bbrowbar Brow Definer in Cinnamon Spice

My November Birchbox was a bit of a snooze fest for me when I initially opened it, but I've found a sleeper item that I'm really enjoying:  bbrowbar's Brow Definer in Cinnamon Spice ($25 for full size).

When I first saw the name I thought "uh oh, too warm and dark for me", but I was wrong.  It works quite nicely on my fair skin and is the lighter of the two shades listed on Birchbox's site, with the other being Indian Chocolate.

Quick and easy to use, the super slim and extra precise nib is retractable, providing a matte finish. The slim tip covers even the tiniest of gaps in every brow. Waterproof and smudge proof with natural anti-ageing antioxidants, Vitamin E and C. (Source)

My brows are just okay.  On the plus side I don't have to do much tweezing at all.  On the negative, they are not particularly defined and have some sparse areas that definitely benefit from a brow product.  For the past month or so I've been gravitating towards pencils over my usual go to Giorgio Armani Eye & Brow Maestro in Medium Brown (full review here), mainly because they are a bit quicker/easier to apply.

I like the control and preciseness that the small tip gives and find that it lays down smooth color with small strokes (unlike what you see in the swatch picture where I was drawing a long line).  I've got oily skin and this stays where you put it, but to be honest most brow products do that for me.

So, the moral of this story is boring ≠ bad, and I am happy to have received this!

Fragrance of the day:  Rem Reminiscence, a floral aquatic with notes of sea water, rose, lilac, jasmine, fenugreek, patchouli, musk, tonka bean, and vanilla.  I wanted an aquatic to mark all the rain and thunderstorms we were getting.  Sadly, it faded much quicker than the storms did.  

October Birchbox: Positive Force

October's Birchbox theme is "Positive Force", and Birchbox is doing their part to raise awareness and money for breast cancer by partnering with Estee Lauder to fund one year of breast cancer lab research hours.  Admirable!  Lots of good things in my box as well, so let's take a look.

I was quite happy to see BioRepublic's Aloe Rescue Revitalizing Fiber Mask ($4.83) in my box, as I've read good things about these.  Korean skincare is where it's at, so I'm always happy when I get to sample some new to me brands.

I've sampled Klorane's Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk ($6.25) before and remember being a fan.  It's pricier than I want to pay for a dry shampoo, but that makes getting another sample even better.

I actually purchased Jouer's Matte Moisture Tint Sunscreen ($4) after receiving a sample a few years back.  I'll be giving this one to my mom so she can try it out and see what she thinks.

I believe everyone got a mascara this month, and mine was stila's Huge Extreme Lash ($10.62).  I've worn it twice now and found it easy to apply, even with the honking big brush.  However, I did experience some smudging on my lower lash line (despite it's smudge proof claims), which makes it no go for me when it comes to purchasing.  I've got super oily skin so perhaps others will have better results.

Last up is Number 4's Restore & Repair Oil ($6.50), which I've yet to try.  I've got such a surplus of hair serums/oils that I rotate, but I am looking forward to adding this one to the mix.  It features argan and sunflower oil mixed with an interesting array of natural extracts, although 'cones are at the top of the ingredient list.  I've really liked the Number 4 product line thus far, so we shall see.

This month's box total was $32.20, which is quite good for my $10 investment. Happy camper here!

May Birchbox: Elevate Everyday

I've been a Birchbox posting no show for the past two months (where's April?).  May was a bear in general for posting due to work demands, which is why April's box fell by the wayside.  But here's a picture of it, for posterity's sake, and a link to the Honeypot Laqa & Co. pencil that did get reviewed.

April's Birchbox

But I will do justice to May's box, which was curated by Cashmere & Cupcake's founder Emily Schuman.  I don't know about you, but I take the whole "curated by" thing with a grain of salt, as the products in rotation would no doubt show up in my box regardless of whose on board that month.  Pretty box and nice theme, though.  Four of the items get a thumbs up and one, well, it's a tosser.

So let's start with the tosser:  Dr. Jart+ Night BB Beauty Balm.  I wanted to have an open mind regarding this lightly tinted BB cream that can be worn all night, should you chose to do so.  But I just can't.  Why would I need a tinted product to sleep in and potentially stain my pillowcase?  Then I considered wearing it during the day, but reviews online convinced me otherwise.

More than a few people talked about skin irritation from rubbing too hard trying to blend it in (see the pigment beads?) and others said it caused their skin to break out.  Plus, it doesn't have a SPF because it's for night time use, which makes it impractical for day use. No, just no.  I've yet to find a Dr. Jart+ BB cream that I did like, but that's just me.  I tried one that actually melted the plastic tray I had mixed it on.  That can't be a good sign, can it?

The Cailyn Spa It Foaming O2 Scrub looks promising, however.  I used it in the shower and initial impressions are positive.  There should be enough in the pot for 5-6 uses, enough to form a solid yea or nay decision on it's merits.

The Cynthia Rowley Lip Tint in Poppy was the one cosmetic item this month, and the color is perfect for hot weather and my skin tone.  I've received this product in another shade called Heartthrob (review here) from Birchbox before, and I like the formula on these a lot.  The mousse like texture wells well without being heavy or sticky, and my lips feel hydrated for a good 3-4 hours post application.  Poppy looks like a more vibrant version of Heartthrob, plus it's got some gold shimmer in the mix.

Next is a tried and true favorite, Beauty Protector's leave-in Spray Conditioner.  I've received this in the past (Birchbox doesn't repeat items, but I cancelled my first subscription and resubscribed, hence the repeats) and liked it quite a bit, so I'm happy to have another one.

The last item looks promising as a warm weather moisturizer.  I prefer gel moisturizers in the summer and this one has an interesting ingredient list that looks like it will do the job of providing moisture without contributing to my skin's oiliness.  I've been wearing it for the past few days and I'm liking the texture and how easily it sinks into the skin without adding sheen, something my skin provides plenty of on it's on.

Okay, I'm caught up now:-)

January Birchbox: Let's Do This!

I'm a bit late posting on my January Birchbox, as getting outside to take pictures has been hit or miss lately.  However, this was a good box, so let's do this!

The rosemary and mint scented body lotion from Essential Elements ($3.80) is a nice companion piece to the body wash from the line that I received a while back, so it'll get used.  It's a lighter lotion and I'm veering towards rich body butters right now, so I'll save it for warmer weather. 

My favorite item from January's box is the CC Cream from Supergoop ($2).  I was surprised that it gave me enough coverage to work on it's own as a foundation (I do mix with a cream highlighter), and the finish does not sink into or emphasize pores and is oh so natural.  The color is supposed to be self-adjusting, and the light to medium matches my fair but warm skin pretty well.  The finish is a satin and after setting with powder I get all day wear.  Really liking this, a full size tube may be in order!

Stainiac with By Terry's clear Baume de Rose on top

Stainiac by theBalm is a rosy pink cheek and lip stain that really does stain the skin.  I prefer it as a lip tint with gloss on top, as it gives a nice pink stain that lasts for a good 4 hours or so.  Sample value is $2.27.

The Whish shave cream in grapefruit ($2.97) works fairly well, and it did inspire me to layer several different grapefruit scents (Julep's discontinued grapefruit body butter and Fresh's Hesperides Grapefruit perfume) on Monday.  I'm not one to invest in a shave cream, however.

I've yet to try the Wei Manuka Bee Venom anti-wrinkle mask pod ($7.50), but I'm intrigued.  I'll have to have an at-home spa day this weekend and give it a whirl.

Here I'm wearing the Supergoop CC cream mixed with a pea-size amount of Le Métier de Beauté's Peau Vierge Anti-Aging Complex Tinted Luminizer (need to review that soon), and theBalm's Stainiac on my lips.  The value of January's Birchbox was $18.54, but considering they are all products I will use, a good start to 2015!