My first ever beauty box has arrived! I’ve been trying my hardest to avoid all spoilers and reviews so I don’t ruin any surprises, with only a few days left in September I don’t feel too guilty sharing my findings with you.
There’s so many beauty boxes to chose from, after much deliberation I decided to subscribe to Glossybox.
Glossybox has 4 different subscription plans to choose from – the 3 month (£9.50 a month), 6 month (£9 a month), 12 month (£8.50 a month) and the £10 monthly plan which features 5 beauty products and can be cancelled at anytime, this is the one I went for.
The September box is beautifully packaged in a stunning London inspired design from Karen Millen and wrapped carefully with pale mint tissue paper and grey ribbon. I have to admit, my first impression? – I was a little disappointed. The colours that my samples came in didn’t exactly look flattering and as for the Karen Millen voucher – £25 of when you spend £150 – I don’t think i’ll be using this anytime soon… or ever. It wasn’t until I sat with a cuppa and started to play about with my little goodies that I was pleasantly surprised. Here’s a run down of my 5 beauty products…
ModelCo More Brows Fibre Gel in Medium/Dark
I am a brunette but still very fair so I was a little intimidated by the deep colour of the gel. My eyebrows are light and to be honest I tend to think ‘eyebrow make-up’ is a bit unnecessary. I tried a little on and I guess it made them look more shapely but it’s not a product I’ll be rushing to buy. I do appreciate a full sized product however especially when this bottle retails at £14.95 for a 3.5 ml bottle. I’ll probably end up giving this to someone else.
SkinPep Enzyme and Acid Peeling Gel and Eye Cream
I received three sachets of goodies from ‘SkinPep’, a company I’ll admit I’ve never heard of before but I love how these boxes give you the opportunity to try new brands. I was surprised to read that the peeling gel sachet (3.5 ml) retails for £3.05 with a full sized bottle at £89.99 for 180 ml. The peel did leave my skin looking brighter however (and I know what I’m about to say is completely random and perhaps irrelevant) I got a little bit of the gel on my lip which I accidentally licked off – the taste of this product was ridiculously strong, almost acidic and extremely ‘chemically’. Now, I’m not suggesting you taste it or hold this stupid fact against it, but I couldn’t help worrying about the harshness of the chemicals I had just inadvertently put all over my face… does this make sense or is it just me? Anyway I gave it ago and as I said my skin looked brighter and fresher but I found myself reaching for the moisturiser – as I expected a little too drying for my liking!
The third sachet was a Dark Circle Eraser eye cream, I’m lucky enough not to suffer from dark circles so I can’t really comment on it effectiveness but it felt cooling and very refreshing. The sachet usually retails for a whopping £6.49 for 2ml and £44.99 for a 15ml bottle.
L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil
The next product that caught my eye was a pretty decent sized sample (45 ml) of L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil retailing at £15.95 for 125 ml. The lovely scented lightweight oil is suitable for all hair types and instantly makes hair feel soft and leaves a beautiful shine. A little of this product seems to go along way so the amount I got was pretty impressive.
GOSH Cosmetics Silky Cream Blusher in Tropical Breeze
I was a bit worried about the colour ‘Tropical Breeze’, I kid you not it looked bright shiny orange when I opened the lid. When applied however the blusher gives a lovely subtle ‘beach’ glow and glides on quickly and smoothly. A lovely product although one I’d save for summertime.
Nails inc – Westminster Bridge Matte Top Coat
I was really impressed to find this product in with my goodies, a full sized bottle of Nails inc top coat retailing at £12! This little innovator transforms any nail varnish into an on trend matte effect varnish, easy application and a very unique idea!
And there you have it, a bit of a mixed bag but I had lots of fun unwrapping and experimenting with my new products, brands and colours that I wouldn’t have otherwise been exposed to. I can’t wait for next months ‘Andy Warhol’ inspired edition which promises to include a full sized product worth £19.50!
Here’s a few other beauty boxes that are available, if your feeling a bit curious –
You Beauty Discovery (£6.95, P&P included!) – The cheapest of the lot! You get to chose 2 main samples you’d like to try in advance, with a few extra surprises thrown in for fun.
My Little Box (£11 + £3.95 P&P) – The box has a different theme each month, check out their Parisian themed box, it’s absolutely beautiful! Their boxes don’t just include beauty samples but art work, craft materials and all kinds of other goodies.
Birchbox (£10 + £2.95) – Very popular and similar to Glossy Box, each month includes 5 luxe beauty and lifestyle products. Have a look at their Happy Days September box online now!
Pink Parcel (£9.95. P&P included!) – This is a great idea, especially for teenage daughters! This box has everything you need for your time of the month. Give them the date of your cycle and they send a very discreet pretty box of your entire months supply of tampons in your chosen brand plus a whole range of goodies such as chocolate, sweeties and beauty products from brands such as Elizabeth Arden, Roc, Fake Bake and Rimmel! I think this is a fab concept and your first month is only £5.95.
I hope I’ve opened your eyes to the lovely, addictive world of beauty boxes! I can’t wait for next months goodies!
