December 14, 2011

A Year Of Birchbox --- every shipment I've received from 2011!

Hello, Beautiful!

It was this time last year that I first signed up for Birchbox and received my very first box in January 2011. It's been a great year of sampling beauty products that I would otherwise never get to try or even know about.

This post shows all my shipments over the past year. I didn't include my husband's shipments since I didn't sign him up until May. I did a collective value breakdown/item count, as well as list my favorites and least favorites. Enjoy!

Click on the month/year above each photo to go to that Birchbox blog post to see more photos and details of each item.

2011 Birchbox Shipment Stats:
  • Value of all my Birchbox Shipments from 2011: $336.08 (value is approximate)
  • Total # of Items Received: 63
  • # of makeup items: 15
  • # of nail items: 4
  • # of skin care items: 19
  • # of body care items: 3
  • # of hair care items: 7
  • # of fragrance: 6
  • # of other items: 11
  • # of other items (edible): 4
  • Most valuable month: June 2011 ($43.66)
  • Least valuable month: September 2011 ($13.38)
  • My favorite month: November 2011 (if I ignore the coasters, lol)
  • My least favorite month: March 2011
  • My top 3 favorite product from all shipments: Laura Geller Blush - from my June shipment (I love, love, LOVE this blush), Dr. Dennis Alpha Beta Peel - from my January shipment (one of my favorite peels, I was happy to receive two more applications in my very first Birchbox shipment), Zoya polish - from my April shipment (although I knew about Zoya, I didn't own a single bottle from the brand until I received a mini in my April Birchbox shipment; then another in my July shipment and one more in my November shipment. After receiving a mini in my April shipment I placed an order on Zoya's website and since then I now have 20 different Zoya shades).
  • My least 3 favorite product from all shipments: coasters - from my November shipment (I said "WTF" when I saw them in my box... I signed up for beauty samples, not coasters!), brow brush - an added bonus from my March shipment (this was cheap and useless for me), The Laundress Wool & Cashmere Shampoo - from my October shipment (This is a special laundry detergent for sweaters... yeah, I don't think so; I'll stick to Tide and just be happy to get my laundry done without treating my sweaters like they're more important than the rest of my clothes).
  • Products I've actually gone out and purchased the full sized version of: Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel (I had a few samples from Sephora before receiving two more in my first Birchbox shipment; I purchased the 30-day supply from the Birchbox store). Laura Geller Blush (This was already a full sized product in my June shipment, but I picked up an additional shade because I loved the formula of this blush so much). Incoco 100% Real Nail Polish Strips (I loved these so I picked up more designs). Atelier Vanilla Intensee Absolut Cologne (This may be the first perfume sample from Birchbox that I actually liked, then fell in love with. My husband just recently purchased this as a Christmas gift for me).


Now let me know what you think...
What do you think of the 2011 year of Birchbox shipments? Do you have a favorite or least favorite? Discuss in the comments below.



16 comments:

  1. I was just going through my head last night about my thoughts about birchbox. I got a few of the same boxes as you. I started in July. What I am most disappointed by is the lack of actual make-up. I keep getting primers and face masks and oils, but other than the lip glosses and the blinc mascara (which really I love, the one full-size I've bought) I havent gotten any eyeshadows, blushes, eyebrow pens, etc. That is really what would put me over the moon. I know Id be buying full size products of those.

    And in the earlier months this year you got some awesome sized samples! They just keep getting smaller and smaller. :-/

    Im definitely excited to try myglam and beauty army and see how they compare. I've tried gogo and think Im canceling after I get my second box since my first was so atrocious (this past month).

    Just my own thoughts. Its nice to see a year round up of the boxes. It is always a nice suprise to have waiting!

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  2. @ Sarah: I have to agree with you that it feels like the samples are getting smaller and the box values seem to also be getting smaller or at least staying pretty low in value.

    Like you, I want makeup samples! I was surprised to add it up and see that skincare samples ruled as dominate. I was actually shocked that there were only 6 perfume samples... I feel like that number should be way higher, lol.

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  3. @ Sarah: Also forgot to comment on some other things in your comment...

    I went to sign up for myglam bag and they were sold out. I also pre-signed up for Beauty Army (thanks for giving me a heads up to that program; I hadn't heard of it).

    This is probably the last month I will get a GoGoGirlfriend subscription. I just haven't been happy with it and I'd rather put that money towards a program I actually enjoy.

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  4. Great post! Unfortunately Birchbox ins´t available in my country.

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  5. I want the myglam bag too... someday :) I wish there was a lot more makeup! Skincare is fun, but I'm not going to buy any masks when I know I'm going to get a new one and a month's worth every month!

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  6. @ Sarah S.: I agree; it's nice to get masks in my Birchbox but I haven't gone back to buy a full sized version. The only skincare item from Birchbox I've gone back and purchased was the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel pads because I had samples before and loved them, and after getting low on the samples I decided I needed to have the 30-count. They're one of my favorite skincare products to use!

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  7. I took a peak at my dec birchbox before it shipped and i have to say i was a little underwhelmed. I expected something spectacular for the holidays and it was just average.

    I have to agree with Sarah, I wish there was more make up products and less perfume and random items. I started towards the beginning of the year and I do agree that the samples are just getting smaller and smaller.

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  8. WOW you have gotten some awesome stuff! I've only been signed up since August and I've only received 1 or 2 awesome things! I'm just going to have to stick with it!

    xo Jackie
    ...livingaftermidnite
    SHOP mark. Fashion & Beauty this Holiday Season!

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  9. @ @jackiegiardina: You definitely should stick with it! Some months are total let downs and other months are full of surprises. I love when I receive a full sized product!

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  10. The brand of hair dye I use is directions. When I had blue hair I mixed neon blue and midnight blue and it came out like this-
    http://feelingvague.blogspot.com/2011/11/blue-hair-nostalgia.html

    I've heard that manic panic is also a good make to use. I think it depends very much one which one better suits your own hair.

    Amber

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  11. @ Amber Dennett: Thank you so much for the response! The blue looks great!! They use Pravana on me in the salon, and it does last a really long time. I would get it touched up every 5 weeks, but it was still blue -- just a smurf blue. It would probably just continue to get lighter for weeks and weeks, but it just stays in really well.

    I tried a bunch of at-home hair colors but never had success. I know that Splat is coming out with a new line that is basically dye and wash out in one shampoo. I'm interested in trying those, even though I doubt it would work well on brown hair without bleaching first.

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  12. I cancelled my BB after 3 months--and after looking at what you got in comparison, I'm not sorry. I got nothing but cheap samples--no polish, no makeup, some perfume samples that I could get for free from Sephora.....NOT worth $10/mo for me. I wish the boxes were a bit more uniform, I would have stayed with them if I got what you did!

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  13. Crystal and any one else who is interested. I contacted the myglam ladies because I was so upset that I didnt get in on the bag (and now even more so that the jan theme is organic/natural). But they told me that on Jan 1st (mark your calendar!) the subscriptions will re-open up for Feb. So myglam and beauty army the 1st!

    I've gotten 4 perfumes, but Ive only gotten 6 boxes, so not too happy about that. Although I absolutely adore Twirl and am saving my BB points to buy it.

    Definitely way too many skincare products. I dont use anything other then cetaphil moisturizing cream and acnesevere (if you haven't tried this line, I swear by it, best acne solution out there). All those lavish, expensive masks may be stocking stuffers for friends. But I may have to look at those peel pads.

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  14. @ Sarah: Thanks for the info. I didn't contact the ladies of myglam, but I did contact those from Beauty Army. Good to hear that January 1st will be a great day to sign up for two new programs!

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  15. Eep!! Myglam fb just let us all know they reopened subscriptions. Just signed up. They said limited. So hope you get this soon to try it!

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  16. @ Sarah: Thank you so much for letting me know! I don't use Facebook so I would have never known about it; I just signed up! Yay!!!!

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