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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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?

♥