Glossybox February 2013

Hi everyone, hope you have all had a good weekend! 

I'm a but late posting this review but I wanted to share with you what I got in my Valentines box.  I don't have any beauty box subscriptions as I cancelled them all after Christmas but Glossybox had a promotional code to buy the February box and get a bestselling box from 2012 for free! Hubby treated me to these boxes for Valentines day along with the Urban decay Glinda palette (I will link the review when I post it). So spending ban is still intact!

I really like the design of this months box

Lovely hot pink ribbon and pink tissue - very pretty!

The new style "magazine"

It contains discount codes, information on the products in the box and a beautiful lip tutorial.

My first impression when I opened the box was one of disappointment, I had seen a lot of reviews on other box and unfortunately this was the box I was least excited about receiving. However that's the risk you take when ordering a Glossybox!

MeMeMe Fat Cat Volumising Mascara

This is a full size product and retails for £7.99 here

The mascara is described as having an extreme volumising formula.  I have quite a few unopened mascaras to get through but I do like to try new mascaras so even though my first impression wasn't great I will actually use this and I am looking forward to see if it really does have an extreme volumising formula!

Helen E Moisturising Lipstick in Caribbean

The second full size product in the box, this is 3.5g and retails for £8.00 here.

I wasn't sure if this would lean a bit brown which I find very unflattering on my skintone but actually it looks quite nice.  I wasn't sure if it would be like an "old lady" lipstick but it applies nicely and the colour got a thumbs up from hubby - although maybe he wasn't the best person to ask!

Micabella Cosmetics Blush Powder in Terracotta 

This is a 0.8g sample, full size is 9g and retails for a whopping £34.95 here, making the sample worth £3.11.

This is a small sample so it was hard to get the product out to swatch for you, hence the messy swatch on the next photo.  It will be nice in the summer but I think I will have to put it into a larger container as it is hard to use in this small pot.

Swatches of the Helen E Lipstick and Micabella Blush Powder

Narciso Rodriguez for her EDT

Sample size of 0.8ml, 30ml retails for £34.50 here making the sample worth 92p.

I have had this sample in a previous beauty box but the perfume smells lovely so I am happy to receive this in my box.

Voulez Vous Warming Body Oil in Bubblegum

This is a 10ml pouch, they are sold in packages of 6 various flavours for £20.  The sample is worth £3.33.

I won't link the website here as it is described as erotic and intimate cosmetics so not to everyones taste so to speak!

This has to be the weirdest item I have ever had in a beauty box!! The English translation on the back of the packet doesn't even make sense which makes the product seem a bit cheap and nasty! 

I definitely wouldn't class this as a beauty sample, maybe if they had included it in all the boxes as a valentines "treat" then I could understand but I wasn't happy to receive this as one of my samples.  Maybe it's because I'm pregnant!

A Glossybox heart lollipop!

I contacted Glossybox about the oil and they kindly sent me another item from this months box, I think they had a number of complaints about it being classed as a beauty sample!

This box is actually better than I thought from my first impressions, it's not very exciting but I will probably use most of the contents. 

Did you get this box? What did you think?

What I packed in my suitcase!

Do you panic about what to pack when you take on holiday or are you a laid back chuck everything in a bag kind of packer?

I always pack the night before I go away although mentally I have been packing for weeks! I think about what I have in my wardrobe, anything I need to buy - always a new bikini and a maxi dress - accessories that match and so when I come to pack my suitcase it hardly takes me any time at all!

But this is where the panic part of me sets in...toiletries and cosmetics! So these are the items I took with me.

I bought the Ojon colour sustain 4 piece starter kit while they had the offer on to get a free full size shampoo and conditioner knowing the kit would be an ideal travel size. I didn't take the colour protecting cream with me.

I used up all the shampoo and conditioner - they were perfect sizes for my midlength hair for a week.

I used the hair treatment a couple of times in the week.  The tub is small but it will last me for ages as you only need a small amount. Its solid in the tub and you use the little round dish to scoop some out then warm it in your hands to turn it into an oil.  It smells very strongly and its not very pleasant but it made my hair lovely and soft.

Moroccanoil Hairspray - I find this quite a light hold hairspray, its easy to brush out and is not sticky at all. It also leaves a nice shine to your hair.

Fiji Oil - this smells like holidays! and Berber Oil which smells like Haribo!

Used both of these on my hair (and yes I probably didn't need to take two oils) I like both of these, not too heavy on my hair left it nice and soft and took away the frizz.  Thumbs up to both.

Perfume samples - perfect holiday size.

I used the Versace in the evenings and the Lolita Lempicka's in the day.  Although I could only spray tiny amount of the Lolitas and they were only 1/3 full when I get them as samples.

Picked up the deodorant in the airport as I normally use sprays and I never know if I can take them on the plane or not??

Essential Care Rose Moisturiser - I really liked this, it smells lovely, easily absorbed and could feel it tightening my face. I want to repurchase this when it runs out.

FAB Face Cleanser - if you are a regular reader of my blog you will know I love this cleanser.

Balance Me eye cream - this is really naughty but I think I only used this once on holiday!

Bharti Vyas Face and Neck Polisher - I like this scrub it makes my skin smooth and soft, it contains walnut shavings which sounds a bit harsh! But its a lovely scrub.

Balance Me Rose Otto Body Wash - the balance me body washes are so moisturising I just wish I liked the smell a bit better! They smell really strong and herbally to me and its really not a scent I would chose.  I thought I would like the rose one as when I first opened the tube it smelt of turkish delight! But after a week of using it it seemed to change to the strong herbal smell.

I used a squirt of this in the bath and it foams up brilliantly!

Soap and Glory Glow Lotion - I used this in the evenings for a bit of shimmer on my arms and legs.

Champneys Skin Comforting Body Butter - I loved this! Its easily absorbed, smells gorgeous and has over taken my favourite body shop butters to become my no1 body butter!

I always buy sun cream from the Solait Range at Superdrug, 

As we haven't had any sun this year and I was shockingly white I thought it was sensible to go for a high factor cream, I got the tan activating version and I could actually tell the different! My legs got a tan for the first time in years!

I got this aftersun as the hotel is next to a nature reserve so I thought there would have been lots of insects but I didn't see any bugs! Or get bitten so either this is the most amazing insect replellent ever or the bug problem was not as bad as I thought it would be....

I took the Green People tan accelerator sun cream that I got in my She Said Beauty box with me to use on my face. It smells like all the other products I have used from Green People. The cream is quite thick, but easily absorbed and didn't break me out.

I didn't notice any tanning over and above how brown my face would normally go (one shade up from porcelain LOL!) but it may be that I spent the week with my head in a book!

Ok this may be strange but I never pack my good makeup as I get scared it will get lost!

RMK Face base - love this but didn't use it at all on holiday!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - Just used a tiny bit of this at night then nothing once my face got a bit of colour

Real Technique Stippling Brush and Powder Brush

Body Shop Blusher Brush

MeMeMe Arch Angel - I bought this just before we went so it was the first time I tried it on holiday, great colour on me as its quite dark.  I will do a post on this once the tint on my eyebrows wears off.

China Glaze Pink Chiffon - used this on my fingers and toes for the week (I did want to take a lot more nail polish but was persuaded by my friends on BBS that I only needed one!)

Lancome Hypnose Mascara - this is a sample size mascara and needed using up so perfect for holidays.

No7 Translucent Face Powder - nice loose powder and does stop me being shiny!

VIVO Palette - used the eyeshadows a few times in the evenings, great colours and I love the blusher its one of my favourites.

Stila Eye Mousse in Copper - this looks great with a tan, didn't crease and stayed on all night.

Two L'oreal Infallible Eyeshadows - I bought these for my holiday as they are waterproof but I didn't use them, oops!

Stila Convertible Colour Lip and Blush in Gladiola - This is not very good on the lips as the staying power is not great and the colour a bit strong for me but as a blush I love it, especially with the copper eye mousse. Easy to blend, great staying power and the colour is beautiful.

Pout Horny Hilda Lipgloss - perfect for the daytime.

MeMeMe Lipstick in China Rose - lovely colour and  as it contains shea butter is very moisturising.

Revlon Colourstay Palette - I didn't use this either!

Thought I would share a few holiday pics with you

The hotel where we stayed in Isla Canela

The harbour in Isla Canela

The beautiful beach, full of shells that my son liked to collect!

The beach went on for miles.

That was a long post wasn't it! Hope you found it interesting, do you have trouble travelling light or knowing what to take with you?

Don't forget to enter my giveaway! I'll be updating it with some more prizes at the weekend!