Unboxing

     One of my favorite treats to receive every month is my Birchbox. I have gotten a subscription since 2017, and I am so happy I decided to try it out. Out of all of the monthly subscriptions for beauty boxes, I find Birchbox to be the best match for me. The quiz that you take to assess your beauty style and needs is very accurate and I always use and enjoy the products they send. Also, importantly, I find the price to be extremely reasonable. Every month I look forward to getting my box in the mail and the thrill of opening it to see what is inside. This month, I decided to do something a bit differently. Instead of getting my usual personalized box I decided to get a pre curated box that was not a surprise. I do love the element of not knowing what you will get, but I was so intrigued by the Clean Beauty box that was offered as an option this month I had to try it. Full disclosure, not every product I use ir organic or considered clean beauty. I would love to maybe one day transition my routine over to be completely clean, but for the time being I have to keep it real here. I do try to incorporate clean products into my skincare and makeup routine as often as I can!

As usual with Birchbox, you receive a total of six sample products. The first sample I tried was the Marula Eye Cream from Georgette Klinger. Being already familiar with the brand and loving their facial cleanser, I was excited for this one! Also dark circles are my nemesis. This cream combines fatty acids, fruit oils, and caffeine to plump, hydrate, and brighten the eye area. I found it to be creamy and lightweight and after a few uses, I noticed a difference in my perpetual under eye darkness. As an added plus, it protects the delicate eye area from aging. Next up was the Oil Cleansing Spray by ARROW. Now I must admit I was skeptical. Take off my makeup…with a spray? To use it, you spray it onto your face or into your hands first (my preferred method) and massage onto the skin. Then rinse with warm water or a washcloth. Coconut oil and vitamin E left my skin feeling soft and surprisingly, not greasy. The first time I used this I had a full face of makeup on, and it took only two tries to get it all off. The second time, I had lighter makeup on and this spray removed it with one swipe. I’m still skeptical on the spray formula, but I like the fact that its something different and the product works well! This next product is one of my favorite Birchbox samples I have gotten. Saint Jane Luxury CBD Beauty Serum is a silky and lightweight serum that packs 500 milligrams of CBD and added botanicals. I felt as if my skin was glowing from the inside after this serum. It gave me a smooth look, radiance, and I felt like my skin was hydrated and calmed. I sometimes get a touch of rosacea on my skin, and I had no redness for the whole day after using this serum. The full size is on the more expensive side, but in my opinion totally worth splurging for! Another winner was the High Five Cannabis Facial Moisturizer from High Beauty. It was unique in that it actually does not have any THC or CBD in it, just cannabis sativa seed oil. Combined with potent plant oils and antioxidants, its description claimed to leave skin balanced and refreshed. I have to say there was no lie there! This moisturizer left no residue and felt smooth and even under makeup. It even calmed some pesky hormonal breakouts I was struggling with. I would definitely get the full size to use as a daily moisturizer in my morning routine.

The Balance Me Hyaluronic Plumping Mist was one I was really excited to try. I love a good face mist or setting spray! Overall, I did enjoy how this product worked but my one cautionary mention would be to remember that it is not necessarily a setting spray. I found it did not do much to set makeup or keep it place, but what it is excellent for is no makeup (or minimal) days. It is super hydrating and cooling. It dried so quickly and did not leave a tacky finish or dry feeling at all. I suffer from the occasional bout of dry skin in the winter and I think this product will be helpful to have on hand for that. Lastly, but certainly not least is OI Hair Butter from Davines. Another brand that I have used before and liked very much. This is a mask treatment, that you leave on dry hair for about 10 minutes then rinse and shampoo. It feels rich and creamy and it helped me with three of hair concerns. Up until recently when I went back to the dark side, I got my hair highlighted platinum blonde every 8 weeks. While blonde is my favorite hair color for myself, the damage does catch up to you. I also have some new found breakage in my hair, the result of wearing a messy bun for 4 months straight in quarantine (sigh). This treatment made my hair feel so healthy, gave shine, and it felt so smooth. I also have fine hair texture. And this mask provided body! Something many treatments claim to do but don’t deliver on. I would definitely buy the full size of this item to continue on my healthy hair journey.

Overall, I could not be happier with my choice to try the Clean Beauty box from Birchbox for my October delivery. I loved trying something new and adding these products into my collection, I was pleased with all of them! I would love to hear about your experiences with Birchbox and what products you love! I know I’m already looking forward to my November box!