Monday, 30 September 2013

Tony moly: Hello bunny perfume bar yellow + pink ♡


Hello lovelies! Today I'd like to show you these adorable bunny perfume bars made by Tony Moly. I was really interested in trying these because they're solid fragrances, making them a lot more convenient to carry around! I bought these in Bebe Powder (yellow) + Dodo Rose (pink) - the other colours had sad / angry faces so i didn't want to get those. :{
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Bebe Powder
Top Note: Bergamot + Orange (Citrus)
Middle Note: Rose, Orchid, Oris + Violet (Floral)
Base Note: Musk + Vanilla (Musk Woody)

Dodo Rose
Top Note: Ginger, Bergamot + Grapefruit (Fresh)
Middle Note: Apricot, Peach + Neroli (Floral)
Base Note: White Musk (Fruity)
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Oh my, isn't the packaging just so cute? Each bar has a little bunny head with a different colour, scent + expression. The head is actually a lid + comes off to reveal the bar of fragrance inside. It contains a lot of product and when you twist it the bar comes out like a lipstick. It comes with an inside lid for hygiene + to prevent product-smoosh! The scents are very sweet but subtle (the Dodo Rose more so). The names are self-explanatory - the Bebe Powder is a soft baby powder type of scent + the Dodo Rose is a more elegant, mature floral smell. I really recommend these for first-time perfume users or those who don't like a strong scent. I think they need to be re-applied every few hours though. The bars are super-easy to use - just rub on wrists, neck and behind the ears. They leave skin feeling smooth. Overall, very lovely perfumes with adorable packaging at a great price!
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Where to buy ♡
YesStyle ~ $12 - $14.40
Amazon ~ $7.60 - $11.98
eBay ~ $8.68 - $12.98
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Summary
What i liked ♡
Adorable bunny packaging
Lots of product
Inside lid for hygiene + protection
Lovely scents (although i prefer Dodo Rose)
Easy to use
Compact + easy to carry around
Reasonable price

What i didn't like ♡
May be too subtle
Must re-apply every few hours
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Have a lovely day!

ami ♡

Thursday, 26 September 2013

Birchbox uk: September 2013 ♡


Hello lovelies! Okay, maybe I'm becoming really addicted to these beauty boxes but I decided to try the Birchbox next! It was very tempting as they were offering a lovely free postage offer for the first box with the code 'summerbonus' (not sure if the code still works!). Usually shipping costs £2.95 and like Glossybox + Love me beauty, the box itself costs £10. You can sign up to Birchbox here!

Birchbox stock all the products they offer in their boxes in their online shop. It's super-convenient, especially if you love a product you receive, but sometimes it might be a little more expensive than buying them elsewhere so it's best to shop around!

The communication + shipping from Birchbox were fantastic! All of the e-mails I sent them were replied to from a really lovely and polite staff member called Joyce + she always made me feel very re-assured. She let me know that the boxes were being dispatched a little late this month. I paid for the box on the 17th September and it got dispatched on the 23rd. It got sent by Citipost through the Royal Mail network... So basically, Royal Mail service. It arrived on the 25th and I  picked it up on the same day from the depot. One of the workers recognises me so he's always friendly + doesn't ask for id when i pick up parcels which is nice. xD

I received five beauty products (two full-size + three samples) plus one lifestyle extra. The box is really nice quality so good enough to keep for storage but the bag i got was a little cheap. Also get a little magazine and info + welcome cards.
Birchbox uk: September 2013
Box value: £30.67 + mini chocolate
Révérence de Bastien Nail Polish No. 14
Full size: 12ml for £16
Sample size: 12ml (full size)
Sample value: £16

"Both professional and fun, it’s brought to you by noted foot specialist Bastien Gonzalez, who puts his products to the test with a long line of luxury clients before giving them the seal of approval. Apply safe in the knowledge it has been dermatologically tested and is free of Camphor, Toluene, Formaldehyde and DBP."

Wow, this colour is absolutely beautiful! It's the first nail product I've received from a beauty box that I've actually liked for myself. The colour is a lovely dark berry-red colour that is perfect for the autumn + matches all my new clothes! Very lovely quality. It says you should use two coats but if you're in the real rush i think you could get away with one! Just wish the brush was a little wider + it's also pretty expensive.
Bioderma Sensibio H2O
Full size: 250ml for £9.99
Sample size: 20ml
Sample value: £0.80

"This ultra mild cleansing formula by dermatological experts Bioderma is a skincare wonder that ticks all the boxes – just ask the following questions. Can you use it both morning and evening? Yes. Does it cleanse as well as remove make-up? Yes. And is it gentle on your skin? Yes – tested under ophthalmological supervision your eyes won't smart at all. It even removes waterproof make-up."

Lots of beauty bloggers have been raving about this brand + now i can see for myself what all the fuss is about! The is the perfect multi-tasker for removing make-up + cleansing so you can make space instead of buying all different products for your skincare routine. Perfect for sensitive skin + the most gentle product i've used for cleansing eye make-up. Super! Just wished they gave out bigger samples, especially as this one is worth less than a pound.

ModelCo. Party Proof Lipstick: Kitty
Full size: £15.50 for set of 3
Sample size: One lipstick
Sample value: £5.17

"One thing's for certain: Parties are for catching up with friends and cocktails – not worrying about smudged lipstick. Luckily, this hydrating, semi-matte lip colour lives up to its cheeky moniker. Whether you’re heading to a BBQ or a wedding, it’s guaranteed to stay put through burgers and ribs, champagne toasts and beyond. Plus, this fab set is exclusive to Birchbox! The concentrated, vitamin-rich formula heals dryness while coating lips in long-lasting colour. There are two trio options to choose from: the Neutrals trio features Get Naked, a classic nude; Kitty, a soft baby pink; and Dusk Till Dawn, a deep nude with beige undertones. Looking for something brighter? The Classics collection is also available."

Super-moisturising nude colour with a slight shimmer. It lasts a really long time too, and the packaging is cool because it's clear so you can see the colour inside. I'm really fussy with my lip stuff though so i won't be using it - i prefer my matte colours!
Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Gel
Full size: 200ml for £31
Sample size: 40ml
Sample value: £6.20

"When you need an added burst of energy – and coffee is just not enough – use Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Gel to feel more awake and ready to go. This refreshing gel increases circulation and eliminates toxins from the system. The mix of grapefruit, rosemary and juniper berry essential oils has cleansing and skin toning properties, leaving skin looking healthy, smooth and radiant. Aromatherapy Associates pride themselves on using only the best quality ingredientsnothing harmful or artificial – and ensure every ingredient plays a positive role in the product."

A lovely moisturiser with a spicy scent - makes skin super-smooth. Very refreshing + wakes up the skin a little. A bit overpriced for what it is, but the sample is very generous + the fact that it contains quality ingredients is good too.
Molton Brown Ylang-Ylang Nourishing Body Lotion
Full size: 300ml for £25
Sample size: 30ml
Sample value: £2.50

"Like afternoon tea at the Ritz, strawberries at Wimbledon and fish and chips by the sea, Molton Brown has become a British Institution. With their renowned signature scents and iconic packaging, we’re big fans of Molton Brown here at BBx HQ. The Ylang-Ylang Body Lotion mixes yuan zhi root with vanilla and ylang ylang, and the energising scent is perfect for those with busy lives."

This body lotion smells lovely - a classy but light, wearable fragrance. It also moisturises well + the packaging is gorgeous. Leaves the skin feeling beautiful + smooth.
Green & Black's White Chocolate

"The recipe for the white bar melds cocoa butter and organic whole milk with Madagascan vanilla for the deepest of flavours."

Green & Black's is a classic and i really like white chocolate so i think i would have enjoyed it but it was contaminated with perfume smell from the box so it tasted yucky. :{

Bonus: Bunny in a bag :B
Lots of love! :B

ami ♡

Saturday, 21 September 2013

Etsy: Hellosullivan spiked bow wristbands ♡

Hello, lovely readers! I just wanted to show you these cute little wristbands I bought on Etsy from the lovely seller Hellosullivan. She sells a small range of homemade accessories, jewellery + gifts based in Liverpool, UK.

These wristbands are sold in pairs + cost £5.50 (so £2.75 each!) plus £2.00 shipping within the UK (or £3.50 everywhere else). They're made of 3/4" elastic in black or white, with a bow of your choice of colour and five spikes. You can also request a certain size as they are made to order.

I ordered these wristbands in all-black on Friday 13th September, requesting that they are made to 15cm wrist circumference. I also asked if they could be sent so i received them by Friday 20th September if it were possible. This is because i'm going to a concert today + they'd look great with an outfit i have planned! :3

The owner, Vanessa, replied two days later and she was so lovely! She double-checked what colours i wanted and that she'd send it first class the next day to make sure it came on time. I received the parcel on Thursday 19th September, so altogether they took six days to make, dispatch + ship! Amazing!

The wristbands are great quality, especially for the price, and really well-made. I like the fact they are made of stretch elastic instead of chains + clasps so they're easy to put on. She used a different style of bow + added little pearl beads which i wasn't expecting, but they are still very cute. :)

I recommend Hellosullivan - she's super-nice + i'm very happy with the product i received! You can visit her shop here. I'm thinking of buying her heart garters next! ♡
Have a lovely day!

ami ♡

Thursday, 19 September 2013

Glossybox uk: September 2013 ♡



Hello! So this my third Glossybox so far + this box has a really cool London theme for London Fashion Week! They also included a small info card + mini magazine with lots of interesting info about trends, hair + models. I know a lot of girls were really impressed by the contents of this box.

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.

I'm a little bit disappointed with their shipping this time. I received a dispatch e-mail on Monday 9th September but according to my tracking page, the box wasn't picked up until Thursday 12th by Hermes. The courier tried to deliver to my apartment on both Friday + Saturday without leaving any note, even though i was at home. Fair enough the intercom isn't connected to my apartment, but there is a note on the main door specifying that this is the case with some of the apartments. The courier wasn't given my phone number, so i contacted Glossybox about this, but of course their customer service isn't open on the weekends. I ended up resorting to sticking a note on the main door to the courier with my phone number on Monday. When he arrived, he shoved the package at me + left. o__o

Rant over, here's the stuff i got!
 September 2013: The London Edition
Box value: £30.24
Elizabeth Arden: Untold 
Full size: 50ml for £48 / 100ml for £69
Sample size: 5ml
Sample value: £4.80

This perfume really is the definition of elegance + smells predominately floral. It is a little bit of a mature smell but still wearable. My boyfriend thinks it would suit 20+ ladies. The mini bottle is a nice touch and it looks great on the dressing table.The sample will last a long time.
 Eylure: Pre-glued Lashes
Full size: One set for £5.06
Sample size: One set (full size)
Sample value: £5.06

Everyone knows i love my false lashes! I used to wear Eylure all the time so i was really excited to get these in the box. I don't like pre-glued lashes lashes though because they don't last as long but i was willing to give these a try. I was super disappointed though because they aren't nearly as dramatic as i'd like them to be. :{ I will probably give these to my mum. 
 Toni & Guy Hair Meet Wardrobe: Classic Shine & Gloss Serum
Full size: 30ml for £7.19
Sample size: 30ml (full size)
Sample value: £7.19

Definitely the best item in the box in my opinion! I enjoy receiving hair stuff in my boxes because i'm very limited in my experience in the hair department + never know what to buy. On an average day, i will use dry shampoo for volume on yesterday's blow-dried hair + i won't use heat appliances except for bad hair days. This product is perfect for me because it controls frizz + gives the hair a healthy shine. It doesn't make my hair greasy - in fact, it feels like i've got no product in my hair at all, which i love!
Be A Bombshell Cosmetics: Onyx Eye Liner
Full size: 3ml for $14
Sample size: 3ml (full size)
Sample value: $14 (approx. £8.70)

I've never heard of this brand before - what do you lovely American readers think about them? I'm really not a fan of felt-tip eyeliners at all and this one hasn't changed my mind about them. However, it does have a strong black colour + it's easy to do a thick or thin line with this one. I'll use this over my false eyelashes to cover the band.
Rimmel: Stay Blushed Blusher 004 Sunkissed Cherry
Full size: 14ml for £4.49
Sample size: 14ml (full size)
Sample value: £4.49

I've never tried liquid blushers before so this was a good product to experiment with. It's a really lovely buildable orange-red colour that will suit a lot of different skin tones. It also gives a natural finish because it's not all powdery. I found it quite hard to apply precisely with my fingers though - I'll have to experiment a bit more!

What do you think about this month's Glossybox? <3

Thank you for reading!

ami ♡


Wednesday, 18 September 2013

My beauty diary: Hello kitty honey strawberry mask (yellow) ♡

My Beauty Diary: Hello Kitty Strawberry Milk Mask

This is the honey strawberry (yellow) version of the My Beauty Diary x Hello Kitty collaboration! The packaging is so cute just adorable. I've already tried the strawberry (pink) version + you can see the review here! The pink version whitens + smoothes whereas the yellow version is focused on brightening + moisturising.

"This is a limited edition mask that My Beauty Diary collaborate with Sanrio - Hello Kitty. Each box contains 3 different Hello Kitty designs. Suitable skin types: All Skin types, especially uneven + rough skin tone. Effects: brightening, moisturising."

This mask is very similar to the pink strawberry version. The mask type is the same - it has a good fit as far as masks go! It also smelled super-lovely - maybe even nicer than the pink ones! I left this mask on for 35 minutes, although the recommended leave-on time is 20-30 minutes. It left my skin definitely brighter and the tone more even, while giving a more moisturising effect than that of the pink version. I really recommend this mask for people who would like to brighten and moisturise, but not necessarily want to whiten the face!
Where to buy ♡
PinkyParadise ~ $1.99 / piece
Summary ♡
What i liked ♡
Hello kitty design
Super-moisturising!
Smells great
Good fit
Left skin feeling brighter
Helped even skin tone
What i didn't like ♡
Kept peeling off at edges


Stay cute, lovelies!

ami ♡

Monday, 16 September 2013

Love me beauty uk: September 2013 ♡

 So during the last month the BeautecoBox started their re-branding to Love Me Beauty! My first Beautecobox was the August 2013 one + i really enjoyed most of the products i received. If you haven't heard of this subscription box, basically you pay £10 + £2.95 postage + packaging a month and you receive a box full of four or five beauty or lifestyle goodies in the mail! With this particular box, you get to choose between three 'menus'. Check out their website here!

As you can see, they're still using the same boxes as before, just with stickers of their new logo. Personally i liked their old branding, but i'm excited to see what their new box designs will be like! This month i received my dispatch e-mail on Monday 9th September + it reached my local Royal Mail depot three days later. I'm really happy with this delivery service! All of the packing inside is the same as last time, but for some reason i didn't get my information card. It's okay though because all the info is on their website.

I'm very pleased with the selection of products this month as they're all body + skincare stuff. I think it's a lot harder to please everyone with make-up products in these types of boxes + often people will receive unsuitable colours / textures. I chose Menu 1 and i'm so happy with all of it!
Matriskin Collagen Serum - Lifting Effect Without Surgery

"Both to prevent and to cure various signs of aging. It fills and reduces wrinkles since first applications and removes expression lines in just 30 days."

I love getting little serums in these boxes because they're not something i usually buy but i do like to try them out! I was especially excited to try this one since the full size retails at a whopping $145! I applied a few drops to my neck, eye area and forehead where i have very fine lines and massaged it in. Instantly my skin felt 10x smoother and the lines almost completely disappeared! Amazing!! 
Murad Osmolyte Tonic - Infuse The Skin With Essential Nutrients

"This refreshing mist replenishes and moisturises to plump and firm skin. The Duel-phase moisturising system infuses skin with essential nutrients that increase cellular hydration, repair the skin's barrier and soothe skin. Suitable for all skin types."

I was surprised to find that this tiny 15ml bottle is actually the full size, but it's super-easy to carry around. It's the most concentrated + hydrating mist that i've used. It takes a little while to dry but it's so refreshing + lives up to its promise of firming + plumping the skin. Leaves the skin feeling smooth. Sometimes it makes me itch a little but it only lasts a minute or so. The mist doesn't have much of a scent which is great.
Nip + Fab Dry Leg Fix - Pamper Your Pins To Perfection 

"This intensive balm helps to smooth dry and flaky skin thanks to an innovative moisturising and restructuring hydraconcept, called Aquaxyl. This miracle ingredient boasts scientifically substantiated benefits to improve the water reserves in the skin, limit water loss and visibly improve the surface of the skin."

This is the main reason why i chose Menu 1 - i have always suffered from seriously dry legs! :{ This 100ml squeezy tube is the full size + i love the packaging. This is more like a moisturiser than a balm, but works so much better than any moisturiser i've tried! It's very easily absorbed, leaving the skin looking brighter, healthier + brings back the colour to dry legs. Of course it can be used on any other parts of the body that require an instant hit of hydration. It also smells absolutely wonderful! I love it! :D 
Anatomicals Eye Gel - Revitalise Your Eyes

"Bye bye eye bags. Don’t worry if the morning after the night before has left you with dark circles and under-eye bags. Now there’s a way to combat eternal fatigue with Anatomicals No Old Bags Allowed, a refreshing eye gel, containing arnica and orange flower water – the essential prescription for perfect peepers."

Recently i've been getting next to no sleep, mainly due to working super-late + a silly false fire alarm that had all the residents leaving their cosy beds for the freezing cold at four in the morning! This gel arrived at the perfect time to save my poor eyes. :3 It instantly makes your eyes feel more awake and refreshed. It also helps brighten dark under-eyes. I can't comment on how well it reduces eye bags though as mine don't puff up much. xD The tube is generous considering how little you need to apply.
Essential Care Lip Silk

"This is a tasty and nourishing blend of beeswax, shea butter, coconut oil and orange essential oil to moisturise, repair and protect your lips in all weathers."

I used to suffer from chronic dry, chapped lips so i like to try out new lip balms that will keep my lips truly moisturised. This is a lovely little lip balm containing 100% organic veggie ingredients. It makes lips feel smooth and non-greasy. Unlike some other lip balms (for example, Vaseline) it doesn't dry out the lips even more.

What do you think about this box?
Subscribe to Love Me Beauty here!

Lots of love,

ami ♡