Birchbox #1: May 2011 + Intro

Hey everyone!


I'm excited to share with you my very first Birchbox!  I signed up around April 1st, hoping that I would get the April Birchbox but that didn't happen.  So I would assume that your first shipment will be the next month (from when you signed up). 


What is Birchbox?
I'm sure you have seen some buzz about Birchbox from the beauty community.  It is a paid subscription for a box of deluxe beauty samples.


from Birchbox.com:

Birchbox delivers the best products and the best insider secrets, without any fuss. Every month Birchbox members will receive a curated box of luxe beauty samples. Each box will span beauty categories and deliver exciting products that fit into both your day-to-day routine, and into those days when you want to turn up the drama a notch.

Each month, you'll receive a  selection of 4-5 samples that we’ve tried (and retried) ourselves.  You'll receive anything from skincare to makeup to cult beauty tools, from well-known brands as well as emerging gems. 

Membership Benefits

• Monthly Birchbox with 4-5 luxe beauty samples
• Website filled with expert tips, tricks, and tutorials
• $10 off full-size products for every 100 Birchbox points
• Points for referring friends, buying products, and more

How much does Birchbox cost?
You have 2 membership options:

• Monthly:  $10/month
• 10 bonus Birchbox points
• cancel at any time

• Yearly/Gift:  $110/year ($10 savings)
• 100 bonus Birchbox points
• transfer any time

My May 2011 Birchbox
I received 4 samples + 1 treat.

 CLICK "READ MORE" FOR PHOTOS OF EACH ITEM






#1  Stila Eyeshadow in Mimosa 

 
This was the one item I was praying for!  Lol.  I saw on youtube that not everyone got this eyeshadow.  I got the shade Mimosa, but everyone else I saw had different colors.  Overall, I am happy with this one because this is a full size shadow in palette form and I don't have a color like this in my collection.  This alone is worth $18 and a bonus is that Stila makes large eyeshadows.  It's 0.9oz whereas a MAC shadow is 0.5oz.




 
#2  Bulgarvi Mon Jasmin Noir Perfume

 
I am the most disappointed with this sample.  It is the standard sample vial of perfume.  I looked in my drawer of samples (from Sephora and Ulta) and found 2 more of these; You can probably get this for free at a counter.  This is not a deluxe sample and I really don't care for the scent.  It smells "old" to me.  For reference, my favorite scent is Light Blue by Dolce & Gabana.

 
#3  Archpelgio Pomergranate Soap

 
This soap smells good.  I haven't tried it out yet.  I rarely use bar soap and prefer liquid soap (my good 'ol target brands does the job!).  My main concern is that it will dry out my hands.  I'll update this after I test it out.  Its a good size sample though.  I would say 3-4 times larger (thickness) than the slim soap bars in most hotel rooms.


 
#4  Ahava Mineral Hand Cream

 

This is a pretty good size as well.  It has no scent and seems pretty moisturizing.  I typically don't have dry hands so I'll let the boyfriend and sister try it out.  Once they report back, I'll update this post.
 

Treat:  Tiny Prints Card + coupon code

 
This is just a small blank card.  The design on the front is okay; Nothing too special.  It's really just a marketing tool for them since it isnt beauty related.  They gave a coupon code for 50% off: Birch50.

Overall, the Stila eyeshadow made this box worth it.  Since the full size pan cost $18 and I only paid $10 for everything, this box gets a thumbs up from me.  =]

Thanks for reading!
kat