Birchbox April 2013

For this month(April) Birchbox lined up with Women'sHealth to bring us a themed box: Tiny Tweaks, Big Results.

Ruby Wing - Color Changing Nail Polish in Poppy: $4.6 for 7ml/0.25floz, full size is 15ml/0.5floz and goes for $10. Super excited to try this out, both colors are favorites of mine, so I would love to see both inside and outside!

J.R. Watkins - Hand & Cuticle Salve: $1.1 for 7g/0.25oz, full size is 59g/2.1oz and goes for $8.99. These cuticles need some love and pampering, so I'm really glad I got this. I know the value is not huge, but even the full size is super affordable (which is always a plus). Also, isn't this packaging so cute? It looks so vintage! Love it!

AHAVA - Purifying Mud Mask: $6.2 for 25g/0.9oz full size is 125g/4.3floz and goes for $31. I absolutely love mud masks, so I'm glad I get to try this one.

Simple - Revitalizing Eye Roll-On: $10.99 full size. This is supposed to help with puffiness and under eye circles. While I don't get the first, I always get the second, even if I get a good night sleep. They are not too dark when I actually get a good night's sleep, If I didn't get enough sleep they get darker, they are always still there though. I'm glad I get to try this out and see f it actually works for my evil under eye circles.

Oribe - Shampoo for Beautiful Color: $2.1 for 14ml/0.46floz, full size 250ml/8.5floz is and goes for $37. I do have color treated hair(I have ombrè hair), but I don't use shampoo. Birchbox did get it right and gave me a product for color treated hair, but how could they know I don't use shampoo? I don't blame them for me not liking or not being able to use this sample. There's no option in the profile that asks "Do you use shampoo?" So, it's all good.

Oribe - Conditioner for Beautiful Color: $1.4 for 14ml/0.46floz, full size 200ml/6.8floz is and goes for $39. I do use conditioner so I might actually try only the conditioner out.

Value and overall review: 

 The value of my box for this month is: $26.39

 That is honestly not that bad, is not the highest value ever, but I actually am really excited to try out the products.

 I think Birchbox really picked great products for me this month. Out of all 5, I won't use half of one of the samples.  I know I won't use up the nail polish entirely, because I have a lot of nail polish, but I definitely will use it. Everything else I'm sure I will use up.

 For some this might not be the greatest box, or not too exciting. But it fits my needs perfectly and has products I literally never have tried thus fulfilling the purpose of a subscription box. A lot of people expect Birchbox to send them huge things and highly priced and coveted items. Birchbox is a discovery service and so far it has done what is supposed to do for me.

 I can't recommend Birchbox highly enough. Box envy(being jealous of what other people got) will ruin your boxes. Don't let it, don't peek into other peoples boxes, just enjoy your own and try the products. If you still don't like what you get, tweak your profile to better suit your taste/needs. And if that still doesn't work, try another subscription service. At the end of the day, you are only out $10 and if you didn't try the products, you can always give them away.

 I'm in no way sponsored by Birchbox, I just really enjoy my boxes and understand the service.

 What was your favorite product this month in your Birchbox?

If you want to subscribe to Birchbox, you can click here. Or copy and paste this link onto your navigation bar: https://www.birchbox.com?raf=58jbc

 Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money, and this is my own personal opinion:)

Misc Sephora Samples Reviews

bareMinerals Matte Foundation in Fairly Light + Mini Kabuki Brush + bareMinerals Prime Time Foundation Primer: ( I got this with a code or something: YOURGIFT I think it was) This made me fall in love with bareMinerals foundation, it works great if you are in a rush, for a quick look and the coverage is pretty good. The kabuki works just fine and it's great to carry around in your purse. Prime Time makes my skin feel amazing before applying make up and the size is great for your purse too! I still have a little bit of foundation left, but I will be restocking on this item for sure!

TendSkin - Tend Skin: This item is supposed to help prevent ingrown hairs. I'd say it did help me a bit, but made my skin burn so much! It has a really strong smell, so make sure you are in a room with plenty of air circulation when you apply it, cuz it makes me a little dizzy. Might buy a full size of this.  

Fresh -Umbrian Clay Mattifying Serum: This really didn't do much for me. It gets absorbed quick and has a fresh smell, like a veggie smoothie with cucumber. Won't be buying this EVAR, cuz I got no results at all.

PeterThomas Roth - Instant Firmx™: This didn't do anything for me either and I don't really need to be firming my skin, cuz it's firm!

Clinique- Clarifying lotion #3: I have combo skin and this is my go to toner, it works wonders for me.I love to make sure all my make up is removed. When I use this and the cotton is clean, I'm happy! I bought the 13.5 oz version of this, back in March and it will run out soon. I decided to pick up the big one this time, cuz I know I love it.

BECCA -Shimmering Skin Perfector SPF 25+ in Opal: This was too dark for me and went straight to the trash cuz it was already opened when I found this out.

 Boscia -Revitalizing Black Hydration Gel: Didn't notice anything special about this(besides the fact that it's black!O.O), it had a cool-minty feeling when I applied it.

Swatches: Mushroom on the left, Sin on the Right

Givenchy- Mister Light Instant Light Corrective Pen: This worked fine, just like any concealer, didn't notice something special about it that made it stand out against other concealers.

Caudalie -Premier Cru La Crème: I squeezed this out to the last drop! I loved how it felt on my skin, it would get absorbed so quick and leave my skin feeling great. I won't really buy it, cuz it's more like an anti aging product(worth $150 lol!) and I don't need that.

 UrbanDecay Eyeshadow card: It had samples of Sin and Mushroom(eyeshadows) and Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, this was my first time trying Urban Decay products and I became addicted to them ever since. The eyeshadows pigment amazingly well. They have gorgeous glitter and even if they are not cream eyeshadow they are super creamy, you know what I mean? The Primer Potion works great too, it makes the colors look gorgeous and I get no creasing or fall out.

 

Ojon- Rare Blend Oil Total Hair Therapy: Nothing special about this at all, I didn't notice a major difference in my hair. Won't buy this at all, I'd rather stick to my almond oil(and it's cheaper!). By the way I got this with my wasted(in vain) Sephora points.

 Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money, and this is my own personal opinion :)

Benefit Sexy Little Stoaways Review

  I picked this up in October or so, just to try out several different Benefit products and to create an opinion about them. I'd rather grab something with deluxe sized samples to form an opinion about the products and if I love them, I just grab a full size.

 Benefit - Sexy Little Stowaways 

This set contains:

Swatches

- 0.1 oz Bella Bamba (1): A 3D brightening pink face powder, as described by Benefit. This is my go to blush, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this blush. The shimmer in it is subtle, but beautiful, the smell is amazing( as it is with most Benefit products), it adds a subtle glow to your face. I just can't get enough of this blush, I love the end result with it and I enjoy applying it cuz of the smell. It's a great scent, I would describe it as a fruity, fresh and sweet smell. The size for both this and Bella Bamba is nice enough to last for a while,and plenty for you to create an opinion about. Will definitely buy a full size when I'm out( or maybe before!).

- 0.25 oz 'That Gal' Brightening Face Primer (2): Didn't find anything particularly special about this product. I didn't see any brightening effect on my skin, but it does have a really nice sweet strawberry like smell to it. Won't be buying a full size.

- 0.08 oz Sun Beam (3): Golden bronze complexion highlighter. This is a great highlighter for the brow bone and cheek bone areas. It has a subtle shine and glitter to it, that just makes you look glow and look bright without the shinny. I really liked this product and it's one of my favorites from this kit. This product doesn't have any special smell, or at least none that I could tell. Might buy a full size of this.

- 0.08 oz Cha Cha Tint (4): Mango-tinted lip and cheek stain. This cheek stain brings a really natural glow to your cheeks, some people complain and say it leaves marks on your skin. Well, you have to apply it quick cuz it dries FAST, so if you put it on and leave there for even like 3 seconds it might leave a mark. Make sure, that as soon as you apply it to your cheeks, you blend it in. For the lips, it adds just a bit of color to them. In my case, it doesn't show much, cuz my lips are really pigmented to begin with. For both lip and cheek application, dot it on and blend it in, I use my fingers and it works great. This product is OK, it won't be my go to blush for sure, but for a day when I don't want to be worrying a lot about my lip color, or if I want to go with a more natural glow on my cheeks I will definitely use it. It's the same as Sub Beam, it doesn't have any particular scent to it. Won't be buying a full size.


- 0.08 oz Ooh La Lift (5): Instant under eye brightening boost. I really don't notice much of a difference with this product and I have given it plenty of chances to show me it's powers, but I've been let down everytime I give it a chance. I think we will be breaking up as soon as this deluxe size is done. It has no scent. Won't buy a full size of this product.

- 0.08 oz Stay Don’t Stray (6): Stay-put primer for concealers and eye shadows. As an eyeshadow primer, this is useless, or at least for me. The colors don't look bright at all and the creasing is very apparent! It's insane, there is so much creasing with this product. I've given it SO many chances and it always let me down. As an under eye concealer, it's OK, it hides my dark circles a little bit, but nothing special. As a concealer primer, well, I just don't use it cuz I apply primer to my whole face and most of my primers do just fine. This product was a complete let down, I don't like it and don't recomend it, this is my opinion though, it might work for some other people, but for me it just doesn't cut it. Won't buy a full size.

- 1 oz It’s Potent! Eye Cream: This product is just fine, I didn't notice a major difference with my under-eye circles. I apply it daily in the morning, as part of my regular routine and then at night, over my eye cream. I feel that this is not that moisturizing. I haven't really seen any changes. The packaging is cute, the little glass jar has that vintage look Benefit is famous for, but just the packaging doesn't make it worth it. I will definitely not be buying a full size.

- 0.14 oz BADgal Lash Mascara (7): Didn't see anything special about this mascara, the brush is too big and the wand too short. I know this is a sample size, but the brush is SO big that I can't get product on the whole thing. 

- 0.25 oz The POREfessional (8): I love how this product feels on my skin, it feels just like velvet. I don't see a major change in the size of my pores, but just for that amazing velvety sensation I get, I will be buying a full size. I just can't live without this anymore.

- 0.1 oz Hoola (9): Bronzing powder. This is my go to bronzer for contouring. I won't use anything else, but this to countour my face. It's matte, so it works great for contouring. I don't really use bronzer for anything else. This product is not extremely pigmented, but you can build it up and that's just what I want from a bronzer. If you apply too much by accident, you'll just look horrible and this gives you a little more control. The smell is OK, it just smells like powder foundation, which is fine. I will definitely buy a full size of this product, cuz I can't live without it. I use this product every time I do my make up.

I'm really happy with this kit, even if I didn't love everything. I did discover some products I just can't live without now. I totally recommend this if you want to try different Benefit products, it's only $36 at Sephora. I actually think is a great deal. Some products I didn't love and they might end up being your new HGs. Every skin type is different, every person is different, so what works for me might not work for you and vice versa. If you do pick this up, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Disclaimer: I purchased this with my own money, and this is my own personal opinion :)

Shea Terra Whipped Shea Butter Review

  I was really excited to try out the Shea Terra - Whipped Shea Butter Moisturizing Body Cream in Gingered Pumpkin since I saw it on my Beauty Army selection window, but then sadly it disappeared (cuz I went back to take a picture and it was gone!*sad face*). I heard great things about the smell and about Shea Terra in general, their products are organic and usually over 90% natural!

...Shea Terra Organics was the vision of Tammie’s quest to create markets for natural products from third world countries, which would help alleviate poverty while preserving diminishing habitats. Sufferers of skin ailments across the world sought out Tammie’s therapeutic grade shea butter products because they were amazingly affordable at a time when shea butter was sold at hundreds of dollars per pound. “Shea butter, straight from the African source, was really cheap. So many people needed it for its therapeutic benefits, but could not afford it due to its artificially high price. Women across the shea butter belt literally had tons they couldn’t sell due to low demand of this 'costly' butter. What I did was make high quality shea butter products available to everyone at unheard of prices. The result was a shea butter revolution. Large bulk suppliers, selling to the skin care industry, further undercut my prices and shea butter has spread like wildfire ever since. I am very pleased with this accomplishment. Finally, there is a demand market for the women to sell their shea butter, and so many sufferers with painful and disfiguring skin care problems are now able to afford relief,” expresses Tammie Umbel. Shea Terra Organics’ original company, African Shea Butter Company, successfully catapulted into an already saturated skin care market, setting new trends in the industry.
                                                                           
                                                                                            -Taken from Shea Terra's website.

  I was so sad when I couldn't get my Whipped Body Cream. I knew I had to do something, that was to buy a full size! I used a 15% off coupon that I got from Beauty Army and bought this.

The size of the Body Cream is really nice, 9oz. I got my product really quick and they were nice enough to send free samples as well!!!

 The texture of this product is amazing, as well as the smell! OMG! As soon as I got it, I just wanted to grab a spoon and eat it! It has a sweet cinnamon and pumpkin smell. I love it and it stays for hours without being annoying, it's a rather subtle smell. It helps that it's whipped, but it's still a body butter. Don't expect it to be as easy to apply as a regular body lotion, it might take a bit longer to apply it, but it's totally worth it! I totally recommend this, especially for the winter. It leaves your skin moisturized and feeling great! Another great thing about it, is that a little goes a long way so a jar like this will last for a while, so when you think about it makes the price a great deal!

  This product is sold on Beauty Army for $18, but it's sent by Shea Terra.

  The samples I got were:


- African Wild Sage & Cinnamon In the Wild Hand & Bath Bar: When I got this, I thought it was candy! And I almost tried it out, turns out, it's soap! This has a really natural smell a little bit like cinnamon to me.
-Argan & Green Coffee Around-Eye Serum

  I love this product so much! Ever since I got it, I just can't stop using it! 

  You can check it out here. If you do grab it, hope you love it as much as I do! This is my new HG body moisturizer.

Things I'm using Petroleum Jelly for

 As you may know by now, Petroleum Jelly has lots of uses! Currently I'm using it for several things. But, before I get to that, some useful things to do with Petroleum Jelly :

• Moisturizer. Petroleum jelly is non-comedogenic, meaning it will not clog your pores.
• Softens your cuticles.
• Use it as a mask around your hairline to avoid your skin getting stained while dying your hair.
• Apply to dry ends to prevent split ends.
• Make up remover.
• Apply around your nail to prevent nail polish from getting on your fingers. Also apply it around the neck of your nail polishes so they don't get stuck to the caps.
• Scrunch it trough your hair for a scrunched beach look.
• Put some on your skin before using perfume and it will last longer.

 There are tons of other uses for it, but those are the ones I thought would be more useful. Now the 4 things I'm using Petroleum Jelly for are: 

Eyelash conditioner:

 I've been applying PJ(Petroleum Jelly) to my eyelashes for about 3 weeks now, I just grab a bit of PJ warm it up a bit between my fingers by rubbing them together and apply it to my eyelashes. 

Here are some pictures of my eyelashes when I started applying PJ: 

After applying PJ:

 Update: I do notice a difference, it's tiny, but then again it's not like your lashes will grow 5''! I'm happy with the results and will continue doing this. I've stopped for a while cuz I'm trying out Lash'em that I got in my October Beauty Army box.

 I will be updating this post about a month from now to compare the pictures and see if there's any difference. This is supposed to make my eyelashes grow and I will be super happy if it does work. In the mean time, I will continue applying it around my eyes on top of my eye cream . The skin around my eyes became softer than before, which is always good.

Foot Skin softener:

 Apply this to your feet every night before going to bed, this has done wonders for me, I can really tell the difference after doing this daily ( along with scrubbing of course). Scrub your feet (once a week or so) to get rid of dead cells, warm up some PJ in your hands, rub it on your feet, put socks on and go to sleep. Its better to wear thicker socks so you don't stain your floors, my socks are the from the "Dr. Scholl's Spa Collection", the socks are also really comfy, that's always a good thing. You will wake up with softer feet, I swear, it works wonders! But don't forget to scrub your feet as well, if you don't it will be harder for the PJ to penetrate your skin. 
   

   

 Dry knees and elbows:

 Apply some PJ to your knees and elbows before going to sleep, once again I warm it up a bit in my hands before applying. It does work, my knees and elbows are never dry!

Hand moisturizer:

 I haven't bought my hand moisturizer in a while, and noticed my hands were drying badly! To fix it, I rub a nice amount of pj on my hands every night before going to sleep. Without using any moisturizer during the day, my hands feel as soft as when I apply one throughout the day.

 Most PJ will work for any of these options, the one I'm using right now is Vaseline with Cocoa Butter.

Hope this post was useful for you, I definitely recommend this as an alternative for all the options listed before, its a great and really affordable product.

 Links: 

Vaseline: http://www.drugstore.com/vaseline-petroleum-jelly/qxp13346 , any drugstore or supermarket should carry it and it's cheap.
Dr. School's socks: http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Scholls-Collection-lavender-seafoam/dp/B003MW91Z8 you can also find these at Walmart.