I received my BDJ Box for June a few days ago, but I’ve only gotten around to writing this post now. I edited the pictures on my iPad Mini and am writing this post on the WordPress app. I’m already so tired of typing (because I keep making mistakes!) but let’s see how long I can keep this up.

The June box is chock-full of stuff. Let’s see if they’re things that I’d enjoy.

First up are three items from the L’Oreal Paris Fall Repair 3x Line: the shampoo (Php 110, 180ml), conditioner (Php 119, 180ml), and hair tonic (Php 259, 90ml). This line is designed to reduce hair fall by strengthening and nourishing your hair.

If these look familiar, then you’ve been paying attention! Both the shampoo and conditioner were part of BDJ Box’s L’Oreal themed box a few months back, and they were bigger sizes then. I appreciate the inclusion of the tonic, but there’s just something about getting repeats that is disappointing, even if they are perfectly good products.

Next up is the Physiogel Hypoallergenic Intensive Cream (Php 574.50, 50ml), which is “a non-comedogenic cream, enriched with Derma Membrane Structure (DMS) technology, ceramide, and lipids that mimic your own skin’s lipid layers.”

Even though it is something I would ordinarily have been excited to get, I was a bit disappointed when I opened the box and saw this, just because I have an arsenal of moisturizers that I want to get through and am perfectly happy with.

However! I noticed that these could be used on other areas prone to dryness and irritation, such as elbows and hands, so that’s awesome.

Apparently, this is another repeat, this time from the November box. I don’t really mind since I didn’t get that box, but loyal BDJ Box subscribers might not be too thrilled about that.

Next, we have this month’s cosmetics offerings! First up is a lipstick, the Avon Vitaluscious lipstick in O400 Reviving Red (Php 299, 3.6g). I haven’t opened it yet, but I am a bit wary of the color. I did an entire post on reds for Lipstick Week, but I’m not sure if I am completely comfortable with wearing a red lip. I suppose it depends on the kind of red it is!

The next makeup item is a Revlon Photoready Kajal Intense Eyeliner + Brightener in Purple Reign (Php 525, 2.4g). It’s a dual-ended eyeliner, with a colored end and a nude end for rimming the lower lash line. I REALLY liked that they sent me this color, because I LOVE purple liner, and I prefer a nude liner for rimming the lower lash line than a white.

The pencil seems a little short, though, especially when you take into account that it’s a dual-ended pencil, which means that there is only half as much of each color in this pencil. Still, I think it’s a great option to try if you want to veer away from your standard black or brown liner.

Last, but not the least, two small samples from this new skin care brand called Kinerase. I got the Gentle Daily Cleanser (Php 2800, 200ml; sample size: 5ml) and the C6 Peptide Intensive Treatment (Php 5000, 40g; sample size: 5ml).

Kinerase seems to mainly target issues of aging, with the overall aim to improve the skin. The C6 Peptide Intensive Treatment, for example, is used to minimize the depth of wrinkles. I think this month’s theme—The Science of Beauty—may have been built around this brand.

I personally don’t really have an anti-aging regimen, though I’ve been using a Multi-Wrinkle Repair Cream by bareMinerals occasionally, so I’m not too keen on this line just yet. Maybe in 5 years, I will be.

And that concludes this month’s box! Thank you to the BDJ Box Team for providing six month’s worth of boxes for me.

* This month’s BDJ Box was sent by the BDJ Box Team. I was not required to write or compensated for a review.

Within that spam of time, I was able to experience a 6-month subscription, skipping one month in between, and from my personal experience, I can safely say that I am not a subscription box type of person. That may be my own disposition towards “surprises” in the mail, but I’ll try to outline my overall thoughts.

PROS:
— exploration of new brands and products
— door-to-door delivery
— new surprises in the mail
— cost of box subscription usually met and exceeded by cost of items inside the box

CONS:
— can’t really control getting items you don’t really want
— high risk of wasted or unused products
— getting the “wrong” color or skin type

Overall, I think that part of my lack of excitement over the boxes stems from me getting items that I only sort of liked, instead of items that I KNEW I would love. Of course, I understand that in these companies’ infancy stages, I can’t expect a highly specific curation of items, as they will more than likely opt to cater to more people than to specific interests.

I have enjoyed my experience with other similar services such as the Field Notes Colors Subscription, and a number of Quarterly subscriptions, because the items are specific and those “themes” were chosen by me.

The Colors subscription is straightforward—Field Notes notebooks in limited edition iterations—while the Quarterly system allows for a little bit of picking and choosing. I pretty much knew, vaguely, what I was going to get from these subscriptions and elected to get those items, whereas for subscription services like BDJ Box, my expectations are not filtered by a more specific thing (just “beauty”, “skin care”, and “hair care”).

I am more prone to disappointment, given that the area that subscription boxes like BDJ Box operate within are pretty general.

I think I would be more happy to spend more money also, if it meant I would get more premium items or brands. There’s a thought.

I had a lot of fun getting these boxes once a month, but I don’t think that it is for me. I am a very picky person, so I think it really wasn’t meant to be. Hehe.

If I were on a budget, I think I would rather go on a challenge like Pammy Blogs Beauty’s MAC Matters, where she set out to build her “MAC Core Collection” using the $21/month she would have spent on her current subscription boxes.

If you are a subscription box kinda girl, head on over to Tellie’s blog, as she is Queen of subscription boxes. If you want to try a BDJ Box on for size, head on over to bdjbox.com and put yourself on the list for a box or two. I think it is perfect for budding makeup enthusiasts who don’t know where to start exploring just yet.

What do you think of beauty boxes? Are you subscribed to any now?