GLOSSYBOX: May 2012 The Birthday Edition

I joined Glossybox very recently although I've been thinking about it for a while now. I realised at the end of April that they would be releasing their first anniversary box in May so I thought this would be a good time to join up.

I actually received an April box too which I won't review in full, but I will say that I liked the Caudalie beauty serum very much and quite like the Monu Reviving Rosewood Mist, but they were the only products that stood out to me and that I use. I can't actually remember any of the other products I received, and I wouldn't buy any of the products in the future (although I love the Caudalie serum it's too expensive for me).

I was expecting big things from this months Glossybox seeing as it was the Birthday Edition, but I'm actually a little disappointed. There are two products that I'm impressed with and I think the Glossybox mirror is a sweet touch, but there was nothing that really stood out, and not one full sized sample (unless you include the eyelashes but I won't count them as they only retail for £3.90).

Noble Isle Summer Rising Bath & Shower Gel and Lolita Lempicka Si Lolita Eau de Parfum

• The Noble Isle Summer Rising Bath & Shower Gel I do like. I used it in the shower this morning, and it was a refreshing change to my usual sweet milky shower gels. The scent is supposedly 'toning elderflower', 'antioxidant-charged gooseberry'  'with clean notes of orange blossom, moss and cut grass', I can pick up the citrusy orange notes and perhaps the grass too - overall I think it smells very fresh and summery, it's a clean invigorating scent. I don't think that it does anything exciting to my skin aside from cleaning it, but it's a nice scent for cold summer showers (which are a godsend in this weather).

This retails for £20 for 250ml so it's a high end product and I'm pleased with it.

• I might be one of the few people who loves receiving perfume samples. I think they are just perfect for carrying in your purse, especially on nights out. However, I was disappointed with the Lolita Lempicka perfume samples. I really like the smell of 'Si Lolita', it's a fresh mature floral and reminds me of perfumes that my mother wears (in a good way!) the 'Lolita Lempicka EDP' fragrance smells cheaper to me, it's sweeter but less floral.

I would be really pleased with these if they came as proper perfume miniatures of perhaps 5ml. Glossybox does state that each month you will receive "5 high-end beauty miniatures". These however are just tiny perfume samples that you might find lying around in a perfume section in a department store to pick up for free. What really annoys me is that they are 0.8ml, your average perfume sample is 2ml. These are deceivingly in a 2ml bottle but filled only about 1/3rd of the way to the top. In summary, I think these are nice scents, but am really disappointed with the tiny size.

Glossybox states that they retail for £63 & £65 for 100ml (although I can't find them at this price, Glossybox directs you to buy them at house of fraser where 'Si Lolita' is £46 for 50ml and 'Lolita Lempicka EDP' is £49 for 50ml. I think that this makes them high end perfumes.

Eldora False Eyelashes and Apivita Express Beauty Masks

• Next up are the Eldora False Eyelashes, and mine are H141. These lashes feel really nice to touch, maybe this is because they are handmade. They feel soft, high quality and I think that they would be comfortable to wear. But I don't think that I could ever wear these lashes - they are gigantic. I really can't imagine anybody wearing these, not even the girls of TOWIE. They are just to huge I would look ridiculous with them on. I held one up to my eye to show my boyfriend and his reaction was "Dear god! Please never ever wear those".

Another downside is that they only retail for £3.90 (although when I looked up my pair they were £4.25). These are not a high-end beauty product, in fact, I'd say that £4 is really quite cheap for false eyelashes.

• The Apivita Express Beauty Masks were a pleasing inclusion. I received the Cucumber Intensive Hydration Masks and tried one out this morning. I have really dry skin so I was looking forward to using these. The mask has a texture that I wasn't expecting, it feels like a moisturiser, which I do like and it means that you don't use up a lot of product. I think you could easily two uses out of each sachet.

I wore it for 10 minutes in my shower as advised. At first there was an odd hotness/tingling on my face, I was a little scared that I might be having an allergic reaction, but I didn't have any other effects so maybe this is supposed to happen. after I washed it off, with hot water and a muslin cloth, my skin looked really lovely, I think that my pores looked tighter and my complexion was brighter. My skin didn't actually feel very hydrated though, after a few minutes before putting my moisturiser on, my skin felt tight and dry as it often does without a good moisturising cleanser. This was a bit of a disappointment as I was hoping it would really hydrate my skin, but will definitely use these up as I like the results, they just aren't what I was expecting.

The masks that I received retail for £2.80 for two 8ml sachets not the £3.50 per sachet as Glossybox suggests. Again these are not a high end product. I would buy these again seeing as they are so cheap, but shipping is a whopping £7.20 which is more than twice the price of the sachets themselves.

Lolita Lempicka Samples and Osmo Berber Oil Hair Treatment

• Finally, my favourite product this month, Osmo Berber Oil Hair Treatment. I am quite impressed with this product. My hair is quite dry and I don't get it cut as often as I should so I'm always looking for new moisturising treatments. The oil is supposed to "nourish dry damaged hair. Reduce drying time and achieve glistening shine and smooth results everytime". I think that this is achieved. After use my hair feels really soft, it isn't 'glisteningly shiny' but it looks good, and my hair did dry quickly. Another bonus is that this smells amazing! Quite like haribo, it's really sweet but not in a sickening way.

Berber oil retails at £19.99 for 100ml, or you can buy a 10ml bottle, like the sample, for around £6. (£5.90 w/ free delivery here). I think I will buy this again, probably at the smaller size as you need very little per use, or I'll look around online for the larger bottles as there are lots of deals to be found on ebay and elsewhere.

Overall, I did like this box, and probably like it better than last months, but feel let down that it wasn't as spectacular as I had hoped for. I was hoping the products might be as impressive as they were in the first every box last May. The products in the box were mostly cheap or teeny-weeny, but I did like the Noble Isle Shower Gel and the Osmo Berber Oil.

I'm wearing No7 stay perfect nail colour in 'Minty Fresh 320'.

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Cannes

Kirstin Dunst & Diane Kruger

Cannes is one of my favourites times of the year for celebrity fashion. I love seeing stars more 'off-duty' than they are at red-carpet events, it's lovely to see celebrities wearing beautiful clothes that we can take inspiration from - I mean it's not everyday that most people get the chance to wear ball gowns that are Oscar worthy.

Each year brings new crushes on celebrities, pieces and beautifully made up faces. I still remember fondly Kirstin Dunst in a yellow Chloe dress last year, and Carey Mulligan the year before in a 50's style printed Prada dress.

This year I am admiring Diane Kruger. I've long been a fan of her romantic nonchalant hair and minimal make up. Diane has been making impeccable fashion choices at this years Cannes too wearing some beautiful ethereal dresses but also edgier looks.

Diane Kruger in a floaty mint Giambattista Valli Couture gown and in an ethereal white Nina Ricci gown.

Natasha Poly in a  Pucci gown with gorgeous sultry make up and romantic mussed up hair and Kirstin Dunst in a white floral Dolche & Gabana midi dress.

Marion Cotillard has her hair in a huge bun accessorized with jewels and Jessica Chastain wears her red hair in pulled back tousled waves.

Jessica Chastain in Giorgio Armani and Freida Pinto in a Michael Angel dress with a striking embellished bodice.

Mia Wasikowska in a printed Prada dress and Diane Kruger in an edgy burgundy Versus dress. (I will remember both of these!)

Diane Kruger wears her hair in romantic Hollywood waves channelling Victoria Lake and Cheryl Cole sports her signiture smokey eyes and a glossy chocolate brown hue

I love Virginie Ledoyen's simple and elegant Ellie Saab dress. Freida Pinto wears a sheer beaded Versace dress

Image sources linked in description, all via Glamourmagazine.co.uk

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My Dry Skin Care Essentials

I have and have had dry skin for a long time so I have created my own routine to moisturise and plump my skin, stopping it from feeling so tight and flaking.

Firstly I'll describe my skin: I would say that my skin is dry and dehydrated, but oilier on the area immediately surrounding my nose, I also have larger pores there. My skin often feels tight if I cleanse harshly and when put moisturiser my skin will thirstily drink it up. I do get some spots, mostly between my eyebrows and on my chin. For the past few months my chin has been behaving weirdly, it feels very dry and and I get flaky skin but also spots.

No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm is a godsend. I tried this at the start of the year in a sample size pack when No7 had just bought the range. I wish they still did this as it was a pack including the cleanser and the night & day moisturisers which would be ideal for travelling and it was just £5. I immediately loved it, I've never tried such a creamy hydrating cleanser. It is pretty good at removing make up but I can't get all of my mascara off with it so I will usually tackle that with a make up wipe. I will rub this into my skin, massaging it in, and then wipe off with a hot, wet muslin cloth. It leaves my skin soft and hydrated but I find that my skin doesn't feel as clean as I would like it - perhaps because I'm so used to the squeaky clean but irritatingly dry feel I have with other cleansers, instead my skin feels like I've already moisturised, but this is probably a good thing.
(£9 at Boots)

If I don't think my skin feels clean enough I will use Boots Botanics Pore Perfecting Deep Clean Mousse. I love this mousse formula, I feel like a child again playing with bubbles in the bath when I use it. It's really quick and easy, I use two pumps but I'm sure I could get away with one, and just rub it into my face (avoiding my eyes) then wipe off with a hot, wet muslin cloth. So much like the No7 Cleanser. My skin feels really clean after this but sometimes a little dry. I wouldn't say that I notice any difference in my pores though. But this is a good cleanser anyway, which I think would suit most skin types as it's oil free.
(£4.07 at Boots)

Some areas on my face need a little more attention, like my oily and flaky bits around my nose and chin. For these I use Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub. Day to day I just use a pea sized amount of this while I'm cleansing, I'll rub it into my skin on my nose and chin while my cleanser is still on my face and then wash it off with everything else. Maybe once a week I'll use this all over my face, or just if my skin feels more oily than usual. I don't think this product has any really special qualities, I don't use it enough to comment on it properly. For me this just serves as a cheap exfoliator that I don't heavily use. I like it because it's pink, and smells gorgeous and it exfoliates gently.
(£4.95 at boots)

I received the Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum in April's Glossy Box and I have been really impressed by it. My skin is really very dry so I use this right after cleansing as it quenches my skin enough so that it isn't uncomfortable and I don't need to immediately moisturise. My skin drinks it up. It smells lovely, very natural, botanical and fresh. I began using it all over my face but I've been using it up really fast so not I just use it on the dryer areas of my skin and my eyes. I haven't noticed an improvement in my skins quality or appearance since using this but the flaky skin on my chin does seem to have improved so I presume that it is balancing my skin and hydrating it well. My only problem with this is that it is so expensive, a 3oml bottle will cost you £29, and seeing as I am getting through the 10ml sample really rapidly I can't afford it. If anybody knows of any cheaper hydrating serums, please let me know!
(£29 at Space.nk)

Nivea's Soft Moisturising Cream has been a solid favourite of mine since I found it quite a few years ago now. it's an incredibly thick moisturiser (see above) that leave my skin silky soft. The first time I used it I had received it as a sample and I remember thinking it was close to a primer as it was so thick, and it does actually improve the application of my foundation, concealer and powder. It has a lovely 'Nivea smell' - do you know what I mean? That lovely light fresh smell you get with all Nivea products.

It does take a while to sink in, even on my dry skin, so although I still love it, as the years have gone on I've used this more at night time, or just on the dryer areas of my skin in the day. I wish that this would come with an spf, then it would be my ideal moisturiser. Overall this is a really thick hydrating everyday moisturiser, it's really cheap and ideal if you're travelling light as it could easily be used as a make up remover if you need it, or as a hand or body moisturiser.
(£2.45 in Boots)

I use Simple's Kind to Skin Vital Vitamin Night Cream if my skin is feeling a little clogged up and I don't want such a heavy moisturiser at night. It's still pretty thick but much lighter. For the day time if I want a lighter moisturiser I use Neutrogena Multi-Defence Daily Moisturiser. I like this, especially as it is spf25, but it isn't really suited to my skin but paired with some Nivea Soft & Caudalie Serum my skin is well moisturised and protected from the sun. Neutrogena actually do this moisturiser for Dry & Sensitive skin, but that one is only spf15 for some unknown reason, spf25 is barely enough! If anybody has any hydrating but not shiny high spf moisturisers they know of please let me know, I've not yet found a great one.
(£5.60 & £7.99 at Boots)

I forgot to mention that I use Rimmel's Fix & Perfect Pro Primer. I don't wear a lot or foundation and never wear it for very long so I just use this on my oily areas & on my eyes. It makes my pores appear smaller and mattifies my skin. It's pretty good, the only downfall is that although it's cheap at £6.99, that's only for 30ml, which won't last you long if you use it all over your face.

Disclaimer: Remember that all skin is different, even if you have very dry skin as I do your skin will probably not react to products in the same way and some of these products might not work for you. They are not miracles, just products that work wonders on my skin.

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NOTD: Essie Turquoise & Caicos

My first Essie polish! I'm very pleased with it even though I actually meant to buy Mint Candy Apple - I think this one must have been placed on the wrong shelf and I picked it up as it looks really similar to Mint Candy Apple in the bottle.

The polish applied really well, dried quickly and stayed on for three days with no tip wear and just one chip after copious amounts of washing up.

The colour is different in every light, sometimes a deep pea green, sometimes more of a grey taupe or something more pastel.

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This weeks best dresses: 18/05/12

Alix

Dress - Maria Lucia Hohan

Natalie

Top - Pavonine; Jeans - Seven for all mankind; Jacket - White & Warren: Necklace - Vanessa Mooney; Bag - Rebecca Minkoff; Boots - Frye

Tonya

Top - Romwe; Everything else vintage

James

Dress - Vintage; Shoes - Worishofer (modcloth)

Kate

Dress - Modcloth; Shoes - Bait Footwear; Belt - Vintage; Cardigan - Old Navy

Jo

Dress - SheInside; Tights - Foot Traffic; Shoes - Bait Footwear

Erin

Top - Lauren Moffat; Skirt - American Apparel; Shoes & Bag - Vintage; Sunglasses; Alex Knost (Raen Optics)

Sarah

Jumper & Bag - Urban Outfitters; Blouse - Whistles; Shorts - H&M; Hat - Topshop; Bag - Zara

Bonnie

Dress - PBJ shop; Hat - Asos; Bag - Lulu's; Boots - Free People

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The Obsession With Thin

I read an article this morning on the obsession with skinny by Allie Kinglsey. Kingsley looked at the current ideal body that most women crave for. She pondered over whether it was a mans ideal that all women should be "super hot, smoking body, twelve feet tall supermodel doppelgangers" or whether it's actually women who are obsessed with the super skinny image, and we all want to look like the models in magazines maybe because it's what we think men want but maybe because it's actually just what we want. Maybe women crave for a a perfect supermodel body because we want to look like the models from magazines because we are jealous of their toned bodies and we want other women to want our bodies.

I think it's sad that we all crave something that is really quite boring. Most models realistically are just very thin with boyish frames. I do think that this is often beautiful, there is beauty in seeing the shadows of ribs underneath somebody's skin, but often models are so thin I think it's disgusting. I think that women with voluptuous curves are beautiful - I could actually look at Dita Von Teese all day! It's a shame that the 1950's curvy body isn't as popular is it once was - the clothes are still just as fashionable, why not the bodies that fit so well inside them?

Perhaps one day our ideals will change and we might like something else but I'm not sure that this is anymore healthy than our current craving for thin. A tiny waist, big breasts and bum is just as unattainable for some women as a size 6 frame is for others. If we all crave for the same body it becomes less special. In an ideal world each woman would celebrate her own body for the differences that make it special, whether it's a small waist, wide hips or even the freckles that cover her skin.

Inspirational Women: Marilyn Monroe, Daisy Lowe, Christina Hendricks,  Jourdan Dunn, Karlie Kloss, Bettie Page, Zooey Deschanel, Dita Von Teese.

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