My First Birchbox

So Birchbox are the new Joliebix really. And I thought as there was a nice cheap dealio on I'd see what they'd do to impress me....

Ill keep the post short as its nice and sunny and I'd rather be outside ;-)

The box itself isn't exciting I assume its recycled cardboard (I'd hope) and not nearly as fancy as the Pearl Lowe Glossybox!

Inside you get a magazine, contents card and an introduction to Birchbox.

All items are in a bag, tied up, I don't like the bag. I don't know why it's jus unnecessary really.

Contents....

La Société Parisienne De Savons - soap. The packaging is cute - vintage-esque but soap? A hard soap too? Back of the drawer product for me I'm afraid.

Nick Chavez Plump n'leave-in thickening mist. This is a good size sample at 59ml, smells nice enough and i will try it out - I always neglect my hair so this is an encouragement.

Gerda Spillman Age Serum - a tiny sample, but at £69 full size I, it surprised by its size. I also can say without trying it - not a purchase I'd be making. 'Hero serum' we shall see....3ml of hero to try...

Weleda Skin Food - weleda seems to pop up in a lot of boxes these days and I don't really have an opinion on them as a brand yet. This is dry skin fix item, not something I have a problem with so ill save I imagine.

Mirenesse Glossy kiss - the only make up item in the box is yet another brands chubby stick, in no.14 perfect kiss, this is a red with a gold shimmer. Tis nice enough and well pigmented. This is a full size item at £17.50.

As a bonus 'lifestyle extra' a round mirror. I thought this was actually a badge when I opened the box. Bit naff really - will pass it off to the little one ;-)

All in all it's OK. I'm not overly enamoured by it but to be honest I think with the amount of boxes available these days nothing's going to have the wow factor....

 

Did you get a birch box?? What do you think?

 

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April Glossybox with Pearl Lowe

This months glossy has arrived!

 

Here's mine....First up the box itself is super cute. Very nice touch! Content wise I'm letting it sink in a little. There seems to be a million and one variations this month. Not just in shade/scent but product difference.

Here's mine....

Super to see my fave brand Illamasqua inside! Medium pencil in Elate, which is white. Yay. This is £13 to buy so already have my money back.

 

Nip + Fab mango smoothie baby butter. Again pretty happy as I love mango smells. The alternative pistachio I wouldn't much have cared for.

 

Etre Belle collagen and aloe mask - well I don't know a lot on this, and know have the one mask to try, according to the glossy leaflet it's worth €25.95 in a pack of 10.... It's a paper mask so good to scare the other half with one night maybe....mwahah!

 

Yves Rocher So elixir purple. A fragrance in a very cute bottle, 5ml so quite generous, and the smell is not bad actually. Floral and girly. For 50ml full size this is £44.

 

And finally....

 

Lipcote. My mum used to have this. Not very exciting and a repeat in the box for some. Oh dear. It would appear this is the substitute for a nice nail polish or Crabtree hand cream based on others boxes. So short straw maybe.....?!

 

All in all I'm pretty happy though. This will get me my dots for a freebie next month anyways!!

 

What do you think?

 

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Illamasqua Blushers - SOPHIE and Lover

So, I may have made a sneaky purchase of two blushers I have been after a wee while.

SOPHIE and Lover... here they are in all there marvelous glory!

 

SOPHIE being the pink of the two with a slight shimmer, bringing a lovely warmth through, and Lover, a peachy colour.

As with all my other Illamasqua items, pigmentation is second to none and a little truely does go a long way!!

 

Im really hoping that I'll be able to pull these off with my alabaster skin!

 

 The colour payoff is amazing, a light swipe with a brush really is all you need - so plenty product for the money. Which is good when they are about £18 each - but you are able to get a 10% discount after your third order.

 

Im already a fan of the cream blushes so glad that the powder ones are of equal quality.

 

 

You can pick the blushers up here.

 

How do you like them?

Nail Foils - The Cost Effective Way! Tutorial and Review

 

So I was liking the Nail Foils that are doing the rounds at the moment and Ciates little kit costing around the £18 mark per kit wasn't too bad I thought but after a little research I managed to do it for less than half AND have enough stuff to last a lifetime!!

 

The Ciate kit contains 30 assorted foil sheets , a foil fix glue, a paint pot polish and nail wheel for practicing. They have different kits with different colour choices.

 

 Kudos on the nail wheel there, always a good idea to have a practice run...!

 

I bought 5 nail foils (1.5m per foil) in a variety of colours from eBay, (of which there are THOUSANDS to pick from I swear) they come in handy tubs all wrapped up, nail foil glue, nail wheels (I already had these though) for a minuscule £9+postage.

 

 

 

Practising on my wheels I found the look very easy to recreate.

 

Simply apply a base coat of polish of your choice - I went with China Glaze in Flying Dragon and Turned Up Turquoise and Ciate Power Dressing which is a navy blue to try with the different coloured foils.

 

Cut the foils to the right size so you don't get in a tizz, this would be about the size of your nail I'd say, makes it all a lot more manageable

 

When the polish is dry, apply the nail foil glue as you want. You could go all over, or dab it in spots - whatever tickles your fancy!

now wait....

and wait

and be patient and wait a bit more.

 

The glue needs to have gone clear and tacky at least or you'll be wasting your time.

 

Apply the foil, shiny side up in this case (yes I did try the wrong way for a while...) and smooth down with a finger.

Pull off the paper et VOILA!

 

You can add more to get the desired effect you like, change up with different colours and just have fun with it. When your happy, apply a top coat to seal the deal.

 

I went with gold foil over the purple, rose pink over the green and a silver/rippled colour over the navy.

 

Who needs OPI MWTGG when you have that gold ey!!!

I'm pretty happy, and it was a lot easier than those bloody caviar beads!

 

I think I'll try an all over foil next time....

 

What do you think??  Do you even like the foiled looks??

 

GlossyBox March 2013

I may have accidentally let my Glossy sub continue this month...oops. And well, I cant say I mind too much.

 

Here we have the March edition.... 'City Chic' being the theme this month, well I guess that's fitting with the contents...

 

Treseme Hairspray

Nails Inc mini in James St

Elizabeth Arden 8 hour Cream

Jelly Pong Pong Lip Blush in a pink

and

Juicy Couture Perfume in Couture La La.

 

I quite like the lip blush I have to admit, its a nice pink shade for me and balmy with a sheen to it. Jelly Pong Pong have been seen in the boxes before though, so not new and exciting much. Some others have seemed less impressed, even with the red.

 

Treseme Hairspray - whilst this is good timing for me and my need of a replacement, wow glossybox. This shiz is exciting....not. HOWEVER, I suppose on the 'City Chic' girl on the go kinda box, this works.

 

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. A skin protectant balm, this is much hyped product and on first glance its nice enough. May feel like your smearing Vaseline over your face BUT it does soak in nicely and isn't greasy. Will need further investigation I think.

 

Juicy Couture Perfume sample. I don't mind a perfume sample in a box, its nice, but on the whole, in comparison to a L'occitaine hand cream some got, not the same. Juicy Couture is a brand on the whole I'd avoid. It screams chav, fake handbags, and dog coats. No thank you please.

 

Nails Inc in St James, I like polish, I like Nails inc. I'm happy. Dunno why mine says Jermyn St though! Jermyn St being a beige/nude and this a red red red!!!

 

People get hung up I think on their box worth per item. Are you getting your £10+pnp's worth?? I believe the box will always be what you think its worth. And to me, I'll get the use out of everything here so overall I'm happy enough.

Brand wise its up there (no 99p eyeshadow palettes!!) but its not massively exciting and full of new brands. Cant nblame them with the mass saturation of beauty boxes/sample senders though I suppose!

 

Now I need to decide if Im goint to 'forget' about it again!

 

What did you think of Glossy this month?

 

Max Factor Face Finity Review

 

So, another day, another foundation....!

 

Here we have the Max Factor Face Finity - my attention was drawn to this by a fellow blogger and BBB member Emma see her bloggeroonie here. As an alternative to her favourite Estee Lauder Double Wear.

I didn't get on with DW so a cheaper alternative with the same results definately rang bells with me for the days I'm after more full coverage and she really raved about it. So, what the hell - lets have a go - if its pants, I'll add it to the 120 others I have 'just in case'.

 

First impressions - very good!!!
Definately a full coverage product, but not cakey or too heavy.

Throughout the day I didnt feel I needed to touch up, I didnt have it create those hiddeous lines you get with a heavier foundation either.

 

 

It boasts being a 3 in 1, containing a cocktail of primer, concealer and foundation to finish. Im a 'Warm Almond' this time around which sounds a lot nicer than the 'porcelains' or 'alabasters' Im usually under!

 

At around the £12 mark, what a saving from DW.

 

 

In action!

No primer or concealer used - just a touch of blush, gloss and mascara! Over all I am super chuffed with this foundation. Applied, as ever, with my stipling brush and a wee buff in at the end.

 

Thanks Emma! Very happy!

 

 

Philosophy Divine Illuminator Eyeshadow and Lip Gloss

 

Perusing the aisles of the local TK Maxx and came across these goodies!

 

Philosophy Divine Illuminator Lip Gloss and Eye Colour.

 

 

A lot of people rave on Philopshy, and whilst I haven't tried a lot of their things, I thought I'd give these a go!

Really like the packaging, the boxes are lovely and textured with embossed writing, with divine in raised cream (which you cant see in the photo sorry!)

 

In my ickle bundle I had two lip glosses in Lilac Rose and Golden Rose, and a cream shadow in Golden Stardust.

 

 

Natural Light vs Inside Lighting

 

VERY pretty indeed. I have become a fan of the eye colour very quick. So subtle and warm, a great quick shadow and also a great base, and probably a great highlighter thinking of it!

Ive used it twice in my everyday make up and no creasing which was fab - I usually have this issue with cream shadows,

 

The lip glosses are  also very very pretty. I will have to do a pic later to show them. Lilac rose is a 'lips' kinda colour, golden rose is a pinkie shimmer (not my usual but very pretty for spring).

 

Now - I am struggling to find info on these on t'interweb, rubbish...so if anyone has any pointers- help! The original label stated rrp £32 for two and I got them for £10 so, not complaining either way!

 Most I can find is the American Amazon selling them at $12 each! Bargain anywho!

Have you tried any Philosophy goodies recently?