You Beauty Discovery Box – July and August’s

Due to my pesky health issues I wasn’t able to put July’s box on my blog so in order to catch-up I will show you what I received in the July and August boxes.

With You Beauty Discovery boxes you get to choose two samples from a monthly selection of skincare and makeup goodies. The two products I opted for in my August box were Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner and Strivectin’s Intensive Illuminating Serum. The extra treats that every subscriber got in their boxes this month were a Sienna X Gradual Glowing Self-Tan sachet and an extract from a book entitled The Mortal Instruments 1: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

Stila is a brand that despite being around for quite a while I had never tried. I’m not sure how I managed not to try Stila but I was pleased to find their eyeliner as an option for August’s box. I received a full-size waterproof eyeliner in Black Amethyst. This is by far one of the easiest eyeliners I have ever applied. I don’t have the steadiest of hands and often have to smudge out my eyeliner to cover my mistakes, which this eyeliner can do, but its thin shape means you can apply small strokes at a time that can take away the fear of big mistakes. The fine tip means it gives definition with precision. As my eyes are often sore and sensitive due to my Sjogren’s Syndrome I can be fussy with eye products but Stila’s eyeliner is so gentle when it’s taken across the eyelid due to its cream-like softness. I have to use eyedrops a lot which can limit my use of eye makeup so I was happy that the liner is waterproof. The colour of the liner (Black Amethyst) is fab and comes out as a dark and sultry purple – great for an alternative take on a smokey eye.

I’ve always wanted to try something from the Strivectin brand as I have heard good things about its wrinkle erasing qualities but as its quite pricey I have had to avoid it. The Strivectin Serum that I received is about skin brightening and illumination. What I’ve heard about Strivectin is that its products are powerhouses when it comes to dramatic results but the first time I used it I was quite disappointed as I found it a little drying and couldn’t see much difference. The serum may need more time to create a significant effect but I don’t feel that motivated to keep going with it especially as Clinique’s Custom Repair Serum showed great results from first use and kept improving the skin the more you used it. I may be being a little hard on the Strivectin Serum as I’m in love with another serum -my new night serum, Dr Organics Snail Gel Facial Serum (my day serum is the Clinique one I mentioned above).

I wasn’t as impressed with the extra treats in this months box compared with July’s box. I don’t use fake tan and whilst I love books I don’t like part of books in beauty boxes but the Stila eyeliner alone makes the £6.99 box great value: http://www.youbeautydiscovery.co.uk/

Below is July’s box and the two items that I chose were Lola Nail Polish in Stone Grey and Wild About Beauty Nutrilips Lipstick. There were bonus treats that every subscriber  was sent which included St Tropez’s In Shower Gradual Tan, a sachet of Emma Hardie’s Protect and Prime SPF30 and a sample of Muesli Breaks Oatcakes.

The Wild About Beauty lipstick contains mango butter, argan oil and an SPF of 15.The lipstick is in a very wearable nude with light hues of pink and brown and gives a light to medium coverage with a glossy sheen. I have spoken before about my Sjogren’s Syndrome drying out my lips which has at times meant that wearing lipstick was impossible but with brands having started to fuse skincare with makeup I have started to try out lipsticks again. Wild About Beauty is a brand that has the fusion of skincare and makeup at the heart of its products and I found the lipstick to be gentle and extremely comfortable. I have become more and more interested with this brand after receiving a sample of its Rose Water Serum and an eyeshadow from previous beauty boxes.

I hadn’t heard of Lola before but I love nail polish so I gave it a go. It promises a high shine finish and uses Ultra Gel ingredients. I like to try new brands or effects on bare nails without the usual base and top coat sandwich just to see how it stands up on its own and this varnish faired well in living up to its promises. It dried quite quickly and had a very good glossy finish even without the aid of a top coat but I found the colour very dark when it was on the nail and was more black than grey.

The St. Tropez In Shower tanning lotion was a nice bonus as it was in a generous sample size but I don’t self-tan – I never have – so I will be passing it on to a friend although the concept of In Shower Tan does sound quite easy. I’m saving up my Emma Hardie sample for when I’m able to enjoy my skincare routine a little more (when the skin tenderness subsides). Oat cakes were quite pleasant.

You can find You Beauty Discovery Box here:

http://www.youbeautydiscovery.co.uk/