23 February 2019

I Don't Understand the BeautyBlender Hype.



Before buying the original Beauty Blender I'd heard so many different versions of "Once you try it, you'll never go back to using a normal beauty sponge." Do I agree with this statement now I actually have tried it? No. Do I think it's worth the extra money? No.

I put off buying a Beauty Blender for so long based on the price. Why would I spend that much on a simple sponge when I could buy a sponge that does a great job for under a fiver?!

But there I was on holiday in the US, ready to buy my Ulta purchases and they had Beauty Blenders right by the tills. I had spending money to spare so I thought 'fuck it, just buy it.'

I honestly hardly reach for it now I have bought it. I find it soaks up more product than other sponges I've tried and I don't think my foundation looks any better using it. My sponge of choice is one I actually bought at the same time, the EcoTools Total Perfecting Blender. I love the fact this is a little less squidgy and has two flat edges, which is something I also like about the Real Techniques sponge and the No 7 one.

My advice here? Don't always believe the hype, what works for someone else might now work for you so don't feel pressured to love a product just because everyone else seems to.

What do you think of the original Beauty Blender? 
What's your favourite brand of makeup sponge?

Danni
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10 February 2019

Glossybox, February 2019



It's February, which means its that time of year where beauty boxes go all Valentines themed. Last year's February Glossybox was one of my absolute faves but how does this one compare?




Inside we have seven items and it's a pretty good variety, especially for the price. Glossybox costs £10 plus £3.25 P&P per month on a rolling subscription basis. But they've just launched a new way to pay, where you can sign up for a year in advance but still pay monthly and that makes the boxes £8.50 plus £3.25 P&P per month. You can also pay upfront for boxes with 3 month, 6 month or 12 month plans being available to choose from.




Huda Beauty Lip Contour in Venus (Full size RRP £16)

"We just love this flirty Lip Contour from beauty expert Huda Kattan. Waterproof and transfer-free, its glides on effortlessly to give your pout an intense shot of colour. Use it to both contour and colour your lips, or pair it with Huda Beauty's Liquid Matte Lipstick for a beautiful matte finish."

Two shades were available in this, Venus or Flirt. I got Venus which is the same shade I got in the liquid lipstick a few month's back so I'm very happy! I'm really loving the addition of all these Huda Beauty products in Glossybox recently.



Luxie Beauty Medium Fan Face Brush 560 (Full size RRP £15)

"Show yourself some love by adding a little shimmer to your complexion with this perfectly-sized fan brush. Its unique shape makes applying powdered highlighters effortless. Sweep it across your cheekbones, brow bones, cupid's bow and nose for a flawless finish."

This is a cute little brush an definitely better quality than the fan brush I normally use for highlight. Brushes in boxes are always a winner.




Mugler Alien Fusion Perfum and Alien Man Fusion (Samples)

"We're treating you to the new Alien Fusion fragrances by Mugler- one for you and one for your special someone."

Me and Glenn are both picky when it comes to fragrance and neither of us liked these but they were a nice little extra to receive.




Nails Inc Status Ready Nail Varnish (Full size RRP £15)

"Long-lasting and super glossy, this sultry nail polish is a fabulously intense, deep cherry red hue. Better yet, it boasts an expertly designed brush that perfectly fits the shape and width of your nail. Giving yourself an immaculate manicure has never been easier!"

I freaking love this shade! My nails are all broken down right now so wearing this will definitely be an improvement. I never tend to buy nail polishes but I really like Nails Inc as I've had a few in boxes before and really love the formula.



Regenerate Enamel Science Advanced Toothpaste (Deluxe Mini worth £2.50)

"There's nothing more charming than a nice smile. Give your teeth a spruce with this regenerating, strengthening and enamel mineral restoring toothpaste. Boasting unique NR-5 ingredients, it reverse the early enamel erosion process, while also giving you pearly-white teeth and fresh, minty breath."

Well, this is my second tube of this and I haven't even opened the first one yet! I thought I'd got my other one in a Birchbox but when I back through my Instagram feed to check, I actually got it in July's Glossybox. So within 8 boxes, there's a repeat item. Not impressed to be honest!



Vitamasques Multivitamin Mask (Full size RRP £4.99)

"Achieve a breathtaking complexion with this pampering Korean face mask. Formulated with nourishing vitamins, it moisturises and hydrates dry skin for a healthy glow."

I love a good sheet mask and this sounds perfect for my dry skin.


What do you think of the February box?

The sneak peek for March is a plumping peppermint and blood orange lip balm by BYBI.

You can see my previous months Glossybox posts by clicking here.

Danni
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2 February 2019

What I've Been Reading: January 2019



A new reading year! I think my total of finished books last year was 73 so that's what I'm aiming to top this year. I only finished 4 in January but for the first time ever, I'm going to include a book I didn't finish in these posts and I'll get into the reason why.





Freeing Carter
Nyrae Dawn
Current Kindle price: £2.30

"His whole life Carter's fought to hold it together: To help Mom run their store. To be there for his special needs sister, Sara, and be the perfect boyfriend Mel wants. To dominate on the basketball court- the only place he ever feels free. And to carry Mom up the stairs when she's too smashed to make it up on her own.

It isn't like she has a problem. Mom loves them. If she doesn't drink every day, she's not really an alcoholic, right?

Wrong.

Then Kira Dawson, a girl with a bipolar wardrobe and rotating hairstyles comes to town. Somehow, she sees the truths he hides from the world. 'You have skeletons too, Carter Shaw. Don't think I don't know it.' For the first time, he wants someone to see his inner scars- to really know him.

When his mom finally goes too far, will Carter be able to man-up, even if it means turning his back on her and stepping out from behind the facade he's fought so hard to keep in place?"

This was a good read but it didn't hook me in so that I had to keep reading it. It took me over a week to finish. I just wasn't invested in the characters much. 




Hollow Pike
Juno Dawson
Current Kindle price: 99p


"Something wicked this way comes....

She thought she'd be safe in the country, but you can't escape your own nightmares, and Lis London dreams repeatedly that someone is trying to kill her.

Lis thinks she's being paranoid- after all, who would want to murder her? She doesn't believe in the local legends of witchcraft. She doesn't believe that anything bad will really happen to her. You never do, do you? Not until you're alone in the woods, after dark- and a twig snaps...

Hollow Pike- where witchcraft never sleeps."

Juno Dawson is one of those author where I know I can buy a book by them and it's automatically going to be good. I loved this, and Say Her Name & All of The Above were the same. I wasn't sure what to expect from the synopsis but this hooked me in from the get go. There are a lot of characters in this but it's easy to keep up with who's who and the storyline is brilliant. A definite recommend.





Paranormal Intruder
Caroline Mitchell
Current Kindle price: £1.99 or free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers


"An innocent family finds itself completely helpless against the sudden onset of paranormal activity in their quiet rural home. A knife embedded in a kitchen cupboard, crockery smashed by invisible hands, and blood-chilling growls emit from thin air.

Caroline and her husband Neil search for answers as they try to protect their family from the unseen entity that seems determined to rip them apart. The biggest question looms over them like a dark cloud... who is going to help us? There are emergency services for many things, but not of this nature. It might be easier to believe temporary insanity, if not for the vast amount of witnesses. Police, fire services, mediums, priests and investigators all become embroiled in the mystery.

The family struggles to cope, and Caroline grows concerned for her husband's failing health as he withdraws from the world. However, the entity has only just begun."


I'd only read one book from Caroline Mitchell before and that was Silent Victim, was of her fiction books. This is a true account of the activities that she and her family were victims of. I'll be honest here, I didn't finish this. Because I was scared shitless! I only read the first few chapters and it gave me nightmares. What I did manage to read was interesting and well written so if this sounds like something you'd want to read, I'd say go for it!




Wishing For Someday Soon
Tiffany King
Current Kindle price: £2.63


"Seventeen year old Katelyn Richards is a stronger person than anyone will know, and that is just the way she wants it. Behind her normal facade lies the reality of a broken home life. Thanks to her abusive mother, a string of deadbeat stepfathers, and an unsympathetic system, Katelyn has learned that the only one she can count on is herself. Her life's mission has become to shield her nine year old brother, Kevin, and to give him the future they both wish for. A life with no more abuse, no worries about where their next meal will come from, and no more wondering is they will have a roof over their heads.

When her mother moves them again, this time to a small town in Montana, Katelyn's resolve is shaken when she meets Max, a cute boy from her new school, who gets a glimpse into her real world. Max slowly manages to break through Katelyn's wall of distrust, stirring up feelings she never saw coming. Now with her world more complicated than she ever intended, Katelyn struggles with the decision to follow her heart into the arms of the first boy she has ever loved. A decision that could risk the promise she made to protect Kevin, and to give them the 'someday soon' that is so close within their grasp."


This is the first book I've read by Tiffany King and I feel the same about this as I did about Freeing Carter. Good story but I wasn't invested in the character, but I did prefer this one out of the two.




Yours Truly
Kirsty Greenwood
Current Kindle price: £2.99 or free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers


"Twenty-seven-year-old Natalie Butterworth is an easy-going girl. She'll do anything for a quiet life and if telling a few teensy white lies keeps her friends and family happy, then so what? It's not like they'll ever discover what she's really thinking... Until one night, thanks to a pub hypnotist, Natalie's most private thoughts begin to bubble up and pop out of her mouth. Things get very messy indeed, especially when some sticky home truths offend her fiance. 

Natalie must track down the hypnotist before the wedding is officially cancelled. So along with bad influence bestie Meg, Natalie finds herself in the Yorkshire parish of Little Trooley- a small village bursting with big secrets, nosy old folk and intriguing Wellington-wearing men. When the girls get stranded in the village with no means of escape and no way to break the hypnotist's spell, Natalie is forced to face the truths she has been avoiding her whole life..."


What an enjoyable read! A light hearted book that had me chuckling to myself as I read it, this is brilliant. The idea behind it is original but believable and I really felt for Natalie, especially when her sister and mum buy her a wedding dress without asking her. 

You can read previous post of What I've Been Reading here.
What were you reading in January?
Have you read any of these before?

Danni
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