Elf conealer pen and brush

Hi everyone, I was going through my makeup and throwing lots out as there was so much I didn't use anymore or hadn't for an awfully long time!
I was testing old products that I hadn't maybe tried properly in the past and found a little gem!

It is exactly as described in the title, it's a pen (with a sharpner in the lid) on one end and a brush on the other end.

What suprised me about it was the coverage it gave.  I popped it straight in my handbag and am using it for touchups on the go as it's fab.

The brush is fairly firm but still very smooth feeling and to have the concealer, brush and sharpner on the pen is amazing.

It is still on the ELF website priced at £3.75 (I'm sure I got it in the mega 50% sales they used to do) and I feel it is well worth the price.

What little gems have you rediscovered recently?

What's in a Graze box?

Hi everyone, I really want to write a blog post on why I vanished for the summer so I'm only going to appologise and hope you will bear with me while I get back on track!

I recently subscribed to the Graze box service after toying with the idea for a while and now I have been at my new job a while I'm realising I don't get time for lunch so snacking is essential!

If you havent heard of Graze box it' a webiste that you is similar to a beauty box subscription service but with snacks and you can tick snacks you want to try soon, ones you do not want them to send and ones that you like.  The selection is fairly vast and for me it was just a way of not being repetitive in what I eat at work!

Here is my first box and the contents.

The box is slimline enough to fit through most letterboxes which makes it very easy to deliver, it also came on the day I requested it to come and came with a fact sheet about the food inside and the nutrients they contain.  What more could I want!

Excuse the glare, it's a dark day here so lights are essential!

Pina colada contains pineapple pieces, coconut flakes and mango-yum!

Salsa Mexicano is mexicanos and corriander and lime salsa-so tasty!

 

Then for the mid-late afternoon sugar craving there were two sweeter snacks (although if you choose the healthy box or use the bin option on the website they will omit any sweet choices).

 

Cookies and cream-mini chocolate cookies, roasted hazelnuts, white chocolate buttons and sunflower seeds-I love it all!

Pumpkin and ginger cake with an afternoon infusion-I love ginger cake and pumpkin seeds, I'm not so sure on the tea but I will drink it!!

 

Overall I'm really enjoying my Grazebox experience and if you fancy trying one for free you can use the code YGXQ96FD

 

Have you tried Graze box and what snacks for their range did you enjoy.

 

*  This is not a sponsored post, I payed for this box with my own money and will continue to do so.



Couch to 5k

Hi everyone, I recently asked on twitter if anyone would be interested in joining me on the couch to 5k fitness programme.

My fitness has dropped dramtically and I haven't been to the gym in a shamefully long time so thought I ought to sort myself out!
Running is not my strong point, I love to swim and cycle but not run so this seemed like something to get me going!

You download the podcasts free off the NHS website and then put them on your mp3 player/ipod and the lady talks you through what you have to do. 
It is so nice to have a good guide and this lady says we will now jog for 60 seconds or brisk walk, counts you down and then the music plays while you do whatever she has said.

I think it's a great idea for total beginners to running like me and I will be posting my progress on here week by week.

Whilst reading up on it I did find a few versions of this and if this one didn't suit you there are paper ones if you can time yourself well while you run, here's an example.

I am in no way saying to use this one as I feel the NHS would be the most trustworthy route to go down but it is just to show the variety out there.

It is not too late to join me on the couch to 5k as I am starting this evening so head over to the NHS website and download the podcast for week one and let me know how you go.

Is there any other online fitness programmes you have tried or still use?

Bodyshop Nutriganics review

Hi everyone, the horrible ageing process is starting to creep up on me!  It was time to find something different for my skin and so I headed for the Bodyshop to see what they would recommend for me.

I had been using the face wash in the morning anyway and so I was quite pleased when the lovely lady who worked there said she would try the Nutriganics range for my age/skin type.

As previously mentioned I've been using this face wash in the mornings and so am still using it and it doesn't dry my skin or break me out, hooray!

The smoothing serum smells almost woody/herbal and sinks in beautifully, I love using this and due to my sensitive skin I combine it with a night time moisteriser every other night.

The eye cream was the product I wanted the most as that is where I am seeing signs of ageing (boo) so I really wanted this to work for me.  I have been using it for around 2 months and the lines I have noticed have smoothed slightly but not massively (but maybe I'm expecting miracles!).

Verdict

I love the face wash and smoothing serum but once the eye cream runs out again I will have to look for something different I think, but all in all it's a lovely range and I will repurchase the serum and face wash.

What eye cream would you suggest I try?

July Joliebox 2012

Wow the doorbell surprised me today and as I signed for the parcel I guessed I was receiving a beautybox but was amazed when I opened it and it was this months Joliebox!  Only a week after my last one too!

You will have to excuse my shakey hand, I am feeling a little unsteady today due to nervous energy but more on that in a personal post another day!

The first products I will show you were bonus items as an apology for last months fiasco (the less said there the better!)  Toe seperators and RMK make up base which I think I got in another Joliebox previously.  Nice additions and it's nice they are apologising for last month.

Etat Pur Pure Active A22-Salicylic Acid 300  This is a new French skincare brand and the product contains an ingrediant that is well-known in dermatology and is meant to be very effective on acne prone or blemished skin.  I work with a dermatologist so I am going to show him this product before I use it as I am having a creakout on my chin at the moment and I'm hoping this may clear it up, however I like to be sure it will be fine for my sensitive skin first!

Jane Iredale Tantasia Self Tanner  Thank you Joliebox, you have saved my summer!  The English weather continues and although I don't actively sunbathe I tend to get a little colour on my face but haven't as yet this year.  I will be using this on my face and neck and will report back with my findings!

Nailgirls Gold and Bronze  These colours were inspired by the olympics and I'm actually really excited by these as I am doing a few olympic themed things over the summer and feel these would be fun as I don't really buy gold or bronze polish.

Wen by Caz Dean Sweet Almond and Mint Cleansing Conditioner  This smells more mint than almond and it says it's bursting with natural herbs and botanicals which can only be a good thing.  I really need a good cleansing shampoo and conditioner so if this is good then I may repurchase!

Verdict on this months box
For me Joliebox have made up for last month, I stuck by them as I felt I have always liked their boxes and have found them fairly reliable compared to others and if the new delivery company means it will come as promptly as that every month then I know I made the right decision.
As for the contents (probably the more important thing) I really like the variety and feel there are a few products that I'm looking forward to using!  One I'm a bit jubious about (Etat Pur) but the rest I will honestly us and am already looking forward to next months box!

Bake with Becky! Schwartz rosemary roasted chicken and potatoes kit

Hi everyone, I love to cook but not anything that doesn't come easy!  So when I saw the Schwartz Rosemary roasted chicken and potatoes I thought it sounded tasty and wouldn't test my cooking skills too much!

The kit is basically six spices so once you've brought the kit once the measurements for the spices are on the back you can get the herbs and spices instead if you wish.

This recipe is so simple and easy, if I can do it anyone can!!  You just need a few extra pieces.

Chicken thighs (although next time I am using breast as I much prefer the meat)

A lemon

Some runny honey

A red onion

Baby potatoes

Slice the baby potatoes and scatter them on the bottom of you dish. 

Sprinkle over the rosemary and garlic granules with a bit of olive oil and shake then pop in the oven at 220c for 20 minutes.

While that's cooking combine the lemon pepper, oregano, paprika and thyme in a bowl with the honey and lemon juice (salt is optional at this stage but I didn't and it still was fine!)

Give it a mix, then coat the chicken with it.  Leave it until the potatoes have been in 20 minutes

Then push th chicken down in the potatoes, sprinkle the chopped red onion on top and and pop back in the oven (you must reduce the temerature to 200c at this point) and after 40-45 minutes it should be ready!

I served mine with green veg and it was soooo tasty!

The flavours were fabulous and it was such a nice and easy tea I have done it again since!

What's your favorite easy tea?



Barbara Day eye base

Hi everyone, as usual I caouldn't go to the supermarket without having a good nose at the cosmetics!  I have been after a nice creamy eyebase for a while and had thought of buying an extra paint pot in a neuteral colour when I spotted this and thought why not try it!

The Barbara Day make-up eye base is avaliable in Tesco and is a lovely creamy eye base.

It evens out colour and gives slight coverage to veins and makes your eyelids less translusant.

The consistency of the product is nice and creamy and applies well, however it very quickly creased on my eyelid and became slightly powdery.
My eyeshadow did last ok but was creased and I felt perhaps I should've just brought a paint pot!
I will use this until it's run out as it isn't awful but I won't be repurchasing.

Do you use any cream eyeshadow bases?


Bella Pierre Legally Blonde

Hi everyone, it's so good to be back.  I have had an amazing holiday with my gorgeous girls and started a new job which is exciting so that's why I haven't blogged lately!  Now, it's back to business as usual!

After falling in love all over again with mineral makeup I have been keeping my eyes peeled for any that caught my eye.  This kit jumped out at me in TKMax which is another shop I have recently fallen in love all over again with!

The kit contains products for you face, a mineral foundation (I got the fair set which inculded ivory), their desert rose blush and their shimmer powder in resonance.

It also contained a mascara (which came in a recent beauty box) and a clear lip gloss.

The coverage of this foundation is incredible.  I didn't have any expectations really but it took me by surprise as it was fantastic!  It lasted all day and with it being a mineral powder is very kind on the skin.  My husband passed comment on how well I looked the day I first used this!
The blush has a little shimmer to it but that doesn't transfer much onto the skin unless you really layer it up. 
I'm yet to use the shimmer powder as it's quite a daring colour for me!
The mascara is nice for the daytime, it didn't do much in the way of volumising but did lengthen my lashes slightly and apart from smelling quite nice the lipgloss isn't up to much.

I would highly recomend this kit if you have been thinking of trying a mineral foundation, the kit and products are pricey on the website but amazing value from TK Max and they had lots of the darker shades in my local branch so I will be looking out for the fairer shades in other branches to stock up!

What's your favorite mineral makeup line and have you tried Bella Pierre?

Which beautybox is best for me?

Hi everyone, I received a few emails asking for advice on which box would I recomend for them so I thought I would do a quick overview of a few boxes and hope some of you may find it useful. (Please excuse the photography, I have finally ordered my new camara so higher quality coming soon!)

There are so many boxes out there now and sadly a couple of really good ones have stopped.
I am currently subscribed to three plus an extra optional one (more on that later) but most boxes are a monthly subscribtion so it's a great way to try the boxes and see if they are for you.

The first box I will be looking at is the Amarya box which is a monthly box and not one I see on blogs very often.

This is an organic and natural box every month and so far has been bang on time each month with no hassle.  It comes in the actual delivery box, there is no box inside however it does have lovely pink shredded paper!

Amary beauty box

Cost:  £10pm plus £2.50 p&p

Last months box contents:

AD Nourishing night treatment

Lavera all round cream

Terre de oc lip gloss

Tous H2O Eau de toilette

Pros of the Amarya box

Very reliable

All natural and organic products

The samples are fairly high quality and useable

Cons

They may not send as many samples as some boxes

Is this box for me?

If you like organic and natural products then yes!  This box would best be suited to someone who likes discovering new products and likes a good reliable beauty box service (as Amarya have never delivered late to me yet!).

The next box is the one which started my obsession with beauty boxes and probably the most famous of them all!

Glossybox

Cost: £10p/m + £2.95 p&p

Last months box contents:

Baloon and travel mirror (bonus birthday items)

Collection (2000) liquid eyeliner in gold

Eldora false lashes

Noble Isle summer rising bath and shower gel

2 x Lola Lempicka perfume samples

Neal's Yard daily rose moisturiser

Pros of Glossybox

Sometimes you get a nice full size product

Cons of Glossybox

Different people get different boxes and the value difference can be substantial

Have been known to be a little unreliable with the delivery dates

Samples can be pretty rubbish and my last perfume samples were empty!

Is Glossybox for me?

I feel that Glossybox is great for a younger market who like makeup and more heard of brands.  As mentioned above I have found the box to be unreliable with content and delivery at times and have since cancelled my subscription.  Having said that I feel that if Glossybox pull up their socks and send out some amazing boxes like they have done previously (i.e. Harrods themed box) then they could regain the love and I think they may well do that so maybe worth while keeping your eye on them!

This next box is a really nice box that each month comes with a little bag for the products and I have used them in my handbag, very handy!  Since being renamed and taken over from bourdior prive this box has got better I feel.

Joliebox

Cost:  £10p/m + £2.95 p&p

Last months box contents

Full size China Glaze nail polish

Essential care rose moisturiser

Talika eye serum

RMK Primer

Cons of Joliebox

I'm struggling!

Maybe sometimes they have changed the delivery date!

Pros of Joliebox

Samples are normally reliable

Good customer service

Good for discovering new brands

Is Joliebox for me?

Joliebox for me has been one of the most consistent in terms of sample quality and I have really had some wonderful samples from them.  This maybe isn't for you if you don't like trying new brands, but I feel this brands caters for those who like to mix high end with high street.

The final box I have only ever had twice but it is a really interesting box and one I feel slips under the radar a little at times but is getting a bigger name for itself.

Latest in beauty

Cost:  They have different pricing for different boxes

Last months box contents

Liz Earle cleanse and polish

Percy and reed dry conditioner

Mont Blanc and Elie Saab aftershave and perfume samples

L'Occitane hand cream

Full size nails inc polish

Elemis pro-collagen body cream

Weleda firming day cream

Cons of Latest in beauty box

They can often sell out fast

Pros of Latest in beauty box

You can see the box before you buy so no more getting a box full of useless samples!

Customer service is great

You have so many options for the type of box you want including build your own mini box anytime!

Is Latest in beauty box for me

I feel this box would suit everyone and although the box I showed the contents for was a special box is was priced the same and the quality of samples is usually similar!  You can buy Editors pick boxes, themed boxes and build your own where you choose 3 out of 9 samples anytime and get them delivered (dangerous!).  Although some may say the element of surpirse is gone I would agree but having had some boxes where I have only used one thing from this is a great option to have if you don't have the money for a box a month or don't want to waste it until you're sure you will use them!

Final word!

I tried ranking these boxes but couldn't decide my top one but I hope you have found my guide useful if you are trying to decide.  I have not had any Shesaid beauty boxes so that is why they aren''t included but that's another box that maybe worth looking at too.

What are your favorite boxes and why?

Ojon damage reverse, instant restorative hair serum

Hi everyone, I'm beginning to think I should have renamed May hair month on my blog as I feel like I have reviewed a lot of hair products this month!  Anyway I got the Ojon hair repair serum in a beauty box a while ago and have been using it since and I felt now I could give my opinions on it.

The serum itself is quite thin in consistency and has a little pipet so you can dispense just a couple of drops (and believe me that is all you need!)

The serum is pretty much scentless.
Once you have a couple of drops in your palm I rubbed my hands together to warm the serum and give even distrabution.
You can use this serum on wet or dry hair, but with most oils and serums I prefer to first use them on damp hair.

All in all I felt this was a pretty average serum.  It isn't something I would recomend or repurchase but it does the job.
I haven't noticed any great difference in my hair and there have been products that I have used this last couple of months that I nothiced a difference with almost instantly so for me this is a product that I feel I will stop using and maybe give to someone as like most products different products work differently and someone may get use out of it!

What products wouldn't you recomend or repurchase?

Glossybox Anniversary May Box

Hi everyone, I didn't review the Joliebox on here this month so I thought I would do the Glossybox instead.

And the first product this month is.........

Noble Isle Summer rising bath and shower gel.  The scent of this shower gel is supposed to evoke the beginnings of summer.  I have to be honest, it didn't make me feel summery and to me was an average, run of the ill shower gel, next please!!

Lolita Lempicka L'Eau en blanc and Eau de Parfum.  Two perfume samples (can you feel the excitment I'm feeling right now!)  These are to be fair quite nice smelling samples, however when the first product is a very average shower gel I kind of want more exciting samples no matter what the size!

Neal's Yard Remedies rehydrating rose daily moisteriser.  I have this product and I got it with a magazine.  I like it but wasn't intending on repurchasing as it wasn't skin changing for me.  I can't grumble at the full size of this product but this one seems to be everywhere at the moment!

Collection 2000 Lasting colour gel eyeliner.  Ok, probably the most exciting product in the box had it not been for the colour!  This isn't a colour I will get much if any use out of and would've loved the  black, oh well!

Eldora False Lashes.  Eyelashes are handy!  Again if you are a falsie lover you wil be thrilled but I only wear them for odd ocassions and I guess it's nice to have them handy.

All in all this was a disappointing month for me!  I maybe had high expectations as it was their birthday box and maybe I expected too much but I wasn't impressed with this months box, even if they included a little mirror for me it didn't cut it and I was left feeling a little like this baloon they popped in for good measure!