BirchboxMan
$10 per month
I’ll be upfront and honest — this is the first BirchboxMan box that was disappointing for me. I did not love anything in this box, even though I got a special bonus item. But hey, they’ve been real solid the past three months so they certainly deserve an “off month” every once in a while.
As per their usual, BirchboxMan did a good job of introducing a couple of new brands, including Lucky Bastard Co., Stubble & Stache, DTRT and English Laundry. That puts our total product count at 20 from 19 different brands. That’s some great variety.
The theme for this month: “Here We Go, Holidays”. Again, the theme is very vague and weak on its own, and the grooming products don’t really speak to this theme. However, aside from the 5 core grooming products, they included two 4 inch paper coasters from twelveNYC as a bonus! One coaster says “Sum up your year in 6 words”, and the other coaster says “What’s the next big thing for you?”. The coasters were also designed to match the style of the BirchboxMan box. These coasters aren’t the best quality, but still, it was a nice effort by BirchboxMan to add some holiday spirit to the box this month.
Lookin' fancy in a grid. What six words would you use?
The Grooming Products
Billy Jealousy: Headlock – 2 oz = $16. This sample comes with 0.25 oz, which is worth $2 based on the listed price. Description: “High-hold paste: it infuses hair with moisturizing sea buckthorn seed oil, conditioning panthenol, and volumizing swertia. The result is a matte finish and firm-yet-pliable style.”
DTRT: Skin Saver - 1.7oz = $39. This sample comes with 0.5 oz, which is worth around $11.50 based on the listed price. Strange thing here is that the product’s actual website lists it for $29. But I don’t think there’s a way to order it from the site itself. And on BirchoxMan it lists it for $39. This is probably because this product is foreign. Description: “[this] face cream contains ceramide, which forms an insoluble film on your skin to lock in moisture and protect it from pollutants—all while remaining breathable. Bolstering these effects are moisturizing aloe leaf juice and soothing licorice extract.”
A menu of grooming products!
English Laundry: Tahitian Waters Cologne (Eau de parfum)– 3.4 oz = $85. This sample comes with 0.06 oz, which is worth $1.50. Description: “Tropical, Bright & Refreshing. Inspired by the calming breeze and tropical feel of the islands, Tahitian Waters is a refreshing fragrance with soothing notes that open with Grapefruit, Mint & Manadrin, settles into Jasmine, Magnolia & Lily, with a base of amber, patchouli and cedarwood.” (Read this article if you need some background information on what all this cologne terminology means.)
Lucky Bastard: Lip Balm - 0.15 oz = $6. This product was not a sample! We received the regular 0.15 oz tube. So, the full $6 of value on this one. Description: “Lucky Bastard Company sources all organic ingredients creating a premium product containing a natural SPF to withstand every environment.”
Stubble and ‘Stache: Face Moisturizer – 3 oz = $34. This sample comes with 0.5 oz, which is worth $5.70 based on the listed price. Description: “Our 2 in 1 Beard Conditioner and Face Moisturizer conditions your beard, attacks beard itch all while hydrating your handsome face and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This includes ingredients like Aloe, Jojoba Oil, Argan Oil, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Chamomile, Vitamins A and E and Pro Vitamin B5.”
My Favorite Item
Alright, I’m not going to spend any time making fun of or denigrating these products. Bottom line is that I didn’t love any of them, so it would be disingenuous for me to pick a “favorite”. I’ll leave it at that.
Value and Conclusion
If you were to like some of the stuff in this box, then there’s definitely some great value to be had. $26 of value for only $10, shipping included. However, if like me, you didn’t really love anything in this box, then this was not a great “value” in the strictest meaning of the word. Listen, like I said here, there’s really only so many grooming products out there for men, and the point of BirchboxMan (from my perspective) is to try it for a few months so that you can get a sense of the variety available, and then choose your favorites to purchase on your own and end your subscription. If you use BirchboxMan in this way, then you’re going to have a few months that you go “meh,” and a few months where you say “yeah.” This is a “meh” month. On to the next!