I'm super excited to bring you the scoop on the samples I received in my July Birchbox. It was a total surprise for the first time in a long while, mostly because it arrived today, the 9th, and sneak peeks can't be seen until the 10th on the app. I was thrilled to get it now, because I'm heading to go see my parents in Myrtle Beach tomorrow for a long weekend. So now I have some neat things to bring with me and play with while I'm there!
Let's start by taking a look at the gorgeous box design for July, shall we?
This month's box features a super cute and super summery bright graphic pattern on the box, and I'm in love. The other picture above shows you how my box looked upon opening it. Included along with the information card shown below (on the right) was a special offer from Benefit (shown below on the left) along with some information about their new shades of the They're Real! mascara and push-up gel eye liner.
Here's my info card that details all of my products, along with their full-size prices. I love that Birchbox makes it super easy to track down any products you love from your box to purchase in full-size form. (Ahem, ipsy might want to pay attention to this part. Just saying.)
Without any further ado, let's get to the goodies!
Product number one:
Oribe
Dry Texturizing Spray
Full size, $22-42
Sample size - 1 oz
Sample value - ~$5
Oribe is a brand I've heard a lot about, but never been able to try. Texturizing spray is described as an alternative to dry shampoo; it does a lot of the same things. It helps soak up excess oil and is supposed to add volume. Even better--it smells amazing. I'm excited to give this product a try. I had to estimate the value of the sample because I got different prices based on which full size product I compared the sample to, so I went with the lower value and rounded it up a few cents to $5.
Product number two:
stila
look at me liquid lipstick
Shade: venizia
Full size, $22
Sample size - 0.05 fl oz
Sample value - $11
Liquid lipstick is becoming the new trend for lip products--all of the major makeup brands have come out with their version of liquid lipsticks. They're usually super pigmented, dry to a matte finish, and have a decent amount of staying power. I've become a fan of matte lip products in general, as they offer an alternative to the glossy, shiny lip products that often don't have the same amount of lasting power. This shade, venizia, is a bright coral shade that I'm pretty much in love with. Below is a swatch on my hand, along with a picture of my otherwise makeup-less face with the liquid lipstick on my lips. This stuff is, as mentioned before, super pigmented. It also dried to a matte finish in seconds, and after repeated tests, it's not transferring at all. I'm certainly impressed.
Product number three:
COOLA
Classic SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face
Full size, $32
Sample size - .24 fl oz
Sample value - $4.52
COOLA is a great brand--I've previously gotten a tinted face moisturizer that I really liked from them. It was light and it basically disappeared upon application. This moisturizer is more like a typical sunscreen consistency, though it's a bit on the runny side. It has a nice, clean cucumber scent. I'll be tossing this into my suitcase for the weekend and trying it out at the pool! You can't ever have too many sunscreens, right?
Product number four:
dr. brandt
microdermabrasion skin exfoliant
Full size, $78 (!!)
Sample size - 0.25 oz
Sample value - $9.75
This is another brand that I've gotten some products from in the past that have been hit or miss, but when I saw the price tag on the full size of this product, I did a double take. Two ounces of this scrub will run you almost $80! I'm hoping with a price tag like that, it'll be a miracle product. I've gotten other microdermabrasion scrubs before in Birchbox, and I generally like them a lot. They're usually a really fine grain scrub, and they're super effective without irritating your skin. This product is only recommended for use 1-2 times per week, so it must pack a punch. I'll give a go and let you know how it works out!
Product number five:
Benefit Cosmetics
They're Real! Mascara
Shade: Beyond Black
Full size, $24
Sample size - 0.1 oz
Sample value - $8.00
Benefit is becoming a favorite brand of mine--I already own a couple of products by them that I love: their Roller Lash Mascara and their Gimme Brow. This mascara is often touted as a favorite by some of the beauty bloggers I follow, and is generally hailed as a "holy grail" of mascaras, so I'm pumped to have the chance to try it out. Below is a close up of the brush--it's a rubber wand, but I noticed that it has a cluster of bristles on the tip of the wand. My assumption is that these bristles allow access to tight spaces, like the inner corner of your eye.
As I didn't have any makeup on--aside from the liquid lipstick from earlier, I decided to test the mascara out. I first applied it only to one eye, and it was pretty noticeable. Check it out below:
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| On the left side of this picture, I've applied the mascara. |
Well, there we have it, friends! I'm pleased with this month's box. The overall value came to almost $40 ($38.27, to be "exact"). Again, the total value of the items in this box far exceeds the $10 price tag on the subscription. If you're interested in signing up for your own Birchbox subscription, you can do so by clicking on this link.
I guess that wraps up today's blog. The next time I'm here, it'll be to share my July ipsy goodies with you! I'm off to get some homework done so I can enjoy my time with the family this weekend. I might take a stroll on the beach, but no worries--between the sharks and the jellyfish, you can bet I'll be doing all of my swimming a pool. Stay safe, enjoy your summer, and as always, don't forget to be awesome.
Best wishes,
Marlee
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