MAY 2011 BIRCHBOX

I've been hearing about Birchboxes for a while now from different bloggers and YouTube gurus but I really wasn't sure if I wanted to commit to a subscription type of thing. THEN last month, Birchbox offered ecofriendly products.  And the thing that finally suckered me in was the Zoya nail polish that everyone received. That was the nail that sealed the coffin. Upon further reading, I realized that Birchbox while they can charge you every month (you can also pay for months in advance), you can also stop your subscription at any time. I really didn't have anything to lose long term. I took the plunge.

I received my very first Birchbox on Saturday. I was so excited to open my mailbox only to see that logo staring out at me!

I love the box that everything comes in. Its very sturdy and not a cheapy box. I might keep it and reuse it to store stuff.

A lovely letter welcoming me to Birchbox.  On the back of this card there's the list and descriptions of all five items that are in my box. I didn't photograph that side. Click on the picture if you want to read what the front says.

EEK! Look at how pretty everything is packaged. You can tell these are hand packaged with care. Such attention to detail. That's what I feel makes Birchbox so different.

These are the lovely products that came in my Birchbox (in no particular order):
1. Bulgari Mon Jasmin Noir sample
2. Ahava Mineral Hand Cream
3. Tiny Prints Card
4. Archipelago Pomegranate Soap
5. Stila eyeshadow - in Azure

1. Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir - This came in those little sample spritzers. I had my doubts about this when I first saw the packaging. It looked like something my mom would like. But once I tried it on....ooooooh. It makes me feel very sophisticated yet sexy at the same time. My boyfriend looooved the way it smelled on me. It's definitely a light floral, with a light touch of musk (I hate the word musk)..at least that's what I'm getting from it. But being that my boyfriend liked it, I will definitely think about investing in this one.

2. Ahava Mineral Hand Cream - I had already heard about Ahava from my days working at a Bath & Body Works flagship back in the day. This is a really great line if you have dry skin. I might do a more in depth review about the line at a later time. But the hand cream is really great. It has a light scent of gardenias. It's not a super floral scent. It's more of a clean floral scent. It doesn't leave a greasy film on your hands either. I did get the travel size of the hand cream so it now has a permanent home in my purse.

3. Tiny Prints Card - This was a cute small blank card. I'm thinking of using this for my friends upcoming baby shower. AND The company Tiny Prints included one additional free greeting card plus an additional %50 off greeting card purchases. You can even personalize some of their cards. I had never heard of this company but their cards are so cute, I might have to start using them more often.

4. Archipelago Pomegranate Soap - When I first opened my box, it had a lovely subtle scent that I couldn't put my finger on. At first I thought they might have scented the packaging. But no, it was this beautiful soap.  To be honest, I haven't used it. It's so pretty I don't want to ruin it. The back of the box says its a natural antioxidant to refresh, soothe and protect. So  I will use it, just not today.  Look at how pretty it is:

5. Stila Eyeshadow - Azure. Now here is (in my opinion) the star of the show. I have sampled Stila eye shadows at Sephora but never purchased them since they came with an $18 price tag. Birchbox sent me a full size single eyeshadow and I couldn't be happier. The eyeshadow is soft with very pigmented with minimal fall out and it feels like velvet when you apply. You can also use this shadow wet which is fantastical. Its like getting two different eye shadows plus a liner in one. LOVES it!

Birchbox sells the products on their website at retail price BUT they have a fantabulous Rewards Points system. Every time you rake up 100 points, you get $10 off your next purchase. And you can get points from different ways. Even just paying your monthly subscription gives you 10 points.

I am really pleased with this months Birchbox. The Stila eyeshadow alone is worth more than what I payed for the entire box and that in itself is fantastic. I think I'll stick it out for the year and see how it goes.

Disclaimer: Products from this review were purchased with my own money. No monetary value was received. All opinions and thoughts are solely my own.