Birchbox May 2014

Birchbox May 2014 Review

Wow, was Birchbox late this month!  

Although, I did get this box a week ago and I've been so busy at work that I haven't gotten the chance to review it yet.  But still, BB was late.

This month, the theme is and BB teamed up with Kate Spade Saturday to give us an exclusive discount code and a different box than normal.  The box is super cute, and the outer packaging was yellow instead of pink, which was fun.  Yellow is such a bright, sunny, happy color, and it was cute to see it in my mailbox!  

Birchbox May 2014, First Look

Upon first look, I was super excited!  See the white bottles? I've been waiting for those for like a year!  The good thing about BB is that if you have your eye on a particular sample, if you wait long enough you will eventually get it in one of your boxes!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Beauty Protector: Protect and Detangle spray, and I've been wanting to try their shampoo and conditioner set, but haven't wanted to shell out the money/points for a full size set in case I didn't like it.  So, needless to say, I was very happy to see those this montb.

Laqa & Co. Sheer Lip Lube in Bees Knees

Here is another item that is right up my alley!  Laqa&Co. Lip Lube in Bees Knees, which is a much more coral/peach toned color than in the above picture.  Lip crayons are my favorites, they are super easy to apply and very portable.  I like my Revlon Balm Stains the best, because of the stain part, but the crayon format is awesome.

The full size is 0.07oz and costs $18.  We were sent the full size! This is super tiny for an $18 pencil.

Lip Tube on my face

This is a very pretty coral color, perfect for the summer.  However, it settles VERY fast into any lines in your lips and I strongly recommend using a heavy-duty exfoliant beforehand.  It has average wear time for a colored balm, and smells slightly minty.

Supergoop Everyday Sunscreen

I have so much Supergoop!  I've gotten samples of Supergoop twice from Birchbox, but they justified sending me more because this is a different product than the City Serum.  Whatever.  I will use it, that's for sure! I'm a vampire.  I've learned the hard way that no matter how badly I want to be tan, it will never happen.  I burn, and then peel back to the whitest of the whites.  So, sunscreen is my friend!

Full size is $48 for 18 fl.oz., and this sample is 0.34 fl.oz., making it worth $0.91.  Thanks, BB.  At least it's a tube instead of a ketchup packet.

Beauty Protector Protect & Condition and Protect & Shampoo

If you like the smell of Protect & Detangle (vanilla candy? It's hard to describe), these smell the same.  The shampoo is sulfate-free (YAY!) and the conditioner is very rich.  A little goes a long way for both of them.  I really, really like these and wish they weren't so expensive!  I think I'll buy these with my next batch of accumulated BB points.  These were everything I had hoped they would be!

Beauty Protecor Protect & Shampoo and Protect & Condition are $21.95 each for 8 oz.  The samples are 1 oz each, for a total value of $5.49 for both.

32 Effervescent Breath Treatment Packets

Do you remember pop rocks? The candy crystals with CO2 dissolved into them, so as the candy started to melt in your mouth, the gas would free itself, expanding rapidly and shattering the thinned candy around it- thus popping.  It was a party in your mouth! Sometimes the pops were a little too violent and felt like an electric shock- like licking a 9V battery.  Not that I advise you to lick a 9V battery...

Anyway, these are the grown-up version of pop rocks.  They are little packets of breath-freshening crystals that you are supposed to swish around your mouth as they dissolve and pop.  There is less popping power in these than in the candy version.  These were like toothpaste-flavored Pop Rocks, and I am unsure how I feel about that.  It was weird.

These sell for $14.75 (box of 30), making 2 packets worth $0.98.

Birchbox May 2014

I had a total value this month of $25.68 with the majority of that value being the lip pencil.

I'm happy with this month's items!  The hits outweighed the misses.

Birchbox costs $10 per month and you get 4-6 sample (and occasionally full sized) items.  You can review each item you receive for 10 BB points, and every 100 points can be redeemed for $10 to spend in their online shop.  This is a great deal!  If you want to try Birchbox, please use my link here.  I'll get some extra BB points for each referral.

No special consideration or compensation was received for this post and all thoughts and opinions are my own. All items mentioned within were paid for by me. This post contains referral links.

Birchbox March 2014 Review

Birchbox March 2014 Review

Well, it's March.  I set the clocks forward and went out without a jacket yesterday.  Birchbox showed up, and I have some little crocuses popping out of the piles of salt and sand next to my driveway.  It's starting to look like spring!

Birchbox March 2014

As usual, my Birchbox shows up before boxes have updated on their site.  It's a total surprise, and that is fine with me.

First look, March 2014 Birchbox

This month's theme is, "getting more out of everything."  Ok? Sure.

BB Find: Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream (light)

This is a Birchbox Find: a drugstore product that BB includes in your box, usually along with a coupon.  

Jergens claims that this BB cream for your body will hydrate, illuminate, even, firm, and correct your skin tone.  It comes in two shades, one for light skin and one for medium and deep tones.

It smells good, it is light and warm.  I usually use a tinted lotion on my legs if I wear a skirt or dress (so I don't blind people with my ultra-pasty-ness), and I don't think that this will take its place.  It might even things out with continual use, and continual use of any lotion will keep you hydrated, but I'm just too pale.  

This is a 1 fl.oz. sample, and the full size (7.5 fl.oz.) sells for about $10 at most drugstores.  Sample worth $1.33

GrandCentral Beauty S.M.A.R.T. Skin Perfecting Serum + Primer

I can kinda see how this fits into BB's theme this month.  This all-in-one serum and primer is supposed to hydrate, smooth, act as an anti-aging serum, prime, fill lines, even redness, wipe your butt, etc..

The thing I like most about it, is that it smells like lilacs!  So nice!  It absorbed into my skin really, really quickly, and I ended up using more than I normally would with a comparable product.  My skin does feel pretty smooth, though.  You know what? I like it.  I'll definitely use this!  I haven't tried it under makeup yet, but I am sure it won't be any worse than using no primer at all.

Full-size (50 mL) is $68 on the company's website, making the 6 mL sample worth $8.16.

Supergoop City Sunscreen Serum

I have a full size of this, courtesy of PSMH, and I like it.  I haven't really worn any extra sunscreen lately, just what is in my foundation/BB cream.  But, spring is coming up and hopefully the weather will be brighter and sunnier, and I'll have to start wearing this under my makeup once again.  It's a nice sunscreen, and I definitely recommend it- but I wouldn't go out and spend all that money on it, myself.  If you are sensitive to a lot of chemical sunscreens out there, it might be worth it to try to find a sample.  It has decent ingredients and is very light on the skin.

Full size (50 mL) is $42 on the Supergoop site. 10 mL sample is worth $8.40.

Keims Hair Care- Peppermint & Macadamia Cleanshine Energizing Shampoo

While I haven't tried this shampoo yet, I'm not sure if I am looking forward to it.  There aren't any mineral oils, silicones, or parabens in this formula, and peppermint is always a good shampoo scent.  It doesn't smell overpowering to me, but who knows how it will behave when it's all lathered up.  However, it WILL lather up- the second ingredient is sodium laureth sulfate.  That's too bad; I don't use sulfate-based shampoos on my hair.  My haircolor lasts longer if I don't, and I have found my hair to be less dry after switching to sulfate-free products.

This is fairly affordable, 250 mL for $9.50 on the BB site.  Sample is 50 mL, worth $1.90.

Inika Eyeliner in Green Lagoon

I liked the Inika eyeshadow I received in BB a few months ago, and this color is perfect for complementing that shade!  I really, really like the sharpener in the cap!  I tend to do my makeup in the car, and sometimes I forget to bring my eyeliners in for sharpening and they get too dull to use.

Inika Eyeliner in Green Lagoon

The color on the pencil end cap is exactly the color it shows up on the skin.  The pencil is not too hard, and not too soft.  It's a lighter metallic color, though, so it doesn't pack as much of a punch, even though the pigmentation is pretty good.  Bonus: This is an Organic, Eco-Friendly brand.

Full size, retails for $29 on Inika's site, and $20 on Birchbox.

Total: $39.79

This was a better box than the others I've gotten lately!  I will probably end up giving away the shampoo (because I won't use it) and the sunscreen (because I have a full size), but I like the eyeliner, primer, and lotion.  Factor in the points (10 points = 1$ per review), and this was a decent box.  The points always make it worth it, though!

Birchbox costs $10 per month, and you can sign up using my referral link here.  I'll get 50 BB points per sign up.  For every 100 points you accumulate, you get $10 to spend in the BB site.  Each month BB sends you 4-6 (mostly) sample-sized products.  There is a personalization quiz and a lot of box variations that go out every month.  You cannot skip a month.

All items in this post were paid for by me and all thoughts and opinions are my own.  No special consideration or compensation was received for this post.  This post contains a referal link; see above for details.

Retrospective: Birchbox October 2012

See my first Retrospective for the answers to the quiz that I used.

October 2012: Month 8

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum
Photo from Birchbox

For something so expensive, I'm not sure that it did anything.  My skin was the same before and after I finished up the sample, and I'm pretty sure I got more freckles than having them go away.  Was my skin tone evened as promised? I don't think so.

Full size $79 for 30 mL, sample size of 2 mL valued at $5.25

LUNA Fiber Chocolate Raspberry Bar
Photo from Birchbox

I usually like Luna bars, but I don't like chocolate and the extra fiber gave this one a weird texture.  Definitely not my favorite.  I won't buy these if I come across them in the store.

$14.95 for box of 12, making a single bar worth $1.24

Malin + Goetz Cilantro Hair Conditioner
Photo from Birchbox

This conditioner wasn't quite heavy enough for me, but it would be nice for someone with fine hair.  It smelled pretty good, though, and I liked that I got more than one use out of the sample.

$22 for 8 oz, sample size 1oz, valued at $2.75

Malin + Goetz Grapefruit Face Cleanser
Photo from Birchbox

This was a one-use foil packet sample and it was fine.  Nothing to write home about. Smelled great, though!

Full size is $30 for 8 oz, sample was 0.04 oz for a value of $0.15

Supergoop! City Sunscreen Serum
Photo from Birchbox

I now have a full size of this thanks to Popsugar! I took the samples from Birchbox on vacation and it did its job: no sunburn on my face. I did not want to shell out the cash for the full bottle, so I was thrilled to receive one from another source! This is a very nice face sunscreen. It absorbs really easily and doesn't go on greasy at all, like some can

Full size $42 for 50 mL, total volume of the two packets was 4 mL for a value of $3.36

S.W. Basics Lip Balm Flight in Cocoa
Photo from Birchbox.

I can't even do this again.

$15 for set of 4.  Single balm worth $3.75

Total Value $14.86

This was an ok box.  I wasn't overjoyed with anything, but would have been if the lip balm was a different favor I would have been happier.  Oh well.  The next box would hopefully be better.


Birchbox costs $10/month, including shipping and sends you a box of 4-6 samples and sometimes full-sized products.  You can review the products you receive for 10 Birchbox points each.  For every $1 you spend in the BB shop, you also receive 1 BB point.  For every 100 BB points you accumulate, you get $10 to spend in their shop.  If you would like to sign up, my link is here and I will earn 50 BB points at the end of your first month.

This post contains products I purchased with my own money.  No compensation was received for this post and all opinions are my own.  This post contains a referral link, see above for details.

Popsugar Must Have July 2013 Review

Popsugar Must Have July 2013 Review

Why, yes, Popsugar, I will enjoy!

I wasn't thrilled with the spoilers I had seen, but now that the box is here, I'm happy with it. I wasn't happy that it was NOT sealed and could have fallen open at any time on the journey here, but whatever. Everything is accounted for. The contents:

Mighty Leaf Iced Tea in Calypso Mango flavor.
4 tea bags, each makes 1/2 gallon. YUM. Mighty Leaf makes some delicious teas (green tea tropical is delightful) and I can't wait to take up a nice big pitcher of this. I'm glad I got the mango flavor instead of the peach. I like peach iced tea, but I can get that at any time. Mango is a little more interesting.


ncLA polish in "As If!"
As if is a pretty pastel purple. This is one of my favorite year-round nail colors, and I have never tried an ncLA polish. I am seriously impressed. The brush is perfect for thin, even layers of color with minimal effort, and the formula goes on smoothly and dries fast.

2 coats.

Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Crunchy Cookie Chips by Hannamax Baking
I'll give these to my boyfriend, as I don't like sweets and he is a fiend for them.

Supergoop! Sunscreen
Sunscreen makes me happy. I'm super pale and I like to keep it that way. I don't tan and I don't like to burn, so I wear sunscreen every day at least on my face. This has won a bunch of awards, but I'll be able to see for myself if it is as awesome as everyone says. It does have cyclomethicone in it, so if you are avoiding silicones on your face, just a heads up. I don't care either way, I don't break out easily.

King Cube Tray by Tovolo.
My dad has a few ice cube trays by this company, including the King Cubes.  He is a man who is serious about his ice cubes and if this is good enough to keep my dad's drinks cold without getting too watery, then it is good enough for me! These will be awesome in my iced tea. Pro tip: for clearer ice cubes, use boiled (but not distilled) water. It has less dissolved air, which is why ice cubes can be cloudy.

Rose Double Curb Chain necklace by Baublebar
This came with a 20% off code. I like it more than I expected to. It is absolutely not something I would pick for myself, but it looks nice with what I happened to wear to work today:

I look better without a face, trust me.

Popsugar Must Have costs $35 per month, but you get a better deal if you buy a multi-month subscription.  The August box is currently sold out; if you sign up now, September will be your first box.  If you would like to sign up, here is my referral link.

This post contains items that I purchased through Popsugar.  All opinions are my own.  This post also contains a referral link.  If 2 people sign up using my link, I receive a free box.