Beauty box round up - September 2014

Another month another beauty box round up, and is it just me or are they getting better and better this year? This September in addition to the usual Glossybox and Love me beauty there's also a new Parisian inspired My little box to choose from:

September beauty boxes

Glossybox September 2014

Starting with Glossybox who have teamed up with Karen Millen for a London Fashion Week themed box. Their limited edition boxes are always my favourite and this month there are generous samples from Origins, Nails Inc, L'oreal mythic and ModelCo, as well as some Skin prep sachets. Although there wasn't a stand out item as such most of the products are things that I would have liked to try anyway so overall still a big thumbs up from me. 

Love me beauty September 2014

You may have noticed Love me beauty have undergone a bit of a makeover this month. They've always had 3 options to choose from but now they've gone even better and you can pick each and every single item that goes into your box. Each month you'll have 6 credits to spend, with most samples costing 1 credit and full sized products 2 credits. I went for a selection of haircare, skincare and make up and overall I thought there was a decent selection of products online to choose from. The best ones will sell out though, so be sure to get your orders in quickly. 

My little box 

Finally there's a new beauty box on the market. My little box have come all the way from Paris and I love that they incorporate fashion and lifestyle as well as beauty. Shown above is actually the August box but the September box is just as gorgeous with a laptop sleeve, notebook and Parisian print amongst the beauty samples. Each box feels beautifully put together and I can't wait to see what they've got planned for the next few months. 

Are you a beauty box subscriber? Which one was your favourite this month? 

Boots 28 ways to give it a go daily

Over the years I've discovered some beauty gems which have become real everyday staples. Every so often though I find myself feeling stuck in a rut and with so many make up and skincare launches on a daily basis it's fun to experiment and hopefully discover some new favourites along the way. Well it seems I'm not alone in feeling this way, and this month Boots are encouraging us all to do the same with their #giveitagodaily campaign: 

 Boots give it a go daily - Make up

 Boots give it a go daily - make up and skincare

 Boots give it a go daily - skincare

Boots give it a go daily - hair

Whether it's haircare, make up or skincare, there's a new video or advice page uploaded everyday (here). With it being catered to all ages not all of it will be relevant, but it's full of beauty tips and is a good go to page for new style ideas. In particular I'm loving the tutorials on how to contour and achieve a big bouncy blow dry, both of which I have yet to master.

At the event I was shown how to expertly apply a violet smokey eye and this season's berry lip. Although it would be too bold for work, I loved the overall effect and will be experimenting to see if I can incorporate it into some looks this Autumn/Winter. It's also a fun way to discover new beauty launches and so far I've already added Marc Jacobs daisy dream, Lancome long lasting powder blusher and Babyliss curl secret to the Christmas wishlist!

Do you ever find yourself stuck in a beauty rut? What are your beauty favourites this Autumn/Winter? 

Piz Buin ultra light dry touch face fluid review

Since discovering that UVA was the biggest cause of ageing, I've been obsessed with SPF and its been a part of my daily routine ever since. The only problem was that a lot of the usual brands were too heavy for daily use and consequently broke me out. Previously I'd been using a Chanel sunscreen, but this summer thanks to the newly launched Piz Buin ultra light dry touch face fluid, I've now discovered a cheaper dupe and a new favourite:

Piz Buin ultra light dry touch face fluid and sun fluid

Piz Buin have been my go to bodycare brand for the last few years and this new Ultra light range boasts the same high factor sun protection and 3* UVA protection that I've come to expect from my sunscreen. What really sets it apart though is just how light and quick absorbing it is on the skin. It really is no thicker than a fluid moisturiser and there's no greasy after feel either. Because of this it's great for using under make up and I was recently told that I had virtually no sun damage so the SPF is obviously doing something right.

There are also 3 body sunscreens which have the same light fluid texture and goes up to a SPF50. Highly recommended if you're jetting off anywhere exotic this Autumn/Winter. 

Sadly I've not got any Winter getaways planned, but going into the colder months although we won't get as much sunshine, it's still just as important to wear sunscreen daily (UV rays can still penetrate through clouds and rain), and at £12 this is an affordable and much welcome addition to my daily skincare routine. 

Have you tried the Piz Buin ultra light dry touch range? What are your anti-ageing skincare favourites? 

Home fragrancing with Epoh-Ireti and L'artisan

Upon moving back to London one of the first things I did was to invest in a new desk and treat myself to some lovely home fragrances. Whether it's a candle gently burning in the background or a reed diffuser there's just something so luxurious about walking into a beautifully scented room and I love how the aromatherapy oils can both relax and inspire me as I'm sat working nearby. Currently I've been loving these two from Epoh-Ireti and L'artisan:

Epoh-Ireti tuberose & white peony scented candle

L'artisan L'ete home fragrance diffuser

After a long day at work one of my favourite ways to unwind is to make a cup of tea, light my Epoh-Ireti candle and relax with a good TV show or two. Epoh-Ireti's ethos is to spread hope and not only are their candles beautifully scented and made from soy wax, the packaging is lovely too - minimalistic and chic with a wooden wick to allow for a more even burn. I'm not always a fan of floral scents but the combination of tuberose and white peony is so sweet and uplifting (it reminds me of sweet peas) that it never fails to bring a smile to my face. 

The downside of candles though is that you can't leave them unattended so I also like to have L'artisan l'ete home fragrance diffuser on my desk. As with all L'artisan perfumes there's a distinct Parisian feel and although it's called 'summer' I think this is actually the perfect transitional scent with notes of jasmine, orange blossom, tonka beans and honeysuckle. Compared to a candle the diffuser is not as strong but it's perfect for using as a background scent and I love that every so often I'll get little intense burst of fragrance as I'm sat typing away.

Have you tried either of these 2 home fragrances? What's your favourite scented candle/reed diffuser? 

Currently loving...

For one reason or another August turned out to be a rather quiet month on Peonies and lilies. Although I didn't get the chance to blog much there were some lovely new launches, so today to get back into the swing of things I thought I'd do a little round up of current favourites:

 Currently loving...

 Philip Kingsley body & shine try me kit

Lola intense colour lipstick and Hydraluron moisture jelly

This year we decided to save our annual leave for a big trip in October, so although we didn't get a summer holiday, I've been loving Korres Santorini shower gel and body milk. With extracts of grape, apple, peach, citrus and volcanic minerals it reminds me balmy evenings abroad, where the air is rich with salty sea water and the scent of nearby vineyards. A lovely duo of bodycare products, especially if you're not ready for the cold weather and want to hang onto summer just that little bit longer. 

For haircare I've been using the new Philip Kingsley body and shine try me kit. I'm already a big fan of elastizer but for £5, you also get a generously sized body building shampoo and moisture balancing conditioner. It's rare for haircare kits to contain products from different ranges, but as someone with greasy roots and dry ends, this combination suited me perfectly. A great value haircare set, ideal for travelling or for trying out a new brand.

I've spoken many a time about the serum, but this summer there's a new Hydraluron moisture jelly joining the line up. I like to use this in the mornings as the gel texture is so lightweight and quick absorbing on the skin. In many ways it's the perfect daytime moisturiser for me as the hyaluronic acid keeps my skin nicely hydrated, but thanks to the oil free formula, great for using under make up and won't aggravate my T-zone either. Since using this I've not needed to top up with the serum and I love that it comes with a hygienic pump dispenser.

Finally Lola intense colour lipstick in dusky pink seems to have become my go to lip colour this last month. Although I've not yet tried Illamasqua Rosepout myself, looking at online reviews and swatches it could potentially be a good dupe. Dusky pink is one of those 'my lips but better' shades that will suit almost all complexions and thanks to the addition of hyluronic acid and plant extracts feels creamy and plumping on the lips too. 

Have you tried any of the products above? What have you been loving recently? 

August empties

No matter how many products I get through, my beauty stash seems to be ever expanding, but what with moving back to London and having to make some extra space in the flat, I made a real effort in July/August and with a bit of luck managed to finish a total of 11 items:

July/August empties

Once again it's a real mix of everyday staples, and although I was grateful for the extra space, I was particularly sad to finish Liz Earle brightening treatment mask and La maison de senteurs hand cream. The face mask was great as an instant boost and always left my skin feeling more detoxed and radiant. Long term readers will know that I love anything citrus scented and the hand cream was just the right combination of delicate scent, nourishing ingredients and a light quick absorbing finish on the skin.

Other favourites included YesTo grapefruit body wash which smelt so fruity and refreshing and the Balance me wonder eye cream which was an old beauty box discovery and I'm now already half way through my next tube.

The only product I wouldn't repurchase would be the Aveeno daily moisturising lotion because although it was a good moisturiser and kept my skin hydrated without being greasy, the fragrance was just too powdery for my liking. With so many other lovely products out there, I'd much rather go for a nicely scented body lotion instead.

How did you get on in July/August? Did you have any particular favourites or dislikes?

Glossybox August 2014

August saw Glossybox celebrate it's 3 year global anniversary and although I'm late to the party, in the UK at least Glossybox seems to have gone from strength to strength this year. They've picked a really nice selection of products for August and having had a good play with everything, I thought it would be nice to do some mini reviews rather than my usual show and tell style post:

Glossybox August 2014

Glossybox August 2014

Comfort zone cleansing milk - I normally use a balm cleanser and although this wasn't as nourishing, the addition of sweet almond oil and shea butter means it was still nice and gentle on the skin. The product is lightly scented and like all cleansing milks rinses off easily without any residue.

L'amor lalique perfume - A strongly scented fragrance with notes of bergamot, rosebud, tuberose, gardenia, cedar and sandalwood. The perfume is quite rich and sensual so would have too much in the summer, but now that the weather is a bit cooler it'll make for a lovely daytime scent.

Philip Kingsley elastizer - This seems to have become quite the regular in beauty boxes, but as it's one of my haircare essentials I don't mind too much. The creamy conditioner goes on as an intensive pre-shampoo treatment and always leaves my hair feeling soft and smooth with plenty of bounce and shine, a must have for anyone with long damaged hair.

Fig and rouge mango and mandarin hand cream - A welcome little addition as my hands have become so dry this month. Unfortunately it's more mango than mandarin, so not my favourite scent, but it does a good job of keeping my hand moisturized and the mini sample size ideal for keeping in my handbag.

Yves Rocher nail polish in Rose - A nice little bonus to celebrate Glossybox's 3 year anniversary. The smaller brush size means that 2 coats are essential for a streak free even finish but the colour is absolutely beautiful and I'm sure it'll get a lot of wear this Autumn. It actually reminds me of Eyeko tea rose, an old favourite which has long been discontinued.

Kryolan for Glossybox highligher in Cashmere - Finally a beautiful champagne highlighter which goes on to leave a lovely sheen without looking too shimmery on the skin. It's my favourite cream highlighter to date and as it's such a universally flattering shade I'm sure this would have been a really popular product this month.

Overall, a really lovely selection of products for the 3 year global anniversary and I can't wait to see what Glossybox have got planned for the rest of the year.

What do you think about this month's Glossybox? Do you like the mini reviews or would you prefer the usual show and tell posts?