Tuesday, 16 September 2014

You Beauty Discovery Box - September Edition

Today is day 2 of my week long look at Beauty Boxes to see what they are like, what kind of content we get, how good they really are value wise and to ask whether or not we need them!

For the past few months I have been getting the You Beauty Discovery Box which you can see February, March, April, May, June, July and August with previous box contents. 


You Beauty Discovery Box - September Edition


This month I had been undecided as to which products I was going to choose because I liked the look and sound of them all. Themed as being the Birthday Box, each subscriber was being give not the usual two extra treats, but three! Those three being:

You Beauty Discovery Box - September Edition


Toni & Guy Volume Plumping Whip which is described as being the ultimate hair treat to give your locks all-day body and bounce from the roots. It is a non-sticky formula which lifts the hair for glamorous, voluptuous volume without any flyaways. This product is worth £7.19.

Two sachets of tea sachets which sounds amazing, a handy sponge for your make-up bag and a voucher for £25 with Hello Fresh.

Again, there is an accompanying magazine which is always nice to read, it gives you some further information about each product.

So now to my choices, this month there was a choice of nine products which included:

  • ROSE & CO. 
  • CHERRY KISS LIP BALM, PEGGY SAGE 
  • NAIL POLISH (Nude COLLECTION), MARSK 
  • RICH LIST, MINERAL EYESHADOW, LOUISE GALVIN 
  • SACRED LOCKS TREATMENT MASQUE, JUSTBE BOTANICALS 
  • HYDRATING SERUM, GAZELLI 
  • TRIPLE YOUTH WITH WHITE OIL DUO, EUCERIN 
  • SUN FLUID MATTIFYING SPF50, EUCERIN 
  • SUN FLUID MATTIFYING SPF30, DANIEL SANDLER 
  • LONG LASTING WATERPROOF EYELINER (AQUA) 
This is what I selected:

You Beauty Discovery Box - September Edition

You Beauty Discovery Box - September Edition

I have been wanting to try products from both of these ranges, specifically the Perricone MD No Foundation, Foundation. Described as being the first advanced anti-aging, multi-tasking translucent foundation with non-chemical SPF 30 protection. With Alpha Lipoic Acid, DMAE, and Vitamin C Ester. Created to keep skin looking dewy and flawless, this multi-purpose foundation provides natural translucent coverage, corrects skin undertones, instantly smoothes fine lines and boosts skin's natural moisture throughout the day, all the while delivering antioxidant benefits. This is a sample size 7.5ml is and said to have a value of around £9.

The second item from Pixie is a Tinted Brilliance Balm and it is described as being packed with lip-loving ingredients, this glossy gel balm protects & hydates lips instantly. After the balm wears off, lips are left tinted with a flattering, personalized hue just for you (colour & intensity depends on pH level of lips). Twist-up crayon requires no sharpening. I got the shade Pretty Pink and it is very much the pretty pink shade and I am looking forward to trying it out. This is a 1.8 sample size worth around £5.

So for a £6.95 subscription, my box has a value of around £20 which is more than three times the value for money and not a bad box.

What do you think to do this? Do you subscribe to these boxes? What would you have chosen? If you subscribe, link your post below so I can see what you got. 










Monday, 15 September 2014

Birchbox Happy Days September 2014

Birchbox is a popular favourite with bloggers and from the two boxes that I have had, I can see why. This month is themed 'Happy Days' and apparently September is the month that is filled with nostalgia. The start of the back-to-school season has us reminiscing about the happiest days of our lives and so on. Inside this box I am told I will find products that will help me look my best during my happiest days!




The first item in my box is a 4ml glass vial of the Agave Healing Oil Treatment. This oil claims to smooth and transform your hair, build resiliency and boost shine and colour. The Agave Oil is also free from parabens and phthalates and is also cruelty free. To use the oil the directions state that you should warm a 5p sized amount between the palms and smooth through damp hair evenly from mid-lengths to ends. Agave is a brand I have never heard of, but I am a big fan of hair oils and am looking forward to giving this a go. This sample is worth around £1



The next item is a 5ml sample of the ModelCo Power Lash Black Mascara. As an Australian brand, I don't really know that much about ModelCo so I am looking forward to giving this a try. This mascara claims to give full gorgeous luxurious lashes, with great length. The wand is said to be a unique shape to capture those tiny lashes for maximum impact and minimal effort. This sample is worth £13.



Next up a 3ml sample of the Benefit It's Potent! Eye Cream from their Skincare range. The cream itself is a very light caramel shade, which includes cocoa extra to help boost microcirculation and fade dark under the eye circles. The inclusion of a daily peptide complex works to preserve the elasticity of the delicate under the eye area, whilst skin is hydrated and protected from free radicals! Whoa! This sample is worth £1.80.



The next item I received is a 20ml jar of the Premae Mild Dermabrasion Face and Body Scrub. A scrub which contains olive granules to smooth the skin is said to be gentle enough to be used on both the face and body whilst buffing away dead skin cells, blemishes and trapped dirt. It cream itself has a really nice consistency, imagine your favourite cream with added bits into it, once on the skin it feels really soft until your begin the process of massaging the skin, it is then that the exfoliating particles come into being and whilst you most definitely know they are there, they are still gentle on the skin. This sample is worth around £5.



The last beauty item in this month's box is a very small sample of the Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip Plumper in shade Rio. I am a big fan of Jane Iredale and I have featured the products on my blog before. This lip plumper contains Spearmint and peppermint oils, in combination with ginger root extract, gently stimulate circulation making lips fuller, faster. Shea butter, sunflower oil and aloe vera soften and hydrate and the essential oils of lemon and tangerine help to exfoliate dead skin cells. I love the size of this lipstick, it is something that would be perfect if you were unsure whether or not the colur you wanted was right, but rather than pay out for a full sized version, you have a sample sized to play with. That said, this shade is a little too much on the brown side for me. This sample is worth around £3.




This month we received  two Lifestyle Extras; the first item is a Birchbox Happy Days Photo Clip and the second item is a packet of Urban Fruit Perfect Mango Pieces. I really like the photo clip, it is something a little bit different, it fits with the theme of the box and I quite like the green coloured cube.  The fruit snack is also something as an addition, again it is a little bit different and is something I wanted to try, and by the time you read this, I have! 

If you were interested in purchasing any of this month's samples in the full size, you can do so through the Birchbox shop and if you have never subscribed to Birchbox and would love to do so, I have a £5 off offer for you, just use the code BBX5QUEEN - Enjoy!


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