You Beauty Box - April Edition

This month the You Beauty Box is titled 'The Organic and Natural Edit' and not only is it one of the most popular themes that You Beauty have, it is a field within the beauty industry which is growing at a rapid rate, so it is a great chance to try some brands and products you might not ordinarily come across.

Every month, members of this subscription box are treated (loose term) to a mixture of items classed as treats and they differ in range, type and reason. This month the first treat comes from Pip & Nut and is a sachet of Coconut and Almond Butter in a squeeze pack. Described as being an indulgent treat, you can use this squeezy treat on its own, in porridge, on a banana, on your toast or even in your smoothie and it is suitable for Vegans. The second treat is a further sachet and it is a Hand and Cuticle cream from Lavera which contains Camomile and Olive Oil. I would have liked to have seen an actual tube of hand cream rather than a 1ml sachet, I got one use from the sachet and not really enough of an insight as to whether or not it would be worth a purchase.

My three choices this month centre around skincare and I opted for two products I had not tried and one that I had. Starting with White Rabbit skincare, a brand I have used before and really liked but haven't used since and this time I opted for the Comfort Cleansing Balm.

Stored in a 15ml tin, this balm smells just incredible. Designed to effectively cleanse the skin whilst not causing irritation, this balm contains some amazing ingredients which include:

• Parkii (Shea) Butter which penetrates the skin without clogging pores, to deliver a boost of Vitamins A, E and F.
• Castor Seed Oil - The main ingredient in castor oil, has antiseptic abilities. When applied to the skin, castor oil cleans and penetrates the skin deeper to kill the bacteria. castor oil calms inflammation and leaves the skin hydrated.
• Olive Fruit Oil which contains proteins, minerals and 6 vitamins, olive oil provides superb skin nourishment
• Olive wax is highly compatible with the skin having emollient and restructuring properties, and is an excellent vegan substitute for beeswax.
• Rosemary Leaf Oil is an essential oil which is said to have impressive healing properties and is also an excellent nerve tonic
• Eucalyptus Leaf Oil which has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties as well as being used to, and supports a healthy respiratory system and to soothe muscles after exercise.
• Lavandula Oil which has the ability to eliminate nervous tension, relieve pain, disinfect the scalp and skin, enhance blood circulation and treat respiratory problems.

I have loved how soft and gentle this has been on my skin and it does an amazing job at removing dirt, grime and a full face of makeup whilst gentle cleansing my skin to leave it feeling soft and smooth to the touch.

The second item comes from REN and I am a huge fan of this brand.  The Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask is one I have used before and just loved it, in fact, there is a full review right here, but it is designed to calm, soothe and moisturise whilst helping to alleviate the key signs of sensitive skin. 

REN state it will also increase the skin's ability to cope with stress, aid recovery and strengthen the protective moisture barrier, leading to the long-term well-being of your skin. Using four main ingredients, this treatment works to treat the key symptoms of sensitivity which can include redness, irritation, itchiness and dryness.

The final item I chose comes from SKN-RG, a brand I have never come across before but I liked the description of the Cellular Repair Moisuriser which is this - Increase your skin’s Cellular Repair with SKN-RG’s high definition moisturiser. 

The latest cutting-edge organic innovation combining; Probiotics, Energised Nutrients, Precious Herbs and Roots to bring you a high-performance hybrid, born from absolute purity. Skins resilience is increased, with soft focus anti-ageing ingredients for flawless all day protective skin-wear. Some of those ingredients include:

• White Willow Bark dramatically reduces sensitivity increasing skin's resilience.
• Sacha Inchi – firms and tightens skin, increasing youthfulness.
• Flax Seed – nourishes dehydrated skin for increased skin elasticity.
• Ashwaganda (Indian Ginseng) – a key adaptogenic anti-ageing herb promoting youthful radiance.
• Devils Claw – potent anti-inflammatory that promotes tissue rejuvenation.
• Wheat Germ Seed – rich source of Vitamin E that deeply rejuvenates damaged skin

A luxuriously rich cream which smells just absolutely incredible and on the skin there is an instant soothing feel and I really liked how it felt on my skin.

So there you have my April You Beauty Box and I think there is an interesting mixture of products and I am happy with my choices at £8.95. What do you think?

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara

I am a mascara fiend and I make no apologies for it. It is one item of makeup I never leave the house without and I feel rather off without it.  That said, when the Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara landed on my lap, I was quite intrigued by it because it is quite weighty in comparison to any other mascara I have in my stash and it makes a clunking noise as I turned it around in my hands.

The Rimmel Volume Shake Mascara is described as being a breakthrough shakeable mascara for beautiful clump free volume.  Featuring a first to the market patented shaker system that refreshes the volumising formula whenever it is needed, this is where the weight and the clunk comes from. The idea being that inside the tube the mascara goes from dry to creamy with 3-5 shakes of the tube, something you do everytime you use it.

The formula for this mascara is slightly different to other Rimmel mascaras that I have used. The volume-defining brush, which is tapered towards the end, does leave your lashes defined and separated and as I have fairly long lashes, the one thing I don't like in a mascara is an overly wet formula, so thankfully this is not what I get with this product, with a watery gel like consistency, it does manage to get a good coating without clumping, nor does it smudge, flake or run, so there is little chance of ruining your makeup. 

I do like this mascara a lot, I was unsure at first as I wasn't too keen on the weighty tube, but now I am used to it, I like how it makes my lashes look and whilst I am not in mind to keep a mascara open and in use for longer than 3 months, I do like the idea of this one not drying out in the tube so it becomes unusable, something that really annoys me and has happened on a few occasions.

This mascara differs in price depending upon where you choose to purchase it from, but it is widely available from Superdrug, Boots and more and in the region of £8.99.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Pixi by Petra - Hello Rose

Pixi by Petra is one of those brands I have adored since my very first interaction with Glow Tonic and from there the love affair has simply grown along with my obsession.  Whilst I am making my way through some new releases, one I have absolutely adored using is the Pixi Hello Rose gift set which features three amazing products that, as far as I am concerned, every one needs to have in their stash.

The Hello Rose! gift set contains a liquid highlighter, a powder blush duo and a lip plumping gloss and the products are all the perfect travelling sizes and all for £20 which makes a nice treat for you or a great gift for a friend.  Inside the package the three products are as follows:

Glow Booster in Pink Pearl

This liquid highlighter is not only lightweight with a silky texture it glides on the the skin effortlessly and works to enhance your natural radiance prep the skin perfectly.

Packed with anti-ageing Vitamin A and nourishing Vitamin E, Glow Booster also works to smooth and blur the look of imperfections and because it contains brightening Mica as well as iridescent pigments it gives a really lovely dewy, radiant finish. 

Beauty Blush Duo in Rose Gold

I hadn't expected to like this blush but I as pleasantly surprised at how much I do.  It is a mineral-based powder which adds a soft and natural looking radiance thanks to its hint of highly pigmented colour.

It is one of those shades which you can build up if you like a really flushed look or if like me, you have redness on those cheeks, a slight dusting is just enough.  Again this blush is infused with light reflecting particles and a soft shimmer and when paired with the Glow Boosting highlighter, you have an amazing duo.

LipLift Max in Sheer Rose

I am a huge fan of the The LipLift Max products and this is my second one from the range as I have Honey Sheen which I also adore.  It features a unique formula which is infused with peptides to add a burst of volume to make lips look fuller as well as Jojoba Oil to enhance moisture and intensively hydrate and  Aloe and Chamomile which work to soothe and soften.  

As the name suggest sheer Rose is just that, it adds a pinkness to the lips and upon application there is a refreshing mint flavour which leaves a cooling sensation.

I adore this little kit and think it offers exceptional value for money and at £20 it also give you a great insight to such a wonderful brand.  Hello Rose can be found on LookFantastic, Marks and Spencer, Cult Beauty and via the Pixi website.

Are you a fan of Pixi Beauty and what do you think of Hello Rose?

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Roccabox for April

Last month I introduced a new subscription box Roccabox (review here) and it has been fFounded by Tia Roqqa who has worked in PR for many brands. The idea for Roccabox is that it will collaborate with a top beauty influencer to create a bespoke box of their favourite beauty products each month and within these boxes, there will be 5 deluxe beauty products and a mini magazine put together by the influencer along with their top hints and tips. This month is the turn of Gabriella from Pretty Ugly.

This is what you can find in this months box:

John Frieda Original 6 Effects Serum (full-size rrp £6.99) - This serum is said to have been expertly formulated with an exceptionally unique blend of silicones, combined with silk protein and Thermal Protectant. 

This serum protects each strand against the onset of frizz while taming unruly flyaways and boosting shine. Suitable for all levels of frizz, including colour-treated and chemically-treated hair.

Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Ultra-Moisturising Hand Therapy (full-size rrp £8) - In my opinion, you never can have too many tubes of hand cream at the ready and this one is pretty amazing. 

Created using rich shea butter and enriched with Ceramides 3 and 6 to improve the skin's barrier function and reduce moisture loss, along with the added infusion of myrrh extract that works to condition nails, whilst hyaluronic acid retains skin's moisture, the hand cream is simply incredible and so far my favourite from all of the Crabtree & Evelyn Hand creams that I have tried. I love the rich but lightweight texture that absorbs and leaves my hands so soft and smooth. I also love the scent of this hand cream, it reminds me of being by the seaside.

Nails Inc Gel Effect Nail Polish (full-size rrp £14) - In this box, you will get one of 5 shades and I got the beautiful nude that is Porchester Square. Described as being muted mushroom as a shade. 

Said to be formulated with a unique gel effect this polish lasts for up to three weeks completely chip free. Using Plasticizer Technology to create an incredible high gloss finish, the claim is that your nails with be given a salon perfect finish every time.

Kure Bazaar The Natural Pedicure Ritual (full size rrp £4.50) - Now feet are not my favourite thing at all, I can just about manage to look after my own, but you can keep your trotters away thank you very much.  Now that spring is here and the Ugg Boots have been stored away, the Fitflops are out and that means I need some serious foot DIY!  

So this pedicure kit from Kure has arrived at a good time and it contains a foot care mask and all the essential tools to enjoy a natural pedicure at home. The natural foot care mask contains Organic Barley, Aloe Vera and Avocado extracts which work to hydrate and soothe your feet and toes.

The final item in the box comes from the amazing Smith & Cult and it is The Shining Lip Lacquer in shade 'The Lovers' (full-size rrp £23).  I am a huge fan of the Smith & Cult nail polishes, so this is my first venture into their makeup range and unsurprisingly I absolutely love this Lip Lacquer. 

A blushed pink shade which is intensely hydrating and incredibly nourishing it is not tacky or sticky on the lips and it gives a medium coverage. It contains Portulaca Pilosa Extract which works to condition and plump the lips and it looks incredible on its own or over lipstick.

Once again, I am really impressed with this box and I am glad to have been introduced to some new products and brands that I haven't yet tried or come across. You can subscribe to Roccabox for just £10 per month (plus £3.95 p&p) and can cancel it at any time. For more information and to sign up, everything you need to know is here.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise