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

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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A Few Things I've Been Loving This September

This is my first ever monthly favourites blog post, wahooo! I decided to incorporate a lot of different things into it instead of sticking to just beauty or fashion, I just prefer it that way as it adds a bit more variety in. I'm going to try and do these every month and hopefully there'll always be a beauty product, jewellery/fashion piece and a film and/or book, and then I'll also include other miscellaneous  things as well. So anyway, onto my favourites for the month of September...

I actually can't believe how fast this year is going! I work in retail, so all seasons come around quickly for me, for example, we started putting all the Christmas things out at the end of last month. I helped merchandise the section, and for all the time I was on there you could hear people saying 'Christmas already!'. I absolutely love Autumn/Winter time and Christmas is by far my favourite holiday, also, my birthday is 2 weeks before Christmas so that just makes it all the more exciting. Because of my love for Autumn/Winter I crack out the hot chocolate at any sign of cold weather (or whenever it starts to feel more Autumnal), so one of my favourites this month is Mars Hot Chocolate. I got this from where I work, I can't remember exactly how much it was but it might have been around the £2 mark which I don't think is bad at all! It tastes so lovely, I don't really know how to describe it, it's kind of a less intense, more milky, version of a Mars Bar.

The Stick of Rock isn't there because I've been loving eating loads of rock this month, it's there to signify the trip to the seaside I took with my boyfriend this month (I have a whole blog post about it here if you'd like to know more). It was such a nice day and so calming for me, I love being by the sea and would love to live in a little house over looking the sea one day, to wake up and be able to hear the sea would be perfection.

Next up is the newly released film, Legend. This film is about the Cray Twins who were gangsters in London during the 50's and 60's, both twins are played by Tom Hardy who does an outstanding job, if he doesn't get an award for this role I'll be amazed! I would highly recommend going to see Legend as I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's also a really interesting film because it's based on true events. 

Talking of films, I've been loving my iPad Mini this month. I enjoy laying in bed and watching YouTube videos on it or flicking through blog posts. I don't have a large amount of apps on there but one of my favourites has been Colorfy, which is like a virtual colouring book. It's also really handy for writing down blog ideas or planning posts.

Miss Selfridge recently had a sale online and in-store, where they had up to 30% off everything. I had a look on the online shop and found this Necklace and I've not stopped wearing it since I got it. It's so simple but has a little bar of what looks like blue marble. It goes with practically any outfit and just looks so simple and chic. 

As for beauty, this month I've been loving more natural lip colours. This lipstick, Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate in '08', has been a long standing favourite of mine. It's quite moisturising so doesn't dry your lips out and I just love the colour. If you want to see what the colour is like on the lips, I wore it in my last outfit post, which you can find here.

Another beauty product I love is the YSL Babydoll Mascara. I've been using this a while now and no other mascara compares to it. It gives my lashes amazing lift and is very buildable so can also make your lashes look super thick! It is quite pricey at £25, but it's the only premium beauty product I own so I have it as my beauty treat. Just to note, I usually hate plastic brushes as they've never worked for me before and don't usually give my lashes any lift or hold at all, but this one... WOW. 

What have been your favourites this month?

Becky

XO

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