Subscription: Birchbox
Cost: $10/month, and with reviews you earn 1pt=$1, so every two boxes you can earn $10 to spend in the shop!
What to Expect: 5 beauty samples [sometimes a full size item or a snack as well]
The Box: Out of Doors
That’s an awkwardly phrased title. “Where are you going with all that sunscreen and bronzer?!” “I am going out of doors. I’ll see you once I circumnavigate the pool and return to the interior of doors.”
Cargo Blush and Bronzer Duo: $35 for Bronzer in Medium (0.31 oz.) and Powder Blush in Catalina (0.31 oz.).
I used this incorrectly and just swept them together onto my cheeks. The result was a brown section in the middle of rosy pink cheeks. I like this little duo though, and I’ll figure out how this bronzer nonsense works!
I tried it again and I looked like I had dirty cheeks. =\ I need contouring help!!
Supergoop! Sun Defying Sunscreen Oil with Meadowfoam SPF 50: $34 for 5oz. “Skin-nourishing richness (and flattering sheen) of a body oil while delivering broad-spectrum UV protection.”
I am not usually super impressed with sunscreens in my sub boxes, so I immediately gave this to my mom. Regret! After handing it over, I decided to try it and it sprays on in a nice sheen and the citrusy scent is fabulous! She needs sunscreen more than I do, but I may have to swap for more of this.
CoTZ® Face Natural Skin Tone SPF 40: $20 for 1.5oz. “It’s free of oil, harsh chemicals, and fragrances, and won’t upset sensitive skin.”
Meh. I have enough face SPFs so I handed this over to my mom as well.
#noregerts
Vera Bradley Macaroon Rose: $48 for 50ml. “Featuring notes of delicious macaroons, sweet rose petals, sandalwood, and jasmine, this romantic eau de toilette is the fragrance equivalent of walking through Luxembourg Gardens.”
Wow. This has roses in it? Weird, because I love this, and it’s the most affordable perfume I believe I’ve received from Birchbox! After opening it I left the box by my bed and kept smelling it all night. It’s delicious. Though I don’t think I’d buy it as the scent is almost too sweet and it doesn’t seem to last very long.
Mmmm macaroon sauce!
Davines LOVE Smoothing Shampoo (For Coarse or Frizzy Hair): $25 for 8.45oz. “Gentle shampoo is specially formulated to tame frizzed-out and tangle-prone hair.”
Davines LOVE Smoothing Conditioner (For Coarse or Frizzy Hair): $29 for 8.45oz. “It’s formulated with olive extract (from Minuta olives grown on a family farm in Messina, Italy), which infuses strands with fatty acids, vitamin E, and antioxidants for a softer, smoother style.”
I handed these over to my mom, then read the “for coarse or frizzy hair”, and immediately took them back! She’s got wavy, cooperative blonde hair. I tried it and it felt wonderful on my hair! So silky.
I’ve never tried purple shampoo. I hope it turns my hair purple!
Favorite April product: Milk Makeup Gel Brow in Pilsner. I’m really impressed how nice this makes me eyebrows look! It has a waxiness in it that definitely requires an eyebrow brush to sort out. My only gripe is that I have to sharpen this frequently, and I hate makeup pencils that have to be sharpened. However, I’m pretty sure I’m buying this full size anyway! Also, the acne dots were pretty great and worked much better than toothpaste, trying to pop the zit, and glaring at it till it withered.
They never withered with glares though.
Verdict: Not bad, not bad! Six items to review and I got some items I’ll use. I hope my mom likes her new sunscreens, and the shampoo and conditioner faired pretty well on my frizzy curls. I still want to eat the macaroon perfume though…
See our other Birchbox reviews!
Disclosure: This box was purchased by me at a discount. There is a referral link.
Great review! I tried to contour my face yesterday when we went to a car show. Stepped out in the sun and my husband said, “You’ve got dirt in your cheek”. Then he actually tried the old mom trick of licking his thumb and wiping the smudge. Thank God I ducked. But I was hyper aware of my “dirty face” for the rest of the day.
Susie that’s hilarious! I think I’ll just skip the bronzer from now on… unless someone finds some awesome teenage youtuber who can show us how to contour like a Kardashian.
I just re-signed up for Birchbox on Friday. You guys helped me realize that I missed my little samples and boxes!
I haven’t tried contouring yet but got the contour kit in the last FabFitFun box and will give it a try. I expect to look like I have a dirty face but perhaps that is the height of fashion.
CeciliaA, if people can make homeless fashion popular [hipsters] and graphic tees sell out in minutes, then I think we can make “just played in the dirt” contouring a thing =D
Ahhhh! I have not opened my curated box and I need to review it! I need shampoo lol.