GlossyBox Beauty Soulmates February Edition - What's Inside Mine

February's Edition of Glossybox is billed as the Beauty Soulmates edition - pairing you with beauty essentials and perfect product matches ... I have to say they have done a great job on my box!

The limited edition box design is super cute and apt for Valentine's Day/February also known as the month of love...

What's inside ?

Nicka K 24H Waterproof Eyeliner - £3.99 

I absolutely love a decent rich brown eyeliner and this one doesn't disappoint. A flattering brown shade, once set it really doesn't budge. A nice precise tip,  a blender at the other end and a built in sharpener.

MUA Power Pout Glaze Low Voltage Gloss - £3.50 

My shade is HUSH which is a gorgeous sheer peachy nude which is just the kind of shade I adore. It smells lovely with a hint of vanilla. I will definitely be wearing this once the wind dies down!

NAOBAY Protective Hair Mask Volume Conditioner - £10.64 

I do like a good hair mask and I was particularly impressed with the Maria Nila Luminous Hair Masque that appeared in a previous Glossybox so I am looking forward to trying this one. It has a nice fresh citrus scent.

Wilkinson Sword Intuition Razor - £6.99

This box was sent at the perfect time, I was just about to pop out to buy some blades for my preferred razor but I am willing to give this a go. It has built in soap to help the razor glide against your skin.

Browtician Love Skull Tweezers Ltd Edit - £7.99 

I must admit I am a Tweezerman girl through and through and have been for many years... how is this going to compare!

Final thoughts 

February's Glossybox features 5 full size products which for just £10 + p&p makes it outstanding value. 

*PR Sample

Schwarzkopf Essence Ultime Omega Repair Intensive Mask Review

Schwarzkopf say 

Developed with Claudia Schiffer, the Schwarzkopf Essence Ultime Omega Repair Intensive Mask combines her beauty insights from catwalk shows and fashion shoots, with the hair expertise of Schwarzkopf to become the reference for truly beautiful hair.

The divine, extra rich mask for intense nourishment in 1 minute repairs inside damaged hair cells & reduces split ends. No more waiting around in the shower!

Essence Ultime contains a precious Ultime-4-Complex:

A unique combination of pearl essence, panthenol, refined protein & keratin. Indulge your hair with luxurious care: Experience Claudia Schiffer’s beauty secret.
My thoughts 

I am a huge fan of intensive hair masks that only need one minute of my time to work. Let's face it, as a busy mum I don't have the luxury of many long pampering sessions but I still want to look my best with minimal effort... I have loved Claudia Schiffer since I was a teenager and the idea that I too could have her luscious hair using this product appealed!

So does it work?

The answer is yes. This lovely rich, thick and creamy mask smells utterly amazing. You just apply it to wet hair after shampooing, wait one minute and rinse off.

I could see and feel the difference in my hair immediately after drying - softer, smoother, sleeker and altogether healthier looking hair. I will definitely be using up the entire pot.

A fabulous and indulgent hair mask at a great price.

Schwarzkopf Essence Ultime Omega Repair Intensive Mask 200ml £5.49

*PR Sample

L'Oreal Hair Expertise EverPure Reinforcing Intense Mask

I recently had my hair highlighted and felt it needed some TLC, it seems to have lost its way after styling and heat damage so I thought a treatment was in order.

I absolutely love the L'Oreal Ever Sleek range and fancied trying something else from within the Ever range - I opted for the EverPure Reinforcing Intense Mask for coloured and dry hair. It is designed for colour weakened hair.

This range is sulphate free and features botanical oils of Rosemary and Mint. It claims to respect the hair fibre and protect coloured hair, just what I am looking for!

Instructions for use - A generous walnut sized blob of the mask on the hair, distribute evenly and leave for 3-5 mins.

My thoughts

The mask has a lovely and rich minty scent and the texture is relatively thick. As soon as it is rinsed out hair feels instantly smoother. Having blow-dried my hair and then straightened it I noticed a real difference to the finish, smoother, sleeker and more defined hair. It looked and felt so healthy.

I will be using this once a week to keep my hair healthy and manageable.

Top marks for this as my hair loves it.

L'Oreal Hair Expertise EverPure Reinforcing Intense Mask costs £7.30

Inside The August Glossybox 2014 - Glossybox is 3!

It is hard to believe that globally Glossybox has turned 3, the concept of having beauty products delivered to your door monthly is hugely popular and it seems, certainly for now, that this enthusiasm shows no sign of abating.

I get very excited when my postman knocks with this monthly box and this month it was no different.. The outer carton this month was black and glossy with a pink bow as shown in the pics above. The actual box has had a little redesign and is not glossy and more box shaped. As ever the items were wrapped up with a bow, this time it was a smart black colour. Very pretty.

However, what is really important is the contents and this month, I personally was not disappointed. Every single item will be used.

A closer look at the contents

So the highlight for me is the Kryolan for Glossybox Highlighter in Cashmere FULL SIZE £12.95

Readers of BeautySwot.com will know I pretty much wear a highlighter every day so I cannot wait to wear this one. No glitter, just a beautiful natural shade cream highlighter for a velvety gleam.

Comfort Zone Essentials Cleansing Milk FULL SIZE 250ml £20

I have just finished my cleanser and although I have a few others to work through I don't have a cleansing milk so will be interested in giving this a go and discovering a new brand at the same time.

Figs & Rouge Mini Hand Cream 20ml (full size 80ml £6.95)

I can always do with a new hand cream and this one from Figs & Rouge is a fruity affair, now I am not a major fruit scent fan but this Mango and Mandarin one isn't bad at all, not overpowering and quite refreshing. The 20ml size is ideal to pop in my handbag.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer 40ml (full size 250ml £38)

I was pretty sure that this has already appeared in a previous Glossybox so I checked back to find that yes my memory was correct, this appeared in November 2011. OK it was ages ago but it seems I hadn't forgotten ;-) Philip Kingsley is also celebrating this year, 40 years of Elasticizer so the tie in is rather nice.

Anyway, my hair is in need of a good condition so this will be used up..just need to find a spare 20mins!

Lalique L'Amour EDP 2ml (full size 50ml £67)

Now I know that perfume samples of this size are not always appreciated but this is a really gorgeous scent and it does come with a hefty price tag...so in this case I think it was worth popping in the box. L'Amour is a truly sensational soft floral perfume with a hint of tea about it with the inclusion of Bergamot. It also features top notes of rosebuds, floral white heart notes and a musk base. Addictive.

Finally, a little birthday bonus

Yves Rocher Pink Nail Polish 3ml FULL SIZE £3.60

This dinky bottle contains a pretty creamy pink shade called Rose, it is very similar to a tea rose lipstick shade. I love it as a nudey easy to wear shade, you can see me wearing it in the top pic. I needed two coats to achieve opacity and smooth application. The brush is tiny but on my small nails it was ideal.

Final thoughts

This month my box was really rather good, excellent value with 3 full sized products and ALL the products will be used.

The August Birthday GLOSSYBOX is £10 (+P&P) and will be available throughout August 2014 from www.glossybox.co.uk while stocks last.

*PR Sample

Dove Intensive Repair Express Treatment Conditioner - My Hair Loves

I don't know about you but I rarely have the luxury of time to apply a twenty minute conditioning hair treatment so I am all for fast working products and so I was super keen to try the one minute intensive repair treatment for hair from Dove.

I have been impressed by the previous hair care products I am tried from the brand and so last week instead of my usual conditioner I applied the one minute Dove Intensive Repair Express Treatment, waited just 60 seconds and rinsed it off.

Dove say

Introducing the next generation of daily conditioner with the added benefits of a treatment. Dove Intensive Repair Express Treatment Conditioner works in just one minute. Our dual action formula contains Fibre Actives™ technology which penetrate deep inside the hair to help reinforce damaged proteins without weighing hair down as well as helping to repair and sealing lifted cuticles to help protect against future damage. Prevents split ends and breakage.

My thoughts 

Can a product be so nourishing and leave hair soft, smooth and silky really in just one minute? The answer is a resounding yes. The treatment smells like the other products in the Dove range, fresh and fruity. Once I had rinsed it off I it left my hair more manageable and gorgeous after blow drying and straightening and actually, although it is suitable for daily use I found that my hair stayed looking beautiful for longer, without looking greasy and weighed down. My hair instantly looks healthier and more vibrant.

A big thumbs up from me.

Dove Intensive Repair Express Treatment For Hair costs £3.99 for 180ml

*PR Sample

My Hair Loves - L'Oreal Paris Hair Expertise EverSleek Absolute Smooth Intense Mask

This is the second of the My Hair Loves series of posts. You can read the first one here.

I was recently sent the 3 hair masks in the L'Oreal Hair Expertise range of hair care. The range is sulfate free and features natural origin botanical oils and extracts.

Colouring and styling have taken a toll on my hair leaving it dry and frizzy so I need to treat my hair regularly with deep treatments and have really got into the habit of using masks. I am always on the look out for affordable treatments and this fits the bill nicely.

There are three programmes in the Hair Expertise range - EverPure for coloured hair, EverSleek for frizzy hair and EverStrong for fragile, brittle hair.

I have been using the EverSleek Mask as I felt my hair has been wild, frizzy and just harder to style. However, as I have just had my hair highlighted I am going to be switching to the EverPure one next.

EverSleek Absolute Smooth Intense Mask

L'Oreal says

For frizzy, overworked hair. Respects hair fibre. Controls Fizz. No Silicone. Smoothing and Nourishing. Contains Botanical Extract Sunflower.

My thoughts 

The mask comes in screw top tub and scent wise is pleasant but reasonably strong.

To use - Apply a walnut sized amount to wet hair (concentrating on the ends) after shampooing, leave on for 3-5 mins and rinse off.

This feels rather luxurious to use, the consistency of the mask is thick like a body butter. Once I rinse it off my hair feels smooth and silky.It is easier to comb through and tangle free. After drying and styling it leaves my hair looking smooth, sleek and wonderfully shiny. Exactly how I like it.

This is one of my favourite hair masks as it restores life to my otherwise lifeless looking hair.

L'Oreal Hair Expertise EverSleek Absolute Smooth Intense Mask costs £6.99 for 200ml

My Hair Loves - Aussie Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle - Review

I was first introduced to Aussie Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle Deep Treatment for heat-damaged hair when I was given a sachet to try at the Aussie Christmas Blogger's Market. I was so impressed with the results I purchased a full size bottle and have made repeated purchases of this little gem ever since.

Aussie says

With Australian Jojoba -seed oil. It's the heat-protection miracle you've longed for. No need to pray anymore when using tongs or blow-driers. Side-effect: Fabulously fragrant hair.

My thoughts 

Like most girls I like to use a hair dryer, straighteners and tongs to style my hair - all the things that over time will cause damage because of the level of heat used. My hair is particularly  vulnerable as it is highlighted. My hair is thick, prone to frizz and of course what I want is smooth, sleek and glossy hair :-)

I pop Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle Deep Treatment on after shampooing, leave for 3 minutes, rinse off and blow-dry my hair and then use a hair straightening tool.

The results 

After rinsing, combing through is so much easier than if I don't use this. My hair is left smooth, sleek and shiny. It feels soft and is so healthy looking. The product smells nice and fruity (a bit of shame it doesn't smell like the other products in the 3 Minute Miracle range as I love that smell too) and texture wise is slightly thicker than a normal conditioner.

I use Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle deep treatment regularly as it really does work, is an affordable treatment and is fast working - as the name suggests..

Which product in the 3 Minute Miracle range is your favourite?

Aussie Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle costs £4.99 for 250ml