Glossybox - February 2012

Last month I posted about the January Glossybox which was a Valentines Day limited edition box.  This month it is back to the traditional dusty pink box containing products that reflect London Fashion Week (23-26 February).

If you are unfamiliar to Glossybox, it's a monthly subscription where you receive 5 or 6 luxury product miniatures (some of which may be full size) from high-end brands every month.  You just register to create an account and subscribe to receive your first Glossybox.  The box is sent directly to your door every month and will allow you to test out new products in the comfort of your own home. You can also provide product feedback in order to receive Glossydots which you can collect in order to claim a free box.  The box also contains product information, application notes and tips and tricks about beauty and style. It gives you the chance to try new perfumes, make up, body and care products of high-end and niche brands some of which you may not have heard of or tried otherwise.  The beauty box costs £10.00 per month (plus p+p).

This is the traditional box that you will receive each month which is a dusty pink colour with the Glossybox logo on the front.

There was a little more literature than usual in this months box.  It had the standard product information card that tells you where you can buy the products, how much they cost and any discounts that are available to you if you want to purchase the products.  But it also contained a flyer about London Fashion Week with a 15% discount code for tickets. 

The last item was a small business card that says "Expect The Unexpected" and to log on to the site from the 24th February for more information.  When you log on you see the following image:

Every day when you click on the box you receive an individual letter that spells a clue about the mystery box.  So far I have received the letters D, G, and I.  I think that the box may have something to do with designer, but that is just a guess and I'll keep you posted on the outcome.

Back to this months box and as usual the products were beautifully wrapped.

Finally let's take a peak inside this months Glossybox.

1. Duwop Venom Gloss in Buttercup £16 / 10.4ml:  This doesn't look like anything much in the tube but on application the product is quite sheer and gives a nice neutral sheen to the lips with gold reflex.  It causes a light tingling to the lips (due to the venom) which I'm not really a fan of and the product has quite a strong sweet smell which becomes slightly sickly after a while.  I have so many lip glosses that this wouldn't be one that I would reach for on a regular basis but it might be pretty as a top coat to tone down a stronger lip.  The product is also very sticky, so I definitely won't be wearing this on a windy day as I'd rather my hair wasn't stuck to my lips.

2. Impress Press on manicure £17.40 / Set:  I have my nails done professionally, so I never use press on nails.  But even if I did, these would not be something that I would try, purely down to the colour which is neon orange (the picture doesn't quite capture the true colour as it is much brighter).  This is a new product that claims on application to last up to a week.  The packaging is innovative as it looks like a nail polish bottle and keeps the nails contained so you won't lose them, but sadly this will not be a product that I'll be trying. I would have prefered to have received a nail varnish as at least I could wear it on my toes, but I never wear press-on-nails so I am rather disappointed with this product.

3. Paul Mitchell Quick Slip £14.25 / 150ml:  This is a styling cream that claims to p

rovide flexible hold and definition, s

hields vulnerable strands from the sun and s

peeds up drying time while it conditions and protects.  It also contains s

oftening conditioners and UV protection to leave hair looking and feeling healthy.  I have yet to try this product, but it is definitely something that I will try as I love experimenting with products claiming to protect your hair.  The product has a thick creamy consistancy (like most conditioners) and the inclusion of a pump means that you can control the amount being used without wasting any product.  It has the same scent that can be found in other Paul Mitchell products which is quite strong and sweet (to me it smells like fabric softener).

4. BM Beauty Pure Mineral Eyeshadow in Wolf Howl £7 / 2g:  I am not the biggest fan of mineral eyeshadows, purely for the fact that I have a tendency to spill them.  I received the colour Wolf Howl which is an iredescent midnight blue colour.   I tend to wear more neutral eyeshadows however I would probably wear this to line my lower lash line to add a pop of colour. 

5. Como Shambhala Invigorate Shower Gel £20 / 300ml: I have so many bath/shower products at the moment that I didn't really need a new shower gel (I'm currently trying to use up a large bottle of Snow Fairy by Lush).  However this 50ml bottle would be perfect for travelling so I know I will use it at some point.  It is described as being an invigorating shower gel which contains a blend of essential oils (eucalptus, geranium, lavender and peppermint) which are designed to uplift your mood.  You can really smell the lavender and peppermint especially in this product and the smell reminds me of Turkish Delight.  I wouldn't pay £20 normally for a shower gel so I don't think I'll be repurchasing this as there are some brilliant alternatives for a lot less money, but it's always nice to try out something new and a little different.

My initial impression....

Some nice products, but generally a little disappointed, especially with the colour choices of the lipgloss, eyeshadow and press-on-nails in particular.  I'm looking forward to seeing what will be in next months Mystery Box - hopefully it'll be something exciting!

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What's in my everyday makeup bag?

This is the makeup bag that I carry with me on a daily basis.  I do not keep a full face load of products with me, just a few items to refresh my makeup if I need to.  The current contents listed below were the items that were present in my What's in my handbag post. No items were added or removed, so this is a true reflection of what I carry with me (which is probably too much!). 

Mac Makeup bag from the Graphic Garden Collection
(Bought in San Francisco in 2009

The picture and list below shows you the content in more detail.  The majority of these products always remain in my makeup bag.  The only items that I change are the eye liners I use and the lip products and these tend to vary on a daily basis depending on what kind of look I am going for.

Starting from the top:

Estee Lauder Pure White Linen in Light Breeze 4ml: This is my signature summer scent, however I always leave it in my makeup bag as on the odd occasion I have forgotten to put perfume on (which I hate to do) and this sample means that I can quickly spritz some on me where ever I am.

Freedent Chewing Gum: I don't have chewing gum all the time, but again this is something that I like to have with me just in case I need to freshen my breath.

Gosh Velvet Touch Eye Liner in 006 Bananas: This is such a pretty light gold colour which I often use as an inner corner highlight, especially if I am wearing gold/bronze shadows.

3 Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils in Yeyo (white), Bourbon (brown with gold shimmer), Zero (black): These eye liners by Urban Decay are my all time favourite as they last all day long without smudging.  They also come in an array of colours.  I bought mine in a gift set that contained 5 or 6 different pencils so it is worth keeping a look out for these if you are interested in trying them.  I use the white eye liner as an inner corner highlight and the brown and black tend to go with the majority of makeup looks.  I usually just line the outer half of my lower lash line (if I line the whole lash line it tends to make my eyes look to closed and small).

Benefit It Stick: This is a pencil concealer (I shade fits all) that I use to cover any blemishes or redness throughout the day.  I like that it is small so it doesn't take up much room and it is really creamy so it is easy to apply.  Sadly I can't seem to find it on their website so it's probably been discontinued (something Benefit do a lot which is most annoying), but you still might be able to find it on Ebay or Amazon.

Mac Select Moisture Cover Concealer in NW20: This is my under eye concealer although I do sometimes use it to cover redness and blemishes as well.  If I am out and about all day and not heading home, I like to have this to refresh under my eyes so I look a little brighter.  It is really creamy and very easy to blend which is important as the skin around your eyes is so delecate that you don't want to damage it.

Sigmas travel lip brush:  I love Sigma brushes and I bought mine over a year ago as part of the Premium Professional Kit from their Website in America.  Unfortunately you can't buy this brush individually at the moment, however you can now buy some of their brushes in the UK from Love-Makeup.

Kirby Grips & Hairclip: I have very long hair and sometimes (if I have a side parting) my hair really annoys me and gets in my eyes so I like to hair a few hair grips with me so that I can clip it out of the way especially if it is windy outside as I don't want my hair getting stuck to my lipgloss.

Saline solution: I keep a few capsules with me at all times as I wear contact lenses and sometimes my eyes can feel a little dry, especially if I have been wearing my lenses for a while.

Vicks Inhaler Nasal Stick:  This might seem like a random product to have in my makeup bag but as you may have realised by now, I like to plan for the inevitable.  So many times I have been rescued from a blocked/stuffy nose at work by remembering that I had this with me.

Nail file:  Not sure what brand this is as it was a present.  I always have a nail file with me as there's nothing more annoying than having a chipped nail and I know that if I don't file it immediately I will keep picking at the chip making it a lot worse in the process.  One little tip - make sure that you get a nail file that comes in a sleeve - I stupidly didn't once and I had it in my bag and it scratched some of my things.  I was very upset!

Benefit Eye Bright: This is a instant eye brightener which comes in a milky pink shade.  I often apply it as an inner corner highlight or to line my lower waterline which helps to brighten your eyes, especially on those days when you are feeling rather tired.

L'Oreal Paris Super Liner Carbon Gloss in Carbon Black: I cannot say enough good things about this product - it is my favourite liquid eyeliner of all time and it is always in my makeup bag.  If I have been out all day, by refreshing my eyeliner (especially the little flicks that I like to do at the outer corner) I never feel the need to reapply my mascara as the eyeliner seems to make my eye makeup look as though I have just done it.  L'Oreal also do the same liner in Silver Black and I like to use this colour if I want a softer look on the eyes.

Mac Lustre Glass in Pinkaret:  This is a beautiful pink lipgloss with gold shimmer and I usually like to wear this in the summer months, but lately I have been applying this over my Mac Tinted Lip Condition for a more glossy finish.

Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Grapefruit:  This is a sheer pink lipgloss that is extremely moisturising on the lips and perfect if you want to add a little colour and gloss to the lips.  I got this product free when I ordered some Clinique products via their website.

Plasters:  These often become more used in the summer months when I start to wear pumps on my feet as no matter what I do I always seem to get a slight blister on my heal.  I have learnt that rubbing Vaseline into the backs of shoes helps and it does, but you never know when you might be in need of a plaster so I always keep a few to hand.

Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm:  I really like Carmex as a lip balm and this is probably my favourite for moisturising dry lips.  It is also handy as it comes in a squeezy tube and it is not as big as some of the tins that you can buy.  At first I didn't like the smell (sorry - not sure how to describe it, I guess it reminded me of playdoh) but I now quite like it.

Mac Tinted Lip Conditioner in Petting Pink:  This was in my January favourites and still is one of my favourite products I use especially as it has an spf 15.  It has a slight vanilla scent (like most of Mac products) and it really leaves your lips feeling smooth and kissable whilst adding a nice tint to the lips.  Definitely a product that I will continue to repurchase in the future.

Hairbands:  I carry these for the same reason I carry hair grips and that is because my hair often gets in my way.  Especially if I am carrying Olivia as she is just starting to grab things (my hair being one of them).  No matter where I am, these hairbands (which prevent snags) mean that I can quickly tie back my hair if I need to.

Laura Mercier Hand Cream in Creme Brulee:  This product can also be found in my January favourites.  During the Winter months my hands have been a lot dryer so I always make sure that I keep hand cream with me.  It also means that my nails stay in better condition too.

That is everything!  Like I said at the start, the majority of the items above can always be found in my makeup bag.  It is usually just the lip products and perhaps eye liners that change.  I don't carry a pressed powder with me as my skin isn't oily and my foundation tends to stay in place all day.  I also don't bother with blushes and it would mean that I would need a brush which would take up more space.  In the summer months, occasionally I might carry a cream blush with me as that can be applied with my fingers but my cheeks are quite pigmented anyway and my blusher usually stays in place (I always use Mac's Cream Colour Base in Hush underneath my blushes so that helps them to stay put).

What do you carry in your makeup bag?  Leave a comment below and subscribe for future makeup related posts. x