@Angelic - You're welcome. I enjoy sharing, and I would love to share more of my monthly boxes with you. ^_^ Let me know if there is any specific questions.

@Codette - The Ipsy and Birchbox are only $10 a month (this is with shipping - some subscription services give you a quote before shipping, and technically cost more). There are websites where you can sign up for free samples, but they are typically very sporadic and take a bunch more work to get in on. I've tried signing up for freebies on websites and usually they want you to fill out a survey and they only have so much stock. I guess if you have the time, you may be able to get some samples that way. The other thing too is I don't see free samples much for makeup online.

I've been really loving the Benefit lip gloss I got in my Birchbox this month. The only two complaints is one it has a peachy taste (peach is not my favorite flavor, but it isn't a sickly sweet taste) and two it isn't long lasting...Meaning I'm having to reapply throughout the day. It's pretty typical for lipgloss. That being said it has a beautiful shimmer to it and would look great with most anything I wore it with.

I also did my nails up in the Ruffian polish. (Wishing I took some pics but I don't honestly think it would do it justice...) The shade is this gorgeous deep purple, that in the light it really is gorgeous and very rich purple. The formula is a bit thin and it took a couple coats, and it wasn't any longer lasting than my normal nail polishes. I don't have a color quite as vibrant of a purple though. I definitely will be reusing it, but I can't see myself buying it at $10 a bottle. (I'm a cheapskate, and unless it really wows me I would rather continue sampling....)

The other thing I'm interested in longterm use is the eye serum I got in my birchbox. I'm suppose to use it twice daily, and I've been using it everyother day. Even so, it does seem to be helping with the puffiness/undereye circles I get. I literally have been getting 4-5 hours a sleep a night and usually I would have some pretty deep dark circles...using this I can definitely see a difference. The sample size is nice enough it should last me a week or two I would think given normal application. Maybe longer.

I still have some leave in hair conditioner I got two months back that I've been using on a near daily basis that I'm still working through. Yes the sample sizes tend to be smaller in birchbox (where I got this one), but depending on what type of product and the type of sample they give you (foil packets, bottles, etc) you can typically make it stretch. I've had a couple of items (mainly the tanning products) that were single use only. Luckily that seems to only be one item at most in my box so I can live with that. I think they're getting enough feedback that people don't like it that they're keeping it to a minimum.

The other thing to bear in mind is Birchbox when you do your surveys is only costing you $5 a month. You have to pay $10 up front, but you get the other $5 in credit for the store. I bank mine until they come out with a limited edition box -- which will have full sized products in it -- and use it towards that. :3