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

Lush; Magic Mushroom

Yes another Lush review (there's only one more to write i promise) I had a bit of a spree in lush, but forgot to do a haul before i started using them all! This product i actually received in a swap over at the lovely Beauty Box Swaps.

This particular bubble bar was a limited edition for valentines day, i think its SO cute, and that they should keep it for the whole Easter/mothers day period! 

Its a little bit smaller than some of the other bubble bars available, but this doesn't make it any less bubbly or yummy. The red part of the mushroom has a vanilla scent where, the white stalk is scented with strawberry, creating a gorgeous strawberries & cream kind of scent when its all mixed in the bath together.

I tried to use about half of the bar, but because of the shape it was difficult to get it even, so i ended up using WAY over half! It foamed up really nicely, and even turned the water an alarming red colour! (when i showed my boyfriend that photo, he said it looked like I'd bled out in the bath!) Luckily it didn't stain my mums white tub!

Unlike some of the other bars the scent doesn't really stay on the skin as much, its very very faint.

I do love this product, as its quite quirky and smell is yummy! I'd definitely buy this as a present for a friend.

Did you try any of the Valentines Limited Edition Products?

Lots of Love

X

Lush; Ceridwen's Cauldron

I'll start with an apology, i completely forgot to take ANY photos of this product! I've 'borrowed' the image from the lush website so you can see what it looks like!

Now, Ceridwen's Cauldron isn't something I'd normally buy in Lush. Simply because i don't think it'd catch my eye enough. I received this in a Secret Valentines (organised on Beauty Box Swaps) and I'm so pleased i did. Its a really lovely luxurious product.

So this is the bath melt, you just drop the whole thing in the bath as it is, and the solid part melts reeeaallyyy slowly, releasing loads of gorgeous smelling oils into your bath. It doesn't create bubbles or anything, just sits in the bath happily melting away.

Ceridwen's Cauldron contains Cocoa Butter & Walnut Oil which leaves your skin nourished and ever so soft. It also contains, Tangerine oil, lavender oil, Sandalwood oil & frankincense giving it a really herbally spa like smell. 

The bag not only contains the yummy things included above but also, dried flowers and and oats, including elderflowers, daisy flowers and cowslips. While the product is melting away you can use it as a wash bag and rub, it over your skin, the cloth creates a gentle exfoliation, and the ingredients leave your skin soft and smelling divine.

I would highly recommend this product and I'm so glad who ever my secret valentine was got it for me, as i would have completely over looked this product!

It is available at Lush! for £3.99

Have you tried Ceridwen's Cauldron? What were your thoughts?

Lots of Love

X

Lush; Creamy Candy

This was my first experience with a Lush Bubble Bar. I chose Creamy Candy for the deliciuosly mouthwateringly sweet smell! Its honestly like bathing in candy floss (just less sticky!) I can't see on the website exactly what the scents are, but trust me, its Vanillary, Fluffy, Candy goodness!

The Flower Is A Cute Touch!

This is the bubble bar, in all its bubbly bar glory. Its incredibly simple to use, you just crumble your desired amount (i used roughly half a bar) under the running taps, and that is it! The force from the running taps swirls it around and creates lots and lots of bubbles!

This was as soon as i crumbled it in, already starting to bubble!

This is just a close up to show you, the big chunks do eventually dissolve. The Creamy Candy bar also has a little surprise within it, It has chunks of solid bath oil hidden within it. So not only does it give you the bubbliest bath, its gives you the softest skin as well!

This was the scene, when my bath was ready to climb into, just half a bar created that many bubbles! and they lasted for the whole bath!

I honestly cant recommend this product enough! if you have a sweet tooth (not that i recommend eating it) or just love sweet candy smells, this product is definitely for you! It left my skin beautifully soft, and the smell of the bar lingers on your skin, afterwards i put my fluffiest, cosiest pyjamas on it was heaven.

You can purchase this lovely product from Lush for the purse pleasing price of £2.45. (I reckon, if you don't go mad like i did you could probably get at least 3, maybe even 4! baths out of this, 4 if you really skrimped.)

I think this could be my new favourite lush product! 

Whats your favourite Lush! product?

Lots of love

X

NOTD

Today's Nails I have used No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in 'Sing The Blues'

Sometimes i find No7 polishes can be a bit thin, this one wasn't an exception but it still only took 2 coats to get a nice coverage, so can't complain. The retail at around £7 i think in boots, at the moment as far as I'm aware they are running their 'Spend £5 in store and get a £5 No7 voucher' which makes these beauties just £2! Steal! They also have a great range of colours to!

I painted my toe nails aswell, as i feel so summery at the moment (apart from having a cold) but the weathers been beautiful and i dug out my flip flops, my toe nails got a lovely coat of Orly in Green With Envy. I shan't be putting a picture up, no one wants to see feet! Blurrghh!

Have you changed your nail colour recently? 

Lots of Love

X

I Won!

Two Posts In One, as recently i won not one but TWO competitions!

The First Competition I won was on the Kleenex Washlets Facebook Page, each day you can answer some questions and be entered into a prize draw for what ever the prize is that day (there have been some really great ones) The other week i got an email to say I'd won a packet of Kleenex Face Wipes, I wasn't aware these even existed but after some googling, it seems they have extend their range from regular tissues, to make up wipes and those oil absorbing sheets.

I really like the look of these wipes, the packaging is so simple but cute and girly. I very much look forward to using them, Thank You kleenex!

The next competition i won was a blog giveaway, over at the lovely The Chap Blog. Now i know this is a blog for men, but I'm interested in what products are available for men, and also, having 2 brothers and a boyfriend its always helpful to get ideas for presents! 

So The Chap Blog had a giveaway for a Menareuseless Beauty box, this similar to the Glossy Box for men is a quarterly beauty box, full of manly products in handy travel sizes. I was actually really excited about this myself, i had planned on keeping it and giving to Samuel so he could open it, but seeing as though he's gone off to NZ for 7 weeks, i really couldn't wait that long so i opened it myself (and ate the sweets) It had a great mix of products in it, shower gel, face wash, & shaving stuff and they all smelt reaaalllyy good. Once Samuel returns and has used the products I'll get him to do a little review, that i can put up here. I'm also trying to convince him to sub to menareuseless, they do a range of boxes tailored to what you want, its well worth a look. I think they are great! AND the guys at menareuseless put in a little hand written postcard to say well done for winning. Perfect Touch!

That's actually how the products turned up, i didn't have to move them, they were so well packed!

Have you won any competitions lately?

Lots of Love

X

She Said Beauty Box; March

I have a list of about 10 posts to write, but i thought I'd start with this one, as it came this morning and I'm VERY excited about it.

The First EVER She Said Beauty Box, Finally Here! I feel like I've known about this for SO long and now its here.

I'm not going to lie this morning when i saw people were starting to receive them, i did read a few spoilers, and read everyones reaction on the She Said facebook page. A LOT of mixed reviews some people were really please, some people fairly disappointed with the standard of products. I was in 2 minds about the products after reading other peoples thoughts, but i stayed hopeful, and I'm SO glad i did!

I LOVE the colour of the box!

This is the box which i LOVE LOVE LOVE, this is one of my favourite colours, and the little pattern on it is THE cutest!

This seems to be beauty box standard, tissue paper stuck with a sticker tied with ribbon, I'm not complaining though, as i do love it. Another thing i love about the box is the lid, it has a little magnetic fastening, and is attached to the box! Very Handy!

On to the contents!!.....

EXCITEMENT!

As soon as i pulled back the tissue paper i knew this was a good box. I love everything!

I received;

- Orly Mini Polish

- Collection 2000 Cream Puff

- Comfort Zone Good Night Kit

- Premae Harmony Face Balm

- Aveda Smooth Infusion Trio

- Jing Flowering Dragon Eye Tea

Orly; 'Acient Jade' Collection 2000 Cream Puff;'Cotton Candy' 

I'll start with my favourite product;

Orly Manicure Miniatures, I confessed my love for Orly in my January GlossyBox post. Where we got a mini Orly in 'Ruby' In she She Said box i got 'Acient Jade' I am insanely pleased about this as the other option was black! The 'Acient Jade' is like a pistachio/pastel green colour, so it right on trend and also green is my favourite colour! I can't do a swatch unfortunately as i just painted my nails this morning before i opened my box. In the box we got a 5.3ml bottle, you can buy a full size miniature (5.4ml) for £5 and they are available here.

Next is my other favourite product. When i read the spoilers i was a bit disappointed, i was like 'Why put collection 2000 in a beauty box?!' BUT why not put it in a beauty box? I don't know about many other people, but i often over look Collection 2000, thinking its a brand for young girls. But then when i use a product of theirs i actually really love it. I do already own a Collection 2000 Cream Puff in 'Angel Delight' I've had this since about October last year! I love The texture, the smell, the colours just everything about it. I'm really funny about lipsticks and things, I've always hated the feel of it on my lips but I'm getting a lot better. I still cant stand overly sticky lipglosses. But i love these, they feel so smooth and silky on your lips. These retail for £2.99 for 5ml and are available in most high street stores that stock collection 2000

Left; 'Cotton Candy' Right; 'Angel Delight'

Next up SkinCare Products...

Comfort Zone Good Night Kit; This consists of a Recover Cream & a Recover Complex. The Card Reads; 'Give your skin a good night with Comfort Zone Renight Recover Cream, the latest antioxidant with vitamin infusions for the skin.' It doesn't really come with alot of information, on the box it just says after cleansing apply the cream and/or the complex. It doesn't say in which order or anything, so i may need to research into this a bit more. I got a 4ml sample of the complex and a 6ml sample of the cream. A full size version costs £52.95/50mls.

The car that came with it, just tells you about other products available from this brand.

Premae Harmony Face Balm; From what I've read people either got this or some eyelashes. Very pleased i got this as i don't often use eyelashes, and i LOVE trying new products. 'Premae Harmony Balm contains silky Indian Mango Butter, which moisturises the skin without over-greasing it.' I guess you can use this product anywhere on the body (though it does say face). I cant see anywhere how big the sample we got is, but its the size of the Lush Lip Tint tins, so perfect handbag sized. The product smells really fresh and fruity. A full size (50ml) pot of this cost £17.50 and is available here.

Aveda Smooth Infusion Trio; 'This amazing 3-piece pack contains shampoo, conditioner & a style-prep smoother to ensure you get that salon feel - at home.' Having curly hair, its very prone to frizz so anything that claims to tame it is very welcome! These have that natural, hearbally spa like smell, they smell like luxury. (you know what i mean) Each sample is 10ml. As my hair is very long I'm not sure how many washes these will last, probably 2 if I'm lucky! But i look forward to seeing how they work. The full sizes are; Shampoo £15.50/250ml Conditioner; £17.50/200ml Style-Prep Smoother £18.50/100ml and are all available here.

The final product is a 'Bonus' product and this is Jing Flowering Dragon Eye Tea 'A light fragrant green tea wrapped around a pot marigold base, an arch of pure jasmine blossoms and a globe amaranth flower which blossoms above when infused.' I'm not much of a tea drinker (I prefer coffee) but I'm SO excited to see how this works! I'm probably going to save it for when i go home so me and my mum can marvel at it together. But I'm very intrigued! Our sample was just the one 'bud' 6.5g But for £9.00 you can get a whole 50gm of this product which is available here.

So, i am completely pleased with this box and i think its a great start! It has the perfect balance of products and I'm pretty sure there is something for everyone. I'm excited to use everything, and shall let you know how i get one.

Did you sub to the first every She Said beauty box? What were your thoughts on the products? I'd love to hear from you.

Lots of Love

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