I am late late late with this post but I’ve just managed to squeeze it in before August comes to an end. I got reminded that today is the last day of summer today which is very sad seeing as I feel like most of it has been rain, rain and more rain! However, while it was a bit dreich down in the Borders this weekend, I spent a couple of days in glorious sunshine up in Perth so at least that was something. Anyway, August’s Birchbox theme was Cosmic Beauty and subscribers were treated to an astrological design on their boxes which was looked amazing. The products themselves were pretty good this month with a good variety of make-up, skincare and hair proucts…but lets delve a little deeper.
Starting with make-up as that’s always my favourite, I received a full sized Hola Neon Lipstick Balm in the shade Call Me (RRP £17). It was a little darker than I was expecting, I thought it was going to be a lighter nude so I was a little worried it was going to be too dark. Alas, I need not have worried…this is like a hybrid of a balm/ gloss/ lipstick so when applied, it was quite sheer but with a pretty hint of colour and shine, perfect for every day wear. The case is also very cute and shuts with a satisfying click!
The second make-up item I received was the Eyeko Black Magic: Cocoa Edit Liquid Eyeliner in Brown (Travel Size RRP £9, Full Size RRP £16). I was stoked to see this as I love liquid eyeliner and have been wanting to try colours other than black so this came at just the right time. This is perfect when you want something a little more subtle than full on black but it still makes a statement. It applies really smoothly and it is easy to get a precise line which is definitely a bonus. I think this is my favourite product from this month’s box!
Moving onto hair we have the Luxliss Love Me Mad Miracle Leave-In Treatment (Full size RRP £12.90). I hadn’t heard of this brand before so was interested to see what it was like. This mask has many claims…added moisture, shine & elasticity, controls frizz and heat protection…that’s a lot for a small bottle. First of all my hair isn’t in the least bit frizzy so I have no idea how well it works in that area…however, it did leave my hair feeling very soft and smooth and it definitely helped keep tangles at bay. It also smells pretty nice as well…well played Birchbox, well played.
Next up and something I wasn’t overly bothered about at first glance is the NaobayDetox Energizing Facial Mist Toner (Full size RRP £18). I originally thought this was just one of those facial sprays which are literally just made up of water, however, I soon realised this was not the case and it does contain a fruit mixture, hyaluronic acid and aloe vera…so no I won’t be waking up and looking 16 again but hopefully it can provide a hit of moisture. I did find the spray a touch on the aggressive side…not the fine mist I was hoping for so I definitely won’t be spraying this over my make-up. However, it was definitely refreshing and perked me up during the mid afternoon slump and my skin did feel very soft and moisturised after application. I’ll definitely keep using until the end of the bottle and although I’m not sure I would buy it again, if I was given it as a gift I would still be very happy. (What I will recommend from this brand is the Orange Juice Hand Cream…it is an absolute delight to use).
Last but not least, although this was my least favourite product this month is the MineTan Coffee Scrub (Full size RRP £11.99). Nothing to do with the product itself, it actually does work very well and left my skin feeling super soft, I just hate the mess coffee scrubs create…no matter how hard I try to keep it contained I always end up with granules FREAKIN’ EVERYWHERE! Anyway, this contains almond and macadamia oil and along with the scrubby bits, it definitely does it’s job and does it well. It just leaves such a bloody mess!
So there we have it, August is done and dusted *sad face*. I did really like this box, although the produxt sizes were a little underwhelming. I loved the eyeliner and the hair mask and will also continue to use the lip blam and the facial spray. I will grudgingly finish the coffee scrub, continue to moan about the mess and will probably be finding coffee granules for weeks to come! However, all in all it was a really good box and great value for money.
The August box is now sold out but you can still get 30% off your first subscription with this code https://birchbox.mention-me.com/m/ol/ay3iw-kirsty-arnott
Until next time,
Kirsty x
lifewithkirstyjane.com 