I tried Lookfantastic's beauty egg worth £206 and have found my new favourites
Easter is seen as a time for reflection, for lent, for family but, let's face it, it's also a national holiday that is celebrated with an abundance of giant chocolate eggs. But for those of us who aren't as swayed by chocolate - or who physically can't digest it (all my lactose intolerant girls and guys, I see you) - but still want to be involved in egg-themed tradition, beauty retailer Lookfantastic has released its much-anticipated beauty egg, which has sold out before Easter in the last seven (!!) years. And I managed to get my hands on one and it's so much better than a stash of chocolate.
Containing over £200 worth of luxurious beauty products - £206 to be precise - the beauty egg costs three and a half times less than the total amount of the products inside, which means beauty fans can save themselves a bunch of money whilst stocking up on their favourite products for just £60.
READ MORE: I put this LED Face Mask to the test and my friends were convinced I'd had Botox
READ MORE: I tried Lookfantastic's £15 beauty subscription service and found my new favourite moisturiser
Before I get into the nitty gritty, let me explain why it's such a bargain. The egg comes with seven products inside with a mix of full size and deluxe sizes. And while it has two items less than last year's egg, there are two lush ones from epic brands that cost £54 and £55 respectively (which is £10 more than its most expensive product last year, according to beauty writer Bethan Shufflebotham) - the ELEMIS Superfood Facial Oil and Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye 6.
Kate Middleton swears by £19.99 rosehip oil that helps 'reduce wrinkles & scars'
So, is it worth it?
I'd say COMPLETELY.
The box is so beautifully bright (Eve Rowlands)
How cool is this box? (Eve Rowlands)The egg arrived in the most gorgeous, brightly packaged box that screams 'summer is coming' - a bright tangerine and hot pink that opens up on either side to reveal the orange and golden egg. What's great is you can take out the cardboard parts that prop up the egg and keep it as a pretty swanky present box for someone else. I'm going to use it as a storage box for my make-up in my spare room because it matches the decor PERFECTLY.
The egg itself is pretty secure and (ashamedly) I found it relatively difficult to get into but once I was in I was met with an explosion of pink shredded padding which cushioned all the lovely products inside.
The egg contains over £200 worth of gorgeous products (Eve Rowlands)The first product I was excited about trying out was the Caudalie Beauty Elixir, worth £15 - it was mid-afternoon when the box arrived and my face was in dire need of a refresh. The iconic multi-use face mist is super easy to use - just pump one spritz on your face and one on your decolletage - and shortly after one spray my skin began to feel hydrated, tight and awake (the puff of cool-mist also helps with that).
With a combination of natural ingredients inside - like green grape, orange blossom and essential oils like peppermint, rose, rosemary and lemon balm - the mist smelt absolutely divine. I felt like I had traipsed into a spa and after a few minutes, I could feel it was working as my skin felt a little tingly (although that soon faded). The result was a lovely, dewy complexion. While it can also be doubled-up as a make-up setting spray, I'm yet to try it out as such as the egg also comes with a gorgeous coconut-vanilla scented setting spray from Anastasia Beverly Hills, which was lush.
I've been using this Dewy Set product (£26) to finish my make up although it's a lovely mist for helping prep the skin for a makeover or to just give you a bit of a boost too. Using it in a T and X formation, it left my skin looking hydrated and smooth and a little glowy (and with no sparkle, which some sprays like this can leave!).
What's nice about this product is its sensitive on my skin too and actually keeps my make up in tact for hours on end - a winner!
This face oil costs just under what the entire egg is worth (Eve Rowlands)Continuing on the skin theme, one of the egg's bargain products is this Elemis Superfood Facial Oil, which retails on Elemis' website for £54. First thing I noticed was the strong - but lovely - essential oil smell that, like the Caudalie Beauty Elixir, envelopes your senses in a spa-like haven.
Its scent is understandable though as it's made up of a blend of nine Superfood Oils including Broccoli, Rosehip, Flaxseed and Daikon Radish that help nourish the skin to plump, smooth, enhance and luminate. And I must say I was impressed. It didn't leave my skin looking greasy, like I thought it would. Instead it looked radiant, luminous and felt so hydrated. Having read the reviews that stated this product made them 'look younger', I'm excited to see what regular use of this product will do to my complexion - I have high hopes.
Beauty fans 'love' £11 serum that gets rid of skin blemishes and acne overnight
Look at that creamy whipped moisturiser?! (Eve Rowlands)The next product I fell in love with was Sol De Janeiro's Delícia Drench Body Butter. Having heard all about the viral Brazilian Bum Bum Cream from Sol de Janeiro (a product that was included in last year's egg), I was buzzing to receive a small pot of the brand's sister product (which retails at £10 for this size) - it did not disappoint and is potentially one of my favourite products from this beauty haul.
As soon as I opened the 25ml tub, I was bowled over by the DELICIOUS smell inside. I could certainly decipher the vanilla and plum notes of the brand's Cheirosa 59 fragrance and sat for a good few minutes simply sniffing the tub before I broke the clean film on top and rubbed the velvety cream into my skin, focusing on the dry areas first.
I see the hype.
Not only did my skin feel silky smooth, even on my rougher patches pretty much immediately - thanks to the hydrating heros of hyaluronic acid, bacuri butter, hibiscus and Sol De Janeiro's Brazilian Soothing Complex - but the smell was long-lasting and only left my skin once I'd showered.
It's definitely going to be a precious product I'll have to use sparingly, so as not to run out within the week.
This mascara from Iconic London features a flexi-wand that's curved (Eve Rowlands)
One eye is has no mascara, one has Iconic London's Enrich and Elevate Mascara (Eve Rowlands)As a fan of Iconic London's mascaras, I was excited to receive the brand's Enrich and Elevate Mascara in black in the egg, which is usually worth £22. With a curved flexi-wand - as opposed to Triple Threat's straighter wand - I liked how on just one application, my lashes looked fuller, more dramatic and had a nice curl to them. After a second coat, the mascara didn't clump - like many I've tried - nor did it overpower my lashes and leave me looking like a bit of a raccoon. They were fluttery and feathered out nicely - and, most importantly for me, naturally. The mascara also felt really nice and light on my eyes, which - as a contact lense wearer - is quite vital.
What's great is that after wearing the mascara for a day, my lashes didn't look drooped or deflated after eight hours and the mascara came off relatively easily with a swipe of make up remover. I can see it being my go-to when I was a softer, more natural look.
As a full sized product - and coming in over £20 - this mascara's not exactly cheap so the LookFantastic beauty egg is a really cost effective way to try out luxury brands at a more affordable price.
I'm excited to see what the results of using this more will be (Eve Rowlands)The hair product inside the egg, the Philip Kingsley Elasti-Styler 5-in-1 Treatment, is one I'm excited to see more results from the more I use it. With relatively short hair (I have a bob), the leave-in hair mask gave a nice shine and bounce to my hair but didn't control as many flyaways as I was hoping nor did I feel a game-changing weightlessness from the formula's babassu and olive oils that are meant to nourish it with antioxidants and moisture - although that may come with time.
While the hair treatment also stating it promotes "stronger looking lengths", I may have to report back when my hair has grown a bit as there isn't much 'length' to contend with, but I've got high hopes.
One thing I'm yet to try is the Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye cream (£55) in the strength 6 however, but with such incredible reviews that hail it for helping bags under the eyes, brightening them and for giving its users fewer wrinkles (although, at almost 30, I'm pleased to report I don't have too many) in just a few weeks and a 4.8 star rating, I'm looking forward to giving it a try.
If you're a beauty fan and want to have a bit of a treat this Easter, I'd highly recommend sending this to your other half, parents or friends (if you've a birthday around the same time...) as a hint. It's a brilliant way to try out and stock up on some gorgeous beauty products that you may not usually get to try whilst saving money. I mean, one product costs almost the same as the entire egg. If that's not a saving, I don't know what is.
But we'd recommend being quick because, if this egg is anything like last year's, we're predicting it'll sell out ahead of Easter.
If it does, fear not as there are a number of alternatives that'll get you your beauty fix this March, including Glossybox's own lovely version, which contains he likes of elf, Elemis, Bondi Sands and more and is worth over £167 - and it'll only cost you £40.
But if Lookfantastic's Easter Beauty Egg 2024 is calling your name, get your hands on it here before it sells out.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
