This month Birchbox have joined forces with Women's Health magazine to create a box of products that help us to go back to basics and hit refresh. So here's what was inside my box this month...

• Shave works The Cool Fix 

Helps to soothe redness after shaving and waxing and helps heal shaving rashes.

• Activbod Feel Great Shower Concentrate

A shower gel with an energising blend of sea minerals and green tea extract.

• Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle

A sweet scented leave-in conditioner that helps detangle and fight frizz.

• REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Masque

A bioactive glycolic peel masque that renews your complexion.

• Stila Lip Glaze

A sheer gloss.

There was also a pilates band and a sachet of green tea included in my box as lifestyle extras.

I have to admit that when I opened my box I felt a little underwhelmed by it's contents but the products all are things I will use, with the exception of the lipgloss (not worn lipgloss since I was 12!) and the pilates band. Not a bad box to start the year with, I'm looking forward to giving it all a go.

My Little Box Parisienne

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last couple of months you can't have missed My Little Box launching in the UK. My Little Box doesn't just contain must-have beauty products, it also contains at least one beauty product from their in-house beauty range, fashion and lifestyle products all wrapped up in a beautifully illustrated box by their designer Kanako. So take a peek at what I excitedly received in my first ever box...

Each month you receive a beautiful inspirational quote in-keeping with the theme of the box, as you may have guessed this months Parisienne box was Paris themed!

Next up is a cute little post card with some gorgeous stickers that you could either stick on to the card itself or on your laptop or phone, the possibilities are endless...

Next we have an A5 notebook which includes more information on My Little Box in the first few pages...

Now comes the good stuff for us beauty lovers...a gorgeous little re-usable fabric bag containing 3 beauty products...

I was delighted to find a very generous 30ml sample of my favorite Primer by Laura Mercier, a sample of Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse oil and an in-house pen style illuminator.

Lastly we have a laptop sleeve and I'm thrilled to say it fits my MacBook Pro perfectly!

Last month I decided to cancel my Birchbox and Pink Parcel subscriptions, Birchbox because I was just getting a little fed up with receiving skincare samples month after month and Pink Parcel as I have got an overflow of tampax in my bathroom! My Little Box is a subscription I will definitely be sticking with, it has the perfect balance of beauty and lifestyle products all wrapped up in gorgeously themed boxes. If you fancy subscribing to this fabulous concept it's only £14.95 per month (inc p&p) or £13.95 (inc p&p) if you have it delivered to your work place (don't ask me why?!).

The Glamour Beauty Power List 2014 Box From Latest In Beauty

I absolutely adore Latest In Beauty's collaboration boxes with Glamour magazine, they are always excellent value and packed with a great variation of branded products that would each get used. Needless to say when they emailed me two weeks ago releasing a new box 'The Glamour Beauty Power List 2014' I ordered it straight away and waited impatiently for it to be delivered. When it arrived on Thursday although I already knew what the contents were I still let out a little shriek as I unboxed it. With a whopping value of over £80 but yours for £15.99 here's the contents...

• Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish  (30ml with muslin cloth) rrp £5.50
• Eyeko Mascara Off Wipes (10 wipes) rrp £6
• Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defense  (60ml) rrp £7.50
• Laura Mercier Foundation Primer (30ml) rrp £19
• James Read Sleep Mask Tan (25ml sample) rrp £12.50
• Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara (fullsize) rrp £9.99
• Maybelline Coloursensational Lipstick (fullsize) rrp £6.99
• Annual subscription to Glamour magazine (digital version for iphone/ipad) discounted by 62%

I'm already a huge fan of Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish (although I can't use it everyday due to my temperamental skin prone to hormonal break-out's) and I adore everything by Eyeko. The products I've most wanted to try from this box were the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer and James Read Sleep Mask Tan, the concept of an overnight mask that gives you a gorgeous glow in the morning is a winner for me.

I've purchased a few of the Glamour collaborations with Latest In Beauty and this has to be my absolute favorite as I genuinely will use every product! I imagine these boxes will go quite quickly so head on over to Latest In Beauty and buy yours today...you wont be disappointed!

  

September's Pink Parcel - Contents And Review

You may have caught my post last month on my first Pink Parcel and it's contents. In case you didn't catch my post and don't know what Pink Parcel have to offer here's a little info on the fab subscription service tailored to your monthly cycle.

Pink Parcel is a monthly subscription service for your monthly! You can choose your brand, type and absorbency of either tampons or towels and they are conveniently delivered to your door a few days before your period with some lovely little extra's to cheer you up!

My weapon of choice is Tampax Compact. As I did last month I received an ample amount of (5x) Tampax Light, (7x) Tampax Regular, (7x) Tampax Super and (7x) Tampax Super-Plus to see me through. 

There was an issue with Pink Parcel's supplier this month which meant subscribers received their extra goodies a few days late. I did email their customer services about the missing items and they were quick to reply and just lovely. The wait for my extra goodies was well worth it as there were some fantastic items! 

• Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Colour Mascara £21 rrp
• Garnier 5 Second Blur  £9.99 rrp
• Witch Redness Relief Moisturiser (product discontinued from high st stores)
• Doisy & Dam Goji & Orange Dark Chocolate 40g
• Tea Pigs Chai Tea x 1 bag

If you like the look of Pink Parcel your first month is only £5.95 and every subsequent month is £9.95, not only convenient and a joy to receive but an absolute bargain! 

August's You Beauty Discovery Box

A bit of a late post, August's edition of You Beauty Discovery has been sat on my dresser waiting for me to riffle through since last Friday. This month's product selection was themed 'Summer Essentials' and the short list included back-to-basics products perfect for the summer months, including products like Eucerin sunscreen and a Marsk eyeshadow. Here's my product selection...

My first choice product was a nude polish by Peggy Sage. I've never tried any products from this brand, in fact I'd never heard of it until this month's shortlist came up so I'm interested to try the product. There was a choice of either a nude polish or or a brighter 'summer collection'  I chose the nude as I have plenty of brights and a nude never goes out of fashion!

Mys second product selection was Lousie Galvin Sacred Locks Treatment Masque as I'm always a sucker for haircare products. This product is said to contain a naturally modified form of honey (what ever that may be!) combined with wheat protein and natural conditioning agents to immediately hydrate hair. I'm loving the sound of this masque and I'm looking forward to putting it to the test and seeing the results!

Also included with this month's box was a sample of Jimmy Choo and Jimmy Choo man (much appreciated by the hubby!) and a handy little nail file/buffing block. 

If you fancy trying out the excellent value You Beauty Discovery box for only £6.95 inc p&p I couldn't recommend it enough. Not is there something for everyone on each month's product shortlist but it's excellent value for money with the brands and sample sizes that are included.

July Birchbox Review

On Saturday I received July's sun, sea & sand themed Birchbox. I was quite impressed with the speed of despatch and delivery this month (I had a right fiasco last month which meant I didn't receive my box until the end of the month!) so let's take a look at what I received in my box...

Laqa & Co Lip Lube

I'm a big lover of lip products, especially the chubby lip pencil style ones. I received Laqa & Co's Lip Lube in the shade Menatour, a sheer purple colour. There were two shades up for grabs (Bees Knees a coral shade) and if I could have picked then this shade would have been my choice. I found Menatour to be a very flattering fuchsia purple and it does leave your lips very hydrated...this has got to be my favourite product in the box.

Whish Three Wishes Body Butter

Yawn...another body product! Don't get me wrong, the opportunity to try a new body product every now and then is great, I do however seem to receive some form of body butter, lotion or milk EVERY month. I will admit I've not tried this out yet, it's been chucked in a drawer to try on a rainy day as Lavender is not one of my favourite scents. Whish Three Whishes Body Butter claims to be a non-greasy containing organic Aloe, Shea Butter and Raspberry butter to combat dryness and organic Seaweed extract to aid firmness of skin.

Models Own Fireworks Polish

This shade of Models Own polish (Rocket) was a bit of a random choice for a summer themed box in my opinion. Glitter polishes aren't usually my thing, but a red glitter polish in July?? I'm a massive fan of Models Own products but this one will have to go away until the festive season!

Benefit POREfessional Primer

Benefit's POREfessional is the UK's no.1 best selling primer and I'm probably going to get booed for saying this but I really don't rate it. I don't have massive pores but I do have a small amount of noticeable ones on my cheeks and this did absolutely nothing to disguise them and it left my face looking oily after a few hours. Admittedly the last time I tried this primer was a couple of years ago so I should probably give it a another shot before totally brushing it off, but this was not a product I was too enthralled at seeing in my box.

Balance Me Eye cream

Another meh product (in my eyes) is Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream. The only reason I say this is I am more than happy with my current eye cream so I'm not really looking to sample anything else, I could be wrong...this could be the holy grail of eye products! This three-in-one multi-tasking softens, smooths and brightens thanks to a unique blend of chamomile, lemon, cucumber oil, which-hazel, rose hip oil and carrot oil. Rich and easily absorbed its reputed to be perfect for the summer.

As a little lifestyle extra there was a nail buffer, which is a pretty handy thing to keep in your bag or your desk drawer at work.

I must say this was probably the worse box I've received from Birchbox so far. The majority of products on this month's shortlist have been around for a while and didn't really excite me to receive. I'm sure I'll absolutely love next month's box, it's just the gamble you have to take with beauty box subscriptions.

Jodie

xoxo 

July's You Beauty Discovery Box

This months You Beauty Discovery Box heralded the official start to the holiday season aptly named the You Travel Box. The You Travel edit was designed to offer a range of travel-friendly beauty must-haves and I must say the product shortlist was quite a good one! Let's take a look at the items I chose and my little extras...

Tan Organic Self Tanner

I chose Tan Organic Original Self Tan as I seem to have a small obsession with tanners of any form. This one is a sunless tanner made with natural ingredients that reputed to give you a healthy tan that fades perfectly without the unpleasant fake tan smell. Tan Organic contains no paragons, artificial fragrances or synthetic ingredients. I'm looking forward to giving this one a go on the weekend!

Loreal Miss Manga Mascara

My other selection was a no-brainer! I wear mascara everyday and I have read some positive reviews and blog posts on this mascara so I was interested to try it. Loreal Miss Manga Mascara features a flexible cone shaped brush for mega volume on top and bottom lashes. The 360 degree flexible brush eagles easy application. I've used this mascara a couple of times since I received my bx and I'm really pleased with it. It leaves my lashes volumised but without clumps.

This months extra treats were a sachet of Egyptian Magic multi-purpose cream, Dove Men Shave Cream (not sure why?!) and a 2ml sample of Agent Provocateur Fatale.

As with every month a great selection of products and extras and all for £6.95 (inc p&p). 

Jodie

xoxo

June's Birchbox Review

A bit of a late review of Birchbox this month due to the fact that for some unbeknown reason I only received my box on Saturday (after 2 weeks of emailing them seeing what the hell was going on). Anyways, this month's birch box was a Brazil theme in celebration of (I'm sure you're aware unless you've been locked in a bunker!) the World Cup kicking off this month. Lets take a look at what I received in my box...

Beauty Blender 

I was very happy to see that my box contained the Beauty Blender that everyone was desperate to get their hands on! I've been using it everyday since I received it and I can honestly say I'm converted from my my regular foundation brush (Real Techniques Expert Face Brush)! Used properly it does give a beautifully even finish, not streaks or uneven patches, just skin-looking...only better! The only thing I do find is that if you don't squeeze the excess water out properly it can drink up your foundation. I also love the fact that it came with the cleanser to clean it after every use.

Caudalie Vinoperfect 

Another product that was gratefully received was Caudalie's Vinoperfect Day Fluid. I think most subscribers were hoping to get their hands on one product by this luxurious French brands this month. Vinoperfect Day fluid promises to smooth lines, minimise pores and reduce dark spots. I'm looking forward to giving this day cream a go on one of my Trial-Sized Tuesdays.

Naobay Body Radiance Lotion

This fresh lemon fragranced lotion by Naobay was another welcome product in my Birchbox. I have a real affinity for moisturizers, especially those that promise to promote radiance and hydration. This light lotion is infused with ingredients such as avocado oil and shea butter.

O.P.I Brazil Collection

I was quite excited to see O.P.I featured in this month's box as I saw some gorgeous colors featured in some boxes. I however received You're So Flippy Floppy, a bright shimmery yellow...not my colour at all I'm afraid so I wont be testing this product out.

 

Silk + Honey Shea Butter Hair Mask

I am a bit of a sucker for hair treatments and was glad to see this in my box. I did try Silk + Honey on my hair on Saturday night and I must say it left my hair rather soft. Initially when I opened the tub for a smell I was not impressed, I was expecting the mask to smell primarily of Shea Butter, I would however compare the scent to Nivea Moisturizer. Despite the smell it was a pleasant little mask to use and it left my hair soft and shiny.

 

As a little 'lifestyle extra' there was a small flip-flop keyring in the Brazilian colors.

I have mixed emotions about this month's box, I think I would have been more excited about it if I received it when every body else had received there's and not 2 weeks later. Contents wise not a bad box, service wise however not so good.

Jodie

xoxo

June You Beauty Discovery Box Selection

Another month...another beauty box. I do quite enjoy my You Beauty Discovery boxes, they are not only excellent value for money but they lay on a good selection of products too. Lets take a closer look at my product selections this month...

Transformulas Face Contour Creme rrp £36.95

Anything that promises to lift, sculpt and define the face without going under the knife is always going to grab my attention. Transformulas is the leading British cosmeceutical brand specializing in anti-aging and lifestyle treatment. This face contour creme boasts potent ingredients that instantly alleviate the look of skin and leave you with a more defined silhouette. 75% of users in clinical tests saw a reduction in under-eye bags, lines and wrinkles after just one use! I have a few skincare products going at the moment but I'm really looking forward to trying this one out!

HER 300 Trecento Hair Treatment rrp £30

My dry, frizzy hair will never say no to a thirst-quenching treatment. I'd never actually heard of the brand HER before seeing YBD'S June shortlist but I'm really looking forward to giving this a go this evening. 300 Trecento is a deep conditioning pre-shampoo treatment that you leave on for 300 seconds (5 minutes to you and I) before shampooing and conditioning. 300 Trecento contains natural plant extracts, Shea Butter and Olive penetrating the hair to re-build, strengthen and repair thus reducing frizz and enhancing shine.

The little extras in this month's box were a Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Mud Spa mask and a little heart shaped wash cloth.

Jodie

xo

LIB's The British Beauty Blogger Dream Box

Earlier this week Latest In Beauty announced they were releasing a 'Dream Beauty Box' collaboration with Jane Cunningham aka The British Beauty Blogger, this caused a stir on all social media platforms as ladies couldn't wait to get their hands on it! Luckily I didn't hang around too long to purchase mine as it sold out within 24 hours, unsurprisingly so as it's packed with some fabulous products each of which I will use. Priced at £19.95 and the value of the contents amounting to over £100 this is an astoundingly good value beauty box and with each of the products being tried, tested and approved by Jane herself we all knew we'd love it! There were only a few variations of products you would receive, the Make-up Revolution palette, Essie nail polish, Bourjois cream blush, Kneipp herbal bath and Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick sachet. I was very happy with the variations of the products in my box, lets take a closer look at the products I received...

Kneipp Herbal Bath rrp £7.95 Stress Free Orange & Mandarin full-size

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick sample in So Marilyn

Bee Good Honey & Wild Water Mint Cleansing Water rrp £10 full-size

Elemis Treat Your Feet foot cream 20ml 

Essie in Spin The Bottle rrp £7.99 full-size

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara rrp £19 full-size

Benefit  It's Potent Eye Cream 3ml sample

REN Satin Perfection BB CReam 3ml sample

L'Occitane  Divine Lotion rrp £10.50 50ml 

Bourjois  Cream Blush rrp £7.99 full-size

La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water 50ml

Janjira  Thai Lime & Ginger Handwash 50ml

Makeup Revolution Eyeshadow and Eyebrow Palette in Lock & Load rrp £4 full-size

Roger & Gallet Gingembre Rouge Perfume 1.5ml vial

Lola  Kabuki Brush full-size

I'm really happy with the products I received and find it an amazing value box, the great variation of products means it's great for a pampering night in! I know I'll be trying a few products out at bath time tonight...

Jodie

xoxo 

May Premae Donna Box Selection

Making my Premae Donna box selection is something I really look forward to. Not only I am kept stocked up with my favourite regular products but it gives me the opportunity to try new products at a fraction if the retail price. I made my selection at the beginning of the month but I wanted to give it a couples of weeks before giving my opinion on the products...although if you know me and you know Premae you know I'll love everything of theirs I try!

Balance Rescue Cleansing Face Wash rrp £22.50

If you've read any of my posts on my skincare routine and products you'll know that Premae's Balance Rescue face wash is a staple product for me. I use this cleanser morning and night, a gentle yet very thorough foaming cleanser that unclogs pores and removes all traces of make-up and other impurities. This cleanser is ideal for blemish prone skin and gives illuminating results.

Pharma 100 Conditioning Creme rrp £19.50  

Pharma 100 was a completely new product for me this month. I've really been looking forward to trying it and after using it for two weeks I feel I can give it a fair enough review. Although I have oily/combination skin on my face I seem to suffer from the complete opposite on my body. Don't get me wrong I'm not covered in dry, flaky patches but I do suffer from quite dry, tight skin on the tops of my arms and shoulders, or should I say did? This creme has been an absolute dream to use, it's very rich, I apply straight out of the shower and my skin drinks it up and I'm left feeling moisturised well into the day. This award-winning creme is great for eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis sufferers alike, leaving skin nourished and fortified.

Lab Definitive Eye Creme rrp £17.50

I briefly touched on Premae's Lab Definitive Eye Creme in my April's favourite's blog post. I've been using it for around a month now and can confidently say that it's fabulous! This eye creme is nourishing yet light and makes for a great eye make-up base. Enriched with Vitamin C and K it refreshes and comfortably tightens delicate skin around the eye area. Although moisturising it's not at all greasy so it keeps eye make-up in place, keeping eye's looking fresh and bright.

I'm looking forward to my June selection, if you're yet to try Premae's products don't hesitate...you won't be disappointed!

May's Edition Of Birchbox

Rather excitingly Birchbox collaborated with Sophie Bloomfield the Beauty Director from fashion and beauty magazine Harper's Bazaar with their must-have beauty picks for Spring/Summer. When Birchbox announced their collaboration it caused quite a stir on social media with beauty enthusiasts eagerly anticipating May's edition and quite rightly so as this box has some fabulous products in it! Let's take a look into my box and the items I received...

One of the products everyone wanted was Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish. This award winning (100 awards to be precise!) cleanser lifts dirt and makeup from the skin's surface with a little help from two of nature's best astringents- eucalyptus oil and rosemary, polishing the product off with their 100% cotton muslin cloth it leaves skin radiant, smoothed and soothed. Gentle yet effective it can even be used to remove eye makeup. Funnily enough I placed an order for this very product earlier in the week and it came the same time as my Birchbox! Whilst I am more than happy with my current cleanser I was intrigued to know why this product has such a cult following...I will pop a post up once I have tried it this evening.

I was hoping that I would have one of the polishes in my box after seeing the spoilers and I was so pleased when I opened the box to find the shade Persimmon by expert salon brand Soigne. This gorgeous coral shade, leaning more on the orange side, will be the perfect Spring/Summer shade for fingers and toes! The packaging of this polish makes it feel a lot more expensive than it is (rrp £11). It comes in a gorgeous Chanel-esque black and white box with the polish being hugged firmly by black foam inside. I only did my nails yesterday evening so won't be trying it out tonight but it's next on my list!

Another great sample-sized product from Benefit this month. I have tried their 'They're Real!' mascara before and it's really good, it gives lashes both length and volume with a natural looking curl. The formula is jet-black and the special brush is definition enchanting, easily layered to take you from your day-to-night look. I find the best application is to wiggle the brush from lash base to tip, giving you volume without clumps.

I do love a good bath oil, although I tend to shower more I do have a lovely little collection in the bathroom for when I do decide to take time out and indulge. I have tried Aromatherapy Associates Morning Bath & Shower Oil before, containing grapefruit, rosemary and juniper it's a great energy booster for use in the morning or after travelling. There's enough for one bath in the sample, I will add this to my collection to indulge in soon.

Last but not least in my box was Beauty Protectors shampoo and conditioner. I rarely stray from my usual shampoo and conditioner but I do have a little box of samples which are great to pack if I'm going away for the night. Beauty Protector's range is designed to revive heat styled hair, guard against further damage and hep heal any that's already been done. The formula contains honey pearl powder which is rich in conchiolin which acts like the hair protein Keratin.





Overall I think this was a fabulous box full of a good variation of great quality products. I have only been with Birchbox for 3 months and I haven't been disappointed yet.

Jodie

xoxo