Um where the hell did July go? Seeing July through is always an exciting one for me as birthday is at the beginning of August which mostly means new makeup! Last months empties were mostly the everyday essentials, how often do us beauty junkies actually finish a makeup product?!

Lets begin with a new favourite, Kèrastase Cristalliste Lait Luminous Perfecting Conditioner. This was actually a decent sized sample from My Little Box, I hadn't really heard of this conditioner before so it sat in my bathroom for a while but once I had tried it and saw what it did to my hair I was hooked! This conditioner is designed to be used on the mid lengths and ends of long hair, it helps detangle and leave your hair feeling light yet nourished. I have gone on to purchase the full size product as my hair can't be without it now!

Nivea In Shower Moisturiser is a product that I really love the concept of more than the product itself. I initially bought this moisturiser in the winter to save me having to stand cold and wet in the bathroom applying moisturiser after my shower, it didn't provide enough moisture for my dry skin at that point so I thought I'd put it aside for the warmer weather, alas even though I wear lighter moisturising lotions at this time of the year it still does not provide any decent level of moisture to my skin. This is one I shan't be repurchasing.

Aussie Miracle Shine Shampoo has been my go-to shampoo for the last few years, it leaves my hair glossy and smelling great. I use a couple of different conditioners throughout the week but my hair washing routine will always start with this product and I always have a couple of spare bottle in my bathroom cabinet.

Unfortunately Maybelline Baby Lips  are another product that I love the idea of more than the product. Sure they're affordable and they come in a wide variety of shades and designs but they just don't moisturise my lips! Lip balm is one of those products I rarely like to skimp on as you can really notice the difference to the moisture levels in your lips and you then have to spend a week getting rid of flakiness and rehydrate them. This is another product I won't be repurchasing. 

From a bad lip balm to a great one with Clarins HydraQuench Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm. This is only a tiny 3ml sample but you need so little of the product it lasted and lasted, I applied before bed and my lips were always soft and smooth by morning meaning I need not worry about prepping for any type of lipstick, even matte shades. This is one i will be purchasing in the near future.

Soap and Glory Scrub Of Your Life was from a Christmas gift set, I have a regular favourite body exfoliator but I thought I'd give this a shot. I haven't used a Soap and Glory exfoliator in a couple of years, I used to love Breakfast scrub, not only did it smell divine but it did an amazing job of leaving your skin glowing, unfortunately Scrub of Your Life doesn't compare, it's more like a shower gel with a few exfoliating beads in it. 

I'm on about my third of fourth jar of Benefit's It's Potent eye cream, I love everything from the cute packaging down to the sparkle it gives back to my eye area. This will be a regular repurchase.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream is a product I've heard so many people rave about, I've been using it for a couple of months and have to admit can't really see any visible improvement to my skin. I dispensed the contents of the jar in to a pump bottle (germ phobe!) and I still have a couple of weeks worth yet, I'm on the fence about repurchasing.

Benefit They're Real Beyond Brown Reveiw

They're Real £19.50

I've only ever worn black mascara, apart from a brief obsession with blue lashes as a teenager but we'll leave that where it is. Just lately I've been loving a natural look more than ever and I decided to put away my usual black mascara and eyeliner and go for a softer approach with Benefit's new Beyond Brown They're Real.

I've had a few sample sized They're Real over the years but never considered buying a full size, no real reason just favouring others more at the time of trying the sample sized. The release of new shades made the mascara more appealing than ever and I have to say its pretty good!

Beyond Brown definitely gives a softer finish to my lashes, the longevity is good and I don't find I get much transfer when wearing. I would like the formula to be a little glossier as the finish is more of a matte brown. As with the sample sized the bristles on the brush are quite a hard plastic and if you accidentally scrape it across the inside of your eyelid you certainly will know about it! Benefit say for the best result to hold wand horizontally and wiggle side to side for lift and then turn the wand vertically and stroke upward to curl and separate. Even using this technique I struggled to get a good amount of product on my lashes, not bad if you want to avoid clumps but not so greta on the volume side of things.

All in all I'd give this mascara 6/10, it certainly doesn't give me the volume and lift of others I have owned but it will see me through my brown mascara obsession this summer.

This Weeks Most Worn

My most worn products over the last week are a collection of both old favourites almost forgotten about and new discoveries which I'm loving, all of which I really couldn't be without in this heat.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural has seriously left me wondering why on earth I hadn't tried it before. For years and years I had avoided finishing powders as they took me back to those awful matte, pasty pale years of my teens. After struggling more than most years with controlling shine I decided to purchase this powder as it not only controls shine with a semi-matte finish but it also provides another light layer of coverage. When wearing you can barely tell you're wearing it, it doesn't cling to imperfections or to those fuzzy little hairs we ladies have, just a smooth natural finish. Love!

Another MAC favourite at the moment is their Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Soft Ochre. My usual favourite eyeshadow primers aren't keeping shadows on my oily lids, this stuff not only works great as a matte eyeshadow on it's own but also doubles up as a long wearing natural base that doesn't crease or fade. My Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette has made an appearance in my daily routine again, with the shade Stark being my everyday shade, I'm seriously gutted they don't sell this shade on it's own as I will be lost without it!

My Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer has made it's way back into my makeup bag, I'd almost forgotten how good this stuff is! I do suffer with a little creasing under my eyes so I make sure I tissue off any excess product and set with powder to avoid it settling into the creases, the result is much brighter and more rested looking eyes.

I do currently have a Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara open but when I saw Benefit release new shades of their They're Real Mascara I was instantly drawn to the brown shade, I have to say its pretty good. The mascara itself doesn't give me the most volume and lift I've ever had from a mascara but I am enjoying the more natural look of brown lashes apposed to my normal black. I'll post a more in-depth review of this one soon.

Last but my no means least we have my current favourite blusher from Clinique, Melon Pop Cheek Pop. This stuff looks so nice with my current tan, it gives cheeks the loveliest wash of colour but keeping them looking natural and not powdery. I have the coordinating lipstick, Melon Pop and when worn together it really pulls my whole summery look together.

See any of your favourites or anything you've been dying to try?

Benefit Operation Pore-Proof! Pore Kit Review

Benefit Operation Pore-Proof £28.50


I don't know about you but my skin is seriously struggling with this hot and humid weather, my trusted regular primers and foundations aren't keeping the oil at bay and for the first time ever I've purchased a setting powder! I'm a huge fan of Benefit's makeup and some of their skincare (It's Potent I'm looking at you) so with their release of this kit promising to smooth pores and control shine it seemed like an answer to my current skin woes. As I haven't struggled as much as current with controlling my shine I'd never considered a few of the older products in this kit such as Dr Feelgood or The POREfessional Agent Shine, I have a few sample sized The POREfessional Primers in my drawer and I was intrigued to try their new Shy Beam and The POREfessional licence to blot. So how did it fare?

So lets start with the one product I know a load of people swear by, The POREfessional pore minimizing balm. When I first tried this primer many years ago I didn't like it, it made my skin feel dry and didn't sit well under my foundation. Fast forward to last year and I received it in a Birchbox, thought I'd give it another shot and really enjoyed it! I don't suffer from overly huge pores but as I mentioned I do get a little oily, unfortunately I don't find this primer helps with either of those issues, it does initially create a smooth matte base but I don't find it lasts past lunch.

Next up we have Dr Feelgood complexion balm - this one I'm still trying to come to grips with as it's a quite firm, waxy type texture. It's designed to work above or under makeup, smoothing pores and fine lines and managing excess oil. I applied it with the accompanying sponge after POREfessional primer, I couldn't really see that it did reduce pores or shine, when I have a day at home I will try it over my foundation, the morning I tried it I had work and didn't want to mess my base up.

Once I'd got my primer and foundation on I decided to try Shy Beam, Benefit's new matte nude pink highlighter (not available on it's own until 2016). I'm a bit puzzled by this one, my skintone is medium at the moment (NC20 if we're talking MAC) and you couldn't see I had it on. It doesn't have any apparent 'highlight' to it, I'm not sure if this is aimed at darker skintones than mine but it just doesn't work on me.

After I'd applied bronzer and blusher I moved on to POREfessional Agent Zero Shine, I really like this powder, it has a kinda mineral powder feeling to it in the respect that it is light and fluffy. The only pain with this sample is the packaging, the instructions advise to tap the pot in to the lid and then swirl product with a brush and apply to your face. How do you tip the product in to the lid without then spilling the powder from the pot as you lift it? I'm guessing the full size product has a better method of application.

Lastly we have POREfessional Licence to blot, I'm sure you can't have missed this one when it launched. Unlike the full size version the sample sized in this kit is small and rounded, much like a lip balm. This is another one I'm trying to get the hang of, I've tried applying it lightly in a blotting motion, to avoid moving the makeup underneath, to areas with shine and I can't see any obvious removal of excess oil. The instructions state to apply the product in short swift strokes, I can't see how this can be done without disturbing your base?

I'm still on the fence with this kit. I think I need to get to grips with a couple of the products before I finally pass the verdict on it. If like me you've not really delved in to Benefit's more core products then this is a great place to start.

Trial Sized Tuesday's | Benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion

Benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion  | rrp £21.50 50ml

In the post Christmas sales I picked up a couple of Benefit's b.right! Radiant Skincare 6 piece intro kit's and as excited as I was to try them (as I adore Benefit's makeup) I will admit they have kinda just sat in a drawer in my dressing table. A couple of weeks ago I caught sight of the set when I was digging around looking for a tanning mitt and picked the facial emulsion mostly because the name intrigued me, I mean a moisturiser does just that but what is so different with this?

So what is it? Triple Performing Facial Emulsion is an oil-free, lightweight formula designed to hydrate and prepare skin for moisturiser. The formula has such a fresh scent it's unreal! After reading a few negative reviews on Benefit's website about how oily it left some girls faces I was a bit apprehensive of how it would fare on my oily/combination skin but it doesn't add to my oiliness at all. One thing I have noticed is how well my makeup sits when I'm wearing this lightweight moisturiser underneath, my skin looks really smooth and seems to reflect the light leaving me looking a bit glowy! Triple Performing Facial Emulsion has an SPF 15 which is great as I will rarely go for a product if it doesn't have any SPF.

I love this moisturiser so much I've already purchased the full size bottle. The sample sized bottle is a generous amount, it's enough to really give you the opportunity to trial it over a few weeks (a dig at those pointless little skincare sachets companies give out!). The only thing I will say is that despite the sample sized bottle being aesthetically pleasing it is totally impractical! At times no matter how much you shake you don't get a drop out and other times only slightly tilting it will dispense enough to do your face 10 times over, luckily the full size product has a pump in the bottle!

March Empties

It's been a while since I did an 'empties' post, primarily because I completely forget to stash away those empty vessels and they end up in the bin but this month I have made a conscious effort to put aside those empty products. So I'm going to run through my empties and whether they will be repurchased or already have...

Yves Rocher Cocoa & Pistachio Hand Cream | £1.95 75ml

I always have a couple of tubes/bottles of hand cream on my bedside table as the last part of my bedtime beauty routine involves slathering my hands in moisturiser before bed. This cheap and cheerful hand cream from Yves Rocher smells divine and although I don't have over dry hands unfortunately it does very little for me on the moisturising front so this one won't be a repurchase.

B. Pure Micellar Water | £4.99 150ml

I've tried a fair few micellar water's and none have stood up to this. Not only does it remove all traces of makeup but it also leaves my skin squeaky clean and smooth. I use this as part of a 'double cleanse' at night meaning I will use this prior to my cleanser and together they deliver a super deep cleanse. I have a stockpile of this micellar water, you can often pick it up for half the rrp from Superdrug.

Premae Balance Rescue Facewash  | £30 200ml

If you read my blog regularly you will know that I have a real soft spot for Premae's products. This gel cleanser has done wonders for my skin, with it's completely natural ingredients it provides a deep cleanse whilst leaving my skin soft and nourished. This product is a regular repurchase as it's such a staple in my routine.

Lush Tea Tree Water  | £4.25 100ml

If like me you suffer from troublesome skin occasionally then you will love this toner. Containing only 6 ingredients it effectively balances oily skin and removes the last traces of your clearer whilst helping to fight your spots. I will repurchase this somewhere down the line, I've just started a toner from La Roche Possay so I will see how I get on with that one first.

Batiste Dry Shampoo Cherry | £2.99 200ml

I doubt I'm alone in favouriting Batiste dry shampoo, it's great for giving you one last day in between washes and giving volume to hairstyles. I've already repurchased only this time I have gone for a trio of miniatures I picked up on sale from ASOS.

Loreal Miss Manga Mascara | £8.99

This mascara is one of my favourite drugstore products. It does an amazing job of lengthening and separating lashes with a smudge and clump free formula. I definitely would repurchase this mascara, I have Lancome Hypnose open at the moment (I don't like to have more than one mascara open at any one time) but this would be top of my list for future purchases.

Lush Mask Of Magnaminty | £5.50 125ml

Lush offer a great variety of affordable yet effective skincare products and mask of magnanimity is at the top of my list for face masks. When I'm suffering from a bad break out this mask does wonders for my skin. I go through bouts of buying Lush products, unfortunately I live 30 miles away from my nearest store so I can't just pop in, I do order online when I have a largish order to put through but because they are full of fresh ingredients they only tend to last for 14 days.

Lush Cosmetic Warrior Mask | £6.50 75g

This is my all-time favourite mask for break-out's, it does a quick and super effective job of clearing break-out's and reducing the size of those horrible large spots that just won't budge. The smell takes some getting used to (think garlic mayo!) due to some of the ingredients but when it does an amazing job like it does, I can live with it!

Eyeko Eyeliner | £12

I absolutely love this eyeliner for it's precision but I do find that the formula smudges and as it's a felt tip pen style liner it dries up so quickly! This unfortunately will not be a repurchase, I much prefer a gel liner for the depth of colour.

Benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion | £21.50 50ml

The one pictured is a sample size from a Benefit gift set. This oil-free lotion preps skin for moisturising and leaves skin soft and dewy without looking oily and slick. I have gone on to purchase the full size product as my foundation seems to look so much better with this moisturiser worn underneath!

Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Bath & Shower Oil | £40 55ml

Again in this photo this is a sample sized product, from Birchbox I think.  I smooth this oil all over my body before getting into the shower and within seconds of the water hitting my skin the bathroom is filled with the uplifting scents of sage and frankincense. I will definitely go on to purchase the full size product.

Vasanti Brighten Up Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator | £26 120ml

This is another Birchbox sample, I'm on a mission to work through that huge draw full of samples I have! Whilst this exfoliator smells lovely and has fine particles to help buff dead skin away I didn't find it abrasive enough for me, I do own cheaper and more effective products. It's not the worst I've tried but its far from the best so for this reason I won't go on to purchase the full size.

Phew this month's empties has certainly been one of skincare, I find it hard to get through makeup as I have so much of it and do a weekly product rotation. Have you spotted any of your favourites here?

Benefit b.right! Radiant Skincare 6 Piece Intro Kit

I purchased a couple of these adorable sets just after Christmas in the sales, as a huge Benefit cosmetics fan I had been intrigued to delve into their skincare range for a while and what better way than with an adorable little kit like this?

For an intro kit that only costs £14.50 the set has an incredibly great quality feel to it with four of the samples housed in kitsch glass packaging. I'm a massive fan of my regular eye cream, Benefit's It's Potent! Eye Cream and I have to say that everything else that I have been trying is pretty impressive.

The set includes samples of Benefit's-

Foamingly Clean Facial Wash 8.9g

Refined Finish Facial Polish 8.9g

Moisture Prep Toning Lotion 8.9ml

Triple Performing Facial Lotion 8.9ml

Total Moisture Facial Cream 3g

It's Potent! Eye Cream 3g

If you, like I was, are intrigued to try Benefit's skincare range then I couldn't recommend this set more. Even if you don't enjoy the products just think how cute they will look on your dressing table!

Trial-Sized Tuesday - Benefit Refined Finish Facial Polish

One of my (many) post Christmas purchases was the b.right! Radiant Skincare by Benefit 6 piece intro kit rrp £14.50 which really is the most gorgeous little set to help you get introduced to Benefit's skincare. Having a weakness for exfoliator's like I do their Refined Finish Facial Polish was the first item I wanted to try and when better than on my Trial-Sized Tuesday!

This exfoliator boasts natural ingredients (winning me over already!) such as natural clay and seaweed extract rich in minerals and natural sugars known to purify the skin. Benefit claim that this exfoliator when used once or twice a week will help minimise the appearance of pores, purify the skin and leave you with a more radiant complexion.

I don't know why but I was expecting the exfoliating particles to be a little finer than they are. The formula is quite thick and creamy which is great as you can really work it into your skin without it just rolling straight off. Although the formula is quite creamy it didn't leave my skin feeling greasy as some other exfoliators have and it left my skin feeling very soft. One thing I will say is if you have sensitive skin or don't like scented skincare then this may not be for you, I found the product to have quite a strong shampoo like smell.

Overall not a bad little exfoliator, I don't know if I would rush out and purchase the full size product but it's definitely not the worst I've tried.

Benefit Girl Meets Pearl Highlighter Swatch and Review

I've got a little bit of a thang for highlighter's and after lusting over Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl rrp £24.50 for a while I decided to take the plunge and purchase it, read on to hear my thoughts on it...

Like a lot of Benefit's products the packaging is super cute and the titles are product specific.

In my opinion the way the product is dispensed could have been designed way better, the applicator dispenses way more product than is needed so it ends up being wasteful and you have to be super cautious when twisting for more product.

The formula is quite sticky and thick for a liquid highlighter and I found it hard to blend over makeup without disturbing my foundation underneath but the colour is a gorgeous golden-pink that does give a lovely iridescent glow.

Over all a bit disappointing. I would have been happier with the product being dispensed from a tube or a bottle like their other highlighters and the formula feels more like a balm than the fluid it should be.

Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream

I was first introduced to Benefit's It's Potent in my Birchbox a few month's ago and as I'm more familiar with Benefit's beauty products I kind of just brushed off their skincare and the little pot of eye cream sat in a drawer for a while and when I finally dug it out and saw the results I was kicking myself for leaving it so long before trying! After recently finishing my two little sample sized jars I have purchased the full size for a very reasonable £25.50 and feel I can give you a review after a few months of use.

It's Potent has a balm like texture that I find very moisturising allowing your concealer to sit beautifully without smudging or budging. I can honestly say that after around 3 months of use I have noticed a really difference in my under eye area. I seem to have inherited the dreaded dark circles that no amount of sleep or water will budge, but It's potent is lightening my under eye area and I can notice the deep creases I had before are becoming more shallow.

I've tried a multitude of eye creams over the last few years and none have delivered the results this product have and most surprisingly so from a cosmetic company! As with all of Benefit's packaging this cute little jar will look gorgeous on any girls dressing table and the packaging contains a very generous 14.2g of product, the two little 3g sample jars I had lasted me nearly 3 month's so I'm confident this will last me well into next year.

Have you tried any of benefit's skincare range? What are your favourites?

Benefit Majorette Blusher

Last week I indulged my blusher addiction with the gorgeousness that is Majorette from Benefit. I'm a sucker for anything peach or coral toned and was convinced I could live without it when it launched but now I have it I'm left wondering why I left it so long to purchase it!

Don't be intimidated by the colour...once it's on it's the perfect pop of colour! When it arrived I was pleasantly surprised at the size, it's a very generous 7g's and although the packaging is a tad bulky, it has a handily little mirror inside so all can be forgiven.

Majorette is a cream to powder blush which you can either wear alone or under your favourite blusher. The colour in my opinion is far to pretty to go applying another colour over the top!

This blusher applies like a dream! I find some cream to powder blushers can be a little hard to blend or can move your foundation around in the process of blending, not this one! Although it's formula is a powder finish it still left my cheeks with a healthy sheen. I've seen some posts where it's been applied to lips also, I've not tried it yet (due to some flaky lips thanks to a grim cold!) but what a great multi-tasker! Lastly, this blusher smells gorgeous! Its smells like strawberries or berries or something...it's divine!

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O'Blushes Set

It is with much excitement and delight, being the blusher addict that I am, that I bring to you today Benefit's Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O'Blushes Set. As soon as I saw this set when Christmas shopping last week I hastily threw it in to my basket...as a treat for myself of course!

This set includes 6 of Benefit's most popular box blushers and Watt's Up highlighter combined for the first time in a set, all in a cute vintage looking tin.

The set includes-

Dandelion 4g - Full size 7g

Bella Bama 5g - Full size 8g

Rockateur 5g - Full size 5g

Hoola 5g - Full size 8g

CORALista 5g - Full size 8g

Sugarbomb 6g - Full size 8g

Watt;s Up 1.5g - Full Size 9.4g

The individual product size in this set makes it incredible value for money and a great opportunity to try more of Benefit's blushers without splurging out a small fortune on all of them individually. The set also includes a pretty little guide on how to apply the different blushers to make the most of your features. 

This set is the perfect gift for any beauty lover (or for yourself!) and I predict this set will sell out fast so get your hands on it quick!

Benefit Fake Up Concealer Review and Swatches - Light

My latest purchase in the quest of covering and hydrating my tired under-eye's is Benefit's Fake up Concealer in the shade Light. My regular concealer is Clinique's All About Eyes Concealer which has always been fine but just lately I've been finding it leaves my eyes a little dry and more tired looking (this concealer doubles up as a great blemish concealer too!) than before so I decided to jump in and purchase Fake Up for it's moisturizing purposes.

So as you might have guessed the moisturizing part of the concealer stick is on the outer with the concealer itself in the centre. Benefit say to apply to the under eye with light strokes and then blend into the eye area but I found it tugged a little at my under eye skin so I like to run the stick over the back of my hand to warm the product up and then apply with my ring finger.

The colour is perfect for me, so much so I can use it on blemishes on my face, as it's so moisturizing it doesn't highlight those dry blemishes at all. I do find that this concealer is a little too moisturizing to wear alone, you would need a dusting of powder to set however I like to use this as a moisturizing base and my Clinique All About Eye's concealer over the top. If you are looking for a moisturizing concealer then this is great, if you are looking for more coverage then not so great. The formula does live up to the hype of not settling into the creases of your eye or giving a cakey finish. 

I'm enjoying using this as a base for my Clinique concealer however using two concealers because they're ok in their own right is not really cost effective and I probably wouldn't repurchase wither. So the quest for the perfect concealer continues... 

September's Birchbox Contents And Review

September's Birchbox has the theme 'Happy Days'...a celebration of new beginnings and reminiscing about our school days and well, just the things that make us happy. So here's what I received in my box this month...

Benefit It's Potent! Eye Cream

First up is Benefit's It's Potent!  eye cream (3g sample). I'm currently trialling this eye cream after receiving it in another beauty box recently so it's great to have a little back up as I'm enjoying using it. It's potent is a very thick, almost balm like cream that is packed with active ingredients including cocoa extract and apple extract to help microcirculation and collagen count. As well as being an awesome eye cream the packaging is so cute and looks great on your dressing table!

Agave Healing Oil Treatment

A product that tames frizz and helps heal damaged hair is something that is always welcome in my hair routine. Agave Healing Oil Treatment (4ml sample) is said to help build resiliency and boost radiance and shine. As well as being an intensive hair treatment it also doubles up as a body oil. I'm looking forward to trying this next time I wash my hair!

Korres Citrus Showergel

Showergel is always a product that I'm a bit blah about receiving in my boxes, but they are a practical item and I often do enjoy using them. Korres Citrus Showergel (50ml sample) has a lightweight formula and a refreshing citrus scent, perfect for an early morning pick-me-up!

Premae Mild Pro Dermabrasion

Anyone that reads my blog regularly will know that I love Premae's products! I already own the full size version of their Mild Pro Dermabrasion and love it. I received a 20ml sample which will be perfect to keep aside for nights away from home, this scrub has worked wonders (as part of a routine of Premae's products) for me blemish prone skin. Premae's products only include natural ingredients which I love and as a result of this have really noticed a difference with my skin.

Model Co Lip Lacquer Viva

A couple of weeks prior to despatch Birchbox subscribers were contacted to guarantee and choose between 3 products to go in their box (Model Co Lip Laquer in Viva or Morocco or their Power Lash Mascara) and I chose Model Co's Lip Lacquer  in the shade Viva. To be honest I only went for this product as I presumed it was going to be a matte or velvet product and was a little disappointed to find it was actually a gloss (I haven't done gloss since I was 14!). I'll give it a go, but I'm pretty sure this will go to my sister.

Also in this month's box as lifestyle extra's was a little clip photo holder and a bag of Urban Fruit (I received Strawberry). Not a bad box, but not the best either...after seeing the contents on various social media platforms I really wasn't that enthused when it arrived today. As with all beauty boxes you are going to get your not so great month's, fingers crossed for a better box next month!

July Birchbox Review

On Saturday I received July's sun, sea & sand themed Birchbox. I was quite impressed with the speed of despatch and delivery this month (I had a right fiasco last month which meant I didn't receive my box until the end of the month!) so let's take a look at what I received in my box...

Laqa & Co Lip Lube

I'm a big lover of lip products, especially the chubby lip pencil style ones. I received Laqa & Co's Lip Lube in the shade Menatour, a sheer purple colour. There were two shades up for grabs (Bees Knees a coral shade) and if I could have picked then this shade would have been my choice. I found Menatour to be a very flattering fuchsia purple and it does leave your lips very hydrated...this has got to be my favourite product in the box.

Whish Three Wishes Body Butter

Yawn...another body product! Don't get me wrong, the opportunity to try a new body product every now and then is great, I do however seem to receive some form of body butter, lotion or milk EVERY month. I will admit I've not tried this out yet, it's been chucked in a drawer to try on a rainy day as Lavender is not one of my favourite scents. Whish Three Whishes Body Butter claims to be a non-greasy containing organic Aloe, Shea Butter and Raspberry butter to combat dryness and organic Seaweed extract to aid firmness of skin.

Models Own Fireworks Polish

This shade of Models Own polish (Rocket) was a bit of a random choice for a summer themed box in my opinion. Glitter polishes aren't usually my thing, but a red glitter polish in July?? I'm a massive fan of Models Own products but this one will have to go away until the festive season!

Benefit POREfessional Primer

Benefit's POREfessional is the UK's no.1 best selling primer and I'm probably going to get booed for saying this but I really don't rate it. I don't have massive pores but I do have a small amount of noticeable ones on my cheeks and this did absolutely nothing to disguise them and it left my face looking oily after a few hours. Admittedly the last time I tried this primer was a couple of years ago so I should probably give it a another shot before totally brushing it off, but this was not a product I was too enthralled at seeing in my box.

Balance Me Eye cream

Another meh product (in my eyes) is Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream. The only reason I say this is I am more than happy with my current eye cream so I'm not really looking to sample anything else, I could be wrong...this could be the holy grail of eye products! This three-in-one multi-tasking softens, smooths and brightens thanks to a unique blend of chamomile, lemon, cucumber oil, which-hazel, rose hip oil and carrot oil. Rich and easily absorbed its reputed to be perfect for the summer.

As a little lifestyle extra there was a nail buffer, which is a pretty handy thing to keep in your bag or your desk drawer at work.

I must say this was probably the worse box I've received from Birchbox so far. The majority of products on this month's shortlist have been around for a while and didn't really excite me to receive. I'm sure I'll absolutely love next month's box, it's just the gamble you have to take with beauty box subscriptions.

Jodie

xoxo 

Benefit They're Real Push-Up Liner Review

Unless you've been living in an underground bunker for the last month you can't have missed the hype surrounding the launch of Benefit's new They're Real push-up gel liner. 

My signature look includes eyeliner in some form, be it just a simple slick above the lash line or my normal go-to cat-eye flicks. When I saw Benefit were bringing out the first ever gel eyeliner in pen form (with an innovative soft tip that hugs the lash line) I just knew it had to be mine. 

I do own a few gel eyeliners already, one of my favorites being Maybelline's Eye Studio Gel, the formula is great and the little brush aids a smooth application but it dries up fairly quickly. At only £7.99 it doesn't break the bank to chuck it away when it starts to dry up but I do hate to chuck something away that isn't finished! For a long lasting liquid eyeliner I do love Illamasqua Eye Liner cake and sealing gel, I've found nothing that beats the durability of this. If I'm going out or I'm somewhere hot and humid I'll always use this as it does not budge! Most days however when I'm in a rush I have to give it a miss as applying liquid liner with a small brush takes a little longer than I have the time or patience for when I'm getting ready for work! Queue Benefit's They're Real liner...

When I initially went to use the liner it took quite a few clicks to get the formula up to the tip...so on first use go carefully as you don't want a huge amount of product rushing to the top! The rubber tip is alot softer than I thought it would be and it guides the product along the lash line very smoothly. The formula is blackest black and after a whole day of wear I didn't experience and transfer or smudging (I'm not the type to be rubbing my eyes when I have my make-up on however). The only thing I can really fault Benefit's new eyeliner on is using it for a fine feline flick. It doesn't deliver the precise results I was expecting. I found it's ability to draw a bolder flick fine but if you're looking for something with more precision I'd say this isn't the one. 

The product itself wasn't any more of a pain to remove than most eye products so I wouldn't say purchasing They're Real Remover is a must, for me it would just be one extra product to use and a waste of £14.50.Would I repurchase? Maybe. It's handy having a gel eye liner in pen form and not having a dirty brush floating round your make-up bag but for £18.50 I'll have to see how many uses I can get out of it. Jodie xoxo

LIB's The British Beauty Blogger Dream Box

Earlier this week Latest In Beauty announced they were releasing a 'Dream Beauty Box' collaboration with Jane Cunningham aka The British Beauty Blogger, this caused a stir on all social media platforms as ladies couldn't wait to get their hands on it! Luckily I didn't hang around too long to purchase mine as it sold out within 24 hours, unsurprisingly so as it's packed with some fabulous products each of which I will use. Priced at £19.95 and the value of the contents amounting to over £100 this is an astoundingly good value beauty box and with each of the products being tried, tested and approved by Jane herself we all knew we'd love it! There were only a few variations of products you would receive, the Make-up Revolution palette, Essie nail polish, Bourjois cream blush, Kneipp herbal bath and Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick sachet. I was very happy with the variations of the products in my box, lets take a closer look at the products I received...

Kneipp Herbal Bath rrp £7.95 Stress Free Orange & Mandarin full-size

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick sample in So Marilyn

Bee Good Honey & Wild Water Mint Cleansing Water rrp £10 full-size

Elemis Treat Your Feet foot cream 20ml 

Essie in Spin The Bottle rrp £7.99 full-size

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara rrp £19 full-size

Benefit  It's Potent Eye Cream 3ml sample

REN Satin Perfection BB CReam 3ml sample

L'Occitane  Divine Lotion rrp £10.50 50ml 

Bourjois  Cream Blush rrp £7.99 full-size

La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water 50ml

Janjira  Thai Lime & Ginger Handwash 50ml

Makeup Revolution Eyeshadow and Eyebrow Palette in Lock & Load rrp £4 full-size

Roger & Gallet Gingembre Rouge Perfume 1.5ml vial

Lola  Kabuki Brush full-size

I'm really happy with the products I received and find it an amazing value box, the great variation of products means it's great for a pampering night in! I know I'll be trying a few products out at bath time tonight...

Jodie

xoxo 

Benefit Instant Brow Pencil Review And Swatches

I purchased Benefit's Instant Brow Pencil rrp £15.50 earlier this week as I really wanted something quick and easy to use for those days when I'm in a bit of a rush or I'm not looking to wear a lot of make-up. On a normal day when I allow myself a little more time to do my make-up I use my HD Brows Eye & Brow Palette which is fab as I have everything I need in one place, anyways back to my new timesaving product... I wasn't expecting anything 'wow' from an eyebrow pencil as well, they are just that aren't they? I will say that the handy little brush on the end of it is very good, it's firm enough to brush brows and blend in the pencil but not hard enough to remove the pencil completely. I decided to go for medium brown which I think is a really good colour match for me, it has an ever so slight red undertone to it which compliments my chocolate brown hair perfectly. 

The formula wasn't at all what I was expecting, I was expecting it to be more like a waxy pencil consistency but this pencil is more like a gel formula. It applies very easily so I think you may have to be a little cautious of over-doing it but it soon dries into a naturally ever so slightly powdery finish. 

Above without Instant Brow
Below with Instant Brow

Now I'm not the kinda gal to be found sweating profusely or rubbing my hands on my face on a normal day so I can't really comment on the durability to those extremes but I can say that I applied first thing, went about my normal day (got caught in the rain a couple of times!) and when I checked my face in the evening it handn't faded or budged. 

I think Benefit's Instant Brow will be a great part of my lazy day make-up and although a little apprehensive of the colour match due to ordering online I think I picked the perfect colour for me.

Jodie

xoxo