Brown Sugar Box is a monthly Woman of Color lifestyle subscription box offering tees, accessories, and lifestyle products designed by and made for Women of Color.
Each Brown Sugar Box includes a graphic tee and 4-5 additional full-size products ranging from drinkware, accessories, bags, jewelry, makeup, housewares, and stationery. All items are from black-owned businesses.
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About Brown Sugar Box
The Subscription Box: Brown Sugar Box
The Cost: $39.95 per month + $5.95 shipping
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 20% off your first box!
CODE: FIRSTTIME20
The Products: 1 graphic tee plus 4-5 additional full-size lifestyle products
Ships To: The US for $5.95 and International for $12.95
Good to Know: Boxes are shipped around the 15th of each month. When purchasing a subscription, you have the opportunity to select your T-shirt size and fit preference.
Brown Sugar Box September 2019 “Melanin Love Edition” Review
Each Brown Sugar Box includes a mini magazine that highlights the theme of the box, lists the products included and offers interesting and inspiring articles. This month’s box is the Melanin Love Edition and is all about showing support to our melanin sisters.
This article describes the theme of the box and lists all the items included in this month’s box. The next article highlights five brands that love, support, and respect black women.
The next article discusses the unsettling trend of appropriating black culture and is followed by an article highlighting four natural skincare ingredients perfect for our skin.
These ladies are goals! This next article features beautiful black women that prove that "black don't crack". Angela Bassett is my favorite! The next article features Brown Sugar Beauties with items from last month's box.
This black girl magic playlist will help you love the skin you're in. With artists like India Arie and Janelle Monae, this playlist is on point. The magazine also provides answers to the most frequently asked questions. On the back cover is an invitation to join Izzy and Liv in their members-only lounge on Facebook.
Love, Support, Respect Black Women T-Shirt – Listed Value $28
This dark gray and gold T-shirt says it all. Dealing with the reality of life as a black woman and the harsh headlines that show how disrespected, unprotected, and neglected black women are in America, it's no wonder we have to proclaim this request so boldly. I love this shirt!
Love for Louise Whipped Soap Sugar Scrub in Blackberry Vanilla, 10 oz – Retail Value $15
This 3-in-1 whipped soap sugar scrub is a scrub, cleanser, and moisturizer all in one. It comes in four different scents and I received blackberry vanilla scented scrub.
This scrub smells good but it would smell so much better if scented with essential oils. I was hoping for a fresh lemon scent but the smell is much more muted. The texture is very similar to kinetic sand - the parents will know what I'm talking about. The scrub has the tendency to clump together making it difficult to spread when dry but when wet, it really gets to work, and it works amazingly well! My skin felt incredibly soft and smooth and looked visibly hydrated after using this scrub.
Melanin Magic Jade Beauty Roller – Listed Value $13
Jade rollers are a popular subscription box item. They're intended to firm and smooth skin. This facial massager can also reduce under-eye puffiness, lessen inflammation, increase circulation, and help your skin better absorb products. This roller is a little noisy but handles and rolls well. I also love the look and the gold accents.
“That Melanin” Necklace – Listed Value $15
This necklace is an ode to melanin, the source of our beautiful skin tone and natural glow. It comes in gold and silver. I received the gold necklace. It's cute, adjustable, and not too heavy. It also has a lux look-and-feel which is hard to pull off at this price point.
Black Queens Postcards – Listed Value $5
These black girl postcards are beautifully illustrated. The two sets with 4 cards each feature Brown Sugar Babes with rich and vibrant skin tones and clothing. I love the illustrations but, again, I hate the heavy branding. They look more like promotional cards than postcards so, I won’t be using them in this way. The postcards are made of heavy cardstock so I may cut out the illustrations and use them as bookmarks.
Golden Glow Silicone Facial Cleansing Brush – Listed Value $20
Cleansing brushes help effectively clean and exfoliate your skin. This cute pink brush has an ergonomic oval shape and a light vibration. It has a smiley face on the front of the brush. The mouth functions as the power button, the left eye lowers the vibration and the right eye increases the sensation. This facial cleansing brush is cute and effective, but I don’t think anything will ever be able to replace my Clarisonic Mia.
Golden Glow Facial Mask – Listed Value $3
This mask promises to keep your skin firm, healthy and glowing. It’s a bio-collagen facial mask recommended for all skin types and especially for dry skin. I haven’t had a chance to try the mask but the babes in the Brown Sugar Mask (and their children) are having a blast with this funny looking mask.
Izzy & Liv Vegan Leather Watch – Listed Value $12
This faux-leather watch will help a sister that's booked and busy keep track of time. It comes in three colors and I received the black watch. It's small and tight, leans toward a younger aesthetic, and unlike the necklace, it does not have a lux look and feel.
The Verdict: I’ve been a Brown Sugar Box subscriber from the very beginning, so I’ve seen every box. It’s no secret that it’s one of my favorites and a brand with a mission that I love to support.
Of course, the T-shirt is my favorite item! I love when Izzy & Liv collaborate with other black-owned brands so I was happy to see the Love for Louise sugar scrub which works amazingly. I didn't like the postcards because of the heavy branding, the watch is just not my style, and the mask is just plain weird. I already have a facial cleansing brush that I love and multiple jade rollers from other boxes. However, that melanin necklace saves the box from being a bust! I love it! The T-shirt, the necklace, and the scrub make this box worth it for me. I can't wait to see what's in next month's box!
To Wrap Up:
Can I get this box if I sign up today? No, but sign up today to receive next month's box.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 20% off your first box!
CODE: FIRSTTIME20
Value Breakdown: The listed value of this box is $111 which is around average for this box. At $45.90 a box, you are paying approximately $5.74 for each of the 8 items in this month’s box. This is a pretty good value!
Check out all of our Brown Sugar Box reviews and more Women of Color subscription boxes, along with the best women’s subscription boxes of 2019!
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What do you think of this month’s Brown Sugar Box?
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