Hello Pettigrew Crew!

It’s been quite the hectic summer and a few weeks have passed since my last post, but I’m so excited to not only bring you a new beauty box post, but a new series I’m starting called Battle of the Beauty Boxes!

In this series I won’t be focusing on reviewing each product in a single beauty box, but rather, reviewing the beauty box brand as a whole. So, instead of one box, I will present you with multiple boxes from each beauty box brand. I will offer up my review of what I think this box is all about and what it has to offer and highlight one or two of my favorite products from each box.

I hope this series will help anyone who needs a little help trying to decide which beauty box is right for them, or perhaps someone looking to try a new box, but unsure which one packs the biggest punch.

There’s so much to cover, and you know I’m not a fan of long intros, so let’s jump into the beauty box ring!

I decided to start round one with Birchbox, which is perhaps the most well known beauty box of the bunch. For this Beauty Box Battle we will take a look at May, June and July’s Birchboxes.

First, I should mention that Birchbox is unique from some of the other beauty boxes I subscribe to, in that it’s a box within a box. This allows Birchbox to have a cute new box each month that you can keep to use for all sorts of storage uses. And, if you’re like me and like surprises, it’s nice to open up this pink box and be surprised with a fun and colorful new designed box inside each month.

For me, part of the beauty box subscription fun, is the whole experience of receiving fun mail each month and the Birchbox packaging adds to the overall experience!

Another area I think Birchbox excels in, is their themes and coordination of products in each box. You can tell that they put a lot of thought into how each of the products in each box fits with the theme and they try to pick cosmetics that play nice with one another.

Each box comes with a little card like the ones above that explain that month’s theme on one side and gives you a brief menu of each product on the other. This is quite helpful if you aren’t familiar with a product.

May’s box had a cute little triangle design and the theme was “everyday kind of magic.” I thought this was a great theme going into summer and was full of beauty products to make you look glowing and put-together in less obvious ways than bold lips and blush, which I love of course, but great skin, good brows and a little shimmer are so underrated!

Each box usually comes with about 5 beauty products {sometimes more} and they are what I would call a great travel or luxury sample size. I use many of my products for months without running out or hitting pan.

One of my favorite products from May’s box was this Laura Geller New York Baked Gelato Swirl Iluminator in Gilded Honey. It gives my skin a sun kissed shimmer and is just the most gorgeous golden shade. It really is just fun to look at right? It has also lasted me forever. This is a product many might not buy on thier own, but would become a fan of after trying.

Anther product I wanted to highlight is the LOC One and Done Shadow Stick in Heavy Petal. I’m a huge fan of rose gold and I am also a fan of easy makeup. I have an array of makeup brushes and I am learning all about the art of blending, but this little shadow stick is my friend in a hurry, which as a mom of littles, I find myself in a hurry often. I love that this color looks great all by itself without much fuss!

Next up is June’s Birchbox. It’s theme was focused on “barely-there essentials” that make skin glow! This was a very similar theme as May’s box, but with completely different kinds of products. May’s box had: a spring water facial spray, an illuminator, sunscreen, eyeshadow, and hair primer, while June’s box had: bronzer, lip lacquer, makeup setting spray, shampoo, conditioner and a fragrance.

I also have to mention that I like how Birchbox is seasonally appropriate and will work to keep you looking your best in every season!

Benefit is one of my very favorite makeup brands, and I love that I can often find my favorite benefit products in my Birchbox. They are always in a great size to throw in a purse and have in a pinch. This Hoola Matte Bronzer by Benefit is so creamy and smooth and adds great natural color.

I also wanted to mention this Coola SPF 30 Organic Makeup Setting Spray. I am really into organic makeup lately and I dig this setting spray. It smells great and has green tea and aloe which leaves my skin feeling refreshed even as it sets my makeup. So good.

July’s box was a “won’t leave the house without” theme and was full of skin care products, dry shampoo and mascara! I like that in three months of boxes there wasn’t even a repeat of a type of product. If you are looking for a box that has a lot of one kind of product that you are partial too, this probably isn’t your box, but if you like variety, you’ll like how Birchbox rolls!

Who doesn’t love dry shampoo these days? It’s a product that everyone is talking about and this R+Co Death Valley Dry Shampoo is awesome. It is like a three in one for me. It gets rid of oil, adds volume and gives my hair that beachy waves texture I love. It’s just a a stellar product.

The last product I’m going to highlight for Birchbox is probably one of the most popular. The Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real Mascara is hard to beat when it comes to everyday mascara for me. It looks natural, but so much better and it lasts all day without flakes. I love the long chunky wand and what it does to lengthen and separate. I do have other mascaras that add more dramatic length and volume, but I don’t like the formulas as well as this one. This is probably my fav mascara for every day!

More reasons to love Birchbox:

1. You can buy all of their products on their website
2. They give you points for reviewing your products which gives you $5 to spend towards products on their site. {UPDATE: Birchbox has just informed us that they are no longer offering this feature}
3. You can learn more about each product on the Birchbox site.
4. Birchbox members get special deals on the website.

The full scoop:

You pay $10 a month (shipping included) you receive a newly designed and colorful box of 5 or more deluxe beauty product samples to your door from brands like Benefit, Laura Celler, Dr Brant and LOC.

Final Thoughts:

Birchbox was my first beauty box subscription and I am still so stoked every time I get my Birchbox in the mail. I love all that Birchbox has to offer and I think they put a lot of effort into their themes and products. Birchbox is great at delivering on the full subscription box experience and I feel they give you a lot of value for the money.

To get your own Birchbox delivered to your mailbox click HERE!

Stay Tuned for round two of Battle of the Beauty Boxes featuring: Boxycharm!

DON’T MISS OUT ON PART TWO OF BATTLE OF THE BEAUTY BOXES! MAKE SURE TO JOIN THE PETTIGREW CREW TO KEEP YOU IN THE LOOP.

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Beauty Buzz Question: Do you think Birchbox Packs a Punch?