Hello again for another indepth GlossyBox review – this one is for the UK 2015 July edition, the ‘Vive la France‘ edit – which just like French beauty ideals is understated, but lovely. This edition also focuses a lot on skincare, and more minimal make-up, with recommendations of finishing any looks with previous GlossyBox items, such as a classic red lip, for a true French beauty look. This awesome box is a limited edition print from fashion artist Jamie Lee Reardin, and is super cute and stylised, with classic French colours.

This month we have five items, one an accessory, and the rest are beauty items. I do think it would have been nicer to have five samples and the pouch, since while it’s a cute tie in item with the theme and can be used to store stuff, I think people do expect five samples since that’s what we usually get, but other than that this is a very positive box.

Going in card order, first off is the noxidoxi Enhancing Serum Base, the deluxe sample we received is sized at 25 ml, and honestly I think they should have just given us the full size one, since it’s just 5 ml more to the full size at 30 ml. This is also the first item with a confusing price given on the card – it lists the full size being worth £33.46 from noxidoxi.com. However, the actual euro price that you buy it at is €39.90 – which puts the total value full size (converted using the Google) at £27.80, and this deluxe sample at that figure is worth £23.17. So in this instance it’s lowered the box value, but later on the price differences actually put the total box value back up, so it’s not really a problem, it’s just a strange price difference. Anyway! This is probably the item I’ve used the most so far out of this GlossyBox. It’s an interesting sort of combination moisturiser primer serum type product – with the directions stating to use it day and night before your normal moisturiser to give even more hydration, tightened pores, and anti-ageing effects. It has a strange yellow colour, but a lovely melting with your body warmth consistency that absorbs into the face really well – a little goes a long way and it feels good. This isn’t priced so high for a high end style skin care item and I’d definitely consider trying more noxidoxi.

Next up is the Lollipops Lip Balm Delicieuse. This is the second time I’ve had a Lollipops make-up item from GlossyBox – the first one being a black eye liner in the November box – and it’s the usual I’ve come to expect from this brand. It’s a very cute French product that is very nice for what it is, and sits pretty low on the price scale – it’s cute, nice, budget make-up. This is our full sized item at 10 ml and is priced at £4.15, my minor complaint of the packaging for this item also still stands. As many other people have pointed out, the container is only half full, it’s not emptied out or gotten lost or anything – this is just how full it is, I think if they’d cut the container a little smaller or narrower it would have felt like the right size for the contents and avoided the confusion (or I guess made it more full?) It’s a creamy translucent balm with a melting on the lips feel too, that is also antioxidant and skin enriching with vitamin e, and contains UV protection. This seems to be the real strength of French cosmetics – even the super budget stuff contains ingredients that are good for your skin. I did initially think it was scentless and flavourless, but it does actually smell and taste faintly sweet, but not overpoweringly so if that sort of thing bothers you. It’s another great Lollipops item, and I’d totes get more.

Back to skincare items with the third item, and it’s Teoxane Cosmeceuticals Perfect Skin Refiner. This is a Hyaluronic Acid based night treatment cream, with directions stating to apply to clean skin in place of a normal cream, and to not use it every night as your skin gets used to it. Full size it’s 50 ml priced at £70, and our deluxe sample is 15 ml, making it worth £21, which I think makes it proportionately the most expensive item in this GlossyBox (to be fair, as Hyaluronic Acid items tend to be). I haven’t actually had the chance to use this that much so far, as I’ve travelled to a few events and didn’t want to risk upsetting my skin and feeling like I look awful, as my skin can react unexpectedly. But in short the idea is that it sort of chemically exfoliates the skin and renews it, while also containing things that soothe the irritation this can cause – so you have newer fresher looking skin. It’s very nice sounding, and I’ve had good experiences with previous Hyaluronic Acid things from GlossyBox so I’m definitely going to be using this one up. As usual with the higher priced items, I’m usually more reluctant to consider buying more when I’m usually confident there are cheaper alternatives. £70 is a lot for anything, let alone a small container of face stuff.

Our final actual beauty item is a perfume – the Yves Rocher Comme Une Evidence Eau De Parfum, this is the second Yves Rocher perfume sample we’ve received (the last one being in the October 2014 box) and the third Yves Rocher item in general (I got some nail polishes in August 2014). This is also our second confused price item, as the card lists the full size value at £24.50, whereas the actual Yves Rocher website, which used English Pounds as well, lists it as £34 full size. Full size it’s 50 ml, and our deluxe sample is 7.5 ml, making it’s total value £5.10. This is actually a pretty generous size for a perfume sample – it’s the biggest one we’ve gotten so far. It still comes in an open top bottle which I think is a shame, as I prefer the little spray atomiser style tops. Other than that it’s basically what I was expecting from the last Yves Rocher perfume, it’s a strong musky floral perfume, which is nice enough, if a little generic. I do find these samples are good for travelling with or carrying around with you if you really really feel like you’d need more (you won’t, since it’s so strong), but I don’t think it’s for me.

The final item in the July box is the cute GlossyBox Exclusive Travel Pouch, with art matching the limited edition box design. The pouch measures about 23 cm by 19 cm and is a flat style one rather than having built in sides, it’s valued on the card at £3.99 which is about make-up bag price I guess. It’s nice for what it is, I like that it’s clear and you can see what’s in it, the bag material and zip are strong and it’s a good size to fit a whole bunch of stuff in it. It’s cute and practical enough that I’d have probably bought one, but like I said earlier, I think having five make-up samples still would have been nice.

And finally, we’re at this total box value – this month with the four beauty items and the ones accessory, with the updated priced as I’ve explained them – I’ve valued my box at £57.41, which while not the highest value ever is still pretty up there, and is definitely higher than average over the last year. Next month is a regular August box, which we’ve already had a few sneak peaks from – we’re getting a lash primer, which sounds interesting and is something I’m not sure I’ve used before, and a blush/bronzer hybrid, which also sounds interesting. Depending on me getting my feedback done for this box (which is also the month of both GlossyBox’s birthday, and my birthday), this box should be free for me.

Until Next Time!