January 2014 Birchbox

Happy 2014!

It’s been a couple months since I’ve done a Birchbox post, and to be honest, my December box just sat untouched on my dresser until, literally, 2 days ago. As I mentioned before, I was just too busy with holiday stuff to bother, but now that things are calming down a bit, I’m excited to share my January box with all of you.

Of course this month’s box is all about the Fresh Start, and according to the ladies over at BB, this month’s products are only the beginning.

 

The thing I’m most excited about in this box is the Nail Rock glitter manicure. I got the shade Blue Glitter, and although I’m so over getting dark colors of nail polish, this actually looks cool. Even if the polish is too dark for me, I could easily use the glitter over a blue that’s a smidge lighter. I did a quick swatch on the inside of the box, just to see what the end result was like, and it is pretty fabulous. The glitter is really fine, which means tons of sparkle.

Full size: $7.00
Sample size: $7.00

 

I also received the Fekkai Advanced Brilliant Glossing Olive Oil Cream. This isn’t a brand I’m real familiar with, and I’m not sure I’ll get a whole lot of use out of this. Actually, I’ve just recently relaxed my hair and so I won’t be trying any hair products that I’m really unfamiliar with for the next month or so, so this will probably just sit in my drawer for the next 6 months. Sorry, Fekkai.

Full size: $19.99
Sample size: $8.00

 

Another product I’m kind of excited about is the Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Day Lotion with Clary Sage. Burt’s Bees has been hit and miss with me in the past, but this stuff smells good, and my skin felt soft after I tested it out, so It could be a good one. I’m looking forward to using this. This is actually their Birchbox Find this month, so I won’t be adding it to the total cost of the box.

 

Next is Journey by Harvey Prince. I have to tell you, this is the first scent I’ve received in a loooong time that I’ve been intrigued by. I’m always going on and on about how picky I am about fragrance, so when I don’t immediately hate it, it has some potential. It’s described as a “spicy blend of Indian tuberose, Turkish cyclamen, and Spanish mandarin”, and I like that it’s not overwhelming like a lot of the perfumes they send.

Full size: $55.00
Sample size: $2.20 (Just guessing on this one, because there isn’t a volume on the sample).

 

I’m also very excited to try the 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara. Using fruit pigments to add flush or tint to the skin isn’t a new concept, but it’s a good one, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen a mascara like it. So of course, my first reaction was to smell it. The most immediate smell was blueberries, which I really liked, but then there was a bit of an after smell that was chemically, and reminiscent of hair dye. It was really weird, and I had to put it away. That said, I’m still looking forward to seeing what the results of this product are like.

Full size: $18.00
Sample size: $7.71

 

Finally, the added in 5 note cards with various motivational sayings on them. This isn’t really unusual for them, and I actually really liked the post cards they sent out a few months ago, but I can almost guarantee that these will sit around in my craft drawer and never be used for their intended purpose. They’re cute though, so they might make it into the scrapbook some day.

 

Box total: $24.91

So that’s it, folks. Not overwhelmingly good, and not terrible. Typical for Birchbox, no?

Happy January!!