My Fragrance Collection

Everyone likes to smell nice but not everyone likes to smell the same.  There are many fragrances out in the shops whether it be a supermarket or a drugstore or a department store or even online to name a few, you can find something you like from there.  Now I am not saying I am a big expert on what to look for in a fragrance nor am I an expert when it comes to what notes are in perfumes so I have done a bit of research into my collection (which is not very big) and what notes are in what perfumes.

I don't profess to own a lot but what I do have is a modest collection.  I have decided to include a body spray as I have been using this one quite recently so I thought it was only best to include it.  I am going to review them in the order I got them.  

Some of these I bought with my own money and some where gifted to me as christmas presents or as a gift.

Charlie Red

This has to be the first scent I ever owned.  Back when I was in high school, I always remembered loving the Charlie body sprays and when a perfume came out, I was given it for Christmas and I was over the moon.  I wore it all the time.  Charlie red is a very sweet perfume yet has a floral scent as well.  Top notes include; Orange blossom, Gardenia, Plum, Black current, Violet and Peach.  Middle notes include; Carnation, Tuberose, Orchid, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Lily of the Valley and Rose.  The base notes include; Honey, Sandalwood, Amber, Musk and Cedar.  

This perfume is one that I don't reach for as often as I have ones that I like better and I don't know if it would suit me as a 25 year old and for that reason, I tend to keep it for nostalgia reasons.

Benefit Laugh with me Lee Lee

This perfume also has a bit of a nostalgia for me as this is the very first 'proper' perfume I owned.  Way back when I was 19, I had mentioned to my ex that I wanted this perfume after smelling and testing it in a department store.  Little did I know, he bought it for me and I wore it non stop.  Laugh with me Lee Lee is a very floral yet has a sweet aspect to the scent.  The top notes are; Cassis, Melon and Citruses.  The middle notes include; Black violet, Lily and Jasmine.  The base notes include; Sandalwood, Amber and White wood.

I loved this perfume and am gutted that there is no more left and I am toying with the idea to repurchase it.  I have kept the bottle as I feel that it is a quirky, little bottle and it makes me smile looking at the dents and scuffs on the gold bits.  Me and my ex are still good friends so I feel I can't make myself throw it away, even if I got a new one.

Juicy Couture Viva la Juicy

This little bottle is in my collection all thanks to YouTube.  I cannot remember who raved about this back in 2012 but all I know was that I wanted it.  Back then I had to go to a specialist perfume shop to smell and test it but now I have seen it in Boots and Superdrug so it has become a popular brand.   This is the first perfume my current partner bought for me for Christmas and for two years, it would be my signature winter scent as well as the occasional going out scent.  I love it but I am having to limit the use of this as I am slowly running low on it.  The top notes are; Mandarin orange and Wild berries.  The middle notes include; Honeysuckle, Gardenia and Jasmine.  The base notes include; Amber, Caramel, Praline, Sandalwood and Vanilla.  

Michael Kors Glam Jasmine

I first saw this in a Boots store back in my home town and instantly fell in love.  I must have spent a whole semester thinking about how much I wanted this, reading reviews and testing it every time I went into the Boots near uni.  I just didn't know if I had the guts to purchase it myself and I needed something for my other half to buy me for Christmas so on the list it went and on Christmas morning, there is was.  I guess he liked the smell of it too as I know he would have chose something else if he didn't.  This fragrance is quite simple when it comes to the notes of it.  The notes include; White flowers, Jasmine, Cassis and Sandalwood.  

It is a very mature scent so I only ever wear it on special occasions as I feel that it can be overpowering as an everyday scent.

Ghost by Ghost

This was another scent I wanted quite recently and one that I got a good price on.  I have already done a review on this which will be linked here.

Ted Baker Regency House

This is the only body spray in the collection and I have added it into my collection as I have been using this a lot quite recently as it is always in my handbag and I love the smell at the moment.  I have also done a review on this which will be linked here.  It has also become my signature spring scent at the moment as it is quite a light scent. 

So there is my little, modest collection of fragrances.  I have my eye on one but am still toying with the idea to buy it as I haven't had the chance to smell it and I don't want to buy it without at least smelling and testing it first.  

What is your favourite scent at the moment?  Have you got any recommendations for new ones?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Nuxe Reve de Meil Lip Balm

This little gem right here may have found it's way into being my holy grail product.  I first heard about this lip balm from Estee from EssieButton where she raved about how good this little pot of heaven is.  I wanted to try it for the longest time but could never find it anywhere so I was browsing on Amazon back in January and found this little treasure.  It cost me £9.50 and soon this was in my hands.  Unfortunately, I was already reviewing a lip balm for #30DaysTested so I couldn't use it for the moment but then my lip balm I was using wasn't helping my very dry and very cracked lips so I had to stop using that and I started using this and within a few days, my lips felt softer and didn't hurt as much.  I was amazed!  

My first thoughts when I held the pot for the first time was how luxurious and expensive it is and yes at £9.50 is quite steep for a lip balm but I say it is worth it as you only need a small amount to cover your lips and for it to work and repair your damaged lips.  As you can see, I have had this since January and I haven't made much of a dint into the pot.  I do try to use this every day but sometimes I forget...I am human after all.  I loved this so much, I bought a second one for my handbag and it is now a permanent fixture in my bag.  This lip balm has a smooth consistency and also smells amazing.  Many different reviews of this explains how it smells different to them but to be it smells like chocolate orange and once the product is on your lips, the scent does not linger.

I honestly think that this is my holy grail lip balm and will continue to repurchase this until it is no longer available, which will be a very sad day for those who love this product.

What lip balm to do you like?  Have you found any holy grail products?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

February and March Birchbox

Hi guys.  

I know...it's been a while since I have posted a 'proper' post but university just got so busy and I have been suffering with my sleep so I have had no motivation to do anything but sleep.  I am now back but how often I will post still remains to be determined.  I would like to get back to my small series but again that will take time.

I have decided to combine both February's and March's Birchboxes together as I cannot justify doing two separate blog posts considering it is now March so technically the February box is very late so that is why I am including it within this post.

February 2015

As this is a February box, the theme of the box is love, after all Valentines day is all about love!  In my opinion, there wasn't much in there in respects to love but there was some products that can be used for pampering yourself.

The first product that I received was London Butterflies Bath Salt Scrub.
Birchbox says: Dead sea salt and almond oil renew the skin and lock in moisture.  I haven't had the chance to try this but the scent of this is amazing.  It smells so fresh and looks like it has just the right amount of graininess to it.  It comes in a nice glass jar which make this look expensive.
Full price: £35

The second product is theBalm Cosmetics Stainiac in the shade Beauty Queen.
Birchbox says: Add a pop of long-lasting colour to lips and cheeks with this gel stain.  Again, I haven't tried this as I am a bit weary of stains for cheeks and I am only just branching out into bright colours on my lips.  I will try this product once I have gotten a bit more courage for the bright lip.
Full price: £10

The next product I was hoping for in a previous box is the Eyeko Fat Eye Stick in Guilt (I think)
Birchbox says: Your smokey eye just got as easy as 1-2-3 with this bronze jumbo pencil.  I love this colour and again I haven't tried this yet but I cannot wait to try this and hopefully some more from this brand
Full price: £16 for a trio.

This next product is Electric Hair's Hydrate Shampoo.
Birchbox says: Boost, moisture and restore shine with this ultra-hydrating shampoo.  I have never heard of this brand before so I don't really know what to expect and because my hair isn't super dry, I don't know if this will work to it's full potential.
Full price: £17.50

The fifth product I received is Caudalie's Vinoperfect Radiance Serum.
Birchbox says: Skin will be glowing thanks to this radiance-boosting, oil-free formula.  I have heard good things from this brand so I am looking forward to using this.
Full price: £45

The final product and the only lifestyle product is Vita Coco Coconut oil.
Birchbox says: Use as a moisturiser, hair treatment, smoothie ingredient and more!  I don't really know what to use this and am thinking about using it to make my own lip scrub (Will hopefully do a post about it if I get around to using it.
Full price: £10.99

So that was February's Birchbox and overall, I am happy with what I got.

March 2015

This months box has collaborated with Habitat, a furniture and homeware website.  This month is also about trying things at home with an incentive to  refresh homes and selves for the spring and summer.  Also this month, subscribers as well as new subscribers can pick their own sample.  Birchbox teamed up with Benefit and gave us three sample size mascara's to try, BADgal Lash, Roller Lash and They're Real! Mascara.

The first product I got was a product I was really excited to receive.  Benefit's Roller Lash.

Birchbox says:  A jet-black, lash-perfecting formula from the masters of lashes themselves.  I chose Roller Lash because of two reasons, first, I couldn't find any Elle magazines (which were also giving away free samples of this mascara) and second, I loved the way it looked compared to the other two mascara's)  I have since tried this out and so far I am liking it but I am going to keep using it to get a better feel for what the mascara does and how I like it.

Full price: From £17.50

The second product is a perfume sample of Catherine Malandrino's Style de Paris.

Birchbox says: A playful yet sophisticated fragrance with citrus top notes and a fruity twist.  I had seen this in a previous box and was happy enough to receive this as I had never gotten a perfume sample before and I am looking for a spring/summer fragrance.

Full price: £50

The third product is Philip Kingsley's Elasticizer.

Birchbox says: A pre-shampoo treatment the restores suppleness and bounce to damaged tresses.  I have heard about this brand before but not this product so I don't really know what to expect from it plus from the directions, it says to leave on hear for 20 minutes but I don't know if I have time to use it properly.

Full size: £27.50

The fourth product is Whish Three Whishes Lavender Body Butter.

Birchbox says: Not old fashioned lavender - this sweet-scented antioxidant-rich lotion nourishes skin.  I was excited to see a lavender scented product in my box as I have been having trouble sleeping recently and lavender is supposed to help relax and calm the body so I am excited to try this out at night. 

Full price: £14.50

The last beauty product is Lord & Berry's Couture Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil in Black.

Birchbox says: A silky-smooth, highly pigmented liner for the ultimate smoky eye.  I love eye liner so a sample of one is more than welcomed in my collection.

Full price: £10

The first of the two lifestyle products is a sample chapter from A Perfect Heritage by Penny Vincenzi.

Birchbox says: An epic tale of ambition, ego and passion with the beauty industry as its backdrop.  I don't know how I feel about getting a sample of a novel in a box like this as everyone has different tastes and not everyone is going to like it.  I may have a look at this but for now it is say in a drawer gathering dust.

Full price: £7.99

The final product and the second lifestyle product is Birchbox & Habitat Exclusive Notebook.

Birchbox says: A petite but perfectly formed jotter to pen all your ideas and inspirations inside.  This is tiny and I don't know how much I will use this as I have other notebooks that are a decent size.

Full price: Is exclusive to Birchbox so does not have a price.

I am very impressed with the beauty side of this box and am looking forward to using the products as much as I can.  Next month's box is also another 'pick your own sample'  this time it is the turn of a brand called Laura Mercier.  I have heard so much positive things about this brand and I am looking forward to seeing what the options are for the pick your own sample.

Once again, I felt that I couldn't warrant separating the two boxes with it being 22 days into March so that is why I have merged the two boxes together.

Which box is your favourite?  Does any of your products differ to mine?  What Benefit mascara did you pick?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

#30DaysTested

Well February flew by and it is time for another #30DaysTested review.  I know this is a little late and I have explained why my blog posts have gotten a bit sparse here. This was created by Gemma from Beautiful Things.  She came up with a great idea of actually using a product for a month to see how well it actually performs as most of us tend to buy products, use them and go onto other products after a short period of time. Each month, I am testing on product out of the categories (Found here) and just using that product exclusively throughout the month.

This month's review is on hand cream

What brand is it?
Sainsbury's

What is it?
Vitamin E Hand & Nail Cream

Where is it from?
Any Sainsbury's stores and online.

What is it said to do?

'Nourish and hydrate dry skin'

How much was it?
£1

Did you use it for the full 30days?
Yes.

First thoughts?
'wow this smells amazing!'  It is a nice thin cream which is almost gel like

Positives...
Nice smell, great texture, great, simple  packaging

Negatives...
I don't think I have any negatives about this hand cream as it did what I wanted it to do.

Will you buy it again?
Yes as it is effective yet affordable

Overview
Great for using when hand are dry and it softens the cuticle as well.

Next months #30daystested product will be a Nail Growth Treatment / Nail Polish. So look out for that.

Bye for now.

Jess. X

A bit of an update

Hi guys.

Wow it's been a while since I have updated my blog but uni has been manic.  I have been trying to sort out getting a placement as I am supposed to be starting tomorrow but that doesn't seem to be happening.  Luckily, I have been told that I can still do my placement outside of my lectures but it is just finding one that is proving difficult.  Also my sleeping pattern has gone awry again.

I will be posting more often during March and some of my February posts will be a little bit late.  I would like to thank those who have been patent and you will be hearing from me soon.

What would you like to see for my next post...February's Favourites, #30daystested or February's Birchbox?

Bye for now.

Jess. X