New In Beauty: My Favourites from CND Vinylux Nightspell & Glacial Illusion 2017 Collections - Review & Swatches

If you hate nail polishes that just don't seem to last longer than two days before chipping, CND Vinylux Weekly Polish is the range for you! With a bold claim of lasting up to 7 days, I had to try some out for myself and was thrilled to see not one, but TWO, brand spanking new collections that they've launched recently.

Both of these new CND Vinylux collections are at the opposite ends of the colour spectrums, with the Glacial Illusion Collection being all delicate, creamy, icy cool tones and pale shimmers, and the Nightspell Collection comprising of mainly darker, moody and more intense, magical shimmers. Each collection boasts six shades each and I wanted to share some of my favourites because these are damn good nail polishes.  

CND Vinylux - Cashmere Wrap (Glacial Illusion Collection 2017)

I'm a sucker for a high-quality, creamy pale nude and Cashmere Wrap ticks all the right boxes. Perfect for a chic manicure that will see you through the Winter months and beyond. Applies smoothly in two easy coats (just ignore my messed up pinky nail - that'll teach me to try to rush taking photos when it starts to go dark at 4pm!).

CND Vinylux - Mystic Slate (Glacial Illusion Collection 2017)

My top pick from the Glacial Illusion Collection is this stunning shade called Mystic Slate. Even the name is cool, huh?! This cool toned grey-blue creme is absolutely beautiful and is neutral toned enough to go with lots of different outfits. Like Cashmere Wrap, this polish applied smoothly and evenly in just two coats.

CND Vinylux - Ice Bar (Glacial Illusion Collection 2017)

Glitter fans will love Ice Bar; a sheer pearlescent glitter with an interesting pink hue to it. It's impossible to photograph and looks a million times more mesmerizing in real life. This is one of those very sheer glitter polishes that definitely suits being a top coat glitter, rather than being built up and worn on its own (which isn't really achievable), so I've layered it here on top of Cashmere Wrap.

CND Vinylux - Eternal Midnight (Nightspell Collection)

Another tricky to photograph shade is Eternal Midnight from the Nightspell Collection, and this one really looks special when the light catches it from different angles. A midnight blue with deep purple undertones and a spectacular duo-chromatic fine shimmer swirling through it, this is a fantastic option if you're looking to wear something darker and different this Winter. 

CND Vinylux - Hypnotic Dreams (Nightspell Collection)

My favourite from both collections (and quite possibly my favourite new nail polish shade of the entire year!) is Hypnotic Dreams. My oh my! This rusty toned mega-shimmer has elements of bronze, purple, brown and a smidge of green. It applies sheer if you use two coats (see The Happy Sloths swatch here), but when layered over a brown or purple base, it really pops like you can see above where I've applied it over a dark brown shade. Hypnotic indeed!

Overall thoughts on the formula?

CND's Vinylux Weekly Polish have been specially formulated to be used with their Weekly Top Coat to provide up to 7 days of chip-resistant, vibrant colour. The Weekly Top Coat also delivers a glossy shine, and when your nails are exposed to natural light with this on it, help to ensure a longer-lasting manicure. So did it last 7 days? Not exactly as I saw some minor chipping start to happen around day 5, BUT I'm still impressed by this as many of my nail polishes only last 2-3 days max on me, so 5 days is definitely an achievement!

CND Vinylux Nightspell & Glacial Illusion Weekly Polishes* (15ml each) are currently on offer at Nail Polish Direct for £6.95 and £7.95 each. Shop the range here.  

What do you think of these new collections?

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Green Beauty: LoveLula Beauty Box - October 2017 review

This month, LoveLula has delivered an excellent box of green beauty goodies which includes a good mix of skincare and makeup. Want to take a closer look at the contents? Let's jump right in!

 Greenfrog Botanic Soapberry Bodywash in Geranium & Peppermint (100ml travel size, RRP £3.90)

Winner of an Editor's Choice Award at this year's Beauty Shortlist Awards, this Soapberry Bodywash from Greenfrog Botanic contains a moisturising formula that's infused with Organic Aloe Vera to be kind to the skin. I've tried a couple of products from Greenfrog before and this is definitely one of my favourites because the Geranium & Peppermint scent is so zingy and refreshing. Perfect for those upcoming cold and dark mornings when you need all the help that you can get to wake up!

 PHB Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow in Almond (RRP £9.95) and Eyeshadow Brush (RRP £7.95)

Through the LoveLula beauty boxes, I've discovered many gems from PHB, so I was pleased to see another two makeup items from them this month. The Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow in the shade Almond, is a beautiful satin cream with light golden tones which I've been enjoying using as an inner corner eye highlight and as a cheekbone highlight for a little subtle glow. It feels creamy to the touch and blends easily, imparting a natural looking sheen that's suitable for everyday wear. 

The Eyeshadow Brush has high quality, cruelty-free, synthetic bristles that are soft and tapered to an angle for precise blending. This allows the brush to get into the crease which makes it ideal for creating a quick and easy sultry smokey eye, and it's equally as good for packing on shadow all over the lid. A nice addition to my brush collection and ideal for makeup beginners to play with.

 Ooh! Natural Tamanu Rejuvenating Face Oil (15ml travel size, RRP £9.50)

One of the latest additions to the popular Ooh! Oils Of Heaven range (check out my feature on those here), is this Tamanu Rejuvenating Face Oil. Made from 100% Tamanu Oil, Tamanu is rich in Omega 6 and Omega 9, so it's a highly effective moisturiser for all skin types, and great for boosting dull or dehydrated complexions. The dark green colour is a little strange and swampy, and the scent is oddly nutty with strong hints of spice, but trust me - you need to try it! 2-3 drops is all you need for a hydrating evening facial oil which is perfect for this time of the year, and it makes your skin look so much healthier and brighter in the morning.

Glossworks Nail & Cuticle Oil (RRP £12)

The final product in this month's LoveLula beauty box is a Nail & Cuticle Oil from Glossworks (who I wrote about recently here). This multi-purpose oil is packed full of antioxidants such as Vitamins A, D & E from the Avocado Oil formula, which helps to soften dry and cracked cuticles, and strengthen weak and brittle nails. A must try for anyone who enjoys doing their manicures at home!

LoveLula Beauty Box* is a monthly subscription box priced at £13.95 with free postage in the UK. Visit lovelula.com to find out more.

Have you subscribed to LoveLula's Beauty Box?

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Introducing: GLOSSWORKS - 9-Free Nail Polish & Nail Care

GLOSSWORKS are one of the latest brands to pop up on LoveLula and their launch means that it's now easier than ever before, to find nail polishes which are free from the main toxins that many beauty fans are actively avoiding.

Currently, the GLOSSWORKS range is home to 12 shades of nail polish (with more on the way!), and they also have several nail care products which include base coats, top coats, cuticle oils and a nail polish remover. The whole line is cruelty-free, suitable for vegans and the 9-free formulas mean that there's no Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Toluene, DBP, Camphor, Paraben, Xylene, Ethyl Tosylamide or Lead, in any of their products.

I was first introduced to the brand via LoveLula's brilliant beauty box which is one of my favourite natural and organic subscription boxes on the market here in the UK. Since then, I've been testing out some of their other products to give you a little overview of what GLOSSWORKS has to offer. 

GLOSSWORKS 3-in-1* (9ml, £12, link)

For an easy manicure to do at home, a good quality base and top coat is essential, but why not try combining the two? This multifunctional 3-in-1 product serves as a base coat, top coat and as a nail hardener and delivers wonderful long lasting shine. It dries relatively quickly and helps to prevent staining and chipping so that your new mani looks good and stays on for longer.

GLOSSWORKS Nail Polish in Name Of The Rose* (9ml, £12, link)

If you're after a new hot pink for your nail polish collection, Name Of The Rose is the shade to pick up! I've been wearing this on my toes for what seems like all Summer and it looks equally as pretty on the nails as well. The 9-free formula is fantastic as it glides on smoothly in two easy coats and has a gorgeous gel-like finish to it. I did experience some minor chipping after two days when I wore this on its own, but you can usually get an extra day or so if you use a top coat or the 3-in-1 with it.

GLOSSWORKS Nail Polish in Tanfastic Nude* (9ml, £12, link)

Although there are a couple of bright shades available, this collection is currently a slice of heaven for anyone who loves their more natural looking pale pinks and neutrals. One of my favourites for everyday wear is Tanfastic Nude, a creamy tan nude shade that sometimes looks a little grey or pink in different lights. It's one of those shades that seems to go with everything and again, the 9-free formula was a dream to apply in just two coats.

GLOSSWORKS Nail Polish Remover* (100ml, £12, link)

Lastly, I wanted to give a quick mention to their nail polish remover as it can be difficult to sometimes find a decent quality nail polish remover that's kinder to nails. This one is acetone-free and is enriched with Argan Oil and Vitamin E to be gentle on the nails, whilst swiftly removing all traces of nail polish. Heads up though - it does mostly smell like regular nail polish remover, but has a hint of grape fragrance so it's not as bad as some others.

Shop the full range of GLOSSWORKS exclusively at LoveLula.com 

Have you tried anything from this brand?

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March Favourites

March was a difficult month for me to get through as I've been quite ill, but nevertheless, I still managed to find a good handful of new beauty favourites to take my mind off things! Here are my March favourites.

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Organic Beauty Week: Herbfarmacy Skincare Review - Exfoliating Cleanser, Skin Rescue Balm, Mallow Beauty Balm, Whole Body Lotion and Nail & Cuticle Oil

To celebrate the Soil Association's Organic Beauty Week, I'm going to be bringing you an array of reviews and features all week long, showcasing some of the best organic based beauty brands currently on the market. To kick things off today, I have a special spotlight on a wonderful British company called Herbfarmacy.

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NOTD Swatches: New B. Quick One Coat Professional Finish Nail Polishes in Gervase and Truffle

Bucking the usual Spring trend for pastel shades, B. have added two new shades to their Quick One Coat Professional Finish range which are dark, vampy and edgy.

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Currently Using: Nail Products for a DIY Manicure

Lazy Saturdays in my house usually mean two things; tackling a mountain of chores that I've let stack up over the week, and then treating myself to a bit of a DIY manicure.  These are the nail products that I currently like to use:-

Boots Acetone Free Nail Polish Remover & Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover (review)
First things first, I remove any existing nail polish and use either Boots' own brand acetone free version or Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover which is also acetone free.  

Gwdihw Nail Wizard Balm* (review)
Next, I'll apply a tiny bit of this nail balm to the cuticles and leave them for 10 mins or so to soften them up, then I'll wash my hands.  This makes it a lot easier to do the next step if needed.

Leighton Denny Remove & Rectify Cuticle Remover  (review)
Usually once a week, I'll treat my cuticles to a little of this twin action remover and conditioner.  It's a lot gentler than some of the more rapid removers on the market because of the conditioning element it has, but it still does a good job.  I then simply use an orange stick to make everything look neater.

Mont Bleu Glass nail file 
To shape the nails, I use a glass nail file.  Since I've switched to using just glass, I've noticed an improvement in the strength of my nails, especially around the edges where they tended to be very weak in the past.  Would highly recommend getting one and they apparently last for years too! 

OPI Nail Envy & Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat
For a base coat, I mainly use OPI's Nail Envy which helps to strengthen the nails and provides a smooth base.  To add a glossy finish, I'll then just apply a coat of goold old Seche Vite.  Done!

What nail products do you use for a DIY manicure?

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Tried & Tested: OPI Natural Nail Base Coat & Top Coat

OPI Natural Nail Base Coat & Top Coat Duo (2 x 15ml, £11, link)

I received this OPI duo for xmas and have been testing them out over the last few weeks.  As much as I love OPI's nail colours, I haven't experimented much with their manicure range (though I can say that their Nail Envy is pretty damn good!).  

I'm impressed with OPI's Natural Nail Base Coat because it simply does everything I want a base coat to do.  The formula is thin, dries quickly, doesn't have an offensive too-chemically smell, and it just makes a good, smooth base for your nail polish.  I've worn it under a few dark reds and blacks, and haven't had any major issues with staining either.  I wouldn't go as far as saying it's the holy grail of base coats yet, but it's certainly one I'd recommend trying out.

OPI's Top Coat on the other hand was rather disappointing.  It takes forever to dry and then proceeds to smudge badly if it isn't completely dry.  Plus it didn't help to prolong the wear of my nail polish either.  Skip it and buy Seche Vite instead.

Have you tried either of these?

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Tried & Tested: Leighton Denny Remove & Rectify Cuticle Remover

Nail cuticles are strange things aren't they?  Like the rest of my skin, mine are on the dry side and get even drier when the weather is cold or I'm subjected to too much central heating.  I use various cuticle balms and salves when I can remember too, but I was looking for something that would just help to remove them when I wanted my nails to look nice and tidy.

I saw Andy's review of Leighton Denny's Remove & Rectify Cuticle Remover a while ago, and I was so impressed with his before and after photos of this product, that I knew I had to try it out myself.  I've been using Remove & Rectify for about three weeks and I'm definitely pleased with it.

Remove & Rectify looks like your typical Leighton Denny nail polish which makes storing it easy.  It has a little pump that dispenses a small amount at a time and has a pleasant fruity fragrance due to the Grape, Passion Fruit and Pineapple extracts in it.  Instead of harsh chemicals, it uses these and Milk AHAs to dissolve away the dry skin around the cuticles.  Super easy to use, you just rub it into the cuticles, leave for a few minutes to do it's thing, and then you can use a hoof/orange stick to push back the cuticle neatly and clean up around it for a polished look.

It's £11 which might sound pricey compared to some of the cheaper drugstore cuticle removers you can get, but this feels a lot nicer than the cheaper ones I've tried, smells much better and moisturises a lot better too.  Whichever way you look at it, you only use a teeny amount each time, so it'll definitely last a while.

Have you tried this?  Do you use cuticle removers?

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May Favourites

I decided to just pick make-up items for my beauty favourites of May because these are all new additions to my make-up bag that I have been reaching for constantly.  All links go to my reviews and show swatches where applicable:-

Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover - I'm guessing that this is going to be in a lot of people's favourites and it really is a fab product.  I'm renaming it my 'glitter slayer' due to its magical powers that makes removing glitter polishes super easy!

MAC Sheertone Blush in Blushbaby - This has been virtually the ONLY blush I've been wearing all month.  Blushbaby is a pretty beige-pink that is great for neutral/less is more make-up people.  Simple and understated, it's ideal for everyday wear.

Burts Bees Lip Shimmers in Watermelon and Rhubarb - Perfect for hot summer days, these lip shimmers are blissfully cooling on the lips and are really easy to wear.  Nicely moisturising too as you'd expect from Burts Bees.

Blink & Go Long Lasting Mascara - My favourite go-to waterproof mascara that simply does not budge or smudge at all.  Another summer make-up staple for me, plus it lengthens lashes like a dream.

Shiseido Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus Mascara - New HG mascara discovery!  If you can find this in the UK anywhere, I highly recommend picking one up to try out, you won't be disappointed.

Terre d'Oc Gloss Sublime Lip Gloss in Peche Panji - Have been wearing this gloss on sunny days as it looks fantastic against sunkissed skin.  Very impressed that this is an all natural product too.

What have been your beauty favourites recently?

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Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover

Finally got my paws on one of these!  Seems like I've been looking for it for forever!  It is of course the much hyped and much raved about Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover.  It comes in a hot pink fat tub and is acetone and paraben free.  The big claim with this is that it removes regular nail polish in 1 second (per nail), simply by dipping said nail into the sponge inside and twisting the tub, eliminating the usage of cotton wool.  Apparently, it's also supposed to have some kind of 'red fruit and vanilla fragrance', but I certainly wouldn't recommend deeply inhaling this.  OK, it's not as potently whiffy as most nail polish removers, but it doesn't exactly smell of strawberry fields either. 

I wasn't that obsessed with finding it when I first saw this being mentioned, until I saw a couple of bloggers commenting on its amazing super powers of removing glitter nail polish.  After that, I was like, YEAH I NEED THIS!  Being a NOTD junkie and general lover of all things sparkly and shiny, I wear my fair share of glitter polish, and like everyone else, I find removing it to be a pain in the ass.  Yes, the tin foil wrap thingy works fine, but I'm lazy, and it's fiddly and time consuming.  Anything that will take it off in less than ten minutes without dissolving my nails is obviously going to appeal to me.

Before I go through my experiment and try this out, I thought I'd quickly point out that I don't think this remover is actually meant for getting rid of glitter nail polish.  By this, I mean the 1 second per nail claim isn't going to apply to glitter, so bear that in mind.       

I picked four of my favourite glittery (and stubborn to remove) nail polishes.  Deborah Lippmann - Razzle Dazzle, Revlon - Facets Of Fuchsia, OPI - Teenage Dream and Barry M - 150 Red Glitter.   I applied two coats to each nail.

You put your nail one at a time, into the sponge inside and twist the tub.  I assume that 1 second = 1 twist?  For my experiment I first did 5 twists per nail, the results being...

 ... OK.  You can see that it has taken off a good portion of Facets Of Fuchsia (second nail) and has probably taken off one coat of Teenage Dream (third nail).  I think it took a lot of Red Glitter (last nail) because of the way my little finger angled itself in the sponge.

I then did another 5 twists per nail...  

... HELLO!  Here you can clearly see that practically all of the glitter has come off, with just a tiny bit left (there's more left of Teenage Dream (third nail) as it's a very chunky glitter).  My nails were a little oily after using this, but I always wash my hands after using a remover and apply cuticle or hand cream, so this wasn't an issue for me.

I'm very impressed with the results overall and will definitely continue to use this for removing glitter nail polish.  I'm not sure how long a tub of this will last for and because it's on the expensive side of things (this is £4.99 for 75ml and my regular acetone free remover is £1.25 for 150ml), I'll probably only use it for glitter removal, but it's certainly very handy to have if you wear a lot of nail polish.

Have you picked one of these up?

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Tried & Tested: Trind Nail Repair

For the last three weeks, I have been putting this bottle of Trind Nail Repair to the test. I received it a Carmine box months back, but didn't feel compelled to try it out straight away due to using up an OPI Nail Envy mini (my review).

The Trind Nail Repair comes in several different types and I received the 'natural' one which sets to a clean and clear finish. The bottle design is great and the brush is good. Application is a little time consuming though. Unlike OPI's Nail Envy where you apply a coat over a coat every other day and then remove everything after a week, Trind's Nail Repair forces you to apply a coat a day, but to remove the last day's coat FIRST, with an acetone based nail polish remover. This apparently allows your nails to 'breathe' and accelerates the nail repair process.

The first week of using this, I noticed some excellent results, especially after Day 4. My nails felt tough and didn't split or break. But when the second week set in, I noticed that my nails began to split at the edges like they usually do. However, this only started to occur when my nails grew over the tips of my fingers, but this generally happens to me anyway which is why I keep my nails mostly short.

In comparison with OPI's Nail Envy, I would say that the results were pretty much the same. Both helped to strenghten my nails for about a week, but prolonged use caused them to split as they usually do when they grow too long. The main difference I saw between Trind and OPI, is that OPI's Nail Envy is a lot more fuss-free application wise and gives a much more tougher, plastic-feel to nails, whereas I didn't notice this with Trind, it just looked like I was wearing a thin clear nail polish.

Summary: If I had to choose one to recommend, I'd say go for OPI Nail Envy, though I will personally probably be on the hunt for one that is formaldehyde free.

Do you use any nail repair/strengthener products?

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December Empties

I have a crazy amount of empties this month, due to using up a lot of the contents of my travel bag over Christmas. Here's what I've used up and whether I would buy them again:-





Cowshed Grumpy Cow Uplifting Bath & Shower Gel - this has been in my travel bag since Summer and it reminds me of a subtle version of Lush's Happy Hippy. It has a delicate citrusy scent and is made with essential oils of red mandarin, petitigrain and grapefruit. Repurchase? Maybe - I like it, but I like Happy Hippy more. Lush Vanilla Dee-Lite Body Lotion - another item that I've had lingering in the bag since Summer. It's OK, but definitely a light spring/summer time only body moisturiser for me. Repurchase? Probably not. The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Body Scrub - I got this in a gift set for Christmas and have wanted to try it for ages, but I was a bit disappointed with it. I like the scent but prefer my scrubs to be tougher than this. Repurchase? No.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Day Cream - No idea why this was in the travel bag because I love it! One of my all time favourite face moisturisers and one that is frequently half price or on offer a lot. Repurchase? Yes! Lush Curly Wurly Absolutely Gorgeous Coconut & Vanilla Conditioning Shampoo - I have a serious love/hate relationship with this shampoo. Pros: my hair seems to love it and it makes it incredibly soft. Cons: the little pieces of coconut are just too much of a PAIN to wash out of my medium length/thick hair. Repurchase? Sadly no, I don't want to take half an hour every time I want to wash my hair! Lush Cupcake Fresh Face Mask - Love this so much, absolutely perfect for my oily/combination skin and makes it feel so clean and clear. Repurchase? Definitely.





OPI RapiDry Top Coat - This was from a minis set, it's OK but nowhere near as good as Seche Vite. Repurchase? No. Clinique All About Eyes Rich - I've used the regular version of this for nearly two years and switched to this one when I received it in a giftset for my birthday. It's thicker than the regular one so I've only ever used it at night before going to bed. Repurchase? No, I think I'll stick to the normal one. bareMinerals Flawless Defintion Mascara in Black - a fantastic mascara that I featured in a Favourites post a while ago. Repurchase? Yes.

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin - another product that I love, I've used the normal UDPP for years and switched to this when it came out. It's nice enough to wear on its own and have a gorgeous subtle gold shimmer tone to it. Repurchase? Yes. Rahua Voluminous Shampoo & Conditioner - I was excited to try these out after receiving them in a Boudoir Prive box. They were nice enough to use but I didn't really notice that much difference to my hair. Repurchase? No. Deborah Lippmann The Stripper To Go Nail Lacquer Remover Mitt - From this month's Glossybox, I had high hopes for this but found it really annoying to use. The mitt is absolutely soaked in nail polish remover when you remove it from the sachet and as I was using it, the excess fluid got all over my hands and it STINKS! Plus, it only removed about six nails worth of polish before drying up and becoming unusable. Rubbish! Repurchase? Hell no.

What beauty products have you used up this month?

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Glossybox - December

I totally caved and got the Christmas Glossybox. I know, I know, I was annoyed with them last month, sent the box back for a refund and cancelled my sub, but I decided to get this one anyway after seeing the products. I have to say that Glossybox's customer service has been excellent. I had no problems with getting a refund for November, no problems with signing back up again and no problems when Royal Mail somehow managed to lose this month's box! Glossybox sent me another straight away via Express/Nextday delivery and here it is.




The contents: (1) BLINK + Go Long Lasting Mascara - I was really pleased to get this because I wasn't all that keen on the Blink & Go palettes that others were sent (they looked nice enough, don't get me wrong, but I'm the kind of person who will always want mascara instead if it's an option!). This thing is huge and I'm looking forward to trying it out. (2) Cargo Cosmetics Classic Lip Gloss in Tokyo - I was a little dubious when I saw this because I'd tried a Cargo eyeliner from a Boudoir Prive box a few months back which was quite frankly rubbish, so I was pleasantly surprised by this. Tokyo is a gorgeous everyday pink with a subtle hint of gold shimmer. Formula wise it's glossy without any stickiness and it reminds me of Clinique's Superbalm Moisturizing Glosses which I always have in my handbag. (3) Deborah Lippmann Mini Nail Varnish in Razzle Dazzle & Stripped To Go Sachet - Yes, you've guessed it, this was the main deciding factor for getting the box. How GORGEOUS is that nail polish?! I can't wait to wear this. I'm also interested in the little nail remover mitt too and seeing how effective it is for glitter polishes. (4) Jurlique Purely Age-Defying Ultra Firm and Lift Cream - I knew that this was the sample where there was a lot of variation as to what people got and although I was initially disappointed because I wanted something else like the MeMeMe sample instead, Jurlique is a brand that my mum uses so she'll probably like this. (5) Rituals Foaming Shower Gel in Zensation Organic Rice Milk and Cherry Blossom - It seemed really odd to me that as more brands deliberately choose to remove foaming agents from their products due to consumer demand, that then a brand should come out like this which has foaming as its USP! Weird! Not keen on the scent of this but I'll probably use it up as a shaving foam.

Summary: Glossybox obviously made a big effort for their December box, as many customers had anticipated something extra special and I think most will be pleased with this month's selection of products. However, I have cancelled my sub again and will only be purchasing boxes after I've seen what's in them, and it's likely to be boxes where most people get the same things. I do think Glossybox have definitely improved their customer service and I'll be interested to see if they start tailoring boxes to customers beauty profiles in the New Year.

Did you get the December Glossybox? Which products did you receive?

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November Empties

This month I've used up the following, all except the Chanel are travel/sample sizes:-

Cowshed Moody Cow Balancing Body Lotion - a light, non-greasy body lotion that smells gorgeous, has essential oils of rose geranium, linden blossom and frankincense. I think this was a magazine freebie. Repurchase? Yes, though I'll probably try some of the other scents by Cowshed first.

Crabtree and Evelyn Lavender Body Lotion & Hand Cream - these were OK, but smelt a bit too artificial for my liking. Repurchase? No.

Chanel Protective Base Coat - this was an impulse buy, it's a very sub standard base coat and no better than something from Barry M. Repurchase? No.

Cetuem SCR Gold Illuminating Mask - a fab exfoliating mask that I got from Boudoir Prive, featured in last month's favourites. Repurchase? Maybe, if I'm treating myself as it's pretty expensive.

Dermalogica Renewal Lip Complex - this was lovely to use but the full size is just way too expensive for me to justify buying! Repurchase? No.

REN Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask - I was expecting this to be like a peel-off mask but instead it was like applying fruity marmalade to your face, strange but made my skin feel clean and soft afterwards. Repurchase? Maybe.

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream in Light - I seem to be in the minority of people who don't love this. It just didn't suit my oily/combination skin and felt more like an average tinted moisturiser than a proper BB. Repurchase: No.

What are your beauty empties this month?

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Tried & Tested: OPI Nail Envy

I wear a lot of nail polish and as a side effect, my nails aren't exactly in a brilliant condition. They're not awful looking, but they're not exactly pretty without polish on either. I'm not one to go for the long, talon nails look, but I do like strong nails that look healthy. With the onset of Winter, I've noticed my nails getting weaker and starting to split a little at the sides so I decided to pick up a mini size bottle of OPI's bestselling nail strengthener, Nail Envy, to try out. I must admit that I'm incredibly sceptical of these kinds of products because I think the secret of having great skin, hair and nails is mostly down to a good diet, beauty starting from the inside etc, so I was interested to see if this would actually make any difference.

OPI's Nail Envy has a protein and calcium rich formula to fortify and harden weak, thin or brittle nails, and the original one that I tried dries to a clear, natural finish. For the main course of treatment, you apply two coats on the first day and then apply one coat every other day for the rest of the week. After seven days, you need to remove all of the Nail Envy with an acetone free remover and then you can repeat the process the next week and so on. One point to remember is that Nail Envy doesn't act as a base coat, so whilst you're using it, it's best to avoid dark nail polishes that could stain.

Verdict: I've been using this for about three weeks and it does seem to be working, kind of. My nails feel stronger than they ever have before, but as they grew longer, I did notice that they began to split again a bit at the sides which is the main problem that I had in the beginning. Other than that, I was genuinely surprised by how much stronger my nails felt. Especially on the last day of the week, before removing all of the coats, my nails felt like hardened plastic and looked incredibly shiny. I'm not sure if I would personally purchase a full size bottle of this yet, but you're interested, I would recommend getting the mini size first before splurging.

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Carmine Box - October 2011

Carmine is the latest box to join the beauty subscription craze. I didn't sign up for this one straight away when bloggers started talking about it because I'm already signed up to Glossybox and Boudoir Prive. However, when I saw the contents of Carmine's first box, I decided that I had to have at least this one to try out. Carmine's beauty box is much longer (the size of the box itself) in comparison to GB and BP, more like a small shoebox. But it's the inside which is the most different.



It's bright green! I'm not a big fan of this but I'm happy that it's not another pale pink box.



Onto the contents. Three full size products and two good sized travel/handbag samples. Very impressed!



The product leaflet is also the most well designed one I've seen so far from the all of the beauty boxes I've tried.



(1) Trind Nail Repair in Natural, full size 9ml (£12.95) - I'm currently using a small version of OPI's Nail Envy so I'm interested to try this out afterwards to compare the two.




(2) The Balm All in One Shadow/Blush in Fratboy, full size 8.5g (£16.34) - "this peachy-apricot-coloured blush doubles up as an eye shadow and miraculously adds life to any skin tone." Wow, this blush is gorgeous! A lovely subtle shade that seems to compliment most people, I love it! This was my main reason for ordering the box and I'm so happy with it. I don't think I'd use it as an eye shadow but as a blush it's just divine.



Pretty!



(3) Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream, 30ml sample (full size 100ml - £14.50) - "ultra effective and seriously smoothing, made with 98.8% ingredients of natural origin." I really like the Balance Me, they're one of my favourites new brands to come onto the eco/natural market and I'm looking forward to using this hand cream. Smells lush!



(4) Caudalie Quenching Sorbet Creme, 10ml sample (full size 40ml - £20) - "naturally refresh and hydrate your skin with all the anti-oxidising powers of red grape seed." I've been wanting to try out Caudalie products, so I'm interested to see if this will work for my skin, which like most people's, gets very thirsty in winter. Smells very nice.



(5) Daniel Sandler Eye Delight in Peach, full size 3g (£10.25) - "a pot of sweet, shimmery dust to give eyes a little something to smile about." This was the product that I was initially the least excited about and thought that I would have to give it away because the colour looked orange! I tried it out and it's actually gorgeous, I love it! There was minimal fallout and you can build up or blend out as much as you like for different looks. Mine below just show a subtle amount:-




Summary: It's rare that I like absolutely everything in a beauty box, there's usually at least one item that I give to a friend or swap for something, but this box from Carmine was perfect for me. Incredible value for money (especially as I had a half-price code for this one, yay!) and the products are all fantastic. A great mix of make-up and more natural skincare, let's hope that it isn't just a one-off!

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