Birch Box

I am on my second month of my Birch Box "subscription" and I am really enjoying it so far. I first learned about this company here.

I joined and got an immediate (canned) email response from Birch Box. A waiting list had been started and it would take at least four weeks before they could process my order. Obviously Goop readers took action and joined! A couple of weeks later I received another email telling me that would be another delay on shipping due to the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. They had already debited my account the $10 bucks and I waited. And waited. And waited......

I have friends who already had subscriptions and I would text them to find out what they got in their boxes and was pea green with envy and still WAITING. I got super pissed when the company debited me for the next month before I even got my first month's delivery. They got lucky that on the day of that second debit, my November shipment arrived.

The shipment comes in a pretty box and has a postcard inside that lists the contents. I didn't love everything in my first box and maybe you aren't supposed to, but since they seriously made me wait, I had high expectations.

My November box had great feeling hand cream but unfortunately it smelled like banana Laffy Taffy. Listen, I am a fat person and do not need my hands to smell like candy. It also had a perfume sample, a cool ribbon hair tie, some lip gloss and a couple of other things that I have already forgotten about. It wasn't particularly memorable and I was kinda bummed that I had to wait so long for random cosmetic items I more than likely would never use. So, I had planned to cancel. BUT they had already charged me for December so I decided to wait and see what I got before I did that.

I got my December box tonight and am much happier with this month's selection. I like the idea of receiving a pretty box every month full of girly samples and surprises but I am not sure it's worth it monetarily in the long run. I do know what make up items and brands I like and I have to wonder if I just saved my $10 a month and put it towards the tried and true would I be happier in the end? We'll see.

This is the super adorable box it all comes in; I have no idea why this picture is sideways. I have saved it repeatedly facing the "right" way but it's stubborn and I'm lazy. 

Here is the card that came in my December shipment. Each item listed on your card is what is inside your monthly sample box. You can preview the pile of samples the company offers each month on their website. The cool thing about having friends who also subscribe is that we all get different things. 

The goods. I am really happy to get a Benefit product this month. I use some of their cosmetics in my daily arsenal and am eager to try the face cream. I'm pretty happy about the Hot Mama blush too. And I swear the silver, ahem, bullet looking thing is not a sex toy but a perfume atomizer. Maybe I am supposed to pour my perfume sample in there? I definitely didn't get any phallic samples last month. 

Speaking of daily arsenal, I have a few new products I'm using now and am really enjoying: 

It's that time of year in Colorado where you just can not get enough moisture on your hair and body. We have to take extreme moisturizing measures with SPF, creams, lotions, etc. You laugh but how about you come over for a visit. I started using this "mask" twice a week and can already see results. It's not a typical mask in the sense that you put it on, leave it for 15 minutes then wash it off. Instead you put it on (somewhat thickly) and let it set for 10 minutes. Most of it absorbs into your face and whatever is left you use a tissue and wipe off. It is a serious surge of moisture. My face literally drinks it. The Clary sage has a nice scent and overall it feels great. 

I've also started using a foundation primer recently. This isn't something I used before (when I lived in hotter climes) but find that it really makes a difference here. It makes my foundation go on smoothly and stay on throughout the day. I think if I lived in a humid state this product might bug me because it adds yet another layer onto my face but again, it works well where I'm at. 

I still firmly believe that skincare is way more important than make up ever will be. If your skin isn't clean and healthy, make up will only point out those flaws and just not look good. I am lucky and really was born with good skin (if I do say so myself). I never had break outs until I was almost 30. It was a weird, rude awakening to have break outs at that age but I dealt with it and really did a lot of research on different products. I have learned a lot and there are a ton of great (and affordable) items on the market.  

This little baby has been the best beauty purchase of all time. I have been using a Clarisonic face brush for going on three years now and I truly believe it has helped my skin tremendously. It really does remove ALL dirt and make up. You don't need to exfoliate when you use this because it does all the work for you. If you do nothing else, invest in one of these. You won't be sorry. 

Oh yeah, and if you decide to "subscribe" to Birch Box, message me and let me know what kinds of goodies you get!