Trimming My Stash - June 2021 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews*

Before I start playing catch up again and posting some other reviews and hauls, I thought that I'd at least try and get my empties posts back on track with my June Trimming My Stash post.
 
The Body Shop Glazed Apple Shower Gel - 250ml
Avant Skincare Deluxe Hyaluronic Acid Vivifying Face & Eye Night Cream - 50ml
The Body Shop Juicy Pear Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub - 250ml
The Body Shop Juicy Pear Body Yogurt - 200ml
Steve Laurant Total Repair Lip Mask - 1 x 8g Mask
Patchology Mood Mask The Good Fight Clear Skin Sheet Mask - 1 x 20ml Mask
L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water - 200ml
Cussons Carex Moisture Derma Care Antibacterial Hand Wash - 250ml
Elysium Spa Epsom Salts Bath & Shower Gel - Lavender - 300ml
Nair Wax Strips - Face - 12 Wax Strips

Total - 10 Items

After a couple of decent months, June was the standout month of 2021 so far, at least empties wise, and I managed to finish 10 items! No make up yet again (I definitely need to try a little bit harder on that one), but lots of skincare, and body products, a few much loved items, and a few bargain buys.

1. The Body Shop Glazed Apple Shower Gel - 250ml

I'm starting June's list I guess on a bit of a sad note, and unless a miracle happens, I'm saying goodbye to my last product from The Body Shop's Glazed Apple range.

From circa 2014, Glazed Apple is probably my favourite ever festive collection from The Body Shop. With just a slight hint of apple, this had a lovely sweet and sugary fruity scent, reminiscent of candy apples, or even candy floss. I absolutely loved it, it lingered on the skin, and it was one of those fragrances that you could smell all over the house, after you'd used it in the shower.

Whilst I do have a couple of apple and pear based products from different Christmas collections from The Body Shop to use up, I believe that this was the last Glazed Apple product that I has, I'm probably over egging the pudding a bit here but farewell and I'll miss you :(

2. Avant Skincare Deluxe Hyaluronic Acid Vivifying Face & Eye Night Cream - 50ml

When it comes to skincare, I don't always use the same products everyday, I tend to switch it up depending on how my skin feels, what I think it needs, and what I'm trying out at that moment in time.

I normally have a few different moisturisers on the go at once and that's probably why I don't seem to finish them that often. For example at bedtime I tend to alternate between a night cream, a night oil, and a sleep mask, with the occasional application of Alpha H Liquid Gold thrown in for good measure. Lately though my skin has needed a bit of a boost, and this particular product has made a real difference. 

I received this product in the January 2019 edition of Glossybox UK, and you can read a full review of it here. 

I really enjoyed using this moisturiser, I loved the fact that it doubled up as an eye cream, and I loved how smooth and even it left my combination skin, without leaving it oily or greasy or causing breakouts.

I would definitely have considered buying this again but with an RRP of £98 it is just a bit too price prohibitive.

3. The Body Shop Juicy Pear Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub - 250ml

4. The Body Shop Juicy Pear Body Yogurt - 200ml

Next up another product from The Body Shop, and it's the first of two products in this post from the 2019 Juicy Pear festive range.

I do love a good body scrub and I'm a huge fan of The Body Shop's sugar based scrubs. They have just the right amount of scrubbiness, and the sugar dissolves away leaving no mess behind in the bath or the shower.

Made of community trade organic sugar from Paraguay and Italian pear extract, this scrub had a gorgeous sweet, yet tart, fruity pear scent which complemented the next product on June's list perfectly.

Yes, item number 4, is another product from The Body Shop's Juicy Pear range, and this time it's a body moisturiser.

Now I'm sure you are already familiar with The Body Shop body butters but have you heard of their body yogurts? I love my body butters but if I am being honest they do take a little while to sink in. If you're hot or if you're in a rush then body yogurts are the answer to your prayers. Whilst they aren't quite as moisturising as body butters, they have a lovely cooling, cream gel texture that melts almost immediately on contact with the skin. They are really quick to absorb and although they can leave the skin just a touch sticky at first, especially if you use too much, the leave the skin hydrated and beautifully scented.

With the same sweet, tart, fruity pear scent, again this product contains Italian pear extract, as well as community trade organic almond milk from Spain.

Alas like the Glazed Apple range, Juicy Pear is no more, but a little birdie has told me that there will be a pear based scent in the 2021 Christmas range, and I can't wait to see what it smells like, but in the meantime I'll happily use up the remaining products that I have from the Juicy Pear range.

5. Steve Laurant Total Repair Lip Mask - 1 x 8g Mask

The next item on the list is something that you've seen quite recently on the blog, the Steve Laurant Total Repair Lip Care Mask, and you can read a full review of it here x 

6. Patchology Mood Mask The Good Fight Clear Skin Sheet Mask - 1 x 20ml Mask

From a lip mask to a face mask, and a sheet mask from a brand called Patchology. If you aren't familiar with them, Patchology are a skin and body care brand that started off initially by developing patches and stick on dressings for the medical profession, before moving on to produce a range of patches, and masks for the body and face as well as some more conventional moisturiser and eye products.

From a subscription box (possibly Pink Parcel) this mask contains a whole host of antibacterial and good for you ingredients including Tea Tree, Willow Bark, Peppermint, amino acids, and allantoin. It is specially designed for younger skin, and skin that is more problematic and blemish prone. Patchology claim that this mask will help to destroy skin clogging bacteria, whilst at the same time soothing inflammation and slowing down oil production.

The sheet mask itself felt very wet, and a touch slimy, and it was coated an almost a clear gel like serum. It was a nice, good quality mask though so it was pretty easy to unfold despite it being so wet. To be honest I was expecting it to have a stronger tea tree or mint scent but instead it had a more subtle almost disinfectant like, slightly herbal scent.

Before

It felt quite cool and wet on application but like most sheet masks it gradually warmed up to body temperature on contact with the skin.

On Application

I left it on for the recommended 10 minutes before peeling it off. There was a lot of excess serum left on my face so it felt very wet. I massaged as much as I could of it into my skin but it still felt pretty wet, and it took a good 10 minutes or so for it to absorb, and even then my skin still felt slightly tacky, and I felt as though I had product on my skin, but overall I think my skin looked cleaner and a touch clearer.

After 

Now apart from the odd hormonal spot, large pores, and an oily t-zone, my skin really isn't that problematic any more, but I tried this mask out around the time that my mum was rushed into hospital - the weather warm, and I was pretty stressed out, so I ended up with a few spots on my chin, my cheeks and on my nose.

To be honest I expected this mask to tingle, and to cause a bit of redness, but bar a tiny bit of barely noticeable extra pinkness, this mask caused no irritation whatsoever, and it may be a coincidence but the spots that I did have definitely seemed to disappear more quickly that usual.

Whilst I'm not sure I would personally buy this mask again, purely because my skin just doesn't really need it at the moment, if you have a more blemish prone skin then this could be something to try.

The Patchology Moodmask The Good Fight Clear Skin Sheet Mask retails at around £5 for 1 x 20ml sheet mask both direct from Patchology and from Cult Beauty.

7. L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water - 200ml

From the moment that I started posting on forums, going on social media, reading blogs and ultimately starting my own blog, I started buying into something called hype! The minute I saw someone raving about a product, or anytime that something new came out, I wanted it! Yes, I am weak, and I am an advertisers dream, or at least I used to be! I honestly have gotten better, I still love trying new products, and I always have a wish list of products that I want to try, but at least now I try and be a bit more discerning, and a bit more selective over what I do buy.

Something that I did buy recently that was hyped up from all corners was the L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths 8 Second Wonder Water! If you haven't already heard about this stuff, where have you been??

I can't say I really understand the technology that well (have a look at the L'Oreal website for an explanation) but this rinse out liquid conditioner claims to work in just 8 second, and it claims to give you 10 x smoother hair, with a silky touch and a glossy shine.

Designed for dry, frizzy, longer hair (yup, that's me!) you apply it to the lengths of your hair after shampooing, then you leave it for 8 second before rinsing it out and applying your usual condition (tbh I just apply it and then stick my conditioner on top before rinsing it all off at once). For best result you then need to blow dry your hair, and then voila!

I admit I was cynical, it looks and feels like water, all be it lovely fresh, fruity, floral smelling water (the scent of which lingers on your hair even after rinsing) but immediately when you apply it you feel a slight warming sensation, so you know that it is doing something!

So did it make a difference? well despite my cynicism yes, yes it did! My hair looked smoother, less frizzy, a lot shinier and it smelled fantastic! For something that looks so innocuous, and that's so quick, I was so surprised to be able to see the difference. I have seen the odd bad review but for me the hype is justified, and I'm already half way through another bottle, and I've just bought another bottle.

You can buy this product from most larger L'Oreal Paris stockists including Superdrug, Look Fantastic, Boots and Amazon, where it has a recommended retail price of £9.99 but my advice is to shop around because you can usually find it on offer for around £4.99.

8. Cussons Carex Moisture Derma Care Antibacterial Hand Wash - 250ml

The next item on the list isn't the most exciting thing ever but it's an essential. I've talked about this particular product before, but thanks to COVID, its lovely fruity scent, and the fact that it isn't drying, it's something that I will continue to buy and use.

9. Elysium Spa Epsom Salts Bath & Shower Gel - Lavender - 300ml

You should hopefully know by now that I love a bargain, and the final two products on this list are some super cheap beauty buys that I picked up on one of my frequent trips to Poundland.

I'm a member of a few Poundland fan groups on Facebook, and this first product was something that I'd seen recommended quite a few times.

I've talked about it quite a few times on the blog but I have quite an interesting relationship with sleep, I can either sleep for 14 hours straight, or I can experience severe insomnia and not sleep properly for days. As as result I am always on the lookout for things to get me in the right mindset for sleep.

I saw a few good reviews of this, and since I usually respond well to lavender I thought I'd give it a try. It's basically a lavender and epsom salt based shower gel which aims to cleanse, soothe, and relax the body and mind.

Clear in appearance and with a runny gel like consistency, you didn't need a lot to produce a good amount of foam. It had a nice but maybe slightly old fashioned, lavender scent, which whilst not the astringent lavender scent that I usually prefer, was gentle and perfect for getting you in the mood for bedtime. It was really easy to rinse off and whilst I wasn't really expecting that much from it, my skin felt really soft and not at all tight or dry.

For just £1, I was actually really impressed with this product, and it's something that I would definitely consider buying again, and I am also now on the hunt for the elusive Eucalyptus version. As I say you can pick this up for just £1 from various stores including Poundland, B&M, and The Range.

10. Nair Wax Strips - Face - 12 Wax Strips

Like all parents and grandparents my mam has some funny sayings in her repertoire, and one of her favourites and something that she said many times to me when I was younger is "you can't have hair in one place, and not the other", and although it's a touch weird she is actually right. Dark, thick hair on your head, means that you'll usually have dark thick hair everywhere else!

I know it's a social construct, and hair on your face and body is 100% normal, but for me personally the tache has to go. I'll happily grow out my body hair at times, but my upper lip and chin hairs, are just a step too far.

Over the years I've used lots of different products to trim my tache so to speak, including bleaching, epilating and hair removal creams, but I've never really been a facial waxer. I don't know whether it's down to age or changes in my skin but lately even my usual brands of hair removal cream have left my upper lip looking super red and sore, so I came to the conclusion that I needed to try something different.

I don't wax my legs that often anymore (I normally use something that I really should have shared with you ages ago - me bad!), but when I do I just pick up a packet of Nair wax strips in Poundland, so when I saw these facial strips, I thought I'd give them a go, and do you know what? I am super pleased that I did.

For just £1 you get 12 facial wax strips, and they actually work. Wax strips have come such a long way since I first started using them, and for the price these ones are excellent, they stick and they remove even the most stubborn, thick, dark hairs by the root! Yes it stings a but, and your face is left a bit red but instead of having to use creams at least once a week. My dark tache hairs are gone for around 3 weeks, and even better still after using these for nearly 3 months now, they are already getting finer and less bristle like.

I'm now kicking myself and wondering just why I didn't persevere with wax in the beginning. I've learnt my lesson now though and you can buy fancier and more expensive Nair facial wax strips, I'll be sticking to these Poundland beauties!

So that was a bit of an epic one, but they were my June empties, all 10 of them, and as you can see in the side bar --> July was just as successful (post coming soon!), and hopefully I'll end up there or thereabouts in August as well.

If you have any questions on any of the products on June's list, then let me know, and please also let me know if you've spotted the Elysium Spa Epsom Salt Bath & Shower Gel in Eucalyptus on your travels, I can't find it anywhere near me and I am desperate to track it down in a bricks and mortar store.

Thanks as per usual for your support and I will see you soon with another post which will either be a Glossybox catch up, or a beauty review x 

*This Post Contains Added Automatic Affiliate, Added Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links

A Late Unboxing Of Glossybox UK - February 2021 Edition - Sing, Dance, Love, Repeat*

Hi Guys, I hope you have all had a good start to the week, thankfully it's cooled down a little bit here, so I can actually think straight again! Today I'm playing catch up and I'm sharing my thoughts on the February edition of Glossybox UK with you. 

In some senses February seems like a lifetime ago, but for me this year seems to have flown by, and it's very much a case of stop the world I want to get off!

So, February, the month of love, and in 2021's case the month of lockdown! Despite that though the limited edition February box seemed to be perfectly designed to lift our spirits, and for some of us to trigger a little bit of nostalgia.

 

Way back when I was a lass (LOL) there was no such thing as Spotify, iTunes, or downloads, in fact even CD's were just becoming popular, it was all about vinyl records, and cassette tapes.

I grew up in a very music loving household, and I still remember my first ghetto blaster, and my personal stereo, and later my Walkman's, and I still remember having to fix or rewind my tapes with a pin or a pencil.

Needless to say the brightly coloured, cassette tape design took me right back, to listening A-HA tapes in the car on the way to Scotland.

Instead of the usual pale pink tissue paper, the contents of the February box were wrapped in a sheet of creamy yellow tissue paper featuring a yellow cassette, and blue headphone design, the box also contained toning light blue paper shred, all secured together with a pink and white Glossybox logo sticker, and a pink ribbon.

The first thing as per usual in the box was the product information leaflet, which told you a little bit more about all of the products in the box, and talked a little bit more about the "Sing, Dance, Love, Repeat!" theme.

Avant Skincare Velvet Perfecting Rose Sugar Lip Scrub - 10ml - Full Size - RRP £58

The first product in the box was the product that was teased in January, and it was another product from high end skincare brand Avant.

I've tried quite a few items from Avant skincare now (Check out my Beauty Product Directory to see which ones), and by and large I've been pretty impressed but this is the first opportunity that I've had to try one of their lip products.

Now like most people I regularly use lip balm, but like with skincare, and body care there isn't a lot of point in applying any moisturiser if you aren't using an exfoliator. Whilst I probably don't exfoliate my lips as often as I should with a specific product (although I am trying to get better at it - more in that in a future post!), I usually use a cloth or a flannel on my lips when I'm doing my skincare, so at least I guess I'm doing something!

Containing hyaluronic acid, sugar, jojoba oil, argan extract, sweet almond oil, and rose, and peony extracts, this lip scrub aims to soothe, soften and revitalise the lips, as well as protecting them against environmental aggressors, leaving them radiant and brighter.

Unboxed and packaged in a plastic lip gloss like tube, with a slanted tip, the product itself is a very sticky pale pink, translucent gel, containing a fairly sparse smattering of white, sugar grains, and larger red /. brown particles. Given the name I was expecting it to have more of a rose, floral scent, but instead it has a sweet, vanilla based scent.

To use it all you do is apply a small amount to clean, dry lips. Although it's sticky it's quite easy to massage, and whilst it is abrasive, it isn't rough or scratchy. The one thing that I did notice though is how warm and slightly tingly it felt on the lips. I didn't find it uncomfortable but it was noticeable especially since you need to leave the scrub on for between 1- 2 minutes. 

Despite its sweet taste, unlike a lot of lip scrubs you can't lick this one off, so you need to wash it off with warm water, and a flannel or a muslin cloth, before patting them dry with a towel.

Alas I didn't manage to take any before and after pictures, but this product did what it promised, my lips were noticeably more even in tone, all of the dry, flaky bits were gone, and probably down to the self heating element, my lips actually looked a little bit fuller. They did feel softer as well but I still felt as though I needed to apply a lip balm.

I've got to say that this product did exactly what I wanted it to, and whilst I will happily use it up, even with the small amount you use each time, it is quite price prohibitive. 

The Avant Velvet Perfecting Rose Sugar Lip Scrub comes in a 10ml tube which retails at around £58 direct from Avant Skincare. It is also available in a 10ml jar also with a recommended retail price of £58 from Look Fantastic, and Beauty Expert.

NUDESTIX Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm - Siren - 2.5g - Full Size - RRP £20

Next up the only make up item in February's  box, and it was a multi purpose product from a brand called NUDESTIX. I've only tried one other product from the brand, a Lip + Cheek Pencil in the shade Mystic, which I received in the 2019 Glossybox Advent Calendar, and I was pretty impressed. As much as I love beauty, and make up, most of the time I want a quick fix and multipurpose products like this are the way forward, so I was thrilled to get a chance to try another product from NUDESTIX, this time in a different formulation.

Preservative, paraben, gluten and cruelty free, this pencil contains over 30% ultra hydrating and protective plant oils including sunflower, cottonseed, and soybean oils, as well as Vitamin E.

In their Gel Colour Formulation this pencil promises rich pigment and a wet gloss like finish, as well as protecting, nourishing and hydrating the lips. So it's basically a lip balm, a lip colour, and a gloss all in one, and you can use it on your cheeks as well, what's not to love!

The shade that subscribers received in February was Siren, a deep glossy, cherry red that was perfect for Valentines Day (even though we should have been fist bumping rather than snogging in 2021 ;)

The pencil itself had a lovely, creamy texture, but it wasn't so soft that it lost it's shape and went smooshy.

The pigmentation, and gloss as you can see is superb, so you did need to be a little bit careful when you were applying to stay within the lines. That said though it was really easy to put on, it felt comfortable, moisturising and there was no dragging, or pulling. The coverage was excellent and I loved the rich, glossy finish.

Understandably given the finish it did transfer quite easily but it still lasted well and it gradually faded down to a more natural looking stain.

I don't know how well you can see it in these pictures but I'm also wearing it on my cheeks as a blush. Just pop a couple of dots or stripes on your cheeks, and then blend it out with a brush, sponge or even with your fingers, for a nice "pinch your cheeks" look. On and I used it on top of foundation and powder, and it blended out really easily with pilling or clumping.

A couple of years ago, I would have probably ran a mile from the shade of lip colour, and whilst it does look super bright against my pale skin, I love it for a statement look, and I love both the finish and the formulation.

Glossybox claim that this 2.5g size is a full size that retails at £20, but based on what I can find though the full size is 2.8g and that size also comes in a tin and with a pencil sharpener from £20 from Look Fantastic and for $26 direct from NUDESTIX.

Bubble T Peach Bellini Restoring Hand Cream - 90ml - Full Size - RRP £4.99

As you can see from my latest beauty empties posts and updates I'm still going through hand cream as though it's going out of fashion, and this particular one will probably be the next one that I will be adding to the that list.

From tea inspired beauty brand Bubble T this cocktail themed hand cream contains aloe vera and shea butter.

White in appearance, it has a thick, almost cream / gel texture and a slightly oily feel. Despite that it absorbed into the skin really quickly leaving the skin with a slightly matte finish, but looking immediately more hydrated and feeling a lot smoother.

Probably the biggest selling point for this hand cream is it's fabulous sweet, peach based fruity scent. If you've ever had a Peach Bellini or any form of tropical fruit cocktail then that's exactly what this hand cream smells like. The scent does tend to linger on the skin and if I'm being hyper critical I think that some people could find it a touch sickly, but that is obviously very much a personal thing.

Whilst this wasn't the most intense hand cream that I've ever used, it was quick to absorb, and it made an immediate difference making it a great everyday hand cream.

From what I gather this was a special limited edition Valentines's product but there are several other hand creams in the Bubble T range, some of which I already have to try, that are available from around £1.99 - £4.99, from various retailers including direct from Bubble T, NEXT Beauty, Look Fantastic, and HQ Hair.

Steve Laurant Total Repair Lip Mask - 1 x 8g Mask - Full Size - RRP £5

Next up another lip product this time from Glossybox championed, US based brand Steve Laurant. So far the February edition of Glossybox has given us a lip balm / lip colour, and a lip scrub, and now they've given us a real treat, a lip mask.

This cruelty free, lip mask contains Irish moss powder, rose extract, and hydrolysed collagen, and is designed to hydrate and sooth the lips, whilst at the same time reducing the appearance of fine lines.

The sachet contains a plastic tray which holds a little bit of excess liquid, and a translucent hot pink, wet, hydrogel like mask in the shape of an exaggerated pair of lips. The mask is quite thin but it feels quite substantial so there doesn't seem to be any danger of it splitting.

Before

It was quite easy to stick to the lips and whilst there was no real taste, it did have a slight floral scent.

On Application

The mask initially felt quite cool on the lips, but it gradually warmed up to body temperature. It felt fairly comfortable and secure on the lips, and the slit did mean it was possible to talk and move your face but it did move a bit so it was safer to stay put, lie down and take some silly selfies!

There was no indication either or on the packaging, from Glossybox or even on the Steve Laurant website about how long to leave on for, so I left on for about 15 minutes.

After

After peeling it off the skin above my upper lip did look a bit pink, and it felt a bit tingly but I think that was because I'd had a facial wax the day before. I don't think you can see too much difference in these pictures, there was no outward impression of extra moisture, but my lips definitely felt less dry and a touch more defined.

Glossybox place a value of £5 on this one single use mask. The only retailer seems to be Steve Laurant themselves where one mask retails at $10.

Glow On 5th Rose Gua Sha - Full Size - RRP £10

The final product in February's box was an item that subscribers were supposed to get in January's box, but due to import issues subscribers ended up getting it a month late, but was it really worth waiting for?

From US based brand Glow On 5th Beauty, the product in question was a Rose Gua Sha facial massage tool. These facial massagers are everywhere, and when I first saw that subscribers were getting one I was pretty excited -I was hoping to receive a lovely piece of rose quartz, instead I received a piece of all be it recyclable plastic / resin!

So obviously no crystal or stone benefits, but never mind I gave it a go anyways. Basically you massage your face and neck either with or without products, in an upward motion using the different angles, and nodules to contour your face for 4-6 minutes a day, to help firm the skin and to flush out toxins.

I've watched a few You Tube videos on techniques, and so on, and I've got to say I don't get it! For a start a lot of people don't have the time to do this every day, but not only that I also found it pretty uncomfortable to use even with barely any pressure. Is it supposed to hurt or am I doing it wrong? I'm sorry Gua Sha devotees on this experience give me a facial roller any day!

Glossybox place a price of £10 on this product, it's available exclusively from Glow On 5th Beauty where it retails at $12.

So that was a very late review of the February 2021 edition of Glossybox UK. Given the fact that it was the Valentines Day edition, it's no surprise just how lip heavy it was, even though I wasn't kissing anyone this year though, I loved all of the lip products in the box, with the NUDESTIX lip colour being a particular favourite. I also love the hand cream, and although the Gua Sha tool was a bit of a disappointment, I loved the box design and the majority of the contents.

I'd love to know your thoughts on the products in this box, so let me know your thoughts in the comments and don't forget to check out Glossybox for yourself x 

I hope you all have a good week, and I'll see you soon with another post x 

*This Post Contains Added Automatic Affiliate, Added Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links

A Late Unboxing Of Glossybox UK - September 2020 - Glossy Spa Edition*

Greetings from LouLouLand, or as I'm currently calling it Fibromyalgia hell! Again this post is super late but I'm in the middle of a pretty full on Fibromyalgia flare, pain, exhaustion, insomnia, jaw spasms, and headaches, you name a fibro symptom and in the last month I've probably experienced it with bells on! Thankfully I'm starting to see a tiny chink of light at the end of the tunnel, I'm controlling my pain a bit better, and I'm sleeping better (more on how to come x), so I'm trying to do a bit of work when I can - I really am the obligatory tortoise, it may take me a while but I'll get there in the end x 

So think back a month or two to September and enjoy my thoughts on the September 2020 edition of Glossybox UK. 

After all of the bows and excitement and bows of the August birthday edition, at least packaging wise, the September edition felt a little flat with a return to the traditional pink and black colour way, both inside and outside the box.
 

The first thing that you normally see when you open up your Glossybox is the information leaflet, but myself and many other subscribers didn't actually receive one in September's box. Thankfully though it was available on the Glossybox website, so we could find out more about the theme of the box and the products in September's box. The theme was of course 'Glossy Spa' and the box contained 5 indulgent products to give you that spa experience in your own home.

MineTan Body. Skin Exfoliating Coffee Scrub - 30g - Deluxe Mini - Est. RRP £11

The first product in the box was a body product, and it was a product from Australian owned self tanning brand. MineTan Body Skin. I'm not big on self tanning anymore so I was really pleased to receive a product that I would actually use, a sachet of their Exfoliating Coffee Scrub.

Like all of their products in their range, this scrub is 100% vegan and cruelty free, and it is also paraben, palm oil, mineral oil, and sulphate free. It contains ground coffee, sweet almond oil, walnut shell powder, brown sugar, salt, olive oil, macadamia oil, shea butter, vitamin E, pumice and oatmeal extract.

Designed to smooth and hydrate the skin and target imperfections such as dry and flaky, and uneven skin, and stretch marks, this scrub looks and smells exactly how you would expect it to.

    

Think slightly, damp coffee grounds, combined with smaller grains of salt, brown sugar, and pumice, that smells exactly like your morning cup of coffee.

All you do it massage it over damp skin, and then you rinse if off. Like all of these types of scrub it's pretty messy, and it produces a bitty coffee, coloured liquid in the bottom of the shower, but if you can get past that though it really does work, my skin felt super soft, and smooth, and after a couple of uses my skin looked more even and smooth.

Whilst the particles are quite small, this scrub was scrubby enough, to pass my 'I can feel it working' test but alas it didn't pass Mummy Lou's clean, no mess, shower test :(

Glossybox quote an estimated retail price of £11 for this 30g deluxe mini size, but based on my research that seems to be a mistake. From what I can gather the full 200ml size retails between £9.95 and £9.99 direct from both MineTan and from Look Fantastic, so a better estimation of the price was probably be around a couple of pounds.

Imperial Leather Foamburst Luxury Gel To Foam Body Wash - Lychee & Lotus Flower - 75ml - Deluxe Mini - Est. RRP £2

I've said it before but I really miss my bath, especially when I'm having an aches and pains day. Showers are brilliant for getting clean but when it comes to a luxurious and pampering experience, baths will always win out, or will they?

In the four or so years that have passed since I lost my bath, there has been a huge improvement in shower products - from just the humble shower gel, we now have shower steamers, shower creams, shower butters and shower foams, all designed to make the normal shower experience just a little bit more special.

When it comes to shower products one of my favourite type of products has to be shower foams, and one of my brands of choice has to be Imperial Leather.

I've talked about Imperial Leather's Foamburst before (read my thoughts here) but the September edition of Glossybox gave me the chance to try one of their newest editions, Lychee and Lotus Flower.

With a beautiful exotic, fruity, floral scent, this this pink gel transforms instantly into a lovely, creamy shower foam. A tiny bit goes a long way and leaves the skin soft and clean, and you can also use it shaving foam. I love these foams and they really do make the whole showering experience just a little bit more luxurious.

Glossybox put a price of £2 on this 75ml deluxe mini size. The full 200ml size retails at around £3 - £3.15 from various retailers including Superdrug, Boots, and Tesco.

Avant Skincare Supreme Hyaluronic Acid Antioxidising DUO Moisturiser - 50ml - Full Size - Est. RRP £89

The next item in the box was another product from high end skincare brand, Avant. I've tried quite a few of their products now and I've usually been pretty impressed with both the quality and the results.

Now I'm going to hold my hands up and say that I haven't actually opened this one yet. I currently have a couple of day creams on the go so I thought that I would leave this one sealed up until I was ready to use it. 

Fear not though my dear readers, I have actually already reviewed this particular moisturiser before. I received a mini 10ml size in the September 2019 edition of Pink Parcel, and you can read my review here.

Glossybox put an estimated value of £89 on this full 50ml size but again based on my research the same size also in a tube actually seems to have a retail price of £100 on the official Avant website, and it's also available in slightly different packaging also for around £100 from Look Fantastic and Beauty Expert. Either way it's a pretty expensive so I'm really pleased to have received it in September's box.

Ameliorate Intensive Skin Therapy With Alpha Hydroxy Therapy - 30ml - Full Size - RRP £15

The next item in the box was a product from a new brand to me, Ameliorate. Ameliorate produce a range of products specifically for those people with dry, sensitive or problematic skin, catering for every concern from psoriasis, to ingrown hairs.

The September 2020 edition of Glossybox UK, contained a full 30ml sized tube of the Ameliorate Intensive Skin Therapy, which is a petroleum free balm, which is designed to rejuvenate protect and deeply moisturise the skin.

Containing lactic acid, sweet almond oil, shea butter, beeswax, barley seed extract, and lanolin, it is slightly yellow in colour and it has a rich, creamy texture, and a fresh cream scent.

Despite its creaminess and thickness, it's easy to massage in, it doesn't feel overly greasy or oily and it sinks in quite quickly.

I don't have a lot of problems with dry skin, so I've mainly been using it on my hands, feet and my elbows, and I have to say that I am seriously impressed. I could see a difference in the hydration of my skin, and that look and feeling lasted for a good 24 hours or so.

If you have patches of dry skin, I would definitely recommend that you give this product a try. I'm definitely going to be taking a closer look at the entire Ameliorate range in the future. This balm retails at around £15 from various retailers including Look Fantastic, Feel Unique, Cult Beauty, and Space NK. 

Wishful Yo Glow Enzyme Scrub - 20ml - Deluxe Mini - Est. RRP £9

Although this wasn't the most expensive product in the box, according to most of the subscribers commenting on Glossybox's social media channels, it was the most wanted product in the September box. From Huda Kattan's Wishful skincare range this is a cruelty free, facial exfoliator with a twist.

Containing papaya and pineapple extracts, cellulose, alpha hydroxy acids, and beta hydroxy acids, this paraben free scrub is designed to remove dead skin, and impurities, to help leave the skin smooth, soft and glowing.

Now when you think of facial exfoliators, you immediately think of something rough and grainy - a more physical scrub, but nowadays that isn't necessarily the case. A new generation of facial exfoliators like Ginvera Green Tea Marvel Gel, The Body Shop Drops Of Youth Liquid Peel, and of course this Wishful scrub, are basically enzymatic exfoliators, that don't contain exfoliating particles and instead contain various acids and plant extracts to help smooth and tone the skin.

Containing both pineapple, and papaya, this Wishful exfoliator has a fresh and fruity but slightly astringent scent. 

The product itself us a thin, cloudy / milky white gel. All you do is apply it clean, dry skin and then massage it onto the skin in circular motion. As you begin to massage it onto the skin, the texture starts to change, and it begins to form little balls as it picks up all of the dirt and dead skin. It sounds disgusting but it's actually really satisfying to do!

Then using a muslin cloth or a flannel, and warm water, you just wash the residue away and your skin is left feeling super soft and clean.

Before 

Massaged In 

After Rinsing 

I'm not sure how well you can see it in these pictures, but my skin did look a little bit pink after using this product, probably down to the acids, but thankfully it didn't last, and I didn't experience any tingling or discomfort. If you have sensitive skin you can use it like I did once or twice a week, or if your skin is a bit more hardy, you can use it every day.

I'm a huge fan of enzyme scrubs like this, in fact I think I prefer them to more manual, bitty exfoliators. I've just recently bought The Body Shop Drops Of Youth Liquid Peel, but when I've finished I will definitely consider buying this one, well done Huda, this was definitely worth the hype.

This particular size doesn't appear to be a regular retail size but Glossybox quote a recommended retail price of £9. It usually comes in 2 sizes, a 40ml size that retails at anywhere between £15 and £18, and a 100ml size that retails anywhere between £28 and £34. The Wishful Yo Glow Enzyme Scrub is available from various retailers including Cult Beauty, Feel Unique, Boots, and of course direct from HUDA Beauty.

Since the box was all about pampering and treating yourself, the majority of subscribers also received an extra treat from the lovely people at Glossybox, and it was the best kind of treat, Chocolate!

Lindt Lindor Milk Chocolate Bar - 38g - Est. RRP 75 - 85p

When you think about Swiss chocolate brand, Lindt, probably the first things that comes to mind is probably those fabulously spherical Lindor truffles, but did you know that you can now get that same Lindor taste but in a bar?

Well you can, and in my box I was lucky enough to receive a 38g bar of Lindor Milk Chocolate. Instead of the spheres that we are all used to, the bar contains 6 squares of delicious high quality milk chocolate, with the beautiful smooth, creamy melting chocolate centre, that we've come to expect from Lindor - a yummy and gorgeous treat!

The Lindt Lindor Milk Chocolate 38g Bar retails at around 75p - 85p each from various retailers including Asda, Tesco, and Sainsbury's.

So that was a super late unboxing of the September 2020 edition of Glossybox UK. On the surface it wasn't the most exciting of boxes but the value was insane, and I loved all of the products inside, including the little chocolate surprise. It was a definite winner from Glossybox and I can definitely see myself repurchasing a few of the products again.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments and don't forget to use my link to find out more about Glossybox UK, and course to subscribe for yourself. Thanks for reading and I will see over the weekend with a little self care post x 

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