Beauty Review: Birchbox May 2011

I seem to get my Birchbox a little later than most people, and this is certainly a mixed blessing. On one hand, I usually spoil my surprise since I can find out (through YouTube videos and my Birchbox account) what is probably in my Birchbox before it arrives. While this can lead to some disappointment, it is also great when I actually receive my box and I discover that some of the products I'm not that excited about are much better than I expected.

For the most part, I'm pretty happy with this month's Birchbox selection.

First glimpse of this month's products

This month's theme is "elegant products that will always be in style, just like Mom." To that end, I received:

• Stila eyeshadow in Barefoot Contessa
• Bulgari perfume in Mon Jasmin Noir
• Archipelgo Pomegranate Soap
• Ahava Mineral Hand Cream
• Tiny Prints greeting card (this was my extra)

So far, I've tried the Bulgari perfume and the Stila eyeshadow, and I'm looking forward to trying the soap (I love bath products) and the Ahava lotion. The Stila shadow seemed a little boring in the package, but it is gorgeous when applied (according to the Sephora site, the color is a shimmering metallic plum).

From left to right: Archipelago soap, Bulgari perfume, Stila shadow, Ahava cream, and Tiny Prints card

After I've spent more time testing the products, I'll put up a full review. If you have questions about Birchbox or about the products (from this month's box or from last month's), please feel free to leave a comment below!