Sammi the Beauty Buff: Birchbox: June 2015 Review

Hello, friends! And Happy Friday! Welcome to the first day of catch-up day, in which I rip open all of the subscription boxes that were sitting in my room when I returned home from my two-month internship. Today's post is all about unboxing my June Birchbox. This was one was a surprise, since (for once) I didn't go with the guest curated box. I'm really excited to dig in, so let's get started!

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. In the past, they have 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!

Dang, Birchbox has really stepped up their game with the boxes. I remember when they used to have just plain cardboard back in November, and now here they are.

This month's theme was State of Mind, as in everything is based on how you look at a situation. You can also have a New York State of Mind, which is equally acceptable.

Here's a list of the goodies I got in my box. I love how they tell you what the full name of the product is, the price, and how to use it. Because sometimes you pick up a product and go "What the heck is this?" but then you can look at the card and you'll know!

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

CAUDALIE | Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid SPF 15
(SAMPLE-SIZE value [.1oz]: $3.68) (Full-size cost [1.4oz]: $44)

YES! I'm always up for more Caudalie samples, since they're super pricey. This one's tiny, but it's plenty to try out the product. Plus I'm almost out of my daytime moisturizer, and I love putting off the inevitable event of buying more. I'm stoked to try this out. I already have a few other favorites by them, so I hope I can add this to the list as well!

CLEAN | Fresh Laundry Eau de Parfum
(SAMPLE-SIZE value [.03oz]: $1.15) (Full-size cost [1oz]: $38)

I'm not big on receiving perfume samples, since 1) fragrances smell different on everyone, and 2) I very easily get into the habit of wearing the same thing every day, so having more than a couple is almost pointless to me. But hey, I like clean scents, so it's not so bad. This one actually smells like fresh laundry, so they did a great job with the name. Maybe I'll wear it on a day when I'm feeling dirty.

DR. JART | Dermaclear Micro Water
(SAMPLE-SIZE value [.7oz]: $2.56) (Full-size cost [8.4oz]: $32)

This was the item I was most excited about, and I still am! Cleansing waters, or micellar waters, are sweeping the beauty community in America. If you're wondering what a "micelle" is, it's basically a tiny little oily molecule in the water. Crazy, right? They've been popular in France forever, and now we're finally catching on. And boy am I glad we are! This stuff is awesome. It feels like water, but it makes makeup melt right off! You don't get that greasy, oily residue like you feel with dual-phase makeup removers, and it won't sting your eyes. It's actually a Christmas miracle.

My favorite way to use it, though, is in the morning. It works great at freshening up and cleansing the skin without drying it out, and it's great at getting off any oils that built up over night. Plus, sometimes when they're working on the pipes and we can't use the water, since will be a great cleansing substitute in a pinch. When I use up this sample, I definitely want to use my points on a full-size!

KLORANE | Mango Butter Shampoo
(SAMPLE-SIZE value [.85oz]: $1.22) (Full-size cost [13.4oz]: $20)
With bonus Conditioning Balm
(SAMPLE-SIZE value [.3oz]: $1.07) (Full-size cost [5.07oz]: $16)

Klorane is supposed to be a good brand--I know many bloggers who like their dry shampoo. I like how they also provided a bonus packet of the matching conditioner, though chances are it won't even be enough for one use on my hair. I'm pretty low-maintenance with my hair, so hair products are my least favorite to receive in boxes.

I've been going sulfate-free after dying my hair (or some of it) pink again, so I haven't tried these yet. If anything, they'd be great for travel (or when I get tired of sulfate-free once more)!

MARCELLE | Waterproof Eyeliner in Indigo
(SAMPLE-SIZE value [.03oz]: $7.30) (Full-size cost [.04oz]: $11)

I don't wear eyeliner regularly, especially not in the summer, so I was glad that I received a fun color instead of another black. This color reminds me more of a navy than anything else, so it's a pretty, subtle way to switch things up. This formula is creamy and pigmented, though I kind of wish it was a little more indigo. For $11, I would buy another one, but this is a huge sample at over half the size so I can't imagine needing another for awhile!

Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner in Indigo (Swatched)

L. Erickson Grab & Go Ponytail Holder
(SAMPLE-SIZE value [1 elastic]: $1.20) (Full-size cost [15 elastics]: $18)

I feel like some people are going to complain about receiving this, but I can always use more hair elastics! This one feels strong and durable, and is still pretty stretchy. It's also cuter than your basic elastic. It looks cute stacked with the rest of my bracelets, and I can rest assured knowing I'll never be without a hair tie (because that's the worst feeling when it's hot out, right?).