Birchbox: June 2017


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It's month 3 back on the Birchbox train and I'm so excited to share with you guys the products I've received this month! I love testing out subscription boxes, both new and old, and love getting to see what products are sent each month! I've been loving Birchbox over the past couple of months but I can't quite figure out if that's because the products I've received are better or if I now have a better appreciation for all things beauty and skincare! Birchbox is a monthly beauty subscription ($10/month) that sends full, deluxe, and sample-size beauty, hair, make-up and skincare products! 

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amika: Perk Up Dry Shampoo

I’m not a frequent user of dry shampoo since I wash my hair every morning, but it’s always nice to have a small can of dry shampoo for summer lake days or camping trips! I used this dry shampoo before a day of paddle boarding and it left a little bit of white residue initially but ultimately kept my hair from looking greasy all day - so I’m pretty happy with it! My only complaint is that I received a product from amika last month so I'd really like to try some other brands as well :( 

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COOLA: Mineral Face SPF 30 Rosilliance in Golden

I enjoyed trying this product out but it just isn’t something I would use on a regular basis. It’s described as a BB cream/sunscreen hybrid that also offers sheer coverage. When I applied this to my face, it didn’t look like there was any coverage at all 😔 At least it offers some SPF? 

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Balance Me: Instant Lift Primer

I love the feel of how this primer applies to the skin - it feels much more like a serum rather than a primer. To be honest, however, I couldn’t really tell if the primer did much for actually smoothing out pores or helping the staying power of my make-up. This is a product I was happy to try but probably not something I’d go out and buy for myself.

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The Beauty Crop: Blush Duo in Papaya Don’t Preach

I wasn’t too sure about this blush duo at first but I’ve grown to love it the more I’ve used it! It’s a powder and cream blush duo - but the powder blush is so shimmery/bronzey that I’ve been using it more as a highlight. The cream blush is SUPER pigmented so be prepared to blend it out but I love that due to its strong pigmentation, the blush still shows through after I’ve dusted setting powder over the top! 

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Benefit Cosmetics: Boi-ing Airbrush Concealer

I was so, so excited to receive this concealer because I’ve heard lots of good things about Benefit’s new airbrush concealer. For me, however, it did not live up to the hype. According to its description, it offers sheer to medium coverage the doesn’t crease, cake or crack - but those were the exact things I experienced when I tried to blend it into my skin! To be fair, I’ve been experiencing some especially dry skin on certain areas of my face but most of my other concealers have still looked fine blended on top of it. This concealer did not blend easily, didn’t offer a ton of coverage and looked a little too cake-y. I still think I’ll get some good use out of it for lightening up my dark circles, but for any other spots on my face, this is a no go.

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Overall, I’m pretty happy with this month’s Birchbox! Although I didn’t love every specific item in this box, all of the products sent to me were things that I would use in my regular routine and I love getting the opportunity to try new brands of products that I already use in my everyday life! What did you think of your June Birchbox? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

PopSugar Must Have: June 2017


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The PopSugar Must Have box is a monthly subscription ($40/month or less if you make a 3, 6, or year long commitment)  that sends subscribers full-size versions of the season's must-have beauty, fashion, and home products. I’ve subscribed to a lot of boxes in my time and the PopSugar Must Have box is my all-time favorite by a mile! If you’re looking for a box that gives you a ton of value and awesome products, this is the box for you! Oh and this month's featured furry friend? My current foster kitten, Lace! ❤️

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Billabong: Aloha Forever Trucker Hat - Retail $17.95

According to the description card, this product is embracing the “trucker hat trend” and I have to admit, this just isn’t a trend I’m going to be embracing anytime soon! Simply as a matter of personal preference, this item was a flop for me. 

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Captain Blankenship: Mermaid Sea Salt Hair Spray - Retail $24

Subscription boxes seem to really love sea salt spray! This spray contains aloe vera and sea kelp extract and smells a lot better than the sea salt sprays than I’ve received in some other boxes (looking at you FabFitFun). So far, I’ve enjoyed using this spray to add some texture and hold on the days that I decide to curl my hair. Plus, it comes in a beautiful glass bottle that makes using the product a little more glamorous 😃 

NCLA: Cuticle Oil - Retail $18

This product is actually called “mermaid tears” but that actually confused me at the beginning as it’s meant to be cuticle oil! Although I haven’t noticed any huge changes in my nails, this is still a really nice product to have to incorporate in my at-home manicures - my nails probably need it! 

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The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - Retail $26

I am always a fan of receiving books in subscription boxes! I love owning books but can never really justify purchasing them since I live near a fantastic library system! This book is described as “full of intrigue, emotional twists, and Hollywood glamour” - I can’t wait! So far, I’ve enjoyed all of the books I’ve received through PopSugar so I’m excited to dig into this one!

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Aloha Collection: Mid-size Ocean Coco Palms Pouch - Retail $36

The is a splash proof zip pouch that’s made for beach trips in the summer. Although I’m not really a fan of the print on the pouch, I definitely think it will come in handy for the pool or the beach or for holding all of my liquid products when I travel. It also makes a great cat bed :) Lace approves!

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Meri Meri: Blue and White Party Straws - Retail $5.95

These festive little party straws are so cute! Although I probably won’t be throwing any cute summer parties anytime soon, I love the festive feel they bring to any everyday drink 😃 

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Belgian Boys: Mini Cookie Stash - Retail $0.99

This is the second time I’ve received a cookie product from Belgian Boys in my PopSugar box and I have to say - I am not a fan! As fun as it is to receive cookies in a subscription box, both times, I’ve felt that the cookies were way too sweet, almost sickly sweet. This one’s a flop for me.

Starbucks Frappuccino - Retail $2.19

This little frappuccino was the bonus item for this month and although it’s not a product that’s new to me, I was happy to receive it! I am a coffee addict through and through and these little frappuccinos can be found shoved into my bag on those particularly rough days where I need an extra shot of coffee and sugar 😛 

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This month was just a meh box for me. For some odd reason, I always seem to have a love hate relationship with most summer themed boxes. They usually seem to center around hanging around pools and throwing parties whereas the winter boxes are all about cozy homeware items. I guess my introverted homebody tendencies are showing 😛 What did you think of your June PopSugar Must Have box? Leave me a comment, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

BeautyFix: June 2017


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New subscription box alert!! I am so excited to be sharing my experience with BeautyFix! I am a big subscription box addict - always trying new ones, ditching old ones, or resubscribing to ones I’ve missed. In the last couple of years, I’ve found myself really drawn to all things skincare! Since I always use up all of the skincare items from my other subscription boxes, I thought BeautyFix might be worth a shot since it seems to be more skincare focused than other beauty subscription boxes. Although this isn't technically a new subscription box - it's a new-to-me box and I am so excited to give it a whirl!

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BeautyFix is a monthly skincare, makeup, and haircare subscription box created by DermStore. A monthly subscription is $24.95 per box and a one-time box purchase is $34.95. Most items in the box are either full or deluxe sample size products. 

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Ora: Mirconeedle Face Roller System

This was the first product that caught my attention when I opened the box! The Microneedle Face Roller system is a derma roller that uses small needles to poke tiny holes in your skin and can be used to treat acne, wrinkles, and discoloration. Although the idea of poking holes in my face is a little scary, it’s actually been a lot of fun to use it! I haven’t experienced any pain and it definitely makes my skin feel a little tighter. Hopefully, it’ll help to even out some of my acne after I’ve used it for a couple of months!

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Skinceuticals: Resveratrol Serum

I have been using this serum in conjunction with the microneedle face roller and it has been the perfect combination! Although I haven’t noticed too many differences between this serum and other serums/oils I already own, I enjoy the smooth feel of the serum on my skin and will definitely be finishing off this sample quickly!

H20+Beauty: Refining Matcha Detox Mask

I absolutely love this mask! This is an incredible peel-off mask that dries quickly and peels off all in one sheet - plus it leaves my skin looking super glowy and smooth. I’m sold! 

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Paula’s Choice: Sunscreen Spray

You can never have enough sunscreen! I love receiving products in my subscription box that come right as I need them and this product had perfect timing! It is easy to carry around, easy to apply, and is full-size!  

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La Roche-Posay: Double Repair Moisturizer

I enjoyed using this in my nighttime skincare routine but only really got two uses out of it. This sample was tiny and there wasn’t really enough of the moisturizer for me to be able to tell if this is a product I’d want to purchase in the future! Although the moisturizer was fine, the size of the sample made it a flop for me. 

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Dermalogica: Nightly Lip Treatment

I’ve been testing this lip treatment in my evening routine and have loved the way it feels on the lips - it goes on very smoothly and has a slight minty smell to it. The only strange thing about this product is that it’s white in color and has a much thinner texture than a typical lip product so it kind of feels like I’m just slathering lotion on my lips - a feeling I don’t really love. Usually, I put a lip balm on overnight and I haven’t really noticed that this lip treatment does anything more for my lips than an average lip balm. I’ll definitely finish this sample, but I won’t be purchasing a full-size anytime soon.

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Supersmile: Professional Whitening System

I’ve tried a lot of different mediocre whitening products over the years so I had pretty low expectations for this product - but I was actually pleasantly surprised by how effective this system was at whitening my teeth! After just a couple of days of use, I swear my teeth are already getting whiter! The only downside to this product is that you brush it onto your teeth dry so I feel like I still need to brush my teeth with water afterwards.

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Laura Geller: Waterproof Lip Liner

I’ve been loving this lip liner! It’s a great neutral pinky shade that could really complement a variety of skin tones and doesn’t wear off too quickly. I’ll definitely be using it as an everyday lip shade! Plus, this product is full-size!

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Final Verdict:

I am really happy with all of the items I got in this month’s BeautyFix box. If you can’t already tell, I clearly love skincare - and as a big skincare junkie - these are all items that I will happily be using and testing out this month! Plus, with how expensive skincare can be sometimes, the value of this box is impressive! I don’t want to jinx it but this subscription might be a keeper! Have you ever tried BeautyFix? What are your thoughts on this subscription box? Leave me a comment, I’d love to hear your thoughts!