Lookfantastic Beauty Box July Edition #LFSummerlovin

The July Lookfantasic beauty box has landed and it is just beautifully designed and is definitely one you wouldn't miss if it was in a store. With a stunning pink and coral ombre design and gold splatter pattern, this months box is titled #LFSUMMERLOVIN and it is packed full of gorgeous treats for your skin, hair and of course makeup to get you Summer ready and radiant.

The first item from the box comes from Thisworks and it is called 'In Transit Camera Close Up'. A favourite of Victoria Beckham, this product is a mask, moisturiser and a primer all in one and is designed to plump and brighten your skin. It contains a powerful blend of repairing plant oils as well as a boost of caffeine to erase signs of fatigue and make your skin look radiant. On the skin it is really lightweight but it does act as a great base for makeup and I liked it a lot more than I was expecting too.  

Next we have Goof Proof Eyebrow Pencil from Benefit and is a product you might recognise from the latest brow launch. Good Proof features a tip which is angled and pointed so you can create any kind of finish you like. You can build colour, add definition, fill and shape your brows all with this one pencil and helpfully the full sized version it has a spoolie at the end for combing through the brows. 

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or Multiuse Golden Shimmer Oil is one of those products you either love or you don't and I am a love it kinda girl. This  multi-usage dry oil that gives a golden shimmer to your face, body and hair and has a unique cocktail of 6 precious plant oils (borage, St Johnswort, sweet almond, camellia, hazelnut, macadamia) with a sweet fragrance for a velvety skin, silky hair and an improved overall aspect of stretch marks. Its iridescent golden particles convey golden reflections to all skin and hair types.

For the hair we have two products within this box.  The first is from Kebelo, a brand that I was introduced to from these boxes and this time we have a Silk Anti-Frizz Cream Serum. Using some amazing ingredients such as quinoa, amaranth and chamomile to smooth each strand weightlessly and revitalise hair, the styling cream also helps to reduce styling time, contributing to keeping hair healthy and stronger by not being overworked. Then there is argan and jojoba oil which leave the hair feeling nourished with a stunning shine and silky feel.

Miti Bobbles is a new product to me but one I am going to enjoy trying. I have shoulder length hair and on lazy days, it goes up in a pony tail. Miti Bobbles are suitable for all hair types and the band leaves no indent in the hair and is said to stay sturdy throughout the whole day. Ideal for wear during sleep, the hair ties are gentle to hair and reduce head stress for long-lasting comfort.

Finally we have a Lip and Cheek Stain from Bellapierre. This product has an oil-free formula which is both blendable and buildable. The stain can be applied sparingly for a subtle look, or layered for more intense finish depending on your preference. It can also be used as a lip balm or on the apples of your cheeks for a sheer veil of colour.

I think this is a fantastic box, I love each product and love that they are handbag ready and easy to use. Again, it costs as little as £11.25 a month for the Beauty Box and has contents worth over £50, so it is an absolute bargain and a great introduction to some lovely brands. As with previous months, the latest copy of Elle magazine is also included.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation is just superb. I have been using it now for the last few months and just adore it. Firstly it is pump action and therefore easy to use. I tend to prime my face and then, apply this foundation onto my brush and gently buff it onto my skin. I have combination skin which leaves me with an oily t-zone and dry cheeks, so I am careful about which foundations I choose because they either cling to the dryness or almost disappear entirely. 

I usually set my liquid foundation with a powder, but with this, I never feel the need too. Infused with a potent combination of Coconut Water to naturally replenish moisture levels; nature's resilient Alpine Rose to brighten the skin's appearance and promote elasticity plus Hyaluronic Acid for a smoother, more youthful appearance, this foundation is just as much skincare as it is make-up

I have shade Porcelain which is the third lightest shade (Snow and Pearl being lighter), there are 18 in total to choose from, and it works so well with my skin tone. As you can see from the swatch above, it does initially look quite dark, but as soon as you buff it onto the skin, the change is quite incredible and both photos are taken without the use of flash but instead with natural sunshine.

It gives what I would call medium coverage and for me is great at covering and concealing the redness on my cheeks, but it is buildable. I haven't found it to oxidise nor is it tacky on the skin. What it does is give me a full days coverage when I am at work and then I always re-apply if I am going out in an evening, more for my own self-consciousness than for need.  

At £29 for 30ml I find it is good value for money, it applies like a dream, it doesn't leave my skin all shiny and I just love it. it does what it promises to do and lives up to its description "Born This Way is an oil-free foundation that masterfully diffuses the line between makeup and skin. For coverage so undetectable, you can’t see the makeup and you can’t see imperfections—all that’s left is naturally radiant skin that looks like you were Born This Way".

Are you a fan of Too Faced makeup?

L’OCCITANE VIOLETTE & ROSE DE MAI EAU DE TOILETTE

L'Occitane is one of my favourite brands, infact you only need to look through my blog to see just how much of a fan I am. To celebrate their 40th year anniversary, L’Occitane have created a stunning limited edition fragrance which is said to capture of the essence of Provence in a single spritz, so let me introduce you to - L’Occitane Violette & Rose de Mai Eau de Toilette. 

Created by world renowned perfumer Violaine Collas; Violette & Rose de Mai is described as being 'a vibrant and elegant unity of two ravishing flowers from Grasse. This exceptional fragrance tells the romance of Violet and May rose with fruity and zesty notes of bergamot and mandarin that melt into tender and creamy base notes of musks and sandalwood' and within the fragrance you have the following notes:

• Top Notes: Bergamote, Rhubarb, Cassis, Mandarin & Orange.
• Heart Notes: Rose de Mai, Mediterranean Geranium & Violette Leaves.
• Base Notes: Santal & Musk.

Now I am a huge fan of rose scented products, always have been. There is just something about the scent that is divine and mixing it with Violette leaves adds that little something extra and if rose scented perfumes aren't for you, then I would urge you to give this a try, it is so light, refreshing yet incredibly fresh scented and the hint of citrus is simply divine and takes just a few minutes on your skin to come to life.

Again, as this is an eau de toilette, they often dont have great longevity on the skin, but with L'Occitane scents they last absolutely ages and no matter which one I wear, I can always detect the scent some 5-6 hours after the first application on my skin and that little bit longer on my clothes which is really impressive.

For me this is the perfect summer scent, it isn't too heavy or overly sweet, it is as I have mentioned; light, crisp and incredibly refreshing and I just absolutely adore it.  Retailing at £52 for 75ml you more than get what you pay for.

BIOEFFECT EGF Day Serum

BioEffect is one of those brands which excites and intrigues me and to date I have only used two products from the range, the first being the Volcanic Exfoliator and the second being the EGF Day Serum.  BioEffect has an amazing brand story which you can find here and it is one that allows the science to do its magic without being complicated.

BIOEFFECT EGF Day Serum is an advanced anti-ageing serum specially formulated for daytime use and it is one of those products that I have loved using from the very first try.  Designed to restore the skin's moisture balance, it works to smooth the texture of your skin and it works exceptionally well as a makeup base to point that any dry skin you might have on your face doesn't grab your foundation and cling to it.

Also said to promote denser and firmer skin, and reducing the appearance of wrinkles and enlarged pores, EGF DAY SERUM delivers multiple anti-ageing benefits. It is enriched with that is referred to as BioEffects innovative key ingredient known as EGF or Epidermal Growth Factor, something I read quite a lot about before using the serum. EGF is a substance which occurs naturally in human skin and it has the ability to increase the rate of cell turnover. However, as we age, the skin slows down its natural production of EGF and begins to lose firmess and elasticity and then when fine lines appear and your skin begins to luck duller. Add to that, again as we age the production of collagen and elastin within the skin's dermal layer also dwindles and as your skin becomes thinner with age, along come the wrinkles. So, using this serum, it is said to be possible to stimulate the natural process of cell renewal and minimise the visible effect of skin ageing.

The serum is suitable for all skin types and it is a really soft gel like formula which you apply after your morning cleanse and before your moisturiser and then it is to be applied to your face and neck. Using the pump action bottle, one pump gives more than enough to complete the task. As soon as it comes into contact with the skin, it immediately absorbs on contact leaving no trace behind, but it does leave your skin feeling so incredibly smooth to the touch. There is no smell to the serum and there is no greasiness or tacky feeling.

What I absolutely love about the serum is how it feels on the skin. I find it to be soothing and smoothing and whilst I am yet to have fine lines and wrinkles, what I do find with this serum is that the hydration and moisturisation levels are amazing not to mention the great makeup base it makes, I almost don't add a primer it is that good. As for my complexion, well I have seen my pores shrink but not disappear and the dryness on one cheek has totally gone for the first time in months and my forehead is a lot less oily mid-afternoon than usual.  So for me, this serum has certainly mad a huge difference to my skin and it causes no irritations or reactions.

Now it is on the pricey side at £110 but it is a magnificent product and one I would definitely consider purchasing.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise