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

Let's Talk Eyebrows; Threading Vs. Waxing Vs. Plucking

Literally and figuratively, eyebrows are massive. 

The past few years, eyebrows have become a big talking point and 'goal' for many women (and men). They come in all shapes and sizes, from thick to thin, defined to bushy. But what is the best way to achieve the look you want? I hear you ask. Well I'm here to give you the low down on the three most popular eyebrow 'taming' techniques. 

Plucking

This is possibly the first technique most people try when they decided they want to do something with their brows. It's easy, cheap (you only need some tweezers) and can be done by the individual in the comfort of their own home. There are many perks to this, but it also has it's flaws. Plucking isn't necessarily going to get you a super defined look. Your eyebrows have rows of hair, if you're an amateur and pluck one hair out of a line you didn't mean to, you're going to get untidy brows. Another down side is, it's not necessarily quick. You will only be able to pluck out a few hairs at a time and trying to get those little fine hairs is virtually impossible. 

Verdict: Plucking's great if you just want to get rid of a few sparse hairs, but for a full on brow job, you're better off with a different technique.

Price: The price of tweezers.

Threading

When I was at university I had my eyebrows threaded all the time, it was my go to technique and was something my friends and I would go to have done together. I'm not going to lie to you, it is quite painful. When me and my friends first had ours done, our eyes were watering and my eyes started twitching. It gives really good results, the area around your brows is super soft and hair free. However, after a while, a noticed my eye brows were getting sparse and thin. I later found out about the rows of hair your eyebrows have and if the person threading your brows takes one off of a row they didn't mean to, they have to take the whole row off. In the end I stopped going and went back to just plucking them myself, although I would go back every now and again to get the shape back. 

Verdict: Threading is good to get rid of a lot of hairs at a time, but I definitely wouldn't suggest this for a first time eyebrow job. It also thins your brows out, so if you like them fuller, avoid this.

Price: £5 at Superdrug.

Waxing

I went shopping recently and as I was browsing (get it?) round Boots, I was approached by a lady who worked for Benefit. She asked if she could show me some of their brow products so I said okay as I like to try new products, especially for free! Whilst I was at the concession, she did my brows and then told me about their Brow Bar. I had heard of it before but waxing always scared me cause I just thought it'd go horribly wrong and I'd end up with no brows. Anyway, long story short, I ended up taking the plunge and had my eyebrows waxed and tinted. Let me tell you something, it was amazing. It actually hurt so little that I thought it hadn't even taken any hairs out at first. I told the lady who did my brows how threading had thinned them out and she said that threading does that to most people but waxing is a lot better for your brows.  So now I'm a waxing convert! Also, at Benefit, they put concealer on after to conceal the redness, this is something I never experienced when I'd had my brows threaded. 

Verdict: In my opinion, this is the best option. It's a lot more precise than you would think, or than I thought anyway, and leaves your brows looking fuller with more shape.

Price: Around £12.

Which eyebrow technique is your favourite? Let me know in the comments.

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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

How To Pack Light For A Weekend Away

York Train Station

Last weekend I went on a girly trip to York with two of my friends, Danielle and Amelia, who I went to Uni with. We went to Uni in York and try meet up as much as we can, this time was a celebration of Amelia’s graduation!

Here’s my guide to packing light and making sure you only take the essentials.

Packing Prep

First off, I always start by deciding what we’re going to be doing each day. Once we’ve come to a conclusion, I then start planning my outfits. If you’re unsure what the weather’s going to be like, I suggest checking that first so you know what kind of outfits you’ll need. I went for 3 days, Friday – Sunday, and knew the weather was going to be rainy with possible snow, so I needed:

An outfit for travelling in (obviously I don’t need to pack this but it saves time on the day of your journey), an outfit for Friday night, an outfit for Saturday day and one for night, and an outfit to travel home in on Sunday.

In order to make the most out of the space in my case, I decided to wear leggings and boots to travel in both there and back. This means I only needed to pack a top for the last day because I was already wearing half of it on the way there!

Once you’ve decided your clothes, it’s time to make a list. I actually make two or three lists, one with all my clothing items and outfit pieces on (including extra bags, socks, underwear and jewellery), another with toiletries and then one for extras (headphones, chargers, etc).

Lets Get Packing

Shoes:

I pack shoes first as they’re heaviest so should be on the bottom. If you’re worried they might dirty your clothes, you can wrap them in bags.

Clothes:

Next I roll all my clothes up, this is a tip my mum taught me, it saves space and reduces creases. Think of the case standing up, I put clothes in the top half of my case. This is because, if you put them on the bottom and heavier things on top, the heavier things will squash the clothes down.

I put my underwear/socks/tights into the front compartment of my bag to keep them all in one place.

Toiletries:

I pack all my toiletries and make-up into this bag and try to take as many travel-sized items as possible. I use this little tin (shown on the side of my case) for storing some cotton buds, hairgrips and cotton pads. Only take as many as you need and then a couple extra. What I mean by this is; I’m going for two nights so know I’ll need four cotton pads, but I’m taking six just in case. I'm not going overboard and taking a full packet though.

A good tip is to decant some of your products. The lid on my moisturiser has gone missing so I’ve squeezed some into a little pot. You can do this with a variety of products to save some room.

Always remember to utilise your space as well as possible. For example, my heels take up a lot of room, but there are gaps in between them. In here I fit my hairbrush and small jewellery case (as shown above). If you plan to pack full sized toiletries, these can often fit inside shoes or be rolled up in clothes, also saving space and keeping them secure.

Extras:

Check on the hotel website what the rooms include. More often than not, you won’t need to take towels so don’t worry about making room for these. A lot of hotels also provide hairdryers in your room but these can be, for want of a better word, rubbish, and also sometimes painful (I’ve had my hair caught in a few before!). Therefore, if you want to take your own hairdryer I highly recommend getting a travel sized one such as the Ego Gold Travel Set, which I reviewed here. I probably won’t take a hairdryer, as one of my friends will be, but I’ll be taking my travel straighteners from the same set. They save so much room and work just as well as normal straighteners.

I put my phone charger and headphones in my handbag so I can use them on the train.

And that’s it, we’re done! Packing is a bit like playing Tetris, you just have to put the pieces where they fit together best.

Happy travels :)

You can follow my blog on Bloglovin' by clicking the 'B'' icon, located to the right with the rest of my social media, or you can click here. Thanks for reading.

Becky
XO

Technical Issues! - Why I've Been MIA

Hey lovely people! 

My current situation is this, my internet will work on my phone but not on my MacBook. It's been like this for probably just over a week (on and off). I'm not sure why this is to be honest, maybe the signals too weak or maybe it's something to do with my Mac. 

Either way, my next post is going to be about how to pack light for a weekend away. I'm writing this while getting all my stuff together to hop on a train to York to stay there for the weekend with some friends. 

Hopefully when I'm back I can get the internet working on my MacBook again and resume blogging as usual! 

Becky

XO

A Few Things I'd Been Loving In October

It's that time of the month again! I think I said this in my September Favourites but I can't believe how quickly this year is going, how is is November already?! I don't know about you but I actually can't wait for it to start getting colder, I'm a bit disappointed that it's still quite warm here in the UK.

I've got another mixture of things I've been loving this month, starting with the Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lip Pencil in 050 Tiramisu. This is a really lovely browny/nude that goes with anything! At first I wasn't sure of the shade on me but I've grown to love it and it's now my go to lip colour at the moment. It's super long lasting and you can either wear it as all over colour or as a liner. 

Next up are Face Wipes. I've stuck with Johnson's face wipes for years as I've never found any others that work for me, but I was in Primark the other day and spotted these. They're £1 for 2 packs so I thought 'What's the worst that could happen?!'. I got the ones for Combination skin, they're enriched with tea tree and witch hazel. The ingredients were one of the things that swayed me to get them because I know tea tree and witch hazel are really good for blemishes. I've nearly finished my first pack and I think they're just as good as the ones I used before them. The only thing that annoys me about them is they're quite thin and not very strong so they fall apart slightly. 

My film/TV show favourite for this month is Scream Queens. I recently started watching it and can't get enough! The cast list includes a lot of celebrities, Emma Roberts, Ariana Grande and Nick Jonas, just to name a few, and I'd probably compare it to something like Scary Movie, but in TV format. It's quite dry, ridiculous humour, so if you're into that kind of thing then I'd definitely recommend it.

I got this Watch from B&M for around £5. I needed a simple and inexpensive watch for work because I work in an environment where jewellery can easily get damaged or caught on things. I spotted this one and loved it because of the rose gold face, it's sleek and I'd say it looks more expensive than it was.

Lastly is the Collection Shimmer Shades blusher quad. As you may be able to tell from this, I only use the bottom two colours, I mix them together and it makes a lovely peachy colour with a slight shimmer. Mixing all the shades together makes it too pinky for my liking so I just stick to the bottom two. I think that's the beauty of products like this though, technically you've got a multitude of blushers in one because you can mix shades or just use one at a time. 

I hope you enjoyed reading about my favourites this month.

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Thanks for reading!

Becky

XO

Greasy Hair? Don't Care!

I've suffered with greasy hair all my life. I'll wash it one day and it'll be greasy the next. I've searched many times online for shampoo's that are specifically for greasy hair but often to no avail. There have been about two shampoo's I've been able to find and try that are actually for greasy hair, but one was discontinued and the other just seemed to make my hair worse. I've also searched for tips and tricks for my hair type but it seems as though it's a taboo subject or something that I can't find much information on. After doing a lot of digging, I found out about clarifying shampoos and wondered if maybe one of those could do the job.

A clarifying shampoo is one that is used to remove product build up and give your hair a total refresh by deeply cleansing it. Now, I don't use a lot of product on my hair, as I feel this contributes to oiliness, but had an inkling that it could remove excess oil. As you may have guessed by now, clarifying shampoos work for oily hair! I'm not saying they banish it forever but they definitely help keep it at bay for longer than normal shampoos. I've also found that some shampoos designed to add volume can help with oiliness, but, on the other hand, some can make your roots seem full of product. It's just all trial and error really.

These three shampoos are my favourite ones at the moment. They are, Soap & Glory Glad Hair Day, Kebelo Clarifying Shampoo and Tresemme 24 Hour Body. The Soap & Glory Shampoo isn't actually a clarifying shampoo, but it acts like one. It says on the tube that it has a 'no build-up formula', so when looking for a shampoo, it's often best to read the small print. This is my most used shampoo as it works wonders for my hair and smells really fruity. I also use the Tresemme one a lot, I like to switch up the shampoos a bit so my hair doesn't start getting too used to one type. The Kebelo one is actually a new addition that I got in a Birchbox. This one is marketed as a clarifying shampoo (unlike Soap & Glory), so I'd suggest only using this every now and again. 

One quick tip is that although clarifying shampoos are great for greasy hair, they can also dry the scalp out and make it itch and also dry the ends of the hair. This is one reason you shouldn't use a clarifying shampoo every time you wash your hair. After you've thoroughly rinsed the shampoo out, make sure to apply conditioner only to the ends of the hair (I also sometimes put it on the very front of my scalp/hair line as it can get a bit dry there). Applying conditioner only to the ends will ensure you're not adding any extra moisture to the scalp.

I probably don't need to tell you this but, Batiste Dry Shampoo is a life saver for greasy hair too. If you have darker hair and don't like getting white roots (who does..?) then get the ones for coloured hair. I either get Medium & Brunette or Dark & Deep Brown, it just depends which is available. 

Also, If you have flat hair as well as oily hair, then here are two great products for creating lift without creating product buildup and greasy roots. TIGI Small Talk is a 'thickifier', 'energiser' and ' styliser' so fulfils all your needs in one! Just beware not to use too much as this will make your hair greasy, you only need a small amount rubbed between your fingers. Another option is the Percy & Reed Volumising No Oil Oil, this is another product I got in a Birchbox. I was always scared to use an oil on my hair, because oil = oily scalp in my mind, so I was very intrigued to see if this would work and it actually does! Same as before though, don't use too much. Just 2 or 3 drops should do the trick. 

I hope this helped some of you. If you want any more information or have any questions, don't hesitate to leave a comment.

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Becky

XO