My November 2014 Birchbox

Hello beauty lovers,

My November Birchbox is shipped out quite late actually on November 11 and arrived on November 17.

I received the samples of:
* Jouer Matte Moisture Tint
* Chuao Chocolatier Assorted ChocoPod
* TONI&GUY Classic Shine Gloss Serum
* Gilchrist & Soames Spa Therapy Body Lotion
* Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Supreme Mascara
* Royal Apothic Cuppa Cuppa Firming Tea Treatment Mask

I am quite happy with my November 2014 box. Luckily, I did not receive any foil samples this month. I received one full size hair gloss serum which works great, one mascara sample in black, an effective antioxidant mask that I picked during sample choice, a body cream sample which is so so, and a chocolate sample which is yummy. This box definitely worth the 10 bucks I paid, even the serum alone is $15 and I got $6 back on BB points by filling out sample reviews.

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint is an okay tinted moisturizer. It does not cake during the day and does not create an uneven, streaky look. The coverage is not full, but other than that it is fine.

Chuao Chocolatier Assorted ChocoPod is YUMMY! I love the combination of dark chocolate, honey, and rice-crunch. I also like the tasteful packaging and the shape of the chocolate.  

TONI&GUY Classic Shine Gloss Serum is the full size product in pump bottle. It's the first time I tried this product and I like it. I will probably order the full size when I finish the sample. I can't get over the amazing fact that I got this $15 full size product (and more) by paying just $10 for my Birchbox :)

Gilchrist & Soames Spa Therapy Body Lotion looks and feels completely generic. The scent is not so special, packaging reminds me of the cheap hotel toiletry, and it hydrates okay. I will save this sample for the next time I travel, but I don't think I will order the full size product.  

Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Supreme Mascara is good on paper but it made my lashes fall while taking it off and it's never a good sign. I don't know what is wrong with it but I am not going to risk my lashes by trying to figure it out. I did not notice any lengthening or volume-boosting effect when I tried.  

Royal Apothic Cuppa Cuppa Firming Tea Treatment Mask is a winner by all means. I love the sample packaging. It smells and feels great. It leaves my face feeling so soft and fresh. One tube is good for 5-6 times maybe, which is a good amount. Although it is a bit pricey, I might actually purchase the full size product when I finish my sample. 

For those of you who are not familiar with Birchbox yet: It is a monthly cosmetics&skin care subscription service that costs $10/month (including shipping). They usually send 4-5 deluxe samples (and sometimes regular foil ones :/ ) of usually new and trendy brands.

For more information you can check the official page here.

Disclaimer: I am not paid for this review. All opinions in this review and all of the other review in this blog are my own.

My October 2014 Birchbox

Hello beauty lovers,

My October Birchbox is shipped out on October 1 and arrived on October 7.

I received samples of:
* Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle
* ModelCo Party Proof Lipstick
* dr. brandt® Exclusive Clean Up Nice Kit
* Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream
* Coastal Scents® Revealed 2 Palette Set

I am quite happy with my October 2014 box. Luckily, I did not receive any foil samples this month. I received one hair mist which smells great, one lipstick sample in a nice neutral pinkish shade that I can use everyday, an effective anti-blemish mask, an eye cream sample with 99% natural ingredients, and an eye shadow sample quad. This box definitely worths the 10 bucks I paid.

Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle hair mist sample is a good sized pump bottle. I received it in a mystery pack in August and I loved it, so I was happy to receive it in my October box. It has a beautiful floral-fruity scent which I like very much. It's a bit tricky to get the product out for the first time, you need to keep pumping for 10-15 times until you get some mist out. So, don't quit :) I mist it on my damp hair right after applying my Organix Moroccan Argan oil as usual. I use 4-5 sprays and it makes my hair less frizzy. I do not regularly use heat treatment so I cannot comment on the protection aspect. It is a good product but nothing miraculous. I may order the full size for the sake of its smell after I finish my hair products.

ModelCo Party Proof Lipstick sample is almost full size ('m not sure, maybe it is full size). I received it in the shade "Kitty" which is a beautiful pinkish nude that I can use practically to everywhere (yes, including the gym ;) ). It smells delicious and is easy to apply. It does not cake on my lips or look patchy at all. It feels soft and looks balmy-matte. It is not a long-lasting lipstick hence it requires rather frequent reapplications. I noticed that it goes down a bit faster than my other regular lipsticks, I think this is because of its creamy texture. I may order the full size after I finish my current nude lipsticks.

Dr. brandt® pores no more® vacuum cleaner is a 1 oz sample which is a good size. I think this sample will be good for at least 10-15 uses if you apply it to your entire face. I always liked dr. brandt products and use them regularly. Luckily, I haven't tried this specific product, so I was happy to receive a sample. I do not apply it to my entire face as directed, instead I apply on my concern areas (like on my zits, pores on my nose and cheeks, etc.) to save the product. It feels fresh and tingly, it has either eucalyptus or mint in its formula. It works really good to dry new pimples. I will probably order the full size when I finish the sample.  

Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream is also a 1 oz sample which is again a good size. For me the highlight of this product is that it has 99% natural ingredients. It was supposed to brighten my under eyes circles but I did not see such effect on the few times I used it. Maybe it requires a longer period of use before seeing any effects, I don't know. The scent was nice and the application was easy. I may not purchase the full size of this product since I did not see any immediate effects.

Coastal Scents® Revealed 2 Palette Set sample is a quad with earth tones (2 matte and 2 shimmer). I like the shimmer ones, but cannot say the same thing for the dark brown matte. In general, it is really difficult to blend these shadows and this patchy look was more visible with the dark brown. I couldn't get the ombre look which I usually do with 2-3 tones of beige/brown. I will definitely not purchase the full size of this product, but I am glad I received this sample before investing $34.00 into the actual palette.

For those of you who are not familiar with Birchbox yet: It is a monthly cosmetics&skin care subscription service that costs $10/month (including shipping). They usually send 4-5 deluxe samples (and sometimes regular foil ones :/ ) of usually new and trendy brands.

For more information you can check the official page here.

Disclaimer: I am not paid for this review. All opinions in this review and all of the other review in this blog are my own.

My very first Birchbox (July 2014)

Hello beauty lovers,

I have always wanted to try Birchbox but never got the subscription until late July. On July 24 i decided to give it a try. They shipped out my box on July 30 and it arrived on August 5.

I received samples of:
* Number 4™ Super Comb Prep & Protect
* Supergoop!® Daily Correct CC Cream ​SPF 35+
* Cynthia Rowley Beauty Eyeliner
* SmartyPants All-in-One Gummy Vitamins for Adults
* Harvey Prince Hello Body Cream

I can't say I'm impressed with my first box.

Number 4 spray smells awful. It's like molten plastic and it does not do anything for the frizz, in fact I think it makes my hair even frizzier than before using it. I won't be using it :/

Supergoop CC is okay-ish. Thou, it is a bit heavy in texture and becomes cakey on the face. Definitely not good for hot summer days. Plus, my husband was not crazy about its smell. So, I cannot use this one either :/

Cynthia Rowley eyeliner is a good product actually, but I received it in silver and that is not a color I can use. If I had blue eyes I would definitely rock it everyday, but I have brown eyes, so boohoo! :( It is a good size thou, very close to the full size. Also, the application is very smooth and smudge is minimal. If I received it in black or brown, I would be really happy.

Smarty Pants gummy is something I can never consume for one big reason: It is not Kosher/Halal or vegetarian. It has pork gelatin in it! Come on Smarty Pants, $30 for a bottle and you cannot even use a good vegetarian gelatin?! It will go to one of my non-Kosher/Halal friends.
Harvey Prince Hello cream is something I am happy about. It has sweet, citrus scent and feels very fresh on skin. The texture is a bit thin and runny but it is perfect for these hot-humid summer days. Love it! 

Plus, I received a free 1-year subscription for Women's Health magazine since this box was curated with them. There was an option to get a $9.99 refund instead of the actual magazines, so I went for this option. I filled out the form and mailed it with my subscription confirmation&July 2014 box shipment e-mail print-outs. Let's see how it turns out. I will keep you updated on this.

For those of you who are not familiar with Birchbox yet: It is a monthly cosmetics&skin care subscription service that costs $10/month (including shipping). They usually send 4-5 deluxe samples (and sometimes regular foil ones :/ ) of usually new and trendy brands.

For more information you can check the official page here.

Disclaimer: I am not paid for this review. All opinions in this review and all of the other reviews in this blog are my own.