What's in my March 2013 Birchbox

This month's theme is March Madness. Apparently they're hosting beauty face-offs on their Facebook page, which is how things tie in with the theme. The info card also says, "This box is filled with products that make the cut - from up-and-coming rookies to veteran all-stars."

Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream - Blueberry

Full size - $20 : Sample - $2.93

The consistency of this shave cream is very much like a thick whipped cream. I'm not much of a shave gel/cream kind of girl on a day to day basis - I prefer to just use whatever body wash/shower gel I have on hand - but if I was, this seems to be the kind I'd gravitate toward. For whatever reason the thickness makes me think it would do a decent job at all it promises: moisturize, soothe, nourish. The scent is definitely blueberry. That might be the only thing I dislike right off the bat. I'm not much of a blueberry scented kind of person. Apple-cinnamon? Sure. Strawberry? Sure. Blueberry? Not so much, and that goes for anything really. Maybe I'm just not fond of blueberries except as when used in pie. Who knows.

Oscar Blandi Hair Lift Mousse

Full size - $23 : Sample - $3.65

This stuff is very thick and seems very scented to me. It's got a strange nozzle that at first glance I thought was for helping to distribute the product when you applied it to your hair. However, after reading the directions a bit more closely, you're supposed to dispense it into the palm of your hand and then apply it to your hair using your hands. That said, I'm not sure what the fancy nozzle is all about then. Personally, I'm not one who uses mousse, but I'll give this stuff a try.

Madewell for Birchbox Emery Board

Full size - $5 : Sample is full size

 It's just a pretty standard emery board so I don't have much to say about it.

MAKE Face Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30

Full size - $30 : Sample - $5.40

I feel like this is yet another teeny, tiny sample that I will barely get two uses out of. Either that, or I have an unusually large face or am using entirely too much product when I apply something like this. I don't know about anyone else, but I generally need more than two uses of a face product to judge whether or not I like it, especially if it's something that may break me out. Aside from the size of the sample, I feel it smells like sunscreen, which doesn't necessarily bother me. When applied to the back of my hand it seems to have a nice feel after it has soaked in.

MAKE Eyeshadow - Great Lakes

Full size - $18 : Sample - $5.40

 First, I'm not much of a blue eyeshadow kind of girl. I prefer neutrals with the occasional purple sort of eye - I have hazel eyes. That said, the only comment on the actual color of the eyeshadow I have is that as one who lives near Lake Erie, I WISH our lake looked this blue. As far as pigmentation goes, it swatches pretty nicely but seemed to rub off the back of my hand without much effort, which makes me worried about it doing that on eyelids as well.

Box total: $22.38