Glossybox VS Birchbox, November 2018.

Ahh, the second to last Glossybox vs. Birchbox. One more box and I can finally cancel Birchbox! On a month to month basis, both boxes cost £10 which is why I prefer Glossybox. You get much more value for your money.

In November's Birchbox, there are 3 full size items adding up to a value of £22.45. 

Manna Kadar Cosmetics Diamond Dust Roller Eyeshadow in Enchanted (Full Size RRP £15)

"Add a touch of sparkle and shine to your eyeshadow game with this shimmering treat. The rollerball packaging guarantees smooth, easy application and long-lasting colour without any mess or fuss. Just glide it over your eyelids- no brushes required!"

The best thing in this month's box, by far. This is stunning! It's such a gorgeous shade and easy to use, I'm very happy with this.

Sand & Sky Brilliant Skin Purifying Pink Clay Mask

"It's not hard to see why this mask has been an instant hit. The 4-in-1 formula detoxes, invigorates, refines and brightens your complexion with a healthy dose of pink clay. Plus, soothing aloe vera and pomegranate tighten pores for a radiant skin."

I'm really looking forward to trying this as I have heard great things, it's just the size of this sample that bothers me. One use and that's that!

Polaar Night Cream

"Effectively a great night's sleep in a pot, this moisturiser works to brighten your skin overnight. Enriched with boreal algae- an ingredient that reacts to the blue light of the moon to boost cell renewal- you'll wake to a plump, healthy-looking complexion."

I really like the sound of this and this will come in handy as I'm almost out of my Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask.

Dr. PAWPAW Original clear Balm (Full size RRP £3.95)

"Meet Dr. PawPaw- your does-it-all balm! The star ingredient is fermented pawpaw, which might sound strange but boasts natural healing qualities for a multitude of uses. From moisturiser to lip balm and split-end sealer to sunburn-soother, it calms and soothes skins wherever you need it."

I'm just gunna chuck this in my handbag and use it as a lip balm.


Spacemasks Self-Heating Eye Mask (Full size RRP £3.50)

"Unwinding from a stressful day isn't always as easy as it sounds. When you're struggling to switch off, reach for this relaxing Spacemask infused with mood-calming jasmine. A thin layer of iron filings inside the mask entwine with oxygen molecules in the air causing the mask to heat up for soothing results."

This sounds like heaven, I'm gunna be using this tonight!

One of the best Birchboxes I've had but it's not amazing. Next month looks promising though as the sneak peek is a full size Laritzy liquid lipstick.

Onto Glossy box, it contains 2 full size make up items, adding up to a value of £28. 

Huda Beauty Liquid Matte in Venus (full size RRP £18)

"Non-drying, featherweight, densely-pigmented and with a stunning, suedette finish, there’s nothing about Huda Beauty’s Liquid Mattes we’re not obsessed with. Already causing a furore (we’ve been completely inundated with requests for these lip lacquers), the silky formula applies like a lipgloss then dries in moments – cloaking your pout with a smooth, kiss-resistant veil of vibrant colour that won’t smudge, flake or transfer."

Lip products are always my favourite to receive and I'm really excited to finally try something from Huda Beauty. I almost picked up the Faux Filter foundation while in Sephora but talked myself out of buying it. I love the shade of this, it's the perfect nude for me. My highlight of November's box.

Stylondon Eaton Square Eyeshadow Palette (full size RRP £9.99)

"High quality 9 colour palette offers a perfect assortment of colours for all kinds of makeup."

This is a cute little palette. The size would make it ideal for a travel makeup bag.

Novex My Curls Deep Conditioning Hair Mask

"Novex My Curls Deep Hair Mask was created to take your curls and give them movement and lots of hydration. Its formula contains a mix of 7 Nutri functional Oils and Cranberry's, which will give curls more hydration, nutrition and a powerful anti frizz action."

This isn't suited to my hair type at all so this is something I'll be passing on to someone else.

Context Micro-Derm Regenerator

"A two-in-one cleanser and gentle exfoliator enhanced with the same crystals used in professional microdermabrasion treatments. Soothes and purifies skin as it effectively cleanses. Polishes and removes dead skin cells. Powerful antioxidants combine to protect cells and fight free radical damage. Skin is left soft, hydrated, and healthy-looking."

I love adding cleansers to my stash through beauty boxes, it means I haven't had to buy any myself in ages! This sounds interesting with it also being an exfoliator.

Your Good Skin Balancing Skin Concentrate

"Immediate results from day 1 - 95% of women felt softer & smoother skin. By day 14 - 84% noticed brighter skin & 79% noticed more even skin. By day 28 - 77% had less visible skin problems & 88% noticed healthier looking skin."

Another small sample, I'll save this to take in my travel toiletries. It does smell nice though!

We also got an extra treat of a sample of Chloe Eau De Parfum.

I've lost the card that came with this month's Glossybox and I can't remember what the sneak peek for December is. Does anyone know? Let me know down in the comments below!

Danni

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A Disneyland Resort Food Diary.

My only other experience of a Disney park before visiting the OG Disneyland was a day in Disneyland Paris. If you've visited Disneyland Paris, you'll know that the food on offer there are pretty basic theme park offerings. My mind was blown at the difference between the Anaheim and Paris food quality. We had five day tickets but only used them for four but that's more than enough days to do a little food diary post.

We booked a table service restaurant in each park 60 days in advance. For Disneyland, we made reservations in Cafe Orleans. The Monte Cristo available is often cited as a Disneyland must eat. The normal Monte Cristo contains turkey, ham and swiss cheese but we went for the three cheese Monte Cristo which is swiss, mozzarella and double creme brie. The Monte Cristo are deep fried in a light batter, topped with powdered sugar and serves with a berry puree. We also had the pomme frites, which are french fries tossed with garlic, parmesan and parsley and come with a pot of cajun remoulade. we had one of each and shared them between the two of us and it was more than enough. This is one of the most popular restaurants in Disneyland so reservations are necessary as they weren't accepting anyone without them when we visited.

Another Disney must eat, this one isn't just limited to Disneyland as this is also available at WDW. I went for a Dole Whip Float rather than just a standard Dole Whip as Pineapple juice is one of my favourite drinks. This was really refreshing as it was hot (at least for us Brits!) when we visited. This is available from the Tiki Juice Bar.

We also ate at French Market restaurant which is a quick service restaurant is New Orleans Square near to Cafe Orleans. We both had the French Dip Sandwich which comes with in-house seasoned chips and au jus. This was amazing quality for quick service and inside is set up cafeteria style, so they make the sandwich right in front of you.

We couldn't go Disneyland and not get something sweet from Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen on Main Street! Glenn was the chocolate fudge two nights in a row he liked it that much. I had a Cheshire Cat Marshmallow wand.

We visited during Halloween at Disneyland so there were extra food and treats on offer especially. One of these was the Mickey Mummy Macaron, from the Jolly Holiday Bakery. The macaron was cookies and creme flavour. It was great but too big for me to finish.

Another quick service restaurant we ate at was Red Rose Tavern. This is in Fantasyland and is themed to Beauty & The Beast, so trying The Grey Stuff is a must! We also a Slow Cooked Beef Poutine each, which was really filling for the price.

We ate at Disneyland most but Disney California Adventure still had some really great places to eat. I really wanted to eat at Pacific Wharf cafe as they had a bacon and cheddar soup for the Halloween period but we didn't get round to it.

The table service we made reservations in advance for was Wine Country Trattoria. This was the priciest of all the places we ate at in Disneyland but it was worth the money. Glenn had steak and I had Chicken Parmesan. We both had desert too. The cocktails here are really strong!

Mickey Pretzels might be more instaworthy but we both had a jalapeno cheese filled pretzel each instead. 

As if one cheese filled bread wasn't enough, we split a Cheddar Garlic Bagel Twist an hour later from Cozy Cone Motel. We also tried Red's Apple Freeze which we weren't really a fan of. 

We had drinks at the Lamplight Lounge. Food is available here but we stuck to drinks. There's so many to choose from but again, the drinks here are strong!

Have you ate at any of these places in Disneyland? Let me know in the comments below!

Danni
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Sephora, Ulta & Duty Free Haul.

Ulta and Sephora were on my must visit list while in America. Dragging Glenn round three different sephoras and two different ultas was probably not the best idea but there was only mild complaining. I definitely spent more than I probably should have...

Elizabeth Arden Fragrance Free Eight Hour Cream

I picked this up at duty free because I had some dollars left over. Now we're heading into the winter months, I know my dry skin will be even worse. I've been applying this to my lips before bed and I can already notice a difference.

Benefit Hoola Lite

This has been on my wishlist for a while so I got this a duty free with my remaining dollars. This bronzer is aimed at those with fair or pale skin.

Bliss Makeup Melt

Another product I picked up at the airport. Bliss is a brand I've wanted to try properly for a while. The only thing I've used before and still use regularly is the Fabulips lip balm.

Kat Von D Fetish Eyeshadow Palette

I knew I wanted this palette as soon as I saw it on instagram before we even left the UK. For the first week we were there, it wasn't in stores and only on the Sephora website. Two days before we came home, we went in the Sephora in Downtown Disney and it was in store. And I got the last one!

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray

I ran out of my travel size of this a few days into our holiday so I picked this up as it was a necessity. 

Josie Maran Vibrancy Argan Oil Foundation in Dynamic

I knew I wanted this foundation before we left. It's almost impossible to get hold of this in the UK unless you're willing to spend £80 on it! I've been loving using this. It's not cakey and it sits on my skin beautifully.

Bite Sephora Birthday Gift

I got this free for joining beauty insider. It includes samples of the lip scrub and lip balm plus two minis of the lip crayon and a mini lipstick. I've already worn the lipstick since I've been back and it's the perfect autumn shade.

Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer

Another one that was on my list to get. I've really been liking this and I love the scent of it. It reminds me of being on a hot beach.

Ecotools Total Perfecting Blender

Another one I knew I wanted, most of these were on my list due to watching Thataylaa on youtube. I haven't got round to trying this yet and the only reason for that is I also made a last minute purchase at the tills in Ulta.

Beauty Blender Original

I finally gave in. I've always held back from trying out the original beauty blender just because it seems so expensive for what it is. These were right by the till in Ulta and I couldn't help myself.

Catrice Prime and Fine Smoothing Refiner

Catrice was one of the brands I was most interested in checking out and I didn't hesitate in picking up this primer.

Catrice Prime and Fine Professional Contouring Palette in Ashy Radiance

I've heard great things about this contour palette, especially from those with pale skin so I picked two up to keep me going for the next year. I also wanted to get the Dewy Setting spray from Catrice but it wasn't in store.

BH Cosmetics Naturally Flawless Liquid Foundation in Ivory

I honestly don't know what possessed me to buy this, it was spur of the moment decision and I'm not wowed by this foundation but it's always good to have a foundation to use so I don't have to use my more expensive ones all the time.

L-R: Neutrogena HydroBoost in Classic Ivory, BH foundation in Ivory.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Tint in Classic Ivory

I bought this as I have dry skin and thought it would be good to use on work days rather than a proper foundation. I like it but I bought the lightest shade and it's slightly too dark for me.

Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder in Fair Light

I don't need any more loose powders but I'd heard good things about this and as it isn't available in the UK, I thought I may as well get it!

Too Faced Gingerbread Spice Eyeshadow Palette

I didn't have any intention of buying this but I picked it up to look at it and set off the security tag alarm. One of the employees had to take it behind the till to sort it out and I felt so bad that when I was paying I said I'd buy it. You can never have too many eyeshadow palettes, right?

Too Faced Melted Matte Liquid Lipstick in Gingerbread Girl

Melted Matte are one of my favourite formulas of liquid lipsticks and I originally wanted to get my hands on Gingerbead Man but it wasn't in stock so I picked Gingerbread Girl up instead. This is darker than Gingerbread Man but is still such a me shade.

So that's all the makeup and beauty I bought while in America. I did a fair bit of damage but it was worth it!

Have you tried any of these?

Danni

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What I've Been Reading: October 2018.

I lost my groove when it came to reading in October. I started so many books that weren't for me and ended up being deleted from my kindle pretty quickly. I only managed to finish 4 books over the past month. 

Deceived

Lynda O'Rourke

Current Kindle price: £2.32

"For Kassidy Bell and her friends, the race is on to keep ahead of the Cleaners, reach Broken Cove and destroy the coffins. But tensions are running high within the group and the voices inside Kassidy's head are becoming stronger and filling her mind with suspicious thoughts about her friends. Who is Doshia? Which of her friends is hiding the demon?

Knowing her life is in danger in more ways than one, Kassidy puts her trust and hopes into one of the voices she can hear in her head and decides to split from the group and go it alone. But has she put her trust into the wrong hands? Is Kassidy being manipulated by her own paranoia or is there something else more sinister twisting her thoughts?"

The last book in the Kassidy Bell series, it seems like I've been waiting ages for this. I'd actually forgot what had happened during the end of the last book when I started reading this but managed to catch up again quite quickly. This book series has been one of my faves over the last couple of years and I definitely recommend it.

 

All In Pieces

Suzanne Young

Current Kindle price: £8.49

"'Anger-management issues.'

That's how they classified Savannah Sutton after she drove a pencil into her ex-boyfriend's hand because he mocked her little brother, Evan, for being disabled. That's why they sent her to Brooks Academy- an alternative high school that's used as a temporary detention center.

The days at Brooks are miserable, but at home, life is far more bleak. Savvy's struggling to take care of her brother since her mom left years ago, and her alcoholic dad can't be bothered. Life with Evan is a constant challenge, but he's also the most important person in the world to Savvy.

Then there's Cameron, a new student at Brooks with issues of his own; a guy from a perfect family that Savvy thought only existed on TV. Cameron seems determined to break through every one of the walls Savvy's built around herself, except if she lets herself trust him, it could make everything she's worked so hard for fall apart in an instant.

And with her aunt seeking custody of her brother and her ex-boyfriend seeking revenge, Savvy's fighting to hold all the pieces together. But she's not sure how much tighter she can be pulled before she breaks completely."


They may or may not have been some tears shed while reading this. Okay, there definitely was! I was so engrossed in this book, I only wanted the best for Savvy and the last half nearly ruined me. This has been on my to read list for about two years but it was worth the wait.

Secrets, Lies, and Scandals
Amanda K. Morgan

Current Kindle price: £8.49

"Nothing ruins summer vacation like a secret... especially when it involves a dead teacher.

Ivy used to be on top of the social ladder, until her ex made that all go away. She has a chance to be Queen Bee again, but only if the rest of the group can keep quiet.

Tyler has always been a bad boy, but lately he's been running low on second chance. There's no way he's going to lost everything because someone couldn't keep their mouth shut.

Kinley wouldn't describe herself as perfect, though everyone else would. But perfection comes at a price, and there is nothing she wouldn't do to keep her perfect record- one that doesn't include murder charges.

Mattie is only in town for the summer. He wasn't looking to make friends, and he definitely wasn't looking to be involved in a murder. He's also not looking to be riddled with guilt for the rest of his life... but to prevent that he'll have to turn them all in.

Cade couldn't care less about the body, or about the pact to keep the secret. The only way to be innocent is for someone else to be found guilty. Now he just has to decide who that someone will be.

With the police hot on the case, they don't have much time to figure out how to trust each other. But in order to take the lead, you have to be the first in line... and that's the quickest way to get stabbed in the back."


Hmmmm. I did finish this and I did like it, but it reminded me a lot of One Of Us is Lying and that is definitely better than this book. It wasn't bad but I did find the ending disappointing.

All of the Above
Juno Dawson

Current Kindle price: £2.49

"When sixteen-year-old Toria Grand arrives at her new school she needs to work out who her friends are, all in a crazy whirl of worry, exam pressure and anxiety over fitting in. Things start looking up when Toria meets the funny and foul-mouthed Polly, who's the coolest girl Toria has ever seen. Polly and the rest of the 'alternative' kids take Toria under their wing. And that's when she meets the irresistible Nico Mancini, lead singer of a local band- and it's instalove at first sight! Toria likes Nico, Nico likes Toria... but then there's Polly. Love and friendship have a funny way of going round in circles."

My favourite book of the month. When it comes to UKYA, Juno Dawson is one of the authors at the top of the game. I read Say Her Name last year and I loved that too. A definite must read.


What were you reading in October?

Danni

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