You Beauty Discovery Box - March 2014

I have to begin this by saying out of all the beauty boxes out there this is my ultimate favourite. It's a little different from the rest as you choose 2 products from a selection and they also include a few products of their own. There's no surprise element in this box which I know some people will not like but the selection of products avaliable to choose from are usually amazing. Another added bonus of this box is that it is the cheapest out there at £6.95 which INCLUDES the P&P and this months box is an absolute BARGAIN. 

It is safe to say I have a little  big obsession with skincare. I can't stop buying cleansers even though I most probably have half the stock of Boots so this box got me so excited and the money I saved is crazy!

The Body Shop - Camomile Sumptious Cleansing Butter & Muslin Cloth 

Full size £12

Worth £12

'This cleanser is an indulgent make-up remover for the whole face. It gently and efficiently melts away make-up and impurities, leaving skin feeling clean, refreshed and pampered.'
Now this I didn't have to think twice about when choosing which products went into my box! I LOVE using cleansing butters/balms to remove my make-up and I had just ran out of my No.7 one so thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try this one. The thing that amazes me is that this is £12 to buy so already my £6.95 is well worth spent and anything else I choose is just an added bonus! 
I used this last night and its love already. It removed all my make-up and made my skin SO smooth and there's a whole lot of product to get through which makes me very happy indeed!
A voucher code for The Body Shop has also been included which gives you £10 off when you spend £25 or more.

Beauty Lab - Glyco Face Wash 

Full size £32

Worth £16

'A skin refining oil free 5% glycolic foaming gel with triggered release technology that works longer and deeper to remove impurities, unclogging pores refining and cleansing whilst helping to prevent future break-outs. Contains pomegranates enzymes, glycolic and salicylic acid infused microspheres, soothing willow bark and lavender.'
Literally when I read the description for this cleanser it was like music to my ears! I love using cleansers that go that extra mile and offer more than usual cleansers. I suffer from breakouts so this seems like the perfect cleanser to use 3-4 times a week to keep my skin in check! 
I used this along side the cleansing butter and my skin was feeling so clean and fresh so a perfect combination together! I'm looking forward to using this cleanser more to get a better idea of how it works with my skin but so far so good!
A voucher code has been included which gives you 20% off every purchase online at beautylab.co.uk

Now onto the extras included in the box...

Dragonfly Tea - Swirling Mist Organic White Tea & Moonlight Jasmine Organic Green Tea

Firstly lets take a minute to completely appreciate the adorable names that these teas have been given! 
I love trying out different teas so I can't wait to try these ones out and if they sound as good as they taste I will certainly be onto a winner!
A coupon has been included to save 50p off any box of Dragonfly tea

The Vintage Company - Toe separators 

These are going to come in so handy when the sun finally decides to make an appearance and the sandals come out! I tend to neglect my feet in the winter when they are stuffed into converse and winter boots so this gives me the boost to actually get round to painting them a pretty colour for spring/summer!

I'm sure you can guess that I LOVED this months selection. The products are perfect and the fact this box is £6.95 is beyond me as the products included are worth so much more!
Already can't wait for next months box! Roll on April!

Rachel xx 

Birchbox UK March 2014 - Lulu Guinness

Oh what a snazzy little box this one is! Sadly its only a cover over the box but it gives you quite a big clue who they have teamed up with for this months box! They have partnered with Lulu Guinness who has picked one of her favourite products that features in the box and a little treat too!

These are the cards that are included in the box with some offers however within the box there is meant to be a magazine connected to Lulu Guinness however mine wasn't included and so Birchbox have promised that it is in the post doh!

Now onto this months selections...

Benefit - Stay don't stray - £20.50 full size

This is Lulu Guinness's pick for the box and it's a good one! At first I did just think it was an eye primer but it is actually a primer for your concealer too which is genius as I always find my concealer wears away during the day. Benefit is quite a big brand so to be found in a beauty box is always a good thing and I'm super excited to try this !

Dr Brandt - Pores no more - £39 full size

Now this is the product that I am excited about the most as it literally sounds perfect for my skin. It claims to refine pores and absorb excess oil which is music to my ears! You can use this in the traditional way that a primer is used, under make-up, or you can apply it over make-up too to instantly mattify the skin. Super super excited to give this a go!

Aroma works - Serenity Body oil - £32.50 full size

I have really got into using oils of late as I feel it sinks in so much better then moisturiser does and just gives your skin an instant hit of hydration so I was excited to see this included. Its smells amazing, really 'citrusy' and includes nourishing coconut oil. Really looking forward to trying this after a nice soak in the bath !

Molton Brown - Rhubarb and rose replenishing hand cream - £10 full size

 Ahh now I do love a hand cream and have constant supplies in my bag to use during the day so this one is more than welcome to join! I have a real soft spot for Molton Brown and this is a fragrance I haven't yet come across. It feels really moisturising on the hands and I can see myself going through this very quickly!

English Laundry - No. 7 For her - £47 full size

I remember receiving a sample from this brand a few months back and really enjoying the fragrance so I was happy to see them back with a new one. This smells really fresh and easy to wear and has a mixture of pear, jasmine, gardenia, vanilla and sandalwood. I feel like this scent is really non offensive and just makes you smell really fresh and put together. Looking forward to spritzing this on me during the week.

Lulu Guinness - Candy rock

Last but not least is the treat form Lulu Guinness which is a stick of rock - Yum! The black and white striped rock is inspired by her spring/summer collection. Looking forward to eating this as a cheeky treat!

I am very happy with this months box and if the products perform as they claim I will have budge proof make-up and sweet smelling skin! 

I feel this month has a lovely mix of products which I am super excited to try :)

Rachel xx

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water Review

Micellar water has rocketed in popularity mainly due to the infamous Bioderma and now we have different brands trying to recreate the success.
One thing that makes micellar water so popular is the ease that it takes to use and the effectiveness of removing make-up.

The one I have discovered recently is the Garnier offering and by golly it's a gooden!

It comes in a huge 400ml bottle which costs £4.99 but after some research it is at Savers for £2.99! Bargain or what?! I know where I'm purchasing it next!

It removes all of my make-up so effectively with minimal rubbing around the eyes which is a must as my eyes are pretty sensitive when it comes to removing eye make-up.

I think it is a fantastic alternative to wipes and has certainly fitted into my skincare routine with ease. I tend to use this as a pre cleanse as I still feel like I need to give my skin a deeper cleanse to get rid of all the gunk sitting in my pores (lovely I know!)

It simply does what it says on the bottle... What more could you ask for?

Which micellar water are you liking at the moment?

Rachel x

Rituals Fortune Scrub REVIEW

I haven't blogged in what seems like a life time! 7 months in fact! Now where does the time go?!

I have felt like it has been a good long break and now feels the right time especially when I tried this little baby out I just couldn't resist!

I have only tried one rituals body product in the past and that has been the Mei Dao body cream which I was so impressed buy so as soon as I saw this came free with this months Marie Claire magazine I snapped it right up!
I didn't really know what to expect with this as I love a body scrub to be really scrubby (new word right there!) So when I saw this said 'shower cream scrub' I didn't expect it to be as exfoliating but oh my was I wrong!
Yes it's creamy but this doesn't affect the way it exfoliates. It left my skin feeling SO soft, softer then its felt in ages.

Now the smell is on another level. It smells incredible! Its described as being Sweet Orange &Cedar and my oh my its so citrusy and uplifting and it just literally lingers on the skin for such a long time.
I love this so much I actually picked up another magazine so I now have 2 in my stash.
The magazine is £3.90 so it's a saving £6.10 as the scrub retails at £10 but I will be more than happy to repurchase at that price because it's so lovely.

Such an amazing opportunity to try this as it comes free with Marie Claire magazine this month :)

Did you pick this up?

Rachel xxx

April Birchbox UK 2013

So it's that time of the month again when the latest Birchbox arrives with all it's goodies inside and this month is no different.
It felt like I waited ages for my box though and seeing everyones reviews and posts about the box seemed to make it that little bit harder but I have to say I was a little surprised to see what was in my box... You will see why in a bit...

Here's what's inside

No onto the products one by one!

Gerda Spillmann - Renaissance Age Serum

3ml

This is a teeny tiny sample of a serum that is geared to giving you a 'youthful appearance.' Now I can't say that anti-ageing skin care is on the top of my list at the moment but never-the-less it's never too young to start! Prevention is better than cure right? A Gerda Spillmann product was also included in a pervious box so  Birchbox obviously have a strong connection with the brand. Looking forward to using this however not sure if I am going to see any improvement, firstly due to my age and secondly due to the size of the product as it is only 3ml but however it will be nice to get a feel for the product and see whether it agrees with my skin or not.

La Societe Parisienne De Savons - Soap

Maya

Now when i opened the box the first thing I thought was 'wow what is that smell' and it turned out to be this. This is your traditional smelling soap filled with the smell of Lavender which I personally LOVE. In a way it reminds me of something from the 1900's packaging and smell wise (not that I know what the 1900's smell like!) but I would imagine that all the upper class women of that time would use something just like this and I just love the retro vibe to it.
I almost feel like it's too pretty to use and would love to just have this on the side but thus this defeats the object of having a soap so I will use it and while I do I can act like a proper lady!

Mirenesse - Glossy Kiss

14. Perfect Kiss

I was quite excited when I saw this in the box as these type of pencil lip products have been huge recently and I always wanted to try one but have never really got round to it so I felt this was the perfect opportunity to do so!

The first thing I was surprised with is how pigmented this is! It really packs the colour on with just one swipe which is obviously a bonus.
The colour I got is 'perfect kiss' which is a red with gold shimmer running through. I wouldn't class this as an 'everyday lip colour' as it is quite strong and with the gold shimmer which I feel it just looks a little too much for day time wear. However it would look fab on a night out or if your going somewhere special. I kind of wish I got a more wearable colour which would have allowed me to wear it anytime as it is such a handy product to put in your bag and apply whenever you need too.

Weleda - Skin Food

This is by far my favourite product in the box.
I will admit and say I probably need a new moisturiser like a hole in the head. I have so many which I need to get through so when I saw this I didn't really think much, that's until I tried it!
I have never used a moisturiser that is so thick and which sinks into my skin so well. It literally leaves your skin feeling like a silk and I think I'm a little in love.
It smells quite natural and herby (if that makes sense ha!) which I can't say I love but I don't hate it so it doesn't put me off using it as some smells can be quite overpowering but this is more on the natural side.
I just think this stuff is bloody amazing and I can see it being a saviour on those super dry areas and can see my feet being in pretty sandals in no time!
Oh and Victoria Beckham uses this. What is good enough for Victoria is good enough for me!

Nick Chavez Beverly Hills - Plump N'Thick Leave-In Thickening Mist

I had instant de-ja-vu when I saw this product as I have actually recieved this is my February box! I'm a little on the confused side to why they have put this in here, to use up the old stock they still have maybe?
I must admit I do quite like this but not enough to feel happy that I have another one so I think I will be getting in contact and explain that I have already recieved this, not too sure if anything can be done but it's worth a go!
I can't say I have seen anyone else getting this product so maybe I am just unlucky!

Lifestyle Extra - Paname Paris Mirror

I love the little extras that Birchbox put in the boxes each month and this time it's a mirror. This is so handy to have in my bag but the thing I'm a little confused is that Birchbox are claiming that this is £7.50! I wouldn't pay £7.50 for this and it's not even a compact mirror and really isn't worth that much but never-the-less it's a handy product to have in the handbag!

So there we have April's box done and dusted!

The stand out product is the Weleda Skin Food as its amazing and I can see it becoming a holy grail item for me!

Rachel xxxx  

#2 Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub

So this is my second post in my Soap and Glory reviews (the first one can be found here) and today I am looking at Sugar Crush Body Scrub!

For me there is nothing better than using a scrub when your body feels like it needs a pick me up and this is the perfect scrub to do this.
Firstly let me just talk about the smell. Every time I take a sniff of this a little piece of me goes to heaven, it smells incredible. It's smells mainly of lime which is just so uplifting and reminds me of eating lime flavour starburst.. Mmmm! Once used the smell lingers around for so long and just leaves me with a little spring in my step for as long as I can smell it.
But obviously the most important thing is how it performs and I can safely say it's my favourite scrub I have tried!

The scrub contains:
Smashed brown sugar
Sweet lime
Almond oil
Macadamia grains
So the sugar and the macadamia grains are bits that get scrubbing all that dead skin away and the almond oil is where it leaves your skin so soft after it has been washed off.

The thing I like the best about this is that it gets the job done so effectively but it isn't harsh and doesn't feel like my skin has been dragged through a bush, although I would be careful on using this on freshly shaved skin as it does sting and make your eyes water!
I tend to use this around 2-3 times a week in either the shower or bath and with it being 300ml it has lasted me such a long time which is great value for money as you can pick it up from Boots for £8.
I couldn't think of using any other scrub as the smell and the way it performs gets me coming back every time...

Whats your favourite scrub?

Rachel xxx

Sudocrem for Ance/Spots!

I'm pretty sure that most probably 90% of households will have sudocrem tucked away somewhere, it's such a multi-purpose product that pretty much sorts everything out from:

• eczema
• minor burns
• nappy rash
• bed sores
• sunburn
• surface wounds
• chilblains
• and of course what I'm going to be talking about today, acne/spots!

The thing I love about multi-purpose products like this is that you can get so many uses out of it so really in my eyes its a must have product and something that everyone should have at least 1 of indoors.

Now I mainly use this for spots and as you can probably guess this only happens at night time or if I'm indoors and not going out anywhere as it is quite a thick cream that I layer on spots individually or sometimes as a mask overnight. 

It has happened where I have had this slathered on my face, completely forgot, and the postman knocked on the door, needless to say he had a rather confused look on he's face! Ha ha! Poor man!

I find that when I do apply this to spots that become reduce the next morning when used overnight as it really sinks into the skin and works into the blemishes. The spots that are really large and sore become a little less large and sore and just feel like they have been kicked into shape!

The thing I appreciate about this is the fact that it doesn't leave my skin feeling dry like some spot treatments can. I use the Origins Super Spot Remover too which I find works but sometimes does leave my skin feeling dry so I do like to layer this over the top and this helps to battle the issue.

If you haven't tried this for spots yet I urge you too as you could be pleasantly surprised!

Oh and the fact that you can buy this pretty much anywhere for around £2-£5 depending on what size you get is another reason, yes?

Rachel xxx