Hey Birchbox fans!!

This Month I chose the featured box for May:  Naturally Radiant.  The box theme was designed around barely there essentials for being your most radiant self.  I love both the box design and the curation this month, perfect for spring and ringing in the summer season.  I also chose a Birchbox Plus add-on this month, the Pinrose exclusive starter set.  I recently purchased a similar, but larger version of this from Sephora and loved it so much, I naturally had to snag this one as well. 😉

If you are new to Birchbox, Here is the lowdown:

For 10.00 Per Month you will receive a box of 5 beauty products/samples and an occasional bonus product delivered to your door each month. Join Birchbox

For those interested there is also a Mens Birchbox. Details here

birchbox has many additional perks as well:

-prior to the month you will receive an email that will allow you to choose one of your samples from a selection or to choose a specially curated birchbox with each product detailed. You also may stick with the option of keeping your surprise standard monthly box with a selection of the spotlighted monthly items!

-Birchbox Plus: In addition to your monthly boxes birchbox has added Birchbox Plus, this allows you to add a lifestyle item to your box for a discounted price: [anything from additional (full sized) beauty products to items for your home, entertaining and accessories!] (You will receive an email with these options prior to your months box as well)

-The very best part of Birchbox for me is the Birchbox store and the rewards system that they have. Each month you may review each product for 10 BB points ea. 100 points equals 10.00 to use in the Birchbox shop; essentially every two birchboxes received can get you 10.00 to use in the birchbox shop.  (you also earn 1 bb point for every dollar spent in the shop) There are many other promos that allow you additional bb points and other loyalty discounts throughout each year.  They offer many excellent brands in their shop.

– Birchbox also has the Ace program which you are auto enrolled in after receiving 500 bb points in a calendar year:  learn more about the Ace program.

The Box:

The Goods:

Benefit Hoola Matte Bronzer: deluxe sample size, full size is $29.00

Benefit Hoola is a cult classic matte bronzer with a cooler natural tan shade.  I have loved this bronzer forever.  The shade is perfect and neither too dark or too light, builds easily and due too its cooler hue, can be used for a quick contour.  Check out my full Benefit review here.

ModelCo. Lip Laquer in Créme Brulee: deluxe mini, full size is $24.00

I have weird mixed feelings about this brand.  I remember back around 2002, being young, and this brand was new and innovative.  I went crazy for products like the very first spray can tan, spray moisturizers and shimmers and other first of its kind products.  Fast forward many years later after not hearing much from them; I begin subscribing to beauty subs and receiving some of their products.  It seems that now the products I’ve been trying are average blush and bronzers and lots of similar quality lip products.  They still have plenty of products on their site, and I believe their origin is actually Australia, but I never hear anything of these other products.  This particular gloss is described as a rich, full pigment color paired with brilliant moisture and shine.  While the shade is nice and it does impart some moisture & shine, any claims of full coverage are moot, as the moment you first place your lips together product begins to move around and disappear, resulting in a basic, inexpensive gloss look almost immediately.  Nothing special.

Coola SPF 30 Organic Makeup Setting Spray: deluxe mini spray, full size is: $36.00

As far as sunscreens go their are not really too many that I want to put on my face.  This is one of the brands I like & I love that this is a light spray so I do not have to add another ‘lotion’ layer under everything else when I want a little extra sun protection. [aside from what resides in my existing moisturizer and makeup]  This product is light mist, designed to be used as a makeup setting spray and provides a Matte finish all while hydrating your skin and blocking UV rays with an SPF of 30.  I love the more recent addition of these SPF setting mists to the sunscreen world.  I think more people will be apt to give their skin a spray post makeup than those who will apply an additional standard sunscreen prior to their makeup application.

Davines LOVE Smoothing Shampoo: deluxe sample (plus conditioner foil pack), full size product is $29.00

This shampoo (and conditioner) is enriched with olive oil and rice protein and is designed to smooth course hair prone to frizz and tangling, while providing moisture and shine.  This certainly describes my hair to a tee.  I’ve tried several Davines products but none that have seemed as meant for my hair as this one.  I always have trouble deciding how great an actual shampoo is as I can not go without its conditioning counterpart.  I didn’t notice any extreme improvement from the shampoo itself, once rinsing my hair, other than that of its marvelous scent, but once I applied the ultra rich, thick, conditioner my hair was much more happy.  I like the pair but wish the conditioner came in the same size so I could try them together at least once more.  I have far too much hair for foil pack size hair products.

CLEAN Blossom Eau de Parfum: sample vial, full sizes are $20-$72.00

I love Clean fragrances and just recently purchased a layering set featuring all of the new & unique  Clean ‘reserve’ fragrances; love it.  This particular scent is described as featuring notes of Tunisian neroli, orange blossom and sensual sandalwood.  This scent is OK, not like the CLEAN scents I enjoy.  It’s definitely a cloyingly sweet floral, and not my thing.  It may have a teeny bit of the sandalwood once it dries down.  It’s not super strong or overwhelming by any means and I think a lot of people will like it.  Too dull and sweet for me.

The Birchbox Plus Item:

Pinrose Exclusive Starter Set: $11.00

I recently purchased a larger version of this mini pinrose set from Sephora so when I saw this mini version housed in this cute little prismatic pocketbook, I had to tack it on my order.  These are individually wrapped, single use, fragrance towelettes in 10 unique scents, including the signature ‘pinrose’ scent.

Included fragrances are: springy Garden Gangster, sweet Cuddle Punk, elegant and earthy Treehouse Royale, indulgent Secret Genius, comforting Pillowtalk Poet, mysterious Moonlight Gypsy, edgy Campfire Rebel, bright Merry Maker, and floral Tambourine Dreamer.  Check out my full Pinrose perfume review here!

So cute!

Nice box and theme this month with a lovely array of spring worthy products to kick-off the summer months with!

What did everyone else think?

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-Kelli xoxo