9byNewYears- Update 3

Hey everyone! 

It's that time of the month again and I'm proud to say I've already hit 9 targets/ finished items! We currently only have less than a month to go with this project and I only have 4 items left, so I would like to keep pushing these items and get somewhere good on them. 

So far I have used:

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation

MonuSpa Reviving Mist

Sally Hansen Lip Gloss

Maybelline Babylips in Melon Mania 

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipliner

Foxy from Naked Basics palette (hit pan) 

Stila Smudge Stick eyeliner in Black Amythest

Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Nudest

Finish Foxy 

Naked 2 from Naked Basics palette (hit pan) 

Colour Couture Eyeshadow Dust in white

You really can't see much progress in this product especially looking at it like this. When looking from the side you can see the space which has been created from use. I currently use this every other week as a topper for my shadow stick and that creates progress. I have grown to love this colour and will be keeping this in my collection once the project is finished. 

Rimmel Scandleyes in 011 Bluffing

I don't believe this product will be used up by 3 weeks away however I have made considerable progress since the beginning of the project. Since I started I have used up 2.5cm of product (a little goes a long way) and since this product is in my use it up for next year, I do believe I will have a break for a while once this project is over and return to it later next year. 

Isa Dora Lipliner in Vintage Pink 

I really didn't think I would have made this much progress on this lip liner as much as I have done! This product and the next are in my use it up for this month so I plan to have them done before the end of this project. So far I have used 5cm of product (and another Lipliner altogether) in this project I don't think it will take much to finish it up! 

Maybelline Babylips in Hydrate

This is the other product also in my use it up for this month and as I'm also ill right now, I do believe I will be reapplying this product a lot. I don't have much product left to go (1cm) and I have already used a Babylips up in this project so another would be great! 

I've found that by doing seasonal challenges, I've tested myself to use product constantly and get into a routine with my makeup. It now doesn't take me as long in the morning to get ready and I love that! 

Emma 

Review- Korean Skincare (Bits and Bobs of Beauty)

Hey everyone, 

Wow, two posts in one day! Arnt you guys lucky. This evening I thought I'd give you all a review of some of the items in a Korean skincare box I recently received to review from Bits and Bobs of Beauty. They are a new company to the uk who are supplying us all with the awesome inventions from Korea without the import duty! Currently they have free shipping for anyone living in mainland uk and do ship out to Europe for a charge. After trying out these few products and looking at their site, I know I'm going to be a returning customer! 

Before I start I would just like to say how beautiful the package arrived to me was! Super cute pink shipping box with pink tissue paper and a beautiful note addressed to myself. I love that added touch and their logo is just the sweetest! 

Tony Moly Glow Ring Hair Mask- £3.50

I knew as soon as I openned the package I wanted to try this hair mask out and I did straight away. Inside the package you receive the product itself (smaller side) and a shower cap (larger side) which has a serum on the inside. You put on the mask after washing your hair and then after pop on the shower cap and rub in the serum. After 10 minutes you wash off. I must admit this concept was a little strange to me however I found it really fun! I loved the smell and how smooth the hair mask itself was. In the morning after letting my hair air dry, I found that my hair was shiny and smooth. This only lasted for 2 days at the longest on my oily hair though. I would consider purchasing this for myself as a pick me up. 

Pig Collagen Hydrogel Mask- £4.50

You all should know by now how much I love a good mask and I must admit this one took me by surprise. I was very intrigued by the idea of it having collagen from pigs skin in it and that in itself is very unusual here in the uk! The other thing I found very unusual is that it came in two halves! One to go around the top part of your face and one to cover your mouth area. I didn't find that this product had a weird smell (or any at all for that matter) and I didn't find any immediate or long lasting results. When wearing it I found that the bottom half slipped off my face quite a lot (so better wearing when laying down) and that the circles were two small for my large eyes. However despite all that I did enjoy the concept and would purchase myself for a good pamper. 

Étude House Green Tea Face Mask- £2.20

Another face mask I recieved in this box and I was so glad it was a calming mask! My skin has been playing up recently with my acne scaring so needed a bit of T.L.C. I was blown away when opening this mask by the amount of serum on the fabric (yes fabric!) mask which had a beautiful smell. The smell itself was not too over powering however when worn and was actually very calming itself. I wore this mask for the recommended 15mins and found my skin was very cool and soothed by the end. As with the Pig mask I did find this masks holes too small for me but I would defiantly recommend this line of masks from Étude House. Especially for £2.20 each! 

Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Nose Pack- £1.99 each 

Unfortunatly I have a downer of a product right at the end for you all. I assume I recieved these nose packs because I said I have oily skin, however due to the fact my skin is so oily these nose strips did not stick to my skin. Unlike products we have in the uk, they did not have any liquid on them, just a sticky side which you placed on your skin. They are said to draw out the dirt from your pores once pulled off but after the 10mins recommended time, I noticed a few dots on the paper and not much else. After trying out the second mask this week, I noticed that the paper already had dots on in the first place. Very misleading. I would say if you were searching for a pore sucking nose strip, stick to the ones from the uk. They seem a bit cheaper that Korean ones too. 

So that was part one of my reviews for the Korean beauty from Bits and bobs of beauty and part two will come shortly once more has been tried out! 

Emma 

*I recieved these products for free for my honest review*

Project 10 Pan- update 4

Hey everyone! 

I'm actually a day late with this update! I really don't know where the time is going this year. So far with this project 10 pan, I've managed to use up 6 items. I've now only got about 2 months (so a few more updates) until it's over so I need to get a move on with the last 5 items really. 

I've used up:

Maybelline Baby Skin Primer

Revlon Nearly Naked Powder

Makeup Revolution Vivd Highlighter (hit pan) 

No7 Eyeshadow (hit pan) 

Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake 

Covergirl Lash blast Mascara 

YSL Tint-in-oil lipgloss

I say this every update but my main goal on this item was not to use it up but to get more use out of the product. That I believe I have done. Ever so often I would find myself reaching for this product before work if I was feeling lazy. I've also noticed that because the product is an oil, it dried quickly on my lips. This in turn meant I had to reapply quite a lot! Maybe the product will be used up after all? 

Revlon Balm Stain in Honey 

Since the last update, I've used this product everyday. However as you can see, there is barely any progress! On my paperwork in my little notebook, the lines show I made half a cm of progress which I guess is better than none. I do believe if I want this product gone by Janurary 5th, I'm going to have to wear it every other week. 

Marsk Loose Eyeshadow 

I've actually loved seeing this product go down on the sides. I use this loose dust to set my eyeliner (coming next) and every time I dip my brush into the product it does go down. I don't know whether this has anything to do with the fact it picks up too much product but I don't mind. After this project, this eyeshadow will be going as it was only free anyway. 

Isa Dora Kajal in Icy Blue

Ever since my Stila eyeliner finished in my #9bynewyears, I've been focusing my eyeliner on this product everyday. With the cooler months and glitter eyeshadow this eyeliner matches perfectly. This is the eyeliner I set with my Marsk eyeshadow above. So far in the 2 weeks that have passed I've made a whopping 1cm in progress but I do believe it is because the eyeliner itself is very creamy. 

Maybelline Galactic Mauve Lipstick

I really haven't been using this product. I think I've managed to use it once whilst at work but I did notice it made my lips very dry. I'm going to try using it every other week in turn with the Revlon Balm Stain to try make some progress before January. 

As you can see I have a lot of progress to make but really am not enjoying the slow progress I'm making. Hopefully before the end of the year something else will be nearly done. 

Emma 

November Empties!

Hey there everyone! 

Doesn't this time of the month come round quick? Before long the end of the year will be over and I can't wait to give you all my total amount of items used and value! This month was a very slow month for myself as I have been using ALOT of full sized items and mostly brand new. However I did make a big dent in my makeup! 

(Sorry for the blurry photo! It's late at night over here) 

In total I used:

2 Haircare

21 Skincare

7 Bodycare

1 Sample 

9 Makeup (including a full palette!) 

1 Single eyeshadow

2 Misc

If you did not know, how I do my empties is I write down a value for each item I out into my bin in a little book and at the end of the month I find my total value. This month the total value was £181.21!! I think the value was so high because the skincare I used up was high value items like the Clinique and the InstaNaturals (both of which I loved!). Hopefully my last empties for this year will be just as good. 

Emma 

Nars Glossybox- unboxing and review

Hey everyone! 

Today I have a special unboxing for you all. I recently managed to get hold of one of the Nars for Glossybox boxes which sold out in 28 minutes and today I'd like to show you all what's in it and my thoughts. The box itself was £30 for subscribers plus postage. It contains 5 deluxe size samples of Nars' most popular products. For non-subscribers this box was £35 + postage. 

I must say, the packaging for this Glossybox was absolutely spot on! The box itself is a beautiful matte black exactly like Nars packaging. Inside the ribbon was printed with the Nars text and featured black tissue paper and a black Glossybox sticker. I believe this is one of the best packages that Glossybox has made! 

As always I'm going to go from my favourite to my least favourite in the box, although I'll say now I love all of this box! 

Nars Satin Lip Pencil Deluxe Sample in Rikugien 

I had to just start with this item. I've had this satin lip pencil on my wish list for what seems like forever and I must say, I tried this straight away. The hype on YouTube is so right. It's a perfect everyday colour with a beautiful sheen. I did notice that it didn't last long on my lips but I don't mind re-applying this beatiful colour. A full size of this product is £19.

Nars Blush deluxe sample in Orgasm 

No best of Nars box would be complete without the famous Orgasm blush. Although it does look like a really dark colour, applied with a light hand, it turns into a lovely flush. Luckily I had the perfect blush brush (Eco tools) that fit into this blush and of corse it's lovely for work. A full size would cost £23.

Nars Larger than life eyeliner deluxe sample in Via Veneto

I really don't have much to say about this eyeliner. It's always good to have a solid black eyeliner and of corse I tried this out during my 8 hour shift at work. It lasted well but by the end of my shift I had noticed the outer corners were faded and smudged (probably me though). I will be trying this product out again though as I'm pretty sure I could use this up. A full size would cost you £19.

Nars Multiple Deluxe Sample in Orgasm

I've only put this cult favourite product so low because I really don't have a clue how to use it. Is it just a cream blush or do I have to use it other ways? I think I need to have a good read on blogs and on YouTube to find out. If you have an idea, please could you let me know in the comments. A full size of this is £29.

Nars Audacious Mascara Delxue Sample 

Again I only have one reason for having this product so low and that is that it broke in shipping. 

Unfortunatly when I openned the product the first time the brush stayed inside the product. I have already contacted Glossybox with photographs and they have said they will send me a replacement. I must say Glossybox's customer service are fantastic. I've had to get into contact with them before and each time they have been amazing. 

As you can see I think this is great value for Nars products and although I have some items to figure out and test yet, I'm in love with this Glossybox! 

Emma 

Review- InstaNatural Dead Sea Mud Mask

Hey everyone! 

So today I thought I would bring you another review! I know I didn't used to do many reviews but suddenly I've been buying a few things and have been sent a few items. Today's review is going to be on the InstaNatural Dead Sea Mud Mask (amazon.co.uk for £21.95) and if you've been a n avid reader of mine for a while now, you already know I love this brand! InstaNatural is a 100% natural mineral infused brand which are crulty free, so perfect if you are jumping on that train. 

This product is a mud based product just like the famous Glam Glow without the heafty price tag. For £21.95 you receive 19oz of product which from me using it just 3 times, I can tell you this will last you forever! As this is a natural product though, you will want to use it within the 12 month life span as it will go off. The product itself is a jelly like texture which actually feels very slimy when put on. I found that my oily skin needed more than one thin layer of this mask to work and I could only just have it on for the recommended 15mins. The mask is said to be a detoxifier and purifier, bringing out the dullness in the skin and creating a healthy looking skin. After 3 uses I do believe it detoxifies my skin as the days after, I do have a few break outs. I believe that's because the bacteria in my skin has been drawn out by this product. 

I did notice that when applied and left for the 15 minutes, the product doesn't actually dry down fully but I did like that compared to say the GlamGlow. After 12 minutes of wear on my skin, this product is very tight and my skin feels completely brand new. I did have to follow with a hydrating mask however as I felt very taught and my skin itched. I would also suggest with this mask that you don't get it in your hair (eyebrows and hair line) as my scalp itched for days after my first application. I was so scared that hair might be falling out. However after 2 more uses and not getting it in my hair, I didn't get that feeling again. 

I hope you all found this review helpful and I hope you test out InstaNaturals products for yourself. 

Emma 

I recieved this product for free for my honest review. 

Beauty Crowd Mystery Box Review

Hey everyone,

Now this is a little bit of a different post for me. I've shopped on Beauty Crowd quite a few times and every time, I've had a beatiful package come through the post. When I noticed that they were doing blogger boxes on their pro page, I knew I had to snap it up and unbox it for you all. Three of the brands in the box I have tried before and one I haven't so it wasn't totally a discovery box however I was pleasantly surprised. 

(Please excuse the colour of the photos, it's pretty late when I'm writing this) 

Freedom Long Length Mascara

I've tried this mascara out once already and although it's a brush type of wand, I didn't actually find that it made my top lashes longer. However the bottom lashes looked amazing, so it's going to stay in my draw for that use. The mascara itself does smell floral though so if you don't like that in products, you won't like this mascara. 

Bell Hypoallergenic Liquid Eyeliner in Black

This is a brand that I've tried before and this product is very good at drawing liner. It has a brush tip applicator and the colour pay off is very black! However I did find I could only draw small sections of the line each time as there wasn't enough product on the applicator. 

Absolute Beauty Mark Beauty Stamp for Face and Body

I actually think this product was a waste of time in my box. If you are a makeup artist or have a little business, this would be a good product for you. It is literally what it says on the tin. A beauty stamp in the shape of flower, however the black isn't very pigmented. 

Freedom Eyeshadow Single in Nuevo 

I can't believe the pigementation of this shadow! I haven't actually tried this beauty out yet (as I have no idea what this colour will go with!) but just from a single swatch, it looks beautiful! 

L.A. Colors 3D Blush Contour in Sugar Plum

This is the brand I've never tried before and I must say I love how creamy this product is. However I don't like that the highlight is barely there. You can see the swatches in order above, yet the highlight doesn't appear on my really light skin tone. I also found when applying the blush that a tiny little amount goes a long way! It's very pigemented. I don't know whether it was this brands products that have made me have an allergic reaction recently but I will keep testing it out. 

L.A. Colors eyeshadow Quint in Serenade 

Another from L.A Colors, I really hope I'm not allergic to this brand as I really love this quint! The colours are beautiful and after trying them out, I'm happy to say they blend like a dream. I can't wait to wear these colours to work everyday! (As long as I can)

Bell Hypoallergenic Triple Eyeshadow

I'm not impressed with this Trio at all! It took me quite a few swipes to get this much pigmentation on these swatches. The silver shadow at the left is also majorly glittery and I can imagine that when put on the eye, you will get ALOT of fallout. Obviously I will be trying this product out soon and see if my thoughts were correct. 

Absolute Mood Lip Gloss (left) 

This gloss is really smooth and unfortunatly it doesn't change for me (I have a super pigmented lip colour) but I still like the light pink. I haven't got much to say for this gloss as it really is just a gloss. 

Bell Hypoallegenic shiny Lip Gloss (middle)

I love this gloss! It's such a beautiful colour and could be worn alone or on top of a pink lipstick (I tried it on top of Revlons Pink About Town). It's really smooth and not sticky at all. Seriously thinking about trying to get some more of these in the future. 

Freedom Pro Butter Lipgloss (right) 

Gosh, this is pigmented! I have built up the swatch in the picture, however on the lips I'm sure you could go around with just one swipe. The colour isn't amazing for me so I will be passing this on to a friend. 

As you can tell, I have some highs and lows with this box and seen as I didn't pay much money to test out these brands I'm pretty happy. I really hope I'm not allergic to L.A Colors as I love that palette. Only time will tell!

Emma