cleanser

November Birchbox | 2014

November quickly came and went and turkey isn’t the only thing I enjoyed! I got a fabulous new birchbox in the mail and I can’t wait to share my samples with you! 

If you aren’t familiar with Birchbox, it’s a company offering a subscription to receive monthly samples of beauty products (They offer boxes for both men and women!). I love it because it’s a mini treat to myself once a month and it’s a great, inexpensive way to get introduced to new brands and products. As an added bonus- it makes a great gift for the girl (or boy) who has everything!

Below is what I found when I opened my special gifting November Birchbox… And wait til you read about them, I feel like an especially lucky sampler this month!

November Birchbox 2014

derma e® Evenly Radiant® Brightening Cleanser

amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo

theBalm® cosmetics Cindy-Lou Manizer®

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen

Laura Mercier Longwear Crème Eye Pencil

Camille Beckman Platinume Gold Imperial Repair Hand Therapy

Chuao Chocolatier Assorted ChocoPod

Let’s start with the derma e® Evenly Radiant® Brightening Cleanser. I’ve been using this cleanser for about a week and my skin is feeling fresh and smooth. This cleanser is a little gel like and since I prefer a little exfoliation in my facial cleanser, I paired it with my Clarisonic and got great results! I love the light citrus scent and it leaves my skin feeling soft and refreshed! I have to admit, using it alone left me a little underwhelmed.

Next up is the amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo. I love this stuff! Since I have pretty long hair, I try to skip a shampoo every now and again to avoid massive damage to my locks. I’ve tried a few dry shampoos, but haven’t found anything noteworthy- they either leave white residue, smell like baby powder or don’t work at all. Then I found amika! Although I think I’ve used more effective dry shampoos, my best overall experience is with amika. It’s able to absorb oil and add volume without the smell or powdery look! Unfortunately, Birchbox is currently sold out, but I will be stocking up ASAP!

Get Ready! theBalm® cosmetics Cindy-Lou Manizer® was the next sample I tried out (and loved!) I love theBalm products in general. I have a really fun eye shadow palette from them that I love to death! The sense of humor the company brings to the packaging is super fun, not to mention they have amazing products! I’ve been using this highlighter everywhere! It’s got a light, peach shimmery look that I think is just perfect! I’ve used it on the apple of my cheeks, below my brows and even as eyeshadow- it’s so versatile!

Now onto Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen. This tinted moisturizer is lightweight and gives the perfect amount of coverage. (Keep in mind it’s a TINTED moisturizer, not foundation!) I personally hate wearing foundation so I love the light, fresh feel this moisturizer leaves. It applied smoothly and lasted all day. My only complaint is the sample size was a little small, so I was only to test it out once.

Didn’t get enough Laura Mercier? You’re in luck because I also got a Laura Mercier Longwear Crème Eye Pencil in violet! I’m not one to wear crazy eye makeup (or really any color on my eyes), but I’m loving this bold violet eyeliner. First off, the liner is the perfect texture. It’s easy to apply, goes on smooth and lasts all day. I usually have issues with pencil liner smudging by late afternoon, but this one didn’t at all! This eye pencil left me one happy camper. I have a feeling this sample will last awhile, but I will definitely be purchasing when it runs out.

Onto another find, Camille Beckman Platinume Gold Imperial Repair Hand Therapy. This lotion left my hands feeling amazing! It absorbed quickly and left my hands feeling silky smooth. Although my hands felt softer to the touch than they have in awhile, they didn’t feel truly moisturized. I didn’t mind the scent of the lotion, but it definitely wasn’t my favorite. It had a light lemony/floral smell that lingered. The lotion has great results, but for the money I think you can find a better option.

Today I’m wrapping it up with a dessert, Chuao Chocolatier Assorted ChocoPod! I was a little skeptical of this chocolate when I first read the label- firecracker! Boy, talk about ending with a BANG! This chocolate not only had a spicy kick to it with added chipotle pepper, but it also has popping candy! As soon as this chocolate hit my lips, I could feel the snap, crackle, pop! It felt like I was eating Pop Rocks and chocolate all at the same time. I loved trying the firecracker one, but I can’t wait to try the other flavors (including the potato chip and oh my s’mores bars!) What a fun twist on chocolate!

And that’s it for this month’s Birchbox products. Have you heard of any of these brands or tried any of these products before? Tell me about them in the comments below! Maybe you’re just craving more beauty buys? Check out last month’s post, October Birchbox | 2014.

September Birchbox | 2014

TGIF Everyone! October is here and it’s time for me review September’s Birchbox products. If you aren’t familiar with Birchbox, it’s a company offering a subscription to receive monthly samples of beauty products (They offer boxes for both men and women!). I love it because it’s a mini treat to myself once a month and it’s a great, inexpensive way to get introduced to new brands and products. Added bonus- it makes a great gift for the girl (or boy) who has everything! Below is what I found when I opened my September Birchbox, how cute is that patterned box?!?

[birchbox.com]

[birchbox.com]

That bright box included all of the following:

dr. brandt® Exclusive Clean Up Nice Kit
Dr. Jart+ Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm
ChapStick® Dual-Ended Hydration Lock Day & Night
Noir Cosmetics Long-Wear Eyeliner
Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum
Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream

 

Let’s start with the dr. brandt® Exclusive Clean Up Nice Kit. Of this kit, I received the dr. brandt® pores no more® vacuum cleaner and it’s great! After using this cleanser, I could immediately tell a difference in my skin; it felt much softer and was even visibly smoother! As an added bonus, it’s a gel texture, making it easy to apply.  After application, it has a cool, tingly effect. I personally love this because I know it’s working! Although I could definitely feel the difference in the texture of my skin, I was most impressed with the visible difference it made! For $45, I’m tempted to try out the rest of the line included in the Clean Up Nice Kit.

 

Next up is the Dr. Jart+ Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm.This BB cream is not for me. To be fair, I’ve tried quite a few BB creams through my birchbox samples, so I have become a bit picky! Although this cream is great for full coverage, I felt it was much too thick to be BB cream. It felt more like liquid foundation, which I have never been a fan of! I personally prefer more absorbent creams that don’t cake on. That being said, if you are looking for a BB cream with more coverage and thick application, this is for you! I think it would be ideal for anyone with uneven skin tone or blemishes to cover.

Now introducing the ChapStick® Dual-Ended Hydration Lock Day & Night. This duel sided chapstick is a great idea. One side is for day and the other side is for nighttime use! To be honest, I could take or leave the daytime side. I am currently addicted to my moisturizing chapstick and missed the familiar consistency and moisturizing effects of it. That being said, I do love the nighttime side! I found the night formula, to be smooth and moisturizing without being too thick. Also, I have been waking up with much smoother lips, so I know it’s working! If they sold the nighttime formula on it’s own, I would definitely recommend it, but since it’s only available in this dual-sided form, I don’t think it’s worth the buy.

And now it’s time for the Noir Cosmetics Long-Wear Eyeliner. I’ve used a lot of eyeliners in my day and this one definitely impressed me for a pencil application. I personally tend to gravitate to liquid eyeliners. They go on smooth and once dry, they never smudge! But, I always give pencil liners a shot when I get them in my birchbox. Usually, I am disappointed by mid-day when the liner has smudged and I resemble a raccoon, but this time was different! This liner went on smooth and stayed all day! My only complaint is having to sharpen it since it’s an actual pencil application, other than that, it’s a great pencil eyeliner!

Now onto Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum. This sample didn’t resonate with me. Being a serum, the texture was thick and sticky. Although I’m not usually a fan of serums, I will use them if they deliver results. Unfortunately, this serum did nothing for me, not to mention the price tag! Running $79 for only 30 ml, I expected to be wow-ed by this product. I gave it a shot and after a few uses, I noticed no difference in my skin. This serum left me very disappointed and would not recommend for the value.

Lastly, I have the Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream. This moisturizer is serious! I found it too be a little thick and greasy for everyday use, but thought it worked wonders on dry spots! Once I started using it on dry spots like my elbows and feet, I noticed immediate results! This will not be my go to moisturizer, but I definitely think it’s worth keeping around for problem areas. I think I will especially find it effective this winter when my skin dries out!

And that’s it! That wraps it up for this month’s Birchbox products. Craving more? Check out last month’s post, August’s Birchbox Round Ups. Have you heard of any of these products before? Let me know your thoughts of them in the comments below!