Birchbox - April 2013

WOMEN'S HEALTH + BIRCHBOX

Definitely a very interesting box this month! Birchbox joined with Women's Health magazine to provide a box with tons of anti-aging, protecting, nourishing and moisturizing products. This seems like the perfect timing for these products since we're changing seasons, and your skin can really take a beating. It's important to remember that when the seasons change, so must your beauty routine! Even if it just means tiny tweaks, such as adding more SPF products, lightening your lotions, using more mattifying or shine-free products for those warmer days, etc. 

Here is what was featured in their April 2013 Sneak Peek video (with Women's Health Beauty Director, Molly Nover-Baker!)

Caudalie - Divine Oil
Nexxus - Youth Renewal Rejuvenating Elixir
StriVectin-SD - Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles
Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics - Anti-Shine Mattifier
Ojon - Rare Blend Deep Conditioner

Here is what I received! - 

There was a ton of packaging! By the time I opened everything this is what was left! -

I received lotions, the mattifying cream, the hair elixir, the eye cream and a body wash gel. This was ahem....an interesting review to do...to say the least. Prepare yourself ladies...I shall do my best!


ITEM 1 - WELEDA BODY LOTION in Pomegranate, Wild Rose & Sea Buckthorn

 I really really REALLY wanted to love these. I mean, look at the packaging, it's adorable...those pretty bright colors. Ugh, I'm such a sucker for pretty packaging! As I've mentioned before, I'm just very particular about my scents. Aromas are such a personal thing to me, as I'm sure they are to everyone else as well. Out of all of them, Pomegranate was the most tolerable to me. I assumed it would be a tart, fruity smell, but nope, it's quite strong and almost florally! I can BARELY smell the pomegranate. The Wild Rose is VERY strong and is a very deep, heavy musky scent. Much too overpowering in my opinion. Now the Sea Buckthorn...well, there are just no words lol! First of all...what IS that name? I looked it up and apparently it's a shrub. This is going to sound so prissy, but um...I really don't want to smell like a shrub! The aroma is the lightest of the three, but it's still on the deeper side. I also detect a very small smidge of a fruity scent in it, but it's being overwhelmed by something more woody. As far as the moisturizing properties, they do moisturize quite well. You don't need to use much, but a decent amount is best and they certainly leave your skin smooth and soft. The only strange thing is that, when I transferred them to my little empty jars, the Sea Buckthorn's consistency was completely different! It was much more watery! 

Here's a pic of the three side by side in the jars:

 The Pomegranate is on the right, Wild Rose in the center and Sea Buckthorn on the left. Notice how Pomegranate and Wild Rose are still creamy looking and Sea Buckthorn is flat. I poured the Buckthorn last too...it settled so fast since it was so watery. It still went on well, though, regardless of it's consistency. To see my review about the empty jars (they are so awesome!) click HERE!



ITEM 2 - YOUNGBLOOD MINERAL COSMETICS - ANTI-SHINE MATTIFIER

This was an intriguing product to play with! However, I don't think it worked that well for me ::sadness:: BUT that may be because of my makeup routine, I'm not sure. My makeup routine starts with washing my face...I use my Clarisonic with a salicylic acid face wash (in daytime). Then I use Fresh's Umbrian Clay Serum, followed with Olay's daytime lotion. I start my makeup with a face primer, then BB Cream, conceal as needed, brightener and set everything with translucent mineral powder. It was recommended to use the Youngblood Mattifier before your foundation, so since I don't use foundation I just used it before I put on my BB Cream. I kept checking my makeup every hour or so during work and I didn't notice any mattifying difference compared to my norm. In fact, my face looked a tad shiny! I applied it to my nose, center of my chin and apples of my cheeks (that's where I get shiny the most). This particular product might work better with foundation instead of BB Cream, or perhaps I did not apply enough. I just rubbed the pad of my finger in the center, then probably brushed about two strokes on each section of my face. It applied well, and it's a fairly generous sample, it seems that it'll last quite a while, but I'm not sure how often I'll be using it. I might try to procure a foundation (I don't have any! I'm strictly a BB gal now!) to retry this product, but honestly, to have to change my routine to use a new product is not that enticing. If anyone receives this same product and DOES use a foundation, please let me know how it works for you! For now, I've popped this little pan into my GlamRX Palette that I received in my Ipsy March 2013 bag! It's my sample pan palette for all my little samples I receive in my subs! For my review on the GlamRX palatte in the Ipsy March 2013 bag, click HERE!



ITEM 3 - NEXXUS YOUTH RENEWAL REJUVENATING ELIXIR

I fairly pleased with this product. As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, I would do my best to review these products, but alas, majority of these seem to be better reviewed after some time has elapsed with continuous use! What's very interesting about this Nexxus though, is I actually DID notice a small difference with only one use! I put about 4 drops in my hand and ran it through my hair, let it air dry a bit while I did my makeup, then I styled my hair as normal. My hair seemed a tad softer and it brushed out much more easily...note...that was the only thing I did different in my entire styling process. It really did not have a scent (which incidentally, I was rather grateful for after my Waleda lotion episode...my allergies were all sorts of angered after that!) and although this sample won't last too too long, I probably will be purchasing this afterwards!



ITEM 4 - STRIVECTIN-SD EYE CONCENTRATE FOR WRINKLES

Can I cry a little for getting this? ::wimper:: I don't think I'm quite ready for a wrinkle cream! I'm 27 years old! Don't get me wrong, I am BIG on taking care of your eye area. I actually began anti-aging prepping at 21. I researched good lotions to begin using and ways to keep your eyes from getting puffy as well as taking care of dark circles (which apparently I have a issue with, since my skin is fair and thin under my eyes, bummer, boo). I've spoken to a few doctors and they do recommend keeping your under-eye area well moisturized to keep the skin supple, soft and retain elasticity. Then in your 30's, continue with eye creams, and possible find some with vitamic C and/or caffiene. In your 40's it's a good idea to look for anti-aging creams like contain peptides (promotes collagen) and/or antioxidants (prevents collagen damage). 50+ ladies should consider not just anti-aging, but brightening, wrinkle-treatment and firming/smoothing eye creams. This particular product seems best for maybe mid 30's and up. I did try it though, and it goes on very smooth and you only need a teensy tiny amount! This is a generous sized sample! 



ITEM 5 - SKIN&CO ROMA CLEANSING BODY GEL with OLIVE & SICILIAN ORANGE EXTRACTS

This product has been given out in Birchbox before and almost every comment I've heard regarding it all seem to say basically the same thing (save a very few)...it smells like a man's body gel! It doesn't smell bad, by all means, but I don't really want to smell like a man! It's a tad musky, but somewhat sweet (must be the orange). It lathers really well and the scent lasts a good while. The sample size is nice, and it spreads well over your skin. OH MY, I just asked my hubby to go smell it, so I could get a man's opinion...he said: "It smells like my grandma's old purfume". Oh well...so it's really not suitable for either of us! I'm a strictly sweet bakery (brown sugar, chocolate, etc.) or fruity scented body washer. I'll probably take this to my work and ask around to see who might want it. Given that it's a stronger scented wash with a very individualized aroma, I wouldn't want to gift this randomly. 


WORTH AND PURCHASE

Going off the card that Birchbox included as well as checking out the company's websites, here's what I came up with:

Waleda Body Lotion: $16.50 for a full-size (6.8 fl oz) and the packets I received were each 0.13 fl oz, so roughly $0.95 for all three. 

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Anti-Shine Mattifier: $36 for full-size (0.25 oz), sample is 0.05 oz, so about $7.20. 

Nexxus Hair Elixir: $20.99 for full-size (0.94 fl oz)...however, I'm not sure where they got this price??? I just looked on Ulta's website as well as CVS and I'm finding $17.99. Furthermore, I looked Birchbox's website and this product wasn't listed for purchase...so hmm...no clue. Anyhow, given that, I'm going to go off of the $17.99 pricing. The sample size I received is 0.14 fl oz, so then it's $2.68. 


StriVectin-SD Wrinkle Eye Cream: $65 for full-size (1 oz), and the sample size is 0.25 fl oz, so about $16.25.

Skin&Co Body Gel: Full-size is $17.50 (8.45 fl oz), sample is 2 fl oz, so $4.14.

Total Worth of Box: $31.22

They also included a nice little bonus for Birchbox subscribers! A one year subscription to Women's Health magazine! You just have to fill this card in and send it in!

I may not have been absolutely wowed with this box, but once again, wonderful worth Birchbox! Especially the StriVectin, that's a very generous sample...enough to where I will definitely continue using it to see if it actually makes any difference for my black circles!


FINALE

I've had better, but what's funny is the main problem with this box is aroma. If the body gel and lotions had been scents that I liked, I would be very pleased with this box! I'm definitely going to keep using the Nexxus (my fav) and the eye cream. I'd be very interested to see how everyone uses the Youngblood and well it works! Please let me know!

Happy Makeuping Darlings!

Love, Cookie