August Box:
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List of Products:
Caldrea Hand Soap
DDF® Brightening Cleanser
Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy La Fleur
per-fékt Beauty Lash Perfection Gel
Schick Hydro Silk Razor
Every month's box seems to have a theme and August was back to school. Since I didn't have time to blog about these next few boxes, it makes sense that I didn't try any of them yet either.
The Caldrea Hand Soap is $10.50 for a full size one. I'm excited to try it but other than an occasional Bath and Body Works Splurge, I'm usually happy with hand soap from the Dollar Tree. As long as it smells good, I'm happy. This one is eco-friendly which I do love and it does come in six scents: Basil Blue Sage has notes of basil, sage, rosemary, while Ginger Pomelo combines zingy ginger and zesty grapefruit. Sea Salt Neroli is an orange and lemon scent, while Lavender Pine balances cooling lavender with woodsy pine and cedar. Mandarin Vetiver juggles the sweetness of orange with the grassy scent of vetiver. Palmarosa Wild Mint is a floral infusion featuring geranium and palmarosa with a base note of spearmint. I'd have to check to see which scent I got in my box.
I'm currently in the market for trying a new cleanser so the DDF Brightening Cleanser intrigues me. Birchbox describes it as a cocktail of potent active ingredients works to fade the look of brown spots, scars, and redness while also leaving skin fresh and smooth. In addition to naturally brightening botanicals like mulberry bark, licorice root, and peach leaf, the formula has exfoliating glycolic and salicylic acids to refine skin’s texture and stave off blemishes. At $38 a bottle, it's a bit pricey, but if it works it might be worth it.
Perfume samples are always a favorite type of sample of mine to receive. A little sample bottle can last for a long time and I love having a variety to mix up my scent often. Birchbox describes this Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy La Fleur scent as opening with a sparkling cascade of mandarin and wild berries. Next, sweet notes of honeysuckle, gardenia petals, and jasmine peek through, followed by a lingering trace of waterlily. Sounds delightful!
Mascara is something I also haven't found the perfect one of, although I've found ones I like. They are always coming out with new and exciting mascara concepts and I'm always willing to try them. Fake lashes scare me so bring on the mascara! Birchbox describes this one as a creamy black gel made with a natural rice wax base and contains a cocktail of lash-boosting ingredients. Marine plant glycogen helps lashes appear longer, while hyaluronic acid and panthenol have moisture-boosting abilities for a lusher, fuller fringe. Each tube comes with a multi-coiled brush that helps you lift and define each and every lash, including the tiny ones at the corners of your eyes.
Finally, the August box contained a full size Schick Hydro Silk Razor. I'll probably give this razor a try to see if I like it but I can't imagine it being better than my Venus which I love. Birchbox's description of this razor reads "Made with an innovative compact oval-cartridge head, each razor is equipped with five blades for an incredibly close shave. The blades work with your legs’ natural curves to make shaving tricky spots like your knees and ankles a breeze. Our favorite part? The water-activated moisturizing serum has marine extracts and shea butter and hydrates your skin."
September Box:
List of Products:
Birchbox and Color Club® Custom Collection
BVLGARI Mon Jasmin Noir
Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25+
LiQWd Professional Volumizing Catalyst
LiQWd Volumizing Conditioner
LiQWd Volumizing Shampoo
twistband™ Lace up for Fall - 12 pack
I'm not sure I really see this theme on my own but apparently September was a Fall Fashion theme. The box came with a mini fashion trend magazine as well as the samples listed above.
First up is a social media themed bottle of nail polish. I have so many nail polishes, I'm really trying to paint my nails more often but it hasn't happened yet. I received the Insta-This which was named after instagram and was a pretty blue colors. The other colors in the collection are also named after social media sites like Pinterest and Twitter. At $8 a bottle, it's an average price for good nail polish.
As I stated above with the Juicy scent, I love having a variety of perfume samples. They last and always let me spice up my scent! This one is described as "The heart of this fragrance, sambac jasmine, is known as an aphrodisiac because of its rich, musky scent. Top notes of lily of the valley lean toward a delicate femininity, but the nougatine and wood base anchor the fragrance and develop a subtle addictive personality."
I'm forever searching for a good moisturizer with an SPF. This beauty balm has an SPF of 25 which intrigues me. This is apparently also a treatment serum mixed with moisturizer and sunblock. Birchbox describes it as a combination of glacier water, deep ocean water, hyaluronic acid, and aloe vera deeply hydrate skin to ensure you that you look dewy, never dry. Sebum-regulating ingredients keep your complexion from becoming greasy, while portulaca oleracea extract protects skin from environmental damage. The cherry on top of this multi-tasking product is broad-spectrum SPF 25+, which blocks harmful UVA and UVB rays from reaching your skin. At $32, it's not too pricey for all of that, I can't wait to try it!
I'm going to combine the LiQWd products into one paragraph. There is a volumizing catalyst, conditioner and shampoo. After shampooing and conditioning, the catalyst goes on towel dried hair. Not sure my hair needs volume but I usually bring shampoo samples on trips so I'm sure I'll try these eventually.
Finally, I received another twistband, this time a lacey one. These are very expensive for hair ties, $22 for a 12 pack, but I love them. Each twistband is made of soft elastic that keeps braids, buns, and ponytails secured. Because they’re thicker than regular hair ties, they don’t leave crimps in hair. I remember the first one I received, I didn't realize it was a sample, it was plain brown and I thought it was just a ribbon from the packaging. This one is a little fancier with a lace pattern but still functions the same as the first one.
October Box:
List of Products:
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè (24-Hour Miracle Cream)
Karuna Hydrating Treatment Mask
Lulu Organics® Lavender + Clary Sage Hair Powder
LUNA Bar
Naked Princess Naked Shine Luscious Lip Gloss
October gave me a choice, I could get the GOOP themed box, or the normal October box. I hate these type of choices because I never know which one has better samples! I went ahead and went with the Goop even though I have no idea what it is. I may check it out after writing this blog post. I guess I'll never know what I missed in the regular box, probably something good! I had to make a similar decision back when the Teen Vogue Box came out.
First up is the 24-hour miracle cream. At first glance, I wasn't sure if this was a hair repair cream, a moisturizer, lotion or what. Apparently it is for the skin, but can have multiple uses. Birchbox says "This velvety moisturizer gives skin the ultimate silky finish, thanks to generous amounts of soothing shea butter and aloe vera. It’s rich without being heavy, and can be used on all skin types. Plus, it doubles as a makeup remover, post-shave soother, and baby cream." It's only $16 for the full-size so I'm interested.
Next is a hydrating treatment mask. I'm always down for hydrating my skin, I feel like my face is forever dry. According to Birchbox, every Karuna Mask contains Beauty Boost, a special blend of natural antioxidants that nourishes all skin types. And since the cloth is also all-natural, your pores will absorb up to 50 percent more moisture than from synthetic versions." This mask can also be applied anywhere, meaning an airplane, on your commute to or from work, etc. because it's a peel and stick kind of situation, no rinsing involved. You had me at hello. $28 for 4, not bad. Also, these are currently sold out which means they were popular!
The Lulu Organics Lavender hair powder is a sample I've actually received before. Birchbox realized their mistake and added points into my bank for their mistake. I love dry shampoo but usually use a spray as opposed to straight powder. I do want to try this though, not sure why I never did the first time.
Due to my recent Nature Box subscription, I am of course always interested in healthy snacks. These Luna bars are supposedly full of needed nutrients and come in different flavors. I received Lemon Zest and if it tastes anything like a lemon bar, I'm all about it. Birchbox says "Made with 70 percent organic ingredients, LUNA Bars are full of calcium, folic acid, iron, and vitamins D—nutrients women need on a daily basis. Each bar is also a good source of protein and fiber, so you’ll feel satisfied post-snack and be less likely to reach for that bag of chips." Worth a shot, hope I like it!
Finally, Naked Princess Naked Shine Luscious Lip Gloss. That's a mouthful. I can never have too many lip glosses even though I never wear them. Pretty shine, subtle plumping powers, natural shades, sounds good to me!
So I'm finally caught up on the writing portion. As I always say, I'll update when I try these things, even though I often forget. I'll also try to add pictures. When my November box comes, I'll try to keep up with it from here on out. I think the November box may be my 1 year anniversary for Birchbox. Stay tuned...
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