Birchbox | July 2013

Contents:

◆ 1 Birchbox Extra: Set of 2 Bobby Pins
(Sample Size - $1.67)
These bobby pins are cute, but I don't really care for them. They are really hard to get in and out of hair and they are pretty bulky as well.

◆ 2 ModelCo Party Proof Lipstick in "Get Naked"
(Sample Size - $8.00)
I'm not a huge fan of nude lipsticks, or lipsticks in general so I didn't even bother trying this. I decided to give it as a gift instead.

◆ 3 Number 4 Super Comb Prep & Protect
I don't know if I'm crazy or what, but I couldn't figure out how large the sample size was. I'm not sure how I feel about this product. I've used other leave in conditioners, so I'll give it a shot. It smells decent.

◆ 4 Dr. Jart Ceramidin Cream
(Sample Size - $7.68)
This cream goes on smoothly, doesn't smell too bad, and doesn't make my face feel sticky or look shiny. It says it repairs skin damage and provides hydration for up to 26 hours, so I'm hoping for the best.

◆ 5 LA FRESH Instant Body Soother
(Sample Size - $0.83)
I received two of these little body soother wipes. I don't really see the point in this product, but I tried it out anyway. It smells a lot like minty toothpaste, which was a bit strange for a product being applied to skin. Luckily, the smell doesn't stick with you. I was not impressed at all. I don't feel refreshed and it made my skin feel a little sticky.

This box's value falls around $20. I think this box was by far the worst one I've received. Out of the 5 months that I've had Birchbox, only one box has blew me away. I actually forgot to blog about it last month. It was my June box and it came with some really great exfoliator, shampoo, and high definition powder and even some really cute destination postcards which I framed and put in the living room.

After much debate, I've decided to cancel my Birchbox subscription and give some other boxes a shot. I just signed up for Eco-Emi which is a subscription box that focuses on eco friendly products. You can get anything from makeup, skin care, or even food. I'm excited after seeing some of the reviews on Youtube.

Birchbox | May 2013

Contents:

◆ COOLA Classic Face SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face

(Sample Size - $4.33) (Full Size - $32)

This moisturizer smells so good! I've always been a fan of cucumber type smells so this was right up my alley. It rubs in very nicely and doesn't leave me feeling sticky.

◆ DevaCurl 3-Step System

(Sample Size - $5) (Full Size - $19 each)

When I received this, I had high hopes. I have naturally wavy/curly hair and I am always trying to find better products. I used the shampoo, conditioner, and gel all together and wasn't too impressed. Each product has a strange smell and I felt like it didn't give enough life to my curls. I also couldn't get rid of that smell for a couple of days even after using other products. It really reminded me of the way an incense section of a store smells :/ I feel like my Garnier products do a much better job at giving my curls volume and hydration.

◆ Marvis Classic Mint Toothpaste

(Sample Size - $1.40) (Full Size - $6 - 10.50)

This toothpaste had a very nice, refreshing minty taste. It left my teeth feeling very clean as well. I'm just a little disappointed that one of my samples was wasted on toothpaste. I have a toothpaste that I use regularly and I'm pretty much never going to change from the brands that I know.

◆ Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner

(Sample Size - $5.25) (Full Size - $21)

I received this in a gray color. Not very color contrasting, lol. The funny part is the other colors in the collection are all shades of green...not sure about that. I thought that the eyeliner worked very well. As I've mentioned before, I don't really use eyeliner, so I really don't know what to look for.

◆ Pilot Corporation of America Acroball PureWhite® pen in teal

(Full Size - $2.25)

I find it kind of ridiculous to include a pen in a beauty subscription box, especially when you already included another item that isn't beauty related. It is a nice pen in a nice color, but really!? I went and changed some of my settings around in my account, so maybe I'll get less "home" finds.

Box Value comes to $18.23. This box wasn't too bad but I definitely had hoped for more beauty products.  

Birchbox | March 2013

I received my first Birchbox in the mail today! I pre qualified late in the month, but was lucky enough to get the March Birchbox. If you don't know what Birchbox is, it is one of the many beauty subscription boxes offered that delivers hand picked beauty samples straight to your door each month for $10. You receive 4 -5 samples, learn tips and tricks, buy what you love, and earn points.

This month was all about March Madness and Birchbox is hosting beauty face-offs on their Facebook page and teaming up with Birchbox Man to run their own March Madness bracket.

My box came with the following beauty samples:

Juice Beauty | Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream

"This color corrective cream is the ultimate multitasker. The lightweight cream natuarally improves skin tone with vitamin C and grape-derived resveratrol."

I've never used a repairing cream before, but from the description, it sounds like something I'd like. I'll have to give it a try and see if it can improve my skin tone.

Juicy Couture | Couture La La

"Meet the latest addition to our fragrance collection: a heady mix of mandarin, red currant, lily, and orange blossom."

I'm not the biggest fan when it comes to "traditional" perfumes. I have a very sensitive nose and therefore if I wear anything with scent, I will continuously smell it...so it has to be light, fruity, or something simple to not cause me to have a major headache. This perfume sample is definitely in the no category for me. It is really strong and smells a lot like perfume an older woman would wear, so I just know that it would cause me problems if I wore it.

Serge Normant | Meta Revive Dry Shampoo

"The A-list stylist created this volume-boosting mist to give second-day locks a lift. Bonus: The subtle fragrance leaves hair sweetly scented."

Believe it or not, I still haven't tried out a dry shampoo. I've heard a lot about them and have seen so many of them out there. I actually have another sample I received from Beauty Army that I need to test as well. I'm hoping that it works well, so super excited to try it!

Whish | Shave Crave Shaving Cream

"The organic shea butter in this foam-free shaving cream makes for an insanely close shave and leaves skin incredibly soft. We love the exclusive blueberry scent."

This is the one product that I have seen in a lot of the Birchboxes for March. Now, I would never pay $20 for a shaving cream, but I will definitely give this sample a try. It smells really nice and makes me crave blueberry dessert lol.

BEAUTY EXTRA

Madewell for Birchbox | Emery Board

"We teamed up with Madewell to create this adorable mini savior, patterned after a print from the new spring collection."

This box came with a beauty extra, which was a cute emery board. Nothing too special, but I can always use a spare emery board. I forgot to take a picture of the pattern, but it does have a cute spring floral pattern on the back.

For my first box from Birchbox, I wasn't super impressed, but I think I missed out on some of the good stuff since I got my box so late in the month - just my opinion though. Just hoping for a better box next month :)

Subscription Box Beginnings

Have you heard about the new subscription box craze? I have! There are tons of them, ranging from beauty to food and everything in between. First off, a subscription box is basically a fun way to try out new products for a fee. Most of them are monthly subscriptions, but you usually have the option to skip months if you'd like. Some are "surprises" and some let you pick the items you want or they give you an idea of what you'll receive. Below I will show you the subscription boxes I have decided to test out. I will also be doing review posts about the boxes as I receive them and let you guys know what I thought about the products and the boxes in general.

Julep Maven Box

The Julep Maven box is $19.99 a month. You take a fun maven style quiz that helps them pick colors they think will be right for you. After you take the quiz you receive a style profile. You can decide to keep your style profile or pick and choose from different style profiles every month. After you pick your profile, you receive your introductory box. You will receive 3 full sized products and a surprise in each box. You also get to save 20% on everything in the store and receive free shipping on every order. You can skip and/or cancel at any time.

Cravebox

Each Cravebox costs around $10 - $18 and is based around a theme. They have boxes with themes such as beauty or food. Each box has a variety of fun products. They offer instant boxes, which you can purchase right away, and they offer boxes that are only available via drawings. You get to decide if the box is right for you before purchasing or entering a drawing.

Birchbox

Birchbox is $10 a month. You will receive 4-5 high end beauty, grooming, and lifestyle samples. You also earn points as well. For every 100 points earned, you get $10 off a full sized product order. The monthly fee is a recurring fee and the only way to skip a month is to cancel your subscription.

Beauty Army

Beauty Army is $12 a month. With Beauty Army you take a beauty profile that selects 9 personalized items for you to choose from. The cool part is you get to see the products before you order your box. You are allowed to select up to 6 for your box. You also have a choice between samples, deluxe samples, and even full size products! You can also retake your beauty profile as many time as you like to see different products. You can skip and/or cancel the subscription at any time.

Goodies Co. Taster's Box

The Goodies Co. Taster's Box is $7 a month. You get to taste new foods, earn points for reviewing products, and purchase full size products. This was the cheapest food related box I've found.

Those are the boxes that I have subscribed too. Once I receive the boxes, I will write more detailed reviews of the products and my thoughts on the value of the boxes. I tried to join a few other subscription box services, but I am on wait lists or need a special invitation. Hopefully I'll find some more to join soon :)