May Glossybox

I was really really looking forward to receiving my May Glossybox as I had seen on Instagram that the box is celebrating 50 years of Superdrug and also contains a few full size products. I admit I had a sneaky look at posts by other bloggers to see what they had in their boxes when I hadn't received mine yet, then I felt bad that I had ruined the surprise! 

I finally got my hands on my box yesterday and immediately opened it. 

I first noticed the Vaseline Spray and Go body moisturiser as it's full size and something I haven't tried before. I have always been dubious about Vaseline products as I know a few people that have reacted to them, not that I'm ever allergic to anything! This seems like it will be really good for me as it's non greasy, easy to use and minimises mess and effort! I have a lot of body moisturisers but I don't put them on everyday as they're a bit of a pain having to put my hands in tubs and gouge cream out. I hate getting it under my nails or waiting ages for it to soak in so this will make it a lot nicer for me! 

A product I have tried before is the Maybelline Great Lash mascara and I didn't think too much to it to be honest. I had it a few years ago and ended up throwing it out because I just couldn't get used to it but I will definitely try it again and persevere this time. 

Next up is the blowpro Volumising Conditioner, which I have never tried before. I have heard of the products before but only briefly so I will be interested to see if it does anything to my hair. Anything I put on my hair seems to weigh it down I can't even spray hairspray on it as it immediately goes flat and the curls drop out. 

One product I'm not keen on is the 2true PRO 3D Candy Nail Art. They are tiny coloured balls that you stick to your nails with basecoat and then apply a top coat to keep them in place. I'm not one for the odd nail trends- caviar beads, velvet, even the matte nails don't interest me! I'm just old fashioned and like a good old normal nail colour and a shiny top coat, I don't think you can go wrong with it and it looks smart. I might give these to my sister to try as I don't think I will give them a go, they probably look great on the right person! 

My last full size product is a Sheer Conditioning Lipstick from B. It's not full coverage and feels quite moisturising on my lips- this will be the Shea butter I suspect. I received the shade Merlot which is a red shot through with a gold sparkle, not what I usually wear as I prefer pinks and corals but I'll give it a go. 

The two samples- Ghost Eclipse perfume and Garnier Body Oil Infused Nourishing Lotion. I like samples of fragrances as I can easily pop them in my handbag for nights out rather than carrying around a full size bottle. This is described as fruity-floral, which is two different things in my opinion. I like the fruity aspect but not the floral scent as I find it can give me a slight headache but I will use this and may fall in love with it, watch this space! The body lotion appeals to me as it's non greasy and non sticky and contains four oils to really nourish dry skin. Although I have oily skin on my face, my body is actually a lot drier surprisingly. I go on holiday in two weeks so this will come in handy to take with me and may result in me buying a full size one when I get back. 

What did you get in your Glossybox? 

Xx

New makeup bag and a few beauty items

The weather here at the moment is very sunny and warm (by England's standards) so I've been trying to make the most of it by walking as much as possible. I have mentioned before that I am fortunate enough to live within walking distance of the shops in my town, which can be deadly if you're a shopaholic like me! I needed a new bronzer so I took a trip to my local Boots and picked up my usual one- Bourjois Bronzing Powder in shade 52. This is the one that opens like a book to reveal what looks like a bar of chocolate. I really like this bronzer as it isn't very shimmery, although it does contain some flecks of glitter but these aren't visible on my skin. The packaging is also very appealing for me as I'm forever dropping and cracking my makeup but this is impossible (so far) to damage as it's enveloped completely in rigid cardboard with a magnetic lid that stays shut very well. 

Also on my list was a new body scrub as I had nearly finished my old one. I go through scrubs and body products fairly quickly as I constantly wear fake tan so I'm either trying to scrub it off or prolong it with body moisturiser! I usually get the Soap And Glory Scrub Of Your Life, which I was intending on getting until I saw this Sugar Crush Body Scrub. My sister bought me the body cream version for Christmas and I really like the scent. It's very sweet smelling but also refreshing due to the lime in it, so only buy this if you really like quite strong fragrances. I also have the shower cream of this too, yes I'm obsessed, which I mix with the body scrub so make it a thinner consistency otherwise it drags a bit on my skin. 

I had been meaning to get a new makeup bag for a while as mine was stained inside and out with foundation and various things that had leaked. I had tried washing it a few times but the stains wouldn't budge so I resigned myself to the fact I needed a new one and also needed to look after it better than my previous bags! The last few makeup bags I have bought have been by Ted Baker as they're a great size and always have a gorgeous design on the front. This flowery one caught my eye as it is made of clear plastic, genius! Why I didn't think of getting a plastic one before, I don't know but it's such a great idea. Now I won't stain it with makeup from my brushes etc as i can just wipe it clean! 

Xx

Mac upcoming Collections

I'm a little slow on the uptake for mac collections, I'm still trying to get my hands on the cool and warm neutral 15 palettes! The only ones I have been prepared for are the Rihanna collaborations and now own a few lipsticks from her collection. So I have looked ahead and seen on Instagram and twitter that on June 14, Kelly and Sharon Osbourne are releasing their own makeup together with Mac! 

Sharon's will be more for darker haired women and Kelly's is for lighter haired/complexions. I'm really intrigued to see what they come up with, I'm assuming there will be a bright red somewhere maybe and a bright pink probably in Kelly's collection. I'm guessing from these ads released that Kelly's will include a peach nude lipstick and possibly some sort of kohl. Sharon's won't be as bold, instead being more muted and classic. They're my guesses anyway, we will have to wait until June to find out how right or wrong I am! 

The Simpsons collaboration will be a bright affair judging by this picture posted on Instagram by Mac a few hours ago. I am looking forward to seeing what this collection entails, bright makeup isn't really my thing but I might be pleasantly surprised by it. At least it won't be boring! Just when I wondered what Mac would come up with next- they never fail to surprise me. It makes a welcome change from samey Rihanna collections, while being popular and wearable, it's nice to see something more out there. I don't think there is a release date for The Simpsons yet but I'm assuming it will follow after Sharon and Kelly's. Can't wait!!

Xx

April Favourites

I always mean to do monthly favourites but time flies by before I get round to it and then I'm too late. So I'm being organised this time, I can't promise it will be a regular thing though but I'm trying! This month I have been loving quite a few things: 

Firstly, as my holiday is slowly creeping up, I have been making a conscious effort to exercise. My trainers have seen better days due to also wearing them to help my dad do the gardening (!) but I am planning on getting some new ones in the near future. I used to jog a couple of times a week but I have injured my knee so I can't anymore, instead opting for aerobic exercise routines on YouTube with my sister and one of my friends combined with a few power walks when my knee will let me! I've been drinking a lot of green tea with lemon as I don't like plain green tea and struggle to find a nice one that I can stomach! This PG Tips Zesty Lemon one seems to do the trick though and I don't find myself struggling to put up with the taste. 

Beauty favourites this month are in the form of Bioderma, L'Occitane Cherry Blossom Fragrance, Fake Bake Original Tan and Maybelline ColorSensational lipstick in Tantalizing Taupe. I use Bioderma every morning to cleanse my face and every evening to remove my makeup. I just soak a few cotton pads with it and wipe over my face until it is clean. It's so easy to use and I'm sure it will be in every monthly favourite! I'm nearly out of my L'Occitane Cherry Blossom and I always repurchase this over and over again as it's such a lovely fragrance that lasts on my clothes all day. Now the sun is shining I have been regularly tanning again. I do it on and off or if I am going somewhere nice but when it gets warmer I can't reveal my lily white legs without it on pretty much constantly! I find this Fake Bake one is a lovely colour and has quite a pleasant smell. I have been in love with this Maybelline lipstick since I received it in one of my Glossyboxes a few months ago. It's been really hard for me to find that perfect nude and while this may not be it, it is certainly the closest I have come! I have dry lips and this is quite moisturising and long lasting. 

A couple of random favourites this month- my new sunglasses from River Island, I think they were £10 or thereabouts and one of my favourite films Pitch Perfect!  I have worn the same £3 pair of tesco sunglasses for a few years now as I could never find any that suited me as well as my old faithfuls. Needless to say, they are now in the bin as I have these gorgeous ones! They're UVA and UVB protective and are so lovely that I find myself wearing them even if it's not very sunny outside. Pitch Perfect is such a funny film and I could watch it over and over again, which I have these past few weeks! Our housemate had never seen it and doesn't own any DVDs that I would watch so I vowed to convert him, starting with this. He is now addicted to it and even downloaded some of the songs onto his phone. Mission accomplished! 

Xx

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream The Original

This has been a favourite of cult beauty addicts for years but I have only just got my hands on this much loved tube. Now I don't know what I was expecting but I was taken a bit by surprise when I squeezed some of the cream out into my hand. Its a lot thicker than I thought I would be, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as it is great for burns or cracked lips and hands. I tend to suffer with eczema a lot so I will definitely be giving this a go and also will be donating it to my boyfriend who has chapped and very rough hands. It's like holding hands with a block of sandpaper and actually hurts me if he rubs my arm so I will be interested to see if it manages to help him. The downside to this product is the smell. I'm very particular when it comes to fragrances of beauty products or perfumes and I didn't realise this would have such a strong smell. This however is just my opinion, it's loved by many people so I may just have a sensitive nose! I shall persevere and see how I get on! I did receive this as part of a gift set for Christmas that also contained a day cream, hand cream and lip balm, all of which I am currently using and loving. 

Does anyone else use Elizabeth Arden? I'd love to hear what you think of the products

Xx

Products I'm loving February 2014

Being someone that is very much into all things beauty related, I'm always buying new products and rediscovering old favourites. My skin is generally combination although my t-zone is incredibly oily and I suffer with random dry patches/sometimes eczema through the colder months. 

This month I have been using a variety of products really, I always use my faithful Bioderma Sensibio H2O to cleanse my face in the mornings and remove my makeup in the evenings. It's great, I love it and it manages to get through the layers of makeup to reveal my skin in a few swipes of a cotton wool pad. I buy the 500ml size as needless to say I get through a bottle at super high speed (I buy it from escentual.com). 

I recently bought the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner after reading endless blog posts about it and decided that I must write one too! I am ashamed to say I am actually Clarins trained and worked at a salon with Clarins products readily at my fingertips for 2 years but didn't explore many of the products for myself. Slapped wrist for me! Exfoliating my skin once or twice a week is great for my body as I wear fake tan almost all the time but my face flares up if I scrub it with an Exfoliator containing bits. At the same time I don't feel that enzyme or fruit acid peels do anything amazing either. This is where Clarins come in. I wipe my face over with the Brightening Toner a few times a week and to my surprise it makes my skin feel soft and look less dull and tired. 

I'm also loving my Elizabeth Arden lip balm which I wear at night to soothe my incredibly dry lips which I spend all day licking and nervously chewing! Bad habit I know. 

Hair- I can't get enough of my Milkshake Leave In Conditioner and my tangle teaser. My hair falls just below my bra strap and takes a fair amount of time to brush as it knots very quickly. The leave in conditioner smells like milk bottle sweets so i spray very liberally on my hair to get my sugar fix. Tangle Teasers are one of the best things ever invented, I still haven't quite worked out how they manage to de-tangle my mop with not so much a scream or swear word! 

Xx

Ponds Cold Cream

This stuff is a god send! It's been around for years and I remember my mum having a pot of it in her bedroom drawer. It costs £4.49 for the 50ml size from Boots, and has a variety of uses. It is marketed as a cleansing cream, even claiming to remove waterproof mascara, but I also use it as a face mask as its thick consistency means i can layer it on and it stays put until I wash it off. The smell is also fresh and typically what you would expect from a cleansing cream, although this particular Ponds Cold Cream is perfumed( I think you can buy ones that aren't) but even so I can hardly smell it on my face. I do this every week and my skin is left feeling moisturised and calm( especially if I've been having a cheeky squeeze of my blackheads before hand!). This product is great for me as some face masks can leave my skin feeling too tight or make me breakout in unattractive spots. The only downside is the size of the pot I bought( they do larger sizes however) as I'm so slapdash with facial products that I find myself re purchasing probably more than I need to and I'm forever gouging a huge chunk out of the pot every time. Obviously at £4.49, a lot cheaper than most cleansers, I can buy more and not hear my bank balance groan! 

L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara

I've just purchased this mascara after finishing a different L'Oreal one. I admit I'm a little clueless as to which mascaras are good and which aren't as I had eyelash extensions on for 4 years. I tend to ignore mascara adverts as I still think I've got my lashes on (until I look in the mirror, sad that my long lashes are gone!) so I had to enlist the help of my boyfriends sister. She recommended a few mascaras so off I plodded to Boots to have a look and decided on this one. 

What I had forgotten was how expensive mascaras are! This mascara cost me £10.99 in Boots which I think is the average price.  I know you're thinking I must have spent a small fortune getting my lash extensions refilled every 2 weeks but I didn't actually pay to have them done. My friend and I are both beauty therapists so just swapped treatments instead of paying each other, which was great! 

As you can see from the photos there is a difference in the length and thickness of my lashes so I am very happy with this mascara. The wand also doesn't get overloaded with product so it is quick and easy to build my lashes up and also works well for my bottom lashes. I find some mascaras smudge towards the end of the day but this one hasn't done so I'm very pleased and will definitely repurchase! 

Elemis Gentle Rose Exfoliator

 

 

I bought this exfoliator a few months ago as I had read good things about it and I already used a few Elemis products. The packaging is simple and clean looking, which I like, and the brief description on the back definitely makes me want to use it straight away! It claims to 'gently exfoliate the surface of the skin, leaving it silky smooth and soft to the touch'. I didn't know what to expect when I first used this product ,as I always used very harsh exfoliators before this,but I was really surprised how much I liked it! It smells so fresh and spreads easily over my skin, leaving it feeling clean and definitely more even looking. Other Exfoliators that I have used leave my skin feeling tight and lacking moisture but this one makes it feel rehydrated and also doesn't break me out in spots, which I find can happen to me. The only down side is the price, I bought it for £25.60 for the 50ml size. However you only need a very small amount so it should last me a while.