Glossybox VS. Birchbox, July 2018.

I think I've made my feelings on these two subscription boxes pretty clear. Glossybox is my favourite and Birchbox never seems to measure up. But could this be it, could this be the month that all changes?

So, Birchbox costs £10 a month plus £2.95 delivery with hermes (who as always are crap. Why bother ringing the doorbell when you can just throw it through an open window?! Is it any wonder so many people have complained about the powder being broken this month!) The box has changed from this month, so instead of a drawer style, it's now the same style as Glossybox, only smaller. There's 5 products inside, one full size.

The only full size product is the Manna Kadar Long-Wear Powder in the shade Paradise (RRP £15). This was the product subscribers got to choose this month, but I picked the suprise me option. This is a dark coral blush with a hint of gold shimmer, it reminds me of Sleek's rose gold blusher. Being totally honest, this is one of two products I'm happy with.

Next up if a sample of R + Co Badlands Dry Shampoo Paste. Kudos here to Birchbox finally sending me a hair product I'll get some use out of! Usually they send me ones for dry hair, when my profile is marked as oily hair so this was nice for a change. But it's such a tiny little tub, it just isn't enough to try it properly.

The only body product comes in the form of the What's in it for me..?  Shower Scrub. This is another product I'm happy with as I love a good shower scrub. This would be an ideal travel friendly size too.

The first of the two skincare items is Klorane Floral Water Makeup Remover. I'll probably get two uses out of this tops but again, I'll use this when travelling.

The last product is the Balance Me Congested Skin Serum. This is the product I'm most annoyed about. As this is a sample, it doesn't say what skin it's suited for but it you look on Birchbox's website, the fullsize bottle says its for oily acne prone skin. My profile is marked as dry skin so I'm annoyed that I've even been sent this.

I've had items sent for the complete opposite of my beauty profile on multiple occasions now and it's getting a joke now. I'm not happy with Birchbox and without a doubt, once my year subscription comes to an end, I won't be renewing.

Glossybox also costs £10 a month plus £3.25 tracked delivery with Royal Mail. There's five products this month plus an extra sample.

The first product is the Senhor Do Bonfim Sea Water Hair Spray (full size RRP £16). While I'm not a big fan of receiving hair products in beauty boxes, this one is a welcome addition. I've never used a saltwater spray before but I'm looking forward to trying it out.

Next up is Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Hand Therapy (full size RRP £8). I always need more hand cream as my hands are so dry and this is an ideal size to throw in a handbag. It smells really nice and fresh too.

We've got a make up product with the Oriflame THE ONE 5-in-1 Wonder Lash Mascara (full size RRP £9). This sounds ideal as it's supposed to lift, curl, volumise, lengthen and seperate lashes. I haven't tried it out yet as I have a few other mascaras to get few first before opening another.

That cute brush is the Inuwet Cheek Shell Brush (RRP £13.20). I'll be using this to contour with.

There's also a deluxe mini of Regenerate Enamel Science Advanced Toothpaste. This is the first toothpaste of it's kind as it regenerates enamel and reverses erosion. Sounds good to me!

The extra treat is a sachet of Hawaiian Tropic Duo Defence Sun Lotion SPF30. This provides an anti-pollution layer as well as UV protection but I'm more of an SPF50 girl myself! I'll keep this as a backup as I'm going through sun lotion like nobodies business.

Surprise, surprise, I prefer Glossybox over Birchbox again. I like the sneak peek for both boxes as Glossybox will have an eyeshadow paint next month and Birchbox will have an eyeshadow crayon.

Do you get either of these? Which do you prefer?

Danni
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A Weekend in Norfolk.

Me and Glenn took our yearly trip to Norfolk recently. We spent a day on the Broads and stayed three nights in Great Yarmouth. If you think GY is just a tacky seaside resort, I'm here to tell you how wrong you are!

We always stay at the same B&B which is The White Lodge. This is our fourth year in a row staying here and it's easy to see why it's the number one rated B&B in GY on Tripadvisor. It's perfectly placed on the seafront away from the main hustle and bustle of the town but will only take a 15 minute walk to get to Britannia Pier. The White Lodge is in a residential area so it's nice and quiet and has plenty of street parking that doesn't require pay & display.

We stayed in the superior king room with seaview and this will be our go to room from now on. The bed was massive and I loved the art deco feel of the room. The owner Jean does an amazing job and makes you feel at home straightaway. You'll also be greeted by Diesel, the B&B's resident doggo, who is so adorable and probably Glenn's favourite part of our stay!

We ate at a couple of our favourite restaurants during our visit. The Courtyard is a fab hidden gem with only five tables so booking is essential. The food is more on the italian side with our favourite being the homemade lasagne but you'll also find seafood on the menu.

Fish & chips are a necessity at the seaside and while there are a plethora of places to get some, our reccommendation is HMS Hinchinbrook. While they do the usual battered cod, if that's not your style you can have it grilled with a garlic and cream sauce. They also do salmon fillet, lemon sole goujons and panko coated squid rings to you've got plenty of seafood to choose from. I usually go for the grilled tuna steak or the homemade battered smoked haddock fishcakes. Also on the menu are steaks, burgers, pies and chicken.

While we didn't get to go this visit, another favourite is Champagne Charlies. For a set price you get all you can eat tapas. You really need to work up an appetite before eating here to really make the most of it!

Walking back to the B&B in the evening after eating out was the perfect way to burn off the dessert calories. The north part of Yarmouth has a more relaxed vibe with the waterways and the boating lake, both of which are going through restoration work. It should be completed by Summer 2019 and I can't wait to see it.

Are you a fan of Great Yarmouth? Where have you been on a getaway recently?

Danni
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What I've Been Reading: June 2018.

I love the weather we're having in the UK right now, sitting outside with a good book sounds like the ideal way to spend a couple of hours. So, that's what I've been doing. I finished six novels this month, all by authors I've never read before but some of these books have been on my to read list for a while!

All The Bright Places

Jennifer Niven
Current Kindle price: £4.99

"Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the suture, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister's recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it's unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the 'natural wonders' of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It's only with Violet that Finch can be himself- a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who's not such a freak after all. And it's only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet's world grows, Finch's begins to shrink. How far will Violet go to save the boy she has come to love?"

This has been on my to read list for ages, since Zoella started her book club but I only just got round to reading it. It fell flat for me, it didn't live up to the hype I've heard but it was a decent read and I definitely want to read more by Jennifer Niven in the future.

13 Reasons Why

Jay Asher
Current Kindle Price: £4.99

"Clay Jensen comes home from school to find outside his front door a mysterious boc with his name on it.

Inside he discovers a series of cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker- his classmate and crush. Only, she committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On the first tape, Hannah explains that there are 13 reasons why she did what she did- and Clay is one of them.

If he listens, Clay will find out how he got onto the list- what he hears will change his life forever."

I mean, who hasn't of this book right now?! I read this after finishing the second season of the netflix show so I wasn't expecting any surprises here. This is one of my sister's favourite books and she hasn't watched the show (but I have told her to!) and I was curious to see if there were any differences to the show. There are a few, Sherri is Jenny in the book, clay listens to the tapes in one night and he gets the tapes before Jenny. Overall I prefer the show, the timeline of Clay listening to the tapes so you have more time to see how all the characters are coping is more interesting. Probably the most important change is the fact that Clay is number 11 on the tapes in the show and that he skips Bryce and passes the tapes on to Mr Porter. In the book, Clay mails the tapes to Jenny so the assumption is that Bryce does get the tapes in the books. So that means, there is no side B to the last tape, book Clay doesn't get a recording of Bryce confessing to raping Hannah. Obviously the differences set up the first season to carry on the story, and with no source material to work from, I was really impressed with season 2. Bring on season 3!

Final Girls
Riley Sager
Current Kindle price: £1.99

"The media calls them the Final Girls- Quincy, Sam, Lisa- the infamous group that no one wants to be a part of. The sole survivors of three separate killing sprees, they are linked by their shared trauma.

But when Lisa dies in mysterious circumstances and Sam shows up unannounced on her doorstep, Quincy must admit that she doesn't really know anything about the other Final Girls. Can she trust them? Or can there only ever be one?

All Quincy knows is one thing: she is next."

I really enjoyed reading this. It kept me guessing, I thought I had it all figured out then the reveal threw me through a loop. I wasn't expecting that ending! If you're into thrillers, then this is a must read, it's one of the best I've read this year.

Doll Hearts 

Colleen Clayton
Current Kindle price: £3.73

"17-year-old Julianne Bell's life is caving in on her. Literally. Her mother is a hoarder and shopping addict whose retail drug of choice is collectible dolls. Their house is not a home but more a bizarro game of garage sale tetris in which flea markets finds, amazon boxes, and QVC shipments are puzzled together in a labyrinth of consumer excess and looming bankruptcy. It's a situation Julianne has grown adept at hiding. That is, until the day her school cafeteria account slips into the red. Meal skipping is not an option for someone with Type 1 Diabetes, so when Julianne has a seizure in class, her father claims custody.

Living two hours from her home, with her dad and annoyingly perfect step-mom, is not how Julianne planned to spend her summer, let alone her senior year. Needing fast cash to help her mom avoid foreclosure, Julianne takes a job at an amusement park, and as luck would have it, her former classmate- heartthrob Brandon Wright- also works there. Between sweeping up cigarette butts at the park, racing to solve her mother's financial crisis, managing her diabetes, and navigating a budding romance, Julianne Bell's life just got a whole lot messier."

I had two favourites this month, and this is the first one. I really enjoyed Colleen's writing style, I was sucked into the story straight away. The romance side of the story was a bit of a miss, I just didn't like Brandon much. It was Julianne's relationships with both of her parents that made the book for me.

Supernova

Ericka Waller
Current Kindle price: £1.99

" Four friends, one year.
Sex, drugs, rock n roll.
What can possibly go wrong?

1997- somewhere dull on the outskirts of London (think middle-class home counties dull as dishwater suburbia.) School oddities, April, Jamie and tom, are trying to work out how to be 15.

April is battling anxiety, is obsessed with Sylvia Plath and has a crush on Tom.

Tom's dad died 18 months ago. His mum had turned into a ghost and his little sister his become his big responsibility. His life is held together by secrets and Critpop, and oh yeah- Tom is in love with April.

Jamie is angry, and she wants everyone to know it. There's more to her story, but Jamie won't tell.

Yuki, Tom's weird neighbour thinks he has life sorted and imparts his pearls of wisdom by channelling Jim Morrison, leather trousers and all."

This was my other favourite of the month. Any book set in the 90s is onto a winner with getting me invested. I feel like I've discovered a hidden gem here as it only had 2 ratings on Goodreads when I bought it! It's such a good YA book, but if you're older like me, don't let that put you off reading it. This is going on my reread pile!

Before I Let You Go
Kelly Rimmer
Current Kindle price: £1.99

"As children, Lexie and Annie were incredibly close. Bonded by the death of their beloved father, they weathered the storms of life together. When Lexie leaves home to follow her dream, Annie is forced to turn to her leatherbound journal as the only place she can confide her deepesr secrets and fears...

As adults, sisters Lexie and Annie could not be more different. Lexie is a successful doctor and happily engaged. Annie is an addict- a thief, a liar and unable to remain clean. When Annie's newborn baby is in danger of being placed in foster care, Annie picks up the phone to beg her sister for help. Will Lexie agree to take in her young niece? And how will Annie survive, losing the only thing in her life worth living for?"

I had tears running down my face while reading this. This is such a good novel, it toyed with my emotions a lot. I want to read When I lost you by same author, as I have high expectations after reading this.

What were you reading in June? Have you read any of these before?

Danni
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Glossybox VS Birchbox, June 2018.

June is almost over so what better time to review and compare this month's Birchbox and Glossybox? Both boxes cost £10 a box on a month to month basis, so I think it's always interesting to compare what you get for your money with each box considering they're the same price. Birchbox's P&P costs £2.95 and they use Hermes for delivery. I find the service lacking here, as the drivers have just left my boxes outside in different places without even ring the doorbell or pushing a card through telling me where they've put it. Glossybox's P&P costs £3.25 through Royal Mail's tracked service which I've never had a problem with.

Birchbox came in a gorgeous tin instead of the usual cardboard drawer. I don't know what I'm going to use it for but I'm definitely keeping it.

My favourite product inside Birchbox was the Ella Eden Compact Eyeshadow in the shade Julia. (Full size, RRP £12.99) This is such a pretty, subtle shade that is perfect for everyday.

The next product is the Number 4 Smoothing Balm. I'm not a fan of receiving hair products in subscription boxes so I probably won't keep this.

Next up is Lord & Berry Strobing Highlighter Pencil. I've seen highlighter sticks before but they're all chubby compared to this one. I'm probably just use this one for underneath by brow bone but it's a lovely shade.

Being a pale girl, I'm also happy to see sun protection in a beauty box. The Polaar Sun Fluid Face & Body is SPF30 and the perfect size to throw in a handbag to use as a top up throughout the day.

I'm looking forward to trying Benefit Porefessional Pearl Primer, I just wish the sample wasn't so tiny! I haven't tried the normal porefessional either yet but I do like a bit of glow in my primer sometimes.

Also in the tin was an extra from Whittard of Chelsea of three individual teabags. I won't be using these as I'm a commoner when it comes to a cuppa, tetley or nothing!

So Birchbox had one full size product, making the overall value not that impressive. The sneak peak for July is a Manna Kadar full sized long-wear powder with two shades to choose from.

Glossybox came in the usual baby pink box and was very skincare heavy this month, so it wasn't one of my favourites.

First up is the Monu Skin Eye Cool Gel. (Full size, RRP £24.95) This sounds like it'll be good for me as I suffer with dark circles and dry skin on my undereyes.

The Gatineau Strategie Jeunesse Firming Throat gel is also a full sized products and has an RRP of £49! I've passed this on to my mum as she'll get more use out of it than me.

Another product my mum claimed is the Novex Mystic Black Deep Hair Mask. This sounds like a miracle product for dry hair and as I suffer from oily hair, I was more than happy to give this away, it did smell lovely when I had a quick sniff in the pot though.

We have another skincare product in the Nip + Fab Glycolic Scrub Fix. Out of the three skincare products, this is the one I'm most excited about. I love Nip + Fab as a brand so I have high hopes for this.

My favourite boxes are the ones that are makeup heavy but the only makeup in this month's box is the Laritzy Cosmetics Shade Stix in the shade Aloha (Full Size, RRP £18.) I haven't dabbled in cream bronzer before so this is a little scary to me but I'm going to give it a try.

The sneak peak for next month is a Sea Water Hair Spray by Senhor Do Bonfim for beachy waves. I'm more excited about this than Birchbox's sneak peak so I'm looking forward to that already.

I wasn't really blown away by either box this month. It's the first time I haven't loved one box more than the other but Glossybox did give more value for money.

Which box do you prefer? Are you subscribed to any of these?

Danni
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First Impressions of Quirky Crate: May 2018.

Quirky Crate is an American based subscription boxed based on all things quirky. I love the idea behind it and if I lived in the US, it'd be a no brainer that I'd continue with this subscription. As it is, I ended up paying about £50 in total for this box, including £15 in customs fees.

How cute are these sticky notes? I don't know when I'll use them but the design is very cool. I'll be using the heart shaped lock on my suitcase on my upcoming Los Angeles trip as my case is pink so it's a good match for that.

The patch and pin are my favourite things from the box, and I believe they are products that subscribers receive every month with a different pin brand featured in each box. The keyring I'm not too bothered about but it will be going on my car keys for some extra sparkle.

The owl LED nightlight is a miss for me, I hate birds so I'm going to passing this on to someone else. Socks are another product that are featured in every box and these moon ones are really cute. The watermelon bag is perfect for summer and I can't wait to use it!

I really enjoyed opening this box, there was so much to go through, it really felt like a present to myself. I just can't justify £50 a month for this so unfortunately this box had to be a one off purchase. If this box is something you might be interested in you can subscribe via Cratejoy here.

What do you think of Quirky Crate? Do you know of any similar UK based subscriptions?

Danni
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What I've Been Reading: May 2018.

I only managed to make it through 4 books in total over the past month but there were sooooo many I started and gave up on that just weren't for me. I'm only going to talk about the 4 that kept my attention here so let's get started!

Panic

Lauren Oliver
Current Kindle price: £3.99

"Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a poor town of twelve thousand people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She'd never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game; he's sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he's not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for. 

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them- and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most."

This is the second novel by Lauren Oliver I've read. I really liked but it didn't quite live up to the standard of Before I Fall. The book revolves around four main characters and the game of panic. Panic isn't an easy thing to participate in, one of the characters even has to play russian roulette. This isn't something I'll reread but I'm glad I gave it a chance.

The One
John Marrs
Current Kindle price: £4.99

"One simple mouth swab is all it take. A quick DNA test to find your perfect partner- the one you're genetically made for.

A decade after scientists discover everyone has a gene they share with just one other person, millions have taken the test, desperate to find true love. Now, five more people meet their Match. But even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking- and deadlier- than others."

Definitely my favourite book of the month! This is the second book I've read by John Marrs, and I thought this was even better than The Good Samaritan. This is so different to anything else I've ever read and I can't recommend it highly enough. It focuses on five sets of people who have been matched, all with different circumstances and I was hooked from the start. For me, the most interesting of all the couples was Christopher and Amy and how they were when the book ended was really satisfying.

The Accident
Dawn Goodwin
Current Kindle price: 99p

"Veronica Pullman's comfortable suburban life comes to a shuddering halt when her young daughter, Grace, tragically dies in a car accident.

Months later, unable to come to terms with her daughter's death, detached from her husband and alienated from her friends and family, a chance encounter on a rainy street pushes her into an unlikely new friendship.

Scarlet is everything Veronica could've been: feisty, adventurous, unpredictable. But as she approaches what would've been Grace's 10th birthday, it becomes clear to Veronica that the friendship she thought was saving her life could be costing her everything.

Consumed by grief and left questioning her own sanity, is there anyone she can really trust or is someone out to torment her as part of their twisted game?"

This wasn't bad but I found this way too predictable. I guessed the truth about Scarlet pretty early on so the big reveal wasn't exactly shocking but for 99p, it's a good read and well written.

The Babysitter
Sheryl Browne
Current Kindle price: £1.99

"Mark and Melissa Cain are thrilled to have found Jade, a babysitter who is brilliant with their young children. Having seen her own house burn to the ground, Jade needs them as much as they need her. Moving Jade into the family home can only be a good thing, can't it?

As Mark works long hours as a police officer and Melissa struggles with running a business, the family become ever more reliant on their babysitter, who is only too happy to help. And as Melissa begins to slip into depression, it's Jade who is left picking up the pieces.

But Mark soon notices things aren't quite what they seem. Things at home feel wrong, and as Mark begins to investigate their seemingly perfect sitter, what he discovers shocks him to his core. He's met Jade before. And now he suspects he might know what she wants...

Mark is in a race against time to protect his family. But what will he find as he goes back to his family home?"

This was a good read, shocking and dark in places, I was kept on the edge of my seat. One of the best thrillers I've read so far this year, I'm interested to read more by Sheryl Browne.

What were you reading in May? Have you read any of these books before?

Danni
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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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