Breaking up is hard.... But BB sure made it easy.

At the beginning of every relationship there is the honeymoon period... May, June, and July were mine with Birchbox, they were great even amazing at times. They August came and I was disappointed, but like in any relationship you really want things to work out, so you give more time... Then September hit, and the relationship continues to sour, and you get the feeling that your not being listened to anymore... (complete wrong color WEI). And now we find ourselves in October, and we see the contents of the month before it even gets here, and you say UGH, I don't even want to look at you anymore... So now I am taking my 50.00 in credit, buying some stuff I want and walking away from this relationship with Birchbox. I will just give more attention to LBB... Anyone in the same boat?

I am not attached to BB at all. Occasionally I enjoy items but usually I end up giving it all away. Some of my other subs keep me much happier.

After many fights via email and excuses instead of trying to fix things I am just saying your not worth it and leaving.  We had a total of two good months sad.

I'm canceling as soon as my box comes and I can get my points and cash them in. I've had the same experience. My first box was April, not super awesome but whatever, I was still excited because it was new and fun. May, June, and July were awesome, and then August hit and things started to go downhill. The thing that irks me the most about BB is the all around inconsistency in just about every aspect of the company, from CS to the inequality of boxes and ridiculous samples. I'd rather take my money and have a sub that's going to give me what I want without all the BS. I already have Ipsy, which is awesome, and I just signed up for Beauty Army, so I can pick exactly what I want and be happy every time. So bye-bye BB.

I broke up with them yesterday. My box was craptacular to say the least. I got the one w/ the candle, Luna bar, Keil's eye cream, SuperGoop sunscreen (again) and Joule lip enhancer. I usually really enjoy the boxes even with they have a ziploc in them but wow this month's Goop box was BAD BAD BAD. I'm going to give my money to Ipsy. 

I've cancelled & couldn't have been happier. While I do appreciate the feedback and points system, there's been nothing exciting in my box since the March teen vogue box. Even at that, I've been a subscriber for close to 17 months and I can honestly only remember only about 5 being like "OH MY GOD", while the other ones have been mediocre. Ipsy KILLED it this month with each and every single one of their products in my opinion, and I couldn't be a happier subscriber. Those are what you call deluxe & full size products! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

Alright, I will be the weird odd man out this time.  I LOVE Birchbox!  Even when I hate a box, I can usually review at least 5 items which is worth $5.  Then I always use my credits when I have a 20% off, so it is as though every review is worth $1.20, therefore each box is worth $6 in merchandise not including the samples and free shipping.  Who could not love that???  Also, they have given out enough full size products to more than pay for my boxes, even if I only get a full size ever so often.  I am a Birchbox girl for life!

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

Alright, I will be the weird odd man out this time.  I LOVE Birchbox!  Even when I hate a box, I can usually review at least 5 items which is worth $5.  Then I always use my credits when I have a 20% off, so it is as though every review is worth $1.20, therefore each box is worth $6 in merchandise not including the samples and free shipping.  Who could not love that???  Also, they have given out enough full size products to more than pay for my boxes, even if I only get a full size ever so often.  I am a Birchbox girl for life!

Click to expand...

You aren't the weird odd man out! I love Birchbox too!!! I signed up to TRY products for $10/month. Most of the time I get well over one use from the sample, even the "junky" lip color sample for this month will give me more than one use. I haven't had a single box where I hated everything. I've not been able to use a couple samples since I'm so pale, oh well. $10/month isn't much. It's about 2 days of parking for me, well worth the cost. 

I know people get frustrated because they can't use some products because of allergies or sensitivities. Birchbox (or any sub) probably isn't for them. 

I love trying all the skincare. I just turned 25 and I am so happy to receive the anti aging products!

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

Alright, I will be the weird odd man out this time.  I LOVE Birchbox!  Even when I hate a box, I can usually review at least 5 items which is worth $5.  Then I always use my credits when I have a 20% off, so it is as though every review is worth $1.20, therefore each box is worth $6 in merchandise not including the samples and free shipping.  Who could not love that???  Also, they have given out enough full size products to more than pay for my boxes, even if I only get a full size ever so often.  I am a Birchbox girl for life!

Click to expand...

I am odd man out with you, too. I'm trying to remember if I had a box I was REALLY disappointed by. I've always found 1 thing to use up, and always use my points combined with a coupon too. I love a lot of brands they have in their store, and if it weren't for bb my love affair with jouer would never have happened...and I wouldn't have gotten both my jouer tinted moisturizers for free...or my dad's father's day gift for free....or so many other things. I know the reviews aren't "free" because you pay for your box, but I look at just like that. I pay for my box...the points aren't because I paid for the box, the points are because I reviewed the box, so the products are free to me, since reviews take all of 30 seconds.

I started to grade my boxes...and realized that even the boxes that I thought sucked (February, for example) all had at least one item that I loved OR enough things that I LIKED that I couldn't grade any box I've gotten as less than a "B". I'll definitely be doing an annual renew in the spring.

I think if you are in it for value/money's worth, you are never going to be quite happy. If you are in it for the cheap thrills and random cool things in with the bad, I think BB is peachy. At the end of the day, when I think of all the crap I normally spend $10, this is definitely more fun and usually lasts longer.

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

I think if you are in it for value/money's worth, you are never going to be quite happy. If you are in it for the cheap thrills and random cool things in with the bad, I think BB is peachy. At the end of the day, when I think of all the crap I normally spend $10, this is definitely more fun and usually lasts longer.

Click to expand...

This^

I blow $10 on so much random stuff that I can't remember! $10 is 2 days of parking at my university! Lol

I'd much rather have a BB than 2 parking passes. Haha.

Like calexxia said, I usually find at least one thing I really like per box. (& i trade with my mom and sisters every month)

Agree wholeheartedly with the monetary value and assessments. If you're expecting to "get your money's worth" weeellllll... I think I'm worth a lot, but I'm not on a baller status lol. I'm sad for the ladies who're over BB, but I do think these subs should be viewed like relationships. You're putting your money, time, hope, faith, whatever and if they're not giving you what you want or need, keep it moving. There's something better suited to your tastes and keep looking. Maybe you're burnt out in general from subs and need a break. Despite getting IMO the absolute worst box this month, I'm greedy and have 2 accounts...which is sending an amazeballs box on the second account. I have typically found at least an item or two that I like or love from each box.. so the value is there, plus points and a shop to purchase them in.

I had BB for 4 months and the highest I would have graded any of my boxes was a C   First box: F   Eye rock stickers - I tried them, I truly did. My oldest daughter and I laughed and laughed. I looked ridiculous. I have a pixi face and small eyes. Even cutting them down, they were silly. Fashion tape - still have these. If clothes don't fit, I don't wear them.  Viva La Juicy - stinky IMHO - gave to youngest daughter Jouer lip gloss mini (very mini)  - did not care for the color or formula Colorscience bronzer puff - way too dark for me and the puff distributed the bronzer everywhere. I tried a brush but it was just too dark/orangey for me.   Second box: C   2 Supergoop wipes - a little on the greasy side, okay but way too expensive ColorClub neon polish, mini - this polish just peels off my nails. At first I thought it was my basecoat but none of my other polishes do this. Kerastase Elixir Ultime - used the entire sample but never noticed any improvement in the dryness of my hair Kusmi Detox tea - tastes disgusting (and I love tea) AHAVA moisturizer - okay but not moisturizing enough for my dry skin  Harvey Prince Yogini - did not care for this scent (neither did my daughters or sisters - I couldn't give this one away)   Third box: D   Pangea Organics lip balm - the only full size product I received. Hated it - too waxy. Walked outside in cold weather and it started to crust up on me. I use it before bed sometimes but it feels heavy on my lips Pangea Organics eye cream, 1 ml foil packet. did not want to sink into my skin  Pangea organics foil packet scrub - smells bad, really really bad. Could not tolerate it Benta Berry exfoliator, 1 use, okay WonderStruck perfume - did not care for this scent - gave it to my daughter  Weleda day cream - did not care for this formula, small, 3 ml I believe    Fourth box: E   flimsy piece of paper - info card said it was a notecard? Dr. Jart BB cream - empty tube - complained four times to BB and three weeks later they sent me 2 more nearly empty tubes. Product did not provide enough coverage for me ColorClub disco nap polish - mini, same peeling problem - why can't they send different brands? Checked with my sister who also gets BB and she had the peeling problem too  Beautyblender cleanser - might have appreciated more if I had a beautyblender.  Twistband headband - i have short hair . . . Artiste L'Etrog perfume - smells too manly for me    That's it. Didn't like any of it. Canceled     By contrast, in the same four months MyGlam sent me a cleanser (full size), UD liner, perfume, mask, and lipstick (full size) that I loved and went on to purchase more of three of them. I also liked and continue to use two of the makeup brushes they sent me and I am using two of the four makeup bags (my daughters confiscated the other two bags). 

I don't feel I didn't get value for my dollar, though, is the funny thing--If I add up everything and divide it by the number of boxes, it's still "worth" more than I paid, even though (as I've said ad nauseum) I don't agree with the pricing on many of the products.

It's hard to keep in perspective, but I paid $110 for a year subscription. I pretty much made that back in the first 3 months of my subscription. (May was worth 37.44, June 44.08, July 25.96)

So I'm basically getting 9 months worth of samples for free. Plus I have 550 points.

I have been really lucky though and have gotten awesome boxes every month. I have never gotten an all foil pack punishment box. I would probably be singing a different tune if that were the case. 

I get pretty vocally annoyed about some of the more pathetic sample sizes (and their sometimes condescending/misleading customer service), but Birchbox a habit I can't kick.  I'm living in student poverty so I really am limited to one sub a month--my only beauty splurges are those I get with points.  It is working out for me that way!  Everything is getting used, and I haven't bought toiletries for my gym bag in quite some time. 

I did a pretty thorough analysis of my Birchbox experience in August after I hated the August box. I didn't go off retail value. I just divided the total cost by total items. The results for 32 products over six months at a total of $60. Products I didn't like or traded make up the majority at a combined 56% or $33.60. Products I loved came in at 16% or $9.60. Sure there were a few things I loved and bought the full size. With my points and anniversary coupon I was able to buy a Clarisonic for something like $40.  In the end you have to decide if the point system is worth the trade off for lackluster boxes. I decided for me it wasn't worth it. I'd rather spend the money on something I know I'm going to love or not spend it at all. 

I cashed in my points and canceled my sub. This was my 4th box, and the only things I'd used were the damn razor, the  tiny Jouer clear lip moisturizer, the Stainiac, and the polish. I would have used the Eyeko eyeliner had the cat not stolen it. (Not BB's fault) But with the polishes and the eyeliners, I'd always be running the risk of getting one of the colors I absolutely cannot wear.

I'm not a risk taker. I'm that person who goes into the casino like this . I'd rather research my brands, go to Ulta, buy exactly what I want ,and leave with my risks being whatever free samples they have behind the counter. (and I've gotten some really awesome ones free there lately that I do love)

I got my first Ipsy bag this month, and they just blew me away with not only the products , the full sized products, but the really fast shipping. Using the exact same shipping service as BB, no less. So my extra $10 a month will be going to them now. If I get doubles, their products will be so much more giftable.

Truth be told it was the Luna bars. The DANG PERPETUAL LUNA BARS that did me in.

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

I would have used the Eyeko eyeliner had the cat not stolen it. (Not BB's fault) But

Click to expand...

HOW?

I'm sitting here imagining your cat getting on its hind legs and carrying the Eyeko away clenched between both paws.....