December GlossyBox : Christmas Edition

This month's GlossyBox is a special limited edition Christmas box. The first thing you will notice, is the shiny red box, with black bow and white tissue paper. As much as I love the baby pink & brown colour theme of the original GlossyBox's, I absolutely loved the colour scheme of this one!
The theme of the box this month was "Christmas Gift Guide - Part 2", all items carefully selected to ensure you are the "Belle of the ball at any Christmas party". This has got to be my favourite box of all the months so far. I absolutely love everything in it, and there's not one thing I wouldn't use. I especially like that there a few make up items.

• Cargo Cosmetics Classic Lipgloss "Tokyo" - This is a really pretty shade, and I can definitely see myself getting a lot of use out of this.
• Deborah Lippmann Nail Varnish "Razzle Dazzle" - This is AMAZING. The first thing I noticed when I opened my box as it was so sparkly and pretty.
• Deborah Lippmann "Stripped To Go" Sachet - This is a finger mitt for removing nail varnish, great on the go!
• FAB Daily Face Cream - This cream is really lightweight & sinks into the skin very quickly but leaves it so soft and is a great base for makeup. It is for sensitive skin & contains an antioxidant booster. So far, so good.
• Nouveau Lashes "Noir" Mascara - I was really excited when I saw this in the box. I am a sucker for mascara. I have applied this a few times. I found the brush to be quite hard, and it did hurt my lashes a little bit (that could be my application technique), but it does make my lashes look volumised & very lengthened.
  
• Rituals Foaming Shower Gel - This smells AMAZING, and it's really moisturising. It's one of those products you use in the bath or shower, and get little whiffs of it throughout the day.

Did you sign up for the Limited Edition GlossyBox? What did you think of it? and what was your favourite item?

♥

GlossyBox Catch-up : October & November.

In true slacking-blogger style, I didn't get round to showing you the previous month's GlossyBox's. So today, before I can reveal the Limited Edition Christmas Box in a few days time, I thought I'd go over October & November's boxes and give you a little glimpse of the variation between them for those of you who may still be on the fence about subscribing.

October.

• Dermalogica Makeup Bag - The perfect size for your handbag.
• Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque - I've used this, and my skin felt & looked refreshed afterwards. It did feel a little like I was smearing Lemon Curd on my face though.
• Dermalogica MultiVitamin Thermafoliant - I haven't used this yet but it's a skin polisher that combines chemical and physical exfoliants. Looks fancy.
• Dermalogica Renewal Lip Complex - I absolutely love this. In fact, I'm trying to use it sparingly as I don't want it to run out. It's such a lovely lipbalm, and although for aging lips, it works wonders on dry, chapped lips.
  
• Leighton Denny Nail Polish in "BabyDoll" - This is the perfect baby pink, and looks so pretty and natural on the nails. I also like the super glossy finish & it dries very quickly.
• Stila Smudge Stick Eyeliner in "Moray" - This eyeliner is a gorgeous olive green. I tend to stay well away from coloured eyeliners, and stick to my blacks and browns, but this is ever so subtle, and it really does stay put, yet it's creamy enough for easy application. It has teeny tiny gold flecks in it, which make it even more pretty and very metallic-like. This was my favourite item in the GlossyBox for that month & I'm definitely going to look into getting some more colours.
  
• Robert Piguet Fragrance Samples "Fraca", "Visa" and "Calypso" - I'm not the biggest fan of perfume samples, but these I absolutely LOVED. My favourite is the Fraca one (the pink). They all smell amazing, and it wasn't a brand I'd ever heard of previously, and this is why I love the concept of beauty boxes, they introduce to things you'd never normally try or find. I also like to throw these in my handbags to save you having to carry a whole perfume bottle for re-squirts. :)

November.

• Dead Sea Spa Magik Bath Salts - I'm really looking forward to trying these, as I get majorly dry legs in the winter (yes, mostly just my legs get dry...weird huh?) and I also get ingrown hairs on my thighs, which are already starting to irritate me and my skin, so I'm hoping these salts will work wonders on my legs.
• Nail Rock Nail Wraps - I've used these before, and I loved them. A little tricky to begin with, but if you get someone to help you, you soon get used to it, and let's face it, they look fierce.
• Serge Lutens Unisex Fragrances - These intrigued me. I love the idea of unisex perfumes. One smells lovely (the white box - L'Eau Serge Lutens), and the other I'm not so keen on (the black box - Vitriol d'Oeillet), the second is a lot more of a masculine smell, and much more woody. I would seriously condiser buying the first fragrance but the hefty 100ml £86 price tag has put me off a little bit. I'll have to save that one for a sneaky splurge one rainy day I think.
• Arbonne FC5 Ultra Hydrating Hand Creme - A lot of people said that the strong scent of this put them off. I personally like the scent of this hand cream but then I'm the sort of person who doesn't do unscented. If i'm making my hands soft, i want them to smell nice too :)
• Monu Recovery Balm - This is a gentle balm to provide relief to all skin types, especially sensitive or stressed. I've not used this yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing if it can calm down my spotty T zone.

So that was my quick run down of the past few boxes. I wanted to keep it short and sweet with bitesized information and mini reviews as I'm sure you've seen everyone else talking about them and I don't want to bore you. Is there anything in there that caught your eye? Or if you recieved these boxes too, what has been your favourite item?

♥

JolieBox Birthday Box | June 2012

JolieBox £10 + £2.95 P&P*

It's been a whole year since JolieBox (formerly known as Boudoir Prive) came onto the beauty box scene, so this month they are celebrating their one year birthday. The boxes are limited edition and were designed by Mlle Fraize and creative duo Och Studio. I received the Och Studio box, which as you can see, is orange, so it floats my boat massively. I have seen the other design, but I wasn't too enthused by it, and much prefer the sleek orange box instead, so i'm chuffed I received this one (yes, I am chuffed to have received an orange box...clearly I need to get out more).

The theme behind this months box was a handful of JolieBox's favourite french brands. With names like 'Nuxe" and "Caudalie" coming onto the beauty scene recently, It has definitely sparked my interest in French skincare and other potential french brands which may be producing some absolute gems, that we have yet to discover. This was one box, I was very excited to open. 

In the box:

Yon-Ka Pamplemousse Protective and Vitalizing Cream - This cream is the first customised product I have seen in a beauty box. I was informed that if you had filled in your online skincare specifications, you were to receive this product tailored to you. Yon Ka is a brand I've heard of before, but never tried skincare wise. This moisturiser claims to brighten dull skin, protect from environmental factors and refresh your complexion. Sounds good to me! I've not tried it yet, but looking forward to giving it a whirl.

Instutit Esthederm Bronz Repair Body Lotion - If you read a recent blog post of mine where I had a little online splurge, you will have seen that one of the things I bought was a face tanner by the brand Institut Esthederm, as I had heard many great things about the skincare they produce. I have also been using a moisturiser by them more recently which was a sample in an older beauty box, and I've been loving it, so I have high hopes for this product if it's anything like the other things I've tried from this brand. It's a body lotion designed to help fight the signs of aging and sun damage (I'm now imagining an eldery lady sat by the pool with skin like a leather handbag). It also helps to achieve a healthy glow on the skin (something we all aim for and something leather handbag lady should think about). It says to apply this before sun exposure and then every 2 hours, it doesn't say it has an SPF though, so I think it's just a little extra to pop on after your suncream.

Elysambre Care Oil - A hand and nail oil is something I am always using as I have terrible dry cuticles and it's one of those things I am lazy with (slaps wrist). This contains sweet almond oil, smells delicious and has a handy little brush for application. I know I will get a lot of use out of this so I'm thankful it was in the box!

L'Occitane Angelica Hydration Cream - L'Occitane is another brand I've heard lot's about but not ever tried anything from their range. They provided a small 15ml pot of their hydration cream moisturiser. The moisturiser has organic angelica water and essential oil in it to plump, smooth and add radiance to the skin. Angelica water isn't something i'd ever heard of before, so that intregued me. It's an "astonishing plant with a unique ability for self-hydration", sounds interesting! It smells lovely and applies really nicely to the skin leaving quite a refreshed and healthy appearance to my skin. I'll report back if it works wonder for me.

JolieBox Nail File - A cute little extra, great for my handbag and on the go nail fixes!

They also threw in some more extras! A voucher courtesy of French skincare brand Codage, a special French addition JolieMag (LOVE the JolieMags) and a JolieTicket where many different prizes can be won (how exciting). I really loved this months JolieBox, I think it's one of my favourites so far. I love trying out new skincare and I felt that it offered a good selection. I was also familiar with most of the brand names so it excited me to try something from them which I hadn't before.

What did you think of this months JolieBox?

♥

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GlossyBox | June 2012

    GlossyBox £10 per month + P&P*

This month, GlossyBox wanted you to channel your sexy summer style. They included products which could cover your every summer need, to ensure that you are beach beautiful. I'm not overly sure I can really tell that this is where GlossyBox was going with the theme this month, as it is quite a broad spectrum of products which could fall into any category. It could just be that the sun is not out but I'm not really feeling the summery vibe! If the sun could just hop on over to the UK for a few weeks, I'd like that a lot. ;)

Included in the box:

GlossyBox Serie Exclusive Pro Beauty Brush - Although I love that this is a customised brush, this was probably the most disappointing item in the whole box. I love the sleek black design, but the quality is not so great. It feels very coarse and shed all over my face. I think it will ideal for popping in your makeup bag for on the go touch ups but as far as everyday makeup application, I don't think I'll be reaching for this too much. I also don't really feel it's worth the £15 rrp price tag. Sorry GB! 

Clean Start By Dermalogica Day/Night 3-step Kit - On a slightly more positive note, this I was highly impressed by. Clean Start is a brand I have been sent samples of before, but at the time, didn't need, as I was happy with my skincare regime, so I gave it to my brother of which he thoroughly enjoyed using and noticed dramatic results in terms of clearer skin. Although I won't be using this myself (as i'm happy with what i'm currently using) I think my brother will grab this from me and be super happy with it. It's fool proof for a guy or even if you are after a simple new skincare regime and have quite troublesome skin, I'd definitely advise you look into this! 

Yves Rocher France Mini Mascara Ultra-Volume Sexy Pulp - Phewph! What a mouthful. I was excited to see a little mascara sample in the GlossyBox, as I had previously fallen in love with the mascara provided in the December box and i'm always up for trying and finding new magic eye wands (that's mascara in beauty blogger terms). This mascara retails for £16 so I'd put that in the higher end category. When I first unscrewed the lid, and what was revealed to me was possibly the biggest mascara brush head I ever laid eyes on, a wave of disappointment crept over me. I have quite small eyes, and so anything that is wider than my eye, is always going to be one messy, panda-eyed fail. (I stupidly didn't take a photo of this, but if you search for it online i'm sure you'll find it). Regardless of the size, the mascara is BRILLIANT. My lashes look separated (no 3-lashes-in-a-clumpy-mess business), volumised and longer. It is definitely going to take me a while to master the massive brush and attempt to get no black splodges on my eyelids, but once I do, I think I could really love this mascara. 

BM Beauty Summer Warmth Bronzer - If you have been reading my blog for a while, or if you are a (creepily) massive Zoella fan (haha), then you will know that my love for my Bare Minerals Faux Tan Loose Bronzer runs very deep. You may think that using a loose powder for bronzer spells disaster, but it doesn't, it's actually very easy and leaves a very nice effect on the skin. I've yet to use this bronzer, but if it's anything like Faux Tan by BE then I'm sure to love it. It's also the perfect size for travelling. 

Vichy Dermablend Ultra Corrective Foundation Cream Stick - I am definitely no fan of foundation cream sticks, personally, I think they spell "SUPERDOOPER Coverage with a slight cakey feeling" (yanno, those kind?). However, for concealing little areas of my face, I'm all up for something with more coverage. I once ventured into Boots to buy the Vichy liquid foundation, and they had NO samples for testing out which shade you may be, so really, it was just trial and error. I trial-ed, and I error-ed. Having the wrong shade meant I couldn't wear it, and also, couldn't return it (bless the UK and their non-returns on beauty items policy...). I love this idea of little samples so that people can decide which colour they may be before contemplating spending £19 on the product. This foundation stick offers SPF 30, High coverage, water/sweat resistant, fragrance free and hypoallergenic. I think it would work amazingly on people with irregular pigmentation, dark circles, spot scarring or redness. 

Overall thoughts on this months box? I liked the box, I wouldn't say it's my favourite. I think a lot of the products are just not as suited to me as previous boxes may have been, but that's not to say it's not your perfect box. There are a few gems in here, which I was happy about, and also a few disappointing products too, but that is all part of the element of surprise!

What did you think of this months GlossyBox?

♥

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Bedside Beauty

I've decided to do a little summary of the things I keep on my bedside table. After all, every girl has a little stash that she keeps to hand pre and post nights sleep, doesn't she? I'm going to do a series of posts like this. My bedside table necessities change all the time as I try and rotate different products so I get to try them out. Here's a little glimpse at what I'm using last thing before bed, and first thing in the morning at the moment. 

Caudalie Beauty Elixir - I'm enjoying using this so far, besides the smell, which definitely needs to grow on me. I like to spritz this on my face in the morning mainly, just as a quick refresh. I often spritz it before bed too, but normally before my night cream. 

Taaj Micellaire Water Makeup Remover* - I will have already cleansed before bed at the sink, but I keep this here for the morning. This is probably the best makeup remover I've ever used. I love everything about it. It was a sample in a JolieBox not too long ago and I am definitely repurchasing a full size when this runs out. I like to sweep this across my face just to remove any missed mascara which might be lurking underneath my eye area after 8 hours of sleep. I also just find it really refreshes my skin, and is the perfect little pick me up (or roll me out of bed). 

Body Shop Wild Rose Targeted Hand Oil* - This nifty little roller ball is perfect for applying oil to specific areas of your hands. As you can imagine, oil slathered all over your hands won't be too comfortable, so it's nice that you can apply a little bit in the places that you really need it. I put this across my cuticles and areas of the skin on my hands which could do with a little more moisture.

Bare Minerals Pure Transformation Night Treatment - I'm currently trying out this powder foundation night treatment. It's definitely a little weird applying this last thing before bed but there is no nasty pillow transferring and it feels very comfortable on my skin. I don't want to report back about this product yet, as I want to give it a fair trial before I let you know my thoughts, but so far I like it.

Lavera Hand Cream* - Again, this was a sample in a beauty box (I find these samples perfect for my bedside and my handbag). This is probably one of my favourite hand creams recently, alongside the Burt's Bees one that I reviewed a while back. I like something that feels moisturising and nourishing but doesn't take an age to sink in, or leave me with greasy mitts, so this ticks all the boxes. 

Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm - A new obsession of mine. I can't praise this lip balm highly enough. I apply this before bed, and when I wake up it's STILL THERE! It really gets to work on my always-impossibly-dry lips. Since i've been using this, I've found that I can apply lipstick more often without getting scaly lips, or having to rub it off, and re apply it. I think this will be at my bedside for a long time!

What do you have on your bedside table? Anything you think I'm missing or that you think I'd love?

♥

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JolieBox UK | May 2012

JolieBox UK £10 monthly subscription + £2.95 P&P*

This months JolieBox was created to inject a little flower power and plant based products into your beauty routine. I'm just going to throw this out there and say that this is possibly my favourite JolieBox so far. It may only have 4 items as opposed to the normal 5, but I feel like the good choice of samples and the full size nail varnish thoroughly make up for it. I also wanted to mention how much I enjoy reading the JolieMag. This little 23 page magazine which has been edited by the oh so gorgeous Anna of ViviannaDoesMakeup, excites me just as much as the box of goodies. It's full of great content, including product reviews, interviews and helpful information. I like to read it in the bath as a wind down! This magazine has become a little bonus when receiving your JolieBox each month, and I think it's a wonderful idea. 

Products included in the box:

Talika Lipocils Expert 2ml - An eyelash growth product with extracts of natural nettle to stimulate the growth of short or frail eyelashes. This sample is quite small, i'm not overly sure how much 2ml of product is going to help stimulate my eyelashes. I'm certainly not expecting to wake up with long fluttering lashes after using it once but i'm intrigued to see if it does in fact do anything at all. I've not ever dabbled in eyelash growth serums before, so this is all new for me! 

Essential Care Organic Rose Moisturiser 15ml - Being quite the skincare junky I'm looking forward to trying this moisturiser. It has rehydrating, regenerative and toning benefits of organic rose and aloe juice. It's also suitable for vegans and they've not tested on animals, which I know is an important factor for many of you when making cosmetic choices. After checking out the ingredients, it also appears to be free of any nastiness too. Skincare is always best when it's kept as natural as possible so this look promising. 

RMK Make up Base 15ml - This makeup base claims to prime the surface of your skin, add moisture with shea butter and provide the perfect fit for foundation. I'm the sort of person who skips on priming before applying my makeup because sometimes I just prefer my face to have as little on it as possible, I always feel like priming just adds another layer, and I can't say i've ever really needed to do it. However, more recently, I have been trying out some different primers, and my eyes have been opened to the world of longer lasting makeup and a smoother, easier foundation application. This looks to be a very good primer, and I'm excited to give this a proper whirl. The cute little bottle will also be perfect for travelling. 

China Glaze Nail Lacquer Wicked Style (full size) - I was so happy to see this nail polish in my JolieBox this month, as China Glaze are one of my favourite nail brands. I find their polishes to be very long-lasting and just of excellent quality. I see them as O.P.I's main rival in the high end polish stakes. I'm not a massive fan of the pink, as I don't tend to wear pinks all that often, although that could all change once the sun comes out :) Saying that, pink is always my top choice for a pedicure!

What do you think of this months JolieBox? 

♥

JolieBox UK | An Introduction

So I'm sure most of you are aware of the beauty box trend that has taken the beauty community by storm over the past 6 months? A some what controversial idea, loved by many but also dismissed by plenty too. I absolutely love the concept, not just for me, but as a great gift idea for someone you know who either loves to experiment with new and exciting brands, or in contrast, someone who has no clue! There are plenty of different boxes you can choose from. I have featured both GlossyBox and Carmine on my blog, but now i'm going to talk about another one, JolieBox UK*.

JolieBox was formerly known as "Boudoir Prive", but they then teamed up with the french beauty box brand JolieBox & the JolieBox UK baby was born. I like that the team have been changing and growing and making improvements from feedback from their customers along the way, as now there have been 3 variations of the box. The most recent being my favourite.

December JolieBox

I was actually sent a box back in December, but this was around the time my laptop & camera didn't really get along and I lost a huge batch of photos, and so I never managed to post about it. After rescuing the photo's, I thought I'd include it in this post as, since December, there have only been 2 boxes (I believe the break was to ensure that new ideas and designs were developed). The December box was the first box after the two brands combined, and it had a total makeover from the old baby pink design. I loved the new, sleek, black and white boxes, as I felt that Boudoir Prive & GlossyBox were almost too similar at this time.

The items included in the first JolieBox were fab. There was a full sized OPI crackle polish, a mineral eye shadow, a JolieBox concealer brush, a New CID lipgloss, Mitchell & Peach shower wash, Yonka intense hydration & some Kusmi tea. There were 7 products included (there will be 5 from here on in) in the first box, as the tea and the concealer brush were little extras, a "hello" if you will. I won't go into depth about each of these products as I don't want to make this blog post too long, but as you can see, the standard of the products is really good. A great first box!

* JolieBox UK is priced at £10 per month, plus £2.95 P&P

In February, after their one month break, JolieBox released their second box. As you can see, the way it's packed inside the box is somewhat different. All the products are stored inside a little drawstring bag! I absolutely love this idea, and it makes a nice change from the little bits of shredded paper the other boxes contain. There are also so many uses for this AS WELL AS the actual box itself. I used mine as a bit of a handbag divider. I popped my phone, my purse and my keys in it, to make finding them in my huge mary poppins handbag less of a time waster. The February box was based around combatting the winter blues, a selection of products to replenish and nourish to ensure we are all set for the Spring.

The box included:

Macadamia Deep Repair Hair Masque - Anything Macadamia is an instant winner for me. This mask is designed to rebuild damaged hair for improved shine and elasticity. I can't wait to use this, but i'm saving it for a special occasion, as one sachet will probably do my whole head, I can't get away with two uses with all this hair!

Lavera Basis Sensitive Organic Hand Cream - This hand cream contains shea butter and almond extracts. If you read my previous blog post, you will know that I am somewhat fussy with hand creams. If it takes too long to sink in, and leaves my fingertips sticky and greasy, it's a no no. This however, does neither of those things, and smells so lovely. I looked on their website, and this hand cream is only £4.45 for 75ml (the sample received in the box was 20ml - worth £1) So I think for the price, this hand cream is a total winner.

Jane Iredale "Just Kissed" Lip & Cheek Stain - How darn cute is this? It's like a teeny tiny lip balm. It's an all natural, all purpose stain that adjusts it's colour to your mood (I'm guessing it's a heat thing) Although very cute, and a great idea, I'm not sure i'd use it anywhere but the lips.

KIMIA Rejuvenating Facial System - This looked really interesting. It's a facial oil and a hydra-activator which heal and nourish the skin. They are used in conjunction with one another. You pat the oil onto your face, then follow up with the spray. I've yet to use this, but it promises to quickly penetrate deep into the skin for a glowing, youthful exuberance. Apparently Victoria Beckham describes it as perfect. You would hope so with a hefty £74 price tag.

TAAJ Himalaya Micellar Water - This is described as an antioxidant and tonic makeup remover that will revitalise and purify skin. After hearing all the hype surrounding Bio-derma cleanser, this appears to be a similar concept. No water, just cotton pads. There isn't an awful lot of information on the actual bottle (well there is but it's in a different language), so I went onto their site. It says it's great for sensitive skin and is extremely gentle. After using this, my skin feels SO fresh & clean. I've not yet put it to the test with a full face of makeup, but it's a lovely cleanser for the mornings.

So, I'm guessing you're all itching to find out what I think of JolieBox UK as a brand and would I recommend the box? I think JolieBox is a great box, so many great high end brand samples, although I'd say most of the brands, to me, are unheard of. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but I think in some people's case, It's nice to see a few familiar brands. I actually like that there are brands I've never come across before, personally, that's the whole reason beauty boxes excite me. It's nice to find something new you may not have found yourself. I love the design of the box, and the little drawstring bag, I'm hoping that they stick to this and it doesn't change again next month haha. I still think we have yet to see the best of JolieBox UK, I think now that they have come together with JolieBox there will lots more exciting brands and products as the months go on.

What do you all think of JolieBox UK? Are you pleased with the new design?

♥

Carmine Beauty Box Review | December Box

If you are familiar with the Beauty Box concept, then you will know there are more than a few different ones to sign up to. Although I am a GlossyBox Ambassador and receive beauty boxes for free, this won't affect any judgement I have over any boxes available, or GlossyBox boxes for that matter. I know that a lot of you are interested in beauty boxes, and which may be the most suitable for you to sign up to, so for those of you who want an insight into another box, then I hope this post helps. I do apologise to those of you who may have seen enough in the blogsphere on beauty boxes, but I'd like to add my two cents for those of you who may be interested. :)

Carmine is another box available to beauty enthusiasts, or alternatively, beauty newbies in need of a little inspiration. This box costs £10 + Postage & Packaging each month (P&P is £2.75) So essentially £12.75 which compared with other beauty boxes, is around the same price bracket.

On first impressions, I wasn't massively enthralled, as it arrives in a box that is clearly too small for the beauty box inside, and is buckling and being held down by a strong piece of tape. This doesn't affect me, or the contents of the box, but as presentation is so important with things like this, I feel it's probably something that should be rectified. The box itself is really quite large compared with other beauty boxes, and the products inside are left sort of "floating about" in a sea of shredded paper. I definitely don't think the box needs to be this size. I much prefer the small, more compact boxes, which when opened, everything is packed in a lot more neatly. One other possibly more "shallow" aspect, is the colour scheme. Again, no reflection on the products inside but as a believer of presentation being a main factor, I was not so keen on the colour scheme of this box. I much prefer the softer, more girly schemes. Obviously, that is just my personal taste, some people may like the black, red and bright green theme.





The products inside the box, were definitely a lot more exciting. There are typically 5 hand picked deluxe samples each month, a mixture of skincare, fragrance and makeup. I think the December box had a great mixture of all of the above. It also including a little extra voucher, entitling you to a eyebrow threading treatment, which is a nice added bonus.

Samples included in the box were:

• Welda Pomegranate creamy body wash - Smells amazing, and left my skin feeling very moisturised.
• Freeshape Quick Blowdry Spray - I absolutely loved the idea of this since I have so much hair, something that cuts drying time by half. However when I used it, it took me the same amount of time to dry my hair. Although I felt a little disappointed, it did leave my hair super soft.
• Time Technology Cream - I've not used this yet, but it does sound promising. A cream to give you a flawless, radiant complexion that will transform tired looking skin.
  
• Japonesque Smudger Brush - A cute little travel sized brush that would be ideal for your handbag on the go
• MyFace.Cosmetics Blingtone Eyeshadow - I got this in a gorgeous golden shade, and although the packaging isn't totally up my street (I always think clear casing seems a little cheap) the eyeshadow is very highly pigmented and very smooth to apply.

Like other Beauty Boxes, Carmine include a little card stating which items are included in your box & a brief description. One thing I would have liked for them to include on this card, is an RRP price. If a product sample had an RRP of £90 a pot, it would give you an idea of the type of expectation you should have of the product (It better be bloody good at that price) but also I'd like to know if these products are within my price range before I start using them and fall in love with them or subsequently be disappointed by them. It also gives you a little guideline of how much the beauty box you've received at £12.75 is really worth, and saves you having to google them.

Overall, I was impressed by the contents of the carmine box, and there are definitely a few items in the December box that I was really excited to try, but I think the presentation lets it down slightly. Would I subscribe the to Carmine box personally? I'm not too sure. There are some great brands appearing in the Carmine boxes, and I enjoy the whole "receiving and not knowing what's going to be inside", but ultimately I don't think it's my favourite of the Beauty Boxes I've received.

What do you think of Carmine? Are you easily put off by little things like presentation and colour schemes or is that just me?