liner

UNBOXING: You Beauty Box July 2016 – The Jet Set Edit

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YOU Beauty Box: The Jet Set Edit for July

It’s definitely the summer box! And although we don’t use tan products ourselves, we appreciate that the extra treat being a generous tube of ST Tropez In-Shower tan means we’re off to a good start. Illamasqua? Rodial? Alpha-H? Squee, you’re spoiling us this month!

We did get up early to order some Alpha-H liquid gold as we have yet to try this classic product, however it was already sold out. It seems like they only had a few bottles :-/

ILLAMASQUA: Precision Ink Liner in Abyss, 3ml
Value: £21 (full size, although the product sold has now gone down to 1.8ml vs the old 3ml…sneaky!)Image result for illamasqua ink liner

“Precision ink creates perfect lines with its long-lasting water-proof formula  The high percentage of pigment in the water-based formula proves ultimate pay-off. Also makes a great nail art pen.”

BT INITIAL THOUGHTS: Not sure how this is water-based but dries waterproof or how it can last long enough to use as a nail art pen, but we jumped at the chance to pick one of these up!  We absolutely love Illamasqua and use liquid liner every day.  We usually pick up whichever pigmented one we can get on a deal so it’s so exciting to get to use a premium product like this.  Fingers crossed it doesn’t disappoint us!

RODIAL:  Stemcell Super-food Glam Balm Multi, 25ml
Value: £27.50

Image result for RODIAL Stemcell Super-food Glam Balm Multi

Something weird has happened this month and not everything in the shortlist is featured on the featured image or the information booklet. We guess they received some extra products last minute?

BT INITIAL OPINION – Rodial is one of those brands you see in Space NK that sounds absolutely lovely but you can’t justify the money just to try it out. We like hard working products, so basically a multipurpose balm from Rodial is right up our street…

EXTRA TREATS:

ST TROPEZ: Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion in Medium, 50ml
Value: £3.63

Image result for Gradual Tan In Shower Lotion in Medium

“Gradual Tan In Shower Golden Glow Lotion lets you gradually build a deeper golden glow as part of your daily shower routine. This streak-free and easy to apply lotion is also ultra-hydrating and won’t transfer.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Self-tan isn’t for us (or tanning in general), but St Tropez has a very establish (albeit with a premium price tag) reputation. This is a great freebie considering sometimes we get tiny sachets and will make a lovely gift for a friend.

OTHER OPTIONS:

The shortlist this month was:

  • Resultime – Regenerating Collagen Gel, 15ml
  • Illamasqua – Precision Ink Liner in Abyss, 3ml (full size)
  • White Rabbit Skincare Lime & Coconut Cleansing Water, 30ml
  • Aethic L’Air Bien Tubes in-flight Face and Hand Cream, 30ml (full size)
  • Carmex Peach & Mango Burst, 10g (full size)
  • Hawaiian Tropic Satin Protection SPF 15, 200ml (full size)
  • M&S Rosie for Autograph Nuit Parfum, 15ml
  • Philip Kingsley Swim Cap, 50ml
  • Rimmel London 60 Seconds Super Shine Nail Polish By Rita Ora in Glaston-Berry, 8ml
  • Alpha-H Liquid Gold, 50ml
  • NUXE Huile Prodigieus, 10ml
  • Rodial STEMCELL Super-Food Glam Balm Multi, 25ml
  • Balance Me Congested Skin Serum, 7ml
  • Bloom & Blossom Bath and Shower Gel, 50ml
  • INIKA Organic Eyeliner in Black Caviar

OVERALL VERDICT:

What a fantastic selection this month! We wish we had made it on time for the Alpha-H but as we login as soon as the selection is live, having discussed with other enthusiast we’re all pretty sure they had next to none of these. It was a tough decision between the items we chose and the Aethic L’Air Bien Tubes and the Resultime Collagen Gel, however the cult brands won out and we feel like we’ve received some extra lovely treats this month. You spoil us You Beauty…thumbs up!

Box price: £6.95 inc shipping
Total value: £52.13

Note: We paid for this You Beauty Discovery Box with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of You Beauty Discovery? Sign up here http://www.youbeautydiscovery.co.uk

UNBOXING: Birchbox Dec 2015 – All That Glimmers

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Image result for birchbox december 2015 bag

Unboxing? This was an unbagging. Birchbox were pretty pleased with themselves calling it the ‘Luxe Birchbag’. A glittery clutch best kept for housing your Birchbox treats rather than taking out in public anywhere! Plus it doesn’t stack hah. Happy Christmas though…

BENEFIT:  Puff off! and They’re Real Push-Up Liner Duo
Value: Approx £2 (not sure of weight)

Image result for BENEFIT: Puff off! and They're Real Push-Up Liner Duo sample

“You’ll find everything you need to perfect your peepers for party season inside this gorgeous kit! Heading out? A slick of this jet-black liner will complete any make-up look in style. The morning after? Sooth tired eyes with this de-puffing formula.”

BT INITIAL OPINION:  These samples are sooo tiny. They really should only be ‘free’ extras….we actually have the full size liner (for its waterproof qualities) and would describe it as gimmicky and hard to use.

MODELCO:  Ultra Long-Lasting Lipstick in Stiletto, 3.5g
Value: £5.17

Image result for MODELCO: Ultra Long-Lasting Lipstick in Stiletto

“This hydrating, semi-matte formula provides nourishment and long-lasting colour.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – It’s a bright red lipstick from Ozzie brand ModelCo. Not much more to say than that. It seems OK but we’re not too excited about this one.

CIATE: Paint Pot in Dangerous Affair, 5ml
Value: £3.34

Image result for CIATE: Paint Pot in Dangerous Affair, 5ml
“Super-pigmented, ultra long-lasting and a cinch to apply.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – This is a mini bottle. We love Ciate’s bottles and polishes and this is a classic wine red colour. Given the rest of this month’s Birchbox is pretty unexciting, it’s a shame this isn’t full size, but it’s cute and we like it.

MONU:  Firming Moisturiser, 30ml
Value: £16.50

Image result for MONU Firming Moisturiser

“An aromatic blend of essential oils as well as coconut oil and marine collagen work to smooth fine lines and hydrate tired skin.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – Quality skincare is always welcome, but this is pricey! It would have to perform particularly well to justify the pricetag. It feels quite rich, but we’ll report back.

KORRES:  Santorini Vine Shower Gel, 40ml
Value: £1.28

Image result for KORRES: Santorini Vine Shower Gel, 40ml
“Fresh and fruity, it’s the ultimate pick-me-up on chilly winter mornings and is packed with nourishing wheat proteins to help moisturise your skin while it cleanses.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – It’s basically just a shower gel, but it does smell really great; a woody citrus that has unisex appeal and is refreshing.

BIRCHBOX EXTRA:  Catherine Malandrino Style de Paris, 2ml
Value: £2.40

Image result for BIRCHBOX EXTRA: Catherine Malandrino Style de Paris, 2ml

“Sophisticated yet fruity.”

BT INITIAL OPINION – We kind of groan a little inside when we see a perfume sample but we actually quite liked this one. It’s on the sweet side, with a fruity scent…totally different to what we’d usually choose, but we’ll happily wear this.

OVERALL VERDICT:

We were pretty underwhelmed by the selection we received this month. We thought maybe the budget had gone on the bag, but we saw the other variants of boxes that were sent out and ours is definitely the worst. Sigh. We hate massive variation in boxes as it can be so disappointing and unfair – it’s the reason we left Glossybox very fast. Basically totally uninspired, almost totally not on-theme. The Monu moisturiser is a nice inclusion but the rest of the products were low value or absolutely tiny.

Total value: £37.54

Box price: £10.00 plus £2.95 shipping (rolling month by month subscription) – although we got this on a discount offer

Note: We paid for this Birchbox with our own hard-earnt pennies

Like the look of Birchbox? Subscribe at www.birchbox.co.uk and you’ll get £5 off your first box! You’re welcome 😉

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Shara Shara Creamy Dual Auto Eyestick #3, Celeb Burgundy

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Image result for shara shara dual creamy auto eye stick

Shara Shara is a Korean cosmetic brand, more well known for its fun take on beauty than quality.

This is a dual-ended ‘automatic’ type pencil with a creamy glittery ‘eyeshadow’ that goes on smoothly and a more narrow, darker ‘liner. Ours was a peachy corally eyeshadow (shade similar to NARS orgasm) together with a burgundy liner.

The quality of both of these isn’t great and like most soft liners, they settle in to creases quickly without the use of primers and fixers. We suggest applying them then dusting along the lash line with a shade of eye shadow that matches or is darker than the liner to set it.

Whether or not the shades suit you, whether or not the shadow is too glittery for you, our biggest gripe is the absolutely terrible value. The liner end of the pencil broke and the turns out, there’s maximum 5cm of product in that end.

You woulodn’t get a whole eye look with this product and not that convinced the two colours even complement each other that well but it does give quite a fresh look. It’s a fun throwaway product that came in a Memebox, but we wouldn’t actually have wanted to spend money on this.