Wednesday 22 June 2016

Glossybox June 2016

Hi Guys,

I feel like its been forever since I've written a Glossybox related post, but to be honest, even if I had of been blogging regularly for the past few months. I don't think the past few boxes would of been worthy of a post, unfortunately they've just not wowed me. But I have hope for June, it looks like it's going to be a good one...
I had seen last month briefly, that Glossybox wanted to focus on going back to their roots. To go back to the basis of offering something new, wether its a new brand or higher end product that you possibly wouldn't go out and purchase without trying beforehand. 
 The box itself houses four full sized products, one sample size and also a little extra bonus treat as well. It really focuses on skincare this month and is definitely packed full of products to get ready for Summer.
Ladival Sun Protection Spray SPF15 - £19.99 for 150ml
This is actually one of the things that I am most excited about in the box, as I've just booked to go on holiday and have become a teeny weeny bit obsessed over SPF. I'm on the hunt for the best ones, so I will definitely be giving this a good test run! It has no scent to it and is really light in texture, so it rubs into the skin really easily and leaves no sticky residue either. Plus it has protection against UVA, UVB and Infrared A Rays, while also protecting against four times the amount of sun rays compared to other SPF's. 

De Bruyere After Sun - £9.48 for 50ml
To go along with the SPF, it seems appropriate to have an After Sun in the box as well. I love the scent from this, for some reason it reminds me of those retro sweetie necklaces you used to get as a kid. Though after further inspection of the tube, it is actually coconut, so I have no idea how I thought it smells like sweeties! It's a milk consistency, so it feels lovely and cooling on the skin, especially after a day out in the sun.

Emite Makeup Lip & Cheek Tint - £12.50 for ml
I actually thought at first that this product was a gorgeous wine liquid lipstick, however after actually opening it up, it is in fact an oil. Lip Oils are becoming all the range recently and this one also tints the lips or the cheeks too. I think I prefer this on the lips for a really natural stain, although I think with the right amount it could look really lovely as a subtle flush to the cheek over a dewy foundation. It also has such a lovely rose scent, which I think you'll either love or hate. 

Spa to You Konjac Sponge - £6.99
Konjac Sponges have been around for years now and yet I've still never tried one. I remember a few years ago, when I first started reading blogs and watching youtube they were going through a bit of a phase. However that seems to of died down over the years, but maybe they're now making a comeback! A Konjac Sponge is basically a really soft sponge, which can hold a large amount of water and exfoliates the skin gently. 

Origins Gin Zing Eye Cream - £20 for 15ml
This is another one that I love the fact its been included in this month's box, although it seems like a teeny sample, its a third of the size of the full size tub. Gin Zing is such a popular range for Origins, due to its brightening properties. This eye cream in particular, leaves you looking fresh and awake after dabbing the gel like formula gently under the eye area.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Constructor Deep Conditioner - £1.09 for 20ml
As a bonus product this month, this little sachet was included. I will admit Im really rubbish when it comes to using conditioner and I really need to change that. Aussie is such a popular haircare brand, that I don't actually think I have ever tried. So this is my chance to boost the condition of my hair and give them a go too. It's made to target damaged hair, using Australian Balm Mint to add shine to the hair and leave it feeling a lot more manageable. 

I think overall its really not a bad box this month, nothing in there that I won't get use of and I'm really excited to try most of these products this month, unlike previous boxes recently. 

Eloise x
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Friday 17 June 2016

Father's Day with Lush

Hi Guys,

Lush have released their first ever Father's Day collection, to celebrate this Sunday with a little more fizz! It includes lots of brand new products, some with familiar scents, as well as bringing back a slightly troublesome Oxford St exclusive which I've been desperate to get my hands on. I would lie and say I've been a good daughter and picked up some treats for my Dad, but really they're all for me! Good thing my Dad isn't much of a Lush fan!
I've only picked up four out of the seven products. There is also a whole range of Smugglers Soul products as well, but I personally am not a huge fan of the scent. However it does include the Smugglers Soul Solid Shampoo Bar - £6.95, Smugglers Soul Multipurpose Cream - £14.95 and the Smugglers Soul Facial Scrub - £8.95. 

Smugglers Soul is one of the perfumes that Lush have with Gorilla Perfumes, it was released ... and has been a popular one ever since. Due to it's deep warm scent, it's main note is Sandalwood, making it quite rich and woody. So the scent has been transferred into making these new handy haircare and skincare items for Dad. (Or if you just love Smugglers Soul!) 
I've grabbed the Thanks Dad Soap - £4.95, I must admit it's mainly because it's so cute! It's a little building block of soap, with three of the sides all spelling out Dad. It's a gorgeous, fresh scent made up of orange oil and fresh orange juice. I really love how subtle all the scents are in this collection, they're just lovely and refreshing especially as we go into the (hopefully warmer!) Summer months. 
The only Bubble Bar in the collection is The Modfather Bubble Bar - £3.65, inspired by the 1960's. Again following on with the orange theme, using Brazilian orange oil. I think its a great size, I would say I could probably get about six baths from this, but it really just depends on your personal preference when it comes to how much to use. The water also turns a gorgeous bright blue shade with this one too. 

As much as I love the Super Dad - £3.95 Bath Ballistic for such a fun and bright design, the scent that goes alongside this is fantastic. It's not really something Lush does too often, a subtle scent, but when they do, they do it so well. It's calming and soothes, with a main note of sandalwood, I find it almost quite like baby powder though. It's not really what you expect from such a bright and graphic bath bomb. It takes its time to fizz around the tub as well, again being mesmerising and soothing to watch.
Possibly the most exciting launch in this entire range, is the return of the notorious Oxford St Exclusive, Lava Lamp - £3.95. This was actually discontinued to be reformulated, as it's not only a bath bomb, but also has three bath melts inside. However the little bath melts, although tiny, really pack a punch and due to their purple colour, they were dying bath tubs and customers the same colour... Which isn't really ideal, even if it does make your bath water look like a retro lava lamp. However it's now back after it's been tweaked a little and has wiggled it's way into the Father's Day range. It has a citrus scent, based on oranges, it's not overpowering, I find it actually really quite subtle. 

Now the only thing is, that when I used this I did find it left purple marks around the side of my bath. As well as a few little patches on my skin, but it did come off with a wipe straight away on the skin. The bath took a little bit more rubbing and some warm water, but it did come off and didn't leave a permanent mark or tint to the bath. It's just maybe something to be aware of, as you do have to clean the bath immediately. I can't say that it's still the same as before, as I never actually got ahold of one of the old ones. But I didn't find the staining to be too bad, nothing that was going to cause a problem anyway. 

There are also three gift sets available, which have a selection of these products inside. If you'd like to take a peek at the whole range overall though, they can be found HERE

Eloise x
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Wednesday 15 June 2016

Lip Lure's from Illamasqua

Hi Guys,

Illamasqua have launched a whole new range of gorgeous glossy liquid lipsticks today. To go alongside the Lip Lure that already launched in their Hypnotica Collection for Summer.

I think its lovely to see a glossy liquid lipstick hit the market, as much as I do love my matte lips. It's nice to have a bit of a change and offer a little bit more to the liquid lipstick world. 
But it's not Illamasqua's first foray into the liquid lipstick market either, having previously launched four matte shades, however these have all been limited edition colours. I have reviewed them HERE, if you're interested to see how they differentiate. However as far as I know, all ten shades in the Lip Lure's are permanent. 

There is such a fantastic selection of shades available in this collection, from nudes to brights and even a gorgeous dark green. I have three of the shades available, but the collection also includes; Embers; a bright orange, Jus; a dark berry, Orchid; a blue toned dark purple, Nebulus; a deep darkened green, Rose; a rosy pink, Sorbet; an orange toned red and Virtue a true classic red. 
However the three shades I've picked up are definitely more a part of the pink family. Pow which is perfect for summer, with it's bright fuchsia pink colouring. This is the shade that's included in the Hypnotica collection, it's got fantastic pigmentation, as they all have actually. You only need one swipe of the wand and you get a brilliant amount of colour pay off from them.

I also have Bloom, which is probably my favourite, as it reminds me the most of my favourite Glamore Lipstick in Rosepout. It's a pretty pink toned nude shade, really wearable and great for everyday. Then there is also Dusk; a darker rosy pink. All three have been so comfortable to wear, as they're so creamy, to the point that I've actually forgotten I had them on. Plus even when I have forgotten, they've lasted on the lips so well, without fading unevenly, due to their long wearing formulation. 
One of my favourite things about them is the packaging, I love how the colour peeks through the sleek glossy black tube, through the form of the Illamasqua logo. But the wand is a real winner here, instead of a traditional dofut applicator, its a flatter sponge applicator. As it has a flatter side, this helps to apply the colour and fill in the lip. But if you were to turn it onto its thinner side, this is great to line the lips with as its so much more precise. I've used Bloom quite easily without a lip liner, which I think is fantastic when it comes to apply a look quickly and with minimal product. 
(Swatches: Left to Right - Pow buffed, Pow, Dusk buffed, Dusk, Bloom buffed and Bloom)
I really cant fault these at all, they've already become one of my most reached for lip products over these past few weeks. Especially the shade Bloom, which I am head over heels in love with. However that hasn't stopped me eyeing up a couple more to the collection... Rose... But I could see myself adding them all to my collection, as I'd quite comfortably rely on these more often in other shades too.

They are all available from Illamasqua for £19.50 each, online and in-store.

Eloise x
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Wednesday 8 June 2016

Illamasqua Hypnotica

Hi Guys,

I accidentally may of taken a much longer blog break than originally planned... However as of yesterday, I have submitted all of my work for my HND and I'm ready to get back into blogging! As well as being completely ready for these Summer months and Illamasqua has everyone covered when it comes to Summer and festivals, with their new collection, Hypnotica... 
Hypnotica consists of quite a few new products for Illamasqua as well as a couple of new shades to be added to popular existing lines. Packed full of wonderfully bright shades and the perfect creamy, long lasting formulas for the hotter months. 

I've only picked up a few products from the range, however it does also include the Slick Stick in Dream - £18.50. Which is perfect for the lips and can be used on the eyes for liner too, but this shade specifically looks fantastic for drawing on freckles. As the shade itself is a creamy brown, the formulation of the Slick Sticks means that they go on really easily and can be moved around a little. But once they set, they will not budge, as are actually water resistant, so the longevity of them is brilliant. 

The collection also includes a pair of Dolly Lashes - £11, these are actually for the lower lash line to add a little bit of length and volume. Which I think are lovely and 60's inspired, yet really nice and subtle too.
If you've seen anything about Hypnotica, you've probably seen the new Lava Lip in Activist - £19.50. It's probably the most amazing lipstick to look at in my whole collection. It's just stunning, the pink, green, blue and purple swirls translate into the most gorgeous dark fuchsia pink shade. It has more of a satin finish to it, but it's comfortable to wear and highly pigmented too. 

Also for the lips are the new Lip Lure's - £19.50, there are quite a few shades in this range. However I'm going to blog about them separately, as there is specifically one shade designated to this range, called Pow. It's such a beautiful glossy bright pink liquid lipstick, which again is so pigmented that it really lasts on the lips and you really don't need a lot to make an impact with it. 
I would say that these are probably one of my favourite things from the whole collection, but I think I just love it all. However I love the Sketch Sticks - £15 for their versatility, the options are endless with these creamy, highly pigmented crayons. 

I have the shades Free; a very pretty cornflour blue and Spirit; a bright white shade. The formulation of these makes them so easy to blend and buff into the skin, they glide onto the skin from the stick with no effort at all. They are available in seven colours overall, perfect for use on the lips, cheeks and eyes. I think Spirit is a great shade to use under eye shadow as a base to brighten any shade layered over the top. Plus Free is really on trend, for all the blue looks seen at fashion week, lovely as a liner. As you can also apply these with a brush, if you want to be more precise with your application.
(Swatches: Left to Right - Pow, Free, Spirit and Activist)
Overall this is such a fun and versatile collection for Summer, there are so many different ways to wear it and I do think there's something in there for everyone. It's one of those ones that you just have to have a play about with and experiment, as well as being perfect for all the festivals coming up this summer too. I definitely cant wait to get properly stuck in and experiment with the products, so let me know if you'd like to see a post with different ways to wear them too!

Eloise x
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