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.

Souksouk July 2014 Unboxing Review

If you follow my blog you will know that I had a 3 month subscription to Souksouk which ended last month. However when I was on buying a bespoke beauty box I noticed I had accumulated enough souksouk seeds (reward points) to get another Little Green Beauty Box! Points can be earned from shop purchases and subscription box purchases. I have still to upload my bespoke beauty box review - I promise I will do it soon!

 The contents of this months box.

This Holy Lama Naturals Haircare Gift Set comes in a cute little case handmade from coconut palm leaf. Products are handmade in Kerala, southern India by a women's enterprise, who employ mainly women from disadvantaged backgrounds, who are given fair pay to help support their families. Samples included in this set are Nalikera Shampoo 30ml (£13.50 for 250ml), Hair Conditioner 20g (£13.50 for 250ml), Herbal Hair Oil 30ml (£7.50 for 100ml) and Yogi Soap 20g (£3.50 for 100g). I do love my hair care products so this set is just perfect for me!

Also in the box this month is a Sweet Dreams Roller Ball from Tisserand rrp £5.50. This soothing aromatherapy roller ball contains a mix of lavender, bergamot and ylang ylang oils. Together they create a calming blend to help relax you for a good night's sleep. I have been applying this to my wrists and neck the last few nights and it has definitely improved my sleep and the time it takes to drift off. Another great product for me.

Overall the value of the contents only just covers the cost of the box at £12 + £2.95 p&p. However as I used points to buy this box it was technically free for me and I'm very pleased with the contents. I'm a sucker for Souksouk so I am going to continue my subscription :)

Birchbox UK July 2014 Unboxing

Birchbox July

This review is a little late as you might have guessed. My first impressions of this box wasn't good to be perfectly honest, but the more I look at the products the more I like them.. well some of them... I'm so hard to please sometimes!

 The contents of my box.

Models Own Nail Varnish in 'Sparkler' Full size (14ml £5). A lovely clear polish with larger glittery flecks, can be used on its own or over a coloured polish. I'm not a huge nail varnish fan so I have swapped this product on a FB group.

Lifestyle extra for this month is a Filosofille 4-Sided Nail Buffer. I own a product like this already which hardly ever gets used, I really don't like the sound of filing nails (like nails on a chalkboard) but I will use the buffer side of it to make my nails shiny.

 Benefit The PoreFessional 7.5ml (22ml £24.50) I do like this product but I recieved this in my January box so it would of been nice to see something different. For some reason this tube is larger than the last one I received but both have 7.5ml of product, very strange.

July's on left, January's on right.

 I emailed Birchbox about it being a duplicate and they very kindly sent me another product!

Weleda Millet Nourishing Shampoo 18ml smells lovely very citrusy, can't wait to use it - I do love my hair products!

Whish Three Wishes Lavender Body Butter 22ml (150ml £14.50) Described as 'not your granny's lavender' which I would agree with, it's not the normal smell you'd find with lavender products. It is a sweet scent, but not to my liking.

Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream 7ml (15ml £20) This is a product everyone received in their box this month. I really like Balance Me as a brand and own many of their products, including this one! I have yet to actually use the eye cream I currently own so as I now have two, I'm taking it as a sign I should try it. I'm sure I will not be disappointed as I have read lovely things about this cream. It smells really good and is has a nice light formula, perfect for delicate under eye area.

Last up we have Laqa & Co Sheer Lip Lupe Pencil in Menatour (£14 full size 3.7g) I think this is about half full size but there is alot of product here which will last me a while. Initially I was disappointed to see this colour in my box as I think I would have perferred the coral shade. But now I've had time to get used to the idea of wearing a bolder colour I actually quite like it. It is very similar to the Clinique mini Chubby Stick I picked up free this month with Glamour Magazine, which has already become a firm favourite in my makeup bag.

Overall I'm not wowed with this months selection, but I will continue by subscription as I have found a few new favs among these items. If you would like to join Birchbox feel free to use my referral link and we will both be awarded with £5 worth of points to spend in the e-shop. http://birchbox.co.uk/?raf=30654

You Beauty Discovery July 2014 Unboxing

I wasn't all that excited about this months YBD when I saw the selection to choose from, but then quickly decided to try something a bit different for me and pick products I wouldn't normally use.

Both products I choose are from a brand called Tan Organic. Their products are made from 99.6% natural ingredients, which contain no parabens, preservatives or artificial drying agents. Is the world’s first and only Eco-certified self-tanning brand. Ethically made, Environmentally Friendly & PETA approved.

My first item Self Tan Original is a 100ml bottle worth £19.99!! Already a huge saving from the price of the box at £6.95. I'm not much of a fake tan user but seeing as its summer and I'm paler than pale I thought I'd give it a go....why not right? The idea is that you apply the product with a tanning mitt and leave it for a few hours or overnight to develop then wash it off the next morning to give a lovely natural caramel shade. If you prefer a darker shade then reapply. Contains enough tan for up to 6 full body applications.

The second product I choose Arganic Body Oil is also 100ml and has a retail value of £24.99! I have to say I did not expect these products to have such a high retail prices, I only checked them out properly once the products had arrived. Lets hope they live up to the pricetag!

Arganic Body Oil is a multi-purpose dry oil made with a unique blend of natural plant oils with a subtle fragrance of roses. It can be mixed with foundation for a smooth application, use it in your hair for soft silky locks or use all over the body to help prolong your tan. Can also give improved overall appearance to scars and stretch mark as well as using to relieve sunburnt skin.

The extras for this month are:

Agent Provocateur Fatale Eau De Parfum 2ml which to me has quite a strong musky smell not really to my liking.

Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream 3ml - I have a few of these sachets now, its a great product for using on dry skin or if you suffer from eczema.

Dove Men +Care Pro Moisture Shave Cream 50ml - I was a bit surprised to see a men's product included in a women's beauty box. Obviously intended to share with a boyfriend/husband - but I guess it can be used on the legs for those who do not have a partner.

 

 Overall I'm very pleased this month and glad I decided to pick some products. YBD are extremely good value for money, and remain one of my fav boxes.

You Beauty Discovery

6 Month Blogiversary - Rituals Gift Set Giveaway!

I can hardly believe it has been 6 months since I started this blog! It was a very daunting thing to venture into as I'm generally quite a shy person but I'm so glad I did. My blog is still little but growing ever day. I would like to thank all my followers for the love and support you have given me thus far. As a thank you I have decided to run a little giveaway. All you have to do to enter is complete any (or all) of the Rafflecopter options below. This giveaway will run for 4 weeks ending on 8th of August at midday.

I've become a huge fan of Rituals after being introduced to the brand back in March by Joey (A Secret Shopaholic) as I won her Rituals Giveaway! I decided to give away a small gift set from the Laughing Buddha range. I've been using products from this range for about a month now. I especially love the warming effect of the shower oil which is scented with Sweet Orange and Cedar Wood.

Rituals Laughing Buddha True Happiness Gift Set 

Contains: 50 ml Happy Buddha Shower Foam, 75 ml Fortune Oil Shower Oil, 70 ml Touch of Happiness Body Cream & 40 gr Good Luck Scrub Body Scrub.

I have recently set up a new Twitter account just for my blogging posts as well as a Facebook page. I'd really appreciate it if you take a look and follow the pages.

Good luck to everyone who enters and thanks again for all the wonderful support!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

LoveLula Beauty Box July 2014 Unboxing

Lovelula Beauty Box is a monthly subscription box from LoveLula providing natural 'green' beauty products delivered to your door every month. It cost £12.50 every month which you can cancel at any time. All subscribers receive the same products. Boxes are dispatched in the 1st week of the month so whatever month you sign up in, your 1st box will be the following month's.

 Contents of my box

Product info card

 John Masters Organics - Lavender Rosemary Shampoo/Citrus & Neroli Detangler - both 30ml RRP £2 each. I received a sample of the detangler from Sandra in the S/S Green Beauty Swap which I enjoyed using so I'm pleased to see this in my box and looking forward to trying the shampoo - it smells lovely!

 Not one...not two....but SEVEN samples from Cowshed! Three shower gels and four body lotions. I love how they all have different cow names. 10ml samples RRP £4 for all 7.

Grumpy Cow - Uplifting Bath & Shower Gel

Knackerd Cow - Relaxing Bath & Shower Gel

Gorgeous Cow - Blissful Bath & Shower Gel

Moody Cow - Balancing Body Lotion

Wild Cow - Invigorating Body Lotion

Horny Cow - Seductive Body Lotion

Lazy Cow - Soothing Body Lotion

 MyChelle Fabulous Eye Cream 15ml RRP £19

I find a little goes a long way with eye creams. Although designed for the eye area this can also be used around the lips to smooth lines.

Nourish Advanced Cellular Skin Perfection - Golden Glow Illuminating Face Shimmer. 2ml RRP £1.

I used this sample a few months ago, gives a really nice subtle shimmer.

Overall box value is £28 which is very good for a £12.50 box. This was my first box from LoveLula and I would definitely recommend it. Also included in the box is a voucher for 20% off full sized products by the brands featured this month.

SoukSouk Beauty Box June 2014 Unboxing

I know I know its a little late! Better late than never right? I've had many problems with my subscription boxes in June - I won't bore you will all the details - but with SoukSouk unfortunately when I received my box it had a leaking item, which had gone all over my box and other contents! I emailed the company and they very kindly sent me a whole new box :)

The wee mishap aside I am thrilled with whats in the box. Being fairly new to Green Beauty it has a couple new Brands I haven't tried yet.

Mel Millis Organic Neroli Hydrolate Mist Tonic 10ml RRP £5

An highly fragrant organic tonic with neroli flower water which stimulates cell growth.  Use as a refreshing spritz throughout the day. Contains wild flower seeds in the packaging which can be planted in the garden or plant pots. 

Mel Millis Organic Phytonutri Neroli & Baobab Re-Energising Face Oil 10ml RRP £7

A luxurious face oil which smells amazing! It contains pumpkin, baobab and rosehip oils with Neroli, Immortelle and Sea Buckthorn to stimulate collagen production and reduce inflammation. As above it contains wild flower seeds in the packaging - such a brilliant idea!

Yours Truly Organics Fix Me! Repairing Serum 30ml RRP £28

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a FULL SIZED Yours Truly product included in the box! This facial serum combines oat kernel, argan and jojoba oils with calming aloe vera and zesty sweet orange, to nourish and boost skin. Can be applied morning and night before moisturiser. Only a small amount is needed and sinks into skin really quickly, it doesn't leave your face feeling oily like some face oils might.

FOM Antioxidant Facial Mask 5g RRP £4

A detoxifying face mask containing vitamin C, rosehip, chamomile, lavender and olive leaf. It comes in a powder form which when mixed with a little water becomes grainy to be used as a pre-mask exfoliator or mixed further until paste like can then be used as a mask.

FOM Revitalising Hair Serum 10ml RRP £4.50

A highly concentrated serum containing jojoba, buritti, manketti and passionflower oils to treat and regenerate the hair. Can be massaged into ends of damp hair or used at a deep treatment on the scalp. This was the item that had leaked everywhere. I love hair oils so was gutted as there was only a teeny bit left in my bottle. But thankfully SoukSouk came to the rescue and sent not just a replacement hair oil but a whole new box! 

I'm delighted with everything. This was my last box in the 3 month subscription I received for my birthday. I have made an order for a medium sized Bespoke Beauty Box so stayed tuned for a post on the contents when I receive it.