Beauty Box Swaps Meet Up!

Yesterday I meet up with the most lovely group of ladies from the Beauty Box Swapping page on Facebook.


We met up in Chester, which is a beautiful walled city founded by the Romans in AD79 - the city is full of important historic sites but also boasts top class shopping which we took full advantage of! You can read more about Chester here, its definitely worth a visit.

We started off the day at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet, a huge outlet village about 10-15 minutes in the car from Chester train station.

I picked up this gorgeous coral coloured silk dress/shirt from Warehouse at Cheshire Oaks, bargain at £20 reduced from £70! Perfect for holiday with gold jewellery and sandals.

After a few hours of shopping we made our way back into Chester and had lunch at The Living Room in the town centre.

L-R Emma, Nardine, Nora, Wendy, Nina and Caroline

Having been fed and watered we were ready to hit the shops!

First stop Debenhams - as I said when I walked in it's a BBS heaven!

This lippy was on my wish list, look how pretty and pink it is!

Next stop the Lancome counter.  

I got the Hypnose mascara, which came with 30ml of Bi-Facil and a mini L'absolu rouge lippy, plus Teint Idole Ultra foundation. This is one of the only foundations I have found that is pale enough for my skin, I didn't like the matte finish when I first tried it but I love it now. When I finish this bottle off I am going to try the Estee Launder Double wear as recommended by Emma and Caroline :)

There was a free gift with 2 purchases offer on - look at all the goodies I got!

Can never resist a Lush purchase!

I got my son the Dorothy bubble bar, I get him something different everytime I go.  The products are all natural and don't irritate his skin.  He used to love the bath bombs but now he prefers the bubble bars! As the name suggests they make lots of bubbles and they last for more than one use.  Should get three baths out of this bar.  How cute is the rainbow?!

I got a bath melt called Happy Blooming, again this will last for three baths.  The smell of cherries is gorgeous.  I've not seen or tried this bath melt before, looking forward to a nice relaxing bath to try it out.

Once we were shopped out and had said goodbyes to Caroline and Emma, we made our way over to Chester Cathedral to sit in the sunshine and enjoy the surprise that Nardine and Nina had bought with them....

BBS Cupcakes!!! Sparkly ones!

Made by Laura, she couldn't make the meet up so she sent us some cupcakes.

Yum, yum! 

 Laura sent us three boxes of the most delicious cupcakes, she is super talented and should really think about starting a cupcake business - the girl has talent.

A Beauty Box Swap day wouldn't be complete without a little swap! Thanks Emma for the MAC Lovelorn lippy, this is a perfect daytime pink.  I will be wearing this everyday for work.

I had such a great day, they are a bunch of amazing ladies and I am proud to call them my friends.  We chat all the time on the swapping page but this is the first time we have all met up (I have met Nardine before in February) and it was just like we have known each other all our lives! We laughed so much our sides hurt and we shopped so hard our feet hurt! We will definitely be having more meet ups and I'm sure they will become a regular event :)

Breakfast this morning! Thanks for the cupcake Laura and for the chocolate Nardine!

Surprise (AMAZING) Swap!

Hi All, hope you are all having a good weekend.  I'm having a great weekend, got lots of blog posts to do but I'm starting with the most amazing secret swap box that I received today from the lovely Nardine over at lipsticknhandbags.

As you know I am part of the beauty box swapping group over on Facebook, every month or so Nardine and I send each other a box full of surprises that we think the other person will like.  We started off with glossyboxes filled with goodies but last month ended up with big cardboard boxes full of stuff and well this month Nardine has truly outdone herself, I am truly amazed, overwhelmed and touched by how much thought and effort she puts into getting together goodies that she knews I will love. I must apologise for the awful photos - the light is bad, my camera is rubbish - I really need to save for a new one.

So first up I opened the huge cardboard box to find these fantastic goodies for my doggie Henry, hes a naughty dalmatian and I am going to take the book to work and read it in my lunch times.  She has also sent him a harness which is brilliant as he is a very strong doggie.

Henry says "woof, thanks for the treats, woof!" 

She also packed these goodies into the main box;

Full size shampoo and conditioner, great for my coloured brunette hair

I had no idea what this plastic shaker was when I opened that box, but its a facemask! How cool! Can't wait to try it :)

Body wash and lotion, cherry blossom, peach and white jasmine scented, they smell gorgeous.

Wowzers! Cannot wait to have a play with this.

I'm off on my hols soon and these will be coming with me

This book will be coming too :)

 Next in the box was this bag from River Island - I love it!

Will be using this from tomorrow morning.  She filled the bag with the following goodies!

Naughty Nardine! My WW leader will not be pleased with you, I however am pleased! There was another egg but sadly it never made the photo......

Necklace and lipgloss

Hairclips and bracelets

Bottle stopper - how pretty!

Booklight - this is so handy, I read in bed all the time so now I don't have to annoy hubby with the side lamp!

A black clutch/purse with white feather detail - she knows I love bird print and I love this!

And as if that wasn't enough!! A glossybox decorated with 3d doggie stickers!!

Look theres Henry!

  

Shampoo, Conditioner and Volume Mousse - great sizes for my hols.

Perfume

I'm a sucker for lip balms, I keep them on my desk in work and use them throughout the day.  Can't wait to try these two.

Bath salts, smell lovely.

ELF Blusher in tickled pink

Ojon hair serum

Andrea Fulerton nail polish

Versace perfume

Urban Decay tinted moisturiser

Love this lip crayon! Bright pink, been wearing it this afternoon :)

MAC Eyeshadow mousse, the colour is perfect for me

My first Kleancolour nail polish!

Will be painting my nails this colour tomorrow!

A lovely card and a lovely keepsake

Right back at ya Nardine!

I honestly am overwhelmed by this amazing box, I will use every single thing thats in it! There is one thing I'm not happy about though..............this has ruined it for every single beauty box I'm subscribed to! They could never in a million years beat this box!! ;)

I just want to say a huge thank you to my friend Nardine and I hope you love the box I am sending to you, even if its half as much as I love this box I know I'll have done a good job :)