Tag: beauty boxes

beauty, beauty boxes, lifestyle boxes, make up, reviews, skincare

Hello Summer! Pink Parcel Summer Edit 

ramblingmads

I had a very brief subscription from Pink Parcel a while ago but I am still on their mailing list so when the Summer Edit popped into my inbox I decided to place an order. 

A huge box arrived, carried to my door by the invisible postman (I never see him but parcels arrive and someone rings the doorbell and I once heard a man whistling). Inside was a flamingo print canvas bag full of goodies. 

I love flamingos – this bag is very me 

Scrub Love Coconut Affair Coffee Scrub – I’m not personally a fan of coffee scrubs probably because I don’t like coffee, but my fiance loves coffee in all forms so this will be his to use. 

Barnaby Cross Gemmotherapy Face Mask – not exactly sure what gems have to do with face masks but this seems to be a plant based sheet mask. 

Figs & Rouge Combat Cream- this is designed to eradicate blemishes, which is handy as my skin can be a bit reactive. 

Malibu SPF 30 Lotion – sun cream is an essential in my skincare arsenal. 

Spa To You Konjac Sponge – I am really not that keen on these sponges but some people love them. 

Your Tea Face Scrub – this has tea in it which is new, and claims to be gentle enough for sensitive skin. 

Colorsport 30 Day Brow Tint – dark brown shade so not for me. 

Pink Parcel For Now Tampons 

Beauty Papier Green Tea Blotting Paper – shiny t-zones be gone with soothing green tea extract. 

Stylondon Henna Tattoos – just no. 

Bic Soleil Razor 

Elegant Touch Nails (Colours vary)

Sass Intimate Purifying Cleanser – there’s a whole rant I could do about this. 

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner

Burt’s Bees Deep Cleansing Cream 

Jelly Pong Pong Eye Shadow Duo

Sportfx Sport Stamina Mascara

Amie Deep Pore Exfoliating Polish 

Bonnie XO Lipstick 

Pink Parcel make up bag 

Dr Paw Paw Original Balm (not pictured as it rolled under the bag!) 

Candy Kittens sweets – 2 sweets! 2 sweets! 

Estella Bartlett bracelet – this is pretty. 

Joe & Seph’s Coconut & Chia Popcorn (which was supposed to be Not.Corn made with sorghum) – leave out the chia seeds and this is s nice coconut popcorn. 

Yuyo Mint Tea

Yuyo Zing Tea

We Are Tea Soothe for tummy relief

Make up close ups 

Bit of a mixed bag (quite literally). Some of these things I will definitely use but others will be going to new homes. 

beauty, beauty boxes, glossybox, make up, reviews

Glossybox – Hello Summer

ramblingmads

I know, I know, I said I was done with Glossybox but I kept seeing increasingly good boxes on other blogs and I just couldn’t resist. If they kept this gorgeous sunburnt pink as well it would be so good.

Inside are five summery beauty bits, four of which are fullsize. 

☉Bellapierre Cosmetics Banana Setting Powder – I am so fascinated by this, the yellow powder is designed to offset redness and discoloration on pale skin and add highlights to darker skins. 

☉Spectrum Collections Small Fan Brush – partnered with the setting powder, this brush evenly distributes the powder with cruelty free, synthetic bristles that are super soft. 

☉Monu Professional Skincare – Monuspa Soothing After Sun Lotion – a generous 100ml ‘sample’ of this summer essential. Try as I might I always get burnt somewhere. 

☉Cute Balms Macaroon Tint Balm in Crushed Berry – a fruity smelling balm for lips and cheeks. This is most likely going to be added to my collection of lipbalms I keep forgetting I have and then I buy more. 

☉Papanga Spiral Hairbands (pack of 3) – try as I might I can’t seem to get on board with these, they may not tangle other people’s hair but they snare up might like nobody’s business. 


I rather liked this box – but I will only be sticking with this subscription if the quality remains high. I cannot afford more crappy boxes of cheap and unwanted make up. 

beauty, beauty boxes, lifestyle boxes, my little box, reviews

My Little Box – Seashell

ramblingmads

June’s box was so late I didn’t bother to blog it but July’s arrived on Saturday so I thought I would share it with you. 

I’ve been a bit unsure whether to keep subscribing, June’s box was quite disappointing (read about it here) but I quite liked this one. 

The summery beach inspired box is rather pretty, utilising the red, white and blue of the French (and UK) flag – a colour scheme MLB have used before. 

Inside is the usual sticker and art print, as well as a pair of postcards to send from your spot on a beach somewhere. 

I’m loving the beachy vibes – closest I’ll be getting this summer. 

This might be the quirkiest thing in a box I’ve come across – the plastic shell contains what is basically a lollipop minus the stick! It tastes rather nice – which since it’s basically flavoured sugar isn’t a surprise. Apparently in France these are known as ‘roudoudou’ although in all the summers I’ve spent there I’ve not come across these before.  

 Now I love candles, although I’ve switched to electric was melters recently as they’re safer, so this cute kit is very me. I am definitely making use of this at my next barbecue. The little paper bags easily transform into lanterns with the addition of the tea lights. Casting a pretty blue glow. 

This is such a fun item – it’s an inflatable beach bag that doubles as a pillow for snoozing in the sun – you can make sure to avoid sunburn by popping your factor 50 in the bag. I do love an item that can multitask. And if the tide comes in (or you get rained on in the park) the bag inflated will float. 

The little canvas bag containing this month’s beauty treats is also decorated with seashells, keeping with the box’s theme. Inside are three items for summer skin. 

🐚Institut Karitè Paris – Rose Mademoiselle Shea Hand Cream. This shea butter rich hand cream smells gorgeous and it’s handbag size. Normally I roll my eyes ‘not another handcream’ but this has come at a good time, the tube in my bag has just run out! 

🐚Garnier SkinActive 3 in 1 – I don’t personally like this particular scrub/mask/wash as my skin is freakishly sensitive but my partner loves it for his spot prone skin, so has already pounced on this bottle for his wash bag.

🐚My Little Beauty Sandy Shore Body Scrub –  this lightly fragranced tub of sea salt and white Polynesian sand with essential oils is also a great item in the box. Summer is the skin season- and exfoliation is key to happy skin. A good scrub in the shower is a great way to slough off old skin cells and encourage cell regeneration. 

Overall I rather liked this box – definitely an improvement on some of the previous ones. It also seems that this box is identical to the French one, which is nice as sometimes they vary wildly. 

beauty, beauty boxes, lifestyle boxes, my little box, reviews

My Little Friday Night Box

ramblingmads

This month’s My Little Box comes with the proviso “Do not open before Friday night” well I’ve always been a rebel. 

This box is all about your Friday night – whether you’re going out out or staying in. 

Party types
Great nights out – this pamphlet folds out and is full of ideas and tips for throwing a party or finding one.
Coasters & hair pin
Ingenious bra clip covering bow for backless dresses
This month’s beauty picks

Batiste Dry Shampoo – do I even need to say more. 

NailMatic Varnish in Biba 

My Little Beauty Back to Black Eye Pencil and Smudger – this is pretty long lasting. I tested it on the back of my hand, one tiny smudge as it’s very soft, and it won’t budge.

And finally a cocktail recipe – Dirty Dancing

Did you get this month’s box? What do you think of the contents. 

beauty, beauty boxes, ethics, make up, reviews

The Pip Beauty Box

ramblingmads

This new beauty box, named after the founder’s canine chum, is all about championing cruelty free beauty. 50p from each box has been donated to Cruelty Free International. 

Inside are five cruelty free and vegan friendly beauty treats. 

Bloomtown Botanicals Nourishing Mini Soap (RRP £1.40) – made in small batches with plant oils and butters, this vegan friendly Soap comes in a whole range of scents. 

Akamuti Green Clay Face Mask (RRP £2) – sundries green clay that you mix yourself to make a purifying face mask that is suitable for sensitive and problem skin. 

Saturated Colour Lip Vinyl Liquid Lipstick in Frisky Fuchsia (RRP  £7) – a deep pink shade in a liquid lipstick – something of a recent beauty trend. 

PHB Ethical Beauty Black Mascara & Nearly Black Eyeliner (RRP £24.70) – both award winning formulas that complement each other. Made with botanical oils and water resistant, suitable for sensitive eyes. 

There are discount codes in the box for PHB and Saturated Colour. 

For a first beauty box this is well balanced in terms of skincare and make up – and fullsize items to boot. 

beauty, beauty boxes, fun stuff, lifestyle boxes, my little box, reviews, skincare

My Little Box – Fresh Start

ramblingmads

This is January’s MLB, better late than never! 

Instead of the standard box, this month is a canvas bag, designed to be reusable. 

Inside are a variety of things designed to help you start afresh in a new year. 

There’s a cute little journal, without dates, so you can start it whenever. 

There’s a cute printed infinity scarf or snood. 

The final lifestyle item is a set of inspirational postcards, suggesting ways to get fresh starts in the different aspects of your life. 

Then there’s the selection of beauty treats. 

Merci Handy Holy Mint Toothpaste – I’ve only had antibacterial hand gel from this brand before and I’m really particular about toothpaste so I don’t know whether I’ll use this. 

Garnier Ultimate Blends Strength Restorer Balm – this is a tiny sample of hair mask containing royal jelly and honey.  I’ll hang on to it for a really bad hair day. 

My Little Beauty Boost Yourself Body Cream & Sweet Hand Cream – two items from MLB’s own beauty range. These both snell inoffensive and having had several other skincare items from this range I know they’re pretty standard stuff. 

MLB has decided to scrap their My Little World magazine for good, in favour of things like the inspiration postcards and journal. 

The box is back next month, which is good as the bag is all well and good but required extra packaging to keep it safe.

 

beauty boxes, happy mail, hygge, lifestyle boxes, mental health, reviews

Moi-Meme Winter Wellness Box 

ramblingmads

This box is so luxe- and will with things to give you a boost during the rotten cold winter months. 

I love that each box is personalised and that the team at Moi-Meme do the same with the contents. 

There are five lovely things in the box and I can’t pick a favourite. 

Lola’s Apothecary Bath & Shower Oil (RRP £34 100ml) – this oil (Delicate Romance) contains rose, sweet orange, lemon, geranium, as well as several other skin loving ingredients. You only need a teaspoon for a bath or shower, so this will last a while. Based in Devon, the products are hand blended in small batches for the best quality. This smells delicious and soon so will I.  

Potion London The Beauty Formula (RRP £25 60 tablets – 1 a day) – with 19 vitamins and minerals these skin, hair and nail supplement tablets are developed to promote clear skin, strong nails and silky hair. Stocked in Harvey Nichols exclusively (and online), it’s only been around since July last year. It would be really great to see if these help my brittle, peeling nails. 

Pia Rossini Monroe Faux Fur Snood (RRP £30, available in 7 colours) – lined with soft fleece, this ridiculously stroke-able snood is warm and cosy. There are matching accessories available online. I am wearing this in my living room – the boiler’s broken and can guarantee it’s warmth. Based in Northern Ireland, the husband and wife team cover all seasons with everything from faux fur to beachwear. 


Portico Designs A6 Monogram Notebook (RRP  £8) – this stationery brand produce gorgeous products for brands including Wedgwood, Monsoon and Roald Dahl, as well as their own designs – like these gorgeous notebooks, which come in a range of colours. A 25 year old, Bath based company, their lovely things make brilliant presents. As someone who is always scribbling things down, this arrived at a perfect time.  

Coco Chocolatier Organic Chocolate Bar (RRP  £4.50 for 80g) – Caramel, Hazelnut and Isle of Skye sea salt milk chocolate – an artisan chocolate bar from Edinburgh with really lovely packaging, combining some of my favourite things – sorry I don’t share! 

Are you a subscriber? Do you love these boxes too? 

You know where I am, wearing my snood and eating chocolate.  

 

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

Glossybox Edible Edit

ramblingmads

For a box called the Edible Edit in conjunction with comedian Bella Younger’s Instagram alter ego Deliciously Stella, there’s not even a tube of fruit pastilles inside. 

Instead there’s a range of beauty products (mostly skincare) which contain Edible ingredients, just don’t take a nibble.  

Nip & Fab Kale Fix Moisturiser – with kale, watercress and almond oil to enrich and protect skin and aloe vera and shea butter to soothe and smooth. 

The Balm Meet Matt (e) Trimony Single Eyeshadow – in an aubergine (eggplant for my US readers) shade this teeny, tiny sample shadow is velvety soft. 

Vitamasques Manuka Honey Face Mask – Korean sheet masks were a big thing in beauty last year and it looks set to continue as a trend. This one is infused with the most expensive honey you can buy to nourish and love your skin.  

Unani Illuminate Milk Cleanser – full of natural skin loving oils to purify and protect your skin as they remove make up. 

Hairon Zero Crease Hair Tie – not entirely sure how these fit the theme but there you go.  I actually hate these hair ties, for some reason they get snared and tangled in my hair, so my sister will be getting these.  

This will be my last Glossybox for a while as I need to save a little money and use up my stash, which is getting out of control. 

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

Birchbox Merry & Bright 

ramblingmads

This month’s Birchbox has arrived. Instead of the classic box they’ve sent a pop top style box, which they claim can be used as a keepsake box. However it is smaller than the usual box and I can’t really work out what I’d keep in it. 

Inside are five beauty items – they tie into the colour scheme rather neatly. 
💋Ciatè London Fierce Flicks Eyeliner (fullsize RRP  £15) – felt tip style eyeliners are my preferred kind, mostly because I can’t quite handle gel and I have never managed to get a decent line from a kohl pencil. 

💋Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara (RRP £23) – I’m not entirely sure what makes this specifically a smokey eye mascara but there you go. 

💋Benefit Cosmetics Benetint  (RRP £24.50) – teeny tiny Benefit samples I’ve had a few. I used to love benetint but I haven’t used it in years. 

💋Leighton Denny Nail Polish in Just Perfect (fullsize RRP  £12) – this is a really baby pink polish which I really don’t see getting used. Which is a shame as these are good quality polishes. 

💋Amie Skincare New Leaf Deep Pore Exfoliating Polish (RRP £5.95) – this uses rice proteins to exfoliate away dead skin cells rather than nasty plastic beads so yay. Plus this range gets on well with sensitive skin – I just wish it was a bigger bottle. 

This box was a bit mixed, it’s nice that the colours all tie together and I will definitely get some use out of most of the contents which is nice, especially considering the very hit and miss year Birchbox has had. 

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

Glossybox December 

ramblingmads

The seasonal Glossybox has arrived all white and gold. 

Inside are five fullsize products. 

MDMFLOW Semi-matte lipstick in Vamp – subscribers were invited to pick their choice between two shades for this month’s box. I went for this plum shade over the nude option as I quite like a statement lip. Wearing glasses means no matter what I do with my eye makeup it doesn’t really show but a bold lip pops  every time. 

Essence Light Up Your Face Luminizer Palette – other bloggers have said that Glossybox used to be packed full of high end cosmetics – well now it’s full of budget options like this. Essence is stocked in Wilko and this is £3. It’s also really too dark for my skin. If I used this, my face would just look dirty. 

Collection Cosmetics Define & Perfect Eyebrow Powder – another budget choice and another that seems aimed at someone else. This is just frustrating. I’ve told them I’m blonde and that includes my eyebrows but no – more brunette products. Having said that this is a nice slim brush but the rattling noise it makes worries me. 

Lipcote – my mum uses this to secure her lipstick but I found it unpleasantly tacky last time I used it. But I am going to try it again as I think I eat an awful lot of lipstick. 

Revlon Nail Enamel in Valentine – an old school vampy red polish in Revlon’s iconic bottle. 
This box was a bit hit and miss. All the products are fullsize and I like the colours of the polish and lipstick but the rest is a bit ‘meh’. Hopefully next year there will be a better mix of items, and not just the cheap end of the range.