July 2014 Birchbox!

It’s here! My first Birchbox. I’m not sure what took me so long to jump on the subscription box bandwagon, but having just had a baby eight weeks ago, I wanted to do something to make me feel better about myself. Trying a bunch of new beauty products seemed like just the ticket, so I subscribed to both Birchbox and Ipsy earlier this month. Ever since, I have been stalking the Birchbox site to see when my box would ship. I also familiarized myself with my box contents before it even arrived. I told myself I wanted the element of surprise. That lasted about 45 seconds! I mean really, does anyone (besides M!) have the self control to not peek?

Anyway, for those who don’t know, Birchbox is a subscription service in which you get a box delivered to your door each month with samples chosen just for you. The cost is $10 per month or $110 per year if paid upfront. You complete a quiz on their site so that your box is tailored to your needs and preferences. The cool thing about Birchbox is that you can review the products you receive each month in exchange for points. The points can then be redeemed towards product purchases! I received 50 points for reviewing these five products on BB’s website, which equates to $5.

This month Birchbox paired up with Women’s Health magazine to promote healthy living. The July theme is ‘Power Up’ and the box included a little booklet with 12 “bite size challenges”, such as upping your sleep quality and making an effort to do at least 10 minutes of outdoor activity daily. They even included a years subscription to Women’s Health, which can be either redeemed or mailed in for a rebate. I considered just getting the rebate, since I honestly don’t think I’ll read it. But then I decided maybe I should give it a shot. Who knows, maybe it will make me healthier. So I think I will go for the subscription. Anyway, on to the fun stuff.

We’ll get my least favorite part out of the way. The Naobay Body Radiance lotion, This lotion has olive oil, shea butter and avocado oil, which sounded pretty moisturizing to me. Except that it wasn’t. It sank into my skin immediately, and within two minutes you couldn’t even tell I had applied lotion. I hate feeling greasy as much as the next person, but I at least want to feel some type of effect from my lotion. Not to mention it smelled lightly of fruit loops as I was applying it (not really how I want to smell), but it lost its scent immediately. So I put it in my purse, where I’ll probably never use it but will have it just in case.

Next up I got Number 4 Super Comb Prep & Protect. This is a leave in conditioner mist that is also meant to protect your hair from heat styling as well as protect color. I thought I also read that it was a detangler. Anyway, I was most excited for this product because of the leave in conditioner/detangling aspect but I haven’t used it yet. If it works, I will definitely order it!

I also received Supergoop! Advanced SPF 37 Anti-Aging Eye Cream. I have to admit, eye creams bore me. This is one of those products that I should be using but I am to lazy to incorporate into my routine. But I did put some of this on and I was pleasantly surprised at how it brightened up my eye area. It is a little thicker than any eye creams I have used, but that isn’t a bad thing. I will use up my sample and if I am completely wowed, I’ll buy it. But it’s $45, so it has to be absolutely amazing. I would spend double that amount on a facial moisturizer. Eye cream, not so much.

I also received the Cynthia Rowley Beauty Eyeliner in black, This eyeliner is in pencil form and sets within thirty seconds, so if you want a smudged look you need to act fast! I actually don’t own a black eyeliner at the moment (for shame!), so this was a great addition for me. I love the formula and how easily the liner glides on.

Lastly, my lifestyle add on was the SmartyPants All-in-One Gummy Vitamins for Adults. I didn’t even try these because I am still taking prenatal vitamins. I am not interested anyway. Never would I spend $30 on a 30 day supply of vitamins, not to mention that the recommended dose is six gummies per day (two at a time, so three times por day). I can barely remember to take my one vitamin at night. No way would I remember to take them at three different times during the day.

Overall, I am very pleased with my box. There were some items in there that I wouldn’t have tried on my own, so it is kind of cool to step out of my comfort zone and try new things. I can’t wait to see what next month has in store! Oh, and apparently my toddler liked it too. I caught her sniffing the hair mist.

To sign up for Birchbox, click here.
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What did you get in your July Birchbox? Were there any hits or misses?