Birchbox

UNBOXING: Birchbox May 2018 – Palm Leaves and Warm Breeze

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This month’s theme was Palm Leaves & Warm Breeze, saying ‘aloha’ to the first signs of summer.

No full-size products this month. We will use everything in the box. Well-curated but nothing particularly exciting other than the box, which is beautiful and definitely worthy of staying out on show.

DOUCCE: Luscious Lip Stain in Amber Rose, unknown size
Value: Approx £10 (not sure of sample size), full size 6g is £21

Image result for doucce lip stain amber rose

“This pigmented liquid formula applies matt, dries fast (so it won’t transfer onto anything and lasts for hours. Unlike other matte lip products, this long-lasting formula glides on smoothly for comfortable all-day wear”

BT INITIAL OPINION: A super flattering, fresh colour for oriental skintones. Formula is a little watery but the pay off is that is doesn’t ‘crack’ or dry too much like most matte lip paints. Tried the kiss test and it passed with flying colours 😀

GREENFROG BOTANIC: Geranium & Peppermint Botanical Bodywash, 50ml
Value: £1.49

Greenfrog Botanic Geranium and Peppermint Award Winning Soapberry Body Wash

“This organic formula is cruelty-free, vegan and completely free from chemical nasties! Brimming with moisturising alow vera and Saponin-rich soapberries, this gentle wash cleanses your skin whilst maintaining pH levels.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – The fresh scent is nice and the size will be great for a weekend away. This claims to be great for sensitive skin, eczema and psoriasis which would be the main plus point for us, but the sample is too small to verify these claims.

NATIVE UNEARTHED: Activated Charcoal Natural Deodorant Balm, 15g
Value: £1.99

Native Unearthed Activated Charcoal Natural Deodorant Balm

“This all-natural cream forgoes chemicals in favour of sweat-absorbing arrowroot, antibacterial coconut oil and soothing shea butter. Just smooth a pea-sized amount onto clean underarms to form an invisible shield.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Small sample but happy to try alternative product like this although it’s not that different to a pushup stick or roll on once applied.

CAUDALIE: Make-up Removing Cleansing Oil, 30ml
Value: £5.40

Caudalie

“This 100% natural blend of sunflower, sweet almond and grape oils is a must have afor all skin types. Just massage onto dry skin to dissolve make-up, add water and rinse away to leave your skin clean and soft.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – We love cleansing oils! Will be interesting to see how this compares with our enduring classic Shu Uemura cleansing oil (which actually works out cheaper).

EYEKO: Skinny Liquid Eyeliner, 1.2g
Value: £9.60

Skinny Liquid Eyeliner

“This easy-to-use pen-style applicator will have you lining and defining your eyes in a flash. This fade-resistant formula will last all day and night.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Black eyeliners will always get used and this one has a great reputation. Really surprised that the full size product is only 2g – super expensivo at £16. Let’s see if its performance justifies the high price tag when plenty perform well around the £5 mark.

OVERALL VERDICT:

We feel a bit conflicted with Birchbox at the moment. First of all, they got rid of Birch points and lifestyle extras and beauty tips. The quality of the boxes is very samey…on the one hand, they are mainly products we will use and are happy with. On the other hand, they are featuring high end brands less and being less exciting in general. Caudalie and Eyeko are solid brands but feature in boxes so often. In addition to this, there were no full size products. This was not so much the issue as some samples being too small as well (meaning that you can’t really tell if a product is worth buying). Whilst we’re not unhappy and have some great items to go in our travel washbags, Birchbox need to try harder.

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer

Total value: £28.48

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 off your first box! You’re welcome 😉

UNBOXING: Birchbox April 2018 – Cath Kidston

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Image result for cath kidston birchbox magic cloth

A Cath Kidston box? Well the box was pretty enough. At best, we could have hoped for some classic British brands with English garden scents, but what we got was a small handcream and some Cath Kidston advertising. Ho hum.

MODEL CO: Baked Highlighter in Frose, 1.5g
Value: £10.29

Image result for MODEL CO: Baked Highlighter in Frose

“This baked treat is an instant complexion illuminator. Just swirl a fluffy brush across the marbled powder and sweep over cheekbones for that lit-from-within glow.”

BT INITIAL OPINION: After preselecting which shade we wanted, we were looking forward to trying out this highlighter, however it is the most ridiculously tiny sample…about 1.5 cm across. We find it hard to believe that it is worth the quoted price or that anyone can use this tiny sample. Cunningly photographed. Can’t find this for sale anywhere other than Birchbox. Crazily overpriced. Just ridiculous.

BEAUTANIQ BEAUTY: Fill + Tame Brow Gel in Brunette, 4g
Value: £8.60

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“Show unruly brow hairs who’s boss with this easy-to-use formula. The vegan formula is enriched with nourishing aloe leaf extract and glycerin so there’s not risk of crunch or sticky brow hairs.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Small for a full size product. Another product that is hard to track down anywhere other than Birchbox. A bit of a gamble depending on the brunette shade (might be too warm) but happy to try a new product out.

CATH KIDSTON: Hand Cream, 30ml
Value: £2.50

Image result for cath kidston birchbox hand cream

“Not only is the exclusive Birthday Rose packaging as pretty as a picture but the floral lotion inside will leave your skin feeling silky-soft and smooth.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Not exactly groundbreaking, but nice enough to put in a handbag or take for a trip away. Scent is quite strongly floral (not natural smelling). The formulation is easily absorbed. Is this really enough to warrant the Cath Kidston collaboration headline though?! We don’t think so.

PERCY & REED:  Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Balm, 30ml
Value: £7.20

“The haircare step you didn’t know you were missing?  A primer!  This multi-tasking balm boasts a  whole host of benefits;  adds moisture, boosts shine, aids smoothness, defines, softens, protects against humidity, and speeds up styling.  Phew!”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This was our favourite product in the box. A little goes a long way. We tended to use it on the ends of our hair to keep it sleek and stop flyaway hairs. Decent deluxe sample size too.

AFTER SPA:  Magic Make Up Remover Cloth
Value: £8.95

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“With this cloth there’s only one thing that you need – water!  Wet the cloth and massage it over your face to break down impurities and remove all types of make-up.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This just looks like a microfibre cloth and a small one at that. But this was the most exciting product in the box for us.  We’re not sure it will be as gentle as our oil cleanser especially on waterproof mascara, but if it works well without too much rubbing or scrubbing, this will be a boone as no products are required. We’ll definitely report back.

This is a dupe for the Magic Eraser and a review from Labmuffin is here https://labmuffin.com/how-make-up-remover-cloths-work-and-review/

OVERALL VERDICT:

Pretty disappointed with the overall theming of this box and the ridiculously small highlighter. Other than that, it’s an OK box, buoyed up by the magic cleansing cloth and the wonder balm. This SEEMS like a good value box, however a couple of items seem to have a massively inflated RRP and only for sale via Birchbox…hope this is not a trend we’ll be seeing more of.

Total value: £37.54

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 off your first box! You’re welcome 😉

UNBOXING: Birchbox March 2018 – Mindfulness

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This box is absolutely gorgeous with a mandala design that’s too good not to be seen. The theming didn’t carry through in the contents though, which was meant to champion the importance of self-care.

BLAQ:  Peel Off Mask, 15ml
Value: £3.50

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“This charcoal mask will draw out toxins and purify.”

BT INITIAL OPINION: We’re lucky and our skin isn’t really congested but would still like to try this charcoal mask especially across the T zone to see if black masks really live up to their hype. The sample size is big enough for one full face application. It’ll have to be pretty amazing for us to pay full price for it. Watch this space.

BENEFIT: BADgal BANG! Volumising Mascara, 3g
Value: £7.59
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“Prepare for lash lift off wit this new, thickening mascara. It’s gravity-defying formula contains aero-particles, commonly found in astronauts’ spacesuits, to deliver volume with lightweight life in every swipe. The special slimpact! brush is moulded to catch every single last from corner to corner.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – What a lot of marketing garbage! We generally dislike Benefit – drugstore quality at midrange price. However, the one product we really love is BadGal mascara, so kinda curious as to whether this improves upon it. Regardless, both mascaras are super pricey (big tubes but little product), so we opt for Lancome Hypnose as our Holy Grail mascara 😀 Can this one topple it?

LUMENE: Valo Glow Boost Essence, 15ml
Value: £15.45

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“A blend of refreshing arctic spring water, vitamin C and brightening technology works to revive fatigued skin and restore luminosity. ”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This is the type of product we want to see more of in Birchbox. Deluxe samples of non-mainstream but quality brands. We cannot get enough of serums, essences and acids so this is bang on target for us. Lovely glass dropper bottle. Just hope it performs! Excite!

R + CO:  Badlands Dry Shampoo Paste, 7.1g
Value: £2.52
Image result for badlands dry shampoo paste sample

“This paste is formulated with Hawaiian volcanic ash to keep your scalp clean and balanced, with coconut and sunflower seed oils to add shine.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Uhhm, well like the innovative medium but dry shampoo is dry shampoo right? You can use it to help style too but we don’t appreciate this much more than a can of batiste. Since subscription boxes, we have dry shampoo coming out of our ears. Maybe we just wash our hair too much 😛

BAIJA:  Gommage Festin Royal Body Scrub (Caramelised Honey, 50g)
Value: £3.52

Image result for BAIJA: Gommage Festin Royal Body Scrub sample

“Packed full of honey and soothing shea, this exfoliator is a great solution for sloughing away dry patches and brightening”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Mmm. This smells great and we love a body scrub. So yummy, it’s almost somewhere between food and bath product! Everything about this feels luxe. Not expecting miracles (it’s a scrub!), but a welcome inclusion even if it doesn’t really fit in the box!

OVERALL VERDICT: Another tenuous theming with yet another Benefit sample, but it’s a good product so Birchbox are forgiven. Without the Lumene essence, this would have been a pretty poor box, but a nice balance has been struck between known and more niche mid-range brands.

Total value: £32.58

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 off your first box! You’re welcome 😉

UNBOXING: Birchbox Feb 2018 – Beauty through the decades

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Image result for luseta coconut hair mask birchbox

Birchbox have been giving us the option to choose our box design or a product each month. Whilst we’re glad not to get the 80s box, we would prefer to have a choice of product than box design. The idea behind this month’s box was to celebrate timeless trends and experimental looks of their time.

THE BEAUTY CROP:  Eyeshadow Trio in Love You So Latte, 3g (full size)
Value: £7

Image result for THE BEAUTY CROP: Eyeshadow Trio in Love You So Latte

“This coffee-inspired collection contains three earthy tones. They’re packed with coffee extracts to reduce puffiness and brighten the eye area.”

BT INITIAL OPINION: First of all, what does this have to do with beauty through the decades? It’s totally contemporary! Having said that, these shades are really wearable and will suit everyone. Had never heard of the company before – not sure how Birchbox come up with the RRPs when they are exclusive to Birchbox…

MODELCO: Green conceal & correct, 2.1g (full size)
Value: £14

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“A green concealer counteracts redness for a more even complexion.”

BT INITIAL OPINION: A crayon is a great format for application, we do feel a bit divided about plastic pencils though as you get so little product and so much waste. We don’t use green concealer daily as we tend not to go for full coverage base, but do have slightly flushed cheeks so will probably give this a whirl when we want to go for a fully made up look.

PERCY & REED: Quite Frankly Flawless Finishing Polish, 30ml
Value: £2.40

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“This lightweight styler is packed with horse chestnut to keep your do in place without leaving it stiff or greasy, and sunflower wax for a gentle injection of moisture. ”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This brand is one our beauty box discoveries…we’ve come to love it for performing well at a reasonable price. Not a high value product, but we appreciate the good-sized sample and look forward to trying this product out.

LUSETA:  Coconut Milk Hair Mask, 30ml
Value: £3.84

Image result for luseta coconut hair mask

“A nourishing treament designed to repair and restructure.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Yesss, more luxe products like this (hair masks, pamper items) to test please. Can’t really track this down anywhere other than Birchbox though. Hope it performs.

PIXI:  Shea Butter Lip Balm in Pixi Pink, 4g (full size)
Value: £8
Image result for PIXI: Shea Butter Lip Balm in Pixi Pink

“With nourshing ingredients like shea butter and vitamin E treating lips to a healthy sheen.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Pixi! This had to be good right? We were pretty disappointed at first use – it has a strange opaque, yet not opaque pigmentation that is on the pale side (it looked chalky on our lips and definitely wouldn’t look good on dry lips). After a little more use, taking care to apply enough colour, we came to like the fresh bright candy pink colour. It’s quite flat and not very moisturising though.

OVERALL VERDICT:

Three full-size products, you’re spoiling us Birchbox! This was quite a strong if not-exciting box. However, quite suspicious and fed up of the trend of featuring brands that are only available through the Birchbox shop (with inflated prices to boot).

Total value: £35.24

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 off your first box! You’re welcome 😉

UNBOXING: Birchbox Jan 2017 – Sprinkle of Happiness

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“There’s no better time to shake up your beauty routine than a new year, which is why we’ve filled this month’s box with shiny new products.”

Say what? New products…shower gel, concealer, hand cream, day cream and a conditioner pack. Really? More like everyday totally ordinary items! Looking at the box variants that other people have received, there have been LOADS of variations. Was this just an exercise to throw whatever leftover samples they had at us?

LORD & BERRY:  Conceal-It Crayon in Beige, 1.6g
Value: £12 (full size)

Image result for LORD & BERRY: Conceal-It Crayon in Beige

“This creamy pencil not only disguises imperfections but it’s also great at highlighting areas that you want to show off.”

BT INITIAL OPINION:  Hmm. We tend towards cream concealers and are skeptical that this can provide coverage. At first swatch, it seems chalky and don’t see it being useful as a highlighter, but we look forward to trying this as we do have a Lord & Berry eyeliner crayon that is great.

ELEMIS:  Hydra-boost Day Cream, 15ml
Value: £14.63

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“This hyaluronic acid-packed formula works to strengthen your natural moisture barrier throughout the day, improving your skin texture over time.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – We like Elemis for high quality, good performing formulas. It is however too expensive, this cream being no exception. Hope it will at least deliver on its promises.

MERCI HANDY:  Hand Cream in New Wave, 30ml
Value: £4.90 (full size)

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“Make sure you show your hands some love with this sweet-smelling lotion. It’s packed with tiny pearls and nourishing extracts to papmper and soothe.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – We thought this was toothpaste when we opened the box! But no, it was a hand cream from the people who make the hand sanitisers and fruity tooth gels that have flooded lots of boxes lately. We don’t really get this brand. It’s very cheerful, but it’s just hand sanitiser and hand cream in fruity flavours after all…

PRISMOLOGIE:  Yellow Day Shower Gel, 10ml
Value: £1.50

Image result for PRISMOLOGIE: Yellow Day Shower Gel sample

“Add a splash of sunshine with this foaming formula packed with uplifting bergamot and zesty citrus. Tiny micro-crystals smooth skin and restore radiance.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Blimey! This is a premium product (£30 for full size), but how good can a shower gel really be? The sample is tiny – we’ll be sure to appreciate this splash of sunshine for the one shower it will last for 😀

JOHN FRIEDA:  Frizz Ease  Miraculous Recovery Deep Conditioner, 25ml
Value: £1.16

Image result for JOHN FRIEDA: Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Deep Conditioner, sachet

“Formulated with an amino repair complex, this treatment delivers an intense shot of moisture to leave hair silky, smooth and shiny.”

BT INITIAL OPINION –  A sachet? As an actual box item? Really? And this is a product you can see in supermarkets and chemists everywhere. Not saying it’s not good, but what’s it doing in this box?!

OVERALL VERDICT:

This theme was laughable as were all most of the contents. Who would this box appeal to? The items are all handy but very much not special except the Elemis. We’re thinking about unsubbing at this stage.

Total value: £34.19

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 off your first box! You’re welcome 😉

UNBOXING: Birchbox Dec 2015 – All That Glimmers

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Unboxing? This was an unbagging. Birchbox were pretty pleased with themselves calling it the ‘Luxe Birchbag’. A glittery clutch best kept for housing your Birchbox treats rather than taking out in public anywhere! Plus it doesn’t stack hah. Happy Christmas though…

BENEFIT:  Puff off! and They’re Real Push-Up Liner Duo
Value: Approx £2 (not sure of weight)

Image result for BENEFIT: Puff off! and They're Real Push-Up Liner Duo sample

“You’ll find everything you need to perfect your peepers for party season inside this gorgeous kit! Heading out? A slick of this jet-black liner will complete any make-up look in style. The morning after? Sooth tired eyes with this de-puffing formula.”

BT INITIAL OPINION:  These samples are sooo tiny. They really should only be ‘free’ extras….we actually have the full size liner (for its waterproof qualities) and would describe it as gimmicky and hard to use.

MODELCO:  Ultra Long-Lasting Lipstick in Stiletto, 3.5g
Value: £5.17

Image result for MODELCO: Ultra Long-Lasting Lipstick in Stiletto

“This hydrating, semi-matte formula provides nourishment and long-lasting colour.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – It’s a bright red lipstick from Ozzie brand ModelCo. Not much more to say than that. It seems OK but we’re not too excited about this one.

CIATE: Paint Pot in Dangerous Affair, 5ml
Value: £3.34

Image result for CIATE: Paint Pot in Dangerous Affair, 5ml
“Super-pigmented, ultra long-lasting and a cinch to apply.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This is a mini bottle. We love Ciate’s bottles and polishes and this is a classic wine red colour. Given the rest of this month’s Birchbox is pretty unexciting, it’s a shame this isn’t full size, but it’s cute and we like it.

MONU:  Firming Moisturiser, 30ml
Value: £16.50

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“An aromatic blend of essential oils as well as coconut oil and marine collagen work to smooth fine lines and hydrate tired skin.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Quality skincare is always welcome, but this is pricey! It would have to perform particularly well to justify the pricetag. It feels quite rich, but we’ll report back.

KORRES:  Santorini Vine Shower Gel, 40ml
Value: £1.28

Image result for KORRES: Santorini Vine Shower Gel, 40ml
“Fresh and fruity, it’s the ultimate pick-me-up on chilly winter mornings and is packed with nourishing wheat proteins to help moisturise your skin while it cleanses.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – It’s basically just a shower gel, but it does smell really great; a woody citrus that has unisex appeal and is refreshing.

BIRCHBOX EXTRA:  Catherine Malandrino Style de Paris, 2ml
Value: £2.40

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“Sophisticated yet fruity.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – We kind of groan a little inside when we see a perfume sample but we actually quite liked this one. It’s on the sweet side, with a fruity scent…totally different to what we’d usually choose, but we’ll happily wear this.

OVERALL VERDICT:

We were pretty underwhelmed by the selection we received this month. We thought maybe the budget had gone on the bag, but we saw the other variants of boxes that were sent out and ours is definitely the worst. Sigh. We hate massive variation in boxes as it can be so disappointing and unfair – it’s the reason we left Glossybox very fast. Basically totally uninspired, almost totally not on-theme. The Monu moisturiser is a nice inclusion but the rest of the products were low value or absolutely tiny.

Total value: £37.54

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 off your first box! You’re welcome 😉

UNBOXING: Birchbox September 2014 – Happy Days…the one with the Benefit Eye Cream

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This month’s theme was Happy Days – the booklet inside was missing and the theme tenuous at best. But we hoped for something better that last month’s poor summer-themed offering.

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KORRES: Citrus Showergel, 50ml
Value: £1.60

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“This get-up-and-go citrus body wash helps ensure skin stays hydrated all day long.”

BT INITIAL OPINION: Fresh and modern-smelling. This will get used and Korres is a reliably good brand, but the inclusion of this hardly sets the world alight…reasonable at best.

AGAVE: Healing Oil Treatment, 4ml
Value: £1.07

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“A lightweight oil to smooth hair, build resiliency and boost shine and colour.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Look forward to trying this as hair oils really suit oriental hair. We could do with a much, much larger sample though!

 

BENEFIT: It’s Potent! Eye Cream, 3g
Value: £2.03

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“Banish dark circles, smooth fine lines and protect against free radicals with this light peptide-packed formula.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – We get along better with eye gels and serums for our combination skin, but always happy to get to sample Benefit.

SKIN & CO: Truffle Therapy Serum, 5ml
Value: £7.00

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“A natural shade-adjusting CC cream with SPF to smooth fine lines and even out skin tones.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This is interesting! Luxe price, but non-luxe packaging. Will see whether the serum has luxe results or not. Probably the most interesting thing in the box this month..

MODELCO: Lip Lacquer in “Morocco”, volume unknown
Value: estimated £5.00

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“A sumptuous lip gloss that provides long-lasting colour and hydration – plus, plenty of shine.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Nice. We will use. That is all.

LIFESTYLE EXTRAS:

URBAN FRUIT: Magnificent Mango 35g
Value: £0.80

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“A yummy 100% fruit snack to add to your work lunch and keep you feeling virtuous.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Love Urban fruit and have yet to try the mango. Great lifestyle extra!

BIRCHBOX: Happy Days Photo Clip
Value: N/A

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“Brighten up your desk or bedroom with this colourful photo holder!”

BT INITIAL OPINION – as a second lifestyle extra, receiving something not-too-obviously-Birchbox-branded is not too bad.

 

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OVERALL VERDICT:

All in all, this was a very mediocre box. It suffered hugely from the the samples being weeny, the value of the box on the low side and (surprisingly for Birchbox) they didn’t curate a very exciting or creative box, nor was there a ‘star product’. However, they have still chosen a variety of items combining higher-end luxe brands as well as new brands to discover.  This is just about passable – I know other versions of this month’s box have been better..If we hadn’t got this on the LivingSocial deal, then we would have been pretty miffed.

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer
Total value: £17.50

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 worth of points! You’re welcome 😉

UNBOXING: Birchbox August 2014 – Away We Go!…the one with a mini-book

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This month’s theme was Away We Go!…we tend to find summer-themed boxes an excuse to skimp on luxe products and this Birchbox was sadly no exception. A slim offering from Birchbox…

Instead of the usual drawstring liner, this month’s offering came in a handy zip lock pouch.

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NUMBER 4: Super Comb & Protect, 30ml
Value: £3.00

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“A leave-in conditioning spray to detangle and protect against heat and sun damage.”

BT INITIAL OPINION: Useful purse-sized spray. That’s about all we can say about this. Not particularly exciting.

VASANTI: Brightenup! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator, 20ml (it says grams, but I think this is a typo)
Value: £4.34

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“A multi-action exfoliator to ensure a renewed, refreshed complexion.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Also a useful but not particularly exciting item.

 

NUDE: Progenius Omega Treatment Oil, 5ml
Value: £9.66

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“This nourishing oil is rich in omegas 3, 6, 7 and 9 for hydrated, smooth skin.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – The one item that piques our interest in this box. For a luxe product, the sample packaging feels very cheap, but we look forward to giving this a try and seeing how it performs against other recovering/miracle oil treatments.

SUPERGOOP! Daily Correct SPF35 CC Cream, 3ml x 2
Value: £4.09

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“A natural shade-adjusting CC cream with SPF to smooth fine lines and even out skin tones.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – These samples are so tiny, they had to include two! We like BB/CC creams, so don’t mind trying more out, but even with two tubes, it’s a small sample.

CHELLA: Highlighter Pencil
Value: £15.95

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“Highlight the brow bone, cheekbones and inner corners of eye with this chunky pencil.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – We’ve already given this one a quick whirl. We’ll trial it more extensively and report back, but initial try was very disappointing.  We like the idea of this product, but its performance was poor akin to a product from the 80s.

LIFESTYLE EXTRA:
“Chapter One of this spellbinding and romantic novel, which spans 1950s London and present day NYC.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – we don’t mind this being included in the box, but it shouldn’t be in the place of a lifestyle extra as in effect, it is just advertising. If it were a complete short story or novella, then this could be considered an extra…

 

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OVERALL VERDICT:

This is the worst box we’ve ever had from Birchbox! A combination of a poor selection of products, tiny samples and a poor lifestyle item makes for a disappointing box. They did at least source unusual brands. We have serious reservations about the value of the Chella pencil being £15.95 – we wouldn’t even shell out £2.00 for it. Without this, the box seems pretty poor value.  The inclusion of a book sample as the lifestyle sample in addition to such a poor offering added insult to injury. No advertising dressed up as free gifts please Birchbox!

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer
Total value: £37.04

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 worth of points! You’re welcome 😉

UNBOXING: Birchbox July 2014 – the one with a Porefessional (if you were lucky)

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This month’s theme was Sun, Sea & Sand…very loose theme we felt!

We forgot to cancel our second Birchbox subscription, so ended up with two of these boxes and are able to do a side by side comparison! They were slightly different and we do have a favourite. See what you think…

BOX A:

 

Weleda: Millet Nourishing Shampoo 18ml
Value: £0.85

“Keep hair in top condition this summer with this natural organic fortifying shampoo.”

BT INITIAL THOUGHTS: Weleda is a good brand that we’d like to try, but this isn’t really a useful sample size, other than for perhaps a night or weekend away. We don’t think it will be enough to determine how good the shampoo is, but at least it’s still useful!

 

Balance Me: Wonder Eye Cream 7ml
Value: £9.34

“A light, hardworking formula to brighten the eye area and keep wrinkles at bay.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This is a great brand, but we tend to find that eye creams don’t work as well as eye gels or serums on combination skin. We will still give this a try anyway.

 

Laqa & Co: Sheer Lip Lube Pencil, Bees Knees 2g
Value: £14 (full size product)


“A high-gloss pencil to add a pop of sheer, nourishing and wearable colour.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – We were really looking forward to trying out this chubby stick-esque lip tint. However, we were dismayed that Birchbox clearly ignored profiling as both the boxes we received had this colour tint, which was lighter than our own lips, rather than the dark pink that was going around and would have been much better. Sad pandas!

 

Gilchrist & Soames: English Spa Sea Kelp Extract Mineral Bath
Value: £1.91

“This delightfully foamy gel contains marine nutrient sea kelp to invigorate the skin.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Erm. This is like OK…the kind of thing you get at an OK hotel? Not really at all exciting, but it is at least useful.

 

Compagnie de Provence: Mediterranean Sea Hand Cream 30ml
Value: £0.85

“This luxe, hydrating lotion direct from Provence hydrates hands and leaves them silky-soft.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Again, just OK. Pretty indifferent towards this…but we’ll try it.

 

LIFESTYLE EXTRA:

ULTRADEX: Fresh Breath Oral Spray
Value: £3.65 (full size product)

“A handbag-friendly spray that kills harmful bacteria and keeps breath minty-fresh.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Lol. Breath spray? Really? This would be an OK extra if the other items had been more exciting.

 

BOX B:

Whish: Three Whishes Lavender Body Butter 22ml
Value: £2.13

“Not your granny’s lavender – this sweet-scented antioxidant-rich lotino nourishes skin.”

BT INITIAL THOUGHTS:

 

Balance Me: Wonder Eye Cream 7ml
Value: £9.34

“A light, hardworking formula to brighten the eye area and keep wrinkles at bay.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This is a great brand, but we tend to find that eye creams don’t work as well as eye gels or serums on combination skin. We will still give this a try anyway.

 

Laqa & Co: Sheer Lip Lube Pencil, Bees Knees 2g
Value: £14 (full size product)


“A high-gloss pencil to add a pop of sheer, nourishing and wearable colour.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – We were really looking forward to trying out this chubby stick-esque lip tint. However, we were dismayed that Birchbox clearly ignored profiling as both the boxes we received had this colour tint, which was lighter than our own lips, rather than the dark pink that was going around and would have been much better. Sad pandas!

 

Gilchrist & Soames: English Spa Sea Kelp Extract Mineral Bath
Value: £1.91

“This delightfully foamy gel contains marine nutrient sea kelp to invigorate the skin.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Erm. This is like OK…the kind of thing you get at an OK hotel? Not really at all exciting, but it is at least useful.

 

Benefit: The Porefessional 7.5ml
Value: £8.36

“An award-winning primer that magically erases pores and leaves skin velvety.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – A great sample that we look forward to trying! Have heard great things about this and given we have combination skin, this is bang-on target for us. Yay!

LIFESTYLE EXTRA:

CHIA SHOT
Value: £0.49

“Bonafide superfood, packed with health-boosting omega 3, protein and more.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This is a nice little extra that we’re curious to try. Would never had thought about buying this, so a great inclusion!

 

OVERALL VERDICT:

Well we only ended up with two boxes by accident but am pretty surprised by the marked difference in the boxes…the actual value weren’t too far apart, but Box B was so much more exciting in general, not just because it had a Benefit item, but because the actual selection was a well-rounded box, whereas Box A came across as containing unimpressive small samples of no particular quality.

We used to like Birchbox because everyone got the same thing – our general feeling is it that it’s fair enough for people to get different things but that should be in accordance with their profiling (didn’t get lipglosses that suit our colouring). But the products that differ should be of equivalent quality/value – here, rather than a Porefessional, in box A we got an 85p moisturiser (the equivalent in Box was the handcream!) Terrible.

Considering both boxes – this was an average offering from Birchbox. Judging solely by Box A, this was a lame month. Judging solely by Box B, this was a pretty good month!

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription)
BOX A total value: £30.60
BOX B total value: £36.23

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 worth of points! You’re welcome 😉

UNBOXING: Birchbox June 2014 – the one with the Beauty Blender

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This month’s theme was Global Strikers. I think it pretty much lives up to this title – it’s definitely a heavyweight box!

The promise of a Beauty Blender (guaranteed with an offer) was enough to tempt us back onboard to Birchbox, who we felt offer a great service, but we found hard to justify in addition to the impossible-to-not-subscribe to You Beauty Discovery Box and Korean Service MeMeBox.

Anyway, we are very happy to be back with Birchbox and although we know we received one of the best variants (most but not everyone got a Beauty Blender), this box was a corker!

 

Naobay: Body Radiance Lotion 30ml
Value: £1.68

   

“A lemony fresh organic body lotion with shea butter, olive and avocado oils for soft skin.”

BT INITIAL THOUGHTS: Not amazingly exciting, but seems decent quality and a great size for popping in your handbag. We’ll use this.

 

Silk & Honey: Shea Butter Hair Mask 50ml
Value: £2.75 (£55 for a DIY kit to make 5 x 200ml tubs)

“This deeply nourishing mask protects and softens hair, while fortifying its elasticity.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Interesting that this is a DIY kit, but the sample provided is already mixed. Again not too exciting, but have never heard of this brand and look forward to trying this natural product.

 

OPI: Nail Lacquer – The Brazil Collection (mini) 3.75ml
Value: £3.65

“A vibrant polish inspired by Brazil’s tropical rainforests and sandy beaches.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – love these little bottles! We would have preferred any of the other shades, but this is still a fun shade for the summer. Thanks Birchbox.

 

BeautyBlender: Beauty Blender + BlenderCleanser Solid
Value: £26.00

“An ingenius egg-shaped make-up sponge to ensure a flawless base – plus, a solid soap to clean it.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – BEAUTY BLENDER! Enough said. Lol. Love this…have never had the chance to try one, but know it’s a Holy Grail type product. We’re SUPER excited to use this 🙂 🙂 If it lives up to its reputation, this coule be the best item ever received in a beauty box…

 

Caudalie: Vinoperfect SPF15 Day Perfecting Fluid 10ml
Value: £9.03

“A light oil-free facial moisuriser to hydrate, brighten and even skintone.”

BT INITIAL OPINION -We don’t usually get along with Caudalie (the products do not seem to do much/justify the price), but we are happy to receive a decent sized sample in our box as we’ve not tried this product yet. Great to have more than one decent brand in a box.

 

LIFESTYLE EXTRA:

“A fun flip-flop keyring to brighten up your bag!”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Well it’s cute, but not giftable as it says Birchbox on it. Unlikely to use it because of this too.

 

OVERALL VERDICT:

The Beauty Blender alone makes this a standout box. Add in the Caudalie and it makes it amazing. OPI too and it could be the best box ever? The other items are all decent quality too…this is a very, very strong offering. Keep it up Birchbox. Seeing as you’ve won us back, hope this will be just the start of a beautiful long love affair.

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer
Total value: £43.11

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 worth of points! You’re welcome 😉