GlossyBox - April - Pearl Lowe Edition

 

Ooh I do love a good floral! And this month's GlossyBox is definitely that. Pearl Lowe has collaborated with the beauty box brand to bring us a special Spring Fever edition - a beautifully floral printed box and Spring fresh goodies inside.

Better still, I've been hoarding those GlossyDots again so this was another free box for me. Bargain!

Sunsense Daily Face SPF - 10g sample size - full size 75g £10.50
I'm never without my SPF - bless me and my whiter than white skin - and having tried so many for the face that don't suit my oily skin type, it was nice to find a brand that might solve all my problems. Sunsense is actually Australia's No. 1 sunscreen and did you know it's also the UK's number 1 prescribed suncream*??  Nope, neither did I! Well I'm more than impressed with this little sample and will definitely be looking to stock up on a bigger size for this Summer. So what's so great about it? Well, daily face is a facial sunscreen that covers everything when it comes to sun protection - UVA, UVB and factor 50+. The cream is light, oil-free and has a sheer matte finish - yay for combination/oily skin types. It also has a slight tint to smooth out the complexion whilst you catch some rays. Sounds pretty damn perfect to me!

Yves Rocher France So Elixir Purple Yves Rocher Eau de Parfum - 5ml sample size - full size 50ml £44
Last time a I got an Yves Rocher product in a GlossyBox was back in October and it was a not so lovely shade of lipstick. So 'put off' is probably the best way to describe my association with this brand thus far. Thankfully, this little perfume sample has redeemed them somewhat and it's a decent size one too! Yves Rocher's So Elixir launched back in 2009 and So Elixir Purple is an updated version of their classic. It does smell familiar but I can't place my finger on it. The literature says it contains Tuberose, Vetiver and Patchouli - but I'm no perfume guru so I'll have to take their word for it! Anyway, it's half price on the website at the moment if you're looking to purchase.

Nip+Fab Dry Skin Fix Body Butter in Mango - 50ml sample size - full size 200ml £9.95
I've heard of Nip+Fab before but have yet to try any of their products. The brand was created by Maria Hatzistefanis, the same person who created Rodial - just with a more affordable price tag! And this body butter was the perfect introduction to the range. It smells deeeeee-licious! I got the Mango one but they also do Pistachio and Coconut versions that I can't wait to get my greasy little mitts on. This rich, whipped cream repairs and rehydrates skin with the added ingredient of Aquaxyl, a 24-hour moisture booster that improves your skin's natural moisture reserves. I love it and it's half price on the website now... I think I need to stock up!

Essie Nail Lacquer in Nice is Nice - full size 13.5ml £7.99
I do love a good nail polish and my collection of Essie has now doubled in the last month! Ok, I only own two but their pastel shades are glorious, they apply well and dry quickly so I fear my stash is set to expand. I love Ballet Slippers from my astrid & miyu secret box so it's nice to try another shade from their very large colour range. This month's box gave me Nice is Nice a soft creamy lilac that looks great on and is perfect for Spring. Here's a quick swatch that I'll put on the other blog soon:

Sleek makeup Blush in Pixie Pink - full size 8g £4.49
I loved the Sleek palette from the Christmas 2012 box so even though repeating brands is a pet hate of mine, this I can totally forgive. The flavour of the month was blusher this time and I got the, ever so vibrant, pink shade Pixie Pink. Sleek blushers are highly pigmented, long-lasting and have a silky-fine texture so they apply really smoothly. Although it looks a little scary in the palette, this shade looks amazing when on, and it suits my skin tone well. Less is more is definitely the way to go with this one:

I have to say, this is my favourite box so far this year. And it was all FREE! Not one item has disappointed me and I will truly use every single product this month, that could well be the first time that's ever happened!

If you like the idea of subscribing to GlossyBox, then use this referral link to sign up today. 

Disclaimer - I have subscribed to GlossyBox out of my own choice and money (damn the fanciful idea of mystery beauty products delivered every month). It was my choice to review the products above and I have done so in a 100% honest manner. I am not compensated for my reviews but if you use my referral link to start a subscription then I can get points towards a free box next time... well who doesn't want free beauty stuff?!!

astrid & miyu March Secret Box

Earlier on this year, I posted about a new subscription box service from astrid & miyu called the Secret Box. I got my first box back in December and I was so pleased with the items they'd personally picked out I couldn't wait to receive my next one. If you want to read about my first Secret Box and how the subscription service works, then check out my original post here.

Well along came March and the delivery of my second Secret Box. One thing I had noticed was that astrid & miyu reduced the box value from 'up to £200 worth...'  to only up to £100 in jewellery, as claimed on their website. Was I disappointed that they'd changed? Not really. After all, getting £100 worth of jewellery for only £39 is a bargain, let alone £200, so I still feel like I'm getting amazing value. And when they hand-pick products for your box so that it is tailored to your tastes, and they get it oh so right, I truly cannot complain...

... and oh boy did they get it right! I was ecstatic with the contents for my second box. If you read my first post you will remember that there was one sparkly, rose gold astrid & miyu number that I had had my eye on forever. And yep, you guessed it, I got it in the box, along with the beautiful matching earrings.

Readers, let me introduce you to the Love At First Sight collection...

Love At First Sight Ring £49

Love At First Sight Earrings £39

The Love At First Sight ring I spotted a long time ago on Tali's (now deleted) blog Glossy's Wardrobe and as worn by Zara at Mouldy Fruit. As one of astrid & miyu's signature styles, with curvaceous rose gold and glamorous sparkle it's no wonder why it's a best seller.

The metal ring is made from rose gold plated brass, adorned with Swarovski crystals and is easily bendable to adjust to fit most ring sizes. It fits my ring finger perfectly as it is and I am completely in love with the glittering elegance of it - I never want to take it off!

Along with the ring, astrid & miyu sent me the matching earrings and they are equally exquisite! Again, made from rose gold plated brass but with sterling silver posts.

The earrings are just the right size to get noticed without being to over the top 'bling'. They consist of two Swarovski crystal encrusted half circles that cross over and sit perfectly in the ear, gently curving under at the bottom of the earlobe.

Along with the gorgeous jewellery, astrid & miyu added a couple of little treats to the Secret Box which I thought was the perfect added extra. I got the ultimate elegant nude nail polish from Essie in Ballet Slippers so I can be perfectly manicured and show off my ring at the same time. But more importantly a little voucher for 30% off future astrid & miyu purchases... fear not, I spent that well and will show you the fruits of my spree shortly.

All I have to do now is wait patiently for my next box, three months seems so far but it will be worth the wait. For now I will continue to glitter in rose gold and stare lovingly at my new ring... roll on June!

Disclaimer - I have not been sponsored for this post and I purchased the Secret Box out of my own monies. For the terms and conditions or further information about astrid & miyu's Secret box then please check out their site here.