BEAUTY | Glossybox August Review

I've finally opened my August GlossyBox. I know it's now September but I was on holiday for pretty much all of August and when I came home I had one of those annoying red cards from Royal Mail that meant I had to go down to the sorting office and collect my parcel.

This is only my second month of getting Glossybox but I'm enjoying them so much!

This month GlossyBox are celebrating their 3rd birthday so I was super excited to see what goodies they would be including in their box.  I had to avoid certain blogs and websites as I knew they would give away what was inside, and part of the fun for me is the surprise.

The box was a beautiful powdery pink colour and the product card was a handy foldable insert.

The products I received were

Kryolan Highlighter £12.50

Figs & Rouge Hand Cream £6.95

L'Amour Lalique Perfume Vial

Pep Cosmeceuticals SkinPep Super C15 Serum £13.99

Yves Rocher Nail Polish £3.60

Philip Kinglsey Elasticizer £12

I'm really looking forward to trying out this Kryolan highlighter.  It's not a product I've heard of before but when I looked in to them they seem to be well known for their professional make-up line.  This was specially made for GlossyBox and was imprinted with their logo and came in the shade Cashmere.

It is a versatile, lightweight cream with a gloss finish which gives cheekbones, lips, and other parts of the skin a beautiful velvety shine.

The colour looks really natural.  I tried it on my cheekbones and cupid's bow and it really does give that natural looking glow. The shade is really diverse making it suitable for all complexions.

I love a good hand cream so I was delighted with the inclusion of this Figs & Rouge hand cream which I haven't tried before.  I received the Rose Berry scent.  I love the packaging.  When I tried it, it seemed really rich and thick coming out of the tube but it sinks in to the skin almost instantly.  It's not greasy at all and is enriched with shea butter, natural antioxidants and algea extract. I wasn't overally keen on the scent as rose is not really my thing, but after looking at the website  I definitely think I might order the Mango and Mandarian version.

I love trying out new scents and am always on the hunt for different scents to add to my collection.  I suppose I didn't really luck out this box as this scent definitely has a rose undertone.  Rose just isn't my thing but the perfume is a beautiful fragrance with fresh bergamot and a musk undertone.  It's a delicate fragrance so makes it a perfect daytime scent (if you like rose!)

This SkinPep Super C15 Serum looks really interesting.  I've briefly used it for a few days now and I have to say I'm really enjoying it.  I apply a few drops morning and night under my moisturiser.  It claims to offer UV protection and collagen stimulation.  I haven't been using it long enough to notice any real benefits but I'll be sure to update you soon.



This is a teeny, tiny nail polish at just 3ml and it's GlossyBox's birthday bonus item this month.  It's a pretty pink colour and being a fan of all things pink I'm happy to add this polish to my collection.

There’s a guaranteed Elasticizer in every GlossyBox this month and a product which I’ve been keen to try for quite a while due to the many reviews I've read.

This pre-shampoo treatment was originally created specifically for the beauty Audrey Hepburn and claims to deliver elasticity, manageability, bounce and shine without weighing down or coating the hair.

I’ve not had chance to try this out yet but I'm really looking forward to.  My only issue with it is that hair needs to be wet before applying then leave on for 20 minutes. I think I'll have to do it on a lazy Sunday morning when I can take my time.

Overall, I'm really happy with this months box.  Ok, so I received a few rose smelling items but hey, that's ok. I love that I've received products and brands I've never heard of.

Do you subscribe to GlossyBox? 

What did you get in your box?

Thinking of signing up? 

Click GlossyBox to learn more about them.  Subscriptions are available as 3, 6 or 12 month plans.

                                   

                                           

BEAUTY | Montagne Jeunesse | Banana Foot Treatment

Before I go on my summer holidays I like to make sure my feet are in tip top condition for being shown off in strappy, summer sandals. I've tried a few of the Montagne Jeunesse face masks but I'd never seen this 2 part Montagne Jeunesse Cool Banana Buffer and Hot Banana Butter before. I found it in Home Bargains (a bargain store in the UK) and they were 3 for £2. A real bargain! So, I piled my basket full of different ones to try.

I was excited to try this foot treatment.  It's in two parts.  You first use the Cool Banana Buffer to exfoliate, then the Hot Banana Butter to moisturize.

Before using the Cool Banana Buffer I placed the Hot Banana Butter in a small bowl of hot water to heat up as per the instructions. The buffer has exfoliating apricot grains.  It smells divine. 

As you can see, I had a little helper in my 2 year old niece who wanted to join in the fun so my sachet was shared between one and a half pairs of feet and there was more than enough to go round.

I tried to take photos of the buffer and the cream but with a very boisterous and enthusiastic 2 year old in tow it just wasn't happening I'm afraid. 

After exfoliating for a few minutes with the banana buffer I rinsed it off and dried my feet. I then applied the hot banana butter.  It smelled delicious and almost good enough to eat.  I love the fruity smell of bananas so this was an ideal product for me.  There was an awful lot of moisturizer in the sachet.  At first it was an odd sensation for me rubbing warm cream on my feet but I soon got used to it and absolutely loved it.  It has the calming effects of aloe vera and shea butter. It didn't feel in any way greasy and was absorbed into my skin quickly. 

It's been a few days since I used this pack and my feet are definitely smoother and that horrible dry skin around my heel has pretty much vanished.  I'm amazed at how well this product has worked and I'll definitely be purchasing it again.  I would really recommend it to anyone whether you have particularly dry feet or not.

Have you tried Montagne Jeunesse?

What's your favourite mask?

Glossybox | July 2014 | Stars And Stripes

Hola Sparkly1s

Is there any better feeling than knowing you have a fabulous parcel on the way and then the doorbell goes? I almost do a little squeal of excitement.  I have a lot of parcels delivered and pretty much class all the various delivery drivers as my friends.

I decided about a week ago I wanted to add to all the parcels I receive and subscribe to GlossyBox. If you don't know, GlossyBox is a monthly subscription beauty box that's delivered to your door each month with various make-up and beauty products. My first parcel arrived today! I almost grabbed it off the postman as he fumbled around with his letters and his little techy machine thing.

I eagerly opened up my parcel to be greeted by an adorable little stars and stripes box filled with 5 beauty products.

 

The products I received are:

Bellapierre Mineral Lipstick in Ruby £20

Absolute Perfecting Eyeshadow Primer $4.99

Color Club Glossy Seal Nail Polish $8

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara £19.50

Carmex Lip Balm £2.69

 

Carmex is a product I used to use all the time. Now I'm talking years ago, like when I was 14 or something. You couldn't get it in the UK back then and I'm not sure who, but someone used to bring them back for me when they went on holiday. I'm not sure why I stopped using it but I'm pleased to have received this product and it's gone straight into my handbag.  It's fantastic for soothing dry and chapped lips and with menthol, camphor and beeswax lips are protected all year round.

 

 

This is a full size Bellapierre Cosmetics Mineral Lipstick, which is a cult American favourite. It is formulated with natural waxes and has vitamin C and E in it. I got the shade 'Ruby' which I initially wasn't very pleased about as I don't tend to wear red lipsticks. But after testing it out I changed my mind. I'm trying to vary my make-up at the moment as I'm in a complete rut so this is the ideal opportunity. 

The swatch is a deep red with orangey undertones. It has a really creamy, soft texture and is extremely pigmented. I'm really quite pleased with this one and am looking forward to wearing it.

 

Again, this nail varnish was one I was initially slightly disappointed with but it has grown on me.  It is a full size Color Club in the shade Glossy Seal which has been especially formulated for the July Glossybox. After looking into this brand online I discovered they are made with non-toxic, cruelty free ingredients, which is a big plus point for me. 

I tried this one on my toes as I'd just painted my hands and I was quite pleased with the colour. It's something very different from what I have in my collection so I'm pleased to add it in.

 

This is another full size product - the Absolute New York Perfecting Eyeshadow Primer. I have a confession to make. I have never used an eyeshadow primer in my life so I'm really looking forward to trying this one out

 

 

This Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara is something I've been wanting to try for a while now  so I was thrilled when I spotted this little baby. Apparently it has lengthening, curling, volumising and conditioning properties - and who doesn't want that in a mascara?

 

 

Do you subscribe to GlossyBox? What did you get in yours?  If you don't subscribe does this lot make you want to?

 

 

Benefit They're Real Push-Up Liner Review

I'm not a massive wearer of eyeliner but I went to Boots the other day as I had decided I wanted a liner.  I'd chosen a Maybelline one and as I was walking to the till I stopped to browse the Benefit counter.  If you know me, you'll know I'm more of a bargain make-up girl than high end stuff but I always enjoy looking at the more expensive stuff.

As I was looking at the Benefit counter a lovely make up / sales lady named Tasha came up and asked if I needed any help.  Now, I'm normally the type of person who would say 'no, no, I'm just browsing, thanks,' but this time I didn't, I found myself replying 'well I'm just looking at getting an eyeliner.' That was all she needed, 'hop up on the chair,' she said and I was instantly at her mercy.  I'd heard about the They're Real Push-Up Liner through blogs and other beauty websites so when she started explaining about it I was instantly impressed.

At £18.50 it's certainly not cheap.  So, is it worth the hype? And the cost? I bought it and been testing it out the last few days and I'm pleased to say, in my opinion, absolutely yes.

If you're not familiar with the product it has been billed as a game-changer that's been 5 years in development.  The first ever lash hugging gel liner in a pen.  It has an Accuflex tip which they claim is soft which an angled tip to draw an easy line, pushes lashes aside so it can get right in close to the lashline and has a wide base for a stable application.

I picked up some little tips from Tasha on the Benefit counter that I think might help you to get great results:

1. Rest your arm or elbow on a table for support to give you more control.
2. Glide the Benefit They're Real Push-Up Liner on the back of your hand before you start to get the gel coming out.
3. You will probably need two clicks.
4. Be quick. As it's a gel it dries really quickly so this could lead to flaking (which is not a good eyeliner look) if you have to go over an area more than once.
5. Go right to the base of your lashes.

Like I said, I'm no eyeliner expert and I did have to practise quite a lot with this before getting it right but I love the look of it.  Some tips that I discovered whilst using it are:

1. Don't go over already applied eyeliner. Oh my goodness how I wish I had taken a photo of the first time I tried to apply this myself! It was flaky. It was lumpy. It was just everything wrong with eyeliner.
2. Remember that this is a gel liner. It's drier than a liquid liner.
3. Have some bloody good make up remover! Once this stuff is on it ain't coming off without a fight. I am yet to find a makeup remover that is good at removing this so if you know one please share it in the comments.
4. A little tip that I picked up from a friend is to keep the little orange plug that comes in the end so you can replace after each use.  It can dry out really quickly so make sure the pen lid is tightly put back on each time.
5. Practise, practise, practise.

Have you tried the liner? I'd love to hear your opinions on it.

Boots Haul

Hola Sparkly1s

I hope you're having a wonderful day.  My day is dragging and I just want the summer holidays to be here.  I've started my summer countdown, much later than usual to be honest, but we are now 16 working days away from finishing work for the glorious, long summer holidays.

With that in mind I thought I'd best start getting my skin, hair, feet and nails ready for the warm weather. So I tootled off to Boots and bought myself a few little bits to get started on being holiday ready.

 I've never done a haul before so thought I'd share with you everything I bought.

Gillette Venus Oceana Disposable Razor x3 Currently SAVE £) £4.33

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Tropical (Currently SAVE £1) £1.99 

Boots Body Polishing Sponge £1.99

Soap & Glory Mini Scrub Em And Leave Em Body Buff (Currently 3 for 2) £2.50

Hoof Foot Mask Mini (Currently 3 for 2) £2.99

Hoof Foot Polish (Currently 3 for 2) £2.99

Montagne Jeunesse Deep Cleansing Passion Peel Off Mask (Currently 3 for 2) £1

Montagne Jeunesse Creamy Coconut Water Shea Butter (Currently 3 for 2) £1

Montagne Jeunesse Mud Pac Dead Sea (Currently 3 for 2) £1

Essie Nail Polish in Splash of Grenadine £7.99

Essie Nails Base Coat Grow Stronger £8.99 

In the short time I've used these Essie nail products I have completely fallen in love with them.  I just adore this colour. If you follow me on Instagram you'll have seen me sporting this colour on more than a few occasions recently.

I've never used these Hoof foot products before but they were in trial size versions so I thought I'd give them a go in an attempt to get my feet flip flop and sandal worthy

Over the next few weeks of using these products ill probably give them a little review on here.  I'm really looking forward to trying the face masks and my feet really do need some attention.

Have you used any of these products? What do you think of them?

Do you change your skincare routine in the run up to summer or a holiday? What do you do? I'd love to hear about any good summer products.

Zoella Inspired Milkmaid Braid

Hola Sparkly1s

A few months ago I read Zoella's milkmaid braid post.  I thought it looked like a really fun, easy way to do your hair.  Then, last month she posted her 'how to' video on YouTube.  I'm not someone who spends a lot of time on my hair and it's something I want to change.  Generally, I just leave it hanging or 'whack' it up in a pony but I thought I'd give this one a go.  

 

 I'd washed my hair in the morning and left it to dry naturally.  In Zoe's she backcombs and uses dry shampoo but all I used was blonde hair grips and mini clear elastics.

 

 

I was surprised at how easy it was for me to do.  For someone who's literally hopeless at doing her own hair I think it turned out pretty good.  My hair isn't quite as long as Zoes so my braids stopped about an inch above my ears. But that was ok as I just pinned them underneath the other braid. 

I got so many positive comments when I went out.  Everyone I know is used to seeing me with my hair left down I think it was a big shock for them.  It's definitely a style I'm going to wear again.

Nail Polish Obsession

Hola Sparkly1s

 

*Holds hand up. My names Sara and I have a nail polish addiction.  I dont think thats such an odd thing.  I think alot of girls have alot of nail polishes (you do right?)  I'm a little obsessed with looking at pretty painted nails.    When I started Pinterest the first board I started was a Pretty Nails board.

 

 

The crazy thing about my nail polish obsession is that I'm not someone who paints my nails all the time. I don't know why I buy them.  When I see my collection I feel guilty and decide I must start painting my nails but I just don't.  I don't have the time.  Or should I say, I don't make the time.

 

 

 

 

What is it about nail polish that makes me buy them?  Why do I buy something I know I'm probably not gonna get any use out of?  

 

And with those thoughts, I'm off to paint my nails... (maybe)

 

Hasta Luego Sparkly1s

Gemzicle Sprinkles

xoxo

Weekday Morning Hygiene Routine

A few weeks ago I shared with you my everyday make-up routine so I figured I'd share the beauty products I use on a daily basis.

I shower & wash my hair every morning, which, to be honest with you is a pain in the butt!! It's a routine I got into when I was around 16 as I couldn't style my hair unless I'd washed it first & now I feel really dirty all day if I don't wash my hair.  The products I use in the shower for my hair are Alberto Balsam Shampoo & Conditioner.  I really love them! They're super cheap - £1 each but I find them much better than most of the expensive hair products I've used.  The smells are AMAZING. The one I'm currently using is Anti-Oxidant Pomegranate for all hair types.  As soon as I open the bottle the aroma just fills the room & the bathroom smells wonderful afterwards.

After my shower I moisturise my face & body.  I'm not someone who is particular fussy about the creams I use & I'm starting to think that I should be! I also don't use an eye cream which I kinda think I should - what eye creams do you use?  I've been looking at Kiehls Avocado Eye Treatment lately as a few of the YouTubers & Bloggers I'm into use it & really recommend it.  Have you used it? Is it good?

At the moment I'm using Olay Classic Care Double Action Moisturiser Day Cream on my face & I really like it.  It's cheap & cheerful & leaves my skin feeling really moisturised & it isn't sticky at all.  The only negative I would say about it is I do feel I need rather a large amount of it. 

I'm also using Bio-Oil on my face at the moment as I've a scar/blemish around my left eye that I'm trying to minimise.  To be honest, I haven't noticed any difference & I've been using it for over a month now.  I do know a lot of people who rave about it though so I'll keep persevering.

On my legs & arms I'm using Sanctuary Body Lotion which I love.  This particular one was part of a gift set I got at Christmas which got lost at the bottom of my wardrobe somehow??  I love the smell of this stuff & I find it really helps with my dry elbows.

 

What products do you use everyday? Are you a drugstore girlie or a high end lady?  I love my bargain beauty goodies :)

 

Hasta Luego Sparkly1s

Gemmy Sprinkles

xoxo