WIN! A Glossybox May Anniversary Edition... **NOW CLOSED**

Hello my lovelies, I hope you're all ok =]

Me being the silly billy that I am I accidental ordered 2 May Glossyboxes so I have decided to give one away to my lovely followers!

The below image is simply for illustration, you will receive a completely brand new Glossybox still sealed. 

How to enter:

♥ Make sure you're a follower of this blog via Googe Connect (top right)

♥ For one entry leave a comment on this post with your email address.

♥ For one extra entry tweet about this giveaway & make sure you mention me when you tweet so I can see it, my twitter ID = xbeautygeekx please also state that you tweeted when you leave your comment.

The boring bit (the rules)

♥ You must be a follower of this blog via Google Connect.

♥ You must be 16+ or have your parents permission as I will need your address to send the prizes. 

♥ This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY!

♥ All qualifying entries will be entered into random.org and a winner selected at random.

   

This giveaway closes on Sunday 3rd June 2012.

Good luck!

Sarah xx

Lifting The Lid: Glossybox 1st Anniversary Edition...

Good evening my lovelies, It's finally Friday, Yay!!

May marks the first Anniversary of Glossybox and to celebrate this the May Glossybox is a special Anniversary edition.

I personally can't believe Glossybox has been around for a year, it feels like only yesterday I was ripping open my first box, How time flies!

 Here is what I received in this months Glossybox...

 How pretty is this tissue paper?! I managed to save it & will be using it to wrap a present in the future =]

My box contained:

♥ Noble Isle Summer Rising Bath & Shower Gel - I know these shower gels can come in handy for traveling purposes but I'm getting bored of receiving one every month. I haven't tried this particular shower gel yet but it smells really masculine to me, I might give it to my boyfriend for our holiday.

♥ Lolita Lempicka Perfume Samples - I know some people don't like receiving perfume samples but I personally don't mind them for slipping in my clutch on a night out. I probably wouldn't choose these perfumes myself or purchase the full sizes but they're not bad & I will use them.

♥ Weleda Face Cream & Body Milk - I haven't tried this yet so I can't say too much but I'm always happy to try new skincare and look forward to giving this a go. 

♥ Collection Lasting Colour Gel Liner - I was quite surprised to see this in my box & it was black, a colour I will actually use! I saw that a few people received the brown liner and I'm so glad I received the black. I'm a big gel liner fan & look forward to trying this out. 

♥ HD Brows Brow Beater - I was SO happy when I saw this! I missed out on the first HD brows product that came with a Glossybox last year and have never lived it down. I'm a big fan of filling in my brows and it's an important part of my daily routine so this product is right up my street. I tried it this morning & I really liked it. I don't want to say too much yet but I will be posting a full review soon. 

♥ Mirror & Balloon - With this being the Anniversary edition Glossybox included a mirror & balloon as bonus products. I'm really happy with the mirror, it's doubled sided with one side being a magnified mirror and it will be perfect for slipping in my handbag. The balloon was a really sweet touch and my nephew has enjoyed playing with it =]

Overall this box wasn't bad. It's certainly not my favourite box and I probably won't use all of the products but the HD brows product certainly made up for it.

What are yours thoughts on this months box?

Sarah xx

Wednesday Wishlist... #1

Hello my lovelies!

I hope you're all ok & enjoying the beautiful weather, sadly I've been stuck in an office all week so I hope it sticks around for the weekend =]

With the warmer weather I've been craving a wardrobe and makeup overhaul, here is my Wednesday Wishlist for this week...

1 New Look Dipped Hem Skirt | 2 Ted Baker Laptop Case | 3 Caudalie Beauty Elixir | 4 River Island Love Ring | 5 Babycham Bow Stripe Wedges | 6 YSL Rouge Volupte Peach Passion 

I want everything above but I think I might have to settle with the skirt & ring for now!

What is on your wish list at the moment?

Sarah xx

Review: Sure Maximum Protection ...

Hello my lovelies!

Deodorant... not the most glamorous of products but it's something we all use every day so we should certainly make sure it's a goodun! I attended a Sure event a few weeks ago now and thought it was about time I posted about it =]

What Sure say:

'Designed to be the most effective antiperspirant from Sure, you can rely on Maximum Protection's clinically proven formula for constant protection against excessive sweating. Whether it's heat, stress or life making you perspire, Sure Maximum Protection antiperspirant will keep you fresh whatever the day brings.'

What I think:

At the Sure event we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to have a chat with the skin scientist who helped develop this deodorant, he told us all about how it works and why it's so different to any other deodorant on the market. He started off by asking us all if we moisturise our underarms, it was a resounding no! He made the very good point that it's skin just like anywhere else on our bodies & that we should moisturise it just as much. He then went on to explain that Sure Maximum Protection is two times stronger than the leading anti-persipirent whilst offering unbeatable wetness protection and providing a moisturiser the underarm area, phew! 

I wouldn't say I'm exactly a sweaty betty but there have been times when I've felt that my deodorant has let me down in the past - job interviews & my driving test just to name a few. I first saw this on a shelf in Boots a few months ago and thought how much for a deodorant?!? How wrong was I! I've never used such an effective deodorant. Since using Sure Maximum Protection I have to say I haven't felt any wetness in the underarm area, I haven't felt uncomfortable in a stressful situation and i've been confident enough not to have to worry about sweating or odour. As I said before I know deodorant isn't a glamourous subject to talk about but I cannot sing the praises of this deodorant enough.

How I use it:

When I first tried to use Sure Maximum Protection I couldn't figure out how to work it, no matter how much I twisted no product was coming out. I learnt that you have to keep twisting to the right until the product comes to the surface, this takes a little while but stick with it! 

Sure recommend using this before bed, I like to apply this both before bed and after my morning shower, this leaves me feeling extra fresh and ready for the day ahead. I use 2-3 clicks to the right before bed and a further 2-3 after my morning shower. I don't re-apply this deodorant all day unless it's a gym day then I'll apply a click to the right under each arm after a shower. I've used this every day since receiving it a month ago & it's still going strong. 

Price/Availability:

Sure Maximum Protection is priced at £5.09 per 45ml & is available from retailers nationwide.

Overall Opinion:

This is hands down the best deodorant I have ever tried & I've recommended it to all of my friends. I know it costs more than the average deodorant but it's so worth it and you certainly get your moneys worth. I couldn't imagine using a different deodorant now & when mine runs out I will definitely be purchasing it straight away. 

What is your choice of deodorant? 

Sarah xx

Review: Bioderma Sensibo H2O

 Good evening my lovelies, I hope you're all well! I'm on a blogging roll this week, after a little break I'm back all refreshed and ready to get going with lots of posts!

Bioderma has to be one of the most talked about beauty products in blogging community of 2012, I didn't give into the hype for aaaages but I have to say I'm so glad I did.

Bioderma say:

At the cutting edge of innovation, BIODERMA has pioneered micellar solutions. Specially formulated for sensitive, normal to dry skins, the Sensibio H2O micelle solution gently cleanses face and eyes. It removes water-resistant make-up.

The micelles contained in its formula effectively micro-emulsify impurities while maintaining the skin’s balance (soap-free, physiological pH).

What I think:

Since purchasing this from eBay (more on that later) a few weeks ago I have used this every night without fail & for someone who is as lazy as me this is no mean feat! The formulation is so gentle that I can use it all over my face including the eye area & it does not sting in any way, I wear contact lenses so this can be a big problem for me! After using Sensibo my skin feels really clean and refreshed, I love taking my make up off straight after work now! 

How I use The Product:

First of all I use this product in the morning, I'd rather have an extra 10 minutes in bed than have to complete a whole skincare routine! I simply soak a cotton pad in the product and sweep it over my face. This removes any of the skincare products I used the night before and leaves a really good refreshed base for makeup, after applying moisturiser of course.

In the evening this is the first step in my skincare routine, once again I soak a cotton pad in the product and sweep it over my face. I tend to use one cotton pad for my face & then another for the eye area. As you can see below it removes a lot of product!

Where To Buy:

Sadly Bioderma is not readily available in the UK & like many other bloggers I had to resort to buying it from eBay. The seller I use is here and they sell both the 250ml & 500ml size depending on what you'd prefer!

Price:

The eBay seller listed above sells the 250ml size for £6.95 + £2.80 p&p or the 500ml size for £10.45 + £2.90 p&p which is the cheapest I found on eBay.

Overall opinion:

If you're sitting on the fence about this product & you're not sure whether to try it or not I would definitely say give it a go! I know it seems like a lot of money for what is essentially a bottle of water but it's made such a huge difference to my skincare routine & I couldn't imagine not using it now!

Are you a fan of the Bioderma brand?

Sarah xx

Review: Yves Rocher Culture Bio Eye Wake Up Care

Hello my lovelies, I hope you all had a lovely weekend & made the most of the lovely weather!

I've never really used an eye cream in my daily skincare, it's always been something I associate with slightly older ladies but I now know that prevention is better than cure so was over the moon when I was given the opportunity to try this eye cream out.

Yves Rocher Culture Bio Eye Wake Up Care*

What Yves Rocher say:

'Eye wake-up care with 6 organic plant extracts. This extremely gentle, delightfully soft, creamy product with its natural fragrance revives the radiance of your eyes and enhances their beauty. 6 organic plant extracts combine their natural properties to intensely hydrate, soften and protect the eye contour area. Minimizes signs of fatigue. Every day your eyes look younger, brighter and more rested.'What I think:
First of all I really like the packaging. The precise nozzle means I don't waste any product and you only need the tiniest amount for each eye & this controls the product perfectly.
I've been incorporating this eye cream into my nightly skincare routine, I pat the cream into the eye area with my ring finger before I apply my moisturiser.
I've never really suffered with bad skin around my eyes, I get the occasional dry area or a tiny bit of millia  but nothing too bad. I've noticed a real difference to the softness of my eye area since using this product and it feels very soothing after a hard day in the office!
I've also noticed how much easier it is to apply concealer to the eye area, it glides on now and doesn't cake or stick to any dry patches.
Where To Buy:
Yves Rocher products are sadly not available on the high street in the UK just yet but are available here.
Price:
Yves Rocher Culture Bio Eye Wake Up Cream is priced at £15.00 per 15ml.
Overall Opinion:
If you're looking for an all round mid priced eye cream then this one is for you. It fees lovely to apply and whilst it won't hide or banish dark circles completely it feels soothing and certainly makes applying make up to the eye area a breeze.

What are your favourite eye creams?

Sarah xx

*PR sample

What's In My Bag - My First Youtube Video!!!

Hello my lovelies, I'm so sorry I've AWOL recently but I'm back I promise!

I wanted to an up to date what's in my bag post then decided it might be better in video form so I bit the bullet and uploaded my first Youtube video!

Here goes...

Hope you all enjoyed it!

I'm not too sure about the whole YT thing yet and I'm not even sure anyone will watch the video but please subscribe & I may make a few more!

Hope you all have a great week & I promise I have lots of exciting posts coming up soon!

Sarah xx

800 Follower Giveaway Announcement!

Hello you lovely lot, I hope you're all well!

My 800 follower giveaway ended on Sunday & I thought it was about time I announced who the winner is!

I received such an amazing response and I really just want to say thankyou to everyone who entered, I really do appreciate every single one of my beautiful followers and this was just a small way to say thankyou.

I made a note of all qualifying entries and entered them into random.org.

& the winner is....

The Katt's Pyjamas

Well done lovely, I will contact you shortly to arrange sending you your prizes.

Thankyou to everyone who entered, I'm really sorry I couldnt give you all a prize but I will hold another giveaway soon I promise!

I hope you all have a lovely evening, well, what's left of it =]

Toodlepip,
Sarah xx

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