Birchbox Review ~ September 2013

So let me start off by saying that I have actually had previous Birchboxes before and have been pretty pleased in the past. This is the September box that was themed "Heritage". 

(Yes, that is my zebra bed spread :P)

Birchbox costs $10 per month and you can choose either a one time box, a three month subscription, a six month subscription, or a year long subscription. (There is also a Birchbox for men which costs $20 per month)
You can find the link to their website here: www.birchbox.com

So enough of the details, lets get started with the goodies inside!

I received five items in this month's box, and the first one was this Paula's Choice RESIST BHA 9 serum for stubborn imperfections. Basically it is a spot corrector for everything from blackheads towrinkles. The sample I received is pretty tiny but I guess with this type of product you don't need to use a whole lot anyway. I will definitely give it a try. According to the box, the full size product retails for $36.95.

                       

The next item was a sample of a Coastal Scents eye shadow quad. I was a little disappointed that my particular sample came with one of the colors broken :( However, the shades are definitely ones that I would use so I am curious to see how they look on. The box says this full size product retails for $34-39.  

                        

Now we come to this Serge Normant Meta Luxe Hair Spray sample. It intrigued me that it says it contains natural extracts of echinacea, chamomile, and rosemary. Now, I am not at all sure what that first thing is but any beauty product that has anything natural has got to be better to use, right? I'm gonna go with that. Anyway, it does have an earthy, plant-like smell so I will try it out and see if the hold is just as promising as the scent. The box says this full size product retails for $25. 

                        

The next product is this Ruffian nail lacquer in the color "Hedge Fund". I thought that was actually a pretty clever name! I don't know a whole lot about this brand but when I did a little research I found out that Ruffian is actually a fashion label that teamed up with Birchbox to launch a line of fashionable colored nail polishes. They seem to be getting good reviews so I am very excited to try out this color soon! I personally think it is the perfect color to transition from summer to fall :) 

According to the box, this nail polish retails for $10. 

                        

The last product was perhaps my favorite of the lot.  Now, I will warm you that at first glance it sounds really weird but I promise it is worth a try. It is the Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips. I know. The only thing you can take away from reading that was nipple balm. Believe me, that was my reaction too.  BUT this product is actually really great! I tried it out last night and it left my lips feeling soft and smooth. This product also claims to be 100% natural which is just another plus in my book.  The box says this full size product retails for $14.50. 

                        

Overall I would say this is a pretty successful box. I will get use out of the majority of the products and I believe the value definitely surpasses the $10 paid for the box. Birchbox, in my opinion, is one of the best value boxes out there, simply because you always get at least the value of the box, if not way more. Another thing I love about Birchbox is how they feature a lot of up and coming brands as well as higher quality favorites. I would definitely recommend trying it out if you are looking for a less expensive beauty box to try that will still give you samples from great brands!