As I've said many times before, I receive a lovely package of goodies every month called a Birchbox. For $10 a month, I get to same some really awesome products. Most of the time I like what I receive and occasionally I order full size products - like the
lip gloss,
curl cream and
CC cream I fell in love with. Sometimes, that isn't quite the case. Regardless, it's a fun surprise every month and the fancy samples are always handy to have. If you'd like to sign up for Birchbox,
click here. Take a look below to see what I received this month!
1. Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner
Birchbox description:
Twiggy fans, rejoice: this London-based brand's liquid liners let you create mod looks in a flash. Rather than frustrating us with hard-to-control brush tips, they feature a pen-style applicator that's completely goofproof. Give your basic black a break and experiment with rich Olive or punchy Turquoise. They're guaranteed to make your eyes pop ... The precision pen tip allows you to control the thickness of the line you create and vary the intensity of your look. Plus, the fade-proof formula will hold up all day and night.
My thoughts:
Love at first...sight? My first impression of this lovely little stick was it didn't feel smear-y as I put it on, which was a definite plus. It lasted all day and stayed put exactly where I had intended it to! With regular stick eyeliner I find it likes to fade through the day, and other liquid eyeliners I've tried either were too runny or the "brush" part was a hard piece of foam that felt like it was poking my eye. This was the perfect black color and didn't go on too thick and make me look like I'd gone overboard. Needless to say, I definitely am buying this!
Birchbox description:
At the end of a long week we could all use a fresh start - the same goes for our hair. When product buildup and styling stress leave your locks feeling dull, use Number 4 Hair Care Clarifying Shampoo, subtly scented with white freesia, golden amber, and warm musk, to gently cleanse without stripping moisture or color.
My thoughts:
One word: ick. By 2:00 I was searching for a ponytail holder because I couldn't stand the feeling of my hair. It just felt gross, dry and kind of stringy. It looked fine, but I didn't like the way it felt. I definitely won't be purchasing it in the future, but I have about half the sample bottle left if anyone in my area would like to try it - several others said they liked it when I read the reviews (many mentioned they had short hair, so maybe that's what the deal is - mine is long).
3. Aerie Shimmer perfume
Birchbox description:
For its latest fragrance venture, Aerie set out to create a non-cloying scent that's equal parts delicate and warm ... The crisp scent combines sweet vanilla with a lovely peony and citrusy bergamot ... This enchanting scent is a blend of bergamot, peony, and a subtle hint of vanilla. According to designer Keith Flore, the glass bottle is inspired by the look of messages you can read through frosted windows.
My thoughts:
It smelled like something my little brother's 15-year-old friends would wear, and I don't mean that in a bad way at all. It definitely smelled good, but just reminded me of something you'd smell in the halls of a high school, not on someone who's been out of college for two years. Looking through the reviews, several others felt the same way. In fact, I'm thinking this particular sample will be going to one of my brother's friends.
4. Caudalie Vinexpert Radiance Day Cream SPF 15
Birchbox description:
Free of parabens, sulfates, and petrochemicals, this SPF-infused cream contains viniferine, a compound extracted from the grapevine that's been proven to help even out skin tone. In addition to fading scars and age spots, it helps boost skin's overall luminosity over time. Papaya enzyme and mango butter keep skin glowing as you go about your day.
My thoughts:
Okay, this stuff is pricey, so I get that Birchbox wasn't going to send much of a sample. But, if it is supposed to do something "over time," give enough to at least get more than two days use out of it. It also had a funky grape cough syrup smell to it that I didn't like. Overall I really wasn't that impressed.
