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 

Lavera Self Tanning Lotion - A Review For My Pure*

In the UK, there are 3 ways to get a tan , Number 1 - Go abroad! Number 2 - slather yourself in tan accelerator and sit in the garden on one of the 7 ish sunny days  that we get in a year or there is option Number 3, which is probably the easiest and cheapest - fake it!

I'm not gonna lie we have had a few sunny days this year, and thanks to a combination of using good SPF's and tan accelerators I have managed to get a little bit of colour but in the wider scheme of things my natural tan is probably someone elses pale and pasty look!

I have to be honest and say I really don't mind embracing the pale, I'm not one of those people that slaps on the fake tan all year around, in fact I don't actually use it that often, but sometimes you just feel as though you need a bit of colour in your life and on your legs.

I've been feeling a bit mehh lately and in my weird mind a tan was just what I needed to make myself feel a bit better and look a bit thinner so instead of using up one of the self tans that I already have , I decided to try something new from My Pure.

Traditionally fake tans are crammed full of chemicals, they might have the odd natural ingredient but they aren't always the most eco friendly product on the market. Throw in the fact that they aren't always cruelty free and they can be quite drying on the skin and it makes you wonder why we even bother. Thankfully though there are now a few more natural fake tanning options out there, and over the last month I've been using trying out the Lavera Self Tanning Lotion.

If anyone can make a natural and cruelty free fake tan then it's probably German brand Lavera. Like all of the products in their range, this NaTrue certified self tanning lotion is made from both natural and predominantly organic ingredients.It is suitable for vegans and it is free from parabens, sulphates, petrochemicals, silicone's, and artificial colourings and fragrances.

Packaged in a recyclable plastic, squeezy tube, it contains a wide variety of moisturising ingredients including organic sunflower oil, soybean oil, macadamia oil, and shea butter. It also contains
calendula extract, aloe vera, beta carotene and Vitamin E.

When I first squeezed some of the product out I have to say I wasn't expecting a lot, the majority of fake tans out there have a guide colour but this is just an off white, creamy lotion. To be honest it looks more like a body lotion or a body cream and it certainly smells more like a luxury body cream than a self tan. It has a really pleasant lavender, aromatherapy citrus scent that lingers on the skin.

Application is like most other fake tans out there, it's best to exfoliate first, and then you apply it on to clean, dry skin, avoiding the knees and elbows. It's very, very creamy and a little goes a long way, I definitely used too much at first but if you just keep massaging it in until it's absorbed. Obviously there is no guide colour so you just have to apply it as evenly as possible. You could just use a mitt I guess but because of the cream like texture it's just as easy to use your hands but remember to give them a good wash afterwards.

My skin did feel a tiny bit tacky for a few minutes so I'd avoid getting dressed or sitting on any fabrics for a few minutes. Once it sunk in though my skin just felt really smooth and as though is had been covered in a deliciously scented body cream. Lavera advise that you leave it for around 5 hours to see the full results and as per usual with fake tans I did the one leg challenge so I'm going to let the photographs speak for themselves

Before 

After

Before

After

After - Close Up 

I really can't describe how much this product surprised me, when I first saw the white creamy lotion, I'll admit I wasn't hopeful but despite the lack of guide colour, and more gradual tan appearance, within 5 hours I had a natural looking, golden tan, and super soft skin with only the tiniest hint of digestive biscuit aroma. It is quite a natural colour but you can reapply it every day or so for a deeper colour.

What can I say, I'm a fan! The texture and the scent made it a pleasure to apply, and despite the lack of guide colour I managed achieve a pretty even, natural golden tan, without any of the dryness or nasty smells that you normally associate with self tan. I still don't think I'm ever going to be one of those permanently fake tanned people, but I'm definitely going to be using this regularly and enjoying both the smooth skin and the healthy glow. Lavera Self Tanning Lotion retails at £13.50 for 150ml tube from My Pure. Are you a fake tan fan? or do you embrace the pale? Let me know your thoughts. 

*Sample

A Review Of The Fake Bake 60 Minute Self Tan Liquid*

I'm going to hold my hands up here and saying that I've been very lazy this year when it's came to fake tan. I've never been one of those people who uses if every single week, I actually don't mind embracing the pale. The only time I ever really use it, is during the summer month, for special occasions and of course when I go on holiday. Summer this for me was categorised mainly by illness, and exhaustion, I had no special occasions to attend and I didn't go on holiday, so bar a bit of gradual tan I stayed pale and pasty.

A few weeks ago though I was taking some blog pics and I was shocked by just how blue. white my skin looked, so I decided to dig out some fake tan. When it comes to fake tan I'm a mousse or a spray girl, they just seem easier for me and they do the job without too much fuss. When I looked through my rather crowded bathroom cupboard though I found something that I'd been sent a little while ago and I'd never used - Fake Bake 60 Minute Self Tan Liquid.

Although I'd heard of the brand, read reviews and seen advertisements, I hadn't actually tried anything from them. A few months ago though I was sent a little fun, survey on behalf of the company to meet my match, and find my ideal self tanning product. My result implied, that I was a girl on the go, who wants things done properly but at break neck speed. What I'm not 100% sure that fits my character, when it comes to fake tan it makes perfect sense. Fair enough I can wait an hour or so for it develop but I'm too impatient to wait for the 6 -8 hours that so many fake tans take.

Fake Bake 60 Minute Self Tan is designed to provide that healthy golden glow in as little as 60 minutes. The product comes boxed, and comes sealed and with a screw top cap, and the box you also get a pump action spray to make your application easier.

Unlike a lot of brands your self tan mitt comes provided, one side is made of a hot pink velour, and the other side has a foam / sponge like feel.

The majority of tanning mitts that you buy have a waterproof lining, but not this one. At first I thought that this was a little bit strange, but it makes sense I guess. Use any mitt more than once or twice and the waterproof lining eventually starts to either come away or leak. So in this case inside your box you also get a pair of black plastic gloves, to wear underneath your mitt.

Like all self tanners Fake Bake recommend that you regularly exfoliate and moisture both before and after tanning, in fact they actually produce several product that you can use for dry patches immediately before you tan. I didn't have anything like that used my normal exfoliators and moisturisers in the days before and hoped for the best

This is my before picture, it's not great is it. My legs aren't pure white by any means but they can have a very pale pink, almost blue look at times.

The comprehensive instruction guide recommends that you spray the product on to the pink side of your mitt. This product is really a liquid / lotion / spray hybrid. It's very liquidy, and to be honest it did tend to leak a little bit from the top when it was tipped or sprayed.

I have to be honest and say after a while I just applied the spray directly to my legs. Spraying it directly onto the mitt seemed to me to waste quite a lot of product. It was a bit messier this way, especially with the slightly leaky bottle but I felt it worked better and that I used a lot less product.

Once the product was on my legs or on the mitt, as per the instructions I just rubbed the lotion on in circular motions, until it looked even. I did find that the drier patches of skin particularly on my feet seemed so suck the product up a bit so I just tried to keep buffing it out.

The good thing about this tan is the guide colour, no light green or orange tints here, this is a full on brown / grey / green mud colour, so you really do resemble a creature from the deep! As per usual I've done the one leg challenge for you so you can tell the difference between the two legs.

Once it was on the legs it felt completely dry in probably less than 10 minutes. The liquid has a pleasant, summery coconut scent which gradually fades to the familiar digestive biscuit aroma as it develops. As the name suggests you leave it for 60 minutes to achieve a light golden tan, however, you can leave on up to three hours to produce a dark tan. To be honest I was blogging at the time so I ended up leaving it for just under three hours. Then all you do is wash off your guide colour with plain water. I would advise that you be a little bit careful after you've washed it off as I did seem to transfer onto the towels etc. till it was dry.

The results I think speak for themselves, I've used a lot of fake tans and by far this one has given me one of the best and most natural colours I've ever had, equivalent to two weeks holiday in somewhere hot. It's a tad darker than it's showing here but it was pretty even and there was virtually no streaking. The only areas that went a bit wrong were my feet, the skin on them was quite dry so the tanner really clung produces a couple of darker patches. Other than that I was happy with the eventual colour and the wear time, I did moisturise and exfoliate, but even so it lasted a good 4 days before starting to fade, and even then the fade was even and didn't lead to any patchiness.

It's not perfect by any means, but I really don't think any self tanner is but it's close enough for me to give it a thumbs up.

It has its faults, It could just be my bottle but it is a bit messy, and I would definitely advise that you apply it carefully and cover up the surrounding area in case you get any drips. A couple of drops from my feet seemed to end up in both the kitchen and the dining room, despite the fact that I applied in the conservatory. Thankfully the marks washed away from the lino and carpet easily but I'll definitely be more careful next time.

Like a lot of self tanners the biggest problem is clinging to dry patches. Pretty much every single one does it, and the only way is to exfoliate and moisturise before. As I say Fake Bake do an exfoliator and some moisturisers which they recommend you use alongside this product so maybe they would counteract this problem in this case.

The only other issue that I had with this product is the sheer amount you need to use. The first time I used this product I didn't use anywhere near enough to produce any sort of colour change. The next time I used it I applied a lot, lot more which ultimately did make the difference that you see above, so if your going to do a full body tan, then the bottle probably wouldn't last that long.

Despite these negatives I have to say I am a huge fan of this product. The colour just worked with my skin tone giving me a colour, that it would take at least two weeks in the sun to achieve, and it was a colour that lasted well, and faded evenly. I also liked the versatility of the colour change. In the winter we don't always want a dark tan, so leaving if on for just an hour would give the skin a healthy glow, compared to the dark, more summer appropriate tan that you can achieve if you leave it on for 3 hours.

It isn't the cheapest self tanner out there, retailing at around £25 for 236 ml but I would definitely consider purchasing it, or any of the other formula's in the Fake Bake range x Have you ever tried Fake Bake? If so which formula do you prefer? Leave me a comment and let me know x

(*Sample)

Fake Tanning On A Budget - Tanatomicals The Holy Grail For The Deathly Pale*

I meant to pop this post up yesterday but I had relatives over all afternoon so I never got round to it - sorry! Still nothings changed really has it, it's still dull and it's still raining, there have been some tiny sunny intervals both yesterday and today but the latest rumour is this horrid weather is going to last for at least two weeks - sob :( What does bad weather mean ? well no suntan for me  :( I know I talked about the importance of SPF the other day and I still stand by everything I said, but it is possible to get some colour safely and with protection, just not in this weather so I think I'm going to have to dig out the faux glow.

I'm not a fake tan junkie by any means but I do like a bit of extra colour especially during the summer months. I will freely admit that St Tropez Mousse is my fake tan of choice but it's pricey so I've decided to try out a few cheaper alternatives for my benefit and for yours :)

The first budget fake tan product I'm going to try out for you is by quirky brand Anatomicals' , fake tan line Tanatomicals.

Whatever your self tan preference creams, sprays and mousses Tantatomicals probably have a fake tan for you. As I said before I am a mousse girl so I was delighted to be sent the quirky named The Holy Grail For The Deathly Pale Instant + Self Tan Mousse.

Enriched with moisturisers such as Aloe Vera, this mousse is pH balanced to minimise dryness, and irritation. It's designed to give the skin an instant glow which will then develop into a natural tan.

Ahead of using the product I made sure that my skin was well exfoliated and that I'd been using a body moisturiser for a few days prior to using the product particularly on my drier areas such as my knees and my ankles. As you can see from these before pictures my legs are pretty pale :(

The mousse itself comes packaged in the traditional pump action dispenser. It is a sort of mustard / brown in colour which is quite unlike the green tinged products that I normally use.

I applied the product to clean, dry skin using my favourites method of application the tanning mitt (I have a review of my preferred mitts coming soon). The first thing you notice about the product apart from the colour is the smell - none of your hideous self tan smells here this product smells of a summery cocktail, think   coconut and pineapples yum! The next thing you notice is the colour to be honest it looked very scary after the initial application, it looked very orange on my skin, personally there is no way I would have gone out with my skin that colour - it's looking OK in this picture but it looked a lot more orange toned like irl

So the instant tan aspect was a bit of a fail for me so I left it to develop overnight. This mousse I have to say dried really quickly, and left the skin feeling matte and without any stickiness. I was able to go and sit on the sofa and dress with about 5 minutes of applying it. It left no marks or the furniture, my sheets or my clothing. I also noticed that the Pina Colada smell lingered and it never developed that horrid digestive biscuit aroma.

By the next day the colour on my legs had changed dramatically, instead of the unflattering orangey shade, my legs had developed a very subtle and natural looking tan. It's not that easy to see it in these pics but as I say the colour was very natural.

I decided to pop on another coat just to see if you could go a bit darker with this product, again I left it over night and this was the result

Again the lighting isn't the best but I did go a little bit darker so you can definitely build up the colour if you want (ignore the sock marks lol)

I have to say I really liked this fake tan, the initial colour didn't work on me at all but it developed into a super natural looking tan. It smelt great, it wasn't drying or sticky and the colour faded pretty well, without any major patching or dryness. If you like a super dark, obvious fake tan this isn't the one for you, if your a fake tan newbie and you want something natural, just ignore the instant colour and this colour be the one for you .In fact I've already bought my godmother a bottle of this tan purely based on the smell - she hates the usual fake tan smell and this one seems to be suiting her down to the ground - Look even Jasper wanted to try it out - I'm sure he's got enough of a tan already though hasn't he ;)

Tanatomicals The Holy Grail For The Deathly Pale Instant + Self Tan Mousse 150ml retails at around £6.99  from Superdrug and various other retailers. Have you tried any of the Tanatomicals products? and what's your favourite fake tan product? let me know in the comments x

*Sample