Review : December JolieBox / Boudoir Prive

I received the all new JolieBox today which I was very excited about. For those of you who don't know Boudoir Prive have gone into partnership with JolieBox.

My box...

The Contents...

OPI Gold Shatter Nail Lacquer 15ml (full size) £10.50

JolieBox say : Apply over any dry nail lacquer to create a stunning "shattered" effect

I say : I was very pleased to see a full sized OPI in my box, then a little disappointed to see that it was a shatter one, then pleased again when I tried it. I'm getting a little bored of the crackle trend now but this is the prettiest shatter polish I have seen. I love the shimmer in it.

Mitchell and Peach Shower Wash 50ml approx value £4.00

JolieBox say : An invigorating shower wash containing natural English honey, Vitamin E and wheat proteins

I say : This smells very strong, too strong for my liking. I'm sure some people would love it though and I will give it a go. Hopefully the smell doesn't linger...

New CID Cosmetics i-gloss 6.2g (full size) £16.00

JolieBox say : Light up lip gloss with mirror for a non-sticky, long-lasting and high-glam shine

I say : I received this in Baby Doll which is a gorgeous pinky colour. The packaging is cute. I remember having a cheap lipgloss from Peacocks a few years back that lit up, everyone would be amazed when I pulled it out in the night clubs! The formula of this is lovely.

Jane Iredale 24-Karat Gold Dust 1.8g (full size) £12.00

JolieBox say : A multi-use shimmer powder in shade Rose Gold to apply to cheeks, eyes, lips, body and even hair

I say : This is very pigmented and has lovely flecks of glitter through it. I think this would look lovely applied to cheeks with a very light hand, although I do tend to avoid shimmery blushers as my skin looks greasy enough already.

Yon-Ka Vital Defense 5ml value approx £4.00

JolieBox say : Anti-aging prevention, antioxidant and anti-pollution cream to help the skin to preserve its youthfulness

I say : I love the smell of this and I love to receive a good anti-aging product so this is a win for me. My internet finds seem to suggest that this is a very popular brand amongst the celebs. It also seems to be quite difficult to get hold of. 

Bonus products...

Kusmi Detox Tea 20g value approx £1.90

JolieBox say : A delicious blend of Maté, Chinese Green Tea and lemon grass full flavoured with lemon 

I say : This was a lovely little bonus to receive and I look forward to trying it. JolieBox suggest that we have it the day after the night before, I'm sure the festive season will bring me plenty of opportunities to test this out!

JolieBox Concealer Brush

JolieBox say : Designed for blending concealer, the pointed tip provides precision for small imperfections whilst the flat side smoothes coverage across larger areas such as under the eye

I say : This was a lovely touch in a lovely box. JolieBox suggest that we use this with the Jane Iredale mineral powder. It feels like a soft but firm brush that should work well.

Overall verdict...

• Overall a huge thumbs up for the JolieBox & Boudoir Prive partnership. 
• I love the new box, it is sleek and sophisticated. A lot nicer than the old pink boxes.
• The box contents total approx £48.40, we received five products plus two bonus products. Three of the five products were full size.
• The card suggests how we use all the products together while 'getting primped for festive soirées' which I think is a lovely touch.
• To continue the festive party theme we also had a code entitling us to 20% off at WishWantWear.com.
• This box was so amazing due to the fact that its Christmas and its the first box of the partnership so fingers crossed standards won't start to slip.
• I don't like the box that the information card doesn't tell you where you can buy the products, I spent a lot of time trawling the internet trying to find product prices.

August Boudoir Prive : Review

I received my eagerly anticipated Boudoir Prive box today, I'd seen a few reviews already so I knew what to expect but I thought I'd share my thoughts and opinions with you.

Packaging

Looks very similar doesn't it? I was quite surprised at just how similar the Boudoir Prive box is to the GlossyBox, even down to the websites being very similar. I'm wondering if they are the same company? The one noticeable difference with the box is that it has a flip down magnetic lid as oppose to the lift off lid that GlossyBox has. I prefer this box.
Boudoir Prive also enclose a little hand written note which is a very sweet touch!

The contents

Boudoir Prive is split into six sections, which I assume it will be every month. The sections are Lifestyle, Skincare, Fragrance, Bodycare, Make-up and Haircare. I think this is a really good idea as we should receive a good variety of products each month.

My thoughts on the individual products...

Bloom Green tea & White tea duo

They say : Keep your concentration levels high and your stress levels low throughout the day with these two delicious teas from Bloom's Tea Treatment collection.

I say : I know that there has been a lot of uproar about this, I've seen so many tweets along the lines of "tea, in a beauty box?". I must be one of the rare few people that was pleasantly surprised at the 'lifestyle' section of the box. I'm not a tea drinker at all, but I've not tried any herbal teas so I am looking forward to trying this (and to be honest probably spitting it straight back out!).
I'm a proper 'foodie' and love trying out new stuff so am hoping that this section will remain. I hope to see some luxurious chocolates in a box one day :)

The price - £4 for a pack of 10, making this sample worth £0.80.

Babor HSR Lifting Extra Firming Cream

They say : Soften your skin and prevent wrinkles with this cream by German skincare brand Babor. Active ingredients, efficiency and luxury, all packed into one product!

I say : I'm 26 now so this is a welcome addition to my skincare routine. I haven't yet bought any anti-ageing products but am at the age where I really should start using them. I'm looking forward to trying this out.

The price - £82 for 50ml.

Etat Libre D'Orange Archives 69 & Rien

They say : Rien and new fragrance Archives 69 are incredibly rich perfumes that will keep you smelling fantastic all throughout the day. Two must-haves from the Etat Libre d'Orange range.

I say : unfortunately I don't like either of these perfumes. They are indeed incredibly rich, too rich for my liking! I think these perfumes are more suited to an older lady, but, luckily we are all different and some people may love these fragrances.

The price - Rien £52.50 for 50ml, Archives 69 £74.00 for 50ml.

Olavie Antioxidant Body Butter

They say : Pamper yourself with this rich body butter by Wine Therapy specialists Olavie. Your skin will feel smooth, hydrated and refreshed.

I say : This product smells lovely and I'm really drawn to the idea of wine therapy! It rubs in easily and leaves the skin feeling super soft. This is a product I'll definitely be using up.

The price - £43.55 for 240ml

Jane Iredale PureLash Extender and Conditioner

They say : Mineral cosmetics wonder Jane Iredale will blow you away with this innovative product, which encourages the growth of eyelashes and facilitates the application of mascara.

I say : I was super excited to receive this in my box and can't wait to try it out, I just hope that this teeny sample is enough to see a difference.

The price - £13.00 for 89ml

Sachajuan Conditioner

They say : This conditioner's smart Ocean Silk Technology suits all hair types, and will do a great job at untangling your locks. A must-try product from Swedish brand Sachajuan!

I say : I've heard good things about this brand previously so was pleased to receive this. My hair is in okay-ish condition but we could all do with a little pick me up! This product smells lovely and isn't too overpowering.

The price - £10.00 for 100ml (the sample we received is 3.4 fl oz which I think works out at about 100ml, correct me if I'm wrong!)

Overall verdict

I am very pleased with my first Boudoir Prive box. I was planning on signing up just for the first box and then cancelling, but now I've received this one I want more! I love the idea of the lifestyle section and hope that the fact that this box seems more geared towards the more 'mature lady' means that there will be plenty more anti-ageing products for me to try.

I foresee a huge amount of unwanted perfume samples coming my way from both this box and my GlossyBox, I think I will save them all up in an empty box and give them to my mother along with her Christmas presents, she will probably appreciate that and I may have quite a few come Christmas!

The main flaw for me is that the majority of the samples don't state the size, I'm sure that I'm not the only one who likes to work out how much each individual sample is worth! I would love it if Boudoir Prive could add this information to the little information card provided.

I have three codes which enable three lucky people to receive their first box half price! These expire on 31 August 2011. If you haven't yet signed up and are interested simply leave a comment below, I will email the first three people with the voucher codes.

Did you sign up to Boudoir Prive? What are your impressions?