My November 2016 Birchbox arrived last Saturday—the same day that I received my latest Stitch Fix—so it almost felt like my birthday! I badly needed a pick-me-up after the election results, but it’s taken me a while to muster up the motivation to write about my new samples.

I absolutely love the November 2016 Birchbox design; I’m such a sucker for dainty floral and botanical patterns!

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For November’s sample choice I selected jane iredale Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain in Forever Pink. I bought that product full-sized last year, but seeing as how I’ve almost used it up I figured I might as well get a sample size for travel (also, the other sample options didn’t appeal to me as much).

This month’s theme is The Finishing Touch: those “extra, just-because details that make all the difference.”

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And now, here’s my November 2016 Birchbox sample reveal:

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The first sample I noticed when I opened the box was amika Silken Up Dry Conditioner (full-size, $24). I’d never tried a dry conditioner before so I was mildly interested in this sample, but seeing as how I don’t use dry shampoo that often it was hard to get too excited about this one. Plus, I’m not a fan of the strong powdery-floral fragrance that amika uses in every product. I’ve tried this sample a couple times now and it does make second day hair feel soft, but it’s not something I see myself buying full sized.

amika Silken Up Dry Conditioner sample | Birchbox

My next sample is Ardency Inn MODSTER Smooth Ride Supercharged Eyeliner in Black (full-size, $20). I’ve never tried anything by this brand before but I’ve been curious about it.

Ardency Inn MODSTER Smooth Ride Supercharged Eyeliner sample | Birchbox

This eyeliner is waterproof and, as promised, glides on very smoothly; it has a similar texture to Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils (which I love). Below are swatches on my hand, which took a lot of scrubbing with soap to remove—this liner is no joke:

Ardency Inn MODSTER Smooth Ride Supercharged Eyeliner swatch
Left: applied straight from the pencil. Right: smudged using my finger.

My third sample is the one that I selected this month: jane iredale Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain in Forever Pink (Full-size, $25). I LOVE this product, and the sample tube is so adorable! You can read my full review of this lip and cheek stain here.

jane iredale Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain sample | Birchbox

Next up is Marcelle New-Age LumiPower 3-in-1 Moisturizer (full-size, $26). I appreciate that this formula is a multitasker and can be used as a day cream, night cream, or eye cream. It’s oil-free, feels light, and absorbs quickly. I’ve used the moisturizer a few times so far and while it’s perfectly serviceable, I wouldn’t say it’s anything extraordinary.

Marcelle New-Age LumiPower 3-in-1 Moisturizer sample | Birchbox

My final sample this month is Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream with SPF 40 (full-size, $38). I actually bought a 1-ounce tube of this cream from Sephora (which costs $12; Birchbox only sells the 10-ounce bottle) awhile back and liked it so much that I just repurchased it during the semi-annual VIB sale (blog post on my haul to come soon!). The cream is non-greasy and has a light, herbal scent—plus, it doesn’t irritate the sensitive skin on my hands! So, although this product is not new to me, I was happy to see a sample of it in my Birchbox.

Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream with SPF 40 sample | Birchbox

Overall, I can’t say that I got very excited about this Birchbox, but I think that had more to do with my post-election mood than the samples themselves…it’s just bad timing. Also, this month I received samples of two products that I already use regularly, but seeing as how I chose to receive one of those samples, that’s perfectly okay. Sometimes familiarity is a good thing.   🙂

How was your November Birchbox? Did you receive any products that you think you’ll buy full sized?

You can browse through my previous Birchbox reviews here.

What is Birchbox?

Birchbox is a $10/month subscription box that includes five curated product samples based on your preferences (makeup, skin care, hair care, fragrance, etc.). They also have an online store filled with full sized versions of all the products they include in their monthly subscription boxes, so if you fall in love with a sample they sent you, you can go back to their site and buy it full sized. You earn 1 point per $1 you spend at Birchbox.com and earn points for referring friends; then you can use those points toward future purchases. Use my referral link to sign up for your own subscription!

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