I recently learned of a company called Birchbox, which is an online beauty aid company, that will send you samples of beauty supplies every month for a cost of $10. The supplies are usually new products, or products from new designers. This program sounds like a fun way to test out new products, but do you really get a good set of samples for your money? Is it worth the $10 per month?
I don't know whether you are not being used like a lab bunny with this company. It sounds a little dubious to me, testing cheap beauty products from new designers for a low price. Are you supposed to send back a review?
You will not be used as a lab bunny or test subject with Birchbox. You are not forced to review anything. I personally have several friends who used to get the Birchbox subscription. However, they have all switched over to Ipsy, as they feel you get better things for the same amount of money. They switched over more than a year ago, so I am not sure if Birchbox may have changed. I believe the idea behind these boxes/bags subscriptions is they hope you like the product/tell your friends/buy full sizes or more from a brand, but there isn't any obligation. And the brands are generally big name, established brands from what I have seen.
My cousin-in-law got Brichbox for her sister as a Christmas gift awhile ago and her sister was SO EXCITED. I think it's great if you are super into make-up and do make-up all the time, such as my cousin-in-law's sister, but for someone like myself who only puts on make-up once in a blue moon I think it's more like "eh". Maybe if I get more into make-up I'll like it, but if not it's just not my type of subscription service to get.
I don't think $10 for samples is such a great deal when you can use coupons to get full sized products at the drugstore. I know a couponer who got some beautiful full sized NYC nail polishes for 49 cents each and there are always Maybelline and Revlon coupons in the paper. I don't care about brands, so I'd rather have $10 of full sized products that are everyday brands than have a few high end samples.
When you subscribe and pay 10 bucks every month, there is always a chance you wont like the products. I was genuinely considering signing up to something and literally became obsessed with watching unboxing videos on youtube. However it seemed that more often than not people were unhappy but it was always being said, it was only 10$ so it's fine. I don't know but the majority of the time the girls were unhappy with what they got. Even if the market value is higher than what you pay would it not be better to just spend that money every month by yourself on a new or random product that you would never have tried. Even better, you could get a few friends and once a month have a spending limit of the tenner you would have originally spent on the subscription service and buy just a random product and switch between your friends. It is a good way to get together with your friends and discover new and exciting products !
I think you have the right idea, because I might not like all of the products I am sent and therefore would probably not use them all. It would probably be a better idea for me to look at products I want from the store and then go on the hunt for coupons. Many times you can find amazing coupons for new products, or even contact the company to request a free sample.
