July Birchbox 2012

Hey everyone! I wanted my first review to involve the fabulous beauty sampling company Birchbox. I am a current subscriber and just received the new July Birchbox in the mail today ( just $10/month to receive deluxe beauty products from the latest and greatest brands and trends). I am not going to lie... I was thrilled to see that they had collaborated with Glamour Magazine to put together this sweet little treat! I will include reviews of the various products as soon as I give them a whirl =) Cheers!

July Glamour Birchbox Contents:

Larabar Cherry Cobbler Bar

Birchbox Exclusive Ear Buds

Oscar de la Renta- live in love Sample fragrance

Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeline in Purple

boscia- Green Tea Blotting Linens

Update:

So I tried out the Eyeko London Skinny Liquid Liner in Purple and I was a bit taken back by the difference in color in comparison to what the color is at the end of the liner. It is a much deeper purple.. almost more of a Blackberry than a light or vibrant purple. Despite this, it applied beautifully, dried quickly, and was very easy to work with. I was able to do a thin line easily, but followed up with a thicker and more retro-y line in the end. I would say that if you are on the fence with liquid liners because you might be intimidated, this would be a great one to start off with. It's nearly foolproof with the pen-style applicator.

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner Full Size $15

Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint SPF 20- SAMPLE SIZE .07 FL OZ. IN GOLDEN

Jouer really has a knockout with this product. It is the perfect tinted moisturizer to give you a natural and dewy finish while providing your skin with sun protection via the SPF 20 in addition to reducing any potential breakouts with its oil free formula. If you currently use a moisturizer ( as everyone really should), I would recommend mixing this in, or applying it immediately after you moisturize.It also contains light diffusing minerals and antioxidants including ginseng and ginko biloba leaf. I used about the size of a pea, and it gave my skin a flawless coverage, with a nice glow, without looking shiny.An added benefit, is that it appears to be easily buildable for needed coverage. Sometimes it is really difficult to achieve that dewy look without your skin appearing greasy at times. I tend to have a really difficult time with this, because my skin is oily. However, this tinted moisturizer lasted all day and kept my skin looking brilliant without unwanted shine. I highly recommend.

 Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint Full Size $38 1.7 oz.

Larabar Cherry Cobbler Bar .82 oz

In order to ensure that this review would be fair, I decided to have a friend consume this bar as I am not particularly fond of cherries. Larabar claims that their bars are healthy and filling and a smart choice for healthy snacks. I would say that based on their ingredient list that I would have to agree that they appear to be a healthier choice.

Ingredients:

Almonds, Cashews, Dried Cherries, Brown Rice Syrup, Pecans, Raisins,Cashews, Dates, Honey & Sea Salt.

I also figure, the smaller the amount of ingredients in food... typically the better. Plus, they consist of nature's candy instead of all of those processed sugars.

My friend who tried the bar claims that they were tasty and filled her up for a few hours in between meals. I am curious to try some of their other flavors, and may use it before or after workout sessions to keep me going. The only major turnoff is the price. They are definitely not inexpensive, but you must consider the ingredients going into your body.

                                            
                                              Larabar Variety Pack of 16 $27.95

Birchbox Exclusive Earbuds

I am definitely loving these neon earbuds! I have been using them since last night listening to music and watching podcasts. A nice added perk as a Birchbox subscriber to get the little exclusives. Obviously not the best quality, but adorable and fun. Thanks BB and Glamour... nice collaboration addition to the box.

boscia Green Tea Blotting Linens Sample Size= 25 Sheets

All right ladies, how many of you suffer from that midday shine? Gotta love those oil genes ;) Well, the July Birchbox contained these lovely blotting linens to help control that shine to leave a matte finish in all places just a bit too greasy for our liking. I first tried these yesterday, and was excited because they did take away the shine on my forehead and nose, but they also had a great green tea aroma and I didn't need to use another blotting linen later on, which is rare. I like that the product is all natural in its ingredients which contains just 100% Natural Abaca Leaf Fiber and Peppermint Extract. That's it ladies, the whole list of ingredients, and they work. The price isn't bad either. 100 Sheets for $10.00. If you only have to use one a day like I did yesterday, I would say that's a great deal. I understand that everyone's skin is different and you may need more than one, but I was definitely impressed.

Oscar de la Renta live in love Sample Size .03 fl. oz.



This is a newish fragrance from Oscar de la Renta and it is a primarily green floral with top notes including hyacinth, galbanum, bergamot, lily-of-the-valley and orchid; middle notes including jasmine, african orange flower and rose; base notes including sandalwood, virginia cedar, woodsy notes, amber and musk.

Overall, the scent is pleasant and not too overpowering, but it is just not relative to my personal preferences of fragrance. I am sure that many people would probably love this scent, but it just turned a bit musky on me and left me with an aroma that I just wasn't fond of.I think that the placement of the notes are beautiful, but I'll admit I am more of a fruity floral type of gal. This sample will be headed into the hands of someone more appreciative of it =)

Retails $25-78