LookFantastic Beauty Box - July

The July Lookfantastic box arrived a few days ago, which is really quick considering we are only just into July and it has a value of £50. This month we have six delightful products to try out, some of which come from my favourite brands and others I have yet to try something from, so here are the contents:

First up is a handy sized 10ml pot of Trilogy Everything Balm. I am a huge fan of Trilogy and have had this balm on my 'must try' list for some time now, so I am delighted to see it in this box. Described as being a multi-purpose balm it comes with the following information 

"Soothe, soften and condition skin anywhere on the face or body with Trilogy Everything Balm, the perfect multi-tasking beauty tool, ideally sized for travel. Helping to replenish, repair and soothe, it makes the perfect handbag-sized protectant.

Everything Balm combines antioxidant-rich certified organic marula oil and certified organic rosehip oil, both revered for their skin healing and preservative properties, as well as jojoba, olive, avocado, honey and vitamin E to deeply nourish your skin. Softening dry elbows, knees, hands and feet, Trilogy Everything Balm provides pure and natural skin care for baby and makes dry lips delicious again".

The second product is from another of my favourite brands Nuxe and this time it is the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse (7ml). Suitable for all skin types, the NUXE Huile Prodigieuse is described as a "Multi Usage Dry Oil is the perfect choice for your face-nourishing needs. After use, your face will be velvety soft and your skin will look healthier than ever before. If you decide to use this multi-use oil on your hair, it will quickly become more supple and full of volume and shine, without feeling greasy". Included is lots of vitamin E, which makes sure that the skin is repaired and softened. It also includes various plant oils, which are very efficient at removing any visible signs of stretch marks.

Monu are next with a 30ml Monu Fiji Facial Treatment Oil. I have tried a few Monu products to date and have always been really impressed with this. The Fiji Facial Oil is a soothing facial oil which has been formulated to nourish and protect the skin whilst preventing dehydration. This product uses a blend of rosewood oil and patchouli provide essential protection to soothe dry skin and stimulate your complexion.  It is also Paraben free.

I am always delighted to see a Balance Me product in any beauty box and within this one there is the fabulous Pure Skin Facial Wash. I have used this product before and had run out, so it is always handy to have a spare one around just in case. 

This face wash is perfect for Balancing normal/combination skin, calming congestion and preventing breakouts. This gentle cleanser removes make-up and impurities without stripping away skins moisture. Described as a "Super-fast and effective to use, this gentle, wash-off face cleanser effortlessly removes all make-up and impurities. To improve and smooth the appearance of congested, inflamed complexions we’ve blended together balancing grapefruit and petit grain, with soothing frankincense essential oils and calming spruce knot extract. We have also packed this skin-boosting cleanser full with anti-oxidant rich moringa and rice bran oils to help brighten and illuminate dull skin with every wash. Use in the morning to wake up and revive tired complexions, or in the evening for skin that feels squeaky clean no matter what it has faced".

Next is The Kebelo Clarifying Shampoo which is a brand I have never come across. The shampoo is designed to be used once or twice a month and is described as "Rid your hair of built up impurities with the Kebelo Clarifying Shampoo. Paraben and sulphate free, the detoxing shampoo is gentle in formula but tough on grime. Deeply cleansing, the blend of mild ingredients work to exfoliate your hair, rejuvenating every strand for purified, soft results. Can be used as little as once a month dependent on your lifestyle and even as an invigorating body wash for your skin. Suitable for all hair types" so this is a product I am really looking forward to trying out.

The final product in the box is a Lord & Berry Ultimate Lip Liner. Lip liners are one of those beauty products I should probably buy and use but never do. This is described as a nude version which is waterproof, infused with macadamia oil and waterlily extracts and is said to be highly blendable. Of all the products within the box, this is the one I am probably least likely to use, but as it is there, I might try it out eventually.

I think this month’s box is a great box, it is nice to see a mixture of products from some brands I know and recognise to some that I know little or nothing about.

What do you think to the July Box?

LookFantastic March Box

One beauty box that I am loving right now comes from LookFantastic, every month I have loved the contents this month is no exception.  The box costs just £15 and you more than get value for money for the items that are included and all of the brands that feature are available on the Lookfantastic website.

So the March box is here and this is what I found inside:

bliss Fatgirlslim - I quite like a few Bliss products, but this is one im not too impressed with the name of. That aside, this is said to make the skin look and feel firmer and more toned.  You apply it twice a day and massage it onto your skin for 20-30 seconds to simultaneously stimulate circulation and stimulate lymphatic drainage to improve body contour.

This sample has a value of around £10

Lil' "Wet" Brush - This is my first dealing with Wet Brush, though I have seen them mentioned quite a lot on other blogs, so I am quite looking forward to see how well it works. This is a handy travel sized brush, so it has gone straight into my handbag. Even though this is a mini version of the classic Wet Brush it is still described as being fierce on knots and tangles but a big pussy cat on scalps! It has what are called IntelliFlex™ bristles to ensure snag-free brushing as they bounce back to their original form after every brush stroke and the SofTips™ on the ends of the bristles  gently massage your scalp to stimulate circulation.

This brush costs £7.99

Lord & Berry Line/Shade Kajal and Eyeliner Pencil in Travel Black - I am told you can never have too many black eyeliner pencils, though as I dont wear eyeliner I will have to accept the majority rule. This Lord & Berry Couture Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil is described as being silky and smooth and it creates a semi-matte look, whilst the highly pigmented formula gives a rich colour for ultimate definition.  It has also been Ophthalmologically-tested and is suitable for those with sensitive eyes.

This eyeliner is worth around £5

Cowshed Lippy Cow Natural Lip Balm - I am a huge Cowshed fan, particularly of their bath range, not only do the product names make me laugh, they are insanely good. One thing I have never tried is their lipbalm and as a lipbalm addict I am always happy to add to my collection. This product contains no parabens, no petrochemicals and is free from sulphates, artificial fragrances and colours. It is suitable for vegetarians and has not been tested on animals. It does contain the essential oils of linden blossom to protect and nourish, rose geranium to help rejuvenate, and ylang ylang to stimulate circulation.

This balm is available online from Look Fantastic for just £5.00

NudeStix Magnetic Colour Gift in Gilt - This is my first look at Nudestix and there are 8 different shades in total. In my box I have the shade Gilt which is a really pretty light gold shade, something I would refer to as a champagne. For me it is a brilliant multi-purpose stick in that it can be used as all over the lid, in the inner corner and even on the inner lower lash line and it gives a really lovely natural colour, I absolutely love it.

This product is available online from Look Fantastic for £24.00

The Final item in my box is by Nuxe and it is called the Nuxellence Detox, Detoxifying and Youth Revealing Anti-Aging Care cream - what a mouthful that is.  This is described as being an innovative anti-ageing treatment that uses 10 patents to recharge your skin and detoxify cells overnight. It is suitable for all skin types and ages. This nightly detox also helps to promote cell renewal, allowing you to wake up every morning with a refreshed, youthful glow! Full of natural ingredients Nuxellence Detox helps to smooth wrinkles, plump skin and brighten your complexion.

This 15ml sample has a value of around £14.

So there you have it, the contents of my March Lookfantastic box and I absolutely love, it is possibly the second best box there has been and as usual there isn't a product I don't like in the box, I like them all and cannot wait to try them out.  

What you think about this month's #LFBeauty Box. Which product would you be most excited to try out?

Look Fantastic Beauty Box January 2015

I have been getting the Look Fantastic box for the last few months and it has all been detailed on my blog if you would like to see previous boxes.  For just £15 a month you get such great quality products that for me, this is one of the best subscription boxes that there is out there.  Sadly I wasn't a lucky winner of the 20 included GHDs..had hoped to win one of them, but I still love the box!

Now we are in a new year and I am hoping this box continues because I am so impressed with it and the January Box is amazing, there is nothing I dislike or wouldn't use and this is what was inside.

Firstly the box, it is always so well designed and strong, not at all flimsy and you can see the 'Look Fantastic' logo clearly visible on the front and inside, there is nothing to spoil the surprise as to what might be inside (unless you have looked for spoilers) because the card which details the contents is hidden inside.  

So this month I have been treated to:

Michael Van Clarke is a hair brand I am quite familiar with and have me the great man himself at a blogger event he hosted in his West End salon.  The Life Extending Haircare pre-wash Treatment is something I am a fan of as well as the '3 more inches' idea, which I wrote about HERE.  Essentially it isn't about adding or encouraging your hair to grow 3 more inches, it is about the unique formulation which naturally slows down the ageing process allowing the hair to stay stronger and healthier during its lifetime, so it can grow naturally thicker, longer and more lustrous.

Molton Brown is comes next and as a brand, it is one I don't feel I have tried too much of. I have had the odd sample here and there, but have never exhausted the products out there. This box has given me the Templetree Bodywash Which is described as being "A blissful bath and shower gel blended with moisturising algae extract and purifying templetree flower extract". It also includes Jasmine, Fruity Rose and Sandalwood and it smells absolutely amazing, I cannot wait to give this a try!

Another haircare product next with Philip Kingsley, whom for many is synonymous for his elasticizer. This box however brings me a product I have never tried before with the Daily Damage Defence. This is a leave-in protective conditioning spray which adds elasticity and provides defence from daily heat styling, breakage and environmental effects whilst adding shine and manageability for all hair types.

Nuxe comes next with a product I have tried before but really like. The Creme Fraiche masque is said to quench the thirst of the driest skin types to leave your face feeling smooth and moisturised not to mention radiant.

Gatineau Collagen Expert is the final skincare item within this box and it is a sachet sample.  Designed to revive and rejuvenate your eyes with clever eye compresses which are drenched in soothing marine-based collagen solution. They are also said to help reduce dark shadows, plum out wrinkles and relax the eye contour.

The final item in this box is not skincare or bodycare and nor is it for your hair. Instead what we have is a tube of MyVitamins which are dissolvable in water and are said to make a great tasting drink. Effervescent tablets are ideal for anyone looking to increase their intake of vitamins for a healthier lifestyle.

I have to admit, I am not the best at remembering to take vitamins or indeed any tablet, I always need to set a reminder in my phone which literally shouts at me to get on with it. So I will attempt to give these a go and see how it goes. The tube has 20 tablets in it which is an odd number as it isn't enough for a month.

So that is my January box and it is worth over £44 in total, which is pretty amazing value for money when I paid just £15 including delivery.

What do you think to the January Box?

Glossybox October - Popart edition

This month's Glossybox was to be a Pop-art edition and if you saw my Instagram, you will have seen my excitement about the outer packaging!  Inside the box was just amazing and it is fair to say that I absolutely love this box and it is one I will not be throwing away.

As usual there was one spoiler which everyone would get within their box and it is a 50ml Nuxe Masque Creme Fraiche, which is a full sized product worth £19.50.  The masque is said to quench the thirst of the driest skin types to leave your face feeling smooth and moisturised] not to mention radiant.


Next in the box was a full size Ciate nail polish.  I got the shade Ditch in heels' which is a mint green colour, not one I will be using sadly, but watch out for it in a giveaway.  

Rimmel Matte BB cream is next in shade light and it has an SPF 15 which I like and I actually quite like the BB Cream, the colour is almost perfect for my skin tone, I just need to buff a little extra after applying and it gives a really nice feel to the skin, not to mention is great for covering my oily patches!  This is an 8ml sample which is an alright size, you get to use it for a few days before deciding whether or not you want to purchase a full sized tube which costs £6.99 from Boots for 30ml.

So Susan is next, i'm not sure what it is about these products but I start off liking them and then within days come to dislike them.  In my box was a flutter mascara in black and it has an RRP £14.99. Described as being an intense carbon-black mascara formulated with hyaluronic spheres to help you achieve the darkest, curviest lashes possible. The long brush with extra stiff bristles helps to achieve voluminous, multi-dimensional lashes in just one coat. Suitable for contact lens wearers.  We'll see, I can't say I am over-excited about it, but I do love mascara and will give it a try.

Etre Belle comes next, a brand ive never heard of but a product that intrigues me because it is called a Liplift peel which is given the following description "Up to 54% more lip volume and smoothing wrinkles without injections. Pure hyaluronic microspheres smooth quickly and effectively deep wrinkles around the lips and restructure the lip volume. The lip contour is replenished and redefined". Well worth giving it a go and as a full sized product it is worth around £10

The final product is a perfume sample, which I am a fan of in general, especially when they come in actual cute bottles.  From Yves Rocher this is called Quelques Notes d'Amour and it is very very floral, one of those perfumes that you only need the tiniest amount of before you over do it and give yourself a headache.  Possibly not the scent for me, but more for my Mam who would love it, infact it is winging its way to her, so hopefully she does like it.

So there you have my box.  I actually think this is one of the better ones that I have seen floating around and although I wouldn't use everything within in box, I like that I have some new products to play around with.

So what do you think to this box? Good or Bad?

Nuxe Pamper Hamper - My Entry!

When I was emailed and told that Nuxe had launched their first UK blogger competition and would I be interested in entering to win a luxury hamper worth £250, I thought why not? The prize contains so many products that I would love to try and there are also prizes for two runners up.

All I needed to do to enter was create a spring inspired wishlist post using products from Nuxe and create a post on my blog. further details on how to enter can be found below if you fancy having a go yourself. But this is my entry and I would love to know your thoughts.

Nuxe wishlist by beautyqueenuk featuring Nuxe

Rêve de Miel Lip Balm - I have read SO many reviews on this product that I am begining to wonder why I don't actually own it. As a self-confessed lip balm addict everytime I read about it, i feel as though I need to add it to my collection because I am missing out. Described as "A repairing, nourishing lip balm with a rich, delicious texture to restore suppleness and comfort to dry and chapped lips" and apparently one is sold every 28 seconds somewhere throughout the world!

Gentle Exfoliating Gel with Rose Petals - with the weather ever changing from being windy, to raining back to windy not to mention very cold, my skin is always in need of some TLC and a facial exfoliator is a product I use a lot of in the colder in the months.  I love the sound of this which is described as follows "A gel texture with gentle exfoliating granules to give the skin a refined appearance. Skin is purified, soft and smooth, and more radiant than ever".

Crème Fraîche® de Beauté Mask - I am a lover of face masks and try to ensure that at least once a week I have a pamper evening and use a face mask on my skin.  As with above, the weather playing havoc with my skin means that after exfoliating I also want to nourish and add moistuise to my skin and I always find a facemask does just the job for me and this one sounds amazing - "A fresh moisturising mask and source of well being to hydrate and soothe the skin reducing instantly any discomforts (tingling, redness, burning sensations, etc.)".

Micellar Cleansing Water with Rose Petals - I am yet to board the Micellar water bandwagon and it is a product I really want to try and this is one I have not read much about but intrigues me quite a lot.  Described as "In a single step, this alcohol-free Micellar Cleansing Water cleanses, removes make-up and eliminates all the impurities from your face, eyes and lips." all of which sounds wonderful and amazing but the fact it is made with Rose Petals is what draws me to it, the same as the exfoliating gel I can only imagine how wonderful this must smell.

Nuxe 24 hour body moisturising lotion - said to give a satin feel and leave your skin feeling soft, I am yet to find a body lotion that I like enough to continue using, makes a difference and smells amazing. This I like the sound of because of this description "This body lotion provides immediate and long-lasting moisturization (Wheat Extracts and Wood) and corrects skin dryness (Sweet Almond and Sunflower Oils). The skin is soothed and soft (Almond and Orange Flower Petals)" and I have no doubt it would smell amazing with those ingredients.

So, if you like the look of my wishlist but want to do your own, all you have to do is complete the steps below:

1) Create a spring inspired wishlist style post using products from uk.nuxe.com on your blog
2) Tweet the link to your post to @NuxeUK along with the hashtag #NuxePamperHamper
3) If you don’t have twitter you can send your entry link to us at onlinepr@nuxe.com

The competition closes 10th March 2014 but please let me know if you have entered or when you do enter by leaving a comment below so I can come and see your entry.

Valentine's Day blogger Secret Swap

As you read this post, I and my hubby will be either on the plane or just landed in Amsterdam, but Happy Valentines Day!

I took part in a bloggers secret valentines swap organised by xx and xx and posted my package off to its recipient last weekend, so hopefully you have got it and like it, though you won't know it was me that sent it!

My package has arrived and knowing I was going to be away, I wrote this post a few days ago so that it could go live on the day itself. I have no idea who my swap partner was, but it is always exciting to get a box full of products right? Well this is what was in my beautifully packaged swap box:

How cute are those love hearts and the card, I love pugs I find them so cute and I am particularly impressed and moved that my swappee took the time to look for a card with cats on, knowing that I have 3 of them.  Thank you.

So we have quite a lot of products here and I haven't tried any of them - whoever picked this box has clearly looked at my blog because the first thing that caught my eye was this beautiful tub of coconut and cream body butter from I Love Cosmetics and it was actually on a list of things I wanted to try because I love things scented with coconut.

Then we have Maybelline Baby Lips in Hydrate.  Now I know some people are not a fan of these, but I really like them and find them so handy to have in my handbag, desk draw or on my bedside table and this particular one I have yet to try.  It states that it will give 8 hours worth of moisture and in this weather, I definitely need it!

Argan oil treatment for the hair comes next and it has a Moroccan Argan oil extract to give an intense hydrating treatment to rejuvenate and repair your hair leaving it shiny, smooth and healthy.  Again, not a product I have tried and am looking forward to giving it a whirl to see how my hair copes with it.

Then we have some make-up products from a brand called Catrice whom I have read about on other peoples blogs but have never come across them myself.  There is a colour changing lipstick which says it is a lip glow, too look at it, I was expecting to have bright Oompa Loompa lips, but it actually gives my lips a bit of a glossy look to them.  Then comes an eye palettes with 4 different shades called Never Let Me ago and this is truly stunning, I love all of the shades.

The next products is from Essence - Oz the great and powerful in shade 01 Beware of the Wicked Witch - are you trying to tell me something blogger swapper??  This is a cream blush, again not a product I have used before, though cream blushes seem to be a popular item across the blogger sphere and I am looking forward to giving this a go. It comes with a pump dispenser and you only need a really small amount on your hand, brush or whatever you choose to use to apply to your cheeks.

Barry M comes next with a lipgloss and in the tube it looks as though it is a candy floss pink colour and when you open the tube, it smells wonderfully sweet of strawberries and it is a lovely shade of pink - pics needed

Then I have three samples - Melvita Narcissus which look this up!!! Followed by Nuxe anti-fatigue moisturising cream which is for dry skin and finally an eye contour  anti-ageing and radiance cream from Avene which I am also looking forward to trying.

Last but no means least a bar of Galaxy Cookie a crumble chocolate which is just so yummy and I could quite easily east the whole bar to myself and two packets of Love a heart sweets which I haven't come across in years, so I am looking forward to seeing what each one has to say on it when it comes to eating them.