April Birchbox

March somehow escaped me without posting a review of my Birchbox, so I wanted to be sure to post about my April box!  

This month's box was a collaboration with Women's Health.  This is probably the best box I've received in a while!  I was super pleased with my goodies this month!

 Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate - I've recently taken more interest in anti-aging products, so I was super happy to get this sample.  I like that it's in a bottle and although small, I think it will be enough to get a good idea on how much I like the product.

LAFCO Fleurs de Baies Bath Soap - I could smell this soap as soon as I opened the box!  This is another great sample size that will be great for setting out when I have guests.

Mirenesse Glossy Kiss Lipstick - Full size alert!  This lipstick is valued at $26.55 on the Birchbox website.  I  wasn't sure about the color at first, but it's a good neutral that's a little more on the red side than some of my others.  

 

Nexxus Youth Renewal Rejuvenating Elixir - I haven't tried this yet, but I do think it's interesting that they're coming out with anti-aging products for hair now!

Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-On - What, what!?!  Another full-size product!  This was the "Birchbox Find" of the month.  

Birchbox, you need to have more boxes like this one!  This month really exceeded my expectations and was well worth my $10!  A coworker who also subscribes brought in her box to show and the only common item we had was the Nexxus stuff.  She also had a pretty good box, but I think I liked my products better.

What was in your April Birchbox?

February Birchbox

My February Birchbox was "snowed in" for a couple days due to the storms in the NE, so I got it a little later than normal.  It also arrived when I was getting ready to go out of town, so my post is kind of on the late side as well.  

This month's box was pretty decent.  I feel like I'll actually get good use out of everything in there, which is always a plus!

Color Club Nail Polish in "Wild Cactus" - Since emerald is the color of the year, I wasn't too shocked to get something in that hue.  This is a really pretty green nail polish.  Totally not one that I would buy, which makes it even more fun to get in my box.  I've been happy with all of my Color Club polishes, so I'm excited to give this one a go!

Lancome Le Base Pro Makeup Primer - This is something I'm super excited to try!  I've been trying some different primer samples, so I'm very happy to have another one to test out.

Miss Jessie's Original Pillow Soft Curls - I feel like Birchbox pays attention to the fact that I said I have curly hair in my online profile because this is the third or so product specifically for curls.  I was a bit disappointed that this sample wasn't quite as big as the other Miss Jessie sample I got a few months back, but I'm still excited to test this one out!  

Vasenti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator - This is an exfoliating cleanser that I'm also excited to try out.  I like the fact that this sample is an actual bottle that I can take for traveling.  The little foil packets bug me because I can't reseal them!

Ghiradelli Milk & Caramel Square - This was a little bonus treat for the month!  Chocolate and caramel is always a welcome treat!

What was in your February Birchbox?

January Birchbox

I somehow skipped doing a Birchbox review in December.  I blame it on the fact that I think I dismantled it (I gave my mom a few things right off the bat) before I even got home and then tossed the actual box into my Christmas wrapping pile.  I'm pretty sure everyone in my family ended up getting a gift wrapped in a Birchbox...  And then my mom stole them all for next Christmas.  

Anyway, this month's box was alright.  Not necessarily my favorite, but I was happy with what I got.

The Balm "Put a Lid On It" - I like all of the product that I've tried from The Balm.  I've just started using eye shadow primer in the past year and so far have just used minis of various brands.  I'm glad to have another one to try and I'm sure this little one will last quite a while.  

Viva La Juicy - I already have this perfume and love it.  I like getting new perfumes to try, but I was perfectly okay with getting a mini of this fave.

Amika Color pHerfection Shampoo - I haven't used this yet...  It's been put in my travel box and will get used at some point!  It smells pretty nice, though!

Juice Beauty Daily Essentials Organics To Go - I've become a bit leery about skin products after one of my Birchbox samples broke me out.  I'll give these a try one of these days, but I'm honestly not that excited about these.

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre (24 Hr. Miracle Cream) - I haven't really used this one much yet, but it says it can be a moisturizer and a makeup remover.  I'm kind of in that transition stage with my skincare between fighting breakout and preventing aging, so I do like trying some of these "miracle" products that are supposed to restore your skin.  

I'm hopeful that Birchbox will come out with some fun items as we move towards spring.  I seem to get a full size something every 2 or 3 months, so I feel like I might be due for something nice and big sometime soon.

What was in your January Birchbox?

How did you like your goodies?

November Birchbox

This month's Birchbox was a bit delayed due to all of the storms in NY and the east coast.  I've had my box for over a week now, but am just now getting around to sharing my box.

The "theme" (or whatever) for the month was giving.  I'd say overall this was a pretty decent box and I definitely got my $10's worth this month!

It seemed like there were a lot of paper handouts in this box.  It had the normal card telling about what's in the box and also a cute little box holding the smaller items.  (The purpose of the box is to gift something to someone else.)  In addition to those, it also contained a Holiday 2012 Gift Guide and flier / coupon for $15 off from a shoe website called CHROMATICgallerie.com  (I lost interest when I read "...at just $88 per pair..." since most of my shoes come from Target and are under $30!)

My box contained 5 items this month:

Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper - I haven't tried this one out yet, but I am glad that Birchbox once again sent me an item specifically for curly hair.  It makes me feel like they really do pay attention to the preferences I've set on my account!

Jouer Fragrance Cornucopia - This stuff smells really good!  It's a tiny rollerball, but it's more of an oil / gel consistency.  It's described as "a heady trio of gardenia, jasmine, and honeysuckle."  

ModelCo Fibre Lashxtend Lengthening Mascara - Another full-size product!  I believe this one goes for $22 on the Birchbox site.  I'm trying to use up some other mascaras right now, so I haven't used this one yet, but I'm excited to give it a whirl!  

Stila All Over Shimmer Liquid Luminizer - This is a nice size sample luminizer.  I've received 3 Stila products from Birchbox and have really liked them all.  It was a brand I didn't pay much attention to before, but I've been really pleased with their products.

Chuao Chocolatier Honeycomb Chocopod - This was the "lifestyle extra" of the month.  Quite yummy!  (I ate it as soon as I snapped pics!)  I'm not sure I'd spend the money on these, but it was a fun little extra!  

I do feel like this was a pretty good box, especially considering it included a full-size mascara and the Stila luminizer sample was pretty generous as well.  

Birchbox also sent me a 20% off discount code for being a 9 month subscriber.  I decided now was the time to redeem my points and use the discount to get myself a bottle of Viva La Juicy La Fluer.  After the 20% off and the 500 points I redeemed I paid a grand total of $6!  Yup, $6 for a $70 bottle of perfume!  I'd say that's pretty good.  I was also very pleased with how quickly my order was fulfilled and shipped to me.  I think it arrived in 3 or 4 days.  (I consider that pretty good when you consider it's NY to KS.)  

I think overall the benefits of Birchbox overshadow some of the less than stellar months, but there really haven't been too many boxes I've been disappointed with.  

Here's my referral link if you're interested in signing up for Birchbox:  

https://www.birchbox.com?raf=h5dt9

***

What was in your November Birchbox?  Were you happy with this month's goodies?

October Birchbox (Goopbox!)

I received my October Birchbox the other day and wanted to do another review!  I've had a few people tell me they enjoy my Birchbox posts, so I guess that means I'll keep them coming!

This month Birchbox gave customers the option of getting a regular box or one from their team up with Goop.com.  The info card says that Goop "is our go-to resource for lifestyle inspiration."  

I don't feel like this box was really any more special than a regular box, but it still had a few nice goodies.

Essie nail polish in "Power Clutch" - I believe this is from Essie's fall collection.  It's not a color I would have purchased, but it is nice to get a full size Essie.  I'm going to give it a go and maybe color block it with some gold to spice it up a bit.  

Joanna Vargas Daily Serum - I'm still a bit hesitant about face products, but last month's Boscia was a winner.  I have yet to try this one, but will probably give it a go soon.

Kiehl's Aromatic Blends Liquid Body Cleanser - This is a foaming gel in Orange Flower & Lychee.  The smell is very fresh and the sample size is very generous.  I'm adding this one to my box of travel sizes and will use it during my next trip.  

Naked Princess Naked Shine Luscious Lip Gloss - This thing is tiny!  I wish this sample was bigger because this lip gloss is really nice.  I got the color Barely Coco, which is a really pretty neutral.  The gloss has a nice flavor / scent, but I don't think any lip gloss is worth a full size at $26.  I'll stick with my NYX, Bath & Body Works, and Revlon.

Luna Fiber bar - I got the chocolate raspberry, but haven't yet tried it.  I don't recall if I've had Luna bars before, but I do occasionally get these types of bars for on the go.  Luna bars seem to always be going on sale at Target, so it'll be nice to give one a try!

One of my coworkers signed up for Birchbox a couple months ago and so far ours have been completely different.  I must admit I was a little jealous to find out she got a Beauty Blender since those run about $19 and are supposed to be great for applying foundation.  Maybe one of these months I'll be one of the lucky ladies to get one!

If you're interested in Birchbox, here's my referral link to get you started:  

https://www.birchbox.com?raf=h5dt9

I can't remember how many months I've been subscribed to Birchbox (it's around 6 or 8ish) and I've overall remained pleased with my boxes.  I enjoy the samples and some of the larger items and full size samples have definitely given me my money's worth.  Completing the online reviews and referring people has helped me rack up points, so I'm thinking I'm going to spend those on a bottle of Viva la Juicy La Fluer soon! 

What was in your October Birchbox?  

Were you impressed by the special Goop box or did you think it was just so so? 

September Birchbox (& My Fall Candles!)

It's really starting to feel like fall!  The beginning of last week was still pretty hot (highs in the 90s), but by the end of the week we were enjoying some rain and much cooler temperatures.  It's totally put me in a fall mood...  I've been loving it all!

I got my September Birchbox this week and thought I'd share what I got!  It was a pretty decent box this month.  I don't feel like there was anything absolutely spectacular this month, but I wasn't really disappointed either.

Boscia Oil-Free Nightly Hydration - This says it refines pores and soothes irritation...  I must admit I'm getting very cautious about what I put on my face because one of my Birchbox samples totally broke me out a few months ago.  Some of these types of things I've just decided give to my mom to try.

Color Club Nail Polish in "Insta-This" - I'm totally not much of a blue person, but this one is really pretty in person.  I haven't used it yet, but I plan to put it on for my next mani.  I've really liked my other Color Club polishes!

Jouer Matte Moisture Tint - I'm excited to try this one.  I received the illuminating version last spring, but only used it as a highlighter.

Kate Spade New York Twirl Perfume - I like this one so far.  I'm wearing it now and after several hours of wear can still smell it.  I'm not sure if I'll buy the full-size, but this may be one to consider.

Twistband Hair Tie - I always keep a hair tie with me and haven't tried any of the type before.  I like it alright and may buy more at some point.  I'd prefer to go with a pack of solid colors if I do that.  

Mighty Leaf Tea Company Tea - I'm not a huge tea drinker, but it's nice to have them on hand when I'm not feeling well or I'm just in the mood for tea.  

Madewell "Gift Card" (aka coupon) - Let's get this straight...  A gift card is just money for you to spend with no minimum.  A coupon may require a set amount for you to spend.  This is for $25 off of a $75+ purchase.  I haven't shopped Madewell before, but I have browsed online.  I'll probably let this "gift card" go...  I just didn't see anything worth spending my money on (especially since I've never seen their stuff in person.)

They also had really cute fall lookbook included that had hair and makeup tips and featured looks from Madewell.  It's a fun little booklet and features some of the items I got as well as other items Birchbox is currently featuring for fall.

My aunt gave me a $25 gift card to Bath & Body Works, so I was super excited to see that they were running their 2 for $20 3-wick candles again!  It was also the day of their fall fragrance event, so with any home scent purchase I got a (real) mini pumpkin and a small candle in a limited edition scent, Pumpkin Carving.

I ended up getting:

2 Leaves (1 for me, 1 for my mom)
1 Autumn Day
1 Cider Lane (for my aunt)

5 candles total for less than $18 after the gift card!  I've been burning my Autumn Day candle today and I've really enjoyed it so far.

Now it's your turn...

What was in your September Birchbox?

Have you picked up any new fall candles?  Any suggestions for me?

August Birchbox

My August Birchbox arrived a week or two ago (I can't keep track), but with the start of school and being completely busy and exhausted I barely even looked at it until the other day!  

This's month's theme was Back to School and 15% of this month's purchases on Birchbox go toward Pencils of Promise.  Pretty cool, huh?  

I was once again pretty impressed with this month's box.  It had a couple full-size products and some good sample sizes this month, so for $10 I'm very pleased!   

Here's what my "Supply Kit" included:

• Beauty Fixation Makeup Remover
• Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy La Fleur
• Miss Jessie's Original Quick Curls
• Pixi Beauty Lid Last Shadow Pen
• Schick Hydro Silk Razor

To be honest, I haven't tried many of these products yet.  I love the original Viva la Juicy and this new one smells just as amazing.  I haven't worn it yet, but I have a feeling the full size may get added to my Christmas list.  I've tested out the Pixi shadow, which is a full-size and will hopefully remember to wear it sometime this week.  Finally, I was super excited to get a product that is specifically for curly hair!  I feel like this is one of those times they actually paid attention to the beauty profile thing I filled out when I signed up for Birchbox.

I've reached $30 in the Birchnbox store and I'm debating making a purchase.  I'm trying to work through some of my current makeup stash, so I'm not sure I want to buy anymore makeup.  Any suggestions?  I may hold out and accumulate more points and go for something nicer like a perfume (La Fleur?) in another couple months.  We shall see...

***

I thought I'd leave you with a super simple tip for storing all of those little perfume sample bottles.  I found this idea on Pinterest or a blog and decided I needed to copy it for my own perfumes.  Little votive holders are the perfect size for those little sample bottles!  I had a few unused candle holders from Target, so I pulled one out.  I'd started to accumulate quite a collection and so this is a cute way for me to keep them handy and actually give them some use!  

What was in your August Birchbox?

Do you had any simple, cute, or handy storage tips for your beauty loot?

July Birchbox

I got my July Birchbox about a week ago, but I've been so busy I haven't had time to post about it!  In fact, I just now got around to really looking at and trying the stuff in my box!

This month's box was a team-up with Glamour (my favorite magazine), so I was pretty excited to see what would be in there.  The theme was the 5 senses.  I was overall pretty pleased with my box, so once again, no need to cancel quite yet!

Doesn't everything look so fun?!?  I love the bright colors!

Here's what was in my box:

Harvey Prince Eau Flirt - This is another really nice smelling perfume.  I have soooo many fragrances right now that I'm not going to purchase this one, but I do enjoy the sample!

Gloss Moderne High Gloss Masque - I haven't tried this out yet, but I will tell you this stuff smells absolutely AMAZING!  I'm excited to try it out.  I'm not one to really spend much money at all on my hair or hair products, so it's gonna have to work amazing for me to consider buying the full size at $39.  

Color Club nail polish in Blue-Ming - This is from Color Club's Summer Pastels collection.  I've had a few people ask me where you can find Color Club nail polishes (other than on the Birchbox site).  I've seen them at Rue 21 and then I also saw a multi-pack at TJ Maxx.  This color is very close to one of my current faves, Essie's Turquoise and Caicos, so I've taken a pic to compare.  Blue-Ming is a teensy bit lighter.  I plan to use it this weekend when I update my mani and pedi!  (I'm thinking about color blocking my nails and doing a pink accent nail on each hand.  I think the blue and pink would be a fun combo!)

Larabar Uber bar - I haven't tried this one yet either, but I'm pretty sure I'll throw it in my bag soon to try out.  The price is a bit steep compared to my Special K bars, so I doubt I'll grow an addiction to these.

Manna Kadar Sheer Glo Shimmer Lotion - This is another nice shimmery highlight lotion that's great for summer.  It's got a nice bronze-y tone to it, which I really like this time of year.  (I love doing kind of a glowy bronze yet neutral look.)  I have a lot of different highlighters right now, but this one isn't as pink toned as the other ones I've been using.

Suki Balancing Regimen - These are some skincare samples that are described to be for acne-prone or combo skin.  I'm thinking I'm going to try these out this weekend.  

Earbuds - These were one of the bonus items for the month.  Aren't they adorable!?!  I'm picky about my headphones for when I workout (I don't like most earbuds because they fall out), but I'm definitely holding onto these for traveling and for on the go.  

I've had a few people ask about signing up for Birchbox, so I'm adding my referral link.  Yes, I get points in the Birchbox store, but I used a referral link to sign up so I think it's totally cool to post my link!  For $10 a month, I still think Birchbox is a pretty good deal and a fun way to try some new products I wouldn't normally try.  

https://www.birchbox.com?raf=h5dt9

Speaking of the Birchbox store, I've racked up enough points to have $20 off a purchase.  There's really nothing I need right now, so I may hold onto my points since they don't expire for quite some time still.  I've been thinking about getting an eyeshadow palette.  They have a couple nice ones from Stila and one from theBalm.  (theBalm is actually on hautelook.com right now!)

I'd love to hear from you if you also subscribe to Birchbox.  I think it's super fun to hear what other people get!

Have a great weekend!

June Birchbox and a Bath & Body Works Spree!

I'm still working on getting settled into the new place, so blogging hasn't been my highest priority the last couple weeks.  I went to an ELL conference on Monday and Tuesday (more on that later) and I'm now working on throwing a bridal shower for my former roommate!  I'm catching up on a few shows on my DVR ("Design Star", anyone?) and thought this would be a good time to share my June Birchbox and my most recent spree at Bath & Body Works' semi-annual sale!

The Birchbox

This month's theme was "Jet Set" and overall I was pretty impressed with this box.  I think at this point it would take a few months of bad boxes to get me to cancel and so far I haven't considered that.  I had 5 items in my box (2 of the same thing).  

By far the best bargain is the FULL SIZE Stila One Step Bronze.  They retail for $36 each!  I was super excited to get this one since this is something I probably wouldn't normally purchase for myself.  I haven't tried it yet (I did test it out at Ulta), but I've seen a few people online mention they mix it with their foundation.  I have some parties and stuff this weekend and think I may try it out for a little added color and glow.

The other item I'm liking is theBalm Stainiac "hint of tint."  It's intended for cheeks or lips.  The consistency is a gel, which I actually kinda like, but I definitely prefer it on the lips and not so much on the cheeks.  I liked the color it gave my lips and it really did stay that color most of the day!

I haven't tried the other items, but I'm excited to!  I received 2 Comodynes Self-Tanning wipes, which I'm thinking about trying out tomorrow.  I have some parties this weekend and a little extra tan would look good, but I want to try it a day or two ahead in case I need to do any color damage control!  I've also got a mini Luna bar and a sample of Taylor Swift's Wonderstruck perfume that I'm looking forward to testing out soon.

Bath & Body Works - The Semi-Annual Damage!

Last week on moving day my friend and I decided to take a break from that to hit up the big Bath & Body Works and White Barn at the mall.  I had a gift card and a coupon, so I decided that this was going to be my time to do some serious damage there!  In cleaning out my bathroom stuff and moving, I realized I have made progress in using up my supply of things from there, but I still have too many sprays and lotions from there.  The main thing I needed was shower gel since I use those almost daily.  I also wanted to stock up on summer-y Wallflowers (and whatever else I found to be a good deal).  

Here's what I ended up getting for a total of $21.68 out of my pocket.  (My gift card and coupon saved me $35.)  

• 1 large metal candle holder
• 4 oz. Peach Bellini candle
• 4 oz. First Bloom candle
• 6 total Wallflowers in Peach Bellini, Pineapple Orchid, Flower Shop, and Winter
• 2 2-packs of Scentportables in Fresh Linen and Peach Bellini
• 3 shower gels in Aruba Coconut, Bali Mango, and Apricot Vanilla
• 3 hand soaps in Fresh Picked Peaches, Fresh Picked Cherries, and American Berry Pie
• 2 Liplicious lip glosses in Paradise Pineapple and Amazon Coconut
• 1 body spray in Be Enchanted

According to my receipt my total savings (not including the gift card and coupon) was $99.63!  I'm obviously well stocked up and have decided I'm on a Bath & Body Works shopping ban until fall!  It's not like there's going to be anything I need from there between now and then!

Have you picked up any goodies lately?

May Birchbox

I just wanted to give a quick update on my May Birchbox!  It arrived in the mail today and I was pretty impressed with the contents.  They were "Gossip Girl" themed this month!  

I don't have my camera handy to take full pics, but the best item was a full-sized Stila Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner!  Yup, full-sized!  Birchbox.com and Sephora.com both list those at $22.  So, considering the whole box cost me $10, I'd say that alone is worth it!  

The rest of the box is pretty decent...  Ojon Conditioner (which will be good for traveling), Bvlgari Omnia Chrystaline perfume sample (smells really good, but reminds me of Wildbloom from BR, which I already own), a cute hair tie, a fun blank notecard, and a very small Dr. Jart BB cream (the little sample bottle hardly has any product).  The Stila eyeliner is by far the standout product, especially for the value.  This is actually the first box of the three where all of the products are things I'd actually use or wear.  (I'm not big into oils, so some of those kinds of things aren't that interesting to me.)  Anyway, Birchbox has won me over for at least another month!  

I've been getting into watching beauty videos on YouTube and I've been hearing a lot about Birchbox and other similar subscription sites.  From the sounds of things, Birchbox is one of the better ones, if not the best in terms of quality products and customer service.  I've been fairly pleased so far, so I plan to continue to stick with it for another few months at least.  It's a fun little treat for myself and I do like getting to try some fun products I normally wouldn't test out!  I recently read an article about how companies that participate in services like this have seen an increase in sales because people are more willing to buy higher end products that they get to try first.  Makes total sense, huh?  I'm getting close to having $10 in the Birchbox store, so I'm excited to pick out my first purchase!

Birchbox, Jokesters, & A Few Recent Finds

My April Birchbox arrived today!  This was the third day in a row I got something fun in the mail!  I feel like a giddy little kid when I get things in the mail that aren't junk or bills.  :)

The "theme" of this month's Birchbox was Natural Wonders, so the products are all kind of along those lines.  I kind of suspected that might be the case, but I refrained from looking Googling April Birchboxes until I got my own this month.

Atelier Cologne  - Orange Sanguine Cologne Absolute


Marula the Leakey Collection - Omega Rich Pure Marula Oil


Weleda - Pomegranate Firming Night Cream


Zoya - Nail Polish in Farah


Yes to Blueberries - Brightening Facial Towelettes

I almost bought the Yes to Blueberries towelettes yesterday at Target, so I'm glad I decided to hold off and now I can try them out first.  I'm also excited about the Zoya nail polish.  It's super neutral and I've seen some cool ideas on Pinterest with neon and neutral nail colors together.

I've also been enjoying my little perfume samples.  I've got a few right now from Birtchbox and from Dillards, so I've been sticking those in my little purse makeup bag to have if I need to freshen up when I'm out.

I'm still deciding about Birchbox, but I'll probably give it at least another two months before I decide if I want to keep it going or not.  I'd like to see what comes during the summer months, so I'm hoping for some goodies to be included in the May and June boxes.

I mentioned the other day that I'd purchased a couple new shirts on super sales online.  I really don't shop much online, especially for clothes.  I'm just not one of those people who can walk into a store and just buy something without trying it on.

The shirt one the left is the Lace Necklace Tee from J.Crew ($6.99 after discounts).  I feel like I'm between sizes there, so I went with the larger of the two.  It's a little bigger than I'd prefer, but I think washing and drying it will shrink it up a bit.  I wore it to work today and got tons of compliments, though!  (I was having a "fat day" and felt gross because I've not been eating very healthy this week, so I was happy to hear I looked cute when I didn't feel that way at all!)  You can see the detail below...  It's really pretty and not super low, which is also a plus. I wish the blue had still been available, but oh well!

I also nabbed this striped tee from Gap ($5.35 after discounts).  I had to go a size smaller than normal and bought a tall since that was all that was left in this color, but it worked out fine.  I wish it fit me a little more loose at the bottom like my real size was (I'd tried a black one in store months ago), but the top and sleeves are just perfect on me.  Once again, this has been an unhealthy eating week, so I didn't feel like it looked great on me when I wore it yesterday, but I'm sure that's all in my head.  It's at least motivation for me to hit the gym tonight!  Anyway, both of these tops are good casual and work shirts for the warmer weather.  I like things that can be dressed up or down and the fact that they were both on major sale is just an added bonus.

I went to dinner and did a teensy bit of shopping last night with a friend who recently moved back to town.  We went to a big accessory store where I always want to go crazy!  Everything there is very inexpensive and color coordinated!  I found these earrings there for $8.99 and couldn't resist.  Plus, they go with both of my new tops!  ; )  I don't have a lot of earrings with color and I figured I have a lot of tops and dresses that will match these.

My last buy was this two-pack of neon skinny belts.  I don't think I've purchased anything at Rue 21 since high school or early college, but we popped in there last night since the friend I was with was looking for a belt for one of her new dresses.  I'd looked last weekend for some belts just like these to go with my black dress I wore on Easter and had no success.  (I ended up busting out a beige Gap skinny belt that I snagged for about $3.  I must admit, it looked very classy.)  I've obviously been into the neons lately, so I was super happy to find these so cheap!  I'm on an interview committee tomorrow and I'm thinking about wearing my black dress with one of these for a punch of color.

So, all of that for less than the regular price of the J.Crew shirt!

I'm trying to go one month without buying any new tops (from my April paycheck to my May paycheck).  I'd like to say no clothes at all, but I really need some warm weather work pants, so I'm not going to limit myself if I find some that work.  If I'm good for a few months, I may allow myself a weekend trip to visit friends or the outlets again once summer comes.

Finally, the jokesters...

I've been spending my days in the office since my student teacher is still in charge and the conference room has been used for testing.  It's always an adventure down there!  I went back to my classroom to do a few things this afternoon and came back to the office to find my principal sitting in the corner at my laptop.  He promptly closed it and asked if it was mine or one of the testing laptops we had down there.  I thought something was a bit fishy since there were a couple others around him that scattered when I walked back in.  I turned my laptop on only to find a giant photo of him and our secretaries dressed in orange and camo AND reindeer antlers!  Yup, that's my background now!  He told me that's what happens when I hang out down there...  Oh geez!  I need to find a new background soon!

Well, off I go to catch up on some shows on the DVR and then hit the gym.  I don't like to workout until after 8 p.m. because things are so busy before then!

My First Birchbox

I received my first Birchbox today!  I told you all about it a week or two ago.  Well, I got home late last night and forgot to check my mail until this morning.  I'm super happy to have it now that I am going to sink into a depression since my Wildcats just lost against Syracuse.  I obviously need a little pick-me-up!

I've really been into beauty-related items lately, so I'll probably be putting up some posts and reviews of some of those items this week.  Teachers need to pamper themselves and look good too!

(Isn't the box cute?  Perfect for reusing too!)

Anyway, this month's box consisted of these items:

• Tea Forte Skin-Smart Antioxidant Amplifier Teas
• Ahava Time to Hydrate Essential Day Moisturizer
• Orofluido Beauty Elixir
• Color Club nail polish in Peace Out Purple
• Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint
• Annik Goutal Eau d'Hadrien perfume

I'm pretty excited to try all of these items.  They're definitely brands and products I might not normally try, but there's no harm in sampling things, now is there?!?  :)  That's pretty much the reason I signed up anyway.  Besides, I already made a deal with my mom that she gets any items I'm not into!

I'm still not totally sure this is going to be a long-term commitment for me...  I figured I'd give it three months or so and see what I get.  I'm interested in some of the summer-y items that might be making their way to  my mailbox in the coming months!  

I'm not really much of a tea person, but I'm excited for my teas!  There are three in there-- Cherry marzipan, cucumber mint, and honey yuzu.  Ahhhh...  To to able to sit around this week and sip tea at my leisure.  This is the life...

I'm also pretty excited about the Color Club nail polish.  I'm really into neon stuff right now and the Peace Out Purple is a really fun (and actually quite pretty) neon purple.  I'm still figuring out my new camera, so I don't feel like the picture does the color justice.  It's definitely going to be my next nail color!  

So, there you have it-- 

MY FIRST BIRCHBOX!

Birchbox (I just signed up!)

I'm quite a big fan of hair, makeup, and pretty much any beauty item in general.  I'd read about Birchbox on a couple blogs and was interested in giving it a try.  Basically, you get a box each month of various beauty samples to try.  I had to get on a waiting list, but I'm pretty sure I joined that just a few weeks ago.  I got an e-mail today saying that I could now join!  I filled out a survey telling about my hair type, skin type, and what kinds of products I'm interested in.  It's $10 a month (that's the total cost, nothing extra for shipping) and from what I've read a lot of people have been happy with their Birchboxes.  I searched for "Birchbox" on Google and got to see plenty of reviews and pictures of the items people have received.  My first box will ship on the 15th, so I'm excited to see what kinds of goodies I receive.  I figure for $10 a month (I can cancel anytime) I'll give it a try for 3 months or so and decide if it's worth continuing with.  I love trying new products and from what I've seen they have some pretty nice stuff.  

www.birchbox.com

On a tangent...  I went to Sephora a while back seeking a new face scrub / exfoliator.  The sales guy that helped me told me not to spend money on anything I hadn't yet tested.  He proceeded to find me samples of products that fit my criteria (skin type and budget) and I ended up with 8 different samples!  It took me over 2 weeks to get through all of my samples, but I did have success in finding one I wanted to purchase.  Anyway, I say this because I thought he made a really good point about not buying something I haven't tried.  Especially with more high-end products, I don't want to feel buyer's remorse and regret spending money on something.  I think the whole idea of letting customers sample products at home is great customer service.  I mean, think about it, this sales guy encouraged me NOT to buy anything that day.  He was definitely confident I would find something I loved and would come back for it...  And I did!

Anyway, this isn't really related to teaching at all, but I wanted to share anyway.  I feel like I work hard and like to pamper myself in little ways every now and then.  So many teachers work hard and deal with a lot of stress and this is just one little thing that I thought would be a fun way to reward myself.  I'm not really one to spend a lot of money getting my hair done or my nails done or whatever, but I do love little things I can enjoy at home.  I'll be sure to post pics of my first Birchbox when it arrives and giving you my own input on how I like it.  

In the meantime, here are a few other reviews of Birchbox:

http://www.thestylishhousewife.com/2012/02/february-birchbox-review/  

(She actually has a lot of reviews, but this is just the most recent.)

http://www.birchboxreviews.com/ 

(This is a whole blog dedicated to reviews of products.  It's really good to see what kinds of things they send out!)

http://www.lipstickmusings.com/search/label/Birchbox

(A couple good reviews and pictures of items.)

http://www.haute-lunch.com/search/label/Birchbox

(More good reviews and pictures!)