Birchbox February 2020 + Offer

February is all about the month of love and this month Birchbox want you to fall back in love with your daily routine and prioritise a little me-time. So, to help you with that, Birchbox has designed a charming box of six beauty treats that are guaranteed to make your heart swell.

Inside this heart designed box are no less than 6 products to try and they range from skincare and makeup to your own wellbeing. The box design I absolutely love and the fact it opens like a drawer means it is easy to recycle and re-use for other purposes.

The first item out of the box is the newly launched rose-scented Spacemask. I am a huge fan of Spacemasks and I adore the Rose Scented edition. Spacemasks are designed to encourage you to take time out and relax when using them. The self-heating mask sits really comfortably over your eyes and heats up and stays warm for up to 20 minutes, during which time, you can just do absolutely nothing but enjoy the wonderful rose scent.

Anatomicals is a brand I haven't used for quite some time now, but what I love about them are the quirky and cheeky names they give to their products.  Within this months Birchbox is the Rose Hand Cream. This cream is nourishing on the skin and has a lovely light rose scent to it which lingers just long enough for you to appreciate it without being too much.

I love that you can now get masks for absolutely everywhere on your body and from Vitamasque this month is the Lip Mask which is made from a non-slip skin-gel formula. This mask is infused with a Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Complex which is said to be a higher strength of traditional Hyaluronic Acid. This formulation combines Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed HA and Sodium Acetylated HA together, to enhance the skin's ability to retain moisture compared to regular Hyaluronic Acid products. Then there is a Vegan Collagen Booster which is included to naturally boost elasticity levels around the lip area for subtly plumper pout. Mulberries and Wild Cherries extracts are also infused to provide a source of antioxidants and an intense repairing action, for noticeably softer lips in 15 minutes.

From Lord & Berry is the 20100 Maximatte Lip Crayon in the shade Soul. Described as being a Liner-meets-lipstick, it is designed to deliver a brilliant matte colour that glides on to the lips effortlessly. It is enriched with Vitamin E which delivers anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, hydration and suppleness properties.  Soul as a shade is a deep coral peach shade. On the lips, it glides on with relative ease and despite being matte, it isn't uncomfortable.

A brand I haven't come across before is Beautaniq Beauty and within this box is the Darling Dahlia Blusher. This is a pretty mineral blush which has a rose carved into the product to make it look even prettier to match the shade which is a warm rose.  This blush can be applied with fingers or a brush and it is a shade that can be built up to give as much coverage as you are happy with.

The final product within this box comes from Glamglow and it is the Brighteyes illuminating anti-fatigue eye cream.  Described as being an illuminating eye cream it has been formulated with peptides, caffeine and an intense infusion of hyaluronic acid to instantly brighten dark circles and reduce visible signs of fatigue around the eyes. Also included within this cream is linoleic acid and a blend of watermelon, apple and narcissus extracts which works with all skin tones to help strengthen that delicate eye area skin’s moisture barrier whilst at the same time helping to reduce visible signs of fatigue.

I really liked this Birchbox theme, it has been a while that I have shared a Birchbox here on my blog, but I am glad I have this one to do so.  Like other beauty boxes, Birchbox is a subscription service* which costs just £10 per month and if you sign up this February, you can grab yourself a FREE full-size eyeshadow palette from The Beauty Crop (worth £24!), all you need to use is the code COFFEE.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

GLOSSYBOX x ELEMIS Limited Edition - Everything you need to know!

I love a good Limited Edition Glossybox and the next collaboration is with none other than Elemis. A brand defined by nature and led by science, ELEMIS are celebrating 30 years of innovation in 2020 and GLOSSYBOX are thrilled to announce this box for their first Limited Edition box of the year.

Filled with six products from their legendary, award-winning Pro-Collagen range and one of those products is worth more than the cost of the box!

The GLOSSYBOX x ELEMIS Limited Edition contains:

1. Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (Special Size 30ml) Filled with powerful ingredients (including Rose Absolute, Mimosa Absolute and Padina Pavonica), it will hydrate your skin, whilst increasing its elasticity, suppleness and firmness. Every morning, smooth a pea size amount onto your face, neck and décolleté after cleansing and applying your face oil. It will visibly reduce the appearance of wrinkles, giving you firmer-feeling, more hydrated and radiant skin. RRP £52.20 

2. Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream (Deluxe Mini 15ml) -  In the evening, use the Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream instead of the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. Clinically proven**, its unique formula helps your skin to regenerate itself as you sleep. A blend of Padina Pavonica and Red Coral improves your skin’s suppleness, firmness and elasticity, whilst Sesame and Avocado oils protect it against free radical damage. 

To use, massage a pea size amount onto your face to wake up with a firmerlooking, radiant complexion. RRP  £34.50 

3. Papaya Enzyme Peel (Deluxe Mini 15ml) - After cleansing, you should use this award-winning peel. Formulated with natural fruit enzymes of exfoliating Papaya and calming Pineapple, it gently removes dead skin cells to reveal soft, radiant skin beneath. It also nourishes and protects your complexion. 

Use twice a week, apply a thin layer onto your cleansed skin, leave it for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water. RRP £12.00 

4. Pro-Collagen Marine Oil (Full Size) - This lightweight oil will help to replenish your skin to deliver maximum hydration. Combining three seaweeds (Padina Pavonica, Golden Seaweed and Roaring Water Kelp), it boasts a plumping, moisturising and nourishing formula that keeps your complexion hydrated, whilst also reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

Perfect for use both morning and night, massage 3 to 4 drops over your face and neck before applying your moisturiser. RRP £67.00 

5. Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm (Deluxe Mini 20g) - This powerful cleansing balm should always be the first step of your skincare routine. Blending luxurious waxes with Padina Pavonica and nourishing Elderberry, Starflower and Optimega™ oils, its unique formula dissolves away makeup, dirt and pollutants. Apply it onto your complexion, then wet your fingertips and massage it in using circular motions. 

Remove with a warm, damp cotton cloth. Cleansed, nourished, renewed and glowing skin awaits! RRP £9.50 

6. Pro-Collagen Hydra-Gel Eye Mask (Deluxe Mini 1 Mask) - You can use these masks whenever your under eye area needs an extra boost. Boasting Padina Pavonica, potent Plankton extract and Hyaluronic Acid, they hydrate, tone and firm the skin around your eyes. They also help to reduce the appearance of dark circles. 

Apply the sticky side onto your under eye area, leave for up to 20 minutes, then gently peel off. RRP £8.66 

The GLOSSYBOX x ELEMIS Limited Edition* is worth over £180 and it launches on Friday 28th February. As always, subscribers will get priority access from 9am with a £10 discount making it £40 instead of £50 and then it goes on General Sale from Noon.  So if you want to get your hands on this box, keep your eye on the box going live right here and grab it quick!

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Time Bomb QVC Offer - Biggest & Best Collection

I love a good QVC TSV offering and the latest one to come from Time Bomb features their ‘Biggest & Best Collection’ and purchasing it gives you savings of over 55%. This supersized collection contains all the Time Bomb hero products to resurrect your skin from the winter weather and bring back your glow for spring. Featuring four incredible products from the Time Bomb range of products, there is definitely a great skincare routine right here.

The first product is one I am a big fan of and that is the Take Off Time Cleanse + Buff (£25 200ml) - This product is described as being a daily mini-facial for clear polished-looking skin. I really like how gentle this product is on the skin, it is best described as being a lightweight milky formula within which you will find dermatological grade crystals and together this formula works to remove dead and dry skin that is clinging to the surface. 

Ideal for using as a first cleanse, this product has two main ingredients, the first  Its main ingredients are Sunflower Seed Oil and Shea Butter which moisturise the skin as the crystals buff their way around.  

The second product within this collection is the Collagen Bomb Essential Skin Fuel (£65 for 50ml) and it is described as being a unique formula to increase the skin's ability to rebuild and maintain quality collagen.

Its uses a real mixture of ingredients including:

• Pycnogenol, derived from the bark of maritime pine trees found in the South of France, has been clinically proven when applied topically to help maintain skin’s structure by 1) binding to and reinforcing collagen 2) inhibiting collagen destruction 3) promoting better quality collagen 4) scavenging collagen-attacking free radicals
• Padina Povanica brown algae, found to promote healthy collagen renewal and preserve the integrity of collagen fibres
• Davilla Rugosa leaf extract found to protect newly synthesized collagen
• Borage Oil found to enhance collagen production
• Micro-collagen found to deliver intense moisturisation

In a pump-action bottle, you can apply this peachy coloured cream both morning and evening using just 2-3 pumps and it is said that with continued use, you can expect fuller, firmer and tighter skin and boosted collagen production.

The next product is one of my favourites and it is the Complexion Cocktail with a Shot of H20mega (£30 for 150ml) - Described as being for skin that is withered, wilted and sucked dry of essential moisture, perfect for those who like their central heating on a lot and hot but are constantly on the go.

This product uses a powerhouse blend of hydrators which have all been specifically chosen to help refill and repair the skins natural hydration system, so you will find ingredients such as:

• Chia Oil - One of the richest sources of Omega 3s
• Electrolyte-Rich Coconut Oil - known for exceptional hydrating powers and another top source of Omega 3s’.

Working alongside those, you will also find Centella, Ginseng and of course Vitamin B12 and they all work to help increase micro-circulation to fight dullness and uneven skin tone. You only need a few drops of this tonic on clean, dry skin and I absolutely love the smell of this, to me, it smells like summer in a bottle.

Finally, within this quartet of goodness, we have the Powerball Intensive Moisturiser (£80 for 100ml) and it is described as being an exceptional moisturising formula that works to replenish critical water and counteract acute to chronic dehydration thus making it perfect for those who suffer from chronically dehydrated skin.

Featuring 21 natural hydrating agents which include: Bio-protectant Trehalose which is designed to preserve the skin’s internal fluidity, keeping it supple, elastic and resilient. Followed with a proprietary blend of Hyaluronic Acid and Aqua Cell Complex (lentil, watermelon and apple extracts) which is said to load and refill the skin’s essential moisture reserves, for softer, smoother, plumper tone and texture. What I like about this cream is that it is fairly thick but when applied to the skin, it absorbs really quickly and doesn't require a lot of massaging to ensure it disappears.

As you can see, these four products come together to make an amazing routine and each product compliments the next. Over time, everyone’s skin inevitably slows down. There are four key functions, that when no longer performing at optimum levels, cause the skin to look older: loss of sloughing ability, loss of moisture, loss of oil (sebum) and loss of collagen. If you haven't come across Time Bomb before they have Lulu as their brand ambassador and they have a really simple and straightforward reasoning

"Time Bomb is a radically simple, remarkably new approach to skin care. A collection of powerhouse formulas and breakthrough innovations developed to help women of all ages “stop the clock!”.

So, this TSV goes lives on February 28th and as a reminder, the products and their RRP are as follows: Time Bomb Biggest & Best Collection:

• Take Off Time Cleanse + Buff (200ml) RRP £25 -
• Complexion Cocktail With A Shot of H2Omega (150ml) RRP £30
• Collagen Bomb Essential Skin Fuel (50ml) RRP £65
• Powerball Intensive Moisturiser (100ml) RRP £80

= over 55% discount on RRP £206.50 but you can grab them from 28th February for around £62 via the QVC website.



*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

REN Clean Skincare - Beauty Pioneers of Infinity Recycling

I feel I have been on quite the journey with REN Clean Skincare over the past few years with their formulas and their packaging.  Living in an era when recycling, recyclable and being plastic-free is of such huge importance, the beauty industry is really having to pick up its pace and be as accountable for their waste as supermarkets are.  I have become so much more aware of how much waste I produced and how many changes I have made - no plastic bags, I try and shop with the least amount of plastic that I can and if a product I use and love is refillable, then you can bet I am using it.  For REN it started back in 2018 when their cleansers became carton free and the moisturisers started to use an airless system, both in an effort to cut waste whilst at the same time, protecting that all-important formula.

Having then moved through using 100% recycled plastic, introducing recycled beauty bags (still one of my favourite finds ever) and then signing up with Terracycle to continue the efforts to become zero waste by 2021, REN has now done an industry first and they have done it whilst celebrating their 20th anniversary and that is by debuting their new pack including Infinity Recycling material and what better way to do it than with the iconic moisturiser EverCalm Global Protection Day Cream.

In partnering with SABIC and Aptar, REN has become the first luxury beauty brand to use Infinity Recycling tech in the beauty industry, but, what exactly is Infinity Recycling? Essentially, by using groundbreaking technology to recycle that mixed plastic waste which would have been on its way to an incinerator or landfill and instead fully regenerate it to deliver certified recycled plastic that is identical to virgin plastic. By doing this, it opens up the possibility of indefinite plastic recycling without losing its quality or physical properties hence the name 'Infinity Recycling'. 

Not one to do things by half, REN has debuted their new Infinity Recycling material in their iconic EverCalm Global Protection Day Cream, which you can see pictured above. The tube within which the cream sits feels no different to any other skincare product I use that is in plastic packaging, other than feeling slightly lighter and naturally knowing it has been recycled does make you feel much better. 

This Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream is REN Clean Skincare's best selling moisturiser. Described as using a synergetic blend of powerful antioxidant and free radical scavengers, together with soothing and nourishing seed oils, this cream helps to protect the skin against dehydration and oxidation damage from modern life pollution, a known contributing factor to visible premature ageing. Key ingredients within this cream include:

• Blackcurrant Seed Oil which is rich in Omega 3 - helps nourish and soothe skin.
• Seabuckthorn Oil which is rich in Omega 7 - softens skin.
• Camellia Oil which replenishes the skin.

The formula is incredibly moisturising without being greasy on the skin and because it has a lightweight texture, it sinks and absorbs into the skin effortlessly. I adore the clean scent of this cream which does have a slight hint of blackcurrant, but not one which is too overpowering.  If you have sensitive or sensitised skin, then this day cream is the one you absolutely need to have within your routine and it is the one from REN Clean Skincare which is most recommended and sold.

As well as being an incredible day cream and one I absolutely love having in my stash, I am blown away by just how much though REN Clean Skincare put into their journey to being zero waste by 2021 and they have done so without passing on the higher costs to you and I the consumer and they do this in the hope more companies join them on this very same journey, using the same technology thus making it less expensive in the future.  You can read more about this journey with REN Clean Skincare* via their website.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.