Did I need The Radiant Finish Kit? Probably not. BUT a Beauty Blender goes for about $20 and the kit was $26, so I figured why not add it on to my August 2016 Birchbox.
I almost did a Splurge or Save post with a dupe for the Beauty Blender. I am SO glad that I didn’t! Because, while I love using sponges in general, the Beauty Blender was legit on a whole new level for me!
You guys, I honestly can not even remember if my August 2016 Birchbox was the feature box for the month or if I picked a sample. Given my past Birchbox selections, I’d say it’s safe to assume it’s the feature box, but I could be wrong.
What I am sure about is that my love for Living proof. has grown exponentially, that stila is the bomb dot com.
Ok. I have some news. I have officially decided not to renew my Birchbox subscription for 2017.
Partly, because I am trying to minimize the excess crap I have in my life and samples have taken over my vanity. It’s making me feel like a hoarder and I just can’t.
Finish up the year won’t be an issue. I really do enjoy getting my Birchbox every month.
I’m not going to lie to you. I missed the sample choice window for the July 2016 Birchbox.
And, it may come as no surprise that I really wanted that month’s feature box. So, honestly, no matter what I got, I expected to be at least somewhat disappointed.
Really, the only let down was the box. It wasn’t the pretty patterned box for the month, but a plainer one. The samples were actually pretty decent.
I haven’t used them yet. But, I’m pretty confident that I will.
For the June 2016 Birchbox the sample choice was between the different shades of the new and improved Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow. I knew I loved the original, so naturally I wanted to get my hand on this updated one. It was basically a no-brainer.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I didn’t like the Gimme Brow nearly as much as I remembered. I’ve used it from time to time, but my current favorite is actually NYX brow mascara.
I am a little bit of a bronzer junkie. Probably because I associate it with summer. A matte bronzer is the best for contouring, but I have yet to find a stand alone bronzer for me to use that way. When there’s a shimmer to it, I use it all over, otherwise I use it like a setting powder. I knew Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzer wouldn’t be dark enough, but because of the hype I wanted it anyways.
COOLA is a brand I like for sunscreen in general, I’ve sampled their products through Birchbox a couple of times, but never a makeup setting spray. I’ve been looking for a natural alternative to Urban Decay’s All Nighter and I’m really happy to have found this, even if the full size does cost a little bit more.
Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of the color, but the ModelCo Lip Lacquer feels like a pretty good gloss. I would love to try it in a shade like Morocco instead. Birchbox carries their sample sized trio for $16, it includes both Crème Brulee and Morocco, in addition to Viva.
Perfumes, shampoos and conditioners are not my favorite samples to get, but I don’t mind so much when I get all three for a total of six samples this month. Sure the conditioner is a small packet, but I really wanted to try the Davines LOVE set. It’s for course or frizzy hair. I have both. (Apparently, Davines changed the formula, and the new didn’t exactly get rave reviews. I still have yet to use it, but am choosing to remain optimistic since I didn’t see any reviews from anyone with course hair.)
The perfume is a heavy floral. Which I did not love and made the mistake of spraying in on myself rather than in the air or on a piece of paper to smell it for the first time. And it’s strong.
Despite my feelings towards the fragrance sample, this month’s box was still one of my faves.
It seems like whenever I tell myself that I’m not going to select the featured box the next month, I end up doing the opposite. Maybe it’s me, maybe it’s that I was that unimpressed with the sample choices. Either way, I went with the April 2016 Birchbox featured box.
I don’t want to pretend that I loved or even wanted everything in my box this month. However, I was very pleased with the Laura Geller Baked Blush-n-Brighten. I can use it as blush with a highlighter or as a highlighter with a blush, or alone.
TOCCA Hand Cream is one of my favorites and it is my goal to eventually try them all, I really like the scent I got, it’s fruity and floral, which to me is perfection!
Surprisingly, I liked the Marcelle Micellar Solution, but not nearly as much as I’d expected to. Especially since it costs as much as it does, but the drugstore versions work just as well.
Liftra Contour Cream kind of confuses me. Since I don’t 100% get how it works or what exactly it’s supposed to do, I have yet to touch it.
As for the PALOR, I raved about the blowout spray, but the volumizing spray isn’t a product I cared all that much for. Not because it doesn’t work, but volume isn’t really something my hair lacks.
Which product would make this box worth it for you? If you’re interested in signing up for Birchbox, you can use my refer a friend link here!
I have been saying for a while now, that I want to start using more products that are good for me. Aside from Beautycounter, I didn’t know of a lot of brands or products. After looking into it, I wasn’t sure where to start.
It’s been a very long time since the last time I purchased a Limited Edition Birchbox. But the Beauty in Bloom box has a couple of products I had been dying to try and a really cute tray to put it all in!
There’s always the option to buy the full size of the products individually. But, why? When for $64 you get $188 worth of products! Which is basically buy two get a bunch of other stuff free!
It’s been a little bit since I’ve gone with the featured box for my Birchbox sample choice selection. But, for me, the March 2016 Birchbox, Ready for Anything themed box was the obvious option.
Parlor is a brand that I have heard a lot about through Birchbox, but didn’t think I’ve get in as a sample in my Birchbox. Just another reason to have selected this month’s feature box. I’ll be attending a conference soon and really hope this blowout spray will hold up throughout the weekend.
I’ve gone a little face mask crazy lately, and even managed to get the manfriend kind of, sort of into them a little too. Surprisingly, I haven’t tried any eye pads, so these Wilma Schumann ones will not go to waste! Maybe multi masking will be my next beauty endeavor…
Something a bit more familiar, is Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream. Having tried it before, I knew I liked it, but I’m happy to have some again. Plus, the container is great for travel!
Smashbox is one of the first beauty brands I ever tried and loved. A sample with not one, not two, but THREE colors is practically unheard of! I really want to order the full size version in Vignette.
Milk Makeup is a brand spanking new and I am excited to have gotten it through Birchbox. I wish the sample was a bigger (and another color), but I’m happy I get to try it out.
Curious to know if Birchbox is for you? Give it a try, sign up here!
I highly doubt that I’ll do all 30 days, but I don’t really intend to. My goal is to challenge myself to wear lipstick a little more often, instead of just hoarding lip colors. Including the ones in the Lip Sync Kit.
