unboxing – Adventures in Polishland

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Book of the Month Club | January 2017 | Unboxing & Review

Posted on January 23, 2017January 21, 2017 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I am excited to share with you a new-to-me subscription box that I recently purchased. I’ve been eyeing up Book of the Month Club for a long time now, and finally decided to buy a subscription because of the amazing promotion the club is running in January. If you are a fellow reader, I definitely think this subscription will interest you. I made an unboxing video so you can see how my first box arrived, and I will also share my review of the service as well!

Book of the Month (hereinafter “BOTM”) is a monthly subscription service for books. There are a few different plans from which to choose, but I went with the 3-month subscription for $29.97, or $9.99 per month. This 3-month subscription also comes with a free tote bag that is a $20 retail value! Each month there are five books chosen from the BOTM judges, and you get to choose one book for your subscription. I really like that you pick the book you like best – you never have to worry about getting stuck with a book you won’t enjoy! In fact, if you don’t like any of the selections in a particular month, you are free to skip that month’s box without getting charged. Your subscription will roll over into the next month!

I decided to choose Girls in the Moon by Janet McNally for my January selection. This is a young adult book, and because I am primarily a YA reader, I thought this would be a great first pick. My book came with a sturdy bookmark that has a quick blurb about the book from the judge who selected it. I think I will really enjoy this book based on the blurb!

As I mentioned above, BOTM ran a promotion in January where everyone got a free copy of The Grownup by Gillian Flynn. I absolutely loved Gone Girl, and I’ve been wanting to read more from Flynn, so this was a great incentive for me to finally sign up for this service. I highly recommend signing up before the month is over if you also want this great freebie!

Another great thing about BOTM is you can choose to add two books to each month’s box for just $9.99 each. You get a choice from any of the past BOTM selections, so long as they are still in stock, and some other books, too. I’ve wanted to read The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon ever since it was released, so I decided to add it to my box. I’m so excited to get to this one in particular!

BOTM JANUARY SAVINGS

Whenever I purchase a subscription box, I’m very interested in the monetary value of the products, and whether I am saving money. I decided to crunch the numbers in several ways to determine my savings!

What I Paid: $19.98 ($9.99 January Selection + 9.99 Additional Book)

Retail Value: $66.97 or 70% off ($9.99 The Grownup + 17.99 Girls in the Moon + 18.99 The Sun is Also a Star + 20.00 Tote Bag)

Retail Value of the Books Only: $46.97 or 47% off

Amazon Value of the Books Only: $28.68 or 30% off ($5.99 The Grownup + 11.32 Girls in the Moon + 11.36 The Sun is Also a Star)

Amazon Value of Girls in the Moon + The Sun is Also a Star: $22.68 or 12% off

Thus, no matter how I crunch the numbers, I saved money by purchasing these books through BOTM Club! If you are a reader who loves to check out new releases and own your books in hardcover, I think this is an amazing option. I am so happy with my first box, and I am excited to see what the February selections are going to be. If you would like to get a free copy of The Grownup by Gillian Flynn, make sure you sign up in January! Please use my referral link HERE when you join.

Are you a Book of the Month Club member?

Let me know which book you chose for January in the comments!

This post includes affiliate links. Book of the Month Club Subscription purchased by me. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Dollar Shave Club Unboxing & Review | The Humble Twin

Posted on December 8, 2016December 6, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I’m excited to share an unboxing and review of Dollar Shave Club. I decided to sign up for this subscription service a few weeks ago after hearing great things from friends and family members. Not only was I on the hunt for vegan razors, but I was sick of paying big bucks for razors at the drugstore. I also discovered that many brands charge more for women’s razors even though they are exactly the same as men’s, just with a different packaging design (some info on that HERE). How outrageous is that?! It was time to dump my old blades and go for something new.

Dollar Shave Club is a monthly subscription service where you receive razors directly to your door for one low price. I’ve been interested in the service for a while, but decided to sign up once I saw that the brand is vegan with the exception of a few products disclosed on the brand’s website. In addition, you can try your first month for just $1.00, so now is a great time to try out the service! You can sign up using my referral link HERE.

The first item in my welcome box is a helpful brochure. One thing I really appreciate about Dollar Shave Club is how user friendly the service is. When you sign up to the subscription you choose from one of three blades: The Humble Twin, The 4X, and The Executive. Then you can decide to add on other products such as shave creams, shampoos, and more. This brochure explains the entire process and includes graphics to make it even easier to understand!

Right beneath the brochure is my blade handle and the pack of blades. I’ll show you a closer look at each in turn, and share my thoughts on the razor so far.

I decided to go with The Humble Twin, which is a basic razor with two stainless steel blades. I decided to start out with the cheapest and most basic razor to see how it works. I figured there was no reason to spend more money if this simple razor would work for me! The Humble Twin is $3.00 total per month ($1.00 + $2.00 shipping). Here is what the handle for The Humble Twin looks like. It is a simple blue with silver accents, and has a rubber grip.

The Humble Twin comes with five blade refills every month so you can get a fresh shave every week. I love how simple this twin blade is, and I’m very happy to report that it works very well. I was using a razor with three blades prior to this one, and I can safely say The Humble Twin is more effective. It glides over the skin easily and removes all the hair close to the root. I haven’t had any issues with cuts or razor burn since using this razor. The only downfall is that the blade definitely wears out after one week’s use. Thus, you must change the blade every week – don’t try to make the blade last longer.

The last item in my welcome box is a sample of the Shave Butter. I used this product and I have to say I’m very unhappy with it. Normally I shave in the shower using my shower gel or soap as a shaving cream alternative and I never have any problems. When I used the Shave Butter, my razor did not glide well over the skin and it felt quite abrasive. I definitely do not recommend this product.

That being said, I am extremely happy with Dollar Shave Club’s service and The Humble Twin razor. I think this is a great way to save on razors and get an excellent shave without having to hunt for bargains at the drugstore. While Dollar Shave Club is primarily marketed towards men, there is absolutely no reason women can’t use these products as well. I’m so happy I finally signed up, and I’ll be sure to share what future boxes from the club look like! Don’t forget you can get your first month for just $1.00 by using my referral link HERE.

Are you signed up to Dollar Shave Club? Let me know in the comments!

March PLAY! by Sephora Unboxing & Giveaway!

Posted on April 27, 2016March 25, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I am super excited to share with you what I received in my March PLAY! by Sephora. Plus, I have a giveaway to share with you! I know a lot of you haven’t been able to join Sephora’s monthly subscription program yet. I was lucky to get off the wait list right away, and so I’m going to be giving back to one of you. First I’ll be sharing my unboxing as always, and the giveaway will be at the end. If you’d like to see a quick look at my February PLAY! by Sephora, I posted about it on Facebook HERE since I didn’t share a full unboxing during Manicure March. Without further ado, let me show you what I got in March!

March’s theme is The Perfection Collection, and features products to allow us to put our best face forward. To be honest, I don’t find the monthly themes to really be a good representation of what’s inside, but that is fine to me. I have no problem getting a random bunch of goodies from Sephora so long as they are products I’ll use!

Sephora The Perfectionist Sponge Sephora Collection The Perfectionist: Airbrush Sponge – $12.00 [BUY]

The first product I received is a beauty sponge from Sephora’s own collection. I am always up for trying a BeautyBlender dupe, so I’m very excited to test this out. I’m also glad we got a full size sponge that retails for more than the entire PLAY! by Sephora box! How awesome is that? I was just about to invest in a new BeautyBlender, but I’ll happily try this first. I’ll be sure to share my full thoughts on this product after testing it.

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser – $4.47 [BUY]

I am also very excited to receive this cleanser from Fresh. I absolutely love this brand, but never do I purchase the products for myself because they are quite expensive. I’ve tried a sample of the Soy Face Exfoliant before and really liked it. I’ll be sure to keep this on hand for when my current cleanser runs out of product!

Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield – $11.05 [BUY]

Another brand I love but don’t buy myself because of the high price tag is Murad. Inivisblur is a priming spray, which I feel is super trendy right now. I love that this contains SPF 30, and that it is designed to smooth out the skin. I will definitely be using this in the summer, because priming sprays are lighter than a standard primer.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil – $5.46 [BUY]

I also received a primer from Smashbox in my March box, this time in the form of a Primer Oil. I don’t usually like face oils because they tend to breakout my skin, but I’ve had great luck with the other primers from the Smashbox Photo Finish line so I hope I’ll like this, too. I’m definitely stocked up on primers for a while now!

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper (Black) – $6.65 [BUY]

Now we are getting to the part of the unboxing where I grumble about getting the same kind of products every month. I’ve received an eyeliner in my PLAY! by Sephora box four out of five times, and three of the four eyeliners have been black. As someone who doesn’t wear eyeliner more than a few times a year, this is quite frustrating. Even if I wore eyeliner every day I would find it annoying! I appreciate that I get to try high end brands, but there are so many different beauty products we could be receiving. Why not mascara? Why not blush? Why not nail polish? Please mix it up in the future, Sephora!

Replica Beach Walk Perfume – $1.47 [BUY]

The last product is a perfume sample, and if you’ve been reading my PLAY! by Sephora posts from the beginning you’ll know I don’t enjoy receiving these. Sephora gives these samples away for free in online orders and in the store, and I’d much rather go to the store and pick a scent that works for me. I would love to stop getting these in my subscription and instead receive a deluxe skincare or makeup sample.

Overall, I have mostly positive things to say about my March PLAY! by Sephora subscription. The box has a total retail vale of $41.10, and I am excited about four of the six products. I am definitely getting my money’s worth! My box also came with a little plastic tub that I can bring into Sephora and be matched for a foundation. That’s a fun incentive to go shopping! I’m going to continue with this subscription for sure!

GIVEAWAY

As a thank you for supporting my blog, I wanted to curate a PLAY! by Sephora box for all of you! I’ve collected some of the products I won’t be using from past PLAY! boxes, and put them together in a kit. I hope that if you have been waiting to get your hands on one of these boxes this will be a fun prize! One winner will receive:

TOCCA Isabel Perfume Sample
Viktor & Rolf Flower Bomb Perfume Sample
Stella McCartney Stella Perfume Sample
Lancome Drama Liqui-Pencil Khol Eyeliner
Sephora Contour Eye Pencil in My Boyfriend’s Jeans
Smashbox Full Exposure Eyeshadow Duo
Bonus: miscellaneous Sephora samples!

This giveaway is only open to those in the United States. I apologize to my international readers, but perfume must be sent by ground shipping, and so I am limited to the USA with this one. This giveaway is open for two weeks, ending on May 11, 2016. To enter you must be following my blog and provide me with your email through the Rafflecopter widget. All other entires are your choice and bonus entries! Please email me at adventuresinpolishland@gmail.com with any questions, and read the full Terms and Conditions in the widget before entering. Good luck!a Rafflecopter giveaway

I purchase PLAY! by Sephora with my own money. Sephora is not affiliated with this giveaway. Links used are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

January PLAY! by Sephora Unboxing | My Favorite Yet?!

Posted on February 8, 2016February 3, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I’m excited to share my January PLAY! by Sephora box with all of you. For those who are new to PLAY!, this is a $10 beauty subscription box curated by Sephora. I received my first box back in November (see that unboxing HERE), and have been overall pretty impressed with this subscription service. In December, however, I was a bit underwhelmed with the products, so I was interested to see if January’s box would be any better. I think it is my favorite box yet!

This month’s theme is No Appointment Necessary, and is filled with high-performing products that let you get expert-level results from home. I was immediately excited as soon as I lifted the informational magazine out of the box and saw the first product lying on top. As always, I’ll show you each product individually and share the sample’s retail value with you.

Sephora Collection Green Tea Eye Mask – $5.00

The first thing I spotted was this Green Tea Eye Mask. I’ve seen so many beauty vloggers use masks like these, and they look like a fun and easy way to treat your skin right! Sephora offers a bunch of different eye masks in this line, and the Green Tea one is designed to give a cool, fresh sensation to the eye area and provide a smoothing effect. I am so excited to try this!

Dr. Brandt Needles No More – $15.13

The skincare continues with a product from one of my favorite high end brands, Dr. Brandt. We did get a product from Dr. Brandt last month, but I am totally fine with another! Needles No More is a wrinkle relaxer, and is supposed to provide both instant and long-term effects. I’m really intrigued with this one!

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel – $9.60

The last skincare item in this box is a peel from Dr. Gross Skincare. I’ve always been nervous to try a peel, but there are three treatments in this box so I guess a peel is in my future! I do like that this peel is a two-step wipe process. This should be interesting!

TOCCA Isabel Perfume – $2.00

Next up is a perfume sample from TOCCA, which you all know I don’t like getting in this box. Sephora gives perfume samples away for free, both online and in-store. It’s ridiculous we keep getting these! Nonetheless, Isabel is a rose-scented perfume, which I cannot use because of my sensitivity to floral scents. This is my least favorite item in the box.

Living Proof Prime Style Extender Spray – $2.94

Moving on to hair care, we got a Living Proof sample in the box! I love this brand of hair care, so I’m happy that I received this. The Prime Style Extender Spray is designed for fine hair, which I have, and is supposed to make any style last 2x longer. I don’t usually style my hair, but I’ll be glad to have this on hand for when I do!

Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight in Hefty Highlight – $12.57

Last but not least is a makeup item from Clinique, which I am really excited to try. This is a cream highlighter in a beautiful pink shade. I think this will look beautiful with my fair skin tone. I’ve never tried a cream highlighter before, so I can’t wait to put this to use!

All in all, I am very impressed with my January PLAY! by Sephora box. I will use every item except for the perfume, and I am very much looking forward to the skincare and makeup. The retail value for this box is $47.24, which is also excellent. I’m going to continue my subscription for sure! If you are interested in subscribing, join the wait list HERE. I’ll be sure to share what I receive next month, too!

Shop for the products in this box using the widget below and I’ll earn a small commission throug ShopStyle affiliates.

December PLAY! by Sephora Unboxing! | $60 Value for $10

Posted on January 6, 2016January 5, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I’m here to share what I got in my PLAY! by Sephora subscription for December. I talk all about what PLAY! by Sephora is in my November Unboxing, so if you want to learn more please see THIS blog post. I was really looking forward to this box after an awesome first month, and I was a bit disappointed when it arrived. Nonetheless, it does have an amazing retail value! Let me show you what was inside my December PLAY! by Sephora box!

December PLAY! by Sephora Unboxing! | $60 Value for $10

The December theme was Oh What Fun! in celebration of the holiday season, but to be honest I don’t really see a cohesive theme with the products. Just like last month, I got a mix of makeup, skincare, and fragrance products. As I show you each product, the dollar amount listed is the retail value of each sample size, which I calculate in proportion to the full size product.

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb – $4.00

I am once again disappointed to get a perfume sample in this month’s box. Perfume samples are free at Sephora, both online and in-store. Nonetheless, I understand that Flowerbomb is an iconic perfume, and many people love it. This sample would be great for travel, or if you wanted to test out this luxury scent. Unfortunately, I cannot use it at all because floral scents really bother my allergies. I know I’m a unique case here, but this product is a bust for me.

Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil

Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil – $5.00

The next product is a face oil, similar to the argan oil I received in last month’s PLAY! I really love the brand Fresh, and am always excited to try out different products from the company. I do tend to have bad luck with face oils, as they don’t work well with my combination skin. I’m still going to try this out, though, just because I’ve had good luck with Fresh in the past.

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette – $6.92

The next sample is one that is really awesome, and that is a mini eyeshadow palette from the brand Smashbox. I love that this sample comes with two eyeshadows, and that you get a mirror with it. The shadows can even be worn together! Unfortunately for me, I just purchased the Smashbox Full Exposure Travel Palette, and both of these shades are included. That is definitely a risk you take if you are a regular Sephora shopper!

Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes in Black

Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes in Black – $11.88

The other makeup product in the December box is a black eyeliner from Make Up Forever. This is another awesome sample in general, but for me it is disappointing. I received an eyeliner last month, and I don’t wear eyeliner often at all. I’m glad this is a black shade, because it is the easiest to wear and use. I’m not sure if I’m going to keep this for myself, or pass it on yet.

Dr. Brandt PoreDermabrasion Pore Perfecting Exfoliator

Dr. Brandt PoreDermabrasion Pore Perfecting Exfoliator – $7.25

I received two more skincare samples, and the first I am really excited about! I absolutely love Dr. Brandt PoreDermabrasion, and use it on a regular basis. However, because it is so expensive, I wouldn’t be able to repurchase it when my bottle is empty. Now I have a backup, or a travel sized bottle. I’m so glad I got this sample!

NUDE Skincare Advanced Renewal Serum – $27.30

The last sample is definitely the most perplexing one in the box! I got seven foil packets of the NUDE serum. At first I was annoyed to get foil packets, but then I realized that I could try out the serum for an entire week to see how I liked it. When I calculated the retail value, I was absolutely floored. These foil packets do not have any sort of size marking on it, but I did some research and most foil packets are 0.05 fluid ounces. I used that for my calculations, and cannot believe how much these samples cost! While it is annoying that these are free samples that could be given out at any Sephora (I’ve even had one before!), the value is definitely impressive.

Overall, my December PLAY! by Sephora box has an approximate retail value of $62.35. That is amazing considering I only spent $10 on it! However, I’m very disappointed that the box is quite similar to last month’s. In both boxes I got a perfume sample, eyeliner, and oil – all things I don’t typically use. The only item that I am particularly excited to use in the December box is the PoreDermabrasion. Thus, despite the high retail value of the box as a whole, it is a flop for me. I’m going to be trying out January’s box to see how it compares, but if it is repetitive I will most likely cancel. For more information on PLAY! by Sephora, see the official website HERE.

Do you subscribe to PLAY! by Sephora? Leave a comment with your thoughts on the December box!

Shop for the items inside my December PLAY! by Sephora box using the widget below and I will earn a small commission. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

The Pumpkin Batch Unboxing | Wicked Good Pumpkin for October 2015

Posted on November 10, 2015November 4, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! It’s no secret that I am a huge pumpkin lover, so when I heard about The Pumpkin Batch I couldn’t believe such amazingness existed. The Pumpkin Batch is a monthly subscription box that features all pumpkin goodies. That’s right, this box is filled with 4-6 items that feature pumpkin in some way. I was lucky enough to receive the October box for review, and am excited to share it with you today. Make sure you stay tuned to the end of this blog post, as I have a coupon code for all of you!

I filmed an unboxing video so you can see how The Pumpkin Batch arrives, and all of the goodies in person. I will also have photos and more information of each individual product below for you.

As I mentioned in the unboxing video, The Pumpkin Batch includes items that are made in America. I love learning about new-to-me small businesses, and I think it’s amazing that The Pumpkin Batch does all the work in finding them for me. Let’s take a closer look at each product in the Wicked Good Pumpkin box!

Puurbody Flickering Wick Pumpkin Spice Soy Candle – $6 [BUY]

I’m not a candle person, but this one smells absolutely divine. I have it sitting in my bedroom, and even though it’s not lit I can smell it faintly in the background. This candle makes an excellent gift, and I love that it is made of 100% pure soy wax with no additives. I can tell this is a handmade item because the wax is a bit messy on the top of the jar, but because I’m keeping this for myself I don’t mind it one bit.

Wicked Whoopie Pumpkin Whoopie Pie – $3 [BUY]

I shared this whoopie pie with my mom because she is a whoopie pie aficionado. She said it was really delicious, and almost as good as the fresh bakeries in our community. I love that The Pumpkin Batch includes a fresh baked good in each box, but this one did contain a very long ingredients list with preservatives. It was also a huge splurge calorie-wise. Nonetheless, it is definitely a yummy treat!

Ravens Creek Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub – $12 [BUY]

I am so excited about this sugar scrub! Not only does it smell amazing, but I use sugar scrubs in my regular skincare routine so I know I will get use out of this. This is the one product I haven’t tried yet, simply because I just opened another scrub in the shower. I will be sure to report back and let you know my thoughts on it!

The Poisoned Applies Handmade Pumpkin Caramel – $7 [BUY]

Okay, it’s time to let you know about my favorite treat in the box! I cannot stress to you how delicious these caramels were! I may have accidentally eaten both in one sitting (oops). I don’t recommend you do that, though – they are so rich! While these are a bit expensive to buy normally, I highly recommend them as a special treat or gift. I’m still dreaming about them!

Kraken & Claw Kraken Corn in Harvest Brew – $5 [BUY]

The last item in the October box is this delicious popcorn. I also really, really enjoyed this! I’m a popcorn fan, so this made a great nighttime treat. This would also make an awesome gift during the holidays! I am going to have to browse through the Kraken & Claw shop to see what else they offer!

MY THOUGHTS ON THE BOX + SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS

Overall, I really enjoyed the October box from The Pumpkin Batch! While this is not a box I would get all year round, I think it makes an amazing fall time treat. There are three different subscription options for The Pumpkin Batch. A monthly subscription is $29.99 per month, but you can save money with a longer commitment. A three-month subscription is $26.99 per month, and a full year is $24.99 per month. You can also give The Pumpkin Batch as a gift, which I highly recommend for the pumpkin lover in your life this holiday season! One gift box is $34.99, and a yearly gift is $299.99.

The Pumpkin Batch has provided all of you with a coupon code for 15% off your first box in any monthly or quarterly subscription. Enter polishpumpkin15 at checkout HERE. This coupon expires on November 30, 2015, so make sure you act fast if you want to save!

What do you think of The Pumpkin Batch? Let me know in the comments!

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The product in this post was provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Influenster Uni VoxBox Unboxing

Posted on March 29, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I have a box of goodies from the website Influenster to share with all of you. Influenster is a free website that anyone can join. Once you create a profile and interact with the site a bit, you become eligible to get free products to test out. I was recently sent the Uni VoxBox. This box is filled with products geared toward college students. It contains a mix of beauty and lifestyle items, so I thought I would share it with all of you!

I was pretty excited with the size of the box! I knew there had to be some fun goodies in there!

First up are the beauty products! From the left to right, the products are:

NYC Expert Last Lip Color in Forever Fuchsia – $1.99 – I’ve never tried an NYC lipstick before, but this looks like a bright pink that is great for the spring season. I’ll have to give this a try soon!
imPRESS Press-On Manicure in Straight Up – $7.99 – I am so excited to try these press-on nails! Grav3yardGirl, one of my favorite YouTubers, talks about these nails all the time, and she really loves them. I will be sure to do a true wear test on these and report back!
Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation – $5.49 – You already know how much I love this foundation! See my complete review HERE if you missed it.

The Uni VoxBox also had a few lifestyle products inside.

Red Rose REAL TEA Premium Water Enhancer in Black Tea – $4.49 – I love iced tea in the warmer months, so this water enhancer might be a great way to make my own on the go! I’m a bit disappointed that this does contain preservatives, but I’ll still test it out for sure!
Playtex Sport Fresh Balance Tampons – $4.99 – I was super surprised to find a full size box of tampons in here! Feminine care products tend to be more expensive, especially for a college student.
Pilot Acroball PureWhite Pen – $1.53 – I can always use a good pen! I’ve been hearing about this line a lot recently, so I wonder what the hype is. I’ll have to find out!

I’m really excited about the Uni VoxBox! It contains over $25 worth of products! I will definitely post a review of the imPRESS nails, but if you want to learn more about any of these products, please let me know in the comments! If you would like an invitation to join Influenster, please send me your email address.

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Subscription Sunday | March Birchbox

Posted on March 23, 2014March 23, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Subscription Sunday! It’s officially been one year since I joined Birchbox, and I’m so excited to show you what is in my March 2014 box. This series first began as Ipsy v. Birchbox, but Birchbox is the only box I’ve stuck with this long. Let me go ahead and share my products with you, and if you’d like to see my first ever Birchbox, just click HERE.

This month’s theme is Spring Forward. Since we lost an hour of sleep this month, the products in our box are supposed to be time-savers and long-lasting. Anything to make up for the time change!

Here are all the products I got this month. I’ll talk about them a bit more from left to right, and share each sample’s retail value.

Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle Leave in Conditioner – $4.66 – I’ve been able to try a lot of Beauty Protector products through Birchbox, and I don’t mind collecting them since I’ll be traveling later this year. This stuff smells amazing, and I can’t wait to try it!
Coola Face Mineral Sunscreen – $3.60 – I am so sick of getting Coola products in subscription boxes! The main reason is because the samples are barely enough to use even one time. Don’t let the tube size deceive you – they are never filled completely!
Air Repair Rescue Balm – $2.17 – This is a 100% natural healing balm that can be used anywhere, such as lips and hands. It’s designed to lock in moisture, and while I wish the sample size was a bit bigger, I’m excited to try it!
Jergens BB Body Cream – $1.73 – I am most excited about this sample! This product has been getting a lot of buzz lately, so I can’t wait to see if this will improve the look of my skin. It’s a decent size sample, and I got the right shade for my skin tone.
theBalm How ‘Bout Them Apples? Cheek & Lip Cream in Pie – $5.33 – Last but not least is a red cheek and lip cream. I’m really excited about this! The shade blends out really nicely on my hand, so I bet it will look great on my face!

TOTAL RETAIL VALUE: $17.49

RATING 1-5 (1 BEING WORST, 5 BEING BEST): 3

OVERALL OPINION: This box is just okay for me. I really like the Jergens BB Cream and the product from theBalm, but I really wish I didn’t get anything from Coola. I don’t mind when the retail value is low so long as I can see myself using all of the products. With the exception of the Coola product, I’ll get use out of everything so I can’t complain too much. I would love to see samples from different brands in the future.

Do you subscribe to Birchbox? Join HERE and for $10 per month get a box of samples delivered to your door. For a limited time you will get 100 points when you sign up using code bb100. That’s equal to $10 in the Birchbox shop! If you already subscribe, let me know what you got this month!

This post contains affiliate links. Birchbox purchased by me. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Subscription Sunday | January Birchbox

Posted on January 19, 2014January 18, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Subscription Sunday! Today I’m excited to share with all of you my January Birchbox. It was quite heavy when it arrived in the mail, so I couldn’t wait to see what was inside. If you’re new to Birchbox, it’s a $10 per month subscription service that sends out around five deluxe samples to you every month. The box mainly contains beauty and skincare items, but other goodies show up every once in a while as well. I am a huge Birchbox fan, and continue to receive it every month after canceling a lot of other subscription services. Let me show you what I got this month!

Every month, Birchbox focuses on a new theme. In January, it’s Go Time! Birchbox is encouraging all of us to try new things this year, and really dive into some adventures. Sounds like a motiving way to begin 2014!

Here are the first three products in my box. I’ll describe them from left to right, and let you know the retail value of each sample.

Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Créme – $8.00 – I’m excited for this sample! Not only is it a great size and value, but I need something like this for my hair. This glossing créme tames frizz and adds moisture into the hair. I can’t wait to test it out!
Nail Rock Sequin Kit in Green – $7.00 – Birchbox always excites me with nail polish products! This kit comes with a nail sequin pot and a special base coat. This is a full size product, and I can’t wait to see how it works. Stay tuned for a full review!
Resist Ultra-Light Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum – $4.58 – This serum really intrigues me! It’s designed to tighten pores, and also has anti-aging qualities. I’ll definitely be sure to give it a try and see what happens!

Ahmad Teas Assorted Teas – $0.53 – As a lifestyle extra this month, Birchbox included three tea bags from Ahmad Tea. I seem to get a lot of tea from Birchbox, and I like it, especially in the winter. The three flavors I received are Mint Mystique, Apricot Sunrise, and English Tea No. 1. I hope they’re tasty!
100% Pure French Lavender Hand Buttercream – $1.01 – The last product in my box was actually three foil packets of this hand cream. I thought that was pretty interesting, but I do appreciate getting three packets instead of just one. Even though it’s a low retail value, I can pop these in my purse for when I need moisture on the go!

As a final bonus, Birchbox included a set of five, inspirational postcards. Each contains a cute quote on the front, plus tips on achieving your New Year’s Resolutions on the back. These are great to hang up, include in your journal, or send to friends. I love them!

TOTAL RETAIL VALUE: $21.12

RATING 1-5 (1 BEING WORST AND 5 BEING BEST): 4

OVERALL OPINION: While the retail value of this box may not be very high, I can and will use each and every product in this box. I would prefer to not receive foil packets, but I will give Birchbox props for at least providing multiples instead of just one. I am very excited about the Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Créme and the Nail Rock kit. Plus, any time Birchbox includes a little bonus I am a satisfied customer!

Are you a Birchbox subscriber? If not, join HERE for just $10 per month. If you are, let me know what you got this month in the comments. I hope your 2014 is off to a fantastic start!

This post contains affiliate links. Birchbox purchased by me. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Subscription Sunday | December Birchbox

Posted on December 15, 2013December 12, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Subscription Sunday! It’s time for one of my personal favorite parts of each month – sharing my Birchbox with all of you! I really love this $10 box of goodies, and this month is definitely a good one. I haven’t added up the retail value of all the products yet, so I can’t wait to discover that total as I write this post. Let’s take a look at what was inside my December box!

First off, how cute is this month’s box?! December’s theme is Holiday 2013, and everything was packaged even cuter than it usually is. I reuse all of my Birchbox boxes, and I’m really loving this one.

My box was pretty heavy when it arrived this month! I think you can see why! I’ll describe these products from left to right.

Manna Kadar Cosmetics Sheer Glo Lotion – $7.83 – This illuminating lotion will make your skin look glowy and gorgeous! I’ve used this as a highlighter on my cheekbones a few times, and I like it. Stay tuned for a full review later this week!
Hair Rules Curly Whip – $2.63 – I’m a bit disappointed here. I’m not sure why Birchbox keeps sending me products for curly hair when in my profile I clearly have it marked that I have fine and frizzy hair. Oh well, I can always give this to a friend.
BeeKind Body Lotion – $1.88 – Now this is a great product for me! I love using body lotion, especially in the winter. This one smells divine, and a portion goes to support honey bee and sustainable pollination research. How cool is that?!
Grand Central Beauty S.M.A.R.T. Skin Perfecting Polisher – $10.13 – This product really intrigues me! It’s supposed to exfoliate, peel, tone, and hydrate the skin all at once! You don’t even have to rinse this off. I can’t wait to give this a try!

Birchbox Digimate – Bonus! – This month Birchbox included a complete bonus product – a digimate! This cute little patch sticks to the back of your phone, and you can remove it to wipe off your screen. It’s so handy! I love it!
Chuao Chocolatier Mini Bar in Honeycomb – $0.85 – Yum! This chocolate bar was just what I needed! So delicious that I want to get some more. There are tons of flavors to choose from as well (including Bacon and Potato Chip!).

TOTAL RETAIL VALUE: $23.05

RATING 1-5 (1 BEING WORST AND 5 BEING BEST): 4

OVERALL OPINION: Despite the retail value being low and receiving one product that I cannot use, I’m really liking my Birchbox this month. I can use all of the other products, and I’m rather impressed with the sample sizes. Plus, the Digimate was a great bonus, and I’ve already used it a ton! Birchbox also gets a high score this month for the wonderful packaging.

There you have it! My December Birchbox! As always, you can join Birchbox for just $10 per month HERE. I really do love getting this subscription service, and it’s one that I’ve kept despite canceling a bunch of others. If you get Birchbox, let me know what you received this month in the comments!