August Glossybox - International Superstars Edition

Hello Chaps!

It's time for the ever predictable and completely overdone GLOSSYBOX REVIEW!

 

The theme this month was 'International Superstars', to tie in faintly with the Olympics, I think. This box claims to include 'Hero products' from around the world, including products that have cult status in their own countries.

From Glossybox: Glossybox Lipstick in Glossy Pink (suggested retail price of £9.50)

There was another little Glossybox extra this month - apparently they've branched into their own cosmetics? I received a lipstick in the shade Glossy Pink. It's quite a dusky, rosy pink. The colour isn't the usual kind I'm drawn towards but it does actually suit me. I think they were aiming for a one-shade-suits-all kind of colour. It feels a tad drying and grainy in texture, but the colour lasts ages, even staining a little. If this were available to purchase, I wouldn't.

From Germany: Alessandro Pro White (RRP £7.85)

Described as an optically brightening polish to neutralise discolorations on the nail. I imagine this is the same principle as a purple toner to neutralise brassiness in bleached hair, but for your nails! I'm quite pleased about this, as although it might not seem very exciting, it's definitely something I could do with in my ever-expanding arsenal of nail care products! I haven't tested it properly yet, but it's definitely a polish and not a liquid treatment that dries. Probably a no-brainer, but it's not to be used as a topcoat! Alessandro also make a glitter version, which is... intriguing! I've wanted to try their products for a while - if this product is any good I might have to sample some of their pretty polishes.

From Japan: DHC Deep Cleansing Oil (from £3.50 for 30ml)

I used this to take off my make-up before swimming, when I arrived home to my Glossybox delivery last night. It's okay at the job - it feels a bit strange totally wrong to rub it into a dry face of make-up, but as I washed my face I saw signs of it running down the sink. I really, really cannot get behind the products that wash your full face of make-up off, it makes me cringe! I can't even bear to do it with Cleanse & Polish, I never feel like my face is truly clean, so I ended up using a face wash after this anyway. I've decided to use it as an eye make-up remover, so this 30ml bottle should last me a while that way!

 From Great Britain (Woop woop!): Lipcote (RRP £3.99)

The original lipstick sealer! I had a bad experience with a Boots 17 imitation of this over ten years ago (it dried my lips out and dried itself out), but I've never tried the original. It looks fancier than I remember, and I'm looking forward to road-testing it with various lippies. The fragrance does smell quite strongly of alcohol - it reminds me of those dodgy complimentary shots you get given after a meal on holiday.

From Spain: Vera Valento L'ombre à Paupière Margarita (RRP £3.85)

This is the real let-down of the box for me. It hardly needs saying but it manages to simultaneously look like:

a) something your Gran had circa 1967

b) those crappy beginner make up sets from Argos in the shape of flowers or a butterfly

c) something you'd find at the very bottom of the bargain basket at a dodgy market stall

I know I'm being a bit harsh here, but I'm sure others were thinking the same. I was so disgusted I was ready to shove it straight in the charity bag, but I was tempted to keep it just to try the top two minty shades. When I opened it the mirror (behind the applicator) fell out. I swatched a few shades, the lighter neutrals were very wishy washy, as I was expecting. However they were softer and not as chalky as I imagined they'd be. I might give it a few tries, and if I don't get on with it I'll pop the colours I do want in my Z palette. I'll be making sure to hide this in a box out of sight! Poor ugly little palette, I feel 

bad for being so mean now. 

From the wonderful U.S. of A.: Broadway Nails imPress Press-On Manicure (From £7.99)

This is definitely the winner of the box for me! I've wanted to try these since they've come out, and browsed the styles both online and in store. I love the idea of peel and stick falsies that don't damage the nail, but was concerned about the staying power for the price. I'd seen that these were in the box when I checked instagram before I got home to my own box. I couldn't believe my luck when I got the style I'd been lusting after most! Holla! is a metallic neutral pink with a gorgeous lace design overlay, and is slightly more expensive at £8.99. They might be a little tacky for some but personally I love them. I also love the fact they're packaged in a sturdy, nail polish-esque box! Much less hassle than those plastic layers that flick falsies everywhere (that just could be me though, I am exceptionally clumsy). I did check that a few sizes matched my difficult to fit nails (they are quite small) and thankfully there were suitable ones. I'm really looking forward to wearing these - if they last a satisfying length of time I'd like to try some of the other patterned/animal print ones like Lovestruck, Over The Moon, TGIF, Dancing Queen and Starstruck. I don't fancy the plain ones as much, I might as well just paint my nails!

So all in all another good Glossybox for me, I know that it's pot luck and you can't have it all, but I was pleased with most of these products. I'm glad that more make-up and nail products are appearing in them though.

What did you think of August's International Superstars Glossybox? Were you happy or disappointed?

Sticky Kisses!

MUA Cosmetics Eyeshadow Palettes - Glamour Days and Heaven & Earth

Good evening all... (well, morning now!)

I've never been hugely into palettes, other than a few small compacts of maybe 8 tiny shades max, and then receiving one in a Christmas gift set, I didn't really own many. I've seen plenty of YouTubers using the humongous Coastal Scents ones, which look terrifying to me! I can't see myself ever needing that many eyeshadows, but, perhaps I'm coming around to the idea.

I went on the MUA website a few weeks back to buy some Lip Booms (I'll do a post on the ones I bought soon), and while I was there they had a promotion on where if you spent £4 you got a free palette. I thought this was an excellent offer as the palette itself usually costs just £4. I was a little confused to see it in my shopping basket, as I obviously couldn't recall putting it in there, but I'm glad it was! I don't think the offer is still running as it was quite a while ago.

Glamour Days and Heaven & Earth Palettes with flash

The free palette was called Glamour Days and has 12 shades in it. There are a few everyday shades and some nice brighter colors too, which aren't too in your face. 3 of the shadows are matte, the rest are metallic. I am so in love with the bottom row of this one! A couple of shades of this remind me of two of my favourite Urban Decay shadows - the dark purple reminds me of Asphyxia and the green with gold shimmer is similar to Shattered.

Glamour Days Palette

Glamour Days first row natural light

Glamour Days first row with flash

Glamour Days second row natural light

Glamour Days second row with flash

I had a peek around some of their other palettes on the site and decided I might as well try Heaven and Earth, which is a beautiful neutral palette. They are all metallic shades. I don't mind this at all, as I love shimmers! They're not OTT at all, and although they might look a bit samey in my awful swatches, there are a great mix of browns. I can never get enough gold/champagne shades so I'm a happy bunny.

Heaven & Earth Palette

Heaven & Earth first row natural light

Heaven & Earth first row with flash

Heaven & Earth second row natural light

Heaven & Earth second row with flash

Both palettes came with a sponge tip applicator, which I'm not usually a fan of. However, these ones were very soft and not just the cheap foamy kind you would expect. They feel a little more like suede to me. I probably still won't use them though!

I think MUA shadows are great value for money and surprisingly good quality considering the single shadows only set you back a measly pound! And these palettes are effectively only 33 pence per shade - or less, considering I got one for nothing ;)

MUA Glamour Days and Heaven & Earth eyeshadow palettes

They are highly pigmented, buttery soft and easy to blend. I will certainly be perusing their stands more often - I think I'd like to try Undressed or Starry Night next. I already own a single in pearl shade 4, which is the most perfect metallic pastel lilac shade I've ever seen! I've already bought a backup of it.

I'm definitely a fan of MUA products. I also love their blog and instagram as a good way of keeping up with new releases. I can confidently say I know I'll be using every single shade in these two gorgeous palettes!

Sticky Kisses!

Latest in Beauty Little Beauty Box

The Latest In Beauty website also has a nifty feature called the Little Beauty Box, where you can choose from a list of samples, three items for £1.50. I like the idea that you get to request your own items, however you have to pick 1 product from three rounds of lists. You select your first one from the first list of options, then your second item from the second list and the final item from the third list. The problem with this is that you might end up being forced to choose from a list of samples where none of them stand out or appeal to you, then in the next round, having to pick just one from lots of different things that you might want.

Well, here is the one I ordered a couple of months ago, and the one I ordered this month. In the first box I chose a sampler set of Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint, there were 3 2ml sachets in different shades to try out. This was before I placed my first Liz Earle order where I received yet another trial envelope! I also chose A sampler set of Ernio Laszlo Hollywood Collection skincare, and a couple of Super + by Dr Nicholas Perricone Bright Eyed Flawless Eye Cream (what a mouthful!).

For my second Little Beauty Box I chose a Tresemme Split Remedy haircare set, a teeny 1ml vial of Elie Saab Le Parfume and a 36g sachet of St Tropez SPF 30 with Tan Enhancer.

I think you can only order this once a month, and from what I can tell you can only place your next order when you have filled out some short feedback forms for the last one you received.

The best thing about it is that you don't have to sign up to a subscription - they take the payment by text message! One tiny form, a text, a code, and bam! That's it. Ooh, efficiency. It's a cheaper way of trying out brands and products without commitment.


To get your mini fix of try before you buy, visit the Latest in Beauty website here.

Sticky Kisses!

p.s. just one more Latest in Beauty post to come!

Latest in Beauty Samples

Well, if Latest In Beauty wasn't exciting enough already, they also sell decent sized samples that you can add to your basket, like the body wash pictured in my previous post! I opted for some natural skincare with my first order. 

Cyrine Aromatherapie Acne-Prone Skin Cream £2.50

Cyrine Aromatherapie Oily/Combination Face Cream £2.50

These two appealed to me as I thought they would suit my skin type, and I'm always keen to try something natural. These creams are specially formulated with essential oils like jojoba with antiseptic, anti-bacterial and healing properties. I definitely want clearer skin and if I can do it without chemical, medicated nasties, then even better!

The Acne-Prone cream is a yellow balm/ointment kind of consistency. I'm not sure how I feel about slathering this all over my face, maybe it will be better for just the problem areas. The other cream is still fairly viscose but not heavy or greasy. Apparently you can customise your very own skincare with specially selected essential oils on their website! I'm intrigued by their Pool Remedy Body Lotion as I've recently started swimming again and it's drying me out! However, this stuff doesn't come cheap at £20 for a small bottle and £36 for a large - they don't even specify the exact volumes!

Le Belle Natural Skincare Duo £5.00 (two 10g pots)

I thought I'd give these two a try as well. Some of the ingredients sound a tad yummy! The  moisturiser is apparently anti-aging and contains rosehip oil, evening primrose and lupin flower, whilst the cleanser is a scrummy recipe of apricot kernal oil, vitamin e, cocoa seed butter and lemon, lavender and rosemary oils. Phew! Just follow the link above, the webpage explain it all beautifully.

If I get on well with any of these I'll be tempted to buy the full sizes. If not, then at least I've got some cute lil' travel pots eh? ;)

Keep an eye out for post 3 of 4 on Latest in Beauty (I don't work for them I swear!)

Sticky Kisses!

Latest In Beauty Box - July Editor's Picks

I'm loving the idea of paying for a monthly service where you get samples sent to you to try out at home - I've been subscribed to Glossybox since last December and recently signed up to Jolie Box, the two I've received of those so far have been great. Even though they are mostly good boxes, I always feel like there are too many variants that could end up in your box which leads to it being hit or miss and often disappointing, especially when you see someone else's box had something amazing in it that you would have loved to receive in your own.

I decided to look into the Latest In Beauty website, as I'd heard about their themed boxes, which look amazing. It's one box with lots of goodies, which as far as I'm aware is mostly the same for everyone. You might get a slightly different shade of nail polish but if it's OPI who cares! You have to get in quick, as unlike a monthly subscription, they release them occasionally and then you have to purchase them manually. It's so worth it though as there are often full sizes and the contents could be worth around £40+ at RRP.

I have sooooo much that I want to rave about with Latest in Beauty that I'm going to have to split it into a few separate posts!

I ordered July's Editor's Picks Box a couple of weeks ago. 

So much loveliness! I was very excited by this I can tell you.

• Batiste Cherry Dry Shampoo 50ml
• Weleda Pomegranate Firming Serum 7ml
• Weleda Pomegranate Firming Night Cream 7ml
• Balance Me treatments Radiance Face Mask 15ml
• Melvita Fresh Micellar Water 35ml
• Mavala Nail Colour Cream in Liberty 5ml
• Love Your Skin Cleanse & Smooth Exfoliating Wash 200ml

(I also ordered the Balance Me Rose Otto Body Wash 55ml for £2 as an extra, it's not included in the box - plus some other skincare samples I'll show you in the next post.)

Wow! What a box... a whopping full size face wash and some decent sized samples of lovely stuff. First impressions are far from disappointing. I love Weleda! I almost bought the full size Batiste the other day as I love cherry scented/flavoured products. I also love rose fragranced stuff so I'm very keen to try the Melvita Micellar water and see how it compares to my beloved Bioderma! And there's even more rose in the Balance Me Rose Otto body wash. I can't wait to try everything in this... (although I've tried the LYS Cleanse & Smooth - see here for more info).

How gorgeous is the Mavala colour? I have another Mavala polish and love their formula.

Stay tuned for more...

Sticky Kisses!

Boots Botanics Facial Brush and Love Your Skin's Cleanse & Smooth Exfoliating Wash

I'm a tad obsessed with exfoliating my face - I don't overdo it, but I suffer from combination skin which means I get horrible dry patches around my nose amongst all my oiliness, which I need to try and scrub away gently.

I'd love a Clarisonic but I can't justify the cost at the moment. I've tried those facial washes with the funny brushes too - both the Garnier Pure Active Exfo-Brusher with the soft bristles on the top of the bottle, and the Loreal Perfect Clean Refreshing Face Wash with the 'Scrublet'. Both were useless at exfoliating and had that horrible drying, medicated feel to them. They were a bit of a faff to use, too.

I noticed this in Boots the other day, sitting with all their washcloths and make-up bags, and thought I'd give it a go. It costs £6.00 and is an accessory from part of their Botanics range. 

It was much softer than I was expecting - I wasn't hoping for an abrasive dish brush that would rub my skin red raw but I thought it might be a little stiffer. I don't know how soft the bristles of a Clarisonic feel so I can't compare.

It felt very odd but kind of nice when used with a face wash however. I teamed it with Love Your Skin's Rosemary & Willow Bark Cleanse and Smooth Exfoliating Wash, which I received in July's Editor's Picks themed Latest In Beauty Box. Although the face wash itself is meant to be exfoliating, on it's own the beads were too soft to make a difference. It's the first LYS product I've tried and so far I'm not sure about it. It smells gorgeous but leaves my skin feeling a little dry and tight afterwards. 

Paired with the brush it enabled a gentle but impressive lather all over the face, making me look and feel like a fine gent applying his shaving foam! It was okay at getting into the sides of my nose, but not quite as effective as my fingers. I'm going to try it with other face washes and see if it makes a difference. My usual 'Holy Grail' exfoliators are Lush's Ocean Salt and No7's Total Renewal Micro Dermabrasion Exfoliator.

 It wasn't life changing, but it will make a nice introduction into my skincare routine to make my face feel a little bit cleaner. It's not a tough treatment but I'm sure it will benefit my circulation and make me feel all refreshed and glowy... the brushing action is actually quite theraputic! The brush itself took forever to dry, but the bristles remained soft. With prolonged use they might feel coarser, but I've only been using it for a few days and I've not seen a difference yet. I'll continue to use it as it's definitely gentle enough for everyday use for me, but of course others may have a different experience.

Sticky Kisses!

June & July Empties

Hello lovely people!


It's been a while but I'm back - things have been a little bit hectic for me lately, both in my working and home life, so apologies for the absence.  I do hope to make a proper effort and keep on top of things... *slaps wrist*


I might not have been blogging but I've definitely not stopped shopping - in fact I have gone so ridiculously mental with the hauling while I've been away, that it actually makes me feel a leetle beet seeck. I hope to distract myself from parting with money I really shouldn't by blogging about the things I already have.


In order to justify my excess and frivolous spending I shall now attempt to prove that I certainly needed to re-stock my cupboard (to a degree) by listing all the items I finished up during June and July - which were a lot! I'll try and keep it briefer than my last empties post.*


*FAILED

JUNE

Wowsers, I really ploughed through my stash this month. I was clearly a woman on a mission as I managed a whopping 26 items - that's nearly one a day! Crikey.

Hair

Charles Worthington hair healer leave in conditioner - I don't really tend to get on with leave-in conditioners, as I find they often leave my hair feeling weighed down and crispy, even with just a little bit. I won't repurchase this as it did exactly that.

James Brown Scandalous Intensively Glossy Rescue Treatment - I got this as a magazine freebie. Made no noticeable difference to my hair, and it smelled really manly.

Home Hair Dye Conditioners - needs no explanation!

Pantene Pro-V Repair & Protect Shampoo - magazine sample. Nothing special. I used to use Pantene Pro-V when I was quite young - I'm a bit on the fence about this one as I'm not generally a fan of cheapo drugstore hair stuff. Over the last couple of years I've been spending more on my haircare products. You can probably tell I'm just trying to make a dent in the less awesome stuff!

Wella Shaders & Toners in 873 Golden Sand - I used this to tone down a fresh dye. I find that when I've bleached my hair and dye it a very pale or ashy blonde it goes purple *eek* which eventually calms down, but I just injected some temporary brassiness to neutralise it before it disappeared.

Loreal Recital Preference 10.21 Stockholm - I love love love this colour! It's one of the silveriest (not a real word until now), lightest blonde home hair dyes I've ever used. You might think what's the point in using such a pale dye on bleached hair, and I say to you good sir, that it helps take off the edge of startlingly white frazzled tresses, and cools it down to a nice even shade.

StarGazer Bleach and Peroxide Kit  - this is of course the bleach I used before I dyed my hair. I've used it a few times now and I desperately needed to touch up my roots as I haven't been able to book a wednesday off to get a discount at my hairdressers :( I did it all by myself (I usually rope Mr BNH in to spot check for dark bits that haven't developed and to help apply at the back) and I only missed one spot! Blegh. I still think it's impressive... I got it from Amazon here.

Skincare

Nivea Visage Daily Essentials Extra Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover - This was pretty average. For something that claims to be extra gentle, and for someone who doesn't have sensitive skin, I was surprised to feel a stinging sensation on my eyes. Won't buy again!

Boots Botanics Organic Rosewater Toner - I love the scent of this toner. I do love using this and have repurchased a lot, but unfortunately it does have alcohol in it, which isn't great as it dries my skin out. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a gentler alternative.

Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Shine Control Day Moisturiser - although I found this to have a slightly mattifying effect, it did dry my skin out a little too much and I think my skin overcompensated and became worse as a result. If you read my last empties post you'll know I am done with all this medicated stinky stuff!

Skinology Tea Tree Blackhead Cleanser - after using clean and clear astringents throughout teenagedom and beyond, I eventually found this cheaper alternative. I hate using them but it used to be the only thing that made my skin feel clean, even with face wipes and face wash too. I've found an alternative to use since then, and I am re-evaluating my skincare routine. Don't worry folks, I've well and truly learnt my lesson about this kind of stuff and won't ever go back.

Dove Summer Glow Daily Face Moisturiser + SPF 15 - I kind of rushed to use this up. Love the smell, don't love the texture (slightly grainy) or the results (barely visible).

Passion Moon Potions Kukui Nut Cream Sample - I went through a mad Etsy phase a while ago (why is it all the things that interest me are things that also cost me lots of money?) and whilst I was researching hand made cosmetics I came across Passion Moon Potions' Etsy shop and fell in love. I think I must have been reminiscing about my beloved Hawaii, as this is where all the items are created! I bought kukui nut jewellery when I was there in 2008 and I had no idea it could be used in cosmetics. I ordered a fair amount of stuff from the shop and I could smell Hawaii when the package arrived! I highly recommend the Orange Chocolate Chip Cookie Whipped Shea Creme and Coconut Cream Lip Balm ! In fact whilst looking through the shop for the links just now I can see there are so many new and delicious sounding products since I ordered - I WANT IT ALL!!

Clarins HydraQuench Bi-Serum (Anti-Soif) - I'm not sure if this product is discontinued now. It was quite nice a nice sample, just a super hydrating serum really.

Boots No7 Quick Thinking 4-in-1 Wipes - of course these have now been replaced by the new Beautiful Skin wipes to go with the rest of the updated range. This was the last packet in my stash that I finished in early June. Just like everyone else, I think their make-up removing wipes are the best, and just like everyone else, I will only buy them with the £5 No7 voucher promotion in bulk. Who the hell pays £7 for wipes? You could get a lippie for that. Pffft.

Fragrance

Gucci by Gucci - I really loved this scent when it first came out, but it ended up being one of those perfumes I just got bored of. I don't think I will repurchase it, as I have my favourites and I love trying new ones out. I have a lot to use up too so won't be buying perfume for a while! It was quite a departure from my usual style; deep, sophisticated, definitely an evening sent.

Boots Embrace Pulse Point Perfume - yeah I'm ashamed to admit how old this is. Yucky yucky out you go!!

Bath & Body

Rituals... T'ai Chi White Lotus & Green Tea Foaming Shower Gel Sensation - I received this full sized bottle in my Christmas 2011 Glossybox and it was truly lovely. I don't think I would repurchase however as it's around £7 online. It could make a nice gift for someone. I do get annoyed at shower foams as when they start running out and the pressure decreases it's quite tough to squeeze out! But I love the sensation of the gel foaming up :)

Marks & Spencers Essential Extracts White Peach & Almond Cream Bath - this is a pretty standard bubble bath with a nice fragrance. I also like their coconut version. You can get both cream and foam bath with all the scents, but to be honest I couldn't really notice a difference. It's not hugely bubbly.

Inecto Pure Coconut Exfoliating Body Scrub - I love this stuff, it smells delish! I think they exfoliating grains are actually real pieces of coconut shell if I remember rightly. It' very creamy and moisturising, but I do get through them quickly. Have repurchased countless times.

Make-up

e.l.f. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Coffee - I took this brown eyeliner pen on holiday with me as something subtle I could wear in the daytime. It was hugely special as you would expect for £1.50 but it did the job. Dried up pretty quickly though - massive bugbear for me with these types of eyeliners! Which leads me to...

Barry M Wink Black Marker Pen for Eyes - this was again great at first then dried up and turned to crap so quickly. The nib is really thick and frayed after a little while which meant that it was difficult to be precise with it. Exactly the same thing as Scarlett and Crimson eyeliner pen, except for the colour and design of the packaging. Won't buy again.

MaxFactor Pan Stick in Fair 25 - I used this as a concealer when I was very pale before my holiday! I do like its coverage and I don't find it drying. It's more of a winter product as it feels quite thick and heavy.

Fearne for Boots Midnight Lashes Mini Mascara - this mascara came in a Christmas gift set and I had been keeping it in my handbag make up bag for days I was in a rush (too late to finish putting my face on). Was nothing special.

Other

Johnson's Baby Shampoo - I use this to wash my brushes every week, hence the washed out label that I stuck on it to make sure nobody mistakenly used it! I am trying Boots' own brand baby shampoo now as it is a little more cost effective. One day I'll get around to doing a post on how I care for my brushes :)

Phew! That was a lot. I need a break. The hard part was over, there's not so many for July. Please feel free to make a cuppa and grab a biscuit and meet me in 5.... well done for making it this far!

JULY

Silly me forgot to get a group photo!

Hair

Frizz Ease Secret Agent Flawless Finishing Creme - I don't think you can even buy this anymore, but don't worry because it was utter pants. When I applied it after styling it just made it feel wet and sticky and did absolutely nothing for it. It's hardly been used and so I am actually chucking it out half full!

Skincare

Dirty Works Wake Up Call Face Wash - I picked up a few bits from the dirty works range (exclusive to Sainsbury's) on a whim and I now regret it. This was a drying, pain in the bum with a horrible scent - I'm pretty sure it had eucalyptus in it because it made my eyes water. It clearly aimed to leave you with a fresh feeling, hence the name, but it was way too much. Avoid it people, don't make my foolish mistake.
Skin Therapy Dry Skin Facial Wipes - I was expecting these to be pretty bad as they are budget wipes from Wilkinsons - I made a quick dash to buy them as I needed to remove my make up after work quickly and they surprised me. They aren't wonderful, but they're not terrible.

Fragrance

Very Irrestible by Givenchy - this is one of my all time favourite scents. I associate perfumes very strongly with the time in my life that I discovered them and first wore them. Its so nostalgic for me that it's almost painful how much I miss old times when I revisit them! For me this one takes me back to being 16/17, when I left an all girls school for college and freedom, and made some fantastic friends. It reminds me of going to gigs and having a teenage obsession with the frontman of a Finnish 'love metal' band... for all of you out there that know who I mean... hehehe.

Bath & Body

Boots The Garden Collection Bath Gels in Rose & Lavender - these were a Christmas gift - I know some people hate these kind of floral 'old lady' scents, but I love them. Rose is one of my favourite fragrances, and Lavender is lovely in a bedtime bath paired with Lush's Dreamwash.

Loreal NutriSummer 24hr Moisturising Lotion (Gradual Tanner) - I really liked this apart from the fact it was very sticky and took FOREVER to absorb. It stained my dressing gown a little but gave an even, subtle/natural looking colour.

Make-up

YSL Touche Eclat Sample in shade 02 - I already use the full size in this shade but this sample was much thicker, almost like a proper concealer. It was quite good!

Collection 2000 Glam Crystals Dazzling Gel Liner in 03 Funk, Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Midnight Cowboy and Opia Liquid Eyeliner Glitter - I'm lumping these all together as they were my favourite and most used eyeliners, which obviously means they all dried up :'( the Opia one didn't have a name, but was a beautiful iridescent green with gold and green glitter, not too OTT at all.

Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation in Rose Clair - I love this foundation, and have re-purchased several times. Really outstanding for a drugstore brand! This bottle unfortunately got broken by my other half (he borrowed it for a film he was acting in) and it was returned to me with the pump barely working. After battling with it for a few weeks I eventually cracked it open and depotted it, getting the rest out with a brush. I couldn't let it go to waste! Will repurchase immediately as I love it.

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint SPF 15 in Beige 02 - I got this sample from Liz Earle in my last order, and ordered the full size in this month's offer. Normally, Bare 01 would be closer to my natural skin colour, but as I am clinging on to my tan from my holiday it's too light for me. I also find light TM's too wishy washy. It made sense to me to get a darker shade because I'll want to use it in summer as a lighter base, when I will be tanned (ha! wishful thinking in this country). It's a bit thick in application but I was so impressed with the staying power. I nearly got last month's Liz Earle offer because I really wanted to try the Botanical Shine shampoo and conditioner but I held off in the hope they would feature sheer skin tint this month, and lo and behold, they did! For £41 you get Cleanse & Polish 100ml, Instant Boost Skin Tonic 200ml, a moisturiser of your choice and 2 muslin cloths plus  a full size 40ml tube of Sheer Skin Tint for free, worth £21! I think it's a great deal as you always get a freebie too, last time I got a mini version of my chosen moisturiser, this time I got hand cream. Sweet as a nut ;)

Other

Cutex Strengthening Nail Polish Remover - I keep going back to this remover as it's the best I've tried so far. I'm currently using up a terrible Wilkinsons one, and I have a bottle of the Cutex nourishing after that. Then I want to try a Sally Hansen one.

Well, if you are still reading, you have the patience of a saint, or are a masochist. I for one am bloody exhausted after all that!! So much for keeping it brief... I just summed up about 40 products. I am so sorry and I am now going to bed.

Sticky Kisses!