Latest In Beauty Box | Winter Glamour

Beauty boxes are a great way to experience new products that you may have otherwise not found out about. I've always enjoyed trying out new brands and products as I have sometimes found ones that I fell in love with and end up replacing items in my current collection as the new ones work for me so much better. Alternatively, being able to discover something that you never knew existed can change your beauty routine, and this happened to me when I first came across things such as brow pomade, brow gels and eye primer.

Latest in Beauty have created a service to let you receive some great beauty products that will be tailored to you. You'll create your profile which to choose your beauty preferences from a range of products, whether this is skincare, makeup, bath and body or hair care. From there you pick 3, 6 or 9 favourite products to test out each month in your very own personalised box. They also create one-off collection boxes filled with products inspired by different times of the year or other themes. One of these boxes is the Winter Glamour one that I've been testing out which "will have you looking beautiful in 2018" with their hair treats and makeup items filling this box. 

Priced at £20, this box is filled with a range of products for you to enjoy. The Max Factor Creme Bronzer in the 05 Light Gold shade will create a glow to flatter and enhance the natural features of your face. It uses micro-fine pigments and will blend with all skin tones so would be ideal to use for party makeup, or even if you just wanted some added glow. When it comes to applying your eyeliner or getting the perfect brows you need to ensure you have a sharp pencil. To keep it on point, this Duo Pencil Sharpener from The Vintage Cosmetic Company can sharpen both thin and thicker pencils while keeping all the shavings contained so that it won't create a mess amongst your other makeup, which I'm definitely guilty for; having pencil shavings in my makeup bag. For those wanting something for their lips, the Rodial XXL Lip Liner in the Nude shade will help to create fuller and more defined lips. It's designed to provide long-lasting colour, which is down to the waterproof and anti-feathering features. I often use lip liners and will definitely be keeping this one handy as having one that will stay put is vital.

If you wanted a lightweight foundation power, then the Nude By Nature Radiant Loose Powder in the Ivory shade might be what you are looking for. It will help to cover up pigmentation and any redness while being able to conceal pores and even out your complexion. I think this would be a good daily option to give you that light covering, with it coming in particularly useful towards the summer months due to it containing SPF 15. Applying your makeup can often be made easier by using the right tools. These Perfecting Blender Duo sponges from Ecotools are designed to be used with liquid and cream makeup and come in two densities. A smaller sponge is for more detailed and specific application (like baking underneath the eyes), while the larger one will be used for lighter and buildable makeup with it's soft and flexible properties. I can see these being great for taking away with me as you don't need more than two sponges and they work pretty well.

Keeping your hair looking good can sometimes feel a little difficult. This is where Moroccanoil Treatment Light could help you out. Argan Oil has many benefits for your hair due to it containing fatty acids and Vitamin E which are some of the much-needed nutrients. To give you the shiny, silky and swishy hair look, simply add a couple of pumps of the oil to your towel dried and clean hair onto the mid-lengths downwards. You can then either let it dry on its own or blow dry it depending on your preference. As I have dry hair I tend to use hair oil around twice a month as a deep treatment so this will come in useful to help me keep my hair healthy. Another hair treatment product comes from Charles Worthington and is the Moisture Seal Hair Healer Leave-In Conditioner. It's designed to deeply treat and nourish your hair, with the Abyssinian oil moisturising and Argan oil helps to restore any damage. As I can often get frizzy hair, I'm quite glad that the serum will help to combat this. To apply, you simply smooth it through damp hair with your fingers and leave it to do its work.

When it comes to putting my hair up, I'll normally just grab a bobble from the big pile of plain ones in the draw. What Kitsch have done is create some colourful handmade Hair Ties that can be paired with any outfit due to their varied designs in the pack of five. They have enough elastic in the tie to stay put while the wider design ensures they are comfortable to wear which will be good to help prevent discomfort. The last item in the beauty box was the Sleep Plus+ Hair Elixir from This Works. Combining the ability to boost the vitality of your hair while promoting better sleep, this "overnight problem solver" leaves you with hydrated and replenished hair while also helping you to get up feeling more positive. I've never seen a combination product like this before, but if it gives you healthier hair why letting me sleep better then I'm all for it. I've really enjoyed the products in this Winter Glamour box, particularly the lip liner and the good selection of hair care products as they match your needs at this time of year. I love beauty subscription boxes as you have the chance to try new products and improve the way you approach all things beauty.

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Glossybox October Box | Unicorn Edition

This month's Glossybox for me was the Unicorn Box with the other option being Mermaid themed. It contains five full-sized products, and there is also a chance to get your own exclusively designed unicorn or mermaid embroidered slogan sweatshirts, only costing £29.99. I love the design of this box and sets it aside from the general boxes each month, although I do find myself swayed towards the mermaid theme than unicorn but nonetheless its a pretty looking box.

The first product is the Makeup Revolution Mermaids vs Unicorns Eyeshadow Palette (£4.00). Having 12 different shades, from 'whimsically adventurous up to subtly charming', it gives you plenty of choices when deciding on which colour to go for. I've reviewed many Makeup Revolution palettes before so I have trust that this will perform the same as their other eyeshadows. The second item was the Creme to Powder Blush (£5.99) from Sleek Makeup. This blush is intensely pigmented but it still has a natural, dewy finish and I received Carnation out of the six shades. After blending this into your cheeks it will transform into a light powder to give your cheeks a subtle pop of colour that will last all day.

Cleaning brushes can be such a pain, especially when I've collected a large number over the past few years. This Brush Cleansing Egg (£7.99) by Kawaii Enterprise is designed to make cleaning your brushes easier than ever. You put two fingers inside the egg, apply some brush cleaner and swirl your brush over it to create a lather. Running the bristles down the deeper grooves will help to remove the foam and product build-up while realigning the brush hairs. Unfortunately, I'm not blessed with full and pigmented brows so I've always had to draw them on. Lord & Berry have their Magic Brow Perfect Eye Brow Pencil (£14.00) which is a highly pigmented brow pencil with a marbleised tip swirled with two complementary shades. I'm really fussy with my brows and found this shade a bit warm for me but I'll use it as an eye pencil instead.

The last item in the October Glossybox is the Cream Color (£19.50) from Bang Beauty. It's a multi-purpose cream that you can use on your lips, cheeks and eyes. This would be ideal as an eyeshadow, blush or highlighter so could be a perfect travel item or one to keep in a handbag, with the addition that it's vegan and cruelty-free. To apply, you can use either your fingers or a brush to blend in for a smooth and natural finish.

Glossybox has designed an ultimate beauty gift for Christmas with their limited edition box, which is their take on an advent calendar. It will come in a reusable vanity case and will be packed full of over 20 beauty products which will include 3 full-size makeup palettes. You can sign up to their mailing list here for an exclusive pre-sale for only £59.99. If you fancy seeing what other items Glossybox has to offer, you can see my previous month's posts.

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Glossybox August | Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

I do love a good collector's edition Glossybox, and this is the second one for this summer. The box is the last box for summer, continuing the heat with a bronzer and pink eyeshadows, to cooling things off with a soothing hair mask and a multi purpose dry shampoo and conditioner. It's all packaged up in a powder blue box with 'girls just wanna have sun' on the lid. There's an extra treat in the box too; inside is an Aloha bracelet from Purelei but to be honest I'll probably use it as a bobble.

The first items in the box are from Essence. They're the 'live.laugh.celebrate!' palette with eyeshadows (£1.50 per palette and £1.50 per powder). I've only actually created my own eyeshadow palette once and I've only filled half of the spaces in it as the eyeshadows are £10+ each. This is a lot more affordable, and the palette itself as little coloured beads in which did make me distracted for a good few minutes I'm ashamed to admit. The shades in this palette are 'it's my birthday' (a shimmery silver), 'my special highlight' (a peachy matte) 'rhythm of the night' (a shimmery pink) and 'tgif' (a matte browny-pink). If you're starting out with makeup or you're on a tight budget, definitely give this customisable palette a try.

The second item in the box is the Modellauncher Safari Sun Bronzer (£16.50). It's free from talc and is mineral-enriched powder bronzer that's made to put on where the sun would naturally hit your face such as the cheekbones, forehead, chin and the bridge of the nose. The colour is lovely but I'm not sold on the leopard print design, but I'm not into animal print regardless. Next is the Rodial Suede Lips (£22) which is another full-sized product. It's a matte lip crayon that contains Vitamin E and you can use it to add a hint of colour to the lips or apply fully for a soft berry shade. I love a good lip crayon and I've been enjoying using this one.

 The last two products are focused around the hair. The Valquer Ice Hair Mask Total Repair (£14.99 for a full size) is a unique energising hair mask that has a cooling effect. It enhances and optimises the effect of macadamia oil to make it better at hydrating and taming your hair. After you shampoo, once a week swap your conditioner out for this and gently massage it into damp hair and leave for 3-5 minutes then rinse out. You feel its cooling effect which is great for me as I have thick hair and my head can get pretty hot if I have my hair up. The last product is the Batiste 2 in 1 Dry Shampoo & Conitioner in Orange and Pomegranate. Not only does this refresh the roots but it conditions the lengths of the hair which is great for those with dry, curly or coloured treated hair (in this case I meet all three of these!). After spraying, massage it in then style the hair. It smells amazing and I'll definitely have to pick up the full sized £4.49 can of this.

I hope you liked the August box! Make sure to check out the July Glossybox for another look at what Glossybox has to offer.

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Glossybox July | Hello Summer

I'm really enjoying Glossybox as a brand lately, and they keep knocking it out of the bag. The July Edit boasts Hello Summer on the box which sums up the contents pretty damn well. It includes travel-friendly sized products, makeup that can stand the heat and summer problem solvers. The box is the first of the summer collector's edition boxes with a sneaky hint towards next month's Girls Just Wanna Have Sun box. Inside this box are 5 summery products ranging from £4.99 to £25, all for £10.

I'll talk about the most expensive item in the box first, and that is the BellaPierre Cosmetics Banana Setting Powder (£25). I love using yellow-toned items under the eyes and hit pan on my ABH Contour Kit and I'm quickly making my way through the Nip + Fab Contour Palette, so this has come at such perfect timing. The baking makeup trend to set different areas of makeup helped products like this rise up in the beauty world, and this banana setting powder has a yellow hue to counteract discolouration, dark circles and to highlight the area. I'm in love with this product and is more travel-friendly than taking a whole palette on a trip. I'm just glad it doesn't smell like bananas too.

The second most expensive item in the box is the MONUspa Soothing After Sun Lotion (£19.95) which is obviously a great item for summer holidays. It has the most active form of soothing aloe vera along with Vitamin E and shea butter to hydrate, cool and help calm 'sunned-out' skin. You can use it on both your body and face after sun exposure and will even be useful on the short amount of days that the UK has sun. Another hydrating product is the CuteBalms Macaroon Tint Balm in Crushed Berry (£5.99). Firstly, it's adorable and definitely justifies the brand name 'cutebalms'. The colour is stunning and I don't mind having this out on my makeup desk compared to boring lip balms. It is a multi-use product and can be used on the cheeks for a little tint or on the lips for a rosy glow.

The accessories in this box really stud out to me! The Papanga Spiral Hairbands (£4.99) come in a pack of two and I have pink and blue ones which are both my favourite colours. Hair can fray and become damaged when you use a traditional elastic hair bobble so with these they hold the hair in place whilst preventing split ends and breakage. They're also fun but I would enjoy clear versions too. The last product in the box is the Spectrum Collections Small Fan A10 Brush (£4.99). Aside from the fact it instantly draws you in by the bright bristles, it's a great brush for applying highlighter. I've used a few differently highlighting brushes, from Indy Luxe to Real Techniques and this brush is a great balance of being packed together well with them not being too thick at the ends.

I really enjoyed this July Box, with no products that I'm disappointed in. I would prefer the Spiral Headbands to be a bit more neutral but that's just me! If you join Glossybox now, you get your first box for £5 which is an absolute bargain given that the contents are valued at £60.92! By using this offer you're basically only paying for the Spectrum Small Fan brush and a penny towards another item.

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Glossybox June Edition Review

Having reviewed the previous Glossybox I was intrigued to see what the June box would be like. With six products inside plus an extract from Wilde Like Me by Louise Pentland, it was definitely one to look forward to. In the June Glossybox there are brands like Batiste, Sleek, and 111 Skin inside it has been interesting to see how these big brand products would pay off.

The first product I was drawn to was the BeautyPro Black Diamond Black Peel Off Mask (£4.95 for 3). As it says, it's a mask that you peel off once you're finished which is so satisfying and feels so much nicer than a sheet mask. It has activated charcoal to deep cleanse and balance oil so I'd probably use this around once a week. You apply a thin layer to dry skin and leave for around 20 minutes and once it's dry, you peel it all off. I tend to rinse the excess with warm water and my skin feels smooth and lovely. The next product is the Sleek Makeup Power Plump Lip Crayon (£5.50) and I put this on before reading that it was a plumping crayon. I love a good lip crayon and the colour is just beautiful but I have to say, it's the most intense lip plumping crayon I've ever used. 

If you want something to help improve the appearance of your eyes then the 111 Skin Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel (RRP £110 for full size) might be for you. It reduces the appearance of dark circles, puffiness and softens fine lines. An added bonus is that it helps to keep your eye area hydrated which is always going to be a good thing for me. Something more on the beauty side is the Manna Kadar Cosmetics Sheer Glo (£22.50) which is perfect for applying along the cheekbones to blend to give a added glow, which I'm never going to say no to. It's such a pretty product and it's perfect on it's own along the cheekbones.

I've never left my hair my alone for long as I tend to watch to change up the colour, whether this is changing my shade of blonde or going hot pink. Taking care of my hair with all this change is important so the Batiste Stylist Hydrating Oil (£4.49) will help to reduce breakage by up to 50%. It contains Inca Inchi and Abyssinian oils to help infuse the hair but doesn't end up leaving the hair oily. The last item in this months Glossybox is the Noughty Intensive Care Leave-in Conditioner (£6.99). It contains shea butter and argan oil to help tame dry and frizz as well as helping to smooth split ends. All you need to do is apply to towel-dried hair except the roots and style with it in. 

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Latest In Beauty Box | Cosmopolitan Holiday Edit

I'm really enjoying beauty subscription boxes at the moment, and the Latest In Beauty Cosmopolitan Holiday Edit Box is no different. They sent me their box to try it out and boy was I impressed. Subscription boxes can be pretty hit and miss at times, but for a holiday edition box it came with a lot of things that I'd pack for a sunny holiday. There is a range of skincare, makeup and extras in the box with items ranging from £1 to £19.99.

The largest and most expensive item in the box is the Ladival DNA Repair After Sun Gel . I've tried their sun screens before so I was interested to see what the after sun version was like. After sun is to be used once you're out of the sun to repair DNA damage to restore the structure and reduce the development of sun-damaged cells. I'll definitely be using this next time I've been in the sun! The smallest product is the Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Lip Balm which has SPF15 in to keep your lips hydrated but protected when in the sun. I've been using Palmer's products for a while now, especially their Cocoa Butter so I was pleased to see a lip nourishing product in the box. Another exciting item is the Merci Handy Hand Cleansing Gel in Lollipop as I love hand sanitisers especially after going on public transport. It's compact in size and great for putting in your hangbag or even beach bag.

I loved the look of the MUA Luxe Ombre 3 Shade Shimmer Highlighting Stick as I haven't yet reviewed a multi-shade product on the blog before. It has bronze, highlight and subtle blush shades in it to add a subtle gleam that can work with any skin tone. I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying cream based products at the moment so I can imagine I'll be using this all summer. The second cream product is the Collection Speedy Blush Stick in Tickled Pink. I don't think I've tried blushers in a non-powder formula in a long time but this blends really well into the skin as it's lightweight and creamy. Another product I'd not previously tried is the Eyeko Sport Waterproof Mascara which is such a great size and Eyeko assures you that this won't come off easily. I'll be going to Center Parcs soon and I imagine I'll be in the pool and rapids a lot so I'll be popping this in my travel bag for sure.

One product I was overjoyed to see is the Wet Brush in Punchy Pink. I've already reviewed this brush and is the only brush I use on wet hair. It detangles all knots in the hair without tugging and I've been using mine for 2 years and it's still in great condition. This will now be my backup or travel version! I've tried one or two nail varnishes by this brand before but not in this packaging; the Nails Inc Polish in Notting Hill Gate is a neon varnish in sleek packaging. It's the perfect shade for when you're abroad and I don't think I have a pink in my collection like it. Something I'm nervous about is the St Tropez Self Tan Express Bronzing Face Sheet Mask which is what it says on the tin packaging. You place it on your face and relax, and later on you'll have a sunkissed tan. There have been mixed reviews of this online but I'll make sure I'm in all day when I do try this.

One product I'm intrigued to use is the Garnier Skincare Moisture Bomb Multi-Protecting Hydrating Mist SPF30. Firstly, I'm so glad this has a decent SPF in since I need to be wearing it more. I've previously tried the La Roche Posay Serozinc which is great but is in a large can, whereas this is more compact and will be so cooling in the sun. I've tried the Moisture Bomb sheet mask before and loved it, so I'm sure this will be no different. A well loved Garnier product; included in the box is the Garnier Skincare Micellar Cleansing Water in a tiny 125ml bottle that will last you a week or two. I actually keep the tiny bottles when I've ran out so I can refill them to take travelling. The micellar water itself is brilliant and I switched last year from Bioderma Sensibio to this due to the price point and I've not been let down by it. The Cosmopolitan Holiday Edit LIB Box products can be held in the Being By Sanctuary Spa Washbag. Being is a new brand by Sanctuary Spa that I've seen on social media and the washbag seems like it's made of great quality materials. Plus the design is fabulous.
For my first Latest In Beauty Box I am overwhelmed, excited and dubious all at the same time. I really enjoyed this box and there isn't one product included that I wouldn't try out which is a first for me. I've seen that the June box is a festival edit which looks amazing! 

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