Birchbox February 2012 Review

My Birchbox from February

My mom gave me Birchbox for Chanukah this year which was a great gift. I love getting packages every month and the boxes are so pretty and you never know what is coming in them.

This month, I got:
-Juice beauty blemish clearing serum (normally $29)
-Kiehls dark spot corrector (normally $49.50)
-Supersmile mouthwash powder (normally $16)
-Shu Uemura hair oil (normally $68)
-Eye rock stick-on liner (normally $13)

I see that other people got to try the Exude lipstick that Rachel Zoe did the commercial for (remember, it pops up through a glass tube?) and I'm a little jealous- I would love to try that one!

I'm glad I didn't get the Violent lips glitter stuff bc those are kind of heinous. Though maybe for free is the perfect way to try them.

On to the reviews!

The hair oil I accidentally dropped immediately on opening the box and it shattered on my bathroom floor :(
I put the little that remained in my hands on my hair and it was thick and slightly sticky and smelled light but good. I would have liked to try this out so I am bummed that it broke.

The juice beauty squirted out a little violently when I opened it and it splattered all over including IN MY MOUTH which is how I now know that it does in fact taste kind of juicy. Sour, but citrus-y.
I put some on my T zone but the next morning I woke up with a new blemish right on my forehead and one on my chin so I abandoned it. That's like the opposite of what it is supposed to do.

I haven't used the dark spot corrector yet because I don't really know what that is for. I guess I have some dark spots on my arms that I could treat, but I don't know.

I also haven't used the mouthwash powder because it sounds totally gross, like one of those organic Tom's things that make you feel like you have baking powder paste in your mouth and that you should go plant a garden. I might bring it on a trip with me when I can't bring actual toothpaste and see how it goes.

The eyeliner things I am excited to try but they are very dramatic so I want to have a reason to put them on. Like a party or night out, not a business meeting.
I'll post an update when I use them.

Overall, ok, not as great as my first box which had the Jouer lip gloss and the Zoya nailpolish, but still fun and stuff I would not normally have tried.

Want to try out Birchbox? Please use this link and then I get points!

Etsy Find of the Day: Oversized knit loop scarf

I know scarf season is ending, but I wanted to get one more in:

$48 White ego scarf

I like this infinity scarf. You can wear it as a snood or a cowl and the large stitching makes the texture interesting.
It's an acrylic/wool blend so it will be warm and soft. Might be itchy for non-wool people though.

You can get it in white or any of these other colors

Update on Brooklyn Industries sale--I went!

So I stopped by the sale, FOR YOU just for you, and it was pretty good.

It was different from the DUMBO one last year because it was in a real store and things were merchandised and set up nicely and it didn't feel so ad hoc.

The post down there says that outerwear is only 20% off but when I went, it was all 40% off.
And some stuff rings up lower than expected! I thought that a sweater with elbow patches that I bought for E was $49 so around $30 with the discount, but it turned out to be only $24!



Here are some men's sweaters- the navy pullover with the black suede shoulders and elbow patches in back is the one I got E.

There is a ton of men's stuff and coats and a bunch of plain nylon bags.


Some printed canvas bags which I would snap up if I didn't already have a million purses.





This is me with my favorite bag there- now $36


More purses, I think they were all $36

The women's selection was pretty limited, some shirts and sweaters but nothing I really loved.
There weren't as many dresses as I'd hoped. I tried on a bunch of stuff and ended up just getting a duplicate of a sweater I already had because it was only $18 after discount and I figured, why not have it in red too?


I tried on this dress but didn't love it. It would have been $36 I think.

Size selection was pretty broad. I noticed a lot of XS and L/XL and some but not tons of S and Ms in both men's and women's styles.
It goes through this weekend and I'd definitely recommend men to go.



Another men's sweater I liked

Word to the Wise: Brooklyn Industries Sample Sale

Deals at 40-percent off the sale price on most items, except for outerwear where you get 20-percent off the lowest ticketed price.  
Where/When:  Brooklyn Industries, 161 8^th Ave. (b/w 18th and 19th Sts). 
Thru March 4th; Daily (11-9pm).

This sale was extended!
I got some good stuff at their sale last year in DUMBO and I might stop by this one too.

Etsy Find of the Day: Pearl sweater clip

$7 Vintage pearl sweater guard

The clips have blue flowers with rhinestone centers and they are connected by a pearl chain.
I think this is so sweet!
You could use it to tie back a loose sweater or dress and give it more of a waistline, or you could just clip it on to the collar of your shirt or the area where a shirt pocket would be as a pretty decorative accessory.

Word to the Wise: NYC Sample Sales!

Alessi
50% to 70% off housewares and kitchen tools, including discontinued items, irregulars, and floor samples
When/Where: Through Wednesday, February 29. Mon—Sat 11am—6pm, Sun noon—6pm. Upper East Side: 30 E. 60th St at Madison Ave (212-317-9880.) Soho: 130 Greene St at Prince St (212-941-7300.)

Alessi Bottle opener, normally $68

Max Mara
Tops are $59, sweaters are $99, pants and skirts are $79, blazers and dresses are $129, and outerwear is $299. Cash and credit are both accepted.
When/Where: Tuesday, February 28 through Thursday, March 1. Tue—Thur 10am—6pm. 381 Fifth Ave between 35th and 36th Sts, second floor (212-290-2915)

LittleMissMatched 
50% to 80% off socks, apparel, shoes, and accessories for girls of all ages.

When/Where: Thursday, March 1 through Friday, March 2. Thurs 11am—7pm, 9am—5pm. 307 Seventh Ave between 27th and 28th Sts, fifth floor (no phone)

Diptyque 

Markdowns on candles and other home goods. Credit card only (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover); all sales final.

When/Where: Thursday, March 1 through Friday, March 2. Thurs—Fri 9am—5pm. 11 East 26th St between Fifth and Madison Aves (no phone)

  Rent the Runway

Up to 95% off retail prices of gently used dresses and accessories from designers like Badgley Mischka, Nicole Miller, David Meister, Catherine Malandrino, Rebecca Taylor, and more. Credit only. When/Where: Tuesday, February 28 through Sunday, March 4. Tue—Wed 10am—8pm, Thurs—Fri 10am—7pm, Sat 11am—6pm, Sun 11am—3pm. 260 Fifth Ave between 28th and 29th Sts (212-725-5400)

Patterned Pants: What's your vote?

I have been seeing a lot of patterned pants in stores and on blogs, and my general opinion is "bleccchhh." But I think there might be some circumstances where I would appreciate a patterned pant:

-small print

-not blousy

-thick material

-looks neutral from afar

-no flowers

-no bright colors or pastels

I think these actually work pretty well

$68 BDG cigarette mid-rise jean in Birch

What do you think?
Would you wear them?

Or do they just make you think of bad mom pants like the ones below?

Beautiful and Affordable Offbeat Antique Engagement Rings

You can get a brilliant cut diamond solitaire anywhere (not that those aren't gorgeous), but sometimes you just want to see a ring that is a little more special.
I hunted down these interesting ones on Ruby Lane.

$595 10k Filigree diamond bypass ring
It's rare to see this overlapped "bypass" style with diamonds and filigree. It's much more common to see it in a plain setting with colored semi-precious stones or pearls.

$995 Color change sapphire ring with seed pearls
How cool is this?
It doesn't say what the color change is, but I bet it goes from more purple to more blue.

$695 10k white gold and aquamarine ring
I like the filigree on this one and the delicate color.

$2,295 Alexandrite and platinum ring
Ok, so this is not as cheap, but it's a really good price for alexandrite, and platinum ain't cheap in the best of worlds. These square style rings look best on people with wider fingers (not me, sadly).

Cuticle oil: the next level of nail care

As you know, I love doing my nails. I have a vast collection of polishes and topcoats and remover and thinner, but I don't have many other tools.

Of course, I have a file and cotton balls, but I don't have those orange wood sticks or cuticle cream or scissors or a UV light.

Many of those things are either expensive or wasteful, which is why I keep on just buying the polish, but I think it might be time to expand my holdings and get some cuticle stuff.

$4.39 Sally Hansen Cuticle remover

So what this stuff does is dissolve your dead dry skin and moisturize the remaining skin.
If you use this, then push back your cuticles, your nails will look a little longer and your polish will stick better.

Do you ever get that thing where the bottom of your nail polish flakes up and then you pick at it and then before you know it, half your nail polish is gone?
Just me?
Well, this is supposed to help with that- you just put the polish on the nail instead of on the cuticle on top of the nail, so it stays down and doesn't bend.

Wish me luck! I'll update and let you know if it works.

Sneaker socks

$6.99 High top sneaker socks

These are so stupid that I love them.
The sock is printed with a Converse Chucks style image so it looks like you are wearing shoes.

Make a cute animal butt hook set

On Martha Stewart, they teach you how to do this from scratch.
I think it could be great for any existing hanger rack as well, why re-invent the wheel?

Pick this one up for just $36, or find one at a yard sale or antique store

$36 Steffy wood coat rack

Tarte lip gloss set

I love my Tarte glosses (I think I have 2 sets of double-ended gloss sticks, so 4 colors).
They are smooth and sheer with just enough color to make you look a little more alive.

This set is on sale at Sephora and I think it's a good deal:

$15 (was $35) Be good to your mother Earth day Tarte lip sheers set

I like the "reuse" color the best I think.
You could get the set and give one or two away, and feel like a really nice person.

I think you also get the reusable tote, and I love tote bags.

Make your soda bottle into a bird feeder

All it takes is this little kit from Uncommon Goods:

$10 Soda bottle feeder
The kit comes with the metal feeder bottom and the hanging wire. You provide the soda bottle and bird seed yourself.
I think it's great! And it has room for 2 birds to sit and eat at once.

Etsy Finds of the Day: African batik fabric

Etsy has tons of great textiles and supplies for making your own stuff, and I am just blown away by the cool wax print patterns and cheap price of these:

$4.99/yard Blue tambo fabric
This would make a great duvet cover

$6.44/yard Bird cage fabric
Cover an ottoman in this.

$5.63/yard Geometric print fabricCurtains!

$9.99/yard black and white circles fabric
Recover a side chair in this!

15DollarStore is still killing it with dresses and tops

$15 (was $138) Romeo and Juliet Couture maxi dress
Tie-dyed jersey never looked so sophisticated.

$15 (was $62) Kenneth Cole reaction crochet collar dress
This one also comes in yellow and violet. I like the yellow a lot.

$15 (was $152) Romeo and Juliet Couture sequin Tunic dress
Sparkly! I like this dress so much better than the ones that only have sequins on the front panel.
Plus you can't go wrong for some bling under $20.

$15 (was $68) Romeo and Juliet Couture sequin cardigan
Speaking of bling, how awesome is this little shrug? You can also get it in black but I like the silver.

$15 (was $119) Jessica Simpson two button blazer
Classic black, goes with any black pencil skirt to make a suit.

$15 (was $118) Romeo and Juliet Couture pointelle shrug
Light and fluffy


Check out earlier $15 Store posts here:
$15 Store muted fall colors
$15 continues to be great
What can you get for $15?

Pintuck dress- Great for work and evening

$26.86 ASOS Pintuck button-through dress
This one is marked down from $53.
The dress has a nice fit-and-flare shape and is long enough that you can wear to work and also to dinner afterward.
It comes in blue or orange. I think the details of the folds show up better on the orange one, but both are really nice.

Urban Outfitters Duvet Cover

$29.99 (down from $89) Delft duvet cover
What a nice and calming print!
And it is all cotton, which is important to me in bedding.
It's a full/queen size.
It would look good with a white sheets and a ton of white textured pillows (some lace, some knit, etc).

Crocs I might actually wear!?!

I never thought I would see the day, but these Crocs are actually kind of nice!

$29.70 You Uluroo Crocs
They are leather and have a small heel and little ruffle at the toe. And they're on sale down from $99 at 6pm!

Hey, 50K!

Sometime over this long weekend, it looks like I hit 50,000 page views!
Thanks, loyal readers!

If anyone wants to make me famous and get me sponsored deals for posts or help me market the site better, please let me know.

Gracias amigas!

Cheap and classy leather clutch

$26.86 Pieces Gallion leather bag

This is marked down from $68 and is a great price for a stylish real leather purse.
I like the goldtone hardware and the soft peachy tan color.
The contrast stitching draws attention to the curve of the flap.

Shark socks

$9 Shark socks
These are for men or women with big feet.
Too bad they aren't my size!
I like the look of sharks eating your ankles.