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BEAUTY BIRCHBOX

BIRCHBOX OCTOBER 2019: REACH FOR THE STARS – REVIEW

Hey Everyone,

I hope youโ€™re all doing well! I’ve been at my boyfriend’s for the last few days and we’ve been absolutely hooked on Prison Break. I cannot believe I’ve never watched it before! Apparently I’m not allowed to watch it unless we’re together so it’s going to be a while until my next hit. However, I came back home to a lovely little Birchbox which I am definitely allowed to enjoy by myself! I cannot wait to share this one with you as it might just be one of my favourite boxes. Ever. Before I begin, Iโ€™ve included some information about what Birchbox actually is, how much it costs and all that jazz below! If you already know all of this, feel free to carry on scrolling. 

*This post contains affiliate links


About Birchbox:

Birchbox is a UK beauty subscription service that sends beauty boxes to their subscribers containing 5 goodies every month. You donโ€™t have to worry about lifelong commitments or contracts. In fact, you can cancel anytime with a monthly subscription โ€“ no fuss whatsoever! The monthly subscription costs only ยฃ10 per month plus ยฃ2.95 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 great for discovering new brands and products. I have been subscribed to Birchbox for years and I still look forward to receiving their boxes every month. Iโ€™ve gone on to buy lots of the things Iโ€™ve been sent 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!

Get ยฃ5 off your first Birchbox with this link or just use the code: “Nina Louise” at checkout! (affiliate link)


This monthโ€™s box is about pushing yourself you be the best version of yourself. Since coming back from university I have felt like I’m stuck in a bit of a rut. I feel like I’m disappointing people because I haven’t gone straight into a swanky new job and I just miss university life and the routine that came with it. I’ve written all about graduation and post-graduation, so check out this post if you want to know more about my experience. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve really been trying to push myself to achieve something every day, big or small. It’s like this month’s theme was made for me! The packaging is beautiful. I absolutely love the glossy gold stars and moons against the dark blue background. I think this will be a really popular box design with the Birchbox subscribers. Let’s take a look at what’s inside, shall we? RRPs correspond to full-size items at birchbox.co.uk/shop.


Ciatรฉ London – Fierce Flicks Eyeliner – RRP ยฃ15

I go through phases with black eyeliner and I’m currently obsessed with it. I’ve been absolutely rinsing my stash so I was actually on the lookout for a new one. I normally go for paintbrush style liners but The Fierce Flicks Eyeliner is more of a felt tip style – which is also a style that I’ve used before. The first time I wore this I was absolutely stunned – it literally did not budge. I tried smudging it with my fingers and still, nothing! I have to admit, I do prefer to use something slightly finer but that’s just my preference. It is still possible to create fine lines if you just use the tip of the pen. It’s also jet-black and ultra pigmented so it doesn’t look patchy whatsoever and I don’t have to layer it up. Overall, I think this is a really great eyeliner and I will use it, I just think I’m quite picky when it comes to the style of liner that I use.


Vitamasques – Evening Goggle Eye Mask – RRP ยฃ5.99

Now, I flipping love a mask of any kind so I was buzzing to find The Vitamaques Evening Goggle Eye Mask inside my October box. My job means that I spend most days staring at a screen and sometimes that can really take its toll. I’ll end up with aching eyes or migraines in the evenings and that’s where this mask has been a game changer. It contains centella (apparently an amazing healer), amino acids (to strengthen skin) and hylauronic acid (deep hydration). I put this on whilst I was in the bath and it made such a difference. It was very relaxing and my eyes felt better than ever afterwards. I think it just helped to relieve the stress and tension that had clearly been building for a long time. I am a huge fan of this product!


This Works – In Transit Camera Close-Up – RRP ยฃ32

I already have a lot of love for this brand and own a lot of their products, but nevertheless, I still enjoy receiving things from them in my Birchbox every now and again. The In Transit Camera Close-Up is a real multi-tasker. It can be used as either as a mask, moisturiser and a primer. Three in one! I tried this out as a primer and within minutes, any redness was reduced and my face looked fresh and bright. There was definitely an airbrushing effect after I’d used it. I love the idea of a product being designed for close-up inspection, not today pores! I’m not the biggest fan of the price tag but then again, the clue is in the name, this stuff works.


GLOV – Moon Pad – RRP ยฃ8.90

I was extremely excited to see this inside my October Birchbox. Personally, I barely ever used cotton pads anyway as I tend to use reusable cloths instead. Throughout the year, lots of brands have launched reusable makeup remover pads, which I think is an amazing idea! The reason they’re doing this is that most cotton pads are not biodegradable and are terrible for the environment. One Moon Pad replaces over 400 single-use cotton pads. GLOV also chose some powerful words on their packaging “It’s just 1 pack of cotton pads. Said 7 billion people.” Imagine if everyone were to start using these? It still gets rid of all of my makeup and any dirt or impurities and yet it’s miles better for the environment. Also, you get 5 in a pack for ยฃ8.90 which is amazing value! It’s a big yes from me.


Philip Kingsley – Body Building Volumising Shampoo – ยฃ19.50

I’ve been using the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer for years and I love it so I had high hopes for the Body Building Volumising Shampoo! It contains cellulose and keratin proteins to help strengthen and condition hair. It even thickens the appearance of each strand! I can imagine that this will be popular with people who have thin or thinning hair. After I used this, my hair was left feeling beautifully soft and smelling amazing. It also gave me some great volume too which is what I was hoping for. My hair looked much fuller and healthier – both of which are always what I’m after when it comes to haircare.


I’m so happy with this box. I think this has got to be my favourite so far! The design is beautiful, the theme is perfect and the products are all fabulous! The value of the products inside the box, altogether, comes to ยฃ81.39. I think thats great value! Are you subscribed to Birchbox or any other beauty boxes? Let me know in the comments.ย 

Get ยฃ5 off your first Birchbox with this link or just use the code: “Nina Louise” at checkout! (affiliate link). You can also get a free MAC mascara with the code: “MAC” at checkout!

N xxxx

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BEAUTY BIRCHBOX

BIRCHBOX APRIL 2018: CATH KIDSTON – REVIEW

Hey Everyone,

How are you all? I’m so glad that I’m finally able to review my April Birchbox! I have been at home for a while, so I wasn’t able to get hold of all of my post that arrived back at my flat. I’ve only just managed to get my hands on it and I have some really exciting posts coming up as a result! Below, I’ll include some info all about Birchbox, who they are and that they do, so if you just want to see the review – keep scrolling!

Birchboxisย a UK beauty subscription service that sends beauty boxes to their subscribers containing 5 goodies every month. You donโ€™t have to worry about lifelong commitments or any contracts, you can cancel anytimeย with a monthly subscription โ€“ no fuss whatsoever! The monthly subscription costs only ยฃ10 per month! You can edit your beauty profile on their site in order 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 over a year now and I look forward to receiving their boxes every month.ย Iโ€™ve gone on to buy lots of the things Iโ€™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 older boxes to store makeup in too as the designs are too pretty to throw away!

Click here to read my March Birchbox review!

*RRPs correspond to full-size items in the Birchbox shop!


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This April, Birchbox have teamed up with British brand Cath Kidston to bring us a little sunshine!ย As soon as I heard that this month’s box was in collaboration with Cath Kidston, I knew that the packaging would be amazing!ย I don’t tend to shop there very often but I’ve always loved the way that they present their products and the beautiful designs that they bring out every year. The box is so pretty and I will definitely be using it to store things in!


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The theme for this month is focused on doing things to brighten up your day. I love this concept as sometimes it’s very easy to become overwhelmed with all of the negative things going on and I end up losing sight of all of the great things. It’s been so nice to have some sunny weather and to see the flowers all coming out as these little pops of colour make me so happy and I love that this packaging reflects that! Even when things are getting me down I just know that looking at this gorgeous box will brighten my day for sure! This box has a great variety of products which I’m happy aboutย as I like to try lots of different products in my spare time.


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ModelCo – Baked Highlighter in “Moonshine”– RRP ยฃ24*

I have used the ModelCo mini contour stick which I have used religiously, every single day since I received it last year, so I had high hopes for this product when I first saw it! ย  As most of you probably know already, I absolutely love highlighters and I have a scarily big (and growing) collection so I was super happy to receive another one this month! This highlighter is gorgeous and I love that it has a bronze tint to it which will make it perfect for summer. It’s really pigmented and easy to blend out however it’s such a shame that we were sent such a small sample. I think, personally, I would rather have one less product as opposed to a tiny sample of this one as it would be worth having some more to play around with.

CHECK OUT THE HIGHLIGHTER HERE


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Beautaniq Beauty – Fill + Tame Brow Gel – RRP ยฃ8.60*

I have to say I’m more of a powder girl when it comes to my brows but I reckon I’ll use this because the colour is almost spot on. I also like how small the brush is, which makes it easy to control and apply, particularly if you prefer a more natural look. I love the packaging – it makes a change from the typical brow products you see around and it’s much prettier to look at! I like the fact that the formula is not only vegan but it’s also enriched with aloe leaf extract which keeps your brows nourished instead of straw-like (something I will do anything to avoid when it comes to brow gels).

CHECK OUT THE BROW GEL HERE


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Cath Kidston – Hand Cream – RRP ยฃ2.50*

I’ve really been loving hand creams recently! I have one in my bag at all times and I’m slowly getting through my current tube so this came at the perfect time. It smells AMAZING and apparently it’s their signature scent – I can totally see why. It contains notes of jasmine, orange flower and vanilla! As well as smelling great, it actually works (always a bonus) and I will definitely be buying more of this. Also this packaging is to die for, it’s adorable!

CHECK OUT THE HAND CREAM HERE


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Lumene – Valo (Light) Overnight Bright Sleeping Cream – RRP ยฃ22.50*

I really like the idea that whilst you sleep your skincare can be getting to work as I don’t always have time to really treat my skin. The formula is rich in anti-oxidants and targets dehydrated and fatigued skin (hello yes I’ll take ten please). It features Cloudberry seed extract, vitamin C and Hydraulic acid which all work to replenish your skin’s moisture levels! It leaves your skin refreshed and balanced which is definitely something I’m going to need with exams rapidly approaching.

CHECK OUT THE CREAM HERE


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Marcelle – BB Cream Golden Glow Illuminator – RRP ยฃ22.50*

I’ve been sent this before and I actually really enjoyed using it last summer. It’s pretty much like a bottle of pure glow! It makes me look more awake and much healthier -the perfect holiday companion when I didn’t want to wear lots of makeup. If I were to label my skin type I would say dewy/oily, so I always go for products that work with that. This cream hydrates my skin as well as controlling shine (I don’t want to be blinding people when the sun hits my face)ย I always go for a dewy look when it comes to everyday makeup so this product fit right into my collection. I’d really recommend getting hold of this – it’s one of my faves!

CHECK OUT THE CREAM HERE


I hope you enjoyed this review as much as I enjoyed writing it! I also really enjoyed taking all of the photographs for this post (it gave me an excuse to use flowers again) ย Let me know if any of you received this box and what your thoughts were – I really liked it! It was nice to get some new things that I haven’t tried before and there was such a great variety of products this month too. Don’t forget to give me a follow on my social media to keep up with what I’m doing and to say hi – I love hearing from you!

N xxxx

Go ahead and use my link (here)ย to subscribe and you will get ยฃ5 off your first Birchbox!

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