Thank you Birchbox! Thank you Algenist!

I received a sample from one of my early Birchboxes (I think it was the Overnight Restorative Cream which I really loved!) and ever since I have loved this product line!  I made the sample I received last for months not only b/c it is rather expensive, but I also wanted to see if I noticed a difference.  And I did.

It took some discipline b/c Birchbox always has great products to choose from (yes I have to give props where props are due) but I saved up enough points to finally use my points and I chose the Algenist Firming and Lifting Cream.


It actually took me a while to decide what I was going to do with my BB points- do I get one great item that I might never splurge on or do I get two or three less expensive items b/c more is nice too- so I chose to purchase the splurge I would probably never buy for myself just because it is a bit costly.  So I am going to receive a $94.00 high quality product for free...well sorta...but hey I'm worth it (thank you L'Oreal for the great mantra).

I also want to try the Algenist multi-perfecting pore corrector which I will be saving up for next!  The science behind Algenist is simply amazing (yes I really research these things cuz I'm a bit of a nerd/geek) and it does not irritate my skin (yeah)!

So thank you BB (www.birchbox.com) and Algenist (http://www.algenist.com) for all of the wonderful hard work you do! Check out their web sites for more information and trust me you'll be amazed!

Have you tried Algenist?  I would love to hear what you think of it or what your favorite splurge item is or anti-aging product!

Birchbox Man: September 2012 : The Basics

The box for September was all about the basics and/or fundamentals.  This is actually a very important skill that once mastered can lead you directly to STYLE!  You already understand the importance of grooming: shower, shave, smelling good and looking great.  Now lets focus on what is noticed but not necessarily seen.

Inside the jammed packed box is a step in the right direction which includes comfort, conditioner, softness, and dryness.  Doesn't sound so appealing? Well then, let's look a little deeper and you may want to take some notes!

Step 1: comfortable underwear.  Sounds like a no-brainer (insert your pun here) ha ha. But you and the "boys" must be comfortable as not to worry, wobble, scratch or shake while trying to look cool! You never want to seem like you've got ants in your pants!

Step 2: dryness. Men sweat a LOT from just about every pore in the body and the Bala Powder is your secret weapon.  It can be applied everywhere or just in certain areas leaving you perfectly dry and odor free which will certainly boost the confidence factor!

Step 3: (If you are a strikingly handsome Bruce Willis or smooth Sam Jackson (ahem: bald) then you can skip this portion of the lesson).  For everyone else your hair is important whether you keep it long, short, curly, straight or whatever! Oribe allows you to condition your hair to achieve the look that gets the girl and girls love to run their fingers through your hair (without feeling sticky, oily or grimy).



Step 4: Maybe you don't want to think about your lips being soft, but I can tell you she does.  No one wants to be kissed or nibbled on with chapped/scratchy lips and CO Bigelow not only has you covered for that (and it slips nicely into a pocket) but the smell of mint is irresistible.



Now you have all the basic elements and it's your turn to use them to your advantage.  Birchbox Man has included additional handy information just in case you need a review. And Gentlemen, please don't hesitate to ask a girl for an additional lesson (wink wink) to help you achieve your own personal style!



PS: my hubby really like this month's BB! However, if  he wrote this review it would have been a lot shorter (Yea, its all good stuff says my hubby) and not nearly as entertaining.  Overall I think the undies and Balla powder were the big winners!

Monday: Busy Week Ahead!!

Good morning Ladies! Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend.  This is gearing up to be a busy week! Here are a few things to look forward to:

1. Almost done with the latest review of Birchbox Man products;
2. Beauty Army's box should be in today;
3. I'm getting a boat load of product samples either today or tomorrow (more on that later);
4. Another GlossyBox is being shipped; and
5. Another BirchBox is being shipped!

I'm taking many of the unsued samples and beginning to do my Christmas shopping that way none of the products will expire or go bad.  With everyone's attention on Fashion Week I feel like I can take a little breather. Ahh warm days and cooler nights signal that fall is approaching.

Does your routine change with the seasons or is it rather the same all year?

What are some thing you are looking forward to this fall?

Birchbox Man July Edition: Well I'm Impressed!

The first thing I noticed was that the box was heavy.  Heavy equals something(s) big.  This could only be good news.  After a few months of waiting for an really impressive box: well here it is!

Unless you've been living under a rock, you already know you're getting a T-shirt.  Its a very soft t-shirt in dark grey and fits my hubby perfectly!  He loves it!

There is a nice sample of ORIBE gentle shampoo and conditioner. I'll update once he's used it and see what he thinks!




A FULL size ESCHU skin assist shave gel which my hubby got excited about. If you have to shave everyday/every other day like my man does then yes you will always get excited over shaving products! I'll update once I find out how my hubby likes it





A few tiny samples of Benta Berry moisturizer to keep his face from drying out and leaving no greasy feeling.  I have several of the Benta Berry products and they are FAB!




There is also information about helping to building schools in Central America, additional product information and information regarding the products with the Birchbox Man edition. Overall, this was a much better box than earlier editions.  If there had been only one tiny Benta Berry sample it would have been a let down.  It would have been an OUTSTANDING box if it had included another sample like Kiehl's,  Kyoku exfoliating scrub, Jack Black or Billy Jealousy.

At least there was no cologne sample this month! whew!  While we are enjoying these wonderful products I will wait and see if the ladies at Birchbox can produce an exciting August box full of make up, skin care, hair care, nail care and and another sample of Harvey Prince perfume (wow that stuff is addicting)!

Birchbox Man: June Edition

This months box came with a lot of manly gadgets to play with, a sexy scent, a toothpaste whitening system that actually works, and a product to help with razor burn.

Normally I wouldn't give a hoot about an item that kept my cords separated or my earphones from strangling other items in my bag. However this is right up my hubby's alley and both have been keeping him busy for days.  I thought we were going to fight over the Supersmile toothpaste & accelerator since the sample was rather small. But in the end we shared and I liked it more than he did since he likes his teeth clean and I thought the whitening effect was pretty neat.

Hubby is always looking for awesome products that make shaving tolerable and the John Allan's Slickwater appears to be almost be a winner but with the sample being rather small he isn't sure he wants to invest in it just yet.

The big surprise was the CoSTUME National scent which was sexy, deep and exotic.  And we both liked it! I am a bit more picky about such things due to sensitivity to perfume/cologne (ie makes me sneeze which can disrupt an intimate moment) or the scent just lingers too long the next morning.  This is great outdoors where scents are slightly diluted and indoors in small doses or close proximity.

Overall this was really a great Birchbox Man month with a nice variety of products.  Will be anticipating what may be in store for next month and still hoping the sample products are slightly bigger.  I know it sounds like constant complaining, but it can be difficult to decide on a product sample you only get one or two uses from especially when it comes to determining allergies, skin irritation, breakouts or redness!