Birchbox August 2014 - Spoilers!

[jumpnshout5]

I just received an email from Birchbox on my second that hasn't shipped/updated that stated: "Good news! Billing issue resolved". Um, wtf? I was never notified that I had a "billing issue" on that account in the first place. First they tell me that my box isn't shipping till the 15th. Then when I ask what's going on, all of the sudden I have "billing issues". Not cool Birchbox. I didn't have any billing issues on my main account that uses the same exact info and card on it. 

 

[TooMuchElectric]

Stainiac?????

Got my box today and was so excited to try my sample (wasn't so thrilled to also get the bronzed sample..ugh) but the strangest thing happened. It made my lips NUMB!!! I have no allergies and have never had a reaction to any kind of product ever.

I never used a stain...and didn't really like it if the product was doing what it was supposed to. It was a gel that would slide around my lips and not seem to soak in, couldn't make a thin layer.... But the tingling started and grew worse and worse within minutes until my lips were buzzing with a numbness feeling. I washed my lips and the feeling took about 10 minutes before it went away. I'm not talking about stinging like my lips were dry or cracked....it was strong...like I thought it might be topical lidocaine. It really freaked me out.

Anyone know anything about this..?

I noticed a slight weird numbness when I applied it (and I applied a LOT of it; not sure I would notice if I only applied a tiny amount). It went away quickly, but I've never had that with any other cosmetic. Seems like the internet should be able to identify the cause. The ingredients, according to theBalm's website:

Ingredients: WATER ((AQUA) EAU), GLYCERIN, TRIETHANOLAMINE, ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, PHENOXYETHANOL, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, HEXYLENE GLYCOL, SODIUM HYALURONATE, POTASSIUM SORBATE, SODIUM DEHYDROACETATE, CAMELLIA OLEIFERA LEAF EXTRACT. MAY CONTAIN / PEUT CONTENIR [+/- BLUE 1 (CI 42090), GREEN 3 (CI 42053), YELLOW 5 (CI 19140), YELLOW 6 (CI 15985), RED 22 (CI 45380), RED 33 (CI 17200), RED 27 (CI 45410), YELLOW 10 (CI 47005), GREEN 5 (CI 61570)].

 

[bluemustang]

Is there a trade thread? I need to try the benefit liner!

 

[artlover613]

Is there a trade thread? I need to try the benefit liner!

It is here:

https://www.makeuptalk.com/f/forum/321-subscription-box-swaps-talk/

And you can do a search in the forum with each member's trade list here:

https://www.makeuptalk.com/f/forum/320-subscription-box-swaps/

Trading is a great way to get the samples you have been anxious to try or the ones you love.

 

[bluemustang]

Thank you!

Man, just read the last few pages and it sounds like the liner has issues.. Oh well, still want to try for myself lol

 

[rockhoundluna]

After spending considerable time with my benefit push up liner (I bought the full size because I just had to try it after missing the EG box) .... I am not thrilled. I'm sure it's a lot better than the samples but basically it's not (imo) the miracle product that the advertising seems to proclaim.

I find it no easier to do a cats eye or a puppy eye or in fact a straight line with these than with my Cailyn gel liner. In fact... I really prefer the Cailyn by far because that brush makes it easier to make a thicker line. With the benefit, you get a very thin line due to the way the liner is made. Then you have to go over it, repeatedly, to build it up.

I also noticed a tendency for the product to "ball up" at the end of the liner a bit. I had planned to keep this in my makeup bag for easy gel liner app on the go but... yeah, I'd rather carry the much larger Cailyn liner around.

Pretty sad because I adore Benefit and was surprised I didn't love this, too.

 

[gingerneko]

I swear these TJmax/Marshalls stores are like a urban myth, if this info didn't come from trustworthy sources like @@wadedl I'd never believe it!

Back in suburban NY, my local Marshalls used to get a great selection. Here in FL, it's hit or miss. There's some higher-end brands, but interestingly, I see a lot of the brands I see in BB that aren't hugely popular among the ladies here. Nothing like BaB, though. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

That benefit eyeliner sample sucked. I chalked it up to the sample being crappy but I went to Ulta with my birchbox bestie today and the full sized sucked too, too hard to manuever and it took too much work to build up to a solid black compared to other eyeliner's I've used. Even the Benefit girl at the counter was like "there's no way I would recommend it, I use Urban Decay's liquid eyeliner pen." I found that hilarious because there was TONS of marketing for it over in the Benefit section.   :lol:

.

Its not awful if you're ok with working with the gel to build it up, but to me its no where near as "newbie" friendly as Stila's or UD's.

I love the Stila liner markers. I almost never use liquid because I'm coordination-challenged, but those are so easy to use. Stila has always been hit or miss for me, but I love these. 

 

[Elena K]

I was so unhappy with the Benefit liner sample that I sent a polite witch-mail about it to BB. Will report what  they say. 

In other news, I suspect Not Soap, Radio may be my new body wash addiction. I want to try almost all of their scents. 

I'm with you on Not Soap, Radio. Along with Acure scrub it almost made up for my disappointment with Benefit liner sample.

I went in to sephora and tried the Pushup liner on my hand, horrible application and lots of black flakes. I thought it must of dried out on the top so I twisted out more product, nope just the same. The girl working there said it's just like that.

Interesting. I did the same thing, and I didn't find it flaky or anything like that. I think that the formula itself is not bad. Once it dries, it stays in place pretty well. However, there seems to be some amount of dried product in the tip of the applicator (and that's a sample at Sephora, where it probably gets used or tested several times a day). Also, I don't think that the design of the applicator makes the process easier, at least not for my clumsy hands.

I really was hoping to get the benefit push up liner. Now, after reading the reviews, it doesn't seem like it's very high quality.

You probably luck out on not getting it. lol. I don't think it's a great product (it's ok at best), but the Birchbox sample was a pain in a class of it's own.

 

[ashleylind]

Question for anyone who has made a return, how long did it take before you were refunded money and/or points? Also, did you receive any sort of email notification? I'm going on 2 weeks without anything and am starting to get frustrated.

 

[flipflopgirl]

Question for anyone who has made a return, how long did it take before you were refunded money and/or points? Also, did you receive any sort of email notification? I'm going on 2 weeks without anything and am starting to get frustrated.

Honestly, the process was extremely long and frustrating. It took 8 days for the package to just get to Tennessee after taking a trip around the East Coast. The website tells you it can take "up to 10 business days" after the package has arrived. It took over 3 full weeks (15+ business days). The only reason I got a refund is because I was chatting with a CS rep about a separate issue. She was very kind and investigated the matter for me. She processed the return quickly after she got my order number. I never got an email and I don't know how long my return would have taken if I hadn't spoken to someone directly. Thankfully my return was mainly points. I'd be terrified to have a large purchase with cash hanging in warehouse limbo like that. 

I have another return to make (I'm picking out make-up) and I'm dreading the experience. I hope your return gets sorted out quicker than mine!

 

[ashleylind]

Honestly, the process was extremely long and frustrating. It took 8 days for the package to just get to Tennessee after taking a trip around the East Coast. The website tells you it can take "up to 10 business days" after the package has arrived. It took over 3 full weeks (15+ business days). The only reason I got a refund is because I was chatting with a CS rep about a separate issue. She was very kind and investigated the matter for me. She processed the return quickly after she got my order number. I never got an email and I don't know how long my return would have taken if I hadn't spoken to someone directly. Thankfully my return was mainly points. I'd be terrified to have a large purchase with cash hanging in warehouse limbo like that. 

I have another return to make (I'm picking out make-up) and I'm dreading the experience. I hope your return gets sorted out quicker than mine!

Thanks! Thankfully, I knew it would be a total PITA experience – so at least I knew it was coming. I think I'll wait another week and then give them a call. 

 

[Kelli]

I signed up last night and the email says the shipping date is Aug 27. Can't wait to see what I get...probably whatever leftovers they have for the month lol It looks like there were atleast a couple of nice items this month, so hopefully I get atleast one thing I'll be excited about.

 

[IMDawnP]

 
sarap, on 16 Aug 2014 - 1:42 PM, said:

I swear these TJmax/Marshalls stores are like a urban myth, if this info didn't come from trustworthy sources like @wadedl I'd never believe it!

Back in suburban NY, my local Marshalls used to get a great selection. Here in FL, it's hit or miss. There's some higher-end brands, but interestingly, I see a lot of the brands I see in BB that aren't hugely popular among the ladies here. Nothing like BaB, though. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
I love the Stila liner markers. I almost never use liquid because I'm coordination-challenged, but those are so easy to use. Stila has always been hit or miss for me, but I love these. 

The TJ's local to me are hit and miss. The trick (near me at least) is to go to a TJ's located in a pricier town. When the property taxes are higher than mine I tend to find better stuff. 
 

 

[casey anne]

We got Sneak Peek Part 1 last month on the 20th! Maybe we'll see something for September this week??!!

 

[LuckyMoon]

We got Sneak Peek Part 1 last month on the 20th! Maybe we'll see something for September this week??!!

I was just thinking that I'm ready to see if they do a pick-your-sample next month & what they will be.  I hope they do & that it goes smoothly for more people to get to pick.  

 

[KrissyKat]

I was just thinking that I'm ready to see if they do a pick-your-sample next month & what they will be.  I hope they do & that it goes smoothly for more people to get to pick.  

I doubt it will go smoothly! (Though maybe I'm being a pessimist.) The men's box had a pick-your-sample last week for the September box, and the choosing closed after 4 hours, when it was stated it would be open for 2 days. I was pretty disappointed!

 

[natashaia]

After spending considerable time with my benefit push up liner (I bought the full size because I just had to try it after missing the EG box) .... I am not thrilled. I'm sure it's a lot better than the samples but basically it's not (imo) the miracle product that the advertising seems to proclaim.

I find it no easier to do a cats eye or a puppy eye or in fact a straight line with these than with my Cailyn gel liner. In fact... I really prefer the Cailyn by far because that brush makes it easier to make a thicker line. With the benefit, you get a very thin line due to the way the liner is made. Then you have to go over it, repeatedly, to build it up.

I also noticed a tendency for the product to "ball up" at the end of the liner a bit. I had planned to keep this in my makeup bag for easy gel liner app on the go but... yeah, I'd rather carry the much larger Cailyn liner around.

Pretty sad because I adore Benefit and was surprised I didn't love this, too.

i completely agree about the benefit eyeliner. i was in sephora and all of the sales associates said they hated it and hated that had to promote it. 

 

[Geek]

Hi Birchboxers,

I'm poking my head in here to toss out a friendly request for some of our power members, that run the gauntlet with Birchbox, to give our new Product Review Center a whirl. Please review your boxes!

Thanks!

 

[gingerneko]

sarap, on 16 Aug 2014 - 1:42 PM, said:


The TJ's local to me are hit and miss. The trick (near me at least) is to go to a TJ's located in a pricier town. When the property taxes are higher than mine I tend to find better stuff. 

That was my secret, yeah -- I used to live in a pricey neighborhood. Well, I still do, but I think I need to get up earlier because the new stock is up in the mornings, usually, and I never seem to make it there until afternoon. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

[Kristen121]

how do you wash the cloths? and how often? I've been holding off on using mine because I don't want to add extra work to my routine.

I put mine in the washer/dryer with whatever else I happen to be washing.