SELFRIDGES SUMMER BEAUTY BOX

There have been so many beauty boxes this month which have caught my eye that I don’t need to go beauty shopping for a very long time! I have brought Selfridges beauty boxes in the past, they normally put together 2 or 3 a year, but the most recent boxes haven’t made me want to buy them, until this one. This limited edition Summer Ready Beauty Box is exclusive to Selfridges and contains 13 beauty essentials including skincare and makeup products. I'm surprised this is still available online as I can imagine it being very popular!

The beauty box, came in a Selfridges presentation box and then all the product came inside a canvas make-up bag from Alphabet Bags. I couldn't believe the size of the bag and I love the summer quote on the side, ‘I've got 99 problems, but a beach ain't one’. I will be taking this on holiday next week with me for all my poolside essentials like sun cream and books.

The box includes the Starskin Instaglam Foam Peel Perfect and the Starskin After Party Brightening Face Mask which I have never tried before. Instaglam is a disposable, foaming, peeling puff that gets rid of dead skin cells to reveal radiant looking skin. After Party is a Coconut Bio-Cellulose Second Skin Brightening face mask that contains a powerful serum complex to leave skin luminous and brightened. The translucent, cooling sheet mask is packed full of Vitamin C and Herbal Medley which works to reduce visible dark spots and even skin tone, I'm very excited to use this one! Another skincare product included was the Rodial Dragons Blood Sculpting Gel. This is an anti-ageing formula which helps to volumise and defines facial contours. It reduces redness and is ideal for sensitive and stressed skin. There was also a product I have tried before, the Caudalie Grape Water which is designed to soothe and refresh the skin. It’s made from 100% natural organic grapes and is suitable for all skin types. This product is quickly absorbed and can be used multiple times per day, so great if you need to cool down in the heat.

Also inside were the Ribband Sorbet Hair Ties in gorgeous pastel colours. I have been after some of these for a while now, they come in a pack of four and I think they'd be great for tying my hair up on holiday by the pool. Another hair product in the beauty box was the Tangle Teezer in Original Blue. I have quite a few Tangle Teezers but I think they come in really handy and it’s great to have one in your handbag, one in your gym bag and one on your dressing table. It’s so easy to untangle your hair with these, I'll definitely be chucking this in my beach bag!

The next product I was excited about was the James Read Day Tan SPF15. This is a day cream that gives you colour as well as instant moisturisation. You can build up a subtle, sun kissed glow which can be used all year round as well as being protected from the sun at the same time. On the make-up side was the Eyeko Fat Liquid Eyeliner, this eyeliner creates bold lines and long-lasting colour. The tip is flexible enough to create winged flicks, it delivers a smudge-proof finish but is easy to blend before drying for smoky eyes. Most beauty boxes seem to contain a Nails Inc Gel Nail Vanish at the moment. I received the shade Chiltern Street which is a lovely milky pink. The formula applies nicely and leaves a high shine finish, as well as being long lasting on the nails.

Something for the lips was the Illamasqua Lipstick in the shade Luster which a gorgeous candy pink. I have a couple of Illamasqua lip colours now from beauty boxes. These lipsticks are highly pigmented, long-lasting, moisturising on the lips and leaves a satin finish. There was also a mini Nars Lipgloss in the box in the shade Orgasm. This is so cute and a great handbag size. This lipgloss is really wearable and can be worn alone or look great over any lip product.

During the summer months, it can be a task to keep your makeup in place all day, that’s where the Urban Decay De-Slick Setting Spray comes in. I have been wanting to try this for a while now, since loving the Urban Decay All Nighter Spray. The stand out product for me in this box was the Clarins Eau des Jardins Smoothing Body Cream. When I first applied this I fell in love with the scent, it’s beautiful!

The content of this box has the combined value of £176, so for the retail price of £40.00 I think this is a great deal! It's a little pricer than other beauty boxes but the Alphabet Bag is worth £20.00 on its own. I know I will get great use from all the products inside, I wish Selfridges did more regular boxes.

Have you been tempted by the Selfridges Beauty Box?

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MAKE A SPLASH - JULY BIRCHBOX 2015

This month’s Birchbox was a complete surprise as it didn’t arrive in the normal box form, for the first time ever they have replaced the classic box with a super cute, splash-proof clutch. Birchbox has worked with editors from some of the most elite magazines in the UK, which has inspired the colours of the bags. I received the yellow Birchbag, which was chosen by Rose Beer from Grazia and her favourite holiday place of Somerset, which is her hometown and is now where she spends most of her summers. I will definitely be taken this zipped bag away on holiday with me as it’s perfect for all my poolside essentials.

Cowshed Cow Pat Hand Cream 50ml, £8.00 – When I normally see a hand cream in a beauty box I'm not really that bothered as I have so many, but this Cowshed one really interested me. This nourishing lotion is packed full of rejuvenating essential oils including grapefruit to uplift and coriander to soothe. It's full of shea and cocoa butters so it leaves the hands feeling really moisturised and toned, it’s even nice to massage into cuticles when you need a little hydration. I love the scent and it doesn't feel greasy at all on the skin.

Balance Me Congested Skin Serum 7ml sample, full-size £16.00 – This is exactly what I needed this month! This little skin saviour helps restore balance to the skin, as well as soothing breakouts. The formula contains chamomile, lavender and aloe vera so it’s really gentle but works wonders. I'm most likely to apply this before my evening moisturiser so my skin can rest over night.

Unani Aloe Vera Gel 30ml sample, full-size £15.00 – This is the perfect product to use after a day in the sun, as it can calm down any sore, red areas. It’s packed full of aloe vera which is cooling on the skin and helps to nourish and help with peeling too. It also works on blemishes, eczema and bites, it feels lovely on the skin and absorbs really quickly.

Pop Beauty Eyeshadow Trio in Peach Parfait, full-size £15.50 - I was really surprised how pretty these peachy shadows are. I have received Pop Beauty make-up before and know they are an affordable brand and I didn't really expect much from this palette. The shadows are very wearable colours and feel really silky and creamy when applied to the skin. I can see myself getting a lot of use out of this trio and it’s the perfect size to fit into my make-up bag.

Benefit Cosmetics Dream Screen 6ml sample, full-size £25.00 – I have really been enjoying Benefit skincare recently, but haven't tried Dream Screen before. This is an ultra-lightweight, matte-finish sunscreen, which absorbs quickly and protects against the sun with an SPF 45. It's oil free and perfect for layering underneath makeup. Another product I will definitely be taking on holiday with me and it’s the ideal size to put in your hand luggage for on the go.

Barely Prep, Blot & Blend Sponge, £5.99 - This is a bonus beauty extra this month, I've used a makeup sponge before, but this blending sponge is to smooth on your skincare and primers to prep your skin for makeup. You squeeze with warm water like you normally would with a beauty blender, then apply product and blend onto skin using a stippling motion. It's great for those hard to reach places or I like to use it with my eye cream.

July's edition has to be one of my favourite Birchboxes to date, my favourite product in the box is the Benefit Dream Screen! What was your favourite product from this month's box?

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LATEST IN BEAUTY - GET THE GLOSS SUMMER 'IT KIT'

I have recently really enjoyed Latest in Beauty boxes, as they have included many new releases and products that are exciting that I want to try for myself. Some beauty boxes disappoint me by featuring the same products over and over again which I already own and don't really need. I have gone off the Look Fantastic beauty box for now as there were too many duplicates and I received rubbish customer service after the delivery man decided to throw my box over the gate. But anyway, a beauty box should be crammed full of new releases and generous samples and I think this edition ticks every box.

Latest in Beauty have teamed up with Get the Gloss which is the UK’s leading online authority in beauty and health, with reviews and expert advice to create a Summer 'It Kit'. I'm signed up to their newsletter and know these ladies know a good product when they see one. The box is bursting with eight summer ready products that could be added to any girls ‘it kit’ I thought a lot of these products would be ideal to take on holiday with me.

Philip Kingsley Swimcap 50ml – This is such a genius product to take on holiday with you. Swipcap works as a guard to protect hair against discolouration and damage that can be caused by the sun, sea, chlorine and wind. It’s suitable for all hair textures and contains sunscreen for UV protection. This product was originally developed at the request of the first US Olympic Synchronised Swimming Team, PABA prevents oxidisation and colours fade and it is also a super conditioning treatment for your hair. You use this in wet hair and comb through your hair, you can reapply as necessary after swimming and rinse with water. It’s a summer saviour and a must-have for swimmers, I will definitely be taking this on holiday with me!

Nails Inc Gel Effect Nail Polish 8ml – I have quite a good collection of these gel effect polishes now. I received the colour Regents Place, which is a lovely cornflower blue which would look great on toes on the beach! I like the formulation of these polishes, they're not too thick in texture and the colour range is spot on! The formula is long lasting and I actually already own the blue shade, but it's one of my favourites!

Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Refine & Polish Miracle Balm 15ml – I have never tried anything from Aurelia before but I'm looking forward to using this multi-use product. You can use this as an instant exfoliator to gently get rid of dead skin cells and stimulate circulation and you can also use it as an enzyme mask to allow the active fruit enzymes to deeply exfoliate. It’s suitable for even the most sensitive of skin types and works to transform and brighten dull, rough, congested skin. The Miracle Balm is fragranced with uplifting essential oil blend of Chamomile, Eucalyptus, Rosemary and Bergamot. Skin is left silky soft, smooth and glowing!

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse OR Multi-Usage Dry Oil Golden Shimmer 10ml– I have been wanting to try this product for ages, another item I will be putting in my wash bag for my holiday. This is a multi use product for face, body and hair. This dry oil has a unique super-activated formula combining Precious Plant Oils and Vitamin E to nourish, repair and soften skin. It has iridescent golden particles which illuminate with shiny reflections.  It leaves your skin soft and velvety, hair is glossy and full of volume and it also improves the overall appearance of stretch marks.

Bourjois Aqua Blush 10ml – I was excited about these new blush releases from Bourjois, I received the shade Pink twice, which is a lovely girly pink. They claim to last up to 12hrs and boost your skin’s natural radiance. They are a water-light gel formula which leaves skin with a refreshed, sheer, fresh colour. They're currently available in four sorbet shades, which are great for summer! I like the pump bottle, they add a lovely hint of pink to your cheeks and they smell lovely too. They last on my cheeks much longer than a powder blush, so ideal if you're in the sun.

Elemental Herbology Cell Plumping Facial Hydrator SPF8 15ml – This moisturiser combines antioxidants, marine actives and hydrating botanicals to help protect against the elements, reactivate pro-collagen synthesis to leave you with a youthful glow. It’s perfect for dry or sun-weathered skin to help plump up the skin and it contains an SPF8 which is great for everyday use.

Salon Science AquaCacteen Hydrasoothe Cooling Spray 150ml – This is not a brand I have heard much about, but it sounds an interesting product to try. It contains the ultra-refined elixir of organic cactus to help shield the hair and scalp against environmental stress and help prevent further irritation. It also contains soothing and moisturising actives such as Aloe and Panthenol to help refresh and provide instant relief to a dehydrated scalp and instant hydration to dry hair. You can use this on either dry or damp hair by just spraying from root to tip. This is the perfect product to take on holiday in your beach bag to relieve burn on the scalp or if you can feel your head getting hot in the sun. I don't really suffer from an itchy scalp but I can see this working well as a refresher and something to add moisture to my hair.

Anne Semonin Eye Express Radiance Cube 4ml – These eye cubes are designed to be stored in the freezer and placed over your eyes like you would do with cucumber. They soothe and refresh tired, puffy eyes to drain toxins and maximise skin’s absorption. They contain natural active ingredients such as Ginkgo biloba, gourd extract and hyaluronic acid to hydrate, reduce dark circles and anti-wrinkle. These would be great to use before going out for the evening after too much sun!

Latest in Beauty have also teamed up with the brands in the box to offer you some exclusive discounts on their products as well, which is a nice little bonus! The box is priced at £19.00 which is a real bargain for all these decent sized samples as the contents is worth over £85.00, they will definitely see me through the holiday season this summer. Which beauty boxes would you recommend?

#GTGITKIT

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ORIGINS ORIGINAL SKIN RENEWAL SERUM

I'm always excited to try a new product from Origins, my skin always gets on with their skincare products, I love the scent of their formulations and the natural ingredients which are used in every pot. I have come more aware of including a serum into my daily skincare routine recently and Origins have definitely read my mind. The Original Skin Renewal Serum is designed for young skin hitting their #QuarterLifeCrisis mid to late twenties, for skin which has lost its glow and is looking kinda dull. This serum claims to de-stress, smooth roughness, get rid of dullness, shrink pores and minimise flaws, so it claims to do a lot!

The formulation contains Persian Silk Tree which helps skin rebound, Chestnut Seed Extract which refines skins texture, Willowherb that restores glow, Algae helps reduce oil to help them appear to vanish and also blurs imperfections.

I first tried this in-store a few months before receiving it for my Birthday. I tried it on the back of my hand and it instantly smoothed my skin and felt silky, super soft and even. I like that this product is aimed at my age bracket, rather than a lot of serums you find for the anti-ageing market. I like the fresh orangey scent of this and it absorbs into my skin nicely without feeling too heavy on the surface. It features floral and citrus essential oils, including notes of rose, grapefruit and amyris. It keeps my skin hydrated and I think that it’s helped with redness.

You can apply this serum to cleansed skin morning and evening, but I'm currently just using it in the evenings before applying my night moisturiser. I have found that my pores instantly look small and my skin looks brighter and plumper. It feels so soft to touch and helps to smooth everything out and diminish bumps and the texture of my skin. I think I will start applying this in the mornings too as I can imagine my makeup gliding over the top of this. I’m sure this would work on most skin types as the gel-like consistency just absorbs into the skin. I also like that it comes in a pump bottle meaning you don't have to keep putting your fingers into a pot or using too much product.

I feel this product is a little pricey at £32.00 for 30ml of product, but you know with Origins that you are putting good quality ingredients onto your skin, with no nasties. As with all Origins products this is Paraben, Phthalate, Mineral Oil and Petrolatum free. I have seen that they've recently released a matching Face Mask to the Original Skin line, so I will definitely have to pick that up soon, I can imagine that’s a dream on the skin!

What are your favourite Origins products?

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SOAP & GLORY BEAUTY PRODUCT EMPTIES

I thought I would mix up my empties posts and focus on one brand as I had enough products to review. Soap & Glory has to be one of my favourite drugstore brands and I go through their products so quickly. I like their products across the board from makeup, to bath & body products and skincare, I can't think of one product I haven’t liked! These are the products I've used up recently. 
Butter Yourself Smoothing Body Cream, 300ml £10.00 – I always have some sort of body butter on the go and its most likely to be a Soap & Glory one. I mentioned this one in my Current Transitional Skin Saviours blog post. This body butter is in the Fruitigo scent which is lovely to use in the summer as it’s fresh and fruity and keeps the skin hydrated all day. The 300ml tub last ages and I like the thicker texture rather than a lotion as I find it more moisturising on my skin. I will always go back and repurchase between the scents. Wash Your Hands of It Hand Wash, 250ml £5.00 – This is my favourite hand wash which I go back to every time as they’re always on 3 for 2. This also has a fruity scent and makes my skin super soft after using. I like the easy to use pump, it foams up well and I have the set you can purchase at Christmas time with the matching Hand Food hand cream. I have another one of these on the go at the moment. Kick Ass Instant Retouch Pressed Powder, 7g £12.00 – I am a big fan of Soap & Glory make-up and have raved about this powder before in its own blog post here. As I have oily skin I find it important to always powder my skin after applying my make-up. This powder is finely milled and doesn't clog up my pores at all. I am currently using One Heck of a Blot which is another pressed powder from Soap & Glory but has more of a pink undertone whereas Kick Ass has more of a yellow one. I would repurchase this after my other one runs out! Sugar Crush Body Wash, 500ml £6.50 – I was so pleased when they brought out a matching shower gel to the bestselling body scrub. The scent is lime and kiwi which is really refreshing and energizing to use in the mornings. I really like the size of these body washes, they last ages and the pump makes it so easy to use in the shower. I will have to repurchase this body wash, especially my favourite Rich & Foamous scent, but I’m currently using a Molton Brown shower gel. Hand Food Hand Cream, 50ml £2.50 – This is such a cult product from the brand, my one is a mini which I got in a gift set which is a great size for the handbag. This hand cream is really moisturising and doesn't leave a greasy film on your skin. It sinks in well, it’s lightweight and the scent is the Original Pink girly scent which I never get bored of. It contains shea butter, macadamia oil and marshmallow which are great for dry, chapped hands. I currently have the pump version of this near my sink, it’s great to have a few in different areas of your house! I will repurchase, but I’m currently using an Origins hand cream. Hand Maid Antibacterial Hand Cleansing Gel, 50ml £2.50 – This is such a handy product to carry around, I always make sure I have one in my handbag. I really like the fruity, floral scent, you can't smell that strong alcohol scent at all. It contains natural grapefruit extract so your hands smell lovely afterwards. It’s great to take with you travelling, on holidays, just on-the-go or on just to keep on your desk, so you can feel clean and refreshed out and about. It absorbs quickly, it’s really moisturising and helps to soften the skin. I will definitely repurchase but I’m currently using a Bath & Body works one.

As you can see I really enjoy using Soap & Glory products, what are your favourite Soap & Glory products?

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