We all have our favourites that we can’t live without when it comes to beauty products and I for one can partially thank the concept of beauty boxes for that as not only have I completely overhauled my routine which still changes now and again as I’m always coming across to new things to try but at the same time these boxes also educate me, push me to try things outside of my comfort zone and give me the opportunity to keep up to date with the latest trends. One company who is on that thank you list and continually keeping me on my toes is Latest in Beauty, a company whose journey I’ve followed for the last four years and I just can’t get my head around the fact that they are celebrating their 10 year anniversary this month either that or the fact that I’ve missed out on six years worth of beauty boxes from them! To mark this milestone, they’ve launched something very special in the form a commemorative ICONS Beauty Box containing a luxurious selection of beauty treats and really shows off some of the quality brands LIB have worked with in the past and present. I do love a well thought out celebratory box and they’ve done such a fantastic job on every single aspect from the stunning keep-sake box, the brands and products they’ve selected, the sizes of the products right through to the overall value. Apologies in advance for the long post but as you can see there was a lot to cover!
Without further ado here’s what you can expect to see inside this special edition:
If there’s one thing a blogger is proud to be, it’s an enabler! If we stumble across something amazing, we can’t help but shout it from our internet rooftops…cue the Color Wow Dream Coat (Full size), something I never knew I needed until now! Humidity and now rain is causing havoc to my hair at the moment and I can go sleep with the straightest hair ever and then wake up looking like a frizzy mess well not anymore thanks to Dream Coat. This award-winning anti-humidity sealant creates supernaturally sleek texture with blinding shine and the humidity-proofing promises to last 2 to 3 shampoos. Blow-dry activated, Dream Coat will not build up, weigh air down or make it greasy. It’s suitable for: Frizzy, puffy, dry or dehydrated hair and hair that is prone to frizz and reacts to humidity. The formula is weightless and doesn’t leave any residue on the hair and to some extent I think it actually reduced my drying time. I can confirm that this does everything it promises and on Day 2, I’ve still not pulled out the straightners and that’s a huge plus in my book.
Nothing says summer like the scent of coconuts and sticking with hair care we have the cult classic and multi-award winning Philip Kingsley Coconut Breeze Elasticizer (Full size 75ml),a luxurious pre-shampoo conditioning treatment, infused with the rich exotic scent of Coconut Breeze captures the vibrant scent of sunshine & pure white sands with warm notes of coconut, jasmine & almond. It delivers a rush of moisture into the hairs cuticle and hair is left intensely nourished, healthy and shiny, without being weighed down.
Moving onto skincare you can expect to see the Omorovicza Illuminating Moisturiser (Travel size 30ml) and it’s a very generous addition as the 50ml alone retails for an eye watering £80.00! Marketed as one of Omorovicza’s most luxurious products this light-diffusing wonder cream, which contains ruby crystal cleans the skin, diminishes pores, blurs wrinkles and deeply nourishes your complexion.
The next luxurious skin care product out of the box is a long standing favourite of mine in the form of the Eve Lom Cleanser (Travel size 20ml) accompanied by its very own muslin cloth. Suitable for even the most sensitive skin, this pioneering cult beauty balm which featured in Vogue Magazine was recognised as probably the best cleanser in the world. Whilst its heavenly formula removes traces of make-up including waterproof mascara it also works well as decongesting, toning and exfoliating the skin gently. The scent is really nice too and stems from a bespoke blend of skin loving ingredients such as Chamomile, Eucalyptus, Cloves and Hops.
When it comes to skincare, nothing excites me more than a good face mask. Whether they’re to hydrate, brighten, or detox your skin, I think a good mask is just as essential as a cleanser or moisturiser. Needless to say, I was pretty chuffed to see not one but two types of masks from Starskin. The first mask we have is the DREAMKISS Plumping and Hydrating Second Skin Lip Mask, something I’ve tried before and loved so I’m glad it’s made an appearance inside the ICONS box. The Bio-Cellulose mask is formulated with naturally fermented coconut juice, which adheres closely to the lips for a superior fit as nourishing skincare ingredients are quickly and efficiently infused. Each lip mask is soaked in 5ml of serum, delivering pillow-soft, kissable smooth lips in just 15 minutes. Lips are deeply hydrated and visibly plumped with fine lines diminished. For the entire face is the Master Cleanser Mask™ Detoxing Sea Kelp Leaf Face Mask (, a multi-action skin treatment that combines a naturally powerful and purifying seaweed base with a super-moisturising, anti-ageing serum. Taking over 1,300 hours to create, each mask is made with hand-harvested pure kelp leaves before being soaked in a hydrating essence brimming with 90.37% organic plant extracts. It also benefits from Soothing Fenugreek seed which blitzes blemishes and reduces redness, while cold-pressed Camellia oil protects, nourishes and moisturises skin. Anti-aging Centella Asiatica tones and tightens skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while fermented Chlorella detoxifies, repairs and smoothens skin.
Next of out of the box is the Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Peels (set of six) which offers a two-step system full of ingredients that will gently but effectively, exfoliate the skin while ensuring your complexion is left nourished. These universal pads are recommended to first time peel users.
I’m a huge fan of the Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant so it was nice to have the opportunity to try something new from their collection. The Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment (sample size) is an anti-ageing formula that works to firm the skin and improve several signs of ageing. Fortified with 1% retinol and a blend of beneficial antioxidants, the treatment gets to work on ageing skin, absorbing quickly to instantly refine enlarged pores, smooth out deep wrinkles and fine lines, and eliminate brown spots.
Beauty boxes just like this one are great for discovery and a brand that’s completely new on my radar is MASQD who excitingly do stock their products in Boots. I’m a sucker for pretty make-up brushes and this Blusher Brush (Full size) not only looks the part but the bristles are good quality too.
Up next and sticking to make-up we have the BlinkBrowBar Intense Kajal Eyeliner (Full size) and if you’re a regular reader you’ll know that I love a good black eyeliner! I’ve not tried this one yet but it promises to provide a soft, velvet like formula that glides on seamlessly and can be smudged for a soft and sultry “lived in” look, or left looking sharp to define eyes for maximum impact. Containing waxes derived from olive and jojoba oil, this Kajal Pencil is ideal for sensitive eyes and skin due to a formula free of mineral oils and preservatives. The addition of a smudger on one end of the pencil allows you to easily create your desired look.
When it comes to that flawless foundation look, I rely on a good primer and one of the highlights inside this edition for me is the Smashbox Photo Finish Smooth & Blur Primer (Travel size 12ml), something I’ve been wanting to try – thanks LIB! This transparent primer gel smoothes skin and blurs flaws. It was developed to help makeup look better and last longer on set.
I think my least favourite item out of the box due to the shade is the Rodial XXL Lip Liner in Nude (Full size RRP). I literally only have a couple wearable nudes in my stash and in all honesty I can’t see myself getting much use out of this liner however I do like the creamy and pigmented formula.
Last but not least is the OPI Got Myself Into A Jam-Balaya Nail Varnish (Full Size), a pink coral creme that’s perfect for the summer months.
My Verdict
So there you have it, Latest in Beauty’s 10th anniversary Icons Edit and they really hit it out of the park from the look and feel of the design, the theme right through to the careful selection of brands and products. For me this box was all about luxe products which in turn made it feel like a guilty treat because doesn’t everyone need one of those once in a while and although I’ve only tried a few of the products they really do deserve a spot inside this special edition. Another big selling point for me was the total value of the products inside and for £50.00 you’re getting a hell of a lot with the majority being full sized or deluxe travel minis! In addition to discovering some new favourites, there was also quite a few long-standing favourites of mine which was a nice surprise and a couple of products I’ve been curious about. Now I would be lying if I said that there wasn’t a little part of me that was a slightly displeased due to the non-coverage of body products within the line-up but other than that though, I really can’t fault this edition and highly recommend picking it up for yourself or that beauty addict friend!
The Icons Beauty Box is available now for £50.00 via www.latestinbeauty.com