Birchbox October 2012

[lechatonrose]

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

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that Box 3 is quite possibly the saddest box ever...bummer for me was, I was actually excited about the hair powder...I have long hair...seriously the packet may not even be one use.

I have hair past my bum and have received the same sample before. It's probably good for 3-4 uses for most people as you just sprinkle a bit on the top of your head and brush it out, Otherwise you'll have gray hair.

 

[lauravee]

Originally Posted by emmakey9 /img/forum/go_quote.gif


I used a little last night before going to bed. It felt really light and absorbed immediately. To me, it didn't feel greasy or oily at all. However, if you're on the fence maybe you should just trade it for something you know you'll like!

HA! I thought it smelled pretty bad too. I guess I get the chocolatey smell a little bit, but mostly just.... grossness. LOL @ sour gym bag. I was gonna make myself use it until I read this! Now every time I open it I will think of gym socks!

I thought the same thing when I first sniffed it - I usually hate chocolate flavored lip products and was a lil grossed out,  but once its on i feel like the smell totally changes for me. You smell less of the chocolate and more of the coconut- almost like a mounds bar /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> It's turning out to be one of my favorite products! 

 

[calexxia]

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

looks like mine was from fall 2011 too

Mine was "Lady Like" from the Fall 2011 collection.

 

[gypsiemagic]

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

Yes the actual semantics of the 'sentence structure' does indicate that the profanity was directed towards the elastic... but I believe that all who are familiar with the English language beyond 7 years of age can discern that the adjective for the inanimate object be it something that prefaced "where's my $#)(%* beer women" and "please shave your !$*(& hairy back" are really misdirected hostile expressions angled at the receiver of the sentence for their action or lack of action.  

I think it's great that one of our MUT members created her own ties and I agree that it is a nutty amount of money to pay... but they have the right to charge as they wish, that's why this is a free economy and you can never give them a penny of your hard earned money.  But the other member who cited business models is completely accurate, if you knew the mark-up on cosmetics in terms of raw material, you'd flip, not QOP the original postee.  

It's higher then any other products... well perfume maybe...  The cream that's sold for $68 was manufactured for $3 to $6, the bulk of it is spent on advertisement, hiring the mega-glam movie star, GSA (general services administration) and $3 of that goes to the PO for shipping it.  Let's allow this to be a forum of open communications where thoughts can flow freely without being spanked by profanity, directly or indirectly, pretty please?

 

 

I actually am legitimately appalled that the price of the elastics, it was more of an expression directed to the stupidity of the absurd price of the stupid things, If you buy them from twistband they are nearly a dollar a piece! that is highway robbery. like my very first original comment said. Like when a person says jesus christ this gas is fucking expensive, they wouldn't have directed it at a person pumping their gas, or the person standing next to them /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

also I was the same person who made the elastic ties /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> 

 

[messjess18]

I decided to write Birchbox an email telling them what I think.

Hello Birchbox!

I just wanted to take the time to tell you about my three month experience with Birchbox.

First month, I was SO excited for. Even leading up to being part of the Birchbox clan and getting off of the waiting list was exciting. I checked almost everyday, hoping for an email. My first month was great! I really got some great products and they were ALL great sizes!

Second month, I accidentally cheated and checked what was in my box. I wasn't so happy. I got some teas, a TINY Jouer sample, the Color Club nail polish, which I would've enjoyed if it weren't the chartreuse color (not your fault though), the Vasanti cleanser which I personally don't care for but was a very good size and overall a great product, and the Kate Spade Twirl. I wasn't happy for this box, but I wasn't upset either. Just overall a little disappointed in the box.

Third month, I feel like a fool for even thinking that my second month was bad. I got box number three this month. Not to sound rude or anything, but was this box a freaking joke? I get the idea of Birchbox. You SAMPLE items. So when I get a box with items I'm not a fan of, I understand. But when I get products that I can barely even use twice or even once at that, I'm really disappointed. 

The total value of my box this month:

Luna bar: 1/15 x $18.75 = $1.25 for one bar

Naked Princess lipgloss: 0.008oz/0.10oz x $26 = $2.08 for the sample

Hair Powder: 5grams/113.398grams (~4oz) x $30 = $1.32 for the sample

Karuna mask: 1/4 x $28 = $7 for the mask

Embryolisse creme: 4mL/30mL x 16 = $2.13 for the two packets

Total value of box: $13.78.

I got what I paid for, I know that. But when I see people getting boxes with Beauty Blenders and Essie nail polishes and huge sizes of the DDF cleansers, I'm upset. I know you're trying to fit our profiles, which personally are bullshit. (Excuse my language.) They don't fit us at all. I went with BB because I thought y'all were very organized and had great customer service. I was going to go with MyGlam/Ipsy before I found out about Birchbox and fell in love. I'm honestly thinking about canceling my account and going with Ipsy. Everyone gets the same value and everyone gets the same products.

Birchbox, I sincerely care about your company. If I didn't care, I wouldn't be writing this very in depth email.

I feel stupid for complaining about a box I only pay ten dollars a month for, but I just don't feel very important in the rapidly growing business that is Birchbox. And actually spending ten dollars is actually kind of a splurge for me each month. I'm a college kid barely making it by. My ten dollars could go to my hour and a half commute everyday instead of this company.

I wanna stick around, but with the way things are going, it isn't looking promising.

Thank you very much for your time and I hope that my feedback is taken into consideration.

Have a wonderful day!
What do y'all think? Maybe if more of us do this, they'll take our comments into consideration.

 

[lauravee]

Originally Posted by Shauna999 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I just read somewhere on the Internet that the Essie I received was a color from the fall 2011 collection. In my opinion, this isn't right of birchbox- were getting year old product. What to do you gals think?

I don't mind at all. Essie's current collection really has no major variations from things they have done in the past (you can see some comparisons here: http://polishorperish.blogspot.com/2012/08/essie-fall-2012-stylenomics.html). The same types of colors have been in style for a few years now, so it's not like we are getting anything dated. That said, I did find it misleading that they showed one group of colors on their site and then shipped out another - but since I own almost every color from their "goop fall picks" i was pleasantly shocked to get something I didn't have! 

 

[Melsy17]

Just realized nothing in my box was wrapped up all cute and tied with a ribbon or even sealed with those cheesy birchbox stickers. What gives? Box 3 btw.

 

[astokes]

I got Box #3. It was honestly the first time I've been disappointed with a BB so far.

I already know I like CERTAIN flavors of LUNA bars. (definitely not lemon zest though!)

I can't blame them for not knowing that though since I haven't received a LUNA bar from them before. (I did get a LARA bar at the beginning of the year though)

The Naked Princess lip gloss sample is pretty darn small. It is packaged nicely however. I wish there was more because it's actually a gloss I would use!

The hair powder isn't exciting due to me getting it from a trade with my sister a while back, guess that's not BB's fault either though.

Foil packets will be the death of me. Lol.

I won't be cancelling though.

 

[Wednesday Adams]

thank you. the ties are fucking elastic, could also be a compliment to it's propensity for elasticity /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />  some people i think just sort of read things really quickly and take offense at them despite it not being directed at any person in particular. but thats not really a makeup talk problem, thats a life problem, people are very self centered and are quick to want to be the one who is the victim. and no, I don't believe that anybody here is any more elastic than the others. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Stop, you sound so ignorant in this thread. You and that other troll knew what the sentiment behind that original comment was. I think you should be banned for personal attacks, especially those that have nothing to do with the thread. Please learn how to reply to a user with respect, especially when they are only trying to help.

 

[americanclassic]

naw man, if you buy them from twistband they're at least $2 a hairtie. for a company that's run entirely online--probably staffed by very few people--and who spends (comparably) little on marketing, they are definitely making a profit. they cut traditional marketing costs in very smart ways--I don't think they even advertise outside of sample sub companies. since their product is essentially a raw material (granted, it's cut and tied) which in itself costs close to nothing. partnering with birchbox is a match made in heaven. subscribers + social media hype = their marketing strategy.

my only gripe is that they fray terribly, and look really gross really fast. If they sewed a hem, it would last 1000x longer. since $2 is pretty expensive for a single hairband, they don't last long.

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

If you buy them from twistband they are nearly a dollar a piece!

birchbox features a lot of companies that take raw materials (or rather, things the company didn't produce) and reinvents them--it's a win-win for everyone. like that chinese finger-trap packaging plastic, as brush guards. 

 

[samvanz12]

Finally got my box! #23. I don't mind this box at all, but is it sad that the most exciting thing for me is the tea?  I recently found out I'm lactose intolerant (living in Wisconsin... yes), so instead of my coffee/cream obsession, I've been leaning more toward teas.

I'm not really impressed with the Mox lip balm - it smells good, but I have other (cheaper) balms that seem to work the same.

Anyway, I think I'm going to cash in my points and cancel... which I'll probably regret.  I've had some great boxes, but I'm nervous about where this company is headed.  Also, as a college student, my bank account can't take $20 a month anymore.  I think I'll stick with MyGlam/Ipsy for a bit and see where things go.

I'll be creeping on the BB threads though to live vicariously through all of you!! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[americanclassic]

^ lol I'm doing the same, cashing in my points and cancelling. it's definitely worth it for people who have discovered new brands and found products they love, but after a year and $100 I didn't really gain much. I mean there were products I enjoyed trying, but nothing I discovered and loved.

Originally Posted by Wednesday Adams /img/forum/go_quote.gif


Stop, you sound so ignorant in this thread. You and that other troll knew what the sentiment behind that original comment was. I think you should be banned for personal attacks

did you really make an account a couple minutes ago, just to add append to some series of replies by random users? for personal attacks, calling people "TROLLS" isn't really the high road. nor is making a separate account to state something.

 

[dawallewein]

....What?? Huh??? ...Oh, sorry...I was napping.  Just hangin' out here STILL waiting for my Birchbox to come...

 

[Dena Fletcher]

Originally Posted by Claudia Marcus /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I have not heard a word yet about my Birchbox this month. I decided to keep:

Birchbox

NB Test Tube

MyGlam/Ipsy

Love with Food

you mean you havent got your shipping email?

 

[Rach212]

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

I would happily mail you a $10 starbucks giftcard for that. 

I just saw this ... my notification emails don't want to work right ... but I would have happily make that trade!

 

[skylola123]

Originally Posted by messjess18 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Depressed Box #3 's unite! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I know! When I looked at my "sneak peek" I couldn't believe from the "5" deluxe samples actually one really is the lipgloss. Everything else is a foil sample! What the heck happened to 4-5 DELUXE samples! If I wanted 5 foil samples I could just order something from Sephora about $10.00 (they have so many great items on sale). Right now Sephora is giving 5 SAMPLES including foil samples to perfume samples & sometimes even deluxe samples if you get lucky. I also read your e-mail that you sent Birchbox and couldn't have said it better!

I have yet to receive my box, but not looking forward it.

 

[gypsiemagic]

Originally Posted by Wednesday Adams /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Stop, you sound so ignorant in this thread. You and that other troll knew what the sentiment behind that original comment was. I think you should be banned for personal attacks, especially those that have nothing to do with the thread. Please learn how to reply to a user with respect, especially when they are only trying to help.

Ha, okay from an account that has 1 post. Like I can't tell who make this account. People who make second accounts to call people anonymously out are the trolls.

I stand by my words, and everything I said was in relation to topics discussed through out all three thousand posts, and if I put the entire exchange into one thread and explained what I meant, you would see it was not as much of a personal attack as it was general displeasure with the exorbitant prices 

I agree it is easy to misconstrue tone and intent in text based conversations, I will watch my words and make it explicitly clear what I mean in cases where things can be taken multiple ways /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> 

Consider this an apology. 

 

[gypsiemagic]

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

naw man, if you buy them from twistband they're at least $2 a hairtie. for a company that's run entirely online--probably staffed by very few people--and who spends (comparably) little on marketing, they are definitely making a profit. they cut traditional marketing costs in very smart ways--I don't think they even advertise outside of sample sub companies. since their product is essentially a raw material (granted, it's cut and tied) which in itself costs close to nothing. partnering with birchbox is a match made in heaven. subscribers + social media hype = their marketing strategy.

my only gripe is that they fray terribly, and look really gross really fast. If they sewed a hem, it would last 1000x longer. since $2 is pretty expensive for a single hairband, they don't last long.

birchbox features a lot of companies that take raw materials (or rather, things the company didn't produce) and reinvents them--it's a win-win for everyone. like that chinese finger-trap packaging plastic, as brush guards. 

I have been melting the edges of all the twistbands (2 on one account and 2 on the other) that I have gotten from Birchbox. I am pretty sure twistband is at most 3 people, working from home selling them only through their e commerce site. I had only heard of Emi-Jay before Twistband was samples. They must be making at least a 400% profit on each tie. It has to be pretty lucrative, a lot of people are selling them now, heck I would sell them, I could undercut them all and still make a ton of profit.

 

[lechatonrose]

I think a lot of us are disappointed with the sample sizes. I have a box 3 (not delivered yet) and a box 23. That being said MOST of the boxes are of decidedly higher value than the $10 we've paid for. The ones that are not *cough* box 3 *cough* are still worth the $10, especially when you take shipping in consideration. Even less than satisfactory shipping.  And the drunk turtles are cute on one's doorstep. 

Yes, the boxes with higher value are sometimes tiny vials of expensive products, but a lot of us would never spend $100 just to try something. For me that's part of the fun of birchbox. Some things I've tried I would have never tried on my own or even have access to the brands. They are still fulfilling  that part of the service for me. And while it's disappointing that I've still yet to get a beauty blender, there are full size products in some of the boxes. I wasn't lucky this month, but maybe next month I will be. That has always been an issue with us on the boards. That being said, there does seem to be an increase of the packets. Those are disappointing to the consumer and I'm not sure why companies still use them since so many of us file those away and never get around to trying the product they spent money on handing out for free. I wish birchbox would only send a packet or vial of perfume per box, as receiving a box full of those stupid things can be irritating. It might be worth $13, but it doesn't feel like it. 

Even still, I was disappointed when I opened up my box 23 and saw all the tiny products. I didn't realize that the mox lip lipbutter was half of the full size because it's fairly tiny. I was lucky that they changed the flavors of tea sent, because last month I was sent tea on my other account and had a fairly bad allergic reaction. I'm still glad that they send food and tea as extras because it has introduced me to some new staples (mightyleaf, zhena, kind bars), as well as reunited me with some old loves (sweet riot and luna bars). As long as they aren't replacing one of our samples I don't feel that it's an issue, although I do wish they'd remove the peanut samples. While I'm not allergic it's very common and shouldn't be included.

I guess what I'm trying to say, despite my rambling, is that I think we're increasing each others frustrations. We've always been upset with some of these problems that seem to be part of the risk with this type of service. Some members have even expressed that they were always happy with their boxes before they came on here and were influenced by other's boxes and opinions. I'm not saying that there aren't some issues, but I think we're gradually making them bigger than they are. Even billing has come under fire lately when they have always stated that we'd be billed around the 1st of the month and they'd try to ship by the 10th. The shipping is messed up and we're turning it into two issues. 

 

[lechatonrose]

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

naw man, if you buy them from twistband they're at least $2 a hairtie. for a company that's run entirely online--probably staffed by very few people--and who spends (comparably) little on marketing, they are definitely making a profit. they cut traditional marketing costs in very smart ways--I don't think they even advertise outside of sample sub companies. since their product is essentially a raw material (granted, it's cut and tied) which in itself costs close to nothing. partnering with birchbox is a match made in heaven. subscribers + social media hype = their marketing strategy.

my only gripe is that they fray terribly, and look really gross really fast. If they sewed a hem, it would last 1000x longer. since $2 is pretty expensive for a single hairband, they don't last long.

birchbox features a lot of companies that take raw materials (or rather, things the company didn't produce) and reinvents them--it's a win-win for everyone. like that chinese finger-trap packaging plastic, as brush guards. 

Throw them in a lingerie bag every once in a while. The dryer isn't the best for elastics but it does clean and shrink the elastics to look like new again.