Glossybox November 2013

 

With the theme of this month's Glossybox being 'The Glossy Wishlist', I was expecting some luxury, indulgent products to enjoy in time for Christmas, but sadly I was left a little disappointed with the November offering.

 

Here is what I got:

 

1. Yves Rocher Collection Cacao Cocoa and Raspberry Hand Cream, 75ml (full size), worth £1.95: This smells delicious and doesn't make my hands feel too greasy. I would say that this is my favourite product from the box.

 

2. Connock London Kukui Perfume, 1.5ml sample, worth about 75p: I found this scent a bit overpowering - it's very floral, with notes of gardenia, white jasmine and lily that rest on a woody base. My sample was only half full too, so I guess it's a good job that I'm not that fussed on it! I'm starting to get a bit sick perfume samples now. Switch it up a bit Glossybox!

 

3. Emite Make Up Micronized Eyeshadow in Dams, 1.48g (full size), worth £16.80: Although this is great for sensitive eyes like mine, it's not a colour I'd really wear, so I'll just use this as a base when I do a smokey eye. I could never justify paying that price for a single eyeshadow though, so it definitely bumps up the worth value of the box.

 

4. Elegant Touch Nail Polish Remover Pads, 20 pads (full size), worth £2: I'm a total nail polish junkie and I always remove it using pads, so these will come in super handy.

 

5. Vichy Idealia Life Serum 2 x 3ml, and Vichy Idealia Smoothing and Illuminating Cream 1 x 3ml, worth around £2.90 in total: My skin can often look quite dull, so I'm looking forward to seeing if these can perk up my complexion. I wish they were a more generous size though.

 

This box is a bit hit and miss for me - I'd like to see less perfume samples and if it wasn't for the eyeshadow, this box would have been worth less than the £10 paid for it.

 

What did you get in your Glossybox this month? Were you happy with your selection of products?

 

 

Glossybox October 2013

The theme of this month's Glossybox was 'Dark Romance', however I'm not sure that the products I received really fitted the bill. I was expecting vampy lip colours, gorgeous autumnal nail polishes and tools to create smouldering eyes, however this month's Glossybox has been a bit of a let down.

 

Here's the contents of my box this month:

 

 

1. Eva Cosmetics Mystic Diamond Oil, 6ml sample worth £1.36 - I'm not a lover of hair oils, they just turn my fine hair really greasy, but I'll give it a go. It's formulated with argan oil and diamond powder to hydrate your hair and add shine. Not sure how it really fits the theme though.

 

2. Monu First Defence Illuminating Primer SPF 15, 20ml sample worth £9.98 - Although I'm not sure how this fits the theme, I'm looking forward to trying it out. My skin can sometimes look a bit lacklustre, and this promises to enhance radiance and give a smooth finish.

 

3. MeMeMe Cherub's Blush Cheek & Lip Tint, full size worth £5.50 - This is a dupe of Benefit's Benetint, which I have used previously and really liked, so this is a good product for me. It even smells like Benetint! It also fits the Dark Romance theme which is a bonus!

 

4. Premae Harmony Moisturising Smoothie Serum, 20ml sample worth £9 - Again not quite sure how this is in keeping with the theme, but at least it's something I'll use. Made with lemongrass oil, it's designed to provide lightweight hydration, so it'll be good for my oily skin.

 

5. Killer Queen by Katy Perry Perfume Sample, 1.5ml worth about 44p - This is quite a sultry scent so I can see why it was included in the box, however it's far to sweet for my liking. It smells quite chocolate-y, and combines fruity top notes with a floral heart, and has a base of cashmeran, natural patchouli heart and liquid praline. I'll use it up but it's not a scent I'll be re-purchasing.

 

Total box worth: £26.28

 

I would say this is quite an average box, due to the lack of full sized products and the fact most of them had no relevance to the theme. That said, I had a great box last month so I guess you win some and lose some.

 

Where you happy with your Glossybox this month? What did you think of the products/theme?

 

 



Birchbox UK September 2013

Yesterday this lovely box of goodies arrived at my door, and I couldn't wait to see what was inside. This is only my third Birchbox, (I subscribed to see whether it bettered Glossybox), and so far, I have to say that although the contents are good, I prefer the fact that Glossybox gives more full-sized samples and uses more well-known brands.

                                Anyway, here is what I got inside my Birchbox this month:

 

1. Bioderma Sebium H20 Micellar Water, 20ml sample, worth less than £1 (my maths isn't great!)

2. Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Gel 40ml, worth £6.20

3. ModelCo Party Proof Lipstick in Kitty, full size worth around £5.16

4. Reverence de Bastien Nail Polish, full size worth £16

5. Molton Brown Ylang Ylang Nourishing Body Lotion, 30ml worth £2.50

6. Green & Black's White Chocolate Sample

 

Total worth: Around £30

 

Overall, I'm really pleased with my box this month. I love nail polishes and this gorgeous red is definitely a shade I'd go for, and the Molton Brown lotion smells divine. I'm looking forward to trying the micellar water as I've heard it's great for sensitive eyes as it has the same pH as your tears, and the Aromatherapy Associates gel will come in handy when I've put on a few pounds on my holiday, as it helps to smooth and tone the skin. Although I love lipsticks, this particular shade isn't quite 'me', and doesn't really give my lips much colour, which is a shame. I love white chocolate though, so the little extra was a nice bonus!

 

Which is your favourite beauty box? Are there any others I should try out?

 

 

Glossybox September 2013

I love getting my Glossybox each month, and this month was no exception. 'The London Edition' was presented in a beautiful Union Jack box, with decorative London-themed tissue paper packaging.

 

I was really happy with this month's selection of treats overall, and I felt that this box offered good value for money with 4 of my products being full sized.

 

 

My first product was this Rimmel Stay Blushed Blusher 14ml (full size), worth £4.49. I got shade 001 Pop of Pink, which should give my pale skin a really natural hint of rosiness. It promises to last 24 hours too, which is great for my oily complexion. I'm excited to try this out.

 

 

 Next up is a 5ml sample of Elizabeth Arden Untold, worth £4.80. I really like the fact that this is a decent size for sample compared to other perfume vials I've has in previous Glossyboxes. Fragrance-wise, it's a delicate floral accord, which is really light. I think this is a lovely fragrance and one that's not overpowering.

 

The bottle is cute too!

 

 

 

 

My next treat was this Toni & Guy Classic Shine Gloss Serum 30ml (full size), worth £7.19. I've used serums before and this one is supposed to be lightweight, so hopefully it won't make my fine hair look greasy.

 

 

I found this Be A Bombshell Eye Liner in Onxy 3g to be a strange choice for the London-themed box as it seems to only be available in America. That said, it seems like a great felt-tip style liner and looks really pigmented when swatched on the back of my hand. At $14, this is worth about £8.80 give or take the exchange rate.

 

 

 

 

 

Finally were these Eylure Pre-Glued lashes, worth £5.06. I'm not really a false lash wearer but I'm prepared to give these a go next time I have a night out. I like the self-adhesive aspect though, it sounds much better than faffing around with glue.

 

In total my box this month was worth £30.34. Also, if you take your product card to a Debenhams store, you can also get a free Elizabeth Arden Untold Body Lotion 100ml. Not bad, eh?

 

What did you get in your Glossybox this month? Were you happy with your products?

 

 

milk_shake Conditioning Whipped Cream

As my hair is bleached and paper thin, it needs an extra bit of help to stay looking healthy. Until I received this milk_shake Conditioning Whipped Cream in a Glossybox a few months ago, I was completely unfamiliar with the brand, but I'm so thankful that I've been introduced to this fabulous product.

My hair gets greasy so quickly, and the majority of hair products only add to that problem, making my locks look grubby and weighed down. However this little gem leaves my hair feeling weightless, super-soft and free from residue and build-up.

You simply apply a small amount to your hands, then rub it into damp hair, making sure you concentrate on the lengths. It's a leave-in product, so once you've applied it you can dry and style your hair as normal. It may just be me, but I find using this actually speeds up drying time, so it's great when you're in a rush.

It has a mousse-like texture that comes out looking exactly like whipped cream, and the smell is absolutely divine - it has a vanilla-y scent that just reminds me of cream soda!

 

 

Formulated with a patented blend of antioxidants, proteins and vitamins, it nourishes and strengthens your hair from within, leaving it smooth and soft, whilst preventing static and frizz. It's suitable for all hair types, and as someone with very fine hair, I can confirm it won't make your hair feel heavy or stiff. I use it 2-3 times per week to 'top up' the benefits of my usual John Frieda conditioner, and I can definitely tell the difference in the manageability and softeness of my hair when I've used it.

You can currently buy milk_shake Conditioning Whipped Cream from beautybay for £10.76.

Have you tried any other products from milk_shake? What are your haircare essentials?