November Birchbox

Hi Guys.

It has been a while since I have posted a Birchbox blog post and even though I haven't posted one since the February/March Birchbox post, I still have been receiving them.  The only one I missed was the August box and that was some issues on receiving it from my end.

Anyway...this months Birchbox was a colab with a company called Skinny Dip who create quirky and cute accessories.  Sometime when Birchbox colab with companies, they let you choose your own samples or boxes, but this month subscribers could upgrade their box and get a phone case worth £12 for an extra £4 on top of your monthly subscription.  Skinny dip's website can be found here.http://www.skinnydiplondon.com/

The first product that I received was The Living Proof No Frizz Nourishing Styling Cream.

Birchbox says: Containing the brand's 'healthy hear molecule', OFPMA, this lotion creates a weightless shield that blocks humidity to leave hair smooth and sleek, whatever the weather.  I tend to have frizzy hair during the summer months so this product will have to wait until then...if the UK gets a hot summer next year.

Full price: £21

The second product is Lord & Berry Silhouette Neutral Lip Liner.

Birchbox says: Smudged lippie and wobbly lines will be a thing of the past with this neutral liner!  Apply it before sweeping on your favourite shade for a super precise lip with no unsightly bleeding.  The best part?  Its translucency means that you can use it with any and every shade of  of lipstick.  Mwah!  I am not a bit fan of lip liners just because I can never find the right shade for the lipstick I would be wearing so I am hoping this will save me from making a lip mistake and mismatching my liner to my lipstick.

Full price: £9

The next product is the Cowshed Cow Pat Hand Cream.

Birchbox says: This cheekily-named nourishing hand lotion is packed with rejuvenating essential oils - Grapefruit to uplift and Coriander to soothe - leaving skin moisturised and toned.  I have used this ever night since I received it and so far I am impressed.  My hands have been super soft considering the amount of hand washing I have to do at work and the weather changing to winter so it is a lot colder during the day and night and so far since using this, my hands haven't been dry or sore.

Full price: £8

This next product is Delarom Creme Acquaconfort.

Birchbox says: When your complexion feels a little sorry for itself, this rejuvenating cream uses almond, apricot oils and vitamin E to nourish and soothe dehydrated skin from first use - divine!  A brand I have never heard of.  My skin is not normally so dry it needs something like this but with the winter months coming I may have to bring this out and give it a try if my normal moisturiser doesn't cut it.

Full price: £34

The fifth product I received is Pure & Light Organic Revitalising Facial Exfoliation.

Birchbox says: An incredible 32 active ingredients, from arctic oat to antioxidant-packed berry-extracts, are packed into this gentle exfoliate that leaves skin smooth, radiant and glowing.  Exfoliation is one thing I need to start doing once a week but I have yet to find a good one to use so maybe Birchbox has helped me out with giving me this product.

Full price: £25

The final product is L. Erickson Grab & Go Ponytail Holder

Birchbox says: Whether you're sweeping hair off your face to apply make-up or just want to switch up your 'do halfway through the day, you'll never be caught short with this handy, metal-free hair-tie in your bag.  I have so many hair-ties that this wasn't really welcomed although it was nice to be given another one in case all mine snap or get lost and on the plus side, it is metal-free which tends to be the hair-ties I buy so who knows if this one will be the one I purchase from now on?

Full price: £11.50 for a set of 15

This months box has mixed reviews from me I think as some products I wouldn't normally use or think about purchasing so hopefully I will enjoy the products I wouldn't normally used or purchase.  I cannot believe that I have had my subscription for almost a year and I have to say I have enjoyed the wide range of products I have been introduced to and some have been good and some have been bad, some I have wanted to used and purchase for a long time and some I have been introduced to and been really impressed with.  

I do however think that I may try a different subscription box come January as well as  renew Birchbox and compare the difference between the two boxes .

Have you got any suggestions for a new subscription of beauty boxes?  What products have you been loving in your boxes this month? 

Bye for now.  

Jess. X

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation in 10 Beige

 Hi Guys.  I'm slowly getting back into writing blog posts.  They will still be slow at first but once I get back into a routine, you should see more coming out each week.

This post is all about foundation and the foundation I have been loving recently is the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation and the shade I wear is 10 Beige.  

This foundation is described as 'A fluid foundation that awakens tired skin.  its exceptionally fine, fresh and lightweight aqueous formula offers an incomparable "second skin" finish'

My thoughts on this foundation is that it has a sheer to medium coverage which gives me a dewy but not overly shiny finish, which lasts all day with no touch ups.  I don't find this foundation drying at all and that might be because is quite a watery base which helps moisturise the skin.  I find this foundation easy to use and blend out with my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge.  I used the sponge dry as I find that using this foundation with a damp sponge ruins the finished look of the foundation.  I don't use any powder with this foundation because again, it ruins the finish of the foundation and makes it look cakey.  

This foundation also has an SPF of 15 in it so I don't have to worry about using an SPF underneath  (not that I need to worry about using one any way in the UK because we are going into the winter months now and as I am writing this, it is raining heavily)  And even though this foundation has that added SPF, it doesn't smell, in fact the smell is quite fresh and pleasent.

On the Boots website this retails for £32 pound but when I bought it back in January, it was £33 pound but I am sure it could be found cheaper elsewhere.  This foundation comes in only 7 shades which is quite a small selection.

What is your favourite foundation?  What is your go to way of applying foundation? 

Bye for now.

Jess. X

My Lip Balm Collection

Hi Guys.  It's been a while since I last did a post like this (I may be a bit rusty).  I thought today I would show you all my ever expanding lip balm collection.  I feel that I have a few different brands and some of them are my favourite lip balms.

From L-R: Nivea Pearly Shine, Nivea Fruity Shine in Peach, Nuxe Reve de Meil, EOS in Blueberry  Acai, Nivea Lip Butter in Coconut, Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla Macadamia, Pixi by Petra Shea Butter Lip Balm in Ripe Raspberry, Nivea Lip Butter in Blueberry Blush, Nivea Lip Butter in Raspberry Rose, Nivea Sun Protect & Dove Shimmer lip balm.

Above is  my entire collection.  It is not the biggest or the fanciest but putting them all together shows that I like a certain brand.  Nivea for me is one of the best drugstore lip balms I have come across but the one that outshines them all is the Nuxe Reve de Meil (which I have a full review on here)

From L-R: Nivea Pearly Shine, Nivea Fruity Shine in Peach, Nivea Sun Protect, Dove Shimmer Lip Balm & Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Ripe Raspberry. 

The stick lip balm are very handy when I am out and about and need some form of lip balm on so grabbing one of these out of my bag is great for on the go.  The Nivea Pearly Shine, Nivea Fruity Shine and the Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm all have a slight tint to them so I use them if I want a wash of colour but don't want a full opaque lipstick.  The Nivea Sun Protect and the Dove Shimmer Lip Balm I only use during the summer months when I need that extra protection (Although I do only grab the Sun Protect lip balm mostly)

From L-R: Nivea Lip Butters in Coconut, Vanilla Macadamia, Blueberry Blush & Raspberry Rose.

As you can now tell, Nivea is my favourite brand of lip balm and when they released the lip butters, I was all over them.  As you can probably see from the photo that the Raspberry Rose and the Vanilla Macadamia are the most used ones as I have had them longer and I love the smell of them (in fact I love the smell of them all and don't have a particular favourite scent.)  The formulation of these are amazing...they aren't too greasy and they glide on like a dream.  They don't really have a tint to them although the raspberry one has a slight pale pink tint but it isn't really that noticeable.

Overall, like I said above my favourite lip balm has to be the Nuxe Reve de meil as this is the ultimate lip balm which saves my lips through the harshest winters.  

Which brand is your favourite?  Have you got a lip balm that you cannot live without?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

My Crazy Life-Update

Hi guys.

It has been far too long.  I am sorry that I just left and put this on a majorly long hiatus.  Life has just been so crazy plus the motivation has been on the slow side since I last posted.

So...since my last update and post for that matter (I had to go check to see what my last post was)...I have finished my first year of university with a 2:1 might I add :)  I also did a bit of voluntary work over the summer just to keep me busy which helped so much in the latter part of the holidays as me and my boyfriend broke up in September after 3 years together which was heart wrenching and I am still not 100% over it but I guess things take time and my family and friends where there to support me and distract me as well as my voluntary work.

Back at uni now and I feel that I am having a better uni life this year considering I have no time for my self.  So what has my life become as a second year?  Well first thing is I am so much more organised and my work isn't suffering (unless flatmates distract me or things from outside are loud), I am also a Student Ambassador for my faculty as well as a Student Representative for my degree and I have also gotten a part time job at Burger King which I started the other week.

I am so grateful with my life at the moment and I am hopefully going to post more often on here as my blogs 1st birthday is coming up at the beginning of next month and I need ideas on what to do for it.  So any ideas would be appreciated as I would like to do something for my readers.  Maybe a small giveaway?

I would also like to thank everyone who has waited patiently while I sorted my crazy life up.

How has you life been?  Any main events happened?

Bye for now.

Jess.  XX