Another month, another Birchbox!
This is actually my last Birchbox from a 6-month gifted subscription. I won’t be continuing my subscription and I’ll share my reasons at the end of this post.
One thing I’ve noticed is that whenever I’m having a hard time in my personal life, I turn towards writing about beauty products because I find it very soothing & calming. I can still engage my brain, but not think too much about how sad or burnt out I feel. If you haven’t read my most recent Instagram post, you should to get a better idea of what I’m talking about.
I’ll be writing a full blog post about it soon, but I need a little bit more time to decompress and really think about what I want to say.
ANYWAY, let’s talk about Birchbox this month, shall we?
1. Davines MOMO Shampoo & Conditioner
I’m annoyed at how much I like this shampoo (and liked the conditioner, but there was seriously only a TABLESPOON in the packet, gag me), because I didn’t realize it’s from the brand Davines. I feel like every time Birchbox sends me a hair care sample it’s that French brand or Davines. Branch out, Birchbox!
That being said: wow, I love this shampoo. I love this shampoo so much I’m considering spending $30+ on a full size bottle and I’m considering spending $33 on the conditioner, because it really made my scalp feel ah-may-zing. And as someone whose scalp often feels like the Sahara Desert, that’s saying a lot.
I think for most people, the conditioner would probably be too heavy. But dang, it felt good.
Both the shampoo and conditioner have a really light, natural melon scent. Really lovely.
2. This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray
I love a pillow spray. I actually own several pillow sprays, and I often sleep with my diffuser going (lavender and jasmine is my favorite sleep scent, but if I have a headache, I often add peppermint and eucalyptus and cut the jasmine). Needless to say, I was pumped for this pillow spray. It is a REALLY small tube though, but I’ve used it for three nights in a row and it is going strong. A full size bottle is $29 (oof).
It is scented with lavender, patchouli, and chamomile essential oils, which is funny because it smells almost entirely like vetiver to me.
I love the smell of it, but as with most essential oils, I think the claims about “helping 89% of users fall asleep faster” are bullshit. It smells nice and it is relaxing, so I love it, but I can very easily make it myself!
3. MODEL Co Lip Oil
This is a very standard lip oil. The applicator (a fluffy doe foot) sucks. I like lip oils at night, but I don’t like glossy lips generally. So this isn’t my favorite product to receive.
4. Eyeko Brow Liner
I don’t use brow products, so this has gone immediately into my donate box.
5. MAC Cleanse Off Oil
I love a cleansing oil, so this one I was pretty excited about! The sample is minuscule though. I am not sure I buy that there is jojoba oil in it, as jojoba oil is not clear. Immediately after using it the first time, however, I broke out in MULTIPLE large cysts on my chin, which have become increasingly rare for me. Did the oil cause it? It’s hard to know because it’s totally possible it is stress related. That being said: I’m going to wait to use this again.
6. Bioderma Sensibio Light Soothing Cream
Speaking of those cysts, I also used this with the MAC Cleansing oil, so I’m not sure if the cysts are caused by: the cleansing oil; stress; or this moisturizer. Anyway, I did really like this moisturizer; it smells good and did make my skin feel really soothed. When I get stressed and upset, I tend to look like a mess, super red and splotchy, so this was nice. But if it made me break out: no so nice.
I’ve really enjoyed receiving a Birchbox these past few months, but as I said, I’ve decided not to continue. I just don’t think the customization and types of samples I can receive are worth it. I much prefer Ipsy at this point (even though I’ve switched back to the regular Glam Bag). When it comes to beauty subscriptions, I can be highly particular about what I like, so it’s hard to explain.
That being said, I’ve really enjoyed receiving Birchbox for the last 6 months. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’re a Birchbox subscriber; do you like it? What makes you love a beauty product subscription?
