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birchbox

My Very First Birchbox!

8 / 18 / 15

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After being an Ipsy member for over three years, I decided to give Birchbox a try. I had received their emails for a long time and was extremely jealous of all the great products other gals were posting. Without hesitation, I signed up for the Mad Men Box this past April (a little behind, I know). Birchbox is the first beauty subscription service and their boxes are only $10 a month including shipping and handling. I’ve noticed a lot of their products are similar to Ipsy’s but there are more skin care items. My first box was remarkable. Here’s what I received!

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The breakdown:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel

Whish Shave Cream

Cargo Swimmables Water Resistant Blush

Beauty Protector Protect & Oil

Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion

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The box was inspired by Mad Men, the addictive TV show on AMC. The pink retro style of the box was adorable and there was a promo insert. Each item included was something that the women of Mad Men may have used.

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Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel

This product was one of the items that I was most excited to try. I’ve heard a lot about Anastasia Beverly Hills, but haven’t tried any of the their products. This clear gel works like a hair spray and holds your brows in place. The brush looks like a mascara wand and you brush it through your brows. I really liked the formula but the smell was a little strong. For the price, I think I might be able to find a cheaper alternative. Full size is $22. The sample was probably worth about $8. I liked that it works on any colored brow and that it doesn’t budge once it’s put in place. Although it’s not a staple, I’ve been using it about once every week or so.

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Beauty Protector Protect & Oil

If you want your hair to  stay in place and smell like vanilla cupcakes, buy this product by the gallons! Beauty Protector Protect & Oil was a product I needed in my life that I didn’t even know about. This tiny vial has lasted me a long time and helps smooth out my frizzy hair. It isn’t greasy feeling and has a delicious smell. Of all the items I’ve sampled from Birchbox (since April) this is one of my very favorite and I plan on buying the full sized option. Beauty Protector also sells other hair products I’d like to try in the future. A full size is about $26, so I’d guess this little sample is worth about $4.

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Cargo Swimmables Water Resistant Blush

Why anyone needs a blush that is water-resistant is beyond me. I  don’t wear makeup when I’m planning on swimming and when I do, it’s not blush! That being said, this product is really nice. I like the color, which is called Los Cabos. It’s a soft tangerine. You can apply if using your fingers or using a blush brush. I like the little tin it comes in. The size is perfect because I usually don’t use too much blush to begin with. There’s a subtle shimmer that’s also great for the summer. Full sized is $26. This sample is worth about $12. You can find other shades on Amazon here.

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Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion

I don’t have issues with under eye circles. I thought I wouldn’t ever use this product…until I began using it to take my eye makeup off! The formula doesn’t irritate my eyes and helps me get all the black eyeliner off my lids. The smell is fresh and leaves my skin with a tight feeling. I read the directions and used it a few times as a treatment. You soak some cotton balls and lay with them over your eyes for a few minutes. My eyes looked so fresh and bright once I took the time to let the product do its magic. I don’t think this is a “must-have” item, but it helps a lot and I’m excited to have it in my hoard collection. Full price $25. Sample about $8-10.

Whish Shaving Cream

This product was kinda silly. It’s a $20 shaving cream. The sample was ok and I used it up but I wouldn’t spend $20 on shaving cream. The smell was yummy. Blueberry I think. BUT…$20?! C’mon. It’s supposed to help sensitive skin and keep your skin hydrated. I didn’t notice a difference between this and off brand Skintimate at Walmart. The sample size is valued at about $5 maybe?

Overall

I’m so happy to be a Birchbox member. It’s been about five months since I began my membership and I think it’s been worth it. I’m behind on my reviews but stay with me. There are more to come! This first box was a big win. My favorite item ended up being the hair oil. I least liked the shaving cream.

Love & Laughter,

Tiffany

Disclosure: I pay for my own Birchbox & Ipsy subscriptions. There are referral links in this post and also Amazon referrals. I receive points if you sign up using my link. Thanks!

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Ipsy Glambag March Review

3 / 23 / 155 / 6 / 15

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March’s Ipsy bag was themed Floral Fantasy. I loved the bag and the fun floral print for spring. For me, it seems each month keeps getting better and better through  Ipsy. So proud to be a member for over two years and sending much love to Michelle Phan!

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A mix of lipstick, lotion, eyeshadow, and more? I’m in love with the variety and usefulness of these items.

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 Eyeshadow Duo in Apricot Glow from Pixi by Petra, $4 

Pixi by Petra is a brand offered at Target. I’ve tried a few items from them in my Ipsy bag and in my Allure Beauty Box. They’ve rebranded and gone from simply Pixi to Pixi by Petra. Petra is the creator of Pixi. She is from Sweden and loves all things to do with folklore and fairies. The brand originally opened a flagship store in Soho, London. Since then, it’s expanded and you can now purchase the bright products at Target and other retailers. This eyeshadow sample is a smaller version of their full size Mesmerizing Mineral Palette.  This palette is $12 for a full size and comes in five different color sets. The shadow is mineral formula that’s made with vitamin E which is supposed to be good for your skin near the eyes. The sets are:

Rich Gold – gold, khaki, and moss green shades

Silver Sky – cream, silver, and smokey blue shades

Emerald Gold – emerald, copper, and cream shades

Plum Quartz – plum, cocoa, and pinky-nude shades

Copper Peach – peach, bronze, and russet shades

I really loved the eye shadows. I used them for a summer look and applied the lighter gold on my lid and the darker shade above it. The color stayed on almost all day. Of course, it wasn’t up to par with my Urban Decay shadows but lasted a long time. Not too bad for only $12 for six shades.

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  ACURE Day Cream, Sample Size 1 oz valued at about $10

I’m always down for trying a new lotion or moisturizer. I’m even more down if that lotion or moisturizer is organic! ACURE Day Cream transported me to sunny Florida where I tend to eat more oranges than physically advised in a given day. The citrus smell was strong but not too overpowering. I’ll admit, I didn’t read up on the product before slathering on my hands and feet. Only later, when I was writing this review, did I realize that the product is supposed to be for your face. Either way, the formula helped my skin feel extra soft and I received compliments on the smell. According to ACURE, Day Cream has Gotu Kola Stem Cells which  helps to firm you skin and fight environmental damage and free radicals. I can’t really review the use on my face, but my hands sure felt great!

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skyn ICELAND Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels, 2 Packs Valued at $7.50

These firming eye gels were really neat to try. This is one of the reasons I love Ipsy; I wouldn’t purchase these on my own. I don’t have trouble with under eye bags or dark circles, but tried these out one night in the bath. As soon as I placed them under my eyes, they felt nice and cool. I left them on for about ten minutes and when I took them off my skin felt firmer and my eyes looked bright. It kind of reminded me of someone adding air under my eyes so that they’d poof up! Although the results were nice, I passed the other set to my grandma, who I feel will get better use out of them. For those with under eye bags, these rock. I think if I ever have kids and need to look wide awake, these will come in handy. I’m much more open to trying other products from skyn ICELAND now.

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 Boo-Boo Cover-Up in Medium Shade, Baby Size $10

When I saw ahead of time that I was receiving a concealer, I was nervous. My skin is hard to match and if the color isn’t right, this product is a waste. I received the Boo-Boo Coverup in the color Medium. I tried it right away and it seemed to match OK. I would much rather like the Light shade but this may work for the Summer months when I have more color from the sun. What I really like about Boo-Boo Cover-Up is that it is made to help heal blemishes while it conceals. It has ale, chamomile, green tea, tea tree oil, and vitamin E. It also came in a great size which regularly retails at $10!

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Butter Lipstick in Pops from NYX Cosmetics, Full Size $6 

NYX Cosmetics is my jam. Ever since I began following Charis Lincoln, or Charisma Star, on Youtube, I fell in love with their products. I was excited to see I would get one of their lipsticks in my bag. Unfortunately, the color wasn’t one I would wear a lot. I still gave it a try. The color Pops is a nudey pink. It is a few shades darker than my skin tone and matches my lips pretty well. NYX’s Butter Lipsticks are supposed to be very moisturizing and they are. I liked how it went on smooth. I didn’t like that the color seemed to come off regularly and I had to reapply it. This formula reminded me more of a colored lip balm than a lipstick. Nonetheless, I really liked it and would try other shades.

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 Overall: This Month’s Bag Was Pretty Good

I was sad that the concealer didn’t really match my skin tone but I really liked the lipstick. The eye gels were something I wouldn’t buy myself so that was a nice thing to try. The Pixi shadows worked really well and I used up the ACURE Day Cream. I don’t think I’ll re-buy anything except the Butter Lipstick from NYX. I still felt that for $10, it was a good deal. The entire bag was worth about $37.50. That’s over three times as much as I paid. For $10, I’ve been happy with Ipsy every time. I just began subscribing to Birch Box, so we’ll see if I can say the same for that. Also, the bag this month is adorable!

*I purchase Ipsy and Birch Box on my own. However, I have included my affiliate link so if you use it I’ll get a few points to use toward bonus items.

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