Unboxing Glossybox UK - July 2019 Edition - Holiday Haul*

The first thing that I noticed when I checked my emails this morning, was a dispatch notice for the August edition of Glossybox, and whilst I'm super excited to receive for reasons that will become apparent later in this post, it made me realise that I should actually try and get this post up sooner rather than later. I've actually had the July 2019 edition of Glossybox for nearly a month now, but thanks to life and the heat I haven't managed to talk about it till now. Although it's now been and gone, I still think it's worth posting about because for once I've managed to try nearly all of the products in the box, there is only one that I haven't really tested properly, so I've got quite a few reviews for you all wrapped in one all be it lengthy blog post!

Packaged in the all too familiar pink and black packaging, the theme of the July edition of Glossybox was Holiday Haul The five products in the box are all under 100ml and have all been specially chosen to accompany you on your summer holidays. Alas I don't have a vacation on the horizon but thanks to the nice variety of skin, hair, body and make up products, it means that I can have a mini pampering staycation in my own home.

Omorovicza Cleansing Foam - 30ml - Travel Size - RRP £18

The first item in the box is a product from Hungarian spa brand, Omorovicza. Thanks to various subscription boxes and advent calendars, I've tried a few of their products now including their fabulous Queen Of Hungary Mist, but this one was new to me.

All of their products of their products are based on, and contain thermal waters which are rich in minerals and nutrients. This sulphate free cleanser also contains white lupin to energise and revitalise, copper gluconate to detoxify and regulate sebum production, and apple pectin to add hydration and suppleness.

Designed for all skin types, this product aims to cleanse the skin, without removing moisture, whilst at the same time, maintaining suppleness, leading to a younger looking complexion - bring it on it what I say. It took a little bit effort to squeeze it out of the tube because it was a lot thicker that what I expected. It had an almost aerated type texture. You only need about half the amount that you see in the picture to wash your face with, so even a small tube will last quite a long time. Mix the cleanser with warm water, and apply it damp skin, and you get a lovely, slightly foaming, cream cleanser, that smells incredible it had a distinctive almost perfumed, aromatherapy type scent, with hints, like the Queen Of Hungary Mist of orange blossom and neroli.

Cleanser On Face 

After Rinsing 

It's nice easy to rinse off, and my combination skin, felt clean and almost as though I'd used a moisturiser or some form of hydrating mist. There was no tightness, redness or dryness, just clean, smooth skin. I've mainly been using this as a morning cleanser or on the nights when I don't wear make up, but apparently you can also use it to remove make up. This 30ml travel size retails at around £18, and the full 150ml size retails at £52, so this isn't the cheapest of products on the market but it's definitely one that I would consider using again in the future. If you fancy trying it for yourself it's available from various retailers including Look Fantastic, Feel Unique and Space NK

Palmers Coconut Oil Formula Natural Bronze Body Lotion - 20ml 

Next up the one product that I haven't really had a proper chance to try, the Palmers Coconut Oil Formula Natural Bronzer Body Lotion. There were two options available in the Glossybox, the Cocoa Butter version and the Coconut version that I received. Containing no harsh chemicals, no mineral oil, no parabens, no phalates and no dyes, this gradual tanner contains coconut oil, coconut fruit extract, gardenia extract, and a natural vegetable based tanning ingredient.

I'm quite lazy with self tan, so gradual tanners are really my go to, you just use them like a normal body lotion, and you gradually get a subtle golden glow, nothing too obvious but just enough to detract from my normal pink, toned Casper limbs. I can't really say about this ones tanning capabilities because I haven't used it properly or consistently but it a nice creamy, quick absorbing body lotion with a lovely coconut scent that just makes you think of summer. I am actually going to give this a proper go so I'll let you know what I think in a future empties post x This particular size is marked as "not for sale" but the estimated RRP given by Glossybox was £2.49, the full 250ml size retails at £5.99 from various retailers including Superdrug.

Moroccanoil Treatment - 25ml - RRP £13.45

When it comes to hair oil, this product from Moroccanoil has a bit of a cult reputation, and over the it's probably sparked dozens of imitations. Based on argan oil, this alcohol free, hair treatment also contains vitamin E, essential fatty acids, linseed, flax seed and antioxidants. It can be used on all hair types, and on both wet and dry hair, as a styling products, as a finisher, and as a conditioner, it's a real multipurpose product.

The first thing you notice is the smell, it has a very warm, nutty almost spicy scent, that's a real departure from the fresh, and fruity scented oils that seem to rule the market. As far as hair oils go in my experience, this one also has quite a thick, viscous texture, some oils can be quite runny, but this one actually has a little bit of substance. Despite it's thickness, the small amount that you need actually absorbs into the hair quite quickly, and it doesn't leave any heaviness or oily residue. As I say you can use it on both damp and dry hair, I sometime use it on damp hair to add a bit of condition and to help ease out the tangles, and I use it on dry hair to smooth out down the fly aways and to add a bit of shine. I've also recently found it that you can actually add a few drops to your regular shampoo and conditioner to add a little bit of extra nourishment so that's definitely going to be something that I am going to try.

I'm going to be honest and say that this isn't my favourite hair oil (at the moment I'm actually loving L'Oreal Mythic Oil) but I still really, really like it, it does everything that I want it to, and it's something that I'll happily use up, in fact I've just finished a mini bottle of this, so I'm happy to have a replacement. Again the full Moroccanoil range is available from various retailers including Just My Look, and HQ Hair

 Manna Kadar Beauty Bloom Mascara - 10ml - Full Size - RRP $29 / £23

My make up collection is pretty expansive but my mascara collection in particular is bordering on the ridiculous I have at least 10 unopened tubes in my drawer and about 3 or 4 open ones currently on the go, but I am always happy to try a new one. I've a few bits from US based brand Manna Kadar and I've usually been pretty pleased with how they've performed. If you haven't heard of them before they were founded in 2012, and their aim is to formulate luxury cosmetics products using only the finest ingredients and the most innovative technology.

I don't now what it is but mascaras always seem to be one of the most technical and scientifically based beauty products that you can get. It's probably because we want so much from our mascara, we want them to lengthen, to separate and to curl, and we want them to stay on no matter what we throw at them.

Manna Kadar have apparently thought about every aspect of this mascara, the 'cutting edge" spiral design wand contains dense fibre bristle, and reservioirs full of mascara between each individual groove on the wand, to create volume and fuller lashes. As well as being hydrating, paraben free, and cruelty free, the formula is also apparently flake free and contains fibres for even more length and volume.

Mascara manufacturers always make so many huge claims that you really to try something for yourself in order to see how it performs, so I added this one to my 'using right now pile' and I've been using for the last 3 weeks or so - First up some before and after photos

Before

After 

Before 

After

Not the best pics but hopefully you can see some sort of difference between the before and after photos. It not the most dramatic result that you'll ever see but you can see a definite difference, in both the colour, the length, and the definition, and a small difference in the volume and thickness of the lashes. The formulation was a little bit gloopy but it was actually quite easy to apply with out too many dots and smear. I did find that brush got a bit clogged with repeated use, so I did have to wipe it down a few times, to avoid clumping. Given the heat and the humidity that we've had in the UK over the last few weeks, I was actually quite impressed with how well this formulation actually lasted, there was very little running or smearing, and I still ended up removing mascara at the end of the day, even the rest of my make up had given up the ghost - it definitely isn't waterproof though as I accidentally discovered when I went the shower and washed my hair whilst still wearing it - lets put it this way, I was doing my best Kung Fu Panda impression! As I say this wasn't the most earth shattering mascara that I've even used so I don't think that I would go to the trouble of repurchasing it directly from Manna Kadar, but it's decent and I'll definitely finish the tube.

Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Peel Off Face Mask - 10ml - RRP £1

Finally one of my favourite things at the moment, a face mask, and again every box received one of two face masks, and the one I received was the Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Peel Off Mask, which contains antibacterial tea tree, and calming and soothing witch hazel, and is specially designed for oily and problematic skin.

Peel off masks are fabulous for deep cleaning your skin, and this claims to help remove all of the dirt and debris from your skin, whilst tightening pores, and preventing new blemishes. Since I'm in the middle of that TOTM my skin has gone a little haywire, so it was the perfect time to give this a try.

Mask On Application

Mask When Set

After Removal

Like a lot of peel off masks the product inside the sachet, had a runny, sticky gel like feel. It was a translucent green in colour, and had a slight, fresh tea tree scent. There was more than enough mask in the packet to apply a decent, layer to my face. The key with these masks is to apply a thin even layer if you want it to dry properly. This isn't the type of mask that you can wear in the bath, and I would also avoid using them in a warm, damp or humid environment, for example when we have weather like we had last week! The packet said the mask should be set within 10-15 minutes but it actually took nearer 30 last week for this mask to dry completely. It was easy enough, if slightly sticky to peel off, and unlike a lot of the charcoal peel off masks on the market at the moment it wasn't painful to remove, and it didn't cause any real redness. Once I'd rinsed my face to remove a little bit of excess residue, my skin looked and felt cleaner and clearer, and I might just be my imagination but my pores didn't look quite as obvious. This was a nice mask that would perfect for anyone with oilier or more problematic skin, and anyone that just wanted to clean and refresh their complexion. This mask is a Boots own brand product, and this sachet retails at just £1, you can also buy a 50ml tube for around £3.50.

I can honestly say that this was another decent box from Glossybox x I've got to be honest and say that it didn't really excite me too much when I first open it but after having a play with the products over the last few weeks, whilst there were no real standouts here are a few really decent products in it, I will definitely consider repurchasing the Omorovicza cleanser, and the Boots mask is a really good bargain buy. 

As I mentioned in the introduction I am already pretty excited for the August edition - I've seen a few pictures, and since August is Glossybox birthday month, it looks like a good, sparkly one, so if you fancy trying out Glossybox for yourself and getting your hands on the sneak peek HUDA Beauty Strobing Metallic Lip Gloss, then use my link and get subscribed x Let me know what you think about this box in the comments, and let me know if you're as excited about the August box as I am!

*This Post Contains Both Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links

Unboxing Pink Parcel UK - July 2019 Edition - Turn Up The Heat Edit*

After all of the hassle and palaver that I had with the June edition of Pink Parcel, I'm pleased to say that July's both arrived on time and without incident.

It seems as though Pink Parcel are still trying to use up their old style packaging, so like in June, in July I received an original pink and grey box, which contained 3 boxes and the familiar fabric pouch.

I was a little bit short on night time pads so again I went for a sanitary pad box, like pretty much every box I've had recently I received a mixture of different brands rather than what I'd requested, as I've said before though I don't really mind different brands, I'm more concerned about the amount products in the box, and again despite reverting back to the old style, larger box, I still only got 23 items  and at the risk of repeating myself that's fine for me but not necessarily for anyone with a longer or heavier period.

Anyways I'm sure you've heard me complain about that before, so lets move quickly on to the most exciting part of the box, the treats! The theme of July's box is Turn Up The Heat, so it's all about the sun, summer and the heat, and it contains a variety of products to treat and pamper the skin.

As I said in the review of June's box I normally ignore the flyer's and adverts that tend to come in my subscription boxes and shopping orders, but like in last months box, the July edition of Pink Parcel also contained something that was worth saving from the recycling bin.

It was a fragrance card from Ted Baker featuring samples of 3 scents from their Ted's Sweet Treats range. The first scent Polly contains a mixture of mandarin, red berries, peach, amber, and vanilla.  Mia is another fruity scent and contains lemon, raspberries, and blackcurrants mixed with patchouli and golden amber, and the final scent Ella again contains fruity notes including bergamot, and cassis, but it also contains floral notes of orange blossom, jasmine and rose.

I wasn't expecting a lot but I actually liked all of the scents, they were surprisingly complex and not as sweet as I'd anticipated. My favourite was definitely Polly, which reminded me a little bit of Victoria's Secret Tease, which I got for my birthday and I love.

STYLondon Banana Setting Powder - 4.5g - Full Size - RRP £14.99

After receiving the lovely marble packaged lipstick in June's box, July's box contained another product from cruelty free, and paraben free, British company STYLondon, and this time it was their Banana Setting Powder. 

Now although it contains vitamin E, and natural minerals, despite the name it doesn't actually contain bananas. The banana refers to the slight yellow colour of this super fine face powder. It sounds strange I know but yellow powder has a been a make up artists secret for the longest time, and it's something that I've used on and off for over 15 years now. The yellow tint is designed to brighten the complexion and to eliminate redness as well as doing all of the other things a loose powder should do like mattifying the skin and setting make up.

As you can see from the picture below it's not a bright, bright yellow so you won't end up looking like a minion! Just dust it sparingly over your foundation with a puff or with what I prefer, a big fluffy brush, and on the majority of skin tones, you won't really see any yellowness, (apart from on your eyebrows so make sure you give them a brush through, just a more even, matte complexion.

In the before picture below I'm just wearing a very lightweight foundation. It evened my skin out but you can still see a bit of redness coming through especially on my cheeks.

]

Before

After

Apply a dusting of this banana powder over the top though, and although it doesn't make a huge difference, my skin tone is more even, the skin looks smooth and matte, and the redness isn't anywhere near as obvious. Over the last week or so I've given this powder a good work out in what have been some pretty extreme conditions, and I'm actually pretty impressed with it. It wasn't the greatest powder that I've ever used for keeping the shine down, and it did need to keep reapplying it but given the temperatures I tested it in, I'm not going to hold that against it. I loved the slight baby powder scent, and I have to say it's one of the best powders that I've used for reducing redness and evening out my skin tone. It has a very fine texture, and as long as you apply it sparingly it makes a great finishing powder, for anyone with redness or an uneven skin tone. The STYLondon Banana Setting Powder retails at £14.99 for a 4.5g tub and it's available directly from the STYLondon website.

Patchology Moodmask The Good Fight Clear Skin Sheet Mask - 1 x 20ml Sheet Mask - Full Size - RRP £5

I love a good face mask and you pretty much guarantee that every Pink Parcel will contain at least one mask. July's box actually contained 2 masks and the first one comes from a new brand to me Patchology. Using their medical background the team at Patchology create products with the whole philosophy of "beauty at the speed of you". They want their products to do more, work faster and to deliver better results.

I haven't had the chance to try this mask yet, I've been a bit masked out lately but this one is specially designed for problematic skin, oily skin and skin with breakouts. It's designed to soothe the skin, and to both minimise imperfections and to prevent new ones forming. It contains antibacterial willow bark and tea tree, and peppermint to reduce inflammation and to slow down oil production. I will definitely be giving this a go in the next week or so, so I'll let you know my thoughts in a future Trimming My Stash post. This full size mask retails at £5 and is available direct from Patchology, and various other retailers including Cult Beauty and Space NK

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

I guess you could call the next item in the box another face mask, but it's actually so much more than that. The eagle eyed readers amongst will probably remember this product from my review of the April 2019 Glossybox (read my post here if you haven't already). Normally I would be a little bit disappointed to receive a product that I already own but I'm a bit of fan of this one so I'm happy to have another one in back up.

As you would expect from the Dr Botanicals range this product is cruelty free, vegan, and certified by PETA. Whilst it is technically a face mask it's actually more of a night treatment in the form of a face mask. Containing pomegranate, sweet almond oil, grapeseed and shea butter, you simply apply a thin layer of this creamy textured product to your face, before bed two or three times a week and they you just go to bed as normal, no rinsing or cleansing required, and then in theory you wake up bright, smooth and hydrated skin.

Now I've been using this for about a month and a half now and as I say I'm a fan. Although my skin is changing as I age, I still quite an oily complexion so I'm actually a bit scared of a lot of night creams and night treatments, because I always think that they will be a bit too heavy for my skin and that they'll actually make the oiliness worse. The first time I used this I was a bit concerned as it felt quite thick, and creamy but it actually doesn't feel too heavy on the skin, and after apply a thin layer to my I was actually surprised at how quick it actually absorbed. I had images of my pillows been smeared with face mask, but that didn't happen, and pretty much all of the mask had absorbed within about 15-20 minutes leaving quite a matte finish. It has a slight fruity scent but nothing to strong or distracting.

On Application

10 Minutes After Application 

Next Morning 

My skin did feel a little bit tight whilst it was sinking in but when I woke up the next morning my skin just feel smoother to the touch and it looked fresher and cleaner and surprisingly more awake and alive then it normally does in the morning. As I say I've been using it a couple of times a week for about a month and a half and I definitely haven't noticed an increase in oiliness or breakouts, my skin just looks better. I'm really pleased to have another tube in my skincare stash, and I would definitely recommend it if your skin needs some TLC, or just a boost.  This is the 30ml travel size which retails at various prices between £12 and £14 and is available from both Beauty Expert and directly from Dr Botanicals. You can also buy the full 50ml size from retailers including Look Fantastic

Woo Woo Cranberry Wipes pH Balanced For Intimate Use - 12 Wipes - Full Size - RRP £2.25

Now I've got a bit of a love / hate thing going on with intimate washes and wipes, on one hand they aren't always that good for you, and I don't think women should be paranoid and worries about how they naturally smell, but on the other hand, I have a bit of a need to be clean down their complex, especially at that time of the month, so I do tend to use feminine washes especially during my period, and I've used various brands of feminine wipes in the past.

These wipes from Woo Woo, though have a much more modern feel than the ones that I've used in the past. Woo Woo are a brand that are focused on vaginal health, beauty and pleasure, and these intimate wipes are pH balanced to prevent irritation and other problems. They are designed to clean and soothe delicate skin and they contain both aloe vera and cranberry extract; they are also dermatologically tested, vegan and paraben free. Importantly for wipes they are also biodegradable, and flushable.

I haven't had a chance to try these properly yet, as I only just got my period this morning, but I have opened the packet and they have a lovely fruity scent. As per usual I'll let you know my  thoughts in a future empties posts. If you fancy trying them for yourself, you can pick up a pack of 12 wipes for £2.25 from Superdrug.

May Beauty The Incredible Pore Strip With Charcoal - 2 Pore Strips

I first became aware of May Beauty way back in 2015 when I was sent their The Incredible Face Mask to try. You can read my full post here but they are basically those super painful but super effective charcoal peel off masks.

Their products seem to be all about the pore, and this is their version of the pore strip. I don't think there are many teens, or beauty obsessives that haven't tried at least a version of these at some point, I certainly know I have and I remember the huge buzz when Biore first brought them to their UK.

These is something slightly gross, but slightly addictive about pore strips. All you do is dampen your skin and apply the strip sticky side down to your nose, I normally find that dampening it down helps it stick better. Then you just wait about 15 or so minutes until it dries. these particular ones are infused with charcoal so the white topside ends up going black when it gets wet, and do your fingers if you touch it.

When the strip feels dry to the touch you just pull it off, I didn't find this one too painful but depending on how sensitive your skin is, and how well it's stuck it can be a bit ouchy! Then all you do is wash your face and marvel at the blackheads and impurities that the strip has removed. I've actually had way worse ones that this in the past but look carefully and you can see the tiny little white specks that were once in my nose!

I can definitely see myself getting addicted to these things again, and thankfully I have another strip in this pack to use. I can't find a price online for this 2 pack but Pink Parcel give a recommended retail price of £10 which sounds a touch steep. If you go direct to May Beauty though you can buy a pack of 12 for £17.

Joe & Seph's Toffee Apple & Cinnamon Popcorn - 7g Bag 

I love popcorn, be it hot and buttery from the cinema, from packets I've popped in the microwave and hot and fresh from my popcorn maker. You can buy bags of sweet and savoury popcorn pretty much anywhere now but in my opinion their aren't many brands that come close to Joe & Seph's - in their case, you really do get what you pay for. 

They do a huge range of amazing flavours, using good quality ingredients and you don't get any of those little bits floating around in the bottom of the bag. Some of their caramel flavours in particular have really stole my heart but the apple and cinnamon is a nice change. It really is a taste sensation combining toffee, apples and cinnamon, basically apple pie and toffee in one bite. I can't find a price for this particular size but the 80g size retails at around £4 directly from Joe & Seph's.

Teapigs Snooze Sleepy Tea - 1 x 3g Tea Temple

Finally the customary hot drink, and July's box included a tea bag from one of my favourite artisan tea, and infusion brands Teapigs.

Packed in a biodegradable mesh tea temple, instead of a conventional tea bag, you don't get any dust with Teapigs you only get whole pieces of fruit and spices, and leaves. and this particular bag just contains apple pieces, chamomile flowers, and lavender flowers. This caffeine brand is designed to be drank before bed and it's designed to encourage and aid sleep. I'm a bit scared of lavender in food but as someone who struggles with their sleep I'm definitely going to give this a try. Teapigs teas and infusions are available from various retailers, and this particular product is also available directly from Teapigs, where 2 tea temples have a recommended retail price of £1.75, so this bag essentially retails at 88p. You can also pay a packet of 15 bags from £3.99.

Now as per usual I've seen a bit of criticism about this box, but personally I can't find any real problem with it. The value is definitely there and the products inside are all decent, and as you've probably already realised I'm a bit of a fan of both the STYLondon Banana Setting Powder and the Dr Botanicals mask. I definitely think the boxes are more beauty orientated than they used to be but I'm okay with that - if you aren't don't subscribe or cancel it really is that simple. The majority of subscription boxes are a risk, and thankfully for my July's Pink Parcel was a risk that paid off. Let me know your thoughts on this box in the comments and don't forget to check out Pink Parcel to find out more and don't forget to use my referral code PPLT2153 if you subscribe.

*This Post Contains Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links