Glossybox | February 2016

Hi lovelies!

So just like my Birchbox post, I thought I'd share with you what I got in my Glossybox this month. For those of you who don't know what Glossybox is, it's a beauty subscription box where they send you deluxe beauty samples/full size products in a pretty little box each month. You can find out more here. This months box was valentines day themed which I thought was super cute, plus everything was full size! Here's what I got inside..

The Vintage Cosmetic Company Floral Slanted Tweezers: I absolutely love these! The packaging is so pretty and I love the floral print. I've had the same old boring silver tweezers for ages so it will be nice to replace them with something prettier. The original price is £8 and you can buy them here.

Naobay Protective Hair Mask Volume Conditioner: I literally rely on hair masks so I was really excited to get this. It's supposed to give your hair volume and leave it feeling silky and smooth. I haven't actually tried this yet but it smells like lemons which I really like. I'll post a review once I've tried it! The original price is £10.64 and I can't actually find where to buy this but I presume you can buy it from the Glossybox website.

Wilkinson Sword Hydro Silk Razor: I have to admit I was a little dissapointed with this.. I didn't really expect razors in my beauty box! These are the one's I always use anyway and they're originally £9.99 so I guess it saves me buying some more blades. You can get them here but I know they're on offer at boots for about £5!

MUA Power Pout Glaze Low Voltage Gloss: This lip gloss is lovely, mine is in the shade allure and it's kind of a purpley pink. It gives you a hint of colour to your lips which I love. I think MUA products are really underrated and they're so cheap! This lip gloss is £3.50 and you can buy it here.

Nicka K New York 24 Hour Waterproof Eyeliner: This eyeliner seems really nice, it's a twistable pencil and it has a blending tip at the other end. I don't tend to use pencil liners and unfortunately this one is in dark brown (I would have much preferred black!). I'm still going to try it out and see if I like it because it does seem like a really nice liner and it's only £3.99. I think this is only available to purchase in America but I'm pretty sure you can get it off the Glossybox site.

So that's the end of my box! What did you guys think of Glossybox this month? Let me know in the comments! Don't forget to follow me on bloglovin and twitter ♡

Lots of love,

Birchbox | February 2016

Hi lovelies!

So my February Birchbox came yesterday and I was super excited, I thought it would be nice to share what I got in mine! I'm also going to do this with the Glossybox when it comes. This months theme is "shine bright like a diamond" and the box is so pretty. I was a bit gutted that there wasn't a bit of a valentine's theme but it doesn't matter too much. Here's what I got inside..

Spectrum Collections Tapered Powder Brush: This was the first thing I pulled out because it caught my eye the most! I've actually tried this brush and it's perfect for applying highlighter. It's super soft and I love the colours. The original price is £7.99 which is more I paid for the box itself (I got 50% off with unidays student discount)

LOC One and Done Shadow Stick in Champagne Problems: I actually knew I would get this in the box because we had to choose which shade we wanted. I chose champagne problems because the other shade was a bit too gold and brassy for me, I prefer more subtle colours. The shade is gorgeous! This is actually Birchbox's own brand and I have to say I am really impressed. It says we can expect "up to 11 hours of creaseless, waterproof colour in one handy stick" and they're not wrong. I wore this out last night and it didn't move! I also swatched a little on my arm and it was still there when I woke up and only came off when I went in the shower this morning. The original price is £8.

Doux Me Comforting Face Mask & Exfoliator: This little sample has the cutest polka dot packaging! It can be used as a face mask or scrub which I think is really nice. The smell is absolutely gorgeous, it's a mix of apricot and marshmallow which is what the scrub is made from as well as camomile and rice powder. I was a bit worried at first because I have dry, sensitive skin so face scrubs can sometimes be too harsh but this one is so gentle. It didn't leave my skin feeling sore afterwards like most scrubs do, but still got rid of dry, dead skin on my face. The original price for the full size product is £18 and I think I may have to invest in some once my little sample has ran out (yes I love it that much)

Number 4 Lumiere d'Hiver Super Comb Prep & Protect: This is a leave in conditioner and is supposed to strengthen and repair tired strands and also de-tangle the hair. It smells amazing and does what it says on the box, but the original price for the full size product is £20 and I think you can get much cheaper ones that do exactly the same! I will keep using it to see if I think any different, but at the moment I don't think I'd pay £20 for this.

Cochine Water Hyacinth & Lime Blossom Hand & Body Lotion: I haven't actually tried this yet, the only reason being is that I'm a bit hesitant when it comes to trying new body creams as I suffer from eczema and don't want it to flare up! The smell is okay but it's not my personal favourite. I can't really give you a review but the original price is £19 and I'm not sure I'd be willing to pay that for any body lotion (unless it magically gave me perfect, flawless skin!)

L. Erickson Grab & Go Ponytail Holder: This bobble was a beauty bonus. To me, it's just the same as an ordinary bobble except it's probably a bit stronger. It does it's job and I will have to keep this one safe because it's £11.50 for a set of 15.

So that's what I got in my Birchbox this month. Did any of you get this months box? What did you think of it? My Glossybox is due to come next week so I will do a post like this on that too! Just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone reading my blog, I've just reached 1300 views!

Lot's of love,

Tips & Tricks for Dry Skin

Hi everyone!

Some of you may already know that I suffer from really bad dry skin spells. Sometimes my skin will be perfectly fine and others it will be terribly dry! I've recently bought some face products from the body shop that are meant to be great for dry skin so I'm going to test them out and share them in a haul/review type post next week. In the meantime, I thought I'd share with you some of my tips and tricks that have really helped me with my skin. 

1. Moisturize - This may seem fairly obvious, but moisturising once a day isn't going to be enough if you have dry skin. I've learnt that I need to moisturize at least twice a day (in the morning and at night), after I shower and preferably whenever I get chance throughout the day. It's also important to remember NOT to stop doing this if your skin looks and feels better (I know I'm guilty of this!) because your skin is more likely to dry out again. 

2. Water - Drinking plenty of water throughout the day flushes toxins from your inside which helps to hydrate your skin. You should aim to drink the recommended 8 glasses a day, I know it's hard sometimes, I sometimes go through the whole day only having one drink. One way I've found to help me remember is to drink one glass when I first wake up, one glass with every meal and one glass before bed (and obviously in between when you're thirsty or remember) 

3. Vaseline - This has been amazing for me! Every night before bed I apply Vaseline onto my dry areas and leave it while I sleep. It helps lock in moisture overnight and your skin should feel less dry in the morning. 

4. Avoid Harsh Scrubs & Washes - I've used plenty of face washes that make my skin feel tight and dry after washing, and this means the face wash isn't right for you. A lot of face washes are targeted to help remove oils and prevent breakouts. I've found that using a gentle, cream face wash works a lot better than the gel types. Try looking for moisturizing washes and cream cleansers and use a baby's wash cloth instead of a towel. (It's softer and less harsh on the skin)

5. Milk - As strange as it sounds, washing your face with milk helps to hydrate skin and reduce blemishes! I pour a small about of milk into a mug, and massage it into my face using a baby's wash cloth. I do this a few times a week and it really has helped me. 

6. Vitamins - Eating plenty of vitamin rich foods ensures that the skin is getting the right nutrients! I've been trying to eat at least 3 portions of fruit and veg a day to help keep my skin hydrated. You can also take vitamin tablets to help, I know they sell some specifically for skin/hair.

Do you have any more tips for dry skin? Let me know in the comments below!

Lots of love,

3 Highlighters I've Been Trying | £5 and Under

Hi lovelies!

Today I'm going to be sharing with you 3 drugstore highlighters that I've been trying recently (all £5 or under) and give you my opinions on each one! I've been looking for a good quality highlighter that isn't going to break my bank so I decided to try a few to see what worked for me. I feel like drugstore make up is really improving lately, which is great because not everyone can afford to splurge on high end products 24/7 (like myself and my part time cinema wage!) 

Make Up Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighter (Golden Lights) - £3

 

I was a bit skeptical about trying Make Up Revolution products at first because I didn't think they'd be very good. However, I love their eye shadow pallettes so I decided to try something different. This highlighter has actually been my go to highlighter for quite some time. It's a gorgeous golden shade and it lasts on my face all day. It definitely gives your skin a golden glow, but after using it for a while I started to see that it became very drying on my skin. I'm not sure whether that's to do with my skin type (normal/dry) or whether it's just the product, but it would look great when I first applied it and then after a while it would look slightly dry. With that being said, my mom uses this highlighter and really likes it, she has quite oily skin. For £3 you can't really complain.

Rating: 3.5/5

Collection Speedy Highlighter (Pearl Sheen) - £3.99

This highlighter came in a stick form which I thought would be really useful when it came to applying, however I actually found it a lot harder! I much prefer using a brush or even my fingers. The colour gives you quite a subtle, natural glow, but it took me quite a few layers to be able to see the slightest bit of highlight. I also found it really hard to blend with my bronzer and unfortunately it just isn't long lasting! I could see it fading after just half an hour, and with that being said I'm not a big fan. The Make Up Revolution highlighter is cheaper and much better than this one!

Rating: 1/5

Freedom Professional London Pro Highlight Pallette - £5

 

I am absolutely in love with this pallette! I'd never really bothered with Freedom make up before, it was always one of those brands that I'd walk straight past when I was make up shopping. I spotted this pallette whilst in Superdrug and I couldn't resist. The pallette contains 6 cream highlighters and 2 powder ones and as you can see, there are a wide variety of gorgeous shades to suit pretty much anyone! For £5, they are amazing quality and super easy to blend. They seem to be lasting most of the day on my face too which is great! I prefer cream highlighters to powder ones because I feel like they give you more of a glow, but that's just my personal preference. The only thing I'd say is they are abit glittery which I don't mind but I know some people do. This is my favourite out of the 3. The shades don't have names but I've swatched them below.

Rating: 4/5

2 powder highlighters (middle 2)

3 of the cream shades

The other 3 cream shades

Rankings (from best to worst):

1: Freedom Pro Highlight Pallette
2: Make Up Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighter
3: Collection Speedy Highlighter

What good drugstore highlighters have you tried? I'm thinking of doing more posts like this, I love trying new products and not breaking the bank whilst I'm doing it!

Lots of love,

 

Monthly Faves | January 2016

Hi everyone!

So as there's 4 days left of January (where has the time gone!?) I thought I'd share with you some of my all time favourite things of this month..

Olympea by Paco Rabanne

My boyfriend bought me this for Christmas and I have absolutely fell in love with it! It's my favourite perfume in the world now, I don't think I could live without it. He got me the gift set that came with a body lotion which is really nice because it's moisturizing and smells amazing at the same time!

Keeping Organised

I've been trying really hard to stay organised this month.. I bought a 2016 diary (which you can see in my book haul here) and it's come in really handy to keep up with my college work, blog and everyday life. I also love my notebook which was about £7 from WHSmith. I was sick and tired of using the same notebook for every class because all my notes were messed up! This one's got tabs so I can seperate it into my different subjects at college and I love the pretty pattern and colour scheme.

Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Plumping Gloss

As you can see on the picture, I've been using this lipgloss so much it's almost ran out! The shade I have is bare enough which is quite a clear shade with a hint of pink. I have quite naturally big lips but this lipgloss definitely has a plumping effect which makes your lips look great! It's my holy grail lipgloss and I need to purchase another one soon.

L'oreal Lumi Magique Foundation

I actually only purchased this foundation about a week ago but I absolutely love it! Bourjois healthy mix has always been my go to foundation but I fancied a change and decided to switch it up a bit once I'd ran out of my last bottle.. I'm so glad I did! I have normal skin but I go through stages where I get really dry skin. This foundation is a god sent and has medium coverage but can easily be built up. Mine is in the shade Gold Linen.

New Look Lazer Cut Purse

I bought this purse in the January sales and I've had a lot of compliments on it too! I love the pink colour (I'm addicted to anything pink at the minute) and the lazer cut design is so pretty. It's always nice having a pretty purse and that's why I've included it in my January faves!

L'oreal Colour Riche Lipsticks

I have been loving these lipsticks this month! The colours look quite similar on the picture but they're not.. The first shade is 630 and is more of a pink/brown tone and this one is a cream lipstick. The second shade is 640 and this one is matte and more of a deep pink. They have a really sleek, gold design and last really well throughout the day. I will definitely be buying more of these!

Black High Knee Boots

I have been relying on black high knee boots this month. With the cold weather all I've wanted to do is wrap up warm. (Is it just me or is January 10000x colder than December!?) These boots have been perfect for that. I can throw them on with a pair of leggings and a parka if I'm feeling lazy or dress them up abit with jeans and a fur coat. Basically they are a winter must have for me. (I would love to tell you all where they're from but I have no idea as they were a Christmas present from my mom and they don't say on the inside)

Art of Mindfulness Colouring Book

I've been loving this book recently, colouring is so fun! It's great when you're feeling bored (I could colour for hours), it's a great way to pass time and it's also great for coping with anxiety. Whenever I'm feeling anxious, I colour. I find that focusing on the colouring helps to take your mind off the things that you're worrying about. This one was only about £4 which is great if you don't want spend a lot of money.

I was going to include my favourite film (as I work at a cinema) but I honestly haven't watched many recently and nothing really comes to mind! What are some of your January favourites?

Lots of love,