Lush Boxing Day Haul

I do love to splurge on Lush goodies throughout the year, and I definitely took advantage of the Boxing Day sale at Lush. My favourite shower gel, Rose Jam, is a limited edition product during the holidays, and last year I only picked up a 250g bottle (which I used sparingly and it lasted the whole year!). This time, I got the 500g bottle which means I can use it without being stingy. In my opinion it is much better than the well known Snow Fairy shower gel, but I think it's higher price point (thanks to Argan oil and Rose Absolute) has meant it's not as popular.

I also bought the Little Snow Fairy and the Winter Garden gift sets (for myself of course). At half price, I could justify buying both, and am considering going back to Lush during the week to see if they have any left (which I highly doubt). The Little Snow Fairy set contains 100g Snow Fairy shower gel and 100g Pink Fun. I am a fan of the bubble bars (not too keen on bath bombs) so I know I'll enjoy making my own creations with the bar of Fun. The Winter Garden set includes 100g Rose Jam shower gel (you can never have too much!), 45g Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, 100g Sultana of Soap and 10g sample of Helping Hands hand cream (and a large bauble to store it all in).

I think I have enough Lush products now, including the few that I got as presents. I'm looking forward to using them over the year and hopefully I'll have a few new favourites for next year =)



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No rest for the wicked (a.k.a. trainee teachers!)

I knew that as the PGCE commenced, there would be a lot of work involved and I suppose my previous work in school did prepare me for the long hours, dedication and energy that is needed to teach. What I didn't really account for, was all the paperwork that is included! Observations, monitoring, assessments and not to forget the assignments! My first M-Level assignment is due at the end of the Christmas holidays, so while many prople are enjoying the festive season, I'll be stuck in books and on my laptop, trying to churn out 4500 words.

I will be going to the Boxing day sales tomorrow so there is a little break planned. I'm going to be one of those crazy people that gets up early for the Next sale (and then waits for the rest of the stores to open). Personally, I'm looking forward to sales at Lush, Dorothy Perkins and Boots. I've already started my sale shopping with some craft goodies from Hobby Craft.

Happy Holidays everyone!

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British Beauty Blogger Dream Box II

I may have temporarily cancelled my YBD box subscription this month (I didn't really need/want any of the products available) but I couldn't resist purchasing the Dream Box II by The British Beauty Blogger and Latest in Beauty. With a total of 18 full, travel and sample size products (worth approximately £130) for the price of £21.95, I was logging into my Latest in Beauty account as soon as lunchtime came around. Unfortunately the site was down (because of the popularity of the beauty box), so I signed up on the waiting list and was able to purchase the box the next day. It's really no surprise that the box is jam packed with products. Once I had opened it up, I couldn't get everything back in to close it up!

The products included in this box are all hand picked by Jane (British Beauty Blogger) and I'm looking forward to trying them all out. Included in this box are the following products:                                                                                                                 

Ardell Natural Style Demi Wispies (Full Size)
Vichy Aqualia Thermal Light Cream (15ml)
Kerastase BAIN SATIN 1 (30ml)
Kerastase LAIT VITAL (20ml)
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick SPF15 (3.7g)
Mio Double Buff (50ml)
Sleek MakeUP Mini Pout Polish (4.5g pot)
LOLA Make Up Ultra Shine Lipstick (full size 4g)
invisibobble The Traceless Hair Ring (3x hair rings)
Agent Provocateur FATALE (2ml vial)
Eylure Brow Crayon in Mild Brown (0.23g)
Le Couvent des Minimes Gardener's Hand Healer (25ml)
The Body Shop Beautifying Oil (100ml)
NUDE Skincare Deluxe Pro Genius Treatment Oil (10ml)
Essie Nail Polish (1x 5ml)
Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Duo (full size)
Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream (8.5g)
Ciaté London Lashlights (6.5ml)   I'm most looking forward to trying the Burt's Bees Cuticle Cream, the Mio Double Buff and the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Light Cream. I can't believe I've never bought the Bourjois Bronzing Poweder before, so this product will also be on my first to try list. As I'm a big fan of the L'Occitane Shea Butter hand creams, I'm wondering how the Le Couvent des Minimes Gardener's Hand Healer will compare as it also contains 20% Shea butter.   Overall, I'm loving this box as these are products that I would never have picked up for myself (especially the Ciaté Lashlights and the Elizabeth Arden Lip Protectant) as well as products that I would have liked to try earlier, but my student budget doesn't allow for it. Hopefully I'll be posting a few reviews with my thoughts on individual products, but for now I'm just going to enjoying trying them all out (not all at once though!)

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Project Shoebox

Project Shoebox started out as a small facebook campaign last year, aiming to collect 40 shoeboxes filled with essentials for Bromley Women's Refuge. The total was more than double the number of boxes and a few additional essential boxes to keep supplies stocked up. This year, Project Shoebox has grown and is again collecting items that can be given as aid/gifts to the women and children at the refuge.

As a compulsive hoarder, I emptied out most of my stash last weekend and filled two boxes (each one smaller than a shoebox) with a bunch of products, from unused cosmetics to sample sachets of lotions and more. The truth is that I definitely don't need any of them (especially when I already have a lot to get through!) so to pack them in a box and post them to the Project Shoebox address was the obvious thing to do. 😊

If you're thinking of doing a little clearing up and 'de-stashing', make sure you don't throw away anything you could possibly donate for a good cause.
 

You can find all the details for Project Shoebox on the facebook page here. Don't forget to follow them on Twitter and Instagram too (@PRJshoebox).
 

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A Little Update [Back to Uni]

Just thought I'd update you all on what I'm doing at the moment. By now you probably know that I'm back at university studying for my Primary PGCE. I went through the Schools Direct (unsalaried) route as I wanted to stay within my local community. Other than knowing where my placements will be, it's not at all different from the university based PGCE route. What I didn't realise was that teacher training, along with all the practical school experience, involves a lot of paper work! So, if I'm a little quiet on the blog as well on FB/Twitter/Instagram, you'll know it's because I'm probably busy completing tasks for various portfolio's and trying to keep on top of my assignments. I will try and blog regularly, but realistically, I'll be in (semi) hibernation until July next year.

One thing is for sure, teacher training is definitely not an easy year, so I'm a bit worried about the actual teaching!
 

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Sampling Foundation #4 - Bare Minerals bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation

Picking up on this mini series from where I left it in April, I recently picked up a sample of the new Bare Minerals liquid foundation (the whole name is a mouthful!). The formula is a combination of mineral foundation and a skincare serum with a non chemical SPF 20. As you may already know, my usual foundation is the Bare Minerals Original Powder, so I thought I'd see how the liquid one would compare in terms of shade match, coverage/finish and ease of use.

Personally, I love the powder foundation because it's so easy to use, simply tip a little into the lid, swirl your brush in, then tap off the excess and buff into the skin. It literally takes two minutes (or less) and I'm left with light-medium coverage without a heavy feeling on my skin. The bareSkin foundation requires a little more effort as you have to shake the bottle before you take it out. This is quite satisfying as you can here the ball inside mixing the product. Then I simply apply a 1-2 drops directly onto my foundation brush (in this case, it's the Real Techniques Expert Face brush) and dab around the face before starting to buff it in.

What are my thoughts? I actually really like the bareSkin foundation. It feels very light on the skin and doesn't oxidise once you've applied it. I apply enough for light coverage, but it can be built up (without feeling cakey) if you wanted more. The finish is dewy, and really does give you that glowing look (probably something to do with the fact that it is a serum foundation). It hasn't reacted with my combination/sensitive skin and lasts throughout the day - around 7/8 hours for me (I do set my foundation with a little MAC Prep+Prime Translucent Finishing Powder).

At the Bare Minerals counter, I was matched to two different shades, Bare Latte and Bare Sand. There was only a sample of Bare Sand available, which is the slightly darker shade, but once buffed into the skin (and it's the same with the original powder foundation) the slight shade variation didn't really make a difference. So, definitely get shade matched at your nearest counter before purchasing (and ask for sample to try at home). There are a total of 20 shades available so there is bound to be one that matches your skin tone.

Despite the little bit of extra effort required at the beginning, I really do like this foundation and I will (hopefully) purchase it after Christmas (downside of being a student, I have to prioritise my purchases). I think I've been converted from mineral powder foundation to liquid foundation!

Have you tried the Bare Minerals bareSkin foundation? What are your thoughts?



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You Beauty Discovery Box - September (Birthday Box)

Can you believe that You Beauty Discovery boxes have been around for a whole year? I remember signing up to the subscription boxes aftet reading Pyari Beauty's post on the October box last year. Since then, YBD has had some very good boxes as well as some not so great ones, but they are all worth the £6.95 that I pay each month.

 

This month, I decided to go for two makeup products, as I haven't actually purchased any new makeup since coming back from holiday (and probably won't until the post-Christmas sales. I've started my teacher training, so I am officially on a student budget!). I chose the Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pencil (Black Noir) and the Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm (Unique Pink). Both are travel sized products (roughly half of the full size) and both are suitable for everyday wear. The full size for each retails at around £11 (Eye Pencil) and £12 (Brilliance Balm). I've used the Pixi blushers before, but these two products will be nice to try out, especially as eyeliner and lip balm are staple products in my makeup bag (even though I have enough black eyeliner pencils already...oops!). Other products this month included a full size Toni & Guy Glamour Volume Plumping Whip, two Crabtree & Evelyn herbal tea bags, a £25 off voucher for Hello Fresh and a cosmetic sponge. 

What do you think of this box? Have you subscribed to YBD boxes?

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Dubai Holiday Haul =)

If you follow me on Instagram and Twitter, you'll know that I went away to Dubai at the end of August with one of my best friends. Along with enjoying the sunshine (up to 40^oC) and food, we also did plenty of shopping! I mostly picked up gifts for others, but I did treat myself to a few bits and pieces. And here's what I picked up!

Starting off with a little Jo Malone fragrance purchase in Duty Free.

 

Taking advantage of the Sephora store that was across the road from the hotel at the newly opened Beach Mall near JBR. Face masks to try out as well as a new felt tip eyeliner.

 

And I couldn't resist a trip to Bath & Body Works. Yes, these 3-wick candles weighed a ton, but they were on offer (3 for 160AED, which roughly works out to £26. A bargain when they were 90AED if bought alone!). My favourite scent (and a repurchase from last years trip) is Mahogany Teakwood.

I also bought myself a purple beaded kaftan, which I am hoping to wear for Eid Ul Adha inshaAllah
 (more pictures to come then).

Anything in particular that you'd like to see a more in-depth post on?



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HER 300 Trecento Revitalising Hair Treatment [review]

My first hair care product review on the blog! Seeing as my hair spends most of its time under my hijab, I don't really use any particular products to keep it looking good. In the June YBD Box (see post here), I chose the HER 300 Trecento Revitalising Hair Treatment, and decided to use it during the school holidays (as I had a bit more time for myself!).The HER hair treatment is a pre-shampoo treatment and is quite a thick cream inside the tub. It's easy to scoop out (although not so much when you're holding the tub with wet hands) and you simply apply the treatment to damp hair, leave on for 5 minutes and then rinse off before you shampoo and condition as normal.

So far I've used this hair treatment 3 times since the beginning of August. I felt like it was too much to be using once a week, so decided to space out the uses a bit more. As I use a medicated shampoo (Capasal), I sometimes feel that the shampoo strips my hair of all the natural oils and can leave it dry and brittle. Even though I apply the mask before I shampoo, my hair definitely looks and feels much healthier and smoother. When I do use the hair treatment I don't use conditioner simply because my hair would end up feeling heavy and greasy (which is not ideal under hijab!).

Overall I'm really glad that I chose this product in my June YBD and look forward to using it as a regular hair treat. Not sure if I'll repurchase this particular one again, but I know that I will be looking into hair masks and treatments a bit more (I already have my eye on the Lush one) =)

If you're interested in trying the HER 300 Hair Treatment, you can purchase it from Her Haircare Rituals, £14 (75ml) or £30 (200ml).



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What's in my Travel Bag? [Flight Essentials]

As you probably know by now, inshaAllah I'll be going on holiday to Dubai in a few days. I'm one of those people that tends to pack well in advance so that everything is ready to go on the day (none of this last minute packing the day before!). I also love making lists and tick things off as I've packed/done them. Anyway, here's what I've put in my hand luggage ready to be used during the flight or once I've landed. My carry on bag isn't very big, so I needed to be extra picky about what to put into it. Also, thanks to the restriction on liquid products, all the items that I've packed are 100ml or less =)

1) La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water (50ml) - I know it's just a water spray, but I know that this spray will help keep me awake during the flight as well as make the heat in Dubai a little more bearable. It definitely will be staying in my bag throughout my holiday.

2) Bioderma Atoderm Nourishing Cream - This little 8ml tube is from the rather large set of Bioderma Samples from Escentual. It'll be mostly used for making sure my eczema doesn't flare up during the flight.

3) Impulse True Love Body Fragrance - This was a last minute (well, a week in advance) addition to my travel bag. The smaller 35ml size means that it'll take up less space in my bag (originally I had a Bath and Body Works Fragrance Mist which was bigger).

4) Lanolips Lip Ointment with Colour SPF 15 (Rose) -  As my usual EOS lip balm is a little bulky, this tube of Lanolips will definitely keep my lips moisturised during the flight and throughout my holiday. The added SPF is a bonus and will protect my lips from any sun damage while I'm out and about. It's the only lip balm I'm packing in my luggage for my holiday.

5) L'Occitane Shea Butter Honey Hand Cream - Another one of my handbag essentials going into my travel bag. L'Occitane hand creams are 20% Shea Butter and keep the skin moisturised without leaving any residue. I also love using this for a mini hand massage, which is something I can do whilst on the flight =)

6) Wet Ones Sensitive Wet Wipes - In case of any emergencies, I do like to keep a packet of wet wipes in my bag.

7) Bioderma Photoderm Max SPF 50+ cream - Another little Bioderma miniature for my hand luggage. I know that once we land it'll be around 10am but it'll be pretty warm and bright outside, so I'll definitely need to apply sun protection before heading out of the airport.

8) Optrex Eye Drops (for dry eyes) - Pretty self explanatory this one. I usually get dry eyes during the flight, and because I'll be wearing my contact lenses when I'm actually in Dubai, these eye drops will be my saviour in all the air conditioning!

9) MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Pressed Powder (not pictured)- The only makeup that I'll be carrying in my hand luggage will be pressed powder (and a powder brush to go with it). I'll only need to apply this after my sun protection just before leaving the airport. Big sunglasses will hide everything else =)

I think that's all my flight essentials. Obviously I'll have my non-beauty items as well, including my iPod, phone, camera, travel documents, sunglasses etc.

Do you have any particular products that you pack when travelling?



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You Beauty Discovery Box - August

I received my August YBD box a few days ago. Aptly named 'Summer Essentials', I chose the Eucerin Sun Mattifying Face Fluid with SPF50 and the Gazelli Triple Youth with White Oil duo from the products available. The added extras included in the box were Jimmy Choo EDP and Jimmy Choo Man EDT samples, a sachet of Face-D 3-Luronics Instant Effect Cream Serum as well as a 4 way nail buffer.

I won't be taking this bottle of SPF with me on holiday, but I know that this will come in handy if the weather is still lovely and warm when I get back. It's always important to use SPF because without it, our skin would age before its time (and prevention is always better than treatment!). The Gazelli Sample set stood out as the YBD website stated that there was limited availability of the product, so I added it to my box without a second thought. There are two 5ml samples included: a face cream and a face serum. I know that the products are designed to be anti-ageing, so I'm not sure they're quite right for me but I'll definitely be trying them out.

There was a decent selection of products this month, and for £6.95 I have the opportunity to try out products that are worth much more. What's there not to like?



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Washing my Makeup Brushes

Thanks to a wedding at the weekend, I had a pile of makeup brushes that needed to be washed and dried. I'm quite obsessive about washing my brushes, and wash the brushes that I use daily at least once a week (there's only 5 of them). However, when it comes to special occasions, I make sure that I thoroughly wash all the brushes that I've used. This means that when I need to use these brushes again (particularly eyeshadow ones), I know that there won't be any pigment from the last colour that I used. Also, as I have sensitive skin, I don't want to irritate my skin by using brushes that have a build up of product after constant use.

I use the Dr Bronner 18-in-1 Castille Rose Soap to wash my brushes. It's easy to use, just pour a little into the palm of your hand and swirl the makeup brush in the soap, making sure that the water runs clear when rinsing out the soap. I then leave them to dry on a clean flannel. The soap is gentle and the rose scent not overpowering (I also have the lavender scent). I have to admit that it is a little time consuming and boring, but I'd rather spend time doing it than end up with a break out on my face!



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Eid Mubarak! and an Escentual Haul =)

A belated Eid Mubarak to all my readers! It's been a busy few days with lots of henna, baking, food and visiting relatives! Anyway, here's what I treated myself to from Escentual.com (a sort of Eid present to myself) =)


What was originally meant to be a repurchase of my Bare Minerals foundation, turned into a miniature haul from Escentual (oops!). Alongside my foundation, I also ordered the Bioderma Skincare Sample Set, which consisted of 27 sample sizes of Bioderma products. Luckily, it was on offer at £16, and I got a voucher emailed to me with a value of £20 after I had ordered. Win!

And here's what arrived in the Bioderma Sample Set. I know that I'll be taking quite a few of these miniatures on holiday with me, especially the Micelle Solution's and the Atoderm range of products.

A full list of the samples included in the set:

Sébium

• H2O Micelle Solution 10ml
• Global - Intensive Purifying Care 5ml
• Hydra - Moisturising Replenishing Care 5ml
• AKN Fluiid - Purifying Corrective Care 5ml
• Pore Refiner - Corrective Care 5ml
• Purifying and Foaming Cleansing Gel 10ml

Sensibio

• AR Anti Redness Cream 5ml
• AR BB Cream - Anti-Redness Skin-Perfecting Care 5ml
• Rich - Soothing Cream 5ml
• Light - Soothing Cream 2ml
• Forte Cream - Reddened Sensitive Cream 5ml
• H2O - Micelle Solution 10ml
• Eye Contour Gel 2ml
• DS+ Soothing Purifiying Cream 5ml

Atoderm

• PO Zinc Crème - Ultra-Soothing Cream 8ml
• Creme Lavante - Nutri-protective Cleansing Cream 10ml
• PP Baume - Ultra Nourishing Emollient Balm 8ml
• Nourishing Cream 8ml
• Atoderm PP Ultra Rich Foaming Gel 10ml

Photoderm

• AKN Mat - Mattifying Fluid SPF30 5ml
• Spot Cream SPF50+ 5ml
• AR Tinted Cream SPF50+ 5ml
• MAX Cream SPF50+ 5ml

Hydrabio

• Light - Moisturising Cream 2ml
• Rich - Moisturising Cream 5ml 
• Serum - Moisturising Concentrate 5ml

Cicabio

• Smoothing Repairing Cream 5ml

With the £20 voucher, I then placed another Escentual order for my saviour from eczema (Bioderma PO Zinc Crème) and thought I'd try out the Bioderma Sensibio DS + Soothing Purifying Cream for my eczema as it has a lightweight texture which will be much appreciated for the rest of the summer. With my purchase of the Sensibio Purifying Cream, I also got a Sensibio Micelle Solution (100ml) for free. Another win! All in all, I think my haul from Escentual will last me a good few months and I'm looking forward to trying the different Bioderma products over the holidays =)



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You Beauty Discovery Box - July

This month's YBD box features a shortlist of products which are travel friendly. Seeing as Summer has finally arrived in the UK, and many people will be off for a little break abroad (including me!), this box couldn't have come at a better time.

For my box, I chose the L'Oreal Miss Manga Mega Volume mascara and the Abahna White Grapefruit and May Chang Bath Gel (35ml). This month's extra's included Egyptian Magic All Purpose Cream (3ml), Agent Provocateur Fatale EDP (2ml) and Dove Men Care Shave Cream (50ml).

I'm looking forward to trying the mascara as I have read quite a few positive reviews on it. Even though I don't wear mascara very often, I'll be wearing contact lenses on holiday (rather than glasses) so I'll be able to apply more than my usual light coat when out and about. I chose the Abahna bath gel randomly after finding that the product I originally wanted was out of stock. I probably won't be taking it on holiday with me but I'll definitely be trying it at home. It's free from SLS, SLES, Parabens and artificial colour and is fragranced with 100% essential oils, so hopefully it won't irritate my skin and will leave a lasting scent =)


Overall I'm not wowed by this month's box, but at £6.95, it's not that bad =)

What did you get in this month's YBD box?



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Ramadhan Kareem

I can't believe we're already half way through the first fast of Ramadhan! I know that I won't be posting much on the blog in the next few weeks, mostly due to work (the end of term is approaching fast) but also because I want to get away from being online during Ramadhan. I hope that everyone has a blessed Ramadhan and that all of our prayers are accepted.



 





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You Beauty Discovery Box - June

This month's YBD box shortlisted products considered Beauty Heroes. From the selction available, the two products I chose were the Rituals Zensation Foaming Shower Gel (50ml) and the HER 300 Trecento Revitalising Hair Treatment (75ml). I don't normally choose hair products but this 5 minute treatment stood out on the product list (and is worth £14! More than double the cost of this month's box). The extra's in this box included a new Dead Sea Mud Spa face mask and a pink expandable face cloth.

Overall this month's product selection didn't wow me, but I know I will be trying the products that I've chosen and hopefully they'll make a good impression. Still, it's well worth the £6.95 to try out products that I would probably never pick up when shopping around =]

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Graze Breakfast Box

I've been signed up to the Graze Nibble box for quite some time now, and always look forward to getting one through the post just after payday. When the breakfast boxes were first introduces, I wasn't so keen on the selection available. Graze recently changed their breakfast range completely and I have to say that the new selection is much more appealing. There are 20 different porridges, granolas and mueslis to choose from, which makes a difference from the old range which only consisted of porridge. I'm not a big fan of porridge, so I decided to tick the 'send soon' box on 3 different granola's (perfect to eat with Greek Yoghurt) and let the fourth item be a mystery.

Here's what I got in my Breakfast Box:

Rugged Maple and Pecan Granola: maple granola, pecans, chopped hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds & malt coated oats.
Honey Hunter: oat & barley granola, chopped pecans & walnuts, hazelnuts, almond slices, honey-baked oats & pumpkin seeds.
Mango Lassi: mango & passion fruit granola, coconut flakes, passion fruit yoghurt, honey-baked oats, pumpkin seeds & crispy multigrain flakes.
Pecan and Walnut Porridge: chopped walnuts, chopped pecans, oats and honey almond slivers

I love that the bags can be resealed, which is great because I can use the packet over the week and not worry about the emptying it into a different container. I haven't tried the porridge yet, but the bag has a handy fill line to measure the amount of milk/water so that porridge isn't too wet. I won't be getting these boxes regularly, but as an occasional treat they are great (and the granola bags are small enough to take to work without taking up much space) =)

Graze always send voucher codes with each of their boxes to share out. For a free Breakfast box, visit THIS PAGE and enter the code ASMAAM41. If you haven't registered with Graze already, then you can get your 1st breakfast box free. Existing customers get an extra box free when they buy a breakfast box.



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What's On My Face - Everyday Makeup

As Spring has finally arrived (and Summer it hopefully on its way), I thought I'd do a little post with what makeup I'm using currently on a daily basis. To be honest, there isn't much change in my daily makeup between seasons, but I am starting to experiment with colour (although it still has to be work appropriate). I also skip eyeliner on most days and find that a little mascara just makes my face appear more awake.

And this is what I'm using at the moment:

Bare Minerals Prime Time Foundation Primer

Bare Minerals Original Foundation SPF 15 (Tan)

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade (Dark Brown)

Sleek Contour Kit (Medium)

MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Pressed Powder

I try to rotate my blushers around so that I make use of all of them, but these are the three are I reach for the most. They aren't really Spring or Summer colours, but when applied with a very light hand, they add a lovely flush of colour to my face.

Illamasqua Cream Blusher (Betray)

NYX Powder Blush (Desert Rose) 

Illamasqua Powder Blusher (Hussy)

 

Mascara and lip products tend to be whatever comes to hand first. I only a apply a light coat of mascara, otherwise my lashes would be brushing up against my glasses (current favourite is a sample of Guerlain Cils D'Enfer Maxi Lash). My bag contains a few lip products, and always a Lanolips tube so I can apply when I'm out and about =)

Do you keep your makeup the same everyday? Or are you always trying something different?



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You Beauty Discovery Box - May

This month's YBD member's box is in celebration of the CEW(UK) 2014 Beauty Awards. The CEW (UK) Beauty Awards are basically the 'Oscars of the Beauty Industry', which means that the product shortlist for this months box was bound to be amazing. This is what I got in the May box =)

I'm not particularly sure why I chose the GlamGlow YouthMud mask again for this month, but I know that this is a product that has visible results, even though the extreme tingling is little too much for my skin. I also got the GlamGlow SuperMud mask, which I'm looking forward to trying during the half term break. It's a clearing treatment which is supposed to treat breakouts alongside reducing pore size and targeting common skin concerns. It's great because you don't have to apply it as a full mask, just apply to the area's that need a little extra attention.

Alongside my two chosen products, there was an individual packet of Lizi's Granola, and sample sachet's of Caudalie's Divine Legs and Charles Worthington Moisture Seal Leave-in Conditioner. I've tried Lizi's Granola in a previous YBD box, and I love having the smaller packet to take to work to eat with Greek yoghurt. The Caudalie Divine Legs is a product I've heard of numerous times and it's basically a tinted body moisturiser designed to give a tanned look, which is easy to apply and washes of at the end of the day.

What did you get in your YBD box this month?



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April Empties

I haven't done an empties post in a while, but I have accumulated a number of empty containers/tubes/tubs etc. over the past few weeks. And here is my (belated) April emptied post =)

Products that I have/will repurchase:

EOS Lip Sphere-This lip balm is the ultimate lip balm. Yes, the packaging is big (although it is cute), this product stays on my desk at home and I always reach for it when my lips need a little moisture.

Bioderma Ultra-Soothing cream-This seems to be the only product that works on my eczema. I'll be repurchasing this soon as my eczema has calmed down, so I don't need to apply the cream as often. (I've decanted what I could get out from the tube into a little pot, which is why I've cut the top off).

Guerlien La Petite Robe Noire EDT-I love this scent, and I'm so glad that I got two of them in the Boots Christmas Sales. I'm not really a perfume wearer (more body sprays and mists) but this fragrance is definitely one that will repurchase.

&OtherStories Rose Revival body scrub-These body scrubs aren't very expensive (£7) but they smell amazing and have enough texture to actually exfoliate and be called a scrub. I've already got another scent waiting to be opened. If you ever get the chance, pop down to an &OtherStories store to test out the body scrubs (and their other bath and body products).

 

Products that I won't miss:

L'oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Solution-I bought this when it was on offer, so it somehow worked out better value for money than the other micellar waters available. It's a pretty good cleanser (I use it with the Kleenex cotton face cloths-a bargain find in 99p stores!) but the design of the bottle and the way it pours out means that a lot of product is being wasted. I'll be taking a look at the Garnier micellar water instead.

CND Solar Oil-I got this in the first BBB beauty edit box, and unfortunately it hasn't wowed me in any way. I like the packaging as the brush makes it easy to apply the oil to the nails and cuticles, and it smells nice, but it just didn't do anything for me. I'm sticking to my L'Occitane shea butter hand creams!

 

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The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter [review]

Before I finish this product, I thought I'd do a review (and take pictures), unlike my review on the RMK Cleansing Balm. I've been using the Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter constantly, ever since I got it in the March YBD box.

It is solid in the tin, but starts to melt once you apply it over your face. I use the cleansing butter to remove my makeup at the end of the day, and it definitely does a great job of it. You only need a small amount of the butter to massage over the skin and then I use the muslin cloth (first dipped into warm water) to remove. The Camomile Cleansing Butter removes all the stubborn makeup (even waterproof mascara) and the muslin cloth wipes it all away. Obviously you would need more than one muslin cloth if you were to use it daily, which is where my little stockpile of Liz Earle ones come in handy.

 

I'll definitely be repurchasing this cleansing balm when I finish it, as it's really easy to use on a daily basis and is suitable for sensitive skin and for use around the eye area. Also, it's a lot easier to get hold of than the RMK Cleansing balm and not to mention, much cheaper!
 

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