Birchbox October 2015

This year is definitely Birchbox's year for boxes this year and they have stepped up their game again this month. This month subscribers get to choose their own box to receive from either the Stylist or the Back to Basics box. The Stylist Box curated by Stylist's magazine Associate Beauty Editor features 6 stand out products covering your beauty needs from head to toe. 

 

Parlor by Jeff Chastain Smoothing Blowout Spray - After spending what I would say a pretty large amount of money on getting my hair done (btw I invest literally no time or money into my hair, bad I know), I made a commitment to myself to take better care of my hair so I was more than happy to receive this blow-dry spray. The spray applied to damp hair protects hair against heat damage, managing frizz and helping your hair style stay in place for longer. 

100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Lip Glaze in Daiquiri - This 100% pure and 100% vegan lipstick contains both avocado and cocoa butters to help nourish the lips, whilst the fruit pigments add a burst of colour to your lips. The Lip Glaze in Daiquiri is a gorgeous berry red colour is fairly pigmented and leaves a soft wash of colour to the lips. 

Rituals Yogi Flow Foaming Shower Gel - I picked up this shower gel from Birchbox's pop up shop in Selfridges last month and I'm more than happy to receive a back up. This Indian Rose & Sweet Almond Oil Foaming Shower Gel is a bit of a weird concept, this gel transforms into a foam upon contact with water. 

English Laundry No.7 Signature For Her - I'm pretty positive I've received this fragrance in a previous box however it has definitely become a favourite of mine. With notes of  Jasmine, Vanilla, Pear and Musk. It's a rather sweet, floral fragrance and settles really nicely onto the skin. 

When Travelmate Sheet Mask - The sheet mask is probably the thing that made choose the Stylist box this month. I've been super intrigued with the idea of sheet masks at the moment. This moisturising sheet mask is your perfect travelling partner, adding lost moisture back into the skin. 

Bioderma Sensibo H20 - I'm pretty sure everyone has heard all the rave about Bioderma by now so its great to see Birchbox featuring it in this months box. This micellar water is the go to for removing make up by make up artists and is gentle enough that it won't irritate the skin. 

What box did you go for this month?

Katie xx

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Birchbox September 2015

If you didn't already know Birchbox are celebrating there 5th birthday this month! To celebrate Birchbox allowed subscribers to choose their design out of two rather fitting designs; both inspired by subscribers designs. Since Birchbox started up in the US this month focuses on fabulous products from across the pond. 

Birchbox made sure your all sorted this month with products catering from head to toe, plus they included an extra little treat in the box, a Birchbox own brush. This month's box is definitely going to be a hard one to beat, it features such a great line up of products.

John Masters Organic Citrus Neroli Detangler - Knots and tangles is something that I never grew out of, my hair is a constant knotty mess. This detangler by John Masters contains both coconut oil and wheat amino acids that help smooth and nourish the hair; plus neroli and grapefruit help condition and smooth the scalp.

Laura Mercier Facial Polish - Who doesn't want to receive a Laura Mercier product? This facial polish with micro beads sloughs away dead skin cells to leave your skin smooth and radiant. This scrub has a gorgeous peachy scent to it that leaves the skin feeling fresh and revitalised. 

Beauty Protector Beauty Wash - I already own several hair care products from Beauty Protector that I received in previous Birchboxes, however I didn't realise they did body care as well as hair care. Beauty Protector are well  know for their gorgeous smelling products and this body wash is no exception, now I'm rubbish at describing scents so I'm not even going to attempt to explain what it smells like but just trust me it smells heavenly, okay?

Laqa & Co Cheeky Lip Pencil in Cray Cray - This bright Lip Crayon from Laqa & Co is certainly something I'll be saving for next summer as the bright coral colour is something not really suited for the autumn months ahead. This non-drying lip crayon is super creamy and pigmented, however the staying power isn't that great because of how creamy it is. 

Benefit Porefessional License To Blot - I'm already a big fan of the Porefessional Primer so can't wait to give this blotting stick a try. I'm a sucker for cute packaging so this won me over straight away. The blotting stick claims to instantly mattify shiny, oily skin and keep it that way for up to 6 hours. I don't suffer from oily skin but my nose does get a bit shiny from time to time so this will be perfect to pop into my handbag for oily emergencies. 

Birchbox Birchbrush - The added extra in this month's box is the Birchbrush; Birchbox's own answer to the tangle teezer! This compact brush comes in three different colours and brushes your hair with snagging your hair. 

What did you think of this months box? 

Katie xx

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Birchbox Selfridges Box

To celebrate Birchbox turning 5 this month, they have opened up a pop up shop inside Selfridges London exclusively for the month of September. Of course when I was in London a week or so ago I just had to pay a visit and check it out. For just £15 you can build your own Birchbox, you select six products to go into your box. What isn't so clear is that you select a product from each category and two products from the make up category. This didn't really bother me but I did see some people getting quite upset by this.

From the make up category I picked up Benefit Professional & Wild About Beauty Nutrilips Gloss in Astrid (this wasn't what I originally wanted but they were sold out of the Stila Convertible Colour, boo!)

From skincare I chose the Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre, I've been wanting to try this for ages so why not?

From haircare I struggled a bit as I either already own it or wouldn't use it so in the end I went for the Beauty Protector Protect & Oil as I already own two little bottles of this but do love it! So I thought I may as well stock up. 

In the body care section I went for the Rituals Foaming Shower Gel in Yogi Flow as foaming shower gel just seems like an awesome product to me (seriously... it's the little things in life that excite me!) and I couldn't resist the gorgeous scent of Indian Rose and Sweet Almond Oil.

And lastly from the lifestyle section I chose the Regenerate Advanced Toothpaste, I've been a bit obsessed with whitening my teeth at the moment and have wanted to try this toothpaste for a while but at £10 a tube I can't seem to justify it, so I can't wait to see if its worth it.

As a newsletter subscriber I was able to pick these two bonus items in my box, make sure you check your emails if you plan on going to Selfridges to get your own box. Who doesn't love a freebie?!?

Will you be building your own Birchbox at the pop up shop?

Hurry you only have till the end of September!

Katie xx

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Birchbox July 2015

This months Birchbox is a bit different compared to the normal box, this months Birchbox focuses on all things summer and comes in this bright, pool side perfect bag. There are four coloured bags which are based on some of the top places to holiday! I received the pink 'Ibiza' bag however annoyingly I did receive this two days after I got back from holiday, but thats life. It contains the perfect mixture of make up and skincare to make holiday beauty that little bit easier, something I struggle with when going away. There is also a handy packing list inside the booklet, meaning you shouldn't forget a thing when jetting off on holiday. 

Birchbox July 2015 (£10 per month plus £2.95 p+p)

POP Beauty Eyeshadow Trio in Peach Parfait (£15.50 for the full sized palette)

The first product in this month's bag is this gorgeous little eyeshadow trio from POP Beauty in Peach Parfait, these golden silky shadows are super pigmented and easily blendable. It's the perfect sized palette to pop in your handbag to take you from day to night. 

Unani Aloe Vera Gel (£15)

Aloe vera gel is my best friend on holiday so its great to receive some, after a long day tanning on holiday this gel soothes and moisturises the skin whilst helping to pro long your tan. 

This generous sized sample is perfect travel sized to take away with you even if you are doing hand luggage only. 

Balance Me Congested Skin Serum (£16)

I never really seen/tested a serum for congested skin before with many of them aimed a hydrating dry skin so I can't wait to give this a try. This serum is packed with chamomile, lavender and aloe vera which will pinpoint breakouts as well as soothing the skin. 

Jelly Pong Pong Glow Getter (£8.95)

Holiday glow is something we all lust over and this lightweight highlighter gel from Jelly Pong Pong is helping use get one step closer. Enriched with orange blossom and pearlescent pigments help give a radiant complexion. I'm a big fan of liquid highlighters and this highlighter is such a gorgeous colour and is super easy to blend. 

Benefit Dream Screen (£25)

I must admit I'm not really a sunscreen person when it comes down to it, I try my best to apply some on my shoulders and chest every now and then but I never even give my face a second thought, naughty I know. Having very acne prone skin I've always been afraid that it will make me break out. This Dream Screen by Benefit is a lightweight formula made specifically for the face and leaves a matte finish. It is SPF 45 so protects you against sun damage whilst keeping your skin hydrated. 

Pura Vida Lace Headband in Aqua (£11.40 for a pack of 8)

A little extra in this months bag is this lace headband by Pura Vida, perfect at getting your hair off your face in the hot weather. 

Don't forget to share your dream holiday location on Instagram with the hashtag #BirchbagBrag

What did you think of this months Birchbag? 

Katie xx

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Birchbox June 2015

I know its very cliche but I can't believe we are already onto the June Birchbox! Where oh where has this year gone, I honestly can't believe we are already half way through the year. This month's Birchbox is a collaboration with French Sole and you get to choose your box design. There is three designs to choose from and I picked this gorgeous watercolour floral design.  On first impression I loved this month's box. The range of products this month is lovely and I definitely going to use all of them without a doubt. 

Birchbox June 2015 (£10 per month plus £2.95 p+p)

Yes To Cucumbers Facial Wipes (£4.99)

The first product I saw when I opened up this months box are these Yes To Cucumber Facial Wipes and I think I may have squealed a little bit. I'm a big fan of the Yes To wipes range and am currently using the Grapefruit ones. This travel size will be perfect for taking away on holiday or going away for a long weekend. These hypoallergenic face wipes are 98% natural as well. 

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Creamy Lip Stain (£14)

The next product in this months Birchbox is this Cynthia Rowley creamy lip stain in Poppy. The colour is a shimmery burnt orange colour. I'm not entirely convinced that I like this colour just because of how shimmery it is, but this lip stain seems super creamy and moisturising. 

Cowshed Knackered Cow Relaxing Body Lotion (£18)

I really don't use body lotion as much as I should but hopefully this Cowshed body lotion will encourage me. Containing lavender and eucalyptus oils this relaxing body lotion whilst relaxing you ready for bed. With Cocoa Butter and Vitamin E this will leave your skin silky soft. This sample is a super generous 100ml so will definitely allow you plenty of usage. There is nothing worse than when you can't even fully use a sample once.

English Laundry No.7 Fragrance (£60)

I wasn't a fan of a previous English Laundry scent I received in another Birchbox (it was the pink one I believe). However I was pleasantly surprised by this No 7 English Laundry scent. However at a pricey £60 I don't think I'll be buying this anytime soon. The scent may not be for everyone though as it is a very fruit scent. 

Beauty Protector Protect & Oil (£16)

I'm super impressed of how generous Birchbox have been with this sample by Beauty Protector, seeing as you are meant to use hair oil quite sparingly this sample will last forever. Ive received products from  Beauty Protector before and have been very impressed so I'm excited to see if this hair oil will be able to manage my dry, unruly hair. 

As Birchbox collaborated with French Sole this month you get a gorgeous shoe bag that corresponds with your chosen Birchbox design. Another added extra to this month's box are these temporary tattoos by Styl London. Perfect for festival season these gold transfer tattoos will complement any look. 

What did you think of this months Birchbox?

Katie xx

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Birchbox May 2015

This month's Birchbox is definitely a great box both inside and out. This month's theme is Free Your Mind and features a box which you can customise yourself. This month's box contains colouring pencils so you can colour in your Birchbox to fit to your own taste! Word of warning though, it takes absolutely ages to colour the box in. I spent a good number of hours in front of the TV colouring my box in, with all the college work and stuff I have going on at the moment it was great to actually take some time out to colour in the box. This month's products fit the theme perfectly, the WAH London nail products add a great injection of colour into the box whilst the skincare products allow you to create a great skin base. 

Birchbox May 2015 (£10 per month plus £2.95 p+p)

WAH London Press On Nails (£9 in the colour Frog Poole)

This month you could pick your WAH London  product. You could either receive a nail art pen, polish or press on nails. I went for the press on nails as I own way too many polishes. How fun are these nails though? They are so fun and bright. I was a bit worried receiving these nails as I have quite wide nails and was scared they wouldn't fit but you get 12 different sizes so they fit everyone. I can't wait to wear these stand out nails. I'm celebrating my birthday on a night out in around a weeks time and these stand out nails will look great with a little black dress. I received the pattern Frog Poole. 

Jelly Pong Pong Caribbean Sun Bronzer Duo in Martinique (£15.95)

This handy little duo compact by Jelly Pong Pong contains both a blusher and bronzer. Whilst the blush is a little glittery for my liking, both the blusher and bronzer are smooth, creamy and very pigmented. 

Parlor by Jeff Chastain Moisturising Sea Salt Spray (£17)  & Number 4 Lumiere d'Hiver Reconstructing Masque (£36)

The two hair products in this month's Birchbox are the Parlor Moisturising Sea Salt Spray and the Number 4 Lumiere d'Hiver Reconstructing Masque. The Parlor Sea Salt Spray contains both almond oil and algae to keeps your hair nourished whilst adding texture, plus it smells like fruit! The Number 4 reconstructing masque contains soy protein, Shea butter, sunflower seed and jojoba seed oil to leave the hair smooth, strengthened and shiny as well as bringing dull hair back to life. You only need to leave the mask on for between 2-5 minutes so is great if your hair needs some serious moisture but you are crunched for time. I have quite a lot of hair so will probably only get one use out of this sachet.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Tinted Moisturiser in Light (£27)

I've received several Caudalie products from the Vinoperfect range from previous beauty boxes and love the Day Perfecting Fluid so I'm excited to give the Tinted Moisturiser a go. I'm starting to get into lighter coverage since my skin has been improving (touchwood!) so this will be perfect for those days I fancy a more natural look. This tinted moisturiser not only covers up imperfections but has the benefits of a skincare product too, claiming to both treat and brighten the skin. 

Absolution Youth Activator Mask (£27)

I love a good face mask so it's always nice to receive one. This moisturising mask by Absolution hydrates the skin by replenishing the skin's water levels. My skin has been a bit a dry recently especially around my nose area so anything that will bring my skin back to life and normal again will be appreciated. This mask has a lovely natural smell to it, it smells very herbal. 

In order to colour in your Birchbox this month Birchbox added these colouring pencils as a cute little extra to colour in your box exactly how you want it. I had great fun colouring in my box, using all the bright colours really lifted my mood. 

What do you think of this months Birchbox? 

Katie xx

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Birchbox April 2015

This months Birchbox celebrates the pending arrival of the new royal baby! The box this month comes in two different colours, either blue or pink, fitting to find out whether the new royal will be a girl or a boy. Whilst this months Birchbox contains some great products I don't think they relate very well to the theme, what do you guys think? There a some major stand out products for me this month as well as some rather disappointing products, so overall this months box is very well rounded.

Birchbox April 2015 (£10 per month plus £2.95 p+p)

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (£14)

I'm a big fan of the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanse & Polish and this size is going to be great for travel. I love how thought out this sample is, it even comes with a muslin cloth so you can experience the full benefits of this cleanser. The fact that it also came carefully wrapped in tissue paper makes it feel extra special. This cleanser is suitable for all skin types; containing eucalyptus oil, rosemary, chamomile extracts and cocoa butter, it lifts away dead skin cells and removes all traces of dirt and makeup, leaving your skin clean and radiant. 

Percy & Reed London Smoothed, Sealed & Sensational Volumising No Oil Oil (£14)

This Percy & Reed No Oil Oil has me very intrigued, containing pomegranate seed oil that claims to fight frizz this will leave your hair silky smooth. It also works at nourishing and repairing your hair with vitamin B5, as well as protecting your hair from heat. This hair 'oil' can be just on both wet and dry hair, however personally I think it will be best used on damp hair. 

Lola Barcelona Nail Polish in Rambla (£7.50)

This product disappoints me, whilst I never use nail polish any more so this doesn't appeal to me at all, however I would have preferred a nail polish that was more fitting to the theme, perhaps a baby pink or blue. This Lola Barcelona polish in the shade Rambla has been created exclusively with Birchbox for this month's box. Since the weather has started getting warmer here in the UK it is a great colour for summer weather.

Pommade Divine Nature's Remedy Balm (£19.80)

I have never heard of Pommade Divine or this multi purpose balm before but I'm in love. After having a play around with this product it not only smells divine but seems to work great on the skin. I recently got a burn on my arm and this balm seems to have reduced the redness and dryness already. It rubs easily into the skin and doesn't seem to leave a greasy film which quite a lot of multi purpose balms tend to do. Using 97% natural ingredients this balm contains Shea butter, cinnamon, clove, jojoba oil and nutmeg oil. 

Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencil in Black Violet (£17.50)

I did originally request to receive the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer however there seemed to be some sort of mix up with my account and I received the Longwear Creme Eye Pencil in Violet. Am I disappointed to have received this? Yes, I am. I'm not a big fan of coloured eyeliner especially pencil eyeliner as its just not something I tend to reach for when doing my makeup, plus I was desperate to try the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer as it is something I've been lusting over for a long time. However if coloured eyeliner is your thing then this super creamy, pigmented eyeliner will be right up your street. I hope I can find this eye liner a great home. 

Befine Warming Clay Mask (£17)

As a special treat this month Birchbox included six beauty items for every subscriber and this clay mask by Befine is probably one of my favourite items in the box this month. Containing Cardamon, Arnica and Pomegranate this sounds like a mask I can't wait to try. This warming mask claims to break down oil and clogged pores as well as toning the skin and fighting wrinkles. The Arnica within the mask is full of anti-inflammatory properties to soothe the skin. 

What did you think of this months Birchbox?

Katie xx

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Birchbox March 2015

This months Birchbox is a collaboration with Habitat (the homeware store) and aims to allow you to refresh yourself and your home as we go into spring. There is an exclusive offer inside for subscribers to give you 20%  off all full priced items at Habitat as well as a sneak peak into the April box which allows you to pick your Laura Mercier sample.  I love the box design this month, the bright paint stripes really throw you into spring!

Birchbox March 2015 (10 per month plus £2.95 p+p)

Benefit Roller Lash (£19.50)

This month you were able to pick which Benefit mascara you wanted to receive out of the They're Real, BADGal or Benefit's new Roller Lash mascara. I chose Roller Lash as after receiving a sample of this mascara in last months Elle magazine and falling in love with it. For a more in depth review of this mascara check out my Benefit Roller Lash First Impression.

Serenity Skincare Dead Sea Bath Salts (£9.50)

Being a dancer bath salts are a necessity to me to relieve sore and tired muscles so these bath salts are welcomed. Upon first impression these salts don't have a very strong scent to them which is nice because sometimes it can be rather overpowering. This is a great sized sample and should last a good few baths. 

Catherine Malandrino Style de Paris fragrance (from £50)

I'm rather fussy when it comes to perfumes so receiving perfume samples is always a bit of a worry for me. However I love this perfume! It's a sweet, fruity perfume but not overly sickly. At around £50 a bottle I don't think I will be buying this just yet but I can't wait to make use of this sample.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (£27.50)

I've already received a sample of this before and I can't say I've used it before so I was kind of disappointed receiving this sample but after reading good reviews on this product I might finally actually give it a go. This pre-shampoo treatment claims to restore suppleness and bounce.

TanOrganic Self Tanning Oil (£24.99)

Tan Organic is the worlds first tanning oil. This organic tanning oil moisturises the skin whilst leaving the skin with a healthy glow. I have a full sized version of this product and love it. It leaves a gorgeous colour on the skin, applies great and smells great too, a sort of citrus scent.

This months lifestyle extras are a cute, little red notebook from Birchbox and Habitat, and a extract from the book A Perfect Heritage by Penny Vincenzi. 

What did you think of this months Birchbox? 

Katie xx

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