Cohorted April Beauty Box

This months Cohorted Beauty Box is amazing, it has four fantastic items included, all of which I will be using. If you are present on Twitter, then you will know that these boxes are quite the conversational subject when they go on sale because the last three have, including this one, have all sold out! They costs just £19.99 but the contents alone add up to a huge £70!

So this month there are 4 full sized products within the box and all of them are for sale with Cohorted in their shop. What's more, each product is from a brand that you will have heard of or possibly even used something from and it is a good mixture of highstreet v's high end. This is one of the things I love about beauty boxes, the chance to try products you might never have thought of trying, the opportunity to try things you might not necessarily have heard of, the chance that you have wanted a product for a while and actually it isn't what you had hoped or it is more than you hoped for and of course the build up to that box arriving, the refreshing of the package tracking page and then the arrival.

So, inside my box this month is the bareMinerals: Heavenly Face Brush (RRP £22) made from goat hair, this brush is large, soft and features a blunt-cut brush head. 

On the skin it feels incredibly soft on the skin and I find it is great for giving that flawless look with liquid foundation and equally it is great for using as finishing brush too.

Ark Age Prepare Skin Purifying Masque (rrp £10) is next and it is described as being a cleansing masque for congested skin that will leave it feeling very refreshed. The masque is said to absorb excess oil, reduce the appearance of blemishes and pores for clear skin. Designed to be used once or twice a week, this masque uses Kaolin Clay which heals blemishes and prevents new ones from forming. Wild Water Mint reduces the size of enlarged pores and Anti-pollution Algae prevents skin damage from free radicals.

I have never used anything from Ark skincare but I do love a good facemask, so I am really looking forward to trying this.

Korres are one of my favourite brands for lip butters, so to find the Mulberry Vanilla Body Butter (RRP £19.50) in this box is a delight.  Made in Greece, this body butter is free from propylene glycol, synthetic dye, mineral oil, silicones and parabens. 

It contains shea butter, quince extract and a proprietary blend of sunflower, almond and avocado oils which moisturises and soothes the skin and is luxuriously hydrating. Having worn jeans, trousers and thick tights for the last few months, the skin of my shins is quite dry, so I need something that will soften and hydrate my skin and not only does this body butter smell absolutely beautiful, it is such a lovely cream, you can't help but love it.

The final item in this amazng box is from MAC and it is the Sheertone Shimmer blusher in Dolly Mix. When I first looked at this blush I immediately loved the shade, who doesn't love pink, but I did expect it to be too pink for my almost porcelain skin. 

However, having had a bit of a play with it, actually whilst it is really pigmented, if you use a stippling blush lightly, it does give a great transfer of colour, giving that natural flushed look add to which the shimmer is just amazing, it creates a nice glowy sheen on your cheeks.

I think this is an absolutely amazing box and my favourite of the Cohorted boxes that I have seen to date.  I love that there is a nice mix of products and all four of them are not ones I would ever normally pick up or choose, but now I have them, I am wondering why I have not picked them up sooner.  This is one of the first boxes for a long time that I have used all of the products and have not been left feeling disappointed.

Did you manage to get your hands on this box?  What do you think to the contents?

Yves Rocher Make-up

Yves Rocher is one brand I am really enjoying the discovery of and have in recent months found products I have absolutely adored, so when the chance to try some of their makeup products I jumped at the chance.

In my package are 4 really lovely products.  The first is the 100% Intense Kajal liner which is really pigmented.  The first thing which caught my attention my how it is packaged and designed like a lipstick, by that I mean you remove the lid, twist the bottom and up pops your eyeliner.  Now I am notoriously bad at eyeliner, I have no patience when it comes to applying it and it just stresses me out, yet this product feels like something I can use and with a bit of practice who knows...  From the swatch that you can see on my arm, you can see how black it is and it is really hard to budge, so for those of you who like your eyeliner as black as your soul, which doesn't shift in the rain yet with a bit of eye makeup remover is easily removed, this is worth a look.

The Fixing Eyelid Primer comes next and I was chuffed to see this in my package because it is one item I have run out of and if I am wearing eye makeup, which isn't everyday, I like to have a proper primer.  When I first tried this primer, it does, on my skin look quite yellow, but once you have smoothed it across the lid, the yellowness totally disappears and it is a brilliant eyelid primer, admittedly much better than I expected.  What I love is that it isn't too thick that it grabs onto my eyeshadow, nor is it too thin that it makes no difference, it creates an almost perfect base to work with and it stops creasing, which is exactly what I expect from my primers.

Next is the Volume Vertige mascara which was the first item I opened as I am a bit of a mascara fiend.  Aside from the beautiful silver packaging is a brush that I adore because I like wide wands that have a mixture if long and short bristles, much like Benefit Mascara Wands.  There is also no excess mascara that needs to be wiped off the wand which again gets another thumbs up from me, there is nothing worse than having to remove the excess or having something which clumps upon first application, this does neither, infact one coat you can see the difference immediately, more in volume than in length and it makes for a perfect daytime mascara.

The final item is this beautiful looking Sumptuous Colour Eyeshadow Quad, I was sent the green quad, which is not my first choice as I have blue eyes, but there are plenty of other options to choose from. What I do love about this palette is that those four shades can be used as they are or wet.  Included are two small brushes which are perfect for on the go if you dont have travel sized brushes and the best thing is the size of the mirror which fits the width of the palette and is really handy to have.  On the bottom of the palette and also included is a little chart which details how to get the best use from the shades - Highlight, cover the eyelid, sculpt the eye and finally underline to give the smokey effect.

Overall I am really impressed with each and every one of these items, they look great, are easy to use and my favourite product has to be the eyelid primer, which I am absolutely loving.

Have you ever tried any makeup from Yves Rocher?

Great Kitten - World's 1st Cat Cinema

Anyone who reads my blog or follows my Instagram account will know that I absolutely love animals especially cats and I have three of my own.  If I ever won Euromillions, one of the things I would love to do is run my own cattery for unloved and unwanted cats.  

Today I am highlighting a cause which I absolutely love and you might have heard and read about them in the media recently - Great Kitten - World's 1st Cat Cinema in London - yes you did read that right! So, Imagine a crackling fireplace, exposed brick walls, wooden beams and comfy sink-in sofas – think rustic log cabin. Now, imagine this cabin filled with purring cats, ready to receive all your love and attention.  Add to that regular screenings of your favourite films that you can enjoy with a cup of tea and your friends, family or your other half. Oh, and don't forget a cat napping on your lap. There yet?! We thought so!

Better yet, we will put aside one afternoon each week to invite adults and children suffering from physical and/or mental disability to help them enjoy the healing power of cat's purr. Each guest will be treated to Great Kitten's full service - an exciting visit full of cakes, tea, good movies and our resident cats company, all funded by your donations and our profits.

Here is their story...

Last year, we decided to make a bold decision - we moved from London to Vietnam for a year to experience a different lifestyle, a new business culture, and to travel. Whilst travelling Asia, we had plenty of time on our hands to brainstorm all of the possible ventures we could start when back in London. The bigger plan became clear for us after visiting a Cat Cafe in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We immediately fell in love with the idea. As avid film lovers, it wasn't long before our restless minds came up with the idea of combining the two. We knew that cat cafes were becoming increasingly popular in Europe, with 2-month waiting lists to book a table. We also knew about all the quirky and unique cinemas popping up in London practically every week. We knew immediately that combining 3 of Britain's most loved - cats and cinema and a cuppa, is bound to resonate with Londoners and cat-lovers alike.

As well as this unique cinematic USP, an important part of our mission is to give back to the local community. Once a week, we'll invite children and adults who struggle with mental health issues (such as depression and anxiety), physical disabilities or life-threatening illnesses. All expenses will be covered from our profits. Each of these groups has been proven to benefit from cat interaction and we would love to put smiles on their faces as well as for our paying guests.

In our cafe we'll serve hot & cold drinks (tea, coffee, hot chocolate, lattes, juices, soft drinks and more), light snacks and sandwiches inspired by our rustic theme and a wide selection of cakes, slices, scones and pastries. We'll make sure that patrons who require vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free food will be more than catered for.

We're so passionate about our idea and we are determined to make it work. We've had fantastic press coverage, but now we need you to share in the development and success of Great Kitten. We've already had so much good advice and encouragement from our supporters, and we plan to involve you every step of the way.

Check out our perks - we offer the chance to become a part of our team, to experience first hand our unique Cat Cinema, and to help our chosen charities and many more.

If this sounds like a charity you want to support, even if it is just £1, there is a Crowdfund page right HERE.

What do you think to this idea? Are you a lover of cats?

The Pink Cow Brand - The Cream

The Cream as it is so aptly named, is one of those products which has really got me intrigued, it was and is something I have read about in my blog reviews and something I was really looking forward to using.

Described as being Nature's Superfood for skin, the range was developed by Denie Hiestand, a natural health consultant, author, research expert, and former successful New Zealand dairy farmer. Denie has spent decades studying the skin and toxins/chemicals in everyday cosmetics and personal care products and identified a strong link between the high usage of chemical personal care products and the growing rates of cancers, infertility, hormone imbalances, allergies and various other modern day illnesses. In response to his patient’s requests, Denie set about to create a completely pure and natural range of skincare products which not only contained none of the harmful additives found in the majority of commercial products, but equally importantly, contained life-giving, cell nourishing ingredients which feed and nourish the skin.  You can read more about the brand HERE.

The cream for the face is 100% natural, contains 75% colostrum and 0% bull I am told, now admittedly I did giggle at the bull part and was more interested in the key ingredient colostrum and what was so great about it.  Colostrum is not only the first milk from happy outdoor, grass-fed, New Zealand Cows, but is also:

• The most powerful, cell building and complete all natural ingredient known
• Produced by female mammals for approximately 72 hours after birthing
• 200 times more powerful than Human colostrum
• Is not milk, but rather the starter of all life, and completely recognized, accepted and utilized by our cells.

So when used in this way it is specifically engineered in a scientific way so that your cells instantly recognise, readily accept and utilise the formula in order to moisturise, assist in the repair of and nourish themselves.  

The Cream itself is so luxurious I love it.  Thankfully it comes with a pump dispenser too, much more hygenic.  It has been made specifically for the face, neck and decollatage and you use it both in the morning morning and at night as you would do any other cream however, you can also use this one throughout the day as and when required if you have dry, dehydrated skin.  Once on the skin, again you need just a small 50p sized blob to cover your face, it absorbs itself with a quick fingertip massage and it leaves behind incredibly soft feeling skin, almost instantly, not to mention the feel of being hydrated and moisturised.  It contains a whole host of amazing ingreidnets which are listed on the bottle to see and in there you will find Coconut/palm wax, the cold pressed oils of organic Aloe, Rice, Orange, Apricot, Vanilla, Blueberry and Hemp to name just a few.  The cream also smells incredible, admittedly I didn't know whether or not this would have the scent of mouldy cottage cheese or something equally foul but thankfully it does not, you get a hint of vanilla and coconut.

This is such an exciting brand and I am so glad I have been given an opportunity to try it out.  The entire range consists of a lip cream, eye cream, personal relief cream, a repair cream for problematic areas (need), a foot cream, hand cream sun cream, a body cream, a body elixir, a face serum and a men's range!  Super impressive and each product contains:

• No chemicals. 
• No heavy metals. 
• No mineral oil. 
• No petrochemicals.
• No alcohol. 
• No parabens. 
• No preservatives. 
• No fillers. 
• No added water- All formulations are waterless, which means they are in their most effective and concentrated form and all formulations are clinically tested and EU cosmetic safety approved.

I have been using this daily since it arrived in my possession and I absolutely love everything about it, I can't rate it highly enough.  As it is I am obsessed with products which are animal related and a little bit different and this fits right in there, it is simply fantastic. It is also available here in the UK and a 50ml bottle will cost £39.99.

Have you tried anything from The Pink Cow brand yet?

Temple Spa Sugar Buff

Temple Spa is a brand I have heard of but never tried and was delighted to be sent a wondeful package of products to try.  With the mantra "In Spa, In Store, In Flight, In Hotel, In Home, In Life" Temple Spa have created a huge catalogue of products that encourage you to create a spa wherever you are.  Now one of my goals is to spend an entire day at a spa being pampered, it is something I have never done, but something I really want to try.  In the meantime, I have these products to put to the test.

The first product I have absolutely loved using is Sugar Buff** which is described as follows "Prepare to bare. Ready to bare, but wouldn't dare? For all year round sexy soft skin that radiates with health, apply this delicious Mediterranean inspired sugar body scrub, including olive oil, fig and pomegranate to remove dead skin cells, encouraging cell renewal to reveal silky smooth, sun kissed skin"

The first thing I have to say about this scrub is that it is absolutely divine. Seriously divine and it smells just amazing.  As this is a sugar scrub it is perfect for using on parts of the body where you suffer with really harsh dry skin, which for me is always my shins, not only does it get rid of every last bit of horrible dry, flaking skin, it does it with no effort what so ever.  I also find my elbows can get quite dry too and again, this sugar scrub is perfect for removing that dead and dry skin. 

This Sugar Buff is paraben free and uses sugar as the natural exfoliant plus olive oil, fig, Vitamin E and pomegranate to create not just a wonderful scent, but a product which invigorates the skin, help increase circulation, rejuvenates and softens the skin, improves the lymphatic flow which in turns helps to remove toxins and if you use it whilst in the bath, it dissolves completely so you are not left sitting in water which feels all grainy and horrible.

After using, where I would usually expect to find my skin in need of a lot of moisturisation after exfoliating, with this I didn't, what I have was incredibly soft, smooth skin to the touch which smelt wonderful of fresh figs and pomegranates, which together makes a wonderful scent.

A travel size version of Sugar Buff costs just £7.50 for a 50g tub which is amazing value for money and the perfect size for taking with you on your travels.

Have you ever tried anything from Temple Spa?

Look Fantastic April Beauty Box

The LookFantastic Beauty box is one I have raved about on my blog for bringing together great products from the site which make for one great box. This months box arrived on Good Friday which was a bit of surprise and once again it is packed full of brands that I am a fan of as well as some that I have not come across or used.

Korres is a brand I really like, especially the lip butters. Since becoming a beauty box subscriber I have been lucky enough to try quite a few more and today this box features Calendula Soap. Okay, so soap is not the most exciting product in the world, but it is one of those items you always need.  Korres describe this soap as being "A glycerine-based mild soap suitable for both the face and whole body. Calendula possesses emollient and mild antiseptic properties, while vitamin E protects and conditions the skin". It is Dermatologically Tested, Mineral Oil Free and Silicone Free and perfect for those with dry and/or sensitive skin. This soap is worth around £2.

The Balance Me Revitalising Hand and Body Wash comes next and again, anyone who is a regular reading of my blog will know that Balance Me is one of my favourite brands. A naturally foaming wash which features a feel good aroma and skin-boosting blend, to cleanse and rapidly rehydrate dry, sensitive skin making it perfect for the whole family. Using a blend of calming mandarin with cleansing grapefruit, balancing bergamot and rejuvenating sweet orange, as well as a hint of mint to give a beautifully refreshing scent to help soothe the mind throughout the day. The natural surfactants used luxuriously foam and clean the skin without stripping or drying it, leaving hands smooth and hydrated with every wash. This product has a value of around £6

Next up is a product that I have already handed to my mister to blog about and that is a mini tub of TIGI Bed Head Manipulator. He has short spikey hair which I am hoping he will find quite useful. It smells absolutely amazing and is designed to help create a textured matte finish.  RRP £3.99

Inika come next with a Eye Pencil in Caviar Black. Inika is a brand I have come across from reading blogs but not a brand I have tried.  I am not a wearer of eyeliner, so this product has already been given to a friend of mine who does, so I will be interested to see how she gets on with it.  Formulated with natural organic ingredients the Inika eyeliner has a smooth, creamy texture which is said to glide effortlessly onto the skin with longer lasting staying power.  This has an RRP £13.50

The last two products for me are an odd choice to include and for me are quite disappointing. The first is the CB12 Safe Breath Mouthwash which is described as being a refreshing mint and menthol mouth wash that provides an instant effect. CB12 is a long-lasting mouth rinse, giving you confidence for up to 12 hours. Bad breath is a build-up of bacteria in the mouth, found between the teeth, in gum pockets, or on the back of your tongue. The zinc acetate neutralises sulphur gases in the mouth and blocks the formation of substances that cause bad breath. Containing 0.05% of sodium fluoride, this mouthwash is designed to help reduce plaque build up and prevent tooth decay.  It has a value of around £3.

Forza Multivitamins For Women is the final item and yeah they do absolutely nothing for me whatsoever. Designed to provide the body with all the nutrients and vitamins it needs during dieting, the Forza multivitamins are specifically tailored to the needs of women. With calcium, vitamin C, biotin, zinc and six types of B vitamins, this month's supply of capsules ensures that your body still receives everything it needs to maintain healthy during the cutting down of calories.  None of which I need and nor am I dieting so they are destined for the rubbish bin, to purchase they cost £7.49 for a box of 30 tablets.

So the April Box, which is worth around £36, is perhaps the worst LookFantastic Beauty Box I have had to date, but out of the six products found inside, only two of them are ones I was not impressed with and two others have found homes with the mister and a close friend. What are your thoughts on this months box?

Tatler For Birchbox - Limited Edition

The 'Tatler For Birchbox' Best of British Box is a limited edition box by Birchbox for April and you can pick up for £25 from their website. The box is absolutely beautiful and perfectly decorated for Spring. Best of British is the theme for this box and working closely with Tatler's beauty editor Francesca White, Birchbox have a box which is jam packed full of British Brands which showcase the best that our homegrown talent has to offer.

So inside this box you will find six different products, some of which are full sized and I have to say, this is one amazing box!

The First product is Percy & Reed London - Big, Bold and Beautiful Dry Instant Volumising Spray £14. This is described as follows - When your locks could do with a little lift, a spritz or two of this non-sticky spray will plump up your strands, boost volume and create a bounce that will turn heads. This is a full sized item.

Ciaté Paint Pot in shade Maybe Baby, I am quite a fan of Ciaté nail polishes because the brush is so easy to use. This shade is described by Ciate as "Deliciously delicate, this sumptuous truffle shade gives a beautifully understated look. If you love nude shades this is the perfect side step into neutral colour, which suit any occasion - from desk-side to date-night, Maybe Baby is a must". This is a full sized item.

Aromatherapy Associates Renewing Rose Body Cream is next and I am a huge fan of this brand and it has featured on my blog a few times now. I absolutely the scents that they use and the bath oils are some of the best I have ever tried.  If you have never tried anything from Aromatherapy Associates, you should!

This cream using an indulgent blend of Rose, Shea Butter and Evening Primrose to make what is most definitely a wonderfully scented, luxurious cream.

The next two products are from brands that I am not too familiar with, so it is quite exciting to discover something new.

Bamford Geranium Hand and Body Wash which smells absolutely delightful. It is described as being a product you use to cleanse and refresh, its gentle plant-based formula uses soothing aloe vera with a blend of floral geranium and lavender and invigorating peppermint oils to leave skin refreshed and raring to go. Now this is one great smelling product and is definitely a brand I would love to know more about.

Dr Jacksons Natural Products Face Oil 03 is the second brand I've never come across. This product is a 100% natural face oil which is formulated with a blend of Baobab and Marula oils, this nourishing oil helps to nourish, improve skin tone and elasticity, and smooth the complexion. Already packed with antioxidants, Dr Jackson also added Calendula and Arnica flower extracts for their refreshing, anti-inflammatory properties. Ahh. 

What I love about this is the bottle comes with a pipette, so it is really easy to use and I am really looking forward to trying it out.

The final item in my box is an absolute cult classic and one I have started using and absolutely love and that is Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish plus a Muslin Cloth. 

I am so chuffed to see this in my box because I have just about run out of mine and needed another one. What I love is that this cleanser is so gentle, you can open your eyes whilst using it to make sure you have removed all trace and when you have finished, oh my is your skin soft! Mine was a smooth as smooth can be. It also has an impressive list of ingredients which includes Chamomile, Rosemary, Cocoa butter and Eucalyptus Essential Oils along with Cocoa Butter and Beeswax all of which are just amazing to the skin.

Now I am sure you will agree with me that this is one of the best ever boxes to come from the lovely ladies at Birchbox, I think it is just brilliant and there are 6 products that I will use.

What did you think of this limited edition box?

Ancienne Ambiance Goddess Floral Water

Ancienne Ambiance is a London-based luxury niche brand founded in 2004, specialising in natural hand-poured luxury scented candles. Produced in the UK, they incorporate exquisite fine fragrances inspired by ancient times.
The candles I have read a lot about but my knowledge of the brand stopped there until this lovely package landed through my letterbox.

The Goddess waters are perfect for Spring and anyone who reads y blog regularly will know that I am a huge fan of water mists for the face. The two that I was kindly sent are Ancienne Ambriance Rose Water and Lavender Water, two of my favourite scents.

I can't pick a favourite of the two, for me they do two completely jobs. The Rose water is a scent which I find perfect for using during the day and it is a product I have used whilst at work. Being in an office with no air conditioning can be an absolute nightmare for my skin, an open window is often just not enough. So to keep my skin hydrated, I use a facial mist spray.

Goddess Rose Water (Rosa Damascena hydrolat) is full of natural skin healing properties. It is 100% pure, it is free from additives, colourants or synthetic fragrances, infact it has absolutely nothing added to it. The fragrance is purely divine, freshly scented and as though you have just had a bunch of roses delivered.  When used, this water is wonderful at reviving the skin and help to de-puff those weary looking eyes, if like me you have bouts of insomnia, this is something really worth looking into, it doesn't banish any under-eye darkness but it does most definitely wake those tired eyes up.  But that is not all, the list of uses is quite extensive:

• Ideal to gently invigorate the skin upon waking, or for tired eyes: apply to a cotton pad and then to the face/eyes to revive and de-puff
• The perfect final touch to both morning and evening cleansing rituals, use to remove light eye make-up, as a gentle cleanser or finishing toner
• Can also be applied to ease sun burn, skin irritations, reduce swelling and treat mild blemishes or acne
• Its natural anti-bacterial qualities help treat acne and all types of dermatitis
• Helps to reduce redness and give skin a beautiful glow, by delivering pure skin hydration
• Safe to use on children and pets as an anti-inflammatory treatment for eye and skin irritations
• Pour into the bath for a hydrating and aromatic soak
• Great to use as a linen spray or air freshener. It can also be added to the water in your iron or added to the final rinse of a washing cycle to lightly scent clothes

Goddess Lavender Water (Lavendula Angustifolia hydrolat) is full of natural skin healing properties and like the Rose Water it is 100% pure, it is free from additives, colourants or synthetic fragrances – it has nothing added to it.

As a scent, for me Lavender is one I find really relaxing.  Whether it is in candle form, a room spray or even a bath product, it is calming and de-stressing.  As well as being a facial water, I have actually been using this as a room spray because it is such a lovely clean scent, once spritzed, the scent lingers for around half an hour before it slowly fades, by which time I am more than ready to fall asleep.

Like Rose Water, this product too has an extensive list of uses:

• The perfect final touch to both morning and evening cleansing rituals, its natural deep toning properties help rejuvenate and regenerate
• Its anti-bacterial properties help to treat blemishes or acne and heal the skin
• Use on a cold compress to help ease headaches, provide soothing relief of minor cuts, burns and insect bites. It also reduces any itching
• Spray on the face or pillow at bedtime to aid sleep quality
• A lovely light scalp tonic, it helps soothe irritated or stressed scalps
• Pour into the bath for a hydrating and aromatic soak
• Great to use as a linen spray or air freshener. It can also be added to the water in your iron or added to the final rinse of a washing cycle to lightly scent clothes

I love both of these mists, they are great on my skin and have caused no irritations such I have used them.  They are a great addition to any beauty routine and the perfect pick-me-up for the skin. Both waters have a shelf life of between 3-6 months and they should be stored away from heat and light.

Have you tried anything from Ancienne Ambiance?

Beautyqueenuk W7 Makeup Bundle Giveaway

If ever you are looking for a Highstreet brand who do excellent Dupes of brands such as Benefit, then W7 are right up there for me at really affordable prices.  I am really lucky to have a stall at my local shopping centre which sells W7 make-up and he always has the latest products available.

As BeautyqueenUK recently celebrated its 2nd Birthday, I thought this would give me the opportunity to share some W7 makeup with you as a giveaway, and it's a worldwide one too - Here is what you could win!

There are as you can see three different compact Palettes, three Lip Bombs and two Lip Paints.

W7 In The City Natural Nudes Eye Shadow Palette - featuring six gorgeous Matte nude shades designed to create endless looks for every occasion

W7 In the Mood Eye Shadow Palette - In this palette, five out of six shades are matte and again it is perfect for every occasion. The sixth shade is a shimmer shade and it is a perfect highlighting colour.

W7 brow parlour the complete eyebrow grooming kit - In this funky pink tin you will find Two Brow Shades (Blonde & Brown) Brow Wax Highlighter Powder Angled Brush Brow Comb Compact Mirror Mini Tweezers.

W7 Lip Paint "The Art of Gloss" in two shades - Girlie and Lady Luck

W7 Lip Bomb which are a great EOS Dupe and I have all three flavours which are Strawberry, Raspberry and Pink Cherry

To be in with a chance of winning, use the Rafflecopter form below and remember to pay attention to those mandatory entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Chocolate Beauty Gifts for Easter

Easter is the best excuse there is to eat chocolate for breakfast (along with Christmas) and alongside munching away on your Easter egg, there is a whole host of other chocolatey goodness to be enjoyed.

Hotel Chocolat whom are well known for their chocolate range, also have a beauty section that is worthy of drooling over. This Quilesse Body Scrub is described as being uplifting, enlivening, invigorating – the energising scent of our cocoa groves at sunrise.

Bomb Cosmetics Ballotin Gift Set is a must for any chocolate lover who loves to chill out and relax in the bath. The set contains six luxuriously hand crafted bath products all with a chocolate theme:

• Vanilla Bath Creamer
• Chocolate Orange Bath Creamer
• Coffee Mocha Bath Meltz
• Chocolate Bath Mallow
• Double Choc Chip Bath Gem
• Chocolate Buttercup

All containing natural Cocoa Butter and essential oils.

Lush has one of my favourite facemasks - Cupcake - Using Rhassoul mud, which is highly absorbent, it works with cocoa powder to draw out all the dirt, grime and impurities to give your skin a deep cleanse. The use of fresh mint also stimulates and tones the skin, whilst linseed and cocoa butter soften and moisturise. 

Yankee Candle have some of the most interesting scents that I have come across. I am a huge candle fan and from the new Cafe Culture collection from Yankee Candle, inspired by relaxing city breaks is Cappucino Truffle. Described as being a decadent pairing of bold, roasted coffee and luscious, velvety chocolate.

Too Faced - One of my favourite palettes is the Too Faced Chocolate Palette which I use all the time.  Now with Semi-Sweet on the horizon, it too would make a perfect Easter Gift.  Described as having 16 antioxidant-rich, cocoa powder-infused matte and shimmer shades of warm caramels, deep mochas, bronzy chocolate hues and a pop of sugared blueberry, it sounds totally divine. Add to the Too Faced raving of products comes the Milk Chocolate Bronzer, which I have fallen back in love with and have been using daily, it smells absolutely amazing and works really well with my skin tone too.

Flamingo Candles caught my attention during the week with their Scent Eggs - Scent Eggs are small, oval-shaped eggs which are made from natural soy wax, etched with Florrie the flamingo and come in a variety of simple fragrances. They’re designed to be mixed up, to create wild and wonderful scent combinations!  Place three or four Scent Eggs in an oil/fragrance burner, along with a tealight and wait for the gorgeous aroma to fill the room. Scent Eggs make the perfect gift, packaged in a glass jar with our lovely flamingo lid.

Essie - One of my favourite nail polish brands is Essie and whilst brown nail polish wouldn't be my personal choice, one called Chocolate Cakes certainly grabbed my attention.

What will you be hoping for this Easter?

B. Sweet Collection Make-up Launches

Last week I got invited to the launch and preview of some new make-up by B.  You might have seen their skincare in Superdrug, it is not only cruelty free but also Vegan and using some of the latest technology available, they have worked to deliver some long-lasting beautiful make-up.

B. worked with YouTube sensation and TV presenter Emily Hartridge to model the new collection and once it launches in 350 Superdrug stores in April, you will see how beautifully bright and colourful the collection - suitably named Sweet Collection is.

The first product I was introduced too, I immediately loved and that was the 
B Sweet Popping Candy Highlighing Serum RRP £14.99.

The illuminating pearls which you can see are encased in a lightweight serum which is really hydrating on the skin.  It has been designed to instantly brighten and improve your complexion and as it is so versatile, it can be used as a highlighter, as an illuminating base under make-up or a tip I was given at the launch is to mix it with your foundation to transform it into an illuminating and hydrating base allowing it to do two jobs in one.

B Sweet Whipped Blush is next and it is available in two shades - Peach and Strawberry.  The first thing I love about this blush is the packaging.  The silver base with the bright pink candy stripes is really eye-catching and it stands out right across a room, as I have said, when it launches in April, this is one collection you will not miss.

The blushers are again a really lightweight texture and are designed to give you a soft flush of colour as well as to create an instant healthy glow.  As soon as you touch the blusher, your finger leaves an indentation in the blush which bounces back into shape, quite funky, but you do get a really good transfer of colour.   These blushers will cost £7.99.

B Sweet Lipstick is the final item within the range and they are available in three shades - Orange Bloom, Sherbet Dip and Lollypop, again all sweet themed names and the packaging matches that of the blusher above.

The lipstick above is Lollypop and as you can see it is a really nice shade of pink.  The texture is reallycreamy and moisturising and best of all it has an SPF15, which in the Summer, is something we should all be looking for!  These lipsticks will cost £7.99

I love this collection, it is cute, girly, brightly coloured and there is something for everyone.  My favourite item is the Highlighting serum because it is so unusual and I am obsessed with highlighting products currently.  

The B. Sweet Collection launches on 8th April.

Magic Minerals by Jeroma Alexander

Magic Minerals by Jerome Alexander is a product that promises to conceal, correct and adjust to every skintone and it comes in the form of a pressed mineral powder which is talc and fragrance free. Encased inside this compact, which includes a mirror, blending sponge and is accompanied by a professional stubby brush, is a powder which looks too pretty too use and I immediately assumed it would be too dark for my skintone.

I am always quite skeptical when it comes to these products which claim to be able to help cover and conceal pimples, blemishes, scars and birthmarks, but I am always willing to give them a go, because you just never know. Inside and compressed into the powder you can see tiny flecks of colour, each of those colours are called Colour Correctors and they are said to do the following:

• Lavender - helps camouflage yellow and sallow complexions 
• Pink - brightens dull skin giving a glow over the entire face 
• Mint - Described as being for 'ruddy' complexions, discolorations and mark such as redness and blemishes is to be used all over the face to camouflage and even out overall tone. 
• Yellow - Covers discoloration under the eyes such as dark circles and helps cover skin discoloration and uneven skin tones. 

The new Magic Minerals is now enhanced with nourishing antioxidants vitamin E and vitamin C in a proprietary formula.

On the skin, this powder is incredibly lightweight and it does apply flawlessly, much more so than I was expecting and it does give great coverage. I am not a fan of foundations which feel as though they are sitting on top of your skin, I like them to feel natural and not look as though I have troweled it on. This is what I get with this powder, though on its own I feel as though it isn't quite enough and that I need to wear something else, which is where my Urban Decay Naked Skin powder comes in really handy, as combined, the two work really well together.

I have flare ups of Roseacea on my cheeks (this is partly why you will never see a full face shot on my blog, it is an insecurity) and this powder works really well to help neutralise the redness, though not rid it entirely, but it never claimed to be a miracle product, it definitely does help to conceal, to the point where I am happy with the coverage. The powder doesn't cling to dry skin on the face and it does mop up oily parts much better than I anticipated, the downside to combination oily skin, is that mid-afternoon the shine begins to appear and the coverage lasts all day long, though I do use a primer and setting spray.

  

What do you think to this? Have you tried it before?