REVIEW: Birchbox August 2013

Hello lovelies! Time to share my August Birchbox!

Here's a quick peek at what I'll be sharing with you today. :) 

This month's theme was 'Finishing School,' which focuses on those final touches, specifically with your beauty routine! What's your 'finishing touch?' A spritz of your favorite perfume? Applying that perfect shade of red lipstick? A quick mist of setting spray?

This month's insert! Love this. It tells you what you're getting, how to use it, and, most importantly, how much the full size costs! 

KMS California FREESHAPE Hot Flex Spray. "Sometimes our relationship with hot tools seems to take cues from Sandy and Danny in Grease—we know those bad boys are trouble but we just can’t stay away. The good news is that there’s no need to swear them off cold turkey—all you need is a few spritzes of this hardworking thermal protection spray. It’ll keep your strands protected, allowing for complete styling flexibility until your next shampoo. It’ll keep your strand protected, and ensure that your hard-earned ‘do is locked in to place until your next shampoo."

I'll admit, I'm a little rough on my hair. I blow dry pretty much daily and I curl or straighten it pretty frequently. I tested this out a few times in the last few days and so far so good! It smells nice and leaves my hair soft and shiny. I can't vouch for how well it protects from heat yet, but I'm going to keep using it until I run out. 

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso. "We’re not exaggerating when we say this is the most long-lasting lipstick we’ve ever tried. We put it to the test and we’re happy to report that it didn’t stray or run even after our second cup of coffee and a messy Mexican lunch. The creamy formula glides on like a gloss yet has the staying power of a stain—all without drying out your lips. Take care when you apply because once it sets, it’s not budging!"

Let me first say that when they say 'Stay All Day,' they mean it. I literally put this one for probably two minutes just to see what it looked like and take a picture to stick on here. Went to take it off and NOPE. I had to scrub and use a bit of my face cleanser and it still didn't come off completely. But hey, that's a good thing! I feel like I could put this on before work and not even have to think about reapplying. I was a little nervous about the color in the tube, but it's seriously gorgeous and looks a lot different on the lips, at least I think so! It does dry matte and felt a little dry to me, but you could easily put a balm or gloss over the top and be fine. 

Whish Exfoliating Body Wash. "Whether your self-tanning efforts have gone terribly splotchy or you’re battling reoccurring dryness, consider this exfoliating scrub. The sulfate- and paraben-free body wash sloughs away dead skin cells for smooth, silky skin that’s ready for a faux glow. Bonus: The formula is gentle enough to use on your face."

I love Whish so much. Everything they make smells amazing. This one is no exception..it smells heavenly! I love to exfoliate my skin because I like that 'glow' my skin has afterwards. This one was great because the beads weren't too rough, but you could still feel it working. I do use tanning & bronzing lotions fairly often, so I'll be using this to exfoliate beforehand! :)

Whish Deodorant Swipes with Hair Inhibitor. "Unlike the average drugstore stick, this ace sweat fighter banishes B.O. and fits into our daintiest clutches. A must between underarm shaving sessions, Whish’s single-use wipes both tackle unpleasant odors and (bonus points!) slow down hair growth. Soaked in smoothing oat extract, they’ll quickly join the ranks of your can’t-live-without-them purse essentials."

Not sure why I never thought of this before. How convenient are deodorant WIPES? I always just throw a travel sized one in my bag for the gym, but these are great for the gym, going out, weddings, work, or whatever! The scent is a tiny bit strong, but they definitely do work well and they're super easy to apply. 

OC8 Professional Mattifying Gel. "To keep contestants’ faces shine-free under pressure (and scalding-hot stage lights), makeup artists for shows like American Idol and The Glee Project turn to this mattifying gel. The fast-drying formula creates an intermediate layer that absorbs grease for eight full hours. Use it to score a matte, shine-free look—with or without the help of makeup. Alcohol-free and oil-free, it’s safe for even acne-prone skin. Get ready for your close-up."

I was impressed by this gel, straight up. I always kind of see it as a challenge when a product has 'lasts ___ hours!' in the description, because I feel like it's almost never totally accurate. This did last a full eight hours on me. I was just at work, so it's not like I was out in the heat or working up a sweat, but I do normally have a slightly oily t-zone and it was totally matte for eight hours. Also, you only need a little bit of this stuff. One of these packets could probably last me a whole week.