Cath Kidston Crystal Bow Necklace

I meant to show you all this little beauty a bit sooner but time truly disappeared on me over the New Year! This was a surprise Birthday gift from the boy, chosen all by himself.... awww, I'm so proud!

Nestled inside the cute packaging, amongst the red tissue paper, was this glorious necklace. He knows I have a bit of a bow obsession when it comes to jewellery, especially necklaces, so he thought to add to my collection with this glittery number from Cath Kidston.

It's such a pretty but simple necklace with that burnished, almost antique look that I prefer to clean shiny silver. The bow is just over an inch wide and is encrusted with crystal diamantés of different sizes. And the chain is 21 inches long so the bow sits on my breast bone comfortably - medium length in my terms.

I love it and it's now a bit of a good old 'go-to' necklace when I'm accessorising with silver. He bought mine from House of Fraser in Norwich but I've found it online at Accessories Online and the Cath Kidston website.

Disclaimer - As mentioned, this was a gift, so I have paid no monies for this loveliness nor have I been sponsored for this post. You are all more than welcome to buy me some jewellery too if you fancy... No??? Worth a try I guess. 

GlossyBox - December - Christmas Edition

Ooh Christmas goodies!! I can't believe it's taken me this long to get round to the December box from GlossyBox but here we are, 2013 already! Where does the time go??!

December's box was made even more fabulous because it was free! Yup, it cost me nada, I'd saved up enough 'GlossyDots' (1000 to be precise) to redeem a box for free and here it is. Not bad eh?

So what did my little stash of points earn me... 

milk_shake conditioning whipped cream -100ml sample size - full size 250ml £14.79

Oh wow this smells gooooooooood! Very coconut-ty, it reminds me of expensive sun lotion and beach holidays...... I've not tried any products from milk_shake before so I am looking forward to giving this leave in conditioner a go. It is 'formulated to condition the hair keeping moisture balance and preserving the hair colour integrity'. Sounds perfect! 

Rituals Magic Touch body cream - 70ml sample size £5 - full size 200ml £15 

And this one smells amazing too! Is this box trying to win me over in scent alone?! I last tried a Rituals product in one of my first ever GlossyBoxes - I think it was the red Christmas 2012 one - and really liked it. This rich body cream has natural ingredients of cherry blossom and rice milk that give it a sweet and creamy fragrance and the whipped texture makes it really easy to apply. 

Seche Nail Lacquer Chocolat - full size 14ml £9.95

Now I love the famous Seche Vite quick drying top coat but haven't tried any of their nail varnish colours. So I was pleased to see this in my box, but honestly, quite disgusted with the colour! I got Chocolat which I can only describe as a pooey brown... it doesn't suit my skin tone at all but it may well suit a more tanned person than myself. Definitely a colour for the nail art pile. 

Sleek makeup i-Divine True ultra mattes v2 darks palette - full size 12 x 1.1g £7.99

Oh what a little beauty!! I love a bit of Sleek makeup and couldn't wait to crack open this palette to see what colours I got. I was impressed to see such a large makeup item in a beauty box and more impressed to see that it was the exact size and item you could buy from the shop. The colours are perfectly me - very autumnal - lots of greens, brown and purple hues, and I love that they are matte. I have so many shimmer eyeshadows that it's nice to change it up sometimes. 

Anatomicals what a complete and utter glosser i never fake strawberry milkshake fruity lipgloss - full size 10ml £3.49

You've gotta admire anatomicals for their inventive product names! This was a fab little product to receive and the smell (again, GlossyBox!!) reminds me of old scented cupcake dolls you used to get as a kid... This is the second anatomicals product I've got from GlossyBox in as many months, but I have to say I don't mind in the slightest. This clear, pink, (oh so fake) strawberry scented gloss will probably sit in my desk drawer as a quick and simple beauty fix. 

GlossyBox blusher Glossy Rosewood - 2.5g bonus product   

Hmmm, I'm not so keen on these GlossyBox 'freebies'. The last one I got was the broken lipstick in the international box. At least this one is a colour that I can wear but if I'm honest, it will probably never get touched. 

Overall a fabulous Christmas box GlossyBox, well done! The Sleek makeup palette and milk_shake conditioner are the highlights for me - I can't wait to give them a try! 

If you love the idea of the GlossyBox beauty box and want to sign up too, then use this referral link to subscribe now.

Disclaimer - I have subscribed to GlossyBox out of my own choice and money (damn the fanciful idea of mystery beauty products delivered every month). It was my choice to review the products above and I have done so in a 100% honest manner. I am not compensated for my reviews but if you use my referral link to start a subscription then I can get points towards a free box next time... well who doesn't want free beauty stuff?!!

SheSaidBeauty's Last Box - December Edition

 

So December was the last ever instalment of the SheSaid Beauty box. First it was the feelunique.com box to disappear, closely followed by Carmine and now SheSaidBeauty have joined the graveyard of beauty boxes been and gone.

So what did the last box offer? Well it was a nice mix of products with a couple of treats thrown in for good measure and Christmas cheer...

MesmerEyez Coloured Contact Lenses  RRP £6.99
I have never tried contacts before, let alone coloured ones. So these little lovelies were a really nice surprise. I'd always wanted to try them, but had never wanted to fork out for something I might not feel comfortable in. Turns out they were tricky to put in but once they were in, they were rather comfortable to wear. I have a full review coming up soon so stay posted...

Jamela 24k gold Under Eye Mask SheSaidBeauty Box December 2012 RRP £32.50 for 16 pairs
Now don't these look fancy?! These Jamela eye masks are 24k gold infused to help with the rejuvenation of collagen in the skin. It's a little frustrating that they don't seem to come with any instructions on how long they should be applied for, but I'm saving them for a special occasion to treat myself - I highly doubt I'll be investing in 'gold' skincare treats on a regular basis.

Dr Duve Anti-Ageing & Firming Eye Cream RRP £115 for 30ml and Dr Duve Skin Boosting Cream RRP £129 for 50ml
It's a little frustrating when a tiny sample sachet get passed off as a product in these boxes, even more so when it's two! But I can forgive this when I look at the price tag... *whistle*... that's a lot of pennies for some cream! These anti ageing potions are for mature skin though and luckily, mature I am not. I will be passing these onto Mother dearest.

Technic Nail Varnish in Tawny Port RRP £1.25 12ml
I've seen this brand popping up a little on instagram but have yet to try their polishes, when my current Shellac mani wears out, I'll pop this on and give it a go. It reminds me of a favourite No7 polish of mine, I think it's called Blackberry, but this doesn't have the subtle metallic shimmer.

Amie Spring Clean Cooling Clay Mask RRP £1.60 per sachet
Uh! Another repeat sample. I got one of these clay masks back in the SheSaidBeauty September box and it was really menthol heavy - it made my skin burn and sting quite a bit. I prefer my Clinique pore minimizing refining clay mask so will pass this onto someone else to try out.

Jing Whole Leaf Teabags RRP £5.40 for 15 teabags
Ooh I love me some posh tea! I got some tasty flowering dragon eye tea in my first ever SheSaidBeauty March box and LOVED it. I got two little sachets in this one - a Jasmine Silver Needle and a Jade Sword. I actually gave these two samples to a friend who is a big fan of herbal and loose leaf teas, and she consumed these pretty quick - I guess that was an indication that she liked them!

So, it's a farewell to SheSaidBeauty boxes and I have to say, this was a fairly nice box to finish with. Ah well, at least my bank balance will thank me for only one beauty box subscription per month now!!

Disclaimer - I subscribed to the SheSaidBeauty box out of my own choice and money, but alas that is to be no more. It was my choice to review the products above and I have done so in a 100% honest manner,  I am also not compensated for my reviews.

The astrid & miyu Secret Box

 

A while back in 2012 (wow it still sounds a little weird saying that?!) I saw a post on Tali's blog, Glossy's Wardrobe about a brand called astrid & miyu - a new online design jewellery brand based in London. I checked out their website, and oh boy did I fall in love... Hopelessly in love, with their beautiful, unique pieces in gold, silver and rose gold, adourned with crystals, diamantés and semi-precious stones....sigh

Astrid & miyu means "exceptionally beautiful" in Swedish and Japanese and their mission is to make every woman feel just that. Connie and Jenny are the co-founders and masterminds behind the brand which was launched in 2011. They believe in subtle, classic, effortless style with a subtle twist. So their jewellery pieces are designed by teams in England, South Korea and Italy; are ethically made and only in limited quantity because 'everyone deserves to be unique'.

Anyhow, I was unusually restrained and didn't make a purchase. In the coming months I dutifully checked their website to see what new stock they got in from time-to-time and to also gaze longingly at the Love At First Sight ring in rose gold, with the intention of putting it on my Christmas list (if I didn't cave first).

Then in November I received an email about astrid & miyu's new jewellery concept - the Secret Box. For £39 (one-off or every quarter) you can sign up to receive a Secret Box of astrid & miyu jewellery up to the value of £200. Well, you all know my love affair with beauty boxes, so naturally I signed up immediately! Astrid & miyu send out a survey to all their subscribers so they can tailor the contents of your box to you and your tastes - that way, hopefully you don't receive products that you already own or products you can't wear.

Then just before Christmas my first box arrived.... eeek! (cue some dodgy iPhone photos as I was too eager to get this beauty open, I didn't have time to set up a proper camera!) Warning: this post is very photo heavy.

 

Wrapped inside some colourful geometric paper was the typical astrid & miyu packaging - a cream box stamped with the branding. Inside which was two astrid & miyu jewellery pouches and some exclusive offers for Secret Box subscribers from Jemima Vine, The Fold, ABO and of course, astrid & miyu.

The pouches themselves are beautiful - cream canvas, edged with lace and a cream drawstring bow to tie up - but inside the pouches were two gorgeous glittering pairs of earrings. Astrid & miyu sent me the rose gold Puppy Love and the Tiny Lucky Charm earrings. Just feast your eyes on these little beauties...

  Puppy Love - rose gold diamanté flower earrings - £59  

These Puppy Love earrings were designed following the success of astrid & miyu's signature Puppy Love ring. They are made up of three rose gold plated brass flowers, encrusted with glittering white Swarovski crystals. And at £59 that's the cost of the Secret Box covered already! They are slightly heavier than I'm used to wearing, but not so much that they don't hang right in the ear. I love how sparkly the crystals are, even with my hair down you notice these babies instantly.

  

Tiny Lucky Charm - white shamrock earrings - £29

The Tiny Lucky Charm studs though are my favourite. These four-leaf clover floral earrings are made from brass with glittery white onyx and are so simpe yet elegant, I know I'm going to get loads of wear out of these everyday. And at £29 they are an added bonus.

I am so impressed with my earrings, they are both beautiful and such qood quality. My £39 box was worth nearly £90 in the end - which is fantastic value for money! I had the initial intention of subscribing for only the first box and cancelling after that, but I don't think I can now... I'm so desperate to see what they'll send me next!

I'm hoping that next time I get a bracelet and/or ring... oooh if I got the Love At First Sight ring I'd be in heaven :)

Disclaimer - I have not been sponsored for this post and I purchased the Secret Box out of my own monies. For the terms and conditions or further information about astrid & miyu's Secret box then please check out their site here.

GlossyBox - November Edition

After the bland appearance of last month's GlossyBox I was keen to see if we were back on track for November. Once I'd got the box out of its shipping packaging, there was a slight flutter when I realised how heavy it was. Now heavy must be a good sign, or so I figured. I eagerly opened it up and was met with.... blah.... Oh, no not again?! Well we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover should we? So I took a closer look and actually this box was far more promising than I first thought....

Ayuuri Sandalwood Face Cream - full size 200ml £4.99
Now I'll start with the least favourite item of mine this month, Ayuuri's Sandalwood face cream. This big ol' tube was the culprit of the heavy issue. Now I assumed it was a body cream or wash at first look but then I realised it was a face cream. Bloody hell! That's one massive tube of moisturiser! I have to admit, I knew instantly that I was unlikely to use it, you guys know how careful I am with my oily skin, but I thought I'd give it a sniff. And woah! that's one strong scent! I'm not sure why someone decided Sandalwood would be a suitable fragrance for a facial product but it gave me an instant ache of the head. There's no way I can bear to use this on my face but as a general body moisturiser I'll give it a go.

Burberry Body Eau de Parfum - 4.5ml sample size - full size 85ml £75
Oooh, this me like very much! I was very impressed with the Burberry lipstick in the special edition Harrods box so when I saw a perfume sample this month, you can bet it was the first thing to be yanked from the box for sampling! I am most pleased that it isn't a dribble of fragrance either, Burberry have gifted us with quite a sizeable 4.5ml glass vial of Burberry Body. The scent is actually really very nice and very me - the contents card says that it is an effortlessly sensual, feminine fragrance with an eclectic combination of green absinthe, rose and cashmeran - now I don't claim to know anything about perfumes, except that I love it! You're best bet is to pop to Boots and try it out, each to their own and all that, but this is definitely a winner for me.

Alison Claire Natural Beauty Mango Body Butter - 50ml sample size - full size 200ml £15
This is a new brand on the market and is part of the reason these beauty boxes exist - to bring us brands that we otherwise wouldn't have heard of. The Alison Claire range consists of products that are irritant free, over 70% organic and not tested on animals. So far so good. At first I thought it was a face product, but opposite to the Ayuuri assumption, I soon found it was actually a body product. Now this mango body butter smells amazing, skin-licking sort of amazing-ness to be exact, but my favourite aspect has to be the easy pump dispenser. I like body butters but I loathe using them - I just can't cope with the mess of scooping it from a tub and getting it all under my nails. Fussy I know. If I'm to compare this another well known body butter tub (Body Shop's) it is a tad more expensive for the 200ml size but the 200ml is in a tub and I like the pump. So my interest would lie in the smaller 50ml travel size. However £7.99 for 50ml is a tad pricey for a body butter don't you think?

Nails Inc. Kensington Caviar Top Coat - 4ml sample size - full size 10ml £11-12
You can't go wrong with a bit of Nails Inc., fact. Other bloggers were disappointed to not get a colour but out of the three options available the Caviar Top Coat would be the one I would have chosen. I have a few favourite Nails Inc. polishes in my collection so was keen to see how their top coat fared to my favoured Seche Vite or Jessica Brilliance. It is most similar to the Jessica - it dries fairly quickly but doesn't leave the finish all that glossy. A nice little product to receive and try out.

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant - 13g sample size - full size 75g £38.50
Dermalogica is a brand I've been recommended by so many but have yet to dip into to. So when I saw this little shaker of brilliance I was very excited. Of all the types of products to try, an exfoliant is probably the most suitable for me. And Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant is no ordinary scrub. It is a very fine rice-based powder that you dispense into wet hands and lather into a creamy paste. You then massage this paste onto the face and rinse off after about a minute. It left my skin feeling soft, smooth and very clean. The large sized sample will take me a little while to work through, which is good, but if I am to repurchase nearly £40 seems quite steep for an exfoliator. We'll see how this goes I guess and how hooked I get will ultimately depend on whether there will be a small Dermologica sized hole in my purse...

In all, a fab month from GlossyBox don't you think? I can't wait to see what samples they accumulate for December and especially because I've got enough GlossyDots to redeem the Christmas edition for free :) yay, freebies!

If you love the idea of the GlossyBox beauty box and want to sign up too, then use this referral link to subscribe now.

Disclaimer - I have subscribed to GlossyBox out of my own choice and money (damn the fanciful idea of mystery beauty products delivered every month). It was my choice to review the products above and I have done so in a 100% honest manner. I am not compensated for my reviews but if you use my referral link to start a subscription then I can get points towards a free box next time... well who doesn't want free beauty stuff?!!

SheSaidBeauty Box - November Edition

I'm finally catching up... onto my November beauty boxes now, then I can finally get stuck into December's. Phew!

So November's box from SheSaidBeauty felt like a little beauty prep box, ready for the festive season. And I have to admit, they did a pretty good job of covering all bases. A bit of haircare, fragrance, make-up, skincare and nail care

So...? Brit Body Spray - 50ml full size worth £1.99
Oh my God I instantly feel 12 years old again! This was certainly a blast from the past to find in this month's box. I don't think I've bought a body spray for well over 10 years and after a quick sniff of this patriotic edition of So...? I remembered why. They just smell of 'girl' don't they? You know what I mean, there's nothing woman or lady about it, body spray's literally scream teenager. It's every girl's introduction to perfume before she can afford the decent stuff in glass bottles. I like my current fragrance collection just fine thank you, so this just wasn't really for me... just a nice, but brief, wander down memory lane.

Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Night Cream - 5ml sample size - full size 30ml £14.95
Uh, bloody Weleda. I got the Iris day cream in a past GlossyBox and really wasn't that fussed about it. The fact that this is a night cream *sigh* and a Wild Rose one at that *double sigh* really didn't spark my interest. As I've moaned many a time before, I just don't do night creams and Rose scents seems to give me a thick head. So I already anticipate that this will end up in my 'samples to give away' box, along with the Iris Day Cream and Pomegranate body wash from an old Carmine Box. Sorry Weleda, I'm just not that into you.

Redken Smooth Lock Shampoo & Conditioner - 2x 10ml sample sachets - full size 300ml shampoo £11.85 250ml conditioner £13.40
Ooh yes, I love me some Redken. Now I know I like to hate upon repeated brands across beauty boxes, let alone within the same brand beauty box but I can forgive SheSaidBeauty for this one (Redken also appeared in the August edition here). My hair salon uses Redken and I have used/currently use a few of their products for well over a year or two. My usual hair washing duo is the red colour protect formulae but the Smooth Lock sachets sound appealing as my ends look a bit unruly at the moment! I can't say how effective these are long term, as I got at most two trials out of these samples. But the after effect was smooth, frizz free and shiny. I think for now I will stick with my colour protection bottles though as I'd fear the repercussions of the almond oil in these on my greasy roots. It's nice to try other ranges though from time to time.

Makebelieve enhance Sunbeam Bronzer and Brush - full size 6g worth £15.00
What a beautifully boxed bronzer and it comes with it's own kabuki brush! I've heard good things about the Makebelieve self tan range so was very pleased to see this bronzer in my box. I don't currently have any bronzer loyalty, I've tried a few on the market and none of them have wowed me yet, so I'm open to influence! On closer inspection, the brush is just a soft as I'd hoped and the perfect little travel size, but the inner packaging, holding the brush and bronzer itself, is not ideal. It's big and clumsy, and looks quite shoddily made. I was hoping for more of an HD brows kind of quality but ah well, I'll try it out regardless. The bronzer isn't shimmery and gives a nice golden glow that blends well. It's doesn't wow me, but I will definitely use it up. It's just a pity that it's not really makeup bag sized, so this will have to remain on the dressing table.

Yardley Royal English Daisy Eau de Toilette - 1ml sample size - full size 50ml £9.99 125ml £14.95
Oh for pity sake! SheSaidBeauty... Yardley? Again? Really?! I wasn't all that impressed after Yardley was inlcuded in the June box and now we have it again in November. That's three times I've got one of these fragrance samples in the last year, including the one in the February Carmine box. On the plus side, this one is the nicest scent of them all - fresh and slightly sweet but not overpowering - but I'm just not a Yardley sort of gal I'm afraid.

Murray's Manicure Matchbook Nail Files - full size worth £1.99
Mini nail files, what a nice little bonus. There's not much I can say about these really; it's a match book, of 15 mini emery boards in a candy stripe pink design. Perfect for the handbag and those little nail emergencies.

So an interesting bunch for November, kind of average in my opinion, I hope they pull out all the stops for December's box. It is Christmas after all :)

If you like the idea of the SheSaidBeauty box then use this referral link to start your subscription now!

Disclaimer - I have subscribed to the SheSaidBeauty box out of my own choice and money (damn the fanciful idea of mystery beauty products delivered every month). It was my choice to review the products above and I have done so in a 100% honest manner. I am not compensated for my reviews but if you use my referral link to start a subscription then I can get a free box next time... well who doesn't want free beauty stuff?!!

GlossyBox - October Edition

Oh GlossyBox I believe you have lost your mojo.... October's box really doesn't look up to much on first sight, it's missing that instant "Ooooh!" when you prise the box open but at least on closer inspection it promises some goodies.

A nice little added extra is that some of the proceeds from October's box will go towards Breast Cancer Care as October was of course Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It's a shame that they didn't go to town with that though - think pink box, pink products, pink, pink, more pink....

Anyway, October did offer some 'DIY Beauty' treats as GlossyBox put it, to 'help make the transition into winter that little bit easier' - hmmm we'll see if that really is the case:

Anatomicals - Don't Just Clean It Woman, Scrub It Body Scrub - 75ml sample - full size 200ml £3.49
Can you believe it? This is my first Anatomicals product! I often see this brand on ASOS.com and am always intrigued by their quirky names for products but have, until now, yet to try out any of them. So 'Don't just clean it woman, scrub it' seems like the perfect start - I received a pretty hefty sample size too at 75ml which will make for a great travel size. This body scrub is a clear gel that has the most delicious scent of pink grapefruit (should I be embarrassed to admit that I was salivating whilst using this?!) and uses apricot seed for the exfoliating particles. It lathers up a little and leaves skin smooth after use, I would like it to have a bit more 'grit' to it though as I don't feel I get quite a full enough exfoliation.

Olay - Regenerist 3-point Treatment Cream Fragrance Free - 7ml sample - full size 50ml £29.99
Oh. That's pretty much my reaction to any Olay product. Is it just me or is the brand a bit of a bore? Oil of Ulay, Oil of Olay, Olay... whatever it's called, it just screams old and dated to me. I don't think my skin is in need of much (if any) anti-ageing products right now so I guess I'm just not enthused by what they offer. I tried the cream out however, to be a good sport and all that, but it was as I suspected - too thick and creamy on my oily skin and left me feeling to 'sticky'. Just not one for me I'm afraid.

Skinetica - Anti-Blemish Solution - sample size - full size 100ml £6.99
Two spot treatments in October beauty boxes??? What are they trying to tell us?! Well Skinetica is not a brand I've heard of before but this medicinal looking bottle intrigued me. The packaging is not all that attractive but the statement on the front that claims to quickly clear skin of blemishes without side effects, left me grabbling to try it out. Now I'm no spotty oik, but my chin area in recent months has become more problematic, hence my excitement over the B.liv in the Ocotober SheSaidBeauty Box and now my curiosity for this solution. It's best described as a clear water like product - in fact it has only four ingredients - purified water, ethyl alcohol, fragrance and quaternary ammonium chloride. The best comparison I can think of is that it is a lot like the Clinique Clarifying Lotions, but with less noticeable alcohol. So I used it instead of my Clarifying lotion on my chin area twice a day. So far, so good, a repurchase may well be on the horizon.

Yves Rocher France - Moisturising Cream Lipstick 106 Mauve - full size 3.7g £14.50
Oh this was not a good shade for my skin tone! I can't even bear to post a photo of what it looks like when applied, I'm just not a solid lip colour sort of gal. The first thing that springs to mind is Halloween so from that little hint, I won't be wearing this very often, probably only ever for fancy dress - that gothic sort of look - and I doubt that will be anytime soon, if ever!

Dr. Jart+ - Premium Beauty Balm - 15ml sample - full size 40ml £24.00
Ah Dr Jart+ is a brand that I've seen on many beauty blogs but have yet to take the plunge and try out. It's not the cheapest of brands so I have been hesitant at making any purchases. I was both happy and a little frustrated to get the Dr.Jart+ Beauty Balm - happy as I seem to have an obsession with BB creams and will try out any that I can get my hands on, frustrated because I have too many BB creams and they just don't suit my skin type at all, no matter how hard I try to convince myself. I dutifully tried this one out though and I had mixed thoughts on whether I loved or hated it. Firstly the shade is a little too grey-ing on me, hopefully it may be better in the Summer with a bit of a tan. Secondly it has SPF40, excellent for my pale skin but bad for shine which leads me onto thirdly, shine seeped through after only 1-2 hours. Lastly, it applied really well, smoothed into the skin and didn't look like foundation (which many cheap BB creams do). It was one of the best beauty balms I've tried but without powder, it's just impossible to wear on my skin type.

So, GlossyBox, October was not a great month really for me. Everything was just a bit 'blah'. The only slight exception is the Skinetica, which still intrigues me and will probably be my one and only repurchase. Here's to (hopefully!) better offerings in the lead up to Christmas!

If you love the idea of the GlossyBox beauty box and want to sign up too, then use this referral link to subscribe now.

Disclaimer - I have subscribed to GlossyBox out of my own choice and money (damn the fanciful idea of mystery beauty products delivered every month). It was my choice to review the products above and I have done so in a 100% honest manner. I am not compensated for my reviews but if you use my referral link to start a subscription then I can get points towards a free box next time... well who doesn't want free beauty stuff?!!