GlossyBox | May 2012 | Happy 1st Birthday!

How quickly has the time gone since I last posted about my April GlossyBox subscription? It literally seems like yesterday!

It was quite a special month for GlossyBox, being their 1st birthday & all. I can't quite believe it's only been a year for them; they seem so well established & in my eyes, leaps & bounds in front of other competitors. 

There were a few lovely extras this month, to celebrate birthday-ness. Special wrapping, with cakes etc. a bright pink balloon, which I think is so cute & a little compact mirror, which is essential to any girl who loves her beauty.

NOBLE ISLE Summer Rising Cornish Hedgerows Bath & Shower Gel - This came in a lovely little travel size, so perfect for taking away on your jolly’s. I do have about a zillion body washes, but you can never be too clean eh? This smells soooo good. It’s a really fresh & citrusy gel; which sort of reminds me of the shower gels you get in swanky hotels, if you know what I mean!

LOLITA LEMPICKA Eau de Parfum & Si Lolita – OH MY. I am in love. These scents are actually amazing. I am particularly in love with the Eau de Parfum. Both are so florally, with little hints of musk to even out the sweetness. If it was food, I would definitely gobble it all up. I’m definitely going to buy the full size bottles.

OSMO Berber Oil™ Hair Treatment – I’ve only used this once & was quite impressed. The consistency isn’t dissimilar to Moroccan Oil; it’s quite thick, & not too runny.  It smells super sweet, literally just like when you walk in to one of those old fashioned sweet shops. I’m not sure I’m a huge fan of the smell, it’s a bit too sweet for me; but the product works well. It left my hair super soft and smooth, when applied to damp hair before blow drying, whilst adding a little volume. One thing I would say is it didn’t leave my hair looking as shiny as other oils I’ve tried have.

ELDORA false eyelashes – I haven’t worn false eyelashes since I studied musical theatre at college, they’re not my favourite beauty accessory to be honest. I’ll let you know what I think once I’ve dared to try them :)

APIVITA Express Beauty Masks with Honey – Again, another product I haven’t tried yet. I’ve never heard of Apivita before, so I’m looking forward to giving it a whirl. Plus, I loveee honey. Nom.

I’ve seen quite a few reviews going around saying that they weren’t too thrilled with their contents this month; that previous boxes had over shone what people were expecting to be a ridiculously great box, considering the occasion. I think what people forget, is that this is a sample beauty box, to try products you wouldn’t necessarily come across otherwise, not a competition to see how many full sized products you can get for your money. I personally feel this is a great box, & well worth the £10! I received exactly what I signed up for, & yet again, I’m not disappointed :)

What did you think of yours this month? Or have you been tempted to sign up if you haven’t already? 

Cowgirls and Indians

 

This top was a MAJOR thrifting score...so on trend! I love this high fashion, outlaw, chic cowgirl looks that's been making the editorial rounds. This top is like, a LEGITIMATE rodeo shirt. Quality. I love the painted pastel, floral design detailing at the bust. I feel like the fringed skirt makes it a little scandalous, like maybe I've been spending too much time with the Indians or something...

Vintage top, skirt, shoes, and hat.

Raspberry Grape | Unique Jewellery

I have become a bit of a twitter addict as of late; & have had the pleasure of getting to know the lovely Lauren of RaspberryGrape*insert raspberry blowing on someone’s belly here* through the wonders of the web. I found myself lusting after her beautiful little pieces over at her jewellery shop & when she tweeted that she’d like to offer some of her pieces for review I jumped at the chance!

She sent me the rather scrumptious wide upper finger ring*, which I’d tweeted her about previously, telling her how much I liked it.

I absolutely love it. Beautifully hand wrapped with cute little stickers, I was so excited to get it opened! I haven’t really come across middle finger rings before, but I’m a bit of a raving fan now. They’re a bit different aren’t they? I love the thickness of the ring & the pretty shapes running throughout. Another great thing about these is that they have adjustable backs, so you can change it up & wear it as a regular ring too, if you fancy it. I think they’re perfect for summer, adding a bit of bohemian chic to your look. My one came up quite small (before adjustment), so they fit really snugly on the upper half of your finger. No flying off in to the air when you’re jumping around like a mad woman to your favourite song – yes, we all know you jump around, flailing arms & all…

I’d say that Lauren’s shop leans slightly towards the more alternative type of jewellery, but mixes it up with some really delicate pieces too. Ranging from skull bracelets to vintage rings, there really is something for everyone.

At £3.85 for this little beaut, with free postage & packaging you can’t really go wrong, can you? :)

*Lauren kindly sent me this ring FOC for review, all opinions are my own. I have not received financial compensation for this post. 

Guest Post | Kristin of Beauty Xpose

A few months ago, i joined the wonderful world that is IFB - Independent Fashion Bloggers. It was such a warm welcome in to the world that is blogging & I've been lucky enough to get to know some really lovely ladies along the way. One of them being the beautiful Kristin of Beauty Xpose. Have a little read, & get to know her a wee bit; I'm sure you'll love her as much as I do!

1.What three things can make you smile no matter your mood
Starting off with an easy one :) - 1) My boyfriend 2) Pictures of teacup pigs 3) Crappy television

2.What is your favorite part of blogging?
My favorite part is all the wonderful people I’ve met from fellow bloggers to industry folks to readers. It’s so fabulous thinking of all the people that blogging brought in to my life.

3. Do you have a current favorite/go-to fashion item?
Right now I’m loving my J.Crew eyelet shorts, and Kate Spade necklace. If no one would notice, I would wear them every day! Unfortunately, my desire to not repeat outfits holds me back. 

4. And beauty - do you have a current favorite/go-to beauty item?
I have two, both from Smashbox. I LOVE the Shades of Fame lip glosses, which have turned me on to lip gloss. Second is the Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer. It evens out my skin tone and keeps my makeup in place all day. What more could you ask for?!

5.What bit of fashion/beauty advice would you give to anyone?
Don’t worry about the trends and what everyone else is doing. Find clothes and products that work with your body and personality. If you are comfortable and feel great, you’ll look great too!

6. What made you want to start blogging?
I sort of fell in to blogging. Three years, I started an internship at a Public Relations agency. Right when I was starting Anne (my now BeautyXpose partner-in-crime), who happened to be my supervisor, had just started a blog. I initially helped to write a post here, a review there. However, next thing I knew, I was working hand-in-hand with Anne and sharing all the ownership responsibilities. Three years later, we’re still going strong. It’s a miracle she’s not sick of me yet :)

7. Which beauty product would you never re-purchase again and why?
Easy – butter LONDON LIPPY. I love their nailpolishes, so couldn’t wait to try their new LIPPIES. However, I was SO let down. The glosses are goopy and don’t go on evenly. Plus, the smell and taste like plastic.

8. Name one beauty product you can't leave the house without?

Well – if we’re talking I can only wear one makeup item for a day, I’d have to say mascara. I love Covergirl LashBlast Fusion. However, if I get to put on all my makeup and then just leave the house with only one thing, I would pick Burt’s Bees chapstick. I’m a pretty simple girl … sometimes.  

9. Do you have any other hobbies aside from blogging?

Does shopping count?! I’ve recently started to dabble in running (but I wouldn’t call myself a runner). From time to time, I add a new page to my scrapbook. A couple of weeks ago, I bought myself a Cannon Rebel t2i, so I’m starting to play around with photography. I hope those count!

10. What would be your dream job?

Ok, woah on the tough question! I’m not sure, and this is something I’m actually trying to figure out for myself right now. I would love to find a way to mix my passion for beauty and fashion with my desire to help others and make the world a better place. Those two things go hand-in-hand, right?! If you can think of anything that fits that description, feel free to let me know :)

So what did you think of the beaut that is Kristin? 

Fancy getting to know me a bit better too? You can see my post on her blog here: http://beautyxpose.com/2012/musings/guest-post-megs-of-wonderful-you.html#

Polka Dots and Happy Faces

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I think this ensemble was subliminally inspired by one of my fave designers, Jeremy Scott, who is known for his humorous prints and iconographic references. (Did you know that Lagerfeld once told a French newspaper that Scott can be the only one to replace him at Chanel? Ya, Karl gets it.) So I give you, a bow tie, polka dot top and happy face mini skirt. I can't help but feel happy, when I'm literally wearing my emotions on my skirt. Don't forget to have a little fun with your fashion, folks!

Vintage top, skirt, and watch. F21 Boots.

Feeling a bit Floral | Crown & Glory

About a year ago, I discovered a beautiful little shop on the internet. Crown & Glory. I am a sucker for any pretty hair accessory, so when I came across this brand I was super duper happy. From turbans to crowns; each piece is individually handmade by the lovely Sophie, & a lot of the pieces are made to order, so you’re guaranteed an original item, every time. Something about that just makes it extra special doesn’t it? 

Having built up a rather large collection of her pieces over the last year, I thought I would show you my most recent purchase:

don't worry...i'm not naked ;)

I bought the Marina - Fuschia Daisy Bandeau & I am absolutely in love. It’s such a beautifully delicate piece, which makes such a bold statement. I picked this one up in the up to 50% off sale and the little beauty was only £9! Amazing right. The whole range is so reasonably priced; and fills what I believe is a huge gap in the accessories market. Yes, there are heaps of shops that cater for hair accessories, but I am yet to find one that has such intricate detail, at such a fantastic price. There is a vast variety of items available, yet each piece is so wonderfully put together, with such care & attention. Plus, the customer service is incredible; always a speedy and ridiculously friendly response. And even better, Crown & Glory can even make up your own individual piece; so if you had an idea that wasn’t quite like what is available on the website, they’ll more than likely be able to cater for your needs. 

I just love everything about this wonderful little spot on the web.

Have you ever purchased from Crown & Glory before? Or do you think you will now?

Feeling Witchy

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Just because I don't have anywhere to go, doesn't mean that I don't wanna look wicked. I dress up for dinner in my apartment with my boyfriend all the time, just cuz I want to. It's like Alexander Wang said, "Anyone can get dressed up and glamorous, but it's how people dress in their days off that is most intriguing to me." I concur , Alex. I guess I've been listening to way too much Salem and Grimes, cuz lately I just wanna dress like a witch. It's not really seasonally appropriate, but I can't help it. I got this body con halter dress on the sale rack at URBN for $5, although there is a distinct possibly that it's not a dress per se, but actually some sort of undergarment/shapewear thing. Whatever. I found this sheer maxi skirt at Salvation Army a couple of years ago and knew that it would come in handy one day. And finally it has. Always thinking ahead!

Urban OUtfitter Dress under thrift skirt. F21 Bracelet and Necklace.

On My Mind

 

1. Sofia Coppola at the 1995 MTV Music Video Awards.
2. Doucble the cuffs, double the fun.
3. Baby blue. It's the color I love.
4. White is back.
5. Sporty spice up your life.
6. Black, gold, and white.

Image source Fashion Gone Rogue and Suicide Blonde Tumblr.

Burt's Bees Grab Bag

So, you may have seen a few blog posts floating around recently regarding the Burt’s Bees Grab Bag. I heard about it through Estée from Essiebutton & I immediately wanted one; I’m like a beauty product magpie, I wan’t anything that anyone says half a good word about! Basically, you paid £20, & in return got sent a big fat bag, full of Burt’s Bees products! Great concept, non? I think so :)

L-R: Exfoliating Body Washes (4), Radiance Body Lotion (2)

L-R: Eye Cream, Nail File, Lip Balm (2), Hand Cream, Cuticle Cream,Lip Shimmer (3), Cute tin!  : 

I have no doubt that some bags were wonderful, but I wasn’t too thrilled with mine. I mean, I was being a bit ‘me, me, me’ when I purchased it; I wanted to try out Burt’s Bees, & thought this was a great way to test some of their products without spending a fortune. & I know, I know, before I moan, I was aware that Burt’s Bees had added a disclaimer advising that duplicates may occur; but I couldn’t help feeling a little upset that I got 4 of the exfoliating body washes and 2 of the body lotions (I didn’t mind so much about the 3 lip shimmers & 2 balms, you can never have enough lip balms right?). That’s a hell of a lot of the same product, don’t you think? But, I’ve decided to take a positive attitude towards the slight disappointment & use the extras for birthdays coming up etc. Every cloud & all that jazz.

I wont just moan for this entire post, promise. I was really, really happy to receive the little pots of their hand cream & cuticle cream; I’m also super excited to try the eye cream :) I’ve heard great things about all of these products, so fingers crossed! I'll definitely be reviewing these at a later date, once I've had a chance to test them out. On another good note, how cute is the little tin? I am a hoarder, of EVERYTHING in life, so I love collecting pretty little tins to put my bits & bobs in.

Overall, I am a bit miffed about the amount of duplicate items, but I still feel like I’ve got great value for money, apparently the bags are worth £55, wowee! I’m getting to try some products I haven’t before, & I’ve got some extra stock for presents. Not bad, eh?

I had a look on their website this morning, & I can see they’ve now sold out; but did any of you purchase a grab bag? Were you happy with what you got?

Sunny Saturday

I know it's a little delayed, but thought I would do a quick post on what I got up to over the weekend. No need to hold on to your seats guys...it's nothing too exciting! :) 

This weekend, in my eyes, was the first which has felt like a little touch of summer was creeping in. I mean, it wasn’t ‘let’s strip off & run around in our swimsuits squirting each other with water guns’ type of weather; but it was definitely an excuse to whip out a summer dress & feed the ducks. My recent summer post actually reminded me of a little dress I loved last year, so I popped that on & off we trotted.

We drove down to a local spot & fed the duckies. Honestly, I have never seen so much bread in my life, it was crazy. Where did the idea come from that we feed them bread anyway? I’m sure they must get sick of it. Any way, they ate a whole loaf of ours. After that, we headed to the pub for a quick drink before stuffing our faces at nando’s, as you do. Finished off with a few drinkies in front of the TV, oh.my.god. Koppaberg is amazing. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of alcohol. I don’t know, I just don’t really like the taste; which makes it difficult when going out with friends, or if the boy fancies a bottle over dinner. So when I discovered this I was a happy bunny. It just takes like fruit juice, which is perhaps a bit lethal in my case; as I’ll happily chug away, probably resulting in copious trip up’s & saying hello to many a hedge. I also received a rather lovely bouquet from the boy; I’d had a bit of a crappy week, so this made me very happy indeedy.

What did you wonderful lot get up to over the weekend? Hope you all made the most of the minimal sunshine, now the heavens have opened again. Ah, England. I love you & your crappy weather ways.

P.S. instagram makes me want an iPhone even more. Stinking Blackberry, why you hate me?

You See Your Gypsy

 

Sorry that I've been a bad blogger, work has been crazy. No excuses! I feel like I am straight out of a Fleetwood Mac music video...and I kinda like it. This vintage dress is a super saturated shade of corally orange, it's so beautiful. I chopped of the bottom of the lining and hemmed it real quick to make it look less matronly. I love that sheer look on the sleeves and the skirt, makes it feel current. Tying up a head on your scarf like this is perfect for when you're feeling gypsy inspired. (But even more perfect when you don't wanna brush your hair cause you're heading to the pool.) This look doesn't need and bits and baubles; like a true Gypsy you've gotta travel light! Ya I know, Esmerelda called. She wants her outfit back ;)

Vintage dress.F21 headscarf. INC platforms.

GLOSSYBOX April 2012

At the beginning of last week, I received my monthly GLOSSYBOX. Exciting times ladies! If you aren’t too familiar with the beauty box concept, let me give you a brief introduction.

Glossybox offer a monthly subscription to a fabulous little box of beauty goodies. You can pay on a monthly basis (or yearly if you are a diehard fan), for a mere £10 p.m, plus £2.95 postage & packaging. Of which you can cancel at any stage, there’s no catch in this one! & in return for your subscription, each month, you’ll receive 5 high-end products from various beauty brands. The idea is that they are all a smaller size than you’d purchase in the shops, just so you can test the water to see if you like them. Try before you buy etc etc. Glossybox are a little different though, they try to theme their boxes each month, i.e. holidays such as xmas, valentines etc. or Harrods. This month it’s themed around Organic products. & this is what I received:

Figs &  Rouge Balm – Rambling Rose:

I think this has to be my favourite product in this month’s box. It’s a teeny tester pot, but you get such a lot of product for the size. It states on the pot that this can be used for lips, face & body; however I’ve only used it on my lips so far. It’s 100% organic, & smells/tastes uh-mazing. I literally want to eat it. It’s super moisturising & leaves your lips silky smooth with a little glisten after application. I suffer quite badly with chapped lips & this has definitely kept them hydrated, so far, there’s not a crack to be seen, woohoo!! Another fab bonus to GlossyBox is that with some of the items you will receive a discount code to purchase a full size of the product. So, no surprises I got straight on to this & purchased another yummy flavour for a mere £3 with my discount included! What a bargain for such a lovely product.

AYUURI Natural Body Wash - Sandalwood:

This was a full sized product, which is always lovely, seeing as these boxes are just meant to be testers for you to try before you buy. My bottle came in the fragrance Sandalwood. I’d never actually smelt sandalwood before, but I absolutely love it! The thick creamy texture lathers up nicely & leaves my skin feeling really soft and hydrated. I wasn’t jumping for joy over the packaging. The letters were half rubbed off, & well I don’t think it’s that nice to look at. But @ £4.95 a pop, I’m not complaining. Too much anyway.

Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst-Quenching Serum:

I’m not too sure on this one. It’s quite a nice product, but I hate the word nice, so that’s not saying much. You’re meant to apply this day and night, bore application of moisturiser or foundation; to restore moisture in the skin. As of yet, I haven’t seen any radical changes, perhaps it’s a gradual improvement. & at £39 per bottle (30ml full size), I’m not sure I’m too convinced.

Inika Cosmetics: Certified Organic Eyeliner – shade 05 Black Caviar:

This. I LOVE. It is so soft & doesn’t drag the eyelid on application. The pigmentation is strong & has super staying power. It does smudge a little too easily I feel, & if you wear it on the bottom lid, you may find it smudges out a little after a few hours – although this is perfect if you’re going for a smokey eye. This was another full size product, @ £11.75 – you’ve already beaten the price of your subscription, which is amazing! I’m definitely going to be purchasing more of these.

KAI Perfume Oil:

Product Description: Our intoxicating signature perfume oil fragrance, which is a light and intoxicating blend of a gardenia top note wrapped in white exotics.

I’m afraid this one isn’t for me. It’s a very heavy floral fragrance, which reminds me of an older ladies perfume. It says that this perfume oil will smell differently on each individual, & on me it smells a bit like popery.

Overall I’m really pleased with this month’s box. To be honest, I don't think I've ever been disappointed with one. If there’s ever been a product I really don’t like, it’s gone as an extra in someone’s Christmas stocking, or just to a friend I know will love it. I’m not sure I’ll ever end my subscription!

What did you lot think of your box this month? & if you haven’t signed up for Glossybox do you think you will now? I’m not sure how you can resist!