Birchbox- a fresh start

January's Box

This is the first box I have received since the rebranding of Joliebox.

So what do I think?

The last few boxes I had received from Joliebox last year had left me disappointed . I signed up to a beauty box to give me an opportunity to explore some new products that I wouldn't otherwise have tried. I often feel it is a waste of money to buy a full sized product only to find out a few days later it is not the product for you. I love beauty products and it is a real treat to receive a box of goodies each month. However, I felt I wasn't getting value for money and although my years subscription was a birthday gift I still feel I should get the moneys worth.

This BirchBox arrived in an unsecured box which I was a little concerned about, but all seemed ok. A pleasant box , with bright pink accents and an inner bag. I like it that they are retaining the good points of Joilibox. We have a magazine, which is good to read and leaflets explaining the contents and Birchbox. 

The contents this month are a good selection of products. I am pleased with them all. I suspect some will complain about the tea bag, but I enjoy getting different teas in my boxes. Anything that cuts back my caffeine content.

1. Fresh - Sugar Rose Lip Treatment - This is a sample . A full size would be £15.50. This is a lovely product and has gone straight into my handbag. Lovely moisture with a hint of rose.

2.KMS California- Free Shape quick blow dry - I am a big fan of KMS products so will enjoy trying this out. The top layer detangles and softens whilst the bottom layer helps it dry faster. Full size would be £13.50

3. Taaj - Creme Mains Delhicates Hands Cream - This would be £10. A lovely rich hand cream.

4. Wei White Lotus moisture rich eye blend - advanced eye cream with skin firming peptides. Full size would be £60. I am looking for a good eye cream, but think this may be a bit expensive for me. I will make the sample last!

5. Teapigs - peppermint tea. I love peppermint tea. Pack of 15 would be £3.49

I am pleased with this first box. Any products that I don't use straight away I put to one side to use as gifts or for a guest basket.

You can find more out about Birch Box Uk here. or Birch Box.com here

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October Joliebox

What's in the box?

Two beauty boxes in one week - what more could a girl want? Actually, don't answer that we might be here a long time! 

I do like the way JolieBox packs their boxes. There is always a small drawstring bag which is reusable for anything from toiletries to snacks for the kids. Waste not want not. 

The contents are certainly an improvement on last months with a proper full size product included.

There are two Iroisie Ultimate BB cream samples. I am glad this is not a full size product as I have found my BB truelove at the moment. As my french is no good I looked it up on the website here. It looks a lovely product and is almost completely natural so I shall enjoy trying this . A 15ml tube is £29.90 compared to the DR. Jart that is £24 for 40ml so a little more expensive.

Ritessens Velvet Cleansing Milk. This is a full size product, but I can't find a convenient stockist in the UK so wouldn't repurchase . I also could not find a price for it in the Uk. The price in Euros is €23. It is a natural product again, quite bland in it's fragrance, but I like that in a facial product and feels creamy to touch. I am reluctant to try this at the moment as my poor face has had enough of trying different cleansers. JoileBox - please include products we can easily repurchase if we love them!

Jason Bee Healthier Lip Balm Stick . This is a lip balm - what more can I say?  It looks and feels a lovely little balm, but I have given it away as I have rather a lot already.

Moa Green Balm. This is an intensive multi purpose balm that gives moisture to chapped and dehydrated skin. It is suitable for sensitive skin. 20% off when you enter Jolie20 at the checkout. I am interested to try this , especially with winter approaching, but it is a teeny tiny sample! Again I quite like the smell - a little bit like faint menthol. Not everyones cup of tea.

Talking about tea - tea bags. Lov is beautiful White and Green tea. This has antioxidants and zinc that have proven skincare benefits. I love green tea so am happy with this.

This is certainly a much better box than last months and I do love getting different samples to try out. Any samples I don't use I have saved and put towards a box that I made up for a friend . I can't say I have changed any of my skin care because of the samples I have received yet, but I have had a lot of enjoyment out of receiving and reviewing them . With Christmas coming up a 6 or 12 month subscription would be a lovely gift to purchase someone who loves beauty products. 

You can subscribe to Joliebox here. A years subscription gets you two free boxes.

You can subscribe to Glossybox for 6 months and get one box free here

You can subscribe to Glossybox  for 12 months and 2 boxes free here

You can get 20% off your first Glossybox here

Hope you have a lovely weekend and Half Term. We are holing up in a country cottage for the week in West Cornwall. Lots of log fires and beach walks. Just what is needed after a frantic start to the term! Xx

September JolieBox Uk

 What's in the beauty Box this month?

I have had the JolieBox beauty box delivered for about 5 months now and I have been delighted with each one. The boxes are pretty and reuseable. The contents are well labelled and wrapped and there is a good quality extra as well. However this month, JolieBox, come on! It is a bit on the light side and I don't think I am the only one  who is disappointed in the contents. It is not so much what they are, but the expectation of a decent full size product for your money which for me this month did not materialise.

So here we go - a pretty two tone blue box - lovely . A good start!

The contents:

• A sample size of Redkens Protective Straightening Lotion ( 30 ml - 1 fl oz) I am looking forward to trying this, but I feel this could have been a bigger product to pack the box out a bit.
• Balmi Lip Balm wuth SPF 15 . This is full size, but of course small as it is a lip balm. Ok, but nothing special.
• Twistband Hairbands - two bits of ribbon really that are slightly elasticated. I put my hair in one last night and it fell out. These are labelled as a full size product!
• Dr Bragi Bio Marine Exfoliant - two small samples labelled as extras.
• I Love Face Mask in a sachet labelled as full size!

Full size product? Twisted Hairband.

Balmi Lipbalm

Am I being a little harsh? I shall give them a few more months, but do have my eye on the Amarya Beauty Box so may well be changing sooner rather than later if things don't pick up.

Wednesday Beauty Buys

Benefit

I have a fabulous Benefit Mascara ( Bad Gal Lash) which I love. I don't know if it is the chunky brush or the creamy consistency that doesn't clump that makes the difference, but this mascara is a real winner for my lashes. 

It has given me the confidence to branch out and try a couple more of their products that previously I have been a little reluctant to . I'm not one for jumping on the band wagon, as such, but - if it works for me I'll use it. 

I've been trying out primers and have found a primer that is reasonable from Rimmel that does a good job, but  decided, on recommendation,  to try the Pore fessional from Benefit. I missed this when it was available as a sample on the glossies a few months ago and was gutted, so have bitten the bullet and paid full price for a full size product - lets hope I like it ( deep intake of breath here please.)

I was expecting it to be white so was pleasantly pleased to see a creamy skin toned cream when I opened the package. The instructions are to pat a fine layer onto clean and moisturised skin from the centre of the face outwards , to wait a few seconds and then apply make up. If pores reappear then pat delicately over make up and blend. You can re touch during the day as well. My first impressions are good and I have found that it has helped to give a more even appearance. My only concern is value for money and how long this will last, especially if you do have to reapply during the day. At the moment I have not needed to reapply, but maybe that is laziness or lack of time, more than anything else, so we shall see!

My second product is called Watts Up! It is a soft focus highlighter for the face. Already I love this product and I have only used it twice. It has an end for the creamy product and an end that has a sponge to blend. It gives a soft subtle shimmer to cheeks and brows - as much or as little as you want. It can be used over make up or simply on it's own for a healthy glow. A lovely flexible product. Again , not particularly cheap, but we will see how long I can make this stretch......!

I am sure this is just the start of another one of my collections so watch this space!! The tinted lip gloss is also another lovely product - just thought I'd add that final thought there!

What are your favourite Benefit products you think are worth trying?

Toiletry Bags

I love my products as you have probably worked out by now if you visit my blog on a regular basis! Now I don't think I am unusual in that ... most of my women friends would confess to being much the same , whether it be make up, hair products, or just general beautifying ourselves products - we tend to have cupboards full of them! If you add to that being a parent , the amount of toiletries required on a day to day basis goes crazy. Everybody seems to require a different type of shampoo , some have dry skin, some oily , nearly all now require deodorant ( 3 smelly males in the house - no thanks) and their own shower gel. The youngest still needs sudocrem and hydrocortisone for the odd patch of eczema. Toothpaste seems to be different for every age group and I wont even start on me.........

The point I am making is, I have never found a toiletry bag that is large enough, that I like, to carry the items needed to go away on holiday together, even when we decant into smaller bottles. There are of course certain items that come in large bottles that won't decant - hairspray, and if persuaded to use the same product, a one bottle does all shampoo has to be pretty large anyway for a family of 5 for 2 weeks! 

However, I was in town recently and came across a gorgeous range of toiletry bags that come in a variety of shapes and sizes. One caught my eye and I was instantly in love! I snapped it up straight away without hesitation! Just take a look at this beauty ......

They come from a company called Love Hart who also sell a variety of other delicious products too. The detail and finish on this bag is faultless and it's simplicity is perfect. I have yet to use it to go away, but have already tried a variety of products in it and the amount of room is amazing. I am definitely going to buy a few more of the smaller ones as well for make up and smaller items. Do check out their site here to see their full range of products, sizes and prices. They offer free UK delivery on orders over £30 too.

The pattern on the fabric is really inviting in a subtle arrangement of greens and blues.

                                                                              
A beautifully fitted zip that is finished attractively with a striped cotton tie .

I can see myself giving the older children a small bag each for their independent items and taking a large bag for our shared products and first aid items. The complicated lives we lead!

Definitely check them out and let me know what you think!

Love Hart



* This is not a sponsored post.

Wednesday Beauty Buys

Bargains to be had! 

There are always bargains to be had if you keep your eyes open and with a family of five I am not one to pass on a good deal. Tesco obligied this week with their own range of shower gels reduced to £1 a pop , the Baylis and Harding range at around £2 an item and a large bottle of deep cleanse TreSemme for £2 -  ideal.

These shower gels smell great and there is a good selection to choose from . I chose lime, Tea Tree and Mint, and Coconut and Mango.

The Baylis and Harding Range are ones I often pick up and put away as thank you presents for teachers when they are on offer, as grouped together they make a pretty gift. I went for a hand wash , a bath foam and a calming ( good for the school holidays) shower gel.

I get this TreSemme Deep Cleansing shampoo for my husband and boys to use and I also use it myself if I feel my hair needs a deep cleanse from the products that I use. It does the job and at £2 which is less than 1/2 price for such a big bottle I am pretty pleased with this one!

Have you got any great bargain beauty buys lately?

What's on my bathroom shelf?

Here is another in my series of  'Whats in my...... '    This week is

What's on my Bathroom shelf?

We have a lovely, albeit small ensuite to our bedroom that we created out of the back of an airing cupboard a few years ago. It is amazing what you can do with a small amount of space! I was given free rein with design and colours for this little room . I had the little vanity unit made up by a couple of local firms. One made the cupboard, one the small piece of marble. I got the taps and basin myself and my lovely builder put it all together. It cost half the price doing it this way than it would have done buying one similar that I had seen! I painted it myself in Farrow and Balls Plumbago. The blind is made by Laura Ashley and tiles are all tumbled marble by a seconds tiles shop. Here are some pictures of the finished room!

Anyway thats all a bit of an aside! So what is on my bathroom shelf? Well I do get the luxury of this window shelf to myself as my husband uses the main bathroom ( he prefers the larger sink!). So..

My products are......

I have a couple of pots from Tesco that look pretty but keep cotton wool and cotton buds to hand. 

These are my cleansers:

Demalogica pre cleanse - a lovely oily pre cleanse that dissolves make up and grime easily and quickly and smells divine. It emulsifies with water and washes off easily. It prepares the skin for cleansing.

Priori Idebenone cleanser - This is an amazing cleanser in a range that you have to introduce to your skin gradually . I have noticed a big difference since using this range, but it is expensive and I do have regular facials with these products too.

Dermalogica daily microfoliant - a sentitive daily scrub - see my review here

These are the ones I use for moisturising:

1. Idebenome daily moisturising cream

2. Dermalogica daily smoothing cream

3. Dermalogica hydrating booster

4.Dermalogica barrier cream

5. Ren eye gel ( free sample)

6. Roc winkle correction with retin ox ( not to be used at the same time at the Idebenome products though!)

7.L'oreal factor 50 suncream for face

I don't use these all every day - my definite every day ones are the idebenome at night and the dermalogica smoothing cream and sun cream in the morning . I add in what else I feel my skin needs.

The rest are self explanatory!

1. Sudocrem - wonderful healing cream

2. Bath House body wash

3. Etat Pur face mask ( from beauty box)

So there you have Whats on my Bathroom Shelf? I do have lots more bits and pieces in my bathroom cabinet of course that I don't use everyday and of course it is always in need of a good tidy out !

July JolieBox

With an extra product too!

With the late arrival of last months box I hadn't expected my Joilebox to arrive this morning so it was a lovely treat - especially with end of term today! As an apology for last months mix up they have added an extra product in too and a lovely one at that. I think this months box is a winner.

The products are:

1. Etat Pur - Biomimetic Skincare B09 Express purifying mask - This intensive mask purifies the skin by absorbing toxins, impurities and excess sebum in the skin.

2. Jane Iredale - Tantasia self tanner - A moisturising self - tanner for the face and body that provides an instant healthy looking colour.

3. NailGirls - Two metallic mini - polishes from the Medal Collection inspired by the Olympics . I have bronze and silver in mine.

4. Wen by Caz Dean - Sweet Almond and Mint Cleansing Conditioner. Bursting with natural herbs and botanicals .This single step, cleansing conditioner leaves hair looking and feeling deeply cleansed and nourished at the same time.

5. Toe dividers.

6. Voucher for Etat Pur for 10 % off + 3 free samples.

7.  One extra product ! KMS  California - Hot Flex Spray . Flexible shaping and elastic hold. Unlimited heat styling without the damage. Humidity resistance, anti breakage. I am very excited to try this product out - hoping it does not disappoint!

I think this is a really great box . I can use everything in this box so will be working my way through these products. I will let you know if any turn out to be real winners.


I am also exploring uses for my empty boxes - I have a bit of an obsession for notebooks, boxes, stationary, pots etc . Paperchase is one of my favourite stores! So I love these useful little boxes! Glasses in one. Magazine free samples in another. 

What do you use yours for?

Jolibox you have redeemed yourself this month - one happy customer!