Following an improved April Birchbox, I was very excited to see what May’s box brought me. Here’s my review of this month’s treats.
Recap on April’s box
April’s box was more of a hit than a miss: I loved the Polaar scrub, the Luseta conditioner, and the ModelCo eyeliner. But I wasn’t so keen on the Baija cream and the Manna Kadar powder. Here’s my April review in case you want to know why.
May’s box
This month, Birchbox have outdone themselves with the box design, it’s just gorgeous. Another one for my overcrowded dressing table, I’m going to have to find some new homes for all these pretty boxes! But should I judge the contents by the cover? Let’s see …
Whish Rice Milk Firming Body Cream
I’ve never heard of Whish but first impressions are good. The cream claims to firm the body and target the appearance of stretch marks and blemishes – plus it’s got lots of lovely natural ingredients. It’s a little early to tell whether it does actually firm my body (good luck to any cream that tries to do that). But it feels very nice going on and my dry skin seems to approve. I also really like the fresh herbal scent, which is something I would normally go for, although the £27 price tag is a little high for me.
Kueshi Shine & Volume Mask
Another brand I’ve never heard of but I’m very pleased it’s included. Last month’s Luseta Conditioner worked wonders on my dry, frizzy, curly, coloured hair so this one has a lot to live up to. I’ve used it twice and it seems make my hair more “poufy” – although not necessarily a look I was going for – and it feels nice and soft. Not sure about the smell though, it reminds me of PlayDoh, which I don’t need to spend £10.50 to enjoy!
Marsk Mineral Eyeshadow – Fifty Shades
This was billed as a full size product but it’s a tiny little pot, especially for £14.49. Also, I was sent Fifty Shades, which is the dark grey colour, when I specifically requested the Vanilla Frosting shade. I haven’t tried the eyeshadow because dark grey does nothing for me so I shall be re-gifting to a friend. Overall, this product is a disappointment for me.
Doucce Punk Volumizer Mascara
I absolutely adore this mascara! It’s jet black and really does volumise and define my lashes. It’s a little extreme for day time use but for evening use (and a forthcoming holiday) it’s definitely in my make-up bag. I would recommend this and at £18 I do think it’s worth the money. A hit.
Dr Brandt® Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant
This was billed as a “professional treatment in a tube”. I loved last month’s Polar Icepure scrub so this exfoliator has to be very special to beat it. Luckily, it is and I love it. I’m not sure about its anti-aging claims but that could just be that it has to work extra hard on me (!) However, my skin looks brighter, feels softer and, most importantly, not aggravated. The fresh citrus scent reminds me of my all-time favourite facial exfoliator, Origins’ Modern Friction so as the Dr Brandt one retails at a whopping £67, I think I’ll be sticking with my Origins at nearly 1/3 of the price.
Bonus purchase
Bonus purchaseI did buy the Birchbox Imagine bracelet and it’s very cute – sadly, I won’t be wearing it though, my daughter has already commandeered it …
Did I like May’s box?
I still think the Birchbox samples provide great value for money and it’s lovely to trial products I haven’t heard of and am extremely unlikely to buy at full size. However, I have to say the jury’s out again this month. So, I would say you shouldn’t judge the contents by the cover and, mascara excepted, I don’t see myself buying any of the full size products. There are plenty of other beauty subscription boxes out there, e.g. Glossybox, but this is only my 4th box so I’m willing to wait and see what June’s Birchbox brings.
Do you use Birchbox or any other beauty subscription service? What do you think of your monthly samples?
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