After a rather disappointing March box, April’s Birchbox was going to be make or break for me, so here are my thoughts on this month’s treats.
Recap on March’s box
If you’ve read my March review, you’ll know why I wasn’t very impressed with that box. The only two samples I really liked were the Caudalie serum and Balance Me primer but I said time would tell. Unfortunately, my skin reacted to the Caudalie serum after a few days’ use and the Balance Me primer just didn’t do anything for me longer term.
April’s box
This month Birchbox have teamed up with Boden, which augurs well as I’m a keen and fairly frequent Boden shopper. First impressions are good, I love the box, and it’s bright, colourful and looks gorgeous on my dressing table. So, what about the contents?
Baija Paris Moana cream
I’m not sure about this body cream. It claims to nourish dry skin with a little going a long way, but I find I need to use quite a lot on my dry arms and legs so I’m expecting it to run out very soon. I don’t know how Fleur de Tiare is supposed to smell but once applied on me, the fragrance reminds me of Lily of the Valley. And this is a scent I always associate with my grandmother’s friends! As the full-size version costs £15.90, I think I’ll pass on this one.
Polaar IcePure Gentle Scrub with Arctic Cotton
I’ve never heard of Arctic Cotton but Google says it’s supposed to hydrate, detoxify and soothe the skin. Be that as it may, I’ve used this scrub twice and I love it. It doesn’t scratch or irritate and it leaves my skin feeling clean, soft and refreshed. I find my makeup goes on really smoothly after using it too. At £23.50 this is not too far away from my usual scrub’s price so this might be a full-size purchase once the sample runs out.
Luseta Beauty Keratin Smooth Conditioner
I have dry, frizzy, curly, coloured hair so I’m really pleased about the inclusion of this keratin conditioner. I’ve used it a couple of times now and it does make my hair feel softer although I don’t detect any lingering scent after rinsing. It doesn’t weigh my hair down or make it greasy either so that’s a bonus. But £19 for conditioner seems a lot of money to pay so this is something I need to get my head around (!) Note to Birchbox: it would have been nice to have the shampoo as well, so I could trial the two products together as Luseta recommend.
Manna Kadar Cosmetics High Definition Powder
I thought this was supposed to be a full size product of the Manna Kadar translucent setting powder. However, it’s a tiny little pot, more like an eyeshadow or blusher pot, so I struggled to get a big fluffy brush in it without getting powder everywhere. It goes on easily but I think, as other reviewers have commented, it’s better suited for paler skin. Once I have a tan (fingers crossed) then I don’t think this powder will look very good. In any case, if this really is the full size version then £27 is outrageously expensive! In hindsight, I wish I’d opted to try the Manna Kadar Cosmetics Radiance Split Pan Bronzer and Highlighter Duo instead.
ModelCo® Eye Define Crayon Liner
I’m a huge fan of Stila’s smudge stick eyeliners (see my previous post here) so this ModelCo eyeliner in black has competition. It’s a twist up mechanism which I like as it does away with the messy business of sharpening. Plus, it goes on really smoothly, doesn’t seem to smudge or fade, and is easy enough to remove at the end of the day. But at £11 I’m not really tempted to switch from Stila. Although it’s a nice eyeliner, I would have preferred the NipandFab colour correctors to trial instead.
Did I like April’s box?
Overall, I would say April is an improvement on March, and I think the samples provide great value for money. Once again though, with the possible exception of the Polaar scrub, I probably won’t be buying any of the full size products. But I’m happy to hang on and see what May brings and, in the meantime, I’ll look forward to spending my £10 Boden voucher!
Do you use Birchbox or any other beauty subscription service? What do you think of your monthly samples?
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