Avon Extra Lasting Lipstick: Totally Twig

Monday, July 30, 2012
I have three Avon Extra lasting Lipsticks and this shade 'totally twig' is the first one I bought and I was hooked from there! Firstly, the packaging of these lipsticks is really nice, sleek and lightweight - great for travelling. There are also many shades from nudes and pink to brights and dark shades. I have three fairly neutral shades including: totally twig (rosy brown), rose creme (bright rose pink) and Cappuccino (beige, peach nude).
The application of this lipstick is fantastic, it has a really smooth silky texture which makes it glide onto my lips with amazing ease. This product is also really quite pigmented, I only need one swipe on my lips for amazing pigmentation and colour pay off.
Now, the shade, I would describe this shade as a gorgeous rosy brown. I love rosy brown lipsticks, they are the shades that I gravitate towards so I have quite a lot of the same in my (fairly large, but not large enough) lipstick collection. The shade is great for everyday and while I am wearing it I am not worrying if it is on my teeth or if it has worn off horribly as this product lasts for quite a while on me. I can wear this lipstick comfortably all day but after about six hours the lipsticks is just a tint on my lips. This lipstick wears off my lips really nicely, it does not leave my lips looking patchy and it is slightly glossy. The only minor negative for this product is that it can highlight lines/flakiness slightly and the full price of this lipstick is a little bit high (£7) but it is always on offer (and available on eBay).

Overall, the packaging is great, the application is fantastic and easy, the shade is gorgeous and the longevity/wear is great - just as good as my MAC lipsticks! A fantastic product from Avon!

Product Rave & Review: Nivea Extra Gentle Eye Makeup Remover

Wednesday, July 25, 2012
I have been using this make up remover for about a month or so and it has just ran out (it will be featured in my July empties post) and I had to make a separate post on this product. I bought this make up remover as it was cheap but this find turned out to be rather amazing. This product is scented and the first time I used it, it did irritate my skin very slightly. Although, it does not irritate my skin at all now and it works fantastically at removing all of my make up, including my: waterproof mascara, eyeshadow, lipstick, concealer, highlighter, contour, brow products and it is amazing at removing the new Revlon Kissable Balm Stains! Overall, an amazing, cheap make up remover - although I do prefer the Vichy Calming Micellar Solution now but this product is almost just as great and it is really cheap! Highly recommended, although if you have very sensitive skin I would advise caution with this product. 

Mini Nars Haul!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012
I received an email from Nars Cosmetics last week and it was advertising their new website - and there was a free delivery promotion going on. Also at the bottom of the email there was a code for either a free mini Nars Laguna Bronzer or a free mini Nars Orgasm Blush - I had to make an order just for the mini bronzer! As well as the mini Laguna bronzer I bought the Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in the shade: Dolce Vita.
Dolce Vita is the first (and certainly not the last) Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil I have. The shade Dolce Vita is described as a 'dusky rose'. I would say that the description is really accurate, although this shade can look a bit red in some lightings. I have had this product now for a week or so and I love it! It applies so smoothly, it is matte but it is not drying and the shade is natural, gorgeous and surprisingly long lasting! Highly recommended.
This is the only Nars bronzer I have and it is a dinky mini size so I will be taking this on holiday with me next month. I have only used this product a few times and I really like it so far. It applies really smoothly, it blends well and it is a nice shade - although it it slightly orange on my pale skin.  

Jolie Box: July 2012

Friday, July 20, 2012
I was a bit surprised to find that my July Jolie Box arrived today, as it was quite late last month and I haven't received a dispatch email but I am very happy with the delivery for this months box. My Jolie Box was delivered by Royal Mail. This months box was not printed, like the birthday box and it still has the Jolie Box drawstring bag. There are seven items in this Jolie Box! The items I received include: Etat Pur Express Purifying Mask (50ml), Jane Iredale Tantasia Face and Body Self Tanner (about 10ml), two NailGirls London Nail Polishes (I received the shades: Gold and Bronze). I also received two Jolie Box toe separators. And because last months box was late the wonderful people at Jolie Box have included a surprise 'special extra'! The special extra that I received was the KMS California Free Shape Hot Flex Spray (30ml). I am quite happy that I received this as a free gift as I have heard a lot of good things about it and I was going to buy the full size bottle but I don't have to now! 
Overall, I am very impressed with the products. I am excited to use all of the products especially the Hot Flex Spray, the Sweet Almond Mint Conditioner (it does smell really quite nice!) and the Etat mask as it sounds like a nice clarifying, purifying mask. The Etat product is one of two that you could get - the other Etat product is the Etat Pur Salicylic Acid 300. Also I have already tried both of the nail polishes and they are fantastic!
I have a love hate relationship with nail polish, as I like painting my nails and I like the shades but I hate it when the polish applies streaky and this one does. It is quite streaky when it applies but once the polish is dry it does not look streaky or patchy at all! The polish also dries really quickly, within five minutes which is fantastic. The shades are gorgeous, especially the bronze shade although the gold is surprisingly nice too. So far I am very impressed with the shades, dry time and appearance of the polishes on my nails. 
Another product that I am excited to use is the Jane Iredale Tantasia Self Tanner, especially as it is suitable for face and body (so you don't need two separate products). The shade looks really orange on my skin but when blended it disappears and leaves a slight tan and the shimmer is hardly noticeable - it just makes my skin look glowing slightly. 

I am very impressed with the July Jolie Box and the free special extra (mine is the hot flex spray that I wanted to try) is a great addition. 

What do you think of the July Jolie Box? x

Revlon Kissable Balm Stain: '01 Honey'

Thursday, July 19, 2012
As many of you may know the new Revlon Kissable Balm Stains have arrived in the UK. I bought two from Boots.com (about a week ago) and I bought one from Superdrug (again, about a week ago now). I bought the shades: Honey, Romantic and Crush. I bought two shades (romantic and crush) from Boots as they where the only two I wanted and they don't stock the shade 'Honey'. I had to buy 'Honey' from Superdrug and this shade I wanted most. 

Packaging and Formula
Firstly, I love the packaging. The balm stain comes as a large crayon - like the Clinique Chubby Sticks and these are a cheap high street rip off of the Chubby Sticks. I do really like the packaging as it makes the product really easy and quick to use. I also like solid formula of this product, as usually lip stains are gel or liquid formulas but this is a solid stick. The solid formula makes this product incredibly easy to work with and the crayon shape of this product makes it easy to apply and keep within the edges of the lips. 


Shade 
This shade is just gorgeous but do be aware that the shade when swatched on the skin or in the tube will not be the same as the shade when applied to the lips. I find that when swatched this product is a nude rosy pink and when it is on my lips the shade is a rosy pink with mauve undertones (and it is a little bit darker and brighter on my lips, compared to when it is swatched on the skin). I love the shade but when looking at other swatches and reviews online before I bought this product it did look a bit different on everyone so your natural lip colour does affect how this shade will look on your lips. This shade is fairly natural/neutral and it is a gorgeous everyday shade. Honey is my favourite shade by far and I will be buying another one! The shade does look slightly darker in person than it does in the photographs. 


Application, Finish and Longevity
The application of this product is gorgeous! It has a really smooth, slightly glossy texture so it glides onto my lips incredibly easily. The application is also made easier by the crayon shape of the product, it allows me to precisely apply the balm stain. I swipe the product over my lips a couple of times to get a good colour pay off. This product leaves my lips looking even, slightly glossy with a rosy pink (with mauve undertones) stain. I adore the finish of this product although I find that this product can sink into lines in my lips (only very, very slightly) so I make sure that my lips have a layer of lip balm on them before I use this product. The two darker shades I have sink into the lines of my lips a lot more than this one does. After an hour or so of this shade being on my lips the colour is basically the same as when I applied it. Then after about five hours (with eating and drinking) the shade has faded slightly and it turns very slightly red over time, on me. By the end of the day (seven/eight hours) there is a slight rosy mauve tint still on my lips. I have read that some people find these balm stains drying but I find that if I apply a layer of lip balm before I apply this product then my lips will not feel dry for most of the day (if they do get a bit dry I just apply a small amount of lip balm on top of the stain). 

Positives

*Easy to apply and remove (I just use my Nivea gentle eye make up remover and it removes nearly all of the stain with ease!)
*Gorgeous rosy pink (with mauve undertones)
*Application is so quick, easy and fuss free
*Great price when on offer 
*Smooth, slightly glossy texture
*Lasts nearly all day on me 
*Not really drying on me, if I apply a layer of lip balm before application
*Leaves my lips with a gorgeous pink stain, makes my lips feel smooth and glossy 

Negatives

*Full price is a little bit expensive for high street makeup in my opinion
*Can sink into lines in the lips very, very slightly (this is mostly with the darker shades through, not really this shade)

YSL Touche Eclat Foundation: Initial Impressions

Wednesday, July 18, 2012
I received this free sample with a Feelunique order last week in the shade BR30 (code for sample: ILOVEYSL). I have used this sample for my foundation for two days now and I still have enough for the next couple of days. The shade does not match my skin tone as it is a bit too dark and I think my shade would be BR10 or BR20. The 'BR' means that the shade is pink toned which is why it is right for me as my skin has pink undertones. 

Application

The application of this foundation is one of the best things about this product! The application is just gorgeous, it glides onto my skin so smoothly and effortlessly. The smooth, silky texture of this product makes it really nice, easy and quick to apply. I have tried applying this foundation with my finger tips (as suggested) and it works fantastically. I have also used this foundation with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush (aka. the best foundation brush ever!) and it also works really well with this product. This is one of the very few foundations I have tried that don't streak at all when applied with a foundation brush. Overall, the application is so easy and just amazing! 5/5. 

Results and Finish

This foundation has light to buildable coverage, in my opinion and I do need a bit more coverage but I just use concealer under my eyes and on my minor blemishes. After I have applied this foundation my skin just looks even, fresh, healthy, radiant and luminous without looking greasy at all. The finish of this foundation is gorgeous, it has a satin finish in my opinion and it is not matte and it is not dewy. The gorgeous, skin like finish of this foundation is like nothing I have ever experienced. Overall, this product evens out my skin tone and it makes the texture of my skin look smoother and even. The luminosity created by this foundation makes my skin look very fresh, healthy and radiant without looking oily. The finish of this product is the 'lit from within' finish, in my opinion. Although if you have very oily skin or if you like full coverage foundations this may not be the product for you. 5/5. 

Overall

Amazing application. Gorgeous natural, luminous finish. Feels light and comfortable on the skin and it lasts well throughout the day on me (when set with a small amount of pressed powder). I think I am going to have to buy the full size product in the shade BR20 or BR10 soon. Highly recommened. 

Kiko Lipstick Swatches #1

Sunday, July 15, 2012
I have been in love with the Italian cosmetics brand 'Kiko' since I went into one of their stores in Taormina, Sicily and I ended up spending 40€ in the store. Now Kiko has finally expanded and opened an online store which ships to the UK, which is amazing! I went a big crazy and bought quite a few things and here are the three lipsticks I purchased. 


^Kiko Smart Lipstick Shade: 14^
Shade 14 is, in my opinion, a rosy bronze shade in the tube and when swatched on the skin it is a rosy bronze shade - it looks really nice when it is swatched. This shade is a bit darker than it looks in the photographs. This shade isn't the most pigmented and it has fairly large shimmer in it which can be felt on the lips. This shade is quite nice but the large amount of shimmer in this shade makes it look really quite metallic on the lips, which I don't like. This shade wears quite well although the shimmer tends to stay on my lips longer than the colour and it can highlight dryness. Overall: 3/5. 


^Kiko Smart Lipstick Shade: 96^
Shade 96 looks like a gorgeous beige, rosy nude in the tube and when swatched on the skin it looks like a rosy nude. The shade looks more pink/darker in real life than the photographs. Shade 96 is similar to shade 14 but this one does not have any shimmer; so it applies really smoothly to the lips. The application of this shade is great and the pigmentation is fantastic. Although this shade on me looks very pale and it is too pale for me to wear. If you a a fan of really nude/concealer lips, then you will like this shade. This shade can highlight dryness slightly. Overall: 3/5. 


^Kiko Smart Lipstick Shade: 84^
Lastly shade 84 which is my favourite shade! This shade is a gorgeous bright cherry red. This shade looks brighter on the lips than it does in the tube. This shade is gorgeous and it is quite neutral toned so it does not make my teeth look yellow or whiter. This lipstick applies so smoothly and it is really pigmented; it is one of the most pigmented lipsticks I own. This shade looks quite matte but it is not drying, it is comfortable to wear and it doesn't highlight dryness at all. The longevity is really quite good too, for a red lipstick. Overall, 5/5. 

Body Shop Sheer Lipstick: '03 Sheer Watermelon'

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

I bought this product in the recent body shop sale and I did mainly buy it as it was only £2! But I do quite like this lip product. There was only one shade to choose from, as this product was a sale item, and the shade is ’03 sheer watermelon’ which sounds nice but I don’t really like orangey shades for lip colour. Nevertheless this shade is really nice, it is an orange/coral colour which has a lot of fine shimmer in it which looks like a metallic sheen on the lips – so if you use too much you could end up looking like a 80’s throw back which is not a good look (unless you are going to a fancy dress or Halloween party). The lip colour glides onto the lips really nicely and it sherbet, mixed with that old fashion cosmetic scent. I think this shade is really nice but I think it would look gorgeous on individuals with tanned or olive skin tones. It applies really nicely, it is fairly pigmented (so the name sheer lip colour is not very accurate) and it feels nice on the lips; it does not feel heavy or gritty. The longevity is not fantastic and it does transfer; this product lasts for about six hours on me if I don’t eat in that time. But with eating/drinking this product lasts for about three hours at the most. Also when the colour has faded the shimmer does stay on the lips to an extent. Overall, I like this product but I would only buy it if it was on sale. A bargain at £2 but it is not amazing! 3/5 stars for this lip colour. 

A week in Photographs!

Sunday, July 08, 2012

Yes, I know there are nine photographs but I couldn't not put all of these photographs in this post. My week has been filled with coffee, rain, coffee, rain, magazines, Costco cookies (aka. heaven), magazine freebie hunting and new make up launches!

Firstly, this Topshop mug - the one that looks like a toadstool mushroom...it is adorable! I bought it from Topshop a month or so ago and I love it; the lid can be used to cover the mug or as a coaster. Although the mug is fairly heavy and priced at £9 it is not the cheapest but it is so cute. I have been drinking quite a lot of coffee this week so while in ASDA the other day I saw some latte glasses (top left) and I love them! They look great, in my opinion but they do only just hold 250ml; although they were only £2. 

Another thing I have been loving this week is the tidal wave of new make up launches!

Revlon have released their new kissable balm stains this week (they are now available in boots for £7.99 and Superdrug for £5.99, which is an introductory offer). Revlon have also recently launched their 'PhotoReady' range which includes: a pressed powder, concealer, primer, foundation and blushes. I bought the Revlon PhotoReady concealer stick and I really like it so far. Although on my dry skin it can look a little bit cakey. Also Revlon have released their colorstay eyeshadow quads and I have a quad called 'addiction' and I am not that impressed with it - review coming soon. 

Bourjois have launched their spring/summer collection recently which included new nail polishes, the colorissimo lip palette and the Quintet eyeshadow palette. I have one of the 1 second new nail polishes (the shades are new and the formula is now a gel) and the shade I have is 'beige distinction' which is divine! I love the Bourjois 1 second polishes as they are incredibly easy to use and they dry fairly quickly, although the longevity is not amazing. 

Avon have released a couple of new items recently including the Chromes eyeliners; I have one in the shade 'Mocha Flash' - link here to my review/swatches

Real techniques have three new brushes out; the fine liner brush, the setting brush and the expert face brush - I have the expert face brush and I adore it! 

ELF (eyeslipsface) have a couple of new products out too; one of which is the primer eye shadows and I have one in the shade 'Coco Loco' and I really don't like it - review coming soon! 

And most recently YSL have released their new Touche Eclat foundation! I have a sample of it from a recent Feel Unique order (code: ILOVEYSL) and I will have an initial impressions post shortly. phew. 

I have been loving the freebies in magazine recently! Glamour magazine, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Instyle, Red and Marie Claire have freebies in this month. I bought a few and I was a bit disappointed with Instyle as they show that the freebies are the Armani eyes to kill mascara and the Shiseido cleanser but you have to take the magazine to a counter to get the freebies! 

Then the biggest feature of the week: rain! In England it rains a lot (well in Manchester it does) but this week it has been almost non stop rain which has caused major flooding all over the country. I cannot wait for my holiday in August!

Illamasqua Sale Haul!

Sunday, July 08, 2012
Illamasqua are currently having an up to 60% off summer sale, so naturally I had to get some Illamasqua amazingness! I used the code LIKE15 to get 15% off my total order which was great but you do have to create an a account to use this code and you can only use it once. Illasmasqua also ship worldwide! Firstly, I am impressed with the site in general and you can add free items/samples to your order (for example: I added a sample size of the Illamasqua 'Freak' perfume). I also like the way the items were packaged, like the Glossy box packaging and presentation. 
This is how all of the items were presented when I opened the box and I really like the presentation. The items were packaged and presented well and the free sample I added was included. I ordered the: Light Liquid Foundation in the shade: LF120, Medium Pencil in the shade: Rowdy, Fat Pencil in the shade: Fickle and a Cream Eyeshadow in the shade: Intrude.

Illamasqua Light Liquid Foundation: LF120

I chose this foundation as I do have the Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation but it is a bit too dark and orange for me and it is really rich and thick, so I have to mix it with a lot of moisturiser so I can actually use it. I wanted a thinner foundation that would be a bit easier to use and obviously a lighter shade as I am fairly pale. 
I picked the shade 'LF120' which is described as being suitable for individuals with 'light skin with pink undertones' which is my skin exactly. This foundation does match my skin really well, although it is slightly yellow toned. I have only used this foundation twice as I only received it a couple of days ago but so far I am really quite impressed with this foundation. It applies so nicely; I have used this foundation only with my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush (which is amazing by the way) and it glides onto the skin quickly and easily. As I have dry skin I find I very difficult to get foundations that are as moisturising as I need them to be and this foundation is unfortunately not as moisturising as I need it to be - so I do have to mix some of my Simple Rich Moisturiser with this foundation, as I have to with 95% of my foundations. Overall, the shade is great for me, it looks and feels light on the skin, it does not emphasise dryness and it has light to buildable coverage. This foundation does last all day on me although by the end of the day this foundation can look a little bit patchy on the more oily or drier areas and it does let the minimal amount of oil I have through fairly easily - so possibly not good for someone with oily/combination skin (but with a mattifying primer and or setting powder it may be suitable for people with oily/combination skin types). 
Illamasqua Fat Pencil: Fickle

One of the only reasons I bought this product was because it was only £5! How could I not add it to my basket? I have not tried any Illasmaqua pencils before this and after using this product for a couple of days I do want to buy more Illamasqua..Fat...Pencils. Not the best name, in my opinion, but I really like this product so far. I purchased this shade 'Fickle' which is described as a 'Bronze Shimmer' which is quite accurate although in some lights it can look a little brassy and the shimmer looks like a metallic sheen on the skin. This pencil applies really smoothly onto the skin and it feels really soft and creamy as it is being applied and blended. I have only really used this pencil along the lower lash line to define the lower lashes and it works fantastically - it defines the eyes subtly and the shade is gorgeous. It is also really nice all over the lid or along the upper lash line. Overall, a gorgeous shade, great application, easy to blend and a fantastic price!

I have one of the Illamasqua Cream Pigments in the shade: Hollow, which I purchased from Debehams a while ago and I love it because of the creamy texture and because it doesn't crease on the eyes at all (well after about nine hours it does). So a cream eyeshadow from Illamasqua...at £5 = I had to get it! I bought the shade 'Intrude' which is described as a 'rich brown, with a satin finish'. I love the shade, well I love all neutral/natural eyeshadow shades but this shade is gorgeous. The creamy texture of this product is really nice and the creamy texture makes applying and blending this product onto the skin so quick and easy. I used this product yesterday and it looks really nice all over the lid then blended and set slightly with a similar shade of brown eyeshadow (shade 'Mudhoney' from the Soap & Glory 'what's nude' quad). This cream eyeshadow did crease after about five hours on me even when it was set with a powder eyeshadow but 98% of eyeshadow products crease on me (I know, I'm very lucky...). Overall, I love the shade, it applies so smoothly, it has a great texture and it wears fairly well. 
Illamasqua Medium Pencil: Rowdy

The last item I purchased is a medium pencil in the shade: Rowdy which is described on the Illamasqua website as a 'Rich Terracotta'. The photograph above it making this shade look slightly more orange/brighter than it actually is but on the lips it does look a bit different anyway. This shade on my lips looks like a darker orange terracotta shade - it looks darker and not as bright on the lips. This pencil applies the product so smoothly and easily which makes it very nice to work with. This is the second pencil I have purchased from Illamsqua and if you have noticed the pencils are not labelled as a 'eye pencils' for example or as a 'lip pencil' as you can use them for both eyes or lips. I will just use this shade for lips, until Halloween maybe, but it is not an everyday colour for me. Although the shade is gorgeous and this product is so easy to use. This pencil is also really pigmented! Overall, a great shade, it is really pigmented, the texture is nice and smooth/creamy and it is a really precise pencil. 

My First Jolie Box - and it's the birthday box!

Friday, July 06, 2012
This is my first ever Jolie Box and my first impressions of the delivery times and efficiency are not very good. This box had only just arrived (6th July) which is a bit late and I did contact the Jolie Box customer services, although I did eventually receive the July (aka. the Jolie Box 1st Birthday Box!). Disregarding the delivery issues, I am extremely happy with the products, the quality of the products, the brands and the presentation of the box/products in the box! 




Firstly, the Jolie Box packaging/box = gorgeous and cute! As this box is the 'birthday box' it has been designed differently and I think it looks great. Secondly, the products come in a Jolie Box bag which I really like and I think I will be able to re-use it for a few things. The first thing I was greeted by was a set of cards; one of which states all of the products in the box and it has a description of them and if the products are 'new', 'full sizes' or 'customised'. The other cards included a L'Occitane card which has a code for a FREE Angelica cleanser when you buy the full size Angelica moisturiser! Another card was from Codage Paris, a brand I have never heard of, and it has a code for 30% off! I have been on their website and completed the skincare questions to get my skincare diagnosis and products specifically created for me and my skin - I may actually buy the serum designed for me from the website! The last card was from Jolie Box and it was for £5 off the products on the Jolie Box online store which is great and apparently you could have received a £5 off, £10 off, 10% off, £20 off cards or a free shipping code, a free dress rental or a free french edition Jolie Box! Not bad.


Now, on to the products I received...



These are the five products I received in my Jolie Box! Most of the products are the same for everyone although there are differing shades from box to box and one or two of the products can differ slightly too. I received a: Jolie Box nail file, a Elysambre Lipstick (full size, 3.5g), Yonka Paris Normal to Dry Facial Moisturiser (50ml), Institut Esthederm Face & Body Spray Bronzer (20ml) and a L'Occitane Angelica Facial Hydration Cream (15ml). Overall, I am very happy with the products - especially the two moisturisers and the lipstick shade!



The Elysambre Rouge a Levres is the product in this Jolie Box that I hoped was a wearable shade, as I have read blog posts about this Jolie box before I received mine and there are other shades of this lipstick, one of which was a strange silver colour I believe - which naturally I didn't want. I am really glad that I received a gorgeous wearable shade and this lipstick and shade in general are really quite gorgeous. The shade I have is '238' I think, as it doesn't have a shade name as far as I am aware. The shade is a bright, but fairly dark, shimmery fuchsia in the tube but on the lips it is quite sheer and it makes my lips look like I have been eating strawberries and raspberries = Gorgeous. It looks like a berry stain but it is sheer, glossy, smooth, moisturising and light on the lips. A full review of this product will appear soon. This product is really quite fantastic apart from one thing: the packaging/tube. The tube for this lipstick is unique but it is also cheap and tacky in appearance, in my opinion. The tube is plastic and to get to the lipstick you have to pull off the plastic cap on the top and then twist up the lipstick. Although this design is flawed and when putting the clear cap back on you can squish the lipstick with the cap, so you have to be careful when putting the cap back on! So this product has almost top marks from me so far, although I hate the packaging!


The next product I received is the Institut Esthederm UV inCellium Spray which is 'a pre-tanning treatment which will boost skin's natural defences and ensure a long lasting tan'. I sprayed this product onto my hand and as you can see from the photograph above that it is a clear liquid. As I live in Manchester (Northern England) there is hardly any sun and mostly rain so I cannot really use this product but I will be going on a Royal Caribbean cruise in August so I will be taking this product with me to use in the morning before a day in the Mediterranean sun! This product can be purchased from SpaceNK for £42.50 full size which is far too expensive in my opinion, although if this product turns out to be amazing when I use it on holiday I may purchase it. 


Firstly, the moisturiser that I was most excited about is the NEW L'Occitane Angelica Hydration Cream which is a 15ml sample which is quite big and it comes in a pot. The scent of this moisturiser is just gorgeous! It smells so light, fresh and refreshing but it is not too strong. I have only tried this product once and it has the most amazing texture; it looks like a thick cream but it feels like a light gel on the skin. It makes my skin feel smooth and moisturised but it did irritate the more sensitive areas of my skin very, very slightly. I will continue to use this product and report back in a few weeks. 

There is a second facial moisturiser in my Jolie Box (it is a good thing that I have dry skin and like trying different moisturisers otherwise I might not have liked this box). This moisturiser is from a french brand called Yonka and I received the 'protective and vitalising cream for normal to dry skin'. On the Jolie Box card it has 'customised' next to this product as there is a 'beauty profile' to fill out on the Jolie Box site so that you get products for your skin type - which is why I received the normal to dry skin moisturiser. I have not tried this moisturiser yet but it does have a scent which is sweet and fruity but herbal at the same time. The scent is really nice and this product does feel nice on the back of my hand. Also this sample is really big; the tube is huge and there is 50ml the bottle, although it does look like more because of the size of the bottle. 

Overall I am very happy with this Jolie Box and I will continue with my monthly Jolie Box subscription! 

ELF Studio Matte Lip Colour: 'Natural' & 'Praline'

Sunday, July 01, 2012
I love lipstick and lip products in general and I do have quite a few so this type of post will be the first of many featuring my lipstick/lip gloss/lip liner collection with swatches and mini reviews! This post is all about the two ELF (eyeslipsface) Studio Matte Lip Colours I have. I have the shades 'Natural' and 'Praline'

'Natural'

The shade 'natural' is a dusky pink in the tube and swatched on the skin but on the lips it is a little bit lighter/paler than the lip colour looks in the tube, which is a little bit disappointing as I do not like pale/nude lip colours. Although this shade does look nice and as it is a jumbo pencil (twist up) it is so easy to apply! This shade has a good colour pay off but not as good as the shade 'praline'. This shade can highlight dryness/flakiness but overall it is a great product! 4/5. 


'Praline' 

The shade 'Praline' is a darker shade and it is a gorgeous browny red on the skin and it is very similar on the lips. This shade is a gorgeous natural but defining shade and it is a few shades darker than my natural lip colour. This product can highlight dryness but not as much as the shade 'natural' does. This is my favourite shade out of the two that I have and it is the most wearable, for me anyway. 5/5. 


Both of this shades apply really nicely as they have a smooth, soft texture. As this product is a twist up jumbo pencil it is incredibly easy to apply and it is really easy to outline the lips, then fill in the rest of the lips with the colour. The pigmentation is great, the texture is great and the longevity is really good. I definitely recommend these lip colors from ELF as they are fantastic and I will be buying more of these!