October Birchbox Review

It feels like so long since I’ve gotten a subscription box – since May to be precise!

As usual, Birchbox sucked me back in because of the amazing deal they had going on. I got three boxes for the price of one! THREE!

There was the risk of me getting a previous box but since I’d only had 2, it was pretty slim. I’m pleased to say I got no duplicates and it was boxes that I was quite sad I missed for the packaging alone!

As usual, most of the brands in the box are ones I’ve never heard of and their full size products seem to be way out of my price range!

This is one of the things I love about Birchbox, I can try out brands that I would normally never even consider.

I guess it’s one of the downsides too since I can’t afford a £20 hair mask no matter how good it is! 🤣

In October’s box there is only 2 full sized products and no exclusives.

Beauty Pro – Thermotherapy Warming Gold Foil Mask

The last mask I tried I had some sort of reaction with so I am a bit sceptical of using this especially as my skin is having a major breakout as it is.

I am intrigued as it is apparently self- warming which helps to ensure the ingredients penetrate your skin.

Once I’m over my breakout, I think I’ll try this and see how it feels but it is supposed to boost elasticity, reduce fine lines and give your skin a nice glow.

This is one of the full sized products and is £5.95.

Winky Lux – Strobing Balm

The packaging of this is very cute but I’m not sure if I would think the same with the full size one!

This is in the shade Radiant Pink but I found it does not really have a colour pigment once it’s on the skin (thankfully!), it just leaves a nice glow.

I don’t tend to use cream products as I’m just not very good with them but I would probably use this if I was going for a subtle look.

The full-size product is £15 which I don’t think I would pay for a strobing balm but if that’s your thing, I think you would like this!

Anika – Soulfood Nourishing Mask

The first thing I noticed about this was it smells amazing! It also has the Bunny Logo on it so it must be cruelty free which is excellent!

Annoyingly the sample only has about 1-2 uses in it and I have really fine hair so all you thick haired girls might struggle to cover all your hair!

This left my hair feeling really soft and nourished but it left it looking a bit flat (which isn’t unusual for these types of products).

As I’m sure we all know, it doesn’t fix split ends like it’s claims to, the only thing that fixes them is scissors but it helps to hide them until your next wash!

This is £20 for a full-size tub which I wouldn’t spend on me (I would probably buy it for someone else though!). I also think I would prefer it as a squeezy tube like the sample. I hate tubs where everything gets under your nails!

Daily Concepts – Charcoal Soap Sponge

This is the 2nd full-size product in this month’s box. And I love this idea, especially if you were travelling as there’s everything you need to have a squeaky clean face in the packet!

Everyone loves the cleaning benefits of charcoal, right? This is an exfoliator and cleanser in one and it couldn’t be easier to use.

Just wet the sponge and the soap is already in there to lather up and use straightaway!

It has a lovely clean smell and left my skin feeling lovely and smooth!

I’m not entirely sure how many uses you are supposed to get out of this, I’m guessing just when it doesn’t lather anymore? At £6, it’s not the cheapest face wash, especially if it only lasts a few washes but I would definitely pick one up if I was going to be staying away from home just for the ease of use!

Lord & Berry – Magic Brow

I’m not the greatest when it comes to using eyebrow pencils, I’m more of a powder girl, so I’m maybe not the best judge of this one!

I like the idea that although it’s in shade Brunette, it’s marbled with 3 colours to hopefully make it look more natural than just a block colour.

I still looked like I had drawn on eyebrows! 🤣

I found the pencil itself to be a bit hard so it was difficult to just use it very lightly but maybe after a few uses it would be a bit easier?

The full-size costs £15 and has a spoolie which the sample lacks but I don’t think that would make up for the difficulty I had with it! I also don’t understand the obsession to having a spoolie on every eyebrow product – it just bumps up the price!

There is a little extra something something in the form of a Hugo Boss perfume sample. Which does smell really nice but I think it smells quite floral and summery so not the best scent to put into a fall box! A full bottle will also set you back £73 which I don’t think I’ve ever spent on a perfume!

For my freebie boxes I got June’s and July’s box.

June was Birchnox’s 5th birthday and I was quite sad I never got this box the first time around so I’m really happy that I got this as a freebie.

The products for June were Ella Eden eyeshadow, Benefit Porefessional Pearl Primer, Number 4 Smoothing Balm, Polaar Sun Fluid, Glamglow Supercleanse and as an extra some Whittard of Chelsea Teabags.

The Benefit Primer may be the teeniest product I’ve ever seen in a Birchbox but we know it’s not super cheap!

The reason I wanted this box in the first place was the packaging, I’m a sucker for tins, especially when they look really cute!

July’s box contains Manna Kadar powder in Trifecta, Marcelle BB Cream, What’s in it for Me…? Shower Scrub, Klorane makeup remover and Percy & Reed Overnight Recovery.

Looking forward to trying the BB cream as I would like a decent one for those no makeup days so I don’t scare the neighbours! Also interested to see whether the overnight recovery makes my hair feel any less straw like!

Love the packaging for this box and rather than it being a little drawer like the majority of them, its a box and lid with such pretty pastel colours!

I think which puts me off being a regular subscriber to any subscription box is that it’s very hit or miss. It’s great to be able to try out new brands but the sizes of the products seem to be getting smaller and the RRPs seem to be getting larger which means I’ll never really buy a full sized product after using it from a box.

In saying that, it really won’t stop me from buying the odd one here or there as they are cheap and I can always give products to my friends for them to try of they are not for me!

What is your favourite subscription box and why? What keeps you going back each month? Let me know in the comments below and I may try it out!

Thanks for reading, I’ll speak to you again soon!

Claudia XXX

Related:

April Birchbox Review

May Birchbox Review

Look Fantastic Beauty Box – May Edition

Look Fantastic Beauty Box – June 2018

Testing Nip + Fab

You know when your just scrolling through your newsfeed, minding you own business, when a post pops up about a sale and you just can’t help yourself from clicking the link and entering your card details?

Yeah, same!

This is how I ended up buying a few items from Nip + Fab at 1am in the morning. They had a lot of products for only £5 and as I’ve been wanting to try their stuff for a while I thought I can’t really go wrong, right?

I didn’t really buy too much, some of the items I looked at were waay more than a fiver, just some essentials!

I picked up an eyeshadow palette, liquid lipstick (are you shocked?! 🤣) and a moisturiser for £15 with free delivery. I also got some Glycolic Fix pads for free with my order too.

I was glad to find out they they don’t test any of their products on animals, only a small range of their products aren’t vegan and there’s a handy list on their website too if you’re worried.

So let’s have a look at the products, shall we?

Kale Fix Moisturiser

I needed a moisturiser and every one goes on about the benefits of kale so I thought this would be a nice one to try.

It also contains Aloe Vera, Shea butter, almond oil and watercress which, to be honest, doesn’t give it the nicest smell in the world but it doesn’t smell really bad either.

This absorbs into the skin in no time at all, it just melts right in! Making it super handy if you’re in a rush to get your makeup on. I’m normally in a permanent state of lateness so I love this!

It doesn’t leave your skin greasy or oily but does give your skin a bit of tack so I’ve been using this and not applying primer before my makeup and it seems to hold it well.

My skin feels really soft since starting to use this and my dry forehead doesn’t look as bad at the end of the day if I’ve applied this in the morning!

This is still only £5 and I think it’s really good. It was originally £19.95 which I definitely couldn’t justify but would recommend it for someone like me who has combination skin.

Jewelled Eyeshadow Palette

The colours in this palette just called to me. I love anything with a pop of colour and the greens in this palette are gorgeous!

There’s a really good mix of colours in this palette for you to create a warm or cool look.

There are 7 mattes and 5 shimmer shadows. I find the combination slightly strange as both the greens are shimmer and all the shimmers are dark so nothing for your inner corners and if you only put lighters colours in the centre of your eye, you’ll be a bit stumped. No spotlight eyes in this palette!

I clearly forgot to take my watch off last night!

The pigmentation in this palette is really disappointing. Even with building up the colour you don’t get a very strong colour pay off.

The shadows are so blendable, it takes zero effort to blend them out and I think that contributes to why the colours are so muted, you really can blend away to nothing! I just wish their was an option to build the colour up again!

There is a bit of kickback in the pan and I did notice a tiny bit of fallout on my cheeks as well but that never really bothers me as you can just wipe it away with a fluffy brush.

I think this palette would be ok as an everyday palette if you’re looking for something understated for your work day but I’d definitely give it a wide berth if I was looking for a more glam look!

At £12.95, I’d not buy this at full price just because I have palettes that cost a lot less with so much more pigmentation!

Matte Liquid Lipstick

I picked this up in the shade Spice which looks like a nice pinky-nude going from the colour swatch on the website and described as a burgundy red shade.

I’d describe it as neither. It’s a lot darker than I was expecting and because of my pale skin it almost looks vampy.

I think I would describe it as a dark brown which was not what I was wanting but it is still a really nice colour. Just not as an everyday colour like I was going for.

The formula is great, it dries down to matte relatively quickly and doesn’t leave your lips feeling dry like some other formulas do.

I would almost say it is comparable to the Smashbox liquid lipsticks but without the hefty price tag! It doesn’t last quite as long though, and I found I had to touch it up a bit more often.

Glycolic Fix Pads

I only got 5 of these pads as a sample so I’m not sure how they work with long term use.

They contain glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid and blue daisy which I know there is a big push for all the acid stuff at the moment but I have no real idea how this is meant to help your face.

The scientist in me thinks this will mess with your skin’s natural pH and I’m not sure if this is a good thing or not!

I tried the pads anyway and the only difference I noticed is my face got red. They don’t feel exfoliating and my face looked more bumpy after use.

Sometimes my skin does go a bit funny when using a new product so if I used them for longer they might have some benefit but from a few days use I’m really struggling to see why I would want to buy more. If someone could enlighten me, that would be great!

And that’s that! I would love to add more of their lipsticks to my collection but I think I need to go into Boots to have a look at the different colours in the flesh before purchasing any more. I would also try more of their Kale Fix range as I’m really liking the moisturiser.

Have you tried Nip + Fab? What did you think?

Remember, my giveaway is still running until the end of October so don’t forget to enter and let your friends know if they might be interested. You can check out my Instagram for some sneak peeks of what’s in store for the winner!

Thanks for reading and I’ll speak to you all again soon!

Claudia xxx

Related:

Testing Smashbox Cosmetics

Lush Lock In

I’m going to start by saying that I’m an idiot…who goes to an event and forgets to take photos for her blog?

This girl right here! 🙄 I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed 😢.

In fairness, I did take one picture and then I was so relaxed I forgot to take any more!

My friend and I got to Edinburgh in plenty of time so started our day out with a wander round the National Gallery of Scotland and then I met a sad looking Pikachu so had to get a picture! 🤣

We then went to Costa for coffee and a cake before sauntering along to Lush on Princes Street.

We arrived in plenty of time so had a wander round before showing our tickets and finding out what the night would entail.

We could book in to experience one of the mini treatments, spend time chatting to the charity speakers, have tea and biscuits downstairs, try our hand at making a bath bomb or just browse the shop floor and just relax.

We booked in for a mini treatment – Tales of Bath – and were given a Washcard to mark our appointment.

Everything is lined up so neatly!

We had a wander upstairs to find out what we were going to buy later before heading down to the spa where we got a cuppa and a biscuit and chatted to the staff and other attendees.

We realised that our appointment time had over run and it turned out someone had taken our spot – not to worry though as we mentioned it to one of the staff and we were taken in not long after.

The Tales of Bath taster was really lovely. You get given a robe to our over your clothes and your asked to sit down.

The room smells lovely, I don’t know what essential oils are in the room but it is really relaxing!

A reading was played about the tale of Prince Bladud who was healed by a Celtic goddess. It’s punctuated with music and your encouraged to be swept up in the words as you have your head and shoulders massaged.

The full treatment includes a bath and full body massage which costs £115 for 75 minutes.

We then went back upstairs and got the chance to book in for another treatment – The Comforter? – but it would be a while before we were due for it so we had a go at making a bath bomb.

This cost £3.95 (I think) with the proceeds going charity.

I really enjoyed trying this out, and it takes a bit more effort that you would maybe imagine!

We were making the Sex Bomb so there’s a little flower thing in that and you put that into the mould first and then cover it up with the first colour mix.

In the other mould you fill that up with more powder until you can’t pack it any more and you squeeze both moulds together really hard.

It was then placed in a rubber glove and we were told not to try and take it out the moulds for 24 hours to allow it to dry out. Then we would find out if we had the technique right and if it would come out the mould in one piece!

As you can see, mine did stick together but the flower thing wasn’t visible so I think I need a bit more practice!

As part of the fee, we also got to take home a medium Charity Pot. This is a fantastic moisturiser and as I already have a tub, I’ll be giving this away as part of my giveaway.

We chatted to the guy who was the charity ambassador for the evening. I really can’t remember the charity name but his dad does fantastic work by fixing up old emergency vehicles and drives them to Africa for use there.

Just before our final treatment we bought a couple of things. I stocked up on my 9-5 cleanser (holy grail! 💜) And picked up the Tee Tree Water toner to try out.

Back downstairs we went for The Comforter? mini treatment.

The full thing is a 60 minute full body exfoliating treatment for £95. As we were having a 15 minute treatment, it was just our arms.

This was lovely, the staff that were doing it were really nice to talk to and it was such a relaxed atmosphere.

They used a hot chocolate scrub and a rose serum to make our skin feel silky smooth!

Unfortunately after this, it was time to head back to the harsh reality of Princes Street.

It felt really surreal outside, we heard Kasabian playing in the Gardens and finally there was fireworks – a perfect end to the night!

This was a free event so I would definitely recommend checking your local Spas to see if there is anything like this happening near you as it was a fantastic night and great to get a feeling for what the treatments actually entail!

Let me know if you liked this post or if you’ve attended any of these events before and would you thought!

As always, thanks so much for reading and don’t forget to subscribe to be in with a chance of winning my giveaway which will go live next week!

Claudia xxx

 

Related:

Lush Favourites

XLS Nutrition – A “Healthy” Way to Lose Weight?

I’ll start by saying this product was gifted to me but, of course, this post and the opinions herein are all my own! Thanks XLS for sending me this product!

Also, as an aside, when this arrived it went to my neighbour who warned me that every time he touched the package white powder came out…I had to explain it wasn’t drugs and I didn’t think anyone was trying to kill me 🤣

I can hear all my friends shouting “Sellout!” right about now as I have never been an advocate of meal replacement plans – Herbalife, Juice Plus, Slimfast etc.

I think this stems from my unhealthy relationship with food I had as a teenager.

***Trigger warning: I am going to talk about my ups and downs with food which may be triggering to those who have had issues in the past***

To give you a bit of background, at 15 I was 15 stone – I was a BIG girl and it didn’t really bother me until I overheard my highschool crush saying “yeah, her fat arse is always hanging round the common room door!”

This made me look at myself in a different light and maybe, just maybe if I was skinny he would take time to speak to me (who was I kidding?! No Cinderella Story here! 🙄).

I realised that compared to my friends I was the big one! It didn’t help my periods were ridiculous (more on that on another post maybe?) so I didn’t really do P.E. and I wasn’t athletic anyway as I’m asthmatic and can’t breathe going up a slight incline!

So me being an all or nothing type of person I decided to stop eating regular food and instead survived on diet coke, apples and sugar free chewing gum.

If I had been good I would allow myself a bite or two of dinner but the rest would go to my dog out my bedroom window (hallelujah for living in a bungalow!) or I would dump it in the bin the next day at school.

My lunch money I would save up to buy cigarettes – ya know, that really cool appetite suppressant! – or alcohol (no mixer (calories!), just straight gin or vodka or whatever I could get my hands on!) this all led to another host of issues I had through my teens but again maybe a story for another day?

I also started exercising for at least 2 hours a night. This was in the Dancemat days so I would be flailing around to the songs of the 2000s in my bedroom and doing sit-ups and stomach crunches until I couldn’t move any more.

I was on all the “thinspiration” websites and a religious follower of “Ana’s Way”. I knew all the tricks to pretend I was ok even though, looking back, I know I wasn’t!

My mum did notice a few things over the time and did confront me about it but I just became more careful!

I’m not quite sure how long I kept this up for, I think it was about a year but it’s all very fuzzy due to my mental health and alcohol issues at the time!

I remember feelings elated when I stepped on the scale and it showed that I went down from the previous week, day, hour…I was obsessed with checking my weight and noting the losses and punishing myself for the gains!

The lowest weight I remember was 6st 9bls but I don’t think this lasted for long. I think my body was just tired and craving food.

I also met my ex who I couldn’t really hide it from as we spent a lot of time in each others pockets.

I started eating meals again, just one a day to begin with but this grew until I became a normal weight and I started to feel myself again.

I don’t really like to say I suffered from anorexia nervosa as I didn’t go through the typical recovery stages but it has definitely left me with lasting scars in my relationship with food.

As an adult who has access to the internet, books, seminars and common sense, I know changing your diet radically, especially if you are reducing your calories, will help you lose weight.

This XLS Nutrition, if used according to the instructions (replacing up to 3 meals a day with a shake and then decreasing this until it’s just one meal) will help you lose weight.

Of course it will! You’re not eating real food! You’ve reduced your calories!

To lose weight you need to have a calorie deficit…that is the entire principal of losing weight. Whether you do this by increasing activity or limiting your food it will work.

Fun Fact: I lost weight while eating McDonald’s 5 days a week (I got free lunch) but this didn’t mean I was healthy!

I don’t think there is such a thing as a Healthy Weight Loss Shake and don’t believe these types of things should be marketed as such.

There is nothing healthy about missing a meal and consuming a shake instead.

Not only that, it’s not really sustainable. Who wants to have to replace their meal for years to come? It is a marketing strategy so you keep buying the product, it’s as simple as that!

You could just have a 244 calorie meal (the amount of calories in a shake) instead.

*Hold up* you can replace 3 meals with a shake to begin with…that’s 732 calories a day! That’s less than half your RDA for an average female! WTF? 😲 I feel hungry just thinking about it!

It’s recommended the ideal calorie deficit for sustainable weightloss is 10% of your calories required for daily maintenance.

So using the average female 1500 allowance, she’d be wanting to be aiming for 1350 calories a day to lose a healthy amount of weight.

Something to note, weight loss doesn’t always amount to fat loss. Rapid weight loss suggests you are losing muscle too. I guess it depends on what your goals are as to what you would rather care about – i.e. the number on the scale or the way you look and feel.

So in that vein, I’m not even going to say I’ve used this shake for a few weeks and lost weight as I know I would if I follow the instructions.

Instead, I’ve used it in my regular morning smoothie as the main protein source as it claims to have 28g of protein per serving.

It’s strawberry flavoured but it makes my smoothie taste very sythetically sweet, I can only imagine how strong this tastes when you make it just with milk. At least I have yoghurt, fruit and coconut water to dilute the taste a little! It does stop me getting hungry until lunch but the regular protein powder I use does the same thing and tastes better so 🤷 .

I’m sorry this wasn’t really a review as such, it’s just something that upsets me especially as these things are generally marketed at women.

Don’t we have enough to contend with already rather than harming our physical and mental health with these promises of a perfect life if only we lose some pounds?

I’d suggest checking out James Smith on Instagram and Facebook if you want to explore this school of thought a little more as he explains all these types of topics better than I ever could!

I hope you liked this post, it’s slightly more raw than I meant to write and it was pretty difficult for me to share what I went through.

As I’ve said before, if it helps even one person, it has been worth it!

Please let me know what you think in the comments down below and what you would like to see next?

Thanks so much for reading, guys!

Claudia xxx

My Furry Family

Yesterday we had a new addition to the family so I thought I would introduce you to everyone.

My Instagram is normally filled with pictures of my pets but if you don’t follow me you wouldn’t have seen them before!

Might also be an incentive to follow me too, who doesn’t want cute animals filling up their newsfeed?! 😉

As I mentioned in my very first post, kids aren’t for us. We have instead chose to fill our home with animals instead!

Cute pictures to follow!

Charlie

Charlie’s favourite Spot on top of the cat tree

Charlie is our oldest cat. He is about 8 or so. I have had him since he was 8 weeks old.

I’ve always seen him as quite a special cat. He is petrified of pretty much everything and everyone.

He was found on a building site with his sister and was taken to the rescue. His sister was more outgoing and she was adopted first. He became even more timid without her around to protect him!

Charlie makes you feel quite privileged when he allows you to pet him. I think he was almost 2 when he felt brave enough to sit on my knee and he will still run away if you make any sudden movements.

Trying to get him to the vet is an absolute nightmare! As soon as he sees the carrier he goes into panic mode and hides.

Charlie adores J, he was the first one who was allowed to touch him and every night he comes for a cuddle off his dad!

The one thing Charlie isn’t scared off is Flopsie. I don’t know if this is because we kept him in the rat room as a kitten but he likes being close to small furries and although I would never leave them together unattended, he’s never tried to harm them.

Loki

Don’t let the cute face fool you!

Loki is an Exotic Shorthair. He’s 5 but still looks and acts like a kitten most of the time.

He’s got a really funny character and spends most of the time with his tongue hanging out! He used to play fetch with his toys as a kitten and can sit on command!

He has a strange affinity for cages. Whenever I’m cleaning out any pet cages (Flopsie’s or previously rat cages) he would always climb in and be quite happy there!

Loki is petrified of the bunny when he is out the cage. It’s like he pretends there’s nothing to worry about but Flops will hop in his general direction and Loki will hightail it out of there!

He can be the cuddliest cat ever or can be really aloof where it’s like you can hear him saying “don’t touch me!”.

The cats are both quite chatty but Loki more so than Charlie. Especially if there’s chicken on the go!

I don’t know how they do it but as soon as they hear chicken being taken out the fridge they go mental!

They both also know when it’s feeding time. As soon as it hits 8pm both of them are circling like hawks!

Flopsie

Definitely in need of a haircut!

Flopsie is a disabled bunny who used to belong to my friend. He had a parasite that made him fall over and the vet suspected he lost his vision too.

He did have a cage mate, Sparkles, but she died really suddenly. When that happened I offered to take him as he couldn’t clean himself properly and would be better suited to being an indoor rabbit.

He still falls over sometimes but he is a strong-willed thing so he will still jump around like a normal bunny.

He’s very friendly and is really happy to sit there while you pet him, give him a haircut or clip his claws!

He’s a clever one and uses a litter tray in his cage and if he needs to go when he’s out, he just climbs back into his cage!

He’s pretty nosy and loves to get into places he shouldn’t! One of the first things he did in our new home was to chew the phone cable!

Murphy

So relaxed alreafy

Murphy came home yesterday. He’s a 9 week old cocker spaniel and is just adorable.

We have been wanting to get a dog for so long and we are finally in a position to do so. I actually had several people ask me if J knew about the new arrival or if he was going to be surprised when he got home from work! (Yes, he knew and agreed! 🤣)

He is a little terror already and I know he is going to have us run off our feet!

He’s been very clingy over the last day but I imagine he feels really unsettled with the car journey and his new environment.

He’s so nosy and wants to watch to see what you’re doing all the time except when he’s sleeping! Being a puppy he has been sleeping a lot! His little snores are so cute!

He hasn’t had his jags yet but they will be started this week so we can get him on walks soon, until then I’ll be carrying him everywhere to get him used to everything I can!

He still has the clumsy puppiness and falls over when running, but being little doesn’t stop him! He can already get onto the couch!

So there you have it, that’s our furry little family at the moment! I get so many comments about them when I post their pictures so I thought I would let you know what they’re really like!

Let me know if you enjoyed this post and what pets you have in the comments below.

Don’t forget to hit follow too as we are nearing the target for the giveaway, I wouldn’t want you to miss out!

Claudia xxx

May 2018 Favourites

I can’t believe we are into June already! It’s only a few weeks away until we do Tough Mudder (We have done 0 training so I might die!) and this month marks our 1 year anniversary in this house! Time has flown in!

I’ve tried quite a few new products this month and I have also made a conscious effort to use up some of my products that I’ve had lying around for ages! I’ve managed to fall in love with a few old favourites once again!

Dubbed “Project Pan”, this seems to be a challenge going on just now and I originally read about it here. Suzy tells of her progress to use up her products and I think she’s doing quite well – the temptation is so strong to buy new stuff!

So, of course, there are some new items that have snuck their way into my collection – because I just can’t help myself!

Scents

I don’t really own much perfume or body mist or whatever is all the rage now but I have found 2 that I really, really love at the moment!

This was a present from my friend when she was in Canada and I don’t think it’s available over here – unfortunate as I’m running out!

She knows I love anything geek so the fact this has pretty Harley Quinn packaging I, of course, was hooked right away! 💜

I’m not quite sure what the smell is but it reminds me of some perfume I had years ago – I’m thinking it must’ve been Miracle or Britney Spears – and the smell lasts for ages!

I bought this for £1.99 in Boots on this trip. I thought I would try it since I remember loving the So…? bodysprays as a teenager. There were loads of different scents to choose from but I thought I would play it safe with Vanilla.

It just smells so nice but it’s not cloying like some vanillia-y scents tend to be. It does make me hungry though since it reminds me of cakes!

Skincare

This was a new one after an impromptu visit to Lush in Edinburgh. I have to admit, I’m so glad I bought it!

Before I started using this I was honestly getting a new spot on my face everyday (!) and since the first week I have been spot free and my acne scarring has reduced!

It works best on a cotton pad and will remove stubborn makeup and daily grime. I find it struggles a little with mascara but if I finish off with my Asda Toner, I’m completely makeup free!

My skin feels really clean and healthy and it helps to nourish my skin without giving it an oily feel. I’ve even had compliments on how good my skin looks – which I have never had before – and been brave enough to go out without makeup on! I’ve not done that in months!

Base

This used to be my favourite foundation! When I realised I had an unopened bottle as well as a half bottle I thought I should maybe use it! I still love this, it matches me really well and it has such good coverage!

It isn’t as long lasting as some of my other foundations but it lasts long enough to get through the work day. After about 8+hours it does start to sink into my pores and fine lines.

I think this was one of the first full coverage foundations I ever used that didn’t make me orange so I will always love it for that reason!

Unfortunately, once I finish it I won’t be able to get any more as Seventeen are being discontinued. 😭

Hair

Another Lush product! I’m addicted, I tell you! This is Lush’s version of a silver shampoo and I’m been using it on my days I’m not using my Bleach London one.

It smells quite strong but not overpowering – I want to say it smells like Parma Violets but it has been so long since I’ve tried them I can’t be 100% sure!

It makes my hair feel so soft, I think the Bleach London one was drying my hair out a little and this gives it back its much needed moisture!

Eyes

Buying this mascara was when I realised Seventeen was going to be no more. I got it for £1! Not that they were expensive to begin with – they were always really affordable! It was one of the few products left on the shelf so I thought I would give it a go!

I’m kinda mad that I tried it, knowing I won’t get any more. It is pretty damn good! Not as good as the Benefit Mascara as it doesn’t provide the volume but it gives my lashes a lot of length and separates them nicely.

It doesn’t clump and the brush is really good for getting the itty-bitty lashes that are such a pain to reach. It’s also really black which is always good!

It does transfer to my lower lash line through the day which seems to be quite normal with most mascaras I use! Please tell me everyone else suffers from this and I’m not the only one??

Brushes

I am still using and loving my Spectrum B04 brush I got in my April Birchbox. This has definitely become an essential for me and I use it every single day!

It feels so soft and makes blending a breeze! I definitely want to add more Spectrum brushes to my collection as they are really that good!

They are currently doing a collaboration with Disney’s The Little Mermaid and it is stunning! 😍

I’m thinking this may be a present to myself if I don’t die at Tough Mudder!

This is my roundup for May! I hope you liked it! Thanks so much for reading!

What were your favourite products last month and what old favourites have you re-discovered? Let me know in the comments below!

Don’t forget to subscribe to make sure you don’t miss out on my upcoming posts – I’ve got a few things in the pipeline you definitely don’t want to miss out on!!

Claudia xxx

Related:

April 2018 Favourites

Lush Favourites

Things I Wish I’d Known Before Starting My Blog!

I have been blogging consistently for just over a month now and it has been a learning curve, let me tell you! There are so many things I didn’t consider and as usual I dived head first into it without really researching anything.

Luckily for me, the blogging community on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest are incredibly helpful and supportive and don’t mind all my newbie questions being thrown at them on a regular basis!

Here are just a few things I wish I had known when I first started:

Blogging is a Full-Time Job

Since I started, I have posted 3 times a week and I know how important it is to be consistent so your regular readers know when to expect a new post. What I didn’t realise is how much time everything takes up!

It doesn’t take me too long to write a post if I have a plan but there’s everything else that goes along with it – taking photos, promotion on social media, research, product testing, creating graphics!

By and large it is the promotion that takes the most time and I feel like I constantly have my phone in my hand. I know there are apps you can use to schedule posts but I’ve not gotten the hang of these quite yet so I’m doing it all myself.

This means I’m posting on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook as well as my blog itself. Not to mention trying to create good looking Pins and photos to go along with it.

I know there are definitely people that will scoff at this comment but until you do it, you have no idea! So much so, I am thinking of cutting my posts down to 2 days a week but I don’t want to upset any of my regular readers!

Self Hosted is the Way to Go

I kinda knew about this one from the get go but was very worried about starting off as self-hosted. For anyone that doesn’t know what this means, it essentially having your own website. So just now all the pages you see are held on WordPress.com. This limits what I can do and how my blog can look, it also means at any time I could be shut down and lose everything.

Being self-hosted means I would have control over every aspect of my blog and can install plug-ins to make it look all fancy like. It also is one of the first steps in monetising your blog and having the commitment to go self-hosted means that brands will more likely want to work with you if that is something you want to do.

I was worried that no one would be interested in what I had to say so I wanted to test the waters before fully committing but I honestly wish I just went for it. I now have the fear of losing everything when I transfer over! Look out for my website URL changing over the coming months!

The Blogging Community is So Supportive

I joined a few Facebook groups not really expecting much but the wealth of knowledge is amazing. I initially thought it would be every blogger for themselves but everyone is so happy to help and it’s like they want to see you succeed!

I think this is because there are so many different styles and topics to write about it doesn’t ever feel like it is a competition.

Don’t get me wrong, there are a few groups where it doesn’t feel great, people drop their links and run or the people who play the Follow/Unfollow game on Twitter and Instagram not realising this actually makes people less willing to help in the future and is just infuriating to try and measure your growth.

Using a Laptop Changes Everything

When I initially started, I was just using my phone to make posts and upload pictures. I decided to get something which would be a little easier to type up posts and increase my functionality as I prepare to go self-hosted. I picked up a Chromebook – an Acer Chromebook 14 to be precise (which is now £50 cheaper than when I originally bought it, doh!).

I love it, it’s so speedy but storage is limited as everything is done through Chrome. It also brought up another issue I’d never even though of, I assumed everyone was like me – using their phone to view web pages. I realised that for those who still use desktop or laptop PCs they are viewing my site differently than those who are just using the mobile phone view.

This means I need to check my posts to make sure they translate well in desktop and mobile format as I don’t want it to be a terrible experience for anyone!

Pinterest is a Great Tool

When I first jointed Pinterest years ago, I didn’t really understand how to use it properly. I just saved everything I liked the look of for inspiration of whatever project I was working on and then never looked at it again.

I’m still working out how to use this correctly but joining group boards has increased my blog traffic by a fair amount. I’m also reaching about 16K unique people every month which I don’t think would be possible on any other platform due to the algorithms in place to limit traffic unless you pay to boost your post reach.

While the figure doesn’t necessarily translate into direct blog views, it does increase the number of people who are likely to engage! It’s also quite fun to create graphics and see them get re-pinned!

There is so much more I could include here, I feel like this doesn’t even scratch the surface of what I’ve learned so far. These are the most basic things I’ve noticed – I’ve still to get a handle on what DA, PA and SEO (so many abbreviations!) really are and why they matter so I didn’t want to include that here!

I am really considering reducing the amount of days I post to just 2 per week. I feel like I may need to do this to ensure I can produce quality content and make sure I’m not letting myself or my readers down.

What are your thoughts on this? What days would you like to see new posts go up? Please let me know in the comments what you would prefer and what you would like to see going forward!

Claudia xxx

The Problem with Women’s Magazines

I remember as a teen I used to spend hours reading Cosmopolitan from cover to cover, I was engrossed by the articles and interviews and didn’t want to miss a word (shock, teenage goths also liked reading Cosmo!). So I was quite excited at the prospect of revisiting the magazine world.

I mentioned I got a free copy of Elle magazine with my Look Fantastic Beauty Box. I haven’t read a women’s magazine (or any magazine really!) in a fair few years and this reminded me why.

It was a nice day so I sat out in my back garden and opened it up. I was promised Spring Fashion, New Rules to Know and the Face of Now starring Winnie Harlow. And from what I could remember there would probably be something about sex and dating, new makeup trends and maybe another few interviews.

Imagine my dismay when I opened it up and had to flick 5 pages to get to the contents page and another 5 to get to the first article! This was 10 Things – from what I can tell this is monthly feature on 1 page in the teeniest writing ever telling you what you should see, listen to, eat, wear etc for the month ahead.

We then have the editors letter which is probably the most text of any article in the entire magazine being just under a full page of text!

There’s the obligatory Horoscopes page (are horoscopes really still a thing?), some fashion spreads and articles, suggests books to read, makeup looks and some travel info.

There are a few other articles in there, but not many. I was looking to find out what Winnie Harlow had to say as I imagined she would be talking about breaking into the industry and the struggles she faced…sort of like the old question and answer format I remember but no, there was some great pictures and little bit of text about her and her friends.

Out of 194 pages, 86 pages were of adverts. That’s almost 45%, for a magazine that costs £4.40 do you really want to see this much advertising? And this isn’t including their fashion spreads or items to buy, which there are many!

I understand that companies make money from advertising and it’s likely as I blogger, I will too in the future; however, would producing quality content and articles that help people not be a better use of their pages??

In a society where we are struggling to ensure we have the perfect little lives on social media but in reality struggling with self-esteem, mental health and money worries wouldn’t it be more productive to have articles the help these problems rather than adding to the pressure of having to buy these items to fit in with the crowd or be “on trend”

The most useful article in the whole magazine was an article about a girl who found a mole on her “lady parts” and went to the doctor to get it checked out and make sure it wasn’t serious. It was written in quite an amusing way and in an age where women don’t want to get a smear because it’s embarassing I think it could be helpful.

The downside – at the end of the article it promoted cosmetic surgery as she got the mole removed!

I know the magazine and fashion industry as a whole has been under fire for promoting unhealthy expectations of body image and this is starting to change but at the end of the day there are other issues there too when it’s impressionable young women (and men) that are reading the shallow articles and being slowly brainwashed by the fashion and beauty industry to BUY, BUY, BUY – even when you don’t need it.

I feel like the worst part may be the fact the products aren’t reviewed, they are put on a page with a nice flatlay or on a pretty model and you’re sometimes given the brand and the price – not information of whether the product is good or your making a good choice by spending your money.

I know, as a young adult you are thrust into the world expecting to know how to handle your money and only buy what you can afford but the reality of this is far from the truth.

Having that perfect holiday, brand new car or newest gadget is the order of the day – especially when we live our lives on social media and see others doing the same we’re under constant pressure to keep up.

The Debt Charity Step Change published their figures for the year, showing in 2017 620,000 people contacted them for help relating to their debt. Two-thirds of their clients were under 40 and 14% of those were aged 18-24.

With statistics like this, why would magazines aimed at this age group not try to give information about money worries or mounting debt and ways to get out of this rather than trying to add to that debt?

It unfortunate but we know the real reason – it just doesn’t sell.

This was something that came to me as I was flicking through the magazine so I’m sorry if it sounds a bit disjointed or out of place. I’d love to be told my opinion of the magazine industry is wrong and that there are beauty and fashion magazines out there that do try to promote a sustainable way of living and aren’t obsessed with pushing their third party ads!

I was just so disappointed with this and how such a massive platform was not being used to help these growing problems that I see getting worse every day!

Please let me know what you think of this in the comments below, I’m really keen to hear your thoughts and hopefully find out it’s not just me that feels quite sad about this!

Claudia xxx

Look Fantastic Beauty Box – May Edition

Another subscription box? What can I say, I think I’m hooked! I love being able to try products I’ve never even heard of and exploring brands that I wouldn’t go out and buy myself!

An article appeared on my Facebook feed about the Best Beauty Subscription Boxes and I thought I would give this one a go! Not going to lie, I’ll probably try all of them at some point!

The Look Fantastic Beauty Box was £15 with free delivery so this makes it slightly more expensive than the Birchbox I recently tried out. For my money I got 6 premium beauty products said to be worth over £80, a copy of Elle Magazine and an insert that gives you information about the products in the box and some other beauty information.

This arrived really quick but I found it a teeny bit annoying that I didn’t get a dispatch email, you can however track your order on the website.

The packaging is quite nice but unfortunately it’s just not has pretty as the Birchbox, the box is much bigger and you do get shredded paper as padding to keep your products safe.

The magazine is a nice touch, I haven’t bought a women’s magazine in years, flicking through it, I’m reminded why – but that is a rant for another post!

Onto the products…!

Avant – RNA Serum

This claims to combat signs of ageing and leave skin visibly firmer and healthier. I’m not sure how long you need to be using this to see the results but I haven’t noticed a difference with this product.

It absorbs almost instantly into the skin and it doesn’t really leave my face feeling any different after use. I will keep using this until it runs out but unless I actually see any results I doubt I would ever buy this again.

Scratch that – I would definitely not buy this product, in the box you receive a 5ml bottle. To buy this in full size (30ml) it is £104,00!! For me to consider buying this ever, it would need to do a lot more than reduce the signs of ageing, I’m happy turning into a wrinkly old bat! 🤣

ThisWorks – In Transit Camera Closeup

I’m almost convinced I tested this product as part of a trial I mentioned in my last post! Same type of tube, exact nice smell, same claims and same feel on my skin. If it is, I’m glad my feedback was taken on board as I really liked it.

This product is a primer, moisturiser and mask all in one and claims to even, plump and brighten your skin. I like this one, it makes my skin feel really moisturised and makes it ready for foundation. I can’t say I really noticed it plumping my skin or anything but I don’t think it is a bad product.

You get 20ml in the tube that comes in the box and the full size bottle is 40ml. This costs £25.50 which I don’t think is too bad but I do think there are cheaper primers out there that perform the same for less as it doesn’t minimise pores or anything like that so not quite sure if I feel like it is worth it.

Skin Republic – Bubble Purifying + Charcoal Face Sheet Mask

So my first impressions on this were “Man, this is hard to get on your face!” The way it’s folded in the packet I thought I was going to end up ripping it before I even got it near my face, it’s so hard to unravel and my hands were covered in the bubbles as the ingredients start reacting as soon as it is exposed to air!

So I eventually manage to get it on my face and sat for the recommended 20 minutes. It feels quite weird as you can feel and hear it bubbling away! It also didn’t bubble nearly as much as I was expecting which was a wee bit disappointing!

I took it off and rubbed the remaining liquid into my face. Or I tried to, I literally evaporated in seconds. It made my skin quite tacky, almost like a silicone based primer.

It didn’t sting my skin or anything but I noticed my skin has become quite red and bumpy after using this so I don’t think it’s a good product for me at all. It also made my pores more noticeable but I’m not sure if this is part of the deep cleansing action!

They have quite a few products in their range and it doesn’t look like this one is still available but I think this was around £6.99 maybe (please correct me if I’m wrong!). I don’t think it’s a terrible price but I won’t be popping another in my basket any time soon!

Sleek Makeup – Face Contour Kit Medium

I’ve been wanting to try Sleek makeup products for quite a while so was excited about this at first. Then I cursed myself for having such pale skin! 😭 This is WAY too dark for me, I don’t even think at my most tanned it would work on me, unfortunately.

The powder itself seems quite nice and I do think it blends well, maybe with a really, really, really light hand this could work for us pale girls but I just find that too much hassle when I have products that suit my pastiness.

The highlighter is also too dark for me and I don’t feel it gave too much of a shimmer. I think this looks like a really natural highlight and isn’t too pigmented so would probably be OK as an everyday highlighter.

I would really like to try the kit in Light as I think that would probably work for me. It is only £6.99 so may pick this up once my current powder runs out and see how it goes from there!

Eyeko – Eye Do Liquid Eyeliner

I’m not great with eyeliner, I admit. I don’t understand the logistics of a perfect wing but it doesn’t stop me from trying at every opportunity!

I really like this eyeliner. Its easy to hold and the tip is a nice size. It’s also MEGA black which I love (except when I make a mistake and have to start over!) and it didn’t seem to run out half way through applying which I’ve noticed most pen liners seem to do.

It’s claims to be waterproof, which I really don’t doubt as it took a lot of cleanser, toner and finally a rub with a makeup wipe to get it all off!

This is £16 which I think is not too bad, maybe sneaking up to the mid to high price range. Eyeliners are really not my expertise but I definitely like using this one. I will keep practising and, who knows, it may be the perfect one for me once I’ve mastered that pesky wing!

Spotlight – Teeth Whitening Strips

I think this is something that I’m excited and apprehensive to try in equal parts. I don’t like doing anything wild when it comes to my teeth as I’ve got this fear of them all falling out!

I haven’t tried this product yet because of that but I will more than likely give them a go just to say I’ve used them. Worried that it says not to drink tea or coffee for the first few days so you can “see your brightest smile” – I’m a tea-aholic, I can barely go a few hours without a cup let alone a few days!

I’ve heard horror stories about teeth whitening and how it makes your teeth really sensitive. These claim to safely whiten your teeth with minimal tooth sensitivity so if that is true, that’s definitely a bonus. I need to stop being a wuss and just do it!

For £39.95 you get 28 strips. I’m not sure if that is 28 or 14 applications as you get shorter strips for the bottom and longer ones for the top. As I’ve not tried it yet I can’t honestly say if the price is worth it. I feel maybe a trip to the dentist would be cheaper and safer than doing it at home but you wouldn’t catch me rushing to book an appointment either!

Would I buy this box again? Most definitely. I’ve only got a one off box as there are so many I want to try before I settle on a subscription but I feel like it’s a wide mix of products and great for trying new things and some really good brands in there!

You can use my referral link if you would like to get £5 off your first order. I do get £5 credit too but once you have joined you get your own referral link which you could share!

As always, let me know your opinions on this box and if there’s any boxes you would recommend let me know in the comments below. It doesn’t even need to be a beauty related box, I’ve seen great ones for stationary, fitness and mental health – I think you can get a box for almost everything at this point and I’d love to try them all!!

Claudia xxx

Related:

April Birchbox Review

Make Money, Get Free Stuff💰

Who doesn’t like earning a little bit of extra money for doing very little? *tumbleweed* I thought so 😊

I haven’t been blogging for long enough to know much about monetising my blog or having brands rush to send me PR related stuff (hopefully that time will come 😉) but I do have some top tips for making a little bit of extra money!

These things aren’t going to mean you can quit your job and become a millionaire over night (I’m sorry, I wish it did!) but I thought I would share what I’ve been doing for the last while to give myself a little treat now and then!

*I’m in no way affiliated with any of these companies, these are my true opinions and I’m not being sponsored to say this*

*I believe most of these sites are based in the UK but your country may have its own version*

Surveys

There are loads, and I mean loads, of survey sites our there! You can get different things depending on who you join with – some pay out in vouchers, some in PayPal credit and I believe I’ve found one that pays in cash!

There are main companies I use for this – Vypr, Toluna and YouGov.

Vypr is an app that can be downloaded free from the Google Play Store or Apple Store. You are given short “steers” and awarded points for completion. The questions topics range from Food and Drink, Lifestyle, Travel and more.

The surveys themselves take seconds to complete you earn between 10-50 points for each survey completed.

You also get special surveys that you can only complete in a store and you get 100 points for completing these ones. I don’t go out of my way to complete these but they are a nice bonus if I’m going to that particular shop anyway!

You need 10,000 points to reach a payout which seems like a lot but it really doesn’t take very long to reach. For each 10,000 points you achieve you receive a £5 payout to your PayPal account.

When I first heard about this I thought it seemed like a lot of hassle but I don’t even notice any more. For a few seconds of my time each day and a payout almost every month, I’d definitely recommend it. It’s free money after all!

Toluna awards you points for sharing your opinion on different topics. Some of the surveys do fill up quickly or you may not be eligible to complete the full thing if you don’t fit the profile they are looking for which can be a little frustrating!

They are more lengthy than Vypr, some say they take 20 minutes but I’ve never taken more than 10 on a survey. The longer the survey, the more points you generally receive.

Points awarded range from about 200 to 2220. The rewards you can get do change but at the moment you can get makeup brushes and toothbrush sets (10,000 points), £10 gift vouchers for Currys, Waterstones, Argos, iTunes and Costa (55,000 points), £25 gift vouchers for Tesco and New Look (135,000 points) and lots more.

I tend to complete these surveys while on my lunch or when watching TV. If you have a little bit of downtime it’s easy to rack up the points!

YouGov is probably the one most people will have heard of, albeit indirectly. They use your opinions and you can see their statistics in most magazines or newspapers. They look at spending habits and political issues but have more fun topics in there too!

They don’t have a great payout rate – I’ve not had a payout yet but that is because their surveys are very infrequent. They send you a link via email and it normally takes me about 5 minutes to complete. They award you with 50 points per survey on average, some are more, some less.

You need 5000 points to be able receive your payout of £50. Not bad for a couple of minutes work here and there and getting to share your opinion on a range of topics that are affecting the country!

If you are going to make a purchase anyway, why not use a cashback site to get some money back from your purchase.

I have used Top Cashback and Quidco. I prefer Top Cashback as I think it pays out quicker but they both work on the same premise – you log into the site, search for the merchant you’re buying from, select the offer or click their link to the merchant and shop as normal.

They have a huge number of retailers – eBay, Carphone Warehouse, Argos, Currys and Just Eat and that barely scratches the surface! I must admit, I am very happy I can get cashback through my takeaway purchases! 🤣

The biggest payouts I’ve had are from insurance companies. So if I’m needing to renew my policy, I check out who has the cheapest quote and then go through Top Cashback to make the purchase to make my policy cheaper.

One thing to note, you shouldn’t make a purchase just based on the cashback you might receive as some merchants don’t always pay out!

Both these sites also do events around different holidays where you can get free cashback for playing a game or exploring the site.

*If you would like to sign up to Top Cashback you can use my referral link, I only get a bonus if you use the site to get cashback not for signing up.*

Yes, you can get free products from companies, if you don’t mind giving your opinion on the products – this may be publicly or to them direct.

I have been lucky enough to be able to try out some new makeup products for new brands. They are in testing stages so you may or may not ever see them on the shelves – sometimes you don’t even know who you are testing for!

I can’t say the brand, but at the moment I am testing some mascaras as part of a trial for Alba Science. So far I’m really liking them so if they get put to production I’ll be able to do a full review!

I’ve also tested out primers and makeup brushes as well over the last few months. I have been most successful with Alba Science and Clicks Research but big companies like Boots also have testing panels but I have found them very difficult to get into as tg!

These companies ask about your likes and dislikes, the products you use and the problems you have with your skin or hair. You will then be invited to take part in a trial via email.

The trials do fill up incredibly quick, especially if it’s a popular product.

I know this was a very different post to my usual but I hope you find it useful. There’s a lot more I’d like to share so may do a few posts like this if you like them! If there’s any sites you think I should check out, let me know!

As you may have noticed, I’ve tried a few different things with this post (more noticeable on desktop) and it would be much appreciated if you could give me any feedback on the changes!

Claudia xxx