Glossybox: October 2012 edition.

 I sort of forgot to review last month's box, whoops! Oh well, I figured I'd just move on and chat about this one, which is one of the best one's I've received to be honest :)

 All of the products for once are things I will definitely use, some I already have and others I am saving for when I go away and need to take smaller products. The 'theme' of this months box is DIY beauty, aimed at having pampering nights in and creating "the ultimate 'home spa' experience". Onto the contents:

• Dermalogica 3 step day & night skincare kit. I am saving this for when I go away and need to pack light, plus I already have skincare products on the go and want to use them up first. I think this is a handy little kit, the products smell very fresh and lemony. There is a foaming cleanser, and toning spritz and a mattifying moisturiser. It would cost £12 originally so I think it's a great addition to this box. Looking forward to trying it out!
• Anatomicals body scrub in grapefruit. I was thinking about purchasing the Soap & Glory body scrub a while ago, but it's pricey and I'm glad I waited as this came through the door. There are fine sand particles in this scrub, and they certainly give your skin a good buffing! The product smells lovely and fresh and really makes you feel clean- just clean out your bath/shower after using this as it looks like you've just got back from the seaside! A welcome addition to my shower and I think I'll be repurchasing it again, as the full size is only £3.49.
• Skinetica anti-blemish solution. Again, anything that might help my skin I look forward to trying out. This is a clear treatment solution you apply every 12 hours to clean skin before moisturiser. It claims that you can see results within 2-3 days, I'll be using this for a week or until it runs out so I'll see how it goes. The ingredients list water and alcohol though, so we'll see. Retails for £6.99 for 100ml.
• Yves Rocher moisturising lipstick in Mauve. Lovely lipstick, but it doesn't suit me :( If this was slightly more red, it would be perfect! I liked their mascara, so this was a nice product to get.

 So, Glossybox have surprised me this month, I like it all! The only little grump I have is that there were only 4 products, despite them advertising 5 per box. Oh well, they are useful products and I'm enjoying using them :) I also used my Glossydots for this box so it was free!

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Avon Products: Lipstick & Mineral Foundation

Avon Extra Lasting Lipstick in Rose Creme, Smooth Minerals Powder Foundation in Shell.

 As I'm feeling not at all well, I thought I might as well get some blogging done before I hopefully head off to Dorset after work tomorrow! I have been asleep since I got home from work, eating and also watching some rather tasty male swimmers in the Olympics ;)- that made me feel a little better haha.

 Anyway, Avon: I have been a fan of this company since my early teens, they provide a door to door service delivering makeup which you order from a catalouge. In recent years they appear to have had a major overhaul, both in appearance and also in terms of the products they offer, with competitive prices for (I think) quite high quality items. Their Supershock gel eyeliner and mascara are best sellers and also very popular amongst the blogging/youtube community, I own both and can vouch for the hype surrounding them. Although you cannot really get an idea of the exact shades of products from the catalouge, they seem to be pretty accurate IRL, so you should be pleasantly surprised when ordering.

 I chose a long-lasting lipstick in a bright pinky red shade- Rose Creme. I'm really considering ordering a few more shades as they really do stay put, but most importantly don't dry out my lips. They are creamy and highly pigmented, I think I paid around the £3.50 mark, this was an introductory offer, but Avon seem to have these on all the time, so keep an eye out! These remind me of the MAC Sheen Supreme lipsticks, but at a fraction of the cost and offer more pigmentation. The packaging is secure and inoffensive, I can see this lasting me a very long time and also looking good worn under a lip gloss.

 I was thinking of getting the Laura Mercier mineral powder foundation, but I thought I would try a more affordable version and see if my skin approved. I think the only downside to this product is the amount which is dispensed- not a lot comes out at first, certainly not enough to provide the level of coverage my skin needs. It is buildable though, so after a good shake I can get enough powder to provide a nice even skintone. I use my Real Techniques buffing brush to apply this in light layers. My skin has benefitted from using this, it's certainly a lot lighter than my MAC/Estee Lauder foundations and also seems to have good staying power if set with some additional powder. This shade is a touch too orange for me, I have quite fair skin, so I think ordering down a shade might have been better. Overall a good way to get into mineral foundations, I do recommend it if you're looking for something lighter on the skin and also an affordable alternative to the higher-end brands. Avon is the way forward! Makeup shopping from the comfort of your own home- what's not to love?!

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June Favourites/ Items of the Month

I really enjoy reading 'favourites' posts and watching ones on Youtube, so I thought it was about time I shared my favourite products of the month with you! I might have had a few of these for over a month, but only just really used them properly, and I can't seem to get enough of them :)

Liz Earle Intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask, Boots Coconut & Almond Hair Mask, Mac Melba blusher, Natural Collection lipstick in Raspberry, Mac Strobe Cream, Essie Sand Tropez, Benefit The Porefessional.

 This is the sample of the Porefessional I got in last months Glamour magazine, I had wanted to try out this for ages, so I was happy to see it in the miniatures offered by Benefit to Glamour readers. This is a flesh-coloured primer which blends into your skintone (I don't think it really gives any coverage), leaving my skin feeling smoother and ready for my foundation. Since using this my makeup has lasted longer and my skin has felt less oily throughout the day. I like everything about this primer, including the light fruity scent, and I can see myself buying the full size of this when this little one has run out. Thumbs up!

I'm a sucker for a mac product, I'll happily jump on any mac product bandwagon if I see it raved about enough. So when I saw this talked about on blog posts/videos, I knew I had to try it. I got the smaller 30ml version to see if I liked it. And I do! It's lovely to mix in with my foundation and it gives the skin a glow. You also don't need much, this little tube will last a long time. It's full of nice stuff like antioxidants and green tea, so it's good for your skin and I can confirm it hasn't made my acne any worse. It also makes my skin feel soft and moisturised, dry skin sufferers would benefit from this I feel. I can see this becoming a staple in my makeup bag and routine. Well worth parting with some cash for this if you haven't tried it.

 Loving this treatment mask at the moment, another great product from Liz Earle (yes, I am obsessed!). I got this as the free product when I bought the monthly skin care offer a while ago. It's a rich cream that you slather on and take off with a muslin cloth run under warm water. I apply this before showering and leave it on until just before I get out. It makes my face soft and feeling smoother, and also helps with any redness from my spots. I only use this once or twice a week, but my skin thanks me for it. Worth investing in, and I believe any skin type can use and benefit from this.

 Yay for Essie! I've got a little collection of this brand going on, but so far this shade is my favourite- a light nude that can be built up into a sophisticated shade. It's similar to Models Own Utopia, but less purple. The longevity of this is fantastic (a week with no chips and without a top coat) and I am hooked. It also looks good under some nail art. Love it.

 When I bought this I was initially disappointed, but then I discovered I was using the wrong brush to apply it, and now I adore this shade. Melba is a popular one, and for good reasons. It warms the face up without being orange and lasts very very well, even without powder on my skin. I love it and really recommend it! I'm keen to invest in some more mac powder blushes (purchased Posey cream blusher last week, which is lovely), so I'll keep my eyes out for some shade inspiration.

 This smells amazing! I can't eat coconut due to some weird intolerance, but I love the smell and also using products with it in as it really makes my skin/hair feel lovely. This is a great hair mask and helps with my dry ends where any bleaching and heat appliances fry them. You get a huge tub for... £1.89! Bargain! Find this in Boots.

 A lipstick for £1.99?! It must be crap! Umm nope, it's actually very nice, moisturising and sheer, but buildable! And in quite a few different shades too, thanks Natural Collection (Boots). This was the last Raspberry shade left in store so I snapped it up, and I'm very glad I did. I like finding cheap-but-good products that work and don't cause too much damage to my bank balance ;)

 What are your monthly favourites? Found anything worth trying out?

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payday treats

I. Got paid (feels like forever since my last paycheck whooooo!), so I had some cash to fritter away (although I'm meant to be looking for a nice wedding outfit, cough cough), anyway might have got that sorted as I'm going to see my bf this weekend and dragging him off shopping! ;)

II. First up is the Loreal Telescopic Mascara, heard some very good things about this so expectations are high! There was a "2 for £14" deal on, as the mascara is £10.99 on it's own it was a good opportunity to get some more goodies...

III...which brings me to my second item: Colour Riche lipstick in Red Passion (or Cheryl's red as touted on the annoying adverts), I wasn't looking for another red but none of the other shades really grabbed me- all a little frosty looking with a massive amount of shimmer. This has surprised me, it's a nice, wearable red, there is shimmer but nothing too offensive and it's in no way drying on the lips. Very pleased since it only cost me £3 instead of £8- definitely not really worth that much!

IIII. My final purchase is probably my favourite- the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze- I have been hunting for this for absolutely ages, all gone in the big stores! I didn't expect this to be stocked in my little local Boots but there it was, and there was one left, so I grabbed it! It's very very similar to the mac paint pots, which I adore, and the container is also very familiar- very sturdy and made of thick glass with a screw top lid. The product isn't as thick in texture compared to my mac offering, but this stuff doesn't budge, even scrubbing it in a hot shower only just managed to remove it, although I think my Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish might be up to the job ;) Anyway, I'm really looking forward to using this and seeing if it can last more than 8 hours (not going to be sleeping in my makeup to test the 24hr claim thankyou!)

V. So looking forward to this weekend and some much needed retail therapy, also going to be using ebay to make me some more cash- I've only just recovered from the last lot of stuff I sold on there, I had a lot of trouble with royal mail and some very nasty buyers who desperately needed an attitude transplant...anyway, roll on Saturday afternoon and two days of freedom!!

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the Red lip

Shade No 2- Power by Poppy King for No7.

Picked this up with my £5 off No7 voucher 2 weeks ago and already I've worn it loads. I thought I didn't suit a red lip but this has made me think again. It's a very pinky based red, moisturising, and can be built up into a deeper, intense shade. No lip liner needed, and it's never feathered on me :) This retails for around £11 (full price), but if you have a spare voucher then this product is really worth a look. Next time this promotion is on I'm definitely going to pick up another shade. Win.

Got my Glossybox today, well worth the wait!

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Collection 2000: Cream Puff review

Collection 2000- Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Cream in Fairy Cake 3.

After seeing this plastered around the blogs I read I thought I would try this out- don't really go in for lip colour apart from MAC lipsticks, and this looked easier to apply/top up than a lippy. When I went to get this, there were 5 colours available, and the one I really wanted (the more nude/brown toned one) had sold out. I went for this pinky toned one, which seemed the next most wearable. I suffer from very dry, cracked lips, and I have to apply a ton of Carmex underneath this for it to be comfortable, but it's really not that drying. I wouldn't agree with the 'Moisturising' aspect of this cream however, although it does say it dries to a matt finish on the back so be warned! The colour is lovely, much more pink than I'd usually wear, but I'm glad I chose it, I might have a play with layering it over Shy Girl or something. The only off-putting thing is the scent. It really smells like overly sweet cake, and although I like cake it does become a little sickening. The smell tends to wear off after application though, so I just don't breathe too much when I take the applicator out of the bottle...
So, how long does it last? A good couple of hours, and it doesn't seem to leave gloop around your mouth (if that makes sense?!). Overall, it's a nice product, and it is really easy to apply and build up. For £2.99 you can't really go wrong, just invest in a good lip balm/treatment first.

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Lip Talk

Lip pencil in Redd. Cremesheen Lipsticks in Speed Dial & Shy Girl. All MAC.

Just some stuff that arrived today. Really pleased with it all, but I want to get my hands on Hue lipstick as I've heard it's being discontinued next year?! Shame it's sold out online. I had an interview today, I won't say too much about it unless nothing comes of it, I should hear by Friday. Fingers majorly crossed! 

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