Cohorted Beauty Box for March

Having been disappointed not to get the first Cohorted box, I did manage to get my hands on the March box but not the April Box - ooh Cohorted you don't half know how to play with my emotions! Anyway, I shall be watching with interest as to what the April box contains before sobbing into my tissues.

I think the first thing I should be saying is that the actual box itself is really nicely put together, someone has put some thought into the presentation and whoever sits and ties all the bows, it is such a nice personal touch. When I opened my box, I had annoyingly seen some spoilers, not to self - Stay off Twitter! However, not deterred by the spoliers, I was still chuffed to see the contents which consisted of full sized products from Too Faced, Sleek, bareMinerals plus a sample size of Urban Decay mascara which I have been wanting to try.

The first item that caught my attention in the box comes from bareMinerals, which isn't a brand I have too much experience with.  Said to be worth a whopping £45 it is described as bring the 'Pure Transformation Night Treatment' in shade light.  Described as being:

"Our amazing ActiveSoil Complex in it's most concentrated form. This powder formula dramatically reduces the appearance of pores, improves skin tone and texture, and increases luminosity."

I am quite looking forward to giving this a try, more so because the brush really intrigues me.

The next product is by Sleek and it is the Precious Metals Highlighter Palette for face and body which has an RRP £9.99.  Within the palette there are four different shades, three are cream highlighters and one is a powder and they are accompanied by a little applicator brush and a handy mirror.  It is described as being:

"The versatile face and body highlighting palette compliments all skin tones, and the metallic finishes add a radiant glow and a luminous polish to the skin"

L-R Platinum, Royal Gold, Renaissance Gold and Antique Bronze

With shade names such as Platinum, Royal Gold, Renaissance Gold and Antique Bronze, it makes for a truly stunning palette.

The next item comes from one of my favourite brands Too Faced by way of a single eyeshadow and I got the shade Copper Peony which is a stunningly bright copper shade which is really pigmented and will suit all skin types, even my own almost porcelain shade. Described as follows:

"The eye-shadow shade will compliment any type of look you want to achieve. Elegant or rocker, a beautiful shimmer accessory for both day and night"

Now I am also a sucker for pretty packaging and this definitely wins the beauty in the box award for being pretty, flower shaped with a little clear see through circle, you can see the shade in the palette.

Finally, there is a sample of Urban Decays 'Perversion' mascara, an item that has been on my wishlist ever since I saw it at the counter in Debenhams. It is in shade black and described as being:

"A volumising mascara that defines each lash. The brush glides and creates bigger, blacker, badder lashes. Perversion mascara never gets brittle or clumpy"

I really like the wand on this mascara, it is huge and it is so easy to use.

So there you have it, the March Cohorted box and I am sure, like me, you will be hard pressed to find a single item to dislike or be disappointed with.  It is more than worth its £19.99 price tag and has so many items within the box that I want to use.

Did you get any of the Cohorted Boxes so far?

Exclusive Benefit Mascara Masterclass with Birchbox

Last weekend I attended an event with Birchbox and Benefit, two great brands in one amazing Curls Best Friend pop-up shop for exclusive Benefit Mascara Masterclass.

I arrived at the store on time after a powerwalk from the tube to be greeted with all the lovely Birchbox girls, whom I have had the pleasure of meeting before. Warmly welcomed with a choice of cocktail or mocktail, I quickly made my decision and had a lovely time chatting to fellow bloggers whilst we waited for the event to start.

The event. based upon the March Birchbox, which gave subscribers the choice of three different Benefit Mascaras - Bad Gal, They're Real or the brand new Roller Lash, Lisa Potter-Dixon, who is Benefit's Head Make-up Artist was on hand on to show us some looks she had created using each of the mascaras and an abundance of other Benefit products.  

We were also able to ask questions along the way including advice on which products we could and should be using as well as Lisa giving us some of her top tips - for example... have you ever used Hoola on your eyes or lips? No me neither, but it is a tip I shall be taking away with me and this video shows you some amazing tips and it features the lovely Jessica, Birchbox Editorial Director and Lisa herself.

After the make-up demonstrations we were given the opportunity to go down into the salon to have our make-up and hair done using the products that Lisa had used (not literally) to demonstrate each look with.  The Salon was amazing, I could have spent hours in there just chatting to the staff who were all so helpful and lovely.  I had my make-up done by the lovely Alison, who herself gave me lots of hints and tips when it came to using Boing, Fine One One and the fabulous World Famous Neutrals Most Glamorous Nudes Ever kit, which I now feel I need in my life.

Finally, alongside some amazing cupcakes that were well and truly divine, we were all given an amazing goody bag to take home and play with and it was so incredibly generous, thank you Birchbox and Benefit.

Now there's still time to subscribe and select your very own Benefit mascara! Which mascara will you be choosing?  

The Bee Good next Great British lip balm competition!

Those of you who read my blog regularly will know that I am a huge fan of the brand Bee Good and have featured many of their products. One of my favourites from the range is the Vanilla lip balm which is intensely conditioning and soothing, especially for chapped lips. So I was delighted when an email dropped into my inbox with the question:

Do you dream of designing your own beauty product? 

Would you love to see your name on-shelf across the UK? 

Well yes I do, who doesn't? It would be a dream come true! Well the team at Bee Good are on a mission to find the next Great British Lip Balm and they need your help to create the next flavour! 

Beauty bloggers have been an integral part of the Bee Good success story to date, so as a thank you for the supportive reviews and help with new product testing, Bee Good want to give something back! Everyone at Bee Good values the expert opinion of a beauty blogger, so who better to work with for such an exciting project?! 

All you need to do is use your imagination to generate an idea for the next Bee Good lip balm. Following on from the best-selling Vanilla & Honey Lip Balm, your new idea will need to be creative, yet appeal to the masses as the winning flavour will potentially be on-shelf at not only Waitrose, but also retailed online on the Bee Good website and hopefully in Bee Good's other stockists including LoveLula and Urban Outfitters.

Here are our top reasons to enter Bee Good’s competition to design the next Great British Lip Balm which will be launching before Christmas!

• Every beauty blogger that takes part will be provided with artwork and badges for their blog site to encourage votes… use your loyal following to secure support in the final public vote! 
• You will be profiled on Bee Good communication channels throughout the competition, including a feature in the e-newsletter and if chosen as a finalist, on the online voting portal! 
• Five semi-finalists will be invited to Waitrose HQ to present their lip balm to the Waitrose beauty buyer and the Bee Good team (Bee Good will cover your expenses to and from the venue.)
• Three finalists, determined from the judging day, will receive lab samples of their creation to give to family, friends or lucky blog followers.
• The winner, voted by Bee Good customers, will have their blog name printed on the packaging design!
• The winning product will be retailed on the Bee Good website, plus potentially in Waitrose and Bee Good online retailers including Urban Outfitters and LoveLula.

If you’re interested, all you have to do is drop an email to 

info@babushkacommunications.com and we will send you the details you need to take part… including some helpful hints from Bee Good’s marketing director.

Please note that the closing date for entries is 17th April, so hurry!

Wrap.me

Are you like me and spend many hours during the day on Instagram liking photos, uploading photos and generally re-arranging things on your desk, in a shop or at home to take a picture of for instagram? Well what else could you do with those photos other than leave them in cyberspace for people to click on?  Turn them into things that is what...

I came home a few days ago to a package I hadn't been expecting.  My first thought was my mister was playing a practical joke or had bought me something, but as soon as I opened the package, the look of surprise on my face and then his firmly put those thoughts to bed and this is why:

A package had arrived wrapped in photos of my cats, but how or why?  Well the cute little note card explained all and honestly it made my day.  Let me introduce you to Wrap.Me  who are a newly launched website that allows you to create personalised, bespoke wrapping paper, from handpicked images, tailored to the time of year or your intended recipient.  You can upload photos from your desktop, Instagram or Facebook and use up to a maximum of 30 photographs, re-arrange them as many times as you want, decide whether you want a black or white border and submit your order.  

From the package I received, the quality is simply superb, the images, taken from my Instagram are printed to such an amazing quality and the wrapping paper itself is really good quality paper.

Since this little gift arrived for me, I have spent some time look at Wrap.Me and inventing my own wrapping paper... some of the ideas brimming in my head amuse me no end because the list is really endless - embarrassing photos of my nephew for his 18th Birthday (9 years to go), something for my mum of all her grandchildren (though she would probably frame it) or maybe even something for your better half covered in photos of you - how romantic!

Anyway, inside my little package was the following really thoughtful gift:

So there was a little book that is described as follows "Delight your furry friends with dog and cat treats made from your own kitchen! With pet owners becoming increasingly concerned about the ingredients in commercially prepared pet treats, making them at home is a great way to ensure that you know exactly what’s in the treats your dogs and cats are eating. 

Making pet treats is surprisingly easy. It’s a great activity to share with children, too! With 25 recipes to try and choose from, this book is sure to provide some new favorites that your pet will love. They also make great gifts to give your friends’ dogs and cats, especially at holiday time".

So now I can have a go at making my boys some treats and that's not all, Wrap.me also sent me an extra sheet of wrapping paper, which was just so lovely and thoughtful, though it is so cute, I don't think I could ever use it.

I urge you all to go and look at the Wrap.Me website to explore this idea in more detail and even have a play yourself! Prices start from £4.99, with a large 3 metre roll costing £14.99.

Busy B Stationery

As a member of Bloggers Love, there is a section of the website which allows Bloggers and Brands to collaborate and that is how Busy B Stationery came into my being.  I was so blown away by the pretty designs that I hoped, having sent off my request, I would be selected and that in turn would allow me to feature them on my blog.

Now I am a huge stationary fan, I have penpalled since a very very young age and whilst I don't send and write letters as much as I used to, I still have a huge passion for pretty stationery, more so if I can use it at work or for blogging. 

Behind the brand, which was originally called K Two and having been re-branded as Busy B, the story, which you can read HERE, is really one worth reading because it is amazing what you can achieve if you put your mind to it.  

As I have mentioned many times, I have an extremely busy working life and right now I am busier than I have been in a long long time, so much so that these two items have come in brilliantly handed to keep me organised, on track and smiling!

This weekly desktop planner is just so pretty, it features 60 tear off sheets and has enough room for me to plan what I have to work on for the following week, include my to-do list and make notes on things which might just pop into my head as a reminder.  Once my sheet is filled out, there is also the inclusion of two handy little magnets which are perfect if you need to stick something to the fridge, or like me, to the side of my computer on my desk.

The pastel blue dotted design with little flowers really does make your desk look extra pretty and all for just £8.99 which for an item that lasts one whole year, is fantastic value for money.

The second item is this fantastic tin of labels, which keeps to the pattern of the desk planner and is just as cute. There are over 80 labels in this tin and there is no right or wrong way to use them, you can stick them on your planner, onto any letters you might write and so on.  Then once all the labels have been used, you have the tin which can be re-used as you see fit.  This item costs just £6.99 but Busy B have a great offer where you can purchase both items for just £12.49 right HERE.

You can also find Busy B stationary on the high street in stores such as John Lewis, Lakeland and Hobbycraft.

If you hadn't guessed, I absolutely love both items and they have brought some colour and delight to what was a boring working desk.

Fragrance Shop Discovery Club Spring 2015

Fragrance Club are celebrating their 2nd Birthday with this amazing bumper box of classic male and female fragrance samples! As you can see the packaging for this box has changed completely, rather than being a small square box, I have a rather long and thin oblong shaped box, much to my personal preference as it fit through the letterbox rather nicely.

The reason why I am such a fan of this subscription box, which costs £5 per quarter is great value for money and allows you try a huge array of fragrance samples at home, away from stores to give you a chance to decide whether or not you like them.

So what do we have in this bumper box?

Hugo Boss - Hugo Woman is a fruity, floral fragrance with an unconventional, boyish twist, combining unexpected naturals and pioneering molecules. The scent creates a contrast of tones and sensations, fusing traditionally feminine and unexpected masculine notes.

I really like this fragrance and have already reviewed it on my blog HERE.  It is one of those great fragrances which mixes both the floral and fruity so well that most people will like it and it will wear well on their skin.

Givenchy - Very Irrésistible Eau de Toilette dresses up with a delicate floral print ribbon and packaging inspired by a famous Givenchy Couture pattern. The bow is removable and can be re-used as an accessory.

I absolutely adore this fragrance, I was first introduced to it from this box and have loved it ever since.  It has floral top notes of rose and the exotic daring combination of peony and rose fantasia. A very appealing feminine scent which is simply wonderful.

Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire Couture Eau FraicheFrom Guerlain's popular collection La Petite Robe Noire Collection. Guerlain has added this irresistible Eau Fraiche edition. Showing a completely different side to the fragrance. La Petite Robe Noire Eau Fraiche is light and radiant.

This has been a recent edition to my perfume collection and is again a perfume I love and have reviewed right HERE. The first thing you get a sense of is fresh flowers and that is due to the roses, jasmine and orange blossom which give it a really delicate fragrance. Add to that cherry, apple and blackcurrant which make up the middle notes leaving white amber and musks to finish off the scent with its base notes. All of this together makes for an amazing scent and it lasts such a long time that when I spray it in a morning on my way to work, I can still smell it on my way home from work 8-9 hours later.

Versace Eros Pour Femme - Attraction, desire, passion. Eros in a perfume. An alchemy of tempting, bright and feminine notes. A refined accord of lemon and jasmine, exalted by sensual and smooth. It oozes power,seduction and elegance.

This is one of the fragrances I have been itching to try because apart from the bottle looking absolutely stunning, I am a huge fan of the male fragrance.  It did not disappoint either, as soon as I spritzed it on my wrist, I knew I would love it, the mixture of Jasmine and Lemon together makes for one stunning fragrance, the kind that could be worn day or night!  Now I just have to get my hands on a full sized version!

Dolce & Gabbana - Dolce Floral DropsDolce Floral Drops has the rare beauty of a fresh, floral scent. The Eau de Toilette is inspired by the notes of Dolce Eau de Parfum, preserving its harmonious signature of white flowers, with a heart of White Amaryllis.

Another fragrance I had been wanting to try and again it hasn't disappointed and is definitely one for those of you who love floral scents.  Quite a light but refreshing scent, it is perfect for Spring and Summer.

Stella McCartney - Stella The new STELLA Eau de Toilette is inspired by the idea of a fresh, dewy rose captured in the morning sun. Underscored by sparkling green notes, this bright and bold composition creates a young, fresh fragrance.

This is one scent I hadn't expected to like,  but actually really did.  The scent of roses mixed with Mandarin and Lemon makes for an incredibly fresh scent and again one which is perfect for both Spring and Summer.

Versace Eros - This fragrance captures the Greek mythology of Eros, God of Love, this fragrance is a powerful, masculine scent.

I absolutely love the scent of this and my hubby Beautykinguk reviewed this aftershave right HERE and he describes it as being "Perfect for daywear, special occasions and those romantic nights out I promise you that this would make an excellent addition to any collection either for yourself or as a gift for a loved one"

I first brought this box to my blog back in April 2013 as new subscription box from The Fragrance Shop Discovery Club. If you are still not sure whether or not this is for you, you can see HERE and again in June which is HERE and then September which is HERE, then the final box of 2013 HERE if you didn’t see it. Already in 2014 I have had the spring edition which you can find HERE, the summer edition which is HERE and the Autumn Edition which I showed not too long ago on my blog is HERE

So there you have my Spring Box for 2015 and I have to say it has been one of my favourite boxes to date.  There is a good mixture of new and old scents all of which are perfect for coming seasons.

What do you think?

Rose Script Cosmetic Clutch

If there is a hotel in London where I really want to go and spend the night, it is Sanctum Soho, which is famous for being London's first Rock 'n' Roll Hotel.  Found in the heart of Soho, the Sanctum Soho Hotel celebrates "edgy glamour, individuality and pays homage to its Soho roots and locale as the centre of artistic and bohemian life" so the blurb goes.  I recently visited the hotel for a launch event of their new limited edition male and female fragrances (which I need in my life) and the launch of The Biker Skull and Rose Script bag collection, all of which have Dan Gold, a renowned prolific tattoo artist who is famous for having inked celebrities such as Kate Moss and Britney Spears.  Dan has also been described as a rock star in the tattoo world and has a unique style of fusing tattoo art with graffiti and his artwork features throughout the hotel, something else which makes it stand out amongst the crowd - he is one talented man!

To my excitement, I was given one of Dan's bags to take home with me and I absolutely love it.  If you follow me on Pinterest you might have spotted that I have a thing for skulls, anyway, so this launch was right up my street.

Image Source - KMI Brands

A choice of three bags for use girls shows a Rose Script Cosmetic Clutch, A Rose Skull Cosmetics Purse and a Rose Slouch Travel bag, all of which are absolutely stunning.  I was kindly given the Rose Script Cosmetic Clutch which has been inspired by the latest fashion trend for bags with straps over the wrist.

As you can see, this wash bag is just stunning, I love it and you can double it up as a clutch for a night out because it has a strap on the back which you can grip onto.  It is quite a spacious bag and I can use it more than comfortably for a long weekend away to fit in all my wash items and make-up. Priced at just £19, you can purchase it right HERE and it is available now.

If you are looking for something for the man in your life which is a bit edgy and everything cool, there is a Biker Collection too.  Again, Dan Gold has collaborated to bring about two bags for the men - a wash bag and a travel bag.

Biker Skull Essential Travel Bag Ideal for short travel breaks, this slim line wash bag also doubles as a stylish tablet case. RRP £14

Biker Skull Large Travel Wash Bag This functional leather wash bag is the perfect size for all your everyday grooming essentials and showcases Sanctum’s unique, edgy and distinctive style. RRP £24

The Mister was given his very own Travel bag which he is well and truly chuffed with and wrote about the launch event HERE and this is the Travel Bag he was kindly given - it is very very cool!

I now have the coolest bag for my iPad to live in, wouldn't you agree?