It's the end of Coca-Cola, Colin the Carrot and John Lewis Excitable Edward ads. The sausage rolls and mince pies are the last thing you want to eat. New Year's Eve is approaching, which means the month that feels the longest, January, is almost here.
January is a funny month for everyone, starting the year with resolutions and promises, reminiscing about the festivities whilst you go to work, and realizing that no-one is going out can give a hump and a slump to the mood.
We have got your back and have tried and tested the best beauty boxes to get you through January and put a spring in your step. As always the VS Editorial team tries and tests every sample that makes it through the HQ doors and these are our picks.
Natural Wellness Box, £35 bi-monthly or £37 (one-off box)
Available at naturalwellnessbox.co.uk
Natural Wellness Box is a luxe wellness, health and beauty subscription box with collections released every other month. All products featured are vegan, cruelty-free, and focus not just on beauty, but on health and wellness from the inside out.
So you can expect to find natural beauty products, but also healthy, vegan snacks, supplements, superfoods, and drinks. Each collection is themed and comes with a detailed insert with product details and information on how to take any supplements or health products.
This month's box is themed The Retreat Collection and comes with over £95 worth of goodies. These include a Detox Bath Soak from Wild Source Apothecary which is a beautiful glass bottle of bath crystals to elevate your bathing rituals. A Bloomtown UK Botanical Wax Candle in a rose garden fragrance. One of our favorites, and possibly the item we all need in the winter months, is the Better You Vegan Vitamin D spray. With fewer daylight hours we lack in this during the winter months as 90% of our intake is from the sun. This is a plant-based Vit D and Coconut oil to help maintain healthy bones, your immune system and for those with Acne, this is a gamechanger due to its anti-inflammatory response.
This box was definitely one of our favorites!
Cohorted Beauty, £39.99 per month or available as a one-off purchase for £50.00
Available at cohorted.co.uk
Cohorted is the UK’s no.1 luxury beauty box provider. Targeting the aspirational customer, their exclusive monthly Beauty Box provides a distinct platform to connecting you to premium brands in a unique and memorable way.
Within the beauty box is a luxury magazine, Agent Provocateur Fatale EDP, a leaf green nail polish courtesy of Nailsinc and a mascara. Editorial team favorites include the 9G Oh My Gorg Artistry eyeshadow palette by Morphe, the Jorgobe Obe scrub mask which has an RRP of £26, and the Argentum La Lotion Infinie, which is available individually for an RRP of £84. This box is luxury and is the perfect accompaniment for any avid beauty bae. The total box value is £171 which is a steal considering the lux products included.
Birchbox, £10 a month including shipping
Available at birchbox.co.uk
Birchbox is the UK's number 1 beauty box subscription service, and it all started in 2010, making it one of the first. The December box was reviewed and included full-size samples of leading products. Our favorites include the Daily Concepts Multi-functional soap sponge in mother of pearl and Polaar Creme Lissant which actually has an RRP of £15 which is more than the subscription itself! The box also features the ever-popular Rituals Nurturing Shower Oil and most importantly comes in a beautiful suede detailed makeup bag. The value of the bag is over £50 and that isn't even including the sweet treats from Candy Kittens or the stylish makeup bag. For those not ready to leap into an expensive subscription service but after quality full-size products, Birchbox is the perfect solution.
Deck of Scarlett, £23 per month
Available at deckofscarlet.com
If you are after a new makeup look every month then Deck of Scarlet may be perfect for you. Every month DOS releases a limited edition kit for subscribers to enhance their current makeup collection. Each set is specific to the month and includes cruelty-free full-size products. This month's box includes a liquid matte red lipstick, eyelashes and a lip liner worth over £35. The products form part of the Makeup Rouge Rebel Anniversary Kit and are truly unique hyperpigmented products.
Latest in Beauty, from £9-£18 per month
Available at latestinbeauty.com
For those not wanting surprises in a beauty box, Latest in Beauty (LIB) may be the perfect choice for you. LIB is a discovery platform with over 380,000 female members. On the site, you have the option to choose from a vast range of products each month by building your own box (BYOB). The membership starts from £9-£18 per month which entitles you to choose 3,6 or 9 products. The VS Editorial team chose 6 products at £15. The build your own box feature allows you to customise a box with products YOU WANT.
In our box, we selected 6 products at an RRP value of over £75. The biggest steal was the Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist with a retail price of £49. Perfect for the winter and obviously a scent great for a refresh in between travel. More steals include the Context Skin Micro-derm regenerator, which left the skin feeling fresh and rejuvenated and a home essential in the form of the Aromatherapy Eye Gels by Patchology, to rid those postseason dark circles.
FabFitFun Winter Box, £50 per season
Available at Fabfitfun.com
Fab Fit Fun has always been a favourite for our American friends, however, the box is now available in the UK and the winter box is packed with goodies perfect to get you through those chilly months. The box sent to the Editorial team had a value of over £150. VS favourites include the comfy slippers and super soft faux fur blanket by Un-Hide, perfect for those cold evenings in front of Netflix. Another amazement was the Frank Body Original Coffee Scrub. This delicious combo of robusta coffee grounds, vitamin E, sea salt, and sweet almond oil, exfoliates and leaves your skin feeling hydrated and softer than ever.
The Winter Box celebrates the “Breaths In Between” this holiday season and has all the essentials you need to survive the cold. The box selection provides customizable options from some of the most sought-after brands, so there is something for everyone!