For What It's Worth...

May Glossy Box Favourites

2012-05-27T12:20:00.002-07:00

To anyone who didn't know, Glossy Box turned 1 this month. Happy Birthday Glossy Box! To celebrate not only did we get our usual samples, but a few extras to enjoy the festivities. Which leads me to my favourite thing from this months Glossy Box; the compact mirror.

I've needed a little mirror for in my handbag since I smashed the last one, (6 more years of bad luck for me!) so it couldn't have come at a better time. Don't get me wrong there is nothing particularly spectacular about this mirror, and it is just clever advertising from Glossy Box, but it's just so damn practical. Anything that comes in a Glossy Box that is useful for me is a winner in my eyes, like when you get mini shower gels (which I also got this month) which are great to use when traveling.

I have yet to try the leave-in hair mask so I can't officially crown the mirror my Glossy Box favourite. But for arguments sake, lets just say it is indeed my May Glossy Box favourite.

What was your favourite?

Real Techniques Brushes

2012-05-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

I've had these Real Techniques brushes for a while now but I didn't want to write about them until I had tried them for a while first. I needn't have bothered since they were just as amazing as I knew they were going to be.

The Real Techniques brushes were designed by Samantha Chapman, one half of the absolutely fabulous PixiWoo girls (I'd be surprised if you hadn't heard of them but if you haven't educate yourselves... http://www.youtube.com/user/pixiwoo). I originally bought the Stippling Brush by itself to apply foundation and I absolutely loved it. So when my sister bought me one of the kits for my Birthday I was over the moon.

My three favourites are (L-R) the Stippling brush, the Blending brush and the Contour brush. I use all three every single day and given that I always used to apply foundation with my fingers that's saying something!

I apply my foundation with the blending brush, use the stippling brush to blend concealer in and use the contour brush to (yep you guessed it) contour. I also like to use the blending brush after I'm done with all my make up just to blend everything in together.

The brushes are super soft and they absolutely never shed at all, not a single fibre. I would actually pay someone to come and stroke my face with them all day, they are that soft! So if you're looking for some great brushes I 100% recommend Real Techniques brushes, which you can now buy in Boots. Alternatively you can buy them here.

What are your favourite make up brushes?

April Glossy Box

2012-05-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I'm not going to review the April Glossy Box because a) we got it forever ago and b)there are thousands of reviews I'm sure. But what I did think I would do is just do a post on my stand outs from the box. Not sure if I will do this as a regular thing, it's just there were 3 items in this months box which I have used constantly since getting it. In fact it's safe to say I will cry when they run out (then go and buy the full sized versions!).

As you can see above, the three items I love are the Monu Collagen Cream, the Caudalie S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum and the Figs and Rouge Balm. I have incorporated all three into my skincare regime and have noticed such a difference. My skin has felt so soft and looks so radiant since using the serum and the Collagen Cream. Morning and night I cleanse with my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish cleanser, followed by the serum which I pat onto my skin. I then slather on the Collagen Cream after and I'm so pleased with how my skin is looking.

The Figs and Rouge balm is something I have been using, again, morning and night on my lips. I tend to get dry, flakey lips and this has completely eradicated that, plus the scent is delicious. I have also been using the balm on my cuticles and any patches of dry skin and it has really helped moisturise these areas.

I loved this months Glossy Box and I am really glad I've stuck with it, despite feeling a little indifferent with the boxes so far. I feel like some people are too quick to jump ship with these schemes and I had a funny feeling if I cancelled I would regret it when I saw the following months box.

Anyone else subscribe to Glossy Box? How did you find April's box?

Top 10 Nail Polishes

2012-05-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

Something you may or may not know about me is I am a complete nail polish addict. It's becoming a bit of a problem really, mainly because the storage rack I have is slowly running out of space.

See! So I thought considering I have all these polishes yet I always seem to reach for the same ones, why not do a top 10 nail polish post. So without further a do, I present to you, (in no particular order, that would be too difficult!) my top 10 nail polishes.

Essie, Hard To Get

This colour is a gorgeous, milky, baby Pink. It's not too garish a Pink for every day wear, but not so muted it looks White.

Essie, Jelly Apple

This is a delicious Raspberry Red which I just think is the kind of colour that suits everyone. The perfect colour to do matching lips with; and if you're lucky enough, matching soles!

China Glaze, Midnight Ride

I love this gorgeous, vampy Purple. I couldn't get the lighting right in the picture to show it to it's full potential, but the purple micro shimmer is to die for.

Essie, Mint Candy Apple

Everyone's favourite Essie pastel colour. It's a beautiful pale mint Green with a nice cream finish to it. Absolutely gorgeous for spring.

China Glaze, Shocking Pink

Everything about this polish screams summer holiday to me. It's like a tropical punch, neon Pink colour and looks absolutely stunning with a tan.

China Glaze, High Maintenance

My Aunty likes to refer to this colour as 'Slapper Red'! Despite this we both adore the colour, which is great on toes.

Essie, Lilacism

The perfect spring/summer Lilac. Another favourite from Essie and another that looks best with a tan.

China Glaze, Purple Panic

Another from the China Glaze Neon collection, which I believe is still available. My friend recommended this to me and it's now a firm favourite. It's a bright Barbie Fuchsia and actually has a matte finish, I just put a top coat over for the photo. I love it matte or glossy and it's a polish you will always get complimented on.

Color Club, Revvvolution

Ok, this picture really doesn't do this polish justice. It's a sort of Grey colour with micro shimmer in every colour of the rainbow. This looks amazing under artificial light and also with a matte top coat.

OPI, Monsooner or Later

A new favourite of mine. I had been looking for a Coral Red for a while and while in the photo this looks more post box Red it is more Orange based in the flesh. It's a lovely bright eye catching colour that remains quite classic looking.

Well that was a lot harder than I thought it would be. There were so many others I would love to have included, but out of my collection these truly are the ones I use most. I still have a bit of room in my storage so I suppose i will just HAVE to fill it really won't I?!

What's your favourite nail polish at the moment? Plus any recommendations are welcome. I'm always looking to try new colours.

May Lust List

2012-05-04T02:38:00.000-07:00

Well aren't I being all inconsistent with the Lust List's?!
Thing is, I've been so busy I haven't had time to garner enough interest in anything to lust after it, as it were.
In fact the things I have been mostly lusting after recently have been kind of basic, or even repurchases. But I thought I would list them all the same just in case you were wondering... I'm sure you weren't!

BB Cream - Any! Would you believe I have yet to try one and after my best friend's rave review on the No. 17 BB Cream, I'm tempted to give it a whirl!
Mac Mineralise Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle - An oldie but a goodie!
Mac Strobe Cream - One of my best friends reminded me about this classic the other day. I used to use it religiously, then one day it ran out and I inexplicably never repurchased. (Slap on the wrist for me!)
Essie's Mint Candy Apple - I somehow managed to have this leak everywhere and the lid was stuck shut. I've since managed to prise it open but it's sadly gone gloopy and after seeing beautiful mint green nails everywhere, I'm in mourning.
Mac Russian Red - I've decided this is the perfect Red for me since going a little darker with my hair again.

I know that was more of a Mac list, but my lovely friend got me vouchers for my Birthday so I must have subconsciously been drawn to Mac.

I still have to go over all my lovely Birthday Beauty goodies, which I am making a promise to myself to get done.

Take care lovelies :)

Belated Birthday Blog

2012-04-17T11:43:00.003-07:00

Hello lovelies,

I'm still recovering from my Birthday weekend, yes that's right weekend, some things just need dragging out! I had a fabulous weekend away with some of my incredible friends. We stayed at The Bristol Hotel in... well, Bristol (funny that!). We had afternoon tea at the hotel, went shopping, and went out for drinks in the evening. We even booked a lovely make up artist to come to our hotel room and doll us up for the evening (lazy girl's dream).
All in all it was a success and I got absolutely spoiled rotten by my friends and family with gifts and cards.

So with all that said I thought I'd do a little Instagram show and tell since we all love a good Instagram (Instagram: making life look better since 2011!). I was thinking of reviewing some of my beauty themed gifts since that is what I enjoy doing, plus I got some Real Techniques brushes which I am absolutely in LOVE with.

I hope you have all had a lovely weekend. :)

Not the only Birthday girl!, Beautiful tea strainer, The Bristol Hotel, Afternoon Tea,

Makeup envy, Seagull, Finished makeup, Gorge hotel room,

Legs McGee, Beautiful photobook from Amy, Reunited with my scent, Best brushes ever?!,

Hearts all round, Pretty blouse from my sister, Jewelry from Amy, Bobbi goodies from Kat <3

Lilac Prism NOTD

2012-04-05T11:09:00.001-07:00

Hands up if at the first hint of spring you're slapping on the pastel cream nail polishes. Come on don't be shy, I know I'm not alone on this one, particularly since all my favourite Youtubers have been sporting varying colourful ice cream shades.

So I did my usual eBay nail polish spree (which I do every time my bottle of Seche Vite top coat gets to that weird stringy gloopy stage) and I was taken in by Prism from the China Glaze Prismatic collection. So much so that I accidentally bought it twice... Oops! It has however, arrived smack bang in the middle of my love affair with Essie's Lilacism so I couldn't commit to only having Prism on my nails. I have gone for a compromise instead and just topped the Lilacism with Prism on my ring fingers and I think I like it (lots of "isms" going on in this post!).

In case you were wondering where I get my nail polishes from on eBay I always always ALWAYS buy from Top Nail Shop. The lady who runs this shop is incredible and I cannot rate her enough, so definitely go and have a little look.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter and eat lots of chocolate. :)

April Lust List

2012-04-01T10:39:00.000-07:00

Well spring has most definitely sprung which has me in an excellent mood. It also has me in 'Spring Clean' mode so it is most definitely time to clear out my make up collection. This obviously means I will need to then replenish the collection (of course), so I thought I would do a Lust List in honour.

Revlon Lip Butters (I haven't decided which colours tickle my fancy yet)
Maybelline 24-hour eye tattoo (I'm thinking a spring/summer bright)
Givenchy Rouge Interdit Lipstick in Fantasy Pink
Origins VitaZing SPF15 Moisturiser

I hope you're all enjoying the sunshine. :)

Collection 2000 Pump Up The Volume

2012-03-21T06:33:00.000-07:00

Collection 2000 has really been excelling itself as a brand recently. To me, Collection 2000 brings back memories of going to Boots and spending my pocket money on any kind of make up I could afford. As I have got older I have tended to stick with the notion that something that is more expensive is usually better quality. While this rule usually stands the test of time there are always exceptions to the rule, with Collection 2000 being that exception.

Everyone loves their Lasting Perfection Concealer which at £4.19 really is a steal when you compare it with its Mac counterpart. The product I have most recently fallen for though is their Pump Up The Volume Mascara. I don't usually rave about Mascara's because I feel like unless they are terrible (flake off, smudge etc.) I just can't notice any difference between them. This mascara however was different. It really lengthened and curled my lashes which is what most people want from their mascara and all for under a fiver (4.99).

If you can get past the ginormous wand applicator you will love it (early morning application of this, paired with hooded lids can be tricky). The only minor gripe I have, and this may well be down to my clumsy hands, but the mascara from the wand leaks over the side when you put the wand back in the tube. This excess mascara then oozes out when you screw it shut. Does this happen to anyone else or am I just a numpty?

P.s. Spring has officially sprung so it was about time Essie's Mint Candy Apple got an outing!

A Little Hello From Me to You!

2012-03-12T08:33:00.000-07:00

Well I thought I'd better do a quick post to share my devastation with you all. I came home to find the dreaded Royal Mail "Sorry we missed you" card... Cue heart break when I realised it was the Harrod's Glossy Box. So I will be going into hiding and avoiding all blog posts until I can collect it because, quite frankly, I want to enjoy the element of surprise.

In other news I just made a nail polish impulse purchase, to make up for the fact that Revlon Lip Butters are not available in my local Boots yet. I have been looking for an almost Orange-y Red for a while now and I went with OPI's Monsooner Or Later. I'm not sure if it's 100% what I'm looking for, but I'll know as soon as it's on my nails. I'll have to wait for this pleasure though as I'm just too impressed with my perfect application of Essie's Lilacism, which I managed to do whilst on the M1 (not driving of course, that would be dangerous)! I will be sure to blog my thoughts on Monsooner Or Later and any Orange-y Red suggestions are welcome.

Until then... Toodles!

Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Eye Cream

2012-03-07T06:15:00.002-08:00

I don't even know if I need to write anything more than the following:
I AM OBSESSED!

My lovely friend Kat has recently started working as a Bobbi Brown make up artist ,which obviously means she will be tempting me to buy more... and more often! With this new font of Bobbi Brown knowledge comes an introduction to the Extra Repair Eye Cream, which as you can see from above I am completely in love with.

I tend to get quite bad under eye bags since I have a love of all salty foods and end up getting the dreaded Sodium bloat. Since using this eye cream morning and night however, I have noticed significant de-bagging as well as less noticeable dark circles. The texture is rich and creamy but my absolute favourite thing about this product is it almost acts as a primer. Some eye creams really play havoc with concealer, however this one helps your concealer go on smoothly and evenly. It also prevents that horrible concealer creasing, when it settles into your fine lines.

The scent is fresh and while I detect some Cucumber I can't really work out what the other fragrances are. What I can tell you is it is a really nice, light, fresh fragrance and nothing that would irritate your eyes.

I can't rave about this enough people... you need this in your life!

NOTD - Glitter Ombre

2012-03-05T06:23:00.001-08:00

Yes you read it right... ANOTHER nail of the day! I think I'm becoming a little obsessed.

I have to give Sprinkleofglitter (Blog link here) all credit for this design as I did see her YouTube video (link here) and the magpie in me just couldn't resist giving it a whirl!

It turned out a bit lumpy as the Essie polish I used as a base colour was so thin it needed 4 coats. I also think the glitter polish is too dense to make this look work. Will definitely be trying again with more suitable polishes.

NOTD - Peridot Dupe

2012-02-28T05:42:00.000-08:00

If you are a regular reader, you may remember my post on Chanel's Peridot nail polish (here). Thanks to a post by Fleur de Force (here) I bought the perfect dupe from Topshop called Hidden Treasure at a fraction of the price. The quality of this polish doesn't reflect the price either, I've had this colour on for 3 days and no sign of chipping just yet.

So without further a do, my quick nail of the day:

In artificial light

In natural light

Until next time guys!

March Glossy Box

2012-02-27T02:30:00.000-08:00

I know I subscribed late in the month, but I swear I received February's Glossy Box yesterday. On first impressions, I can't say I'm massively impressed with this month. Then again, I'm not too sure what it's going to take for me to be blown away? Maybe I'm hoping for a bit too much?

Anyway that aside this is what I received:

DuWop Venom Gloss in Buttercup
I've owned a clear DuWop Lip Venom before and I loved the effect of it. I'm looking forward to trying a coloured one even though it is quite a sheer nude shade.

Dr Bronner Lavender Hand Sanitiser
I donated this to my mum immediately as I cannot stand anything Lavender scented. That's twice out of the 2 boxes I've had that has contained something Lavender scented and it gives me a headache. Also thought it amusing that my dad knew the Dr Bronner brand as the "brand that did the crap shampoo"!

Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Relaxing Balm
This smells absolutely delicious and did smooth my fly-away hairs. Not sure I'll get much use out of it though as my hair isn't a big fan of products.

BM Beauty Pure Mineral Eyeshadow
Nice, finely milled powder with good pigmentation. My only complaint is with the colour I received, which is identical to the purple Mac pigment I already own, and have barely ever touched. But hey, Glossy Box aren't mind readers.

Como Shambhala Invigorate Shower Gel
I think this is my favourite product in the box, since you can't really go wrong with a good shower gel. This is going straight in my wash bag and being used for travel. I haven't used it yet but I love the fresh scent although I'm annoyed to see it also contains Lavender. Granted the Lavender part of the scent isn't too strong that I notice it so I'll let that go.

So all in all it was alright, nothing hugely special. I just hope my future boxes don't contain as much bloody Lavender or my mum will just be inheriting the lot. The jury is still out...

Beauty Pet Peeves and How To Avoid Them!

2012-02-23T02:00:00.000-08:00

The Only Way Is Essex... Everyone loves the entertainment it brings and I love it as much as the next person, but boy are there a lot of beauty sins going on.

Now call this a disclaimer if you will, but I really don't consider myself an expert in any way, shape or form this is just a silly tongue in cheek lowdown of my biggest beauty pet peeves. Who knows, my list of pet peeves might be the next persons beauty aspirations but like I say, all good fun! So here are my biggest beauty pet peeves :

- Wonky false eyelashes

Lydia from TOWIE, in fact most of the female cast of TOWIE are repeat offenders. There is no need for this to be happening.

Tip: Everyone has different sized eyes, yet false lashes come in one size only. Make sure you measure your strip lashes against your eyes and trim to fit. Another reason this can happen, is if you don't bend your strip lashes enough to make them a little more flexible. A good way to do this is to wrap your strip lashes around a make up brush (before putting the glue on of course). This will help when you try to bend them to the natural curve of your eye instead of them going across in a straight line.

- Cake face, and whilst we're on the subject, tide lines.

More isn't always more. Too many layers of badly blended product can result in the dreaded 'Cake Face'. Alternatively as pictured even few layers of badly blended product can produce equally terrifying results.

Tip: Whenever possible apply make up in natural light. This is how the world will mainly be seeing you for the day so it kind of makes sense. Make sure to take some product down onto the neck and if you're going a shade darker, don't forget your ears. Blend, blend, blend... Nothing more needs to be added to this other than BLEND!

- Chipped nail polish

I'm such a nail perfectionist I can't even look at this picture! Nothing makes me smile more than a beautifully manicured nail and it takes 2 seconds to take chipped polish off so there are no excuses. Naked nails look far better than chipped nails.

Tip: If you're prone to chipped nail polish, just take a packet of on the go nail polish remover pads in your bag. Easy peasy...

- Tadpole eyebrows

So wrong... Apologies to anyone actually born with this shape brow (is that even possible?) but there really is no need. Eyebrows frame your face... Do you really want two tadpoles framing your face? I'm guessing the answer to this question is no.

Tip: This one might take some work but my best advice is to book yourself in for an HD Brows consultation. They can work miracles. It may require some growing out but in the meantime Benefit's Brow-Zing is your friend.

- Unblended contouring

The thing with make up is it's supposed to enhance what you already have in a subtle way. If done badly, contouring can look like you are out on a dodgy 'Army' themed Hen-Do with camouflage war paint drawn on.

Tip: As mentioned above with foundation, less is more. It's better to build up from a barely there look, than to put way to much on to begin with and struggle to blend it out. You will just look like you need a good wash!

So that's my round up of beauty pet peeves and I hope you enjoyed. As I said before I am not claiming to be the oracle of beauty, just thought it would be a bit of fun to brighten everyone's Thursday morning.

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation

2012-02-21T06:14:00.000-08:00

Devastated is not the word to describe how I felt when I heard Chanel were getting rid of their Pro Lumiere foundation. The reality is, whilst I didn't use it day to day, it was the perfect foundation to wear on a night out. The full coverage was a blessing for my skin, which often gets very blotchy and red once alcohol is added to the mix.

So when Chanel announced the launch of their new Perfection Lumiere I thought I'd give it a go and see if it would fill the Pro Lumiere shaped void in my life. I've been using it on and off for a few weeks now, just to make sure I could make a fair judgement on it, and over all I really like it.

When I first tried it, my skin was having a bit of a rough ride with the Baltic conditions. For me, when it gets cold I get eczema-like dry, red patches around my mouth and nose, which are really stubborn and look terrible with any make up on. I found this to be the case with the Perfection Lumiere as well (it just clung to the dry patches and looked very chalky) but hey, I'm not expecting miracles.

I persevered all the same and have since tried it on clear skin (after a brief fling with Superdrug's hot cloth cleanser, I have officially moved back to the slightly more sophisticated Liz Earle version and my skin is thanking me for it). Perfection Lumiere promises to offer a light weight, invisible, semi-matte texture, suitable for all skin types. While I don't necessarily agree it is suitable for all skin types, since using it on clearer skin I absolutely loved it.

The first thing I noticed about the foundation was the fragrance. Now I know some people aren't fond of fragranced foundations, but I love the scent of it which is a light, delicate, powdery smell. It applied smoothly and left my skin feeling so silky, and not in the slightest bit oily or greasy, a definite bonus for me. Overall I'm impressed. It certainly doesn't replace Pro Lumiere since the two had very different formulations and different purposes but I enjoy it as a foundation all the same. I will continue to enjoy having a slightly perfumed face!

Lush Lip Scrubs

2012-02-16T03:30:00.000-08:00

I day dream of perfecting a smooth matte Red lip. The reality is the harsh baltic conditions of late in the UK means this look ends up flakey and bitty (attractive!). The freezing cold weather has left my lips in terrible condition and no amount of 8 hour cream seems to be helping. So on a recent shopping trip with my best friend we popped in to Lush to see what they had to offer and boy did they deliver!

First of all I have to comment on the staff they employ in Lush shops. They are always so eager to help and never in a pushy way, which tends to make me run a mile. Also the staff are very knowledgeable about the products, now I know this seems like a given but you'd be surprised how many times I've had employees in other unnamed shops just read the label to me! They take the time with you, demonstrate how to use the product and often even give you a sample to take away and try. So when I mentioned my flakey lip syndrome to the shop assistant she showed me their Lip Scrub and showed me how to use it.

As with most Lush products they have tried to keep the formula as natural as possible, it mainly consists of Castor Sugar and Organic Jojoba Oil. It comes in 3 flavours "Bubblegum" (Which I got... Mainly because of the colour!) "Mint Julips" a lovely minty fresh scent and "Sweet Lips" which is a sort of Chocolate Vanilla flavour. Now my absolute favourite part of this product is the fact that it's actually edible. Yes that's right, for those of you with a sweet tooth, you have an extra excuse to get a sugar rush. You literally rub the product onto the lips gently then lick it off. The shop assistant said it was her favourite product to demonstrate and I can see why, she even made the admission that she could sit and eat a pot with a spoon (Disclaimer: I don't recommend this. You'll probably be sick!).

This has solved my flake lip syndrome (happy days!) and I'm even tempted to go and get the other two flavours.

Valentines Day NOTD

2012-02-14T03:30:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day to you all, just wanted to drop in with a quick nail of the day for the occasion.

On my fingers I have Essie's Jelly Apple and on my thumbs I have Essie's Hard To Get. The little heart gems are from a nail decoration kit by Broadway Nails (here). I used the Seche Vite top coat to finish it all off.

Hope you all get spoiled rotten with chocolates and flowers.

Bourjois Delice de Soleil

2012-02-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

I admit to always being behind on the hyped products. I have always had this strange objection to hype, I do the same things with books and have stubbornly refused to read Harry Potter, The Twilight Saga etc. for this very reason. I would prefer to either discover it first or let the hype die down which is why I have only just tried Bourjois Delice de Soleil (Well that and the fact I've been trying to finish my age old Rimmel Sun Glow!).

I got the plastic compact version with the rotating mirror since I thought it was very practical, and would probably stand the test of time in my make up bag. I was a little concerned by the apparent abundance of glitter in the powder, and worried I might end up looking like a grubby glitter ball. However I was pleased to find this wasn't the case and much of the glitter didn't seem to either come out the powder onto the brush or stick to my skin. Either way... Happy days!

My only concern is the colour range, or lack there of. It only comes in 2 shades and I got the darker of the two, 'Olive/tanned skin' which just about shows up on my skin right now (my pasty winter skin tone). I worry that once spring/summer arrive and I have a little more colour to me, it might not show at all. I'm not sure if they are planning on adding any other shades or if this is our lot. We will see how this holds up once I get a little sunkissed, in the meantime I shall be using this to make it seem that I in fact am sunkissed.

Decleor Aroma Night Beauty Cream - Regenerating

2012-02-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

On a recent visit to The Titanic Spa I was given a free Decleor gift set with my full body massage treatment. I have this terrible habit of leaving gift sets in their boxes for absolutely ages before even trying them, which is pretty much what happened with this one.

I have finally got round to actually opening it and trying the products included and I absolutely love them. Out of the entire set there has been one stand out for me and that would be the Aroma Night Beauty Cream which promises to "replenish the skin’s energy levels and cell communication, maintain nutrition and moisture levels and promote skin renewal". I've been using this every night and have definitely noticed a difference in that my skin feels a lot more moisturised when I wake up. My face is almost glowing in a morning, which I can tell you is not usually the case.

For me the best part of this beauty cream is the scent, which is a relaxing combination of Sweet Almond, Cherry and White Musk. It's so fresh and zingy yet relaxing so you can float off to the land of nod feeling all fresh and clean. This is definitely something I would repurchase as I can't imagine a night without slathering my face in it before bed.

On a side note the gift set also included a mini Bougie Parfumee Scented Candle which smells absolutely devine. I can't seem to find a full sized version of this on the website which makes me not want to burn the one I have and save it as long as I can. Does anyone know where you can buy Decleor Candles?

Glossy Box

2012-02-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

Ok... I caved and subscribed to Glossy Box.
I've been deliberating over subscribing to a beauty box for a while now. The idea appeals to me since I love trying new products and I also love receiving parcels in the post (who doesn't?!). I sat for hours reading reviews, watching vlogs etc. to try and work out which box seemed like my cup of tea, and settled with Glossy Box.

I'm not going to review the contents, since I got it late and there are plenty of reviews of this particular box already out there (Gemsmaquillage, LLYMLRS, The Sunday Girl to name but a few). I liked the Valentines Day theme and enjoyed most of the products included, however I can't say I see me using a green eyeliner much but to each their own.

I'm definitely going to give Glossy Box a good chance before I make a full judgement. I'm not sure if my subscribing late and getting a box later than others would affect the content, but it has to be said I would have loved the Clarins samples. But then I suppose this is the gamble you run with beauty boxes that give different samples in different boxes.

Bourgois Healthy Mix Foundation

2012-01-27T11:52:00.000-08:00

Something I have noticed with age is my need for a good foundation. It brings a tear to my eye when I remember that up until I was 26, I was going fresh faced and foundation free. These days however, rarely a day goes by where I feel flawless enough to not cheat a little.

After having used Mac's Face and Body Make Up for about a year I have started to feel like it simply doesn't give enough coverage. Don't get me wrong it's perfect for summer when you generally look your best, and more importantly, want to avoid 'cake face' but during these cold winter months it just isn't doing it for me.

After having a little nose around, I decided to try the Bourgois Healthy Mix Foundation (I had originally wanted to try the Healthy Mix Serum but the shop I was in only carried it in 3 shades, none of which matched my skin tone). I've only been wearing this foundation for 3 days but it has won me over already. It has a good consistency, nice colour match and offers a bit more coverage than Mac Face and Body. I have however noticed it hasn't gone on well around a few dry patches on my face, which leads me to believe I should have gone for the Healthy Mix Serum. All in all a great drug-store foundation and it has me even more eager to try the Healthy Mix Serum.

January Lust List

2012-01-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

So it may well be nearing the end of January but never the less, here is January's Lust List...

Revlon Lip Butters - They've been causing a stir across the pond and I'm itching to try them.
OPI "Dutch Ya Just Love OPI?" from the Holland Collection. - Just yum!
Hourglass Veil Primer - I rarely use primers but this one definitely needs purchasing.
Rodial Glamtox Serum - My skin needs a Post-Christmas boost.

What's on your January Lust List?

Back With a Bag!

2012-01-23T06:28:00.000-08:00

Now that the dust has firmly settled after a busy festive season, I am back with a bang and a bag! Bags and shoes are the most sensible things you can buy after overdoing it on the mince pies (I have yet to meet someone who has put weight on in the foot area!).

Truth be told I have been looking for a good excuse to splurge on a Mulberry bag, and when a friend offers a discount code how can you resist? The answer quite simply is... You can't! So without further a do here she is, my beautiful Red Onion Patent Bayswater

I'm really happy with it and I feel like the colour is dark enough to work in Winter, yet colourful enough to work in summer as well. Just need the purse to match now...

December Lust List

2011-12-06T06:03:00.001-08:00

I don't know if December's Lust List technically doubles up as a Christmas wish list but hey ho here we go...

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy (I know, very generic choice of colour but it really was the one that suited me best!)
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer (I've wanted to try this for an age but not got round to it yet)
Real Techniques Starter Set of brushes
ANY Zoya nail polish (I still don't own one!)

Well maybe I'm not as spoilt as I first thought. I think that's a relatively small 'Lust List'!
Speaking of the Zoya polishes, I usually buy all my nail polish at this ebay shop: Top Nail Shop but they don't stock them. Does anyone have any good recommendations for buying Zoya polishes in the United Kingdom?