April Glossybox

Glossybox April 2013
£10 + p&p per month

My first thought upon opening this box was how empty it looked.  All I could see was packaging and space, so it was a let down right from the start.  I think they should either include more items, larger samples, or decrease the size of the box to avoid waste.
I'm also not impressed with the "magazine" which is just a piece of paper folded into 4. Really not a patch on Birchbox which I think is far superior.

SunSense Daily Face SPF 50+
Some kind of closer on this would have been better than the snap off end they used, because once it was open it couldn't be closed, which is a bit of a waste. It also constantly erupted from the hole and made a complete mess. Such a waste.
The SPF is far too high for everyday use, but I used it before going on the sunbeds. It says it is an invisible tint, so I was expecting it to be a lear gel, but it is actually a brown cream.
It has a very subtle smell, nothing like a normal sun cream.

Nip+Fab Dry Skin Fix Body Butter in Pistachio Sundae
I wasn't keen on the smell of this at all, it really turned my nose up.  I was expecting something fruity  and it wasn't.  Everyone I passed it to said it smelt delicious and exactly like pistachios, but I don't know what they smell like! So if you like pistachios, you will love this.

ModelCo Cheek + Lip Tint in Rosy Red
At first I was impressed by the size of the tube, but then when I started to squeeze it out I found it was mostly air and had to squeeze a lot before I got any product.
Having never used a tint before, I went quite lightly on my first cheek.  I couldn't see anything.  So I went darker on my second cheek.  It looked ridiculous, like a clown.
I couldn't see it on my lips, and the finger I used to apply it was stained and I couldn't wash it off!
I gave it away - too much hassle for me!

Yves Rocher So Elixir Purple Eau de Parfum
Nice to get a perfume sample in a little bottle rather than a bland tube.
Unfortunately the fragrance is not for me.  There is nothing wrong with it, it just smells too much like soap to me, I wasn't keen.

Essie Nail Lacquer in Nice is Nice
Quite an odd colour this one, at first I thought it was a nude but then after I applied it, it looked like more of a mauve shade.  I haven't used an Essie polish before so was unsure how long it would last, but found it lasted just a couple days, same as all my other brands, so no major staying power.

All in all sadly quite a lacklustre box, and I'm seriously considering whether or not to cancel my subscription.

No7 Beautifully Matte Make Up Base

No7 Beautifully Matte Make Up Base
Approx price: £10.50

I thought this would be a very useful buy as I do find my skin goes very shiny by the end of the day but unfortunately I have been very disappointed and ended up giving this product away.
I found it very difficult to apply, even if I only used a little bit.  It did not absorb into my skin, and trying to apply it just ended up with curls of product all over my face, like when you try to remove a sticky label and just end up with little bits of paper everywhere!

The product comes out as a thick white cream (see below) and the consistency means it is not absorbed into my skin.

It is a shame it does not work for me, as you can see below it has done a good job on my hand!  I applied it to my left hand, and you can see it looks matte and a lot smoother compared to my right hand:

Elf Mineral Mist

e.l.f. Mineral Mist
Approx price: £6.00

I'll be honest, I'm always a little skeptical of anything you just spray onto your skin for it to just sit there, rather than actually massage into the skin.  I always feel they don't do anything and are a waste of money.
However, I must admit I was wrong, and found this to be a complete life saver!!
I can't say it did anything to improve the quality of my skin, however it did come in useful in all those situations where I had tight or dry skin, but applying a liquid moisturiser would not be appropriate.
I have found it useful to spritz in the following circumstances:

• After getting out of the bath or shower
• After removing a face mask
• When already wearing make up
• Feeling hot
• As a refresher while camping

Plus many more!

I can honestly say there have been times when I have used this several times in a day, and I will definitely be buying again!

Vitality Show 2013 Review

Vitality Show 21-24 March 2013, Earls Court 2, London

Overall Impressions

I originally bought tickets for the Sunday, but could no longer make it so had to buy a second set of tickets for the Saturday.  Both sets of tickets were buy one get one free, so a good deal.  I would never pay full price for tickets to the show, as they always have different offers available.
Only disappointing thing was my original Sunday tickets included a free Micabella eyeshadow and brush, but my replacement saturday tickets didn't, so I lost out on a freebie :(  I'm not exactly sure where these were collected from, as I did not see a Micabella stall inside, and also the security guards kept the printout of the tickets (which had the Micabella barcode on) so I don't know if this caused problems for anyone!

As this is the first time I have been on a Saturday (we normally go on Sunday) I was expecting it to be absolutely packed and incredibly uncomfortable.  I was surprised to find that it was nowhere near as busy as I expected - the biggest crowd of the day was when we had to queue for the cash machine!
However, I did experience my first bit of crowd rage upon entry to the venue.  We went straight for the info stand to collect the leaflet you need to fill out to claim your goody bag, and as I was picking one up, a lady actually snatched it out of my hand!!
I was so surprised that somebody could be so rude, it was like in cartoons were you see a sale start and you have two ladies fighting over a dress!
After I recovered from the shock, I got a new leaflet and filled out my details.  It put me in a bad mood because it was not a good start to the day, but luckily I did not experience anything else like it!

We were quite surprised to see Amy Childs on a stall.  I didn't know she was going to be there so don't know how well it was advertised, but then I don't watch any of the shows she is in.  I did not recognise her at first - all of the other girls on her stall were fully made up just like her so she blended in to the crowd rather than standing out.
She did do an autograph session, so good if you are a fan.

My partner was happy because he noticed more men than in previous years.  I really feel this a market they are missing out on and should really have more for men there!

It seemed a lot smaller this year than previous years. There was a huge empty warehouse space at the back which I have not noticed in other years.
I also noticed a lack of make up stalls.  I went along intending to stock up on cosmetics, but there did not seem to be any stalls just selling make up.  Previously I have bought from stalls by Bourjois, Mememe, Helen E and others, which is a great way to try new brands or buy products you already use but at a discount price.  To be honest, there were many make up stalls at the ideal Home Show, so I may just stick to going there from now on.

There did not seem to be as many deals as I had hoped.
I knew Minvita Baobab were there, and I had tried their body oil in a beauty box recently.  I liked it, but felt £35 for a small bottle was too much, so hoped to pick up a bottle here at discount show price.  The offer price was £30, so a saving of just £5.  This was not enough to sway me, I still feel £30 is too much so I passed.
I was also looking forward to seeing the Teapigs stall, but they were not selling their teabags, only the matcha tea which I am not interested in.  A wasted opportunity as they have so many flavours of tea!
I also enjoy Rubis chocolate wine, and always pick up a couple bottles at these events as they don't sell in stores.  I did not see a stall from them, which was a shame.

Personally as I have recently tried to reduce dairy from my diet I would have liked to see a dairy free stall.  There was a stall selling coconut milk, but I already purchase hazelnut milk which I like.  It would have been nice to see a complete dairy free range to give me ideas of new products and recipes.




Goody Bags

We managed to come away with 5 of the free show issue goody bags, 2 of the Zest goody bags, and 1 Women's Health goody bag.




Show Issue Goody Bag
Price: free
Got: 5

Contents:

• Bottle of Sprite
• Sakata Japanese Rice Crackers in either Roast Tomato & Balsamic or Sizzling BBQ flavour
• Sample sachet of L'Oreal EverPure Shampoo and Conditioner
• Nivea Visage day cream sachet
• Sample Sudocrem tube
• 2x sachets of Carte Noir Instinct coffee
• Sachet of Hermestas mini sweeteners (20 tablets)
• Sachet of half spoon sugar
• Belvita breakfast yogurt crunch

There was no variation between the bags except for the flavour of the rice crackers.

Overall we were very impressed with this, as usually the free bags are full of leaflets to bulk them out, but there were no leaflets in this one so it seemed a much higher quality.

Zest Goody Bag

Price: £3.00

Got: 2

Contents:

• 2x issues of Zest magazine (March 2013 and April 2013)
• Self tan mitt (one bag had a yellow one, the other had pink)
• Smokehouse flavoured almonds
• Voucher for 50p off further purchases of the almonds
• Saint and Slimmers Porridge oats
• PhD Woman meal replacement shake
• Popchips in salt and vinegar
• Weight Away vegetable bakes in sweet chilli and red pepper
• Gold liquid collagen
• Bottle of Sprite
• DHC deep cleansing oil
• Artelac rebalance eye drops
• Oralyte ready to drink blackcurrant flavour
• Galaxy Bubbles hot chocolate sachet

The only variation between the bags was the colour of the self tan mitt.

Overall we were very happy with this selection, as there were a lot of items and they came in good sizes rather than sachets.  It seemed to be worth quite a bit of money overall.

It was good that the 2 copies of Zest were the 2 most current rather than old archive copies, but if you already buy the magazine it would be a bit of a waste.

Women's Health Goody Bag

Price: £10.00

They had 2 goody bags on offer, 1 was £5.00 with contents worth £30.00 (I think) and the other one was for £10.00 with contents worth £70.00.  We chose to go for the £10.00 option.

I imagine the £5.00 option will be a smaller selection of some of the products contained in the £10.00 version.

Got: 1

Contents:

• Issue of Women's Health magazine (March / April 2013)
• Zero Highs sports drink tablets
• Wellwoman original vitamins
• Active Woman pre-workout energy shake
• Berocca
• Skin Doctors Bio Serum
• Skin Doctors face cream
• Bioglan Super Fish Oil tablets
• EQ8 Apple and cranberry energy drink
• Little Miracles white tea with ginseng, cherry and acai
• Essential Care Organic Avocado Replenishing Cream
• LA Tone slim gum
• Faith in Nature pack of sachets (included many different types such as shampoo, conditioner, shower gel etc - was quite a lot in here!)
• Gatineau skin care sachets
• Natural Hero hot ginger muscle rub sachet
• Dirty Works body butter
• Balmi blackcurrant flavour lip balm 
• My Protein Virtue Bar in Maple & Pecan
• Soreen Lunchbox Loaf in Banana
• Teapigs teabag in peppermint
• Super Health Spray in GoodNight
• Super Health Spray in Meta Boost
• Arnicare Cooling Gel sachet
• Ohso mini probiotic chocolate bar
• My Protein protein cookie
• DenTek Floss pick

A really nice big selection, we could easily split the products between 3 people and everyone was happy with what they got.

Items Purchased

Sleep-In Rollers

Deal: Bag of rollers for £15 instead of £20, comes with free gift.

I had been wanting to purchase these for a few months now, so snapped them up when I saw them at the show.

The set contains:

• 20 original pink sleep-in rollers
• Tutorial DVD
• A huge pink mesh thing that I think is a massive hair net
• Pink canvas bag for storage
• Free gift - pack of lashes

Good to get this at a discount price, but a little disappointed it doesn't contain kirby grips, these would be very useful.

The pack of lashes seemed quite impressive at first but then I think I recognised them from Primark where they sell for about £1 each, so not so great!  They all look the same type as well, might have been a bit more appealing if all were different.

Niki's Organic Balms

Deal: Buy 2x 50ml balms and get a 10ml balm free

I intended to buy these before I went so had already done some research on the internet about which "flavours" to go for.  For some reason, the rose balm is more expensive than the others so I was not allowed to get the 50ml size on the deal and had to get the 25ml instead which was quite disappointing.

I got the 50ml warming balm, and the 10ml original balm.

Hello Fresh

Deal: First week half price, and a free bag of popcorn

I had wanted to try Hello Fresh for quite some time now, but have always been put off by the price.

For those who have not heard of them, they supply ingredient boxes and recipe cards and you cook meals from what is supplied.

I have gone for the option of 3 meals per week for 2 people, on the vegetarian option.  I was swayed by the fact that you don't have to have a delivery every week, so if I like it I may go with once a fortnight.

Bomb Cosmetics

Deal: Soap £3.00 each, bath bombs 3 for £5.00

These products are handmade and very similar to Lush cosmetics.

We chose a soap that looks like a slice of lemon meringue, and a selection of 6 bath bombs.  The bath bombs were very pretty, most look like cupcakes but others are flowery.  Some come with a sprinkling of glitter.  They come in a box that makes it feel like you are opening a box of cakes.

So there you have it my haul for the year!  A little disappointing compared to previous years, but some improvements as well.

I am already looking forward to Vitality Show 2014!!

Yon-Ka Pamplemousse

Yon-Ka Pamplemousse (Normal to Oily Skin)

Approx Price: £35.00

I bought this after receiving one in a beauty box for Dry skin.  I loved the smell, and as I have oily / combination skin I thought I would try it in a more appropriate formula, and give the Dry skin version to my partner whose skin is much drier than mine.

He absolutely loves it, especially the smell!

I have been using this every day morning and night.  The smell is both refreshing enough to wake you up on a morning, as well as calming enough to soothe you on a night before bed.

Unfortunately I haven't noticed any change in the condition of my skin, so am unlikely to purchase again.  I have also noticed that once I had used half the amount, it started coming out quite watery so I would end up dispersing more water than cream.  I have no idea why, but it put me off as I don't think that is supposed to happen.

My partner is keen on buying another one for himself, so overall perhaps the dry skin formula is just the better option.

She Said Beauty Box - December

She Said Beauty Box December 2012
No longer available

Quite sad that this was the last ever She Said Beauty Box, and also quite surprising as I had no idea they were stopping them until I read a random post on Facebook.   They certainly kept it quiet.
I would have hoped they would have gone out with a bang and given loads of extras but unfortunately not, the box was pretty standard.

YaNa Kiss Ghassoul Clay Mask
I loved the idea that this could be used on body and hair, so excitedly went to put it on my hair before getting in the shower. Unfortunately the pot was far too small so there was not enough to cover my head, and it just clumped on the bits of hair that it did touch, making it look like I had bad dreadlocks.  You can't spread it through to distribute evenly, so most of my hair was unexposed.  The smell also was terrible, even my partner asked what on earth the smell was as I walked by.  Very disappointed.

Minvita Baobab Body Oil
I put this on wet skin after getting out of the shower and it was absolutely fantastic!  I honestly can't say it made any change to the condition of my skin, but it did wonders at drying me instantly so i could get dressed straight away - what a time saver!!  I would definitely like to buy this again, but at over £30 for the full size I can't help feeling it might be a little bit too much!

Dr Duve Anti Aging and Firming Eye Cream
Pretty standard cream, maybe even a little bit too thick for the eye area.  Only got 2 applications out of the sachet, so can't say if it made any difference, but I certainly would not pay the £115 for a full size!

Dr Duve Skin Boosting Cream
Pretty much the same as the eye cream, only got 2 applications out of the sachet so I tried it one night and my partner tried it the following night.  We both had the same impression, standard face cream, no overnight wonder.

Technic Nail Varnish in Tawny Port
Quite a nice varnish, good to get such a large size.  Nice shade of purple, different to everything I currently own.

Amie Spring Clean Cooling Mask
Loved the smell of this, really citrusy and fresh!  Didn't experience a cooling sensation though, so a little disappointed there.

Jing Jade Sword Green Tea
I'm a tea lover, so was quite excited excited about this, but unfortunately it was quite lacklustre and tasted pretty bland.


All in all pretty disappointing for my last box from She Said Beauty.  I will be sad to see them go though.

Joliebox December

Joliebox December 2012
Monthly Subscription: £10 + p&p

I had been hoping for something spectacular as this was the last ever Joliebox (before becoming Birchbox) so was sadly a little disappointed that this was pretty much the same as the others.

Bellapierre Shimmer Powder
I received the Refined, which is quite a dark shade. Good brand to get in the box, but I don't use pigment often unfortunately as I find it too messy.

Dr Duve Hand & Decollete Cream
There were 2 sachets, so I tried this on my hands first and it was nothing special.  The following night I used the 2nd sachet on my chest and neck.  The following day I had a breakout of pimples on my neck.  Could have been coincidence, but I would be unlikely to use this again.

I Love... Cosmetics Shimmer and Shine Lip Gloss
This version is called "Strawberries and Milkshake".  The smell is really nice, but it feels very gloopy and tacky, and you can't see any colour at all, just a shine.  Personally I prefer more colour in my glosses.

Agua de Colonia Concentrada Alvarez Gomez
I was a little wary of this fragrance at first, but I actually really liked it!  It is quite fresh, but doesn't smell like anything else I own.  It claims to be unisex, so I thought I would test it and gave it to my partner to try.  Luckily, he enjoyed it too!

Color Club Nail Polish
This range of colours is based on social networking sites.  I received "Insta-this" which I thought was based on Instagram, so surprised by the bright blue as I would associate that more with Facebook.
Once I put it on I was very surprised by how, um.... 'blue' it was.  It's not really for me, it was completely unnatural, but I imagine it would appeal to some people.  I gave mine away!
I am wearing a top coat in the photo, but it actually had quite a nice matt effect before I put that on, so you could easily go without a topcoat if you want that effect.
One major flaw is that it chipped quite badly after just one day of use, so I had to remove it completely by the 2nd day.

Color Club Insta-This Nail Polish

Olay Regenerist Skin Cream
Strangely none of the writing on the packaging was in English, so I had to guess this was a night cream!
I was quite surprised at first because I was expecting a cream, but what came out was actually a gel with sparkles in it.  It seems a little scary, but I have not woken up with a shiny face each day, you can't see the sparkles at all when you have it on!
i got quite used to the gel texture and prefer this to a cream as I have oily skin, so I may buy a full size version of this.

Yon-Ka Pamplemousse Moisturiser
I have read about Pamplemousse quite a lot so was very excited to receive this, but unfortunately I received a version for dry skin.  It did make me wonder what was the point of filling out the Joliebox beauty profile, as I did say I have oily skin on there!
I really love the smell of this, but as it is the dry skin version i have used it more as a night cream than a daytime moisturiser.  My partner keeps using it on his dry skin as he loves the smell too, so I may have to let him keep this one and buy my own!

Lindt Lindor Chocolate Bars
A nice little bonus for Christmas, and the fact there were 2 was wonderful because my partner and I got to have one each!  I love the Lindor balls, and the bar was just the same but softer.  It was so delicious, but huge... one was far too much for me, I felt overindulged!  More of these please!!

GlamGlow Tingling & Exfoliating Mud Mask

GlamGlow Tingling & Exfoliating Mud Mask
Approx price: £40 - £50

I hate feeling left out, so when seeing this product advertised as "Hollywood's best kept secret" I really felt like I needed to get involved!

The list of benefits seemed incredibly impressive:
- Skin Collagen Synthesis for a noticeable 3 day glow.
- Brighter, radiant skin in minutes.
- Leaves skin noticeably soft and smooth.
- Multi-level resurfacing exfoliation.
- Penetrates into the deepest layers of the skin to soften fine lines and wrinkles. 
- Tightens, tones and lifts the skin. 
- Relives dark circles and minimises pores. 
- Absorbs impurities without removing natural oils.
- Helps protect against everyday environmental aggressors. 
- Suitable for all skin types, all ages and for both women and men.
- Contains no artificial colours or fragrances.
- Cruelty-free, and suitable for vegans

The ingredient list also sounds delicious and exotic:
Contains:
Volcanic Rock, Volcanic Mineral Ash, French Sea Clay, Purified Clay, Real Pieces of Green Tea Leaf, Green Tea Seed Oil, Grape Seed, Chamomile Flower, Marigold Flower, Cucumber, Ivy, Herb Leaf, Lavender Oil.
- Teaoxi™:
Patent Pending formula is GLAMGLOW's continuous time-release technology, delivering fresh Super-Squalene, EGCG Super-Antioxidants and polyphenols directly into the mud from real pieces of Tea Leaf. Super powerful Teaoxi™ is responsible for brightening the complexion, protecting against free radicals, hydrating and balancing the oil levels in the skin.
- Volcanic Minerals:
Pulverised into Micro Pumice, these ancient rock minerals give multi-level surface exfoliation and stimulate microcirculation, helping to detoxify and awaken the skin, reduce puffiness, under-eye circles and smooth fine lines while softening the skin’s texture to reveal younger looking skin.
- French Sea Clay: 
Dredged off the coast of Southern France and when combined with Teaoxi™ a tingling sensation is created, triggering 12 hours of Collagen Synthesis for a noticeable wrinkle deduced 3-day glow. French Sea Clay absorbs impurities and toxic substances reducing pore size and helping to look younger by reducing the appearance of age.

But is it worth the hype (and the money?!)

Firstly, the smell of tea is delicious, but then I love tea! If you are not keen, be warned, it is very strong! But if you like it, you will find it delicious.

Application is advised via a foundation brush, so I just got a cheap one from E.L.F. and it worked great, and stopped too much being applied with fingers, allowing for even application.

I didn't notice too many tea leaves on my face, it seemed quite sparse.

I am quite disappointed that I felt no tingling sensation, as promised.  My skin started to tighten as the mask dried, but then all masks do that, so nothing special there.

The exfoliation part comes when you remove the mask, you wet it and massage it into your face.  I could really feel the grains on my skin.  So the amount of exfoliation you get depends on how much work you put in, it is not automatic.

Looking in the mirror afterwards I was sad to say I could not see any difference in my skin at all, other than the fact that it was a bit more red, probably due to the exfoliation.  Maybe you have to use it long term to actually see a difference?

My partner used it with no problems, so it is great for men too.

Overall, I don't think it is worth the money for what it does.  The smell is delicious, but I don't think it is worth the price when I can't see any visible difference in my skin.