My Blogger Beauty Box!

Hello Again,

I am so excited to be writing this post as I got the honour of managing to get my hands on this months Blogger Beauty Box! Now if you don't know what this is, it's a monthly beauty box for bloggers co - set up by Vix Meldrew (I will leave all the links down below - you should definitely check it out) it is only £10 (an absolute bargain) and there is only a very small amount available each month so when I got a email saying that I had managed to get one I was super excited!

I was having a particularly bad day at work when my fiancé text me a photo of a parcel that had arrived for me and then I saw the Blogger Beauty Box sticker in the corner - I couldn't wait to get home to open it. So this post is going to show you what I got in the box and then later on in the month I will do a review on all the products! So here we go ...

The packaging was simplistic but classic! I really like the pop of pink with the tissue paper and when I opened it up I literally yelped with excitement (when I say literally, I mean literally).

I just want to start off by saying that I think this is such great value for money (like I said earlier it's £10 including postage and packaging) and I can't begin to imagine what it must take to get all this arranged with brands etc - so thank you very much to all involved at Blogger Beauty Box - I appreciate all the hard work! So I'll stop babbling and get to the products!!

There are 5 beauty products that I received in this months box (There was also a cheeky strawberry maoam sweet, but I ate that before I reached for my camera). So first up was some Yes to - Age refresh cleansing facial wipes.I have never seen anything from this brand but it definitely makes a change from the average baby wipes I carry around with me (all you mums out there will know exactly what I'm talking about) I opened these up straight away to have a smell and they smell so amazingly fruity - I'm looking forward to carrying these on the go! There's so many times when I'm out and about and need a little re-fresh - so I think these are going to be perfect.

I was then attracted to the two lip products. I got a beautiful movements cosmetics lip gloss in the shade gypsy spirit and also a Makeup Revolution (one of my all time favourite affordable brands) lipstick in the shade luscious. I love the colour of Gypsy Spirit - it's a nice warm terracotta colour and I absolutely love the fact that it is cruelty free as well as paraben free! The Make Up revolution lipstick is very similar in colour to Gypsy Spirit and they will either be great alone but they will also work perfectly together! I have been pushing myself with wearing colour on my lips so I think these will both be really good for transitioning into Autumn (by the way - how excited are we that it's almost autumn - yay!). 

The next thing that I picked up was a sample of Yours Truly Organics beautiful inside and out Fix me! Repairing serum. This is something I have never used before so I'm quite looking forward to trying it out. It says that it repairs smoothen and brightens your skin (tick!) Who doesn't want a radiant complexion - fingers crossed that it agrees with me!

And last but certainly not least, as this product could be my favourite of them all, is the Sniffy Wiffy Raspberry Hand Cream. Now I have a skin condition on my hands called Pompholyx - which is a mix between dermatitis and eczema (my hands get all blotchy and sore - not nice). It tends to get really bad at this time of year so I will literally try any hand cream hoping that it keeps it at bay! So I'm really looking forward to using this - I also like that it's the first company to bring the fight against breast and testicular cancer into bathrooms everywhere. It's such a great way of bringing awareness - I'm sure no matter who you are or where you are in the world you or your family have been affected in some way by cancer. I'm going to leave their link down below so you can find out more about them and their mission - also it smells good enough to eat and it has already left my hands feeling super soft and that's only after using it twice!!

So that is my Blogger Beauty Box for the month of September. Here is where you can find their blog and register for a box (be quick as when they're gone - they're gone - and as I said before it is only available to bloggers - but you can enter to win a box!

http://www.bloggerbeautybox.com

• You can also find Blogger Beauty Box on Twitter and it's co - founder Vix Meldrew:

https://twitter.com/bbloggerbox

https://twitter.com/VixMeldrew

• Also if you could, take a couple of minutes to check out Sniffy Wiffy and all the wonderful things they are doing:

http://www.sniffywiffy.com

Have you ever used any of these products, I'd love to know how you got on with them?

'Till next time ...

Product Empties!

Hello Again,

Flash back to about 5 months ago and my Make Up Collection only really consisted of one mascara, a little eyeshadow palette, a concealer and some baby wipes. But now, I personally (Sam does too - he thinks there's too much) think that I have a fair collection. I now have a skincare routine - which I have never had one before - baby wipes no more! I now have multiple lip products, mascaras, foundations etc etc. So today's post is going to be about all the empties I've been storing up, I have finished these products over the past month and some have been great and others not so much. So I'm going to do a mini review on them, so if that sounds up your alley then carry on reading.

First up is a product that I have used every single day - it's the Mitchum Advanced Control, 48hr Protection Powder Fresh Deodorant. I actually bought this as my mum recommended it to me. She is a very busy woman who is constantly on her feet and she said that this literally makes you sweat free. I was sold, there's nothing worse than smelling a little of BO, and this is honestly one of the best roll on deodorants I've ever used. I apply it first thing in the morning and I'm protected all day long! I will be buying this again.

Next up, I'm very sad to say this is finished, its my MAC Prep and Prime in Radiant Rose. This was one of my very first MAC products. I bought this because I have baggage. Big dark baggage under my eyes, I had heard that this really helps to brighten that area and it does  exactly that. I have loved using this and the applicator is amazing, just like a little brush that I drew a couple of lines under each of my eyes and dabbed it in with my Real Techniques Complexion Sponge and voila - "bags-be-gone". Again, I will be buying this, and probably over and over again!

This product I wasn't so happy with. It's the Silvikrin classic hairspray by Wella. The reason I wasn't a massive fan of this was because even with a light spray my hair went crispy (and I only like crispy batter, crisps and rice crispy treats - not crispy hair). I just think because it went crispy it made my hair look really greasy - now give it it's due - the hold is 5 - maximum hold so my hair didn't budge - but it didn't sit nice. So no, I won't be buying this again in this hold, but possibly in a different one.

Next is a product that I want to say I use every day, but what's the point in lying to you and myself! It's the I heart Make Up - no shine please primer, matte. (phew I even got tired typing that). I know you should always prime as it smoothes the surface of your face and helps your make up last longer, but most days I'm applying my make up at the back of 6 in the morning and I just can't be bothered. But every single time I have used this I have never been disappointed! I love this so much that I have 2 more full tubes! It's the first primer i have ever used and it does exactly what it's meant to do! I will and have been buying more! (plus can I also add it's under £2 - just saying').

Another hair product that I have used up it the COLAB Sheer + Invisible dry shampoo in the New York Fruity Fragrance. I am very indifferent about this. It's great for when you've got 3 day hair and it's just needing a little refresh but I have been reading very bad things about dry shampoo, that it can lead to hair loss! I don't like the sound of that (I'm sure you don't either) but as it's not something that I use on a daily basis I don't think it's going to cause me major damage! The smell of this is amazing!! Now when i saw 'New York Fragrance' I was thinking (by the way, before I start, I have never been to New York so this is just what I would think, also I don't want to offend anyone because I'm sure you're all lovely smelling people and I'm sure new york is too) it would smell like subways, pretzels and a little bit of car exhausts - but in actual fact I think this smells lovely! It's what I imagine central park on a fresh spring morning with all the flowers coming into bloom. It's super fruity and it actually leaves my hair smelling like that all day! Thumbs up from me ad I'm definitely going to be buying more of this and different fragrances from their range.

Now this is a product that I received in August's Glossy Box - SASS Intimate cleanser. Now, funny story short, Glossy Box actually mistakenly put on their fact card that this was a cleanser for your face. So for about a week I was using this on my face, my face has never been smoother. So one night I found the brand on twitter, followed them and scrolled through some of their tweets - and found out that it was actually a cleanser for your intimate area!! (Very embarrassing) But anyway, I started using it for it's actual purpose and I love it! One of the things it claims is that it'll help keep you shower fresh all day - that it does! I am very intrigued to have a try of more products from their range!!

Last but definitely not least is a product that I have been using every single day, it's the Garnier Micellar Cleansing water. I have not used a single baby wipe/make up wipe since buying this!! I had heard so many different peoples opinions on Micellar waters and I thought I should just try it and see for myself. Well, this takes my make up off so effortlessly (like no scrubbing happens at all - just a gentle wipe and it removes even mascara - yes mascara). One of the reasons why I was hesitant at first is because my skin is super sensitive so I did make sure that I bought one suitable for sensitive skin and it has not irritated my skin at all!! It's a fair size bottle, 400ml which they have said will last for 200 uses. I'm not sure I got 200 uses out of it but I think I'm using way too much but I haven't been far off! I will be buying this again, I actually already have!

So that is my product empties from the past month or two, most I loved some didn't really tickle my pickle. What products have you went through and did you love them or were you not too crazy for them??

'Till next time ...

Takeover Tuesday - Instaa_Sam!

Hey there,

My name is Sam and I have control over this weeks “Guest Blog Post” here on B.V.E. As you’ve probably guessed, my wonderful fiancée Sarah runs this blog and having popped up quite a few times in her previous posts, I felt it would be a good chance to let her take a break and hand the reigns over to me.

Anyone who knows me will know that I love music. I’d rather listen to music than watch TV, and much prefer to lose myself in lyrics rather than the lives of the Kardashians! This is why I’m going to hit you guys up with my “Top 5 Instaa_Tunes of The Week”

5 - “Downtown” ~ Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

So were going to kick this off with the guy who introduced us to the “Thrift Shop”, you know the one that’s “Downtown”? (See what I did there?!) This is one of those songs that had me hooked the first time I heard it. There’s just so much going on in the song that it’s hard not to like. I’m not a massive fan of Macklemore but I’ll listen if one of his songs are on. He should feel privileged to be on this list!

4 -  “Omen” ~ Disclosure feat. Sam Smith

I like Disclosure. I like Sam Smith. These two artists are definitely a perfect match (similar to the pairing of Clean Bandit and Jess Glynne) They previously worked together on Disclosure’s first big hit “Latch” back in 2013 and it’s still song I find myself going back to. There’s something about this song that makes it catchy, I’m pretty sure its the “wompy” bassline.

3 - “Can’t Feel My Face” ~ The Weeknd

I remember hearing an instrumental version of this song in the Apple Music announcement video and hunted high and low trying to find out what it was (I don’t use Shazam!) and had almost given up hope when I heard it on the radio. This guy has an incredible voice, and an even more incredible hair do! I was also a fan of “Earned It”, which featured in the movie adaption of that dirty book that raunchy old woman wrote. Anybody who says they don’t like the song is lying to us. And themselves.

2 - “How Deep Is Your Love” ~ Calvin Harris and Disciples

Anybody who watched “The Whisper Challenge” will know that I am a massive fan of Calvin Harris and should have expected him to pop up at some point in this post. His newest hit is probably my favourite he’s released to date and anybody who was looking for that “summer jam” should be happy he’s provided them with one! If this is a taste of things to come, I’m looking forward to his next album for sure.

1 - “Peanut Butter Jelly” ~ Galantis

It’s here, number 1 on my list! SPREAD IT LIKE PEANUT BUTTER JELLY!! The first time I heard this song, I thought it was utter garbage. And then I heard it again. And again. I could safely say that this is one of my most listened to songs on Apple Music, and their album is also a sure fire winner with dance music fans out there. Be sure to check it out!

Alas, we have reached the end of our time together. Lets not be sad about it. I’m glad we’re leaving here with a better understanding of each other and I’m no longer just a name in a blog! Be sure to check back for the next post on B.V.E and who knows, Sarah might even let me back and we can mingle some more.

Peace.Love.Over&Out.


x

August Favourites!!

Hello Again,

It's that time of month again (no, not that time of month), Monthly Favourites! I can't believe August is over and done with, for me it has been an exceptionally testing month so I'm glad to see it go! But I did definitely buy a few (only a few, I promise, ok maybe more than a few) new beauty items to add to my collection and quite a few have made the cut for my Favourites!

So I'm just going to dive on in, come with me if you want to see my little idea of Heaven!!

First up is something that is actually helping me with typing this blog post! It's my new glasses from Specsavers! I haven't worn glasses in a good few years, I actually lost both of my old pairs and never replaced them but recently I have been experiencing visual migraines so my doctor recommended that I go and get my old eyeballs tested and low and behold - I still need glasses! I got two pairs but these are my favourite - A huge bold black frame which suits my face and a lovely tortoise shell pattern on the dainty legs - I love them!!

Next up is two little products from the Body Shop. Over the years I have forgotten all about it really, so when Eilidh and I were walking past a while ago I had to go in! My intentions were just to have a look and walk out but no, my purse jumped out of my bag and before I knew it I had bought a couple of things! (so happy) I picked up the Vitamin E Eyes Cube which i had actually seen advertised by the Body Shop on YouTube - I was very intrigued so I had to try it out (for the blog, obviously). It's essentially a refreshing balm for your eyes!! I apply this 2 times a day, in the morning after toning and moisturising and then again last thing after taking off my make up and cleansing. It makes your under eyes feel amazing!! It actually wakes me up in the morning and my under eyes have never felt softer! I highly recommend this!!

My other favourite goodie that I bought is the Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream in the shade 01 - I have been wearing this to work for the past two weeks now and my skin loves it, my nose on the other hand doesn't appreciate the strong smell, but don't be put off, it goes away after applying, it doesn't stick around all day (it's just quite an overwhelming tea tree scent). I just really like the coverage of this - I would say its light to medium and it honestly feels like I'm not wearing a base which I really prefer when I'm at work all day. This has honestly budged my MAC mineralise foundation and my Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation to the back of my collection! I also want to add that it's super affordable at under £10. I am definitely popping into the Body Shop more often!

I am so (literally sooooo) excited to finally own these two products! MAC mineralise Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle and MAC Fix +. Now Jaclyn Hill is to blame for my obsession with Fix + as every time I see her use it in a video I crave the effect she gets. I have such dry skin and I find when I use powder is sometimes goes cake - so a couple of sprays of this makes that go away - plus it makes me look DEWY!! OMFG I have always wanted to achieve that dewy look and I finally can! (heel-click) I did only buy a little travel size just to try it just in case I found it made me look too wet but it doesn't so I will be buying a full size one, also I want to try their new Rose Fragrance one!!

Now can we just take a minute to admire this - MAC's mineralise skinfinish in the shade Soft and Gentle - ahhhhh! I love this!! It is my perfect holy grail (only had it a couple of weeks and can safely say that) highlight!! Its beautiful for along the tops of my cheekbones, cupids bow and all this other little bit you want a nice natural glow - also it's the perfect shade for me and my pale skin! This is super super pigmented and I only need to use a little (a little really does go a long way) to achieve this. I was literally so excited buying this and it will be with me forever!!

My next favourite is this little pot of niceness! It's a solid perfume from lush - now I do have to thank my Mum and my Sister for introducing me to this. It's a very strange concept as it's like a lip balm form but I literally (realised that I say literally a lot, like literally) love this! Now I chose the fragrance Dirty, which is contradicts itself as it so minty and fresh, with light smells of the ocean and sun tan lotion!! I put this one first thing in the morning, which for me is the back of six and it is still there at 9 o'clock at night! I don't really have anything else to say about it, I love it and I'm not much of a perfume person, but this is by far my favourite!

Now this is a very brave favourite of mine and it's not one I had expected to feature on my blog at all but I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone and look at this little beauty! It's by Maybelline and it's in the shade 547 - Pleasure Me Red (ooh lala) It is a very deep red and at first I didn't feel comfortable wearing this (my friend Eilidh would tell you all that I put this on while we were at Costa and I had wiped it off after only having it on for about 5 minutes) but I have been wearing it around my house and I think, I actually think I can wear it out and about! This is my favourite time of year so I'm so looking forward to wearing this along with many more bright and bold colours! YAY!

So they are all my August Favourites, it was very hard as I have had a lot to choose from. But I hope you enjoyed this post. I do have to say my overall Favourite is this Blog! I have loved doing it which I am surprised at because I have tried over the years to do a one and it's just never stuck, but I actually look forward to doing all my posts. I don't know where this blog is going to go or where it's going to take me but I'm sure as hell enjoying the journey!

What have been your monthly favourites? Also please if you do read this and have a blog yourself leave your blog in the comments as I'd love to read it!

'Till next time ...