GlossyBox August 2014

Yay it's that time of the month where I get a lovely boxes of goodies on my door step.

This month's box is GlossyBox's 3rd Birthday box so we have a slightly different presentation in the form of a different tissue paper and sticker. 

They've also changed their leaflet which tells you details of the products inside the box. It's a folded form with details on both sides. I'm not sure whether this is a permanent thing or just a Birthday Box thing but non the less it's nicer than a plastic card. 

So what did I get in my August box? As it's the Birthday Box subscribers got 6 products instead of the usual 5 - although one of them is a perfume sample which don't get me wrong are handy for your handbag but there not my favourite thing to receive in a box. 

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (Full Size £38 250ml - product amount 40ml)

"Originally created specifically for Audrey Hepburn, this pre-shampoo treatment delivers unrivaled elasticity, manageability,   bounce and shine without weighing down or coating the hair. Suitable for all hair textures". 

Discount! Visit lookfantastic.com to receive 1/3 off Philip Kingsley 250ml Anniversary Elasticizer. Enter code GLOSSY at checkout to redeem. Expires 15/09/14. 

Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara (Full size £2.79 12ml) 

"The deep black, creamy texture of this mascara covers each individual lash with colour while the extra large brush offers sensational volume". 

Kryolan For GlossyBox Highlighter Cashmere (Full size £12.95) 

"This highlighter is a versatile, lightweight cream with a gloss finish. It provides cheekbones, lips, and other parts of the skin with a beautiful velvety shine". 

Yves Rocher Pink Nail Polish (Full size £3.60 3ml)

"Mini polish - maxi colour! Part of a palette of nude, vibrant or glamorous shades, slightly shimmery or intensely lacquered. Their mini format let's you succumb to the temptation of all colours guilt-free!"

Gigs & Rouge Mini Hand Cream (Full size £6.95 80ml - product received 20ml)

"These hand creams are enriched with. shae butter, natural antioxidants and algea extract for beautifully fragrant and indulgent skincare. Softens, nourishes & thoroughly pampers hands throughout the day!"

Lalique L'Amour Perfume (Full size £67 50ml) 

"This soft, sensual fragrance has delicate top notes of rosebuds laced with fresh bergamot, white floral heart notes and a musk base note. This fragrance captures the essence of love". 

So there we go, this months GlossyBox. It's an alright box, could have been better seeing as it was their Birthday Box but I've had worse boxes too. 

Leanne x

Tropic Skincare Haul

This month I was invited to a Tropic Party. I was told it was like a Partylite party, but instead of candles it was skincare and make-up and seeing as I liked both I said a big fat yes! 

The layout of the party is similar to a Partylite party. You invite your family and friends round, provide the drinks and the nibbles and a representative comes from the company with a big bag of goodies and lays them out on a table infront of you and presents the products to you. It's a great way of shopping as it gives you a chance to "try before you buy". But on the other hand this is also quite dangerous if your a beauty addict like myself. 

The brand was founded by Susan Ma (she was one of the contestants in 2010's The Apprentice) and has been backed by non other than Lord Alan Sugar! 

The Tropic catalogue was placed in front of me... "Our products are derived from 100% pure plant extracts, are honestly priced, and are naturally effective on all skin types". 

... and there were lots of goodies inside from Skin Care to Body Care to Make Up and Brushes and Accessories. 

The products are Vegan Society Apprived, Animal Friendly, Made with natural plant extracts and are free from mineral oils, unsustainable palm oils, parabens, SLS, petrochemicals, MIT, alcohol, synthetic fragrences and harsh preservatives. 

One of the first things we were shown was the Smoothing Cleanser & Organic Bamboo Cloth (£15.00 120ml) which is enriched with Eucalyptus, Green Tea, Avacado and Chamomile. "This luxuriously indulgent spa facial kit contains our creamy Smoothing Cleanser; bursting with Avacados & Jojoba, it effortlessly melts away make up and impurities while pure Eucalyptus essentials oils uplifts and refreshes your senses. Combine with our super soft 100% Organic Bamboo Cloth to buff away dead skin cells and reveal a fresh and radiant complexion". I definitely did not need another cleanser but OMG the smell of this is truly amazing! And I ended up buying the set. Everyone that I have shown this to also loves the natural fragrence, it really is amazing. I could smell it aaaaallll day! 

Something that I have been searching for is a good waterproof / smudge proof eye-liner to take with me to Florida. I thought I had found a good one in the form of Collections gel liner but along came this one. The Silk Gel Liner in Film Noir (£14.00 1.8g) is claimed to be waterproof, smudgeproof and bulletproof. "With the softness of a gel and the precision of a pencil, our Silk Gel Liner is both versatile & long lasting. Create dramatic sharp lines or a sensual, smoky look with the unique silicon smudge tip. Enriched with Vitmain E, Coconut & Calendula Flower Oil, it conditions & protects your lash line". I tested this out at the party by drawing a line on the back of hand, I then left it until much later in the night. I then did the wet finger smudge test and it did not budge! At that point I swiftly picked up my pen and added it onto my order form. The liner is also available in a dark grey called Slate and a brown called Rich Chocolate.  

I did behave myself and only bought these two items however I am planning on hosting a party later on in the year an will no doubt buy more. Similarly to Partylite, depending on how much your guests buy you get 15% of the value of sales to spend on Tropic products of your choice! Pretty good deal. 

I will be going a review on both of these products shortly once I've used them a few more times. For more information on Tropic and how you can host a party or become an ambassador check out their website at www.tropicskincare.com. 

Leanne x

Rimmel Wonder'Full Argan Oil Mascara Review

A week or so ago I picked up the new Wonder'Full mascara by Rimmel. It caught my eye by the bronzed packaging and the fact that it includes Argan Oil, and anything that includes Argan Oil is always good. 

The mascara itself came sealed in a plastic wrap which you don't see happen very much at the drugstore. Least with the wrapping you know no ones grubby fingers have been all over it and getting air into the tube! 

As you can see the bristles make up quite a bit brush, similar to that on the Maybelline The Rocket Volum (my fave mascara). The brush is also quite bendy. 

The mascara formula is good, it's not watery and clings to the lashes as it should with no clumps. It's quite seperating and provides good volume. I curl my lashes and it keeps the curl rather good too! 

As far as the conditioning of the Argan Oil I haven't seen or felt much difference. 

Overall I would give this mascara 8 / 10. 

Let me know what you think of this mascara. 

Leanne x

The Sanctuary Thermal Detox Mask Review

I picked up The Sanctuary 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask (Boots £10.50 100ml) after the product was getting rave reviews on the likes of Zoella and Lily Pebbles YouTube channels (see below).

 

Face masks are not something I use often in my cleansing routine however I'm trying my best to incorporate them at least once a week. With a memory like mine even this is a hard task. 

The tube states "A favourite product in our spa facials, the warmth of this self-heating masks helps to open up the pores so the charcoal and kaolin clay can help draw out the impurities from deep within the skin". As well as purifying, the mask also rebalances the skins oil levels to clarify, cleanse and leave skin with a silky touch, essential oil of myrhh helps sooth and calm". 

This mask is great for those with oily spot prone skin, used weekly for a skin detox. These days I don't tend to have oily skin, except around that time of the month when my hormones are having a party. However this is not to say that people with non-oily skin cannot use this. 

The texture of the mask is relatively thick and has a grey colour. This mask does not have a strong smell. 

After cleansing your skin, apply a thin layer of the mask on damp skin and leave for five minutes. You will notice that as soon as the mask makes contact with your face it has a warming effect. However this won't last. Once dried remove with a damp cloth and pat dry. Follow up using your favourite moisturiser. 

I really like this mask and it does as it says on the tube. No wonder it's been loved by many across the YouTube / Beauty community. 

Smaller sachets of the mask are also available (Boots £3.00 15ml) if you want to test it out before making a commitment to buy the full size product. 

Enjoy! 

Muchos love

Leanne x

What's New At The Drugstore - Rimmel Edition

Thought I would pop along to my local Superdrug and have a mooch, this in my world is dangerous as I end up spending money which I shouldn't. I came across quite a few new bits and bobs at the Rimmel section which were all on offer. 

I thought I would share with you what's new at Rimmel so you if like the look of them you can go out and grab them while their on offer. 

Rimmel Brow This Way - Brow Styling Gel in Medium Blonde (Superdrug £2.99 Normally £3.99) 

Everyone knows brows are a big thing these days and I'm quite lazy when it comes to mine. I regularly prune them yes but it regards to filling them and carving them I'm pretty shocking. So a brow gel which has a hint of colour is just my bag. I bought this styling gel to compare it to the Maybelline Brow Drama which I featured in my "6 Must Have Maybelline Products". I will keep you posted. 

Rimmel Keep Calm and Party Lip Balm in  040 Rose Blush (Superdrug £2.99 in the 2 for £5 offer) 

I bought this as I'm planning on blogging about drugstore lip balms. However if I'm honest I wish I hadn't. The packaging is rather cheap and tacky, it smells cheap (like those lipsticks you had when you were 5 years old) and has no pigmentation at all. I will give it the benefit of the doubt and test it out and include it in the blog post. 

Rimmel Wonder'Full Mascara with Argan Oil (Superdrug £5.99 Normally £7.99) 

The description of this states that "the new formula with Argan Oil feels incredibly lightweight, soft and flexible for wonder'full volume that won't weigh you down. Lashes feel conditioned, soft and flexible with zero clumps and a feather light volume. Ultra flex brush with ultra-soft bristles also hugs lashes defining them from root to tip" - it's the Argan Oil element which intrigued me. I didn't need another mascara but I couldn't resist this one and it's big claims. 

Let me know whether you've already picked up any of these products and what you think of them. 

Muchos love

Leanne x

6 Must Have Maybelline Products

Maybelline has literally been around for decades. Here's my 6 must have products from the brand that I use on a regular basis. 

Baby Lips 

There are sooooo many different colours and "flavours" to choose from which one would you choose? These are great lip balms which have an SPF of 20. They give a very subtle tint to the lips and help protect against sun damage. Winner! 

24Hr Color Tattoos

These have been around for quite a few years now and Maybelline often come out with new collections, unfortunately where I live I can't get my hands on the new collections so guess what I'll be buying lots of in America? These are great for lazy days where you want some shimmer on the lids without any fuss. They also have great staying power and come in both neutral and bright shades. 

Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara

No one likes unruly brows and this product helps to tame to those little hairs that just don't stay put. The product is also tinted and comes in a variety of shades depending on your eyebrow colour. Another great product for lazy days when you can't be bothered doing your full eyebrow routine, just whack some of this threw your brows and away you go! 

Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

If you want a smooth base for your foundation choose this product, it has a silicone feel which glides onto the skin and minimises pores for that even flawless finish. Many have compared it to Benefit's PoreFessional, but this is a fraction of the price and is just as good. 

Super Stay 24Hr Waterproof Powder

Another wonder product this mattifies shine and keeps oil at bay as well as providing a little more colour to the skin. It's also waterproof which comes in handy in the summer months, or on holiday. 

The Rocket Volum Express Mascara

One of my all time favourite mascaras, it's super black, separates lashes and provides great volume to your lashes. They also have a waterproof version which is just as good. 

Let me know what your favourite Maybelline products are and whether you have any recommendations for me! 

Muchos love,

Leanne