Marks and Spencer has released its Mother’s Day Beauty Box in time for the special celebration on March 30, joining the likes of Look Fantastic, Boots and Next. Beauty boxes have been around for a while and can be bought as a one-off to test new beauty products or purchased as a subscription from some brands, delivering make-up and skincare straight to your front door.

While the Made for an Icon Beauty Box has been released in time for Mother’s Day gifting, it can be given as a present for any occasion. Described as a self-care box, it contains seven beauty and wellness products worth over £130, most of which are versatile skincare or scents, along with one haircare product. Unlike other beauty boxes on the market, this one doesn’t include any make-up products. 

Whether you want to treat your mum, grandma, auntie, partner, best friend, or even yourself, it’s a good option for a beauty fantastic (or someone who deserves to pamper themselves). However, with so many options available this Mother’s Day, it can be difficult to determine the best value for money. So, I’ve opened the M&S beauty box and gone through every product inside to give my verdit.

When testing the Marks and Spencer Beauty Box, I thought about the cost and delivery time, presentation on arrival and the number of products inside. I also looked at the quality of the packaging and thought about whether this would be something I would be happy to give as a gift. 

Next, I tried out each product individually, trying to make them part of my routine where possible. 

Finally, I considered overall value for money, taking into account the number of full-size products, the overall cost of the products inside versus the price of the box, and the size of the products included.

There are a few options for ordering the M&S beauty box. Standard home delivery costs £3.99 (unless you spend over £60, in which case it’s free), while nominated delivery costs £5.99 and can arrive as quickly as the next day—just make sure you order before 7pm. Alternatively, if you live close to an M&S store, you can opt for free next-day in-store collection.

My box arrived within two days, and once unpackaged, I was met with a colourful pink and green box adorned with the text Made for an Icon. The colour scheme is continued inside the packaging, and when you lift the lid, you’re greeted with the message: “Because greatness deserves greatness”. The seven products are displayed on pink packing paper, and the more delicate items are wrapped in dusty-pink tissue paper. This means you can easily present this as a gift without any need for wrapping paper or gift bags. 

Three of the products are full-size, and the rest are smaller, travel-sized products (great for putting a new product to the test). The contents are mostly in the skincare or bath category, though there is also one hair product and a perfume.

Out of all seven, the Clinique All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massager is the best value for money, as not only is it a full-size item, but it’s also the most expensive in the box (with an RRP of £35 when bought individually). Considering the M&S box costs £30, it’s arguably worth buying for this alone. It’s also probably one of the items my mum would like and use the most, given that she loves her skincare routine. 

The eye serum comes in a peach-hued glass bottle with a silver screw cap and metal roller-ball head. This allows you to glide the serum onto your under eyes with ease, while simultaneously cooling the skin. Ingredients include caffeine, plant extracts and anti-oxidants, which Clinique says will moisturize, decrease puffiness and reduce the appearance of dark circles. Using the serum as part of my morning skincare routine, while I haven’t noticed any major aesthetic differences around my eyes, I found the cooling effect of the roller ball helped the delicate skin under my eyes feel rejuvenated. 

The box also contains a full-size Bloom and Blossom Off to Bed Indulgence Bath Oil (one of two bathtime oil products). It has a gentle lavender scent, so I like using it in the evening. The oil can be used either in the shower as a body oil or poured into the bath. The bottle is 100ml, meaning you can pop it into your hand luggage when jetting off on holiday.  Bloom and Blossom sell the oil for £24 when bought individually, so considering the box is £30 and six other products, it’s another product that proves good value for money.

Next is the full-size overnight face oil from M&S’ Formula skincare range, worth £24. The lilac glass bottle comes wrapped in pink tissue paper to protect it and has a dropper for easy application. I found it easy to incorporate into my skincare routine as the final step before applying my night-time moisturiser. It leaves a noticeable glow after being left to absorb it into the skin for a few hours. The product isn’t heavily fragranced, though there is a subtle herbal scent. I liked using the face oil as a luxurious extra step to my routine, however, it doesn’t have the power to replicate some of the other overnight serums I usually use. Therefore, I wouldn’t go out of my way to repurchase it. 

While on the topic of oil, there is a second body oil included in the box – L’Occitane’s Huile de Douche shower oil. It’s a higher-end alternative to the Bloom and Blossom Bath Oil, with a sweet almond-infused perfume. The sleek packaging is instantly recognisable, with the product having become a hit in the beauty world for over 20 years. It left my skin noticeably softer after showering, and the scent remained there for hours. The bottle is only 75ml, but it’s a great way to test out the oil before taking the plunge and buying a full-size bottle, which retails for £22. 

The final skincare product included in the M&S box is the This Works Perfect Hands Intense Moisture. My mum always carries a small moisturiser in her handbag, so it’s a useful inclusion. It rubs into the skin quickly without leaving a greasy residue and has a rich herbal scent. 

The self-care package also includes two non-skincare products: Color Wow’s Xtra Large Bombshell hair volumiser and a 10ml Floral Street Sunflower Pop Eau de Parfum. Both products are travel-sized, so they are great for someone (much like my own mum) who is always on the go.

The hair volumiser is alcohol-free, so it doesn’t have an overwhelming scent and it comes in a pump bottle for easy application. It’s designed to go into damp hair (you only need up to three pumps, depending on how much volume you are after) before continuing your usual blow-dry routine. I have pretty thick hair, so I didn’t notice a huge difference – but, admittedly, I also need to refine my blow-drying technique.

Finally, the Sunflower Pop perfume comes in packaging printed with Van Gogh’s famous Sunflowers. The light and floral scent is perfect for spring. Plus, the 10ml bottle means you can throw it into your handbag for topping up your fragrance with a little spritz throughout the day. 

For the packaging alone, the M&S Made for an Icon Mother’s Day box scores highly. The colourful box means you don’t need to add an extra layer of wrapping paper, and the pink filling and tissue paper add a special extra touch. I also loved the messaging on the inside of the box, serving as a little reminder to the mum in your life of just how great they are. 

There’s a good range of universal products inside and I like that it focuses more on wellness than make-up, but I was puzzled as to why it contains two bath and shower oils and no lip product, which feels like a missed opportunity for all-over pampering.

I’ve been wanting to try the L’Occataine shower oil for some time, and have become obsessed with the scent (a very subtle blend of almond and vanilla). In my opinion, it’s the better of the two bath oils, so I’d swap out the second bath oil for a lip balm or oil instead.

Given that some of the full-size and luxury branded products included in the Made for an Icon box retail for almost as much as the box itself, it scores highly for value for money. The Clinique eye serum is undoubtedly the star of the show considering it costs more than the entire box! So, if there are two or three things in there you know your mum would love to try, then it’s a worthy investment.

Marks and Spencer’s new spring collection has shoppers feeling excited for warm weather days and many have purchased the Textured Button Front Cardigan in oatmeal or light grey. Designed with short sleeves, the knitted piece is great to wear alone, or as a mid-layer with buttons open. 

Part of the M&S Collection, the cardigan retails at £35 and it has been flying off the virtual shelves with online records showing several purchases in recent days – and it is not difficult to see why. The muted tone of the  textured yarn makes the gold buttons pop, giving off what one customer described as a “glorious style”.

The high-street retailer stated: “Add a chic touch to your wardrobe with this stylish textured yarn cardigan. Designed in a regular fit, it features a timeless crew neckline and a button-through front for effortless elegance. Ribbed trims and two handy front pockets complete the look with a blend of charm and practicality.”

With four sizes available, I picked up a medium in-store and tried it on with these Barrel Leg Trousers in mocha (£39.50). My eyes beamed when I saw the outfit on, the oatmeal brown cardigan complemented the mocha trousers perfectly. The knit is thick but not prickly and I was glad it didn’t irritate my sensitive skin.

I couldn’t stop admiring the top, but one qualm for me is the fit. Despite M&S claiming the cardigan is designed in a regular fit, I found it too long and loose at the bottom, so a small might have given me a better shape. But one shopper disagreed and said: “It fits perfectly, wasn’t too tight, but wasn’t loose that it looked baggy, a really nice fit.”

A second happy customer said she has received many compliments despite making one alteration to the cardigan: “This was an online impulse buy for myself, initially I was unsure of the style for a mature lady, but it’s bang on trend so I went for it. So pleased I did, the short boxy style and fit is very flattering, better than expected. The only thing I’m not keen on are the gold buttons so i have replaced these with small brown wood looking ones and I’ve had so many compliments.”

Another bought the M&S cardigan and found it ‘perfect for high waist style trousers, slim or wide leg’ and said it’s: “ideal for autumn into spring”. Short-sleeved cardigans are great transeasonal pieces and shoppers can also grab Next’s Black White Short Sleeve Crew Neck Bow Knitted Jumper for £34.

Nobody’s Child’s Grey Alpaca Wool Blend Short Sleeve Knitted Cardigan features a shirt-style collar and the grey tone is both timeless and elegant, it is available to purchase online for £85.

The Medik8 Fine Line Fighters set is already something of a bargain. The anti-ageing skincare duo is worth £114 (if you consider how much it would cost to buy both of the products individually) but costs just £79 – a saving of 30%. The Advanced Night serum costs £59.90 to buy on its own, while the serum is £55.

But, when you snap up the Fine Line Fighters set, you can both products for just £39.50 each. The moisturiser and peptide serum are full-sized, so this is a much cheaper way to try out two bestsellers from Medik8 without breaking the bank. 

Medik8 say the set can help with smoother, plumper skin, though each product has its unique benefits.

The Advanced Night Restore cream focuses on firming and nourishing the skin overnight with the help of ceramides.

The skin naturally produces ceramides, but the amount produced decreases as we age. This can lead to a loss of elasticity and the development of fine lines. The cream can help top up ceramides to put these skin concerns at bay. 

Medik8 cleans them. The Multi-Peptide Age-Defying Serum also has a preventative anti-ageing effect, using hyaluronic acid to hydrate the skin and tackle dryness.  Hyaluronic acid acts like a magnet for moisture, keeping the skin fresh. It also helps the skin to heal. 

The set is handy as it combines two key steps of a skincare routine. Serums should always be used before moisturisers to lock in the hydration. Both of the products are designed to be used at night, meaning they can get to work on your skin while you sleep. 

If you want to buy the products separately, the Medik8 Advanced Night Restore is available for £59 at Cult Beauty, and the Medik8 Liquid Peptides serum is £55 at Lookfantastic.

Lookfantastic also has sets for other skin concerns, like the Medik8 Youthful Skin Bundle, which is for radiant skin and includes the Medik8 Daily Radiance Vitamin C moisturiser for boosting hydration and glow and the Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3, a cult product ideal for retinol beginners.