GLOSSYBOX: DECEMBER 2014

Hi gorgeous people and welcome to my last post of the day. Here are my first impressions of the December 2014 GlossyBox.

BELLAPIERRE COSMETICS CHEEK & LIP STAIN CORAL

A 2-in-1 make-up product for lips and cheeks.

This has a buttery formula. The shade coral is great for every day wear and I think would suit all skin shades due to it's natural flushed hue. It also comes in the shade pink.

TRESEMME RENEWAL HAIR AND SCALP 60 SECOND TREATMENT SHOTS

Salon quality treatment shots to instantly nourish the scalp and renew the hair leaving it 3 times stronger.

I love quick fixes when it comes to beauty so lets hope these do the trick.

ANATOMICALS ZAP! ZAP! ZAP! GETS THAT CHAP. DAY AND NIGHT SPOT STICK

With 2 formulas to work day and night so that the blemished area is constantly being treated.

It's great that it's travel friendly. I take it that it works under make-up if it has a day and night formula? I will of course test it out when one appears.

SO SUSAN DUAL BROW POWDER

A compact product to define brows with a smudge-proof formula of two shades. A medium coverage for a natural look. Apply the darker shade to fill in sparse brows followed by the lighter shade over the entire brows.

I like the look of the shades in this compact for me, but I think a variety of compact shades would be better as a range to suit more hair colours. It's a great size that comes with a handy brush and a good sized mirror inside the compact.

SKIN PEP WRINKLE CLEAR PEPTIDE SERUM

Designed to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and restore a healthy new skin glow. Massage into the face and neck twice a day.

I am always up for trying out new skincare, especially if it can give me a youthful glow.

I think this is a pretty good GlossyBox this month as there are a few treatment products to pep up the skin during party season as well as some make-up to define and enhance facial features.

For more information on the UK GlossyBox click here and for the US GlossyBox click here.

Were you impressed with this month's GlossyBox? Leave all comments below.

Love to you all

Vicky xx

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Dark Romance GlossyBox

Hi there my loves and yay for Friday :) Today I have my latest GlossyBox products to show you. This box is titled Dark Romance as with Halloween and the winter months creeping up on us it's time to delve into the dark side.

MeMeMe Cherub's Blush Cheek & Lip Tint, £5.50 for 12ml

A tint to add a flirty flush to the cheeks and/or lips. 

For cheek application smile and place a small amount of the liquid on the apple of your cheeks then quickly and gently blend in an upwards motion, following your cheekbone. You can also apply to the lips with the small applicator brush to add a flush of colour that will last all day.

There is a slight scent to this product which I can't quite make out, but I don't find it offensive. The shade is a little more pink in tone than it looks in the bottle, but it definitely has that flushed glow.

Katy Perry Killer Queen Fragrance, £29.50 for 50ml ~ Available at Boots, Superdrug, The Perfume Shop & The Fragrance Shop

Inspired by a Queen’s scepter, the distinct jewel-shaped bottle portrays sexy sophistication and lawless luxury. The bottle is enhanced with a rich gold crown cap showcasing a custom crest capturing Katy Perry’s playful essence – regal cats, a music clef, and a dagger.

Top Notes: Wild Berry, Dark Plum, Bergamot.

Middle Notes: Red Velvet Flower, Natural Jasmine Sambac, Rainbow Plumeria. 

Base Notes: Cashmeran, Natural Patchouli Heart, Liquid Praline. 

"When I was creating Killer Queen, I was really inspired by the idea of a strong, confident woman in power and that is exactly what I hoped to put into this fragrance, something that brings out the power inside of you"

Katy Perry

Ooh yeah I like this perfume. It's warm, strong, sensual and powerful all at the same time. It's a very empowering fragrance that I will enjoy wearing for sure so thank you Katy Perry. This definitely has Katy's stamp on it.

Monu Illuminating Primer SPF 15, £24.95 for 50ml

Formulated with light reflective and soft focus technology to brighten the complexion and add instant sheen and radiance. Used alone, gives skin a smooth flawless finish. Provides an excellent base for make-up. Paraben free formulation.

After cleansing and toning apply to the face and neck using gentle upward movements every morning.

This feels like a really silky cream on my hand that blends into the skin easily. It has a slight glow, but I am not sure how much if at all this will show through make-up. It has a very faint creamy scent.

Premae Multi-Vit Smoothie Serum, £22.50 for 50ml

This lightweight shine-control serum is silky yet mattifying. This blended formula offers a comforting barrier cream to soothe redness, and smooth the uneven texture, perfect for applying makeup on top. 

Top Tip: Squirt 2 pumps onto the back of your hand, followed by your desired liquid foundation and mix together with a foundation brush to create a hypoallergenic, natural BB Cream!

I would say this feels like a cream with a slight gel consistency. It has the same lemongrass scent that I did not care for in the Premae Harmony Balm. I will however still try it out, especially as I am intrigued about how it claims to be able to turn foundations into BB Creams by mixing them together. On the information card it advises to apply this before moisturising, but the GlossyBox website says after moisturising so I guess it can be used as serum and/or as a make-up primer?

Eva Cosmetics Mystic Diamond Argan Oil, £22.70 for 100ml

Argan oil and diamond powder. 

Benefits: 

Gives sublime shine and volume, adds unique nutrition and prevents frizzy hair.

Pour a small amount into your hand, spread it evenly through wet hair, dry your hair and apply another small amount if it’s needed.

I am not sure if I am meant to pull to top off or pierce the lid on this product so if anyone knows help a girl out :)

In addition to the products there is the edition of the October GlossyBox magazine which I enjoyed on my lunch break the other day.

So far the stand out product for me has been the Katy Perry fragrance. I will be adding this to my Xmas list for sure.

For more information on the UK GlossyBox click here and for the US GlossyBox click here.

Which products did you receive in your GlossyBox this month? Are you impressed so far? Let me know in the comments below.

Love to you all

March 2013 City Chic GlossyBox

Hello my loves. I have worked some overtime today and feel a bit knackered, but it was a nice surprise to come home and find my GlossyBox waiting for me. It always makes me smile. This month's box contains hard-working, multi-tasking, heavy-duty products that give a high-maintenance look with minimum time, money and effort.

The GlossyBox Little Black Book Of Style

GlossyBox shares it's pick of some of the capital's best fashion and beauty destinations. There are some cool stickers inside too.

Bottom Left: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant Fragrance Free, £18.00 for 30ml or £25.00 for 50ml

This skincare classic works efficiently to sooth roughness, redness and minor skin irritations. This award winning cream has also been praised by make-up artists and beauty editors for many years now and no self respecting model would be without this cult product in their make-up bag. First created in 1930 by Elizabeth Arden to soothe skin, Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant became an instant and overwhelming success. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant also aids in the temporary relief of chapped lips, smoothes rough spots on your knees, feet and elbows and softens tough, hard cuticles and hangnails. Dermatologist, clinically and allergy tested. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant is suitable for all skin types. A little goes a long way with this intensive moisturiser, so enjoy it sparingly.

I will keep this product for particularly dry areas and minor skin irritations, but I did buy this for myself once before in a full size tube when it was very hyped up. I never replaced my tube because I don't really like the scent of this product which considering it's meant to be fragrance free is a little bizarre? It has a balmy texture.

Bottom Centre: Nails Inc. Bruton Street Nail Polish, £11.00 for 10ml

Bruton Street nail polish is a dusky pink nude shade. Bruton Street is ideal for a sophisticated, everyday look. Apply 2 coats after Kensington Caviar Base Coat, followed by one coat of Kensington Caviar Top Coat.

I really like the look of this polish and will apply it to mine and Mum's nails tomorrow as it's Mother's Day/Mum's birthday and I said I would do Mum's nails for her.

Bottom Right: L'Occitane En Provence Immortelle Precious Cream, £43.00 for 50ml

Ideal for normal to dry skin, the Immortelle Precious is a rich, smooth moisturiser which visibly corrects deep wrinkles and improves firmness.

The combination of organic immortelle and organic immortelle cell extracts offers:

Smoother skin: Immortelle stimulates collagen production, which helps fill in deep wrinkles and restructure the epidermis for smoother skin.

Firmer skin: The support network of the skin is reinforced. 

  

Younger skin: Micro-circulation is boosted to stimulate cell renewal. Skin is protected from free radicals.

The epidermis is re-invigorated, soft and comfortable. Skin is smoother and firmer, its youthfulness is prolonged. Non comedogenic. Tolerance dermatologically tested. 

It has a seal on it that I don't want to break until I start using it as I am trying and testing out other skincare at the moment, but I will let you know how I get on with this when I try it.

Top: Tresemme Salon Finish Extra Hold Hairspray, £4.69 for 500ml 

This spray won’t give you a helmet head but will hold your style through wind and rain. This fantastic hairspray refuses to let frizz take root, thanks to its humidity-resistant formula that keeps flyaways smooth for 24 hours. As an added bonus it's water-free formula goes on dry, giving hair grip and control without stickiness for frizz-free hold. 

I have already tried some Tresemme hairspray's which I have liked so I am pretty sure that if it's of the same standard this one will be good too. It has that typical hairspray old school scent.

Centre: Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics Lip Blush (Cranberry), £12.00 for 2.5g

A moisturising lip stain that tints your lips with just the right amount of juicy colour and hydrates like a balm. Apply liberally, purse and let the silky lightweight texture melt onto your lips.

Bonus : Made with beeswax and ceresin wax for a sheer, smooth application.

The information I have says this is a multi-tasker, but there is nothing to say that it is also made for the cheeks as well as the lips. I presume it's meant for both as it's a Lip Blush? Also there is no shade name on the product, but I presume this is the shade Cranberry because there are only two shades in the link above and this looks like it. This is a twist up crayon that feels like it could twist up easily if it was in my bag/make-up bag because the bottom is a little loose and I prefer a click shut lid to prevent mess too.

This feels like a very smooth and moisturising product, although I have only swatched it on my hand. I would say this is more of a strawberry shade than cranberry. It does have a sheer finish, but is also buildable. I look forward to giving this a go. I think it's a great shade for spring/summer.

Overall the lip stain and nail polish are the stand out products of this box for me. I love trying out new skincare too so I hope the L'Occitane product will work well. 

For more information on GlossyBox UK click here and for GlossyBox US click here. 

Which products did you receive in this month's GlossyBox and what are your initial impressions? Let me know in the comments below.

Love to you all

 

July 2012 GlossyBox

Hey loves. I have given the house a really good clean today which although was not fun in this hot weather I always feel better for doing it. I picked up My July GlossyBox from my Mum's. I thought I had changed the details on my GlossyBox account to my new address, but I will have to investigate. This month's box is festival inspired so let me show you the products.

Left To Right:

Bex London Londoner Urban Fragrance (W1X), £81.00 for 100ml EDT

This sophisticated neo-vintage fragrance is inspired by the opulence and high- octane atmosphere of London’s West-End.

Notes:
 

Top: Coriander, Bergamot, Mandarin, Neroli

Middle: Cardamon, Orris, Rose, Ylang, Tea, White Jasmine, Freesia, Violet, Lily of the Valley,
 

Bottom: Cypress, Cedar Wood, Precious Wood, Patchouli, Vanilla, Vetiver

The fragrance W1X is one of four from this range. I am not sure if this is £81.00 for all four fragrances or each? I would describe this scent as soft and feminine. It's okay, but not something I would buy for myself. With the London culture behind this product I expected something a bit more 'girl about town', but it does say that W1X is a feminine fragrance.

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisture Mist, £9.25 for 250ml

Deeply hydrates thirsty hair and revives dry, tired skin. Ensures soft, healthy looking skin. Reactivates styling products in the hair. Perfect for touch ups. 

Spray generously on hair and skin.

I am really coming close to finishing my face mist/toner so this will be nice to try. When I smell this spray bottle product it's very subtle and does seem quite refreshing.

Monu Eye Cool Gel, £16.95 for 15ml

A refreshing gel that instantly revives and tones tired eyes, reducing puffiness, fine lines and dark circles. Can be used under make-up. 

Not tested on animals. Wheat-free and paraben-free.

Use morning and night after cleansing and toning. Gently pat a small amount around the eye area, avoiding the eye lids, until completely absorbed.

This feels very cooling. I like the idea that it's a gel formula. It appears to have very little if no scent.

Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics Lip Frosting in Irish Cream Pavlova, £10.00 for 15ml

A multifunctional cream gloss. Use on lips for a tint of colour, or on cheeks for a luminous glow. This is scented with homemade pavlova. 

This is my first ever Jelly Pong Pong product and so far I like it. The scent is gorgeous. Very sweet and very noticeable. The product came out quite thick and gloopy and quite fast when I squeezed the tube. The gloss is very shiny and this colour is a very sweet pink candy shade. I think this will be great for lips and cheeks.

Centre:

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse, £17.50 for 50ml

Apply this dry oil to your face, body and hair all year round. Your face and body are left feeling soft and silky. Your hair is supple, soft and shines with health.

On the face:

- Spray Huile Prodigieuse in the palm of your hands and rub hands together to warm the product.

- Apply Huile Prodigieuse on the face with smoothing strokes from the centre to facial contours.

  

On the body:

- Spray Huile Prodigieuse on selected areas (décolleté, arms, stomach, thighs…).

- Massage Huile Prodigieuse area by area using circular movements.

On the hair:

- Spray Huile Prodigieuse directly on hair (at a distance of about 20 cm). Massage hair and scalp to help penetration.

- Wrap hair in a dry towel and leave on for 15 to 20 minutes for complete penetration of Huile Prodigieuse.

- Wash hair with your daily Shampoo.

I like the scent of this multi-tasking dry oil. It's quite warm yet subtle. I will mostly use this on face and body. Mine is not a spray bottle as it's a 10ml sample, but it's still nice to try a versatile product.

Bonus Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Products:

Left:

Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, Optimizing Skin Serum & Gentle Hydrating Cream SPF15, From £32.00 for 50ml

Gentle Hydrating Cleanser: 

Colloidal Oatmeal particles to gently exfoliate the skin and Oat Protein fine powder to soothe.  

Optimizing Skin Serum: 

Sodium Hyaluronate to lubricate and attract moisture to the skin; and Vitamin C Derivative which provides antioxidant protection and helps brighten the appearance of skin. 

Gentle Hydrating Cream SPF15: 

Advanced Moisture Complex including a combination of high performance moisturizers, humectants, film formers and water binding agents, such as Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Urea, Sodium PCA and Glycerin, provide long lasting moisturisation. Gentle Hydrating Night Cream: Shea Butter which is an effective emollient and moisturizer; and Lavender to calm and soothe skin while providing a relaxing scent.

Dry Skin needs gentle but effective hydration. The 4-step Regime: Cleanse, Tone, Treat, Moisturize will make a Visible Difference in your skin. 

• Cleanse with the Gentle Hydrating Cleanser massaging it onto wet face and rinsing well with warm water. 

• To tone sweep the Gentle Hydrating Toner over cleansed skin with cotton (not included with these samples). 

• Treat with the Optimizing Skin Serum by smoothing onto face and throat, before moisturizer, morning or night. 

• Moisturise with the Gentle Hydrating Cream SPF15 and the Gentle Hydrating Night Cream by smoothing onto cleansed face and throat, (Gentle Hydrating Night Cream not included with samples).

The only Elizabeth Arden skin care I have tried is the 8 hour cream and I didn't like it due to the smell and texture. I know it's really popular with a lot of you though.

I thought there was something else in the sachet on the right of the photo, but it's just information on these samples. I hope these are nice products to use and I will test them out. They are quite pricey, but I will see if they are worth it.

So my overall thoughts on this month's box are pretty good. I will use everything included. The moisture mist and eye gel seem very cooling and good for the skin. I love the shade of the lip frosting too.

For more information on UK GlossyBox please check out this Link :)

GlossyBox has now popped up in the US so check it out in this Link :)

Which products did you receive in your GlossyBox this month and do you like them? What is the US GlossyBox like if you have tried it?

Love to you all

February JolieBox

Hello Sweetie Pies. I hope you have all been having a fab weekend. Damn I can't wait for summer to come along. Sunshine is goooooooooooooood!! Today I have a post for you with my first impressions of my February JolieBox. This box 'Nice and Natural from top to toe ...'

Although the products arrived in their usual beauty box inside the box was also this pouch containing the products. It's a nice touch and handy to keep things in.

Left To Right: Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain in Forever Pink, Link :), Lavera Basis Sensitive Organic Hand Cream, Link :), Macadamia Deep Repair Masque, Link :)

Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain in Forever Pink

The Information:

An all-natural, multi-purpose stain that adjusts its colour to your mood and temperature. A long lasting colour for lips and cheeks. A non-drying product that flatters your skin's undertone. Olive butter, avocado butter and wild rose wax soothe and soften lips. Rose flower wax and beeswax nourish and moisturise.

Application To Lips:

Place the tip of the product directly onto the lips and apply the desired amount of the product.

Application To Cheeks:

Apply product directly to cheek and blend with a blending brush or foundation brush.

Tip:

Apply product to one cheek at a time and blend immediatly.

Swatched Onto Hand

Swatched Onto Lips

I hope you can tell from the swatch on my hand that the centre is a light pink, but around the edges it has a light purple outline. I wondered if this would look odd on the lips so I tried it. The purple does not really show up in this photo. On my lips it came across a soft, very natural pink with a very slight purple undertone. It gradually went a slightly more vibrant pink, but nothing shocking. Do not go by the colour of this stain as it looks very coral. It is actually a very nice lip balm. I haven't tried it on my cheeks yet as I wasn't wearing any make-up when I took this photo.

Lavera Basis Sensitive Organic Hand Cream ~ £3.75 From Amazon

The Information:

An organic hand cream with shea butter and almond extracts.

This is not a thick formula. It has quite a different scent to most hand creams, but I like it. I think it's due to the almond extracts. It's a bit sweet like marzipan.

Macadamia Deep Repair Masque ~ £25.94 for 250ml

The Information:

This ultra-conditioning hair masque will rebuild damaged hair for improved shine and elasticity.

Application:

Apply a generous amount to the length and ends of your hair when wet and comb through. Allow up to 7 minutes of penetration before rinsing.

I am really confused as on the information card that came with this month's JolieBox it says full size, but this is obviously just sample size?

 Left To Right: Kimia Rejuvenating Facial System, Link :), Taaj Himalaya Micellar Water, Link :)

Kimia Rejuvenating Facial System ~ £74.00 for 30/100ml

The Information:

Kimia Exquisite All Natural Face Oil is based on a unique selection of the purest and most potent natural oils, sourced from around the world and carefully blended in a process developed through advanced research. While some of these ingredients combine to stimulate rejuvenation of the skin cells, others have cleansing, refining and nourishing properties. The Kimia oil-based serum is the dynamic element of the system that stimulates this active and continuous cell renewal.

These effects are activated and enhanced by Kimia Hydra-activator, a hydra-based formula that creates a synergistic effect when applied with the oil, increasing the absorption of the oil into the skin and accelerating the removal of dead cells, and leaving your skin velvety smooth with a non-greasy feel and look.

The Kimia Hydra-activator contains refined extracts of Lady’s Mantle. This special plant produces its own drops of moisture – so-called celestial water – and was renowned in ancient times for its magical powers. For centuries it was used in alchemy, a process believed to turn any compound into pure gold – the Kimia Glow. 

Application:

Kimia Exquisite Rejuvenating Face System is quickly absorbed into your skin, leaving a perfect base for applying makeup and any other products. To guarantee optimal effect and the magic 'Kimia Glow', the Kimia Exquisite Rejuvenating Face System should be used twice daily, first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

 

Step 1

After cleansing and toning your skin, take six or more drops of Kimia Exquisite All Natural Face Oil and gently pat onto the whole of your face, gently massaging the entire area in upward and outward movements.

 

Step 2

Spray six pumps of Kimia Hydra-activator into your hand and apply to the whole of your face, ensuring full coverage. Gently massage upwards and outwards until absorbed.

The amounts of oil and activator used may be increased or decreased depending on your personal skin type. You can also choose to increase the dosage and the frequency of use for an extra boost and that unique Kimia Glow. You should always apply one spray of the Activator to one drop of oil.

I was a little disappointed to receive this product purely because I already tried this when I reveived this in my September GlossyBox. Please see that post here. My thoughts on this system are in my October Empties post here. Because I have already tried this product I would rather have tried the RMK Cleansing Oil that some people received. 

Taaj Himalaya Micellar Water ~ £9.66 for 500ml on Amazon

The Information:

An antioxidant and tonic make-up remover that will revitalise and purify skin.

This smells very clean and herbally. I am on the lookout for a decent make-up remover so I am looking forward to trying this.

So now onto my overall thoughts. There is nothing that I don't like the look of in this box, but I am a little gutted that I have a repeated product. Although it's from another beauty box that I am subscribed to it may be something for companies that supply beauty boxes to note. Just a quick check on my blog and it may have been noticed that I have already reviewed this so it would have been better to send me the alternative product. Also putting full size next to the macadamia product information on the inserted card is a bit misleading as the sachet is obviously not full size. I was not overwhelmed by this month's box, but I do like the lip/cheek stain and I am looking forward to trying the make-up remover.

Here is a link to the JolieBox website for those wanting more information, Link :)

So what products did you receive in your JolieBox this month? Did you like them?

Love to you all