What I've Been Reading: April 2018.

I managed to go over my monthly reading average in april, making a total of 7 books I managed to finish. I say that as I gave up on one book over halfway through. Usually I know a couple of chapters in if it's going to be something I regret buying from the kindle store but this certain book kept me hanging on til I couldn't force myself to read anymore. You know those books where the plot gets more ridiculous the longer you read? Yeah, that's some reading time I won't get back!

Losing It
Cora Carmack

Current Kindle price: £2.49

"As far as Bliss Edwards can tell, she's the last virgin standing, certainly amongst her friends. And she'd determined to deal with the 'problem' as quickly and simply as possible.
But her plan for a no-strings one night stand turns out to be anything but simple. Especially when she arrives for her first class and recognises her hot new British professor.
She'd left him naked in her bed just 8 hours earlier..."

I'm so on the fence with this one. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. There are some funny moments and I like the majority of the characters, but my main problem is the professor... or at least the way he's written. It's the usual British stereotype character adopted by most American authors.

We Were Liars

E. Lockhart
Current Kindle price: £2.99

"We are the Liars.
We are beautiful, privileged and live a life of carefree luxury..
We are cracked and broken.
A story of love and romance.
A tale of tragedy.
Which are lies?
Which is truth?"

I was so disappointed with this. You've probably at least heard of this book before, there is definite hype surrounding it and for me, it didn't really live up to it.

The Importance Of Getting Revenge
Amanda Abram
Current Kindle price: £2.83

"17-year-old Lexi Turner has just been dumped by her boyfriend of three years- on the day she was, well, going to 'do it' with him. And to make matters worse, he dumped her for a life-force-sucking-demon!
Devastated by this turn of events, she decides there is only one way to deal with this situation: Get revenge!
Enter Jase Holloway- Lexi's former childhood friend and adversary to her ex. The plan is simple: somehow talk Jase into pretending to be her boyfriend to make her ex-boyfriend jealous, make him regret dumping her and make him come crawling back to her on his hands and knees, begging for forgiveness...
With Jase on board, Lexi is sure she'll get the revenge she deserves. But nothing's ever that simple, and Lexi soon finds out firsthand that sometimes what you want is not always what you get- and sometimes what you get is what you wanted all along."

This was a cute story, I liked it. It's a little cliched but in this case, it's not a bad thing. Amanda Abram is definitely an author I want to read more of after reading this.

Twenty Boy Summer
Sarah Ockler
Current Kindle price: £2.49

"According to Anna's best friend, Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie- she'd already had her romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago."

I really enjoyed this. It made me crave a holiday at the beach, or at least made me wish I was reading it on the beach, basking in the sunshine. I was dreading the moment Frankie found out and it didn't disappoint! This is amazing, especially for a debut novel, you can bet I'll be adding more by Sarah Ockler to my to-read list.

Existence
Abbi Glines
Current Kindle price: free!

"Throughout her life, Pagan Moore has seen souls. They don't speak to her but they know she sees them. It's a part of her life she keeps hidden from everyone else. She's different...
And he knows it.
Pagan begins seeing him everywhere. In her classroom and her bedroom. The soul is stalking her and she can't make him go away. Everything is different with him. Beginning with the fact he speaks to her. Just when she thinks he's gone, her world completely changes.
He is Death and he's about it break all the rules."

I think the idea behind this is interesting and it is really well written but it didn't hook me enough to read the rest in the series. If you have a kindle, I do recommend getting this as it is currently free on the kindle store.

The Distance Between Us
Kasie West
Current Kindle price: £4.49

"Money can't buy a good first impression.
Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers learnt early that the rich are not to be trusted. And after years of studying them from behind the cash register of her mom's porcelain-doll shop, she has seen nothing to prove otherwise. Enter Xander Spence- he's tall, handsome and oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and the fact he seems to be one of the first people who actually gets her, she's smart enough to know his interest won't last. Becuase if there's one thing she's learnt from her mother's warnings, it's that the rich have a short attention span. But just when Xander's loyalty and attentiveness are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn't a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she'd ever realised. With so many obstacles standing in their way, can she close the distance between them?"

Another cute story, I finished this one in a day! And I know as a reader, I'm supposed to root for Xander but there is a secondary character called Mason and I loved him more. Since finishing this, I've added every other book by Kasie West to my to-read list.

The Mistake
K. L. Slater
Current Kindle price: £1.99

"You think you know the truth about the people you love.
But one discovery can change everything...
Eight-year-old Billy goes missing one day, out flying his kite with his older sister Rose. Two days later, he is found dead.
Sixteen years on, Rose still blames herself for Billy's death. How could she have failed to protect her little brother?
Rose has never fully recovered from the trauma, and one of the few people she trusts is her neighbour Ronnie, who she has known all her life. But one day, Ronnie falls ill, and Rose goes next door to help him... and what she finds in his attic room turns her world upside down.
Rose thought she knew the truth about what happened to Billy. She thought she knew her neighbour. Now the only thing she knows is that she is in danger..."

My favourite book that I read in April! This was difficult to read in places, it features an abusive relationship and I spent most time wishing Rose could see Gareth the way I did as a reader. It flicks between Rose as a teenager and the present day, after Ronnie is taken to hospital. The two timelines interact seamlessly and the story was so well done, the twist at the end was one I didn't see coming. A definite recommend!

Have you read any of these?
What were you reading in April?

If you want to read previous month's of What I've Been Reading, just click here.

Danni
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Glossybox vs. Birchbox, April 2018.

Another month, two more boxes to compare. Birchbox's is an exciting collaboration with Cath Kidston with a beautiful box to boot while Glossybox has an exclusive product that hasn't even launched yet!

Birchbox is £10 a month plus £2.95 for P&P. Contents vary between subscribers depending on your answers you fill out in your beauty profile when you first sign up. Each box contains 5 products, so lets get into what I got.

ModelCo Baked Highlighter in Frose (sample size)

I was really excited about this product as this was the sneak peek for April and we got to choose the shade. I went for Frose as I thought it would suit my pale complexion better than the other shade available. That excitement turned to disappointment when I saw how tiny the product is! The pink marbled throughout the highlighter blends with the main icy white shade so I think this would work better as a glowy blush rather than a highlighter to accentuate cheek bones.

Beautaniq Beauty Fill + Tame Brow Gel in Brunette (full size RRP £8.60)
According to the booklet that comes in the box, this is available in Blonde, Brunette and Black. Despite checking Black for eyebrows on my beauty profile, I got the shade Brunette. I can still make it work but this is the second time in 4 boxes where something hasn't matched my profile.

Cath Kidston Hand Cream (Birchbox exclusive)
I'll always have use for a good hand cream so I'm pleased with this. The scent is really nice and its a handbag friendly size.

Beauty Protector Protect and Volume (sample size)
I haven't tried this yet as I'm not a huge fan of receiving hair products in beauty boxes.

Birchbox Brush Cleaner (Fullsize RRP £5)I already own a brush cleaner so I passed this product along as I don't have any use for it.

Glossybox is £10 a month plus £3.25 P&P. Contents can vary between subscribers but you'll always get value for money here. Each box contains 5 products so lets get into what I got.

ModelCo x Karl Lagerfeld Baked Blush in Light Beige (Full Size, early Glossybox exclusive)How exciting is this, an early exclusive and the launch date hasn't even been released yet! This is a gorgeous champagne shade that I've been using as a highlight despite the box saying blush. I love it!

MDMFlow Liquid Matte Lipstick in Empire State (Full size, RRP £19)
I'm loving this aswell. It's a dark pink nude shade that I can see myself reaching for a lot. It wears comfortably on the lips without being drying. 

Affect Cosmetics Matt Effect Transparent Loose Rice Powder (Full size RRP £9.35)
I haven't opened this yet as I want to use up my Mac Prep & Prime loose powder first but this is something I'll definitely use.

Eyeko London FAT Liquid Eyeliner (Full size, RRP £16)
I don't wear eyeliner that often as I have hooded eyelids so this is going to be passed on. I have used the thinner version of this in the past and I remember liking it.

Botanics All Bright Micellar Cleansing Water (Full size, RRP £5.49)
I'm really enjoying using this. It's replaced my Garnier Micellar Water as my everyday cleanser.

Overall, Glossybox offers better value for money featuring five full sized products and a value totaling over £50. Birchbox features more sample sizes with a total value around the £15 mark. Glossybox was more makeup heavy which is definitely what I prefer in a beauty box.

The sneak peeks for May don't really excite me much, so much that I didn't pick a specific shade in my Birchbox choice. I just asked to be surprised as I don't mind either way. I am running low on shampoo so Glossybox's will come in handy.

Have you had either of these boxes? What did you think to April's products?

Danni
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What I've Been Reading: March 2018.

I'm finally back in my reading groove. I read 8 books in March, there were some I liked, one I loved and a few that left me underwhelmed.

Their Friend Scarlet

Victoria Kahler
Current Kindle price: 99p

"Mina and Elissa Bello have endured high school at snobby San Marino Academy with the help of their best friend, Scarlet Price. Now, Elissa and Scarlet are going off to college, leaving Mina to deal with her senior year alone.
Mina is sure it's going to be a long, lonely year, biding her time until she too graduates from high school. Soon, though, she finds herself sparring with the new kid, Diego, who seems to somehow know her every move and her every insecurity. He also seems obsessed with the identity of her secret crush, Adam Price, the town's star basketball player and Scarlet's brother.
Meanwhile, Elissa tries to adjust to college with Scarlet as her roommate. Their dorm room is a mess and so is Elissa's class schedule! And, she'd like some advice concerning her enigmatic coworker, Cy, but Scarlet is too bust launching into the university's social life.
The Bello sisters have always been close, but now they're miles apart. They wonder if they can keep hold of their bond to each other and the fragile connection to their friend Scarlet."

This was an easy read but it didn't blow me away or was it particularly exciting. It took me four days to finish this as it couldn't hold my attention for long. It's not bad but I wouldn't recommend it.

Back To You
Priscilla Glenn

Current Kindle price: £2.41

"When Lauren Monroe first laid eyes on Michael Delaney back in high school, she had every reason to stay away from him; within minutes of their first encounter, his volatile actions confirmed his notorious reputation. But Lauren saw something in him that caused her to question his bad-boy persona, and against her better judgement, she took a chance. She had no way of knowing that the unlikely friendship they formed would become so important to her.
Or that it would end so painfully.
Eight years later, when Lauren begins her new job at Learn and Grow Day Care, Michael is the last person she expects to see. Refusing to revisit the hurt and confusion of their past, Lauren vows to keep her distance from him. But staying away from Michael proves to be more difficult than she thought, despite her lingering grief and her instincts for self-preservation.
As Lauren and Michael recall the friendship that changed them forever and the events that tore them apart, will they finally be able to heal? Or will the ghosts of Michael's past prove to be too much to overcome?"

I really didn't enjoy this. The main characters aren't particularly likable and the story is predictable in places. Then there's all the different character point of views, past and present. It was just work to actually make it to the end.

Never Never, part 1.
Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher
Current Kindle Price: Not available, the complete series is available for £2.22 though.

"Best friends since they could walk. In love since the age of fourteen. Complete strangers since this morning. He'll do anything to remember. She'll do anything to forget."

I only bought the first part of this series and since then, the full series is available as one. If I'd bought that I probably would have carried on but this first part failed to grip me enough to pay for the final two parts. It's an interesting story but I had a look at reviews for parts 2 & 3, saw spoilers and decided it wasn't worth my time. This is second time I've read something by Colleen Hoover and thought it was just okay. Didn't hate it, didn't love it.

Thizz Series
Nicole Loufas

Current Kindle Price: £1.99 for Thizz, 99p for The Illusion of Ecstasy.

"The past year hasn't been kind to Dani, which is why she is reluctant to make any real connections in her last few months of high school. The only hitch in her plan is that she has fallen in love. But where is that love best directed? Is it with her friend Matt, her new boyfriend Nick or the Ecstasy (Thizz) she takes to make life bearable? When an enemy from her past reappears, Dani must shake off her dependencies, both emotional and chemical, and fight for her life."

I really enjoyed this series, though I preferred the second book. It took me 3 days to finish both books, which shows how quickly I sped through them. There are so many different characters in these but it was easy to keep up with who was who. This series was a great read, a definite recommend.

Summer Nights

J. M. Sevilla
Current Kindle price: £2.11

"Hannah Malone grew up in an extremely conservative, faith-based household. Everything she wore and did was dictated for her. Though she was the perfect obedient child, inside she wanted more, with a hunger for life that had yet to be satisfied.
Daniel Shepard drank too much, smoked, slept around, swore like it's a language all on its own, and fought whenever the feeling struck him.
Despite their vastly different lives, the two find each other and share a connection they both try to ignore. Until the day comes that they can't fight it anymore...
Summer Nights is a forbidden love story about a girl who has never been allowed what she wants, until she makes a bold move and takes it; but with every decision, there are repercussions. Is Hannah willing to make the sacrifice? Some answers aren't that simple; some answers have you choosing between the man you love and the family who will never allow the life you see with him."

I finished this in a couple of days and I really enjoyed Hannah and Daniel's story. I hadn't read anything by this author before so this was a good introduction. The ending was a touch anti-climatic and I found my self getting confused between all the different boys in Daniel's group of friends but apart from that, it was a really good read.

Stephanie: One. Life. Lived.
Melissa Service

Current Kindle Price: £1.99

"Music... Drugs... Redemption.
Josh Jacobs...
I've heard it said that life can change in a second, but I disagree. From my experience, life changes in milliseconds, and every single moment of the day is about change. Sometimes the change is for the better, and sometimes for the worse.
Stephanie Carlisle...
I scowled at the reflection and took a long drag from the joint that had made its way to the front seat, blowing smoke in the girl's face and wishing she would take her perky smile and perfectly lined teeth somewhere else. I also wondered if her parents knew where she was and what she, or rather, I, was about to do.

Stephanie Carlisle is a musically gifted, but troubled teen. After being delivered from a life of drugs and alcohol, she becomes an inspiration to a subculture that most of society would like to forget. When she befriends the equally talented, but troubled Josh Jacobs, she learns that not every story has a happy ending."

This book was not for me. It was way too religion heavy for the sake of it and if I'd known that, I wouldn't have bought it in the first place.

Silent Victim
Caroline Mitchell
Current Kindle price: £3.98

"Emma's darkest secrets are buried in the past. But the truth can't stay hidden for long.

Emma is a loving wife, a devoted mother... and an involuntary killer. For years she's been hiding the dead body of the teacher who seduced her as a teen.
It's a secret that might have stayed buried if only her life had been less perfect. A promotion for Emma's husband, Alex, means they can finally move to a bigger home with their young son. But with a buyer lined up for their old house, Emma can't leave without destroying every last trace of her final revenge...
Returning to the shallow grave in the garden, she finds it empty. The body is gone.
Panicked, Emma confesses to her husband. But this is only the beginning. Soon, Alex will discover things about her he'll wish he'd learned sooner. And other he'll long to forget."

No contest, favourite book of the month! This was great, kept me guessing throughout and had a satisfying ending that tied everything up nicely.

What were you reading in March?
Danni
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Glossybox VS Birchbox, March 2018.

After being less than impressed with February's Birchbox, I was looking forward to receiving March's box. The sneak peek for it was a new product that's only recently launched.

Birchbox costs £10 on a month to month basis, plus £2.95 postage but if you buy a three month, six month or yearly subscription, the overall price per box works out cheaper. I'm currently have 9 months left of a years subscription thanks to a new year Groupon deal.

But what was in the box?
Benefit BADgal Bang! Volumising Mascara (Travel Size)
Let's start with that sneak peek! Everyone subscriber received a travel size of the new Benefit mascara. I was really excited to try this as it hasn't been on the market long but there's such a big hype around it already. I'm on the fence with it though. It didn't live up to my expectations but it's not a horrible mascara either. I have long, straight lashes that can barely hold a curl and this looked nice when I first applied it, I don't mind a bit of clumpiness, but my lashes looked messy after a couple of hours wear.

Blaq Peel Off Mask
This was the product we got to choose this month. Either this or a set of eye masks. I choose the peel off mask, just because peeling it off and inspecting the mask afterwards is disgustingly satisfying. I haven't tried it yet but if it does a good job, the full size tube will be something I'll be investing in.

Glamglow Supermud Clearing Mask Treatment
Two charcoal masks in the same box? It's a little bit overkill, I would have preferred something else for a little variety but I'll still use this.

Amika Bombshell Blowout Spray
I prefer to not receive hair products in beauty boxes but this is just a small sample. If I don't like it I can just pass it on. It does have heat protection though which I'll always say yes to.

Rituals The Ritual of Sakura Foaming Shower Gel (Full travel size RRP £4.50)
This smells gorgeous! I'm really pleased with this addition to the box. I haven't tried any Rituals products before so this is a great introduction.

Glossybox costs £10 on a month to month basis, plus £3.25 postage. The overall size and value of the products inside tend to be greater than the products inside Birchbox, with Glossy box having three full size products that total around the £65 mark.

Mudmasky Sleep Repair Renewal Nourishing Mask
Another face mask, but this time it's an overnight mask. I really like the sound of this, it's one of products I'm most excited about. The card even says  it helps to enduce a more restful sleep after a long day. Yes please!

Oryza Beauty Warm Nude Lipstick (Full Size RRP £15.95)
I'm not a fan of this, I'm going to pass it on to my mum. It feels very drying and the colour washes me out. I saw someone's comment on Instagram that they thought it smelt like tarmac, and having sniffed it since, it doesn't have the most pleasant scent.

Figs & Rouge Soft Focus Pore Perfect HD+ (Full Size £35)
A full sized primer than costs £35? Good job, Glossybox. This is the star of the box for me, I love trying new primers and this seems to be a very new launch so it's amazing to find this in the March box!

Decleor Aromessence Neroli Hydrating Oil Serum
I've tried the night balm of this before and hated it, but I'll ignore my previous thoughts on that while trying this out. It's only a small sample so even if I end up not liking it, it isn't that much of a waste.

Makeup Drop Silicone Sponge (Full Size RRP £14.50)
I'm not a massive fan of silicone beauty tools, but the only ones i've tried have been cheap ones from Primark. This has a hefty pricetag in comparison so maybe I'll get on better with this. Beauty tools in beauty boxes will always be a yes for me!

So, for similarly priced boxes, Glossybox has the highest overall value with more full sized products. The variety was better in Glossybox than Birchbox. For the second month in a row, Glossybox is my winner!

But what about next month? I'm more excited about Birchbox's sneak peek.

I used to live in eyeliner but I barely reach for it anymore so Glossybox's sneak peek of the Eyeko Fat Liquid Eyeliner doesn't excite me but it will be a handy product to have in my collection as a just-in-case. Birchbox, on the other hand, excites me greatly! Being a pale girl, I'll be choosing the Frose shade of the Model Co Baked Highlighter. It looks stunning!

What do you think of this month's boxes? Which contents do you prefer?

Danni
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What I've Been Reading: February 2018.

I should not have set myself a reading challenge for 2018! I'm reading less books a month since the new year, so I'm calling it now, I'm not going to reach my 96 target by the end of 2018.

Far From The Tree
Robin Benway
Current Kindle price: £4.99

"When 16-year-old Grace gives up her baby for adoption, she decides that the time has come to find out more about her own biological mother. Although her biological mum proves elusive, her search leads her to two half-siblings she never knew existed.
Maya, 15, has been adopted by wealthy parents and seems to have the picture-perfect family- that is, if you look past her alcoholic mother and the fact that Maya stands out like a sore thumb.
Older brother Joaquin hasn't been so lucky. At 18, he's shuffled between foster home after foster home, always careful never to get attached to anyone or anything, because it always gets taken away.
When these three siblings come together, they find in themselves the place they can belong, while the secrets they guard threaten to explode."

I really enjoyed this, I hadn't read anything by Robin Benway before so this was a nice introduction. Grace was my favourite of the three siblings and I loved their journey together. The point of view switches between Grace, Maya and Joaquin, which works really well. A definite recommend.

Torn Away

Jennifer Brown
Current kindle price: 99p

"Jersey Cameron has always loved a good storm. Watching the clouds roll in and the wind pick up. Smelling the electricity in the air. Dancing barefoot in the rain. She lives in the midwest, after all, where the weather is sure to keep you guessing. Jersey knows what to do when the tornado sirens sound. But she never could have been prepared for this. 
When her town is devastated by a tornado, Jersey loses everything. As she struggles to overcome her grief, she's sent to live with relatives she hardly knows- family who might as well be strangers. In an unfamiliar place, can Jersey discover that even on the darkest of days, there are some things no tornado can destroy?"

This is the second novel by Jennifer Brown I've read, and the second one I've loved. And for 99p, this is a brilliant read! This and Hate List, the other novel I've read, have such powerful storylines, it's impossible not to get worked up into an emotional wreck! There were characters in this I hated with a passion, if there was an award for most dead beat dad, then I think this book has the winner. I definitely want to read some more books by Jennifer Brown.

When It's Real
Erin Watt

Current kindle price: £2.99

"Under ordinary circumstances, Oakley Ford and Vaughn Bennett would never even cross paths.
There's nothing ordinary about Oakley. This bad-boy popstar's got grammy awards, millions of fangirls and a reputation as a restless, too-charming troublemaker. But with his home life disintegrating, his music well suddenly running dry and the tabloids having a field day over his outrageous exploits, Oakley needs to show the world he's settling down- and who better to help than Vaughn, a part-time waitress trying to help her family get by? The very definition of ordinary.
Posing as his girlfriend, Vaughn will overhaul Oakley's image from troublemaker to serious artist. In return for enough money to put her brothers through college, she can endure outlandish Hollywood parties and carefully orchestrated Twitter exchanges. She'll fool the paparazzi and the groupies. She might even start fooling herself a little.
Because when ordinary rules no longer apply, there's no telling what your heart will do."

This was a cute read, but it didn't blow me away. You know what you're getting with a book like this. The story was a little predictable but it was well written.

The Foster Child
Jenny Blackhurst
Current kindle price: £1.99

"When child psychologist Imogen Reid takes on the case of 11-year-old Ellie Atkinson, she refuses to listen to the warnings that the girl is dangerous. Ellie was the only survivor of a fire that killed her family. Imogen is convinced that she's just a sad and angry child struggling to cope with her loss. But Ellie's foster parents and teachers are starting to fear her. When she gets upset, bad things seem to happen. And as Imogen gets closer to Ellie, she may be putting herself in danger..."

This was one of my favourites this month. I couldn't figure out where this story was going and I'm really glad it kept me guessing. This is probably one of the most original thrillers I've read in a while, which is quite a feat considering how many pop up in my amazon recommendations.

The Last Mrs. Parrish
Liv Constantine
Current kindle price: 99p

"Amber Patterson is fed up. She's tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more- a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed Daphne Parrish takes for granted. To everyone in the exclusive town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, Daphne and her husband, Jackson- the beautiful philanthropist and real estate mogul- are a golden couple straight out of a fairytale, blessed with two lovely young daughters. Amber's envy could eat her alive- if she didn't have a plan. Amber uses Daphne's compassion and caring yo insinuate herself into the family's life, the first step in a meticulous scheme to undermine her. Before long, Amber is Daphne's closest confidante, traveling to Europe with the family, and growing closer to Jackson. But a skeleton from her past may undermine everything that Amber has worked towards, and if it is discovered, her well-laid plan may fall to pieces."

If I had to only recommend one book I read this month, it would be this one. I can't say too much without giving anything away but oh, this was such a ride! It's split into three parts, the first from Amber's point of view, the second from Daphne's and the third is shared between the two. The ending was completely satisfying and tied everything up nicely. It wouldn't come as a surprise if someone picked up the rights to this soon, especially with Reese Witherspoon having this as one of the picks of her book club. I'd be first in line to see this on the big screen, someone please make it happen!

What have you been reading the past month? Have you read any of these before?
You can check out previous month's of What I've Been Reading by clicking here.

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?

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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?

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

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