Hi Everyone

I received my July Birchbox last Thursday and although have not got a chance yet to try products properly have tried them all at least once so wanted to give you my first impressions on each product and my thoughts on this month’s box.   This month’s theme is ‘Summer Daze’ – Love the design of the drawer style box, which also fits perfectly with this month’s theme, a few months ago subscribers were asked to choose from a number of designs and this design was chosen as the favourite.

Birchbox is a monthly subscription box which costs £12.95 (inclusive of p&p) per month and 3, 6 & 12 monthly subscriptions are also available.  Usually five personalised beauty treats are included each month, although this month we got six items.

This month every subscriber either received a Benefit Lip & Cheek Stain and a Balance Me Flash Cleanse Micellar Water – both sample size items, an information card, and four additional products  based on your profile.  There usually is also a product  / beauty information booklet however this month mine is missing.   The following six products were in my box:

Balance Me Flash Cleanse Micellar Water  (Sample Size 30ml) – Full Size RRP £16.00 for 180ml – I do like micellar cleansing waters especially Bioderma and thought this one sounded good but unfortunately when I opened it the fragrance put me off straight away but I did try it once to give it a chance and although it did remove my makeup, unfortunately I did not like the feel of my skin afterwards, felt it had been ‘stripped’ rather than being cleansed/refreshed, so unfortunately not a product for me personally;

Benefit Cha Cha Tint  (sample size 2.5ml) – ‘Mini’ Size RRP £10.50 for 4ml– love a number of Benefit products  so was looking forward to trying.  Initially wasn’t sure about the colour but does look better when applied also definitely tints the skin although dries very quickly so need to be careful when applying as if you do not get it blended out in time may look patchy.  Although need to test  properly, initially not overly impressed, though may still use the sample but at this stage wouldn’t be rushing out to purchase the full size;

Percy & Reed Wonder Overnight Recovery  (travel size 30ml) – Full size RRP £20 for 150 ml – Described as a wonder overnight recovery which helps to nourish and rehydrate every hair strand, was intrigued as love applying overnight hair treatments on a regular basis.  It has a thick lotion consistency with a quite strong fragrance, which is not too unpleasant for me though maybe for some.  I applied to the scalp, roots, smoothed through lengths as directed and let it sink in for few minutes which meant thankfully no transfer onto my pillowcase .  Next morning just shampooed out, did not apply conditioner as said none needed to see how it performed and results very good without, hair felt soft, silky and looked healthy and hydrated.  So with first/one use impressed already and if results continue will consider purchasing the full size;

 

Native Unearthed Coconut & Vanilla Natural Deodorant Balm (travel size) – Full size £6.99 for 60ml – Never heard of this brand before and although sounds good as paraben & aluminium free, products like this in the past have just not worked for me, given me enough confidence throughout the day / night.  However with first try at home, the creamy balm did leave my skin fresh, feeling soft and lightly fragranced, although not sure why there seems to be slight granules in it, feels like a light scrub when you apply which seems v strange for this product, however need to try for a longer period of time to see how good results really are.  First impressions results are better than I expected;

Rituals ‘Ritual of Hammam’ Refreshing Foaming Shower Gel   Full ‘travel size’ 50ml RRP £4.50 – Used a number of products from this brand in the past and have tried other fragrances in their shower gels which I have enjoyed.   It has a gel consistency which when you rub turns into a cleansing foam and then when you apply water leaves your skin  clean, fragranced and soft.  This fragrance is not my favourite but will still use it and happy to see it included in my box;

Nanette Lepore Fragrance Small Sample Vial 2ml – Full Size £55 for 50 ml – as this is a sixth item, like a bonus item,  not as disappointed but I do not normally like beauty boxes including small fragrance samples as one of their ‘main’ items unless a good size / deluxe sample, particularly as fragrance is so personal.  This particular fragrance has a v strong overpowering scent so unfortunately just not for me but will pass to a friend to see if they like it any better.

Overall though this months box is still good enough value and love the design of the box, a bit disappointed as personally will not be using two of the items.   However as I always say this is what beauty boxes are all about and if you love all the items that is an added bonus.  Although I have so many subscriptions at the moment I will still keep subscribed to Birchbox as it was one of my first subscriptions and although recently there have been more sample sizes included within their boxes still good value for money and also love the sneak peek of one of next months products (see photo below).

 *SPOILER* – August Sneak Peek – states that everyone will receive a ‘Full Size Spectrum Collections Make-Up Brush’ in their August Birchbox – need to keep an eye on our in-boxes (if subscribed) to choose which one.  Spectrum brushes have been in a number of beauty boxes recently which I do not mind as the quality is so good – this is another reason which will keep me subscribed for the August box.

If you are thinking of  subscribing to Birchbox UK – you can get £5 off your first box -(box is normally £10 +£2.95 shipping – you will get for £5 +£2.95 shipping) by clicking  link here and then copy and paste code at checkout to get your discount.    You can also receive a FREE Benefit mascara trio (*photo below) when you join Birchbox today to get your July box,  just add the code WINK at checkout to get free Trio.

Look forward to any comments you may have – if you have received this month’s box would love to know what you thought.

If you are not already a follower would love you to follow my blog too – would mean a lot.

Thank you – enjoy the rest of the weekend and take care.

Best Wishes Liz x

* Credit Insert – Birchbox.co.uk

Hi Everyone

The weekend is here again and with it my July Roccabox beauty box, which I received today.  Although I have not got a chance yet to try the products properly wanted to let you see what was is in it and my first impressions of the contents.

Roccabox is a monthly subscription beauty box which costs £10 a month (plus £3.95 p&p).   Each month you’ll receive a box of  beauty treats hand-picked by one of the industry’s best-loved personalities / influencer, along with their top beauty hints and tips – for more details please see link here.  This month Roccabox have teamed up with The Sunday Girl   – love her site, you can check it out here.

Products come packaged  in an outer white box with rose gold lettering and an information card is also included (photo below – A single double-sided card, not a booklet type like last month).

This months box contained the following six items:

Soap & Glory Mini Rushower Dry Shampoo (50ml) – ‘Travel’ Full Size  RRP £2.50  (200ml is £4) – advises ‘touch release’ technology which means that when you ruffle your fingers through your hair there’ll be a friction-activated burst of mandarin rose and bergamot fragrance – not really a fan of dry shampoos as never found one yet that has left my hair feeling fresh enough that I am comfortable with leaving for a period of time before washes.  I wash my hair every day and have done for a long time, since I was a teenager, however this dry shampoo does smell fresh and fragrance does seem released more when you put your fingers through your hair after spraying.  I will try it properly and if impressed will do a separate review – nice handbag size. (Note: states international subscribers will get a mini hand food cream (50ml) also worth £2.50 instead);

Ellis Faas Concealer in S202 (2.8ml)  – Full Size RRP £22  – *STAR Product this month for me without a doubt.   Firstly have to talk about the silver tone unique packaging, adore it, has a brush applicator and you need to twist up the bottom a number of times for product to be released, creamy consistency and really looking forward to trying properly.  I will post a separate review if product actually lives up to the quality packaging – expect great things and hope I am not disappointed;

Magic Organic Apothecary (MOA) The Green Balm – V Small Sample Size  (15ml £6 and 50ml £15)- no size on packaging think maybe 5ml.  Have tried this product before and it is a multi taking healing balm which is quite good, this is a handy size for the makeup bag but would have been even better if at least the 15ml size had been included in the box;

Evolve Organic Beauty Radiant Glow Face Mask – V Small Sample Size  (30ml is £11) no size on packaging, think maybe a 3/5ml.    Has a lovely chocolate fragrance, a paste type consistency with slight granules in it but when you rub it onto your skin it turns to an oil type consistency which helps the granules to just the buff the skin, think I will enjoy using this product but because the sample size is so small, may only do one application, is not really enough to decide whether you want to purchase or not;

Balance Me Congested Skin Serum (7ml – Sample) – (Full Size is 15ml RRP £16) – decent size sample and good to carry in your makeup bag, in mine already, as states is an ‘on the spot’ soothing gel designed to diminish blemishes and calm inflammation without causing dryness or irritation; and

Burt’s Bee Cleansing Oil with Coconut & Argan Oils for Normal to Dry Skin (29.5ml) – (Full Size 177ml and RRP £16.99) – decent size sample and always useful to have travel size cleansing oils – have this sample size already, I got it in my Feelunique Pick N Mix sample collection but have not got round to trying yet.

Although I do like the variety of products that The Sunday Girl has selected, when I first opened this month’s box I was disappointed as looked so empty, four out of the five items were sample sizes and especially because the sample sizes of the Moa The Green Balm & Evolve face mask were so small.  However as I will use all of the items and  because  a full size Ellis Faas concealer was included (worth £22) I am content enough now with this months box.  Although I personally think it would have been better if five products had been included, instead of six, to ensure all four out of the five were decent sample sizes.   As usual, I keep saying this and fingers crossed one month it will happen, I am hoping more makeup items are included next month.   I still  would recommend trying this box as still good value for money.  Looking forward to see who the ‘influencer’ will be next month and hoping they will have more makeup items in their selection (hopefully samples not as small either).

Would love to know if you are already subscribed to this box, what you thought of this months box?

If you are not already a follower would love you to follow my blog too – would mean a lot and be v much appreciated.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Thank you – take care.

Best Wishes Liz x

Hi Everyone

As you know by now I love beauty boxes so when I kindly received the *June 2017 Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box at the weekend to review I was delighted, my first Skin Organics Clean Beauty box.

Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box is a new UK-based Organic and Natural Skincare  subscription box (launched in May 2017 – first box).   They state that: ‘each of their boxes contains a collection of travel and full size carefully chosen organic, natural, non-toxic and cruelty-free products that represent high standards of clean beauty. …..will discover skincare, body care,  amazing make up and beauty products’.

Skin Organics is a monthly subscription service and subscriptions start from approximately £19 (for a 6 month plan) plus £3.95 postage to the UK.  You can also try a One-Off box without committing to a subscription, only £21.00 + £3.95, one payment only – perfect for gifting (May and June box still available to purchase this way while stocks last).  For monthly subscription plans, the payment for your first box will be taken when you sign-up.  Subsequent payments will be taken on the 1st of the month. (For example if you sign up on 15th July, payment will be taken on the 15th July for your first box, 1st August for your second box and each month thereafter until you cancel).  You can access more details on the Skin Organic Beauty Box, subscription options via the link here.

Although I  have not got a chance yet to try all the products properly,  for a long enough period to enable me to do a full review, wanted to let you know my first impressions.

Products come in a white outer box with a black and white Skin Organics Clean Beauty Box label on the top with white protective tissue and shredded paper inside.

 

 

Terre Verdi Acqua di Rosa Balancing Mist – Full Size 30ml – RRP £6 –  another quality bottle but with a spray this time can be used with a cotton pad to remove any residual makeup, rebalance the skin or as a hydrating mist, I have used it both ways and although it does feel refreshing on the skin, it is not a product for me personally as the rose fragrance is too strong for me but perfect size for travelling  to help keep your skin hydrated – will be giving this to a friend who will enjoy using it;

 

Freyaluna Tea Tree & Peppermint Refreshing Foot Polish – Travel Size 60ml – Full Size 120ml RRP £20–  have tried this mixture of raw sugar and natural pumice once and although a bit messy it definitely does leave your feet feeling smooth and you only need a small amount  Also has  anti-septic benefits as well  and the tea tree oil fragrance is not too overpowering either – definitely will keep using it;

Maggie Anne 6 Free Gel Effect Nail Polish in ‘Grace’ (11ml) – Full Size  £10.50 –  always happy to see a nail polish included in boxes especially when it states they contain no nasty chemicals and are easy to apply and  remove.  Love this dark cerise colour, does apply so easily and although states polish will last 5-7 days with two coats of colour I applied one coat with a base and top coat and it covered v well not patchy, this is my second day of wear and no chips yet so fingers crossed as love the glossy gel effect finish – definitely will be checking out other colours in the range;

An extra item was kindly included in my box (an item from the May 2017 box)