Choix Brings the Makeup Counter To You

When you're shopping for makeup online, have you ever wished that you could order samples of whatever you wanted, so that you could try the products first? I think it's a brilliant idea, so when a company called Choix approached me and asked if I would want to try and review their service, I jumped at the chance.  

Choix (pronounced "shwaa") means "choice" in French, and they're an online beauty boutique that lets you try makeup before you buy, essentially bringing the makeup counter to you. It's perfect for those who don't live close to stores that sell certain brands, don't have the time, or just don't like shopping in-store for makeup. You can purchase as many samples as you'd like and they even have a subscription box option, so you can try products on a monthly basis. Let's take a closer look...

There are two ways to use Choix:

1. Choix Elite is a subscription box which offers you 5 samples of your choice for $20 a month. 
With every box, you get 250 points ($5 store credit) that you can use toward full-sized products in the store. They don't expire and can be stacked up to $20!

2. If you don't want to join Choix Elite, you can just browse the store and choose individual samples for $5 each. The $5 you spend goes toward the purchase of the full-size product (but it has to be the same product in the color you sampled, except for foundations and concealers where you can go up or down one shade). You also can't stack your $5 credits if you're not a Choix Elite member.

I tried the Choix Elite box, which saves you $1 per sample (they work out to $4 each this way). I had so much fun shopping for my samples because Choix has a lot of high-end brands I've always wanted to try but didn't want to splurge on without trying them first. They have brands like Hourglass, Dior, Laura Mercier, Benefit, Clinique, Kevyn Aucoin, YSL, Guerlain, Chanel and more!

So here's what I decided to try:

1. Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Makeup (I've never tried a Chanel foundation before!)
2. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush (I've always wanted to try these blushes)
3. YSL Volupte Tint-in-Oil in Peach Me (I love this lip oil and wanted to try another color)
4. Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer (I've heard the hype about this but was afraid to spend the $$$ on it)
5. Kevyn Aucoin The Volume Mascara (I've heard great things about this line!)

My samples came in a cute little box and I was really surprised by the amount of product I received! These aren't one-time-use samples...I can actually get several days worth out of these. They also sent me a magnetic compact to put the Hourglass blush pan in for ease of use, and a packet of beauty tools to assist me in getting the products out of the sample jars, such as a mascara wand, Q-tip and spatula.

Since I'm a bit of a germaphobe, one concern I had was that these are not factory-sealed samples, but Choix's strict hygiene procedures put my fears to rest. Their cosmetics consultants do not need to actually touch the product to get it into the sample containers. Containers are brand new, never used and so are the tools they give you. The whole process is much more sanitary than trying testers in a store, which have been touched by countless people. The full-sized products that Choix is using for samples have only been used to make samples, so they haven't been contaminated in any way. 

Overall, I'm really impressed with Choix! I absolutely love the Hourglass blush AND the Kevyn Aucoin mascara...and the Peach Me shade in the YSL Tint-in-Oil is beautiful. I'm still undecided on the Chanel foundation...the color is perfect but the matte finish might not work with my dry skin in the winter. I'd love to try another formula to see if it works better. Plus, I'm glad I finally got to try the Cle de Peau concealer after hearing all the hype! At $70 for the full size, I was expecting miracles but I think I'll just stick with my IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye, which is less than half the price and works just as well for me. 

That's the beauty of Choix! You don't have to spend a fortune to try the brands and products you want, and you have full control over the samples you get. If something doesn't work for you, you're only out a few dollars, vs. the full price of the product. 

You can visit Choix here to start browsing the store and choosing your samples...or sign up for Choix Elite to get 5 samples a month for $20!