The start of a new month always brings me joy. Not only is it an opportunity for a mental reset and a fresh start, but it's also when my Lookfantastic subscription box arrives, meaning I get to open a fresh load of cosmetic goodies.
Costing £15 for a one off purchase, or £13 for a 12 month subscription, Lookfantastic's monthly beauty box contains six glorious products that will sort your skin, face, and hair right out. And if May's box was anything to go by, I was sufficiently excited to see what goodies awaited me this month.
As always, the box arrived in recyclable cardboard which I tore into rapidly - and it's safe to say I was impressed with this month's products as soon as I laid my eyes on them.
Inside I found a fragrance (Avant Quintessence's, £20), a hair gem (Philip Kinglsey's Elasticizer Booster Restoring Conditioner), a skincare hero in Murad's Rapid Dark Spot Correcting Serum - as well as a This Works glowing skin serum, a make-up necessity - powder puffs from none other that Trigwell cosmetics, £14.99, and a full size mascara from KVD - its KVD Beauty Full Sleeve Long and Defined Tubing Mascara, which retails at £7 more expensive than the box itself at £22.
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I love a good perfume and am constantly on the lookout for my next favourite scent to chop and change with my current go-to, Floral Street's Wonderland Peony. A quick spritz of this relatively cheap 10ml bottle made me swoon. I'm a sucker for a 'sweet' scent that isn't sickly and this one strikes the perfect balance between floral 'sweet' and chic, with a slight powdery spicey base mixed in with amber top notes.
Having worn it for a few days now too, I can confirm it's relatively long lasting - a few hours. It didn't last me all day without a top-up, but it remained strong for long-enough.
As someone who's always on the lookout for a mascara that can make my relatively patchy and barely there lashes voluptuous, long and dramatic, I couldn't wait to try out the Kat Von D tubing mascara which usually retails for £22. Not only is it praised for being flake-free and smudge-proof, but shoppers also love its ability to separate each lash from root to tip.
What first struck me was the shape of the mascara brush. I'm used to thinner, conical shaped brushes (thicker at the base, thinner at the other end to get to the corner of the eye). But this one had the opposite having been inspired by filigree and was said to "grip the eyelashes, effortlessly gliding through for clump-free application".
Putting it to the test I liked the deep, ink black shade in which it came as it immediately gave my eyes a deep, dramatic frame. The thickness of the brush at the tip did see me smearing some on my eyelids when applying (although it was quickly cleaned up with a cue tip) and it didn't quite ready my inner lashes as I'd like.
As for the length, not to say I was expecting miracles but I only experienced a slight lift to my lashes when I applied the mascara. While a second coat did give me some additional length, I would say it didn't blow me away . That being said, the separation of my lashes was quite nice and what did impress me was its longevity. It stayed on all day and even withstood a vigorous workout in the gym after which I saw no smudges (as is often the case).
Taking it off after the day was easy. Wetting my fingers with warm water, the product slid off my lashes after a few sweeps however, to get the remainder off I did have to use my trusty Elemis cleansing balm.
Sticking on the theme of make-up, the Trigwell powder puffs (of which there are two) lived up to their impressive best-selling reputation and are in fact as their title claims; velvety soft. They felt luxurious on my skin and, after applying my make-up and topping it off with some setting powder, they helped me obtain a flawless, shine-free complexion and my pores were slightly minimised, which is always a dream.
One product that surprised me with its results was the This Works Perfect Legs Skin Miracle serum that's packed with vitamins. Not only did it leave my skin lovely and soft and smelling positively spa-like, it gave me a lovely sun-kissed glow in an instant. This is because the serum contains 100% natural caramel. Testing it out on my arms, I was impressed by the slightly tinted change they had in a matter of seconds.
Lisa Armstrong's fans go crazy over her stunning new hair transformationWhile I didn't experience this benefit with the serum myself, it's believed to reduce the appearance of bruises thanks to the addition of Arnica. As someone who bruises like a peach, I'm intrigued to see if it works. While I loved the product itself, the 20ml size wouldn't be enough to lather my body in more than twice at a push, and I'm hesitant to see the results on my legs as it'll run out in no time. That being said, if you're already a big fan of the product, it's great for taking on holiday when you need some hydration for your skin and can't take for full 150ml bottle - of which I'm tempted to get myself to try see its magic work.
The only product I am yet to see results with is the Murad intense serum. With claims of reducing the look of hyperpigmentation to give brighter, more even-looking skin, my skin has remained the same - although that's probably because I am quite lucky in the fact that I don't suffer from dark spots or hyperpigmentation - just yet. For those who do have these skin concerns, it's seemed to work wonders with one shopper citing: "Love this product my skin got 90 clear in 4 weeks , highly recommend."
All in all, this beauty box is so worth it for just £15 as two products individually equate to or exceed the actual cost you're getting it for. Sign up here. If you're not sold by Lookfantastic's offering, Glossybox is another competitor whose beauty boxes have received high praise. It's one off box costs £13.50 while its 12 month subscription service will only cost you £11.50 a month.