Monday, August 5, 2013

My First Birchbox Order


I have been subscribed to Birchbox for over a year now, but as of this post had not ordered any full-sized items from their online shop. Instead, I had been hoarding my points in order to make a big purchase to mark my one year. By the end, I had accumulated 600 points, equivalent to $60 to spend. I coupled those points with a 15% off discount code. Additionally, I added a few promos to my cart. I ended up with a cart total of over $100 and reduced that down to $1.04.

What I Ordered

I have been paying more attention to the world of skincare and have been wanting to branch out from my usual products. After sampling (and running out of) the Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser, I knew I had to purchase it. It was so amazing that I thought I might as well try out some other products from the range. Exclusive to Birchbox is the Suki Balancing Regimen Kit, which sounded perfect for my acne-prone skin. I am currently using this and intend to post a full review after giving the routine a proper run-through. The kit comes with samples of the Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser, Balancing Day Lotion, Pure Facial Moisture, Transformative Cleansing Clay, and Concentrated Balancing Toner. The packaging is adorable everything is in a tiny glass vile that fits perfectly inside the included white branded canvas bag with sunny yellow interior. One caveat, the samples are very small. It's quite an expensive little kit but trying these products before making a full-size commitment is a necessity when considering purchasing expensive skincare items.

The little hot pink sponge, a.k.a. the BeautyBlender, has been raved about all over the internet. What could possibly be so amazing about this little, crazy expensive sponge? Now, I have thought about purchasing the greatly more affordable "dupes", but every review I have seen says they don't even compare. So, I added the two-pack to my Birchbox cart. I have only used it a couple of times so far, but I got to say I am already on the BeautyBlender bandwagon. My suggestion: use those BB points or split a two-pack with a friend!

One of the biggest motivators for my purchase was the current "free with purchase" offer. Currently living in the beautiful city of New York, I instantly fell in love with the Tibi Empire Pouch. The graphic is awesome, a monochromatic NYC city shot with some superimposed neon accented buildings. The size is also great. I have a million make-up bags but nothing this size. It works perfectly as a clutch, and I can also see myself using it as a divider in a larger work bag. The pouch is currently still available on the Birchbox website!

Finally, I added a Sample Two Pack to my order, another "free with purchase" perk. I have been wanting to try theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer, my fingers were crossed when they were sampling it one month. Though I wasn't lucky then, I finally have it now. I love theBalm's little sample books, having received the Hot Mama blush in a previous Birchbox. This highlighter gives you an over-the-top glow. It's crazy, but in a good way. Perfect for a night out. As for daytime, I might just stick to using it as an inner corner eye highlight. The I Coloniali Tibetian Shower Cream came with Mary-Lou. I love the packaging, a sleek aluminum bottle. The smell is cologne-like.

I am quite proud of my Birchbox haul. I feel like my subscription has really paid off. I love being able to try new products each month and have found some HG products that I can't believe I ever lived without. The point system is great, and they always have some bonus offers available. My biggest tip is to save your points &  combine those promos! To join Birchbox and start saving, you can use my referral link here.


Do you order full-size products from the Birchbox shop? 
Do you tend to save your points or spend them right away?

2 comments:

  1. I have been wanting to try birchbox for a while now! Thanks for sharing. :)

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    1. I highly recommend it! Thanks for commenting!

      P.S. Following your blog via Bloglovin':]

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