Birchbox Review: March 2014

Posted in Reviews by Tanisha

Well, I finally caved. After months of hearing my friends gush over their subscription service products, I decided to join in on the fun!

About Birchbox:

Birchbox is a $10 monthly beauty subscription service. Each month, 4-5 sample and deluxe size products arrive in you mailbox for you to try. It’s a great way to discover new brands and items that you may have never tried before. What’s nice about Birchbox is that the contents are selected just for your based on your beauty profile. You can also review your products to accumulate points which you can then redeem for free full size items!

To sign up for April, click here and avoid the wait list.

Enough of the sales pitch–Here’s what I got!

This month’s theme was “Spring Forward”. I was hoping that this box would be filled with bright lipsticks or nail polishes to help me start the season off right. Unfortunately, this wasn’t really the case. Though I did really enjoy many of the products, I think this box fell short of the theme.

The first product I received was the Beauty Protector:Protect and Detangle- Full size: $21.95

What: Best-selling elixir that locks in color, protects from heat damage, and adds silkiness.
How: Spritz generously onto damp strands before styling.

I received this brand before in my IPSY bag and loved the smell so I was excited to try the leave in conditioner. It does say that it detangles, conditions and is great on all hair types which is great. I’ll give it a go after I run out of the one I’m currently using.

Available for purchase here

Next up was the Gilchrist & Soames: London Collection Body Lotion– Full Size: $16

What: This fast-absorbing hydrator leaves skin silky-smooth with a light, earthy scent.
How: Massage generously into skin, focusing on trouble zones like flaky elbows and knees.

I really love this lotion. It’s light weight, non greasy, and has a great clean scent. I just wish that we had received more of a floral scented lotion more reminiscent of spring. This lotion is more of a fall item in my opinion. Still a great product though.

Available for purchase here

The third item I received in my box was the Air Repair Rescue Balm– Full Size: $21.95

What: This all-natural salve repairs dry, cracked skin anywhere on the body.
How: Dab onto chapped lips, cuticles, hands, elbows, and knees

Please, do not put this on your lips. It tastes disgusting! It does work very well on cuticles, however. This product has bit of a greasy petroleum jelly consistency so would also work well on extremely dry areas.

Available for purchase here

The final beauty product this month was the POP Beauty Satin Stay in Mocha Must– Full Size: $16

What: Highly saturated lip color that won’t smudge or fade.
How: Trace lip line in short strokes, then fill in the rest for vibrant, all-day wear.

I was so excited to get a lip product! But the color…ugh! It’s SPRING! Why would they send a brown lip stain? Also, I’m not a fan of the formula and applicator– it feels like I’m coloring my lips in with a sharpie. Not cute. “A” for effort though, Birchbox!

Available for purchase here

My “beauty extra” item this month was the Strivectin-AR Advanced Retinol Day Treatment SPF 30– Full-size: $99

(These extras vary from month to month. Last month, I got tea.)

What: Gentle retinol formula that fights wrinkles, evens skin tone, and protects from UV rays.
How: Apply liberally to clean skin at least 15 minutes before sun exposure.

Why, foil packet, why?!? I HATE getting foil packets in these boxes. I feel like it’s a complete rip off and can just get them for free at a makeup counter. I can’t be too disappointed though because it is an extra. I’ll report back after using this item to let you all know if I like it.

Available for purchase here

All in all, this was a pretty good month for Birchbox. I am definitely pleased!

What about you? Do you subscribe to Birchbox? Were you satisfied with your box this month? Are there any other subscription services you recommend? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Also, be sure to check out my new Youtube channel for a live unboxing of this month!

13Feb2014

Family Room: Updates!!!

Posted in Family Room, House Tour by Tanisha

More family room updates are finally here and I’m so excited to share the space with you! (To see how we’ve gotten to this point, click here for our family room archive.)

Here is a reminder of what the space looked like when we first looked at the house:

When we first moved in:

And without further ado, the space today. Enjoy the tour!

This vintage railroad trunk is my latest thrift shop find. It serves perfectly as our coffee table.

Cooper loves looking out the window. He’s always on the lookout for the deer that frequent our yard.

These bar stools are beautiful and are a fun splash of color.

Here’s a peek into our kitchen:

How I feel about Mr. H…

Ahh… now it feels like home sweet home 🙂

10Dec2013

Home for the Holidays 2013: Living Room Tour

Posted in Home For the Holidays, Living Room by Tanisha

I hope you’re all enjoying my Home for the Holidays series thus far. So far I’ve shared our Family Room Holiday Decor, a yummy Christmas cookie recipe, and some of my favorite things in 2013 (they’ll make great stocking stuffers!)

Next up is our Living Room Tour!

I actually think that this is the first time you are all seeing this room with furniture! Since we decided to keep our family room a bit more rustic and casual, we wanted to really make the living room vibrant. The jewel tones throughout the space are playful and add a bit of magic to the room.

I love the elegance that pillared candles bring the a space– not to mention how romantic the soft glow is at night.

Beautifully wrapped presents adorn our windowsill coupled with large colorful ornaments and lit garland.

Our tree has a whimsical theme with colored balls, snowflakes, and icicles hanging from its branches.

This decorated credenza is probably my favorite corner of the room and is home to some very special pieces that are close to my heart.

How cute is this “Let it Snow” pillow? I just love it. And what’s funny is that the moment I placed this pillow in the chair, I noticed snowflakes start to fall outside. By the time we were done decorating the room, our lawn was covered in white!

These little guys were given to me by my mother 3 years ago. She used to collect nutcrackers when I was growing up and would display them every year on our mantle at Christmas. Now that I’ve been given a few of her favorites, I have a piece of “home” with me during the holidays!