Well, that was a very unexpected blogging break I had there, wasn’t it? But fear not, I am back, fully rested and full with ideas for brookeclarke.com. So, shall we get into the January 2019 Look Fantastic Subscription Box shall we?
DR PAW PAW ORIGINAL CLEAR BALM
“A staple in our beauty routine, this award winning multi-purpose balm contains fermented PawPaw, an ingredient that contains natural healing properties. This all natural fragrance-free balm, made in the UK, is designed to deeply nourish and soothe and can be used not only as a lip balm but also for cuticles, dry skin or on damaged hair.”
How to use: Apply to any dry areas like lips or cuticles for intense moisture.
Editor’s tip: Apply this before bed for a deep conditioning lip treatment.
I can’t even begin to explain how happy I was to see a full size tube of this miracle balm.
This is one of the only lip balms I’ve ever tried that actually works. Slaver on a thick layer before nodding off, and by the morning, it’ll be like you never even had lips dryer than the Sahara desert.
After coming down with the dreaded winter bug, I also popped on a layer of this around my nose to stop it from peeling and cracking after all that nose blowing. Worked an absolute treat.
POPBAND ACTIVE HAIR TIES
“Designed to leave hair fresh and kink free, popbands are an essential for wearing your hair up! These gym-ready hair ties are made from a wide elastic that doesn’t snag hair but instead means that your hair is styled comfortably!”
How to use: Simply use these to tie up your hair in whatever style you desire!
Editor’s tip: Preserve a curly blow dry by styling your hair into a ballerina bun – these ties will avoid any kinks in your hair and keep your blow dry lasting longer!
Whilst these may not be the most exciting thing to receive in a subscription box, you can never have too many hair bands, can you?At work, I tend to wear my hair up, especially if I’m in the kitchen. Take my word here when I say it’s never a pretty sight when the messy bun comes down, so I’ll be really interested to see if these actually leave your hair kink free.
SWELL ULTIMATE PROTECT AND RENEW SERUM
“Create sleek, smooth and hydrated hair with this silicone-free and weightless formula. Designed to create salon worthy results at home, this multi-tasking serum helps to control frizz, reduce the appearance of split ends and create a glossy look.”
How to use: Apply after towel drying hair, focusing on the mid-lengths and ends of your hair.
Editor’s tip: A little goes a long way with this serum! Even if you have dry hair, we’d suggest only applying a pea sized amount!
Swell, swell, swell, what have we got here then? (I’m not even sorry for that one)
Apart from shampoo, conditioner and occasionally the odd bit of hair oil, (Okay, and half a can of dry shampoo every other day), I rarely apply anything extra to my hair. I’ve just never been someone who goes out their way to style their hair, and I don’t think I ever will be.
I’ll admit that I don’t get my hair cut as much as I should, so I’m constantly seen sporting the frizzy, dead end hair look.
Whilst I know this isn’t going to magically fix my dead ends, I am hoping it’s going to give my hair a sleeker look until I manage to convince myself to get my ends chopped off.
VITAMASQUES GOLD DUST SHEET MASK (Marine Gold Mask, Black Gold Mask, Diamond Gold Mask, or Rose Gold Mask)
“Inspired by Korean skincare, this mask is made with real gold dust to give your skin the ultimate treatment. Fitting seamlessly on the face, this ultra-fine mask enhances moisture levels to deeply nourish and soothe the skin.”
How to use: Apply to the face, smoothing over the mask until it fits facial contours.
Editor’s tip: Keep in the fridge for an added cooling and soothing benefit upon application!
For someone who doesn’t particularly like sheet masks, I sure do have a lot of them. I just can’t help pick them up when I see them as they always sound fab, but the idea of sitting with a cold, wet sheet on my face for 15 minutes doesn’t really appeal to me.
So yes, as nice as this sheet mask sounds, I’m not entirely sure that I’ll be using it anytime soon. Can someone release a warm sheet mask please?
BELLAPIERRE BANANA SETTING POWDER
“This yellow-toned, colour correcting loose setting powder is essential for brightening lacklustre skin. For makeup that will last all day, use this powder to set foundation and concealer in place!”
How to use: Use a fluffy brush with this powder to set makeup.
Editor’s tip: Dust this brightening powder on your under eyes for a brightening effect.
Funnily enough, a few days before receiving this box, I was thinking about ordering myself a banana powder to try out.
I’ve only tested out one other banana powder from Primark before, and whilst I didn’t hate it, I also didn’t love it. I’m just hoping that this one changes my opinions on them.
FIRST AID BEAUTY COCONUT SKIN SMOOTHIE PRIMING MOISTURISER
“Discover this coconut water- infused, oil-free, multi-tasking complexion enhancer that instantly brightens, moisturises and smooths in one step! Simply apply to the skin for a blurred complexion that is perfectly prepped for makeup application!”
How to use: Apply evenly to cleansed skin.
Editor’s tip: Gently massage into skin for a glowing complexion that doesn’t need any makeup!
Now this sounds incredible. I’ve found I’m always a big fan of coconut infused products and they always react well with my skin, so I can only keep my fingers crossed that this is going to work for me!
However, I do currently have a favourite primer that I can’t get enough of, so like the sheet mask, I think it’s going to take me a while before I finally test this out.
Whilst it didn’t mention it in the booklet at all, I also received a double ended makeup brush.
One end of the brush is a thin, fan brush, perfect for using with a powder highlighter. On the other end of the brush is a dense, pointed brush, which could come in handy for setting concealer under my eyes.