Mystery Guest Post!

WHO COULD IT BE?.....

 You might have read a few posts back that I had decided to have a Mystery Guest post on my blog this week! Have you guessed who it is? I told you, you really wouldn't be able to! I am very excited though, as I know you'll enjoy it! I thought it would be fun to try something a little unexpected, different, unusual and unconventional for a typical beauty blog. Piqued your interest yet? Dying to know who it is?....let's take a look shall we?

        

I present to you.....

MR. COOKIE

aka The Hubby

Good day ladies, or perhaps, good evening, or for those of you that just can't get enough... good morning! I know my lovely wife (the wonderful Cookie) has been revving you up for a guest post, I hope you won't be disappointed that it's not one of your net-famous bloggers or a certain CEO (though there may be something along THOSE lines in the future). The picture above is indeed me (though it's from the last time I was overseas). Here's a bit a of personal info about Cookie; she HATES beards. I figured the only chance I'd have to grow a manly beard would be in her absence. Of course I couldn't grow it out and not keep proof! Next time I post you can see my face in its everyday state. Enough with the intro, come along with me into my first (bumpy) venture into the world of masculine hygiene products! (I refuse to say that I made a post about beauty products). I doubt the advice will be good for you, but there may be something useful for your man!

The first inkling of this review manifested with the words: "Hey honey, you know how I've been reviewing all of these different beauty subscriptions? Birchbox has one for Men and I'd like to get your perspective on it!". The box has been received, the products have been tested, and I have suffered so that you may gain insight to the Birchbox for Men experience! Without further ado, the review begins!

 BIRCHBOX MAN

AUGUST 2013 - SERVE IT UP

"Gentlemen,

While we appreciate the simplicity of a perfectly ripe tomato or the ease of a grilled hot dog, we say summer is about pushing the envelope in the kitchen, behind the bar, and on the menu. What fun is hosting if you're not biting off (a bit) more than you can chew? Before you talk yourself out of it, pick a date and send out a few too many dinner party invites. You'll be amazed at how quickly your menu comes together.

Cheers, Birchbox Man" 

- from August 2013 Birchbox Man card

GO247

BODY WASH

"Enjoy an exhilarating start or finish to any day. A subtle and energizing essence of ginseng macadamia will get things going. A must for getting up close and personal. Formulated for a man's unique pH balance, paraben-free, and including Glycerin for it's excellent moisturizing properties. Gluten-free wheat Protein encourages soothing, repairing and a more healthy skin." - from go247men.com

GO247 projects the image of being a luxury, manly soap. I'll agree that it's manly and devoid of any feminine scents, but its really devoid of any pleasant scents! It pretty much smells like Dial antibacterial bar soap. Moving on from that, at first I had high hopes for the rest bathing experience with it because of how nicely it lathered on the brush, but the lather ran out about a quarter of the way through my normal wash routine! It also left an odd, almost slimy texture afterwards, similar to that of washing with a bar soap. I'd give it a C grade in that it accomplishes the role of being a soap ::chuckle:: but I cannot give it a higher grade because I would not recommend it to my friends. 

BILLY JEALOUSY

LIQUIDSAND EXFOLIATING FACIAL CLEANSER

"'To scrub or to wash?' In response to the question plaguing mankind since at least 2003, Billy Jealousy proudly unveils a demonstrable solution. Less penetrating than a scrub but more powerful than a face wash, LiquidSand Exfoliating Facial Cleanser cleans thoroughly to remove dead surface skin cells, dirt and related grime. Preps skin for a less irritating shave without overdrying." - from billyjealousy.com 

Just a disclaimer, I DON'T use face scrubs, so when I found out this was included in my box I was a bit apprehensive. Directions...message gently onto wet face and neck, rinse. GENTLY is the active word there. I squeezed a dime-sized dollop of this sandy paste onto my fingertips, worked it onto both hands, and then VIGOROUSLY scrubbed my face. I can say that this product is veeeeery effective in its purpose of exfoliation. I don't think there was a SINGLE dead skin cell left. Little did I realize how important my dead skin cells are for me when I shave! My faced stung like blazes when I shaved afterwards! It has something of an earthy, musky smell. Pretty much exactly like washing with sand from the beach. It's not a product I will be using on days that I shave.

PLANT

Æ FACE OIL

 "...(pronounced 'ay,' as in way) is a light but deeply penetrating, 100% botanical moisturizer for normal and combination skin. Sea Buckthorn oil is a traditional skin healer throughout Scandina-via, and studies suggest that Pomegranate and Macadamia oils stimulate skin cell regeneration. "Æ", the 26th letter of the Danish alphabet, is a combination letter - for combination skin." - from plantbrooklyn.com 

This product would probably be ideal for another person, but unfortunately isn't suited for me. I have fairly oily skin, but this is designed for people who have normal or combination skin. I attempted to use this anyway but it inflamed the adult acne that I currently have where it was applied. The directions say to add 4 drops, rub between your hands and massage onto the skin...I did so. It definitely left my skin softer, but also quite shiny. While it has a myriad of different oils in it, the combination resulted in a smell that reminded me very much of Arabic coffee. If you've never had Arabic coffee, it basically smells like boiled tree roots. The two culprits probably responsible for this less than enjoyable (for me) scent are the buckthorn and rosemary oils. Once again, I could not in good conscious recommend this oil to any of my friends. 

ENGLISH LAUNDRY

EAU DE TOILETTE

Arrogant

"Consider this aromatic cologne your new all-weather scent. At first spray, it's fresh and grassy, with a hint of citrus and spice, but as it ages, it mellows out thanks to warm, woodsy base notes. Pair it with your favorite lumberjack plaid and Red Wings or a pastel polo and flip flops." - from birchbox.com

The only item in the box by which I was pleasantly surprised! I had a moment of "Oh great, another disappointment" as I sprayed it on my wrist and the high note (a term that is new to me, thanks honey!) of cedar (another scent I am not fond of) invaded my nostrils. As the cologne mellowed, I was surprised to find myself enjoying the scent as it turned slightly sweet and far less overpowering. When the scent finally matured, I felt the need to change out of my jeans and t-shirt, into something along the lines of mildly rumpled chinos and an argyle sweater. Oh, and also to don a pair of black framed glasses. I submitted my wrist to the feline authoress of this blog and was rewarded with a full-on Cookie nuzzle. I would take that as a sign of approval! It's not an everyday cologne but I would recommend on wearing it for classy occasions. 

ROOSEVELT SUPPLY

CANVAS APRON

 "With an afternoon or evening of grilling on your schedule, you have two choices when it comes to what to wear: the rattiest t-shirt you own, or a nice shirt that's all but guaranteed to get dirty. Instead, simply don this ruggedly stylish canvas apron. It provides a barrier between you and all the flyaway sauces and marinades that come with being King of the Grill." - from birchbox.com 
 
This item is constructed of good, solid, lightweight canvas. It has a handy little double loop clasp found on many woven belts. This is nice cause you don't have to mess with trying to tie a knot behind your back. It could be improved a bit with adjustments added to the neck loop. I would handily recommend this to the occasional griller who is sub-5'10" (which I am not) at about half of the asking price. I'm not sure I'd pay full price for it.

WORTH AND PURCHASE:

GO247 Body Wash:

• Full-size (8 oz) bottle -  $15.95
• I received a 2 oz sample - $3.99

Billy Jealousy LiquidSand Exfoliating Facial Cleanser:

• Full-size (8 oz) bottle - $24
• I received a 1 oz sample - $3

Plant Face Oil (Æ):

• Full-size (30 ml) bottle - $40
• I received a 3 ml sample vial - $4

English Laundry Eau de Toilette Arrogant:

• Full-size (3.4 oz) bottle - $64
• I received a 0.07 oz vial - $1.32

Roosevelt Supply Canvas Apron:

• Full-size (1 apron) - $28
• I received a full-size!

Total Paid for Box:  $20*

Total Worth of Box:  $40.31


I don't know if I'd pay $28 for the apron. The cologne is the only thing that I think is worth spending the full price on in the box. Most of the other products seem to be over-valued. 

*Note: Birchbox Women is $10 per month, Birchbox Men is $20

FINALE

Having been involved in Cookie's blog for a while now, I was happily anticipating receiving my first Birchbox. I feel a bit let down as there was only one product that I found to be of any worth, use, and value - the cologne. I'm also quite confused by the quote that came with this month's box. Perhaps they want you to look and smell clean in front of a grill? Regardless of the mild disappointment, I have a new appreciation for the effort that goes into creating these reviews! Especially since writing is not one of my strong suits. I may be doing more of these in the future, but that hinges heavily upon much greater satisfaction of next month's Birchbox for Men and the feedback that we get from ya'll. For those of you that made it this far into the post, thanks for reading! I hope at a minimum I've been informative. I really hope you enjoyed it. If you'd like to see more from me in the future let Cookie know! (I'm usually reading over her shoulder while she's looking at all of your comments).

Cheerio till next time!