Birchbox Review - March 2014 - Lulu Guinness Collaboration

I was really excited to find out that this months Birchbox was a collaboration with the designer Lulu Guinness, but I think the concept has been slightly overhyped to be honest. Don't get me wrong its a decent box, but I am not sure why a designer has been asked to pick the items for the box.  Really all that has been contributed is a sleeve that goes over the normal box and bizarrely a stick of lulu themed rock.

Heres what I received:

Benefit Stay Don't Stray primer for concealers & eyeshadows - 2.5ml (worth £5.13) - I already have this product and I am not a big fan.  It has the consistency of a concealer anyway so you have to blend it in on your eyelids quite a lot before applying eyeshadow and I don't generally need a a primer for concealers.

Dr.Brandt Pores No More Pore Refiner - 7.5ml (worth £5.77) - This is an instant matifying pore refiner.  I have not tried this brand before, so I am looking forward to giving it a go.

AromaWorks Serenity Body Oil - 5ml (worth £1.63) - A blend of sumptuous oils - including nourishing coconut oil - to leave skin silky and smelling divine. This is quite a small amount of product to use on the body, but I will give it a go after a bath or shower and see what its like.

Molton Brown Rhubarb & Rose Replenishing Hand Cream - 7ml (worth £1.75) - This has a lovely fruity smell, so will be nice to use.

English Laundry By Christopher Wicks No7 Perfume - 2ml (worth £1.88) - I have just tried to spray this to check out the fragrance, but it won't spray so I will have to contact Birchbox about getting a replacement.  Apparently, the top notes are pear and jasmine with gardenia, vanilla and sandalwood.  If only I could try it out for myself.

Finally, the aforementioned stick of rock.  Apparently this stripy candy represents the traditional sweet shops that inspired Lulu Guinness' Spring/Summer 2014 collection.  

Total value of the box is £16.16.  I have to admit I am not wowed by this box, but there are a few new products for me to try so its by no means a disappointment. Birchbox can and has done a lot better over the years, so I will keep my subscription going as I enjoy getting a box of surprises every month.  This is the first time I have received a product that doesn't work, so I hope that Birchbox will send me a replacement out. 

I have been disappointed with their customer service of late.  I placed an order using the Birchbox points I had accumulated on 14th February and when it had not been delivered 2 weeks later, I emailed them to find out when the order would be dispatched. I was told that a new order would be dispatched straight away.  I received the order only to find out that only 2 of the 10 items had been delivered. Once again I contacted Birchbox, who apologised and advised that the remaining part of the order would be sent out.  I have now been waiting 1 month for this order to be delivered and I still have not received 8 of the items.  To be fair this is the first time I have had problems with any of the orders I have made in their shop, but I think 1 month is way too long for this to still be unresolved.

If you want to subscribe to Birchbox it costs £12.95 per month and if you use this link we will both receive 50 Birchbox points which are worth £5 to spend in the Birchbox shop.   Its really easy to build up points by reviewing the products in the box every month and I tend to get £10 of points every 3 months.

What do you think about Birchbox this month and has anyone had any problems with their orders recently?  Let me know in the comments below.

Leighlee

I bought this beauty box with my own money