January Birchbox

Hey, all! Many of you may have heard of Birchbox. It's a fantastic service that offers samples of beauty products for a $10 monthly fee. If you live in an area like mine, where most consider Bath & Body Works the be all end all of amazing bath products. Nothing against Bath & Body Works, but there are alternatives, and Birchbox delivers them to your door. I just got mine, so I haven't had a chance to use any of this month's products, but in the past, I've gotten mini bottles of Zoya polish, Philosophy face wash, lip glosses, eye shadow samples, pretty soaps and the like.

Birchbox includes a cute little card describing the goods. Rather than retype the information, I figured I'd just let you read firsthand.

I unwrapped everything so I didn't have to post as many pictures, but some items are usually loose in the box, and a few things are usually wrapped up in a little tissue paper package. A+ on the packaging.

 

You'll get more updates as I have a chance to enjoy my new treats. In the meantime, you can enjoy for yourself by checking about the Birchbox website. Disclaimer: That's my referral link. You, too, can share and get additional points towards purchases by joining.

Hautelook for Discount Designer Shopping

I've always had expensive taste, but I've never had the cashflow to buy the stuff I want, so I look for bargains. Clearance racks, BOGO sales, anything to save a few bucks. If you're like me, I have the website for you.

Hautelook offers a sort of "deal of the day" on their website for brand name clothing, household items, beauty products and even vacations. The cost difference between normal retail and Hautelook's pricing varies depending on the product and each sale, and the individual sale events last for a few days. I have mainly purchased beauty products thus far, but here are a few of the deal's I've found:

LORAC Baked Matte Satin Eye Shadows. Regular price: $22. I paid $2.

 LORAC On Screen Duo (Powder Highlighter & Cream Shadow/Liner). Regular Price: $24.00. I paid $4.

 

Philosophy Hope Will Set You Free set. Regular Price: $48. I paid $33.50.

Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer. Regular Price: $32. I paid $9.

Stila One Step Makeup. Regular Price: $44. I paid $9.

Stila Garden Bliss All Over Shimmer Powder. Regular Price: $28. I paid $11.

These are a few of the deals I've gotten in the last couple of months, and these are full size products, not little sample kits. The only thing I'm not 100% ecstatic about is the fact that shipping is usually a little slow. They are great about sending shipment notifications, though, and they often arrive ahead of schedule. They also give estimated ship dates at purchase, so you know if it'll take too long to get something you need. I can wait a couple of extra days for these prices. They also preview events so you can see what's coming, even if you don't get to see the individual items coming soon.

I've been really happy with the quality of the stuff I've gotten, and my overall experience. Shipping is reasonable and the products are high quality. Considering it's a free membership, I say this stuff is well worth it. They also offer $10 if someone you refer makes a purchase AND you can see who has signed up and how much credit you have, unlike some other companies. If you want to sign up, you can use my link to register, or visit the main page.