BIRCHBOX CANADA DECEMBER 2014 REVIEW

This is the first box from Birchbox as they have just released in Canada so it was exciting and interesting to see how it would compare to boxes from the US.
Birchbox is a monthly subscription box that sends 5 samples a month somewhat curated to your beauty profile although I find the questions don't narrow down enough for you to say what you don't want.
The cost is $10 plus $4.95 shipping. As this is the pricing only for Canada I don't know why they can't just say its $14.95 but I appreciate that it is in Canadian dollars as the exchange rate to the US is horrible right now.

The box took a little while to arrive to me, I think over 2 weeks but it was nicely packed and has the theme of "Decked Out" And apparently this box is filled with "Festive" beauty samples to help start the celebrations a little early. It was also written that we were supposed to get a $10 GAP Giftcard but it looks like no one in Canada got it.

So this is a look at what I got in the box.

amika Nourishing Mask-20ml Sample (Value $2.48)

Paraben-free treatment that conditions and repairs with superfruit sea buckthorn berry. Once a week, smooth onto lengths and ends of damp hair. Leave 5-10mins before rinsing.

I love the smell of this but I find the sample size way too small to get a true feel for how nourishing it is as this sample is only about 1 and a bit uses for me. Funnily enough the directions on the actual product tell you to apply generously and at $31 for a full size product at 250ml I would barely get 10 uses out of but my hair would probably smell pretty nice and I do use hair treatment's on a regular basis on my dry curly hair.

Benefit Cosmetics high beam 2.5ml Sample (Value $6.15)

This award-winning illuminator highlights and enhances features with a soft pink shimmer. Use fingertips to dab onto cheekbones, brow bones, or anywhere else, and quickly blend.

I haven't bothered to open this sample yet as I still have a sample of this in my makeup bag that I already use on a very occasional basis. It is a decent product though for people who use these products and the sample size means you get a lot of uses to try it out.

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Eyeliner in Black 0.03oz Sample (Value $13.50)

A luxe creamy liner from the NYC-based designer for smudge-proof, all-day wear. Glide along lash line for a defined look or blend within 30 seconds for a smoky eye.

I have lots of eyeliners and never get close to finishing them so its funny that we've been given a sample that is 3/4 of the size of the full size product but I suppose you could always buy different colours. I've only tried it once but it glides on easily and it probably one of the better eyeliners I have tried.

Harvey Prince Ageless Liquid Loofah 15ml Sample (Value $1.11)

Infused with a grapefruit-vanilla fragrance, this wash hydrates and softens skin. Work into a lather and massage over skin. Breathe in the youthful scent, then rinse clean.

This smells amazing but this sample was so small I only got one use out of it and they tell you to not use a sponge or a loofah which meant that you need more of the product to spread across your body. I'm sure this product is nice but the sample size is too poor to give any judgement.

Vasanti Cosmetics BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator 20g Sample (Value $5.60)

This customer fave mimics the effects of microdermabrasion for glowing, smooth skin. 3-5 times a week, massage a pea-sized amount into damp skin and rinse. For all skin types.

I like this product a lot. Its easy to apply to the face and it feels quite gentle on the skin but you can feel it scraping away as you massage it in. I also appreciate that this sample will give me quite a few uses.

Overall I like the products that are in this box but I can't help be disappointed at the sizes of the samples as they really just don't give you a chance to actually try the products which means I really would never buy the full size products. The value of this box came to $28.84 and I paid $15 so it's almost double in value according to the Birchbox website but I still don't feel like I got my money's worth. At least I ended up with 164 points from this month's box to spend in the store from righting the reviews and being compensated for originally saying this box would ship in November on our orders.

If you are interested in subscribing head here and you can purchase monthly or yearly subscriptions.

I already know what is coming in January's box so I'm just interested to see what the sample size will be as I'm not excited by the products at all and I know it has not been shipped yet as the tracking has stayed in the warehouse for the last 5 days so who knows how long it will take.  

What do you think about this box?