beauty

UNBOXING: Birchbox April 2018 – Cath Kidston

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Image result for cath kidston birchbox magic cloth

A Cath Kidston box? Well the box was pretty enough. At best, we could have hoped for some classic British brands with English garden scents, but what we got was a small handcream and some Cath Kidston advertising. Ho hum.

MODEL CO: Baked Highlighter in Frose, 1.5g
Value: £10.29

Image result for MODEL CO: Baked Highlighter in Frose

“This baked treat is an instant complexion illuminator. Just swirl a fluffy brush across the marbled powder and sweep over cheekbones for that lit-from-within glow.”

BT INITIAL OPINION: After preselecting which shade we wanted, we were looking forward to trying out this highlighter, however it is the most ridiculously tiny sample…about 1.5 cm across. We find it hard to believe that it is worth the quoted price or that anyone can use this tiny sample. Cunningly photographed. Can’t find this for sale anywhere other than Birchbox. Crazily overpriced. Just ridiculous.

BEAUTANIQ BEAUTY: Fill + Tame Brow Gel in Brunette, 4g
Value: £8.60

Image result for BEAUTANIQ BEAUTY: Fill + Tame Brow Gel in Brunette

“Show unruly brow hairs who’s boss with this easy-to-use formula. The vegan formula is enriched with nourishing aloe leaf extract and glycerin so there’s not risk of crunch or sticky brow hairs.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Small for a full size product. Another product that is hard to track down anywhere other than Birchbox. A bit of a gamble depending on the brunette shade (might be too warm) but happy to try a new product out.

CATH KIDSTON: Hand Cream, 30ml
Value: £2.50

Image result for cath kidston birchbox hand cream

“Not only is the exclusive Birthday Rose packaging as pretty as a picture but the floral lotion inside will leave your skin feeling silky-soft and smooth.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Not exactly groundbreaking, but nice enough to put in a handbag or take for a trip away. Scent is quite strongly floral (not natural smelling). The formulation is easily absorbed. Is this really enough to warrant the Cath Kidston collaboration headline though?! We don’t think so.

PERCY & REED:  Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Balm, 30ml
Value: £7.20

“The haircare step you didn’t know you were missing?  A primer!  This multi-tasking balm boasts a  whole host of benefits;  adds moisture, boosts shine, aids smoothness, defines, softens, protects against humidity, and speeds up styling.  Phew!”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This was our favourite product in the box. A little goes a long way. We tended to use it on the ends of our hair to keep it sleek and stop flyaway hairs. Decent deluxe sample size too.

AFTER SPA:  Magic Make Up Remover Cloth
Value: £8.95

Image result for AFTERSPA: Magic Makeup Remover Cloth

“With this cloth there’s only one thing that you need – water!  Wet the cloth and massage it over your face to break down impurities and remove all types of make-up.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This just looks like a microfibre cloth and a small one at that. But this was the most exciting product in the box for us.  We’re not sure it will be as gentle as our oil cleanser especially on waterproof mascara, but if it works well without too much rubbing or scrubbing, this will be a boone as no products are required. We’ll definitely report back.

This is a dupe for the Magic Eraser and a review from Labmuffin is here https://labmuffin.com/how-make-up-remover-cloths-work-and-review/

OVERALL VERDICT:

Pretty disappointed with the overall theming of this box and the ridiculously small highlighter. Other than that, it’s an OK box, buoyed up by the magic cleansing cloth and the wonder balm. This SEEMS like a good value box, however a couple of items seem to have a massively inflated RRP and only for sale via Birchbox…hope this is not a trend we’ll be seeing more of.

Total value: £37.54

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 off your first box! You’re welcome 😉

UNBOXING: Birchbox March 2018 – Mindfulness

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This box is absolutely gorgeous with a mandala design that’s too good not to be seen. The theming didn’t carry through in the contents though, which was meant to champion the importance of self-care.

BLAQ:  Peel Off Mask, 15ml
Value: £3.50

Image result for blaq peel off mask

“This charcoal mask will draw out toxins and purify.”

BT INITIAL OPINION: We’re lucky and our skin isn’t really congested but would still like to try this charcoal mask especially across the T zone to see if black masks really live up to their hype. The sample size is big enough for one full face application. It’ll have to be pretty amazing for us to pay full price for it. Watch this space.

BENEFIT: BADgal BANG! Volumising Mascara, 3g
Value: £7.59
Image result for benefit badgal bang mini

“Prepare for lash lift off wit this new, thickening mascara. It’s gravity-defying formula contains aero-particles, commonly found in astronauts’ spacesuits, to deliver volume with lightweight life in every swipe. The special slimpact! brush is moulded to catch every single last from corner to corner.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – What a lot of marketing garbage! We generally dislike Benefit – drugstore quality at midrange price. However, the one product we really love is BadGal mascara, so kinda curious as to whether this improves upon it. Regardless, both mascaras are super pricey (big tubes but little product), so we opt for Lancome Hypnose as our Holy Grail mascara 😀 Can this one topple it?

LUMENE: Valo Glow Boost Essence, 15ml
Value: £15.45

Image result for lumene glow essence

“A blend of refreshing arctic spring water, vitamin C and brightening technology works to revive fatigued skin and restore luminosity. ”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This is the type of product we want to see more of in Birchbox. Deluxe samples of non-mainstream but quality brands. We cannot get enough of serums, essences and acids so this is bang on target for us. Lovely glass dropper bottle. Just hope it performs! Excite!

R + CO:  Badlands Dry Shampoo Paste, 7.1g
Value: £2.52
Image result for badlands dry shampoo paste sample

“This paste is formulated with Hawaiian volcanic ash to keep your scalp clean and balanced, with coconut and sunflower seed oils to add shine.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Uhhm, well like the innovative medium but dry shampoo is dry shampoo right? You can use it to help style too but we don’t appreciate this much more than a can of batiste. Since subscription boxes, we have dry shampoo coming out of our ears. Maybe we just wash our hair too much 😛

BAIJA:  Gommage Festin Royal Body Scrub (Caramelised Honey, 50g)
Value: £3.52

Image result for BAIJA: Gommage Festin Royal Body Scrub sample

“Packed full of honey and soothing shea, this exfoliator is a great solution for sloughing away dry patches and brightening”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Mmm. This smells great and we love a body scrub. So yummy, it’s almost somewhere between food and bath product! Everything about this feels luxe. Not expecting miracles (it’s a scrub!), but a welcome inclusion even if it doesn’t really fit in the box!

OVERALL VERDICT: Another tenuous theming with yet another Benefit sample, but it’s a good product so Birchbox are forgiven. Without the Lumene essence, this would have been a pretty poor box, but a nice balance has been struck between known and more niche mid-range brands.

Total value: £32.58

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 off your first box! You’re welcome 😉

UNBOXING: Birchbox Feb 2018 – Beauty through the decades

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Image result for luseta coconut hair mask birchbox

Birchbox have been giving us the option to choose our box design or a product each month. Whilst we’re glad not to get the 80s box, we would prefer to have a choice of product than box design. The idea behind this month’s box was to celebrate timeless trends and experimental looks of their time.

THE BEAUTY CROP:  Eyeshadow Trio in Love You So Latte, 3g (full size)
Value: £7

Image result for THE BEAUTY CROP: Eyeshadow Trio in Love You So Latte

“This coffee-inspired collection contains three earthy tones. They’re packed with coffee extracts to reduce puffiness and brighten the eye area.”

BT INITIAL OPINION: First of all, what does this have to do with beauty through the decades? It’s totally contemporary! Having said that, these shades are really wearable and will suit everyone. Had never heard of the company before – not sure how Birchbox come up with the RRPs when they are exclusive to Birchbox…

MODELCO: Green conceal & correct, 2.1g (full size)
Value: £14

Image result for MODELCO: Green conceal and correct

“A green concealer counteracts redness for a more even complexion.”

BT INITIAL OPINION: A crayon is a great format for application, we do feel a bit divided about plastic pencils though as you get so little product and so much waste. We don’t use green concealer daily as we tend not to go for full coverage base, but do have slightly flushed cheeks so will probably give this a whirl when we want to go for a fully made up look.

PERCY & REED: Quite Frankly Flawless Finishing Polish, 30ml
Value: £2.40

Image result for PERCY & REED: Quite Frankly Flawless Finishing Polish

“This lightweight styler is packed with horse chestnut to keep your do in place without leaving it stiff or greasy, and sunflower wax for a gentle injection of moisture. ”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This brand is one our beauty box discoveries…we’ve come to love it for performing well at a reasonable price. Not a high value product, but we appreciate the good-sized sample and look forward to trying this product out.

LUSETA:  Coconut Milk Hair Mask, 30ml
Value: £3.84

Image result for luseta coconut hair mask

“A nourishing treament designed to repair and restructure.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Yesss, more luxe products like this (hair masks, pamper items) to test please. Can’t really track this down anywhere other than Birchbox though. Hope it performs.

PIXI:  Shea Butter Lip Balm in Pixi Pink, 4g (full size)
Value: £8
Image result for PIXI: Shea Butter Lip Balm in Pixi Pink

“With nourshing ingredients like shea butter and vitamin E treating lips to a healthy sheen.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Pixi! This had to be good right? We were pretty disappointed at first use – it has a strange opaque, yet not opaque pigmentation that is on the pale side (it looked chalky on our lips and definitely wouldn’t look good on dry lips). After a little more use, taking care to apply enough colour, we came to like the fresh bright candy pink colour. It’s quite flat and not very moisturising though.

OVERALL VERDICT:

Three full-size products, you’re spoiling us Birchbox! This was quite a strong if not-exciting box. However, quite suspicious and fed up of the trend of featuring brands that are only available through the Birchbox shop (with inflated prices to boot).

Total value: £35.24

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 off your first box! You’re welcome 😉

UNBOXING: You Beauty Sep 2017 – CEW Award [Goodbye to You Beauty Box]

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We liked the shortlist this month so much that we upgraded to a gold box containing 4 products and the usual freebies. These are extra good value at £10.95 (usually £6.95 for 2 items), but they rarely have 4 products we really want to get. Unfortunately it was a double-edged blade as it came with the news that You Beauty Box were coming to a somewhat abrupt end, handing over to Latest in Beauty which used to provide a good beauty box service, but was always at a different price point and increasingly poor value.

We would like to take the time to reminisce on the great service that You Beauty Box has provided over the years. They have always been the BEST VALUE subscription beauty box at £6.95 including delivery. They often had fantastic brands and products to choose from, frequently offering products that were valued in excess of £30 individually (sometimes in excess of £60!) and you were able to subscribe or unsubscribe at any time. Each box came with discount offers from the shortlisted brands. This was a highly underrated box. Whilst you knew what you were getting each month (no surprised), we all enjoyed researching the shortlist and getting up at 7am to make our selections 😀

It was apt for this final month that all brands in the shortlist were either finalists or winners of as 2017 CEW Beauty Award.

MAX FACTOR:  False Lash Effect Epic Mascara, 13.1ml
Value: £11.99 (full size)

Image result for MAX FACTOR: False Lash Effect Epic Mascara

“Zoom-action tip captures and magnifies every detail of every lash for an epic lash fan.”

BT INITIAL THOUGHTS: We went for this one purely due to economic reasons as decent mascaras never come cheap and it’s one of the two items we definitely would use every day (that and brows) before going out. A decent black mascara is never going to be unused. We started with Max Factor 2000 calorie mascara (which was a classic back then) way back when we were teenagers and have been tempted away by the likes of Lancome Hypnose and Rimmel Exaggerate, so it will be nice to revisit Max Factor and check out how they are doing with their mascaras these days.

BEAUTY KITCHEN:  Seahorse Plankton 5 Minute Miracle Mask, 60ml
Value: £10.00 (full size)

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“Get glowing with a 5-minute micro-facial with this 100% natural multi-action miracle mask.  Kaolin Clay gives an instant detox, while seahorse plankton delivers some serious plumping and firming.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This was a quirky inclusion that we had never heard of it before. Happy to see if it can compete with other natural masks like Lush. It’s this kind of product that we buy beauty boxes for…to discover quality brands we don’t usually come across with cult products that might work well for us. Seahorse Plankton is Beauty Kitchen’s top secret ingredient, we need to examined the ingredients list to see if we can figure out what it might be.

NEAL’S YARD REMEDIES:  Wild Rose Beauty Balm, 15g
Value: £12.00

Image result for wild rose beauty balm

“This bestselling beauty balm nurtures all skin types for a glowing, radiant complexion. With vitamin and antioxidant-rich wild rosehip seed oil, a true multi-purpose beauty must have.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – You Beauty have delivered again with a cult classic. We’re not fond of rose, but this multi-purpose product has such a great reputation, as does Neal’s Yard in general, we’re happy to give it a try. It’s risk-free at this price.

Here’s a quick article on 15 different uses for this balm 🙂 http://thechalkboardmag.com/15-ways-with-wild-rose-beauty-balm

DR ORGANIC:  Moroccan Glow Body Polish, 200ml
Value: £8.99 (full size)

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“This exotic organic oil is blended with a proprietary selection of bioactive and organic ingredients and natural microparticles of volcanic lava to create and all over body polish, designed to prepare the skin for a flawless, even tan.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This product is meant to be used in preparation for self-tanning treatments, but it’s basically an exfoliator. We don’t actually use self-tan but we do suffer with skin that doesn’t shed itself that well, leaving cracked or flaky skin even though our skin isn’t dry. This means we need to exfoliate well, extensively and regularly to keep our skin loooking good. Dr Organic is a good brand and this exfoliator was an amazing deal at full size so we picked it up to see if it could compete as a natural equivalent to microdermabrasion (which contains marine-polluting microbeads).

EXTRA TREATS:

Image result for WELEDA: Jardin de Vie 'Grenade' Sensuality perfume sample

 

WELEDA:  Jardin de Vie ‘Grenade’ Sensuality perfume, 1.5ml
Value: £0.66

“‘Grenade’ (French for Pomegranate) is authentically natural, free from parabens and phthalates and made with sustainably sourced essential oils to awaken all senses. This fragrance transports us to an exotic Persian garden. Orange provides an intense fruity top note, whilst oriental davana adds a layers of sophistication and mystery, complimented by the soft, warm balmy aroma of vanilla.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – When you think of Weleda, you don’t think of perfumes so we were surprised to find this in the box. The fragrance smells a bit confused, it is very fruity – like a scent for a body lotion, but with heavier notes to in. On first application we actively don’t like it, but will wear it for a while and whether it ages a bit better.

 

AUSSIE:  3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor Deep Treatment Sachet, 20ml
Value: £0.40

“The much loved reconstructor has miraculous conditioning properties. It’s hair rehab that repairs, soothes, nourishes, untangles and restores silkiness to locks that are in need of a little love.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – What’s with the reconstructor talk? Here comes the science…we do all know by now that damaged hair doesn’t ACTUALLY get repaired don’t we? Having said that, we’ve used this before and it is a good deep conditioner. Hair rehab indeed.

OTHER OPTIONS:

The shortlist this month was:

  • Yes To – Coconut Ultra Moisture Conditioner 280ml
  • St.Tropez – Gradual Tan Tinted Lotion 50ml
  • Dr Organic – Moroccan Glow Body Polish 200ml
  • Benefit – gimme brow volumizing eyebrow gel (in shades Light – 01 or Deep – 05) 1g
  • Beauty Kitchen – Seahorse Plankton 5 Minute Miracle Mask 60ml
  • Neal’s Yard Remedies – Wild Rose Beauty Balm 15g
  • Max Factor – False Lash Epic Mascara 13.1ml
  • Bioderma – Hydrabio Cream 2x5ml
  • This Works® – sleep plus+™ hair elixir 5ml

OVERALL VERDICT:

This was a good value box, not because the items are hugely expensive but because several of the items we will use as staple products, not just nice-to-haves to try out. We are SO sad this is our last You Beauty box, it has been a steady favourite of ours and we have been active ambassadors for this box. We love researching all the products on the shortlist every month to figure out what we wanted to pick. There will certainly be a You Beauty Box-sized gap in our lives now…

Box price: £10.95 inc shipping
Total value: £44.04

Note: We paid for this You Beauty Box with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of You Beauty Discovery? Sadly they have ceased to offer this service, it held top spot for Best Value beauty box for the entire time it was running, next best value box that we recommend is Pink Parcel www.pinkparcel.co.uk

UNBOXING: You Beauty Box July 2017 – Come fly with me!

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The selection this month was so so, with only one stand out item. The Skin Chemists serum was an easy choice and we chose to augment this with the facial oil. Could the serum possibly be good enough to justify the skyhigh price?  The freebie sachet is pretty tiny so a bit of a meh inclusion but it’s just an extra.

SKIN CHEMISTS: Aqua Repair Facial Serum, 30ml
Value: £64 (although available for £39)

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“Our SkinChemist 24 Hour Aqua Repair Facial Serum has been formulated to sooth and hydrate the skin for all day moisturisation. This serum would be the perfect product to use on the go for a quick zap of hydration. The main active ingredients include: Rose Water to calm and sooth the skin, Allantoin to moisturise and soothe and Aloe Vera to stimulate the healing process of the skin.”

BT INITIAL THOUGHTS: We love good skincare that’s compatible with combination skin, so love the trend towards serums and layering.  We couldn’t resist trying the serum right away. It sinks right in and isn’t sticky at all. Would recommend it being used before a moisturiser as we needed that extra hydration. Will report back on how much our skin likes it and whether it’s worth the splurge.

THE BODY SHOP:  Oils of life, 7ml
Value: £7.00

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“A lightweight daily facial oil to intensely revitalise skin, instantly replenish moisture and revive radiance.  Made from 99% oils of natural origin, this lightweight, quickly-absorbed formula effortlessly melts onto skin leaving a non-sticky, velvety-soft finish.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – We weren’t totally happy to see this in the shortlist as it’s available as a sample easily from Body Shop stores. However we did want to try it out as from cleansing to night treatments, we do love a good oil…they tend work so well with combination skin so much better and contrary to what you’d expect. Oil cleansers actually reduce how oily our skin is. This is a particularly lightweight oil that does absorb pretty fast. Hoping it will also nourish as well. We’ll see if it can compete with the likes of Kiehl’s Midnight Concentrate.

EXTRA TREATS:

OMS (OhMySkin) : Sublime Enzyme – Exfoliate & Surface Mask, 3ml
Value: £1.74

Image result for OMS: Sublime Enzyme sample

“OMS’ natural formulation of Cacti & Wheat enzymes separate the old from the new, revealing an instantly brightened complexion.  OMS refines and perfects with each treatment, using no harsh acids, abrasive or microbeads. Concentrated vitamins and plant extracts leave the skin nourished, supple, firmed and uplighted.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Look forward to trying this out, but think we’ll need more than one sample to see if it really makes a difference.

OTHER OPTIONS:

The shortlist this month was:

  • Acqua Cacteen Hydrasoothe Cooling Spray
  • Physicool Cooling Mist
  • Vita Liberata Self Tanning Night Moisture Mask
  • Years Rich Shea Butter Soap, Jasmine or Vintage Rose
  • Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Air Soft Face SPF30
  • Aromatherapy Associates Support Breathe Bath & Shower Oil
  • Skin Chemists Aqua Repair Facial Serum
  • The Body Shop Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Facial Oil
  • Simple Kind to Skin Micellar Cleansing Water
  • Green People Age Defy+ 24Hr Brightening
  • Invisibobble Traceless Hair Ring, True Black
  • Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure, Jolly Jade
  • Bohemian Chic Minerals Pretty in Pink Eyeshadow

OVERALL VERDICT:

The Skin Chemists serum saved this box! The rest of the list was pretty uninspirational. It’s always nice to try a luxury product without paying to premium to see if it’s really worth the hype. Another worthwhile item in the list, or another freebie would have raised the bar. Still amazing value for the price and this remains our favourite subscription box where you get to pick the items you receive.

Box price: £6.95 inc shipping
Total value: £72.74

Note: We paid for this You Beauty Discovery Box with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of You Beauty Discovery? Sign up here http://www.youbeautydiscovery.co.uk

UNBOXING: Birchbox Jan 2017 – Sprinkle of Happiness

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“There’s no better time to shake up your beauty routine than a new year, which is why we’ve filled this month’s box with shiny new products.”

Say what? New products…shower gel, concealer, hand cream, day cream and a conditioner pack. Really? More like everyday totally ordinary items! Looking at the box variants that other people have received, there have been LOADS of variations. Was this just an exercise to throw whatever leftover samples they had at us?

LORD & BERRY:  Conceal-It Crayon in Beige, 1.6g
Value: £12 (full size)

Image result for LORD & BERRY: Conceal-It Crayon in Beige

“This creamy pencil not only disguises imperfections but it’s also great at highlighting areas that you want to show off.”

BT INITIAL OPINION:  Hmm. We tend towards cream concealers and are skeptical that this can provide coverage. At first swatch, it seems chalky and don’t see it being useful as a highlighter, but we look forward to trying this as we do have a Lord & Berry eyeliner crayon that is great.

ELEMIS:  Hydra-boost Day Cream, 15ml
Value: £14.63

Image result for ELEMIS: Hydra-boost Day Cream, 15ml

“This hyaluronic acid-packed formula works to strengthen your natural moisture barrier throughout the day, improving your skin texture over time.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – We like Elemis for high quality, good performing formulas. It is however too expensive, this cream being no exception. Hope it will at least deliver on its promises.

MERCI HANDY:  Hand Cream in New Wave, 30ml
Value: £4.90 (full size)

Image result for MERCI HANDY: Hand Cream in New Wave, 30ml

“Make sure you show your hands some love with this sweet-smelling lotion. It’s packed with tiny pearls and nourishing extracts to papmper and soothe.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – We thought this was toothpaste when we opened the box! But no, it was a hand cream from the people who make the hand sanitisers and fruity tooth gels that have flooded lots of boxes lately. We don’t really get this brand. It’s very cheerful, but it’s just hand sanitiser and hand cream in fruity flavours after all…

PRISMOLOGIE:  Yellow Day Shower Gel, 10ml
Value: £1.50

Image result for PRISMOLOGIE: Yellow Day Shower Gel sample

“Add a splash of sunshine with this foaming formula packed with uplifting bergamot and zesty citrus. Tiny micro-crystals smooth skin and restore radiance.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Blimey! This is a premium product (£30 for full size), but how good can a shower gel really be? The sample is tiny – we’ll be sure to appreciate this splash of sunshine for the one shower it will last for 😀

JOHN FRIEDA:  Frizz Ease  Miraculous Recovery Deep Conditioner, 25ml
Value: £1.16

Image result for JOHN FRIEDA: Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Deep Conditioner, sachet

“Formulated with an amino repair complex, this treatment delivers an intense shot of moisture to leave hair silky, smooth and shiny.”

BT INITIAL OPINION –  A sachet? As an actual box item? Really? And this is a product you can see in supermarkets and chemists everywhere. Not saying it’s not good, but what’s it doing in this box?!

OVERALL VERDICT:

This theme was laughable as were all most of the contents. Who would this box appeal to? The items are all handy but very much not special except the Elemis. We’re thinking about unsubbing at this stage.

Total value: £34.19

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 off your first box! You’re welcome 😉

UNBOXING: You Beauty Box July 2016 – The Jet Set Edit

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YOU Beauty Box: The Jet Set Edit for July

It’s definitely the summer box! And although we don’t use tan products ourselves, we appreciate that the extra treat being a generous tube of ST Tropez In-Shower tan means we’re off to a good start. Illamasqua? Rodial? Alpha-H? Squee, you’re spoiling us this month!

We did get up early to order some Alpha-H liquid gold as we have yet to try this classic product, however it was already sold out. It seems like they only had a few bottles :-/

ILLAMASQUA: Precision Ink Liner in Abyss, 3ml
Value: £21 (full size, although the product sold has now gone down to 1.8ml vs the old 3ml…sneaky!)Image result for illamasqua ink liner

“Precision ink creates perfect lines with its long-lasting water-proof formula  The high percentage of pigment in the water-based formula proves ultimate pay-off. Also makes a great nail art pen.”

BT INITIAL THOUGHTS: Not sure how this is water-based but dries waterproof or how it can last long enough to use as a nail art pen, but we jumped at the chance to pick one of these up!  We absolutely love Illamasqua and use liquid liner every day.  We usually pick up whichever pigmented one we can get on a deal so it’s so exciting to get to use a premium product like this.  Fingers crossed it doesn’t disappoint us!

RODIAL:  Stemcell Super-food Glam Balm Multi, 25ml
Value: £27.50

Image result for RODIAL Stemcell Super-food Glam Balm Multi

Something weird has happened this month and not everything in the shortlist is featured on the featured image or the information booklet. We guess they received some extra products last minute?

BT INITIAL OPINION – Rodial is one of those brands you see in Space NK that sounds absolutely lovely but you can’t justify the money just to try it out. We like hard working products, so basically a multipurpose balm from Rodial is right up our street…

EXTRA TREATS:

ST TROPEZ: Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion in Medium, 50ml
Value: £3.63

Image result for Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion in Medium

“Gradual Tan In Shower Golden Glow Lotion lets you gradually build a deeper golden glow as part of your daily shower routine. This streak-free and easy to apply lotion is also ultra-hydrating and won’t transfer.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Self-tan isn’t for us (or tanning in general), but St Tropez has a very establish (albeit with a premium price tag) reputation. This is a great freebie considering sometimes we get tiny sachets and will make a lovely gift for a friend.

OTHER OPTIONS:

The shortlist this month was:

  • Resultime – Regenerating Collagen Gel, 15ml
  • Illamasqua – Precision Ink Liner in Abyss, 3ml (full size)
  • White Rabbit Skincare Lime & Coconut Cleansing Water, 30ml
  • Aethic L’Air Bien Tubes in-flight Face and Hand Cream, 30ml (full size)
  • Carmex Peach & Mango Burst, 10g (full size)
  • Hawaiian Tropic Satin Protection SPF 15, 200ml (full size)
  • M&S Rosie for Autograph Nuit Parfum, 15ml
  • Philip Kingsley Swim Cap, 50ml
  • Rimmel London 60 Seconds Super Shine Nail Polish By Rita Ora in Glaston-Berry, 8ml
  • Alpha-H Liquid Gold, 50ml
  • NUXE Huile Prodigieus, 10ml
  • Rodial STEMCELL Super-Food Glam Balm Multi, 25ml
  • Balance Me Congested Skin Serum, 7ml
  • Bloom & Blossom Bath and Shower Gel, 50ml
  • INIKA Organic Eyeliner in Black Caviar

OVERALL VERDICT:

What a fantastic selection this month! We wish we had made it on time for the Alpha-H but as we login as soon as the selection is live, having discussed with other enthusiast we’re all pretty sure they had next to none of these. It was a tough decision between the items we chose and the Aethic L’Air Bien Tubes and the Resultime Collagen Gel, however the cult brands won out and we feel like we’ve received some extra lovely treats this month. You spoil us You Beauty…thumbs up!

Box price: £6.95 inc shipping
Total value: £52.13

Note: We paid for this You Beauty Discovery Box with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of You Beauty Discovery? Sign up here http://www.youbeautydiscovery.co.uk

UNBOXING: Birchbox Dec 2015 – All That Glimmers

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Unboxing? This was an unbagging. Birchbox were pretty pleased with themselves calling it the ‘Luxe Birchbag’. A glittery clutch best kept for housing your Birchbox treats rather than taking out in public anywhere! Plus it doesn’t stack hah. Happy Christmas though…

BENEFIT:  Puff off! and They’re Real Push-Up Liner Duo
Value: Approx £2 (not sure of weight)

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“You’ll find everything you need to perfect your peepers for party season inside this gorgeous kit! Heading out? A slick of this jet-black liner will complete any make-up look in style. The morning after? Sooth tired eyes with this de-puffing formula.”

BT INITIAL OPINION:  These samples are sooo tiny. They really should only be ‘free’ extras….we actually have the full size liner (for its waterproof qualities) and would describe it as gimmicky and hard to use.

MODELCO:  Ultra Long-Lasting Lipstick in Stiletto, 3.5g
Value: £5.17

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“This hydrating, semi-matte formula provides nourishment and long-lasting colour.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – It’s a bright red lipstick from Ozzie brand ModelCo. Not much more to say than that. It seems OK but we’re not too excited about this one.

CIATE: Paint Pot in Dangerous Affair, 5ml
Value: £3.34

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“Super-pigmented, ultra long-lasting and a cinch to apply.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This is a mini bottle. We love Ciate’s bottles and polishes and this is a classic wine red colour. Given the rest of this month’s Birchbox is pretty unexciting, it’s a shame this isn’t full size, but it’s cute and we like it.

MONU:  Firming Moisturiser, 30ml
Value: £16.50

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“An aromatic blend of essential oils as well as coconut oil and marine collagen work to smooth fine lines and hydrate tired skin.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Quality skincare is always welcome, but this is pricey! It would have to perform particularly well to justify the pricetag. It feels quite rich, but we’ll report back.

KORRES:  Santorini Vine Shower Gel, 40ml
Value: £1.28

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“Fresh and fruity, it’s the ultimate pick-me-up on chilly winter mornings and is packed with nourishing wheat proteins to help moisturise your skin while it cleanses.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – It’s basically just a shower gel, but it does smell really great; a woody citrus that has unisex appeal and is refreshing.

BIRCHBOX EXTRA:  Catherine Malandrino Style de Paris, 2ml
Value: £2.40

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“Sophisticated yet fruity.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – We kind of groan a little inside when we see a perfume sample but we actually quite liked this one. It’s on the sweet side, with a fruity scent…totally different to what we’d usually choose, but we’ll happily wear this.

OVERALL VERDICT:

We were pretty underwhelmed by the selection we received this month. We thought maybe the budget had gone on the bag, but we saw the other variants of boxes that were sent out and ours is definitely the worst. Sigh. We hate massive variation in boxes as it can be so disappointing and unfair – it’s the reason we left Glossybox very fast. Basically totally uninspired, almost totally not on-theme. The Monu moisturiser is a nice inclusion but the rest of the products were low value or absolutely tiny.

Total value: £37.54

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 off your first box! You’re welcome 😉

Raves: M&S Beauty

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M&S have languished for some years, trying to deliver what it is known for – high quality British goods whilst competing in a market at an ever lower pricepoint.

The food hall has long stood head and shoulders above the rest of its offering and now the beauty department is coming into line.

It was Stila that took me to M&S…it’s only otherwise available here in SpaceNK. The brands available were much better than I thought would be there…Ren, Skyn, Nuxe, Glamglow, Rituals etc alongside M&S ‘own’ premium brands – of which some products are great as well as a couple of high street brands like Bourjois (which I personally think are out of place). The ‘Advanced Formula’ Beauty Balm was the star of some products that I was given to review a while back.

Everything has testers and no annoying shop attendants following you round. It’s a really great opportunity to really get pitched in and test the products – a serious rival to the internet shopping experience.

Good work M & S, we look forward to even bigger and better things in time to come.

Thumbs up!