Layla D Honey Moisturiser Review

I received my first pot of Layla D Honey Moisturiser in the July She Said Beauty Box, you can read about the rest of the contents of the box here. 

The cream smells very strongly of honey, so much so that when I first got this I didn't want to use it on my face.  I used my first sample size pot up on my feet! A little bit of this cream goes a long way and the sample size lasted for two weeks, at the end of the two weeks my feet were softer than they had been in years. After talking about it so much I was given a second pot from Karen at Memories Made in Silver.  

The moisturiser is made from 100% organic ingredients and is paraben and sulphate free - as are all the products from Layla D. The full size retails for £12.99 here.

The strong smell of honey may be off-putting to some but personally I like it! The smell does tend to stay around for a while too.

The cream has a light whipped texture and is easily absorbed.

I have combination skin and I get breakouts on my chin. The moisturiser is described as a gentle and soothing daytime moisturiser to protect, restore moisture and calm skin. After reading that the Honey and Macadamia oil help to heal the skin and help treat adult acne I braved it and put it on my face.

I have been using this on my face for the past two weeks, I have had no new breakouts (including no hormonal breakouts!)  and it seems to have reduced the redness around my chin. My skin looks plumper and feels more hydrated. 

This is the first product I have tried from Layla D and I will definitely be trying more from this range.

Have you tried this product? Or, anything else from Layla D?

She Said Beauty July Box

I had cancelled my subscription to She Said Beauty but when I set up my blogging twitter account @beautyandbook in June they sent me a code for 25% off a box, so I signed up again. I didn't get my box at the same time as everyone else this month and I had to email customer services to see where it was, I think they had forgotten about me as they took payment and said it would be sent on Monday.  I got a dispatch email on the Wednesday and it was delivered yesterday.

I had seen a lot of spoilers by this point so had a good idea of what would be in the box!

My box was missing the insert telling you about the products, so I don't know which product was the extra this month.

Honey Moisturiser by Layla D.

This is very heavily scented, so much that I won't use this on my face.

The cream sinks in easily and I am going to use this as a handcream.

I don't know what size this sample is as it doesn't say on the jar, but the full size 50ml retails for £12.99 on Layla D's website

Murad Time Release Acne Cleanser.

I am just reaching the end of a Murad cleanser that I got in my Latest in Beauty skincare box and I liked it so will use this.

Its a 30ml sample and 200ml retails for £29.00 on their website, making the sample worth £4.35

Miners Chubby Eye Pencil in Black.

I love the design on the pencil!

It is priced at £1.99 on their website

This is the product I was most excited to see in my box, an S shaped nail file from the winner of last years Apprentice - Tom.

I'm looking forward to trying this out and if its good I am going to pick up the emergency file which fits onto your keyring - ingenious!

This is a full size product and retails at £4.49.

Trilogy Instant Bronzing Gel.

This is a small 5ml sample. To be honest I'm not sure what the point of this sample is?! I could maybe do half a leg??

Full size is 150ml and retails at £15.75 on Feel Uniques website making the sample worth 52p

Ice Crystals by Freeze 24-7.

A tiny 1.2ml sample.

70ml retails for £16.99 on Amazon making the sample worth 29p 

I take it this is the extra this month - a Debenhams beauty card. Plus 500 extra points if you spend £30 instore before the end of July.

I don't know what to think about this! Erm...most people I know would have a card if they shopped in Debenhams but I suppose its something a bit different.

So overall, this month I am not impressed. I really like the nail file but thats it. I am very disappointed in the two tiny sample sachets, I really don't see the point of a 5ml fake tan sample - how would you be able to judge if you liked the product?

I've cancelled my subscription again, I used to get so excited to see the beauty boxes in the hands of the postman but now they just seem to be very disappointing.  The attention to detail seems to be lacking - such as missing out the card, I know its not a big issue but to me its something that should be checked before the boxes go out.  

Joliebox is the only one subscription box still standing and I'm hoping they don't have another delivery issue this month!

Did you get She Said Beauty this month? What did you think?

She Said Beauty - June Box

Got home from my hols to find my She Said Beauty box had been delivered..

NOOOOOO not more lashes!

Yardley Royal Diamond EDT 1ml Sample

This has been released to celebrate the Queens Jubilee.

Royal Diamond is a sophisticated, sparkling fragrance opening with a touch of pear and bergamot surrounded by a subtle note of honey, with a delicate romantic floral bouquet at its heart of rose, peony and lily of the valley, enhanced with a soft woody and vanilla base.

I really like the smell, its quite subtle and smells very summery. A little fed up of seeing Yardley perfume samples in the beauty boxes though!

Full size 50ml retails at £9.99 making the sample worth 20p

Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream 30ml

Our super moisturising cream is special. Along with fatty-acid and vitamin-packed shea butter and sweet almond oil we’ve added two ancient therapeutic skin conditioners, the Egyptians’ embalming agent benzoin, and yarrow, which legend says Achilles used on his wounded soldiers in the Trojan war. Patchouli is a calming essential oil for weathered skin, carrageenan gum gives skin a smooth texture and kukui nut oil make even problem skin supple.

Again another brand that we have seen quite a bit of in the boxes over the past few months, I've not tried the handcream before though and I like to keep a tube of handcream on my desk in work so will use this when my current one runs out. I don't think I will like the smell of this though as I had the shower gel in the same fragrance and the patchouli was very overpowering. Interesting about the Egyptians embalming agent!

This 30ml tube retails at £6.00

Elemis Tranquil Touch Indulgent Bath Elixir 50ml

This indulgent bath elixir combines patchouli, cedarwood and vetivert aromatic to help enhance feelings of wellbeing and relaxation. Further enriched with a natural skin conditioning cocoa butter derived cleansing ingredient, these indulgent bath bubbles deliver a luxuriously rich and soothing formulation.

My favourite item in the box, it smells divine and very luxurious. 

This is definitely a candle lit bath with a face mask and a good book kind of product.

Full size is 300ml and retails for £19.00, making the sample worth £3.17

St. Tropez Gradual Tan Body Moisturiser 75ml

Our enriched, nourishing body moisturiser cleverly combines skin care benefits with a healthy touch of bronze. This gradual self-tanner will build up a gorgeous, golden glow over time. Simply massage into your body for a gradual tan. Suitable for daily use.

I got this in Medium/Dark. I have very pale skin so I would have preferred this in Light/Medium. I am going to try it out on my legs - I can always hide them if it looks awful!

200ml retails at £14.30, making the sample worth £5.36

Let's Go Lashes in Tease Full Size

I cannot believe that there are lashes in the box! 

These have definitely been overdone in the beauty boxes. At least the style is better than the lashes I got in my Glossybox, I'll add them to the ever growing pile of lashes.

Retail at £8.95

Bonus Item

Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream 3g sample

You can read about it here

I have used this product before, I really liked it - it's the best BB cream that I have tried.  Great coverage and colour the only thing I didn't like was the smell! It was slightly too dark for my winter skin but now that I have a tiny bit of colour it may be a perfect match.

Full size 25ml retails at £20.00, making the sample worth £2.40

I have now cancelled my She Said Beauty subscription.

I really like the Elemis and the Ginvera but thats it - I think the fact that the box had lashes in tipped me over the edge!

Did you get this box? What did you think?

She Said Beauty - May Box

She Said Beauty May box, arrived on my doorstep on Friday. I thought it was late this month but looking back I received my April box on 3rd April so I don't know why I thought it was late!

Kim Kardashian perfume - 3ml sample.  A good sample size as most other perfumes we have had are 1-2ml. It has a rollerball for application, which is again a nice touch. It smells quite fruity to me and I couldn't work out what it reminds me of, but when my friends came round on Friday night I was showing them the goodies in the box and we all agree it smells just like The Body Shop Dewberry perfume! Takes me back to my teenage years! I'll use this sample up but I wouldn't purchase it as its far too sweet for me.

The Vintage Cosmetic Company false lashes, I got these in Betty.  I love the packaging and I really like the style but we keep getting lashes all the time in the boxes and I now have a drawer full! Maybe I should start wearing them to work...

Green People SPF15 with Tan Accelerator.  I am off on my holidays in a few weeks so will take this with me to try, it claims to speed up your tan by 25%.  Its only a 20ml sample so it may do one leg!

Natio Soap - I've never heard of this brand and I cannot remember the last time I bought a bar of soap! Its a huge bar and will last for ages.  It contains all natural Indian Attar perfumes, with mind calming and mood enhancing scents used during yoga.  I won't be able to tell you what its like as Vicki snaffled it! 

Inika - Vegan lip whip in Apricot.  This smells gorgeous! Like Terrys chocolate orange.  Its not a shade that I would have chosen myself but may go nicely with my holiday tan!

Bonus item - Snowberry 3 samples.  I got smoothing eye serum, cellular regeneration night cream and nourishing lite day cream.  I'll give these a try but I don't think you can judge whether or not you like a product from a 3ml sample.  I'd much rather have had a bigger sample of just one product.

I like the fact the everyone gets the same in this box and that the only variation is the colour/scent of the products.  

Did you get this months box?  What did you think?

She Said Beauty April Box

My She Said Beauty Box arrived yesterday, I had read a few spoilers so the contents were not a surprise when they arrived and I wasn't too sure what I thought about them...

I actually really like the box, I love turquoise and pink together and I like the flip top lid

The contents card contains lots of information about the products inc prices

First up Filthy Gorgeous nail polish in Vampish.  This is a full size bottle and retails at £9.00

This is two coats, I have not heard of this brand before but I was impressed with the colour, it's nice and glossy and applies really well.  I found it smelled really strongly though and the fumes made me cough! The colour reminded me of a very well known polish that I have in my collection - can you guess what it is?

Next up is a Body Expert Kit from Comfort Zone.  We received a face cream and serum from the same brand in last months box, I didn't try them and passed them onto my mum as I have sooo many face creams.  I am really looking forward to trying these creams out though, they are all 10ml sachets.

Included is Vital Leg Cream, Tranquility Cream, Fruity Peel Body Scrub, Body Strategist + Remodeller Cellulite,D-Age Body Cream and Aromasoul Mediterranean Shower Gel.

The kit is worth £12.32

 I love pink lipsticks/lip balms etc so I quite liked the look of this Mischa Barton Luscioous Lips in Pink Pop but I'm disappointed - it smells really strongly like playdoh and there is no colour when its applied. It does contain SPF 15 and it says it hydrates with vitamins so I'll chuck into one of my handbags for a back up lip balm.  This is another full size product and retails at £12.00!

The card contains promotional codes which is always good!

Another full size product! This is Bella Pierre shimmer powder and I got this in Champagne. It looks like a really pretty shade and I will use this colour.  Retails at £12.99.

This is the "last" product in the box as the rest are classed as bonus items!  This is The Ultimate Therapy Face and Neck Polisher by Bharti Vyas.  I have just tried a bit on the back of my hand, a little goes a long way so this little tub should last a bit longer than I thought it would. It contains walnut shavings and you can really feel the exfoliating effect, not sure how my sensitive skin will feel about this but I will give it a go as my hand now feels lovely and smooth! 125ml retails at £22.50, I don't know how much is in this pot but I am going to guesstimate at 10ml so lets call it £2.25 

The first bonus item is sachet samples from Erno Laszio The Hollywood Collection.

It contains, Ava Gardner Instant Eye Repair, Marilyn Monroe Morning Beauty Rescue, Katharine Hepburn Intensive Porcelain Veil, Grace Kelly Refresh Moisture Infusion and Greta Garbo Velvet Night Cream. I don't know what size the samples are but the full size creams retail between £85-£175!

How thoughtful is this - yum, yum in my tum! Happy Easter!

So did you guess which nail polish I was referring to?

This is three coats of Filthy Gorgeous in Vampish

and this is two coats of......Chanel Rouge Noir

Left is Filthy Gorgeous and Right is Chanel!

They look identical in reality!

On reading the spoilers I was quite disappointed with the box, BUT having sat down properly and looked at everything I actually really like it!! I will use everything thats in here so its a thumbs up from me! I like it a lot more than last months box.

Plus without counting the bonus items its worth a whopping £48.56!

I got my sister Mel this box for her birthday and she was picking it up from the post office today (don't you just hate red cards), I'm excited to find out what she thinks as this is her very first beauty box and I wonder if I have converted her to the joyful world of beauty boxes?

Did you get She Said Beauty this month? What did you think?

If you want to sign up I'd love it if you used my referral link

Its a sad day for beauty boxes

We have been waiting for Carmine to make an "exciting announcement" their words, definitely not mine.

Well today they made the announcement that they have teamed up with Glossybox.

NOOOOOOOO! I love Carmine and am so disappointed with this announcement.  First Feel Unique now Carmine, my monthly beauty fix has gone from 5 boxes to 3 (I also get Joliebox, She Said Beauty and Glossybox). Carmine seemed to be the beauty box that contained the most make-up products and a big plus was that they sent all their customers the same items, which Glossybox don't and this causes upset on their FB page every month. 

I signed up to She Said Beauty for their first box at the beginning of this month, it was OK - nothing from the box really stood out for me (I also forgot I had subbed to this box and had to go back and update the number of boxes I get on the paragraph above!).  I have stayed subbed for the April box which I am now really glad I did, as they have announced that Carmines Product Director is now working for them - so I'm looking forward to seeing what they send us next week!

If you are interested in signing up to She Said Beauty please use my referral Link 
Use code SSB03 to get 10% off a 3 month subscription, or code SSB06 to get 20% off a 6 month subscription.

I have loved every one of my Glossyboxes, especially the December box which was the best beauty box out of all the boxes I have received, I'm just sad that Carmine are no longer :(

If you want to sign up to Glossybox please use my referral Link and use the code GLOSSYWELCOME1 before 1st April to get free delivery on the April box.


What do you think about Carmine joining forces with Glossybox? Which boxes do you subscribe to?