Birchbox Review for September 2017

I was just sitting back washing my face and masking (something I haven't had time to do for most of this month) and I had a quick feeling of what bliss is. My husband is out working, the kids are in bed (and actually quiet), my mother-in-law is visiting her other son and his wife for most of the evening. I have found silence. And as I type this I hear the door and slowly whither inside. It was sweet while it lasted. But in my short reverie I decided I'm going to color with Lizzie when I wake up tomorrow.

What does any of this have to do with a Birchbox review, you ask?

This!


The box this month was pretty cute. Birchbox sent out three different designs and I love the gold foil and that the box is mostly plain and allows for coloring. Time to break out my pack of 48 colored pencils! The box included:

12 Benefits Instant Healthy Hair Treatment - $2.75
Avène Cleanance MAT Mattifying Toner - $2.75
Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer - $9.10
Daily Concepts Your Facial Micro Scrubber - $8.00, Cruelty Free
The Beauty Crop Glamazon Stick Highlight Crayon - $12.00 FULL SIZED

I've changed my stance a little bit on hair care products. I used to be very anti-hair care items but I'm glad I got 12 Benefits Instant Healthy Hair Treatment. It smells nice and did a great job of moisturizing and detangling Lizzie's hair without weighing it down at all. Livy's hair is a bit um... much... for subscription box items.

Boy am I loving the Avène Cleanance MAT Mattifying Toner. I can actually see on the cotton round that it is removing excess dirt. I say excess dirt because I haven't worn any facial makeup in weeks now just because it would take more than the time than I can afford and I am already overdrawn on available time.

 

The Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer reminded me of the Dr. Brandt Pores No More primer that seems to be a frequent presence in subscription boxes. They are similar in both color, texture and consistency but the one difference is that the Smashbox primer does not smell medicinal like the Dr. Brandt primer does, and thank Christ for that. That medicinal, astringent scent would drive me insane. The primer has a slight silicone texture and it applies beige but rubs in easily. I do not think I like this type of primer though. I find the mattifying Smashbox Photo Finish primer to be effective at blurring my skin and and also filling in pores. I felt that this pore minimizing primer just did apply evenly. It did the basic job that a primer does once foundation was applied though.

 

The Daily Concepts Your Facial Micro Scrubber was my sample choice this month but as soon as I used it I realized I had made a mistake. The scrubber is graded as being gentle and it has two different sides, a soft terry cloth side and a rougher terry cloth side. The terry fabric feels like I grabbed the last and cheapest remaining wash cloth out of the bin of a 99 Cent store and used it dry on my face. I like a rough exfoliant but I disagree that this is considered anywhere near gentle. The sponge itself forms a little pocket for your fingers to fit into as you wash your face. It also has a tag with writing that fades once it is time to replace. Perhaps my biggest regret in choosing this item is I cannot help but be skeeved out by the idea of bacteria being on the sponge, especially after it turned brown while washing my face due to stray makeup still being present after a previous cleaning.

The hero of the box was The Beauty Crop Glamazon Stick Highlight Crayon. Oh my god! A highligher that isn't too pale, isn't too shimmery or golden, blends, and is in an easy to use form? Yes please! Of all the highlighers and bronzers that I have collected since April 2016, this is by far the best match for my skin tone. Good Job, Birchbox, you finally got something right! the stick is easy to stow away for travel, easy to apply, blends out crazy easily to the point that I can easily accidentally blend it away if I'm not careful. But honestly, I prefer that to having a highlight that looks insane on my face and could blind a unicorn at 60 yards. Below are two pictures with the blended Glamazon Stick up top, a swatch of the Glamazon stick second, the Smashbox primer second from the bottom and the Smashbox primer blended out at the very bottom.

Overall I'd call this a pretty strong box. I will use the primer and the hair product, I absolutely love the highligher, I can get use out of the face cleanser and I love the toner. I got two full sized items and at a value of $34.60, this was a very strong box this month.