It’s time to get caught up on my backlog of Birchboxes, so today I’ve got my review of the November 2015 box including my Birchbox plus item.
Every month Birchbox includes items you can add on to your box for an additional fee. In November, I opted to grab a pair of Baublebar earrings to go with my regular subscription.
Check out the box I received:
I know they have standard boxes, but really couldn’t we have cut this one down a bit?
Anyway here’s what my gigantic box contained:
Baublebar Ear Jackets
(Cost: $26.75)
I loved the vintage deco feel to these so I nabbed them as a little gift to myself.
Another pretty box reveals:
Cartier Eau De Cartier Goutte de Rose Eau de Toilette spray
(1.7 oz.: $67.00)
Description: “As delightful as dew on a freshly picked bloom, this xscent blends rose, vanilla nd amber notes.”
Verdict: Enough with the old lady perfumes
I’m not much of a perfume person and I really wish Birchbox would stop sending them to me – or at the very least let me put in a preference that I could get fresh or fruity scents instead of these heavy florals.
LOC Vibrant Matte Lipstick in First Kiss
(LOC Complete Collection for Lips: $18.00)
Description: “From Birchbox’s new brand: A soft, flexible lipstick with shades curated by YouTube beauty star Tati Westbrook.”
Verdict: A little too Oompa Loompa for me
I chose this as my sample because it was supposed to be a nude and I am desperately searching for a good one. Not sure if you can tell in this swatch but it goes awfully orange on me. I really hate these “neutral sets that look great on everyone” crap. Makeup is rarely ever truly neutral. How about you just make a cool/blue undertoned set and a warm/yellow undertoned set and let us choose the crap that actually works for us? Sorry for the rant but sometimes it’s hard to be a cool undertoned girl in a warm undertoned world. 😉
MAKE Skin Illuminator
(Retail Value: $34.00)
Description: ”Park skin-correcting base and part highlighter, this illuminator has the perfect amount of sheer, pearlescent glimmer.”
Verdict: Hit!
Finally a product I want to use. I didn’t get a chance to swatch this one, but I did try it out later and I liked that it had a more subtle shimmer to it.
Number 4™ Fluoro5 Elixer Restore & Repair Oil
(Retail Value: $26.00)
Description: ”This strand –saving elixir gives drab, dull hair a coveted movie star shine.”
Verdict: Wow, Hair Oil I’ve never gotten this before
I really don’t believe there is a single women’s subscription box that hasn’t sent me hair oil at some point. It’s sort of be some “it” product for haircare the past year and a half or so. Since this comes in a plastic bottle (instead of a little glass tube) I’m going to set aside this sample for travel. But seriously how much hair oil can a person use? I don’t think I’m going to need to buy any for at least a few years.
PARLOR® by Jeff Chastain Touchable Curl Cream
(Full Size: $26.00)
Description: “This innovative formula combines the silky texture of a serum with the light hold of a cream.”
Verdict: Like
Despite listing my hair as “wavy” on my Birchbox profile I rarely get items specifically for curly/wavy hair so I’m happy try out this cream. This is also a generous size for a sample.
OVERALL
Verdict: A bit disappointing
I liked the earrings of course, since I picked them out, but I’m super disappointed to get another perfume and that the LOC lipstick leans so warm. I paid $10.70 for the box and I received $5.00 of Birchbox credit after reviewing the items, so it’s a decent value when you consider that I liked two of the products. I really want Birchbox to step up their customization of profiles so they can send us products that we are more likely to use and enjoy. If you insist on sending us scents, let us indicate which types of scents we like. If you’re going to send us makeup, let us tell you if we are cool or warm toned, and if we have any favorite or hated colors. You have a profile area, start using it to your advantage and ours.
How do your Birchboxes measure up against your actual preferences?
THE BACKSTORY
Birchbox subscriptions cost $10 per month or $110 per year (Women’s Sub)
$20 per month or $195 per year (Men’s Sub)
Points System:
Whenever you buy something at Birchbox they give you Birchbox points. $1.00 = 1 Birchbox Point.
Each 100 Birchbox reward points can be redeemed for $10.00.
You can also earn points by reviewing the samples they send you (10 points per sample) and referring/subscribing friends.
Lisa Preziosi 
Those are very pretty earrings! I received the Make Face Gloss in my November box, and I wish I’d received this illuminator instead — it sounds much nicer!
Enjoyed reading about your November Birchbox..I would love to try No. 4 Hair Oil and the Cartier perfume myself!
Ursula
http://www.blueridgebeautyblogger.com
I just received my first Birchbox from a gift subscription that just started. I didn’t have a chance to fill out my profile before the box went out, I think, but I probably could’ve received what I got based on my answers, I think. I believe I remember some question about receiving fragrances, and I reluctantly said yes, send them from time to time. I got a perfume in my box that wasn’t a match for me. I’d say my January box was meh, but I was turned on to a great product for me with this box, Dr. Lipp Miracle Balm. I liked it so much I bought the full size. BTW, how do you add on a product to your box?
Birchbox will send you an email each month before your box arrives and give you the option to choose a sample for your box from a set list or a special curated box (or you can opt to be surprised). They will also offer Birchbox plus items. You’ll be able to choose them at that time – and if you want one you should grab it right away because popular things sell out. I believe you can still access the birchbox plus items that are available when you sign into Birchbox. Just go to “your box” and see if there is an option there.