December Glossybox product review

I think this is the first time in a while that I've used all of the products in the current Glossybox and have been able to review them within the same month of receiving it. I have a whole load of months' backing up that I need to review and I'm slowly making some head way on this.

I can't tell you how excited I was about receiving December's Glossybox. I also really enjoy it when Glossybox give us something a little bit different. I have accumulated a surplus amount of make up that I don't like/ can't use/ won't use so it was especially rewarding to find that  Glossybox are supporting the domestic abuse charity Give and Make Up. I shamelessly boxed up a whole load of make up that I've been trying to get rid of for some time and sent it all packing to women in much greater need than I. It's nice to be able to give something back.

I was expecting this months' Glossybox to be a little bit more Christmassy themed and although the box is adorned with a gold wreath, I didn't feel like the products reflected this prominent event. I had expected sparkles and glitter, which I can't say that I was too disappointed however that this wasn't the case. Surprisingly, the most expensive beauty product in the box was the somewhat conspicuously designed (and named) MDM Flow Semi-Matte Lipstick in Bossy retailing at £18. Now first things first, I looked at the packaging and thought wow it's a matt gold lipstick which is a really sophisticated look for a lipstick. Until I scrutinized it a bit more and realised that the shape and size of it reminded me instead of a bullet. Named MDM it's one letter short of being the chemical compound for ecstasy. Maybe it's just me but I personally wouldn't have designed or named something that could produce such powerful connotations. That being said I was excited to receive it. A couple of months' back Glossyboxers had the chance to choose their shade between a nude colour or a dark mauve colour. I of course possess both but figured I could never have too many nude lippies so I opted for Bossy. Sadly, MDM Flow Semi-Matte Lipstick in Bossy smells like cheap lipstick and also tasted cheap despite the hefty price tag. The colour is also misleading and is far from the nude colour that I had anticipated. When you apply MDM Flow Semi-Matte Lipstick in Bossy it appears to be more of a light mauve colour than a nude colour. I'd paired my MDM Flow Semi-Matte Lipstick in Bossy with my Mua make up academy intense colour lip liner in caramel which did not compliment the light mauve colour of MDM Flow Semi-Matte Lipstick in Bossy at all.

In keeping with the nude theme I tried the Revlon Nail Enamel in Gray Suede (which at no point in the name does it suggest that it would be a nude colour). The large bottle makes the colour appear nude or neutral but once applied it seems to dry a pinkish nude colour. I am normally a huge advocate for Revlon products lippy and nail varnishes included but the Revlon Nail Enamel in Gray Suede was just disappointing to say the least. It took three applications to create the thick pinkish nude colour as the nail varnish is very light and watery. Unlike other Revlon nail varnishes that I've tried out the Revlon Nail Enamel in Gray Suede does not dry instantly which I later found out when I smudged two of my nails. The accidental smudging of course will be a result of the many coats that I had to apply which made the varnish especially thick but Revlon Nail Enamel in Gray Suede still seemed to take a while to dry quickly even with one application.

So far a disappointing little box which is only reassuring me more that I 've made the right decision in cancelling my subscription next year. Next I applied the Gosh Copenhagen Mono Eyeshadow in Dark Green which is green and sparkly so is in keeping with the Christmas theme, at last! I'm also slightly sceptical of green eyeshadow having predominantly blue eyes (they're multi-coloured but the blue is the most obvious colour that you acknowledge first). I always remember that silly childhood rhyme: blue and green should never be seen except with a colour in between which used to put me off wearing green (this of course is not the case now however). I was quite excited to try the Gosh Copenhagen Mono Eyeshadow in Dark Green but unfortunately it just does not stay put. There was obvious colour transference onto my eyebrows from wearing Gosh Copenhagen Mono Eyeshadow in Dark Green for even a short period of time. Interestingly, the emerald green colour complimented my blueish eyes but as it wipes away so easily it won't become a feature in my make-up bag.

This leaves me with two products that I've never used before and was slightly unsure of as a result. Left to try in the box was Essence Light up Your Face Luminizer Palette retailing at £3 and Lipcote's new innovative product Browcote retailing at £6.99. I've never in my life used a highlighter or contour kit so I was completely unsure as to how to use the Essence Light up Your Face Luminizer Palette. I needn't have worried however as there's a handy step by step diagram on the reverse of the packaging which correctly shows you where and how to highlight. The Essence Light up Your Face Luminizer Palette is split into three colours which you sweep across the cheekbones, the T-zone and chin area which are designed to highlight the skin and make it appear brighter. Shades 1 and 3 complimented my skin tone really well and noticeable brightened up my eyes. Shade 2 however was far too pale for my already paling skin tone and left a huge amount of glitter across my cheeks. I used shade 2 to sweep across the cheekbones in place of my usual bronzer which did nothing for my appearance. In my opinion the Essence Light up Your Face Luminizer Palette is marketed to transform you throughout the party season so it was a great accompaniment in the December box. It is of course too light for my skin tone so I may use it if I run out of bronzer.

Lastly, this brings me onto Lipcote's Browcote Eyebrow Waterproof Sealer which is the best thing ever! Browcote is essentially a clear mascara that you sweep across your eyebrows once you've groomed and styled them The Browcote dries instantly and hard but my eyebrows have never looked more on point until now. Browcote eliminates any colour transference or fading and your eyebrows look on fleek all day (a term I hate but I feel that it actually does describe my eyebrows perfectly). I love Lipcote and I was hoping for big things with Browcote and they have definitely not disappointed me with their new branch off product. At £6.99 I will definitely replace it when it eventually runs out.

I'd love to know what you think of December's Glossybox. What are your favourites in this box? Let me know in the comments below xx

January Glossybox 'The Year of More' product review

I've felt really underwhelmed by my recent Glossyboxes and had considered stopping the subscriptions. It seems that I haven't received a useful box in months so I was apprehensive about this box. I'm pleased to say that I was wrong in my apprehensions. I absolutely love January's box and couldn't wait to use everything. In this month's box I received: a full size bottle of UNANI Dermo Defense Face Mask which retails at £11.36 for 100ml, Madara Cellular Repair Serum which retails at £38, a full-sized Glossybox Eyeshadow in Glossy Mauve retailing at £7.10, a full-sized bottle of ANGELE Paris Red Nail Lacquer retailing at £6.32 and a full sized stick of Teeez Cosmetics Oasis Gem Lipstick in Coral Onyx retailing at £11.93.

I really liked the Teeez Cosmetics Oasis Gem Lipstick in Coral Onyx but when I wound the lipstick up in the tube, it looks like the lipstick has been put in the wrong way. The tube is angled to follow the conquers of your lips but unfortunately the lipstick has been put in back to front so the larger part of the lipstick was squashed onto the shallow angle. Instead the lipstick should follow the larger angle in the tube. I contacted Glossybox and they vowed that they would send another one out in the post which they did really quickly. They also sent me a bee venom moisturiser by way of apology and two packets of eye tattoos (which let's be honest I won't be tryng out). Despite the original sloppiness I really like the Teeez Cosmetics Oasis Gem Lipstick in Coral Onyx. The packaging is really quirky and cool and the colour despite the name, is more of a pale pink than a coral. The Teeez Cosmetics Oasis Gem Lipstick in Coral Onyx is a moisturising lipstick that is kiss proof and looks amazing on. The Teeez Cosmetics Oasis Gem Lipstick in Coral Onyx is a definite winner in my book although it does taste a little bit like a crayon.

Next up was ANGELE Paris Red Nail Lacquer and like most women I already own about ten different shades of red nail varnish. I really like the colour of this nail lacquer. The ANGELE Paris Red Nail Lacquer is a more pinky red than a true red and it looks great on. The brush is quite wide so you can do your nails with just a few strokes and it dried super quickly so it means you can get on with your day quickly. The ANGELE Paris Red Nail Lacquer is a little bit thin if you just apply one coat so a couple of coats are necessary for a deeper colour. The ANGELE Paris Red Nail Lacquer is a definite keeper for me! However, the colour chips quite easily and after a day at work the ends of my nails were white and patchy where the lacquer had chipped off. I also have a prominent white fleck on my ring finger at the minute (I've heard that this is the result of a lack of calcium or too much salt in the diet but I don't know which is true), and unfortunately the white fleck is still noticeable under the reddy pink lacquer. I really liked the colour of the ANGELE Paris Red Nail Lacquer but it doesn't provide as much coverage as I would like. I found that after a couple of days my nails started to chip and flake which often happens to me when I use gel and lacquer type nail varnishes. I don't know why but if I don't use clear nail varnish as a base coat for my nail varnish my nails peels like mad. I've since regifted ANGELE Paris Red Nail Lacquer as it seems to weaken my nails which is a shame as I really liked the colour of this polish.

I was quite excited to try the  Glossybox Eyeshadow Glossy Mauve as I needed a new mauve eyeshadow to stay in my make up bag that I keep at my boyfriend's house. The colour in the compact is a subtle mauve with a hint of glitter so it's not offensive in any way. I applied a thin coat with my MASK bamboo eyeshadow brush which I previously received from another subscription box. Quite a lot of the product seems to go onto the brush which at first I thought was a good thing. The  Glossybox Eyeshadow in Glossy Mauve really had very little show on the eyelids at first. I had to apply several coats of the Glossybox Eyeshadow in Glossy Mauve to see any difference to my lids. As a result of the excess product applied to the brush however, I had a lot of residue powder fall onto my cheeks. This of course is easily rectified by rubbing it from my cheeks but it will still a bit annoying to have to do that. I liked the colour of the Glossybox Eyeshadow in Glossy Mauve after a few coats but I found that it didn't last all day on the lids. A disappointing eyeshadow that I don't think is worth £7.10.

The Madara Cellular Repair Serum states that you should use it morning and night as a base for moisturiser. I was pleasantly surprised by the Madara Cellular Repair Serum especially as the liquid is green. The Madara Cellular Repair Serum felt really smooth when applied to the skin and offers a cooling sensation to the face. I haven't noticed any change to my face so I'm not sure what it's supposed to repair but I do like the Madara Cellular Repair Serum all the same. I haven't realy noticed a change in my skin but I like using it and will continue to do so until it runs out.

 

Lastly, I tried the UNANI Dermo Defense Face Mask which a full size bottle retails at £11.36. The packaging is really quite aesthetically pleasing with its' basic white and silver bottle. The face mask that I was lucky enough to try is defined for sensitive skin so I was looking forward to trying it out. I have mixed feelings about UNANI Dermo Defense Face Mask. The UNANI Dermo Defense Face Mask is really unusual compared to other face masks that I have tried. The UNANI Dermo Defense Face Mask is essentially a clear gel solution that you apply to the face. It's like nothing I've ever tried before and left something of a dewy complexion on my face. Less is definitely more with this as I applied way too much and hoped that my skin would absorb it. With face masks I'm used to it drying onto the skin and producing a coloured mask that you can phyically peal off when it's dry. The UNANI Dermo Defense Face Mask is completely different to what I'm used to as it left my face feeling very sticky and restrictive at first. The UNANI Dermo Defense Face Mask doesn't dry onto the face to produce a mask but rather it is absorbed by the skin. Despite the fact that it states that it is specific for sensitive skin my skin felt very tight and itchy when I used this product. I left the UNANI Dermo Defense Face Mask on the skin for around ten minutes and my face felt very cold and bare as a result. I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to UNANI Dermo Defense Face Mask as my face felt very itchy and raw after 10 minutes of having this on my face. There is no noticeable fragrance with the UNANI Dermo Defense Face Mask which is a bonus. There was an evident difference in the apperance of my face. When I washed it off (which FYI it takes a while and a lot of warm water to actually rid the product from your face) my skin was so bright and clear afterwards. I have mixed feelings because there was a visible difference to the appearance of my skin but my skin felt tight, restrictive, itchy and raw during the 10 minutes it was on my face and afterwards. My cheeks in particular felt especially raw so I think this may be a product that I pass on as the skin reaction is slightly worrying.

That's my thoughts on January's Glossybox, let me know what you think of this post and what your favourite products were in the comments below xx

November Glossybox

I was really excited to receive the November Glossybox as it was packed full of cool stuff. Before you sign up to Glossybox you're required to fill out a quick survey so they can tailor make the boxes to you. Or so they say. I don't, nor have I ever, worn mascara or false eyelashes and I don't intend on doing so anytime soon. Fortunately for me I have long eyelashes so I don't need to bother with these little extras. I specified that I don't wear mascara so it's frustrating that Glossybox sent out two boxes one with mascara and one with eyelashes which I won't be testing out. 

I was pleasantly surprised by the MUA eyeshadow palette. A small amount of the powder is sufficient as it really does go a long way. The neutral colours are perfect my skin tone and I actually love all of the colours displayed. It's really easy to create a smoky eye with this palette as you can use the darker colours for the corners of your eye and blend it with the light shades. The palette comes with a double sided eyeshadow brush which was really soft and makes applications so easy. I literally can't fault this palette as it stayed put all day and really set my eyeliner off. I love this and it might even replace my favoured Isa Dora compact palettes (although they are a fraction of the price cheaper so maybe I won't replace them just yet). For a fiver this is a brilliant eyeshadow palette and you can create  the perfect smoky eye, I love it!

I was really excited to receive the Revlon lipstick in Nude Attitude because all the beauty bloggers are raving about nude lipstick. This was the sneak peek item which we got to choose our own shades for the box. I opted for a nude as I don't have one even though the light pink, bright pink and purple all looked very appealing. The Revlon lipstick is quite a plush looking case in all black and the lipstick itself if sheathed in a shiny gold plastic. I really liked the colour of Nude Attitude 001 as it didn't wash my face out at all. It dries as a matt finish but it did slip off the lips eventually so the usual reapplications or Lipcote are essential with this one. Unfortunately my lips are just a little too pink to be able to comfortably pull off a nude lip and I really need to buy a nude lipliner (this is on my to-do list when I a) get a minute and b) remember to do that). I've never really understood the point of a lipliner until now as when I applied the Revlon lipstick my pink lips were outlined by the lack of liner. It's definitely a complimentary make-up product that you need for a striking lip.

Next up I tried the Emite Diamond Heart Primer which retails at a whopping £25.90 for a full sized bottle although I can't seem to find out how big a bottle is. I intend to keep the Emite Diamond Heart Primer at my boyfriend's house to replace my now dwindling supply of Smashbox primer. When I first tried the Emite Diamond Heart Primer I found it to be quite a greasy formula when used in conjunction with my AVON foundation. When I first tried this out it felt like it moisturised my face but it had an obvious dew to the touch. The write up states that you can use this as a base for foundation or BB cream. I haven't used it with my BB cream yet so I might give this yet another chance but using it with my  normal foundation was a mistake. My skin produced an obvious shine after using Emite Diamond Heart Primer and I felt awful in myself. I have since tried this with my Bourjois Rose Eclait foundation and witch hazel shine control moisturiser from Boots and have found this to be a better combination. No longer did my face feel dewy or heavy with product so I think maybe the Bourjois foundation is a lot lighter than my preferred AVON foundation. After trying the Emite Diamond Heart Primer out a second time I've become quite fond of the product. My skin didn't look shiny and my make up stayed put all day. I think next time I use it however I might blend it with a foundation brush first as it comes out pinky on the skin which is difficult to blend with just your fingers. A little seems to go a very long way with the Emite Diamond Heart Primer so use it sparingly.

Lastly in November's box was the Royal Apothic Body Lotion priced at £14.50 for a full size. The packaging is really pretty and cute so this was a winner straight away. I applied this to my feet before bed and let it sink in which it did pretty quickly. The write up recommends that you 'massage it into damp skin post shower'. Unfortunately, I can't test this part out as I seem to have misplaced the moisturiser entirely. I've had this review written for a while and saved as a draft with every intention of returning to it to properly review the Royal Apothic Body Lotion. If at some point I find the elusive Royal Apothic Body Lotion I will edit this post at a later date. Sorry about this guys!


Despite the repetitive eye accessories that I don't use I really liked November's box and the MUA eyeshadow palette and Revlon Lipstick have become staple favourites in my make up bag. Until next time and thanks for reading xx

#glambassador #glossybox #beautyunboxed #glossyboxunboxed

The Style Edition September Glossybox review

When the September Glossybox arrived I was really excited to try this box. The design is unique and jazzes up the usual plain pink box. There's also a rather nice quote inside the box which was a nice surprise to open to. Before each box is released Glossybox give you a sneak preview of their favourite product for the coming month. The full sized hair masque was the recommended product to look out for that month. Ironically, this is the only product that I had left to use.

                                       

However, when the September Glossybox arrived I was bitterly disappointed to say the least. I'd essentially paid almost £14 for a conditioning hair masque, an eyeshadow brush, eyeshadow, bobbles and nail varnish. I didn't feel like the usual price tag justified this box. Given that I bought a bag of 200 non-elasticated bobbles a few years ago I felt that it was unnecessary to include them in the box. When I first reviewed this box I arrogantly said that I wouldn't try out the invisibobbles as I already had so many. How wrong I was, they're unbelievably good! The invisibobbles are super stretchy (unlike my bag of 200 that I already have). The idea is that because they don't have elastic in them they're supposed to leave your hair straight and kink free. So the annoying bump in your hair when you tie your hair into a ponytail is supposed to disappear. Personally I don't think they succeed but because I have so many of them they're my go to bobble. I really like the invisbobbles as opposed to the cheaper alternatives that I already have. Hopefully the invisbobbles last longer than my cheaper alternatives as they are constantly snapping. The invisbobbles are thicker, stronger and stretchier. I love them! 

I was quite excited by the Bellápierre Shimmer Powder eyeshadow as I thought it would be the next Urban Decay eyeshadow. The grey colour that came in the September box was really pretty and it had the right amount of sparkle to not look ridiculous on the face. The Bellápierre Shimmer Powder promises that it will be long-lasting 'without any smudging, fading or creasing' but unfortunately I found that the Bellápierre Shimmer Powder seemed to do all three of those things and was definitely not long-lasting. I was really disappointed with this and for £12.99 it's just not worth the price tag. I used the Marsk eyeshadow brush to apply it (priced at £16.70) which the bristles were really soft on the eyelids. The actual brush end is quite chunky though so it's quite tricky to use and I have other and better eyeshadow brushes from AVON which I prefer.   

                                      

Out of everything I really loved the Nails Inc nail varnish in blush pink. The Nails Inc nail varnish goes on really well and dries super quick. The colour is a dusty pink which I don't usually go for but it does look really nice on. It seemed to last quite a while although it chips pretty easily so re-applications are necessary. At £11 though Nails Inc is pricey for a small pot of nail varnish so although I really like the colour I won't replace it when it runs out.

                                      

It's taken me a while to publish this because I hadn't dyed my hair until recently. When I was working away over the summer I came home sporting natural highlights after working outside every day. I've never had highlights before and I really liked the lighter brown amongst the dark chocolate so I was reluctant to dye it out. Since completing my master's degree though I'm sporting more and more silver hairs so it was eventually time to get rid of the highlights in an attempt to mask the silver. I used to pull them out (bad I know because apparently this encourages growth and as I have more and more silvery hairs I've stopped pulling them out) but when I left them in, my hair looked dull at the ruts. So cue a new darker hair colour for the winter months which gave me the perfect opportunity to try out the colour masque.

I never fully understand hair masque's as they're not a conditioner as such and on the back of the Maria Nila pot it states that you should follow the masque with a conditioner. The Maria Nila Luminous Colour Hair Masque is quite a large pot so it's best used if you leave it on a surface and take what you need from it. The design of the Maria Nila Luminous Colour Hair Masque is a screw top pot and then you have to pull the plastic lid off to get to the cream. Although the plastic lid comes with a small tab to pull the lid off it's really small and fiddly to use especially if you're in the shower. I had a bit of an ordeal getting into the Maria Nila Luminous Colour Hair Masque because the plastic lid and the cream created a suction so I couldn't pull it off straight away. I also over-estimated how much I put into my hand and ended up applying too much to my head. The Maria Nila Luminous Colour Hair Masque left my hair feeling really silky and smooth when I was applying it but as I used the proper conditioner that comes with the hair dye after the Maria Nila Luminous Colour Hair Masque my hair felt heavy and greasy. I don't feel like the Maria Nila Luminous Colour Hair Masque improved or maintained by dark look and it actually looks like my lighter brown colouring is already appearing through. I think you have to use the Maria Nila Luminous Colour Hair Masque  separate to a conditioner even though it specifies that you should use a conditioner afterwards. Priced at £18.95 for a large tub it's expensive and doesn't seem to do the job.       

Let me know what you thought of September's Glossybox or any of the products you loved in the comments below xx.