Birchbox - July 2014

The past few Birchboxes have been absolutely amazing, and I was fully prepared for the July box to take a bit of a dip in quality, but it really hasn't!

I always love the cute postcards that come with the box, such a lovely touch! The first item I spotted in this month's box was this sample from Weleda. I've tried a hand cream from them before and I really liked it, so I'm hoping this will be another winning product!

I've also tried Gilchrist and Soames before, and wasn't overly impressed. I received one of their shower gels in a previous Birchbox and just wasn't really blown away by it, it was just an okay product. I'm not really sure if this is bubble bath, or meant to be used as a body wash, but it definitely smells nicer than the shower gel I had previously!

This was the first item I picked out that I hadn't heard of! It's an adorable lip crayon in a vibrant purple shade. I'm not entirely sure it's my kind of colour, but quite a fun addition to the box anyway.

I was a little bit apprehensive when I saw that we'd be getting a lavender body lotion, as I absolutely can't stand the smell of it! However, this lotion was a pleasant surprise. The lavender is definitely there, but it's muted by the other ingredients. I've used this a couple of times already and I love it!

We also received a cute sample of the Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream. I've used Balance Me before and was seriously impressed, so this eye cream has a lot to live up to! That said, I don't really have many wrinkles around my eyes (yet!) so I'm not sure how much of an obvious difference this will make to the skin around my eyes.

The lifestyle extra for this month was this Ultradex oral spray. It's a bit of an unusual choice but it's always incredibly handy to have something like this in your handbag, I haven't tried it yet but I'm hoping it's not overpoweringly minty!

Not a knockout box like the previous two boxes have been, but still a great little box with some lovely products to try out! I've recently cancelled Love Me Beauty and Glossybox as I've found that Birchbox suits me better. 

What did you think of this month's Birchbox?

March Empties

 So after my first empties post last month, I promised I would have more products to talk about. I've definitely achieved that! 

This Imperial Leather shower gel was actually used more by the husband than by me, but I absolutely love the scent. Imperial Leather normally release these around autumn, and this blackberry fragrance is just perfect for that time of year! Unfortunately these are limited edition, so I'm not sure whether repurchasing will be an option. Plus, we are still working through our Christmas haul of shower gels.

Repurchase: Perhaps later on in the year.

 I have so many hand creams on the go at the moment, but I managed to finish this Weleda cream which came with one of my Love Me Beauty boxes. The scent of this is quite odd, and initially I really wasn't a fan. However, the cream itself absorbed into my skin amazingly well which is what won me over. I can't stand that greasy feeling which some creams leave on your hands after applying! 

Repurchase: Probably not. I have way too many hand creams at the moment!

 These Elegant Touch nail polish remover pads came with a Glossybox at some point last year. They remove normal polishes quite well, but anything with glitter in is a nightmare. They also left quite a greasy residue behind on my fingers after using.

Repurchase: No.

I always keep a packet of these face wipes from Simple handy. I've mainly been using them for removing my mascara this month, but they're also quite nice to use for removing other types of make up. They remove mascara and eye make up really well, but I do find that they struggle with waterproof mascara. They do remove it, but you can be stood in front of the bathroom mirror for quite a while!

Repurchase: Already have.

I received this face mask from Murad with the March Love Me Beauty box. You can see a full review of it here. My main thoughts on it were that it left my skin super clean and clear, but I really wouldn't want to spend £25 on sachets.

Repurchase: No.

This is the first product from my Yule Monty gift set that I've finished! This Peaches and Clean face wash has been really lovely to use. I absolutely adore the peachy scent, and it has managed to successfully keep my skin clear from any outbreaks of spots. My skin also felt lovely and soft after using this. £8 is quite expensive for cleanser, but I will definitely be keeping my out for offers in Boots!

Repurchase: If I can get it on offer, definitely.


Hae you tried any of these products? What did you think of them?

Love Me Beauty Box-January 2014

I've been eagerly awaiting January's Love Me Beauty box since I managed to nab the December one for cheaps earlier this month, and it's finally here! The first thing I thought when I picked up the box was 'Wow this is heavy!' I am so impressed with whats been included in this box, and I have to say, Glossybox and Birchbox are going to have to work pretty hard to beat this.

This time around I picked up option two, which has since changed on the website. Option two now comes with another Lord and Berry product, as opposed to this beast of a shower gel from Anatomicals.This is a full size 250ml bottle, which only retails for £3, but it's enormous! This has a lovely rose scent to it, and once I get through all of my Soap and Glory goodies, I'll be lathering up with this. Also, the packaging is pretty amusing.

Next up we have the Pureology hair mousse. I'm not really sure about this, if there'd been an option without it available, I'd have probably gone for that instead. The bottle says that this is for colour-treated hair, which mine isn't, but I'm sure that won't make much of a difference. I think I'll be giving this a go on a weekend in case it makes my hair look insane.

The hand cream collection has once again increased with this Weleda Sea Buckthorn cream. This has an unusual scent, it's quite orangey and slightly medicinal. Having just tested a small amount on the back of my hand, I'm quite impressed. It's absorbed into my skin really quickly, and it already feels softer. This one will probably get used up pretty quickly!

I also received this cute little eyeshadow from Nyx. I was hoping to get the gold champagne colour shown on the website, but this black sparkly shadow seems like it could be easily blended to achieve a dramatic smoky eye or a more manageable day time look. Pigment wise, it definitely falls into the smoky category, I had to use quite a lot to get the swatch so pigmented. This is a full size product which retails for £5.

And finally, we have this lovely mascara from Cosmetics a la Carte. The packaging is gorgeous, and very high end. I guess that shouldn't be surprising, as this is a full size product and retails at £23! It's got a lovely thin tapered brush, which I find easier to manage than the larger brushes. I've had a quick go with this and its really defined my lashes, and given them plenty of lift.

Overall, very impressive! I love the mix of products we've received, with hair, beauty, and bath & body being included in this months box. I will definitely be keeping my subscription to Love Me Beauty going. I've got a Glossybox and a Birchbox coming this month too, so keep your eyes peeled for the reviews on those.