Thursday, May 31

GlossyBox | May 2012 | Happy 1st Birthday!


How quickly has the time gone since I last posted about my April GlossyBox subscription? It literally seems like yesterday!

It was quite a special month for GlossyBox, being their 1st birthday & all. I can't quite believe it's only been a year for them; they seem so well established & in my eyes, leaps & bounds in front of other competitors. 












There were a few lovely extras this month, to celebrate birthday-ness. Special wrapping, with cakes etc. a bright pink balloon, which I think is so cute & a little compact mirror, which is essential to any girl who loves her beauty.

NOBLE ISLE Summer Rising Cornish Hedgerows Bath & Shower Gel - This came in a lovely little travel size, so perfect for taking away on your jolly’s. I do have about a zillion body washes, but you can never be too clean eh? This smells soooo good. It’s a really fresh & citrusy gel; which sort of reminds me of the shower gels you get in swanky hotels, if you know what I mean!

LOLITA LEMPICKA Eau de Parfum & Si Lolita – OH MY. I am in love. These scents are actually amazing. I am particularly in love with the Eau de Parfum. Both are so florally, with little hints of musk to even out the sweetness. If it was food, I would definitely gobble it all up. I’m definitely going to buy the full size bottles.

OSMO Berber Oil™ Hair Treatment – I’ve only used this once & was quite impressed. The consistency isn’t dissimilar to Moroccan Oil; it’s quite thick, & not too runny.  It smells super sweet, literally just like when you walk in to one of those old fashioned sweet shops. I’m not sure I’m a huge fan of the smell, it’s a bit too sweet for me; but the product works well. It left my hair super soft and smooth, when applied to damp hair before blow drying, whilst adding a little volume. One thing I would say is it didn’t leave my hair looking as shiny as other oils I’ve tried have.

ELDORA false eyelashes – I haven’t worn false eyelashes since I studied musical theatre at college, they’re not my favourite beauty accessory to be honest. I’ll let you know what I think once I’ve dared to try them :)

APIVITA Express Beauty Masks with Honey – Again, another product I haven’t tried yet. I’ve never heard of Apivita before, so I’m looking forward to giving it a whirl. Plus, I loveee honey. Nom.

I’ve seen quite a few reviews going around saying that they weren’t too thrilled with their contents this month; that previous boxes had over shone what people were expecting to be a ridiculously great box, considering the occasion. I think what people forget, is that this is a sample beauty box, to try products you wouldn’t necessarily come across otherwise, not a competition to see how many full sized products you can get for your money. I personally feel this is a great box, & well worth the £10! I received exactly what I signed up for, & yet again, I’m not disappointed :)

What did you think of yours this month? Or have you been tempted to sign up if you haven’t already? 

Tuesday, May 29

Raspberry Grape | Unique Jewellery

I have become a bit of a twitter addict as of late; & have had the pleasure of getting to know the lovely Lauren of RaspberryGrape*insert raspberry blowing on someone’s belly here* through the wonders of the web. I found myself lusting after her beautiful little pieces over at her jewellery shop & when she tweeted that she’d like to offer some of her pieces for review I jumped at the chance!

She sent me the rather scrumptious wide upper finger ring*, which I’d tweeted her about previously, telling her how much I liked it.






I absolutely love it. Beautifully hand wrapped with cute little stickers, I was so excited to get it opened! I haven’t really come across middle finger rings before, but I’m a bit of a raving fan now. They’re a bit different aren’t they? I love the thickness of the ring & the pretty shapes running throughout. Another great thing about these is that they have adjustable backs, so you can change it up & wear it as a regular ring too, if you fancy it. I think they’re perfect for summer, adding a bit of bohemian chic to your look. My one came up quite small (before adjustment), so they fit really snugly on the upper half of your finger. No flying off in to the air when you’re jumping around like a mad woman to your favourite song – yes, we all know you jump around, flailing arms & all…

I’d say that Lauren’s shop leans slightly towards the more alternative type of jewellery, but mixes it up with some really delicate pieces too. Ranging from skull bracelets to vintage rings, there really is something for everyone.

At £3.85 for this little beaut, with free postage & packaging you can’t really go wrong, can you? :)

*Lauren kindly sent me this ring FOC for review, all opinions are my own. I have not received financial compensation for this post. 

Monday, May 28

Guest Post | Kristin of Beauty Xpose

A few months ago, i joined the wonderful world that is IFB - Independent Fashion Bloggers. It was such a warm welcome in to the world that is blogging & I've been lucky enough to get to know some really lovely ladies along the way. One of them being the beautiful Kristin of Beauty Xpose. Have a little read, & get to know her a wee bit; I'm sure you'll love her as much as I do!

1.What three things can make you smile no matter your mood
Starting off with an easy one :) - 1) My boyfriend 2) Pictures of teacup pigs 3) Crappy television

2.What is your favorite part of blogging?
My favorite part is all the wonderful people I’ve met from fellow bloggers to industry folks to readers. It’s so fabulous thinking of all the people that blogging brought in to my life.

3. Do you have a current favorite/go-to fashion item?
Right now I’m loving my J.Crew eyelet shorts, and Kate Spade necklace. If no one would notice, I would wear them every day! Unfortunately, my desire to not repeat outfits holds me back. 

4. And beauty - do you have a current favorite/go-to beauty item?
I have two, both from Smashbox. I LOVE the Shades of Fame lip glosses, which have turned me on to lip gloss. Second is the Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer. It evens out my skin tone and keeps my makeup in place all day. What more could you ask for?!

5.What bit of fashion/beauty advice would you give to anyone?
Don’t worry about the trends and what everyone else is doing. Find clothes and products that work with your body and personality. If you are comfortable and feel great, you’ll look great too!

6. What made you want to start blogging?
I sort of fell in to blogging. Three years, I started an internship at a Public Relations agency. Right when I was starting Anne (my now BeautyXpose partner-in-crime), who happened to be my supervisor, had just started a blog. I initially helped to write a post here, a review there. However, next thing I knew, I was working hand-in-hand with Anne and sharing all the ownership responsibilities. Three years later, we’re still going strong. It’s a miracle she’s not sick of me yet :)

7. Which beauty product would you never re-purchase again and why?
Easy – butter LONDON LIPPY. I love their nailpolishes, so couldn’t wait to try their new LIPPIES. However, I was SO let down. The glosses are goopy and don’t go on evenly. Plus, the smell and taste like plastic.

8. Name one beauty product you can't leave the house without?
Well – if we’re talking I can only wear one makeup item for a day, I’d have to say mascara. I love Covergirl LashBlast Fusion. However, if I get to put on all my makeup and then just leave the house with only one thing, I would pick Burt’s Bees chapstick. I’m a pretty simple girl … sometimes.  

9. Do you have any other hobbies aside from blogging?
Does shopping count?! I’ve recently started to dabble in running (but I wouldn’t call myself a runner). From time to time, I add a new page to my scrapbook. A couple of weeks ago, I bought myself a Cannon Rebel t2i, so I’m starting to play around with photography. I hope those count!

10. What would be your dream job?
Ok, woah on the tough question! I’m not sure, and this is something I’m actually trying to figure out for myself right now. I would love to find a way to mix my passion for beauty and fashion with my desire to help others and make the world a better place. Those two things go hand-in-hand, right?! If you can think of anything that fits that description, feel free to let me know :)

So what did you think of the beaut that is Kristin? 

Fancy getting to know me a bit better too? You can see my post on her blog here: http://beautyxpose.com/2012/musings/guest-post-megs-of-wonderful-you.html#

Monday, May 21

Feeling a bit Floral | Crown & Glory


About a year ago, I discovered a beautiful little shop on the internet. Crown & Glory. I am a sucker for any pretty hair accessory, so when I came across this brand I was super duper happy. From turbans to crowns; each piece is individually handmade by the lovely Sophie, & a lot of the pieces are made to order, so you’re guaranteed an original item, every time. Something about that just makes it extra special doesn’t it? 

Having built up a rather large collection of her pieces over the last year, I thought I would show you my most recent purchase:
don't worry...i'm not naked ;)


I bought the Marina - Fuschia Daisy Bandeau & I am absolutely in love. It’s such a beautifully delicate piece, which makes such a bold statement. I picked this one up in the up to 50% off sale and the little beauty was only £9! Amazing right. The whole range is so reasonably priced; and fills what I believe is a huge gap in the accessories market. Yes, there are heaps of shops that cater for hair accessories, but I am yet to find one that has such intricate detail, at such a fantastic price. There is a vast variety of items available, yet each piece is so wonderfully put together, with such care & attention. Plus, the customer service is incredible; always a speedy and ridiculously friendly response. And even better, Crown & Glory can even make up your own individual piece; so if you had an idea that wasn’t quite like what is available on the website, they’ll more than likely be able to cater for your needs. 

I just love everything about this wonderful little spot on the web.

Have you ever purchased from Crown & Glory before? Or do you think you will now?

Thursday, May 17

Burt's Bees Grab Bag


So, you may have seen a few blog posts floating around recently regarding the Burt’s Bees Grab Bag. I heard about it through Estée from Essiebutton & I immediately wanted one; I’m like a beauty product magpie, I wan’t anything that anyone says half a good word about! Basically, you paid £20, & in return got sent a big fat bag, full of Burt’s Bees products! Great concept, non? I think so :)
L-R: Exfoliating Body Washes (4), Radiance Body Lotion (2)
L-R: Eye Cream, Nail File, Lip Balm (2), Hand Cream, Cuticle Cream,Lip Shimmer (3), Cute tin!  : 

I have no doubt that some bags were wonderful, but I wasn’t too thrilled with mine. I mean, I was being a bit ‘me, me, me’ when I purchased it; I wanted to try out Burt’s Bees, & thought this was a great way to test some of their products without spending a fortune. & I know, I know, before I moan, I was aware that Burt’s Bees had added a disclaimer advising that duplicates may occur; but I couldn’t help feeling a little upset that I got 4 of the exfoliating body washes and 2 of the body lotions (I didn’t mind so much about the 3 lip shimmers & 2 balms, you can never have enough lip balms right?). That’s a hell of a lot of the same product, don’t you think? But, I’ve decided to take a positive attitude towards the slight disappointment & use the extras for birthdays coming up etc. Every cloud & all that jazz.

I wont just moan for this entire post, promise. I was really, really happy to receive the little pots of their hand cream & cuticle cream; I’m also super excited to try the eye cream :) I’ve heard great things about all of these products, so fingers crossed! I'll definitely be reviewing these at a later date, once I've had a chance to test them out. On another good note, how cute is the little tin? I am a hoarder, of EVERYTHING in life, so I love collecting pretty little tins to put my bits & bobs in.

Overall, I am a bit miffed about the amount of duplicate items, but I still feel like I’ve got great value for money, apparently the bags are worth £55, wowee! I’m getting to try some products I haven’t before, & I’ve got some extra stock for presents. Not bad, eh?

I had a look on their website this morning, & I can see they’ve now sold out; but did any of you purchase a grab bag? Were you happy with what you got?

Tuesday, May 15

Sunny Saturday



I know it's a little delayed, but thought I would do a quick post on what I got up to over the weekend. No need to hold on to your seats guys...it's nothing too exciting! :) 

This weekend, in my eyes, was the first which has felt like a little touch of summer was creeping in. I mean, it wasn’t ‘let’s strip off & run around in our swimsuits squirting each other with water guns’ type of weather; but it was definitely an excuse to whip out a summer dress & feed the ducks. My recent summer post actually reminded me of a little dress I loved last year, so I popped that on & off we trotted.

We drove down to a local spot & fed the duckies. Honestly, I have never seen so much bread in my life, it was crazy. Where did the idea come from that we feed them bread anyway? I’m sure they must get sick of it. Any way, they ate a whole loaf of ours. After that, we headed to the pub for a quick drink before stuffing our faces at nando’s, as you do. Finished off with a few drinkies in front of the TV, oh.my.god. Koppaberg is amazing. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of alcohol. I don’t know, I just don’t really like the taste; which makes it difficult when going out with friends, or if the boy fancies a bottle over dinner. So when I discovered this I was a happy bunny. It just takes like fruit juice, which is perhaps a bit lethal in my case; as I’ll happily chug away, probably resulting in copious trip up’s & saying hello to many a hedge. I also received a rather lovely bouquet from the boy; I’d had a bit of a crappy week, so this made me very happy indeedy.

What did you wonderful lot get up to over the weekend? Hope you all made the most of the minimal sunshine, now the heavens have opened again. Ah, England. I love you & your crappy weather ways.

P.S. instagram makes me want an iPhone even more. Stinking Blackberry, why you hate me?

Monday, May 14

GLOSSYBOX April 2012






At the beginning of last week, I received my monthly GLOSSYBOX. Exciting times ladies! If you aren’t too familiar with the beauty box concept, let me give you a brief introduction.
Glossybox offer a monthly subscription to a fabulous little box of beauty goodies. You can pay on a monthly basis (or yearly if you are a diehard fan), for a mere £10 p.m, plus £2.95 postage & packaging. Of which you can cancel at any stage, there’s no catch in this one! & in return for your subscription, each month, you’ll receive 5 high-end products from various beauty brands. The idea is that they are all a smaller size than you’d purchase in the shops, just so you can test the water to see if you like them. Try before you buy etc etc. Glossybox are a little different though, they try to theme their boxes each month, i.e. holidays such as xmas, valentines etc. or Harrods. This month it’s themed around Organic products. & this is what I received:

Figs &  Rouge Balm – Rambling Rose:

I think this has to be my favourite product in this month’s box. It’s a teeny tester pot, but you get such a lot of product for the size. It states on the pot that this can be used for lips, face & body; however I’ve only used it on my lips so far. It’s 100% organic, & smells/tastes uh-mazing. I literally want to eat it. It’s super moisturising & leaves your lips silky smooth with a little glisten after application. I suffer quite badly with chapped lips & this has definitely kept them hydrated, so far, there’s not a crack to be seen, woohoo!! Another fab bonus to GlossyBox is that with some of the items you will receive a discount code to purchase a full size of the product. So, no surprises I got straight on to this & purchased another yummy flavour for a mere £3 with my discount included! What a bargain for such a lovely product.

AYUURI Natural Body Wash - Sandalwood:

This was a full sized product, which is always lovely, seeing as these boxes are just meant to be testers for you to try before you buy. My bottle came in the fragrance Sandalwood. I’d never actually smelt sandalwood before, but I absolutely love it! The thick creamy texture lathers up nicely & leaves my skin feeling really soft and hydrated. I wasn’t jumping for joy over the packaging. The letters were half rubbed off, & well I don’t think it’s that nice to look at. But @ £4.95 a pop, I’m not complaining. Too much anyway.

Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst-Quenching Serum:

I’m not too sure on this one. It’s quite a nice product, but I hate the word nice, so that’s not saying much. You’re meant to apply this day and night, bore application of moisturiser or foundation; to restore moisture in the skin. As of yet, I haven’t seen any radical changes, perhaps it’s a gradual improvement. & at £39 per bottle (30ml full size), I’m not sure I’m too convinced.

Inika Cosmetics: Certified Organic Eyeliner – shade 05 Black Caviar:

This. I LOVE. It is so soft & doesn’t drag the eyelid on application. The pigmentation is strong & has super staying power. It does smudge a little too easily I feel, & if you wear it on the bottom lid, you may find it smudges out a little after a few hours – although this is perfect if you’re going for a smokey eye. This was another full size product, @ £11.75 – you’ve already beaten the price of your subscription, which is amazing! I’m definitely going to be purchasing more of these.

KAI Perfume Oil:

Product Description: Our intoxicating signature perfume oil fragrance, which is a light and intoxicating blend of a gardenia top note wrapped in white exotics.

I’m afraid this one isn’t for me. It’s a very heavy floral fragrance, which reminds me of an older ladies perfume. It says that this perfume oil will smell differently on each individual, & on me it smells a bit like popery.


Overall I’m really pleased with this month’s box. To be honest, I don't think I've ever been disappointed with one. If there’s ever been a product I really don’t like, it’s gone as an extra in someone’s Christmas stocking, or just to a friend I know will love it. I’m not sure I’ll ever end my subscription!

What did you lot think of your box this month? & if you haven’t signed up for Glossybox do you think you will now? I’m not sure how you can resist!



Thursday, May 10

Sun, Sea &....Sun?




I don’t know about anyone else. But I desperately need a holiday. Pronto. I’ve been sifting through some old holiday snaps & it got me feeling all antsy. Whilst I’ve learnt to embrace the ‘English Rose’ look that seems to take over during the colder months, after half a year of looking whiter than Casper, I think I’ve earned a jolly good tan.

The boy & I are going away to Italy for 2 weeks in August; we’ll be staying with my family, & the villa looks absolutely beautiful. It even has a few horses so we can go riding, eep! Very excited indeedy.
This is said 'Boy'

We’re also going to Australia for 3 weeks over Christmas; we’re staying with his Aunty in Melbourne, Victoria. I CANNOT WAIT. I’ve never ventured out of Europe, so this is going to be a real treat. However, I have no idea what I’m doing. & I’m awful at planning things in life, so no doubt I’ll leave it too late to research all the hotspots & amazing things I should be doing whilst I’m there. If I was rich, I would employ some ravishing life-planner man to sort me out. Ahem, I know what you’re thinking; it would be purely platonic ladies. It’s just nice to have eye candy with your organisation, right?

I do hate wishing time away, but I really wish it would bloomin’ hurry up! Although I love being a little country bumpkin, living in a pretty little village in England, I do sometimes wonder why my family didn’t decide to be kind & live somewhere hot. Not that I’m bitter or anything.

So, do any of you lot have some advice on what I should get up to in Melbourne? I think I’ll need all the help I can get. The only thing I have on my list so far is penguin watching. Apparently there’s a lovely little spot on a beach where you can watch them all walk up out of the water at the same time, awhh :)

I also believe holiday shopping will commence rather shortly.

Where are you all off to on your jolly's this year? Are you excited? :) 

Monday, May 7

Add a Touch of Sparkle

Now, I know us interior gals always have our eyes peeled, in search for the next little trinket to clutter up our bedroom; well I know mine are…

& my spending habits can become quite costly quite quickly when it comes to interior design; I’m a sucker for pretty little bits & bobs, & my room is slowly filling up with little treasures I’ve collected over the last few years.  Whilst it’s always a bit lovely to have a splurge on some wonderful mirror or chair, sometimes, one has to be a little more reserved. You know, in this day & age, every little helps!

So, last Christmas, when we were putting up all the Christmas decorations, I spotted an extra rope of fairy lights. I quickly snapped them up & hurried off to my room. I love fairy lights, regardless of where they are situated; they just make me feel happy. I wrapped the entire thread around my bed posts and voilà:
My Bed :)
I think it’s a great way to add a touch of sparkle (I always write sprakle, god dammit) to your bedroom, at a really low price.

What do you think? Likey? :)

Friday, May 4

Guest Post: Pretty Passions, Fine Fashions: Role Models

I was recently asked by the gorgeous Sophie of Pretty Passions, Fine Fashions, to write a short paragraph about one of my role models. Of course, we all have celebrity role models, people we look up to in the world of fashion & beauty; but I wanted to take a slightly different approach. I wrote about my beautiful aunty. Here she is:


























here's the post, with my little snippet tucked in somewhere near the middle :)

Topshop: Nail Varnishes


I’ve developed a rather unhealthy obsession recently with Topshop , but this time it’s not their clothes (although at one point, that’s all my wardrobe consisted of, I now think they’re WAY too overpriced. Anyhoo…), it’s their makeup range! It’s surprisingly affordable, and the quality is excellent. I’ll no doubt be tapping away on my keyboard about their other products, but I firstly wanted to introduce to you the nail varnish.

Now, nail varnish is probably the only beauty product I’m sensible with when it comes to purchasing. With anything else, if I like one thing, I like the whole lot & I buy it all as soon as I am physically able; with nail varnish I limit myself, and only purchase a new one (or two), once I’ve used the first one up. This is purely due to the fact, that if I have too many polishes open at one time, I just won’t use them & they’ll end up all gross and gloopy. Blergh. So, on that note, these are my two new(ish) polishes from Topshop:

Big Smoke

Parma Violet (please ignore my half eaten thumb, i must've been hungry..)

Big Smoke doesn’t seem to be on their website, I did receive this as a gift, so there’s a chance it may have been a limited edition (or something to that effect).  However, you can purchase the Parma Violet one here. These ones were only £5, & I believe the most you’d pay for any others would be approximately £8; I think this is a reasonable price, given the quality of the product. But forgetting the cost, how cuuuuute is the packaging? I love it! Really simple, but pretty too. Now, moving on to what's actually inside the lovely packaging; the consistency is quite thin, which does mean you need to apply more layers, but it decreases the chances of the product getting too gunky. The brush is a pretty much perfect size and fans out really nicely on application (I cannot stand thin nail brushes) & I’d say between 2-3 coats would do you nicely. My favourite bit about the polishes is the non-chipping-ness (yes, yes I did just make up a word); I always struggle to find an affordable nail varnish that doesn’t chip as soon as my heavy handed paws do anything, & I think this is the first one that has stayed put, non-chipped, for more than a week. I’m so impressed with these bad boys, & I’ll definitely be purchasing a few more. As soon as these ones run out of course ;)

Have you lovely lot tried out Topshop’s nail varnish range yet? Or do you have any colours you’d recommend?