October Glossy Box Pop Art Edition

This is my last Glossybox now because I have been meaning to unsubscribe for ages, but they kept putting in little hints as to what would be in the next box and I couldn't stop! The Nuxe face mask is what sold me on this box, but now it's time to stop! The theme was Pop Art which again, really drew me to the box as its so fun and colourful. 

So Susan Mascara

I really didn't get on with this mascara. The wand's bristles were barely there, and it just didn't do anything for my lashes. I put it on once, and had to put my Lancome Grandiose on top because they didn't really look any different!

Rimmel BB Cream

For some reason, I had bad preconceptions about this product and I couldn't tell you why. I just thought it wouldn't be very good coverage and wouldn't feel very nice. I guess that is packaging for you! On the plus, I actually really liked this BB Cream. The consistency was more of a foundation though. It gave really good coverage and stayed put which is my only issue with some BB creams. It also had a very creamy consistency even though it has a SPF in which is good news for your skin in the future. It proved me very wrong as this is probably one of the best BB creams I've ever used!

Lip Exfoliator

I was really pleased to get this product in my box, as Autumn is the time of year I like to wear darker lipsticks which can really dry out and stain my lips. This lip exfoliator has an easy lip applicator which you squeeze on and rub between your lips. It quickly vanishes and tastes nice so it doesn't matter if you swallow it. (Not sure if your meant too but I did, oops). This is perfect and quick to pop on in the morning just before you apply your lipstick for the day, to provide a nice smooth base for it.

Yves Rocher Perfume

The Quelques Notes D'Amor is meant to be the fragrance of falling in love in a bottle. It is very sweet and has what seems to be a black current undertone which is pretty. It has Rose, Patchouli, guaiac wood, and simmers down to a very feminine scent.

Nuxe Face Mask

This Nuxe face mask is one that you leave on and wait to soak into the skin. I really like masks like this, as I slightly resent having to wash away a lot of product, especially when I have to go and wash mud out of my hair after some masks sometimes. This clear gel can be wiped of with a pad and some toning lotion. This is a soothing and moisturising mask, and I used this when I had some aggressive red spots on my chin. The smell was so fresh and clean and lovely, and you could definitely smell the calming and soothing ingredients getting to work. My skin felt really soft and like it has been really looked after from using this. I really liked it and have been using it regularly and will continue to do so in the up and coming cold damaging months. I really want to try more products from Nuxe so watch this space.

Ciate Nail Polishes

So it now comes to the awkward time I need to confess something. I actually got sent two Glossy Boxes this month which was great for me as Ciate is my favourite nail brand and I was lucky to get two different colours! I know its bad that I got box for free but I've been reviewing them for about 2 years now so I will take it as a personal 'Thank you' from them to me :)

Anyway, the two colours I recieved were 'Talent Scout' which is a cool deep purple which I used for Halloween and 'Skinny Jeans' a gorgeous flat toned blue colour which is my favourite.

Holiday Essentials 2014

So as you probably know by now, I just got back from a Summer holiday in Corfu, and I took along lots of cosmetics I haven't taken on holiday before, so I thought I would give you a little insight to my holiday routine!

(I realise now I write this, that photographing the products in the order of which they should be used would have been heaps easier but alas, we will have to make do!) 

Skin

When on holiday a lot of things tend to go slack, such as eating well, trying not to drink every day of the week, exercising less and not doing the usual makeup routine. One thing I do not let slack though, is my skin care routine. I do NOT want to look like a shrivelled raisin at the age of 30, so I took along all my usual skin care basics, just slightly more tailor made to the sun.

• Neal's Yard Facial Wipes - I don't usually use face wipes as they're packed with alcohol and dry the skin, but these Neal's Yard wipes are 100% natural and organic, and are made with rose water which is perfect for skin that's been in the sun. It is very soothing and sweeps away all traces of makeup, plus they're travel size friendly. Apologies for not having my own picture I threw away mine when it was finished!
• Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Correcting Serum - Usually at home I use the S.O.S hydrating serum from Caudalie, but the Vinoperfect serum adds radiance to the skin, as well as evening out skin tone and helping you tan more evenly. I applied this under my moisturiser every day.
• Caudalie Cleansing Milk - I used this little travel sized remover at the end of the day to remove all the grime from my face. I found it didn't remove my makeup very well with the Greek water (sounds ridiculous but it removes makeup fine at home!) but it was still nice to wash my face with, as it is lightweight and sweet smelling.
• Caudalie VinoSource Moisturising Sorbet - I love the name of this product! This was the moisturiser I used for the day on top of the serum, so my skin felt hydrated for the imminent drying affects of the sun. This is so lightweight so went on lovely under my sun cream.
• Caudalie Grape Water This fantastic little multi tasker is a great toner, skin soother, and general face cooler-downer. I had this next to me at night to spray over myself when the heat got to much.

Hair

I would never wash my hair everyday under usual circumstances, but on holiday it is a necessity! These are the products that kept my mane in tact.

• Aveda Smooth Infusions Conditioner - (This is exactly why I should have pictured the products in the right order!) This Aveda conditioner is a perfect little burst of moisture for the hair after a day of scorching it. This was a perfect travel sized and went on perfectly after my
• Aveda Sun Care Shampoo - I had never used a specific shampoo for sun and sea removal, but I am really glad I did. This made my hair feel normal again after a day of drying salt and chlorine. I would highly recommend a shampoo like this, especially if your a swimmer and need this kind of shampoo regularly.
• Number 4 Comb Prep and Prepare- This is the hair product I got in my Birchbox which I recieved the other day. I won't say all the same things again, but this was really good at detangling my hair before I used my Tangle Teezer on it, and it has UV protection in it which meant my hair was prepped for the next day of sun exposure.
• Aveda Smooth Infusion Perfectly Straight - I didn't use this product every night as I didn't want to waste it, but I have reviewed this product before which you can read here. This just took the edge off my naturally curly wavy hair so I could wear it down on some evenings without looking like a total nutter.

Makeup

Finally, my makeup routine is somewhat shortened, as it seems silly to cake on the foundation when its hot and sticky, and also not to take advantage of the sun tanning and clearing your complexion naturally anyway. I never wear makeup in the day on holiday, and I will only wear a minimal amount in the evening.

• Ren Satin Perfection BB Cream -  I used this as a moisturiser and face base in the evening. I used this as it still has an SPF 15 for when the sun is still out in the early evening. This cleverly adapts to your natural colour so will look right throughout the whole holiday, and is like a lightweight version of foundation.
• Eyeko Eyeliner Pen - I really love an eyeliner pen and will use this on its own in the evening for a easy to do makeup look. The pen means it easy to use and requires minimal effort.
• Clinique High Impact Mascara - This travel size is perfect for the makeup bag and lengthens and coats each lash making them natural but not too much.
• Cream Eyeshadows - If I really want to make a special effort, I will use some cream eyeshadows to make more of a statement with my eyes. The balmy consistency means they're easy to go on and don't take up much room in your luggage with brushes etc. Here, I used my 'Wild About Beauty' colour from my birch box as a base, and then added my 'Maybelline Colour Tattoo' on top for a pop of shimmer.

What are your Summer Holiday essentials?

Glastonbury Essentials

Apologies for being quiet the last few days! The truth is, I was lucky enough to go to Glastonbury festival, and as much as I love my blog, I needed a few days escape! Anyway I'm back now so I thought a good post would to be to share my festival essentials with you! They are probably products you have all used before as they're mostly high street brands, that don't cost too much but here is what I took with me.

1. Batiste Dry Shampoo- This product is a life saver for boys and girls travelling to places with minimal shower usage. My hair is quite thick so I only used it once, but for people who suffer with thin hair or hair that gets greasy easily, its a great product to pack as it makes it look clean and adds a bit of volume I find too.

2. Ren Photoactive Sun Veil- Again, this is product that I didn't use as much as I should have and as a result I got a very burnt nose! However, this SPF 15 is a lightweight cream to put over moisturiser and under makeup, and is not as harsh on the skin on your face as normal sun screen.

3. Garnier BB Cream in Light- This is the first BB cream that I ever got and I love it. The smell is really summery, and the colour is perfect for my skin. When I go to a festival I am a au natural girl and cannot be bothered with makeup. In fact any opportunity I get to not wear makeup I won't. Therefore this is a great product to give you the glow of foundation but not the heavy feeling of it.

4. Ultrasun SPF 30 Sun Cream- This sun cream is amazing! It's only needs to be applied once a day and then its done its job. The sports formula which I have, tricks your body into thinking it is water due to its water like consistency, so your skin absorbs it for 12 hours before releasing it again. I used it on my body everyday and didn't burn at all even in the blazing sun all day. The smell when it first touches the skin is very alcoholic and a bit off putting but it is a natural product and once absorbed is is scentless. The only reason I didn't put it on my face was because of the smell, however maybe I should have!

5. Tangle Teezer- This hair brush is my hero, my thick matted rat tails were sorted pretty sharpish with this brush and with minimum pain. This brush is an essential for every girl and it is easy to slip into a handbag.

6. Simple Cleansing Wipes- These are a great alternative to a cleanser if your going away and need somthing travel sized. 'Simple' is a brand that aims to look after sensitive skin and use minimal chemicals, so these wipes are a great way to remove makeup and cleanse skin without damaging the skin to much. With my sunburnt nose these were a lifesaver as they're cooling as well.

Ren BB Cream

The new Ren BB cream launches TOMORROW and I would strongly advise people go out there and get it! For £26.00, it's not the cheapest BB cream on the market, but Ren is a all natural brand that contains no parabens or nasty ingredients that can cause trouble, plus it is a very large size so it will last a while!

So what IS a BB cream? I get asked this question a lot at work so I will explain to you too. BB Cream stands for Beauty Balm, which aims to mattify, protect, moisturise, even skin tone, and add radiance. It basically does what a foundation does, but feels as lightweight as a moisturiser.

So what makes the Ren BB cream different to other BB creams? Well, the Ren cream is silicone free so will not block pores therefore having an anti-oxidant effect. It also firms and tones the skin whilst on your face creating an anti-aging effect. The cream contains an SPF 15 and leaves the skin feeling satin soft. With some other BB creams I have tried it has left a slight tacky feeling whereas this one feels flawless. This cream also has clever skin colour adaptive technology which sounds like rubbish, but myself and some of my friends from work all tried it, and it matched up to everyones skin tone. At the moment it is only light to medium so obviously on very dark skin it may not work as well, but I don't know whether that is somthing Ren will work on.

Pictured below are my hands, the left hand with nothing on and the right hand with the BB cream on. The cream evens out any blotchy patches of skin, whilst giving it a healthy hint of colour.

I also used the flash to show its mattifying effect.

I think the cream is a definite must have for the summer if you want all the benefits from wearing foundation, but none of the heaviness. It feels so nice on the skin and feels really moisturing. I think this would be £26.00 well spent.