Wow, where did April go? Yet again it was quite difficult to chose, as I have tried some fabulous products this month, so I thought I would go with the ones that I'm reaching for everyday. Here's a quick run-through of my favorite beauty and skincare products from April...

Astalift Light Analyzing Moisture Foundation  £29 30ml

I absolutely adore this foundation, it's the first medium to full coverage foundation I have found with a dewy, luminous finish. I chose the shade Sunny Beige after much deliberation, there are hardly any reviews on this foundation online...which shocks me as it's amazing! Here's a link if you want to read my full review on this foundation.

MAC Prep+Prime Natural Radiance Primer  £29 50ml

A fabulous illuminating primer which creates a flawless base for foundation and leaves skin looking healthy and renewed. Here's a link to my full review of this primer, trust me it's fabulous...a make-up bag must have for me now!

Molton Brown Rhubarb & Rose Hand Cream £10 40ml

 This hand cream literally smells good enough to eat! I first tried this after receiving a sample of it in my March Birchbox and I'm now hooked! It leaves hands moisturized without feeling greasy and lightly fragranced with the scent of rhubarb and rose...divine! Other than the cream itself I love the packaging Molton Brown products come in, cute enough to brighten up any handbag.

Premae Lab Definitive Eye Creme £17.50 30ml

I received a generous sample of this specialist eye creme in my April Premae Donna Box and I can honestly say I've not even looked at my Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream since! What I love about this eye creme is that it's lightweight, yet very moisturizing and acts as a fabulous primer for my eye concealer.  I've ordered a full size for my May Premae Donna box...post to follow!

Triumph Creme Balm £49 50ml

Another pick from my April Premae Donna Box is this fabulous anti-aging creme. I've been using this for a little over 3 weeks and my skin is already looking and feeling more renewed. This creme is packed full of antioxidants and vitamins, I apply before bed and it makes my skin so soft when I wake. Here's a link to my full review and product description. 

Clinique Chubby Stick in Two Ton Tomato £17

I have a real thing for red lipstick's, they are my go-to lip colour when I can't decide what to wear on my lips. Now we're moving into warmer weather I like to switch up my lipsticks for tinted balms or stains and Clinique's Chubby Stick in Two Ton Tomato is fabulous for this. Its a sheer tinted balm which can be built up to a medium intensity. Not only do they look great on your lips but they look great in your make-up bag!

Jodie

xoxo

My First Birchbox...

I'm sure Birchbox isn't new to many of you but after a few disappointing boxes from Glossybox I decided to give Birchbox a go...especially when I saw they were collaborating with one of my favorite handbag designers...Lulu Guinness! If you read one of my latest posts about Glossybox you will know I have cancelled my subscription, for me a beauty box should be more about the quality of the contents than the quantity. As I live in a rural part of Somerset and the nearest department store for high end products is 50 odd miles away I want to be able to try products out before I commit to buying and they end up in my ever expanding drawer of once-used products! My first Birchbox didn't dissapoint. The box felt it was put together with care, the products were good quality and the sample sizes were very generous. Lets take a look into my box...

Benefit Stay Don't Stray

I absolutely love this primer! So much so I went on to purchase the full size version. It can be used under eye-shadow or under-eye concealer. I was sent light/medium which compliments my skintone perfectly. I have found it gives me a lovely smooth base and keeps my concealer in place all day. A huge thumbs up from me!

Dr Brandt Pores No More

I'm a sucker for anything that claims to erase my huge pores and give me flawless results, other than the fact this box was a Lulu collaboration, this primer was one of the reasons I subscribed. I hate to say it does nothing for my pores, but it does give me lovely base for my foundation. When you squeeze it out of the tube it's a quite intimidating red/brown colour, but this is not at all apparent when your foundation is applied over it. I also want to mention it has quite a strong fragrance, a nice spicy, floral fragrance. I have enjoyed using the sample but probably wouldn't purchase the full size for £39.

Molton Brown Hand Cream

I love hand creams! The sample only lasted me day as I apply hand cream every time I'm done washing my hands. It had a lovely scent, Rhubarb and Rose and instantly absorbed into my skin (just as they claim). It was a pleasure to use but I don't think I'm swayed from my usual go-to hand cream.

English Laundry Signature EDP

I usually am not too phased when I receive a perfume sample...I have a drawer full of them but this perfume is going onto my birthday wishlist! Its a gorgeous sweet floral smell with a faint hint of toffee. It smells quite alike to Katy Perry's Killer Queen or Britney Spears' Fantasy. I was gutted when the sample ran out! Big thumbs up from me!

Korres Citrus Body Milk

I'm not usually too enthralled my citrus smells, they remind me of cheap air-fresheners for some reason?! This moisturizer is an exception. It has a very fresh, light citrus smell. Although it's a body milk, which in my experience are quite light, this is very moisturizing. Another thumbs up from me!



Also included in the box was a white and black striped stick of rock, very in-keeping with the theme of the box...I munched this on one of my lazy pj days! I'm really please with my first ever Birchbox...I'm wondering why I didn't cancel my Glossybox and sign up earlier! I also must say that their customer service is great, I had a query (being a new customer I wasn't familiar with some of the order processes) and their response was friendly and relatively fast. A huge new fan...

Jodie 

xoxo