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 

*This Post Contains Both Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links 

Unboxing Pink Parcel - February 2019 Edition - Backstage Favourites*

Earlier this month I posted a slightly late review of January's Pink Parcel (click here to read it), and for my very first blog unboxing I have to say that it was a bit of a let down. The box seemed to be almost thrown together and there didn't seem to have been any thought behind it or any real theme. The value was there but compared to previous boxes I was left feeling a bit mehhh. With Pink Parcel promising changes and improvements, starting with their February box, though, I couldn't help but be a little bit excited about what was to come this month.

From the minute that the postman handed me the box I could see that whole box had been given a fresh, new look. Instead of coming in a black plastic mailing bag February's box came in bright and clean cream / white patterned plastic mailing bag. The box itself as promised had also changed, it was smaller and slightly sturdier (although still not really reusable), and instead of the dark grey and pink design of the old box, it was now white with a pink swirl design. It was also printed with the Cosmopolitan logo, I can't find anything that says that this was a collaboration box so it could just be promotional, advertising or sponsorship.

The box opens with the familiar tear off strip, and immediately on opening it I noticed a few differences. Again there was no product information leaflet, but from what I gather out of environmental concerns, and to prevent paper waste, the Pink Parcel Post leaflet will be now be sent via email. I received my email a couple of days after I'd received the box and it contained information on the box theme, Backstage Favourites, and information on all of the products in the box.

The biggest and most visible change though, is in the contents and layout of the box again down to environmental concerns, there are now just 2 boxes instead of the usual 3. So you now get one box which says "MUSTS" which contains sanitary protection, the familiar fabric pouch, and a box which has the words "WANTS" on it.

Again, this month I chose a box that just contained sanitary pads. The fabric pouch, this time in a Valentines themed, red and pink heart design, and the MUSTS box both contained a variety of sanitary pads, including night time pads and panty liners. Like last month rather than the products I'd requested I received a mixture of brands, and compared to last month I did receive slightly fewer items, but I still received more than enough branded sanitary products to last the duration of my period.

Now as much as I love the convenience of getting sanitary protection delivered directly to my home every month, that isn't really the reason why I look forward to my Pink Parcel delivery, for me it's all about the extras.  The old style "For You" box has now been replaced with a similar sized white box, with the word "WANTS" printed on it, which contains a mixture of items to make that time of the month just that little bit easier.

Soaper Duper Fruity Green Tuberose Body Lotion - 250ml - Full Size - RRP £7.50

One of the reasons why I love subscription boxes so much is that they give you the opportunity to try new brands, and the first item in February's Pink Parcel is from a new brand to me Soaper Duper. Based in the UK Soaper Duper, is a naturally derived, affordable bath and body care range, that contains no parabens, microbeads, SLS or any other nasties. The range is vegan and cruelty free, and all of the packaging is made from 100% PCR (post consumer recycled plastic). They are also supporters of the charity Water Aid.

In February's Pink Parcel we received one of two body lotions and the one I received was Fruity Green Tuberose. Made from 98% naturally derived ingredients, the full list of natural ingredients is way too long to mention but this body lotion includes smoothing fruit acids of pineapple, grape and passion fruit, hydrating aloe vera, nourishing shea nut butter, sweet almond oil, borage oil, coconut water and vitamin E.

At first sniff I wasn't sure about the smell at all, it's very unusual, it's very green with a touch of fruitiness. Once you've applied it to the skin though like an expensive fragrance it comes to life, and the different fragrance notes start to come through, and you can really smell the headiness of the tuberose. It's definitely an acquired scent but it's really grown on me.

It's quite a runny textured lotion, and as a result a small amount goes a long way. It soaks in quickly and despite the liquidy texture it is actually quite moisturising. I've used this a few times now and I have to say that I'm really impressed with it, it's absorbs into the skin really easily, and it's very hydrating so it's an ideal product for when you're in a rush. As I say the scent is an acquired one in my opinion, and it definitely won't be to every ones taste, but I love tuberose, and this is definitely a scent that's grown on me.

I've got to say I love the whole concept of the brand and I'm definitely going to try and pick up a few more products from the range in the future. You can buy this product directly from Soaper Duper and from various other selected retailers including Tesco.  

ORYZA Beauty Velvet Ribbon Lipstick - Lido - 3.8g - Full Size - RRP £15.95

Next up a full size lipstick from a brand called ORYZA. I've had a few ORYZA products from various subscription boxes including another one of these lipsticks in the shade Arwa, and even though I don't know a lot about the brand I've been pretty impressed so I was pleased to see another product in this months Pink Parcel. I've done a bit of research and ORYZA are a 100% cruelty free, UK brand that focuses on natural ingredients. Their key ingredient and the ingredient from which they take their name is Oryza Sativa aka rice germ oil, their products also include safflower seed, sunflower seed, and jojoba oils, and shea butter.

Containing rice germ oil, shea butter, vitamin E, and pomegranate fruit extract, their velvet ribbon lipsticks, are nourishing and hydrating, and have a long wear, weightless satin finish. 

This particular shade Lido is described as a dusky pink, nude, it has a lot of warmth to it, and slight peach and coral tones. It's a nice wearable shade that would suit a lot of ages and lot of different skin tones. If you aren't a fan of matte's then this may be the finish for you, it isn't too shiny, but at the same time it isn't an out and out dry, flat matte. It applies easily with dragging and it does seem to add a little bit of moisture to the lips.

Because it isn't too shiny or too moisturising it wears well, and fades down evenly leaving a slight stain on the lips. I don't think this is the cheapest lipstick out there but if you're looking for something a bit different brand wise, and for a cruelty free brand with good quality ingredients than ORYZA is probably a brand worth looking at. I've worn this and the other shade that I have a few times already and I've been pretty impressed with the finish, the shades and the wear time. You can buy ORYZA products from their own website and from the Pink Parcel Shop.

Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm - 4ml

The next item in the box is a product that has almost cult status and with good reason. This little tube of magic only contains one ingredient, the highest grade, purest lanolin, from Australian free roaming sheep. It really is a multi purpose product, and you can use it on dry skin literally anywhere on the body, from your cuticles, to cold ravaged noses, lips and nipples, and you can even use it to shine your shoes.

I've had a couple of tubes of this in the past from various boxes and I predominantly use it as a lip balm. Yellow in colour it has a thick balm like texture, which melts on contact with the skin. With no real scent or taste, a little goes a long way, a small amount adds a nice gloss to the lips, whilst a larger amount moisturises and protects, it takes a little while to soak in, but it definitely helps with hydration and it's a must if like me you have sore and cracked lips at the moment due to the weird hot, cold weather we're having at the moment.

Obviously this product isn't suitable for vegans, or anyone who suffers from an allergy to lanolin, but if you don't fall into either of those categories, then I would thoroughly recommend this product if you have any areas of dry skin on your face or body. I can't find an RRP for this exact size tube but an 8ml size tube retails at £5.99, and a pack of 6 of these 4ml tubes retails at £25, so if you do the maths then the cheapest estimate for this 4ml tube is around £2.99.

Marvis Cinnamon Mint Toothpaste - 10ml

Like February's Glossybox, February's Pink Parcel also contains a tube of toothpaste. This one though is from Italian toothpaste brand, Marvis. With a xylitol and sorbitan based formula, all of their toothpastes are designed to whiten and protect the teeth and freshen the breath. When it comes to toothpastes though Marvis have always pushed the boundaries with their exotic toothpaste flavours, and this tube is in one their most popular flavours Cinnamon Mint. I haven't opened it or broken the seal yet but I can already smell an almost astringent, cinnamon, aniseed ball scent. You do get a little bit sick of mint flavoured toothpastes so I can't wait to give this a try. The full 85ml size retails at around £7 from various retailers including lookfantastic. I can only find this particular size on a US website where is retails at around $1.95.

Vitamasques Diamond Gold Mask - Brightening - 1 x 20ml Sheet Mask - Full Size - £5.99

Another sheet mask, and another mask from Vitamasques! I think I've just about tried most of their masks now but I don't think I've tried this one yet. This mask is from their Gold range, and it's infused with real gold flakes, as well as real diamond and pearl powders. It's cruelty free, vegan,and paraben, mineral oil and sulphate free. Suitable for all skin types it's designed to promote a healthy, and natural glow and to increase the skins moisture content. I'll add this one to my to use pile, so keep an eye on my monthly empties posts to find out what I think about it x In the meantime you can buy it directly from Vitamasques, from HQ Hair, Amazon and the Pink Shop.

Chocolate And Love Napolitan - Madagascar - 5.5g

Chocolate And Love Napolitan - Panama - 5.5g

One of the highlights of every Pink Parcel, is the sweetie component, I have a crazy sweet tooth, and chocolate really is my vice, so I was delighted to find two all be it tiny chocolate bars from award winning UK based organic, fair trade, ethical chocolate company, Chocolate and Love. 

Both of these tiny bars are suitable for vegans. The Madagascar bar is a single origin dark chocolate with 70% cocoa. It has a rich almost coffee like bitterness to but it had a very smooth mouth feel. The Panama on the other hand is dark chocolate with 80% cocoa, again it was smooth and rich but it had a much fruitier flavour.

Although the pieces were quite small, it was a nice quality chocolate that really helped satisfy some of this months cravings. Obviously it's almost impossible to put a true price on two small pieces but you can buy a Rich Dark Tin directly from Love And Chocolate that contains 30 pieces like this including these two varieties for £11.99.

Pure Chimp Turmeric Matcha Green Tea - 2 x 1g Servings 

Finally something else that you always get in Pink Parcel, something to drink. Normally you get a tea bag but this month we got something a little bit different. This sachet contains two servings of 100% natural and vegan turmeric matcha green tea. All you do is mix the contents of the sachet, which contains powdered green tea leaves, turmeric, cinnamon and ginger, with hot or cold milk. I've never tried anything like this before so I'm definitely going to try this out sooner rather than later. Again it's impossible to give an accurate price comparison but a 50g jar retails at £9.95 directly from Pure Chimp.

So that was February's Pink Parcel, and I have to say I'm a lot happier with this months than I was with January's. The contents was definitely more thought out, the value was most definitely there and the new packaging is definitely a step in the right direction. Let me know your thoughts in the comments and if you are interested in trying out Pink Parcel for yourself you can find out more via their website

*This Post Contains Both Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links