MissGlamBlog: April 2014

I have had so much free time on my hands lately, which is odd because it seems like everyone else on campus is absolutely swamped with end of semester projects! Anyways, I decided I needed to start blogging again like I used to- it was an everyday thing for me back in December and I MISS IT! Hopefully you guys missed me too & are ready for some more posts! I felt bad only posting my Youtube videos on my blog for such a long time, so let's mix it up with some bloggity blogs!

I've had my February and March Birchbox boxes hanging around in a desk drawer for weeks now, for God knows what reason. I always thought I would film unboxings like I usually do (my previous ones will be embedded below), but now it's just too late so I just decided to tear them open. However, I decided to take pictures of the contents because I got a new, nicer camera since the last time I posted, so I thought I'd put it to use!

(Sorry the pictures are so far away, my camera refused to take the pictures unless I was up nice and close...someone wanna explain that to me? It's a Canon and I only know how to do super basic things with it so far)

February 2014 Birchbox

Anyways, this month, Birchbox apparently teamed up with U.S. weekly ... you know what? I'll just share the little excerpt on the info card they gave me.

STEP AND REPEAT

"Step. Pose. Repeat. It's awards season, and we're prepping by watching all the Best Picture nominees and dusting off our sartorial scorecards. (After all, the red-carpet posing is a show in itself). This year, we've got some serious experts in our corner- the editors at US Weekly, who have celebrity makeup artists on speed-dial and know the secret behind every red-carpet look...." etc.

First look- sorry about the glare!

At the first look, I noticed a cookie-like smell and that something oily was all over the tissue paper...naturally I assumed that there was a cookie or something wrapped in the tissue paper, but then I realized that it was just one of the items that had spilled :/ Really, Birchbox? Here's what it was:

Beauty Protector- Protect & Oil

"Exclusive launch! This just-for-you hair oil defends against UV rays, heat, and breakage. Work 1-3 drops into damp hair, or to the ends of dry hair. Perfect for all hair types."

I've never used a hair oil before, so I'm kind of confused about what the point is. Maybe it's like applying my Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum to my wet hair to make it shiny and less tangly? Either way, it got over absolutely everything in the box, which is totally annoying, but somehow didn't leak out of the actual box. The cap wasn't screwed all the way on >:( At least now I know that it smells like cookies! Too bad a good portion of it is now missing.... it says the full size is $21.95

Coola- Tinted Matte SPF 30 for Face (BB Cream)

"Mineral-based tinted moisturizer with lasting sun protection and a shine-free finish. Smooth a thin layer onto clean skin. Full size, $36"

I do love me some BB Creams...I have quite an obsession, actually! I've never heard of this brand before but I love trying out skincare, and the brand name sounds kind of like one of my professor's names, hehe. The fact that the info card calls it a tinted moisturizer and says nothing about it being a BB Cream, yet the tube saying 'BB Cream' confused me a bit though...

Ruby Wing- Color Changing Nail Polish in Kitten Heels

"This color-changing polish morphs from a hot fuchsia to a deep magenta in the sun. Full size, $10"

I've been on a huge nail polish kick lately (that reminds me, I need to upload some of the swatches I've been doing in a future blogpost!), and although I'm not usually impressed with the polish color selection in subscription boxes, I'm very excited about this hot pink. Plus it changes color! I don't think I've ever had color changing polishes except super cheap ones when I was younger that only worked debatably well. This will be really fun to play with, and the bottle isn't so ridiculously small for once that I'd never be able to practically use it!

smashbox cosmetics- Full Exposure Mascara

"Hybrid fiber formula that expertly lengthens, volumes, and curls sans clumps or flakes. Full size, $19.50"

Even though I already own way too many of them, I always love trying new mascaras! I rarely get to try high end ones because I'm usually so obsessed with my cheaper drugstore ones, so this will be a treat!

smashbox cosmetics- Full Exposure Palette Sampler

"Beauty Extra- A range of versatile hues, complete with tips on creating the best look for your eye shape. Use one shadow for a casual look, or layer shades to take makeup from day to night. Full size, $49"

How have I not heard of this palette yet!? Usually I know about all of the neutral shade palettes, since they're kind of my thing. Apparently this palette has 5 basic colors, just a matte and shimmer version of each one. I'm excited to try this, but the hair oil got all over the cover of it so I was forced to cut the top flap off. Eyeshadow samplers are usually a kind of weird thing to use and are slightly awkward, but I'm still excited that they threw some shadows in there for us!

February 2014 Birchbox

Overall I'm pretty happy with this box- the mascara and nail polish and BB cream are right up my alley! The oil spill is a bummer and made everything way more messy than it needed to be (I had to wipe down everything in the box), but for the $10 a month you pay for this thing, I think this month was worth it. It's a good mix of new and old brands for me.

What do you think about Birchbox? If you would like to sign up for your own monthly Birchbox, click here. My March post will be up within a week or so [probably], so keep an eye out for that! In the meantime, check out my unboxing videos for previous Birchboxes!