Today's Birchbox Order

I was trying to think of something really interesting to use as an inaugural post, but I can't so I'll just kick things off with the Birchbox order I placed today. Just as an FYI, that does not mean that this blog will focus exclusively on beauty-related things, or even that those will be a majority of posts. It's going to be more all-encompassing.

As some of you may know, Birchbox is a beauty product sampling box. For $10 a month, they send you a few samples (usually 4-5 plus a lifestyle sample) of makeup, hair, and other beauty-related products. The items you're sent a chosen based on a survey you fill out on their site, which you can update at any time. There are many similar beauty sampling boxes, but I'm particularly fond of Birchbox. I think the price is reasonable, I'm usually very happy with the samples that I receive, and they have a great rewards system.

For every sample item you receive in your box, or every full-sized item you buy through their online shop, you are able to submit a review to their site. For every item you review, you receive 10 Birchbox points. This usually works out to about 50 points per box. You're also given 1 point for each dollar you spend in their shop. For every 100 points you accrue, they give you $10 in credit to their shop, which you can spend on whatever full-sized products they stock.

As of today, I had over 200 points sitting on my account, which translates to a $20 credit. So, I decided to pick up a few items:

I received the Curl Keeper from Curly Hair Solutions in my July Birchbox and I'm starting to run low. I think it really helps define my curls. When I go without this product, they end up looking much less like spirals and much more like a mess. And unlike a lot of curl-defining products, this doesn't leave my hair hair feeling stiff or crunchy. It also claims to help with frizz, but I find that I still need to use a separate product for that. Still, I have yet to find to find another product that enhances my curls the way this does. Plus it's only $10 for 100ml, and since the 30ml sample has lasted me 2 months, I consider this to be a steal.

The second product I decided to pick up is the purse size version of Oribe's Dry Texturizing Spray. This product is a cult favorite. I've seen it appear in posts from countless beauty bloggers and vloggers, as well as in magazines and on websites as celebrities' favorites. It's supposed to be the best product for giving your hair volume and texture. As I mentioned before, I have fairly curly hair so I don't really feel the need for more volume extending outwards. But as far as volume from my scalp upwards, I definitely want bigger. Still, the full-size of this product (8.5 ounces) retails for nearly $40, and that's a lot to shell out for a product I'm not sure will agree with me. At $19.50 for 2.2 ounces, the purse size isn't exactly a steal, but I felt better about parting with that money.

That was really all I intended to buy, but my hands have been looking a bit rough lately so I decided that I could really use a nice hand cream. I'm a huge fan of Tocca's candles and perfumes, so now seemed like the perfect time to scoop up one of their hand creams. I have their perfume in Cleopatra and Florence (and I'm looking to expand that collection big time), but I wanted to add something new to my collection. I've smelled their Stella perfume before and, like nearly all of their scents, it's amazing. So I added their Crema de Mano Luxe in Stella to my cart. It sells for $20, which isn't that bad for a brand that I've had nothing but good experiences with.

Every month, Birchbox does a 24 hour Discovery Dash, in which they give a big discount on a few products for 24 hours. This month's products included the Coola Liplux SPF 30 lipbalm in Original, marked down to $6 from it's usual $12. This year, I've taken up running as a hobby, and when I'm going out for a run I like a lip balm with an SPF. Unfortunately, my go-to lipbalm doesn't have an and the Chapstick I have been using just doesn't cut it when it comes to staying on my lips through an entire run. I'm hoping that this product will offer me the SPF I need when I run and stay throughout the whole thing. I'll let you know if it delivers.

After subtracting the $20 in credit that I've earned and adding in tax, my Birchbox order came in at a total of $40.29. That doesn't put too much of a dent in my pocket, and I have high hopes for these four products. Does anyone else subscribe to Birchbox? Have you gotten any good samples lately? Have you tried out any good products in general? Let me know in the comments! And let me know if you have any suggestions for what I should post next.