Krystal's July Birchbox Review!

 

I really dislike how Birchbox is delivering their boxes so late now, I know it's because they switched delivery companies, but I can still be upset right?  Anyways, it seems that I now get my Birchboxes at the end of each month rather than the beginning of each month as they originally started out doing.  Is it still worth it?  I think so.  Majority of my reviews on the samples are positive with a small percentage of products good enough to buy the full size, and with no spike in monthly fees it's still affordable!

Excerpt from the Birchbox Blog:

Birchbox’s staff happens to be overwhelmingly female (no shock there) so if we’re not talking about beauty, chances are we’re talking about fashion (or tech, or start ups…). We especially love when two of our biggest interests collide, which is why we’re exceptionally proud to be partnering on our July box with one of our favorite designers, Cynthia Rowley.

Here's what I received this month:
Ahava Mineral Hand Cream
Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser
Redken Shine Flash 02
Zoya Touch Collection Nail Polish in Shay
EXTRA - KIND Almond & Apricot bar

In case you didn't read my blog all about Birchbox, here's the link if you have any questions about it: What is Birchbox?

Ahava Mineral Hand Cream
I immediately put this hand cream near our bathroom sink for my BF and I to use.  Aside from the minerally-scent, it's a hydrating, smooth and non-greasy hand cream.  We've been using it every day and night and have been liking it, but I still find that my hands get dry through out the day, so the hydration factor does wear off.  I like the hand cream, but I won't be purchasing the full size because I don't care for the scent, and I have other hand creams that keep our hands smooth all day.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser
I was excited to use this cleanser as my staple cleanser ran out and I was in the process of ordering another one online.  This cleanser gets a lot of rave reviews as a gentle cleanser and can be used in many ways other than a facial cleanser.  I was able to remove my makeup and cleanse my face, but unfortunately it broke me out really bad.  I was surprised by the scent though, it was not very appealing, it almost smelt faintly of rubbing alcohol almost.  Overall, it's a nice cleanser, but I won't be buying the full size.

Redken Shine Flash 02
Honestly, I only used this product twice because the smell is just too offensive to handle.  I barely noticed a shine, but I did notice the stench stayed in my hair all day and it was so embarrassing to have stinky hair!  I definitely wouldn't recommend this or ever purchase the full size.

Zoya Touch Collection Nail Polish in Shay

I had my eyes on the Touch collection ever since Temptalia featured it on her blog weeks before the release, I even tried to hold back on pre-ordering the sampler set.  I was attracted to these polishes because CND got me into a nude phase, but realizing that nudes can look a little unhealthy against my skin tone, I decided not to buy into the Touch collection.  After trying on this Zoya polish in the shade Shay, I realized this nude is a very pretty nude, but it just didn't suit my style.  I posted this polish as a NOTD and a lot of people liked it, but in real life I felt like I didn't have nails.  The shade blended into my cuticles so well that it almost looked like I was nail-less from a distance.  The shade is pretty, but I won't be buying any of the Touch polishes.

EXTRA - KIND Almond & Apricot bar
This bar was SUPER delicious!  I ate it the night that I got my box, and it was sooo good!  I love dried fruit, nuts and chewy snacks!  I've heard a lot of people like the brand Kind, and this is actually my first time hearing of them, but I will definitely keep an eye out for this brand in the future.

Here's the video, hope you all enjoy!