Birchbox UK August 2014 Un-boxing Review

Birchbox is a subscription beauty box where you receive 5 luxe beauty samples for £10 + £2.95 a month. If you would like to join Birchbox please sign up using my referral link - http://birchbox.co.uk/?raf=30654 and we will both get £5 worth of points to spend in the Birchbox E-shop.

This months box 'Away We Go' is all about travel items for holidays. This month instead of the usual drawstring bag the items came in a see-through plastic travel cosmetic case, perfect for taking the essential products away with you on travels.

 This months lifestyle extra is the first chapter of 'The Proposal' by Tasmina Perry. I've not yet read it but it sounds like my kinda book (romance) so I will probably buy the full book on my kindle whicht is available for only £2!

 Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator 20g (rrp £26 for 120ml)

A multi-action product which brightens, exfoliates and cleanses. This product is so effective in dissolving away dead skin cells, it also preps your skin to allow other skincare products to absorb better, making them more effective. Sounds good to me!

 Number 4 Super Comb Prep & Protect 30ml (rrp £20 for 200ml)

A leave-in conditioning spray used to strengthen, repair, de-tangle, tame flyway ends as well as nourishing and protecting against heat from styling tools and sun damage. It's also 100% Vegan, gluten-free, sulphate-free and paraben-free.

 Nude Progenius Omega Treatment Oil 5ml (rrp £58 for 30ml)

A nourishing oil that is rich in omegas 3, 6, 7 & 9 for hydrated, smooth skin. Gently massage 2-3 drops onto cleansed face and neck day and night. Use alone or with moisturiser.

Chella Highligher Pencil RRP £15.95. Highlight the brow bone, cheekbones and inner corners of the eye with the versatile chunky pencil.

 Supergoop! Daily Correct SPF 35 CC Cream 2x3ml (rrp £32 for 47ml)

A natural shade-adjusting CC cream with SPF to smooth fine lines and even out skin tone. Acts as both a primer and a foundation. This is the first cc cream I've used and I'm inpressed. I was a little wary at first as it looks really dark when it comes out the tube and I am very pale skined. But this cream blended really well with my skin tone. Very impressed and glad they included 2 samples as they are very small samples.

Another great box for Birchbox! Did you get a Birchbox this month? Did you receive the same or different products?

LoveLula Beauty Box August Review

LoveLula is a green beauty subscription box service for £12.50 a month. 

All boxes are sent out the first week of the month so you need to order the box by the end of the month before.

This month I received 3 full sized items and 2 samples.

The first thing I noticed when I opened my box was the full sized 100ml bottle of Tan Organics Self-Tanning Oil RRP £24.99. It comes in a lovely glass bottle with a wooden top. This is similar to the Tan Organics product I received in Julys YBD box, however this oil is a slightly lighter shade than the lotion. Both equally nice, and doesn't have that normal fake tan smell.

Next in my box is a Hurraw Green Tea Lip Balm RRP £3.99 with hints of Jasmine and delicate scent of green tea. Hurraw Balms are becoming a firm favourite of mine at the moment as they are very moisturising. I'm glad to received one I've not tried yet.

The last full sized item is a Bamboo Eyeshadow Brush by EcoTools RRP £4.99. I own a few of these brushes. They are super soft and really good quality.

Lastly in the box is a sample of Sophyto Total Protection Serum 2ml (£32 for 30ml) and John Masters Organics Lavender & Avocado Intensive Conditioner 10ml (£22 for 207ml).

A great box this month, I will use everything included. Already can't wait for next months box!

You Beauty Discovery August Review

You Beauty Discovery is a beauty subscription box service for only £6.95 a month. You choose 2 products from a list of 8-10 and they then add a few extras to your box.

When the email popped into my account with the list of products on offer this month I was so excited. As usual You Beauty Discovery have a great selection of brands. And as usual I stayed up til midnight on the 1st to make my choices. The YBD website is always bombarded with customers as soon as the new box menu goes live, which means the site struggles to cope and often crashes. It only took 20 minutes to make my order. A great improvement on previous months! 

This month top of my list was Gazelli Triple Youth Set, which includes an Ultimate Firming Serum 5ml and Intensive Age-Repair Cream 5ml. This luxury set sells for £16.

Next I chose JustBe Hydrating Serum 10ml

(£34.95 for 30ml) scented with Orange Blossom, this serum provides an instant feeling of skin firmness and improved elasticity.

Extras this month are samples of Jimmy Choo Eau De Parfum for her and Eau De Toilette Man for him, FaceD 3-Luronics Instant Effect Cream Serum and a 4-way nail buffer.

Another great box this month, they just keep getting better. Did you get a box from You Beauty Discovery this month? What products did you choose?

Wedding and Holidays

Apologises for lack for posts recently, it's been a busy week for me. My sisters wedding was last Tuesday so I've been catching up with family and just enjoying my time off work (back to work tomorrow boo) It was such a lovely day for the wedding, so lovely in fact that the wedding was held outside. Hard to believe it's possible to have an outdoor wedding in Scotland! I won't post pics of my sis as she'd probably kill me if she knew haha so here is a pic of me and my boyfriend. We scrub up well don't you think?

I've got a few subscription box posts coming up - You Beauty Discovery, LoveLula, and my Birchbox arrived today!!

But for now the next 2 hours of my life is going to be devoted to watching this!

DIVERGENT!!! 

I love this film!!

Glossybox UK July 2014 unboxing

This month Glossybox have done a United States themed box 'Stars and Stripes' featuring the best of American products. I think the box is amazing with lovely bold colours. A good box to keep out on display.

My box contains 4 full sized products and 1 sample size.

Bellapierre Cosmetics Ltd. Mineral Lipstick in 'Ruby' RRP £20. I currently own products from this brand already from a previous glossybox. I'm not much of a lipstick wearer but when I do use it I like red so this is perfect for me. This product alone covers the cost of the box and then some.

Absolute New York Perfecting Eyeshadow Primer RRP $4.99. Primers are a must in my makeup case. It's nice to see an eyeshadow primer, hopefully it does its job to prolong the colour of my eye makeup as I do find my shadows fade quickly.

Carmex lip balm RRP £2.69 this product is not new to me in any way. It's my go to lip balm if I don't have anything else to hand. I probably have 4 or 5 tubes/tubs of this in amongst my stash. I do find the tubs a bit more annoying to use as it means you get it all over your fingers. I love the tingling effect this has on the lips.

Color Club nail polish 15ml in shade 'Glossy Seal' RRP $8. This varnish was formulated especially for glossybox this month. I love this shade, it is the exact colour of my living room rug and curtains! A lovely bluey teal shade.

Dr Bronner's Magic Soap Bar in 'Lavender' (RRP £3.99 for 140g. Sample size 34g, value £0.97). Again another product I already own. It's a nice product, but I personally prefer the liquid soaps from this brand as they are multi purpose, but a nice addition to the box.

Overall a good box but I think it could have been made better with brands exclusive to America.

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Degustabox Food Box July 2014 Unboxing

Degustabox is, as you may have guessed from the title, a food subscription box. Delivered to you door at the end of each month you will receive a rather large box filled with 17 different tasty treats from well-known brands that you may find in your supermarket, but at a discounted price. Sometimes included are brands I've never heard of (I clearly bypass them in the shops) however I feel everything is good quality and well worth the money. Each month subscriptions costs £12.99

Items included are perfect for creating family meals, sharing with friends or as little treats for yourself!

 First I have 3 bottles of Zeo soft drinks. RRP £1.29 each or £4.29 for pack of 4.

 3 flavours are citrus Crush, lime Zest and peach & grapefruit Burst. An nice drink but I wouldn't repurchase.

 Hornsby's Blueberry Cider RRP £1.25 each.

A delicious fruity cider, I love cider and will definitely buy this again!

 Portlebay Popcorn come in an interesting range of flavours. Chilli & Lime, Crispy Bacon & Maple Syrup and Kracklecorn (sweet & salty) which is a bit different from average popcorn. RRP £0.79 each.

I'm not much of a popcorn eater but these are very yummy.

 A little something for the bakers out there. Dr Oetker Eton Mess & Violet Crystals. Lovely sprinkles to add to home baking and desserts. RRP £1.99 & £1.29 respectively. 

Green & Black's is a brand I'm very familiar with but I have never tried this one. Lemon Bar - Dark Chocolate infused with citrusty flavours of lemon. It is a very rich chocolate, think this one would be good for baking with. RRP £2.29

Lastly I have 6 packets from Maggi. I have used many packets from this brand before but have never tried the ones I have received so looking forward to giving them a go. RRP anywhere from £0.89-£0.99 each, offers sometimes on 2 for £1.50 on select items. Going from Tesco's website right now these 6 would cost £4.90.

2 x Piri Piri Chicken

2 x So Juicy Oriental Soy & Garlic Chicken

1 x Chicken & Leek Potato Bake

1 x Beef & Ale Casserole

Overall I'm pleased with my box, it has a value of £18.56

If you would like to try Degustabox there is currently an offer on Living Social Here for a box for just £4 + £2 p&p 

Love Me Beauty July Unboxing

This months Love Me Beauty box was all about makeup! Not my preferred products, I would rather see some skincare or hair care mixed in there, but overall a great box this month.

First I would like to mention the lovely 200ml full sized Weleda Sea Buckthorn Replenishing Body Lotion RRP £15.95. This was an extra item included in the first 450 subscribers boxes. I'm so pleased to have been given this product. I love the scent this lotion has.

 Next up we have the only non beauty product. Not 1...not 2....but 20 tea bags! The Teashed 4am Tea 20 whole leaf Ceylon silky pyramid teabags RRP £3.50. A lovely white tea which even if you drink at 4am you will still be able to sleep, sounds good to me!

 The product that intrigues me the most is Lash Enhancing Serum by Lashem 2ml (RRP £40 for 3.5ml) Claiming to make your lashes appear longer and fuller within 2 weeks. Apply a thin layer of the serum to your lash line once daily to nourish and condition. The fortifying formula continues working long after application, while the potent ingredients take your lashes to the next level. 

 

Next we have 2 products from the brand OFRA. 

Pressed Eye Shadow in ‘Bliss’ RRP £8.80 Taken from the “Diamonds are Forever” palette collection. It has a vibrant shimmer colour that makes eyes sparkle like diamonds! Suitable for all skin tones and even the most sensitive of eyes. Can be applied with a wet or dry brush.

Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in 'Hollywood' RRP £11.60 This is the one variant in the menus - other choices being an eye liner pencil or a brow pencil. I'm not much of a lipstick wearer as I do prefer lipgloss, so I thought this would be a good mix of the two. This liquid lipstick is a very bright pink, not something I would normally wear.

I saved the best for last. Two products from So Susan. I have only recently been introduced to this brand as I'm sure is the case with a few fellow bloggers. If there are any Glossybox fans reading this then you would know that last months box featured either a blush or a concealer pallet by So Susan. 

So Susan Flutter Mascara RRP £14.95. New to the So Susan line, this intense carbon-black mascara is formulated with hyaluronic spheres to help you achieve the darkest, curviest lashes possible. The long brush with extra stiff bristles helps to separate lashes while enabling you to achieve voluminous, multi-dimensional lashes in just one coat. I am almost out of my Benefit They're Real Mascara so this one will be next on my list to use.

So Susan Dual Brow Powder RRP £11.95. Create perfectly-defined brows with this smudge-proof dual-shade compact. Infused with Aloe Extract and Carrot Seed Oil to nourish and rejuvenate the sensitive skin around the eyes. This compact will give a medium coverage and I look forward to using this. My brows are naturally dark so I think the darker shade will get used more with maybe a slight mix of the lighter shade.

Overall an amazing box with only 1 sample sized product! Total value without the free Weleda product is £73.65!! Without a doubt the best value I've ever seen from LMB.