Hello, again! So you're thinking about trying 23 & me, are ya? I'm here to help! Let me give you the most honest review of their product, & feel free to drop any unanswered questions in the comments below.
Why 23 & Me?
Personally, I've never used another ancestry type of service. This being my first time, I was honestly super excited to view my results & intrigued by the whole process. I know there's a huge theory out there that the results can be so "fake", but speaking for myself, my results actually perfectly aligned with what I already knew to be a part of my genetic and ethnic background, and then some! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to see the small percentages of where you come from around the WORLD that contributes to your ancestry composition. I never personally sought out an ancestry service, I actually received this as a gift, just a little FYI!
Just one more tidbit before we get started! Shortly after receiving this as a gift a few years back, I submitted my DNA sample and shipped it off. Unfortunately, after a few weeks passed the rest of my family received their results, except for me. They said that it was extremely rare for that to happen, and they were able to send me a new kit to retry. Just wanted to give you a little background!
Alright, let's get on with it!
Pros
Excellent Customer Service
Quick Shipping
Exciting Opportunity
Chance to Connect with Distant Relatives
User Friendly Website
Interesting Traits Revealed- it can predict if your earlobes are attached or not, if you're afraid of public speaking, what color eyes you have, and even what your favorite flavor of ice cream is!
Cons
Lengthy Process (as to be expected)
Expensive (but so worth it!) *see end of page for when to purchase*
How It Works
You'll receive detailed instructions on how to use the kit, so I'll just provide an overview here. they need your saliva in a small tube, and once you've done that, you'll close the lid of the tube that contains some fluid to help preserve your DNA. It mixes together, then you're ready to ship it off! It's pretty simple, but if you don't follow their instructions properly, you might mess up your first one, as I did. After a few weeks, they will send you your report via email. You'll also make an account online that shows you their progress while you're waiting for the results. The website is super user friendly and easy to navigate. After that, you're all set and hopefully you will have shed some light to some parts of your ancestry you didn't have a clue about before! That's what we're all hoping for, I would assume!
Good Gift Idea
I spent some time checking out other peoples stories and experiences with 23 & Me, and something I have concluded is that it's an awesome gift to get someone "who has everything", someone who was adopted or in foster care, and honestly just anybody! My mom gave this as a gift to several people in my family and we thought it was such a fun idea! Way better than a pair of fuzzy socks or hot cocoa, at least! :)
When to Buy
I know that on their website there is a REALLY good sale on their products for Black Friday! I can't give you an exact price, but if you don't mind waiting, that's definitely a great time to purchase some of their kits!
You can also purchase this product on Amazon!
Click here for the link to the package for just DNA suggesting your ancestry and traits. (I used this type of kit)
There's another type of kit (I didn't use this one) that suggests more information regarding your health plus the Ancestry components, click here for that link.
No matter which kit you decide to try, I'm more than willing to say that you will LOVE your experience with 23 & Me! I bet you'll be shocked by some of the information revealed in your DNA analysis! I'd love to hear about your experiences, and if you have any questions, as always leave a comment below! Until next time, friends!