January Birchbox Review

Bonjour bitch(es)!!! 

As previously noted, I received my dip dye, my Popsugar Must Have Box, and finally (seriously finally because it is the 23rd. THE 23rd. I got my January Birchbox!!

My January box very almost became a february box [which are bound to be a huge headache because of my moving] and I can't even think about glossybox because there's no sign of shipping or if it'll ever be sent…. Ok, off tangent! This is a birchbox review and I must carry on and REVIEW!

Well, first of all, I sent birchbox an irate email because of my missing box. They were super nice but nothing really happened besides my box being miraculously shipped the same day. This shipping being used by all of the sub companies (smartpost or mail innovations) is the worst!! I know that shipping is only getting more expensive but I think that shipping is an essential part of getting me to part with my money. I'd like to get my boxes earlier and in a reasonable time frame. I know these start-ups are exponentially growing but they're growing thanks to thousands or even millions of people like me. Try to do things right, guys!! 

Note: Since birchbox sample sizes tend to be tiny (it is just $10/month), approximating a price is moot. I think all together these samples are worth the $10/month although some may dispute that and I'll maybe post about that later. 

So, apparently, I got box 1. In terms of variations, I think it was one of the good ones so here we go:

Ojon damage reverse (™) Instant Restorative Hair Serum 

This sample came in a vial inside a little folded card. I'm very interested in trying this out especially because I just dip dyed my hair and thus fried it to a crisp. I'm not sure whether I've sampled Ojon before but since I adore anything for hair, especially anything with restorative in the title. So this is on the f-yeah side of the birchbox tally. 

alessandro Nail Polish

This polish isn't full size even though the full size is about $8.00 but it is always cool to get nail polish in one of my subs. Unfortunately, the color, a grayish blue, isn't a color I particularly love and I already have a couple of similar samples. I do like trying new samples formula-wise so I'll give it a chance (maybe on an accent nail). This sample isn't an f-yeah but it's not f-this either. It's solidly good. 

theBalm ® cosmetics Put a Lid On It (™) 

This is a little mini (very mini) size of theBalm's eyeshadow primer. I'm excited to try this one because I love testing primers. My favorite so far has been Stay Don't Stray by Benefit but I'm always ready to try another because my eyelids tend to be super oily. This sample is firmly in the f-yeah tally. 

Harvery Prince Skinny Chic Perfume Sample

A small spritzer inside a little folded card. I'm super particular about perfume and have used Prada's 'Infusion d' Iris' for YEARS because it is one of the few that doesn't make me want to puke or give me a horrible migraine or both! 

Unfortunately, I also have a bone to pick with the message that being chic, young, and happy is equal to being skinny. I have nothing against those who are skinny but I've never been skinny and I hate that these companies are pushing the idea that only skinny people are happy or chic. I'm pretty sure there are sad skinny people too! 

Furthermore, the smell does stop appetite for me because it makes me dry heave!! As I said, I'm super sensitive to smells and this one is one of those that I never ever want to smell again. I gave the sample to my mom (yes, my mom! I'm in my 20's but I'm solidly a family girl and so I'll be mentioning them often) and this one is firmly in the hell f-no column. 

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream 

In my box, there were two cards with a small foil packet attached. I've heard good things about this cream from other beauty addicts so I'll be trying it very soon. I've already started to use eye cream because I'm scared of wrinkles and I recently had to start using moisturizer!! I have a lot of Fresh branded stuff so I already have a positive opinion about this company. This is another f-yeah sample for me. 

So, although birchbox isn't on point for everyone, this month it did the job nicely for me. I like 4 out of the 5 samples a lot and despise just 1. So. I'll be loving birchbox for another month. I know birchbox 's fb has a lot of people threatening to defect to ipsy and I find that laughable. A lot of them just want to bitch to try to get free boxes or points, others are trying to drum up business for ipsy, and others just want to create some drama. 

It's not obligatory to to subscribe to either of these companies and comparing them is useless. Personally, I like the types of brands that birchbox sends out precisely because they tend to be high end. Ipsy's products are decidedly not. Maybe people that like any sort of makeup are ok with that but I could just go down to the drugstore and get full sizes of that crap. I'm a makeup snob and I tend to very very scarcely purchase stuff at the drugstore, if at all. I'll stick to birchbox, thank you very much ;)

 (omfg I sound like such a dick or being a girl, a dickette??)