EOS Lip Balm

Regular readers will know that I am more than slightly obsessed with Lip Balms, always have been.  When I saw one of my local beauty shops selling the EOS Lip Balms for just £2.99 I went in and bought a few of the flavours that he had.

EOS is an American brand, known as Evolution Of Smooth who specialise in lotions, creams and balms and isn't as readily available in the UK as I hoped they would be, though you can find many places online to purchase them.  Currently available in ten different flavours, I opted for Pomegrante Raspberry (which I gave to a friend) and Honeysuckle Honeydew which I kept for myself.

The first thing that attracted me to these lip balms is their quirky shape, rather than coming in tube form they are instead a funky spherical shape which makes them stand out and when in your handbag, it makes them much easier to find, especially if like me you always have more than one lipstick and lipbalms with you.

Funky shape aside, these lip balms are  95% organic and 100% natural. The ingredients within this EOS lip balm include Shea Butter, Vitamin E and Jojoba oil to moisturise and soften lips. They are also paraben and petroleum free which I am quite pleased about, one thing I dislike about Vaseline, other than the fact it feels like you have rubbed a block of lard across your lips, is the way it leaves my lips feeling, hydrated and tacky.

This lip balm applies to the lips clear, there is no colour left on the lips and it most definitely does do a great job at softening and moisturising. The scent also becomes noticeable as soon as the lid is removed and it is one of those authentic fragrances, not too overpowering but most definitely something I really like, almost good enough to eat.  The main fragrance for me in Melon and Honeysuckle, both of which you can see listed within the ingredients.

These lip balms retail online for around £5.99 which I think makes them grea value for money and they are definitely something I would recommend trying, I will more than definitely be trying some of the other flavours just as soon as this one runs out, which having used it constantly for the last 6 weeks, it shows no sign of doing just yet.

Have you tried either the EOS lip balms? Do you have a favourite one?

The BBB The Dream Box

When I heard about The Dream Box from Jane, a.k.a The British Beauty Blogger, I knew I was going to buy it.  The last one, which you can see HERE was so fabulous and such good value for money, I was gutted to have missed the first.

Anyway, this collaboration has been done with Latest in Beauty and 15 products have been selected with a value of over £100 and it is literally jammed packed full.

I ordered mine and it arrived within 2 days which is amazingly quick and here are my contents. The Dream box cost £19.95 including P&P.

So in my box I got:

• Bourjois Cream Blush in 03 which is called Rose Tender, I am looking forward to trying this properly rather than just swatching it like I do everytime I go into Boots.  RRP £6.99
• Bee Good Honey & Wild Water Mint Cleansing Water - This is the product that really intrigued me and one I cannot wait to use.  It says it is a 3-in-1 Cleansing Water which dissolves make-up, cleanses and tones the skin. I am a new fan to this brand and love the fact they donate some of their profits to help support British Bees.
• La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water - A product I cannot rave about enough and have reviewed HERE.  This is 50ml size can and is perfect for putting in your handbag.
• Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick Kisses - I have never used a Charlotte Tilbury product, though I have read a lot about them on other peoples blogs.  These little envelopes include a lipstick kiss and I am quite taken with the whole idea, they are a bit like a perfume sample, but in lipstick form and it gives you the chance to try it before you buy it in many respects, how clever!!  My samples are called 'So Marilyn'.
• Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream - Everyone needs a decent foot cream, even people like me who hate feet!  This cream is a soothing foot cream which uses lemon and eucalyptus to moisturise and soothe.
• Essie Nail Polish - Who doesn't love an Essie Nail Polish?  There was no insight as to which shade anyone would get and I was delighted with the one I got which is a very lovely pink called 'Style Hunter', one I haven't got and one I am pleased to add to my collection.
• Kniepp Herbal Bath - I got the Mandarin scented one and I have already started using it and can already tell you that it is fantastic and it definitely does help with de-stressing after what has been a frantic few weeks for me.
• Janjira Hand Wash - Not a brand I have ever come across though I am pleased I have because this Argan Oil version that was in my box smells amazing and given its size, is really handy for using in hand luggage for weekends away.
• Roger and Gallet Gingembre Rouge which I absolutely love the scent of.  It is one of those scents which is perfect for a summer day as it includes both mandarin and pomegranate as well as candied ginger and definitely something I would purchase.
• L'Occitane Immortelle Divine Lotion - This is a softening lotion for the skin which is to be used after cleasing but before moisturising and it is said to leave your skin feeling softer and looking brighter.  Not somethign I have ever used but looking forward to doing so.
• BENEFIT it's potent Eye Cream - I have had my eye on this for a while now, I have read quite a lot of reviews about it, some good, some bad and quite a few indifferent, so I wanted to see what it was like for myself.  It contains a peptide complex that helps to restore elasticity and firmess around the eyes as well as tackling those dark circles
• Ren Satin BB Cream - I love Ren products and I love BB Creams, so hopefully the two things combined will give me a fabulous product.  This is a silicone free formula which is said to leave a satin finish and it also contains anti-ageing ingredients as well as SPF15.
• Lola Kabuki Brush - Chuffed to have this in my box as I cannot find the one I had and I can't stand applying bronzer or blush with anything other than a Kabuki brush.  This one is small enough to fit into my make-up to carry around on a day to day basis and the bristles are really lovely and soft.
• Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara - This product is one of those that seems to be being talked about everywhere and I cannot wait to try it.  I love mascara, if I had to choose one make-up item I wouldn't leave the house without, it would be mascara. This one is said to be collagen infused to give you thick, dark lashes and it is also paraben free!

The final item comes from Make-up Revolution, yes you have all heard of them and probably own most of the products currently available and I have to admit, my wishlist grows by the day.  This is the first item I have owned from Make-up Revolution and it is called the 'Awesome Eyeshadow and Eyebrow Palette - Sticks and Stones'. This palette has 14 super intense shades with 2 eyebrow powders and probably wouldn't have been the palette I would have chosen because I tend to favour neutral shades because I find them much easier to work with and I feel more comfortable wearing them.

Did you get the box? If so link me in the comments below so I can see what you got inside your box.  

If you didn't get the box, which product do you most like the look of?

Fenttiman Luxury Candles

The best description of a candle I have ever read is "Flickering, aromatic candles are truly something to savour. They wreathe a room with wonderful scents and decorate it with dancing light. Suffusing the air with mood-lifting fragrances. Whether you want to create an aura that's calm and contemplative or welcoming and sociable, these candles are a touch of luxury for every day". I couldn't put it better myself and that is exactly why I am totally obsessed with having candles lit and why I go through so many of them.

The Fenttiman range Candles are something that is new to me and when I was given the opportunity to try and test one to review, I jumped at the chance. Not a brand I had heard of before, I eagerly went off to read about them only to be really impressed with their website. Without a doubt, a very prestigious and luxurious brand, Fenttimans candles are handcrafted here in Britain and they have a beautiful array of fragrances and scents for both sexes and quite possibly most settings and events you can think of.

When this candle arrived, my reaction was "Wow" it was so beautifully packaged I actually didn't want to remove it from its packaging and here you can see why:





Each Fenttiman candle is said to sent in this signature purple box which is adorned with a white ribbon and you can see quite clearly the companys Coat of Arms clearly emblazoned on the box. The inside contents of the box is equally exquisite.





Set inside the box is this beautiful handcrafted candle in this glass holder. The scent I have is Orange and Lavender which I can only describe as being wonderfully relaxing. The actual description is as follows:

"The zesty and floral qualities of this candle make it perfect to rejuvenate and liven any home. A great candle for all year round"

This is one of those scents which does and will smell wonderful all year round, whether it is for those dark winter nights when you want to come home, close the curtains and forget the outside world, or whether you are home in the middle of the summer and want to relax from the sun outside.  Each candle has a burn time of around 45 hours and once they have been lit, it takes around 20-30 minutes for the full scent to become really noticeable and once the candle has been extinguished, the scent lingers for a good few hours.

I would happily purchase any one of the candles from the range and there is so much to choose from such as Lemongrass and Mint, Magnolia and Bay, Lime, Basil and Mandarin to name but a few.  There are also candles for the man in your life and again they have some amazing scents such as Nutmeg and Geranium which sounds equally wonderful.

You can find more about this range by clicking HERE.

Yves Rocher Lipstick and Mascara

Yves Rocher is a completely new brand to me and in the past few months I have been lucky enough to try some of the make-up range which comprises of a Mascara and a lipstick.

The first product is the Yves Rocher Grand Rouge Lipstick - Rose Equivoque* which I would describe as being a gorgeous dark plum shade, one which normally I would usually not pick up because it looks rather bold and frightening.  

However, once it has been applied, I instantly loved it.  The packaging is this gorgeous sleek shiny gold tube which is not only eye catching but very very nice, as with most lipsticks, you twist the bottom and the lipstick will appear.

As soon as I saw it for the first time i was instantly sold, it's packaged in a shiny gold tube and like most lipsticks has a twist up twist down application.  I was instantly sold on the texture of the lipstick, it being creamy really moisturising and the colour pay off was perfect to.. It didn't cling onto the dry areas and it applies so smoothly, it has a metallic like sheen to it which leaves it with a lovely shiny finish to the lips.

Then comes Sexy Pulp Mascara which again I have become a huge fan of and have been using it ever since I got it.  To start with, it has this lovely brush which is quite large, dense and all the kinds of things you want your mascara brush to be.  When you hold it against your eyelashes it feels as though it is coating each one individually, one by one.  The mascara itself looks really wet when you first open the tube, but it isn't at all, it is one of those 'just right' consistencies which make it easy to apply, it doesn't clump but it dries almost instantly on application.  After one coat you have lovely voluminious lashes and should you add a second coat, well they look even more dramatic

For me it really gave my lashes loads of volume and really lengthened them too, add to that it is one of those easy to remove mascaras and it is a fabulous product and all for just £8!  definitely something I would more than consider repurchasing when it runs out.

Have you tried either of these products?

Beds for kids

My nephew now considers himself to be a big boy, at the age of 2 i'm not sure how true that is but when asked what he wanted for his birthday the response "racing car bed" was the first thing that he said. He is totally crazy about Formula 1 and will happily sit for hours watching it over and over again.  There is something about the boys in my family who are obsessed with cars and they spend hours talking about them, watching them and tinkering with them.  So, if the birthday boy wants a car bed, then a car bed he shall have, I just wish I could have had a bright pink princess bed when I was growing up, but I am pretty sure no such thing ever existed and it was a pine wooden bed or nothing from the local bed shop that everyone in our town used.

So, knowing that is what he wanted, I spent quite some time online looking at various options, one quick search on Google presented with with over 11.5million options not to mention more choices than I really need to be looking at.  So armed with the type of car bed he wanted - my instructions being "Like Lewis' car" meaning I assume Lewis Hamilton, my task proved to be much easier than anticipated.

These are the two options that I presented my Sister-in-law with from Bedsonline:

 Option one

Option One is called the LPD Grand Prix Childrens Bed Frame which is described as follows:

"This will send your child's imagination run wild with this amazing sleek sports car design. Made with hard and durable mdf with a very hardwearing red gloss finish. Only comes in single".

The reason I chose this one is because it looks like a sports car, not quite Formula one but it is bright red, which also happens to be my nephews favourite colour and I love the detail with the wheels and the door handles.  Price wise this bed costs just £124.00 and you can see it HERE

Option two

The second option is much more of a formula one car with a lot of detail, called the GFW Rampage Car Bed Frame and is described as follows:

"The GFW Rampage Car Bed Frame is the perfect bed to make that transition between cot and big bed. With this been a novelty design bed they maybe inclined to stay in the bed and be a racing driver all night long. This bed has soft curves and perfectly safe for your child. This bed features a sprung slatted base allowing the use of any mattress with this frame".

I actually love this bed and it is a shame I can't fit into it myself, it looks to someone like me who is a total novice on F1 cars that this would infact be perfect and everything my nephew would want, it caught my attention because of the posters in this actual photo.  Priced at £164.00 again it isn't going to break the bank and is much better value for money than the boring old wooden one my brother and sister-in-law were thinking of buying.

Now I don't actually have children and tend to overcompensate with my nieces and nephews and I think these beds are just fantastic.



**SP

Area H20 Hair Care

Living in London means hard water, very hard water which at times means is a nightmare for washing my hair and getting that 'clean' feel, instead it feels weighted down, becomes a struggle to untangle and i'm just left with that feeling of dirty hair, even though it has just been washed and it drives me insane.

I was recently introduced to Area H20 Haircare** which is scientifically tailored to water type, having become quite intrigued as to how this would work, I was very kindly sent a bottle of shampoo and conditioner to try.   Developed by Patrick Lehane, a hairdresser from London and a team of biochemists, they came up with Area H20 after 4 years of hard work. Now, I have to say having used it for the past 6 weeks, I am really impressed.

Living in a hard water area, it is suggested that the left over mineral deposits is limescale, it is formed after the water has evaporated and it is those insoluble salt residues that remain on my hair after washing. So, here comes the science which even I understand. By identifying your water type, Area H20 attracts the metal ions that are present within all types of water, like a magent and it is those ions which react with your shampoo and create what are referred to as mineral deposits which cling to your hair, having got their attention, this shampoo makes it easierfor you to wash them away much more easily than before thus leaving you with cleaner, healthier looking hair.

There are many benefits of Area H20 which include:

• Scientifically tailored to water type
• Gives a more thorough and effective cleansing of the hair
• Gives an improved lather using less water
• Metal ions present on the hair prior to washing are removed
• No known scum is formed
• Hair is less flyaway and has a noticeably smoother texture
• Paraben Free
• Both Shampoo and Conditioner contain a pH of 5.5 - the bodys natural pH

The shampoo itself is like a clear gel and the only way I can describe the scent is a fresh clean smell, one which remains on the hair after washing. For me this is not a shampoo I would use every time I was my hair but one I use at least once a week to ensure my hair gets a thorough wash and deep cleanse and then with the added luxury of using the conditioner, my hair feels just like I have walked out of the salon. I also find no irritation of my scalp, no drying feeling on my hair and nor does it feel greasy and dirty, instead it feels soft, smooth and easy to manage and style.

I had expected this duo to be really expensive but was surprised to find that it is not too pricey at all, costing just £8 each for the shampoo and conditioner or £17 for the duo which you can buy on the Area H2O website or sites such as Feelunique and LookFantastic.

Have you tired this shampoo and conditioner combination?  Do you find that living in a hard water area effects you?

Glossybox for Superdrug - May Box

There has been much hype and excitement as to whom Glossybox would be collaborating with for the May box and whilst I had seen some spoilers on both Twitter and Facebook, good ones I might add, I was yet to see two people get the same box, which always leaves some room for a bit of excitement and anticipation.

My box arrived on Saturday morning and I couldn't wait to open it.  I had already seen that the usual dusty pink box had been replaced with a rather funky designed box with '50' being emblazoned on a bright neon pink and gold colour and the words 'Glossybox for Superdrug' also clearly visible.  We all know that Superdrug is celebtrating its 50th birthday and there have been some amazing products specially released to celebrate that, but what is in my box I know you are all wanting to know, well.... Ta-dah

OOOh now how fab does this box look? It has been a long time since I have liked all the contents of a Glossybox, that includes everything from the outerbox, the pink tissue and the matching ribbon to the crepe paper - all of which I think looks amazing.

So inside my box I have not one or two full sized items but FIVE - yes five of them, plus two little extras which I am chuffed chuffed with and they are:

Ghost Eclipse - Those of you who read my blog alot (okay occasionally) will know I am a fan of perfume samples, so I am happy to see this one in here.  Ghost Eclipse has the following description:

"Capturing the warm energy of the sun, GHOST Eclipse evokes feelings of carefree abandon.  Get lost in the moment and lift your spirits with this intoxicating and addictive fruity-floral fragrance".

The second sample is a Garnier Oil Body Lotion, something I haven't tried but more than willing to do so, it is infused with argan, macademia, almond and rose oil to help replenish the skin with moisture and reinforce its barrier function to prevent it from feeling dry, leaving your skin feeling soft and smooth.  

Here is the rest of the box!

Maybelline New York Great Lash Mascara - I am a fan of Maybelline Mascara and this is one I have never tried and you can never have too many mascaras right?  This has an RRP of £4.99

GOSH Cosmetics Velvet Touch Eyeliner - I am a huge fan of GOSH Cosmetics and this is another product I haven't tried though it is fair to say, eyeliner is not one of my favourite items.  However it has an RRP of £4.99

B Sheer Conditioning Lipstick - I got shade 88 which Flamingo and it is as you would expect it to be, a bright pink.  Possibly not a colour I would choose but I am going to give it a try anyway as I have never used anything from B before, despite seeing their products across many blogs I read.  This has an RRP of £6.99

Max Factor - Facefinity All Day Primer - perhaps the product I am most excited about and chuffed to have got.  This primer is said to have micro-correctors which work to absorb sweat and extend the wear of your favourite foundation for all day flawless finish.  This has an RRP of £10.99

The final item is Vaseline Spray and Go in Coco and this is a product I have been umming and arring about for months and months.  I am not the worlds biggest fan of Vaseline for my lips (yuck) but having read about this product so many times, I quite like the idea behind it, plus it makes life a tad easier when it comes to moisturising right?  An RRP of £4.99

So that is my box!  I think it is fantastic and I am chuffed with the contents.  What do you think to my box and if you have one, please link me to it below in the comments so I can come and see what you got.