My first beauty box swap featuring makeup, skin care and other goodies

Last month, the lovely Elle May had asked if I wanted to do a beauty box swap with her. I was apprehensive about the postal services. But I was so excited about it nonetheless.
Elle and I had agreed on a budget of £25 excluding postage, though we did include some gifts in our respective boxes :D We discussed likes, dislikes and allergies and had such fun over quite a few emails. Elle got the box I sent her safe and sound. Her parcel to me arrived on Saturday and I was so thrilled, I almost opened it then and there before realising I needed to take photographs.

 

I'm going to keep these stamps as they are, because this is so pretty, much nicer than gift-wrapping, and, yes, I am a stamp collecting nerd. Happy? Look at the pattern of the green stamps! Postage costs have been terrible for both of us, though :( But at least the boxes reached without pilferage.

Elle had packed everything in a Glossybox which looks so classy, and I'm definitely hanging on to this box for storing make-up brushes or something.

*Wolf-whistle alert*

First up was this No 7 Ballerina Spring bag, which I L.O.V.E. I adore No 7 and would pick up something on a weekly (at least) basis from Boots on Park Street when I lived in Bristol. The bag contains:

An eyeshadow in a pretty, shimmery pale, pale pink
An Extreme Length mini mascara
A sample of Protect & Perfect day cream
A full-size lipstick in Mulberry.
The Mulberry lippy I love - it reminds me of Shiny Conker, which was my HG lipstick from No 7 during the Bristolian days. When I left, I brought back around a dozen and still have two left! Mulberry lasts a lot longer than Shiny Conker ever did, though! Here are heavy and light swatches of Mulberry and the eyeshadow, which doesn't seem to have a shade name.

   

I then saw a lovely bag from Sanctuary - containing a bath travel trio, including a bubble bath, a scrub and a body lotion. The contents smell heavenly and are responsible for the scent from the whole box.

I had specifically asked Elle for the MUA Glitterball palette, and there it was! I've swatched it quickly and it is my favourite MUA palette so far. Just Heaven and Earth more and I'll be done with MUA palettes :P She also sent me a MUA black eyeliner that produces the finest line of all my liners.

I had also said I prefer bronzers over blushes, and Elle sent me two bronzers - one from MUA and one from Collection 2000. Both were mosaic bronzers - sadly, the Collection 2000 bronzer didn't survive the journey and crumbled to a fine powder and spilt in the box, though I adore the swatch (heavy and blended).

And then, Elle had included four bangles, a pewter charm of the Cornish Piskey, which is a very cute pixie that brings you luck, and a cute sticker that has already found its way to my wardrobe door.

Anyway, I realise that I forgot to take pictures of the items I got Elle before I sent her the box, I only took pics of my paranoid packaging. You can see it on her blog.

It has been absolute fun swapping, and shopping for Elle, packing up, then getting your box and opening everything and being surprised by lovely products from another country while you have fun picking yours for a friend. I recommend box swapping to all bloggers/beauty junkies who haven't tried one yet!
I must also add - Elle had recently written in her blog that it doesn't matter how you become friends, online or offline, what matters is what kind of friends you become. I couldn't agree more!
P.S. Opinions sought as to whether the new layout is overkill.
Three days left to enter my international giveaway.