Falling out of love with Glossybox?

January 2014 Glossybox

I'm wavering on the brink......

I fear my love affair with Glossybox may be over......

But each time I think; that's it, we're over, it's finished, I'm a sucker and I come back for more......

I signed up, probably like many of you, to a beauty subscription box as I wanted to experience new launches and high end sample products. Quite often Glossybox bring home the bacon and I'm thrilled but January just had me thinking..........Vaseline???? Really?

I, like many subscribers this month, have been disappointed with Glossybox's first offering for a new year. OK, hands up I really like Anatomicals and Balance Me, but I've had them ALOT in previous boxes and it just ain't enough to win me over. (I don't think).

So my question is, how do you feel about Subscription Boxes? And are there any out there that you really think would be a good alternative? I'm open to suggestions!

November Glossybox

I don't often do a blog post on Glossybox, usually because the blogosphere is awash with posts and I'm generally too lazy! But hey-ho thought I'd share with you what I received this month.

I am sure you all know everything there is to know about Glossybox and if I talked about them it would be like teaching your Grandmother to suck eggs, but if you don't know about them you can read more here.

So the rundown on November's box:

• Vichy Idealia Life Serum 
• Emite micronized Eyeshadow in Nect
• Yves Rocher Cocoa & Pistachio Nut hand cream
• Elegant Touch Rapid Dry for Nails
• B. Complete long lasting nail polish in Matador

I've only tried the Emite eyeshadow so far.

 

This is a really pretty soft shimmery ivory. It lasts well and the colour payoff is good. Would say it rivals my eyeshadow favourites Mac but at £16.80 a pop they are a tad more expensive so don't think I will be swapping over. I have heard of Emite before as I had a set of their eyelash curlers in a previous Glossybox and were very impressed with them.

I'm looking forward to trying the Elegant Touch Rapid Dry; as anything which dries my nails faster is a bonus and I remember my Mum using something simliar when I was a kid and she swore by it, so we'll see.

I'm loving red polish this season so was really pleased with the colour polish that I got and can't wait to try it out.

So do you subscribe to Glossybox?

What do you think of this months box? 

End of the 100 day spending ban!

My 100 day spending ban finished on 10th April, and what did that little exercise teach me? Simple really, I spend far too much money on far too many (mostly) unnecessary 'things'.

I had seen the 100 day spending ban challenge all over twitter and blogs at the end of 2012 and although I didn't 'officially' join any spending ban lists going, I had already decided that we (read that as I) can be a bit too frivolous with the cash and had decided come 1st January 2013 I would really cut back.

My 'rules' were simple:

• Don't buy any new clothing/shoes, make-up, beauty and hair products, have takeaways, meals out, nights out, buy books/DVDs/CDs/magazines. Basically don't buy anything!

My exceptions were:

• I could get my hair cut and coloured, I could keep my Glossybox subscription (although I did use my Glossydots for two of the boxes - result!), I could accept gifts and I could buy gifts for others (as I had a number of birthdays which fell during the 100 day period). I could also replace like for like. So if I ran out of say a face powder and didn't have a spare to fall back on, I could replace with one to the same (or lesser) value.

So how did I get on? Not too bad I think, this is what I spent:

• Essie polish £3 (a discontinued colour from The Original Factory Shop)
• Candle £1.50
• Dress £46.05 (I got this for an interview - I rejected the job, but kept the dress!)
• Necklace from Primark £2.50 (my excuse was it was half price in the sale AND it was a necklace I had been after but it had been out of stock in my local Primark so I just had to buy it!)
• Candles £21.99 (Went a bit downhill at this point and splurged on a medium jar and 4 tarts from Yankee)
• Hot Choc £1.50 (got this when we were walking around a National Trust property, but I did share it with Mr B.P.!)
• Takeout £18.95
• Another takeout £18.20 (got both takeaways in the same week - lets just say it was a bad week hey!)
• Marie Claire £3.80 (my excuse was it came with a full sized free Bee Lovely hand cream from Neal's Yard Remedies worth £10, so in my book was money well spent. In fact I saved myself money as I had run out of hand cream and I would have spent more than £3.80 buying some more)
• Essie polishes £15.98 (but they were on 3 for 2 in Boots!)

Grand total - £133.47

I am pretty impressed with myself, and to be honest £75.12 of that was spent in the last 3 weeks of the ban. So I give myself a pat on the back!

Aside from learning that I spend too much, the other important points that I gleaned from this little exercise is, that although it is great to get that buzz from picking up a new polish, or eyeliner or those must have boots; I really don't need that buzz to make me happy and complete. I have also loved using up my stash of samples rather than rushing out and buying a new product. I've been teaming different pieces from my wardrobe together to make new outfits, rather than buying something new to stuff in my already bulging wardrobe. I've started wearing jewellery languishing at the bottom of my jewellery box which I had forgotten I had. I downloaded loads of free books onto my Kindle and I found some great new blogs to read.

So in all honestly this spending ban came at just the right time.

And now a little over 2 months since my spending ban ended, and how am I fairing? Pretty darn good actually. OK I'm not as good as during the ban, but I have really really thought about whether I really need something before I purchase it or whether I just want it and I am amazed at how many times I have left a shop empty handed. Plus I am also still using up all the dregs from the ends of my beauty/makeup products where normally I would have ditched them as soon as they appeared empty. But by cutting off the end of the tubes you would be amazed how much product is actually still left in the tube. (Popping a snipped tube in a freezer/sandwich bag, keeps that opened product lovely and fresh so you can use every last drop!).

Would I recommend doing the spending ban? Absolutely. If you think you would struggle with 100 days, why don't you start small and gradually build up. Promise yourself a week to begin with, then a fortnight or a month and move on up from there. Also if you find you fall down on spending say during your lunch break, instead of a wander round the shops, how about reading a book, a few blogs, or going on pinterest and setting yourself up a board with all the things you'd like to buy when the ban ends. Also if you grab lunch from a shop or your favourite latte on the way to work. How about making a packed lunch the night before and at the same time putting the pennies you would have spent in a jar. Not only will you feel virtuous but at the end of your spending ban you will have some money saved to buy yourself something you really want AND need.

GO ON GIVE IT A GO!!!

April Glossybox

I don't normally post about Glossybox (read that as I've previously posted about it once), primarily because there are so many other (better) posts written about it that I don't think the bloggersphere really needs another post on the subject matter. But I am SO excited about what I received that I just had to share!

I had totally forgotten until I opened the outer packaging that April's box was another themed box. This time in collaboration with Pearl Lowe. I love the themed boxes, or more precisely the packaging of the themed boxes. I keep these boxes and store all manner of things in them from my muslin cloths, to nail polishes through to photos. Do you keep the boxes and if so what do you store in them?

This month it is the Spring Fever box and in my parcel I got:

• SunSense Daily Face SPF 50+ Invisible Tint Finish. This is made in Australia and this product offers a broad spectrum sunscreen (which you would expect from an Australian company) with a sheer matte tint. I mostly use a tinted moisturiser with SPF in the warmer months so I am really keen to try this product. The only downside with the sample is it has one of those annoying snap off tops, so once it's open that's it, it's open to the elements and as there is more in this little tube than I would use in one day, I am probably going to have to keep it in a pot. (Just a little bugbear). This product retails for £18.50 for 75g and the sample size is 10g.
• Nip + Fab Dry Skin Fix Body Butter in Coconut Latte. I've heard of Nip + Fab but have not tried any of their products until now. I tried this for the first time last night and it is a lovely rich but light lotion. I love coconut but couldn't quite get my head around what this scent reminded me of, until I asked Mr B.P. and he said PLAY-DOH, and Oh God is he right, it smells just like it, which has put me off slightly but I will keep using it! This product retails for £9.95 for 200ml and the sample size is 50ml.
• ModelCo Cheek + Lip Tint in Rosy Red. This is the one product that I'm not so sure about. I really don't like these tint products and I would say this is quite like a stain. I found it to be very matte on the lip, so I think I will stick to using it on my cheeks only. I received a full sized product which is £15 for 10ml
• So Elixir Purple Yves Rocher Eau de Parfum. Now I know a lot of you don't like receiving perfume samples in your subscription boxes but I don't wear perfume an awful lot and if they come in cute dinky little bottles like this one, then I am happy! As soon as I read it had a mix of tuberose, vetiver and patchoouli I was sold. I can see me getting a lot of use out of this scent. This product retails for £44 for 50ml and this sample was 5ml
• Essie Nail polish in Nice is Nice. This is a gorgeous light lilac with a hint of grey, which will be great through the Spring and Summer months. Anyone who has read my blog long enough will know of my love for Essie polishes. I have posted a number of NOTD using their polishes and recommended them numerous times on other blogs, so much so that I should get commission from Essie hehe! I think I literally squealed when I found out this was inside (I am easily pleased). A full sized product came in this box which is 13.5ml for £7.99.

So all in all I am totally stoked with this months box . Do you subscribe to Glossybox and if so what did you get? Also are you a read from the 'magazine' first kinda gal or do you just sling that aside and rip right through that tissue paper?! I would love to know! (I am the former).

NOTD - midnight skies

After a couple of days wear, please excuse the wearing tips!

This polish isn't really called midnight skies, I made that bit up! It's actually a mix of Sloe Berry with a top coat of Guinea by Front Cover.

But midnight skies is what it reminds me of. After all the terrible rain and subsequent floods we have recently had in my neck of the woods, we are now being blessed with some of the most beautiful crystal clear nights.  The sort of nights where every sound is amplified because it is so crisp, with purple-blue skies lit with thousands of stars, the sort of night where you just know you will wake to a beautiful frost.  So this is why I've called this NOTD midnight skies as it just reminds me of those glorious nights.

These polishes came in a gift set last Christmas from my sister-in-law, actually I 'blame' her for seriously getting me back into different polishes and I've been steadily building my collection of metallics and sparkly topcoats over the past 12 months. I store my polishes in a couple of old Glossyboxes!

So what nails are you rocking this festive period and what do you think I should try out next?

i heart fall tag

So I was tagged by the gorgeous Sarah over at Ample Curvature to do this tag which has been doing the rounds on Youtube and blogs recently.  If you haven't seen Sarah's blog pop over and take a peek, it's fab!  As a brit I call Fall Autumn, so please don't get confused if I drop the odd Autumn in here and there lovely North American viewers!

Right lets crack on with it...

1. Favourite fall lip product?
I get really dry lips in the Autumn, like many others, from a drop in temperature and the good old heating coming on, but I have been loving my Figs and Rouge 100% organic lip balm which came in my Glossybox a few months ago.

I'm a sucker for anything organic and this cherry and vanilla balm goes on sooooo smoothly and is really hydrating.  Unfortunately I've been forgoing any of the beautiful deep plum and burgandy lip colours which are so popular this A/W, for if you've read my previous It's all about Meeeeeee post you will note I have the six month smiles braces.  Which for those who don't know is like traditional train track braces but they are clear.  Which is great but they stain oh so easily.  You know what it's like when you get a smear of lippy on your teeth, well imagine what it looks like on clear braces - Nice (not!).

2. Favourite Fall nail polish?
Currently I am in love with these, Essie's Bahama Mama and Models Own Hot Stuff.

Two coats of Essie and a slick of Models Own and you get this.

The Essie polish is such a bang on the money colour for this season and with the coat of Models Own which gives a gorgeous red, green, golden shimmer it reminds me of fallen leaves on a crisp autumnal day.  I am loving this so much I think it will get much wear over the party season.  It's a pretty good wear time as well considering it has a glitter topcoat; 3-4 days which is about the same as my normal polishes.

3. Favourite Starbucks Fall drink?
Hmmmm I don't really frequent Starbucks.  Purely because my nearest one is a good 45 minute drive away.  I do have a Costa Coffee about 10 minutes down the road and I stick to my usual latte or Chai latte if I pop in there.  Boring I know!

4. Favourite Fall candle?
Ahhh now candles, unlike Starbucks, are my thing!  I do a lot of work and study from home so I usually have one candle or another burning away on my desk and I do like to stick to seasonal scents.  I've just come to the end of my Mandarin Cranberry Yankee candle and on the good word of the lovely Rachael over at Made up of  (check out her blog too if you haven't already) I picked up Yankee's Honey and Spice candle.  Oh my! If you like toffee apples, sticky toffee pudding, caramel and pecan pie, this will be right up your street.  I got it earlier today and have been burning it nonstop.  If you like sweetness with your spice, try this candle, you will not be disappointed.

5. Favourite Fall scarf or accessory?
This one is easy.  I got this beautiful teal scarf from Boden's A/W sale either last year or the year before.  I just love the richness of its colour and it is so warm.

6. Haunted house, haunted hay ride or haunted corn maize?
I know what these are and that they are big in the states but Halloween isn't such a big deal in the UK (yet!).  Also I don't like to be scared, I'm not a big one for scary movies etc so I would have to say Haunted house.  I saw the film Children of the Corn a few years back and almost peed my pants so Haunted corn maize would be bottom of the list!

7. Favourite Halloween movie?
As I mentioned above I'm not a great one for scary movies but I would probably have to say the original Halloween film.  The one from 1978 starring Jamie Lee Curtis - "A psychotic murderer institutionalized since childhood for the murder of his sister, escapes and stalks a bookish teenage girl and her friends while his doctor chases him through the streets" - yep that movie.  I watched it as a teenager, not in 1978, blimey I'm not that old!  And the memory of it has stayed with me ever since.

8. Favourite candy to eat on Halloween?
I am a sweet toothed kinda gal.  I do love the Haribo sour (can't remember their full name) sweets, but any sweets/chocolate is fine by me and I am a sucker for toasted marshmallows dipped in melted chocolate - ummmmmmm.

9. What are you dressing up as for Halloween?
Well as Halloween has been and gone, I'm abit late with that one.  But I didn't dress up at all as I was busy flying back from Amsterdam on the 31st.  Think I would've struggled to get through security if I had dressed up though ha ha.

10. What is your favourite thing about fall?
I like it when Mr B.P. and I have a rare, (very rare) day off together and you get one of those really crisp autumnal days, with a beautiful clear blue sky, with just a nip in the air.  I like to wrap up warmly, take our dog for a walk through the fallen leaves and maybe stop for a hot chocolate enroute and then come home and curl up on the sofa with either a good book or film.

So what about you lovely readers?  I tag all of you.  Let me know all about your I heart Fall tags.

Loves and Loathes - October

Whoah two posts in one day, I must be cooking on gas!  OK I know this is a bit late for October but if you've read the post below you will see I've been globetrotting!

Anyway, this is something I am going to try and do at the end of each month - my loves and loathes. It will be a random collection of all things I have liked and disliked for that month, so it could include, films, books, food, drink, fashion, make-up - pretty much anything goes.

Ok lets get too it......

First up is my read - South Riding by Winifred Holtby.  There was the adaptation of this on telly last year I think, starring Nathaniel Parker.  I'm usually a read the book first, watch the film/adaptation later, kind of gal but when this came out on t.v. I am ashamed to say I hadn't heard of it, so watched it, totally enjoyed it and when I saw the book in my local bookshop thought I have to read it.

'When Sarah Burton returns to her hometown as headmistress she is full of ambition, determined to create a successful school and to inspire her girls to take all they can from life.  But in the aftermath of the First World War, the country is in depression and ideals are hard won.  Lydia Holly, the scholarship girl from the shacks, is the most brilliant student Sarah has ever taught, but when her mother's health fails, her education must be sacrificed.  Robert Carne of Maythorpe Hall stands for everything Sarah despises: his family has farmed the South Riding for generations, its position uncontested.  Yet Sarah cannot help being drawn to this proud, haunted - and almost ruined - man.  South Riding is a rich, panoramic novel, bringing vividly to life a rural community on the brink of change'.

I would say if you've seen the adaptation and liked it then you will like the book even more.

Yankee Candle in Mandarin Cranberry.  This is such a nice mix and I've been burning it since the end of summer (when did summer actually start let alone end?!) as it is the perfect blend of summer and autumn scents.  I started burning this after reluctantly putting away my Wax Lyrical Cottage Garden candle, which is my favourite candle of all time.

My final love is Yves Rocher Instant Anti-wrinkle Moisturizer.  Like many I got this in my October Glossybox  I have found it to be a really fresh scented easily absorbed moisturiser.  Although not so sure about the Anti-Wrinkle properties LOL.

My one loath of the month is MUA's Undressed eyeshadow pallette.  I know this is big in the beauty blogging world and is a great price at only £4.00 (currently £3.00) at Superdrug but there just weren't enough matte shadows in it for me and worse still I 'think' I might have be slightly allergic to it.  I've used a couple of the colours a couple of times and both times it has made my eyes water slightly.

This means I am very reluctant to use it again.  I have only used a couple of the colours and swatched a couple of others, so I am GIVING THIS AWAY!!!!!! If someone out there would like this then just drop me an email with your details and I will pop it in the post to you.  Don't all rush at once but first come first served so to speak.

So what have you been loving and loathing in October?

Glossybox October 2012 Review

Ok, I know that Glossybox has been done to death out there in the bloggersphere but I've not done a post on it yet, so here's my tuppence worth.

Glossybox this month is a DIY beauty with a donation from each box going towards Breast Cancer Care.

I'm not going to do full scale reviews as I am sure you have already read all about this months box or already have opinions on your own box, so here is a little rundown.

Anatomicals - Don't just clean it woman, scrub it body scrub. (rrp £3.49)

I found this to be a nicely grapefruit scented scrub, quite gel like in texture, almost like a shower gel with added 'grit'!  I'm used to using a more heavy duty scrub and didn't think this would do much, but I was very surprised and it left my skin feeling supersoft.

Yves Rocher - Instant Anti-Wrinkle Moisturiser (rrp £18)

Well I didn't notice any instant dissolving of any wrinkles! This is a very nice moisturiser with a fresh smell.  A little goes a long way which I found after putting too much on and ending up with a very sticky face!!! Not a good look!

Skinetica - Anti-Blemish (rrp £6.99)

Not sure how much use I will get out of this product.  I'm not prone to breakouts and when I do get a spot I tend to leave it.  Will have to wait and see how my skin reacts to this next time I have a blemish.

Green People - Organic Self Tan (rrp £18.95)

I'm a big lover of self tan but as yet to try this one out.  It claims to have no 'biscuit smell', can't wait to see if this is true.

Sally Hansen - Complete Salon Manicure (rrp £6.99)

I got lucky and got the shade Black Platinum, which is great for this time of year.  The only downside is it is quite similar to my beloved essie - power clutch which I love with a passion, so I couldn't help but compare the shade to that.

I was very keen to see how this worked as it states it's a base coat, strengthener, growth treatment, colour and top coat in one bottle.  I am a base coat, two coats of polish and a top coat kinda gal so I was hoping I would be able to cut out a coat or two, but to be honest I needed at least 3 coats of this and could have possibly done with a fourth if I'm honest.  So although it has the complete package in one bottle, I still needed as many coats as I would normally use.

That said, I liked it.  It's lasted pretty well, about the same as the other polishes I use.  The photo above is about 3 days into wear and it's just starting to go around the edges but yep I would re-purchase.

I know there is much debate about value for money in Glossybox, but I've been subscribed for a year and there has probably only been 1 maybe 2 boxes where I thought I wasn't getting value for money and I like the fact I get to try out products I wouldn't normally have picked up in the shops.

So what did you think of October's Glossybox?