Glossybox

Beauty Boxes

Glossybox December 2013

December 16, 2013

In some sort of strange parallel Universe, this month Gemma received her Birchbox but not her Glossybox and I, the other way round.

Fortunately, the arrival of my Glossybox was enough to momentarily distract me from my missing box and my excitement at the red theme for this month sent me giddy with joy.

With a beautifully festive red box complete with candy cane tissue paper inside, this months products included the follow:

Wilkinson Sword Intuition – Naturals Razor

The morning this arrived, I was just thinking to myself as I showered – I think it’s time for a new razor. Unlike Gem, I resist the urge to sneak a peek at the contents of my beauty boxes before they arrive so this was a nice surprise. Allegedly you do not need to use shaving foam or soap with this razor, you just wet and go. I’ve had friends who have praised this one, so I will give it a good go!

A bargain full size product at £6.49 which can be bought here.

Bee Nature – Bee Nature Soap

I’m not really a soap person, I find it dries out my skin and it’s a little unhygienic. That aside, I have been known to buy a few handmade soaps to keep small business’ ticking over and because they looked and smelt adorable. This one has a base of honey and poppy seeds and promises to deliver a gentle exfoliating wash for both face and body. Alas it’s cute and quirky so I’m willing to try it out and see how it fares.

A reasonable €5.50 for 100g and can be bought direct from their website.

Maybelline New York – Brow Drama Scultping Mascara

Now I am a fan of my eyebrow products since I currently favour the Elf and MUA Eyebrow kits. I am not sure about Brow Mascara though. I tried something similar a few years back and it never stuck and I’m also a little cautious about this product being a “Dark Brown” shade which may be a tad too dark. Hopefully it will surprise me and I’ll have a new Brow Product to add to my daily routine.

This was full size and is £4.99 for 7.6mls from Boots.

Seche – Nail Lacquer in “Empress”

I’ll admit I’ve never heard of this brand, but I always love a full size nail varnish product to add to my already ridiculous collection. This one is a dark purple colour which is nice, because I usually end up with neutrals or pinks from beauty boxes. When I tried this out, it’s a little darker than I expected and one coat seemed to do the trick! Once my festive fever is over, I will be trying this out in the new year.

This was full size at 14mls and is £9.95 from Liberty.

And finally:

Beautiful Movements Cosmetics – Nude Lip Gloss

Although I purchase lip gloss’ on a fairly regular basis, I’m not a huge fan and I would rather put a nice lipstain or lipstick on. I reluctantly tried this out the yesterday when doing a spot of Christmas shopping and actually it was quite nice. A slight nude tint and non sticky as promised I’m pretty impressed and will probably make an effort to wear this more often!

A half size product at 4mls but still plenty to last a while! The full size 8ml is £12 and available from Beautiful Movement Cosmetics.

So there we have the final Glossybox of the year. I like all the contents, but I’m not sure if I was expecting something a little more … well … festive? Still another box full of reasonably priced cosmetics which I won’t hesitate to repurchase if I fall in love.

You can subscribe to Glossybox here for just for £10 (+ P&P) per month. Glossybox also have giftcards available in 3,6 or 12 month subscriptions. Perfect for a last minute Christmas prezzie!

Totally hellbent for all things seasonally red

-Pants

Beauty Boxes, Make-up, Nails, Skincare

Glossybox November 2013

November 12, 2013

After a pretty rubbish few weeks of Gem and I clawing through each day, surrounded by tissues and blankets, the arrival of this month’s Glossybox couldn’t have come sooner.

Last month we were both a little disappointed at the contents of our boxes, so I was reasonably apprehensive about opening mine this morning just in case! This didn’t last long though as I peeled open the tab on the box and carefully removed the lid, revealing a treasure trove of glorious products!

This months delights contained the following:

Elegant Touch Rapid Dry for Nails – Claiming to dry nails in 60 seconds – well as an avid nail varnish fan and waiting for my nails to dry being one of many banes of my existence I’m pretty darn happy to have had this in my box this month. I’ve tried the Avon Quickdry spray but to be honest it wasn’t -that- great. Here’s hoping Elegant Touch pull it out the bag. With a generous full sized 125ml bottle I can’t wait to try this out. £3 for 125mls.

Yves Rocher France Hand Cream in Cocoa & Pistachio Nut – Gem and I are self confessed hand cream-a-holics (just one of many obsessions we know!) When I saw the size of the hand cream – 75mls worth (another fullsize), I danced for joy. A little weary at first about the pistachio nut scent since I’ve recently given a Nip + Fab hand cream to Gem because of the smell, I shouldn’t have worried though. Popping open the top and giving this a little squeeze, the Cocoa really makes the scent and it smells beautiful! I’m pretty impressed at the value for money for this too, another addition to my desk of nail items! £1.95 for 75ml.

B. Complete Long-lastin Nail Polish in 180 Midnight – You can’t go wrong with a nail varnish, providing the colour is right. I’m pretty much a sucker for any varnish that’s red, blue or green so this is an added bonus. I can’t help but think this may feature in a few nail tutorials around Christmas as the colour looks absolutely beautiful. Another full size item, Glossybox is really doing well this month! £4.99 for 8ml.

Vichy Idealia Life Serum – Two 3ml Skin Idealizer Serum and one Smoothing and illuminating cream. All three wrapped in a cute little bag. Gem told me a few days ago that she knew we were going to be receiving a Vichy product and that alone was enough to excite us both. The packaging is so adorable that it may be a little while before I delve into these and give them a bash. With bold statements such as “helping to protect your skin from the visible effects if stress, pollution, smoke or an unbalanced diet” I am expecting miracles! £29.50 for 30ml.

Emite Make Up Micronized Eyeshadow in Dams – Excitement always follows as soon as the realisation sets in that the colour of your new eyeshadow is black. The perfect colour for both of us for pretty much most of our looks! I had a cheeky swatch on my finger and it seems to promise a nice even coverage but a slight matte colour. Apparently this shadow is good for those with sensitive eyes and lens wearers of which I know a fair few girlies who fall into this category. I’m looking forward to delving into this. £16.80 for 1.48g.

After last month, Glossybox have really redeemed themselves. I’m so excited to play with everything in this months box and it’s really brightened up the morning! If you’d like to try them out, you can get grab your Glossybox here for just for £10 (+ P&P) per month. Glossybox also have giftcards available in 3,6 or 12 month subscriptions. Perfect for the holiday season!

Totally hellbent for kissing and making up!

-Pants

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Beauty Boxes

Glossybox October 2013 – Dark Romance

October 14, 2013

When the preview pictures of the theme for the October Glossybox went up, I was so, so excited – Dark Romance – all thoughts of smoky eyes and deep reds and purples, but the actual box seems to bear little in way of the theme and I have to say is my least favourite since subscribing.

Katy Perry Killer Queen EDP

The first thing I noticed was the perfume sample that I already received in the Sept/Oct Miss Glossybox. I can only assume there are a great number of people like myself who subscribe to both and feel a bit cheated getting the same product twice.

1.5ml sample

50ml for £29.00 from Superdrug

Monu Illuminating Primer

I love a good primer, and this one comes highly recommended. The sample is a decent 20ml size so will get plenty of use out of it at least. I just find it hard to get super-excited about primers, perhaps this will amaze me and i’ll bite my words but it’s a bit…boring?

20ml sample

50ml for £24.95 from Monu

Premae Multi-vit Smoothie Serum

Again, I find it pretty hard to get excited about skin-care. I do like that this is allergen free and clearly marked as being vegan but it just doesn’t strike me as a WOW product.

20ml sample

50ml for £33.50 from Premae

Me Me Me Cherub’s Blush Lip & Cheek Tint

This is the only product you could even remotely tie into the “Dark Romance” theme. It’s the third or fourth Me Me Me product I’ve received in a Glossybox, and probably my least favourite. I tried a little on my cheeks and it stained where I applied before I had time to rub it in leaving me with little red stripes on my cheeks. As a lip stain it was far too watery. I’ll be sticking to my Benetint.

Full size product

12ml for £5.50 from MeMeMe

Vita Liberata Latte Illuminating Skin Finish

Definitely the worst thing I’ve ever got in a beauty box. I don’t use tanning products EVER AT ALL EVER EVER EVER and even if I did I would be disappointed at the two little sachets. I also don’t think tanned glimmering latte skin could be further away from “Dark Romance” if it tried.

2 x 3ml samples

30ml for £29.99 from Vita Liberata

Lots of people have expressed their disappointment at both the lack of adherence to the theme and the products themselves, so here’s hoping Glossybox pull something amazing out for next month to make up for it!

You can order a Glossybox here for £10 (+ P&P) per monthly box.

Totally hellbent for “oh it will be better next time”

– Gem

Beauty Boxes

Glossybox September 2013 – The London Edition

September 10, 2013

Officially the most well timed Glossybox ever. It arrived right as my boyfriend returned back to Holland for uni and gave me a much needed burst of cheer and excitement.

First notable thing (other than the gorgeous union jack box!) is the addition of the GB MAG. Gone is the large fold out explanation of the products, and in it’s place a glossy magazine and small card – just like Birchbox.

Eylure Pre-glued Lashes

I can’t say I’ve ever found myself distressed at the lack of glue on bog-standard lashes, but I’m sure I’ll make a grab for these next time I’m in a real hurry.

Full size sample.

£5.29 from Boots.

Elizabeth Arden Untold EDP

Truth be told, most perfume samples in beauty boxes leave us all a little underwhelmed, but when it’s a mini bottle in adorable packaging I get a lot more enthused. The box itself is very luxe, and the perfume bottle adorable.

The scent is very wearable and floral, and I could definitely see me purchasing the full size at some point. Take note perfumeries, the shallowness of beauty bloggers is unfathomable. Put your sample in a pretty bottle and it’s a guaranteed win…you know so long as it smells nice too!

5ml Sample.

£31.50 – £62.10 from Debenhams

TONI&GUY HairMeet Wardrobe – Classic shine and gloss serum

Am I the only one not crazy about the idea of shiny hair? I’m actually dying my hair as I write this so can’t quite test it out, but I don’t imagine it will be something I use often unfortunately.

Full size sample.

£7.19 for 30ml from Boots.

Be A Bombshell Onyx Eye Liner

Well hello! Just when I thought my frivolous flirting with eyeliners was over thanks to the Eyeko Skinny Mini, I may have just been tempted to stray all over again!

After a quick swatch it was very easy to see the versatility of this liner, from subtle flicks to the most grandiose wings! Something I will be playing around with a lot!

Full size sample.

$14 for 3g from www.beabombshell.com

Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips

This has been a cult product for a long time, and I’ve been temped to purchase it in the past but instead went for the Nib+Fab offering. As my beloved N+F lip and nip cream has been discontinued I think it’s about time I gave this a shot, so yet again brilliant timing Glossybox!

After a quick test I have to say this is almost an identical product to the Nib+Fab, very very VERY moisturising on the lips. It has a really thick texture which some people aren’t fond of, but I find that using a small amount on my lips just before bed means I very rarely if ever suffer from chapped lips.

100% will be a re-purchase!

3ml sample

Full size £11.50 from www.drlipp.com

All in all this is one of my favourite Glossyboxes to date!

You can order a Glossybox here for £10 (+ P&P) per monthly box.

Totally hellbent for good timing!

– Gem

Beauty Boxes, Hair, Make-up, Skincare

August 2013 Glossybox

August 13, 2013

As well as free things, I also came back to Augusts Glossybox upon the return from Bloodstock. It certainly turned a very glum Pants into a very excitable and distracted one! There is something about this box that makes me feel as though it’s Christmas again. Even though everyone else gets the same packaging, it makes me feel as though this was packaged and wrapped just for me.

So enough with the jabbering and on with the contents you say? Well alright then:

This month brought me the following:

Oceane makeup remover pen (with extra tips)
Jelly Pong Pong 2-in-1 shadow liner (I had the grey/green like colour)
TRESemme Concentrated rinse off treatment (perfect for post festival hair disasters)
Emite Eyelash Curler (I’ve been thinking about buying some curlers for a while now)
Olay regenerist 3 point treatment cream (can never have enough cream to help with fine lines and sagging right?)

Needless to say, I am more than excited at trying the Jelly Pong Pong after I fell in love with their fairy lashes mascara. Now I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of other beauty boxes to satisfy my addiction for new products and kill the inevitable festival blues.

Totally hellbent for post festival cheer ups

– Pants

Beauty Boxes, Hair, Skincare

Free product joys

August 13, 2013

It’s always sad when festival season finishes, however it is made slightly better when you come back to parcels that contain free things!!!

On my return from Wacken, I received my two free products after signing up to Birchbox:

Wen Cleansing Conditioner, which I confess I used during my first shower back at home and it felt amazing! I was also filled with joy at receiving another L’Occitane moisturiser. I already have one of these from a Glossybox a few months ago and have been using it sparingly so I am pleased this has now been replenished.

To make things even better, upon returning from Bloodstock yesterday, I received this through the letterbox:

A free Maybelline “The Rocket Volum’ Express” mascara. This was from a competition I had entered and clearly forgotten about. I have resisted opening it to test it out for now so I am sure this won’t be the last you will be seeing of this!

Totally hellbent for bonus postal goodies

-Pants

Beauty Boxes

Miss Glossybox July / August 2013

July 24, 2013

Miss Glossybox is the younger sibling of the HBFL favourite, Glossybox. A bi-monthly subscription beauty box aimed at teenagers (or 27 year old’s with a beauty box addiction…*cough*).

The box costs £7.00 (+£2.95 P&P) and everyone receives the same five items.

I was expecting a box within a box in keeping with the grown up Glossybox, but the junior version comes in a purple drawstring bag, that is sizeable enough to be fairly useful in some way or another I’m sure!

Okay onto the shinies –

Kiss Nail Wrap – Cocktail

The first thing that caught my eye – OOOOH ZEBRAS! I love zebras a little too much, and though the pink is a little girly for me I admit I did do a little sequel.

Now I have a confession…I have a drawer full of nail wraps and I’ve never tried any of them. I guess it’s the fear of messing them up and then you’ve wasted the whole product…I might be brave and try these out after festival season.

V05 Plump it up Dry Backcomb Spray

Yup. Definitely my kind of hair product. Gave it a quick try and it gave a lot of volume with little effort. I can say it will 100% be a repurchase, even after only one small test!

Glossybox False Lashes

One can never have too many pairs of falsies, and I don’t own a single pair this full so a great item for me. The Glossybox branded items have always been great products so I’m sure these will be of a high quality too.

Beyonce Midnight Heat

I’m not usually a big fan of perfume samples (is anyone?) unless they are in miniature bottles, but I have to say this smells gorgeous. Not sure why a description of it’s “sensual and enticing” fragrance is included in a box for young girls, but hey-ho.

Miss Patisserie Starlight Macaroon bath fizzy

The gorgeous passion fruit, rose and shea butter scent filled the box even through all the packaging, however I was filled with dismay at finding a bath bomb as I don’t have a bath! When we had the bathroom refitted I decided to have a double shower instead – which means I have lots of room for my products but zero use for a bath bomb.

Overall it was a good box, lacking in make-up items but very usable for me at least. You don’t get as much bang for your buck as you would with a standard Glossybox, but you still end up quids in!

You can order a Miss Glossybox of your own from here for £7.00 +P&P.

Totally hellbent for pretending to still be a teenager

– Gem

Beauty Boxes, Festivals, Hair, Make-up, Nails

July 2013 Glossybox

July 13, 2013

Glossybox day is always the most exciting day of the month!

I’ve been doubly excited about the July box since I saw the gorgeous turquoise print a few days ago as part of the “ready for summer” theme, and I’m glad to say the contents were just as exciting!

After a long day in the sun at work organising a performance for some pupils at my music school, I was filled with glee at my lovely blue box. Despite my hot, sweaty, impatient demeanour I took my time drawing that lovely blue ribbon to reveal the treasures inside.

I am happy to say I will use everything inside the box, in fact I’d used the first item within seconds of spotting it!

Anatomiocals spray misty for me facial spritz

Anatomicals is not a brand I’ve heard of before but I rushed to cover my face in this cooling lavender and peppermint spray the moment I realized what it was. I was still wearing a full face of make-up at the time and it cooled me down and made my face feel refreshed without budging my war paint even a bit!

Alterna Haircare bamboo style boho waves tousled texture mist

I love the wavy just-come-from-the-beach-or-alternatively-from-a-vicious-headbanging-session look so I’m sure I’ll get lots of use out of this. It has a very light summery scent so I’m sure I’ll enjoy that regardless of how good it is at giving me big blue summery waves.

Pukka Ayurveda radiance serum

I’ve become slightly less excited about skincare items in my Glossybox as I find I never really get a chance to properly try them out. I have so many skincare samples and minis I fear I’ll never get around to really giving them a go, but the tripple whammy of Wacken > Bloodstock > Sunkfest next month means I should have plenty of reasons to pack my skincare minis and leave my full sized staples at home!

Ciate paint pot in “Pocket Money”

I’ve been meaning to try a Ciante polish for a long time, but begrudge £9.00 for something I will use one or two times then relegate to the back of my nail varnish drawer, so this was a nice surprise.

I love the warm neutral shade, and the packaging is very pretty however my boyfriend broke the trademark bow within two seconds of seeing it proclaiming “I want to eat it, it looks like dessert”…..

Coola Organic Suncare Collection mineral face SPF 20 rose essence tint

I hate hate hate the feeling of oily sun lotion on my face and sadly stick to foundations with SPF rather than a dedicated cream, reluctantly using a light spray sun protection in the hottest of weather. This however looks like it might be my new favourite product!

The full size product is a tad on the pricey side at £29.99 got 50ml as you have to throw away suncare products every year, but if it protects my face and keeps my skin from looking like an oil slick I might be swayed.

Overall verdict

Although I prefer a mix of more make-up products I’m really happy and impressed with this box, and I think I will get a lot of use out of it on my adventures next month!

You can order a Glossybox here for £10 (+ P&P) per monthly box.

Totally hellbent at almost being set for adventures thanks to my new miniatures!

– Gem

Beauty Boxes, Make-up, Skincare

Pants’ June 2013 Spoils

July 11, 2013

I thought I would share some of my favorite spoils with you for this month.

From left to right:

MUA blushers in “Bubble Gum”, “Candyfloss” and “Marshmallow” (check out Gem’s review of these)

Glossybox: Sarah Chapman Skin Tone Perfecting Booster

Beauty UK lipsticks in “naughty” and “vampire”

NYPM lipstick

Glossybox: Me Me Me Long Lasting Gloss in “Indulgent”

Glossybox: Helen E Eyeliner Pencil in “Electric Blue”

Model Co Black Eyeliner and Nude Lip Liner

Model Co Fibre Lashextend Mascara

Collection 2000 Skylash Mascara (a lovely Gem spoil after I helped her in her quest of “operation dressing table” look out for more about that in her blog)

Glossybox: Figs & Rouge Lip balm in Coco-rose

Glossybox: Boss “Jour pour femme” tester

I am most definitely looking forward to trying all of these out!

Totally hellbent for gifts and spoils

-Pants