Adrianne's June Birchbox

It’s June Birchbox time!

Here’s what I got:

1. BORGHESE Bagno Di Vita Soak

2. Eyeko Fat Eye Stick in Chocolate

3. theBalm cosmetics Stainiac in Beauty Queen

4. Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream

5. LUNA Bar in Chocolate Peppermint Stick

1. BORGHESE Bagno Di Vita Soak: When I spend money on beauty products, it’s usually not in the bath/shower department. For me, bath oils, powders or bubbles are a luxury item that I really can’t justify. 

I tried this bath soak and was a little surprised. I opened the packet only to find a black powdery substance. Aren’t bath powders usually white or a lighter color? I dumped it under running bath water, as instructed, and waited for the water and powder to mix. Unfortunately, the powder sank right to the bottom of the bathtub and I had to mix it by hand. Once I mixed it, my bath water turned a murky green color. Not really what I pictured for a relaxing bath time, but I tried it anyway. The powder does smell nice (a bit floral), but I didn’t notice that it had any benefits for my skin. Not something I’d go out and purchase. 

2. Eyeko Fat Eye Stick in Chocolate: Hooray for makeup in my Birchbox! This is the reason I signed up for Birchbox – I’m obsessed with trying out new makeup. Eyeko is a brand I’ve heard quite a bit about, so I was really excited to receive this sample. 

I used this as an all-over eyelid color. The color is pretty – brown, but it looks a bit purple in sunlight. I did end up liking the product, but it’s really difficult to blend. If you try out an Eyeko Fat Eye Stick, make sure where you apply it is exactly where you want it to be. I made the mistake of coloring the product on in sort of a messy and quick fashion because I figured I could blend it out, but I ended up causing myself a lot of work by doing that. Next time I’ll be more precise. Here’s how it looks on me:

3. theBalm cosmetics Stainiac in Beauty Queen: Eek! More makeup in my Birchbox! Stains are really hit or miss for me. Sometimes stains can be over-drying and end up making the area where you apply it look parched. I tried this stain both on my cheeks and lips, as the product suggests. Before you blend the product in, the color looks like it may turn out to be too intense. But it turns out to be a very subtle pink, and just gives a really pretty glow. Here’s how it looked on my lips and cheeks:

One thing that I would advise is to really consider which other lip products you wear with this stain. I always put on lip balm before I apply any type of lip gloss, lipstick or stain, so I did the same with this product. On the day I first tried the stain, I wore a Body Shop lip balm that had a bit of shimmer in it. The products must have combined in a weird way and I ended up having to re-blend everything. It seemed like the stain just settled into certain spots on my lips – not pretty.

4. Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream: This was probably the strangest product I’ve received in a Birchbox and I’ve been a subscriber for seven months now. This skin cream comes from Japan, so I was excited to try it since lots of great cutting-edge beauty loot comes from Japan. The little booklet that came with the product said the cream is intended for dry skin (perfect for me) and that it could be used on the face, lips, hands, cuticles, feet, elbows or wherever else you might experience really dry skin. I was skeptical to apply the cream to my face (you’ll know why after I describe it), so I went ahead and tried it most of the other areas the booklet suggested: my lips, feet, hands, cuticles and elbows.

The cream looks exactly like Carmex and the scent is a dead ringer for Vicks Vapor Rub. Kind of an odd combination for a skin cream. This is why I was hesitant to apply it to my face – my skin is way too sensitive and I figured I’d have a bad reaction. But, it really is effective. It feels a little greasy after you apply, but it does a great job of softening and moisturizing the skin. 

5. LUNA Bar in Chocolate Peppermint Stick: I’m not sure quite how to review a mini energy bar other than to say it tasted good! 

It seems like subscription boxes have become extremely popular over the past year or two. If you’re interested in trying some higher end beauty and lifestyle products without committing to buying a full-size item and possibly not liking it, a subscription that delivers tester sizes is an excellent option. There are subscription boxes featuring all natural/green beauty items and even health products. And there’s one for every budget. Check out SubscriptionBoxes.com for information on all types of subscription boxes, including those geared toward food, crafts, baby and more!

Stay tuned for Amanda's June Birchbox review!