November AND December Birchbox Review

With all the craziness of the holiday season and life in general, you’re getting two reviews for the price of one! I had some issues getting my November Birchbox (basically, it got lost and re-shipped two more times), so I didn’t get my samples tried as quickly as I usually do. Also, both of these boxes were honestly a little underwhelming. Because of that, I don’t have any pictures of me wearing any of the products…But I hope you read my review anyway!

I loved the pattern on November’s box! The dark teal/black floral combo is definitely one of my recent favorites.

My November box contained the Dr. Jart+ Water Replenishment Mask, Ayres Body Polish, theBalm FratBoy Blush, LOC One & Done Shadow Stick, and Davines This is a Relaxing Moisturizing Fluid. The water mask was pretty refreshing, but I think it left my skin dryer than it was before, which kind of defeats the purpose. The body polish was fun to try, but it’s not life-changing. TheBalm always has super cute packaging and clever names, which is always fun. I don’t wear blush a lot, but this one is a nice peachy-coral shade that I didn’t already have, so it’ll be used some. The shadow stick is actually one of the first original products that Birchbox has made. I chose the On Point shade, which is a light champagne taupe. I have to use a primer under it because something in the formula is a little harsh on my skin, but I really like the color! It’s super long-lasting, which means that it’s a tad difficult to remove, but overall I like it. Finally, the Davines stuff was immediately added to my growing pile of products to give away to other people. If I’m not going to use something, my friends might as well benefit. 🙂

The weather here hasn’t been super wintery yet, but the December pattern was definitely perfect for this time of year. I was also a fan of how shiny it was. 😉

My December box contained Eyeko Fat Liquid Liner, Avene Hydrance Serum, Coastal Scents StyleEyes Eyeshadow, Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo, and Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle Spray. I already have (and love) Eyeko’s Skinny Liquid Liner, so I was excited to try the fat version. However, as someone who doesn’t wear black (aka “regular”) eyeliner a lot, I discovered that the fat version wasn’t for me. The marker-like tip makes the eyeliner easy to apply, but the wider version is harder to control and much more bold than I like. I think I’ll stick to the skinny one. The hydrance serum isn’t a product that I’d normally go for, but it has been interesting to use. It’s supposed to help balance out and refresh dry skin, and I definitely think it’s helped mine a little. I really like how soft my face feels after I use it. The Coastal Scents eyeshadow sampler has pretty glittery emerald green and gold shades in it, which is a little fancier than what I normally wear. I haven’t tried the gold one yet, but the green is pretty striking. As for the dry shampoo and detangle spray, you can probably guess that those never made it into my try-on rotation. Ha.

There you go—my review of the last Birchboxes I’ll receive in 2015! Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products or want to tell me about things you discovered these last two months.

Birchbox Favorites

In my many, many months of receiving a Birchbox, I have gotten to sample approximately 145 new beauty products. Even though some of my boxes aren’t that great (stop sending me dry shampoo!), it’s still fun to open up my box every month and see what goodies are inside. It’s even more fun now that I get the option to choose a sample, if there are things on their list that I specifically want to try. Through trying these new products, I’ve found a few that I’ve loved enough to purchase the full-size versions and add to my regular rotation. I recommend all of these if you’re in the mood to try something new (or if you need gift ideas, hint, hint).

Air Repair Rescue Balm All-Purpose Skin Salve and Lip Balm: As I’ve gotten older, my lips seem to be drying out. This balm is recommended for people who fly a lot and are constantly dealing with air changes, so I was excited to try it. It worked wonders on my dry, cracking lips (especially in the winter months), and now I either put in on first thing in the morning or right before I go to bed. It’s supposed to work on other dry places on your body, but I strictly use it on my lips; that being said, I  bet it would work great elsewhere, too.

Caudalie Make-Up Remover Cleansing Water: I’ve never been consistent with using a makeup remover because I’ve never worn a ton of makeup every day, and some removers have proven to be too harsh for my sensitive skin. This water, which you put on a cotton ball or something similar and swipe over your face, is both super gentle and effective. I primarily use it when I have mascara that needs to be taken off, and it works so well. Plus, it smells nice, and it lasts forever.

Camille Beckman Glycerine Hand Therapy in Midnight Monarch: Like a lot of women, I’m a sucker for a good-smelling hand lotion. In the winter, my hands tend to get really dry, and a lot of drugstore brand lotions just weren’t cutting it. This lotion is super thick but absorbs really well and moisturizes for a long time. The Midnight Monarch scent is delicious and not too overpowering. Since I’ve been using this, I’ve noticed that I don’t have to use as much or apply it as often, which is great.

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Eyeliner in Silver: I love glittery/shimmery eye makeup. Yes, I realize I’m a grown woman, but I prefer something with a little shimmer on my eyelids instead of something matte and flat. Silver is a color that really brings out brown eyes, and this eyeliner is no exception. I feel like it makes my eyes “pop,” whether I wear it by itself or layer it under eyeshadow. Either way, it’s become one of my most-used products.

Laura Geller Beauty Cool Lids Cream Eyeshadow in Silver Sands: This is one of my sample choice products, and I’m so glad I picked it. I’d never worn a lot of cream eyeshadow before this, and I love how easy it is to apply and how long it lasts without creasing. This particular shade is an interesting taupe-y/champagne-y color that also works really well with my brown eyes. Like the Cynthia Rowley eyeliner, this has become one of my go-to products.

I’d love to know if you decide to give any of these a try! I might even let you borrow mine to test out if you’re interested. 😉

Everyday Essentials: Hair

We all have those products that we use consistently, ones that we discovered work for our various needs, ones that we just straight up like. I like trying new products, but sometimes it takes lot of convincing for me to do so. I know what I like, and I know what works for me (most of the time). This Everyday Essentials series is my way of sharing the products that I love/use regularly in the hopes of helping other people find things that might work for them. This is the kind of post I’d want to read if I was in the market for new products, so maybe it’ll help you out!

Let’s talk about hair–specifically, my hair. In case you haven’t noticed from my pictures, I have naturally curly hair. I don’t remember it being curly when I was little, but by the time I was in high school it became an awkward wavy/curly mix before finally deciding to go full-out curly. I used to hate it and would straighten it practically every day, but now I love it (except when it’s super humid and it either goes flat or Texas-size, can I get an amen?). Finding products that work and do well with my curly hair has been hit-or-miss, but I really love the ones I use all the time. So, without further ado (clockwise from top left):

Dove Quench Absolute: Before using this curly-hair shampoo, I used the one from L’Oreal’s EverCurl line. I liked it, but after awhile I wasn’t sure it was doing anything for me. I switched to Dove’s when I realized it was cheaper, and I like it better now. My curls still hold their shape after using this, even if I let it air dry and don’t put anything in it.

Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Plus: My stylist introduced me to this mousse years ago, and it’s been a must-have ever since. I use it on the days when I want my hair to look “nicer” and more defined, especially on the second day.

Miss Jessie’s Pillow Soft Curls: When I was looking for a different styling product, one of the specialists at Birchbox recommended this for me. Miss Jessie’s is a line dedicated to curly-haired ladies, and they have products for all different types of curly hair. This gel is really light and does leave my hair feeling really soft. My only complaint is that it doesn’t hold as well on the second day as the Root Pump Plus, so I use it more for casual days/looks.

Suave Professionals Firm Control Hairspray: To be honest, I’ve never really been loyal to a certain brand/type of hairspray. I like it to be strong and really hold my hair in place–I’m kind of picky about it, actually. Ha. My mom uses the regular pink-can Suave, so that’s what I’ve used most. I used this Aussie Volume stuff for awhile, but it wasn’t impressive enough for me to keep using. This Suave Professionals kind is new to me, but I wanted to try it because of the humidity control and to see if it would keep the volume in my hair all day. So far, so good—plus, I really like its scent.

There you have it—my four (curly) hair care everyday essentials. I’d love to hear what your essentials are, and let me know if you decide to give any of these products a try!