Lip Factory Box Review – June 2014

Posted in Lip Factory Box by Jaina - Which Beauty Box UK

Price of the Box is $32.00 approx £19.00 including shipping
No of Products in the Box – 6 items
Total value of contents in the box – £55.26
http://www.lipfactoryinc.com

The June Lip Factory Inc Box has finally made it all the way from the USA after waiting a whole month. Unfortunately they had shipping problems hence the delay. However it’s finally here and was worth the wait. I can confirm that I did not incur any custom charges on this box.

The Lip Factory Inc Box is an American subscription beauty box which is all things make-up. Each month their box contains 5 to 7 of your favorite makeup brands. Although the kit may include a full face of makeup products, their focus is on the lips! Their products are chosen each month by their expert team of beauty specialists and makeup artists. You are required to complete a beauty profile to ensure you receive products in accordance with your preferences which is always a good thing.

Judging by their previous boxes I have seen fab products in this box and most of them have been all full-sized. The appeal factor for me was the fact that it’s make up related items only. I also love discovering products from other countries it makes me feel that I am not missing out on anything!

June’s box included 6 full sized products.

1. Model Co Shine Ultra Lip Gloss – Full Size RRP £12.00

I own a few Model Co products so was happy to see this in my box.

This lipgloss is a shimmering and reflective gloss which came in the shade Rosie and is a limited edition colour in their lipgloss range.

Whilst this looked really bright on appearance once applied it’s a really nice shade of pink. On applying this lip gloss I found it quite sticky. This also has a built-in mirror for easier application on the go which is a great idea.

2. Model Co Eye Define Eye Pencil – Full Size RRP £7.50

I do love a good eye liner and is the one makeup item which I can’t live without.

This has a great depth of black and glides on smoothly and did not smudge throughout the day. I did have to re-apply however I think I will blame that on the hayfever.

The lid of this eyeliner has a built in sharpener too which is useful as I don’t tend to carry one in my make up bag. My only negative about this is the fact that the sharpener will need to be wiped on every use to ensure none of the kohl gets onto your bag and other products if in a make up bag. They should of made a casing which goes on top of the sharpener which would of prevented this. Overall a fab eyeliner.

3. Girlactik Eye Shadow – Full Size RRP £12.00

This is a very pretty reddish and slightly pink color shade in Lush and it blends extremely well. It’s mostly matte-looking , and a little does go a long way. This is quite pigmented and I definitely did not need to keep re-applying to develop the colour.

I’m not usually a fan of eyeshadow however I loved the colour and the quality of this eyeshadow.

4. Palladio Nail Strengthener – Full Size RRP £3.66

This is a clear nail repair varnish for brittle nails that split, crack & peel. Luckily enough I don’t have that problem however this will be a nice treat for my nails once in a while.

5. Befine Lip Serum – Full Size RRP £6.10

This is a natural lip serum created from camomile and beet extract and will plump up and provide healing antioxidants to the lips. This is a clear shiny gloss in the same texture as a lip gloss. I really like this as it didn’t feel heavy or sticky and ideal for the warmer weather.

6. 29 Cosmetics Line Maker Lip Pencil – Full Size RRP £14.00

29 is a company formed by Lydia Mondavi who has redefined cosmetics and skincare for the woman of today. 29 is the first of it’s kind, an age protecting skincare and colour cosmetics line utilising the benefits of grapeseed which is known for it’s concentrated forms of anti-oxidants.

I stopped using lip liner quite some years ago so probably won’t use this. I received the shade Woody cab which is a deep plum burgundy colour which applies really smooth and didn’t drag the skin.

My Verdict

This was my first Lip Factory Box not to my mention my first American beauty box. Was it worth waiting for? It certainly was! A box full of make-up and all of the products were full sized.

I am particularly impressed with the variety of the products and the fact that they got everything spot on in relation to my preferences. Now that’s impressive in my eyes. They also included a product guide so you knew exactly what each item was.

This box has also enabled me to discover other brands which are not available here in the UK.

June’s box included 6 full sized products.

The lip liner is the only product which I wont make use out of so was a great box for me this month.

The contents within this box is worth an amazing £55.26.

If you’re a make-up lover and want to discover American brands this is the box for you.

Can’t wait for July’s Box as it’s Lip Factory’s Anniversary.

For more information please visit http://www.lipfactoryinc.com

15Jun2014

Love Me Beauty Box Review – June 2014

Posted in Love Me Beauty by Jaina - Which Beauty Box UK

Price of the Box is £10.00 Plus £2.95 P&P
Menu 3
No. of Products in the Box – 5 and £10.00 gift voucher for a Flavourly Box
Total value of contents in the box £18.99
http://www.lovemebeauty.com

“Love Me Beauty” is a Beauty subscription service like the other boxes however you get to choose the products you want from a choice of 3 menu’s each month. Each menu has a slightly different set of items to complement the diverse needs of their subscribers.

This month I opted for Menu 3

To see what was available this month please click here.

My June 2014 Love Me Beauty box included 4 full sized products and 1 sample. This month’s box was all things beauty to my delight. This was the only menu which appealed to me as the other two included an eyeshadow and a brow pallette.

1. Beauty UK Define-FX Mascara – Full Size RRP £2.99

Beauty UK is born and bred in the UK (hence the name) and was formed five years ago as a family run business and provide their customers with affordable cosmetics designed to fire the creative spirit.

This mascara claims to create individual, high profile lashes by adding both length and volume. This appears to be a new product within their range.

Upon application the brush is a rubber wand and whilst this did separate the lashes really well I found that I had to brush my lashes quite a few times with the wand to see a result and even then the results were not great. The formula does not appear to be thick hence the need to re-apply to coat the lashes.

2. NYX Cosmetics Nail Varnish in Milk Chocolate – Full Size RRP £3.00

My nail varnish collection is growing on a daily basis I seem to receive one or two every month.

The colour I received was Milk Chocolate. This should of been called chocolate orange. A hideous colour which I certainly won’t be using. Whilst Love Me Beauty did state colours may vary they really should list the other colours you may receive.

3. Model Co Lip Couture Lipstick in Dust shade – Full Size RRP £12.00

I do like Model Co products and was hoping that this lipstick made up for the mascara and nail varnish disappointment.

The lipstick shade consists of subtle brown and orange tones and felt hydrating on my lips and comes in a satin finish. It also has a little mirror on the side for easier application on the go! I liked this lipstick and will certainly be making use of this.

4. Urban Veda Purifying Exfoilating Facial Polish– Sample Size 20ml. Full Size 125ml RRP £8.99

For those of you who know me I am a big fan of the Urban Veda Purifying range and there’s no getting away from them this month as they have featured in quite a few of the beauty boxes this month!

I have all of their skincare products and I really cannot recommend them enough – they really do hold a special place in my heart. Their products really agree with my skin leaving it blemish free and less oily.

This exfoiliator is naturally formulated for a deep cleanse, their revitalising scrub contains natural Pumice to exfoliate, cold-pressed Neem oil and refreshing essential oils to remove impurities and treat blackheads. Antioxidant-rich botanicals work in synergy with naturally astringent herbals and collagen-boosting extracts to reduce excess sebum, tighten pores and leave skin hydrated. I use this a few times a week. It’s quite gritty and certainly not harsh which in turn leave my skin soft and clean. A product which has all of the properties you would want from an exfoliator.

This product also was the winner of the Natural Health 2014 beauty awards.

Although I already have this product it’s always nice to have a sample size for travelling or weekends away.

5. Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Mud Mask – Full Size Sachet RRP £1.00

I’ve only tried a few of these in the past and they are good masks and great value for money however I have not tried the peel off range.

This is a deep cleansing mask and contains black laver seaweed and crushed sea buckthorn berries.

I will certainly be trying this during the week.

6. Flavourly £10.00 Gift Voucher

This is the lifestyle extra this month. Flavourly is the easiest way for you to discover new and exciting fine foods, snacks and delicious craft beer at an affordable price; look at it like a little bit of convenient luxury delivered to you monthly!

You can use the promotional code against a one off gift box instead of subscribing to their box which is great. The only down side is they do not have a selection of different boxes and therefore more than likely you may end up with items you may not use. However judging by their previous boxes I am tempted!

My Verdict

Whilst Love Me Beauty delivered on the beauty aspect this month I’m not convinced that this box was good as the others I have previously received from them. Nothing really wowed me this month and feel that this was a pretty average box. Again this month there were many people unhappy with the products on offer and I really am not surprised especially when you look at what the other beauty boxes have delivered and for the same same subscription price range.

I am happy to see that Love Me Beauty have got back on the beauty band wagon again however I feel that they need to up their game to even stand a chance with the other boxes.

On a positive note 4 items out of the 5 were full sized which is great

The value of this box is £18.99 beating the actual cost of the box.

The items this month were not up to par for me this month and more than likely only 3 of the products will get used. Whilst I like Love Me Beauty’s concept around selecting your own menu, the quality of their sign up’s seem to be lacking and most of the brands are low end. They appear to have lost their sense in direction as previously their boxes contained a mixture of low to high end brands.

The lovely Helen at Loves and Loathes pointed me to a comment on their Facebook page where a subscriber had raised her disappointment with Love Me Beauty and it appears from the thread that they will be looking at introducing a premium package for those who are willing to pay a higher rate to trial premium products. I certainly would not pay any extra when there are other beauty boxes on the market which deliver high end brands within the same subscription price range .

I think July’s box will be the finally decider for me on whether I continue my subscription.

What did you think of your June “Love Me Beauty” box?