Glossybox is a monthly subscription of 5 high-end beauty product samples (with some full-size products sometimes, too) for £10 + £2.95 p+p)
You can earn Glossydots by reviewing the products in a quick survey, or by inviting friends, and redeem points for a free box. Each survey is worth 50 points, so if you review 5 products a month, every 5th Glossybox should be free. You get 200 Glossydots for every friend that signs up and places an order (1000 Glossydots = 1 free box)
The April Glossybox, 'Spring Fever' was designed by Pearl Lowe, and it is a beautifully designed box, with a spring theme. I would assume a spring themed box to be full of light, fresh products, pastel colours, floral scents etc. Honestly I don't think they really considered the theme on all of the products they offered - some that I didn't receive have just been recycled from past boxes, such as the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (which is a miracle product, but has appeared in multiple boxes now) and Lipcote.
The first product I received, I was super excited about - an Essie nail polish. I have been dying to try Essie since forever, but haven't been able to justify spending £7.99 on a nail polish. The shade I got was We're in it together, a beautiful pastel pink with teeny tiny shimmery bits. I usually avoid pinks, but this is beautiful.
The first product I received, I was super excited about - an Essie nail polish. I have been dying to try Essie since forever, but haven't been able to justify spending £7.99 on a nail polish. The shade I got was We're in it together, a beautiful pastel pink with teeny tiny shimmery bits. I usually avoid pinks, but this is beautiful.
The brush is a good size and it applies pretty evenly. The formula is a bit runnier than most polishes I currently own, it took me 2 coats to get good coverage and 3 to get it completely opaque. Without a top coat it lasted a good few days without chipping, which is excellent for me.
And then I peeled it all off because I can't have nice things apparently.
I was actually very surprised that it was a full size 13.5ml bottle in the box, and I can see it lasting a long time. At £7.99/13.5ml it is a bit on the pricier side (I mean it's not super ridiculous, Chanel nail polish is like £18/13ml). The cheapest place I've found Essie polishes is CheapSmells.com, and they have this shade for £4.95, and others starting at £2.95, all in very spring/summer colours).
The second product in the box got me VERY excited as soon as I saw the Illamasqua packaging. I got a medium pencil, which can be used on the eyelids, waterline or lips. Except once I opened it, I saw that it's in red, so unless I want to look like I'm stoned every day, I won't be applying that anywhere near my eyes.
I have no doubt that the pencil in brown would make a great eye liner, but then it wouldn't be great for lip liner. Catch 22.
It has a lovely, soft texture and blends really easily, and I used it as a base under Elf Mineral Lipstick in Barely Bitten, with Lipcote to seal, which looked really nice. Until I got out of the cinema 2 hours later to completely clean lips - I mean there was no trace of any lip colour left. I think the texture of the pencil just made it slide off my lips somehow. Weird.
It is a really nice colour and not too drying like some lip pencils, but at £13/1g, I'd prefer it if it lasted say, more than 2 hours.
It has a lovely, soft texture and blends really easily, and I used it as a base under Elf Mineral Lipstick in Barely Bitten, with Lipcote to seal, which looked really nice. Until I got out of the cinema 2 hours later to completely clean lips - I mean there was no trace of any lip colour left. I think the texture of the pencil just made it slide off my lips somehow. Weird.
It is a really nice colour and not too drying like some lip pencils, but at £13/1g, I'd prefer it if it lasted say, more than 2 hours.
Next was YET ANOTHER body butter. I don't know why the people at Glossybox assume I have skin like a lizard, but I do not need yet another cream for my skin. I still have the others you sent me. Please stop.
Aside from it being superfluous to my needs, the body butter is really nice, Nip + Fab Dry Skin Fix Pistachio Sundae Body Butter. It smells just like pistachio ice cream and I considered eating my own arm after I'd put it on. It's as moisturising as any of the others I've got, but it is the best smelling in my opinion.
The really good thing about this body butter is that it contains absolutely no preservatives. Instead, it has Aquaxyl, a combination of glucose derivatives that moisturises and prevents further dehydration by increasing the body's water reserves.
The really good thing about this body butter is that it contains absolutely no preservatives. Instead, it has Aquaxyl, a combination of glucose derivatives that moisturises and prevents further dehydration by increasing the body's water reserves.
At £9.95/200ml I think it is pretty good value, you can get cheaper ones but they probably won't work as well as this one does. And they definitely won't smell as good. You can buy it from the Nip + Fab website for 50% off at the moment. For £4.95, I'd definitely recommend you pick some up. (Other flavours available)
The Fourth product in the April box was Somerset Meadow Hand Therapy from Crabtree & Evelyn. The packaging is cute but a bit old lady ish for my taste. I can't really tell what the smell is, it's very very very light. It moisturises quite well, but my hands don't really get dry in spring, so I don't know how it fits the theme of the box (although I do know that it is released on the 29th April so it's probably just in there for the excellent reviews as adverts). It's okay but not exactly a spring product. The ingredients aren't exactly natural, either - the website says it is a 'superior moisturising and conditioning blend of macadamia nut oil, shea butter, antioxidant-rich vitamins C and E, and water lily and ivy extracts.' The ingredients, however, aren't as natural as they're made to sound -
No Thank you.
RRP £5/25g.
The final product in the box was a Yves Rocher perfume sample. I detest perfume samples, usually because they come in teeny tiny 1ml spray bottles or phials that you open and lose half the product instantly. This one, however, came in a pretty decent sized (still small, it's a sample after all) little bottle.It's a very light, floral smell, perfect for daytime or evening wear. It smells sweet and fresh and lasts a relatively long time. It reminds me slightly of Lady Gaga's Fame, it's not at all what you would expect it to be, but it's lovely.
At £44/50ml, the standard for most perfumes now, I won't recommend you buy it, but I will recommend you definitely should test it out if you see it in a shop.
Overall, the April Glossybox was better than the March one, but I would have preferred it if I could swap my hand cream for the Sleek Blush, I really want to try one of those!
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