Hey Everyone,
I hope you’re all doing well and that you’ve had a great week so far! I’ve been enjoying the first week in a while where I haven’t had to work on my dissertation. I literally spent all day every day over the last two weeks in the library! People must have wondered if I had anywhere else to go. Good job scanning our student cards on the barriers goes towards our attendance…Thanks to Birchbox, I had some new beauty treats to come home to after a long day at the library and that means it’s time for another review! Before I begin, I’ve included some information about what Birchbox actually is, how much is costs and all that jazz below!
Birchbox is a UK beauty subscription service that sends beauty boxes to their subscribers containing 5 goodies every month. You don’t have to worry about lifelong commitments or contracts. In fact, you can cancel anytime with a monthly subscription – no fuss whatsoever! The monthly subscription costs only £10 per month plus £2.95 P&P! You can edit your beauty profile on their site to ensure you get sent products that are suitable for your skin/hair type and personal preferences. Birchbox is so great for discovering new brands and products. I have been subscribed to Birchbox for a long time now and I stil look forward to receiving their boxes every month. I’ve gone on to buy lots of the things I’ve received because I have loved them so much. Every box you receive is beautifully packaged, some months are designed and inspired by artists and companies. I use some of the boxes to store makeup in too as they’re too pretty to throw away! If you want to try Birchbox for yourself, click here and use my referral link to get £5 off your first box!
This month’s box is all about celebrating women, which is fitting given that international Women’s Day was on Saturday! Birchbox have provided us with a selection of beauty products that can help keep us feeling fresh and glam even when life is feeling pretty hectic. This box couldn’t have come at a better time either because with all of these deadlines, it’s been easy to forget about self-care! Let’s see what’s inside shall we? RRPs correspond to full-size items at birchbox.co.uk/shop.
The Beauty Crop “You Go Girl” Bronzer Compact – in Sardinia Sand – RRP £8 (Full Size)
Apparently Spring is on it’s way but knowing the UK, the weather is bound to go in all kinds of directions before that day arrives. After getting a taste of that summer sunshine a few weeks ago, I’m more than prepared to add some colour to makeup routine! When it comes to bronzer, I’m painfully predictable, I mainly stick to Benefit’s Hoola most of the time. It’s the perfect shade for contouring on my skin tone and I just love the formula. That’s why I fell in love with this bronzer from The Beauty Crop. I was a tiny bit unsure when I first saw it but as soon as I’d done swatches, I was obsessed. I simply apply it with a big fluffy brush and voila, I look sun-kissed even if I haven’t left the library for a week!
Chella – Eyebrow Defining Gel – in Clear – RRP £15.50 (Full Size)
I can’t believe that I never used brow gels as they’re now a staple in my makeup bag! This one in particular is a new favourite of mine. It’s clear, so it’s perfect for setting your brows in place on top of powders, pencils or pomades and would also work on it’s own too. It tames and locks brow hairs into place so that they don’t budge all day! It also doesn’t give that horrible straw-like texture that some other brow gels do. I’d definitely recommend giving this a try if it’s within your budget, but it is quite pricey and this is the full size version of the product too!
Generation Clay – Detoxifying Clay Mask – RRP £28.50
This was the product that we were able to choose in advance, to be included in this month’s box. I love clay masks and I find that they offer the most benefits for my skin. This one in particular, is packed with activated charcoal to draw out any impurities, whilst hydrating and boosting the skin too! It also reduces the appearance of pores and prevents a build up of oil. Who would’ve thought that one mask could be capable of all of that within 10 minutes? I’ll let you know how I get on with this over on my Instagram, so be sure to give me a follow (@ninalouiselaw)!
Caudalie – Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum – RRP £29
I really love Caudalie’s skincare so I was really pleased to find this product in my March Birchbox! This serum is 97% natural and it’s oil free, so you don’t have to worry about feeling like an eel after you’ve applied it to your skin. Apparently, it uses the “power of grapes” (never heard that one before?) to rejuvenate and hydrate dry skin. With the stress of third year finally catching up with me, I’ve never needed a skincare saviour like this more! I can’t wait to see the difference that it makes to my skin.
BOD – Glitter Body Scrub – in Pink Salt & Coconut – RRP £4.99
I have to admit, I tend to use scrubs on my face but not so much on my body. However, the fact that it’s pink and glittery had me really keen to use it. The first thing I noticed when I tried this product, was that the glitter literally just fell off whilst I was scrubbing and the scrub itself felt quite harsh on my skin. I’m all for some exfoliation every now and again but this was really rough and I would’ve preferred something softer.
Charlotte Tilbury – Scent Of A Dream – RRP £49
I don’t know about you, but I had no idea that Charlotte Tilbury produced fragrances! This perfume features lemon, peach and black pepper, complimented by floral notes of jasmine, tuberose, violet, patchouli- and amber base notes (phew!). It’s not as sweet as the perfumes that I usually go for but it’s definitely growing on me. I probably won’t repurchase it but I’m glad I was able to try it!
Some of the items included just weren’t for me. I was excited for the scrub, but I was disappointed with how rough it felt on my skin. I was excited to try the perfume but it just wasn’t to my taste. I would have preferred a choice when it came to the fragrance, just because it’s something that really depends on an individuals’ taste and could even lead to the purchasing of the full-size product. I know I will use all of the other products, so I still feel as though I got my money’s worth to an extent. The value of the products inside the box, altogether comes to a whopping £134.99. I’d say I thoroughly enjoyed £81 of that and on any normal day, there’s no way I’d be able to spend that on products. I still think this month was good value! The subscription itself costs only £12.95 per month, which I think is more than worth it if you get to try a variety of products that you wouldn’t normally invest in! Are you subscribed to Birchbox or any other beaut boxes? Let me know in the comments. Check out last month’s Birchbox review!
Want to try Birchbox for yourself? Click here and use my referral link to get £5 off your first box! (affiliate link)
N xxxx
