All my subscriptions came on time or early this month. I already wrote about my terrific September ipsy bag. And to follow up on my missing product with points, ipsy said they couldn’t replace it but they were sending me something else. It hasn’t arrived yet, and my fingers are crossed that it isn’t a black eyeliner 🙄
Birchbox
Honestly, I am a little tired of having to choose a Birchbox every month by watching their videos and then waiting till the date when I can choose the one I want. For September, I threw up my hands and just let them send me whatever. Frankly, I think that was the right response! My box was a decent one.
Here’s what I got:
- Coola Classic Face SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer, deluxe sample: Very lightweight moisturizer with chemical sunscreen that doesn’t give me white face. Although I am psychologically more comfortable with physical sunscreens, I gotta say I love the benefits of a chemical sunscreen. I’m enjoying this.
- Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, travel size: I’ve heard of this English (I think) hot cloth cleanser, but never tried it and still haven’t gotten a chance to use it yet. You soak the muslin cloth in warm water, and after applying the cream cleanser, remove it with the cloth. Basically, they just give you the face cloth. Not quite sure what’s different here. I’ll let you know once I try it.
- Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek in the shade, Perk, deluxe sample: I’ve been wanting to try this brand so I was happy to get this sample. Love the bright pinky-peach shade I got. I don’t use this as a multitasker, but it makes a great cream blush.
- Oribe Glaze for Beautiful Hair Color plus bonus samples of Shampoo and Conditioner for Beautiful Color Hair: The shampoo and conditioner were a huge surprise. My hair was incredibly soft and silky after using them. If I didn’t have so many shampoos and conditioners, I would buy this duo in a heartbeat. I tried the Glaze last night (it’s basically a treatment conditioner), but I had something I wanted to watch on TV so I didn’t apply a leave-in like I usually do and I let my hair air-dry, something I never do, and then I flat-ironed it. I didn’t get the great results from the Glaze that I got previously from the shampoo and conditioner when I followed my regular regimen. If I have enough left in the sample, I’ll try it again.
- Tocca, Florence eau de parfum sample: Very pretty floral, but not for me. I’ll give it away.
Assessment: I liked this box. The Coola moisturizer, Milk blush stick, Oribe Shampoo & Conditioner were all things I love using and was glad to discover. Definitely worth $10 this month.
Sephora Play! The UnBasic Basics
The bag with the lipstick was cute. I’ll use it for jewelry and stockings when I travel.
Sephora’s September theme, the UnBasic Basics, is cute and I guess it fits because they’re products that you might consider necessities, but then not really. Here’s what I got:
- Sephora Collection: deluxe sample of Rouge Shine Lipstick in the light pink shade, Love Spell: A hydrating lipstick that’s comfortable to wear in a light pinky orchid shade that I seem to have several of already, sort of a MLBB shade.
- Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Night Cap Overnight Perfector, deluxe sample: I got a sample of this at Ulta last year, and it’s a terrific product but kind of a pain to use. I dislike sleeping with a plastic bag on my hair. Some rainy or snowy day when I know I’ll be staying in the house, I’ll apply it during the day and wash it out at night.
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel, deluxe sample: I need this. Glad to get it!
- Dr. Jart Water Drop Hydrating Moisturizer: I have a Dr. Jart BB Cream that I love so I was happy to get this huge travel size tube of moisturizer with hyaluronic acid. I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but I’m looking forward to it.
- Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper, travel size: I received this in my first or second Sephora Play! bag so I’ll give it away. It’s a good one.
- Tory Burch Jolie Fleur Verte eau de parfum sample: A fresh green floral. A nice scent but not my thing. I’ll give it away.
Assessment: Same as Birchbox: I liked the box. Definitely worth the $10. I’ll use the lipstick around the house, the LP hair treatment, the Anastasia brow gel, and the Dr. Jart moisturizer. Well done.
So do I have a favorite between the two? No, they’re both quite good. How about you? Which would you have preferred? And if you subscribe, what did you get this month?
I’m pretty impressed by Birchbox this month as it’s one of the better ones. Let me know how you like that Liz Earle cleanser, I have read so many amazing reviews on it. I have a similar cream cleanser but from Aurelia which I really love.
Shireen L. Platt recently posted…Get On The Road To Healthier Skin With Farmacy Beauty Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask
I will, Shireen. I need to read up about it. The idea of getting a piece of cloth to bother with just don’t make sense to me. I mostly use my Foreo!
Neither box is too shabby! I always find opening the boxes so much fun!
Lola Seicento recently posted…Farmhouse Fresh Sweet Tea Body Polish & Citrus Cilantro Body Oil
Exactly, Helen! That’s why I dislike choosing the box in advance like Birchbox seems to want me to do. This month there were good surprises all around 🙂
I think you got a good choice of options from both.
Phyrra recently posted…One Brand Drugstore Tutorial Nyx Cosmetics
I think so too. For $10, I’m happy
Both good bags–not knock my socks off but nice.
Cindy (Prime Beauty) recently posted…New! Sol de Janeiro Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel!
For $10, I have lower standards lol. What blew me away were the Oribe shampoo and conditioner samples in the Birchbox. And I was happy to get the Anastasia clear brow gel from Sephora coz I don’t have any. Also the Dr. Jart Water Hydrating Moisturizer and Coola daytime moisturizer are terrific because they’re so lightweight, and I never tried them before.
I just wrote up my third subscription of the month so this week we’re twins. I had almost the same Sephora Play and it was a winner for me in general. Birchbox is nice but I’m not sure I’d love anything but the Milk Makeup stick.
MarciaF recently posted…Shall we play with Sephora Play?
You’ll laugh but what really blew me away from the Birchbox were the Oribe shampoo and conditioner samples. I looked at them and groaned, but they were fabulous. If I weren’t drowning in other shampoos and conditioners, I’d buy them in a heartbeat 😀 The Coolo moisturizer with spf is good too but can’t remember which one it was in. Clearly too many subscriptions! How do you keep yours straight? 😉
That Sephora bag is absolutely adorable!
Destany recently posted…Lilla Rose Hair Clips
It is a cute bag this month. Last month was cute too, decorated with a wink
I absolutely love the bags that Sephora Play comes in! Super duper cute, and excellent items too! 🙂
Shipra recently posted…ColourPop Terracotta Fall Edit will Have YOU Right on Trend
The Play! bags are cute. Great for jewelry bags!
Your Birchbox looks pretty good this month! I like my Sephora box too. I used that Living Proof product overnight without wearing a cap to bed and I was quite impressed with the results. My hair stayed pretty much straight without getting crinkly like it normally does at night.
Agata recently posted…Play! By Sephora September Box
Agata, thank you so much for commenting about this product. I’m not sure if I’m confusing it with another LP product I own (I have a lot of ’em) or if I misunderstood it. I have an LP product that I apply thickly to damp hair, leave on overnight wearing a plastic cap, and shampoo out the next morning – I thought this was that. Frankly, this one sounds even less appealing to me, lol, but I’m glad you straightened me out about it!
I swear by the face cloth method! The differences are: 1. If you are using a low-pH cleanser (which you must), rinsing it off with water will increase your skin’s pH all over again. Not a problem but the pH fluctuations aren’t a great idea. A cloth solves the problem, though I don’t bother with a “hot” cloth. Any regular flannel. 2. It provides some level of physical exfoliation without being harsh on the skin. 3. You require less water to get rid of the product from your face – that’s probably a bucket of water saved each week. 4. It helps remove makeup more efficiently. 5. If you use an oil/balm cleanser, a cloth will get rid of any oil/greasiness from your skin quicker. I’m a bit of a face flannel addict now!
CosmetopiaDigest recently posted…Holiday 2016: ASOS Beauty Advent Calendar On Sale; Ships Worldwide
I grew up using face cloths. That’s all we had then. So nothing new for me!
Both have some really great products, but I think I lean more to Sephora as a favourite.
Bailey recently posted…New Season, New Balm | Farmacy Lip Bloom
I can see that. Because Sephora has more makeup, that gives it the edge. But I was sooooooo impressed by the Oribe shampoo & conditioner!
Both boxes look like they included pretty nice products – I’m quite impressed.
Honeygirlk recently posted…Productivity, Focus, Organization & Education – With Apps That Are Actually Free, Amazon Underground
It was a good subbie box month all around!
You got great boxes this month!
The Beauty of Life recently posted…Party On My Nails: KBShimmer Prints Charming from the Spring 2016 Collection
Yes, I think so too!
I was really happy with Sephora Play this month!
Glad you got a good one too this month! I was thinking of canceling in September but Play seems to have turned the corner for me these past 2 months.