December Birchbox!

All wrapped up is the Birchbox theme this month and I think it's cute. I don't necessarily understand the connection to the products...but oh well! 

The first product that caught my eye was this full-size Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner. I believe I had heard about this brand from Essiebutton or Estee and one of her videos. Other than that, I had never heard of the brand. It is a marker and it is pretty precise! 

Here is the problem though...I was given the color olive. I already got that color in the Stila Liquid Eyeliner! 

I mean I can't complain because a full-size is $15 so I already got more than I paid. I guess I just don't understand why I keep getting olive green.

The next item I am kind of excited for because I really wanted to try a new shampoo. This is the Number 4 Clarifying Shampoo. It is supposed to be a low-suds formula and reduces the amount of oils stripped from your hair; good oils that is. A full size is $32.

I always welcome new lip products, especially when they are lip balms. This is the Pomegranate and Fig Lip Butter by Mox Botanicals. It "revives lips with avocado oil and shea butter". A full size is $16 and this sample is very generous. I am not crazy about the smell, I think it is the fig but I will still use it!

This actually surprised me but in my box was a fragrance sample (no that isn't the surprising part) but it was by Aerie and it is the Shimmer Fragrance. For those who may not know, Aerie is the lingerie brand by American Eagle Outfitters. Aerie also sells clothing and it's really cute but I was happy to see a fragrance by them in here. It is a blend of bergamot, peony, and vanilla. Full size $14.95-$39.95

It was wrapped in this cute silver wrapper!

Last up, is the life-style extra and I must say Birchbox knows the way to my heart - free eyeliner and then chocolate? Yes, please :) This is a Chuao Chocolatier ChocoPod. Apparently they come in packs of 7 and a full-size is $7.95. The one I got is the Salted Chocolate Crunch ChocoPod, which is "Crunchy, toasted breadcrumbs dusted with sea salt and swirled in dark chocolate", not bad if ask me. 

Also a plus, is that it is 100% natural and free of hydrogenated fats, artificial preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, and artificial sweeteners. 

Just when you thought it couldn't get better, there was a gift card for $50 off a rental of $125 from Rent The Runway! I don't love giftcards that you have to spend money to use, but this is a tempting one so I will have to go on and look around :)

Hope you have a great December loves!

November Birchbox *Give*

November Birchbox is here! I love getting this little box in the mail, it is such a treat. Plus, today it came at the same time as my tiny little Sephora order came :) 

So where to begin? This month's theme is give, which I think couldn't come at a better time when so many people are in need, especially after the storms. This month Birchbox is supporting the Art of Elysium which is a non-profit who has artists and musicians and designers put time and talent towards kids who have different medical conditions. I have heard about this through the palettes that Kat Von D had designed for this non profit and I love the idea behind this group. 

The first item I saw was this Oscar Blandi pronto Texture & Volume Spray. I thought it was a hairspray at first but it is just what it says it is. You spray it to get that tousled look, which I love and it might be a good trick for my now shorter hair!

This I just couldn't save until the end because I thought this was a great idea. For the extra, they gave me a sample of men's cologne to give to a guy friend. That way they get a little something and then they could learn more about Birchbox (since there is a box that guys can get which actually looks awesome). This is Artisan by John Varvatos and the card says it is a "modern blend of energizing citrus and warm woods". I love the smell and if my brother or dad don't like it, I might just wear it myself!

The next item totally blew me away because it was a full size lip gloss! The brand is ModelCo which I've never heard of but it is an Australian brand and I've seen that in some boxes people are getting this brand's full size mascara instead of the gloss! This is a bright hot pink with pink and silver shimmer, thankfully no chunky glitter. The best part? The tube has a mirror on! The gloss is the tiniest bit tacky but not sticky and it looks so juicy on the lips. The color is actually called Showgirl Red.

Then instead of the standard wrapped part of the box, they included this cute purple gift envelope that once you are done with you can use to give someone a gift. The idea is to take your other products out of there first. I feel like come people might actually get confused. 

Inside the envelope I found two hand soaps by Caldrea which I feel like I've heard of before but I'm not sure. There is one called Sea Salt Neroli No. 17, which on the back says inspired by "bright clear mornings at the shore". The second one is a limited edition scent, Vanilla Quince Santal which I am very excited to try. 

Finally, the last item is from One Love Organics, which I've been wanting to try. It is their Aromatic Body Serum in Rose (my favorite scent!) and it is made with pumpkin seed and sea buckthorn oil. It smells incredible, and it doesn't leave your skin greasy. It is also a spray which I love. 

Then to top it all off there was a bonus! They included a Holiday 2012 Gift Guide which is so cute and has some good ideas for men and women. Then they gave a coupon to Chromatic Gallerie which is a website where you can build your own pair of heels for $88! You can pick the heel height, color, material, and it is awesome. It gives you $15 off and a friend $15 off but I'm gonna share the code with all of you! On the website just type in Birchbox15 and do it before December 31, 2012.

September Birchbox!

Ready for another Birchbox? I sure am, it feels like I'd been waiting forever for this next one. The box is a sort of welcome to fall/fashion week so I think it is pretty appropriate especially because the weather has been cooling off quite a bit. 

It came with this cute booklet or their version of the fall fashion mags haha

First item is the La Fresh Nail Polish Remover Acetone-Free pad. I've seen these around on YouTube so I'm excited I will get to try this out. I haven't been doing my nails lately (I don't have enough time to let them dry!) but I just painted my nails tonight so when I switch colors I'll give it a go!

I am super excited about these teas by Mighty Leaf. I love tea and when it is cooler out it is the perfect drink. The three flavors are Vanilla Bean (yum), Green Tea Tropical, and Chamomile Citrus. 

This is an enzymatic face rejuvenator by Vasanti, not a brand I have ever heard of, but I am always willing to give new stuff a chance. Plus my skin has been pretty decent lately, so I can afford to branch out a little. 

This is what I was most excited about, however I think the sample could have been a lot bigger than .07 ounces. At least give us a full ounce! This is the matte moisture tint by Jouer. I put it on and I am in love! It has amazing coverage! Like this is truly closer to a foundation. It is amazing and it isn't too matte which is nice because this is when my skin starts getting really dry. 

This is Twirl by Kate Spade, and I have smelled this before and love it so I was so happy to see this in the box. I feel like I enjoy it enough to buy it, but I don't know if it is really a fall/winter scent. However, knowing me I'll probably buy this and a few others because I think I've loved all but one or two samples so far.

This is the big loser for me in the box. I watched the video for the month preview by Birchbox and they introduced the line of nail polishes by Color Club dedicated to social networking. This is the one color (Tweet Me) I did NOT want to get. It is described as a creamy Chartreuse and honestly, this picture makes the bottle look too yellow and not enough green. However, when it is on the nail it is streaky as hell and the color is puke green/yellow. I would have preferred any of the other three to this one. 

Finally, I was amazed to see this because I LOVE Madewell and J. Crew. Since I need more cold weather clothing I will be using this up right away. Thanks Birchbox!

April Birchbox!

My April Birchbox literally just came in the mail! I opened it up and took pictures right away because I was just looking forward to posting about it! This month's Birchbox is all about natural products and I love that. I've really been trying to start using products that have less of the chemicals and are just more healthy and natural.

First item, is the skincare sampler by Befine. I've always wanted to try their stuff and lucky me now I can. They give you 5 huge samples of the products in that box you see above. Like as big as my hand, which is incredible because usually we're stuck with some dinky little packet. There are 3 packets of the Exfoliating Cleanser with brown sugar, sweet almond, and oats. Just the name sounds so yummy and good for you! Then there are two packets of the Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15 and rosemary, pomegranate and rice.

They are both paraben free, have vegetarian proteins and have allergen free fragrance (which is great for my sensitivity to perfumes!)

Next, in the box which was considered a beauty extra was the Yes To Bluberries Brightening Facial Towelettes. I've been using face wipes for a couple of months now on and off between make-up remover. It is a lot more convenient when I stay out at night. Yes To has been another brand I've wanted to try, and while I'm not crazy about blueberries, maybe these will change my mind :)

Again, it is an amazing sample, it is a travel size and gives you 8 wipes. It is paraben-free and contains 99% natural products.

Lastly, in the nice wrapped part of the box, there were three items: Wonderstruck by Taylor Swift, Lavender + Clary Sage Hair Powder by Lulu Organics, and finally a nail polish by Zoya's TRUE Spring Collection.

I think I need to get used to the fragrance by Taylor Swift, it's a little too girlie, if that makes sense. I like more musky and deep scents. However, I think eventually I'll like it. The hair powder seems interesting, I love lavender so hopefully it works out. I do break the hair washing rule, I just cannot go without washing my hair. So we'll see! Finally, the polish looks more blue in the picture but its more of a deep blue/green. It's like teal if it were a pastel teal...with grey in it. It's gorgeous though and I don't have anything like it.

Hope you enjoyed! I'll update when I actually get to try some of it!