Beauty Thursday

Beauty Thursday

For this week's Beauty Thursday I thought I would post my review of the November Birchbox. The November Birchbox collaborated with Tatler magazine on the design, sadly the design was the best part of the box. To be honest, I will be cancelling my subscription after the December box as the last few month's it has just been a let down😢

OCC Lip Tar Primer

This was a very good sample size I will give Birchbox that much and the full size is worth £15. You apply a small amount to your lips before your lipstick to help your lipstick last all day, I used this the day of my graduation just to ensure my lipstick was photo ready all day long and it worked. It also has a nice peppermint smell and vitamin E to help soothe your lips.

Marcelle BB Cream Golden Glow Illuminator

The full size of this is worth £25.50 but again I think the sample size would still give a few uses. The product is really illuminating and dewy like it claims however it's very dark so I will only be able to use it when I have a tan or am fake tanned.

Nuxe Creme Prodigieuse

The full size of this moisturizer costs £21. It has a very clean smell but it is quite strong so if you're sensitive to smell you probably won't be a fan. The cream feels really soft and moisturizing but I don't know how effective it makes me skin against looking fatigued.

Beauty Protector Protect & Blonde Shampoo

This purple shampoo is designed for blonde hair and aids to keep blonde hair bright and not brassy, the full size is worth £18.50. The scent is nice and obviously you wouldn't notice much effect unless you used it for the long term but I did like the shampoo. I wouldn't purchase the full size as it is very expensive but it's still quite good.

KhairPep Transforme Masque

The last item was this sample size masque, the full size is worth £20. It's a nice mask and you can get a few uses out of the sample size.

If you wish to subscribe to Birchbox, you can do so here:

So that's it for this week's Beauty Thursday, I hope you enjoyed today's blog!

Xoxo

Sophie

Beauty Thursday

Beauty Thursday

For this week's Beauty Thursday I decided to do my review from the October Birchbox. The box itself was stunning this month, they were based on your star sign, the stars looked pretty on the box and they glowed in the dark slightly. Products wise I wasn't overly impressed, in fact I was very underwhelmed but I'm going to see how the rest of the year goes and then make a decision about continuing my subscription. 

Lord & Berry Matte Lipstick

I have received quite a few products from Lord & Berry before and I have always liked them. The shade "intimacy" mauve-nude colour, perfect for everyday in the Winter. The lipstick was nice and pigmented and didn't feel uncomfortable on the lips which is great when you're wearing a matte lipstick.

Monu Rosewood Reviving Mist

I received this mist from Glossybox back in June last year and the full size costs £19.95. I found this mist refreshing and the scent is quite nice too. It's a plus that my sensitive skin doesn't react to it.

Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Gel

The full size of this de-stress muscle gel is worth £25 and you massage it liberally into the skin. I thought it was a nice gel but it had no effect on my feeling relaxed and if I'm honest I don't really believe in the relaxing type of products.

Birchbox Eyebrow Brush

This was a full size brush obviously and was from Birchbox's own brand and cost £1.95. It's a nice brush and does a good job however, you can tell it is only £1.95 as it feels very flimsy when I use it and I'm waiting for the top to just fly off.

Manefit Beauty Planner Sheet Mask

We also received this lavender scented sheet mask worth £1.99. To be honest, I will be giving this to one of my friends to try as I don't like lavender scents and I can smell it having not even opened the packet and my skin reacts to a lot of sheet masks. For those of you wanting to try the mask, you simply remove from the packaging and leave on for 20 minutes.

Number 4 Fluoro5 Elixer Restore & Repair Oil

This last product was probably my saving grace for this month's box! I received a detangling spray from this brand month's ago in my first ever Birchbox and it has quickly become my favourite detangling spray ever so I was excited to try this oil. You simply smooth 2 pumps into your hair when it's damp and then finish blow drying as normal. My hair felt so soft and looked nice and shiny after use. The full size is worth £18 and I will consider buying it once I've ran out of the sample size.

If you wish to subscribe to Birchbox, you can do so here:

So that's it for this week's Beauty Thursday, I hope you enjoyed today's blog!

Xoxo

Sophie

Beauty Thursday

Beauty Thursday

This week's Beauty Thursday is dedicated to my review of the September Birchbox. First off the box design this month was so cute and I love the little drawer idea, however overall I was kinda disappointed in this month's box, I'm hoping next month's is better as that is two boxes in a row that have let me down now.

ModelCo Highlighting Trio

The first product we received this month was this full size cream highlighter trio worth £14. The formula was super smooth and creamy and they blended nicely onto the skin. Sadly the whitest shade which would be the one I would probably use more wasn't as pigmented as the other two. 

Amika Bombshell Blowout Spray

We also got a sample size of this bombshell spray, the full size is worth £14.99. This spray is actually quite nice, it's a volumizing and texturising spray as well as a heat protector. You section your damp hair and spray throughout before blow drying. 

Starskin Eye Catcher Mask

This month also contained a pair of eye masks from Starskin, I've received a small of this mask before which I still haven't tried out but this is another reminder I should. A full size is worth £8.50 and you simply press on to your under eye area for around 15 minutes. The mask claims to brighten the delicate skin around your eyes.

Jane Iredale Smooth Affair Facial Primer

We also received this sample size of the facial primer and brightener which I was excited to try. The full size is worth £36 and you simply apply a pea-sized amount onto the skin before applying your makeup. It felt nice on the skin and my make up lasted well with it, I'll definitely use the full sample before I consider purchasing the full size though.

Nuxe Prodigieux Shower Oil

The last product we received was this shower oil from Nuxe, the full size is worth £10. It felt nice on the skin and I felt super soft after use.

Birchbox x LaLaLab

As a little bonus we received an exclusive gift which was a free LaLaBox in which we got 36 photos printed in cute box worth £12.69. To be honest, this was my favourite part of the box this month and it wasn't even mentioned on the products list, I ordered mine within minutes of opening my box and I'm so excited to see my photos printed when they come as I selected photos from my 21st which I haven't had the chance to print yet.

If you want to subscribe to Birchbox you can do so here:

So that's it for this week's Beauty Thursday, I hope you enjoyed today's blog!

Xoxo

Sophie

Beauty Thursday

Beauty Thursday

This week's Beauty Thursday is dedicated to my review of the August Birchbox. This month we received a purple bag rather than the usual box overall, I was sadly disappointed in this month's "box."

Marcelle Waterproof eye liner 

One of the full sized products we received was this eye liner in the shade "Mulberry," I love receiving eye liners in beauty subscriptions because it opens me up to brands I wouldn't have known and I get to test if the liner suits me without buying it specifically. This full sized liner was worth £10.50 and although it didn't look it in the photo, it's a purple shade. The liner is really pigmented and and boy is it waterproof!

Anatomicals The Buff Stuff Citrus Body Scrub

Next we got a sample size of this body scrub from Anatomicals, a full size is worth £3.99. You massage into wet skin, then rinse away. I liked the grapefruit smell however, I wasn't fond of the scrub as it wasn't very effective.

Merci Handy Antibacterial Cleansing Gel

This was another full size worth £2.90 and was probably my favourite product this month, I've already popped it in my handbag for when I'm back in college. It has a black vanilla scent and oh my days, it smells incredible! I need a perfume in this scent. 

Parlour By Jeff Chastain Volumizing Lift Spray

Another sample size we received was this volumizing spray from Parlour, the full size is worth £17. I don't really have a problem with volume so I haven't tested it, I might try it for a night out to see if it does work but as I said I don't really need volumizing products. You spray onto partly dry roots and finish drying then style as usual.

The Hero Project Instant Moisture Boost 

A full size product this month was this moisturizer from Hyasoft worth £19. I did quite like the moisturizer, it smelled nice and didn't react with my sensitive skin, it also works well as a primer base. Apply a coin sized amount to the skin and allow to absorb for a few minutes.

Nude Perfect Cleanse Omega Cleansing Jelly

As a bonus product we received this sample pack of cleansing jelly from Nude. I used this with the cleansing brush I got in this month's Glossybox and they worked well together. The full size is worth £32.

If you want to subscribe to Birchbox, you can do so here: 

So that's it for this week's Beauty Thursday, I hope you enjoyed today's blog!

Xoxo

Sophie

Beauty Thursday

Beauty Thursday

This week's Beauty Thursday is a review of the July Birchbox. This month's box was a collaboration with Millie Mackintosh and first off this box is absolutely stunning, the design was so, so pretty. However the box itself this month, I was a little disappointed in.

LOC x Millie Ultra Lip Gloss Pencil

The first product we received was a full size lip gloss pencil from Millie and LOC worth £9 in the shade "Bohemian Rose." I've tried a couple of products from LOC before and like each previous time I wasn't disappointed, it was a super pretty pink colour gloss and was quite opaque. It also felt nice on the lips, overall I quite liked this product.

Elemis Hydra Boost Day Cream

We also received a sample size of this day cream from Elemis, the full size is worth £39. The nourishing cream also has hyaluronic acid to lock in moisture, you simply apply in the morning after you've cleansed. I liked the product and there was actually a lot of product in the sample size but I'm going to continue with my own moisturizer.

Nails Inc nail varnish

 This month's box also contained a sample size of a pink coloured Nails Inc nail varnish. I have to say the size was quite cute it reminded me of the ones I used to get when I was a child and I have that many nail varnishes that half of them dry up before I use them all so I'm okay with the size. A full size is worth £15 which to be honest I think is a bit much as you definitely need two coats, if not three and it's not very opaque.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum

Another sample size in this month's box was this radiance serum from Caudalie, the full size is worth £45. It says the product fades dark spots, evens out skintone and boosts your skin's natural glow. I'm not sure how effective it is for dark spots, and I didn't notice any difference in evening out my skin tone but I did find my skin had a nice glow after use. You simply smooth in a thin layer over your face after cleansing and then follow up with your moisturizer.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume 7 Day Volume treatment

The last product was another full size, this one from John Frieda worth £9.99. You either received the 7 day volume treatment or a free ease forever smooth anti frizz primer. I recieved the volume treatment and although my hair does not lack in volume I decided to give it a go and all I can say is, it definitely works my hair was quite large and in charge!

If you want to subscribe to Birchbox, you can do so here:

So that's it for this week's Beauty Thursday, I hope you enjoyed today's blog!

Xoxo

Sophie

Beauty Thursday

Beauty Thursday

This week's Beauty Thursday is dedicated to my review of this month's Birchbox. The design of this month's box was super funky and cute however overall I wasn't super excited about the products I received this month.

Ainy Pure Lumiere Gommage Purete Eclar Visage

The first item in this month's box was the exfoliating mask from Pure. I enjoyed this scrub as it exfoliated my skin however it was still gentle on my sensitive skin. My skin felt soft and smooth, a full size is worth £25. Once a week simply massage into damp skin using circular motions. The one thing I wasn't feeling was the scent was quite strong and citrusy even though normally smells don't bother me.

Absolution Le Nettoyant Purete

The next item in this month's box was this gel face cleanser. I liked that it had natural ingredients such as chamomile ad oats etc. I used this with the konjac sponge I received in a recent Glossybox and it worked quite well. It was quite strong at removing my face make up, I used my normal cleanser for my eye make up though. Again this had another strong scent which I wasn't a fan of much like the exfoliator.

Amia Nourishing Mask

I was a big fan of this product, I love getting hair care in my boxes as it's often not something I like to experiment full sized products with so it's great to discover them in boxes like this. This mask hydrates and nourishes to repair damage. A full size is worth £19.99, I was happy that I got two uses out of this sample size although the packaging was annoying once it had been opened. Apply once a week and leave for 5-10 minutes, then rinse.

Cynthia Rowley Brightening Illuminator

My favourite product in this month's box was this illuminator from Cynthia Rowley. I received an eye liner from Cynthia Rowley which is the most black eye liner I have ever owned so I was super excited to receive another product from the brand. I love how pigmented this highlighter is, you simply apply to the cheekbones, above the lips or at the tip of the nose. A full size is worth £19 and I LOVE this product!

Monu Spa Enriched Body Cream

The last item in this month's box was this body cream from Monu. A full size is worth £24 and it has a nice clean smell. My body felt super moisturized after I massaged it into the skin.

If you wish to subscribe to Birchbox, you can do so here:

That's it for this week's Beauty Thursday, I hope you enjoyed today's blog!

Xoxo

Sophie

Beauty Thursday

Beauty Thursday

This week's Beauty Thursday is dedicated to the May Birchbox. I was a bit sad it took so long to get here and that the box had been damaged so that was a bit disappointing but the products themselves were still in perfect condition. The theme this month was "For the dreamers" and the design of the box was very intriguing although the entire lid did not need to be a scratch card type of material.

Spectrum Collection Unicorn Tears Wonder Sponge

The first item in this month's box was this complexion sponge from Spectrum, it was a full size and worth £4.99. I was really excited to receive this product as we got to choose the colour beforehand between the purple or pink and I have tried a couple of brushes from the brand previously and they are so good and great value for money. The sponge itself didn't amaze me, it did a good job at blending the concealer and foundation but I have tried better sponges.

The Balm Stainiac in Beauty Queen

This was probably my favourite product from this month's box as I am a big fan of The Balm Cosmetics! We received a sample size of their Stainiac product which is a lip and cheek stain and the full size is worth £10. I think this sample size will last quite well though so I'm impressed with the amount of product we received. One light layer on the lips brought a nice flush of colour to them, though I did also find you could build it up too a more pigmented brighter colour too. I wore this out shopping and as it is a stain it did not budge all day long, I then loved it that much I wore it out that night with friends! I am not a big fan of cheek stains as I feel it can go badly wrong but if you want to try it as a cheek stain you dab 2-3 dots on the apples of your cheek and blend, for a lip stain just apply like a lip gloss.

Caudalie Moisturising Sorbet

The second sample size product we received was this moisturising sorbet from Caudalie. You apply a small amount to your hands and then spread evenly onto the skin, it says it reduces redness, hydrates and instantly soothes the skin. There isn't really a scent on the product so that's good however when you squeeze the tube there is a lot of air in the tube so I am a bit disappointed with the amount of product that is in there. The sorbet did work well with my sensitive skin though, it didn't irritate it and I felt quite hydrated after using it. It felt a tad heavy on my skin for a few minutes as I do prefer lighter moisturisers but once it absorbed it was completely fine.

Rituals Tao Wai Wang Mild Exfoliating Body Scrub

The next item was this mild body scrub from Rituals and the full size is worth £19.50. First off I am so impressed with the amount of product we got in this sample size, we received 70ml which will give you a good few uses so that I am delighted with. It has a blend of ultra-fine Chinese bamboo particles and calming white lotus which helps to slough dead skin cells away leaving the skin nice and smooth! I definitely agree that it is a mild scrub so if you are looking for a deep intense body scrub this product probably isn't for you but I found that this mild scrub was kinder on my skin than usual exfoliaters. Normally when I exfoliate even when my eczema is being non existant, after my shower for a couple of hours it just appears quite intensely and then goes away again but because this was mild I managed to exfoliate without the little flare up from my skin. I am a big fan of this scent too it isn't overpowering so it shouldn't bother people how have a thing about smells but the smell itself is just a really calming, clean scent.

Philip Kingsley PK Prep Polishing Balm

 

We also received this balm from Philip Kingsley, I have tried one or two products from that brand before so I was excited to give this ago. This can be used on damp or dry hair, by simply applying a pea sized amount between your palms and smoothing into your mid lengths and ends. While providing your hair with ProVitamin B5 and Vitamin A it deals with fly aways, frazzled hair and dry ends. The balm to serum formula is really nice and I really like the smell, my hair definitely felt smooth after use plus looked nice and shiny. The full size is worth £18.50.

Yu-Be Moisturising Skin Cream

As a bonus this month we received this small sample of skin cream as well as the other five products! First off the smell of the product itself is quite strong almost like the Vicks stuff you apply when you have blocked sinuses but you can't actually smell it on your body. It has a really thick consistency so is great at moisturising the really dry areas of your body, I would personally focus on the problem areas rather than an all over body moisturiser because it is so hydrating it is great for cracked or scaly skin. My elbows were quite dry after tanning so I rubbed this in and they were so much better after use. I also a little to my feet before bed, like a pea sized amount and the next morning they still felt so hydrated and soft. The full size is worth £19.50, I am definitely adding this to my wishlist to remind myself to buy it during the Winter.

If you want to subscribe to Birchbox, you can do so here:

So that's it for this week's Beauty Thursday, I hope you enjoyed today's blog!

Xoxo

Sophie