Monday, 4 May 2020

Trimming My Stash - January, February, And March 2020 Edition - Empties And Mini Reviews*


Right, I said that this was going to be an epic post, and after spending the last week or so working on it, it's certainly that. Since I'm now so far behind on my empties posts, I've decided to do a 3 in 1 post to try and get myself up to date again. so this long and rambling post will cover all of my beauty empties from January, February, and March, and April's will hopefully follow in the next week or so. First up January, and a pretty mediocre start to 2020.


Derma V10 Deep Moisturising Hand Pack Argan Oil - 1 x Treatment
Bio Miracle Stardust Unicorn Bubble Mask - 1 x 20g Bubble Sheet Mask
Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Super Volume Mascara - Black - 10ml
The Body Shop Juicy Pear Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub - 300g

Total - 4 Items

1. Derma V10 Deep Moisturising Hand Pack Argan Oil - 1 x Treatment


I think 2020 is going to be remembered for lots of reasons, most of which are fairly obvious but one of the reasons that I think I'll be remembering it for is it being the year that my hands and nails finally gave up hope!

My hands were already dry thanks to the central heating and the cold and windy winter weather, but thanks to  all of the extra hand washing and sanitising that going at the moment, my hands, and nails aren't looking their best.As you should know from the amount that I finish, I'm a regular user of both hand creams and cuticle oils, but over the last few months in a desperate bid to repair my hands and nails, I've been trying some more intensive treatments, including this hand mask that I picked up in Poundland, from UK based company, Derma V10.


Suitable for vegans, the pack contains two plastic gloves, with a paper / fibre like lining. Each glove contains a lot of milky, white liquid that contains Moroccan argan oil, shea butter and vitamin E.




All you do is pop the gloves onto clean, dry hands, and then just relax as best you can for around 20 minutes, whilst trying to ignore the cold, squelchy feeling that currently enveloping your hands.



After taking the gloves off, as you can see my hands were still very wet, and they were covered in a milky substance that smelled a bit like minty, plastic, and my fingertips were also really wrinkled as if I'd had had a nice long bath - hmm.

The instructions said to massage any excess liquid into your hands, but there was so much of it, it took a good 10-15 minutes for it all to soak in and even then my hands still felt really sticky.

Immediately After Removal




I took a few before and after pictures but to be honest I don't think that you can really see too much difference between the two pictures. In real life though my hands strangely did feel more hydrated, and the problem areas around my cuticles definitely didn't feel as hard or as dry, bit they did feel pretty tacky, and I did feel as though I needed to wash my hands, which to be honest outweighs any real benefit. I actually bought a few different hand masks to try out so I'll try and keep an open mind when I use them, but I can't help but think that that a pair of cotton gloves, and some hand cream, might be a better and more eco friendly option.

Before 


After 


I picked these up in Poundland, but Derma V10 as a brand is also available in various other bargain type, and chemist stores such as Savers, B&M and Bodycare for around a £1, and you can also find them on ebay.

2. Bio Miracle Stardust Unicorn Bubble Mask - 1 x 20g Bubble Sheet Mask




Next up a face mask, and one that I received in my last Pink Parcel box that I received way back in November! The least said about the shambolic end of Pink Parcel the better, I kept the faith with them for way longer than I should have, and I like so many others paid the price, literally! Anyways I didn't post an official unboxing but this was one of the items that I received and it combined two of my favourite skin care products, bubble masks and sheet masks.

Bio Miracle is a US brand that is popular in both the US and in Asia. Animal friendly, this mask is also paraben free, it contains green tea, anise, grape, papaya, and apple extracts and it's designed to promote cleaner, clearer skin, by eliminating impurities and increasing hydration.


Immediately on opening the sachet you're greeted with a mass of purple liquid, almost suspended in the liquid is a nice quality paper / fibre mask that is printed with a unicorn design that is barely visible due to the inky purple liquid. The scent is slight fruity but at the same time quite astringent.

Because it's so wet, it's quite difficult to open the mask up, but it's decent quality so I personally didn't experience any tearing. All you do is apply the mask to clean dry skin and then you wait for the magic to happen. The instructions say for best result to rub the mask to encourage the bubbles to form, but in my experience they didn't really need a lot of encouragement!

On Application 


After 1 - 2 Minutes 


After 20 Minutes



The mask felt slightly tingly on the skin, and it was almost quite ticklish with the bubbling sensation, and that only increased as more bubbles formed. it wasn't uncomfortable and like most bubble masks it makes you feel as though it's doing something.

Immediately After Removal 


After removing the mask there was a lot of purple liquid and bubbles left on the skin, so I rinsed the excess off with warm water. After rinsing my skin looked clean and clear, and it felt smooth with no redness or tightness.

After Rinsing 


I'm not going to lie this mask was messy as hell, with purple drips running down my face, and rogue bubbles escaping into my hair. I was actually pretty worried that it would stain and that I'd end up looking like Violet Beauregarde but I just looked like someone with slightly better skin!

Despite the mess and the almost horror movie esq visuals I really liked this mask and I would definitely consider repurchasing it. The only place that I can find this mask online in the UK is from a company called Beauty Bargains UK where it retails at £3.

3. Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Super Volume Mascara - Black - 10ml



The next item is a bit of a rarity for me when it comes to empties posts because it's a make up item. As much as I love make up because I have so much of it, I'm always switching it up and using different things so it's very rare that I ever finish anything. Obviously I should use up more mascaras but who isn't guilty of using one for longer than 3 months - I can't help it i feel guilty for throwing things out that aren't empty - what can I say?

Although 2019 was an exception, just about every Christmas I get some form of gift set from Soap & Glory filled with bath and body goodies, and sometimes skincare and make up. I've had a few of these mascaras now and I think it's a decent everyday mascara.

Featuring Soap & Glory's unique Superfill - false lash effect fillers, Shine Amplifiers, and no flake, 24 hour technology, Soap & Glory claim that this mascara has a no clump formulation, that add super volume, and length to lashes.

On me it adds a little bit of lift to my lashes, they look a little bit fuller, and a tiny touch longer, but they give a more natural look rather than a true false lash effect. It also wears well, with very little smudging or flaking. it's a good workhorse mascara that you could easily wear for any occasion. If you want to know what it looks like on, then it's the mascara that I'm wearing in my December Glossybox unboxing post, and in both parts of my 2019 Glossybox advent calendar unboxing, which you read here and here. This mascara retails at £10 and is available from both Boots and direct from Soap & Glory.

4. The Body Shop Juicy Pear Exfoliating Sugar Body Scrub - 300g



The final item from January sums up 2 of my favourite things, body scrubs, and festive scents from The Body Shop. From Christmas 2019's Juicy Pear range, this is a gorgeous sugar based body scrub that contains community trade, organic sugar from Paraguay, and pear extract from Italy.

I love anything apple or pear scented so this collection was right up my street. Unlike a lot of festive scents it wasn't spicy, there was no cinnamon or ginger just the subtle sweet, tart scent of ripe pears. The Body Shop sugar scrub is already one of my favourite scrub formulations, and when you combine it with such a yummy scent even more so.

This particular scent was obviously a limited edition for Christmas 2019, so it will probably be pretty difficult to find now, which is a shame because I think this scent actually has an all year round appeal. This size of scrub though has a retail price of around £16. Thankfully I managed to get my hands on a few Juicy Pear items in the after Christmas sales so I'll be able to enjoy this lovely fragrance for little bit longer.


Next up February's empties - To be honest I don't remember an awful lot about February or early March but what I do remember is that any attempt at beauty routine went straight out of the window because I barely made it out of bed for more than a few hours a day - damn you stupid virus - So understandably February's empties total, like Januarys, and as you will see March's, was less than impressive.

Baylis & Harding Skin Spa Rosemary, Eucalyptus & White Tea Luxury Cream Wash - 500ml
Beauty Pro Eye Therapy Under Eye Mask With Collagen And Green Tea - 1 x Pair - 3.5g
Primark PS...It's All Good Oil Balancing Facial Cleansing Wipes x 25 Wipes

Total - 3 Items

1. Baylis & Harding Skin Spa Rosemary, Eucalyptus & White Tea Luxury Cream Wash - 500ml



When you've got a cold, a chest infection, or if you're feeling a little bit bunged up, you will do anything to help yourself breathe a little bit easier, and whilst I really struggled a couple of thing that I relied on a lot were steam inhalations and hot showers. Thankfully we are lucky enough to have a wet room and a shower chair so I was still able to have nice warm, steamy showers.

I really found that the steam and the hot water helped no matter what shower product I used but this product in particular seemed to give me a bit of an extra boost.

From British based toiletry brand, Baylis & Harding, this vegan friendly and paraben free shower cream contains extracts of white tea, rosemary and eucalyptus. I've used a few eucalyptus based shower products over the years, and whilst you could definitely smell the slightly antiseptic notes of the eucalyptus and rosemary, the inclusion of the white tea seemed to tone it down slightly and give more of a green, woody scent.

As you can probably guess from the inclusion of the polar bear on the packaging this was also a limited edition Christmas item. I've had a little look online and the only places that I can now find this range online is on Amazon or ebay. 

2. Beauty Pro Eye Therapy Under Eye Mask With Collagen And Green Tea - 1 x Pair - 3.5g



Next up another subscription box item, and something from the August 2019 edition of Glossybox.

From mask specialist, Beauty Pro this is a pair of hydro gel under eye patched. Paraben, lanolin, mineral oil, and petroleum free, these patches are dermatologically tested, and aren't tested on animals. They contains collagen, green tea, aloe vera, and vitamins A and E. Designed to relaxing and cooling, they claim to relieve the effects of tired, swollen and puffy eyes, as well as minimising  dark circles, and improving the appearance of fine lines and dryness on the under eye area.



Each patch was stuck to a sheet of clear plastic film. One side of the patch had a paper / fabric fibre feel, and the other side was covered in a pale green semi solid gel, which smelled a little bit like Elizabeth Arden's Green Tea fragrance.


The shape of the patch fits the under eye perfectly. All you do is apply the patch gel side down, to clean dry skin. On application the patch felt quite cool but it wasn't quite as cool as I'd expected. The patch felt slightly tight on the skin, and once it was applied it didn't move. After 20 minutes it was fairly easy to peel the patch off, and unlike a lot of hydro gel based products there was no stickiness and virtually no moisture remaining.



Before


After



As you can probably see there is no real visual difference between the before and after pictures, but in real life my skin did feel a bit more refreshed and a little bit more hydrated.

I have to say that I actually prefer a pure hydro gel patches with no fabric side because I find them a little bit more cooling and hydrating but these one are way less messy to use. There is no excess liquid, or stickiness and you can even wear your glasses whilst you're doing the treatment.

These patches come in a pack of 3 pairs for around £4.95 from various retailers including Beauty Pro, Look Fantastic, Amazon, Feel Unique and Fragrance Direct.

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




I can usually say that I've been using these wipes for swatch clean up, and for general hygiene reasons but I'm not going to lie - I probably used most of this packet on my face!

When you're not feeling well and you're all gross and sweaty, rubbing a cool, tea tree based wipe over your face makes you feel clean and fresh again, even it's just for a few minutes. Under normal circumstances using wipes on your face is a bit of a no no, so I hope that the skin care purists amongst you will forgive me.

I haven't been into Primark since before Christmas so I have no idea if they even still sell these but I have one packet left and I can assure that I have no plans to use them on my face, they will be used for swatches and swatches alone.



Finally it's time to look back at March's empties, and as I said like January and February before it, it was another mehhh month.

Primark PS... Nourishing Cuticle Revive Nourishing Cuticle Oil - 1.5ml
Sunday Rain Scrub Away Exfoliating Cubes Charcoal - 150g
Aldi Lacura Healthy Glow Exfoliating Toner 5% Glycolic Acid, Aloe Vera & Ginseng - 250ml
AVON Senses Festive Wishes Winter Apple Cheer Daily Hand Wash - 250ml
Total - 4 Items

1. Primark PS... Nourishing Cuticle Revive Nourishing Cuticle Oil - 1.5ml



Talking about Primark this next item was actually one of the last things that I bought there, way back in December. You can read a full review of it here. I haven't really got a great deal to add to my original review other than to add that I like, it's convenient and it works, it just doesn't last that long, and if you look really closely at the picture above, there is a tiny bit of product still left in the tube that I just can't get it out - hmm still it was only £1 so I can't really complain.
ETA - I eventually realised that it was was possible to twist and pull the brush end out to access the remaining oil - so no waste after all and so it was definitely worth £1.

2. Sunday Rain Scrub Away Exfoliating Cubes Charcoal - 150g



Next up another body exfoliator, and this time it's something from much hyped, vegan brand, Sunday Rain.

From their charcoal range, the tub contained 8 exfoliating cubes each containing shea butter to heal and moisturise, sugar to smooth, and to help retain moisture, as well as naturally derived wood charcoal, which is slightly gritty, to exfoliate, purify and refresh the skin.

The cubes themselves are like pumped up, dark grey sugar cubes. They are a bit softer than sugar cubes though and they have a nice, subtle fresh scent. I found the best way to use them was to slightly crumble the cube, and massage it into damp skin. The were nice and gritty and any excess rinsed away easily with warm water, leaving the skin super soft.

They are a touch messier than a normal tub of body scrub, but because of the sugar base any dark residue dissolves and rinses clean away.

I'm not sure whether these cubes are as economical as a normal body scrub but I do like them, and I really want to try the watermelon version as well.

These retail at around £6 - £7 for a variety of retailers including ASOS, Boohoo, Debenhams, and Amazon.

3. Aldi Lacura Healthy Glow Exfoliating Toner 5% Glycolic Acid, Aloe Vera & Ginseng - 250ml



Okay, lets cut straight to the chase with this one, this particular product has pretty much borrowed its entire being from PIXI Glow Tonic, it isn't really a dupe, it's much more of an out and out copy.The packaging is pretty much identical and the ingredients list is pretty similar too, all be it with Aldi version apparently containing less Aloe Vera extract.

Having used both products I don't think that there is too much difference between the two. The Aldi version smells a touch more astringent, and I did find that it tingled a little bit more, but I experienced pretty much the same results with both products. My skin was more balanced, blemishes dried up more quickly, and any rough patches didn't feel quite as rough.

To be honest I would repurchase both this and the PIXI product - I like them both, and in my experience the results were pretty similar, the only real difference is the price, a 250ml bottle of PIXI Glow Tonic retails at around £18, where as a 250ml bottle of Aldi Lacura Healthy Glow Exfoliating Toner, retails at around £3.99.

I can understand people hating on brands for such blatant dupes (although Aldi have now changed their packaging) but ultimately it's the consumer that benefits. If you can afford to spend £18 on just 1 skincare product that's fine but if you can't then there are cheaper alternatives out there. You pays your money and takes your choice I guess x 

4. AVON Senses Festive Wishes Winter Apple Cheer Daily Hand Wash - 250ml



The final product that I'm going to talk about in this post is a hand wash, and honestly who hasn't used one of these up in the past month or so?

Although I'm not 100% sure about this one's antibacterial properties, this was a lovely hand wash, in one of AVON's festive scents. It had a very similar smell to The Body Shop's Spiced Apple scent from a few years ago - sweet yet tart apple, combined with warming festive spices. It smelled lovely and it didn't feel drying on the skin.

Since this was a limited edition product it's not that easy to get hold of now. I spotted it in a recent sale supplement and tried to order some but unsurprisingly it was sold out, thankfully I have a unopened bottle of the accompanying shower gel, so at least I can enjoy the fragrance for a little bit longer.

So they were my January, February, and March empties, if you have any questions or comments on any of the items in this post then please let me know x I haven't had the best start of the year empties wise but hopefully things will get better from here on it. My April empties post should be up in a couple of weeks or so, and since I managed to get my new fibre broadband sorted I should be able to post a little bit more regularly x Thanks for reading and I will see you soon with a late unboxing and review of the February edition of Glossybox

*This Post Contains Both Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links

Wednesday, 22 April 2020

A Very Late Unboxing Of Glossybox UK - January 2020 Edition - Sleep & Refresh*

Can you remember what you were doing in January? To be honest I can barely remember what I did yesterday let alone 4 months ago! but at some point in January, exactly when I'm not sure, I know I must have opened and photographed the January edition of Glossybox UK.


After all the glamour and sparkle of December's box (read my thoughts here), the January edition of Glossybox reverted back to the traditional pink and black colour palette, with the familiar pink and black cardboard box, pink tissue paper, and black shredded paper all neatly brought together with a black ribbon.


As per usual the first item in the box was a little booklet which as well as including more information on the contents, also revealed the theme of the box. The theme of January's Glossybox was "Sleep & Refresh" and the products inside were specially selected to leave subscribers feeling revitalised for the year ahead, with a mixture of complexion boosting products, and products that were perfect for a no make up look.



BYBI Strawberry Booster - 15ml - Full Size - RRP £12


The first item in the box was a product from a brand called BYBI. I've only tried one other item from the brand and that was a lip balm that I received in the March 2019 edition of Glossybox (You can read my thoughts on it here if you haven't already).


Founded in 2017, BYBI, which stands for By Beauty Insiders, produce a range of clean, and affordable beauty products. All of their products are certified vegan and cruelty free, and they are made of only 100% eco friendly, natural ingredients.


This particular product contains only 1 ingredient, 100% cold pressed strawberry seed oil, which is actually a byproduct of the juicing industry. Strawberry seed oil contains both Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and allagic acids which are smoothing, nourishing, and calming especially on dry, dehydrated or irritated skin.



This skin boosting facial oil is designed to be integrated into to any daily skin care routine, you can add few drops to any existing balm, moisturiser, or serums, to give the skin on your face and neck an extra boost of hydration, or you can use it alone as a moisturiser or as a moisture boost.

The oil itself is quite runny, and in the bottle it has a yellow, green tinge. Despite claims that it has a subtle strawberry scent, all I got was a slightly green, oily scent which was a bit disappointing. 


Although my skin has been a bit traumatised over the last few months with the cold weather, central heating, and of course illness, it's still a little bit on the oily side, so I've mainly been using this on it's own as part of my morning skin care routine.

The bottle isn't very big but you only need a couple of drops. It glides easily over the skin and whilst it initially felt quite slick and oily, it absorbed quite quickly leaving the skin nourished, and smooth.

Although BYBI claim that it makes an ideal base for make up, it didn't really work that well for me, and my make up just didn't last especially on my oilier t-zone. I did noticed that even when I wasn't wearing make up my skin looked a lot shinier than normal but despite that I still liked the feel of it on my skin. It left my skin feeling comfortable, even when it was being severely tested by illness and central heating, and in fact it even kept the dry, flakey patches that I often get on my brows and forehead in the winter months at bay.


If you have an oilier skin, then this would probably be more of a seasonal product for you but if your skin is drier, or more sensitive or irritated especially at the moment with so little fresh air then this could be something worth trying that won't break the bank. This full 15ml size retails at £12 from a variety of retailers including BYBI direct, Boots, ASOS, and Feel Unique.

Basic Beauty Tweezers - Full Size - Est. RRP £15.10



Now I don't know about you but my eyebrows need some serious dye and wax action! The hair are getting longer, the greys are increasing, and I can see the perfectly trained shape disappearing before my eyes. 

It's for the best and we're all in this together, but what do I do? The sensible option would be to leave well alone, but surely it wouldn't hurt just to tweeze out the odd stray hair? No of course it wouldn't but we all know what would happen, I'd get carried away and before you know it I'd have no brows left. That said though if you have a good pair of tweezers then surely you should be able to just pull the odd super long one without destroying years of hard work, and thankfully I have a few pairs of decent tweezers that may save my brow sanity.

The next item in the box was of course a pair of tweezers from a company called Basic Beauty. From what I can gather Basic Beauty is a US based Indie beauty and fashion brand. The website features a few clothing items, some cruelty and paraben free make up items, and various different beauty tools.



These slim, baby pink, metal tweezers come boxed. They have a textured section to help with grip and a slim / slanted tip. One of the signs of a good pair of tweezers is to have a tip where the sides meet perfectly with no gap, and these ones do exactly that.

I normally prefer a sturdier set of tweezers with a wider slanted tip like my beloved Tweezerman but these aren't too bad. Since the tip is a bit smaller you do really need a good mirror to see what you're doing, even for those little stray chin hairs that you can sometimes grab blindly (admit we all get those little wires growing in places where we don't want them to!) but with a mirror these tweezers are great for smaller, more precise work. 

Tweezers are a real must have and whilst I probably will end up leaving  the majority of my brows alone, I will definitely find a use for a use for them in the future.

Glossybox quote a price of £15.10 for these tweezers, and from what I can gather they are only available direct from Basic Beauty who ship worldwide for around $20 / £15.84

Model Co Clear Brow Gel - 3.5ml - Full Size - RRP £14



Thanks to various subscription boxes and magazine freebies, I managed to try quite a few products now from Australian brand Model Co including a Matte Lip Cream in Peachy Nude, the Instant Brows In Light / Medium and a Lip Gloss in Berry Pink, and whilst I haven't loved everything I've tried I do have a fairly favourable view of the brand, and it was nice to have the opportunity to try something new and especially something that would work so nicely with the previous item.


Packaged in a hot pink mascara like tube with a clear bristle like wand, this is basically a cruelty free, and vegan clear brow gel. Unlike a lot of brow products that can look cloudy this is completely clear. It actually feels quite dry to the touch, and it doesn't feel sticky or gloopy.



I've included some before and afters here but apart from highlighting my long straggly brows, and some grey hairs, there actually doesn't appear to be any difference at all between the two pictures but I guess that's the point. Fitting in perfectly with the bare faced, no make up theme, all this product is supposed to do is tame the unruly hairs, and maybe add a little bit of thickness. It doesn't add colour or look obvious, it just makes your eyebrows look tidier and it calms down the off uncooperative hair, all without the tackiness and stiffness that you can often get with similar product or through using clear mascara. If you need a bit of colour on your brows you can also use this gel to set any other brow product.
Before


After



If you like the idea of brow setting products but you dislike the often sticky feel then this particular one is worth trying, you don't get a lot of product for your money but it works. Despite the fact that retailers such as Look Fantastic and Amazon stock a range of Model Co products I can't find this particular product on any other website bar Model Co direct where it retails at £14.

Beauty Pro CBD Oil Infused Mask - 1 x 22ml Mask - Full Size - RRP £5.95



I've tried a few products from mask specialist Beauty Pro now, but the next product is the first that I've tried from their Plant Based Range. All of the products in this range are 100% plant based in origin, they are also water free, vegan and cruelty free.

Suitable for all skin types, this sheet mask is made of 100% biodegradable bamboo fibre, this face mask contains the super ingredient of the moment CBD Oil. It contains Cannabis Sativa Seed oil and extract, as well as arnica, hibiscus, rosemary, lavender and rosehip. This mask is rich in anti oxidants, and Beauty Pro claim it is anti-aging, and will nourish and soothe stressed skin.

The first thing I noticed about this mask, is just how wet it. The mask was absolutely soaked in a cool, almost gel like solution. It was a little bit fiddly to unfold but it was strong enough not to tear. It had a lovely green scent, with just a hint of lavender. I applied it to clean, dry, skin where it felt immediately cooling and refreshing on the skin.

Mask On Face 


After Removal


When I removed it after about 15 - 20 minutes my face felt very wet and there was still quite a lot of liquid both on my skin and in the mask itself, so I massaged as much of the excess liquid into my face, chest and neck - waste not want not! It took about 5 minutes to completely absorb into my skin. and even then my skin still felt slightly tacky but it felt and looked clean, cool, and refreshed, and hydrated for a good few hours after removal.

I have to say that this is one of the nicest products that I've tried from Beauty Pro so far. I loved the subtle fresh lavender scent and I loved how fresh it made my skin look and feel. The mask seems to be quite new so it isn't that easy to find, the only retailers that I can find are Beauty Pro website where it retails at £4.95 and Look Fantastic where it retails at £5.95.

Naobay Detox Illuminating Micellar Water - 200ml - Full Size - Est. RRP £10.30


The final official item in the box was from Spanish skin and body care brand Naobay. I've had a few things from them in previous boxes but this is the first time that I've had the chance to try anything properly.

The range is paraben free, certified organic, cruelty free and over 98% of the ingredients in this particular product are of natural origin. This particular product contains aloe vera, lemon, sage, raspberry, and green tea. In simple terms it's a micellar water but according to Naobay it's a multi functional cleanser, that purifies the skin and prepares it for moisturiser, and it also protects the skin again environmental pollution whilst balancing, hydrating and soothing the skin.

I love micellar waters when I'm tired or when I'm in a rush, and I although I'm trying to get out of the habit or it, I usually end using a micellar for my morning cleanse. I normally use an oil, a balm or a cream cleanser to remove my make up but I decided to really put this product to the test and to remove a full face of the stuff.



Like the name would suggest, it has an almost water like feel, and a green slightly sweet scent. Like all micellar waters it was really simple to use, just apply it to a cotton pad or if your being eco friendly like me, a reusable cotton pad, and then gently wipe it over the face and eyes.

Before


After 


It felt cool on the skin, and almost exactly like water, there was no tingling or stinging on my face and even on my eyes. It took a few pads but as you can see it all came off, leaving my skin clean and fresh, it was a touch pink but it certainly didn't feel dry, tight or stripped.


Naobay isn't the easiest of brands to get a hold of in the UK and whilst Beauty Expert, Look Fantastic, and Waitrose do stock a small range of their products, the only place I've actually seen this is on a website called Ecco Verde where at retails at around £9.

Nakd Cocoa Orange Raw Fruit & Nut Bar - 35g - Full Size - Est. RRP 75p


Although there were officially only 5 items in the box, I actually received a 6th item - a Nakd bar! Eating a predominantly gluten and wheat free diet, I love Nakd bars and Cocoa Orange just so happens to be my favourite flavour. They don't look very appetising but they are really tasty and unusually for a lot of snack bars they are really filling.

Containing dates, cashews, raisins, cocoa and just a touch of natural flavouring, it tastes like an amped up fruitier, nuttier, and healthier chocolate orange, not only that but it's gluten, wheat and dairy free. The box also included a money off coupon so I may have gone out before lockdown and bought myself a few more bars.

A pack of 4 x 35g bars retail at around £2 - £2.50, where as individual bars such as this retail at around 75p from most major supermarkets, Boots, and health food stores such as Holland and Barrett.

After all of the glamour of December's box, January's was always going to feel a little flat, and a bit mehh in comparison, but whilst it lacks the glitz and sparkle it makes up for it in practicality. It contained things that people will use - tweezers, brow gel, and things to revive and pamper tired winter skin, and of course something a little bit healthier to eat after all the festive excesses. Let me know your thoughts on this box in the comments and of course don't forget to check out Glossybox for yourself, and I will see you soon with an epic combined empties post x 

*This Post Contains Both Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links