HAPPY DAYS BIRCHBOX - SEPTEMBER 2014

This month's Birchbox is themed around the back to school season and reminiscing about the happiest days of out lives. The products in this month's box celebrate capturing these moments and making new ones. Inside there are products that will help you look your best during your happiest days.

Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream, full-size 14.2g £25.50 - This is an eye cream that I have used samples of before, really enjoyed it, but never purchased the full-size. The formula is really creamy, but still lightweight and I like that it comes in a pot. It's really refreshing around the eye and seems to reduce dark circles. It helps to smooth fine lines and protect against free radicals with this light peptide-packed formula.

Korres Citrus Body Milk, full-size 200ml £9.50 - Korres is a brand I always have a look at when I go down the beauty aisle at Waitrose. I have tried a couple of their moisturisers and lip products. The body milks are lightweight, so it's better to use this in the summer months. I like to use this out of the shower and you can layer up the scents by using the matching shower gel. It contains almond oil and shea butter and is great for dry skin.

Model Co Lip Lacquer in Morocco, full-size 3ml £15.oo - This month everybody got to choose one product they would receive. The choice was out of the Model Co Lip Lacquer in Morocco or Viva or the Model Co Powerlash Mascara. I chose the Lip Lacquer in Morocco which is a lovely nude pink. I haven't tried many products from Model Co before, but the Lip Lacquer is long wearing and highly pigmented. The formula isn't sticky at all, they're hydrating on the lips and I really like the glossy finish. This is one of my favourite discoveries this month.

Premae Mild Dermabrasion Face & Body Scrub, full-size 100ml £25.00 - Premae is a brand I have only used from beauty boxes before. The brand is well known for their Vegan values. This product is a face and body scrub containing olive granules. This is great for blemishes, decongested pores and dull skin. I do get worried about using a scrub on my face which is also suitable for the body, but this isn't harsh at all and my skin is always super soft afterwards. This is also great for use after tanning and hair removal.

Agave Healing Oil Treatment, full-size 120ml £27.00 - Not a brand I have heard of before, but this lightweight oil helps to smooth hair, build resiliency and boost shine and colour. You can use this or dry or damp hair from roots to ends and I love the coconut scent. I would definitely be interested in purchasing the full-size of this.

The lifestyle choices this month were a Birchbox Happy Days photo clip, which went with the theme of the box. They also included Urban Fruit Smashing Strawberry, which are so yummy, I'm going to have to try the other flavours. I'm now off to redeem some Birchbox points in the e-shop against my favourite full-sized products.

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GLOSSYBOX - DETOX BEAUTY BOX JANUARY 2013

This month's beauty box was all about detoxing after the Christmas break and adopting a healthier lifestyle. I really like the new leaflet style sheet instead of the regular card that comes inside the box, as I feel it gives you a lot more information about the theme and the products themselves. I feel the products inside really fitted in with the theme and I have really got along with most of them. 
Elemis Fresh Skin, Skin Flow Exfoliating Face Wash, Full-size 100ml £12.00 -  I have seen this line in my local Superdrug before and was tempted, but have never picked anything up. I have tried products from Elemis's regular line and have been impressed with those, so this caught my eye straight away. The fresh skin range is catered to teens to mid-twenties and is good for deep pore cleansing. I really like the fruity scent, it reminds me of the Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask. I find this nice for a deep pore cleanse, it's not too harsh on the skin and leaves my skin brighter and softer.
Duck Island Limited Body Lotion, Full-size 2X250ml £24.95 - I had never really heard of this brand before, but was interested by the mandarin and bergamot scent. I find a little goes a long way, as the moisturiser is quite rich. I normally prefer quite floral or almond scented lotions but this formulation is quite nice after it has absorbed into damp skin. I'm not sure I would buy the full-size version though. 

Jason Lips Bee Healthier Lip Balm, 4.5g £1.99 - I have heard a lot of good things about this brand so I was keen to try them out. Which is the best thing about beauty boxes, discovering new brands! Jason use a lot of natural ingredients, I'm not the biggest fan of the scent (Aloe & Beeswax) but I find it really cooling on the lips. It took me a while to figure out that you twist the top of the tube for more product instead of the usual bottom. (Blonde moment!) It's great for this weather, I would like to try more from the brand, recommendations please! 
Monu Warming Aromatic Mask, Full-size 100ml £24.95 - I have been impressed with other Monu products that I have received in Glossyboxes, so it was nice to see another product from them. Another product suited to the weather to hydrate the skin and wash any impurities away.  I found the packaging quite hard to read due to the colour of the product inside. The texture of the product is really moisturising and I found it nice and calming on my skin due to the lavender scent. I use this when my face needs a pamper.

Premae Skincare Balance Rescue Face Tonique, Full-size 100ml £17.50 - Another brand which I haven't really heard much about. This toner contains lemongrass, sandalwood oil and rose water and is also alcohol free. I don't think much of the packaging, but I found it nice and refreshing on my skin. I love the sample size as it's great for travel, but I much prefer a toner with a spray dispenser. 

This months box also came with a handy 'Glossy Dreams' eye mask which was a nice addition to the Detox themed box. What did you think of this month's products?