Birchbox March 2012

Can I just say... Best. Birchbox. Ever. While I think I would have been happy with the regular Birchbox, there are no words to describe how happy I am about selecting the Teen Vogue box. Without any having tried any of the products, I love this box.

The overall theme for this box is about getting ready for spring formals and special events. It's full of most products that are good to take with you when going to a party. Especially items that can refresh your look if it starts to fall to the wayside.

Birchbox March 2012

And here is the box in it's entirety. Again, so very happy with all the items in this box.

Annick Goutal Petite Chérie
A blend of fresh fruity notes and musk, this French fragrance
is the definition of understate chic

I don't really know what I think about this about this fragrance yet. It is definitely different from many of the other sample scents I have gotten.

The description of this fragrance seems very accurate. It is strange to have a fruity but musky scent but Annick Goutal seems to have done it. And I'm one of those people who can't really smell the different notes in perfume. But I can smell it all: "... floral, melange of peach, vanilla, fresh grass, and musky rose."

It can come off as a bit strong and kind of makes me think of the Harvey Prince Yogini in the muskiness.

essie luxeffects in Set In Stones
Layering this glittery top coat onto any polish
for an eye-catching look

I don't know if I've mentioned it hear before... But I'm not really into the chunky glitter. This is a mix of some smaller and larger silver chunks. Essie labels it a multi-dimensional topcoat and informally, "disco mirror ball chaos." Definitely agree with that last part.

However, I am totally willing to try this out. I do have chunky silver glitter from Julep but applying it would be much more of a pain due to the glitter being loose. At least with this polish, I just kind of quick apply it. Since it is definitely a heavy glitter/borderline sequins, I could use it as an accent polish. And even though they call it a top coat, I would still recommend using a plain top coat over it.

Shiseido Pureness Oil-Control Blotting Papers
These mattifying tissues are coated with transparent rice powder
to leave your skin perfectly shine-free

This was probably the probably the one product I was least excited about. I have tried blotting sheets in the past and haven't been to happy with the results. However, these are definitely different from it's cheaper counterparts. These are kind of like tissue paper, whereas others I have tried are like a plastic-like sheet.

And after trying a sheet out, I am semi-impressed. It did seem to get some excess oil off my face and my face looked a little less oily. However, I would not say my voice is completely shine-free. It's definitely something I'll throw in my bag for those long days at work. Will I buy it in the future? Probably not.

tarte Lipsurgence lip tint in Joy
This long-lasting stain adds rich pigment and is designed to
boost the moisture levels in your lips

This is my first try with any Tarte products and needless to say, I'm pretty happy with this. I know I usually complain about lip products that Birchbox has sent me. However, this is a definite change from the Jouer lip products. It is kind of like a tinted lip balm. And the one I got is called Joy which comes in a peach container, but the color on the lips is very subtle if you keep to one coat. You can keep layering on the stuff but the color will keep getting darker...

It feels nice and has a minty smell. Some good stuff in this lip tint: jojoba seed oil, peppermint oil, vitamin C, and vitamin E. And it is without parabens [which I feel I need to make a post on this], mineral oil, petrolatum, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, and synthetic fragrances.

However, there is something about this product that confuses me... The sample I got is 0.10 ounces... A full size is labeled as 0.08 ounces... Wha? So I got a bigger-than-the-full size product? And the full-size product retails for $24. Or did Tarte recently reduce the size of their lip tints?

twistband hair tie
Give your ponytail a makeover with these colorful, snag-free elastics

I actually already own 6 of this but either way, I was happy to finally get one in my Birchbox. I asked for them for Christmas because they claim to not leave the dents you can get with regular hair ties. And I can say that they do indeed work.

Because they are on the pricey side, I have been super careful about keeping track of the ones I have. However, these are not completely fool-proof. I find that I need to rotate through the twistbands, lest they stretch out like crazy. But I love that I got a green one! Perfect for St. Patrick's Day! <3

ModCloth and Teen Vogue Promos

Disappointingly, I will probably not be using the ModCloth promo. While I do love ModCloth dresses [super cute and chic], they are on the pricer side for not being able to try them on. And while their accessories are awesome as well, I can't imagine spending total $65 on them. What is great about this particular part of the box is that I can share the code with you! Again, it is for $10 off of a $75 purchase. It is good from now until April 15th

CODE: modprom

Along with the ModCloth promo, there was a promo for Teen Vogue. You can get 20 issues [2 years] for just $10. That's 50 cents per issues, which is pretty good considering the retail price is $2.99. So if you're interested in this, just click here or google teen vogue for more information [it is not a birchbox exclusive].

---

If you want to join Birchbox, feel free to click my referral link here or go to the site and check out some more information.

---

Currently on my nails:
Julep nail therapy [1 coat]
Julep Diane [2 coats]
Funky Fingers Erin [1 coat]
Essie 3-in-1 [1 coat]