Birchbox Review: December

Wow, I forgot how behind I am on these Birchbox posts.  Oops!  Here is what I got in my festive December box.  P.S. Feel free to skip to the bottom because the last two products are my favorites.

BENTA BERRY G-1 Exfoliating Facial Cleanser | Full-size, $16

This was a teeny, tiny little sample, so not a lot to work with, but I liked it.  I didn't get to use it enough to get a good feel for it, but I like scrubs in general & this one was gentle & had a nice scent.  Irrelevant, but I'm also into the packaging.

Camille Beckman Glycerine Hand Therapy - Midnight Monarch Scent | Full-size, $14

This is a great, thick hand lotion.  I say lotion, but it's almost a cream.  At first, the scent put me off.  It's really strong & reminded me of a musky, Victoria's Secret scent.  But as I continued to wear it, I got used to it & the scent stopped bothering me.  I won't buy this, but I enjoyed the sample.

Number 4 Non Aerosol Hairspray | Full-size, $30

I actually do use hairspray every day, but I use aerosol & this sample is a pump, so I haven't used it.  I like the Number 4 brand & have used & bought some of their products, but so far I don't have a use for non-aerosol hairspray.  I'll put it in my travel kit.

Secret Agent Beauty Nourishing & Plumping Lip Gloss in Foreign Intelligence Flirt | Full-size, $18

I was pumped (heh) to receive this because I need a neutral gloss for the days I'm not matte red-ing it up.  This is a good nude gloss.  It is a little sting-y because of the plumping agents, but it goes on well & stays on as good as any gloss does.  I won't buy it, but it's a nice addition to my lip arsenal.

LIFESTYLE EXTRA

Emily's Chocolates Milk Chocolate Fortune Cookies | Full-size, $5.99

This chocolate covered fortune cookie was DELICIOUS.  I can't imagine needing to buy these, but I'm real glad they threw one in my box.  Each $6 box comes with 6 cookies, so it would be a cute gift.

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Okay, I finally used some products from past boxes:

Serious Skincare Glycolic Gommage Extreme Renewal | Full-size, $38.50

I wrote in November that I hadn't used this yet because I was confused about it's application process.  I didn't understand if it was a cleanser or a mask.  It's both?  It's an exfoliating mask that you apply after you wash your face at night.  But it's also a cleanser *scrunchy face*.  This mask hurts my face.  No, literally.  It hurts my face.  I've used it two or three times, but each time I'm worried it's doing more damage than good.  I've been too scared to use it lately because of the great Face Peeling of 2014.  Maybe if you wear the skin of others on your person & your favorite accessory is a chainsaw, then this would be the mask for you.

Serge Normant Meta Luxe Hair Spray | Full-size, $25.00

In September I received this hairspray immediately after purchasing a big ole bottle of new hairspray, so it got neglected.  I've since used it & don't love it.  The scent is kind of terrible.  It works just fine, but the scent:  no.  Ahh, I just read that it's made with cedar extract.  Yep, that's the scent.

Keratheapy Keratin Infused Daily Smoothing Cream | Full-size, $23.00

Also in September, I failed to use/review this, which is tragic because I LOVE THIS.  On the rare occasion that I blow-out & straighten my hair, I need something to protect my hair from the heat.  This stuff really works!  Plus, it makes my hair super soft.  Now that I've used the sample & need more, I'm torn between buying this or buying the Living Proof Nourishing Styling Cream that I'm also obsessed with.  Life is so hard!

Davines Oi/Oil Absolute Beautifying Potion | Full-size, $41.00

Okay, last one.  I received this way back in June & just used it because I ran out of everything else I use to straighten my hair.  Y'all, I'm kind of into it.  Also, there was an article recently on ITG about how super straight hair is the new trend for spring & that hair oil is a must.  Duly noted!  Okay, I may buy this.