April's Birchbox Is Blooming Marvellous

This months Birchbox is a collab between them and American stationary brand Rifle Paper Co. (I've had a little look on their website and their stuff is gorgeous!). A lot of their products have a floral theme, hence the look of this months box. This box has to be one of my favourites, looks wise, I love florals and the colours of it are so eye-catching as they're not the colours you usual think of when you think 'floral'.

Inside the box this month you get 5 little treats, including a new product from Benefit. As well as this, you also receive a voucher for 25% off at Rifle Paper Co.

What's Inside....

PARLOR by Jeff Chastain Leave in Conditioner

I've had a couple of products before from this brand and they seem to work pretty well. This product is designed to detangle hair and keep it looking super shiny. It also gets bonus points for being Cruelty Free.

Balance Me Tinted Wonder Eye Cream

If any products promise to reduce dark circles then I immediately want to try it. This product is not only designed to help cover dark circles, but also hydrate, firm and plump the eye area. Sounds pretty promising to me! 

Kueshi Foot Care Cream

I think it's pretty much a fact that most of us probably don't take care of our feet as much as we should do. This product by Kueshi is enriched with Almond Oil, Royal Jelly and Tea Tree Oil to help soothe, soften and calm those poor feet of yours.

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Eyeliner in Black

First of all, I'm so please this eyeliner is Black. I've had beauty boxes before that seem to just give random colours that no one would ever use so thank you Birchbox! As for the product, it has a really creamy consistency, at first I was worried this would mean it smudges easily but I was wrong. I'd swatched it on the back of my hand, went to rub it off a bit later on and it would. not. budge. I think that pretty much speaks for itself...

Benefit Cosmetics Dew The Hoola

Now, for the one you've all be waiting for (most likely)... This new product by Benefit is a liquid version of their best selling bronzer of the same name. I haven't actually tried the powder Hoola, so I can't compare, but this liquid version seems pretty promising. As you can see in the image above, I applied a little of the product onto the back of my hand and rubbed it in slightly. Depending on how much you work it will depend on how deep the colour is. This is great for two reasons, you can never really apply too much and, it will be great for most, if not all, skin types. 

Overall, I think this months Birchbox is a definite favourite of mine. It has a great mix of products, including brands I've heard of and some newbies too! That's one of the things I love about Birchbox, being able to try new brands without having to spend money on the full priced product.

What do you love most about Birchbox?

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Becky
XO

Blend Away Your Eyeshadow Woes With KIKO Milano 'Eye Brushes'

Brushes From KIKO Milano

The other week I popped to Meadowhall, and whist there I decided to have a little nosey around KIKO Milano's new store. I actually went in to look at make up but soon got distracted by the make up brushes. I'd been wanting some new eyeshadow brushes for a while and once I'd seen these I just had to give them a try.

Blending Brush 200 - £10.90

The main type of brush I was after was a fluffy blending brush. I spotted this one and it was just what I needed, the only problem was there wasn't any out, but a lovely Sales Assistant went and got me one out of the back. This brush it incredibly soft and could blend even the harshest of colours. When I bought this it was £5.45, but it's now gone back up to full price.

Perfect Eyes Set - £22.90

When I picked up the blending brush the Sales Assistant also suggested another brush to me so I picked one of those up as well. However, when I was mooching round the shop, I came across the 'Perfect Eyes Brush Set'. In this set there are four brushes which come in a turquoise and yellow case (shown in the first image of this post). I put the other brush back and got this set instead as it was more cost effective.

The brushes in the set are:

01 - Blending Brush - Perfect for packing eyeshadow onto the lid or blending out

02 - Precision Brush - Great for blending or adding more precise colour

03 - Precision Liner Brush - Can be used to create a cut crease or add liner 

04 - Angled Brush - Good for blending shadow on the outer area of the eyelid

Overall, all the brushes I purchased are great quality and look elegant and professional. I've had some eyeshadow brushes before that hurt to use as the bristles prick your eyelid but these ones are gorgeously soft and comfortable to use. These brushes are amazing value for brushes as the quality is really good, I can't recommend them enough!

What is your favourite make up brush brand? Let me know in the comments :)

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Thanks for reading!

Becky

XO

December Birchbox, Oh Sorry, I Mean BAG!

This months Birch'box' is a bit different to usual, and you might be able to tell why from the title. It's not a box at all, it's a bag. To be more precise a clutch bag that is actually the perfect party accessory for this season!

You can't really tell from the picture but the top part of the bag is green, the bottom right is gold glittery and the bottom left is black leather. All in all i think this is a lovely bag and a really nice alternative to the usual box.

The first products I pulled out of my bag were these three. 

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream:

This is an Anti-Aging day cream that aims to improve firmness and hydrate the skin. It feels really nice on the skin and smells fresh so doesn't seem like it would irritate your skin.

Roloxin Lift Revitalising Facial Treatment:

To be honest, I don't think I've ever heard of this brand before. The RRP of this product (for a full size) is £79 so it seems like it's a high end product. In the booklet it says this is supposed to diminish pores, firm skin and boost radiance for up to 24 hours after use, so it sounds pretty good to me!

Skin & Co Sicilian Body Gel:

If you've read my blog before you'll know I'm big on smells and this one doesn't disappoint. It smells like something from Lush! The sicilian Orange makes it smell oh-so fruity and good enough to eat (but obviously, don't...). I can't wait to use this.

Next up are these two beauty products. I love seeing beauty products in my Birchbox, especially lipsticks. 

Ciate Mini Nail Polish in Mineral Love:

This is a really cute sparkly pink shade. I'm not massively into pink nails but this might look nice as a topcoat and is the perfect size to take travelling.

Model Co. Ultra Long Lasting Lipstick in Kitty:

As you can see from the swatch above, this is a really lovely pinky-nude colour. It seems like it will be hydrating on the lips and give a subtle pop of colour. 

I was really excited to see these two Benefit samples in my box this month. Benefit are a brand that I always hear so much about so I love trying out there products.

Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner:

I've actually tried this before at a Benefit counter and really liked it. It has a very precise nib and the full size is easy to use. However, I find this sample size a bit fiddly so if this is your only experience of this liner I suggest going to a counter and trying the full size.

Benefit Puff Off!:

This has been on my list of products to try for a while now. I can get quite puffy bags under my eyes sometimes and have a few fine lines so this seems perfect for me. 

Overall, this bag is a real hit with me, and I'm sure it is with many others too! I have so many boxes from Birchbox's that I don't know what to do with them anymore so it's refreshing to receive this reusable bag.

What's your favourite part about this months Birchbag?

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Becky

XO

'Tis The Season To... Wear Darker Lips

Now it's December it's officially okay to wear darker lips. Some people have been wearing darker lips for a while now, but I find myself only reaching for my darker lipsticks when it starts to get just that little bit colder. There are three lipsticks that are always my go-to's and there's one to suit every budget!

Clockwise From The Top:
Mac Matte in Shade Russian Red //
 No7 'Stay Perfect' in Shade 35 Grace //

Rimmel 'The Only 1' in Shade 800 Under My Spell

Mac // No7 // Rimmel

As I said before, there's one to suit every budget. Rimmel 'The Only 1' is £6.99, No7 'Stay Perfect' is £9.95 and the Mac Lipstick is £15.50. I know Russian Red can be worn all year round, and I do wear it all year round, but I think it's fitting for this time of year. It's a bit deeper than a lot of other reds and gives a somewhat festive vibe. 'Grace' by No7 has been a firm favourite of mine for many years now, where as 'Under My Spell' by Rimmel is a very recent purchase. I've only worn this lipstick once but I love the colour and it has good staying power. You can also layer it up to make it more of a darker purple.

Which are your favourite lipsticks for this season?

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Thanks for reading :)

Becky
XO

Collection's New #MakeupPalettes

The makeup brand 'Collection' have released four brand new makeup palettes. I first found out about this release when I read Victoria's (Inthefrow) blog post. You can find her post here if you want to check it out!

These were released on the 14th October, I made sure to order mine as soon as I found out about them as I was worried they might sell out. I got mine online from Boots and had them delivered to store so they were ready for me to pick up the next day. I actually only ordered three of the palettes because the other one wasn't appealing to me, more on that below. At the moment, you can get 3 for 2 across all makeup at Boots, so I managed to get one of the palettes for free, which isn't bad at all considering they're already pretty cheap.

The three palettes I got are:

#BlushAndGlow - £4.99

 

This was actually the palette I ended up getting for free in the 3 for 2 deal. It comprises of four products, a bronzer/contour, highlighter, a blush with shimmer and a blush without. I really like this palette, the bronzer is great for contouring and is the perfect shade for my pale skin. The highlighter is subtle and not too over the top. I've only tired the matte blush so far but the shade is lovely and gives you a rosy glow. The shimmery blush is nice when watched so I think I'll be trying that when I next go on a night out.

#FaceTheDay - £6.99

This palette consists of 4 shimmer eye shadows, a shimmer blush, a bronzer and highlighter. I nearly didn't get this palette because it didn't shout out at me. I only got it in the end because of the 3 for 2 deal. Don't get me wrong, it's a good all round palette. I just wish the eyeshadows were matte instead of shimmery and, I haven't used the bronzer yet, but it looks a bit orangey. You never know though, I could love it once I use it. Overall, I like the palette and all the products included have good pigment to them, but I feel like Collection went a bit shimmer crazy with all the eye shadows, blush and highlighter. I just prefer it when the shimmer's optional and you can add it to your look with highlight. Does anyone else feel this way...?

#ConcealAndLightLikeAPro - £5.99

 

This is the palette I was most excited about. I have dark circles around my eyes, so thought the colour correcting would be perfect for me. Also, I often find it hard to find a concealer that matches my whole face (if that makes sense). I don't wear foundation in the day so sometimes concealer can make my skin look blotchy if it doesn't match properly. This palette has four shades of concealer that can be blended together to create your perfect shade. It also includes three colour correctors; Yellow for brightening and correcting dark circles, purple for correcting yellow tones and green for correcting redness. There is also a cream highlighter in this palette.

The fourth palette in the line is called #YourStyleYourMood. It's an eyeshadow palette made up of 2 matte shades and 8 shimmer shades. I decided not to get this one because there are already some eyeshadows included in the #FaceTheDay palette and I don't use shimmery shades all that often anyway!

To create this look, I first colour corrected any problem areas using the #ConcealAndLightLikeAPro Palette. I used the green corrector to correct redness around my nose and also put it on top of any red blemishes to tone them down a bit. Next I went in with the yellow around my eyes to cover my dark circles and finally used the purple for the slight yellowness I have around my mouth. After this I used the lightest colour concealer around my eyes. I will warn you, when using this around your eyes it will most likely sink into any fine lines as that's what it did on me. Also, I found it didn't do a great deal for covering dark circles so had to use my Revlon Colour Stay Concealer over the top. I then went on to make my correct concealer colour to conceal any blemishes, the concealer in this palette is very buildable so is good for covering blemishes. After this, I blended it all in with my beauty blender and set it with the Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot powder. 

Next up I used the bronzer, highlighter and matte blush from the #BlushAndGlow palette. I used the bronzer to contour my cheeks, forehead and around my nose. Then went in with the blush on the apples of my cheeks and finally the highlighter on my cheeks and down the centre of my nose. 

I decided to give two of the eyeshadows from the #FaceTheDay palette a go. Unfortunately, due to my hooded eyes *rolls eyes*, you can't really see them and I didn't want to do it too OTT as I was going to work straight after shooting this image. However, I can tell you that I'm quite impressed with their pigment and will be using them again. 

I finished the look off by using my usual eyebrow products, YSL Babydoll Mascara and a touch of colour on the lips using the 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Lip Glaze in Elderberry that I got in this months Birchbox (You can check out that post here).

Will you be trying out any of the new Collection palettes? If so, which one takes your fancy?

Becky
XO

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Stylist Guest Editor Birchbox

It's that time of the month again, Birchbox time! This month there were two boxes to choose from. Option one was 'Back To Basics', this was based around basics that Birchbox felt everyone should own and the second option was this one, the 'Stylist Guest Editor' box. This box includes items that have been hand picked by Birchbox's Stylist's Associate Editor, Joanna McGarry. I decided on this box for the simple reason that I preferred the products in this one as I'd already tried some of the items in the other one. Anyway, without further a-do, here's what my box consisted of this month...

1. When Travelmate Sheet Mask 

This is exactly what it says it is, a sheet mask. It is said to deeply moisturise skin and is especially good for long haul flights and after days in the sun. This is because it will help to bring back moisture to your skin and help restore it to it's former glory. 

2. Bioderma in Sensibio H20

Even though many people rave about Bioderma, I've never actually tried it out before. I'm really looking forward to using this and what makes it even better is that this one is great for sensitive skin.

3. PARLOR by Jeff Chastain Smoothing Blow Out Spray

In a past Birchbox I received a Moisturising Sea Salt Spray by the same brand as this and I really like it so I'm hoping this will be just as good. It has a really lovely smell to it, this is something I think is important for a hair product as scents that you put in your hair can last for a long time. I'm not the best at describing scents but it says in the Birchbox booklet that this has a peachy and woody scent.

4. Rituals Yogi Flow Foaming Gel 

When you first pump this out onto your hand it is a gel but it slowly starts expanding and, when you rub it, it starts turning into a foam (see image above). I like these kind of products because a little goes a long way so it should last quite a while. I have come to find that Rituals products always smell divine and this one certainly doesn't let you down in that area. The scent is Indian Rose and Sweet Almond Oil. 

5. English Laundry No. 7 Signature For Her

I wasn't all that thrilled to see this in my box this month. I do like the scent but I received this in a Birchbox earlier on in the year so it would have been nice to get a different scent or perfume sample. 

6. 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Lip Glaze in Elderberry
Now this is a product I really love. I love the packaging, how it looks on, the feel of it, that it's made from natural ingredients... I could go on. It's formulated with avocado and cocoa butters to help nourish the lips. It's very moisturising when on and the colour is quite buildable.

That's it for my Birchbox this month! If you want to know more, or would like to subscribe to receive a box each month, then just click here. 

Are there any products here that catch your eye? Let me know in the comments!

Becky
XO

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Go Emoji Crazy With Birchbox's August 2015 #Beautyjunkie Box

This is the cutest Birchbox I have received so far! It's got all these little beauty themed emoji's all over is and I just think it's so lovely and playful.

In the box you get the usual information booklet along with 6 beauty/hair products in a drawstring bag. Also in this month's box you get a set of emoji stickers, you can just see them peeping from behind the lid of the box in the picture above.

1. Rituals Rice Scrub - Organic Rice Milk and Cherry Blossom. 

This smells DIVINE. As soon as I smelt it I basically made my mum smell it too because it's just that good! It smells so fresh and clean, if that even makes sense. The scrub is quite coarse so will be good for exfoliating legs to get rid of any dead skin cells before hair removal. It states in the booklet that it can be used on sensitive skin and when it comes into contact with water it turns into a foaming cream. I can't wait to try this one out!

2. Kebelo Clarifying Shampoo.

To be honest, this doesn't really smell of anything. I don't mind that it doesn't have a scent because, on the bright side, at least it doesn't smell awful. I quite like clarifying shampoos because I have an oily scalp and they help to get rid of any excess oils and product buildup. It says to apply once or twice a month, I believe this is so you don't remove too much of your natural hair oils as this can cause your scalp to become dry and irritated. 

3. BioNike Cleansing Water.

This is a fragrance-free cleanser that is suitable for 'hypersensitive and intolerant skin'. It is meant to sooth spots and leave skin feeling smooth and soft. Apparently you massage this into your face and neck using your fingertips, afterwards you wipe off the excess with a cotton pad, sounds interesting! One thing I like about receiving these little samples from Birchbox is that they are great to use when travelling. My normal cleansing water/toner is in a largish bottle, so now I can just take this instead. 

4. thebalm Cosmetics Balm Desert Bronzer.

A teeny bronzer sample from thebalm. The last product I received in my Birchbox from thebalm (the Cindy-Lou Manizer) was really good so I'm looking forward to using this. It's a really subtle and natural shade, perfect for my pale skin! There's a tiny bit of shimmer but nothing too over the top. 

5. Lord & Berry Blush in the shade Lotus.

This is a gorgeous rosy pink coloured blush, perfect for giving you that natural rosy cheek look. The booklet says that this is buildable so you can either create a natural look or add a pop of colour to your cheeks buy building it up. The texture of this is lovely, very silky smooth.

6. L. Erickson Grab & Go Ponytail Holder.

To put it simply, this is a hair bobble (or hair tie, whatever you may call them). There is no metal on the bobble which means no snagging! I probably wouldn't go out with my hair in this because it's silver/grey and my hair is a darkish brown so it stands out a mile. However, it'll be perfect for bed or when I'm doing my make up. 

There you have it, that's this months Emoji crazy Birchbox in a nutshell!

I hope you enjoyed this post, if you want to be updated on my latest posts you can follow me on Bloglovin' by either clicking the widget to the right of this post or by clicking here :)

Becky

XO

Best Highstreet Make-up Buys

Most of the make up products I use are from either Boots or Superdrug and are high-street brands, I only use one high-end product in my daily make-up routine, so I thought this would be the perfect post for me to do. The reason I only really use high-street products is because I don't see the point in spending loads of money on make-up when brands such as Maybelline and Revlon are just as good. 

A lot of the face products featured in the post are geared towards oily/sensitive/combination skin, so if you fall into that category, these should be perfect for you.

May have cheated slightly by using a Ted Baker make-up bag, but it was a gift, so no harm done!
Unfortunately, it's last season so it's no longer available.

Face Products

From Left to Right:
Boujois Healthy Mix Serum / L'Oreal Paris Infallible Mattifying Primer / Revlon Colourstay Concealer

L'Oreal Mattifying Primer:
Primer isn't a product I use every day. I use it when I know I'll be out a while and there'll be lots of pictures being taken so I want my skin to look flawless, such as special occasions or nights out. This primer is the best one I've ever used, I'd tried a few before this but they always seem to go 'bobbly' when I put my foundation on top. The reason I like this one is that it's very smooth, doesn't feel heavy on the skin and, best of all, it's mattifying. I've talked before about my oily skin and this definitely makes the oil stay away and keep my make up looking shine free.

Boujois Healthy Mix Serum:
I also don't use foundation every day, but this is definitely the one I reach for when I do. I'm sure a lot of you will have heard about this foundation before as it has been raved about a lot! This is a Gel Foundation, which is something I'd never heard of before I tried this, and let me tell you, I'm so glad I decided to try it, it is by far the best foundation I've ever used. Due to the gel formula it's glides on skin and isn't heavy in the slightest. It's quite runny when you first pump it out but then when you start to apply it, it seems to thicken and create a beautiful finish on the skin. I've used a large range of foundations in my time and never before stuck with one as long as I've stuck with this. My shade is '52 Vanilla'.

Revlon Colourstay Concealer:
This concealer is one of my everyday products (by everyday I mean when I'm leaving the house for longer than 15 mins!). I tried the Collection concealer that's mentioned everywhere but found it was too thick and didn't blend well, also the shades didn't match my skin well, one was too light and the other too dark. That's when I came across this beauty. I'm shade '02 Pale' and it matches my skin perfectly. It's light on the skin but easily covers blemishes and dark circles.

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot Powder

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot:
This is a translucent powder designed to get rid of excess shine and oil and mattify the skin. As use this powder as it allows for your skins natural colour to come through, I only use this in the summer when I have been on holiday and got a bit of a tan. In the winter I switch to a coloured powder to add a bit of warmth to my skin. This powder does what it says on the tin(?), mattifies the skin and gives a 'ultra-light, smooth velvety finish'.

Seventeen Define and Conquer Contour Kit

Seventeen Contour Kit:
Next up is this Contour Kit by Seventeen. I started using this because I needed a new bronzer, saw this and thought I might as well try it out as Seventeen products are usually pretty good. This comes in different shades, mine is in 'Fair'. In all honesty, I don't often use the highlighter side, only because I tried it and didn't think it did much for me. As for the bronzer side, I find it is great for my skin tone as it's doesn't go on too heavy and is matt (no shimmer) so looks natural.

Natural Collection Blusher

Natural Collection Blusher:

This is probably the cheapest product out of all the ones featured in this post, at only £1.99, it's a steal! The colour I use is 'Peach Melba'. I use this all year round as it gives a very warm peach tone to the cheeks and looks extremely natural. 

Eye/Eyebrow Products

Left to Right:
Revlon Lash Potion / Soap & Glory Supercat Liner / GOSH Kohl Liner / Soap & Glory Archery Eyebrow 2-in-1

Revlon Lash Potion:
My eyelashes are very straight with barely any curl in them so I've tried countless mascaras to try and make my eyelashes curl and stay curled. This mascara does just that. It gives eyelashes amazing lift and volume, helps them to stay curled all day. The brush is quite big and has bristles (not plastic) so it grabs every lash.

Soap & Glory Supercat Felt Liner:

If you're a felt liner kind of person, this is definitely one you should check out. It stays on all day and dries quickly so it never smudges. The nib has a fine tip so you can create really thin lines or super thick ones, you only have to draw the line once to get a jet black finish.

GOSH Kohl Liner:

This liner glides on so smooth, it doesn't drag the eye lid at all. It stays on all night without transferring onto the upper lid, but if you wanted it's creamy enough to smudge out and create a dramatic smokey eye. I've used this for years and never found another eyeliner that lives up to it. 

Soap & Glory Archery 2-in-1:

As you can see from the image, this product is so well loved all the information has come off the tube. One end of this is an eyebrow pencil which is a twist up, so no need to sharpen, and the other end is an eyebrow brush. I use this very lightly to define my eyebrows and then brush out to make them look natural. The colour I use is 'Hot Chocolate'.

Maybelline The Nudes Eyeshadow Pallette

Maybelline The Nudes:
I bought this last month whilst I was in the airport as I wanted a powder to use to fill my eyebrows and thought this would be perfect as I can use it for both my brows and my eyes. The reason I pencil and then also fill my brows is because my eyebrow hairs are quite thin and can look sparse, so I use both to create a fuller look. You can probably tell the ones i usually use for my brows are the two at the top right and the second one in from bottom left. There are also some beautiful shimmer colours to create a lovely bronzed eyeshadow look. These eyeshadows are very pigmented and have amazing staying power.

What are your favourite high-street beauty products?

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Becky
XO