Love Me Beauty Box June 14

Wow, can you believe it's already been a year since Love Me Beauty (then known as Beauteco Box) has launched? After reading lots of rave reviews about their June box I instantly signed up and have been with them ever since their second ever box. There have been some ups and downs (mostly ups, but a few downs in recent times) and I'm quite excited to see what the future has to hold for my favourite beauty box so far.
This month's box included a bonus item for me for filling out another 5 surveys on their website, as well as a £10 off voucher towards Flavourly, a gourmet and artisan food subscription box. While it does sound interesting, Flavourly also offers the same money off voucher for new subscribers on their website, so I won't be counting it towards the value of the box. For June I chose Menu 1 out of the three options on offer.

1) Model Co | Shine Ultra Lip Gloss in "Fairy Floss"

Full size: £12

Apologies about the blurry picture, it seems like my camera decided it wanted to focus on the fuzzy bits of paper instead of the actual gloss! While it looks like a hot pink gloss in the tube, it actually translates to a shimmery hit of candy floss on the lips. It's slightly on the sticky side, but very flattering and I can see it complimenting pretty much every skin tone out there. I also like the mirror on the side of the tube, which makes on-the-go application a breeze, although I can see it getting scratched to pieces in my handbag! What I like the most is the amazing candy-like sherbet scent and even though I'm not usually a fan of sweet scents I don't find this one sickly at all.

2) NYX Cosmetics | Nail Polish in "Pastel Lavender"

Full size: £3

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened my box and found this nail polish in it. From the pictures on my menu it looked like I was about to get a neon pink shade - something I've already got plenty of in my stash. Turns out they've sent out various pink shades and I've really lucked out with Pastel Lavender, as it's a gorgeous colour that was completely missing from my collection. I can't wait to get it on my nails tomorrow night!

3) Montagne Jeunesse | Brazilian Mud Fabric Masque

Full size: £1.49

Although I'm a little miffed that I'll only get one application out of this sachet, I'm looking forward to trying a sheet mask, as I've never used one before. I'm quite a fan of Montagne Jeunesse masks whenever my skin needs a little pick-me-up and I was about to do a review of a few of their masks I've tried recently when I realised that I'd be getting another one in my Love Me Beauty Box, so that post has been ever so slightly postponed. This mask also came in a fold-out paper envelope with a few bits and bobs about Montagne Jeunesse. I never knew they were such an eco-conscious brand!

4) Beauty UK | Eye Shadow Palette in "Earth Child"

Full size: £3.99

Although Beauty UK is a brand I regularly bypass when browsing through drugstore aisles, I was really excited to get this product in my June box - I could never have enough eye shadow palettes! Then it arrived and turned out to be absolutely tiny! Then I guess I shouldn't be complaining, as you do get 10 shadows for £3.99, which is a bargain. The quality, however, is exactly what I'd expect from such a budget palette. The payoff is quite patchy and chalky, there's a lot of fallout and pigmentation could also be better. I haven't tried any of the colours on the lids yet, so I might change my mind once I've actually tried the shadows on my eyes.

5) Urban Veda | Purifying Day Cream

Full size: £14.99 for 50ml / Sample Value: £3

I've never heard of Urban Veda before and I'm always excited to try out new skincare brands. The sample is generous enough to get a good idea of how the product works and I'm always happy to get a mattifying moisturiser when it's hot and sweltering outside. It's got a strong herbal scent and I can definitely smell some tea tree in there, which I'm not the biggest fan of, but on the plus side it's completely SLS-, paraben- and GM ingredient-free.

6) Jelly Pong Pong | 2-in-1 Bronze Shadow / Liner

Full size: £10.50

I think it's really great that Love Me Beauty include bonus items for being subscribed for a certain amount of time or for filling in 5 surveys about their boxes. Unfortunately, I already received this exact item in this exact shade in my November box. I think I used it two or three times and then let it plummet to the bottom of my make-up stash, as it creased on my like mad, so I won't be getting any use out of this, whatsoever. It would have been nice if they could have at least sent me a different shade rather than the exact same product I received a few months back.

Total value: £23.48 (£33.98 with bonus item)

I feel like the value of my Love Me Beauty boxes has been getting consistently lower and lower and almost all the items in this month's box are from low-end, budget brands. While that's not necessarily a bad thing and the value of my box still exceeds what I paid for it, it's the eye shadow palette in particular that I felt was a big letdown. I just don't think I will be using it at all, as the quality just isn't there. Still, it's been a big improvement from last month's box which particularly annoyed me as it included tea and notebooks as two of my five beauty products. And with four out of five items being full sized, it still tops most other beauty boxes that I know of.

Love Me Beauty Box May 14

Just like last month, Love Me Beauty's menu choices for May didn't get me particularly excited, either. But seeing as I did end up positively surprised last time around, I opted against skipping the month and chose the third Edition, as I found that one the most appealing. I'll be honest from the start and say that there was no element of positive surprise when I opened this box and for the first time since the very start of my subscription (almost a year ago!) I feel disappointed with the contents of my box.

1) Nail Girls | Nail Polish in "Nude Pink"

Full size: £13.50

This is probably my favourite product in this month's box. After getting rid of all the polishes in my collection that had become crusty and/or separated, I was left with a gaping hole in the "soft pinks" compartment, which this nail polish will fill nicely. I've never heard of the brand Nail Girls before, but I'm more than happy to give them a go. The brush is nice and wide and upon first inspection the polish seems to be nice and thick and non streaky. This product was featured in all three Editions.

2) Raw Skincare | Natural Lip balm in "Rescue Me"

Full size: £2.98

I didn't really fancy the mint or the ginger lip balm that was available in the other Editions (they're both tastes and smells that I don't really like), so I went for the deeply moisturising option instead. I always manage to lose my lip balms, so I'm happy to have another one to keep me going for a bit, especially seeing as Raw Skincare is yet another brand that's completely new to me. It has that typical natural lip balm texture, which is a little waxy and grainy, though it's fine once you've had a little bit of time to get used to it. I like that it's non-greasy, but I'm not sure it would really manage to rescue my lips if they were as dry as they get in winter, as it doesn't really feel all that moisturising.

3) GO Stationery | Pocket Notebook Set in "Meadow Bird"

Full size: £5.00

This product has actually genuinely annoyed me this month. While it's a nice design and I'm sure I'll find a way of using all three of the little notebooks, they just do not belong in a beauty box. I've always said that I like it when subscription services think outside the box a little bit, like when they included vitamin supplements for skin and hair, but this is just a step too far. If I wanted a notebook I'd go to WH Smith or Paperchase and I'd get myself a notebook. It's got nothing to do with beauty and is just a completely random space filler in this month's box.

4) Suti | Trial Pack in Cleanse Balm, Purity Balm and Fabulous Foot Balm

Half a trial pack / Value: £3.25

On to the next disappointment. I was really looking forward to trying this pack of three balms, but my excitement diminished when I saw the size of the samples. They're just so tiny! I reckon I'll get about 2-3 applications out of each, which isn't really enough to judge a product's efficacy. Suti actually sell this trial pack on their website, but on there it comes with two face oils and a moisturiser as well, so I feel a little cheated out of half of the products, especially as it's advertised as being the full trial pack on the card that came with my box. To be honest with you, I probably would have preferred to just have one larger sample than those three tiny little ones.

5) Tea Pigs | Tea in "Super Fruit"

3 Tea Envelopes / Value: £1.95

This is another product I'm really annoyed with this month. It's not the first time I've seen tea in beauty boxes and while I can see the connection if you're going for a "health and beauty from within" angle, it's okay if it pops up as an extra - but not if it's considered to be one of my beauty samples! Granted, I've wanted to try some Teapigs tea for a while, so I'm happy to finally have some to try, but I would have much preferred to have another cosmetic product in my box instead.

Total value: £26.68

This month's box gets a big fat, thumbs down from me. I can deal with the minuscule balm samples, but having not one but two products in my box that are completely unrelated to beauty has really annoyed me. Thankfully I'm really looking forward to using the nail polish once my nails have healed up a little bit, so that alone has made this box worth it for me. I guess we've been really spoilt with Love Me Beauty boxes over the last year. Every month there would be three to four full sized products and almost all of them were absolute hits, so it was only a matter of time before they started to not live up to their high standards. Box value has also been steadily decreasing over time and while I'm not one to only demand super high-end samples (not that I could afford to buy the products anyway), I do feel like I'm getting less bang for my buck lately. I really hope that Love Me Beauty will be back on form again next month.

Love Me Beauty Box April 14

I gotta admit I wasn't too keen on this month's Love Me Beauty Box when I first saw the options. Two repeat brands and products I'll use but wasn't overly excited about meant that for the first time I seriously considered just skipping the month altogether. But after opening it and having a proper look at all the products I can honestly say I'm glad I didn't. Let's crack on, shall we?

1) Betty Hula | Secret Wonder Oil Roller Ball

Full size: £6.25

At first I thought I wouldn't have any use for this rollerball. It's recommended for stretch marks and scarring and I don't have any stretch marks and all the various little scars all over my body (what can I say, I'm clumsy) have already faded. I couldn't really think of any dry skin areas either other than my legs and I could imagine it being a right pain trying to apply oil in a rollerball to such a large area. 

After doing a bit of research I found out that you can also use this on the face, so I might try it in place of my overnight serum or moisturiser. If that doesn't work, it's also meant to be really good for sunburn, so I might try that if I spend a little too much time in the sunshine.

2) Models Own | Nail Art Pen in Pastel Pink

Full size: £6

Models Own is a repeat brand for Love Me Beauty and you could choose from either another nail polish or this nail art pen. In all honesty it was mainly this product that drew me towards this particular menu. I've never really tried my hand at nail art as I didn't expect to be any good at it, but it's about time I at least gave it a go.

Sadly I managed to break off all but three of my nails last week, so it's going to be a little while until I can try this out properly.

3) Neal & Wolf | Glow Super Shine Spray

Full size: £9.50

Neal & Wolf is another repeat brand, but while I've tried quite a lot of their products almost every single one was a hit, so I don't mind getting another one. At first I thought this was a sample size, as it is more on the smaller side, but it's actually a full sized product. I've not had a shine spray for years - it's one of those things I always considered buying but never got round to it, so I'm happy to finally have one in my stash. And who knows, a little might go a long way.

4) Redken | Colour Extend Conditioner

Full size: £9.99 for 250ml / Sample value: £1.20

I'm not overly sure what to think of this product just yet. I much prefer to use the same brand shampoo and conditioner and as a matter of fact I don't even use normal conditioner, as I tend to alternate between purple shampoo/conditioner combo and a deep repair hair mask. I'm sure I'll find a way to use it anyway and on my long hair the sample size should be enough for about two washes.

5) Various Bonus Items

Value: £30.72

This month Love Me Beauty included a few items in their box that weren't on the menu listings or on the card that accompanied the box. I actually received the Melvita Extraordinary Water in last month's box and I still have about a quarter of the bottle left, but I'm actually really happy that I got another one, as I love it to pieces and was looking at getting a full sized one.

The Hello Fresh voucher also got me very, very excited. I've been thinking about trying this food delivery service (they deliver fresh ingredients and recipe cards and then you get to cook the food from scratch) for a while, but I've been put off by the price. Now I've got the perfect excuse to give it a go!

The two sachets of the Weleda Stretch Mark Massage oil weren't such a great hit. As I've already explained above I don't have any stretch marks or any scarring that could be helped, so I tried to use it on my dry legs. Not only did the oil in a sachet make a huge mess, but it also left me feeling very sticky and made it almost impossible to put on some leggings.

Total value: £53.67

Even though I originally thought there would only be four items in this box I ended up with a total of six (seven if you want to count the gift card which will most definitely be used) and the value is among the highest that I've seen in these boxes. None of the items are hugely exciting, but I'll find a way of using everything, so it's another hit from Love Me Beauty!

Love Me Beauty Box March 14

I think this must be the first time ever I didn't have to pick up my Love Me Beauty box from the post office. I swear the post man always hides around the corner with these, waiting for me to leave before delivering my box. Well, this time Joe was in to sign for my box, so it was waiting in my living room for when I finished work. Hah!
I'd actually completely forgotten which items I went for by the time it arrived, so it was almost like a whole new surprise again! As I'd filled in five questionnaires last month, this box included an extra item for me as well, which was not part of the regular menu.

1) Murad | Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask

Full size: £25 for 6 / Sample value: £4.17

I was a little bit disappointed that my box only contained one little sachet of this, but then it does seem quite full so I might be able to squeeze two applications out of it. I like my beauty samples to last for more than one application to be able to see properly if they work with my skin or not!

I can't believe that Murad used to be a brand I couldn't stand, but since I've tried more of their products I've grown quite fond of them, so I can't wait to see how I get on with this. I'm saving it for Monday, as Monday is face mask day.

2) BlanX | White Shock Toothpaste

Full size: £7.50 for 50ml / Sample value: £2.25

I can imagine some people being quite unhappy about toothpaste being included in a beauty box, but I for one really like that they thought outside the box a little bit with this, just like they did last month with the vitamin supplement. After all, who doesn't want whiter, brighter teeth? My daily coffee addiction habit has certainly left its mark on my teeth, so I'm interested to see if using this twice daily is going to make a difference. Love Me Beauty have listed the RRP as £7.50 for 50ml on their card, which I find is very steep for toothpaste, but I've found a bigger size for less money on FeelUnique (follow the link in the title), which is much more reasonable.

3) Nip+Fab | Viper Venom Eye Fix

Full size: £14.95

I once bought a Nip+Fab eye cream and found it to be a bit "meh". It wasn't bad, but I also didn't feel like it was really doing anything to my eye area at all. Add to that that I'm not really a fan of rollerball applicators and you can certainly say that this is not a product I would have picked up in a shop. I'm still happy to put it to the test and maybe it will just prove me wrong!

4) Deep Steep | Foot Stick in "Candy Mint"

Full size: £3.60

Deep Steep is a brand that's completely new to me and so is the concept of this foot stick. It's literally like a pritt stick that you twist up, then rub all over your heels. It contains a balm that's quite firm at first, but instantly melts on contact with your skin. And, boy does it melt! I would suggest putting on socks immediately after application if you want to avoid a "Bambi on ice" scenario. The scent is quite intense and does literally smell like mint sweets. Unfortunately, I'm really not a fan of mint (I tolerate it in toothpaste, that's about it), but I'll still give this a go to see if it can get my feet in shape for summer.

4) Quintessentially English | Bath Salts in "Vintage Bouquet"

Full size: £4.25 / Sample value: £2.13

At first I thought I had a packaging fail on my hands, as the contents of this sachet look a lot more like the "Angel's Rest" salts on the company's website than the picture of the Vintage Bouquet. After ripping it open and giving it a sniff (sniff, bath salts, geddit? Never mind...), I can confirm that it definitely smells like citrus and not like lavender, so I got the right ones. I love that these have got actual dried flowers in them and apparently you only need a spoonful per bath, so they should last quite a bit. I can't wait to relax in a warm bath smelling like this tonight!

5) The Vintage Cosmetic Company | False Lashes in "Gracie"

Full size: £6

I was really happy to see that these lashes came with a little tube of lash glue, as mine is currently on its very, very last legs. I don't often wear false eye lashes as I find them a bit of a faff to apply and if I go out, it tends to be spontaneously and not with enough notice to apply false lashes. However, these look quite natural and really well made, so I'm sure I'll find an occasion where I can give them a whirl.

Bonus item: Melvita | Rose Extraordinary Water

Full size: £17.00 for 100ml / Sample value: £4.76

This was my bonus item, which I got for filling in 5 surveys about past Love Me Beauty boxes. As such, it wasn't included on the card with my box and I first had to google what the hell you're meant to do with an "extraordinary water". Turns out it seems to be like an odd toner-serum hybrid which you apply after cleansing and before moisturising either with bare hands or with a cotton pad. I first tested it this morning and I absolutely love what it does to my skin. It sinks in in a fraction of a second and leaves a nice cooling, but also moisturising feeling on my face. I'm also a huge fan of the rose scent!

Total value: £33.10 (37.86 with bonus item)

When it comes to value, this box doesn't exactly knock it out of the park, as past boxes have frequently had more expensive items in them. The great mix of make-up, skincare, bath products and whatever you want to class whitening toothpaste as, however, more than makes up for it in my mind. There are still three full sized items in this box and I know that I will genuinely use each and every product - possibly to its last drop. The fact that they're all quite affordable also means that I can give my credit card a break if I do decide to repurchase anything. It's another winner for me!

Love Me Beauty Box February 14

Hooray, we finally, finally have internet at our new home! When the Virgin man came over on Friday this week I literally couldn't have been happier. This month's Love Me Beauty Box arrived on Monday and the pictures have been sat on my computer waiting to be uploaded and talked about all week.
This month saw the inclusion of a surprise product for the first time ever - the only thing the subscribers knew was that it would be a hero product from a previous box. This is something that had me slightly worried, as I'm not a huge fan of repeat products, but I needn't have panicked as I got something I loved the first time around and used up every drop of.

1) Percy & Reed | No-Fuss Flawlessness Dry Conditioner

Full size: £12.00

I've certainly heard of dry shampoo before and I'm not entirely sure how I'd survive without it to be honest, but dry conditioner? I gave this a quick spritz yesterday and it's pretty impressive stuff. It is literally like instant softness in a can. A spritz of Batiste followed by a spritz of this and who needs to wash their hair ever again? (Okay, maybe that's going a step too far) I also own a styling creme by Percy & Reed which came with a magazine and both products are awesome, so it's definitely got me hooked on trying more from the brand.

2) La Claree | Ultra Melting Body Milk

Full size: £24.00 for 200ml / Sample value: £3.43

La Claree is not a brand I've ever heard of before and I could only find a link to their French website, though they do seem to ship to all of Europe. The body milk has a very light and airy texture, but is nonetheless rich and moisturising. It has a very soft, soapy and slightly almondy smell and is overall a very lovely product. Shame I had to throw half of my sample in the bin, because after two applications it's nigh on impossible to get the rest out of the packaging. I see the idea behind the pretty little mini bottle, but it just doesn't work in dispensing the product!

3) Bakewell Soap Company | Multi-Purpose Pocket Balm in "Hard Working Formula"

Full size: £4.95

This is yet another brand that's completely new to me and from the looks of it it can't be a very big company, as the label looks like it's literally been printed on someone's home printer. The balm is quite hard and waxy in texture and I do wish it was slightly softer, as that would just make it so much easier to pick up. It has quite a strong scent of essential oils, but as you only use small amounts at a time, it tends to diffuse quickly. I've used it overnight on my lips, as they get a bit dry in this horrible weather and have woken up with soft lips every morning.

4) Inner Me | Beautify Me Vitamin Complex

Full size: £15.00

This is a product I was really excited about when it came to this month's boxes. It's exactly the kind of thing I'd really like to try, but can't quite get myself to spend the money on it in case it's rubbish or I don't like it. I don't think any other beauty boxes have done vitamins before, either, so these have got quite the novelty factor as well. I'm a firm believer in looking after yourself from within - my skin always looks its best when I make sure to eat well and drink 2 litres of water a day - so I'm really curious if I see an improvement after the two weeks of this course.

5) Murad | Osmolyte Tonic

Full size: £10.00

So, after reading a handful of blog posts on everyone's February box I was fully expecting to see an Artdeco gloss in my box - instead, I got this spray on toner which I also received back in my September box last year (full post here). That's not to say that I'm disappointed, because I really liked this product and I'm sure I'll use it up a second time around. I wonder if the mystery products were chosen at random, or if I was given this because unlike most people I consistently rank skincare at a higher preference than make-up. If it's the latter, then hat off to you, Love Me Beauty, as it would make you the first and only beauty box brand to ever take into account what your customers put into their profile.

Total value: £45.38

It feels like another success from Love Me Beauty who have once again provided me with a box full of products that I will actually use and make the most of. Not to mention that four out of the five products come in full sizes. I honestly didn't think that they'd manage to pull off giving away so many full products each and every month for so long, but somehow they're still going strong. While the mystery product was a nice touch this month, however, I'd still prefer to get new things each month rather than repeat items. Other than that, this beauty box has managed to impress once again.

Love Me Beauty Box January 14

After last month's slight disappointment with my Love Me Beauty box and the options they had on offer, the first box of this year got me excited again with some lovely menus to choose from. Four out of five items are full sized products and there's a nice mix of make-up, haircare and skincare. All the menus featured the Anatomicals shower gel, the Pureology styling mousse, the Cosmetics a la Carte mascara and the NYX eye shadow, albeit in different shades depending on the menu. Lastly, you got to choose between a Weleda body oil sample, a Weleda hand cream sample or a full sized Arran Aromatics soap. The menu I went for was Menu 3, as I liked the eye shadow shade the most out of all of the options.

1) NYX Cosmetics | Single Eyeshadow in "Sahara"

Full size: £5.00

NYX Cosmetics Single Eyeshadow in Sahara swatch in day light

The first item in the box was a full sized eye shadow by NYX - a brand I used to see quite a lot of when I lived in Germany, but that's not overly prevalent over here in the UK. This eyeshadow is the only reason I chose this particular menu, as the other shades on offer were a bright orange which I wouldn't really know how to wear and a dark smoky grey which I have enough of in my collection already. Sahara translates as a light sparkly champagne onto the skin and admittedly I'm not overly impressed with the pigmentation. It might work quite well as a base colour, however, or for adding a bit of sparkle to an everyday make-up look.

2) Arran Aromatics | Apothecary Wheatgerm & Vitamin E Soap

Full size: £2.75

As I chose my box by eye shadow colour this is a product that I was sort of forced to pick. I would have preferred the Weleda body oil sample to be completely honest, as it's difficult to get excited over soap. However, it's something we all need and I have no doubt that I'll use it. I haven't unwrapped it yet, as I want to leave it fresh for when we move into our new home, so I can't really comment on the scent of this product.

3) Anatomicals | Rose & Jasmine Body Cleanser

Full size: £3.00

I know there's quite a few people who don't like getting body wash in their beauty boxes and while I understand completely where they're coming from, I personally don't mind at all, as long as it's not too frequent. Shower gel is something everyone needs, but I usually get mine from the Pound shop or on special offer from the supermarket, so it's nice to have something a tad more special from time to time. Having said that, this one only comes in at £3 anyway, so it's certainly not a splurge product anyway! I really like the smell of roses, so to me this scent is pure bliss. Not to mention I'm a huge fan of Anatomicals' packaging design and cheeky slogans!

4) Pureology | Colour Stylist Silk Bodifier

Full size: £15.00 for 250ml / Sample value: £4.88

Well, admittedly it's been quite a while since I've used mousse on my hair and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this sample. Memories of sticky, crispy hair come to mind, but perhaps mousse formulas have improved over the years and I'll fall in love with this product. I've heard a lot of beauty bloggers rave about Pureology and their sulfate-free products, so it's nice to try something from the brand for myself. This mousse in particular is also made for colour-treated hair, so should be perfect for my bleached tresses.

5) Cosmetics a la Carte | Divine Lash Mascara in "Black"

Full size: £23.00

Even after browsing their website, I can't quite fathom where I've heard of this brand before, but the name does certainly ring a bell. Hailed as this month's star product, I'm certainly excited to try this mascara. Which girl doesn't love mascara after all? This one has quite spiky looking long synthetic bristles - a bit like a hybrid between a traditional mascara wand and a lash comb. I can't wait to give this a trial run on my lashes and see how it performs!

Total value: £38.63

It feels like Love Me Beauty have certainly kicked off the New Year by returning back to form. Out of the five products I received this month, I can say with certainty that I will use each and every single one. I like the nice mix of product types and high-end vs. budget brands featured. Even though two brands have been in boxes before (Arran Aromatics and Anatomicals), they're completely different types of products, so I don't mind like I did with last month's Lord & Berry scenario. Now I can't wait to see what's going to be in next month's box!

Are you subscribed to Love Me Beauty? If so, what did you think of this month's boxes?

Love Me Beauty Box December 13

Let me start off by saying that I was going to write a pretty angry post about this month's box. The December box featured two Lord & Berry products once again, as did two previous boxes and each and every time those products were completely useless, effectively leaving me with three products for £12.95. The third product that was consistent through all three options was a Headline Colors nail polish - again, Headline Colors is a brand that has featured in Love Me Beauty before and I still haven't even touched the Models Own polish that came in last month's box. Fortunately, I was positively surprised by a few of the products, so my initial frustration has passed.

1) Lord & Berry | Intensity Lipstick in Glazed Pink

Full size: £12

There was a Lord & Berry lipstick in the August Love Me Beauty box (back then known as Beauteco) and I think I've used it twice and then abandoned it in the back of my make-up stash. There wasn't necessarily anything wrong with the lipstick, but the colour made me look as if I'd drowned in a river several days ago. That's why I'm not such a fan of receiving make-up in beauty boxes - I know which shades suit me and which ones don't, so I'd rather pick my own products.

But this made me change my mind about this month's whole box. When I saw it in the bullet and swatched it on my hand it looked horrendous - a frosted pale pink, like something straight out of the 80s. But on the lips, this is a whole different story. It's a colour I've been looking for forever, but could never find. The perfect shade to blot out the natural colour of your lips, but with enough pink undertones to stop it from looking like "concealer lips". I would imagine it to be stunning with a smokey eye or graphic 60s style eye liner. I can actually imagine this becoming my favourite lipstick ever!

Left: Lord & Berry Lipstick in Glazzed Pink | Right: Lord & Berry Lip liner in Romantica

2) Lord & Berry Kiss Proof Lip Liner in Romantica

Full size: £7.50

Again, this is another repeat product, just in a different shade. Romantica is what I'd describe as "Barbie pink" with some very apparent blue undertones. While the shade suits me a lot more than the one I received in August, I don't have any lipsticks that match this liner, so I'm going to struggle to find a use for it. It does say on the card that this can be used all over the lips and I've used it in that way before and found that while it stayed on for ages, the pencil is just a tad too hard, meaning it drags the skin and really emphasises any existing dryness.

3) Headline Colors | Nail Polish in Quicksand

Full size: £9

Aaaaaaand guess what? Another repeat product. I got a golden Headline Colors polish in my first ever Beauteco box and now I've got another one in this murky nude shade. I don't mind that much as my nail polish collection consists predominantly of reds and neon brights, so it's nice to have a colour that's a little more muted for a change. The golden shade I received before applied pretty streaky, but that could be due to the fact that it was a metallic, so I'm hoping that this one will apply a little better.

4) S5 | Vitality Mask

Full size: £42 for 100ml (??) / Sample value: £6.30

Now, this is an interesting one. On the card it says that this mask is an exclusive to Love Me Beauty and while I did find press releases online discussing a launch for March 2013, but it's not available to buy anywhere. I found the pricing information on a blog after a quick Google search, but I don't know how accurate it is. I've had an S5 product in another Love Me Beauty box before (no surprises there, again), but I quite liked it, so I'm happy to try this one. It's a bit annoying that I got two face masks with this box option, as I would have much preferred two different skincare products, but as it was still the option that suited me most, I'm in no position to complain.

5) Rodial | 5 Minute Facial

Full size: £35 for 50ml / Sample value: £7

This is another fairly interesting one. I've never owned or used any Rodial products before, but they've popped onto my radar with their rather questionable marketing (Diet powders, anyone? Or how about size zero cream?). Now, I've actually already had a chance to play with this a little bit and slathered it on when I got home from work and I'm loving the results so far. I suppose you shouldn't knock something until you've tried it - and I'm quite glad I got introduced to this product through a beauty box, as I would have never picked it up in a store!

Total value: £41.80

As mentioned before, I actually like this box a lot more upon better inspection than I thought I would. This is mainly due to the absolutely gorgeous colour of the lipstick. Nevertheless I have a few negative points that I feel need mentioning. Most importantly, what drew me into Love Me Beauty, or Beauteco box, was that they weren't so full of marketing speak and empty promises as other beauty boxes and right now they've fallen into that exact same pattern again. The Rodial sample this month was meant to be a deluxe sample - it contains 10ml, which is anything but deluxe. All boxes were meant to have a value of at least £50 - they didn't. And apparently there was meant to be "a little something extra" in my box as well according to my card, but once again, nothing. I don't mind the value of my box, I don't mind the Rodial sample being the size it is and I don't mind not having an extra - but don't promise things you're not going to keep.

I also feel that the repeat products are really starting to become an issue now. If I see any more Lord & Berry I don't think I'm going to keep up with my subscription. It's a shame, really. A beauty box that started out so strong and had me completely swooning over it and praising it to anyone who would listen is starting to become "just another subscription service". I would hate to see that happen.