October Birchbox Unboxing - #BBuzz

Birchbox is one of the first beauty subscription services to have hit the market. I have been a loyal customer since March 2013. All of their products are always sent in a cute cardboard box which can be used to store your makeup products in your drawers.

The subscription: Birchbox

The cost: $10 US/month

Total product value: $29.56

Why is it unique? With Birchbox you can get "beauty extras" which are bonus products that can be provided to you (this happens once every few months) which do not count as part of your 10 products. You can also gain 10 points per review of each item on their website and 100 points (you can earn this every 2 months at the latest) gives you $10 to spend in their store.

Where can I subscribe? Click here

This month, Birchbox sent out a Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser and Liz Early Pure Muslin Cloth (these count as 2 separate items). I wish this combo counted as one item seeing as you can't really use the cleanser properly without the cloth. The cleanser deluxe sample was 1 fl oz and the full size which is 3.3 fl oz retails for $21.50 which brings this sample price to $6.51. 2 muslin cloths retail for $6, so the value of the cloth is $3.

I also received the Pop Beauty Aqua Lacquer Lip Gloss in Flowering Fuchsia which is a full sized item that retails for $14 (this item alone is worth more than the box subscription costs).

I also received a foil packet of Miss Jessie's Creme de la Creme Conditioner. The 1 oz foil packet is worth $1.33 since the full sized version of this product (12oz) retails for $16. I wasn't too thrilled with this product because I know conditioners require a few applications to actually work their magic and I can't imagine getting more than 1 use out of this foil packet, especially since I have long hair.

The last sample in the box was the Folle de Joie eau de parfum in 0.06 oz. The full size of this product (3.4 fl oz) retails for $98 which brings the value of the sample to $1.73. I like that the perfume had a spray pump, but it wasn't a scent that I would consider purchasing just because it's extremely expensive. It has tones of citrus and woodsy florals, it's definitely a more summer scent.

And last, but certainly not least, we received a beauty extra which is a Birchbox find that doesn't replace one of the 5 items in the box but is an added bonus they wanted us to try. I'm really excited about this one because you can never have enough lip balms. The vanilla creme scent of this ChapStick Lip Care Moisturizer, Hydration Lock, Vanilla Creme 0.15 oz (4 g) is very pleasant, not overpowering, and it really moisturizes your lips. This is a $2.99 value full sized product.

I'm very happy with this month's Birchbox. It's definitely building up to be a lot better than Birchbox used to be, they are sending far less foil packets (1 out of 6 ain't bad) but they still have a way's to go to match Ipsy and Glossybox in terms of product appeal. The lip gloss and chapstick were my favorite samples, I was really let down by the conditioner sample and I really wish they would stop sending me dinky perfume samples that are only good for 1 use.  

Newest Obsession: EOS lip balm!

My newest choice of lip balm to apply to my lips after applying makeup in the morning, before going to bed and numerous times in between is the EOS lip balm. This delightful little ball-packaging resembles a cute little Easter egg and this gave me the idea that they would probably make amazing little gifts or party favors for your upcoming Easter shindigs. The design is literally so out-of-the-box and the rubbery container has such a pleasant feel in your hands, with enough grit that it will not just slip out of your hands. The bottoms have a sturdy base so that they don't roll off your table. EOS stands for "Evolution of Smooth" and you can find their product-line here. I'm not sure if these are sold in Canada, but in the US, I have found them all over the place, Wal-Mart, Rite Aid, QFC and ULTA to name a few. They can cost anywhere from $2.99 to $3.79 US each. They last you a long time and there's a lot of product inside of them so it's not a waste of money. I do agree that they are more expensive than your regular Chapstick lip-balm but the flavors are fantastic and they claim to be all-natural.

The manufacturer's page claims that they contain long-lasting moisture due to their contents being full of shea butter, jojoba oil and vitamin E. They do go on clear and colorless, so if you're expecting a pigment from your lip balm, this will not provide one. The products are gluten-free, without parabens, petrolatum and phthalates.

They come in the following flavors:

•  Summer Fruit
•  Lemon Drop SPF 15
•  Strawberry Sorbet
•  Honeysuckle Honeydew
•  Medicated Tangerine
•  Sweet Mint

My favorites are Strawberry Sorbet and Honeysuckle Honeydew, and I am not a huge fan of Medicated Tangerine or Lemon Drop but they are the ones that are probably most useful because the tangerine one is a super-moisturizer and lemon drop protects your lips from the harmful rays of the sun by being SPF 15. Really whichever ones you choose depends on what's available at the store and what your favorite flavor-profiles are. I usually like very sweet lip balms but some people really dislike very flavored makeup. I know that over the summer they had a pack that contained a purple balm which was in "Strawberry Sorbet" but I haven't seen that one in stores, it sounds delicious though.

When you're not looking to splurge on anything but you want to get something for yourself or your friends, these are a great purchase because they are useful and don't make a huge dent in your pocket. Many articles I've read have chosen these as the lip-product to purchase, especially during this recession.

You can purchase them here: