A Late Unboxing Of Glossybox UK - November 2020 Edition - Makeup & Magic*

 

Right, after a more up to date post, it's time to play catch up again with another belated Glossybox unboxing, and this time we're going back to November 2020.

Although the theme of November's box was all about 'Make Up & Magic', compared to the vintage fairy tale style, book, design of October's box, Novembers box at least design wise, was a little bit underwhelming.

There was so much scope to make another sparkly, or mystical designed box, but in some what of a missed opportunity. November's box saw a return to the traditional pink and black design, and colour way.

Instead, in November Glossybox, seemed to focus purely on the contents, producing a box containing glitter, shimmer, and glow, to get us ready for the, all be it Covid affected, festive season.

LA Splash Cosmetics Magic Eyeshadow Palette - Full Size - RRP £29 / $38

First, up the biggie, and the 'star' product in November's box; An eyeshadow palette from cruelty free US based brand, LA Splash.

I've tried a couple of things from the brand now, thanks to Glossybox, including a glitter eyeliner, and some make up brushes , but this was my first opportunity to try one of their powder products.

Packaged in a matter black and gold cardboard, magnetic fastening palette, with a shiny gold cardboard outer sleeve, their Magic Eyeshadow Palette contains 8, 10p ish sized shades, in a variety of matte, shimmer and almost metallic finishes. 

Perfect for the traditional Autumnal colour palette, the compact contains a nice mixture of neutral tones, and fall inspired, leaf and pumpkin inspired, orange, gold, and bronzes.

From Left To Right - Selenite, Sunstone, Aragonite & Tigers Eye

From Left To Right - Rose Quartz, Citrine, Amber & Onyx

As you can see all of the shades, are soft, creamy and really pigmented. I did find that the darker matte shades, such as Tiger's Eye, and Onyx especially were a touch powdery and prone to a little bit of fallout, but otherwise they were pretty easy to apply and they blended into the skin, and into each other really nicely.

What I really liked about this palette is that you could use it to create both bright, show stopping looks, and more neutral, smokey looks, like I've created here by using Sunstone, Rose Quartz, and Tigers Eye.

This is actually a really wearable palette but with a fashion, seasonal twist. I love all of the shades (especially Rose Quartz), and the quality, including the colour pay off, and the wear time was excellent. I do think that there are definitely cheaper palettes of equal quality on the market but I'm really pleased to have this one in my collection.

Whilst Beauty Bay do sell a small selection of LA Splash products, this particular palette is only available directly from LA Splash where it retails at £29 / $38.

Spectrum Collections Limited Edition Zodiac B07 Tall Crease Blender - Full Size - Est. RRP £7.99

Included to be used alongside your eyeshadow palette, the next item in November's box, was an eyeshadow brush from Spectrum Collections.

I own a few brushes from Spectrum now and I've always been really impressed with both the quality of the products and the brands ethos. All of their products are both vegan and cruelty free and this particular brush is no exception.

In one of their limited edition colour ways, this B07 Tall Crease Blender features a glossy black handle, a shiny gold ferrule, and super soft, and fluffy synthetic hairs.

This isn't really the best all rounder brush for precise application because it's a bit too fluffy, but it's perfect for blending shadow into the crease and even for applying shadow to the brow bone or all over the lid - really useful and another winner from Spectrum!

This particular brush in this colour way doesn't appear to be available to buy, but the B07 does seem to be available in both white and pink for £5.99 direct from Spectrum Collections, and it's also available in various colours, in various sets and kits both direct from Spectrum and from various other retailers including Beauty Bay, Boots, ASOS and NEXT Beauty.

Que Bella Professional Recharge & Restore Purple Moonstone Glitter Gel Mask - 15g - Full Size - RRP £2.49

The next item in the box was the first of two face masks, and this one was a single use sachet from a brand called Que Bella. I've only had one other product from Que Bella but that one is still in my to try pile, this was my first real experience with the brand.

Whilst they're quite new to the UK, Que Bella is currently the best selling face mask brand in the US, and they currently have over 25 different products in their range, catering for all ages and all different skin types.

The mask that I received this time round was the Que Bella Professional Recharge & Restore Moonstone Glitter Gel Mask. Vegan friendly and dermatologically tested, this mask is specifically designed for dull skin that needs a bit of glow. It's both hydrating, rejuvenating, plumping, firming and detoxifying, and it contains a mixture of caffeine, sodium hyaluronate, dead sea mud, charcoal powder, and moonstone extract.

At first glance I actually though that this was a peel off mask, but it's actually a gel textured wash off mask. It did feel a lot like a peel off mask though with a sticky, gel like texture. It was black in colour and full of fabulous iridescent, blue, purple, glittery sparkles.

Before

With a sweet parma violet esq scent, it was really easy to spread out, and to apply to the skin. There was a slight warming, and tingling on application but it subsided fairly quickly. The mask didn't really seem to dry or set, it just needed to be washed off with warm water after around 15 minutes.

On Face

It was a little bit difficult and messy to wash off, but it left my skin looking and feeling refreshed, clean and clear. My skin was a touch pink and there was no real difference in the texture of my skin, but the mask looked fantastic when it was on my skin, it smelled lovely, and my skin definitely looked better after using it, so I would definitely consider using this one again.

After Removal

Face masks from Que Bella are available exclusively from Amazon in the UK, and this particular mask retails at around £2.49.

Generation Clay Ultra Violet Brightening Purple Clay Mask - 50ml -  Est. RRP £19.50

The next item in the box was a bit of an unexpected one. The product listed in the information booklet was the Mudmasky Leave-Me-On Autumn Mask, but instead some Glossybox subscribers, including myself, received another face mask, the Generation Clay Ultra-Violet Brightening Purple Clay Mask.

From cruelty free, Australian based company Generation Clay / Generation Skin, this is another mask that is designed to add radiance to the skin, and to even out the complexion, as well as lightening dark circles and pigmentation.

It contains clay, and a mixture of botanicals and superfoods, including the Australian Davidson Plum, which contains AHA's, Desert Lime to stimulate collagen, Bilberry, a natural enzymic exfoliator, and Aloe Vera to soothe and reduce redness, as well as witch hazel, vitamin E, ylang ylang, and hibiscus extract.

Before 

The mask has a slightly runny, but creamy and easy to apply texture. Lilac, grey in colour is has quite a strange scent, with almost bitter almond notes, mixed with plastic and an old fashioned floral scent.

On application, as stated it did feel quite warm and tingly at least for a few minutes before it gradually subsided as the mask started to dry. It took around 15 minutes to set completely, changing to an almost white colour, whilst at the same time feeling quite solid, and tight. 

On Application

After 15 Minutes 

Like all clay masks it took a bit of getting off, but I found the best way to do it was to soak my entire, mask covered face in warm water to soften it a little bit before wiping it off  in circular motions with warm water and a muslin cloth.

My skin did look a little bit red after removal, but it felt super smooth, and looked fresher, brighter, and it had an almost smooth, matte finish.

After Removal

I was a little bit worried about the tingling feeling, and I wasn't a huge fan of the scent. but my skin actually seemed to love this mask. My skin tone looked more radiant and even, and it seemed to improve the texture, leaving it feeling smoother, and it also seemed to help control my oily t-zone as well as drying up the odd blemish more quickly. I probably wouldn't recommend it if your skin was drier or more sensitive but for me it worked.

This particular mask isn't that easy to find. Glossybox place a value of £19.50 on this 50ml half sized tube, but I can't find this size anywhere. Strangely though Beauty Bay sell a 75ml / 100g tube for £19, although it's currently out of stock. Otherwise you can find a 100g tube for around £29.99 on Amazon or for around £49.99 direct from Generation Skin / Clay, so if you do fancy trying this one for yourself then the key is to shop around x 

HASK Argan Oil From Morocco Repairing Deep Conditioner - 50g / 50ml - Full Size - Est. RRP £2

The fifth and final item in November's box is something that as of yet I still haven't managed to try. Yes, I know that November was nearly 5 months ago now, but I've been trying out a few other different hair products, so I haven't managed to slip this one into my routine yet, and scarier still I haven't tried the exact same one that I also received in the January 2019 edition of Glossybox UK - eek!

This is the original Argan oil based deep conditioning mask from American brand, Hask, which is specially designed to strengthen, and hydrate, dry, damaged, colour treated, and processed hair. I promise I will use it and I will definitely talk about it in an upcoming empties post.

This full sized  50g sachet retails at anywhere between £2.49 - £3, and is available from various retailers including Boots, Superdrug, Tesco and Waitrose. 

So that was my very late review of the November 2020 edition of Glossybox UK, and for me it was a good one; The quality of the eyeshadow palette was excellent, the brush was great quality and really useful, and I loved all of the masks, including the hair one that I haven't tried yet ;)

Let me know your thoughts on this box in the comments, and don't forget to check out Glossybox for yourself, and I will see you soon with a mixture of catch up's and more up to date posts x 

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

A Late Unboxing Of Glossybox UK - April 2020 Edition - Blossom, And A Nails Of The Day*

Hi guys, I hope you've all had a good weekend x I've got another unboxing post for you today, and today I'm unboxing the April 2020 edition of Glossybox UK.

I have to admit that I was a little bit disappointed when the traditional pink and black box turned up on my doorstep. I really love getting my Glossybox every month but to coincide with the Blossom theme of April's box I was hoping to receive a lovely floral designed box but alas it was just the traditional pink and black box with pink tissue paper, and black paper shred, all tied together with a black ribbon. 

Ah well, at least the information leaflet in its gorgeous, pastel floral design, lived up to my flowery expectations. The purpose of the information booklet as per usual was to tell you just exactly what's in the box (more on that later), and it's also there to tell you a little bit more about the box theme.

The theme of April's box was obviously Blossom, and the box contained 5 products designed to help you "bloom into a beautiful flower" including floral scented skincare, lip care that's full of botanical extracts, and perfectly seasonal pastel coloured cosmetics.

Nails Inc Nail Polish  - Blossom Kisses - 14ml - Full Size - Est. RRP £11 

Speaking of pastel coloured cosmetics, the first item in the box was a full sized Nails Inc nail polish in the shade Blossom Kisses.

Pink is one of the classic nail polish shades and Blossom Kisses is a gorgeous slightly dusky, cool toned pink shade. There is no shimmer, and no sparkle it's just a classic cream polish.

As per usual with full sized Nails Inc polishes, Blossom Kisses, has a lovely, wide, slightly curved brush. Perfect designed to fit to the contours of the cuticle, depending on the width of your nails, you can paint most nails in just one swipe. I have chunky fingers but quite slim nails, so the brush is actually slightly wider than my pinkie finger, so I did need to be a little bit careful with my application technique on that one.

I own a lot of Nails Inc polishes, and I did actually find this polish a little thicker and gloopier than normal. The coverage even after 1 coat was pretty decent, you could still see the odd brush stroke but it was pretty self levelling. With careful application I probably could have got away with just one coat on most nails but in these pictures I'm wearing two coats.

From a distance I think it looks pretty good and very glossy but look more closely and you can see a little bit of bubbling. I know that bubbles can sometimes occur when you don't give your polish enough time to dry between coats but I don't really know what wrong here it did seem to dry quite quickly, and I left nearly 10 minutes between coats, so who knows. 

The wear time to be honest wasn't amazing either, it had started to chip in less than 2 days, and after 3 days I was missing 4 whole nails worth. As per usual when testing or reviewing a polish I didn't use a top coat which more than likely would have improved the wear time.

I really loved the colour, it's a perfect Spring / Summer colour but for some reason I just don't think that the formulation was up to Nails Inc's usual standard, it seemed thicker and it didn't seem to wear that well. I can't find this particular shade online bar on eBay so I think it was exclusive to the April edition of Glossybox which may explain the difference in quality, so I can only give an estimated value of around £11 which is the usual retail price for a basic full sized Nails Inc polishes.

Avant Skincare Gentle Rose Beautifying Face Exfoliant - 50ml - Est. £92

Next up the product that was teased in the March edition of Glossybox UK, and it's another product from high end skincare brand Avant.

Thanks to various subscription boxes I've managed to try quite a few products from Avant now (have a look at my Beauty Product Directory above to read some reviews), and so far so good, I've liked pretty much everything that I've tried so far.

Under their tagline 'combining nature with science', this is a product from their Age Nutri Revive range. It is a facial exfoliant which is designed for all skin types, it's designed to nourish the skin from within, and to combat imperfections, including large pores, uneven skin tone, fine lines and dryness. Designed to gently slough away dead skin, according to Avant it leaves the skin smoother, healthier looking and with an improved texture.

As well as being cruelty free, it's also paraben free, and carbomer free, it contains rose extract, which is an anti oxidant to help calm the skin, and minimise redness, as well as softening and smoothing, and Vitamin B5 which helps the skin to retail moisture.

It has a gel like texture, and it's white in colour with a slight iridescence and shimmer, and it contains lots of tiny, fine white particles.

It quite simple to use all you do is massage it in to damp, cleansed skin. The first thing you actually notice is the smell, it has a gorgeous real rose scent, and then you notice just how well those tiny little particles do their thing. After adding a little bit of water and massaging your face in circular motions, it produces a gentle foam, it isn't scratchy or uncomfortable but you can feel a the exfoliating action.

Before

On Application

After

You could just splash your face with warm water to remove it, but I used a muslin cloth or a flannel, and warm water. The exfoliating particles as I say are quite small so they do tend to hang around a bit even after rinsing, so you probably see a few stray ones in the after picture.

My skin is quite easily sensitised and it does go pink quite easily no matter what the product, and this one was no different. There was no soreness, dryness or irritation, my skin just felt really clean, soft and smooth, and it almost felt as though I'd used a moisturiser or a serum.

So my Avant love in continues, this was another lovely product from them, it smells beautiful, and it leave the skin super soft and smooth. I've been using this about 3 times a week but it's definitely gentle enough for even me to use once a day. The only drawback as per usual with Avant is the price, Glossybox quote a pretty spendy £92 for this size. I can't actually find this 50ml tube anywhere online, I can only find a slightly larger 60ml size but it's actually packaged in a jar rather than a tube, for the same RRP of £92. If you fancy trying this one for yourself it's available from various retailers including direct from Avant, Look Fantastic, and Beauty Expert.

SPORTFX Raspberry And Rhubarb Recovery Lip Balm SPF 15 - 8g - Full Size - RRP £4.99

When you think about beauty must haves, lip balm has to be pretty high up there on most people's lists. I own loads of them but the weird thing is I very rarely seem to finish them, so either I don't use them as often as I think I do, or I just use so many at once that I just have a load of half finished ones that ultimately end up in the bin.

Anyways in case you haven't already realised the next item in April's box was a lip balm from a brand called SPORTFX.

SPORTFX is a make up, skincare, activewear and lifestyle brand that is specifically designed for the active woman, be that in the gym, the office or on the dance floor. All of the beauty products in the range are paraben free, and contain vitamins and SPF.

This lip balm is also dermatologically tested, it contains SPF 15, natural oils including almond oil, as well as shea butter, aloe vera, and vitamins C, E, and F.

The balm comes boxed, and it comes in slightly odd looking, almost a chunky T shape, style container. It features a clear, twist off lid, and inside is a large round dome shaped, deep pink sold balm.

It has a lovely slightly perfume based, fruity scent and taste. It feels hydrating and softening on the lips but it isn't greasy, sticky, or slimy. 

As well as adding moisture to the lips it also add a lovely, subtle rose pink tint, that you could easily wear as a more subtle alternative to lipstick or gloss.

I did find it a little bit awkward to apply, the dome was quite chunky, so you do need to be a bit careful especially if you have thinner lips, it wouldn't be as bad if it was a clear balm but being slightly tinted you are in danger of getting it onto the skin. I actually found the easiest way to apply it was to apply it with my mouth open - not a good look but it works.

If your lips are super dry and flakey, this particular balm probably won't be quite enough for you, but if you are after a lovely, moisturising non greasy, balm with a slight tint, that's perfect for everyday wear then this could be one to try. Like most lip balms I can't guarantee that I'll end up finishing this one but I'm definitely going to try and do my level best to try and use this one on a more regular basis. If you don't like the idea of the Rhubarb and Raspberry scent, this particular balm is also available in two other varieties Peach Bellini, and White Coconut for around £4.99 from various retailers including House Of Fraser, USC, Sports Direct and of course directly from SPORTFX.

Rituals The Ritual Of Sakura Softening Rice Scrub - Organic Rice Milk & Cherry Blossom - 70ml - Deluxe Mini - Est. RRP £4.60

Now, if you are a regular reader of LouLouLand, then you should know by now that I'm a bit of a body scrub junkie, I love a good scrub, so for that reason I was really pleased to receive a shower scrub from Rituals in April's box.

I'm a huge, huge fan of Rituals entire range of Far Eastern inspired body care range but far my favourite range from them is without a doubt, The Ritual Of Sakura..

I've tried quite a few products from the line now, including the Magic Touch Body Cream, and the Shower Foam, and I've fallen in love with the heady, almost sexy fruity, floral scent. There are actually 2 different body exfoliators in the Sakura range, and this one is officially described by Rituals as a shower scrub.

Containing cherry flower, and rice extracts, and volcanic pumice, this product has a clear gel base, with tiny white and black particles suspended within it. This is product is really a 2 in 1 shower gel, and exfoliator. When you massage it into damp skin, it produces a light foam crammed full of tiny exfoliating particles. 

It isn't the roughest of scrubs but the inclusion of the natural pumice gives it a nice scrubby feel. The foam rinses away fairly easily but like with the Avant scrub, because the particles are so small, they have a tendency to hang around a bit, but it's nothing that a good blast of the shower won't fix.

Despite my own personal preference for chunkier sugar and salt scrubs, this one actually really surprised me. The scrub particles are quite small but I did actually feel as though I'd used a grittier scrub, my skin felt smoother, and softer. The smell might be a little bit too strong for some people (you could smell it the minute you opened the box) but I personally love it, and I've been using it alongside my other Sakura products for a full immersive, scented experience.

As I say there are two scrubs in the Sakura range, the other one which has a slightly different texture and comes in a tub is a little bit more widely available than this particular one. The only place that I can find this shower scrub is direct from Rituals where the full 150ml size retails at £9.90. Glossybox quote a price of £4.60 for this 70ml size.

Hask Orchid & White Truffle Moisture Rich Deep Conditioner - 50g - Full Size - Est. RRP £3

As I said earlier in this post, one of the main purposes of the information leaflet is to give you a little bit more information about the products in the box. Apart from a few odd price estimates I've always found the leaflet to be really useful and fairly accurate, April's though did contain a bit of an error. According to the leaflet I should have received a Sanctuary Spa Nourishing Rose Petal Hydrogel Face Mask, but I didn't, instead I got a Hask hair mask. These things happen and I know I'm not the only one to have received something different over the last few months, I can imagine it's been very difficult for Glossybox containing to pack and deliver boxes during the pandemic so even though I'm a bit miffed because I'm loving hydrogel masks at the minute, I'll let them off this time.

I've had a few Hask products from various subscription boxes over the years, but I haven't actually managed to use that many of them, but since I thought that my poor hair deserved a little bit of a treat, I thought I'd try it out.

I think that Hask are a US based hair brand, all of their products are 100% cruelty free (although not vegan) and they are also free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, gluten, aluminium starch, drying alcohol, artificial colours, and silicones.

This particular mask is from their Orchid & White Truffle range for dry, and damaged hair. It contains amino acids, orchid extract, white truffle extract, lanolin, and pea proteins, and is designed to soften, and replenish extremely dry hair, and to control frizz.

The sachet contains a fairly thick but not dense or heavy, white cream, with a strong warm, sweet, almost musky floral scent.

You apply it to clean, wet hair, so I used it after shampooing. It was easy to apply to spread and work  through the hair even with fingers, but you can also comb it through for more precise application and even distribution. The instructions advise to leave it for around 10 minutes before rinsing it away with warm water. It was pretty easy to rinse it away under the shower, and my hair immediately felt smoother, and almost slick to the touch.

After towel drying it seemed easier to comb, there were less tangles and it felt smoother. I left my hair to dry naturally as I do 90% of the time, and when it was dry it definitely felt softer, and less tangled, but because it was so soft it did look a touch fluffier and frizzier.

It was actually a really nice treatment it felt luxurious, and the scent lingered on the hair for a good few hours afterwards. It was also surprisingly economical, the tendency with a sachet is always to use it all but even on my well below shoulder length hair, I managed to get 3 generous uses out of one 50g sachet.

I've had a little look online at usual Hask stockists including Superdrug, Waitrose, and Cloud 10, and none of them seem to stock this product. The only place that I can find it online is on eBay and on a website called British Online Supermarket, where it retails for £4.75 which is a little bit steep, when you consider that Hask hair masks usually sell at around £3.

So what did I think about April's box? Well compared to March's and February's boxes, I've got to say that at first glance it didn't look that exciting but personally for me it was one of the best all round boxes that I've had in a long time. I pretty much liked everything in it - I loved the scrubs, the lip balm smelled and tasted lovely, I loved the colour of the nail polish, and even though I didn't get the face mask that should have been in my box, I really liked the Hask hair mask. I'll definitely use all of the products again and everything in the box also fitted in perfectly with the fruity, floral blossom theme.

Let me know your thoughts on this box in the comments, and don't forget to click my link to find out more about Glossybox UK. Thanks for reading, don't forget to enter my giveaway, and I'll see you soon with my May empties post x

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