Review, Birchbox Mystery Sample Pack: Free with $35 Order

Disclosure: Birchbox referral links are included within this post, and I'd be so appreciative if you decide to sign up and use mine.

I'm back with Birchbox, for a little longer anyway, and if you were keeping track, I did just cancel, but I also rejoined in time to not actually miss a box.   March will just be late as it won't ship until the 21st.  I know, talk about indecisive!    The main reason I decided to give Birchbox a little longer, is that as I was going through my left over samples from the six months I subbed, I found a couple skin care gems.  These were things that didn't excite me when I received them in past boxes, and just sat around in the unused pile.  I also decided that as I get closer to 40, maybe I do need all that skin care and anti-aging stuff that Birchbox sends along.  So I'll give them a couple more month to see how it goes.

Specifically, I really like Paula's Choice Resist BHA 9 and I actually went ahead and ordered a full size.  This stuff worked really well for me.  I have had some persistent red spots on my chin and this stuff made them noticeably lighter overnight and completely gone in two.  It's also helped with with a couple other trouble spots.  Great stuff!  My full sized order shipped free and was just barely over the $35 threshold for getting a free Mystery Sample Pack.  I thought I would share what I received as my bonuses today.

Mystery Sample Packs are sold by themselves for $10 on Birchbox and I would not recommend you select one, unless it will be included for free.  The monthly Birchbox is the same price and you get a better value by getting one of those, even if it's just for one month than with a sample pack.

From what I can tell these sample packs are two items and are leftovers from previous Birchboxes.  I also think they are included at random so subscribers may have gotten the same sample previously.  That being said, a duplicate would still fine with me since it is free.  I have plenty of friends who love it when I pass along Birchbox samples so definitely add one whenever your purchases hit $35.

Mystery Sample 1: Color Club® Wanderlust Collection, Mod in Manhattan, which is a brilliant off-white that represents the glow of the mega-watt city at night.  This mini looks to be the size included in a four pack kit that features shades inspired by Birchbox's four international headquarters. Eight dollars and free shipping for the set of four minis is a great price and each of the shades is custom to Birchbox.  Each mini is half the size of a full bottle and a full bottle of a Color Club® polish is $8 at Birchbox.  Since I rarely go through a whole bottle of any color, minis are a great way to go.

I think Mod in Manhattan probably works best within the context of the set of four because I can't see myself wearing off white on all ten fingers all by itself.  I bet it's great for a super fun French manicure with one of the other three summery colors.  I have yet to try a Color Club® polish, I got a Baldwin Blues Mini from the Harlem Nights collection one month but the shade was not for me so I gave it away.  I will probably try this one at least once to see the quality of the polish and then pass it along too.  From reviews, it looks like it might require a few coats and not have the greatest staying power.

Mystery Sample 2: Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser, This is an example of why you would not want to pay for this sample pack.  I loved this at first smell, the lemongrass is so fresh & airy.  But right away I noticed something was amiss, it was rock hard.  I went to the listing at Birchbox and from reading the reviews it sounds like a lot of users had this issue.  It's a bummer because I don't think I can get enough out for even one try and since you only need a dime size per use there were probably a couple in there.  It smells divine, but is unusable.

Overall?  At first glance this seemed like a great Mystery Pack for me.  I love nail polish and while the color isn't my fave it's more than enough to be enjoyed by someone.  I'm all over a lemongrass sugar scrub, but a dried up and hard one...not so much.  Keeping in mind the price - free, I'm not worked up about it.  I think it's luck of the draw, but buyer beware do not pay for one outright!

Hello 37

Today's my birthday and Mother Nature did not come through for me this year.  There is still a ton of snow on the ground!  Growing up in MI, it was always my hope, that by March 13th snow season would be over.  Yeah, well yesterday was a snow day for the kids so that pretty much says how our weather has been!

I had been feeling pretty apathetic about turning 37 but then I got some perspective when Christine wrote Live Each Day to the Fullest.   So instead of bemoaning my advanced age and feeling depressed about all the things I was going to do while 36, and didn't, I am going to embrace 37 with renewed positivity and joy in all the blessings I have.

This year is already off to a good start, a beautiful bouquet of flowers just arrived from Brad and the kids.  With so much snow and cold days, a reminder of all the loveliness that spring has in store for us was a perfect birthday surprise.  Plus he is going to bring us home our favorite fried pickles from a local place downtown.  This way we can enjoy them in the peace of our home and not surrounded by other patrons wondering why our two year old is laying face down on the ground and screaming, and yes that really happened!

Julep's Bombshell Welcome Box

I have been meaning to give a little update on becoming a Julep Maven!  My Bombshell Welcome Box came super fast.  Ordered on February 23rd, it was in my hands on the 26th.  I was very impressed by the fast shipping.  Julep has lots of really wonderful colors to choose from, to see the shades available, visit their Nail Color page.

***Update 3/20/13: Now through 3/31/13 save during their March Madness and get 50% off their duos & full priced shades!  Use the code MADNESS.

It came in a cute purplish maroon little box with iridescent tissue paper and grey paper cushioning.  Along with the two nail polishes I got a Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum, which is described as "This peptide-fueled treatment quickly transforms dry, damaged cuticles and encourages strong, healthy nail growth."  I'm just beginning to use it, but my cuticles are a hot mess so I'm hoping regular use will help.  Some cute little Buffer Blocks were also thrown in.

I think the Welcome Box is a fun little treat for the $3.99 shipping price and a real deal of a way to try out Julep's polishes and products.  If you decide to give them a try, I'd love for you to use my referral code.

Onto the polishes.  I'm wearing, Kendra - It Girl: Army green frost.  This was the one I was a little nervous about and I really like it!  It's quite a bit out of my comfort zone but it actually feels like a neutral when wearing it.  I was more comfortable with that on my nails then when I tried out a sparkly brown OPI color awhile back.  For some reason, I felt that was more noticable than this!

My seven year old daughter is wearing Zelda - Bombshell: Pink champagne metallic.  This is way more champagne as in gold colored than pink. To be honest, I can't really see any pink in it at all, which was way disappointing because this one was the reason I made the switch from Classic with a Twist to Bombshell.

However, I do think the green and gold combo go really well together and are perfect for St. Patty's day coming up.  I was thinking that if I was talented enough with polish application the army green Kendra on the nails with a bit of gold Zelda on the tips would look really festive!

I rocked Kendra at my last Kappa Delta Sorority alum event, green and white are our colors and a shamrock one of our symbols, so it was perfect.  We happened to also be making St. Patty's wreaths so the green polish was doubly appropriate.

I requested my Welcome Box too late in the month to get a March Maven box but they are running some great Savvy Deals with up to 65% off end during their of the season sale and I scooped up several bottles so I will still be getting plenty of polish this month!

Julep is also having a Mystery Box & St. Patrick's Day sale right now and for $24.99 you are guaranteed to get $100 worth of product.  If you are on the fence about trying Julep that is another way to try them out for less.