this month’s birchbox theme was “give” so they enclosed products that give back and included a little “give” box that encourages you to pass along a treat to someone special. which i should TOTALLY do, btw. i have a drawer FULL of samples that i haven’t been able to use yet. but every time i travel, i replenish my toiletry bag with these samples so i don’t have to bring my full size bottles/products with me. here is what i got:

miracle skin transformer vanish instant imperfection corrector: this is a 2-in-1 serum & primer. i don’t usually use primer although i have bought a few hoping to love them (i do like the laura geller bronzing primer). this product left my t-zone a little too shiny…although i may have applied a little too much. after reading the reviews, i may just try using it under my eyes instead of all over as someone suggested.

chuao chocolatier chocopod in potato chip: i think this was the “extra” item in this box. it was a piece of chocolate with tiny pieces of potato chip in it (i think). i took one small bite and gave the rest to my husband…who then gave it to “eep”*. i don’t really like sweet/salty mixes so i wasn’t a big fan.

atelier cologne rose anonyme petite cologne absolue: if there is one thing i would be happy to see less of, it’s perfume samples. i am not a perfume fan (although these are FABULOUS). and this perfume was VERY strong. and once again i got it all over my hands trying to smell it so i ended up throwing it away (and scrubbing my hands repeatedly).

oscar blandi pronto texture & volume spray: this was the product i was MOST excited for. i curl my hair quite often and i rarely use any styling products so this was just the product i needed. it works great for adding texture to freshly cleaned hair and also spruces up day old hair do’s.

stila all over shimmer liquid luminzer: i occasionally use nars illuminator in “orgasm” and this one is pretty similar. it is great for just a touch of shimmer in the corner of your eyes and under your brow bone. i will definitely use it.

if you aren’t familiar with birchbox, it is a monthly subscription service that delivers a curated box of beauty product samples for just $10/mo. occasionally they even include full-size products. i’ve been a subscriber for over a year now and i never get tired of getting my box in the mail each month. you can join here.

*eep is my son. well, it was his nickname when he was a little baby. he has since acquired a few new nicknames but on this blog i always refer to him as “eep”. most of my longtime readers know this but i thought maybe i should mention it again for any new readers. =)