Birchbox - January 2015 - Unboxing

SNOW DAY!

I am excited about this weather for one reason only - school was cancelled today, and thus, no work for me. So, not only am I having a lazy pampering day in my pajamas...but my Birchbox showed up, too!

This month, I chose one of the curated boxes - the Relax & Recharge box. It's supposed to be products to help you relax and take time for yourself, which I think is really important, post holidays.

I kind of forgot what the contents were by the time that it arrived, so it was pretty much a surprise anyway!
But here's what was inside.

Briogeo Don't Despair! Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask - This is a hydrating mask for the hair. I've sampled this before and I liked it! My hair gets so dry in winter, this is very welcome. The pot is big enough for 2-3 uses for me.

Manna Kadar Lip Locked in All of Me-  This is a all-in-one lip primer, stain, and gloss. I got this in the shade Lucky last month, and I reall y liked it...it's a good light texture. This one is a bit of a darker shade, a mauvey color, and it's super pretty.

Perlier Intensive Nurturing Body Balm in Shea Lavender -  This is a thick cream to smooth and soften. I don't love the scent (I'm picky about lavender) BUT it will be really great for my hands, feet, and elbows.

When Travelmate Sheet Mask -  This is a soothing, nourishing mask meant to give a healthy glow. I really love sheet masks! However, these When masks are terribly overpriced (the set equals out to $14 a piece) so unless it works major wonders, I won't be buying any. But I'm excited to try it out!

Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream -  This is a multi-tasking eye cream that battles wrinkles and dark circles. This is probably why I chose the box. I LOVE EYE CREAMS. It's a good size, too. happy to be trying this!

Tea Pigs tea temples - I love tea. It's one of my favorite extras. Birchbox, please send me tea ALWAYS.

I'm pretty happy with this box! I will use everything...it's good sizes, and great for post-holiday rejuvenating.

If you haven't tried Birchbox yet and want to, feel free to sign up using my referral link!

What was in your box this month?

Birchbox - December 2014 (two boxes!)

Well, I'm really late on these and I have no excuse. But, I am getting two Birchboxes right now (I'll probably cut one out after January and I spend my points!)

The first month that I got two boxes, I got the same box on both accounts and that was a bit of a bummer. This month, though, I got two different boxes, and I like both!

Box 1:

This was the curated box this month. I chose it because I really wanted to try the Davines serum!

Ruffian Nail Lacquer in Ruffian Red - I'm not huge on red polishes, but I don't have many, and I like Ruffian polishes - I think they have a nice shiny finish and they last longer than a couple of hours on me, which is a feat!

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Creamy Lip Stain in Sugar - This is the prettiest natural pink stain. When I buy things like this, I tend to go for bold colors so it was nice to get a nice natural color...this is very much a "my lips but better" shade for me and I like it a lot.

Davines Replumping Hair Filler (with bonus shampoo and conditioner packets) - This is a leave in that is supposed to help your hair look thick and shiny. I can always use that! So far, I like it. No mind blowing miracles, but it leaves my hair looking and feeling nice. (I haven't tried the packets yet!)

Joie Folle de Joie perfume - This is a fresh scent with mandarin. I'll admit I don't love it, I'm just into different kinds of scents lately. But I passed it along to a friend who will appreciate it.

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre - This is a moisturizer that can also serve as a primer and makeup remover. I've sampled this before, and I really like it! I only use it as a moisturizer, but it leaves my skin soft without feeling greasy. 

Overall, I'm really happy with this box, and everything is getting good use.

The 2nd box came in the special blue holiday box - so cute! 

In this box, I selected a sample - the Manna Kadar Lip Locked. I received the sample I chose! Here's everything I got:

Manna Kadar Lip Locked in Lucky - This is a combo lipstain, gloss, and primer in a pretty mauvey color. It's another really natural shade for me, which I like! I really like the light texture of this and am definitely interested in trying more of them.

Yu-Be Moisturizing Cream - This is a tiny tube of moisturizing cream you can use anywhere on your body. I've frankly gotten about a million of these samples in various places. It's not bad! But it's nothing special to me. I'm using this one up on my elbows.

Sumita Color Contrast Eyeliner - This is a creamy liner in the prettiest gold/olive shade. I am really happy with this...I already had the black and love how creamy and long lasting these are. I will use this one often!

Rusk Texture Spray - I used to hate hairsprays of any kind, and I would immediately toss them. But lately I've been wearing my hair wavy/curly, and a good texturizing spray is appreciated. This one is nice - it sprays on with a fine, light mist that never feels wet and just adds some nice texture and hold.

Royal Apothic Cuppa Cuppa Firming Tea Treatment Mask - This is a mask made from tea...masks and tea are two of my favorite things, so I love this! It has a nice tingle when you use it, and it left my skin feeling fresh and soft. I'd love to get my hands on some more of this!

Overall, I'm really happy with both of my boxes this month, and I'm excited for January!

What was in your box?

If you haven't tried Birchbox yet, feel free to sign up using my referral link here! :)

Birchbox - September 2014 "Fresh Paint" review and unboxing

I usually get my Birchbox toward the middle of the month, and usually about a week after I get a shipping notice. So, imagine my surprise when I came home yesterday to find my box waiting for me! Definitely the earliest I have ever gotten it, before my shipping email arrived!

The theme for September is "Fresh Paint" and it's all about saying goodbye to summer and gearing up for fall's colors, textures, and fashions. It is also Birchbox's anniversary month! They sent out cute patterned boxes this month, and it sounds like the boxes might have multiple designs. Mine is adorable and I am already using it to store some samples on my shelf!

This month, Birchbox gave us the opportunity to select a sample once again. I don't remember what all of the options were, but there were 4 options and another curated box. I selected Macadamia Healing Oil Spray as my sample. I was delighted to feel how heavy my box was this month!

Here's what was inside.

You can see the cute patterned box in the back! I'm interested to see if others get different patterns! I received five samples and a "Birchbox Find", which is a mass market product they send out as an extra.

Macadamia Healing Oil Spray - This was the sample I selected. It is a lightweight oil spray for hair that fights frizz, dryness, dullness, and protects. I've used the regular oil before and really loved it, so I was excited to try the spray version! It has the same scent as the regular oil and I love how light and easy it is to apply. I love hair oils, and this one does a great job of keeping my hair soft, silky, and shiny. Once I use up my giant hair oil stash, this is probably the one I will repurchase!

TEMPTU S/B Highlighter in Champagne - This is a liquid shimmer that adds some shimmer and glow to your look! The color is called champagne, but it is actually a bit darker than what I generally think of when I think of that shade. I'm very fair, and on me, this is too dark to be a highlighter. I am going to try it out on my eyes, as a base under bronzey shadows, perhaps! I do like the shimmeryness and it is not sticky. 

Harvey Prince Hello - This is a perfume featuring meyer lemon, mandarin, other citrus, and floral notes. Harvey Prince is one of my favorite perfume brands, and I already have a rollerball of this scent. It is one of my favorites, so the sample is more than welcome! It is citrusy, and not too sweet...it is great for a hot sticky day, but not out of place for fall, either. It isn't heavy or overwhelming. 

Avene Cleanance Soap-Free Gel Cleanser - This is a cleanser infused with French thermal spring water. It is great for oily or blemish prone skin, which is exactly what I have these days! I really like this. It makes my skin feel clean and soft without feeling dry or tight. It also seems to be helping my current breakout, so bonus!

Tocca Crema de Mano in Bianca - This is a hand cream featuring a green tea and lemon scent! I have been lusting over these Tocca hand creams since the first time BB sent them out, ages ago. So excited to finally get one! This is great - the texture is moisturizing without being too heavy - it is quickly absorbed. The scent is delicious and citrusy. This made its way immediately into my bag.

BIRCHBOX FIND: Chapstick Hydration Lock - This is a double ended chapstick! One side is moisturizing, and the other is renewing. Both sides feel nice on the lips with no nasty flavor or scent. This is a great extra for fall.

Overall, I am SUPER happy with this month's Birchbox! The sample sizes are amazing and I am happy with all of the products! I am not sure how much use I'll get out of the highlighter, but the other items have already made their way into my routine. Awesome. 

If you've read my blog long, you probably know that subscription boxes are my addiction, and I've tried so many. Birchbox is the one I always go back to, and the first one I recommend to people. If you haven't tried it yet, feel free to sign up using my referral link here..

What was in your box this month?

Birchbox August 2014

Wow, it's been a while since I've been around! It's been a busy few months, and blogging unfortunately took a backseat to moving, leaving a job, starting a new job, etc. BUT. I'm back and hoping to do a better job!

To start things off, I finally cracked into my August Birchbox and tried most of the items inside. This month, Birchbox did something they've been trying lately - letting subscribers pick a sample! For August, we had a choice of a cream eyeshadow, a bronzer, a lip/cheek tint, an eye pencil, and a curated box called the "everygirl box". After some debating, I chose the Laura Gellar cream eyeshadow in "Silver Sands". I had trouble selecting my sample at first, due to site traffic, but I did finally get to make my selection and I received what I chose!

For some reason, my computer refuses to rotate my images and save them today! So, it's on its side and I'm sorry.

The theme for this month was "Lighten Up", and it was all about doing just that. I received five items, including my selected sample.

Laura Geller Cool Lids Cream Eyeshadow in Silver Sands - This is a shimmery silvery cream shadow designed to shimmer like the inside of a seashell. I chose this color because I thought it'd be a great base for other shadows, and I was right. But it is also beautiful on its own! It has the perfect amount of shimmer and the texture is great. I prefer to apply it with my fingers! I am really interested in getting my hands on a few more shades of this.

Harvey Prince Ageless Body Cream - This is a nice moisturizer with the Ageless scent, which is a fruity grapefruit and mango fragrance. Harvey Prince is my favorite perfume company, and  I actually have a huge bottle of this perfume, so getting the body cream was pretty great! It smells just as good as the perfume, and the texture is nice - not too heavy, but rich enough to work. I might be seeking out the cream versions of all of my favorite HP scents.

nugg Beauty Revitalizing Face Mask - This is a cute little pod containing a white mask. It has peppermint, olive, and several other oils and it really did make my face feel amazing. It was nice and cooling without being tingly or harsh, and my skin felt soft, plump, and hydrated afterwards. I love the little pods, so the mask will be fresh each time. I plan to pick up a few more of these. This was my surprise favorite of the box!

Neil George shampoo and conditioner - Okay, I wasn't too excited to get these. I have enough shampoo and conditioner stashed to last a lifetime. BUT, the sample sizes are really nice, and these are a cult favorite. They boast vitamin C and botanical extracts. I haven't tried them yet, but I am pretty excited to see what all the hype is. They smell nice!

Overall, I'm pretty happy with this Birchbox! While it wasn't my favorite, the shadow and mask especially are awesome, and everything will be used.

What was in your box this month?

As always, if you haven't tried Birchbox out yet, feel free to sign up using my referral link!

Birchbox - March 2014

Now that it's nearly April, I'm trying to get caught up on everything I'm behind on - namely, posting my March subs!

Birchbox is normally one of the first to ship and arrive. This month, however, they seemed to have some issues. Mine shipped out super late and ended up getting here even later.

Now, each month, Birchbox updates their site with your box contents every month on the 10th. I try to avoid peeking, but often, I look anyway. This month, I looked at my box contents and was SO EXCITED...there were several items I was really excited about!

Then, my box finally arrived...and it was a completely different box. Ahhh.

Anyway! March's box has a theme of "Spring Forward", which I am so so ready to do. This has been the longest, coldest winter of all time and if I see one more snowflake, I will cry.

Here's what was in the box I actually received!

Gilchrist & Soames London Collection Body Lotion - This is a light, fresh smelling lotion. It's not bad. I'd not spend the money on the full size, and I have lotion up to my ears, but the sample will be used. The brand and scent remind me of hotel lotion (and this brand is carried in some hotels), but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Not an exciting product, but not a terrible one.

Control Corrective Cucumber Bead Cleanser and Oil Free Healing Lotion - These are nice. The cleanser is gentle and the beads are soft...it smells like citrus and cucumber and really does leave my face soft and fresh. The lotion is also nice - not too heavy. It doesn't have a strong scent. I have already used these up! They are nice, but don't beat out my favorite skincare products.

Obliphica Professional Intensive Hair Serum - I have hair oils and serums coming out of my ears. However, they are something I use every day and I'm always happy to try a new one. This one smells amazing (kind of like cotton candy) and it really does leave my hair sleek and shiny. I actually prefer it to the Redken and Moroccanoil that I am currently working through. I don't know that I'd buy it full price, but I am happy to use up the sample.

Air Repair Rescue Balm - This is a multi purpose balm that can be used on skin or lips. I'm not crazy about it. It feels heavy and greasy, and the results are no better than a typical balm. I will use it on my cuticles, but there is no way I would buy this.

Inika Eyeliner in Green Lagoon - This is an organic mineral eyeliner pencil in a really pretty shimmery green. I like it, it is springy, creamy, and gorgeous. I have liners for days, but this one will be used up. I like the mineral ingredients! This is definitely my favorite item in this month's box.

Overall, I don't dislike this month's box, but I am not excited about it the way I was the box that was listed on my account. Products are fine, but just a little lackluster. I'm sure most of that is because I had my heart set on the other box, and if this had been my original box, I would have been happy with it!

As always, if you haven't tried out Birchbox yet, feel free to sign up using my referral link.

What was in your box this month?

Birchbox - February 2014

Man, I'm behind on everything this month! I blame it on the cold.

Anyway, Birchbox teamed up with US Weekly to curate February's boxes. They went with a theme of "Step and Repeat" in honor of awards season and the tricks behind red carpet looks. I usually like collaboration boxes, so I was excited to see what I was getting!

The outer mailer was different this month - red with US Weekly and Birchbox logos on it. The inner box was the same!

I received 5 items this month - 4 beauty items and a lifestyle extra.

Ahmad Tea London teas - This is my lifestyle extra. I was actually super happy to get tea! I am a tea fanatic and whenever subs send out tea, they NEVER send it to me! These teas are all delicious. I took them to work for a mid-day pick me up, and the Lemon Vitality is especially great for that! I can attest that they taste great both hot and iced!

Ayres Bar Soap n Patagonia - This is a natural soap with jasmine, lavender, ylang-ylang, and fir. I do use bar soap occasionally, however, when I do, I generally go with Lush or handmade soaps from indie sellers. That said, I don't mind trying another one. I don't care much for the scent of this. It is a fresh scent, but kind of masculine and just not my style. It does have a pretty rich lather. I think I'll finish it up, but I won't buy the soap - for the price I can go to Lush and get one of my favorites!

Juicy Couture Couture La La Malibu perfume - This is a scent with notes of mandarin and pink sugar. It's official - Birchbox is determined that I need Juicy in my life. They have sent me every single Juicy Couture scent they have sent out to date. They aren't bad, but they aren't my favorite. This one is okay! It is nice and summery. I was hoping it would be lots of sweet citrus, but instead it is more floral. Regardless, it smells nice and I'll wear it!

Beauty Protector Protect & Oil - This is a hair oil that protects from damage, UV rays, and heat. It smells just like the Beauty Protector spray - basically, AMAZING. I use hair oil every day, but I am generally not excited to get them, just because my current stash is pretty big! That said, this is a really nice one. It is not heavy at all and it leaves my hair nice and smooth and silky...and the scent is incredible. I might rebuy this one once my other oils are used up!

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Liquid Liner in black - This is a smudgeproof liquid liner. Now, I have a ton of liners and getting a black one is not generally terribly exciting for me. However, I have not tried any of Cynthia Rowley's products yet, and I am really excited to do so! It seems to be easy to work with and it's a full size. Not bad at all!

Overall, I am happy with my Birchbox this month! I like everything except for the soap, and the rest will be used happily (and the soap will be used in one way or another!) I love that I always receive something new to me from Birchbox. 

What was in your box this month?

Birchbox - January 2014

2014 has not been off to the best start so far! Winter in the midwest is never fun, but this year...just wow. We're still buried under a couple of feet of snow, and this is the first day some of the roads have been passable. I've been walking to and from work (and nearly dying in the process) because our car is buried in a snow mountain. NOT FUN.

I've really needed a boost! So I was super surprised and happy when my Birchbox showed up today!

It was a heavy one! The theme this month is "Go Time", and they talk about taking on more and inspiration! Sounds good to me. Here's what I got this month!

Harvey Prince Journey - This is an intriguing scent with notes of Indian Tuberose, Japanese Orange Flower, and Freesia. I had mixed feelings about this at first. Harvey Prince is my favorite brand of perfume, and I love the sample size. It is quite floral, though, and that isn't usually my thing. I could really smell the freesia. After a minute, though, I decided I liked it, and now I kind of love it.  It's a very sweet floral, but not overly strong. I'm finding it addictive! It still doesn't take the place of my favorite Harvey Prince scents (Hello, Eau Fling, and Skinny Chic), but it's nice and I'm really glad to try it! It's a nice change of pace for me, which is great for January.

Serge Normant Dry Conditioner - This is a mist that adds shine to the ends of your hair. It's intended to go along with dry shampoo - you would use the shampoo on the roots to absorb oil and this conditioner on the ends to add moisture and shine! I actually tried the dry shampoo by this brand before and I wasn't a fan of it. This conditioner has the same musky scent as the shampoo, but sounds like it will meet my hair's needs better than the shampoo did! It's a brand new product to me. I will save this to try on a blah, no wash hair day.

Nail Rock Velvet in Navy - This is a two step textured nail system. There are a couple of different textures available...the one i received is Velvet, which offers a matte velvet finish. You paint your nailes the navy shade, then dip them in the "velvet dust". I really like textured nails and this is definitely a new and unique one for me! The navy color is pretty and different than anything I currently own. Pretty excited to try this!

Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Day Lotion - This is this month's "Birchbox Find"...a mass market goodie they wanted to share. It's a hydrating moisturizer with clary sage to keep your skin nice and moist in the winter dryness. I love the brand and I'm always happy to get a pot of moisturizer so I can always have one stashed in my bag, nightstand, locker at work, etc.

Inika Mineral Eyeshadow in Eternal Marine - This is a loose mineral shadow in a beautiful silvery grey blue! It's so pretty. Below, it is swatched on bare skin with a finger.

Overall, I'm really happy with this box! I love the variety of items and the sizes are fantastic this month! Well done, BB!

What was in your box this month?

Birchbox - December 2013

Sometimes, I will go for weeks at a time without mail. Days pass and NOTHING, not even a bill. But then, everything arrives at once! That's what happened to me this week with my subs. I'm not complaining at the mini Christmas I just had!

Last month was my first month back with Birchbox, and it was a really great one! I was really nervous that this month would be terrible and make me regret coming back. Shipping was pretty quick this time!

I don't know if Birchbox will be switching up their usual bright pink outer boxes regularly from now on or not, but I approve! I love this pretty gold box. Silly thing, since it just gets tossed out, but I'm a sucker for packaging!

And the box itself is different, too! How cute! The inside has pretty gold stripes, as well.

I noticed right away that my box was heavy! It was packed full this month. The theme for this month was just "Holiday 2013" and the products seem to include a little bit of everything. Products sent out this month (not just in my box) had lots of hand creams, moisturizers, conditioners, etc...basically nice pampering things for wintery holiday time. I received 5 products this month.

Hair Rules Quench Conditioner - This is a hydrating conditioner for dry or frizzy hair. I battle dryness, and I flat iron my hair a lot, so this is ALWAYS welcome. It smells amazing (reminds me of Pink Sugar perfume, or similar to the Beauty Protector spray)...and 2 ounces is a great sized sample. This is a new brand to me but it looks really good!

Pura Botanica Botanic Bath Infusions in Moment in Mint - This is a blend of mineral sea salts, essential oils, and botanicals...in this case, mint, meant to be dissolved in the bath. I don't take many baths because my apartment has a pretty tiny bathtub and it can be a hassle...but I had a stressful week at work, a weekend of 16 hour shifts coming up, and then a new position at work starting next week...so this came at the perfect time! I soaked in this yesterday and I fell in love! It had the nicest relaxing mint scent, and it left my skin so soft and smooth. I'd definitely love to try more of these. I love that it came in a little sachet, so I didn't have to rinse any residue out of my tub. 

Willa Lavender Facial Towelettes - These are wipes that clean dirty and oil from the skin. I absolutely love face wipes. I use them daily - not in the place of cleansing, but to remove makeup before washing, to wipe off makeup mistakes, or just to refresh my skin. I also use them after I've wiped my face with them, to wipe excess off of brushes between cleanings. This is a pack of 10 and I was excited to try this brand. They smell good and work well. They will be great for after work, relaxing.

BORGHESE Superiore State-of-the-Art Mascara - this is a formula that lengthens, conditions, and curls. I have a ton of mascaras, but I love this brand so I went ahead and tried it out today. I loved it! It really did add great length and made my lashes look long and fluttery but not too dramatic. (I have mascaras for my dramatic days, but some days I want length without mega volume)! It feels conditioning. I am pretty impressed with this and might buy it when I run out of my current mascara stash...so, in like...5 years.

Emily's Chocolates Chocolate Covered Fortune Cookie - I ate this already. It was awesome. The fortune was stupid (it said something like my soul thanks me for the gift of chocolate) but it tasted great. Fun, too!

Overall, I am super happy with my box this month. Everything was a great size and it is all stuff I will use happily. Keep it up, Birchbox, and we won't break up this time!

Oh, and one tiny little extra - a card advertising their new iPhone app, with a little screen cleaner on it! The little black bit clings to your phone, and then you can take it off and use it to wipe your screen. I go nuts over smudges on my screen so I loved this, as silly as it looks!

What was in your Birchbox this month?

If you haven't signed up yet, feel free to do so using my referral link!

Birchbox - November 2013

I am so indecisive. Especially with my subs...I'll obsess over one for a while, then find myself getting jaded and cancel...only to sign back up a few months later. Birchbox and I have gone through this cycle probably four times now! We just spent several months apart...but again, fter a hiatus, I found myself missing Birchbox and saving up points for a splurge...so, I decided to sign back up mid-month. I am an addict.

I received my November box without a shipping notification or anything. It was a nice surprise!

It's still fun to receive these cute little boxes.

This month's box came with a little holiday guide as well as the usual product card. Cute!

November's theme is "More Good". It's reflecting the season's general themes of abundance, and mentions more thanks, more giving, more thoughtfulness, and more goodies. Sounds good to me!

Birchbox Find: Ghirardelli Toffee Crunch Bar - This is a "Birchbox Find", which is what they call a mass-market product they love, usually a new product, which we get as an added bonus. I love things like this! This month, I got this chocolate bar - it's filled with a creamy chocolate filling and toffee bits...and it was totally amazing. Chocolate is always welcome in my boxes!

Atelier Vanilla Insensee Cologne Absolue - This is a fragrance sample...it's a blend of vanilla, jasmine, and lime. It smells really great - a warm, grown up vanilla scent. I have tried a couple other Atelier scents and they are great...and I love that the little sample vials come with a corresponding postcard. I mixed a bit of this one with my Orange Sanguine sample, also by Atelier...AMAZING. I smelled like a creamsicle. I think I need to get my hands on both of these fragrances...

derma e Soothing Skincare Collection - This is a cleanser, serum, and moisturizer sample that promises to calm sensitive skin and fight signs of aging. I haven't tried it yet but it sounds good and the ingredients are good! I love that it came with all three steps.

Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Opal - This is a pretty lipgloss with a high shine finish. It is a great peachy nude color! I haven't opened it yet but it's a great size and looks like it will be a perfect everyday shade. 

Color Club in Baldwin Blues - This is a super pretty blue creme. I love blue polishes, but I'm not crazy about Color Club's formula. I do like the collection of these minis I've gotten from Birchbox over the years, however. This color is right up my alley and I'm super excited to wear it this winter.

Aloxxi ColourCare Leave-In Conditioner - This is a detangled that protects color and leaves hair smooth and shiny. This is a total win for me. I usually hate getting hair products from subs - I don't use hairspray, gel, or mousse, or anything with hold. But I do love leave-in conditioners. This one is really great! It isn't too heavy and leaves my hair feeling really nice. This is the star of the box for me!

Overall, I think this box was a really great welcome back to Birchbox! Not only did I get 6 items, but every single one is something I will use and enjoy. Keep it up this time, Birchbox!

If you haven't tried Birchbox yet, feel free to sign up using my referral link.

What was in your box this month?

Birchbox - August 2013

My Birchbox shipped and showed up pretty early this month! I'll say that, while I was excited to get it so early, I canceled my Birchbox subscription this month. It's not that it has been terrible, or even all bad, over the last few months...but when you're consistently finding yourself not excited or even disappointed in a service each month, it's time to cancel! After all, there are a ton of subs out there and general discontent means I can find another one to suit my current needs better!

The theme for August is Finishing School, and was designed around products that can add the perfect finishing touch! I'll say that the products in my box don't really scream "finishing touch" to me, but I never really pay much mind to the themes, anyway! Here's what I got this month (I don't know how the picture got flipped, but I'm not going to mess with reuploading it...you totally get the idea, right?)

Juice Beauty Oil Free Moisturizer - I have used this moisturizer (and several other products) from Juice Beauty before. I really like it! It is light enough for the summer and doesn't cause me to break out. I'm currently working on completely overhauling my skincare routine (man, my skin is unhappy this summer) so I know this will get use, eventually.

stila stay all day liquid lipstick - I love stila, and I am always happy to receive items from the brand. However, this particular item, I will be trading. Not because there is anything wrong with it (actually, I have heard it is awesome with great staying power), but simply because I am currently swimming in red lip products...I have them coming out of my ears! So, as much as I'd like to open this and try it, I figure it's better to pass it off to a home where it will be properly loved. I know I wouldn't reach for it as often as I should!

Jasmine Seven Fresh Feet Wipes - This is one of those products I'm undecided on. On one hand, I am barefoot as much as possible and my feet do get dirty. On the other hand, I don't really sub to a beauty service to receive two minty wet wipes. So, I'll use the samples (actually, I already used one. ) It feels nice on the feet, but a similar effect can be had with a baby wipe and a swipe of minty foot lotion, which I already have.

TanTowel Self Tanning Towelette for the Body - Okay. This might be a great product. I wouldn't know, because there is nothing in the beauty product world I despise more than I despise self tanners. There is nothing I am less likely to use.  Birchbox seems determined to send me these things, and I really wish there was a way to opt out of receiving them. I like my pale skin, and I have no desire to change it. This isn't something like makeup that you can try and wipe off if it doesn't suit you. They wouldn't send out hair dye or skin bleach...so why are they so determined with the tanner? Even if I wanted to use it, one wipe is for one half of the body...so what are you supposed to do for the other half? This has already been given away.

Coastal Scents mini quad from the Mirage Palette - I was surprised to see Coastal Scents in my Birchbox this month. I love Coastal Scents, as is evidenced by the more than 400 shadows I own by them. But, I already have the Mirage palette, so I'm giving this sample away. The colors are beautiful, though, and like all over Coastal Scents shadows, they are super pigmented for the low price. If you do want to buy this (or any other CS palette) make sure to buy from Coastal Scents directly, as Birchbox has majorly marked up the price!

Overall, I am not regretting cancelling. The moisturizer and the stila are great products, but this just wasn't the best box for me. I am sure over time I will find myself missing the Birchbox points system, though, and come crawling back!

What was in your box this month?