GlossyBox July Edit

This months Glossybox is one you cannot miss, the bright coral box shouting 'Hello Summer' capturing your attention.  This month, the team behind the scene at Glossybox have decided to help keep travelling as chic as possible with the contents of the box being travel-friendly sizes, summer problem solvers and makeup that can stand the heat.

                                     

The first item out of the box is the Bellapierre Banana Powder.  I have used Banana setting powder for years as makeup artist friend of mine  introduced me to how amazing it can be.  

To all intents and purposes, Banana Powder is a essentially a colour-correcting setting powder and it has a yellow hue to counteract any redness or discoloration. Ideal for setting under eye makeup, spot correcting, or even used as a base for your eyeshadow. This product actually retails for £25!

Next comes MONUspa with their Soothing After Sun Lotion. This lotion uses the active ingredients of Aloe Vera that reduces redness and restores hydration and Vitamin E  which helps to protect from environmental aggressors alongside Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter which is incredibly hydrating and nourishing. 

As an after-sun lotion, it isn't as thick as I was expecting it to be and it is the perfect travel sized companion for a a few days away in the Sunshine.

If cute Lip Balms are your thing then this Macaroon Tint Balm is for you! In shade Crushed Berry. Paraben free and from Cute Balms, this Tint Balm not only gives your lips a lick of colour but it also doubles up as a cheek stain too.  

Smelling incredible berry like, there isn't anything to dislike about the balm, it is just incredible cute and retails for £5.99.

If like me you like your hair off your face and the back of your neck in the heat, then these spiral hairbands from Papanga might just be a life saver. Available in two sizes and a wide range of colours. 

Like similar products out there, the hairband spirals "grip" your hair instead of compressing it like conventional hairbands do and it leads to less pressure which is not only good for your hair but in turn helps to prevent headaches and tangles. By doing away with metal fastenings, Papanga® spiral hairbands do not cause any split ends or hair breakage either. They range in price from £1.69 right up to being able to purchase multiple hair bands on Amazon.

The final item in this months box comes from Spectrum Brushes and it is the A10 Small Fan Brush. A Fan Brush is descried as being a multi-tasking brush and you can use it to lightly apply highlighter or powder products for a soft focus finish, or clear the under eye skin after applying eye shadows by sweeping away any excess product. 

The brush is made using premium cruelty free synthetic bristles and is incredible soft to the touch and on the skin. Priced at £4.99 it isn't going to break the bank if you haven't got one of these brushes within your collection.

If you like the look of this box and want to get your hands on it, then I have an offer for you! As always this Glossybox is available whilst stocks last and if you have never subscribed before, then you can grab this box for just £5 by entering the code 'Summer' at the check out!

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Lancôme Matte Shaker Liquid Lipsticks

The Lancôme Juicy Shakers are a product that I have seen literally everywhere on my social media feed and I am yet to read a single negative review. When the new launch of matte shakers arrived through my door, I did a little squeal of excitement. The Juicy Shakers look so much fun and are quite different to anything else that I own or have used on my lips. 

Lancôme describe the Matte Shakers as follows:

Our innovative new Matte Shaker liquid lipstick formula has an intense colour payoff. The liquid formula turns matte after a few minutes for a beautifully matte result. Matte Shaker leaves behind a gorgeous lip stained look too, for lips that want to stay bold.

The Lancôme Matte Shaker Liquid Lipsticks are packaged in what I can best describe as being like a Cocktail shaker and with a black lid and a clear see through bottom so that you can see the colour inside.  When you unscrew the lid, the applicator is a pointed cushion which is designed to give precision application.  Before using the Matte Shaker you have to shake the tube which then transfers the lipstick product onto the applicator and the more you shake the tube, the more product transfers onto the sponge allowing you to choose how intense you want the finish to be.

From the seven shades on offer, I have  Pink Power (top photo) and Yummy Pink. Pink Power is without question a bright shade of Magenta and Yummy Pink is a very bright pink.

I found the application of these lipsticks really easy, especially as I have never used this type of applicator before and it really is a case of swiping across the lips. Now they are incredibly pigmented, more so than I was really expecting to find and when you apply them, initially they so look quite shiny on the lips but within a matter of minutes they become completely Matte and the colour stays as bold matte as it did when you first apply. Lancome claim that these that these last all day and I have to agree that they do, there is very little in the way of movement or transfer, which is incredibly impressive.

Now I have tried these two shades, I am wanting to try a few other less bold shades and at  

£19.50 each they are incredible value for money.

Have you tried the Lancome Juicy Shakers before?

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

WhichBeautyBox Limited Edition Summer Edit Beauty Box

When one of my favourite bloggers got in touch asking if I wanted to review her beauty box, I firstly screamed in delight and secondly agreed.  Jaina, whom some of you might know better as WhichBeautyBox is the go-to site for all things beauty box related. Not only are her photos just incredible and can she slay the flat lay, Jaina is just one of the nicest bloggers I've come to chat to online.

This beauty box has been put together by Jaina herself and contains TEN products. The box itself oozes Summer and for the first time in a long time I can state that I have not used a single product contained within the box before, so this will be a first of everything for me.

Alphabet Bags Ombre Stay Wonderful Cosmetic Bag – RRP £22.00

Just in time for travel season comes this beautiful vibrant cosmetic bag from Alphabet Bags. With a hand drawn ‘Stay Wonderful’ design has been printed in sparkly gold glitter on a white canvas and hot pink ombré makeup bag and the interior is lined with hot pink nylon taffeta. 

I am really impressed with how roomy this bag is and I have it packed already for when I go away for a long weekend with the mister, I have managed to fit in all my makeup and some toiletries! 

Gifts By Little Miss Popsicle Bath Fizzy  – RRP £3.25

If like me you love having a bath and like chucking random products in to make it even more fun. Then an ice lolly shaped bath treat is quite possibly one of the most fun things to have! 

To use, you simply ensure there are a few inches of water in your bath and as your bathtub continues to fill, swirl this Summer-themed Bath Fizzy around in warm running water, watch it dissolve.  If you love the scent of Ribena, then this Bath Fizzy smells remarkably similar. 

AA Skincare Green Tea and Aloe Soothing Cleansing Wipes – RRP £3.30

It is rare that I use face wipes, I have to be really poorly to use them on my face and in most cases, I use them to clean swatches off my hand and arm.  

These wipes contain natural extracts of Aloe Vera and Green Tea to soothe and nourish skin and Olus Oil to moisturise.These wipes work to lift surface dirt and grime from the skin in one-step and they also remove make-up and cleanse the skin gently.  

This pack has 25 wipes and when the weather is incredibly warm, again for me, wipes are used to soothe my skin, especially on my arms and the back of my neck.

Bloomtown Botanicals The Hedgerow Organic Hand & Body Wash – Full size 300ml RRP £12.00

This is an introduction to a brand which is all over my social media feed and one that not only packages its product in an eco-friendly glass bottle but a brand which shouts out that it is not only cruelty-free but is 100% free from palm oil, SLSs, parabens and synthetic detergents.  

Inspired by the late summer scents of Cornwall, where Bloomtown Botanicals hand-craft all of their bath and body products, this Hand & Body Wash takes in the summery notes of juicy blackberry and sweet honeysuckle and is made with nourishing coconut and olive oils to hydrate the skin. All of those together in one bottle and it smell just incredible and it leaves the most amazing scent on your skin. 

PHB Ethical Beauty Seaweed and Mint Skin Refresh Gel – Full Size 120ml RRP £13.75

If ever there was a product to refresh your skin it is this one. It smells absolutely incredible and it contains an invigorating blend of botanic ingredients such as Organic Aloe, Seaweed & Peppermint gel and together the not only have a cooling effect on the skin, they also refresh and soothe and in doing so they also provide a rich combination of vitamins & minerals to keep skin soft & glowing.

This potent yet lightweight gel is especially useful after a day in the sun especially if you’ve been bitten, suffer from prickly heat or have a heat rash as it quickly calms and soothes the skin. I have also been using this gel on my feet as it is a perfect remedy for soothing tired and aching feet. Free From Parabens, Artificial Fragrance & Colours, Petrochemicals, Formaldehyde, Mineral Oils and is cruelty-free and vegan.

PHB Ethical Beauty Neroli and Ylang Ylang Brightening Body Lotion – Travel size 50ml RRP £3.95

This natural, organic and cruelty-free body lotion is made by hand using a rich blend of fruit and plant oils which enrich both the skin the senses. 

Using an uplifting blend of Neroli, Ylang Ylang and botanical oils to renew & brighten your skin and senses, the skin is left soft and smooth to the touch. Free From Parabens, Artificial Fragrance & Colours, Petrochemicals, Formaldehyde, Mineral Oils and is cruelty-free and vegan.

MAKE Feet Revive Lime, Lemon and Lavender Foot Cream – Full size 50ml RRP £12.00

I use a lot of foot balms in the Summer and as I tend to wear my Fitflops every day, my feet need extra TLC and slathering on a cream is part and parcel of taking care of my feet. Make Revive Foot Cream is a delight to use, it contains avocado oil, apricot kernel oil and beeswax which help to combat hard skin and soften even the driest of feet. A blend of lime, lemon and lavender essential oils are deliciously refreshing as well as being antiseptic leaving the feet refreshed, soft and deliciously scented.

I also find the cream is really luxurious and it feels so good on the skin and it smells just incredible, so fresh and really really comforting.

Saturated Colour Make Me Matte Lipstick Mattifier – Full Size RRP £8.00

Vegan Friendly and 100% cruelty-free, this Lipstick Mattifier can be applied over the top of your existing satin/shiny/glossy or cream lipstick. Right now Matte shades seem to fill my timeline and a product like this one is perfect for those of us who like our shiny lipstick but want to give the matte trend a try but with a shade you are happy with.

What Saturated Colour have managed to do is to come up with such genius solution that transforms a glossy lipstick into matte one in just one swipe across the lips and it is brilliant. Now I have the option of what finish I want on my favourite lipstick. 

Danglefoot Nail Varnish in the shade Atlantis – Exclusive to the box! Full size RRP £6.50

There wasn't a chance Jaina would create a beauty box and not have nail polish in it. So within the box we have Atlantis from Danglefoot.

Described as being an indie creme teal there are twinkling particles within the polish which really capture the light and not only is it a really pretty shade but Atlantis is also a 5-free polish which means it contains no toxins and it is cruelty-free and vegan. 

Raspberry Sangria Candle Jar by Flamingo Candles – RRP £3.50

I love Flamingo Candles and to have one made for a beauty box is kind of special! Described as being Raspberry Sangria it smells just incredible! It is definitely more of a summer scent than an Autumn Winter one and I am looking forward to lighting it. 

So there you have Jaina's Summer Edit Box and I think it is absolutely fantastic, I am loving the contents and best of all everything smells just incredible!  An amazing box! 

My Summer Edit Box is available now for £37.00 plus free postage and it has a retail value of a whopping £88 and can be bought via the shop section on Jaina's blog and if you use the code BEAUTYQUEEN15 you can bag yourself a 15% discount!

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Rimmel London New Super Gel Beach Ready Collection

The Super Gel Beach Ready Collection from Rimmel consists of five incredible summery shades of nail polish and they form a 2 step application that it is claimed will:

• Give you Gel Nails
• Up to 14 days wear
• No UV Lamp Needed

I love my gel nails, well in truth I am Shellac girl because one thing which really winds me up is going to all the hassle of painting your nails, which can be quite a traumatic process lets face it, for them to chip before you leave the house.  Nail polish chips just do not look good, much like having the one shade of foundation or being a tad orange from your fake tan - both a big no-no from me.

The Five shades within this collection are:

• Coral Queen - A beautiful orange shade
• Purple Splash - Less purple more a Lilac/Lavender shade
• Dive Right In - A beautiful bright blue
• Sun Fun Daze - A bright pink
• Flamenco Beach - Red. No collection seems complete without a red.

To use, the directions tell you to apply 1-2 thin, even coats of your chosen Super Gel shade and for this polish, a base coat is not required, so that is a huge plus point for me.  Once the polish dries and you need a good 4-5 minutes before it is no longer tacky.  What I love about these polishes, other than the shades is the brush, which Rimmel refer to as being a Maxi Brush. It is short and fan and one swipe down the nail is enough to give good and even coverage.  I am quite particular about nail polishes brushes and this one is in my view perfect.  Once your nails are dry, you then apply the Super Gel top coat, only one coat of this is needed and it is this gel coating that activates the 14 days of wear.

I opted to test the Purple Splash shade on my fingers and SunFun Daze on my toes.  Three weeks on and there is no chipping on my toes and I have worn my FitFlops every single day, but for me, polish on my toes never ever chips.  On my fingernails, the polish lasted 5 days before the first chip happened in whilst I was opening the post at work with a letter opener and then as soon as you get one you know that it is game over.

Now I am happy with my polish lasting for 5 days in all honesty and it is much longer than it usually lasts without having Shellac applied.  Each polish retails for £5.99 and is currently on a 3 for 2 right here.  The top coat is also £5.99 here and is part of the 3 for 2 deal.




*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise