I think subscription boxes are one of the most common things you see being reviewed on blogs these days. From beauty, food, books and even period care boxes, there seems to be a subscription box for absolutely anything you could possibly want. Beauty subscription boxes are certainly the most popular of the lot with the big giants like Birchbox and Glossybox uk cropping up everywhere you look. However the one main let down of these boxes which I see time and time again in people’s reviews is when they receive a box with a few products they wouldn’t use in it. That’s always been my main reason for never going ahead and paying for a subscription of a beauty subscription box because I’m worried that the products won’t be for me and it’ll be a waste of money (I’m not just tight but you get my reasoning).
Sooooo… I bet you can see where this is going? I was contacted by Latest in Beauty * and asked if I wanted to review one of their beauty boxes. But what really made my eyes light up when reading this email was that Latest in Beauty do things a little differently and allow you to pick your own products and essentially build your own beauty box!
There are a variety of options to chose from on the website:
- Beauty Novice: £9.00 a month for 3 products, free delivery and a free make up bag with your first month (or a one off box for £16.00 with P+P)
- Beauty Enthusiast: £15.00 a month for 5 products, free delivery and a free make up bag with your first month (or a one off box for £22.00 plus P+P)
- Beauty Guru: £18.00 a month for 9 products, free delivery and a free make up bag with your first month (or a one off box for £25.00 plus P+P)
I was offered the one off Beauty Guru box to review so I went on the website to have a look and firstly, they ask you a bunch of questions such as your hair type, skin type, favourite brands, which make up looks you prefer so they can tailor suggestions for your products especially for you. You’re then led to the page with all the products to chose from which are split into categories like “Skincare”, “Make up”, “Haircare” etc. so you can find exactly what you’re looking for. Although if you’re looking for things like solid shampoo or dry scalp shampoo, I’d recommend checking out those links instead!
Before I go into the products, I just want to say how much I enjoyed using this website, answering the questions and searching through the products available to pick. I think it’s a really innovative and unique way to approach a beauty subscription box and definitely puts the control in the buyers hands, so you don’t have to fret about receiving a bunch of products you wouldn’t use. I received 9 products so to avoid this post being super duper long I’ll try and keep my thoughts on each one short!
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Daily Skin Therapy
Although I was aiming on choosing a bunch of new products, when I saw the Palmer’s Cocoa Butter was available, I had to add one to my box. I used to use this religiously on my stretch marks and I think the scent has ingrained in my brain so I’m glad I picked this up because I already know and love it!
Sanctuary Spa Foaming Micellar Cleansing Water
I was fairly surprised when I pumped this out and it was foamy, even though it clearly states it’s a foaming micellar water (clearly I don’t read things). But I’ve been really liking adding this into my skincare routine. Sometimes I use it for the odd bit of make up and others just to give my face a cleanse but it’s super gentle and a thumbs up from me!
Amie Naturally Kind Morning Clear Purifying Facial Wash & Morning Dew Matte Finish Moisturizer
I’ve loved these two products and these are the ones I’d love to re-purchase in full size. The thing that got me was the scent… Mamma Mia! I absolutely adored the soft, clean scent that comes with both of these products. They both worked really well and left my face feeling super soft (and smelling great!)
Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Hibiscus
I’ve gotten a lot of use out of this and Burt’s Bees is a new brand for me but I’m very impressed so far. The tint in this lip balm is more or less the perfect colour for me and matches quite nicely to my own lips which are naturally quite red. It’s not too over the top of a lip colour but gives you that nice little extra whilst keeping your lips super soft!
MUA Luxe Ombré 3 Shade Shimmer
I thought this might be a bit hit and miss because for starters, when I opened it, the actual product itself had come loose from the twisty bit (if that makes sense?) but I managed to get it out and use it. When I was applying it I was convinced this wouldn’t be for me. It’s super creamy, which felt a little weird to put on over my other make up but when I got myself into a good natural light, I was so shocked at the result because it actually looked really bloody good! So yes, I’ll definitely be using this!
St Tropez Gradual Tan
I’ve never tried a tan like this before so I was a little confused by the process of applying it to wet skin and then washing it off without seeing a result! I was eager to try it though because I’ve always been a huge fake tan lover and wearer! The process was fairly easy and the tan went on well, with a not unpleasant smell. I didn’t see much of a result so I’m wondering whether I used it wrong but I’d definitely like to try more St Tropez products in the future.
Lee Stafford Original Dry Shampoo
I have to be honest in my reviews and I wasn’t blown away by this dry shampoo. I loved the smell, it smells great (arguably better than Batiste) however I felt like I had to use a heck of a lot of product to get the smallest result and my hair wasn’t even chip-pan greasy when I used this.
Regenerate Enamel Science Advanced Toothpaste
I’ve been liking this toothpaste and I’m not sure whether this is the type of product which allows you to visually see results but I’m hoping they’re happening somewhere in my mouth! It’s not too minty or clinical and has a nice shimmer to it too!
Aromatherapy Associates Support Breathe Bath and Shower Oil
This oil was absolutely heavenly. I don’t know much about essential oils and aromatherapy but it’s something I’d love to get into more. As this was called “Support Breathe” it was a fairly strong menthol scent to it, which I wasn’t expecting exactly but it makes sense now. I’m gutted I couldn’t use this in the bath because it would have made for such a relaxing experience but it was lovely in the shower, having a soak and breathing in this scent. I love the bottle and packaging too, you can clearly see these are quality products.
Hippeas Organic Chickpea Puffs in Salt and Vinegar
Gotta admit, I wasn’t a fan of these. Although I assume these were thrown into the package as a little “extra” because I certainly didn’t pick crisps as one of my 9 beauty products. But I need a lot of taste in my food and unfortunately these didn’t have enough for me!
Wow, if you’re still here then hats off to you! I hope you liked this post and do let me know if you’ve tried any of the products that I picked out!
* Products marked with a (*) were sent to me in exchange for a review