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.

Throwback Thursday: Halloween

I absolutely love to dress in fancy dress, particularly for Halloween. Unfortunately this year I had to work late and have not had the opportunity to go to any Halloween events! As Thursdays are usually an excuse to dig up a 'throwback' picture from the past, I thought I would show you some of my dress ups I have done before.

In all my pictures is my best friend and fellow dress up accomplice, Nicola. This first picture is a throwback from 2010. This was my second year at uni and Halloween was a guaranteed night out with a good dress up compulsory.

Nicola and I went as bats this year and do to this, we went to a fabric shop and picked up some black stretchy material and spent hours sewing it to black dresses. Mine was from American Apparel and had a low swooping back. The wings are still attached to the dress as I don't have the heart to remove them.

For my hair, I furiously back combed it and then clipped it to the back of my head (I was growing out a pixie crop at the time so couldn't do anything to dramatic) The eye makeup was smokey and the red noses were done with lipstick. The fangs were drawn with black eyeliner and filled in with face paint. The ears were bought from Claire's accessories.

 My next throwback is from the following year, 2011 my third and final year of University, where myself and Nicola decided to go out dressed as spiders. This was a simple outfit of a black top and leggings with just some tights stuffed with newspaper pinned to the waist band. The spiders web was just bought from a dress up or decoration shop.

The makeup this year was more natural, but we used liquid eyeliner to draw various spider webs on any flesh showing. Our eye makeup was smokey again, and I used a purple lipstick from Rimmel in the Kate Moss range in colour number 4.

I did these nails last year by just applying a black colour with matte over the top, and then heavily dripping red paint over the tips. It forever to dry but I think it looked really effective.

This year unfortunately I am without my best friend Nicola and without any events to go to this Halloween! As I had to go to work I couldn't do anything too dramatic, but I thought a smokey eye for the day would be acceptable. 

For this look, I used the Benefit Smokin' eyes kit. I have had this kit for years and years (hence the dirtiness) and probably used it for the other two looks as well. It is such a great kit to give you the perfect smokey eye and I swear by it! I also used my Maybelline gel liner for the flicks.

 The kit contains a pink highlighter, a smokey grey base colour, a dark black shadow for the drama, and the brushes needed to create the look. It also has a brown paste to colour eye brows, and also a pink paste for highlighting the inner eyes. The tweezers are also perfect! I love them so much, (should probably love them a bit more though as my eyebrows are pretty out of control in this post!) and they are perfect travel size.

Sorry this hasn't been a usual post, but thought I'd try something a bit different. 

Happy Halloween everyone!

Ombre Lips

Ombre has been the trend of 2012/2013, from hair to nails. A new trend I have noticed emerging, is ombre lips. The first time I saw this,was on the Illamasqua website when researching their duck egg polish I reviewed a while ago. The ombre lip is just as you'd think, dark on the outside, and lighter towards the middle of the lip. It's quite an unusual look so probably wouldn't be something you'd do everyday, but for a special occasion, I would definitely recommend trying it, plus its all good fun!

For this look, I used Rimmel '04' from the Kate Moss collection for the purple colour, and for the pink, 'Stormy Pink' by Revlon which is one of my favourite lip colours ever!

To start, line your lips, and put the darker colour round the edge of your lips. It doesn't have to be to neat.

Using a lip brush, sweep the colour into the middle of your lips.

Lastly, use your lighter colour, brush the colour into the middle of the lips and blend between the two colours.

For a less dramatic look, or a more daytime option, use lighter colours.

For this look, I used Mac's 'Chilli', and the Helen E 'Caribbean', which I recieved in a Glossy Box a while back.

For more information and a video tutorial, click here for the Illamasqua colour chooser and tutorial

http://www.illamasqua.com/shop/products/lips/two-toned-lip