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My Little Fashion Box

You would think after the palaver this summer with boxes going awol, MLB would have switched back to Royal Mail, but no, so the boxes are still filtering out. September’s almost over, and fashion weeks have drawn to a close.

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September’s box is themed around fashion week with the box illustration of the infamous Front Row (Frow in fashion speak according to the press).

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Inside is another of in-house artist Kamako’s illustrations, the fold out magazine My Little World and a host of fashionable goodies.

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Nail decals designed just for MLB, not something I would use, but I have a friend with a thing for nail art so she’ll probably love these.

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A gorgeous patterned scarf. I love scarves, I own hundreds, they’re the best accessory. You can wear them so many ways, I got the blue one but there is also a black one in some boxes.

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Then there’s the beauty products. As always there’s a French slant to them. 

La Roche-Posay Effacler K(+) – according to the beauty bloggers I follow, this stuff relieves greasy skin, clears up spots and leaves you less shiny. I have combination skin so hopefully it’ll leave me with an even skin tone during the shinier moments.

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Kerastase Couture Styling Laque Noir – a water-free, fuzz busting, humidity preventer. Which would come in very handy for those mornings where you need less stresses in your tresses.

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My Little Beauty Red Dingue de lui – lip stain, from their in-house brand. It’s a rich cherry red colour, with serious staying power (I can’t scrub it off my hand!).

All of this is wrapped in MLB’s swanky packaging, printed bag, ribbon, box.

Now if only they could sort out their deliveries.

ramblingmads

beauty, beauty boxes, haircare, latest in beauty, make up, nail polish, reviews, skincare

Latest in Beauty – Heart Beauty Essentials

Latest in Beauty loves the radio as it’s collaborations with Capital FM and Heart demonstrate.

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This beauty box in conjunction with my Dad’s favourite station (he always has it blaring away in the van) is jam packed.

Bloom & Blossom Bath and Shower Gel

Dirty Works 4-in-1 Face Wipes

Kitsch Prima Ballerina Hair Ties

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Lola Electric Purple Nail Polish

Nuxe Creme Moisturizing Cream

Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Mask

Roger & Gallet Lait Sorbet Bois d’Orange Body Lotion

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Rimmel London Provocalips

Philosophy the microdelivery peel

Urban Veda Hydrating Toner

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Also included are discount vouchers for some of the brands included.

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I think I will be making use of all of these goodies, most of the brands are already in my beautifying arsenal.

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Birthday splurge

Yesterday I had a meeting in town and as I was in Central London I thought I’d pop into Selfridges and spend some birthday money (the rest is reserved for shoes).

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I get serious shopping envy in Selfridges, there’s so many gorgeous things but my budget doesn’t stretch as far as I’d like.

I decided to hit up the Beauty Hall. So many gorgeous things. I made a beeline for the Clinique counter, I fancied a new chubby stick for eyes.  After scribbling a few testers on my hand, I picked shade 04 Ample Amber, a soft golden colour, perfect for all over eyelid glow or a hit of gold on my lash line.

While I was there I also picked up the face wash that goes with my sonic cleanser – a great way to get my pores scrubbed out. I also got two freebies – a chubby stick for lips in Super Strawberry and a sample of their superprimer.

Then I decided to check out the Birchbox build your own birthday pop-up. As you do.

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I couldn’t resist building a box – picking 6 samples and getting two bonus items exclusive to subscribers. I picked what I think is a good mix of goodies.

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I wandered about eyeing up the Tom Ford counter (gorgeous packaging) and trying out some new perfume ideas. If I had the cash, there would have been such a splurge!

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beauty, beauty boxes, birchbox, haircare, make up, nail polish, reviews, skincare

Birchbox Birthday at Selfridges

As part of their ongoing birthday celebrations Birchbox have teamed up with Selfridges to offer you the chance to build your own box.

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For those unable to get to Oxford Street before the 27th, Birchbox has put together a special edition box available on their website for £20.

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Featuring 8 fabulous products, including four full size treats, this is a seriously great collaboration.

Cowshed Knackered Cow Relaxing Bath & Shower Gel – with a blend of lavender and eucalyptus this smells heavenly and I like the cheeky name.

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Eyeko Fat Eye Stick in Gilt – use this as shadow or liner, smooth and with a hint of glitter, this will make your smoky eye pop.

Nuxe Crème Fraiche de Beaute Mask – this is a brand beloved by beauty boxes and it’s not hard to see why. With plant proteins and white blossom, this hydrating, moisture-packed mask is quick and easy to use.

Philip Kingsley Body Building Shampoo & Conditioner – travel sized, volume boosting, builds thickness and body, and gets rid of those annoying flyaways.

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Regenerate Enamel Science Advanced Toothpaste – an unusual item in a beauty box, and while I’m happy with my usual toothpaste, if you’re looking to boost your teeth’s whiteness then this could be the one.

Soigne Nail Lacquer in Petale de Rose – this very soft pink polish from French brand Soigne, is very pretty but more spring than autumn.

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Wild About Beauty Lip Pencil Duo in Fiona – this lip liner and lipstick pencil duo are soft and creamy. The colour isn’t quite ‘me’ but would work well on someone a little darker than my vampire-like visage.

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Top - Eyeko crayon in Gilt, middle and bottom - Wild About Beauty lipstick and liner

This is a nice collection of products, and worth over £80 if bought separately.

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Look Fantastic 1st Birthday Edition

Look Fantastic’s beauty box keeps popping up in my news feed on Facebook – so I thought I’d have a look.

They’re celebrating a birthday and the box is decorated with hundreds of thousands.

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Inside there are eight beauty samples, from a range of brands.

TanWorx Tan Maintainer

Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash

Caudalie Moisturizing Sorbet

Codage Paris Scrubbing Cream

Sebastian Penetraitt Shampoo & Conditioner

Caudalie SOS Serum

Phyto Hair Mask

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There are also lots of discount vouchers for the brands in the box and also partner brands, brilliant if like me you’re a shopaholic and love a bargain!

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The box is £15 and is available now.

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beauty, beauty boxes, birchbox, haircare, make up, reviews, skincare

September Birchbox

A fellow September birthday, Birchbox is now five!

And to celebrate there’s a box full of birthday treats. All of which hail from the US – where Birchbox was born. Subscribers can also pick their beauty box design.

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Bliss Lemon and Sage Body Butter – this smells quite light and pleasant, contains coconut oil and vitamin E.

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Laqa & Co Cheeky Lip Pencil in Humble Brag – a 2-in-1 item in quite a hot pink, probably more likely to be on my lips than my cheeks.

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John Masters Organics Citrus Neroli Detangler – this smells almost good enough to eat – but teamed with the next item should leave your hair shiny and tangle free.

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The Birchbrush – a handbag sized tangle teezer style brush

Beauty Protector Beauty Wash – this very cute body wash will be useful in my washbag.

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Benefit the Porefessional: License to Blot – one of Benefit’s newest products this little blotting stick promises to keep your complexion shine free for up to 6 hours.

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Birchbox have also launched an app – on Apple and Android, and entered all subscribers in a draw for a trip to New York City. Finally, if you can get to Selfridges in Oxford Street, you can build your own Birchbox for £15 up till the 27th September.

This is a nice selection of items, in the last few months Birchbox has definitely upped its game.

ramblingmads

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The Glamour Beauty Power List 2015

Once again Latest in Beauty has teamed up with Glamour magazine for a beauty box featuring a selection of great skincare and beauty items. And this box is enormous.

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Curated by Glamour’s Beauty Director, Alessandra Steinherr, this box combines a selection of this year’s hottest brands and products.

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Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream – I had this in another beauty box earlier this year and it’s rich, smells nice and leaves skin soft and hydrated.

Nails Inc Nailkale Super food Base Coat – I have incredibly brittle finger nails, they crack and peel all the time, meaning despite my love of nail polish I am reluctant to paint them too often. Hopefully this new strengthener from one of my favourite brands should help.

Rimmel London 60 Seconds Super Shine Nail Polish – you get 1 of 3 colours, which annoyingly, you can’t choose yourself. I got a pinky-red called Glaston-berry from the Rita Ora range.

Philip Kingsley Geranium & Neroli Elasticizer – I’ve used the original, which is unperfumed, this one smells yum. This pre-shampoo mask was originally created for Audrey Hepburn and leaves your hair soft and shiny.

Kiko Velvet Touch Creamy Stick Blush – I like Kiko’s eye pencils, and while I usually use powder blush, this is very light and soft. Again you can’t select the shade you’re sent, and I have a peachy tone, which I quite like as anything too pink doesn’t suit me.

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Top - Revlon lipstick. Bottom - Kiko blush

Eyeko Mascara – I’m really fussy about mascara and haven’t tried this one before. It’s in a squeezy tube, which is a bit different, and comes in two shades (you can’t select!)

Vita Liberata Self Tanning Moisture Mask – as summer draws to a soggy close the pale and interesting among us (including me) heave a sigh of relief at the end of the golden bronzed tanned Instagram snaps. This facial tanner could help you extend the glow you picked up on your summer hols or in the park, but probably won’t make a difference for me.

Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick – I’m not a massive lipstick fan, the colours never quite look the same on, or last long, but this is a very red shade, (one of three you could receive) which I quite like. Might hold onto it for party season.

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September You Beauty Discovery

This month is the skincare edition and all of the items are skin friendly.

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As always you can select two items for your box and this month they’re full size.

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I picked AA Skincare Professionals Seaweed & Aloe Refreshing Eye Gel. This multi use product is suitable for all skin types, removes make up, soothes and cools tired eyes. I rarely buy eye cream or gel as I’ve had some bad reactions but my recent bout of insomnia has left me looking like a sad panda so hopefully this will help make me look less like I have black eyes.

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The other item I picked is Urban Veda Sandalwood + Botanics Soothing Day Cream. I’ve been trying different moisturisers on the days when I’m going make up free – my favourites are still currently Lush’s Celestial and Garnier’s Rose Water day cream, but I like the sound of this one and it smells nice.

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Also included in the box is a sample of Linwoods Milled Chia Seed, a soft make up sponge and a sample of Body Shop’s new Oils of Life facial oil. There is also a Body Shop Love Your Body Club membership card and as always discounts on all the brands available to select from. All this for £6.95.

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This is a better box than some have been in the last few months so I’m quite impressed. It’s nice to see full size items and a focus on a particular theme.

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Latest in Beauty – Time to Shine

This little box of goodies is currently in LiB’s summer box line up.

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Bourjois Cream Blush shade 02 – their cream to powder foundation is super easy to apply and this is a pink colour that would definitely pop on the cheeks, especially with a smoky daytime eye.

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Pixi lip stain (left) Bourjois blush (right)

Pixi Lip Blush in Youth – looks and feels like a felt tip in a bright, slightly sheer pink. Pixi has become a cult beauty brand this year and these lip stains are very popular.

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Essie nail polish in peak of chic – not so sure about glittery polish at my age, I certainly loved it years ago.

Elemis Spa @ Home Treat Your Feet footcream – with Shea butter and jojoba oil, this smells lovely and soothes hot tired feet.

Melvita Bio-Excellence Youthful Day Cream – with fruit extracts this cream promises to deliver healthy skin.

James Read Sleep Mask Tan – a self tan that you smooth on before you sleep to moisturise and give your skin a summery glow.

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Love Me Beauty – revamped

My last LMB box went AWOL in the post so I was a bit fed up with them.

Anyway, they’ve revamped their website and how you select your goodies. You used to get only a few points and there was quite a limited list to pick from. Now you have 9 points and they’ve expanded the list of options.

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This is what I picked.

Model Co Shadow Sticks – set of 4

Nails Inc Gel Effect in Beaufort Street

Love Me Beauty Nail File

Bellepierre Cosmetics eye shadow in Storm and Whesek

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I chose quite a few eye shadows mostly because I didn’t like the skincare options, and as most items are 2 points, I got the nail file as it was the only 1 point item. All of the items I picked are full size and for £13 including P&P that’s incredible value. This is still not my favourite box but as they improve their product list and make it easier to use their site, hopefully it will get better.

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