Ipsy vs. Birchbox 1
of 3 February 2015
For Valentines day
my boyfriend got me a 3 month subscription to Birchbox so I could try
it out and see if I was really missing anything now that they have
arrived in Canada. So I thought starting this month I would compare
the two while I am receiving them both and see how they hold up
against one another! **ALL PRICES ARE IN CAD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
We are going to
start with Birchbox this month because it arrived first.
The packaging is so
different from ipsy and it kind of seems a bit wasteful to have a box
within a box, like they could have just designed it to have just been
one box but I do like the smaller box, it was cute so I guess I can't
complain too much.
I was super excited
to be getting the February box from Birchbox because some of the
products looked awesome but when you get a gift subscription
apparently you don't start out with the month you get gifted it,
instead you get a “welcome box” which I found disappointing. I
messaged customer service asking about this and they said it's
because most people gifted a subscription don't have their
preferences filled out but I dunno, I kind of feel like I am losing a
box, but this could just be me being weird.
Enough of me
complaining and on to the actual box itself!
Birchbox costs 14.95
CAD per month and you can find my referral link here.
This box had no
theme as it was the welcome box.
Contents:
Total Value 16.10
Dr. Lipp OriginalNipple Balm For Lips --Sample Value $3.40 (Full Size $14.50)
It's a super thick
yellow ointment consistency that absorbs into your lips pretty
easily. When you first start trying to get the product from the tube
it is super hard, but as the product warms it is a bit easier. It
isn't the best lip balm I have ever tried in my life but it is one of
them and I am glad to have it around as we are getting a crazy late
winter right now and it's -18 on a regular day here. Overall I am
going to rate this product a 9/10 and I absolutely would buy a
full size of it, it's definitely on my pre-winter shopping list for
next year.
Harvey PrinceHello Body Cream --Sample Value $1.08 (Full Size $22)
The container says
Sicilian lemon, Spanish mandarin botanicals and Shea butter. To me it
smells like Shea butter and faintly like lemon. I don't find the
lotion to be particularly moisturizing, I find it sits on the skin a
bit and is a little sticky, especially on my hand. I am rating this
product a 4/10 especially when I compare it to my Bath and
Body Works lotions. I won't be purchasing a full size of this lotion.
theBalm cosmeticsStainiac in Beauty Queen --Sample Value $2.40 (Full Size
$17)
This isn't supposed
to be a full coverage tint and it isn't which is great because
sometimes you need a subtle bit of tint and that's what this product
provides. It is a gel type consistency and blends nicely into my skin
and I like it. I am rating it at a 7/10 and I might repurchase
it if I am ever looking for a subtle red tint again. But I currently
have a tonne of red tints so I am focusing more on getting through
them.
Vasanti CosmeticsBrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator --Sample Value $5.66
(Full Size $34)
I was super excited
to try this cleanser, it's super gritty and smells amazing, it
contains papaya and I can definitely smell it. It left my skin
feeling clean and soft and left my fingertips super soft as well. My
skin was also left looking brighter and it lessened some of the
redness around my nose. As far as exfoliating cleansers go I am going
to give this one an 8/10 because a lot of cleansers that
exfoliate tend to leave my skin dry and this one left is soft and
smooth. I think I will for sure be buying a full size of this
product.
Whish Shave Crave
in Acai
Grapefruit --Sample Value $3.56 (Full Size $20)
The smell of this
shave cream is super sweet and flowery, I don't get the grapefruit
smell at all. It did soften my skin a bit but no more than applying
lotion to my skin after a shave. It didn't lather very well and all
and all I wasn't super impressed so I am going to give it a 5/10
I definitely will not be buying a full size of this and might in fact
pass this sample size on to someone else.
Average rating
for items in this month's box is 6.6
Overall I am not super impressed with this month's box but I am
looking forward to my first proper box next month!
Now on to ipsy!
Ipsy cost $19.62 this month and you can find my referral link here.
This month's theme was #ipsyLove
The bag is super cute I love the pink and grey together and I can
honestly say this has been one of my favourite bags.
Contents: Total Value approx $91.70CAD using exchange rate on
17/02/15
City Color Cosmetics Creamy Lip Stain in Flirtini –Sample
Value $4.99USD (approx. $6.18CAD)
This Product is Full Sized. When I swatched this I was super
excited, it was really opaque and it's a really nice pink. When I put
it on my lips though I found it quite drying, even though I did
moisturize my lips before applying it but it still dried my lips to
the point of flaking. It looks pretty on my lips but it isn't super
long wearing, though it does cling in some spots, so I recommend
bringing it with you if you are wearing it out for touch-ups. I give
this product a 6/10 and I won't be repurchasing it in the
future.
Emite Make Up Professional Eye Lash Curler --Sample
Value $25USD
(approx. $30.97CAD)
I
love this curler, it is wide enough to get every single one of my
lashes! Most of the curlers I have tried I have to curl in two
seconds but this one it is just so easy. I love it and I am so glad
to have gotten it. Would I have spent $30 on it? I have no idea, but
I am glad I didn't have to make that choice. 9/10
You
go Glenn Coco!
Eva NYC Up AllNight Volumizing Spray --Sample
Value $10USD
(approx. $12.39CAD) Travel
This product is travel size. I haven't had a chance to do a blow out
with this product but I have tried using it for texture and it does
deliver. Mine was only partially full because of the cap not being
tight enough but we'll see if I get enough uses to get a good opinion
about it. Look for a proper review in the future. 7/10 for
now.
This product is half of a full size. The oil smells amazing, you can
smell it when you are putting it on your face and I am not sure
exactly how to describe it, it's just amazing. It starts absorbing
right away but not not too fast and it makes my skin feel so soft, I
could definitely see myself using this with the cleanser I got with
the Birchbox welcome box. I'm giving this a 9/10 and I will
seriously be looking into purchasing a full sized bottle of this
depending on how long this lasts me.
ModelCo BLUSH Cheek Powder in Cosmopolitan 01 --Sample
Value $11USD (approx.
$13.63CAD)
This product seems to be about half of a full sized though it's hard
to be exact as the Modelco
website doesn't list sizes, I had to research through YouTube videos.
Cosmopolitan is a super pretty ballet slipper pink and it blends very
nicely, it does seem a bit powdery and I will have to use it a few
more times to see how it compares to the other blushes I own but for
now I am giving it a 7/10. I don't think I'll be looking for a
full size of this though.
Average rating
for this month's bag is 7.6
Overall I think Ipsy took it this month but it wasn't really a fair
fight given that it wasn't a normal birchbox. But we will see next
month!
See you next time!
Alex
xoxoxo
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