What is Birchbox?
Birchbox is a subscription service for men or women that
delivers monthly fashion and lifestyle products at the price of $20 each. The boxes contain about five samples that are
matched to your preferences. These products are available full-sized in the Birchbox
online store.
The mission of Birchbox founders Katia Beauchamp and Hayley
Barna is to allow women and men to sample quality fashion and lifestyle
products without having to purchase them full-sized. Also, they wanted to
narrow down the field by picking the best products based upon the customer’s
needs and preferences.
The company opened in 2010, offering products for women
only. Birchbox for men was launched in 2012, and has been active ever since.The basic premise sounded solid, so I thought I would give
it a shot. $20 per month, for three or four sample sized products and one
full-sized lifestyle item, seemed more than reasonable.
My Birchbox Experience...
After filling out my shipping and payment information (one
thing about the monthly subscription service space…You’ll always give personal
info before filling out any preference questionnaires or learning anything else
about what you might buy), and actually purchasing my first box, I was prompted
to complete my profile information.
I informed Birchbox of my skin tones, facial hair grooming
habits, hair style and grooming concerns, basic clothing sizes, and what I was
most excited to try out (beard supplies, bath and body, gadgets, etc.). I’m not
sure if it is my computer, but the Birchbox website was a little clunky and
difficult to scroll through. Other websites were working just fine at the same
time, so I think it is an issue they might have to iron out or risk losing
customers with minimal patience.
Birchbox for
men will allow me to get the most out of my summer. Sunshine and all!The lifestyle item I was given was some cool socks, ($24.99 retail). They were soft, easy to pack, and advertised as having “soft cashmere feel” which I really liked.What Did I Get? Drum Roll Please......
My First Birchbox, called "Made in the Shade" contained July-themed products. The introduction
card reminded me that summer is no longer a three-month, spiked-lemonade induced nap, and that
Kiehl’s White Eagle Ultimate Brushless All Skin Types Shave
Cream was one of the sample-sized grooming products I received. It boasts being
“spiked with menthol and camphor,” a verb choice definitely targeted at men.
While I do have a beard, I still shave closely under the chin line and above
the cheek line. The product gave me a comfortable, close shave, but many other
products have done the same. Good stuff, but didn’t blow me away.
The next item was Parlor Moisturizing Sea Salt Spray for
hair. “Beach hair is no longer reserved for long weekends,” or so the product
literature claims. Everybody loves that salty volume and control our hair gets
from the ocean. This product does a pretty darn good job of recreating it. I
don’t think I would use it in a formal setting, but heading out for the night,
or maybe at a weekend picnic, I would definitely give my hair that tousled
look.
I’m no spring chicken, so my skin is starting to show its age.
The final two products I received are designed to combat that. Supergoop! SPF
30 Anti-Aging City Sunscreen Serum is lightweight (in a different way than the
duffle bag is lightweight). In addition to sun protection, Supergoop! also
provides moisture in the form of Vitamins E and B5. I liked the product, and I
would use it again. It didn’t muck up my beard, as the name of the product
implies that it might.
The final product was Under Eye Complex by Baxter of
California. The products states that it was “created specifically for men” and
contains caffeine, antioxidant vitamins and seaweed extract. I tried it…Um,
yeah, I think it made the skin below my eyes look better. I think.
The Verdict.....
All in all, I’m impressed with Birchbox Man. For only $20 a
month, you get a cool life style item, as well as a handful of high-quality
grooming products to try. I will stick with my subscription, at least until I
find all the products I would like to use. For those men who are looking for something fun and a little different I suggest checking them out.... You should find plenty of worthwhile trinkets in your monthly box and www.birchbox.com is defiantly worth a test spin.
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