June Birch Box Review (plus April and May)

At my best friends recommendation I have been trying a new Birch Box every month for the past three months. I had never heard of it before our visit together in March, but I decided to order it and I also ordered it for my sister. My sister loved it! My BFF also loves it. It is a fabulous way to try a wide variety of products, high end products, without investing your hard earned cash into a full size product you wind up hating. It really is a pretty good deal, often paying for itself with one item in each box. Well, at least for everyone else. Birch box hates me, I think. My two previous boxes have been a little, meh. And this month many subscribers are receiving a Modcloth headband. (a $15 value). I can't tell you how upset I was to learn that I was not a lucky recipient.
I did get a box full of things I actually like this time around. I am really big into natural products and environmentally friendly lines, and nearly everything in my box matches me there. So that was nice of them. The false eyelashes by Georgie Beauty Winks are a $28 value, so the $10 monthly investment in this box has panned out. You also receive points each time you give feedback on the products you've sampled. That's a potential free $5 each month, which also helps that little box pay for itself. Plus, I love getting girly awesomeness in the mail every month.
The first month was kind of lame. I received Hollywood fashion tape. I honestly thought I'd never touch it. But I have this tank I love, and it dips a little lower than my modesty allows, so I tried this tape out with it and it was fabulous! It stayed all night and was not uncomfortable to wear or remove at all. The box also included Stila eyeshadow samples on a card (a little cheesy) but it was pretty and I still have some of the powder eyeliner left on it a couple months later, a little spritzer of Viva La Juicy, that went fast, Shu Uemura hair oil, a little of that goes a long way so I am still using this sample, and lastly some Befine face wash and moisturizer samples. The moisturizer ended up being expired (the SPF) so I got awarded 150 points ($15!).
Last Month was the Gossip Girl box. There was a foil nail polish from Color Club. It was nice, tough and sparkly, but I am not a fan of gold, though I did get a few compliments on it. Atelier cologne. Love this stuff! I wish it wasn't so pricy, because it's the first scent I have ever worn that lasts all day long, without varying in intensity. Twistband hair ties and Dr Jart Beauty Balm. I have actually ordered both these. I have fine hair and I like that the twistband is a gentle ponytail holder and the Dr Jart is an easy lightweight coverage that gives me a nice dewy complexion. Lastly, Sugar lip treatment. I love this stuff also. It is super moisturizing and provides a perfect blush of color. They were out of stock both times I tried to order, so it's popular.
This month, after I got over my tissy about the Modcloth headband, I realize I actually got to try some pretty neat products. I wore the lashes to the Rockabilly Riot this past Saturday night. They were lightweight and I hardly noticed I was wearing them. The adhesive is amazing, I brought it with me but I never had to reapply.  It’s made with  organic blue chamomile and is free of parabens, formaldehyde, phthalates and synthetic fragrance, which can irritate eyes. This stuff is right up my alley.

 

 Next I had the La Fresh eco beauty oil free facial cleansing wipes. I am not a big fan of cleansing wipes because they seem wasteful to me, but they are definitely a must for camping trips. These worked wonderfully, they even removed my mascara and liquid eyeliner. And my face still felt clean in the morning.  I think they are a great idea for camp lovers like myself who still want to clean their faces with natural products away from home. Next up was the Hair Rules volumizing shampoo. I wish I could have also sampled the conditioner, but it does work well and keeps my fine hair plump and weightless in between washes. The Balm Stainiac is a good multipurpose product to have on hand. I love lip stains, because I can have all day color without worrying about rubbing off on my food or face like lip stick does. It can also be used for cheek color, which is a nice little bonus. The last item in my box was the Tili bag. It's like a decorative ziploc. My eco friendly self is not impressed. In fact, I have begun to loathe plastics and try to purchase glass now whenever possible (obviously its difficult to get away from in this day and age, but I try). I am hoping this product will come in handy when organizing toiletries for travel or camping.
After all my rants and raves if you feel like giving this monthly makeup product sample service a try below is a link. Check it out! It's actually fun and exciting to be able to try out all these things, and I have discovered some new products I love, and that's the best. I can grow away from my habitual tendencies and branch out into new things.

Birch Box

XO. -K