Glossybox December - Festive Treasures

Only 3 hours until Christmas... Merry Christmas to you all! Just in time I have a super quick review of this months Glossybox, which of course is Christmas themed.

Packaged in a truly festive box and wrapped in candy cane tissue paper - a lovely touch!

Inside is a selection of wonderful treats all perfect to pamper yourself for the Christmas season.

Beautiful Movements Cosmetics - Nude Lip Gloss is a cute gloss that is very small in size, not that I mind as I'm not a huge lover of lipgloss. This however, looks a nice shade and I'm sure I'll get some use out if it. £12.00 / 8ml

Wilkinson Sword Intuition - Naturals Razor came as a pleasant surprise to me when I first opened the box. Huge in size, it takes up half the box and I have tried a similar one to this before and liked it very much. £6.49

Maybelline New York - Volum' Express Colossal Smokey Eyes Mascara came at the perfect time as I needed a new one. This has been tried and tested by me before and although it can dry up quite fast it is a great drugstore mascara. £7.99 / 10.7ml

Seche - Seche Nail Lacquer in Irresistible is a deep hot pink that is a great festive shade. I love Seche and as you may know I will gladly accept a nail polish any day of the week, especially such a brilliant brand. £9.95 / 14ml

Rituals... - Miracle Balm is a luxourious hand balm that is like no other hand treatment I've tried. Definitely my favourite out of the bunch, it feels so silky soft when applying and after. Perfect for just before bed time, as it can also be used as a hand mask.£10 / 75ml

I have been waiting for this box all year and I'm super pleased with it. Thanks for reading and have a merry & jolly Christmas tomorrow!

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Glossybox Limited Edition Christmas Box 2013 Review

Happy Christmas Eve to you all. A very quick post on this years limited edition Christmas Glossybox, as I know you are all busy and also this post will be far too late if I delay it any further!

Firstly, Absolute! - Perfume Stick - £9.50 / 8.3g

An interesting concept, I've never owned a solid perfume before as it never quite appealed to me as much as a classic spray, but I think this will come in handy to have in your bag as a backup in case you forgot to pack your usual perfume. The scent is lovely, and so far seems to have a fairly long lasting power.

Butter London - Nail Lacquer-Vernis -£12.00 / 11ml

This was the selling point for me; I'm always intrigued by Butter London's polishes and the colour advertised was a beautiful shimmery green shade. Unfortunately this was not the shade I received... however I am a fan of brown polishes, so I will accept, though I am a bit gutted this wasn't green. Not particularly Christmassy either. 

Be A Bombshell Cosmetics - Blush - £9.95 / 4g

I haven't used this yet but it looks an extremely dark hue with browny-orange tones. Not sure if this one will suit my pale skin but I'll definitely give it a go.

EuPhidra -  Pearly Lip Gloss - £11.90 / 6.5ml

This is a perfume and paraben free lipgloss which also includes Vitamin E & Oryza Sativa Oil that helps to treat your lips whilst giving them a glossy shine. It is a shimmery pink and looks pretty although I'll be giving this one away as I'm more of a lipstick wearer.

So Susan Cosmetics - Water Based Pure Luminzer - £25 / 15g

My favourite product of them all - a beautiful highlighter that has the most amazing formula. Perfect for accentuating the cheekbones, it blends flawlessly and feels super light on the skin.

I actually forgot to include a photo of the Philip B - African Shea Butter Gentle & Conditioning Shampoo - £9.50 / 60ml, as it's currently in my shower - oops! The shampoo is actually really lovely and it is suitable for keratin treated hair which is a bonus as I've just had that done. It's not overly special on the scent side of it but it washes the hair perfectly and I can feel it doesn't strip the hair of colour or moisture like some others can do. 

You can buy this for £30.00 on the GB website or £25.00 if you are already a Glossybox subscriber. I got it for £25 plus an extra 25% off so not bad especially considering the So Susan Luminizer was £25 by itself.

Have a wonderful Christmas tomorrow & I hope Santa brings you all that you wished for! :)

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Yardley Peony Hand Cream

I do love a good hand cream, and Yardley's Peony Hand Cream was welcomed kindly to my cream collection. I first found my love for Yardley this time last year - in my Latest in Beauty x YOU Advent Calendar I received the Yardley Daisy Body Spray which holds a fresh, daisy scent and I probably won't buy another body spray again now as it's so great. This led me onto other Yardley products, and even though it may be known as an 'old granny' brand, the Daisy & Peony range is really lovely. 

Firstly, the bright pink & white packaging really caught my eye. The tube is easy to use and looks pretty on my bedside table. The scent is also gorgeous - fairly strong but not over-powering, fresh flowers instantly comes to mind. The cream is a lightweight formula and absorbs amazingly well. My skin feels super soft and supple after use, plus the scent lasts a long time too. 

For half price on Fragrance Direct at £1.99, it's a great deal. They also have plenty of other Yardley products, but unfortunately not the Daisy Hand Cream which I definitely need to try. 

What do you think of Yardley?

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Etude House Etoinette Crystal Shine Lips in POR202

Bottom - one swipe, Top - a few swipes

A month or two ago I bought myself the beautiful Etude House Etoinette Crystal Shine Lips - who could resist that amazing packaging?! Firstly, the baby pink box it comes in is super cute, but once you open it up it's hard not to take a sharp intake of breath. It has a wonderful unique hourglass shape, a sleek twisted braid-like bottom, followed by eye-catching gold accents on the centre of the opening and a gold regal looking knob on the top. The middle part reminds me a little of a sealing wax stamp, which is adorned with Etude House's signature 'E'.

But there's more; twist up and out comes the most beautiful, bright shade of pink, including an elegant engraving of the Etude House 'E' on the actual bullet. Now, this was love at first sight for me, but to top it all off - the shade and formula itself. Creamy, moisturising and ever-so-shiny, it glides on effortlessy to the lips, providing a subtle colour - it's not as bright on as it looks in the bullet. Even so, it is easily buildable which I love as you can choose how much colour you want to fit your mood or outfit that day. Although it does look bright pink, don't be fooled as this one is actually a light creamy-peachy-orange shade with a touch of pink - a colour I personally adore. It definitely doesn't dry out your lips - quite the opposite - I found the texture similar to a lip balm.

Now I'm a sucker for beautiful packaging but this lipstick ain't just a pretty face. I would have still been happy with it even if the lipstick itself wasn't great. This is what you call a double whammy. Wouldn't this look just beautiful on your dresser? If your into this style of packaging then you need to check out the rest of the Etoinette range - I want the Heart Blusher just for the pot it comes with! 

Does this lipstick appeal to you? I couldn't bear to even use it for a whole month as it made me happy enough just looking at it. I bought mine on eBay for a great price - however it's a little difficult to buy Etude House in the U.K. Please let me know of any U.K sites that sell it! 

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My recent E.L.F haul

Recently, E.L.F had a 40% off offer, and as I needed to repurchase some bits & bobs, I decided to take advantage of the great offer by throwing in a few more things into my basket.

Eye Primer & Liner Sealer - £3.75

I thought this looked like a pretty good 2-in-1 product - one side is an eyelid primer to use before eyeshadow which comes in a thick stick form; the other side is a clear liquid liner that can transform powder eyeshadows in a waterproof eyeliner. I'm yet to try this side but if the staying power is decent then I can see this being a great product. The primer definitely made my shadow more vibrant & stayed on longer.

Single Eyeshadows in Saddle, Wild Wheat & Raspberry Truffle - £3.75 each

Left to right - Saddle, Raspberry Truffle & Wild Wheat

I don't have much in the way of eyeshadows other than in palettes so I got three as there was a 3 for 2 offer.

- Saddle is a lovely bronze shade which was the one that enticed me to buy these shadows.

- Raspberry Truffle is much darker & more pigmented than Saddle, & the shimmer is more noticeable. It's a berry-toned bronze and I haven't come across a similar shadow before.

- Wild Wheat is a yellow-toned beige with a shimmer. I can see this being a good base colour.

Essential Lipstick in Seductive & Flirtatious - £1.50 each

 Left to right - Flirtatious & Seductive

Top - Seductive, Bottom - Flirtatious

I already have two of these lipsticks in Captivating & Seductive - I loved Seductive so much but it arrived broken & all smooshed inside before I even opened the outer packaging. I did get my money back but really I just wanted a new one as it's my most used lip product but looked extremely messy. Luckily these ones arrived safely and although the casing has many cons, the lipsticks themselves are actually reasonable quality for just £1.50.

- Seductive is a deeper shade of pink which a great every day product. I also have the perfect matching lip liner to use with it. It has an almost 'matte-esque' texture about it.

- Flirtatious is a brighter pink & the formula for this one is much smoother but the colour pay off is sheerer than Seductive.

Studio Makeup Lock & Seal - £3.75

This is supposed to increase the intensity of colours & lock it on instantly. Ideal for eyeliner, shadow, lipsticks, blush & brow colour plus sealing in concealer for smudge proof wear. This partnered with a primer should have any gal sorted for the whole night.

It comes with a diddy pot to pour in the liquid & a small brush to apply. It does hold the same essential ingredients as E.L.F's Mist & Set which I use regularly, but the latter has kinder ingredients & no alcohol.

Eyebrow Treat & Tame in Medium - £3.75

I'd run out of the clear mascara from E.L.F which I was using to set my brows, so I got this as it has a brow growth treatment too. So far, on the 'Tame' end, I've found the brush to be very hard and bristly - not the best feeling combing this through your eyebrows. The brush also doesn't hold that much product meaning I have to pump it a few times to actually get any out. The shade 'Medium' is lighter than I like mine to be, but as I use other brow products as well this is not a big deal.

I did try it on it's own, & if you apply it a few times the colour appears very natural looking - great for hardly there make up days. The product doesn't appear to rub off on my fingers either.

The 'Treat' end is a smooth soft brush and it's easy to apply. Not much to say about this yet - I haven't noticed any growth improvement but I haven't been using it that much.

Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara - £1.50

When I previously bought this, it was just a regular clear mascara but it seems they've improved it a little by making it dual ended - one side being the mascara & the other for setting brows. This will be handy as the brow side tends to go quite murky brown coloured from excess brow product going back inside. This will keep the mascara side clean and clear for when I want it on my bottom lashes. The brushes slightly differ in size but I think the ingredients are the same.

High Definition Powder in Translucent - £6.00

Having almost run out of this powder I had to repurchase as it lasted me a really long time & it's great for setting foundation. When I use a coloured powder I struggle to find a shade pale enough, therefore ruining all the hard work I've done to get my foundation a perfect match to my skin. This goes on clear although white powder is noticeable until it's buffed off. Some of the particles are larger which can be annoying & I've also noticed it accentuates fine hair on the face, so you have to be carfeul to not apply too much.

Even so, I really like this powder - it makes your face so smooth and velvety soft. I feel like my foundation won't slide and it doesn't for a good few hours. The priciest product of my haul - but you get a lot of product and like I said it lasts for ages. The packaging is way too bulky for my liking but it can easily be popped in a more suitable container.

That's it for my E.L.F haul - £33.00 worth of products for £20.50 - not bad! Do you own of any of these products? Some E.L.F products can be hit or miss but I think I'm happy with all of my items this time. It's definitely the dominating brand in my make up stash!

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Love Me Beauty November Edition 3

Every box I receive from Love Me Beauty is always a pleasure - the surprise element is taken away as you choose between three boxes which slightly differ to each other, therefore getting what you want. This month I chose Edition 3; the products were all the same but two were in different shades. Here's what I got.

Absolution - Le Soin Purifiant

This mask is creamy and smells quite botanical. It contains Birch Sap to purify & soothe skin irritations; Green Maté with Chlorophyll, Vitamins A, C, B1, B2, & K, plus minerals to revitalise the skin & awaken the radiance of the complexion. It dries clear, does not feel drying, my skin felt very soft & my pores looked less noticeable.

I received a very generous 40ml sample, it is £24.00 / 50ml.

Jelly Pong Pong - 2in1 Bronze Shadow / Liner

I already have this in black (from Glossybox) but I don't use it precisely because of the harsh shade but to have it in this lovely bronze shade is nice as I can see myself wearing this colour much more than black. It's quite creamy and applies fairly well. As a thick eyeliner it tends to imprint itself onto the upper eyelid very quickly so I won't be using it for this. As an eyeshadow, however, the colour is perfect & it can actually be blended quite well but it does take a bit of work. Not sure about the staying power, it seems to transfer onto my hand if touched.

Jelly Pong Pong have been featured in Glossybox many a times, with only one of their products I actually use (lip stain/balm). I hope Love Me Beauty don't continue featuring their products as I'm not the biggest fan.

This was a full size pencil that is £10.50 / 2.8g.

Mitchell & Peach - Shower Wash

I haven't tried this out yet as I'll save it for travelling but it does smell quite pleasant. It contains Vitamin E, Wheat Proteins & Natural English Honey. The scent is a 'classic English countryside inspired' aroma which I can agree with. It does look like something you'd find in a hotel bathroom but the simple design is alright.

I received a 50ml sample size - full size is £20.00 / 250ml.

Models Own Nail Polish in 'Red Alert'

This is a nice basic red that I don't have much to say about but I do like Models Own's glitter polishes so I'm sure this is great. As I have so many reds I won't be using this & passing it on but another great full sized product. There was a choice between blue, pink or red & I only chose this option as I wanted the pale pink lipgloss.

Full size - £5.00 / 14ml.

Art Deco Hydra Lip Booster in Translucent Rose 38

This lipgloss has a slight hint of colour & adds a good shine to the lips. Now I'm more of a matte / lipstick wearer but was excited about this as it looked so great. It doesn't feel overly sticky & feel smooth. I would use this over a lipstick for a shiner lip. Art Deco is a great brand that have been featured in LMB before. The packaging should also get a mention - so sleek!

I got full size - £11.50 / 6ml.

Lord & Berry Intensity Satin Lipstick in Brick

As we all had a bit of a disappointment with the Lord & Berry products last month (dried up, useless mascara & a not-so-great eyeliner), they kindly offered everyone a full sized lipstick in this months box which is an interesting colour & not one I would pick out myself. However, the formula is great and if this suited me I would love it. This may also be passed onto another - if anyone likes the shade! I should point out that the middle picture is not colour accurate, it looks quite orange there but its a deep brick-coloured red like the swatch above.

Overall, the products were really nice although not my favourite box like others have mentioned. The extra lipstick I'm thankful for and Lord & Berry did a good deed by giving these out as an apology. My favourite item was probably the mask - such a good sized sample!

What do you think of my box?

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