A quartet of Birchboxes

Birchbox has been a bit of a disappointment over the last several months. Maybe it's just me being a bit more critical of the products in receiving, but I could be happier. I leave reviews of each product every month, and recently updated my profile (again), so hopefully September's box will be a pleasant surprise.

Anyway, on to what I've received over the last few months:

May / Freewheeling

Fun and freewheeling, this month's box claimed to take a more playful approach to beauty.

Caldera Body Wash and Body Lotion: The packet of lotion was barely enough product for me to really test the product, so that was a loss. The scent of the body wash wasn't my favorite, so I gifted it to my friend P, who loved it;

Marcelle New Age 8 in 1 Power Serum: "[t]his peptide-packed antiaging gel hydrates, firms, lifts and plumps fine lines." I'm not up for antiaging products just yet, but apparently results can be seen after just one week of use. I'll keep that in mind, but for now, I've gifted this to a coworker;

Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm: I received this in the color Pixi Pink, which is FAR too pink for me. I gifted it to my sister, who also thought it was too pink, but will find a way to make it work;

Supergoop! Everyday SPF 30 with Cellular Response Technology: yet another Supergoop! product (a bit blah), but I'm not mad at receiving a good SPF product; and

Votivo Candle in Azure Garden: this candle actually ended up being the item that I liked the most in this box. I'm on a scented candle kick right now, and this little travel sized one is portable and has a subtle fresh and clean scent.

The box also included a shopping offer from Kate Spade Saturday. I didn't use it, but, I passed it on to a coworker.

June / Away We Go

This box featured a partnership with JetBlue, and included a travel quiz. I got Chicago, which I've always wanted to visit, so this may be a sign for the hubs and I to plan a mini vacation :)

Antica Farmacista Bergamot & Ocean Aria Body Wash: this body wash is made with almond oil, and has a supposedly "captivating" seaside scent. I don't like the scent at all, so this week be gifted away at some point;

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Creamy Lip Stain in the shade Valentine: this is a Birchbox exclusive, unfortunately I don't like the feel of this on my lips. The color is ok, but there is a weird grittiness to the formula that I don't like;

Evologie Stay Clear Cleanser: always happy to try a new face wash, and this is a prefect travel size;

phyto Phytolisse Ultra-Glossing Finishing Serum: this is supposed to calm hair frizz and tame flyaways. I don't generally use this type of product in my hair, but as you only need to use 1 or 2 drops, and I don't feel it would weigh my hair down, I may try it out; and

The Aloe Source Vitamin C Antioxidant Crème: this can be massaged onto the neck and face twice a day to help smooth fine lines. My sure yet, if I'm going to keep this or gift it to the same coworker who got the previous months Power Serum. It smells good though :)

July / Power Up

For this box, Birchbox teamed upwith Women's health to provide goodies designed to boost and energize.

LAQA & Co. Sheer Lip Lube Pencil in Menatour (Purple): this smells amazing - minty and fresh - but it is much too purple for my liking. It's supposedly a semi-sheer product, but it came off as an intensely purple lipstick on me. Unfortunate, because it feels amazing on;

Ruffian the Rapture Collection - Birchbox allowed subscribers to select which color, from this new metallic polish collection, they wanted to receive. Slick marketing Birchbox ;) The other colors were cute, but I had to have Relic, a gorgeous silver shade. I haven't used it yet, but I'm a big fan of Ruffian polishes, so I'm confident I'll love it. Birchbox also included a single packet sample of Ruffian's acetone-free towelette nail polish remover;

Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream: this antiaging cream has good reviews online, and a pleasing orange scent. I'm always leery about what I put on my face, but I'll definitely try this eventually;

suki exfoliate foaming cleanser: this 2 in 1 is both a cleanser and gentle exfoliator, with a fresh lemon scent. The sample is small, but only a little is needed for each rinse. I've only used this a couple of times so far and, while it did a nice job, I still prefer the Vasanti product I regularly use; and

Beauty Protector Protect & Treat Mask: I love that Birchbox sent two small containers of this. Now that my hair is shorter, this I'll actually be able to test this out twice and get a good idea of how well (or not well) it works. It contains Argan Oil and has a cotton candy smell, that I really like. Hopefully, it actually works well with my hair type.

August / Lighten Up

This month I received:

Aloxxi Thickening Serum: I'm not sure this will work with my hair type, but the sample size of this volumizing, anti-frizz, hair strengthening product is decent. I'll get around to trying it one day;

SeaRx Birch Sap Moisturizing Lotion: this contains ingredients to hydrate and smooth the skin. The grapefruit scent is nice, but too intense for my use, especially on my face. In addition, the sample is so small, that there would be no way for me to get a good idea about the product. I've already passed this on to a friend;

Harvey Prince Ageless perfume: I adore this perfume. I spritzed a bit on the card before reading anything about the scent notes, and immediately picked up on grapefruit (of course) and mango (my favorite). It's a fruitful scent that's perfect for Summer;

Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream: I received the Acai Grapefruit scent. While I have yet to use it, it feels silky, and smells nice;  and

ModelCo Shimmer Bronzer: Birchbox again allowed subscribers to pick one of the products this month. I not super excited to receive this, but it was the product I disliked the least from the available options. I have a ton on similar products, many of which are still unopened, but who knows, I may end up loving it once I start using it. Who wouldn't like "a natural-looking glow with a hint of shimmer"?

What do you other Birchboxers out there think about the products you've been receiving over the past few months?

If you are not yet a subscriber, but would like to be, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link (share the love and all that goodness). Just click HERE :)

Later gators,
M

Starlooks - March '14

Starlooks teamed up with Youtuber Ashley Hackman to curate their March box.

I was, unfortunately, disappointed with all the products I received.

The "BOSS" red lipstick looks great in the tube, but it has an orange undertone that I don't feel compliments my skin tone.

The lip pencil goes on well, and the color (Cherry Cedar) is a nice red. Thankfully, it doesn't have that extreme orange undertone like the lipstick; but it's nothing special. I rarely use lip liners, so I'm not sure how much use I'll get out of this, but I may try it as a base under another lipstick or gloss.

This is my third eyeliner pot from Starlooks. I'm happy to receive a black one, really black - this shade is called Black Hole - but I don't use this type of eyeliner, so it's not enough to make me excited about the box. It'll be a nice gift for one of my sisters or a friend though.

Overall, March was a Starbox dud for me.

If you're a subscriber, what did you think of March's curated products?

If you're interested in subscribing to Starbox, I would appreciate it if you used my referral link. Thanks in advance :)

Later gators,
M

Ipsy - March 2014

This month's ipsy theme is Destination Beauty. 

The insert card actually welcomes subscribers to Palette Island. I like the theme, but I'm a bit underwhelmed by the bag itself and products I received. We only received four products too :(

The bag's bold print is a selection from artist, and ipsy subscriber, Klari Reis. It's based on the geography of her hometown of San Francisco. It's an interesting pattern, but the thick plastic feel is odd, and it had a ridiculously strong smell when I first took it out of the pink mailer. I had to air it out for a couple of weeks, before the silly putty-like smell went away. The bag feels like it would do well being thrown in a beach bag though; so that's probably what I'll end up doing.

My bag contained:

An eyeshadow quad from Be a Bombshell, I the shade Bora Bora: The colors (Starlet/a gorgeous bronze, Bora Bora/a very beachy turquoise, Risky Business/a gold tone, and Rock Bottom/a perfect sunset-on-the horizon copper) all have a bit of shimmer, are very pigmented and blend well. I really like this quad;

Nicole by OPI's Roughles textured nail polish in the shade On What Grounds?: I'm not a fan of this textured polish. I looks like a robin's egg, asphalt hybrid. I usually love the polishes that I receive from ipsy, bit this one is no bueno;

An adorable mini Marvelous Moxie lipstick from Bare Minerals in the shade Get Ready: The packaging is adorable, the sample size is decent, and the lipstick goes smoothly, but the shade is simply too pink for me. I wish I had received the gloss instead; and

Indian Coconut Nectar Body Butter from Pacifica: This is easily my favorite item this month. I adore a good body butter. This one smells divine, and I don't even like coconut! It works well as a moisturizer without being greasy. I'll definitely be purchasing more of this, and checking out the other available scents.

What did all you other ipsters think of the March bag and selection of products? As I said, I was less than impressed. Hopefully next month is better... and we get back to receiving 5 product bags.

If you don't yet subscribe but would like to, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link at http://bit.ly/154vUAf :).

Later gators,
M

Three months of Starlooks

Let's jump right in, shall we?

December

This past December was my first holiday as a Starlooks Starbox subscriber; and if that was how they celebrate every December, then it won't be my last :)

A brief reminder, Starbox is the subscription box offered by the makeup line Starlooks. Each box generally includes 3-4 full-sized products from their makeup line, and costs $15 a month (plus shipping).

In addition to sending out only full-sized products, Starlooks sends subscribers a special birthday Starbox during their birthday month (love that!). In the December box, they included an insert staying that the Company would now also be rewarding subscribers with a new loyalty program. Very nice :)

December's box contained a gorgeous 15 shade eyeshadow palette called "New Years Eve 2014". These types of palettes retail on their site for a whopping $99! I must admit that that is exceptional value for the purchase price.

The palette itself is well made; and the included colors are stunning. Most of the shades have some summer, but there are also 5 matte shades - a little something for everyone. This was a great Starbox month.

January

January's box was all about versatility, and finding new uses for different makeup products.

One of the glosses was labeled Satin. I don't remember the other. Both broken items have been tossed. The lipstick was a color that I would never wear, and was instantly given away. I, unfortunately, don't even remember the shade. The Obsidian eyeliner is a nice, if not exciting, product; and the lash comb was a useful bonus. 

That's all well and good, but both lip glosses in my box arrived damaged. There were no stoppers in the vials, so when opened them, it was just a big mess. I have contacted Starlooks multiple times since receiving the box. Each time, I have been assured that replacement items will be sent to me, but nothing has been received.

Since, Starlooks prides themselves on customer service, this is especially disappointing.

February

I love how the two models are throwing so much shade at each other on this insert card.

February's theme was Futurism, and featured a whole host of sparkly metallic products.

I received a creamy, long-lasting lipstick (in the shade Lilu), a cream shadow in Hologram , and a buildable pigment in the shade Tungsten.

I also received a grey, nylon headband. Starlooks included this bonus as an aid to keep hair off your face when doing makeup; and this, plus the pigment are my favorite box items this month. I could take or leave the shimmery gloss and pinkish-creamish-gold shadow.

Hopefully next month will be better.

This box also included the loyalty reward for being a steady 3 month box subscriber. When Starlooks first announced that they would be providing loyalty rewards, I assumed that they would send out a random extra product, or two, to subscribers. They did much better.

They gave us $35 off of any order! Very nice :) I have yet to use my code, but I'll probably pick up a couple of lipsticks in colors that are more my style.

If you're interested in subscribing to Starbox, I would appreciate it if you used my referral link. Thanks in advance :)

Later gators,
M

February 2014 with ipsy

This month's ipsy bag is full of goodies to go with the theme The Look of Love :)

 

 

The bag itself is a fun, bright pink with a funky pink leopard print interior. Simple yet fun.

 

This month's bag contained:

A POP Beauty Plump Pout Mini in the color Peony Petal: This product supposedly combines shine and long wear with lip-plumping peptides and avocado and jojoba oils. While I'm a POP Beauty fan, and I like the color, I'm not a fan of lip plumping products so I'm not sure if I'll use this;

City Color Cosmetics Be Matte Blush in the shade Fresh Melon: I was excited to see this full sized product in my bag. I also like that this blush is truly matte. Many of the blushes I already own have a shimmer to them. It's quite a bit of blush, and while the rosy-coral shade is a bit bright for my skin tone, I'll make it work. A little definitely goes a long way, so this will last me a while;

NuMe Intense Renewal Hair Mask: I have yet to try this, but all the reviews that I've read have been positive. I did smell the product, and it smells amazing - so there's that. I'm excited to try this out. We'll see;

Zoya Nail Polish in Odette: I love Zoya polishes, I love purple, and yes, I did my nails with this the same day I received my bag. Ipsy, you can send me Zoya polishes in every bag. Seriously :); and

Tini Beauty Cordial Shadow and Base in the Spiced Rum: This product is from the same people who bring us Nailtini nail polishes that ipsy loves sending out (from their Eyetini product line). The shadow is an amazing bronze color that goes on smoothly and blends incredibly well. I love that the packaging is similar to a lip gloss - clever and convenient. This month's ipsy discount code for this brand gives subscribers 50% off any purchase + a free nail polish, so I may need to purchase some other colors.

I have to say ipsy did a pretty great job compiling my bag this month. How did February's bag stack up for all you other ipsters out there?

 

If you don't yet subscribe but would like to, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link at http://bit.ly/154vUAf :).

 

Later gators,

M

Step and Repeat with Birchbox



For their February 2014 box, Birchbox teamed up with the editors at US Weekly to bring subscribers some fantastic awards season/red carpet worthy beauty products. The resulting box theme? Step and Repeat.

 

Unfortunately, I found my box to be less than stellar.

 

This month I received:
 

SARAHPOTEMPA's The Half-Up hair styling tool: This is not for my hair type at all. It's a cool product (a min version of the WRAP UP hair tool that helps secure a bun without bobby pins), but I'll never use it, so it's already been gifted away;

 

Miracle Skin Transformer Face Spotlight: According to the insert card, this product is supposed to nourish skin and leave the user with a "radiant, photo-ready glow". I have yet to try the product, but I'm definitely interested. Unfortunately, when I held the sample up to the light, I could see that there is enough sample for maybe 2 uses. I'm tempted to say 'poor sample size with this one Birchbox', but I haven't heard/read this kind of complaint from others who received this item, so I may have just gotten a dud sample;

 

Joan Vass L'eau de Amethyste: I'm not a fan. I generally love trying new scents, but the instant I spritzed this sample, I knew it wasn't for me. To me is smells like a cross between Raid bug spray and a discount floral air freshener - neither of which I wish to wear. If I can't give this away, it will likely be tossed;

 

Two packets of 32 Oral Care Effervescent Breath Crystals with IsoVoxy: I received the flavors Spearmint and Lemon Mint. These Pop Rocks style breath freshening crystals were this month's Lifestyle Extra. I haven't tried either pack yet so I can't speak to their taste, and I was never a big fan of Pop Rocks, but I'll keep these in my purse or desk;



 

The last product I received this month is my favorite, though there wasn't that much competition. I received OPI Sheer Tints in Be Magentale with Me. I read some other reviews, and consider myself lucky that I received this color instead of the apparently jaundice color inducing amber or the weird Smurf-like blue/teal tint. This can be worn alone to give nails subtle color, or can be used as a top coat over polish to achieve a "chic shade-shifting effect". This tiny bottle is definitely the winner in this box.

What did you other Birchboxers think of your boxes this month? Hopefully, you had more positive reactions to your received products than I did.

If you are not yet a subscriber, but would like to be, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link (share the love and all that goodness). Just click HERE :)

Later gators,
M

Happy Holidays from Birchbox

Birchbox dressed up for the holidays.

The outer box was a lovely gold instead of the usual cute pink and white; and the inner box was more festive too.

The box contained a bunch of goodies - one of which I was particularly happy to see. The Benefit Cosmetics Benetint! :) I've wanted to receive this to try since I first saw it in other people's reviews after my first box back in August. Supposedly it provides a rosy flush to lips and cheeks (though, I'll likely stick to using it on my lips). We'll see if it was worth the anticipation.

I also received:

Number 4 Non Aerosol Hairspray: This spray promises all the hold with nine of the crunchiness. We'll see;

Manna Kadar Cosmetics Sheer Glo in Birchbox Love: This Birchbox exclusive is a pearlescent lotion that is speed to give skin a lovely, fresh look. I like that it can be written alone or under foundation; but since it has a bit of sheen to it, I'll definitely be saving it for a special occasion instead of everyday wear; and

Shea Terra Organics Shea Nilotica East African Shea Butter: I am a huge Shea Butter fan, and I like that this brand is certified organic. I'll probably tuck this little sample in one of my drawers at work for any dry hand emergencies.

This month's Beauty Extra comes from the Company, bliss. It's a sample of their that's incredi-'peel'! spa-grade wipes. Sounds like a cool product, but is not for me. I'll probably give this sample away. Maybe a New Year sample giveaway/contest? Well see :)

Thinking of subscribing to Birchbox in the New Year? If so, I'd appreciate it if you use my referral link. Just click here. Thanks in advance!

What did you other current Birchboxers out there think of their December boxes? Did you receive any of the same products? Yes, or no, what was your favorite sample this month?

Later gators,
M

Glitz, Glam, and good Customer Service

This month ipsy's glamming it up and, for the most part, I like it.

For those of you who don't know, ipsy is a neat little subscription service that provides makeup, etc. (mostly deluxe-sample or full-size), with a bonus cosmetics bag, for $10/month. Each month's bag has a different theme; and as you can see, this month's ipsy theme is Glam It Up.

In addition to a host of products to get you make up ready for the holidays, ipsy also included the code ipsy30 for use at checkout to get 30% off at emcosmetics.com/ipsy. I probably won't use the code, but I'm happy that they included a product from Michelle Phan's em cosmetics line in this month's bag so I can get to try out one of her highly anticipated items. 

I'm not too keen on this month's cosmetics bag. It looks pretty enough - a glitzy gold - but definitely has a cheap feel. The products, however, I really like.

Everyone received 6 items, instead of 5, this month due to the included full-size em product. There were a few different em products that could have been received, ranging from lip gloss and color to mascara. I kind of wish I had received a lip color, but I'm good with the mascara I got. I received the em Lash Gallery Clean Volume Mascara in black. I'm becoming overly saturated with mascaras, so this one will remain in reserve for now. It's nice to have choices though.

I also received a Starlooks Gem Pencil in Amethyst, a Nailtini nail polish in the color Champagne, a small sample of GlamGlow YouthMud Tinglexfoliate Treatment, a Pixi Beauty Bronzer in the shade Summertime, and a Lip Crayon from Be a Bombshell (in Shameless).

As you'd expect, the amethyst eye pencil is a nice, sparkly silvery purple. I love it, but as I don't wear eyeliner that much, I'll probably gift it to my sisters. It's perfect for festive holiday party looks, so I know they'll love it. The Nailtini polish is nice. I'm glad that I received Champagne (a more neutral color) instead of the gunmetal grey option. Both are pretty, but I can work with the rosey copper color I received a bit more. This is my first Nailtini polish, and I really like it. The wider, flatter, brush allowed for easy application and, while I needed to apply two coats to achieve a nicer look, the end result was smooth (no streaks). Nailtini seems to be one of ipsy's go to companies, so I hope to get more polishes from this company in future bags.

The ipsy site describes the GlamGlow YouthMud Tinglexfoliate Treatment as a "10-minute professional 'facial in a jar'". I've never heard of this brand, and the word Tinglexfoliate has me a bit uneasy :). Still, I might try this out one day. The Pixi bronzer will likely be used as eyeshadow instead of bronzer, but I'm happy to receive it.

My instant favorite this month is the lip crayon. This is my first lip crayon, and I'm liking it :). I love the color, a mauve with a hint of sparkle; and the crayon shape allowed for quick, easy, and precise application. Nice.

So, what's up with the customer service title? My first bag this month arrived open, and I mean every single product was open and looked used. It was a makeup horror show in that pink mailer. I emailed ipsy, and they replied saying that a new bag would be sent immediately. They were able to send me all the same items (except the Gem Pencil - originally, I had received the Topaz (bluish-silver) color, instead of Amethyst) which is awesome. I already have a silver Gem Pencil from a past Starlooks box, so I'm happy that I ended up with a purple one. Customer service at its finest.

What do you other ipsters out there think of your bags; and what do you think December's theme will be?

Later gators,
M

Lounging in the Mediterranean, with Starlooks

This month's Starlooks Starbox certainly delivers on color!

I love every product they sent out this month, even the bonus that I've seen people complaining about - but more on that later.

Everything was packaged beautifully, as usual. Starlooks really succeeds with their packaging. I always feel like I'm getting a birthday gift when their box arrives.

This month subscribers received the "Monaco" 5 Shade Shadow Palette, an Infinity Pot Liner in the color Orion, and a Slanted Liner Brush.

The Palette is gorgeous. The colors range from matte to more satiny finishes. I'm not yet sure how I'm going to use the red and canary yellow. The sample look from this month's lookbook (see this post's first pic) is striking, but not really my style. I'll graze YouTube and find some cool looks to try out :).

The Infinity Pot Liner (in Orion) compliments the Baldwin Blues nail polish that I received from Birchbox, so that's a plus. It goes on well, is a lovely shade and, of course, pairs with the Slanted Liner Brush.

As I mentioned above, also included was a bonus eye and lip pencil sharpener. I've seen quite a few people questioning why we received out, and complaining. In my opinion, why complain? Pencil sharpener = light years better than the usual bonus crystal shard :)

The box also includes this discount code for 40% off any starlooks.com purchase (expires December 15th). Just enter ILOVESTARLOOKS at checkout.

If you are interested in subscribing to Starbox, I would appreciate it if you used my referral link. Sign up before December 10th to ensure that you receive the highly anticipated $99 value palette!

If you're already a subscriber, what did you think of this month's vibrant box? If you have any look ideas, feel free to share those in a comment as well.

Later gators,
M

Hey Mike, Mike, Mike, guess what day it is.

It's that time again!

My Birchbox came this past Hump Day, and it's GOOD :)

This month's theme is More Good (yea, a Thanksgiving themed box! :), and I really like the selection of goodies they chose for me.

Seriously, this month's box is chock full of goodies I actually like, and can use. (More) good on you, Birchbox.

"As any Thanksgiving feast can attest, this is not the time for holding back.  Rather, this month - and the entire holiday season- is about abundance in all forms. More thanks, more giving, more thoughtfulness, more samples, and of course more pumpkin pie and stuffing.

All month [Birchbox'll] be bringing you ideas for how you can bring more good to your life..."

More pumpkin pie and stuffing? Yes, please! I can taste my dad's cornbread stuffing already :) Man, I love Turkey Day.

This month I received:

1) Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow oil-free SPF 25 foundation: I'm excited about this. I did a quick test on the back of my hand and, while I first thought the shade would be to dark, it blended so smoothly and easily that I think it will work. I use Bare Minerals foundation, but i think this will work well as a little something extra for dark under-eye circles;

2) Ayres Midnight Tango Body Butter: The description card says that the "moisturizer has a heady (dare we say sexy?) scent", and that's 100% right. It smells AMAZING, and made my hands feel wonderfully soft. I may invest in the full-size of this one;

3) Vasanti Cosmetics BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator: This face wash apparently mimics the microdermabrasion process, leaving the face smooth and glowing. We'll see how this one works. I'm using a couple of different face washes now, but I'll get around to this one eventually. It's a nice sample size though; and

4) Color Club Nail Polish: I received a cool blue color called Baldwin Blues. I love receiving nail polish, and I don't yet have a blue this shade.

My Lifestyle Extra this month was a trio of tea pouches from Mighty Leaf. I received Vanilla Bean, Organic African Nectar and the one I'm most exited to try Green Tea Tropical (a blend of sweet pineapple and guava). I'm a regular tea drinker, so I'm sure I'll enjoy these.

So, as I've said, I'm more than pleased with my November box. To all you other Birchboxers out there, what did you think of your boxes? Did they contain 'more good'?

If you're not yet a subscriber, but would like to be, I'd appreciate it if you used my referral link (share the love and all that goodness). Just click HERE :)

Later gators,
M