sampling

i was surprised and excited when my friend grace gifted me with a 3-month membership to birchbox.  the twirlies, who started their own beauty blog together, were all aflutter over this new service awhile back.  for $10 a month you get a handful of makeup, hair, skincare, etc. deluxe-sized product samples delivered to your doorstep to try out.  then if you like any of the products you've tried out, guess what?  oh yes - you can order full sized versions of them right from birchbox.  ah, so convenient.

i'd wanted to sign up before, but never got around to it, and so it was an extra awesome gift.  i like beauty stuff.  i like receiving packages.  i like surprises.  total WIN.

of course, i kept forgetting to redeem my gift certificate on the website.  you know me, i'm easily distrac...ooh, something shiny!  uh, yeah.  but as i was going through piles of birthday cards i'd received this year (did i ever tell you about the 40 cards that MIL sent me this year? awesome), i found it and finally signed up.  then i got distracted again and forgot about it completely until this appeared in the mailbox:

so pretty!  and pink!  i opened it to find this:

fun stuff.  i unwrapped the tissue package and lined up my loot.

a perfume sample, a mud masque, lip gloss, and a peppermint foot salve.  that last item was so perfectly timed - with all the running i've been doing, my feet are to' up.  like, for serious.  and it's meant to be an overnight treatment, but as soon as i was out of the shower, i twisted it open and rubbed it on my sore feet immediately.  it smelled really lovely too, just like christmas. 

i may very well have found my first full-size purchase already.  and i can't wait to see what comes in my birchbox in the next two months!  grace, i love it.  it's the gift that keeps on giving!

btw, if you want to sign up too, here's a referral link.  i'm not sure what i get if you use it, but hey - hook a sista up.