‘Cause that’s how I roll.

I mainly wanted this Birchbox Vanity Affair Box ($98) because it had a Birchbox-exclusive MAKE Colour palette called Calypso that had eight eyeshadows (!) which I don’t believe has happened yet. They usually have a lip color mixed in with the shadows. Anyway, the palette itself ($40) is available on Birchbox, but I was interested in a lot of the items in the Vanity Affair box, too. After a lot of deliberation (like weeks, OK?), I gave in. I figured I could pick the box apart and give some items as gifts.

So, this post isn’t technically an unboxing, since this is an incomplete box. I set aside three items for gifts: the Maison Caulières Perfumed Bath Oil (which sounds awesome but I don’t have a tub), the Stephanie Johnson Tinseltown Jewelry Tray (which I know someone else will enjoy more), and the TOCCA Eau de Parfum Margaux (which I think my grandma will like a lot).

This is what I’ve kept for myself so far:

— MAKE Colour Calypso Palette
— JINsoon Nail Lacquer in Coquette and Nostalgia
— Tata Harper Volumizing Lip & Cheek Tint
— Rosanna Alhambra Medium Vessel
— BY Terry Baume de Rose
— Chantecaille Luminous Gloss in Lychee
— SHU UEMURA Art of Hair Essence Absolue Oil-in-Cream (deluxe size)
— Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment (deluxe size)
— Serge Normant Dream Big Instant Volumizing Spray (deluxe size)

As you can see, some of the samples are tiny. Particularly the BY Terry Baume de Rose, which clocks in at a whopping 0.1oz:

Can you believe this sample’s value is $18? I’m excited to try this because the full size is $60. /eyes roll back into head

I love the color and packaging of Tata Harper’s Volumizing Lip & Cheek Tint. This particular product can’t be found on Birchbox’s site anymore, but Tata Harper is sold on Sephora.com.

The Rosanna Alhambra Medium Vessel currently houses some cotton pads and cotton buds that I cut in half (to reduce waste). I’m not sure if I’ll keep them in here, but for now, that’s the situation.

Here’s a quick look at Calypso:

1st half, clockwise from top left: Alabaster, Bentonite Clay, Woad, Great Lakes
2nd half, clockwise from top left: Aquamarine, Star Anise, Cast Iron, Midnight

There are a few overlaps in this palette: Cast Iron and Woad are in the New Medieval Palette, and Alabaster is in the Aether Palette.*

Swatched, L-R: Alabaster, Bentonite Clay, Great Lakes, Woad, Aquamarine, Star Anise, Midnight, Cast Iron

I haven’t tried this out on my eyes, but I love the selection. I felt that the New Medieval Palette was a little too heavy-handed on the blue-black eyeshadows and wished that some of the warm lip colors in the palette came in the form of eyeshadows. Well, this is kind of an answer to that, I think, complete with a little pop of aquamarine.

If you’d like a breakdown of cost/value, here’s a post by My Subscription Addiction. The box is apparently “worth” just a little under $300, which is way over the $98 cost. There are also a lot of 20% off codes and I used one of the ones I found on Anastasia/Glamorable.

I’m thinking of passing on the JINsoon nail lacquers or the Chantecaille Lip Gloss to someone on my Christmas list, and I probably will if I don’t find a more suitable gift.

All in all, a great box, I think! I get to try some of the items I’ve been wanting to try (cough, Baume de Rose, cough) and I scratch people off my Christmas list, too!

* Items marked with an asterisk are PR Samples.

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