Birchbox October 2012

[mermaidly]

For the folks talking about the twistbands: yes, you can make them, but if you don't want to I know a place on Etsy to get them on the cheap. And the seller is really nice! She always tosses in extras when I order from her. http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaytonRileys You can get a grab bag (random colors, but they're always cute) of 10 hair ties for around $6, and she usually has a discount code on facebook, too. I use her for these exclusively; she has the best price I've found on Etsy.

 

[mermaidly]

On an unrelated note, does anyone know if they're doing the Plus Two Sample Pack thing again for October? I'd never buy it alone, but I really liked getting some extra free stuff when I ordered full-size products.

 

[gypsiemagic]

Originally Posted by mermaidly /img/forum/go_quote.gif

For the folks talking about the twistbands: yes, you can make them, but if you don't want to I know a place on Etsy to get them on the cheap. And the seller is really nice! She always tosses in extras when I order from her. http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaytonRileys You can get a grab bag (random colors, but they're always cute) of 10 hair ties for around $6, and she usually has a discount code on facebook, too. I use her for these exclusively; she has the best price I've found on Etsy.

that's still 60 cents a tie, I made mine for 20 cents each /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> 

 

[Shatae]

Quote:Originally Posted by tulippop /img/forum/go_quote.gif

ditto and I've been applying for retail jobs for the holidays.  At least it's pretty mindless work. 

Mindless work huh?  Excuse you, but I have worked in Retail my entire life.  I bust my hump everyday to satisfy my customers.  Retail management isn't just brainless activity.  I hope you do get a retail job.  Walk in my shoes.  I love retail, but it takes a certain kind of person to deal with the general public.  ESPECIALLY the ones that think it's alright to demean the people doing the job.  If this is your attitude, you won't last to Black Friday.

 

[karenX]

Originally Posted by calexxia /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Odd, the polishes I've gotten from BB don't seem to have a common thread: I got a greyish Zoya, a gold glitter Essie, a rose gold Color Club, whatever Essie shade is in this month's box, a pink Color Club...

Same here. I've gotten 2  different nude-ish Zoya (same month, July 2011 - 2 boxes), 1 beautiful bright metallic pink Zoya around November last year(I don't normally do pinks, but this is beautiful), a Coral Colour Club, and a Rose-Gold Colour Club. 

 

[diana16]

So I thought I might get my box today since it was in Coppell,TX which is where all my packages go before they get to my town, but I just checked tracking and it went to Memphis,TN. None of my BB's have ever done that and now its back in Dallas so I don't know where it will go from there lol

 

[BagLady]

Originally Posted by meetcutecrystal /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Has anyone seen a sample size of the Lucy B Roll on Perfume? I haven't seen it on YouTube or Google, at least I don't think I have. I am debating a trade.

I've been wondering what the sample size is myself. I am scheduled to get them in my box but my box was just shipped this weekend. Per the tracking, I'm supposed to receive it tomorrow (fingers crossed). I will post a pic as soon as I get it.

 

[soccerkidtlk]

Im going to assume either birch box lost my box before they shipped it or it magically disappeared from the truck. Its been 1 week since I got my shipping notice and I still have no tracking information... 

 

[nelliebelle1197]

I'm not! after a year, I canceled!

Originally Posted by MissLindaJean /img/forum/go_quote.gif


They still send some gems and full sized items on occasion. Naturally, they're a for profit business and need to make money, so they probably do rely on purchases from the shop. With so many subbers, they can't personally accommodate every person, but rather adjust to meet the majority of their customers. Since they pretty much removed the part about samples being deluxe, it lets them off the hook. Not saying it's right, but just putting it out there.
Lol, here's a question, are you gonna stay a sucker?

 

[gemstone]

Originally Posted by Shatae /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Mindless work huh?  Excuse you, but I have worked in Retail my entire life.  I bust my hump everyday to satisfy my customers.  Retail management isn't just brainless activity.  I hope you do get a retail job.  Walk in my shoes.  I love retail, but it takes a certain kind of person to deal with the general public.  ESPECIALLY the ones that think it's alright to demean the people doing the job.  If this is your attitude, you won't last to Black Friday.

 
Of course management isn't mindless, but being a seasonal retail employee usually is.  I have also worked in retail (but not management) and I do not find it intellectually challenging or engaging.  Low level retail work can be very dull.  This is obviously not what you do, so I don't think they were demeaning your work at all.  I know very few people who LOVE working as a low level retail employee, and the ones who do like it don't like it because they find it stimulating, but because they just enjoy talking to a wide range of people.

This doesn't mean the job is easy at all.

 

[gemstone]

Originally Posted by tulippop /img/forum/go_quote.gif

well I found pictures of box #3 on someone's site and the sample sizes are really disappointing. 

naked princess lipgloss..... 2 of these paper/foil samples



embryolisse



the hair powder....



There's also a luna bar and 1 face mask
My mom was really looking forward to this box but the samples are tiny!  I may switch boxes with her if mine is any better (since I'm getting 2 of the same one). 

I like the variety of samples (which hasn't really been true lately with BB reusing the same brands/items over and over again like tili, luna, jouer) and I love the point/rewards system but these sample sizes are kind of ridiculous.  It's not as bad as the flower/lipgloss I've been seeing but it's enough of a reason to cancel if this is going to be their M.O. 

Getting fullsized items is great but not expected.  I don't expect any particular item or brand but what I do expect are samples that are big enough to actually try and use a few times to get a feel for the product.  A lot of the sizes I've been seeing for this month are not it.  Nothing here feels deluxe.  Sorry for the rant but BB just didn't make it work this month for us.

Images from http://www.hellocotton.com/to/eWPc#http://someblissfulchaos.blogspot.com/2012/10/october-birchbox.html - Not my blog

How did you decide that the gloss was packets?  I saw the same blog post and the blogger said about the gloss and that is not true:

Jennifer SmeriglioOctober 15, 2012 12:48 AM
haha no it is a small tube, it would probably last me a month maybe a little more if I used it everyday. I'll update with a picture tomorrow. I knew I was forgetting to take a picture of something!

 

[Wynter]

Originally Posted by diana16 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

So I thought I might get my box today since it was in Coppell,TX which is where all my packages go before they get to my town, but I just checked tracking and it went to Memphis,TN. None of my BB's have ever done that and now its back in Dallas so I don't know where it will go from there lol

Mine usually go to Atlanta, but it's joining yours in Memphis this time.  Memphis is only about 3 1/2 hours away from me, compared to 6 hours to Atlanta though.  

 

[iugirl13]

Usually I'm very happy with BB but I just had to send them an email this month. My perfekt "pill" was missing and my caudalie tube was somewhat open and completely empty.

 

[LJCB]

Hi all- new to birchbox and MUT- hope I do this spoiler right!

I got box number,,,,

5! This was my second month with BB. I was really happy with it. It included the amika hair mask, the eve lom cleanser and muslin, DDF serum, chantecaille faux cils mascara, and of course a Luna Bar. The eve lom is listed as two products, so I got 60 review points which was really nice. I have long, dry, curly hair so I was excited to try the amika- I'm not sure it's something I'll buy all the time but I liked it. Just didn't see any results beyond what I get from super cheap Aussie 3 minute miracle. I love the Eve Lom. Love, love, love. Too bad I'm never going to spend $80 on face wash! it was in a foil pack but had multiple uses- four so far, and I have a ton left. The amika was also in foil, but at least three uses worth. The faux cils is a great product, but I like Benefit They're Real just as much for half the cost. The chantecaille smelled fantastic though, and it's a nice sized sample. I'll probably put it in my travel makeup bag. The DDF serum felt just like smashbox primer, I don't think I'll buy it. It was in a small tube, not a packet. It was also very pink so I was glad it went on sheer- I don't need more redness! I like Luna Bars and I skipped lunch the day my box arrived so I was glad to have it, but I already buy them all the time and hope to not get too many more. 

I'm going to try to put an image in the spoiler- 
It seems like people really hate the foil packet samples. I have to say I don't mind them. I've gotten some foil packs that had way more product than some of the small tubes, and I really think that environmentally it's a much better way to package a small amount of product. I think sometimes the very small tubes look more impressive than a packet but it's hard to get all the product out. Does anyone else feel this way?

 

[MyriadVoices]

Originally Posted by gypsiemagic /img/forum/go_quote.gif

that's still 60 cents a tie, I made mine for 20 cents each /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> 

Good business practice is to charge 3x what it costs you, so I guess she is doing it right! (1 part for the cost, 1 part for the labor, 1 part for your sales taxes.)

 

[MyriadVoices]

Originally Posted by gemstone /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Of course management isn't mindless, but being a seasonal retail employee usually is.  I have also worked in retail (but not management) and I do not find it intellectually challenging or engaging.  Low level retail work can be very dull.  This is obviously not what you do, so I don't think they were demeaning your work at all.  I know very few people who LOVE working as a low level retail employee, and the ones who do like it don't like it because they find it stimulating, but because they just enjoy talking to a wide range of people.

This doesn't mean the job is easy at all.

I agree... after years of retail, I started teaching public school. I admit those first few years I longed for the tedium of processing shipment or scanning inventory or folding clothing... it was soothing and I could turn off my brain or let it wander where it wanted.

 

[tulippop]

Originally Posted by Shatae /img/forum/go_quote.gifMindless work huh?  Excuse you, but I have worked in Retail my entire life.  I bust my hump everyday to satisfy my customers.  Retail management isn't just brainless activity.  I hope you do get a retail job.  Walk in my shoes.  I love retail, but it takes a certain kind of person to deal with the general public.  ESPECIALLY the ones that think it's alright to demean the people doing the job.  If this is your attitude, you won't last to Black Friday.

I don't mean to demean you or your job at all.  I have worked retail during the holiday season before in a couple of different places and from my experience as a part-time, non-managerial employee working as a cashier or simply folding towels/shelving books for most of the day - it was kind of mindless.  I'm sure if I was working in a supervisory or managerial position it would be a lot different and what you do is on a different scale from what I've done.  However, at minimum wage folding towels in the home department alone?  There weren't exactly a lot of stimulating conversations or complicated situations that needed resolving. 

 

[tulippop]

Originally Posted by gemstone /img/forum/go_quote.gif


How did you decide that the gloss was packets?  I saw the same blog post and the blogger said about the gloss and that is not true:

Jennifer SmeriglioOctober 15, 2012 12:48 AM
haha no it is a small tube, it would probably last me a month maybe a little more if I used it everyday. I'll update with a picture tomorrow. I knew I was forgetting to take a picture of something!

Thanks for that catch!  I just read the part below that said "Then I found these two little packets" and thought that was about the lip gloss.  I really hope it's not a packet because my mom will not be loving that at all.

 

[MissLindaJean]

Good business practice is to charge 3x what it costs you, so I guess she is doing it right! (1 part for the cost, 1 part for the labor, 1 part for your sales taxes.)

Lol, agreed. You don't turn profits by giving stuff away. I've never done retail, but think most jobs tie back into CS and how you treat people. You're an employee and your actions or reactions truly do reflect on your company that's employing you..ie MAC nasty mean girls lol! When I worked in a restaurant as a teen, if I acted like a boob, no tips and yes, the tables would be grosser than usual. I work in a hospital now and believe me, people feel like there's no one else who understands or is as sick as them. Perspective people.. I can't pull retail, I'd be fired because I have a hard time not filtering a response. My job, I know people are sick and feel poopy, so naturally they'll behave so at time. My very first job as a housekeeper was enlightening, too. The expectations and entitlements people think they're due is mind boggling.

 

[gemstone]

Thanks for that catch!  I just read the part below that said "Then I found these two little packets" and thought that was about the lip gloss.  I really hope it's not a packet because my mom will not be loving that at all.

Ha yeah paper packets of lip gloss would be so weird!