Tag: Make up

Glossybox Review – August 2016
Glossybox Monthly Review

Glossybox Review – August 2016

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I have a few of these to catch up on and they really have been a mixed bag the last few months so lets get started…

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The first thing you will notice is the cool packaging, now I must confess this box arrived just as the Olympics were getting going (seems like so long ago) and Ithought it was a tribute to the ladies of Team GB then I realised of course the GB was for Glossybox, so after my excitement at the box I opened it up and saw these…

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Hmm an interesting mix but I was actually really annoyed for reasons I shall explain shortly, but lets dive straight into the box and discuss the items…

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Rae Feather Mini Monogram Pochette

Now I confess when I first saw this I though make up back, cool but don’t need it and dismissed it then I read the card and was shocked to find the value of this was £20! Apparently the designer who created this for the box has created a range of Monogrammed products in the same material loved by celebs, maybe if I paid more attention to celebs I would have been more excited, as it is I now have a very expensive pencil case. I can’t say whether I would buy anything else from the range as the chances are I will never be able to afford to.

Next up…

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Cowshed Wild Cow Invigorating Body Lotion

Sometimes you get a product and whether you like it or not is not a simple question. This product feels so good on your skin, it tingles slightly as you apply it, then soaks in beautifully leaving your skin feeling soft and luxurious, what the problem I hear you ask? Sounds great what’s wrong? In a word the SMELL you can smell a little of the lemongrass and rosemary but the overpowering aroma is of ginger! I feel like I smell like I have bathed in Chinese food, now I have to be honest I don’t like ginger, I don’t cook with it, don’t like gingernut biscuits or gingerbread men, so that may play a part in why I dislike this smell. The price for full size is £20 so I will not be buying this as the smell puts me off too much but I would love to try other things from this range, anything less smelly basically.

Next up…

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MUDMASKY Facial Detox Purifying Recovery Mask

I love mud masks, I find on my skin I usually get better results than a peel off mask so I was excited to slap this on and see what happened, now for the scary picture and please be aware I was wearing a dressing gown but I had it wrapped round under my arms to avoid getting mud on the neck and hood bit…

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The mask did take a long time to dry and then took some removing but I like the results, infact I liked the results so much I thought about buying it until I saw the price! The RRP for a full size tube is £53, now I may happily pay £65 for my moisturiser but for a mask I am sorry but I cannot afford to pay those prices, yes I liked the results but have had similar results from far cheaper products, so while I liked this and will use it up I shan’t be replacing it once it is gone.

Now the cause of my annoyance…

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MUA Eyeshadow Palette

Now I can imagined the puzzled looks on your faces, how could receiving an eyeshadow palette annoy me, it’s eyeshadows, they are colours you would use, nice neutral shades. The problem was they were not the shadows I chose! Glossy box gave the option to select between several palettes and because I already had a brown palette by this brand I chose to go for something different, the problem was they sent the wrong one. However I have to give credit where credit is due, within 24 hours of my box arriving I received an email apologising and explaining the realised their error and that I had been sent the wrong one and that I would receive the correct palette in my next box as a bonus item. Happy at this offer I tried out the colours and they were lovely…

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However because it was so similar to the one I already had my daughter decided to take this one off my hands, I have to say these palettes are priced at £4 and I have lots of much more expensive shadows that could learn from these in terms of colour pay off. You will see the palette I chose in the next box.

And finally…

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Spa To You Deep Pore Facial Cleansing Brush

I picked this out of the box and sat staring at it perplexed for a minute or two. I had seen several Youtubers trying out electric cleansing brushes but this one is basically a scrubbing brush for your face and reminded me of a large bent toothbrush. As well as bristles it has rubber prongs embedded in their midst…

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It also comes with a handy little stand type thing which is also designed to let water run out to allow the brush to dry after use…

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For me this really does not work as I don’t generally use a cleanser as such rather I use my Naobay Moisturizing Peeling which is an ex-foliating face scrub, then I tone and moisturise so because of the abrasive nature of my routine this does not work very well, but I did try it with a normal cleanser and a standard face wash, both of which worked well with it, at £6.99 it is not expensive but I do feel it is a bit of a gimmick and you are not missing out if you don’t own one.

So verall not a bad month I shall post the next one next Saturday!

 

Glossybox Review – July 2016
Glossybox Monthly Review

Glossybox Review – July 2016

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I know it must have seemed from the last few boxes that the number of negatives had been increasing, and I confess when I first opened this box my heart sank a little but stay tuned for what turned out to be possibly the best item I have ever received.

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First glance I was not impressed so I will start with the thing I knew I would not like…

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Soft & Gentle Hair Minimise Anti Perspirant

You might wonder why this is top of the dislikes, the reason is simple, every time I use Soft & Gentle I feel like I have been gassed with a talc bomb, I find it powdery, that it often leaves marks and in the interests in fairness I have been using this and cannot say my hair has been minimised. This cannister is huge, okay at £2.99 you want a big can in terms of value but it is a pain to lug round and I just cannot really say I like anything about it, that is not to say others won’t love it but I think Soft & Gentle as a brand is like Marmite, you either love it or hate it, there is no in between.

Next up…

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Utan And Tone Nourishing Night Creme

I have to be honest I was skeptical I have tried a couple of these things before and after a day or two you look orange but I have to say I actually quite liked this one, it builds gradually, and I used it for three nights running, then every other night for a few more days, and did not feel like it was going patchy or streaky. At £12.50 it is quite pricey in some respects but if you self tan and want a good quality tan for your face I would certainly consider it, for me I would not use it, as I don’t self tan, well at the minute anyway there is no point having a tanned face with a white body, arms and legs. I am also really rubbish at remembering to always put it it so again, without setting constant reminders I would end up fading before I built colour up, but as I say none of the faults are with the product, that delivered and if I ever start self tanning I would probably buy it.

Next up…

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Icona Milano Emotion Allowed Mascara

This is a 50/50 product, on the one hand it did what it said on the tin but on the other it failed to impress. Let’s start with the positive, this is waterproof, I mean out in a downpour waterproof, it lasted really well with minimal smudge, though it also means it is a nightmare to get off.  What lets this down is the actual lash effect, even after a couple of coats it looks like they have hardly been touched, okay they look darker but there is no volume or lengthening effect. At £13.04 this is pretty expensive if you want long, thick lashes and would find yourself needing to double it up with a different mascara, however if you are into sports, want a day time mascara for the beach this would do the job. I will be using mine up wearing it through Winter on wet and snowy days as I head to the day job but I probably won’t buy it again unless I take up serious sports lol

Two left and again it is looking rather disappointing but that is about to change…

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Blank Canvas F20 Flat Brush

I loved this brush, at £11.95 it is half the price of the Real Techniques brush I have that is almost identical to use. This has synthetic fibres and is so soft to use…

DSC02020I loved the way it looks and felt, and you will also note I use the term in past tense as I was not the only one who loved it and my daughter relieved me of it the first chance she got. It is a make I had not heard of but I loved this so much I am going to leave the link to their web site here so if you want to look at the range of brushes for yourself you can, they even do vegan friendly brushes.

You might be forgiven for thinking you had seen the item I fell in love with but nope here it is…

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Hairon De-tangle Brush

There are a lot of these tangle teaser type brushes on the market and I had not been impressed by the look of them…

DSC02012I mean look at it little plastic spikes, nothing special to look at but I swear they are made with fairy dust embedded into the spikes because it goes through your hair like a hot knife through butter. Maybe it was a fluke, maybe it was my hair is too thin, not tangled enough, so we tried it on my daughters hair, her hair is thick, curls and requires an anaesthetist for someone else to brush it for her. Or it did until we put this on her head and its magic powers caused it to glide through her hair. I cannot believe now that I have been missing out on this for so long, I even considered trying it out on my old lilac wig, though I think that may be beyond sorcery of any description, I cannot recommend this highly enough and may have to buy my daughter her own just to stop this one going walk about.

Now because I am behind I have also tried out the next box and is another mixed box for you too look forward to xxxx

GlossyBox Review – June 2016
Glossybox Monthly Review

GlossyBox Review – June 2016

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So we are definitely playing catch up so you will be getting one of these a fortnight for the next couple of months, I get annoyed with myself when I get behind but it has been summer holidays, I have published a book and the Olympics are on, so lets get this first one done then I can find the photos I took for the next one and then open the box that just arrived…

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So the first thing I noticed was that when I opened this is I was a product short, however I rang them and they sent the missing item plus a bonus item as compensation.

So lets start with the item I was most disappointed by

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SPA TO YOU Konjac Sponge

Now this product I went up and down in my feelings towards, it arrived in a pouch and felt a little like a loofah, you open it then add water, a scrub or body wash ,and then use it to buff the skin. So far so good, except when you add the water it feels really strange, a little like holding a wad of cold cooked pasta.

DSC01992The sponge is small and fits in the palm of the hand it even has a little string you can put your fingers through to ensure you hold onto it easier while using it. Because it is so small I found that realistically it was only really any good on the face, to try to scrub your whole body with it would be too much like hard work. Now I have to say once I got used to the feel of it, it actually did work really well however my enjoyment of it was short lived.

This product is not suitable for anyone who shares their bathroom with kids, you know the type of kids who leave things all over the place, I had been careful to hang it up on the shower holder, but the monster had been in the bath and of course had to try it out but instead of hanging it back up he threw it on the side then dumped a wet sponge on top of it. I did not notice until the next evening and by then it was too late, left wet it had, for the want of a better description, melted and had to be binned. At £6.99 it is not expensive but I will not be replacing it on the grounds that I know it would only happen again.

Next up…

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LADIVAL Sun Protection SPF 15

I have to be honest this has probably not really had a proper trial, being a Brit our weather is not the best most of the time and as so often happens the sun has shone most when I have been working. But regardless I gave it a try, it goes on well, no smell as such but that is all I can really say, maybe if the sun returns properly I will get chance to try it out more but it is too low a factor to put on the monster it will have to wait until I have time to soak up some rays. However I have to say at £19.99 there are a lot of cheaper options out there so this would have to be pretty special to make me splash out on it.

Next up…

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EMITE MAKE UP Lip & Cheek Tint

When I first saw this I was excited, then I saw the word tint and my heart sank. I think the problem is, when I put make up on, I put make up on, I don’t do a like bit of subtle colour and this gives at best a very subtle colour. On the lips it feels like water, and for both lips and cheeks it took a couple of applications before I could see any difference.

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It has a nice applicator, and maybe if you used it as a pick me up over other make up, maybe it would do something, but at £12.50, it is a lot of money to pay for something that makes me think of kids play make up.

So far the box has been disappointing but on to the next item…

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ORIGINS Drink UP™ Intensive Overnight Mask To Quench Skin’s Thirst

I am not sure they could have made the name for this much longer, but the product itself is rather good. It does have a bit of a smell which is somewhere between floral and chemical but in fact it reminds me a little of certain sun creams but it does work well and at £23 it is not overly expensive compared to other similar products,. and I might consider buying it in the future.

The last item that arrived in the box was a sample…

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Aussie Hair Care 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor deep Conditioner

It gives the price at around £1.09 per sachet but I am sure they do this in a bottle for just over £3 which would be better value for money, like the rest of the range this is a great product and is one I have bought and used previously.

So one phone call and a day or two later a package arrives with the missing product…

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De Bruyere After Sun  Lotion Monoi

I was eager to try this because I do find that some after sun creams have a bit of an unpleasant smell, especially if you are going out, this has quite a nice floral smell and soaks into the skin really well. I can’t tell you if it really does prolong your tan as I never have one but at £9.98 this would be a nice alternative to the usual aloe vera based ones.

And finally the bonus item…

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Collection Lasting Colour Gel Eyeliner

I really appreciated the bonus gift as an apology for the missing item, or I would have had my daughter not walked out of the door with it. I did however manage to get a couple of photos and try applying it before she did so I can review it as well, it comes in a nice little pot with quite a good quality mini brush…

DSC01998I was sent a black one and you can never have too much black eyeliner for my money. It went on well and for the chance I got to try it out did not smudge though I confess I did not apply full eyes or wear it for long enough to swear to that. It is sold at Superdrug for £4.99 though when I looked it up there did appear to be some cheaper on other sites, really good value for money and I might buy it for myself once the gel eyeliner I already own runs low.

Glossybox Review – May 2106
Glossybox Monthly Review

Glossybox Review – May 2106

paulaacton1 Comment

I am running really behind with these but rather than skip this one I decided to get on with it…

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First let’s talk about how pretty this box was, it was very similar to the French edition box I received a while back, like much of it’s contents the box was appropriated  by my daughter, in fact I did feel a little like I should have just handed the box straight over, inside we had very pretty pink paper and goodies…

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You will notice the frame there which was to take and post a selfie but to be honest I just found it really awkward trying to get one with my phone, maybe if I had tried using the mirror it might have been easier,

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So the first thing I pulled out was the popcorn, apparently it tasted great, I personally couldn’t tell you because I didn’t get any lol, however popcorn is a great low cal snack and I might look at buying some of this to try as I prefer salted popcorn to sweet, my favourite is toffee popcorn but I think it is a push to class that as healthy lol. So let’s start with the real contents…

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Revlon Volume + Length Magnified Mascara

There were different options for the mascara and I chose this one thinking it would be a good all rounder, sadly I don’t know why it just didn’t do it for me. I thought at first it was the shape of the tube but really it is no different to my Tarte one that I love, I cannot blame the wand as you can see it is a pretty standard wand, which I normally like…

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There was nothing I could really put my finger on to explain my gut reaction to just not liking it, the results were no worse than other high street mascaras I have used and better than some, I eventually decided that maybe the problem is that I have a mascara I love at the minute and nothing measures up to it so everything disappoints me. These retail at £9.99 so not expensive but not the cheapest option either so my daughter tried it (as she does most things I get in these boxes) she loved it, she took it and has let me know she finds it applies really well and lasts brilliantly. I think I am going to start sharing her opinions on more products so you get a more balanced view, because obviously as you find favourites it gets harder to be totally objective in products that don’t blow you away. Though sometimes it is also a case here of fighting over who gets to keep a product as you will witness later in this box…

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Bee Good Youth Enhancing Plump & Firm Moisturiser

This is a little strange, the formula is very thick and reminded me of a lip balm I received a while ago, I don’t think you could really use this during the day as it is so thick it does take a while to soak in, however it does work quite well as on over night cream or as something you put on to give yourself a facial/moisture boost. I can’t say I noticed the plumping or line reduction but that could be that as a larger lady my face is plump already lol but at £23.50 this is quite and expensive product to use occasionally, if you were going to use it as your night cream then it might be worth it.

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Loceryl Nail Gel

I have to confess at the minute my toe nails are shocking, I used a particular nail varnish almost non stop for a couple of months and it seemed to destroy my toe nails, so I was quite excited to try this, sadly it failed but I cannot blame the product. I remember to put it on once about every tow or three days and I misread the instructions and only put one coat on instead of the few coats twice daily, so not surprisingly nothing has happened. At £16.99 it is expensive to be as stupid as I have been when it comes to applying it, but I am going to try again and try to do it as recommended so if I notice a difference I will let you know on July’s review, but unless you make an effort to follow instruction probably not worth buying

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Crabtree And Evelyn Hand Therapy

This is one of those items that is a little frustrating, the actual product comes in this really cool packaging and does a fantastic job of moisturising my hands, at £5 it is not overly pricey, and certainly cheaper then the Rituals Miracle balm which I love, but… why does there have to be a but, I cannot stand the smell. You would think from the name and packaging it would be a simple floral whiff but nope there is an oily smell possiby from the nut oil but you can also smell the myrrh, another fragrance which I am not a fan of. I am using this but am very careful not to use it too close to meal times or when the smell is likely to bug me too much, I might look into seeing what other fragrances it is available in to see if there is something better suited to me.

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Absolute New York Velvet Lippie

When I looked at this on the applicator I did not have high hopes it looked thick and gloopy, like a cheap gloss…

DSC01962I thought I would try it out and hate it, my daughter thought the same, we looked at the card and saw the price tag and thought at £4.93 it was as cheap as it looked and it would not be anything special, so I swatched on my hand…

DSC01963The first thing I noticed was it was not as sticky and gloopy as I expected and secondly it was incredibly pigmented and really was matte once applied. Normally I would include a photo of me wearing it at this point but I can’t. I took a couple but they did not really come out well and I do not have the means to take more as the lippie left my house in my daughters bag. When actually tried it was a really nice lip colour, you got the matte pay off that you get from lipsticks but without the drying effect. We both loved this and would consider buying again if they sold it in a supermarket or chemist rather than on just the website.

So next week I will catch up with these reviews and post the June one xxx

Glossybox Review – April 2016
Glossybox Monthly Review

Glossybox Review – April 2016

paulaactonLeave a comment

First I have to be honest I lost the card so the prices I quote will be the ones I can find on line, I am behind with these and did consider skipping this one but I really liked one of the products and wanted to share that…

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My initial response was disappointment, especially reading comments on line which suggested one product was actually been given away in store for free at that time anyway but not all was doom and gloom…

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The Body Shop Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Facial Oil

This was the one that courted controversy by the fact Body Shop were giving it away with purchases in their store at the time of the box, I think personally that this being the case it should have been an extra not one of the five but regardless I received it so I tried it but sadly did not really like it, it did not really work with my skin,  and at £28 for the 10ml bottle it is rather pricey. However there was one redeeming feature which I did like and that was the pipette…

DSC01892Serums/oils can be quite tricky to just get a small amount out and I would like to see more companies consider this packaging for these types of products.

Next up…

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H & O Skincare Skindulgence Cleanse and Hydrate Balm

I have to be totally honest this is a product I barely tried, I did try it but there was nothing about it I liked, the texture on my face felt terrible and took ages to sink in, it was like I had accidentally used a lip balm instead of moisturiser but the thing I really do not like is the smell, I just do not like Frankincense and maybe the smell put me off giving this a fair try but I will not be parting with £42.50 for this in fact I would not pay the 50p for it.

But then things started to look up…

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Studio 10 Brow Lift Perfecting Liner

I am not usually one for using pencils to do my brows, I find it easier to create a nicer shape with a brush and powder, however the fact that they donate one of these liners for everyone one bought to the Look Good Feel Better charity is a wonderful thing, women with cancer undergoing chemo obviously are at risk of losing their brows, something which can be an extra mental hurdle to over come, at £22 it is a little pricey but if you think of it as £11 each one for you and one for a woman or girl fighting the evil that is cancer than it is a wonderful gift to give so much so that I am giving the link to it it here.

The pencil itself is actually really good and fairly soft, it is double ended with a shade and highlighter which does allow for blending the colour a little more…

DSC01897The shade works well with my blonde hair but would also work equally well through to mid brown, darker hair colours may need to blend it with other products. While I will not need another liner for a while I will be keeping an eye on this company for other products supporting this charity.

Next up one I was skeptical about…

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Leighton Denny Miracle Mist

I am really suspicious of quick dry sprays I have fallen foul of them several time where you think your nails have dried when you touch them but the minute something rubs against them they smudge so I was not expecting much from this one, however I have to say this works far better than many. I will point out that its effectiveness does seem to vary from one type of polish to another so you need to be careful the first time you use it with a new polish but the ones it works with it works really well and it does not leave the end of your finger feeling like it has been plastered in hairspray, the down side is the price, £12 is a lot to pay for the sake of waiting a few extra minutes. Will I use this up? Hell yes, will I buy more? Probably not.

And finally…

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Next Make Me Beautiful Matte Lip Colour

When you think of Next you think clothes, maybe at a push even home furnishings but make up is not something that springs to mind or to mine at least but it is certainly something now I will check out next time I go in store. I really like this, it is a little drying but then all matte lipsticks generally are, but the colour lasts really well and it looks equally good with a coat of gloss over the top. This peach/nude shade is great for summer and can also be used with different lip liners to create an ombre look, I love the packaging as well which makes it look far more expensive than the  £8 they ask for it, the only slight negative was when mine was accidentally wound too far up it snapped very easily but I will just resort to a lip brush as it gets lower. This may very well be my signature lip colour for this summer.

Glossybox Review – March 2016
4. Thursday · Glossybox Monthly Review

Glossybox Review – March 2016

paulaacton3 Comments

I am going to be honest my heart totally sunk at this months box and it was probably the most disappointed I have been to receive one for a while, was it all bad? Well let’s see…

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So first up…

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417 – Catharsis Vitamin Mineral Shampoo and Conditioner

Lets start with a positive, I really appreciate the fact the seem to have listened and started sending these in travel size rather than sample size, and also that they send both shampoo and conditioner rather than one or the other. I did give this a good go using both the shampoo and conditioner in place of my normal ones for a fortnight, sadly for my hair this just did not do anything. At a price tag of £16.89 each for the full size I feel there are lots better products on the market for much less. On paper it does seem like it should be a great product but for my bleached/colour damaged hair it just did not do the job and I was happy to swap back to my usual Tresemme and using the Naobay hair mask.

Next up…

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Olay Regenerist Luminous Skin Tone Perfecting Cream

I have tried a few Olay products and they really do not work for my skin. The first couple of days it was fine and seemed like this might actually work but then I started getting spots in the more greasy parts of my skin. While it would be possible to use this in conjunction with a second product I prefer creams which I can use all over without having to mess about and at £29.99 the price tag is too high for something which I need to double up with something else.

As you can see so far not a very good start, next up…

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Hey Honey Good Morning Honey Silk Facial Serum

sometimes the problem is even when you like a product you already have things which are similar or you prefer and this is one of those products. I like serums and have a few, I do really like the finish this one gives you which is more or what can only be described as a waxy finish rather than an oily one, sadly not very good for under make up. It is not a miracle cream it does not make all my wrinkles disappear but it does give my face a nice healthy glow so I will use it up on days where I don’t need to wear make up. At £28.81 for full price it is on the more pricey side and I would probably not buy it again however I will use this one up unlike some others I have received previously.

Things are still not looking good in this box so one to the next…

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So Susan Light Diffuser

I like So Susan products generally and usually they come in the most fabulous packaging so given how pretty the box is you can imagine my disappointment to find this inside…

DSC01747Not good, but just as they say you should not judge a book by the cover I have some very pretty make up products which I do not like so I opened it up and tried it…

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I do actually really like this, I like the shades, the contour shade is not so dark that you have to worry about looking like an over-baked loaf, while the highlighter illuminates but is not shiny like some of the others I have and more suited for daytime use, it provides an alternative to all out glam. The fact it is small and compact makes it good for taking with you the down side is you have to be careful not t get both on your brush at the same time. So Susan products can sometimes seem a little silly on price but at £14 this one is actually not bad especially considering you get two in one. Over all I like this I just wish they had used one of their other packaging styles rather than this one.

And finally…

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Luxie Rose Gold Large Angled Face Brush

I never like to spend a lot on brushes for myself, it is one of those things I tend to feel guilty about. At £10.42 this would be on the border of what I would spend on a brush but given that it is a brand I have not heard of I probably would not have picked it up myself. The fibres are synthetic and lovely and soft, they pick up a nice amount of product, I like the angled head which I find a real help adding contour.

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One thing I will say is until recently watching beauty vlogs and videos I never paid a lot of attention when they were reeling off names and numbers attached to brushes, to be fair I still don’t but for those who do…

DSC01753For me what matters is how the brush feels when I hold it and how it works, if it does the job I want it for it does not matter to me what is was technically designed for. I do love this brush and can see it becoming part of my make up routine for years to come, so far I have not experienced and shedding of bristles the nly thing I have yet to try is washing it and that is because I am bad and only wash my brushes when I really have to rather than regularly like I should.

In all the last two products made up for my disappointment in the others I hope next month will start on the road to spring/Summer looks in terms of make up but we shall see.

Glossybox Review – February 2016
Glossybox Monthly Review

Glossybox Review – February 2016

paulaacton1 Comment

Finally I have caught up now with the reviews, and I have to say this is a very pretty box…

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Sadly for me the box proved to be too pretty and my daughter stole it, but she did allow me to take this photo and review one of the products she also had her eye on before she ran off with them.

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I was quite excited by all the products with the exception of the razor as it does not seem long since I received one of those previously however I shall get to the in a minute, in fact maybe that is the perfect place to start…

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Wilkinson Sword Intuition Razor

I have received one of these previously as I mentioned and do generally like them so I was disappointed to get another however there was one plus and one potential minus with this incarnation.

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As you can see the handle now has a rubberised grip, I do now really remember this previously and it certainly did feel more comfortable to grip than I remember, the soft rubber grip also makes it less likely to slip as you use it, now for the minus…

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I don’t know why but the soap seemed to look like it had gone off even though I know it hadn’t, and the razor seemed to clog with hairs very easily, this is not a problem I have had previously with this razor so I am not sure if it was more the blade I received that had issues or if they have gone downhill in quality, I will pick up some more blades and check but at £6.99 for the razor I will use it assuming that this is just a one off blade issue.

Next up…

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Browtician Love Skull Tweezers Limited Edition

As soon as I opened the box my daughter’s eyes zoomed in on these and I knew, like the Vintage Company ones I got a while ago, I would get no peace until she got her hands on them, so I opened them up to give them a quick trial before she snuck them in her handbag…

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I love the way these are presented in the case, and they cool design on them . On a functional level they are good tweezers, at £7.99 I will say there are lots of tweezers on the market at far cheaper prices that will work just as well and you are definitely paying for the design but if you are wanting something that looks good then why not, personally given how many times I lose tweezers I would probably not go out of my way to buy these but would have been happy to have them in my make up bag hand my daughter not claimed them.

Now for something for the hair…

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NAOBAY Protective Hair Mask Volume Conditioner

NAOBAY is a brand I discovered via Glossybox and I use a couple of their products on a daily basis, I had not tried any of their hair range so was really pleased to see this and though I have not used it enough to see long lasting results I have liked the way my hair felt afterwards. Because of all the colouring and bleaching my hair is quite dry but this certainly seemed to make it feel more silky and if the results continue to improve my hair I will be adding this to the list of regular products I use. At £10.64 it is a reasonable price for hair treatments and as you only use it once or twice a week should last a while, as things stand right now I will be buying this again and might even add it to the other NAOBAY products I subscribe to via Amazon to receive on a regular basis.

Two make-up product this month…

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Nicka K New York 24H Waterproof Eyeliner

I received this in brown which makes a nice change from always getting black, it is double ended with the pencil at one end and a smudger at the other..Personally I n

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Personally I never use the smudgers although I should probably try a little harder with this and experiment a little more, I did like the way this looked on and it lasted rather well, because I wear it on the waterline it took a couple of applications to really feel like it was staying and I have not tried it yet for a longer period of time than six hours so I cannot attest to the 24 hour claims, at £3.99 it is cheap enough to give it a go and see how you enjoy it, you can see me wearing it in the final photo of this post.

And the final product this month…

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MUA Power Pout Glaze Low Voltage Gloss

I received this in Spellbound, and it was a colour a chose from half a dozen options, this is one of those products that initially I found very disappointing but as you will see sometimes you have to try different things. The first hing I did not like was the ‘brush’…

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This product costs only £3.50 and the brush reflects how cheap this product actually it, thick plastic bristles that do nothing to aid in the application and remind you more of a child’s paint brush than a lip brush, as you can see the colour is intense but also quite a think consistency…

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I did this swatch onto the back of my hand using the gloss as it is and you can see just how thick and gloopy it is using the applicator…

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I was trying to show how thick it is but didn’t want to show the rest of my face as I had no make up on and was feeling like crap but I will say this is about the tenth picture of me trying to do the picture without smears and I had not re-applied the gloss during that process. I was almost at the point where I was going to throw the gloss into the make up I never use and leave it there but later as I was getting ready for work I decided to give it one more chance.

Rather than using the applicator I used one of my own lip brushes and applied a thin layer over a darker lip liner (bright red would not be suitable for work) and was pleasantly surprised by the results, I would certainly not use this if I was going out for a meal but could live with it on an evening out, however I would not buy it again.

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Glossybox Review – January 2016
Glossybox Monthly Review

Glossybox Review – January 2016

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January, start to a new year but a standard pink box to open, would much rather receive the different ones so initial thought was not too bad this month…

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I shall start off with the boring stuff so…

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Unani Dermo Defense  Face Mask

When you first put this on it does have a rather pleasant cooling effect on the skin, I have used it a few times but cannot say I have noticed a great difference but I have to say at the minute my skin is in quite good condition due to the other products I already use so it could be amazing and I might not see the benefits at £11.36 for the full size 100ml tube it is not badly priced as a little goes a long way, there is no fragrance as such and although I cannot say I will buy more I will certainly use this one up.

The next skin product…

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Madara Cellular Repair Serum

I quite like using serums when my skin is looking tired and needs an intensive pick me up so was happy to try this and it does give good results, however one thing I do not like about this is the smell. at a cost of £38 for the full size one I am not likely to buy this again as I can buy other serums just as good that don’t smell like off milk.

Next up…

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Glossybox Eyeshadow in Glossy Mauve

This is a weird one, it does look more of a mauve in real life than shows up in the photos, even opening it to take a photo did not help…

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I had high hopes when I went to swatch this but again the colour is not quite what I expected…

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I did consider it would work quite well as fancy dress make up if I wanted to do bruising, add a little touch of green and yellow and I would look like I had been assaulted but on a more serious note I think this will only get used as a crease transition colour or as a base for stronger colours, they put a price tag of £7.50 on it but generally Glossybox products are only available when they come in the box so probably just as well I did not love it.

Two to go…

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ANGELE Paris Red Nail Lacquer

My initial reaction was that this looked cheap, I had little  in the way of expectations but I was in for a shock. It covered far better than I expected and lasted rather well without chipping in the time I had it on. Unlike many red nail polishes it did not stain my nails which I was very happy about. At £6.32 it is reasonably priced and I would not mind trying more from this range.

The final item this month was…

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Teeez Cosmetics Oasis Gem Lipstick

I had only every heard of this brand when I received a brush by them in a previous Glossybox, I totally love their packaging and the actual print on the products, I was not sure about the colour when I first removed the top…

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It looked very much like an orangey red and I was not sure that it would suit me at all and the swatch on my hand added to my concern,

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However I have to say that when I actually put it on my lips I was pleasantly surprised to discover it was more of a coral colour than a red, my daughter was a little disappointed as she was hoping to run off with it but it was probably my favourite product from this months box in the end and priced at £11.93 this full size lipstick covered the cost of the box.

A mixed box but the two positives made up for disappointments with the other products and as always I look forward to the next box…

Glossy Box Review – The Rose Gold Edit – December 2015
Glossybox Monthly Review

Glossy Box Review – The Rose Gold Edit – December 2015

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As you can see I am a little behind on these so you are going to be getting one a week for the next few weeks, so lets begin…

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First thought was cool, what a pretty box then I opened it,

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I have to be honest my heart sank, this was the special festive box and instead I felt totally deflated by what was in there but as always I was determined to give it a fair trial so of course I tried everything.

First up…

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Etre Belle Golden Skin Caviar Eye Roll On

It says it is supposed to cool and hydrate tired looking eyes, now maybe my eyes were not tired, puffy or dehydrated enough but I did not see a difference, they charge £30.66 for this and it is not something I would buy again as things stand, I will try it again at some point possibly after a night out or when I have been ill and see if I can see a difference then, if I do I will get back to you. The one thing I will give it credit for is the cooling effect however I cannot say if this is as a result of the gel or the fact the roller ball is metal.

Next up…

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Essence Liquid Lipstick in Show Off

It claims that this gives you lipstick coverage with a gloss finish, personally I found it gave you an oil slick on your mouth. The colour was good and a true red but that is the best I can say for it, I am quite fussy with my lip glosses and hate that sticky feeling and this felt as cheap as the price tag, and that has to be taken into account, this only costs £2.50, maybe if I did not have better quality lip glosses and far too many products already I might experiment with it more but it reminded me very much of something you would find in a little girls play hand bag and I would not buy it again.

So far very disappointing but it was not all doom and gloom…

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Darphin 8 Flower Nectar Oil Cream

If you are thinking the packaging looks familiar it is, in fact it is almost identical to the moisturiser I fell in love with before

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The difference being that the moisturiser is in a blue/green glass tub rather than a yellow one but I loved this product almost as much as the other, in fact had this been cheaper I might have switched but at £65 for the full size it is the same price as the moisturiser so I will be sticking with that. The one thing I would say is that this would be one I would only use in winter as with my complexion it would make my skin a little too greasy in summer months, for someone with year round dry skin I would say it is worth a try though the price tag is rather prohibitive to just buy to try without knowing it will suit.

Next one is…

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Cheeky Chat Me Up Nail Paint

First thoughts were I was disappointed, it did not give the coverage I like and though it sparkled nicely it lacked a bit of a wow factor. Then I tried something different, I was putting on a dark purple polish I own that has a little sparkle but not much so I thought I will just try a coat of this over the top and see what happens and it looked fab (sadly I can’t find the photo now showing it) it did make the purple appear more of a dark violet but it sparkled and the iridescence really showed, I then tried it over different colours and it pretty much look stunning which ever colour I put it over, at £7 it is average price for a nail varnish and I will certainly go look at their website and consider ordering it again.

Almost done…

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So Susan Statement Highlighter Pencil

So Susan is an American brand I have only discovered due to  Glossybox an I have loved their stuff so much I have bought some of their Love Bags so when I saw this I was excited, I do not really like the pencil idea for cheekbone highlighting but I frequently use this on both my cupid’s bow and brow bone for highlights and love it, at £15 it is possibly a little on the expensive side although to be honest value for money wise it is a good investment as it will last forever. would I buy this again? Quite possibly although chances are this one will last me for ages.

And on to the final item which I save for last as the picture might be scary…

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Starskin Bio-Cellulose Second Skin Mask

Okay not that picture, the one I am going to share in a might, this was a bonus product and I got the one that is supposed to be used in preparation for a night out, now the first thing I have to say is generally I have about an hour to get ready when I decide to go out so taking twenty minutes to do a face mask is not in the equation but also I think of face masks more for relaxing in front of the TV possibly with a glass of something . However I have to say this certainly did give good results and I would imagine my make up might well have looked extra good if I had applied it after wearing this mask, but and there are actually three buts here, I honestly would not buy this again. First let me show you me wearing the mask…

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Firstly as you can see it does not fit particularly well, who ever they based this face shape on has serious issues, secondly the actual product on the mask is quite slimy which means that you get the mask into a position where it just about feels like it is in place then within a minute or two you feel it sliding down your face, in the end the only way I could keep it on for twenty minutes was to lay on the bed flat on my back, not very practical for getting ready to go out. Finally the price at £8.50 per mask it is nearly as cheap to book yourself in for a facial, the fact is I would use these again if I got another freebie but I can not justify spending that money on one when I know I can buy others that do the same job for a fraction of the price.

So despite inital fears there were a couple of things I really did love in this box.

Glossybox Review November 2015
Glossybox Monthly Review

Glossybox Review November 2015

paulaacton1 Comment

Not a lot of photos this month sadly, not because I haven’t used the products but more because I forgot to take them lol.

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I am going to start with the negative of the box…

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Royal Apothic Body Lotion

I am starting with this because really it was a let down on a few levels, firstly the size this is a 35g tube, it is full size, retailing at £14.50, if I was to use this all over my body as suggested I might get two maybe three uses out of it. My other issue is with the actual product and that is the smell, I can’t quite put mu finger on what the smell is but it is quite strong and even though I like the results I would not use it and nor would I buy it.

Next up…

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Eylure Natural Lashes

This is one item I have not tried out but only because I have not really been anywhere to try them out, at £5 they are around average price for decent lashes and I have worn this brand before and they have always lasted well, though cheap lashes are great for one off or fancy dress it is worth spending money for good ones if you want to wear then on a regular basis. I am looking forward to wearing these as soon as I get the chance.

Next…

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Emite Emite Diamond Heart Primer

I absolutely love this and I hate that I love it. The issue with this product is the price, to buy this costs £25.90, and as much as I love it I cannot justify that amount of money for a primer, I could not justify it for a foundation, so now way can I even think about buying this again.  If I were rich and money was no problem then I very well might change my mind but with a heavy heart I add this to the cannot afford pile.

Next up…

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Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick

We actually had the option to choose the colour we received so I went for the red, partly due to the fact we have the festive season approaching but also as my daughter keeps pinching them when I get them. The colour is a lovely true red as you can see from this swatch I did…

DSC01362It is thick and creamy without being drying as some lipsticks can be, the colour lasted well during the short trial but I have yet to really put it to the test in terms of eating and drinking wearing it as well as testing removal after a longer period of wear, though to be honest I expect it will stain quite a bit.

Final product for this month…

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MUA Eyeshadow Palette

When I read the price of this I did a double take, this palette retails for just £4, I expected it to be at least £15 given it contains 12 gorgeous shades. They are all glittery, shimmery shades with the exception of one of the browns and although it says it is a chocolate palette it is actually three different mixable colour pairings. browns, pinks, and greys. I have used a few of the colours and have to say they mix really nicely and you could more or less get away with this as a one palette to travel with, the only thing you might need to add is a highlight as the palest shade is not quite bright enough for me for picking out the brow bone highlight. I really like this and I do want to check out their website to see what other products are available.

Over all I have be thrilled with the products this month and am sure that the eyeshadows and lipstick will get some use over the festive period.