NSpa Beauty Rituals Beauty Box Review

Skincare is something I reeeeally try and keep up with, but generally skincare = lots of money, and if it's not lots of money, it's lots of chemicals and irritants disguised as rejuvinating, revitalising, refreshing and resurfacing goodness.  But my skin is so sensitive that even the high end stuff, like Elizabeth Arden, just breaks me out and makes my skin gross and teenage again, so I'm always a bit sceptical when I try something new, and pretty much feel like buying skincare products is the equivalent of throwing away my money.

So a couple of months ago I was walking around ASDA and saw that they had an NSpa range, and didn't even think twice about buying it, it would break me out and it'd be a waste, but then my boss pointed out that it was paraben free, and I looked closer, and the ingredients were just so nice! I picked up one of their beauty boxes with 4 products for £10, and decided to give it a shot - It's not like paying £30 for a face cream that would destroy my face, and at £2.50/product, it wouldn't be too bad if I hated them.

Spoiler alert: I don't think I'll ever use a different skincare brand. Oh My God, I love this stuff.

I'll run through the basics of NSpa before I go into detail about the products I have, for those who - like me - had never really considered them as a 'legit' skincare brand, and thought they were more of a 'supermarket's own' type of thing.

NSpa is a brand of skincare, bodycare and haircare created by the experts at the UK's Number 1 Day Spa - Nirvana spa.  The products are all dermatologically approved and paraben free, and none of the products or raw ingredients are tested on animals.  

It's a 4-Step system with multiple options for each step, which allows you to create a skincare routine completely tailored to your own personal needs and preferences. The first step is Cleanse, second is Exfoliate, followed by Treat and then you finish up with Moisturise.

So the beauty box that I got came with a melting cleansing gel (which sounded great seeing as I've completely cut out foaming face washes), a hot cloth polish (the one I was using previously was discontinued, sadface), an illuminating beauty serum and a brightening day cream with SPF 15.  They're all 50ml tubes, a pretty generous size for a trial-type product.

It's packaged in a really cute white box, tied with a bow, and opens up at the top in a way I can't describe with words, I'd need to use my hands, but it's really unusual and a nice touch.  The products are all individually wrapped in tissue paper and it makes the whole unboxing feel extra special.  It would make a lovely christmas or birthday gift!

The melting cleansing gel comes out of the tube as a gel (duh), you massage it into your skin in small circles for about 2 minutes, and it breaks down into an oil, which is so so good for removing makeup, and then you use a little bit of warm water so it turns milky, and wash it off.  My skin has never felt so clean without feeling tight and dry.

The hot cloth polish is really nice - it comes out as a thick creamy paste-y type of consistency (?) and you massage it onto dry skin, again in small circular motions.  I like to leave mine on for a few minutes to let it really get into my skin, then then rinse the muslin cloth (included in the box, and with the hot cloth polish bought alone) in hot water, wring it out and wipe away the cream.  There's a video on the NSpa YouTube page which shows the best way to do this, and I found that pretty helpful - they have videos for most of their products showing how to use them.  It leaves my skin so smooth, and again, doesn't dry out my face - the formulation is gentle enough to use daily as it uses natural fruit oils and citric acid to exfoliate rather than harsh synthetic chemicals.

Next up is the Illuminating beauty serum, which you apply 1 pump of to a clean face, after exfoliating.  It gives a nice glow to the skin and can be used over makeup for a pick-me-up part way through the day, without ruining your makeup.

And the Brightening Day Cream is applied as any other moisturiser would be, and is super light and non-greasy.  It has sooo many natural fruit oils and works really well for any skin type.

The box is currently on offer in ASDA for £8 and is DEFINITELY worth picking up, either for yourself or as a lovely christmas gift (the packaging is adorable) or if you don't fancy the sound of all of the products, the full-size ones are available at 2 for £8 at the moment, too!

So it's safe to say I loved that box, and instantly felt the need to pick up more products - which I will review separately to this, as it's getting a bit long and I'm sure everyone is sick of me by now!

As always, thanks for reading and if you've tried the products, or found my review helpful, leave a comment below! You can also like my Facebook page to be updated with new posts, or follow my blog on BlogLovin' 

Rach xo

September 2013 Glossybox Review

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, and 1000 Glossydots = 1 free box, 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. 

My review is sliiiightly late this month, but for a good reason - the box was rubbish and I have had NO motivation to write about the products whatsoever (that's a good reason, right?)  So I'm going to make this short and sweet.

 First up, the Toni and Guy Classic Shine and Gloss Serum.  This is a 30ml bottle (which I think is a good size for a serum, as it lasts a looong time) with a pump action, so you can easily control how much you get out.  It pretty much does what it says, but I find that if you use as much as the instructions tell you to, your hair will look and feel greasy, so if you do decide to spend the £7.19 on this product, use it sparingly.

Next, the product I dread getting every month, the bane of my Glossybox experience (and possibly my entire life), false lashes.   I'm tired all the time, I don't get enough sleep and my eyes generally aren't all that awake.  If I wear false lashes, they touch my eyebrows.  The only ones I can wear are half lashes or the shortest individual ones, but to be quite honest, I like my natural lashes (with a generous coating of mascara, anyway) so PLEASE, Glossybox, don't send me false lashes.  They will sit in a box with all my others that you have sent to me, and will never get used.  These ones are from eyelure and are pre-glued, which is probably handy for people who can use them.  I wouldn't know if it helps, because I can't wear them.  RRP £5.09.

Third, a felt tip eyeliner from Be A Bombshell, a company I'd never heard of before.  It worked SO WELL for the first 2 days! I had a lovely, precise, opaque line with a perfect point on the wing.  And then it dried up completely and now I can't use it.  RRP £9 - Personally I wouldn't pay £9 for 2 days of eyeliner.

Next was a tube of Rimmel Stay Blushed Blusher in the colour Pop of Pink - I don't find it to be anything worth shouting about, and wouldn't spend the £4.49 for the 14ml tube.  It has a strange consistency, somewhere between a gel and a cream, sort of like a paste, and it just doesn't feel nice at all.  It doesn't blend well with either fingers or a brush, and isn't pigmented enough to be worth putting on, in my opinion anyway.

Finally, the one redeeming product in the box (there's always one) was - and I never thought I'd day this - a perfume sample.  It was a sample of Elizabeth Arden Untold.  I love Elizabeth Arden perfumes.  They're amazing, and this sample came in a miniature version of the most beautiful bottle, curved glass with a quilted pattern, ahhhh I love it.  And it smells so.  damn.  good.  Floral and fruity and light and just the most perfect scent. I think this will be going on my birthday wishlist, at £48 for 50ml it's actually a pretty good price for the chance to smell like this every day.  

All in all, another pretty disappointing Glossybox, I would cancel my subscription now but my next box is free thanks to my Glossydots from the surveys from the last few boxes, so I will give it one more month...  Step up your game, Glossybox!

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July 2013 Glossybox Review

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 June Glossybox theme is 'Seaside Splash' - the all-in-one pamper package that won't leave you high and dry.  The box is bright blue with seashells etc, and makes a nice change from the usual pink.


The first product in the box was Bamboo Style Boho Waves Tousled Texture Mist by Alterna Haircare.  It claims to add texture, volume and healthy shine to all hair types to create that 'just back from the beach' look.  

The bottle says that it can be applied to either damp or dry hair, and should be sprayed from roots to tips then shaped with fingers to create a loose, tousled style.  It basically works like any other sea salt type stray, and gives a really nice end result.  I used it when I was going out for a long day and didn't have time to dry my hair before I left, it ended up really nice and thick and shiny and didn't get too matted or tangled.

It contains Organic Bamboo Extract - to boost hair's strength, flexability and sustainability for stronger, healthier hair and also Blue Yucca Root, a natural fixative which is high in starch to create long-lasting style and hold.  The organic ingredients are grown responsibly and traded ethically, with their production and sales helping to support local communities whilst remaining ethically friendly.

It is also free from Sulphates, Sodium Chloride, Parabens, Gluten, TEA and Phthalates.

Although I enjoy using the product, I think that at £23/125ml, it is way overpriced, however, if they brought out say, a 50ml bottle for £5, I would definitely buy it.

Available to buy from GorgeousShop.co.uk for £18.40 with free shipping.

The second product in the box was Coola Mineral face SPF20 Unscented, a mineral sunscreen with a Titanium Dioxide formula for those who are Zinc sensitive.  it contains 98% natural ingredients, including:

Organic Acai Oil - high in Omegas 3, 6 & 9, Vitamins B1,2&3 plus antioxidant Vitamins C and E.

Organic Sunflower Seed Extract - promotes elasticity.

Organic Linseed Oil - contains Alpha-Linolenic Acids, which reduce redness and irritation.

Plankton Extract - rejuvinating phyto-protector.

Organic Cucumber Extract - calms skin.

It is also hypoallergenic, paraben free, ultra sheer, anti-aging, water resistant for upto 40 minutes, and contains no nano-sized particles, which aren't absorbed properly by the skin.

The directions say to apply evenly over the face in upwards strokes, and you'll have SPF protection in 30 minutes.  It also says to reapply every 2 hours (sooner if in water).

I used this on my long day in the sun, and only caught a bit of colour on my nose, but to be fair, I didn't reapply at all because I had it on underneath my makeup (which also had SPF).

Although I like the idea of this sunscreen being organic and mainly natural, I don;t feel that the price accurately reflects the value of the product.  You can buy face sunscreens from Boots or superdrug or Tesco etc for about £6/75ml, but this costs a whopping £29.99/50ml.  And it's only SPF 20!



Next up is Anatomicals Spray Misty For Me Facial Spritz - for normal, dry or sensitive skin.  It is a mix of lavander and peppermint extracts to refresh and rehydrate skin.  It can be used after cleansing to refresh the face, or after makeup to set your look.

This will definitely be a summer staple as it does exactly what it says on the tin (or bottle...) and is perfect for this sticky, humid, freak of nature weather we're having in the UK at the moment.

The packaging is pretty cute, with a lilac bottle and yellow spray pump, complete with Clint Eastwood on the back (Play Misty For Me), and it is a pretty decent size for the price, as with most Anatomicals Products - £6/100ml.

Unfortunately, I can't find this product available to buy ANYWHERE.  If you know where I can find it, please leave a comment below!





Number 4 in the July box is Pout Paint from Sleek - A range of intensive, long-lasting lip pigments that are made to be mixed to create your perfect shade.  I received 2 shades - Milkshake - a coral pink, and Peek a Bloo, a bright blue used to darken/cool the other shades.

I'm not going to lie, I wish I'd received a red and a blue, or a red and a pink, because mixing these two together gives you a lilac colour similar to the Anatomicals bottle, and that doesn't look at all good on my skin tone.  The pink on its own looks fine, though.

They last a good amount of time and don't dry your lips, which is great when you're super dehydrated from this heat.  I found the best way to apply them was to put a TINY dot on the back of my hand and use a lip brush to get it exactly where I want it and not let it feather outside my lips etc.

The colours are super pigmented, and I've read a lot of reviews comparing them to OCC Lip Tars, they seem pretty similar from swatches, and are half the price at £4.99/8ml

Available to buy from SleekMakeup.com and Superdrug

The final product in the box was a pack of Sleek Sticks Nail Stickers from Essie.  I haven't had chance to try them myself yet, as I have been doing way too much stuff with my hands and don't want to risk ruining them!

'Discover a whole new way to essie with our sleek stick nail wraps.  Now you can re-create chic looks fresh from the runway without picking up a brush. Essie’s UV-cured nail wraps mimic the feel of handcrafted nail art and last up to 10 days.'

I got a pack in crocodile print, although I prefer to think of it as giraffe print because I have a slight obsession.  They look great and very high quality.

The instructions say to make sure your nails are clean, pick a strip closest to the size of your nail, apply and buff off the excess with a nail file - simple!


One pack costs £9.99, and is enough for one application - quite expensive, but I'll write another blog when I have tried them to let you know if they're worth it!

Overall, the July 2013 box was a vast improvement on the past few boxes, but there were still a couple of the other items that I quite liked the look of - Ciaté Paint Pots and the other colours of Pout Paints.  Let's hope the August box is just as good!

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Glossybox May 2013 Review

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 May Glossybox was the 2nd Birthday edition, featuring some of Glossybox's 'trusted and most beloved brands'.  I was really excited for the box, knowing what the previous more impressive brands have been - Givenchy, Yves-Rocher, Dermalogica, Rodial, Essie etc.  And I figured as a birthday edition, they would be featuring some of the aboce.  They did include two Givenchy items, a mascara and a perfume, however I didn't receive either of those (not that I'm disappointed about not receiving yet another perfume sample! But the Noir Couture mascara would have been nice!)

The first product I received was a mascara, however it wasn't the Givenchy one, it was from Jelly Pong Pong - a brand that I've become very familiar with since subscribing to Glossybox. 

The packaging is super cute as always, but the product itself I'm not too keen on. The brush has bristles rather than the plastic wands I'm more partial to, so I find it barely picks up any product at all.  It has a better result than the MeMeMe Fat Cat mascara I got in the February box - which I tried once and put in my 'do not use' make up box - it is volumising and lengthening and does everything you'd like it to after a couple of coats, but the formula dries to such a strange finish I don't even understand how they could think it was a good idea to put it on the market.

It dries to a plastic finish - the best way I can describe it is as melted plastic honestly.  Rather than flaking off like a bad mascara normally does, it comes off in clumpy strips, and because it's so light it travels to weird places on my face.  I looked in the mirror a couple of hours after applying it and, no word of a lie, I had mascara on my forehead.  It fell upwards.  How does that even happen?  It wasn't a one-off either, it's happened multiple times since.

At £15 for 8ml, I wouldn't recommend it.  Cheaper mascaras from Rimmel have less flaking (melting) than this one, or for £19 you could get Benefit They're Real (holy grail mascara). 


The second product in the box was a liquid eyeliner from Collection (previously Collection 2000).  I really do like it, the handle is a great shape and weight for precision lines and the nib is neither too soft that it won't put down product nor too hard that it will cut you up.  

The formula is pretty great, it dries relatively quickly (10 seconds ish) and has quite good colour payoff.  I prefer using it as a base and filling in with a black eyeshadow on a small brush, to give it a richer finish, but it could definitely work on it's own too. 

I've done a few different looks with this, from very thin, close to the lash line, simple liner to slightly winged to a more dramatic 60's style wing.  I haven't had any problems with control - I can get a sharp point at the end of the flick, or get a really tiny subtle line - thanks to the pointed nib.

Retailing at £2.99/6ml it's very cheap and I would definitely recommend it.  I obviously can't comment on the product life as I've only had it for about a week so far, but for £2.99 you really can't complain if it dries out after 3 months.

Available from Collection Cosmetics, Boots, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Wilkinson, Lloyds Pharmacy, Gordons Chemists and Superdrug.


Next up is a brand I was hoping I wouldn't see again in my Glossybox - BM Beauty  which has now been renamed as Beautiful Movements Cosmetics.  I was pretty surprised to read that it's actually former Pussycat Dolls member Kimberly Wyatt's make up line.  She usually has lovely make up.  Obviously she isn't using her own products.

With the entire range being paraben free, naturally coloured and BUAV approved, I would LOVE to love the products but the ones I've tried, I just don't like at all.

This one is the Prime and Create Mixing Medium - a silicone based primer which can be used as a makeup base or mixed with mineral makeup to create a more full-coverage, airbrushed finish.  

As a primer it hasn't worked for me, and it hasn't really worked when I've mixed it with other products, but I understand how technically it SHOULD work.  Maybe it would work better with other BM products, but honestly I just don't want to waste money on products from a range I have actively disliked in the past.  

I do love the velvety feel of silicone primers on my skin and I will save it for when I inevitably get another BM product in a future Glossybox and update this if I see any difference.

It retails at £20/20g which, even if it did work, I probably wouldn't pay.


Fourth is a nail polish from Headline Colours - a brand I hadn't previously heard of.  It's a gunmetal polish which excites me, and I'm currently wearing it on my fingers and toes.  It hasn't chipped so far and it's been a good few days (with a top coat), so I'm suitably impressed!

It has a nice small brush so the edges of my nails aren't left naked, and two coats gives a perfect opaque colour, although it isn't streaky at all with just one coat, just a bit transparent for me.

Most of the colours are limited edition and created to match the very latest trends - according to the website, 'once they're gone, they're gone' - which is an interesting concept!

The formula is free from toluene, BDP and formaldehyde and is made in the UK.  It contains four plasticisers to allow for flex without cracking or chipping, and is water resistant for durability.

It retails at £9/10ml, which, for the quality, I would pay if I saw a colour I loved.

Available from Headline Colours




Last up is a can of shine Spray from Paul Mitchell's Awapuhi Wild Ginger range.


There isn't really much I can say about this product, it does what it says on the tin really.  It adds a really nice shine to any hairstyle, without weighing your hair down.  It smells clean and fresh, and has a really soft finish - no crunchy/dry texture. 
The RRP is £18.95/125ml, which is expensive by anyone's standards - and it's only available to buy in Awapuhi salons.

A list of Awapuhi salons can be found on the Paul Mitchell website.

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