February Glossybox product reviews: Rituals body lotion, Figs & Rouge balm, MeMeMe Beat the Blues, Miners lipstick & Micabella eyeshadow

Hello lovelies! 

February 2013 Glossybox

Sophie here, I thought I’d update you on my love affair with Glossybox. This will be a review of February’s products, I realise we’re in April now but I wanted to use them for a while first so I can do a properly informed review. If you want the full story then be sure to check out my previous posts – All AboutGlossybox for everything you need to know and The Big Skincare Review for my thoughts on my January box!

Last month’s box was Valentine’s themed, all pretty in pink instead of the usual, which was really nice as it arrived a few days before Valentine’s day. Here’s what I got inside:

From left to right: Rituals Magic Touch Cherry Blossom & Rice Milk body cream; Figs & Rouge balm in Rambling Rose; a cheeky lolly; MeMeMe Beat The Blues highlight in Pearl Pink;  Miners Cosmetics lipstick in Dreamer; Micabella Cosmetics Mineral Eye Shadow Shimmer Powder in Deep Secrets.

I feel a monster post coming on so feel free to skim or skip to the ones you’re interested in!

First up: Rituals Magic Touch Cherry Blossom & Rice Milk body lotion                    

Rituals Magic Touch Cherry Blossom & Rice Milk Body Cream

Rituals body cream swatch

What does it do? This is a Rituals best seller. Like most body lotions, it promises to nourish your skin and leave it silky smooth and soft.

What’s in it? This product contains rice milk which is known for its soothing qualities, cherry extract to make it smell delicious, and antioxidants which are always invited to the party.

  

How does it smell? Really rather lovely. Kind of sweet but not in a sickly way, I’d describe it as quite deep and rich. You can definitely pick up the cherry but it doesn’t smell at all artificial.

What’s it like? I’ve been using this product after I shower: massaging it into my skin after I’ve dried off. The texture is creamy, velvety and really soft. The bottle describes it as ‘rich’ and ‘whipped’ and I’d definitely agree. The swatch above shows the product just as its come out of the tube, and to the right of that is where I rubbed it in a little; I doubt you can even see where I rubbed it in as it sinks straight into the skin like a dream! A little goes a long way with this product, it spreads across the skin really well and is almost instantly absorbed, meaning you’re not left feeling sticky or greasy which is a huuuuge plus for me. You also really pick up the scent as you apply it which is lovely.

Does it work? I wouldn’t say it’s changed my life but my skin definitely feels lovely after using it, nice and soft and moisturised. It’s a really gentle product so I especially like to apply it to my legs after shaving, as the rice milk seems to soothe them. You do pick up the occasional whiff of the product throughout the day if you applied it in the morning, which I really like.

How much? £15 for 200ml from rituals.com (click here) or £5 for 70ml (click here) if you want to give it a little try first. I got the 70ml version in my Glossybox and £5 off a £25 Rituals spend.  

All in all: I like it. It’s a thousand times better than the Duck Island body lotion I received in my January Glossy (reviewed here), mainly due to the much nicer smell and the way my skin absorbs it so readily. As it spreads so well, a little goes a long way and I haven’t yet run out of my 70ml tube despite using it a good few times a week, so I think the price is reasonable for a 200ml bottle as it should last for a long time. I’m really glad that this came in my box, it’s a lovely little product and I’ll definitely think about repurchasing.

Figs and Rouge Balm in Rambling Rose                                                                                     

Figs & Rouge Organic Balm in Rambling Rose

Lips: Figs & Rouge Balm in Rambling Rose

What does it do? This balm will nourish, soothe and hydrate dry areas – put it anywhere you like!

What’s in it? Seed oil, fruit butter, fruit oil and flower oil seem to be the main ingredients. The balm is organically produced and petroleum free.

How does it smell? As you’d expect, it’s quite natural smelling due to the natural ingredients. It smells deliciously of rose and something else I can’t quite put my finger on but reminds me of my childhood and makes me very happy.

What’s it like? Fantastic! The consistency is impossible to describe but I really love it. It feels kind of textured at first, but then when you rub it in it melts into buttery softness. It sinks into the skin almost immediately without even a hint of stickiness -  it does last slightly longer on the lips but feels lovely. Sorry about the awful picture, I just took a quick one to show you how it looks on the lips, please ignore the rest of my face! It’s pretty much invisible, it doesn’t alter the colour of your lips but just leaves the slightest hint of shine.

Does it work? Yes! I really love this product. You may or may not know how much I struggle with dry lips, most balms dry them out even further. After struggling for years to find a balm that doesn’t, Glossybox have given me two in two months! (This one, and Jason Lips Bee Healthier which I raved about here). This makes my lips feel soft and lovely, and really hydrated. I’ve used it as a base for lip sticks and glosses and it really helps prevent them from drying out my lips, but I also think it looks really pretty just on its own. I’ve had a bit of a dry nose recently due to blowing it so much in the cold weather, and one application of this sorted me right out!

How much? £3.49 for 8ml from Lovelula. Some flavours are also available from Boots but are more expensive at £4.99. I got the full sized version in my Glossybox which I’m really rather chuffed about.  

All in all: This is a gorgeous little product and I love it. It’s one of the few balms ever to not make my lips even drier, it eats dry skin for breakfast and smells like angels bringing you bouquets of roses. The price is really good as a little goes a long way so it’ll last, and it’s all pure and natural and organic and lovely. It also comes in various other flavours – I’m really glad I got Rambling Rose but I'm definitely tempted to try the others too.  The packaging is also really pretty and vintage-esque so it’ll be a nice little addition to your purse or makeup bag. I will, without shadow of a doubt, be repurchasing this product and definitely recommend you give it a try (or at least give it a smell, mmmm).

MeMeMe Beat The Blues in Pearl Pink                                                                                       

MeMeMe Beat the Blues Highlighter / Illuminator in Pearl Pink

MeMeMe Beat the Blues Pearl Pink swatch

What does it do? This is designed to illuminate and highlight your complexion, giving you that lovely healthy dewey glow.

What’s in it? The ingredients list is quite difficult to read against the pale pink of the product, and even more difficult to understand! However, as it’s makeup rather than a skincare product and I don’t have sensitive skin, I’m not overly concerned with what’s in it (obviously do check if you have sensitive skin, though).

 What’s it like? I was over the moon to find this in my Glossybox as I’ve been dying to try it ever since I discovered and subsequently lusted after Benefit High Beam. I’ve only ever swatched High Beam and not used it properly, so I can’t do an in-depth comparison but I do think this is an excellent dupe. It’s the same pearly, iridescent pink as High Beam and about a quarter of the price at £5.50. (High Beam will set you back around £20, thumbs down.) The only reason I hadn’t tried this sooner is that the Plymouth branches of Superdrug decided to stop selling MeMeMe. The product comes in a little pot with a brush in the lid like a nail polish, and the consistency is quite thin so it’s really easy to blend in, but still buildable. 

Does it work? Yes it does. It has the most beautiful effect on the skin – it really makes it look fresh and glowing and lovely. I tend to keep the focus on my skin for daytime and keep my eyes fairly bare, so I use this product pretty much every day on my cheekbones, brow bones and bridge of my nose, as highlighters also have the effect of sculpting the face by bring out areas they are applied to. The swatch picture shows how it looks straight from the brush, and then how it looks after being blended in a little. Sometimes I apply to my cheeks straight from the brush, but I apply it to the back of my hand then take some up on my fingertip if I want to be a little more precise or use a little less product. You can use the brush in the lid for application but not blending as it carries too much product, but it blends so well it doesn’t really matter whether you use your finger or another brush (I use fingers for quickness). Don’t be put off by the pink – you can see from the rubbed in swatch that it comes out only slightly pink toned. Obviously on your face you’d be blending it in a lot more and it would mix slightly with your foundation – once you’ve done this it gives a lovely subtle shine that picks up beautifully in the light.

How much? £5.50 for 12ml from mememecosmetics.co.uk (click here!) which is cheaper than I thought. Glossybox / MeMeMe were kind enough to give me a full sized bottle and 20% off my next one! 

All in all: I love this product, it’s become an everyday essential of mine. It has a gorgeous effect on my skin and is really easy to use. The price was a really pleasant surprise, I was expecting it to be closer to £10 than £5! I definitely definitely recommend trying this if you’re after a nice highlighter / illuminator, it’s brilliant at creating a subtle glow when you blend it into foundation but is very buildable if you wanted a more dramatic effect for the evening. I haven’t given its Benefit counterpart a proper try yet, but I’m thinking about ordering a sample so I can do a proper comparison – let me know if you’d like to see that!

p.s. If you like products like this then you’ll love this MeMeMe collection. For £15 you get this Pearl Pink highlighter, an Oyster Gold highlighter resembling Moon Beam (or maybe Sun Beam?) by Benefit, and two dupes for Benefit’s Benetint and Posietint cheek / lip stains, all for less than one of the Benefit alternatives!

Miner’s Cosmetics Lipstick in Dreamer                                                                                    

Miners Cosmetics Lipstick in Dreamer

Miners Cosmetics Lipstick in Dreamer swatch

What’s it like? This lipstick is much more glittery than the pictures pick up, in both the stick and the swatches. It’s a very very cool toned pink with purple undertones, much cooler than it looks in the photos. Swatching it lightly gives a really pretty sheer colour, and it’s easily buildable and blendable to get a stronger colour.

Does it work? NO. It looks pretty to swatch but this does not translate onto the lips at all. It also feels quite creamy and soft on your arm but really plasticy and horrible on the lips. Everything dries my lips out so that’s to be expected but this is much worse than other lipsticks – instantly drying even with a balm underneath. I hate to use the word chavvy but that’s the only way I can describe it – you know that cool pink, frosted type colour? That’s how it looks no matter how much or little you use, no matter how much you blend it. Blergh!

How much? £3.99 for 4g supposedly, but I can't seem to find it on the Miners site!? The best I can do is this Amazon link for £4.99 if you REALLY want to try it (you probably don't).   

All in all: This was the only product in my Feb Glossy that I really really disliked. I definitely won’t be using the rest of it let alone repurchasing! I really can’t describe how horrible the colour is, but even if you’re a fan of frosty pinks I just think it looks and feels really cheap. Not impressed!

Micabella Cosmetics Mineral Eyeshadow / Shimmer Powder in Deep Secrets        

Micabella Cosmetics Mineral Eye Shadow in No. 53, Deep Secrets

Micabella Mineral Eye Shadow, Deep Secrets swatch

What does it do? It’s a shimmery eyehsadow.

What’s in it? This is made of 100% ‘mica’ which is a natural crystal / mineral.

  

What’s it like? This really is the most beautiful eyeshadow, and no matter what I do I don’t think the photos will ever do it justice! It’s a stunning medium bronzey-gold, I’d describe it as an antique gold colour, and the light picks up tiny particles of copper, bronze, gold and silver toned shimmer. The powder itself is soft and velvety to touch, and can be blended out for a subtle shadow or layered up for a bolder, more solid colour (see swatch). You could apply this with your finger if you wanted a softer look, or a damp brush to really bring the colour out (both swatches were applied dry). As it’s a loose pigment, I definitely recommend tapping off your brush and taking care not to pick up too much product as it’s more difficult to get an even finish if you start off by applying a large amount to a concentrated area, especially if you wanted a softer look. Having said that, it is definitely blendable and if you take a little care with it, you can achieve a beautiful smokey effect just with this one product by starting out with a little, blending it out, then gradually layering closer to the lashline. The colour really is beautiful and very highly pigmented, and will look stunning against all eye colours.

How much? £14.95 for 2.5g from micabella.co.uk, (click here!) Glossybox gave me 1g in my box, plus a special discounted price of £8.99 for the full sized eyeshadow for a limited time.

All in all: This really is a beautiful product, I love the fact that it’s made entirely of a natural mineral and the colour payoff is excellent. There’s a lot of ways to work with it as it’s a loose powder, and can give a really pretty subtle look or a more dramatic colour when layered up; I can’t wait to wear it in the summer as I think it will look amazing with a tan. Unfortunately it is quite pricey, although I suppose it depends on how much you usually spend on eyeshadows as it’s probably a similar price to Mac or BareMinerals making £8.99 a really good deal, so I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted!  I think for the quality and fact that its pure crystal the price is justified – I’m not sure I would use enough of it so often as to warrant me buying another pot as I’ll probably save it for the odd occasion rather than use it regularly. I think I’ll see how I get on with my current pot, though I’ll definitely miss it once it’s gone!

And finally I got a little Glossybox heart lollypop for Valentines Day! Looking a little worse for wear now - it still hasn’t been eaten as I don’t like them, but I thought it was cute all the same! 

So that concludes my February Glossybox products review! Thank you for reading which ever bit you read, and if you read it all the way through then well done, you’re the best person ever. Do let me know what you thought of your Glossybox in Feb and what products you got in there, or what you think of these products if you’ve used any of them!

Kisses and hugs

Sophie xxx

The big skincare review (January Glossybox products)

Hello lovelies! Sophie here. Sorry I’ve been so quiet lately but I’ve had loads of uni deadlines to keep me busy. They’re all out of the way now (for another few weeks anyway) so I’m finally getting round to doing some product reviews!

I will be reviewing: 

(From left to right:) Elemis Fresh Skin, Skin Glow Exfoliating Face Wash; Monu Aromatic Mask; Duck Island Limited Body Lotion; Premae Skincare Balance Rescue Face Tonique; and Jason Lips Bee Healthier Lip Balm.

All of these arrived as samples in my Glossybox last month. They’re all skincare type products as the theme of January’s Glossy was cleansing and rejuvenation. I got them in mid Jan so I’ve had them for a good few weeks now, plenty of time to give them a good try.

Premae Skincare Balance Rescue Face Tonique.                                                                      

What does it do? As a toner, this little guy wants to deep clean your skin. It promises to get rid of all that congestion and product build up in your skin, hydrate it, free it of dirt and unwanted oils and close up your pores, all whilst leaving your nice natural oils alone and leave you all fresh and plump and loving life.

What’s in it? You know that I’m a great believer in natural ingredients, so I was highly impressed with Premae’s ingredients list: rose water, lemongrass oil, and sandlewood oil. That’s it. No fragrances, no alcohol, no other nasties and nothing I can’t pronounce.

What does it smell like? My initial impression of the smell was that it was fresh and light and clean: that hasn’t changed. I know smell isn’t the primary concern of a toner but it’s an important factor for me. It smells quite floral, almost musky (maybe the sandlewood?) and the lemongrass freshens it all up and gives it that lovely clean smell, but without smelling clinical.

What's it like? I like to use a cotton pad to apply the toner to my face after cleansing, it spreads across the face really well so you don’t end up using too much. It feels really really lovely to apply, really deeply cleansing.  You can feel it getting to work, but not in the same way as most toners, there’s no harsh, chemical, almost burning sensation that makes you wonder how this could possibly be any good for your skin. But then, there are no harsh chemicals. Instead you get a kind of cool freshness that makes your skin rejoice.

Does it work? Yes! This toner will get rid of any stubborn makeup that stuck it out through your cleansing routine, any dirt, grease, and other things you generally don’t associate with nice faces. I don’t really struggle with blackheads or oilyness (touch wood) so I can’t comment on how it works with those. My nose does get a little dry sometimes, and cheaper toners can sometimes worsen the problem. This one, however, made my whole face, nose included, feel super soft, smooth, and hydrated- so much so that I felt I could have gotten away without moisturising afterwards. (I did anyway, force of habit.) I struggle with my pores as they’re quite large and open and visible, this product actually really helped, my skin feels tighter after using it and my pores seem considerably less visible after a good few uses.

How much? £17.50 for 100ml, click!

All in all: Overall, I really am a fan of this product. At £17.50 it’s a tad on the pricey side, but I do think you get what you pay for and good skin is always a good investment. If you have sensitive skin and find cheaper toners too harsh then it’s definitely worth giving this one a try, the natural ingredients mean it’s gentle to skin but still deeply cleansing. I would also recommend this if, like me, you suffer from visible pores. I'm very on-again, off-again with my current (cheaper) toner as it's cleansing but so harsh, but I think Balance Rescue Face Tonique and I will have a long and happy relationship. 

Elemis Fresh Skin, Skin Glow Exfoliating Facial Cleanser                                               

It was impossible to make these swatch type pictures look
pretty, sorry!

What does it do? As an exfoliator, this product’s aim in life is to scrub off dead skin cells and give the skin a nice deep clean. Getting rid of those dead cells should leave the skin underneath looking brighter and fresher, and it also promises to soften and condition. 

What’s in it? The main ingredients this product boasts are cherry powder and jojoba beads (these do the exfoliating), mandarin and aniseed. What's not in it? Elemis promises that this product is free from nasties such as parabens, SLS, SLES, DEA, mineral oils, artificial colours and silicones.

How does it smell? I love the smell of this product. It smells really fresh and clean. Of all the ingredients, to me the mandarin stands out the most and smells lovely.

What's it like? I’ve been using this product in the shower as it recommends massaging it into damp skin. I usually exfoliate while I shower, so as usual I step out from under the water, apply the product to my face then step back under to rinse it off. This product has a creamy consistency and isn’t too thick, it spread across my damp skin really easily so I didn’t need to use much. You can really feel the jojoba beads, they’re small but there’s plenty of them which is ideal for a facial exfoliator: using big grains such as sea salts can carry a risk of scratching your lovely face, and they wouldn’t be as effective if they were too scarce. I love using this, you can really smell it which is lovely and it does feel like it’s making a difference to your face. It wasn’t scratchy at all like some exfoliators can be, but my face does feel like it has had a good scrub afterwards.

Does it work? As promised, my face feels really soft and smooth after use, and definitely very clean. I’m not entirely sure that it makes a noticeable difference to the way my skin looks, but it definitely makes it feel lovely.

How much? £12 for 100ml (Superdrug are currently offering 100ml for £9.99 - Click!)

All in all: I probably wouldn't have bought this product on my own just because I’m not massive on skincare, but I was really pleased it came in my Glossybox. £12 for 100ml isn't cheap as chips but I think the quality definitely justifies the price, the smell is really lovely to enjoy while you’re using it and the texture of the product itself is creamy and soft. It feels good on your face and my skin felt lovely and clean afterwards. Although it didn’t make a hugely visible difference, I feel like it could improve the look and feel of my skin over time with continued use and it’s a definite improvement on my current (cheaper) exfoliator. 

Monu Aromatic Mask                                                                                                                 

What does it do? This is a clay facial mask with a warming effect, designed to ‘renew and invigorate’ the skin whilst giving it a nice deep clean. The problem with this product is the packaging, I know it’s only a sample but if the normal size product is anything like this then it’s so so difficult to read! The font is a really thin, pale blue and almost impossible to read against the pale beige-grey of the product inside!

What’s in it? The mask is natural clay based, and also contains Lavender (which you can really smell), Rosemary, beeswax and coconut oil designed to leave you with hydrated, softened and nourished skin. It’s recommended for normal to combination skin: I wouldn't recommend this if you have particularly dry skin due to the clay, and the oils probably aren't a great idea if you’re particularly oily.

How does it smell? Lovely! There’s a very slight clay-ey smell (not at all unpleasant), and you can definitely pick up the rosemary, but for me the Lavender stands out the most. The smell is strong enough to be picked up when it’s on your skin without being overpowering, and I find the lavender so relaxing, so this is lovely to use at night before bed.

What's it like? The texture of this is quite thick like clay, but not overly so. Just the right consistency to spread across your face easily. You’re supposed to leave this on for 10-15 minutes after cleansing and toning then remove with warm water, so that’s what I’ve been doing. To be brutally honest, I was a little disappointed with this product. I love warming face masks so I couldn't wait to try it, but it didn't warm up at all! The first time I used it I completely forgot that it was supposed to warm up as nothing at all happened, and in subsequent uses the most I’ve noticed is a very very slight sensation that I’ve attributed to wishful thinking. I managed to hold my boyfriend down for long enough to get some onto his face and he noticed no warming sensation either, so it’s not just me!

Does it work? Well it doesn’t warm up (maybe give it a try and let me know if it warms up for you!) but it does feel very nice on the skin. It doesn’t feel too heavy like some masks do, despite the clay, it felt very light and kind to my skin. Again I’m not entirely sure whether there’s any visible difference to my skin after using this, but it makes it feel tighter and very soft.

How much? 100ml of the Monu mask will set you back £24.95. (or £22.95 from FeelUnique with free delivery, click!) 

All in all: Overall, I do like this product. It’s a huge shame that it didn’t have the warming effect as promised as I’m such a fan of warming masks: it’s like you can feel them getting to work on your skin! I love love love the smell, it’s lovely and relaxing, and it feels nice on my skin and makes my skin feel nice afterwards. I’ll definitely finish off my sample, and I think if it did warm up then I would adore it, but as it doesn’t I won’t be paying the £24.95 to replace it I’m afraid! Saying that, it is worth giving it a go if you’re a face mask lover and not too bothered about whether it warms up or not (it may work for you, who knows) because it does have a lovely effect on the skin and the smell, oh the smell. I’m smelling it right now and mmm. Mmmmm mmmm mmmm mmmmmmm.

Duck Island Limited Body Lotion                                                                                               

Another less than glamorous swatch!

What does it do? Pretty much what it says on the tin (bottle). This is a body lotion, so needs to be applied after you bathe. There isn’t much on the bottle by way of instructions or promises, but body lotions are generally designed to soften your skin and moisturise you, whilst making your skin smell like angels.

What’s in it? Mandarin and bergamot, apparently, though I’m not entirely convinced that there’s any actual mandarin or bergamot in there as I can neither pronounce nor comprehend the majority of the ingredients list! I’m not a chemist so I may be wrong but it all sounds rather more chemical than natural to me, it is free of parabens though.

How does it smell? When I first had a sniff of this I really liked the smell, I described in my first Glossy post as indulgent and expensive smelling: it mainly smells like mandarin. I’m sorry to say that my opinion of this smell has drastically changed! The more I’ve smelt it over the past few weeks, and after smelling it on my skin, I just don’t like it at all anymore. I mean it’s not a bad smell, but it does smell quite chemical to me and not like actual mandarin.

What's it like? The lotion is quite creamy, not too thick. You don’t need much and it spreads across the skin quite well. It sinks in quickly and won’t leave you feeling damp or sticky, which is a plus.

Does it work? I desperately wanted to love this product, but I just don’t. I wouldn’t really say it makes my skin any softer or feel any more moisturised or hydrated. The smell is usually one of the biggest selling points of a body lotion, and as I said I’m not a fan of it. You also want the smell to last on your skin and leave you smelling good all day, but this doesn’t last incredibly well. You do catch a few whiffs of it now and again just after you’ve applied it, but it doesn’t last longer than an hour or so on me.

How much? £24.95 for 2 x 250ml bottles. (Not entirely sure where to purchase this from, but for the Duck Island website click here)

All in all: I wanted to love it but I don’t. Sorry. The smell is the major thing for me, I love things that smell fresh and natural and I really can’t stand even vaguely chemical smells. The ingredients list really put me off as well – as I said I’m not a chemist but I can’t imagine that all those long words can be doing my skin much good! I definitely won’t be repurchasing, for that price I’d expect a body lotion that made my skin look and feel amazing, and that had a nice, lasting smell. I doubt I’ll even finish off my sampleL.

Jason Lips Bee Healthier Lip Balm                                                                                       

 

What does it do? I had never heard of the Jason brand of lip products before. This balm is designed to moisturise and hydrate the lips, soothe them if they’re chapped, and leave them feeling softer.

What’s in it? This lip balm boasts plenty of lovely natural ingredients, including: organic cocoa seed butter, beeswax, organic coconut oil, sweet almond oil, shea butter, organic Aloe Vera leaf gel, organic peppermint leaf oil, natural vitamin E.; organic green tea leaf extract, organic marigold flower extract, and organic peppermint leaf oil. Genius!

How does it smell? To me, this smells just like mint chocolate! Very very minty fresh, but not in a clinical way, in a sweet and delicious and making-me-hungry way.

What’s it like? It’s like heaven in balm form. The stick itself looks quite rough and ready, not in a bad way, it’s very natural looking. It’s very soft to touch and melts into soft creamy loveliness upon contact with your lips. It feels kind of buttery, probably due to the shea butter and cocoa seed butter, and has that same thick, indulgent, really-good-for-you feeling that cocoa butter has. Once it’s on, you can feel it on your lips but it’s not sticky at all. There’s a slight shine to it but it doesn’t really change the look of your lips, definitely not colour-wise which is ideal for me. Over the course of a few hours it feels like it’s sinking into your lips and working it’s magic, but you can reapply (every 5 minutes like an obsessive-compulsive) as often as you like.

Does it work? It works miracles, that’s what it does. Even though my skin isn’t dry, my lips really really really really are. Terribly so. They’re dry and chapped when I wake up and get worse throughout the day, making it near impossible for me to apply anything to my lips, balms included. This is one of the only balms that mends all my woes. My lips are so dry that even balms dry them out and I’ve tried everything: vasseline, balms, moisturisers, the lot. But this really helps, I love it. It feels lovely on, it gets rid of dry skin and really hydrates my lips, preventing them from getting drier or more chapped throughout the day. I even use this as a base for lipsticks and glosses and it makes an excellent lip primer. It’s not too wet or sticky so it makes a really good base for the colours to stick to, and most of all it stops them from drying out my lips and looking awful (which, in case I didn’t myself clear, they always always do).

How much? £1.99!!! (4.5g) Click!

All in all: Okay so I’m not sure how well this came across but I am head over heels in love with this lip balm. It’s easily one of the best I’ve ever tried (and I’ve tried a lot), it hydrates my dry lips, it smells amazing, makes an excellent lip primer and is full of lovely natural ingredients that do your lips worlds of good. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s only £1.99. Will I repurchase this product? Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes. God yes. I will repurchase this product all day long. If you suffer from chronically dry and chapped lips like me then you’ll understand my enthusiasm for a good balm. I fully recommend this, especially to those of us that suffer from dry lips, but for everyone else as well – all lips need a little tlc and they’ll love you for it!

  

I know this has been a long one so well done for sticking with me! Even if you just skimmed the ones you were interested in, I'd love you to let me know what you thought of the review! Did any of you get these products in your January Glossybox? If you did then let me know what you thought, or if you're thinking of trying any.

Lots of love and sunshine

Sophie xxxxxxx

All about Glossybox!

Having only stumbled upon the world of monthly beauty boxes a week or two ago, I could only assume that the tonnes of blog posts and reviews I’ve seen on them since are the universe’s way of telling me I needed to get myself in on it, and I’m so glad I did!

Basically, there are companies out there that want to send you monthly goodie boxes of sample-sized beauty products in exchange for your love and appreciation (and cash).

I’d seen a number of positive comments about Glossybox, so I headed to their website (www.glossybox.co.uk) to see what it’s all about. I know that there are a number of similar companies catering to Australia and the US, and I know that FeelUnique used to do a similar thing up until recently, but other than that I’m not sure what other options there are for the UK – I probably should have done a bit more research but I really liked the look of Glossybox so I treated myself to a subscription. 

 

 I just received my first box this morning, and I’m so so pleased with it! I thought I’d tell you a bit about the whole subscription process: how it works, what you have to pay and what you get for your money.

What’s it all about?

After signing up, choosing your payment plan and filling out your ‘beauty profile’ (more on this below) Glossybox put together a box of 5 beauty samples and post it out to you each month. I don’t think you get to choose what you want to receive or know what you’ll get in advance, but that’s the fun part! I think it’s a good way to try out some brands you may not have heard of before, new products, and products you might not usually buy.

 

What does it cost?

The subscription process is all very easy. All online, and you can choose whether you want to pay each month for your Glossyboxes or whether you want to buy 3, 6 or 12 months worth in advance.

• Monthly subscription: You pay £10 each month for your box, plus £2.95 postage and packing. So, the total you pay each month is £12.95. Signing up this way will mean your monthly payments will continue until you stop them, you’re not just paying for a one-off box. This is a bit like a monthly contract, but you are free to cancel at any time.

•  3 month subscription: for this one you pay £27 upfront for 3 boxes over 3 months, plus £8.85 postage and packing, so the total you pay is £35.85.

•  6 month subscription: this time you pay £50 upfront for 6 boxes over 6 months, plus £17.70 p&p. Your total is £67.70.

•  12 month subscription: and if you want a box each month for the next 12 months, you can pay £100 upfront, plus £35.40 p&p, so a grand total of £135.40.

Be careful with the monthly one as you’re not getting a one off box, you’ll get a box each month and be charged each month until you cancel. The 3, 6 and 12 months are one off, upfront payments that don’t autorenew.

I don’t think £12.95 each month is bad at all, but obviously the more you order the better the deal you’ll get. The 3 month option will save you £3 on the price of the boxes, the 6 month option will save you £10 (the equivalent of one box free) and the 12 month option will save you £20, the equivalent of 2 boxes free. I went for the 3 month one so I could give it a good try and see whether I think it’s worth ordering more.

Your Beauty Profile: Glossybox also give you the opportunity to fill out a beauty profile online. They ask 8 questions including your skin type, foundation colour (I was a bit stuck between ‘fair’ and ‘light’!?), hair type, whether you dye your hair, what colour it is, how much you spend on beauty each month (don’t think I want to know!!), how you describe your style, and your birthday. I assume that this is so Glossybox can tailor the items they send you to your needs and preferences.

What do you get?

My boyfriend bounded off like a puppy when the door knocked this morning, expecting it to be his new phone. To his dismay and my delight, it was in fact my very first Glossybox! I subscribed on the 17^th Jan, so it’s only taken 11 days to get here.

I fell in love with it before I’d even opened it, the packaging is so lovely! 

 

 

 This the outer packaging, a thick brown cardboard box with these pretty light pink (almost off-white) crown patterns.

 

 

Inside is a smaller pink box with a lid, a bit like a shoe box. I’ll definitely be keeping mine to use as storage!

Inside there you get a little newsletter, and yet more packaging! The samples were wrapped up like a gift in this cute tissue paper and pink ribbon.

  

And here they are! I was sent:

• Elemis Fresh Skin, Skin Glow Facial Exfoliator (30ml): This is a deep skin cleanser, designed to get rid of all those dead skin cells. This smells AMAZING, really fresh and clean. I love a fresh, glowy, dewy complexion so I can’t wait to try this.

• Monu Aromatic Mask (30ml): This is a natural clay mask, designed to ‘renew’ your skin. It also contains lavender, rosemary, beeswax and coconut. I love facial masks with a warming effect so I’m excited to give this a try, smells delicious.

• Duck Island Limited Body Lotion (30ml): I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about Duck Island products although I’ve never tried them, so I was delighted to find this little gem in my box! This is a really indulgent mandarin and bergamot all-over body lotion, it smells really expensive and fantastic.

• Jason Lips Bee Healthier (4.5g): This balm is an ingenious little mixture of beeswax, vitamin E, green tea extract and organic aloe vera gel, designed to hydrate and soothe the lips. I’ve had a quick try and this feels really good on my lips. Smells to me like mint chocolate!

• Premae Skincare Balance Rescue Face Tonique (30ml): From the description, this sounds like the perfect toner: hydrating for dryness, mattifying for oily areas, alcohol-free, fragrance-free, designed to remove all dirt and excess oil without removing the skin’s natural oils. It promises to freshen and plump the skin and close the pores. I have a very on-off relationship with my current toner so I’m dying to see whether this fulfils all it’s promises. It smells really fresh and light and clean.

And as an extra treat, Glossybox have thrown in this ‘Glossy dreams’ sleep mask!

The Newsletter was nice to read, it’s pretty much just a little hello and happy New Year from the Glossy team, and introducing the idea behind this month’s Glossybox. As everyone needs a little pick-me-up in January after all the indulgence of the holidays, the idea is that the products in this box give you a kick-start in getting back into all those good beauty habits. 

All in all:                                                                                                                

I love beauty, I love samples, and I love getting big parcels in the post so I don’t think Glossybox was in much danger of disappointing me! My box was beautifully packaged, it felt like I was opening a gift and I was really excited to see what was inside. I’m really pleased with the products they’ve sent me and I’ll do proper reviews on them when I’ve had chance to give them a good try.

Glossybox gives you a sense of luxury, like you’ve got a real treat. I loved sitting down this morning with a cup of tea and opening my box – the perfect pick me up on a rainy Monday morning! This is my first box but I’m very impressed and would definitely recommend it based on my experience so far. I also think a Glossybox subscription would make the perfect gift!

I hope this was useful for you if you were considering signing up to Glossybox, everything here was my own, honest opinion and I pay for my own subscription. All the information is as I understand it, but be sure to double check for yourself on www.glossybox.co.uk -especially before signing up to payments and things!

Thank you for reading

Sophie xxx