Glossybox uk: October 2013 ♡

Hello everyone! This month's Glossybox was really hyped up because it has a Dark Romance theme, perfect for the autumn season. Unfortunately the theme was really poorly executed and hardly followed the theme through at all. The box was underwhelming this month but there were a couple of products that i enjoyed.

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 received my dispatch e-mail on the 11th October and the box was left outside my apartment door on the 14th October.

October 2013: Dark Romance

Box value: £29.49 + Unica cream

MeMeMe Cherub's Blush - Cheek & Lip Tint

Full size: 12ml for £5.50

Sample size: 12ml (full size)

Sample value: £5.50

"Go from day-to-night with MeMeMe's sultry rouge tint! Long-lasting and multi-functional,it also comes complete with a handy application brush, making it a perfect addition to your handbag for glamorous touch-ups on the go."

Honestly i really didn't like this product at all. It has a strong chemical smell to it and the application is streaky with poor pigmentation. When i opened the bottle i ended up staining my leg red + even when i closed it again the product dripped onto my table. This went straight into the bin after that. The best thing about it is the packaging...

Vita Liberata Latte Illuminating Skin Finish

Full size: 30ml for £29.95

Sample size: 2 x 3ml

Sample value: £5.99

"The multi-product offers perfect coverage and a flawless medium bronzing to the skin with added Broad Spectrum SPF 25, while also creating an iridescent optical illusion as it's subtle shimmering particles 'capture the light'."

I don't like using bronzing or tanning products anyway so i wasn't too happy to receive this. I gave it a go anyway but it made me look kind of dirty orange + greasy. Bleh.

Monu Illuminating Primer

Full size: 50ml for £22.50

Sample size: 20ml

Sample value: £9

"This primer is paraben free and has been formulated with light reflective Mica particles and soft focus technology to brighten the complexion, add instant sheen and enhance your natural radiance. Other active ingredients include Vitamin E to detoxify the skin and Cassia Alata Leaf Extract to protect and prevent skin against UV damage. Use either alone, under make-up or as a tinted moisturiser for a flawless, illuminating finish."

Usually i prefer matte finishes but this illuminating primer was a pleasant surprise! It made my skin radiant and glowing without making it greasy. A lot of customers were complaining that they had received so many Monu products before, but this was my first + i would be happy to try other products in their range!

Premae Multi-Vit Smoothie Serum

Full size: 50ml for £22.50

Sample size: 20ml

Sample value: £9

"Premae is the world's first allergen-free brand, meaning that anything they produce is more than kind to the skin. This Serum is the ultimate skin saviour for combination skin: blended with grapeseed, the unique formula helps to soothe redness and hydrate the skin, whilst keeping it matte and shine free."

This serum does a great job at keeping my combination skin under control with a perfectly matte finish! I super-love the lemongrass smell - it's so relaxing! The only thing i didn't like was the cheap packaging.

Unica Kiss It Better Cream

Full size: 50ml for £12.95

Sample size: Unknown

Sample value: Unknown

"This organic cream with Prebiotics, for very sensitive & eczema prone skin, is light and silky with highly soothing oils and intensely moisturising butters. It will calm, hydrate and protect extremely sensitive and inflamed skin."

I cannot believe Glossy would actually send this to their customers. It's a tiny little pot of cream with the worst packaging i have ever seen. It looks like they had leftover scrap pots left, picked the sticker off and stuck a new one on the top. The sticky residue picked up black bits from the box and the sticker is falling off... The product itself is very moisturising and gentle, but it smells yucky.

What do you think about this month's Glossy?

Lots of love,

ami ♡

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 ♡

Glossybox uk: July + august 2013 ♡

Hello lovelies! Recently I decided to take the plunge and sign up for a Glossybox UK subscription! I've been wanting to sign up for awhile now, but I'm glad I waited as Glossybox were offering the July and August boxes together for just £15 (+ £2.95 p+p)! Even though these boxes aren't generally available anymore, I wanted to share what I thought of the products I received! Overall, I really like these type of beauty subscription boxes because I can try more luxury brands without the price tag and different types of products I wouldn't normally pick up. They also tend to be great value! Please bear with me - this will be a pretty long post!

July 2013: Seaside splash

Box value: £34.77

Alterna Haircare: Bamboo Style Boho Waves Tousled Texture Mist

Full size: 125ml for £23.00

Sample size: 25ml 

Sample value: £4.60

"Your perfect "Seaside Splash" summer companion! Forget perfectly primped hair, and instead opt for effortlessly tousled, "just-back-from-the-beach" waves with this weightless mist. Adds texture, volume and healthy shine to all hair types."

I feel like this spray did what it said on the bottle - gave my hair texture, volume and made it look healthier - but I had to use a lot of the spray, so I really wouldn't be able to justify the price tag of the full-price product. Also my hair lost the volume quite quickly because it's really thick but it will probably work better with finer hair.

Anatomicals: Spray misty for me facial spritz

Full size: 100ml for £6.00

Sample size: 100ml (full size)

Sample value: £6.00

"Our current obsession in the Glossy office: ultra-hydrating facial mists - the number one summer essential. This facial spritz with calming lavender and refreshing peppermint extracts helps rehydrate and calm skin. Wonderful everyday, during flights, at the beach, in the city or in the office. We love that this is suitable for all skin types."

I've never use any facial sprays but I found this one to be pleasant. I liked the lavender scent, but some people might not like it so much. The spray was very hydrating and refreshing on the skin and didn't leave a sticky feeling or mess up my make-up (including my false lashes!).

Essie: Sleek sticks

Full size: One set for £9.99

Sample size: One set (full size)

Sample value: £9.99

"Discover a whole new way to essie. Now you can re-create chic looks fresh off the runway without so much as picking up a brush. These glam essie sleek sticks mimic the look and feel of handcrafted nail art and last up to 10 days. All you need to do is match the stickers to the size of each nail, peel them off and apply, before buffing away any excess with the file... easy peasy!"

These nail wraps are really gorgeous and look super high quality - you wouldn't expect any less from essie! Sadly, these don't really go with my style so I will give them away or sell them. 

Coola Organic Suncare Collection: Coola Mineral Face SPF 20 Rose Essence Tint

Full size: 50ml for £29.99

Sample size: 7ml

Sample value: £4.20

"We love this tough but gentle multi-tasker. Coola Organic's Suncare Collection is hypoallergenic, free of parabens and packed with antioxidants. It provides complete UVA/UVB protection and fights free radicals, while soothing, toning and minimizing pores. Organic Acai Oil delivers powerful anti-ageing benefits, while organic Evening Primrose and Linseed Oils reduce inflammation and balance moisture. We've truly fallen for this suncare hero."

This tinted moisturiser is a lovely change to using heavy BB creams/ foundations if you have relatively blemish-free skin. It's quite runny and doesn't offer too much coverage, but it blends well and feels really light. This tint also contains very few ingredients compared to similar products and doesn't contain parabens which is a big plus. Some downsides are that it smells a bit odd and has a lower SPF than I'd like personally.

Sleek Makeup: Pout Paint in 161 Minx (left) + 156 Peachy Keen (right)

Full size: 8ml for £4.99

Sample size: 16ml full size (8ml x2)

Sample value: £9.98 (£4.99 x2)

"Pout Paints are intensive, long lasting lip pigments that are made to be mixed. Use a tiny bead of Pout Paint and smooth onto your lips for mind-blowing vibrant colour that gives you full coverage that lasts for hours and dries to a satin finish."

These little paints are brilliantly bright, vibrant and long-lasting! They aren't sticky at all and last really long without leaving a yucky residue on your lips. You really only do need a few drops which make these great value for money. I really like the Minx colour (nude) but the Peachy Keen is a little too light and orangey for me.

August 2013: High flyers

Box value: £34.99 + make-up remover pen

Urban Veda: Neem and Botanics Purifying Day Cream

Full size: 50ml for £14.99

Sample size: 10ml

Sample value: £3.00

"UrbanVeda is a brand new skincare range, reflecting Ayurveda's holistic health and wellbeing system based on the idea of using nature to live a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. The UrbanVeda range has been formulated to naturally combat pollution, leaving skin less vulnerable to the environment."

I absolutely love this day cream - it's amazingly hydrating and mattifying! You only need a little bit to cover the whole face and neck. It has a lovely, fresh - almost medicinal - scent to it and leaves a refreshing, minty tingle to the skin. It absorbs quickly, leaving the skin soft without greasiness or sticky feeling. I will definitely purchase this again!

Emite Make Up: Eyelash Curler

Full Size: One piece for approx. £20

Sample size: One (full size)

Sample value: £20

"Developed with professional make-up artists for their requirements, the Professional Eye Lash Curler has a special curved design to suit all eye shapes, without touching your makeup base."

I must admit that I haven't used eyelash curlers for a few years now since I started to regularly wear false eyelashes. This is because I have typically Asian short and straight eyelashes which never curl properly. :{ These curlers were a lot better than cheaper drugstore ones that I've used before, and curled within a few seconds. They also held my eyelashes up with mascara! However, I did manage to poke my eye out a few times which I've never done before with previous curlers, making my eyes water. :{ I won't be giving up my falsies any time soon! These curlers come with extra cushion pads.

TRESemmé: Keratin Smooth Concentrated Treatment Shot

Full size: 15ml for £1.49

Sample size: 15ml (full size)

Sample value: £1.49

"NEW TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Concentrated Treatment Shot will return sun, sea, salt and chlorine weathered hair to summer goddess glory!"

This treatment shot is absolutely amazing! Seconds after applying this little miracle, my hair was super soft and tangle-free! This is perfect for the girl in a rush because it works in an amazing 60 seconds. This tiny tube fits enough product for 2-3+ applications or you can use it all at once for extra luxury. It has definitely improved the condition of my dry and damaged hair and I'll be buying it again and again.

Jelly Pong Pong: 2-in-1 Shadow/ Liner in Black

Full size: 2.8g for £10.50

Sample size: 2.8g (full size)

Sample value: £10.50

"The perfect multi-tasker for travelling, this creamy 2-in-1 crayon can be used to line the eyes as well as smudged and blended an eyeshadow."

I really like the jelly pong pong brand because it's so cute! I received the pencil in black and it has a really good colour pay-off and smudges really nicely. Great for a nice smokey eye. I thought the colour would go everywhere when using it as a liner, but it stayed put really well. I hope Glossybox puts more of this brand in my boxes in the future!

Óceane: Makeup Remover Pen

Full Size: 3ml (unknown price)

Sample size: 3ml (full size)

Sample value: Unknown price

"This pen delivers the mobile, mess- and fuss-free make-up touch up / removal solution we have always wanted when stuck on planes, trains and automobiles. LOVE!"

This pen was okay, but nothing special. It removed any unwanted makeup but also smudged quite a lot and you have to turn the nib around often to stop it smudging so much as it gets a lot of colour on it. It comes with three extra nibs. The packaging looks quite cheap.

Out of these two boxes, I preferred the August one! I think the hair treatment and day cream really won it for me. Which one is your favourite?

Until next time,

ami ♡