Beauty Heroes X Beauty Counter: The February 2016 Box; The Box of Love

I doubt it will be heavily disputed when I say that Beauty Heroes has to be one of the greatest beauty subscription boxes of all time. Focusing on greener, healthier and safer cosmetics, their monthly brand focus have been continued success after continued success. For February, we're introduced to the safer, cleaner and toxin-free brand BeautyCounter. As you can see from their comprehensive Ingredients Glossary, BeautyCounter believe in transparency, using only the safest ingredients in a vow to combat the US's current inadequate regulations. 

The hero product in this month's Beauty Heroes is the BeautyCounter Lustro Rose Neroli Body Oil (unfortunately this link takes you to the Rosemary + Citrus Body Oil because I can't seem to find the Rose Neroli anywhere). This golden oil somehow proves to be both rich and thick, while simultaneously fluid and absorbent. This nourishing blend of natural and organic oils is deeply moisturising, improving skin's condition and providing a divine glow. My skin feels smoother and silkier after application, giving me an all-too-delightful suppleness without the oily residue.

This nutrient-rich premium oil instantly hydrates my skin, making my body both feel and appear firmer. The glow it provides, complemented by the slight sheen, makes my skin truly luminous. My body feels liberated when wearing the BeautyCounter Lustro Rose Neroli Body Oil, perfectly conditioned and with optimum hydration. 

The sidekick in this month's box is BeautyCounter Lip Sheer in Petal. Unlike traditional lipsticks, this product provides subtle colour while conditioning and moisturising your lips. The rich creaminess of the sheer lipstick hydrates my lips, protecting them in a silky smooth layer of colour. I love how nourishing this product feels, my lips truly revel in it.

The soft petal tone is a perfectly delicate shade of pink. It's both subtle and strong, giving lips a definite colour without being overpowering. The Lip Sheer has real staying power, helping to keep my lips colourful and moisturised. Containing Vanilla Fruit Extract, the Lip Sheer has an aroma that really is good enough to eat. I feel super delicious when wearing this lovely product.

You can subscribe to Beauty Heroes here from $39.00 a month plus a $18.95 international shipping fee. You may also face customs charges upon delivery. Depending on the current exchange rate, it will cost you upwards of £40.00, billed monthly.

BeautyCounter Lustro Rose Neroli Body Oil is priced at $73.00 / 80ML and the BeautyCounter Lip Sheer in Petal is $30.00 / 3.4G, making that a total value of $103.00 (~£71.00).

The Body Shop: All-in-One™ Instablur™ Universal

For make-up wearers, primers have become an essential part to face/base application. Understandably. Primers can prep the face for easier application, hold make-up for longer, blur pores and, what I would consider most important of all, control oil. The Body Shop: All-in-One™ Instablur™ Universal is a dream come true for oil control. It is not, however, a dream come true in any other department.

This is a product you will need to learn to use, persevere with, fail with, get frustrated with and then and only then, finally have mattified skin which honestly does match that 12 hour promise. You read right. 12 hours. This product controls my oil production for an entire half day cycle - maybe longer, but who can ever try? 

When you first squeeze this product out of the tube, you will be greeted by a somewhat sticky, yet fairly crumbly, translucent balm. It will fall out into your palm or your sponge in 'chunks', with a consistency that isn't quite strong enough to hold together. However you apply this product, with your fingertips or with a tool, it will fall off. It's just completely unmanageable. I use my fingertips. I take a very small piece between my index finger and thumb and begin to massage it onto my skin, moving outwards from the nose. Using my other hand, I cup this underneath my face to catch any product that falls off, and their will be product that falls off. I then repeat this process until my entire face is covered by the balm. 

If you think the horrors stop there, think again...

During the first hour after application, if you touch or move your face in any way and disturb the product, it will become unsettled on your face, returning to its original balmy form. It almost makes you appear as though you have dry, flaky skin. I do, however, have a solution for this (though that doesn't make me any happy with this product's performance). After about 20 minutes of having this product on my face, I simply brush my fingertips very quickly over my skin. I'm talking seriously light here. It seems to take away any of that excess or build-up and prevent it from clumping on your face.

So why do I even rate this? Well, it's the results. Its ability to keep me shine-free is unmatched. It lasts all day long so I don't need to worry about my face, not once. I've become far more confident and relaxed. It's a really light balm that you won't feel it on your face, nor see on your face, and one tube lasts an absolute age. You really only need 1-2 pea sized amounts of this product to cover your entire face and you'll be laughing. 

I've been through tubes and tubes of this stuff and I won't be stopping any time soon, as it is absolutely an essential.

The Body Shop: All-in-One™ Instablur™ Universal can be purchased from The Body Shop for £14.00 / 25ML. For first time The Body Shop users, make sure to check online for any discounts/offers they are currently running as they are always, always running.