First Birchbox REVIEW!

Overview of the Birchbox I got: 

• Kiss-Kiss Rendezvous lip gloss by Secret Agent Beauty.
• Fresh Feet Wipes by Jasmine Seven.
• Thermal Spring Water spray by Avène.
• Refresh mint gum by Glee Gum.
• Premium BB SPF 45+ by Dr. Jart+.
• Savings coupon for Ann Taylor.

Keep in mind I am reviewing this as someone with an autoimmune disease.  Though mentioned before, being hypothyroid after a total thyroidectomy is causing me to have dry skin, feelings of numbness & soft to the touch in the fingers, feelings of being clammy & being ice cold, cold sweats, hard to taste sweet (because of the prednisone), brittle & soft nails... just to name a few... again.

• Kiss-Kiss Rendezvous lip gloss by Secret Agent Beauty.  It goes on very slippery & oily feeling.  Looking at the details & ingredients (vitamin E, aloe, oils of sunflower, almond, jojoba) it's almost expected to be that way.  Believe it or not, I like glosses that are more sticky, they just seem to last longer with me.  Some people don't like that though. It definitely nourishes the lips & lasts a good long while & has a nice, light, fruity scent.  It says it has real gold flecks in it but it really doesn't show.  I would use this more for a conditioning treatment on its own or on top of a lipstick.  I'm open to buying it in the future.

• Fresh Feet Wipes by Jasmine Seven.  These were nice!  In the summer I usually love using the Peppermint Cooling Foot Spray from The Body Shop but after using these I think I may switch!  The are ALCOHOL FREE, unlike the spray from The Body Shop (1st ingredient is Alcohol Denat).  The peppermint is not overpowering, it has moisturizing ingredients like vitamin E & aloe, & it's MUCH easier to use as a wipe also because now I can get in between my toes!  Sprays you end up using a lot to try to get them in the right spots & they can be drying, especially ones with alcohol.  I used 1 sheet on both feet in the morning before noon, I went to an appointment, wore my sandals out, it's now a bit after 5pm & my feet still smell nice & feel nice.  You buy a canister or packs with 6, 10, or 25 which would fit easily into purses!  I will be buying these in the future!

• Thermal Spring Water spray by Avène.  Reading up on it it claims to have benefits of, softening skin & help with dermatitis, psoriasis, burns & there have been studies done showing mineral water can help with these things but It just didn't do much for me.  I've been using it a few times per day after cleaning or if I feel it would freshen me up.  The mineral water goes on splotchy at times instead of a consistent fine mist.  It's a nice refresher if you are out in the heat but that's about it.  You could probably buy mineral spring water & put it in a bottle, keep it in the fridge or a cooler & spray it on when you feel you need a refresher.  Otherwise because it is an aerosol, the bottle does keep the mist cool when you use it.  I can tell you, with being hypothyroid, I saw no improvement to my skin with this.  I didn't feel it gave my skin any healing benefits over the time using it & I don't feel it would over any extended period of time also.  Who knows, maybe it would but I'm not going to spend the $ to find out.  If you live where it's hot & humid & you are out & about a lot I would probably suggest it for something to carry in your purse for limited use. I wouldn't buy it.

• Refresh mint gum by Glee Gum.  It sucked.  I don't really chew gum because I have TMJ & have screwed up my teeth pretty bad from it.  My old dentist knew it was happening & let it go now requiring me to need $15K in dental work that I can't afford.  Sore subject & another story for another time so back to the gum.  I like a harder piece or gum also because of my dental problem & this was just way too soft.  The flavor was also gone within 1-2 minutes.  I wouldn't buy it.  
• Premium BB SPF 45+ by Dr. Jart+.  This is the first BB I have ever used.  It looked to dark when I opened it up & when I put it on there was just too much red in it.  After I put it on my face felt dewy for the rest of the day which I didn't care for & it wasn't as "correcting" for my skin as I would have liked it to be.  It may have been because of the high SPF as I tend to get that dewy feeling the higher the SPF count is in makeups & lotions.  The color made me look into my Birchbox account because when I go foundation shopping I'm kind of in between a light an medium complexion even though I avoid the sun like the plague.  I ended up changing my settings to light because I think there will just be too much variation in the medium complexions for me.  If I get anything that's too light in the future, it will still be easier to correct & use.   I'll be giving this sample away.  I personally wouldn't buy it but it may work nice for others.

This was fun!  It definitely was worth $10 & I'm excited to see what I may get in the future. 

New nail polish for the week Sephora by OPI in Havana Dreams (no longer available) with Rainbow Honey in I Miss You!  I LOVE the Rainbow Honey!  Look closely, there are hearts & butterflies in it!  I might try to keep this one on for as long as I can!  Loving the combo!  

Julep kind of got on my shit list over the past few days.  After my last post I got an e-mail from them advising in order to cancel my Maven account to call them.  So, it HAD been activated.  Or so I thought?  Yet it STILL wasn't showing I had an active Maven account on their site.  So I call & wait a bit, get a sweet girl on the phone who confirms that it's not activated (POINTLESS PHONE CALL), though the e-mail advises it was.  So I have to ask her like 2 times to be sure that it isn't.  Apparently, if you had an account then deactivated it, you cannot re-activate the Maven account online & have to call or do it through e-mail, but I'd call to be safe.  After that I would have been fine but another day later I get ANOTHER e-mail from them & I just got pissed:

--------------------------------------
NAME WITHELD

Aug 22 10:54 am (PDT) 
Hi Amanda,

Thank you for reaching out to us. We sincerely apologize for the confusion. Looking at your account it looks like you used to have an active Maven subscription but it is currently inactive. If you would like, we would be more than happy to reinstate your subscription and have your account reactivated, unfortunately you are unable to create a new account with the same email address.

In regards to Free shipping, The Maven Introductory boxes are exempt from free shipping charges because free shipping and 20% off are the major benefits of joining the Maven program. We offer all of our Mavens free shipping and 20% once they become a Julep Maven, and customers are not recognized as Maven customers until they have received their Introductory Maven box. If you have any other questions arise or you have any other concerns we would be more than happy to help you. Until then, have a great day!

Maven Customer Service Team

MY REPLY

Wow you guys are a mess.  I thought I was done with the e-mails between your company & then I get this one.  I called the other day because I got an e-mail reply saying I HAD to call because the account was activated & they could only deactivate it over the phone.  Then when I called they said it wasn’t activated!  Your online says maven accounts ship free but I can’t find anywhere once you sign up that the 1^st box DOESN’T ship free.  Only: Enjoy 20% off all products plus free shipping.  Once you are a Maven, just choose shipping option “Free 5-10 business days” at checkout to ensure you get your orders shipped free of charge. All free shipping orders are shipped DHL.  To be technical, as you do not have a disclaimer for it, signing up AS a Maven would constitute for having the free shipping option as your customer would then be a Maven at the point of sale.  I can’t be the only one who has questioned this.

I DO NOT want the account reinstated.  I got an e-mail with a link to reactivate my account & had a HELL of a time trying to do so, but on the phone I was told I would have to call or e-mail to activate.  Another thing not specified on your site.  I’m not creating a new account.  I was logged into my account & it told me I could not create a new account.  It makes no sense.  This is also an inconvenience if I ever do want to sign back up because I have no other e-mails I use.

There are just too many problems & I keep getting different stories & information from everyone.  Nothing personal to the person that gets this but this company really needs to get their shit together.  You guys REALLY need to clarify this information online also.  Can you imagine a class action lawsuit for what your site says & all the people you would have to send refunds to just because of a 1^st “Maven” shipment?  This stuff needs to be disclosed CLEARLY on your site.  I’m not going to be the asshole that would peruse this, but I’ll definitely write about it & get the word out.

I’m not going to be shopping with you again.  If anything, I want my e-mail & information out of your system completely.
--------------------------------------

I really DON'T think they are trying to "pull" anything but anyone who knows me knows how technical & analytical I can get about things.  Really, until I can get back on my feet again I have nothing better to do.  Even after this, I was trying to justify their company.  Yes, they have a good product.  They also promote this "Powered By Girlfriends" & state on their site, "We are proud to donate a percentage of proceeds from the sale of every Julep Nail Color to organizations that empower women. We also encourage all of you in our Julep community to like us on Facebook so you can keep posted on opportunities to help us support specific charities throughout the year."  Of course I looked into it & I found only 3 things.  2 on Facebook.  September 2009 which looked like a fundraiser they were having for, I believe, Susan G. Komen & another in September 2012.  Then another in January 2013 where 100% of proceeds for certain polishes went to anti-trafficing causes and I had to dig to find out who specifically.  I'm sure there's more.  It makes me feel better about the company but I really do wish they would be more pro-active promotion of this, who, when & what they are donating to or updates as to how much they raised for these groups or even how people can donate on their own.  That's what Julep is about... right?  The majority of searches just comes up with their mission statement about their donations that I posted in this paragraph.  Again, this is solely my experience with them.  I'm also probably extra moody because of my condition & medication I'm on but, I'm done with Julep.

So tonight I had a simple warming bath:

• Phoenix Rising by Lush
• Glögg shower gel by Lush (no longer available)
• Potion lotion from Lush

I'm exhausted now.

Little things to make me happy.

In July I had made the decision that I wanted to sign up for either Birchbox or Ipsy.  I knew after my surgery I was going to be home bored I figured with them both being $10 each a month, it's a pretty good deal.  I knew people who raved about each & it would be cool to get some new things, a variety of things, that I could try & either love, hate, or be "meh" about.  I had already tried the Julep Maven thing, which has its pros & cons.

Pro's:

• 1st box completely free with code FREEBOX.
• Free shipping all the time.
• 20% off all products.
• Can skip months.
• Can send your box to someone else.
• You will know what you are getting before you get it.
• Can change the box you are scheduled to get for a different one.
• Earn points for referring friends that can be used for free boxes.
•  Special deals or early access to new items.

Cons:

• Mostly nail polish & yes, I do feel you can have too much.
• You can forget to skip a month & then be auto charged.
• $20 a month. (though compared to full retail IS a PRO also)
• Bottles can break easily so be careful!
• Ordering & checkout problems.

So, yes, there's a LOT more pro's to sign up for this!  They will send you an e-mail before they start shipping out their boxes.  So as long as you're on top of when those come out, if you want the box, perfect, select it or change it, if not, just REMEMBER to log in to skip it.

I was actually having more fun with their "mystery" boxes (except for the cheap hair ties I got with short hair.  Well, it IS a "mystery" box!) so I had recently decided to re-sign up.  I figured, I'd get a box, maybe get the next one or skip it depending what was being offered or how I felt (or what my bank account looked like) but then I also ran into PROBLEMS.  Problems with billing.  Problems trying to re-sign up.  I had these same problems months back when I was trying to place a pick & choose order after becoming a Maven.  Things showing up in checkout once with a double price with free shipping, then it was charging shipping on Maven orders when it shouldn't with the regular price.  After getting to the end it kept telling me I could only have one Maven account per e-mail even though I was logged in with that account & it only showed 1 box subscription on checkout & that I wasn't a Maven. (?) I got 2 e-mails welcoming me to Julep Maven yet logged into my account it still tells me to sign up to be a Maven to take advantage of the Maven deals & Maven box.  WTF?

Now, their customer service is FANTASTIC if you have to call them but I'm trying to get more into the digital age, it was 10pm & since this is really an on-line, social shopping site, they need to get this together & fixed, make it more user friendly.  (I also just realized my 1st Maven order charged me the shipping when going through my old orders.)  I'm sure there are many people who have no problems at all but I just got fed up & so I'll save at least $20 this month.

I did have a bottle of theirs break on me.  It happened when closing it & I'm pretty careful.  I heard a pop & went to open it back up & that's when I cut my hand.  Nothing too serious but it upset me.  When I called to cancel my Maven account the girl I talked to was not pushy at all.  I told her about the broken bottle & was told how they are blown glass so you really have to be extra cautious closing them.  Unfortunately the color wasn't available anymore so I had the option of her shipping me a new color right on the phone.  Instead I opted for a certificate for 1 bottle of polish which I happily used.

Even withe the problems I had, if you are a polish hoarder or junkie I would still recommend becoming a Maven.  They are branching out with makeup & body products also.  In one of my boxes I got a volumizing mascara which I actually love!

New polish applied on the weekend, Julianne by Julep.  Within 2 days I had a small chip after doing some crafts, which is typical for my crafty hands.  Nothing to be upset about though.  The Rainbow Honey Sweet Talk polish is still kicking strong on my toes.

I've been writing bits & pieces here & there over the last few days because my eyes have been bothering me. Considering I am all still mixed up with feeling too cold & after my ginger bath I wanted to keep it warming so I had a bath of:

• Hot Clove bath ice cream by Me! Bath. (no longer available)
• Glögg shower gel by Lush. (no longer available)
• Potion lotion from Lush.

Then last night I wanted something fruity:

• Tropical Sunset bath fizzy by HawkMoon. (no longer available)
• Northern Lights soap by Lush. (no longer available)
• Strawberry Kiwi body wash by Me! Bath.
• Karma Komba shampoo bar by Lush.
• Coconut Lime Breeze lotion by Bath & Body Works.
• Cherry Vanilla body spray by Bath & Body Works. (no longer available)

Maybe it's me but the Northern Lights soap is supposed to be citrus & pine and I never really got any pine from it.  I really do wish that Lush would start making purely oil or shea based soaps.  If you look at their soap ingredients with Lush it can get confusing & complicated even with the links describing everything.  Compared to HawkMoon, one of my favorite bath & body companies, looking at their ingredients I can identify everything and not question what it is or what it does.  My skin always feels so much better & less dry with these oil/shea based soaps.  I feel, like foods, the less ingredients & the more natural, the better it is for you!

Are you following me on Twitter yet?  You should!  I'm mostly using it to post about beauty sweepstakes or giveaways, & good deals on beauty coupons through sites like Groupon, Deal Chicken and Living Social.  Occasional things I find in life to be passionate or laugh about.  If I know a giveaway has ended & winner selected, or if a deal is no longer available I usually remove the links a few days later.

I placed an order with Villainess that I should be getting today!  I'm EXCITED!  Did you know they have been around for 10 years?  Keep your eye on their blog & Twitter feed as they are posting new deals every day!

Well, I'm going to do some me stuff.  I'll also post about my Birchbox in my next post!

Until then, happy bathing!

ALIVE!

WORST SURGERY EVER

Yes!  So I have a (somewhat) clear head at the moment, am in between my generic brain fog of lortabs & pain and because I tend to think about others more than myself, I thought I would post some stuff.

I will write about the surgery later when I has a bit more strength & mindset.  Whenever that will be.

I posted publicly on my Facebook page today 2 links for certificates through Boomerang.  One is a $5 off $20 for Julep & the other is $5 off $50 when you shop at Target online.  They expire after 30 days &, from what I have been able to tell, can only be shared through Facebook wall posts at this time.  I couldn't find an option to tweet or e-mail them.

Boomerang doesn't bombard you with e-mails but you get at least 1 weekly with usually a free $5-10 off a certain amount spent.  Some place I usually haven't heard of.   You can also buy certificates in certain amounts for friends on their birthdays or special occasions for places like Bath & Body Works, Etsy, Groupon, Sephora, Anthropologie, etc.  In the past I've even received deals for Ghirardelli & Diamond Candle.

So, if you are an online shopper like me, sign up, take advantage.  When you send certificates, you may even get additional free ones of your choice. 

You may/may not be able to use these in conjunction with other promos & certificates, depending what they are.  I was able to use the Julep in combination with their July clearance and with another gift certificate I had that I had been saving up.  So a, close to, $50 order (including shipping) became $30 with the sale & then became $11 with the codes (I had $14 certificate plus the $5).  DEAL!

More later!