Birchbox & Ipsy

I finally decided to break down and give Birchbox and Ipsy a try.  I've been seeing it everywhere lately was really curious.

I've been a bit of a tomboy for a good part of my life.  You may not have been able to guess that from all of the fashion posts but I didn't discover my love for fashion until way later in life.  The same goes for makeup and beauty products!  I didn't start wearing ANY makeup until after high school  I was a late bloomer I guess. lol!  I still normally only wear eyeliner and mascara on a normal basis, but I've been really wanting to try other products...and that's where these subscriptions come in to play.  I didn't know where to start, so I thought this would be a lot of fun.  And I can share with you along the way too!

I signed up with Birchbox towards the middle of last month, so I got two boxes within a week from each other (not that I'm complaining, at all!!).  I didn't think they were going to send me the March box was was very happy that they did.  I figured I would include both Birchboxes and the Ipsy boxes into one post.

IPSY:

JulieG Nail Color in "Damsel"
The polish went on really well, but the bright pink is a bit out of my comfort zone.  I put it on my toes first to get used to it.  Baby steps...

Hey Honey - Good Morning Honey Silk Facial Serum
This serum did a great job with moisturizing my face and giving it a bit of a glow, but I think it might be a little too much for when it gets hotter in the summer and my face gets oilier

Aromachology - Sophisticated & Sensual Eau de Parfum
I wasn't a big fan of this scent.  It was a bit too strong and very floral-y

Starlooks - Stain Finsh Lip Gloss in "Cuddle"
I loved this lip gloss.  It didn't leave my lips feeling extremely sticky like other lip glosses I've tried, and it's such a pretty color. (pictured below)

theBalm Cosmetics - Nude Dude Eyeshadow single in "Fit"
I really loved the color of this eyeshadow.  It looked like it was going to be a little dark but it wasn't.  It had a nice shimmer to it. (pictured below)

BIRCHBOX:

March's box:

Beauty Protector Protect & Shampoo  |  Full Size $21.95 &

Beauty Protector Protect & Condition  |  Full Size $21.95
I ended up not caring for these two products very much.  I was really excited to give them a try because they smelled SO GOOD, but they ended up making my hair look frizzy and didn't add any shine or enhance softness, bummer!

Harvey Prince "Hello" Perfume  |  Full Size $55
I really loved the smell of this perfume.  I was feeling a little sketical when I read the scent description, it says: Meyer lemon, mandarin, grapefruit, forsythia,  and plumeria.  It's a nice light and refreshing smell

Jelly Pong Pong "Glow Getter" Highlighter  |  $14
Honestly, I'm not even sure what to do with this yet.  I haven't tried it out yet.  I'm a beginner, remember?!  Any advice??

Vasanti Cosmetics BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator  |  Full Size $34

I ended up being really happy with this face scrub.  The scrubbing beads are really small and not too rough on your skin, while still giving you the deep scrub you need.

April's Box:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel  |  Full Size $22
This was another product that I was pretty clueless about.  I don't typically do anything at all with my brows, but my blogger friend Jenn filled me in on what it's for so maybe I'll give it a try.  Thanks girl!

Beauty Protector Protect & Oil  |  Full Size $25.95
This had the same scent as the shampoo & conditioner that I got from last month's box, which I was really excited about.  I ended up really loving this though!  It gave my hair a nice shine and helped calmed my frizzy hair.  Maybe I will try this with the products from last month and see if it changes my mind about them

Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion  |  Full Size $25
I'm not sure if I would call this one a lotion, it was more of a liquid.  I didn't enjoy the smell of this one at all, it was kind of musty.  It did give a nice cooling feeling but other than that I didn't notice too much change

Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream in Blueberry  |  Full Size $20
LOVED this!  The smell was so good and it left my legs feeling really soft and silky for the rest of the day.  It didn't foam at all so that took me a little while to get used to

Cargo Swimmables Water Resistant Blush in Los Cabos  |  Full Size $26
I really like the idea of a water resistant blush for the summer.  This color was a bit more orange than what I would end up wearing, but maybe after I get a bit of a tan I will like it more.  I would love to try a different color tho! (pictured below)

If you would like to try Birchbox, I would love it if you used my referral link, it's only $10 a month.  Ipsy is also $10 a month and if you think you would rather try that one, this is my referral link for that one.  Thanks so much!!