Birchbox Review August 2014

Birchbox August 2014 Review!

Not as late as my July review, lol, but still catching up!

Some shiny goodies in there...

CAILYN Cosmetics Dizzolv'it Makeup Melt Cleansing Balm:

Looks fancyyy, however, this makeup remover was not effective for me. I used it after applying some (non-waterproof) mascara that I received in the Beautybox5 and gel pencil liner from Julep. I'm pretty sure I used as per the instructions, but I still had quite a bit of black makeup still on my eyes after rinsing off this balm. I think I prefer using baby oil or plain face lotion to remove my eye makeup. Oh they're WAY cheaper options!

Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume:
I was really happy with this [not] perfume sample! I loooved the smell! Too bad it's so pricey! Maybe one dayyyyy <3

Marcelle BB Cream Golden Glow:

It's a little dark for me so I mixed it with a tinted moisturizer I use daily and it was perfect. It provided more coverage than my tinted moisturizer which is perfect for days I have a bad breakouts... like the past couple weeks :( It was pretty thick so I don't think I could wear it without mixing with my thinner tinted moisturizer. It would settle in my smile lines, blehhh. 

ModelCo Bronzer:

This bronzer is pretty nice! Smooth and soft consistency, and can be layered for darker "bronze" look if you want or use it as eyeshadow! It wasn't too shimmery/glittery either, which is a good thing in my book! And who doesn't love a full-size product in their sample box?!

Supergoop!® Forever Young Hand Cream with Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 40:

Yippee... yet ANOTHER Supergoop lotion in my box... I get one in almost EVERY box!! Come on Birchbox! Mix it up!! I'm sooo tired of Supergoop. Receiving so many of their samples is making me not want them which means I won't buy the product. I don't know why, I think I'm just associating the product with my annoyance at getting their products so often. Maybe a tad irrational, but I don't care, I want variety!! And really I prob wouldn't need to buy sunscreen for another year because of how many Supergoop samples I've received! 

Ok, done with the rant. I have to be honest, I haven't even tried this hand cream yet so I won't review it lol. I'm sure it's a great quality product though. I've been satisfied with their other sunscreens.

As with the other post, if I get time to total up the value I'll update the post :)

What did you think of last month's Birchbox? What goodies did you receive?

xo,

T

Birchbox July 2014 Review

Whoops! I never posted this!! I've been so busy with nursing school! :D It's sooo time consuming!! My house is still a complete mess and FILLED with unpacked boxes from moving in almost a MONTH ago :( 

Anyway, if anyone cares to see what was in past Birchboxes this one is from July 2014! 

A FREE subscription to Women's Health! Cooool :) 

Update: I sent in the card right after I got the box and received my first issue this month (September)

Number 4™ Super Comb Prep & Protect

It's a nice product and I would've loved it when I was younger and used more heat tools on my hair (and had fuller/thicker hair), but it kinda just seems to weigh it down. I don't color my hair or use heat tools on it ever. I have split ends and its thinning. This product is prob not for me :( It's a nice product and I would've loved it when I was younger and used more heat tools on my hair (and had fuller/thicker hair), but it kinda just seems to weigh it down. I don't color my hair or use heat tools on it ever. I have split ends and its thinning. This product is prob not for me :( 

Supergoop!® Daily Correct CC Cream ​SPF 35+

I have been wanting to try this CC Cream so was excited to get it in my box. It worked well to cover up flaws without being too foundation-like. However, it was still pretty thick and I ended up mixing it with my tinted moisturizer to thin it out. I have smile lines so thick makeup settles in there and makes them more noticeable; so I tend to avoid heavy face makeup.

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Eyeliner

Blehh to silver eyeliner!! Looks disgusting on me, and I get flashbacks of bad makeup days in middle school...

The consistency was great though... I wish it had come in black!!! :( I would've used it everyday!

SmartyPants All-in-One Gummy Vitamins for Adults

I like this taste, but don't like receiving food or vitamins in my box. The sample size is puny too, not even a serving size worth. All bad things aside, the taste is good and it makes taking vitamins more of a treat than a chore. Sounds cheesy lol

Harvey Prince Hello Body Cream

It's a nice smelling lotion that works fairly well to moisturize the skin. It's not super greasy and seems to absorb pretty quickly. My skin is a bit dry though.

No totals for this BirchBox because it's so late and I have limited time, lol! I'll update it if I total it up later. I'm a nerd and actually enjoy doing things like that soooo... it might happen :P

xo,

T

Julep Maven August 2014 Review "Classic with a Twist" + Coupon Codes!

Julep Maven :: August 2014 Review :: Classic with a Twist

I missed the selection window because of classes and moving to a different town, so I emailed them and asked if I could switch my box before they were shipped out because I wasn't too fond of the nail colors for Classic with a Twist. They were SO nice about it and said it was already being sent out but that I could return it for 2,000 jules (which I could apply to my next maven box) or for a $19.99 gift card. I chose the gift card so I could have the freedom to buy other polishes if I wanted. *SURPRISE* They said they could send me the gift card and I could still keep the box! WHAT! Awesome! Thanks Julep! I mean, I did pay for it, but it's kinda like getting the box at half price since I could potentially get two boxes for the price of one (assuming I use the gift card to pay for my next box). 

   

"Katie"

"Avni"

This one is actually more purple than blue.

"Gel Eye Glider" - Blackest Black

I like the texture and consistency. It was pretty waterproof too, at least on my hand. I tried it on my eye. It goes on a little thick but you can get a thin line with sharpening. It was a little hard to wash off, even with makeup remover for waterproof makeup. 

++COUPON CODES++

"JULEPPERK" = 30% off your order

"EMMYS" = $20 off $50+ order (sale that's happening on the website currently)

++New Member Sign-up Deals++

"HELLOYOU" = Free FIRST box of 3 polishes and a beauty item! (pay $2.99 S&H)

::OR:: 

"FREESIZZLE" = Sign up for a 3 month subscription and get your 1st box FREE box with 4 polishes and an eyeliner, then pay $19.99 per box for the next two. (Reg price for the new maven boxes are $24.99. I signed up a few years ago and didn't switch to the customizable box so mine is still $19.99)

Fulcrum Gallery Art Print Review!!

So, I've been LOVING space and astronomy art... pinterest is a KILLER! Then, Fulcrum Gallery emailed me about reviewing an art print from their website! Sweeet! Perfect time to acquire some space art for my lonely walls! Bartering is even better! I get something in exchange for my words! The best part is that they stressed they want HONEST opinions in my review, the good and the bad. Awesome! Because I wouldn't have agreed otherwise!

First off, I want to stress how human the interaction has been with the company! :) I stress this because I hate and am totally turned off by pre-written responses that are irrelevant to the questions you ask. It's super cheap and degrades a business. Having been a shop owner (while also juggling a separate full-time job that mostly involved communication), I know that it only takes a few minutes to reply to an email in a human way so there's no excuse. But Fulcrum Gallery was awesome when it came to communication:) Totally human!

And on to the rest of my review:)

When I went to their website to choose my print I was excited and a little overwhelmed by the selection. Guys, there are THOUSANDS of options! I got distracted by all the options but remembered how enamored I've been with the idea of outer space themed prints all over my walls! I spotted a deep space picture and went with it. Fulcrum was generous enough to let me frame it as well! I chose the "Natural Oak" frame with non-glare glass. Also, I chose to not have it cropped and no mat. If you choose to crop it, it cuts off the white border around the photo.

It was easy to hang and sturdy. It looks really well put together.

I loooove space photos! Nerd at heart...

All professional ;) I love the little felt pads at the bottom to protect your walls from the frame corners. 

I chose the "non-glare" glass to test it out knowing that it would dull the colors. I was wondering if it would actually be non-glare. I have to say, I'm not impressed. It definitely has a lot of glare AND it makes the picture dull... I've seen prints framed with non-glare glass and they always seem to have glare and really just dull the colors, so I was expecting a bit of but this but this seems to have just as much glare as plain old glass. My recommendation would be to go with the cheaper regular glass or maybe even acrylic (I haven't seen either in person, but I'm assuming anything is better than the non-glare options!).

Another thing I wasn't too impressed with was the rippling on the print. I don't think I should blame the company for that, it may have to do with the humid environment here, but it makes me wish I could take it out of the frame to smooth out. If I do, I'd have to remove the paper that seals the frame job though. What to do?! Hoping it'll smooth itself out ;)

On to the shipping... It arrived fairly quickly in large sturdy packaging, that wasn't too large or wasteful. They provided tracking information too, which I always appreciate.

To wrap up, I would definitely buy prints from Fulcrum, but without the frame. They're actually fairly cheap (my choice would've been around $13 without the frame for a 16"x16" print)! However, while I appreciate the picture and frame, I would have been very disappointed if I had paid the quoted amount for it because of the non-glare glass that reflects like and the rippling on the print.

Good:
*1000s of options
*Low prices & good sale
*Sturdy shipping packaging, not overly wasteful
*Well-made frame
*Human communication
*Many options for framing, types of canvas, glazes on glass/acrylic, laminating, etc.

Bad:
*It would be nice to have a "View All" page for faster perusing
*It would also be nice to be able to sort the prints by price (high to low, low to high) or by size (small to big, big to small). They give options of showing prints within a size range, which is helpful, but that extra bit of sorting would be awesome! Maybe I'm just a tad anal, lol :P
*Non-glare glass is not actually non-glare
*Rippled print

Have any of you ordered from Fulcrum? What has your experience been with them?

xo,
T

Sin Fang on World Cafe

Learned about a new band tonight on the way back home from the dog park. They were on NPR's World Cafe. Looooove! <3

Sin Fang. Solo band, hailing from Iceland (also leads Seabear). I love the sound! And duhhh, of course I do... they did collaborations with Grizzly Bear (one of my favorites). I'm sad I don't keep up with bands as well as I used to! 

Check them out! 

xo,

T

Birchbox Review [June 2014] ++FREE SHIPPING!!

June Birchbox!

This one was WAY better than my last two. It was packed with really nice products! Yay! 

It's especially getting a treat during my summer Pathophysiology class! I'm taking it in ONE MONTH to lighten my load in the fall when I start the Nursing program! 

It's pretty intense! Especially with so much life stuff going on as well... That, I won't get into haha. 

On to the box!

OooOOoo!! Filled with goodies!!

Fancyyyy! ;)

Catherine Malandrino Fragrance (~0.14 ounces) = ~$4.60?

*Had to guess on this value*

the Good: nice evening scent

the Bleh: a lil too strong

This is a nice scent, but a little "mature"? Something def for night time, at least for me. I'm putting it in my makeup bag for emergency days though, lol! For some reason I keep forgetting to put on my deodorant in the mornings :/ I am def NOT a morning person! That will have to change though; got super early classes and clinicals starting in the fall :(

Coastal Scents: Revelaed 2 Eye Shadow Palette Set [4 mini eye shadows - "Sunset"] = ~$2?

the Good: Spreads easy. Long-lasting. Doesn't get in eyelid crease after wearing for hours. Subtle colors. All around really nice eye shadow!

the Bleh: Nothing! Just wish the sample had been bigger :P

I loooved these eye shadows!! I have such trouble finding good shadow that doesn't get in the crease after a few hours (even with shadow primer!!). I also have trouble spreading shadows evenly on my eyelids. I will usually have an area that gathers more color and doesn't spread around. Not with these! And the colors are really subtle, good for day or layer for night. The glittery ones are super pretty too, not over the top! I think I might buy the whole palette with my Birchbox points! :) 

*You get points for your orders and for reviewing your samples on their website!*

Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo [75mL] = $7.63 value

Davines Love Smoothing Conditioner [12mL] = $1.40 value

Davines OI / All in One Milk [4mL] = $0.83 value

the Good: Nice scent. Gave my limp thin hair more volume! A little conditioner went a long way.

the Bleh: I wish the shampoo had a little more lather. I like my bubbles!! ;)

The Shampoo & Conditioner were awesome! My hair looks all full and healthy like it did 10 years ago! And my boyfriend commented on how good my hair smelled (without knowing I used a new shampoo - also he RARELY comments on stuff like that!! I was a bit shocked hahah)

I haven't used the All in One Milk yet. I don't usually use stuff like that because I don't really get fancied up anymore. I just go to class, study, teach youngins, or am getting sweaty & dirty walking/jogging my pup or at the dog park. Maybe I should just do it for myself, but if my hair looks THAT good I want to show it off! ;)

Gilchrist & Soames: London Collection Body Lotion [45mL] = $3.05 value

the Good: Light, pleasant scent. Absorbs quickly. Not greasy.

the Bleh: Not too hydrating on my skin.

This body lotion smells pretty good! It absorbs quickly! It's not super hydrating though. My skin was still pretty dry afterwards, but I have also not been drinking as much H2O as I should!!

Vasanti Cosmetics: BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator [20g] = $5.67 value

the Good: Not heavily scented. Felt like it was really scrubbing the grime off :P

the Bad: Needed a lot to get my whole face scrubbed.

I used this face scrub yesterday. I was breaking out and thought maybe I'd give this a try... bad idea! Haha! I'm breaking out even more :( Some pretty painful ones too! I was just stupid though, what did I expect to happen scrubbing zit?! They'll prob get more irritated. Lesson learned? Probably not! Lol :P I think my skin does better without scrubs at this age (they used to be helpful 10 yrs ago), but this could work for someone else!

They also included this little trip decision quiz that's part of a contest with JetBlue. It's kinda silly but hey if it gains an entry into their free trip contest, I am IN!! ;)

My quiz result was Portland, Maine. Wish I had visited when I was living in NYC! Oh well, still have family and friends on East Coast, so perhaps I'll do a super long roadtrip up to Maine and back down one day :P

What did you think of this Birchbox? Pretty good, eh?!

Total Est. Value of my June Birchbox = $26.66

Not bad for paying $10! AND you get points on their site for reviewing their products! Points that turn into BirchBUCKS! Woo!

What was in your Birchbox??

-------------------------------------------------------

++COUPONS & DEALS @ Birchbox++

+Get FREE SHIPPING on June Products UNTIL JULY 10th!+

xo,

-T

Birchbox Review [May 2014] + Coupon Code!

May Birchbox Review!!

Again, I wasn't too excited about my box. There were a bunch that I've seen online that are soooo much better than mine. I didn't really want anything that I received, but I am getting a little use out of the samples, so it's ok ;) 

When I put this on my hand to see the color it looked super frosty and I was totally turned off. However, I just tried it on my lips (duh!) and it's actually pretty nice! It's more of a nude than it looks in the pic and the bottle, and MUCH less frosty lol! I'll use this again :)

ANOTHER Supergoop sunscreen sample?! Didn't I get one in the last box?! No more sunscreen samples pleasssse! The last one I got may not have been water resistant but... Oh well, I'm in the sun every day for at least an hour, while walking my dog, so it'll get used. It's just kind of a bleh sample haha

Oh goddd, really?! Nail art stuff? I got one in a Cult Box a few months ago; actually I got two because my 1st box got broken in the mail. Now I have three white stripers. Oh well, Birchbox doesn't know what I have, but I'm pretty sure my profile says I like the "low-maintenace" style... low maintenance striping nails? Mmmm... nope! I'll give this away to a friend who's really into nail art. 

Blehh... shave cream. I tried it out, and wasn't that impressed. I prefer my Dollar Shave Club shave butter! But, this will be handy on trips! I received the Whish Pomegranate lotion in a previous Birchbox and really liked the smell, so I guess this sample wasn't toooo bleh :P

Nooooo, more tea?! My profile says NO FOOD! Oh well... I like Chai so I'll drink it and hopefully it'll make me a little less annoyed, hahah

My tea collection is EXPLODING!!

I'm too broke to spend $75 at Kate Spade in order to $25 so if any of you want to spend $50 there send me an email and I'll give you the coupon code! (I think it only works once-- I'll check it, if it's a generic code I'll post it here)!

Sooo... another bleh-ish Birchbox. I'm hoping next month will be better! I'll prob need it after finishing up Pathophysiology! I just started the summer class this week, it's pretty intense! I'm SUPER glad I decided to get it out of the way this summer so, I won't have to take it along with all my nursing classes! So far so good, but the first test is on Monday! Wish me luck! ;)

xo,

T