April 2013 Birchbox Swatches, Review & Photos

[button link=”#” target=”_blank” color=”default” shape=”rounded” size=”small”]Referral Links[/button]

The theme for the April 2013 Birchbox is Tiny Tweaks, Big Results.  With the last few Birchboxes being significantly crappy, I’d say we need some big tweaks and even bigger retults.

Thankfully, Birchbox has teamed up with Women’s Health for April and allowed their beauty and wellness experts to gather up their favorite products for fine-tuning your lifestyle.

As you open the box the card resting on top gives you a little explanation and greeting on one side and a run down of what is in your box on the other side.

Let’s see what’s going on for April!

First up, from Joanna Vargas, the Daily Serum.  This face serum is said to brighten with vitamins A, E and C plus hyaluronic acid.  This product smells SO GOOD.  Like Orange Julius!  It’s a gel like oil and feels wonderful on the skin.  I can’t review it past that, since it’s a sample, but so far I do like.

Second, from Kerastase, the Age Premium Bain Substantif.  This shampoo is said to fortify hair against damage because it’s made with UV filters and hyaluronic acid.  Two packets of the shampoo came, and, if you have been following me long enough I know that you know what I’m about to say next.  Why not include a conditioner or hair mask with the shampoo?  Why all shampoo?  Also, it’s for “mature hair”.  So, wtf are you trying to say?  My hair is old?  Nope.  Gave it to my mother-in-law.

Third, from LAFCO, the Fleurs de Baies Bath Soap.  Super, SUPER fragrant.  Smells nice but maybe a little too overpowering.  It looks pretty, though, and if I wasn’t worried my skin would bug out from the fragrance I’d have tried it.  I ended up giving this away too.

Finally, my favorite item – the Glossy Kiss Lipstick from Mirenesse.  This isn’t a brand I’ve heard of before, so I was a little skeptical, but the pencil is super smooth and the color I received (Cheeky Kiss) is that total MLBB shade that we all search for.  This product has launched exclusively in the Birchbox shop and I’m thinking I need to cash in some points and score some backups!

As a little surprise extra, Birchbox included a Bonus One-Year Subscription to Women’s Health Magazine – which is $10 in itself.

I just noticed as I was doing this post that there was another item in the box that wasn’t spoken about on the card – Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-On.  I LOVE products like this.  A note wrapped around the packaging states that it’s not only an obsession but also an affordable find!  And, omg you guys… it feels so awesome.  There is cucumber extract and the roller ball feels nice and cool as you apply the gel.  So fabulous.  You can find this at drugstores (Walmart, CVS, Rite-Aid… etc) for $10!!!!

To me, this Birchbox was totally worth it.  Never would I have picked up the Mirenesse Glossy Kiss Lipstick on my own, and it’s totally HG for me now.  The other items were decent, making me happy to hand over my ten bucks.

I’m actually really relieved Birchbox pulled this one out.  I really didn’t want to cancel, but one more crap box like March and February would have just put me over the edge.

Wanna sign up for Birchbox?  (Click for referral) If you like what you see go to the website and fill out the form.  It’s just $10 a month (free shipping too!) and you get some cool stuff, tho I will warn you, you’re going to get stuff you hate as well.

***Disclosure – I buy my own Birchbox, but the links posted here do give me referral points which I can use towards product on the site.  Once you sign up for your own Birchbox, you’ll also get a referral code to send out to others and get some points of your own!

4 Comments / Filled Under: Blushing Noir, Review, swatches