ASOS face and body box January 2020

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As January starts I’m all about getting my skin on track and ready for another year. I’d been looking for a new cleanser and came across the ASOS face and body box which this month was a collab with DECIEM and packed with goodies from The Ordinary and NIOD.

I have a combination type typically but lean toward a dry complexion if I am having a Psoriasis flare up and I’m always on the hunt for products that suit my skin but don’t break the bank. Having tried a few things from The Ordinary before for blemishes I was keen to give some of their other products a try and at £15 for this box it seemed like a perfect time to have a try! Side note I actually got my box for £12 as I got a 20% off promotion over New Year from ASOS, making it even better value for money!

Anyway let’s dive into the contents! There are five products altogether to cleanse, hydrate, protect and make your skin glow, definitely a January must!

First up is the Squalane Cleanser, which is part of the reason I wanted the box. It’s designed to remove makeup and keep your skin moisturised. As I lean toward a dry skin type typically this works brilliantly for me, I think if you have oily skin it could be a bit much for you. These type of cleansers are emoillent style and you warm a bit of product in your hands to melt into an oil before rinsing your face with warm water. The RRP for this is £5.50 which is an absolute bargain in my view.

Next up is NIOD Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex (try saying that a few times fast!) Essentially it’s a hydrating serum type product which is aimed at keeping your skin “plump and healthy” as it says on the card. You use this after you cleanse and apply to the whole face. It’s got antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties and is targeted at getting those fine lines and wrinkles in check. As I’m getting older I’m now finding a few fine lines, especially around the eyes so anything that can help is welcomed! It’s a nice light serum and hasn’t made my face feel congested like some other serums have in the past.

I love all the packaging for these products, even though it’s a basic design it kinda reminds me of a lab or something! The RRP for this is £25.

Another product from NIOD included is the Photography Fluid Opacity 12%, described as light-reflecting , hue correcting and topical photo-finishing to create a glowing complexion in seconds. This is a serum type product to put under your base or wear alone and has a similar packaging to the previous serum. It’s got a beautiful opalescent look to it and blends really well. The key ingredient they list in this is “Patented dragonfruit chromatic refractor” for radiance and to help reduce fine lines. It’s a nice formula but I don’t know I’ve seen much difference apart from it being a nice redness reducer and I think I’ll have to use it a bit longer to report back on whether it helps the fine lines!

RRP for this is £20.

Finally the last two products are both from The Ordinary, the Natural Moisturising Factors + HA and Salicylic Acid 2% Masque.

The masque has charcoal and clays to make your skin brighter and smoother and take care of any blemishes. As with a lot of charcoal products this is black in colour and is a rinse off formula which you leave on the skin for about 10 mins before following your regular skin routine. I’d maybe use something like this 1-2 times a week if I was having a breakout or you could just dot on problem areas if you felt the rest of your face wasn’t needing the masque.

RRP is £9.90 for this one.

The moisturising factors is designed to keep your face protected and moisturised and includes that very popular ingredient hyaluronic acid to really plump up the skin. I really like this as it’s light and not greasy but very moisturising, definitely good for a dry complexion, possibly too much for oily skin. At only £4.90 RRP this is a great moisturiser and at a purse friendly price.

Altogether the contents of this months box were worth £65.30 if you’d purchased them all separately.

The ASOS Face and Body box is available each month priced at £15 with a different theme each time. Each box comes with a card describing the products and helping you make best use of them. Just visit http://www.asos.com at the start of the month and search beauty box, make sure you are there early as it very often sells out quickly!

I’ve really enjoyed the products in the box and I will report back on the difference in my skin texture in a few weeks when I’ve had a better chance to see the results.

Glossybox January 2020

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This month Glossybox has a theme of Sleep and Refresh aimed at getting us revitalised and take on the year ahead with some no makeup makeup essentials.

First up is a clear brow gel from Model Co whic has an RRP of £14. Not much to say about this it’s quite a nice product for when you don’t have much makeup on to set your brows in place and just make them look a bit more groomed. Likewise you could use it over a brow pencil and set the colour. Having used it a few times I quite like it, however it seems a really small tube for £14 and it is a full size which has been supplied with the box.

This Strawberry booster was the sneak peek in the December box and doesn’t disappoint. Made from (what else?) strawberry seeds and fatty acids omega 3 and 6, it’s a really nice oil to hydrate your skin. BYBI have had a lip plumper product in Glossybox before and are a brand that pride themselves on being eco-friendly, vegan and natural ingredients. I tried this directly on my face as a night serum after cleansing but you can also mix with your day cream or foundation for extra moisture as recommended. RRP for this is £12 which seems a really good price for the size of the bottle and quality of the product. It’s a dry oil, so doesn’t feel really greasy when applied and my skin feels really smooth on using it for a little over a week.

A product often included in these boxes is a face mask, I really like trying different ones and this is something I haven’t seen before. The Beauty Pro CBD Oil infused mask. Infused with cannabidiol, it’s meant to have anti-inflammatory properties and helps to reduce blemishes. I’m really excited to try this as cannabidiol is an ingredient which is growing in popularity and I want to see if it lives up to the hype! This has an RRP of £5.95 which is not bad for a sheet mask like this.

Continuing with the skincare theme is a Micro-Derm Regenerator from Context. This is an exfoliation and cleansing product to remove those dead skin cells and reveal brighter skin. I really liked this, it has a nice clean smell and is quite a gentle exfoliating cleanser. My skin definitely felt softer and refreshed. It’s also got a blend of macadamia, sunflower and jojoba oils with vitamins A, C and E to further protect your skin. The RRP for this is £6.50 as it’s a deluxe mini and not a full size product. For the full size it’s £27.

I wasn’t that thrilled by this next product if I’m honest! Tweezers are a great staple to have in your beauty kit, especially with the emphasis on eyebrows in beauty right now and they do pair with the brow gel in this months box. I think for me I’d rather have had something different but you’re not going to like every single item! These have an RRP of £15.50 and are a decent pair of tweezers.

A little additional item included in this months box was this Nakd Salted Caramel fruit and nut bar. I’ve bought these bars before (the lemon drizzle and blueberry muffin flavours are a fave) but I haven’t tried this flavour. It’s always nice to get a little extra in your box and it being January I think it’s nice it wasn’t chocolate after all of the Christmas excess! It was a really nice flavour and I’ve actually gone and purchased a full box of them for future snacking! These bars are usually 75p each or around £2 for a box of 4 in most supermarkets (mine were from Tesco).

I pay £11.75 per month for my Glossybox including shipping but there are lots of plans available on their website www.glossybox.co.uk

In total this months box was worth £54.70 which is fantastic value again from Glossybox, although I don’t think I’d have ever paid £15 for a pair of tweezers in my life!

As always I’d love to know your thoughts and if you’ve tried any of the products !

Glossybox December Merry Metallics

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It’s beginning to look a lot like New Year….. especially when you get a box like this from Glossybox!

Decembers theme is Merry Metallics and as expected it’s full of gorgeous sparkly makeup! This month has 5 full-size products, each better than the last!

First up is Sweet Rhubarb & Raspberry Showergel from Original Source which smells amazing. I really like their products as they are great for my sensitive skin and always have beautiful scents. The RRP is £2.30

Next is a loose powder pigment from Steve Laurent in the shade Rose Gold which has the most amazing shimmer and shine to it! The guide with the box has a few ideas on how to use including using a wet eyeliner brush and applying along the lash line. I think this will be a fab look and can’t wait to try it! The RRP for this is £14.60

The eye products in this box are the star of the show and the LA Splash Golden Gatsby Faux Mink Lashes are no exception. As you’d expect these are designed with party time in mind and look really pretty. RRP is £9.75 for these.

The final eye product is the Bellapierre liquid shadow in the shade Eye Candy. This is so highly pigmented ! It’s designed not to crease or smudge so will definitely be putting this to the test over Christmas and creating some new shimmery eye looks. RRP is £20 for this.

Swatches of all the beauty products

And last but not least we have a lip stain from L.O.V The Fateful range. This claims to be long lasting and smudge proof but has a gloss finish. It’s really nice and adds a lovely pop of red colour. I really like red lip colour and I haven’t had a lip stain for a while as I’ve been into the matte trend so it was nice to try a glossier shade for a change. It’s got a Hyaluronic Filling Spheres (fancy!) designed for plump your lips and moisturise. RRP for this is £7.99 which is actually a lot less than I thought it would be.

I pay £11.75 per month for my Glossybox including shipping but there are lots of plans available on their website www.glossybox.co.uk

In total this months box was worth £54.64 which is fantastic value. Lots of gorgeous metallic treats for some really Christmassy looks!

Glossybox November Winter Warmers

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November 2019 Winter Warmers edit

A bit later than normal but here’s the low down on the Glossybox Winter Warmers box for November.

7 items in this box including two delicious fruity teas from OffBlak. I liked the Brighten Up one best which has a lovely berry flavour, a perfect winter warmer for this cold weather.

First is the Mudmasky Leave-Me-On Winter Mask which has an RRP of £43.50! Like lots of people I get really dry skin in the winter and often experience psoriasis flare ups at this time of year. So I was I intrigued by this leave on face mask and whether it was up to the task! It’s a really nice light formula and I felt it made my skin feel much softer.

Another winter essential for me is hand cream. This Rituals handbalm is so moisturising, you really only need a tiny bit as it’s so rich. As with all Rituals products it smells amazing and has sweet almond oil and Indian rose. This has a RRP of £9.90

Cetaphil is one of my favourite brands for gentle skin cleansing and moisturising. It’s also great value this mini is worth £1.10 but a full size bottle of the same product will only set you back £8.99. Cetaphil helps create a barrier to seal in moisture for your skin and is so gentle and non drying. If you suffer from dry skin definitely give this a try.

This beautiful glow mist from Kandi Cosmetics is designed to be a shimmery primer applied after cleansing and before foundation. I was a bit unsure of this, although it looks gorgeous in the bottle, I was wary of looking like I’d been rolled in glitter! However it’s incredibly light and works brilliantly under makeup to give a nice soft glow. I haven’t tried it as a setting spray which is the other way you can use it but I think this would also work well. This has an RRP of £20.

I love Hask products having used a lot of their hair masks which are great when you colour your hair alot like me! This hair oil is a repairing formula and has argan oil to restore your hair. I’ve been using this on my lengths and ends, it’s been great for giving my hair a nice sheen and avoiding that straw like look at the ends! This has an RRP of £2.49

And finally a little extra treat in this months box was these delicious fruit teas from OffBlak. My favourite is the Brighten Up tea which is forest fruit and ginger flavoured. They were a lovely extra treat and taste amazing. They are £0.84 each or £9.98 for a box.

The grand total for this months box is…….. £78.67!

I subscribe to Glossybox for £8.50 plus postage and packing which in total is £11.75 so definitely well worth the subscription fee once again.

I’m looking forward to the December box and there’s also a limited edition box coming for December which more details will be released about soon.

Glossybox is available by visiting http://www.glossybox.co.uk

Dog days

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So our cockapoo Chip is now 6 months and not so little anymore!

As he’s getting bigger he’s even cuter if that’s possible? We’ve been getting to grips with some basic puppy training at a local class. He’s mastered sit, lie down and giving a paw 🐾 as well as getting much better at not barging through doors straightaway. We’ve mastered the class and Chip got his very own rosette!

He was super proud of his rosette!

Hmmm what’s for tea!?

Chip knew someday he’d catch that toy

He’s started settling really well and we are loving having him as part of our family !

If you’ve got any training tips or advice for puppies do let me know.

Through the Looking Glass

This Thursday I’m throwing back to an afternoon to remember at The Looking Glass, Sunderland.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Looking Glass for an afternoon tea themed hen party. The cafe/bar is a fantastic venue with quirky accessories befitting it’s name. Each way you looked you seemed to see something different with rabbits, mad hatters and playing cards galore!

The delicious afternoon tea had the usual sandwich selections along with quiche, macaroons, sweet and savoury scones , cakes and tea served in china pots, with real cups and saucers.

Each treat was more delicious than the last with my favourite definitely being the scones. I know there’s debate about whether the cream or jam goes on a scone first (answers on a postcard please!)

There was so much included in the afternoon tea we ended up boxing some to take home. My 4 year old was really excited to find mini battenburg and cupcakes when I got home!

I would highly recommend a visit to the Looking Glass and I will definitely be back to try more of their delicious food.

The Looking Glass is in Sunniside, Sunderland city centre.

For more information visit their Facebook page by searching The Looking Glass, you won’t be disappointed!

Glossybox October Devil Edition

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So this month Glossybox really hit it out of the park for me with October’s Angel or Devil edit. There were two special design boxes available with an angelic or devilish theme…. I’m thinking you can see which one I got!

The colours in the October box were just fab!

The box had 5 amazing beauty treats all of them full size and a special extra treat of a hot chocolate from Whittard of Chelsea.

First up is the Que Bella Beauty Plumping gold peel off mask, which has a gorgeous glittery sheen to it in the packet (and on your face!). I love a good face mask and this also had hyaluronic acid to moisturise and brighten your skin, a must in the autumn weather! A full size product which is RRP of £2.49

I love a good red lip during the autumn and winter and in this box we got a Lord and Berry lip crayon in Devil Red. It’s a perfect bold red and being a crayon format you can line your lips and fill them in with one product! Finishes matte and doesn’t feel drying at all. This is a full size product with an RRP of £15.

An extra treat in this months box was this delicious Whittard of Chelsea Hot Chocolate which is Sticky Toffee Pudding flavour. This was so creamy and had a strong caramel/toffee flavour. A lovely little extra for those cold nights! I absolutely love the sugar skull packaging, really went brilliantly with the Halloween theme of the box. This was a sample size worth £2, Full size worth £9 which you can purchase here

Another favourite of mine in this months box was this STYLondon palette which has 9 shades of eyeshadow in red and orange tones. There’s a lovely mix of shimmers and matte shades which make a fab statement eye- not one for the faint hearted! I love this palette the pigment is good and it’s a great size for popping in your makeup kit. The palette is worth £15 and is another full size item.

An MCO eyeliner crayon in black was the next item which is a black liner designed to give precise lines. I really liked this as I can sometimes struggle with liquid liner when I apply. This applies really well and smudges nicely as well if you want to wear it along the lash line for a smokey eye look. The RRP for this is £15.

The final product in the box this month was the Bubbletea Devils Dust foaming bath powder. This is a really good size as you don’t need loads in the bath to create the bubbles and it has a nice floral scent to it. This is full size and RRP is £4.99

Altogether the products are worth £54.48. They are all products I have enjoyed using, particular favourites being the lip crayon, eye palette and eye liner. I really enjoyed the theme this month too, Halloween is one of my favourite seasons and I am glad I got the Devil box as the colours are much more suited to me.

Another shot of the Devil Red Lord and Berry Lipcrayon

I subscribe to Glossybox for £8.50 plus postage and packing which in total is £11.75 so definitely well worth the subscription fee.

Glossybox is available by visiting http://www.glossybox.co.uk