November Birchbox

Yayyy I got my Birchbox in the mail! I love getting them....they're a nice little surprise right after having to pay rent :)
So this is what mine looked like

This is what the little description card said:
"Hi there,
It's better to give than to receive, but you says you can't do both? This month, we're helping you get a head start on your holiday planning with a collection of gift-worthy products. Try them and let them inspire your own present plans...and we promise not to tell if you buy them for yourself!

Get your spa fix with a skin-purifying Italian mud treatment, then layer on a luxurious body cream with the slightest sheen. Dab on a chip autumnal scent, and dress up nails with a festive polish. Even your tabletop gets a treat--chic letterpress coasters.

Go to Birchbox.com to get the inside scoop on your samples, plus tips on how to use them. There's also exciting content to put you in a festive mood, from a primer on grownup sparkle to a roundup of the best chocolate for every craving. Feeling indulgent? Use our guide to recreate splurgy spa treatments at home."

So let's start off with with perfume sample

1. Atelier Cologne
Vanille Intensee Cologne Absolute
Warm notes of vanilla, oak wood, and amber anchor this autumn-ready perfume.
30ml $60 ; 200ml $170

My thoughts: The packaging was cute; came with a little postcard and was nice for a perfume sample. The perfume itself good for fall or evening. A creamy, musky, romantic scent. Definitely smell the vanilla and amber in it. I liked it, unfortunately, it started to give me a headache after 5 minutes of wearing it. It could also be a mixture of that and the lotion that I've had on my hands for a while not...not sure. A little pricy for 1 oz. But I really wouldn't consider this an every day perfume. It might be for some, but like I said, I would think of this as more of a evening perfume. 

 2.Borghese 
Fango Active Mud
This classic Italian treatment has mineral-rich mud from Tuscany, plus nourishing avocado and sweet almonds oils, to smooth skin on face and body.
7oz $33.50 ; 17.6oz $64

My thoughts: I did sort of a patch test on my hand to make sure that I didn't have any sort of reaction to the product first. I have really sensitive skin, so I obviously I'm pretty careful about what I put on it. I didn't have any problems with it, so it's safe to say it's alright for those with sensitive skin. I didn't notice anything miraculous about this product. Yes, my skin felt smoother...but all my face washes and other masks do the same as this. You get 1oz as a sample, which is a generous amount to use multiple times. Would I pay $33.50 for 7oz. Heck no. There are a ton of cheaper alternatives in drug stores....but it's nice to have this little sample for special occasions.

3.LaROCCA Skincare
Champagne & Shimmer Supreme Creme
Shea butter and olive oil join forces to leave skin firm, supple, and ready to set off your favorite party dress.
6.67oz $35 

My thoughts: I actually had to look this up on the Birchbox website. When I first opened my box, I poked my finger in it to see if it was solid. It kinda was....and now I know it's because it was slightly cold. Then when I went to put it on my hand and take a picture a day later, it was very soft like butter. The "sheen" in the picture is...oil. Not shimmer. This is so incredibly greasy. It doesn't leave my skin firm and supple...it leaves it greasy and gross. It didn't smooth into my skin and I ended up having to wipe it off. And it doesn't even smell good. To me, it smells like cleaner. bleh.

4.Zoya
Nail Polish in Izzy
The perfect party polish, this bold pink shade from Zoya's holiday 2011 collection has a touch of look-at-me sparkle.
.5fl oz $8 

My thoughts: I'm pretty excited to get this in my Birchbox because I was actually going to purchase it during Zoya's next sale. In my opinion, Zoya has one of the best shimmer nail polishes. They always go on so smooth and generally only need 1 coat. The glitters in it are so fine that there's no issue with uneven coats or having a hard time removing them. .25 oz is the perfect size...no one ever really goes through a whole .5oz bottle.

The treat item are these little coasters..I have nothing to say about them other than they are coasters lol

Overall, my box was a bunch of stuff that I'm not going to use. I'm pretty sad that the perfume started to make me sick. The first whiffs of it were pretty nice lol. I'm also pretty disappointed about the LaROCCA cream. I've been on the search for some really good lotion because my hands are always dry.