Category: skincare

beauty, beauty boxes, look fantastic, reviews, skincare

#LFBlooms Look Fantastic April edit

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The April Look Fantastic box has arrived, and I’ll tell you now, I’m going to be squeaky clean.

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Rituals Miracle Hand Scrub – with Ginseng and Gingko Biloba, this scrub moisturises and conditions dry and damaged hands. As someone with soft hands from regular moisturising this won’t be used much but I know someone else in my house with hands like sandpaper…

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Bloom and Blossom Bath and Shower Gel – this paraben, sulphate and synthetic fragrance free shower gel leaves you clean and soft. I’ve had this before but it’s a nice shower gel so I don’t really mind.

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask – argan, avocado, rosehip, sweet almond oils with vitamins this hair mask leaves you with shiny, happy hair. Cruelty free and no nasty chemicals. I’d not heard of this brand before, but I love a hair mask so will be soaking my hair in this come the weekend.

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Tanworx Tan Maintainer – use as a base for fake tan, with natural ingredients for soft and smooth skin. Now, I am super pale and fake tan looks terrible on me so this will be passed on.

Balance Me Super Toning Body Polish – ground walnut spheres help exfoliate away dead skin cells to help skin glow.

Myvitamins Blackcurrant Flavour Performance Effervescent – 20 effervescent vitamin pills, one a day. We don’t get enough vitamins most of the time and this contains a mix of B vitamins to boost your daily intake.

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There’s a discount voucher for the Look Fantastic website on the brand Living Nature.

The regular Beauty Box magazine has lots of new products and tips, as well as a breakfast granola recipe. As well as a copy of the latest edition of Elle magazine.

beauty, beauty boxes, latest in beauty, make up, reviews, skincare

Latest in Beauty Clinique British Beauty Blogger Edit II

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Jane aka British Beauty Blogger is back with her second Clinique edit for Latest in Beauty, following the success of last year’s box.

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This may already have sold out – so keep an eye out for a restock. It costs £17 with free P&P.

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There are eight Clinique products in the box. Two are full size.

💋Clinique Take The Day Off makeup remover for lids, lashes & lips.

💋Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion +

💋Liquid Facial Soap (mild)

💋Superprimer Universal Face Primer

💋Aromatics in Black or White (I got Black)

💋For Men Face Scrub

💋Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara in Jumbo Jet (full size)

💋Sweet Pots Sugar Scrub & Lip Balm in Red Velvet (full size)

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Also in the box – £10 discount voucher for clinique.co.uk, voucher for complimentary consultation and mini pot for sample of 5 day foundation that matches your skin tone.

The sweet pot was a surprise, this is Clinique’s new product and often beauty brands don’t want to give their best goodies away, especially at a reduction.

I also really like the little extra of the empty pot to get a free sample at a Clinique counter in the right shade, instead of the pot luck of some beauty boxes.

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The Mr was also included, with the face scrub, something I added to the bathroom counter for him to use. Not that he’s noticed yet!

The perfume is right up my alley too, no alcoholic tang but a rich, dark floral punch. Might have to splurge on a bottle with my £10 off.

beauty, beauty boxes, glossybox, make up, reviews, skincare

April Glossybox

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For me this box is make or break. I’ve been fairly disappointed with Glossybox recently so I needed April’s to knock it out the park.

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Let’s delve in and see whether this box has done enough.

This month sees an impressive four out of five products full size – a return to some of the most pleasing boxes.

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Next Make Me Beautiful Lip Chubby in Cherry Red – RRP £8. I didn’t even know Next did make up and I am impressed with the quality of this lipstick crayon. It’s packed with natural plant oils and waxes to keep your lips glossy. It’s a gorgeous red colour, only needing one swipe to deliver a pop.

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Swatches

Leighton Denny Expert Nails Miracle Mist – RRP £12. This spray promises to dry your nail polish in seconds. Less time waving your hands around like an idiot while waiting for it to dry.

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Studio 10 Brow Lift Perfecting Liner – RRP £22. A double ended brow pencil, one side brow definition, the other a highlighter. Once again I wonder what the point of filling out a beauty profile was, as this pencil is great for brunettes, but less us for blondes.

Swiss Smile Whitening Toothpaste – RRP £28.95. A tube of toothpaste that costs almost thirty quid!?!? What!! Unless it delivers a Hollywood smile in a few days, why would you bother.

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The Body Shop Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Facial Oil – RRP £28. This is the only sample sized item in the box. It’s a bestseller, infused with three restorative oils to leave you with a radiant and nourished complexion.

I am impressed with one, possibly two of the items but the rest is a bit of a miss – toothpaste really!?!?
 

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If you want to sign up to Glossybox – click here.

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

Birchbox x Rifle Paper Co.

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This month subscribers could pick their preference for the box design – a collaboration with stationary firm Rifle Paper Co.

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There is a Benefit product in every box, one guess what I got? Yes, mascara, again. Very disappointing considering all the options out there.

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Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real! Mascara in Beyond Black – RRP £19.50.

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So Susan Lip Dome in Melon – RRP £10. This is a full size lipstick crayon in a pinky red, packed with hyaluronic acid and goji berries to nourish and protect.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse facial oil – RRP £17. Six essential oils, plant oils and vitamin E to add hydration and a glow to skin.

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Parlor by Jeff Chastain Detangling Leave-in Conditioner – RRP £17. Spray evenly onto damp hair, comb through to give hair an extra layer of shine and heat protection.

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Kueshi Foot Care Cream – RRP £12. Sweet almond oil, royal jelly, tea tree oil, a luxurious mix for dry, tired feet.

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As annoying as getting another mascara is, this box has a nice mix of products, and a bonus discount from Rifle Paper Co.

If you want to sign up – click here and get £5 of points for the Birchbox shop.

beauty boxes, reviews, skincare, you beauty

You Beauty April – or stingy samples

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What’s the smallest sized beauty sample you’ve ever found in a beauty box?

How about this small?

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How are you even supposed to sample these and decide whether it’s something you want to buy? They’re essential oil capsules designed to boost your mood.

After last month’s quite pleasing box, this month’s is a bit, well, meh.

The theme is Natural & Organic and the shortlist is made up of products that fit this brief – but it wasn’t the most inspiring.

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I picked Balance Me Radiance Face Mask – something I’ve had in many boxes before, and Sond Hydrating Face Spray.

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The other bonus item was a sachet of Hask Keratin Protein Deep Conditioner Hair Mask.

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All in all not the most exciting box, but everyone’s allowed an off month. Hopefully May’s is better.

beauty, beauty boxes, make up, perfume, reviews, skincare

Cohorted April – Beauty Powered by You

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I decided to give Cohorted’s new beauty box a go, having been massively disappointed the last time.

Worth £93, this box is £35 including postage, making it one of the more expensive beauty boxes around.

The postman dropped it off bright and early, it’s a big box so I hope he has his van, he’s normally on foot.

Inside are fullsize products from five brands, some more familiar than others.

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First up MAC’s Patent Polish Lip Pencil – RRP £17.50. I received the shade ‘Clever’ which is rather nice light red, happily not orangey, but with pink undertones. It feels like lipbalm and is super easy to apply. Available in 14 shades.

Gold Elements Nail Care Kit – RRP £29.49. Four products make up this kit;

Hand & Nail Cream
Cuticle Oil
Nail File
Buffing Block

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These are all useful things and caring for your hands and nails is important as they get pretty battered throughout the day.

Miss Patisserie Bath Melt – RRP £3.99 for one. These little cupcakes are not for eating, made with Shea and coconut butter, each one contains antioxidants and minerals, decorated with detoxifying salts and cosmetic grade glitter.

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Body Shop White Musk Libertine EDT Perfume 100ml – RRP £24. Containing cruelty free musk, this is a modern twist on a Body Shop classic, sweet and classic.

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MDM Flow lipstick in Panther – RRP £18. Bizarrely, inside the box guide the whole article is about a shade called Milkshake but I’ve got a completely different one, which is a horrid neon pink.

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Not the best box in the world – who needs two lipsticks in one box, and the bath bomb won’t get any use, although it would make a nice addition to a birthday gift. The nail kit seems quite an impressive inclusion, most boxes would only put one item in, not the whole kit.

Might give this another go at some point – bit too pricey for every month.

beauty boxes, make up, reviews, skincare

Look Incredible April Beauty Box

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This beauty box is one of the pricier ones on the market but having seen Which Beauty Box UK‘s reviews of some of the older boxes I thought I’d have a look.

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For £35 you get £81.99 worth of full size beauty products – five items in this box.

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Laura Geller Spackle Undereye Eye Primer – RRP £20. Specially formulated for the under eye area this primer is infused with antioxidants to keep skin smooth and youthful. I don’t tend to use a separate primer for different bits of my face but I will definitely see if this makes a difference.

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SmashBox Blush/Soft Lights Duo in Super/Model – RRP £15. A blusher/highlighter duo in a rather nice soft pink and tawn. For some reason my pot is sticky but the product inside is fine. It’s suggested that it can be used as eyeshadow or even lip colour, but I’m not so sure about that.

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L’Oreal Nutri Gold Silky Day Cream – RRP £13. With White Jasmine and Calcium to improve your skin this cream is rich and designed to moisturise deep within the skin. Frustratingly all the product info on the box is in every language except English (there’s not even any French or German, which I can read) so I can’t really work out what’s in it.

Urban Decay Super Saturated Lip Colour in Naked – RRP £14. A lip crayon that’s super soft, glossy and richly pigmented. The only downside for me is the colour – a red/brown that’s way too dark for me.

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Velvet 59 My Fair Lashes Mascara – RRP £19.99. This mascara has a rather unusual looking brush designed to reach all the lashes. Will have to test it out and see for myself.

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While it is a pricier box, it seems incredibly generous, £35 would only get you maybe two of these products in the shops. I don’t know if I’d have this box every month but as a treat every now and then, I don’t see why not.

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

Latest in Beauty Build Your Own Box

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I rather love Latest in Beauty’s fabulous curated boxes and they have these build your own boxes you can put together yourself – perfect for presents or pampering yourself.

You can choose a number of different products ranging from skincare to candles from their shortlist, picking either 3, 6 or 9 items. There’s a mix of full and sample sized items for your box and new items are regularly added.

Here’s my pick.

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In no particular order;

💋Beauty UK High Brow All in One Brow Definition Kit – permanently on a mission for the best brow products for blondes, so I thought I’d give this a go. It’s designed for a variety of brow colours, and hopefully the blonde will be blonde enough.

💋teeez Head Over Heels Nail Lacquer in Frosted Gleam – super sparkly nail polish is one of my secret pleasures and this fits the bill. Cruelty free and promises to be chip free for three days.

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Sparkly

💋Burt’s Bees Lip Gloss in Spring Splendour – one of the downsides of buying online is it can be hard to tell exactly what shade you’re choosing. This is a bit pinker than I thought but my sister will love it.

💋Korres Bergamot and Pear Body Milk – this is more or less my favourite body lotion going so any time I can get some more, I will.

💋balmi Super Cube Lip Balm in Roseberry SPF 15 – talking of favourites, this lip balm ranks all time high in my book. Not too scented/flavoured, with SPF and in a clever little pot, keeps my lips happy.

💋Paul Mitchell Dry Wash – waterless shampoo or dry shampoo is big business these days, and I’m always looking for a good one.

💋Manuka Doctor Purified Bee Venom & Manuka Honey Skincare – three sachets of skin care – a mask, serum and filler with manuka honey and bee venom.

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Don't let the bees get you!

💋Sanctuary Spa Luxurious Body Butter – my dry, thirsty skin laps up moisture all day long, this is the perfect size to pop in my bag for moisture on the go.

💋Puriskin Therapy Resurfacing Formula – a super lotion for sensitive skin, targeting blemishes, bruises, burns and other damage. As queen of the mystery bruise and with skin so sensitive that a change in washing liquid brings me out in a rash, this seemed like it might be worth a try.

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What are your thoughts? Will you build your own box? Let me know in the comments below.

ramblingmads

beauty, beauty boxes, haircare, reviews, skincare

March Blogger Beauty Box

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Arriving just as March winds give way to April showers the Blogger Beauty Box was delivered by my rather chirpy postman.

Packed full to the brim and for the insane bargain price of £10 this is a box designed by a blogger for other bloggers.

Inside is a whole range of beauty goodies.

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March goodies

Top row L-R
❤Faust’s Potions Limited Edition Travels to my Elephant vitamin and herbal supplement drinks for day and night.
❤New Zealand BeeBio Active Manuka Honey Eye Crème with Bee Venom
❤Sass intimate Perfect Skin Concentrate
❤MOA Aphrodite Facial Oil
Miniatures L-R
❤Jr naturorganics Mandarin & Chamomile Balancing Moisturiser
❤Maya Black Gold of the Sun Confident Styling & Curling Crème
❤Merumaya Mud Marvels Mask

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There’s such a mix of products here, from full size to samples, haircare, skincare and the supplement drink (money from which benefits The Elephant Family charity).

There’s a focus on natural products which is always good, being able to pronounce the ingredients makes me more confident about what I’m using.

While I have a bit of a problem with Sass’ range of intimate body washes (your vagina is self-cleaning and doesn’t need douches or other PH unbalancing products), this is probably quite useful for relieving ingrown hairs anywhere.

Then there’s the bee venom – I actually read about this the other day. A popular product in the Antipodes, this encourages collagen production by mimicking the effects of a bee sting – minus the actual sting and a dead bee on your conscience.

I think I’ll be having a play with everything here, and definitely signing up for next month’s box here.

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beauty, beauty boxes, haircare, love me beauty, reviews, skincare

Love Me Beauty – March

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This month’s Love Me Beauty ‘box’ arrived – it’s not a box as such. But here’s what I picked from the Boutique.

For £13.95 a month you get 60 credits, which you can top up if you want more products.

🍓Tangle Teezer Blow-Styling Full Paddle Brush (20 credits)

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🍓Caudalie Make-Up Removing Cleansing Oil (15 credits)
🍓Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips (20 credits)
🍓Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream (5 credits)

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I needed a new hairbrush and this was an excellent way to get one without breaking the bank.

The Dr Lipp balm is an essential item, use it on dry lips, dry corners of your nose, elbows, hands, and anywhere else that needs some TLC.

Do you subscribe to Love Me Beauty? Thoughts? Drop me a note in the comments.

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