January 2014 Birchbox Review

Ok, so maybe I am just expecting to much but I am feeling a little less than enthusiastic about this months offering. I naturally clicked through to see some of the January spoilers and noticed my much loved Rodial and a couple of other bits and pieces which I am keen to try.  Needless to say, I appear to have drawn the short straw again.

I think part of my problem is a colleague in my office receives a beauty box from You Beauty every month which seems to be amazing and comes complete with at least one full size product every month (and is ridiculously cheap to boot). This of course means that I struggle to get quite as excited when I receive my Birchbox complete with teeny samples.

Anyway, this month I received the following goodies:

• Philip Kingsley Moisture Balancing Conditioner - 20ml. Aimed at ladies like myself with very fine hair this product is designed to deliver moisture without weighing the hair down. I'm a big fan of the Elasticizer which has really helped my fine tresses in the past so I have hopes for this.

• Benefit The POREfessional - 7.5ml. A multi-tasking primer which minimises the appearance of pores and fine lines whilst providing an ideal base for your make-up. I'll be honest and say this isn't a product I've used before, I am a massive fan of my Laura Mercier Primer and Gerda Spillman Hydro-Pearls so it'll have a tough job convincing me it's worthy of a spot in my make-up bag.

• Rodial Glamtox Night - 15ml. This is a product packed full of retinol which is designed to fade pigmentation, reduce pore size and help to reduce any fine wrinkles which are starting to appear. I'm excited to try this as at 26, whilst I'm lacking in the blatant wrinkle department, I've started to notice some finer lines appearing around the eyes/lips (although I've been told these are expression lines).

• Vasanti Detox Nutrient-Rich Purifying Facial Cleanser - 20ml. This claims to wash away every last trace of make-up while its nutrient rich formula nourishes skin. It's packed full of omega 3 & 6 fatty acids and grape seed extract to stimulate skin cells and keep your face looking bright and refreshed. As an update, I've been using this for a few days now and whilst it does a good job of cleaning my face, it smells like very basic hand soap. This doesn't really make for an enjoyable cleansing session.

• Premae Anatomy Nutrients Instant Renewal Body Oil - 20ml. Something to be used instead of your usual body butter this body oil claims to detoxify your skin and awaken the senses. I received a sample of the moisturising variety which is designed to help tight muscles and cellulite. This could be helpful given I've finally been able to dive back into a decent exercise routine although I can't say I'm normally the kind of girl to reach for a body oil.

• Itsu Instant Miso Soup - 25g. Those of you familiar with the likes of Wagamama and Miso will have come across this popular soup on many occasions. Incredibly light, it's packed full of amino acids and makes for a quick and easy snack. 

Whilst I appreciate the theme for this months box was small changes which ultimately make a big difference, I think that perhaps I was just setting my sights a little to high here. I've decided that if I'm less than ecstatic with my next box I'll be cancelling my subscription in favour of a You Beauty box instead.

Did you receive this months Birchbox? What did you think?