Birchbox Limited Edition Box Travel-Ready Treasures Review

It was back in stock on 08-16-18 but gone again on 08-20-18.

When I started writing this article yesterday, the Travel-Ready Treasures box was still in stock. The article was mostly written, so I decided to publish it anyway. It seems like the boxes are running out of inventory faster than usual. That or the last two boxes I received were in high demand. This is another one I originally was not going to purchase. There are a lot of deluxe items in this, and I have more samples than I can use in a lifetime. I ultimately decided to grab it, because I think the bag is cute and saw enough value in some of the pieces I did not already own. Over a week after the box allegedly shipped, it was still saying USPS Currently Awaiting Package. Thankfully, I contacted Birchbox to see what happened, because almost three weeks later USPS is still “awaiting” the original package. Birchbox did send me a replacement, and that is the one I am reviewing now. Who knows, if USPS ever finds my lost package, Birchbox may have one more brand new kit to sell.

Limited Edition Boxes are my favorite items to purchase from Birchbox. These are a mixture of full and sample sized items that usually fit a specific box theme. All boxes have a value far greater than the cost so they are a great deal when the items you want to keep exceed the value of what you’re paying. Better boxes sell out quickly, but the ones that linger will occasionally pop up in the sale section for 30% off. Aces sometimes get 40% off on sale items. Predicting which ones will sell out is not always easy so I buy the ones I really want close to the release date. If you’re on the fence because of price, wait it out.

Birchbox released a new limited edition box to ACES on 07/11/18 and everyone else on 07/12/18, Travel-Ready Treasures. You do not need a subscription to purchase limited edition boxes from the shop. I originally ordered it on 07/18/18.

As I mentioned above, USPS lost my order, so Birchbox placed it again.

Yes, I did order something else with this box, but if I ever review that, it will be separately. This box retails for $42. It has 17 unique sets or items (the snack bars and eye patches technically have two of each but I am counting those as a set) making the cost of each type of item $2.47. There are seven full-size items, one complete travel set, two full-size snack bar samples, one mini palette, six deluxe sizes, and two pairs of eye masks.

Birchbox is killing it with the limited edition boxes. It has been a long time since I did not purchase one. I have purchased and reviewed every box that is available now. The 35 points I redeemed for this order were all earned purchasing the last box. Getting 1.3 points per dollar (as ACES get) left me with points from this order I will likely use on the next box.

The contents are all inside the dopp which comes inside a shipping box.

A product card going over the items is inside, an important note for those planning to take select items before gifting the box to someone else. You could either omit the card or have no shame in admitting you took things. Unlike the cards that come inside the subscription boxes, the price to buy the full-size is not listed. Most of the items inside this box are travel sized.

The back of the card goes over the box theme, which is Travel-Ready Treasures. It mentions that this dopp kit should hold your entire toiletry shopping list. Considering a lot of the items I would travel with already come inside the bag, I would not need much more than this to take a quick trip.

Some things come packaged and other things do not.

The full-size 0.9oz ARROW PROTECT Aluminum-Free Deodorant retails for $9. I have tried two aluminum-free deodorants this year, and I have issues with both. In an upcoming article, I will go into detail about my issues. What I will say here is I have yet to find one that makes me want to give up my aluminum based deodorant. This is one I’ve wanted to try. At $9 for 0.9oz, this is $10 an ounce. That is really expensive for a house brand. Birchbox owns ARROW. Hopefully, this does not irritate my underarms as it claims it will not. My number one goal is not to smell, and the reviews do not look promising. Whether this pans out or not, I am happy to try it at a discount (over purchasing it on its own for $9).

The Number 4™ Super Detangling Comb retails for $8. This is very large, and I love that it curves around the handle. Have you ever been using a comb to remove tangles and it flies out of your hands or gets stuck in your hair when you hit a particularly rough knot? That never happens with these types of combs. It will always stay in control, which also makes removing tangles less painful. It even promises not to tug. On the Birchbox site, it looks blue. In person, it looks like the shade of green glow in the dark items. Fully expecting it to glow, I tested it. I can assure you it does not glow. At least it looks cool without glowing.

The full-size 15 sheet set of OUAI Anti-Frizz Hair Sheets retails for $18. This is a product that I sampled in my April Foil challenge and loved. As much as I love them, I will rather accept my frizzy hair than pay over $1 per sheet. That means every time I decide I want to tame frizz and flyaways, I have to part with $1.20 (before tax). Getting 15 in this box that I will save for super special occasions when I want sleek hair was the main reason I purchased this. Yes, I could have paid $18 and only gotten this. But look at how many extra things I got for only $24 more.

The way most bloggers feel about Briogeo is the way I feel about Davines. Briogeo may actually be great, but my avocado allergy has prevented me from really exploring that brand (so far). I love everything I’ve tried from Davines and am always open to trying more. The 3.04oz Davines OI Shampoo is worth $9.96. It claims to cleanse while adding volume and protecting hair from UV rays. All three of those sound great to me.

The 2.64oz Davines OI Conditioner is worth $11.40. This conditioner claims it softens strands in addition to everything the shampoo does. My hair is usually soft, but it can get stringy when the frizz overpowers. Anything that reduces frizz and softens hair is great in my book. While I know some people use more shampoo than conditioner (because they do not put conditioner on their scalp and use their regular shampoo with hair masks), I use more conditioner than shampoo. I always put conditioner on my scalp and use a clarifying shampoo anytime I use a mask. It would be nice if I had enough shampoo to pair with this conditioner all the way through, but I can at least see how the shampoo pairs with other conditioners as well.

When Birchbox makes more than one limited edition item to go inside a box, it makes it impossible for me to value it properly. I have to guess on at least one. This Birchbox Sleep Mask is not sold anywhere. That is the reason I cannot link it. My boys have really gotten into sleep masks, so we can never have too many. They always seem to temporarily lose theirs and come borrow mine. Like the bag, which I will discuss below, this is neoprene. Similar sleep masks seem to retail for $6 to $10, so I am going to value this at $8. It matches the design of the bag as well, so they are cute travel companions.

The third reason I purchased this box was to try the Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Masks. The 2 pairs in this set are worth $8.33. I’ve heard so many great things about these, but I rarely buy eye masks at full-price. They always feel like a luxury that add less value than their cost. Though I have yet to find one that really brightens, many claim this is the one. My main goal with eye masks is de-puffing. If they can take down the puffiness in my bags after a night of crying, I will purchase them (when they go on sale, of course).

I love getting samples of anything from Erno Laszlo. It is the brand I really love, but have never actually purchased anything from due to cost. This Erno Laszlo Sensitive Double Cleanse Travel Set retails for $30.

As much as I love the brand, I thought that was too much for a travel set, but it comes with a sturdy plastic traveling case that is well-made and stunning. Long after the items that came with this set are gone, this case will probably still be in tact for other treasures you need to protect. Of course, it also comes with a 2oz Sensitive Cleansing Oil, a 1.7oz Sensitive Cleansing Bar, and a 0.07oz foil of the Timeless Skin Serum. These are both items in my collection that I have not tried yet. If I love them, I am happy to have more. Should they disappoint me, I will gift these bigger ones to someone else.

The travel-size Sigma Beauty E47M Shader Crease Brush is worth about $7. It is not sold in this size, and it is extremely hard to say how much it would sell for if it were. Based on it being over half as big (handle and bristles) as the full-size one I already own, I came up with the value I assigned. This is not my favorite crease brush, but I do like it. I am not a huge fan of mini brushes. Though I will keep this, I will only use it if all of my makeup brushes are dirty. Considering I have a lot of brushes, that will not happen often.

The 0.21oz Smashbox Cosmetics Full Exposure Travel Palette Mini retails for $25. Even though this is really small, it is almost half the size of the large 0.49oz one. This is almost the exact size of a credit card.

This had a lot of loose powder on it when it arrived. There was a broken shade. It was not so broken that I wanted to call Birchbox to ask for a replacement (I never did), but I would never travel with this. Every time I open it, more powder is all over the place and not just from the broken shade. I wish it traveled better, because I like that it is really small and has a mirror.

The palette claims it can create daytime and night-out looks, so I will eventually try it both ways. From the swatches alone, I feel the shimmers have too much glitter and the mattes are too chalky and powdery. In other words, I am not really impressed with any of these. Swatches never tell the full story, but there are plenty of times when the palettes apply the way the swatches do.

The 0.5oz Marvis Toothpaste in Classic Strong Mint is worth $2.40. I do like this toothpaste. Unlike some toothpaste, the mint flavor is not overwhelming. However, I prefer not to go too long without a fluoride toothpaste. Whenever I do, my sensitivity returns. As such, I will give this to my husband and occasionally use it assuming we are ever in the same place.

The Marvis Toothbrush retails for $6. I am pretty exclusive with my Philips Sonicare, but my husband likes these flat disposable toothbrushes. He tends to use these even when he is not traveling while I tend to pack my bulky toothbrush even when I travel.

The 1oz (MALIN+GOETZ) bergamot body wash is worth $2.75. Nothing from this brand has ever made me stop and say I need to buy that again. When it comes to expensive brands, I only repurchase items I find incredible. Otherwise, I try to find something cheaper I like as much. I go into this with low expectations, but I do love anything with a bergamot scent.

The full-size 1.3oz (it is really 1.35oz based on the ml and Birchbox, but I am going with the size printed on the package) Avène Hydrance Light Hydrating Emulsion retails for $32. I have dry skin and while I dream there is a lightweight emulsion that can quench its thirst, I know it is not likely. If someone who is better suited to it tells me they need a moisturizer, it might get re-homed before I get the chance to try it. It would be nice to try this next summer, if I have not given it away by then.

The 1oz Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle is worth $2.94. I always assume this is 1oz, because there is no size printed on Beauty Protector samples. This is one I already know it love. It smells incredible and detangles extremely well. My hair does seem less frizzy when I use it, so I think it does lock in some moisture.

The Pressed by KIND Fruit Bars in Strawberry Apple Cherry Chia and Mango Apple Chia are worth $2.49. I am not a mango fan, so I will give that one to my husband. These bars only have the ingredients of the fruits they are blending together. As someone who loves strawberries, apples, and cherries, it is no surprise that I love this. Even though there is no sugar added, there is a lot of natural sugar (and tartness) from the fruits.

The Birchbox Dopp Kit is not sold separately outside of this set, which is the reason I cannot link it. As promised, it is very spacious. Everything in this set fit inside the kit, and there was room to spare, especially once I unboxed everything. This is one of those rare occasions where I think it is cuter online than in person. I do not like the pink stitching against the dark background. It makes it look messy and like the stitching will eventually give out, even if that is not the case. Neoprene is washable, which makes this an awesome toiletry bag (assuming the stitching holds up to the washing). If this does not fall apart, I am sure it will make me happy. After calculating everything else, this has a $31.73 value. Scroll down for my thoughts on this.

Whenever you spend over $35, you can add a free 2-piece sample pack to your cart. This combines with any promo code, because you add it directly to your cart. Birchbox sells this for $10 for anyone spending less than $35. It has been a long time since the value was over $10 so I highly discourage anyone spending less than $35 to buy it. For the past two years, I mostly get one deluxe sample and one foil with every set. I received a 0.67oz Bioderma® Sensibio H2O Make-Up Removing Micelle Solution ($0.87), and a Biore Deep Cleansing Charcoal Pore Strip ($0.94). My sample pack has a $1.81 value. The pore strips come in foils. That is why I am actually placing value on it when I do not usually do that with foils.

Discount promo codes are on my Birchbox page, but you can always view the Bonus Shop for GWP promo offers. Promo codes cannot be combined. Choose the one you like best. I used the code 15FORYOU to get 15% off a $35 purchase. It surprised me that the code also worked on the Bobbi Brown item, because that is in the Price Drop $5, $10, $15 specials. Whenever already discounted items allow discount codes, it feels like double-dipping. No complaints here.

The box retails for $42, and it has a $215 value. I usually calculate the price of every item and list the total to compare what I come up with to the advertised value. Since two items are not sold separately and one of those items has nothing similar I can even compare it to, I had no choice but to assign the difference between everything else and the advertised value to price it. That is not what I prefer, because I find it is very rare for a limited edition box to hit the exact advertised value. Most come in under it. It is highly unlikely this dopp kit would retail for over $30. At most, I would say $20 to $25.

My personal value is $205.40, because I will not keep the Marvis items or the mango bar. I am technically giving it all to my husband. When things stay within my immediate family, I could argue they fall within my personal value. Most of these items are new to my collection and many are items I’ve wanted to try. Of all the duplicates to my collection, there is nothing I dislike. That means there is a good chance I will use them. Of course, duplicates are usually the first things to go when I gift things, because I love trying new things. An exception is when I really love something. Giving away something I adore is really hard. This is a great box, and even though I typically do not like buying kits of mostly samples, this has enough full-size products to overlook that.

If you want to subscribe, remember to look at start-up offers. Look at discount offers and items available in the Bonus Shop when shopping the store. Remember to add your free two-piece sample pack when spending $35 from the Bonus Shop. Tips For Getting the Best Deal lays out all the ways I know to save money at Birchbox. See other Birchbox articles and Limited Edition Boxes. View my main page for the guide map to the site and deeper deal exploration.

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