GlossyBox June 2017

June marks the start of British summer, and with Glastonbury, Wimbledon and with picnic season upon us, the latest edition from Glossybox, aptly titled #Parklife it features the perfect edit of products to get you prepped.  Summer saviours come in the form of skincare, hair care, hand care and makeup. A real mixture of products to have you looking your best and in my box, I have the following:

Louise Pentland, known to many as SprinkelofGlitter, has written her first novel Wilde Like Me and it is included as a nice little extra within the box. Launching at the end of June, Wilde Like Me introduces you to Robin Wilde, a friend you will make for life and a journey you will never forget! Having read the sneak preview, I am actually really looking forward to the book's release.

111Skin’s Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel which reduces the appearance of dark circles, minimise puffiness and softens the appearance of fine lines while keeping the eye area hydrated. 

Formulated with the unique NAC Y2 formula and a combination of copper chlorophyll, caffeine and phytonutrients to stimulate the production of hyaluronic acid, whilst regenerating the skin to give you a rejuvenated, younger-looking appearance.

Sleek Makeup Power Plump Lip Crayon. Sleek is one of my favourite high street brands and the Power Plump Lip Crayons are a really great product. 

Using a formula which makes your lip tingle upon application, it encourages blood to rush to your lips giving that fuller lip look. Tingle aside, the pigmentation of these crayons are really quite something and they can be used to line the lips or as a lip colour on the whole lip.

BeautyPro’s Black Diamond PeelOff Mask with Activated Charcoal. This peel-off mask not only cools and soothes the skin,  but the activated charcoal formula works to loosen blackheads and cleanse deep into the pores to remove impurities while clarifying and purifying the skin and rebalancing oily areas. 

Free of mineral oils, lanolin and petroleum paraben, this peel off mask leaves your skin feeling so fresh and smooth to the touch.

Manna Kadar Sheer Glo. This silky liquid illuminator works to give the skin a pretty gleam. It can mixed with your foundation or moisturiser for a subtle glow. 

You can also apply Sheer Glo on its own to cheekbones, browbones, collarbones, and anywhere else you’d like to catch the light. This is the second product from Manna Kadar that I have tried and like the lip gloss from last months Love Me Beauty Edit (here).

Eness Cosmetics Argan Oil Nourishing Hand Cream. You never can have too many tubes of hand cream and this is one I have never come across before. 

This hand cream is enriched with natural Argan Oil, Abyssinian Oil and Ylang Ylang Oil, for intense moisturisation and nourishment. With no harmful ingredients such as parabens, petroleum, mineral oil or sulphates, this cream is luxuriously thick and smells incredible.

The final item in the box comes from Batiste and it is the Stylist Shield My Locks Heat & Shine Spray to protect hair from even the hottest of styling tools. 

Keratin & Inca Inchi infused it is formulated to be used on dry not damp hair so you can heat style and add a sleek mirror shine finish in a hurry.

The June ‘Park Life’ GLOSSYBOX is available for £10 (+P&P) from www.glossybox.co.uk.

New customers can choose their free beauty bundle this month on top of the June GLOSSYBOX when they subscribe. Customers will be presented with an option to select their beauty bundle on the GLOSSYBOX website while stock lasts.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

EcoTools 2017 Collection - The Beauty Blenders

Ecotools is a brand of makeup brushes I have been aware of but until recently never really got to know. Having been invited to the launch of the 2017 collection, I was pretty wowed by what was on offer, this is a brand which literally has everything I could think of and more. Celebrating TEN years of beauty, Ecotools have given their collection a makeover and has been done with today's women in mind and they not only feature a refreshed logo and packaging with clean colours, but you will also notice that the brushes have a tapered lightweight handle but are still made from renewable bamboo, brighter wood colours and gunmetal ferrules as well as really beautiful ombre bristles.

Right now beauty blenders are a thing for me, I cannot get enough of them and have quite a growing collection. New for 2017 from EcoTools there are some pieces you need to try. 

Starting with Contour Perfecting Applicator, this firm tip sponge not only works to deliver natural-looking definition but the handheld wand, which really captured my attention almost gives that feel of holding a brush but is much lighter to use and it gives you much more control and blending is an absolute breeze. Priced at around £5.

Then we have the Colour Correcting Minis which are made from 71% plant based materials and they are patented. Designed with EcoFoam technology to colour correct your complexion and as you can see, each of the four sponges are colour coded to be used with colour correcting concealers which counteract redness (mint), dark circles (pink), dullness (lilac) and dark spots (peach).  

Featuring a unique shape these sponges have a flat side which you use to apply the product to the largest surface areas such as cheeks and forehead, the rounded base is designed for stippling foundation onto the skin for a blended and buildable coverage and finally, the wedged tip is for precision application when it comes to the contours of the nose and around the eyes.  

I am a huge fan of these sponges and I love that they are colour coded, quite a simple idea but so effective, especially as I am forever using green toned products to work with the redness in my cheeks.  Priced at just under £7.

The perfecting Blender Duo, which comes in two different sizes and colours are said to help create that airbrushed camera-ready look.  The dark green blender is soft and flexible which makes the application of foundation a relatively easy task especially if you like to build coverage. The lighter green sponge which is much smaller and more firm is the one you would use for precision application, so perfect for concealer and I have used it for adding highlighter. 

Again they both feature a rounded base for blending and a flat side for covering the larger surface areas.  Available from Superdrug for £9.99 and they are incredibly good.

My introduction to the EcoTools Beauty Blenders has been amazing and I am so glad to have them in my collection.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Look Fantastic #wanderlust edition

This month the Look Fantastic #wanderlust edition is about being taken on a journey,a voyage if you please, to discover the wonderful luxuries that we have around us. Wanderlust is all about exploring the world in its entirety and taking on board those in-flight essentials that will ensure you arrive at your destination looking and feeling refreshed and gorgeous. Worth over £55, this months box has an amazing selection of luxurious treats inside the box as well as a Beauty magazine which is packed full of tips and tricks of the trade and a copy of Elle magazine.

This month’s beauty box features…

KERASTASE SHAMPOO (Travel size, various types)

In my box, I have Kerastase Resistance Bain Force Architecte and it is described as being a shampoo for weak, brittle or very damaged hair and split-ends. Designed to be used as an every day shampoo to strengthen and reconstruct hair which in turn will result in a softer, smoother, stronger hair that is revitalised.

Kerastase Resistance Bain Force Architecte contains Complexe Ciment-Cylane, which is a combination of intra-Cylane, Ceramide R and Pro-Keratin to condition and strengthen your hair. A nice addition to this months box and a brand that my hair loves.

FIRST AID BEAUTY FACIAL RADIANCE PADS

Travelling is great for your wanderlust, but not great on your complexion. Keep your skin healthy and glowing with FAB’S Radiance Pads, which are suitcase friendly thanks to their no-liquid formula.

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads contain just the right amount of lactic and glycolic acids to make them safe and effective for daily use. Cucumber and Indian gooseberry tone the skin, while lemon peel and licorice root leave the skin bright and glowing. First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads are free of parabens, harsh chemicals and colourants. I have been wanting to try these for some time, so I am glad to see them in my box.

BALANCE ME BALANCING FACE MOISTURISER 

This lightweight and hydrating face cream that is rich in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, Neroli Oil, Spruce Knot and Bergamot Oil which all come together to brighten the skin, reduce shine, and give the complexion an even and perfected finish.

The result is skin that has a naturally beautiful glow.

HAILEY BALDWIN FOR MODELCO SUPER LIPS LIPGLOSS 

Shades in each box might vary as there are five available and in my box, I have shade Biz which is a nude pink.

Described as being a hydrating lip gloss which gives the most beautiful high-shine finish, it also claims to have the longevity of a long-lasting lipstick. It’s luxuriously rich texture melts into the lips to impart a gorgeous pop of colour, leaving behind a super moisturised lip in its wake. 

BELLAPIERRE SHIMMER HIGHLIGHTER

I have shade Exite which is quite sparkly and most definitely noticeable. Described as being a loose shimmer powder it is for use as a highlighter on the cheekbones, the Cupid’s Bow and on the inner corner of the eyes to highlight and accentuate your features.

The iridescent sheen is perfect for all skin tones and will leave you with a gleaming radiance.

MONU ROSEWOOD REVIVING MIST 

This lightweight facial mist is described as being instantly refreshing which works to rejuvenate, replenish and hydrate the skin.

Perfect for use over makeup as a fixing spray, it contains a unique blend of zesty Essential Oils from Lemon and Rosewood to Sandalwood, Petitgrain, Geranium and Clary Sage which are also uplifting and on the skin it only gives just the lightest spritz.

The June Look Fantastic Beauty Box is available now via www.lookfantastic.com

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Ouai Dry Foam

One product that I have seen people want on my time line is Ouai Dry Foam. I have combination hair, the best way I know how to describe it and this translates to dry ends and greasy roots. I wash my hair every other day and whilst it might only be shoulder length, it is quite a time consuming job to wash it, blow dry it and then straighten it.

If you have never come across the brand Ouai before, you might recognise that Ouai means Yes and for the brand the term 'Yes' is all about having amazing hair. From hairstylist Jen Atkin, the lady who is very much responsible for maintaining the manes of Klan Kardashian, Gigi Hadid and Gwen Stefani to name just a few, a range of products has been developed and if it is good enough for them, well it is good enough for me. With shampoos, conditioners which are sulphate-free, they use a smart keratin to repair and improve hair strength. Even the styling products are designed to nourish hair and bring out its natural beauty.

I do love and use dry shampoo, though am incredibly picky about which one I will or won't use. Then I was kindly sent this dry Foam by Ouai and was intrigued. Described as being

quick-drying and completely invisible, it hosts a pioneering waterless formula which instantly works to absorb excess oils, boost volume and eliminate odours. Fortified with Volcanic Minerals and hydrating Panthenol, it immediately removes product build-up to breathe life back into your blow out, adding bounce and texture without leaving behind that typical chalky finish common with traditional dry shampoos.

Complete with the Ouai signature fragrance of Italian Lemon, Rose de Mai and White Musk, locks are left looking and feeling revitalised with just-washed shine and luscious movement. Suitable for 2nd, 3rd and even 4th-day hair.

To use, all you need to do is dispense a ping-pong size ball of foam into the palms of your hands, emulsify. and then apply the foam to dry hair in sections, starting along the parting. I always section my hair, almost in the same way I do when I straighten it, and then then thoroughly massage into scalp and hair until completely dry, which is usually within a minute.

Using a dry foam was quite odd to start with. Mousse like texture taking me back to the 90's when it was all the rage to have crunchy hair, only this does not leave your hair anything like that. In contrast to a dry shampoo, there are no white bits left clinging to hair strands and doesn't irritate my scalp, after applying my hands are not sticky and nor is my hair, it gave me that just washed feeling and as well as feeling as though there is nothing in my hair after using, I absolutely love it and am a total convert.

Priced at £24 you can find Ouai Dry Foam at Cult Beauty, LookFantastic, FeelUnique, and similar sites.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise