December Birchbox

Apologies for the long delay in Birchbox posts, but I am finally getting round to review my December Birchbox! This Sophia Webster box was so pretty and made my eyes gleam when I saw the (granted very fake and printed) gems on top. There really is something about shiny things that grab a girls attention.

Inside were lots of lovely goodies that came in handy over the Christmas period, plus a cute little leopard print zipped case that can hold a little lipstick in your handbag.

So here is what was inside...

Electric Hair London Shampoo

This shampoo by 'Electric Hair London' smelt really lovely, like coconut. It lathered nicely in my hair and felt like it was really moisturising, which is good as it's a hydrating shampoo! It has meadow foam and sugar beet extracts which aim to add shine to dried out hair, and add a weightless finish. I liked this shampoo and felt it gave a healthy boost to my hair.

Models Own Velvet Glitter

'Models Own' are a brand I can always rely on the love the products, and this is no exception because I am so so impressed with this nail varnish! These 'velvet' polishes are glittery but come in coloured polish rather than a clear coat most glitters come in, so one coat will leave a glittered matte finish that is ready to go. You get the same (if not better) finish to a glitter effect but with one coat. A brilliant time saving product that looks great! Also perfect for the imminent Valentines say!

Ilcsi Rose Petal Gel Mask

I have never heard of this brand before, and by the looks of the packaging, I think it may be a Hungarian company, or at least get its ingredients from Hungary. In the pot, this mask smells mainly of almonds strangely, but with a hint of rose. It smelt really delicious and leaves bits of rose petal on your face when its on. It recommends leaving it on for 15 mins, in which time the mask goes semi hard. After washing it off, my skin felt soft and smooth, but still a little tight. It was a bit of a chore making sure all the rose petals were off so I probably wouldn't buy this product, although I love trying international products. 

Benefit High Beam

This is one if those products that you never thought you needed until you've used it. I actually saw a friend wearing this before I tried it, and it highlighted her cheekbones perfectly and added a really

pretty glow to her skin. Once I saw this, I rushed to try it and haven't stopped using it in my makeup routine since. You just draw on the areas you want highlighted and tap in to the skin to blend.

Eyeko Eye Stick

I was slightly skeptical about this product. I loved the Eyeko eye liner pen but something about putting a big black crayon on my eye lid instantly makes me thinks panda eyes. Sure enough I tried it though, and was impressed at how easy it was to blend and create a smokey eye effect. It also claims you can use it above the eye which I did, and again was shocked at how un-crayola like it looked. It's better for a smudgey eyeliner on the lid, think Kate Moss' makeup-from-the-night-before-but-still-look-effotlessly-cool look. I wouldn't even attempt a cat flick with the chubiness of the stick though, and for me, it doesn't go quite near the lash line as I'd have liked. However you can get quite a neat look, be it smokier than usual. Personally I wouldn't buy the product just because I love liquid eyeliners to much for precision, and when it comes to a smokey eye, I prefer to blend with a brush rather than fingers, as I feel like I'm rubbing and stretching the eye lid skin which is quite delicate, and I don't want it to sag anytime soon. If you prefer a quick way to achieve the smokier look though, or want a handbag sized quick fix from day to night look, this is a good thing to have.

Trilogy Rosehip Oil

This oil is a really lovely treatment to pop on overnight if you feel your skin needs some TLC. Trilogy is a brand I've wanted to try for a while now, and this organic rose hip oil has a dry oil finish so it doesn't leave your face feeling greasy like some other facial oils. It's not great to massage with, but to pop on your face without the worry of a greasy pillow, it's great. The other thing I like about this which may seem a bit weird, is the fact that it has no smell to it. Some rose products can be really overpowering and have that dusty rose smell to it but this is a scentless. Rose is a great ingredient to help hydrate and to also calm and soothe.

Have you tried any of these products before?

November Birchbox

I thought long and hard about posting this as it's a very old Birchbox now, and I will warn you some of the reviews are not very reliable, but I felt very strongly about a few of these products so I thought I should post it anyway!

Dr Jart V7 Cleansing Foam

This foaming cleanser smells really orange-y and zesty. It's brightening, antioxidant cream foams once it's rubbed between wet hands. It feels really lovely on the skin until it comes to washing it off. It leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean, and I am talking literally. You know when your skin feels stripped of all oil and theres that dry squeakiness afterwards? That's how it makes my skin feel, and it becomes difficult to remove all of the foam due to it. It doesn't actually leave me skin feeling tight afterwards, but I prefer creamier cleanser I have used in the past for my drier skin. I personally wouldn't use this again, and even though it was a full sized product, I have only used it a couple of times.

English Laundry Perfume

So my first unreliable review is this one. If I'm honest, I lost this sample of perfume so I have no idea what it smells like. I'm never good at reviewing perfumes anyway though so your probably not missing out on a review here!

Beauty Protector Leave In Conditioner

I genuinely swore out loud the other day when this ran out. This has transformed the condition of my hair and really changed my view on leave in conditioners. I assumed leave in conditioners would leave my hair feeling greasy and weigh it down. As my hair is thick anyway, I hate the idea of adding any weight to it at all. The nice thing about this 'Beauty Protector' leave in conditioner is that it is a spray in so you can control the amount of product going in. I only spray it in the ends and comb it through and it makes it so much more manageable and less tangled. It smelt really nice and sweet and I really loved this product. I am definitely going to explore the usage of leave in conditioners from now on.

Lord & Berry Bronzer

My next rubbish review is this one. This bronzer was not my colour at all so I haven't used it so I can't really review it for you I'm afraid! I like the brand though from other stuff I've tried from it so I would explore the makeup further!

O.P.I Nail Colour

I love receiving a full size nail polish in a Birchbox, especially one from O.P.I. This Colour is called 'A Grape Affair' and is a deep purple colour. I have to admit that the colour looks slightly better in the bottle, and more purple. On the nail it looks basically black, and you can only see the purple tone on closer inspection. Saying that, I have had a lot of compliments on this nail colour, and think it is a nice one for the more wintery months. 

Apologies for this half arsed attempt, but hopefully you enjoyed the products I did try!

October Birchbox

I will go on to talk more about the 'Coppafeel' theme of this Birchbox later on, so for now, lets jump right in and see what the October Birchbox had in store for me this month.

KMS Hair Texturing Style Spray

This didn't give me the best hold, but the almost spray putty texture meant I could really mould my hair into any style. It could still be felt a few days after using meaning mouldable hair was always possible, and it didn't have a sticky, or hard finish to it. As I said, the hold wasn't brilliant so you would probaly need to use a bit of hairspray afterwards to keep it in your desired style.

Balance Me Cleansing Balm

This cleansing balm had quite tough granules in to get the smoothing effect which I find to be a little coarse to start. Other than that, I really enjoyed using this cleansing balm and have found myself being a bit lost without it now. I really like cleansing balms this time of year as they add a little more moisture.

Pixi Tinted Lip Balm

This Pixi tinted lip balm is the perfect colour for a more easily achievable and quick way to do the Kylie Jenner lips I talked about in my post the other day. This dark nude colour is really nice for this time of year, and it's highly moisturising so a bit more comfortable to wear in the colder winter months.

Lollipops Nail Polish

This Lollipops nail varnish is a really curte shade of red. It is proper red if you know what I mean?! It doesn't have any other tones in it so it is a very bright and fresh colour. The consistency was a bit thin so you definitely need 2 or more coats, but as a brand I've never heard of before, this has really impressed me and gone to my go to colour when I want that classic red nail. Perfect for Christmas time.

The Cool Fix

I thought this was an odd product to put in the October Birchbox, as I felt it would have been better suited in a summer box where overshaving legs for summer skirts everyday can cause a lot of in grown hairs and razor burn. Once the cold hits, limbs go back into tights and leggings, so shaving can be kept to a minimum and the inner gorilla in us can come out again. I am joking... kind of. Anyway, I found this to be a really useful product, particularly on my underarms as I have really sensitive skin under there, and this helped to soothe the skin and keep rashes at bay. It also meant shaving the next time could be done sooner than usual and not be a scary, painful experience.

Birchbox Lipstick Pen

The theme of this box was a collaboration with 'coppa feel' which is charity who aim to make sure you are regularly checking your breasts for lumps or any irregularities. This cute little lipstick pen means you can mark in your diary when you last checked, so you can make sure you are keeping up to date with it! I love this little pen, it goes perfectly with my diary!

For more information go to coppafeel.org

September Birchbox

The theme for the September Birchbox was 'Happy Days', which I thought was a nice way to get nostalgic on the now faded summer. The box aims to make you collect photos and use your boxes as a innovative photo frame.

The Birchbox added extra was a little crocodile clip photo holder, and I put in a picture of myself and my boyfriend at Benicassim festival in 2012. It was the first festival I had ever been too and I honestly thought life couldn't get any better than that! It doesn't get much better than being at the beach all day in the sun, and then watching some live music with your friends and cheap sangria in the evenings. I have some of my favourite memories from that trip there so felt it appropriate to go in my 'Happy Days' photo holder!

The other random product I got was this 'Urban Fruit' packet of dried mango. I usually love the food I get in Birchbox and I liked the idea of this but I won't lie, they were pretty rank. The taste wasn't so bad but the texture of the fruit pieces reminded me of dead human flesh. Sorry to be graphic, but it was just a bit chewy but still slightly fleshy and once I got the flesh image in my head that was it, the pack went in the bin.

On a lighter note, lets talk about the cosmetics!

Korres Citrus Shower Gel

Funnily enough you may have seen I did a post on a Korres shower gel I got from my holiday, and I raved about how I wanted to try more of the products. Well lo and behold I got this in my box just a few days after my post so it was like fate. I also got the matching citrus body lotion in a box a few months ago, so now I have the perfect body routine which I am absolutely loving. I'm one of these people who has to have the matching pair like the same shampoo and matching conditioner, so having the same shower gel and body lotion in this citrusy scent has made me very happy, as its a really fresh smell and not to zesty.

Agave Hair Oil

I absolutely love a hair oil and this one is no exception! The smell is so lovely and is kind of coconutty. It would be perfect to take on holiday when your hair is slightly frazzled from the sun, but I really love the intensity of this oil, I didn't need to much.

Model Co Lip Gloss

I am usually not a fan of lipglosses as I find them a bit sticky and overly shiny, but I really like this one from Model Co. The colour is really subtle and gives the lips a really pretty natural finish, and the taste is divine! I could eat this stuff it's so fruity! 

Makeup Sponge

I have wanted to try this sponge for ages and Birchbox gave them out a while ago but I didn't receive one and was so gutted! When I opened my box and saw this I was over the moon. These sponges are to be wetted first, and then you apply your makeup with the handy little egg. I must admit going to the bathroom to wet it is a bit annoying in the morning, but I have tried without wetting it and it just doesn't have the same effect. With the sponge damp, it doesn't absorb all the product and it gives a refeshing feel to the skin when applying. It also makes my face feel, and look flawless (I've been told by friends). I have no idea why but by wetting it it goes on so evenly and it makes the rest of my makeup go on seamlessly as well. I really like this sponge its a little wonder addition to my makeup bag.

August Birchbox

This Birchbox has got to be one of my favourites, not so much because of products, but just because of the pure genius that went behind it. As you may know, I have just returned (well a week ago) from a holiday in Corfu. I took my little Birchbox with me and I have to say I used everything that was in it which is a first for me. 

What I liked about it was that every single detail was considered with the box. The sizes of the products were aeroplane safe, plus they came in the handy see through bag that made security easy. In the little pamphlet they have inside each month, there was a holiday checklist of things to pack which I found very helpful as I am rubbish at packing. Little things like this are what I think make Birchbox stand out from other subscription boxes. After this box, I think I would genuinely consider looking into a job at Birchbox somewhere just because I think they're such an innovative, creative company.

Cute and re-usable!

Anyway, lets get onto the actual goodies inside the holiday themed box.

Vasanti Face Exfoliator

This rejuvenator has not only got small beads to scrub with, it also has papaya enzymes that slough away at dead skin. The result? Massively improved brightened skin! I really liked this scrub as I could really feel it working on my face. It was quite abbrasive which I don't usually like on my skin as it used to be sensitive, so I'm quite careful with what I put on my skin. This scrub is gentle enough for me though, but I wouldn't recommend using it every day. It is a once a week kind of scrub and reminds me slightly of the Ren '1 Minute Facial' in terms of its soft scrub consistency. It had a very fruity holiday smell which I loved so this product was a winner for me.

Number 4 Leave in Conditioner

This is a product I used religiously every day on holiday. After a day of chlorine and salty sea water, my thick hair is an absolute nightmare. After washing my hair, I used this every night to help detangle my hair, but it also protects the hair for the next day as it has UV protection in it as well. I used a number of things in my hair this holiday which I will review in full later on, but I can certainly say that my hair was in the best condition it could have been in after all the abuse it got for a week. I have always been a bit dubious about leave in conditioners, as I don't want them to way down my already heavy hair, but as this is a spray on, its impossible to get too much on. My boyfriend also thinks it smells like Sailor Jerry's and coke so that is an added bonus for all us rum lovers out there.

Nude Omega Treatment Oil

I am a big lover of night oils since I started using my Caudalie detox night oil. I think they give the skin a good condition for the next day ahead, and this one was perfect for holiday. With all the Omegas that are packed in, it moisturises the skin and leaves it soothed, a perfect alternative to aftersun. This reminded me a lot of the Ren Omega 3 serum which I have yet to review. I think it smells of peaches although my sister thinks I smell like "a freshly sharpened pencil" when I put this on. Make of that what you will...

SuperGood CC Cream

This was the product I used least on my holiday, just because I am a bit of a pool lover so didn't want this to go to waste on my face in the morning, and the factor was a bit high for the evenings. That said, it gave a really nice look to my skin, and would be ideal for a wander around on a city break or something similar where you wouldn't be in and out of water as much. I tired it on my first day but it just felt a bit thick once I'd been in the pool so stuck to normal sun cream after that.

Wild About Beauty Creme Eyeshadow

This is a paraben free makeup range which always ticks the boxes with me. I also didn't realise until I got back off holiday that Loiuse Redknapp actually created the brand, so that was an interesting little surprise. The actual eyeshadow is a shade called 'Matilda', and is a beautiful shade for a sultry look in the evening, perfect with a bit of a tan. The consistency wasn't as thick as some other cream shadows I've used, and it didn't last as long as some either, but all in all I really like this shadow and have used it to created a number of day to night looks.

You can create a really pretty light shimmer or go for an intense colour which has a more brown finish to it.

The Proposal Chapter 1

This had to be the icing on the cake for me with this Birchbox. What a GREAT idea putting the first chapter of a book in! You could read the book wihout ruining too much for yourself an then if you liked it, buy the full book at the airport. I didn't buy the full book as I already had "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn packed in my bag, but I did read the chapter. Personally, romantic novels aren't really my kind of genre, but like I said, the idea was absolutely perfect!

Well Done Birchbox, this one really made me smile :)

July Birchbox

This July Birchbox was a bit of a shocker to me. All the items that I thought I would like, I didn't, and the once I didn't think I would touch, have been the first things I look for when I need my cosmetics. So lets go ahead and see what happened.

Laqa & Co Lip Lube

I have been wanting to try purple lipstick for while now so this was the perfect colour for me to recieve in my Birchbox. This Lip Lube is a lovely purple which can be built up into a darker shade for more of a 'wow'. It's really moisturising and lasts for a while before re applying. Was really happy with this product. It even featured in my 'Favourite lipsticks at the moment' post I did the other day. 

Gilchrist & Soames Bath Gel

Gilchrist and Soames are a brand I have heard of before, and have recieved a few bits from Birchbox too. This kelp extract mineral bath sounded like the height of luxury so I was excited to try it. I thought it would be the sort of bath that would make you feel really good after, like you'd had a spa break or something. Truth of the matter is, it didn't really do anything to my bath. I ran it in the warm water where it frothed a bit, but when I got in, in just vanished and the didn't do anything else. It didn't really smell or do anything to my senses so essentially I felt like I was just sitting in warm water. Bit disappointing! 

Three Wishes Body Butter

This was one item I thought I would really hate. Lavender is really not a smell I can stand since working in natural beauty products, where pretty much everything is scented with it. I was a bit dubious about putting this on my skin but I am so glad I gave it a chance! This doesn't really smell like lavender at all, more like a powdery night time baby lotion that is so sweet and lovely. Even my boyfriend commented on the smell and how nice it was. It is a really calming smell so I like to put it on before bed. The added bonus of this product is that it is all naturally sourced so has no chemicals or parabens! I am actually considering purchasing this item as it is so lightweight and leaves the skin feeling so lovely, pretty good going for a product I thought I'd hate!

Weleda Shampoo

This was one of the brands I had heard of before, and it is a all natural hair care brand. I have tried a lot of natural haircare so understand that it isn't a conventional hair wash as there is no foam and you have to work a bit harder to get that 'froth'. Adding more water to natural shampoos helps them work so much better, but with this one no matter how much I added it just didn't work. I tried using it twice in one wash as that can often help but I just didn't get anything from it which was shame.

Balance Me Eye Cream

This was the product that Birchbox were really excited about putting into their boxes. For me, eye creams are the sort of this you can't really tell if they are good or bad. Obviously if it gives you a horrendous reaction and streaming eyes persist usage, but I think they are the sort of products you will only see the benefits of over time when you start to get a bit older and things like crows feet become a concern. Obviously the later in life your crows feet come then the better the eye cream you've been using, but who sticks to just the one?! I have never been a user of eye cream until recently, and as far as this one goes, it does feel nice. Personally I prefer more of a gel consistency as I feel creams are a bit more heavy duty for my age, but it did feel nice and hydrating, but tha'ts all I have to say on it really!  It has won the Red Green beauty award, and is called a wonder cream too. As a company, Balance Me are a natural brand, made by three British sisters whose brand has had involvement with Topshop. 

Vita Coco natural Coconut Water lemonade Flavour

I always love the extra little lifestyle items Birchbox put in their boxes, they are always really thought out and sometimes contain food and drinks such as this, which I love to stuff my face on. This month was a coconut water which I have always found to be pretty vile tasting. The original one with no added flavour at all has a pretty furry after taste I just can't get used too. Coconut water is really good for you, and more hydrating that actual water. When I first drank one I thought it would taste coconut-y and sweet but it really didn't. Safe to say I was a little dubious about having a sip of this, even though I knew it was going to be slightly lemon flavoured. I say slightly lemon flavoured but it is actually very strong. It tastes a bit like undiluted lemon squash, but you can still get a hint of the sweetness of the coconut. Believe it or not this is actually a good experience as for me, I really can't bear the taste of it in its original form, and this one is quite drinkable. As it is mega healthy and  I would probably try and drink it, and this one is certainly the best flavour I have had so far. contains no fat, so is perfect as a after dinner sweetener for before you go on holiday.

June Birchbox

The World Cup is over!! Even though I'm not a huge football lover, it is a nice way for the world to come together and have mutual interests. Much like this Birchbox, everyone gets a little inspired from it, and it gets us all a little patriotic!

This genius Birchbox put in products from different countries over the world, in a mini cosmetic tournament, and even with these products, I was kind of rooting for the British product to be the best, but just like our team, it was a little disappointing! Lets take a look in the box and see if Birchbox did a Suarez, and bit off more than they could chew, with combining cu;t products from around the world.

Silk + Honey Shea Butter Hair Mask

So to kick off the game we have this product representing England, which is this hair mask by Silk + Honey who I had never heard of before. After a little research I found they are incredibly new brand who only launched February of this year. It's a natural brand, which send out kits of all the ingredients needed for you to make the product when you receive it. The kit for this hair mask retails at £55 which for that price, I think I would want it already made up for me to use with no work required! I have to say that this mask was incredibly disappointing, and I actually used the whole pot in one go because I felt it just wasn't doing anything each time I applied it. Shea Butter to me, is a very creamy and thick moisturising ingredient, so I was expecting a highly nourishing product that would leave my hair feeling soft and hydrated.  I actually had to use my normal conditioner after using this just because I felt it had done nothing to my hair at all.

Its such a shame because I think the idea behind the brand is actually really fun and exciting. Being able to see all the natural ingredients and creating a completely chemical free product in your own home, is a really revolutionary idea, and a good way to educate people on natural skincare. However if the product doesn't perform, then it isn't going to work. I think I would like to try more from the brand to see if I was just unfortunate with this mask. As a small company there are only three other kits available at the moment which make a hand cream, a body moisturiser and a lipgloss.

O.P.I Mini Colour

So after a bad start from England, lets move onto the real winner of this box for me, which of course was a nail varnish. I don't think I will ever be dissapointed by a nail polish, but this one in particular was perfect for me. This O.P.I colour is from the Brazil collection which I have been DESPERATE to get my hands on. I love every single colour in the collection and think it is just perfect for summer.

The cute mini sized colour I recieved was called 'Kiss Me I'm Brazilian' and it is such a pretty pink. It's really bright and fruity and I have had a few compliments on the colour. Much like Brazil, it oozes fun and sun.

 Yves Rocher Lipstick

This a product I was also excited about receiving as I am a big fan of red lipsticks and this was another to add to my collection. I have tried an Yves Rocher product before but I can't remember what it was. This lipstick was actually very sheer as you can see on my swatch below, and didn't give a very bold red card colour which I like in a lipstick. I think if you want a sheer coverage then a gloss is better.

I think this would be a good product for someone who is experimenting with red lipstick, as it is quite build-able and the lasting power is only a couple of hours max. If like me however you like a bold red lip this may not be the lipstick for you.

 Embryolisse moisturiser

The next product is also a french product and apparently is a cult moisturiser in France. Its all natural again which is a big plus, and can be layered up to use as a mask. Unfortunately again for the French, I just wasn't keen on this product either. It is incredibly thick and actually made me sweat when it was on. It is very nourishing and perhaps used as a 10 minute mask it would benefit me more, or maybe as a winter moisturiser. Sorry France I would have preferred quality to quantity.

Naobay Body Radiance Lotion

Finally we have the Spanish body lotion. This was light weight and very citrusy smelling. It is meant to add radiance to the skin with its shea butter, olive and avocado oils, all of which are organic ingrediants. This was a nice light lotion and the smell died down after a while so you could wear your normal perfume. This was a nice product but I probably wouldn't buy it.

Overall, I was hopeful for this box like I was for England in the world cup, however the initial excitement dwindled as I realised most of these products were not for me. Maybe if Birchbox has popped in a German product, we would have been onto a winner!