November Glossybox

Oooh what a controversy! Lots of folks out there not happy with their boxes this month. I'm really into my skincare at the moment though, and the premis behind this months box, I think, is quite fitting.

So, it's called 'The Christmas Gift-Guide: Part 1' featuring 5 products from new brands, and new products from brands that have previously featured in Glossybox, all centred around helping to know exactly what to put on your wish list this Christmas.

Ok, enough of the waffle. Lets see what's inside.

Product List


1. Arbonne FC5 Cooling Foot Cerme.

This was the first thing I tried out of the box. It says it's a moisturising, non greasy foot creme that hydrates rough, dry skin and soothes, cools and comforts tired feet.

I'm not so sure it does ALL of that, it's definitely slightly greasy but it feels quite tingly and smell very herbal; birch leaf, clover blossom, watercress and avocado oil and shea butter all feature in there, too. It's a perfect little addition to anyone's winter skincare routine.

2. Dead Sea Spa MAGIK Bath Salts

I'm a big lover of Dead Sea Spa MAGIK, their foot range and sugar scrub is pretty fantastic. This bath salt is unscented, 100% natural and alleviates dry and flaky skin, helps maintain moisture and improves and softens the skin. Again, great for this time of year.

3. MONU Skin Perfector

A weightless cream which instantly smoothes imperfections and enhances radiance as it glides onto the skin. Sounded too good to be true so I tried it out.

It's a hybrid between a cream and a gel and smells very spa-ish. It does glide on,  absorbs pretty quickly and leaves the skin very smooth. As for line smoothing.. I don't know; I'm only 25. Although I get the distinct feeling this product is aimed at a more mature woman, I'll definitely be using it up.


4. Nail Rock Designer Nail Wraps

This will be my first experience of nail wraps. I've heard good things about them so I'm excited to try them. I tried nail foils back when I was a young teen which was a unanamous fail but theses wraps seem more user friendly.

The design I got is called 'black lace on red'. Not sure if this pattern would be my number one choice but I haven't seen what other designs were sent out in other Glossyboxes.

5. Serge Lutens; L'Eau Serge Lutens & Vitriol d'Oeillet.

The perfumes in all Glossybox's get a rough deal, this month is no exception. A lot of you ladies are frustrated that you can get perfume samples for free, which is true, so we'll see if GB react to this in the coming months.

Interestingly, both of these scents are unisex which is a nice change. They're both very strong and 'fresh' scents.

If you're a sweet and floral kind of girl these aren't the ones for you. They edge on the masculin side, which I quite like, and last for ages. I've been wearing Vitriol d'Oeillet all day and it's still going strong.

The full size of these are very pricey; 100ml/£86.00 & 50ml/£78.00.

So, what are your thoughts? Will any of these make it onto your Christmas list?

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick

I Love love love this range!

They're sheer, glossy, moisturising and light in texture.

I opted for number 57 'Aventure'.

I don't have the nicest lips in the world... there's a distinct lack of a cupid's bow going on.. as my 'better' half always reminds me! But they're quite pink so it works quite nicely.

I've bought a couple of these in the past for friends and family and they, too, really like them. I bough my mum 'Boy', and for my friend Hayley I bought 'Royallieu'. 

All of the colours in the range are very wearable so you can't really go wrong when making your choice.

Gelish Nails Review

While on holiday this Summer I noticed that my regular nail polish was literally melting off my nails from the heat! Not wanting a repeat situation on my cruise holiday a few weeks later, I decided it would be the perfect time to try Gelish by Nail Harmony. 

So off I trotted! 

The nearest salon to me that offered Gelish (and Shellac) was Your Bella Nails in Manchester. It's a tiny little place in Peter House but I'm told they're moving to a bigger place on Oxford Rd.

Annyyyywaaay... Onto the nails!

The whole process took about an hour; I had a full manicure in addition to the Gelish. It cost £29 which is pricey but it lasts for ages, as you'll see! 

I'm  not entirely sure but I think the colour is called 'Queen Of Hearts'; a gorgeous deep red colour. Nice and versatile seen as it's going to be there quite a while!

Day 1 

Super shiny and nicely shaped. 

Day 10

Still looking exactly the same as when it was applied... no chipping in sight. Slight nail growth but nothing too obvious.

Day 21

Slight chip at the bottom of my index finger but at three weeks I'm really impressed. The only reason I'm having it removed now is because my nails have grown a good couple of millimetres and it'll look a bit odd if i left it any longer.

The only question now is what colour next? :) 

Pale much?

Well I am.... very pale in fact, and the sun would rather make me resemble a lobster than give me a lovely tan. But hey ho, such is life.

I have a solution that doesn't involve smelly fake tan or nasty sunbeds!


Bourjois' 'Délice de Soleil' spray bronze powder. Mine is in light/medium. 

Bourjois describe it as "A powder mist that delicately melts onto the skin for a perfect, natural and even tan" and that's just what it does.

I'm not a fan of using a lot of powder products on my skin in the Summer months, purely because it makes my make up look cakey. I've tried this spray a few times now and am really impressed. It gives an all over glow to you face AND body  and there's no need to blend into the skin. Fan-dabi-dozy!

It's not that badly priced either, £7.99 and is on a 3 for 2 offer at Boots.

Alternatively, if you're in Birmingham or Bristol you can go along to Superdrug and have a Bourjois makeover! Link on piccie below.

Origins Toner

I finally ran out of my beloved Liz Earle Instant Boost skin tonic, so off I trotted to find myself a new toner.

I still love the Liz Earle toner but I'm a sucker for trying new products. As you can tell from the title of this post, I opted for Origins.

It's the 'Make a Difference' skin rejuvenating treatment lotion... Suitable for most skin tones (Not ideal for those of you with very oily skin, unfortunately). Anyhow, here it is...

And here's what it claims to do!

"The Rose of Jericho and Cactus Extract along with skin-reviving Trehalose and Sea Haricots help the skin rebound from dramatic dehydration.
A unique, natural water-holding complex keeps skin happily hydrated from within and Oceanic Flora helps improve the appearance of damage done by UV and environmental exposure. It  helps improve the appearance of damage done by UV and environmental exposure" (Origins)

In all honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about it; the smell is lovely and my skin feels smooth, however, its also irritated my eyes slightly and my skin feels very tight after use. Nothing a bit of moisturiser won't sort but for £16.00 I expected a lot more.

I'm going to give it a chance and continue to use it for a few weeks but I think I'll be back at my local Liz Earle counter sooner than I had hoped. Shame.

Kindle Skins

I've been looking for a 'skin' for my Kindle for a while now and I've finally found the perfect one.. Insert pretty picture!

Voila! It's cute, right? It's a copy of Van Gogh's painting 'Almond branches in bloom' which I'm now thinking I like so much I'll try and get hold of a canvas print for my bedroom. 

I was toying between getting this one or a really vibrant bookshelf design 'skin' but I figured the bright coloured one could be a distraction while reading

I've ordered mine from MobileFun and it was £14.99 excluding postage, which was £2.50.

Charmies

This super cute charm bracelet is fast becoming my favourite. Mine is turquoise (perfect for summer) but they're also available in pink, black, blue, green, lemon and soft pink. So, something for everyone. 

They're £59.99 and available at www.charmies.co.uk