CAROLINEXO - UK Beauty Blog

BLOG SALE! Skincare!!

2013-02-15T19:22:00.000Z

Hi!
Need to clear out a few things!

- Bioderma Sebium AKN (Purifying corrective care, reabsorbs blackheads), basically full - £9
- Caudalie Beaute Elixir 30ml, 3/4 full - £7
- Origins Modern Friction, 3/4 full - £23 (£31 new)
- Hydraluron, basically full - £19
- Bioderma exfoliating purifying gel, basically full - £10
- Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, basically full - £18

Please add £1 for shipping to the UK only. If anywhere else, please enquire for shipping prices!! Will combine shipping for multiple items... I may be open to haggling as well as I just want rid.

If you need any pictures or have any questions either email me carolinexoblog@gmail.com or leave a comment :)

Caroline.x

Brand Beef - feelunique.com VS. lookfantastic.com

2013-01-25T10:00:00.000Z

Excuse the slightly geeky post but this made me laugh yesterday...

Whilst Googling 'feelunique.com', I couldn't help but notice lookfantastic.com sneaking in some sneaky subtle titling of one of their campaigns:

Ha! Lookfantastic named one of their previous campaigns with the words 'Feel Unique' in it... Coincidence? Me thinks not. In 'real life' I work in marketing and have experience/knowledge with search engine optimisation/search engine marketing and to me it appears this has been done to help them appear in the SERP (search engine results page) when somebody searches for FeelUnique.com.

Sneaky, but clever.

Caroline.x

Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel Review

2013-01-24T20:42:00.001Z

I've never raved about this tube of joy and whilst using it, I thought to myself, I need to!

Elemis' Papaya Enzyme Peel is what I call my tube of wonder. It contains 7 active ingredients (Papaya, Pineapple, Porphyridium (unicellular algae), Bladderwack (seaweed extract), Milk Protein, Sunflower Oil, and Vitamin E) to smooth, brighten, and clarify your complexion.

The unique thing about this exfoliator is that it is completely smooth, more like a cream than an exfoliator and contains zilcho granules so none of that scratchy feeling! I'll be the first to admit that I love a good scratchy exfoliator, but sometimes my skin may err on the sensitive/delicate side, so it's refreshing to use something that doesn't tug at my skin, and works without me having to do anything.

I usually slather this on whilst waiting for my bath to run, then hop in with it still on and leave for 15-20 minutes. This has a pleasant fruity smell, and the results after are amazing. Clear, smooth and glowy skin - exactly why I call it my tube of joy!!

The only downside is that it is a little pricy, £29.50 for 50ml on the lookfantastic site, but sometimes if you're lucky you may find it with 20% off like I did just after Christmas. Despite the price tag, I highly recommend it and will definitely purchase it over and over again.

Caroline.x

It's snow time!

2013-01-21T20:26:00.001Z

In case you were maybe living under a rock, it's snowed in the UK. I have a love/hate relationship with snow... Looks beautiful, love walking in it, love the noises it makes when you walk on it. Hate attempting to get out of it as I live in the middle of nowhere, and hate the ice.

Yesterday, however, I loved it, and I took Ella out for a stroll in it. She absolutely loved it too, and spent her whole time trying to eat all of it as she's a big idiot. I also love the snow as it's the one time of the year I get to wear a ridiculous hat and nobody batters an eyelid.

Enjoy some pictures :)

Caroline.x

Waitrose Shower Gels - My new love.

2013-01-20T23:24:00.002Z

I don't why it is but I have an obsession with shower gels. It's stupid really, as the scent never lasts more than 10 minutes after you have put your clothes on. However, this doesn't stop me from perusing the supermarket aisles for something that looks and smells tasty.

I introduce you to my new favourites - Waitrose own branded shower gels. For the grand price of £1.26 (or 2 for £2 at the moment), you can choose from Lemon Blossom & Amber, Cinnamon Cakes, Sea Salt & Kept (my three favourites), or other delicious scents such as Green Tea & Apple and Clementine & Ginger, amongst others! I'm not going to say that they are the most moisturising shower gels on the market, but they're pretty damn good for the price. For me, it's the smell that's the best part! The aroma lingers for hours in your bathroom (and out onto the hallway as my mum noticed) for hours. As an added bonus, they're also vegetarian and vegan friendly, which is good to know. All the ranges are accompanied by bubble baths, hand washes, and soaps, too. Next all they need is a range of deodorants and I'd be a happy bunny!

Available from your local Waitrose/online.

Caroline.x

2013

2013-01-19T23:22:00.000Z

Once again I've been rubbish at posting more often... Oops! Unfortunately as usual, life has taken over, i.e. work and other boring stuff. Not to mention I seem to be absolutely exhausted 99.9% of the time.. Really need to work on that 10.30pm bedtime on school nights New Years Resolution!

I've decided to make my first post of 2013 a more personal one. I tend to steer away from making posts too personal on my blogland, no other reason other than privacy y'know, but, I thought if I make this more public, in a years time I can reflect back on it and (hopefully) think, yep, I did that! I promise this will all make sense in a second...

Towards the end of 2012 I hit a real low point in my life, the worst I've ever felt emotionally and physically. I won't go into reasons why on here, but at this point I was questioning anything and everything about my existence. I saw no purpose in what I did and that the rest of my life will be like how it was then, miserable and dark. Everything was going wrong, no matter what I did and how I felt, something would happen to knock it back down again. I spent every day in tears (not exaggerating), feeling like a mess, looking like a mess, questioning my existence and wondering why everyone else's life was so much better than mine and why no one else felt like I did. To put it bluntly, I felt like life had taken a giant shit on me.

I don't really know what clicked, it didn't happen over night obviously, but I very slowly started to tell myself that I don't want to feel like this forever, and I can't, and I won't. I learned to count my blessings and realise that even though I felt absolutely dire and was pretty much a nervous wreck, I wouldn't feel this way forever, and actually, I do have something to live for, and no, I'm not the only person in the world to ever feel like this. Some of the things I learned included:

- If someone is behaving atrociously and making you feel this low, just remember how miserable they must be inside to take out their insecurities and their nastiness on you. They only pick you because they're threatened and/or jealous. Sad, really.

- If something/someone is making you miserable, jog it on. I'm talking about relationships, mostly - it's not so easy to apply this to stuff such as a job, say. I should have ended a relationship within days of it beginning as I knew it wasn't right and it/he wasn't what I wanted, but because I was a mug/didn't have any faith in my decisions, I didn't, and ultimately ended up more miserable than when it started.
- COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS! I can't stress how important this was/is in making me feel better. Although I felt miserable about certain aspects of my life, the rest of my life was good. I have a very good and supportive network of family and friends who look out for me and vice versa, I have my health, and I'm still young, won't be feeling like this when I'm 44, innit. - I won't feel like this forever... Things change every single day. Not always for the better, but everything around you changes constantly. To quote a generic saying, you may get hit by a bus tomorrow, you don't want to spend that last day pre the bus incident being miserable.

Which leads me onto the purpose of this post... Because I never, ever, want to feel like how I did again, and it bums me out that A) I felt that low, and B) I wasted so much time being a sad panda, that I've made promises to myself for 2013/hopefully the rest of my life. Told you this would make sense at some point.

1. Have faith in my decisions and listen to my head, not my heart. As mentioned earlier, this caused me more aggro/upset in the long term, when really, a short term upset would have been better and caused less hassle.

2. Be a bit more selfish sometimes. I spend/spent a lot of time trying to please others rather than myself. I'm not saying I'm going to become self-obsessed and never help others, of course.

3. Don't be scared to say something! Because I'm scared of disturbing the peace, I'll let people speak to me like a bit of dirt and not stick up for myself. My dad always says I need to let 'more of the Paddy (Irish) out in me more often and stop being such a wimp'.

4. Be more positive and try to see things as 'glass half full' instead of 'glass half empty'.

5. Remember that there is absolutely nothing wrong with me! I spent a lot of time thinking that 'this happened because this is wrong with me', when actually, it was nothing to do with me. I'm awesome, it's just that not everyone can be as awesome as me... I kid, I kid.

6. Try to keep myself occupied if I ever have a low day... The devil definitely makes work for idle hands.
7. Be a little more accepting and try not to analyse the shit out of everything, thus blaming myself. This kinda ties in with point 5. If I can't work out something, I blame myself. I need to learn that if I can't work out a conclusion, there isn't one, so let it be.

8. Stop comparing myself to others. Everything may seem grand on the outside, but you don't know what goes on behind closed doors. If their life seems perfect, you never know if it's a farce and you never know what shit other people are going through and how they feel.

9. Stop worrying about what's the worst that happen. I am definitely an analyser - although this has it's benefits, it's stopped me from doing things previously.

And finally, 10. Be happier and smile more!

So yes, that's my ten little promises to myself for hopefully, eternity. In a years time, I am hoping I can look back on this and think, yep, I stuck to it and didn't get down like I did before.

Give yourself a cookie if you read that far!!

To make this a little more 'normal reading' and beauty related, I recently dip dyed my hair purple and I freakin' love it. I didn't think it would work as my hair is so red I thought the bleach would turn it pink, I was amazed when some parts of it went white blonde!

I love itttt! I now refer myself to as the 'purple headed people eater'. Yes, I am normal.

It's also been bloody cold in the UK (for us, anyway) and thankfully my new favourite thing ever arrived yesterday... my Supreme bobble hat adorned with my favourite creatures, owls!

Yes, it's amazing, I know.

Anyway, apologies for the mega long post, if you enjoyed it, brilliant, if you didn't, soweee, normal service will resume too.

Caroline.x

Children and the dermatologist

2012-11-26T19:52:00.000Z

November Favourites

2012-11-20T22:11:00.001Z

Aloha!

As usual I've been rubbish updating.. I've been having a bit of a rubbish time in my personal life at the moment so I haven't been around in blog land too much... And I seriously don't know how people blog everyday when they work full time!

Anyway... I thought I'd bring you this months favourites. Yeah, it's not the end of the month, but I've been enjoying all the products so much I thought I'd post it now, eager me. I also decided to use Polyvore to create my collage of products instead of using photos I took myself. Reasons include - it takes less time, the pictures are clearer, and as the dark nights have drawn in, it's increasingly difficult to get decent daylight products! So yes, let me know if we're cool with the Polyvore collages?

One | L'Oreal Professional Mythic Oil Shampoo and Conditioner | £10.62 + £11.73

I'm a big fan of L'Oreal Professional shampoos and conditioners and my other favourites include Absolut Repair and Vitamino Colour, and my beloved Absolut Repair Cleansing Balm. L'Oreal Professional Mythic Oil (review to follow) is another one of my favourite LP products, and when they announced an accompanying shampoo, conditioner and mask I let off a little squeal. It's sad when what makes you happy is shampoo and conditioner, isn't it? Nah, it's totally sweet! This shampoo and conditioner uses a special blend of argan and cottonseed oils to 'provide a refreshing and cleansing experience', and promises to be deeply nourishing after every wash. And that, it does. My hair is left shiny, silky, and smooth after using these two babies, and combined with the original Mythic Oil, my mane looks better than Cheryl's. It doesn't, hers is photoshopped, but you get what I mean.

Two | Nivea Lip Butter in Raspberry Rose | £1.25

A recent addition to my handbag is one of Nivea's new Lip Butters, in the scent of Raspberry Rose. I don't think I've ever instantaneously fallen in love with a lip balm like I did with this. First of all, the scent is divine - a delicious combination of raspberry followed by rose (obviously), yum! Secondly, this stuff just literally melts onto your lips... It contains shea butter and almond oil and lasts foreeeever on the lips, all whilst providing a slight sheen. It also comes in 'Original' and 'Caramel Cream' which I will ~~may~~ definitely will be picking up on my travels!

Three | SBC Collagen Gel | £15.95

Whilst perusing QVC's website, I decided to have a look at the 'Customer Top Rated' section and spied this. I'd actually seen this in my local wholesalers and wondered what it was but never bought/tried... After seeing all the amazing reviews, I decided to purchase, and I'm so glad I did! SBC's Collagen Gel is described as a 'light textured, easily absorbed, non-sticky, water-based gel. A gentle, hydrating moisturiser to condition the skin of the face and body. Regular use will help plump the cells, assisting in the elimination of fine lines and wrinkles.' I started using this as I'm starting to get really fine lines on my forehead sort of in between my eyebrows - it's where I squint at my computer at work, even though I have 20/20 vision, time for some glasses me thinks! I've been applying this under my makeup, and pre my regular moisturiser at night and I'm definitely starting to see a difference. The best part about this gel is that it's multi-use, too - it can be used on the body as well as during pregnancy for stretch mark prevention!

Four | Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant | £38.50

I received this in this months Glossybox and literally jumped for joy as I've always wanted to get my mitts on this. Described as a 'gentle, rice-based exfoliating powder activates upon contact water, releasing Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes that micro-exfoliate dead cells, instantly leaving skin smoother and brighter'. It certainly lives up to all the claims and after a few uses I'm hooked. Only a tiny amount is needed to mix with water to create a paste which is great, and my skin is left so smooth after. It's so gentle too, it can used daily which is an added bonus!

Five | Caudalie Divine Oil | £25

Another oil based product, and there is another one to come in my November favourites, can you tell I love oils? I bought this on a recent trip to France after reading raving reviews and I can tell why it's got such high praise. This multi-purpose oil can be used on your skin, hair, nails, massage and even in the bath. The scent is absolutely divine (duh), I wish I was good at describing scents as this is unreal. The scent lasts for hours and I've received compliments on it from people asking what perfume I'm wearing, too! I predominantly use this on my skin, and it absorbs fairly quickly without leaving that horrible sticky residue. It's pricy, but I will definitely repurchase!

Six | Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer | £11.99

Considering I have the oiliest skin known to man, I don't actually use a primer usually. Every single one I have tried had made little or no difference to the oilies (minus a MAC one from years back which was limited edition) so I've always steered clear. However, mother bought this and didn't like it so gave it to me to try, and surprisingly, it works! I'm not saying I'm 100% oil free at the end of the day, but I've definitely noticed I don't need to powder my nose as much throughout the day.

Seven | Barry M Nail Paint in Grey | £2.99

I've had this Nail Paint for years and used to use it regularly. Of course since I bought it, my nail varnish collection has increased ten fold and it stopped getting used as much. However, this week I decided to use it again, and I'd definitely forgotten how much I love it. Welcome back into my nail life, NP293!

Eight | Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel | From £3.50

Yep, it's that time of the year again where we all go nuts over Lush's Christmas collection! I've been an avid user of Snow Fairy for as long as I can remember and each year stock up on as many bottles as possible. This sickly sweet shower gel is definitely one of my favourites - the closest smell I can describe it to is the sweets Pear Drops, yep, that sickly! But, I love it and it makes my shower pretty.

Nine | The Body Shop Polynesia Monoi Miracle Oil | £10

Another oil! I've been using this for aaages and have never blogged about it, silly me! The original reason why I bought this is because it is the spitting (scent) image of Elemis' Frangipani Monoi Oil, but, is more than half the price! If you have ever smelled the Elemis version, you will understand how damn good it smells, and frangipani is one of my top scents eeeever. Again, I mainly use this on my body, but as with the Caudalie version, this is multi-purpose and can be used just about everywhere. I've slept overnight with this on my hair and once I rinsed it out, it was like I didn't even need conditioner! Great multi-use product, I'm already on my second bottle!

Annnnd that concludes my November favourites :)

Caroline.x

Macadamia Healing Oil Spray Review

2012-10-04T16:00:00.000+01:00

I'm a big advocate of hair oils as you will come to learn on my blog. It's not just hair oils I love, I love oils for skin and for cuticles, too.

One of my favourite oils is the Macadamia Healing Oil Spray. It's described as an ultra fine mist that instantly absorbs into hair, weightlessly infusing moisture, health, softness, protection, control, and shine. It can be used on wet and dry hair, too, which is an added bonus. I personally spray into damp hair before blow drying and I'm left with soft, manageable and shiny hair. I'm yet to try this on dry hair, but it promises to add shine and smooth fly aways.

My favourite thing about this is that it is so light it doesn't leave your hair weighed down or greasy after a few hours. As much as I love hair oils, I do find that if you use a tiny bit too much, it can be complete overkill on the hair and you have to wash it again the next day.

I've used this on and off since I got a few months ago (I actually repurchased today!) and I have noticed fewer split ends and my hair seems in general better condition, which is a bonus too. It smells divine, too. I love that it also reduces drying time, which is great for those time starved people, which is most of us!

Available here for £12.65.

Caroline.x

Life In Instagram #1

2012-10-03T16:00:00.000+01:00

I do enjoy these Instagram posts from fellow bloggers cuz I'm nosey, so I thought I'd join in too! Although, my life isn't exciting enough to do it weekly, I'll try and do it as often as I can! Here's some snaps from the last four weeks or so.

New stationery for my masters degree - Enjoyable postcards - Delicious multi-coloured beverage - About to be eaten by a shark at Damien Hirst's exhibition
Being stupid with an ipad - Sunday afternoon reading blogs and my new book - Wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man! - My new toy, iPhone 5 <3 br="br">Beautiful owls - Pink Lemondade Lucozade - Hooty bag off on his travels - Wedding makeup trial
Blogging time - Dogs > People - Hooty blanket - Hair bun!

My Instagram name is vocaltest if you care to follow! Let me know yours and I'll follow back!

Caroline.x

MAC Dame Edna Collection Revisited

2012-10-02T16:00:00.000+01:00

Whilst my best friend was rummaging through my makeup collection, she picked up a lipstick I had completely forgotten about - MAC's Gladiola from the 2008 Dame Edna collection.

From this collection, Gladiola was the real winner for me. Described as a matte mid-tone blue pink, this is up high on my top bright pinks, and I get compliments when I wear this. I remember I actually made said best friend go to two different MAC stores in California to get this baby for me ha! The packaging is incredibly cute, with Dame Edna's signature red glasses included. I remember the box also included a little bit of card on with a quote from her, too. Sadly, I have since lost this!

Hopefully one day MAC will re-release this!

Do you have any Dame Edna collection products kicking around?

Caroline.x

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint and Bourjois Intuitive Liner Quick Review

2012-10-01T20:27:00.003+01:00

Hark at me with two posts in a day!

I stopped on my way home from work to pick up something from Argos, which is conveniently placed next to Boots and TKMaxx... Cue me spending more money than I intended on frivolous things I don't really need AKA nail varnish! But, hey, it made this very miserable rainy day slightly better!

First of all, please excuse my hideous photos... Winter is drawing in which means earlier darkness, and terrible flash photos for the blog! I'll definitely have to stick to scheduling posts at the weekend and utilising natural light for blog photos... This post is more of a haul mixed with a slap dash review :)

Anyhow! Boots and TKMaxx got me the following:

From TKMaxx we have a 'Mani Mini' Lacquer Trio from Orly (never tried Orly before!) for the grand price of £7.99 (bargain!), and from Boots we have Bourjois' new Intuitive Liner, as well as a new glitter Nail Paint from Barry M in no355 Gold Mine Glitter, and two new Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paints in GNP3 Watermelon and GNP1, Blackberry. Nice little haul eh? We'll start with the Bazza Nail Paints...

I'm a massive fan of Barry M. The products are all so affordable, and so great for such a small price. They also seem to be ever expanding their range too, which I love. My bank account, however, does not. I'm not usually a fan of glitter nail polishes, the tin foil and cotton pad trick always seems like too much effort for a lazy girl like me, however, I couldn't resist this black and gold number (and I'm spying up a few more colours, too). It's a shame my camera doesn't want to pick up it's glory, but it's a jet black polish with flecks of black glitter in it... Sooo pretty! The swatch below does it no justice, either, but just believe me on this one. I took a picture with no flash to show the glittery goodness! See!

The Bazza product I was most excited about was the new Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paints. I've seen these types of nail varnish popping up all over the high street promising 'gel line' shine - probably inspired by the recent boom of Shellac/two week manicures. I've got a couple from Revlon which I adore, and I couldn't resist these two from Barry M for the grand price of £3.99 each! Gelly Hi Shine has a range of 9 shades promises gel line shine in one coat. I've swatched all three Nail Paints below, and to be honest, first impression is that they would need at least two coats to make it as opaque as possible. However, these swatches are applied over bare nails, and before I took these I did a quick coat in excitement over the nail varnish I was wearing at the time, and the colour came out perfect and the shine was brilliant, almost Seche Vite-esque! I'll be slathering my nails in one of these tonight to road test if they last as well without my beloved Seche Vite... Results to follow. Again, apologies for the rubbish swatches, it doesn't do them justice!

And whilst we're on nail varnish, here's some swatches of the cute little Orly set from TKMaxx:

From top to bottom, we have Faint of Heart, Jealous, Much? and Prelude To A Kiss. As I said, I've never tried Orly before, and this mini collection was the perfect opportunity to give them a whirl. First impressions? I adore it! Especially Faint of Heart. I'll definitely be looking into purchasing more Orly nail varnishes!!

Bourjois Intuitive Liner Quick Review

I've been seeing these odd looking eyeliners floating about on my blog feed, and curiosity took over and I decided to purchase.

Again, please excuse the terrible photo! But as you can see from the picture (I hope), this isn't a 'normal eyeliner'. There are in fact three felt nibs all little more than a few millimeters apart. What is this odd contraption I hear you say? Well, if you're like me and you're baldy locks and the two hairs when it comes to eyelashes, this little baby is designed to fill in those gaps in your eyelashes post-mascara. Genius! I've given it a whirl and the effects are awesome, so subtle, yet so good. I actually gave it a whirl on my bottom lashes too and I think I prefer the effects at the bottom more than I do on the top! This definitely gives my eyes more definition without going the whole hog with eyeliner/tightlining.

As you (hopefully) can see from the picture above, the liner works by placing a trio of black dots, designed to mimic your natural lashes and fill in the gaps. It'll be interesting to see if they bring this out in any other colours than black; I can imagine those that would benefit from this are the fairer variety of ladies who may prefer less harsh mascara colours such as black, so a brown would be perfect to compliment that! Even better though, is the price tag - £6.99! Clarins have a £20 versions of this... I do love my Clarins, but I also love saving pennies.

All of the items featured (minus the Orly set) are available from your local Boots now.

Caroline.x

The Body Shop Home Fragrance Oils

2012-10-01T16:00:00.000+01:00

Not really beauty related, but nonetheless one of my favourite things, The Body Shop's Home Fragrance Oils!

Before I used these, I was a bit confused as to how they work... Sounds dumb, but I had visions of flammable oils, naked flames, and an explosion! Obviously, this doesn't happen. You simply put a few drops of the oil into the dip at the bottom and put a tealight underneath, and voila, enjoy your fragranced room! You can also water the oil down for a less overpowering scent and to make your oils last longer.

The Body Shop oils are by far my favourites and I constantly repurchase, as you can probably tell from the picture above. I've tried many different oils, but most smell so synthetic and make me feel a little bit sick, but The Body Shops are another level amazing, and fill the room with the most divine aroma. Everybody who enters my room comments on the great scent - I like to make up that it's just my natural scent, but not everybody is fooled.. ahem.

My favourite oil by far is Aloe and Linen - imagine that generic linen/cotton scent, but times it's greatness by 1000, and we have Aloe and Linen, mmmh!

I think I actually prefer fragrance oils over scented candles. Don't get me wrong, I love scented candles, but I like the fact that I can vary the scent with the oils, and also the scent lingers for much longer, especially the more fruitier scents such as Satsuma and Cranberry (limited edition at Christmas).

The oils are priced from £4 at The Body Shop with scents such as Vanilla Tonka Bean, Sandalwood and Ginger, and Pomegranate and Raspberry, all delicious. The burner pictured above again is a limited edition Christmas edition, but I'm pretty sure they bring this out every Christmas - not long to go! You can also buy their regular ceramic and terracotta burners for £10.

My favourite burner however, is my owl shaped burner bought from a little shop on Brick Lane, isn't he cute?!

Which are your favourite home fragrance oils? Can you recommend me any?

Caroline.x

September Glossybox Review. Verdict: Rubbish.

2012-09-30T19:28:00.000+01:00

Hello!

Sorry I've been a bit rubbish with the posting this week... A close family friend died on Monday so it's not been the best week. Coupled with starting my post-grad CIM qualification, it's all been a bit hectic!

Anyhoo, today I'm bringing you a review of Septembers Glossybox!

I'm gonna throw it out there... disappointed isn't even the word, and my overall verdict is: What a load of old toot.

In case you have been hibernating under a rock, you pay £12.95 a month (that's including P&P) and receive through the post a box containing five cosmetic samples which can vary from hair care, perfume, skincare, and makeup. Sounds quite fun, eh?

I'm gonna be honest, I've never really been overly wow'ed by the reviews I've seen of Glossybox's. For the money, I could peruse round Fenwicks' cosmetic department and wangle some sample freebies, all for the cost of £2.50 parking and my time. I however, was lured in by receiving goodies through the post each month (everybody likes that, don't they?) and the thought of trying something I normally wouldn't try, or, something I would like to try but am being tight on said £2.50 parking.

I digress... In this months Glossybox I received:

- Lady Gaga - Fame perfume sample
Actually quite a nice scent. I wouldn't usually go for a 'celebrity' perfume as most that I have tried have been dogger, but this was a pleasant surprise. I would actually consider purchasing this.

- 2x Rodial Glamoxy Snake Serum sample sachets & 2x Rodial 5 Minute Facial sample sachets
At the grand age of 24, I don't really require help from Glamoxy Snake Serum to reduce the appearance of frown lines and wrinkles (whinge point number 1, see below), and there was so little in the 5 Minute Facial sample I had to water it down to spread it across my (albeit large) face... So, no opinion on these.

- Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream sample
I'm a bit indifferent to this one as I've only been using it less than a week so I can't make judgement.. However, it's easy to apply, and is very cooling on the old eye bag area.

- Vichy Idealia Day Care Cream sample
I have oily skin (which I specified) and was sent an 'illuminating day cream'... Whinge point number 2, see below.

- Maghrabian Hair Oil sample
My favourite sample by far.. I'm a sucker for hair oils, big time. This is very reminiscent of Morrocan Oil (which is one of my top hair oils), has a very pleasant scent, absorbs very easily, and left my hair very silky and shiny. Would definitely purchase.

So why do I think it's a load of old rubbish? Let's talk about my whinge points.

Whinge Point Number 1
As I said, I'm aged 24. On your Glossybox profile, you specify which age group you fall into, me being the '17-25' age category. Now, I know they say it's never too early to start the anti-aging regime, but if you fall into the same age category as me, unless you have been chain smoking since you came out the womb or you suffer from Progeria (if you've seen the film Jack, you will know what I'm talking about), it is highly unlikely you will need the help of Rodial's Glamoxy Snake Serum to give instantly visible results which help to reduce the appearance of frown lines and wrinkles. I might just be being narrow minded with that statement, but it is very slim that you will see someone walking around in this age category with wrinkles and frown lines. To me, this was a dud sample to be sent, and should have been focused on those which fall either in the 36-49 and 50+ category.

Whinge Point Number 2
I'm a massive fan of Vichy. I've religiously used one of their moisturisers for nearly two years. However, from reading the blurb about Vichy's new Idealia range, it seems to me to be targeted again, at the older market. Idealia promises to even out skin pigmentation, smooth wrinkles (I don't have wrinkles!!!), infuse hydration, and intensely refine the skin's texture. Overall, this sounds more suited to my post-menopause, 60 year mother who has dry skin - not me, who is 24, and has OILY skin! Why oh why would somebody with oily skin need a moisturiser to illuminate my skin? That happens four hours post foundation application!

Whinge Point Number 3 - The Controversial Point...
I seemed to receive my Glossybox a week later than everybody did.. I'm not whinging about that, I did sign up fairly late this month and I live in arse end of nowhere so the post service isn't tip top round my ends. Anyway, in this week period, I saw everybody elses' Glossybox reviews, mostly those whose boxes contained full sized L'Oreal Mythic Oils. There was I, excited as if it's Christmas Eve, tail wagging, jumping up and down with excitement (maybe not that far), that my Glossybox will receive a full sized L'Oreal Mythic Oil. Imagine my disappointment when I opened the above? Then, I noticed a pattern in the Glossybox's... All those who received the full sized L'Oreal bottles were the 'big bloggers' who received their Glossybox's for free for promotional/advertisement purposes.

Now, before I receive any stupid comments that I'm just jealous that I'm not a 'big blogger' and I'm just throwing my toys out of the pram because I didn't receive a full sized item, let's just remember that A) I've been reading beauty blogs since 2007 and have been writing my own since 2009, long, LONG, before companies cottoned on that blogging is a great way to get the word out about products and B) I'm friends with some 'big bloggers', so this is not a personal attack. Before I move on to my reasoning for this rant, I want to clarify even if I hadn't had seen these posts containing the full sized product, I still would have been pissed that I'd been sent products which I wouldn't use at this point in my life and would still be writing this post. Anyway... here's my reasoning for why I think this is extremely deceptive, and to be blunt, utter false advertising.

I work in marketing for a very large financial services company, a company if they were not privately owned and instead were on the stock market, would be in the top 10 of the FTSE 100. Being a financial services company, we're regulated by the FSA and if we were as so much to do the tiniest bit of false advertising, or even hinted at, we would be a torn a new one by the FSA and lumped with a gigantic fine in the millions. We sometimes can't even use the word 'may' (as in 'you may be entitled to') as it could be deemed as false advertising, or misleading, it's that heavily regulated and that strict. This all may sound extreme, but the purpose of sending free Glossybox's to the larger bloggers if for better coverage, and better advertising, no? Correct me if I'm wrong there, but that is always the purpose of receiving a product, is to review it, right? So, a large blogger receives their Glossybox for free (which I've also noticed from past posts, they seemed to be received earlier than the usual dispatch date), and in return they write the review post, which their however many or so thousand readers will read (and trust), and more than likely, if they like the sound of the product (or service, in this case), will go out and purchase. Before I continue, yes, I do know that not every box is the same, but it is simply false advertising to send a certain cluster of people a full sized product, and the rest of us 'normal subscribers' something totally different - which we're actually paying for!! Without sounding like a spoiled brat, it is not fair, and it is completely misleading. If my company were to do this, it would outright be deemed misleading and without equal prominence, and the advertisement would instantly be pulled and we would be fined. Simple as.

Yes, I know that there is no promise of receiving full sized products and the purpose of the Glossybox is to provide you with 'beauty miniatures', and I also understand that not everybody will be satisfied but please Glossybox, do not do this again. I'm not the only one who has complained at how incredibly disappointing this box is, even without seeing the posts from 'big bloggers'. I understand that you cannot please everyone, that isn't possible with a service like this, but it is not hard to generalise and segment your market into what type of box they will receive - I can think of at least 10 clusters off the top of my head which 99.9% of customers will fall into. I don't know the in's and out's of how Glossybox works with how they receive their products etc, but surely taking note of what the customer has selected i.e. skin type, age group, in the long run will create better customer satisfaction, and also less product wastage?

I'm going to give it another go, but if my next Glossybox is like this, I'm afraid it'll be getting cut as £12.95 is simply too much for something that doesn't really tick all the right boxes.

What do you guys think? Do you think I'm being too harsh? What did you receive in this months Glossybox?

Caroline.x

P.S. Again to reiterate.. I am not attacking bloggers, I can foresee this causing an uproar. Read it properly :)

OPI giveaway... and the winner is!!

2012-09-24T16:00:00.000+01:00

Hi!

The lucky winner of the OPI So So Skullicious mini set is....

Number 6! Which isss.....

Congratulations trelocat!

Please email me at carolinexoblog@gmail.com with your name/address and I shall get this sent out to you :)!

Thank you to all of those you entered!

Caroline.x

Keeping red hair red... L'Oreal Chroma Care Review

2012-09-21T10:00:00.000+01:00

No, I'm not showing you the latest addition to the box at the back of my cupboard, this is one of L'Oreal's latest offerings in conditioners.. Colour boosting conditioners to be precise!

L'Oreal Professional Serie Expert Chroma Care Colour Refreshing Conditioner (nice easy name to remember eh?) refreshes hair colour and intensely nourishes the hair fibre for intense shine and enhanced colour radiance. Enriched with apricot and direct colouring agents, this leaves the hair incredibly soft and shiny, all whilst boosting your colour, brilliant eh!

To use, work into shampooed and towel-dried hair, leave on for 5 to 10 minutes whilst going about your business in the shower (I prefer to sing at this point), then rinse thoroughly and voila, we have shiny, soft and colourful hair again!

I always get asked how I keep my hair looking so red... The real answer is that I colour it every 2-4 weeks depending on how much I have washed my hair. However, Chroma Care has been the recent answer to my lazy red-headed dreams. I'm not saying this will make your hair that freshly dyed colour, but it definitely deposits enough colour to make it look refreshed and a bit brighter, and less 'wishy-washy'. I guess you could say in a way this is a 'wash in wash out' colour, but I'd say on my hair, it lasts a good 2-3 washes before I have to do it again. An added bonus, it really is so conditioning, it's almost like a thick mask and leaves my hair so soft and so knot free after.

I of course use number 6 (the red one). I had only seen about 6 shades out and about, but after perusing the internet and finding the picture above, there appears to be 9. And from the looks of it, one for just about every shade of hair!

Remember kids, please skin test before using this as it does contain colour!

L'Oreal Chroma Care is available online here for £10.50 and available from most L'Oreal salons.

Caroline.x

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm Review

2012-09-20T17:00:00.000+01:00

I think just about every man and his dog has heard of Clarins' Beauty Flash Balm. I believe it is one of Clarins' best selling products, if not the best, and always comes up trumps in beauty awards and in magazines.

According to Clarins' website, it is the ultimate pick me up for tired and distressed skin which helps eliminate signs of fatigue in a flash. It also 'instantly moisturises, brightens and tightens facial contours so skin looks rested and relaxed'. Sounds brilliant for someone like me who goes to bed awake and wakes up tired!

Beauty Flash Balm is not quite a balm as the title suggests - it's more along the lines of a soft cream, akin to most primers on the market. When applied, I wouldn't say my skin instantly looks revived, but it does provide a lovely smooth base for my makeup, and my foundation does glide across it. It's recommended for all types of skin, but I will say, having oily skin, I tend to avoid putting this in my most oily zones (in my case - my nose!) as I have found this does have a tendency to make the oilies appear quicker there.

Despite the oily trouble, my face looks incredibly glowy with this on, but not in the 'eww shiny' way glowy. I only need the tiniest bit of this to cover my whole face, too, which is an added bonus.

I've become such a big fan of Clarins skincare since I had a Clarins facial a few months ago. I'm since addicted to their Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Tamarind which I now absolutely swear by for oily skin (review to follow), and I'm now addicted to Beauty Flash Balm which I would recommend to anybody looking for a great primer to make their foundation look flawless. Available here for £28.

Have you tried Beauty Flash Balm before?

Caroline.x

Look Good Feel Better.... I'm a volunteer!

2012-09-19T10:00:00.000+01:00

So... I'm now officially a Look Good Feel Better volunteer!

What is a Look Good Feel Better volunteer I hear you say? Well.. Look Good Feel Better is a charity which helps women cancer patients in the most practical and positive way. Set up by the Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) and gaining charitable status in 1993, today has the support of over 40 leading companies and brands in the beauty industry.

Look Good Feel Better hold free skincare and make-up workshops throughout 59 locations in the UK at hospitals and cancer care centres (and available in 21 countries worldwide) which help combat the visible side effects of cancer treatment and, in turn, boost confidence and wellbeing. As the website says, 'finding out you have cancer in any form can be daunting and life-changing, and the added stress of the appearance related side effects of treatment can be demoralising and very hard to copy with. This can have serious consequences on self-esteem and confidence at a time when a positive attitude is very important.'

'At the beginning of each workshop, patients are given a gift bag filled with 17 different products donated by major companies throughout the Beauty Industry. Three volunteer beauty consultants take everyone through a specially designed 12-step skincare and make-up regime. At the end of two hours of learning, fun and laughter ladies leave feeling relaxed and full of renewed confidence in their appearance. They are then free to enjoy the product gift bag or 'cosmetic tool kit' at home.

Many women tell us that their LGFB workshop helped them regain a sense of control and normality at a time when diagnosis and treatment can make everything feel overwhelming.'

I'm so, so, excited to go to my first session on the 25th September and the Kent and Canterbury Hospital! It's something I've thought about doing for a while, and decided to volunteer and was so pleased when I was accepted! It's going to be so rewarding to share my knowledge and know how, and in return, make someone feel so much better about themselves. I'll let you know how I get on after!

Visit www.lookgoodfeelbetter.co.uk to see how you can help :)!

Caroline.x

Bioderma Crealine H2O Solotion Micellaire Review

2012-09-18T17:00:00.000+01:00

You have probably heard of this, and seen countless reviews - if you haven't, where have you been?!

If you're one of those who hasn't heard of this, cleansing waters are recent hype in blog land or, if you're going for the technical term, 'micellaire' waters (I think :/). To the naked eye, it looks just like regular water in a bottle, but it's actually water (duh) filled with gentle and effective cleansing properties, including very fine, small oil particles.

Cleansing waters are popping up all over the place with brands including No.7, Vichy, Decleor, and La Roche Posay (predominantly French brands!). However, thanks to Lisa Eldridge, Bioderma seems to be by far the most popular and most praised. One downside is.. it's not readily available in the UK! It is available from some websites (and eBay) but at an extortionate price. I'm very lucky in the fact that I live in Kent, whereby France is only a hop skip and a jump away via a ferry or Eurotunnel (I work right by Eurotunnel and see the trains going off to the main land daily!), and mother and I often go on day trips to France to peruse the supermarkets, Sephora and pick up some cheap vino!

On mother and I's last excursion, I had one mission and one mission only - skincare! Top of my list was Bioderma (closely followed by Caudalie, Nuxe and Embryolisse), and I came back armed with two huge bottles and a mini travel bottle. The first thing that struck me was how ridiculously cheap it all was compared to UK prices, even at the awful Euro exchange rate. The second, was how readily available it was. If you ever get to go to French supermarkets, as a little tip, Carrefour's pharmacies have a bigger range (including Embryolisse), whilst Auchan has a slightly smaller range (excluding Embryolisse), but is ever so slightly cheaper.

In a nutshell, I absolutely love this cleansing water. I've used this religiously every single day since I bought it, and even after 3 months, I'm only just about finishing my first bottle. I simply pour a small amount of this on a cotton pad and wipe away my makeup. I use some pretty industrial strength makeup and this gently and effectively removes every single trace of it! At the moment, I'm also battling a pretty nasty allergic reaction on my eyelids, and because I'm a typical girl I won't go without makeup to work etc, and this gently removes the makeup over the reaction and doesn't sting a tiny bit.

If you're looking to try Bioderma but can't get hold of it, I've read some pretty good reviews of the No.7 version, and I've personally used the La Roche-Posay version and would recommend.

Have you used Bioderma? What did you think? And if you found a bargain online, comment with it below!

Caroline.x

Boots Botanics Microdermabrasion Polish Radiant Youth

2012-09-17T19:32:00.001+01:00

I introduce you to my new found favourite exfoliator - Boots Botanics Microdermabrasion Polish Radiant Youth:

The Boots Botanics range has recently gone under the packaging knife and has been rebranded from a pretty bog standard green (and very 'earthy' looking) packaging to a new sleek, white ensemble. I must say I do like the new packaging, it all looks very smart and clean.

I digress from the packaging as its what's inside that counts. This exfoliator is an 'intensive micro-polishing treatment' which encourages cell renewal for a younger looking, more radiant complexion, and promises to banish dull using micro particles which also help refine pores and improve skin texture. I can't say at the grand age of 24 I need my skin to look much younger. I however, am a fake tan user, and I'm also blessed with oily skin which makes me blackhead prone, so I like my exfoliators to be pretty damn intensive - none of that squeeze the product and find maybe one or two exfoliating beads. I like my exfoliators to be akin to a Brillo pad and make me feel like I'm scrubbing right down to the dermis, and boy does this exfoliator give me the scrub of my dreams!

The texture is to put it bluntly, a combination of sand and sugar. Scrubby goodness! I can't even describe how smooth my skin is after using this... Other parts of my body feel practically scaly in comparison! My makeup glides on like a dream after using this, I can't sing it's praises enough. However I must say... I have some tough old skin and even a slightly heavy hand with this is nearing on the painful side, so I definitely wouldn't recommend this for sensitive skins by any means. Don't be alarmed if your skin is a little red after usage, it means it's done something remember ;)

Even after a few uses, this has made it into my permanent skin care routine, and I'll be repurchasing for sure!

Available from Boots for £7.99, but it's on offer for £5.33 so getcha feet down to Boots and enjoy the scrub of your life!

Caroline.x

OPI So So Skullicious - Giveaway!

2012-09-16T18:10:00.000+01:00

Bonjour readers :)!

OPI recently brought out this awesome mini collection named So So Skullicious. If you follow me on Instagram, you will know how nuts I was going over this and couldn't wait to get my paws on it!

The mini set consists of four bright shades (well, one's black) named Hi, Pumpkin!, A-Rose from the Dead, Mourning Glory, and Candlelight... and, a hidden little present!

Swatchy swatchy:

Yes, I stuck my finger in the yellow one... my bad!

And the hidden present...

SKULL NAIL DECALS! How cuuuuute! I'm yet to actually try these (I'm still enjoying the awesome packaging), but I can see they're going to look amazing over the colours included.

I'm gonna be honest here... The main thing that drew me to this set wasn't the colours (they're more toe nail colours for me personally), it was the packaging. I'm a sucker for anything skull (gotta keep to my goth roots*), and even better, bright neon skulls! I'm in loveee!

Anyway... onto the fun part... the GIVEAWAY!

I have one set of OPI So So Skullicious to giveaway to one lucky reader! Aren't I nice?

As I like to keep things simple, all you need to do is:

1 - Be a follower of my blog
and
2 - Comment on this post with 'Enter me'

Simples!

The giveaway will end on Sunday 23rd September 2012 at 9pm BST! After that, I shall announce the winner on Monday 24th September, so keep checking back :)

Enjoy!

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!

Caroline.x

*just to clarify, I wasn't really a goth.. I just enjoy skulls ;)

Shopping my stash!

2012-04-23T22:31:00.001+01:00

Hi!

Like most beauty addicts, I have a whole stash of items which do nothing other than sit there looking pretty and unloved. 'Shopping your stash' means to root through your stash and use up those unloved little buggers! Over the past couple of years, I have significantly reduced my makeup collection (compared to a uh... normal person?), so I don't really (denial!) have a lot of unused makeup. Most of my unused items are my lipsticks, cuz it isn't practical to wear a luminous pink/purple lipstick to work really is it?!

Anyhow, I perused my makeup and found some little gems to use up - voila!

I know, I know, there is soooo much more I could add to that little box, but, I'm thinking realistically here! I reckon I'll be able to use at least two of these per day. It's wishful thinking that they'll be gone in a month (I don't wanna look like a clown with the blusher!), but, hopefully they will go down significantly. Which means, I can buy more, big clap!

All pretty, non? I don't actually quite know how these items came to be unloved - all of them are definitely work friendly and I reckon I could use two of these each day! I'm going to use High Brow every day and Kitten will be up high on the list to use!

Again, all really wearable products! Why have I been neglecting them? I guess it's just routine really. Again, I think I'll be able to use these all up pretty easily. The only product I may struggle with is the No7 Skin Illuminator as I wear powder, I find liquid illuminators quite difficult to use, but I'll sure try!

I'll get back to you with my progress :)

Caroline.x

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipsticks

2012-04-23T10:00:00.000+01:00

Hi!

Doing good aren't I? Two posts two days in a row! Shock horror!

Anyhow, L'Oreal's new Rouge Caresse lipsticks are their newest offering in the lipstick department. The blurb says 'Don't just stroke your lips. Caresse them'. How cheesy? But, I get what ya getting at there L'Oreal, as these little tubes of wonder are so silky smooth when you apply them, almost like a lip balm! They don't dry out my lips, yet provide a good swish of light pigment that is fairly long lasting.

The colours I picked up were Tempting Lilac and Lovely Rose - two very wearable every day shades.

I wouldn't say they have a terrific staying power, nor are they mega pigmented but I'm definitely in love with this formula. It also feels like they melt onto your lips - I found myself reapplying purely cuz' they feel so nice on! That doesn't sound odd at all...

Of course, cuz I'm picky, I have one beef and that's the packaging. Yes, it looks pretty especially for high street, but the little 'Caresse' bit fits into the cap into a specific way, and as I like to just chuck it back together, I find it clashes sometimes... Yes, I'm weird.

Anyway, according to Boots they have 10 shades priced at £7.99. And they're 3 for 2 at the moment. Bargain.

Caroline.x

Maybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo Eyeshadow Review

2012-04-22T17:49:00.000+01:00

Hi!

Bit late on the posting front here, but I thought I'd give my two cents about Maybelline's 24 Hour Color Tattoo eyeshadows.

If ya don't know, they are Maybelline's latest offering on the eyeshadow front. I was so excited when I saw these on American blogs - I always think cream eyeshadows like this are missing on the UK high street. They're cream eyeshadows (or eyeliners as I had a go at) which claim to last 24 hours. The closest thing I can describe them to is like MAC's Paint Pots (which I'm a massive fan of), and ELF's Studio Cream Eyeshadows which again, I am a massive fan of. I actually only intended to get a couple of colours, but due to Boots and their bloody 3 for 2 offer I ended up with all six... Really need to work on my willpower.

They're housed in little glass pots (very reminiscent of MAC Paint Pots) with a little screw lid, which means they're very durable which is always handy. The texture varies from colour to colour (more explained below), and the longevity again varies from colour to colour. I find the more sparkly and more 'slippery' (technical term :P) the eyeshadow it is, the less it lasts and the more it creases - not straight away, mind. Anyway, here's each eyeshadow!

Eternal Gold is probably my least favourite out of the six I have. It's a very yellow gold, which really doesn't suit my skin tone. I was really hoping to use this as an all over lid colour, but it's best suited (for me, anyway) as a little bit of highlight on the inside of the eye. The texture is one of the more slippery ones, but as I haven't used it across my lid, I can't tell whether this lasts long or not - sorry! Otherwise, it's a very pretty colour, but probably best suited to different skin tones to me!

Turquoise Fever as you can see is a very vivid turquoise colour... Again, one of the more slippery colours, and I haven't tested this all across my lid yet. Quite excited to use this for a bright makeup look one day!

On and on Bronze is definitely one of my favourites of the lot. A really wearable bronze colour - perfect for someone with blue eyes, which alas is not me! However, having green eyes I can definitely get away with it. It's great for wearing alone, so good if you only have 5 minutes in the mornings!

Greying out the rest of the image wasn't one of my best decisions... It blends in completely! But, Tough as Taupe is by far my favourite out of them all. It's a very dark taupe colour with a hint of purple - great for green eyes. This one has a complete different texture to the others as it's a matte colour - no shimmer whatsoever! I've been wearing this near enough every day since I got it - big fan you can tell! My only beef is that when you first buy it, it looks like a lighter more browny taupe, then when you use it the true darker colour underneath is revealed. I really wish I'd taken a picture of this to explain! It's no biggy for me really as I like the darker colour, but some may not like the darker colour.

Endless Purple is my second favourite - just check out the awesome colour! It has a slight sheen running through it which again makes the texture a bit 'slippery'. I tried this as a colour on the bottom lid and it looked amazing - I had Tough as Taupe on top and both colours made my eyes look super green. Impressive!

And finally, we have Immortal Charcoal. This is a charcoal (duh) colour with a slight sheen running through in. In the picture it looks almost a little bit greeny, but I hadn't noticed that until seeing that picture! Again, a slight slippery texture. This colour would be perfect for a really dark eye makeup look, I shall give it a go soon!

Overall, I am very impressed with these, and for £4.99 I can't complain at all. I think Maybelline have found a real gap in the UK high street makeup market, and I'm looking forward to more colours surfacing!

Caroline.x

Rainbow polka dot nails

2012-04-02T20:55:00.002+01:00

Hi!

Just a quick one as I'm doing this off my phone. I present to you my result of utter boredom...

Yep, polka dot rainbow nails! It took a lot of patience ha!

Caroline.x