When we talk about dairy-free living and gift-giving, our minds naturally turn to food. But what’s high on my wish list this year is beauty products. Many topical products contain milk, and for those of us with food concerns, sensitive skin can also be a major issue. And frankly, with the sea of make-up, lotions, and potions out there, searching for those holy grail items can be so overwhelming. Which is why this year, I’m treating myself to Birchbox!
This post is sponsored by Birchbox, but the opinions are my own. Plus, I am gifting a subscription to myself and some Birchbox Holiday Gifts to loved ones!
Why Birchbox is a Pretty Perfect Gift
Truth be told, I’m about as low maintenance as they come. I want to pamper my skin as it ages and find just the right make-up for my fair complexion, but I seriously don’t know where to start. Plus, I work at home. So beauty routines and hunting for the perfect products fall low on my priority list. Which means when we do go out, or an event pops up, I feel completely “under-dressed”.
Enter my new love, Birchbox. I received the December Birchbox, which is tailored to your profile for hair type, skin type and color preferences. It included five samples ranging from single-use to full-size. And let me tell you, this frugalista couldn’t believe the whole kit and caboodle was just $10! The adorable box housed just the right mix of anti-aging goodies and brighteners, along with the perfect hair product for my very fine, lifeless locks.
Though not all beauty products have ingredients on the packaging, I was able to very quickly search on Birchbox to confirm that all of the goodies in my box were indeed dairy-free! I love how transparent they are and the obvious focus on quality.
Face Time with the Full Birchbox Shop
I was so enamored by the ease and diversity of the Birchbox subscription that I almost missed the fact that they are also a full beauty retailer. On their website you can browse thousands of products for men and women.
Though they don’t have a search specific to dairy-free products, Birchbox includes ample details for each product. And, as mentioned, full ingredient lists are on every product page, even for beauty tools! Plus, they DO have an advanced search that lets you drill down by things like Vegan and Gluten-free. I’m sure they’ll catch the dairy-free wave soon!
I discovered some fun gems like the full line of Oribe (their value-oriented Styling Kit pictured above) and dairy-free Milk Make-up! I can’t help it. The novelty of Milk beauty without a drop of dairy is just too fun. Over 60% of the Milk product line is vegan, and far more are dairy-free.
Brushing Up on the Birchbox Options
Birchbox is a great gift for the beauty lovers, but it’s actually perfect for women like me who aren’t obsessed with beauty. It takes all the guesswork out, ultimately making beauty less intimidating and overwhelming. And there are several shopping options to choose from:
- The women’s Birchbox subscriptions are available in 3-, 6- or 12-month increments starting at $30. Each box includes five deluxe samples of makeup, hair, skincare and fragrance products. I’m gifting a year to myself!
- Birchbox Man subscriptions start at $60 for 3 months. I’m seriously thinking about ordering it for Tony. He’s been talking about upping his grooming game, too.
- You can go rogue shopping on Birchbox, but I love that they have numerous beauty sets and a Holiday Gift section. Not to mention, many items include Free Shipping with no additional purchases required. I’m gifting some of the cheeky, full-size, dairy-free Milk gift sets to throw a few loved ones for a fun loop!
As a bonus, Birchbox has a stellar rewards program, and they are available in the US, UK, Spain, France, Belgium and Ireland.
42 Comments
I’ve never heard of Birch Box until now. I keep reading the bit about $10 – how / what / whoa! Also, I think it’s fun to pamper ourselves with gifts like this – sometimes we need to give to ourselves!
Seriously, it’s too much of a value to pass up Dreena!
That’s so awesome! It’s amazing how many beauty products are a no go because they contain allergens. Thanks for sharing this resource 😀
Seriously. People forget that putting things on your skin can be so problematic, too!
That’s so cool their search caters to different diets and skincare needs–I didn’t know that!
How do I get started!?! I spent an hour looking at products in a store last night. I would love a curated box!
Just head on over and sign right up Sharon! They’ve got some good holiday deals going on right now, too. Here’s the link -> http://birch.ly/2htxvYJ
This would be a perfect gift for someone who shall remain nameless (me) 😉
Haha, I’ll spread the word 🙂
What a fun Christmas gift idea!
What a great price! Having a subscription is the gift that keeps on giving!
This is a great gift and I love that you can custom search based on needs and wants like being oil free, vegan, ect! Wish I would have known about this a little sooner it would have been perfect for someone on my Christmas list.
Well, maybe you can get it for them on their birthday 🙂
That’s great to hear that they list all ingredients and make it safe for us!
What a fun gift for someone! Love the variety and all the choices. Nice!!
What a great review for Birchbox! I love the idea of getting a beauty box delivered to my door each month! Talk about feeling pampered! Love that they offer dairy-free products to their consumers!
Yep, and we can all use some pampering – especially around the holidays!
I would love to be spoiled every month with a beautiful box like this!
I’ve been looking at BirchBox but was waiting to hear what reviews it had from someone I knew. Glad to know it was loved! Maybe I’ll have to get myself a Christmas present this year.
I honestly recommend it Nicole. For the price, it’s fun and practical with just the right size of samples for experimenting with new things. Great for those into beauty, but as someone who is clueless in the make-up and skincare departments, I can vouch that it’s out of this world for “beauty newbies” 🙂
$10??? That’s awesome and what fabulous gift idea for someone.
I know, right? I was thinking, how could I NOT get this at that price?!
I sooooo need this! I have no idea where to start with make-up and face products and my skin is all of a sudden showing it’s age. I woke up one day to huge eye bags and wrinkles and UGH! I JUST bought the Beauty Blender TODAY! Literally like 3 hours ago – so funny to see it in your pics too. Guess I made a good choice! I definitely am going to check out getting one of these boxes for myself!
You sound just like me Jenn! Exact same dilemma, too. All of a sudden, age slapped me in the face – and my face didn’t go back 🙂 And I’m clueless with beauty products, but this is helping a bunch!
This looks like such a nice box! I didn’t realize that they were customizable. I love that they have a vegan option for searching.
It’s definitely a neat, more tailored shopping experience, which I love!
I’ve never tried any sort of delivery service like this before but I’ve seen some great ones!! I love how personalized this is to you – even though they are all meant to be samples!
This was my first time trying a non-food one, and I think I like it even better!
I love this! Finding vegan beauty product is way trickier than finding vegan food. Anything that makes it easier gets my thumbs up!
Haha, so true Becky!
How fun is this! I am going to have to check this out!
You definitely should Meg!
oh i think these monthly boxes are so fun. I love not knowing what will show up and then learning about a bunch of new products! Super cool to see it full of dairy-free products
You and me both Amanda! I love surprises, so these are my dream gifts!