GlossyBox January 2012 Review

Ok, so I might be a little behind here, but I've done a GB review EVERY MONTH since I got their very first box, so I'm not about to stop now! I really like this months box, there was a definite mix of products and they're all really usable. It is a Valentine's themed box this month and I was terrified that it would be all soppy and couple-y and I would have to vomit in it and send it back. I was pleasantly surprised, however - I will use all the products, with all retching kept at bay, for now.

Products contained:

Authentic Cleansing Nectar

Authentic Moisturising Balm

First Aid Beauty Body Wash

Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner

Murad Skin Perfecting Primer

First up is the Authentic Cleansing Nectar -

Body washes don't really excite me, I have to admit, so was a little disappointed to find two in this month's GB. This is very floral smelling, and the smell does stay with you for a while, not unpleasant if that's your cup of tea! I didn't try is on the hair, but it lathers really nicely so I can imagine it's lovely! It has the same scent as the Authentic Moisturising Balm:

This was my favourite product in the box - it's a multipurpose, moisturising balm, but I've been using it mainly on the ends of my hair, as a mask! Hair has taken a bit of a battering lately and was feeling rather dry, but this has made the lengths feel much silkier.  You can also use it as a moisturising wash and balm for basically anywhere on your body! Cool!

It's a light but creamy consistency - not too heavy or oily.

The First Aid Kit Gentle Body Wash is very nice again, but just not all that exciting. it is soft on the skin but doesn't lather terribly well - though this is good for sensitive skin. It is fragrance free as well which is brilliant for dry skin, in this cold weather.

Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner up next - the colour I got was black. May sound a little boring to you, but I would've been mighty disappointed if I had received the powder pink one, for example. At least this shade I can wear on a daily basis and get my wear out of! It's a nice soft liner, though I do find it smudges and smears throughout the day, not staying put very well.

Nicely pigmented!

The last item is a Murad Skin Perfecting Primer - GB have had Murad in their boxes before in the form of an acne-clearing cleanser and I hoped to see them again. I find this more of a tinted moisturiser, as I don't think it leaves that velvety finish on the skin that really good primers can. Skin did feel perfected, though, and I will use this under my makeup. Murad is renowned for high quality so I think this will be better for my skin than other perfecters!

Let's not forget Glossy Box's little V-Day gift to me:

Glossy Box, baby, you know how to make a girl feel special. It tasted looovely thank you!

All in all, it was a very nice box, not necessarily the most exciting, but everything in it is so usable. I can say for certain that I will use every single thing I have received! Thanks Glossy Box!

xxx





Glossy Box Competition! I Need Your Help!

Hello Everyone!

I'm glad so many of you enjoyed my Star-Print Manicure from yesterday! Today's Nail Art is my entry into the Glossy Box Nail-Off - a Nail Art contest that they have launched in their facebook!

I'm not going to beg you for votes, as I truly believe that you should make your own mind up over who should win, but if you like the design and think that I deserve a shot, all you have to do is "like" my photo, located HERE! :)

I definitely would have done this design at some point anyway, I think it's really sweet. We were asked to create a design based on what we think Glossy Box is all about, and what it represents. I chose to do a mix and match manicure because, ultimately, Glossy Box is all about trying new things, and a little bit of everything - and a girl can never make up her mind! I chose the gorgeous turquoise, pink details to represent femininity and to celebrate everything fun and girly! I added the Glossy Box logo on the thumb to tie it all together - I think that was my tenth attempt at getting the logo right haha!

The Turquoise base is Nails Inc Haymarket, and the pink details are all with the Glossy Box polish Leighton Denny Babydoll - another little Glossy Box detail! I stamped the roses from BM14 with Models Own Pastel Pink, and added the leaves with a dotting tool in Barry M Spring Green and Claire's Jade Green. The base for the thumb is MUA Shade 2. The little lace design on the index finger is stamped using Konad White Special Polish, from Konad Image Plate M57. I added a coat of Seche Vite and my contest nails were ready to go!

Let me know what you think everyone! I think this is my absolute favourite mix and match manicure that I've ever done, the roses and bow came out perfectly, just how I imagined them! I was sad to take this off!

Again, I would really, really appreciate your vote in the competition, you can even vote for as many entries as you like, so I wouldn't have to be your only vote! There is some fabulous Nail Art on there, so I implore you to check it out! You can give my little, girly Manicure a "like" HERE. :)

(You may have to enable a Facebook app, but don't worry Glossy Box will never post anything onto your wall without your permission, it's simply a bit of red-tape for Facebook! :D )

Thank you so much to anyone that decides to give me a thumbs up, I really appreciate it and it just reminds me that my little blog would be nothing without all of you amazing readers who are so lovely to me every day :) (GOSH I'm gushing now haha!) But seriously, I love you all long time!

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Cath Kidston Nails

I wouldn't describe myself as a girly-girl, but I really like Cath Kidston Prints! I would never paper the walls with it, but I love it on accessories. It will always remind me of my friend Alice as well, because she is obsessed! I'm not sure how internationally well-known Cath Kidston is, but she's a pretty well established High End brand over here in the UK. A British Fashion Designer, Cath Kidston is famous for her signature, nostalgic floral patterns and home furnishings. I decided to incorporate my favourite print of hers into a manicure:

Here is the original print I based the design on, and I think it's as intricate as I can get it, seen as nails are SO SMALL.

For the accent nail I switched up the base colour from blue to Leighton Denny Babydoll - my new favourite Pink from the October Glossy Box.

I created the design by painting a base of either Bootie Babe Blue Baboo (see below) or Leighton Denny  Babydoll, and painted the large white flower shapes and polka dots with Claire's White Nail Art Pen. I then added a blob of MUA pink in the centre of each one. Now, I reckon I'm quite well known for my freehand work, and although I seem to be able to do an alright job on Dinosaurs or Super Mario (like in my previous posts), I have never been able to get the hang of drawing roses - I just have no idea why! Because of this I enlisted a bit of help with this design from Bundlemonster Image plate BM04, stamping the rose image on top of the MUA Pink circle using American Apparel Coney Island. After transferring the image to the stamp, I dipped a cotton swab in varnish remover and cleaned off the edge of the image, leaving only the heart of the rose, because I needed the design to be so small. After I had stamped all of these, I added some green foliage with a dotting tool and American Apparel Office and Barry M Spring Green. After a coat of Seche Vite, I was good to go!

I'm popping in a review here too, as I've been waiting on these polishes for AGES from brand new polish company Bootie Babe. Their polishes are packaged in novelty "booty" bottles that look like little bums! It's a bit gimicky, but it's fun and I think that is important with cosmetics! I was sent Blue Baboo and noticed that it was the perfect shade of sky blue for my Cath Kidston idea. The polish formula is O.K...it drags a bit and is a little paint-like, but definitely workable. Now, as much as the bottle makes me laugh, and I think it's a fun idea, the handle is almost impossible to use. It is absolutely tiny, and tapered so it slips out of your fingers. I gave up after a couple of nails and used a different brush to apply it. All in all, I like the idea and the novelty, but the quality of the polish and the handle design could be improved. Here is Blue Baboo on its own, as well as some shots of the bottles!

See how small the bottle handle is compared to my fingers? Very fiddly. You get just over 9ml of polish in these bottles.

A lovely shade of blue and not quite like any other shade in my arsenal. I would definitely head over to their website and check them out, there's loads of other great shades to get hold of.

I hope you like this one guys! I realise I don't post as much as I used to, but I think the posts I put up these days have much more crammed in to them, and have A LOT more time spent on them! I have some great designs coming up for you all :D

In other news, the Winner of my Glossy Box contest from 2 weeks ago was Vicky at Manicured Maniac - Congratulations to her! She has been notified and her very own Glossy Box is on it's way to her! WOOP VICKKKYY!!!

Glossy Box are also hosting a Nail Art competition, and I urge you all to get involved to win the OPI Muppets Collection! Emily's Nail Files also has a mention as a place to go for inspiration! Well, you're already here so you're one step ahead of the game! I'd love to see some of you enter, I know you're all SO creative xxxx

Leighton Denny Sweetheart Nail Art - Win Your Own GlossyBox !

 This month's Glossy Box is here! If you're unfamiliar with the concept of Glossy Box, once subscribed, you receive 5 (6 this month though, due to it being an anniversary special) high end, luxury samples, with one of them being a full size product. This is for £10 a month, plus shipping, and there are other similar companies out there like Boudoir Prive, Carmine and Birchbox in the USA. This month's box contained a Leighton Denny polish, and mine was a pink, cream one called Babydoll. I'm glad of this, as the other two options were pearlescent, and you know how much I love cream finishes! I'll let you know at the end how you can WIN AN OCTOBER BOX FOR YOURSELF!

*EDIT - COMPETITION NOW CLOSED!*

I'm not sure if there's a name for this type of manicure, so I'm giving it one - the Sweetheart V-gap. A variation on V-gap pioneer Sophy Robson's original design, I made this to look like a pink heart, and added some rhinestones because - well, blue, sparkly heats just make everything a little more fabulous, don't they? I started with a white base of Natural Collection White, then freehanded in the sweetheart shape with the (very pliable) Leighton Denny brush. I then added some BundleMonster Blue, Rhinestone Hearts, and a coat of Seche Vite:

This has become my favourite pastel pink, it's beautiful in two coats, high-gloss and a really rich shade of pastel pink/rose. Here's a comparison with a few other pastel pink shades that I own:

Remember, you can click to enlarge!

As you can see, Babydoll is slightly more red-toned and deeper than the others I won. It's lovely! Also, ten points to whoever can guess which of my nails is a falsie hahaha - damn these breakages!

This is what also arrived in this month's Glossy Box. They usually have a variety of different products and it's a lucky dip which ones you get, but this month all boxes are virtually the same as it's a celebratory box for their 6 month anniversary:

• Dermalogica Age Smart Multi-vitamin Thermofoliant
• Dermalogica Age Smart Multi-vitamin Power Recover Masque
• Leighton Denny Expert Nails Colour and Care
• Stila Smudge Stick Eyeliner in Moray 
• 3 Robert Piguet perfume samples
• Dermalogica Age Smart Lip renewal Complex
• Dermalogica Beauty Bag

All in all, it's a very good box for me. I don't feel put off by the anti-aging products because I don't 'need' them, as an intense moisturiser is always good in my books! The lip gel is very small, but absolutely lush, it smells really nice and I'll definitely be using this at night time, while the winter cold creeps in on us Brits. The Stila Eyeliner deserves a post of it's own as it is really lovely and I have a lot of positive things to say - so I'll do a makeup look with it next week! Yay! I tried the Face Mask today and it really is lovely. It is a cream and doesn't dry tight on the face, leaving it soft and smooth! I have yet to try the exfoliator, but I reckon it will be just as good.

The only downside to this box is that I HATE perfume samples. I never, ever, like how they smell (even though I know it's just me being very scent-fussy). These parfums are really floral, and not up my street at all. You can't even re-use them as stocking fillers, because that would be naff - who wants tiny vials of flowery old lady perfume from Santa? Exactly. Not me. Nor from Glossy Box. I'm sure plenty of people out there would love them though.

NOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO WIN THIS MONTH'S BOX?!?!

YOU DO?!

THEN IT'S YOUR LUCKY DAY! (If you live in the UK - I can't accept international entries this time, ladies, I'm so sorry!)

*EDIT - COMPETITION NOW CLOSED!*

Glossy Box have kindly provided me with an extra box, and being the wonderful, loving, giving person that I am, I'm giving it away to one UK-based winner! All you have to do IS:

•  Make sure you live in the UK
• Make sure you are a follower on GFC or Bloglovin'
• Leave a comment below with your email address - feel free to write it in some sort of MI5 code so the spam-bots don't get it, just make sure I can understand e.g JaneDoe(at)gmail(dot com)

I will leave the competition open for 1 week, ending on the 26th OF OCTOBER - That is next Wednesday! I will pick the winner via a random number generator. Good Luck Glossy Girls!

*EDIT - COMPETITION NOW CLOSED!*
xxxx