Have you got beauty box fatigue yet? I kind of feel like I have. I used to look forward to getting my monthly parcel of happiness like a child looks forward to Christmas.
What could be better than a box of bite-size beauty treats, shiny and new, in amongst all the bills, Talk Talk offers and takeaway fliers that seem to make up the bulk of direct mail today?
But over time, I’ve definitely begun to fall out of love.
Repeat products, uninspiring face wash samples and the realisation that I never used most of the products, but just hoarded them in a drawer for ‘when I go away’ have taken their toll.
I just feel utterly ‘meh’ about most of the contents these days. Periodically, I’ve cancelled my subscriptions with both Glossybox and Birchbox, only to open them up again – and then wonder why.
The only beauty box that’s excited me in recent memory is the fabulous Tili box, but that’s not every month (I am eagerly awaiting the February drop as we speak).
So when the January Birchbox landed, encouraging me to ‘Sprinkle Happiness’ in this most joyless of months, I was unconvinced. Take a look at what was inside…
Lord & Berry Conceal-It Crayon in Beige
It feels very much like the ‘usual suspects’ this month in terms of the brands in the box. Lord & Berry is very much a brand I always seem to get in these boxes, and one I’ve never been that impressed with.
In this case, we have a concealer crayon. The problem is the shade. Now I appreciate what comes in these boxes is always a bit ‘one size fits all’ but this beige shade is way to dark for me to be any use. I have a light-medium skintone, and this is basically useless to me.
Its about the same shade as my actual skin, but I always pick a concealer 1-2 shades lighter, like most people. I can’t use this at all.
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse
To me, this was the major bright spot of this month’s box, but its hardly a new discovery. Huile Prodigieuse has been around forever. I always have the ‘Or’ version, which includes a light golden shimmer, on my dressing table – I wouldn’t bare a limb without it!
It’s a beautiful blend of six essential oils and Vitamin E, smells beautiful, and can be used on face, body and hair to add a rich sheen. It’s beautiful, and the travel size is perfect for me, as I’d always want to take it away with me.
Merci Handy
Everything in this box came with a sense of déjà vu – I think I had a handcream from the same brand in a box a few months ago. While hand cream is always useful, I just feel so uninspired by this. Packed with tiny pearls and nourishing extracts, this is undoubtedly nice stuff and its cute etc but just…meh….
MonuSpa Rosewood Reviving Mist
I rolled my eyes when I saw this. I’ve already received it and I didn’t find it very useful – Britain very rarely has the kind of temperatures where you need a cooling spritz. The only time I actually used this was when I was in labour!
Birchbox also sent a facial spray like this from a different brand a couple of months ago in the October box.
This has soothing rosewood, brightening lemon and nourishing sandalwood and it smells lovely, but I just can’t get excited by it.
Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream in Acai Grapefruit
This little shaving cream contains shea butter and coconut oil to nourish and protect against irritation. The trouble is I just feel like I know of so many other products that do the job better!
I love to use the Nuxe Shower Oil or even Johnson’s Baby Oil Gel, both of which are amazing for shaving with and moisturise limbs in one fell swoop. I don’t think this will prove any better than those, especially when the Nuxe Shower Oil also adds a flattering shimmer at the same time!
Overall, this month’s box was a complete non-even for me. I almost held off cancelling my box when I saw that there is a full-size Spectrum brush coming next month, but then I realised how much I am getting cluttered up with little products I don’t want, use or need. So I cancelled.
Where Birchbox used to be an exciting little treat with new things to discover, it just feels tired to me now. The same products, the same brands…its all getting stale. I’m over it! I’ll save myself for the February Tili box, which is one thing I am excited about.
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