Guest Blogger: June 2012 Birchbox

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Pulling up into the driveway of my house, I hurriedly unbuckle my seatbelt, and bolt out of the car with my purse in one hand and my heels in the other. Why am I in such a hurry you ask? Today is the day my Birchbox has arrived.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Birchbox, Birchbox is a monthly subscription. Each month that you are signed up, you receive a box filled with different beauty, grooming, and lifestyle samples from not only some well-known brands such as Stila, Juicy Couture, and Smashbox, but also some lesser known up and coming brands. The cost of the subscription is $10/month. The samples are usually generously sized (think deluxe sized), as well as they come in a super cute, recyclable box. Inside, the samples are wrapped, all fancy like, in tissue paper, and sometimes some of them come tied with a small ribbon. On average, I would say there is usually about five to six samples in a box.

I have been subscribing to Birchbox for the past two months.

The first box I received was in April, and it had some great stuff in it. In April, I received a deluxe sized sample of the Kérastase Elixir Ultime, a small pack of Showstoppers Designer Fashion Tape, sample spray of Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Perfume, a deluxe sized Color Cube Neon Nail Polish, as well as a deluxe sized Jurlique Herbal Recovery Night Cream. The samples were all pretty neat in April, my favorite being the nail polish. It is a huge sample, probably will last me several manicures/pedicures.

The second month of I received a Birchbox (May) was just as exciting as the first. In May, I received a Twistband Hair tie, a deluxe sized sample of Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25+, a sample sized BVLGARI Omnia Crystalline Eau de Toilette Spray, a deluxe sized Stila Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eye liner, a deluxe sized Ojun volume advance Voluminizing Conditioner, as well as a really cute Birchbox branded blank thank you card. My favorite sample for May, hands down, was the Stila Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. Not only was the sample huge, compared to what I would expect even from a deluxe sample, but it was an excellent product.

June's Birchbox did not disappoint.

The June Birchbox had a traveler type theme to it this month. They were trying to include products that would fit into a traveling lifestyle or for people going on trips. I thought this was a great theme for the month of June, since summer trips are just around the corner.

This month, there were six different items included in the Birchbox.

The item I immediately noticed was a 20 ct. box of Band-Aid brand bandages by Cynthia Rowley. I immediately fell in love with these. Being the mom of little ones, I am always "borrowing" Dora, Princess, or Car's Band-Aids. In my opinion, it's awesome to have some special "Mommy" Band-Aids that are stylish, but still do the job of covering up those "owie's"; whether they're from trying to shave our legs in five seconds flat while the four year old is climbing up the dresser, or from any other mishaps that tend to happen with little people running around.

The next item I noticed was the Apothederm Stretch Mark Cream. It is a deluxe sized (.7 oz) sample. I haven't tried this cream yet, but I am interested to see I see any results after using it. The cream is very thick, and is unscented.

Nestled next the stretch mark cream was a pretty purple bottle. It is adeluxe sized (.2 oz) sample of Scalisi Skincare Anti-aging moisturizerwith SPF 30. The bottle is a pump style bottle. The cream itself is fairly thick. The pump only pushes out a small amount, but it really goes a long way. A whole pump was all I needed to moisturize my entire face. It smelled a bit like sunscreen, which is okay with me. (I think it smells like summer ☺)

This was the first month I have received an item in the box that is not aimed at women. The product received as a .04 fl. oz. John Varvatos cologne. Birchbox recently started a Man Birchbox, so they are trying to promote it as an option for sampling men's products as well. The cologne was a very manly scent that combined red ginger essence, juniper berries, spruce, and cardamom.

There were also 2 Clean Well Hand Sanitizing wipes. They were individually packaged, and fit perfectly in a small purse or clutch.

The last item I pulled out of the Birchbox was a .04 ox. The Balm Stainac lip stain in Beauty Queen. I am in love with this product. It goes on a vibrant pink tone. Topping it with a clear gloss, the color lasts all day! I am definitely investing in the full size version of this product! It is amazing.

The total value of the June Birchbox I received is approximately $35. I am very pleased with the selection I received this month.

Being somewhat of a make-up junkie, I have really enjoyed being able to try different make-up samples and products before actually going out and splurging on a full size version. My hubby really enjoys it too (I think my spending on make-up has really decreased since I have started receiving these boxes). It curbs my desire to try new product without going crazy spending too much on the products. If you have not checked out Birchbox, and think you may be interested in looking into it... https://www.birchbox.com?raf=d9msz

If you have tried the Birchbox subscription services, what did your monthly box bring you and what do you think of the service?