February's BIRCHBOX! and a Review

Here is what I received in my February 2014 Birchbox!  I paid $10 and I received 4 items and a lifestyle extra!

This month's theme was called "Step and Repeat" in honor of the awards season- and all that goes along with the stars and their beauty tips!  If you are a fan of You Tube like I am be sure to check out all the beauty tips on the Birchbox videos as they teamed up with Gwen Flamberg from US Weekly! 

#1...The first item in my box of goodies was Beauty Protector Protect and Oil- which is a Birchbox exclusive!!!  Not only is this good for all hair types, but it protects against UV rays, heat styling and breakage with a personal favorite ingredient.... argon oil!  Who doesn't need this product in their lives?  Did I mention that this stuff smells AH_MAZ_ING!?   Kind of like vanilla and sweet?   The sample size  is generous and since you only need 1-3 drops it should last me a while!  The full size comes in a plastic spray bottle, but this sample is in a nice glass vial.  I only wish I had an extra dropper to control the amount I am using.  I'm not sure the value of the sample because there are no markings on it, but the full size is $21.95

***I've used this a couple times and what I liked best was how it made my hair smell.  I don't have hair issues like split ends, frizz, etc.  and I only occasionally heat style it so I can't say anything about that yet.  It did seem to help with frizzie little fly aways, and I liked that it was protecting me from UV rays.

#2......The next item I received was a fantastic new Liquid Liner in Black Ink by Cynthia Rowley.  I believe this is full sized and is valued at $18.00!  (the monthly service is only $10 ;)  )   This is a newly launched line so it is pretty cool to get to sample it and see what I think of it!  This product is supposed to be smudge proof which I love the idea of because so many eyeliners end up 'falling' and looking terrible on me!  Do you have that problem?    Interesting little tidbits....the site says that Cynthia created this after she was tired of not having a black enough liner and was resorting to using a sharpie!  LOL   She added the gold dots to make it easier to find in your cosmetic bag (black hole!)  Now that is smart!!

***I tried this out when we went out to dinner, and it wore well for the 7 hours we were gone.  There was no smudging as it claimed and it came off easily at the end of the night!  yay!  Since it has the felt tip marker styled tip, I can add that it is capable for a super thin and accurate line (perfect for a winged eye!) but can easily be made thicker as well.

#3......Next I have Rescue Omerga 3 Serum by Eleven Skin in the most darling little pump container I have ever had!  :)  This is a luxury face oil that says it will bring damaged skin back to life!  Also it "nourishes, improves moisture retention, and promotes elasticity. Skin appears brighter, energized, and more youthful looking."  The full size is a whopping $75 which is a little rich for my blood BUT I think that is one of the best parts of Birchbox!  First I got to sample a product that there is no way I would have otherwise, AND if I like it, I can save up my points and "buy" the full size from the Birchbox shop!  (I couldn't calculate how much the sample was valued at because there was no marking to indicate the size.) 

*** I am really loving trying all things 'oil, butter, and natural' right now, so this is no exception. As far  as the oil goes it did make my face feel really good and it 'soaked in' fast.  I'm not sure how I felt about the smell initially though.  It is not bad but like no other products I've used before.  It is like you took fresh herbs and rubbed them between your fingers to release their oils.....if that makes sense.    Maybe that is what "nutrient-rich sea botanicals" are supposed to smell like?  lol  The smell went away after a few moments and I was left with really soft, and moisturized skin!

#4.....I really enjoy getting perfume samples in my Birchboxes!! and this month I got a purple one!  squeal!!!   It is a Joan Vass L'eau de Cristal.  I am terrible at describing notes in perfume so let me use the Birchbox description.  "Top notes of star ruby grapefruit and Italian bergamot meet middle notes of red currant, ylang ylang, and rose oil. Rounding out the scent are slightly sweet, earthy bottom notes like patchouli, vanilla tincture, and vetiver."   This sample lacked size markings so I could calculate the value but the full size is $75

*** I am actually surprised that I like this perfume as much as I do because I can not stand anything patchouli!  It really is not the heavy musky smell I was expecting and the fresh citrusy smell of the grapefruit is just wonderful.  This is definitely one that I would consider more sophisticated and I will save it for a special occasion.  Once again...another new fragrance that I am thrilled to get the opportunity to try!

#5.......Finally my lifestyle extra was from 32 Oral Care.  They are Effervescent Breath Crystals!  I mean seriously...has there ever been a more FUN trial product in a Birchbox!????  I think not! :)  They offer 4 flavors, but my two samples were spearmint and lemon mint.   I tried this first with my boyfriend and we both thought they were innovative and effective!  Yes they actually freshen your breath!  Later I just had to share them with my sister, so via skype I hooked up and "showed" her my grown up pop rocks!  lol
Full size is $9.99 for 32 packets so this sample had a value of $0.63

So unlike other months I can't give you the OVERALL value of my samples because 3/5 did not have size markings on them.  That is okay though because I know I certainly got my money's worth, as usual, and with the $10 I paid, and then the reviews I will do online at Birchbox.com, I will be given credit for the equivalent of $5.00 towards other full sized items that I can purchase in their shop!!!  

If you would like to join me at Birchbox, and what I feel is hands down the best service out there please use my referral link to sign up  https://www.birchbox.com/invite/7l3h7  (I will get a bonus for having referred you- thank you!)  or go to their website at Birchbox.com

Thank you for reading and until the March box...stay beautiful! 


If you would like to contact me to review your products please message me at Tanya@mail4me.com

My opinions (and defense) of foil packets in Subscription Boxes

I am waiting on my third Birch Box subscription to arrive, as well as my second Ipsy bag...and there is one thing I have noticed in watching all of the You Tube 'un boxing' videos and feedback on the respective sites---everyone hates samples that are sent out in foil packets....except me!!!  lol

Here is the most recent Birch Box I received. (November 2013)

People who received similar items in their boxes typically complained that ...

#1)  a 'beauty box' has no right sending out samples of tea (or in other boxes it was chocolate) EVEN THOUGH THE FOOD ITEMS ARE AN EXTRA ITEM AND ARE COMPLETELY FREE IN ADDITION TO THE ITEMS YOU WOULD NORMALLY RECEIVE! and

#2)   without trying the product, feeling how much is in the package or reading the measurement of contents,  looking at the retail value of the full sized item, or in simple terms giving the sample a fair chance they decide it is not a good value for an item in their bag based simply on it's packaging!?  Whatever happened to not judging a book by it's cover? 

Let's look at the "value" of the box.  So we are on the same page as to my meaning...the value is "An amount, as of goods, services, or money, considered to be a fair and suitable equivalent for something else; a fair price or return."  One way that I like to calculate the value of the sample is to take the MSRP of the full size of the sample product that is disclosed to us with our bag, and calculate how much the sample I received would cost.  For example, if the full size is 7 ounces and has an MSRP of $9.99 I know that my 1 ounce sample tube has a value of $1.43.  The same can be done with foil packets and in my opinion SHOULD be done because they do add value to the overall box.

On a little side note, when I am going through my subscription boxes/bags, I like to look at the overall cost of the item and divide it by the number of items in the box.  This months box had SIX items in it (including the tea) so my $10/month cost breaks down to roughly $1.67/item.  If you don't want to count the tea that is still $2/item....anyways,  I like to play a little game where I look at each item and ask myself if it is worth $1.67 to ME?  So far, on every item, the answer has been yes!  IN ADDITiON to that...Birchbox has an a-maz-ing points program that in my opinion is silly not to take advantage of!  Each box has 4-6 items in them.  Each item you receive is eligible for a review which is as simple as logging into your online account and giving feedback- most of which is simple check boxes!  For each review you do, you get 10 points. (or the equivalent of $1.00), for each person who you refer you get 50 points! (equivalent to $5) and finally when you do shop their store, each dollar you spend gets you one point!  Each of these doesn't sound like much on their own but think of it this way....I pay Birchbox $10/month....$5 a month to curate on average five items to send to me at $1/each....this covers their time, storage and shipping it to me.  In turn, they set $5 into my savings account to accumulate for several months-up to a year when I will select items of my choice from the store, and they will ship them to me for free!  ahhhhh it's a beautiful thing when you think of it that way isn't it?!!!   And that is just the straight up physical value- I could do a whole blog post about how they contribute to my life with respects to anticipation of the box, meeting new people on forums who share a liking for them as well, time spent watching other do unboxing, etc.  I simply count myself very lucky to be comfortable enough in my life to be able to afford such luxuries as 'beauty boxes.'  Anyways...where was I?

Let's take a closer look at the foil sample I received.   While I do this keep in mind all those who say that foil packets are 'stupid' and they would rather not get them, and those who when calculate their box go so far as to say "I do not give any value to foil packets."  (gasp)

This is a foil packet that actually contained three separate products...a cleanser, a serum and a moisturizing creme.  I LOVED that I got to sample three different products in the same line because I think they worked well together and I truly believe I got a much better idea of the skin care line than I would have got with just a single sample of one- even if in a larger size!

So here is the breakdown...
the full sized cleanser is $15.50/6 oz
the full sized serum is $29.95/2 oz
the full sized moisturizer is $29.95/2 oz

Each packet in the sample was 0.12oz. So if you calculate that out....
the cleanser was $0.31 worth of product
the serum AND the moisturizer were each $1.80 for a total sample value of $3.91!

So how did our foil packet rank in the actual box I received?  Let's take a look at the breakdown...
remember our sample trio was valued at $3.91
Full sized body wash is 8oz for $19.  Sample size 1 oz so a value of  $2.36
Full sized parfum is 3.4oz for $98.  Sample size was 0.06oz so a value of $1.73
Full sized Dr Jart is 1.7oz for $32.  Sample size was 0,17 so a value of $3.20
Full sized Chella pencil is $18 and we received a full size...so value of $18
although an free item I am including it in my overall value
full sized tea is 15 bags for $9.95.  Sample was 3 bags so value of $1.99

Are you surprized by these numbers at all? If I rank the items in order of value from high to low...
#1.) Chella pencil @ $18  (no surprise)
#2.) our foil packet trio @ $3.91
#3.) Dr. Jart @ $3.20
#4.) body wash @$2.36
#5.) our add on tea bags @ $1.99
and finally
#6.) parfum at $1.73 
So the box I paid only $10.00 to have shipped to my door, arrived with $31.19 worth of product inside PLUS I used the tissue paper in our birthday wrapping supplies saving me from having to buy a package at the dollar store ANNNNNND I re purposed the box and lid to act as dividers in a make up drawer to hold nail art tools and supplies saving me from walking over to Dollar General to buy a couple of those!!!  That is pretty freakin' awesome if you ask me!!!

So back to our humble foil packet sample.  How was it?  It was my favorite sample in two boxes I have received so far!  Yes you heard me correctly....fav-o-rite!  You see...I have been getting AND ENJOYING  foil samples from manufacturers for years and I've learned a couple things about them to maximize my experience.  First...I read the directions!  This sample packaging has been thrown out but I think they were to use a "dime sized" amount.  In any case, I was able to get THREE complete face washes out of this sample!!!  

I've drawn a diagram of how  I "used" these particular foil packets.  The green dotted lines represent the scored lines the manufacturer created.  I first cut off the long stripe along the top to be able to better access the samples.  They were still sealed at this point.  Then while keeping them together as a trio (because I didn't cut the bottom in any way) I pushed the product down to the bottom before I clipped a very small corner off the top of each one.  Once I dispensed the amount the manufacturer recommended I simply pinched the cut opening with my fingers, pushed the contents of that section back down towards the bottom, and then similar to how you would seal a zip lock baggie I used my fingers to "seal" the package back up.  The stickiness of the product inside is usually enough to hold it closed although sometimes a small clothes pin or clip might be necessary.


Here is my argument...when you only pay $10.00 for the whole box each month, you can't accurately NOT calculate $3.91 worth of it's value into the big picture....at least not the way I see it.  I have a tight budget and I certainly can not get away with dismissing any portion of it when it is over 33% of my total!  So why then are so many people upset with foil packet samples?  I haven't totally figured this out yet, but I am here to say that I welcome them, and while just like everyone else I do believe that more is more, I would rather have the higher valued samples sent out to me in a foil packet than to not have them at all.  
I do want to speculate a little bit here however...at the risk of offending some readers I think part of the issue is that we are over privileged and spoiled here in North America.  While we often cringe at the price tag of that bottle of shampoo when we checkout, is reading the label and only using the recommended amount really our priority in our morning shower? or are we more worried about finishing before the baby wakes up, or thinking about our presentation at work today, or what outfit we will wear when we get out?  We simply tip the bottle, pouring out a big blob and get to the task of washing our hair.  Of course I am being a little tongue and cheek here, but I have been guilty of this when measuring things around my home like...say.... laundry detergent!  Who knew that you didn't fill the cap to overflowing for each load!?  lol  Markers inside the cap with measurements for 1...2.....and 3 representing different sized loads and ALL of them are lower than the rim at the top of the lid?!  Well that's the best kept secret!  Let's face it...if we are getting a subscription box, we aren't exactly worried about IF we will have our next meal...or when.  So yes...I am going to claim if you are amongst those who are bitching and complaining endlessly about the foil samples in your box/bag then maybe you should do us all a favor and cancel it and get something that better suits your needs....or better yet, take a moment to calculate it's value, think of how fortunate you are to not "need" this sample, and begin making a donation bag of your own to compile these type of unwanted samples from your subscription boxes and donate them to someone who really would appreciate and see them for what they are worth!  Ask any battered woman in a shelter if she would enjoy this sample and I'm sure she would say yes.


So there you have my defense of the humble foil packet!  I am currently waiting on both an Ipsy and a Birchbox subscription and should I get any more of these reduced packaging/better for the environment samples I will be the first to give them the opportunity to show how great they are...and will continue to sing their praises!!!  Have I changed your mind?  Will you join me?

If you are interested in signing up for a Birchbox monthly subscription for only $10/month  please use my referral code
http://birch.ly/19Kh6mz

and for Ipsy, also only $10/month  please use http://www.ipsy.com/r/1n0o

My Review of the Simon Says Stamp Monthly Card Kit Subscription

Monthly subscription services for paper crafting hobbies have been around for many years, and I have given many of them consideration, but in the end failed to sign up for any of them for one reason or another.  I personally tend to steer away from any subscriptions that lock me into just one manufacturer or style of crafting.  While this does make the mixing and matching from one month to another a little easier, it can also make the experience of sampling different products almost none existent.

Several months ago, I began my search for a "service." First I made a wish list.  (yes, I am one of *those* list making types of people! lol)  It included...
*  receiving supplies on a regular basis- preferable monthly
* getting CURRENT supplies that I couldn't necessarily obtain at my local stores
*  receiving enough supplies in the kit to make a big project, or several small ones with little additional stuff required from my own stash
* include supplies that are non consumable (like stamp sets)
* have the ability to add things from their shop, or feature add on kits
* have it fall within my personal budget with the shipping factored in
* allow me to "opt out" when I want or need to
* finally...have flexibility on the things I can create with the supplies (not be so specific that I can't still be creative on my own)

I spent several weeks watching You Tube unboxing videos and reviews with all sorts of wonderful kits....and honestly I was interested in several.  In the end it was a question of who met most of my requirements and offered the most bang for my buck.  It wasn't even really close for me...Simon Says Stamp won hands down...and had me signing on the dotted line.  Here is my honest review- and please know I am not compensated in any way for this opinion.

When you sign up for the kit it guarantees that you will receive the kit, as it does frequently sell out.  In addition to this, you save $5 off the price of the kit if you just by it from the site without a subscription.

This is the kit I got back in August featuring papers from My Mind's Eye and a stamp set by Kristina Werner called "card exchanging friends."  It also came with a selection of wonderful, high quality card stock, a full sized stencil, twine, a lollipop, and two flair.  I was inspired by the Maya Road canvas flower embellishment to dig out a discounted album I picked up at Michael's (also canvas) and create a mini album.  Yes...this is a MONTHLY CARD KIT but I am easily able to adapt the contents to mini projects like albums and project life with little effort!  The papers worked wonderfully, and were already cut to size at 6x6.  Couldn't be any easier.  My only regret is that they were double sided so I had to sacrifice a few patterns in the making of the album.

So my thoughts on the August kit.  For $25.95 It was well worth it!  The stamp alone is $14.99
This kit had a stamp set that totally fit into my interests of mail art!!!  It is full sized and made of very high quality photo polymer material.  It stamps like a dream!  There was also a full sized stencil.  Both products will be used and reused in many craft projects for years to come.  As for the papers, I adore MME and have lots of their products.  The mini album I am making for my birthday, coordinates PERFECTLY with the DCWV mat stack called Sunday Afternoon...so again, I was able to pull stuff from my stash to use.  A complete win win!  Even if you didn't previously own anything you could make lots of stuff with this kit.  It is worth noting that you can easily add coordinating items to your kit, and they are easily suggested at the bottom of the page when you see the kit online.  They will however ship separately.

My September kit was another winner!  This kit released right after the Fall CHA, and had very current papers in a chalk board theme from the MME Chalk Studio line, a banner die, assorted high quality card stocks, a FULL package of wood verneers!!!, Color box pigment ink, a great bicycle paper clip, and another full sized stamp set.  I love that the stamp set is super versatile with several sentiments, a cute cheveron border stamp, and a whole slew of flowers and stems to create you own arrangment!!!

Honestly, all I have done with this kit so far is make one card.  I have been busy with other projects but this one is not going to collect dust forever.  I think the neatest thing about this kit was a video I saw where the wood verneer was used in the Sizzix as a stencil!  Would never have thought of that as a use....must give it a try.

And finally onto October's kit...

The 6x6 paper in the October kit are too stinkin' cute!  The papers, and the package of sequins are from Lawn Fawn's Into the Woods collection.  We also got some Kelly Purkey letters, acrylic paint, chip board, twine, and a stamp set that is again so versatile!  Who doesn't love a tree stamp!?
I've made a couple cards with this kit, but until I finish the birthday album it is on hold just a little bit.  For this reason, I opted out of the November kit.  It was really cute, but with two kits that are barely used, I thought it best to hold off.   SSS released a special edition holiday card kit and once again I opted out of the December kit (no penalty or issues to do so....the customer service is really awesome!  Just had to send them an email).  I have so much Christmas themed stuff in general that I could not justify buying anymore at this time.  Like I had in my list, the ability to opt out is a HUGE factor for me!  I can jump right back into kits in January, see the preview of the kit being released and decide then if I will order it or not.  It is such a great card kit, and is full of current colors and trendy items!  I can not recommend them enough.

So tell me what you think?  Are you shopping around for a monthly card kit?  Do you have any other suggestions of ones I should look at?  Let me know!