Saturday 16 January 2016

Birchbox Review: December


This month my Birchbox was actually a Birchbag; a really cute, emerald green/sparkly/velvet beauty. I haven’t had the opportunity to use it as a clutch yet, but apparently you can also buy a chain on the website and make it a cross-body bag too! Which is great because I always forget to pick clutches up (eyes covered monkey emoji). I also got two, as I bought my sister a subscription for Christmas! So I was a little cheeky and swapped a few things around (shhh, don’t tell!). To be fair, she’s pink-crazy so I was kind of doing her a favour swapping her red lipstick for my pink one!



Updates from last month: I’ve used my Lord & Berry clear lip liner a few more times and I’m not convinced it’s the best one out there. I’ve seen a Smashbox version that I might try once I’ve finished this one. And I’ve fallen deeper and deeper in love with the English Laundry perfume; I’ll be so sad when that little tube is gone! They sell a smaller “travel” version but apparently it leaks badly, so maybe I’ll buy it but keep it on my dressing table!





This is a nice, basic smell; a tad musky, with floral/fruity notes, but I wasn’t blown away by any means. I was much more impressed with November’s English Laundry offering, and at £60.00 for 50ml it’s another expensive perfume by a brand I’ve never heard of before! I’ll probably use the sample but not committed to it past that. 
Score: 2.5/5
Would I buy this full-size: No


(2) Model Co "Ultra Long-Lasting" lipstick in Smitten (RRP: £12.00 - £17.00/unit)
Model Co are a brand I really don’t get; I’ve never seen them in shops, and only ever use their products because I’ve gotten one free with a magazine or something similar. This lipstick came from an exclusive-to-Birchbox trio pack that retails at £15.50, but having found their website I can see that their lipsticks vary in price from £12-17. Anyway, it’s full-size (score!), my kind of shade (well, was once I nicked my sister’s!), and came out sleek and bold when I swatched it on the back of my hand. I haven’t properly worn it yet - so can’t comment on longevity and the like - but will make sure to update you all once I have! It seems promising so far.  
Score: 4/5
Would I buy this full-size: Maybe?!


I was really looking forward to trying this because my friend Ffion got a great deal of Liz Earle skincare products for her last birthday and now swears by them. It was great that this sample came with the muslin cloth you’re supposed to use the cleanser with (unlike last month’s Trilogy sample). However, having used it frequently for a week or so, I can’t say I’ve seen it do much more than anything else I’ve used - especially not the just-mentioned Trilogy balm. Also, the instructions are to machine wash the muslin cloth “after every few uses”, and I don’t know about you but I really don’t do a white wash every two days! I was pleasantly surprised by the RRP though, so I could be persuaded to use it perhaps a few times a week as an extra to my regular skincare routine. It does make my face feel fresh and clean, and the texture of the muslin is something a bit different.
Score: 3.5/5
Would I buy this full-size: Maybe


This was a mini (5ml) version of Ciaté’s larger paint pots, which suits me fine because I get bored of nail varnish colours so quickly and rush out to buy another one! I can’t find this shade on the website now, but it looks interesting and unusual, with lots of different components and textures. Due to that, it may need a few coats to show up properly, and as I’ve just started working full-time in a coffee shop, I haven’t had the chance to give it a test-run yet. So it’ll have to be another that you’re updated on later I’m afraid!
Score: 3/5
Would I buy this full-size: Maybe?!


(5) Benefit "Puff Off!" eye gel (RRP: £22.50/10ml)
I’ve always been a bit skeptical of people who seem to think twenty-three year olds need to wear eye cream, but having done a bit more research recently I’ve become somewhat convinced by “preventative” skincare. I have a Nip + Fab eye cream that I use at the moment, but I can’t say I ever notice much difference around my eyes; I’m hoping that means it’s “maintaining”, as opposed to actively improving! This Benefit gel didn’t appear to do anything that my current tub isn’t (the full-size version does look like it has a nice cooling applicator tip though), and it’s got a pretty hefty price tag for such a tiny tube. I bought the Nip + Fab cream on a half-price offer at Superdrug (which is on again at the moment actually!), which made it a third of the price of this; I think I know which one I’d buy again!
Score: 1/5
Would I buy this full-size: No


This is a nice alternative to soap or non-foaming shower gel, as it glides onto the skin and feels luxurious to massage in. A little goes a long way and it can also double up as an effective shaving cream. This one smells nice but not amazing, and I’d say Imperial Leather’s “Foamburst” range is a perfect dupe, for more than half the price!
Score: 3.5/5
Would I buy this full-size: No




Looking at the Birchbox website, most people agree with me: this stuff is awful! I suppose it’s a good idea in theory (the rubber tip is supposed to “hug” your lashline, creating a great upper-lid flick as you glide it across), but the texture of the gel means it really doesn’t work. It’s too thick and clumpy, so it comes out all in one go or not at all, leaving you having to push it around your lids after application. Obviously, this just ends in a huge amount of smudging! I find Benefit to be really hit and miss, and this is definitely an absolute miss! In fact I haven’t even opened the tester because I got one with a magazine a few months ago and wrote it off on the spot. This one will probably go straight in the bin!
Score: 0.5/5
Would I buy this full-size: No
I'm already excited for next month, having received it recently!
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