Birchbox review | August 2017

How are we almost at the end of August already!? The tell-tale appearance of my not-so-friendly local Hermes courier with the August Birchbox signalled the half-way point of another month.

Summer almost over once again! I never knew a box of bite-size beauty treats could trigger such existential angst…

But summer lived on in the latest box, which was all based around ‘Mermaid Vibes’. I must be one of the only people in the blogosphere not bitten by the mermaid/unicorn obsession. Hands up, I don’t get it.

However, I was intrigued to see what goodies were waiting in the box to keep that summer vibe going…

So the first thing that came out of the box was this full-sized AO5 Brush from Spectrum.

You either received one in the Glam Clam (mermaids again!) style, which features a turquoise handle, rose-gold ferrule and ombre purple and pink bristles – the complete brush set comes in an iridescent clamshell case, if you really want to get your mermaid on!

Or you could receive one in the Bomb Shell style – pink handle with pink ombre bristles.

That’s the one I received and I was pleased as I already have a few brushes in the same style, although they have shorter handles for travel, and I kind of wish this did as well!

Spectrum brushes are notoriously great quality, all being meticulously hand-made.

It’s a softly angled dome-shaped brush – a good multi-tasker that works well for setting powder, highlighter or for bronzer. The bristles are beautifully soft and give an amazing finish. What a great product to receive.

Next up, another brand I already really like – LOC One and Done Shadow Stick. After trying one of their Shadow Sticks before I already knew they were great quality- creamy, seamless colour that blends well and doesn’t crease.

I’ve also tried one of their lip crayons, which was equally great. I love their ethos of having everything in a crayon form – they’re so easy to use and travel with.

There were two shades sent out – Rock Steady, a taupe brown, and Out Of Your Shell, which is a sort of soft champagne shade, the one I received. It gives a beautiful wash of colour and you get up to 11 hours of waterproof wear out them – ideal for effortless summer beauty.

You’ve heard of salt spray for creating beachy waves? Well, the next thing is apparently sugar spray! Step up, Number 4 Sugar Texturizing Spray.

It gives the same summery, undone texture beloved of surfer girls, off-duty models and pretty much everyone feeling holiday vibes – but with a softer, less crunchy texture.

It’s also kinder to your hair – where salt sprays can dehydrate and strip hair of its keratin protein, sugar sprays are much kinder. The sugar cane in the spray is actually deeply moisturising, so it nourishes as well as creating soft texture.

So you get loose, pretty waves without any crunch – which sounds really good to me! It creates a style that lasts through heat and humidity too, which makes it the ideal product for taking away with you.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or Multi-Usage Dry Oil Shimmer is already a classic in my eyes. Its something I’ve been using for years, and I never go on an evening out without applying some to legs, arms and any other area that might be exposed!

Brimming with a nourishing blend of six different essential oils and Vitamin E, it deeply moisturises and softens the skin and leaves behind a really flattering golden shimmer that gives an airbrushed look to limbs.

It’s just magic and happiness in a bottle, and the soft scent reminds me of good times. I also use it on my hair, and you can even dab some on cheekbones.

Although there is always a bottle of this sat on my dressing table, it’s really handy to have a mini one to take away with me.

Finally, Vita Coco Coconut Oil is another well-known favourite in my beauty arsenal. There’s almost nothing that you can’t do with the stuff – from moisturising skin and hair to whitening teeth and removing makeup.

Its definitely something I wouldn’t travel with out – I even took a pot into hospital with me when I gave birth!

Packed with natural fatty acids, its so good for your body, and because it can be used for so many things its great to take away with you. Because its 100% natural, its even safe to use on Theo.

This month’s selection was a great box of things, and all of them are items I’ll get a lot of use out of. All the essentials for a glowing summer look are here. Order your Birchbox here.