I know I cancelled by subscription to Glossybox, but I’ve still ended up with two boxes thanks to my hoard of Glossydots meaning they were free of charge. Since returning from festival season I’ve managed to come back to a Vegan Kind box, Birchbox and this month’s Glossybox so I’ve definitely been spoilt rotten.
We all know my track record with Glossybox has been a little rocky as of late and I’ve had a tendency to be severely disappointed with the contents, so this month I’m going to try and be a little more positive, so on with the contents we go …
Kryolan for Glossybox – Highlighter in “Cashmere” – 4.5g sample – RRP £12.95 for full size
I do love me a good highlight! Despite my reservations, the formula for this glides on beautifully and gives a lovely highlight – not to mention the packaging is sleek and wonderful. It reminds me a little of the elf studio range, of which I adore the square jars and the matte black lids. Kudos where credit is due though, I’ll be enjoying this.
Above: Left – Kryolan for Glossybox Highlighter in “Cashmere” swatch & Right – Essence Longlasting Lipstick in “Natural Beauty” swatch
Essence – Longlasting Lipstick in “Natural Beauty” – full size – £2.29
Essence is a brand I’ve heard a lot about recently and I’ve had to try very hard not to purchase anything myself since I’ve been trying to save money for festivals and the new arrival of a puppy (expensive stuff are puppies!). At first I winced at the colour but at second glance I’m pretty pleased with it. It’s a slightly pinker nude which goes well with my skin tone and I have been after a nice nude for a while now. The application seems Okay but I haven’t tested this out and about so I’m unsure of the longevity yet. I am looking forward to eventually trying a few more things out from Essence though … in time of course.
Figs & Rough – Mini Hand Cream – 20ml sample – £6.95 for full size
I’m a big fan of hand cream. I generally have one on my desk, in a few bags and by the side of my bed. I also have some next to the kitchen sink so I can top myself up if I’m downstairs. More hand cream is always welcome, and after trying some of their lip balm I’m a massive fan of Figs & Rouge. This hand cream is mango and mandarin and it smells so fruity and delicious. One thing I did notice after applying it was how instantly soft my hands felt. There was no sticky or oily residue and it didn’t feel as though i’d just creamed my hands, but they felt exceptionally smooth. I can’t see this tube lasting for very long at all!
Philip Kingsley – Elasticizer – 40ml sample – £38 for full size
This one is a little strange – I’m not quite sure what the desired effect is for this. According to the Glossybox info – this is a pre-shampoo treatment delivering unrivalled elasticity, manageability, bounc and shine without weighing down or coating the hair. Well I’m pretty sure my Shampoo & Conditioner also claim to do these things. My only qualm about trying this out, is that it’s a pre-shampoo, meaning you have to apply to damp hair and leave for 10-20 minutes. Not great if you are on a schedule or if it already takes you a good half an hour when washing your hair to complete your shower routine. Still I’ll give this a bash and see what I think. At £38 a bottle though I really am expecting a miracle.
Yves Rocher – Nail Polish in “Rose” – 3ml sample – £3.60 for full size
Okay, I know I said I was going to be positive about this box, but I definitely rolled my eyes at this one. First of all – pink? Another crummy pink nail varnish? As much as I’ve recently discovered the joys of pink lipstick, one thing I really can’t get into is pink nail varnish. It just isn’t for me. Tie this in with the pitiful 3ml sample and this is definitely the worst product from this month’s box. It applied Okay, but was a little streaky and probably not a brand I’ll be going out of my way to buy any time soon. For now it will be added to the “pink” pile awaiting a new home with someone who appreciates this shade of nail.
Lalique – L’Amour perfume sample – 2ml sample – £67 for full size
I’m generally pretty non chalonce about fragrance samples. I always think most samples I receive are nice but I’ve never had any that have made me instantly want to part with £70 to buy the full size. My vast and expanding fragrance collection generally comes from my two dads at Christmas, which I am eternally grateful for. One dad buys my the expensive designer stuff such as Jean Paul and Dior and the other picks me things up when he goes abroad based on how nice they smell, which is how I discovered Escada (one of my favourite brands). Despite that I do enjoy trying out these samples and they are pretty handy for throwing in a hand bag or taking to gigs. Lalique is actually more of my Winter scent – it’s pretty heavy, and the notes of Rosebud really makes an appearance. With a slight floral undertone, although heavy it’s not too over bearing but definitely more of an evening scent. I was also pretty enthralled by the sample vial. I’ve become heavily accustomed to spray samples so I was a little confused when nothing happened upon pressing the top down. The lid actually comes off and it has a few little holes in the top so this can be rubbed over the skin. A little different to the samples of today. I probably wont be purchasing this any time soon but I wouldn’t complain if someone bought it for me!
I think this month’s box has been pretty good overall. I wasn’t blown away, but I haven’t by Glossybox for a long while now. I was a little disappointed with the size and colour of the nail varnish, but overall I’ve enjoyed all but the varnish in the August box. If you’d like to try Glossybox out, you can do so for just £10 plus P&P here. I still have a few points left to use up, so we’ll see what next month brings.
Totally hellbent for coming back to reality with a host of beauty boxes from the post man
– Pants
