January 2014 Empties!

This is a new kind of post for me! One of my goals for this year was to buy less, and use up what I have. As such, I will be sharing what I've used up each month and sharing my feelings on each item. I've decided that this applies only to full sized and deluxe sample sizes, and not single use foils. I feel pretty satisfied with my January empties!

Here's everything all together! For the sake of simplicity, I've divided it up into 3 "batches". 

LUSH Ro's Argan Body Conditioner - This is a really unique product! You apply it after you wash in the shower, and then rinse it off, just like a hair conditioner. It smells like fresh roses and left my winter skin so soft and pampered. I absolutely loved this and was so sad to see it gone! This was definitely my favorite of the products I used up in January! It goes so well with the Rose Jam shower gel by LUSH. 

Aloxxi Leave-In Conditioner - This was a nice leave in spray by Aloxxi. It did a good job of keeping my hair soft and conditioned. It has a nice scent and didn't weigh down my hair or make it greasy. There was nothing really unique about it, so I won't be purchasing it, but I did not mind using it at all!

Origins Ginger Souffle - This is a really amazing whipped body cream! It feels light and delicious going on...and it is so gingery! This is not a bakery type of ginger scent, but rather a true, fresh, zesty ginger scent with citrus notes. It felt so refreshing on my skin, with almost a slight tingle. This is really great for the morning. I would repurchase, but I have so many body creams I need to use up. It's amazing!

The Aloe Source Jojoba Radiance Cleansing Polish - This is an exfoliating face wash. It smells so good - just like fresh grapefruit! It exfoliates both with gentle beads and with enzymes. I really loved this, it left my face feeling fresh and soft. I would also repurchase this once my stash is used up!

Tarte BB Tinted Treatment in Fair - This is another BB cream...but unlike many others, this one is actually pale enough for me! It is designed to also be used as a primer, so it leaves your skin with that super smooth feel. I really liked this. It did not have much coverage. I don't think I will repurchase for the price, but I loved the color and finish.

Lancome Genefique Creme Serum - This is a serum with a light creme texture that promises to fight aging. I really liked it! It left my skin feeling nice and fresh under my moisturizer.  I would not repurchase due to the price, but I am so glad I got to try it. It is a very nice serum.

Dermorganics Shampoo - This is a sulfate free natural shampoo. I love that it didn't strip my hair too much! I didn't really love the scent, but it wasn't a dealbreaker. I would absolutely consider repurchasing both this and the hair masque...I'm trying to incorporate more natural  products into my routine.

Minus 417 Hand Moisturizer in Ocean - This is a light hand cream with a fresh, almost slightly masculine scent. I really liked it and it left my hands soft, but not greasy. I didn't love the scent, but it was okay, and a nice break from my usual sweet or fruity scents I gravitate toward. 

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream - This was a great moisturizer - not too heavy, left my skin feeling great, and it lasted a good long time. Really liked the fresh scent and I do feel that it helped keep my skin looking young and fresh. I might repurchase in the future! 

VMV Hypoallergenics Re-Everything Eye Serum - This is the most amazing eye serum! It provides instant tightening, as well as long term effects, and it is free of parabens and preservatives. I love eye creams and treatments - I've always had dark circles and slight fine lines, and I want to prevent those first signs of aging as long as I can. I would love to repurchase this, but it would definitely be a splurge.

Shiseido Perfect Mascara Full Definition - This was a really great, dramatic mascara! I loved how long and full it made my lashes look. I would use it again, but I have way too much in my stash to repurchase!

Be a Bombshell eyeliner in Amethyst - This is a pretty purple marker-style eyeliner. The shade and staying power are great...unfortunately it dried out on me pretty quickly. The marker is a bit clunky to use, but some really liked the larger size.

Juice Beauty Oil Free Moisturizer - This is a simple, light moisturizer. I actually prefer it for summer, but it is also good for using over serums without feeling too heavy on the skin. I love the natural ingredients.

BentaBerry Mattifying Moisturizer - This is the worst moisturizer I've ever tried. Even when I used a tiny amount, it balled up on my skin, and made it look like my face was flaking off. NO THANK YOU. Glad to see this go.

Biolage Exquisite Oil hair treatment - This is a really nice hair oil. It is nothing mind blowing or unique, but it kept my hair soft and smooth and moisturized. I'd use it again, but have too many similar oils to repurchase!

Red Flower gingergrass bamboo scrub - This was a really cool scrub - it was made of gingergrass instead of salt or sugar! It was gentle, and felt super luxurious! It smelled nice and citrusy, too! It is out of my price range for a body scrub, but I really loved trying it.

eyeko skinny liner in black - This is one of my favorite liners. It stays put and goes on really easily. I already have a second black one as well as a couple of other colors. I do think I will repurchase all of the colors once I use up my other liquid liners. The turquoise is especially beautiful!

Annick Goutal Petit Cherie perfume - This is a great perfume - it smells of roses, peaches, and fresh grass. I really like it and would love to buy a bottle of it. I should use up some other perfumes first, but this is definitely on my "rebuy" list!

Did you use up anything you loved in January?

Pharmagel skincare review

After great success with the last part of my skincare revamp, I decided to try another new to me brand, Pharmagel. Pharmagel is "pharmaceutical grade anti-aging skincare" and the products sounded great! They use ingredients suitable for sensitive skin, and they do not test on animals. The products are suitable for all skintypes, which is great for me - my skin can never decide what it wants to be. One week my cheeks feel like the sahara, the next week my t-zone is an oil slick. I always appreciate products that help balance this out!

I contacted them hoping to try some small samples, and they offered to let me try out and review their travel sized products! I received the Daily Express Regimen (linked here!), which includes four travel sized products. I have used them for the last 3 weeks, and I'm ready to share my thoughts!

Here is what Pharmagel has to say about this regimen:

Method of Use
STEP 1: Massage Hydra Cleanse® over face in gentle circular motion. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry.

STEP 2: (1-3x weekly): Apply Enzymé Ex-Cell® to clean, wet skin and massage gently. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry.

STEP 3: After cleansing, apply Botanical Tonique® with a cotton pad or lightly spray face for an extra “pick-me-up.”

STEP 4: Apply Firma Derm® to face and body after bathing. Gently massage into skin until absorbed.
Active Ingredients
STEP 1: Oat Extract; Seaweed Extracts: Dulse, Wakame, Sea Lettuce, Algae, Spirulina.
STEP 2: Micronized Walnut Shell Powder, Papaya Extract, Sunflower Oil, Allantoin.
STEP 3: Passion Flower Extract, Arnica Extract, Chamomile Extract, Bergamot Extract, Panthenol (Vitamin B), Witch Hazel.
STEP 4: Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (stabilized Vitamin C), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Gingko Biloba.

I followed this regimen exactly as directed, adding a mask once weekly. I have to say I am quite impressed with these products! The cleanser is gentle and did not dry out my skin. The scrub is just amazing, left  my face smooth and soft and glowy! It wasn't too abrasive, which is good...some are and actually make breakouts worse. The toner is light and refreshing, and I love that it has a spray top...very convenient. It might be my favorite part! And the moisturizer is great, I used it on my face as well as my hands. Not too heavy, but very moisturizing. It didn't break me out, just left me nice and soft.

I'm really happy with how my skin has reacted to these products. My oil levels do seem to have evened out, though that wasn't a promised benefit! Even my monthly hormonal breakouts have lessened, and my skin in general looks pretty and glowing.

I have received comments from friends about how great my skin looks, so I'm sold! I will be seeking out more products, for sure.

Have you tried Pharmagel products yet?

Disclaimer: I received free items to review. I was not compensated, and all opinions are my own.

Ipsy - September 2013

This month, I had to get a new card and wait for it to arrive, so my Ipsy sub shipped and arrived late! I'm glad to finally have it to play with, though!

September's theme is Classic Beauty. This is not my favorite theme (I tend toward the more edgy than classic), but no big deal. :)

The bag itself is cute this month - pretty blue with a kind of abstract butterfly print in black. This is the first month that I don't think the bag they picked for me suits my profile, though! I received both lip products, and while I love lip products, I had them deselected because I have way too many. Everyone got a lip product this month, so I would have gotten one regardless, but I kind of wish I had gotten the Freeman masks instead of the 2nd! No big deal, though.

This month, they sent a paper card sample of the new em cosmetics line by Michelle Phan. There is a lot of controversy about this line (questionable quality and very high pricing), but I'm glad to get a little sample just to see for myself. The colors I got could not be more boring, but we'll see how I feel about the quality! I have not heard great things.

This is a full sized nyx eyeshadow. I love shadows, but this is a sparkly black, and I have a few of those, so I opted to pass it along in a swap box instead of swatching/trying it. It looks pretty, though! Nyx is an affordable brand, but I don't mind getting it because it is not available near me. 

This is a deluxe sized It's So Big mascara by Elizabeth Mott. Again, this is something I am not opening to try right now. I love mascara, but I have several open right now and don't want any to go to waste! I will try this after I've used up my open ones. I always like mascara, but I'm kind of swimming in them right now, so I'm ready for my subs to take a hiatus from them while I use up my stash!

This is a lipstick by J.Cat in Honeycrisp. It is a light nude color. I have a few other J Cat lipsticks, and they are pretty nice! This color is not one I'd normally wear, but I've been appreciating a nude lip lately. The color will also be great for toning down bright/dark colors, as well. This is a full sized lipstick.

Cailyn calls this a tinted lip balm, but is much more pigmented and much less moist/balmy than a balm to me! It's in Big Apple, and it's a nice bright red shade that pulls a bit pink on me. I love the packaging and I've been really into red lips lately, so this will be used.

Here are swatches of the two lippies in bad lighting. 

And finally, an eyeliner pen by Jesse's Girl. Again, I'm not opening this yet, as I have a few open, but I am always happy to receive an eye pen. I wish it was in a fun color rather than black, but it's a staple that looks nice.

Overall, this isn't my favorite Ipsy bag, but it isn't bad! Everything but the shadow will be used, and it's a pretty good value as always! It definitely fits the Classic Beauty theme. I'm really looking forward to seeing what October brings!

What was in your bag this month? Do you like the classic beauty look?

Skin care overhaul beginning!

I have mentioned in some previous posts that I've been having a lot of skin issues lately. My combination skin is getting fussier...it's either feeling tight, rough, and dry, or oily with breakouts. My current go-to products just haven't been cutting it! I've decided to seek out a whole new routine.

Starting today, I am trying out a whole new regimen by Acure. Acure Organics is a company that makes natural an certified organic skincare products (as well as body and hair products). They feature plant stem cell technology, use some really amazing ingredients, and I'm really excited to see what their products do for me.

For the next few weeks, I will be using only these products! After this time, I will be posting a full report/review of the products and my results.

The products I will be trying are their Sensitive Facial Cleanser, Brightening Facial Scrub, Balancing Rose + Red Tea Facial Toner, Day Cream, Night Cream, and Leave-In Conditioner for my hair. (And how cute is this packaging?)

I'm excited to see how these products work for me and share them with you!

Have you discovered a new great brand or product lately?

*Disclaimer: I was provided with complimentary products to try and review. I was not compensated or paid for my opinion. All thoughts are honest and my own.

Recent Purchase; Zoya Polish Haul!

Recently, Zoya had a buy one get one free promotion on polishes from their current and past summer lines! As Zoya is my favorite brand of polish, I couldn't resist picking some up!

Zoya polishes always have a great formula. They aren't too thick or too thin for me. They are free of nasty chemicals (they are 5 Free!) and though they cost only $8, I find them to rival or beat the more expensive brands.

They come in a huge variety of gorgeous colors, and they are the ONLY polish that I can wear for 2-3 days with minimal chipping (I work in healthcare, which is a nightmare on the hands! I can't even count the number of times I wash my hands on any given day...) I picked up eight gorgeous shimmery/sparkly colors that you probably need in your collection!

Midori is described as "glowing medium apple green with yellow undertones and strong gold shimmer". It is different than any green I own. I can't wait to wear it!

Zuza is a "deep, saturated oceanic turquoise with gold and silver metallic shimmer and a foil-like finish". This color is amazing! I wore it for three days with very little chipping and lots of compliments. It's the perfect summer shade.

Charla is a tropical blue sparkling metallic. It is quite possibly my favorite polish that I own! Pictures do not do it justice. It is like sparkly blue and green mermaid polish! I'm wearing it right now and I can't stop looking at my nails!

Tallulah is a "medium electric cobalt blue with bright aqua shimmer", and it is just a gorgeous bright blue. I will be rocking it for the 4th of July, for sure!

Kimber is a "rich, bright, and saturated medium magenta with strong gold metallic shimmer and a foil-like finish". I generally prefer blues, purples, greens, and other unconventional shades for my nails, but this one is just gorgeous!

Carly is a "rich, bold, red-toned purple with iridescent red and silver metallic shimmer and a dense foil finish". It's a perfect purple color.

Mimi is a royal purple sparkling metallic! It is a much more blue-toned purple than Carly, but is equally gorgeous. 

Faye is a "bronzed mauve with purple and brown undertones flooded with bright gold sparkle". This is a really unique color! It alternates between looking purple, brown, and gold depending on the light. There is a TON of sparkle! 

Here is Zuza being worn, though pictures don't show its beauty. Such a perfect color!

And here is Charla! This polish is so insanely sparkly and so rich and bright! It is definitely one of my favorite shades, along with Storm!

As with all of my other Zoyas, I am impressed with the formula of all of these that I have tried so far. I will be spending the rest of my summer wearing these beautiful colors...I'm having a hard time wearing the same shade for more than a day without wanting to strip it off and try the next!

Have you tried Zoya yet? What are your favorite colors?

BA Star Cosmetics Review

BA Star is a company that specializes in performance makeup for dancers, cheerleaders, competitors, or just trendsetters. I was given the opportunity through BrandBacker to try one of their Smoky Eyeshadow Palettes, and I received it this week. This is a brand new company to me, so I was very excited to get to try them out!

Each palette contains 3 matte shadows and two gel glitter highlighters! The palette comes in four color options: Smoky, Natural, True Blue, and Pretty N Pink. I received "Natural", which is bronze, brown, and gold tones! The palette comes with a double ended brush/sponge applicator. I rarely use these, but I appreciate that this one is on the longer side, makes it easier to use, in my opinion.

Now, this palette photographed warmer than it is. It is on the warm side, but not nearly as much as it seems in this photo! The shadows are, in order, Bronze, Cocoa, and Nude. Each is just what it sounds like. I think nude leans toward the champagney range, and it is very pretty!

These feel nice and smooth, and they are decently pigmented! The colors work very well together for a natural smoky look.

The two glitter gels are super glittery and pretty! They are called Gold and Crystal. The first is gold, of course, and the second is white with opalescent glitter - it shines with purple, gold, and green! These have a gritty feel to them, as you can imagine, but they are wonderful for painting over liner for a sparkley pop. They are soft and easy to apply with a brush.

Here are swatches, in order, starting from the top. These swatches were done with a single swipe of the finger on bare skin, no primer. As you can see, the color payoff is not bad!

The glitter gels are very hard to see in the swatch, but in person, they are very glittery and pretty, good for what they're designed to be, which is a highlight.

I am definitely interested in trying out some of the other colors, especially True Blue! Each of these palettes retails for $8.75.

If you are interested in trying out BA Star smoky shadow palettes, you can enter the code "BBSMOKY" at checkout for a 50% discount!

*Disclaimer: I received a product to review free of charge. I was not otherwise compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own.

Starlooks Starbox - February 2013 Lauren Clark Special Edition

It's my favorite day of the month - the day I wake up to find my Starbox in my mailbox!

Starbox is a monthly subscription service by Starlooks, in which you receive 3-4 of their full sized makeup products each month...and over the last months, it has easily become my favorite sub! The product variety and quality is just great.

This month, Starlooks made a Special Edition collaboration box with makeup artist Lauren Clark.

The packaging is always nice, but it's extra cute this month, all pink and purple - perfect for February!

I really love their info cards - they always feature the products used in a beautiful way. The items included are listed on the back.

This month is a beautiful selection of products! I love pinks, and I love this variety! Items included are:

Pink Oasis lip gloss - This is a sheer, sparkly lavender gloss. It feels nice on the lips! It's not sticky, and it doesn't have a scent or flavor to it.

Barbie HD Fluid Blush - This is ridiculously pigmented! It's a lovely super saturated fluid blush...it is gorgeous and the smallest amount goes a long way.

Princess Diaries Eye Liner - This is a gorgeous pearlescent baby pink liner! It can be worn to line the eyes or to highlight, and it can also be worn as a shadow base or a cream shadow. It's also waterproof and smudge proof!

Lip Liner in Tipsy! This is a gorgeous creamy coral lipliner. It is a special Lauren Clark edition!

Here are swatches of all of the products. I'm super impressed with every single one of them! This might be my favorite month yet. Starlooks lists the retail value of the box as $41, but that is not counting the lipliner! Their liners are listed as $9.50 on their site, so assuming this special edition one is valued the same, the value of the box is actually about $50.50. Not bad at all!

Have you tried Starlooks yet?

J.Cat Beauty - Lip Glazes review

I was recently given the opportunity to try and review some products by a new brand called J.Cat Beauty! J.Cat aims to provide high quality color cosmetics at a very affordable price. All of their products are cruelty free and hypoallergenic.

And they really do have affordable prices! Lipsticks and glosses are only $2.49 each, and all of their other products are similarly affordable, most falling under the $5 price point. Despite their low prices, they aim to provide hip, trendy shades and formulations.

I was sent several products to review and I will be doing so over the next week or so. First up, two of their Eternal Shine Lip Glazes.

These are moisturizing lip glosses that contain Vitamin E oil and minerals, and promise a sheer pop of color. They come in 36 shades, which I find pretty impressive!

I received two: Rose and Odyssey.

Rose is a vibrant, cool toned pink. It is super bright in the tube! On the lips, it has a fair amount of pigmentation to it without being over the top. It could easily be worn for day or night looks.

Odyssey is a lighter, more neutral pink. It is nice and very natural and is great for a daytime look.

The formula on both is very good. It is thick enough to last on the lips, but it is not too sticky or tacky. I found it to be pretty long lasting for a gloss - it lasted through a meal and a few hours of wear before needing reapplied. I found it to be pretty moisturizing, and it felt nice on my lips.

These are lip glosses...you're not going to put them on and say "Sweet heavens, I never knew lip product nirvana until this moment!" but for the price, they are definitely worth it! I have no complaints about this lip gloss and plan to pick up a few more shades.

Also, stay tuned, because I'll be sharing their lipsticks, shimmer powders, and nail polishes with you soon!

Have you heard of J.Cat yet? You can check out their products at their website  or follow them on Facebook if interested!


Disclaimer: I received products free of charge to review. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

Birchbox - February 2013

I was super happy to wake up to my Birchbox this morning! I love this time of the month, because my subs start showing up, and getting the mail is fun again.

This month, Birchbox also went with a "Red Carpet Ready" theme, promising an assortment of products worthy of the red carpet. This is a pretty smart theme, really, because you could send just about anything and fit it in! I received four products and a bonus.

Beauty Protector - Protect & Detangle: This is a spray that has multi functions, including detangling, leave in conditioning, heat and UV protection, shine adding, and color sealing. I've just started heat styling again as I recently chopped my hair off, so this is a very welcome product. The packaging is adorable, and the scent is nice - it reminds me a bit of Pink Sugar!

Color Club nail polish in Wild Cactus - This is an emerald green creme polish. I'll be honest and say that I hate Color Club. I have received several of their polishes in past boxes and the formula just doesn't work well for me, I find it streaky and it chips almost immediately. The color is pretty, though, and I will try it out and see if this one works for me.

Dr. Jart+ Black Label Detox BB Cream - This is a BB cream with mineral SPF and a satin matte finish. I have used another Dr. Jart+ formula and loved it, so I'm really excited about this one! I never wear foundation, opting for BB creams instead, so I'm always looking for more that work well for me.

Juicy Couture - Couture La La: This fragrance is a mix of mandarin, red currant, lily, and orange blossom. I've gotten several other Juicy fragrances in past boxes, so I am a bit tired of the brand...BUT this one actually smells really nice, so I will use up the sample. It smells fresh and juicy and not too sweet.

Ghirardelli - Milk & Caramel square - This is a bonus this month. I love chocolate and caramel...and I've already eaten this. YUM. 

This isn't my most exciting Birchbox, but it's definitely not a bad one. I am excited about the bb cream and the detangler! The other products will be used and I won't be trading or throwing anything away. I'm content this month.

What was in your Birchbox?

January 2013 Favorites

Man, January went by quickly. Now, I just hope the rest of the horrid winter follows suit...ugh. This month, I continued my goal of using lots of products instead of letting them pile up untouched. However, there are a few things I kept coming back to! Here are the things I was really loving in January.

Pixi Magic Tink Tint - This is a great product. It goes on very sheer, but adjusts itself to a custom shade determined by your skin's PH! On me, it turns into a pretty magenta. It's a little bit glossy and super moisturizing...my favorite product like this I've tried! Makes a great daily lip tint, super easy to wear.

Too Faced sparkle liquid liner - This is kind of sheer, with black and silver glitters. I like to paint it over regular liquid liner to add a little sparkle. On its own, it doesn't provide enough definition for me, but I love it for layering!

Sprout makeup remover - Odd inclusion, I know. But this is a blend of olive, sweet almond, and jojoba oils and nothing more. It removes my makeup easily, and my favorite part is that you can just massage what's left after removing into your skin for extra moisturization. Love.

theBalm Tall, Dark, and Handsome mascara - This has become my HG mascara...it's lengthening and gives some volume without being too dramatic for daily use. 

Color Tattoo in Too Cool - I use this almost every day as an eyeshadow base. With it, my colors are brighter and even cheapo shadows last all day. It's also nice for an inner corner highlight, has a bit of shimmer to it and goes on sheer.

Starlooks mascara guard - This weird gadget is awesome...I use it when applying my mascara and I never smudge mascara on my eyeshadow!  Nothing more frustrating than having your shadow perfectly applied and blended, and then smearing mascara on it and ruining everything. It's something I never would have thought to buy, but have found endlessly useful.

Cargo eyeshadow quad in Barcelona - I have five quads from Cargo, and I love all of them...but I am loving this one the most, lately! Cargo shadows are really nice - pigmented and easy to work with. The packaging is pretty and sturdy and the shadows themselves are huge! This one is purples, blue, and green - my most loved and used colors. These shadows last all day on me, no problem. 

Pretty, right?! 

That's it for my January favorites. What products have you been loving this winter?

Glossybox: January. The Man Repeller.

This month, Glossybox teamed up with the man repeller, a popular fashion blogger, to send out some of her favorite low maintenance products. They took forever to ship this month, so I was starting to doubt that I'd even get my box in the month of January, but it showed up this morning!

The box is super cute this month...shiny silver, and feels more durable than normal.

The included card has a little note from man repeller herself and the list of products received in the back. There are a total of 7 products this month, two being small sample sized and two full sized.

Le Metier De Beaute Replenishing Daily Solution. This is the first of the two small samples. This is a rich, detoxifying, rejuvenating moisturizer. I can tell you that I won't be buying this even if I love it, because the full size is $225! But I am excited to try it out.

Narciso Rodriguez for her EDT spray. This is a floral scent with some muskiness to it. It isn't really my usual kind of scent, but it does smell nice. I will be using up the sample.

fresh Umbrian Clay Mattifying Serum - This is a serum that promises to purify and clarify the complexion, as well as control shine and minimize pores. I love fresh products, hopefully I like this one!

Vincent Longo Lipstain Lipstick in Americana - This is a pretty red lip color that boasts SPF 15.

It's a nice red, not too warm or cool. It goes on glossy but dries to a more matte finish. I don't wear red or bright lips often because I make a mess of them, but I'm willing to try!

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara - This is a fiber mascara that promises false lash effects. I love trying new mascaras, so I'm excited about this one!

Living Proof Prime Style Extender - this is a hair primer! It promises to extend hairstyles and let you go longer between shampoos and style touchups. As I don't like to shampoo every day, this intrigues me. I am excited to see what it does for me.

OPI Liquid Sand Nail Lacquer in Can't Let Go - This is a matte sparkly purple with their new liquid sand texture. It's a pretty purple color and I am super interested to see how the texture works for me! Never used a textured polish before.

In all, I think this is a pretty great box. It includes some great products...I love man repeller and I think she chose some interesting things for us. If you haven't tried out Glossybox yet, feel free to sign up using my referral link!

I think it's undeniable that Glossybox US has done a great job of sending out good brands and products. However, I feel that their service and shipping needs a LOT of work, so after my free box I redeemed for next month, I'll be taking a break.

Birchbox - January 2013

After a few lackluster months in a row, I decided to take a 3 month break from Birchbox and explore other services. I found myself really missing their points system, though - I really like being able to use those points to splurge on items I know I wouldn't otherwise buy. So, I came crawling back to Birchbox. January's box is my first box after my hiatus.

January's box is themed around helping 2013 be the best year ever. They included a fold out poster based on this theme this month, as well, which I won't be using, but it's a cute touch. I received four items and a bonus this month.

This is the item in my box I'm most excited about. It's an Acne Control Treatment by DDF and it is meant to be used while you sleep. It contains salicylic acid, aloe, and witch hazel. It's a good sample size and I look forward to seeing how it helps my hormonal breakouts.

This is 24 Hour Miracle Cream by Embryolisse. It's a moisturizer that can also be used as a primer. It's a pretty tiny sample, but it's enough to get a few uses out of. I've been curious about this brand, so I'm happy with getting this.

This would probably be my favorite sample, BUT I already have the full sized version of this.  It's Hot Mama by theBalm, and it's actually my all time favorite blush, it's a perfect peachy pink with a golden glow. The little sample is a perfect size to keep in my makeup bag.

This is Shimmer by Aerie. I like getting perfume samples, and this one sounds nice - a blend of bergamot, peony, and vanilla. I can't smell it right now thanks to an epic cold, but it sounds right up my alley! We'll see.

And this was my bonus this month - La Fresh makeup remover wipe. I've used these before and they work well enough. This wipe will be great to throw in my makeup bag.

In all, I think this is a decent box. While the samples are so tiny compared to those I have received from other companies, I have found that the points system makes it worth it and this is a selection of products that suits me.

What was in your Birchbox this month?