A Late Unboxing Of Glossybox UK - May 2020 Edition - Wild Thing - Zebra Edit*

I don't know if it's just me, but it seems as though 2020 was the year that the team at Glossybox really discovered make up. I've been a Glossybox subscriber on and off since Day 1, and whilst their boxes have always contained the odd bit of make up, the boxes that I've had so far in 2020, seem to be a little bit more make up, and colour heavy than some of the boxes that I've had in previous years.

I love make up though, so I'm not complaining, it just means that my unboxing posts can sometimes take a little bit longer to prep - there are colour accurate swatches to shoot and edit, and of course face shots to shoot, and of course to edit. It all takes time, and in my case I need good light to shoot it in. It's been a bit tough to shoot make up pics over the last few weeks, it's either been too hot to wear any or it's been too dark and miserable to capture any decent pictures - sometimes you just can't win! Thankfully though I've managed to finish all of the pictures for this post, all be it two months late, so welcome to a very late unboxing of the May 2020 edition of Glossybox UK.

After a couple of traditional pink and black boxes in March and April, I was really pleased to see something a bit different in May. The majority of Glossybox subscribers were sent one of two safari / jungle animal designed boxes. There was a yellow gold and black leopard print design, and a zebra print design which was the one that I received.

The lid featured a black and silver foiled zebra print design, with the words 'WILD thing' written on the edge of the lid in white and gold. The inside of the lid also featured a special design with the usual Glossybox logo printed in white on a black background, alongside some white paw prints.

The box base was in a plain matte black, and the black and silver theme was carried on inside the box. The contents of the box were wrapped in silver tissue, tied with a black ribbon and accompanied but matte black paper shred.

The first item in the box as always was the information leaflet, and even though there were officially two different box designs, the contents was pretty much the same, bar a few differing colours, varieties, and packaging options.

The theme of the box was obviously 'Wild Things' and the products in my zebra edit, were specially selected to make the subscriber feel fierce and wild - miaow! and the box contained sultry eye make up, animal print skincare, and beauty tools to encourage creativity and help us to rule the urban jungle - roar! (sorry I don't really know what sounds zebras make - neigh maybe ;)

Steve Laurant Wild Thing Eyeshadow Palette - 7.2g - Full Size - RRP £31 / $40

The first product in the box, was the item that was teased in April's box,  and it was an eyeshadow palette from Glossybox favourite brand, Steve Laurant.

I've tried a few things from the brand now including and lipgloss in eggplant, and lip gloss / tint in cherry, and a rose gold pigment, but this is the first time that I've had the opportunity to try a pressed eye colour and a palette.  If you haven't heard of the brand - they are a US based cosmetics brand that are both cruelty and gluten free.

This is Steve Laurant's Wild Things palette, whilst the outer box varied and reflected the zebra or leopard print of the outer box, the palette inside was exactly the same.  Whilst the box was pretty fancy, the packaging of the palette itself is quite basic. It just a plain square, shiny black plastic compact with the Steve Laurant logo on white on the top. Unfortunately it's one of those palettes that's quite difficult to open without breaking a nail, I found that I had to stick something like a pair of tweezers into the slot to twist it open to save my nails.

When you eventually get into the palette you're greeted with a full, palette sized, mirror, and 9 roughly 5p - 1p sized eyeshadows. Obviously gluten and cruelty free, Steve Laurant claim that these shadows are long wearing, crease resistant, silky smooth and blendable.

The palette contains a nice mix of mattes, and shimmer, in a mixture of nudes, browns, taupes, bronzes, and it even contains a black and a silver colour.

I have to say I agree with Steve Laurant's claims on this palette all of the shadows are smooth and creamy, and as you can see the colour payoff even on the matte shades is excellent. I did experience a little bit of fallout on the shimmers but otherwise they were really easy to apply and they were really easy to blend. Excuse the lockdown brows but I thought I'd two quick and easy looks just to show you the pigmentation and again just pretty these shadows actually - the first is a peachy, bronze, brown look, and the other is a quite silvery smoke look using just the black and silver shades.

As well as looking awesome, the wear time on these shadows was also pretty decent, they faded down gradually with no harsh, creasing or smearing, and even at the end of a warm day I still had eyeshadow to remove from my oily eyelids - win!

I love browns, nudes and taupes, so this palette was right up my street. The quality was decent, the pigmentation, wear time, and application was all spot on, the only real drawback for me is the price, this palette retails at around £31 / $40 direct from Steve Laurant who ship worldwide, and as good as it is, I think it's quite pricy for the size of the shadows, and for the relatively basic packaging. I don't know about you but I think it seems a lot when you consider just how good, and how affordable a lot of UK drugstore palettes are. Let me know your thoughts in the comments x

eos Smooth Sphere Organic Sweet Mint Lip Balm - 7g - Full Size - RRP £6.50

Next up a cult lip balm from eos. It seems as though every other brand has a globe / spherical shaped lip balm now but eos is the original and some say the best. Once quite hard to get hold of in the UK, eos, which stands for evolution of smooth, are a US based brand that some say revolutionised the humble lip balm with a new philosophy and an innovative new shape!

From their organic range, all of the balms that subscribers received in May's box are certified organic and Eco Cert guaranteed, they are made from 100% natural, sustainably sourced ingredients and contain no gluten and no mineral oils. They are dermatologically tested, and they aren't tested on animals.

Every subscriber randomly received one of 3 balms, and the one that I got was Sweet Mint, The pastel green, twist open sphere contains a dome shaped, creamy coloured, solid balm. The balm contains a whole host of moisturising ingredients including shea butter, sunflower seed, coconut, olive and jojoba oils, as well as carnuba wax and beeswax, as well as stevia extract to give it a sweet taste, and of course peppermint extract.

The balm melts slightly on contact with the skin, and goes on translucent, with an ever so slight gloss. It feels smoothing and moisturising on the lips without feeling, gloopy, heavy or sticky. The name sweet mint describes the flavour and scent perfectly, it tastes like a sweet mint with an almost warm, vanilla undertone. Like all lip products containing mint it does tingle slightly on the lips but it's not harsh or painful.

I struggled a bit applying the spherical SPORTFX balm that I got in April's Glossybox, but the translucency and the rounded shape of the container actually made it easier for me to hold, and to apply.

I've got to say that when I first saw this product in my box I was a little bit disappointed to see yet another lip balm, but even though I'd tried a lot of the eos inspired balms I'd never tried actually tried the original, and I have to say that despite my initial negativity,  I'm pleased I've now lost my eos virginity. I really, really like this lip balm, I love the fact that it isn't heavy or sticky, and I love the fact that actually seems to absorb into the lips rather than just sitting on the top, and it actually seems to make my lips feel softer! As you know from my SPORTFX review I have a strange relationship with lip balm, but I like that one and this one from eos enough from to try and keep using them - will I ever finish a lip balm? That still remains to be seen but I'm going to give it my best shot from here on in. This particular eos lip balm retails at around £6.50 from various online and bricks and mortar stores including Boots, Look Fantastic, Beauty Bay, and NEXT Beauty.

Oh K! SOS Skin Calming Dalmatian Print Sheet Mask With Charcoal And White Tea - 1 x 23ml Mask - Full Size - Est. RRP £4

The next item was another random selection item, and this time it was one of 3, animal designed, printed sheet masks from quirky Korean inspired skincare and body care brand, Oh K!

I received the Skin Calming Dalmatian Print Sheet Mask, that contains a host of botanical ingredients including white tea, tea tree, ginkgo bilboa and charcoal powder. This vegan friendly mask is designed to draw out impurities, soothe breakouts, and reduce redness and inflammation.

When I first started using sheet masks one of the major problems with them was that they were too dry, given the last couple I've tried though, that doesn't seem to be of a problem any more no matter what the brand. This mask was very, very wet, it was soaked in a clear, almost serum like liquid. It was very wet, and quite tightly folded together, but tissue, like fibre mask felt surprisingly strong so it was fairly easy to pull it apart.

The mask was white in colour, with black and grey Dalmatian like spots, and splodges on it. In theory it sounds quite cute but like so many of these character and animal style masks, it actually looked a little bit scary!

The scent though was lovely, it had a nice fresh, almost herbal scent. It immediately felt really cooling and refreshing on the skin, which was ideal on the warm day that I used it. Being so wet though there was a problem with excess fluid running down my face and neck

I removed the mask after around 15 - 20 minutes or so and predictably my skin felt very wet, so there was loads of serum like liquid left over to rub into my face, neck and chest. It took a good 5 or so minutes for it all to soak in. As it claimed on the packaging my skin did indeed feel cool, calm, and refreshed, and it definitely had a bit more of a healthy glow to it.

After

Even with a filter this mask didn't look quite as cute as I wanted it to, but it was a nice mask to use especially on a warm day, and it's one that I would definitely consider using again. The price seems to vary quite a lot depending on where you buy this one - I've found it for as little as £2.50 and for as much as £5. It's pretty easy to find online from various retailers including direct from Oh K! and also from retailer such as Feel Unique, Beauty Bay and Look Fantastic.

Mudmasky Hair Mask, Scalp Treatment & Miracle Shampoo 3 In 1 Formula - 75ml - Full Size -  RRP £21

Although their focus in the early days of their business was primarily on face masks, as their business has grown Dutch company Mudmasky have introduced a range of other products including skincare items, and now haircare.

I actually already own a tube of this product that I got in the August 2019 edition of Pink Parcel, but I'd never actually got round to using it, Seeing as my hair needs a bit of TLC at the moment ahead of my long awaited appointment with my hairdresser next week though, I've been digging out a few pampering products to try so I thought I'd give this a go.

The brand is both cruelty free and it's also approved by PETA. It both paraben and sulphate free and it contains Moroccan Argan Oil, Moroccan Lava Clay, and botanical and flower extracts including St John's Wort, Cornflower, Calendula, and Linden Flower.

Suitable for all hair types including damaged, and chemically treated, this is a 3 in 1 treatment, it's a hair mask, a scalp treatment, and a miracle shampoo, the helps to repair, hydrate and strengthen the hair, moisturise the scalp, and control damage. You don't need any other other shampoos or conditioners - this apparently is all you need.

Slightly off white in colour, it has a loose, thin but still creamy texture, that reminds me in both appearance and feel of an everyday conditioner. It has a nice gentle, clean scent that reminds me a bit of Dove and Nivea. All you do is massage it into wet hair. It isn't too thick so it's quite easy to work it through the hair and massage it in to the scalp. It wasn't really clear on how much product you should actually use so I just used a good dollop. Then you just leave it on the hair for one minute before rinsing it out with warm water.

It was pretty easy to rinse out, it didn't really produce any foam so it did feel more like I was washing out a conditioner rather than a cleansing product but it hair feeling smooth, clean and almost slick to the touch. As per usual I left my hair to dry naturally, and it ended up feeling a touch knotty and dare I say it not quite as clean as normal.

Maybe it was down to the amount of product that I used, or even something psychological with the lack of foam, and the more conditioner like feel, but hair definitely felt a touch greasier, and it seemed to need washing more quickly than usual.

This product would be great if you were in a rush, or if you're travelling and you just want to take one product, or even if you like the idea and feeling of co-washing, but alas it's a no from me, it didn't leave me hair feeling clean enough, or even conditioned or smooth enough. The only retailer I can find it direct from Mudmasky who ship worldwide, where depending on the exchange rate this 75ml tube retails at around £21.

Stargazer Glitter Eyeliner Pencil - Silver - 1.17g - Full Size - RRP £2

The fifth and final item in the box was another make up item, and yes it was another eyeliner! I seem to have received a lot of eyeliners from Glossybox in both 2019 and 2020, and there is yet another one to come in June's box, but this one from Stargazer is just a little bit different.

Stargazer are a UK beauty company, who manufacture products for other brands, and themselves right here in the UK. They are a cruelty free, budget friendly brand, that produce a range of fun make up and beauty products ranging from brightly coloured hair dyes, face paints and glitters, to foundations, bronzers, nail polishes, and eyeliners.

Every Glossybox subscriber received one of 6 shades of glitter eyeliner pencil in their box, and the one I got was Silver. In the traditional wooden pencil style, it has a silver coloured barrel, and a clear plastic lid with embedded silver sparkles. The pencil itself has a waxy silver base, and contains lots of small silver glitter particles.

The pencil has quite a soft feel, and unlike a lot of glitter liners that I've tried the pigmentation  excellent. A lot of times glitters are suspended in just a transparent wax but the silver base made a real difference.

Unfortunately these pictures were taken at the height of the heatwave that we had a few weeks ago, so it was way too hot for full make up so I'm not wearing foundation, powder, concealer, or even mascara, I'm just wearing this liner, and my product less lock down brows!

Worn As Liner 

Even for eyeliner noobs like me, you can't go too wrong with a pencil liner like this. It was smooth and easy to apply and as I've said the pigmentation's spot on, in fact it was so soft and blendable,  without any pulling or dragging, that you could even colour your whole lid in like I've done here and use it as an eyeshadow.

Worn As Shadow 

As I say it was a pretty warm day when I shot these pictures, so unsurprisingly it didn't last too long especially since it was applied directly onto bare skin. The silver base faded leaving tiny silver, glitter particles on my lids which pretty much spread everywhere else on my face within a few hours.

With an RRP of just £2 though you can't really complain. This liner would be great for a party, a night out or if you want to experiment with make up or if you're on a budget. It's available direct from Stargazer as well as from eBay, Amazon, and several other fashion and beauty retailers.

Despite the fact that I didn't really get on with the Mudmasky product, I really liked all of the other products in the box, with my standouts being the eos lip balm and obviously the Steve Laurant eyeshadow palette. Okay I also received another lip balm and another eyeliner but overall for me it was a decent box and again well worth the money. 

Let me know your thoughts in the comments and don't forget to use my links to find out more about Glossybox or to subscribe for yourself - I'd really appreciate it x Thanks for reading and I'll see you soon with my June empties post and then my thoughts on the June edition of Glossybox UK which contains a product from HUDA Beauty x 

*This Post Contains Both Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links

Sleek Highlighting Palette In Solstice Giveaway Winner Announcement*

Hi Guys x Before I post my next Glossybox unboxing catch up tomorrow I thought I'd quickly announce the winner of my latest giveaway.

Last month I shared a very late unboxing of the March 2020 edition of Glossybox UK, and in that post I reviewed one of the items in the box and something that I already owned, the Sleek Highlighting Palette in Solstice, as nice as it is I didn't need another one so I ran a decided to give the new and box fresh one away to one of my lovely readers.

I only received 40 entries so everyone that entered had a really good chance of winning, alas there can only be one winner though and the reader that was randomly selected via Rafflecopter is...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sarah Morris

Congratulations Sarah, I've sent you an email, and I'll get your palette and some other goodies sent out ASAP x 

Thanks to everyone who entered and if you weren't lucky enough to win this time around, don't worry I have a couple of high end giveaways planned including opportunities to win a Tarte gift set and a palette from HUDA Beauty so make sure you're following me on my blog and on all of my other social media channels for more chances to win in the future x

*This Post Contains An Added Affiliate Link

Nails Of The Day - NYX - NP141 Aurora - Reshot And Rewritten*

Thanks to all of the rain this week it's taken me much longer than expected to finish editing my next two Glossybox unboxing catch up's, so in the meantime I've got a cheeky little nails of the day for you.

If you've been around since the very early days of LouLouLand then you might have already seen my talk about this nail polish way, way back in 2010. To be honest though the photos that accompanied the post were so bad, that I relegated it to my drafts folder, so I could rewrite and reshoot it. Then believe it or not, I ended up losing the polish, not that hard when you have as many nail polishes as I do, but whilst sorting through some old make up bags earlier this week, I rediscovered it and in a desperate attempt to feel a bit more summery I decided to give it another try.

I think I bought this polish from Cherry Culture way back when NYX wasn't that widely available in the UK. At a glance it looks like a bog standard pastel peach but it actually a whole lot more. NYX Nails Nail Polish in NP141 Aurora is indeed a pretty pastel peach that perfect for the summer months but rather than being a flat cream, what sets Aurora a part is the fact it's shot through with a superfine gold shimmer. I've taken these pictures with the flash so you can see just how pretty this polish actually is x

It comes in a curvy, slightly squat looking bottle. The brush is of decent thickness and quality and given the slightly textured cap it's pretty easy to control. Even though this polish is now well over 10 years old, the consistency was just right, it wasn't too thin and it hadn't gone thick or gloopy. The gold sparkle has slightly in the bottle but the application was fairly easily, and the sparkle is so fine that it was still distributed evenly throughout the polish.

Whilst the coverage was decent the first coat was still slightly patchy, it dried quite quickly though so there was no problem adding a second coat. Full coverage was achieved on all nails with 2 coats, and it dried down quickly leaving a lovely smooth and glossy finish.The wear time in all honesty wasn't the best, I saw my first chip after less than 24 hours, but it's nothing that a good top coat wouldn't fix.

Bar the wear time I have to say that I was so, so impressed with this polish. It may be more than 10 years old now, but it was still pretty much as good as new, the formulation is still on point and the depth of the colour and the coverage are also spot on. I've had a little look online and alas the entire NYX Cosmetics nail polish range appears to have been discontinued, bar the odd polish on Amazon, eBay, and discount beauty retailers such as Beauty Outlets, so this particular polish may be pretty much impossible to find, but I'm sure there will be a dupe out there somewhere - If you can think of one let me know in the comments x

*This Post Contains An Added Affiliate Link

Trimming My Stash - May 2020 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews*

The hot weather in the UK this week has kind of messed up my plans a bit - Although it's currently chucking it down with rain, on the whole it's been way to hot to shoot the make up looks that I need for my next two Glossybox unboxing posts so I've decided to post my May empties this weekend instead.

Primark PS...It's All Good Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes x 25 Wipes
Delhicious Hello Beau-Tea-Ful Exfoliate & Glow Original Black Tea Body Scrub - 100g
AVON Foot Works Expert Exfoliating Foot Mask 1 x Pair - 2 x 20ml
Poundland #6 Limited Edition Gold Anti-Ageing Woven Face Mask - 1 x Woven Sheet Mask
L'Oreal Paris Nutri Oil Nails & Cuticles - 5ml

Total - 5 Items 

I was really pleased to finish 8 items in April, and I was hoping for a similar result in May, but alas it wasn't to be and I only managed to finish 5 items. Still it was better than nothing and I did manage to finish quite and interesting mix of products, including one bottle, a few packets, a few sachets, a few wins and one big fat fail

1. Primark PS...It's All Good Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes x 25 Wipes

If you were to look back through all of my previous trimming my stash posts, I've probably finished more packets of these wipes, in their various incarnations, than any other product. As I've said on many occasions I don't use them that often on my face, but I find the tea tree scent and tea tree in general very clean, and refreshing, so I've mainly used this pack for general freshening up, and also for cleaning up my hands and arms in between swatch photographs.

I only have one more packet of these wipes left, and as useful as I find them, I don't think I'm going to be rushing off to Primark to buy some more. They are really handy for when you're on the go and for holidays, and I'd definitely consider buying some more in those circumstances, but at home I could just as easily use a muslin cloth, or a reusable cotton pad rather than use a wipe that has to go into landfill. 

2. Delhicious Hello Beau-Tea-Ful Exfoliate & Glow Original Black Tea Body Scrub - 100g

Next up a sachet, and this was a lovely natural, vegan and cruelty free body scrub that I received in the September 2019 edition of Glossybox UK. You can read a full review here but I really like this scrub. it contained black tea, brown sugar, Himalayan pink salt, almond oil and Vitamin E. I loved the citrus scent and the grittiness of this scrub. It left my skin feel super soft, smooth and toned but it was very messy and the tiny tea particles seemed to get everywhere, so if like me you have a wet room, then be prepared to do a bit of extra cleaning. If you can deal with that though this is a really nice scrub, and even though Mummy Lou wouldn't necessarily approve I would definitely consider buying it again. This scrub retails at around £7.95, and it's available direct from Delhicious and from Fragrance Direct.

3. AVON Foot Works Expert Exfoliating Foot Mask 1 x Pair - 2 x 20ml

From something that I loved to my fail of the month. I love foot masks, not quite as much as I love a good body scrub but yeah I like them a lot. Thanks to some nice inherited thyroid problems my feet always feel and look dry. I have to scrub them with scrubs, pumice stones, and foot files, and slather them in moisturiser, just to keep them looking even vaguely presentable. Every now and then though I like to give them a bit of an extra treat, and treat them to some sort of foot mask.

There are two different types of foot mask on the market, plastic booties that are designed purely to add moisture to the feet, and socks that contain some sort of acid based solution, to literally make the dry skin on your feet just peel off.

These AVON socks fall into the latter category, they contain glycolic acid, and aloe vera and promise a salon like 'foot peel' callus treatment, which is designed to exfoliate soften and smooth the skin on the feet.

The packet contains 2 plastic socks and 2 adhesive strips to hold them in place. The socks are sealed so you need to carefully cut along the line so you can put your feet inside. Each sock contains a fibre lining and liquid solution. They are very wet and you need to be super careful not to spill the liquid. The liquid itself has a clean, fresh, slightly astringent scent.

They are really simple to use you just pop the socks onto clean, dry feet, and then you seal them securely with the adhesive strips. I take a size 8 in shoes, and I found the booties very loose, so I could really have done with a few more adhesive strips to tighten them and to hold them in place - I should really have put a pair of socks or slippers over the top to keep them in place and to be able to move around a bit more easily.

The socks feel exactly like you think they would, slippy, cold, soggy and wet, but after a few minutes they did seem to warm up slightly and you could feel a slight tingling sensation especially on the tops of the feet. As I say you could put some socks or slippers on over the top if you wanted to walk around a bit but I took the opportunity to sit down and rest for an hour.

After an hour you take the socks off and rinse your feet in the warm water. The tops of my feet did look slightly red, and the soles of my feet did look slightly wrinkled as though they'd been soaking in water. 

There were no real instructions as to what to do next so I just did what I've done in the past with similar socks, no moisturiser, no picking, and lots of foot soaking, and then I just waited, and waited, and waited, but nothing happened! There was difference in the moisture levels of my feet, and unlike every other pair of similar socks that I've tried there was no drying and no peeling! I used these socks nearly 2 months ago now and I'm still waiting for something to happen!

The skin on my heels especially is still very dry, so there was definitely skin to come off so that definitely wasn't the problem - I just don't think that the solution in these socks was strong enough to make any real difference. I've a look at the small print on the packet and apparently you can use these socks every 1-2 weeks, compared to once every few months with similar products so I definitely think that the strength of the glycolic / AHA's has something to do with it. These socks are available from your local AVON representative or online for around £5 but take my advice and give them a miss, and try another brand instead.

4. Poundland #6 Limited Edition Gold Anti-Ageing Woven Face Mask - 1 x Woven Sheet Mask

From a foot mask, to a face mask, and this one is from Poundland's high end inspired #6 skincare line. This limited edition gold anti-aging woven sheet mask, is suitable for all skin types, and it's suitable for vegans. Designed to fight visible signs of ageing, it contains Vitamin E, aloe vera, and a special blend of herbal extracts including rose geranium, bamboo lily, and golden camomile.

The first thing I noticed was just how wet this mask was, the sachet was nearly half full of a clear, barely scented, viscous liquid, there was so much of it that I actually rubbed it all over my body and my next. The mask was quite tightly folded but it felt pretty sturdy, one side was comprised of a gold plasti feeling foil, and the other side was made of a white fibre. As well as the obvious holes for the eyes, nose and mouth, there were also some folds, which I think could have been there to help the mask contour to the fact. It's a good idea in theory but it actually meant that I couldn't get the mask to lie flat.

Like most sheet masks, it feel very cool on the skin, and it also felt and looked very wet. The excess fluid from the mask ran down my neck, and into my eyes and nose for the full 15 - 20 minutes.

As you can see from the picture below my skin was left both feeling and looking very wet. I rubbed as much of the excess liquid as I could into my skin, but it still took around 10 minutes for it all to absorb, and even then it still felt a touch sticky.

Although there wasn't too much of visual difference, my skin felt a little bit plumper, and a bit more hydrated. It did feel nice and refreshing on the skin and it would be a really nice treat if you were on a budget - This mask is a limited edition so I'm not sure if it's still available but if you can find it, it is just £1.

5. L'Oreal Paris LA Manicure Nutri Oil Nails & Cuticles - 5ml

Finally another Poundland purchase, and it was a nail and cuticle oil from L'Oreal Paris. I don't always have time to look through the purple packets containing branded make up that Poundland often sell, but every now and then you can really find a gem. There is no real writing on the bottle and to be honest I can't find out too much about it. Apparently it contains a blend of 11 nutritive oils and vitamin derivatives - I've no idea which ones though, and it was designed to improve the appearance of the nails, and leave nails and cuticles nourished and more elastic and to help prevent breakages and flaking.

It was a nice cuticle oil, with no real scent, it was hydrating and moisturising, but it wasn't too heavy or greasy.

I can't find this oil on either the Boots or the Superdrug websites so I think it has possible been discontinued. I can only find it on eBay and Amazon, and on discount beauty sites like Fragrance Direct and Beauty Outlet. It has an RRP of £5.99 but it seems to be selling for around £2.99 so I think that I got a bargain.

So I didn't finish that many products in May but I did finish a few interesting bits. I've already finished 7 products so far in June, and fingers crossed I might be able to add one or two more in the next few days x If you have any questions on any of the products that I've mentioned then leave me a comment below, and don't forget to link me up to your empties posts or videos x 

*This Post Contains Both 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

*This Post Contains Both Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links