So... it has a few days since I've gotten my Birchbox, and wanted to give you guys some feedback on the products. Hopefully this will not only give you an idea of what comes in the box, and the type of products they provide, but also, some feedback on each specific product.
Also, I apologize up front for the 'not so great' pictures. I took them in a hurry with my cell phone, with flash, so there is a lot of reflection and weird lighting.
July 2012 Birchbox Product Review
Alterna | Bamboo UV+ Color Protection Fade-Proof Fluide ($24)
So... I have colored hair, box colored hair, but I'm not over complicated when it comes to hair color, so this type of product isn't something I would typically buy. That being said, I am probably the worst to provide a good review on this product. This is the least used product of the 4 main items that I received.
It has a light citrus scent, which is quite nice, but I really don't notice a difference. It has a nozzel that made me believe it was going to come out like foam, like those foam soap dispensers, but it is an oil. I have used it a few times now, and other than helping with my fly aways and a slight increase in moisture, I really don't see the benefit to this product. Again, probably the worst person to review this.
Eyeko | Skinny Liquid Eyeliner ($15)
This is my favorite product of this months box. My current favorite is the Stila Waterproof Stay-All Day Liquid Eyeliner. Stila is still my #1, but this is definitely up there in comparison. The Stila liner is $20 and the full size for this is $15, so it's slightly less expensive.
I love the pigmentation and its staying power! I put it on in the morning and it stays on all day long, with no smudging or fading.
I would consider replacing my Stila for it since it is $5 less, but I'm not sold on the felt tip. I feel that the tip is quite large and long, which for me personally, makes it a bit harder for me to be precise with my lines, while the Stila has a shorter, thinnger felt tip. The tip on the Eyeko is stiffer than the Stila tip, but even then, I feel like I can get more product on in one swipe with the Stila, while I have to go back over a few times with the Eyeko to get my desired line. If you look at the picture above, you can see the difference in tips. You can also see that the Stila liner is much darker and fills in much better than the Eyeko.
Either way, I'm loving it and using it everyday (to conserve my Stila for days when I need waterproof liner).
Harvey Prince | Hello ($26-$55)
Up front, I love sweet or fruity scents.... Also, I'm not good at describing perfumes, but I would say this is a clean citrus scent. It's not overpowering, and it's mild enough that you could wear it on a daily basis without people thinking you were trying to hide something. lol. I have actually been wearing it everyday.
Like I said, it's not overpowering, and it's very clean. I don't believe it is something I would purchase, but I could see it being a very popular scent. Again, I love sweet and fruity... or sultry.
Supergoop! | City Sunscreen Serum ($20-$42)
This is probably #2 out of my likes from this box, which doesn't say much considering I'm not sold on it. I like it because it has SPF, but really, that's the only thing I like about it. One packet lasted me 5 days straight! So I really had the chance to try it out over a few days. I still have the other foil packet, so I can continue to use it if I'd like.
I'm glad it lasted a while, because I really wanted to see how it was under my makeup over time and so far, so good. It sits well under my makeup, it doesn't dry me out or make me oily and I have yet to see it breaks me out, so it's definitely a great alternative to regular moisturizer.
Now, for the reasons why I'm not sold... I have had Clinique moisturizers with SPF in them and they worked wonderful, and never had a sunscreen scent. This, however, smells like I'm rubbing Banana Boat or Coppertone onto my face, but without all the oil or stickiness. YUCK!
The second reason... it truly is goop. It has a goopy texture. Almost like a hot melted sunscreen that you left if your car. You know when you have a fresh hot pizza with fresh mozzerella and the cheese is stringy when you grab a slice?! I know you're wondering, what does pizza have to do with face moisturizer... well... when I squeezed the product out of the foil packet, it was stringy, like fresh baked mozzerella cheese and was getting all over the place. Not only that, but it doesn't spread well. Where you place it is where it will be. so I had to place multiple little dots all over the place. I couldn't just put one dot per cheek and rub it around, because it wouldn't spread and I ended up having a ton on the center on my cheek, but none at the edge of my face/hairline. SAD FACE!
However, the concept of it seemed ok. It looks like it's more affordable than Clinique, but I think you'll have a better chance with Neutrogena face sunscreen. The only down side to Neutrogena is that I feel like I need to wear an additional, regular moisturizer with it, as it's not very moisturizing. This, however, you can wear alone without additional moisturizer. Either way, there are more options, and this one is not one of mine.
Tea Forte | minteas in Lemongrass Yuzu (3 tins for $9.95)
If you like lemongrass and mint, as well as green tea, you'll like these mints. The mix of mint and lemongrass almost give off a ginger-like flavor. I had a few of my coworkers try it as well and they all agreed that ginger was their first guess as to what the flavor was, and only the true purists who drink lemongrass regularly could identify that as the flavor. That being said, I hated it. They smell refreshing and relaxing, but I do not like lemongrass or ginger, so it was a major fail.
Luckily, I have a coworker who's all about lemongrass, and gave them away! At least they didn't go to waste!
Birchbox Exclusive | Earbuds
So I took these to work thinking they would be a cute little accessory. I didn't really need them as I've already got a pink pair of Sony earbuds at my desk, but I loved the bright colors.
Going to be honest, that's the only thing good about these earbuds. They are awful! They are not only cheaply put together, but they feel flimsy as I was removing them from the cardboard. I unplugged my cheap $15 Sony earbuds and put these guys on to give them a try, but the audio that I was just listening to was barely coming in and almost sounded like a bad echo. They were uncomfortable and the plastic is very cheap.
The only positive is that they were not one of the main items of the box, so really, no loss to me, but still a bummer that they stuck a subpar item in the box. I would rather get less items that are awesome, then more items that aren't the greatest. It was a very creative jesture, but a fail in opinion. Just my two cents!
OVERALL REVIEW
For this month, the eye liner was really the only thing I enjoyed. Even though the rest of the box was kind of a disappointment, I will, however, continue to subscribe, as it is only $10, and the eyeliner was worth the $10.
I also did mention last month that I have really been liking MyGlam over Birchbox, and so far I still feel that way. I haven't gotten the July MyGlam yet, but it is on its way. You'll know when I get it, as I will be posting a video as soon as I receive it. MyGlam has posted a video regarding their new bag on their YouTube and I look forward to getting it. If anything changes, I will of course, let you know!
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Thanks everyone and thank you for reading!!!
