First Birchbox with Review (picture heavy)

A few weeks ago my first Birchbox arrived in the mail!  For those of you that do not know, Birchbox is a company that for $10 per month you get four or five deluxe samples delivered to your door.  It is a great and rather inexpensive way to get to try new products out.

Here is how the Birchbox arrives at your door:

The outside packaging is really bright pink!  But there is another box inside:

When it first arrives you think "Wow...it's kind of small!"  But just wait, when you open the box the sample sizes are a pretty good size.

When you finally open the inside box - try to be patient and savor the moment - you are welcomed with a card from Birchbox explaining the theme of the box.  Each month has a different theme.  For January the theme is Clarity.  As the card states: "January sets the tone for the rest of the year, which is why we're focusing on bringing clarity to every aspect of our lives - from our minds to our beauty regimen."

On the back of the card is the list of products that are in your Birchbox with a description of each item with what they do.

In my January Birchbox were the following products:

1.  Algenist Firming & Lifting Cream
2.  FIX Malibu Immaculate Complexion Smoothing Serum
3.  Juicy Couture Eau de Parfum Spray
4.  Zoya Nail Polish in Kendal
5.  Sample of Granola from 'wichcraft

Now on to the review:

1.  Algenist Firming & Lifting Cream - this is a pretty good size deluxe sample that was in the box 15ml with the full size at 60 ml.  It is also a sample that is full to the top.  (You know how some packaging can be deceiving!!)  From the Birchbox card it states that this product can "turn back the clock with this sophisticated moisturizer, which uses a unique microalgae compound to boost skin's elasticity.  Since receiving the Birchbox I have used this product once a day, everyday since.  While it does state to apply it to the face and neck twice a day, I use this mainly at night after my nighttime cleansing routine.  It has a nice creamy texture that is really unlike anything I have ever used before.  My jar stays a little cool and you do not need a lot of product.  A little bit goes a long way.  It does not leave my skin feeling greasy or tight either as some firming lotions can do.  I will say that in the three weeks I have used this product my skin feels amazing.  I notice that it really has firmed up a bit - seems to have minimized some of the fine lines.  And the good news is that after three weeks I still have over half of the jar left!!  I will definitely keep using this product until I am all out.  Then I will definitely have to decide whether or not to shell out the money for the full jar as it is quite expensive at $94.00.  Based on that this deluxe sample jar was worth $9.57.  This one sample alone almost covered the entire month's fee of $10.00.

2.  FIX Malibu Immaculate Complexion Smoothing Serum - Now I will be honest.  I am not much of a serum kind of girl.  Per the packaging this is a "breakthrough serum [which] uses highly stable antioxidents & dynamic skin smoothers to brighten & hydrate the skin while dramatically improving its texture".  First - the packaging.  While this is a smaller sample, the packaging is deceiving.  The actual size of the product inside is rather small and mine only had about half of the product in it.  So, that was a little disappointing.  As I am not a serum girl I did give it a try though.  It is a little bit greasy which I was not expecting.  They say that a little goes a long way and boy are they right.  Put too much on and you feel greasy and heavy for a while after applying.  Also, this product smells like Bath and Body Works Cucumber Melon - exactly!!  After applying this that was all I smelled.  I really couldn't even try it for another day!  If you like that smell, which I do in hand lotion, than maybe this is for you.  Not really for me.

3.  Juicy Couture Eau de Parfum Spray - this is your typical perfume tester spray.  Comes in the normal packaging that you would get from Sephora if you got a sample with your purchase.  As the card states "Juicy's signature fragrance is a blend of sweet floral notes.  Sophisticated and feminine, it's perfect for day or night".  Well, not really.  Perfume is very subjective.  So, what one person likes another might not.  I prefer my perfumes to be rather clean smelling or some floral.  This was really sweet smelling and reminded me of something a teenager would wear.  Not very sophisticated at all for me.  Again, perfume is very subjective so I would say if you like sweet floral this could be very nice for you.

4.  Zoya Nail Polish in Kendal - Now I had really never heard of Zoya until my Birchbox came.  The sample size was about a 2/3 sized bottle from a normal bottle of nail polish.  Kensal is a "sweet cream periwinkle" from Zoya's new Feel Collection which is a collection of winter to spring neutral shades.  I don't know if I would call this color periwinkle as I always think periwinkle as more of a blue shade. This is definitely a more purple shade and from a distant even looks a little bit light grey.  Really pretty.  Zoya nail polishes go on really smooth and not too sheer.  I fell in love with this color right away!!  So much so, that I bought a few more Zoya Nail Polishes a few days later!

5.  Granola from 'wichcraft - this is what Birchbox calls a "lifestyle extra".  Sometimes in your Birchbox will be a product that is not beauty related, i.e. jewelry or in this case food.  'wichcraft is a food chain from Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio.  The sample was a small handful of granola which was ok.  Nothing to write home about.

There you go folks.  My first Birchbox which I would consider a success.  While it did seem like a 50/50 split the Algenist cream alone was worth the whole box!

New To Me Products!

New (to me) Products I Am Loving Right Now!!

It has been a long time, what with the holiday being so busy and then trying to get back into a routine, I have been discovering new products.  Well, not all of them are new to the stores but they are new to me.  I have really gotten to test out products that I have bought and gotten as gifts for Christmas.  Thought I would share some of them with you and give you my reviews.  Here they are (in no particular order):

1.  Aveeno Positively Radiant Tinted Moisturizer:  First let me say that I have never tried a tinted moisturizer before but have always wanted to.  After hearing about this product from Beauty Broadcast - which everyone should check out - I decided to try it.  Well.....YEAH!!  This tinted moisturizer actually has some coverage to it.  It goes on smoothly and a little bit goes a long way.  Comes in a pump bottle (which I really wish more companies would use.  Especially drugstore foundations!)  This does have some staying power.  Not all day but throughout my work day at least.  Also, it does not make my skin feel oily at all.  The packaging states that it "evens tone and texture" and it does just that.  My skin looks radiant and smooth. The only downside to this product is the smell.  It is not a bad smell just an unusual one.  Most of the Aveeno products do have a smell to them - kind of like oatmeal - and the tinted moisturizer is the same.  Not a deal breaker just wish it was a little different if there is going to be a scent.  The scent does not last so after the application of the product you cannot smell it anymore.

2.  Revlon Photoready 3D Volume Mascara:  This is a new mascara from Revlon and this is hands down the BEST drugstore mascara I have ever used!  Heck, might even be the best mascara I have ever used.  Although Make Up Forever Smokey Lash Mascara is right up there!  Unlike a lot of drugstore mascaras this one is not that wet when applied.  This has a nice long brush with little bristles that really coats my lashes.  The formula seems more like a gel consistency and does not clump on my lashes.  I got this mascara in 02 Black Noir and the black is AMAZING!  The definition of my lashes has never been better.  Now, I think it is only fair to add a disclaimer - my eyelashes are really long and full so I really do not look for mascara that is supposed to add length at all.  My eyelashes already are sometimes too long.  So I cannot attest to if this mascara adds any length.  I will tell you that what I notice is the definition of these lashes and because it does not clump - at all - I do not even need to use my eyelash comb after application.  This has definitely become my new go to mascara.

3.  NYX eyeliners - Having a gift certificate to Ulta from last Christmas that I had not used yet I decided to go to town and get some NYX products.  I bought two of the NYX Slide On Eye Liners in Jet Black and Brown Perfection.  They go on so smooth and creamy and look fabulous in the waterline.  The first real eyeliner that I have gotten to look good there.  They go on a little "wet" and you can smudge them - great for a smokey eye.  After about 30 seconds they dry and do NOT budge!  Looking forward to getting more colors in the future.

4.  That's right!!!  Got a Clarisonic Mia for Christmas.  LOVE...LOVE...LOVE IT!!!  I cannot imagine how I lived without it.  After much research I finally decided to ask for this for Christmas.  Now that I have been using this for a month my face has never felt this smooth.  It is amazing.  Now, it is true what you have heard.  There is a little adjustment period and your face will break out - just a little after the first few days of using this.  (Probably because your pores have never been this clean!)  But, after the little adjustment my skin has never been better.  While I still have the occasional acne spot coming up - I am prone to one from time to time, my skin has never felt better.  I use the sensitive skin head that came with the Mia and do not feel the need for any other brush head.  It is soft and the sonic motion really feels great on the skin - not harsh at all.  When using this let the brush do the work for you.  Do not press hard and you will see the results.  One of the other things that I really like about this is that while it came with a Clarisonic cleanser I can use my own cleanser to wash my face.  You can either put your cleanser on your face and then use the Clarisonic or you can put your cleanser directly on the Clarisonic and then use it on your face.  Both ways work but I prefer to put my cleanser on my face first.  Also, as a side note....I would remove my makeup prior to using the Clarisonic.  While it does remove makeup, leaving makeup on will dye the brush heads and make them look dirty.  I cannot recommend this product enough!