Birchbox: August 2014

As we’re heading into this warm September, I still have a few August boxes to show you guys. Included in these stragglers is my August Birchbox.

So the usual cute Birchbox.

Now for what’s inside.

Anyone else tired of the unbiquitous “keep calm” memes? Show of hands?

This month’s theme is “Lighten up.” And it’s supposed to help us keep “cool” and laugh “our way into fall”. Interesting. Let’s see if it lives up to the hype.

Noir Cosmetics Long-Wear Eyeliner
(Retail: $15.00)
Description: “Thanks to vitamin E and jojoba oil, the crayon has an uncommonly smooth texture that makes it easy to draw a rich line without pulling the sensitive skin around your eyes.”
Verdict: Miss/Gift
So Birchbox has been sending out emails to allow us to choose one sample in our boxes. Previously, I’d received my emails with no problem until the August choice, when my email didn’t take me to the selection page. I assumed that the email was only an announcement and the selection email would come later. Sadly, I was wrong. This eyeliner was one of the options subscribers could choose from.  Once I knew I’d lost my choice, I was sure I’d get this, since it was the one option that would be totally useless for me. I very very rarely wear black eyeliner. As a pale redhead I just look goth if I try to wear this outside of an evening look. I didn’t swatch this since I wanted to gift it. I’d love to see less black eyeliners in these boxes. Most subscribers have a ton of black (or don’t use it at all) and it’s not like there is much shade variation there.  How many black eyeliners do you really need?  At least with another neutral like brown or gray you have more shade variations to work with.

amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo
(5.3 oz Retail: $21.00)
Description: “The weightless spray absorbs excess oil and dirt, leaving locks clean and deodorized as well as lighter and softer. Plus, it can be used on color-treated hair.”
Verdict: Gift
This may win the award for most adorable travel sized packaging. Unfortunately, I am well stocked with dry shampoo of both regular and travel size but I’m putting together a travel beauty kit as a gift and this will be the perfect addition.

Naobay Body Radiance Lotion
(250 ml Retail: $24)
Description: “Olive oil, shea butter, and avocado oil deliver serious moisture, while aloe vera soothes and protects skin.”
Verdict: Meh
For some reason I forgot to take a picture of this one (Sorry folks, guess old age is finally getting to me). There are so many lotions on the market, that for me to rush out and buy one it has to wow me and this just doesn’t. It’s light, the smell is inoffensive, and it seems to moisturize well enough, but it’s not compelling in any way. There’s nothing wrong with it per se, but it’s just not a win for me.

Dr. Jart+ Dis-A-Pore Beauty Balm
(1.7 oz Retail: $36.00)
Description: “”This tinted BB cream, for use on combination to oily skin, treats and tightens pores and fine lines for a smooth, even complexion. At the same time, the all-in-one formula protects skin from harmful UV rays and hydrates as it works to keep oils at bay.”
Verdict: More Meh
For vampires like me, spf 30 isn’t enough.   I have combination skin and I didn’t find that this did much for my pores (which are quite large and noticeable). I also found the coverage on this just a bit too sheer for my taste.   Another miss.

Benefit It’s Potent! Eye Cream
(.5 oz – Retail: $34.00)
Description: “Lush hydrator that brightens dark circles and boosts skin’s elasticity over time.”
Verdict: Meh Squared
So I actually love trying out eye creams. I think they are a really important part of a skincare routine, but these packets are so tiny there’s no way to determine if this cream is effective. There are some products that can work decently in foil packets (hair styling creams, shampoos/conditioners, perfumes, body creams, face masks, etc) but eye creams and anti-aging products do not fall into that category. And while those little cardboard containers may look kind of big there is only an itty bitty tiny amount in each one. There is no way for me to judge an eye cream adequately after only 2 uses. It’s just a waste to put this in the box. Now if this had been a small tube where I could at least get a week’s worth of applications, this would have been a “love”.

 
OVERALL
Verdict: Meh to infinity & beyond!

I’m finding the theme here to be a bit mixed. I guess the dry shampoo and the spf 30 BB cream go with the lighten up, but how does a black liner called “noir” fit into that?  Nothing about black gel liner feels “light” to me.

This was probably the biggest miss for me since signing up with Birchbox. I was super disappointed that I missed out on picking my sample since there were a few options I would have loved and that on their own would have made this box a success.

Because I made a regular Birchbox purchase with a special coupon code, I got this month’s Birchbox for free and after reviewing each item, my points earned me the equivalent of $5.00, so despite my dislike of this box, I still came out ahead.

What did you get in your August Birchbox? Did the items jive with the “lighten up” theme?

THE BACKSTORY

Birchbox subscriptions cost $10 per month or $110 per year.

Your options: Women’s Box or Men’s Box

Points System:
Whenever you buy something at Birchbox they give you Birchbox points. $1.00 = 1 Birchbox Point.
Each 100 Birchbox reward points can be redeemed for $10.00.
You can also earn points by reviewing the samples they send you (10 points per sample) and referring/subscribing friends. If your review all the items you receive in your box each month, you’ll receive 50 Birchbox rewards points!
If you purchase a full size of one of the sample items they sent you in that same month, you receive free shipping on them and often extra points.

Author: Writer Preziosi

Once upon a time, long, long ago, Lisa attended Syracuse University where she studied singing in a giant castle surrounded by ice and snow. After she earned her music degree, she headed to the island of Manhattan, down to the West Village, to a place called the New School. There, she earned another degree in the great art of writing stories for children. She currently works on that same island trying to help real people, while making up stories about imaginary ones. Her first book, “The Ice Maiden’s Tale,” a fairy tale adventure, was released on May 30, 2017 and is up for sale on Amazon. View all posts by Writer Preziosi