Unboxing Beauty

I actually loved this month’s PYS AND the curated box, so I did get both!! I have another account that is usually a sleeper account and I use it if I want another box (curated or a different PYS).  It’s very rare that this happens, however, but this month really had two great choices and I couldn’t choose!!   I will start with the curated box first and then to my “mystery” box .

My Boxes Revealed!

Curated Box on the left, Mystery Box on the right

Curated Informational Card

The curated box is called “Multifaceted and Mighty” which focuses on multi-purpose products.

 

NUXE Rêve de Miel Facial Cleansing and Make-Up Removing Gel  I’ve used Nuxe products before~ their body scrub was so delicious ~ it is a pricey French brand, so I only get it thru sub boxes!! haha  This is a two in one cleanser and makeup remover (non-waterproof) made with honey and it helps cleanse skin without irritation, making it great for dry or sensitive skin.  It is an amber color and it smells fantastic ~ but it might be too strongly scented for some, so if you are sensitive to scents, this is pretty potent.  Sample Size .5 oz RV $1.42

Description: French women seem to have the uncanny ability to look effortlessly stunning. Before we all run out to buy striped sailor shirts and Chanel flats, it’s worth starting with the basics: our skin. This French brand’s two-in-one cleanser and makeup remover is made for dry, sensitive, and irritation-prone complexions. The amber-hued gel keeps skin’s moisture barrier intact while effectively melting away all signs of dirt, debris, and product residue.

Ingredients:  Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Honey, Sunflower Seed Oil PEG-8 Esters, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Gluconolactone, Lauryl Glucoside, Coco-glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Hydroxide, Caramel, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Allantoin, Sodium Benzoate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, 1,2-hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Calcium Gluconate, Tropolone, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Tocopherol  cosDNA.com analysis

Air Repair Complexion Boosting Moisturizer   I received this last year, but since this is a Curated Box, I didn’t have a choice here and got another one.  I still am not interested in this moisturizer! haha I am repeating my unboxing thoughts from last  August again:  It is a gel-cream lotion and it has no odor nor leaves a tacky feeling being.  Other than that, the sample is too small for me to make a major judgement call.  The ingredient list seems to be similar to products I currently use now ~ aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, allantoin, green tea, calendula, lavender ~ so I am sure this is a good moisturizer, but I have many like this already.  The reviews on Birchbox seem to be overwhelmingly positive!   Sample Size 7 mL Value $2.40

Description: We’ll admit it: Our case of wanderlust shows no signs of abating. We could, however, do without the dulling effects travel (and stress and dry weather and…) has on our complexions. That’s why we never go anywhere without this intensely rejuvenating face cream. It’s packed with antioxidants and humectants to hydrate and revitalize skin, so that even at our most jet-lagged we’re still rocking a radiant complexion.

Ingredients: Purified Water, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sorbitol, Hyaluronic Acid, Polysorbate-60, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethyl Hexyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, Capric Caprylic Triglycerides, Carbomer, Panthenol, Ceramide 3, Cloudberry Seed Oil, Heat Shock Proteins, Flax Seed Oil, Rosehip Oil, Borage Oil, Allantoin, Sodium PCA. Extracts of Calendula, Green Tea, Chamomile, White Tea, Black Tea, Lavender, Arnica. Phenoxyethanol, Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin, Fragrance  cosDNA.com analysis

 

Davines Authentic Replenishing Butter for Face, Hair & Body   Honestly, the next two items are the reason why I got this box. I am a sucker for Davines products and the packaging is adorable.  Davines also gives out huge samples when they aren’t foils.  This packette was just bonus item in this box, so that is why it is a foil.   This “butter” does double duty as either a hair conditioning treatment or as a body lotion/butter for your skin.  If you use it for your hair, you would apply it on your dry hair before you wash your hair, leave in for at least 3 minutes and then wash your hair as normal.  This is made with 98% naturally derived ingredients.  Sample Size  12 mL  RV $2.31

Description: Butter makes everything better (Julia Child had it right). Well, the same goes for this skin and hair butter from Davines. Not only does it contain organic carthane oil bursting with antioxidants, but it’s also free from parabens, silicones, and artificial colors. Work it into hair for soft, silky, easy-to-control strands. Or slather it onto your face and body for velvety, nourished skin.

Ingredients:  Aqua, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Coco-caprylate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, Citronellol, Parfume  cosDNA.com analysis

Davines Authentic Cleansing Nectar Hair/Body  Look how beautiful this is!  I swear, I fall for pretty faces all the time.  This has a light pleasant scent ~ I want to say it is odorless, but it isn’t, but the soft scent is very natural with a hint of earthy spice.  I am going to save this for when I go on vacation as it is a good sized bottle and will last me a few shampoos!  Sample 90 mL  RV $9.16

Description: Traditional shampoo is so last year. We’re tossing the chemical-packed products that dry and strip our strands and welcoming in a much friendlier option. This oil-based shampoo from Davines gently cleanses without harsh detergents, sulphates, or silicones, leaving us with nourished strands and super soft skin. A blend of antioxidant-rich organic oils including safflower and carthame hydrate hair and skin without leaving us greasy. Talk about a total shampoo upgrade.

Ingredients: Aqua, Decyl Gluciside, Cocamide Mipa, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Capryl/Capryly Glucoside, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Glyceryl Oleate, Coco-Glucoside, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool, Parfum  cosDNA.com analysis

 

LOC One and Done Shadow Stick   This was either in Heavy Petal, a rose gold shade or Haute Cocoa, which was a gilded brown shade.  I was hoping for Haute Cocoa, but I got the rose gold instead.  LOC is Birchbox’s in-house brand, and they are not that bad, just not items I reach for daily. I guess I haven’t received a color yet that wows me and this shade does either ~ it is kinda boring  ~ a very light, peachy-rose gold.  This is an eye shadow and eye liner product, but due to the color, I will just use it as a eye highlighter, which will be fun as this is a slightly chubby stick and that makes it difficult to use.  I complained about this before when I received one of these Shadow Sticks in my box as well.  I will say this about the LOC Shadow Sticks, they are long lasting and are hard to budge!  Full Size .05 oz RV $10.00

Description: This easy-as-could-be, paraben-free shadow stick from Birchbox brand LOC nixes the usual eye makeup hoopla (read: multiple brushes, blenders, and primers) and delivers up to 11 hours of creaseless, waterproof color—all in just one swipe. Even better, this collection of shades was handpicked by YouTube beauty star Tati Westbrook, who selected the hues she considers most on trend. Another bonus? Everything in the LOC line is super affordable, cruelty-free, and the perfect compact size–ideal for keeping you stylish through the seasons!.

Ingredients: Isododecane, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sythetic Wax, Hydrogenated Polydicyclopentadiene, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Polybutene, Silica, Nylon-12, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polyethylene, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Synthetic Beeswax MAY CONTAIN: CI 77019/Mica, CI 77891/Titanium Dioxide, CI 77491/CI 77492/CI 77499/Iron Oxides

The Beauty Crop PBJ Smoothie Stick  in Raisin the Roof, which is a pale mauve shade.  I have their other shade, Guava Nice Day, and that is amazing, btw.  Raisin the Roof is very pale but it isn’t that bad on my lips ~ it is very natural and doesn’t make me look washed out, which many light nude shades have a tendency to do.  This creamy shade applies very smooth, and contains  sweet almond oil and goji fruit extracts.  Very moisturizing but not glossy ~ this is a satin finish and it has a great fruity guava scent (but no taste!!)    The name of this color, however, needs to be something different ~ when I think of raisin, I think of a much deeper brown-berry shade.  Full Size .09 oz RV $14.95

 

Swatches from Curated Box

Top is PBJ Smoothie Stick in Raisin the Roof  and lower is LOC Stick in Heavy Petal.  You can see how pale and natural these shades are.   The left photo is under natural sunlight, which I darkened a bit so you could see the colors better, and the right photo is with flash.

Mystery Box Informational Card

The normal mystery box’s theme is “Everyday Kind of Magic” which focuses on products that will transform your routine.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser  I’ve tried this cleanser before in the past and there is a lot of hype around it.  I found it to be okay cleanser, but nothing that I would repurchase.  I do love that this sample is not only HUGE but the muslin cloth is included ~ and full size too!  Last time I received this, I got a cloth that was half the size of this one.  The cloth is what exfoliates, so it is good to have that around.  This does contain hops (yep, beer hops!), and eucalyptus oil, so it isn’t best for those with sensitive skin, imho.  Essential oils are fantastic, but some people cannot handle them in cleansers.   Deluxe Size 1 oz  RV $7.58 for cleanser + $3.75 for cloth

Description: Not only does it gently remove all traces of dirt, grime, and makeup (yes, even your waterproof, wear-all-day, no-flake mascara and eyeliner), it also sweeps away dulling dead skin cells for a gorg glow. The creamy cleanser contains moisturizing cocoa butter, and two of nature’s best astringents: eucalyptus essential oil and rosemary. These plant oils lift dirt off the skin’s surface without disrupting the natural barrier function. With the use of the brand’s 100 percent cotton muslin cloth (sold separately), skin is gently polished without irritation—perfect for even the most sensitive of complexions.

Ingredients: Water, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, Cetearyl alcohol, Cetyl esters, Sorbitan stearate, Polysorbate 60, Glycerin, Cera alba (beeswax), Propylene glycol, Humulus lupulus (hops) extract, Panthenol, Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract, Anthemis nobilis (chamomile) extract, Eucalyptus globulus (eucalyptus) oil, Limonene, Citric acid, Sodium hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dehydroacetic acid, Polyaminopropyl biguanide  cosDNA.com analysis

Oribe Supershine Moisturizing Cream  uggh.  I am not sad to leave BB because of the total mismatch on hair products that they send me.  I guess they must be out of dry shampoo (which I love!)  This is a leave in conditioning cream made for coarse and thick hair (I have neither)  There is a light version of this product, but that would make too much sense to get that one.  Not using.  This cream is supposed to help smooth and control your hair. Deluxe Size .5 oz  RV $4.90

Description: When it comes to hairstylists, Oribe is something of a bad boy. The tattooed star is known for working with the likes of Jennifer Lopez and plenty of other pop icons. That’s why you should take his word for it that this cream is the difference between the usual out of control mop and a polished coif. The multitasking formula acts as both a leave-in conditioner and a styling cream, helping to calm and smooth coarse, thick, or fuller hair.

Ingredients: Water, Dimethicone, Cyclopenatsiloxane, Dimethiconol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Isohexadecane, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 80, Cinnamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Hyrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol, Panthenol, Cystine Bis-PG-Propyl Silanetriol, Wheat Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein/PVP Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Polyquaternium-4, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Litchi Chinensis Pericarp (Lychee) Extract, Citrulls Lanalus (Watermelon) Fruit Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum (Edelweiss) Flower/Leaf Extract, Amber Extract, Kaempferia Galanga Root Extract, Moringa Pterygosperma Seed Extract, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Conchiolin (Pearl) Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Protein, Pearl Powder, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Parfum/Fragrance, Oleth-10, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Mica, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Sorbic Acid, Methylisothiazolinone, Benzyl Benzoate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891)  cosDNA.com analysis

Histoires de Parfums This is Not a Blue Bottle  This is a new perfume brand for me and this scent sounds lovely ~ bright citrus with earthy patchouli, sweet honey with mellow amber.     And it smells great too ~ not sweet at all, but more earthy and spicy ~ but it is SO STRONG.  It is so strong, I got a headache from it!  I think that the best thing for me to do is decant this in a vial of carrier oils and make a perfume oil, to try and dilute it. Yes, it is that strong but I love the scent, so I am willing to try this!   This seems to me to be a unisex perfume as well, so you can share it 🙂 Sample Size 2 mL RV $3.50

Laura Geller New York Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator  What a cute size ~ this is a mini and I received the Gilded Honey. It looks really golden (hello C-3PO) but it blends out nicely, but make no mistake ~ this is very shimmery.  This would also work as an eye shadow as well.  This product applies very smooth and there is no worry of picking up too much product on your brush either.  I didn’t experience any fall out when using this as well.   Sample/Travel Size RV $10.00 

Description: There’s a lot to love about gelato (apart from its deliciousness, of course). This luminous, warm highlighter celebrates the Italian dessert’s rich texture with a formula that applies like a powder but feels like a cream, making it easily blendable and ideal for building to your perfect coverage. Another plus? The pretty 3D design ensures you get an even sweep of product until the very last application. We think we’ll have seconds (or, um, thirds).

Ingredients: Mica, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tin Oxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Xanthan Gum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Silica, Dicalcium Phosphate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491)

Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel  This was the PYS item and you could pick the shade you wanted. I chose medium as my brows are dark, but not black.  I am really excited to get this and this sample may look small, but it will last me a long time!  I have thick brows to begin with, but there are areas that are a bit sparse now for some reason, so this will help fill that in.  Also, my brows can be unruly, so this will help tame and set them in place.  I love the brush ~ it is the right size to get in and do some fine work around your brow area.  I also love the packaging!  This looks like a space age device, doesn’t it?  This sample is 1/3 of the size of the full sized product, so this is a great deal to get this in my box.   Sample Size 1 g RV $8.00

Description: All it takes is a few strokes of this brow-building invention to make even the most timid brows look full and defined. Volumizing microfibers and an exclusive water-resistant gel adheres to skin and hair, thickening brows to certified bold status. The formula is also enriched with conditioning vitamin b5 and marshmallow extract. Plus, the tapered brush features a precision tip to let you shape and blend effortlessly.

Ingredients: Water, Mica, Glyceryl Stearate, Polypropylene, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyacrylamide, Phenethyl Alcohol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Laureth-7, Panthenol, Glycerin, Silica, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate. [+/-: CI 19140 (Yellow 5, Yellow 5 Lake), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), CI 77000 (Aluminum Powder), CI 77007 (Ultramarines), Ci 77163 (Bismuth Oxychloride), CI 77288 (Chromium Oxide Greens), CI 77289 (Chromium Hydroxide Green), CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide, Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide), Ci 77742 (Manganese Violet), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide)]

Swatches from Mystery Box

Benefit Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel in medium on the left, Laura Geller Gelato Swirl Illuminator in Gilded Honey on the right.  Photo on the left is natural daylight, on the right is using flash.

I wish I could have merged some of the products from the curated box with the mystery box!  The ideal box would have been the two Davines products, PBJ Smoothie Stick, perfume, Laura Geller blush/bronzer, Benefit brow product for me!  I am glad I purchased both boxes as I would have been disappointed with just one of them.  The curated box RV is $40.24 and the normal mystery box RV is $37.73, so for $20.00, I received a value of  $77.97.  I also reviewed both boxes, so I got 110 Birchbox points ~ every 100 points is worth $10.00 in their shop, which next month is the last month that they will allow you to review products for points if you are an existing subscriber.  New subscribers will be allowed 5 reviews and that is it.  Do you subscribe to Birchbox? What did you get this month and what was your favorite item?

I will be unboxing one more regular Birchbox ~ July’s ~ and then quitting my subscription for now.  The reason for this is the massive change in the point system, which was a major factor in why I stayed with BB, thru thick and thin.   You can read more about the changes here.  I might pick up a Limited Edition box now and then, maybe a monthly box (curated or if the PYS is really good), but other than that, next month is my last month with Birchbox.   It is a shame as Birchbox was the very first subscription box I had and now they have changed what made them unique and worth staying with, despite some really horrible boxes.  I will still continue to do sneak peeks and announce LE boxes, as I am interested in them myself, but my days of unboxing monthly BB’s look to be over ~ unless they change their point system back.

If you want to subscribe to Birchbox, I would love it if you used my referral link   https://www.birchbox.com/invite/biancardi

 

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