Introducing: Powder Beauty Drawer - November 2017 review

You may have spotted this pale pink beauty drawer advertised in the glossy women's magazines, but I feel it's still one of those subscription boxes that has remained somewhat under the blogger radar when you compare it to the big boys like Glossybox and Birchbox. 

With this in mind, I wanted to feature Powder in my Introducing series for those who are looking for a new beauty box to try out - plus I really, really love the fact that the Powder 'box' is actually a pull-out drawer that you can stack and re-use, and it's a decent size too.

Powder is similar to other beauty boxes, but where most of the monthly beauty boxes send you four or five beauty treats, with Powder you'll receive up to seven products which will be a mix of full-size and samples from a range leading brands. The boxes are put together by a team of beauty experts (the company that runs Powder, Time Inc, also owns Marie Claire, InStyle etc), and they provide lots of additional tips and tricks on their website and with the accompanying leaflet, to help you to get the most out of the products included. Perfect for beauty beginners and anyone who loves trying out new launches!

Let's see what's inside the November Powder Beauty Drawer, shall we?

 FaceInc by Nails Inc Night Night Soothing Hydro Night Mask (1 mask, RRP £5)

Night masks are becoming more and more popular, but I had no idea that Nails Inc had branched out into skincare?! Their FaceInc line is full of sheet masks and quick fix skincare treatments, where most of their products can be used in just 15 minutes. I used this Night Night Soothing Hydro Night Mask on Sunday night and loved how soft and nourished my skin felt on Monday morning. This Vitamin E enriched mask does a great job of plumping up the skin and giving it a moisture boost, so it will be ideal to use throughout the colder Winter months.

 Lottie London Nail Lacquer in Happy Hump Day (full size, RRP £5.99)

Inside this month's Powder, you'll receive a full-size Lottie London Nail Lacquer in one of seven different shades. I was really pleased that I got Happy Hump Day which is an awesome, blingtastic multi-coloured glitter with gold, silver, green and blue particles, all suspended in a sheer gel base. This nail polish is just screaming to be used for a Christmas party!

 HASK Keratin Protein Smoothing Deep Conditioner (50ml, RRP £2.49)

Free from Sulphates, Parabens, Phthalates, Gluten, Alcohol and artificial colours, this Smoothing Deep Conditioner from HASK is formulated with Keratin Protein to strengthen and restore weak, dry and damaged hair. I've used it a few times in the past and it does a really good job of deeply hydrating frazzled hair that needs some TLC.  The generous 50ml sachet will happily provide two treatments for my hair so it's a very affordable option to use on a regular basis.

 The Organic Pharmacy Lip & Eye Cream (full size, RRP £26.95)

I'm a big fan of The Organic Pharmacy and have been wanting to try their Lip & Eye Cream for a while now, so thank you Powder! This rich and nourishing dual action cream is infused with the likes of Cranberry Seed Oil, Beeswax, Squalene Eyebright, Fennel, Bilberry and Frankincense, to reduce the appearance of puffiness, dark circles and fine lines. I will definitely try this on both my lips and eyes, but I think it could possibly work better as an eye cream for me as I have a lot of lip balms currently on the go - we shall see how this compares!

 Brush Works HD Multi-Tasking Sponge (RRP £6.49)

I always want to try out new makeup sponges and I love the look of this quirky, bright pink HD Multi-Tasking Sponge from Brush Works. It's soft and bouncy, with a pointed tip to blend concealer underneath the eyes and a flatter slanted edge to cover larger areas of the face. I used it this morning to apply my Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation and I was really impressed with it!   

Hugo Boss The Scent Intense For Her & For Him EDPs (1.5ml samples)

To finish off this month's Powder Beauty Drawer, I found two samples of Hugo Boss The Scent Intense (one for him, one for her) tucked away at the bottom of the white paper packaging. I've tried the female scent before and it's not my thing, so I'll be popping these two into a Christmas stocking for a friend to try out instead.

 Powder Beauty Drawer* is a beauty box subscription which costs £15 per month. To find out more and to subscribe, visit thisispowder.co.uk

Have you tried Powder?

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Bank Holiday Fun Makeup: Glitter & Gems with Urban Decay & Lottie London

Hope everyone is enjoying the Bank Holiday weekend! Today's post is all about fun makeup to make the most of those late Summer nights when the heat is still on - Summer's not over yet!

 Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow Palette* (£36, link)

Are you missing a badass colourful glitter eyeshadow palette in your makeup collection? If you are, Urban Decay's Moondust Eyeshadow Palette will keep your lids looking awesome for every single festival you're planning to go to for at least the next ten years! The packaging is seriously amazing for this palette, with a sparkly and textured granite-esque casing. Open it up and you'll find a large mirror in the reverse lid and eight pans of glitter eyeshadow heaven.

These eyeshadows are insanely glittery and pigmented, and you can use them dry for a sheerer look or wet for a proper intense, full-on festival-ready finish. I've swatched with just two dry swipes below to give you an idea of what these beauties can do and I love the range of colours. They wear well with minimal fallout and look even more mesmerizing on the lids. If you enjoy experimenting with your makeup - this is a must-have!

Swatches! Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow Palette

Urban Decay Razor Sharp Long-Wear Liquid Eyeliner in Goldrush* (2.3ml, £17, link)

To amplify your makeup further, a colourful liquid eyeliner can really pull the whole eye look together and I've been having fun trying out one of Urban Decay's Razor Sharp Long-Wear Liquid Eyeliners. These have a super fine tip which makes applying the liner much easier as you can get a really precise skinny line and they stay put all day, with incredible pigmentation. You do have to shake the tube a couple of times to ensure that the formula is thoroughly mixed, but when you get it right, the colour and payoff is worth is the wait! These liners come in a range of shades and I have Goldrush which is a killer metallic gold colour.

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Spandex* (7.5ml, £15, link)

If you only want a smidge of glitter on your eyes, try one of Urban Decay's hugely popular Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliners. The wand tip is very fine so you can easily achieve a skinny sliver of glitter or build it up for a thicker line which I've done in the swatches below. As you can see, the glitter is in a clear base, so these can be worn on their own or you can layer them over a black liner or shadow to really make them pop. They stay on all day and night (basically until you want to take them off), so you can see why they are such a coveted product in many a makeup artist's festival beauty bag. Available in a number of shades, I have Spandex which is an explosive mix of iridescent glitter with blue, black, silver, green and fuschia particles.

Urban Decay Vice Special Effects Lip Top Coat in Reverb* (4.7ml, £15.50, link)

Glitter lips continue to be a big trend, especially during the Summer months and holiday/festival season. Urban Decay have these cool Vice Special Effects Lip Top Coats which you can layer over your favourite lipstick for a completely different and unique look. You can also wear them on their own, but I find that they look much better layered over a lip colour, especially a darker one for an intense and vampy lip. They feel a little drying on, so make sure that you use a lip balm underneath. I have the shade Reverb which is a black, purple and silver glitter mix.

Swatches! Urban Decay Razor Sharp Long-Wear Liquid Eyeliner in Goldrush, Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Spandex and Urban Decay Vice Special Effects Lip Top Coat in Reverb. 

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray* (30ml, £10, link)

For makeup that is going to stand up to the heat and last all day/night long, a high-quality setting spray is an absolute must. I've been using Urban Decay's All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray for years and I've yet to find anything that works as well as this bad boy does. A quick spritz done twice all over the face will ensure that your makeup is put on lock down until you want to take it off. This 30ml travel size bottle is also perfect for holidays and handbags.

Lottie London Gems in Unicorn Tales, Off Duty Mermaid and Queen Of Hearts* (£3.99 each, link)

To finish everything off, why not pick up a pack of these new Gems from Lottie London? These self-adhesive jewels will add some instant bling and festival fun to your look, plus they'll stay on all day and are reusable for your next festival adventure (just add a dot of lash glue to the back of them when re-using and you'll be good to go!). There are lots of different designs available, but I think Unicorn Tales may have to be my favourite!

Have you tried any of these?

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Summer Beauty: The Festival Edit

Festival season is in full swing and with one happening almost every weekend across the UK until September, it's time to take advantage and make the most out of the great British Summer. So if you're ready to step up your beauty game for all those Instagram pics with your mates, read on! 

Go Bright or Pastel?

Summer Festivals are the perfect opportunity to try out a brand new hair colour, so indulge your Pinterest hair-inspiration fantasies, and grab your best friend for some cheap and cheerful hair-dying at home. These 2-in-1 packs from Schwarzkopf Live* (£5.49 each, from Superdrug) let you choose whether you want an ultra bright shade or a more subtle pastel colour. They work best on blonde or pre-lightened hair, are semi-permanent, easy to use and come in a wide range of colours including 095 Electric Blue and 096 Turquoise Temptation. What are you waiting for?!

Remember To Use Sunscreen!   

If you're going to be outside standing in a field for most of the day, you're going to need some sunscreen. Make sure you pop a bottle into your backpack - something like EVY Sunscreen Mousse SPF 30* (150ml, £16.95 from HelloSkin) will ensure that you're fully protected thanks to its unique Swedish technology that allows this sunscreen to absorb into the top layer of the skin, rather than sitting on the surface. This makes it incredibly water-resistant, and the mousse formula is non-sticky, hypoallergenic and doesn't leave you with a white cast. Win win!

Your BFF - The Humble Dry Shampoo

After sunscreen, dry shampoo is probably the second most 'essential' beauty item to take, especially if you're going for a full weekend and camping on site. Schwarzkopf Fresh It Up Dry Shampoo in Extra Fresh* (£2 from Primark) will banish dirt, absorb excess oil and keep your hair smelling fresher for longer with its uplifting citrusy fragrance. 

The Hairstyle Saviours

For those who have more high-maintenance hair, these two style saviours from Kerasilk will stop you from looking like Monica in that now meme-famous episode of Friends. The Control Humidity Barrier Spray* (150ml, £21.50) will defend your tresses against heat and high humidity and keep your hair looking sleek all day with just a few spritzes of its clever invisible barrier spray. For the ultimate frizz protection, apply a little Control De-Frizz Primer* (75ml, £21.50) before blow-drying for the smoothest possible results. Both are available from your nearest Goldwell Salon.

Keep Cool in the Heat

Us Brits are notorious for not handling the heat well when we finally do get some sun, so if you get easily hot and bothered, make sure you stock up on a can or two of Superdrug Instant Cooling Spray for Body & Face* (200ml, £3.99, link). This product does exactly what it says it'll do - just spray onto face and body and it'll provide an instantly refreshing and cooling sensation in seconds. Suitable for the whole family to use so a great one to have if you're taking kids with you! 

Brighten Up Your Makeup

Neutral palettes have no place at a summer festival - it's all about digging out those unused bright shades and experimenting with some bold new looks! If you don't have any festival-friendly colours in your everyday makeup stash, why not invest in Urban Decay's Afterdark Eyeshadow Palette* (£39.50, link). This palette contains ten pans of beautiful metallic jewel tones and there are some stunning shape-shifting duotones that change colour when the light hits them. As always with Urban Decay, these eyeshadows are incredibly pigmented and the colours are really rich and vibrant as a result. They'll stick around all day too - perfect for festivals and girls nights out.

If you're on more of a budget, you could try Lottie London Shadow Swatch Eyeshadow Palette in The Rainbows* (£9.95, link) which has 12 brilliantly colourful matte and shimmer shades with lovely blendable textures, to suit all your bright and pastel cravings. I'm really impressed with the quality of this one - it's excellent value for money so go outside of your comfort zone and have some fun with your makeup! 

Are you heading to any Summer Festivals this year?

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Budget Beauty: 3 Great Brow Products From The Highstreet

A certain premium makeup brand is currently dominating the brows market, but what's a girl to do if she's on a budget? Head to the high street that's what! Here are just three purse-friendly suggestions to get those brows on fleek.

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Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Her 2016

Valentine's Day is coming up this Sunday, so here are some luxury and budget friendly gift ideas to treat the special woman in your life.

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The Budget Dupe: Lottie London Soap Star Solid Brush Cleanser review

A long time ago, I tried out the Beauty Blender Solid Cleanser to clean my makeup brushes and whilst I liked it, I thought it was way too expensive to keep using on a regular basis. Since then, I've stuck with my ever faithful Dr Bronner's Liquid Magic Soap, but when I saw the new Lottie London Soap Star Solid Brush Cleanser I decided to give it a whirl for a change.

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Review & Swatches: Lottie London Nail Polishes - Hey Vacay!, Spring Break, As If!, Sunset Secrets & Surf Sesh

If you're a fan of Ciate, but wish their prices were more affordable, you may want to check out Lottie London - their budget friendly sister who have some awesome nail polishes.

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