As owner/founder of Beauty Box Swaps it's fair to say I have I thing for beauty boxes. Having said that I am very choosy about which boxes I succumb to especially when they are one off boxes. However on this occasion I was smitten with the Selfridges Beauty Box offer from the off (they had me from the BIOeffect) & signed up to register my interest.
I found out on Monday the boxes were to be available to buy on Tuesday. I was reluctant to go to bed in case I missed the launch and I stayed up until 2am. Then hoped it wouldn't be launched until a civilised time in the morning. Around 5am my daughter awoke with a nosebleed and I checked my emails. Narrowly missing Selfridges notification email sent to me at 5:54am. When I got up the next morning I, along with many of the Beauty Box Swaps community was heartbroken to find they had already sold out. I was gutted I'd missed out on such a #amazeballs collection of goodies. I felt really cross that Selfridges hadn't limited the boxes to one per customer. I also think they should have considered having a pre-order system so that the boxes would have genuinely be distributed in order of expression of interest. I also felt disappointed in myself for not being a good enough beauty blogger/beauty box ambassador to get a PR box and save myself all the worry. After sitting dazed and bereft on the settee for too long I dragged myself upstairs to wail and rant at my hubby and he persuaded me to get on with our day and run myself a bath. While the bath was running I checked Beauty Box Swaps and spotted (thanks to my lovely swapping sisters many of whom had tagged/messaged me) that more boxes had been released. I turned off the taps pronto and dashed back downstairs. However like many others I then experienced the frustration of trying to order a box from Selfridges website which could not cope with the demand. Lovely Mr Brown could see how frustrated and upset I was getting, as could the very patient Selfridges man when I decided to ring for help. Hubi offered to takeover with the seemingly impossible task of getting the box out of the basket & getting it checked out. Fifteen minutes later he informed me mission had been accomplished and in the chaos he'd inadvertently bought two boxes. He had also fortunately been able to use the £50 giftcard I'd received from What's In My Handbag. Whilst I was relieved to have got my mitts on the must have box, I felt really uncomfortable we'd accidentally deprived someone else of their box. I wasn't concerned there would be demand for the second box and actually realised there would be lots of ways I could profit from this error. But it didn't feel right doing so when so many of my swapping sisters had missed out. So I have decided to sell the second box using Rafflecopter to decide the buyer. The cost will be £15 +actual postage cost, method of posting to be chosen by the 'winner'. I would respectfully ask people not to enter this lottery if they already own a Selfridges Beauty Box.
I am fairly certain most readers know what's in the box. However here are my impressions of the contents:
Philip B Katira Hair Mask (60ml)
Not a brand I am familiar with but I am looking forward to trying this out on my newly high-lighted hair.
Antipodes Avocado and Rosehip Face Oil (30ml)
This brand is also new to me. Since discovering BIOeffect in the June 2011 Glossy Box I have been reluctant to try an alternative products because BIOeffect works for me. However on reflection I rotate face washes from Beauty Boxes so I perhaps should try other oils and serums before rejecting them. I am going to test now on my left hand. I'm not sure about the strong organic smell but it has absorbed easily into the back of my hand leaving only the slightest hint of a residue.
Stila One Step Correct (30ml)
Aside from the BIOeffect this was the product I most desired. I first spotted this intriguing looking product in Boots Trafford Centre where I work for Benefit cosmetics. I can't wait to try it. In fact I am not going to wait I am going to try it right now...
... tried it on one side of my face, saw a subtle improvement so asked hubi's opinion and he complimented the correct side so that's an initial positive indicator. I will test this out again with foundation another day. I can also report that the sponge I used to blend the product has been left an interesting shade of sludge, it's not pretty but no worries if it leaves me looking prettier;-)
Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask (5ml)
I have only recently heard of this brand. When WIMH sent me a Omorovicza Correcting Pencil as part of my £25 beauty gift. I rate the pencil and use it to tone down the redness on my nose and cheeks when I wear make-up outside of work. So I am looking forward to testing this out. I can't remember the last time a used a face mask because I am normally too impatient to have something on my face for any length of time. However because I trust the brand I will definitely give this a go. I was a bit concerned this product did not include directions but I found the information needed including a helpful video here. I think the 5ml provided will be sufficient for 2/3 applications using the suggested almond sized amount.
Estelle & Thild Lip Balm (15ml)
A third introduction to a brand, new to me. I love the product and the packaging. The balm feels plush on my lips. I can personally never have too many lip balms as my lips are prone to dryness and chappedness.
Aesop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Serum (15ml)
Another brand previously unfamiliar to me. Just tested this product on my right hand. It absorbed easily and fully leaving a mild fragrance not dissimilar to Fairy washing up liquid. Testing this product and the oil on my hands this evening has given me an idea. I may use both these products on my hands over the next couple of weeks and compare results. I don't enjoy using hand cream as I don't like feeling lotion-ey but I am concerned about my ageing hands perhaps in future I will use serums and oils I acquire as hand treatments and if the results are sufficiently impressive promote them to my face.
BIOeffect EGF Serum (5ml)
I've certainly heard of this brand before. I love this product. I have never used botox or fillers and as it stands I would not consider it necessary. I feel this product to be my botox in a bottle. I have been using this product for over 12 months now. I am not even very good at applying it more than 3-4 times a week. I am 40 and I often get mistaken for younger, one customer was even convinced I was still in my 20s a couple of weeks ago :-)I should definitely get round to doing a blog post dedicated to this product after all it did inspire me to create Beauty Box Swaps, read all about how here. I am really keen to try BIOeffect Daytime but sadly don't have £55 to spare. I was getting to the point where I'd exhausted all swap opportunities to replenish my BIOeffect supplies. I was weighing up the possibility of *shockhorror* buying some somehow. However I am now hoping that there may be a few more opportunities for swaps and to purchase with the influx from the Selfridges Beauty Boxes. As I am aware not everyone gets on with this product and some consider it's anti ageing benefits unnecessary (lucky them). If you have any to spare please comment on this post ;-)
I only have one small and very minor criticism of this box and that is that although it contained a fabulous mix of brands, including 4 I am not familiar with, there was a bit of repetition in product type with the Aesop, Antipodes and BIOeffect all promising to do a similar job. That observation aside, what's my overall verdict on the Selfridges Beauty Box?
