June 2015 Birchbox Glossybox & You Beauty (Plus Discount codes)

So this is my second month receiving these boxes and have to say I love them. I love being introduced to new products and seeing whats out on the market. For those of you that don't know, these are monthly subscriptions that are mailed to you, they are filled with beauty samples for you to try out.. they cost between 6.95 and 13.25 inc postage per month. 

So first up is You Beauty:

 Possibly my favourite this month because I really wanted to try out crown brushes and I have to say I'm super impressed!! The Calvin Klein lipstick is equally as impressive with its creamy formula and long lasting results! I loved the trio of wipes (Im one of those women that loves all those little nic naks at the bottom of my bag in case of emergencies) & the little tea samples.. I love fruit teas and green teas. The dried mango was a big hit with my kids who sat there and devoured it while watching their favourite film - nearly 2 hours peace from some dried mango - Impressed!!

Next up we have Birchbox =D

For this box you had the choice of 3 different designs, I went for French sole as the box looked the nicest... The product I was most impressed with is the Model co mascara.. Its amazing, the packaging is a bit naff - the brush is a bit too big for the opening bit thingy??? haha - but other than that I'm impressed! Next the Ren Instant firming beauty shot.. I love this.. and am considering buying full sized! It goes on so well and you can see dramatic improvements with your skin almost instantly! Now the rest :( The HIP shampoo - rubbish! The smell is awful and it just doesnt laver up properly, The balance me body wash has a citrus chemical smell to it and quite frankly smells like toilet bleach.. I think I'll give that a miss! Im not a fake tattoo kinda girl, but my kids did enjoy these :) Lastly was the Iris Prima perfume.. Its kind of a mixed review.. I do like the smell and it is long lasting butttt its a bit of an older ladies smell - Im more into young fresh scents - and this is more floral but not on trend if that makes sense? Plus at £85 I just really don't think its worth it!

Next up is Glossybox:

I have to say this is the box I look forward to receiving most each month - dare I say the pink box has its hold over me lol :) Although in my opinion they could include a bit more! I still love what came... First up the Halo wipes... Yeah I mentioned above I love anything like that.. They went straight into my bag ready for emergencies.. I haven't actually used them but I will! The tattoos - Again my kids loved them lol, The nail polish also went to my daughter as its just not my colour. The facial mist im really impressed with, its so cooling and refreshing and it just wakes up your skin. This is something I would consider rebuying :) Lastly we have the Kueshi Anticellulite Booster. This is my favourite product out of the box and has become a staple in my daily routine and I will most definitely be repurchasing this once it has finished. I use it once I get out of the shower/bath every day, it smells great and goes on to the skin easily. It absorbs well and dries quite quickly, It also doesn't leave the skin feeling sticky at all and they stay silky soft all day. I would really recommend it!!

So theres my boxes for this month if you are interested in trying any of these boxes let me know.. There is currently an offer where if you use my link:

https://www.birchbox.co.uk/invite/amz 

& code June100

You will get £15 worth of points to spend in the estore :) Let me know if you sign up! I will try to get some discount codes for the others :)

Avon Review: Anew Vitale Day & Night Skincare Creams

So My rep told me about this cream she was trying and how she was having amazing results using it! She uses the 40+ one, me being 24 decided to go for the 25+ one - slightly different formulas but she assured me of the great results. Now I'm not normally the anti ageing cream kind of person, I mean, We all get old right? I see it as part of life, so I wasn't looking for something to make me look younger (I don't particularly think I look THAT old lol) more something to give me back that glow, my skin just looks dull... And Im pretty sure thats because I don't take care of it! So I decided to take the plunge.

First appearances mean a lot, thats what normally catches my eye! The fact they are pink meant I was interested in finding out more and I quite like the packaging... They come in little glass jars with screw top lids - the eye gel is in a squeezy tube - and look really expensive. They also have a protective lid inside the jar just to keep it from drying out/more hygienic. It has a lovely scent to it - Its quite florally but its not too strong at all, the cream itself is nice and thick and goes on nicely, its not greasy and dries really quickly. All in all I'm really impressed.

Day 1 - So yeah as I mentioned before.. My skin is dull.. I can't say I have wrinkles lol maybe a few fine lines? Ahh do I want to admit that? haha! Anyway, yes, my face its not in that great condition, the bags under my eyes are also puffy :( Applying the cream has been easy! Its gone on well and dried within I'd say a minute or 2.. The eye gel slightly longer. My face doesn't feel sticky and I am just going to put my make up on over the top :)

Day 5 - Well its been all fun and games here! So I decided to try a new cleanser... Big mistake!! Lets just say my face was on fire and I came up in a blotchy rash... So my face looked about as bad as it could... I have continued to do my routine and can see a little bit of a difference inbetween the red patches on my face. Its early days but I have high hopes for this set :)

Day 10 - Hmmm so the rash disappeared but I can't say Im that happy. If Im totally honest I really can't see much of a difference. My face doesn't have that clean pore feeling more my face feels quite clogged! I'm going to continue to use this for the next 4 days (2 weeks in total)

Day 14 - Can I see a difference? Maybe... Just maybe! Have I trialled the product for long enough? Maybe not! But after 2 weeks I expect my skin to feel better, not worse... Yes it's not as dull as it was before but it feels like there is something on my face, like I don't have that empty face feeling which I miss!!! I have to say I much prefer my Simple face routine! So will I carry on with this product? Sadly not, but thats not to say you won't like it... Let me know in the comments below your thoughts =D

Beauty Subscription Boxes: Glossybox, Birchbox & You Beauty May 2015

I am a total sucker for trying new products.. I mean I don't think I've ever found the 'perfect' product, more just the best of the moment. So when I watched a beauty video and heard about beauty subscription boxes I was very intrigued (Yes I know... Late right?). Having a whizz on the internet I found 3 boxes that came with quite high recommendations - Being in the UK does mean that we have far less choice than the US but nether the less there is a good selection to choose from :)

These boxes come once a month and range from 6.95 per month to 13.25 per month inc postage. You Beauty 6.95 inc postage, Birchbox 12.95 inc postage & Glossybox 13.25 inc postage :) Its quite late in the month so everybody else (those not ordering for the first time) would have already had there boxes... Mine all came today... Honestly, it was like Christmas this morning!!!

We will start with the cheapest: You Beauty Discovery Box... Heres how I received it and what was included :)

Now I personally love this one! Its only £6.95 including the delivery (Amazing huh!) and the best bit is you get to choose the 2 beauty products you want from the selection that month - please note... the best stuff goes fast!! You have to be online first thing when the selections are released to get the best bits. This month being my first, I was late signing up but I was still happy with my choices... Being a bit of a body shop addict, I was happy to see the Wild Argan oil miracle solid oil - That alone costs £8 so totally covered the cost of the box :) All the other bits where a nice little touch!

Moving on to Glossybox - Pinkkkkkkk eeekkkk! So this is what the box looks like and what you get:

This one costs £13.25 inc postage... And Im REALLY happy with it, 3 of the products were full size and 1 decent sized sample (the Renewed hope in a jar in my opinion is far too small lol). The SASS is amazing! I suffer very badly from ingrown hairs from shaving in shall we say intimate places.. So this has been a god send! The blue eyeliner was a nice surprise as I love using blue on my eyes. The towel off shampoo, well, I haven't actually used!! I'm rather OCD when it comes to being clean and the thought of not washing my hair.. Yeah.. That doesn't sit well with me. The Etrobelle, I really like and it has a nice cooling affect, Its also really hydrating which is good for my dry skin. I will definitely keep subscribing to this box :)

Last up (I saved the best till last eekk) is Birchbox.. I was SOOO impressed with this one!!! Heres what I got:

First of all.. Check out the box!!! You get to colour it in =D (yes I know.. It's the child in me) and there was a total of 8 products in there - including the colouring pencils. The first product I tried was the Parlor hair spritz which is supposed to give you beach waves.. I'm not sure about beach waves but it smells pretty lush!! Next is the Liz Earle face cream which again I really like, Ive only used it once so my minds not totally made up about it. The Caudalie tinted moisturiser I really love, its got really good coverage and looks really natural. Theres a hair mask which Id love to tell you about but I cant actually read it lol. The Nude face oil Ive not yet used but Ive heard a lot of people rave about it. Lastly and my favourite product is the Jelly Ping Pong Caribbean sun bronzer duo... uhhhmmmaaazziinnggggg! The blush is amazing and for once the bronzer isnt too dark for my skin!

So there you have it... I look forward to receiving next months boxes :)

My make up collection.. Best and Worst products!

So I thought I would do a post reviewing the best and worst items in my make up collection - Not all of it is pictured.. Im still in the process of sorting it all out (Im usually a dump in a huge make up bag kind of girl lol).

So first up is foundation:

Now not everything is pictured here butttt I do have my favourite and worst products in there :) My first favourite is the Avon smooth minerals powder foundation... I love the finish this gives - The packaging is rubbish but the actual product is soo good!!! My second favourite is the Mac Studio sculpt foundation, its really creamy but so light - and it doesnt make my skin look dry! My worst has to be the Mua Undress yourself foundation - Its so hard to blend you cant get an even finish! Some of the others I really like are the Maybelline fit me and the loreal true match foundations :)

Next we have my Concealers, CC creams and primers:

So my absolute favourite product here is the Avon Eye Radiance Brightening Wand, anyone that knows me, knows I suffer from dark circles - I mean I have 2 young children and get no sleep! This product is amazing!!! its a light formula that brightens the eye area sooo much! I love love love the Avon ever lasting concealer... I have it in fair and it covers blemishes perfectly :) My worst product is the Mua Compact concealer.. it leaves my skin yellow - because it is very yellow!!

Next we have eyeshadows:

So I have a lot of the Avon quads and Mua palettes... I must admit Im not really an eyeshadow person but I find myself using them more and more... I love the Avon Glazewear diamonds... Its such a nice coverage and doesn't crease :) I also love the quads.. There sooo awesome at making a smokey eye easily... even me who can't do a smokey eye! My worst product has to be the elf eyeshadows... They are rubbish.. Ive actually chucked most away because they have all dried out :( 

Next is my Mascaras, eyeliners & eyebrow products:

I love mascaras and to be honest Ive not actually found one I hate... I always find that every mascara applies differently and as long as you are patient to find out how it goes on best and the look it suits.. For instance I have my mascaras I would wear as an everyday product and then the ones Id wear on a night out, at the moment I am in love with the Soap&Glory mascara and the Avon winged out :) Eyeliners are a different story.. I hate anything that drags! I have sensitive eyes and that results in half my make up streaming down my face... The double ended avon eyeliner is soo hard! Ive used it once and will never use again... However there supershock is amazing! For eyebrows Im in love with the Maybelline satinbrow.. its lovely.. The loreal brow artiste plumper on the other hand... so so bad!! I dont know.. It just doesnt do anything but make my eyebrows look wet!!!

Next up is Blusher/Bronzer:

As you can probably see I dont have much of a collection in this department, Ive never really worn it... I have really fair skin and very heavy hands... I have only recently just started wearing it after my mumsie showed me how to apply it nicely.. since then I really like the look it gives :) my 2 favourites and the Mua blush in cupcake and the Mua mosaic blush in english rose :) The product I really dont like is the Mua bronzed perfection... theres no perfection about it.. My skin just looks dirty when I apply it :(

Lastly we have Lipsticks and lipglosses:

As you can probably see this has to be the best bit for me... I love lipsticks (yes I know its a mess... I have ordered some containers to organise them lol) I really dont have a favourite as it honestly depends on what look Ive gone for but I will say that I hate Mua's Matte range... the driest lipstick I have ever come across!! They are horrible! even with lipgloss they are still to hard! Some of the best lipsticks I have come across are the Avon ones and the Mac ones.. they are so creamy and hydrating which is very important in a lipstick. My fav colours to wear are nudes and reds :) 

Natural Beauty Slimming Review

So as I mentioned before I've tried lots of supplements from NBS (Natural Beauty Slimming). It is a company founded by Nicola Bird back in 2011 using all natural ingredients to make weight loss supplements. The first time I came across these wasn't so much for the pills.. But more of the hate campaign against Nicola! One of my close friends (She's my rep) was defending Nicola and on closer inspection it was clear there was a group of so called 'adults' personally attacking her for her success. Anyone that knows me, knows I'm totally against any form of bullying!

Thats how I first learnt of the company, me and Lisa got talking more about NBS and she started showing me her progress pictures and I was amazed!! I had recently been on Juice Plus and got very ill because of it! I lost 12lb while doing it but on doctors orders I had to stop... it took 3 weeks to loose that 12lb and 4 days later it was back on... The doctor explained to me it wasn't a 'real' loss, it was mainly water and that was what happened when you did faddy diets like Juice Plus! Me and Lisa talked for ages... She explained how everything worked... What was best for what... And what could be taken together etc. I made my first order... £81 pound (If my memory serves me correct lol) And I was off! The first couple of days I honestly felt like I had wasted my money.. I felt no different! Another fad!

But wait... Day 4.. I woke up at 6am (I still remember to this day being like what am I doing awake!) I felt sooo refreshed and spent the whole day full of energy.. and I've felt like that ever since!! My first week was when I realised that they actually worked... I lost 7lb! and 6 inchs, I looked so much less bloated and felt amazing!! My first ever combo was Slimtex and African Mango, I then moved on to Thermo-max and water balance and then on to Tropical fruits and Pro-Slim and Im soon to move on to a new combo ;) I started in June and by November I had lost 2st =D From November till 3 weeks ago I wasn't focused at all for a long time I didn't take the supplements and I was loosing and gaining the same 7lb :( But 3 weeks ago and a kick up the bum from Lisa I was back on it and in 2 weeks had lost 11.5lb (find out Monday what Ive lost for this week).

Anyways enough from me.. Heres a little breakdown of the supplements Ive tried and how they work.

First up: Slimtex and African Mango

Now these have to be my favourite combo! There what started me off! There what gave me that first burst of energy... I felt so awake on these (Ive always suffered with insomnia but when Im on the supplements it totally disappears!!). I was instantly less bloated and all my cravings disappeared! I lost 2st while taking these from June to November.

Next up is Thermo-max (Now named Konjac) and water balance (Now named Colon Cleanse).

Now these for me didn't work as well as my first combo... The water balance made me considerably less bloated but I just didn't have the same buzz as before and I wanted to pick slightly more. Still, I wasn't tired and the inches were coming off while taking these between November to January.

Lastly is the combo I'm on now Pro-Slim (Now named Pro-Metabolism) and Tropical fruits!

These have to be raved about... 11.5lb in 2 weeks plus 6 inches off all over!! I started these 3 weeks ago - I will find out monday what Ive lost for this week and will redo my inches :) But seriously Im amazed with the results!!

There are lots more supplements to choose from and they have a page on facebook and a website, Leave me a comment if you would like the link to either of these. Also I can add you to my rep Lisa's group... Shes amazing!! and supports everyone!! :)

Natural Beauty Slimming

So I'm just like a lot of regular women... I want to loose weight! I have 2 kiddies, but I can't blame them.. Ive been over-weight since.. Well a very long time... When I was 13 I had an asthma attack and was put on steroids and gained 3 stone in 3 months! Being a very slim kid.. It didn't matter too much then because I wasn't fat, I was average, and then I hit puberty and I guess thats where it really started, by the time I was 17 and starting work I was a size 14.. Oh how I hated it (looking back though, I'd love to be that size again!) I fell pregnant when I was 19, had my daughter aged 20 and through the whole pregnancy didn't gain any weight! I didn't eat.. rather I couldn't... I lived off 7up and being forced special fried rice when my daughters dad bought it home for me. When she was born I tried breastfeeding.. which went well at first.. until she was 3 weeks old.. and the midwife told me I had to stop... my milk was almost water from where I wasn't eating and my daughter wasn't gaining weight because of this! After that I got depressed! Me and my daughters dad called it a day and thats when the problem rocketed! I went from a 14-16 to an 18-20! I felt so guilty about not being able to breastfeed.. for not giving her a stable home.. everything really! when she was around 9 months something clicked and I started loosing the weight... I lost 2.5st in 4 months and was back at a size 14. She got christened at 13 months and I actually wore a dress... But I'd also found out I was pregnant again! This time round all I wanted was greasy food... I was soon up to an 18 again, but I told myself I would loose it after! Once I had my son, I dropped 3st within the first 5 months, but I was in a new relationship and familiarity slipped in an I got comfortable! and I gained that 3 stone back! For a long time I did nothing about it... to me it seemed a waste of time... I'd loose it.. I'd gain it! But then I noticed one of my friends on facebook... She was looking amazing! That was the first bit of inspiration I got... She told me about this company that she had just become a rep for and since then I've not looked back!! Ive lost 2 stone so far and am determined as ever! There called Natural Beauty Slimming and there amazing! Ive tried a few of there supplements and they literally work wonders.. They make you feel full of energy, less fatigued, more alert, stop you getting hungry and stop cravings! I'm determined to loose all this weight and with the help of NBS I will :) - Keep an eye out for reviews on certain products coming soon :) x

A cure to dry skin? I think I've found it! *Review: Avon Hydra Beyond*

So since I can remember I've always had dry skin... Mainly on my face *sigh*, I have 2 main patches... one on my forehead :( and one on my right cheek next to my nose... And for those that know me.. I rarely wear makeup because of this... Because it turns into a crusty flaky mess!! That, to be honest, no girl wants to have to deal with! I've recently started renewing my makeup collection, And have been buying from my avon rep (I'll post a link to her blog) She is fantastic! And I mean that! She's not your average pushy rep.. She would rather give you genuine advice, and thats exactly what she gave me! So I explained about my horrible dry skin (baring in mind Ive tried a lot of moisturisers.. the best being Good Things moisturiser.. gosh I love the stuff.. but even that after a fair few hours my patches start to appear) and she recommended this:

Avon Hydra beyond: Hydrating Lotion Spf15 & Extra Hydrating Cream

I picked these up off her once the order had arrived around 2 weeks ago, I'll admit I was skeptical! very!! But the 2 for just £7.50 (on offer) I could forgive if they didn't work, I mean I've spent a lot more than this and not seen a difference, so I wasn't expecting much. Oh how wrong I was! 2 weeks.. 2 weeks!! And the patches are gone!!!! I really don't know if you are understanding how much I hated these dry nasty patches on my face - which I was sure was the start of psoriasis (I'm almost certain as I've also got a patch on my head, elbow and leg *boohoo* I'm only 24 :( lol!) Anyway, so I use the lotion first thing in the morning and the cream at night and have done religiously for the past 2 weeks.. My skin feels lush! Like you can tell its moisturised and not dry, it doesn't look greasy either which I've encountered with some moisturisers for dry skin. This is so good that I'm even going to say this is my best buy of 2015!! Seriously guys, this stuff is amazeballs! 

Whats your addiction? Mine is Makeup Brushes!!

So since I've worn makeup my favourite way to apply has been with a brush! And over the years Ive collected quite a few :) Im really fussy when it comes to brushes... They have to feel comfortable in my hand... they have to feel super soft and they have to be able to hold the right amount of product! Prices can range.. the cheapest Ive ever bought one was £1!! and it was pretty damn good (elf basics range eye shadow brush) and the most expensive was a Mac foundation brush.. I think I paid around 25 ishhh?? which my darling little daughter decided to break.. But seeing as my Avon foundation brush did pretty much the same job for 6 quid I never did feel the need to replace it lol. I recently sorted through my makeup collection - including brushes! And ended up throwing out 3/4 of a black bag full... Did I mention I shop wayyyy to much! eeekkkk and I have a strict 2 year rule... If it hasnt been used up within 2 years it goes in the bin... I must admit.. I had been delaying a bit because some of the items I just cannot get no more and I hate that! Anyway back to it... After sorting through my brushes and chucking most of them out Im left with these beauties... And in serious need of stocking up on some new ones :) So what are your favourite brushes? Do you stick to a particular brand?

Some of my absolute faves are as follows:
- Elf blush brush... I use this for pretty much everything as its good with liquid foundation as well as blusher :)
- Avon retractable lip brush... This gives me precision and its super soft and super cute! and small enough to pop in my handbag which is always handy!
- Nanshy foundation brush... I really like this brush, Its quite firm while still being soft and it gives a flawless look.
Elf basics eyeshadow brush... This brush also known as the 'c' brush is the perfect shape to get the eyeshadow just in the right places on the lid.. it really is one of my best purchases :)

Now this isnt a brush at all but is my latest favourite item! And that is Avons beauty blender! I purchased it while it was half price so £3.25 I think and have to say its worth so much more!.. Its amazing! Best coverage I have ever had, I use it wet.. and you would think that it would absorb lots of foundation but it really doesn't! Just leaves your face looking flawless :)

My worst ever brush purchase was Sigma brushes.. I seriously hate them... Particularly the pencil E30 brush.... Roughest brush I've ever found in my life!!

My mum has recommended the Real Techniques brushes so I will be trying those very shortly!!

More reviews to follow!! :)

Lipstick Reviews

So Im a bit of Lipstick addict! I love trying new lipsticks and have a thing about red lipsticks! Ive not yet found the perfect red lipstick and I do wear lots of other colours.. But heres some that I like and wear regularly - Yes I know theres quite a few lol. So here are the lipsticks, first swatch from left to right:
- Elf Rich Raspberry, Elf Beautiful Berry, Elf Rosy Rasin, Elf Cool Coral, Elf Cheerful Cherry, Elf Royal Red, Elf Barely Bitten, MUA Shade1
Second swatch from left to right:
- Avon Bare Impact, Avon Lovey Dovey Pink, Avon Show Business, Avon Ruby Shock, Avon Red 2000, Avon Red, Elf Posh, Elf Voodoo, Elf Captivating.

I love Avon lipsticks.. They are so creamy and they hold the colour well, I also like the fact they don't stain your lips...
I rarely wear MUA as I find them quite tough, they are not creamy at all and really do stain.. But for a colour I love Im willing to overlook this.. add a bit of gloss and rock it :)
Elf lipsticks have been a favourite of mine for some time! They now no longer stock in the UK - Very sad I know - So availability is well non existent right now.. But Im hoping that they will last a while :)
So let me know what your favourite lipstick is :)

Well hello there!!

I wonder how many people actually read blogs! Well lets just hope people still do… I’ve got lots to say!! So I’m an average kind of person… I have kids (2 of them – There 3 and 5.. Totally amazing! But what mummy wouldn’t say that ;) lol)… I love shopping, infact that should be LOVE shopping.. hehe total addict… Diet, diet, diet.. Seems to be a word I find myself constantly saying along with “I should be at the gym”. I’m also very crafty… I love a good session on the sewing machine =D So this blog will cover every aspect of my life! I really hope you enjoy!