You Beauty Discovery Box March 2014

I cancelled my subscription to Glossybox a few months ago now. I wasn't unhappy with the service, I just needed to save my money for other things. Now that I have a little more budget for these things I have decided to try a few different subscriptions, like the YouBeauty Discovery box.

 

The idea of this box is quite different to Glossybox and, as you can see, the box is a lot smaller. This service is £6.95 including postage and packaging, making it nearly half the price of the other beauty subscriptions available.
For those of you not familiar with the YouBeauty Discovery box the idea is that you choose 2 products from a monthly list and these are sent to you along with a few little extras. The products available to choose from will be a mix of sample and full sizes and a variety of different products for face, body or hair.

 

The box is really cute and I will definitely use it again for storage. Inside, the box comes with a mini mag. The magazine contains details of all the products that were available and has discount codes. These discount codes are actually really decent and I used one straight away.

Inside, the items are nicely packaged in paper straw. The added extras this month were two Dragonfly tea bags and an accessory from The Vintage Cosmetic Company. My accessory is these cute blue toe seperators which I'm quite happy with as I already have the eyelashes and tweezers which were also on offer.

Now for the products that I chose.
Dr. Lip Original Nipple Balm for lips
I have seen so many good reviews of this so I'm excited to try it. This product is £11 and I recieved a full size so already the box is a bargain!
BeautyLab Glyco Face Wash
This is a really decent size for a sample at 100ml. Full size is 200ml for £32 making this sample worth £16. This product looks really interesting and boasts some impressive ingredients.

I am really impressed with this box and will definitely be continuing my subscription.

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March 2014 Love Me Beauty Box - Menu 2

I used to subscribe to Glossybox and I really enjoyed it. There are a lot of complaints about the service with people being unhappy with the products but I never minded too much and was usually happy. I cancelled the service because I had to save my pennies for other things. Recently I decided I could afford to start again but chose a different beauty box to keep things interesting.

Love Me Beauty is a different service because there is choice involved. Each month the boutique opens and you are able to choose from 3 menus of products. What attracted me to this box was that the samples often seem to be great sizes and there are loads of full sized items too! My first box has arrived and I am really impressed.

Murad Pore & Line Minimizing Hydrator - 10ml sample
I have had Murad samples before of 3 and 5ml so this is a decent size to recieve. The full size of this is 50ml and retails for a staggering £49.50 so this sample is around £10 worth of product! This is meant to plump skin and make it look younger and wrinkle-free. I can't say I have any fine lines as yet but I might see how it is for my pores.

Deep Steep Moisture Stick - full size worth £3.60
I love the idea of this product and I can't wait to try this. This dispenses like a lip balm and can be used on lips, hands, heels, elbows or any other dry patches. The packaging means this is great for having in a handbag or taking travelling. I will see how I get on with this but could definitely see myself repurchasing if it does a good job.

BlanX White Shock Toothpaste - 15ml sample
I have actually heard a lot of good things about this toothpaste but have never wanted to part with the £7.50 for the full 50ml tube. I have seen this before sold with a UV light to help activate it. The idea is that this works with light and so the more you smile, the whiter your teeth get! I look forward to trying it.

Quintessentially English Bath Salts - 50g sample
I love bath salts so I will definitely enjoy using these. This one is Summer Solstace and has little pieces of orange peel in with the salts. Full size of this is 100g and is £4.25. Looking at the sample I would say that 50g is one bath and so this is quite an expensive product and not one I would usually buy unless it's fantastic.

The Vintage Cosmetic Company Gracie False Lashes - full size worth £6
The Vintage Cosmetic Company seem to be in all the beauty boxes at the moment! I have used a few of their products and they have been great quality so I am happy to see more. I don't wear lashes often but these are nice to have for a night out.

Nip+Fab Post Workout Fix - full size worth £9.95
This is the product that caught my eye and got me to choose this particular menu. I love Nip+Fab products so I'm always happy to have another. Recently I have had quite sore and tired muscles and have been trying soaks and bubble baths but haven't used any gel products like this one. The idea is that you roll it over sore muscles or after a workout and it soothes any pain. I can't wait to try this one out.

All in all a fantastic box. This box had 3 full size products and 3 decent sized samples. What Glossybox does benefit from is lovely packaging and makeup products thrown in with the skincare. The packaging doesn't bother me as I now have so many of those boxes that I don't know what to do with them but I do hope to see some makeup from Love Me Beauty next month.

Which beauty box is your favourite?

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Three By Me - Reviews - No7, Cocoa Brown, Bourjois

With my busy job and house move I have left very little time for blogging recently and so I have been grouping products together and giving mini reviews until I catch up! Here are 3 products I have been trying recently.

Cocoa Brown Chocolae Whip Oil-Free Body Moisturiser £7.99*
I actually first used this a few months ago but I misplaced it when moving and only looked it out again recently. Cocoa Brown is my absolute favourite tan of the moment and this is a moisturiser meant to enhance your tan. It can be used in 3 ways; to prep the skin for tanning, making your tan last longer or just as a daily moisturiser for smooth skin. I was shocked to find that this cream is brown in colour and actually has a very similar scent to the tan. This product doesn't tan you though, it is just to be used with the tan. The great thing about this is that it is oil free and so it doesn't strip your tan. Moisturising when you are wearing self-tanner helps keep it even and stop it from fading in a patchy way. I don't think this lengthened the life of my tan but cocoa brown lasts so long anyway. What it does do however is ensure an even fade and smooth skin. cocoabrown.ie

No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water £9.50

I haven't tried many products from No7 before and have recently decided to start experimenting with their ranges. I use this cleasning water in the same way that I use Micellar solutions. I apply with a cotton pad and use to remove my makeup before doing a proper cleanse. The product does this job really well. It's very gentle on the skin, has little to no scent and feels like water when applied. I find that I need to use several pumps of the product to cover my whole face and this is pricey at £9.50. I think I bought this when I had a money off voucher and would buy it again but only when on offer.

 

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation £9.99
I have heard a lot about this product and so finally decided to try it. I chose the colour vanilla which is a perfect match for my paler days but easily darkened with the bronzing primer. I apply this using my real techniques sponge and find that I need just over a pump to cover my whole face. It goes on beautifully and leaves a flawless finish which is very dewy looking. For some reason I find that cream products sit nicer with this than powders and can find that my powder blushes and bronzers almost seem to stick to this base. I love how long lasting this is though and will definitely continue to use it.

What have you been trying recently?

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Products on Trial - Makeup

With my recent house move and my busy job, my blog has suffered recently! I have been trying loads of products but not having time to post about them and so now I am playing catch-up by combining several reviews into one post!

All of the above products are makeup that I have been trying lately.

St Tropez Instant Tan £10*
I realise this swatch makes my arm look dirty - this is not fully blended and I wanted to show what a great, dark shade it is!

I have tried instant tans in the past but never been too taken with them. I have the Rimmel one, which seems to be a favourite, but for me it just doesn't really do anything other that stain my tan mitt purple! At first I was scepticle of trying this product from St Tropez however recently I threw a party and wanted a nice glow. I had tanned the night before but it wasn't dark enough and I needed an extra boost. I used the medium/dark shade however this also comes in light/medium with a pink lid instead of purple. I used a mitt to apply this and it applied really nicely, it also smells lovely which is unusual for a tanning product. This made my tan much darker but still natural looking. It didn't budge all night and also didn't stain my sheets overnight. I'm totally impressed with this and will definitely be buying it again. I also think the price is great considering it's from St Tropez and their products are higher end. www.st-tropez.com

Seventeen Cheek Stamp in Bashful £4.99

I saw this product in Boots, picked it up, took it home and then wondered why on earth I had bought it! This is a very gimmicky product and strikes me as an idea thought up but not thought through. And yet I bought one! The blush itself isn't even a very nice shade! The idea is that the product is in the lid and the sponge stamp is used to apply to the cheeks. This works fine but leaves a perfect circle of the product on your cheek which you then need to blend out with a blush brush. If I decide to use this blush I think I will cut out the middle man and just use a brush!

Lily Lolo Black Natural Eye Pencil £6.99*

I have tried products from Lily Lolo before and really enjoyed them. They are natural, high quality and always really nicely packaged. You can never go wrong with a good black eyeliner and this really is a good one. The formulae is so soft and smooth feeling and extremely highly pigmented. This is waterproof and I find it stays put, doesn't smudge and has long wear. The natural ingredients also mean this isn't irritating to the eye. I am also really impressed with the reasonable price of this pencil considering the quality of it. www.lilylolo.co.uk

GOSH Long Lasting Brow Pen 001 Dark Brown £6.49

This was a definite impulse buy but turned out to be a welcome addition to my collection. As the name suggests, this brow product is a pen, similar to a felt tip. I thought that would make it really harsh and fake looking on the brow but the thin tip allows you to make fine strokes and softens the look. This definitely takes a little practise and I don't use it on days that I'm in a rush but the finished look is lovely and long lasting.

Earthnicity Minerals London Mineral Foundation and Kabuki Brush No.1 £16.99 and £11.99*

Foundation pictured is sample size.
I will be honest and say that I like a full face and full coverage foundation. With that in mind I knew this mineral foundation wasn't going to be for me but I enjoyed trying it out and will save it for the summer when my skin is clear and I want less coverage. That being said, I did find that I could work up to far more coverage than I expected, especially by using a small brush to apply the powder to blemishes. Earthnicity are definitely a company who you can purchase from with a clear conscience! Vegetarian and vegan, their products are free from parabens, talc and baddies in general! Being oil free their products won't break you out and are perfect for problem skin. The Kabuki brush is absolutely fantastic and a new favourite of mine. Although a travel sized brush handle, the head is full sized and a really decent size! The bristles are super soft and dense enough to get good control and great application. www.earthnicity.co.uk

Sleek Corrector & Concealer Palette in 04 £7.99

I couldn't resist using this before photographing so I apologise for the mess! I am a pale girl and so this kit is obviously too dark for me but I chose this to experiment with cream contouring. I am so glad that I did because I love it! I can't review it as a concealer but for contouring it is just super. I used my Real Techniques stippling brush to apply and blend and got the perfect result and just the look I was going for. At £7.99 when I am only really using one shade, this is expensive so hopefully I can find something else that does the job as well!

What have you been trying recently?

*PR Samples

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Boots 3 for 2 Haul

I cannot resist a Boots 3 for 2 and, with the recent points vouchers that got sent out, I knew I would find myself in there before long!

Max Factor Colour Adapt £9.99

I haven't heard of this foundation before but I was really in the mood for trying some new ones and this caught my eye. I bought this in 45 Warm Almond however this claims to be skin tone adapting.

Revlon Colorstay £12.49

I know this is hugely raved about but I actually haven't tried it before! I have finally decided to take the plunge! I bought this in 180 Sand Beige and it will be used for my paler days.

Bourjois Healthy Mix £9.99

Another hugely raved about foundation that I have never got around to trying. I chose the healthy mix rather than the serum and picked this up in the shade Vanilla.

 

I realise you can mix and match in the 3 for 2 deal but, for some reason, my products all come in 3s! I have never tried any No7 brushes before but fancied some new eye brushes and decided to give these a go.

No7 Eye Contour Brush £7.25

This is a lovely big fluffy brush which is definitely something I have been missing in my collection.

Real Techniques Shading Brush £7.99

I basically bought this because it's a Real Techniques brush that I don't have yet!

No7 Eye Colour Brush £7.25

Again I could do with some new eye brushes and decided to pick up one of these.

 

Boots Essentials Cleansing Wipes £1.50

Cheap and cheerful and do the job.

Boots Essentials Facial Toner £1.50

I haven't tried this before but decided it was worth a go, given how cheap it is! I usually like the boots essentials range so hopefully I will enjoy this product.

Boots Essentials Eye Makeup Remover Pads £1.50

A friend recommended these to me and so I added them to my basket. I currently use the gel eye makeup remover from the same range and I enjoy it.

 

Have you bought anything recently?

 

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Superdrug Haul

Recently I moved house and bought new furniture. One thing I bought was a unit for all my makeup which is roomy and has encouraged me to buy more! I have been going a little makeup shopping crazy and this little Superdrug haul is the first of many! This was an online order because my local Superdrug doesn't stock MUA.

MUA Poptastic Palette £4

I have several MUA palettes now but won't stop until I have them all. For this price these are incredible! The pigmentation is great and with primer they last all day. This particular palette is full of really daring colours and great for experimenting with new looks.

MUA Undressed Palette £4

I have the undress me too palette and have now hit pan on many of the colours. Rather than repurchasing I decided to try this earlier version of the palette instead.

MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Laquer in Funk £3

The packaging of these is so lovely and I have seen postive reviews so I decided to pick this up. The colour is a gorgeous deep pink and I look forward to trying this on a night out.

FashionistA Blush in Milan £2.79

I have another FashionistA blush and a bronzer and I really like them so decided to choose anogher shade. This has blue undertones and is very different to anything else I have.

 

St Ives Apricot Blemish Control Scrub £1.99

I used to love this stuff when I was younger but haven't used it in years. I don't remember it being so cheap so maybe this was an offer price. At the moment I don't really use a facial scrub so I shall probably use this weekly for now.

Vitamin E Skin Oil £2.99

I sort of bought this by mistake! I'm not exactly sure what lead me to buy this, I think I got carried away! However this will be nice for giving my boyfriend massages so I'm sure I will put it to good use.

MUA Lip Liner £1

I have another of these which I am hoping isn't in the same shade. At £1 you really can't go wrong with these and the sharpner in the lid is so handy.

Blistex Raspberry Lemonade Blast £1.75

Becca loves this lipbalm so I decided to pick it up. And you can never have too many lipbalms!

 

Have you tried any of these products?

 

 

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Products on Trial - Face and Hair

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will notice that I have stopped doing empties posts. This is partly because I have moved house and didn't want to take a pile of empty products with me and partly because I was starting to tire of them. In place of these I have decided to start writing different collective posts like products on trial - a few products I have been trying recently.

Aussie Luscious Long Conditioner
I bought this recently because I felt like my hair needed a bit of a treat and usually I use really cheap hair products. I think this was £4.99 for the small bottle which is really as much as I am willing to pay for conditioner. I used to use Aussie 3 minute miracle and I remember absolutely loving the scent. This one doesn't smell anywhere near as nice and I'm really disappointed! After a week of daily use I haven't seen much difference to the condition of my hair and actually feel like it gets greasier quickly. I won't buy this again.

L,Oreal Triple Active Day Moisturiser
I got this on Boxing Day in a gift set along with the Micellar solution. Although this is a day moisturiser I have been using it twice daily along with my regular serum. I don't have dry skin so I only really need a light moisturising product and this one is perfect for me. It smells lovely, absorbs quickly into the skin and leaves my face really soft and smooth. It's also light enough to make a great base for makeup. I am not sure how much this is when not in a set or the sale but I would happily pick this up again.

Lush Let The Good Times Roll Cleanser*
I have tried loads of products from Lush in the past and love them all. I used to use the shampoo all the time and for some reason I kept overlooking the cleansers while picking it up. Recently I have been trying this one and will now be very keen to pick more up! This cleanser smells absolutely delicious, good enough to eat! The product is like a dough in the tub and contains pieces of popcorn. You take a small piece of the cleanser, add water to your hand and mix it into a paste. I actually find this slightly tricky as I sometimes flood my hand and the cleanser jumps out! I find it easier to wet my face and hands and apply the product that way. I really enjoy washing my face with this as it leaves my skin squeaky clean and soft feeling. My only slight problem with this is that it's quite abrasive and feels to me more like a scrub than a cleanser. For that reason I have only been using it at night and using a more gentle cleanser in the morning. I love this and will definitely repurchase.

What have you been trying lately?

*PR Sample

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MUA Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter

For months and months I have been hearing how amazing this budget highlighter is. MUA isn't available in my city however whenever I have been away I have always looked out for this product. As with lots of MUA items, this was always out of stock until recently I picked this up in Glasgow.

This product is £3 which really is a bargain. I am very happy with my current highlighter but at this great price I knew I had to give this a go.
As with all MUA products, the packaging is basic but does the job. Inside, the actual powder cake is absolutely beautiful. It has a lovely swirled effect, similar to the Mac highlighters and after several uses this hasn't disappeared.
This highlight gives a lovely shimmer and looks lovely on the skin. I can't say I'm overly impressed with it though as it isn't anything special. The highlight I currently use is from BeautyUK. It's gorgeous and, although I can't remember the exact price, is under a fiver.

This product is a great price and nice to have in my collection. It's nothing special so I wouldn't buy it again but I'm happy to have it.

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February Wantable Makeup Box

I am a little obsessed with subscription services so I jumped at the chance to try the February Wantable  box! Wantables are an American subscription service who offer 3 different boxes; makeup, accessories and intimates. Although American, they now deliver to the UK and so their service is available to us!
I chose the makeup box because I was drawn in by the claim of at least 4 full sized makeup products! From the minute I logged onto the website I knew this was unlike other beauty boxes. Wantables asks you to complete a beauty profile. Unlike other beauty services, this profile is very comrehensive. It asks you to love, like or dislike various makeup products and shades. If you dislike something you will never be sent it! I pressed dislike on nail varnishes because I don't use them and this means I will never recieve a nail varnish in my box! How awesome is that!
The other great thing about Wantables is that if you don't like or want your box, you can send it back for a full refund! The service is a little more expensive than others but the full sized items and comprehensive profile make it less of a gamble. The box is $36 a month or $40 for a one off box, making it around £22-£25.

Unlike Glossybox and Birchbox, this box doesn't boast luxury packaging. The products are securely packaged in foam padding and a postage box. Inside the box is a piece of paper showing the price of the products and a little slip saying Hello, Beautiful!

As you can see above, I recieved 4 full sized items and one sample sachet.

Michael Marcus Prime Foundation Brush $20 - £11.99
I have never heard of this brand and have never had a primer brush before! This brush is made of super soft taklon and is perfect for applying primer, foundation or concealer. The handle is good quality feeling and the brush feels very sturdy. This came with a small sample of Sorme primer.

Sorme Mineral Botanicals Blush/Bronzer Duo - Sunshine $28 - £16.79
Again another brand I haven't heard of. For a fairly expensive blush, this isn't very high quality feeling. I'm not a big fan of the packaging which is quite dated looking and not very eye catching. The product itself is highly pigmented and nice enough but lacks shimmer. I will give this a go though and always have room for another blush and bronzer in my collection!

Be a Bombshell Eye Base - Undercover Lover $14 - £8.36
I have heard of Be a Bombsheel before but only from other beauty boxes. I have recieved products of theirs but never really used them as they have been things that aren't much use to me. This eye base can be used as a shadow, liner or a base. It reminds me of the Maybelline colour tattoos and is a lovely colour.

LAQA & CO Fat Lip Pencil - Fairy Blood $18 - £10.75
I have tried many products from this company before as I blogged for them last year and was sent PR samples. I have one of these lip pencils but luckily it is in a different shade. I love their products, especially the quirky packaging, and I really like the colour of this one.

In total this box was worth $70 which is $32 more than it cost. I didn't get any products that I had marked as not being keen on and I am really happy with what I recieved! Although pricey I would seriously recommend this box and there isn't the risk factor that your get with other services.
wantable.com
*PR sample

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