Roccabox - The Fashion Week Edit September 2017

This months Roccabox is comes without a collaboration with a blogger but instead is designed to have you ready for London Fashion Week. If you have ever been to LFW, then you will know too well that it is total madness, rushing from one show to another in hot, crowded places and you do need to ensure that you have yourself some amazing beauty products to hand to keep you cool, de-stressed and looking your best.

In this months box we have a mixture of skincare and makeup. Some of the brands you will recognise and perhaps one or two that you don't.

First out of the box is Scentered De-Stress Therapy Balm - Definitely a handbag essential if you have a stressful life, job or are just stressed. 

This 100% natural therapy balm is designed to help ease tension, soothe the mind, lift the spirits and in doing so it uses the uplifting citrus herbal top notes of Chamomile, Neroli, Mandarin, Rosemary and Sweet Brazilian Orange, a balancing floral heart of Jasmine, Rose, Mimosa and Lavandin, and a grounding Cedarwood base. This is worth around £5.50 and you can buy full sized versions right here.

The second product comes Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads - With after show parties, alcohol and long days at LFW, ensuring your skin looks and feels as good as it can, needs a bit of TLC.  These pads are soaked in Glycolic Acid to exfoliate and retexture the skin to reveal that brighter, smoother complexion and with added Hyaluronic Acid to give thirsty skin a moisture boost and dewy glow.

What I love about this little lot is that it is a perfect handsized mini and it retails for around £1.50 here.

The third item is a Shower Gel from Patisserie De bain  - I adore this brand it is so kitsch and cute and this shower gel smells just delightful, definitely good enough to eat. 

Smelling of sweet Vanilla, which thankfully isn't too powerful it gives me  headache, it does create a lovely creamy lather and leaves your bathroom smelling just divine.  These shower gels, which come in an array of scents retail for around £2.99.

One of the makeup brush brands I have really enjoyed using are Blank Canvas and I was delighted to see brush F01 in my Roccabox as it is one I don't have and have never tried. 

Described as being a multi-purpose face brush from the Dimensions Series, it is not only handmade from extra soft, high quality anti-bacterial, easy to clean synthetic fibres, this brush is also vegan friendly. I love the short handle which is quite rounded and easy to hold, it is also a fabulous hot pink shade. Blank Canvas have a lot of makeup brushes within their collection and this one retails for around £14 but more a more indepth review then Zoe over at MamafulZo has a great one.

The final item from the box comes from a brand I have never come across before and it is a Peony Cosmetics Eyeshadow Trio Palette - Described as being a highly pigmented palette of 3 deep, after-dark shades in a nourishing, natural base that keeps it blendable & velvety smooth. 

These wearable shadows are formulated with silicon-coated micronized pigments & healthy kaolin clay for a seamless, silky texture that lasts up to 8 hours. I love how tiny this palette is, it is perfect for having in your handbag because it takes up very little space and still manages to have a mirror on the lip so you can use it on the go. It has a retail value of $18 here.

I love the theme of this months box, it is very apt for London and I love the thought that has gone in to choosing products which you can chuck in your handbag and head off out the door the LFW, except for the shower gel of course which just helps your skin smell fabulous after showering.

Roccabox, if you have never come across it before, it is a Beauty Box which comes together by collaborating with bloggers (or Influencers if you prefer) who then create a box of products which they love. For me, in a world saturated with Beauty boxes, Roccabox it makes it a little bit different to any other beauty box I have subscribed too and it is an intriguing concept that has introduced me to some amazing products, brands and some new bloggers! You can buy this months box right here for just £10 and find further information about subscribing too.

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

Osmology | The Home of Scented Candles

If you read my blog regularly then you probably would have noticed that I am slightly obsessed with candles. Not just any candle, I am quite picky about my scents. Long gone are the days when I would just pick up anything from the high-street, now I like to choose my scent based on a need rather than a want, though that still features. When Osmology got in touch offering me a chance to test their site and buy myself some candles, I didn't need asking twice.

Osmology describe themselves as being a specialist scented candle retailer, sourcing the world’s most exciting scented candle brands and home fragrance designers and this alone was enough to draw me in. I literally spent hours looking through each and every possibility before narrowing down my choice. What I enjoy about this site is how it is broken down into categories and sub-sections. If you are not to sure what someone would like you can choose by a simple occasion or the him or her option, but if like me you know what you like then you can delve deeper and look into options such as the mood you want to create, the scent you like and whether or not you like a strong, subtle or mid strength scent. Within my own group of friends, we all like something different, so Osmology does make candle buying that little bit less stressful and a lot more fun.

I really enjoyed looking through the brands that feature, some of which I am aware of and others I have never come across. For example you can choose a brand via its origin or just because it stands out and for me, I narrowed down my choice by scent and then strength and ended up with over 20 candles to choose from and from there I simply chose something I had never used before and this is what I bought.

Eastwick Candles are an independent brand who started making their candles as a hobby. The little team of two opened their online boutique back in 2015.  Their candles are all hand poured and packaged in small batches by them, and they use all natural soy wax, cotton wicks and a blend of paraben free fragrance oils to create unique scents that gently fill your room.   This particular candle drew me in because of the scent option, I was torn between Coconut and Sweet Pea or Mint and Jasmine, sadly the latter was out of stock.  

Coconut and Sweet Pea is a large candle with a burn time of 40 hours and it uses a combination of creamy coconut and floral sweet pea, with notes of geranium and magnolia. It sits within the relaxation category, which is usually what I want a candle to do whenever I have one alight and before I had even removed the lid, the scent of this one is just stunning, the coconut scent is definitely prominent but not dominant which I am pleased about because the scent of Sweet Pea is really just divine.  I love the understated packaging that the candle arrives in and at £18 it is just an absolute bargain, I am already wanting to try more from this brand.

Next up we have Nordlys (Northern Light) Scented Candle by Skandinavisk. I am obsessed with wanting to see The Northern Lights, it is number one of my bucket list of things to do before I die and the name of this candle literally drew me in. The candle is said to reflect the magical wonder of the Northern Lights, famous for their symphony of light, colour and movement across cool norse skies. Pronounced Nor-Luce this candle is made from a blend of perfume and vegetable wax with a 100% cotton wick and is hand-poured into a painted glass votive.

Nordlys which has a burn time of around 50 hours has what is best described as being a crisp Citrus scent with a touch blended sea salt to give it a crisp fragrance and one I wasn't too sure I would like, but have absolutely fallen in love with.  I can imagine that the scent this candle gives is the kind of smell I would get fro capturing a view of the Northern Lights. A relaxing yet fresh scent which at £29 is a luxury but one well worth investing in.

So having decided upon my candles, I quickly added them to my basket before temptation got in the way and I either added more or changed me mind over what to choose.  The check out process was a simple 2-3 minute option and one which didn't want to know everything about you before allowing you to spend money.  Once I had checked out, my candles arrived delicately packaged within just a few days, which I found impressive and I was ready to test out my new ones.

If you are a fan of candles and want something special, something that little bit different but something unique, fun and simply joyful, them Osmology has got literally everything you need and with so many brands to choose from, it is an eye opener and one which will move you from your comfort zone of scents and just perhaps, as it has done for me, move into the realm of new scents and new brands and a road to discovery!

Have you discovered Osmology yet? If you love candles as much as I do, then you definitely should.

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

Sleek Lifeproof Foundation and #MyFaceMyRules Campaign

If you hadn't guessed by now, I am a huge fan of Sleek, I think it is a great value for money High-street brand which is constantly challenging boundaries and releasing some amazing products/ Their latest release is the Lifeproof foundation which I was colour-matched too at a recent Sleek launch event, at which, I was one of the first to see their new campaign #MyFaceMyRules.

The My face. My rules campaign is essentially about trying to tackle makeup shaming. The campaign which was created in partnership with international anti-bullying charity Ditch The Label was developed to positively recognise and stand up for everyone’s right to define their individual beauty, without boundaries, a campaign I think we can all get behind right?. My face. My rules. is essentially a celebration of individualism and uniqueness, with a true love for makeup being right at its core. What I love even more about the campaign is that it stars Sleek MakeUP’s own consumers, the majority of whom were cast via social media, and showcases their skills and responses to the judgement they face in the world. You can watch the entire campaign here.

The Lifeproof foundation is available in an impressive 24 shades and I was matched to two of them, which I mix before using and I am pretty with happy with how it looks. Using blurring and brightening technologies which help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and help your skin look even and shine-free, whilst imperfections are concealed, it promises to be sweat-proof whilst also being oil-free.  It also gives a medium to full buildable coverage.

Whether your skin is fair, Fair, Light, Medium, Medium Deep or Deep with pink, yellow, olive, neutral or even red undertones, Sleek have something for everyone and even I, who is usually the fairest of them all, am a mixture of two shades which are LP01 which is very fair with pink undertones and LP03 which is fair with yellow undertones.

The foundation, which comes in a squeezy tube, works really well with my beauty blender, I simply squeeze a mixture of the two shades and then blend over my face, after priming. The foundation glides onto the skin and impressively, I haven't found that it sticks to any dry patches and it does leave a silky velvet appearance behind and creates a pretty good seamless coverage. Blending both of the shades together gives me a coverage that I am happy with.

I have combination skin which gives me an oily t-zone, so in a foundation, I want something that doesn't slide off my face mid-afternoon and to give Lifeproof Foundation a huge round of applause, it really doesn't slip as much as I had expected, but if I am going out after work, I do need touch up my makeup, which in fairness I always do anyway.

Priced at £8.99 and available now, Sleek is on a  for 2 offer in both Boots and Superdrug.

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

You Beauty Box - CEW Shortlist September 2017

I feel quite sad writing this post because You Beauty Box has been one of my favourite boxes for years and now it is to be no more.  The Powers that be over at Latest in Beauty have bought the box and it is now all change from here on in.

That aside, the September edition of You Beauty Box has arrived and it is a CEW Awards Edit and the products that make up the shortlist for choosing are all either finalists or winners of the prestigious 2017 CEW Beauty Award.

This months treats features two samples from Weleda and Aussie Haircare. I adore the scent of Aussie Haircare but my hair really does not get on well with it, infact it leaves me scalp all itchy and my hair greasier than before I washed it.  That aside, this 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor Deep Treatment Sachet is formulated with Australian Balm Mint extract, smoothes rough cuticles and helps restore manageability and adds shine.  Jardin de Vie Grenade from Weleda smells just incredible. If you like a fragrance which is both fruity and sweet fthen this is one for you. Weleda use only the finest essential oils for this fragrance and it is said to have been inspired by their pomegranate-based skincare range. Opening up with the exotic notes of Orange and Davana fruit, there is also a slight floral hint from Neroli. Using Vanilla as a base note, gives the sweetness, but it isn't too heavy.

Again this month I was to choose three products from a really long list of options within Makeup, Skincare, Bodycare and Haircare, from which there was brands such as Benefit, St Tropez, Bioderma, Dr Organic, This Works and Yes Too. 

Beauty Kitchen Seahorse Plankton 5 Minute Miracle Mask - This mask is a 100% natural multi-action miracle mask. 

Using Kaolin Clay which gives an instant detox, while Beauty Kitchen’s secret ingredient, Seahorse Plankton, a biologically proven microalgae gives an instant skin detox that cleanses, stimulates, firms and plumps face, neck and décolletage.

Neal's Yard Wild Rose Beauty Balm - Described as being a cult favourite as well as a best selling beauty balm nurtures all skin types for a glowing, radiant complexion.

Using a combination of Vitamin and antioxidant-rich wild rosehip seed oil, this multi-purpose beauty has many uses and some of them include being an Exfoliating Cleanser, Intense Moisture Boost, Balancing facial Mask, A nurturing lip balm and as a nourishing nail balm. I love how it smells and I love how it feels on the skin.

Max Factor False Lash Epic Mascara - You can guarantee that if I have an option for a mascara in a beauty box, I am ticking that option.  For this box, the Max Factor Lash Epic Mascara is the product.

Described as having a zoom-action tip, this mascara is said to capture and magnify every detail of every lash for an Epic Lash Fan.  I love that this brush has been designed to capture every lash and coat them, without having to work extra hard to capture the lashes in the far corner of each eye.

I absolutely love this box and am delighted with the choices that I made. I got a nice variety of products and until now, I have never tried any of them.  For £8.95 I got a box worth around £35 which is great value for money.

Whilst I am sad to see the end of this box as I have enjoyed it for the last few years, the latest box from Latest In Beauty has been given a rave review over on Allurelavie and if this is a taste of things to come, then I am quite excited as there are some amazing brands.

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