Yes it’s mid-April and yes there’s been another Birchbox delivery since this one, but I couldn’t miss an opportunity to discuss some of the March box products with you as they’re some of my favourites in a while. The box isn’t available to buy any more, but all of the products will be – so I’ll leave links so that you can take a look and shop any of them if you wish.
Last month was ‘International Women’s’ Day’ so all of the products were centred on helping the modern woman not only look her best but also to feel her best whilst juggling all of those crazy things that make up daily life.
Products received in this months box were;
-Generation Clay Detoxifying Clay Mask RRP £28.50
-Caudalie Thirst Quenching Serum RRP £29.00
-Lipcote & Co. Brow Gel RRP £6.99
-Charlotte Tilbury ‘Scent of a Dream’ RRP £49
-The Beauty Crop Bronzer RRP £8
BOD Instant Face & Body Glow RRP £4.99
Generation Clay Detoxifying Clay Mask RRP £28.50
Although I love the detoxifying effect that clay masks have on the skin and the fact that you can physically see the mask drawing out the dirt and impurities from your skin, I usually get a really dry complexion for a day or two after using them, which has put me off in the past.
As I’ve not used a Generation Clay one before, I thought I’d give this one a go and it’s bloody brilliant! The formula is just the right consistency and goes onto the skin well. It doesn’t drip but is not too thick in a way that makes it too hard to spread. Again, as with all clay masks, you can see it working as the timer ticks on and each impurity is drawn out – I always find this particularly around my T-Zone.
After the 10 minutes was up, I found the mask really easy to wash off and my skin was not dry, but in fact felt really well hydrated and cleansed. If you’ve experienced similar issues to me when using clay masks in the past, I would definitely recommend giving this one a try. I’ll be using it a couple of times a week moving forward.
Caudalie Thirst Quenching Serum RRP £29.00
I absolutely adore a good serum and I have a couple of go-to’s that I reach for every, single day. My usual preference is an oil-based, extremely hydrating and nourishing serum which I will use in the evening to ensure my skin gets the care and attention it needs, while I get my beauty sleep. For a night time serum, I like to be able to feel it on my skin for a while rather than soaking in straight away.
I don’t recall using any oil-free serums for a while, so I was keen to give this one a go. It does exactly as described, and hydrates the skin through a very lightweight formula and with 97% natural ingredients, it’s definitely more skin friendly than some on the market. It’s a lovely product and perfect for me to use as a morning serum, but I still prefer a heavier option for evenings – it can’t hurt having two though right?!
Lipcote & Co. Brow Gel RRP £6.99
My eyebrows are notorious for their unruly ways and anyone who knows me has no doubt seen them at some point, spiralled well out of place. I somehow take after my dad when it comes to eyebrows, they are horrendously curly when long and grow at such a rapid rate it’s hard to keep them in check so a brow gel is an essential part of my daily beauty routine.
A few months back I picked up a tinted brow gel sample that I’ve been using and in terms of previous products, I would say I’ve been using different versions of tinted brow gels for years. The last time I used a clear gel was in the days I also used a clear mascara around the age of 15! I have my brows tinted every 3 weeks and fill in any missing bits with a Benefit powder each morning anyway, so actually, a clear gel is probably all I need to keep them in shape.
I love this one and to be honest, will probably use it to replace any tinted gels I have in my makeup bag. It’s waterproof which is a win and it keeps every single hair in place from morning until night. If you have unruly eyebrows like mine, you’ll know it takes a strong gel to last all day!
Charlotte Tilbury ‘Scent of a Dream’ RRP £49
I’ve never used Charlotte Tilbury fragrances in the past, but have seen them promoted a lot online by various bloggers and influencers. This one really isn’t for me as it’s completely different from the usual scents I would go for. It’s a very strong floral scent, mixed with lemon, peach and black pepper so if floral and strong is your thing, give it a try.
To give you a better idea, two of my all-time favourite fragrances are Dior Addict and Paco Rabanne Olympea so if you are also a fan of either of these, maybe give this Charlotte Tilbury one a miss.
The Beauty Crop Bronzer RRP £8
I got this bronzer in shade ‘Tanneries’, it’s the darker of the two and is more of a brown shade which suits my skin tone perfectly. The formula is said to be packed full of green tea, which as we know is an antioxidant, so will work its magic on your skin throughout the day.
I would class this as more of a powder than a bronzer, as it doesn’t have the usual characteristics I would look for in a bronzer. I like a bronzer to give me quite a glow whereas this is completely matte – however, I’m no beauty expert so I can’t say that I’m 100% sure on what differentiates the two.
The product goes onto the skin beautifully and I will definitely be using it daily on my cheekbones as well as on my eyelids for a basic daily eyeshadow look.
BOD Instant Face & Body Glow RRP £4.99
This is probably the product that I least rate out of the entire box. It’s described as an instant tanner which gives an ‘effortless glow’ but to be honest it just felt like I had covered my skin in glitter which is absolutely not my vibe. It seems to sit on top of the skin a bit more than I’d like and it’s more of a made-up look than the natural skin look I prefer.
You can apply this alone or mix it with your usual foundation and I think the latter works best. It blends a lot better when mixed with foundation but the shimmer effect it gives still looks quite artificial and unnatural. Saying that I am going to give it a couple more goes before completely writing it off. Maybe it would be better used as part of an evening makeup look?
K a y l e i g h R e b e k a h 