You Beauty Discovery Box - March Edition

This months You Beauty Discovery Box is titled 'Best of British' and homage is paid to all the fantastic home-grown brands and their brilliant products. This month the list to choose from was again amazing and I was chuffed to find two products listed that I have wanted to try for some time and this is my box:

The extra treats for March starts with Dove Youthful Vitality Shampoo & Conditioner and comes with the following description - Dove Advanced Hair Series Youthful Vitality range helps to replenish hair’s lost nutrients, whilst natural coconut oils help increase elasticity and enhance the strength and feel of your hair. Hair is left deeply replenished and with double fullness.  Dove Youthful Vitality Shampoo & Conditioner formula cleanse and condition, leaving sophisticated smoothing benefits for hair that is softer and more nourished than ever before.

I am not a fan of any Dove product, I have never felt they work for my skin or my hair, but as I have two 50ml samples to use, I will give them a try.

The second treat this month is a Nakd Bar and I have Cocoa Orange which is one I like and have reviewed HERE on my blog already.  Nakd bars are a great way to snack in a nutritious way and they are not only one of your five a day but dairy free, wheat free, gluten free, Vegan friendly, Kosher approved, free from sugar, GM Free and low in saturated fats.

My first chosen item this month was #LipGlam which is a 100% natural Lanolin Lipbalm and is a product I have had before and loved it, so I just had to get it again and a full review is coming soon.

Described as being the ultimate multipurpose moisturiser that not only acts as an amazing lip balm, it can also be used to prime, banish dry patches, treat cuticles, smooth split ends and set brows in place. It is proven to reduce skin roughness by 40% in just 60 minutes and with results lasting up to 8 hours, this 100% natural, rich balm sounds just amazing!.   This balm costs £9.99 to purchase.

The second chosen item this months comes from Illamasqua and it is a lipstick called Sangers which is a blood red, matt finish lipstick and full sized too.  The reason I chose this is because I was intrigued by the shade and the description issued a challenge to try it. 

Described as being a long-wearing formulation which contains Vitamin E, it is said to provide an immediate intense pay off from the initial stroke and can also be applied lightly as a lip stain that wears all day - this is the part I liked the sound of and I am going to be daring and try a red lipstick, I am told there is a red for everything, is this a red for me?  If you like the sound of Sangers it costs £18.50 to purchase and there is a further post coming on this lipstick and why I love it!

So that is this months box.  It costs just £6.95 and look at the contents, isn't that just great value for money?  This box is worth around £30 which is almost five time what I have paid for it to begin with, amazing.  I would love to know if you also subscribe and what you chose from the list!






 

Harajuku Lovers POP ELECTRIC collection

If there is one celebrity couple that I absolutely love it is Gwen Stefani and her husband Gavin Rossdale (or his music to be precise).  Some of you might know her better for the Harajuku Lovers fragrances which were founded in 2005 by Gwen herself.

Today I am introducing to you a new limited edition collection of Harajuku Lovers fragrances named the POP ELECTRIC collection. Building on their past success, the much loved and award winning Harajuku Lovers Fragrance POP ELECTRIC collection has five new luscious scents packaged in vibrantly coloured bottles that look like they’ve been dipped in molten chrome. Keeping with tradition, the doll shaped bottles are whimsical pieces of pop art inspired by Gwen's love of modern street art and contemporary sculpture.

Speaking about the new fragrances, Gwen Stefani commented - “Harajuku Lovers Fragrances are something I’m really proud of. We have put so much energy and love into not just the creation of the fragrances but into making the bottles like little pieces of collectable art.”

I was very kindly sent one of the scents to try out for myself as I am such a huge fan and when 'Music' landed on my doorstep, it was love at first sight. Described as being a fresh, aquatic fragrance with dry down of sun-wrenched woods, it has the following notes:

• TOP NOTE: Splashes of Crisp Apple, magical Water Lily, and the sweet surge of Crushed Berries.
• MID NOTE: Flirty bouquets of Dewy Freesia, whispers of Pink Peony and delicate kisses of Jasmine Petals.
• BASE: Smooth Sun-drenched Woods, sensual Transparent Musks and luscious Amberwood.

One spritz and you get a really light floral fragrance mixed with the crisp apple and it reminds me of DKNY Be Delicious once it has settled down onto my skin.  It has great lasting powers too and when I have worn it, not only have people been asking me what it is because it smells so nice, but it has lasted all day whilst I am at work which averages 8-9 hours. 

As I mentioned, there are five beautiful new scents to choose from and they each represent a fresh and modern interpretation of each girl’s personality and they are:

• LOVE: A mouthwatering fruity floral, featuring juicy apple, dewy pear, surrounded by jasmine, cashmere woods and creamy musks. 
• LIL’ ANGEL: Irresistibly addictive, this fragrance features juicy berries blended with candied violet and sugared rose, laced with a lollipop accord and rich amber. 
• G: A creamy modern gourmand featuring a delectable whipped coconut accord, enveloped in soft florals and musky woods. 
• MUSIC: This vibrant fragrance opens with crisp apples and crushed berries and unfolds into a water floral and wrapped in sensual amberwood and luminous musks. 
• BABY: Soft and comforting, this sophisticated powdery fragrance features a baby soft musk accord which blends with delicate florals and nuzzly vanilla. 
I love the sound of each and everyone of them and cannot wait to try more from the five.  Available in three sizes 15ml, 30ml and 50ml they are priced at £14.95, £24.95 and £34.95 respectively. 

Harajuku Lovers “POP ELECTRIC” are available exclusively in The Perfume Shop from the end of October 2014, then Nationwide from January 2015.

International Women's Day with Pink Parcel

Today is International Women's Day and unsurprisingly, my inbox has been pretty quiet about any product relating to said date, apart from one brand whom I have featured on my blog before - Pink Parcel and this is what they had to say:

As a female brand with a mission to care for and bring joy to women every month when their period strikes, Pink Parcel is naturally proud and passionate about International Women’s Day. What could be better than a day dedicated to uniting with fellow mothers, daughters, sisters and friends, to honour womankind and celebrate the encouraging, inspiring women in our lives who we love and admire?

Pink Parcel is a subscription box which has been specifically designed for women during their monthly cycle. The idea being that your box arrives before your period is due and inside it will be tampons and sanitary towels that are obviously essential items and as an added extra there are some beauty products and comforting treats which aim to put a smile on your face, almost like a hug in a box. Brand partners include St Tropez, Elizabeth Arden, OPI, ROC, Maybelline, Rimmel and Bio-Oil.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, Pink Parcel is offering one free parcel to anyone that signs up to the subscription service on Sunday 8th March.

Pink Parcel also recently launched a teen-only version, Teen Parcel, designed especially for girls between the ages of 11 and 17 featuring brands such as Teapigs, Flamingo candles, Yardley and Binky London.

How does Pink Parcel Work?

Step One: Visit www.pinkparcel.co.uk and select ‘subscribe’ to get started

Step Two: Choose your favoured sanitary brand (Tampax, Lil-lets, U by Kotex or Always)

Step Three: Choose the level of absorbency required – Individual (Lite, Regular, Super or Super Plus) or Multi (a selection of different absorbencies)

Step Four: Choose your delivery dates based on your cycle

How much does Pink Parcel cost?

The subscription service is £9.99 including delivery and is debited from a nominated bank account monthly, with an introductory offer of £5.95 for the first month.   You can cancel at any time.

As I have said before, both of these boxes are absolutely fantastic and I just love the concept it is brilliant. I love how refreshing it is not to have to think about your period and that there is a little something too make you smile inside too, of course, the content of the 'for you' box changes every month to add a little more excitement to the whole concept. Teen Parcel again is just a lovely concept and one I have enjoyed sharing with both my goddaughter and friends little girl, both of whom are a little too embarrassed by their monthly cycles, which is quite sad in many ways, but thankfully, this is discreet enough for them to not to have to feel it is a subject they need to mention too often.

Happy International Women's Day!

LookFantastic March Box

One beauty box that I am loving right now comes from LookFantastic, every month I have loved the contents this month is no exception.  The box costs just £15 and you more than get value for money for the items that are included and all of the brands that feature are available on the Lookfantastic website.

So the March box is here and this is what I found inside:

bliss Fatgirlslim - I quite like a few Bliss products, but this is one im not too impressed with the name of. That aside, this is said to make the skin look and feel firmer and more toned.  You apply it twice a day and massage it onto your skin for 20-30 seconds to simultaneously stimulate circulation and stimulate lymphatic drainage to improve body contour.

This sample has a value of around £10

Lil' "Wet" Brush - This is my first dealing with Wet Brush, though I have seen them mentioned quite a lot on other blogs, so I am quite looking forward to see how well it works. This is a handy travel sized brush, so it has gone straight into my handbag. Even though this is a mini version of the classic Wet Brush it is still described as being fierce on knots and tangles but a big pussy cat on scalps! It has what are called IntelliFlex™ bristles to ensure snag-free brushing as they bounce back to their original form after every brush stroke and the SofTips™ on the ends of the bristles  gently massage your scalp to stimulate circulation.

This brush costs £7.99

Lord & Berry Line/Shade Kajal and Eyeliner Pencil in Travel Black - I am told you can never have too many black eyeliner pencils, though as I dont wear eyeliner I will have to accept the majority rule. This Lord & Berry Couture Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil is described as being silky and smooth and it creates a semi-matte look, whilst the highly pigmented formula gives a rich colour for ultimate definition.  It has also been Ophthalmologically-tested and is suitable for those with sensitive eyes.

This eyeliner is worth around £5

Cowshed Lippy Cow Natural Lip Balm - I am a huge Cowshed fan, particularly of their bath range, not only do the product names make me laugh, they are insanely good. One thing I have never tried is their lipbalm and as a lipbalm addict I am always happy to add to my collection. This product contains no parabens, no petrochemicals and is free from sulphates, artificial fragrances and colours. It is suitable for vegetarians and has not been tested on animals. It does contain the essential oils of linden blossom to protect and nourish, rose geranium to help rejuvenate, and ylang ylang to stimulate circulation.

This balm is available online from Look Fantastic for just £5.00

NudeStix Magnetic Colour Gift in Gilt - This is my first look at Nudestix and there are 8 different shades in total. In my box I have the shade Gilt which is a really pretty light gold shade, something I would refer to as a champagne. For me it is a brilliant multi-purpose stick in that it can be used as all over the lid, in the inner corner and even on the inner lower lash line and it gives a really lovely natural colour, I absolutely love it.

This product is available online from Look Fantastic for £24.00

The Final item in my box is by Nuxe and it is called the Nuxellence Detox, Detoxifying and Youth Revealing Anti-Aging Care cream - what a mouthful that is.  This is described as being an innovative anti-ageing treatment that uses 10 patents to recharge your skin and detoxify cells overnight. It is suitable for all skin types and ages. This nightly detox also helps to promote cell renewal, allowing you to wake up every morning with a refreshed, youthful glow! Full of natural ingredients Nuxellence Detox helps to smooth wrinkles, plump skin and brighten your complexion.

This 15ml sample has a value of around £14.

So there you have it, the contents of my March Lookfantastic box and I absolutely love, it is possibly the second best box there has been and as usual there isn't a product I don't like in the box, I like them all and cannot wait to try them out.  

What you think about this month's #LFBeauty Box. Which product would you be most excited to try out?