Lancome The O Beauty Set Christmas 2015

For years now, I've bought the Lancome beauty box that comes out at this time of year. With me not being well last year, not getting out, not wearing makeup and the box not being overly exciting (!) I didn't get it. I was itching to see if it had improved this year and am pleased to say, it's brilliant! So I ordered it the second it came online, but it's going to be from Santa, though he agreed I could take photos for my blog and then he'd take it away again until the big day! Thanks Santa!

This time the box can be bought for £52 when you spend £35 or more on other Lancome products. The price of the actual set to buy on it's own varies from place to place, between £155-£290. So you don't need to be a mathematician to work out, it's better to buy it with something else than alone. I have the items I bought coming up in another post, but today I'm looking at the contents of The O Beauty Set 2015.

The thing that appeals most to me about these sets is the fact you get a variety of products and all are useful. There's nothing I look at and think "hmmm, wouldn't use that", nothing goes to waste! I'm pleased to say that like the GWP's throughout the year, Lancome have revitalised what's included in the yearly box. If like me, you buy it every time, it's nice to try something new alongside your old favourites. Ok so outer first, as far as cases go, I'll be honest and say I've seen more exciting. I do like the shape and that it's red (though not quite bright enough for me), but when I compare it to the red patent of 2013 or the gold glitter one in 2012, I have to say it isn't as appealing. It's got a lovely retro feel though.  It's rounded with a double zipper and the handle can be stored flat, but pulled up (with gold logo Lancome button type things) to carry. If you buy this for the contents rather than the vanity case, none of this will bother you and it's only a mild disappointment for me in an otherwise amazing set.
So what's inside? Well you get a mixture of skincare, makeup and also fragrance. I'll start with the makeup, which was particularly thrilling this year.
You get travel sizes of the Multi-Use Face Brush, Blush Subtil, Crayon Khôl, Lip Lover and Rouge Absolu Lipstick. I'm so excited about the brush. It's really soft, a full size head but short handle and comes with a plastic cover. It's more substantial than it looks in the promotional images and this is one of the new items for Lancome to include.
The blusher is Blush Subtil in 031 Pepite de Corail, a bright, wearable coral with a little shimmer in it. I don't think I already have this...the GWP blush I got recently was a pink one, so I'm pleased they've picked a different shade. There's a mirror inside the lid of the compact. I didn't photograph the eye pencil separately, but you've seen them in various GWP posts of mine over the years, it's black.
Another change is the Lip Lover in 337 Lip Lover (self titled lipgloss, love it). In the previous beauty box I got, it was a coral Gloss In Love. It's a really wearable medium, warm pink with sporadic shimmer (which I have a feeling won't show up in swatches or on the lips). It comes in an adorable shrunk down version of the retail one, complete with mini doe-foot applicator. The lipstick is not the usual pink one found in GWP's but a Christmas red, Rouge Absolu in 132 Caprice. I think this has appeared in some of my previous sets (I've certainly tried it before), it's probably the item I'll get least use out of as I'm not a bright pink/red lip girl.
Also included are two full size makeup items. They tend to produce a special palette for this box and this year it is the Hypnose Palette (5 eyeshadows) in ST12 Or Et Merveilles. These retail at around £38 and this one is truly beautiful. It includes a full size mirror inside and applicators (a brush and double ended sponge). There's a trio of shades in the centre, a slightly smaller one; charcoal colour, for use as a liner, a beautiful rich purple and a beige gold. Beside those are two lighter shades, which can be used as highlighters. One is a dusky pink, the other a pale champagne. The compact is black with the silver Christmas parcel scene that adorns most of the sets this season and the outer gold box this came in.
An item I've been wanting to try for sometime is the Grandiose mascara, which features the special 'bent' swan neck brush (I haven't opened it to show you as I shan't be using it anytime soon). This is another first, as the sets usually contain one or two mini mascaras.  Grandiose retails at £24.50, so between this and the palette you're already at more than the £52 purchase price of the whole set. I hadn't realised how pretty this mascara packaging was; the lid is black but fades upwards to clear and contains a floating black Lancome rose. It's gorgeous!
So that's the makeup side of things, but there's much more! A full size Bi Facil eye makeup remover (125ml £21.50) and travel sizes of Advanced Génifique Serum 7ml, Advanced Génifique Light Pearl 5ml, Visionnaire Day Cream 15ml and Galatéis Douceur Cleanser 50ml, along with a cute 4ml bottle of La Vie est Belle. I've just used up my very last drop of this perfume, so am desperate for more! My Mum uses the serum, so that'll be going to her (I've used it myself and it's lovely, as is the moisturiser). I've just started using the pearl eye serum as my Mum got it in another set and I really need to review it for you....it's strange! The applicator is a pearl, that's all I'll say.
You can see for yourself why I love these sets so much and why I keep coming back to them.  The value of goods for the price you pay is just brilliant and I'm already looking forward to what they bring out next year.  You can find this set here at Boots and here at House of Fraser and keep an eye out for more Lancome posts coming soon.

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