First & Last Birchbox

February's Birchbox

I believe this was the first time I've purchased a Birchbox, and I am no stranger to a beauty subscription box! Long time readers will remember I was quite the fan of Glossybox back in the day, but after more than my fair share of dud boxes, I knocked that service on the head. As I've garnered a proper skincare routine over the years, I tend to buy what I know works for me now, rather than relying on trying samples to inform my shopping decision.

That being said, when I noticed that February's Birchbox came with a Gua Sha, which is a facial massage tool that I have been looking at purchasing, I thought I'd give it a go. I think the most inexpensive Gua Sha I'd found online was around the £10 mark, and as the Birchbox was £12.95 I thought it made sense to get one this way, and pick up a few extra bits alongside it. Happily there was also a discount code for 40% off when I signed up, so the total I paid was £7.77 (including postage!)

What I really liked about this 'box' was that there was actually no box in sight - the items came packaged in a reusable pouch. I would usually say 'Oooh great for travel!' LOL but I actually do find these handy for bathroom organisation - I have one with my hair care bits in, one for skincare, one for makeup and so on. (I should probably explain that in my bathroom I have a shelving unit with tubs on each shelf, so I find it easier to compartmentalise the tubs rather than having lots of products thrown into each one!)

As I've said, I have a skincare routine pretty much nailed now so I am not really looking for other things to try (though this is always nice) but I signed up to this Birchbox knowing that I would probably cancel after I received it (I have) because I couldn't see myself wanting to spend another £12/£13 per month on beauty samples. What I will say though, it that the items I got in this pouch are all pretty good, so if that is more your thing, and based on this box only (!) I would be inclined to recommend it!

In the pouch I got: 

• Gua Sha tool (Birchbox, RRP £12) This came in a fabric pouch and is *spoiler alert* Birchbox's own brand, and knowing fairly little about the company, I can't  really comment as to whether they would stand up against other brands, but it seems to be of a similar size and shape to others I've seen. The tool is made from natural green jade, and used over moisturiser or facial oil it can help to depuff the face and aid lymphatic drainage. I already use a facial roller, so I will be keen to try this out.
• Cheek & Lip Tint in Flamingo (MCoBeauty, full size, RRP £12) I love cream blushers and actually don't have one in my kit at the moment. My previous go-to was Rimmel Stay Blushed! Liquid Cheek Tint which I believe has been discontinued. This MCoBeauty one is a similar colour actually, so I think I would get quite a lot of use from it. I've already made a howler when testing in out, though, as it's quite a lot more liquid than the Rimmel one was so a load came out in a rush when I tested it (cue Aunt Sally blusher cheeks!) but the consistency was good and the application easy - you just pat it on the cheeks and blend out.
• Bois Rose Regenerating Face Cleanser (Huygens, sample size, RRP £22) This is a brand I've never heard of but they seem to have fairly robust natural origin credentials, including being vegan and cruelty free. I love the smell of rose and I also am running low on cleanser so this is good timing! I will certainly use it and perhaps will give a more rounded review once I have tested it more comprehensively. 
• Divine Eyes Self-Heating Eye Mask (Sensory Retreats, sample size, RRP £21) Something I am really looking forward to trying - I find it really hard to take time to do 'nothing' so to set aside 25 minutes to do an eye mask (unlike a hair or face mask where I can do other things whilst the mask is working) will be a real treat. I think because this one is infused with a lavender scent, it would be really nice to wear before bed. The self-heating element is also interesting and sounds super relaxing! The price quoted by Birchbox is for a pack of 7, and one mask is included in this box.
• Velvet Rose Bud Soothing Hand Cream (Beautaniq Beauty, full size, RRP £7) I mean, with the past year of constant hand washing, who wouldn't love another hand cream to use! I have been upping the anti of an evening by using Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream before bed, which is amazing but I find it too greasy to use during the day. I tried this product straight away and it's lovely - non greasy, sinks right in and smells amazing! The scent is pure rose, but if overly scented products aren't your thing, you may not like this one.

 So, in summary, I was impressed with my first Birchbox! Whilst at the moment it's not something I would commit to subscribing to monthly, for the price I paid I was really pleased with the bits I got. They are currently running a promotion for 50% off your first three month subscription with the code FEB50 - more info here.