Recently I received a fab box of goodies to tell you all about and try myself at home. These particular products was all skincare and about looking after your skin. Like I’ve said above I’ve used S&G skin care in the past so I was already a fan of a couple of the items that I received. Inside the pretty pink branded box was; Soap & Clarity facial wash*, Peaches and Clean cleansing milk*, Glory Puffy Eye Attack* and The Ultimelt*, each product is a step in the skin care routine. It's now been a month since starting to use these products everyday to clean, cleanse and nourish. I already use the face wash but having the other items to use as well made my skin fully Soap & Glory loved! 

I regularly use the face wash and this came at a good time as my bottle was getting low and I really love the Cleansing milk which I have used in the past but wasn't currently using it until receiving this box. I remember trying both these products for the first time a while back and I was blown away by the results plus I love S&G packaging as it looks great in my bathroom, ha! 

S&G Face Soap & Clarity - 3 in 1 Daily Vitamin C Facial Wash*

For a daily detox, clean and fresh feeling I've been using S&G 3 in 1 daily face wash for some time now. I love the scent as it's so fresh and a great wake up call in the mornings especially with my super early starts now in my new job. The wash is easy to use, you only need a small amount, rub it between your hands then apply in circular motions onto your dampened face. The scrub particles are soft on my skin and don't leave any residue on my skin but really help to deep clean my skin. I do prefer to use this wash in the morning rather than night-time due to the fresh awaking scent but its all good to use at anytime of day. After using Soap & Clarity my skin feels clean and ready for the next step in my skin care routine.

S&G Peaches and Clean - Deep Cleansing Milk*

Peaches and Clean is the next step in my S&G skincare routine and its another gorgeous smelling product with scents of sweet peaches. This cleansing milk is lovely to use and not only because of the scent but its really smoothing on my skin and has a special clogged-pore formula which helps to keep my pores clean from dirt. I like to apply this onto a cotton pad then sweep across my face and neck, its surprising how much facial dirt can come off when using this product. The environment and day to day tasks can really stay on your skin so its important to cleanse and clean your skin to keep it looking and feeling great! A couple of pumps of the product goes all over my face and neck and I really love that its a pump action bottle as it helps the product go so much further, meaning more value for money!

S&G Glory Puffy Eye Attack - Under-eye Brightening Hydrogel Patches*
Puffy Eye Attack is a S&G product I've never used before until now and I have been out and bought some more already. With my new job having early starts, I've been suffering with puffy eyes and really needed a pick me up, these puffy eye patches have been a life saver!! In each packet is two patches, one for under each eye, apply, lie back and relax for a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes but we won't tell anyone if you wanna relax for longer. The patches are cooling once on my skin and feel refreshing whilst being worn and after removed; they are super easy to use too! These are great if you have some time in the morning as I saw results after just 20minutes and was ready to start the day without my puffy eye look; if only it was acceptable to sit on the train commute to work with these on.

S&G The Ultimelt - Deep Purifying Hot Cloth Cleanser*  

Now this is a pamper night product in my eyes for when you've got some more time on your hands. The Ultimelt is another product I've never used before but I have become a big fan of the hot cloth cleanser. I've been using this once a week for a deep clean and detox for my skin, its been fun to make time for myself and have a pamper too. I thought this would be difficult to use or get used too but the instructions were easy to follow; apply a small amount of the cleanser to your face and massage it in for a few minutes, spend extra time on any clogged-pores, wet the cloth (which comes with the product) with warm water, ring out then remove the cleanser by pressing the hot cloth onto your skin. I instantly felt refreshed, relaxed and my skin looked brighter too, using once a week has been perfect for me but the product can be used more regularly if you wanted.

If your looking for fun, great packaged products and excellent results then head to your nearest Boots to grab some Soap & Glory skin care or you can shop online at Boots.com. They sometimes have offers on too so keep your eyes pealed and don’t forget those Boots advantage points and vouchers too! 

This month I’ve decided to do a stand off post with both boxes featured and compare the contents, box design, price and pick a winner for the month. Normally I would do two separate posts reviewing each item specifically but I wanted to mix up my beauty box posts a little; you'll have to let me know what you think.

Which box arrived first? 

Glossybox actually arrived first with Birchbox arriving the next day. Glossy is always dispatched with Royal Mail and you can track your box along the way; they are good at keeping you up to date regarding your box delivery. My Birchbox is also delivered with Royal Mail however this is because I’ve had trouble with Hermes who usually deliver Birchbox; the only downfall with being delivered with Royal Mail is I can’t track my box from the Birchbox dispatch email but this is still better than dealing with Hermes in my opinion. Both boxes come in postal boxes so the pretty boxes are always safe and sound when they arrive.

How many products were included? 

Birchbox usually have around 5 products inside which it did this month and Glossybox also had 5 products inside plus an extra treat in the form of a tea bag from We Are Tea. Both boxes had a mix of products from makeup to skin care to hair care. I do like to receive a mix of products but always prefer to get makeup products as I get more use from them most of the time. There was a lip gloss from Doucce and an Eyeko Skinny liner in my Birchbox whilst Glossy had a Trifle Cosmetics Praline Palette inside so both boxes did have makeup products included; this is a thumbs up from me.

Any full size products? 

Yes in my Glossybox, 3 products were full size whilst 2 were travel sized; the travel sized products were decent sizes and I've had a few uses from them too. The travel sized products was a shampoo and conditioner from Maria Nila which is handy for this time of year when people are going away or in my case going camping. As for Birchbox, none of the products were full size, the Eyeko Liner was a good sized travel product and some of the other brands in the box are a little more high end than those in Glossy so it sort of evens out the contents size. Not having full sized products in my boxes isn't an issue as long as I like the quality and style of the products. 

Box Design? 

Both boxes featured beautiful designs this month so it’s been hard to choose a favourite. Birchbox went with a leafy, summer, chilled out design which was again great for the coming summer. Glossy’s design was very summery, bright and a welcomed change from the usual pretty in pink box; Glossy don’t do specially designed boxes every month so it’s nice to receive one of there one off designs. However the design of the actual box is what comes into play here, Birchbox have been sending a drawer style box for ages now and I’m so happy about it, I pile each box up and create makeup drawer storage using the boxes and these look great on my dressing table. I will re-use the Glossybox however the pink boxes usually now go in the recycling.

Price? 

Each box is priced at £10.00 per month and then postage and packaging is added on top of this; for Birchbox is it £2.95 and for Glossybox it is £3.25 so making Glossy ever so slightly more expensive. Both subscriptions have perks though... with Glossy to can earn credit to spend on Glossybox website and Look Fantastic; you can earn credit by filling out your product surveys. Birchbox also has a rewards system, from the first month of your sub you can get 10% off all contents in the Birchbox shop, this goes up to 15% after 6 months when you become a Birchbox VIP. Each month with Birchbox you can choose an aspect of your box and if your a VIP you get to choose early; this ranges from box design to products to product shades. With both subscriptions you also get rewarded for referring someone to sign up. This month I was able to choose a shade of lip gloss, I really like being able to choose shades as I always get the colour I want. 

Favourite products? 

I've picked a few favourites this month, one from Glossybox and two from Birchbox, I've been a long-standing fan of Eyeko so receiving an extra skinny liner this month was great plus I'll always use a black eyeliner. I also really liked the Charcoal natural deodorant from Native Unearthed that was also in my Birchbox, I've become partial to natural deodorants so trying a new brand has been fun this month. The Trifle Cosmetics palette in Glossy has 6 lovely shades of eyeshadow that all work well together weather your using 2 shades or 4, you can create some pretty eye looks with this small but mighty palette plus the design on the packaging is super cute and colourful. Trifle Cosmetics are cruelty free and this palette is 100% Vegan and free from any nasties. 

Still subscribed? 

Unfortunately I have cancelled one of the boxes and that is Glossybox, I just found this months box to not be tailored to my likes which is the reason I cancelled last time. I didn’t enjoy the products in Glossy as much as Birchbox this month even though Glossy had full sized items included. I may sign up again in the future if a box takes my fancy like last months did but for now I'll stick with my Birchbox!

The winning box is...? 

Overall I think Birchbox won this month and continues to be my longest standing subscription to any beauty box. I enjoy receiving my Birchbox, the perks the subscription has and the products included are usually suited to my profile so much better than other boxes. Plus as I’ve said above I’ve got the added extra of drawer box storage by reusing my boxes.


Today is the last day to grab this months boxes, if you want to subscribe you can use my referral link for Birchbox here, this will give you £5.00 off your first box and if you want to sub to Glossybox then head straight over to the website here. 

SheaMoisture is a natural, organic and sustainably-produced brand that have been around for 4 generations. Sofi Tucker started selling Shea nuts at a market in Bonthe in 1912 and by 19 years old was selling Shea butter, African Black Soap and homemade hair care and skin care products all over the countryside. SheaMoisture is her legacy and is going strong, the products are now available in Superdrug in the UK and can be purchased online. They don't test on animals and strive to be sulfate and paraben free; also 10% of SheaMoisture community sales go towards women-led businesses!

I was kindly sent the Argan Oil & Almond Milk Smooth & Tame shampoo* and conditioner* to try out, I’ve been using them both for over a month now and my hair feels super soft and more manageable which is a big plus for my fizzy, crazy hair. 

The Argan Oil & Almond Milk Shampoo* has a thin consistency which smooths onto my hair easily although the product doesn't lather up, it soaks into the hair nicely. I once read that shampoos that lather up a lot have a lot of chemicals and ingredients in so I was glad to find this SheaMoisture shampoo not to lather up because I know it has natural ingredients. The sweet scent fills the bathroom when using the shampoo and is really uplifting. The product is said to control frizzy hair and I believe my hair is more manageable after using SheaMoisture for the past month or so, my hair feels smoother and when I blow dry it, I've found its not as fizzy and wavy. The Marshmallow Root Extract helps to detangle hair and adds a anti-humidity coating which helps manage my hair too! The lightweight formula has no sulphates, no parabens, no phthalates, no paraffin, no mineral oil, no synthetic colour and no petrolatum; it really is a natural product! I would like it if the shampoo had a pump action head like conditioner though, this would make applications in the shower a breeze.

After applying the shampoo I've been using the Argan Oil & Almond Milk Conditioner* to compliment my hair care routine. The conditioner has the same scent as the shampoo and also doesn't contain any sulphates, parabens, phthalates, paraffins, mineral oils, synthetic colour or petrolatum so its another amazing natural product. I absolutely love the pump action head on the bottle and I believe I have used less product because of the pump as I'm not just putting an amount in my hand. With having the same ingredients as the shampoo using the conditioner adds to the benefits of using the shampoo, the Marshmallow root extract adds the anti-humidity coating which is weightless and helps to detangle my hair, the Argan Oil tames the frizz whilst adding shine and the Almond Milk is rich in protein and hydrates my hair with Vitamins A and E.

Each bottle is a good size having 384ml of product inside each and SheaMositure have other scents and ranges, you can pick them up in Superdrug stores and online. 

Gatineau is a brand I have tried in the past but only in a makeup remover so I was interested to see how the cream lived up against that. Gatineau is a French brand that was born in Paris in 1932 when Madame Jeanne Gatineau opened her first salon and started to work on her own line of skin care. Through her passion for skin care Gatineau was born and it’s still around today but the brand still sticks to its heritage roots. You can find lots of Gatineau’s skincare products in TJ Hughes at amazingly discounted prices too. 

From first application the day the cream arrived I could see a difference in the texture of the cream to my regular night cream. This was a lot thicker than my usual brand but did spread out easily so I’d say I was still only using a small amount to cover my face and neck. A few days after using the cream I could feel a difference in the firmness of my cheeks which was new to me as my regular skin care didn’t have this effect and my skin felt tighter but in a good way. 

DefiLift 3D™ is said to help firm the skin and uses Plant Protein Technology to provide a tightening effect from the first use as well as restoring volume in the skin with Encapsulated Hyaluronic Acid. Inside the cream is also Shea Butter and Mango which help to soothe and nourish the skin. I believe the firmness element is true in the cream as my skin felt tighter after just using for a few days. With just this effect alone I now prefer this cream over my regular skin care and will be continuing to use this well into the future.

It’s now been a couple of weeks and I have to say my skin feels fabulous and looks good too; people have commented on it! I can certainly feel the firmness in my skin and my whole face feels so soft to touch. I’ve found that my breakouts have been less as well so the cream really has worked well for me and my skin. DefiLift doesn't really have a scent to it, the mango ingredient isn't very strong at all and this is OK with me, something doesn't have to have a overpowering scent to be pleasant to use. I find the applying the cream before bed really relaxes me as I massage it into my face and neck then settle in for the night.

At the beginning of the event everyone was handed a tag with a word on it; mine was ‘Enlightened’ these tags were used to split us up into groups. My group was a small group of 4 including; me and the lovely SwishMySwag plus 2 other bloggers.

The first treatment room we was directed too was 'The Planets' treatment room, this room felt calm from the moment I walked in; with low lighting, a beautiful scent filling the room and a charming decor set-up. Within this room we was treated to a palm reading exercise which is actually part of the Planets treatment; this treatment is also the longest treatment that Lush provide and lasts 3 hours. The palm reading was really fun and very insightful, I already knew a bit about reading my palm but it was nice to be refreshed about it and of course it had a Lush twist so I learnt some new things about my palms and myself. I have to say this was one of the treatments that really did ‘Enlighten’ me. Also included in the Planets treatment is a 90 minute full body massage, a 30 minute hand and arm massage which includes the palm reading and a 60 minute lifted facial treatment. 

After 'The Planets' room we was directed to another treatment room which is the home to the 'Karma' treatment. Within this treatment 2 members of the Lush Spa team work together to bring you inner calm and peace; it’s about redirecting your energy flow around the body to align your mind and body and help concentration. Whilst we was in this room we did a meditation exercise which I found amazing, I’d already had a long day at work and my mind was full of things I needed to do, this short meditation helped me feel less stressed and see a way through my never-ending to do list. The Karma room also had very low lighting, decorated with themed items and it felt tranquil. The full treatment includes a four-handed full body massage, the use of hot oils, singing bowls and a Shirodhara ritual to bring you rest and a head and hair massage using warm coconut water which is poured from a Shirodhara vessel over the third eye.

Our next activity was one of my favourite parts of the event; bath bomb making! We made Spa Exclusive Golden Slumbers Bath Bomb with scents of lavender and chamomile blue oil. Whenever I’ve been to Lush event I’ve been able to make a product and it’s so much fun, members of staff talked us through the whole process whilst giving us information about the product and ingredients. Sometimes they have product making in store so look out in your local store for this because you’ll not leave disappointed. 

The next part of the evening was all about the Tales of Bath treatment which is the treatment were you actually have a bath! Yes you have a bath in the Lush spa but don’t worry it’s all pirate and the Lush team have had a lot of positive feedback about this treatment. This treatment features music from a Bath based musician, a massage and of course an actual bath. The room itself was again low lit and felt calm and relaxed as soon as I walked in, we was told all about the treatment whilst watching someone have a massage, even though this exercise was just visual I still felt so relaxed.  I think it was the beautiful music! Apparently this treatment is popular with pregnant ladies as the massage is done whilst lied on your side and the bath makes it all that more relaxing. 

Lastly our group was treated to 'The Comforter' room which included an arm and hand massage. Within with room was heated beds with heated blankets and tranquil music playing, we was all handed a sugar rush drink in a martini glass which tasted delicious and was definitely a sugar rush! Next we were shown how to do a hand/arm massage using spa exclusive rose serum then we paired up and took turns; I paired up with SwishMySwag. She did a wonderful job!! I think this treatment is a good all rounder if your undecided on which treatment to go for, it’s actually the first treatment lush offered and it’s still very popular! Lush advertise this treatment on their website as "it reminds you not to take life too seriously" and I think we all need this sort of mind-frame sometimes.

Before the event was over everyone tucked into the Vegan pizza Lush had provided which was really good especially the garlic bites; I could of eaten lots of these. I’d definitely have Vegan Monday’s again. 

I really enjoyed my evening and enjoyed all the mini sessions in the treatment rooms. I was able to get lots of information on each treatment and an insight into what they involve. I’ve never really seen having a spa treatment as something I would enjoy but I think I could definitely enjoy a Lush Spa treatment! 

If you fancy checking out any of the Spa treatments that are available at Lush Liverpool you can pop into store, ring to book or go online here. All the staff are super lovely and will help you with any queries, information and you’ll have the best time!