My Little Box February Products

There wasn't all that many products to try out in this month's box. Just the hand cream from Polåar, Mask and Peel from Noxidoxi, and the day cream from their own beauty brand, My Little Beauty.

The first product I tried was the Mask and Peel. As I explained in my previous post, all the instructions were in French. The description card included had the typical 'banterous' information from My Little Box....not useful in any way to work out how I should use this product. In the end, using my pigeon French, I tried my best to decipher the instructions. Mask applied, I waited the 5 minutes I believe the instructions recommended. The closer I got to the five minute mark, the more I wondered if my face should be burning like hellfire. After washing the product off I had two immediate thoughts in this order: 1) Jesus, my face is extremely red 2) my face feels immediately smoother. As I've said in previous posts, I fall for new skincare products all too easily, so in the morning I gave my makeup and product free face a closer inspection. Yes, my skin does seem slightly smoother and with multiple uses I believe it could make a bigger improvement. Coming in at €24.90 for 50 ml.
UPDATE - 29 / 02
I reused this product about 10 minutes ago. My boyfriend immediately asked if I was colouring my hair because that's exactly what this product smells like. Yes my skin feels a lot smoother, but to achieve this result it feels like 5 layers of skin have been burnt off. Here is the end result (apologies for the just out of shower hair):

My boyfriend has asked me to never use this product again. I recently reviewed another facial peel that has had similar results with the agonising pain of burning my skin off.
http://hansunahnah.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/avon-advanced-resurfacing-peel.html?m=1

Next up I tested the Polåar handcream. Priced at £16.90 for 75ml, it has some lovely Lapland themed branding, complete with big silvery snowflake on the front. For me this would have been a perfect addition to December's box as a Christmasy treat. In all honesty the wording on the card included definitely hints more at start of winter rather than heading towards spring.

Now I was expecting a berry scent to this little number so either it doesn't or it was too subtle for me to trace. However, it is a decent handcream, leaving my hands feeling hydrated and well protected. For me it's definitely more of a heavy duty handcream and should work well through the wintery months but if you're looking for a light, scented handcream for the approaching spring, I don't think this is the one.

The final product was some day cream from their own beauty brand, My Little Beauty. I am a fan of their night cream, so I was looking forward to test running this one for you. I'm not a morning person so going by the name 'Easy Morning' I'm expecting nothing short of a miracle. It says on the back that it's "subtle shimmer brings a radiant, all-over-glow". Let's just say I could do with all the help I can get to have a radiant complexion this morning after too much partying over the weekend. I liked the feel of the product and my skin definitely felt a bit better hydrated. However, the "subtle shimmer" is quite as subtle as I'd like. Every time I looked in the mirror I could just see flecks of glitter. Excuse my make up free face and pulled back hair, but if you look at my nose you'll see the glitter flecks I'm referring to.

Not for me this product at all. In fact not much in this box was me, which left me very disappointed. Especially after the fiasco with not receiving January's box until the end of February. I very much hope March's box picks up a bit and I'm hoping for products that aren't hand cream or face cream. Without a big improvement, I'm afraid to say that March's box may be my last.

Avon Advanced Resurfacing Peel

I've refrained from blogging about Avon products as I sell them and don't want people to think I'm being biased. This product is truly a little gem!

They claim superior results to a £185 professional facial peel which to be honest I found hard to believe. Now I've never forked out for a facial at the grand price of £185, so I can in no way confirm nor deny this claim. What I will say is that I've been mightily impressed so far. I do have quite good skin to beginning with it must be said, but after using it over the last 10 days I have seen an improvement.

My skin is noticeably smoother with a more even tone. It has a 10% concentration of glycolic acid which they claim won't cause redness or irritation. My skin is quite sensitive and whilst I wouldn't say it caused any irritation as such, it can be a wee bit nippy on my face.  Nothing to be worried about though. In general it doesn't cause much redness, definitely nothing that lasts longer than a few minutes. Word of warming though, I used it the day after using a Mask and Peel from Noxidoxi  (received in My Little Box this month - See My Little Box February 2016 for more details) and I was left with a lot of redness that lasted most of the evening. My boyfriend thought it was hilarious,me not see much. It felt like my face was on fire. This is no doubt my own fault, but it isn't the best idea to use after using an intensive face scrub. 

Charged at £10 for this current Avon campaign. Used 2-3 times a week, each tub contains 30 of the pads meaning that the price for a 10 weeks course works out at only £1 a week. Call me biased all you want but that bets paying £185 for a facial.

These gems can be bought by UK customers and delivered straight to their door from www.my.avon.uk.com/HannahWeetman

#MakeUpYourOwnMind

UPDATE 29/02-

I tried out another chemical facial peel from Noxidoxi that I received through my subscription box, My Little Box. The result from this other product was a burning red face. I can genuinely say that the Avon Advanced Resurfacing Peel gave the same results without the pain of other chemical peels!

Avon wins! 

My Little Box February 2016

Now this box sparked a huge amount of excitement when I opened it. Called My Little Home Box, I was ready to burst....the main reason I have just bought my first home. It's a very proud moment in my life and right now all things home related very much take my fancy. The box itself has a sweet illustration of a woman reading what I presume is the My Little World magazine in her cosy little armchair. I was in love at first site.

Upon opening my box I was expecting to find the usual little postcard, I was not disppointed. The postcard took pride of place in a little blue frame.  Featuring the usual Kanako figure relaxing in here living room with the Andy Warhol quote "All is pretty" appearing being here. Whilst the postcard this month is lovely and very much in keeping with the theme of the box, the frame it is featured in I do not love. The blue colour is nice but would I have the burning desire to purchase it for the £6 they sell it for on www.mylittlecorner.fr, I wouldn't. 

Underneath the frame was a cushion cover. Sweet idea that is again very much in keeping with this month's theme, but not really to my taste. It will maybe get used in one of the rooms in the new house, but to be honest probably not. It I'd double sided which again I think is a nice touch but like I say just not for me. Especially not at the price of £10 for one. 

I wad a little disappointed when I spotted that all that was left to open was my beauty bag. But I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best before opening. The bag itself is very pretty so I was really wishing for something equally pretty inside it.

Sadly I was left a little disappointed. The description cards spoke about winter scenes and even had a mention of Christmas....nothing at all that fitted in with this month's theme. I couldn't help but feel like I was being offered a random selection of leftovers. Handcream from Polåar may come in useful as one of my other handcreams is due to run out. However, it does feel a bit same old, same old.

I was a big fan of the Night Cream from My Little Beauty given a few month's back. So I was pleased to see a day cream from them. However, I have enough day creams to last me a lifetime. I will try this product out as soon as my existing one finishes but that probably won't be for quite a while.

To complete this month's box is a mask and peel from Noxidoxi. Whilst I appreciate that My Little Box is a French company and therefore many of the products are from French company, I do not appreciate when I'm given a product with no English instructions at all. I am left absolutely clueless on how to use the product correctly which makes it highly unlikely that I will make a purchase of this mask and peel.

With the exception of the My Little World magazine, that I am delighted to say is still in the glossy format, this box was a massively huge let down for me. The theme was right up my street and I was buzzing to see inside. I am now questioning whether or not I should continue my subscription. Between the fact I have still to receive my January box and the disappointment of this month's, unless next month's box is a winner, I'm sorry to say next month's box will probably be my last.

My Little Box January 2016

Sadly my box has yet to arrive as it was lost in the post. My Little Box have been in touch so I hope it should arrive soon....

Apologies for the delay in posting a blog as a result!

21/02 - UPDATE
My Little Box for January still hasn't here. However, Rachael in their team has been in touch to apologise for the delay and has kindly offered to refund that month's fee. I shall update as soon as my box arrives!

29/02 - UPDATE

My Little Wish Box had arrived finally! I had been told it was a goodie and due to it's late arrival I already knew what some of the items where, as I'm sure most of my readers will know by now too. None of the less....let's get opening.

The box is by a country mile one of Kanako's best pieces for My Little Box. I absolutely adore it and it fits the theme of the box beautifully (who doesn't remember wishing with each puff). The side of the box has a charming list of all the good things the My Little Box team hope for you for the new year (not so new by the time I got my box).

Upon opening was a beautiful card with the Walt Disney quote "All our dreams can come true, if you have the courage to peruse them". On a lovely duckegg blue background, that is pretty much the exact shade I'm hoping to do my new living room (move in date for new house is 31st of March - super excited), I can't wait to get this framed and up in the house!

I already knew there was a diary in this month's box. I was secretly hoping it wasn't a date diary as I have now lost a couple of month's out of it. However, with the lovely blue colour and rose gold writing on the cover, accompanied with quirky notes and illustrations on the inside, I was so happy with the product that I didn't care that I've got it a couple of months later. I love love love this diary and I think come 2017 if they have one, I shall be ordering one again. Great product, very happy with it.

Following on from the diary, was these 'Petits Riens' (Little Nothings if my french is correct). I loved the concept of these. 4 little bracelets featuring phrases like 'Wish you were here' and 'Say yes to new adventures'. The idea is to cut out each little postcard and give one to a friend. The downside for me is that they are essentially just ribbons. There is no tie on the back to attached the bracelet onto your wrist, so I'm sad to say it's unlikely I will be passing these on. On the plus side at the bottom was a lovely mint green and gold bracelet saying 'Just for You'. This one had a Chinese knot at the back and although it is a bit small and delicate compared to what I would usually wear, I will definitely get some use from this one.

Onto the bag of goodies: 3 products (2 winners and 1 jury still out). The first one was hard to miss: Garnier's 'Miracle Wake Up Cream'. A full size product, this 50 ml tub would retail at £12.99 so I'm delighted at my value for money. Here's my issue....more face cream! Given that I received February's box first which also had face cream (which I wasn't a massive fan of) http://hansunahnah.blogspot.com/2016/02/my-little-box-february-products.html but seriously more cream! I don't know when I'll actually get the chance to try out this product given that I only opened February's face cream today and I don't want to waste products. For me this will be the deciding factor on whether or not I continue my subscription after March. If the box has a face cream, I'm done.

Negative comments aside the next two products were great. The above pictures 'Rosa Centifola 3-in-1 cleansing water' from Ren. In December's My Little World they had given us a sneak peek that this was coming in this month's box. The scent is heavenly but not overpowering and I'm really looking forward to given this a bash tonight.

Last but not least, this month's My Little Beauty item: 'Make a Wish Lip Balm'. I love lip balm. Living in Scotland the harsh weather often takes it toll on my poor little lips. I haven't tried this product out of I can't say how effective it is but it is beautifully packaged and smells great. Perfect handbag size this will also be getting tested pronto.

This really was a lovely box with a great theme. The My Little World magazine in glossy form and featuring a new format for 2016 is a winner for me! Great value for money this month with the diary at £10, bracelets £6, lip balm £7, Garnier face cream £12.99 and the sample size of the cleansing water being worth about £3.25 (£13 for full 200ml), that comes to a grand total of over £39. My only plea to My Little Box for March is no more face cream!