Love Me Beauty Box Review – July 2014

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Price of the Box is £10.00 Plus £2.95 P&P
Menu 2
No. of Products in the Box – 7
Total value of contents in the box £63.05
www.lovemebeauty.com

The July Love Me Beauty Box perfectly wrapped in pink has finally arrived and this month it’s brimmed to the top with all you could want from a subscription beauty box. This month’s box took longer than usual to arrive however it was certainly worth the wait.

The line up this month was mainly all things make-up featuring brands such as So Susan, OFRA Cosmetics and Lash Em. There was also a lifestyle product from Teashed and as a bonus the first 450 subscribers who picked their box also will receive an amazing full size product from Weleda.

“Love Me Beauty” is a Beauty subscription service like the other boxes however you get to choose the products you want from a choice of 3 menu’s each month. Each menu has a slightly different set of  items to complement the diverse needs of their subscribers.

This month I opted for Menu 2. To see what was available this month please click here.

My box included 6 full sized products and 1 sample sized product.

1.    Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick  – Full Size RRP £11.60

I’ve never tried this brand but have seen this making an appearance in some American beauty boxes. This is a nice creamy and smooth textured lipstick. I initially thought this was a lip gloss as it’s applicator was the same as you would find in gloss related products.

The shade is called Hollywood and is a bright pink colour which is quite vibrant. One sweep on the lips is all it takes to get the desired result as the pigmentation is great.

The lasting power is good however I found it quite drying after 10 minutes however nothing that a lip balm can’t solve!

2.    Ofra Pressed Eye Shadow in Bliss –  Full Size RRP £8.80

This pressed eyeshadow is from OFRA’s “Diamonds are Forever” palette collection. It has a great depth of colour which is a gold shimmery shade and subtle enough to wear during the day. This can also be applied with a wet brush for a more dramatic look in the evenings. It’s a stunning colour.

There’s also a little secret compartment under the eye shadow base – flip open and there’s a little mirror and room for a tiny applicator.

I’m not usually an eyeshadow fan but I’m looking forward to wearing this one.

3.    So Susan Dual Brow Powder Palette – Full Size RRP £11.95

Brow filling is part of my day to day make up regime and to date I have always used a brow pencil. I’ve never felt the need to try a powder mainly because it spells out messy for me however I am always willing to try new formulas.

The palette itself was robust and contained two powder shades. It also had a mirror inside and an application brush which was angled so you can get right underneath the brow line. I tried the darkest shade which was a medium/dark brown. Unfortunately it just wasn’t dark enough for my brows.

A good product but just wasn’t the right shade for me. The powder did take to the skin well and didn’t smudge.

4.   So Susan Flutter Mascara – Full Size RRP £14.95

Being a regular wearer of Mascara I always look forward to receiving these in my boxes as they all claim to give you longer lashes and intense volume.

This is new to the So Susan line and is an intense carbon black mascara formulated with hyaluronic spheres to help you achieve the darkest, curviest lashes possible.

The brush is good and ensures each lash is separated however despite applying this several times to my lashes I didn’t really notice a significant difference in the appearance of my lashes. I really did give this a chance but it delivered nothing for me.

5. Weleda Sea Buckthorn Replenishing Body Lotion – Full Size 200ml RRP £15.95

I was certainly happy to see this amazing full-size product in my box which was a nice surprise as only the first 450 subscribers to this month’s box will receive this. A lovely additional treat which I welcomed.

I love Weleda mainly because of their ethical values of having no nasties in their products. A consistent theme with Weleda is that their products are high quality and they smell so great. It really is nature in a bottle. This is for dry skin and contains skin-related essential fatty acids providing visible and lasting care for the skin which is formulated with vitamin-rich oil from organic sea buckthorn, mallow extract and shea butter. It protects skin from moisture loss and activates its self-regulating functions.

This smells quite fruity and uplifting. When appliedthis soaks straight into the skin without leaving a trace of greasiness and comes in a uniquely shaped award winning bottle which is an airless bag-in-bottle system with a pump dispenser.

A very generous sized product which I will enjoy using however the expiry date is very short lived – it expires at the end of August so I will need to start using this now to ensure I get the maximum use out of it.

6. Lashem Lash Enhancing Serum – Sample Size 2ml. Full Size 3.5ml RRP £40.00

This serum claims to give your lashes a helping hand to make an appearance and also nourishes and conditions. The fortifying formula continues to work long after application and takes your lashes to the next level. Results have found longer looking lashes in two weeks.

I’m quite cynical about these serums which promise longer lashes however I will definitely give this a trial run until the sample runs out to determine whether the claims above are true.

Although this may appear to be a tiny sample it’s really not as the full sized serum is only 3.5ml. If used sparingly once day you will certainly get the most out of this. It’s a good trial sized product.

7. The Teashed 4am Tea – Full Size Packet of 20 tea bags RRP £3.50

A very generous offering of tea this month from The Teashed. A whole pack consisting of 20 tea bags which are in a unique silky bag which enables you to see the tea leaves dancing around when popped into some hot water.

This is a white tea which is naturally low in caffeine which means you can drink this during the day and at night. It also helps you to sleep and is full of antioxidants.

I’m not a regular tea drinker however it’s always useful to keep these at home for guests. They will be talking about my posh tea for years to come!

My Verdict

A big improvement in my opinion for Love Me Beauty this month. I loved the selections on offer including the brands which were featured. The generous extra Weleda product was a nice touch too and finished the overall box quite nicely.

I was delighted to see that the line up this month was mainly all things make-up featuring brands such as So Susan, OFRA Cosmetics and Lash Em. There was also a lifestyle product from Teashed and as a bonus the first 450 subscribers who picked their box also will receive an amazing full size product from Weleda.

The box was brimmed to the top and included 6 full sized products and 1 sample sized product which is simply amazing.

The value of this month’s box is worth £63.05 which is incredibly good value for money.

Overall I’m pretty pleased with the contents. They definitely put on a good show this month.

I am hoping that Love Me Beauty have got their mojo back as they are definitely back on the right track. I hope they sustain this quality and variety within their boxes each month.

Fancy subscribing to Love Me Beauty?

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www.lovemebeauty.com

Have you received your July “Love Me Beauty” box?

Birchbox Review – July 2014

image image image image imageMonthly subscription is £10.00 Plus £2.95 P&P
No. of Products in the Box – 6 items
www.birchbox.co.uk

 The July 2014 Birchbox has arrived and this month’s theme is all things Sun, Sea and Sand celebrating glistening sea views and those sandy beaches that evoke the warmest season of the year – Summer!

Birchbox is a  monthly beauty subscription service. The box consists of  4-5 selected hair, make-up and beauty products from well-known brands and new brands. They also include a lifestyle extra within their box too. Birchbox also have an online shop where you can purchase all the brands which have been featured in their boxes. Their reward programme really is something to shout about too.

This month’s box shout’s out Summer and Travel and contains some great travel sized products for use at home or away .  The box mainly consisted of  body, Skincare, make up  and hair products this month. A good variety this month.

The content’s of  July’s Birchbox contents will vary. To see what you may receive please click here

If you’re thinking of signing up there is a great offer at the end of my post.

1.  Gilchrist & Soames English Spa Sea Kelp Extract Mineral Bath  – Sample Size 40ml.

I’m a fan of this brand having received a shower gel previously from Birchbox. This is a foamy gel which contains marine nutrient sea kelp to invigorate the skin and is used when running a bath. I’ve always found their products like the ones you would find in a SPA mainly because of the scent and luxurious feel. This smells quite refreshing and soothing. I can’t wait to try this.

2. Weleda Millet Nourishing Shampoo  – Sample Size 18ml. Full Size 190ml RRP £8.95

This is a natural organic fortifying Shampoo which will gently cleanse hair, while maintain your natural shine. The millet works to protect hair from becoming dry while macadamia nut oil will keep it naturally supple and includes extracts of grapefruit and peppermint which smells lovely.

This is for normal hair. My hair is quite dry and certainly not normal however they also do a range for dry hair too which I will look into as I love Weleda’s concept.

3. Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream – Sample Size 7ml. Full Size 15ml RRP £20.00

I’m a Balance Me virgin and have never tried any of their products so thanks to Birchbox I am no longer a stranger to this brand.

This eye cream is a three in one multi-tasking formula which softens, smooths and brightens thanks to its unique blend of Roman chamomile, lemon, cucumber oil, witch hazel, anti-oxidant spruce knot, virgin coconut, rosehip oil and carrot oil. This couldn’t of come at a better time and you will share my view if like me you’re a hayfever sufferer . My eyes really have a hard time this time of the year not forgetting the toll of late nights and the effect it has on your eyes in the morning. This cream can be used in the morning and evening.

Upon application this applied well and a little does go a long way. I lightly patted this around my eye area and it felt refreshing. I am hoping that continual use of this product will improve the area under my eyes.

4.   Laqa & Co Sheer Lip Lube Pencil   – Sample Size.  Full Size £14.00

I purchased the duo Laqa & Co Lip pencils from the Birchbox shop a couple of weeks ago and found that they were more of a tinted lip balm then a lipstick. I received the shade Bee’s Knee’s which is a nice light coral toned colour. This applied quite sheer and subtle giving a gloss finish. The moisturising properties are great and has a pepermint scent.

5.  Whish Three Wishes Lavender Body Butter – Sample Size 22ml.

New brand alert and there’s a great story behind this brand. A husband who researched his way to bring you Whish which is an American brand. This body cream has a unique triple antioxidant based formula which moisturises, firms and purifies. This fully loaded lotion both softens and soothes the skin while also helping to replenish and firm and is lavender scented. They also do a 6 other scents in this lotion. The scent is lovely and the cream is really moisturising and not greasy when applied. I think I have just found my next body cream! One for the wishlist.

6. Ultradex Fresh Breath Oral Spray – Lifestyle Extra – Full Size RRP £3.65

I think you will all agree that this month’s lifestyle extra is quite unusual compared to others received! None the less this spray will keep your breath minty and fresh and comes in a great handbag size. This has 130 spray uses which is great.

My Verdict

It was going to be tough to compete with last month’s box however Birchbox have delivered some great key essentials to kick start summer. I love the theme and the products which have been incorporated. These products are ideal for packing in your hand lugguage when going abroad as they are all travel sized and will be allowed to go through security at the airport.

This month’s box shout’s out Summer and Travel and contains some great travel sized products for use at home or away .  The box consisted of  body, skincare, make up  and hair products this month. A good variety of products and contained well known and new brands.

I’ve  fallen in love with the Whish Body lotion and will be eagerly awaiting for Birchbox to stock this in their online shop!

A great little box to kick start your Summer whether you’re at home or away.

**PR Sample**
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