YOU BEAUTY DISCOVERY BIRTHDAY SPECIAL SEPTEMBER 2014

You Beauty Discovery has become one of my favourite beauty boxes to receive every month. It’s now been a year since they launched and I've been a subscriber since the beginning. The concept of the box is that they give the customer the choice to pick two items from a list of around ten products every month. I love picking my choices and it still gives you that surprise element as they might be items you wouldn't normally pick up, or beauty products you have wanted to try for a while.

This month they also included some birthday treats, £25 off your first order with Hello Fresh, two soothing Crabtree & Evelyn tea bags and a face sponge. Everyone also received an extra full-sized product, the Toni & Guy Glamour Volume Plumping Whip – which I already own and love. This is applied at the roots before blow drying to create body and volume.

The first product I chose was the Eyeko Hydrogel Eye Patches which come in packs of two and we received two sachets. I’m always excited by these kind of skincare products, I love a good face mask. You place these directly underneath the eyes and they help to instantly brighten and revive tired eyes. Great to use after a night out or if your feeling extra tired as they help with puffiness and dark shadows and leave your skin hydrated. Just leave them on for 30 minutes, take them off and carry on with the rest of your skincare routine. You can gently pat the eye area to help the skin absorb the nutrients, they contain concentrated botanical blend with Vitamin B and fruit extracts to treat the delicate eye area. I haven't tried much from Eyeko, so I'm looking forward to giving these a go on a pamper evening.

My second choice was from a brand I hadn't really heard much of, Ark. I received the Ark Age Aware Skincare Loving Body Wash and Body Butter duo. These are great products to have with the colder months coming and perfect for travel. These products help to soften skin with a blend of essential oils, chosen to boost your well-being. The scent is lovely - a creamy, sweet floral Rose, Jasmine and Orange flower, it actually reminds me of the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish.

You Beauty still have a few options available for this month, but a lot of them went out of stock straight away, so you have to be quick to make sure you get what you want. I think You Beauty Discovery is a great box if you enjoy discovering new products and at £6.95 it’s a lot cheaper than other beauty boxes.

Are you subscribed to a beauty box?

PEARL LOWE FOR GLOSSYBOX - SPRING FEVER APRIL 2013

I absolutely love the box design of last month's Glossybox which was exclusively designed by Pearl Lowe. It's so refreshing to open your box to find a different theme each month, this month was focused around 'Spring Fever'. I think this theme works really well and the products inside really reflect the season. I will definitely be reusing this box and display it on my vanity as storage.
Essie Nail Lacquer in 'We're in it together', Full-Size 13.5ml, £7.99 - I was very excited to hear that there was a full-size Essie polish in April's box. I am a big fan of the formulation of the diffusion line which can be found in Boots and Superdrug. The colour I received was 'We're in it together' which is a lovely baby pink with a slight blue/purple shimmer. It's not a colour I would normally go for but I have really been enjoying wearing it and adding it to my collection. Read my full review of Essie nail polishes here.
Illamasqua Medium Pencil in 'Thrash', Full-Size 1g, £13.00 - I had never tried any products from Illamasqua before so I was intrigued to find out what their products were like. This medium pencil can be used  for eye, lips, face and body, I received the shade 'Thrash' which is a warm burnt orange. I really liked the texture of the product it glided over the skin and gave a long-lasting finish. The colour was a bit scary at first, but I think it looks great on the eye area for a bit of a change from the usual black.

Crabtree & Evelyn Somerset Meadow Hand Therapy, Full-Size 100g, £14.00 - Again, I had never tried anything from this brand before, but have only heard good things. I have enjoyed the texture and scent of this hand cream, it leaves my hands feeling really hydrated and moisturised and not greasy at all. It's so handy to throw in my handbag and use on the go, the only downsize is that I'm not a great fan of the packaging as I know it will get harder to get the product out towards the end.
Yves Rocher France So Elixir Purple Eau De Parfum, Full-Size 50ml, £44.00 - It was nice to see a bigger sized fragrance sample in the box this month. The scent is feminine, floral and woody all at the same time. I quite liked the scent once I had put it onto my skin, the fragrance lasted quite well and I could still smell the product hours after I had used it. I'm not too thrilled with the packaging, I think they could update it a bit, but I would love to see what other products they have on offer.

Nip and Fab Pistachio Sundae Body Butter, Full-Size 200ml, £9.95 - This is one of my favourite body butters, I love the scent it's super sweet but I can't wait to put this on after showering. It does come in other flavours including, Coconut Latte (read my review here.) and Mango Smoothie. The texture of this product is lighter than many body butters I have used, and I enjoy using it during the spring/summer months. I will continue to repurchase!
I think this Glossybox is the best I've seen for a good while, so many big brand names in one box finished off with a lovely designed print! You really can't beat the value of a beauty box.