August Birchbox

It's that time of the month when I'm pleasantly surprised with the little pink Birchbox in the mailbox. Here are the items I received:



1. Pangea Organics Cleanser for Combination to Oily Skin: I didn't try this item. If you remember, I did a review for the Pangea Organics Facial Toner that came in June's Birchbox. Although I was impressed with the Toner at the time of the review, I later broke out and discontinued the use. Therefore I was a little reluctant with trying the cleanser.

2. blinc Eyeliner: This watery formula is supposed to stay strong through rain, tears, and sweat. If you are a fan of heavy liners like myself, you will not like this product. It goes on very faint. And to achieve a noticeable line it requires a lot of product.

3. Wei Tibetan Chysanthemum Correcting Eye Treatment Pads: These cloths soaked in natural flower and plant extract are guaranteed to de-puff and brighten the under eye area. I used 1 of the 2 and I didn't see a tremendous difference. I think I was a little too excited to see if it worked. With the next cloth, I will relax and leave it on for the recommended 15 minutes.

4. Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask: This creamy treatment revives dull and dry strands. I'm pretty satisfied with my current hair regimen, so I did not try this product.

5. Twistband Hair Tie: A simply black hair tie that looks just as cute on your wrist. I've seen them in quite a few magazine lately.

Overall, this month's Birchbox was BLAH :0/ I look forward to next month's box.

JULY Birchbox

This month's Birchbox was inspired by designer, Cynthia Rowley. Not only did it come in a beautiful Rowley-designed box, but it also featured some of her all-time favorite products. Here is what I received.

1. Zoya Nail Polish in Pandora: This beautiful nude/metallic shade from the Touch Collection is great for any season. (swatch below)

2. EXTRA KIND Almond & Apricot bar: This was rather tasty and bigger than most nutritional bars.

3. Nuxe Multi-usage Dry Oil: This oil is pretty neat. It goes on as oil, but rubs out into a non-oily sheen. This would be great to accentuate areas of the face to create a dewy look. It says it is also great for the hair and body.

4. Purity Made Simple Facial Cleanser: This product is definitely a staple in my beauty regimen. I've raved about it before read here. The mini bottle will be great to carry for traveling, as I have left many larger bottles behind in hotels O_o.

5. Redken Shine Flash: This glistening mist is suppose to be great for adding light sheen to the hair. It's hard to make anything come out light in an aerosol can, so I would not recommend using this on straight hair. I sprayed it on my straight hair and it weighed it down a bit. I will wait to try this with a curly do.

Overall I loved this month's Birchbox!!!

Zoya Nail Polish in Pandora

My June Birchbox

Receiving my cute little hot pink Birchbox in the mail this month made my day! And the excitement continued once I saw what was inside.

1. Laura Geller Baked Blush N' Brighten: Normally the Birchboxes contain sample sized items, but the blush came as a full size. This swirled blush was perfect for the start of summer. One side is a
highlighter and the other side is a nice pink shade. (Swatch below)

2. Kate Spade Twirl Perfume: I like the scent. However it is very similar to Escada Tropical Punch or Liz Claiborne's Bora Bora.

3. Pangea Organics Facial Toner for Normal/Oily Skin: I literally have been looking for a great toner for weeks. When this came in I was so anxious to test it out. While my face is slightly damp after washing, I sprayed the toner on and then followed with my moisturizer. After trying it out for a couple of days I didn't notice a major difference, but I did like how it makes my skin feel after each use. I'll continue to use it.  

4. Deborah Lippman Stripper to Go Nail Laquer Removers: The packet contains one finger mitt and it promises to remove the polish of all 10 toes or nails. I used both packets to remove the triple coats of polish on both my hands and feet and it delivered its promise.

5. Oscar Blandi Olio Ji Jasmine Hair Serum: I haven't tried this serum yet but I like that it's a heat protectant. I will use it with my next washing and give an update.

Deborah Lippman Stripper to Go Nail Laquer Removers

(left to right: Laura Geller Baked Blush N' Brighten, highlight; blush)

Overall I think this was the best Birchbox so far!

May Birchbox

My 2nd Birchbox arrived yesterday. I was excited to receive their signature hot pink box. Last month they had green recycled boxes for Earth Day. Anyhoo, here are the items I received.

1. Stilla Eye Shadow in cloud (swatch below). This is a great pigmented silver neutral color. It's a color I would have chosen to purchase.

2. Tiny Print blank card that can be used for any occassion. I will save it to use as a Thank You card.

3. Archipelago Pomegranate Soap. This soap smells heavenly, however the strong perfume scent may be irritating to my hands. I have eczema on some of my fingers, so I must use mild products.

4. Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir perfume sample. I am not a fan of this fragrance.

5. Ahava Mineral Hand Cream. This hand cream is AMAZING. It leaves a nice moisturized look without feeling greasy.

Overall this month's Birchbox was okay. I can use 3 of the items. I will purchase the hand cream once the sample runs out.

Stilla Eyeshadow in Cloud

Xmas in Spring: My BirchBox Arrived!

Today I received my first BirchBox in the mail. It was literally like receiving an anonymous gift because you don’t know what samples will be inside. I received:

-6 bags of Extra / Zhena’s Gypsy Tea. I don’t drink tea so I will use it in my face steamer.

-Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser. I read a few reviews on this product. It seems like it would be a hit or miss. I haven’t used it on my whole face, but I did use it as a lip exfoliate and it worked great. The ingredients are raw sugar, rice flour, and organic lemongrass.

-A sample of LIV GRN – Natural Parfum. This perfume  is very fresh, sweet, and clean. It’s also made from biodegradable ingredients, and 10% of the sales go to Global Green.

-ZOYA Nail Polish in Dove, a nice gray color. They also put a mini ZOYA catalogue in the box. So after I test the durability of the polish, I will be ordering more colors.

-Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Facial Lotion. I won’t be using this product. Not only am I happy with my current moisturizer, but the rose smell is highly unbearable.

Overall, I’m happy with April’s BirchBox. I will make use out of 4 of the items received.

BIRCHBOX: Receive Beauty Samples Monthly

What a Lovely idea! For $10 a month you can receive a box of the latest beauty product samples. And if you’re interested in purchasing the full size, you can purchase through their website and receive points for future items. SWEET! I spend and waste so much money buying full sized products. This will save me the trouble and closet space. I love the affordable membership price, which can be cancelled at any time. Normally samples are giving out when you purchase something. So again, the membership price is very reasonable. And it you aren’t sold by now, then their impressive list of brands will definitely grab your attention. I just signed up  last week, so I have not received a box yet. But as soon as I do, I will review each item and update my testimonial on this membership.

Learn more about the Birchbox at www.birchbox.com

UPDATE: So I just logged in to see if they display a shipping date and THEY DO! Yahhh, my 1st box ships this week. I totally love the fact that you don’t know what products you will be receiving. Merry Christmas to me each month.