May Beauty Wish List

Beauty shopping was on the back burner last month and I didn't really treat myself to anything new - even whilst I was in Madrid, where I managed to go into a Sephora without buying anything. Although, saying that, there are two rather juicy blog posts coming your way soon which feature some gorgeous bits that I was sent last month - so it isn't like I haven't tried anything new recently. However, sometimes there are products that you fall in love with and just want, regardless of if you *need* them or not - and these five are the beauty bits that I've been repeatedly eyeing up.

LookFantastic's February Beauty Box

This month I've very kindly been invited to review LookFantastic's February Beauty Box* so I received my box a week earlier than its general release. When I first received it I was surprised by the big names making an appearance, as well as some more "cult" blogger favourites that I've wanted to try out for a while now. I've done a breakdown of the value of each product in this month's box, as well as sharing my views on the products themselves. 

LookFantastic February Beauty Box Contents

Moroccan Oil Treatment - 25ml

available from Look Fantastic at £13.45 for 25ml

Value = £13.45

Now this is quite something! I haven't seen a big name like Moroccan Oil in a beauty box for a while now, and certainly not a full size bottle. Although it's only 25ml you'd be surprised how long it will last - honestly, my last bottle lasted for months! It's arrived in perfect time for me to take it to Greece with me but it's also the perfect size to pop in your gym bag or to leave in your boyfriend's house. Although I still think that Kerastraight's Ultimate Oil is a better hair oil, Moroccan Oil does do a great job of leaving you with wonderfully soft, shiny and manageable hair and I'm really impressed to see it in LookFantastic's beauty box. If you've ever wanted to try this hair oil then you'd be better off buying the beauty box and getting all the other products for just £1.55 extra!

Dr. PawPaw Original Balm - 10ml

available from Look Fantastic at £6.95 for 25ml 

Value = £2.78
I've wanted to try one of Dr. PawPaw's Balms for a long time now. They're made in the UK and there are three different varieties - original (clear), tinted peach pink and the ultimate red balm. I was sort of disappointed that I didn't have the chance to try out one of the tinted balms because I definitely get more use out of lip balms with a bit of colour in them. However, that being said, the Original Balm is a really nice hydrating product's a lot more multipurpose when it doesn't have a tint. It's much thinner and lighter on my lips than my favourite Lanolips 101 Ointment which makes it slightly easier to use on-the-go. I also think the packaging is a lot more unisex so I could definitely see myself purchasing it for male friends and family members. It isn't a high value addition to the box but I think it's a great size to really see if you'd want to repurchase the product.

Bellápierre Cosmetics Eyeliner in Snow White (full size)

available from Look Fantastic at £14.00

Value of sample = £14.00

This is the first Bellápierre makeup product that I've tried and I was really impressed to see another big name beauty brand making an appearance, especially with a full-size product. I was also glad to see that there are colours other than black being included (I have received so many black pencil liners from beauty boxes). Snow White is a true-white liner that you'd use to brighten your eyes by applying it along your waterline. However, it isn't the creamiest of products so I do get the impression that it might not be very comfortable to use on that very sensitive part of your eye area. Still, it's great to see LookFantastic listening to customers and providing a beauty box with a real mixture of products, and from premium brands too!

Monu Illuminating Primer SPF 15 - 20ml 

available from Monu at £27.95 for 50ml

Value = £11.18

I was really, really excited to see this dinky little mini of Monu's Illuminating Primer. I've been using this primer since the beginning of December (I have a full size) and it really is wonderful at extending the wear time of foundation as well as adding a really healthy looking glow. It has a thick and slightly tacky consistency so you don't need much, meaning that even this 20ml sample size will last a long while. The downside is that the product is an almost true-white pearlescent shade that won't work well as a primer for dark skin tones, but you could probably get some use out of it as a highlighter.

Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar for Normal/Combination/Slightly Oily Skin - 0.6oz

available from Look Fantastic at £45.00 for 50oz

Value = £0.54

Formulated with over 26 different minerals and 97% natural this cleansing bar offers you a new way to experience your daily skincare cleanse. I must admit that I'm not usually a huge fan of facial soaps (I tend to find them a bit harsh and drying) but this Cleansing Bar is suggested as a good exfoliating option for when you want to declog and refresh your skin. It's always great to discover new brands through beauty boxes and I'm really happy to be introduced to a whole new range of products, even if they are on the pricer end of the spectrum!

Korres Citrus Little Body Milk - 50ml

available from Look Fantastic at £10 for 200ml
Value = £2.50
Korres is a brand that's made a previous appearance in LookFantastic's Beauty Box back in October, and with the same zesty citrus scent. It's nice to have been able to try out both the Shower Gel and matching Body Milk, it gives me the impression that there's a relationship between the boxes that gives monthly re-subscribers the most from their boxes. The Body Milk is light and fresh to use, absorbing quickly with Korres' usual high quality feel. A great addition to an already wonderfully varied beauty box.

Cost of LookFantastic's Beauty Box = £15*

Total Value of LookFantastic's February Beauty Box = £44.45

Overall I'm really impressed with this month's contents. It's lovely to see such a great variety of products from some really well established, and much loved, beauty brands. LookFantastic's beauty boxes have consistently impressed me ever since I discovered them in October and I hope that they continue to provide this incredible beauty box service that, in my experience, other beauty boxes just don't offer, especially not this consistently.

The Beauty Repurchasables

Since I began blogging I've definitely become more fickle when it comes to repurchasing products. New beauty products are released so often that I often feel pressured to give up on 'old faithfuls' so I can keep up with the constant barrage of newly emerging lines. What this does mean though is that when I do go out of my way to repurchase a product I know it must be pretty darn good, good enough to avoid a 'the grass is greener' mindset.  Today's post features nine different beauty products that I've repurchased and I'll briefly walk you through why they've maintained a place in my routine.

Moroccanoil Treatment

This hair oil has been raved about by many people (including myself) and I find that it really does make a big difference to the look and feel of my hair. I don't use it every time I wash my hair - simply because it would be too expensive a habit for me to maintain - but I do use it at least once or twice a week. I find I'm always left with softer, smoother and more healthy looking hair. I would definitely recommend it, especially these small 25ml bottles which make for affordable gifts (whether that be from  someone else or as a little treat to yourself).

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

I bought my first tub of Lush's Bubblegum Lip Scrub early last year and I used it all the time. Sadly, my first pot has now expired and I've cracked open a second one which I picked up in their Christmas sale. I find that it's a fabulous product to use for keeping my lips smooth and soft which I feel like I especially need to do as I'm a big fan of lipsticks (which always look better on freshly exfoliated lips).

Lush Honey Trap Lip Balm

I think I probably raved about this enough last year but if you want to know all the virtues of this lip balm (and why it's worth it's pretty heft price tag) you should read the post I wrote about it here. It has convinced a friend or two of mine to pick one of these up and I couldn't help but repurchase it when mine ran out.

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

I have combination skin but that doesn't mean that it doesn't sometimes need an injection of moisture, especially my cheeks which can get very dry and red. Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask is a wonderful product, you apply it like you would a moisturiser and leave it on your face overnight. I find that I always wake up with smoother skin and a more radiant complexion and I've never had any problems with it breaking me out. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone, especially those who struggle with dry patches or have overall dry or dehydrated skin.

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

Another Origins' face mask but this one is fantastic at declogging congested skin. If you have blackheads then this face mask should be on your radar. I find that it really helps clear out my skin as well as helping me manage the oilier areas of my face as the day after I use it I find my skin gets a lot less oily. I love this mask and my 100ml tube lasted me about six months of weekly (sometimes as much as twice a week) use. 

Lush's Porridge Soap

Lush's Porridge Soap is one of my favourite Lush products. I absolutely adore the scent of it and I find that it imparts its fragrance into the air when it isn't in use, leaving my whole bathroom smelling rather delectable. It contains oat pinheads which offer exfoliation but the oat soap itself is very mild and gentle so it doesn't aggravate the skin. I like to use it to wash and exfoliate my hands before I moisturise them but it also is great when used in the shower as it lathers up really well.

Good Things Total Wipe Out Cleansing Wipes

I'm not usually a big fan on cleansing wipes (they don't really cleanse the skin all that well) but when it comes to speeding up the removal of make-up I absolutely love these face wipes from Good Things. They're very moist which means they aren't scratchy and don't irritate the skin and they smell glorious - they smell quite strongly of berries but the fragrance isn't at all irritating to my skin.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Clearing Lotion

I couldn't go without mentioning a couple of products from The Body Shop. I love this Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion, especially the small 15ml bottle, which is fantastic when used as a spot treatment. It is really effective without being too harsh or drying skin out too much. And the small tube is very portable so you can keep it in your hand bag to apply it whenever you feel like a spot might be emerging.

The Body Shop Aloe Soothing Night Cream

The last product I'm going to mention today is The Body Shop's Aloe Soothing Night Cream. I find it strikes the perfect balance between being intensely hydrating without being too heavy. It never breaks me out and it really does calm and soothe my drier and more sensitive areas of skin. I'd highly recommend the whole of The Body Shop's Aloe line but I especially love this Night Cream and the Serum. 

That concludes today's post! It's been a bit long but I hope it's given you an idea of some of the products that I really, really love. I like knowing the products that people repurchase over and over as it gives me a better idea of what is a passing fancy and what people's established staples are. I'd love to know what are some of your 'forever repurchased' beauty products!

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January Beauty Empties

WORTH THE HYPE: Moroccan Oil Hair Treatment

Last year I reviewed Macadamia Healing Treatment Spray (you can read my review here) and for a long time that was my go to hair oil. But then for Christmas my dad's girlfriend gave me some Moroccan Oil and my hair was never the same again.I still love using Macadamia Treatment Spray but it just doesn't transform my hair like Moroccan Oil does.

I apply Moroccan Oil very sparingly, a little goes a very long way. This small 25ml bottle doesn't have a pump so it is really easy to pour out too much product (which is very annoying) but it isn't impossible to get a little bit out at a time. I have the original formula (they also have a formula for fine hair which is lighter) and the oil is quite thick but I haven't found that it weighs my hair down at all. I apply this through the ends of my hair as well as the midlength and it is the best leave-in product that I have ever had the pleasure of using.

I've tried countless leave in conditioners, Macadamia's Leave in Cream and Macadamia's Healing Treatment Spray but none of them have left my hair feeling and looking so soft, shiny and thoroughly healthy. I find that the effects last between washes even if I don't use it every time and that my hair has developed split ends far more slowly. I think this is an absolute must have for anyone who mistreats their hair. If you love using heat on your hair then give it something back and pamper it back to health! It's also fantastic if you feel like your hair is dull or lackluster as when I follow up my usual shampoo and conditioner with this I feel as though I've just stepped out of the hairdresser, I'm all shine baby!

Something that might hold you back from ever trying this product is the price. Yes, it is steep. However, the 25ml bottle (available here for £12.85*) is an incredibly convenient way to try Moroccan Oil without investing £30.45 on a 100ml bottle (available from FeelUnique). I, personally, couldn't recommend this highly enough as it is hands down the best hair treatment that I have ever tried - nothing else has been as good as this. My 25ml is lasting me incredibly well,  I've used about a third of it over the last two months using is every other day. There is no doubt that this is a luxury product but the £30.45 that I will be paying for my fullsize bottle will most likely last me into next year. 

If you want shiny hair, hair that's less frizzy with healthier ends then this is a product you should try. I know it's expensive but it's an investment in your appearance and for me this has paid off big time. Tiana, if you're reading- thank you for this hair oil! The price would have put me off  too but I now know, and have to stress to you, that it is worth it, oh so worth it. 

Do you use a hair oil? Have you tried Moroccan Oil before?

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