You Beauty Discovery - July (Travel)

As the Summer holidays approach, I think it's a good thing that this month's You Beauty Discovery Box theme is travel. The products in the shortlist are all travel-friendly sizes and give you the chance to try something new as the weather gets warmer.

From this month's shortlist, I chose the Philip Kingsley Moisture Balancing Shampoo & Conditioner Duo, and the Vichy Purete Thermale 3 in 1 One-Step Cleanser & Idelia Life Serum Duo. As I'll be going away for a few days to Turkey next month, I chose these products as they'll be perfect to take with me. It'll be a good opportunity to try out new products whilst on holiday and it means that I've got my hair and skincare already sorted (partially anyway). All that's left to get is some sun protection and pack away any other samples I have lying around. The extra products this month include a St Tropez Gradual Tan in-shower lotion, a sachet of Emma Hardie Protect+Prime SPF30 and a taster pack of Nairns Muesli Breaks Oatcakes.
I haven't quite worked out the retail value of this box, but I'm sure it is worth at least the cost of the box (if not more!). What do you think?



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You Beauty Discovery - June (Beauty Heroes)

This month's YBD box is following on from last months and focuses on beauty products that stand-out. The products range from body-care to makeup to skincare, with a few extra goodies included in the box. From the selection available, I chose the Crown C436 Mini Duo Fibre Blender Brush and the NUDE ProGenius Omega Treatment Rescue Oil (5ml).

 

The Crown Mini Duo Fibre Brush is the perfect size for blending in concealer. It's very soft and fairly dense, allowing you to buff in the makeup with small circular motions. I'm always on the look out for new and different brushes, so this is a good addition to my collection. I also chose the NUDE Treatment Rescue Oil as my skin has been going a bit crazy (oily, dry, sensitive and spotty). This oil is supposed to refine and clarify the skin, with key natural ingredients to help repair the skin. I'll definitely be using this over the next few weeks. The extra's included in this months box are a packet of Urban Fruit baked fruit snack, Good To Go Anywhere wipes trio, which are great for travel, and 2 Clipper tea bags in Green Tea and Red Fruits & Aronia Berry. Overall, I'm really liking this month's box, and with a retail value of approximately £17 (the brush at £7.39, and the oil working out as £9.66). These are both products that I'll be using regularly so it's definitely worth the £6,95 for the YBD box.


What do you think of this month's box?



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You Beauty Discovery - May (CEW Awards)

This month's YBD box is centred around the winners of the 2015 CEW beauty awards. From the award winning product selection, I chose the Angel Face Cloth by The Konjac Sponge Company and The Body Shop Miracle Solid Wild Argan Oil.

The Angel Face Cloth claims to be kinder than a muslin cloth on your skin, and I'll be testing it out with my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish to see if it's true. The Wild Argan Oil is a solid oil for use on the body and hair. To be honest, because the Argan Oil is not very high on the ingredients list, I'm not sure how it would compare to a pure (or more concentrated version) of Argan Oil. Nevertheless, I'll be using it as a hair oil on the ends as I recently dip dyed my hair and the bleach hasn't left my hair in great condition.

Both products in the box are full size and have a combined retail value of £19.99, which is amazing considering the YBD box is only £6.95. I honestly cannot fault YBD for their value for money, which is not always the case with some of the other beauty subscription boxes available. The extra's included in this months box are a sample vial of Jimmy Choo Man EDT and a sachet of Dr Organic's Organic Snail Gel. Also included in the box is a 20% off selected beauty and fragrance at M&S, which I'll definitely be making use of.

Have you subscribed to any beauty boxes?



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You Beauty Discovery Box - April (Organic & Natural)

Yes, I completely forgot to blog about the March YBD thanks to a whole bunch of uni deadlines and the general teacher workload. However, this months You Beauty Discovery box  theme is organic and natural products, focusing on skincare without all the nasties.

From the product selection, I chose the Scentered Sleep Well Therapy Balm (RRP £14.50) and the Our Tiny Bees Lavender Hand Balm + Beeswax Lip Balm Duo (RRP £7.95 and £3.95). I first read about the Scentered balms on British Beauty Blogger a few weeks ago and so when I received the YBD product list email, I knew straight away to add this to my box. The idea behind the Scentered balm is that it is applied to the pulse points (on wrist/neck) and then you allow the scent of the aromatherapy oils to work. It's 100% natural and I'm hoping it'll be a good alternative to the This Works Sleep Plus+ Pillow Spray (which unfortunately contains gelatine). I carried on with the Lavender theme of the box and also picked the Our Tiny Bees duo as the next product. I love my usual hand creams but the hand balm will be great for a quick hand massage during the day, and so will be kept on my desk. I don't really need any more lip balms, but this one doesn't have a scent and would be great to apply before lip colour as it doesn't leave your lips really shiny. Plus both products are made of all natural ingredients and use British honey and beeswax.

The extra's in the box this month were samples of Linwood's Flaxseed Cocoa & Berries and Yours Truly Organic Repair Serum. The serum doesn't really appeal to me, but I am keen to try out the flaxseed as an addition to plain yoghurt.
The total value of this box is £26.40, with all the products being full size, which is definitely worth it considering the YBD box only costs £6.95. It's the only treat I get due to my student budget!


What do you think of YBD boxes?



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You Beauty Discovery Box - February (Red Carpet)

This month's YBD box is all about products that are that little bit more indulgent and ready for the red carpet (very fitting considering it's awards season!). The products are all about radiant skin and finishing touches to keep you looking your best.

From the selection of products available, I chose the In.fused Coconut Body Scrub (100g) and the Proto-col Moisturising Facial Gel (20ml). The extra's included in this box were Lindor Milk Truffles (already eaten...Ooops!) and a sample of the Bare Minerals Bare Skin Serum Foundation.

I know I've chosen another body scrub this month, but the In.fused scrub is completely different to the Afyna one from last month's box and I'm looking forward to using this before I'm back at school (currently enjoying the half term). The body scrub is 100g which is half the full size product which retails at £18.99, making this sample approximately worth £9.50. The scrubs are vegan friendly and made from natural ingredients. They're also not too coarse, which makes them perfect for applying on the face (avoiding the eyes of course).
The Proto-col facial gel is a product I randomly chose, thinking it would be a little bit like my tube of Hydraluron. Obviously this is not the case, as the product is more of a gel-lotion hybrid, rather than a clear gel. It does keep my skin hydrated but seeing as it aims to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, it's more suited for mature skin. The 20ml tube retails for £9.50 on the Proto-col website.

With a box worth £19, I'm pretty pleased with my picks and the fact that the YBD box is only £6.95. Plus, the addition of Lindor truffles are always a way to my heart =D



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You Beauty Discovery Box - January (New Year, New You)

This month I re-subbed to You Beauty Discovery boxes. It's the one beauty box that I subscribe to and is a little treat that comes every month (which I think is definitely needed) plus it doesn't break the bank at only £6.95. January's box is based around the 'New Year, New You' concept, and the selection of products are to help banish the January Blues.

I chose the MeruMaya Melting Cleansing Balm and Overnight Recharge Night Cream Duo and the AFYNA Detoxifying Body Scrub. The extra's this month included three Dragonfly Tea organic teabags, a sachet of Dove Hair BB Cream and a £25 voucher for Hello Fresh. I'm looking forward to trying the cleansing balm as I've read a few positive reviews, and hopefully it'll be a good addition to my skincare routine (although I'm not sure if it will substitute my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish). I'm a big fan of body scrubs, but I'm just too lazy to make my own, so I know that I'll be using the AFYNA one soon. Not particularly sold on the whole 'BB cream for hair' from Dove, but the description suggests it's a bit like a leave-in conditioner, which I haven't used in the past.

Have you subscribed to YBD? What did you think of this month's selection?



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You Beauty Discovery Box - September (Birthday Box)

Can you believe that You Beauty Discovery boxes have been around for a whole year? I remember signing up to the subscription boxes aftet reading Pyari Beauty's post on the October box last year. Since then, YBD has had some very good boxes as well as some not so great ones, but they are all worth the £6.95 that I pay each month.

 

This month, I decided to go for two makeup products, as I haven't actually purchased any new makeup since coming back from holiday (and probably won't until the post-Christmas sales. I've started my teacher training, so I am officially on a student budget!). I chose the Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pencil (Black Noir) and the Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm (Unique Pink). Both are travel sized products (roughly half of the full size) and both are suitable for everyday wear. The full size for each retails at around £11 (Eye Pencil) and £12 (Brilliance Balm). I've used the Pixi blushers before, but these two products will be nice to try out, especially as eyeliner and lip balm are staple products in my makeup bag (even though I have enough black eyeliner pencils already...oops!). Other products this month included a full size Toni & Guy Glamour Volume Plumping Whip, two Crabtree & Evelyn herbal tea bags, a £25 off voucher for Hello Fresh and a cosmetic sponge. 

What do you think of this box? Have you subscribed to YBD boxes?

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HER 300 Trecento Revitalising Hair Treatment [review]

My first hair care product review on the blog! Seeing as my hair spends most of its time under my hijab, I don't really use any particular products to keep it looking good. In the June YBD Box (see post here), I chose the HER 300 Trecento Revitalising Hair Treatment, and decided to use it during the school holidays (as I had a bit more time for myself!).The HER hair treatment is a pre-shampoo treatment and is quite a thick cream inside the tub. It's easy to scoop out (although not so much when you're holding the tub with wet hands) and you simply apply the treatment to damp hair, leave on for 5 minutes and then rinse off before you shampoo and condition as normal.

So far I've used this hair treatment 3 times since the beginning of August. I felt like it was too much to be using once a week, so decided to space out the uses a bit more. As I use a medicated shampoo (Capasal), I sometimes feel that the shampoo strips my hair of all the natural oils and can leave it dry and brittle. Even though I apply the mask before I shampoo, my hair definitely looks and feels much healthier and smoother. When I do use the hair treatment I don't use conditioner simply because my hair would end up feeling heavy and greasy (which is not ideal under hijab!).

Overall I'm really glad that I chose this product in my June YBD and look forward to using it as a regular hair treat. Not sure if I'll repurchase this particular one again, but I know that I will be looking into hair masks and treatments a bit more (I already have my eye on the Lush one) =)

If you're interested in trying the HER 300 Hair Treatment, you can purchase it from Her Haircare Rituals, £14 (75ml) or £30 (200ml).



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You Beauty Discovery Box - August

I received my August YBD box a few days ago. Aptly named 'Summer Essentials', I chose the Eucerin Sun Mattifying Face Fluid with SPF50 and the Gazelli Triple Youth with White Oil duo from the products available. The added extras included in the box were Jimmy Choo EDP and Jimmy Choo Man EDT samples, a sachet of Face-D 3-Luronics Instant Effect Cream Serum as well as a 4 way nail buffer.

I won't be taking this bottle of SPF with me on holiday, but I know that this will come in handy if the weather is still lovely and warm when I get back. It's always important to use SPF because without it, our skin would age before its time (and prevention is always better than treatment!). The Gazelli Sample set stood out as the YBD website stated that there was limited availability of the product, so I added it to my box without a second thought. There are two 5ml samples included: a face cream and a face serum. I know that the products are designed to be anti-ageing, so I'm not sure they're quite right for me but I'll definitely be trying them out.

There was a decent selection of products this month, and for £6.95 I have the opportunity to try out products that are worth much more. What's there not to like?



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You Beauty Discovery Box - July

This month's YBD box features a shortlist of products which are travel friendly. Seeing as Summer has finally arrived in the UK, and many people will be off for a little break abroad (including me!), this box couldn't have come at a better time.

For my box, I chose the L'Oreal Miss Manga Mega Volume mascara and the Abahna White Grapefruit and May Chang Bath Gel (35ml). This month's extra's included Egyptian Magic All Purpose Cream (3ml), Agent Provocateur Fatale EDP (2ml) and Dove Men Care Shave Cream (50ml).

I'm looking forward to trying the mascara as I have read quite a few positive reviews on it. Even though I don't wear mascara very often, I'll be wearing contact lenses on holiday (rather than glasses) so I'll be able to apply more than my usual light coat when out and about. I chose the Abahna bath gel randomly after finding that the product I originally wanted was out of stock. I probably won't be taking it on holiday with me but I'll definitely be trying it at home. It's free from SLS, SLES, Parabens and artificial colour and is fragranced with 100% essential oils, so hopefully it won't irritate my skin and will leave a lasting scent =)


Overall I'm not wowed by this month's box, but at £6.95, it's not that bad =)

What did you get in this month's YBD box?



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