SuperDrug Haul

Yes, I've been shopping a fair bit lately. I thought I'd treat myself, and why not. We all need a treat now and again, don't we.

Superdrugs a shop i don't that often go into, mainly because i work for Boots, so just tend to buy things i need while I'm at work, or with my Staff Discount. But i have noticed, Superdrug does have some better offers than boots, and they also carry a different range of make up brands, One of them being Sleek, my favourite highstreet brand. So on the occasion i pop in, i do usually end up buying something.

This time though, so many things caught my eye!

My first purchase, and main reason for heading to Superdrug was to pick up the new MUA, Undress Your Skin Highlighter. One of my local Superdrugs was completely sold out! Its been muchly raved about across the Blogsphere, as its apparently pretty good dupe for the much loved MAC Mineralize Skin Finish, I'm unsure of a particular shade having not tried them before.
I always have a look at the Sleek stand if I'm in Superdrug, as i said previously they are my favourite high street make up brand, I particularly LOVE their i-Divine Palettes, they are incredibly pigmented and have the most stunning colours in. I've not seen this palette before, so I'm not sure if its new, but picked up the SnapShots Palette, so many bright colours! its going to be perfect for summer.
And my last purchase was very much on impulse, and its from a new brand called B. i was really intrigued, and they were running a free gift offer if you spent £10, so i thought that'd be the perfect way to try out a range of products from the brand, as they aren't just MakeUp but skincare as well. To spend £10 i chose two lipsticks, i was there for ages deciding what products and shades to buy, there is so much choice! The other great thing about B. is that they are suitable for Vegans & Vegetarians, and all the products carry the jumping bunny logo, meaning they are certified by Cruelty Free International. 

This is just a quick post, to show you what goodies i picked up, and i plan to do a full post on each purchase.
Have you treated yourself to anything lately?

Lots of Love

X

Lux Box; June or July?

Now i don't know if I'm getting confused, or I started off wrong to begin with. according to my previous posts, this should be June LuxBox, But according to the date, this would be July? I think looking at the website, this is in fact June. Am i just confusing myself? Are you all confused now?

Anyway, what ever month it is, here is what I got in my box...

First Aid Beauty, Daily Face Cream.

First Aid Beauty have featured in beauty boxes before, i think GlossyBox and people either got a body cream or a body wash. Now we have got a face cream, the great thing about FAB products is they literally contain nothing, no parabens, no chemicals, no colourants and no perfumes, they are great for sensitive and eczema prone skin. We got a 30ml sample which a great sized sample, to be able to truly test the product out, and decide whether or not to buy the full size (60ml) which costs £15.00.

Green People, Eco Eye Trio

In my box, i got the shade earth, which are the perfect colours for a neutral smokey eye and great daytime colours. Green People are known for their organic products I love their suncream. So initially i was quite excited to see this, as i didn't even know they had a make up range. I really like the colours, though the pigmentation isn't great they are buildable. But the one thing i really don't like, is the smell. I cant even explain it, but the eyeshadow really smell bad. I don't know if i maybe got a bad one? but i don't think I'd be able to use it, as I'd be paranoid other people could smell it. The RRP of this product is £18.40

Murad, Time Release Blemish Cleanser

I won't go into this to much, as i actually got this product in another box. I'm thinking about trying it out, as recently I've noticed my skins a bit more oily and I've had a bit of a break out. so more on that at another time.

we got a 30ml sample which retails for £5.50

Kelly Edwards Skincare, Exfoliating Cream

I love this about LuxBox, they always include at least one brand that's not so well know (or perhaps it is well known?) I love the look of this product, its quite a thick cream, with little particles in that aren't to harsh, but rough enough to feel like you're getting rid of the dead skin. it also smells really nice, as its packed with natural oils. The product is also suitable for vegans, which i think is always a benefit, even if you aren't vegan. we got a 15ml sample pot and the full size (50ml) retails for £12 on the website (kellyedwards.co.uk) you can also purchase a 5ml sample pot for £1.50, if you'd like to try it but not commit to a full size.

Delicious Teeth, Tooth Cleanser

This is one of the full sized products we received, and its so weird i was only looking at theses in boots not that long ago, so i was pretty excited about this. Tooth paste is a refreshing change to get in a beauty box as well. These toothpastes contain everything you'd expect/need from a toothpaste. Fluoride & Xylitol and also Sodium Bicarbonate to make your teeth extra white, the other great thing about them is that they are flavoured with blends or essential oils. I got the flavour garden mint, they are also available in English Peppermint, Brazilian Lime and Sicilian Lemon. I'd love to try the Sicilian Lemon flavour.

Really enjoying using this toothpaste, the flavour isn't to over whelming, and it leaves your teeth feeling nice and clean. RRP £3.99/100ml

That's this months LuxBox, again I'm really pleased with this box. It never seems to disappoint.

What did you think of this months box?

Lots of Love

X

Sleek Palettes

Over the past couple of weeks I've found myself go from zero sleek palettes to THREE! I bought a couple from some girls over on Beauty Box Swaps and i bought one from a blog sale. I thought I'd just do a quick post to show you which palettes i got, show you some swatches and stuffs.

I'm pretty sure I'm way behind with sleek palettes, they've been around a while yet I've only just invested in my first. I'm already desperate to get to superdrug and get more!

So here are the ones i got...

Top Palette - Graphite

Middle - Oh So Special

Bottom - Au Naturel

Graphite

Oh So Special

Au Naturel

I love how pigmented the colours are and how velvety they feel to use. The Top palette (Graphite) is perfect for creating a gorgeous smokey eye, with the middle and especially the bottom more suitable for a day time look or just subtle make up.

The Au Naturel palette is part of the nude collection, so is perfect for everyday, minimal make up wear.

I can't wait to try out different make up looks with them, and i can't believe it's taken me this long to discover them! I already want to get down to superdrug and buy more! I've got my eye on the matte ones they've just released.

These retail for £6.99 in Superdrug.

Have you discovered any great make up products lately?

Lots of Love

X

Lux Box, First Box!

Lux Box is the new kid on the block, and i think they've started off amazingly! I was a late subscriber, (being at uni & having my accident things slip my mind) After some lovely tweets from the crew at Lux Box, i snaffled myself, their first box (which has not disappointed) Also, i cannot fault their customer service! I've only contacted them through twitter, but there responses were quick and helpful, absolutely spot on customer service. They make you feel very valued as a subscriber, this was something i noticed, before they'd even released their boxes. The company went to so much effort to get market research, as part of the beauty box swappers page. Lux Box were always asking our opinion on this, and i LOVE that, they have really put thought and effort into what people want. Lux Box... Keep up the good work :)

Now, onto my box......

I apologise for my poor photography, the light in my bedroom is awful.

So the box, standard beauty box size, same finish as the regular Glossy Boxes that nice smooth matte. The box is a kind a mushroom colour, which is really nice, it gives it a kind of classy look, which i like.

Inside again is standard beauty box, black tissue paper, little sticker & black shredded paper.

The Contents....

- SteamCream

- Eldora False Lashes

- BM Beauty Eye shadows

- Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream

- MOA The Green Balm

Now, i know what you might be thinking (especially if you're subscribe to all the Beauty Boxes and have been for a while) We've seen the majority of these products before?! Well yes, some of them have made an appearance. But, i personally didn't receive the boxes that they came in (except the eyeshadow) So i was very happy, with the products.

SteamCream

This was probably what i was most excited about, after the Carmine fiasco, i was a little be desperate to try Steam Cream, I cant really write much of a review on the product, as I've not opened it. i will do a separate blog post on it thought once I've used it. The great thing about SteamCream is they use high quality natural ingredients, and the special thing about SteamCream, which also gives it its name is the fact, they put a shot of cream in every pot. This makes the cream really lightweight.

I can't wait to try it, but i will wait until I'm fully recovered as, my skin care routine is suffering at the moment. Once I'm back on track i will let you know how i get on.

*Another thing i LOVE about SteamCream, is the packaging! Each tin is different, i received Ambigue which is limited edition by Mako Kikkawa. But there are some AMAZING designs! I actually want them all*

steamcream.com £12.95/75g

Eldora False Lashes

Eldora are beautiful handmade false lashes, I'm not a massive wearer or falsies myself, but they are always handy to have around. These are gorgeous, they are so soft, the pair i received are quite full, intense lashes, but i believe they have a massive range, and also do very natural ones. I shall add these to my eyelash collect. I might do a blog post, on my collection of eyelashes (let me know on the comments if you'd like me to do that)

eldorashop.co.uk The particular style i got cost £4.05 and are human hair.

BM Beauty Eyeshadow

(i will add swatches at a later date)

These eye shadows featured in the February Glossy Box (here) and i LOVED LOVED LOVED them! I was SO happy to see not one but TWO in this box. All be it, i have both colours, when they appeared in GB i went on a swapping craze to get every colour, But I kept them sealed, so i can pop them in a gift or swap them for a colour i might not have. I love everything about these eye shadows, lose pigment eyeshadow can be quite difficult to work with, you tend to get a lot of fall out. But these, i honestly can't express how much i love these eye shadows, the pigmentation is just amazing, they are so shimmery, they blend like a dream and are so versatile the pink shade 'Her Majesty' is like a rose gold colour, and if used sparingly enough can be used as a gorgeous pink/gold blusher! They are also, 100% mineral which is even better and contain no nasties or animal products!

I received 'Her Majesty' a rose gold and 'Wolf Howl' a gorgeous shimmery purple.

If anyone received different colours and are willing to swap, please comment below, I'm particularly looking for the white one, (i don't know the name) Thanks!

bmbeauty.com £7.00/2g (which may not sound a lot, but our samples are 1g, and you literally need the tiniest amount, they will last you FOREVER)

Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream

'This triple-action eye cream will help to revitalise weary eyes, smooth away dark shadows and reduce the appearance of fine lines. Lightly pat and smooth around the eye area twice daily after applying our moisture-rich face cream or balancing fluid moisturiser'

Balance me products, feature quite a lot in beauty boxes, and always seem to be quite well received. I've only ever tried the lip balm, but very much enjoyed that. This eye cream smells gorgeous, it contains chamomile which is very soothing, and also lemon that gives it an amazing scent, it just smells so fresh. I imagine using the product first thing in the morning, will really wake you up. The cream is so smooth and sinks in beautifully. I cant wait to work this into my skin care routine.

balanceme.co.uk 10ml/£14.00 15ml/£20.00 (in the box we received a 10ml sample)

MOA The Green Balm

'It's Green, It's a balm. It's 100% natural and it's a miracle. Crammed with organic yarrow and lots of other lovely natural stuff; this handy little pot of Móa's balm has many weird and wonderful uses... Móa's miraculous healing powers soothe, nourish and renew dry, itchy skin conditions like, eczema and psoriasis, bumps, bites, grazes and minor burns. Móa even works wonders on the dreaded coldsore, as a facial cleansing balm, and after shaving.'

This balm, is AMAZING it literally is a miracle balm. some of you may or may not know, i broke my ankle a few weeks ago, from that i now have 3 wounds on my ankle, from surgery, since getting this balm, I've been applying it, about 3 times a day (or as i remember) and its honestly worked wonders! the largest of the 3 scars, is looking beautiful and healing so nicely, I've had no troubles with them at all, and i really do think this balm is helping. It has a strange consistency, when you look at it in the pot, it looks as though it might be a bit hard or abit grainy, but it just melts in your finger tips, a little bit really goes a long way. it smooths in nicely and isn't to greasy on the skin. It also smells of tea tree oil, which is quite pleasant. The little tiny sample pot is so handy as well, I'd say its a definite must have and I'm very tempted to buy the full size!

thegreenbalm.com 15ml/£4.99 50ml/£9.99

So, if you're not signed up to any beauty boxes but you want to I would definitely go with Lux Box, if their first box is anything to go by! I cant wait for their second box!

luxbox.co.uk £10.00 + £2.95 P+P a month.

Lots of Love

X

P.s I'm SO close to 50 followers, so i just thought I'd let you know, when i do reach 50, I'll be having a little giveaway to celebrate!

Apologies & She Said; April

Firstly my massive apologies, i haven't blogged in over a month! I think about it all the time but haven't ever gotten round to it, I came home from uni for Easter break and just got caught up in being at home, working and seeing friends, so I've kind of neglected my blog for that reason. BUT, just one week before i was meant to go back to uni (and hopefully get back into some kind of routine) , i managed to slip over and break my leg! Unlucky or what?! so for the last 2 weeks, I've either been in hospital or just feeling sorry for myself, but now, 1 operation, 3 pins and lots of morphine later I've decided i REALLY need to get back into this, i have actually missed doing it and i think it'll help pass the time of being on "strictly toilet trips only" 

So to start off my mass blogging today i have a very belated April She Said Box....

Half of the brands in this box I'd never heard of, so it was really nice to experience all these brands, but also to try different products from brands I'd used before or brands I'd heard of but never tried. The Lindt egg was a delicious touch aswell :)

What I received;

- Filthy Gorgeous Nail Polish

- Comfort Zone Body Expert Kit

- Mischa Barton Luscious Lips Pink Pop

- Bellapierre Shimmer Powder

- Bharti Vyas The Ultimate Therapy Face And Neck Polisher

- Erno Laszlo The Hollywood Collection (bonus item)

Filthy Gorgeous Nail Polish

' Combining rich cremes, delicate sheers and crystal 3D glitter pigments all worked into a long wearing, high shine, high pigment professional quality nail polish formula'

I receive shade 'Vampish' I've never heard of this brand, but I'm quite impressed. so far I've only swatched it so i don't know what the longevity is like, but the colour goes on really well, i think (don't shout at me if I'm wrong haha) that it might be similar to Nail Inc Victoria shade. The swatch in the picture below is just one swipe, so the colour would be pretty opaque after 2 coats. I love it!

Full size 10ml £9.00

Comfort Zone Body Expert Kit

' Get your body beach ready with the Body Strategist Cellulite Remodeller which has a thermogenic action, D-Age Body Cream and Fruity Peel Exfoliator. Once the hard work is done relax and indulge with Tranquillity Cream, Mediterranean Shower Gel, and Vital Leg Cream.'

Comfort Zone featured in the last She Said Box (here) I've used the night cream a few times, i liked it, i wasn't wowed by it. So in this little set we got 6 10ml sachets, I'm yet to try any of them yet. But hopefully they'll be a bit more exciting than the Night cream was.

I do like the cute little bag it comes in though :)

Fruity Peel Exfoliator 150ml £24.50

Aromasoul Shower Gel 200ml £19.95

D-Age Body Cream 200ml £48.00

Body Strategist + Remodeller 150ml £40.95

Vital Leg Cream 200ml £32.75

Tranquillity Cream 200ml £58.25

Mischa Barton Luscious Lips Pink Pop

'Luscious Lips by Mischa is a rich, hydrating lip protector with a hint of flattering colour. this luxurious gloss combination protects with SPF15 and hydrates with vitamins to make your lips extra kissable.'

I was quite excited about this product, i didn't even realise Mischa Barton had bought out a make up range, so was really looking forward to trying it. I was a tiny bit disappointed though, the colour i got was pink pop, which in the pot looks like a really nice natural pinky colour, i swatched the product on my hand, and they weren't joking when they say 'a hint' literally the tiniest hint, if that, it took about 3 layers to make it noticeable to the human eye. Another thing i didn't really like was the smell, its not repulsive or anything it just reminds me of the smell of PlayDough. Overall this product just reminds be of something you'd get in like a little make up set as a child, I'll still probably use it as i like the fact its moisturising and it has an SPF in it, so it'll probably live in my handbag or my beach bag.

Full size 8g £12.00

Mischa Barton Swatched.

BellaPierre Shimmer Power

'Using 100% pure Mica powder, these beautiful shimmer powders will provide long lasting, vibrant colour.'

I think this is the product i was most excited about (apart from the chocolate egg) I've been dying to try BellaPierre for so long, every time i go to TK Maxx i eye up the sets in there. So i was a happy bunny when this turned up in the box, its also such a wearable colour which is great 'SP003 Champagne' Like it says the colour is intense and the shimmer is amazing! i couldn't be more pleased with this product, and will definitely be adding to create my own BellaPierre collection!

Full Size 2.35g £12.99

BellaPierre 'Champagne'

Bharti Vyas The Ultimate Therapy Face and Neck Polisher

'this Face and Neck Polisher contains walnut shavings that gently exfoliate and cleanse the skin, whilst helping to correct any skin imbalances.'

Again never heard of this brand, I've tried this product and i wasn't wowed, it just seemed like any other face scrub I've used before, there wasn't anything particularly special about it. That might just be me who knows?!

Full Size 125ml £22.50

Erno Laszlo The Hollywood Collection

'Featuring 5 New products based on custom formulations taken from the archive and updated with the latest skincare technology,'

This set featured in some of the, i think Harrods edition GlossyBox, it looks like a nice set and you got 5 little sachets to try, I've used a couple of them and so far have been impressed, though i shan't be purchasing any due to the MASSIVE price tag!

Ava Gardner, instant eye repair 0.5oz £85

Marilyn Monroe Morning Beauty Rescue 1.7oz £95

Katharine Hepburn Intensive Porcelain Veil 1.70z £140

Grace Kelly Refresh Moisture Infusion 1.7oz £125

Greta Garbo Velvet Night Cream 1.7oz £175

So that was my She Said April box, i apologise for the very delayed review, overall i was semi impressed with the box, i like the range of products and the different brands, and i look forward to next months box.

I'll try and get my blog posts more regular again :)

Lots of Love

X

Carmine; February

There's been so much drama over this months box! 

To begin with, everyone was getting the same box (that included a full size SteamCream & a full size Balance Me body wash) Carmine then informed everyone that they had actually run out of said Full Size products and were unable to get any more, so replacing them with products from previous boxes.

 I'm still not sure how i feel about this, as its my first carmine box i don't feel i can complain, as i don't already have the products that they were replacing them with, but i also feel very annoyed as i subbed in January before i even knew what the boxes would have in them, yet in my first ever carmine box, i wont even be receiving the items (which i would have loved to have tried) So i had a slight annoyance/disappointment when i did eventually get my box, nonetheless i am semi pleased with what i got, as it has given me new products to try and introduced me to new brands. Which is the purpose of beauty boxes. Saying all of that, i completely understand why there has been so many issues with this box, Carmine just saying we aren't getting (in my opinion) the 2 best products in the box so blasé (don't know how to spell) without giving the people who only subbed for that reason or even people that had previously subbed but were getting the reworked box, to cancel. But they were welcome to send their box back (at their own expense) for a refund, which I'm guessing was less postage (TWO lots of postage). I really didn't mean to rant this much BUT once you start and all that, i shall leave it now. Please feel free to comment below. Now onto the products!

In My Box...

I Got...

- The Balm FratBoy All-In-One Shadow/Blush (replacement)

- Daniel Sandler Eye Delight (replacement)

- Andrea Fuller Nail Varnish (full size)

- Diego Dalla Palma Lipstick

- White Glo Whitening Toothpaste

- Yardley London Peony Fragrance (bonus)

I'll start with the replacement items...

The Balm is a brand I'd never heard of, but I've seen a lot of reviews of this product as i believe it featured in the October Carmine (along with the Daniel Sandler) as disappointed as i am not receive the cream and the body wash, i am pleased i got this product as i have wanted to try it, and I'm in need of a new blusher, this one is really pigmented and i love the packaging. It retails for £16.00 and is available at feelunique.com

Right; Daniel Sandler Left; The Balm FratBoy

Next is the Daniel Sandler in Ice, again i am please i got this product over some of the other things they could have added in as it is also a product I've been wanting to try, its really well pigmented and has a great shimmer, it will be a welcome addition to my make up kit. It can be used either wet or dry depending on how much intensity you'd like. Another Daniel Sandler product I'd like to try is the Watercolour Blush. Daniel Sandler products are available here and the eye delight retails for £10.25

Next up is Diego Dalla Palma The Lipstick, this again is brand I've never come across. The lipstick is available in 20 high pigmented shades, my came in shade 32 a nice peachy/corally colour with a hint of shimmer. I'm not the biggest lipstick fan, but this sample is so cute i can't not try it! Full size lipsticks are available here and retail for £20.30. I've just noticed it has an almost cocoa butter scent, so think this lipstick could be really moisturising!

Shade 32

Andrea Fullerton is a brand i have heard of, as they stock it in SuperDrug. I've often looked at the range of products there seem to be some great nail effects/art items. So i was really pleased to see this turn up the colour i received is called Julia. Again I'm really pleased with the colour, i have a vast collection of nail polishes and this is one that isn't a common with in my collect (i may have a boujois one similar) I have an awful lot of greens and other bright colours, and i think everyone need a subdued neutral colour varnish in their collection. As i mention this Brand is available at Superdrug and the individual polishes retail at £4.99 (I ha vent swatched as my nails are already painted, sorrryyy!)

White Glo, I'm really pleased to see this product in here, i know its a 'beauty' box but it makes a really nice change to face cream samples and things. I also know that this toothpaste is available in boots and I'm pretty sure you get a toothbrush with the full size version ( or you did when my mum purchased it) I look forward to trying this to see what its like, sometimes i find whitening toothpastes have a funny taste, but we shall see.... White Glo is available at boots.com for £4.07

And last but not least our 'bonus' item Yardley London, this brand is always something I've associated with old people, my grans favourite is Yardley Lavender Talc. Very stereotypical i know, but its just one of those things, I'm not a massive fan of overly floral smelling things, i like the smell of rose stuff, but not a lot else. So i was pleasantly surprised with this, its really light and fresh and not like old lady floral. I remember a friend had peony's as her wedding flower, and then too they smelt beautiful. This also is available in boots and at boots.com for £13.49/125ml

So after going through each product individually i am generally pleased with the contents of this box, disputer my initial disappointment. I very much look forward to trying all the products and seeing how they work out.

Which Carmine box did you receive this month? I hope you enjoy all your products!

P.s i apoligise for my rant at the start!

Lots of Love

X