September Glossybox old box - Product Reviews

It's been a very long time since I last reviewed a Glossybox and while my life takes on new challenges and directions, now feels like the right time to clear things out and get rid of my stuff. I went on a cleaning spree splurge very recently and in an attempt to live more minimalistic, I've sold a lot of my things and donated quite a few bags of clothing, make-up, craft supplies, anything really to free up space in my house. Glossyboxes are no exception as I still have a few left over from my subscription that I never got around to reviewing when I received them. So without further ado, here are my thoughts on a September Glossybox many moons ago.

As I have a couple of left over Glossyboxes, I'm going to surmise that this was around the time that I started to lose interest in it as I was receiving a lot of products that I don't like or use (like mascara) or very samey boxes each month. I also figured that the £13 subscription could be better directed elsewhere (like into a savings account so as not to tempt me with more frivolous purchasing). Unfortunately there were two products that I won't be reviewing in this post which were the Hydro Face Mask and the Better Than Sex Mascara. I have very long eye-lashes as it is and put mascara on top of them makes them look spidery and weird. As for the Hydro Face Mask, I've used them before and I don't like them at all (see my December review here of a similar product). I always finds packet face masks to be too big for my face so they end up slipping off and they leave my face feeling wet and slimy. I have quite sensitive skin so engulfing my face in a thin sheet is my skins' worst nightmare as it merely aggravates my sensitive skin.

The items left in the box that I will review however are the Smokey Eye Pen by Rodial retailing at £17 (it's eyeliner!), GOSH Copenhagen Long Lasting Lip Marker in pink (retailing at a respectable £8.50) and Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat by Revlon which retails at £7.99. I'll start with the Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat by Revlon as my review will be relatively short for this product.

Despite the presentation of the nail varnish in a black bottle, I was mislead to believe that the nail varnish was in fact black. The silver holographic top also alluded to me that the contents of the bottle were dark. I didn't however pick up on the following words 'Diamond' and 'Top Coat' which in hindsight I now realise strongly hints at the colour inside. Although it's summer, I've neglected my make up samples so thought I would try the Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat by Revlon on my toes going for a deep black. When I applied the Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat by Revlon of course it was clear and I immediately realised my error. I'm not an advocate for gel nail varnish by any stretch of the imagination as they often leave my nails weak and brittle. The Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat by Revlon was especially bulky and cumbersome despite the fact I have a free-standing nail varnish holder to make applications easier. When I realised my error that the 'black nail varnish' was in fact a clear top coat, I tried to wipe it off straight away. The clear varnish did not dry instantly and I had inadvertently smudged it. When I tried to paint over the clear in a terracotta colour, the smudge was noticeable under the colour. I'm sure you could use the Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat by Revlon as a top coat for any nail varnish but I'll be gifting this item away unfortunately.

Next up is the Long Lasting Lip Marker by GOSH Copenhagen. If I'm entirely honest, this product scared me a little. I'd heard of lip crayons before but never lip markers and I had (wrongly) assumed that the marker would resemble something of a crayon. The GOSH Copenhagen Long Lasting Lip Marker that I received had a purple tip so I had assumed that would be the colour of the marker. When I applied it to my lips, it was essentially a giant felt-tip pen in bright pink that I then had to colour my lips with, cue anxious feelings about colouring my skin in with a felt-tip pen. The marker smell is quite pungent which only added to the image of a giant felt-tip pen. When applied the colour was a bright pink that dried to a rich pink colour usually associated with lip tints. Top marks to GOSH for creating a Long Lasting Lip Marker. I attempted to remove the colour from my lips using a make up wipe remover and although a lot of the colour did come off onto the wipe, there remained a noticeable pink hue upon my lips. Long Lasting Lip Marker is definitely long lasting and although I liked the colour the smell and idea of the marker puts me off slightly. It also left my lips feeling tingly at first (as if I'd applied Lipcote) which I'm not sure if it would have worn off had I left the colour on for longer.

Lastly, is one of my favourite eyeliners by far, the Smokey Eye Pen by Rodial. I'm not sure why it's called an eye pen as it is nothing more than eyeliner but I liked it all the same. The black kohl eyeliner glides onto the eye with ease and looks really striking. Like any good eyeliner the Rodial Smokey Eye Pen stays on all day with no colour transference. £17 is a bit steep for an eyeliner considering my usual SuperShock eyeliner by AVON does exactly the same and costs 99p! The Smokey Eye Pen is a definite keeper in my make up bag but I won't rush out to buy a replacement when it's used up.

Let me know what you thought of this Glossybox review. Did you have any favourite products? Let me know in the comments below xx

Rimmel London Super Gel Nail Polish in 071 Guilty Pleasure and Jack Wills Charcoal Nail Polish product reviews

I was in Boots recently, purchasing things that I didn't really need and of course took advantage of a 3 for 2 offer that was on. I had actually ran out of foundation but ever a sucker for an offer, I thought I would take up the offer and get some more nail varnishes, (not that I need anymore of course, I have every colour tenfold). Obviously the new Kate Moss range drew me in and I bought colours 071 Guilty Pleasure 015 Boho-licious which are both fairly similar in colour. 071 Guilty Pleasure is a metallic gold colour whereas 015 Boho-licious appears to be a duller version of the gold. There doesn't seem to be a noticeable difference in the colours but as I have only tried 071 Guilty Pleasure, I can't be sure of this.

I don't typically like gel nail varnishes as they tend to make my nails very brittle and fine. After too many applications or leaving the colour on for too long, my nails start to bend and peel. This happens with non-gel nail varnish but it's more noticeable with the gels. I have quite strong, hard nails as it is (which incidentally are long now which they never used to be as I used to bite them), so it's surprising that my nails react this way to gel nail varnish. I was however looking forward to trying out the 071 Guilty Pleasure by Kate Moss as I really like her Rimmel Collection and I have several items from this range. Not only did I buy 071 Guilty Pleasure for the name, but I mainly bought it as it was the 15th Anniversary range which I thought it was cool that it's been going that long.

I really liked the colour of 071 Guilty Pleasure as it goes on as a dull metallic sheen. Although I have long nails now, it's probably a colour that looks better on shorter nails but I still liked the colour. The brush makes applications really easy and I painted my nails in just two strokes! What I didn't like however, was that the colour chipped straight away. Granted I had only applied a very thin layer to my nails but as 071 Guilty Pleasure provided even coverage, I didn't think I needed to apply another layer. Unfortunately, as soon as I applied 071 Guilty Pleasure I chipped the thumb nail as I was too impatient to let it dry properly. After this it was a downward spiral and the remainder of the nails chipped relatively quickly afterwards. 071 Guilty Pleasure did dry quite quickly despite me chipping it straight away but unfortunately it will not become a firm favourite. Despite this though, I have finally found a gel nail varnish that doesn't chip or peel my nails although the colour doesn't last very long (despite stating 14 days on the bottle).

The Jack Wills Charcoal nail varnish however is a different story. Retailing at £4 for the duo pack from Boots, (I actually received it in a gift set for my birthday) it's a perfectly suitable nail varnish. The colour and the bottle is quite deceiving however as it looks like it should be a charcoal colour but when applied it has more of a lilac/grey tone to it. This colour difference didn't particularly bother me but I had wanted to apply a true grey colour rather than a shade. Unlike the 071 Guilty Pleasure nail varnish, the Jack Wills Charcoal nail varnish has stayed on my toes far longer and hasn't chipped yet! I realise that my hands are constantly busy and in water etc. and my toes are not but I also think it has something to do with the composition of the nail varnish. Overall, I really like the Jack Wills Charcoal nail varnish and I haven't tried it's counterpart in Crimson which I also received in the gift set. I haven't tried the 015 Boho-licious nail varnish yet either but hopefully I will get around to it and let you know my thoughts.

Let me know what you thought of this review and the colours in the comments below xx

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

O.P.I. Nail Polish from the Nicole series and No7 Ridge Filling Base product reviews

I am a sucker for cheap make up and can spend a small fortune on The Cosmetics Fairy website. I go through phases of not buying any make-up and then end up buying multiple packages worth of make-up and this is no exception. To add to my collection of nail varnishes I bought three O.P.I nail polishes and a No7 Ridge Filling Base. Like most things I definitely do not need any more nail varnish but when it's as little as 25p sometimes I just can't resist. I've only ever used the No7 Ridge Filling Base a couple of times and I can't really say there's been a noticeable difference to my nails. I used to bite my nails when I was younger, and in the process, drag my teeth along my nail as a sort of soothing mechanism. Needless to say this awful habit has left my nails in a bit of disarray. I have a noticeable ridge on my left thumb nail from weakening the structure of the nail so I thought the No7 Ridge Filling Base would be perfect to resolve this. I was surprised to find that the No7 Ridge Filling Base dries instantly on the nails. The speed at which it dries is really quite impressive and is indeed commendable. Although I used the No7 Ridge Filling Base as a base coat for my nail varnish, I think it's intended to be used to strengthen the nail rather than act as a base coat. Unfortunately, the No7 Ridge Filling Base didn't quite get rid of the obvious ridge in my nail. I will however persevere with the No7 Ridge Filling Base as I've noticed I have another ridge on another fingernail despite having long nails now. Of course, horizontal ridges (which is true for my nails) can be an indication of former trauma or an illness (I've heard nothing to tell me otherwise and I imagine I'm fit and well). Retailing at £8 from Boots I don't necessarily believe that the No7 Ridge Filling Base is worthy of the price tag but I'll persevere and let you know!

First up I tried Nicole by O.P.I. Selena Gomez Nail Polish Pretty in Plum which comes in quite an unconventional shaped bottle. I love quirkiness as much as the next person but unusually shaped bottles make it incredibly difficult to paint ones' nails. Often I paint my nails on my bed and to save me from spilling it all over the bed covers I stand my bottles in a small rubber contraption made by Sally Hansen (which you can view and read about here) which prevents the bottle from tipping. This however it is not true for unusually shaped bottles as I found the bottle of  Nicole by O.P.I. Selena Gomez Nail Polish Pretty in Plum cumbersome to use. My rubber moulding would not even adhere to the shape of the bottle and for this reason I probably won't use  Nicole by O.P.I. Selena Gomez Nail Polish Pretty in Plum very often as it's just so difficult to hold! It's a shame however as I really liked  Nicole by O.P.I Selena Gomez Nail Polish Pretty in Plum. The Pretty in Plum is a dark reddish purple in colour that seemingly changes colour with more applications. I applied  Nicole by O.P.I. Selena Gomez Nail Polish Pretty in Plum and when it goes it onto the nails it looks pink. As  Nicole by O.P.I. Selena Gomez Nail Polish Pretty in Plum dries however it became a burgundy colour and thickened up quite considerably. 

The same however could not be said for Nicole by O.P.I. Nail Polish Make a Change (presented on the right). Again I found the shape of the bottle to be particularly troublesome to use. I had assumed that Make a Change would dry as a lavender colour with a hint of sheen across the nail. Nicole by O.P.I. Nail Polish Make a Change was quite a thin colour and needed at least two applications. As more applications were added the colour developed and became a dark purple almost. I was especially pleased that both nail varnishes seemed to dry instantly which is a definite winner in my books! I really liked the two lacquers from Nicole by O.P.I. but unfortunately the shape of the bottles are difficult to use.

I really liked the O.P.I. coloured lacquers and they both seemed to last for ages! On my beauty haul from The Cosmetics Fairy website I also purchased a black nail varnish by O.P.I. which I'll review in my next post. Let me know what you think. Has anyone had any success with the  No7 Ridge Filling Base? Let me know in the comments below xx

Color Trend Denim Daze Fashion Nail Enamel product review

I was really excited to try out the new Color Trend Denim Daze Fashion Nail Enamel by AVON which comes in two cool shades, Denim Blue and Denim Navy Blue. Admittedly, I have a lot of blue nail varnishes of varying shades, including navy and light blues. What I did not have until recently was a blue nail varnish that could be described as denim blue so of course I had to indulge in the trend. I went with the Denim Navy Blue for £3 rather than the Denim Blue colour. The Denim Blue colour seemed a little too bright to be called denim so I decided to go with the Denim Navy Blue instead. One coat is enough and really does look like the colour of denim.

The Color Trend Denim Daze Fashion Nail Enamel has a textured feel rather than the usual matt or glossy affect that nail varnishes usually have. The Color Trend Denim Daze Fashion Nail Enamel feels quite rough on the nails. I really liked the Denim Navy Blue Color Trend Denim Daze Fashion Nail Enamel but it did chip really easily unfortunately. One coat and a few hours at work later the ends of the nail varnish started to chip off. When I applied it I sprayed the Leighton Denny Expert Nails Miracle Mist (£12) straight on top to help dry it. Unfortunately, you're supposed to wait one minute until the nail varnish is nearly dry before you apply the Leighton Denny Expert Nails Miracle Mist. I personally think this defeats the point of a quick drying nail varnish spray but I now understand why they tell you not to apply it straight away. I sprayed my nails with Leighton Denny Expert Nails Miracle Mist and unfortunately the Denim Navy Blue Color Trend Denim Daze Fashion Nail Enamel became wet with the miracle mist spray causing the colour to slip off. I then had to reapply coats which darkened the colour significantly on my right hand when compared to my left hand. Having reapplied more coats on one hand the colour is a lot thicker and hasn't chipped, yet. I really like the Color Trend Denim Daze Fashion Nail Enamel and I might even try the other Denim Blue colour.

I'd love to know what you think, 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

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.

Poundshop Product Review

I never normally purchase cosmetics or make up from the pound shop simply because I always assumed that it was cheap make up. Although this is often the case many poundshops stock branded make up like Rimmel and Maybelline. When my friend was studying over here recently she swore by our local poundshops for nail varnish because it was cheap, often lasted and there's usually an array of colours available. I was in my local Poundshop recently and thought I'd take advantage of their wide selection (not that I need any more nail varnishes).

I decided to go with a pale blue and mint green colour as these are two colours that I don't have in my extensive collection. Sky Blue 32 and Mint Milkshake 41 were from the same make up collection which isn't a well-known brand. The nail varnishes are by Make Up Gallery and the bottles are quite large and chunky so they're a little cumbersome if you prefer to hold the bottle whilst you apply it. I really liked the colours in the bottle but unfortunately I had to apply three coats for the colour to have any prominence on the nail. The liquid is very thin and watery so re-applications are essential. As well as the rather large and heavy bottle, the brush inside is quite fat which makes it difficult to successfully apply the varnish to the nails as I found I covered my skin as well.

Sky Blue 32 seems to be more resilient as it has barely chipped whereas the multiple coats of Mint Milkshake 41 have made the varnish too thick and it's started to chip in places. I decided to paint my nails for my work's Christmas party and the nail varnish has only lasted a day before it chipped.

I really like the colours but they are a bit tricky to use and you need a bit of time to allow it to dry for the re-applications.

Cosmetics Fairy Make Up Haul

I had a bit of a splurge on the Cosmetic Fairy website a few weeks ago but hadn't had a chance to use them all until recently. With my purchases I received a free eye liner pencil which will always come in handy. I stocked up on another Cacao Dream eyeshadow by Isa Dora which I won't go into detail about. (You can read about it here, I absolutely love Isa Dora it's so cheap and long lasting).

I also made a bit of fashion faux pas as I bought the UV Gel as pictured without the heat lamp and kit. On the website it was sold as a top or base coat for gel nail varnish. I wrongly assumed that meant you could apply it straight to the nail but no I needed the whole kit and caboodle. I've had gel nails done professionally before and although they looked nice and lasted a while the UV lamp makes me feel physically sick. The thought of burning your skin and hairs makes me really uncomfortable so when this arrived (and after reading the directions for use) I passed it on.

What I did have left to review however were the; Isa Dora Eye makeup crayon in Glittering Sky, Fashonista Supermodel Kohl eyeliner in Black Shade 2, Revlon Top Speed Fast Dry Nail Polish in Cloud 710, my freebie FHP Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in Black and not pictured a Sally Hansen Just Feet Pedicure File. I haven't included the foot file in the image but it's a fantastic invention. It's basically a purple shoe horn made from toughened glass with a pumice stone on both sides. The long handle makes it really easy to use in the bath which is ideal for me as I often find it tricky to bend my knees properly. I realise I sound like an old woman but it's great for people who find it hard to reach their feet.

I was really intrigued by the Isa Dora Eye makeup crayon (priced at just 99p) and thought it would prove a good alternative to my usual powdered compact. I'm sure most make up if not all is machine made so when the points on pencils are sharpened it's done by a blade. The point is always far too severe on a pencil and I usually blunt it on the side of my hand before re-sharpening to a softer point. I like the idea of a makeup crayon/eyeshadow but it doesn't really work in theory. I've found the only way to apply it is by colouring the eyelid in with the largest part of the crayon. This is quite uncomfortable and isn't nearly as smooth as a normal compact powder. I usually love Isa Dora eyeshadows and bought this colour as I already have the same colour in the compact. The crayon unfortunately doesn't stay on the lids and bleeds underneath the eyes. A little disappointing but it'll do for when I run out of the compact.

 

 

Next up was the Fashionista Supermodel Kohl eyeliner in Black Shade 2. I was wary of this priced at just 49p I assumed it wouldn't work. How wrong I was! I love this eyeliner so much that on my next Cosmetics Fairy order I bulk ordered a number of these eyeliners (which incidentally is capped at 5 per person I did try for 10). I usually use SuperShock Gel eyeliner in Black by Avon as it lasts forever and stays on the face all day. It's quite stubborn though so it takes a bit of effort to come off which is a good indicator of its' durability. Priced at £6 it runs expensive and I used to stock up on this when it was £3.50 or two for £6. Since I've discovered its' far cheaper alternative from the Cosmetics Fairy I'll be switching to this from now on. It's a longer pencil which presumably means it will last even longer than the Avon eyeliner. It stays put on the eyes and is just as stubborn as the Super Shock eyeliner. It gives me the same defined look that I'm used to and does the same job as the Avon eyeliner, I would definitely recommend this. The same surprisingly can be said for the FHP Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in Black. As this was a free product I didn't have much hopes for this little eyeliner and wondered why they were giving it away. It does exactly the same job as the Fashionista Supermodel Kohl eyeliner and the SuperShock eyeliner by Avon. A great little bargain.

Last but not least is the Revlon Top Speed Fast Dry Nail Polish in Cloud 710. I purchased this for several reasons, predominantly because it was cheap at 99p but it also promises to dry fast and I wanted a grey nail varnish. It ticked most of the boxes. It dried incredibly fast within about 30 seconds of me putting it on which is great. I like the texture as it's not too shiny but is definitely noticeable. It needs a couple of applications as it's quite thin and it also doesn't dry grey as pictured. It dried a pretty dusky purple colour so I wasn't too displeased with this purchase. I really like this I just wish it came in grey as well!   

I'd love to know what you think. Leave me comments if you wish on the link below xx.

Glam that glitters

I mentioned in my last review that I had a treat in store for you all with my next product. I bought this a while ago and forgot about it until now. Buying the Collection Hot Looks nail varnish in 61 Twilight gave me an opportunity to try it out. I'm talking about Sprinkle Nails by AVON the latest craze in nail-art fashion. Somewhat coincidentally I bought the colour Purple Confetti which compliments my new Collection nail varnish perfectly. So what are Sprinkle Nailst? Well it sprinkles on like confetti but has the texture of small ball bearings. They're tiny little beads (not too dissimilar to the edible kind you normally decorate cakes with) of purple, navy and white. When AVON first release a product they like to trial it to see how popular it is. This means when it's first released the price is usually half the normal price to entice customers. With Sprinkle Nails you're supposed to buy their recommended tweezers I however decided against this. I wasn't particularly sure how to apply the beads as they are really fine and small. I played around with it and figured out an easy way to apply them.

First I applied two coats of the Collection nail varnish which I can not fault at all! I love the dark purple colour and it adds a really nice shine to the nails. I originally purchased this to replace a similar purple nail varnish by AVON in Matt finish colour violetta. They're both very similar and deep rich colours but unfortunately the AVON nailwear pro has more faults then anything else. The Collection nail varnish is chip resistant if you apply a thick layer (I say this because it was quite a thin coat on my right hand and the colour is chipping at the nail ends). It also promises to dry in 60 seconds but in fact it dries instantly. Finally, as I bought it from the Cosmetics Fairy website (another purchase) I paid 99p for it. Although it's usually quite cheap make up, Collection (formerly Collection 2000) is stocked in supermarkets so it's easy to pick up and it actually works. I've never been disappointed with Collection cosmetics.

When the nail varnish is still wet I dipped my finger into the little shallow pot of Sprinkle Nails. You don't have to leave it there long, just enough time to get an even coverage. The beads instantly stick to your nail but you may need to run your nail around the edges just to get rid of any loose beads. This provided a nice even layer but you can roll your hand from side to side to fully cover the nail. It looked really nice when I first did it. The recommended tweezers are slightly longer than ordinary tweezers and are wider at the ends. This makes it easier to pick up the beads if you don't want to submerse your nail.

                                                             

Finally I set the beads and the nail varnish by applying a top coat of clear nail varnish over the top. I prefer to use Rimmel pro super wear as it dries quickly, is cheap and comes with a wide brush to allow for speedy applications. Unfortunately I found the next day that because the beads are raised and rough, they still fell off despite sealing them on. It was a shame but I wasn't too upset as they left an unusual speckled mark on my nail varnish which made it look like an interesting pattern.

I quite liked the look of the sprinkles and I'll persevere to find a way to seal the beads on. Unfortunately by applying the beads to the nail it does put a slight amount of pressure onto the nail which can be a little uncomfortable. I'm not entirely sure how to take the beads off either so for now I'm going to wait until they fall off themselves.

Displayed in the picture is a really handy invention by Sally Hansen. It allows you to paint your nails on any surface regardless of whether it's flat. This is super handy for me as I'm always painting my nails on my bed. It's made from flexible rubber and is malleable enough to accommodate any sized bottle. It makes the bottle stand slightly to an angle which is perfect for when it's hard to reach in the bottle. I think I bought mine for about £2.50 but this was a few years ago so it may have increased in price since.

 Let me know what you thought of my nail design in the comments below xx

Cosmetics Fairy products review

I went a little bit crazy this week and bought several items from the Cosmetics Fairy website. I don't particularly need any new make up but I couldn't resist. If you spend over £5 you get a free black eyeliner pencil which is something I use a lot. I love the care and attention they take to packaging the items. The nail varnishes were wrapped in bubble wrap and the items carefully placed in a brown padded envelope. That was then wrapped up and placed in another brown padded envelope. The second envelope was then wrapped over again and placed into another brown padded envelope. It was like pass-the-parcel without the music. With every purchase they pop in a business card to thank you for your custom which I always think is a sweet idea.

 

 

First up is the Sally Hansen Colour Quick Fast Dry Nail Pen in Gold Chrome. There were mixed reviews for this product some really liked it, others were really disappointed. I was slightly apprehensive at first, after all nail varnish normally comes in a small glass bottle so why change it? The pen is small enough to fit in your hand and is really comfortable to use. The instructions specify to click the pen 5-7 times but I lost count how many clicks eventually pushed the liquid out. It reminded me of Rimmel's Twist & Shimmer eye colours as it's a similar sort of design. You can speedily put your nail varnish on and it dries super quick. At first I thought this product was great and would quickly become a staple favourite. Sadly this is not the case. A day later and the nail varnish chipped off straight away. If you apply multiple coats it also dries rough in places. It's a great idea in theory and is brilliant for convenience but the actual nail varnish wasn't great. At 99p I can't really complain though. It's probably better suited to doing pedicures as it chips really easily.

 

I didn't hold much hope for the Sally Hansen French manicure pen in La Bon Bon either. It's quite a thin nail varnish and dries clear instead of pink. If you look closely at your nails it looks a pale pink colour but from afar it looks shiny and colourless. It did however emphasise the white under my nails and made them look healthy. Sadly it doesn't quite cut it for a French manicure and multiple coats are essential. It also takes a little longer to dry than the Fast Dry Nail pen which was a little irritating.

 

I decided to try a different eye shadow to my normal Isa Dora preference and went for the Mauve colour along the far right of the Rimmel palette. This was a really deep and rich colour which I quite liked. It's a little darker then what I normally use but it complimented the rest of my make up. I'd read a couple of reviews online and they seemed positive. Mainly they commented on the colour and how long lasting it was. I however was very disappointed with this eye shadow. It definitely doesn't stay put and transferred to underneath my eyes which made my dark circles even more prominent. I don't think I'll be using the other colours in the palette as they're all of a similar powder. A disappointing start to my make up bundle so far. 

Unfortunately, the same could be said for the Isa Dora Mauve eye shadow as well. I'm a huge fan of Isa Dora but the mauve eyeshadow transfers to the skin around the eyes. I was a little sceptical of buying a dark purple colour especially with my pale skin. It didn't make me look too washed out and the colour actually looked really nice paired with black eyeliner. Usually my make up stays put all day even if I've been exercising, but the mauve Isa Dora dulled throughout the day and transferred to under my brows. I felt like I was permanently surprised all day. It's such as shame as I've bought three other colours from the Isa Dora range and can't fault them. If I decide to persevere with this I think a primer is in order. [Since publishing this review I've since found that if I apply the white Isa Dora eye shadow and cover the entire eyelid and then apply the Isa Dore Mauve eye shadow, it stays put all day long].

As I had a fancy event to go to recently, I decided to experiment with the rest of the makeup. French manicured nails are elegant and simple enough that complimented my dress. The beading on my dress was gold so I decided to go for Owl's Night 290 nail varnish by L'Oreal Paris on my toes. It looks green in the bottle which is originally why I purchased it as I don't have many in green. It goes on quite a dark metallic gold colour which was surprising and I didn't immediately love it. It's a grower however but I think it would look better on the hands rather than the feet. It dries super quick which is brilliant but it did chip a little and needed a quick reapplication before going out.

 

I haven't forgotten about the eyeliner and the purple nail varnish. I've left those till last to try them out together. In my next review I'll post about the nail varnish and something else that I've been looking forwards to trying out.

 

Stay tuned x