Beauty Box Purchases!

Hello lovelies!

I think beauty boxes are a great idea. I remember watching American and Canadian Youtubers reviewing their boxes and hated that there was no such service for us in the UK, then along came GlossyBox (YAY!), followed by various others. 

 I still feel the same excitement when I receive my Glossybox every month.  I think its not knowing what goodies will be inside that excites me! That and my general addiction to beauty products and I'm always guaranteed there will be some new ones for me to try inside the box.  I guess brands agree to have their products featured in the boxes because it opens up a whole new market for them, hundreds of people who may never have tried or heard of their products before.

Photo from: Glossybox Blog

But I do wonder how effective it is, in all the time I've been receiving my Glossybox (almost a year!!) I have not gone on to purchase and of the products inside. I should point out that is probably about to change as I've got my eye on the Molton Brown shower gel that was in the Harrods edition box and next time I'm in London I plan to make a visit to a Rituals store to repurchase the shower gel sensation! I know I can get it online but I want to smell the other scents and they seem to have so many luxurious looking goodies!! 

Anyhoo, I've gone off track.... I also love a few of the full sized products which I have received (Hello Stila eyeliner) but I haven't yet finished any to see whether I actually will repurchase or not.

I did sign up to try out a Carmine  box when they first began and some discount codes were floating about.  The box I received had 5 products in it, three full size and two sample sized products and it was brilliant!!

More effective at making me repurchase than all of the Glossyboxes put together.  I'm not dissing Glossybox here, like I said I love receiving it every month.  Maybe this one Carmine box was just really suited to my likes.  I went on to purchase the Caudalie Vinosource Quenching Sorbet Creme and the Balance Me hand cream after using the samples AND the Trind nail Repair and theBalm Frat Boy blusher have become two of my favourite products!  What a successful box! Haha! 

Has anyone found new holy grail products through receiving beautyboxes?! Or new favourite brands?! 

Or is everyone in the same boat as me?! :)

Benefit Ultrashine Lipgloss - Nudie Tude

I love a bright lip but recently I've been so busy that I'm reaching for more easy to wear, little upkeep lip colours and this is one of them....

Benefit Ultrashine lip glosses have (as the name suggests) a lovely shine finish and they're not sticky!! Yay!!
I hate sticky lip glosses, hair gets stuck to them and lord help you if you need to eat something when wearing one, no thank you! The applicator is a mini brush which I don't like as much as traditional lip gloss applicators but can live with as it's quite short.

This particular colour, Nudie-tude, is a golden nude shade with a hint of pink and small glitter particles.  Don't let the glitter put you off as it's not gritty  on the lips and adds to the shiney finish.

Nudie-tude has typical lip gloss wear of a few hours but is easily re-applied, brilliant for a simple colour with no worries of fading unevenly or becoming patchy.

Benefit Nudie-tude £14 from Benefit Cosmetics counters nationwide or online.

NOTD - Nails Inc Notting Hill Gate

Hiya!!

I've had a few days off work this week so I painted my nails (I'm not allowed to wear nail polish to work any more :( ) and I am loving it!! I used to paint my nails so often, I've missed having colourful talons to the max!!

So I went all out and bought a bright neon shade from the new Nails Inc polishes called notting hill gate, it is an amazing neon pink colour!! As soon as I saw it I had to have it and I know its going to be on my toe nails all summer...and spring!!!

I have to say I was a little disappointed when I popped this on my nails as the colour, although still bright wasn't as bright as I had expected and it seriously needed about 3 coats to get a good coverage.  I definitely needed to use a top coat as well because there was little shine to the finish of notting hill gate and I love a glossy nail!!

This being said I still adore this polish as the shade is so lovely, bright and fun!! I've never seen a nail colour so bright!!

Nails Inc notting hill gate is £11 link.

MAC Haul!!

It would've been rude not to do a bit of shopping when I was in London last week......right?! Especially after completing 'frugal February', I was so ready to make some purchases and where better to start than the MAC counter in Selfridges.

So what goodies did I get?!....

Kissable Lipcolour in Enchantee
Lipstick in Speed Dial
Paint Pot in Painterly
Fluidline in Added Goodness
Studio Fix Fluid in NW15 - Yes I am that pale!! :)
Blot Powder / Pressed in Medium Dark - This is the shade that was recommended to me...being an NW15 I'm kinda wary about it
Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder
 
I'm so excited to start using these!!

And I'm not finished with MAC just yet...I NEED Viva Glam Nicki in my life!!

I also popped to the Urban Decay counter in Debenhams. I love my Super Saturated high gloss lip colour so much (review here) that I wanted to have a look at the other colours and ended up with Lovechild, one of the more recent colour additions.

Think I got the spending bug out of my system...for now ;)

Benefit Fawn Over Me Eye Shadow

I'm pretty predictable when it comes to eye make up....nude, neutral, naked palette....  I reach for quick and easy colours for daytime and alot of the time just darker nude and neutral colours for nights out.  So it's obvious why this colour appealed to me.

Fawn over me is a powder eyeshadow in a light golden beige colour with a shimmer finish. The eyeshadow almost has a creamy feel to it and bleands really well (with my various other neutral shades anyway).  It's a  lovely colour to use as a base, I have tested it without a primer and it didnt crease although i did feel it lost alot of its colour throughout the day so I recommend using a good primer or paint pot first.

Fawn Over Me is right up my street and I've been using it alot recently either on its own or with my naked palette. Benefit velvet eyeshadows are available at Benefit counters nationwide and online priced at £13.50

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine - Chance

I've been lusting over Chanel Coco Shines for some months now and have finally bought one!!  Chanel packaging is always so simple yet so elegant. I love having this lipstick in my make up bag and not only for its appearance.

Being a bit of a pink addict, I went for the colour Chance which is a cool pale pink, very girly!  On application, the sheer pale pink colour is light and can be built up for a more intense pink.  After a few hours wear the pale pink and shine disappear but I find my lips are left with a deeper pink stain.

I think these are great in all seasons, in summer because the colour is sheer and natural and in the winter months for the lovely hydrating qualities. There's also a wide range of colours available so you could choose a different one for each season!  Overall I'm a little bit obsessed, I've almost forgotten about all of my other lipsticks these past few weeks!! Need to mix it up....

NOTD - Wocka Wocka!!

Another day, another polish from my wee Muppettes OPI set.  This one is Wocka Wocka!

A lovely deep red with a good shimmer.  As with most OPI polishes, this shade has good pigmentation and just needed two coats.

I've been using Seche Vite dry fast topcoat for a few months now and I love it!! it gives such a shiney finish and definitely prolongs the wear of polish!! Yay!! Also, an even better find - Trind Nail Repair - I received mine in a Carmine box (the October one I think) and it has changed my life!! I use it as a base coat every time I paint my nails and honestly my nails don't break or flake nearly as much as they used to!! The first nail treatment I've found that actually works.  I think it helps that I've kept up with this one - I normally give up after a few applications....Although I've not been applying daily as the directions say just whenever i paint my nails.  Anyhoo, I highly recommend both the Seche Vite top coat and if you have weak/fragile nails the Trind treatment which i've just discovered comes in different colours!!

Nail Polish Obsession Tag

I love doing my nails and paint them a few times a week so thought this would be a super tag to do!!

§  What is your favourite nail polish company?

I actually really like No7 nail polishes, they wear well and have a good brush for application also the Barry M polishes are good – great value for money!  However I have to admit I love Chanel nail polishes.  I do think they chip rather quickly and are crazy expensive....but the colours are just amazing, they get them spot on and no other brand seems to be able to match them.

§ Glitter or No Glitter?

I LOVE glitter polishes so much but they are just so hard to take off!! I normally soak cotton wool in remover and use foil to wrap it around the nail but I don’t want to do that every single time I fancy a change of colour.  Mainly because I’m lazy and just don’t want to spend the time on it but also because I don’t imagine it’s very good for the condition of my nails.

§ OPI, China Glaze or Essie?

I have to admit I haven’t got round to trying any China Glaze or Essie nail polishes.  I’m not too bothered about trying China Glaze but I really want to try some Essie polishes as I’ve heard so many great things about the formula and I really like the colours.  Soo I guess I have to answer OPI.

§ When do you remove your nail polish?

I usually remove polish when it’s starting to chip or if it’s lasting too long and I get bored of the colour! I do it in the evening because that’s when I tend to have more time to let the new polish dry without smudging it!

§ What is your favourite nail polish colour?

This changes frequently....but at the moment I’m loving nudes, No7 So Simple is brilliant and a more pinky toned nude that i’m obsessing over is Chanel Rose Caché.

§ Darks or Brights?

I don’t wear a lot of dark nail polishes, unless I find a really lovely shade. I just prefer my nails to be light or bright.

§ What are you wearing on your nails right now?

Chanel Rose Caché

§  Matte Nails – In or Out?

I do own a matte top coat but rarely use it, I think over some colours it looks good but I usually like my nails to have a super shine on the go! So probs out.

§ French Manicure?

I love the look of French manicures I think they’re precious but I’m a sucker for colour on my nails.

§ Favourite winter nail polish?

This one’s kinda tough for me because like I said before, I like a bright or light colour and in the winter I tend to just carry on like that!! I do feel quite wintery when I wear No7 Highland Mist though...not sure why though, there’s just something wintersome about it.

NOTD - Excuse Moi!

I told you so....

OPI Excuse Moi is from the Muppets Holiday Collection 2011 collection. I received it in the Muppettes pack of four mini nail polishes and it was instantly my favourite of the four.....anything pink is bound to be a win with me!

 

Only two coats for brilliant opacity which in my opinion is really good for a glitter polish!   I like the mini bottles because I rarely finish a full size nail polish and these take up less space in storage.

It's the Muppettes!

I recieved these as a Christmas present last night (yes you read that right....a much belated Christmas present) and I love them so much!!

The Muppettes set of 4 mini nail lacquers from the Muppets Holiday 2011 OPI collection!! The colours in the set are Wocka Wocka!, Excuse Moi!, Designer... de Better! and Warm & Fozzie.

 

So excited to try them, look out for the NOTD's soon ;)

On a completely unrelated note I still don't have my GlossyBox.  It's no fault of theirs I just wasn't in when it was delivered on Monday and I can't rearrange deliver until Saturday!! Ahhhh, I doubt I'll manage to avoid everyones Glossybox posts until then but I'm going to try my best because I love the surprise!!

Benefit Hervana

I had been counting down the days for the release of Hervana ever since I first saw it online. It looked like my kinda blusher and boy I was right.  I can see myself wearing this every day throughout February.

Hervana has four different colours called lucky shell, divine peach, heavenly rose and berry delight designed to be swirled together and not used individually – you would struggle to pick up one of these colour on their own with a blush brush as they are so small.  All four colours together give a warm pink colour with peachy undertones and a subtle shimmer that will brighten without highlighting enlarged pores or imperfections.

As with all Benefit blushes I have tried the powder blends well and gives a good 8 hours of wear; and.....I can actually smell the scent in this one!! Is it just me that never picks up on the smell in Benefit boxed powders?!
Overall I really like this blush and like I said at the beginning it’s likely to feature on my face throughout February!

However...... I’ve had a bit of an issue with Benefit’s blushes recently. they have all been given a makeover and now come housed in a different box.  The new boxes, like this one, have a flip open lid with a magnetic closure and feature a mirror. GREAT!! Until you realise that  you are paying the same price of £23.50 and getting alot less product!  Most of Benefits boxed powders previously contained 12g of product but with the new packaging it is considerably less at 7, 8 or 9g. Bit cheeky, huh?!

Adding to my confusion over this matter, the Benefit UK website currently gives conflicting information on the amount of blush in the boxes. Photos of the blushes, for example Dandelion where the box in the photo clearly says 7.0g of product do not agree with the details section where it clearly states 8.0g! So exactly how much powder do we get?!

Rant Over!! Haha!! Hervana is currently out of stock on the Benefit UK website but is available at counters nationwide and online; ASOS, Boots, Debenhams

What’s your favourite Benefit Boxed Powder?!

The Best Shower Gel Ever?!

 Rituals Foaming Shower Gel Sensation

 
This is probably the most lovely, luxurious shower gel I have ever used! It was 'love at first use'!!
 
Foaming shower gel sensations begin as a gel then quickly transform into an amazingly foamy lather when applied to wet skin, it is so dense I have even used this for shaving my legs!!  Just a small amount of the gel transforms into lots of foam.

I have the Yogi Flow foamsensation and it is soooo moisturising because it contains sweet almond oil which is known to restore the moisture balance of the skin.  TheYogi Flow scent also contains Indian Rose gives it such a divine smell.

The packaging is so elegant, kinda spa-like which adds to the luxury feel of using the product.

I hadn't tried a foaming shower gel like this before but I have been converted!!! I received this one in my December GlossyBox but will most definatley be purchasing another from Rituals, and possibly try out some other products of theirs.

I'm curious about how similar these are to the Imperial Leather Foamburst shower gels, are they as luxurious? I may try those too because they are more readily available near me.

Have you tried any Rituals products?

NOTD - Your Royal Shine-ness

Super silver foil polish today in the form of OPI's Your Royal Shine-Ness.

Not your average silver foil though, Your Royal Shine-ness seems to have a slight gold sparkle in there too, making it an unusually warm shade of silver.  As with most OPI polishes 2 coats was good for opacity and the polish was really manageable making it easy to achieve a smooth finish.

Your Royal Shine-Ness was from OPI's Serena Williams Glam Slam collection in Summer 2011 but you can purchase it here

Current Lip Obsession - Urban Decay Super Saturated High Gloss - Big Bang!

I am loving this just now!! Urban Decays Super Saturated High Gloss in Big Bang is an amazing chubby pencil that gives the most pigmented, pink, glittery lip colour!!

One sweep of this bad boy gives lips full on colour that stays.  I can't believe how moisturising it is, lip colours this creamy normally don't last very long but this stays put for hours and even after it evenly fades away lips are left with a gorgeous stain of colour.

Big Bang has glitter in it and this is noticeable when applied but surprisingly doesn't feel gritty or 'bitty'... AMAZING!! I think the pencil is great for carrying around too and make it easy to apply....only downside being sharpening but get yourself a large sharpener and pop the pencil in the freezer for a few hours before and you'll loose less product!!

Available from House of Fraser for £14 here.

Have you tried any of the other colours?! Which one should I go for next?

2012 Wish List!!

Beauty has always been a passion of mine, I've considered it almost as a hobby for many years!! In early 2011 I found the huge worldwide beauty community on YouTube and discovered so many blogs that I enjoy reading and keeping up to date with.  This has increased my awareness of new products and 'must-haves' so much and therefore the amount of things on my 'wish list' - a list that excites me greatly but would probably give the bank manager a heart attack.... So what do I want need in 2012?!

Benefit Thrrrob Blusher

Lush Buffy Body Butter

Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Home Candle

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

Revlon Lip Butters - Finally coming to the UK on March 14th!!!

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish

Clarins Toning Body Polisher

Origins Vitazing Moisturiser

Chanel Sublime Mascara

Some of these items have been on my list for a while, like the Chanel foundation I've wanted it for so long and even tried a sample of it - which I loved.....but can I justify over £30 when my £10 Bourjois healthy mix is doing a fab job?! Only 2012 will tell.

What do you want to try in 2012?! xx

NOTD - Betty Blues

No7 Betty Blues is a deep blue with a subtle light blue sparkle.

I love No7 nail polishes the brush makes them so easy to apply and the formula is brilliant - opaque in two coats and chip resistant on my flakey nails for up to 3 days!!

This dramatic colour reminds me of Chanel's Blue Satin.                                                                              

Chanel Blue Satin

Certainly one of my favourite No7 shades!! 

Haulin'

I just went in to Boots for a new concealer.......and as usual ended up with quite a few items in my basket.

No7 Quick Thinking 4 in 1 Wipes
No7 Blend and Contour Brush This isn't my first one of these brushes and I love it so much it's in my current favourites here!
No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in Betty Blues
No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in Highland Mist
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection in the shade fair
Bourjois 1 Seconde Nail Polish in No 24
Bourjois eyeshadow in 08 Beige Rose and 07 Noir Emeraude

Soap and Glory Some Like it Hot Body Softening Thermal Scrub
Soap and Glory Easy Glistening Sweet Almond Dry Oil Body Gloss
Aveeno Positively Radiant Triple Boost Serum
Vichy Normaderm Tri-Activ Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care

Can't wait to try these out!!

Current Favourites

Products I've been loving recently!!

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer £4.19
Lasting Perfection has been featured on many a blog and Youtube video recently so it's likely you've already come across it.  I've been loyal to my Benefit Boi-ing concealer for years but after seeing numerous great reviews for lasting perfection I decided to give it a try and I'm so glad I did.  The consistency is lovely and creamy, just what I like in a concealer and although I don't quite get 16 hours from it (as the packaging claims) I do get a good few hours wear.  Brilliant value and a new make up bag staple for me!!

Inglot Face Blusher #20 £10
This Blush was my first ever Inglot purchase and I've been wearing it almost every day since I bought it in December.  I love the colour, a pink shade that's not too light or dark and it's matte which is a welcome change for me as I am more inclined to opt for slightly shimmery blushes. The powder is soft and blends really well, it doesn't have great staying power but I love the colour so much I am willing to re-apply mid-afternoon.



Mac Lovelorn Lipstick £13.50
Lovelorn has been my favourite lipstick for months now, it's just so wearable.  It is a bluey-pink tone and being a lustre finish, gives a lovely shine.  The lustre formula is my favourite as it is so moisturising.

Carmex Lip Balm Pot £2.69
A classic lip product.  I love everything about Carmex, the texture, the smell, that slight tingling sensation when first applied and of course how it prevents my lips from becoming dry and chapped.

No7 Blend and Contour Brush £7.25
I am obsessed with this brush!! I first bought it in December and have since bought 3 more (with the £5 No7 voucher it is only £2.25!!!). As the name suggests it is great for blending and contouring around the eye as it is the perfect size.  The soft bristles pick up colour well and they wash well too.

Aveda Foot Relief
My feet always tend to get dry in the winter and I have tried countless foot creams in a bid to revive them but  failed to find one that actually works - and that I like the smell of - until my sister gave me this for Christmas. The cream cools my feet whilst softening the skin and has a lovely scent of Jojoba, Peppermint and Lavender.  I will definitely be repurchasing this.

Lush
I have only recently begun trying out lots of different Lush products (See my recent Lush Haul here) and I am loving it!!  The bubble bars are my favourite so far!

Thanks for reading :)