The March Birchbox crept up on me – as did the month of March itself – and I cannot believe that we’ve almost landed in April without me mentioning it.
As you know, I’m very on and off with Birchbox, having cancelled by subscription and reinstated it several times. Last month’s spoiler item convinced me to stay for another month!
The theme of the March box is travel and adventures, which is very handy for me as I have so many trips coming up – London, Italy and China – in the next few weeks and will need to stock up on lots of travel minis! So, what was waiting in the box this month?
Balance Me Instant Lift Primer |RRP £22
So Balance Me is one of those brands that constantly seem to be distributing their products via sub boxes and magazine free gifts – with the result that I feel like I’ve tried lots of their stuff without ever having actually bought anything.
I’ve never been especially blown away by anything I’ve encountered by the brand, but a decent primer with lifting properties sounds like it could very well be the one to change all that. It promises to blur lines, lift and smooth and all while being 99% natural, so it could be a great one for any expectant mothers who are looking to make their skincare and make-up more organic.
There’s hyaluronic acid in there, which seems to be in absolutely everything these days, but I won’t complain is it’s a hydrating super-hero. There’s also acacia gum, which is the all-natural secret weapon behind the tightening effect. I’m interested to try this and who knows, it may well be the first Balance Me product I really grow to love…
Vita Liberata Ten Minute Tan | RRP £29.95
One thing about me is that I’ve actually never used a proper fake tan. Not once. I have used those wash-off tinting ones, but I remain terrified about the real deal. There are just too many tango-orange D-list reality show stars rocking the ‘bronzed’ look for me to fully appreciate it.
However, living in Britain means that winter pallor is a real situtation and when I do come to jetting off on my summer holidays, there is a part of me that wishes I was a bit more in the know when it comes to a faux glow. So could this cream persuade me?
This botanical cream gives you a sun-kissed look straight away but also develops over 4-6 hours, so you can get the benefit straight away (or at least know if you’ve gone too far and turned a fetching shade of ‘Essex riviera’ while there’s time to do something about it. Do you know what? I’m actually going to give it a go. Wish me luck!
Benefit They’re Real Double The Lip in Lusty Rose |RRP £16.50
This was the preview product that hooked me in for another month of miniature goodies. Benefit are a bit hit and miss for me. Some of their launches are instant classics and others leave me cold, even though everyone else seems to love them.
They’re Real is a hugely popular sub-brand for them. I hate the mascara with a passion and the eyeliner left me cold, yet I was still intrigued to see if this new lipstick was any good. The idea is that the ‘custom teardrop tip’combines a liner and a lipstick in one, giving an ombré lip look in a flash. That also cheats the look of fuller lips, which seems to be everyone’s beauty obsession du jour.
I love the idea, but the odd shaped tip really takes some getting used to, and I don’t love it yet, mostly because I got quite a wobbly finish. The lipstick formula is matte too and so quite unforgiving if you don’t have a steady hand.
I’m not all that impressed by this at first try but I’m going to keep trying with it. What you get here is a reddish pink rather than a true red, that’s ideal for a quietly polished look at brunch or in the office.
Batiste 2-in-1 Invisible Dry Shampoo & Conditioner |RRP £4.49
Since becoming a mother, I swear that I’m 80% caffeine and 20% dry shampoo. There’s never enough time and plus, I really, really hate drying my hair, so I try to swerve washing it for as long as possible. Dry shampoo is a saviour and a bathroom shelf essential in my house, so I was really excited to try this new iteration.
For a start, this is ‘invisible’. All my dark-haired ladies will be rejoicing at that news, because it can be a battle to find a decent dry shampoo that doesn’t leave those tell-tale icing sugar roots behind, and I loathe the tinted brown ones because they feel craggy and mess up my bathroom.
Second, if you don't like the dried out, crunchy feeling dry shampoo can give, the conditioning agents in this new formula are the answer. I was so excited I immediately gave this a spray and I loved it. It refreshes my roots but adds shine and condition to the mid-lengths and ends. Perfection. I rushed out and bought a full size straight away because it's such an improvement on the normal Batiste and I know I’ll use this all the time. It comes in three scents and this one is the fresh and fruity Vanilla & Passionflower, but I picked up the Cocoa & Cashmere full-size, which is heaven. Love.
Bobbi Brown Multi-Mask Kit |RRP £33.00 each
We have Instant Detox, which caters for oily patches. Radiance Boost, which gives a lift to dull, tired areas and Skin Nourish to soothe dry patches. It’s a cute mini kit and I’m looking forward to testing it out.
The Verdict
This month’s Birchbox contains some intriguing items that I’ll enjoy discovering plus one new love (the Batiste 2-in-1) so I’m happy. I’m not cancelling again just yet, as my upcoming trips will give me the chance to play around with some of the minis I’ve been stockpiling. It’s a hit this month!
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