Boots Haul

So yesterday I went on a mini Boots haul, picking up some much-needed items as well as a few goodies! I was lucky enough that when I walked in, Biotherm had been doing some sort of promotion, so I was handed a bunch of free samples! Also, have as anyone else noticed that Boots have started their own magazine? It's free for those who have a membership card, otherwise it's still just £1! I had a read of it, and I have to say that for a drugstore magazine, it's quite good, with some very good tips and tutorials (Also a free sample of Rimmel's BB Cream)! I love anything free, especially if it's beauty-related, so this was great.

Boots Botanicals All Bright Hydrating Day Cream, 50ml. £3.49

I'm a huge fan of Boots' Botanics skincare range. Their products have always worked well on my skin without any irritation or complaints. This is from their 'All Bright' collection, which is made with Hibiscus flower to aid in brightening and evening out the skin. This particular day cream moisturizer is for normal to dry skin. It has a fresh, nicely floral scent to it and the finish is very creamy and smooth - I find it perfect for the wintertime, since my normal-combination skin tends to get a bit drier than usual during this season. 

Maybelline Master Shape Brow Pencil in Soft Brown, £2.99

I was in need of a new eyebrow pencil, so as I was scouring different products, I came across this. The Master Shape Brow Pencil from Maybelline is a new product in their range, currently selling as buy one get one half price, so I thought that I couldn't go wrong. It comes in two shades, a light shade, for blondes, and a darker shade for brunettes. I was a bit skeptical when I tried this product, as it's very much like an actual crayon - Waxy in texture - But paired up with some of my trusty HD Brows eyebrow powder, I think it works well enough for me. I also love that it has a spool-y wand at the other end - I wish more high-street branded eyebrow pencils had these attached to them! They're perfect for combing the colour into your brows, so that the finished product looks more natural, rather than just caked on.

Montagne Jeunesse Chocolate Face Mask, £1

Montagne Jeunesse Virgin Olive Oil Face Mask, £1

I love, love love love, these masks. I think they're one of the best, most affordable things you could buy in a drugstore for your skin and to help you relax. They come in a variety of types/fragrances/finishes for different skin types/issues, and they're only £1! I buy at least one of these almost every (if not every other) weekend to help pamper myself and feel relaxed. I'm a face mask junkie, and own loads of different ones from different brands, ranging in prices from low to high, but I've got to say that if you are unable to afford 'big name' masks, why not go for these? They do the same things, if not more. Think about it - You could buy that high-end face mask for £££'s, or you could buy 20 of these face masks, all of which are different, and you don't have to commit to just one of them. I find that I can get two uses out of each packet, which adds to my love for them. The chocolate mask is one of my favourites, since it literally smells (and feels, when you apply it!) like chocolate frosting on your face. I've never tried the olive oil one, but I'll let you know how it goes, if you're interested!

And here are my Biotherm samples! I can't wait to try all of them. I haven't heard much about the brand before, so it will be nice to be able to discover a bit more about them, as well as what they're products are like, since I know that they are a bit pricey to start out with.

What are your favourite products to buy on drugstore hauls? Let me know your thoughts!

Glossybox UK February Valentine's Box

Yesterday morning I received my anticipated February Valentine's Day-themed Glossybox in the post. I was surprised at how quick the delivery was; After receiving a shipping confirmation email the night before, it was delivered to me right the next day! I must admit that I was extremely impressed.

In opening up my package, I really admired the new design on the Glossybox - It was a nice change from their standard pink box, this one coloured a bit brighter pink than usual, endowed with a fuschia-coloured bow design on the lid. Opening up my box, I was also impressed with the wrapping - I have had Glossyboxes in the past that seem to have been put together quite messily, but after filling out their subscriber surveys, I can I see that they took that into account, as well. The contents of the box were wrapped in a lovely light pink paper, with a fuschia-coloured ribbon holding it nicely together. Inside was Glossybox's monthly mini magazine, with a tutorial on to create 'beautiful, bold lips' for Valentine's Day. In unfolding the magazine to a poster-sized paper, the magazine revealed the contents of this month's box.

I have to admit that I was really impressed with the contents from this month's box. It seems that (in a way), like Birchbox, Glossybox has been undergoing some changes for the new year, of which I'm pretty proud of. Past monthly boxes haven't been the greatest in terms of their layout and their contents, but I could definitely tell that with their February box, they are stepping up as a beauty box brand and that I will still continue to be a subscriber and support them. Inside of the box, since it was 'Valentine's Day' themed, I received a Micabella Cosmetics Mineral Eyeshadow in Intelligence (#94), Anatomicals - You Need A Blooming Shower! Body Cleanser, Sassoon Salon Professional Spray Shine, MeMeMe Cosmetics FatCat Lengthening Mascara, Miners Cosmetics Lip Colour in Dreamer, as well as cute red heart-shaped lollypop thrown in for the festivities!

Micabella Cosmetics Mineral Eyeshadow in 'Intelligence' (#94) - I was a bit upset that the sample size was so tiny, but that's the only issue I had with this product. The colour itself is gorgeous - A shimmery, smoky, purple-y - brown colour that would flatter anyone, in my opinion. I find it very similar to Bellepiere Cosmetics Mineral Eyeshadow in it's consistency and it's shade. Despite it's size, I feel that it would last me a bit longer since the product itself is so dense and concentrated, so I would only use a little bit at a time.

Anatomicals - You Need A Blooming Shower! Body Cleanser - Nice to see a full-sized product in this box! I know that from a previous Glossybox, I received the Don't Just Clean It, Scrub It, Woman Body Scrub and was not incredibly favourable towards it. However, I think that this body cleanser is great - It comes out of the tube as a neon pink colour, lathers up really nicely, and smells like they've shoved a bouquet of roses straight into the bottle! The scent is perfect for Valentine's Day, and it reminds me of spring/summer, which I love. Great product!

Sassoon Salon Professional Spray Shine - This product was a sample size, but a pretty decent-sized sample size, at that. After spraying a bit of this product into my dry hair, it instantly felt more refreshed, soft, and incredibly manageable. It smells absolutely lovely, like I've sprayed some light perfume in my hair, and it also added some nice shine to my hair, as well. The product contains  UV ray protection, which is perfect for my colour-treated hair.

MeMeMe Cosmetics FatCat Lengthening Mascara - This was another full-sized product, which I was proud of receiving. The product itself did exactly what it claimed to - It lengthened my lashes dramatically, and the colour was a really intense black, which is favourable to me in mascaras. However, it didn't add any extra 'oomph!' to my lashes, which, since they're a bit thin to begin with, made them look a bit sad. I like volume in my products, and I'm sad that this couldn't contribute to that. But a decent product, nonetheless!

Miners Cosmetics Lip Colour in 'Dreamer' - Another full-sized product! Really, Glossybox..you are definitely stepping up your game! This product was very moisturizing upon application and created a smooth finish. I wasn't too impressed with the colour, since I thought it was bit too shimmery for me, but other than that a decent product with good coverage that lasted a few hours without needing to reapply!

So there's my review for this month's 'Valentine's Day'-themed Glossybox! What did you think of this month's box, and did any of you receive anything different? Please leave some comments below, especially if you've also reviewed this month's box on your blog!

I'll be doing a Valentine's Day-inspired beauty post coming up this week, so keep your eyes peeled!

Blush and Brunch Blog - Beauty Giveaway!

I am constantly discovering new beauty and lifestyle blogs every day, as well as sifting through ones that I follow already, looking for more great tips and try's. As many of you know, I'm a huge skincare advocate, believing that yes, makeup is amazing and I don't think that I would ever leave the house without it - Seriously! - but to conquer the real issues with your skin, as well as preventing future damage and ensuring the longevity of your skin, great skincare is absolutely essential.

Blush and Brunch ( http://www.blushandbrunch.com/ ) is a beauty/lifestyle blog created by the lovely Rachel, an American who lives in Hong Kong. I found her blog a few months back whilst rummaging through other blogs, and I think it's safe to say that hers is one of my top go-to's. She, like me, is a huge fan of skincare, as well as a fan of organic products that work well and are good for you. Because she lives in Hong Kong, she has the many benefits of Asian skincare right at her doorstep - From sheet masks, to weird egg serums, to adorable packaging on makeup - I can definitely say for myself that I am incredibly jealous! She has recently hit 200 followers on her blog this past week and as a result is throwing an amazing giveaway of best-selling Asian skincare and beauty products, including the incredibly cute Tony Moly Bunny Gloss Bars, as well as Escargo Sheet Masks, which I've heard so many great things about (Despite their name)! It's definitely not a giveaway to miss, so don't miss your chance - The giveaway closes at 9 am GMT on 17th February, and is open to everyone internationally, as long as you are following her blog via Google Friend Connect. You can find the link to the giveaway here.

Good luck everyone! (:

The Body Shop - Seaweed Clarifying Toner

Last week, I was wandering around St. Pancras station after visiting the Ainhoa pop-up spa for their collaborative event with Birchbox UK for their London-based subscribers (You can see that post here.) As I was about to leave the station, I happened to pass The Body Shop, and thought - 'Why not?' I've always been a huge fan and supporter of The Body Shop and their products, since all of their products are fair-trade and made with 100% raw, all-natural ingredients. I will admit that sometimes I do find some of their products a bit more than I'd be likely to spend, including their Body Butter range - However, on days that I can afford to splurge on myself, they're definitely on my top list! But I suppose that's for another post, another time..

I went into the shop and was very kindly greeted by their staff, which I find a normal occurrence with The Body Shop, and yet another reason why I think they're great. I wandered round to check out their deals, as well as any new products I'd not heard of yet. As I was perusing their skincare range, I happened across their Seaweed collection - A range of products, including a cleanser, a wash, toner, exfoliator, moisturizer, a day cream, a night treatment, a pore perfector and a clay mask, all made with their key ingredient of Bladderwrack Seaweed, originating from the South-West coast of Ireland. Bladderwrack Seaweed sounds strange, but it actually carries many benefits for the skin including but not limited to eliminating dryness, cleansing the skin of unwanted toxins, and helping to prevent wrinkles. As the sales assistant was helping me to decide my purchase, I knew that something from this product range was going home with me that day.

Seaweed Clarifying Toner; £3 for 30ml, £8 for 200ml

I chose the Seaweed Clarifying Toner because (guiltily, I admit) I haven't used a toner in quite some time, despite my extensive skincare range at home. I was told by the lovely woman who gave me my fabulous 15-minute facial at Ainhoa that I really should use a toner because of the benefits it produces to my skin. A toner is meant to be used after cleansing the skin to remove excess cleanser, dirt, or other products from the skin (in other words, to thoroughly cleanse it) as well as refine and close pores, especially around the T-zone area of the face. I took this into consideration while deciding my purchase from The Body Shop.

Seaweed Clarifying Toner; £3 for 30ml, £8 for 200ml

I chose the 30ml bottle to test the product throughout the week on my skin to see how it reacted - You can never be too wary about products! - But can happily exclaim that I will definitely be re-visiting The Body Shop to buy the 200ml bottle! The 30ml bottle only costs £3, and if you choose to purchase the 200ml bottle, it's only £5 more at £8 for the bottle! After about a week, I've only gone through less than a third (1/3) of the 30ml bottle, so if you buy the bigger one, it will last you a long while if used correctly!

Have you tried any products from The Body Shop's skincare range? What are your thoughts?

KMS California UK Birchbox Event

After a night of skincare bliss, I was invited yet again to another Birchbox UK event. This time, it was in partnership with KMS California UK at their KMS Hair Academy in West London. Upon arrival, I was greeted again by the lovely Birchbox UK staff with champagne and yummy cake pops. After sitting down and waiting for the even to start, I was approached by two stylists from the academy - One of them, the lovely Nicola Smyth, asked me if she could use me for her demonstration on stage, which I was more than flattered by!

I was taken backstage where the other stylists and their models sat being styled. I was then explained that the reason I, amongst the other two models, was chosen for the demonstration was because of KMS' philosophy - That their products are aimed towards real people; people who can't get styled at a salon or by a stylist everyday, but those of us who want to achieve great styles in the comfort of our homes by ourselves. I thought it was a great concept on their part. During this time, I was able to talk with Nicola about KMS' hair products - Their benefits, as well as how I could style my hair with them.

I was then taken on stage for the demonstrations. The hairstyle that was demonstrated on me was a twisted-knot bun. Surprisingly, it was so simple to achieve - Nicole explained how to create the look quick and easily. It's definitely something that I am now fitting into my daily hair routine, since I almost never wear updo's (Mostly because I don't know how to achieve any of the hairstyles that I like). It's a great way to wear your hair either formally or informally, which makes this very universal and great to constantly wear!

Nicola's website can be found here.

After the demonstration, I was approached by people who were saying how much they loved my hairstyle - I couldn't get over it! I'm not used to the flattery, so it was nice.

Nicola then re-explained the products she used on my hair, and guiltily on my part, I bought all of them! Definitely not nice for my bank account..But in defense, they are great products! (I also couldn't get past the 40% discount that night, so I suppose it was for a bargain..) I received a sample size of the Free Shape Quick Dry spray in my January Birchbox and absolutely fell in love with the product, so I knew that I was going to be buying a full size of it. I have very long hair, so this spray helps speed up the drying process and leaves my hair feeling über-soft and shiny afterwards. The Free Shape Heat Defense spray makes my hair feel even softer,  as well as protecting it from my blowdryer and it helps hold my style for a few days, especially if I straighten my hair - Which is fantastic! Finally, last but not least, I've never used a texturizing or salt spray on my hair before, mostly because I was wary of them making my hair look/feel too greasy, but this KMS version - The Hair Play Sea Salt Spray - is absolutely brilliant - Nicola instructed me to spray a bit on dry hair, flip it over and blowdry, then flip it over again, brush my hair smooth and then scrunch/mess it up however I like! The best part is, you can reapply the spray up to 2-3 times and it won't leave your hair greasy or weigh it down, which for me is a huge plus.

Free Shape Quick Blow Dry; £15

Free Shape Hot Flex Spray; £19

Hair Play Sea Salt Spray; £12

Before leaving the event,  I was given a goodybag with some bonus sample products from KMS - The Silk Sheen Styling Creme, the Free Shape Hot Flex Creme, and their newest product launching soon!, the Hair Play Playable Texture.

So another great night from Birchbox UK! I'm looking forward to more amazing events in the near future.

Have you ever tried any products from the KMS California range? What did you think of them?