April 2016 Birchbox Unboxing

As requested, a first look at the April 2016 Birchbox!

Each Birchbox is tailored to the individual’s preferences, coloring and skin/hair type, so individual products may vary.

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The thing I was most excited about this month? The box!!! I love pretty much every single thing that comes out of Rifle Paper Co., so I was ecstatic to see they’d done another collaboration with Birchbox! It’s just gorgeous.

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As an awesome bonus, there’s a coupon inside for 20% off!

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Here’s the enclosed card which talks about the month’s theme and lists the products inside:

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IMG_3079First, a Malin + Goetz Grapefruit Face Cleanser. I might use this because it seems good for acne-prone skin, but I also have been pretty devoted to my microfiber cloths and micellar water. I’ll probably stick it in the showersince I don’t like to use foaming cleansers at the sink.

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It actually came with a bonus sample of a Malin + Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturizer too. I’ll probably use it but wouldn’t buy it, since I stick to stuff I know is good for acne-prone skin. I also like my moisturizer to have SPF.

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There’s also an Amika Touchable Hairspray, which is pretty disappointing as I use hairspray like once a year and this is the like the third hairspray I’ve gotten or something.

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A Milk Makeup Gel Brow pencil in Pilsner. Also kind of disappointing as I don’t use brow products and have also gotten several other brow products.

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It does glide on reaaaallly easily. I wonder if I could use it as eyeliner?

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A sample of Peter Thomas Roth Acne-Clear Invisible Dots. These look pretty cool, except that I haven’t found salicylic acid has much effect on my skin.

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And finally, from The Beauty Crop, a PBJ Smoothie Stick in Guava Nice Day.

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This is really fun and the color is a nice punchy pink. It goes on really smoothly and you can barely feel it on your lips. Unfortunately, it arrived broken. It’s still useable, but…broken, as you can see where the product smushed up against the cap (the stick is broken further down the product).

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This is actually my last Birchbox for several reasons. The first is that it was a gift and my subscription is expiring. The second is that I haven’t found myself as focused on experimenting with makeup and products as I have been in the past. I’ve simplified my routine a lot and really figured out what works for me and what doesn’t, especially with my skin. But also, as I’ve alluded to here, I haven’t been as happy this year with the content of my boxes. I’ve gotten more than a few repeat products, as well as a bunch of stuff I won’t use because it’s either not a product I use or it doesn’t work for my skin. It kind of sucks when half your box every month is stuff I won’t use.

If you’d like to try Birchbox for yourself, please consider using my referral link! https://www.birchbox.com/invite/steelelifewithkids

Also check out my first look at the August 2015 Birchbox.