Birchbox Archives » Alina Avery

November Birchbox 2015 Unboxing

November 12, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

I feel like I JUST got my October box, but none-the-less, my November Birchbox has arrived.

I’ll say it now – I’m THRILLED with this box.

November’s theme is “Feeling Fancy” and I definitely am with this box. I love the cool floral pattern and the metallic copper logo is gorgeous. This is one of my favorite box designs so far this year (after the Rifle Paper Co box of course)!

On to the samples!

The first thing I noticed was the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo. This might be my holy grail dry shampoo. At least of the spray on variety. The scent is the same as most Living Proof products that I’ve tried (it’s gorgeous) and this stuff actually WORKS. It will look white/powdery when you first apply, but the trick is to let it set for 30 seconds and then massage it in to absorb oil. My hair feels actually clean and not full of product when I use this. It takes a bit more work but it’s so worth it. I’m on Day 3 hair right now and you’d never know it thanks to this product. So obsessed. I’ll definitely be repurchasing the full size once this runs out.

Next up, the TempleSpa La La Lagoon Bath and Shower Gel. I actually haven’t tried this as a shower gel yet, but I don’t think I will because I’m really not into the scent. It’s a pretty product and a great sized sample but I don’t think it’s for me. Here’s the thing though, I love getting samples in my Birchbox of products that I dislike. It gives a lot of clarity to what will work for me and what won’t, so I feel better informed when I’m shopping. For example, I’m not in love with the scent of this shower gel. The Birchbox website says it has “Thyme, Aloe Vera, Bitter Orange, Basil, Peppermint, Guaiac, Coriander, Nutmeg”. Therefore, I know which scent combinations don’t work for me. The point of paying for a service like Birchbox isn’t to just get products every month for $10, it’s also to discover what does and doesn’t work for you. The dry shampoo did, and this shower gel didn’t. You’re paying for the opportunity to try new things.

Ok, rant over.

Next: Birchbox’s newest launch, LOC One-and-Done Shadow Stick in Impress Me. This was my sample choice pick. It’s a great product. I don’t know exactly how unique it is, but It’s definitely wearable and versatile and easy to apply. I’ll be testing it out for wear time and creasing and all of that good stuff soon. It’s interesting to see Birchbox launch their own line of products, and very smart in my opinion. Birchbox knows exactly where the gaps in the market are because they get so much feed back from customers every month, so they can really deliver a product that people are interested in. They have a great opportunity here to do some fun things with the LOC line. I’m excited to see what comes next!

I also received MAKE Face Gloss. I’ve actually trie this product before and really like it. It’s a multipurpose glossy balm that can be applied to get that glossy eye look that’s so trendy right now, or to add a cheek highlight without a single speck of shimmer, or to make lips look fuller and poutier. You can even sweep it through brows to make the hairs look a bit glossier and fuller. It’s a really interesting product and a great sized sample since you only need a tiny bit. If you’re after a glowy or dewy look, this is your product.

And finally, Liz Earle Superskin Moisturizer. Liz Earle’s cleanse and polish has been a best seller since it launched in the Birchbox shop and has set them up as a staple for great skin care. This moisturizer is pretty heavier, so it’ll make a great night cream for the winter months, but might be a bit heavy to wear every day or under makeup, at least for my combination-oily skin. The quality of the packaging and the size of the sample are really impressive though. It really feels like a luxury product.

Really happy with the contents of this month’s box! I think the assortment and quality of the products is perfect and this is the second month in a row where I’ve really felt great about everything. Keep it up, Birchbox! You’re making me proud! Want to sign up for Birchbox? Get $5 off your first box here.

Birchbox Color-Treated Hair Collection

November 3, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

I feel a bit bad blogging about this as it’s currently sold out, but the individual products are all still available, so I thought I’d chime in on them anyway.

I purchased the Birchbox Color-Treated Hair Collection for $18 ($30 value). It contained 5 products for color treated hair. I’ve been dying my hair for about 2 years, and dying it red for about 18 months, so I am all too familiar with the perils of fading hair color, and like most women, I’m constantly on the search for the perfect products to maintain vibrant and true color, while also leaving my hair manageable and smooth and hydrated and shiny, while also repairing any existing damage and preventing future breakage. Is that too much to ask!?

The set comes with four travel sized hair care samples and one (large) foil packet sample.

Two products from Kerastase: the Bain Chroma Captive Shampoo and the Fondant Chroma Captive Conditioner. I really liked this shampoo. It made my hair feel clean and stay feeling clean for a good two days without dry shampoo. It also lathers really nicely, which makes me think that it has some sort of sulfate in it as a surfactant, which is usually a big no-no for colored hair. I haven’t notice any further fading though. The conditioner is very light feeling, it doesn’t give much slip to the hair but leaves it fresh and weightless. If you like your hair to feel slippery after conditioning, this probably isn’t for you. I also wouldn’t recommend it if you have dry or damaged hair, as it’s very lightweight. That said, it leaves hair pretty soft and almost weightless. For the sizes that these are, I’ll get probably 5-6 uses out of the shampoo but only 3 or so from the conditioner, since my hair is pretty long at the moment.

I’ve loved products from Number 4 in the past, and I’ve actually had this sample of the Super Comb Prep and Protect several times over, so this one isn’t new to me. It’s a great detangler which is pretty handy after using such a light conditioner and it also protects hair from heat styling. I don’t think it really cuts down on drying time, but it’s still a great product. This little bottle will last maybe 10 uses.

Oribe products always smell fantastic, and this Masque for Beautiful Color is no different. I don’t think that it actually did much for my color though, and it’s a pretty small sample. I’ll probably only get two uses out of it. It is nice to massage it into your hair and scalp and enjoy the pretty scent in the shower though. And it does leave hair soft but not weighed down. I don’t think I’d purchase the full size since it’s a splurge at $59 and there are other Oribe products I much prefer (hello, Dry Texturizing Spray!)

Finally, the Shu Uemura Color Lustre Brilliant Glaze Thermo Milk. In full disclosure, I haven’t tried this yet. It’s a single use sample (that I might stretch into two uses) so I might stash it away for when I’m traveling. I don’t always like to use creams before heat styling as I find it’s easier to use a spray, but I’ll give this a go and report back!

What do you think of this set? Have you tried any of these products? How do you care for color treated hair?

October Birchbox 2015

October 14, 2015 by Alina Avery 4 Comments

This month’s box was one of my favorites. Unfortunately, one of the samples leaked so the whole thing was a bit messy inside, which led to less than fantastic photos, but you’ll get the idea!

First, the prime offender, Number 4™ Lumiere dhiver Fluoro5 Elixer Restore & Repair Oil. Ok, ignoring the fact that this has the longest name ever and spilled all over the place, I really like it. It smells amazing. I had it all over my hands after handling my slippery box contents, so I quickly ran them through my hair and my initial impression is a good one. And given the mess it made and the amount left in the bottle, it seems like a little bit could go a looooong way. I think I’ll like this, and I think it will pair well with my hair styling holy grail.

Next up, another hair product that I’m DEFINITELY looking forward to using, Macadamia Professional™ Style Extend Dry Shampoo. I’m a big dry shampoo fan, and I love the Macadamia Professional cleansing conditioner and hair mask, so I’m thinking I’ll like this too.

Sheet masks are incredibly trendy, so I was excited to see a BioRepublic Skincare Cucumber Breeze Soothing Fiber Mask . I wish I’d get more than a single use out of the sample, but I haven’t really gotten into sheet masks yet so I’m interested in trying it out.

Next up, my sample choice pick, Benefit’s new Roller Lash mascara. This has gotten so much hype lately I was excited for the chance to try it. We’ll see how it compares to the Clinique Chubby Lash I’ve been loving so much lately.

Finally, a little k-beauty treat, the Too Cool For School DINOPLATZ HIGHLIGHTER. This has actually been on my wishlist lately. You know how I feel about highlighters, especially liquid illuminators, and the packaging here is so cute! However, I do think the shade name is a little insensitive. “Pearl Bay Invasion” is definitely reminiscent of Pearl Harbor, which I don’t think is entirely appropriate (and I’m not one who’s easily upset by things like that, believe me!) but I supposed I can chalk it up to a translation error.

So aside from my leaky hair serum, I’m SO happy with this box!

Did you get the October Birchbox? What was in yours? Or did you pick one of the Estee Lauder Breast Cancer Awareness boxes? Let me know!

September Birchbox 2015

September 11, 2015 by Alina Avery Leave a Comment

I used to work at Birchbox. Which was really cool but also it kind of ruined the experience of getting a Birchbox. I knew way ahead of time what the product assortment was for the month and even what was going to be in my box. The delight was still there, but the surprise was lacking.

Since I left back in May it’s been a lot more exciting to get a monthly box. If you don’t know, Birchbox is a beauty ecommerce website that also has a subscription sample service where you can get 5 deluxe samples sent to you in a pretty box every month. You can review those samples for points and redeem those points towards full size products. I recently did a fairly large order with my points, so a Birchbox haul coming soon!

Want to see what was in this month’s box?

The box theme is “Better Together” and celebrates Birchbox’s 5 year anniversary and of course the subscribers that made that possible. This isn’t my favorite of the themed boxes from this year, but I do love that all of the boxes have been designed instead of the old kraft brown (are those collectors editions now?)

On to the samples!

POP Beauty POP Portfolio Eyeshadow – Sugar Plum. Full size $26.

I’m happy about this. The shades aren’t too outrageous and I’ve actually gotten a POP eyeshadow trio in my Birchbox before but it was shattered when it arrived, so I’m looking forward to actually getting to try out the formulas. The full size has 36 shades, so it’s a great value.

amika Bombsell Blowout Spray. Full size $24.

I’m all about the round brush blowout right now. I’m finally getting into teaching myself how to do it and the results aren’t half bad! Looking forward to trying out this spray. I’ve received the amika Dry Shampoo in a previous box and love the way it smells and it works amazingly well, so high hopes for this!

dr. brandt pores no more cleaner. Full size $35.

Meh. I’ve tried this cleanser before, but not through Birchbox. I find it a bit too harsh for my skin. It’s a good size and value though so I can’t say I’m unhappy.

100% Pure Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream. Full size $25.

Caffeine is supposed to have some benefits for your skin. I’m not sure how effective it is when applied topically, though. I’m interested in this being natural and the sample is a good size too.

Harvey Prince Eau So Divine. Full size $26-55.

As far as fragrance samples go, this one is a larger size and has a spray nozzle so that’s a plus. The scent is very feminine and a bit summery, so not sure how much I’ll wear it now that the weather is cooling down. I don’t think I’d shell out for the full size but the sample is nice!

What do you think of my box?