A little time off... ♡

Hello sweeties! I just wanted to let everyone know that i'll be taking a break from blogging so i can free up my time to look for internships and do things that will help me move forwards in my future career.

I really enjoy blogging, but i feel like i need to improve my content, graphics, photos etc. and make my blogging more interactive. I'll try to improve my skills and open a new blog in the future. The content will be similar but there will be more variety and fashion posts. I will also post more often!

This blog will stay open so you can access any past posts. 

I don't have many followers, but for the ones i do have, thank you so much for sticking with me this far! 

ami ♡

Love me beauty uk: November 2013 ♡

Hello sweeties! I always get excited when another month rolls by and i can pick another box of goodies in the Love Me Beauty boutique! This beauty subscription box costs £10 + £2.95 delivery and you can pick from three menus a selection of beauty + lifestyle products. This month they also offered a Surprise Box + a Limited Edition box. Take a look at their website here!

This box arrived a little bit later compared to last month but that's okay! I received my dispatch e-mail on the 14th November and the box arrived on the 20th. If you read last month's Love Me Beauty post i wrote that they attached a note to my box to send me a £7 sample. Unfortunately they didn't include this sample so i contacted them and they said they've sent it now so hopefully it'll come and i'll keep you guys updated on that! They also included the Lord & Berry lipstick as a replacement for the eye make-up products that customers complained about last month.

This month i chose Menu 3 again because it included a show-stopping red nail polish! Very pleased with this box overall. It included three full-sized items + two generous samples + Lord & Berry lipstick. This box is worth over £50!

Love Me Beauty UK: November 2013

Box value: £50.20 + Lord & Berry Lipstick

Absolution (Sample Size) 40ml Le Soin Purifiant RRP £24 (50ml)

Sample value: £19.20

"Le Masque Purifiant is a skin-renewing mask that rids skin of impurities while restoring radiance and vitality. An exclusive cocktail of birch sap and white clay absorbs impurities and tightens pores, while soothing skin."

I was very impressed of the size of the product considering it's only a sample size - just 10ml less than the full product. The packaging is pretty and great quality too and although it's all in French, it's a simple product to use. The mask only needs to be applied for 10 minutes which is great for me as i don't like sitting around in masks for half an hour! This mask has a more liquidy consistency than i'm used to but i didn't need to use a lot of product. It was extremely relaxing and refreshing on my skin and left my face super-soft and smooth.

Jelly Pong Pong (Full Size) 2-in-1 Black Shadow / Liner RRP £10.50

"A uniquely formulated crayon that doubles as an eyeliner for thick, precise lines as well as perfectly blended eye shadow. The exclusive combination of Italian formulated waxes and pigments allow you to build up the colour, smudge or create bold lines quickly and easily."

I already own one of these pencils in black from my August Glossybox that i use every single day so i was hoping to receive another black one (that was stated on the website). However i was initially a little disappointed to get a brown colour instead. I tried it on though and it was lovely! I smudged it just underneath my waterline and then used the black liner on top to add a little more depth. I love this liner because it's easy to smudge and gives a rich colour.

Mitchell And Peach (Sample Size) 50ml Shower Wash RRP £20 (250ml)

Sample value: £4.00

"Mitchell and Peach shower wash is an invigorating body cleanser which nourishes and softens all skin types. Enriched with Vitamin E, wheat proteins and natural English honey harvested from the Mitchell Estate in Kent shower was invigorates the senses with a classic English countryside inspired scent."

I love receiving stuff like body washes in my beauty boxes because it's more than likely that i'll use it than a make-up product that's a wrong colour / texture. This body wash has a very subtle herby-floral smell and it's made of all sorts of essential oils. I poured some into a running bath and it resulted in a fair amount of bubbles and a relaxing aroma. I also used it as a body wash and it lathered really well, leaving my skin super-soft. 

Models Own (Full Size) 14ml Nail Polish ‘Red Alert’ RRP £5 (14ml)

"Stay on trend right down to the tips of your toes. All Models Own nail polishes glide on smoothly and are hard wearing and long lasting. Designed for passion and fun, paint the town red with this bold statement colour."

I've seen this brand around a lot on the high street and although i've always been drawn to the bright colours, i've never tried them out. The colour Red Alert is a bright postbox red without any shimmer. I was extremely surprised at the quality of these polishes - just one coat of this colour was enough for me! It's smooth, glossy, quick-drying and leaves a professional finish. Such great results for only £5!

Art Deco (Full Size) Hydra Lip Booster RRP £11.50

Translucent Rose (38)

"This lip gloss provides full sensual lips with a trace of colour and wonderful shine. Hyaluronic Filling Spheres maintain the hydration level of the lips and “cushion” little wrinkles from beneath, Marine Fillings Spheres evens out wrinkles and lines and Blue Seakale and Collangeneer support the regeneration, improving the skins elasticity. The Hydra Lip Booster has an excellent wearing comfort and visible care for the lips."

Very hydrating and shiny but it's a little bit too translucent for my taste. Doesn't leave lips feeling sticky though.

♡♡ Extra ♡♡

Lord & Berry Intensity Lipstick Brick Lip (Full Size) RRP £12

"Absolute Intensity is a satin finish lipstick that glides on silkily, nourishing lips with karite butter, rice bran oil and vitamin E. Its formula of highly concentrated colour from the first sweep, while maintaining a sensual texture is blissfully like a second skin."

Love Me Beauty was kind enough to provide us with an extra lipstick as a replacement product for last month's dry eye make-ups! I received the same Intensity lipstick in Peach Gleam back when Love Me Beauty was Beautecobox back in August but it was too light for me. This time i got the colour Brick Lip which is a darker brown and more suited to my taste. The lipstick is hydrating and made my lips look fuller whilst hiding any cracks. It is also highly pigmented. Great product!

Thank you for reading!

ami ♡

Birchbox uk: November 2013 ♡

Hello lovelies! Of course if you read my last Birchbox post you would know that it'd definitely be a hard box to beat! I ended up purchasing the KMS California Makeover Spray for only £5 with my reward points + free shipping from Birchbox. It came with 20% free extra product too - yay! 

The November box was quite a good box overall and had its highlights. The box came with these really jazzy info cards again which i really liked! This month's theme was 'Icons' - inspiring people who get us motivated to be the best that we can be.

This is a beauty subscription box that costs £10 + £2.95 delivery and you can sign up for the UK version here! We will both receive £5 in points to use in their online store if you use this link!

I received the dispatch e-mail on the 14th November and it arrived a couple of days later!

Birchbox uk: November 2013

Box value: £35.85

Laura Mercier Ambre Vanillé Body Butter

Full size: 170g for £26.00

Sample size: 25g

Sample value: £3.82

"Hydrate your skin the luxe way with Laura Mercier’s absorbing body butter. Available in the brand’s delicious Fresh Fig or Ambre Vanillé fragrances, it's packed with shea and lilipe butters, grape seed oil, jojoba esthers, honey and aloe vera gel for an optimum hit of hydration and protection."

Not the most hydrating of body butters admittedly, but it absorbs super-fast and smells delicious! The vanilla smell is very strong at first, but then it leaves a sweet after-scent that could be a replacement / base for a perfume. I'm really starting to warm to the Laura Mercier brand after trying out two of their products so far and i'll be buying this again!

Weleda Oat Replenishing Shampoo

Full size: 190ml for £8.95

Sample size: 18ml

Sample value: £0.85

"Weleda has been making products since 1921 so there's more than a lot of expertise behind the brand. The Oat Replenishing Shampoo harnesses this knowledge to bring renewed life to dry and damaged hair, or any strands that need a little nourishment. Rich in soothing restorative silicic acid and naturally bursting with vitamins, minerals and proteins, the oats also have a high water uptake – perfect for providing extra moisture. Organic jojoba oil and sage leaf also help care for the scalp."

I had tried the Weleda Millet Nourishing Shampoo in last month's Love Me Beauty box and i wasn't that impressed but this one was much better! It's made for dry and damaged hair so it made my hair feel noticeably softer and healthier than my usual shampoo after only one wash. 

Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter Pencil

Full size: 1.4g for £15.95

Sample size: 1.4g (full size)

Sample value: £15.95

"This fabulous highlighter pencil does it all! Applied to the brow bone and dark circles it will instantly lift your eyes, or used along the water line and inner corner of your eyes it will literally ‘open’ them up. If that’s not enough, it can also be blended down the centre of your nose and applied to the Cupid’s Bow and along the lip line to prevent lipstick bleed and enhance your pout. Ivory Lace is suitable for light skin tones. Try Latte for medium skin tones or Cinnamon for dark skin tones."

I've never tried out a pencil highlighter before. This one has a smooth, creamy formula that blends nicely leaving a beautiful and natural shimmer. It's really good to use to accentuate certain features when contouring because it's so precise. I love that it can be used in so many different ways.

Lila'lli Lip Define Fill Detour

Full size: 1.9g for £10.00

Sample size: 1.9g (full size)

Sample value: £10.00

"For use on the eyes, lips and brows, this range of multi-functional pencils will revolutionise your make-up bag. The soft creamy texture and shape is perfect for precision work, shading and texture. Plus, they're waterproof - hurrah! Available in Shame, a brick red; Fanatic, a rose red and Detour, a pearly green - a Birchbox favourite - which really makes your eyes sparkle."

This product wasn't for me to be honest... I received the green colour which is only suitable for the eyes in my opinion. I wouldn't wear this on myself though. It was a lovely formula but i wish i got a different colour.

English Laundry Signature For Her EDP Spray For Women

Full size: 50ml for £47.00

Sample size: 2ml

Sample value: £1.88

"English Laundry tap into the very essence of an English country garden with this beautifully fresh fragrance. Envelope yourself in top notes of rose geranium and creamy white flowers set against its backdrop of woody spicy and musky notes."

Some people don't like receiving perfume samples because they can be picked up for free at department stores. I'm really glad i got this though because it smells so feminine and floral! This scent was really long-lasting for me - there were hints of it well after 6 hours of wear. The branding and colours are so pretty too - i'll definitely purchase this when i'm running low on scents.

Pukka Herbs Tea Selection

Full size: 20 sachets for £2.29 - £2.39

Sample size: 3 sachets

Sample value: £0.35

"Pukka Herbs use plants from fair-trade sustainable sources and search all corners of the world to find the most superior flavours. The Elderberry & Echinacea Tea also includes Elderflower for a comforting blend with a rich fruity flavour.

Gorgeous by name and gorgeous in taste! Using only organic leaves grown on an ancient Indian tea gardens, the tea is blended with bergamot essential oil and fragranced with lavender for the perfect cup.

This intensely warming drink is made using cinnamon from Indonesia, India and Vietnam. Sweet and spicy in flavour, it's perfect for cooler days or at any time for a little invigorating break. As with all Pukka Herbs products, all the ingredients are organic."

I love black and green teas! I've tried other herbal flavours before and didn't like them too much. The Earl Grey flavour was okay but i thought the other flavours were not nice for me. I'm sure tea lovers would enjoy these quality teas though.

Birchbox Pencil Sharpener

Full size: One piece for £3.00

Sample size: One (full size) 

Sample value: £3.00

"You'll never need another pencil sharpener. This one caters to small and large pencils for precise, perfect application."

Not really sure how a sharpener relates to trying out new brands + products, but i was happy to receive one. My old one was getting grubby and it couldn't sharpen big crayons. This one is a good replacement and it came in a lovely black organza bag.

Lots of love,

ami ♡ 

Graze box uk 2013: Nature delivered ♡

Hello sweeties! Today i'll be talking a little about these cute little snack selection boxes from graze! :3 They started up around five years ago, but have recently become quite popular because of a lot of advertising and giving out free boxes. I received my first free box and have since then become hooked!

Graze is a snack delivery service where they send you a box of four punnets of snacks right to your home or work. They cost £3.89 per box including delivery to your address in the uk. You will receive lots of different kind of snacks including brownies, nut, fruit + raisin selections and flapjacks. Graze are also very open about the nutritional content so you will receive an information leaflet with every box, plus all of the snack infos online.

These boxes are a great way to help you eat a little more healthily instead of reaching for that caloric chocolate bar. I like them because i can try snacks that i wouldn't normally pick up, adding more variety to my diet. They are also super-convenient because they are delivered on any day that you like straight to your door. Sometimes the mail can be a day late which isn't their fault, so you can always order one day early if you need to.

You can choose between four different box types:

♡ nibblebox - most popular type of box where you have a choice of over 100 nibbles

♡ breakfastbox - four delicious breakfast porridge punnets

♡ goodybox - box made for kids with no yucky ingredients

♡ nutritionbox - most healthy box following a plan for your nutrient needs

There are also four different options you can allocate to each snack depending on your own preferences:
♡ Love - they will you send you this snack often
♡ Like - they will send you this snack occasionally
♡ Try - they will send you this snack to try out
♡ Bin - they will never send you this snack which is great to use if you know you won't like the snack or are allergic to any of the ingredients. There are also filters and search feature to allow you to bin multiple items at once.

You can also tick a 'send soon' box on most snacks and this has worked well for me!

Your snack punnets will arrive in a cardboard box with an info leaflet, napkin and also a little bamboo skewer if you get any messy snacks like olives. Most of the packaging (including the plastic punnets) are recyclable!

If you would like to sign up, you can use my friendcode AMIT4RFLB to receive your 1st, 5th and 10th boxes for free - a bargain right? There is also no commitment at all and you can stop your boxes giving reasonable notice. I will receive £1 off my next box if you use this code. It can be used by four people.

Here are some of the boxes i have received*:

♡ Cracking black peppercorn - LOVE

♡ My thai - LOVE

♡ Light lemon & poppy slice - LOVE

♡ Lightly toasted pistachios - LOVE

 ♡ Light lemon & poppy slice - LOVE
♡ Lemon & rosemary mixed olives - BIN
♡ Olive & rosemary bruschetta - LIKE
♡ Salsa fresca - BIN

 ♡ Sticky chocolate pudding - LIKE
♡ Salsa fresca - BIN
♡ Fruit & seed flapjack - LOVE
♡ Moroccan harissa olives - LOVE

♡ Very nori-sh - LOVE

♡ Garden of england - LIKE

♡ British applewood smoked beef jerky - BIN

♡ The graze brownie - LOVE

*There are some duplicate punnets because i had two accounts at one point.

I hope you enjoyed this review! Now i'm hungry...

ami ♡

Tony moly: Clear magic lip + eye remover ♡

Hello, I hope you're all having a lovely day! Of course every girl (or guy!) who wears make-up on a daily basis will need the perfect skincare and make-up removal routine to prevent clogged pores, spots and premature ageing. I tried out the Tony Moly Clear Magic Lip & Eye Remover which targets colour point make-up.

"Non-alcoholic lip and eye makeup remover, dissolves all traces of makeup without irritating skin, leaving lids and lips perfectly clean, without a sticky or heavy feel. Dual phased formula contains both cleanser and moisturizer, completely removing eye and lip color, while moisturizing the same with rose and aloe extracts and green tea."

The make-up remover is separated into clear layer + a pretty ocean blue layer which is shaken together before every use to reveal a sparkly + glittery potion - magical! The bottle contains a little stopper when you take the lid off so it doesn't spill everywhere. The product is very effective for the lips and it works well for the eyes although i've used a couple of products that are slightly better for the job - see Bioderma Sensibio H2O + Lioele Aroma Waterproof Lip + Eye Remover. It's very kind to the eyes. Overall, an effective point make-up remover at a very reasonable price!

Where to buy ♡

YesStyle ~ $14.25

Koreadepart ~ $7.61

Cosmetic-Love ~ $14.68

Summary

What i liked ♡
Effective packaging
Pretty colours + glittery effect
Effective at make-up removal
Kind to eyes
Reasonable price

What i didn't like ♡

Not as effective as some other products

I hope this review was helpful to you!

ami ♡

Glossybox uk: November 2013 ♡

Hello sweeties! I know i've been doing a lot of beauty box posts recently - i need to get them all up before the next month comes! Hopefully i'll get to take a break from them soon and post some other stuff for you, including more Tony Moly reviews, my ELF favourites and more! This month i've decided to start including the promo codes from the info card + magazine too as i've noticed Glossy offers a lot of discounts!

The November Glossybox contains products on the Glossy Wishlist and they were definitely a huge improvement on last month's box! There were four full-sized products and one quality sample.

Glossybox is a beauty / skincare subscription box where you receive a selection of around five products each month for £10 + £2.95 postage and packaging. Check out their UK site here.

This month i received my box on 11th November and actually received the dispatch e-mail later that day... Weird!

November 2013: The Glossy Wishlist

Box value: £35.59

Vichy Idealia Life Serum

Full size: 30ml for £29.50

Sample size: 3x3ml 

Sample value: £8.85

"Introducing Vichy's first skin idealiser; a unique product that helps transform the appearance of the skin's quality. Help protect your skin from the visible effects of stress, smoke or an unbalanced diet. An all-round skin saviour."

I really loved the presentation of these samples in the organza bag - made a huge change compared to the sticky horrible mess of the Unica sample i got in the last box! I received two life serums + one smoothing and illuminating cream. They both have a similar smooth texture and absorb quickly making them great to use as primers. The illuminating cream gives a slightly pearlier appearance.

Emite Make Up Micronized Eyeshadow - Dams

Full size: 1.48g for £16.80

Sample size: 1.48g (full size)

Sample value: £16.80

"Emite Micronized Eye Shadow is completely free from oil, nickel, parabens and perfume. The pigment is micronized to facilitate application and to create an even and lasting result. Ideal for lens wearers or those with sensitive eyes.

I usually just go for neutral brown tones when it comes to eyeshadow but i've always wanted to try black for a more dramatic look. This eyeshadow is super-fine and fairly pigmented but i still need a couple of layers. It can also be used as an eyeliner with a fine brush. However, it's super-expensive and i couldn't see myself spending that much money on this!

Yves Rocher France Hand Cream

Full size: 75ml for £1.95

Sample size: 75ml (full size)

Sample value: £1.95

"Protect your hands as the temperature falls with Yves Rocher hand cream. With an indulgent scent and an ultra-moisturising formula, your hands will be grateful for this nourishing treat."

Promo Code: http://www.yves-rocher.co.uk/control/main/ - Buy the Yves Rocher Raspberry Home fragrance + Raspberry Sparkling Shower Gel using code GLORASPB and receive a Free Perfumed Shower Gel + Nourishing lip balm + Hand cream! Expires 31 December 2013

This was the best product in the box for me! The cream left my hands really soft and it absorbs quickly. The hand cream smells strongly of the cocoa + raspberry which i love but i wouldn't recommend it to those who don't like very sweet smells. The packaging looks expensive and matches the quality of the product and i was so surprised to find this product only retails at £1.95! Would definitely purchase this again and i'll probably use the promo code too.

B. Quick One Coat Professional Finish Nail Polish

Full size: 8ml for £4.99 

Sample size: 8ml (full size)

Sample value: £4.99

"Want no fuss nails, fast? B. Quick One Coat Professional Finish Nail Polish gives you just that; a smooth, long-lasting and professional finish from just one application."

I received this nail polish in colour 'Mermaid' which is a gorgeous turquoise with a beautiful fine shimmer. I really like this colour but it doesn't suit my skin tone well. When i applied one coat it didn't cover my nail properly and it left streaks. I applied another coat on top but the consistency was incredibly thick. I don't know if i applied it correctly the first time but i probably won't wear this again. >w< 

Elegant Touch Rapid Dry for Nails

Full size: 125ml for £3.00 

Sample size: 125ml (full size)

Sample value: £3.00

"The ultimate cult beauty saviour for busy women on the go. The Elegant Touch Rapid Dry for Nails with added vitamin E dries nail polish in 60 seconds, conditions cuticles and leaves the nails looking incredibly polished."

I was impressed with this product - it really does what it says on the tin! I always get so impatient when i paint my nails + end up smudging them every time. :{ But not anymore! It also makes your cuticles lovely + soft like when they apply cuticle oil at a salon. Great price too!

Glossy Magazine Codes

Promo Code: www.wishwantwear.com - Hire your most lusted after dress with an extra 30% off with code GLOSSVIP30. Promotion can be used once per customer and expires 31 November 2013.

Promo Code: www.covetique.com - Enjoy 20% off with the code glossybox20 at the checkout. 

Have a lovely day!

ami ♡

Scam Store: Chloe Micallef (Caramel Syndrome Storenvy)

Hello everyone! Recently i've had an extremely unpleasant experience with a Storenvy store that some of you may have heard of called Caramel Syndrome. I'd like to share with you what happened so you don't have to experience the same thing when shopping online.

I have been shopping online for about three years now and had never experienced anything like this, so i had come to take for granted the honesty + integrity of most independent sellers. For this reason, don't be put off from buying from small sellers on sites such as eBay, Etsy and Storenvy but do be very careful when parting with your hard-earned cash.

The owner of this store, Chloe Micallef, stole a total of $44.40 from me in total. This may not seem like a lot to some people. However, being a student on very small loan and little financial support from my parents, I have to work 20 hours a week alongside my studies just to afford food, rent and buy the things that i review on this blog.

Chloe Micallef

I purchased two velvet bow garters for $44.40 (including $4.50 shipping which seemed very reasonable). Caramel Syndrome had a lot of sales so i assumed that it was a legitimate store. Also when i realised i ordered the wrong size, i e-mailed her my problem and she e-mailed me back very quickly which made me even less doubtful. The FAQ stated that orders outside of the USA would take up to around 8 weeks. I figured this would be fine because a lot of stock on Storenvy is just re-sold from Taobao which is based in China. As you can see the status is still 'Awaiting Shipment'... 

I waited 8 weeks and still my items didn't arrive. At this point i was worried so i sent Chloe Micallef two e-mails, neither of which she replied to. 

I found out the store had actually closed. Chloe Micallef said she closed it herself, but when i turned to Storenvy for help they stated that they had in fact shut her down because she failed to reply to numerous attempts to contact her.

I did a little bit of investigation and managed to find Chloe Micallef's Tumblr. I sent her numerous messages asking her to give my money back. Most of the messages were ignored and the couple she did reply to she promised my refund. She lied. I still haven't got my money back.

In the last message i sent her, i asked her why she couldn't just refund everyone and issue an apology to her customers. I also said i thought it was disgusting behaviour to steal money. The fact she didn't reply to this message even just to defend herself adds insult to injury and also shows lack of respect to her customers and herself.

Another example of Chloe Micallef's attitude:

I will NEVER be purchasing anything from Chloe Micallef in the future and i urge that no-one else risk their money doing so. I have seen other people have had the same problem as well.

Check out this post for staying safe on Storenvy by bombisbomb.

If you have not received your items from Caramel Syndrome, you can try contacting Chloe Micallef here, but she has probably already spent it on clothes she shows off on YouTube:

http://pepperminthime.tumblr.com/

https://www.facebook.com/chloeee.marie

Let me know your experiences with this store - was it any good?

Thank you for reading,

ami ♡