Glossybox VS. Birchbox, January 2018.

The start of a new year, the start of new beauty box subscriptions. I'd originally looked at Birchbox back in December but decided that Glossybox was going to be the box for me. Then after christmas I spotted a Groupon deal for £45 off a year subscription to Birchbox... I mean, it would be rude not to, wouldn't it?

So now, I'm subscribed to two beauty boxes with similar price points. (Glossybox is £10 per month plus £3.25 delivery while Birchbox is £10 per month plus £2.95 delivery.) So why not pit the boxes against each other every month and see which one comes out on top?

There are things I like about each specific one which won't change month to month. I like that Birchbox tailors each box to you based on the beauty profile you fill in when you subscribe, meaning there's less chance of a dud product that you won't like. However, Birchbox send their boxes out with Hermes, who despite the tracking saying the box was left "securely in porch" (We don't even have a porch!), they left it sat outside the front door where anyone could have taken it. Glossybox send theirs with Royal Mail and I know that if noone is in, it'll be left with a neighbour or taken back to the delivery office, which isn't a hassle for me to collect it from.

But onto the actual boxes. I love that their both different styles. I've been using Glossyboxes to make compartments in my drawers to seperate my make up. I like Birchboxes drawer style too, I want to use the sleeve part as eyeshadow palette holders.

Glossybox contains 5 products, 4 of which are full size. The overall value of the full size products comes to £89.98, not bad for £10!

Boots Beauty Beneath Supplements (Full size RRP £39.99)
While the idea of these intrigue me, I'm going to be passing these on. I'm not the best at swallowing normal tablets and these beasts are 'effing massive! The box contains a months supply so it is a generous addition to the box, just not for me.

Apicia Cream Blush (Full Size RRP £22)
Let's get the other product I won't be keeping out the way. I'm not a fan of cream blushes but the colour seems nice. It looks quite strong at first but sheers out easily.

Nail Medic Nail and Cuticle Energizer (Full Size RRP £5.99)
I'll be getting use of out this, maybe not as often as I should as I tend to slack when it comes to my nails. This is a good addition.

Evelyn Iona Cosmetics Green Tea Primer (Full Size RRP £22)
This is my favourite thing from this month's box. It's really tacky and definitely made my makeup last longer. It's vegan and cruelty free too.

Dr Botanicals Moroccan Rose Superfood Facial Oil (Travel Size)
This was the sneak peak on December's card and I like this as I've only just gotten into using facial oils. It doesn't have a strong scent, which is good as I'm not keen on rose fragrances.

So out of 5 products, I'll be keeping 3 and giving 2 away.

Birchbox also contains 5 products, only 1 of which is full size.

AfterSpa Amazing Makeup Remover

This is tiny! I've already got 2 big versions of this from Primark. I keep one at home and the other at my boyfriend's so I'm not sure when this mini version will be used. Maybe for a weekend away? It is a lot softer than Primark's version but 2 days and it'll need washing.

Oribe Dry Texturising Spray
I'm looking forward to giving this a try. It'll be interesting to see how it compares to my trusty bastiste. Another one that will be coming on holiday, it's the perfect little travel size.

Lord & Berry Blusher Crayon in Peach (Full Size RRP £15)
This was the product we got to choose this month. There were two shades to choose from, Peach and a pink shade called Carnelia. I really like this, I've never tried blusher in a crayon before. It's super creamy and easy to blend out.

Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner in Charcoal
I really like this too, I don't have any grey eyeliners and this one has a slight shimmer to it. The staying power is really impressive as well.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer in Radiance
This is my favourite product from Birchbox this month. So my favourite from each box was a primer, but this one is my favourite out of the two! I love the glow it gives, so much that I'm considering purchasing the full size when this runs out.

The winner has to be Birchbox! There wasn't a product I didn't like or won't get any use out of.

What are the sneak peaks for next month? I'm really excited about one of them, the other not so much. The one that will probably be a miss for me is the Keeome Silicone Buff Make-Up Applicator which will be in February's Birchbox. I just don't like silicone applicators. I like the sound of the Studio 10 Makeup Mist Glow-Plexion in February's Glossybox. It's a primer, spritz and setting spray all in 1. Yes Please!

Which do you prefer out of these boxes?

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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What I've Been Reading: December 2017.

Another month, another lot of books. Despite the month, I didn't delve into any festive novels and the majority are thrillers. Apart from one author who I'm a big fan of, the rest were all new to me and I was really impressed. I'll definitely be adding  some other novels by the same authors to my to read list! December was a month dedicated to British authors, in fact the whole of 2017 was a year where I discovered some great authors from my home country.

"She's a friendly voice on the phone. But can you trust her? The people who call End of the Line need hope. They need reassurance that life if worth living. But some are unlucky enough to get through to Laura. Laura doesn't want them to hope. She wants them to die. Laura hasn't had it easy: She's survived sickness and a difficult marriage only to find herself heading for forty, unsettled and angry. She doesn't love talking to people worse off than she is. She craves it. But now someone's on to her- Ryan, whose world falls apart when his pregnant wife ends her life, hand in hand with a stranger. Who was this man, and why did they choose to die together? The sinister truth is within Ryan's grasp, but he has no idea of the desperate lengths Laura will go to... Because the best thing about being a good samaritan is that you can get away with murder."

This was such a good introduction to John Marrs. I'll admit it took me about a week to get through this as I did need a few breaks from it. This is one effed up book, but in a good way! Laura is a character that everyone will love to hate but the ending was a little unsatisfying for me, I wanted to see her suffer more!

"'My boyfriend could get into trouble if he gets caught. He could go to jail.' I moan softly. 'So could I.' 'Anything you tell me is completely confidential.' I sigh deeply. What have I got to lose? 'I wouldn't know where to begin.' 'At the beginning?' she says. 'In your own words.' So that's what I do. I start at the beginning like she says. The day I met Suzie. 

Indigo (Indie) rings the samaritans. She is frightenedd and desperate with on one to turn to. Over the course of one long night, Indie tells her story to the person on the end of the phone. She realises that her friend Suzie has taken over her home, her friends, her work, her boyfriend- and her life. After every few chapters, we are brought back to the present moment, and see how piecing the story together helps Indie progress towards resolution."

This was good but probably my least favourite of December. I think I'm too old for this book, but obviously I'm not the target audience. This would be best for early teens rather than young adult but the writing was good and the way the story is told through Indie's phone call to the samaritans is executed very well.

"Your husband goes out to buy a newspaper. He never comes back. Months later, an unexpected phone call puts you and your daughter in unimaginable daughter. Even if he were still alive, your husband can't save you now. He yold you way too many lies for that."

I like that the synopsis on this is short and sweet. I went into this with almost no expectations and ended up loving it. It was easy to see where this was heading plot wise but there were twists and turns along the way and the conclusion made the journey worth it. On the back of this, Samantha Hayes is an author I definitely want to read more of.

"The perfect daughter. The perfect girlfriend. The perfect murder? Jenna is given another shot at life when she receives a donor heart from a girl called Callie. Eternally grateful to Callie and her family, Jenna gets closer to them, but she soon discovers that Callie's perfect family is hiding some very dark secrets... Callie's parents are grieving, yet Jenna knows they're only teller her half the story. Where is Callie's sister Sophie? She's been 'abroad' since her sister's death but something about her absence doesn't add up. And when Jenna meets Callie's boyfriend Nathan, she makes a shocking discovery. Jenna knows that Callie didn't die in an accident. But how did she die? Jenna is determined to discover the truth but it could cost her everything; her loved ones, her sanity, even her life."

Louise Jensen is an author who has appeared fairly regularly. I'd already read The Sister and The Surrogate, so reading The Gift was a no brainer. This is probably my second favourite after The Sister and was a rollercoaster read. Louise Jensen is up there with my favourite authors now, any future book releases of hers will always to on my to read and if you haven't read any of the three books I've mentioned, I recommend you get your mitts on them!

"Maria Weston wants to be friends. But Maria Weston is dead. Isn't she? 

1989. When Louise first notices the new girl who has mysteriously transferred late into their senior year, Maria seems to be everything the girls Louise hangs out with aren't. Authentic. Funny. Brash. Withing just a few days, Maria and Louise are on their way to becoming fast friends.

2016. Louise receives a heart-stopping email: Maria Weston wants to be friends on Facebook. Long-buried memories quickly rise to the surface: those first days of their budding friendship; cruel decisions made and dark secrets kept; the night that would change all their lives forever. Louise has always known that if the truth ever came out, she could stand to lose everything. Her job. Her son. Her freedom. Maria's sudden reappearance threatens it all, and forces Louise to reconnect with everyone she'd severed ties with to escape the past. But as she tries to piece together what happened that night, Louise discovers more to the story than she ever knew. To keep her secret, Louise must first uncover the whole truth, before what's known to Maria- or whoever's pretending to be her- is known to all."

This is Laura Marshall's debut novel and also my favourite novel I read in December. The novel flips between 2016 and flashbacks to Louise's schooldays in 1989. This was such a great read one I can't recommend highly enough. I didn't see the twist at the end coming at all, it was such a surprise. What a book to finish 2017 on!


You can check out my previous What I've Been Reading posts by clicking here.
What were you reading in December? Have you read any of these before?
If you have any recommendation, be sure to pop a comment on this post so I can check them out.
You can also follow me on Bloglovin to stay up to date with new posts or follow me on Twitter (Danni_Ranger) or Instagram (danniranger)

Danni

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Primark Beauty Favourites.

Primark's beauty section can be quite hit and miss but it's amazing when you find a hidden gem amongst some of the more bargain basement style products. Also, not every Primark carries the same products and some products tend to disappear after a while so even if you do fancy trying something or repurchase something, there isn't always a guarantee you'll be able to get your hands on it. But I thought I'd do a post on my favourite products anyway as I think most of these are still available in most Primarks still!

Starting with base products, all of these are from the PS Pro range which I'm a big fan of. I suffer from redness quite badly so buying the colour correcting primer was a no brainer. Don't hold me to this, but I think it costs £5. It definitely does what it says and is a great primer to use during the summer as it also has SPF 30. On the days when I want to use a different primer, I use the Longwear CC concealer instead. I can't remember how much this cost but it's worth the money as a little goes a long way. The Longwear Mineralized Foundation SPF 15 is my go to everyday foundation. It only costs £5 and has really good coverage. I use the shade Porcelain which is the lightest and a spot on match for me. If you have pale skin and struggle to find a drugstore foundation fair enough, this might be one to check out. I have dry skin and it doesn't cling to any dry patches or break apart on my nose, which can be a problem with other foundations. I'm not sure how well it lasts on oily skin but for a fiver, it's definitely worth giving a try. I've also seen reviews saying it's a good dupe for Estee Lauder's Double Wear but I've never tried it so can't really give an opinion on that.

Let's talk about the Mermaid Glow Highlighting Powder. If you like a subtle highlight, this is not for you! I want to say this was £3... And so worth the money! I reach for this quite a lot, it's perfect on my pale skin but wouldn't work on darker skin tones. I'm not sure if this is still in stores either.

Onto liquid lipsticks, I've tried the normal PS ones and I was not a fan of the formula. I got rid of them straight away. The PS Pro Kiss Proof Liquid Matte Lipsticks however, are a welcome addition to my makeup collection. I have the shades Nude In private (pinky nude), Rouge in Danger (dark berry) and Dark in Tension (berry toned brown.) These dry down quite quickly and the staying power is impression for Primark and the cheap price.

I don't think it'll be a surprise to see the Velvet Matte Lipstick Crayons included here as everyone seems to already know how great these are. For £2, these are a steal. The Precious Metals Lip Crayons are a newer edition and ones I actually left the stickers on so I know the shade names! The more coppery one, 24K dip, is my favourite of the two and these apply beautifully. Like the Velvet Matte, these also only cost £2 each.

I wouldn't be without the PS Pro Make Up Melt now. This is a dream for removing makeup and it smells gorgeous! Even if I use something else, like micellar water,  to remove a full face of makeup, I will take a tiny bit of this on my lashes to remove waterproof mascara as it makes it come off so easily. A definite repurchase as long as Primark don't get rid of it!

What are your Primark hidden gems? Have you tried any of these?

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

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Glossybox, December 2017.

Since cancelling my Look Incredible subscription, I'd been in two minds whether I wanted to try another beauty box. I did subscribe to Dollibox but my first box was their last ever box, so that relationship ended before it even really began! I looked at both Glossybox and Birchbox as they are of a similar price and Glossybox won out for me.

December's box was my first box and I also got a Secret Santa box for free as I signed up using the code SANTA. The secret santa boxes will be a past glossybox and I got the October 2016 box. I actually received the free box before my normal box and I really liked the mix of products I got in it. The products inside included a primer, a lipstick, a facial scrub, a cheek stain, a body oil and a shampoo. Four out of the six products were full size, with a value totalling around the £60 mark and I got them all for free!

But onto the December box! I had to wait a to receive this as it actually got lost and never made it to my house but Glossybox's customer service team quickly sorted this and sent me a replacement.

From what I've seen, the contents can vary but I'm not sure how they decide what products each subscriber gets.

Kryolan Eyeshadow Primer (Full size RRP £18.30)
I've never heard of this brand before but that is the beauty of subscription boxes. I haven't tried it out yet but I have high hopes for it considering the RRP.

LAQA & Co Cloud Lips in Daydream (Full size RRP £12.70)
This is my favourite product from the box. It's such a beautiful pinky nude shade, it's matte without being too drying. What is there not to like?! Plus, the packaging is gorgeous. It doesn't have the best staying power but I know I'm going to be reaching for this a lot!

Lypsyl Mirror Compact (Full size RRP £4.99)
I have a ton of lip balms I'm working my way through but I love that this comes with a mirror. It's very handbag friendly as you can just chuck it in and go!

Steve Laurant Precision Tip Eyeliner (Full size RRP £18)
I used to be such an eyeliner junkie back in the days of Myspace. These days I have a fair few eyeliners sitting in my drawer that are mostly left untouched. But it is a staple product to have and I really like the tip of this one.

Naobay Equilibria Gel to Milk Cleanser (Full size RRP £15.99)
I do love a good cleanser but I find getting them in beauty boxes to be a bit hit and miss as what works for one person, can have the opposite effect on another. This one however sounds like it's going to be a hit for me. I suffer from dry combination skin so the fact that this has almond oil in sounds great.

Glossybox is a monthly subscription which costs £10 per month plus £3.25 P&P. You can save 20% on your first box by clicking here.

Do you have any beauty boxes?
What did you think to this month's Glossybox?

What I've Been Reading: November 2017.

I feel like I've been on a reading downer this month. It took me longer to finish the books I chose and out of the five that I finished, I only properly loved one!

"Tess and Gus are meant to be. They just haven't met properly yet. And perhaps they never will... Today is the first day of the rest of your life is the motto on a plate in the kitchen at home, and Tess can't get it out of her head, even though she's in Florence for a final, idyllic holiday before university. Her life is about to change forever- but not in the way she expects. Gus and his parents are also on holiday in Florence. Their lives have already changed suddenly and dramatically. Gus tries to be a dutiful son, but longs to escape and discover what sort of person he is going to be. For one day, the paths of an eighteen-year-old girl and boy criss-cross before they return to England. Over the course of the next sixteen years, life and love will offer them very different challenges. Separated by distance and fate, there's no way the two of them are ever going to meet each other properly... or is there?"
This is a cute book but it took me a while to finish it as the story does drag on. I though all the near misses between the two main characters were done very well, especially one where they are both on a flight to New York. It just felt like I was waiting to long before the obvious conclusion. A good book, but one I won't be rereading in the future.

"A single choice can change everything. Lena Wise is always looking forward to tomorrow, especially at the start of her senior year. She's  ready to pack in as much friend time as possible, to finish college application, and to maybe let her childhood best friend Sebastian know how she really feels about him. For Lena, the upcoming year is going to be epic- one of opportunities and chances. Until one choice, one moment, destroys everything.  Now Lena isn't looking forward to tomorrow. Not when friend time may never be the same. Not when college applications feel all but impossible. Not when Sebastian might never forgive her what happened. For what she let happen. With the guilt growing each day, Lena knows that her only hope is to move on. But how can she move on when she and her friends' entire existences have been redefined? How can she move on when tomorrow isn't even guaranteed?"

Jennifer Armentrout can do no wrong in my eyes. She is one of my favourite authors and this lived up to my expectations. In case you hadn't guessed by know, this was the one book that I really loved in November. Honestly, if you haven't read any of Jennifer Armentrout's books, I highly recommend you check them out. The Lux Series is one of my favourites.

"Alex Taylor wakes up tied to an operating table. The man who stands over her isn't a doctor. The offer he makes her is utterly unspeakable. But when Alex re-awakens, she's unharmed- and no one believes her horrifying story. Ostracised by her colleagues, her family and her partner, she begins to wonder if she really is losing her mind. And then she meets the next victim."

I'm a little on the fence with this one. I almost stopped reading halfway through as my interest started to wane, but I stuck with it and I didn't end up regretting it so that's something! The story itself is a little far fetched but I was surprised by the ending. I didn't hate it but I wouldn't recommend it either.

"Harper has tried to forget the past and fit in at expensive boarding school Duncraggan Academy. Her new group of friends are tight; the kind of girls who Harper knows have her back. But Harper can't escape the guilt of her twin sister's Jenna's death, and her own part in it- and she knows noone else will ever really understand. But new girl Kirsty seems to get Harper in ways she never expected. She has lost a sister too. Harper finally feels secure. She finally feels... loved. As if she can grow beyond the person she was when Jenna died. Then Kirsty's behaviour becomes more erratic. Why is her life a perfect mirror of Harper's? And why is she so obsessed with Harper's lost sister? Soon, Harper's closeness with Kirsty begins to threaten her other relationships, and her own sense of identity. How can Harper get back to the person she wants to be, and to the girls who mean the most to her?"

This is probably my second favourite book of November. A thrilling look at the relationships between teenage girls at a boarding school, but for me, the ending didn't quite live up to the build up. I much prefer Torn, one of Cat Clarke's other books, to this one.

"Sarah Roberts used to be good. Then she did something bad. Very bad. Now, years later, she's living a good life. She works as a local newspaper reporter and lives with her saintly boyfriend Jonathan. She has no reason to think her guilty past will ever catch up with her. Until Nick walks back into her life. And suddenly, what's good and bad aren't so clear ro Sarah any more."

When I don't enjoy a book, I'll usually give up and start another one. But a rare thing happened and I actually finished I Did a Bad Thing. I loved Linda Green's newest novel, After I've Gone, when I read that earlier this year so I did have some expectations for this going in.... But I hated it. There are no redeemable qualities about any of the characters and Sarah constantly pissed me off. This book is a just a merry go round of the two main characters cheating on their partners and feeling guilty. Don't bother to read this but do check out After I've Gone as that is an absolute banger of a book!


If you want to check out previous posts of what I've been reading, just click here.
You can also follow me on Bloglovin to stay up to date with new posts.