Birchbox UK December 2013 Review

Hello girls! Firstly, apologies for no blog posts in absolutely ages. I've started a new job and have found time for anything but eating and sleeping. The good news is that Christmas is coming and I have loads of free time for blogging - I've even got a massive stockpile of skincare and beauty from Korea!

So, here we go! XMAS Birchbox!!!! Anyone signed up to any monthly boxes know that there are key dates where the boxes up their game. As well as Christmas, Valentines day and the box's birthdays should be good ones ;)

Nail Rock Velvet in Navy. I'm not too keen on velvet nails if I'm honest. Won't it go dirty and smelly with eating? It comes in two parts, the velvet in the pot and the nail varnish separate. So I think if I don't use this, It's still a nice something to give away to a friend.

Lipsy Glam sample. I remember now, I was actually very disappointed with my last box to receive a perfume sample as one of my five items. This time they've included it as beauty extra. I'm not a big Lipsy fan, they occasionally make a gorgeous dress but I associate the brand with chavey 18 year olds in nightclubs! This perfume certainly reflects it's main clientèle, sweet and vanilla-ey, like a alcopop with a slight musk of cigarettes!!

The eye shadow above is by Alima Pure in Paris (made in the USA). I don't know whether this is some mineral eye shadow or something... it seems to be. The colour is quite a soft brown and is very shimmery but not glittery. I won't be using this as there will be the HORROR when this falls all over my cream carpet. AVOID avoid avoid!!!! Oh it's also quite a small sample, there's no weight on the packaging but I assume it's not full size. No matter, there is plenty of product for you girlies who enjoy this type of eye shadow.

These things are dumb. I mean £10.00 for 6!!!!! Are you serious. Here's a top tip if you have a walnut for a brain. Go to John Lewis and buy soft elastic approx £2 or less for a metre. When you return home with said product, snip to length and knot the ends. NOTE: there is no sewing or effort involved and you will have approx ten or more 'twist' bands for £2. Ok, harsh  perhaps but it's needed. If you do however think this a bargain, then you clearly have more money than I do; I am just very bitter and jealous because I'm not on Made in Chelsea...

Naobay Moisturising milk cleanser. The back of the tube is actually all in Spanish, So I can't tell you guys other than the obvious... It's a cleansing milk sans all the nasties... I think.. It's definitely organic. BBox says it's a wash off cleanser but to be honest it mentions nothing of this on the back (even in Spanish! I know the word for water!!) I believe it's intended use is actually a tissue off cleansing milk but there's no harm if you choose to use water for extra squeaky cleanliness. It's 50ml so great size sample for testing.

Bee Kind Body lotion 30ml. British brand... made in the USA? It smells exactly like Burts Bee honey hand cream but although this one contains organic honey too, I do believe it's not as 'natural' as they claim to be.

N4 non aerosol hair spray. Another USA product (this is why I love BBox; being an American brand, we get to sample a lot of US goodies) I find that with American brands, producing the products domestically is becoming very popular. You don't really find that with UK brands, everything is made in China (Jelly pong pong, Jemma Kidd etc... ).

Back to the hair spray. Non aerosol sounds so off putting! I remember my mum using gel sprays when I was younger and that stuff is nasty! Although they promise no crispyness, I don't believe this will be as good as my Elnett. You never know, so I shall give it a go!!


Just to round things off, I've included the product listing cards. So you can have a bit of a glance at what BBox say about the products.

Overall a good box. Nothing particularly stands out at the moment but I wasn't too disappointed by this. Those of you who have read my blog before, know I will let it out if I was ;)

What did you get in yours? Please feel free to link your blog posts in the comments :)

L'oreal false lash telescopic mascara. Before and after photos

I've reviewed this mascara before (linked here). I just wanted to update with some before and after pictures because the results this mascara gives is truly magnificent. As you can see, I have nearly non existent and very straight lashes in my before picture but afterwards I can really liken the look to me, wearing fake eyelashes. 

I use the waterproof version of the mascara for ultimate hold and honestly the results (volume and curl) last all day. It is also 100% waterproof and even though it has micro fibres in the formula, they stay put instead of flaking away during the course of the day. 

Before: Taken in dim light... I'm very tired today

After: Taken yesterday when I was more awake

Although I purchase and try new mascaras all the time - this is 

the ultimate holy grail. 

Home made muslin cloths

I use non foaming cream cleansers on my face like Una Brennan and Cetaphil; I work the cleanser onto dry skin and wipe off with a warm muslin cloth. I love how refreshing this cleansing method is and I think it's perfect for all skin types, as the method doesn't aggravate the skin. Despite being incredibly soft, they also provide a little bit of gentle exfoliation - perfect for an everyday routine. My only gripe is that they are so expensive for a tiny piece of cotton! Muslin cloths depending on what brand you buy can range from £2 to £4.. that's definitely what I would consider drugstore robbery!

So, a few months ago, I decided to research where I could buy muslin from to make my own. I found that in haberdashery's the quality I encountered were always poor - extremely scratchy. It was only a day later when I realised.. duh! babies use muslin squares! And with the growing market for designer babies and of course babies needing the quality of the softness itself - there were tons of brands that sold 100% organic cotton. I can't remember what brand I chose but it was little French one, that sold organic muslin squares in a pack of three for around £7.00. 

The giant squares of muslin were already sewn into two layers and I cut eight individual facial cloths from each (that equaltes to about 30 pence each for a cloth). Then I just wizzed with an easy straight stitch on the sewing machine and voila!

I now have an abundance of muslin cloths and can easily find and fetch a new one when the used ones are in the laundry basket. The cute little patterns on them, also bring a smile to my face :)

PHYTO blowdry essentials review

PHYTO is a French brand that specialises in hair care, making products that use natural or 'botanical' ingredients. I wanted to try Phyto products for a long time, especially as it was featured as saviour brand for long/dry hair. The product that was circling the beauty biz is called Phyto 7, a hair balm which is basically a daily moisturiser for hair. 

I saw this Phyto threesome in TKmaxx for a bargain price of £7.99 - the perfect time to commit to a brand I knew very little about.

All the products are silicone free which is such a rarity in the market that targets dry/frizzy hair. They all smell reasonably nice too - not overly scented but a pleasant light flowering scent. Inside the box was phytolisse shampoo, phytolisse hair mask and phytodefrisant - a hair relaxing balm.

I found the shampoo to be a really good product for my hair type. It claims to hydrate and soften while smoothing cuticles down for ultimate shine; it also contains 30% calendula extract, which is an anti inflammatory ingredient used in skincare. After washing my hair, it did feel moisturised and easy to work with. You know when some shampoos after rinsing, immediately make your hair feel a bit tangled from lathering? this didn't do that.

After shampooing. I used the mask. Too be honest, I had really high hopes for this mask; it came out nice and thick, the way some masks tend not to be in the haircare market. I towel dried my hair before (a must! to get the best use out of hair conditioner!) and started to apply to lengths of my hair. It just didn't spread really well at all. My initial thoughts were that maybe my hair was absorbing this stuff instantly. The more I applied, the more tangled my hair seemed to be. After rinsing the mask out, despite being wet, my hair was all crispy!! The real test for me of how well a conditioner/mask works, is afterwards when I brush my hair; my tangle teezer had a hard job! Imagine what it would have been like using a standard hair brush. After blow drying, my hair was so big and frizzy - not good for something that promises smooth, silky hair and long lasting frizz 

protection.

Although I haven't tried the baume as of yet (I'm putting it off after the mask incident), I don't have high hopes for it. The baume comes out as a clear and very liquid gel not the cream consistency I was expecting. It has won an Allure hall of fame award, so maybe a little light at the end of the tunnel. I will update this post if and when I do.  

Maxfactor clump defy mascara review

Maxfactor clump defy is part of the false lash effect collection. This mascara in particular promises "volume whilst still maintaining beautifully defined and separated lashes without clumping". Apparently this is all thanks to the brush, it's revolutionary technology (rolls eyes).

It's had a lot of positive reviews but as we all know, mascara is different for each individual as with all products. Despite not liking any of the Maxfactor mascaras I have tried (masterpiece, 2000 calories, false lash effect), I am a sucker for an offer. It was a few weeks back and actually as products go is nearly always on offer, for £7.99 - a grand total of £3 saved. Alas, it isn't quite the mascara for me, so a grand total of £7.99 in the bin then.

Yes, this product doesn't clump (currently, as it's new). Yes, my lashes are separated. Here it is, the however... For me, it doesn't create any volume whatsoever. In spite of it being waterproof and therefore should be more waxy - it doesn't hold a curl; not even for a minute! After application, my lashes started to droop. Also, I think the waterproof claim is a bit of a stretch. It was a bad day to test this mascara.. or a good day in terms of how you look at it. I cried incessantly that evening, I think I was watching soppy clips about babies being adopted on Youtube or pets missing their owners lol. Well anyway, point being I cried and unlike my normal mascaras which hold up a stiff upper lash (hehe), clump defy streamed down my face. I also found that even subtle changes to the weather and my body temperature can make this mascara smudge.

This mascara does not create lashes - so if you have more genetics like myself, with non existent lashes this is not for you. If however, you were blessed with the beauty stick and have Cheryl Cole lashes with falsies on - this is a good product to enhance what you already have. However you must take your chances and judge carefully if it is going to be a tearful day. Smudge. Smudge. 

EOS honeysuckle honeydew lip balm review

I think EOS is relatively hard to find in the UK. I know at one point in time SpaceNK had it in some of their stores otherwise the only similar offering is Balmi at Boots. EOS (evolution of smooth) can be found online (Amazon, Ebay etc). I received mine as gift from my brother when he went to the states, he bought it from Target for around $2.99.

Now I have had my eye on this lip balm since forever! The whole sphere lip balm concept was introduced by EOS not Balmi and although I haven't tried Balmi, I think I already prefer EOS, in terms of their packaging and flavours/products selection.

EOS lip balms are organic which Balmi ones are not (whether that makes a difference - I'm indifferent) and they have a fair variety of unusual flavours such as honeysuckle and blueberry. It's also made in the USA (Something I always look out for - origins of where products are produced often determine the quality of a product).

After trying this product, I can truly understand why this is one of the most popular lip care products in the US. It's so easy to apply because of the giant sphere, instead of applying one lip at a time, you just pucker and apply them to both at once. The balm itself is really solid and waxy, which I really like, as you don't feel like your lips are over coated. It's also incredibly moisturising and I felt an immediate difference after first use. 

Also honeysuckle and honeydew flavour!!! I am a sucker for unusual scents!! Honeydew is quite a common flavour in Asia, it's not true to form honeydew melon flavour, it's the artificial equivalent; for example strawberry and blueberry scents in lip balms/body products don't actually smell like the fruit either in the UK. I can only describe the scent for those who haven't tried a honeydew product as a very soft watermelon scent - It's not overtly strong and sweet.

What do you think? Balmi or EOS??

Carmex lime twist review

Carmex has introduced lip balms in the form of a stick to the UK market finally. As we all know, Carmex makes amazing lip balms (well in my opinion anyway) but there was a little problem in terms of their offerings. First we had the pot - which is fantastic in terms of providing moisture and plumping thanks to the added menthol but the pot is so hard to use, especially if you have long nails. There is also the added concern for hygiene for some , as dipping your finger in a pot can't be too sanitary unless you make sure you wash your hands prior - Who has time for that?!?

Then came offering number two - a squeezy tube. Still the great Carmex formula apparently however I found the texture a little off. Although it came out solid before it melted onto the skin, the balm created much more of a gloss effect and feel, which I found too slimey.

Now we have the Carmex stick; I can confirm that this new offering is exactly the same feel and results of the original Carmex pot. It makes application easier and probably more clean (depending on how clean your lips are that is!) Also they have the fabulous new flavour lime twist. Apparently it's 'refreshing' but actually it's just nice and sweet (key lime pie, anyone?). The flavour of the lip balm is just so nice compared to the usual offerings we have in the UK - Cherry.. Strawberry... Boring.

I got Carmex lime twist, half of what I would have paid in Boots at Savers for £1.49.

Birchbox October 2013 UK

Today, I received my first Birchbox today! I am so impressed!! LOVE LOVE LOVE. After so many disappointing Glossyboxes, I can only kick myself in the bum for not switching over beauty boxes sooner. I don't think the quality of this months Birchbox is a one off, I have always looked at the reviews and unboxing blogs and have always been amazed at some of the items they send out.

Birchboxes are exactly the same price as Glossybox £10 plus £2.05 p&p. They send out 4-5 luxury samples, as well as an additional 1-2 lifestyle products. 

The box itself is a bit smaller in size than Glossybox and the items come in a little drawstring bag :)
As a new subscriber, I got a little welcome card; which I thought is such a nice touch - I never had this before in Glossybox - being acknowledged and appreciation for my custom!

Five core products

Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser 14.7ml sample

Super generous sample of the cult product. I received the colour sand, which is a little too dark for me :( but because it's very sheer, I'm hoping it will adapt to my skin tone.

KMS Silk Sheen styling cream 50ml sample

A lightweight control cream with added heat protection. Can be used on damp hair or on dry hair for a more textured effect. I've never used this brand before but first impressions is that it seems a fairly decent product - feels lightweight and smells nice. Also this is a first! receiving a product for my hair type!

The Balm Stainiac gel lip and cheek tint 1.2ml sample

Apparently from reviews I've read, people who have tried this and Benetint, much prefer this brands offer. It's quite a light gel and doesn't have that rose water scent normally attributed to such stain products. The applicator is a doe foot and with it being a gel consistency, it applies much better than the usual runny liquid and nail varnish brush offer. I'm also loving the results, it's not super moisturising but more so than any other stain I've tried previously. The colour payoff is also much better than the competition; normally I would apply three coats for my desired look but I only needed one with Stainiac.

Dr Brandt Microdermabrasion skin exfoliant 7.5g sample

A full size of this product retails for over sixty pounds and it looks like I'm going to get about five uses out of this sample - very happy! This exfoliater is meant to mimic the results you get from a professional treatment as it's packed with crystals and lactic acid (very good for my skin).

Dr Lipp Nipple Balm for Lips 3ml Sample

I received this product from Glossybox a couple of months ago and although I don't dislike the product, it's not something that particularly excites me. 3ml sounds like a small sample but you honestly don't have to use much of this product. I would have been disappointed to receive this if the rest of my box wasn't as amazing.

Two lifestyle products

3 sachets of Egyptian Magic cream

I remember this cream made the rounds in magazines about four years ago, about it being a miracle product. I didn't buy it because it was (and still is) mainly only sold online. The product is quite expensive but you do get a lot of product in one pot - so if you factor out price per gram, it is quite reasonable. I'm looking forward to trying this so much as my skin is always dry and flakey . This balm is quite solid, so you rub it between the palms to melt into a oil to apply. I got three sachets as an additional item!!! Glossybox would have given me ONE as one of my five.

 Birchbox gel mask

Another lovely addition, a gel mask for tired eyes. Pop into the fridge for cooling effect. 

As you can tell, I am soooooo impressed with Birchbox! As well as amazing sized samples they are also so generous with their additional items. All the products are by fantastic/interesting/premium brands - no Collection or MeMeMe here. I'm so HAPPY!!!!

What did you get in your Birchbox?

Would you consider switching over Beauty Boxes???
 (-to the good side ;p)

Products I bloody regret purchasing

Do you ever look through your drawers and think "this is certainly why I am poor". That thought ran through my head today ...and nearly everyday, as every tiny bit of space I have, I pack and hoard. Today, I am going to enlighten you with a small sample of the worst products (in my opinion) that are going in the bin tonight!! You see, that's how much I hate them; like I said, I'm a natural hoarder, so there are a lot of stuff I don't enjoy very much but refuse to bin BUT not these nasties!!!

Simple Moisture Boost Hydro Cream.

This stuff, I found to be so misleading. It says it easily absorbs - which it does not. Locks in moisture for 24 hours - which it does not. 

Garnier Moisture Match for normal to dry skin.

I had hiiiigh hopes... which crashed and burned. I've only used this once, so I can't really say, if it will help change the skin in any beneficial way. When I did use it, it was adsorbed into my skin quite easily and didn't make me look shiny ...or sweaty. However it broke me out! after like five minutes, I got these angry bumps on my skin. I must be allergic to something in this - which is unusual because I generally get on very well with Garnier products.

No7 Beautifully Balanced purifying toner; Essential Moisture night cream; Beautiful Skin mask.

All three terrible products. The toner has way too much alcohol in - which fyi, is terrible for oily/acne prone skin types. The night cream and the mask, which is designed for sensitive and dry skin really irritated my face, sometimes up to the point it's burning, which of course made it more dry and filo pastry like. Contrary to old wives tales, ladies, if it's burning it ain't working!

Re:nu Age Defy Shampoo.

Ok, So I'm 23, I don't really need age defy shampoo.. but what does that really mean anyway?!?! All I know is that it promised tangle free and soft hair and it didn't deliver. It's SO WEIRD! It says "lather for a luxurious foam" BUT it doesn't... It doesn't lather at all, yet it says it does... So I thought "hey it retails at £27.00 it can't be bad.. maybe it's like those new cleansing balms you've seen..." The result was a massive knot ball and I smelt like an old lady.. because the scent is actually awful! It smells like imperial leather soap :(

Catwalk Oatmeal and Honey Conditioner.

Smells delicious like biscuits or cookies. Works awful. It foams!!! What conditioner foams? At first I thought I had residue shampoo in my hair, so the next time, I made sure I rinsed thoroughly... still foamed... Also it's very liquid, sort of like the consistency of single cream. You have to use a lot of product on the hair and my hair feels little or no different if I actually didn't use a conditioner at all with this product.

This blog should really be called 

SUSIE MOANS

Glossybox Dark Romance October 2013 Review

My new and very unfriendly Hermes lady delivered my Glossybox this morning. When I opened this, I was in a SUPER awful mood because I was still asleep when she came. In my terrible mood, I opened the box of disappointment. Honestly guys, I know all I do is complain about Glossybox and you're probably wondering "b#tch, just quit that Sh!t" and I am or will.... because as everyone has noticed the quality of the contents of the box has been declining monthly.

Vita Liberata Latte Illuminating Skin finish - deux sachets.

Ok, I'm not exactly sure what this is... Highlighter? Bronzer? Tanning lotion? In the description it tells me to apply all over my face with sweeping motions and that it washes off with soap and water. WHAT IS THIS?! I'm going to go with wash off tanning lotion, like that Rimmel crap you can buy. I'm not going to use this because I am super pale and will no doubt have pastey neck.

So I got two samples and that equates to about £2.99 each (full size 30ml for £29.95)

Monu Illuminating Primer

I LOVE MONU products. Not so much the ones Glossybox has sent me but the ones I have chosen and purchased myself. I don't however use primer but this stuff comes out a bit shimmery when rubbed in, so I might try this as a subtle highlighter.

Sample worth £9.98

Katy Perry Killer Queen

I am a perfume snob. So apart from not appreciating receiving perfume samples, I double hate when it's a celebrity one. When I sniffed this, it was reminiscent of something. It smells like my Victor & Rolf Flowerbomb! Ok, initially it smells like flowerbomb, it does develop to something a bit different but still not unpleasant. I purchased V&R Flowerbomb for like over £60, so if you're looking for a dupe which you don't mind hiding in a drawer... you're looking at KP's perfume.

Sample worth £0.87p

Premae Multi-Vit Smoothie Serum

This serum is for combination skin types but the mention of the astringent sounding lemongrass oil seems to me, it's more suitable for the oily-er girls. Not for me I'm afraid but will be passed on to my mother.

Sample worth £9.00

Me Me Me Cherub Blush Cheek and Lip Tint

I'm not sure what shade I got but it does appear to be much darker and more purple than my Benetint. Too be honest, it swatches and smells very similar but I don't generally use my Benetint, so probably wont find much use for this either.

Full size £5.50

And that's all folks!

Korres Lip Butter & Liquid Lipstick Swatches

Korres' makeup has entered TkMaxx! There are a lot of beauty bargains to hunt for by Korres (well in my local store anyway) they are packaged in two and the two products are often an eye one and a lip one. What I noticed was that the lip colours are quite nice but the eye ones are a bit... unfashionable; for example, there were a lot of purple mascaras and baby blue eye liners... hmmmm.... So naturally I did a sneaky switcharoo and opted for two decent lip colours which I thought I would use. 

 Lip butter in plum and liquid lipstick in raspberry (25)

Now a little about Korres. The Greek brand specialises in products with natural ingredients, so they are free from the nasties such as mineral oil, silicone oil, ethanollamine (whatever that is) and parabens. I have tried a lot of their skin and body care and I am in LOVE, they perform exceptionally well (none greasy/easily absorbed) and they all tend to smell fantastic. 

The liquid lipstick is described as water based formula for intense colour with a long lasting creamy texture. The lip butter.. has no description but is a glossy not sticky balm with a better punch of colour than other tinted lip products. 

I believe I got BOTH of these products for around the £6 mark, which is an absolute bargain. Price wise, I'm not disappointed at all but performance I'm a bit meh about them. As mentioned before their skincare is fantastic however both of these products I found a little drying after the day went on and both of them had no long term benefits. 

MAC Studio Fix Nc25

Now I know this product has been in existence since forever and in it's time has been a cult product however I do feel like it's been long forgotten and needs another mention in the blog world.

MAC studio fix + is a powder and foundation in one and that combination gives excellent coverage either used on its own or as a setting powder. It's finely milled and nicely buttery because so; it also has talk and silica in to create a smooth finish and to absorb excess oil.

I do love this product and I'm so ashamed that I didn't purchase this product sooner. The coverage is so good that I feel comfortable just using this as foundation along with some concealer. Also I love the fact, I finally have a worthy top up product in my handbag. The things I don't like about it, is that as a 2 in 1 product, I wouldn't consider using it as a setting powder again, as it made my skin look very heavy and it also felt so too. However when used on it's own it is very light and has the nearly naked skin feeling. 

Swatch on the right side of the vein on my zombie arm :-/ Can you see??

I would describe the coverage as light to medium, it is buildable but I wouldn't recommend it, as it makes the skin look very heavy. I apply this with a big fluffy brush and even when I sweep it vigorously, the fallout is minimal. Colour wise as can be seen in the swatch, it's quite adaptable, so I think even if I went one shade lighter or darker it still would look quite well on my skin. So thumbs up, very little risk in choosing a colour!  

Real Technique Brushes Dupe

Now I'm not sure if they are or if they are not a suitable dupe for Sam Chapman's brushes but I purchased these after seeing a blogger link these Ebay brushes as a suitable copy cat. I do not own any Real Technique brushes, there are a few reasons, one being, I hardly use make up brushes and two, I was never able to touch the brushes because they were in the packaging. After seeing some reviews of these brushes on blogs, I decided to purchase them, there was no risk of disappointment seeing as they are being sold for £2.29 each with free p&p.

Shipment is from China, so it took a long time for them to arrive (approx 3 weeks). However the wait was well worth it. They are SOOO SOFT! I can only liken it to stroking bunnies and kittens but fear not, they do state they are cruelty free and have artificial fibres. The brush is slightly weighted which apparently gives MUA better control. They are also so densely packed which when used the right way can give the skin an airbrushed finish. (Tip: Youtube, Wayne Goss on how to git rid of pores with makeup).

There is nothing bad to say about these brushes, whether or not they are dupe, stand alone this unknown brand 'Joursna' brushes offer great quality for little money.

Glossybox September 2013 - The London Edition

I've been away for the past days and was in between my adventure when I got my notification email from Glossybox - Your box is on its way! How exciting and what a nice thing to come home to - NOT!

Remember when I was disappointed with the last box? Well I think this month maybe just THE most terrible box EVER!!!!!!!!!!! Firstly, I found out it was a themed box; this is never a good sign. Secondly, it's British themed and there aren't many British brands that stand out to me.

TONI & GUY Shine Gloss Serum. 

It says it controls frizz with a lightweight shine. That's all it says! Oh but it does go on about this limited edition designed bottle by a Lulu Kennedy. Well T&G the packaging is fugly and you should get your money back. 

Sample is full sized priced at £7.19

Be A Bombshell Onyx Eye Liner.

Even though this a british themed box, this eye liner is made in China (ewwww) and it doesn't seem to be sold in the UK. Everything about this eye liner is off putting. The name of the brand! The design of the logo. It's so cringey - there is a little cartoon of a 'sexy' lady putting on make up as part of the logo. 

I think this is a full size product at $14 for 3g

Eyelure Pre-Glued Lashes.

It's exactly what it says, the false lashes have glue on them already, you just peel them off and put them on. I have experienced p/g lashes before and they don't last as long as the ones you glue yourself. Also my lashes are so boring and ugly!

Full sized sample at £5.06

Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips.

Basically Dr Nip Nip invented this for nursing mothers, they found it to be so good as a lip balm, he re-branded it and it was sent to me as measly sample! And it's awful! at first it looks like Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream but it comes out thicker. So when I do put this on my lips, I drag it across, which feels like what's going to give me cracked lips!

Full size 15ml at £11.50. Received 3ml sample in GB.

Elizabeth Arden Untold Eau de Parfum.

I won't bother copying what it says on the new GB info card. It basically is a basic floral fragrance. There is no wow or intrigue. I personally find Elizabeth Arden a very outdated brand; from the horrible uniform they make their beauty counter ladies wear to the packaging of their products looking so plain and 90's. Elizabeth Arden's perfume are not very popular and that's because they are not very nice - simple as that. This is 5ml sample, I think the size GB should only EVER give away as part of the five items in each box. The bottle is like Chanel Chance but at a  twisted angle? I personally find the design of this bottle very old fashioned and not in a good way. 

Full size £69 at 100ml

I'm not too fussed that some people got an HD Brows blusher. I'm just unhappy that the whole selection of my box is just ...crap. Although some are British brands none of the items are actually made in the UK?!?! (just found out Elizabeth Arden isn't British?!) So the theme of this box was just a false gimmick...

What do you think of Glossybox's half arsed concept?

Did you like what you got in yours?

Maxfactor Nailfinity

549 Red Passion

Praises

- Quick drying

- Incredible shine

- Cheap, £3.99

- One coat for opaque finish

- Two coats for good level of shine

- Good chip resistance (approx 4 good days wear)

- Small bottle, so it means you can use most of the product before it goes gloopy

- Small and precise brush

- Short handle is also good for precision when painting

Oceane Make up Remover Pen

The majority, if not all the ladies, that received last months Glossybox had this item in their box. Oceane MU remover pen is not a new concept, it has been done before by brands like Simple but this is the first time I have tried one of these products. After using it, I must say my feelings of this being a crap concept has only deepened. Below are picture of the pen after one use on one eye! Now I wouldn't say I wear a tremendous amount of eye make up, only the standard eye liner and mascara but you can see that it's only one and use and then you have to replace the end with another. The product itself didn't irritate my eye however the tip is incredibly scratchy and uncomfortable to use around such a delicate area as the eye. The formula itself is really good, dissolved the waterproof make up smudges and didn't spread it. To save money, I would say don't buy this type of product; instead DIY snip cotton bud ends soaked in eye make up remover and store in a clean travel pot for one the go clean ups. 

Empties August

Balance Me. Super toning body wash.

I received this free from the magazine Glamour. The product is 99% natural and is free from parabens, SLS etc. Despite using all the product, I didn't actually enjoy using this. It has a very natural smell from the natural oils in the ingredients but that didn't bother me. My gripe with it, was that it claimed that only a small amount is needed because it is a concentrated formula but because it's free from SLS (foaming agent), I didn't know how far the product stretched on my skin. I wouldn't buy this product.

Radox basil and grapefruit shower gel.

It really does have such an uplifting smell, more grapefruit than basil I would say. It lathers really well but I do think it's on the runny side. I have repurchased this.

Docteur Renaud raspberry soft cream. 

Received this in a Glossybox aaaages ago but a little of this product goes such a long way. I loved this product, it was thick and creamy but it soaked in my skin almost immediately after application. The raspberry smell was so unusual compared to other face products and it was so pleasant to smell this throughout the day. Definitely would purchase this item. 

Everyday St Tropez.

This is a gradual tanning product, sort of like those ones from Garnier and Dove. I would say St Tropez's version is a little different because it's more of a self tan than a everyday moisturiser. The formula is a little thick but it spreads really well. This is the only product which I felt gave a natural tan out of all the ones I tried. I can literally put this on an hour before I go out and know that my skin will be around two shades darker. It says it doesn't have a fake tan smell on the packaging but it does! and I would definitely score it as one of the worst smelling ones. At around £14.99, it is around two thirds more in price than standard ones but it is worth it, the tan lasts for a week after one application. Definitely would buy again.

Garnier Soft Essentials rose toner.

Brilliant product. It's alcohol free, cheap, makes skin noticeably softer, I really couldn't sing its praises more. I use this more as a cleanser than a toner. When I'm in a hurry I will use this to cleanse my face in the morning instead of washing it. I use this when my skin feels itchy or uncomfortable to relieve it. I use this after I cleanse my face, for more of a moisture boost than to take off my remaining make up. I love it and I've bought this product tens and tens of times.

Essential ultra honey and shea butter hair mask.

Ok, you can't buy this product in the UK. It's from Japan and can be purchased on Ebay and Sasa.com. It's a cult product in Asia. It has the thickest formula, it smells delicious and it definitely gives results for dry hair even with a small amount of product. I will of course be stocking up on this when I go on my travels.

Loreal  absolute make up remover. 

It's one of those half oil and half water formulas that are essential for removing waterproof eye make up. Despite loads of bloggers hauling this item and singing its praises, I don't think it is worth the hype, it performs just the same as my Garnier and Boots Botanic one. The pro is that it is a little less greasy however it does costs a little more. I also feel like I have to swipe my eye more with this product, instead of it instantly dissolving like with some others. I wouldn't repurchase this unless it was on offer. 

Have you tried any of these products?

Maybelline Baby Lips Review + Swatch

After searching high and low, I have finally got hold of the Baby lips lipbalm by Maybelline. There weren't many colours left but I got the two I wanted, Cherry me (left) and Hydrate (right). As lipbalms go, I would say they are pretty standard. On application, I felt they were quite greasy (or glossy!) but after they soak in, say half an hour later, the lips have a nice softness. The Cherry me one is a nice pinky red and does give off a good sheen of colour. The hydrate lip balm although doesn't say on the packaging is lemon and basil scented. They are 3 for 2 currently in Boots at £2.99 each. 

On the back of the packaging it gives the market test results (105 women). Each one is different, the above info is from Cherry me. The Hydrate lip balm didn't get as high results but in my opinion both were exactly the same.

Left, is of course Cherry Me. Not that you can tell from the picture but it's a really pretty vibrant red with hues of pink in there.

As you can see there isn't a great pay off in terms of colour but then again what do you expect for a lip balm!? It does however give the lips a really pretty and natural rosey sheen. If you look carefully below the swatch was another one, that I had wiped off to demonstrate that it does leave a slight tint after wear.