Birchbox June 2014

Birchbox June 2014 Review

I know.  I know.  I'm a slacker and this is SUPER DUPER late.  I apologize.

In the month of June, I moved, attended a week-long conference, and had a mini vacation to go see my sister, her husband, and their newborn baby! My niece trumped reviews, sorrynotsorry!


Ok, so here is my very late June 2014 Birchbox review.

The box's theme was, "away we go"

I don't think I peeked at the spoilers for this one?  Maybe I did? I don't remember, it was so long ago.  Soz.

First Look

This is like unwrapping it again! Oh right, I did get that.

Nexxus Color Assure Sulfate-Free System

Finally! A shampoo sample that is sulfate-free from Birchbox!  Woo!

This set came with sample sizes of the pre-shampoo primer (an oil you rub into your dry hair before washing it), a shampoo, and a conditioner.  They all smelled good to me, vaguely like candy.

Really?

The only bad part about these samples were their containers!  It was impossible for me to empty out all the shampoo and conditioner from the stupid bottle-shaped packs.  I did like all of the products, the primer less than the shampoo and conditioner, but I don't think I will be buying these in the future.  There are cheaper options out there that smell just as good.  The good part was, I could review each of the three of these individually!  Extra points this month!

Primer, $17.99 for 3.3 fl.oz, 0.17 fl.oz. sample worth $0.93

Shampoo, $11.99 for 13.5 fl.oz., 0.3 fl.oz. sample worth $0.27

Conditioner, $14.99 for 13.5 fl.oz., 0.3 fl.oz. sample worth $0.33

Total: $1.57

Egyptian Magic

I also got a sample of Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream.  It is made with olive oil, beeswax, honey, pollen, royal jelly, and bee propolis.  It is a firm solid, but melts with the heat of your finger so you can slather it wherever.  I don't really have a use for this right now, but maybe this winter it will help with my skin.  The internet says that people use this for anything and everything, maybe I'll find something before the cold weather hits, or maybe I won't. Who know?  For now, I just feel fancy having something with royal jelly in it.

Full size is $38 for 4 oz, and my 0.25 oz sample is worth $2.38

I was excited for the box colors, but it wasn't diamonds, just face cleanser

I haven't used this yet, but I've used a different version and really liked it.  I am hoping this one is just as nice.  The kit came with a 1 fl.oz. sample of the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, and a muslin cloth with which to use it.

$21.50 for 3.3 fl.oz. and $6 for 2 replacement cloths, making 1 fl.oz. worth $6.52 and one cloth $3.

Total $9.52

Boring

I got samples of English Laundry (for him and another one for her) in Ipsy earlier this year, and I'm indifferent to it.  It's a little annoying to get perfume samples, and especially annoying to get the SAME perfume samples- but this version is smaller than the one I got from Ipsy!  This is a woody, musky floral and almost smells like an old lady.  Maybe the roses?

$90 for 3.4 fl.oz., 0.017 fl.oz. worth $1.53

Black.  It had to be black.

Last, but not least, is a black eyeliner from Cynthia Rowley.  It's adequate, but it's nothing special.  I would have preferred to receive a different color, like silver or violet!

$16 for 0.04 oz. sample is 0.03 oz. and is worth $12

At least nothing was offensive, and I got to review 7 things!

Overall, my BB this month was worth $27 even.  There were some decent things, but the packaging of the shampoo (and TINY sizes), and the perfume were a little bit of a let down.  I'm sure I can find someone who will like the eyeliner, and I'll eventually get to the facewash.  I have quite the stash of them from all these subscription boxes!

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 a referral link; see above for details.

Julep June 2014

Julep, June 2014

This month, Julep is a little different for me.  I decided that since Julep FINALLY listened to the people and is now letting you build your own box, I should take advantage of that.  I pre-paid for 3 months to keep my $19.99/month price (and then my sister gifted me 4 months for my birthday! Thanks, Beth!) so I wouldn't have to pay $24.99 for the custom box.

Julep June 2014 First Look

Julep's new system allows you to pick two polishes and one product (or additional polish) for the small box.  The larger box is a higher price point and you probably get to pick more things.  I'm not sure, as I did not choose this option.

Julep June 2014, Pixy Stix, Natalia, Phia, and Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat

Because I got to customize my box, I got exactly the colors I wanted from this month's collection.  I chose the Oxygen Smoothing Base Coat as my product, Natalia from Boho Glam, and Phia from It Girl.

Three Wishes collection

The base coat goes on milky and matte, and dries in about a minute.  I have similar base coats that cost way less, but I like that Julep products are all compatible and my polish won't dissolve my base coat, and my top coat won't dissolve my polish.  That's always a mess!

Labels

Natalia is supposed to be a copper metallic, but it looks more like a rose-gold foil to me.  It's pretty, whatever you want to call it!  It dries fast, like most things packed with shimmer, and is not streaky at all.  The shimmer is more foil-y than chrome-y, so you get a more even finish that's super shiny but not mirror-reflective.  This is one of my favorite Julep colors ever!

Phia is called an orchid iridescent chrome, but it is just a sheer purple-gold sparkly duochrome to me.  There's some iridescent sparkles to it, but I don't think Julep knows that chrome finishes are supposed to be mirror-reflective.  It's pretty, but it is more subtle than I wanted it to be.  It definitely needs two coats, as it is on the sheerer side of polishes.

The bonus this month was some Pixy Stix, and I got 3 of the same color/flavor.  Booo!

Not the best nail pick, but Natalia as an accent to Phia.  Both are really shiny and Natalia is definitely pink IRL.

All in all, I'm loving Natalia, I like Phia, and the base coat is kinda boring.  I do like that I can pick my two favorite colors each month, now, though!  That makes this a little more worth-it to me.

Julep is now a minimum of $19.99 per month if you prepay for 3 months at a time.  New customers also only get to skip twice per year.  If you want to sign up, you can try a starter kit with the code FREEBOX and you only pay shipping!  Julep polishes last almost a week on me without chipping (and that's without a base or top coat) and are some of my favorites.  I think the quality is worth the price.

To try it, please use my link here.  I'll get a discount on my next box 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.

Phone Case of the Month Review, May 2014

PCotM Review, May 2014

So, I got drunk a few weeks ago.  Nothing new there.  But, apparently, in my inebriated state, I decided that I was tired of my phone case (it was cracked) and that I needed a new one.  So I re-started my Phone Case of the Month subscription.  I didn't realize this until I got a shipping confirmation.... oops!

#OwlWisdom

Anyway, I got this case which is a fake-wood pattern with an owl on it.  I like it! I've been using it and feel pretty good about my beercision.

PCotM is $10 per month and you can pick from iPhone and Samsung Galaxy cases, can suspend or cancel your subscription at any time, and you get $5 off for referring people.  So, if you want to try this out (or send it as a gift!), please use my link here.


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.

Ipsy May 2014 Review

Ipsy May 2014

Ipsy's theme this month was "Fresh Picks" and was another low-makeup month.  A few times a year, it seems like Ipsy focuses more on skin and hair care than makeup.  I much prefer the all-makeup months!

Ipsy May 2014 bag
Chilling with some succulents

The bag this month is actually one of my favorites ever! It is canvas with a spring-green leaf print on the front.  It feels pretty durable and I already have it in my purse.

That being said, the bag is probably my favorite thing out of this month.  Womp womp.

Eva NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask

Eva-NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask

The first item that I got this month is a hair mask from  Eva NYC.  I haven't tried it yet, to be honest, because I have one open already, but maybe this weekend I'll put this in my shower to try it out.  I like the packaging, though, very pretty!  This mask has argan oil and Keravis in it.  Keravis is a trademarked product that is basically a combination protein/silicone.  

The full size is 500 mL for $40, making the 60 mL sample worth $4.80 (although they sell this size for $12 on the EVA NYC site).

Pacifica Eyeshadow Duo

Pacifica Mineral Eyeshadow Duo #2- Moonbeam and Unicorn

Of course, the ONLY makeup item I get, and I don't like it!  There was a Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm sent to some people this month, and I wanted it so badly!  I LOVE those.  But no, I got this eyeshadow duo.

Moonbeam, left.  Unicorn, right.
Tiny aloe plant as prop

The duo I got is very pretty in the package.  Moonbeam is a dusky purple with a slight golden sheen, and Unicorn is an eggshell cream with a golden shift.  In theory, these are great colors!

Two swipes over bare skin.  Unicorn on top, Moonbeam on the bottom
Feather to cover up my super disgusting curling iron burn

Unfortunately, over bare skin these barely show up.  Moonbeam looks like a fading bruise, and Unicorn is there, but most of its golden sheen stayed on my swatching finger and didn't stick to my hand.  Maybe a primer would help these.  I was pretty disappointed in the quality of these.  This shadow is 0.07oz (I'll round to 2g, 1g for each color).  Pacifica is a Vegan company, and these use coconut oil as the main binding component.  They are nice and soft, I just want more color payoff!

Moonbeam is from the Mystical Supernatural Eye Shadow Palette ($14 for 7g), and this half of the shadow is worth $2.
Unicorn is from the Charmed Shadow Palette ($17 for 5.6g), and this half of the shadow is worth $3.04.

Total: $5.04

Hey Honey Take It Off Exfoliating Honey Peel Off Mask

Hey Honey Take it OFf

This peel-off mask has honey and an alpha hydroxy acid in it.  The directions are to put on a face lotion, put the mask over it, let the mask dry, peel it off, and put on more lotion.  All that lotioning seems to me to be what is making your face so soft!  But, I haven't tried this, so I can't really speak on that.


50 mL is $35, making the 10 mL sample worth $7.  That's pretty expensive, but it doesn't seem like you use a lot at a time, so this should last a while.  Especially because I don't really use masks more often than once a month.

Hang 10 Classic Sport Sunscreen SPF

Hang Ten Classic Sport Sunscreen SPF 50

Hang Ten is owned by Coola, the makers of a higher-end mineral sunscreen line.  I've gotten some Coola products in previous bags, but this is not a face-specific sunscreen like those were.  This is water-resistant UVA/UVB sunscreen.  I always need more of this!  It has the same chemical sunscreen ingredients as everything else on the market (avobenzone, octinoxate, octisalate, octocrylene), and so it works because these molecules absorb the ultraviolet rays so your skin doesn't.  This means you need to reapply after AT MOST 2 hours, because all that radiation can degrade these compounds, causing them to produce free radicals which are also bad for your skin.  

This is $12.99 for 3.4 fl.oz., making the 1 fl.oz. sample worth $3.82



Avène Thermal Spring Water

Avene Thermal Spring Water

Seriously?  Why do products like this exist?  This is water.  In a misting can.  For your face.  Ok, thanks Ipsy.  I just don't get it- what is so special about this, and why do you need to gently mist your face with water often enough to require a product like this?

Whatever- to each their own.  The company claims that the minerals in this water (from the thermal spring) help calm and soothe irritated skin.  Eh.  I'll spritz it on the next sunburn I get and see if it does anything besides temporarily cool it off.

The full price is $18 for 300 mL.  That is OUTRAGEOUS for water in a fancy can.  Holy crap.

The 50 mL sample is worth $3. 

Everything all together:

Ipsy May 2014

All together, this month had a value of $23.66.  It's not the highest value Ipsy bag ever, and I don't like two of the products, but the sunscreen, hair treatment, and face mask are decent.  I love the bag, though! Hopefully next month goes back to being makeup-only!

Ipsy is $10 per month and sends you 4-6 deluxe and full-sized (mostly makeup) items in a reusable makeup bag.  You can review each item on their site for 10 points each, and every 1000 Ipsy points will get you a bonus item.  If you want to try it out, please use my link here.  I'll get some extra Ipsy 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 a referral link.

Julep May 2014

Julep May 2014: It Girl

Why are all of my subscription boxes so late this month? It was a little annoying, especially because Julep usually arrives around the 1st of each month!

All May boxes came with Julep's Plié wand- a tool Julep crowd-sourced for funding.  The "It Girl" style profile usually has 3 polishes and zero other things, but this month it came with 2 polishes and the wand.  I *had* to get this one, because one of the polishes was named, "Jules"! 

Julep May, First Look

The polishes in this style profile are Jules, a warm powder pink creme, and Kam, a vintage spearmint creme.

Julep Kam and Jules

I'm sooo glad my namesake polish is such a "me" color! I have way too many pale pinks, but I can always justify another.

Julep Kam and Jules

Onto the good stuff...

Julep Plié Wand, Extra Caps, and It Girl Polishes

Julep included extra brushes with the Plié wand, so you can use it with your non-Julep polishes.  They also included a replaceable cap, so you can use it with your entire Julep collection.  I took some pictures of the simple cap exchange procedure.

Top Left: Julep polish with normal cap and Plié adaptor cap
Top Right: Pull the normal cap straight off
Bottom Left: Push the adaptor cap onto the bottle
Bottom Right: Snap the magnetic Plié wand into the magnetic adaptor cap

It's pretty easy!

Julep Jules with Plié Wand

The wand extends the polish cap, making it so you can hold it like a pen or pencil.  It also bends and swivels, so you can find the perfect polishing position.

Top: My handwriting grip
Bottom: My traditional polishing grip
Julep Alexandra on my nails

I'll update this post with swatches of the polishes.  I've been wearing Jules since Saturday afternoon, when the box came, and it's now Tuesday.  That's a pretty long time for me...

Julep is a monthly nail polish subscription service.  They are making some changes to their available choices, taking effect in June for new subscribers.  If you want to try it out for free, use code FREECOLOR to try it out! I do really like their polishes, they last a long time without chipping on me.  My referral link is here, I'll get bonus points for referring you, and you get a free box.  Win-win!

"My Maven" is $24.99/month (or $19.99 per month if you prepay for 3 months at a time) and is customizable- you pick 2 polishes from the current collection, and one beauty/makeup/hair item that is offered.  That is the normal box, but now you have the ability to customize.

"Maven Luxe" is $39.99/month (or $34.99/month if you prepay for 3 months at a time) and is also customizable, but you get to pick more products.

You earn 1 skip every six months, get a discount any time in the Maven shop, and have access to special deals and sales. You do earn points (Jules) for every box you take, other purchases, and referrals.  These can be spent on more boxes, products, etc...

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 a referral link.

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.

Golden Tote April 2014

Golden Tote April 2014

After a week or so of being tormented by seeing everyone else's totes online, my April Golden Tote finally showed up today!

They changed the bag design this month, which is cute.  I think I like the "Stay Golden" version better, though.

New tote pattern this month!

The way GT works is that you pick either a $149 tote or a $49 tote.  With a $49 tote, you pick one item to start and you get 2-3 more items as a surprise.  The $149 option allows you to pick two items from the boutique and you will get 4-5 more items as a surprise.

The first item I picked is this cinched silk dress by I. Madeline:

I. Madeline Cinched Silk Dress

There are ties at each hip that cinch the waist, and this dress has a two-button front and also POCKETS!  Pockets in dresses are the best!

I wasn't sure if I actually liked this or not, but it fits well, is comfortable, and looks better with a sweater.  I took it on a test drive around town this evening.

The dress in action at the wall in Narragansett
Yes, that is my purse behind me... I thought it would be out of the frame there... oops.

I'm not crazy about the sleeves on their own, and I feel like without a sweater/cardigan/blazer this will look too much like a couch (or Kim Kardashian's infamous floral dress at the Met Gala while she was pregnant last May).  But, I do like this and I'm glad I picked it for my tote.  It seems to be really well made, and there are nice seaming details on the back.

Pattern and pleated back detail

Before I show you the second item I picked, I will show you my favorite item from this month's tote, a simple tank dress from Priddy by Puella.  Puella is the label created by the GT founders, and Priddy is an offshoot (I think made just for GT).  Puella is sold at Anthropologie.

I was really, really hoping I would get this dress, and I did! There were two color options I think, with the other being black and white only?  I'm not sure.  My ten second google search didn't turn anything up besides the red contrast.

Priddy by Puella Striped Tank Dress

Anyway, this dress is super duper soft and drapey.  I like that it is actually two layers throughout, it makes it a little more substantial and I won't have to worry about it flying away on a windy day!

I have a number of horizontal striped dresses from GT, and Puella/Priddy especially, but they are all different and I'm always happy to receive another one! They usually end up being my favorite item from the tote each month.

Priddy by Puella Striped Tank Dress

Now that you have seen that dress, I can show you the second item that I picked this month, a denim jacket by Thread and Supply.  I used to have a jean jacket, and I loved it, but then I gained 30 pounds and it no longer fit.  So, this is its replacement.  When I ordered it, I don't think I realized it was decorated other places than the front...

Thread and Supply Embroidered Denim Jacket, Front

See?  the back is pretty busy, and that is not quite my style.  However, the jacket itself fits really well and already feels broken-in.  I will make it work!

Thread and Supply Embroidered Denim Jacket, Back

Just in general, it's nice to have a casual light-weight jacket.  I had been missing something like this from my wardrobe.

Thread and Supply

The surprise item that was spoiled this month is this lace raglan from Woo, which was made specifically for this month's tote.  This shirt is definitely my style, and I'm glad I got it!  The sleeves are soft and a little stretchy, but the lace doesn't move at all.  GT included a plain black tank to go with it! You can never have too many plain tanks...

Woo Souvenir Edition Lace Raglan Top

However, as much as I love this top, I can't wear it right away.  The sleeve wasn't sewn all the way closed due to some of the fabric escaping the serger.

Woo Lace Raglan Top
Ripped Sleeve

I'll sew it shut on my dinky machine, but it still is a sucky situation.  I feel like this company got sloppy, having to crank out so many of this top, and did not go through any kind of quality control.  I read in the facebook trading group that some other people had the same issue.  Too bad!

Woo Raglan Top

Here's where things go even further downhill.  Seaming issues aside, I like all of the previous items a lot.  I don't really like the other two things I was sent, starting with this high-low top from Sweewe.

Sweewe High-Low Floral Top

The black band at the bottom of the shirt, under the white? That's the bonus tank that was included with the lace raglan.  There is NO WAY I can wear this shirt without a tank underneath it... I'm just too old (and too out of shape) to get on the crop-top bandwagon.  The back is nice, though.

Sweewe High-Low Floral Top

I would like this a LOT better if the neckline was different, and the material was longer in the front.  The pattern is pretty, and I like the back of this, but that's about it.  It's very light and airy and would be great in the summer... on someone else.

Sweewe

The last item is another item that is comfy, and fits well, but would look a lot better on someone else.  It just isn't my style at all!

Trendology Boho Top

I might put these last two items up on the trading group to see if someone else wants them.

Trendology Boho Top

Oh well, you win some and you lose some.  I really like 4 out of the 6 items, and I got a bonus tank top! I was under the impression I would only get 5 items in this month's tote because the silk dress had a pretty high value, but I ended up with 6 anyway.

Black Tank

Overall, this month was not too bad...  Especially if I can sell or trade the two tops that I don't like as much.

April 2014 Golden Tote

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.