Saturday 25 August 2012

Wouldn't It Be Nice...GlossyBox Review

Apologies for the lack of blogging recently I have been super busy and my blogging has been slacking! So I'm back (from outer space...sorry I started singing that in my head and had to write it down!) with one of my infrequent beauty blogs. As I've previously mentioned in my 'About My Blog' tab I love beauty and beauty products so sometimes include posts merely to satisfy my little love rather than as the main body of my blog.

This post is on, as the title suggests, GlossyBox. For those that don't know what GlossyBox is it's a subrscription service where you pay monthly and you receive your box with five products in; some sample size, some full size. You cannot quarantee what you'll receive in your box and it's this that I really like about the whole idea. It introduces you to new products and new brands without spending tons of money. The subscription is £10 plus postage and packaging which takes the total cost up to £12.95. I've been really interested in GlosstBox for a while now having heard so much about it on beauty YouTube videos and blogs but hadn't felt quite able to part with my cash. However after my birthday I saw on their Facebook page the possibility to buy a single July box without the need to start a subscription so I thought why not!

Here are some images of the box itself (which is very pretty and I am definitly going to keep for storage!)

(The box in it's postage packaging)
(The GlossyBox itself)
(Inside the box)

(Each box comes with a sheet providing more information about each product in the box)
(Again, lovely presentation!)
(The box with the information sheet alongside it)
Now onto the products I received! Here is an image of all the products in the box:

(I'm a little in love with all the packaging)
I'll start each product review with the information provided on the GlossyBox Beauty sheet alongside an image of the product I received to show the size.


Collin Resultime - Regenerating Collagen Gel 
Multitasking superhero containing 15 key skin molecules. Use daily as a serum or sleep mask. Fullsize: £47.25/50ml

I received a sample sized 15ml bottle of the product (which would cost just over £14 if you work it out via the fullsize price) I used this as a daily serum applying it in the evening after my normal cleanse and tone regime. I used it in conjunction with the Monu Extra Rich Night Cream that I also received in this box (review below) and my skin has been feeling so smooth when I wake up every morning. However this has a rather hefty price tag with it and I don't know if I'd be willing to fork out the money, I certainly wouldn't be able to with my current budget anyway! Perhaps it's a product I'll have to remember for the future when I've got more of an income!


Awapuhi Wild Ginger - Texturising Sea Spray
Create a tousled, beachy style any time. This surf-inspired spray adds texture and body to any locks.
Fullsize: £18.95/150ml

The bottle I received as a 25ml sample size of this product. I have naturally curly hair that doesn't require any extra body but I found this spray did give me lovely beach style hair, loosening my curls slightly and giving them a relaxed but still defined look. I tried apply it to wet and dry hair and it had a similair effect on both. My only problem with this product though is that if left my hair feeling a little sticky afterwards. Now this will be fine when say I'm on holiday and I'm washing my hair everyday (I definitely intend on taking this on holiday with me!) but I only need to wash my hair twice a week at home so it left me needing to wash my hair the day after I'd styled it. Overall though I did like this product and will definitely be taking it on holiday with me to keep those beach curls into the evening.


Monu - Extra Rich Night Cream
A luxurious night cream to intensively nourish and firm whilst you sleep.
Fullsize: £36.95/50ml

As mentioned above, I used the night cream from this 20ml sample size bottle after applying the Collin Resultime Regenerating Collagen Gel and they worked really well together leaving me with super soft skin. I also tried this cream on it's own and still found it really moisturing. I suffer from dry skin and I sometimes get unsightly dry patches around my eyes and mouth; this cleared even those really dry patches up really quickly. Again my only problem with this product is the price tag. I'm more tempted to fork out for this than the Collin gel though as I feel a really decent moisturiser is worth spending money on. I might just have to close my eyes if I choose to buy it and try to ignore the price tag...that works...right?


Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics - Lip Frosting
A multifunctional cream gloss. Use on lips for a tint of colour, or cheeks for a luminous glow.
Fullsize: £10.00/15ml

Firstly my boyfriend found the name hilarious but this without a doubt is my favourite product I received in my box. It's the fullsize 15ml bottle which doesn't sound like much but a little of this goes a long way. It's a gorgeous bright glossy pink that goes on quite sheer and smells delicious! I've been using this on my lips everyday since I got it. I did try it on my cheeks but I felt it left a bit of a sticky residue so have stuck to the lips! I will definitely buy this once mine has run out but as you only need a little to leave you with lucious lips I don't think I'll be needing to re-purchase for a while!



Kryolan - Satin Powder
This micro-fine powder will create extraordinary shimmer effect eye make up.
Fullsize: £4.75/3g

This is the product I've used the least from the box I received. It's a really lovely coral colour light shimmer powder and the fullsize product but I just haven't really had any time in which I'd need or want to wear it so far! I do really like the look of it though and have tried it on it's own, it's a little weak on it's own but could be used as a very subtle shimmer eye or highlighter, and I've tried it on top of a few different eye colours; it works well to enhance or add a nice glitttery effect to an eye for a night out. It's one I'm sure I'll use more over time and again I think I'll take it on holiday with me as the sheer coral colour will work nicely with a tan as a light evening makeup in the sun.




I also received as a Bonus Product samples of the Elizabeth Arden's Visible Difference Skin Balancing line. I unfortunately haven't had the oppourtunity to try these out yet but I am a lover of Elizabeth Arden products so definitely will be giving those a try as soon as possible!

Overall I was really impressed with the box I received. Working out the amount each product cost (by dividing the fullsize cost by the volume to get the cost per ml then timesing that by the sample size) I worked out that this box had over £43 of product in it. When you think I paid £12.95 and got to try lots of new and different products I think that's a bit of a bargain! I, unfortunately, don't have that kind of money spare every month to get a subscription though however much I wish I could. When I do have the funds though I really would like to be able to get myself a subscription. I loved trying all the different products and, lame though it may sound, it was exciting getting the box and unwrapping it not knowing what was going to be inside! It's like Christmas!

If, like me, you're interested in the idea, log on to their website, take a look around, and perhaps think about getting just one box to see if this is for you! Let me know in the comments if you've got any reviews of GlossyBox's that I could take a look at and if you liked this review.

Bye for now :)
xxxxx

Tuesday 14 August 2012

Wouldn't it be nice...if the euphoric wave of London 2012 continued on.

I know I've already written about the Olympics but I'm going to do it again because I truly loved it. I have never been sporty, I was always into dancing but dreaded facing weekly P.E. lessons at school, and I have never before been really that interested in watching the Olympics regardless of what nation was hosting it. I can honestly put my hands up and say that before London 2012 began I was very uninterested in the entire thing. Then it began. And I was hooked.

(Image from http://www.london2012.com/)
For the entire event nothing else was watched in my household. I became actively interested all sports, from the obscure (who knew canoe events would be so exciting!?) to the traditional favourites. I truly do wish that the Olympics had come to London during my childhood because I think I would have got more involved and interested in partaking in sports. I hope that it has had that effect on children across the nation; I really do hope that 'Inspire a Generation' becomes so much more than a tagline for these games. That it instead becomes a reality.

The most important thing that I believe can be taken from these games though is they were a complete success. Many outside and inside the nation had little or no hope for London 2012 but instead we surpassed all expectations and everyone was swept into a euphoric state. Team GB stormed the medals table with our most successful Olympics for 104 years, the volunteers received the biggest cheers of all from crowds and athletes alike, and the public rose to the occasion. We all came out and supported our team. My entire family and I, like many others, were unlucky and didn't manage to get tickets to anything in the original ballots or during the re-sale, but it didn't dampen our support. We simply cheered from our home, adding our voices to the many thousands screaming on our greatest ever team.

Whilst many have already returned to the classic British cynicism I hope that we all can continue to ride this wave. The Paralympics are yet to begin and will hopefully prove to be as exciting as the games and I really do hope they inspire as much support. I love the current adverts for the Paralympic Games that feature the title 'Thanks for the warm-up' following the original adverts introducing the athletes as 'Meet the Superhumans'. Here is another fantastic Team GB to continue supporting in the games.

Of the games all I have left to say is that I truly will miss watching them and that I believe they did more than inspire a generation, they inspired a nation.

Bye for now :)
xxxxx


Wednesday 8 August 2012

Wouldn't it be nice...if Pinterest wasn't so addictive.

I know I might be a bit late on the bandwagon here but OH. MY. GOODNESS. Pinterest is so very addictive. For those that don't know Pinterest is a virtual pinboard where members can "pin" images, videos etc. onto their own boards. Having been a scrapbook addict as a child this has enabled me to return to that love but without the fuss and fiddle of having to physically cut images out of magazines and glue them into a book or blu-tack them to my wall.

I've only recently got really into Pinterest and I'm actually very glad it took me this long. I signed up to it a good few months ago when I was still studying for my degree but (thankfully!) wasn't that interested then as I had much more pressing matters to deal with...like passing my degree. I completely forgot about it until a few people recently started talking on Twitter about it, so I logged in again and I am now officially hooked.

Pinterest basically enables me to collect together pretty things I like into one place (for one thing I love that kind of organisation) but it's also great because you can see tons of other things people are pinning to their own boards and are therefore sharing on Pinterest. I have never wanted to make so many arts and crafts in my entire life than I do now because of lovely, simple makes I keep finding on there!

(A simple PrtScn and Paint job just to demonstrate for those that don't know what a Pinterest page looks like. If you wanted to take a look or follow my Pinterest go to http://pinterest.com/charlotte2306/ )
I love it because it also means that if I simply see an image of anything I like anywhere on the internet (except, rather annoyingly, Facebook) I have a simple way of saving it and collecting it with other things I like. You can add a 'Pin It' button to your Bookmark Toolbar that only requires a click of it to add it to any of your boards. I can imagine as well if you were intending on decorating or planning an event, such as a specifically themed party or a wedding, Pinterest would be a fantastic, fuss-free way of collecting inspiration.

Let me know if you're on Pinterest and if you follow my profile I'll be sure to take a look at your boards too!

Bye for now :)
xxxxx

Monday 6 August 2012

Wouldn't it be nice...to feel like I had some control again.

Hello lovely readers

Apologies for the lack of blog posts recently; I have been experiencing a rather odd period in my life and haven't really felt the desire to write or have known what to write about. As many of you know I recently finished university with high hopes for the future but since actually graduating I have instead experienced a very odd panicky and rather disconcerting feeling of "What now!?!?" This combined with the worst bout of flu I have ever had has not resulted in a very happy Charlotte. However things are looking up and I am feeling more certain and in control again so hopefully the inspiration will come back for more posts, and my blog will get back on its feet as I get back on mine.

Bye for now :)
xxxxx