Birchbox September 2014 Review

Birchbox September 2014

Birchbox is celebrating the arrival of fall and their 4 year anniversary this month by sending out adorable boxes with geometric patterns printed on them. It’s a good thing too, because I needed another reason to start hoarding Birchbox boxes in my closet again. Each month, Birchbox subscribers receive a variety of beauty samples to try for only $10.

Birchbox September 2014

I’m always a little baffled by the card that introduces the box each month. The contents never seem to really match the theme. Turning a page? Fall colors? What?

Davines OI / Shampoo 0.40 oz, $1.10 value

I’ll start by saying I received three Davines OI products this month. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ll know I’m not a hair product junkie. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed to find that nearly half of my box contained hair products. All three of these products have an identical floral scent. It’s easily the most overwhelming scent I’ve ever experienced from a hair product. It is so overwhelming, in fact, that I had a headache all day long after using them and into the next morning until I was able to wash my hair again. It’s a shame, really, because my hair felt weightless and soft and had a gorgeous shine from them.

Davines OI / Conditioner 2.53 oz, $9.58 value

I find it very odd that the conditioner in my box was more than 6 times the quantity of the shampoo. Don’t most people go through the shampoo faster?

Davines OI / Oil Absolute Beautifying Potion 0.10 oz, $1.03 value

Hair oil has always been a scary thing for me. Putting oil in fine hair that is already prone to oiliness seems counterproductive. I tried it anyway. Before bed, of course. It didn’t have the negative effects I was expecting and actually made my hair really soft and shiny. I’m tempted to explore the hair oil thing some more, just not with this one. I hate headaches and tend to avoid giving them to myself on purpose.

Pixi by Petra Shea Butter Lip Balm in Honey Nectar, Full size 0.14 oz, $8.00 value

I recently purged my lip basket of old balms, glosses, and lipsticks and was only left with a few that are still useable, so I was happy to see this one in my box. I’ve been eyeing this lip balm for a long time, but never bothered to actually purchase it because I’m kind of over lip balms for now unless I’m just sitting around the house with nowhere to go.

Pixi by Petra Shea Butter Lip Balm Swatch in Honey Nectar

Pixi by Petra Shea Butter Lip Balm in Honey Nectar is very peach with a touch of pink. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don’t. It’s just one of those colors that I’m on the fence about depending on the other colors I’m wearing on my face that day. It’s not really a universal color. There’s nothing especially spectacular about its performance that warrants an $8.00 price tag. It moisturizes, the color occasionally highlights dryness, and it lasts as long as your typical lip balm.

Here’s how it looks:

Pixi by Petra Shea Butter Lip Balm in Honey Nectar on Face

Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream 0.10 oz, $1.28 value

This teeny, tiny tube of Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream is about half the size of my pinky. Honestly, the packaging makes it look like something a grandpa would use, and it even smells like Vick’s Vapor Rub when you first put it on. However, it is insanely moisturizing with not even the slightest bit of greasiness and makes my skin feel amazing. Fortunately, the Vick’s smell completely disappears after about 5 minutes, so you’re allowed to leave the house after putting it on. I just wouldn’t recommend putting it on in public unless you want to smell like a cough drop for a little while.

Tommy Girl Spray Cologne 0.05 oz, $0.84 value

My reaction when I saw this in my box-“THEY STILL MAKE THIS?” Yeah, they do, apparently. Tommy Girl has been on the market since 1996, when I was in seventh grade. Back then, I was dousing myself in Bath and Body Works body sprays, but Tommy Girl brings back some very vivid junior high memories. How embarrassing. The scent is fresh and pretty generic to me. I prefer more complex, unique scents (and to not smell like a 13 year old), so this is definitely not for me.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser 1 oz + 1 muslin cloth, $9.00 value

The Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser is probably my favorite thing out of the whole box. It’s a cream cleanser that comes with an exfoliating muslin cloth.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser 1 oz + 1 muslin cloth, $9.00 value

While my Clarisonic Mia does a pretty good job of keeping my skin pretty smooth, this set has been great for washing my face a few times a week to really polish my skin. The muslin cloth feels a bit stiff and scratchy, but once wet it really buffs out some of those tiny dry areas that my Clarisonic misses without irritating the skin at all. I’m not really convinced the cleanser is that much better than the one I already use, so I’ll probably just continue using the cloth occasionally whenever I run out of the cleanser.

Total box value is $30.83. I really don’t have much to say about my box this month. I feel it was a mish-mash of things I either don’t like or don’t really feel that strongly about. Strike two for September boxes. Wantable, you’re up next.