Hey hey guys! This year I’m bringing you my first Christmas Guide for those who are looking for a bit of inspo come pay day in a couple of days and what better way to start off than with good old subscription box?
Now I’m a big fan of subscription boxes as gifts as not only do you get a variety of different products to try out, but also it’s the gift that keeps on giving month after month (until you decide to stop obvs) and so if you find yourself at your wits’ end trying to decide what to get someone who’s a massive fan of beauty products, Cohorted may be for you!
I was recommended the Cohorted* subscription box by the lovely Bethany from Arched Eyebrow and essentially, it is a beauty box that comes filled with luxury makeup and skincare items. At £35 a pop it is on the pricier side of the subscription box wagon, however if you bare in mind that the combined worth of the boxes per month comes to around £100+, it kind of puts it in perspective. Let’s take a look at what is inside this month’s box:
- Cargo Around the World Eyeshadow palette, worth £35.00
- Dr PawPaw Original Balm, worth £6.95
- Evolve Beauty Hyaluronic Serum, worth £28.00
- Vita Liberata Night Balm, worth £35
Although on the booklet it states that is it a total of £98.95, my box comes up to a combined worth of £104.95! The box comes complete with a glossy booklet containing information of the products received as well as some discount offers from brands.
First up we have Dr PawPaw’s Original Balm. At £6.95 it may not necessarily scream *luxe*, but then again being luxe is all about the quality and this little balm doesn’t disappoint. It’s a multi-purpose balm that is suitable for skin, hair, nails and lips and its main ingredient is, you guessed it, fermented pawpaw, which derives from the Papaya plant. The balm also has healing properties and can be used to treat skin burns and skin irritations. So far I’ve only really used it on my lips and I can say that it’s long-lasting, while at the same time giving a lovely glossy finish. I’d be interested to see how this works on other parts of the body.
Next up is the Evolve Beauty Hyaluronic Serum 200. Now hyaluronic serums are normally more suitable for those with normal to dry skin as it’s intensely hydrating, however I tend to use it every now and again on my combination skin during the colder months or in the evening. My skin tends to react positively to this formula so I normally never have any qualms with it. The Evolve serum is 99.30% natural and 24% organic which is brilliant, and is delicately scented with organic rosewater. Cannot wait to start using this!
Vita Liberata’s Night Balm is next, which surprised me as I didn’t know that the popular fake tan brand had launched into skincare. The product is described as a ‘luxury night balm for the face’ and promises an intense revitalising skin treatment to help fight the signs of aging. I took a quick look at the ingredients however and a couple of things worry me; the high amount of shea and cocoa butter included. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my nut butters for the body however it is a very well known fact that cocoa and shea butter should absolutely never be put on the face as are are exceptionally dense and heavy ingredients that can easily clog pores. Obviously this varies from person to person but with someone with combination skin, I may be steering clear of this.
We’re ending with the CARGO Around the World Eyeshadow Palette which I believe is the standout product of the November box. Not gonna lie, I had never previously been into eyeshadows as I have puffy/droopy eyelids and didn’t really know how to apply or blend eyeshows, but this year I’ve been venturing out into the shadow game so it’s so lovely to receive a gorgeous neutral one! The palette contains 6 matte and 6 shimmer shades, as well as a double ended brush and from what I can see on the swatch, they are pretty highly pigmented as well as exceptionally fine milled (it literally feels like velvet). Another great find I can’t wait to use!
All in all, I think this is a great box and well worth the £35 price tag. This would be an awesome gift to get someone for Xmas as I think it’s something different, as well as thoughtful as you can keep the subscription going for a while so that every time they receive a new box, they’ll think of you. 🙂 GET IN THERE!
What do you guys think?
*Press sample