RoccaBox May Edit

The May edition of Roccabox has arrived and this month it is a collaboration with Lauren Maher, the blogger behind Sassy In The City, someone I have never come across till now. I really like that Roccabox is collaborating with bloggers to create a box of products, it makes it a little bit different to any other beauty box I have subscribed too and it is an intriguing concept that has introduced me to some amazing products, brands and some new bloggers!

 Again, this box features five products and every single one of them I am pleased to see and will use.

So the biggest item in the box this month is the Wilkinson Sword Intuition and the warmer weather will (eventually) arrive and that means no more tights, leggings or trousers, so yeah the legs will need sorting.

Whilst I am still using Inhibitif on my legs, which means I don't shave as often as I used too, I always need to have a razor handy and this one happens to be a four blade razor, so no need to keep going over the same part of your leg to remove all the hair and the inclusion of the gentle creamy soap that lathers and moisturises during shaving makes it an even easier task. 

Mandara Spa Amber Heaven Body Lotion - I am a big fan of this brand, more so because it can be found in Sainsbury's and is so reasonably priced I always end up with a few bits in my basket. 

The body lotion itself has a really lovely rich formula which includes Cocoa Butter, Vitamin E and gold of pleasure oil and it leaves my skin feeling just incredibly moisturised and hydrated.

MONU Skin Hydrating Mask is the most expensive item in the box, it retails for around £30 and as a brand, I am always impressed by what I use.  The mask itself works to condition skin to leave it looking and feeling super fresh. 

It contains Royal Jelly, Evening Primrose Oil and Apricot Kernel Oil to promote skin suppleness whilst Geranium Essential Oil and Kaolin Clay work to keep your complexion cleansed and refreshed. Designed for dry or sensitive skin, you only need to use this mask twice a week and it is just such a lovely treat.

Nail Polish by IZ - I was introduced to IZ recently and it is such a lovely brand. In this box, I have the shade "Forget me Not" which is a really pretty pastel powder blue. 

What I love about this polish is not only how dinky the bottle is, but the short fat brush makes painting nails an absolute breeze, one stroke and you are done. The formula is referred to as being a plumping gel effect and it was developed for easy application and rich glossy colour. 

The final item in the box comes from Glo & Ray and it is the Longwear Precision Eyeliner. Described as being an intense smudge proof colour, the easy-to-control tip enables you to draw lines with relative ease. 

Available in black or brown it retails for just £6.90 and is a bit of a bargain.  I hardly ever wear eyeliner, but I have tried this and did find it to be one of the easiest eyeliners that I have tried to use.

I am really impressed with this box and I am glad to have been introduced to some new products and brands that I haven't yet tried or come across. You can subscribe to Roccabox for just £10 per month (plus £3.95 p&p) and can cancel it at any time. For more information and to sign up, everything you need to know is here.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Denman Cocktail Fragranced Hairbrushes

In my opinion, you never can have too many hairbrushes and the new Cocktail collection from Denman adds a little something fun and exciting with their new range. Made in the UK, Denman products are used, enjoyed and endorsed by hairdressers in more than 60 countries worldwide. The first Denman hairbrush was invented back in 1938 and today they manufacture in excess of 400,000 brushes and combs each month from its Northern Ireland-based factory. At some stage in our lives, I am sure we have all used a Denman hairbrush, I have quite a few within my collection and I am always happy to add to it.

Each of the hairbrushes in the Denman Cocktail range has its very own scent and features some great Cocktail Classics such as Pina Colada, Strawberry Daiquiri and Berry Martini! But before the panic sets in, you don't have to worry smelling as though you have been down the pub all day because the scent won’t transfer to your hair!

I have the Pina Colada hairbrush and absolutely love that smells just like the cocktail, which also happens to be one of my favourites. Small enough to fit into my handbag for daily use, being on the go and time away on holiday, the brush has been in constant use now for a month and it works well with my hair, brushes out any tangles and doesn't scrape my scalp. The Denman brush features 5 rows of nylon pins, as well as the famous Denman anti-static rubber pad, which provides maximum grip and control during blow-drying for shaping the hair.

The Pina Colada scent is just as strong now as it was when I opened the brush and priced at just £8, I think they would also make a great gift, even for yourself! You can find this hairbrush and the rest of the right from the Denman store online right here www.denmanbrush.com

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

The Hero Project

THE HERO PROJECT is a group of products I've seen on many blogs and until recently have never tried. Hearing only good things and reading rave reviews, I have been lucky enough to try out three products from the range.

The brand itself is said to be dedicated to creating the best skincare products in its category and with its team of highly skilled scientists and researchers, they are constantly looking to up the game of the beauty industry. Now launched on QVC (here) it is a brand that for me has managed to explain what each product is, does and has managed to cut out some of the scientific jargon to make skincare seem easy.

The first product in my trio is the Hyasoft Instant Moisture Boost. Described as being "A non-sticky, fast-absorbing clear gel with vitamin B5 and hyaluronic acid that banishes dull, dry complexions with an instant moisture boost. Leaves your skin looking and feeling smooth, springy and bright."  

My skin literally sucks this gel up as soon as I apply it and what I like about it is that as soon as you do apply it, it disappears so incredibly quickly and leaves behind absolutely no trace it was there, in fact, the only reason I do notice is because my skin becomes incredibly soft and supple after using and is so smooth to the touch, I get that 'just had a facial' feel to my skin. You also only need a really small amount because it has quite a runny texture and it is a case of a little goes a long way. Hyasoft retails for £19 for a 30ml tube.

Next up we have Vit C-30 Ultra Brightening Serum and it is described as being "A powerful vitamin C serum with 30% ethylated L-Ascorbic Acid (one of the highest amounts to make it into a product). Helps to improve the appearance of existing fine lines and wrinkles now, and protects from pesky damage later". For me, this has more of facial oil like texture to it than a serum does and the inclusion of a pipette for dispensing does make using it a much easier task.  

It is enriched with natural extracts of Grapefruit and Lemon which give it a powerful punch when it comes to the scent and I actually rather like it. Suitable for 30+ skin age bracket, I have been using this after cleansing but before moisturising in a morning and what I have noticed is, what had become a visible patch of dry skin on my forehead, is now no longer visible and has disappeared. When I used Vit C-30 for the first time, there was a slight tingling sensation, which wasn't uncomfortable, but it stopped within seconds. I love that it fits into my skincare regime in a morning and whilst I have been using it for just a few weeks, I am really intrigued to see how my skin will be at a later date.  You will find Vit C-30 priced at £39 for a 30ml bottle.

The final product is the Double Blur HD Ready Skin Perfector and the product that I have read the most about and was really looking forward to trying. Described as follows "This HD ready skin perfector with Dual Diffusion Technology™ helps make you camera ready… instantly. It helps create a noticeably uniform skin surface by filling fine lines and wrinkles plus covering spots and pores to boot. All those little problematic areas (sorry, we all have them) get blurred out and skin becomes mattified, smooth and silky. No filter needed!".  With this product you can use it in a variety of ways - firstly on its own, you can simply just apply it where you feel you need it, it has a creamy texture which spreads onto the skin relatively easily and leaves no hint it is there. 

You can also mix it with your moisturiser or you can mix with your tinted moisturiser which I have done and also with your liquid foundation. It works so well as a primer whilst perfecting those imperfections that I use it quite frequently because for me, it helps covers a few blemishes that annoy me and it allows liquid products to work with dry skin to stop the products grabbing onto that dry skin and becoming even more noticeable. At just £24 for a 30ml tube, this is such an amazing product and my favourite of the three that I have a spare tube in case I run out.

This has been such a lovely insight into the Hero Project and what it not only stands for but is all about. All of the products are free from parabens, sulphates, alcohol and mineral oil. Vegetarian and Vegan friendly as well as being Non-comedogenic.  I also love that the products are straightforward and have a job to do and fit within an existing skincare routine and even if you don't have one, there are further products within the range to give you one. 

To find out more about them and to see other products from the range, you can find everything you need right here.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

e.l.f Cosmetics - Back in the UK

Unless you happen to be living under a rock, you might have see that e.l.f Cosmetics are back in the UK. Established back in 2004, e.l.f which stands for Eyes, Lips and Face, is one of the fastest growing cosmetic companies in the US and having been in the UK before, it disappeared from the shelves almost never to be seen again. Now, Superdrug have taken them under their wing and e.l.f is available online now right here and will be rolled out into stores from June 1st.

There is an amazing range of products to find from e.l.f who have not only grown since I was last able to use them but the prices have stayed very similar to what I was used to paying and this is all due to the ethos behind the brand which wants to male luxurious beauty accessible for all women to play beautifully and with over 30 million fans worldwide, it is no surprise that they want to make it within the UK Market. So with prices such as £3 for the Instant Lift brow Pencil (here), Eye-shadow palettes starting at just £7.50 (here) and one item that I do really want to try - the Primer Spray which is described as being a weightless makeup primer spray enriched with Purified Water that is free of silicone and alcohol to help prime, refresh, and set makeup in (here) there is just so much to explore and try.

There will be a total of 124 products to choose from and it includes everything for your face, eyes, lips and brows to brushes and there is literally everything I can think of from Primers, Contour palettes, Concealers, Colour Correctors, Lipsticks, HD Powders, Lip liners, Mascara, Eyeliner gel, Lip Tint, Lip Primers, Bronzers, Blushers and just so much more such as the hugely talked about Precision Multi Blender Massager which is a unique, multi-directional brush that sweeps over facial contours to sculpt, shape and blend in foundation, powder or bronzer flawlessly. It has a custom designed triangular handle which provides ultimate control and the luxuriously soft, cruelty-free white fiber hairs show exact placement of makeup on the brush for optimal amount of product use for precise and even application. Again, this is another product that I really want to try.

In the meantime, I have kindly been given some products to try and I am very much looking forward to have some e.l.f back in my stash.

Have you tried anything from e.l.f before? 

Is there anything which catches your eye this tie around?

*this post contains PR samples/Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise