Birchbox uk: November 2013 ♡

Hello lovelies! Of course if you read my last Birchbox post you would know that it'd definitely be a hard box to beat! I ended up purchasing the KMS California Makeover Spray for only £5 with my reward points + free shipping from Birchbox. It came with 20% free extra product too - yay! 

The November box was quite a good box overall and had its highlights. The box came with these really jazzy info cards again which i really liked! This month's theme was 'Icons' - inspiring people who get us motivated to be the best that we can be.

This is a beauty subscription box that costs £10 + £2.95 delivery and you can sign up for the UK version here! We will both receive £5 in points to use in their online store if you use this link!

I received the dispatch e-mail on the 14th November and it arrived a couple of days later!

Birchbox uk: November 2013

Box value: £35.85

Laura Mercier Ambre Vanillé Body Butter

Full size: 170g for £26.00

Sample size: 25g

Sample value: £3.82

"Hydrate your skin the luxe way with Laura Mercier’s absorbing body butter. Available in the brand’s delicious Fresh Fig or Ambre Vanillé fragrances, it's packed with shea and lilipe butters, grape seed oil, jojoba esthers, honey and aloe vera gel for an optimum hit of hydration and protection."

Not the most hydrating of body butters admittedly, but it absorbs super-fast and smells delicious! The vanilla smell is very strong at first, but then it leaves a sweet after-scent that could be a replacement / base for a perfume. I'm really starting to warm to the Laura Mercier brand after trying out two of their products so far and i'll be buying this again!

Weleda Oat Replenishing Shampoo

Full size: 190ml for £8.95

Sample size: 18ml

Sample value: £0.85

"Weleda has been making products since 1921 so there's more than a lot of expertise behind the brand. The Oat Replenishing Shampoo harnesses this knowledge to bring renewed life to dry and damaged hair, or any strands that need a little nourishment. Rich in soothing restorative silicic acid and naturally bursting with vitamins, minerals and proteins, the oats also have a high water uptake – perfect for providing extra moisture. Organic jojoba oil and sage leaf also help care for the scalp."

I had tried the Weleda Millet Nourishing Shampoo in last month's Love Me Beauty box and i wasn't that impressed but this one was much better! It's made for dry and damaged hair so it made my hair feel noticeably softer and healthier than my usual shampoo after only one wash. 

Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil

Full size: 1.4g for £15.95

Sample size: 1.4g (full size)

Sample value: £15.95

"This fabulous highlighter pencil does it all! Applied to the brow bone and dark circles it will instantly lift your eyes, or used along the water line and inner corner of your eyes it will literally ‘open’ them up. If that’s not enough, it can also be blended down the centre of your nose and applied to the Cupid’s Bow and along the lip line to prevent lipstick bleed and enhance your pout. Ivory Lace is suitable for light skin tones. Try Latte for medium skin tones or Cinnamon for dark skin tones."

I've never tried out a pencil highlighter before. This one has a smooth, creamy formula that blends nicely leaving a beautiful and natural shimmer. It's really good to use to accentuate certain features when contouring because it's so precise. I love that it can be used in so many different ways.

Lila'lli Lip Define Fill Detour

Full size: 1.9g for £10.00

Sample size: 1.9g (full size)

Sample value: £10.00

"For use on the eyes, lips and brows, this range of multi-functional pencils will revolutionise your make-up bag. The soft creamy texture and shape is perfect for precision work, shading and texture. Plus, they're waterproof - hurrah! Available in Shame, a brick red; Fanatic, a rose red and Detour, a pearly green - a Birchbox favourite - which really makes your eyes sparkle."

This product wasn't for me to be honest... I received the green colour which is only suitable for the eyes in my opinion. I wouldn't wear this on myself though. It was a lovely formula but i wish i got a different colour.

English Laundry Signature For Her EDP Spray For Women

Full size: 50ml for £47.00

Sample size: 2ml

Sample value: £1.88

"English Laundry tap into the very essence of an English country garden with this beautifully fresh fragrance. Envelope yourself in top notes of rose geranium and creamy white flowers set against its backdrop of woody spicy and musky notes."

Some people don't like receiving perfume samples because they can be picked up for free at department stores. I'm really glad i got this though because it smells so feminine and floral! This scent was really long-lasting for me - there were hints of it well after 6 hours of wear. The branding and colours are so pretty too - i'll definitely purchase this when i'm running low on scents.

Pukka Herbs Tea Selection

Full size: 20 sachets for £2.29 - £2.39

Sample size: 3 sachets

Sample value: £0.35

"Pukka Herbs use plants from fair-trade sustainable sources and search all corners of the world to find the most superior flavours. The Elderberry & Echinacea Tea also includes Elderflower for a comforting blend with a rich fruity flavour.

Gorgeous by name and gorgeous in taste! Using only organic leaves grown on an ancient Indian tea gardens, the tea is blended with bergamot essential oil and fragranced with lavender for the perfect cup.

This intensely warming drink is made using cinnamon from Indonesia, India and Vietnam. Sweet and spicy in flavour, it's perfect for cooler days or at any time for a little invigorating break. As with all Pukka Herbs products, all the ingredients are organic."

I love black and green teas! I've tried other herbal flavours before and didn't like them too much. The Earl Grey flavour was okay but i thought the other flavours were not nice for me. I'm sure tea lovers would enjoy these quality teas though.

Birchbox Pencil Sharpener

Full size: One piece for £3.00

Sample size: One (full size) 

Sample value: £3.00

"You'll never need another pencil sharpener. This one caters to small and large pencils for precise, perfect application."

Not really sure how a sharpener relates to trying out new brands + products, but i was happy to receive one. My old one was getting grubby and it couldn't sharpen big crayons. This one is a good replacement and it came in a lovely black organza bag.

Lots of love,

ami ♡