May 2017 Birchbox Review

Getting my pretty little box full of beauty goodies makes me so happy! The theme for the May 2017 Birchbox was low effort, high impact, and had mostly sun-related products. There were some big winners, but, alas, a couple of misses as well.

Clarins UV PLUS Anti-Pollution Sunscreen SPF 50. As soon as I opened the tube I liked this sunscreen. It smells delightful, feels lovely to put on, and on normal days would be a great addition to any beauty routine. But one big problem (for me, anyway): it’s not waterproof or even water-resistant. I realized it too late, after I had finished my laps in the pool, when my skin felt dry and unprotected. Upon closer inspection the box does say that you need additional sunscreen if you are swimming or sweating. Welp, I sweat almost every day in the summer, so I may only be able to use this during the winter.

Ouai Wave Spray. I really wanted to love this but it just didn’t work for me. Part of the issue is that I already have pretty curly hair, so didn’t notice any effect other than a bit of drying out at my ends. But it smells great! I am passing it on to my sister who has straighter hair than I do, and will let you guys know if it works better for her.

COOLA SPF 50 Sport. I loved this! It smells fantastic, like a ripe mango, and goes on smoothly. I spent a couple of hours outside swimming after putting it on and it protected my skin the whole time and left it soft and smooth.

Manna Kadar Glo Illuminator. Loved this too! A tiny bit goes a long way, and gives your skin gorgeous summer radiance. I was worried about looking to glittery but the shimmer is incredibly subtle. Just enough to make you, well, glow!

MAC Cosmetics False Lashes Mascara. This was hands down my favorite thing this box. While they didn’t quite look like falsies, my lashes were thicker and longer than they’ve been with anything else I’ve found, and they looked amazing. I am absolutely buying the full-size version of this (and keeping the travel size in my travel toiletries kit!).

Interested in trying out a Birchbox subscription? Sign up now to receive a FREE full-size Pixi by Petra MultiBalm in Wild Rose. Use code ITSBALM at checkout. Valid for new subscribers only. While supplies last.