Birchbox Unboxing and Review: November 2013

At Birchbox, November is the month of giving, and this year they are committed to bringing More Good into the lives of people around them. This month Birchbox is making a $25,000 donation to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, to help end childhood hunger in America. “More Good” also means more goodies for the subscribers – in November more boxes than ever included 6 samples to review! Were you among the lucky ones? Brag about it in the comments, and I’ll be happily jealous for you! 🙂

HOW IT WORKS
Birchbox is a subscription service that delivers a box of luxury samples to your doorstep every month. Each box is customized to match your beauty profile to ensure you get the samples you want. You will usually get 4-6 samples and sometimes even full-sized products! The samples vary from make-up and skincare, to food and beauty accessories, and each box is carefully hand-wrapped. At $10/month Birchbox is one of the cheapest monthly beauty subscriptions out there, the value of each box usually ranges from at least $15 and can be as high as $60. They also have a nice rewards program, where for each product survey you complete you get 10 points, every 100 points earns you $10 in Birchbox credits which you can redeem in their online store for full-sized products. 
If you would like to use my referral link then click here to join Birchbox. Thank you!

Serious Skincare Glycolic Gommage Extreme Renewal – This gommage has over 800 reviews in Birchbox shop and 4.5 stars, which is pretty darn good for a mask, considering how many people have all sorts of skin sensitivities, which lead me to believe that it’s probably going to be effective and very gentle. I was right! It provides mild tingling  and solidifies into a mask, the awesome kind where you can actually move your face and talk without making it flake off your skin. My face felt smooth and clean afterwards, and the acids considerably softened the rough patches on my chin and nose.

Eyeko Black Magic Mascara – You know what I always say about mascara samples, I have way too many opened tubes so I just store all of the new ones I get to use them later. I don’t know what exactly made me actually open this one, but I am glad I stuck with my gut and did it. Finally a mascara that actually does what it promises! The description says it’s designed to curl the lashes and provide dramatic volume, and it does exactly that! I normally use an eyelash curler, but with this mascara I didn’t even need to! I’m guessing I have both the slanted wand shape and the formula to thank for it, because while the wand is clearly designed to provide the initial curl and some good brushing to define the lashes for more added volume [kind of like teasing your hair to add volume], the fast-drying formula is there to back it up and fixate your new curl in place [think hairspray]. I am seriously very impressed with this product, and I’m a hard person to please when it comes to mascaras. I’m wearing it right now and my lashes look fluffy, long, defined, and curled without using an actual curler. If you have BB points burning a hole in your account, I seriously-cereal recommend giving it a shot!

AYRES Midnight Tango Body Butter – Inspired by three fragrances from Buenos Aires, these paraben-free body lotions are infused with essential oils and antioxidants to keep the skin soft and hydrated. I wasn’t very happy about dimethicone in the formula, but I must admit that I like the way it made my skin feel. The lotion sinks in immediately, leaving a trace of fresh fragrance and slightly powdery feel.

Color Club Cocktail Hour Collection Nail Polish in Top Shelf – I like nail polish minis, because I almost never finish full-sized bottles. I believe Ipsy is sending out similar colors of Nailtini polish this month, and I wonder if I’ll be getting a dupe. Top Shelf can be described as a semi-opaque muted shimmery copper metallic, and I’m really not a fan of the “stripy” finish it gives my nails. I know that I could have sponged it on like you sponge a gradient, but that’s just too much work for a simple one-color mani. I seriously doubt I’ll be reaching for this one often.

[Lifestyle Extra] Ahmad Tea London Assorted Teas x3 – I love tea, and I love getting it in my subscription boxes. Ahmad Tea is a brand I grew up with, so to me this was kind of a win-lose sample, because it’s not something new and exciting, but at the same time it’s a tried-and-true kind of extra. Birchbox covered all bases by sending a variety of Green, Black and Herbal teas to appease any type of tea drinker, and I pretty much drink all of them. 

Are you a Birchbox subscriber? What did you get this month?