How I scored almost $200 in cosmetics from Birchbox for almost free!

[zadidoll]

I just placed an order with Birchbox for close to $200 but only paid $5.20. Want to know how I did it? Well read on.

I've been a member of Birchbox from May 24, 2011 to May 24, 2012 as a monthly member and after May 24, 2012 I became a yearly subscriber and paid $110. I paid $10 each month my first year and in each box I received between four to seven products to review and each review - left via their Feedback button - netted me 10 points. Each referral made (no referral link here since it's against MUT ToS) also earned me 50 points (so big thank you to those who used my referral link). When I upgraded my account I earned another and earned 200 points by upgrading with my anniversary code. It all adds up. If you're patient - like I was and it's so hard to be - you can save those points for a big purchase as I did. The last time I used any of my points was in November or December where I bought like $80 in products for under $6. So earning that 1,500 points did take me several months and when I did finally use it it was only because I received - right on time - another anniversary code, this time for my husband's Birchbox Man subscription which is tied to my account. That anniversary code earned me 20% off my purchase!

So here's what I bought.

Product Name SKU Price Qty Subtotal Subtotal $194.00
Shipping & Handling $0.00
Discount (3-Month Anniversary Discount - 20%, 3monthman) -$38.80
1500 reward points -$150.00
Grand Total
$5.20
theBalm® cosmetics NUDE 'tude™ Nude Eyeshadow Palette 681619501401 $36.00
Ordered: 1
$36.00
stila in the garden eyeshadow palette 94800339873 $39.00
Ordered: 1
$39.00
stila in the light eyeshadow palette 94800339026 $39.00
Ordered: 1
$39.00
stila in the moment eyeshadow palette 94800340954 $39.00
Ordered: 1
$39.00
Benefit The POREfessional IB184 $29.00
Ordered: 1
$29.00
stila It’s Go Time Lip Glaze Trio STILACARTON-FZ $12.00
Ordered: 1
$12.00

So how did I do it?

1. Review the items in my boxes.
2. Referring people with my referral link.
3. Upgraded my account on my one-year-anniversary.
4. Saved those points.
5. Used a discount promo code.

Remember those points will not expire for 365 day - so you do have to watch those points near the end of it's "life" but if you're patient and wait to use the points until you have a good promo code then you can earn potentially FREE products like I did. This is the third order I've made with products that were free or nearly free.


July 2012  
AHAVA Purifying Mud Mask
Tea Forté® minteas - 3 pack -- I did review this without getting my box since I've received these from Eco-Emi in the past.
Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner
Alterna BAMBOO® UV+ Color Protection Fade-Proof Fluide
Harvey Prince Hello - 50 ml -- I did review this since I have a sample from Sephora already.
Birchbox Exclusive Earbuds

June 2012  
Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25+
Joya Âmes Sœurs Parfum - A Scent of Soulmates
theBalm® cosmetics Stainiac
BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages by Cynthia Rowley Bundle
KELLY VAN GOGH® Colour Protecting Caviar Shampoo
KELLY VAN GOGH® Colour Protecting Caviar Conditioner
Melvita Floral Water

May 2012
fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15 
BVLGARI Omnia Crystalline Eau de Toilette Spray 1.33 oz
Kiehl's Abyssine Cream +
Miracle Skin Transformerâ„¢ Body SPF 20
Birchbox Notecards

April 2012
willaâ„¢ Lavender Facial Towelettes
Zoya TRUE Spring Collection
Wonderstruck Taylor Swift 3.4 oz
J.R. Watkins Hand & Cuticle Salve
Dropps Laundry Detergent

March 2012
stila smoky eye shadow
boscia Green Tea Blotting Linens
Kusmi Tea Paris - I Love My Detox Tea
Color Club® Neon Nail Polish
Grandma Stelle's Hand Wash
Traditions by Nick Chavez Yucca Shampooing Cream

February 2012
Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint
Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Serum
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant®
Eye Rock Designer Liner

January 2012
Clark's Botanicals Smoothing Marine Cream
Juicy Couture - Juicy Couture - 3.4 oz
stila smudge stick waterproof eye liner
Archipelago Pomegranate Body Soap
LÄRABAR® Mini Bars

December 2011
Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss
Harvey Prince Ageless - Pink Grapefruit - 100ml
Orofluido Elixir
Showstoppers® Designer Fashion Tape in Nude/Black
Benefit The POREfessional
EBOOST Orange Natural Energy Booster

November 2011
LaROCCA Champagne and Shimmer Supreme Creme
Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensée Cologne Absolue
Two Paperdolls Coasters
BORGHESE Fango Active Mud Face & Body - 17.6 oz
Zoya Gems & Jewels Collection

October 2011
Pangea Organics Facial Scrub
blinc Mascara
Ouidad Climate Control® Heat & Humidity Gel
The Lash Card
AHAVA Mineral Foot Cream

September 2011
colorescience pro® sunforgettable® Mineral Sun Protection Po...
Incoco® Nail Polish Appliqué
Jouer Lip Enhancer
Jurlique Purely Age-Defying Firm and Lift Cream
Salvatore Ferragamo Attimo L'Eau Florale

August 2011
WEIâ„¢ Tibetan Chrysanthemum correcting eye treatment pads
blinc Eyeliner in Black
Carol's Daughter® Monoi Repairing Hair Mask
Pangea Organics Cleanser for Oily to Combination Skin
Twistband Hair Tie 6-pack

July 2011
AHAVA Mineral Hand Cream
Redken shine flash 02 glistening mist
philosophy® purity made simple™ one-step facial cleanser -...
Zoya Touch Collection

June 2011
Herban Essentials Towelettes
Xen-Tan Deep Bronze Luxe
kate spade new york Twirl - 3.4 fl oz
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion
Laura Geller Baked Blush-n-Brighten

 

[astokes]

You have great self-control Lol. I always spend my points before they even get to $50 worth.

My mom has ~500 points, she said she would let me use hers! So, I'm saving them.

 

[ladygrey]

That is amazing!!

 

[ddave]

Can you explain how to upgrade with your anniversary code? Is it just that after a year you have a special code that gives you 200 points when you upgrade to yearly? If so, that's amazing!

Also, WOW I want to buy that much makeup! You've got a lot of self control I spent mine as soon as I reached 200 pts /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[zadidoll]

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

Can you explain how to upgrade with your anniversary code? Is it just that after a year you have a special code that gives you 200 points when you upgrade to yearly? If so, that's amazing!

Also, WOW I want to buy that much makeup! You've got a lot of self control I spent mine as soon as I reached 200 pts /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I sure can. From the actual BB email that I got on May 25, 2012 - the day after my one-year with them. At that point in time I was still a month-to-month subscriber paying $10 a month. By upgrading to a yearly account I got 110 BB pts (I thought it was 100 but it's 110) but with that BB promo code (which is only active during the anniversary period) they gave me an additional 100 points for a total of 210 points. Essentially I was paying for 11 months, getting the 12th month free PLUS $20 back (200 pts + that extra 10 pts I keep forgetting).

[SIZE=9pt]Get the most out of your Birchbox subscription: upgrade to a yearly membership and you'll receive 1 free month and 110 Birchbox Points. Plus, if you upgrade now you'll get an additional 100 BONUS Birchbox Points*[/SIZE]—just enter code ‘upgrade100annual’ at checkout. Don’t miss out—offer ends May 31st!

 

 

[kawaiimeows]

good call on ordering the stila palettes i'm trying to rack up some points to get the in the garden one. it's so beautiful!

 

[Missglammygirl]

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

I just placed an order with Birchbox for close to $200 but only paid $5.20. Want to know how I did it? Well read on.

I've been a member of Birchbox from May 24, 2011 to May 24, 2012 as a monthly member and after May 24, 2012 I became a yearly subscriber and paid $110. I paid $10 each month my first year and in each box I received between four to seven products to review and each review - left via their Feedback button - netted me 10 points. Each referral made (no referral link here since it's against MUT ToS) also earned me 50 points (so big thank you to those who used my referral link). When I upgraded my account I earned another and earned 200 points by upgrading with my anniversary code. It all adds up. If you're patient - like I was and it's so hard to be - you can save those points for a big purchase as I did. The last time I used any of my points was in November or December where I bought like $80 in products for under $6. So earning that 1,500 points did take me several months and when I did finally use it it was only because I received - right on time - another anniversary code, this time for my husband's Birchbox Man subscription which is tied to my account. That anniversary code earned me 20% off my purchase!

So here's what I bought.

Product Name SKU Price Qty Subtotal Subtotal $194.00
Shipping & Handling $0.00
Discount (3-Month Anniversary Discount - 20%, 3monthman) -$38.80
1500 reward points -$150.00
Grand Total
$5.20
stila It’s Go Time Lip Glaze Trio STILACARTON-FZ $12.00
Ordered: 1
$12.00
Benefit The POREfessional IB184 $29.00
Ordered: 1
$29.00
stila in the moment eyeshadow palette 94800340954 $39.00
Ordered: 1
$39.00
stila in the light eyeshadow palette 94800339026 $39.00
Ordered: 1
$39.00
stila in the garden eyeshadow palette 94800339873 $39.00
Ordered: 1
$39.00
theBalm® cosmetics NUDE 'tude™ Nude Eyeshadow Palette 681619501401 $36.00
Ordered: 1
$36.00

So how did I do it?

1. Review the items in my boxes.
2. Referring people with my referral link.
3. Upgraded my account on my one-year-anniversary.
4. Saved those points.
5. Used a discount promo code.

Remember those points will not expire for 365 day - so you do have to watch those points near the end of it's "life" but if you're patient and wait to use the points until you have a good promo code then you can earn potentially FREE products like I did. This is the third order I've made with products that were free or nearly free.


July 2012  
AHAVA Purifying Mud Mask
Tea Forté® minteas - 3 pack -- I did review this without getting my box since I've received these from Eco-Emi in the past.
Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner
Alterna BAMBOO® UV+ Color Protection Fade-Proof Fluide
Harvey Prince Hello - 50 ml -- I did review this since I have a sample from Sephora already.
Birchbox Exclusive Earbuds


June 2012  
Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25+
Joya Âmes Sœurs Parfum - A Scent of Soulmates
theBalm® cosmetics Stainiac
BAND-AID® Brand Adhesive Bandages by Cynthia Rowley Bundle
KELLY VAN GOGH® Colour Protecting Caviar Shampoo
KELLY VAN GOGH® Colour Protecting Caviar Conditioner
Melvita Floral Water

May 2012
fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15
BVLGARI Omnia Crystalline Eau de Toilette Spray 1.33 oz
Kiehl's Abyssine Cream +
Miracle Skin Transformerâ„¢ Body SPF 20
Birchbox Notecards

April 2012
willaâ„¢ Lavender Facial Towelettes
Zoya TRUE Spring Collection
Wonderstruck Taylor Swift 3.4 oz
J.R. Watkins Hand & Cuticle Salve
Dropps Laundry Detergent

March 2012
stila smoky eye shadow
boscia Green Tea Blotting Linens
Kusmi Tea Paris - I Love My Detox Tea
Color Club® Neon Nail Polish
Grandma Stelle's Hand Wash
Traditions by Nick Chavez Yucca Shampooing Cream

February 2012
Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint
Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Serum
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant®
Eye Rock Designer Liner

January 2012
Clark's Botanicals Smoothing Marine Cream
Juicy Couture - Juicy Couture - 3.4 oz
stila smudge stick waterproof eye liner
Archipelago Pomegranate Body Soap
LÄRABAR® Mini Bars

December 2011
Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss
Harvey Prince Ageless - Pink Grapefruit - 100ml
Orofluido Elixir
Showstoppers® Designer Fashion Tape in Nude/Black
Benefit The POREfessional
EBOOST Orange Natural Energy Booster

November 2011
LaROCCA Champagne and Shimmer Supreme Creme
Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensée Cologne Absolue
Two Paperdolls Coasters
BORGHESE Fango Active Mud Face & Body - 17.6 oz
Zoya Gems & Jewels Collection

October 2011
Pangea Organics Facial Scrub
blinc Mascara
Ouidad Climate Control® Heat & Humidity Gel
The Lash Card
AHAVA Mineral Foot Cream

September 2011
colorescience pro® sunforgettable® Mineral Sun Protection Po...
Incoco® Nail Polish Appliqué
Jouer Lip Enhancer
Jurlique Purely Age-Defying Firm and Lift Cream
Salvatore Ferragamo Attimo L'Eau Florale

August 2011
WEIâ„¢ Tibetan Chrysanthemum correcting eye treatment pads
blinc Eyeliner in Black
Carol's Daughter® Monoi Repairing Hair Mask
Pangea Organics Cleanser for Oily to Combination Skin
Twistband Hair Tie 6-pack

July 2011
AHAVA Mineral Hand Cream
Redken shine flash 02 glistening mist
philosophy® purity made simple™ one-step facial cleanser -...
Zoya Touch Collection

June 2011
Herban Essentials Towelettes
Xen-Tan Deep Bronze Luxe
kate spade new york Twirl - 3.4 fl oz
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion
Laura Geller Baked Blush-n-Brighten

Good for you! A nice reward for all the sneek peeks you give us lol! I cashed in my pts today to reach 200. I got an erase paste because Ive been dying to try it and with my 20 off and a free shipping code, it only cost me $6. amazing! cant wait to play with it. I wish birchbox carried more products though. I wouldnt mind spending more money with them, but the selection is pretty limited. Im thinking about saving up my second accounts points to get something like the stila palette for free or nearly free. Im leaning towards in the garden. but it also depends on what gets added into the store next month.

 

[zadidoll]

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

Good for you! A nice reward for all the sneek peeks you give us lol! I cashed in my pts today to reach 200. I got an erase paste because Ive been dying to try it and with my 20 off and a free shipping code, it only cost me $6. amazing! cant wait to play with it. I wish birchbox carried more products though. I wouldnt mind spending more money with them, but the selection is pretty limited. Im thinking about saving up my second accounts points to get something like the stila palette for free or nearly free. Im leaning towards in the garden. but it also depends on what gets added into the store next month.

Ditto. I wish they did as well since I would have love to have used my points on Burberry Body perfume. I have a few samples and every time I go into Ulta I head on over to drench myself in it. LOL I just have such a hard time justifying spending $100 on a bottle of perfume.

 

[Missglammygirl]

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


Ditto. I wish they did as well since I would have love to have used my points on Burberry Body perfume. I have a few samples and every time I go into Ulta I head on over to drench myself in it. LOL I just have such a hard time justifying spending $100 on a bottle of perfume.

Lol, maybe one day they will decide to include it in a birchbox! I love that scent too, but I have too many perfumes, I had a cubby shelf on the wall and it fell off because it was so overfilled. So, no more perfume for a while.

 

[calexxia]

I wish they carried more Lippmann....my points would go towards that, since I just can't justify the cost to myself usually.

 

[wagz379]

I tried contacting them this week to see if there was a promo code I could use when I upgrade to yearly to get more points. They told me there wasn't one at this time, and I never got one in my email. I'll still take the points for ordering it, but sad I wont get extra. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[GirlyEnthusiast]

I have 2500 ($250) points right now, mostly from referrals. I've been saving for about 6 months.  I have been meaning to spend them but I can't ever decide what stuff I want lol.

 

[ladygrey]

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

I have 2500 ($250) points right now, mostly from referrals. I've been saving for about 6 months.  I have been meaning to spend them but I can't ever decide what stuff I want lol.

That. Is. Amazing!! No one ever uses my referral link, lol. 

 

[Fairest of all]

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

I have 2500 ($250) points right now, mostly from referrals. I've been saving for about 6 months.  I have been meaning to spend them but I can't ever decide what stuff I want lol.

Wow that's a ton of points!!! 

You probably get a lot of referrals from having such a great blog and loads of subscribers 

 

[GirlyEnthusiast]

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


That. Is. Amazing!! No one ever uses my referral link, lol. 

I always get pleasantly surprised when people use mine lol. 

Originally Posted by Fairest of all /img/forum/go_quote.gif


Wow that's a ton of points!!! 

You probably get a lot of referrals from having such a great blog and loads of subscribers 

AWW! You're so sweet /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[amblingalp]

You picked some awesome products! In the Moment is one of my go-to palettes to use right now. This post has motivated me to keep saving up my points (currently at $40)! The points system is maybe my favorite part of the whole Birchbox setup and is one of the reasons I'm still a faithful customer. Do any other subscription services like BB do anything similar with rewards?

 

[Elleisforlove]

Originally Posted by Fairest of all /img/forum/go_quote.gif


Wow that's a ton of points!!! 

You probably get a lot of referrals from having such a great blog and loads of subscribers 

I agree. Her blog is pretty awesome. It's just about the ONLY one I have found to be super informative and not just talking about how awesome and influential she is. Have you all seen her post about her latest LBB? It's divine.

 

[skylola123]

You did such an amazing job! I did the same thing saved up points for a year plus used my discount code. 

I ended up paying about $235 dollars which kinda sucked but it was graduation money my parents had given me as a gift to splurge on something I really wanted. For me this was a steal because alone for two Clarisonic Mia's it would have been the same price! 

I ended up buying: Two Clarisonic Mia's (one for me & one for my mom), Benefit perfume, theBalm nude palette, theBalm blush, Kiehls dark spot corrector, Jouer lip gloss, Pack of Twistbands, & zoya nail polish removed. 

 

[zadidoll]

Sweet! Those promo codes and BB pts just make me happy.

 

[gypsiemagic]

I have broken my purchases up, because I have no patience. I also always try to use a promo code with my purchases.

ORDER 1: 6/17/11 - after my 6 month anniversary 20% off (wayy back before there were 3 month codes and whatnot.)



Then there was another $20 off $75 for the holidays! (basically another 6 months)



another discount code! Woo I had 3 referrals that posted a couple days before this so 150 extra points made 500 



I will have 408 after I leave feedback for these and its only been a couple months, but they messed up a sample, I got another referral, and bought a 6 month gift subscription for a friend for her bday.

I also started a second account, and will have 210 on that account. 

Waiting for a good promo to pick up a stila palette and probably the stila x birchbox lipgloss trio because it is totes adorable.