Candy Coat Review – March 2016

I was really excited to hear of this subscription box, I have a huge obsession with nail polish – I will never get close to using all the colours I have – but thought it would be rude not to give this a go, particularly as its a gel polish selection. I subscribed and eagerly awaited delivery, eek was not disappointed!

The packaging is super cute, and it just got better when I opened it, what an absolute joy to behold – so pretty – it includes gel polish, nail tools, lifestyle accessories, stationery and personalised candy which is a great touch and demonstrates the time, effort and passion that goes into these boxes.

Candy Coat | Gel Nail Varnish x 5

The box includes three shades of polish, a pretty candy pink shade, a fresh mint green shade, both perfect for the spring season and a classic bright red. Plus in this edition you get both a base coat and top coat to get you started – all you need is a UV/LED lamp to cure the gel and end up with perfectly manicured pinkies.

Nail Tools and Nail Art x 10 items

You can’t have a nail subscription box without tools, and the Candy Coat team have you covered. I received a nail brush, cuticle pusher, cuticle fork along with a glittering double sided nail file, perfect for getting your nails primed to perfection. In addition the box included a nail brush to neaten any polish mistakes complete with dotting tool to add that extra flair to your mani. To top it all off I also received a pot of pink glitter, purple beads, and crystals to glam up your nails, and two sets of nail art decals.

Accessories x 3 items

In addition to all the above I also received a personalised lollipop, such a lovely touch it makes the box feel all that more special, plus a pink candy pen and a pin badge.

Wow – I am totally hooked on this box, it gave so much more than I expected. A full selection of gel nail polish perfect for the season, a surprise personalised gift, lots of tools to perfect that mani – and its letterbox friendly. The love and attention to detail within the box certainly sets it apart from any other subscription I have, and to top it off, it’s fabulous value for money. To sign up visit the Candy Coat website, the April box will be available from 1st April. Click here.

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My Little Box Review – March 2016

This month’s My Little Box embraces everything big, bubbly and bright, I really do love this box it gives you something different each month and its perfectly themed to make you smile.

My Little Beauty | Happy Hair Day Brush

Its amazing how many hairbrushes you own, but can’t find one when you need them, so this is a welcome addition to the collection, it makes a great change from the usual black and grey brushes I own, so maybe I’ll be able to find this one. RRP £13.00

My Little Beauty | Make-up Blender

This little blender is a dream to use, a little softer than some of the other brands on the market, it suits my skin better and blends my foundation to a completely flawless finish. If you are in any doubt how to get the best from your blender, the team have provided a foolproof guide in this month’s My Little World magazine. RRP £8.00

My Little Beauty | Bubble Blush Lip and Cheek Tint

This is a gorgeous pink colour, it has a creamy texture whilst not being too thick, it adds a natural dewy finish to your cheeks – just blend well and work quickly to avoid looking like Aunt Sally (gratuitous 80’s reference). I also love the colour on my lips, it applies really smoothly, and lasts quite well, a nice addition to my make-up bag. RRP £10.99

Huygens | Body Scrub

This body scrub is really good, it rivals my long term favourite from The Sanctuary Spa, skin feels silky smooth after use and it doesn’t strip skin of moisture as it exfoliates. The only downside for me is the smell, it has a sickly sweet citrus/honey smell which really puts off buying this product, another fragrance and I may be persuaded. RRP £10.99

Givenchy | Noir Couture Volume

I adore this mascara, the design of the brush coats every lash perfectly, it glides on effortlessly with no clumping, and lasts brilliantly all day without smudging or flaking. It really did make my lashes look longer, bolder and blacker, I was really impressed. RRP £25.00

As always My Little Box delivered a lots of smiles, it’s a very pretty pastel presentation, everything just looks gorgeous, and yet again a great selection of products. If you would like to subscribe visit their website. Click here.

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Cohorted Review – March 2016

This month’s Cohorted box seems to be focused along a nudes theme, and I for one am not disappointed, the contents in this month’s box is fabulous, you pay for quality and its delivered.

The Balm | Put a Lid on it Eye Primer

I’ve always lagged behind with certain ‘non essential’ products, and eye primer is certainly one. My everyday make up is quick and simple, quick being the operative word in that statement. However, this quick drying primer is surprisingly good, it glides across your eye effortlessly, drys quickly and really makes your chosen eyeshadow pop, my shadow looked perfect all day, no fading or creasing. This will certainly be used regularly going forward, maybe not everyday – I am lazy – but on days when I need a little more zing and most definitely on evenings out. RRP £5.00

bareMinerals | Heavenly Face Brush

I love this brush, it is chunky but so very soft. It’s ideal for use with pressed powders, blusher or bronzers, for me it is perfect for setting powder, not only does it buff my foundation to a flawless finish but used with my powder finishes off my make-up perfectly. RRP £25.00

Pixi | Crayon Combo in Supernatural

Wow, I love this pencil.  It can be used as either a liner or shadow, the texture is very creamy, immensely pigmented, it glides on without snagging or dragging and blends perfectly to create a gorgeous smokey eye, or a left crisp as a defined liner and its waterproof! The colours are great for day or night, it was worth the wait. RRP £14.50

Nails Inc | Cadogan Square

Within 20 minutes of opening this box, I had this beautiful glossy caramel shade on my nails, it applies like a dream and lasted 4 days without chipping – it would have lasted longer but I fancied a change – it’s a beautiful chic shade that will definitely be a regular selection. RRP £9.00

The Balm | Nude’tude Eyeshadow Palette

I had been eyeing this palette for a couple of months, I’m so glad I held out, it contains 12 gorgeous nude shades that will take you from a barely there natural daytime look to an all out sultry evening look. The colours are highly pigmented, glide across your lids and remain perfectly crease free. A definite thumbs up from me! RRP £35.00

That just about covers the contents of March’s Cohorted beauty box, it was a fabulous curation that coordinates perfectly to give you a polished natural look. Cohorted is more expensive than many beauty boxes at £35.00 but the quality of brands included is worth the splurge, to find out visit the Cohorted website.

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You Beauty Box Review – March 2016

This month’s You Beauty Box is dedicated to home grown brands with a Best of British edit. With Spring on the horizon this month’s products have been selected to inject a little patriotic pride and enthusiasm into our beauty routine to get us prepped and primed for the new season.

Firstly let’s take a look at the two essentials everyone received.

Charles Worthington | Moisture Seal Hair Healer

I was excited to see this in this month’s box, I’m always on the lookout for a new leave-in conditioner. This range is enriched with Argan Oil and fragranced with lime, mandarin and white florals. It detangles hair, seals in moisture without making hair feel limp and heavy, hair feels soft, silky and deeply nourished. I need to use this for a couple of weeks to see if it still works it magic, I wonder if it ousts my trusty Vitapoint…

Ooharr | Rosie Glow Dead Sea Cooler Deep Cleansing Face Mask Duo

You can’t beat a good old clay mask for the ultimate pampering experience so a new brand and two masks was exciting. These clay masks are made with natural ingredients to detoxify and draw out impurities, leaving skin looking radiant and revitalised. Rosie Glow contains a mix of rose marula and palmarosa oils to hydrate skin and Dead Sea Cooler contains a mix of peppermint, tea tree and witch hazel to detoxify.

These are the two products I selected this month:

The Body Shop | British Rose Instant Glow Body Butter

You cannot fail to love The Body Shop body butter range, a velvety soft moisturiser that melts into your skin, leaving it soft, supple and glowing. The fragrance is gorgeous and the smell lasts really well, I love to apply after a warm bath before bedtime, it helps me drift off into a scented slumber.

COLAB | Sheer and Invisible Floral Fragrance Dry Shampoo

I selected this because I had heard rave reviews, but I am a little disappointed, I seem to have used 80% of the sample to get half decent looking hair (it’s only been one day – not a major task) it smells lovely, and leaves no white marks, however, I don’t think it will taking over from my trusty Batiste.

A You Beauty Box subscription is always really good value for money, at just £6.95 a month, you get to select two products from a pre-selected shortlist, along with a few added extras thrown in. It’s a great introduction to beauty boxes that won’t break the bank. For more information, visit the You Beauty website.

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Glossybox Review – March 2016

March’s Glossybox theme is “Get Glowing” the box covers it all from haircare to skincare and a glowing complexion. However, I  have to be honest I wasn’t overly impressed with the selection when I first opened the box, it’s not the best Glossybox I’ve ever had, but we are all allowed an off month.

Hey Honey | Good Morning Honey Silk Facial Serum

This is a totally new to me, but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s packed with natural goodies such as honey, silk amino acid, sea buckthorn oil and vitamin E to provide a luxurious serum that hydrates and nourishes skin giving you a healthy glow. It’s a great little find it glides on beautifully and leaves skin silky smooth – those clever bees are on to something!

Olay Regenerist | Luminous Skin Tone Perfecting Cream

I have invested in this range in the past, and was disappointed. It offers so much in the marketing blurb; regenerate the skin’s appearance, reduce the appearance of dark spots, hydrates, exfoliates, smoothes leaving luminous youthful skin. Sadly it leaves my skin dry and blotchy, the formula just doesn’t suit my dry sensitive skin, which is such a shame as their original beauty fluid is still amazing after all these years.

Luxie | Rose Gold Large Angled Face Brush

It’s alway nice to recieve a new make-up brush, and this one by Luxie is so pretty, I’m a sucker for rose gold. It’s perfect for all of your contouring needs, perfect for highlighter, bronzers and illuminators – also works great with blusher. The super soft bristles are anti-bacterial, helping keep your skin in tip- top condition.

So Susan | Light Diffuser, Cocoa Dust

The perfect companion for the Luxie brush, I was initially shocked by the darkness of the bronzer but I need not have worried it applies a lot lighter and blends perfectly, the highlighter is golden in colour, and a little goes a long way.

417 | Catharsis Vitamin Mineral Shampoo and Conditioner

Again another totally new brand product, it is based on natural Dead Sea mud – rich in unique minerals that stimulate the scalp and draw out impurities. The moisturising properties reduce dandruff, leaving hair soft, shiny and healthy.

After initially feeling disappointed upon opening I was pleasantly surprised by some of the products, the honey serum, bronzer and haircare products turned out to be great samples. It just didn’t have the usual excitement you expect from Glossybox. To discover more visit their website, click here.

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Look Incredible Review – March 2016

Look Incredible have again delivered a great selection in this month’s curation.  They have showcased a selection of well known brands as well as a new discovery,  inside there is a selection of make up, nail varnish and perfume and all for only £18.99 a month – it is an impressive haul of full sized products that boasts an amazing value of £84.98.

NARS | Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Club Mix

Eveytime you recieve a NARS product you instantly feel spoilt, this month is no different with a gorgeous plum shade lip pencil that glides on perfectly, leaving a subtle sheen of glossy colour. The formula is very light, providing great hydration and colour. RRP £20.00

bareMinerals | Ready a Eyeshadow in Phenomenon

This duo features Azure Iris, a pale lavender shade with Golden Irish which is a gold bronze colour, they apply like a dream and blend brilliantly, but the colour combination left me looking like a week old bruise – to my mind an odd combo of colours!

Having said that I cannot fault the quality of the shadows, they had minimal fallout when applied, and have great pigmentation. Powered by their proprietary SeaNutritive Mineral Complex along with powerful antioxidants to deliver anti-aging benefits including reduced look of puffiness and antioxidant protection for a softer, smoother, revitalized eye area. RRP £20.00

PUPA | Pupalash Engergizer Mascara

Pupa is a totally new brand to me, the mascara promises volume, curl, length and intense colour – wow! It does lengthen and add volume to lashes annd offers a clump free formula, I was quite impressed after the first application. It also claims to stimulate the growth of eyelashes with continuous use over 30 days – I’ll keep you posted! RRP £19.99

The Body Shop | White Musk Libertine

I love this fragrance, it’s a regular in my collection, from perfume, to body wash, to body lotion, I have everything, so I was delighted to receive another bottle of perfume. White Musk Libertine goes further than the traditional musk fragrance with the additional notes of Turkish delight, chantilly cream and orchid. It offers a sweeter, creamier version of the traditional musk scent, it’s perfect for everyday use and won’t break the bank. RRP £16.00

OPI | OPI by Nicole in Always a Silver Lining

OPI is one of my favourite brands, it has a fantastic formulation that applies easily and effortlessly, provides fantastic colour coverage in just 2 coats and lasts really well. So, this gorgeous metallic silver is a welcome addition to my collection, it adds a touch of glamour to an evening out, and works perfectly as an accent colour with your every day manicure. RRP £8.99

Yet again another great box from the Look Incredible team, a great selection of quality brands and a great range of products. To find out more on the Look Incredible subscription, click here.

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Birchbox Review – March 2016

This month’s Birchbox “Word Up” edition is all about helping us in the search for for our new beauty essentials and must have products, and the word search inspired box is the starting point.

Arrow | Boost Colour Enhancing Lip Balm

This is another of Birchbox’s own beauty brands and the first introduction. The brand specialises in long wearing make-up and refreshing skincare designed to keep up with our busy lifestyles. This balm is formulated to adjust to your unique pH, and enhances your natural lip colour. Sceptical as ever with the claims I tried it straightaway and Eeek it worked! My lips turned a lovely pink colour but felt hydrated. It’s a thumbs up from me. RRP £11.00 full size.

ModelCo | More Brows

I love an eyebrow gel, personally I’m not good with pencils and powders, they require precision and patience – of which I posses neither trait. The gel delivers natural looking, fuller brows instantly, the quick drying formula contains hair-like particles to create the appearance of fuller, more even eyebrows, with the added advantage of shaping your brows as you go! You can’t go wrong with this I love it, I was converted when I received my first sample last year, I’ve never looked back.  RRP £13.00 full size.

Beauty Protector | Beauty Cream Hand & Body Lotion

Having loved the hair products I had previously received I was intrigued to see if this would live to up expectations. It really does yay! The lotion is really rich with a thick consistency, it absorbed really well and my skin felt soft afterwards,  the fragrance is incredible and it lingers all day! RRP £10.90 for 207ml, full size.

Crea-m | Revitalizing Anti-Ageing Cream

On first application I was impressed, it has a light texture than sinks immediately into your skin leaving it feeling smooth, refreshed and really hydrated, I can’t comment on the anti-ageing properties after only a couple of uses. It claims to stimulate collagen to boost plumpness, and fights against free radicals to strengthen skin and fight against premature ageing. RRP £29.70 for 50ml, full size.

Amika | Nourishing Mask

This repairing hair mask aims to hydrate hair while repairing damage and sealing split ends, it’s free form parabens and other unwanted chemicals, enriched with buckthorn berry and jojoba oil and it smells amazing. Unfortunately the sample size was too small to offer a proper review, I like to use a hair product at leat 3 times to see if it works for me, I only got one use, but it left my hair feeling soft, as for the the sealing split ends and repairing damaged hair, I can’t really comment on after just one use. RRP £19.99 full size 250ml.

Birchbox | Hair Ties x 2

I really dislike these hair ties, I find them incredibly uncomfortable to wear, I always end up with a headache when I use them –  and I have to be honest I’m fed up of receiving them – much better hair ties out there. Cheap and disappointing box filler. RRP £5.00 full size, approx 8-10 ties.

I have mixed feelings on this month’s box, there were some great products included, but I think I drew the short straw compared to the samples other people received, I feel a bit meh! Which is unusual I normally love my Birchbox. If you want to discover more visit the Birchbox website, click here.

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L’Occitane Comforting Collection

I was having a bad skin episode when I decided to give this range a try. I often get eczema on my face, which aside from the fact it looks terrible, nothing you put on your skin helps, in fact most skincare and makeup makes it ten times worse. I came across this product range when reading a blog post by British Beauty Blogger, you can view her site here.

L’Occitane Shea Face Comforting Oil

I can honestly say that this is the first facial oil I have used that hasn’t felt heavy or left my skin feeling greasy. It goes on like a dream it has a fine silky texture and dry finish, it comforted and nourished my dry sensitive skin perfectly, even at its worst.

I use this once a day, before bedtime, followed by the soothing fluid and comforting cream, yes my skin really is that bad at times. Simply warm a few drops in the palm of your hands and gently massage into your skin.

Enriched with 5% Shea and marula oils it 100% natural formula helps the skin to regenerate strengthening the barrier function helping skin feel soft and supple.

L’Occitane Comforting Cleanser (not pictured)

This cleansing oil compliments the range perfectly it quickly removes make-up and impurities in one simple step, whilst helping to lock in the essential moisture your skin needs to look healthy and radiant.

I use this twice a day, my skin feels fresh and clean without feeling dry or taut after washing. The oil turns into an emulsion on contact with water, helping keep the skin hydrated. Again this oil is enriched with 5% Shea oil.

L’Occitane Soothing Fluid

This product is the new hero of my skincare regime – I literally cannot do without this soothing fluid, it is amazing. From first application my skin was soothed, it almost instantly felt softer and calmed.

It has been formulated for sensitive and damaged skin, which often suffers from tightness, redness and prickling or burning sensations. The exact symptoms I was looking to relieve! It contains natural, protective ingredients (rosehip and calendula) combined with 5% Shea butter, and helps to comfort, soothe and strengthen the skin.

I use this soothing fluid twice a day after cleansing and before moisturising, my skin feels amazing, looks healthy and radiant, I cannot recommend this product enough.

L’Occitane Ultra Rich Comforting Cream

I selected the ultra rich comforting cream as a quick fix for my extremely dry sensitive skin, and it didn’t let me down. It is formulated with 25% Shea butter ideal for the needs of dry to very dry sensitive skin types. Tightness is reduced and skin is nourished all day long – up to 72hrs according to the packaging.

I use this cream twice a day after the soothing fluid, I do tend to warm the cream a little before application, it then melts into you skin quicker and you tend to use less product.

My skin feels amazing since I have been using this range, within three days of use the difference was very noticeable, not only did my skin heal itself it felt softer and looked healthier. After a month of use my skin is silky smooth and looks radiant. If you do have problematic skin I would highly recommend this range, and top of the list would be the Soothing Fluid.

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Look Fantastic Review – March 2016

As always, the first beauty box to arrive was Look Fantastic. This month the LF team are taking us on an adventure around the world with some of their favourite products from New York, Paris and London. So all aboard to discover the beauty essentials for the jet set lifestyle. #LFExplorer

Codage | Masque Hydratant Moisturising Masque

I do love the Codage range, the products I have tried so far always leave my skin feeling incredibly soft and nourished, and this masque is no exception. Formulated without parabens, essential oils and pthalates, the mask is suitable for the most sensitive of skin. The texture is a rich emulsion which works to banish signs of dryness and damage, revitalising the skin to leave it radiant and glowing is just 20 minutes. Sit back, relax and enjoy the results.

Revlon | Colourburst Lip Balm in Demure

Chubby lip crayons are the latest ‘must have’ for your make up bag. This defiantly falls into the lip balm category so don’t depend on it for adding colour, the light pink shade added a glossy shimmering finish, more like a clear lip gloss. The balm is triple infused with a butter complex of Shea, Mango and Coconut, leaving you lips soft moisturised and well hydrated – a great handbag essential.

Nuxe | Créme Prodigieuse

I have to be honest, I’m a little hit and miss with the Nuxe range, some products work perfectly and I use regularly, others have no effect or leave my skin feeling a little dry. Unfortunately Créme Prodigieuse does just that, my skin always feels taut and dry afterwards, but I do have high maintenance skin, if you skin is normal to combination I think it will work perfectly. The lightweight moisturiser has been formulated with blue ageratum and blue everlasting flower to help reduce redness and inflammation, it has a smooth texture and absorbs quickly  to keep your skin nourished and protected.

Caudalie | Micellar Cleansing Water

Soap-free and hypoallergenic this Micellar water from Caudalie is suitable for all skin types, it gently cleanses and removes make up from the eyes and face in one simple step, leaving skin moisturised, soothed, clean and soft. It is delicately scented with orange and lemon blossom, watermelon and mint leaves, and makes the daily chore of removing make-up a little more of a treat.

First Aid Beauty | Ultra Repair Cream

This a totally new brand for me, but I have to say so far I’m impressed. I suffer with stress-related eczema and have a break out at the moment, I applied this cream and in a short space of time I have noticed an improvement. This super-emollient skin healer nourishes protects and hydrates dry and itchy skin, the whipped textures is instantly absorbed with no oily feeling afterwards leaving skin hydrated, calm and smoother.

Lottie London | Concealer Brush

A beautifully soft brush perfect for application of concealer leaving a flawless finish, you can use the angled tip to apply perfectly underneath the eyes or use the flat end for broader coverage – very nice.

Emergen-C | Energy and Immunity Powders

With colds currently doing the rounds in our office, I will definitely be giving these a try. The vitamin C drink mix offers a dose of vitamins and minerals that support your everyday health. With each sip 15 nutrients flow into your body, boosting energy, boosting your immune system whilst helping reduce tiredness and fatigue.

Elle Magazine | April Edition

The final inclusion in this month’s box was the April edition of Elle magazine, perfect for relaxing with the Codage Masque Hydratant – bliss.

That about covers my review of this month’s box, and again another brilliant edit from Look Fantastic, it is cream heavy this month, but I don’t mind that I quite enjoy a pamper session with lotions and potions. A little shout out to the accompanying box magazine, great information on the products included, introduction to fashion week favourites, city break essentials and a fantastic recipe for Coconut and Date balls – a really fantastic box! To find out more visit the Look Fantastic website.

Thanks for reading – I would love to know what you think. You can contact me via email: Sarah.BeautyBoxAddict@gmail.com

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The Glamour Spring Edit from Latest in Beauty

The guys at Latest in Beauty HQ have teamed up with Glamour Beauty Director, Alessandra Steinherr to get you ready for the Spring season with 7 beauty treats.

Now is the perfect the time to Spring clean your beauty regime, and at just £17.99 for a box that’s worth £79.65 lyou can’t go wrong!

What’s Included:

• Illamasqua – Precision Ink in Abyss
• MUA – Luxe Eyeshadow Palette
• MALIN+GOETZ – Vitamin E Face Moisturizer
• bareMinerals – bareSkin® Pure Brightening Serum Foundation SPF20
• Murad – AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser
• M&S – Rosie for Autograph Nuit Parfum EDP
• Murad – £10 Murad Gift Card
• MoroccanOil – Moroccanoil Treatment Light

The Glamour Spring Edit is available now for £17.99 via www.latestinbeauty.com