Look Fantastic October- Cosmic Beauty Edit

The beginning of a new month always brings lots of excitement, new opportunities and new challenges. It also brings the latest edits of subscription boxes.

Look Fantastic is one of the first ones to arrive each month (I regularly review boxes over at Boxession too- check us out on there!). This month, there was a slight issue as my order was refunded and swiftly taken back out again due to a system error, meaning my box was a little later than usual. I did find it slightly annoying that Look Fantastic didn’t send out an email or social media post to inform us about this, I had to contact customer service to find out. They did send an email a day or two later but by this point, most people had already contacted customer service and found out anyway.

The outer box itself is always gorgeous, one of my favourite things about this box actually, and this month is my favourite shade of purple.

As always, on opening, there was their Beauty Box magazine, which has lots of beauty hints, tips and tricks inside and a copy of Elle magazine too. I am not a big fan of this magazine, but I do like that it is included in the box as it sets it apart from others out there, and the magazine itself is worth a few quid, so I can’t complain. I usually flick through it and then donate it to my local doctor/hospital waiting room for patients to flick through too.

The products inside this month really did not excite me at all- I caught an unboxing video a day or two before it came and wished I hadn’t, as I really wasn’t looking forward to it arriving after that! Of course, this is just my opinion and I know a lot of the ladies on the Boxession group loved their boxes this month- each to their own! I have had much better boxes than this from Look Fantastic, they used to be THE box to beat but in recent months I cannot help but feel as if they have gone downhill slightly.

The products then, were as follows:

The first item was an Angled Blending Brush by Look Good Feel Better (RRP £6.99). Straight away, I clocked on the packaging that this is cruelty free and vegan, with the PETA approved logo on (although I don’t trust a word PETA say, which is a story for another day maybe!). This helps you to create eyeshadow looks that are blended to perfection. It has an angled, flat head and can be used for a diffused makeup look, or to blend out a more intense finish. I like a good make up brush, even more so one that will help me to create eye looks. I have made it my mission to get more creative with my eyes, as I feel they are my best facial feature. It is cruelty free, so I will use it and it feels like it is decent quality for the price too.

The second item was the spoiler for last month (they always put a spoiler in the Beauty Box magazine to get you hyped up)- Oh K! Chok Chok Holographic Face Mask (RRP £10.00). You can give your skin a futuristic facial with this sheet mask containing Hyaluronic Acid, a supercharged dose of brightening Citrus Oils and skin boosting Ascorbic Acid to leave your complexion bright and dewy. You put this on the skin and leave for 15 minutes. I love a sheet mask, and I review them regularly over at Boxession. You can just put them on and get on with your day until it is time to take them off. You then pat the remaining serum into your skin and finish off with your regular moisturiser or skin care routine. They are also cruelty free, so a guilt free facial for me!

The third item is one that I won’t be using- EOS Lip Balm (RRP £6.50). They are unfortunately not cruelty free, which is a shame as I love the design and the idea behind these. They are said to deeply hydrate the lips with a cocktail of nourishing and protective ingredients whilst also delivering a subtle tint of shimmer. Ingredients include Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil and Vitamin E to restore moisture to the lips. It really is a shame that EOS aren’t cruelty free- this will be given a home elsewhere and maybe one day they will make the change!

The fourth item is one where you weren’t sure which one you would get, as there were 3 possible outcomes. I received TheBalm Cosmetics Foiled Again Eyeshadow in the shade ‘Red Handed’ (RRP £8.00). The other options were another eyeshadow in the shade ‘Mary Lou Manizer’ or a Multi-Purpose powder in the shade ‘Take it for Granite’. The first thing to mention is that this brand is cruelty free- yay! The packaging on these is very vintage and cute, I do quite like them. They are intensely pigmented, buttery soft and help you to create an extra-terrestrial look.

The fifth item is one that I am really not overjoyed about- Lapland Handcream by Polaar (RRP £9.90). I am really fed up of getting handcreams in boxes- I have so many now and I only use one at a time as I don’t like to waste products, so I always finish one before going on to the next. I realise they are a nice item and an essential, but I literally have about 12 on my dresser! I also cannot find any information on Polaar’s cruelty free status, so this will be given a home elsewhere, as I won’t use a brand until I know it is cruelty free. This is inspired by the historic rituals of the women of Lapland and is rich in Arctic Berries to envelope hands in moisture to save them from the chill of autumn.

The final item was another that didn’t excite me- Mini Detangler Brush by Wet Brush (RRP £7.99). I can see the benefits of this and understand how useful it would be to those in a rush, as it is the ultimate time saving tool, which allows you to effortlessly detangle wet or dry hair without breakage or stretching. It also has a none slip handle and is ergonomically designed to be used on the go on all hair types and lengths. But I have curly hair and I don’t use brushes- I use a comb! I do have a tangle teaser for those stubborn knots that the comb can’t get out, but I just can’t get excited over a hairbrush. It is cute though, and was a nice pink colour.

So my verdict is mixed. I can see how the products would be useful, and 3 of them are items that I am going to use. I can also see that the RRP of the products is much more than the £13 per month that I currently pay for this subscription (I am tied in until March, as I signed up for 12 months), so in that way, I can’t complain. But when you buy these boxes, you buy them because you want a treat, and this just doesn’t feel like a treat to me. They used to be so good, I remember when I signed up a couple of years ago, they were THE box to beat. I feel they have gone downhill recently, which is such a shame as I used to really look forward to this box landing. I have a few months of this subscription left and I don’t think I will be renewing. I am curious to see what the next couple of boxes are going to be like before my subscription runs out though, and I have ordered the advent calendar, which I will be reviewing for you here too.