Time for a new feature on the blog, Makeup Mondays. While it might not be every single Monday, makeup is something that I LOVE talking about. And I have way too much of it! But I love reading Beauty Blogs and other posts about a makeup and always want to share a few of my finds.
The first thing on my list. Monthly boxes. You know the ones were you pay $10 (or more for some) each month and get a sent a box of samples. I don’t know how you feel about getting mail but I love it. Picking up the mail on the way home from work and having a box of beauty samples makes me pretty darn happy. Except those months where the boxes suck. And I mean royally suck.
Birchbox
One of the early ones that you pay $10 for, and after filing out a quiz they are supposed to send your samples to your liking. I pay for this on my own every month so this is in no way sponsored. When I first subscribed to Birchbox (almost 2 years ago) I was getting products I loved. Full size eyeliners, high end shampoo samples that were great for my hair, a full size bronzer and then 2014 happened. January wasn’t too bad, a workout headband, travel size of a a serum, hairspray, but the crappy nail polish and the tiny packet of hand lotion were pretty disappointing.
I figured I would give it a few more months, here is February. I thought; wow it can’t get much worse than this. A sample of hair oil- pretty little but I get one use out of it. Not so horrible. Ruby Woo color changing nail polish that I already had (from another Birchbox) gee thanks for making me pay for something twice. Smashbox Full Exposure mascara sample, fine for my purse or travel but not the best mascara I’ve ever used. A small container of glyercine hand lotion. Again, this is ok. Just nothing super special. And a card that had some eyeshadow samples on. The colors themselves, fantastic. But I would rather just get one real shade than a card with 10 shadows that are hard to actually use. I did actually like these shadows, too bad it wasn’t enough of a sample to convince me to buy them.
And now we get to March. The worst box I have ever received. I despise getting food, snacks or tea. And my profile says so. So let’s just take a look. A Cherie Blossom perfume sample, lovely, and great for travel, but at $55 for 55ml it’s an expensive perfume. Gilchrist and Soames Lotion. Ugh. Some of the hotels I stay at for work have their products, nothing special. I put it in our toiletries bowl that hangs out in our guest bathroom, future friends and family may like it more than I would. The Coola sunscreen, again it’s ok but I had already received this from Birchbox last summer. I didn’t really need more.
But now onto the truly horrible.
Mints. Really? Why do I need these? They don’t even taste very good and the lid comes completely off. So you end up spilling them all over when you open them.
A piece of chocolate. I have nothing against said chocolate but it’s supposed to be beauty supplies. I just don’t get it.
Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle. I have fine blonde hair and I will never have a use for this product. Not the first time and not even the second. Thanks Birchbox for sending me 2 things I had already received.
Typically for $10 a month I expect to be happy with one or two things and actually use those products. March was probably my worst month yet. Let’s hope April redeems itself or that may be the last month I subscribe to Birchbox. The hard thing is that I see other boxes that are so good! It’s unfortunate I get products I really can’t use. Is it worth it? Sometimes. There are months that the box is great and I feel like I found new products I love and got a ton out of my $10.
My October 2013 box was one of my favorites! A creamy face wash I use at least 1-2 times a week, Chapstick 8 Hour Hydration, Folle de Joie perfume, a Pop Sugar lip gloss and a conditioner. I loved everything but the conditioner and that is just because it was way too heavy for my hair. So Birchbox can be really great! Hopefully my future boxes improve.
