You Beauty Discovery Box - October 2015

It's that time of the month and my October You Beauty Discovery Box has arrived. For October the box prevents its perfectly polished edit. This month we have a bunch of products which help you to embrace Autumn, which is now well and truly here, and allow you to choose from some carefully selected items to help you feel perfectly polished and ready to take on and tackle whatever life throws at you.

There are two treats inside this months box. A few sachet samples of Vichy Dermablend Foundation which I feature here a few weeks ago. The Foundation gives up to 12 hours of long lasting flawless wearwhilst providing a natural even skin tone. Used in conjunction with the Dermablend setting power it can offer up to 16 hours of wear. The smooth blendable texture that glides on and spreads evenly and offers maximum colour dispersion. The Foundation includes Vichy Thermal Spa Water, renowned for it’s soothing and fortifying properties. The skin is moisturised, supple and comfortable all day long without a mask-like effect.

The White Company Day & Night Fragrance samples. The Day fragrance uses the delicate sweetness of jasmine and apple suffused with aromatic cedarwood and a burst of bergamot brings a refreshing twist to this beautifully light and luscious scent and once it has settled on the skin, it is absolutely divine. The Night fragrance uses notes of pomegranate, which are wrapped in opulent cassis and patchouli with a soft vanilla base to create this seductive and sophisticated off-duty scent. Again, once on the skin, it settles quickly and is a lovely evening fragrance.

The two products I chose centred around being happy, healthy and less stressed. The first offering is a little trio from a brand called Kore and nestled inside this cute organza bag is a Foaming Cleanser, Pearl Revitalising Toner, Pearl Gentle Exfoliator. Kore is an Australian skincare company who recently launched here in the UK and their main focus is on producing superior, natural skincare and have spent a concentrated effort studying the ancient healing remedies once used for medicinal cures for a number of problematic skin disorders. The trio I have is blended with the latest advanced pharmaceutical peptides with natural fruit and vegetable extracts (AHA’s) to create a unique, trademarked ingredient ‘KORE Complex.’ The products also contain the powerful bioactive concentrate, ‘Bovine Colostrum’ which increases the production of glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant which is vital in the healing and production of skin cells.  So I am looking forward to giving this trio a try.

The second products I chose is Scentered – Stress Less Therapy Balm, something I felt I needed to try having read the description and this is it: STRESS LESS is a 100% natural, therapeutic balm to ease everyday tensions, soothe the mind and lift the spirits. STRESS LESS is the ultimate ‘feel good’ scent, with uplifting citrus herbal top notes of Chamomile, Neroli, Mandarin, Rosemary and Sweet Brazilian Orange, a balancing floral heart of Jasmine, Rose, Mimosa and Lavandin, and a grounding Cedarwood base.

Scentered therapy balms have been created with a unique blend of plant oils and waxes, moringa and shea butters, to create rich, nourishing balms that won’t leave your skin feeling greasy, whilst ensuring long lasting fragrance delivery. On-the-go remedy to help you stay centred, no matter where you are or what life throws at you.

So that is my October box and I am really happy with it.  For the bargain price of £6.95 you always get real vale for money, especially when the Scentered Balm alone costs £14.95.  If this sounds like a box you want to check out, you can find everything you need to know about this box and previous boxes right here.

A helping hand from ECover

Today, Thursday 15th October is World Hand Washing Day and the lovely people at Ecover sent me a really lovely package in conjunction with this day, so look out for the hashtag #BeautifulHands. The idea behind the campaign is to motivate and mobilise people around the world to improve their handwashing habits by washing their hands with soap at critical moments throughout each day. The campaign is dedicated to raising awareness of handwashing with soap as a key approach to disease prevention.

Now the cold weather has set in, Ecover think we should take a closer look at our hands.  Dry and sore skin is something many people encounter in the colder months and in order to do their bit, Ecover use plant and mineral based ingredients within their products to ensure they are kinder to your skin than other much more chemical-heavy cleaning products.

Ecover kindly sent me some Multi Action Wipes in Pomegranate and Lime scent.  I use a lot of wipes at home alongside my anti-bacterial sprays to cover all eventualities and for ease of use when it comes to cleaning.  These wipes have no chemical scent too them whatsoever, but clean my surfaces and tiles as good as any other wipe.

The Zero Washing up Liquid and it has no scent at all.  You only need one squeeze to wash a sink full of dishes and whilst it does a thorough job, it doesn't generate excess bubbles like other brands.

Finally there is the Multi Action Spray and this is by far the best product of the three because you can use it everywhere!  I have cleaned my worktops, my sink, my floors and even my mirror and most impressive of all it leaves a streak free shine, so there is no need to get my vinegar and newspaper out to finish the job.

Naturally being a beauty blogger and a wife, I need to ensure my hands are kept in tip top condition and also included within my package was Qtica Intense cuticle repair balm, Zoya nail polish in shade Amanda which is described as being a medium muted peach creme with pink, brown and mauve undertones and Liz Earle Superskin Hand Serum which is rich in GLA, omega-3 and antioxidants. Everything you need for soft, smooth, pretty moisturised hands.

Have you ever used Ecover products at home?

Free skincare trial with L'Occitane

Regular readers of my blog will know that I am a huge L'Occitane fan and I have featured some amazing products from the range.

From now until the 21st October, L’Occitane will be opening its doors to offer you an exclusive free 7-day skincare trial and if you are looking for a new moisturiser, have never tried a L'Occitane product and really want too or just like the look of what is on offer then now is your chance and for FREE!

Whatever your age, skin type or concern, just click on this link mybeautystory.loccitane.com once on the site you’ll be asked to answer three easy questions to determine your perfect match. Once you have done that, you will then be able to collect a free 8ml jar of that recommended cream from your nearest L'Occitane boutique which you can find right HERE.

The choices of creams are absolutely amazing and includes two of my absolute favourites - Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Cream which smells just divine and then the wonderful Divine Cream which has an amazing texture. 

I really hope you do take advantage of this offer and I would love to know which cream it is that you are given, so let me know in the comments.

Will you be taking advantage of this amazing FREE offer?

Back to Basics with Birchbox

Last Month Birchbox celebrated it's 5th Birthday with an incredible box of beauty products and I reviewed it right here. This month subscribers were able to choose which box they would like to receive and it was a choice of the Stylist guest editor box or the back to basic. Yesterday I featured the guest editor box so today, I am sharing the Back to Basic box with you and I would love to know which you would prefer. 

The Back to Basic box is all about mastering the beauty basics which means discovering those everyday essential items. Inside the box are 5 beauty essentials.

The first item is the Eyeko Fat Liquid Eyeliner.  I quite like the look of this eyeliner and am hoping I can get to grips with it. It is a chubby eyeliner pen which is enriched with nourishing algae extract, this liner glides on smoothly for a high-impact look.

Then we have a product which is pretty much a must have item for me and that is Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat.  It does everything it says on the tin, or in this case bottle and it is brilliant. If you haven't tried it and love your manicures, then you need this product.

The third item is Bioderma Hydrabio H2O. Described as being the beauty editors favourite and is a daily cleanser for dehydrated and sensitive skin contains the patented water-retaining complex Aquagenium® to help activate the skin's natural moisturising capacities. Gentle on your skin, it’s alcohol and colourant free and has even been tested under ophthalmological supervision to help protect your eyes.

One item everyone needs is toothpaste and Regenerate Enamel Science™ Advanced Toothpaste not only has a minty-fresh formula protect against cavities and boost original whiteness, but it also works to reverse the early invisible signs of enamel erosion process.  For me, my teeth are just as important as any other part of my body and are something I take great care of (I also have a major false teeth phobia).

Finally we have two products from the Beaver Professional Range, a brand I have never come across until now. In the box there is a Hydro Nutritive Moisturizing Shampoo and a sachet of conditioner, both of which are Birchbox Exclusives! They are both perfect for dry and damaged hair and the shampoo acts as mild cleanser using moisturising avocado oil and aloe vera extracts to repair and rebuild hair, leaving it smoother, softer and shinier. The conditioner deeply nourishes and strengthens dry, frizzy, or damaged hair, leaving it softer, smoother, and healthier looking.

So there you have the Back to Basics Birchbox.  I would love to know what you think to this box and the one I showcased yesterday.  Do you have a preference for which box you think is best? Is there a product which stands out to you?