Glossybox September 2012

Hello! I know this post is a week overdue, but did anyone else feel like the Glossyboxes came late this month? I felt like I was waiting for mine forever!!
This month the box was a little different; it was a mint green colour rather than the usual pale dusky pink, and it was illustrated with cute little drawings in pink and white by Maggie Li.

Here's what I got inside:

Lady Gaga Fame Perfume - As you will probably know, I'm not a huge fan of being sent these in my box, if you're lucky you can get a sample size perfume like this in Selfridges and a few times I've been in when they've actually been just handing them out in various fragrances. I suppose it's nice that they sent out a sample for a new perfume, not just a random old one. So I'm pretty neutral about receiving this, it'd have been a nice addition, but I'm not particularly excited about it.

Rodial Glamoxy Snake Serum and 5 Minute Facial - I actually initially thought this was a bonus sample because the sachets are so small, but it's not! Sometimes I think it's a bit cheeky when Glossybox just send out sachet samples because to be honest I could approach any counter in John Lewis, Selfridges, Debenhams and probably a few other places and I'd get a free sample of the same size if I asked nicely. I actually got some from benefit that I think were bigger than this! It does look like an interesting product, and it's the sort of product I'd want to see in my Glossybox, just a bit bigger in size!

Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream - I think this is a good product to include, balance me are an interesting brand, they use looads of natural ingredients and things, and I've been noticing them more and more recently! It's a shame that I actually already have a sample of this from a magazine freebie a few months ago (post here) but I'm not going to hold that against them! Another sample, but it's a pretty generous size so I'm not complaining too much.

Vichy Idealie Day Care Cream - Yay! Something I'm genuinely excited about! A luxury skincare brand, a new product line, and it's illuminating!! They really couldn't have sent me a better sample! Yes this is another sample, but it's a generous size again and I wouldn't expect a full size of such an expensive product! I am so looking forward to trying this out, thank you Glossybox!!!

Maghrabian Hair Oil - Another great sample! I am sooo into hair oils at the moment (blog post to follow) I haven't heard of this brand before, which I always like to see in a Glossybox, it's affordable enough which is nice to see too because at least I'd be able to repurchase without crying if I liked it! And hair oil is such a hyped product at the moment, it's quite "on trend" if you will so it's nice to think that Glossybox have thought about what's being hyped at the moment and are sending out things of that nature!

Overall quite a good box I think! I am a little disappointed at the lack of any full size products, it's a little difficult to see where your £10 has gone when there are sachet samples you could get for free at a department store, but nevertheless there are definitely some good products in this month's box and two in particular that I'm very happy to have got and am very excited to try out!

What did you get in your Glossybox? What did you think of the products this month?
Eleanor x

A Simple NOTD

Hello! So on Wednesday I was going out to meet a friend for coffee in the morning, and I painted my nails before I dashed out, so I thought I'd share! I used Nails Inc's South Molton Street, a very sheer pink that says "my nails, but prettier" I feel like it doesn't add a great deal of colour at all - I'm wearing 2 coats and it's still very sheer - but unusually I actually quite like that. It makes your nails just look perfected and groomed without being statement at all. You know the sort that don't stand out, but when you're holding up your coffee cup your friend compliments them (true story). It's a great colour for if you want to keep your nails looking nice if you're not allowed to wear polish at work,because it looks so subtle and natural noone will notice, but your nails will look beautiful at the same time. I love looking at them too! They look so pretty, all shiny and the perfect natural pink! Something else I was pleased with was the drying time, in way less than half an hour the two coats were completely dry and hardened, not just that annoying dry stage where they're touch dry but smudge everywhere under the slightest application of pressure when you try and pull on your jeans. The only negative thing I can find to say about the polish is that it doesn't take much to chip it, saying that though, I didn't put on a base or top coat because I was in a rush, so that's partly my fault. So yes, I whole heartedly recommend this shade if you want a subtle, natural, but groomed look to your nails, I think it's great and I can see it's a shade I'll be reaching for again and again!

Have you tried Nails Inc South Molton Street? What did you think of it? What is your favourite subtle nail shade to wear?
Eleanor x

Chamomile Tea Looks Like Wee

Hello! These blog posts are getting far too sporadic for my liking, but I'm in a bit of a jumble at the moment sorting out various admin things with work and uni and making other preparations for going back to uni! So hopefully once I get back into some sort of routine things will smooth out! Meanwhile, amongst the September bustle, it has been my birthday! I am very sad to say that I have now left my teens behind *cry* and I am feeling very depressed about the whole thing, I don't want to be 20! I'm not ready! Old before my time! Could this be the beginning of a lengthy mid-life crisis? Yes I know I'm being dramatic, I just don't feel 20 at all! Anyway, I've been suffering under the binds of a spending ban recently and when I got some birthday money (and John Lewis had a 10% off event) I was a little naughty...

 Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks in 24 Fresh Melon £18 £16.20, Dior DiorSkin Shimmer Poudre Compact in 002 Amber Diamond £32 £28.80, Bobbi Brown Creamy Corrector in Porcelain Bisque £18 £16.20.

Yes, I splurged, I feel guilty, but it was my birthday okay?! I had to restrain myself from going crazy at the origins counter, I'll save that for the next event John Lewis have... But in all seriousness these are products that I've wanted for quite some time now and I've been waiting to get some money/a discount event to buy them so when the two crossed over, I couldn't help myself! Also, John Lewis have been out of the Dior Amber Diamond for so long (since their last 10% off event) and they even told me that they thought it had been discontinued (!!) I was a little distraught, and hardly dared to check if they had it in today after I'd finished at Bobbi Brown but I did, and they had it so I absolutely had to get it!

Something else I thought I'd mention just at the end, is that recently I've been really enjoying drinking chamomile tea in the afternoon, it counts towards your daily water intake and it tastes delicious! I like to sweeten mine with a teaspoon of honey, and I have noticed an improvement in my skin since I've been having a cup every day! I noticed the difference pretty much overnight, my blemishes started to go, my skin looked brighter and healthier, it's really true what they say about your skincare only being able to help you so far and the rest being down to your diet and what you put in your body. I can honestly say that I notice reverse effects as well when my diet is poor for a few days, my skin is oilier and blemishes take longer to get rid of. Speaking of which, I definitely notice that my skin is less oily when I've been drinking green tea and herbal tea every day as well as looking brighter and everything else I've already mentioned! I also like drinking from cute little teacups haha!

Have you splurged on anything recently? Or have you tried any of the products that I splurged on?
Eleanor x

Shesaid Beauty Box September 2012

Hello! I've had rather a hectic time with work recently so I haven't had much opportunity to post, or much to post about to be perfectly honest! But yesterday my Shesaid beauty box was delivered so I have made some time to show you what I got!

Ginvera Green Tea Exfoliating Marvel Gel - This sounds interesting! I've heard great things about the Ginvera BB cream, which my best friend absolutely loves, so it's interesting to see other products from the same brand! I like the sound of what this does, a gentle exfoliator that removes blackheads, I'm excited to try it out!

Collection Primed and Ready Smoothing Make-up Primer - Hmm, I'm not too sure how I feel about receiving this. I was never very interested in this product when it first came out and I saw the ad campaigns, it's quite a cheap product, I'm just not sure this is a great product for a beauty box, I'd rather get luxury products and unknown brands. I'll try it out all the same though

Collection Fix Me Up Long Lasting Make-up Fixer - I'm not really happy about getting 2 products from the same brand, aspecially seeing as it's Collection (2000) They're not exactly an unknown brand, I could get these at any Boots or Superdrug and again, not something I was particularly interested in trying when I saw it advertised. I probably wouldn't have minded just being sent the fix spray, but I'm really disappointed that I got 2 things from the same brand, this is not an unknown brand or a luxury sample, unimpressed to say the least.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil - This is a good product for a beauty box, I'm just a little disappointed to see it because I received one in my Glossybox last month! I'm not really too impressed that they're sending out the same products, but if I wasn't a subscriber to Glossybox I would have been over the moon to get this.

Amie Spring Clean Cooling Clay Mask - Something I am pleased to see! A brand I hadn't heard of, a product I'm interested in, not a luxury product, but that just makes it even better if I like it after trying it and want to repurchase! It looks cute and says it draws out dirt and impurities from deep in your skin, I wonder what this would be like used with the Ginvera exfoliator??

Popchips Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips - What. On. Earth. Why did I receive a packet of crisps in my "beauty box"? And might I point out, a packet with 7 and a half crisps in it.... I really don't even know what to say about this. I would say this is a rubbish/weird sample blip, but after last month's toothpaste fiasco I'm starting to lose faith to be honest.. A very strange product to receive and it left me a little confused to be honest, what were they thinking?!

Overall this was a disappointing box with a couple of redeeming items, I wasn't happy to be sent 2 things from the same brand, especially as it is such a well known and inexpensive brand, and to be sent a SAMPLE size packet of crisps, well, I don't even know what to say about that. Hopefully the new season will see some more interesting boxes, as I've been very impressed with Shesaid boxes in the past!

What do you think of the items in my box? What did anyone else get sent?
Eleanor x