Whenever people say that they don't like a body part it usually something like your stomach or your thighs, and whilst I definitely have a love / hate relationship with those parts of my body, for me thanks to my facial paralysis it's my face, and in my particular my mouth and eyes.
They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul and whether that's true or not, your eyes are definitely a prominent feature and learning to love them for me at least has been a real work in progress - they're not exactly something you can hide people look into them when they want to hold your attention, and avoid them when they don't. As well as performing an essential job, you're eyes play an important role in defining you, and showcasing the person who you are.
From everyday beauty to glamorous "going out" looks, emphasising your eyes really draws people in and can really increase your self confidence. A lot of people really do feel that their eyes are their best feature, and even if like me you don't then maybe you can learn to love them, or at look at them a different way with the right techniques.
Give Your Lashes More Oomph
Nowadays when you look at someone a lot of the times the first thing you notice about their eyes are their lashes! Bigger and bolder than ever before lashes are the focus point for anyone who want to highlight their eyes. Whether your a fan of the current super long and thick tarantula look or not, everyone wants longer, darker, thicker and more curled lashes. As well as protecting your eyes from dirt and debris, when your lashes are on point then will both emphasise and frame your eyes. If you're not lucky enough to have naturally fabulous lashes, there are some great mascaras on the market, but if you really want that wow factor and that extra oomph, then try some premium lash extensions. They'll lengthen your lashes even further to get that ultimate long-lashed look that even the best mascara on it's own just can't do. Temporary lash extensions are easy to put on and just as easy to remove too, so you can use them whenever you like.
Find the Right Makeup
If you want to draw attention to your eyes then a little bit of Makeup can really make them pop. You don't need a make up collection like mine but if you really want to make a highlight your eyes then a little bit of make up can make all the difference. Now as you know I'm not really a liner fan but if you're confident in using it, team it up with some mascara, or some lashes, and a bit of eyeshadow to make your eyes really stand out. Add a bit of light reflection concealer here and then to hide those dark circles and add a bit of light around your eyes, and a bit of highlight or shimmery shadow to make them instantly look brighter and more alive. Stick to neutrals for an easy everyday look, but add a bit of sparkle or create a smokey, glam look for evenings, or be brave and play with some colour. As I always say make up is supposed to fun, there are no rules, play and experiment till your heart is content, and if you don't like it you can always wipe it off and start again!
Play with Glasses/No Glasses
Now I've been a glasses wearer for over 20 years now, and whilst at first I hated them with a passion, and they can still be pretty annoying at times, I've really embraced them, they've become a part of what I look like and I feel naked without them.If you wear glasses, don't think you have to ditch them to make the most of your eyes, and don't hide behind them, let your glasses highlight your eyes, and use them to your advantage. The key to making glasses work for you is finding a style that suits your face. Although oversized frames are popular, they're not right for everyone and could draw attention away from your eyes, I must admit I've experimented with frames a lot of the years (have a look way back to the very early days of the blog to see some examples of my glasses wearing journey!), from wire frames, to thinner letterbox styles, to the slightly over sized ones I have now, and I've loved them all for different reasons, and for the different looks and impressions that I've created with each frame. Choosing frames can be a minefield, there is just so much choice, the key thing is to not only choose the right frames for your prescription, but it's also important to choose frames that work for your face shape and colouring. Whether you're picking glasses for the first time or whether you fancy a change, try a few pairs on to find something that you love and that fits your personality and lifestyle.
I personally love my glasses, and whilst I'm personally not a fan of them, contact lenses are great for a change, and going glasses free gives your look a new dimension and can really help make your eyes the centre of attention.
Pay Attention to Your Eyebrows
Probably one of the most important part of framing your face and making your eyes stand out, if of your eyebrows, your eyes are the picture and your brows are the frame. Since I'm a glasses wearer for years I ignored my eyebrows, and let them go their own way, they weren't really on show so I just forgot about them, and then when I did start paying attention to them, I jumped on board the skinny brow trend, and over plucked them and destroyed the shape.
Thankfully I have learnt from the error of my ways, and my brows and fuller, and occasionally a touch wayward, but by and large I keep them groomed and under control. Fill in your brows and define their shape to make them more attention-grabbing, and if you aren't sure what you're doing head to a professional for some advice, and once you've groomed them add a little bit of highlight on your brow bone, and a touch of concealer to make them really stand out. Whether you want dark magazine brows or something a bit more natural when your brows look good, they'll complement your eyes and make sure people know where to look.
Whether you love them or like me you're a bit more indifferent, making the most of your eyes can be a real confidence booster. If you look in the mirror and you see nice full lashes, a nice smokey eye, or a perfectly groomed brow, you're bound to feel better yourself, so whether you're going to job interview, on a date, or even to take something back to the shop, always try to make the best of yourself and even if you don't feel brave or confident, use the tools that you have to hold your head up high, make eye contact, and use those eyes to their full advantage!
Can you remember what you were doing in January? To be honest I can barely remember what I did yesterday let alone 4 months ago! but at some point in January, exactly when I'm not sure, I know I must have opened and photographed the January edition of Glossybox UK.
After all the glamour and sparkle of December's box (read my thoughts here), the January edition of Glossybox reverted back to the traditional pink and black colour palette, with the familiar pink and black cardboard box, pink tissue paper, and black shredded paper all neatly brought together with a black ribbon.
As per usual the first item in the box was a little booklet which as well as including more information on the contents, also revealed the theme of the box. The theme of January's Glossybox was "Sleep & Refresh" and the products inside were specially selected to leave subscribers feeling revitalised for the year ahead, with a mixture of complexion boosting products, and products that were perfect for a no make up look.
Founded in 2017, BYBI, which stands for By Beauty Insiders, produce a range of clean, and affordable beauty products. All of their products are certified vegan and cruelty free, and they are made of only 100% eco friendly, natural ingredients.
This particular product contains only 1 ingredient, 100% cold pressed strawberry seed oil, which is actually a byproduct of the juicing industry. Strawberry seed oil contains both Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and allagic acids which are smoothing, nourishing, and calming especially on dry, dehydrated or irritated skin.
This skin boosting facial oil is designed to be integrated into to any daily skin care routine, you can add few drops to any existing balm, moisturiser, or serums, to give the skin on your face and neck an extra boost of hydration, or you can use it alone as a moisturiser or as a moisture boost.
The oil itself is quite runny, and in the bottle it has a yellow, green tinge. Despite claims that it has a subtle strawberry scent, all I got was a slightly green, oily scent which was a bit disappointing.
Although my skin has been a bit traumatised over the last few months with the cold weather, central heating, and of course illness, it's still a little bit on the oily side, so I've mainly been using this on it's own as part of my morning skin care routine.
The bottle isn't very big but you only need a couple of drops. It glides easily over the skin and whilst it initially felt quite slick and oily, it absorbed quite quickly leaving the skin nourished, and smooth.
Although BYBI claim that it makes an ideal base for make up, it didn't really work that well for me, and my make up just didn't last especially on my oilier t-zone. I did noticed that even when I wasn't wearing make up my skin looked a lot shinier than normal but despite that I still liked the feel of it on my skin. It left my skin feeling comfortable, even when it was being severely tested by illness and central heating, and in fact it even kept the dry, flakey patches that I often get on my brows and forehead in the winter months at bay.
If you have an oilier skin, then this would probably be more of a seasonal product for you but if your skin is drier, or more sensitive or irritated especially at the moment with so little fresh air then this could be something worth trying that won't break the bank. This full 15ml size retails at £12 from a variety of retailers including BYBI direct, Boots, ASOS, and Feel Unique.
Basic Beauty Tweezers - Full Size - Est. RRP £15.10
Now I don't know about you but my eyebrows need some serious dye and wax action! The hair are getting longer, the greys are increasing, and I can see the perfectly trained shape disappearing before my eyes.
It's for the best and we're all in this together, but what do I do? The sensible option would be to leave well alone, but surely it wouldn't hurt just to tweeze out the odd stray hair? No of course it wouldn't but we all know what would happen, I'd get carried away and before you know it I'd have no brows left. That said though if you have a good pair of tweezers then surely you should be able to just pull the odd super long one without destroying years of hard work, and thankfully I have a few pairs of decent tweezers that may save my brow sanity.
The next item in the box was of course a pair of tweezers from a company called Basic Beauty. From what I can gather Basic Beauty is a US based Indie beauty and fashion brand. The website features a few clothing items, some cruelty and paraben free make up items, and various different beauty tools.
These slim, baby pink, metal tweezers come boxed. They have a textured section to help with grip and a slim / slanted tip. One of the signs of a good pair of tweezers is to have a tip where the sides meet perfectly with no gap, and these ones do exactly that.
I normally prefer a sturdier set of tweezers with a wider slanted tip like my beloved Tweezerman but these aren't too bad. Since the tip is a bit smaller you do really need a good mirror to see what you're doing, even for those little stray chin hairs that you can sometimes grab blindly (admit we all get those little wires growing in places where we don't want them to!) but with a mirror these tweezers are great for smaller, more precise work.
Tweezers are a real must have and whilst I probably will end up leaving the majority of my brows alone, I will definitely find a use for a use for them in the future.
Glossybox quote a price of £15.10 for these tweezers, and from what I can gather they are only available direct from Basic Beauty who ship worldwide for around $20 / £15.84
Model Co Clear Brow Gel - 3.5ml - Full Size - RRP £14
Thanks to various subscription boxes and magazine freebies, I managed to try quite a few products now from Australian brand Model Co including a Matte Lip Cream in Peachy Nude, the Instant Brows In Light / Medium and a Lip Gloss in Berry Pink, and whilst I haven't loved everything I've tried I do have a fairly favourable view of the brand, and it was nice to have the opportunity to try something new and especially something that would work so nicely with the previous item.
Packaged in a hot pink mascara like tube with a clear bristle like wand, this is basically a cruelty free, and vegan clear brow gel. Unlike a lot of brow products that can look cloudy this is completely clear. It actually feels quite dry to the touch, and it doesn't feel sticky or gloopy.
I've included some before and afters here but apart from highlighting my long straggly brows, and some grey hairs, there actually doesn't appear to be any difference at all between the two pictures but I guess that's the point. Fitting in perfectly with the bare faced, no make up theme, all this product is supposed to do is tame the unruly hairs, and maybe add a little bit of thickness. It doesn't add colour or look obvious, it just makes your eyebrows look tidier and it calms down the off uncooperative hair, all without the tackiness and stiffness that you can often get with similar product or through using clear mascara. If you need a bit of colour on your brows you can also use this gel to set any other brow product.
Before
After
If you like the idea of brow setting products but you dislike the often sticky feel then this particular one is worth trying, you don't get a lot of product for your money but it works. Despite the fact that retailers such as Look Fantastic and Amazon stock a range of Model Co products I can't find this particular product on any other website bar Model Co direct where it retails at £14.
Beauty Pro CBD Oil Infused Mask - 1 x 22ml Mask - Full Size - RRP £5.95
I've tried a few products from mask specialist Beauty Pro now, but the next product is the first that I've tried from their Plant Based Range. All of the products in this range are 100% plant based in origin, they are also water free, vegan and cruelty free.
Suitable for all skin types, this sheet mask is made of 100% biodegradable bamboo fibre, this face mask contains the super ingredient of the moment CBD Oil. It contains Cannabis Sativa Seed oil and extract, as well as arnica, hibiscus, rosemary, lavender and rosehip. This mask is rich in anti oxidants, and Beauty Pro claim it is anti-aging, and will nourish and soothe stressed skin.
The first thing I noticed about this mask, is just how wet it. The mask was absolutely soaked in a cool, almost gel like solution. It was a little bit fiddly to unfold but it was strong enough not to tear. It had a lovely green scent, with just a hint of lavender. I applied it to clean, dry, skin where it felt immediately cooling and refreshing on the skin.
Mask On Face
After Removal
When I removed it after about 15 - 20 minutes my face felt very wet and there was still quite a lot of liquid both on my skin and in the mask itself, so I massaged as much of the excess liquid into my face, chest and neck - waste not want not! It took about 5 minutes to completely absorb into my skin. and even then my skin still felt slightly tacky but it felt and looked clean, cool, and refreshed, and hydrated for a good few hours after removal.
I have to say that this is one of the nicest products that I've tried from Beauty Pro so far. I loved the subtle fresh lavender scent and I loved how fresh it made my skin look and feel. The mask seems to be quite new so it isn't that easy to find, the only retailers that I can find are Beauty Pro website where it retails at £4.95 and Look Fantastic where it retails at £5.95.
Naobay Detox Illuminating Micellar Water - 200ml - Full Size - Est. RRP £10.30
The final official item in the box was from Spanish skin and body care brand Naobay. I've had a few things from them in previous boxes but this is the first time that I've had the chance to try anything properly.
The range is paraben free, certified organic, cruelty free and over 98% of the ingredients in this particular product are of natural origin. This particular product contains aloe vera, lemon, sage, raspberry, and green tea. In simple terms it's a micellar water but according to Naobay it's a multi functional cleanser, that purifies the skin and prepares it for moisturiser, and it also protects the skin again environmental pollution whilst balancing, hydrating and soothing the skin.
I love micellar waters when I'm tired or when I'm in a rush, and I although I'm trying to get out of the habit or it, I usually end using a micellar for my morning cleanse. I normally use an oil, a balm or a cream cleanser to remove my make up but I decided to really put this product to the test and to remove a full face of the stuff.
Like the name would suggest, it has an almost water like feel, and a green slightly sweet scent. Like all micellar waters it was really simple to use, just apply it to a cotton pad or if your being eco friendly like me, a reusable cotton pad, and then gently wipe it over the face and eyes.
Before
After
It felt cool on the skin, and almost exactly like water, there was no tingling or stinging on my face and even on my eyes. It took a few pads but as you can see it all came off, leaving my skin clean and fresh, it was a touch pink but it certainly didn't feel dry, tight or stripped.
Naobay isn't the easiest of brands to get a hold of in the UK and whilst Beauty Expert, Look Fantastic, and Waitrose do stock a small range of their products, the only place I've actually seen this is on a website called Ecco Verde where at retails at around £9.
Nakd Cocoa Orange Raw Fruit & Nut Bar - 35g - Full Size - Est. RRP 75p
Although there were officially only 5 items in the box, I actually received a 6th item - a Nakd bar! Eating a predominantly gluten and wheat free diet, I love Nakd bars and Cocoa Orange just so happens to be my favourite flavour. They don't look very appetising but they are really tasty and unusually for a lot of snack bars they are really filling.
Containing dates, cashews, raisins, cocoa and just a touch of natural flavouring, it tastes like an amped up fruitier, nuttier, and healthier chocolate orange, not only that but it's gluten, wheat and dairy free. The box also included a money off coupon so I may have gone out before lockdown and bought myself a few more bars.
A pack of 4 x 35g bars retail at around £2 - £2.50, where as individual bars such as this retail at around 75p from most major supermarkets, Boots, and health food stores such as Holland and Barrett.
After all of the glamour of December's box, January's was always going to feel a little flat, and a bit mehh in comparison, but whilst it lacks the glitz and sparkle it makes up for it in practicality. It contained things that people will use - tweezers, brow gel, and things to revive and pamper tired winter skin, and of course something a little bit healthier to eat after all the festive excesses. Let me know your thoughts on this box in the comments and of course don't forget to check out Glossybox for yourself, and I will see you soon with an epic combined empties post x
*This Post Contains Both Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links
I'm late again with one, so much so that we're now almost in the middle of April argh! I honestly don't know where this year has gone, Easter is next week, and then it's my birthday and then it summer arghhhhh! I'm sure time seemed to drag more when I was younger. Anyway because time is short I'm going to get straight down to it and talk about my March empties.
AVON Advance Techniques Anti Hair Fall Shampoo - 250ml Yes To Grapefruit Rejuvenating Body Wash - 500ml** The Body Shop Glazed Apple Shower Gel - 60ml The Body Shop Glazed Apple Body Butter - 200ml Benefit Roller Lash Super Curling And Lifting Mascara - Black - 3g Benefit Gimme Brow - Light / Medium - 3g Beauty Pro Foot & Callus Peel - 40ml - 1 x Pair Single Use Booties Freedom Pro Studio Brush Bath Sanitising Brush Cleanser - 100ml
Total - 8 Items
At last a decent month! It took 3 months but I finally achieved a monthly empties total that I can be proud of. Not only did I manage to finish 8 items, making it my best month of 2019 so far, but I also managed to finish a nice variety of items. I didn't manage to finish any skin care products but I did manage to finish a good assortment of body and hair items, and shock of horrors I managed to finish a couple of make up products, which almost never happens. Go me!
1. AVON Advance Techniques Anti Hair Fall Shampoo - 250ml
I've already talked about this at length in quite a few posts, so I'm really going to try and not repeat myself much. What do I think about this product? well I love, love, love it and I can't be without it, so much so in fact that I've already got a couple of bottles of the shampoo and the matching conditioner in back up. I do switch things up a bit when it comes to shampoos and conditioners but I just keep coming back to this one and I probably use it at least once a week. Containing keratin, bamboo extract, wheat protein and peppermint, it's especially designed to strengthen the hair and to reduce hair loss. It smells gorgeous and I think it's made a real difference to my hair, and unlike a lot of anti - hair fall shampoos it's really affordable, with a 250ml bottle retailing at around £2 directly from AVON or via your local AVON representative.
2. Yes To Grapefruit Rejuvenating Body Wash - 500ml**
Next up a product from the popular Yes To range. I was lucky enough to try a lot of their products when I wrote regular reviews for My Pure and this was one of them - You can read my original review here. x If you've never tried anything from Yes To before than I'd highly recommend that you do. The entire range is petroleum, SLS, paraben and cruelty free, and this particular product is 98% natural, and contains both apple and grapefruit extracts, and coconut. As you would expect from the name this is a very refreshing, and zingy shower gel, with a noticeable but not overpowering grapefruit scent. It's not drying on the skin and just a tiny, tiny amount creates a lovely creamy lather, making this huge bottle a very economical buy. Alas My Pure no longer seem to sell the Yes To range range but this particular product is still available and retails at £7.99 for a 500ml bottle from various retailers including Look Fantastic, Feel Unique, and Fragrance Direct
3. The Body Shop Glazed Apple Shower Gel - 60ml
4. The Body Shop Glazed Apple Body Butter - 200ml
I don't know about anyone else but there is something very satisfying about finishing a beauty product, and seeing those empties stack up - I can honestly say that I normally relish finishing a product but in the the case of these two items though it made me feel a bit sad. In pretty much every other empties post that I've ever written I've shared my love for The Body Shop's festive collections, I've loved so many over the years but the stand out for me have to be their Glazed Apple range from around 2014. It's not the obvious apple scent that you'll ever smell but it's sweet, juicy, sugary and almost candyfloss inspired - for me it's simply mouthwatering. Add an amazing fragrance to The Body Shop signature shower gel and body butter formulations, and the combination of the two products left the skin clean, soft, and deliciously scented. Unless I find another forgotten stash of beauty products hiding somewhere in my house, I'm nearing the end of my The Body Shop Glazed Apple stash. I think I have one full sized bottle of shower gel and that's it :( The range was obviously discontinued some time ago now so unless I succumb to some of the ridiculously priced pieces on ebay, I'm on the verge of saying goodbye to Glazed Apple for good - So you know what The Body Shop needs to do? Bring it back of course!
5. Benefit Roller Lash Super Curling And Lifting Mascara - Black - 3g
Now I'm going to try and keep this short, because I do intend on doing a full review of this mascara in the near future. I'm a huge fan of Benefit Cosmetics, and I do love their mascaras, this is their curling mascara, which aims to separate, lift and curl the lashes, it water resistant and long lasting. I love using this alone but it also works really well with Benefit They're Real, you get the length and thickness from They're Real and the curl and separation from Roller Lash. This is a mini but it has the same size brush as the full size. As I say I have a full review coming soon but if you're interested Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash Super Curling And Lifting Mascara retails at around £22 for the 8.5g size, and at around £11 for the 4g travel sized mini.
6. Benefit Gimme Brow - Light / Medium - 3g
Next up another Benefit product and I'm not actually sure where this one came from, I think it got lost in my stash somewhere but in case you don't recognise it, it's an old Gimme Brow that I found and finished. For years and years I didn't really bother about my brows, I plucked them without ever knowing really what I was doing, I lost my natural shape and my brows ended up an over plucked skinny mess. Then a few years ago now I was offered the chance to try out the Benefit Cosmetics Brow Services and the rest as they say is history (read about my experience here). I now have regular brow waxes, and occasional dye treatment, and I now have all sorts of different brow products in my collection. A product that I keep coming back to though is the original Gimme Brow and now Gimme Brow +. It super quick and easy to use, and as well as adding a hint of colour, it add thickness and volume to the brow hairs, and it sets and tames all of those stray hairs. I've used every shade from light / medium in the early day, to everything now from 3.5 to 4.5 and it's something that I will continue to use. The full 3g size now retails at £21.50 with the 1.5g travel size retailing at £11.
7. Beauty Pro Foot & Callus Peel - 40ml - 1 x Pair Single Use Booties
If you are a regular reader of my Trimming My Stash posts then you'll know that I am a little bit obsessed with this type of foot peeling socks, they are gross but at the same time so, so satisfying. Beauty Pro are mask specialists and whilst they are probably best known for their face masks, they also produce a range of hair, hand, and foot masks. Containing 16 botanical and fruit extracts including sage, anise, kiwi, lemon and lime, vitamin E and both salicylic and glycolic acid, these foot masks are paraben free and they contain no mineral oil, lanolin or petroleum. Inside the packet you get a pair of thin plastic socks, with a paper like lining, and an adhesive strip to keep them in place. They aren't the sturdiest socks so I ended up putting on a pair of slipper socks over the top to keep them in place. These socks contain a lot of liquid, these were very wet, and they had an astringent slightly fruity scent. All you do it wash and dry the feet, and pop the socks on for around 90 minutes, before rinsing any remaining liquid off with plain water. Unlike some of the similar socks that I've tried there was no real tingling sensation just a cool feeling, and there was no redness. After about 6 days the skin started to peel off my feet, that lasted for about a week, afterwards my feet were a lot smoother with only a small amount of dry skin still visible on my heels. I've tried quite a few different brands of peeling socks now and I was pretty impressed with these ones and I would definitely consider buying them again in the future. You are advised to leave at least 6 weeks between these type of treatments, and next up I have some AVON ones to try. The Beauty Pro Foot & Callus Peel socks retail at around £7.95 directly from Beauty Pro, and also from various retailers including NEXT, Fabled, Feel Unique, and Fragrance Direct.
8. Freedom Pro Studio Brush Bath Sanitising Brush Cleanser - 100ml
Last but not least, a discontinued product, that some may argue doesn't belong in a beauty empties post but hey I think it does. Brush cleaning is one of my least favourite beauty tasks, and I tend to avoid it for as long as I can, in fact I think that's probably one of the reasons why I own so many brushes, I just buy more instead of washing them. As much as I hate it though this product definitely made it a bit easier, it basically a solid brush soap, wet your brush, swirl it in to the soap, squeeze, rinse and dry, simples! This had a gorgeous fresh fruity, floral scent, and it really made cleaning my brushes easier and a little less time consuming. Unfortunately like the entire Freedom beauty line, it's been absorbed and re branded under the Revolution Beauty label, and it's being replaced by a product called the Revolution Pro Hygiene Sanitising Solid Brush Cleaner which is £5. It's a very similar product just with a slightly different rose based scent. and it's available direct from Revolution and from Superdrug.
As you may have gathered I'm pretty happy about March's total but I've got to keep at it and make April another successful month x If you have any questions on any of the items that I've mentioned then don't forget to leave me a comment x
*This Post Contains Both Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links
Over the last few months or so I've been sharing my thoughts on the various subscription boxes that I subscribe to, and bar a few dodgy items, and a few hiccups here and there I'm still a huge fan of the concept, I love trying new things and I love the whole surprise element. Given the financial outlay and the risk element though, I can completely understand why some people don't like them. If you like the idea of trying new things but you aren't keen on the surprise element though there are a now a few options that able you to enjoy the beauty box experience without as much of a risk.
A lot of the beauty box companies such as Glossybox, Cohorted and Latest In Beauty do a lot of limited edition one off boxes, as do various beauty retailers including QVC UK, Debenhams, and even ASOS. The contents of these boxes is either clearly listed so you know exactly what you're buying or in some cases you can even choose what you want in your box. The fact that you know exactly what's in the box takes away that surprise element but since you can choose whether or not to buy it, it definitely takes away some of the risk. One thing it doesn't tackle though is the price issue, and if anything some of these one off boxes can actually work out more expensive than a regular subscription box, just having a quick look online the cheapest one off box I can find at the moment is £20 for QVC UK's TILI, not cheap and potentially still a pricey way to try something new. Fear for those of you who are watching the pennies but you fancy trying something new beauty wise, then there is another option.
Now if you read my February empties post or if you've ever watched any of my You Tube videos, and then you'll already have heard about the Feelunique UK Pick 'n' Mix. I don't know about you but I love Feelunique UK, their site features beauty products from over 500 brands including Clarins, Charlotte Tilbury, HUDA Beauty and Anastasia Beverley Hills, it really is a beauty junkies paradise. Apart from the sheer amount of choice on the website one of the reasons that I really love Feelunique is because of their fabulously proactive sampling policy. As well as the popular "try me" policy on certain items, you also get 2 samples on every order over £40, and they offer a fabulous Pick 'n" Mix service.
It's exactly the same as buying some Pick 'n' Mix at the cinema only without the terrifying price tag. Feelunique UK allows you to pick 5 samples a month, from an extensive and ever changing list of everything from perfumes, to make up, and skincare products from all of their most popular brands for only £3.95 shipping and handling. It sounds a lot but after your samples have been dispatched you then receive an email from Feelunique containing a code, which entitles you to £3.95 off your next purchase, so it's pretty much risk free.
Now I'm going to be honest some of the samples are quite small, they usually have not for sale printed on the packaging, and they are often samples that you could get on counter if the assistant was feeling generous that day. The website clearly indicates though the type of sample that you're requesting for example, a vial, a tube, a sachet or a card, and the size.
I'd the first to admit that I don't get a Pick 'n' Mix every month but if I see something that I've wanted to try for a while, or even smaller or mini of products that I already love then I'll go for it. Now by looking at the sizes and so on you can often really good sized products such as the Sol de Janeiro Body Buff Smoothing Scrub 'N' Mask that I talked about in February's post. I've had all sorts from mini eye pencils, to decent size fake tan sachets and mini lip glosses, it really it worth keeping an eye on it to say what's new. If you have a look at my You Tube channel then you can see some of my previous samples but today I thought I'd share this month's selection with you. I haven't had a chance to try anything yet but I thought it might give you an idea of what was on offer.
Now you don't get any fancy boxes with these, your samples will either come in a padded envelope or in a cardboard box / envelope like what you can see in the picture above. It's not about the packaging it's all about the contents and this is what I chose in March 2019.
RMS Beauty Living Luminizer - 0.04g
Even if you're a relatively new reader than you'll probably know that I have a bit of a thing for highlighters, so when I saw this one from RMS Beauty, I thought that I'd give it a try.
Now I've tried anything from RMS Beauty before but I'm really liking their philosophy, their aim is to transform the way that women use make up, their products are made from organic, non toxic ingredients and designed to heal and nourish the skin.
Containing almost skin care like ingredients such as castor seed oil, coconut oil, beeswax and rosemary leaf extract, this product apparently has a cult following, and promises a translucent, sheer, dewy, satin pearl finish.
It's a carded sample so you don't get a lot, but there should be enough for a couple of uses on the cheekbones and maybe on the brow bone. The full 4.8g size retails at £36.
Glamglow Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturiser - Pearl Glow - 1.5ml
From an out and out highlighter to a multi use product that can add glow and luminosity in all sorts of different ways.
Founded in 2010 Glamglow are famous for their face masks, but this is something a bit different, it's a moisturiser and illuminator in one.
It contains a mixture of botanicals including jojoba, Shea butter, and green tea ceramides, and hyaluronic acid, to add moisture, hydration and radiance to the skin. It comes in 3 different shades and this one, Pearl Glow appears to be the lightest shade and in swatches online it appears to be a shimmery creamy, white. You can use it as a moisturiser, and use it under the rest of your make up or you can wear it on its own, or you can use it as a highlighter and apply it to the cheekbones and where ever else you want to glow.
This is a decent size sachet so hopefully I'll be able to get a few uses out of it. The full 50g size again retails at £36.
Clarins Instant Poreless Mattifying Primer - 3 x 1.5ml
Next up an item from Clarins - I used to use a lot of Clarins products but bar a few products, it's a brand that I don't really pay that much attention to any more, so I thought that this might be a nice way to try a new product, and to try and tackle a few issues that I have with my skin and make up at the same time.
Despite being now in my early 40's (cry!), my skin can still pump oil out like it's going out of fashion, and you could still on occasions drive a truck through my pores, so if a product promises to the matte the complexion down, and minimise visual pores and imperfections, I'm all over it .Containing organic strawberry tree fruit extract, this cream gel primer, apparently turns into a powder on contact with the skin and absorbs oil and sebum to minimise shine.
Bring it on I say, and with 3 sachets, I've got plenty of product and time to see if it lives up to all of its promises. A full size 20ml tube retails at £24.
Benefit Gimme Brow + Brow Volumising Fibre Gel - 3 Neutral Light Brown - 1g
As much as I like trying new things, I've sometimes used Pick 'n' Mix to pick up minis and travel sizes of products that I already love, and I do love a bit of Gimme Brow. It's the perfect lazy girl (or shattered, time pushed girl!) product, it add a hint of colour, thickness, and definition to the brows, as well as taming the strays, and stragglers and covering the occasional white hair!
I'm usually a 4 / 4.5 in Gimme Brow now but this colour is perfect for when I don't want and obvious or full on brow or for adding a bit of definition and highlight. This is a good size tube and it would be ideal for trying the product for the first time, without too much of a risk. The full 3g size retails at £21.50.
Finally a product from Guerlain, now despite the fame and cult status of their Meteorites, I think I've only ever owned one of their products and that was a lipstick, so when I saw this, being the mascara junkie that I am I added it to my sample selection.
Again it sounds really impressive, it's designed to intensify and enhance the eyes, by adding condition, thickness, and volume, and all without running or smudging.
I can't wait to give this a go and whilst mini tubes like this don't always give you a true picture of the wand, it will definitely give me some idea of the formulation. The full 8.5ml size retails at £28.
As I say I haven't had the opportunity to try any of these products, bar the Gimme Brow yet, so keep an eye on my Instagram, and my future empties posts to hear my thoughts x I hope that this has given you at least some idea of some of the items that you try with Feelunique Pick 'n' Mix. The selection is constantly changing and every day there seems to be something new, so it's well worth keeping tabs on the website. I know this post probably sounds like a bit of a ad but I promise you I just love the concept x If you want to find out more about Feelunique and the Pick 'n' Mix service, then check out their website to find out more x Are you a fan of samples? Let me know xx
*This Post Contains Both Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links
As much as I love make up and own way too much of it I have to admit I'm often pretty lazy when it comes to applying it. If I can skip a step or a product then I probably will. Wearing glasses as I do, my eyes are usually pretty well hidden so I don't always see the point in wearing eyeliner, or false lashes and up until recently my brows received nothing more than the a cursory glance and a quick comb.
Yes, I attacked them with the tweezers and occasionally I used a brow gel or a pencil, but by and large I just let them be. There are a lot of trends though in make up and one of the hottest trends of the moment is a perfectly groomed eyebrow, I dutifully bought a few extra brow products but I just didn't "get it" thanks to Benefit Cosmetics though now I do get it and I understand the difference that a good brow can make to your face, even if you do wear glasses like I do.
A few months ago now I was lucky enough to be invited along to the Benefit Cosmetics counter in Debenhams, in Newcastle.to take a look at their new brow collection, and to have a complimentary brow treatment.
Founded in San Francisco in 1976, Benefit consider themselves as brow experts, and last year they waxed and groomed over a million sets of brows in the UK alone. Basically they know what they're doing and despite feeling a little nervous about the idea of hot wax, I knew that I was safe in their very friendly and capable hands.
Unlike a lot of companies and salons, Benefit treat every customer as an individual they don't use any stencils, instead they use a special brow mapping tool, and years of experience to create the perfect brow shape, for your face and for your lifestyle. I'm pretty useless at names but the lovely one of their make up artists mapped my brows and then told where I'd been going wrong! Well basically everywhere! My own brows were sparse, totally over plucked and I'd pretty much lost my natural shape and my brow tails! What can I say? skinny brows were a trend at the time but thankfully Benefit had to products and the expertise to help me create my own wow brows.
I then had a chance to look at some of the products in the new Benefit Brow collection before she expertly showed me how to apply some of the products to create various brow looks, depending on different aspects of my lifestyle and what look I was going for. The difference was already phenomenal but the best was yet to come.
It seemed a shame to wipe all that make up off but that's exactly what Dean, the counters brow specialist did. My make up was wiped off, and I then had to fill in a form and then it was shaping time. Dean was really friendly and again gave me some advice regarding my brow shape, and what I could do to improve it, he then waxed and perfected my current brow shape and got rid of the strays and stragglers. As aregular tweezer I'm now a warm wax convert, it hurt way less, and the finish and crispness was way better than anything that I could ever achieve with tweezers! It's around £14.50 for a basic brow wax but for me it now a necessity not a luxury!
Unlike a lot of companies Benefit don't let you go home with sore looking brows, Dean applied a soothing after wax solution, before covering the slight redness with Benefit's famous Boing Concealer, and then filling my brows in with various products to make my brows look magazine cover ready.
At last I get it! get your shape right,and fill in the gaps in your brows, and it really can look as though you've had a face lift. My face looked lifted, my eyes looked wider, and I just looked more polished and alive. I haven't managed any good photos unfortunately but there are a couple of before and afters on my Instagram page but it's safe to say that I'm now a Benefit brow convert. I've followed Dean's advice to the letter and I haven't put a pair of tweezers near my eyes since, I've had Benefit waxes every month for the past three months now and along with using some of the Benefit brow products I can really see the difference in the shape and growth of my brows, and from someone who barely owned a brow product, I now have a large collection based on the look that I'm going for and how long I have to do my make up.
The lovely Benefit counter staff recommend quite a few products in the range, and whilst I would ultimately love to own the entire brow collection, I just bought some of the initial products that they recommended and I can always add to my stash later.
The first product that I bought Browvo is probably my favourite product from the new line and it was recommended to me as my must have. Browvo is a conditioning eyebrow primer, that is crammed full of vitamins and minerals, and conditioners including soy protein and keratin. Packaged in their new space age, silver packaging, Browvo comes in a twist up style applicator with a soft, nodule, spike, covered head, twist it up, and simply apply the gel to clean, dry brows. You can either use this gel at night to help to thicken the brow hairs, and encourage growth, or you can use it as a conditioning treatment and as a primer under the rest of your brow products. I have to say I'm loving this one, it's already made an appearance in my July / August Favourites video (coming soon), and I really think it's helped to improve both the growth rate and the thickness of my brow hairs. Benefit Browvo Conditioning Eyebrow Primer retails at £21.50
The next product that was recommended to me was the Precisely My Brow Pencil in shade 4, which is one of Benefit's medium shades. In the new brow collection all of the coloured products bar Gimme Brow comes in 6 shades, ranging from the palest of the pale, to jet black and I was matched to shade 4. Precisely My Brow is a twist up brow pencil, with a spoolie on the end that doesn't need sharpening. This pencil is one of the most natural products in the line, and creates very fine almost hair like strokes, making it ideal for filling in gaps in your brows in a natural way. Precisely My Brow Pencil retails at £18.50.
If the natural look isn't for you, then the Goof Proof brow pencil is probably more your cup of tea. Again I got this in shade 4 and like the Precisely pencil is a non sharpening twist up pencil, with a spoolie on the end. This pencil though is a look thicker and it an almost diamond shaped tip. Use the tip and you can create hair like strokes and use it flat and you can fill in much larger areas. Goof Proof Eyebrow Pencil also retails at £18.50
As I say there are a few other things I would like to add to my own personal Benefit brow collection, but they will have to wait, in the meantime though I did manage to pick up a few Benefit brow items free with some magazine, including one of the things that I really wanted try, Ready Set Brow.
Although they were only minis, I ended up buying two magazines to get two, This is basically just a clear brow gel that you can either wear on it own, or you can use it to set and extend the wear of your other brow products. I've tried this a few times and again I'm a convert and I'll definitely be buying the full size.It's great for flattening out those stray and spiky hairs and for setting other products without leaving your brows rock solid and stiff.
Next up Gimme Brow, and like Browzings this is a product that already existed in the Benefit inventory but it's been brought right up to date and repackaged in the new silver, futuristic packaging. It now comes in an extra shade, so you can choose from 1, Light, 3, Medium and 5 Deep. I'm a 4 and I've been told that I would probably now be a 3 in Gimme Brow, but this Glamour freebie only came in 1 and 5 so I decided to try the Deep shade for a different look.
Another magazine was also giving away mini Goof Proof's but again they didn't have the full colour selection so I ended going for 2. It's a touch light for me but I'm think I might be able to use it like the new 3D Brow Tones, to add some highlights and depth to my brows.
No longer am I the girl with just a couple of brow products with this little lot and some stuff that I've bought and acquired I'm now well sorted when it comes to brow products. If you would like any individual reviews of any of these products then please let me and you can also let me know if you'd like to see any reviews of these classic Benefit products.
I'm a sucker for a mini, and these travel sizes were placed next to the tills in Boots and they just fell into my basket! You could choose from 4 mini products and you got a few clear cosmetics bag. I went for a few old favourites and something new.
Benetint was one of Benefit's first ever products and it remains one of their most popular and for good reason. On first appearance it looks like nail polish but this rosy red, rose scented liquid can be used as either a lip stain or as a cheek colour, I also chose a mini 4ml size of High Beam. High Beam was the first ever Benefit product that I owned, I loved Victoria Beckham's sharp iridescent cheekbones, and this was supposedly the product that she used all those year ago, and it's something that I still use and love today. I just pop a tiny bit of this pale pink, shimmery highlighting cream onto my cheek bones and onto my brow bone and I'm good to go. I also got a 4ml bottle of Posie Tint, Posie Tint is one of the newer editions but it's something else that I love, again it resembles nail polish but it add a flash of creamy pink to both your lips and your cheeks and you should know by now that I'm partial to a bit of pink.
The final product that I got is something that I haven't actually seen in the full size. Benefit's Boing 02 / Eye Bright Duo, which combines two of Benefit's most popular complexion products Boing Concealer and Eye Bright in the one compact. I'm normally shade 1 in Boing which I love and that also features in my July / August favourites but this is shade 2 which is a little bit darker. It should still work for me though when I have a tan or I could always use it for contouring. I really bought it though for the Eye Bright which is something that I haven't used in this format, I've used the pencil which is great for getting rid of darkness around the eye area but this is the cream version which I haven't actually seen elsewhere before and I'm looking forward to trying.
I've always loved Benefit Cosmetics but after being introduced to their new brow collection and their brow services, I'm even more of a convert than I was before, and I would definitely recommend that you give them a go, if you want to try out some of the latest and most innovative brow products on the market. You can find out a little bit more about my brow experience and find out a little bit more about the products I bought in the accompanying You Tube video which you can watch via this link or below.
I actually have a few more Benefit Cosmetics hauls to come including a sale haul post, and a combined haul and review post on some of their newest products. I'm going to you guessing for a little while but this picture below might give you a few hints :)
Thanks for reading and if you have any questions on any of the products or things that I've talked about in this post, or if you would like any full reviews then please leave me a comment and I'll get back to you xx *The Brow Mapping And First Wax Was Complimentary But I've Paid For Every Subsequent Wax And All Of The Products Featured Myself
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