January 2015 Glossybox

It's that time again! I received my Glossybox just over a week ago now so I've had time to trial all of the products and let you know what I think. Please let me know what you got in your boxes, I love reading other people's Glossybox reviews!

Naked Lips - Organic Lip Balm Superfruits - Full Size €5

This lip balm is 100% natural and is really fruity. The 'flavour' I received was Blueberry, acai, goji, baobab and pomegranate. This really does leave my lips feeling nourished and gives them a light glossy sheen. I have millions of lip balms and usually just use Vaseline but I think I will switch to this one because I love how it tastes, it reminds me of summer and cocktails!

Nicka K New York - Colorluxe Powder Blush - Full Sized €8.95

I received this blush in the colour Romantic which is a really soft pink colour. The idea of this packaging is to stop powder explosions at the bottom of your handbag. When I opened this it went everywhere, the puff kind of exploded. That's when I realised that you're only supposed to take off the gold lid, not the whole thing..oops! I really like the colour of this and it applied really well and really makes your eyes pop. This is great value for the amount of product you get too.

Jelly Pong Pong - All Over Glow - Full  Size £10 (15g)

I really like the packaging on this product, the design is eye catching. When I first tried this product I put way too much on, you really do only need the tiniest of blobs. The colour of this is extremely shimmery and I wouldn't necessarily recommend this for day to day use but for a night out this is going to be perfect. It especially looks nice when the light hits it, great for cheekbones and even on the body on your collarbones I think this would work well. Oh, and this stays put for AGES.

MeMeMe Eye Line Pencil in Clay - Full Size £4

This pencil is actually really nice to use despite it not being a colour I would usually pick up. It smudges really nicely and seems to stay put on the waterline for quite some time. It makes a nice change from a black eyeliner and I find myself using this and creating a brown smoky eye day to day.

Kueshi Natural and Pleasant Cosmetics - Revitalizing Face Toner - Full Size €10.70

I've never really used a toner before so I was looking forward to trying this out. The colour intrigued me, it looks like it's going to smell a bit chemically but it's made with natural ingredients. I can't describe what this smells like but it is quite strong and I usually prefer to use unscented products on my face. I can't say I noticed much of a difference in my skin but I really like how refreshing it is and it wakes me up in the morning so I will continue to use this until it has ran out.

Great box Glossybox, I think I'll use all of these items.

To sign up to Glossybox, click here.

December 2014 Glossybox

I was so excited to receive this month's Glossybox and when I opened up the outer box and saw this packaging I was so happy! I love a festive looking box, well done Glossybox. You know what they say though, it's what's inside that counts.. so lets see what I got!

Bellapierre Cosmetics - Cheek and Lip Stain

This full sized product is worth £12.99 and is a creamy cheek and lip stain. The colour is in coral and isn't too overpowering on the skin, especially as I am quite pale. This is really easy to blend and I love the 'just pinched' look it gives on the cheeks. I found it easier to blend with my finger than with a brush, but maybe I don't have the right brush for this. I've been looking for something like this for a while and I really like this product. 

TRESemmé Renewal Hair and Scalp - Nourish and Renew Tonic

Another full sized product, this one is worth £5.50. I love TRESemmé products as they always seem to work really well for me so I couldn't wait to try this out. This smells really good, the only way I can describe it is that it smells like the hairdressers! I'm always a bit dubious when it comes to leave in products as I don't like build up in my hair, but I love this. It leaves no greasy residue and after only using this for a week I can already see and feel that my scalp is in better condition.

Anatomicals - Zap! Zap! Zap! Gets That Chap - Day and Night Spot Stick

Again, another full sized product worth £3.79. I feel spoiled Glossybox, thank you! This double ended product has applicators for both day and night which works on your spots 24/7. I don't get spots that often but when I do, I will be sure to try this product out. I think I will prefer to apply this with my fingers rather than the applicator as I would hate to spread bacteria into the tube. This smells like tea tree and is very soothing on the skin.

  

SkinPep Hydra Boost - Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum

I've received some products from SkinPep before including an acid peel which made my skin sore so I was a bit scared to try this out, but I actually really like it. My favourite part is that it doesn't really have a scent. I'm not a huge fan of smothering my face in scented products so it was really refreshing to use this. A full sized 70ml tube of this is £24.99.

All That Jazz - Professional Nail Lacquer

I absolutely love this nail varnish and it has filled an empty gap in my collection as I own very few coloured glitter polishes. The colour I received is called 'Louise's- From Riches to Rubies' which describes this red perfectly. The red is very pigmented and the glitter flecks are really small and really sparkle in the light. This nail varnish was long lasting and din't chip easily. This full sized product is £9.98. 

 

We also got a sneak peak that next month we will be receiving a full sized Revitalising Face Toner from KUESHI. I've not tried or heard of this brand before so that could be interesting!

I really liked this box, and will continue my subscription into the new year.

To sign up to Glossybox, click here.

Lee Stafford Hair Kit - Ideal Christmas Present

I recently got this Lee Stafford Hair Kit (you can buy this by searching on eBay) and I thought it would make a really nice Christmas present for someone who likes to take care of their hair and loves hair products.

This kit comes with a paddle brush, detangling comb, 2 sectioning clips, a tease comb, and 75ml bottles of the poker straight shampoo and conditioner.

  It comes in a presentation box as well which makes for super easy wrapping.

   These Shampoo and Conditioner bottles are a great size to take to the gym, and big enough to get a good trial of the products to decide whether or not to buy the full sized bottles.

Do you know someone this gift would be perfect for?

November 2014 Glossybox

This month’s Glossybox didn’t give me the WOW factor but I’m anticipating a good Christmas edition so for now I am going to stay subscribed and hope that next month’s is a bit more exciting! Please link me your Glossybox posts, I love seeing what other people have got.

Lollipops Make Up – Eye Pencil

I knew that this would be in my box this month due to the spoilers we received last month, and was happy to see a full sized item in my box, worth €14. I’ve recently lost my black eyeliner so this has soon replaced it. I personally think all black eyeliners are the same whether I spend £1 or £5, they all seem to last the same on me. I like that this is retractable, and I also really like the packaging, it feels quite sleek. This also smudges out really well so will be perfect for creating a smoky eye. 

 

Burt’s Bees Lip Shine

I received another  full sized item worth £6.99. I’ve never used anything from Burt’s Bees before but liked the sound of this. I got this in the shade smooch. Apart from being a bit sticky, I quite like the subtle colour of this product when applied to the lips. I'm not a huge fan of the 'taste' or scent of this, it reminds me of those free lip glosses you used to get in magazines back in the day, but I'll keep using this.

H20+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment

I have never heard of this brand before, but decided to give it a try. This gel aims to provide deep hydration and reduce the appearance of fine lines. I can't say that I experienced much in the moisture department but I loved the soothing cooling feeling this gave my skin. The texture reminded me of Aloe Vera after sun. I'll use this up until it's gone but at the moment I am yet to see any changes.

Monu Skincare – Refining Capri Facial Oil

I own about a million Monu products, all from glossybox so every time I see this packaging in my glossybox I feel a sense of familiarisation as I know these products work for me. This facial oil aims to balance oily skin and de-congest pores to ensure breakouts remain a thing of the past. I don’t have particularly oily skin or get regular breakouts so I was a bit dubious about trying this in case my face became a bit too oily. I decided to use this as a night treatment before bed but I haven't yet seen any major results.

OGX – Argan Oil of Morocco Shampoo

A great sized sample (which I immediately put into my gym bag). I have seen this brand around but I haven’t tried the products. I actually really like this shampoo, it did make my hair feel really soft and shiny and I wish I had the conditioner to go with it. I noticed the differences after using this about 3 times and I'm near to the end of my bottle so this may be a possible repurchase!

This month’s box also contained a spoiler for the December box – a cheek and lip stain from Bellápierre worth £12.99. To be honest, I’m not overly impressed.

To sign up to Glossybox, click here.

November Top Picks - Beauty & Lifestyle.

Every month I plan to do a favourites post but I never actually get round to it so I thought I would do a post about some of the thinks I have been loving this month.

Nescafé Café Menu Gingerbread Latte

Bit of a random thing I have been loving this month, but I really have been enjoying these sachets. They’re so easy to prepare, you simply add hot water! The flavour is so nice and I even prefer these to Starbucks Gingerbread Latte’s! I keep a couple in my drawer at work and have been having one in the afternoon. They’re really getting me into the Christmas Spirit! I got these from Sainsbury’s. Speaking of Christmas spirit, I have also been loving listening to Christmas songs! My iPod comes everywhere with me and I either have my headphones in or plug it into the AUX cable in my car and sing away!

Nuxe Crème Fraîche De Beauté Mask

 I talked about this in my October Glossybox review and I have been using it weekly since. I absolutely love this product. This has been making my skin feel so smooth and soft and I’ve found it to be a great addition to my skincare routine. It’s even gone on my Christmas list because I’m going to be gutted when I run out.

E45 Moisturising Lotion

I received this E45 Moisturiser in a giveaway and although this is such a simple product it has really been working well for me and I can’t believe I haven’t picked one up sooner. My skin really struggles to stay hydrated in the colder months, especially my arms and legs and to be fair it’s probably due to me neglecting them but I have been using this E45 cream for a few weeks now and my skin is hydrated and not flaking. I also suffer with slight eczema on the tops of my arms and I have noticed an improvement in the redness and texture of my skin. It’s also only £2.75 for 500ml from Boots at the moment – bargain!    

Barry M Showgirl Extra Lengthening  Mascara

I received this in a blog swap I took part in from the lovely Jess and I have been using this as my every day mascara since. It really does lengthen my lashes and paired up with the Younique Fiber Lash kit these are the perfect combination for lovely dark long lashes. I will definitely be repurchasing this when I run out. 

Tweez'em Stainless Steel Ingrown Hair , Splinter Tweezer By Majestic Bombay!*

The last product on my top picks this month is the Tweez'em Tweezers by Magestic Bombay. I recently got sent these tweezers to try and I absolutely love them. I don’t get a lot of ingrown hairs but these tweezers can be used for anything. These are really great for plucking eyebrow hairs, especially those really fine ones close to the line which are hard to reach. These tweezers have a really sharp defined point to them which is small enough and sharp enough to grab even the smallest of hairs, or hairs that have started to grow into your skin. I also love how bright these are, I am always losing my stainless steel tweezers but these are very hard to misplace. You can find this product for just £10 and I really think they are worth the money.

*I was sent the Tweez'em Stainless Steel Ingrown Hair Splinter Tweezer By Majestic Bombay for free for the purposes of a review. All opinions are my own and I was not influence in any way.

Younique 3D Fiber Lash Mascara Review*

I recently got hold of the Younique 3D Fiber Lash Mascara and couldn’t wait to tell you all about it!

Firstly, how gorgeous is the packaging? The mascara comes in this lovely sturdy box and just looks so nice.

The kit consists of 2 pieces. Firstly the Transplanting Gel which looks like a normal mascara wand. After applying a normal mascara to my eyelashes, I then use this want to add a layer of the gel onto my lashes ready for stage 2.

The second part is to apply the Natural Fibers to your lashes. This brush is simply a wand with fibers stuck to it. After applying these, I then add another layer of the Transplanting gel, and blast my eyelashes with a hairdryer to remove excess fibers and to set them in place.

Here are my eyelashes with one layer of normal mascara, one layer of Younique Fiber Lash and then a second layer of the fiber lash.

I’ll be honest, I can’t really see much difference between the Younique mascara and my own, and this is a lot more expensive. I found that throughout the day I had fibers on my face, and when I brushed them off I was left with black smears on my cheeks.

You can purchase this mascara direct from here in the UK from November 1st for just $23.00 (excluding p+p) .

Younique Links

Instagram

Twitter

*I was sent this product for free for the purposes of a review. This post represents my honest opinions.

Blogger Swap!

I recently took part in a blogger swap organised by Angela Angeline from Chocolate & Lipstick. I passed on my details and she paired me up with the lovely Jess from www.glitterbat.net. I checked out her blog straight away trying to find clues as to what I could buy her. We emailed back and forth for a couple of weeks to get to know each other and I was starting to get some ideas of what to buy. I pretty much stalked every blog post and looked on all social networks for ideas, but at the same time I didn’t really have a clue! Wow, I sound creepy... Anyway...

With a budget of £15, I set myself the task of getting as many things as I could for the value for money, but also buying a couple of things that have a higher value that I hoped Jess would like.

When I received my box I was so excited! It was like receiving a glossybox but even better as I knew that someone had actually put effort into choosing things that I would like It felt like Christmas, my favourite time of the year! And how cute is the address label! 

Jess was spot on with her decisions, I couldn't have picked better items if I was buying the box for myself and it was PACKED with goodies! So.. Onto what I received.

The first thing I saw when I opened the box was these tea bags. To anyone else this may seem really random but me and Jess spent a lot of time talking about different teas and to have a selection from her tea cupboard is simply awesome. In fact, I tried one straight away!

I then saw this bar of Dark Lindt Excellence in Caramel flavour with a touch of sea salt. Yes Salted CARAMEL! For those of you that read my previous review on Lindt will know that the salted caramel bar was my absolute favourite. Topped with the fact that this is also dark, I couldn't think of a better chocolate bar. I can't wait to tuck into this!

I then delved further into the box and the items just kept coming. Jess did amazingly well with picking things that I like, and related them to the conversations we had been having, it was so nice and I could see where the thought had come from. I then picked up these Nail accessories which are glittery white and in the shape of snowflakes. I LOVE these - I am a huge Christmas fan and I can't wait to do some festive nails with these. They're super cute!

I then spotted these 3 little Lindt bears which really got me feeling festive. I can't wait to eat these (sorry little bears).

This Barry M nail varnish in Vintage Purple is a lovely colour and I don't own anything like this! This is the perfect shade for the autumn months and I love Barry M nail varnishes as they always seem to last really well before they start chipping.

I then spotted this little bath bomb called "You can't catch me". The best thing about this is that it has a little gingerbread man on top! Jess must have really listened to me as I have definitely mentioned I love gingerbread (latte's/green tea/men!) but never have I tried a gingerbread bath bomb. This is pretty special, I can't wait to use it!

I told you the items in this box go on forever.. I then found the Barry M Showgirl mascara. This is extra lengthening and I couldn't help but try it straight away. it has immediately replaced my current mascara, it's amazing.

One of my favourite items in the box was this Yankee Candle Votive in "Christmas Treats". Again, I LOVE Christmas and I especially love Christmas Yankee Candles! This smells so good! I don't think I'm going to be able to wait until the festive season to burn it.

I then got this beautiful mirror which is going to be perfect for putting into my handbag. I don't actually have a compact mirror. It seems Jess was psychic and knew I needed one! It's really chunky as well which I love as you know it's not going to break easily!

I then saw these at the bottom and was thrilled! Shimmering Snowflake & Snowmen Sprinkles! Me and Jess always talk about cakes in our emails and so she must have known these would be perfect for some Christmas themed cakes and cake pops I've been planning. I can't even believe you can buy these, I'm so happy!

Last but not least, I got this amazing Barry M Super Chic Shadow and Primer Palette which I love! The shadows are so pigmented and such good quality. The warm copper shade is my favourite for this time of the year and I wore it literally the day I opened this box. I can't wait to create some really nice looks with this.

Overall I was super happy with the swap and the items I received from Jess. She really put a lot of thought and effort into everything and I am very thankful that I was paired with such an awesome partner! Thank you Jess, it's been awesome!

To see what I bought for Jess  – click on her post here!

If you would like to get involved in a blogger swap then check out Angela Angeline’s post here for more information. I really recommend taking part in one of these - I have had the chance to try new products and it's been lovely to speak to someone new and I hope we stay in touch! :)