I know – I’m late on the band wagon, but I recently joined Birchbox to see 1) what the fuss was about and 2) to open my eyes to brands I’ve wanted to try but too frugal to buy without really knowing what the what was with them. With this monthly box, I’m hoping to expand my cosmetic horizons. I’m already seeing some of the pros (and sadly some cons) of having this subscription.

The December Holiday box was my first one. I do love getting mail, so it was nice to come home to this golden box of beauty.  I didn’t really know what to expect since the box is based off of my preferences. I asked for makeup, perfume, nail art, and savory treats. Since I’m pretty good on hair supplies, I was hoping they would go light on that. PRO: I got all of the above! CON: I got hair supplies. They sent a protectant and detangler, which isn’t something I really have every needed to use on my (relaxed) hair. I’m not sure if this is just because Birchbox and I need to fine tune my preferences or what, but getting something I didn’t ask for feels like a waste of money.

Things I loved:

Harvey Prince Hello Perfume

I’m a sucker for floral or citrusy scents.  Something about a clean and fresh fragrance makes a rainy day feel brighter and can put the finishing touches on a great outfit.  I tend to rotate through a few different fragrances and this one is definitely finding it’s place in line.

Color Club Cocktail Hour Collection: Dark N’ Stormy

So the reason I added this to the “Things I Loved” is because of the coverage and it’s size. I’m frequently on the hunt for mini bottles of polish because I can never get through a full size bottle before it goes bad. With the minis, I can have the variety I crave in colors without having the clutter of full size bottles. As for the coverage it’s nice and gives a smooth coat with two applications. The brush doesn’t streak and it dries pretty quickly.  My only complaint is the color isn’t something I would’ve picked up on my own. Here’s hoping that in the January box, I get something festive for winter.

Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré (24-Hour Miracle Cream)

As you all know, I’m a firm believer in following a skincare system. While this is billed as a moisturizer, it also does triple duty as a primer and eye makeup remover. For those two reasons it’s on the love it list. I was skeptical of it’s eye makeup removal powers but it did it’s duty well when it came to removing my waterproof mascara, and as Martha says, ‘That’s a good thing!”

Nice to Have:

 

So there are a few non-cosmetic items that come in your BIRCHBOX and while they aren’t mind-blowing, it was fun to try them out. In this month’s box, I received some popcorn chocolate that had the snap and crackle of pop rocks. It was nice but it’s not going to be on my grocery list anytime soon. Another BIRCHBOX bonus is that they will throw in any new finds they like but they don’t count as one of your usual samples. This month it was Chapstick. It was supposedly super hydrating and lasts for 8 hours but it started to fail me after two. As an avid lip balm user, I need something that will last and isn’t sticky. This fits the bill but there is indeed some false advertising.

So that’s my first BIRCHBOX.  If you subscribe, what did you get in your box?