I am aware that it is already the 7th of October as I write this however I still wanted to get this post up, it has however just taken me slightly longer to try out all the bits and bobs included in this months box. So although I'm pretty sure my next box is on the way to me already, I thought that now would be as good as time as any to review what I got in my September box.
This month it was a collaboration between Red magazine and Glossybox which meant that of course, the box also had to be red. These are something that I keep as I find them handy for storing things in as they keep everything together, are nice and strong and also pleasing to look at so i'm quite happy with this. Again everything came really well wrapped up, nothing broken or damaged and it also arrived really quick after I got the confirmation email.
Hydro Face Mask
Unless you have been living under a rock then you would have see that sheet masks are becoming a big thing lately, everyone from bloggers to magazines have been raving about them however they have been around for a while, and have always been quite popular in places like Korea especially. I was really excited to get the opportunity to try one out. This mask is aimed at people with dry skin as it offers 120 hours of hydration and although I don't particularly have dry skin, I couldn't turn this down! The mask is quite simple to use, you peel off the protective film and apply the mask to your face, this mask comes in two parts, making it easier to put on (and stay on). Although the mask didn't fall off at all, I did find that it would slip down over my top lip which was annoying and also strangely itchy but nothing too major. After you've left the mask on for 15 minutes or so, you're good to remove and then rub any of the leftover product into your skin. I applied this mask after a bath and cleanse. I think that it did make quite a different when I first took it off, my skin was really noticeably soft however I don't think I would be able to say whether I felt this lasted for 120 hours or not. I think that this was a very weird but good experience however with masks I tend to go for are purifying or brightening ones rather then moisturising.
Rodial Smokey Eye Pen
I am a big fan of having heavy eye make-up on, I love a wing for everyday and it is just me now because it is my go to look. However I have always chosen to use liquid products as I find them easier to use and work with. My first impressions of this pencil was that it felt very expensive and also like a mix between pencil and liquid as it is very soft, this would make it perfect for smokey looks (hence the name). Because I can't use this for doing a wing eyeliner look, I have found that recently I have been enjoying using a bit of both, pencil and liquid liner. So for instance I'll either apply this first and get it close to my natural eye-line, almost tight line with it before smoothing it out with liquid and adding a wing or I'll put my eyeliner on first, and they apply this over the top, again almost tight-lining. I have found that it really works well either way and gives me a perfect black line, more so then if I just use liquid.
I really cannot fault this at all, I find it gives a perfect finish whatever look you're going for (neat or smudged) and stays put all day. What more could you want.
GOSH Long lasting lip marker
Lipstick is something that I cannot get to suit me and this is something which I have had to come to terms with. If its a light pink (natural looking) or nude, this tends to work but anything too dark (red for example) I hate, doesn't suit me and (to me anyway) tends to make my face look fat. Although I would love to be someone with a massive lipstick collection and could wear a different colour every day of the week, this is never going to happen so I tend to spend my money on eye make-up, foundations or bases rather than lip products.
When I received this, I did give it a good try however lip stains are something which I have experimented with in the past, I hate having dry lips and I think this is something which is unavoidable if you wear a lip marker. Although it seemed to go on well and was a nice colour (just not on me), lipsticks, markers and stains are just something that I doubt I'll ever be able to get on with.
However they are something which my sister really likes so this will not go to waste, but will go to her instead.
Too Faced Better than sex Mascara
This mascara is AMAZING and by far one of my favourite things from this box. And I have to say, I am someone who doesn't like even spending £10 on mascara let alone £19 however I will definitely be repurchasing this in the future as I love it so much. It does everything, its black, lengthens, lifts and also holds in place, I don't find that it runs or rubs off easily either. When I wash it off, it makes quite a mess however this is something that I will be able to live with. I think the only thing that I would possibly change about this mascara is the name as it makes it quite embarrassing having to explain when someone asks..
Revlon Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat
I have mentioned in another post that I get my nails done so I don't paint them myself or own that many nail polishes, however I do paint my toenails every so often so this will be something that I can use on them. I tend to find that nail polish on my toes seems to last quite a long time anyway as toes are always hidden by socks etc. However long lasting polish is never a bad thing. I don't have too much of an impression of this yet but it seems to be a good, shiny top coat and after more use I think I would be able to have more of an opinion.
As well as the five products above, I was also given a free sample of one of the new Bodyshop face masks. I've seen these a lot over Instagram and they seem to have a lot to offer, there is five new masks I believe and two or three of them are also vegan, this one included. This is basically (to me) a mud mask, it smelt nice, there was a good amount in the sample and I also liked that there was bits in the mask, which make it easy to exfoliate with when washing it off. The only thing that I will say is that it was SO messy so I suggest having this on in the bath. It seemed to leave my skin a lot brighter after having it on and is basically everything that I look for in a mask while being natural and also vegan (did i mention that?) which is very important when it comes to cosmetics.
I really enjoyed this box, I felt that there was a good selection, a nice range of products (full size and everything) and things which I could try and perhaps give away. Thats what I like about this box and Glossybox in general. I liked the collaboration as well, this could be a good way for them to go in the future.
In the October box I'm hoping for more of the same, a good selection of products with a theme, preferably halloween and hopefully some haircare products as it has been mainly focused on make-up.
Post a Comment
I was one of the people lucky enough to manage to grab a sample of Pai Skincare when Kate was offering them on their collaboration. I haven't heard much about this brand before however after reading her post I was surprised that such a skincare staple as it seems to be could offer so much and only be around £20 (which is fairly cheap considering most skincare brands).
Some of the benefits of Rosehip oil are the improvements of:
Fine lines
Dullness
Blemishes
Marks (left by blemishes)
Dryness and rough patches
Sun damage and age spots
Stretch marks and scarring
This is a product that apparently conditions the skin and evens out skin tone and your complexion to leave your skin feeling and looking its best. You don't just have to use this product on your face either, but any area of skin in need of a little improvement.
When my sample arrived I was a little bit surprised by how small the amount given was, I know samples are meant to be small but this seemed seriously tiny AND it claimed it was a two week sample. However after using this product I have found that you really only need a small amount as it goes a long way, especially as you're meant to mix it with the dampness left on your skin after cleansing or a small amount of moisturiser.
Something that really stood out to me about this product is the small amount ingredients (only five), how natural and organic they are and also the fact that it's vegan. Something which was not the main focus of the product but is incredibly important when it comes to cosmetics.
I like how natural this product is and how it felt good for my skin when using it. I think the main thing is to make sure that you don't put this on dry skin, but make sure its slightly damp, this made the product work more effectively as it seemed to sink in better. I like to use this when I have time to treat my skin a little and do a slightly longer evening routine (exfoliate, mask etc). I have to admit that this isn't something that I have used every evening (with such a small sample its hard to) but I think you could definitely see the benefit from doing so.
Their website is lovely, neat and friendly to use, they offer free delivery and also free samples with their orders, so what's not to love? I will definitely be ordering from them in the future.
What's a recent skincare discovery of yours?
I wanted to share a few things which I have picked up recently that I've been really enjoying using/wearing. The first few bits are some items of clothing, these are recent Asos purchases. I have quite an unhealthy obsession with Asos, however all the orders which I have been putting through recently have just been going back as although I fall in love with the item online, when it gets to me, its just not right.
However (thankfully) these I have kept. Anyone close to me will tell you that I have been on the hunt for the perfect denim jacket for a while now, they go so well with everything but I always love denim for this time of year when it gets slightly colder. I used to own a very light blue one (also from Asos) that I worn to death before getting another (from marketplace) which was very cool and very oversized. I also wore this for a bit before deciding that I wasn't "cool" enough to wear it and in fact just looked like an utter twat.
The search eventually ended with this little discovery from monki, I was watching a try on haul on youtube which featured this jacket and I absolutely fell in love. I wanted a denim jacket which was a little be unusual and different to the tons out there and I think this fits the bill perfectly because of the black black which shows ever so slightly on the sides of the jacket. It is meant to be quite oversized so I got a small and it fits like a dream. The only downside is I have to be quite careful with what I wear with/underit as it attracts fluff like anything (something I discovered when I wore a scarf which is now definitely going back) however this is something which I can live with.
The very observant of you (well done) will also notice the bag which I have included, this is another new purchase (also from Asos) and is quite different for me as I ALWAYS like large bags (they make me look smaller and you can fit SO MUCH STUFF) and if I don't take a bag with me, I use my jeans pockets for my phone/cards/lipstuff. I think that this bag is the perfect in-between for what I want. It's big enough to fit all my essentials, I can wear it cross body and it looks really cute/goes with everything. I love the gold hoop detail, different texture AND it also has an inside pocket. This bag definitely has it all.
The third and final fashion purchase was the little black pair of sunglasses also (you guessed it) from Asos. I wanted to get some which were slightly cooler than my pair that actually help me to see, this style suits me quite well and they'll go with everything. It has not stopped raining since I picked these up which is just typical.
As well as the clothing, in the first image, the background is a new little rug which I picked up from UO as well as the pink floor cushion. These have made the area where I get dressed/put make-up on look so much more cosy and are some good additions to my room, I also had a 20% discount code so HAD to treat myself, ya know?
What purchases have you made recently?
Now that I'm back at uni, I thought that I would share a few unusual magazines which I find really help me when I'm looking for inspiration and don't want to look in the obvious places. All of these magazines I picked up in Whsmith, I've found that the one near me does a lot of fashion magazines and tends to stock a few of the unusual ones. This is something which does change store to store I believe but bigger stores should have more of a range and I think you can check online what they stock and perhaps order them to store.
Suitcase is one of the first more unusual magazines that I picked up. It's a mix of travel and fashion and just has the most beautiful images inside which will appeal to most people. I like magazines with good inspiration images but with good articles mixed in. With a lot of Fashion magazines, I find a lot of the pages can be filled with adverts, so generally I like to pick up "other" magazines which can be quite different with their content. With any type of magazine, I don't buy them each month, I don't pick up the same magazine each month and I don't care about issues or dates. I've gotten "out of date" magazines on gumtree before for free which have been more inspiration to me then that months Vogue for example.
I would recommend any of these three magazines pictured as they are slightly more unusual with their images and content, yet are still inspirational and refreshing. Not pictured but also highly recommended is "frankie" magazine which is from Australia but again, you can find in Whsmith. These are all magazines which you can flick through, keep on your coffee table or sit down and properly read. I find that they are also quite timeless so I can also pick them up months later and they are still "current" or relevant.
I would love some magazine recommendations as I'm always on the look out for unusual/inspiration magazines.
After my recent post about some of my closet clear out tips I thought that it was only right that I share a few tips to help you get the most out of ebay, selling all those unloved clothes! I have to admit that I hardly ever buy from ebay however I have got some timberland boots from there once which were a bargain. I mainly use ebay to sell clothes however these tips apply to whatever items you need to sell, be it a car, radio or a shed.
My first tip is that you should always put things up for auction on the weekend - mainly Sunday. I've been selling on ebay for probably around two years now and have always found that whatever I put up on a weekend has always done better at selling then other items. I think that this is because people don't tend to work on the weekends if they have a normal 9-5 job so this is the day that they can be around to snap up those deals.
Another thing that might seem quite obvious but is so helpful is to take lots of photos of what you're trying to sell, whether this is a car or a dress, there is nothing more annoying then there only being one or two photos to look at. When I buy things, I always appreciate lots of images to flick through as this shows off the item and gives you a good idea of what you're buying. So for example, as well as taking front and back images of a blouse, I will also take photos of any detailing such as buttons and of the label. It also helps to take photos of any damage which you might have mentioned in the description box as more often then not, I find that this doesn't put people off the item but gives them a much better idea of what they're buying and a realistic idea if they can cover/fix/live with.
My final tip would be to send it off as soon as you possibly can and also make sure that you package it well/uniquely. You don't want people having to message you to ask where there item it when you haven't actually sent it yet. I wait for the buyer to pay before I package it up and then as it is usually a Sunday, I send it the next day on the Monday.
I always try to make something about my packaging slightly unusual, recently I wrapped the items I sold in plastic and then wrapped them in newspaper because the plastic was slightly see-through, this was the only thing that I had on hand however the women at the post office liked this so much she actually showed her colleague. Little things like this can really change the impact that your parcel has.
What are your eBay tips?
I picked up this weekly list planner as I thought it was such a good idea. I like that you can do it week by week instead of monthly and that you can tear the page off and throw them away when the week is done. I'm hoping that this will help me with productivity when I start uni, with planning and deadlines etc. It also doubles up as a really cute mousemat which I'm quite pleased about.
What are your uni/office essentials?
This is (as the title suggests) an extremely small haul! As I mentioned in my home wishlist, the bank holiday for me was going to be spent in ikea however while we were out we also looked around various shops and went into Primark. A lot of the stuff which I have been wanting clothes wise recently has been online (good old Asos) however I decided to pick up a few bits as I hardly ever get the chance to shop in Primark.
The first thing that caught my eye was these two scarves, I know that its still quite hot outside and it's only the start of September however I just couldn't resist getting these! My love of all things Autumn got the better of me I think. I picked up the black one as I thought it was simple but nice and although I wear a lot of black already, I could always pair this with a bright hat or coat. The second is a lot more bright but still simple, I already have something quite similar to this however you can never have enough scarves/winter wear (thats what I keep telling myself anyway).
As well as these two bits, while browsing I also picked up two things from the beauty range, the first being this silicone make-up brush which I did see on Lily's blog and she said it would be the perfect tool to apply skincare masks with, I thought that this was such a good idea which I've since told my mum about and she agrees, much easier and hopefully less messy then using fingers.
The second thing that I purchased was this brush cleaner. Now normally when I clean my brushes I use my hands and swirl the brush around in my palm to clean it however this brush cleaner could be a good way to really get into the brush and clean them properly. I know this is only cheap and that real techniques also do a similar but bigger brush cleaner but I just wanted to try this out and see how I got on with it with the intention to perhaps purchase a different/bigger one in the future.
What have you been buying recently?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)