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Subscription boxes: Birchbox, Ipsy
Birchbox posted an excellent breakdown of 7 different ecological certification organizations that often are displayed to differentiate products from simple “natural” marketing hype. I couldn’t have said it better myself so here’s the link! 🙂
http://www.birchbox.com/the-haute-box/the-beauty-label-breakdown/
And a not so “spoiler” spoiler – April’s Birchbox is supposed to be filled with natural goodies! Yay! I hope we keep seeing more natural products in future Birchboxes as well.
Right to Left (reverse of what you’re probably used to): 1 coat of Essie “A Cut Above” then 3 generous coats, 1 coat of Wet N Wild “Sparked” then 3 generous coats, and the last one on the left is one coat of “A Cut Above” over 2 coats of Essie “A Crewed Interest.”
The color is almost identical but the application is totally different. I almost would say you shouldn’t compare the two and would not consider this a “dup.”
There is also apparently a Revlon color that is, based on the swatches I see online, somewhere in between the two I’ve reviewed here. Revlon 261-Sparkling.
And Butter London also has a pink glittery color called “Rosie Lee.” B-you-tifullness via Pretty Project via High on Polish via Snappette (aka I saw it on Snappette and the source is B-you-tifullness) has a great example of a pink glitter and nude mani using the Butter London “Rosie Lee.”
I did a quick little video so you can see the two colors I reviewed just a little better.
In the box:
I’m actually really happy with the contents of this box. What I got was a little more along the lines of things I will use (with the exception of the perfume.)
I do think it’s funny that both times that they’ve sent me nail polish, it has been super similar to something I already own. I will at some point do a side by side comparison of both the teals and both of the glittery pinks.
And sorry if I sound a little congested in this video. Also note – changed my mind on the blotting papers. See above.
Birchbox is only $10/month so sign up here!:Â http://www.birchbox.com?raf=3l3e7
I did actually have fun with this this month even though it wasn’t something I would really wear. My first makeup video (wait, I may have done one other before…) and I know I need to try and keep things shorter and ramble less next time.
REVIEWED:
 
Click to enlarge
TRYING:
Other items from their line that I would like to try: Lip Serum, Warming Clay Mask, Exfoliating Cleanser, Eye Blossom, Rough Spot Lemon Balm,
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/product/259523/Be_fine_Gentle_Cleanser_food_skin_care/
I THINK I’LL PASS:
WHAT I WISH THEY HAD SENT ME:
I didn’t manage to review all of the products for the blog this month but wanted to go ahead and post this.
Klorane Soothing eye makeup remover with coneflower
My ingredients differed from those listed in the Cosmetics Database so I ran my own report. The Cosmetics Database gave this a 3 (left image) which was already good but with the ingredients from the bottle I got a 2 (right image.) Click to enlarge either report.
 
I ended up not trying this ONLY because the flowery smell made my nose itch (I can’t handle some flowery scents hanging around on me all day, allergies.)
LaRocca Champagne and Shimmer Body Scrub:
http://www.laroccaskincare.com/products/body/Champagne_and_Shimmer_Acai_Sugar_Polish.html
Notice the contradicting in marketing there? Fragrance in the ingredients but then just after that they’re trying to market that it’s fragrance free? Meh.
The rest of the ingredients were good so I did try this. I do wonder because it had a wonderful cooling feel after I rinsed if there wasn’t mint or something else that’s not listed in the ingredients. It wasn’t quite the same feel as mint oil but similar in some way.