Reviews
4 reviewsI dont notice any option to review the box so i woll do it here i subscribe to both the monthly and quarterly boxes and i really enjoy them they include items and brand i dont see in other subscription boxes that are targeted for a redheads sensitive skin and frisky hair nature
This listing is for the book, but I see people reviewing the subscription box here, so I’ll just leave my review as well:
How to Be a Redhead is a great beauty subscription box with a unique specialty— it’s all good for redheads!
For years I wanted to buy one of those monthly beauty subscription boxes, but I never did because I knew from experience that any time I’d buy an all inclusive selection of makeup (skin products, or eyeshadow palettes etc…) inevitably I end up getting annoyed and frustrated that almost everything in it is suited to “average” skin tones, which (compared to most redheads) that ends up being about 3-to-4 shades too dark— and therefore half of the pre-selected items would be useless— and that’s if I’m lucky! It usually ended up being more like 80% useless products that are all wrong for a redhead’s skin.
I understand the redhead population is relatively small (it’s estimated at only 1%–2% of the world’s population) but that said, it’s still a lot of people and as consumers, a redhead’s money is worth every bit as much as a blonde’s or a brunette’s, so it annoyed me how everything was catered to being either blonde or brunette and redheads (along with other groups) were all relegated to one “miscellaneous” category. Understanding this is one thing but I still wished I could easily find suitable products.
After years of feeling left out, I stumbled upon #H2BARbox. It’s been a godsend.
Each month your $25/ monthly subscription box is supposed to deliver a selection of redhead-friendly products to your door, said to be valued at many times more expensive than that $25/month subscription amount— and FTR, I do believe this to be true. I’m generally a skeptical person so I usually go online and check the individual prices myself just to make sure their claims hold up and to make sure I’m really getting my money’s worth.
Now, to be clear— it’s not always makeup, and it’s not always skincare. It seems the breakdown is APPROXIMATELY about 70%-30%, the majority of them being skincare products. Another complaint I read was the products are not always JUST for redheads.
NB: #H2BAR never claimed they curate products that are for “REDHEADS ONLY”, it’s just that some people apparently read into their description too much and then were disappointed the products were too versatile.
It is estimated that Redheads only make up about 1%–2% of the earth’s population, so it shouldn’t be surprising that makeup and beauty product manufacturers are not rushing to gear their product lines towards such a small, niche market. SOME products will be for “redheads only”, but ALL will be “redhead friendly”.
The only real complaint that I have is that it’s sometimes inconsistent. That is to say, some months the amount you get *feels* like you are really getting a great value and you can easily see how the sum of the products would retail for well over $250… but other months it doesn’t seem that way and it feels like you’re getting less.
So to sum up, it feels lopsided. One month you might get a tube of sunblock, a fabulous shampoo and conditioner, a cute little makeup bag or brush, a nice moisturizer or a face serum, and a lipgloss, mascara or eyebrow pencil (all in redhead friendly shades, of course) and maybe a sample or two (usually of a higher-end, new &/or more expensive product, like toner or face serum) and on those months, you couldn’t be happier with your subscription. Those months you can easily see the value and you are thrilled with what you’re getting for $25…
but then other months— you’re disappointed. It feels too heavy on the samples. Those are great too, but they are always put aside for “travel” but then they are forgotten (or passed over in favor of bringing something else I’ve already tried and I KNOW works for me and that I’m sure I like) samples often get lost or expire and have to be discarded, after they’ve withered away at the bottom of my beauty stash. The writing on them is also minuscule (or non-existent) and you have to save the little postcard that comes along with each shipment which details the items they included that month, describes what it does, and/or its ingredients. So you pretty much have to use them right away— but, depending on what the samples are (e.g. sunblock or deep conditioning masque) you don’t necessarily need or WANT to use them right away, but I always find if you don’t use the samples right away, they just fall by the wayside. If I can’t identify the contents of the sample and it’s been sitting in my drawer for months, I usually just end up throwing it out.
Although I have checked their claims (I’ve googled each and every product) and I found that YES, technically the products WOULD retail for at least $250 and each box DOES work out to be roughly the same value from month-to-month (dollar-wise… the items always retail for CONSIDERABLY more than the $25/ month subscription price) but it doesn’t always SEEM like you get an equivalent amount from one month to the next— some months you feel delighted with your #H2BARbox haul… but then other times you are little disappointed and it feels pretty thin.
For example:
Claim: to (usually) send full-sized products
Truth: Yes. This is the case— USUALLY, *but* occasionally (especially when they include something like a boutique brand, or higher-and serum, for example or some other prohibitively expensive item no one could possibly reasonably expect to receive a full-sized container of that item (along with several other products) inside their $25/monthly subscription box… they just give you a department store style sample. Sometimes there’s an online coupon code for10%-15% off that product (in addition, or sometimes INSTEAD of an actual sample) for said item. Those are annoying and truthfully (because you’d have to shell out additional money for that item to even get the discount) I don’t factor those into the overall value of the #H2BARbox or even appreciate getting those at all. It also doesn’t help that I usually don’t even know anything about the brand, or if I even like the product they’re giving me the coupon for, plus they ARE asking you to drive to a store (or order online and pay shipping) and you’d have to shell out more cash. These days, if you want me traipsing around a mall or shopping center, then you’re going to have to do better than that. Usually the discount they offering is ONLY about 10% or 15% off. That’s probably the manufacture’s doing, but still… #H2BAR IS including these coupons on occasion and they make it feel off-brand— very tacky.
That’s all well and good, but looking at the contents on those “thin months”, I can safely say that if that paltry LOOKING box (even though the cash value is probably equal to or greater than the others) can be a detriment. Last month’s box was a little heavy on the samples for my taste, and honestly I would have preferred it if they’d just thrown in one full size product (not even necessarily that same item or brand) it’s preferable to the alternative, which is getting the same number of fluid ounces as the full size, only in sample/ trial-size form. I felt like if that month had been my very first foray into #H2BARbox, then in all likelihood that month I might have been one of those people griping online about it, and my first shipment probably would have been my last. I would have suspected “Ok, this must be one of those places that sends the ‘good stuff’ on the first month to lure people in and then in the following months, they send cheesey samples, tacky coupons and other random junk, just to string them along.” To clarify— I have not found this to be the case (in fact, my only complaint was about the lack of consistency there was in the *perceived value* of boxes from one month, to the next) but first impressions are everything and some months they make better impressions than others.
If I had received a sample-heavy box my first (or 2nd) month, I probably would have just canceled my subscription right then and there too after that first first cheesey shipment. The majority of negative reviews I have read are from people who are unhappy because of these “thin” months.
When you love a product, you’re happy. When you’re not-so-in-love with what they sent, you want to know you at least got your money’s worth. Most people are not going to have the patience to google the price of each item like I did. People just eyeball it. They size it up, and rely on *perceived value*. If customers are happy because they *think* they’re getting a good deal, then they usually ARE getting a good deal.

Overall though, I still think the #H2BARbox is fantastic. It’s a great gift for a redhead (or for anyone with similar pale or rosy skin tone) there is nothing else like this— not that I’ve ever seen.
As a company though I do think they would do well to make each monthly shipment more consistent in its *perceived value* (vs. its actual/cash value, “costs a lot” doesn’t always = “looks expensive”)… because judging by the (relatively few) negative Amazon reviews, that seemed to be the most repetitive theme.
The other complaints were about the brands. There are no “cheap” brands. Some reviewer was upset because she’d never heard of a particular brand of skincare product, so she decided they must have thrown it in there because it must be “cheap”— meanwhile it was a luxe boutique brand and she wasn’t familiar with it because the entire line was brand new.
If you’re someone who’s brand loyal, has a narrow scope of “faves” And you just want what you want, then this (and probably any other beauty subscription box) probably isn’t for you.
It’s like handing your friend some money and saying “You know what kinds of stuff redheads use, see how many things you can get me for $25— surprise me!” If that sounds like fun or something interesting you’d be curious to try, then you’ll probably love #H2BARbox too.
If you are someone who’s open to trying new beauty and skincare products, if you’re someone who loves little surprises and who enjoys discovering and trying new brands— AND you also happen to be a redhead, then you’ll probably love it too.
I have not gotten the book but the boxes are my favorite especially during the fall. So I don’t doubt the book is the same either way definitely amazing just for the boxes