Wednesday 20 June 2012

Glossybox June - Summer Edition!

So I have to say, I'm quite impressed with Glossybox this month. They actually gave us a dispatch date when we paid, and mine actually came the next day so they've definitely taken customers complaints and tried to improve which is a good sign!


This month there is a summer theme to the box claiming the products will make you 'beach beautiful' so here's a little look at what I got:


Glossybox Serie Exclusiv Pro Beauty Brush
 RRP full size £15.00 
Yves Rocher France Mini Mascara ultra-volume Sexy Pulp 
Full size 9ml  £16.90 (sample size 2.5ml worth £4.70)
BM Beauty Summer Warmth Bronzer
full size 4g £8.00 (sample size 1g worth £2.00)
Clean Start By Dermalogica Day/Night 3-Step Kit
full-size mini kit £12.00 
Vichy Dermablend Ultra-Corrective Foundation Cream Stick
full size 12g £19.00 (sample size 6g worth £9.50)
Total Box Value: £43.20 (roughly)


Glossybox Serie Exclusiv Pro Beauty Brush 
'This classic series natural goat hair blush brush gives a supersoft make-up application'
When I first saw this I thought it was going to be a really cheap, nasty brush that Glossybox had just thrown in for promotion, however I've been pleasantly surprised. As it's natural goat hair it is quite soft, it's not the softest brush in the world but for lightly applying blusher, bronzer or powder I think this could work quite well :) I can't find the make or anything about the brush but the card says visit blog.glossybox.co.uk for upcoming features so I will be keeping my eyes peeled.


Yves Rocher France Mini Mascara Ultra-Volume Sexy Pulp find me here!
'An innovative maxi-brush with generous curves for a lash plumping result. 12-hour wear'
Yves Rocher are a botanical beauty brand who harvest, manufacture and distribute all their products which is pretty impressive. The mascara brush has an hourglass shape to it which creates lots of volume and the formula is very black and coats the lashes nicely in just one application. I also love that the mascara wand is actually pink! If you follow the link above you can find it for 50% off!



BM Beauty Summer Warmth Bronzer find me here! (the photo's are blue, but it shows the true colour!)
'multi-purpose pure-mineral bronzer. Add a touch of summer warmth to your face'
This is another sample from BM Beauty, Kimberly Wyatt's mineral makeup range, they only sell one bronzer and this is in quite a shimmery golden colour, I would warn you, it looks more orange-toned on the skin than in the pot but i think used lightly this will be really flattering on all skin tones and could also be used as an eyeshadow!



Clean Start by Dermalogica Day/Night 3-Step Kit find me here!
'Cleanse, tone ad moisturise with the Day/Night 3-Step mini kit'
So there is three products in this kit. The first one is Wash Off which is a foaming wash that removes dead skin and extra oils to prevent breakouts, All Over Clear is a toner which refreshes and cools whilst preventing breakouts and Welcome Matte spf15 is a moisturiser that aims to remove oils to keep your skin matte which would be particularly good for younger skin as it tends to be more oily especially through the teenage years. I really like this product because I've been trying to get my skincare routine back up to scratch after being way to lazy and this is just what I need!




Vichy Dermablend Ultra-Corrective Foundation Cream Stick find me here!
'Vichy's expert camouflage foundation stick for minor to severe skin flaws'
The first thing that struck me when looking at this is they've included samples of all 6 shades, this is much better as your not going to get stuck with a sample in oompa loompa shade that you can't wear out of the house. The foundation is supposed to cover pigmentation, blemishes, redness and dark circles and bags so is a very full coverage foundation meaning it could look a little bit cakey towards the end of the day. Personally I don't have many issues with my skin but I will be trying this out to see if anyone notices a difference!

So that was everything that I got in my June Glossybox, I have to say my favourite product is the Dermalogica Clean Start because it's three products that work really well together! I would also that this could possibly be my favourite box yet as I like all the products I received, especially as I didn't get any shower gels or body butters! 

speak soon - little b xx

Tuesday 12 June 2012

Prom dresses!

So it's getting to that time of year when prom's are, whether it can't come quick enough or you're absolutely dreading it, it's coming and you need a dress. Now this post is for the girls who want a really nice dress but don't want to look like they've come straight from filming Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, all the dresses are available in either high street stores or similar websites. I've tried to get a range of dresses and prices because i know what's cheap to some people is expensive to others so I hope I've covered everyone. Also, of course I have included my actual prom dress for my boyfriend's prom so you can have a little guess which one I chose!

So here they are going from cheapest to most expensive (but still affordable!)

1. Boohoo.com Lorna Lace Top Solid Skirt Dress £25.00
So this dress is the most impressive dress but if you want something subtle but pretty, maybe if your going to a prom that isn't your own this is a really great choice that definitely won't break your bank! I would probably take of the belt if you can and get some shoes that match the top half. I wouldn't really recommend black for a prom but I think this is a good way to balance off the harsh colour.

2. Missguided.co.uk Julliet Metallic Brocade Shift Dress £25.00
This is another really affordable dress and it is just so pretty! If you want something that is elegant and feminine without all the frills and sparkles this is perfect as the metallic finish gives it a more expensive look. This is also a really good choice if you want to make a statement with your jewellery as it's not going to clash with the dress and also, you could wear this again to go out or to a wedding or event without looking over the top so definitely worth the money!



3. Missguided.co.uk Jules One Shoulder Pleated Bodycon Dress £39.99
So this is slightly more expensive but is more of the traditional style of prom dress with the embellishment on the bust and waist. I'd say this is probably good for somebody who is usually more of a tomboy because of the colour and it's quite simple yet still girly. If your not quite comfortable in a strapless dress because your worried it won't stay up or it'll be unflattering, one shouldered dresses are the perfect solution for that half way compromise.

4.River Island Little Mistress Cream Rose Detail Dress £55.00
This dress is so sweet and lovely it's quite simple but it's really girly! This would go really well with a floral headband or long curled hair. The pale colour will suit both tanned and pale skin tones and will be flattering on all body shapes so I really recommend it! It would look cute with a similar coloured pair of flats or heels so if your looking for something that makes you feel like a little girly princess this is for you!



5. Dress Up Topshop Sequin Cross Back Bodycon Dress £58.00
Firstly, I'm going to say this is for someone who is confident with their body as it exposes a lot of your back and is quite figure hugging. So if you love your body and you want to make a statement this is for you! The front is covered in thousands of hand stitched sequins so will look great under artificial lights you'll just have to find a pair of shoes that match up to it! Another great point is it's machine washable so you can wear it again and again! For what it is I really think this is a bargain!

6. Rare London Mullet Hem Chiffon Bandeau Dress £65.00 (alternate colours)
Slowly getting more expensive, this great dress from Rare London is available in 5 different colours (I wouldn't advise the black one though) and the mullet hem is perfect if you want to show some leg but without feeling like your skirt is so short you can't move! If you're worried about being able to keep the dress up or what support it provides there is a built in bodice and the top half is quite thick but if you're still worried I'd look into a wonderbra! It can be ironed on a low heat too so if it comes and has more creases than you can count it's not the end of the world!

7. River Island Little Mistress Cream Maxi Dress £70.00
If you do want to cover up your legs, a maxi dress is the best way to go. This dress also lets you give subtle hints of skin so you still feel really sexy too as their is a lace cutout at the waist and a small slit at the bust. The chiffon material is very elegant and cool so you don't have to worry about getting too hot if it's warm on the day, the high neckline would also look gorgeous with a girly updo.

8. Topshop Jones and Jones Tamara Dress £75.00
This dress is for the fashion lovers who like bold statements and all of the attention on them, the peter pan collar is very on trend and the sequins will catch everybody's eyes. The skirt has quite a big petticoat underneath so sticks out in true prom dress style, this isn't something everybody likes but if you have a lovely pair of legs it's easy to pull off. This is definitely for those of you who like to have fun!




9. Lipsy V I P Sweetheart Embellished Ruched Maxi Dress £130.00
Now this is certainly out of my price range but others are more willing to pay this much as it is still quite affordable for a prom dress. So the main reason I put this in is because Millie Mackintosh is modelling it and i LOVE her and her style, the split leg and deep cleavage on the dress mean this is not for the shy but it is still quite elegant. If you are even more daring you could get it in the leopard print pattern but i don't think that one is quite as nice for a prom, either way the dress is gorgeous and if you want to pretend to be Millie for a day it's perfect!

10. Rare London Embellished Mullet Hem Dress £165.00
So if you do have a larger budget this is a gorgeous dress, it makes a statement whilst still being simple. The sweetheart neckline is very feminine and the length is about midi length at the back and just above the knee at the front so will look good with a pair of killer heels. However if you want to wear jewellery the rhinestones may look a bit too much for some people but for something truly special and one off this is a good choice.




So that is 10 dresses that I think are gorgeous and perfect for prom, hopefully this will help you choose yours or at least give you some idea's of what you want. I'll be wearing the Rare London Mullet Hem Dress which was £65.00 in the peach colour which is a lot paler than the actual picture and I love it I can't wait to wear it!!! If you'd be interested in seeing more prom related posts (makeup, hair, accessories ...) let me know or I'd love to see what your wearing to your prom!

speak soon - little becca xx

Wednesday 30 May 2012

Beauty on a Budget - The best cheap makeup

As much I love high-end expensive lovely luxury sweet smelling products I do not have endless amounts of money and quite often I find myself looking for a cheaper dupe! But lower-priced products does not mean cheap and cheerful, there are cheaper brands that i love using just as much as my MAC and Lancome that can be equally good in quality.


If you've seen any of my hauls before you know that I lurrrvvvve this brand! All their products are under £5 mostly £1 or £2 and I would really recommend them! I'm not going to lie a few of their products are a little bit iffy like the felt liner pen but when it comes to eyeshadow, blush and nail polishes I can not get enough! You can buy their eyeshadows individually or if you want to save a bit more money you can buy their palettes, my favourite is the Heaven and Earth palette which is a really good substitute for the Urban Decay Naked palette as it is made up of neutrals. Overall if your looking for something cheap but reasonably good quality try MUA!
Available in: Superdrug, Website


I'm not sure if they sell this in any shops in the UK but they have a website where you can buy it from and the majority of their products are £1.50 or £3.75 from the studio line. So far I have found all of their products have been great quality, in particular their all over colour stick and long wear lip liner. But the best thing about ELF is their studio brushes, if your looking for a (much) cheaper make of brushes than MAC or Sigma, Elf's studio line brushes are almost equally as good in my opinion for a fraction of the price. If you buy a lot the shipping can add up but if you save up what you want to buy in a wish list worth over £30 then buy it the shipping is free, or do what i do and just wait until they have a sale or special offer on ;)
Available in: website


Natural Collection is a brand by Boots that could be compared to the likes of Body Shop, it's all natural ingredients and has the same ethical ethos as them but every product is under £3.00! I love body shop but i just find its too expensive for me as I'm desperately trying to save money, Natural Collection has been a great solution as the products are good quality and affordable. If your worried about ingredients in make-up I'd strongly suggest this brand especially their lipsticks and blushers :)
Available in: Boots

Mavala
Now this technically isn't a make-up brand it's nail polishes but I thought I would include it as they are just such good value for money. The prices tend to vary but on beauty bay you can get them for £3.50 with free delivery!! These are mini nail varnishes but they use them in all my local salons as they just do not dry out which I cannot say for more expensive brands like Nails Inc. The nail polish is long lasting and the range of colours rivals that of OPI so you will definitely find the shade for you!
Available in: Beauty Bay, Debenhams, John Lewis

So there are four brands that are low priced, but high quality. I hope this helps anyone who is looking for a cheaper alternative as they are on a budget or even if your just starting to get into makeup and are looking for affordable products to start a collection with! I love using all these brands and I've started using all of them in my everyday makeup recently so hopefully you will love them as much as I do!
speak soon - little becca xx

Sunday 27 May 2012

Glossybox May Anniversary Edition!

So as many of you know Glossybox turned one this month and so there was a lot of speculation about what they would do to celebrate after previous boxes like the Harrods box didn't quite add up to some people's expectations. I'm uploading this late again because I know how tempting it is to look at spoilers and it's never good when you end up feeling disappointed as you've seen several other bloggers with more exciting products.

So first impressions, they've gone back to the classic pink box which I absolutely love and the tissue paper has a really pretty pattern on it and my box seemed to be really full so I couldn't wait to rip into it and see what I had got!

I was quite relieved to find that I didn't get the gold gel eyeliner lots of people had been moaning about on twitter because there was really no use for it that I could think of. One thing I really liked was the balloon and compact mirror they included as the mirror is perfect for keeping in my handbag and who doesn't like balloons!

The actual products I received in my box were:

Noble  Isle Summer Rising Bath & Shower Gel (Full Size 250ml £20.00) (find me here!)
This is a 75ml sample which is quite a decent size and for some reason I really love the packaging, especially the logo of flowers coming out of a bath tub. Shower gel is not the most exciting product but this smells like a mixture of grass and oranges which is actually quite nice so I think I will save this one to take on my summer holiday :)

Lolita Lempicka L'Eau en Blanc & Si Lolita (Full size 100ml around £65)(find me here!)
I really love getting perfume samples because I never have enough time to go around and sniff them all in the shops! I really like Si Lolita which says 'the secret spicy freshness of Sweet Pea' it's a really lovely scent, usually I'd say perfumes with spice in are more for winter but this one is just fresh and and i can't get enough of it! L'Eau en Blanc is very sweet smelling perfect for summer as it has raspberries in it so I'm going to try and make both last! Also their website is gorgeous and so pretty!!

Weleda Face Cream/Body Milk (Full size 30ml £13.95)(find me here!)
With the help of google translate I found that I actually received the Wild Rose Smoothing Facial Lotion, the sample size is 10ml so is actually a third of the full size which means it should last quite a while. They claim this is great to wear under makeup as a lighter option to a day cream or can be used simply as a face mask ,I think I will try this as it's not overly perfumed despite the rose scent.

Uniqone All in one hair treatment (full size 150ml £13.99) (find me here!)
This product claims to repair dry & damaged hair, control frizz and shine, protect from heat, improve silkiness and smoothness, protect hair colour, make brushing and straightening easier, detangles, pro-longs hairstyles, prevents split ends and add body. did you get all that? well if this works I'll be amazed so i will definitely be trying this one! it smells alright too, pretty similar to what i call 'the haircare product smell' the sample is 9ml so hopefully will be enough to get a few uses out of it!


Let's Go Lashes Strip Lashes (£8.95 a strip) (find me here!)
I got the 'Tease' lashes which i am very pleased with! I really needed some fake lashes for a party I'm going to soon but i was begrudging paying for them as I'm not very good with falsies but these are perfect! The lash band is not actually black so these will look more natural and I can't wait to use them! The company not only also sell Amy Child's lashes but are part of Noveau Beauty Group who house HD Brows the brand that sparked a whole new fashion of brows, the worst, undoubtedly being the 'scouse brow' so this is possibly my favourite item from the whole box! Also if you recall a while a go there was a video on glossybox's youtube with a company called Blink+go - well Let's Go is just their new name!

So that was everything that was in my Glossybox this month, I was genuinely really pleased with this box! I think I will probably use every single product, which is why I'm going to start doing another glossybox post, how i used the products and what i thought of them, so let me know if you would be interested in seeing that kind of review!

speak soon - little becca xx

Wednesday 23 May 2012

I'm not dead!

Hey everyone! I've had a bit of a break from the blogosphere recently as I've been doing my exams and I knew I wouldn't be able to carry on doing both at the same time. But I'm back, I've got a month off and lots of exciting posts coming up :) Hopefully I will be getting the May Glossybox tomorrow so I will try to put a review up as quickly as possible which will be my first impressions as I have resisted having a sneaky look! I've also been trying out some new products for the whole of this month so there's lots coming!!
speak soon - becca xx

Sunday 29 April 2012

Duvet Days!

So I've just joined pinterest as i'm having a bit of a duvet day watching films and on the laptop so I thought I'd share my first board with you! let me know if you have pinterest and what you think of it :)