Shampoo
  • English Laundry perfume
  • Spa Find Bust Extract (a cleavage rejuvenator)
  • Pukka Herb tea
  • Birchbox eye pencil sharpener

Of course a service like this does hang on the nature of the products each month, but I was impressed with mine; they all fit into the old adage of only being beautiful or useful. My favourites were the Laura Mercier, the highlighter pencil (especially considering the lack of sleep I’ve had recently) and although I think it would take a miracle to transform my slightly sad, post-baby boobs, the Spa Find lotion smells amazing.

I also loved the packaging, from the simplicity of the box through to the fabric bag the samples come in – currently being used to carry Eliza’s crayons – as well as the design of all the leaflets and the subtle fluro highlights.

As I’m only working part time I can’t really justify spending £20 on a nail varnish or £30 on a body lotion on a whim like I used to, frequently (plus every time I buy something slightly superfluous my lovely husband follows me around doing a fake Eliza voice, saying ‘mummmmy, why are you taking food out of my mouth?’ Hilarious). Also there just isn’t a local chemist that holds the loveliness or selection of Space NK or the browsability of a bigger Boots. So this offers the opportunity to try new things out before you’d consider buying them, or just allows you to try something new. And lets face it, it’s slightly more glamorous than the shampoo aisle of Crystal Palace Sainsbury’s.

Of course, if you’re on a tight post-baby budget then it is very much a nice-to-have, but at £10 per month I think it’s a perfectly justifiable treat. Especially when I could easily spend this on breakfast and lunch at the office. It’s so easy when you’re a mum to get weighed down with the tiredness and domestic drudgery of the day-to-day, so the added me-factor is great too. A subscription would make a really good Christmas present for mums, or even your mum.

If you liked our Birchbox review read our SnuzPod review and Tefal Cusine Companion review

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