*April Birchbox
Monthly subscription is £10.00 Plus £2.95 P&P
No. of Products in the Box – 5 items
www.birchbox.co.uk
I am SO READY to embrace all things spring after those long winter months and this month Birchbox have partnered up with Boden for their Bold and Beautiful theme accompanied by a gorgeous box design that’s dressed in Boden’s key print for the season – I think it’s my favourite design so far – it’s definitely a keeper! Excitingly, I was also lucky enough to be introduced to some new products this month and although the line-up didn’t have anything particularly spring-y (is that even a word?) in it other than a couple of the products that were dressed for the occasion, it did come with a few solid beauty staples ranging from skin and body care, hair and make-up, all of which are travel friendly too.
Birchbox is a monthly beauty subscription service. The box consists of 5 luxe beauty treats from well-known brands and emerging brands and occasionally you may also receive a lifestyle item too. Birchbox is also a full-blown beauty destination where you can purchase all the brands which have been featured in their boxes with an exceptional and very generous reward program.
1. Manna Kadar Cosmetics High Definition Powder – Travel Size. Full size RRP £27.00
For April all subscribers had the opportunity to choose one of two products from Manna Kadar, a brand that I’ve seen pop up a few times inside subscription boxes and it’s always the same product (the Bronzer And Highlighter Duo!) so I’m relieved that Birchbox picked out the High Definition Powder for me as I’ve got quite a few of the latter gathering dust!
The High Definition Powder promises to create a matte, flawless makeup finish that leaves a velvet feel, applies to skin completely colourless and keeps makeup in place all day long. I’ve tried similar HD powders so I hope this one is equally just as good if not better!
2. Nip + Fab Colour Correcting Concealer – Full Size 8ml RRP £8.95
The beauty of beauty boxes is sometimes we get to try new launches and the Nip + Fab Colour Correcting Concealer only got unveiled recently so I’m delighted that this made its way inside my box. From the four variations available I received Banana, a yellow toned concealer that not only provides good general coverage but it’s also great for concealing dark under eye circles and can be used to subtly highlight and brighten the high points of the face. It’s also lightweight, crease-resistant, fast-drying and a matte formula that doesn’t compromise on the high pigment coverage.
3. Polaar IcePure Gentle Scrub – Travel size 25ml. Full size RRP £23.50
Since falling in love with Polaar’s Icy Magic I’ve been wanting to try more from their range so the IcePure Gentle Scrub is such a welcomed addition plus all subscribers can expect to see this among their contents this month. Described as a soft scrub with a mechanical peeling action, it also benefits from a dual peeling and polishing action ensures instantaneous results and removes dead skin cells and improves the skin’s complexion. The gentle creamy formula preserves the skin’s hydrolipidic film and is suitable for even the most sensitive skin.
4. Baïja Paris Crème Moana in Fleur de Tiarè – Travel size 30ml. Full size RRP £15.90
Baija Paris isn’t a brand I’ve heard of before but they hail from France and I’m in love with the tropical packaging, it reminds me of holidays! Enriched with coconut oil, shea, protective honeybee wax, jojoba wax and cupuaçu butter this body moisturiser is scented with the tiare flower. The texture of the cream is slightly thick but it absorbs into the skin very well and doesn’t leave a greasy film behind but it’s true beauty lies within the tiare flower scent which is delicate yet captivating.
5. amika The Shield Style Extending Spray – Travel size 31.5ml. Full size RRP £20.00
Just looking at this makes me feel happy, the brand really went all out with the packaging and created something fun and unique! The Shield Style Extending Spray is powered by an advanced encapsulating technology that delivers sub-micron spheres into the hairs’ cuticle to form an invisible anti-frizz, anti-humidity shield and also works to protect the hair from UV rays, pollution and extreme heat (up to 450°F). This sounds like the perfect haircare hero that targets quite a few of my own hair concerns especially the frizz and humidity problem but I love that this also protects too.
My Verdict
For April, Birchbox certainly delivered an interesting box filled with new discoveries from both well-known and under the radar brands and also offered a good balance on the beauty front ranging from makeup, hair and skin and body care, all of which would make great travel companions for short breaks. I’m a sucker for pretty packaging and their collaboration with Boden definitely brought amazing colour to kick start the new season and represented their Bold and Beautiful theme beautifully. I’ve not tried everything as of yet apart from the body lotion which has very quickly become a favourite but there’s quite a few products that have piqued my interest so I’m hoping to give these a go over the Easter weekend. You can also expect to see a £10.00 Boden gift voucher inside the box which you can redeem via their website.
Birchbox Offer:
Receive a FREE full-size ModelCo® Crème Rouge, 2-in-1 lip and cheek tint (worth £14), when you subscribe to the April Birchbox! Use the code ROUGE via www.birchbox.co.uk
*PR Sample