My 8 Favourite Miniatures

When it comes to beauty products, I have my fair share of them, much like many girls my age. I was once a subscriber of Glossybox monthly beauty boxes which consists of a pretty pink (or other colour depending on the time of the year or occasion) box filled with around six different up and coming or not so well known products from the high end of beauty, usually in a miniature version for Glossybox's subscribers to try. There are many other monthly beauty box companies that do the same thing but I chose to join Glossybox after hearing a lot of other bloggers rave about it. I must say I was incredibly impressed that after spending just £12.95 a month (£10.00 for the box, £2.95 for postage and packaging), I could have a lovely, sturdy box full of great little products that I'd either heard of and wanted to try or that I'd never seen before. You would enter your details, whether it be skin type, the product category you're deiring or your favourite perfume scent, all your details would be processed by the team and your box would be chosen specifically for you. Occasionally, as a treat, Glossybox would throw in a full-sized product which really excited me as I felt I was being spoilt. 

Unfortunately, I had to unsubscribe because money was getting a bit tight and I needed that extra ten pounds a month but hopefully in the future when I've saved up a bit more money I will be able to re-subscribe and get all my little monthly treats again! In the mean time though, I thought I would make the most of the miniatures I already have and cherish those by writing my thoughts on my favourite ones. I've chosen 8 of my favourites from the many I have and have given my thoughts on each individual one. 

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

First up is the Daily Microfoliant from the well-known, model's favourite brand Dermalogica. They've cleverly created an exfoliant in dry powder form which reacts with water to create a grainy paste. This way you can really feel the grains of the powder working into every pore to clear any impurities as well as scrub any dry or dead skin and leave your skin feeling smooth, soft and nourished. I use it once a week as I'm running low and want to make the most of it! The full-size retails for around £40.

Lipcote Longlasting Lipstick Seal

Next up is the lipstick seal from Lipcote. I'd never heard of Lipcote as a brand or product before and I have never owned any product that promises to do what this product does. You apply the Lipcote on top of freshly applied and blotted lipstick and wait, mouth-opened for it to dry. Once dried it promises to offer long-lasting lipstick protection even while eating, drinking and talking. Perfect for a night out and it works very well with red lipstick!This product retails for around £3.99

Burberry Body Perfume

It's unusual to receive a fragrance product in a glass bottle as a sample which is why this miniature excites me the most. Burberry Body 35ml usually retails for around £40, the 60ml for around £50, and the 85ml for around £70 (varying with different retailers). There is little more than 10 drops in this little bottle but the fact it is literally a miniature of the original product feels like such a luxury, compared to the usual perfume samples which consist of a tiny plastic container and a small spray cap. Not to mention the fact that the perfume has a rich, earthy scent, quite heavy and perfect for a night out, and smells incredible. One of my absolute favourite samples ever!

Alison Clarke So Remarkable Mango Body Butter

Another brand I've never heard of before, this little tube of Mango flavoured Body Butter from Alison Clarke is a skin must have. Its rich, creamy texture allows for a smooth application and ability to blend and feels great against tired skin. One of my favourite beauty flavours is mango and the smell of this is to die for! The only downside is that the product is so small and doesn't last long. I'm on the last little dregs and I'm having a serious craving to purchase some more!

L'Oreal Full Volume Tecni Art Mousse

This product isn't considered a high end product as you'd expect from Glossybox, and I'm aware that a lot of people weren't happy to receive this. However, I think the fact that its such a great product with fantastic texture and hold de-emphasises the fact that its not a high-end product and in fact is something readily available and well known in high street beauty shops. The mousse is light and fluffy with a nice, mild scent and isn't too sticky on the hands and hair. I find I have to use it sparingly to two reasons. 1. I have very thick hair with which I try desperately to gain volume and too much would drag it down, and 2. as it is a sample size, I don't have many more applications before I have to purchase the full-sized product. Apart from that, I love it! This retails for around £9 for a 250ml bottle.

Skinetica Spot Treatment

This liquid spot treatment from Skinetica is a must-have product for problem skin. It is a tiny container with little more than 20 applications I would imagine, but for somebody like me is perfect when I have one big old whitehead pop up unexpectedly. The fact its a liquid rather than a cream or gel means there is no residue after its soaked in after about 3 minutes. Containing an alcohol it dries the surface of the swollen skin and calms the redness to relieve the pain of an irritating spot. The only downside is that you can't feel anything working, but other than that, it's great! This retails for around £9.99 per 100ml bottle.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

I've only used this product a few times but I'm already a huge fan of it! Being another brand and product I've never heard of before, I felt a bit dubious about using it, as the packaging isn't spectacular and it looks no more than cooking oil. However, I love the way it feels on my skin after a hot bath as it soaks in and softens the surface of the skin. I could imagine it would come in handy in the summer time after a day in the sun to treat dehydrated skin before sleep. This retails for around £20 - £25 a bottle.

Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream

This miniature is the perfect size for me as I only use a tiny amount at a time. Its a lovely creamy eye treatment to really awaken the eye area when its looking a bit droopy and baggy (attractive!)I find that Balance Me products are always beautifully fragranced, not too expensive and lovely light creams full of nourishment for your skin. I use a lot of eye products and like to mix and match but this one is definitely one of my favourites. It usually retails for around £20.

Despite sometimes being a little underwhelmed with products, I'm usually always pleased with everything I receive and beauty boxes are a great way of developing a lovely collection of well-rounded beauty products. I also find that they're a great way to be first in the queue to try new and exclusive products and finally find a place in your beauty-loving heart for a fantastic new product. I highly recommend purchasing the full-size of these products and will be considering purchasing them myself. 

I hope you share some of the same favourites as me and enjoyed reading my post :) 

Sophie

xoxo

"A girl should be two things; classy and fabulous" - Coco Chanel