The day that I put up the very first Birchbox Man unboxing and review just so happened to be the same day that my husband’s February Birchbox Man showed up. What?! WHAT?!
Birchbox Man is a $20/month subscription, and every month, subscribers will receive a curated box of five, grooming, and/or lifestyle samples. From there, decisions can be made if the products are worth the money, and can purchase the full-sized items from their shop. Like other subscription services, you can earn points that can also be redeemed in the shop. Pretty sweet. You may notice right away that the Birchbox Man box is $10/month more than the women’s version, but the men’s boxes are more lifestyle geared, and include clothes and gadgets here and there. Exciting.
So yeah, his February box showed up before February even showed up, so instead of doing an unboxing post right after we received it, I decided to wait until Michael tried all of the products for a week, and then write something. So now, I have another exciting unboxing AND review for your reading and viewing pleasure.
What I learned though this unboxing experience is that my husband is no good at unboxings. No good at all. He just wanted to tear into everything RIGHT AWAY. No patience at all. Jeez.
As you may recall, for the first unboxing last month, he was away on business, so I was able to open, photograph and do all that I do while taking my time and with no interruptions. This time was a tad different. He kept taking stuff from my perfectly staged little set up. It was actually amazingly hilarious. And of course Marcus had to help too.
Anyway, let’s just get right to it.
This month’s theme as we learn from the little card is, “Optimized: Streamline your existence with high-tech formulas, handy gadgets, and clever cleaning solutions.” Interesting.
We were both super excited to see what all would be inside this time. I know I’ve said it before in the last Birchbox post, as well as the Boxycharm posts, but it’s seriously SO MUCH FUN getting a box of surprise-goodies every single month. I swear, these subscription boxes are AMAZING.
Anyway, after going over the card, Michael (and Marcus) started to check everything out.
Product 1: Quirky Cordies, $4.99
Birchbox Breakdown: Desktop cable management may not be sexy, but neither is rooting around on your hands and knees amidst the mounting dust bunnies under your desk looking for your fallen power charger. Cordies keeps all your power cords, phone chargers, and audio cables in order so you can plug in and unplug easily and quickly.
Our Thoughts: Hmm… While this little thing comes from good intentions and a great idea, neither of us saw it as something totally necessary. Michael has it on his desk right now, and isn’t really getting much in the way of use. It’s clever, smart, but is it something that will ever see any real use? We don’t know, but we’ll find out.
Product 2: Quirky Wrapster, $1.99
Birchbox Breakdown: When you store your earbuds in your pocket or backpack, they typically go in neatly folded like a new pair of shoelaces, but come out looking more like a ball of dried out spaghetti. This small and durable plastic contraption is designed to keep your headphones organized and detangled as they go in and out of your pocket.
Our Thoughts: We were JUST talking about how we would never have gone out of our way to purchase this, but we are glad he got it in his box. It’s smart, and does exactly what it says it will do. Frankly, it’s one of those things that you think would be nice to have, but never get, and guess what? It is nice to have. Thumbs up on this product, especially with how often Michael travels. It’s great to just throw in his carry-on or briefcase. It makes the ear buds easy to find, and how nice is it that they’re not a tangled mess???
Product 3: Histories de Parfums 1899 cologne sample – Full Sized, $125/2 fl oz
Bichbox Breakdown: Ernest Hemingway, exemplar of all things craggy and masculine, was the inspiration for this complex fragrance—but don’t expect notes of rum and tobacco. This is a cultured fragrance for a cultured man. Papa would approve.
Our Thoughts: OH. MY. GOSH. This is both Michael’s and my favorite item from this entire box. And I love it even more now that I found out it’s inspired by one of my favorite men, Ernest Hemingway. It smells amazing. According to Fragrantica, the 1899 Hemingway cologne contains top notes of bergamot, juniper and black pepper; middle notes of orange blossom, iris and cinnamon; base notes of vanilla, vetiver and amber. It’s a bit spicy, a bit sweet, and all around just… bliss. Granted Michael may want to try to make this little spritz bottle last, since $125 is a lot to drop on a single bottle with only 2 fl oz, but maybe it is worth saving up for. I can’t stop smelling it… Perhaps it’ll make for a good special-occasion gift down the road…. Shhh…
Product 4: Proper Bar Soap, Elderflower sample – Full Size, $15
Birchbox Breakdown: Positive energy comes in countless forms, from a tranquil morning shower to an afternoon of service. And Proper makes a point of targeting them all. This rich, French-milled bar soap is awash in feel-good vibes, using a hydrating blend of shea and olive oil to moisturize as it cleans. And if that doesn’t tip the scales, a portion of every sale is used to build clean water systems—because giving, in any context, is the greatest reward.
Our Thoughts: Michael was pretty excited about getting this product, since he’s been missing bar soaps since switching over to body washes and scrubs, and this soap took second place for his favorites in this month’s box. The texture is great and it fluffs up quite a bit. And it smells so fresh, while being a bit sweet. His skin was left soft and moisturized, without feeling like there was any kind of a film left over. Thumbs up from him, but is on the fence whether he’d spend $15 on this in the future because that’s expensive for bar soap…
Product 5: English Laundry Pomade sample, Full size – $25
Birchbox Breakdown: When it comes to your coif, shine shouldn’t come at the expense of comfort and control. Avoid a crusty hair gel catastrophe with this firm-but-pliable pomade. Pairing a medium hold with a polished finish, it makes dapper a lot more doable.
Our Thoughts: Michael still hasn’t tried this product, and is hesitant to do so because it says it’s got a “polished finish” and leaves your hair with a high-shine finish. He’s more of a matte kind of guy, and not a John Travolta in Greece kind of guy. So I think he’ll skip on that.
Product 6: Quirky Carabandits, $7.99
Birchbox Breakdown: Buckle up for a surprisingly smooth ride, thanks to this heavy-duty rubber band and its carabiner-inspired hook. Like a bungee cord for everyday excursions, it will securely fasten a water bottle, yoga mat, or whatever needs to stay put when you hit the streets. This pack includes three bands in small, medium, and large. To affix an item, unscrew one end of the hook, slide your item onto the band, screw it closed, and clip the hook to your bag or belt loop. Small items like keys can clip directly to the carabiner.
Our Thoughts: We’ve got some mixed thoughts on these cables… The clips don’t seem super sturdy, being made of plastic, but then again, they’re not meant to carry bricks. They’re meant for water bottles, mats or even a sweatshirt or something. It’s pretty neat, and Michael thinks he’ll get some good use out of them while traveling. So yeah, it’s another one of those “cool but don’t need it” items that now that he’s got it, will be used.
So overall, the February 2015 Birchbox Man box was full of fun little gadgets, a hair pomade that he may just never open, an INCREDIBLE cologne, and a pretty sweet bar of soap.
Michael loves getting this box every month, excited to see what surprises are awaiting him, but we’re still researching other men’s subscriptions, to see if there’s anything better out there for him. But for now, this is a good one.
