Wantable Make-up Box for February

I don't know whether you have heard of Wantable and that they now ship to the UK?  Well I was offered the chance to try and test out of their boxes** for review purposes.  The choice of boxes with Wantable are:

• Make-up - within your box you will get 4-5 full sized products
• Fashion Accessories - 3-4 boutique accessories
• Intimate - 4-5 premium essentials

All the products you get within your box come from your profile which you set-up and then complete a series of questions answering how much you like/dislike things, it is quite a comprehensive form and the idea is that it is used to select products for you box, so for example, if you don't like mascara, you can say so and you should not get any within your box.

I opted for the make-up box to try and test, completed my questionnaire and firstly, I was quite impressed with how sturdy the box is and how really nice packaged the contents were as to avoid them getting broken, dented or smashed during its shipment.

Now to the contents in a bit more detail:

ncLA Nail Lacquer - retails for $16

In shade Drop Dead Gorgeous which is deep royal blue shade with added sparkle, I am yet to try this, but it is the kind of shade I would wear on my toes.

LAQA & Co - Fat lip pencil in Wolfman - retails for $18

This isn't a product I have come across before, though I do love how pretty the shade is and it is really lovely once applied.

DEX New York Lipgloss - retails for $18

The shade of this is called Christopher Street Orchid and as you can see from the picture above it is a lovely shade of pink and once on the lips it is slightly tacky, but not so much that I want to rub it off.  It looks great on its own or over some lipstick

Sorme Shimmer Glow - retails for $24.5

This is a sparkling mineral face and body bronzer in Bronzed 85 and it is like nothing I have used before.  You simply shake the powder down into the brush by turning it upside down and then brush it over your face and body as you deem appropriate.  Inside the wand, the shade does look quite dark, but once applied it is quite light and there is a lot of sparkle.

Sorme Anti-aging Trial Size - retails for $0

It says on the packet that this is a silky perfecting primer which smoothes skins surface, fills in wrinkles and diminishes discolourations for flawless long lasting make-up.  It then goes on to say "cliniqually proven Dermaxyl helps reduce the depth of lines, wrinkles and crows feet as Vitamins A, C and E plus nourishing Grape Seed Oil hydrate the skin and help prevent free radical damage".  So quite a lot of claims for this little sachet to live up too and I am looking forward to putting it to the test. 

Wantable boxes cost $36 per box, which is roughly £21-£22 per month, my box is worth a whopping $76.5 or £46 which is amazing really and I have been introduced to some new brands and some products I have never used before. 

If this is something you think you might like to try, simply click HERE and choose your box.

Have you tried Amazon Prime Instant Video yet?

I have just got into the whole Youtube video thing, don’t get excited, I am not about to start vlogging, that is not for me, but I do love to watch other people and can happily spend a good few hours entertaining myself.

Youtube obviously isn’t just for bloggers of course; you can of course relive your youth with some music, watch clips of TV shows and this video:

Yes, I managed to find some really cute kids aged 4-12 years old being TV critics.  They give their expert opinion on the Amazon Original Kid’s Pilots and what I love about it is the innocent honestly in their opinions and whilst watching it, I did find myself laughing along and agreeing with some of the things they had to say.

Amazon Studios is the new way to commission films and television series, it doesn’t just let us viewers decide what they watch; it lets them or you, have your say on what shows Amazon makes. TV fans can then watch, rate and review the latest Amazon Original pilots, some of which include drama, comedy and of course kids shows.

I am an Amazon Prime Customer and when I heard about the Instant Prime Video I logged in immediately to have a look and I am really enjoying the service right now.  For me it is quite a new and modern concept and as a blogger and someone who has an opinion on everything, the fact that I can now, as a Prime Member watch, rate and review the latest pilots is a brilliant concept!

If you want to watch, rate and review those latest pilots all you need to do is click amazon.co.uk/primevideo and have your say on the future of TV!

Have you tried Amazon Prime Instant Video yet?

**This is a sponsored post

Fragrance Shop Discovery Club - Spring Edition 2014

Back in April I brought to my blog a new box from The Fragrance Shop Discovery Club which 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.  

For those of you not in the know this is the description:

"If you love fragrance, then you'll love our Discovery Club.
Our exciting new club allows you to explore the very latest fragrance launches from the comfort of your own home. For just £5 per quarter, each edition comes with fragrance samples for you to try, details on each of the fragrances included, as well as discount vouchers so you can make some big savings on all the scents featured."

This quarter I have the Spring 2014 Edition which includes both male and female scents and this is what is in the box:

So in the box we have:

GUERLAIN - La Petite Robe Noire Couture.  It is described as "The third fragrance to join the hugely successful La Petite Robe Noire collection by Guerlain. The range is inspired by the little black dress, a must have for any fashionista wardrobe. La Petite Robe Noire Couture is a fruity floral vivacious scent fit for the red carpet, perfect for when a splash of luxury is needed!".  I am indifferent about the scent of this, it is nice, but I wouldn't purchase a full sized bottle, I am happy enough to use the sample.

Givenchy - Very Irrésistible L'eau En Rose  Which is described as follows "It’s been 10 years since Givenchy launched the original Very Irresistible and to celebrate they welcome L’Eau en Rose to the Very Irresistible family. The fragrance pays homage to the rose in a simple and elegant mannerwith just 3 key ingredients".  This is my favourite scent from all of the female ones within the box, definitely something I would purchase, it smells divine and if you like rose scented products, you will probably like this.

Lacoste - Eau De Lacoste Sensuelle.  Again it comes with this description "Following the launch of Eau de Lacoste Parfum in 2013 comes Eau de Lacoste Sensuelle. The sweetness of the original daytime fragrance is replaced with a gourmand nougatine which offers a more sensual scent, perfect for taking on the night".  Sadly I don't like this scent, it is too strong for me.

Thierry Mugler - Alien Eau Extraordinaire.  Those of you who have read my blog regularly will know that I am not a fan of Thierry Mugler perfumes, I find them too sweet and sickly for my tastes.  This one is described as "A new chapter in the Alien story sees Alien Eau Extraordinaire join the family. Created as a positive, uplifting fragrance with delicate floral notes designed to energise, and a bottle designed as a brilliant crystal gemstone".  Again, not a fan, the scent reminds me too much of of Alien and Angel which I am not a fan of.

Elie Saab - L'eau Couture.  This is the only sample which comes in a cute little box and offers the following description "From the house of Elie Saab comes a new deliciously addictive, soft, almondy floral fragrance. Created to offer a taste of summer, the scent kicks off with a citrusy top that sparkles with zest which leads into a couture-inspired heart topped off with an addictive base".  This scent I also really like, it is a light scent which is perfect for spring and can be worn either during the day or at night for me.

Then we have the two male scents, I leave the description of male aftershaves to my hubby, Beautykinguk, who is better placed and well versed in giving his views on aftershaves, after all he owns enough of them.  However, these are the two scents and their descriptions:

Loewe - Solo Loewe Sport.  Which is described as follows - "Following on from the Loewe Solo launch in 2004 is the new Loewe Solo Sport. The fragrance retains the distinctive bottle design and signature notes of Loewe Solo, but has added zest and energy designed to encapsulate the spirit of sports. The advertising visual features Spanish archery champion Arturo Gracia whose suave looks are emphasised in a vintage Loewe sports kit".

Valentino - Uomo.  This is described as follows: "An aromatic, smooth and leathery fragrance designed to stand the test of time as a modern classic. The scent has heaps of Italian style with the notes composed to reflect an aristocratic Italian family lunch. The advertising campaign is set in Rome and features French actor Louis Garrel, whose striking looks match the equally striking glass studded bottle".

Once again, I am really pleased with this box and I love the fact I have new samples to test and try out without having to go into a shop and cover myself in perfumes to see if they smell okay on my skin, yes I am that lazy.  

Within the accompanying magazine which tells you about all of the fragrances is also an offer of £5 off each fragrance if you purchase them online.

If you think this is something you would like to sign up to, you can find the link HERE along with further information.

So what do you think to my box? Are you a subscriber? 

Will you subscribe?

GOSH Cosmetics SS14 New Launches!

On Tuesday (11th March) I attended the GOSH Cosmetics SS14 Press Event with the lovely Kimberley from Kimberleys Beauty Blog. 

I was really looking forward to this event because although I had seen some of the products in Superdrug, I don't really know much about the brand itself, so it was a great opportunity to go along and learn more about them.

As we arrived we were greeted by this amazing display of badges which spelt out GOSH SS14 (how clever) and Kimberely and I became a little bit too attached to it and well, we now own most of the badges from that board.  

Anyway, upon arrival, we were one of the first few to arrive and we were greeted with a lovely glass of bubbles and given a chance to swatch products, every beauty bloggers dream and we also got to have some make-overs to try out the products, ask questions and so on. 

I am really quite taken with two things that I saw at the event.  Firstly the nail polishes, when offered the chance to have a manicure I am not going to turn it down, I love having it done, my only problem was choosing between the shades:

All of these shades are fantastic and definitely perfect for Spring and Summer.  Whenever I come across new nail polishes I always gravitate towards darker colours and my final decision as to which colour to have rested on these two:

I ended up choosing the Frosted Plum version which can be seen below with and without a top coat.  I absolutely love this shade it is just so pretty and colourful.

We also got to play with the Prime 'N' Set - Primer and Mattifying Setting Powder which is said to transform the skin by visually minimising the pores, fine lines, redness and imperfections.  What I love about this primer is that it is a loose powder and you can wear it on its own, over foundation or apply it throughout the day to mop up that excess oil if you have unwanted shine.  It is both perfume and paraben free and when it was demonstrated on me I was really impressed with it.  It is available to buy now and you can find it HERE.

Then we had a play with the Lip Lacquers which are enriched with Argan Oil and Vitamin E, so as well as making your lips look fantastic they also look after and moisturise them.  They are available in 8 different colours which you can see HERE and below in the photo.  I tried the Lovely which is shade 002 and it is a beautiful nude with great staying power, at the event we were welcomed with a glass of bubbles and some amazing canapes and this lip lacquer didn't budge - impressive and all for £5.99.  There was also 8 new shades of the Velvet Touch Lipsticks that we also got to test and try and you have everything from nudes, pinks and reds. I opted for the nude, and I found it to be a really creamy texture. They all have added vitamin E and are priced at £5.99.

Eye Crayons are something I have become quite a fan of, they are easy to use, easy to apply, easy to make dramatic or be neutral everyday look and GOSH introduced me to their Forever Eyeshadow Stick which are highly pigmented crayons which you don't need to sharpen, just twist and they are waterproof too.

There are 8 shades available which are also now available HERE. What I liked about these was the ability to apply them quickly, easily and have a great colour not to mention that you can also use them as eyeliners, as I was shown.  The 8 shades available mean there is something for everyone, be it light copper, beige, plum and a very beautiful green, some of which are swatched below.

I had a fantastic time at this event, it was lovely to be able to swatch and try out new products and have and watch make-overs with them so that you could see how best to use them as well as being able to ask questions of the professionals present.  

You can find all of these products on the GOSH Cosmetics website and I also want to thank the lovely Daisy and the rest of the team for this amazing goody bag, I literally cannot wait to try these out.

Of course I also got to have some badges, you can never have enough and they all represent a product from the #SS14 range.

Do you use GOSH Cosmetics? Do you have a favourite product?

You Beauty Discovery Box - March

Last month I had introduced by way of subscription to the You Beauty Discovery Box which you can see here with its contents.  This month my second box has arrived and I have said I am equally impressed.

This months box is themed "Best of British" and when I got my email to let me know my options for selection was now ready, I really struggled to decide what to choose, but in the end managed it.

What I love is how the box fits through my letterbox, it is packed really delicately and the box really study:

Within the magazine which comes with the box we are told that the March shortlist (of products) is dedicated to home-grown beauty and skincare brands flying the flag for Great Britain on the worldwide stage.  I think this is a brilliant concept and the choices between the products was quite difficult as I have said, options included Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Bath and Shower Oil, Crabtree and Evelyn Rosewater Ultra moisturising hand therapy, Camomile Cleansing butter and muslin cloth from The Body Shop, Beautylab Glyco Face Wash, Orico Marine Radiance Serum, Paul Mitchell Dry Wash, John Freida Frizz Ease, Rimmel Matte BB Cream and Dr Lipp Nipple Balm.

Here are my choices:

As always with this subscription you get some extra treats and mine came in the form of some re-usable eyelashes from The Vintage Cosmetic Company called Gracie which cost £6.  The second treat is some Organic Tea from Dragonfly Tea, a British family company who are dedicated to bringing delicious artisan teas from around the world, so I am really looking forward to trying and I have been sent Moonlight Jasmine Organic Green Tea and Swirling Mist Organic White Tea. 

Then comes my actual selections.  As soon as I saw one of them there was no doubt it was going to go in my box - Dr Lipp Nipple Balm which I have blogged about HERE and it is just amazing and I use it every night before going to bed, this tube is 15ml which has an RRP of £11.  

The second product I chose was the BeautyLab GlycoWash which is suitable for the following skin types:

• Dull and Congested Skin
• Enlarged Pores
• Ageing Skin
• Uneven Pigmentation
• Sun Damaged Skin
• Acne Prone Skin

It is described as follows:

"A skin refining oil free 5% glycolic foaming gel with triggered release technology that works longer and deeper to remove impurities, unclogging pores refining and cleansing whilst helping to prevent future break-outs. Contains pomegranates enzymes, glycolic and salicylic acid infused microspheres, soothing willow bark and lavender"

A 200ml bottle of this product has an RRP of £32, my bottle is 100ml and therefore has a value of around £18.

So for a £6.95 subscription, my box has a value of around £36 which is amazing!

What do you think to do this? Do you subscribe to these boxes?

Next month the attention will be turned to all things Organic & Natural with no nasties, no nonsense, so I am really looking forward to seeing already.

Dirty Burger - The best burger ever?

It's not often I get excited about visiting a fast food shop, I live opposite a McDonalds, KFC, Wimpy and have so many other eateries such as Italian and Greek Restaurants that I could, if I could afford to, eat out every night of the week. But thankfully I don't live too close to Dirty Burger because I would become the size of a house. 

Introducing Dirty Burger...

I first came across Dirty Burger when my Hubby became obsessed with people tweeting pictures about it saying how good it was and for weeks we kept saying we would go and see what all the fuss was about and try it ourselves. Well since that fateful day, now all I want is another Dirty Burger.

Source

Situated in Kentish Town in London, you need to know the exact location before you leave home to find it or you might wonder up and down Highgate Road for hours looking for it. Infact when you do come across it, chances are you will walk right past it into the LA Fitness Gym which is just next door because Dirty Burger is not like Wimpy or McDonald's, it doesn't stand out on the high-street with a big golden 'M', infact when you do realise exactly where it is, you might look twice because it is a little wood shack at the back of another restaurant called Chicken Shed (similar to Nando's). Once inside you can see the look of confusion on the faces of those (like myself) visiting for the first time when it comes to wondering how it works. There is one big table in the middle of the shack with seats and then around the outside there are benches with stools scattered about, it isn't designed to be a place where you sit and chat for hours over the days events, you go in, get your burger, eat it or take it away - no fuss, no hassle.

Sometimes lack of choice is a good thing

Ordering, well again there are a few options to choose from. This place is open from 7am and until 11am there is a breakfast menu known as the 'Dirty Breakfast' which consists of Sausage and Egg or Bacon and Egg bun with bottomless tea and coffee for £3.50. Then from 11am you can have a Dirty Burger which is a cheeseburger and then there is an option of Crinkle Cut Fries and/or Onion Fries. You go to the till, place your order, take your receipt with a number on it and simply wait for them to call your number. Having retrieved your food, the fun starts.

The food is exceptionally immense, in all my time living in London; I have never loved a burger so much. The patties (as they are called) are so juicy and flavoursome they melt in your mouth when you bite into the burger, they use several cuts of beef including rib eye and bavette beef. As your burger cooks on the grill, you see the chef flipping it, adding cheese, pouring over some stock, covering it with a dome shaped lid, adding cheese, pouring more stock over it, adding the bun and repeating the process until the beef is cooked right through. Then added to the burger are gherkins which are so fresh they crunch as you bite into them, tomato, lettuce and an array of condiments including mayonnaise, all adding to the texture and taste of this amazing burger. The Crinkle cut fries are crunchy and tasty but for me even better than fries are the Onion Fries, deep fried in a cider tempura batter comes red onion in all its glory, they are a taste sensation but share them with someone because they are so filling. Your food is wrapped in a Dirty Burger wrapper once you unwrap it the smell that its you is amazing, the fresh burger smell, not like those nasty street vendor things that hide behind the scent of fried onions, no this burger smells fresh and as you take your first bite and some of it dribbles down your chin, you will be hooked. I am yet to read a review or see a tweet from someone not liking the food from this place. 

Drinky poo

There is also a drinks menu and a choice of water, tea, coffee, coca cola and so on but they also serve the best milkshakes ever with a choice of Vanilla, Strawberry or Chocolate. They are thick, rich, creamy and fruity and worth every penny of the £4 they cost, my favourite being Strawberry. If you have the burger, fries and onion fries it will cost you £10.50 but worth absolutely every single penny you pay for them. 

I simply Love It

I love Dirty Burger. The menu is simple, there is no choice and I like that, I know exactly what I am going to get and even now, having been back on more than one occasion, the food tastes just as good as it did the first time, though I am yet to try the breakfast menu. The food is freshly cooked whilst you wait, so you know that when you bite into it, it won't be cold in the middle or have that 'sitting on the hot plate' taste about it. Whenever I have been to Dirty Burger, it has been full of people eating, just eaten or waiting to eat and there are people from all walks of life in and out of there from the old to the young, to the office workers to the builders, it seems to attract everyone and you only have to Google the place, read the reviews and looks at the photos of the food to find out why.

If you live in London and haven't tried it, try it, you won't regret it. Dirty Burger does have its own website and everything you need to know can be found there and it also has a Twitter feed and a Facebook page.

Klorane Nettle Shampoo

When I saw a tweet asking for bloggers if they wanted to try a new shampoo, specifically for those of us who have greasy roots, I quickly signed up.  Klorane Nettle Shampoo* 
is designed for those of us who have oily hair, and it claims to allow you to skip a day of washing due to its scalp detoxing effects. 

The description given is:

"Detox your scalp with the Klorane Nettle Shampoo, a deeply cleansing formula for those prone to oiliness.

This gentle, effective treatment shampoo gives you more time between washes, working to regularise the amount of oil your scalp produces while slowing its spread throughout the hair. The star ingredient of the shampoo is scopoletine, an extract from nettle, which restores balance to the scalp.

Hypoallergenic and extremely mild, the Nettle Shampoo enhances volume and detangles for soft and bouncy hair that lasts. After sustained use, oil secretion is regularised, enabling you to wash your hair less frequently."

Well definitely worth giving it a try which I have been doing since the middle of January because I wanted to give it a decent amount of time to test rather than using it once, claiming it is brilliant, which I don't think would be very fair.

So the shampoo itself is bright green which isn't a surprise considering it contains nettle which was chosen for its content of scopoletine, which helps regulate sebum production and restore balance to the scalp. It is also hypoallergenic and extremely mild not to mention paraben free.

When using the shampoo, I found it to be quick thick in texture, meaning you don't need to use very much.  Once it comes into contact with water it immediately lathers and there is a slight scent too it, not too plant like as I was expecting, more a fresh scent which I really like.  Easy to wash out from my hair, if I am not going anywhere I tend to let my hair dry naturally, otherwise I dry with a hairdryer.  Once my hair had dried it was really soft and whilst I have natural curls, they were no challenge for my GHDs and I could style my hair without any problems.

So how did it fair?  Well I have to admit I did and still do get that one extra day between washing if I use this shampoo, so instead of washing my hair every other day, I can leave it to be washed every two days and the greasiness is just showing rather than looking as though I have poured oil all over my head.

I think this is a fantastic product and definitely one which will remain in my bathroom for some time to come.  It is currently on offer on Escentual for £4.50 and well worth giving it a try.

Have you tried this shampoo?