This month’s July 2015 Birchbox was inspired by the concept of ‘going bold’. The products arrived in a somewhat abstract, bright box that has to be one of the most unique designs I’ve seen so far!
For this Summery box, Birchbox put together products that are all about embracing this time of the year by ‘wearing brights’ and ‘taking risks’. They’ve filled the boxes with everything you need for fresh-looking skin, voluminous hair, and bold makeup! So let’s get to the unboxing!
In total, my July 2015 Birchbox included five samples, including a nice assortment of makeup, skincare, and haircare products. All of the products seem to tie in with the ‘Go Bold’ theme, especially the rich black Benefit eyeliner and the bright fuchsia Stila liquid lipstick.
Here are the five sample products I received, plus my review of each:
Real Chemistry Luminous 3-Minute Peel – What’s unique about this 3-minutes peel is that it contains a gel that “binds to dead skin cells on the face, neck, and décolleté, forming solids that can be easily washed away with water—all in just three minutes”, as stated on Birchbox’s website, making it “great for reducing the appearance of acne scars, dark spots, rosacea, and blotchiness”.
The application is a bit different that you might expect – instead of letting it sit on the skin and then peeling or washing it off, you continuously massage this gel peel into your skin for 2-3 minutes, which gives the gel enough time to combine with the dead skin. After the 3 minutes, you rinse off the formula along with everything that was ‘captured’.
The sample I received in my Birchbox gave me one good use (over my neck and face), but that wasn’t quite enough for me to really decide if I’d ever purchase the product myself. After the first use, my skin did feel softer; however, the little pieces that combined with the dead skin seemed to stick themselves to the small hairs on my cheek, and it took some time to remove them. I’ve heard other people have had the some problem, so overall I’m feeling 50/50 about this product.
Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Liquid – After receiving a sample of the Dr. Jart Ceramidin Day Tint in my last Birchbox, I was anxious to try out more products from Dr. Jart, especially from the Ceramidin line which come with moisturizing and restorative benefits. From what I gather, there are three products in the line – a liquid, a cream, and a day tint. All are loaded with ceramides (i.e. lipid molecules that are lacking in seriously dry skin).
The Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Liquid is a clear, slightly watery gel. It is supposed to be applied right after cleansing, and acts as your moisturizer. For me, the liquid absorbs fairly quickly into the skin, plus it’s super moisturizing. I actually prefer its gel-like texture over creamier products, just because it’s so much faster and easier to apply.
Benefit They’re Real! Push-Up Liner – This is probably the most interesting idea for eyeliner application that I’ve ever seen! It’s basically a gel eyeliner formula inside of a sort of pen-like applicator. As you squeeze the gel up to the opening, the applicator then helps to contain and direct the liner to precisely where you want to apply it. You can even hold it close to the base of your lashes so that it ‘hugs’ your lash line for a more targeted application. Overall, I found that applying eyeliner was a bit easier using this nifty product, plus the eyeliner formula itself was pretty long-lasting. I may consider purchasing this over a new eyeliner gel pot!
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Bella – This lipstick feels and applies like a mousse (it’s one of the most interesting textures I’ve ever tried). The texture helps the lipstick to spread smoothly and evenly over the lips. The lipstick then quickly dries down to a very light-weight feeling formula, with a matte finish. The Stila Liquid Lipstick is also surprising moisturizing for a lasting, all-day lipstick (I normally find these types of lipsticks to be very drying).
The color I received, called Bella, is an extremely bright pink/fuchsia shade. It’s a little too bright for my taste, but who knows…maybe on a weekend I’ll feel adventurous and pull this out again!
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray – I love using dry shampoos to help freshen up my hair and scalp, plus create some extra volume. The Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray was quite appealing to me from the start because of it spray form (I find sprays are a lot easier to apply, verses a container of loose powder). It’s part dry shampoo, part texturizer, hence its formula soaks up oils in your hair, and adds volume. What I like most about the Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray is that the formula isn’t heavy or powdery. It releases just the right amount of product without weighing down your hair or producing a powdery residue.
Overall, I enjoyed trying out everything in my Birchbox this month! There was a nice assortment of products – from new brands that I had yet to discover, to some of my current favorites (Benefit and Stila!).
If you’d like to subscribe to Birchbox’s monthly box, you can sign up here. It’s only $10 a month and is a great way to test out some great products!
If you are subscribed, let me know what you thought about your July 2015 Birchbox!
