LookFantastic October 2015 Christmas Beauty Box 1 Review

From October to December, LookFantastic is releasing a trilogy of Christmas-special beauty boxes with three special designs. Naturally, you would expect the box to rock.
For those who came in late, LookFantastic is a UK-based beauty subscription that ships worldwide. The focus is on skincare and hair care, but the brands they send out are not usually drugstore, but of really good quality, and generally UK- and EU-based. Boxes cost £15 a month, but an annual sub will cost just £11 a month on an average, while the Christmas trio comes at £13 each.
The October 2015 #LFBeautyBox features a white and gold design. The next two boxes will also feature similar Holiday-themed designs.

Scroll down for the contents of my LookFantastic Beauty Box for October 2015.

I received:

1. Look Good Feel Better Eye Shading Brush
2. Nuxe Hand and Nail Cream
3. Monu Firming Moisturiser
4. Elemis Hydra-Balance Day Cream
5. Percy & Reed No Oil Oil
6. Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser
7. Balance Me Radiance Face Mask

Look Good Feel Better Eye Shading Brush

Recently, I reviewed a set of these lovely, affordable brushes - see here. Look Good Feel Better supports women and teens with cancer by helping alleviate visible side-effects and thereby increasing their confidence. October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, no wonder that LookFantastic included one of these. The brush head is a little squashed by all the other products in the box, so  I have put it in a brush guard for recovery.

Nuxe Hand and Nail Cream

I am a huge fan of French natural luxury skincare brand Nuxe, and their hand cream smells lovely. This 15ml tube is already in my handbag for keeping my hands soft during the day.

Monu Firming Moisturiser

Four years of continuous benzoyl peroxide use has left my skin in bad, bad shape. I have discontinued acne treatment - apart from Cellnique - only since September 2015. I have been wanting to try the Monu and Renu (IT EXISTS!) skincare range for a while now and this looks promising for my ravaged skin. It contains marine collagen and my acne scars could do with some!

Elemis Hydra-Balance Day Cream

I love Elemis products and have tried their mask and illuminating cream. Now that the weather is dry and my post-acne-treatment skin is flaky, I will be using this beneath my makeup.

Percy & Reed Voluminising No Oil Oil

This is the product I am most excited about. A non-greasy hair oil with violet extract and Vitamin B5, this promises nourishment and volume and smooth, frizz-free hair, and is supposed to be applied on washed, towel-dried hair. I am now using Phytokeratin post-wash, but once that is done, I will start on this and hopefully get the same glossy, frizz-free locks you lovely ladies have. 

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser

I am currently using another sample of this and really like it. Despite being exfoliating, it is very gentle and non-abrasive and makes my face glow after each use. Good to have another tube before I have to repurchase.

Balance Me Radiance Face Mask

I won't ever say no to makeup brushes and face masks in beauty boxes! I have now gone from a-mask-a-week to bi-weekly pampering sessions, to help my skin recover, so this will be used over the weekend. So far, I have liked all the Balance Me products I have tried.

Verdict and where to buy

This month, I have certainly struck lucky with all beauty boxes in that I did not receive a single pencil liner or a hair spray. Long may the trend last!
I should have liked to see more makeup in these Christmas-special boxes, but we all know the #LFBeautyBox's USP is skincare. Now that dry weather is here and I am trying to restore some moisture to my acne-treatment-ravaged skin, I can definitely use everything I got.
I am happy to get a makeup brush in this box. Plus, this box has Monu, Elemis, Murad and Nuxe.
However, I would ask for more makeup. Mascara. Liquid eyeliner. Lippies! Bronzer. Primer. On the other hand, I would rather get a great brush and some awesome brands than, say, bright pink blush or pastel eyeshadow. I stopped subbing to a makeup-only beauty bag because I kept getting bright pink blushes and highlighters alone.
I cannot wait for the next box! You can get your own LFBeautyBox(es) here. Get the October beauty box alone here. Meanwhile, the LookFantastic Advent Calendar ships out on November 1 - yes, I've bought it, the big sucker. It is supposed to contain what Vogue describes as "the greatest cleanser ever". I also expect the amazing Nuxe dry oil. You can get your #LFAdventCalendar here. Don't blame me if it sells out soon!

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