Unboxing The NEXT Summer Branded Beauty Box

Although they've been famous for a long time for their own versions of designer fragrance, NEXT isn't the first place that you'd really think of then it comes to high end beauty, and in the stores that's pretty much still the case, but online it's a whole different story.

I'm not 100% sure on the time frame but last year, I think it was,  NEXT teamed up with leading online beauty retailer Fabled By Marie Claire, to offer a wide range of high end beauty brands direct from their own website. The NEXT beauty department now features new and up to date products from a wide range of brands including high street brands such as Clinique, Bare Minerals, Estee Lauder, Benefit Cosmetics and By Terry, as well as more quirky, natural and cult brands.

I don't know about you but everyday I have a bit of an online routine, there are several that I check every morning from news sites, to shopping sites where I go to check out all  of their new arrivals. NEXT is one of those sites that seems to update their stock on almost a daily basis, and recently I was looking through their beauty section and I noticed this, their take on the beauty box.

Retailing at £12, the theme of the box is summer, and it contains 8 branded products with a combined value of at least £48, to help you prepare you body, skin and hair for summer. The items come packaged in the usual NEXT beauty packaging which is a reusable brown and mint green / turquoise cardboard box, and they wrapped in a sheet of white tissue paper.

Rituals The Ritual Of Sakura Sensational Foaming Shower Gel - Organic Rice Milk & Cherry Blossom - 50ml - Est. RRP £4.90

The first item in the box is something from one of my favourite body care brand Rituals. All of their products are inspired by Far Eastern body, and well being rituals, and this is one of my favourite scents - it has a beautiful soft, slightly fruity, floral scent. Containing nourishing rice milk, this product has a gorgeous creamy, that leaves you skin feel super soft and moisturised, and to save on space in your suitcase you can also use it as a shaving foam. When I first got rid of my bath, I definitely felt as though as though showers were an essential things, practical but not really a pampering experience, products like this though make the whole showering thing just that little bit more luxurious. This travel size is available direct from Rituals but you can buy the full 200ml size for £8.50 direct from NEXT.

Dr Paw Paw Rich Mocha Balm Multi Purpose Soothing Balm With Natural Paw Paw - 25ml - Full Size - RRP £7

Now I've tried a couple of these balms now, I've used the original in the past as an all over hydrating balm, and I recently tried the Hot Pink version which I received in the April edition of Glossybox (have a read of my review here x) 

Containing pure Paw Paw / Papaya extract this is nourishing balm with just a hint of colour that you can use on both your lips and cheeks. It looks quite scary when you first squeeze out of the tube, in fact it looks a lot like melted dark chocolate.

Apply it sparingly though, and blend it out, and you actually get a sheer, neutral bronze, nude shade, that would work as a bronzer / cheek colour on certain skin tones and as a tinted lip balm, just don't apply too much, because it really could look as though you've been eating chocolate a la Charlie And The Chocolate Factory ;)

This is a full size tube and retails at £7 again from NEXT and various other retailers.

We Are Paradoxx Hangover Hair Elixir - 15ml - RRP £10

Next up probably some of the cutest packaging that I've seen! When you think of Ireland what do think of? amazing musicians - check,  hunky actors - check, Guinness - check, and oh what else? Well whiskey of course! We Are Paradoxx is an Irish brand, that promote the philosophy of good hair, good conscience. All of their products are 90% plastic free, cruelty free, vegan, 97% natural, and are free from perfumes, mineral oils, parabens, SLS, SLES, and PEC's, and they also contain real Irish whiskey. 

Packaged in this cutest mini hip flask on a key ring, this hair oil is specially designed for dull and damaged hair, and contains Irish whiskey, and argan, coconut and soya oils, to strengthen the hair, to improve condition and to add shine. This cute travel sized bottle is only available directly from We Are Paradoxx with a retail price of £10 but the full 75ml size is available for around £30 for a variety of retailers including NEXT.

Ultrasun SPF 50 Extreme Very High Sun Protection - 25ml - RRP £5.50

Next up an item from my favourite sun care brand, Ultrasun. I'm a huge, huge fan of the brand, and I swear by it whether I'm in the UK or abroad. It's not irritating, it's non staining and you don't need to reapply it every two minutes. This particular version is designed especially for extreme conditions or for people with extremely sensitive skin, such as babies and children. It is fast absorbing but non greasy, it protects against UVA and UVB and it contains Vitamin E and antioxidants. This travel size is available for £5.50 from NEXT.

Vita Liberata Fabulous Self Tanning Gradual Lotion - 50ml

Next up two products, from another Irish company, Vita Liberata. The bulk of this box is various different types and brands of self tan, and Vita Liberata are the experts in organic, sunless tanning products, and they are the first non toxic tanning brand. Their products are paraben, perfume and alcohol free.

Containing organic botanicals including aloe vera, melon, Shea butter, grape seed, marula, raspberry, lychee and seaweed, this lotion nourishes the skin and slowly adds a subtle dose of colour, without any colour transfer or staining. It also contains odour remove technology, and moisture lock technology for a slow, even fade. The full 200ml size retails at £15.

Vita Liberata Phenomenal Organic Tan Infused Cloth - 2 x 9ml - Est. RRP £4.50

Next up another product from Vita Liberata, I already have a pack of 4 of these that I got free with last months RED magazine but as yet I haven't tried them.

Created with the same benefits and ethos as the gradual tanner, these biodegradable tanning cloths are infused with the organic ingredients including and organic source of DHA, raspberry, aloe vera and pomegranate. Quick drying, and non staining, these wipes promise hydrating, quick and easy natural colour. I think that these would be great for holidays for touching up tan lines, or for sticking in your handbag ahead of a work night out. The pack of 4 wipes retails at £9 so this two pack would probably retail at around £4.50.

St Tropez Self Tan Purity Bronzing Water Face Mist - 14ml

For a long time, St Tropez was the go to tanning brand, and whilst the market is now pretty much saturated with high end sunless tanning brands, St Tropez are still at the top of their game and they're still innovating and coming out with new products and formulations.

Smelling gorgeously tropical, and containing 100% natural tanning agents and botanicals including hibiscus and green mandarin, this vegan friendly product can be used to add a natural glow to the skin. It can be applied both under and over make up and it has an ultra lightweight feel, it's designed to nourish and protect the skin and it's also designed to provide up to 12 hours hydration to the skin, making it a perfect addition to any summer make up bag. The full 80ml retail size retails at around £22.

Fake Bake Flawless Travel Survival Kit - RRP £ 6

The final item in the box is basically three items in one - it contains 3 sachet from top brand Fake Bake, that constitute a quick and easy three step tanning routine. This kit is available from NEXT and various other retailers and retails at around £6.

Kit Contains: 
Fake Bake Papaya Exfoliation & Tan Removal Towelette - 7ml

The first sachet contains and exfoliating towelette which contains skin care ingredients such as pro Vitamin B5, and Vitamins C and E as well as papaya which has contains enzymes that have exfoliating properties. This wipes help firm the skin, remove dry patches and help to remove previous self tan applications.

Fake Bake Flawless Tanning Towelette - 8ml

The next step is the tan itself, and this wipe is infused with Fake Bake's best selling Flawless Tan - with a black coconut scent, it features a guide colour, and Fake Bakes unique long lasting triple tan formula.

Fake Bake Coconut - Oil Free Moisturiser - 10ml 

Finally you get a sachet of Fake Bakes oil free moisturising lotion, which contains coconut and Vitamin B5. Being oil free you can use it on dry areas before fake tanning, and over the top of your guide colour to prolong the life of your self tan.

Based on the little bit of research that I've done this box is great value for money, with a few full sizes, and some decent travel sizes. The self tanning items make up the bulk of the box but it gives you lots of opportunities to try new things and new formulations, and you also get a nice shower product, an all in one skin care and make up item, and a super cute hair product. Although I haven't had the opportunity to try all of the products yet, I think that this is a lovely summer kit that's perfect for holidays, travel or even for just shaking up your beauty routine for the summer months. I don't think that this is a permanent item so I'd move quick if you want to get your hands on it. It's available on the NEXT website for just £12 (excluding postage). Let me know if you have any questions on this box, and if you're interested in some summer beauty topics including fake tanning and hair removal, stick around because I've some good reviews coming soon x 

Unboxing Glossybox - April 2019 Edition - Fruity Or Floral*

Ah, at last I've found some time to sit down and get my blog on, so I'm stuck indoors despite the fact that it's Good Friday, and unusually for a Bank Holiday in the UK it's actually sunny! I can hear people laughing and generally enjoying themselves but I'm not bitter at all, I've actually had a pretty decent week for once, and I'm getting very excited about an impending new arrival (check out my Instagram and Facebook page to have a sneaky peek), and I've being enjoying the April 2019 edition of Glossybox UK.

Last month saw a return to the traditional pink and black Glossybox that we're so familiar with but in keeping with the changing seasons and hopefully the return of the warmer weather, April's vibrant, and colourful box design just screams Spring and Summer.

Every subscriber this month received one of two randomly selected boxes, one with a fruity theme, and one with a floral theme, which was reflected not only in the box design but also in the contents.

I received the floral box, which features a bright pink box base, and a white lid festooned with a large, glossy floral design in shades of yellow, pink, and turquoise, with gold foil accents. The goodies inside were wrapped in turquoise / teal tissue paper, and pink ribbon, and surrounded by pink shredded paper.

Sticking with the fruity and floral theme, all of the boxes contained an assortment of fruity and floral treats, the contents varied depending on what box design you received but all of April's boxes contained the usual 5 items, and an extra treat.

Jeanne Arthes Let Your Dreams Blossom - Eau De Parfum - 30ml - Full Size - RRP £20.99

Now perfume is always a slightly dodgy items when it comes to subscription boxes - fragrance is such a personal thing, you could ask 100 people what they thought of a fragrance and you'd probably get a 100 different answers. Personally though I don't mind receiving fragrance, I've probably had more hits than misses in my years of receiving beauty boxes, but at the same time I've also discovered some real gems over the years including the fabulous Courreges La Fille De L'Air which is now one of my go to fragrances.

The name Jeanne Arthes seems quite familiar to me so I think I've potentially tried something from the brand in the past, I don't think I have anything in my collection so if I have I obviously passed it on. Based on the research that I've done the brand was founded in my year of birth 1978 in the home of fragrance, Grasse. It doesn't seem that widely available in the UK but a quick search on ebay and Amazon brings up a few different fragrances from the brand.

From what I gather this fragrance, and the fragrance in the fruity box were made especially for Glossybox, and the floral design on the bottle even mirrors the floral design on the box lid. With notes of rose petals, cedarwood, lily, freesia and amber it's a lovely fresh, rose based scent. Rose scents can sometimes smell a little bit old fashioned but the fresher notes, and warmer notes give it a wider appeal. I like rose based scents so this was actually a winner for me, it reminds me a little bit of the long discontinued MAC Cosmetic fragrance Deja Rose from the Rose Romance Collection. Mummy Lou who loves Paul Smith Rose, and some more traditional rose scents also loves it so it's definitely a multi generational scent.

This fragrance is exclusive to Glossybox and the only official place where you can buy is directly from Glossybox but I've also seen a few on ebay x 

Soaper Duper Zingy Ginger Body Butter - 300ml - Full Size - RRP £10

After receiving the Soaper Duper Fruity Green Tuberose Body Lotion in the February edition of Pink Parcel (read my review here), and loving both the brand and their ethos, I was delighted to receive another Soaper Duper product in April's Glossybox.

Like the body lotion that I tried this body butter is vegan, cruelty free, and is free from parabens, phthalates and artificial colours. The ingredients in this particular body butter are 97% naturally derived and including all sorts of lovely things including ginger, eucalyptus, grapefruit and rosemary extracts, lime, macadamia, camelina, and sweet almond oil, vitamin E and C, and shea butter.

It's white in colour and has a thick and creamy texture, despite its richness though it absorbs into the the skin pretty quickly, and leaves it feeling soft and smooth, and looking hydrated and glowy. Rather than smelling of gingerbread it actually has more of a green, tropical scent with hints of citrus and ginger root that lingers on the skin. If you liked The Body Shop's Candied Ginger festive range from a few years ago, then you might like this. It isn't as warm but it definitely has a similar vibe. 

Again I was really impressed with this product, it's perfect if you need the hydration and power of a body butter but without the heaviness or stickiness - it leaves the skin soft, hydrated, glowy and delicately scented - what more could you want ? You only need a small amount too so this huge tub will last for ages. This body butter is available from Soaper Duper directly and various other retailers.

Dr. Botanicals Po Pomegranate Superfood Regenerating Sleeping Mask - 30ml - Travel Size - £12 - £14

Next up another product from Dr Botanicals, they seem to be a bit of a subscription box favourite at the moment, and do you know what? I'm not complaining - I'm still loving the Cr Charcoal Superfood Mattifying Face Mask that I got in March's Pink Parcel (read my post here) and I'm still picking up the rose facial oil on a regular basis so it was to the opportunity to try something else.

I haven't managed to try this yet but like the rest of the products in the Dr. Botanicals range it's cruelty free, vegan and it's certified by PETA, and it contains only high quality natural ingredients. Containing pomegranate, sweet almond oil, grapeseed and shea butter, this is an overnight mask that aims to nourish, hydrate and smooth the skin, and add brightness and antioxidants to the skin. 

All you do it apply a thin layer to clean, dry skin, 2 to 3 times a week before bed, and let it sink in while you sleep. I haven't tried anything like this before so it's gone straight in my to try pile. This is the 30ml travel size which seems to retail at anywhere between £12 - £14 from various retailers including direct from Dr. Botanicals and Beauty Expert. The full 50ml size retailers at around £19 and is again available from various retailers including Look Fantastic.

Original Source Hydrating Water Infusions Raspberry & Rose Water Shower Gel - 250ml - Full Size - Est. RRP £2.30

What I like about Glossybox is the real variety of products that you receive - now a little of people aren't a fan of the inclusion of more purse friendly products but I really don't mind. There really is nothing worse than falling in love with a products and not being able to afford to buy it again. This shower product comes from unisex, drugstore brand Original Source, I love their Lemon and Tea Tree shower gel already and this gave me a nice opportunity to try something new.

This is a product is part of a new range from Original Source of hydrating body washes, that are infused with vitamins and anti oxidants, and are designed to nourish, hydrate and detoxify the skin. They are vegan and are paraben free, but they do contain SLS. This particular one contains raspberry fruit extract, and rose flower water.

Just a small amount, of the slightly pink toned, translucent gel produces a lovely, creamy lather. It didn't smell quite as sweet and fruity as I'd expected it to, instead it had a green, more natural fruity scent, that reminded me a bit of raspberry leaf tea! It's not sweet instead it has a warm, greenness to it. It didn't feel drying on the skin and if your skin wasn't particularly dry, you could probably pass on a body lotion afterwards if you were in a rush. This is a full size tube and depending on the retailer the price at the moment varies dramatically - it's currently £1 in ASDA and £2 in Boots and Wilko.com so my advice is to shop around a bit.

Dr Paw Paw Hot Pink Balm - 25ml - Full Size - RRP £6.95

Next up a variation of a product that almost cult status in so many peoples lives. Dr Paw Paw Balm. Now I'm sure I have a tube of the original balm floating around somewhere but I can't remind whether or not I've ever tried it. In its original form it's a cruelty free, vegan, PETA certified, fragrance and gluten free balm that can be used anywhere from patches of skin, to dry lips, and dry cuticles. 

The main ingredient is Paw Paw or as we know it better in the UK, Papaya, which is combined with aloe Vera, olive oil and in this case colour pigments.

Although slightly less versatile than the original, this is a hot pink tinted version of the original Dr Paw Paw Balm, that you can use on your lips and cheeks. The shade is designed to suit all skin tones and complexions. You can apply a small amount and blend it out for a sheer finish, or you can build it up for a more dramatic finish.

I definitely think that it's easier to start of sheer and build it up, apply too much at once especially on the cheeks and you may be doing your best Aunt Sally impression. A small amount though and you get a really pretty, pink pinched cheek look that doesn't look greasy or shiny. As well as adding a pretty pink tone and a bit of gloss to the lips, it also adds and huge hit of moisture and nourishment and it actually wears pretty well.

Obviously as I say the pink tone makes it slightly less versatile when it comes to a skin care product, but it's still a multi functional make up item so it's a great one for travel and when you're on the go. You can buy this product directly from Dr Paw Paw and from various other retailers including Feelunique.

Palmer's Natural Fusions Chia Seed & Argan Oil Hair Mask - 30ml / 1 fl. oz. - Deluxe Mini - RRP £1.99

Finally an extra treat, and despite the fact that it's labelled not for resale ;) it's a nice addition to the regular 5 items. When it comes to Palmer's I automatically think body products, and Cocoa Butter, but did you know that they also have a hair care line? Well I didn't and although I haven't tried this yet, I do love a hair mask so I can't wait to give it a go.

This intensive conditioning hair mask isn't tested on animals and contains 95% naturally sourced ingredients and it contain no sulphates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oils or gluten. The two main ingredients are chia seed to strengthen the hair and promote new growth, and argan oil to rejuvenate dull and lifeless hair. It also contains sunflower oil, shea butter, coconut oil, rosemary leaf extract and rice bran wax. 

My hair is desperate need of some colour, so when I hopefully got rid of those greys, I'll treat it to some of this mask and let you know my thoughts in a future post x This is a deluxe mini with an estimated RRP of £1.99, the full 60g size is available from Superdrug and retails at £2.99.

I have to say that again I'm pretty happy with Glossybox, the value again was definitely there and it contained a nice combination of items all of which that I'll use, and that fitted in very well with the whole fruity floral theme. As per usual the box also included a little sneak peek as to what we can expect in May's box, and it looks like it's going to be a good one . In May's box every subscriber will receive either a Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Cream Kit, or a Barry M Cosmic Lights Highlighter Palette. Being a pale girl, and a highlighter junkie I would really love the highlighter palette but since it's randomly selected, I guess I'll have to wait and see x If you're interested in trying Glossybox UK for yourself, then check them out via my link, and save a little bit of money on your subscription xx Thanks as always and enjoy the rest of your weekend xx 

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