Cohorted Beauty Box- August

Hey everyone, 

Time for a review of a box I've never bought before! The Cohorted Beauty Box. It prices at £20.00 plus £2.50 postage and packaging and arrives via courier. You get a selection of 5 beauty products (be that makeup, skincare or haircare) which are unknown to everyone until people start getting their boxes. Unfortunaly I did see a few peoples boxes before mine arrived and at that point I was excited. However I do think this was because it was a new box for me. 

(I do apologise for the quality of the photos today, the weather is terrible outside and I tried to do my best with what I had)

Bare Minerals- BareVitamins Skin Rev-er Upper- rrp: £15.00

Skincare! You all know how much I'm enjoying skincare at the moment and when I first openned this I couldn't understand what it was meant to do. After reading the card, it says to put this on before you moisturiser or wear on it's own. Upon application I found that the smell really put me off. However I will persevere and try to find a way to put this in my routine. 

Laura Geller- Baked Impressions Duo Eyeshadow- rrp: £15.00

Upon first glance, I was excited for this item especially as I need to build my single eyeshadow collection (yes I know this blog is all about downsizing!). But after swatching and looking at the colours, I don't understand why it has a retail value of £15! They are not pigmented colours and are literally a wash over the eyes. I have a feeling this will be downsized when I do a declutter. 

Bare Minerals- Soft Focus Face Brush- rrp: £20.00

I was so happy to see a brush in this box! Something I actually want right now, more brushes. This brush is soft to touch, perfect travel size and just the perfect thing for my collection. I've never tried the Bare Minerals line so hopefully this stands up to its retail value. 

Molton Brown- Relaxing Yuan Zhi Body Cream 30ml- rrp: £6.00

This was something I wasn't expecting in my box! A sample size of a body lotion? This smells okay but probably will only do my whole body once. I really don't have much to say except it will be used up.

Cargo- Eye Colour Quad- rrp: £10.00

This is a beautiful palette, better pigment than the Laura Geller duo and perfect colours for my taste. It will take a long time for me to use up these shadows however I do think they will make a good eye look. I did notice after looking a photos of people's boxes on Instagram that a few people did get a quad with a dark blue shade in it, I'm rather happy I didn't get that quad. 

Over all this boxes value comes to a whopping £66.00, which I do not feel it deserves. I am a girl of the drugstore and I would have rather spent my £20.00 for this box on a few items from there. I will not be purchasing this box again after reading a few reviews and speaking to others about Cohorted. I think I'll stick to my Glossybox! 

Emma 

#12emptiesofChristmas Update

Hey everyone, 

It's that time of the month again and I'm proud to say that I only have one product left in this project! So far I have used up:

Soap & Glory Righteous Body Butter

Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser

Kueshi Face Toner

NaoBay Face Scrub

Origins Out Of Trouble Face Mask

Morgan Shower Gel

Nivea Night Cream

Bourjois ColourBoost Lipstick (thrown away)

Seventeen StayTime Primer

Benefit Highbeam Sample

Ted Baker Bath Foam

Which means I only have my Maybelline Colour Tattoo left! I'll be honest, I knew this would be my last product left in this but I did not think by August all my other products would be gone. Which is why I started my project 10 pan last week (if you have not read that post yet, you should). On to the photos!

As you can see I have used ALOT more since the last update. Last time you only saw pan, now I have half the product gone! I use this product everyday as an eye base which I then set with a product which is in my project 10 pan. I'm hoping to have this product done within the next two months at least with continuous use as I also have a back up version of this in a stick form. However I will probably leave this colour alone for a while after this is finished. 

Fingers crossed to more progress next month! 

Emma 

Review: Absolute Sheet Face Masks

Hey everyone! 

So today I'm going to be bringing you a review which is something I've been thinking about starting on here for a while. What a better way to start with one of my favourite skincare items, face masks! I've currently tried out two of the Absolute masks and do like how they make my skin feel. As I'm writing this, I actually have one on. 

I bought each of these from Beauty Crowd (http://www.beautycrowd.com) and the ones I bought were as followed: collagen, honey, fresh aloe and vitamin c. Each mask is for all skin types and is marketed as a brightening essence mask. 

The masks are a sheet design which makes them quick, easy and not as messy as normal squeeze tube types. However I did find when opening the two I have tried that the product is very saturated and can make a mess. On the other hand, if the product is saturated you are going to get all that goodness on to your skin, so there are pros and cons. Here is a picture of the product on me (sorry if a little scary!). 

However much I do like sheet masks and however many I have tried (which is a fair few!), I did find that these masks were a little too big for my face. I also found that these masks tend to slip down the face due to the saturation of the product, so you do have to lay down when applied. Another thing which tends to lead me away from masks is if they have a bad smell. These I am glad to say do not. The product smells faintly of the desired one you pick and that smell stays faint after use. Due to saturation on the product it does last the desired 20 minutes (if not longer!). 

After use, the packet says to rub in any left over product once the sheet has been taken off. This acts like a serum which I find is a lovely step with sheet masks. I have found that the masks do not do anything to my skin except feel baby soft. I would not say my skin is brighter but I do have very dull skin anyways. 

Overall I would say give these masks a go if your looking for something fun to add into your skincare routine or even for a pamper night. 

Emma 

(Bought to review) 

Project 10 Pan Intro

Hey everyone! 

Seen as I'm doing so well with my #13byHalloween and #12emptiesofchristmas, I've decided to start a Project 10 Pan which I have never done before. In this you use up 10 items in a certain amount of time. I've given myself 3 months (so finish by 2nd November) to complete or hit pan on certain items. Now normally people just pick items, however I decided I wanted to choose from the Roulette version seen on Heather Mae Beauty on YouTube. She lists a few ideas, you write them down and pick out of a hat 10 which you then pick items out of. The list is in the picture below.

These are the items I picked, progress so far and the prompt which made me pick the item! 

Rimmel lasting finish foundation. I only have about 1.5cm worth of product left but I really do hate it! It melts off my skin and I know I can finish this up and see the last of it! 

Collection bronze glow bronzer. This will be hard for me as I'm currently using a bronzer in my #13byHalloween. However that item has already hit pan and on it's way out. 

Rimmel Kate lipstick in 08. So close but yet so far! I just want this lipstick out of my life and out of #projectlip (on Instagram) now! I'm pretty sure I can do this.

Buxom Amplified Lash Mascara. A reasonably new product for me however I do use 2 mascaras a day and have plenty in my collection, so I might as well use this for the beautiful packaging! 

You Butter Believe it Body Butter. A cream product was hard for me as I currently have my colour tattoo in my #12emptiesofchristmas, so I had to think of something else. This body butter is completely full and I've currently come out of the routine of using one every night. 

Etre Belle Lifting Peel. I've had this lip scrub for a while now from Glossybox and have been using it every night, however there is so much product left! Time to get on it and finish it up. 

Mac Blush in Dainty. This for me is HOLY GRAIL status. I never want to see this blush go so I'm pretty happy with just hitting pan on this baby. I'm currently panning a cream blush in my #13byhalloween so this will become a topper. 

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer. Beautiful, beautiful product that really works for my panda eyes! It's really on it's last legs (although with concealer I've found I can be presently surprised) and hopefully this will be one of the first to go. 

NYC Smooth Skin Face Poweder. Another product I've been trying to use up as it's just way to messy for my liking. I have a decent dip in it, but I want it fully gone. 

Rimmel London Glam Eyes in Precious Rose. I'm currently using this product as a setter for my Colour Tattoo so i really don't want this product to be gone, however pan would make me very happy. The impression on the product has already worn down. 

I hope this has given you some ideas for your next project 10 pan. I've decided to keep all the slips with ideas on for my next project if I decide I like this method. 

Emma 

#13byHalloween Update 1

Hey everyone! 

So I'm a little late with this update but I come at you with very good progress! I have finished a total of 9 items already (don't worry I'm adding items in as I go along!) and have good progress on the others. 

This is all I have left! One item here is a bonus item too!

 I've finished up:

Maybelline Matte Maker Poweder

So? Kiss me Perfume

Monu Spa Rosewood Reviving Mist

Essence Lash Princess Mascara

Maybelline Baby Skin Primer

Balance Me Body Polish Sample 

Yardley Body Lotion

Nivea Cleansing Cream Wash

Kueshi Anti-Cellulite Booster

So Susan Blush in Pink

You may not be able to tell from the photo but there is a significant dip in this blush as I have been wearing it everyday as it's perfect for spring/summer. These cream products can also be worn on the lips however with my other projects going on, I do not need to do that. 

Rimmel BB Cream Matte

I really need to use this product more! So far I've used this on days where I know my makeup does not need to be on long as it does not wear well on my oily skin. However I do like how it looks and when I use it now, it makes that horrible fart sound, so I'm closing to finishing. I'm hoping to take this on holiday with me this month. 

Origins Clear Improvement Mask

Again another product which needs more love over my sheet masks! You can see from the photo here I have made a dent in the product and light is peeking through, however I think we have a fair way with this! 

Colour Corture Eyeliner

I had actually lost this eyeliner for a week or so, so some progress has been made but not as much as I would like. I use this everyday in my waterline and set with my project pan that palette eyeshadows. I did make 1.5cm worth of progress on this (I'm marking on paper in my notebook) and if I can continue to do so, one more eyeliner will be gone! 

BONUS- BC Bronzing Powder

I've decided to add in this powder and finish it up during the summer months as one, I've already used a lot of products up! And two, its already repressed and showing more pan! Time to get this bad boy gone! 

Thank you for reading and hopefully more progress to show next month! 

Emma 

Project Polish- Update 4

Hey everyone, 

It's that time of the month again polish time! Now I have some progress to show you this month but no new polishes. Hopefully with this next month going on a no buy and holiday on 22nd, I'll have some major progress to show you all! 

Bourjois 1 Second paint in 2

Without even trying I've made some good progress on this one! I've noticed that this polish stays on well and is a perfect colour for my working week! Hopefully there isn't many manicures left in this bottle but I will be presently surprised I think! 

Maybelline Express Finish in 190 Racing Rubies 

I seriously don't like this colour. My aim this month was to wear this on my toes a little more, however I found that even with a base coat my nails get stained. I'm going to give this polish another month, if I still don't like it, out it goes. At least with this project I'm finding the colours or formulas I don't like! 

17 lasting Fix in Glisten

This baby will not die! For such a small bottle (8ml), I can't seem to make a dent in it. I normally paint my nails with this colour every other manicure (fingers or toes) with two coats and yet barely a dent! I better keep going! 

Avon Matte in Purple

This is another of those polishes which I thought I would enjoy panning but as it comes to it, I don't find myself reaching for it out of the 5. I haven't actually tried this on my fingers as of yet, so maybe that's the route to go with this polish to make a bigger dent. I managed to use this polish at least 3 times this month. 

Barry M Silk in Meadow

I love this polish! Another one for the working week and with my job, it fits perfectly. Barely any chipping, opaque in 2 coats and the colour is to die for. I made it my goal to use this pretty much every manicure this month and that I did do. I've made a great dent in this and can't wait for more progress. 

BONUS TREATMENT-Sally Hansen Maximum Strength

As always with this treatment I use it under every manicure or pedicure. It's a perfect base, leaves a milky white colour (could be used on it's own) and actually works! I find that if I don't have this (or any polish for that matter) on my nails chip and break easily. I already have another backup for when this is finished! 

I've decided for next month my goals are to carry on using my colours for work and make a dent in 17 Lasting Fix in Glisten as this will be a perfect colour for my holiday! I'm hoping with an luck that the Bourjois polish will be done by next update! 

Emma P 

July Empties!

Hey everyone, 

This month I expected to see a lot more in my empties and a higher value, to which I did! I also found that with a low buy (supposed to be a no buy!) that I've been enjoying my makeup more. If you don't already know, when i finish a product it goes into my empties basket and the value of the product is written down in a book. At the end of the month I total up how much I used up. 

This month I used up:

1 Haircare

11 Face products

10 Body products

20 Samples 

6 Makeup and 3 eyeshadows from palettes

1 perfume 

I managed to use up a whopping £163.73 worth of items this month and I can see my collection going down. I have also been partaking in #panthatpalette on Instagram (@Piperbeauty if wondering) and that's how I managed to use up 3 pans of shadow from there. 

Here's to another awesome month (but also my traveling month!) 

Emma P