December Birchbox

Here's my December Birchbox haul!  This post is a little late because I had other reviews that were more pressing, but I do enjoy sharing my unboxings with everyone.  I also really enjoy reading other peoples' blog posts and watching YouTube videos to see what they got in their boxes, so feel free to leave a link to your blog/vlog in the comments!

The outer wrapping of this month's box was the standard pink, but with snowflakes on it for winter.  I thought that was a cute touch.  I was especially excited to get the December box because December is my birth month.  I know Birchbox doesn't do anything different for birthdays, but I just like getting a "present" in the mail each month, and this one felt extra-special.

The theme for December is "Frolic & Fancy," and the introductory card was different than the normal ones.  Instead of just being a single index card, this one opened up like a Christmas card and was printed on thicker paper.  It still contained the standard descriptions of all of the products, though.

Here's what the box looked like when I opened it.  I really liked the tissue paper this month, it's a white paper with silvery shimmer.  This was a nice change from the usual pink; it made it seem a bit classier in my opinion. I wouldn't be against Birchbox using different colors each month instead of pink all of the time (even though I know it's kind of their branding thing).  I peeked at my profile before my box came, so I knew what items I would be getting before I opened the box.  I wasn't in love with any of them, but there were a few I was interested to try.

My items:

• Benefit The POREfessional - This was the product I was most interested in trying.  I'd never used a makeup primer before, but wanted to invest in one.  This came at the perfect time for me to test it out before committing to buying one.  It was nice, and I liked the silky feeling it gave as I put it on my skin, but it didn't diminish the appearance of my pores nor have much of a difference on the wear and appearance of my makeup.  I do really like the scent, though; it's kind of citrus-y.
• Jouer Moisturizing Lipgloss in Birchbox Pink - Birchbox paired with Jouer to create this signature shade, and everyone received it in their box this month.  The sample is super tiny--about the size of my thumb, and I have small hands.  And that's including the cap, so the amount of lipgloss isn't even as tall as my thumb.  This is just "meh" for me.  The shade is cute, but nothing I would ever purchase full price.
• Olìe Biologique Huile Moderne - I'm glad I'm not a vlogger, because I have no idea how to pronounce "Huile."  Anyway, this is a multipurpose oil.  You can use it on your face, body, or hair.  I've used it once in my hair and the other times on my face after I wash it.  I would have been more interested in this had I not just received a bottle of Bio Oil to use for the same reason.  It also has a different scent, I'm not sure how to describe it.  Not sweet or floral though.  Another "meh" product, I'll use the sample but I wouldn't buy it full priced.
  
• Harvey Prince Yogini - I was kind of annoyed to be getting another perfume sample because I would prefer anything but a perfume sample.  I really did love the Atelier Vanille Insensee I got last month, but I didn't like Yogini at first.  It doesn't smell bad, it just isn't the type of perfume I would normally choose.  It smells more appropriate for an older woman (sandalwood, myrrh, that kind of stuff).  I have grown a bit more fond of it, though, because I figure as long as I have it I might as well use it.
• EBOOST Orange Natural Energy Booster - This was one of the "extra" samples for the month.  I think the extras are stupid, especially for December.  I haven't gotten one yet in 3 months that I actually found useful or was something that I really wanted.  But as long as they don't take the place of a beauty sample, I don't really care whether they're there or not.  This one is a powder you add to your drink to boost your energy, I guess.  I probably won't use it.
• Showstoppers Designer Fashion Tape - I definitely won't use this.  They are basically pieces of black and nude tape you use to hide bra straps or something.  I have zero use for these and will probably throw them out.

I actually cancelled my Birchbox subscription this past week, so this will be my last box for a little while.  I do plan on resubscribing at some point, but there are a few other services I want to try and I didn't have room in my budget to stay subscribed to all of them.  I like Birchbox and would still recommend it to others, but I was finding that I wasn't really using the samples I was receiving, so I didn't mind putting my subscription on hold for a little while.  In the meantime I'm going to try Conscious Box, MyGlam, and Cravebox, as well as continuing my subscription to Eco Emi.  I have a feeling that MyGlam is going to end up taking the place of Birchbox for me.

Bottom Line: If you are interested in trying a range of new beauty products, Birchbox is definitely worth trying.  It's only $10 a month, and they do send samples from high-quality brands.  The samples are not always big (example: the Jouer lipgloss), but I do feel that the value of my boxes for the past 3 months have exceeded the $10 price.  I don't see it as something I would be a long-time member for, though, because how many little perfumes and skin creams do I really need?

Check behind the "read more" for a few more photos, including a swatch of the Jouer gloss.

*Disclaimer: This Birchbox was purchased by me with my own money. I was not monetarily compensated for this review in any way, and the honest opinions are entirely my own.