Back to a plain pink box which is always a comedown after the special edition ones but let’s get to the contents…

My initial response was to be quite pleased, I had chosen the palette from a couple of options so maybe we should start with that…

SLEEK MAKEUP Eye & Cheek Palette

Because I am reviewing this a few month on from the time I chose the colour option I cannot remember what the others were, however, I believe this looked like a fairly neutral palette, and I probably chose this as I had gone for brighter colours for the last couple of palette options.  When I opened it I was quite excited…

There were what seemed a nice mix of shades and I thought okay I can do quite a bit with these, however, let’s break it down, cheeks first…

This is a one swipe swatch, can you see the problem, while I might get away with a very light dusting of the paler one, no way can I use the darker side, I do not tan so I could not even use it then, the blushers are highly pigmented but all is not lost they are very nice colours still so I will use them on my eyes. So let’s take a look at those…

Again the colours are highly pigmented and with the exception of the cream are all quite dark, I think the colours are lovely but really not good on my complexion as a palette. As an overall palette this would great on black or dark olive skin but for us pale and pasty folks the colours will be used in conjunction with paler colours from other palettes. At £10 it is not expensive but if you are looking for one palette to carry with you that does both eyes and cheeks you might need to be careful which colours you chose with this.

Next…

OOLUTION Eye Love

Hmmm I have to hold my hands up I am not sure on this, first it feels great when you put it on, but I cannot honestly say it did a great deal for my dark circles or puffiness, simply because it is not often mine are really noticeable. That is not to say I don’ egt them but when I do am usually feeling so run down and crap I don’t think to try using a cream at that point. For puffiness I have a really good roller ball type product I received in a Glossybox a while ago so I cannot see me spending £30 on this cream, but in fairness I cannot say it doesn’t work and might not be worth the price tag to somone else.

Next is…

THIS WORKS in-transit camera close-up

As you can see this claims to be an all in one product, sadly for me it did none of the things it claimed particularly well. In consistancy it is very similar to Vaseline, it does work as a barrier layer between your skin and make up to protect pores but I found that my foundation moved a lot over it and was hard to get a nice finish so as a primer it fails. I used this up as a night cream as I felt it took a long time to soak in and left my skin looking too greasy for day use. At £30 I can think of individual products that you could buy to do all three jobs with better results for less money, however, if you have really dry skin and want one product to travel with this might work for you.

Just two to go so…

FRUU Fruitilicious Watermelon Lip Balm

I am going to be honest when I opened this and smelt it, I could only smell Mango, which I don’t like. But as I always promise to try everything where possibly I gave it a go and I actually love the the texture and the more I hgave used it the more I smell watermelon over the other scents. At £2.99 it is a resonable price and is a decent every day balm

And finally…

GOT2B Styling Primer

I have to be honest when I read the description of this I was skeptical about what it would actually do, but I have to say that when I tried it, it really did make a difference. Because I have a few layers through my hair when I plait it for work as a do occasionally bits tend to come loose, I put a little of this in my hands and worked it through my hair now I have to say you do have to work quickly as it dries fast and is less effective but once my hair was plaited there were no bits escaping. It did brush out, though my hair did feel like it needed washing, it was not unbareable. The one downside was it made my hands feel really stiicky and took a good wash to remove that sensation. At only £4.18 in is a good price if you wear your hair tied up a lot or wear it in plaits, I can’t really comment on how it works with other styles but even just using it for the plaits it is value for money as it removes the need to use hair spray afterwards.

Though there were a couple of negatives the positives made up for it in this box.

Once more I am behind on these so you are in for a few over the coming weeks and I have to say there have been some real hits and some huge misses…

First let say I loved the box, it was after all the Valentine themed one but I loved the pink against the monochrome, and onto the contents…

I am going to be honest though I was excited at a couple of the products, I was really annoyed at one of them so we may as well start with that one…

GARNIER Ultimate Blends Honey Treasures Strength Restorer Balm

Now the first thing I should make clear is my problem is not with the actual product, the opposite in fact, this is not a new product to warrant the inclusion of a trial size sample, I have been using this product for quite a while. That was what annoyed me, that one of my fie items should not only be a trial size which barely covered my hair but should also be for a product that has been out for ages and I already use. I would have been happy to see this as an extra on top of the five items and maybe if I was not already using it I might have been impressed except as with most trial sizes of hair products they only give you enough to do a decent trial if you have short to shoulder length hair at best. At £4.49 (or less if you have the right saver type places near you) it does do what it is supposed to but Glossybox this month I felt robbed.

Next up…

LA THEORIE DES VOLCANS Noir Eternae Youth Potion Face Scrub

There are times you really want things to be different, and this was one! It sounded fantastic, a mineral rich volcanic paste, cleanses, purifies, turns from pink to grey as it works wonders on your skin… brings you out in the plague! Okay not quite but it did bring on an outbreak of the Rosecea I suffered from last year, at first I wondered if it was coincidence, I was stressed at the time I tried it, so I let it clear up and tried it again, yet again an outbreak. Was it perhaps the combination of using it with the cold weather, waited a few months tried it again, once more an outbreak, I shall not be trying it again. I think it is safe to say I shall not be spending £26 on a face wash that makes me look like a bubonic zombie.

Next up…

CIATE LONDON Paint Pot in Iced Frappe

I don’t normally get to give these a good testing as when I get one my daughter generally steals it, but because we can now wear neutral colours on our nails at work I put my foot down and kept this one. The colour is a lovely pale coffee, it applies really well and I love the brushes in these pots, although mine is lose from the lid and if you are not careful you open it it find the brush still sat in  the varnish. It does last well, though if you have your hands in water a lot it does soften and peel, at £9 it is towards the higher end of the mid range and it can be quite hard actually getting hold of this brand without ordering from their website but worth it or better still talk someone into buying you their advent calendar to keep you going for a while.

Next…

MEMEME Beat The Blues in Oyster Gold

Confession first, I think I may have been using this wrong, I thought it was a highlighter but it is actually an illuminator, while it can be used as a highlighter it can also be mixed into foundation, which I have not tried but I will give it a go. Used as a highlighter it blended right in and did not give me the shimmer I wanted, it did work well with a powder highlighter over it but just didn’t get the job done on its own, I was not too keen on the applicator,

It feels like a cheap nail varnish applicator and it is hard to get the blobs on each side even with the poor bristle quality. At £7.25 it is not expensive but I would not buy this as a highlighter however I am hoping that it may work well with foundation especially in the summer to just add a little all over shimmer.

And finally…

JEANNE ARTHES L’Eau de Rose

Every now and again you get a perfume that you really cannot decide on, you love it, you like it, your not sure about it, depending on your mood, for me this is that perfume. It smells of Roses, not shit Sherlock I here you cry, but no I mean it smells of Roses with a capital R! It is like being in my garden next to me older roses, especially the big crimson one that does not get the prettiest flowers but damn does it smell good.

This is the rose I am talking about the flowers are huge, the size of small melon, and they get tatty quickly but they smell divine. So what is the problem with the perfume I hear you ask, well it is just that is smells of Roses and nothing else, in my head I think of it being something my grandma would have worn, or the perfume kids get, and while I really love the smell I am not convinced I can wear it out. I mean yes could wear it on the school run or for work but I can get perfumes by popstars for less than the £20 a bottle this costs. You could use it to spray your bed with to bring the summer garden smell into the bedroom, but you see my predicament, while I love the smell I am just not sure about where I would wear it. Chances are this will get used but I will not replace it even though I really do like it.

So the first box for 2017 arrived, was I impressed?

I am going to be honest I was really underwhelmed by this box when I first opened it, lets begin with the first reason why…

Hairon Zero Crease Hair Tie

I have received these previously in a Glossybox, my opinion does not change just because they are pink this time instead of white. While they do what they say in that they do not leave a kink in your hair the fact is they are still no good for putting in my hair, they do not hold the ponytail tight enough to stop the shorter bits falling out and after a couple of uses they stretch and become even less effective. They are £3.99 for three so not overly expensive but to be honest I might use one once in a blue moon if I am maybe going out after work and have to cope with a few stray hairs to avoid kinks.

Next…

NIP-FAB Kale Fix Moisturiser

I was quite intrigued by this right up until I opened it. The first problem I found with it is the smell, it smells of kale, aloe vera and vegetation generally, and I have t say I hate to think how much more it would smell if it was a hot summers day. The actual product (yes I did test it still but only on a night) works quite well on dry skin areas however you should avoid any greasier areas with it, I have quite a greasy forehead at the minute and it did bring out a few spots when I trialled it, at £19.95 it is cheaper than some moisturisers but personally for me not one I would buy again.

Next up…

THEBALM Meet Matt(e) Trimony Single Eyeshadow

I loved the packaging for this and was really looking forward to trying it, it came in this lovely aubergine shade…

Now this is a little harder to assess as a whole as the shade is part of a palette which sells at £34, for me I felt the colour pay off was not good, initially the pigment seemed good but the minute I started blending it disappeared, I will say I have not tried it wet, generally I never use my eye-shadows wet I know it is supposed to intensify the colour but I really shouldn’t have to especially at these prices.

Next…

VITAMASQUES Manuka Honey Face Mask

I do like face masks so I do enjoy getting them in the box but I have to say this one really had me annoyed..

When I went to get it out it was literally dripping and the mask itself was crumpled within the packaging which was quite hard to actually quite hard to unfold and unstick. Once you do get in straightened out it really did not fit very well and I had to lie down to stop it sliding off.

As you can see it barely touched my nose which is one of the driest parts of my face but what makes it even more frustrating is that the actual formula made my face feel great, it really did seem to work and at £3.99 it is cost effective to use on a regular basis. I know getting a shape that fits everyone is impossible but think this one could be improved then I would definitely buy it again.

And the final item for this month was…

UNANI Illuminate Milk Cleanser

I have to say I really like this product and it reminds me very must both in terms of product and packaging of the products I regularly use by Naobay. At £14 this is around the same price as similar products I use, I would certainly use this and may buy it again once I run out depending on how much shipping etc is (this is a problem with the brands you can only get online) and would certainly be happy to try out further products from this range.

The first review for this year brings us almost up to date so here we go…

Initial thoughts were this seemed like a good mix of everything, beauty, make up and they threw in a choccy so time to take a closer look…

This Works Deep sleep Pillow Spray

Now I have to confess I did not test this, I have no problem falling asleep, slaying asleep occasionally but never falling asleep but predictably it smells mainly of lavender and I passed it over to my daughter to try out. She did try it but could not honestly say it aided her in falling asleep though it did not hinder her, at £16 it is hard to recommend it without being able to say more definitely that it works.

Next up…

Wilkinson Sword Quattro For Women Raspberry Rain Disposable Razors

I was a little miffed at first to see razors again especially as it only seems like a couple of boxes ago we received the Venus one but lets face it hair removal is a big thing for us ladies so I gave them a go.

There are as suggested four blades and the handles are quite long and nicely shaped well for access to all those awkward to reach areas like the back of the ankles etc. I especially like the bobbly bits on the end grip…

they stop it slipping out of your grasp as easily. I cannot say I was impressed by the smell. yes you could smell it as you got it out of the packaging but by the time you use body wash, shaving gel, the fragrance is lost and a waste of time and I have to say at £5.69 for three they are quite pricey for something you are going to use once and throw away, I liked using them but would not buy them.

And Next…

DE BRUYERE BEAUTE Jumbo Eye Pencil in Bubble 07

The card describes this as a Khaki-grey, and looking at it initially it does look that way…

but I have to say the true colour is more of a gold. it goes on well and I am rather taken with it. At £15 it is not overly pricey but I have to admit I have not tried this on a night out yet which is the true test of a creme eyeshadow, though I like this, it goes on well I cannot honestly say whether it will show creases during a night out.

Next up…

Ruby Professional Large Tapered Blending Brush

I already have a couple of brushes that are my go to brushes for blending shadows so initially I was not over excited to the see this how ever I was curious to try it out.

The ones I have are flatter and angled slightly but like this one they are quite fluffy feeling. The rounded end of this make it really good for blending the lid shade into the brow shade, I did find it not quite as good for blending crease colours simple as it almost blends a little too well and removes a little bit too much of the definition between colours. Overall the brush quality is great I used it doing fancy dress make up as well so I also know it responds well to washing. at £8 it is a decent price for a brush and I would certainly recommend it and look forward to maybe trying more brushes from the range,

And finally…

111SKIN Bio Cellulose Facial Treatment Mask

Now I have to confess this sat around for a while before I got round to trying it…

As you can see when I opened it it had slipped off one side of the mask, however as it is a sealed unit it did not effect the product just made it harder to get on…

the first thing you notice is it is gold. It adheres to the skin quite well, it almost has a wet rubber feeling, it does slide a little so as you have to keep it on for twenty minutes it is better to be able to lie back while wearing it. There are however a couple of issues with it… as I have noted previously with these types of masks the never seem to fit well, on this one the eye holes as small and set wide apart, I am not sure whose nose the measured to create  that hole but as you can see it is around twice the width of mine and a lot longer, in the end I folded the end back because the sensation of it flapping against the end of my nose was driving me crazy, and the mouth it set too low. I could I suppose have crinkled the mask more to try to squeeze the holes to fit better but it does say the mask should be smoothed over the face. The actual results from the mask were pleasing, my skin looked brighter, felt smooth and hydrated and the results lasted a day or two. The big issue for me with this is the price, they recommend you use the masks three times a week and at £20 each that is a very hefty hole in anyone’s wallet, even as a one off this is pricey. I would use them again if I had them given but not likely to buy them.

And an extra…

Normally I love chocolate but this reminded me of Ferrero Rocher which I don’t like, my daughter did try it but was not impressed however bonus points for the thought!