Little-Known Box

Little-Known Box is the UK’s newest luxurious beauty subscription box and you might have spotted them on your social media because they have, in my opinion, put a lot of effort into getting themselves noticed, no mean feat within a market that seems saturated with beauty boxes offering everything!

Little-Known Box is something a little bit different, every month you will receive a box of carefully selected luxurious beauty products and gifts featuring 'little-known' products, from independent, niche, upcoming and emerging brands. Chosen with ethics and wellness in mind. Having recognised that emerging and small luxury brands are really under-represented in beauty subscription boxes, Little-Known Box aim to fix this gap and use their beauty box to introduce you to some fantastic little-known brands, particularly those specialising in niche beauty fields including; natural/organic, vegan friendly, cruelty free and free-from brands.

Having caught my attention, I decided to sign up and see for myself what Little-Known Box was all about. Promising to include full and sample size luxury products from skincare, makeup, hair, body and grooming products to nail care, nail art, lifestyle and beauty accessories and with the occasional surprise thrown in! This is the first box:

Flint and Flint Moisturiser 3x (Full size 50ml rrp £42) - A rich repair cream that protects against glycation, boosts collagen and elastin production and regenerates the skin. Contains a powerful combination of active ingredients including Hyaluronic Acid, Retinol and Malikara Leaf to reverse the signs of premature ageing. Hydrates and nourishes the skin.  Whilst the packaging is quite simple and understated, to me it does seem just a little bit masculine and isn't ordinarily something I would usually pick up.

The Vintage Cosmetics Company Eyelash Curlers - These are a limited edition rose gold pair of eyelash curlers and I am quite a fan of The Vintage Cosmetics Company for their cute and kitsch packaging. What makes these curlers slightly different is that they are spring loaded. These are obviously full sized and cost around £7.00.

Medusa Makeup Lipgloss - Described as being fun, vibrant and innovative, Medusa's makeup is made in the USA, Vegan and is Paraben free.  I have shade Bite Me which is a fantastic vibrant red shade, whilst I won't be able to get any use out of it as I don't pull of red at all, a friend of mine will and it is perfect for her.  Available in 12 different shades they retail at £6.25 (Full sized product $9).

Dirtea - I am a tad obsessed with tea and coffee bath products nd Dirtea is described as being the 'original self-love tea scrub'. Dirtea products are products are tediously tested and have unique recipes formulated to target acne, scarring, stretch marks, cellulite, psoriasis, eczema, and more. Our organic tea's are freshly ground into a fine powder and combined with specific high-grade essential oils, minerals, and vitamins to create a powerful blend that works wonders for your skin. They are not only Vegan but also Paraben, Gluten, Cruelty, Phosphate and Chemical Preservative-Free. (£2.15 per sachet)

Thumbs Up Nail Wraps - I have to admit, I am not into nail wraps at all and they are everywhere right now. This set has a metallic marble gold effect which will delight some people, personally, I prefer nail polish.  Each pack contains 20 nail wraps and they are described as being easy to apply and waterproof. (£7.99 full sized product)

For a first box, I think this is pretty okay, I am not as wowed as I thought I would be, but I am not overly disappointed because there are some new brands for me to try out. A one off box costs £15.95 upon which there is a postage and packaging charge of £3.75. A monthly subscription to this box costs £14.95 and there are further subscription options available.

What do you think to Little-Known Box?

Sleek Whimsical Wonderland

Sleek is one of those brands who continues to surprise me, I adore their makeup and they are forever bringing out surprises. If you are a fan of pastel shades and something that little bit different, then Whimsical Wonderland will be right up your street. Launching on the 1st June with an i-Divine Palette, Lip VIP Lipsticks and Gel Cheek Blushers, this is a launch that will have you whooping with delight.

All the Fun of the Fair i-Divine Palette - £7.99

I love my Sleek i-Divine palettes and have 3 or 4 within my collection. This one has 12 mineral based long-lasting eyeshadows which are long lasting and simply stunning shades which I wish I could get away with wearing. They have quite a creamy texture and have very little fallout which is really impressive and they are more pigmented than I had been expecting. The palette hosts 5 shimmery shades and 7 pastel mattes shades and they are as follows:

On the top row from left to right, the shades are - Carousel, Shoot-The-Chutes, Loop-The-Loop, Ferris Wheel, Twister and Teacups.

On the second row from left to right, the shades are - Hit-The-Bell, Swing Boats, Hook-a-Duck, Helter Skelter, Dodgems and Hall-Of-Mirrors.

 Carousel, Shoot-The-Chutes, Loop-The-Loop, Ferris Wheel

 Twister, Teacups Hit-The-Bell and Swing Boats

Hook-a-Duck, Helter Skelter, Dodgems and Hall-Of-Mirrors

Lip VIP lipsticks - £5.50

Again, with all the fun of a funfair in mind, these three lipsticks are just incredible shades - Fancy Pants, Big Shot and Hot Tottie and in keeping with the VIP lipsticks, of which I am a fan, the formula and pigmentation is superb. All three lipsticks are semi matte and they give a velvet finish with the intense colour. Again, as with the rest of the collection, they are also moisturising and the colour pay off lasts for a good 3-4 hours before you need to re-apply.

Big Shot, Hot Tottie, Fancy Pants

Sweet Cheeks - £5.99

The final item within this collection comes in the form of three Sweet Cheeks Gel Blushes. Again, there are 3 shades that reflect the tones of the lipsticks and they have a gel like formula which allows you to have a sheer wash of colour across your cheeks which you can build upon to your desire.

The three shades are Lickety-Split, Hullabaloo and Tomfoolery and each one is so pretty and not at all as I expected them to be. The texture is one which is really lightweight and it is quite cooling on the skin.  The swatch below shows just one swipe across my arm and each shade is buildable to really make the colour pop, depending on your comfort zone.

Lickety-Split, Hullabaloo and Tomfoolery

The collection will be available from Boots, Superdrug and www.sleekmakeup.com from 1st June 2016.

Soft & Gentle #BodyBalance

For many of us, Soft & Gentle are synonymous with deodorant. Now they are taking to the high-street with a launch of a brand new collection of innovative feminine care products and as I have been trying and testing them out, I am today sharing them with you.

Soft & Gentle are experts in the field of women's personal care and the new collection presents the introduction of a new pH balanced intimate wash and care range.  I am sure many of us have wondered around supermarkets and high-street stores trying to discreetly shove the intimate washes into a basket without anyone seeing us. The lovely people over at Soft & gentle have taken this into consideration and have created a range that is not only discreet but has multi-use benefits.

Enriched with a prebiotic complex which protects and stimulates the skin's natural defences, bringing you beautifully balanced skin.  Each product uses soothing ingredients and cleansing extracts found in all products, they help to reduce any skin discomfort, whilst the delicate allergen-free scents offer all day freshness.

The products are:

2-in-1 Shower & Shave Mousse - described as being the hero product, this shower essential is a must-have as part of your daily routine. The innovative formula delivers a luxurious mousse that leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and moisturised.  What I love about this mousse is that you only need a small amount for a large amount of lather and at just £3.99 it is a bargain.

Daily Shower Wash - This is my favourite product from the trio and it is really gentle on the skin. It can be used all over the body and it smells just divine.  It not only moisturises the skin but give you that clean feeling.  Priced at £2.99 for 250ml again I think this is a bargain.

The final product is a Fragranced Spray and until now, I had never used anything like it. Designed to be an intimate deodorant spray for intimate skin it is suitable for use on underwear, sanitary wear and straight onto the skin and it neutralises any odour caused by sweating.  I have found no irritations when using this product and think it is just a brilliant concept.  Priced again at £2.99 it is well worth trying.

All these products are gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin, it is gynecologist approved and dermatologically approved and dermatologically tested range is pH balanced.  You can find them at Superdrug, Boots Morrisons and in independent pharmacies.

Panasonic Facial Ionic Steamer

Living in London, you won't be surprised to find it plays havoc on your skin, anyone who travels regularly on the tube will be all too familiar with black tissues! With that in mind, imagine just how dirty your skin can get and indeed feels after a day travelling round, never mind at least 5 of the 7 days each week! I do as much as I can to ensure my skin is as clean as I can get it and whenever the opportunity arises for a facial, I jump at the chance.

So being given the chance to try the Panasonic Facial Ionic Steamer, I jumped at the chance, it had to be a better method than leaning over a bowl of hot water. As you can see it looks like a simple, easy to use contraption and thankfully it is. 

"Panasonic's Nano Facial Steamer helps to remove makeup and dirt, promotes smoother, softer skin and can be used daily as a fuss-free component of your skin care regimen."

Using the water tank that is easy to remove and insert into the steamer, you have two options, half fill it for a 3 minute treatment or fully fill it for a 6 minute treatment and for this I just use normal tap water. Then using Ultra-fine nano-sized particle steam which is 4,000 times finer than normal steam to penetrate the skin and effectively supplement moisture and encourage deep pore cleansing. It is also said that cleansing with the facial ionic steamer will result in the removal of makeup, dirt and excess oil to leave your skin feeling incredibly clean and refreshed. 

What I love about this machine is not only how easy it is to use, but how incredibly effective it is.  After washing my face with warm water and wiping it dry with a muslin cloth, I set the steamer up ready to go, again, if you have a tight schedule then 3 minutes is perfect timing or if you do have that little bit longer than 6 minutes once a week is even better. So once the water tank has been filled and inserted, steam will begin to appear within about 15 seconds, so it is really quick. To use, you need to ensure that your face is 20cm away from the opening to avoid burning your skin, helpfully there is a measurement tape included to show you how far back you should be.  Then with your eyes closed, set a timer (I use my iPhone) for 3-6 minutes and allow the steam to work its magic.

Once that allotted time is up, simply grab two/three cotton wool pads and wipe your face and it is here you will see how much 'stuff' has been removed - honestly it is like the first time you get a Dyson Hoover and despite hoovering your carpet everyday, this thing still manages to find stuff to hoover up! Seriously, these cotton wool pads are just vile, but at least that stuff is no longer sitting on my skin!

Since using this steamer for the last few months, I have been amazed at how effective it is at cleaning my skin and they do say that the cleaner the skin, the easier it is for your products to work like they are supposed to.  So not only do I have baby soft skin, I do feel that my skin is being the chance to breathe once the dirt and grime has been removed.  I have had less blackheads on my nose, less dry skin on my cheeks and my makeup is lasting much longer on my skin, which is always an added bonus and it is a great way to have a facial at home!

If this sounds like a machine you would like to try, honestly I cannot recommend it highly enough, then you will find it retails for around £99.99 online and is worth every penny.