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Latest in Beauty has quickly become the place to highlight brands that are doing it right and the Balance collection box is the perfect example. Championing the brands that are making a positive impact - Balance puts the spotlight on the industry's top brands that are making a statement, whether it's down to formulation, innovation, sustainability or packaging.
The box features sixteen fabulous brands and their hero products each with their own unique selling point. In the words of the Balance editor Sophie, they all have one thing in common: a drive to show that progress is possible.
The box features a whole host of brands I'm sure many of us all know and love such as REN Skincare, Murad and Glamglow as well those that are really starting to make their mark on the beauty industry. With much more time on my hands in recent weeks, I've really enjoyed having the Latest in Beauty X Balance box at my disposable, its allowed me to dedicate a little more time to try each product.
The Love Beauty and Planet shower gels are my favourite things to pick up in my Sainsbury shop. They're great value, come in a range of delicious scents and feel gorgeous against skin. The Tropical Hydration Shower Gel is one I haven't tried before but it's a version I'll definitely keep an eye out for. The nourishing gel is infused with virgin coconut oil and ylang ylang to really help wake you up in the morning. If a tropical injection isn't your thing, the shea butter and sandalwood shower gel is just as fab!
The Nuxe Reve de Miel Body Scrub (£19.50) was another new addition to my shower. The blend of honey, sugar crystals and oils help gently exfoliate and nourish the skin. I wasn't a big fan of this - it wasn't scrubby enough for me and it felt slightly tacky. It smelt amazing but that's my only plus point to this. The Murad Essential C Cleanser (£30.00) is fab for waking up your skin. The antioxidant-rich cleanser helps rejuvenate your skin leaving it super clean. The cleanser comes in a travel size if you want to try it before committing to a full-size tube too!
If you've heard of Davines before, you'll know how lovely their products are. The brand originates in Parma, Italy and they're renowned for their original and sustainable hair care. The Momo Moisturising Conditioner (£18.60) is the nourishing conditioner you need for hair and it smells bloody fabulous too. It left my hair super soft, manageable and just happier - it was a total game-changer and now I have to try more!
Next up we have some skincare pieces that are set to give you the best damn skin in quarantine - well almost, I didn't really like the Glamglow Superserum (£48.00) unfortunately. The skin-plumping serum just didn't do it for me, it felt a little tacky on my skin so anything put on top of it didn't sit well at all. I did however like bareMinerals Skinlongevity Serum (£48.00) which made my skin glow! The hydrating serum helps reveal smoother, more radiant and younger-looking skin - it's a bit pricey but after a weeks use, I feel totally worth it.
Jurlique is a brand I've loved and used for years and the release of the Nutri Define range has been something I've been really looking forward to. I have a whole other post coming with a focus on the range but for now, I've been trying the Nutri-Define Restorative Rich Cream (£75.00). The rich cream helps increase collagen production to tackle the signs of ageing while delivering immediate relief to dry skin. It's such a beautiful range, I find the rich cream a tad too heavy but the Nutri-Define Restorative Light Cream (£75.00) is perfect for me which I also have.
Tropic Skincare is another brand I've used on and off over the last few years, I really love their cleanser but I'm yet to try any of their oils until now. The Super Greens Nutrient Boost Oil (£42.00) is a shot of healthy greens for your skin packed with vitamins and nutrients to help fight the effects of everyday pollution - it's great for calming redness too. I'm not a huge fan of the smell but I can let that slide as it really does calm redness which is something I've been suffering with recently.
You'll find a pack of Patchology Chill Mode Eye Gels (£3.00) inside the Balance box too! I've been using these since last year and really love them. The Chill Mode eye gels weren't my favourite but there are lots to choose from such as Happy Place, Perk Up and Down Time (my faves!) if you fancy trying some!
REN Skincare are my skincare favourites, I use a lot of their products but have yet to try anything from their suncare range. The REN Clean Screen Mineral SPF 30 (£30.00) is a mattifying sunscreen that protects against UVA/UVB rays as well as providing protection against blue light. It’s gentle on even the most sensitive skin types and absorbs in a flash without leaving behind a sticky residue which is a big pet hate of mine when it comes to facial sunscreen.
To help keep you looking radiant, there's a little something from Kiehl's which aims to brighten and energise the look of dull skin. The Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque (£36.00) is known as an instant facial as the invigorating formula helps skin regain its natural, healthy appearance. I've used this a couple of times this month and really liked it, it smells incredible and my skin laps it up!
Hydration and nourishment seems to be a real focus for the Balance box and that reflects perfectly in the three following products. Dr Botanicals Hemp Infused Natural Moisturiser (£22.00) helps protect, nourish and hydrate skin thanks to its formulation of hemp seed oil, it's saving my hands at the moment! Weleda Wild Rose Body Oil (£25.95) features with their best-selling oil that soaks into the skin leaving it silky soft, I swore by this and the Stretch Mark Oil (£18.95) while I was pregnant. The Botanics Organic Hydrating Eye Cream (£11.49) is the eye superhero you all need - I've used a number of tubes over the years and this fast-absorbing eye cream hydrates so well. It's such a fab product for a snip of the cost of others that do the same job.
We can't forget our hands and feet, can we?
Nursem has the answer to all your dry hand worries with the Caring Hand Cream (£9.99). The non-greasy, fast-drying formula soothes, hydrates and protects hands leaving them soft and supple. The best bit? For every product sold - a month's worth of free hand cream is given to a nurse or midwife.
Lastly, we have Prismologie Sapphire & Oud Relaxing Foot Cream (£28.00) which smells unbelievable, that wave of oud really makes this unique. The cream is a game-changer too as it deeply nourishes and relieves tired, heavy feet - ideal for getting ready for sandal weather.
The Latest in Beauty X Balance beauty box is available to buy now direct from LIB. The box retails at £30.00 with a value of £120! It's a complete steal and the perfect way to while away some time at home.
