my january birchbox

This month's Birchbox, a collaboration with Pinterest, had some lovely treats and inspiration for having the BEST. YEAR. EVER. That's a direct quote! Along with the usual set of beauty samples, the box included a cute little compact mirror, and some postcards for inspiration! Each had sweet little beauty inspired illustrations, and one even featured a little check list of things to accomplish in 2016!

benefit they're real tinted primer

"For supercharged lashes, one coat of this game-changing product will make all the difference! The mink-coloured formula separates, lengthens and boosts each individual lash to prepare it for your mascara."

my impression: I have rather long eyelashes, so I was a bit skeptical of whether or not this would work for me.  I was also unsure of the mink colour, but that worry proved to be unfounded. Once I applied this to my lashes, it blended nicely. Did it make a difference to my lashes? Not especially, but like I said, I already have long lashes. Still, once I put mascara on, my lashes did look nice, and not very clumpy!

eyeko fat liquid eyeliner

"Whether you're a liner whizz or a complete novice, this chubby pen delivers an effortless slick of smudge-proof definition to the lashline. For a bold high-impact look you can't go wrong!"

my impression: an immediate A+, no question about it! As a cat eye enthusiast, I go through eyeliner pretty quickly, and despite my near-daily usage, I've not quite perfected my cat eye. I'm usually a bit slow with my eyeliner, especially if it's down to the dregs, but this went on smoothly, and I was done in mere seconds!

rituals rice scrub

"The battle for smooth skin is over (even for you super sensitive types!) thanks to this calming shower scrub. Enriched with  cherry blossom and organic white rice it transforms into a silky foaming  cream on contact with water for gentle exfoliation."

my impression: I liked this scrub for a few reasons: the grains are very fine, so it's not too harsh on the skin, and the scent is also very nice. It becomes foamy when it gets wet, but it is thicker than other scrubs I've used, so it takes a bit longer to wash away. I count that as a plus! The texture and consistency is nice and you can really feel the scrub getting to work! My skin definitely feels softer now, though I am undecided if I would purchase it on it's own.

beauty protector protect and detangle

"A Birchbox bestseller, and for good reason, this miracle-worker conditions, detangles, and minimises frizz - all whilst protecting against UV rays and heat styling (phew!) Bonus: this stuff smells incredible!"

my impression: My curly hair is a pain to untangle, and I have to say I was incredibly impressed with how quickly I was able to comb through my curls! The smell, as advertised, was delightful and my hair even now smells good! I would perhaps, if I used this product again, also use another, to make sure my hair stays moisturized, since it doesn't feel particularly so at the moment. 

absolution l'eau soir et matin

"Make light work of removing your make-up with this purifying cleansing water. Packed with kind to skin ingredients like hazelnut oil and aloe vera, it removes all the traces of the day to leave your complexion feeling soft and refreshed."

my impression: I was impressed with how clean my face felt afterwards, and how much dirt it picked up! It even made fairly short work of my eyeliner I liked the scent and it was not too overpowering or alcoholic smelling which I find with many makeup removers my  face was a little dry after using but felt clean

the verdict: Overall, I didn't have any strong opinions about any of the products except for the eyeliner. Everything else was good, don't get me wrong! I just don't think they especially surpassed any other products I was using. I'll definitely keep using them though! Who knows? I might just change my mind!