This month's Birchbox came a little bit later than normal for me, and unfortunately there was a problem with my box (I'll get into that later on in the review). However, BB customer service has been outstanding and they are sending me a brand new box to compensate!
For those of you who don't know, Birchbox is a monthly beauty/makeup/lifestyle subscription box for $10/month. They send out 4-6 mini, deluxe, or full size samples of products. While they tend to send out smaller samples than other services, I have discovered so many new brands through this service, which is their main objective. They want you to SAMPLE their products and then purchase the full sizes of the products in their shop. Plus, they have an excellent points system, where you can trade in your points for cash to spend in their BB shop!
Now, onto this month's box!
The theme this month is "Rainy Days". I love the bright blue tissue paper that they used this month, it's a nice change from their normal pink. Each BB this month included a "tip" for a rainy day. I got tip # 31 out of 52 total. I thought this was a cute little addition to the box this month, although I don't think I would ever pay the $10 that the full 52 tips cost.
Now, onto this month's products!
Color Club Art Duo Pen in Black
This is a full size product, however on the BB website it only comes in a set of 3 for $25, so this single bottle is valued at around $8.33. This pen has two sides, the lid comes off for a precise pen-style tip for fine details, or the whole cap twists off to reveal a slender striper brush. I'm not very good at nail art, however with this pen it should make it a little easier, and I'm excited to try out some new designs.
Cynthia Rowley Beauty Eyeliner in Silver
The full size of this product (0.04oz) retails for $16, making this 0.03oz sample valued at $12.00. A few weeks ago, I received an email from BB saying that my box this month would include a Cynthia Rowley eyeliner, and I was given the choice between a black liner or silver. Since I have received more than enough black eyeliners in my subscriptions over the past couple of months, I immediately chose silver. I love this metallic shade, and it is a gorgeous liner. I definitely look forward to using this liner on date nights!
Madison Reed Nourishing, Color Enhancing Shampoo & Conditioner
And this is where the problem with my Birchbox occurred this month. As you can see, I was supposed to receive both a shampoo and conditioner, however they sent me two conditioners. I contacted BB support about the small mix-up, and they offered to send me a whole new box to compensate. I have had nothing but positive experiences with their customer service, and they really do go above and beyond to fix even the tiniest mistakes.
The full size of the conditioner (8 oz) retails for $19.95, making these 1oz samples valued at around $2.49 each. I am waiting til my next coloring before I test out these samples, so I can't comment on how well their color-enhancing claim is. They smell amazing though!
KIND Snacks Healthy Grain Bar - Maple Pumpkin Seeds with Sea Salt
This is a full size bar, however they are sold in boxes of 15 for 11.88, making this single bar valued at around $0.79. I am extremely picky with grain bars, and this is not my taste at all. I will be giving this away to someone who will enjoy it a lot more than I will.
Overall, I paid $10 for this box and received $26.10 worth of products. While this isn't my favorite Birchbox, I will still get use out of everything and received 50 points for doing reviews, which is $5 towards my future purchases in the BB shop.
What did you think of your Birchbox this month?
I feel like I haven't blogged in forever! I have been patiently waiting for my boxes to arrive this month, and once they did arrive I ended up battling a pretty rough stomach bug/dehydration, so I apologize for the delay on these posts.
For those of you who don't know, Ipsy is a monthly beauty subscription service for $10/month that sends out deluxe & full size products. I always recommend Ipsy for those who wish to build up their makeup collection, since they tend to send out A LOT of makeup products. They also use the same brands pretty often so it's easy to build up a nice collection. Their value always well exceeds the cost of the bag and I have been very impressed with Ipsy these last few months!
Typically, I receive my Birchbox first and then my Ipsy bag a few days later. I was shocked this month when I saw my Ipsy bag arrive well before my BB did!
Now, onto this month's bag!
The bag itself is a cute little vinyl bag, with a record on it to go with this month's theme, "Beauty Rocks!" It's a little cheesy, but the bag will still be put to good use.
Now, onto this month's amazing products!
Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in Apple Pink
This is a FULL SIZE product and retails for $19.00! When I found out that I was receiving this item in my bag, I was hoping for this color over the other color that they sent out (Acid Pink). This balm leaves a very matte finish, but can be paired up with a basic gloss for a different finish. This is a great everyday color and I can't wait to add it to my collection!
Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil in Black Velvet
The full size of this product (0.04oz) retails for $20, making this travel size (0.03oz) valued at $15.00. This was another product I was extremely excited to receive. Urban Decay is an amazing makeup brand, and for Ipsy to include it in their bag was a nice surprise. This eyeliner is a new product that UD has released in their Summer 2014 collection. This is a more matte, softer version of their popular 24/7 liners. It is intended to be blended out to create a smokey-eye, although it can also be used as a stand alone eyeliner as well. I'm not big on the smokey eye (I look like a raccoon every time I try!) I will be using this primarily as a regular eyeliner. The matte formula leaves a less-harsh line than other black liners, which I love.
Demeter Jasmine Perfume Oil Roll On
This is a full size roll on and it retails for $10.00. I have heard nothing but good things about Demeter, so this was another welcome product. The Jasmine scent is very floral, and although it's a scent I don't normally wear, I think it will be a great scent for the springtime and I'm excited to try it out.
dr. brandt microdermabrasion
The full size of this product (2 oz) retails for $78, making this 0.25oz sample valued at around $9.75. I have been receiving a lot of exfoliating creams in my subscriptions lately, but I love the dr. brandt brand so I was excited to receive this product. This formula is designed to mimic the brightening and smoothing effects of an in-office microdermabrasion treatment at home. So far I have been loving this product- my skin feels smoother even after just one use.
Elizabeth Mott pop! goes the shadow in Champagne
This is another FULL SIZE product and retails for $12.99. This is a GORGEOUS shade, and I am a big neutral shaded eyeshadow junkie. The color goes on very sheer, but is buildable and is perfect for any occasion.
Overall, I paid $10 for the bag and received $66.74 worth of products!! This is one of my highest valued Ipsy bags ever. I really feel like Ipsy has been stepping it up a lot this year and I have been very impressed so far with their bag values. This is a great bag for me as I will use everything that I received. If you are interested in signing up for Ipsy, you can click here or leave a comment below!
What did you think of April's Ipsy bag?
This past weekend I also received my March Glossybox! They tend to ship out towards the end of the month, however my box arrived on the 22nd this month, and I think that may be the earliest I have ever received it! I really love Glossybox, and although it is the priciest of the beauty boxes I receive ($21/month) their value is always amazing, and I get to try out a lot of higher end brands that I wouldn't normally buy.
This month's box once again blew me away. I don't know if it's just because I'm not very picky, but Glossybox consistently impresses me month after month. I have discovered so many products thanks to this box and it continues to be one of my favorites.
Now, onto this month's products! :)
Alterna Haircare BAMBOO Volume Plumping Strand Expand
The full size of this product (4oz) retails for $22, making this .85oz sample valued at $4.68. This product is a thickening lotion designed to strengthen, moisturize, and add volume to hair. Since my hair is very thin, I was so excited to see this product in my box. With just one use I have seen a huge difference in the volume of my hair. If it continues to work this well, I will definitely be purchasing the full size. I also love that this is safe on color-treated hair!
Etre Belle Cosmetics Liplift Peel
This is a full size product (0.5oz) and retails for $17.80. This product is designed to be used on the lips once a week as an exfoliater. It gently removes dead cells and refines the surface skin. I am amazed at how smooth this made my lips feel! It is gentle enough to remove all of the dead junk and still moisturizing enough to leave the lips extremely soft and smooth. A little bit goes a long way, and with only one use per week I can see this tube lasting a very long time.
Nails Inc Brook Street Nail Polish
The full size of this product (0.33oz) retails for $9.50, making this 0.13oz sample valued at around $3.74. I have tried Nails Inc before thanks to Glossybox, and I love their formula. This bright pink shade will be perfect for summer!
Sisley Paris Black Rose Cream Mask
The full size of this product (2.1oz) retails for $158 (oh my god!) making this 0.38oz sample valued at around $28.59. Once I got over the initial shock of the price of this product, I tested it out. This is a skincare mask enriched with anti-aging active ingedients, designed to act instantly on the signs of aging and fatigue to rejuvenate skin and restore vitality. This mask is very refreshing and I do feel more awake after using it. The fragrance is pretty faint, which is also a nice thing.
Alex and Ani Scent 7 Soap Bar
This is another full size product (7oz), and retails for $14.00. Alex and Ani recently released a new line of skincare, and every subscriber this month would either receive the soap, a body lotion, or a fragrance mist. The smell of this soap is extremely overpowering; I could smell it before I even opened the box. I still cannot decide if I love the scent or hate it, but hopefully after a few uses I'll be able to decide. I love that Alex and Ani is branching out with more products, but I would never spend $14 on one bar of soap. I will not be repurchasing this.
Bonus Item! Alex and Ani Charm Bangle
This was a bonus item for this month's box, and everyone received one! A bonus item is an extra item that Glossybox throws in that does not count towards your 5 items. This bangle retails for $28.00. I constantly stalk the Alex and Ani website, and I have a wishlist filled with so many bracelets! I absolutely love the swan that I received (others received the swan in either gold or silver, or received a dragonfly in gold or silver). I can't wait to add this bracelet to my jewelry collection.
Overall I paid $21 for this box and received $96.81 worth of products! This is the best value box that I have ever received, I couldn't be happier with it! If you are interested in subscribing, leave your email in the comments below or PM me and I can send you a subscription link or give you more info. :) What do you think of this month's Glossybox?
I apologize for the delay in blogging, but I have been swamped! The delay, however, has given me a lot more time to test out all of the products before giving them a full review. :)
When I heard that they were offer another Target Beauty Box (the last one they sent out was summer of 2013) I immediately jumped at it. Target was offering 20,000 boxes to consumers and it is a way to test the waters and see if they will offer more subscription boxes in the future. I vote yes! This box was only $5 and included shipping. It took a little less than a month to arrive, and honestly when it showed up in my mail I had forgotten about it already!
The box itself:
Since this is the first of this type of box that I have received, I included a lot of un-boxing pictures. I love this cute little Target themed box! The box was put together really well, in my opinion. One of the first things I noticed was the $3 off of a $15 purchase coupon for Target. I shop there more often than I should, so this will definitely be put to use. Since this is a Target exclusive box, I am using Target prices to estimate values.
Now, onto the contents!
TONI&GUY Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray
This 2.5oz sample retails for $4.99 on the Target website. I have previously received this sample in a past Glossybox and I LOVE it, so when I saw that this was included in the box I knew I immediately had to buy it. This is a great spray for lazy days, when I don't feel like drying & straightening and putting a lot of effort into my hair. I just spritz it in and work it through my hair after a shower and it creates subtle beach-y waves. The smell of this is AMAZING, and I find myself constantly smelling my hair when I use this. A little bit goes a long way, and once I am finally finished with my first sample, I will dive right into this one.
L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara
This is a full size product and retails for $6.89 on the Target website. I am a mascara aficionado and I am always on the hunt for the best mascara. The color that they sent is "Black", which is fine with me since this is the shade that I normally get for all of my mascaras. So far I am loving this product. The wand is odd at first, but you get the hang of it after a couple of uses. The formula is thick and a little bit goes a long way. Normally, I have to put on 2, 3, or sometimes even 4 coats to get the volume and length to where I want it, but this mascara gives me that look with less coats. It is a great drugstore mascara, in my opinion, and I will definitely consider buying this again!
Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo
The full size of this product (4.9oz) retails for $4.99, making this 1.7oz sample valued at around $1.73. Since my hair tends to get oily, I am constantly on the hunt for a good dry shampoo, however I don't think I'll ever find my "Holy Grail" product. This product was alright, and the scent is amazing, but it just didn't do much for me. It looked fine at first, but after a couple of hours it seemed to wear off. Maybe my hair just doesn't work well with dry shampoos, but I probably will not be buying this once I run out.
COVERGIRL Smoochies Sizzle Gloss
This is another full size product and retails for $4.99. The shade that I received was 510 Blind Date, however the shade varied by box. The formula of this gloss is very nice, it goes on smooth and is not sticky at all. The flavor is pretty good, and the shade is nice. I tend to stick to more neutral and "tame" colors, so this worked out good for me. It is good for adding a small splash of shine to your lips without being overpowering.
Jergens BB Body Cream in Light
The full size of this product (7.5oz) retails for $11.99, making this 2oz sample valued at around $3.20. I just received this item in this month's Birchbox, and I have been loving it so far, so another sample is definitely welcome. The scent is amazing and the formula goes on your skin very smoothly. I'll tuck this sample away until my other one runs out.
Overall, I paid only $5 for this box and received $21.80 worth of products! If Target would continue to send out boxes like this, I would definitely subscribe to their service! I am all about saving money, so being able to try out different drugstore brands is wonderful, and the samples are very generous! What do you think about Target testing out subscription boxes?
I was very excited to see that the mailman delivered that pretty pink bubble package today! For those of you that don't know, Ipsy is a monthly makeup and beauty subscription service that sends out deluxe and full size samples for only $10 per month. Ipsy is a very good service if you are looking to build up your makeup collection. They tend to send out a lot of the same brands, but the value is always amazing, and every month it all comes inside of a cute little makeup bag!
This month's theme is Destination Beauty, featuring products "themed" for travel and vacation. The bag this month was different than usual, in that the pattern was chosen from an artist's geography-based series of artwork, titled "Street Anatomy", and it is supposed to be representing San Francisco. I love the abstract look of the bag this month, and it will definitely be cycled into my makeup bag rotation!
Now, onto this month's bag!
I need to start off by saying that the High Beam was NOT included in bags this month. I received this product because I cashed in my points - I just wanted to include this in my review to show that you can receive some awesome things when you save up enough points! They only feature usually about 3 products in the Ipsy store, and you must redeem 1000 points in order to receive the item. They always send out the item with your next bag. I have been eyeing the High Beam up for awhile, so once I saw that they started running low I immediately cashed in, and I am happy I did because they are now sold out of it! This is a full size product retailing at $26.00, and I received it for absolutely free! I used my points that I saved up from doing reviews and earning referrals.
This month everyone received 4 products in their bags, which is somewhat rare - they usually send out 5 products. However, I wouldn't mind a 4 item bag if they were all valued this great & had more awesome products! :)
Now, onto the products this month!
bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Get Ready
The full size of this lipstick (.12oz) retails for $18, making this deluxe sample (.05oz) valued at $7.50. The size of this lipstick is so cute & perfect for travel. I love bareMinerals, and the formula on this lipstick is no joke. When I tried it on my lips, it goes on so nice and smooth and definitely stays put - I had a hard time wiping it off! While this shade is a little darker than what I'm used to, I really love the shade and I think I'll try it out on a nice date night out.
Nicole by OPI Roughles in On What Grounds?
This is a FULL SIZE product and retails for $7.99. This is a brand new polish that has just come out in stores this spring. It is a textured polish unlike anything I have ever tried before, but so far I am loving it. It is sort of rough, with small flecks in it. I love this aqua shade, and the consistency is very good. This is with only one coat, so two coats would make it stand out even better. This polish reminds me of a ceramics class I took in high school - the specks in the polish make me think of the glaze we would use on the items we made that would add bursts of color to them. I am really loving this polish so far, and I will probably go out and buy some of the other shades they offer.
Be a.. Bombshell Bora Bora Eyeshadow Quad
This is another FULL SIZE product and retails for $16.00! I am in love with every shade on this quad. I am so used to wear very neutral colors, so it will be nice to change it up and try out some different looks. The color goes on very smooth and appears to have pretty good staying power so far. The 4 colors included are (from L to R), Starlet, Bora Bora, Risky Business, and Rock Bottom. This is a perfect group of colors for summer and reminds me of a tropical vacation. :)
Pixi Beauty Flawless Beauty Primer
The full size of this product (1oz) retails for $22, making this 0.4oz sample valued at around $8.80. I am constantly searching for the best primer out there, so seeing a new primer in my bag was very welcome. So far I am loving this primer, the consistency is very thin and goes on so smoothly. It has a skin tone to it and blends beautifully to add a nice little glow. This will be a perfect primer for summer. I also love that Target sells this brand, so having easy access to a product is always a plus in my book.
Overall, I paid $10.00 for this bag and received $40.29 worth of products! That is 4x what I paid for the bag, and it only included FOUR items! I am extremely impressed with Ipsy this month, and I hope they continue adding new products and full size products.
If you are interested in signing up, you can click here to use my referral link. I will receive points for referring you, and you should be able to bypass the waitlist and be ready to receive your first bag next month! :)
