Glossybox VS Birchbox, May 2018.

If you're a regular reader here, you might have realised that I haven't been particularly impressed with Birchbox as a whole. I was already subbed to Glossybox and saw a Groupon deal for a year subscription to Birchbox so thought it would be interesting to compare the two for the duration of a year. It's only really cemented my love for Glossybox and made me regret buying that Groupon. Maybe May can turn it around?!

Birchbox costs £10 plus £2.95 postage on a month to month basis. The box includes 5 items, all sample or travel sizes. No full sizes here!

Doucce Luscious Lip Stain in Steaming Red
Firstly, let's discuss the shade name... Nothing about the shade is red! It's more of a pink-toned nude. Subscribers could choose between the two shades but I wasn't bothered and I just clicked surprise me. It would be interesting to see what the other shade, Amber Rose, looks like it comparison to this. This is a standard liquid lipstick, dries down matte and seems to have good staying power. Just a shame it's so small.

Greenfrog Botanic Geranium & Peppermint Botanical Bodywash
This is something I won't be keeping. I don't have a problem with it but the description says it's great for psoriasis and this is something my Dad suffers with, so I think he'll find this useful.

Native Unearthed Activated Charcoal Natural Deodorant Balm
This is interesting and I'll be definitely giving it a go! If I like it, I'll probably by a full size as £7.99 doesn't sound too bad of a price.

Marcelle New Age Precision 8-in-1 Power Serum
I've already got a few serums to work my way through but these small samples definitely come in handy for travelling or weekend trips.

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner
I just got a full sized fat version of this in April's Glossybox and I didn't keep that so I won't be keeping this either. I don't wear eyeliner that often, so I don't need anymore when I already have my favourites.

Glossybox costs £10 plus £3.25 postage on a month to month basis. This month includes 3 full size products, 2 travel sizes and an extra bonus sample!

Gelspa Just For Feet- Luxury Jelly Foot Soak (Full size RRP £4.99)
This sounds great, I just need to get a bowl or something to do it in. The box includes two sachets, one to turn water into your jelly soak and the other to turn it back into liquid so you can dispose of it.

Maria Nila True Soft Shampoo & Conditioner (Travel size RRP £3.98 each)
I've passed these on as the back says they're great for dry hair and mine is oily but for travel sizes, they're quite generous.

Trifle cosmetics Praline Palette (Full size RRP £15.55)
This is a cute little palette. I hadn't tried anything by Trifle Cosmetics before so I didn't know what kind of quality to expect but I was very happy when I swatched the shades. My favourite is definitely the coppery shade on the end. This would be a good palette for travelling as it's so dinky but still has 6 shades in, albeit no matte shades.

Kueshi Double Effect Makeup Remover for Eyes & Sensitive Areas (Full size RRP £10.50)

I'm always happy to have more makeup remover, especially ones this size which would be great for travel. This even works on waterproof makeup too so I'll be reaching for this a lot.

We Are Tea Earl Grey Supreme Black Tea
I'm so common when it comes to tea, if it ain't breakfast tea, I'm not having it. It's nice to get a extra bonus treat though and I know this is something Glossybox tends to do quite regularly, like the chocolates in the December box.

As usual, Glossybox is my favourite for another month. I expect the same next month, truth be told. I already know I'll be cancelling Birchbox when my year subscription comes to an end.

I'm not too bothered about wither of the sneak peeks for next month, but if you're interested, this is what we'll be getting in June.

What do you think to May's boxes? Do you get either of these?

Danni
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Glossybox VS. Birchbox, February 2018.

Another month, another lot of beauty boxes. I was really impressed with my first ever Birchbox last month, so much that I preferred the contents over January's Glossybox. So how do February's offerings compare?

I love both box designs this month. Birchbox offered a choice of 3 designs. I went for the '80s design over the '70s and '90s, however the choice of box doesn't affect the choice of products inside. Glossybox have a special Galentines Day design rather than the usual pastel pink box. I'm going to be keeping both to use as extra makeup storage.

Birchbox products are supposed to be tailored to the beauty profile to fill in when joining, so I have a few niggles this month. I received a couple of hair products for the complete opposite of my hair type! What is the point of the profile if I'm going to get products I won't use? I did tweet Birchbox to voice my concerns and they've said this is something they'll look into I won't have the same outcome next month.

The Beauty Crop Eyeshadow Trio in Love You So Latte (Full Size RRP £7)This will definitely be a handy trio for travelling and the shadows themselves are pretty pigmented. This is a birchbox exclusive but I'm not exactly blown away by it (especially compared to the eyeshadow in Glossybox but we'll get to that later!)

Model Co Green Concealer (Full Size £14)This is a product that actually targets one of my skin concerns as I did mark on my profile that I suffer from redness. I'll give this a go but I have a green liquid concealer and I much prefer that over cream products.

Percy & Reed Quite Frankly Flawless Finishing PolishI'm going to be giving this product a miss. This was included in everyone's box so I knew I was getting this but it just isn't something I'll use.

Luseta Coconut Milk Hair MaskMy hair gets oily quite quickly and I go through dry shampoo like noone's business so I really don't want to be adding more moisture to my hair! Hard pass and the product that lead to me tweeting Birchbox.

Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm in Pixi Pink (Full Size RRP £8)I'll always use any lip balm that come my way, my lips need all the help they can get in this weather.

Pixi Lip Balm, Model Co Green Concealer & The Beauty Crop Eyeshadow Trio.

Glossybox's lineup is much more makeup heavy, which is my favourite kind of box! The card has changed slightly, so instead of showing exactly what's inside your box, you'll receive 5 selected products of the 8 mentioned on the card. I'm not sure how they work out who gets what but I'm very happy with what I got.

Ciate Paint Pot in Goal Digger (Mini Size RRP £6)
This shade is described as a metallic rose-gold topped with a silver shimmery finish. Yes, yes to everything about this shade! There are various shades in this month's Glossybox but I don't think I could of gotten a better shade than this. Very happy.

Studio10 Beauty Makeup Mist Glow-Plexion (Travel Size £14)
I have high hopes for this little thing, just based on the price alone. There's 15ml of product with an RRP of £14, yet Urban Decay's travel size of All Nighter Setting Spray is £9 for 30ml. It'll be interesting to see how the two compare. This can also be used as a primer spray, so a good multitasker for a travel makeup bag.

Steve Laurant Nude Pop Lip Tint (Full Size RRP £17)
I'm going to say this is a tinted lip balm, though the box it comes in says it's a lip gloss?! I'm much more excited about this than the lip balm in Birchbox. It's a subtle peachy colour and comes in a glass pot with a rose gold lid. As lip balms go, the packaging is very luxurious. This is the second Steve Laurant product over 3 months with Glossybox and I'm a big fan of what I've tried so far.

Icona Milano Emotion Allowed Waterproof Mascara (Full Size RRP £15)
I'm very picky with mascaras as my lashes are utter crap. Getting mascaras in beauty boxes means I don't have to spend money on them to find out it doesn't work for me at all. If I find one I like this way, I can always repurchase it and if I don't like it, I haven't spent a lot for nothing! I'm a big fan of waterproof mascaras as my lashes tend to hold a curl for longer so I'm looking forward to giving this a try.

Sleek Makeup i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette in Storm (Full Size RRP £8.99)
Those colours! This palette puts the little trio in Birchbox to shame. Sleek is one of my favourite brands but I've never tried any of their eyeshadows before. Now I'm kicking myself for not trying them sooner. These shadows are very pigmented without being chalky and the shimmers are absolutely stunning.

So which box is the best this month?
Well, it has to be Glossybox. Considering both boxes cost £10, Glossybox gives you more bang for your buck and I'm just overall more impressed with their lineup this month. If I was subscribed to Birchbox on a month to month basis, I'd be considering cancelling but I got a Groupon deal for a years subscription so I'm hoping they up their game for March.

There's no sneak peek for March on the Glossybox card but I'm intrigued by Birchbox's. Subscribers will be getting a choice between a Blaq Hydrogel Eye Mask or a Blaq Peel Off Mask. I'll be going for the mask!

What do you think to February's boxes? Are you subscribed to either of these?

Don't forget you can follow me on Bloglovin to stay up to date with new posts.

Danni

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Kat Von D Saint & Sinner Eyeshadow Palette.

I've been meaning to do a post about this palette since christmas, as this was one of my presents. I was going to buy this myself using Debenhams vouchers I'd had for my birthday but they'd already sold out by that time. Lucky for me, my boyfriend ordered it from America as he knew I wanted it!

In the lead up to christmas day, he actually kept dropping hints about how well he'd done this year and how much I would love it. When I asked if it was the Saint & Sinner palette, his poker face didn't slip at all! When he started filming on his phone when I was unwrapping it, my immediate thought was that it was some elaborate proposal! It obviously wasn't but theres always next year...

It's such a beautiful palette that I just wanted to keep it pristine a while longer before getting swatch happy for a blog post. I've seen online a few people have been depotting the shadows so they can arrange them in an order that makes more sense to them but I would never want to do that as the packaging is gorgeous.

I'm really impressed with the quality of the shadows. These are the first eyeshadows I've tried by Kat Von D and they're probably some of the most pigmented shadows I've ever used.

I definitely prefer the right side of the palette, I'm all about the bright colours recently.

L-R: Amen, Sacred Heart, Chalice, Immaculate, Worship, Absolution.

L-R: Baptism, Rosary, Cathedral, Crucifix, Heaven, Sanctuary.

L-R: Revelation, Devil, Martyr, Ashes, Sabbath, Rapture.

L-R: Stigmata, Relic, Exorcism, Exodus, Ministry, Vestment.

Those last 6 shades though! How stunning are those shimmer shades?
I love Kat Von D as a brand, I've been impressed with everything I've tried so far and I definitely need some more KVD in my life!

Have you tried any KVD eyeshadow palettes?

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Danni

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Makeup Revolution Mint Chocolate Eyeshadow Palette.

When my boyfriend's mum asked me what I wanted for christmas, I knew the answer had to be an eyeshadow palette. But which one? I didn't want to ask for something that was going to break the bank so Makeup Revolution is always a go to, especially after falling in love with their shadows through the Soph palette.

Their chocolate bar palettes were obviously started as dupes for the Too Faced chocolate bar palettes but now outnumber the originals. I definitely prefer the packaging of Too Faced but Makeup Revolution wins for the variety. I almost asked for the newly released Chocolate Orange palette but in the end I had to go for the Mint Chocolate palette.

I love the shade range in this palette and the shadows themselves are highly pigmented. There is a little fall out but nothing overwhelming. I just wish the shade names were actually on the packaging instead of on a clear sheet that I'm obviously going to lose at some point in the near future! It includes a big mirror (bigger than the ones in the Too Faced versions) so this would be a good palette to travel with.

These swatches are just one swipe, no dipping back in to built it up here! The shimmers are the real star of the show for me. Distorted and Commotion are my favourite shades. (Can I just take a moment to express my disappointed that the shade names have nothing to do with mint or chocolate?!) This is easily going to become one of my most used palettes for this year.

The Mint Chocolate palette is available at the TAM beauty website here and it only costs £8.99.

Have you tried any of these palettes? Which chocolate palette is your favourite?

Danni

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Look Incredible Deluxe Box, August 2017.

I've been such a slacker lately, seeing how I'm only just getting round to reviewing the contents of the August Look Incredible deluxe box. The box costs £35 a month and contains full sized luxury beauty items. This month contains 4 products, instead of the usual 5 but one of the products more than makes up for that!

Too Faced Funfetti Eyeshadow Palette (RRP £30)
Too Faced are my favourite brand when it comes to eyeshadow palettes so I'm super pleased with this addition! I believe this palette was exclusive to Selfridges in the UK but isn't available to buy anymore. All the shades in this palette are extremely versatile, I can't wait to have a play around with it.

Nars Velvet Lip Liner in Patong Beach (RRP £18)
Lip liners are the one product I could actually do with more of, so any that appear in Look Incredible boxes are a welcome sight. I love the colour of this, especially now that we're heading into autumn.

Kiehl's Powerful Strength Eye Brightening Concentrate (RRP £39)
I'm umming and ahhing over whether to give this a go. I've never tried any Kiehl's products before so I'm curious, especially given the price tag how well this will work. The powerful strength claim worries me a bit as I do suffer from sensitive skin around my eyes but I could really use getting rid of my dark circles! I'm going to use it sparingly to see how my skin reacts before going full out with this but I've got my fingers crossed!

Mac Nail Lacquer in Texturise (RRP £13)
I'm so not a nail person, I rarely have to patience so I'm disappointed with this. This seems to be a top coat, though I know other boxes last month actually got some really nice shades. This will be added to my small stash but I can't see myself reaching for it much.

What do you think to this edition? The september box is already on it's way and I'm hoping for higher things. Even though I loved the makeup products, I'm unsure on the other two products but I still love this subscription!

TK Maxx beauty haul.

During my visit to Liverpool, I made sure to check out the beauty section of TK Maxx. The selection of products was better than any I'd seen at my local TK Maxx, which is probably why I left with my purse £65 emptier.

So, seeing as I managed to pick up eight products in total, I thought I'd show you what I managed to get!

Nip + Fab Hyaluronic Fix Body Gel (RRP £7.99, paid £3.99)

This body gel is formulated with hyaluronic acid for intensive hydration, something I'm not going to say no. I can get quite dry skin at times so I'm looking forwards to giving this a try. I'm not crazy on the scent but if it works and gives me softer skin, it is something I'll be able to look past.

Bliss Fabulips Softening Lip Balm (RRP £12.50, paid £3.99)
So, as well as dry skin, my lips also suffer from dryness. The other lip balms I have don't do a great job so I decided to get this. I've been using it since I bought it and can honestly say that this is the best lip balm I've ever used.

The Balm Voyage vol. 2 palette (RRP £36, paid £16.99)

So, recently I've been looking at maybe subscribing to Look Incredible's deluxe box but I've decided to wait and see how consistent the quality of the boxes are. They seem great so far, and this palette that I picked up at TK Maxx is also a product in this month's deluxe box. So I'm glad I hadn't subscribed. Maybe next month? We'll see. I'm going to hold out to see what May's box is like.

Anyway, this palette... Isn't it stunning?! You get 9 eyeshadows, a luminizer, a bronzer, 2 blushers and 2 lip & cheek stains. The fold down bit on the bottom even gives 4 combinations of the best looks. And as always with The Balm, the packaging is adorable.

Cargo California Throwback 3-in-1 Magnetic Palette (paid £4.99)
This bargain was only £4.99. I can't seem to find any info on this palette or the RRP so I'm assuming it wasn't around long before being discontinued? Who knows! But for less than a fiver, I'm not complaining! The palette itself contains 4 magnetic parts, which are designed to look like polaroids. Cute! You get 4 eyeshadows, 1 blusher, 1 swimmables bronzer and 4 lip glosses. Definitely worth the money.

Lancome Hypnose Star Waterproof Mascara (RRP £23.50, paid £16.99)
When it comes to makeup, I've never been much of a mascara girl. I used it and tried different brands, but apart from making them look blacker, I never felt like I could see much difference. But in the last month or so, I've definitely branched out with the mascara I've been using. I bought the Maybelline The Falsies Push Up Drama and I LOVE it, so I'd thought I'd try out some more mascaras and really get out of my comfort zone! I've only worn this Lancome mascara once so far but I really like the effect it had on my lashes.

Cargo Better Than Waterproof Mascara (RRP £14, paid £4.99)
The box claims that this doesn't melt, smudge or run but can be removed easily with warm water and gentle pressure. I haven't tried it yet so we'll see. Reviews online seemed to be quite mixed with this mascara but I'm going to give it a go and see how I like it.

Cargo Oil Free Foundation in 10 (RRP £22, paid £3.99)
Yep, another Cargo product!
"This lightweight, oil-free yet ultra hydrating foundation blends beautifully to a silky finish. The versatile formula is buildable for medium to full coverage."
I picked this up in the lightest shade and I'm excited to try it out. Reviews online seem good so fingers crossed I get on well with this, especially for £3.99! I'm not thrilled with the packaging... For a high end brand, it seems a little... cheap. But it will be handy for putting in a travel make up bag.

Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Cool Radiance Highlighter in 01 First Mate (RRP £25, paid £9.99)
I've definitely been getting into highlighters a lot more recently so didn't hesitate to grab this when I saw it... The nautical themed packaging may have swayed me towards getting it too! It's very shimmery and has quite a few big chunks of glitter in it, so honestly, I'm not too sure how well I'm going to like this when I get round to trying it. This may have to be saved for nights out, when I don't want my highlight to be quite so subtle.

So that's what I got from TK Maxx. What do you think of these products? Have you tried any of these?

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Cargo Vintage Escapes palette

A browse of the beauty section of the TKMaxx website led to a spontaneous purchase which I'm extremely happy with. While showing restraint and holding back on adding some single Nars eye shadows and the balm products to my basket, I did pick up the Cargo Vintage Escape palette. 

I know this palette was in a cohorted box sometime last summer, when the monthly boxes were still on a first come, first served basis.

This palette has an RRP of £35 but TKMaxx were selling it for £7.99. I didn't even need to think twice about buying it.

The palette is packaged in a leather casing, giving it a super sleek look and the shades inside the palette are gorgeous. I can already tell from a quick couple of swatches, that cinnamon is going to be my favourite shade!