★ May Birchbox Unboxing + April Review ★

★ May Birchbox Unboxing + April Review ★

Birchbox is a monthly beauty and lifestyle sample box for $10.88 monthly.

Ships to: U.S., France, Spain, UK, and Canada.

Each month, subscribers have one of three options to choose from.

You can choose the featured box: You see everything that will be in the box

You can choose the single sample: You pick one sample to be in your box and the rest are random

You can choose the random: Don't do anything and everything is a surprise/random

This box I chose one sample and the rest was random (I chose the large real chemistry peel)

You take a quiz when you subscribe to help steer your items to your tastes.

You can review the items that were in your box for points. Each item is worth 10 points in the Birchbox store. $5 in store is 50 Birchbox points.

According to the Birchbox website: "At this time, individual product feedback does not significantly impact the samples Birchbox members will receive in future boxes."

Each box comes with a card that has the monthly theme and a list of the contents with the price and instructions.

1. Real Chemistry Luinous 3-Minute Peel Body - Deluxe Size 15ml $3.15 (Full Size - 160ml $34)

I would have preferred the version of this for faces (as this one is for body). I'm happy to have ANY sort of peel or mask (favoriteeee items). 

Website claims:

Exfoliation

Gentle

Evens tone

Smooths rough patches

Not iritating sensitive skin

Full body (feet->decollete.. including bikini)

Luminous skin

Soft skin

Suitable for:

Keratosis

Eczema

Body Acne

Ingrown hair

Dry skin

2. ModelCo Lip Lacquer - In "Viva" - One 1.5ml $5.33 (Trio 3x 1.5ml $16)

 The trio is the colors Creme Brulee, Morocco, and Viva (This is Viva)

 Below: One swipe

 Above/Below: Dab a little on and it blends nicely on the lips to cover with a subtle tint

 Below: No product

 Below: Nice color!

This color looked radical in the container but is a nice pink on my lips. I expected it to be bright but it is close to my natural lip color. I saw a lot of people commenting that this wasn't sticky but as someone who doesn't prefer glosses... it is sticky to me. Ha ha. When I part my lips there is a pulling (is my definition of sticky).

WATERMELON scent! No taste.

Website claims:

Shine

High pigment

Rich color

Nonsticky

Moisturizing

Fuss-free wear

Hydrating

3. Coola Classic Face Sport SPF 50 White Tea - Deluxe Size - $3.20 (Full Size - 50ml $32)

I never wear dedicated SPF on my face because it ALWAYS breaks my face out. I will always try them though because of how important it is that we do wear SPF.

The white tea scent smells sweet with subtle floral - I'm sensitive to scents and this one is SUBTLE!

Website Claims:

sensitive skin

non-irritation

no breakouts (we'll see)

ultrasheer

infused with evening primrose and linseed oil to blance moisture levels and even skin tone

water resistant (80 minutes)

White tea scent

4. Coastal Scents StyleEYES Palette - Two shades black/grey - Sample $3 (Full Size 8 shades $12)

I have four palettes from coastal scents (revealed 1-3 and the smokey) So I passed these to a friend because I have shades VERY similar to these. 

It wasn't sealed but the packaging had a sticky seal (easily breakable)

The packaging has a magnet closure (love that)

5. Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo - Deluxe 0.75oz $3.39 (Full Size 5.3oz $24)

Dry shampoos rarely do anything for the oils in my hair! I don't use them usually though because of the scents! It is always overpoweringly SWEET or floral. They sit in a cloud around my face all day after using them. I have already used this (as soon as I opened the box) and it DOES have a very sweet floral scent but it dissipated after a few minutes. I didn't notice any difference in my hair oils though.

Website Claims:

absorbs excess oil and dirt

leaves hair clean and deodorized, lighter, softer

Antioxidant

Fatty acid-rich obliphica oil

moisturizes

strengthens hair

repairs split ends

enhances shine

Rice starch

No aluminium shavings

No talc

Safe for color-treated hair

Total spent for the bag: $10.88

Total bag is worth: $18.07

Total saved: $7.19

This isn't my favorite box thus far... I'm excited about the peel but that is the sample that I chose. I regret not going with the box that all the samples were shown because I liked at least two of those products a lot.

I'm not a fan of dry shampoo, lip gloss, or spf.. and I already own the shadows. Since I'm a new subscriber though they have very little reviews from me to base my boxes off of! 

Five items: 3 Sealed: 2 No Seal

Sealed: Sunscreen, Peel, Lip gloss

No Seal: Shadow and Dry Shampoo

★APRIL REVIEW★

 Link to unboxing

1. Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator - Sample Size - 0.7oz $5.66 (Full Size 4.23oz $34)

I enjoyed this product but it didn't wow me. The grit is ultrafine. Subtle scent.

 2. Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask - Sample Size - $4.25 (Full Size 8oz $34)

I used this twice and I have to say that I DID notice a softness in the ends of my hair afterward. I was surprised. This still has several uses left and I might buy this after I'm out!

 3. Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream - Sample Size - 22ml $2.35 (Full Size 150ml $16)

I got the lavender scent, a scent I normally don't care for, and I really like it! I will be repurchasing this product. The scent was pleasant (I'll try pomegranate, coconut, or grapefruit when I purchase). It left the area SQUEAKY clean.. I usually have issues trying to wash shaving creams off! It seemed to really help with shaving too! I'm surprised and glad to find this gem.

 4. The Beauty Crop PBJ Smoothie Stick - Full Size - $14.95

Comfortable, wears even, and can be a nice tiny of color of it is applied VERY softly. Other wise it looks like a blue toned red. No scent.
Cons: This was VERY drying... it dry down worse than any liquid lipstick I own!

 5. Supergoop! Daily Correct CC Cream SPF - Sample Size - 3ml $1.10 (full size 87ml $32)

Great color! Light coverage but it was perfect for my tastes. Didn't run when sweating.

Thank you so much for following along

☼☼ May Boxycharm Unboxing + April Review☼☼

            May Boxycharm Unboxing + April Review

Boxycharm is a monthly beauty subscription box that sends 4-5 full-size beauty/makeup products.

I was not given this box. All opinions are my own. Based off my preferences! :D

Cost: $21 per month (FREE SHIPPING!)

My referral link

https://www.boxycharm.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/38747/

They only ship to 48 U.S. states. (They don't ship to Hawaii or Alaska yet.)

1. ModelCo Bronze Shimmer - Full Size - $22

The swatch of this is just to the left of the purple stripe in the photo below.

I thought this would be too dark for me but I actually really like the color. I don't wear bronzer much so I will probably use this more often as an eye-shadow because I don't have a color like this. I'm super excited to receive this product.

2. The Lip Bar Lipstick in "Purple Rain" Full Size $20

My favorite item int his box... the LIPSTICK. I don't have a color like this so I was super excited to get it. I know there were a few colors circulating but this brand is BOLD so I know not everyone was happy with getting this color. I love it. It is creamy and applies easy to the lips. It isn't low wearing but it is Friday night and I ate a piece of pizza just now and it is STILL on. That is impressive. Also, the swatch on my hand stained. 

The description says "Handcrafted with a unique blend of natural ingredients such as Vit E, shea butter, and avocado oil, these lipsticks are designed to moisturize, soften, and amplify lips while setting you apart." This has lived up to those claims so far!

3. Bodyography Essential Brow Trio - Full Size $19

The swatch for this product starts above the bronzer and moves to the downward. Starting with the palest shade you can't see above the bronze. It is matte and matches my skin. the second darkest shade is in the middle and finally on the bottom is the darkest. 

I have BLACK brows so the third and darkest shade will be what I test out. I use everything as eye-shadows as well so I'm excited to try this as that as well.

4. Bodyography Brow Brush - Full Size $19

I'm glad they included this brush in the box. It just makes sense with the brow trio, I think. Both ends are extremely TOUGH and thick but that is what I expect from a brow brush. I don't want them to be flimsy. They felt soft enough on my brows so I'm happy with this so far.

5. Lauren B. Beauty Nail Polish - Full Size $18 (bottle sticker says I'mSoLA but I think I got Polo Lounge Punch - see below)

Below is ONE coat. It was ALMOST completely opaque with one coat which I've NEVER used anything that was anything BUT two full coats. If I had a little more on my brush it would have been opaque on ONE coat. That is just fantastic.

Below is two full coats.

I've never had a nail polish last through a shower. Not my essie, julieg, sinfulcolors,nyc....etc. Not a single polish lasts shower even if I use base,colo,top coats and seal each. This polish DID. No chipping. I'm really impressed.

I like nail polish and I'll always be glad to see it in a box. That being said this wouldn't be my FIRST choice of shade. I'm not even 100% which shade I received. The sticker on the bottom of my bottle said "I'mSoLA" but.. it looks nothing like what ImSoLA is on the website. On the website I'mSoLA is a lighter pink. There is a red on the website called Rodeo Drive... that clearly isn't what I have. But.. there is an in-between that isn't red but isn't light pink called "Polo Lounge Punch". 

I took my pictures in the sunlight so you could see the PINK in it because indoors and in the shade it looks like a classic red. I'm sure I received "Polo Lounge Punch." My bottle in person looks most like the center as well. Here are all three shades from the website.

Top is ImSoLA

Middle here is Polo Lounge Punch

 Bottom here is Rodeo Drive

Total spent for the bag: $21

Total bag is worth: $98

Total saved: $77

I love every single item in this box this month! Boxycharm is a HUGE savings if you would actually buy these products at these prices. I love getting it as it feels like a luxury. I can't wait for the summer boxes.

~~APRIL REVIEW~~

LINK to this unboxing and swatches from last month

This is my second revealed palette from boxycharm and I LOVE them. I actually purged my eye-shadow collection of a lot of colors after getting this. They can be powdery but with a good primer I don't have any fallout from these. I use mostly the bottom row of colors though. 

 I love the color this has when they are swirled together but I've used it several times as a full eye-shadow look and it was perfect! I love these gold looks at the top was a perfect highlight of course.

 I have very frizzy hair so this product was an excellent one! It didn't weigh down my hair and took care of the frizziness. Plus I really enjoy the sweet smell. I'll repurchase this when I run out.

I'm super sensitive to any fragrance I wear normally but this one is powerful and didn't burn my lungs. I love the scent and I will repurchase when I use it up! I've never purchased a full size bottle of perfume so I'm excited that I finally have one I can wear.

 We received a Jing Ai lip crayon in February's box so I knew I loved these. I had the same color twice so they sent me out the pink-a-boo shade and I passed this one along to a friend. They are creamy, pigmented, and perfect!

Thank you so much for following along.