Aloha with Glossybox

The July Edition of Glossybox landed on my doorstep a few days ago and if you hadn't guessed from the theme, it is all about tropical Summer vibes, bringing to you those 'Aloha' vibes, even if that is at home on your sofa.

As with the June Glossybox, this one has also sold out. But if you want to get your hands on the August edition, then you will need to get yourself subscribed and be ready to pounce! But back to this months box which features five products which are designed to give you everything from radiant, sun-kissed glow to a refreshing skincare treatment.

First out of the box from Jecca Blac is the Glow Drop Primer in shade Rose Pearl. Admittedly, this isn't a brand I have come across before, but part of the reason I love beauty boxes is the chance to become acquainted with brands like this.

Designed to be used before applying your makeup, this Primer is said to prep and brighten your complexion to leave it with a healthy, natural glow. A lightweight formula which leaves you with a hydrated, iridescent finish!

From Naobay we have the Orange Juice Hand Cream and it smells just absolutely incredible.

The cream is enriched with moisturising Shea Butter as well as a nourishing blend of Orange Juice, Chamomile all of which come together to hydrate, smooth and rejuvenate the hands, condition the nails as well a the cuticles. Added to that we have the inclusion of Aloe Vera soothe and protect. This cream is non-greasy, doesn't leave your skin feeling like an oil slick and with the scent of fresh orange, it is delightful.

Next from Give Them LaLa Beauty we have the Aloha Bronzer and as with Jecca Blac, this is also a brand I have not come across before.

I am definitely more of a bronzer than a blusher kind of person and I really like the shade of this bronzer. Designed to give you that sun-kissed pop of colour and it is highly-pigmented.

A brand I have come to know via Glossybox is The Beauty Crop and within this months box, we have the Palm Balm, a multi-purpose balm.

Formulated using 90% natural plant-based oils, such as coconut and apricot oils, the texture has been designed to condition and hydrate your lips, but because it is a multi-purpose balm, it can also be used to add a pop of colour to your cheeks and/or eyelids!

Finally, we have the Kocostar Fruit Slice Mask Sheet and again, another brand I have never come across before, until now! I am a huge fan of Korean Skincare, so am glad to be introduced to yet another brand. 

Infused with natural watermelon extracts, these masks are comprised of 12 individual slices and they are made of what is referred to as TENCEL® fibres which come from the eucalyptus tree meaning it is even gentler even on the sensitive skin. As this packet contains 12 individual slices, it means they let you target specific areas of your face or body with intense nourishment.

I really like that this box is a real mix of products, anything that is multi-purpose always gets the thumbs up and I already love the Kocostar Fruit Slice Mask Sheets because I love that I can target specific areas rather than my entire face.

Glossybox is, as I am sure you are aware is a membership subscription service and it costs as little as £8.50 per month. Again, this particular box has sold out, but the August box is ready to be snapped up.

*This post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

4 Ways To Improve Your Beauty Routine

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Looking and staying beautiful isn’t always easy when you’re short on time and patience. However, you’re going to feel better about yourself and love the way you look when you take good care of yourself and make upgrades to your approach.

There are four ways you can improve your beauty routine so that you can achieve the best results. The first step in doing so is to be open-minded about suggestions for how you can enhance your process. You won’t know the benefits of some of these tips until you try them yourself. Continue to tweak your beauty routine over the years so that you can keep up with the latest developments and recommendations.

1. Study Best Practises

One way to improve your beauty routine is to study the best practises and tips from the experts before you go at it all alone. There are plenty of videos and tutorials online for you to watch and learn from and blogs that cover topics such as summer skincare. You’ll get the best results when you use the right techniques and know what you’re doing. Educating yourself is key to you knowing what you should be incorporating into your daily beauty routine and ensuring that you’re going about it the correct way.

2. Choose the Right Products

It’s also vital that you’re choosing the right products for the job if you want to improve your beauty routine. For example, there are many shampoos on the market, but only a select few that will give you shiny and healthy hair after each use. Check out all the benefits of using an eco-friendly shampoo so you can see for yourself why so many people are using it. Products such as these are not only good for your hair and scalp but also the environment. 

3. Do What You Can at Home

You can save time and money when you do what you can at home. Improve your beauty routine by taking care of yourself without having to visit the salon or a licensed professional. While it’s fun and necessary to be pampered by someone else, it’s not always necessary. You’ll be able to keep up with attending to your hair, skin, and nails when you have the tools and motivation you need to complete certain tasks at your house. Otherwise, you risk waiting for your appointments to come along and not always looking your best.

4. Be Committed & Consistent

It’s also essential that you’re committed and consistent in keeping up with your beauty routine and habits if you want to improve it. For instance, it would help if you washed your face twice per day, applied sunscreen each morning, and always have good hygiene. If you’re doing some of these tasks some of the time, then it’ll reflect in how you look and feel. It’s easy to take shortcuts or skip your daily routine altogether, but it’s only going to make matters worse in the long run. You might start to experience more skin breakouts and blemishes, for example.

*this post contains PR samples and/or paid for and Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Summer Skincare with Emma Hardie

One question that comes up time and time again with skincare is whether or not you should switch up your skincare for the Summer months. The team over at Emma Hardie, who recently their advice on combatting sluggish skin, have some great advice on switching up your skincare, which I am sharing with you.

Naturally in the Summer months, with the warmer weather, we don't need to rely on heavy or rich formulas like we would do in the winter months, but that doesn't mean you can throw your skincare routine out of the window, but instead just tweak it slightly and these are the suggestions:

Emma Hardie Light Moringa Gel (£34) - This cleansing gel is just delightful and is perfect for using to complete the morning cleanse and is described as being the lighter alternative to the iconic classic that is the Moringa Cleansing Balm, which I also adore!

This lightweight gel offers that same uplifting scent you get from the balm and it so refreshing. It uses nourishing Moringa and Sweet Almond Oil which leave your skin feeling supple, then we have Omega 6, Vitamin E and essential fatty acids which work to moisturise, smooth and soften. Sea Fennel Extract and Moringa Seed Peptides then help to reinforce the skin’s barrier function to help protect against the damaging effect of environmental aggressors such as harsh weather conditions and pollution. You can read a full review on the Moringa Light Cleansing Gel here on my blog.

Emma Hardie Plump & Glow Hydrating Mist (£42)- with its innovative packaging this mist is the first-ever in a tube form, making it so easy to carry around with you, have on your desk, in the bathroom or wherever else you store such products.

Perfect for use if you have a bit of a hot flush, feel a bit flustered, need an afternoon refresh or even just because you can. Formulate using hyaluronic acid to aid hydration, cooling watermint and Aloe Vera for soothing and refreshing the skin plus it also contains tiny gold pigments which boost the skin's luminosity. The most important ingredient for me, however, is the use of Glycofilm™ 2% technology which provides a 'second skin' to protect cells from the damaging effects of daily pollution and provides invisible colour correction to balance redness, leaving skin fresh and radiant. This mist is something that can be used all year round.

Emma Hardie Protect & Prime SPF30 (£46) - This is such an amazing product (review here) and one I have gone through tubes of since I was first introduced to it. We all know that wearing SPF should come as naturally as putting on your bra or your socks, but for some reason, so many people just don't wear any form of SPF, unless it is hot or they are on holiday. However, that is a whole different blog post.

With its SPF30, Protect and Prime is a lightweight, non-greasy skin protecting and priming cream and it doesn't feel gloopy, it isn't thick and it doesn't leave white residue once applied. Packed full of amazing ingredients such as Mongongo Oil, Oat Extract and Vitamin E together they work to protect and guard the skin against premature ageing, sun damage and environmental exposure. It also has a unique light-diffusing formulation to prime the skin and even out the complexion as well as helping to blur the appearance of fine lines and pores.

So there you have a tweaked but incredible skincare routine for the Summer months, plus it also acts as a great introduction to Emma Hardie as a brand if you are yet to try any products. You can find them all available here via both Cult Beauty* and Emma Hardie.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Primark PS... Naturals Balm to Oil Cleanser

I think it is fair to say that I am a huge fan of cleansing and double-cleansing in general, it is something I have done for years now and it becomes as much a part of my skincare routine as washing my hair or applying a mask. When I double cleanse, without question there is always a balm cleanser involved and when I saw the Primark PS... Naturals range, before lockdown, it was quickly in my basket and it cost just £3!

The Balm to Oil Cleanser comes packaged inside a 50ml pot and inside if you are familiar with a balm cleanser, you will a solid balm, which, when it comes into contact with your fingers, it becomes easy to remove from the pot ready to cleanse. Texture-wise, I love it, very similar to The Body Shop Chamomile Cleanser.

The PS Naturals Balm to Oil Cleanser transforms on contact with the skin, so once the balm is on your fingers, you need to warm it between your palms to break it down and ensure it applies to the skin much easier. Once on the skin, the oil, which the balm has become, is sadly not all that good at removing everything in its path, in fact, I ended up using another balm cleanser to do the job this one should have done.

This Balm to Oil Cleanser boasts over 90% natural ingredients, including extracts of Kakadu Plum, which contains rich amounts of Vitamin C, Coconut Water, Sunflower Seed Oil and Jojoba Seed Oil to name a few of the ingredients and despite all of these ingredients, there is no scent to this balm whatsoever.

Whilst this hasn't been the balm for me because I don't feel it did the job it should do when it comes to removing makeup, suncream and so on from my skin, it didn't strip my skin of any moisture or leave it feeling dry, so not all bad, just not for me.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.