I love beauty samples.  Love ’em!  But the regular-sized samples that you get at Sephora are always so paltry and I hate having to beg the salesperson to put a few microscopic drops of products in a cheap plastic container so I can try a product.  

Enter Birchbox.  An online service that, for $10 per month, will mail you deluxe size samples from brands like Korres, NARS, Cargo, Philosophy and more.  

I received my first Birchbox delivery yesterday and the box’s wares personally curated by designer Cynthia Rowley.  Inside was a travel size sample of Purity face wash, Korres fig body wash, Redken hairspray, an eyebrow pencil and an organic fruit and nut snack bar.  

I loved it all, except for that last thing.  They lost me at gluten-free.  But how can you not love getting a little treat for yourself every month?  So I ate the snack bar anyway, then I hated myself for a minute for betraying the Pro-Gluten, Pro-Carbohydrate cause.

Members also have the opportunity to purchase special “Haute Boxes” that contain more great stuff.  For $38, this month’s box contained two products from AHAVA (bath salts and Dead Sea Mud), a Tweezerman in special print, a Bamboo Lemongrass Body Scrub from Lather and a set of Inoco nail polish strips in a special Cynthia Rowley designed print.  

In addition to the sample kits, Birchbox also offers an online shop where you can purchase full sizes of the sampled products you love.  And if you visit the site to review the samples, you earn points, which can be used to purchase full size products.  Who doesn’t love a good discount?

Also, the site features a blog with beauty tips, fashion advice and interviews with women in the style business. Honestly, it seems like every company has a blog these days…this one is actually worth reading (I know, I was shocked too.)

When I signed up, there was a waiting list, so it took me a few weeks to get through.  However, if you e-mail me (capitolhillstyle at gmail dot com), I can invite you and I earn a small dividend if you become a member.  

If you really love trying new beauty products, I would highly suggest joining Birchbox.  For the frequent traveler, this is great way to collect smaller sizes of staple products for trips (Thanks TSA for your tyrannical liquid and gels rule).  And if you know someone headed off to college, I think a Birchbox would be the world’s best care package.  Who wants cookies when you can have face primer, body spray and lipstick?  Yeah, that’s what I thought.