September 2013 Empties

                                                            September 2013 Empties.
                                                                 

 It soon rolls around to the end of the month. Here are all the products I have used up this month. I am afraid it does focus rather heavily on skin and haircare. Makeup seems to take so much longer to use up. Maybe I just have more makeup products on the go.

 

Both of these products I have done posts on recently so I wont repeat myself too much.

Botanics Cleansing Foam Wash is a product which had a much appreciated brightening effect on my skin. Good value for money, I would certainly buy this again.

 

Monu Instant radiance Micro Exfolliant is a sample from Glossy box and again I liked this a lot. I liked the fine texture of the exfoliant and it definitely improved the overall appearnace of my skin. I would happily buy the full size of this.

I have featured both the Lancome cleanser and toner in previous empties. They are pretty much my staple cleanser and toners and these keep my skin in good condition. I have used both these products daily for a long time and will continue to do so. Back ups of both ready to go.
 Girlz Only dry shampoo for light and blonde hair. I actually prefer this to Batiste. My hair is baby fine and Batiste seems to just sit there, leaving that horrid talc like residue. I find that my hair absorbs this better, it gives lots of volume and smells lovely and fresh too - oh and it is only £1.49. Bargain. Replacement already purchased.

 

Figs and Rouge Cherry Blossom hand cream has featured in an earlier bog post too. This is very moisturising, absorbs well and smells good enough to eat. I would buy this again in the future. I still want to try the chocolate orange version of this.

 

The Bodyshop Cocoa Butter Body Butter is a left over from a Christmas gift set. I love the Bodyshop body butters. They are perfect for really dry skin. I much prefer the fragrance of the fragrance of the Cocoa butter to the lotion the Bodyshop sell. I have a couple of body butters lined up ready as they are another staple product.

 

Lee Stafford ArganOil is a product which I must confess to forgetting about. I shoved it in a travel bag when my cousin got married last year and only rediscovered it when we went on our Summer holidays. I can't believe I had forgotten about this as it is a fantastic product. I have struggled with other products that contain Argan oil as it tends to be a bit heavy for my hair. This is so light weight. Just one pump through the ends makes such a differnce to my hair. It has a lovely tropical scent too. I have another hair serum on the go at the moment but will buy Lee Stafford again at some point.

 

Ancienne Ambiance Goddess Hand and Body Wash was a sample that came in a Latest In Beauty box. I really don't know how to describe the smell of this, other than it is amazing. It leaves your skin smelling so clean. I loved this product but unfortunately it is just out of my price range. I don't feel that I can justify spending £28 on a body wash. Wonderful as it is, that is simply too much money for me. My only hope is that it will turn up on ebay at a massively discounted price. 

 

Anatomicals Your Taps are Going To Be So Turned On bath foam and Sud the Lot of You Body Cleanser were half price at Tesco ages ago. I like Anatomicals quirky sense of humour. Both of these smell gorgeous and I enjoyed using them both. Another range I would happily repurchase from in the future.

Neutrogena Body Oil is something I had left over from Winter and was worried about leaving it too much longer to use up. This is a natural sesame seed oil. It is deceptively light, absorbs incredibly fast and has almost no scent at all. It is also extremely moisturising. This was an absolute dream to use and I will be buying it again over the Winter months.

 

So that's the lot. I do have quite a stash of things I ought to be using before I buy anything more. What have you used up this month? Have you usd any of these products?

 

 

Eve of St Agnes Rose Body Balm

                                                      Eve of St Agnes Rose Body Balm.
                                                                        

 

This super cute tin of body balm came a few months a go in what was a beauteco box (now love me beauty) I am really making an effort to use some of the hoards of products I have.

 

Eve of ST Agnes are a company which are actually pretty local to me. They are a company which  use natural essential oils and absolutes to fragrance their products. Nothing from their range contains SLS/SLES, mineral oil, artificial fragrances or colourings, PEGs or Parabens or has been tested on animals. All of the ingredients are  sourced from community and Fair Trade projects across the globe.

 

This body balm is made with Shea Butter, Mango Butter and Calendula, which are all natural ingredients that  have deeply moisturising ​and calming effects on the skin. The balm feels very luxurious and has a lovely velvety texure. You only need to warm a small amount in your hands to melt it and it is quickly absorbed by the skin.

 

It has a beautiful natural fragrance. It really does smell like the roses you would find in the garden. Despite how subtle the fragrance is, it has good staying power. I sometimes find that for a fragrance to be long lasting it is quite over powering when first applied, but this really isn't the case here.

 

Recently I have had a nasty flare up of dermatitis on my hands and wrists. This has done wonders in a very short space of time. Although I have a few lingering dry patches, my skin looks so much better for using this. It has also banished the gross flaky bits I get on my shins. My skin feels much softer and looks so much better.

 

If your skin is super dry like mine is or you suffer with skin complaints such as eczema this product is well worth a try. It is one of the gentlest yet most nourishing products I have tried in a long time. I will certainly be looking to replace this when it runs out. This is what I love about the beauty boxes, the discovery of a hidden gem, even if the company was on my door step all along.

 

​

Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Lipstick.

                                                    Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Lipstick.

 A few weeks ago I was luck enough to do a swap with Demi - see the original post here - http://silvermachine78.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/my-beauty-blog-swap.html One of things Demi sent me was a Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Lipstick in shade 22. As you can see it is a very bright and cheerul red, just the kind of colour I love.

 The swatch is just one quick swipe from the bullet! I have worn this lipstick a lot since I got it. I find the formula to be nice and moisturising. Although I would usually apply a red lipstick with a brush for a neater finish, this does apply nicely straight from the bullet. It does not tug on the lips during application at all. I would probably get about 4 hours wear time for this lipstick, which for a red is a decent amount of wear time. This lipstick has very quickly become one of my favourite items of makeup - Thank you once again Demi.

 

 

Excuse the dark circles, that's what you get for working nights.

Lancome DreamTone

                                                                Lancome DreamTone.
                                                                      

 

Last month saw the release of Lancome's much anticipated DreamTone. I have been a fan of Lancome products for quite some time, and so was generally interested to find out what all the fuss was about. Now if I am completely honest, from the description of the product, I don't really have these concerns with my skin. Being the nosey devil I am, I still wanted to try it  and duly trotted off  to my nearest counter. I was kindly given this 5ml sample to try.

 

If you haven't heard of DreamTone it is a product designed to correct dark spots, uneven skin tone, and improve the appearance of dullness, sallowness and blemish marks. It has three formulas to target those from the fairest to the darkest  skin tone.

 

 For some reason I was matched to medium skin tone, whereas I am definitely of fair skin tone, but I gave it a go anyway. The sample lasted about two weeks of daily use. Although this does not demonstate how effective the product is in the long term, it was enough to get a feel for DreamTone. The intention of this post is to show my initial thoughts on the product.

 

I would describe this as a fairly thick cream. It is a pale pink colour and has a subtle rose fragrance. The colour and the fragrance remind me of the Génifique Nutrics moisturiser. I found this light to use and was very easily absorbed by skin. It left a matte finish, but at the same time my skin felt soft and silky.

 

I don't really have a lot of problems with pigmentation and don't have any blemish marks, but I do have is freckles. What I can honestly say is that at by the end of the sample, my freckles were definitely less noticeable. If skin tone and pigmentaion are a problem for you then it may well be worth trying the DreamTone, it really is a lovely, luxurious product to use.

This of course is reflected by the price tag of £69 for 40mls. For me, these skin concerns aren't enough of a problem to justify paying that price.

 

 I am currently trying another product which so far seems to be as effective for less money. I will reveal all when I have used it for long enough to be sure.

SoukSouk September 2013 Beauty Box.

                                                 SoukSouk September 2013 Beauty Box.
                                                                                  

 

September is Organic September. If you haven't heard about it, Organic September has been organised by the Soil Association to celebrate everything organic. I am really keen to try out a lot more organic products and I thought SoukSouk would intoduce me to some brands that I haven't come across before. September has also seen the launch of SoukSouk's new website.

 

My first box came yesterday and I have to say I am really pleased with it.

 

First up a full size Nourish Smoothing Hand Lotion. By now I am sure that you are coming to realise my obsession with hand cream, so this is a great product for me. It is light and citrussy, this smells wonderful. I am going to enjoy this one.

 A full size Konjac Puff Sponge. I have seen this natural sponge on several of the organic websites, and am quite intrigued by it. You can use it with or without cleanser for exfoliating, cleansing and to take off makeup. I am really pleased to find this in my box.

GWDIHW lip balm and GWDIHW nail wizard hand balm. I have actually seen these on someone else's blog quite some time ago (sorry I can't remember who's). Both of these product smell wonderful and those little tins are just so cute.

                                 
                                                                                 
Green & Black's are obviously doing the beauty box rounds this month, not that I am complaining. What girl is going to turn their nose up at delicious chocolate? Not I. It didn't hang around for long that's for sure.
                                                                       

 

My last product is a sample of Glow Skincare Rose & Macadamia Face Cream. These are made to order and by hand. I haven't opened this yet, but I am looking forward to trying this. I will let you know what I think in due course.

 

Also in the box is a copy of little green magazine, which is really well written. It has information about organic beauty products as well as a recipe for a lovely homemade face mask. This box has given be plenty of new things to try as well as handy tips from the magazine. I like this very much.

 

Three That Failed Me

Three That Failed Me 

 

 

Most of the posts I have written so far have been about things that I have really loved. There are one or two things that I have come across that just weren't right for me. I am sure I am not the only one who has things which didn't live up to expectations. I thought I would share a few of mine.

 

 

Firstly, Rimmel Scandaleyes Khol pencil in nude (sorry can't remember what the actual name is). Whilst watching many a video on you tube I had seen many people rave over this and how a nude eyeliner on the waterline supposedly brightened the eyes and made you look wide awake. That's the theory, and this may well work if you are olive toned, but on me it did nothing. If anything it made me more aware of the circles under my eyes. Maybe I am just set in my ways, but a darker eyeliner works much better for me. The pencil itself is a beautiful creamy formula and I would happily buy in another colour. I just have a stash of them to use first.

 

 

Nyx Cream Blush. My beef this time is more with the formula rather than the actual colour. I had never used a cream blusher before and was curious to try one. The verdict I am a powder girl. The dewy look is definitely not for me. Still you live and learn

 

 

 

 

Alpha H Liquid Gold. Again I have seen many people rave over this, amd it has attracted rather a cult following. Liquid Gold is a night serum which supposedly gives a golden glow to dull and lack-lustre skin. Alpha- H claim that it will revitalise and firm in just one application. Oter benefits of this serum are that it helps tackle hyper-pigmentation, acne, fine lines and large pores, reversing some of the symptoms of ageing and sun damage.

 

Those are pretty big claims and given that it has such a cult following I really did expect to be wowed by this product. Unfortunately I wasn't, it was just ok. Even after I had finished the bottle I really didn't feel that it had done anything outstanding for me. If you have really bad acne or scarring, maybe you will see more of a benefit from it. I am afraid that if I am spending £30 on a product I want to be bowled over by it, and I can get similar effects by using cheaper products.

How Young Is Too Young?

                                                           How Young Is Too Young?
                                                                                

 

Today's post is a little different. I thought I would explore the age in which our children establish their beauty regimes. I would think that most of us were experimenting with makeup and such in our early teens, but what about before that? and how comfortable as a parent are you with your child's "beauty regime"?

 

Let me explain myself. Next week my 9 year old daughter is off on a residential trip to the peak district. This is a hands on trip where lots of outdoor activities are planned for the children. Yesterday was the parents meeting. So we went through the usual what clothes to bring, will they be allowed to have a midnight feast? I have to confess I was only half concentrating on that and what we were going to have for tea. So the next thing I heard was, "and please no hair straighteners". Pardon, did you just say no hair straighteners? Yes, yes they really did just say that.

 

I had a quick glance around the room to test the response of other patients. Surely everyone is as bemused at this as I am. Hair straighteners, 9 year olds you are having a laugh? surely they are.  Apparently not. Whilst there was a considerable amount of eye rolling, there were one or two mutterings of  "she won't be happy about that"

 

Now please don't get me wrong. I am not critising the school in any way over this. They are just addressing something which has obviously been an issue on previous residential trip. What I am shocked about is at young some of these girls have an established beauty regime. Ok, so I am not talking about wearing makeup to school, but this still makes me dreadfully uncomfortable. In some ways I think this is worse. It is less obvious than lipstick, but the fact these girls go to such lengths to feel they look just perfect at 9 is frankly disturbing.

 

To be honest I can't comprehend the necessity of a child using hair straighteners. I find it deeply concerning that a child would be so wrapped up in the appearance their hair at such a young age, and more so that a child would feel they need to take them on a school trip. Especially when the whole point of the school trip is to experience outdoor activities and will involve them getting absolutely filthy.

 

Clearly there are girls in my daughter's year that straighten their hair before coming to school and that saddens me. At 9, what I want for daughter is to be confident in her own skin. I want her to feel that she is able to particpate in anything she wants to without worrying about that she is having a bad hair day. I really do feel that children are not allowed to be children anymore. By encouraging them to adopt adult behaviours and attitudes we are preventing them from so many opportunities. Children's games and activities are an essential part of their development, and how children learn about interacting with others and are a huge part of how they process information. It worries me that children will become to caught up in spoiling their hair to want to take part in games.

 

Yes the day will come when of course she wants to experiment but I really hope that she will see makeup as an extra, something that is enjoyable, but by no means the be all and end all of life.

 

 

 

BirchBox September 2013

                                                         BirchBox September 2013

 Shortly before I was due to leave for work last night, my BirchBox was delivered by my lovely courier. I quickly opened it, but haven't had chance to play with it properly. I have been looking forward to this coming as I had seen there was a possibility of a cult classic in it. I bet you can't guess which one I mean.

 

 

First a decent sized sample of Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Gel. I am yet to try this brand and am really curious to see what a body gel is like. Fragranced with grapefruit, rosemary and juniper which are prized for their skin toning properties and commonly used in treatments to combat cellulite. Will see how my wobbly bits respond to this, smells nice too.

 

 

  A 30ml sample of Molten Brown body lotion in ylang-ylang. We had the shower gel in last month's box, and I really enjoyed it. Wish I had of saved it to use with this as I like things to be matchy-matchy. Sad, I know.

 

A super cute white chocolate mini bar by Green & Black's. This was swiftly removed from my box to prevent it being snaffled by the children (or most likely the husband) in my absence. This provided a very welcome treat in the early hours of the morning. What is it about working nights that makes you crave comfort?

 

And here it is, the one everyone is talking about. The favourite product of many a beauty blogger. A 20ml sample of Bioderma. I do already own this, but it really is a fantastic product and I am so pleased to see such a product making it in to our boxes. This dinky little bottle will be perfect for my travel bag.

 

A lipstick by Modelco in shade Kitty. At first glance I wasn't sure if it was my kind of colour, but once it's on I really liked it. It smells of strawberries and feels moisturising and stayed put for a good chunk of my night shift. This is what I like about beauty boxes, it allows you to step out of your comfort zone by giving colours, brands you wouldn't necesarily pick yourself, without breaking the bank.

Lastly a full size Reverence de Bastien nail varnish in shade 4. This colour is beautiful and will get a lot of wear from me. I couldn't have chosen a better shade myself.

Overall impressions - Really, really pleased with this box. I think I would even go so far as to say this is my favourite box from BirchBox so far. I really feel that BirchBox is going from strength to strength at the moment. This is a very good selection of products.

                                                      Thank you very much BirchBox.

MONU Instant Radiance Micro Exfoliant

            

 MONU Instant Radiance Micro Exfoliant

 

 

I am really making an effort to use up my stash of samples that I have been collecting. It has taken me about 6 weeks to finish this sample of MONU Micro Exfolliant that originally came in a glossy box ages ago. I have to say that I had never come across MONU before. As you may remember I cancelled my subscription with Glossybox recently, but this is one of the products that I included in my Glossybox favourites post http://silvermachine78.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/favourite-products-from-glossybox.html

 

MONU products are not tested on animals. Their products are free from artificial perfumes and colours, using essential oils for fragrance and natural organic minerals to colour. As a company they are working towards becoming Carbon Neutral by ensuring all packaging is recylable, and sourcing and producing locally where ever possible.

  
Microdermabrasion contains a mechanical medium for exfoliation to gently remove the outermost layer of dead skin cells from the otermost layer of the skin. MONU micro exfoliant is made from diatomatious earth, papaya enzymes, polysaccharides, shea butter and panthenol. By removing the build up of dead skin, fine lines and pores are reduced and skin texture is improved, or so MONU claim. As with any product like this you need to bear in mind that it may make you more sensitive to the sun and that your skin may burn more easily. 

Micro exfolliant contains very fine particles, and I found this very gentle on my skin. I have found some microdermabrasion products to really sting, but this genuinely wasn't the case with MONU. It has a light, pleasant and citrus smell that I can't quite put my finger on. I think that this is a very effective product, and has definitely improved the overall appearance of my skin. I can't really comment on whether it has reduced any fine lines. I don't feel that I have used it for long enough to tell. I would certainly buy the full size of this and MONU are now on my hit list of brands I want to explore further.

                         

My Second Leibster Award

                                                        My Second Leibster Award.
                                                 
                                                   

 A few days ago I was lucky enough to be nominated for the Leibster Award by Samantha at http://samanthaw8.blogspot.co.uk/ It is worth spending a few minutes of your time looking at her blog. I am very grateful to Samantha for taking the time to nominate me.

 If you aren't familiar with the Leibster Award here is a quick run down of the rules ;-

1. You must link back to the person that nominated you for the award.

2. You must go to the blogs of your nominees and notify them.

3. You must answer the 11 questions given by the person who nominated you.

4. You must then pick 11 bloggers to nominated which have under 200 followers for the award.

5. You must come up with 11 questions for your nominees to answer.

 The Leibster Award is a lovely way of interacting with fellow bloggers and also with anyone kind enough to be reading this. As this is my second award I am just going to answer the questions Samantha has set me. Hopefully at the end of this you know a few more random facts about me.

1. What is your favourite TV show?
I really like two and a half men. I like the sarcasm.

2. Winter - Love or Hate?
I can't stand being cold. Winter is a hate for me.

3. Do you have any pets?

I am very much an animal person. We have two cats (Garfield and Gizmo) and a dog (Jay).

4. What are you currently doing? (school - what GCSE'S, College/Uni what course)?
I am a qualified nurse, I currently work part time around the kids.

5. Biggest Life achievement?
I am very much a family person so I would have to say my marriage and children, as well as qualifying as a nurse.

6. What is your eyebrow routine? (wax, threading, plucking)
I tend to have my eyebrows threaded as I find it less painful than waxing. As I am useless at plucking my eyebrows it is also the safest option.

7. What is your most common hairstyle?
For work I usually just plait it or stick it in a pony tail. When I am not at work I like it down. I like things to be simple as I just haven't the time or energy for anything too complicated.
 

8. What piercing do you have and where?
I have my ears pierced twice and also my belly button. Many moons ago I had my nose pierced, but it's not something I would really be able to wear for work.

9. Do you dye your hair or stay with your natural colour?
At the moment my hair is it's natural colour which is a really boring light brown/dark blond. I have dyed it lots of times in the past and am trying to decide what colour to go for next.

10. Power blusher or cream blusher?
Definitely powder, I don't like the dewy finish creams tend to give.

11. Favourite nail polish brand?
This is a really tough one to answer, there are just too many to choose from. If push comes to shove I would have to say OPI but I refuse to pay full price. I buy a lot from Amazon or Fragrance Direct.

So that's the end of my questions. Thank you for taking the time to read them and of course a big thank you to Samantha for my nomination. I hope you have enjoyed them as much as I have.

This and That Tag.

                                                                 This and That Tag.                                                  

A few days ago I was lucky enough to be tagged by the lovely Charlotte from http://makeupbycandlelight.blogspot.co.uk/ in the This and That tag. I think this is a nice fun way of sharing a bit more about myself, so am really pleased to be doing this. If you have a spare moment it is well worth a few minutes of your time to read through Charlotte's blog.

 

Makeup:
1.  Blush or Bronzer - it has to be blush. Bronzer either makes me look like a tangerine or like a member of the soap dodgers.
2. Lip gloss or lip stick - lipstick. I don't like the stickiness of a gloss.
3. Eyeliner or mascara - though call, but probably mascara.
4. Foundation or concealer - concealer, I rarely wear foundation.
5. Natural or colored eyeshadow - natural definitely.
6. Pressed or loose eyeshadow - pressed. I am far too clumsy to cope with loose powder.
7. Brush or sponge - brush as it gives better control.                                            
                                                                                   

Nails:
1. Opi or China Glaze - Opi simply because I am yet to try anything by China Glaze. They are certainly on my wish list though.
2. Long or short - being a nurse means my nails have to be short. Work always spoils play doesn't it?
3. Acrylic or natural - natural - again I don't really have a choice.
4. Bright or dark - dark, it's what my inner goth craves. Although I am mellowing in my old age.
5. Flower or no flower - nail art is something else I need to master, but the truth is I am useless at it. No flower for me.                                                                        

 

Body:
1. Perfume or body splash - perfume, it lasts the duration.
2. Lotion or body butter - butter. My skin is dry and needs the extra moisture.
3. Body wash or soap - body wash. Again the dry skin dictates this.
4. Lush or Other - we don't have a lush store anywhere near us, so I have never got aoround to trying them. I would have to say the Body Shop.


Fashion:
1. Jeans or sweat pants - Jeans, no contest.
2. Long sleeves or short sleeves - short sleeves.
3. Dress or skirt - dresses, don't really know why though.
4. Scarves or hat - scarves. Hats just make me look silly.
5. Studs or dangling earrings - dangly when I get chance.
6. Necklace or bracelet - necklace. I have really skinny wrists.
7. Heels or flats - Heels, I am only 5'1. I need all the help I can get.
8. Cowboy boots or riding boots - riding boots.
9. Jackets or hoodies - hoodies.
10. Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe - Forever 21
                                                                            

                                                                           

Hair:
1. Curly or straight - staright, curls look like too much much hard work.
2. Bun or ponytail - pony tail. I have really long hair and a bun gives me a headache after a while.
3. Bobby pin or butterfly clips - bobby pin. Butterfly clips are vicious.
4. Hairspray or gel - hairspray.
5. Long or short - long.
6. Dark or light - light.
7. Side swept bangs or full bangs - side swept. Bangs just look awful on me.
8. Up or down - it has to be up for work, but I prefer it down.

Random:
1. Rain or shine - definitely shine. it just makes evertything seem better.
2. Summer or winter - Summer. I do not like being cold. Makes me very grumpy.
3. Fall or spring -.the begining of Autumn when it's still fairly warm, and the leaves are just changing colour.
4. Chocolate or vanilla - chocolate. It's my biggest weakness.

I thought I would keep the chain going and so the people that I tag to do this are;-

Dawn from http://keepcalmandbeautify.blogspot.co.uk/
Emma from http://emmaloujohansson.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.september-rae.net/
Caroline at http://cazreviewsandmore.blogspot.co.uk/
and Demi from http://kissandmakeup-bblog.blogspot.co.uk/

Love Me Beauty Box September 2013

                                                  Love Me Beauty Box September 2013.

 The beauty box week is definitely upon us and today is the turn of Love Me Beauty. Beauteco box has also had a rebrand this month and has now changed to Love Me Beauty. This is one of the newer boxes and is very much an evolving brand. With Love Me Beauty you can choose one of three boxes, and you know what will be delivered to you. Again it's a nice way of trying new brands without stumping up a fortune to begin with. The box I chose was box 3.

                                                            So what did I get?
                

 A 7.5ml sample of Matriskin Collagen Serum. This is a brand I have not come across before. It's a good sized sample, which will give last long enough to make a fair judgement on it's effectiveness. As this is a product aimed at filling and reducing wrinkles it is probably one for those of us that are a bit older, But I am looking forward to trying this.


                                               

A 30ml sample of Essential Care Gentle Herb Shampoo. I have used this before and really liked it, so am pleased to recieve another sample of this. Again a decent sample that will give a couple of uses.

 

Full size 120ml Nip and Fab Fix Clean Gel. This claims to plump fine lines aswell as being an effective cleanser, so I am curious to see how it will live up to that. This is a foaming product, so maybe not for everyone. I am quite happy to give it a go.

Anatomicals Day and Night Spot Stick. I quite like Anatomicals fun and light hearted products, but this isn't something I am likely to use. I think it's a clever idea have a a dual ended product. The day bit supposedly controls grease and regulates sebum and is aimed at when a spot first appears. The night bit claims to bring out impurites and heal the skin. As I said, clever product it's just not something I need.

 

Finally a 15ml sample of Murad Osmolyte Tonic. I have seen Murad around but am yet to try anything by them, so I am really looking forward to using this product. Murad claim that this mist will moisturise the skin aswell as having a plumping and firming effect.

 

I really like this box, after all I wouldnt have chosen it if I didn't think I would use the majority of products. The only thing I think is a little miss placed is the anatamicals. I don't know that a young and fun spot treatment is in keeping with what is predominantly an anti-ageing box. However, this is me nit picking and overall I have had some lovely new products to try and I feel that I have had my moneys worth. 

 

 

My Beauty Blog Swap.

 

My Beauty Blog Swap.

 

 

 

A little while ago I was reading through some blogs and saw an opportunity to participate in a swap with another beauty blogger. Being fairly new to blogging I though this would be a great way of getting to know another fellow blogger. The lovely Beka from http://bekasbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/ put me in touch with Demi from http://kissandmakeup-bblog.blogspot.co.uk/ If you have a spare minute it's well worth having a look at both of these blogs.

 

I have really enjoyed doing this and chatting to Demi. I can't wait to see what she thinks of the bits I sent her. It's always good to meet other people, and that's what I love about the blogging. It's such a vibrant and interactive community.

 

I sometimes think that it is very easy to get stuck in a rut with your beauty regime. It has been lovely to have someone else pick out things for me. Demi has sent me some fantastic products and I am truly grateful to her.

 

So, what did Demi send me?

 

 

Bumble and Bumble thickening hairspray. I have long and super fine hair which at times verges on downright lifeless. Anything which will inject some volume in to it is very welcome indeed. I have never used anything by Bumble and Bumble and so am very excited to recieve this.

 

 

 

A Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish lipstick in shade 22. I couldn't have chosen a better shade myself, I love this. Rimmel are loved by so many because they are a fantastic range. This little star will get a lot of use.

 

 

As a fellow nurse, Demi understands my obsession with hand cream and has really spoilt me with this lovely Hand Repair Cream by La Roche-Posay. It is really moisturising without being sticky or greasy. Is it mean to say that I will not be sharing this with my collegues. It is mime, all mine.

 

 

My final product is the Nivea Daily Essential Express Hydration Primer. I haven't tried this before, but I have heard so many good things about it. I can't wait to try this.

 

Once again a big thank you to Beka for making this happen, and of course to Demi for the wonderful things she has sent me. I really have enjoyed doing this so much.

Love Lula Beauty Box September 2013

                

   Love Lula Beauty Box September 2013

 

 

Today saw the arrival Of My Love Lula Beauty Box. This is the first box since Love Lula have changed over from Amarya, so I have been really looking forward to finding out how they would compare. For those of you that are new to Love Lula they have a website which sells organic beauty products and also offer a monthly beauty box subscription box. I really look forward to the delivery of this as I have been introduced to some fantastic products. It is always the first of my beauty boxes to arrive. This month i got 5 samples, although quite often there has been a full size in previous boxes.

 

So what did I get?

 

 

A 50ml sample of Ila bath soak for pure relaxation. This smells heavenly and I can't wait to try this tonight. Full size of 150mls retails for £9.60.

 

 

A 50ml sample of Ila Body Lotion for Nuturing Skin, again full size of 150mls retails for £9.60. I have to say I am not sure about the fragrance of this - it is a bit strong for me. It says it contains apricot and rose geranium but smells more like lemongrass to me. I had a quick try on my skin and it does feel nice and moisturising it's just very strong.

 

 

 

A 10ml sample of  S5 purity serum. As this is marketed for blemish prone skin it is something I probably get much use out of, I am veryt fortunate to have clear skin. However, I have friends that rave about this serum and I know a couple of stockists sold out of this really quickly. If your skin is causing you problems this is worth a look. Full size of 30mls sells for £44, 10mls is a very decent sized sample and would probably last 2 months of daily use.

 

 

 

 

A sample of Oxygen Purifying Honey Masque (doesn't say how big). Aswell as being purifying this is also designed to hydrate and repair the skin. I am looking forward to trying this as my skin does air on the dry side. Have previous had a sample of Oxygen's hand cream and that was lovely too. Full size 200mls sells for £19.95.

 

 

 

A 4ml sachet of Evolve Perfect Radiance Facial Polish. This contains acaiand Brazilain Acerola. Sounds good, am happy to give it a whirl. Full size of 100mls costs £12.99.

 

Overall thought. I am pleased with this box, I think there is a nice selection of products and I really do like exploring new brands. Unless you live in a big city, it can be quite hard to access a large number of organic products in particular. This is a nice way of sampling new products, wihout breaking the bank in the process. There is of course the added bonus of being able to buy from Love Lula's online shop and the added incentive of a code for 20% off the featured brands. You can find all the above and many other fantasic brands at https://www.lovelula.com/