Birchbox May 2017

Hey everyone, hope you're all feeling good even though it's Monday! Today I have an unboxing of this month's Birchbox, which can I just say is the best design ever! Marble and rose gold, it's the perfect box to match an Instagram theme!

 First up is this volume spray from Beauty Protector which I think is a brand exclusive to Birchbox, maybe even their own brand! This spray is used to increase volume and add shine without making it sticky or weighing it down. It has no parabens and is 100% vegan which is perfect for people that struggle to find products that aren't. I struggle quite a lot with my hair thinning after the first day of washing so this (hopefully) will be perfect for me.

 The next product is a liquid exfoliant from Paula's Choice. I've never heard of this brand before, admittedly because I don't buy a lot of different skincare products. This really intrigued me as all the exfoliators I've used before have been a really thick consistency whereas this is literally just like water! It contains 2% BHA liquid which works hard to unclog the skin leaving it clear and calm without damaging it! My skin doesn't usually get too bad but now that it's getting warmer out, I've had oilier skin which has caused a few breakouts. I'll definitely be trying this out to see if it helps!

 Up next is a firming body cream from Whish. I've received a lot of products from Whish in previous Birchboxes and I've loved all of them! This body cream is designed to smooth blemishes, soften and protect the skin. It contains shea butter, cocoa seed butter and green tea which not only work wonders for your skin, they also make the product smell amazing! I can't wait to use this and hopefully I love it as much as their other products!

 The next product I received is a mascara from Doucce. I've heard a few YouTubers talk about this brand, but they've never gone into a lot of detail. This mascara has the biggest I've ever seen!! I suppose that's the perfect way to add volume and thickness to your lashes! I really like mascaras that have 'proper' wands instead of those thin plastic ones. This looks like it will grab every single lash and lift it to high heaven! This is also the perfect size to just chuck in your handbag if you're travelling.

Last but not least is this really cute mineral eyeshadow from Marsk. I've not heard of this brand either but I will definitely be looking up some of their other stuff because this eyeshadow shade is beautiful!! I received the shade Vanilla Frosting but I believe you could also get Fifty Shades, but it was a random pick. This is the full size eyeshadow which seems a bit small at 1.2g, especially since it has a price tag of nearly £15! I swatched this on my hand and it is the most gorgeous icy white shade which would be perfect either in the centre of the lid, as an inner corner highlight or even as a face highlight! 

I wasn't overly excited by the contents of this box, as I don't do a lot in terms of skincare, but I suppose it might make me be more thoughtful of my skin. I absolutely love the Marsk eyeshadow and can't wait to try so many looks with it! I'm also looking forward to using the volume spray, hopefully it gives my hair a bit more oomph!

I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts on this month's Birchbox, if you'd like to sign up click here to receive £5 off your first box!

Blogmas Day 5 | My Christmas Wishlist

Hello everyone, welcome to day 5 of Blogmas!
I feel like I should be congratulating myself on how well I'm doing but it is early days and it could all go wrong haha!

Every year I get asked by Ross and my family what I'd like for Christmas, and every year I never know what I want. Throughout the year, I'm forever telling Ross about things I'd like, but when he offers to buy them I no longer NEED to have them. So since I never know what I want anyone to buy me for Christmas, I wrote a little wishlist and that's what I'm sharing with you today! I doubt Ross or my family will actually read this but if you do, pay close attention ;)

the Balm Manizer Sisters Trio
I feel like I've seen this all over Instagram and on peoples' blogs and every time I see it, it makes me want it even more. All three shades look to-die-for and I'm not sure if I'd use all of them but Mary-Lou would probably be one of my faves! Apparently the single highlighters crumble really easily if dropped and I'm quite clumsy so getting the trio might be better for me. Plus it's 3 in 1 so more for your money!

Zoeva Rose Gold Brush Set
This brush set is just so gorgeous, I could stare at it all day! I snagged a photo from Pinterest a few weeks ago and I keep dropping hints to Ross, trying to show him the photo but he's not having any of it haha. Every blogger and youtuber seems to have these brushes, or some variation, and I probably only want them so I can brag to my friends about having them but I've heard nothing but good things about Zoeva and I think these brushes would look great in my collection!

Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palettes
Every blogger and youtuber probably has all of the Urban Decay palettes in their collection, and I feel like I'm missing out on all the fun. I have a palette from Makeup Revolution that is supposed to rival the Naked 3 but I don't own any so can't compare them. A girl's makeup collection isn't complete without these palettes!

Mac Diva lipstick
I've wanted this lipstick for as long as I can remember but for some reason I've never actually got round to buying it. I think the colour is absolutely gorgeous and is perfect for autumn/winter! I only own a couple of Mac lipsticks, both of them nudes, and I'm a bit bored of nudes now so I think having Diva in my collection would definitely spice things up a bit!

Apple iMac
After Ross treated me to a lovely desk for our anniversary in October, I feel like it isn't complete without a proper desktop computer. I mean, I'm fine sitting at my desk on my laptop but it just doesn't feel right haha! I think they look so smart and sophisticated, I'd probably feel like a pro, even though I'm far from it haha!

So that concludes my Christmas list, I hope this has given you some inspiration. What's on your Christmas list?

Blogmas Day 2 | November Favourites 2016

Although this isn't very Christmassy, today's post is going to be about my November favourites. I haven't really bought myself anything new this month, which is a surprise because I'm forever buying things I don't need!

The first thing on my favourites this month has to be mince pies. They are, in my opinion, one of the best things about the festive season! As soon as I saw them on sale in shops, I bought some and have probably eaten far too many already! I know they're probably not the healthiest things to snack on but they are just SO good!

The next thing I've been loving this month is actually Twitter chats! I've took part in a couple of blogger chats this month, #tbhchat and #beechat, and both have helped me learn so much about blogging! I don't take part every time there's a chat on but I'd definitely check them out if I were you!

I've been listening to a lot of new music this month, and my favourite band You Me At Six have released a load of songs off their new album. I'm absolutely in love with their new song Give! They've grown so much as a band and I can't wait to see them live again next year!

Something I've recently got into is Pinterest, I could spend hours looking through makeup looks and different nail designs! I'm still trying to get the hang of it but if you'd like to follow me, feel free! My username is jeezlouisexo! 

The last thing on my favourites list this month is the tv show Gotham. It's basically the story of Bruce Wayne before he became Batman, I'm currently halfway through season 3 which is airing in the US. Every episode keeps me on the edge of my seat and I'm constantly waiting impatiently for the next episode! I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes any of the Batman movies!

Okay so that's everything on my favourites list for the month of November, I hope you enjoyed! What have you been loving?

Blogmas Day 1

Hello everyone and welcome to day 1 of Blogmas!

 If, like me, you're new to the blogging world, you may not know what Blogmas is, but have probably a million and one tweets/instagram posts from bloggers about it. Basically, Blogmas is where you upload a blog post everyday leading up to Christmas. I have never done Blogmas before and am a little bit worried about finding things to post everyday so I'll apologise now if I miss a couple of days haha! I have a few 'normal' post ideas and then loads of super festive stuff!

 Anyone that knows me knows that I absolutely LOVE Christmas, it's definitely my favourite time of year! 

Things I am excited for this December

- Listening to Christmas on repeat for so long that I almost get sick of them

- Watching The Grinch (my fave) everyday

- Christmas shopping, some people hate it but I love planning out the best gifts for everyone!

- MINCE PIES

- Putting up the tree and making the house look like Santa threw up everywhere haha!

I'm also looking forward to my first year of Blogmas, hopefully I can keep on top of it! Stay tuned for more tomorrow!

Beauty Confessions Tag

After seeing this post floating through the blogosphere recently, I just HAD to do it myself! I know it is technically a tag and no-one has tagged me to do it, but I'm just gonna do it anyway haha!

Q1) WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST BEAUTY PRODUCT ADDICTION?
I have a very unhealthy obsession with makeup in general but I think my biggest addiction is probably eyeshadow palettes! I have WAY more than I need and some of them are still unused which is a serious problem!

Q2) HOW MANY PRODUCTS FROM YOUR ADDICTION DO YOU HAVE?
To some this might not be a lot but I have around 20 palettes, some of them with very similar shades in! One of my favourites has to be the I Heart Makeup Naked Chocolate palette from Makeup Revolution, it has some perfect nudes and browns to create a soft smoky eye look but still has a few shimmers to add a bit of glam to the look.

Q3) WHAT TYPE OF BEAUTY PRODUCT DO YOU HATE?
I've never really been a big fan of fake tan to be honest. When I was around 18/19 and just start going out clubbing, I used to used St Moriz instant mousse but I only ever tanned my legs! Eventually, I noticed that it smelt awful and was starting to turn my legs green instead of brown so I stopped using it for good!

Q4) WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN BEAUTY?
I'd probably have to say keeping up with all the new trends, I'm usually behind on every new fad that starts haha! Contouring, highlighting, strobing. There's allsorts to keep up with these days!

Q5) WHAT IS ONE BEAUTY COMFORT ZONE YOU DON'T EVER THINK YOU'LL LEAVE?
I think I'll always be one of those people that does my base before my eyes! I know most people bang on about how you should do your eyeshadow first so it's easy to clean up but to me, it just feels a bit weird!

Q6) WHAT IS ONE BEAUTY THING YOU SUCK AT?
Definitely cut crease eyeshadow looks, I keep practising but I think I've got completely the round eye shape to pull it off properly, plus I think I have slightly hooded eyelids so you can barely see it properly haha! I will keep trying though, practise makes perfect after all!

Q7) WHAT IS ONE THING IN BEAUTY THAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE HYPE?
Not many people will agree with me but I'm going to say Kylie lipkits. I do own one and it is good, but it is definitely way overhyped purely because of Kylie Jenner - who is an absolute babe I must say! I've seen a lot of people compare her lipkits to Colourpop liquid lipsticks in terms of formula and while I've never tried Colourpop before, if I were considering a repurchase from Kylie, I'd probably choose Colourpop first just because of the price difference.

These are all of my answers to The Beauty Confessions Tag. I tag anyone that reads this and wants to do it too! Hope you enjoyed!

Birchbox November 2016

Hello again! Today, I have an unboxing and review of this month’s Birchbox which features a collaboration with Tatler, giving you a discount on their monthly magazine subscription!
This month's box also included their Christmas gift guide featuring lots of great products perfect for anyone beauty and makeup obsessed.

The first item I pulled out of the box is a hair brush from Wet Brush Pro. This is such a cute little brush and is perfect for throwing in my handbag. Apparently it can be used wet or dry which is great for whenever you’re in a rush getting out of the bath/shower and need to quickly chuck your hair up!

Up next is an eyebrow pencil from Bbrowbar. I’ve never heard of this company before which is good because I love trying new products! This pencil is in the shade Indian Chocolate and after swatching I feel like it might not be the right shade for my brows since I have dark hair. It has a very creamy texture and seemed to take forever to wipe off my hand which is perfect if the weather’s not too great because then at least you know you’re brows won’t budge haha!

The next product I picked up is a leave-in conditioner from Beauty Protector. I’ve received a few items from this brand before and I’m almost certain that they’re exclusive to Birchbox. This conditioner comes in a handy spray bottle and is designed to help detangle the hair and leave it feeling silky smooth. I’ve never tried a leave-in conditioner like this before so I can’t wait to use this and see what kind of wonders it does for my hair!

Another brand I’ve received items from is Nuxe and this month I got their face moisturising cream. I’ve tried a few of their products and I really liked them so I’m excited to use this! I normally don’t splurge on anything special as a moisturiser as most of them just do the same thing regardless of the price but I’m SO tempted to purchase the full version of this moisturiser because it’s just so good! It has such a lovely scent and makes my skin feel softer than ever!

The last item in this Birchbox is a lip primer from Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. I’ve heard of this company but never tried any of their products but after trying this primer, I might have to look at what else they have to offer! This primer has a lovely minty smell which actually made my lips tingle a little when I used it which made me feel like they were a little bit plumper than usual! Although it only comes in a small tube, a little does go a long way! It makes my lips feel so smooth and hydrated and also kept my lipstick on all day with no need for re-applying!

That’s everything in this month’s Birchbox, I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts on it.

Mini Avon Haul

Hey everyone! 
I recently treated myself to a few bits from Avon after noticing they had a new range out called Avon True Colour. All of these products were purchased through the brochure but I will try my best to add links to everything if I can.

Avon True Colour Mascara

The first item I bought was a mascara from the new range, I really wanted to try this since it has what I'd call a proper brush (not a plastic/rubber one)The actual brush itself is twisted which helps to lift and curl the lashes. After trying this mascara a few times, I've noticed my lashes look a lot more curved than normal, but it doesn't add a lot of length which I was disappointed about. 

Avon Luxe Eyeshadow Palette

 The product is an eyeshadow palette from the Luxe range in the shade Glamorous Roses. As soon as I saw the shades, I was in love! It includes 4 shimmers and 1 matte shades and these colours are perfect for a soft everyday look. I haven't got round to using this palette yet but I did swatch a couple of the shades and they are really pigmented!

The next two items are lipsticks, both with a matte finish. Admittedly, I was feeling very autumnal when I bought these lipsticks but I have no regrets! I purchased the shades Red Supreme, which is a gorgeous deep red, and Superb Wine which as the name suggests is a dark red, brown toned, wine shade. I am in love with both shades and although they both have a matte finish, they still keep my lips feeling nourished and smooth!

Up next is another eyeshadow palette (I have an obsession). This one has 8 shades, 6 shimmers and 2 mattes, including the darkest black shade ever! I swatched a few of these shades and they are also super pigmented. This palette is perfect for creating a smokey look for the festive party season and I can't wait to use it properly!

 

After placing all these items on my order list, I noticed that there was a promotion on Avon True Colour products, where you'd get a free 'starter' kit when you spent over a certain amount. This starter kit included a lipstick in the shade Toasted Rose, perfect for everyday! A single eyeshadow in the shade Satin Taupe, a nail polish in the shade Naked Truth and a mini bottle of cleansing water.