August Glossybox Review

Phillip Kingsley Elasticizer 40ml

Interesting concept, i used the product as directed (leave in damp hair before shampooing for 10 minutes and rinse) and can't say its something i was wowed by. It didn't give my hair any elasticity or volume at all however my hair did feel much softer than usual. This product is a pricey £38 for 250ml and in my opinion not worth the price tag. If your looking for soft volumous hair i recommend the Neil and Wolf Elevate Volumising Lotion

Figs and Rouge Mango and Mandarin Hand Cream 20ml

I'm a real hand cream junkie so i couldn't wait to test this out with the ladies at work (who love to test my glossy hand products). The cream smells lovely and natural, nice and fruity without being overly sweet or synthetic. It isn't a bad product however the packaging isn't practical for popping in your handbag, i had a little incident with the tube exploding in my pocket, not a good look. The overall feedback was that it wasn't moisturising enough for the cost even with the shea butter, it just isn't as good as some other brands we have tested. The rituals miracle balm keeps the top spot with Yves Rocher Cocoa Orange in close second. The full sized cream is £6.95 for 80ml

Kryolan for Glossybox Highlighter in Cashmere 4.5g Fullsize

I have always loved the glossybox branded products, when i saw this was made by Kryolan i was even more excited. I'v heard so many great things about Kryolan especially their face powders (goth's everywhere will know what i'm talking about) so i wasted no time testing this lovely out. The packing is nice but the contents are wonderful. The highlighter doesn't have a tint to it which makes it perfect for most skin tones. The shimmer is also very fine which gives a very natural look, the highlighter is priced at £12.95

Escence Lipstick in No7 Natural Beauty Fullsize

I love the shade of this lipstick and that it has been stamped with an e, during my 20's i have found myself swaying much more towards lipsticks than i did in my teens due to their colour and longevity over balms. This is definitely a budget product, retailing at £2.29 it is a good little product for those who are experimenting with different lipstick colours. It is clear from their website that the German brand targets itself at teenagers (hence the low price tag), stocks a wide range of affordable cosmetics and it  is a cruelty free company which of course is a big plus. The shade looks lovely on my skin although i did find that it has that waxy smell that a lot of cheap lipsticks do. Still that wouldn't put me off purchasing it if i found a shade as nice as this one.

Yves Rocher Mini Pink Nail Polish Fullsize 3ml

This is a lovely neutral pink tone, a shade that i use often in work as it is very understated whilst still giving a subtle hint of colour. The polish lasted a day without chipping and three with a clear topcoat (butter london). The only annoyance is that the bottle was in spanish (i think?) and the shade doesn't appear to be available in the uk which is useless if you intend on purchasing the product. Another plus is that these polishes don't contain any nasties such as formaldehyde. This is the fullsized (albeit very small) product and it retails at £3.60

Also included was a fragrance sample of Lalique L'Amore which is a new brand to me, it has top notes of bergmot and rosebuds, white floral heart notes and a musk base note. I usually hate musky fragrances but this one is quite pleasant, i wouldn't rush out to buy it but it is a nice scent. The 50ml size retails at £67

The cost of products inside this months box came to a total of £26.65 which is more than reasonable, i am pleased with all of the items although i wouldn't necessarily repurchase them all. Next months box design is being produced by the Karen Millen fashion house in preparation for London Fashion week, can't wait to share whats inside. 

Skulls and Kisses

Luna x

Glossybox UK May | Superdrug Collaboration

I'm sure by now you have all heard that much to our surprise (i was sure it would be L'oreal) Glossybox's top secret collaboration was with our favourite drugstore brand Superdrug. As part of Superdrug's 50th year as a company they have had some amazing deals in store as well as many limited edition products collaborating with some of their most popular brands. It has taken me a little longer (work is crazy at the moment) but i have finally finished testing out the contents of this months box, enjoy.

 Solait: Illuminating Facial Bronzing Cream (full size)

This terrified the life out of me, i have a super pale complexion so even gradual tans can make me look orange. The cream itself is almost white with a tiny bit of shimmer, i tested it on an area of my arm to avoid any orange faced mishaps. The tan is only slightly noticeable, i topped up twice before i noticed any change , it was the tiniest shade darker but the shimmer in the product gave a lovely glow. After the second day of topping up my tan i had a horrible allergic reaction, my whole arm came out in big red hives (took a week to fade away, glad i didn't put it on my face). So overall i don't rate this product at all (certainly not one for anyone with sensitive skin),it's also worth noting that i am very fair skinned and had minimal results, anyone with a normal skin tone would see no results other than a little shimmer. This little monster retails for £2.99

 B Complete: Long Lasting Nail Polish (full size)

I had never heard of B Complete however many of my favourite products are made by some less that well known companies. The shade itself isn't something that would typically jump out at me although it is the perfect shade for me to wear to work. I shouldn't really have my nails painted while i'm working (still unsure of why this rule exists) although i often wear nude colours to hide hair dye stains on my nails (blue is a nightmare to remove) . The product dries quickly and didn't chip throughout the day, it's not something i would rush out to buy but it will certainly get some use. B Complete costs £4.99 for 8ml

L'oreal: Volume Million Lashes Mascara (full size)

I was looking forward to finally trying this out as it is such a popular and well known product. The packaging looks quite expensive in comparison to other drug store brands but sadly it still has that cheap plastic feel to it. In my opinion the brush is nothing spectacular, quite average looking (i was expecting something shaped). I have tested this out a few times now and whilst it does indeed give great volume i just don't like the formula. I find the solution very thick which makes my lashes super clumpy (big no no!) so unfortunately it gets the thumbs down, as it costs £10.99 i was expecting something better.

I Love... Strawberries & Milkshake: Shimmer and Shine Lip Gloss (full size)

It's true, I love strawberries & milkshake shimmer and shine lipgloss, that sure is impressive coming from a self confessed gloss hater. The gloss has no stickiness to it at all meaning that i can wear it in wet and windy Pembrokeshire. The scent is lovely and does indeed smell like strawberry milkshake, the price is great too (£1.29 for 15ml) and would make a lovely little gift for teenagers or girls who are just starting to wear makeup. 

Superdrug Doughnut Ring (full size)

I had no idea what to expect with this, i'm all for easy hairstyles because quite frankly i suck at styling my hair, so it's curled or straight most of the time. I received the lighter coloured bun which doesn't match my hair but this is not really a problem as it cannot be seen once covered up. The idea is to tie your hair up and thread it through the center of the doughnut. Then you can wrap your hair around it and pin the ends underneath. My preferred method is to thread my hair through without use of a hair tie, i then pin the ends under to create a loose messy bun. I love this little bun maker and it has inspired me to try out some different hairstyles from time to time. The large doughnut ring is available in a range of shades at Superdrug for £3.99

Bonus Products

Finally there are two little freebies in the bottom of my box, the first is a fragrance sample Ghost: Eclipse. At first i liked the scent, definitely not the sort of thing i usually like but more than pleasant. However once the fragrance developed properly it did not please me at all, thumbs down. The second sample was the Garnier Oil Beauty Lotion which contains Argan, Macadamia, Almond and Rose Oil. I love argan oil so i though i would love the beauty oil too, wrong! The oil does not smell good at all and whilst it did make my legs feel soft i would rather buy something else with a nicer scent.

This months box was pretty average in my opinion, although i have 5 full sized items they were not great quality. Ironically it's the most expensive product in the box that is the least impressive (Volume Million Lashes) however i am more than happy with the rest of the items. But with the value of £24.25 you are certainly getting more than you payed for. Hopefully next months box will be a little more to my taste.

Luna =^_^=

Glossybox Summer Collaboration

Exciting news my lovelies, the lovely folks at Glossybox have announced that the this months box will be a surprise May collaboration. This months box will contain four full sized products, yup you read correctly FOUR GREAT BIG BEAUTY PRODUCTS! This is the most excited i have been about a box in a long time, however i have my finger's crossed that the size of the products wont compromise the quality. 

In my opinion the Glossy team have been getting their boxes spot on as of late, i am seeing few negative reviews and almost no bad boxes. I can understand how hard it must be to please so many different customers, some complain about receiving too many nail polishes or yet another black eyeliner but honestly those are the sort of things i would love to receive. As each box goes by there is an increasing amount of pressure to make each one better than the last and a lot of unrealistic expectations have been created. Glossybox is a business and clearly they do need to make some money. 

So with all of these expectations of "that perfect box" i decided to come up with my own dream box, full of some items i would love to receive. (WARNING: MAJOR LAPSE IN REALITY IMMANENT)

1. Lime Crime Lipstick £13: I recently purchased my very first Lime Crime Lipstick (in Poisonberry), i know guys, it took me so long. The packaging is to die for; beautiful pastel purple with holographic unicorns and stars. Plus they have the most unusual shades i have ever seen (not exactly ideal for most Glossy subscribers but perfect for me) and are cruelty free hooray!

2. Illamasqua- Precision Gel Eyeliner £18.50: It is no secret that i am an eyeliner fiend; liquid, pencil, cake i love them all. Some of my favourite liners come in gel form, with a good quality brush you can create a super precise opaque wing. Plus you have a product that will last months which is a real investment if you wear eyeliner everyday like myself.

3. Ciat'e Nail Polish £9: I have been hooked on Ciat'e products for a number of years now, i adore the packaging especially that cute little bow. They have an extensive range of shades and some unusual effects too. As far as the cost, i find it more than reasonable considering the quality and longevity of the lovely varnishes. 

4. Urban Decay- Anti Aging Eye Primer Potion £18: This is a wonderful product for those of us who are starting to show our age (mine are laughing wrinkles, honestly), and i cannot stress how important primer is. I never apply shadow without using primer first, it creates the perfect base for applying shadow, especially mineral and loose pigments. The result is an easy to blend, long lasting, highly pigmented look that every beauty obsessive needs, adding anti aging to a primer is pure genius. (i'm sure Einstein would be turning in his grave)

5. MUA Eyeshadows £1: MUA have created a super cheap (a freaking pound each!) range of eyeshadows that are all fantastic quality. The quality and longevity outshine any other drugstore products and are as good as some of the shades in my Guerlain Crazy Paris palette. They have great pigmentation and the pearlescent shades are absolutely stunning.

The total cost of my dream box is £59.50 .... so yeah maybe a little unrealistic. Time to pop my box bubble and become a realist, a girl can dream.

Beautybox Challenge

A couple of weeks ago i had a great idea for a fun video to try out, it's something a little more creative than just another unboxing video. So here i give you the glossybox challenge, i challenge you to create a beauty box of your own containing 5 items or more for £12.95.

Glossybox Uk~ March "Beauty Blossom"

Glossybox arrived on time, can i get a woop woop? GB have recently dropped Yodel (seriously they suck) for good old Royal Mail and it seems to have made all the difference already. The only difference is a £1 increase on the postage price due to Royal Mail charge which isn't something that bothers me. This months box is themed "Beauty Blossom" which seems to be geared toward putting a spring in your step.

Juicy Couture: Juicy La La Malibu and Juicy Couture Malibu

Perfume samples aren't the most popular items among us glossie's but I actually don't mind them. This month they have included two samples as one product. I have always had a love hate relationship with juicy fragrances as they are targeted at younger teenagers, most have that same sickly sweetness as many celebrity perfumes. These two samples appear to be summer (Malibu) variations of two of their popular fragrances Juicy La La and Juicy Couture. I tested out both scents and as expected they were both far to sweet to be pleasant. Although as the notes developed they both transformed into a more subtle floral scent one with mandarin tones and the other with jasmine. I'm still not keen on either but they are more pleasant than expected.

Dove Conditioning Shot

This is by far my least favourite product this month. I can't use this as its for damaged hair (which i don't have) and not for coloured hair. I also hate the smell of dove and the fact they still actively test on animals. I also think the price is quite steep for what you are getting. I can't give my review on its effectiveness because i'm not going to use it but it is the full sized tube and retails at £1.49

Bellapierre Cosmetics Ltd~ Shimmer Powder in Beige 

I am a big fan of mineral makeup, it's so highly pigmented and long lasting, sure it is more expensive than your average shadow but the quality is worth it. The shade I received is an almost identical dupe for Micabella's shimmer powder in  beige. I had always assumed that these brands were sister companies due to their similarities but it seems they are not affiliated with each other. The product itself has a beautiful neutral shimmer perfect for a more natural spring look or that "barely there" makeup that is so in this season. This is a generous full sized product costing £12.99

Sleek Makeup~ Pout Polish in Bare Minimum  

After receiving other sleek products I had mixed feelings about using this "cult beauty product". I was impressed that it has added spf15 and is supposed to be a moisturising treatment however this was all I liked. The balm has no pigmentation which makes me wonder why they bothered naming the shade i understand it is called bare minimum but its just clear. It also felt like a cheap nasty petroleum based balm, so I have no idea where they are getting this "cult beauty" tag from, and i have certainly never heard sleek recommended by any other bloggers. Poor choice glossybox. This is the full sized product costing £4.49

Mitchell & Peach Body Cream

I have enjoyed using Mitchell & peach in the past so I was happy to receive another lovely body cream. Mitchell & Peach are lavender growers who create lovely body creams and lotions with their produce. They seem to have created a scent that is just right (not heavy or old smelling) and the product has a luxurious feel to it. But as much as I love the product I couldn't justify spending £36 for a body cream unless it A) Made me loose weight or B) Made my skin look incredible... sorry

Overall this is an average box, i was most impressed by the Bellapierre powder although its not my ideal colour it's something i can use when i am going to work. I was also pleased to receive another Mitchell & Peach body cream but the other products were just wrong for me. This has made me wonder how hard is it to create a perfect beauty box? In my next post i will be creating my very own version of a Glossybox with the budget of £12.95 I am looking forward to the challenge.

Glossybox Uk~ March "Beauty Blossom"

                                            

The wait is over, this months Glossybox actually made it on time. Good old Royal Mail

Love Me Beauty~ January Box

Seeing as this months Glossybox was depressingly sparse i decided to treat myself to a Love Me Beauty box instead. Any of my followers may remember the Beauteco box, this is the very same box, renamed and made over. As i may have stated in a past post each month you have the choice of 3 boxes each containing a selection of 5 products. The perks of this box are that you can see what is in each box before you get it in the post plus you can cancel at any time if you don't fancy any of the three. I adored the Beauteco box, however there was one month where i didn't feel that i needed any of the products so i unsubscribed and somehow forgot the company existed. Here is this months box number 2 which contains some of the most gorgeous makeup products i have ever received in a box. I have been given my monthly dose of beauty box greatness!!

NYX Cosmetics ~Cryptonite (This is the full size product which retails at £5.00)

Looks like someone made my dream eyeshadow, it has my two favourite things; black and glitter! So naturally when i saw this in the box i was already over the moon. This is my first ever NYX product (yes i know i must have been living under a rock) and I'm super happy with it. It looks gorgeous on and has the perfect amount of glitter, i usually get a little glitter fallout which isn't the easiest to remove but it's hardly noticeable. I would give this product a 5/5 because it was clearly made with me in mind!

Lord & Berry~ Paillettes Eye Pencil in Sparkle Black (Another full sized product worth £8.99)

More black and more glitter! I love this so much, i have been looking for a good quality pencil liner for a while, i have previously been using the Artdeco waterproof liner which i love but i have been craving bright coloured and glitter liners lately. I wasted no time in applying this, i thought i might find the glitter a little irritating as i have sensitive eyes but alas this was no problem. The glitter is so beautiful i can't see myself going back to a black pencil liner ever again. Obviously this one gets a 5/5 too.

Pureology~ Colour Stylist Silk Bodyfier (65ml, full size 250ml costs £15.00)

Another product that seems to have been made with me in mind, i have brightly coloured hair that is always flat, i sometimes curl and backcomb my hair and it still lacks volume. I have used this product a couple of times following the instructions (apply to damp hair, massage from root to tip and style) but it's not as easy to create styles as a would have hoped. On the plus side it gives my hair great volume and a nice shape, it smells nice too. Pureology gets a 4/5

A La Carte Cosmetics~ Divine Lash Mascara (most expensive full sized product in the box costs £23)

This is the most expensive product in the box so i had very high hopes for this mascara. I think that the mascara is a good product but nothing i use ever seems to match the effects of my favourite Bourjois yes to volume no to clumps mascara which was discontinued several years ago. This gave me a good amount of length and didn't cause any clumps which at £23 you would definitely expect. The only negative i have is the smell, it is a little unusual and i can't quite put my finger on it. I am giving this mascara a 4/5, it is a good product but in my opinion it's not quite worth £23

Weleda~ Sea Buckthorn Hand Cream (sample sized 10ml, full size 50ml costs £8.99)

Since using Glossybox's disgusting yu-be moisturiser i have been a little less gun ho about smelling lotions and potions (pretty sure that stuff almost killed my sense of smell). This was a lovely little treat for my nose, i have no idea what the hell sea buckthorn is and i live on the coast but it smells wonderful. If i had to describe the scent it would be gingery with a hint of clementine and spice, so a little christmassy. My skin felt nice after using this but can't compare to the yves rocher cocoa orange hand cream. I think £8.99 is a little more than i would be willing to pay for a hand cream but I'm glad i get to give it a try. Weleda gets a 4/5 from me.

This amazing box cost me £12.95 with p&p (same as Glossybox) and had a total worth of £42.69 which when compared with Glossybox's £17.12 is a clearly the better choice. This box trumps GB on both quality and value, check them out lovely people.

Luna x

January's Glossybox Video

This box has to be one of my least favourites. I may go back to love me beauty instead. Here's the video if you love dissapointment. Luna x

Glossybox May 2013

Hello my little bats, here's the unboxing video for May's Glossybox.

                               Also featuring a very cute Olliecat.

May's Glossybox~ The Birthday Edition

Hello my little bats today i bring you another Glossybox review, the May Glossybox to be more specific. Also it is Glossybox's 2nd birthday. It feels like beauty boxes are still a new concept so its pretty mad when i realize how long i have been a subscriber. This months box came filled with a beautiful birthday themed paper and some lovely happy orange padding.

1. Jelly Pong Pong~ Fairy Lash Mascara

I was really excited to see this product in the box, i love jelly pong pong products and they are cruelty free which I'm all about. The name is appealing to me having gone through a phase in my teen years of dressing as a fairy to explore woodlands with a friend. After using the product i have to say i wasn't too impressed (sorry jelly). A single coat of mascara looks good but nothing special and a second coat is hideous. The texture is the weirdest thing about it, it literally turns to a rubbery glue which can be stretched and pulled of the lashes.... seriously i did this for about 5 minutes whilst weirding out. This is a full sized product which retails for £15

2. Roger and Gallet~ Fleur De Figuier
 I love love love these products! I am new to Roger and Gallet but i can see them becoming a new favourite of mine. This is a really good sized and interesting sample trio of a gentle shower cream, body lotion and fragrance water. I have used up the fragrance water already because it smells divine, it has a beautiful fruity scent (mostly grapefruit and fig). The shower cream and moisturizer both feel creamy and nourishing, they leave a beautiful subtle scent on the skin as well.  I will 100% be buying the fragrance which can currently only be bought from Marks and Spencers.
The fragrance water retails at £32 for 100ml, Body Lotion at £12.50 for 200ml and the Shower Cream at £9.50 for 200ml

3. Primae~ Harmony Balm
I have to say this was the least exciting product in the box this month, however that is mostly due to the boring packaging. Put some bats and cobwebs on the container and i would probably be all over it. The product is a moisture balm with aloe vera butter, which means it is super soothing and nourishing on the skin. But still not very exciting. A fullsized 30ml jar costs £26.50 

4. Headline Colour~ Catwalk
I have used this brand before when they were trading under the name killer colours and i am again pleased with their offerings. It only took a single coat of polish to get a good solid even colour and has lasted well without chipping. The colour is a coral red which I'm not super keen on as I'm usually drawn to a darker coloured nail. This is a full sized polish which retails at £9

5. Beautiful Movements~ Prime and Create Mixing Medium
I had never heard of this brand before which is created by a former pussycat doll, i have had some pretty poor experiences with celebrity make up brands but this one i am impressed with. I've been loving multi purpose products lately and this one really does a lot well. It functions as a primer and a mixing medium to be used with mineral shadows, powder blushers, bronzers and foundations. I have used it as a primer and a mixer with mineral shadow and it is really impressive. The full sized version of this product costs £20 for 20g

Freebee~ Mini Glossybox Nail files
Some of you may not receive this in your may Glossybox as it is a free gift included for subscribers of a year or over. What's not to like about these, they are a really handy size to pop in your bag and they are a nice bright colour too.

Again i am left pleased with this months Glossybox, they seem to be getting more consistent with the quality of their products. My favourites from this box have to be the Roger and Gallet products and the Beautiful Movement Primer although um sure to pickup some Headline Colours polish in some different colours. The total worth of this moths box is £36.91

Thanks again for reading.

Rottentouch x

15% Off Primae~ HBDGlossybox
Monnier Freres: £100 off any handbag over £300~ GLOSSYBOX100UK
20% Off June's Glossybox~ GIANTBOX

April Glossybox in Collaboration with Pearl Lowe

I was really excited about this months Glossybox especially with the collaboration of Pearl Lowe. I have always loved Pearls designs and i share her love of all things lace, her dresses have a vintage feel and the cuts and shapes are perfection. The box itself has a beautiful design of roses peonies and other flowers reflecting Pearls vintage inspiration. This months box contains 5 really good sized products each of a good quality.

1. Essie Nail Lacquer~ Nice is Nice
I have to say I've been wanting to try Essie nail lacquers for a while having heard positive things from a lot of bloggers and youtubers. This isn't the most ideal colour for me (pastels icky) but after applying it i have to say it has grown on me a little. I think this colour is so pale that its not quite a pastel, almost an off white pink colour. The formulation is quite thin which i have found makes the varnish last longer and chip far less (as with Illamasqua and Nails inc polishes). This is a full sized product which retails for £7.99

2. Sunsense~ Tinted SPF 50+
I'm really glad that this was in the Glossybox, its one of those things that i never would have thought of trying before. I use a lot of SPF lotions all year round (i actually burnt on a day it snowed) but i hate applying them on top of makeup because it makes my skin look an feel greasy. This however is a mattifying lightly tinted formula which i have to say made my skin look pretty flawless. It is very lightly fragranced compared to that icky sun cream smell and while it costs £18.50 for 75g i would say that if you are pale like me it should be your summer must have.

3. Yves Rocher~ So Elixir Purple
Its really nice to see a good sized fragrance sample, the vials are nice but if you like the fragrance it lasts about 2 applications. On first impressions this a nice fragrance, definitely for the older woman but it is wearable. The fragrance is quite floral upon application but after an hour or so i found it to have quite a woody scent which i wasn't so keen on. Nice enough fragrance but if you like fruity floral scents like me then you should give this one a miss. This fragrance costs £44 for a 50ml bottle.

4. Nip + Fab~ Coconut Latte Body Butter
I love my body butters so i knew that this would be for me, the coconut latte scent is very similar to Palmers cocoa butter but with a slightly nutty undertone. The butter feels incredibly soothing when applies to the skin, it also doesn't feel greasy like a lot of other body butters do. My skin feels soft. nourished and smells beautiful, this one is a must have. This is a 50ml product and the full sized 200ml (must last a long time) RRP's at £9.95

5. Model Co~ Cheek and Lip Tint in Rosie Red
I was terrified to try this stuff, my skin in so pale i expected to look like a pantomime dame. I applied it to my hand first and found out that it blends really well and is easy to build up for more colour. The colour looks really good on my cheeks and lasts quite a long time. I also tried it on my lips but found the colour really didn't go on well and just stuck onto my finger instead. For a cheek tint it smells really good, if it wasn't tinted red i would apply it to my pulse points =). I would recommend this if you want to try something between a blush and a cheek stain.This is the full sized 10ml product which retails for £15

The total worth of this months box is £32.33, I payed for this months box using my Glossydots so it was free which is a bonus. I like all of the products this month other than the fragrance so i am a very happy bunny. Glossybox really have been delivering great boxes lately so I'm sticking with them.

I hope this review is useful to any of you contemplating signing up to Glossybox and i will speak again soon.

Rottentouch x

March Glossybox

I can't believe it's already been a month since my last Glossybox review, this year is flying by so quick its a little scary. This months box has a travel theme and comes with a little travel book which includes short snip its of info on what to do in some of the best cities and countries in the world.

 

Tresemm'e Salon Finish Extra Hold Hairspray

This is the biggest thing in the box, this couldn't have come at a more perfect time as i've just run out of hairspray. It claims to have 24 hour humidity control, so is perfect for using on holiday in hot countries (wishing i was on some hot tropical island). This hairspray is number 4 (extra hold) which is perfect for me as this is the strength that i always use. This product does exactly what it claims to, although i couldn't test the humidity control (we have snow!!) it did keep my hair up and looking good all day, which is pretty impressive with the wind we get around these parts. This is a 100ml sample but the full sized 500ml product retails at £4.69

Nails Inc~ Bruton Street

Next i picked out a mini nails inc polish, my first thoughts are that this really isn't a colour that I'm going to wear a lot. However i have a very similar illamasqua polish that i received in the illamasqua nails and eyes box. I compared the two products and have to say that they perform equally well. They are both long lasting and have a similar thin consistency which allows quick drying time. The illamasqua polish comes off slightly better as it dries a little quicker and works out slightly cheaper per ml. This is a 4ml sample polish, the full sized 10ml retails at £11. I would also recommend the Illamasqua polishes which are £13.50 for 15ml and come in some amazing colours and finishes.

Jelly Pong Pong Lip Stain~ Lip Blush

I have to say that on first thought i loved this colour but unfortunately it is one of those tones of red that makes me look like a clown. On the plus side the product performs well and does feel really moisturising once on the lip. I really like the packaging of this product and its really easy to use, also its a cruelty free product *fist pumps*. I applied this on the back of my hand to test the staying power (didn't want to be a clown for a day) and i was really impressed with the results especially as it rained all day. This is a full sized 2.5g product which retails at £12

 

Juicy Couture~ La La

When i saw this in the box i was pleased and disappointed at the same time, i really like getting fragrance samples as i live in the countryside and they really aren't easy to get hold of unless you order them from eBay. However i have tried some juicy couture samples before and have always thought they smelt like a baby prostitute, really not for me. But i have to say i was pleasantly surprised with Couture La La. It doesn't have the same sweetness as other juicy couture fragrances but has a fresh floral scent which is a little more mature than their previous teenage targeted perfumes. This isn't one that i would rush out to buy but its definitely wearable and pleasant, plus my boyfriend asked me what smelt so good which is always a plus. The retail prices are... £30 for 30ml, £40 for 50ml and £55 for 100ml

 

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Skin Protectant

I saved the worst until last, this product is supposed to refresh skin, hands and chapped lips and can also be used to shape brows. It also claims to be fragrance free, now unless i got a dodgy product it is definitely not fragrance free. This product smells so vile that i wouldn't even think about putting it on my face or lips. I applied a small amount of the product onto the back of my hand (after a great deal of squeezing the tube because it wouldn't come out). It felt very sticky and not moisturising or soothing at all, the full sized 50ml product retails at £25. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, as an alternative i would suggest any of the Betty Hula moisturising products as they are multi purpose, natural and smell amazing.

 

Overall I'm pleased with this box, even though i wont be using all of the products it was nice to try out some new brands. I will probably purchase a Jelly Pong Pong lip product in a different colour because i was really impressed with the quality and I'm always looking for new cruelty free products. I will continue using my Juicy Couture sample and may possibly buy a small bottle.

The contents of marches box are worth £20.80 which isn't bad but not as good as the content worth of Luxbox.

 

Speak again soon. Rottentouch x

February Glossybox~The valentines edition

I have been subscribing to glossybox for a while now and have to say that compared to other beauty boxes out there they are bringing out some pretty good boxes. They retail at £12.95 (including p&p) and include 5 beauty products a month. These can be anything from sample sachets to full size products. My february box arrived in the post this yesterday and i was not dissapointed.

 

 

As you can see the products in this box are all of a really good size, they even added in a valentines lollypop which was a nice touch. The box itself has a slightly different design for valentines day.

 

 

The first thing i reached for was this, the Balance Me rose otto body cream. i have recieved a few balance me products in glossybox before but this is the first hancream. The cream itself has a really delicate rose scent, not too overpowering. Its also 99% natural which is always a good thing. This product is full sized (30ml) and retails at £6.

 

Next up is the Figs and Rouge balm, this is a multipurpose balm that can be used on the lips body and face to elliminate dry skin. I recieved the product in rambling rose, other boxes contained sweet geranium, peppermint tea tree or cherry balms. I'v wanted to try a figs and rouge product for a long time so i was really excited to recieve this. Again this is a natural 100% organic product.

 

Then i reached for the Me, Me, Me beat the blues illuminator and highlighter in oyster gold. I have only recently started using highlighters but have found that most of them look are far too shimmery (the twilight vampire look is not for me). This highlighter has an applicator similar to that of a nail varnish which is a little odd but does apply well onto the skin, a little really does go a long way. It needs buffing in with a fluffy brush which leaves a very subtle shimmer to the cheek and browbones. This is also a full sized product (12ml) and retails at £5.50

 

This is the Miners Cosmetics lip colour in seduction. Lipsticks are always a tricky thing for me to get right, i am very pale and most red tones make me look like a 6 year old that has found mummys makeup box. But i am loving this shade, it is just dark enough to compliment my skintone (i tend to blend a little black into most reds that i have). The lipstick has a nice creamy texture and has good staying power without staining the lips. The lipstick is a fullsize (4g) and costs £3.99

 

Finally is the Micabella mineral eyeshadow in shade 53 deep secrets. I'm not the biggest fan of neutral browns and i really don't wear them often but i think most people would like this shade. The shadow has a lot of glitter and shimmer which again isn't really my cup of tea. It is very pigmented as is expected from a mineral eyeshadow and does have good staying power. This is a sample size eyeshadow (1g), the full size (2.5g) retails at £14.95

 

 

I swatched the coloured products so you can get an idea of colours and finishes. The miners lipstick was really hard to remove, even a day later i can still see a slight red patch, be sure to apply a liner over the lip to avoid staining. Also included in the glossybox are discount codes for the company's featured, i will share these below.I hope you all enjoyed my first post, not really an alternative one but i think it gives a different perspective on glossybox.
                                                                 Thanks for reading.
                                                                       Rottentouch

15% off Miners Cosmetics~ GLOSS15
20% off Me,Me,Me~ Glossybox2013
£5 off 2 rose otto body creams~ GLOSSYLOVE
25% off Micabella Cosmetics~ MICAGLOSSY2013