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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HOT OR NOT - BEAUTY BOX PRODUCTS OCTOBER 2014

As I missed out reviewing most of my October beauty boxes, I thought I would give an overview on which products I enjoyed and would repurchase and which ones I would give a miss. I reviewed my current favourite box - Look Fantastic, so all of these products are from Glossybox, Birchbox or You Beauty Discovery box. Glossybox's theme last month was based around a pop art box, which I love and will be keeping after use. The limited edition box came in four different colour ways and included four full-size products and two samples, which really impressed me. October's Birchbox was a collaboration with Coppafeel as October is also breast cancer awareness month. I loved that all the products featured in that months box fit in a cute pink zip up pouch and the box also came with a handy lipstick pen, which is perfect for any beauty lovers! You Beauty Discovery's product list was based on handbag heroes which are effective in the quick fix approach. I love this beauty box as it gives you the chance to try samples you actually want to try at a really reasonable price tag.
Hot Products -
The products I got on with the most were; Ciate Paint Pot in Ditch The Heels (Glossybox) - I received a gorgeous green shade called Ditch The Heels. I've tried many Ciate nail polishes in the past and really like the glossy finish. Nuxe Masque Creme Fraiche de Beaute (Glossybox) - I was really impressed to receive a full-size product from Nuxe. This is priced at £19.50 and is similar to the Origins Drink Up Intensive mask, so great for dry skin types. So Susan Flutter Mascara (Glossybox) - Mascara is probably my least favourite make-up product to receive in a beauty box, just because I know if I try it I have to use it up within the next few months, so I have a stock pile building up. But I decided to try this and really liked the way it lengthened my lashes. Etre Belle Liplift Peel (Glossybox) - I had never heard of this brand, but I was intrigued as I haven't used many products like it. This gives your lips a gentle exfoliation to prepare your lips for lipstick and I was impressed with the results. Balance Me Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm (Birchbox) - I have tried samples of this before, I really enjoy the balm texture. It's a product I go back to again and again but have yet to purchase it as I keep receiving samples. Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Honey Nectar (Birchbox) - I was very excited for this product as I haven't tried many products from Pixi. This gives a lovely nude tint to the lips and helps moisturise them as well, great for the winter months! KMS California Hair Play Playable Texture (Birchbox) - I have been loving KMS products and this one is a must try! You can use this before or after blow drying and it helps to build style and define layers without making your hair feel weighed down. Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick in Tease (You Beauty Discovery) - This was my first choice from You Beauty last month as I haven't tried a lipstick from Illamasqua before. I received the shade Tease which is a gorgeous matte nude and goes lovely with my skin tone. Crystal Clear Skincare Intense Anti-Ageing Serum (You Beauty Discovery) - I love a good serum and I knew this was a pricey brand so I thought I would give it a go. It helps to reduce wrinkles and firm the skin, I'm sure this is for an older target market but I love the way it peps up my skin. Cowshed Anti-Ageing Perfecting Night Serum (You Beauty Discovery) - Another serum similar to the Crystal Clear one, I liked massaging this into my face in the evening. It has made me want to try more from the brand!
Not So Hot Products -
The products I didn't rate were; Yves Rocher Quelques Notes D'Amour Perfume (Glossybox) - I'm not a big fan of perfume samples in beauty boxes, this one is a little too sweet for me! Rimmel BB Cream Matte in Light (Glossybox) - A nice little extra, but even the light shade is too orange toned for my skin. Shaveworks The Cool Fix Gel Lotion (Birchbox) - As I don't have any issues with shaving my legs this isn't a product I would normally pick up. It is really smoothing and cooling though, so maybe nice to leave until the summer months, not too sure of the manly scent though. Lollipops Paris Nail Lacquer (Birchbox) - I had never heard of this brand before, I really like the festive shade and the shade is quite pigmented. But I wasn't very impressed with the staying power as it chipped quite easily. Gold Collagen Forte (You Beauty Discovery) - I have received one of these before in a beauty box and I must admit I haven't tried it. It's aimed at the 40+ market, but I can't imagine it's a nice beauty supplement to drink, I think I will give it a miss.

I think my favourite box out of the three October editions has to be Birchbox.

Which is your favourite Beauty Box?

SELFRIDGES FESTIVAL BEAUTY BOX

I really enjoy the whole concept of a beauty box. You get to try new beauty products that you maybe wouldn't choose out for yourself and discover brands that you have admired from afar but have never took the plunge to commit to one product. This is the fourth Beauty box from Selfridges, I have managed to get my hands on all of them except for the valentines box which I wasn't really too fussed about, but this festival themed exclusive really won me over. The box contains eleven beauty essentials with a combined value of £110, making it the ultimate summer survival kit. I'm not attending a festival this year but the contents was too good to miss!

The box contains; Sol de Janerio Coconut Water Cooling Mist - This product is one of my favourites from the bunch, anything coconut scented is a hit with me! You can spray this on your face and body anytime to refresh your skin. It delivers a cooling sensation and would be ideal to take on holiday with you. Cowshed Antibacterial Hand Gel - This hand gel smells lovely! and doesn't have the normal overpowering antibacterial scent. It's ideal to pop in your handbag for travelling. My only dislike about it is that it doesn't seem to sink into the skin as quickly as others I've tried. Azature Nail Lacquer in Champagne - Festivals are all about the glitter! This nail polish contains gold, bronze and silver glitter and looks lovely over any nail base or simply on it's own. NPW Mini Scented Hand & Face Wet Wipes - Another handbag friendly product, also without the generic wet wipe scent. NPW Chubby Glitter Stick in Hottest Pink - I'm not too sure when I'm going to use this product, it would be great for parties or fancy dress. The stick contains bright pink and multicoloured glitter and is so easy to apply. Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Navy Blue - This eyeko eyeliner is foolproof, the colour is lovely, it's so easy to apply and doesn't smudge at all. The felt tip application means you can control the pen in a single stroke.

Topshop Lip Crayon in Powder Room - I had been wanting to try a Lip crayon from Topshop for a while. This one is in Power Room which is a bright baby pink, the formulation is matte but really creamy! Great to use even when you haven't got a mirror handy. Illamasqua Liquid Metal in Surge (Plus a complimentary eye colour consultation) - This is another one of my favourites from the box. I haven't tried many products from the brand but this cream eyeshadow is gorgeous! It gives a lovely metallic sheen and would be ideal for a dramatic eye. Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Lip Gloss in Moxie - The formula of this lip gloss is really creamy which leaves you with a high-impact shine and vibrant colour - A real barbie pink shade. Colorsmash Hair Shadow in Je ne sais quoi - Another festival perfect product, Colorsmash temporary hair colour can be applied by rubbing it into the desired section of the hair and sealing it with hair spray. To remove, juat wash it out. It's as easy as that! Violent Lips Lip Appliques in The Warm Rainbow - This is the only product I am yet to use from the box. They would be ideal for parties or a night out. I love the colours, they last up to 8 hours and look quite easy to apply.

As you can see the contents is well worth the bargain price tag! The Selfridges Festival Beauty Box is £25 and is available here. Have you got yours yet?

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.