Sammi the Beauty Buff: Birchbox: May 2015 Review

Hello, friends! I am reporting to you live from backstage, writing fervently in the dark like a crazy person. Do you guys know how much I love you yet?

Anyway, today we're kicking things off with this month's Birchbox unboxing. What did I get? Skincare? Makeup? A puppy? Stay tuned to find out!

To Birchbox - Really, though. It could be a thing. I'd go for it.

Birchbox? What's that?

Birchbox is a monthly beauty and lifestyle subscription service. It sends 4-5 deluxe samples that are curated to your beauty profile. It is $10 a month, and has a wonderful rewards program, in which you can earn points for reviewing products and making purchases in the Birchbox Shop. You can then redeem those points for full-sized products! It's probably the best rewards program out there, in my opinion, which was one of the big draws in me signing up. They're always adding new products to the shop. This month they sampled products from Amika, Juice Beauty, Shiseido, as well as pages of others! Some products are even exclusive to Birchbox, like Cynthia Rowley's new makeup line and the cult-favorite Beauty Protector brand.

If you're interested in subscribing to Birchbox, I would love it if you used my referral link! Thank you! (Also, I hear you can get your first box for only ONE DOLLAR with the code TATIOFFER. Just saying).

This month's Birchbox came in a pretty orange box with a geometric print. The color reminds me of summer, like a sunset. I like it!

When Birchbox announced that this month's guest editor was a blogger, I was dying of curiosity to find out who it was. It was revealed to be Emily of Cupcakes and Cashmere, I had never heard of her, and was a little bummed to find out it wasn't a beauty blogger. But I checked out her blog, and she does mention beauty sometimes, so it's not so bad.

The beloved info card was also in the box, providing information to subscribers everywhere. Isn't information a beautiful thing?

But enough about that. Let's get to the good stuff~

DR. JART+ Ceramidin Day Tint
(SAMPLE-SIZE value [.17oz]: $4.80) (Full-size cost [1.7oz]: $48)

I was excited to see this in my box for sure! I'm a huge fan of their Premium Beauty Balm (even before receiving it in a Birchbox nearly two years ago), and even their Water Fuse version is pretty good. I'll definitely get use out of this. I'm curious to see how it compares to their regular BB creams, so I'll try it out and let you know.

HARVEY PRINCE Sea Salt Texturizing Mist
(SAMPLE-SIZE value [.27oz]: $1) (Full-size cost [6oz]: $22)

This was my sample choice this month. I use sea salt sprays a lot in the summer to give my straight hair some volume. I like some of Harvey Prince's perfumes, so I figured I'd give it a go. It's not as fragrant as I thought it would be, but it could be that I'm not using enough of it. The spout is pretty tiny since it's a little sample, so I'm still playing around with how much I need to use. So far I still like the HealthySexyHair spray better (#throwbackSunday to September 2014) but I'll keep playing around with it and keep you updated!

MARCELLE Hydra-C 24H Energizing Hydrating Gel
(SAMPLE-SIZE value [.24oz]: $3.40) (Full-size cost [1.7oz]: $24)

Yes, I love being able to put off buying new moisturizers! I like Vitamin C, and I like skincare samples, so this should be good. Marcelle's BB creams are pretty good in my opinion s(I have one in my makeup bag right now), so I hope I like this too. The full-size comes in a jar, unlike this sample tube here, which is kind of a bummer. But we'll pass that bridge if/when we ever come to it.

There's also an exfoliating gel that comes in this line that sounds interesting. If I'm impressed by this, I might take a chance and use my points to purchase that.

MODELCO Party Proof Lipstick in Dusk Til Dawn
(SAMPLE-SIZE value [.13oz tube]: $6.67) (Full-size cost: $20 for set of 3)

I think Birchbox really wants me to have a lipstick in this color. I received a Jouer lipstick in a similar shade in my Lovely Day Limited Edition Birchbox (review to come!). I'm not usually attracted to this shade (I prefer pinks and corals) but it doesn't look bad on me like I thought it would! I've always associated this shade with older women, since I don't see many girls my age walking around with this color. But it's time I left my comfort zone. Are you happy now, Birchbox? I have filled this color void in my lipstick collection!

I probably won't reach for it much this summer, since I've been into bright colors lately, but the colder months might inspire me to use this! I'm happy that this lipstick is a full-sized tube. I'd never used any ModelCo products before this, so I might check out what else they have.

ENGLISH LAUNDRY Notting Hill Femme
(SAMPLE-SIZE value [.04oz]: $1) (Full-size cost [3.4oz]: $90)

I haven't gotten a perfume sample in awhile, so I guess Birchbox decided it was time for me to pay my dues. I'm not a huge fan of receiving perfume in subscription boxes, since fragrance tastes are so personal, so I haven't even sprayed it yet (whoops!). I prefer fruity, citrusy scents in the summertime, and this is not that, so perhaps I'll give it a go come the fall (if I'm not drooling over the next Fortune Cookie Soap Box like I was last fall's).