Birchbox May 2012

Hey there, I received my first Birchbox in the mail today!!! For those of you who don't know Birchbox is a monthly subscription service that sends out beauty, skincare, and lifestyle related samples. The samples you receive for the most part are deluxe sized or from time to time full sized. The box costs $10.00 a month and that price includes shipping. Oh, and they have a points program that you can use towards purchasing full sized products from their store. For every 100 points you earn through referrals, product reviews,or purchases you earn $10.00 credit. These credits are stack-able so if say you have 500 points you have $50.00 to use towards your Birchbox purchase, pretty cool really! If you are interested in joining please feel free to use my referral link https://www.birchbox.com?raf=x2rl5 for every referral I get I get 50 points to use toward full sized products.

 Ok now to the good stuff.

This is how the box comes packaged, the box itself is really sturdy so I will be able to reuse it! Clockwise from top left. The outer shipping box, The inner box (this month was a theme month the theme was Gossip Girl so the sleeve was all pretty looking, not a show I watch), The actual Birchbox, What the inside of the box looks like when you open it (you get a card which is right on top describing the theme, mine was Chic Sunday Brunch, the other side of the card has product descriptions and full size prices), and Finally what the inside looks like (how cute are the products wrapped like a present!!).

 

All the products out of the packaging! How fun!!! I love the postcard that came with the perfume sample! I am so going to use it!!!

Now I will go through each individual product, a couple I can already review a little bit, the one's I can't I will update as I use them.

This is the Fresh Tinted Lip Treatment in Sugar Rose . Confession, I am a lip gloss and lip balm freak normally if the packaging looks interesting I buy it. I put this on as soon as I lifted it out. I love love love it!!! It smells citrusy when you put it on, its super smooth, there isn't a ton of color but the barely there red that it is makes a pretty tint. It has lasted the 2 hours or so since I opened my box so it pretty good. Now the price... For the full size its 22.50, ouch. The sample value is 12.00, its a pretty large type sample, good thing for me, because I would be really tempted to buy the full size if it ran out to quickly, maybe if I wait long enough I can have points saved up to buy it.

 

Next up is Atelier Cologne in Vanille Insensee. This is another product I can review right now. For me this was not the greatest. I am not a vanilla person at all!! There are suppose to be notes of lime and coriander with it, but on my skin all I can detect is vanilla. This sample, though not for me is right up my Momma's alley. She likes vanilla, a lot, so off to her collection this goes. The postcard that is at the bottom of the Birchbox in the picture of all the products came with it. It is so cute! Hmmmm, who to send a postcard to...  The price on a full size bottle is $65.00 the sample value is $2.16.

 This is Dr. Jart+ Waterfuse BB Cream. I was really really looking forward to this sample. When I opened it there was hardly anything in the bottle, not even enough to be able to use it on my whole face! I am disappointed in you Dr. Jart+!!!! Why would you put out a sample in a tube this size and not fill it!!!! How dumb is that! I contacted Birchbox via email, I am waiting to see if they can do anything about it. The full size bottle is $32.00 according to the packaging there is .06 oz. in the tube so the sample value is $1.12, personally I value it at less because you can't get any out to use it. So, maybe $.50...

-Update Review. I put the little tube upside down in my train case over night to get all of the contents to the bottom, I was able to get enough to actually use it on my face!!! I really like this stuff!!!! It definitely has the hydrating feel of a moisturizer, but the foundation part of it really has good coverage. I really wish there was more of it!!! Hopefully Birchbox will find a way. 

Next up is Color Club Nail Lacquer in Disco Nap. This is the one thing I really will not be able to use myself to review. I get my nails done at a salon so unless I bring this with me to have them use on me. But, I do have a 6 year old DIVA child who will be more than happy to let me paint her nails with this color so that I can get a review. Oh the things she hassss to do for her Momma. LOL! Sorry for the yucky looking pictures, my camera was refusing to cooperate with the sparkles! All in all, I like the color, it went on pretty well, fully covered in 2 coats, and dried super fast. The fast drying is awesome when working on a 6 year old! Color Club is a good product, I actually have it on in Pucci-licious for my base coat with OPI's Mad As A Hatter Glitter over it. My nails look amazing!!! But, as I was saying, Color Club is good stuff, has great staying power! I usually get my nails done once a month and my polish is always still as nice looking as it was day one, as long as I keep up with the top coat, but I have to do that with any polish brand. The full size polish is $8.00, I personally think that Color Club is worth that price, many would say I am wrong though. The sample value of it is $4.00.

This is a Twistband Hair Tie. I have to say I am kind of excited to try this thing out. I have tried probably every hair tie known to man, even the silicone ties trying to find that one tie that looks cute and keeps my hair tight without breaking my hair. Maybe this is my miracle product, maybe not, we will see. I will try it out tomorrow and let you know. The price for a 12 pack of these is $18.00, ouch for the second time. The sample value is $1.50.

-Update Review. I like it!!! It holds my hair tight without being really tight feeling. I think these will be a keeper, although the 18.00 price tag is pretty steep.

Last is the Lifestyle Extra that Birchbox threw in this month. Note cards, from what I have read the XOXO thing has something to do with Gossip Girl, again not a show I watch so I have no clue. They are cute, I am not sure who I am going to send a note to, but who knows, maybe one of you readers out there in the internet world would like me to drop you a line. The price for a set of 12 of these is $10.00, not bad if you like Gossip Girl I guess. The sample value is $1.20.

So, all in all a pretty good first box in my opinion. It's total sample value is $21.98, a little over double what I paid, so definitely worth keeping!!!

See Ya'll Soon Interwebz Readers!

*I am not a paid spokesperson. I paid for my Birchbox myself, all reviews are honest and my own.*