Have you missed me? GlossyBox Monthly Review – December

Well hello there I hope you all missed me at least half as much as I missed you.

Not having the internet is crap but at least you can get stuck in and write but having no computer at all has certainly added to my grey hairs, I shall be adding buy a second computer onto my list of New Year Resolutions so fingers crossed I can avoid technological limbo in future.  I shall also be investing in a new phone which actually works lol.

It is going to take me some time to catch up and I have very little chance of reading all the amazing posts sat in my inbox in the near future but I will file them away for reading a few at a time on rainy days I also will be playing catch up with posts and trying to tie up the year before getting back on track in the New Year with the actual scheduled posts. On the plus side I have a note book full of ideas for blog posts, so lets start with the final subscription box for this year….

Do you think they heard me complain last time about the plain box? This time we got a really cool Christmas box and Candy Cane wrapping paper…

I have to confess I almost wanted to close it up and place it under the tree but instead I peeled back the layers and found…

Mixed feelings on opening it especially given I received hand cream last month but lets take a closer look…

Miracle Balm by Rituals

This smells gorgeous but I have to say on closer inspection you can’t use it like you would a normal hand cream.  It states it can be used overnight with moisturising gloves and I can imagine it working well in that respect, as an everyday hand cream it does give great results but you need to be aware this is very much a paraffin type cream like Vaseline so when you apply it it does not soak into the skin straight away.  Now this is great for locking in moisture and really softening the skin but rubbish if you need to do anything constructive in the first ten minutes after applying, I am using this as I prefer the smell to last months chocolate/orange mixture but I am having to consider when to apply it. I received the full size version worth £10 and I have to say the price and having to order on-line puts me off the idea of getting more, it smells great and is making my hands softer just not sure they are soft enough to justify the price tag.

Next up….Intuition Naturals Razor By Wilkinson Sword

I have owned an Intuition razor before so knew exactly what I was getting with this.  I do like these razors and they certainly do the job, having the top or the holder to use with it is a real bonus over some other razors…

The only real down side is how long they last, you tend to find that it never seems to be an equal usage of the parts either you run out of the lathering soap surround before the razor has been used frequently or you find the razor clogged and blunt before the soap has got half way down, either way you find yourself frequently having to replace them and no way do they last as long as some razors where the two are separate.  Some reviews argue it is bulky to hold but actually I rather like the grip the down side to the size obviously comes if you are travelling and want to take it with you.  At £6.49 it is around average price wise for a razor, the replacement blades are roughly between £6-7 for 4 so while not overly expensive but not a cheap option either.  I will be keeping an eye out for the blades on offer and will stock up then.

Next up…

Seche Nail Lacquer by Seche

First off I need to point out they recommend using this with their own base coat and topcoat which obviously I don’t have so I used it on its own which may have affected the results but not sure how much.  I was not sure about the colour of this when I opened it the colour on the picture is pretty much the colour in the bottle, the actual product is a nice consistency and covered fairly well, I could have almost have stopped with one coat but as it was slightly uneven I felt a second was required…

When it dried it almost looked as if I had had Shellac put on my nails and it all seemed great but then the down side.  Off I went to do a little house work and was disappointed how easily it seemed to chip, had this been a cheap polish I would have thought nothing of it but at £ 9.95 for 14ml I really expected better of it.  I will of course use it and try it again when I have less to do but unless it shows improvement I cannot see me buying this, maybe great for a night out or ladies that lunch but if it chips so easily not very practical for those with busy lives.

Now on to a product which has me pondering….

Brow Drama Sculpting Mascara by Maybelline

Okay I do not normally use Maybelline products because although they say they themselves are cruelty free they do admit some of the companies who the work with on their products do still test on animals and even though I know the same is probably true for lots of companies when I know they still support animal testing even if through a third party I choose not to hand my money over to them.  But that having been said obviously I can’t review products without trying them and I confess to being curious as to this.

I have been contemplating my brows a lot recently as over the last couple of years they have got a little bushier and lost shape so I decided to give this a go…

So here I am all my make up done except lips (you will see why with the next product) and eyebrows.  As you can see I had plucked them a little but they are naturally slightly uneven and I worried this would show more by making them darker…

One brow done and you can see the difference it makes…

Both brows done and I like the results, it is great for thickening any areas where one brow is thinner than the other and balancing them out.  This one is dark brown but is not overly dark and at £4.99 for 7.6ml I would definitely have bought this if it were cruelty free, as it is I will be looking into getting my brows shaped and looking for alternative products to use in future which is a shame because I do like this one.

Last up…

Nude Lip Gloss By Beautiful Movements Cosmetics

I am in love, this is the first product that I have to say I will be buying based just on this half sized sample.  At £12 for a full size 8ml gloss it is more than I would normally spend on a gloss but this one I will be ordering as soon as Christmas is out of the way.  It is only available on-line at the Beautiful Movements website but I am just crazy about it and I have to say a quick peek at their site has me contemplating several eye-shadows to go with it.  It is thick enough to give nice coverage without being too greasy or gloopy and lasts really well.

As you can see perfect for the barely there lips to go with bold eye make up, just hoping this one lasts until I get another in my hand lol.

Anyway enough for today more catch up news tomorrow.