July’s theme is:

Are you ready to power up? We are! This month, we’ve joined forces with Women’s Health to amp up your summer, starting with your beauty stash. Get ready to discover products that will boost your routine–and your confidence too.

I got box #7 this month. It’s been about 2-3 boxes since I’ve received a Birchbox that I actually liked. So, this has been a long time coming. Any time I don’t get perfume or sunscreen usually signals a good box for me. Anyway, let’s get to it.

This was the first time Birchbox let its users select what samples they wanted in their box. I think it’s a great idea, and have been hoping for something similar. There were 2 samples available for choosing: Ruffian nail polish and Cynthia Rowley eyeliner. I didn’t get an email for Cynthia Rowley eyeliner since I’ve already received it in a previous box. I really wanted to try the rose gold polish since I don’t have that color in my polish collection; however, it seems like everyone beat me to it because I was only able to choose the Relic color.

RUFFIAN Nail Lacquer (Relic)
Price: $11 (5 ml)
Approx. Sample Price: $11 (5 ml)

Even though I like metallic colors, I’ve found that I only have 1 or 2 metallic polishes. I’m excited to give this one a try after I finish wearing my glittery mint polish. I was really keen on trying Rosary, the rose gold color, but it was sold out by the time I was able to choose which one I wanted in my box.

RUFFIAN Dressing Room Nail Lacquer Remover Towelettes
Price: $12 (10, 0.11 oz ea)
Approx. Sample Price: $1.20 (0.11 oz)

The towelette is black, perfumed, and oily. It took longer to remove all the polish on both of my hands, but it did take them all off. However, after I washed my hands, I noticed that there was still a small layer left on my nails, so I used my normal polish remover to finish the job. It’s very portable, but probably won’t stand up against glitter polish as well.

Naobay Body Radiance Lotion
Price: $24 (250 ml)
Approx. Sample Price: $2.88 (30 ml)

The product lists olive oil, avocado oil, and shea butter among its many natural and organic ingredients, but the lotion scent reminds me of lemongrass. It absorbs very quickly and the scent can be quite overpowering if you’re applying on a larger area, like a leg or an arm. I can’t attest to the long-lasting effects since my skin doesn’t tend to be too dry. If using natural and organic ingredients means a lot to you, this is probably a good lotion to try. However, I’m content with my store brand cocoa butter lotion.

Real Chemistry Luminous 3-Minute Peel
Price: $48 (1.7 oz)
Approx. Sample Price: $4.80 (0.17 oz)

I’m very excited to try out this peel since I’ve always had good experience with the peels I’ve gotten from Birchbox. This peel claims to be pH-neutral and acid free. It’s meant to gently sloughs away dead skin cells. I use a gentle exfoliator regularly to great effect, so I’d gladly give this one a try. Even if it works, I won’t be buying it. That $48 price for a 1.7 oz product is way too much for me.

Beauty Protector Protect & Treat Hair Mask
Price: $25.95 (4 oz)
Approx. Sample Price: $6.49 (1 oz)

When I was looking through the July sneak peeks, this was one of the samples I really wanted to try. I’m always looking for good hair products to help tame the frizziness that my hair encounters when it gets humid. I’ve used another Beauty Protector product, but it didn’t do the wonders that everyone raved about. I’m still optimistic about this one, though. I’ll edit this once I’ve given it a try.

Benefit Posiebalm
Price: $18 (0.10 oz)
Approx. Sample Price: $1.80 (0.01 oz)

This lip balm scent reminded me of Benetint, which was one of my favorite Birchbox samples of all time. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of Benetint was incorporated into this balm, since the tint was about the same color. The balm goes on smoothly and the tint is subtle enough to look natural, which I really like. It doesn’t wear very long because I drink lots of water throughout the day.