SheSaid Beauty Box November 2012

Hello! I'm being good this month and posting my beauty box post on time!!! (can you tell I've had a reading week? haha!) So lets get straight into what I got in my SheSaid Beauty box this month!!

So...? Brit Body Spray - Okay, so, hmmm... I'm not too sure about this, I remember one of my friends using these So...? sprays when we were about 12, so I'm not sure it's quite the right sort of product for a "top brand" beauty box. The fragrance of this reminds me of being 12 as well, the weird, sort of floral scent isn't my cup of tea at all, and I don't think it's appropriate for a beauty box that people my age are subscribing to, this one isn't a winner for me...

Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Night Cream - I've actually already received one of these samples in the May Glossybox, which is STILL sitting unloved in my wardrobe! I really need to get around to trying thise because I've actually heard quite good things about Weleda! It's more of a luxury product which I like to see, my only gripe really is the teeny tiny size of 5ml! I'll probably get 2, maybe 3 applications out of this - if I'm lucky - and it's a shame they didn't send something a bit bigger, I am paying for it afterall!

Redken Smooth Lock Shampoo and Conditioner - I have wanted to try something from Redken for so long! They are top of my haircare to-buy/try list alongside Ojon (maybe send me some of that next month SheSaid) This is the variety that "cleanses, refreshes and nourishes hair with smoothness" and it also promises  frizz-free hair and luscious shine! Wow! I can't wait to try this, it sounds amazing and just the sort of thing I've been looking for! Thanks SheSaid!! Again, only problem is the size, I get little sachet samples of shampoo like this in magazines pretty much every month (although not Redken, so brownie points for that one) so if I'm paying for the box I'd really like to get a bigger size than the ones I get free in a magazine. But I really think this was a great product for them to include.

Makebelieve Enhance Sunbeam Bronzer and Brush - When I saw that big exciting black box in the middle of my box I just though "wow!! what is that?!" A full size makebelieve product has got to be a hit, and for me, the fact that it's makeup just makes it even better! I've never tried anything from makebelieve, so I'm excited to see what the quality is like, because I know they make rather famous fake tan! My critical note: not sure a bronzer is the best product to include in a winter box, especially not one at the start of winter, and this looks a liiiiittle dark for me, but I'm going to try my hardest to make this work with an exceptionally light hand! I think it's really great that it came with a brush too. So for me, great product to send out, it's makeup, full size, a luxury brand, it comes with the added bonus of a brush, my only advice would be to send it closer to summer!!

Yardley Royal English Daisy Eau de Toilette - When I first saw this, I just thought "FOR GOD'S SAKE NOT ANOTHER PERFUME SAMPLE" If you've been reading my beauty box posts for a while you'll know that I really hate getting sent perfume samples as one of the products in my beauty boxes, I can get them for free in Selfridges, blah blah. However, I actually do quite like this Yardley one, one thing I don't like about it is that it hasn't got a spritzer (which really just adds insult to injury on the whole perfume sample front) it doesn't even have one of those sticky things attached to the top, the top just comes off and you're left with a little vile of perfume and not many ways of applying it! Nevertheless, I do like the scent!

Murrays Manicure Matchbook Nail Files - This is another product I'm not so sure about, I guess they're a good size for keeping in yout handbag for nail emergencies, but I always feel like the matchbook nail files are a little bit small for my liking and a bit fiddly to use, they're nice to have as a bonus product but I wouldn't have wanted them as one of the main ones.

So overall a bit of a mixed box! I'm pleased with mostly all of the products, I just wish some of them had been a little bigger so I can try them out properly before committing to buying them, and so that I feel as though I'm getting my money's worth! (although I think the full size makebelieve bronzer made up for that a little bit)

What do you think of this month's products? Did you get this month's SheSaid Beauty box? What was your favourite item?
Eleanor x

A Review: Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream

Hello! Back in June I received the Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream as part of my SheSaid Beauty Box, I've had plenty of time to use it and I'm ready to report back with my thoughts!






So first of all, this product is 98.8% natural. It's part of the super moisturising range by the brand Balance Me, which is for very dry skin and is supposed to help minimise the appearance of stretch marks and visible signs of ageing, formulated with shea butter, sweet almond oil, karageenan gum, kukui nut oil, and 2 ancient skin ingredients, benzoin, which the Egyptians used in the embalming process before mummification (sounds a little scary!) and yarrow, which is meant to be what Achilles used on his soldiers in the Trojan war! Sounds pretty exotic right?! Some weird and wonderful sounding ingredients in there, and still, it's all made in the UK!

At first, I squeezed a little bit more than a pea sized amount, 2 peas perhaps, onto my hand and rubbed it in - my standard hand cream procedure. I've got to say, I didn't really like it, it was thick, sticky and took over an hour to sink in. To be honest I thought "oh great, this is not what I was expecting or looking for, what a let down."

Then I came at it with a different approach, I did the same as before only this time, right before I went to bed, and put some of the Body Shop's Organically Gown Cotton Moisture Boost Gloves on top. This way I didn't have to deal with the stickiness and I would hopefully get the moisture and soft hands that the description promised! Whilst the gloves helped things, and I've got to say, my hands did feel soft, they didn't feel super duper soft, which is what I'd expect from, lets face it, a slightly more expensive hand cream. After a couple of uses I did notice more of an improvement but my hands still didn't have the super soft texture I was looking for (and they're not horrendously dry). I think this might be one to stick with and use daily to see better results, but I haven't been blown away so far.

I do really like the smell of the cream though, it's a strange herbally sort of smell, with what I think is lavender but it really makes me think of an English countryside spa (not that I've ever been to one!) And I do like the packaging, the standard squeezy tube (although I do prefer a pump dispenser) in a nice sunny yellow colour, it's a pretty one to have out on your dresser!

Overall I might purchase this in full size, but I probably want to see if I can find a better product first. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice product and I do like it, but my optimism tells me that there are better products out there for my money (hopefully). I love the smell, I like the exotic sounding and interesting ingredients, I really like that it's made in the UK and it's 98.8% natural, that's all ticking boxes for me. The price is middle of the range at £14.50 for 100ml (or £6 for the 30ml size that I have) and the packaging is my sort of style. I just haven't been blown away by the results, I'm sorry! I really wanted to love this, but I've got to be honest, it was okay, it's fine, definitely not one for your handbag, more of a nightstand product due to the fact that it takes so long to sink in, but I'm not overly convinced it's so great at softening and moisturising.

Have you tried this product? What did you think?
Eleanor x

SheSaid Beauty Box June 2012

Hello! This is the second SheSaid box that I have received, and I must be honest, they just keep getting better and better! I think they put a lot of seasonal consideration into the samples and products they pack into their boxes, which I absolutely love, and the range of products I have received so far has been absolutely great! I'm so impressed with this beauty box, especially considering it's £1 cheaper than Glossybox and Joliebox every month, and it doesn't seem to be as widely publicised and talked about (at least not among the beauty bloggers I follow) and I want to send out some BIG LOVE to the people at SheSaid beauty box co. because I think they're doing an excellent job, and they're keeping me very happy with the monthly packages I find sitting on my doorstep! Bravo!


This month's box:

Yardley London Royal Diamond Eau de Toilette - This is a really beautiful scent, I think there's a subtle blend of floral, powdery and sweet notes. It's a really nice scent and I think very appropriate for a celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, I would say that I think this scent could be for someone maybe a bit older than myself. After seeing that the price of the full size 50ml bottle is only £9.99!! I think I'm going to go out and get myself one of these, I can't believe how cheap it is! My only gripe with this sample is that it's in a little vile without a spray, which annoys me, but other than that, we're off to a good start!


Balance Super Moisturising Hand Cream - I like the fact that this is made from 98% natural ingredients, and that this is a 30ml full size product! I always think it's great to see full size products in the boxes, because it makes them feel really worth the money that you pay for them. I really like getting hand creams too, because I'm always on the hunt for a new, better one! The cream is quite thick and a little goes a long way, it has quite a strong herbal smell, it isn't unpleasant and I can't quite pin down exactly what it is that this smells like, but I can only describe it as... herbally! I have more to say on this cream, so in the interest of keeping this post as short as possible, I'll do a separate review another time!


Elemis Tranquil Touch Indulgent Bath Elixir - I have yet to use this in the bath, because I don't tend to have a lot of baths! (I'm not disgusting and saying I don't wash, my personal hygiene is perfectly fine, thank you very much, I just prefer showers) But I have given it a little sniff, and it seems to have quite a spicy, oriental smell, which isn't something I tend to go towards, but it'll be nice to try something new!


St. Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Body Moisturiser - I was SO excited to see this sitting in my box! Obviously St. Tropez is raved about generally as a brand but it's just so expensive I've never been able to bring myself to spend that much on something I don't know will work well with my skin. So I'm so pleased that I've got the opportunity to try before I buy! I think it's great to see a well known, more expensive product to try out! I'm a bit worried that mine is in medium deep, considering how pale I am, but I'm willing to give it a try!


Let's Go Lashes in Temptress - I'm not usually a fan of dramatic or full on lashes, I don't tend to wear lashes full stop actually, and if I ever buy them, I always look for lashes that are quite natural, not too long, and will blend in and just naturally enhance my own lashes, rather than make them the fullest and longest lashes in the world. These lashes are quite full, and quite long, but there's something I really like about them! I definitely would NOT wear this for everyday use, they're definitely too full on for that, but they look like they could be gorgeous, slightly more intense lashes for a night out, but not look scary like some fuller lashes can. It's difficult to explain, but what I'm trying to say is: I usually prefer natural looking lashes, these are a little bit more full on, but I like them! There, that wasn't so hard!


Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream - Yet another sample that I was really pleased to see in my box! My best friend has absolutely raved about this to me since receiving a sample in an online beauty order. She's got combination to oily skin and this keeps her skin matte virtually all day, which is unusual for  BB cream! I haven't tried this out myself yet, so look out for a review soon.


Like I said before, I love that the SheSaid beauty box puts seasonal products in the boxes, like the St. Tropez and BB cream, which I feel are more appropriate for the summer months. I also like getting the lashes in my boxes, because they're not something I'd usually spend money on, and I like being sent the lashes from companies I haven't heard of before, because it means I get to try out something new! I give my full recommendation to the SheSaid beauty box, if I were to recommend one, it'd be this one and it's cheaper than most of the others, which is just an added bonus! Subscription is avaiable in the U.K from the SheSaid Beauty Box website.
Eleanor x

She Said Beauty Box: May 2012

Hello! I'm a little late with this post, as I actually received my box in early May, but I've had to wait until after my exams to write about it! I know the most popular beauty boxes are from Glossybox and Joliebox, but I discovered another, Shesaid beauty box. This one is a little cheaper at only £9 every month, plus the standard £2.95 postage that comes with the beauty box territory.

The Shesaid beauty box arrived at my door in a shocking pick outer box, and inside was a little aqua box, featuring the logo in white on top (very similar to Glossybox) and beautifully decorated corners with a pale turquoise, almost venetian pattern (as you can see below).

I love that the box is different to Glossybox in the way it opens, the lid is hinged to the back wall of the box, and a lightly magnetic flap secures the lid closed to the front wall, rather than the usual shoebox-type design, where the lid is lifted off the box. I think this keeps the Shesaid beauty box a little neater and more compact in terms of packaging, compared to other boxes.
Once opened, the colour scheme continues inside the box, and the products are packed in a shocking pink tissue paper, tied with a shocking pink bow and an aqua sticker to hold it all together. Overall the packaging looks fresh, young and exciting, everything a beauty box should be!

Now onto the contents of the box:


Kim Kardashian Eau De Parfum Sample - I must admit, I wasn't thrilled to see this sitting inside my box, I tend to steer well clear or celebrity perfumes, simply because they usually smell cheap and tacky! Yes, I'll admit it, I was a perfume snob! But Kim Kardashian has changed all that.. I had a little sniff of the sample I received and was pleasantly surprised, it's quite a sweet scent, and I think I detect undertones of coconut and vanilla? I can't say I'm great at describing perfumes, and I've probably got that all wrong, but whatever, it's quite nice! Another thing in Ms. Kardashian's favour: it isn't ridiculously overpriced, at a pretty reasonable £29.50 for 50ml.


Inikia Certified Vegan Lip Whip - This was a full size product, which was lovely and mine came in the shade peach. I love a good peachy shade, whether it's a lipstick, gloss, blush or nail polish, and I always tend to be drawn to peaches over any other colour, so it seemed that the beauty box gods were smiling down on me with this shade choice! However, this really is more of an orange colour in the tube and looks a little scary! I haven't brought myself around to trying it out yet, but I have heard good things about this lip gloss, so watch this space for a review!


Green People SPF15 with Tan Accelerator - I was very excited to see this in my box; a brand I've never heard of? Check. A product not readily available in drugstores? Check. Something I want to try? Check. Reasonable price? Check. This ticks all my boxes and really is what I signed up for beauty boxes for. Green People isn't a well-known brand, and I hadn't heard of them before I received this sample. They aren't available in the UK from drugstores or supermarkets, the only place I'm aware of that you can buy their products is their website. This is a sunscreen with SPF15 and an ingredient that accelerates your tan, which means sun protection from both UVA and UVB rays witht he added bonus of helping you tan! I am the palest of the pale, I do not tan, I just burn, so I am excited to try this and see if it works! I'm not keen on the smell, I must say, it reminds me of sudocrem or anthisan when you first squeeze it out of the tube, but that disappears when you rub it into your skin, so a very minor complaint! If this helps my pasty skin to tan, at £12.95 for 100ml I will definitely be repurchasing! So perhaps there'll be more thoughts on that product at a later date...


Natio Lotus Soap Trio - In the box was one of the full sized soaps from the trio, mine was the scent pink lotus. In the description, it says that the soaps contain the "mind calming and mood enhancing scents used during yoga" which I really like the idea of because I love yoga and pilates and anything like that! Although I haven't used this soap yet, it smells AMAZING!! When I opened my box, the whole box smelled lovely and it was the soap! I'm looking forward to using this, and at £8.50 for 3 150g soaps, I may have to purchase some more, as long as they all smell as good as the one I already have, that is!


The Vintage Cosmetic Co. False Eye Lashes in Kitty - I'm not really a big fan of false lashes, they're a hassle to apply, very fiddly, and they can start hanging of a couple of hours after applying them, making you look like an absolute mess... So I don't tend to bother with them too often! When I look for a false lashes, I want something that will blend naturally into my own lashes to gently boost the volume and length of my lashes, I certainly don't want any circus lashes with bright colours, diamantes, or so long that they're tickling my eyebrows. I really hate anything that looks to obvious or garish on my face and prefer to look as natural as possible. This being said, the Kitty lashes are very long at the outer corner, now there's nothing wrong with a bit more length in the outer corner, as it definitely enhances the eyes, but these are a little too long and unnatural for my liking! And the lashes on the whole just look too unnatural for something that I might want to wear. The packaging of these is very cute and lives up to the brand of "The Vintage Cosmetic Company". I thought it was such a shame that I didn't like the style of these lashes because reviews would suggest that they are really quite good quality, and they do sell other styles on their website and The Connie lashes look much more my cup of tea, so I'm going to order some and see how they are! At only £6 they're a drugstore price, come in really cute packaging and come in a selection of styles, I'd say worth checking out!


Trio of Snowberry Skincare samples - I must admit, this was the sample I was least excited about receiving, as they were only very small in little squeezy tubes (which I'm not a huge fan of anyway) and with me beginning a new skincare routine recently I didn't really want to change anything up suddenly, only to change it back again. The samples I received were the anti-ageing nourishing rich day cream, the anti-ageing intensive renewal face serum, and the bright defence day cream no.2 for combination skin. I'm not interested in trying the first 2, as anything anti-ageing is too heavy for my 19 year old skin! But I have been enticed by the promise of bright skin from the last sample and I will be trying it at some point in the near future. My only problem with the small sachet samples of skincare is that you really don't get enough product to see whether it actually works well with your skin! I like to try skincare out for a couple of weeks before I decide whether I'd repurchase or not, and you can't do that with such a small sample, so it is quite difficult to tell whether it's something you'd be interested in purchasing.


So those are my thoughts on the products I received and the box itself, I really like the Shesaid beauty box and I am looking forward to receiving the June box! Based on this box I would definitely recommend subscribing to the Shesaid beauty box, the sample sizes in the box were generous and the products were exciting!


Eleanor x