Birchbox December 2013

Birchbox Review December 2013

Sparkle and Shine! December 2013

Birchbox had cute holiday boxes this month.  I liked the box itself, but the contents were just mediocre.

Birchbox December 2013

I'm not sure what all of this has to do with a holiday theme, but look at the pretty inside of the box!

emily's Milk Chocolate Covered Fortune Cookie

I'll start with my least favorite item and get it over with.  I don't like fortune cookies and I don't like chocolate.  I know, I'm weird.  Take it up with my mother.  I'm sure this is interesting and tasty, and I hope there is a cheerful fortune inside.

$5.99 for a box of 7.  Each cookie worth $0.86.

Benta Berry G-1 Exfoliating Facial Cleanser

I received a Benta Berry facial lotion sample a few months ago, and at least now I have a matching set.  I might give this away (as a set), I might not.  I have a number of exfoliating face samples that I need to use up, and I seem to get them faster than I can finish them!  This smells like the lotion does; it's not unpleasant, but it is pretty strongly scented if you are sensitive to that kind of thing.

Full size $16 for 30 mL.  Sample is 3 mL, worth $1.60.

Number 4 Non Aerosol Hair Spray

I don't use hairspray, and I always seem to get different variations on the theme in these boxes.  Honestly, I might just take a break, but then again, I'd probably regret that the following month.  I will be able to find a home for this.  It has decent reviews.  I like the brand, I got a clarifying sulfate-free shampoo that is really nice in a previous box.  The smell is weird, though.  I read a lot of reviews saying how great it smells, but this hairspray smells like a public women's room's air freshener.  You know, the generic floral chemically smell.

Full size $30 for 6.7 fl. oz.  Sample is 1 fl. oz., worth $4.48.

Camilla Beckham Glycerine Hand Therapy- Midnight Monarch Scent

I have almost used up the body butter from last month, and was excited to see a replacement.  This has a VERY strong scent.  There is a lot of patchouli and amber in this and it is quite overwhelming.  I really wish it smelled like something different, because it is a really nice lotion.  It is true to claims that it absorbs fast and doesn't leave your skin greasy.  

Full size $4.99 for 1 oz.  Sample is 1/4 oz, worth $1.25.

Secret Agent Beauty Nourishing and Plumping Lip Gloss
in Foreign Intelligence Flirt

This is a pink gloss that uses peppermint oil, menthol, and sacha inchi oil to increase bloodflow to the lips, giving them a fuller appearance.  I really, really like this gloss.  It is absolutely not sticky, and has a very tiny applicator so that you don't end up squeezing out too much.  There is a definite tingle when this is used, but I didn't get to look in a mirror to see if it worked or not.  The scent is interesting- it has a fruity touch to it.

Full size 0.15 oz, $18. There isn't a size listed on this sample or the package it came in, so I will estimate it at 1/5 the size (0.03 oz).  Worth $3.60.

December 2013- Birchbox

All together, the only thing I really liked in this box was the lip gloss.  The hand cream would be nice if it didn't have such a strong fragrance, and the exfoliating wash would be nice if I didn't already have a number of them.  The box is pretty, too.  That's about all the nice things I have to say.

The total value of this month's Birchbox is about $11.79.  That is low.  And it feels even lower because I really only am happy with 1 item.  I've had some really great boxes, but lately they seem to be underwhelming.

Birchbox is $10 per month, including shipping.  You can also get 10 points for each product you review, and every 100 points gets you $10 to spend in the Birchbox shop.  The points I get each month make up for lackluster samples.  If you are interested in trying out Birchbox for yourself, please use my link here.  I will get 50 bb points for referring you.

All products reviewed in this post were purchased by me, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.  No special compensation or consideration was received for this post.  This post contains a referral link, see above for details.

Birchbox July 2013

Am I supposed to know what "Suits" is? A *show* picked out a face cream? huh? Birchbox teamed up with the USA network show, "Suits" this month to bring us a new box of perfectly adequate samples.

July 2013 Birchbox, Suits Edition

Anything look familiar? How about this... 

photo from Birchbox

Yeah. I got the same sample in my November 2012 box. However, when I went to my Birchbox box history to confirm this, I saw that they had already realized the error of their ways and had credited me with 100 extra points. Way to be on top of your game, BB! I'm impressed. Fortunately, this is a decent hair product for me and I was tempted to buy the full size after using up my first sample of it. Have you seen my hair? It's curly. It likes products like this. 

I'm all set on face creams for the rest of my life.

This was the Suits pick, and it is Benta Berry G-1 Moisturizing Face Cream. It smells light and a little flowery and seems like every other face lotion I haven't heard of but will slather on my face anyway. Again, I don't break out easily and don't have any kind of dry or oily skin issues. This will be fine for me. 

Their cute design is their only redeeming feature.

These are big and got stuck in my hair and I don't like them. 

Party proof? Halloween party, maybe!

I was really excited to see this lipstick in my box. However, it is in the color "Get Naked" which makes it look like I don't have lips at all. If this was another color, I would be in love! It smells like strawberries and goes on really smoothly. It doesn't dry my lips out, though it accentuates the creases and dry patches a bit. It's too bad about the color choice for my particular complexion. 

Where did my lips go??

I also got a spritzy sample bottle of Juicy Couture's Couture La La. It smells like every other Juicy sample I've gotten. I have a pretty bad nose for scents, so it takes something unusual for me to notice it. Couture La La is a little floral and a little fruity and pretty blah for me. According to my boyfriend, "it doesn't smell like much of anything. Nothing stands out." I hate getting perfume samples, but this was my first one in a few months, so I can't complain too much. 

Here is a summary of the value of my July box: 

Curl Keeper, 30 mL: $3 value. (Full size $10/100 mL) 

Moisturizer, 5 mL: $3.67 value (Full size $22/30 mL) 

Bobby Pins, 2: $1.67 ($5/6) 

Lipstick, 3.8g: (Full size) $8 as part of Birchbox's set of 3 for $24. From ModelCo site: $16.95 

Couture La La sample, 1.5 mL: $1.35 ($90/100 mL) 

Total value: $17.69 (low end) or $26.64 (high end) depending on how you value the lipstick.

I will also get 40 points for reviews (can't review the curl keeper a second time) and the extra 100 points for the duplicate. This adds $14 to my total. Considering I only pay $10/month for this service, I think it's a great deal. Have I had better boxes? Yes. But, I can use the points toward something I love instead of something I just want to use up. 

Here is my referral link, if you would like to sign up.

This post contains products purchased by me through Birchbox.  All opinions are my own.  This post also contains a referral link; I will receive 50 points for every person who subscribes to Birchbox by clicking my link.