Showing posts with label Birchbox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birchbox. Show all posts

Thursday, July 28, 2011

July 2011 Birchbox


What is Birchbox? Birchbox is a membership service that delivers 4-5 deluxe size beauty samples to your door monthly. The cost is $10/month and that includes the shipping and handling. If you like what they send you, you have the option of purchasing full sizes on their website, many of them with free shipping. Membership also includes access to their website, which is loaded with beauty tutorials and the latest in beauty information. 

Last month I hinted that July's Birchbox was supposed to be something special, and special it was.  For July, Birchbox partnered with iconic designer Cynthia Rowley to create a box filled with Cynthia's personal favorite things.  This months box was a special present and opening it was a delight.

The first thing different I noticed about my box, was that it was covered in a pretty water marbled over wrap, just like gift wrap!  Inside, instead of the traditional pink tissue paper, this months goodies were wrapped in pretty turquoise tissue.  The wrappings while pretty aren't really the meat of this box though.
Inside was a beautiful nude Zoya nail polish.  It's a pretty pearled nude that actually looks good on me.  I've struggled with nude nail polish and it always gives me cadaver fingers.  Zoya's Shay had enough reflective properties to help me pull the look off.

Also included is a 1 fl oz sample of my favorite cleanser Purity.  For more on this fabulous cleanser check out my post here.  Needless to say I was quite happy to receive this travel size of my favorite cleanser.

I have been on a seemingly endless search for the perfect hand cream.  I almost found it in this months Birchbox.  It's the Ahava Mineral Hand Cream.  It absorbs nicely into my hands with a nice soft non-greasy finish.  Unfortunately it has a rather strong fragrance (not unpleasant) and due to my "real" job I have to try and stay "fragrance free".  There's also some political stuff brewing around this Israeli based company and I prefer my cosmetics to be a "political free zone".

My favorite addition to this months Birchbox is the the Redken Shine Flash 02.  This is a hair shine product that leaves an almost glossy finish to my hair.  Cynthia Rowley uses this on her models before they march down the catwalk.  I love the finish it gives my hair, it even tames those pesky baby hairs.  I do not love the stinky smell.  It quickly evaporates though and is undetectable in my hair.

Last but not least was this months "treat".  Tucked away in the box was a KIND Almond & Apricot bar.  I have seen these before at Starbucks and have hesitated to try them.  Not any more, they are yummy! This snack is loaded with nuts and fruits, but no preservatives or "hard-to-pronounce" ingredients.  Since trying this, I have purchased several of the other flavors and Almond & Apricot is my favorite.


Have any of you subscribed to Birchbox or are you thinking about it? The last two months have been great, can't wait till August's box comes!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

June 2011 Birchbox-OMG! Such Awesomeness!

What is Birchbox? Birchbox is a membership service that delivers 4-5 deluxe size beauty samples to your door monthly. The cost is $10/month and that includes the shipping and handling. If you like what they send you, you have the option of purchasing full sizes on their website, many of them with free shipping. Membership also includes access to their website, which is loaded with beauty tutorials and the latest in beauty information. 

I'll be honest with you, the last couple of Birchboxes that I've received had me doubting my subscription.  Not any more!  June's box was amazing. I won't keep you in suspense, here is a picture of my Birchbox in all it's amazing glory!


In case you were wondering, yes that is a FULL SIZE Laura Geller Baked Blush N' Brighten! Oh, and that Kiehls bottle, it's full of a their brand new oil-free moisturizer.  What can I say?  This was a box of greatness!  Well at least for $10!  Remember though, each box is customized to the indivdual.  My box may be different then the one you or others receive.

This month's theme was summer travel and vacation-ready products.  I think each product was a home run and something that I or Miss S will be using on a regular basis. 

Xen-Tan Deep Bronze Luxe is a self tanner that has a reputation for being natural looking and easy to apply (lotion is tinted for easy application).  I have wanted to try it, but at $39 for a 8 fl oz bottle I was holding off.   I haven't tried the Xen-Tan yet, but my 1 fl oz sample will be getting some good use before my next holiday!

Kiehls Ultra Facial Oil Free Lotion is a brand new addition to the well respected Ultra Facial line.  This lotion hasn't even hit the stores yet, but it's sitting on Miss S's vanity as we speak.  Poor Miss S, suffers from eczema and oily skin.  Most lotions are either too heavy or too light.  This oil free lotion is neither.  It moisturizers her skin without exacerbating either problem.  A full size bottle will cost $24.50 for 125 ml's.  The Birchbox sample was 30 ml's and after 1 weeks use, Miss S still has a good amount left.  Definitely a product I will be purchasing.

This months perfume sample was Kate Spade's Twirl.  It comes in a mini spray sample bottle thingy (it must have a real name, I just don't know it!). Twirl is a nice fruity scent that smells bright and cheerful.  A 1.7 fl oz bottle will run you $65 and the  Birchbox sample is a generous 0.05 fl oz.

Of course my favorite by far is the full size Laura Geller Baked Blush N' Brighten.  This is a four in 1 product that works with almost every skin tone.  It can be used wet or dry.  It works as a blush, bronzer, eyeshadow and/or highlighter. This has a bit more shimmer then I usually like, but I've been having a lot of fun with it.  The retail price is $29.50 and the cost of my Birchbox was only $10!  Woo Hoo! SCORE!

Last but not least are the Herban Essentials Orange Towelettes.  These are very cool, handy little germ-killing hands wipes.  They smell amazing and they don't contain any alcohol. Orange essential oil is a very effective antimicrobial and antiseptic.  A full size box contains 20 towelettes for $15 and the June Birchbox was packed with 2 of these delicious smelling hand wipes.  Goodbye germ gel!

Rumor has it that July's box is going to be even better!  I can't wait!

Friday, May 27, 2011

May Birchbox

I wish I could say I was excited about this months Birchbox.  I could barely generate enough enthusiasm to tell you about it.  So I'll keep it short and sweet (yeah right!).

Inside the box I found...
  • Jouer Mini Tinted Lip Enhancer-described as, "a satiny moisturizer loaded with healing vitamin E and shea butter, plus plumping peptides" its basically a super sheer lip jelly.  The color I got was Bellini and in the tube it was really promising, on the lips it essentially disappeared.  It certainly doesn't plump in the way that LipFusion or Buxom lip glosses do.  Still, it was a nice sized color sample from a high end line.  I did notice on You Tube that a lot of people got full sized Stila eyeshadows in lieu of the Lip Enhancer-lucky them.
  • Bulgari Mon Jamin Noir- the latest fragrance from Bulgari.   I've heard it described as smelling like an "old lady", but I think it's quite nice, if not a bit heavy.  What does that say about me?  Has as a nice scent of jasmine and its not overly fruity like a lot of the newer scents. I love the ads, think they are super sexy and Kirsten Dunst looks amazing. The sample was the mini spray kind, which I do like. 
  • Erno Laszlo Transphuse Night Serum-this line has been around forever.  Erno Laszlo was Audrey Hepburn's favorite skincare line and anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE Ms Hepburn.  However the Erno Laszlo line is obnoxiously priced and I don't believe it lives up to the hype or its price.  A one oz. bottle of the serum retails for $190.  Trust me, there is nothing in that serum that makes it worth that price.  The sample was nice at a tenth of an ounce.  It more then paid for this months box.
  • Archipelago Pomegranate Soap- a triple milled soap that is loaded with antioxidant rich pomegranate, white tea, cranberry and chamomile extracts.  It's a nice size travel bar (think hotel sample).  I have heard a lot of people hate the scent, but I think it smells refreshing. 
This months Birchbox Treat was a cute little blank card from a company called Tiny Prints.  It's a cute little card and will make a nice Thank You note.  Overall it's not anything special.

There wasn't anything bad in this box.  In fact this months box was a value, I just was not excited about any of the products.  I hadn't been wanting to try any of them, and after using them, am quite sure I won't be purchasing any of them.

If you are interested in learning more about Birchbox click here.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Great Online Stores to Get Your Beauty Fix

More and more I find myself ordering beauty products online.  Even color products are easy to buy online.  I rely on the  incredible  color swatching done by Christine over at Temptalia.com and have never been disappointed. Ordering online saves you time and money.  I also find that buying online limits my impulse purchases( I am Queen of the Impulse Purchase).

When I order online I have the following expectations.
  • A seamless shopping and check out process
  • Editing my shopping cart should be straightforward
  • Easy movement between shopping cart and store
  • Product reviews from customers
  • Fast shipping at a low price (free is even better!)
  • Great customer service
 It may not be fair, but I DO count weekends into shipping time.  I don't stop wanting something just because it's a weekend.  Here are the online beauty stores I've used recently and my thoughts on them.


Sephora.com is a great resource for high end beauty products.  They have an outstanding collection of makeup, skin/hair care and fragrance.  They carry many hard to find brands and often have products/colors within the lines that are exclusive to Sephora.  Some products are exclusive online only.  I recently made a purchase during their Beauty Insider 15% off promotion. 
  • Free shipping over $50
  • Several items I wanted were out of stock
  • Easy site navigation
  • Great search engine
  • Large number of product reviews
  • 3 free foil product samples with order
  • Shipping is not fast.  Last order took 10 days

 BeautyBar.com is another online resource.  I became aware of them through a promotion on HauteLook.com.  For $20 you received a $40 gift card, basically 50% of your purchase.
  • Free 1-2 day shipping on order over $39. Ordered on Saturday and received on Monday
  • Add coupon code BBGIFT15 and get $15 off your first $50 purchase
  • Limited product selection
  • Several items I wanted were out of stock
  • Decent site navigation
  • Few to no product reviews
  • Awkward search engine
  • 3 foil product samples with order
  • Package arrived in 2 days, but was missing a product
  • Great customer service with missing item delivered in less then 24 hours

Nordstrom.com is my favorite online store.  The website is easy to navigate, they are almost never out of an item I've needed and you have the option of either home delivery or in store pick up.  Since I HATE shopping at the crowded MAC counter, I usually order my items online and pick up at customer service in my local store.  My local Nordstrom doesn't carry some of the higher end lines like Giorgio Armani and YSL so those items I have shipped.  .
  • $5 shipping on purchases of $50 or more BUT must use offer code BEAUTY, discounted shipping is not automatically applied at checkout.
  • Great selection and rarely out of stock
  • Option for home delivery or in store pick up.  In store pick up is free
  • Fair number of customer reviews
  • Extremely easy site navigation
  • Good search function.
  • Quick at home delivery

Birchbox.com is a great online resource.  In addition to the monthly boxes they send out, they have a very nice albeit small online store.
  • A large number of items ship for free
  • Limited selection
  • Very quick delivery
  • Efficient search engine
  • You have to be a member to product access reviews
  • Amazing customer service

Beauty.com and it's sister site Drugstore.com are great resources for both high end products and drugstore lines. 
  • Free shipping for orders $25 and more
  • Very speedy delivery
  • They have never been out of stock of an item I need
  • Top of the line selection on drugstore lines
  • Decent selection of high end lines
  • Great search engine and easy site to navigate.
  • Lots of customer reviews

Dermstore.com is an online company I have recently discovered.  Dermstore has it's own online store, but I purchased directly through Amazon.com.  I ordered on Friday and the package was in my mailbox on Monday morning. The shipping was $4.99, but I discovered after the fact if I bought directly from their web site all U.S. shipping is free.  Next time I need to place an order I will go through the Dermstore site.  I have browsed their site and find it easy to navigate with lots of great lines and articles.  It's an online store that focuses on Dermatologist recommended makeup, beauty and skin care products.  Many of the products they offer are only available through a doctors office.

Do you shop for beauty products online?  What have your experiences been?

Saturday, April 23, 2011

April's Birchbox

After much anticipation and many disappointing trips to the mailbox, my April Birchbox finally arrived.  It was a bit late this month because it contained something a little different, and required special shipping. 

This months Birchbox "theme" was Earth Day, and in honor of Earth Day the boxes were loaded with earth friendly products.  I was excited to receive this months Birchbox because I had heard it contained nail polish.  Nail polish can't be shipped by air, hence the special shipping and long wait for my box.

My box was indeed filled with eco friendly products.  Inside the box I found skincare, fragrance, nail polish and as an extra, a lovely tin of Italian Chamomile tea.  Unfortunately,  the cleanser lid had cracked and leaked a bit in my box.  It wasn't a catastrophe by any means, just a bit disappointing.

The perfume sample was Liv Grn, Natural Eau de Parfum.  The description on the Birchbox card states it is "made from biodegradable and sustainable ingredients".  The scent is described as "bright, grassy and laced with orange and neroli".  I really like this fragrance and will definitely be putting this on my wish list.  The fragrance is not overpowering and brings to mind a bright spring day with big fluffy clouds.  Best of all, 10% of the sales go to Global Green.

The nail polish that I was so excited to receive turned out to be Zoya,  DoveDove is one of the colors in Zoya's spring collection, perhaps my least favorite. Birchbox describes it as a "chic gray hue".  Obviously there are people who love this color as it is very popular, I'm just not one of them.  I also already have the color;  I received it as part of their International Women's Day promotion.

The skincare portion of the box contained the cleanser I referred to earlier and Weleda, Wild Rose Smoothing Facial Lotion.  The facial lotion contains organic rosehip oil, which is full of antioxidants and vitamins.  I love the light rose fragrance and have enjoyed using it the last few nights.  Would I buy it?  I'm not sure.  It is lovely on the skin, but I don't notice anything spectacular about it.

The cleanser was the biggest disappointment.  It was the Suki, Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser, something I had been wanting to try.  Obviously the cracked lid and spilled product played a part in my disappointment, but it was the way my skin reacted that sealed the deal .  Birchbox describes this cleanser as a "magical two-in-one" cleanser that foams when you add water "and remedies dull skin and clogged pores with raw sugar, rice flour, and organic lemongrass".  I loved the strong smell of lemongrass, the feel of the cleanser foaming up and the gentleness of the exfoliant, but it left my skin stinging and red.  A full size of the Suki, Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser is $29.95.  Thanks to Birchbox, that's money I have saved.

The bonus sample in this months Birchbox was a tin of Zhena's Gypsy Tea, Italian Chamomile.  I'm not a lover of chamomile tea in general, but this one is pretty good.  After making a cup of tea, I throw the used tea bag in a bowl of hot water for an hour.  I then use this water to rinse my face at night after cleansing. 

I contacted Birchbox by phone and by email 4 days ago regarding my cracked cleanser.  I have not heard back from them.  I'm not overly upset about the cleanser being cracked, but I am upset about their lack of response.  A simple return call or email apologizing for any inconveinance would of gone a long way.  Today (4/25) I received a very nice email from the Birchbox team apologizing for the cracked cleanser.  That's all it took, and now I'm very happy.

Overall I'm very pleased with this months Birchbox.  Not all the items in my box were a hit, but that's kind of the point.  I got to try products I've been wanting and was introduced to products I was not familiar with.  For $10/month I still feel my Birchbox subscription is a good investment.  Let's not forget how fun it is to open it every month.

April's Birchbox
Sorry for the picture quality, my camera took a siesta.

For more information about Birchbox click here.

Monday, March 14, 2011

What is a Birchbox?

I've debated with myself about writing this post now, versus in a couple of months when I have more experience with the product.  However, after receiving my first package, I'm so excited I thought I would share with you now.  I'll continue to post updates as the year goes on and my experience with them broadens.

What is Birchbox?  Birchbox is a membership service that delivers 4-5 deluxe size beauty samples to your door monthly.  The cost is $10/month and that includes the shipping and handling.  If you like what they send you, you have the option of purchasing full sizes on their website, many of them with free shipping. Membership also includes access to their website, which is loaded with beauty tutorials and the latest in beauty information.  They even offer a purchasing incentive.

When you join, you fill out a questionnaire that allows them to customize your box specifically to your needs. I'm not convinced they actually do customize the boxes, but I would hope they take notice of skin sensitivities ect. The boxes include high end makeup, fragrance, skincare, body and hair products.  Each month you'll receive something different. How fun is that?


March is the first month that I have been a member and I have been eagerly awaiting my box for days.  Today when I picked up my mail, my box was there.  It was like Christmas, only better because I haven't sneaked a peak at my gifts! The packaging and presentation is very elegant.



This month I received a skin brightening Kantic Mask from Alchimie Forever, that I have been dying to try. The full size is $60, so a bit of an investment.  My sample will probably give me 3-4 uses.  They claim it erases skin wrinkles and reduces skin redness.  Those are some big promises.  Reviews of this product have been fabulous, so I'm hoping it lives up to the hype.

Two Dr. Dennis Gross, Alpha Beta Glow Pads were included in my box.  I'm not too enthused about these.  They are little towelettes that have exfoliating and anti-aging ingredients. You apply it to your skin to ensure a streak free faux tan. A full size package includes 20 towelettes for $32, so the value of this sample is just over $3. I usually don't tan (fake or real), but I may give it a try.

The unexpected inclusion in the box is a tube of Marvis, Classic Mint Toothpaste.  Marvis is a high end Italian toothpaste that I have been hearing a lot about.  It's supposed to be great for smokers because the minty scent sticks with you.  Evidently it doesn't burn your mouth like a lot of breath freshening toothpastes do. The sample looks like it will last me at least 2 weeks.

I'm most pleased with the Pangea Organics, Pyrenees Lavender with Cardamom Lip Balm.  This is a full sized product that retails at $10.  Considering I paid $10 for the entire box, I definitely got my moneys worth and some products I'm interested in trying.  As an extra, they also included a foil sample of Pangea Organics, Facial Cream with Nigerian Ginger with Lavender & Thyme.

The bonus gift this month is a brow brush.  Basically it's a spooly wand.  The same thing they sample mascara with at Sephora.  It's nothing special, but it's always nice to have an extra one. They also include a free song upload from Dutch pop star Oh Land.  Something new to listen to.

I haven't belonged to Birchbox long enough to say that I recommend them, but so far I'm pleased.  The contents of this box wasn't as exciting as some of the ones I've seen in past months, but I still feel like I got my moneys worth.  I'll keep you updated on future boxes and let you know my thoughts.

http://www.birchbox.com/