First Look: Birchbox April 2013

Okay, so it's May 8, 2013, and I'm posting this. I wrote it 3 weeks ago.

Monday, April 15, 2013

First Look: Birchbox April 2013

LAFCO House & Home Soap $17.00
Made In Italy.
The Birchbox Card says, “Infused with wild roses, black currants, and raspberry, NY-based LAFCO’s lush blend is a world away from ordinary bar soap.”
They’re right about that. It’s not a bad smell, just very strong. I got the scent called Fleur de Baies. I could smell it when I opened my mailbox. I was worried something in my Birchbox had leaked. I was very relieved to find there was not a mess, but I had to seal the soap in a Ziploc bag because it was giving me a headache. I can still smell it through the bag. Everything in my Birchbox, including the tissue paper and the box itself, still smells like the soap. I would never be able to use this soap because of the strong scent. It will be on my Birchbox Trade List tomorrow. I am wondering if I can trade it for another Mirenesse Glossy Kiss Lipstick.

Mirenesse Glossy Kiss Lipstick $26.55
From the Card, “Launching exclusively in the Birchbox Shop, this user-friendly lip pencil is a quick way to score a high-impact pout.”
Made In Taiwan. I got the color 14. Perfect Kiss. It’s supposed to be a coral color, but it looks like a peach color with shimmer to me. I was a bit confused about the exact name of the color at first, but I sorted it out after a look at the Birchbox website. People on the online keep saying, “I got Glossy Kiss. It’s a horrible neon orange color,” and, “I got Glossy Kiss and it’s a nice darker red.” That tipped me off because mine says Mirenesse Glossy Kiss and it’s an orangey peach color. After a closer look, the packaging says, “Glossy Kiss Starlet” on the front, the lipstick tube says, “Mirenesse Glossy Kiss,” then turn it halfway around and it says the actual color name, “14. Perfect Kiss” and the amount of product in the tube, followed by the website address Mirenesse.com. I have at least 3 similar colors. Orange and peach lip products are my favorite. I have the Maybelline Color Whisper in 30 Pin Up Peach, e.l.f. Super Glossy Lip Shine in Love It, and the new limited-edition (I think) Revlon Lip Butter in 027 Juicy Papaya.

Nexxus Youth Renewal Rejuvenating Elixer $20.99
The Birchbox Card says, “It’s not just your skin that needs antiaging (sic) help. This new shine-boosting serum cures dry strands and reduces the odds of age-related breakage.”
Made In USA. Anti-aging serum for hair? I am dumbfounded by this concept. Why not just call it an anti-breakage serum? The words “anti-aging” without the dash in the middle bug me. I think Birchbox could use a better proofreader. The serum is packaged in a little bottle with an eye dropper. According to the packaging, it’s an “Advanced leave-in treatment that rebuilds strength and combats 8 visible signs of aging hair.” All hair is aging. It’s not alive. Hair follicles, which the hair grows from are alive, but hair itself is not. I think Nexxus is using the words “anti-aging” as a marketing tool. Companies that sell skincare products and vitamins and supplements have proven that people will buy anything that says it prevents or reverses the signs of aging. The visible signs of aging hair are not specific to “aging” hair, they are just things that happen to hair as it grows. There are countless hair oils, heat protectants, and leave-in conditioners that do exactly the same thing as Nexxus Youth Renewal Rejuvenating Elixer. Maybe they should all be labeled as anti-aging hair products. It also has dimethicone, a great hair-smoothing ingredient, but unfortunately a major cause of acne breakouts if it gets on my face. I did only recently find out about the correlation between my breakouts and the hair products I use and it’s been a very enlightening process trying to replace them. So far it hasn’t been a big success.

Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate $58.00
From the Card: “With a hefty 10.5 percent pure vitamin C, this targeted antiaging (sic) serum brightens skin, protects against free radical damage, and softens wrinkles.”
Made In the U.S.A. Okay, is everybody spelling “anti-aging” without the dash now? That’s what stands out on the back of the tube for me. I would buy this product specifically because of that, if it does what the packaging claims it does. This sounds like a product I could use. I have deep crease lines on my forehead. Vitamin C is also supposed to be good for fading blemishes from acne. I could definitely use something that does that. I wish I could try this serum. The sample size says 0.17 fl. oz./5ml. I just realized that means the tube is at least ½ full of air. 5ml is the same size as 1 teaspoon. I will not be trying the Kiehl’s Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate because it has dimethicone and dimethicone crosspolymer. I have adult acne and dimethicone is a silicon-based polymer which can cause flare ups. I am very disappointed to not even be able to try it. I am in the process of weeding out all skincare and hair products that I own which contain dimethicone. These currently include my favorite conditioner and dry hair oil by Organix brand. This is not a fun process, but it’s necessary for less acne on my face. I wonder if Kiehl’s has any products which don’t contain dimethicone.

Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-On $6.99 or so at Target
This is not listed on the Birchbox Card. It has it’s own little card wrapped around it that says, “It helps reduce puffiness and revitalize tired eyes by instantly cooling and gently massaging the delicate eye area.” Made In USA. It’s a Birchbox Find like the Schick razor we got several months ago. I’m really hoping we can review the Eye Roll-On. Is it sad the most exciting thing about this product is that I can pronounce all the ingredients and I don’t see dimethicone or parabens listed on the label? There’s a $1.00 off coupon on the back of the card. I wonder if CVS carries Simple brand products. It carries just about every other product made by every company owned by Unilever. I am really looking forward to trying the Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-On. I need a good eye cream. It says 0.5 oz. | 15mL. It looks to be housed in a 1 oz. tube. Why can packaging not be made to fit the amount of the product inside it? Anyway, this looks like an interesting product to try and I can’t wait to try it tomorrow morning.

Thanks for Sharing My April Birchbox, Everyone. Have Fun and Blessed Be.