I opened Boots £55 beauty box worth £265 and there's one main reason I love it
Boots has become one of my absolute favourite places to shop for beauty boxes, whether I'm picking up a gift for a friend or loved one or simply treating myself. Beauty boxes certainly aren't anything new, and it feels like everyone from LookFantastic to Next has jumped on the trend with their own skincare and cosmetics bundles.
But over the last year, Boots really seems to have stepped things up. They've released everything from seasonal skincare and makeup collections to more niche beauty boxes, such as their summer SPF box, which was one of my favourites so far. Not only did it introduce me to brands I hadn't tried before, but every product felt genuinely useful and something I'd actually reach for. Now they've launched another beauty box and, although I feel like I say this every time, this one might just have earned a spot in my top five.
Festival season is now well underway, with BBC Radio One's Big Weekend and Download Festival already behind us, and the likes of Isle of Wight Festival, 2000trees, Boomtown, Outbreak and Leeds and Reading still to come, many people will be starting to think about their festival packing lists. Enter the Boots Festival Box, packed with 15 products, 11 of which are full-sized, all designed to be useful on the go and take you seamlessly from day to night. The box includes a really well-rounded mix of skincare, hair care, makeup and fragrance, covering all the essentials, especially if you're getting ready in a tent and don't fancy lugging your entire beauty collection along with you.
But of course, you don't actually need a festival ticket to enjoy this beauty box. Every single product inside could easily slot into a normal day-to-day routine, too.
While the box retails for £55, according to Boots, it's worth a massive £256.40 based on the value of the products if purchased individually. That's a £201 saving, or 78.55%. But there is a catch - this product is only available online, so you won't find it in stores.
And if it's anything like Boots' other beauty boxes (such as the instant fast seller, the K Beauty Box), once it's gone, it's gone.
So, I took on the task of opening the box and digging through everything inside to decide whether it's really worth the splurge.
The moment I laid eyes on this box, the summer vibes were instant. Dressed in bright red and pale pink shades with a cheerful sunshine design, it immediately gave me retro holiday vibes and felt perfectly suited to the summer season (and the weather we're all desperately hoping for at festivals). When I opened it, I genuinely couldn't believe how much had been packed inside. Seeing 11 full-sized products nestled among the contents was impressive enough, but spotting some genuinely standout beauty and skincare names made it even more exciting.
The products are spread across a great range of categories, including skincare (with SPF, an absolute summer essential), hair care, makeup and even fragrance. As an added bonus, everything comes in packaging compact enough to fit comfortably into a festival bag without taking up too much precious space.
One of the first skincare products that caught my eye was The Ordinary UV Filters SPF45. This full-size sunscreen immediately stood out because, as we all know, SPF is non-negotiable in any skincare routine, not just during summer but year-round. I've been a fan of The Ordinary for quite a while, thanks to its affordable yet effective products, and this sunscreen is no exception. It's lightweight, sinks into the skin easily without leaving a greasy residue and feels comfortable enough for everyday wear, even on sensitive skin.
I was also drawn straight to the Dr Jart Cicapair Soothing Colour Correcting Treatment. On its own, a full-size container will set you back £19.50 from the likes of LookFantastic or Cult Beauty, so the box was already starting to prove its value. This product has been sitting on my must-try list for quite some time, so I was especially keen to see what all the fuss was about.
This cream acts as a clever hybrid between skincare and makeup. It starts out green and transforms into a beige tint as you apply it, helping to neutralise redness, even out skin tone and disguise blemishes. That means you can wear it on its own for a more natural look or use it as a base under makeup.
I was actually quite surprised by the consistency of the product and, if I'm honest, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. At first, I wasn't completely convinced. However, once it had settled into my skin, I could definitely see that some of the redness in my cheeks had been toned down. That's an area I do feel self-conscious about, so I can see this being the sort of product that would make me feel more confident going makeup-free. My main criticism is that, when I tested it after returning from a holiday, it seemed to dull some of the summer glow I'd picked up after a week in the sunshine. Even so, it's a solid product and one that feels useful well beyond festival season.
- Too Faced - Quicke Queen Cream Eyeshadow Stick in the shade Fairy Dust 1.5g - FULL SIZE
- MILK Make Up - Big Kush Mascara 8.5g - FULL SIZE
On the topic of viral skincare products, the box also includes a 100ml COSRx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence Gel. At full price on LookFantastic, this retails for £27.99. It's described as a hydrating serum packed with 96% snail mucin (yes, that really is snail slime). It claims to repair dry skin, soothe redness and provide a healthy glow. Shoppers absolutely rave about this product. On the Boots website, it has a 4.9-star customer satisfaction review, with one person saying: "I have large pores and have had a problem cleaning them my entire life. I have tried many other products, but this one is absolutely the best. Just a tiny amount does an outstanding job clearing my pores and removes the blackheads. And at the same time, it moisturises my skin and leaves it glowing."
Moving on to makeup, I was over the moon to spot a full-size MILK Make Up Big Kush Mascara (worth £29). This is one of those viral, cool-girl beauty brands that first caught my attention for its eye-catching packaging but quickly won me over with its products. The mascara comes in a glossy green tube that instantly stands out in a makeup bag, and the formula is vegan, made with conditioning hemp seed oil and delivers thick-looking lashes without feeling heavy or overly clumpy.
There's also a luscious REM Beauty Glossy Balm in the shade Cherry Cola (worth £18), which is perfect if you enjoy making a bit of a statement with your lip colour. Admittedly, it's on the darker side of red, so if your preference leans more towards nude or neutral shades, it might not be your first choice, but it's a gorgeous option for anyone who loves a richer, vampier look.
One of my festival go-tos is always dry shampoo, so it made perfect sense for the box to include a full-size version. The Typebea G5 3-in-1 Dry Shampoo isn't your average dry shampoo, though. It's a more premium offering worth £26 and, after using it, I found a little really does go a long way. Compared to my usual dry shampoo (Batiste, which retails for £3.50, if you were wondering), I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it absorbed into my hair without leaving behind that tell-tale powdery residue. I also really enjoyed the scent, which feels much fresher and more sophisticated than many dry shampoos I've tried, with notes said to include bergamot, wood and citrus.
The final item that really had me chuffed was the Sol De Janeiro Cheirosa 62 Perfume Mist. This is already my go-to everyday body spray, so finding it inside the box felt like a bonus. It strikes that perfect balance between sweet and warm, and even in the depths of winter, one spray instantly transports me to thoughts of sunshine and beach holidays.
I find a quick spritz in the morning leaves a lovely scent lingering on my clothes throughout the day, although naturally it isn't quite as strong or long-lasting as a traditional perfume. The box includes a travel-sized spray, making it ideal for slipping into a festival bag or carrying around for easy top-ups throughout the day.
I was also pleased to see an eye-shadow stick from Too Faced, a soothing face mask from Patchology for a little bit of campsite pampering, and the balancing face mist from Byoma in a full-size format.
Of course, there's so much more than this inside the box, which really highlights just how impressive it is for the value it offers.
For me, the value for money is one of the biggest stand-out features of the Festival Beauty Box. There's such a strong mix of products from some huge names and trending brands in the beauty world, and that 78% saving is difficult to ignore. In fact, if you were to buy just two of the products individually, you could easily find yourself approaching the £55 cost of the box before you've even factored in the remaining 13 items.
That's perhaps the strongest reason to buy this box, provided you actually want the products included.
And the fact that there are a whopping 11 full-size products really is something worth shouting about. Compared to some competitors, which often include only two or three full-sized items, this feels like a genuine bargain.
The packaging is also pretty enough that you could easily gift it to a friend or loved one heading off to a festival this summer, or simply keep it for yourself as a fun way to stock up on beauty essentials.
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