Meebox // Donuts Edition

And it's finally time for the unboxing of my final Meebox that I bought in October when they were having a sale. I was super excited for this one due to the creamy pastel shades and indie brands. I'm loving the discovery of Deco Miami! Let's have a closer look at the products shall we?

Kure Bazaar // Cappucino
RRP £15

Collection: ??

Release Date: ??

This uses the same thin brush that old Essie shades used to have and I don't like it. It's just so hard to get a good swipe and prevent flooding. I am happy to have received this shade though as when I was researching the "Hope" shade I got in this years Sunday Times LIB box, this was the shade I wanted the most when I saw the shade range. The shade itself is a little darker than whats in the bottle and under bright light it goes even darker which is strange. But it is the perfect shade to create some donuts with. I'm wearing two coats in the swatch with no top coat.

Little Ondine // Ripple
RRP (no longer sold, was £11)

Collection: ??

Release Date: ??

My first time using this did not go well as I used it on top of my peel off base coat (as usual) and it started instantly cracking and splitting (see the second photo). After some research it turns out this brand uses a water-based, peel off formula made from resin and many other nail artist use them as a peel off basecoat. Little Ondine says all their polishes are odourless and surprisingly, there isn't really much of a scent. This one smells a little minty but I'm not sure if that's just my brain making it up because of the mint colour.

I'm actually really interested in this brand, however it doesn't seem to be available in the UK anymore and their twitter account stop posting a year ago. In the US though it still seems to be thriving which is a shame.

As for the polish, I don't think the formula holds up well over time. Normal polishes don't really go off, but the "peel off" part of this polish has caused it to become lumpy and dry with those PVA glue-like chunks. It's also streaky and needs several coats but the lumps never go away. It does peel really easily in the exact same way as my PVA-based peel off which just makes wonder if this is the exact same product but with colouring.

I'm wearing three coats with no top coat.

Deco Miami // Cake
RRP (not sold in the UK, $6 in US)

Collection: ??

Release Date: ??

I think this is my favourite polish in the box; it's just so cute! I love interesting and unique bottle designs and now I want more of them but they're kind of hard to get hold of in the UK. The shade itself is perfect though and makes me look beautifully tan. I almost can't believe how well it matches my skin tone. Instead of being a bright hot pink this is a neon peach/pink pastel that dries quite quickly to a satin finish. You do need at least three coats though as it is very streaky.

After perusing their website, they do ship to the UK, but shipping varies on the weight and then there's tax and import fees so it will end up being an expensive order. But they do have some seriously amazing shades.

NCLA // Sivan Ayla Donut Wraps
No longer sold (was £11.95)

After some research I discovered this was part of a range in a collab with someone called Sivan Ayla. I think she's a vlogger/lifestyle influencer but anyway it was released in 2017 and full of neutral skin tones and donuts. I feel these wraps look a little "kid-like" for such an elegant collection. I probably won't use them as me and wraps don't mix well.

Miss Cat Nails // Nail Art Pearls
No longer sold (was £1.99)

Another item that probably will never be used mainly because things stuck to my nails annoy me. They just catch on everything. Also, these are tiny and I don't have the patience to glue lots of little pink beads to my nails. Some other reviews said they got champagne coloured ones and I think I would've preferred them.

Art Club (by Color Club) // Nail Art Pen in White
RRP £4.99

I was really excited when I saw this (even if the metal tube bit scratched me when taking the lid off). Then I used it. If you're doing stripes and nothing else this is fantastic but I found it ridiculously hard to draw shapes with. The polish itself is lovely and opaque however I would use an actual brush to do more detailed looks with it. I found that huge blobs would run straight down the brush at random intervals and flood the nail. It's also hard to clean up and leaves white streaks on you skin making it look dry and flaky. When researching this product, this appears to be quite an old bottle as well and whereas nail polish doesn't really go off, this doesn't feel like proper nail polish and I think it may have gone off. Good idea, shame about the execution.

// Verdict

This was one of the boxes I wanted the most when I first discovered Meebox and I think if I had received it back in March 2018 I would be estactic however, I feel some of the products have lost their shine and the only one I'm really happy about is the Deco Miami polish; I have got to get me some more of those. For £15 though, I'm not going to flip any tables.

When Meebox stopped doing monthly boxes last December they said they were going to reduce their boxes to quarterly to give them more time to collaborate with indie brands. However, it's now December and the last box they released was the Atlantis edition back in March so I have a feeling that sadly, they may have stopped doing boxes. It's a shame because there really was no other sub like this one. 

Mani & Lola September 2019 // Nail Subscription Box

They kept spoilers for this months under lock and key with only Rubble being shown and when I eagerly opened the box I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed but the overall value is quite low this month. I'm really torn over whether or not I should continue as I wish there was a little more variety and theme to the box. But, lets talk about the polishes.

Paradise Found // Cuccio

13ml Full Size - RRP £4.95

Collection: Heatwave

Release Date: Summer 2019

Before we dive into the autumn months, Mani & Lola gave us one last swan song with this beautiful bright coral shade. I'm in love with this entire collection though and I only need 6 more now. I'm wearing two coats and it goes perfectly with my mustard jumpers.

Chita // Zoya

15ml Full Size - RRP £13

Collection: Pixiedust

Release Date: Fall 2013

Another shade that goes flawlessly with my mustard jumpers; even more than the last. Not only is this a perfect autumn shade, it's also a perfect christmas shade (I know...it's far too early to be thinking about that). I think this is my favourite shade in the box though. Like all the pixiedust's, it's a matte textured glitter and ready in one quick coat. I can't stop staring at my hand whilst this is on; I never want it to come off.

Ernie Your Stripes // China Glaze

14ml Full Size - RRP £5.95

Collection: You Do Hue x Sesame Street

Release Date: Spring 2019

If the last shade was from the Pixiedust collection, then this one is from the cheeto dust collection. All jokes aside, I do like the polish but it doesn't seem to match my skintone and it doesn't look great all by itself. I used some negative space leaf designs with it which looks nice; if you can find some negative pumpkin designs you'd get a really nice halloween mani. I think I may have to buy a few more from this collection though because damn it has some nice shades.

I'm wearing 3 coats in this swatch which helps build up the colour and sparkles but it could also be used as a glittery topper on just about anything.

Rubble // CND Vinylux

15ml Full Size - RRP £6.95

Collection: ??

Release Date: ??

I thought this would be a fantastic stamping polish due to how opaque it is but it's quite weak, that doesn't mean it isn't a lovely soft brown shade ready in two coats. I don't have many brown polishes so this is a welcome addition. Like most Vinylux though it does take an age to dry.

150/150 Nail File // Mani & Lola
RRP ??

M&L say this is retails at £4.95 however it isn't actually for sale anywhere so who knows. All I know is that I no longer use cardboard files anymore. This one is very sturdy and has a nice strong grit to it however cardboard files don't last long. Ever since I started using metal files, I haven't gone back. This one is also quite thick as well so it's difficult to really get in the corners if you like a rounder/almond look.

// Box Totals //

5 Items - All Full Size

Estimated Value - £30.85 (not including the nail file)

// Verdict

This box looks fantastic and is great for fall however it's getting to the point where I'm considering just buying myself 5 polishes each month for £22.95. It's not that I don't like this subscription but it feels like an awful lot of money for 4/5 polishes. I tend to buy collections now and focus more on decals/stamping so I may give this box up or start curating my own each month as a treat to myself.

Mani & Lola

Monthly - £20

3 Months - £62.85

6 Months - £113.70

12 Months - £203.40

£2.95 p&p every month

FabFitFun Autumn 2019 Review UK // Beauty Box

I completely forgot to post the summer box...or rather I wrote up my review and then never took any photos. I could post the review however it is a wall of text and well I don't think people will be too happy if I just stick random memes in place of product photos so this time I made myself take photos as soon as the box arrived.

FFF only started shipping to the UK with their Spring box this year and this now marks my third box and it's without a doubt my favourite sub. There is nothing like it in the UK and it's so great to be able to try out so many new brands and products. Also, I can now have post delivered to work so no longer do I have to pray that Yodel will not throw my box in a ditch somewhere and claim it's been delivered.

Without going into too much detail (because you can go overboard with this sub) you basically receive 7-9 full size products every month and there are 5 different categories that you can pick an item from (3 if your a seasonal sub, the other 2 will be picked for you randomly) and then you get 3 items that everyone receives in the box. Also, if you like some of the other items in the categories you can "add them on" for between $7-$15. Still with me? Ok cool, lets take a look at Autumns mammoth box.

For us UK'ers the straightener was pulled and then the teeth whitening system was pulled for everyone due to "discrepancies". I was never going to pick that anyway but seriously wanted a new straightener to replace my decade old babyliss pro 230. So I was upset that we could only choose between the scarf, yoga mat and mystery item. Seeing as how I have many yoga mats and Zara do beautiful plush scarves every winter for around £20 I went for the mystery item and boy did my gamble pay off.

Detox Night Cream // Grown Alchemist

40ml Full Size - RRP £86

I have heard so many good things about this brand and everyone on the FFF forum boards is obsessed with GA products and they pretty much hate the UK right now because they all got Murad & Kate Somerville as their mystery products and we got this GA night cream. I couldn't be happier but I won't start using this for a while as I just recently started a new jar of Origins Night-a-mins. The latter is my favourite night cream so I'm excited to see how this ridiculously priced cream stacks up against the £30 Origins one.

EDIT 07/04/2020
I've been using this on and off for about 4 months now and honestly; save your money. It's not worth it. It has a strong cologne-like scent (it reminds me of this one my uncle has been wearing for the past 25 years) and I'm convinced it causes me to break out in spots. In the morning I don't look refreshed, I look exactly the same as I did the night before.

I'm half-way through the tube now as I keep stopping and starting to let my skin calm down to really test if it's causing breakouts. I also found this brand recently in TK Maxx and this exact product was selling for £9.99 (with no actual RRP listed, just TK's 'our price'). Looking at the ingredients, there is nothing listed that should cause the extortionate price tag. They're charging La Mer prices but using Garnier ingredients. I feel this brand is like SkinChemists and 111Skin; hiking up the prices to make them appear to be a 'luxury' brand.

Once I've finished using it completely, I'll be writing a full review over on my new skincare blog where I only post once I've finished the entire product.

EDIT 11/06/2020
I have now finished the tube and have a full review here.

This was the round where I pretty much just wanted everything and it was only $10 to add-on stuff. Seeing as how I spent some $$$ in the add-on sale though I limited myself to just one extra product. 

Lunch Tote // Kate Spade

One Size - RRP £???

This is quite an old Kate Spade product and first hit the market in 2016 I believe. Right now you can't actually buy it but there are similar ones that went for £28 but again are no longer sold. I don't really care though because I love the fact that I can get lifestyle items in a box. I would never really buy something like this so it's a nice random surprise to be like "yes, I'll add this in my box". A lot of people on the forum have been complaining that it's far too small to fit any actual food in but I don't know how much they like to eat but this tote is more than big enough for lunch. It fits my Sistema lunch cube with room to spare and that can hold more than lunch...sometimes I think I put too much food in it. It's also insulated which is great for picnics.

ADD-ON

Detox Pads // NassifMD

Full Size 60 Pads - RRP £36.67 (with current conversion rates)

Throughout the entire customisation period (it lasts for around 5 days) I kept adding this on, then taking it off then adding it back on again before finally just leaving it as an add-on and I'm so happy I did because these pads are well worth $12 ($2 tax). This appears to be a brand you can't buy in the UK either so I'm happy I got a chance to try them out and I hope they turn up in an edit or add-on sale so I can buy some more. The pads are huge; about the size of your palm and so I cut them in half to maximize usage. I've only used them for a week now but my skin is looking firm and supple with less breakouts. I'm really impressed.

Originally I had both the Pure C vitamin C powder added and the Lava Magik but after some research I dropped the Pure C as apparently it only works with certain skin creams and is highly acidic. As for the earrings; my ears aren't pierced so they were an immediate pass.

Lava Magik // The Better Skin Co

60ml Full Size - RRP £26.08  (with current conversion rates)

Briefly available at Asos this is again a US only brand but has rave reviews. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting with this product. I was aware it was a face scrub but some reviewers said it felt like scrubbing your face with sandpaper. It's described as a "triple threat" though as a cleanser, scrub and mask. It comes with a fancy little applicator spoon as well to scoop it out. It's a lovely dark pink/salmon shade and has a fruity yet vanillary scent that I really love. It has very fine granules that do feel like sand but I don't find it too harsh. The scent is just so good though. Another fantastic addition.

I knew straight away what my selection would be for this round because bleh to eyeliner, towel wraps and gels.

2 in 1 Grinder // Epare

RRP £17.89 (with current conversion rates)

I love lifestyle products and I have been meaning to buy a new salt & pepper mill for ages but everytime I go in TK Maxx I get distracted by the stationary and nail products. This is a really sturdy, well made manual grinder and now I can't wait to go to TK Maxx again and buy some fancy salt and pepper to stick in it. 

For me this was the least exciting round and it took me a while to decided what to choose. I originally had the eye masks but I never use them so I made myself pick something else that I would use.

Truffle Therapy Face Toner // Skin&Co Roma

200ml Full Size - RRP £24.45 (with current conversion rates)

I got the Truffle cleansing oil in the Summer box as I picked the mystery item (the guarateed value was a lot lower last time though) so I decided to pick the matching toner for this box. I use toner everyday and it's something that gets used quickly. I do love Aromatherapy Associates but I never use those rollerball products; I always forget. This has a very light earthy scent to it but I haven't finished up my current toner yet so I don't have any views on it. Still happy with the selection though.

EDIT 07/04/2020
I now have a full review here after using the product completely. 

ITEMS EVERYONE RECEIVES

The final three items can be found in every box and they were good ones this box.

Body Souffle // Human + Kind

200ml Full Size - RRP £16.45

I've tried this body cream in a previous Birchbox and it was alright. Not the greatest scent, kind of like watermelon and grass; a bit too outdoors-y for my tastes but I go though body moisturiser like water so this is another product that will get used up quite quickly. I like these practical items as well because everyone needs body lotion.

Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair // Aveda

100ml Full Size - RRP £25

I received a 40ml version of this is a Look Fantastic box once and it left my hair feeling super soft. I always tend to buy hair products that are tailored for damaged hair as my hair needs all the moisture it can get; it absorbs moisture and leave-in product like crazy. This is a leave-in treatment and I tend to use about a walnut size on each half of my hair so this tube will last quite a while. 

Juice Cleanse Exfoliating Sugar Cubes // Harper + Ari

4oz Full Size Jar (8 cubes) - RRP £13.04 (with current conversion rates)

Holy hell these sugar cubes were made by Jesus. I'm annoyed because this is another product that is only available in the US. These beautiful cubes smell like sour fizzy apple gummy bears; it's intoxicating. You only get 8 cubes in this jar but they go a long way. I used an entire cube on my first go but you can get away with half to cover your entire body. The cubes are squishy; kinda like blue tack and then you rub them over your body in the shower. The best part is that they don't disintegrate upon immediate contact with water; it takes about a minute for them to fully dissolve allowing you to have a really good scrub. Your skin smells amazing afterwards and is super shimmery thanks to the tiny shimmer pieces. I can't get enough of these and I really hope they turn up in the box sales.

// Box Price £50 + £9.78 (for the Add-On Pads)

// 9 Full Size Items

// £245.58 Estimated Box Worth

This sub man; it's insane. I don't get how so many complain about it saying the products aren't exciting. I loved this box and yes it wasn't very "fall like" however I don't care as I got £250 of products for £50. There is no other subscription available that allows this amount of customisation than FFF and that is their real strength. The winter box will be the final box of my annual subscription (it passed so quick) and I have no hesitations about renewing. It costs £202 upfront (or well it did conversion rate wise when I subbed in Spring) for an annual UK subscription and it's so worth it. 

FabFitFun
// Seasonal // 
$49.99 per box + $10 Shipping* + $10 Tax
// Annual //
$179.99 (4 Boxes) + $40 Shipping* + $40 Tax

*UK Subs do not get charged any import tax, only VAT. 

For those wondering about shipping times, I received a shipped notification on 17th August and it was delivered on the 21st. They started shipping on the 8th August but they give themselves a month long window to ship all the boxes so the box could've been shipped anywhere between the 8th to the 7th September. 4 days is fantastic for US to the UK and I've never had to wait outside of the given time frame for my box.

Mani & Lola August 2019 // Nail Subscription Box

We round out the last of the Mani & lola summer months with an edit containing 2 neons, a soft taupe, top coat and an interesting remover. When I saw the spoiler for the box though I knew I would love it just for the fluorescent Orly shade. There's something about those green/yellow polishes that just do it for me. Both the neon shades this month feel every 80's and I'm cooking up a neon/white look.

Flip Flop Fantasy V2 // China Glaze

14ml Full Size - RRP £5.95

Collection: Poolside
Release Date: 2015

This is not the original version of FFF as I found out when googling this shade. Apparently the Poolside collection was first released in 2010 and the original was a beautiful bright coral whereas this is more of a neon orange/peach. Swatch and Learn has fantastic photos of the original if your interested. I love how tan this shade makes you look and it's hella bright but that's where the good points end for me. I wanted to love this but it has the same application as the god awful Paradise range from last summer (I swatched them here). They were all matte finishes and streaky and this no exception. The first coat looks awful, you need a minimum of two but even then it's still a little patchy in places and because it's so bright you can really tell. I think I would've preferred the original coral shade over this neon cheeto offering. Adding a nice glossy top coat helps though (the second photo), I really hate these built in matte finishes that CG keep doing.

Glowstick // Orly
18ml Full Size - RRP £9.95

Collection: Feel The Vibe
Release: 2012

I have so many emotions about this shade; I love it. I also appreciate that this is a newer version of the shade because it has the more recent brush that NailsInc use and it perfectly hugs the nail. Application was a breeze with this compared to the China Glaze polish. It does take at least 3 coats to cover streaks and reach full neon but it dries quite quickly between coats for a slight satin finish. Also, apparently this was the exact nail polish used by Queen Kim herself on one of her numerous vacations during summer 2018...I'm so late to this hot summer trend.

Rose Dust // Mavala

5ml Full Size - RRP £5.20

Collection: Grace Trio (??)
Release: 2012 ( I think)

Rounding out the nail polish is this beautiful transition into fall shades. Rose Dust is a soft rose/taupe with some slight shimmer mixed in. I'm not the biggest mavala fan however this shade is my nude. Everyone has a different 'nude' that is 'their nude'. This one is mine. It's so close to my actual skin tone. It also makes a great base for duochromes that need a base shade.

Lacquer Lock // Nails Inc

14ml Full Size - RRP £15

God damn man, this thing takes about 17 years to dry. It's always the same with these "daylight curing" top coats. They think they're being clever because gel polish is a thing. I really don't know why gel is popular, UV light causes skin cancer, they should be applying sunscreen onto someones hand every time they stick it under a lamp. Side note, I once had a conversation with a nail technician who told me their lamps were fine and didn't give out UV radiation because they were LED bulbs...I was like

But anyway, these types of top coat are all garbage unless like Kim K and Ko, you are on holiday every week in the sun where, you know, actual UV light can 'cure' the top coat. I don't know about you but we don't get much sun here in the UK and I always do my nails at night so these products are pretty much useless to me. 

Rapid Remover Pot // Nails Inc

60ml Full Size - RRP £9

I've never actually used one of these 'dipping' pots before to remove your polish but I'm intrigued by them. This one has been formulated though specifically for your toes! So you can either use this as a dip in or use the sponge built into the lid. I tried this with the Mavala shade; just 2 coats on top of my peel off base coat and it removed the the polish rapidly but struggled with the base coat. It did leave my fingers feeling dry and sticky; the strangest combination. It does smell quite nice though with the peppermint coming through strong. I'm worried about how hygenic this thing is though. After several uses all I'd be thinking about is the nasty acetone pooling at the bottom. Not my cup of tea for £9. I can buy about 4 of my 250ml Cutex bottles for that.

Also, I have to add this because I'm secretly 9 years old; removing polish from your fingers with this thing looks... suspiciously adult... 😂 

// Box Totals //

5 Items - All Full Size

Estimated Value - £45.10

// Verdict

A great box to round out the summer with and I'm hoping next month we get some burnt oranges and clay red. I'd say the only dud for me this month is the top coat as I enjoyed using everything else, even if the China Glaze shade applies like a nightmare. A part of me is toying with perhaps cancelling this sub though and seeing if I can buy similar items for £22.95...maybe I'll make a video about trying to curate my own autumn box for the same price.

Mani & Lola

Monthly - £20

3 Months - £62.85

6 Months - £113.70

12 Months - £203.40

£2.95 p&p every month