Joliebox July Review

Doesn't seem two minutes since the June box arrived on my doorstep due to the problem with delivery. This month Joliebox have changed their carrier and it was delivered on time by courier, hopefully this means all the delivery issues they have had are a thing of the past!

Back to the black box and bag this month.

They put extras in this months box to make up for the delivery problems with their birthday box.

First up was a choice of two Etat Pur products.

I got the Biomimetic Skincare B09 - Express purifying mask. 

Yippee! This was the product that I wanted out of the two available.

This is a full size 50ml product and retails at £7.50 on their website.

Jane Iredale Tantasia.

A gradual self tanner for the face and body.

This was the product I was least excited about in the box, the sample is tiny so I don't know how I would judge if I liked it or not? It smells great though!

Full size retails for £23.30 here.

Two mini nail polishes from Nailgirls.

These polishes are inspired by the Olympics and come in bronze, silver and gold.

I got bronze and gold which I was pleased about as I'm not that keen on silver varnish. 

I can't find these on their website and I'm not sure what ml the samples are, but their full size polishes retail at £10.50.

Wen by Caz Dean - A sweet almond and mint cleansing conditioner.

 This is a one step cleansing conditioner full of natural herbs and botanicals.

I'm excited to try this out - although I'm not sure how well it will work as both a shampoo and conditioner. I can't remember the last time I used a 2 in 1 as they are not conditioning enough for my hair.

This is a very generous 60ml sample and the full size of 480ml retails for £24.95 on their website .

Extras! Cute toe separators! 

Everyone got a different extra in their box from items in previous boxes.

I was made up when I opened my box and saw this RMK face base as I LOVE IT!

Again another great box from Joliebox, I am looking forward to trying everything apart from the fake tan so its a definite thumbs up from me!

What do you think of this months box?

Joliebox in Bloom.... May Review

This months box is Joliebox in Bloom...

Giving us the opportunity to mix a little flower power and plant-based products - their words not mine!

Arrived as usual in the black Joliebox box with the little bag inside.

Only four products this month BUT one of them is a full size bottle of China Glaze so all is forgiven!

Essential Care Organic Rose Moisturiser, 15ml sample which can be purchased for £7.50 on their website

I quite like rose scented products at the moment and find that they don't irritate my skin so I'm looking forward to trying it out.

I could have either got the eye therapy patch or the lipocils expert and I was lucky to get the lipocils in my box - its an eyelash growth product with extracts of nettle (!) to stimulate the growth of short and frail lashes.  The sample size is 2ml, full size 10ml retails at £27 on their website making the 2ml sample worth £5.40

I have tried this product before, I got a full size tube duty free on the way home from my holidays last year. I never managed to use the whole tube so the 2ml should last for a while. You have to make sure you get right to the base of your lashes with the product, it was a little stingy to the eyes to begin with but I soon get used to it and it stops after a few days use.  I did see quite a different in the length of my lashes, I had to stop using it on my lower lashes as they got really long! I could see the most difference on the little short lashes and the ones that don't seem to grow as much as the others.  Definitely looking forward to using this again.

RMK Make up base 15ml sample. Its £28 for 30ml, I could find it for sale in the UK here. Making the sample worth £14.

I really like this product, it's light and easily absorbed. It contains shea butter to add moisture and my make up looks lovely over the top of it.  I have tried so many primers and I think this is one of my favourites!

Full size China Glaze in Pink Chiffon, retails for £5.95 on amazon. I love pink nail varnish so this is the perfect colour for me. 

I own over 100 nail varnises (shhhh don't tell hubby!) and this is actually my first China Glaze.  I love it!! Its fast drying, non streaky, really glossy and has a great depth of colour.  I will definitely be purchasing more from this brand.

I love this months Joliebox.

Joliebox are now my favourite beauty box, they don't feature duplicate products like the other boxes (please don't let me down on this one JB!). I always use all the products that they send me, sometimes the box is a "grower" and takes a few days for me to like but then I always love everything.

I'm really looking forward to next months birthday box, think they may show Glossybox how its done!

What I've used in March

I love reading posts showing what people have used up in a month. Its great to see new products or what other people think of items that I like, so since I started my blog in March I've been keeping a box to one side then putting in my empties.

It's great to see items being used up!


I've also been inspired by a few blogs to put money away for each item I use up - i'm putting £1 per full size item and 50p per sample/sachet in a money box and I'm going to save it until Christmas then treat myself to loads of beauty related goodies in the sales, well that's the plan anyway!

Full size products

Rituals foaming shower gel 200ml in yogi flow - Indian rose and sweet almond oil
Rituals foaming shower gel 200ml in t'ai chi - white lotus and green tea

I got the yogi flow in my December Glossybox and really liked it so I purchased a few more from the range, they retail at around £6.50 online but I managed to pick a few up for £3 from my local TK Maxx. I prefer the white lotus and green tea scent, its really fresh and perfect for spring the yogi flow is really nice too but is more heavily scented.  The gel foams up really nicely and a little goes a long way.  They don't dry my skin so if I don't have time to moisturise after my shower these keep my skin nice and soft.  Would definitely repurchase.

Macadamia Deep Repair Mask 30ml

Personally I wouldn't class this as a full size product, but I got it in my February Joliebox and thats how they described it so I'm going with their description! This retails at around £2.50 online and as I have shortish hair I managed to get three uses from this sachet.  It smells gorgeous! Has a really nice thick consistency but spread easily through my hair and was easily rinsed out.  My hair was nice and shiny after using this and my frizz was definitely reduced. Would repurchase, its one of the nicest masks I have used - although I haven't tried my Ojon masks yet!

Perfume Samples

Clinique Happy 7ml - received this in a swap from Beauty Box Swaps 30ml retails at around £20 online.  I like this perfume, I think the name is perfect! The smell reminds me of my teenage years - it must smell like a perfume I used to wear.... I wouldn't repurchase though as there are other perfumes that I prefer.

Benefit Laugh with me Lee Lee - again received this in a swap! It doesn't say how much the vial contains but I'd say about 1ml.  I love this perfume! Its described as fruity-floral and for me its a great everyday scent.  At around £30 for 30ml I would repurchase this.

Memo Paris Les Echappees Jannat - again doesn't say how much is in the vial.  I got this in my December Best of Boudoir Prive box. I can't find this for sale in the UK, but you can find it on their website where 30ml retails for 69 euros (approx £58). I don't really like this scent, it was nice to try but to me it smells too spicy verging on the masculine. So I wouldn't repurchase this. 

Cleansers

Shu Uemura Cleansing Beauty Oil 4ml - received this in my Harrods Glossybox. 150ml is £28 on their website. I got two uses out of this sachet and I was really disappointed with it! I didn't like it at all! The oil was very thick, didn't seem to emulsify properly, didn't take all my make up off and no matter how much I rinsed it felt like it left a layer on my skin so I ended up using another cleanser to get it off! Would definitely not repurchase.

RMK Cleansing Oil 3ml - received this in my February Joliebox.  175ml is £23.25 on beautybay. I loved this oil! Was completely the opposite to the Shu Uemura oil, the oil is a much thinner consistency, spread easily, took all my make up off, emulsified nicely and washed off easily.  Really like this and 175ml would last for ages, I got three uses out of the sachet, so this is on my repurchase list.

Green People Gentle Cleanse 10ml -received this in one of my Feel Unique boxes.  Its organic and suitable for all skin types. 200ml retails at £16.95 on their website. This is a nice gentle cleanser, left my skin nice and soft didn't break me out at all but didn't remove all my eye make up.  It says it moisturises but I did need an additional moisturiser.  Its a nice thick consistency and smells really nice, although its quite a strong smell so may be overpowering for some people. I'm undecided on repurchasing this, my skin likes it but I don't like the fact it doesn't remove my mascara very well.

First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser 28.3g - I first received this in my December Glossybox.  I had just had a disastrous experience with Clinique three step that ruined my skin and this cleanser was my saviour! Soothed my sore skin, cleared up my spots, removes all my make up.  I love it! I still get the occasional spot but no big breakouts anymore. It is unscented and a little goes a long way. You can buy the essentials kit from Boots for £10.  This is my favourite cleanser and I have stocked up from Beauty Box Swaps (think I have 5 tubes left) and will be repurchasing when they run out!

Body and Face Moisturisers

Clarins Extra-Firming Body Cream 30ml - Received in my Harrods Glossybox, the cheapest I could find it online is £31.60 for 200ml on Escentual.  The cream smells really nice to me, like bubble gum! Its easily absorbed and makes my skin nice and soft, not sure about the firming effect! At over £30 I wouldn't repurchase this.

Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion 30ml - Received in the same Feel Unique box as the Green People cleanser (oh how I miss Feel Unique beauty boxes) 250ml is £14.40 on lookfantastic, really like this it smells fresh, easily absorbed and doesn't irritate the lovely dry patches on my shins! Undecided on whether I would repurchase £14 to me is a lot to spend on a body cream.

Clarins HydraQuench Cream 15ml - got this in a swap with the Clinique Happy perfume, its £26.40 for 50ml on Escentual. This product is described as ultra-moisturising, it didn't live up to my expectations - still had dry patches that it didn't seem to improve.  Wouldn't repurchase.

Korres Wild Rose 24 Hour Moisturiser SPF 6 10ml - got this from the Best of Boudoir Prive box, wasn't sure if I would use it at first but I'm glad I did! The smell of rose is really subtle, the cream sinks in easily and gave my complexion a nice glow! Looked really nice under my foundation. I don't know if it does moisturise for 24 hours as obviously I wash in this time! but I really liked it for the daytime a little goes a very long way and I'm suprised how long this little tube has lasted me.  40ml is £15.20 on Lookfantastic. Would repurchase.

Aveda Smooth Infusion Shampoo and Conditioner, both 10ml.  Got these both in a little set from the first She Said Beauty box, along with a Style-Prep Smoother (not used this yet).  Only got one wash from these samples so its hard to judge the product, my hair was nice and soft but I wouldn't say it was any smoother than usual. The shampoo is £15.50 for 250ml and the conditioner is £17.50 for 200ml from John Lewis. I wouldn't repurchase these products. 



This is my little money box! How cute is it! I got it in a set from Lush at Christmas.

So thats £9.50 saved up so far!

Just realised there is not one make-up item that I've used in full this month! Thats awful when I think of what I have bought....which leads me onto my first April post - Budget Challenge!

Oh and just a quick one - I am in no way paid/affiliated/bribed by any of the companys I have linked to, this is purely so you can see the product in full and get an idea of price.  I have tried to pick the websites with the lowest prices x