What is it about mermaids? Why are we fascinated by them? I wouldn’t actually want to be one (if they existed). I don’t swim. I would never go topless. I’m not an adult Disney fan with an Ariel obsession. I think the story of “The Little Mermaid” (the real Hans Christian Anderson story, not that Disney version!) is strange and sad; the first time I read it, as a child, I kept turning the last page back and forth, hoping for another (happier) ending.

And yet, like many other women, I would ask a mermaid for some beauty tips. The hair! the pale skin! the shimmery scales!

Birchbox, the beauty-product shopping site and subscription club, has just launched a limited edition set called Modern Mermaid.

According to Birchbox: “From sea salt spray to waterproof liner, this box is a modern take on the mermaid tropes we all know and love. It’s guaranteed to help you make a splash this summer—even if the nearest beach is far, far away.” And you certainly don’t need to be at the seaside to need a lip balm with SPF, a summery fragrance, or an unexpected new nail color.

Each Modern Mermaid box contains:
Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Genius Waterproof Topcoat (Deluxe Sample)
Atelier Cologne Cédrat Enivrant Cologne Absolue (Travel Spray)
Captain Blankenship Mermaid Mane Sea Salt Spray (Travel Size)
COOLA Liplux SPF 30 Original Formula
RUFFIAN Endless Summer Collection – Nail Polish Trio
Vasanti Kajal Extreme Intense Eye Pencil in Electric Navy
Stephanie Johnson Mermaid Mirror

Modern Mermaid sells for $44. For more information, visit the Birchbox website.

Information via press release.

Image: Howard Pyle, The Mermaid (1910), Delaware Art Museum.