Birchbox April 2014

This month's Birchbox came later than ipsy (le gasp!) for once. Overall, ipsy wins once again in the battle of the beauty boxes.  Still, I got some great products. I was a bit ambitious and tried all of them at least once in the 24 hours I've had my box (it arrived 4/15).

1. Color Club Nail Polish in Aquamarine Azulino

I've gotten Color Club nail polish before, so I was surprised to get it again, just in a different shade. The polish goes on smoothly with a pearl finish. I really wish it was a matte/cream finish; the sparkling finish seems a little childish or dated. Still, it's a great color for spring and the application is decent.

2. KIND Healthy Grains Maple Pumpkin Seeds Bar with Sea Salt

Birchbox, you know you're in trouble when I rate the lifestyle extra as superior to 3 of your 4 items. This snack bar was absolutely divine. The maple syrup flavor is perfectly balanced with the sea salt. I would like a box of these. I immediately looked them up and it looks like KIND distributed to Costco. Here's to hoping they sell the snack bars and not their granola.

3. Gilchrist & Soames Spa Therapy Body Wash

It smells like hotel body wash.  I guess I don't know how to be a snob about body washes. Sometimes, I buy expensive LUSH soaps for the shower because they're all natural and smell like honey or porridge or something exotic.  Usually, they leave my skin unGodly soft. This body wash is a resounding "meh." It doesn't seem any more luxurious than Target brand body wash, which is 6% the cost of this spa body wash.

4. theBalm cosmetics How ‘Bout Them Apples? Lip Balm and Cheek Stain in the color Pie

Why do one thing well when you can be terrible at two things? (Is this my new catchphrase? Yes. Perhaps. At least until I stop getting primer/lotion/suntan/lipgloss/stain/mask/exfoliant/serums.) This is too smeary/smudgy to be a good lipgloss and not spreadable enough to be a blush. Am I the only one who thinks that powder blush is best? You have more control and you're less likely to smear off your primer or foundation or concealer or whatever else you have lurking on your cheeks. Boo, thebalm. I like your branding but dislike your product.

5. Paula's Choice RESIST Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator

If the name of this product included "serum" it would include all of the words I hate to see in a product in my beauty boxes. I am 26. How much aging have I really done? I have checked my Birchbox product preferences and I do not have anti-aging checked off. Setting aside the agism, this product claims to help fight acne (what?) with absolutely no benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or anything of that sort. Instead, it contains lactoperoxidase, which is not an active ingredient and is mainly used in the cosmetic industry to preserve cosmetics and extend shelf-life.  This product contains a lotttttt of ingredients that concern me. It claims you can put it on after cleansing your face, or under your makeup. Which brings me to my next point: is hydrator just another word for moisturizer? Could this product really be called, "Paula's Choice Oil-Free Moisturizer?"

Lost internet yesterday, so I am still working on the Birchbox vs ipsy comparison post. Stay tuned.

Christine

ipsy April 2014

For the first time ever, ipsy arrived before Borchbox on April 12th. Birchbox is going to have a very hard time beating this package. The purse is very cute this month. I like that it's more square than all the other bags. Without further ado, here's what I got, ranked from "most excited to try" to "mehhhh."

1. Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Pencil (travel size)

Once again, ipsy has nailed it in the eyeliner department. I have never used Urban Decay's liner, but have always wanted to try it. It's a decent size sample, especially for a high end brand. Can't wait to try this out. 

2. City Color White Gold Shadow & Highlight Mousse

 I tried this on as a shadow and it is amazing- very creamy and light. However, this product is a classic example of how ipsy really needs to include product cards with instructions/recommended use like Birchbox does. I have no idea how to use this as a "highlight mousse."  I will probably just use this as a cream eye shadow.

3. KISS Looks So Natural Lashes

I always love a good pair of fake lashes. These appear to be natural, which is great. Natural lashes look very dramatic on me. Dramatic lashes look very drag queen on me. There was a period in college when I wore fake lashes to a ton of events back-to-back. It's been a while since I've rocked fake lashes, so I'm sure to have a re-learning curve this time around. We've got a few fun events coming up in April and May, so I'll give it another go.

4. Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in Apple Pink

This is a much more neutral lip color than a lot of the products I've gotten in the past, which excited me. Then I got it and all of the excitement drained away. I have seen Cailyn products on ipsy.com, in Google ads, and in blogger videos. The packaging really got me interested in the products, which is what they were clearly going for, because, in reality, the packaging is cumbersome and odd. A tiny lip brush (the stem) clips into a weird trumpet shape. The bottom of the trumpet screws onto the lip gloss, acting as a lid.  This design is extremely bulky and the lip brush smears lip gloss all over the inside of the trumpet. The brush is also so dinky that you're better off using a finger.  The color is not the greatest for my skin tone. It has a lot of orangey tones, which make me look like my lips are raw/puffy, like I just had an allergic reaction or ate something spicy.

5.Cover FX Mattifying Primer with Anti-Acne Treatment

Why do one thing well when you can do two things poorly? This product is not a primer, at least not in the traditional sense. It's a clear gel product that really should not be used around your eyes or over your entire face. The directions indicate that the product should be used directly on acne 2-3 times a day.  It contains salicylic acid 1.0%, which is the only active ingredient and the main reason I was shocked that it doesn't come with a warning not to use it around your eyes. It's also half as strong as traditional acne cleansers, which contain salicylic acid 2.0%. I guess that it can be less strong because it's staying on your face all day, as opposed to washing it off. What I don't understand is why it needs to be matte? You're putting this on acne, then you're putting on foundation. Who cares if the first layer is matte if you're just covering it up? I am disappointed because I keep getting these products that claim to be primers, but my idea of a primer is more like Smashbox's lid primer, which helps your eye makeup stay in place and perfect for ages.

A few people always ask me whether I like Birchbox or ipsy better. Once this month's Birchbox gets here, I'll make a comparison post with the pros and cons of each, as well as the targeted demographic, who would like which better, and what my plans are for my future subscriptions.

Stay tuned,

Christine