Birchbox UK | July 2015

Birchbox - July 2015 Edition

Wow, a year since I have done a Birchbox post! This month is more of a Birchbag - a cute, bright yellow bag to be precise. It's a fun change from the usual box packaging and the bag will be handy for holding my toiletries when out and about, and gives me that holiday feeling!

Birchbox this month had a very summery vibe with lots of products that cater towards travelling, perfect for those going away as they are all in handy sample sizes too!

Cowshed | Cow Pat Hand Cream

This rather odd blend of grapefruit and coriander actually complimented each other pretty well, though it did take getting used to! I prefer more floral, fruity scents with my hand creams but the results were great and I was left with smooth, soft hands. I liked that it left my hands smelling fresh and melted in really quickly.

Balance Me| Congested Skin Serum

I love Balance Me products! I am always pleasantly surprised at how well they work and how great they leave my skin feeling. This 'congested skin serum' has a gorgeous scent, a blend of chamomile, lavender and aloe vera. It smells a lot better than what I usually put on skin blemishes and is great for calming break outs.

UNANI | Aloe Vera Gel

I'm not really sure what to make of this one! It's for soothing burns, blemishes, eczema and bites. It doesn't have much scent, but I guess it wouldn't as it's basically a medicinal product. However I am planning to use it after shaving, hopefully it will soothe my skin and improve the feel without irritating.

POP Beauty | Eyeshadow Trio in Peach Parfait

This cute pallet has gorgeous, warm tones. A mix of shimmery, creamy copper colours. They seem to have a good pigment to them and they blend really well. I can't wait to try these out for summer, they are perfect for summer days and the beach!

Benefit Cosmetics | Dream Screen

The sun cream smells so subtle and blends quickly and efficiently. I loved that it felt barely there, especially as sun creams can feel so heavy and sweaty on your face. It's also SPF 45, perfect for those who are subject to burning (like myself!).

Barely| Prep, Blot & Blend Sponge

I love blending sponges so can't wait to try this - just worried because my cat is OBSESSED with sponges, especially make up sponges! Keeping it in the bag for now until I have somewhere I can hide them from him!

You can subscribe to Birchbox for £10 per month (plus £2.95 for P&P). You receive 5-6 beauty samples to try each month, and makes a great present for family and friends, or just a monthly treat for yourself!

Victoria's Secret Love Spell Hydrating Body Lotion Review

I have a relatively complex opinion on body lotion. I usually find it a bit naff. It often feels filmy, smells cheap and doesn't really have a lasting effect. It also tends to be one of those products I get as a present rather than choose myself. After trying several different lotions over the years with varying success, I had sort of accepted that I would forever be a body oil kind of girl, leaving the lotions for pamper nights when I wasn't really too bothered about getting it all over my pyjamas.

So imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to find the perfect body lotion. I was even more surprised to find it was Victoria's Secret, a brand that you either love or loathe. I always felt that behind the gorgeous campaigns, they had a reputation for making cheap underwear that was severely overpriced that really put me off buying into the whole 'angel' concept. How wrong can one girl be?!

Seriously, I have no idea what the underwear is like, but this lotion is amazing. I tried a few of the different scents, but Love Spell was my absolute favourite. A fruity blend of cherry blossom and peach, it is so sweet and strong. I love that all of the scents were so feminine and clean, managing the tricky balancing act of being both heavy and day appropriate. The formula (containing aloe, oat and grape seed) instantly smoothed into my skin and felt so soft.

My favourite thing about this lotion? Being proved wrong. I had a full on EUREKA! moment. Finally! A body lotion that feels great with a beautiful scent that lasts all day!

Have you tried any of these lotions?

Inspiration Organisation

I am attempting to become more organised. Though I am addicted to lists and I always use my diary, I am definitely feeling inspired to utilize my time more fully to get more out of my day. I am terrible for wasting hours on Netflix and then realising I haven't done any household chores and my home is a mess, and honestly I'm fed up of it. So, I've collected some visual inspiration to get me going and hopefully this will lead to spending more time on things that really fulfil me (like this blog!). It will also be pretty sweet to know everything has a place and where to find things! Have you got any organising tips?

(None of the photos are my own).

Pamper Night

The last few weeks I have been stressed. I changed jobs, definitely for the better in terms of taking a leap in the right direction, and I have a lot more responsibilities. As one of those odd people who is happiest when busy and working with plenty to do, I have been really happy! However, I find it pretty hard to switch off once I get home.

So that is what my mission was last night. To take some time to myself to chill out. It doesn't come naturally to me, but I have decided to do this more often as I felt so good afterwards! Here are my tips for a lovely night in.

Firstly, it is essential to set a relaxing atmosphere before you start. I preferred having the night to myself as I am sure many of my readers would too, so try and set it around a time where you won't be interrupted by family or friends. Try getting rid of any clutter and giving the room a quick clean and hoover before you start - it makes a huge difference. Closing the curtains, setting up some candles and filling the room with clean scents also helped to set the mood for a relaxing evening.

Once I was happy with my surroundings, I had the exfoliating gloves on and gave myself a good scrub! My favourite shower gel is Original Source in Mint and Teatree. I find it very soothing and I love the tingly clean feeling you get afterwards. For my face, I use a gentle facial scrub. I recommend Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant - it is expensive, but I have never used a gentler product that has such an immediate effect. For those extra rough areas, I would use Lush Sugar Scrub. A mix of sugar, fennel, ginger and lavender oil, it buffs the skin and is great for softening areas that need a bit more attention. Alternatively, a pumice stone is a great investment and super cheap from any chemists.

Once you are free of all that gross dead skin, it's time for a super sweet smelling body lotion. Johnsons baby oil is always lovely to keep moisture locked in and leave your skin feeling amazing. I tried out Whish Body Butter in lavender for a really relaxing formula that melted into my skin. Lavender is one of my favourite scents when I'm pampering myself, I find it very calming and cleansing! For those extra rough bits such as elbows, knees and feet, I used Derma Intensive+ Cocoa Body Butter by Mellor and Russell. I got it as a gift and it smells so strongly of chocolate! It is really hit or miss for some people as the scent is very strong but I enjoy using it, especially as the scent is long lasting and becomes more subtle throughout the day. I'll take a moment to buff my nails and maybe paint them before I pop some socks on to keep my feet extra moisturised.

Finally, my face. Pick out a face mask - Montagne Jeunesse are a favourite of mine, especially 'Red Hot Earth' Sauna Masque which feels really hot on application but leaves skin feeling fresh. I then spritz on my new favourite, Lush Tea Tree Toner, and apply some moisturiser. My skin is fairly non-fussy so I use Simple moisturiser - it's a cheap enough product that does what I need! I also pop some eye cream on just to keep the more sensitive skin around my eyes feeling fresh. I used Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream, it has a pleasant zesty scent and felt lovely and soft to apply.

After my evening of concentrating on myself, I definitely felt like I had a clearer head and generally just felt good all over! I'm going to try and have them regularly so they become part of my routine. Have you guys got any pamper night tips to share?

Accessorize Sale Haul

Neon Woven Stripe Stole

Higher Intellect Stacking Ring, Statement Geometric Ring

Parrot Satin Vest Set

Sales are both exhilarating and frustrating to me. They are everywhere at the moment and even when you are getting something for less, it is important to remember it won't be a bargain unless you are definitely going to use it.

When I saw Accessorize had a 50% sale, I knew it could be dangerous as I adore shopping there. It is just so good for getting little bits and pieces and especially good for buying gifts for other people. I always find something I adore! So I had a browse but decided I would only buy for me and only if I really, really liked it.

I bought this scarf, which I actually wanted before it was in sale and would have paid full price for. It is so soft and I love the design, plus it goes with my bag (also Accessorize!) and I love the unusual colours. It's quite heavy so it will be perfect for Autumn.

I went a bit crazy for the jewellery, I couldn't help myself! Eventually I put a lot of it back as I know I am terrible for losing jewellery and I didn't want to buy heaps, I wanted to buy some pieces I would really get the use out of. So I settled on these cute gold rings which will go with anything and can be stacked or worn alone.

With the pyjama set, I was torn. I loved the pattern (which isn't something I would usually like) and I loved the design. I try not to buy myself pyjamas because usually I get them for Christmas and then I end up with way too many, but after circling the shop I came back to these because I just couldn't help myself. Maybe it was the heat, I don't know, but I'm so glad I did get them! They are just so cute and sexy. I think they'll actually be pretty practical as it gets pretty hot at night in the flat.

Have you bagged yourself any bargains in the sales this season?

TK Maxx for Interiors

I have already posted how much of a fan I am of TK Maxx for the amazing bargains you can pick up. It is a really cool place to browse when you are furnishing a new space on a budget. I picked up these pieces on a recent trip and I am in love with them. I have a small collection of owl related things as I find them pretty lucky so I was really pleased to find this beautiful vase and cute little ceramic box. The photo frame has so much texture to it, it really stood out for me. I like how all the pieces are neutral white and would go with anything, yet have lots of personality.

TK Maxx is also brilliant for finding discount candles that smell amazing! I love a scented candle but they can be really pricey, and cheaper supermarket versions don't have the same scents or cute labelling. TK Maxx usually has an aisle dedicated to candles and other scented pieces for rooms and you can usually sniff out a bargain! This MySenso candle retails at £15.90 and I picked it up for £4.99. The scent is musc cassis, it's very heady, feminine and floral, perfect for a pampering session.

Have any of you guys picked up a bargain recently?

Birchbox UK | June 2014

Birchbox - May 2014 Edition

I cannot seem to get away from the football madness at the moment, something that was confirmed to me when I realised that the theme for Birchbox this month was footie related. Le sigh. However, the box did not disappoint. It was more of a global theme than a sports theme, with lovely products from around the world. Here is my round-up:

Embryolisse | Lait-Crème Concentré

I found this moisturiser to be very rich, though it did melt into the skin very quickly. I'm not sure how those with sensitive skin would find it, but I found it really pleasant on my combination skin. My skin tends to get drier in the winter months, and I have a feeling this would be a brilliant moisturiser for then.

Silk + Honey| Shea Butter Hair Mask

I only have showers, so to have to stand about for 15 minutes for this to soak in was never going to be a good idea for me. I loved the scent which was fresh and feminine, but it didn't stay after my hair was dried. I wasn't very pleased with the product (I'm used to a thicker, quicker hair mask). However, I did get lots of compliments later about how shiny my hair was looking so I can't deny that it worked!

OPI | Nail Lacquer - The Brazil Collection

I received the colour 'Next Stop the Bikini Zone'. It is a shimmery lilac shade, very feminine and metallic. Honestly, I'm not a fan of the colour, though the solution went on a treat. I've decided I'm going to give this away to my Mum and sister, who both tried some on when we were opening the box and fell in love with it!

Yves Rocher | Sheer Botanical Lipstick

This shade (corail doux) is a beautiful orangey pink that goes really well with my complexion. The stick is velvety and goes on really well, leaving lips very moisturised. I definitely recommend this if you find lipsticks dry out your lips or if you aren't used to wearing lipstick, as it was a lovely subtle formula. This was probably my favourite product this month and it's already become a handbag staple!

Naobay | Body Radiance Lotion

This citrus scented body lotion left my skin feeling very silky and the scent lasted a decent amount of time. It's a light formula and felt very fresh, making it a brilliant morning pick-me-up! It's organic and also against animal testing which is always great to see.

I also got a wee yellow and green flip-flop keyring as my lifestyle product, but there isn't much to say about it apart from it's now on my window keys! It was a great box with lots of really good pampering products as well as products for use on the go. I loved all the sweet and citrus summer scents and how moisturising all the products were.

You can subscribe to Birchbox for £10 per month (plus £2.95 for P&P). You receive 5-6 beauty samples to try each month, and makes a great present for family and friends, or just a monthly treat for yourself!