GlossyBox July 2011!!

This months GlossyBox is AMAZING! I think last month a lot of people were disappointed with the selection of products especially the inclusion of the mini can of Batiste, I personally didn't mind but I would have preferred is they had have included a make-up item.

This month they have not only included a make-up item but 4 of the items are full size, considering the box cost £10 that is pretty generous of them, I do feel they tried really hard to please the people that were unhappy last month and yet some people are still complaining about receiving stuff they would never use.

The whole point of GlossyBox is to introduce it's subscribers to new products you would probably not try otherwise so you're not always going to get product you would choose you're self, that's the whole point of it, also it is a sample service so while getting full size items is nice we shouldn't always be expecting it.

I'm very pleased with the items I got and can see myself using up most of them.

Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil £19.95

Nice and moisturising and not too greasy, smells amazing too, like lemons.

Ultrasun Face SPF 30 sample size, full size retails at £19

Nice and light in texture and dries matte so it make a great base for your foundation.

Generous sized sample and because you only use a little each time it should last a while.

LP Skin Therapy Lip Rescue Gel £20

A sort of lip plumper and balm in one, really moisturising and kinda tingly at first but I find it too sticky to be worn at any other time other than bed time.

Illamasqua Pure Pigment in Involve £15.50

I've got quite a few of these and while I do love them they require a bit of effort to look great, they are best used wet as the pigment is stronger and they stick to the skin better.

Ciate Paint Pots in Speed Dial £9

Not used this yet but it looks like a nice vibrant summer color.

Have you subscribed to GlossyBox yet? What did you get and what did you think of this month box?

Illamasqua Rare - Swatch & Review

The most amazing yellow polish ever!! I love the idea of yellow nails but the reality is usually it looks bad on me and makes my hands look sickly.

Rare is a neon highlighter yellow that look much more vibrant in real life than on camera, it almost hurts your eyes to look at it, I had a real hard time trying to get accurate pictures of it as the light seem to just want to bounce of it. 

Application can be tricky, it dries incredibly fast so it can apply streaky I find 3 thin coats better than 2 thicker coats as the results are more even and you need to use a top coat as it dries matte.

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Illamasqua Collide - Swatch & Review

Collide is the perfect summer color, a neon pink cream with a satin finish.

It paints like a dream, I have 3 thin coats on here (and a top coat) but I could have got away with 2 and it wears amazingly well, it lasted 5 days with minimal chipping.

The best bright pink I've ever tried.

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Essie Van D'Go - Swatch & Review

I've wanted Essie's Van D'Go for ages and for one reason or another I kept forgetting to actually buy it, now that it's finally in my possession I'm not that keen on it.

It is a gorgeous shade, a light, creamy, milky peach but it's a streaky little bugger! I ended up having to use 4 coats so in turn it took forever to dry, I woke up to bed sheet marks on some of my nails and that does not make me happy! 

I've come to realise that while Essie makes lovely colors they have consistency issues, some are great and you can get away with two coats and some are an absolute pain in the arse to paint with and require loads of effort to look right.

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MAC Semi Precious Haul

Semi Precious is the latest collection by MAC and one I wasn't all that intrested in, I knew I wanted one of the items and I ended up with 3.

I also got a cute little mini tube of strobe cream from the Sized To Go collection.

Semi Precious Rose Quartz 

Mineralize Skinfinish

This is the item I knew I would get, it's a soft rosy pink with a swirly centre of minty green, icy pink and copper.

It's a lot softer in pigmentation than I expected it too so I really have to layer it for it to show up on my (NC20) skin but it's very pretty and it just brightens the complexion.

A lot of people have compered it to Stereo Rose but they are nothing alike, Petticoat is actually closer but still too different to be called a dupe.

L-R Centre, Outer, Swirled 

Semi Precious Pearl

Mineralize Skinfinish

A soft champagne base surrounding a swirly centre of bronze, plum and white. 

Didn't think I would like this one as much as I do as I have tons of highlighters but this is actually gorgeous when swirled together, it's the most perfect peachy glow and I prefer it to Semi Precious Rose Quartz.

L-R Center, Outer, Swirled

Pressed Amber 

Mineralize Blush

This isn't a color I normally wear but I picked it up to use as a soft bronzer and contour color, turns out that when used very sparingly it makes a lovely warm blush too. I love the texture too it's so fine and silky. 

L-R Strobe Cream, Pressed Amber

L-R Petticoat, Semi Precious Rose Quartz, Stereo Rose

Stereo Rose is far to orange toned to be comparable to Rose Quartz, Petticoat is similar but a smidge warmer and darker.

What did you get from the new Semi Precious collection? 

June Favourites!

Better late than never? I never get my monthly favourites written up in time partly because it comes round so fast and partly because I really struggled to find products that I really liked this month.

My New Hair

Not really a product but I got my hair cut and colored it's now 100% better than the disaster the previous hair stylist gave me.
I wish I could have got my highlight too but my hair was a patchwork of previous colors so I was advised to wait and get my base color nice and even first.

Batiste Dry Shampoo

An all year round essential but especially useful in the summer. I don't like washing my hair everyday and this keeps my hair looking clean and gives me volume.
I also like the new XXL Volume version but you have to use it sparingly otherwise you end up with sticky, birds nest hair.

Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub

I managed to use up a whole tub of this in a month! I don't love it quite as much as the Flake Away scrub but it did the job of exfoliating my legs and leaving them nice and smooth.
Smells lovely too, like bananas and maple syrup.

YSL Teint Resist

I've realised no matter how many foundations I purchase this one is as close to perfection as I'm ever gonna get.
Lovely even coverage with a natural finish, it lasts a full day on me and doesn't rub off, just wish there was a shade that was a tad more yellow based than peach.

Chanel Broze Universal

I've not worn bronzer every day this month but when I have it's been this one. I like it cause it looks very natural but I do find I have to blend it very carefully otherwise it goes patchy.

Essie Fill The Gap Basecoat

Not marketed as a strengthening treatment but since using this my nails have stopped flaking and I've been able to grow them to a decent length.

Vera Wang Lovestruck Perfume

I only have samples at the moment but I absolutely love it. The bottle is beautiful and the main reason I want it but the scent itself is great too. Sweet but light at the same time and very typical of a Vera Wang fragrance.

What your favourites for the month of June?

OPI Tickle My Francey - Swatch & Review

I'm really loving nude nails at the moment and this one is probably my current favourite! It a creamy, taupe toned nude but it as an undertone of pink which stops it looking grey and flat.

It's a great nude for light skin tones as it's not too light so that it makes your nails disappear and your hands look dead.

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