23 and me results + review (Pricing, Results, accuracy)

Growing up as a child, I have heard all the predictions of what my race was.  I’d even go to my usual Asian markets to have Chinese ladies be super surprised I can actually speak Chinese!  I’m talking absolutely shookith.  I’d usually get the question of “are you.. mixed?”.  To my knowledge, I’m not since both my parents are of Chinese descent but there was always that doubt in the back of my head that won’t go away.  I’ve heard of 23andme for a long time but never really looked into it since the last time I looked into it, they were only a US-based DNA service.  I guess they branched out to Canada in the last couple of years or I’m just a slow poke.  I’ll run you through the process of the whole journey, the results and my honest thoughts on the service and if it is the right fit for you.  Let’s get into it!

Born in Hong Kong, my mother would tell me stories of how strangers would come up to my mom and say:
“你的寶寶很可愛，但她是白種人嗎?”
Translated: “Your baby is so cute but is she caucasian (referring to if I was mixed)?”

I’d even sometimes be out with my sister (not that we actually hung out much but on the super rare occasion that we are), her friends would think I’m just a friend of hers.  That’s how much we didn’t look alike at all.  I mean there are some facial features that we have like the same face shape but my whole face is the carbon copy of my dad but with tits and long hair.  How on earth does she look more Asian and I’m here wondering if I was adopted.  Oh yes, she planted that seed long ago as a child…  We get along now (luckily) HAHA.

I’ve also heard a story that my grandfather from my dad’s side was kidnapped as a child, which even furthers my questioning of what am I?  What is life *in Morgan Freeman’s voice*.

Please don’t take this as me boosting my own ego but how did I end up with a pointed nose and bigger eyes in comparison to the typical Asian.  Another vivid memory that made my jaw drop was at another rare family dinner with my dad’s side of the family with all my cousins and seeing all of us have the exact same small and pointy nose.  That is absolutely mind-blowing!  DNA is crazy!!  I need to squish this imagination.  Yes, I do know that this DNA might just be for shits and giggles but at least I gave it a try.

I actually didn’t purchase my kit, I got it as a gift for Christmas since it was on sale from the regular price of $129 CDN to $89 (I think?) for the base kit which just shows you your ancestry and I think about $150 sale price for the health and ancestry service.

I’m reading on Reddit that there is also a student pricing which is SUPER cheap.  Damn LOL. $79 USD for the basic and $99 USD for the health and ancestry one.  Unfortunately, this is only available for US residents.  And if you’re an educator waiting to do it for your whole class, you can get the first kit for $9.95 and then $5 each if you’re buying in bulk.

Forgot to mention that when I got my kit, it came in a plastic envelope and inside is the kit.  This way no one will steal your kit whoo whoo!

Once you open up the kit, you’ll see this neon green card which you’re supposed to fill in your barcode number for safe keeping.  But you would have had to register your kit first online before doing anything else.  This way they would be able to process it and give you the information back via online.

Then inside, you’ll see this little plastic box.  I’m not sure if you’d have to put the vile of your salvia back into the box but just in case, I did anyway.

The kit will consist of:
1 x Specimen bag
1 x Step by step instructions (that I didn’t photograph.. silly me)
1 x Tube with the lid which has a stabilizing liquid in it.  Do it properly the first time or you might have to pay for another one ahh!
1x Screw on lid for after you have done the deed (that’s what she said)

Just like me and IKEA manuals, I don’t exactly like to read manuals.  The reason why it took so damn long for me to send in my kit was that I thought it would be a cool idea to document the whole process and make it into a video.  Well, that bombed since I was too busy, then I would keep eating and brushing my teeth which your not suppose to do 30 minutes before you do the spit sample.  I’m eating constantly!!!  So I had to have a conscious decision to remember to not eat or have to wait 30 minutes before spitting UGH.

After you have finally spat into your container, you flip over the funnel lid which has stabilizing liquid on the top and it will trickle down into your test tube.  At this point, you’ll have to carefully screw off the funnel lid and screw on the tube cap (the smaller lid).  Place your test tube into the specimen bag and seal your box!  The return label should already be stuck onto your box.  Now head over to your local post office and they will ship it out.

Word of advice, if you’d like to keep track of your parcels from Canada Post, download the Canada post and scan the barcode. You can also turn on the notifications to see where your parcel is step by step.

Here was my timeline for the whole process:
March 19: shipped out from Vancouver; processed on the same day
March 22: Item processed to Mississauga, Ontario
March 25: Parcel delivered to 23 and me office

March 27: Email from 23 and me confirming delivery
April 3: Results are out!

During the whole process, they do update you which you can check each stage of the process through the link in the email.  What is also cool is that not only do they give you the update, they also education you on how the process is done and the science behind it all. That was too much reading for me so I just watched the videos HEHE.  Hey, I didn’t major in science for a reason mmkay?

Now that the results are out, this is what your dashboard would look like.  Looks like I’m full blown Chinese HAHA.  But to my surprise, there is Vietnamese in my BLOOD? WAHHHH? No wonder I’m so fond of fish sauce and Pho!!  IT WAS ALL IN MA BLOOD. Okay jokes aside, I’m surprised I don’t have any Western blood in me quite honestly.  I secretly wanted my report to be way cooler than 57% Chinese and another 10.3% of “hey your still Chinese!”.

Here is more reading.  Have fun reading… I ain’t reading that again.  I’m going onto the fun part~

Clicking into each ancestry report will show you something like this.  It talks about how many regions are in China, how much evidence of where my ancestors were and which regions they resided in. 
There is even a breakdown of my ancestry timeline!  This is crazy~~

Some more interesting science stuff that makes my head fry.  I’m surprised to see that I’m Native American but I’m thinking of the native people in North American which most likely isn’t what they are referring.

I’m also happy to report I have a very low percentage in the Neanderthal category.  I wonder what is an average number or what is considered high since 225 seems high to me.  Hmm…

“Straight hair… 0 variants”.  Damn it, the one trait I actually want!  I have wavy, frizzy and dry hair, unfortunately, *sigh…
“Less likely to sneeze after eating dark chocolate”.  Wait, people do that?  What triggers the sneeze??
“Less back hair” HA lies.  I got a hair neck HAHA *cries inside*
“Height”… no wonder I’m short. UGH

You also get to explore how many relatives you have and where they are currently living.  This is INSANE!
I found out I have a lot of distant cousins.  You have an option to opt in or out on certain functionalities but if you do opt in, you can see your “cousins”, how similar your DNA is to them and even message them if you want.  I won’t be hitting any one up since I’m an introvert and what if they turn out to be the killer!  AHH, no thanks.

There is also a whole Reddit forum of people sharing their results as well as stories.  There was one story where a man bought his whole family of 5 siblings as well as the parents, their very own kits each person and things just went downhill from there.  For some odd reason, the mother was super nervous and trying to convince the children, who were full-grown adults now, to not take the test since it was a scam.  Turns out, all of the siblings had different baby daddies and I think the husband even divorced her but my memory might also have been jumbled.  Needless to say, this test might uncover some dark truths DUN DUN DUN!

And the fun part in which I thought you’d have to pay extra for but it is actually included in the basic test!

“146% more likely to be able to do the side splits”… yea no.  If I tried to do that, I’m pretty sure I’d split my vagina like Joker’s smile. No thanks.

“143% more likely to be a supertaster”…  YEY~  I’m happy to hear this since I do work as a chef and this is almost a superpower for me.

“28% more likely to have learned a foreign language as an adult”.  This is super true since I am able to pick up languages easily but only spoken.  I don’t have enough brain power to fully learn all the grammar, reading and writing which kind of sucks!

“18% more likely to be able to whistle“.  I can definitely whistle.

“14% more likely to exercise by strength training.” I’m definitely the other 86% that does not strength train. I HATE lifting weights… it is soooo boring to me.  I’d rather play a sport or do yoga or something.

And lastly, they also show the migration of both your maternal and paternal history.  This isn’t that interesting to me quite honestly.

Now you might be wondering, “how accurate are these DNA tests anyways”.  I did this test with the mindset of “hey, it would be fun to at least have an idea of what I am.”  My sister, who works in the computer science field, asked some of her coworkers who is a data scientist and said the results are spit out through training computer models.  Whatever that means LOL.  Do I think this is a scam, no I don’t.  I mean if you think of it this way, it isn’t like you are sending in a picture of yourself along with the kit.  They have no idea what you look like to base off your ethnicity.

And for those who are afraid of your “data” out there in the world for the government to control you, well if *knock on wood* something does happen to you, isn’t it better for there to be DNA out there for the police to be able to do work?  HAHA  okay jokes aside, 23 and me do have a privacy and data protection guarantee.  You have the choice to opt in and opt out on certain actions.  Read more about it here!

If you are interested in getting a kit for yourself, this link will bring you to the website and give you 10% off! On top of 10% off, I get $20 as a referral and you can do the same if you do choose to share your link with your family and friends! I’d advise getting the kit during the holidays when it is on sale but either way, it is a super unique gift if you can’t think of what to get a loved one.