I’ve been a loyal Ipsy customer for 2 years now, but I have heard so many good things Birchbox that I thought maybe it was time for a change. Even though most people had already received their February box I ordered my first Birchbox in the middle of the month which is why I’m just now getting a review in. But this also gave me time to look at some of the products other subscribers had already reviewed.
First impressions were literally the good, the bad and the ugly…
- The good – I love that I don’t have to look up the full-size prices. They were all listed right there on the Birchbox website. This saved me a lot of time.
- The bad – The LAQA & Co. Avo Lip Butter I received was not the peachy “Nova” I was hoping for, but the much darker “Ninza”, which is more of a burgundy.
- The ugly – Like many other subscribers, I was disappointed that the above lip butter came broken. When I opened the top, the stick was stuck on the roof and smashed. I placed it back in the tube, but I’m afraid it won’t stay put, and it was truly messy putting it back.
The LAQA lip butter did have redeeming qualities – for one, it smells amazing! And after trying the shade on, I think I may actually be able to pull of the deep color. This item usually retails around $25 (although, Birchbox listed it as $15 on the site and $25 on the card that came in the box…confusing). This size is about 1/4 the size (I couldn’t find the exact size) so I would guess it comes in around $6.
The Supergoop! Daily Correct CC Cream with SPF 35+ is fantastic. It worked flawlessly under my regular powder and I like the fact that it will help protect my skin from those darn UV rays. The regular 47 mL size goes for $32 so this 3 mL will be $2.04.
If you’re looking for furthering protection, look no further than Dr. Lipp Miracle Balm. Although this item has an almost Vaseline feel and was slightly sticky, it seems to be doing its job. I put it on this morning and almost 5 hours later (and after eating) I still don’t feel like I need to reapply. The 15 mL size is $16.50. This teeny tiny 3 mL tube would be $3.30.
Read the directions before using Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk. It says to spray about 10 inches away from your head – don’t take this lightly. I love dry shampoos and have used my fair share of brands. This one made me jump when I pressed down it came out with so much pressure. That being said, it works. You would pay $20 for the regular 3.2 oz. bottle. This travel size would be $6.25 (1 oz.).
The last item, is the only one I have yet to try out – Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator. Honestly, the only reason I have yet to try it is because I forgot to use it this morning when I washed up. I’m looking forward to seeing how much more rejuvenated I feel after using it. The 4.23 oz. rings up at $34, so this 0.7 oz. would be $5.62.
I spent $10 (just like with Ipsy), but would have spent $23.21 if I had bought these sizes outright.
Overall, I like the more spa-like vibe of Birchbox (so far…Ipsy was much more make-up oriented), but with this first box down, I still feel like I got a better deal price-wise with Ipsy. Guess I’ll just have to see how next month goes.