Not so Glossybox...........

Before you read this please note that this is one lengthy blog post, however if you are a Glossybox subscriber who is getting a little fed up or if you are thinking of taking up a subscription then grab a cuppa (or my drink of choice in this weather, a Pimms!) and have a little read....

Ok so, I don't really have a great love affair with Glossybox and I don't really like being negative unless I really have to, however Glossybox has really tipped me over the edge this month :(

I signed up to the service a few months ago just in time for the Pearl Lowe collaboration box. Like most Glossybox virgins, I was really excited to receive it but that excitement was short lived when it arrived with the products within - they were so poor that I couldn't even bring myself to write a review and I actually think I've forgotten what was in it! Even though I was disappointed I kept it in mind that the whole point in Glossybox was that you receive random samples and that the boxes can be hit and miss, so I waited with baited breath for May's box.

May's box came and yet again I felt let down with what I received, one of the samples (a make up primer) had smashed in the box and damaged the other products. I have since read the Glossybox Facebook page and a lot of people suffer from damaged samples yet the actual box doesn't have a mark on it which suggests that the delivery service Glossybox use isn't up to scratch. But I thought I would give it one last chance and if June's box wasn't better than the previous two that I would cancel my subscription.

Well..... THIS is my June box..

The only word I can use to describe this is "pitiful". Its actually the worst box I have received which is saying something seeing as my previous two were really poor as well. So lets have a look at this months samples and bear in mind that this months box is the "summer" box, touted on the Glossybox site as "5 summer beauty essentials"   :-/

Boss Jour

The first sample is the new Boss Jour perfume, I'm not really a fan of this as its too floral featuring notes of lime, honeysuckle, freesia and white birch. Seeing as my favourite perfume is Jo Malone Blue Agava & Cacao I knew I wouldn't like this. Many people don't like the fact that perfume samples are sometimes used in sample boxes as you can get them for free at most perfume counters. However, Glossybox does get new fragrances yet to be releases and they do let you opt out of receiving perfume samples as part of a box.

Sarah Chapman Skinesis Skin Tone Perfecting Booster

This little 15ml sample is obviously part of a skincare system and I received the last part of it. The Skin Tone Perfecting Booster has a similar consistency to Estee Lauder Advanced Night repair which I love. This is to be used alongside your current moisturiser. On first impression its inoffensive however it isn't as nice to work into the skin like Advanced Night Repair is.

Helen E Shimmer Eye Powder

 

 

Put quite simply, this is vile! Its far too shimmery and glittery for my liking, definitely not something that I would wear in the summer or in fact any other time of the year. I think the last time I wore an eyeshadow like this was circa 1999 to a Backstreet Boys concert!

FIGS & ROUGE LIP BALM - COCO ROSE

This is the best of a bad bunch here, a Figs and Rouge lip balm. Again, an inoffensive product but nothing special about it really it tastes like roses and gives a slight sheen to the lips.

MEMEME NAIL POLISH - INDULGENT

This is the second time I've had a mememe nail polish in a Glossybox. Considering its a summer theme this month, this colour is not what I would call summery. Its quite a thin consistency and would probably need a few coats to make it opaque, I'm sure my friends little sister would love it though.

Summary

Working full time in marketing & PR myself has lead me to believe that Glossybox has obviously suffered from either a big marketing FAIL this month or that its summer box brainstorm meeting probably wasn't the best, as this box has made me question whether they know their customers, or in fact their brand at all! None of the products listed above would make it into my summer beauty bag and having looked at the products that I could have received, again none of them I would deem as "summer essentials" - where's the waterproof mascara, a false tan sample, the SPF hair protector, a detangling comb, a luxurious after sun?? I could go on. This box could have been amazing if some thought and planning went into it and I would like to point you in the direction of the recent (and now sold out) Selfridges sample box as an example of a beauty box that works - £25 for a selection of amazing products from some top beauty brands like St Tropez, Bumble & Bumble, Models Own, Lancaster, Molton Brown.... the list goes on. Yes its £15 more expensive however its a specifically targeted Summer beauty box that is worth every penny and puts Glossybox's poor offering to shame.

Lets not gloss over (sorry for the pun) the facts - the blurb on the Glossybox site states "5 surprise deluxe beauty miniatures will be carefully selected by a team of beauty experts..." REALLY?? I think this claim is rather far fetched because if I was a beauty expert there is no way THAT eyeshadow would have made it anywhere near a box. Another fact is that yes, you only pay £10 per month to try out new samples or products that you may not have considered before, note the word samples, not full size products. However, this is a massive marketing machine for beauty brands looking to target customers who previously may have never considered their brand so why the poor quality from Glossybox? I am by no means naive - I certainly don't expect 5 full size products for my £10 per month but what I do expect is quality and a little bit of thought behind the samples selected by the "beauty experts" they speak of. It raises the question, does Glossybox really have close relationships with the brands it displays so proudly on its website? I'm thinking maybe not. Do its "beauty experts" carefully select the products specifically chosen for its subscribers month in month out? Again, I highly doubt this - its probably more like a conveyor belt with people chucking in samples thinking "that'll do" with no consideration as to whom they are sending it too. Again, I'm not expecting each box to be individually tailored to each and every person however, at least look at the samples offered in previous boxes and realise that no, I do not require ANOTHER mememe nail polish!

Having taken a look at the comments left on its Facebook page there are a lot of disgruntled Glossyboxers out there - some have the same balanced view as me and some maybe expect a little bit too much month on month. However, one thing is glaringly obvious - the bad comments outweigh the good and Glossybox only likes to reply to those that sing its praises. This isn't great customer service but I actually don't think Glossybox care which has made me vote with my feet and cancel my subscription - this is probably the best function of the service - the option to cancel at anytime.

It hasn't put me off subscription boxes in the future and I'm going to take my time and research more of the services on offer from other sample box brands. However, as a parting shot Glossybox (that's even if you have bothered reading this post) this is one PR girl that has seen through your marketing flaws and will not be won over by a generic "email our customer services team" response or  "Glossybox is sorry to hear this, we make sure that our boxes are of the highest quality" blah blah blah because they clearly aren't!
and quite frankly me and my £10 have better things to splurge on.

What are your thoughts on Glossybox? Are you happy with the boxes you receive? x

It's been a while......

Ok so I've been a bad blogger again for a couple of reasons. First reason is that I've been promoted in work (yay!) but this means I'm extremely busy - like CRAZY busy and the blog has taken a bit of a back seat. I know this isn't really an excuse but at the moment I just want to chill out when I get home from work as I'm so exhausted. I am going to try harder though as I do enjoy writing about a subject that I love and I guess when I first started my blogging journey I put too much pressure on myself to blog all the time. I realise now that, at the moment, this isn't realistic so I'm going to aim to post at least once a week and see how I go from there. 

Secondly my fiancé lost his job recently (humph!). He hasn't had much luck over the last year with jobs - this will be the third time he has faced redundancy in the last 12 months. However, we are both really positive that he will find something soon. We don't 'do' moping round for too long - I'm a big believer in positive thinking and being pro-active attracts the positive in leaps and bounds. So, as they say - onwards and upwards! 

So there you go, a little update on where I'm at right now. Hopefully some good news around the corner and some good blog posts from me as well :). 

Wish list 1.......

Black Maxi - Monki £25

Elephant Bracelet - Chlobo £115

Ask and it is Given - Amazon £7.58

Grey Midi Dress - Topshop £29

Jo Malone Blue Agava & Cacao - Jo Malone £38

White Company Seychelles Candle - The White Company £20

Necklace - Zara £19.99

Lauren Conrad Book - Amazon £8.99

I love reading other people's wish lists so here's mine! I like the thought of wish lists as it means my friends and family can check back to them when birthday's etc come up so they know exactly what to get me.

Monki Black Maxi - I love love love this skirt. The clothes I wear are all very muted tones and monochrome as I like to dress my outfits up with accessories. I would wear this with a white oversize vest and some converse.
Elephant bracelet - Chlobo is one of my favourite jewellery brands. They have become a little more expensive over the last couple of years however you really do get what you pay for and the bracelets are so unique and orginial. There are other brands out there now that are trying to emulate the 'stacking' bracelet trend however, no-one comes close to Chlobo. This elephant charm bracelet is next on my list to add to my already large stack.
Ask and it is Given - Ok so my friend absolutely swears by this book and its teachings. Its all based around the Law of Attraction and how if you have a positive outlook you will get whatever you want. I'm a little but sceptical however I'm intrigued at the same time. A lot of amazing things have happened to my friend recently and she swears its off the back of this book.
Topshop Midi - I'm a sucker for a good midi dress and this one is very much top of the list. Its so versatile and I can wear it with everything! This is the first thing I'm going to purchase after my spending ban!
Jo Malone Perfume - Blue Agava & Cacao is my favourite perfume scent of all time, nothing has ever beaten it. Its a very warm scent that is sweet but spicy at the same time. It contains lime, grapefruit, blue agava flower, sea salt, cacao, vetiver, cinnamon and musk - as you can see, a very eclectic mix of scents. When first sprayed it is quite over powering so you don't need a lot however, once dried down it is very subtle and I always get compliments on it.
White Company Candle - I am OBSESSED with The White Company. My fiance goes nuts over the amount of money I spend in there on bed linen and cushions. They also do amazing candles and Seychelles is my go to home scent. It reminds me of lying on a beach in the Caribbean sipping on a cocktail.
Zara Necklace - A good statement necklace should be a part of every girls wardrobe as they really can make an outfit pop. This one from Zara is the next on my list to add to my growing collection.
Lauren Conrad Beauty - I love Lauren Conrad ever since she appeared on our screens in Laguna Beach (remember that show?!). I have her Style book and this is her follow up around all things hair, make-up and beauty. Her Style book really came in handy when I was editing my wardrobe down and I'm hoping this will do the same for my ever bulging make-up bag!

So there you have it, my wish list. As mentioned in yesterday's blog post I am taking part in a month long spend ban so the wish list can remain just that for the time being.

What's on your wish list at the moment? x

Beauty spending ban.................

EEEEEEEEEEK!!!! WHAT am I thinking is the question that keeps popping up in my head right now!!

Kat over at Tales of a Pale Face is partaking in a one month spending ban and I am joining her!

I've never ever stuck to my own spending bans before because, lets face it, I'm a sucker for all things beauty and don't even get me started on my H&M and Zara obsessions. However, something has to give - I have a holiday in September to save for plus my wedding next October so there's no better time to start getting into the savings habit than now!

Obviously with a spending ban, some rules need to be set in place. My rules are:

1. I cannot spend ANYTHING on beauty over the next month unless its on essentials such as deodorant, shampoo, conditioner etc etc.

2. I'm making like Kat and I'm putting myself on a magazine ban. This month I will buy just one magazine, which one this is will be very hard to choose.

3. I'm not buying ANY clothes this month except for a pair of sandals from Topshop that I have been saving for anyway.

4. I'm going to sacrifice my monthly facial and try the masks that I have building up in my drawer and write reviews on them instead of paying £45 for a spa treatment.

I think I will be able to do well at it this time around seeing as I have made a public declaration of my ban and the fact that other bloggers are joining Kat. Its probably best that my Body Shop haul came today as I definitely don't need to buy anything for the next month, maybe longer!

Wish me luck!! xx

This weeks nails............

This weeks nails are all about the neon! The weather this weekend at home totally permitted me to break out the neon and make my nails happy and bright again. Don't get me wrong, I love a rich dark or a sophisticated nude, but nothing screams sun and summer like a good hot pink. I've also added in an accent finger using hexagonal glitter pieces - this is my favourite glitter to work with as it gives the nail a new dimention and texture, as well as adding a little sparkle.

It was also the perfect exuse also to soak off the AWFUL Gelish that had been applied in the week by a nail tech that shall remain un-named. Its proved to me that when it comes to Gelish, I'm better off doing it myself!

What are your favourite summer colours and looks? I'd love to know! xx

My skin care must haves......

Now that I'm not restricted to just talking about nails (yay!) I thought I would share my skincare must haves with you.

I have the weirdest skin EVER! Its mainly combination but with more oily parts than not however, there are parts of my face that are unbelievably dry and then there are the dehydration lines around my eyes. This makes for a tricky situation when trying to find the right skincare for my needs however, I think I may have my have found my perfect combination of products (FINALLY!)....

 

Soap and Glory Peaches & Clean

Peaches and Clean - £7 Boots

 



This stuff is AMAZING. I love Soap and Glory body products and hadn't tried its skincare range until I received this in a Christmas present and I haven't looked back. Peaches and Clean is a 4-in-1 wash off milk that is formulated for those with combination to oily skin and contains lots of lovely ingredients including jojoba oil and peach extract - it smells divine!! I use this to take my make up off at the end of the day and I make sure that I really massage it into my skin before washing it off with warm water and a face cloth (I use a muslin cloth as it gently exfoliates the skin as well). Be careful not to get this into your eyes though OUCH!! I've not had to replace mine since Christmas and I use it everyday so a little goes far so I think for the price, its really good value.

Lancome Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover

Bi-Facil - £21 Lancome

 

I got this with another Christmas gift which also contained a mascara and eye liner. I did used to use just a cheap Loreal eye makeup remover however since using this I am converted! Like all Lancome products, it has a really fresh and clean smell. It comes in two parts so you have to shake the bottle really well to make sure the oil is mixed in, I then apply it with a cotton wool pad. It really does get rid of every scrap of makeup and mascara, you can also use it on the lips and in my eyes passes the red lippy test as it doesn't leave any residue at all. £21 may sound a little much for what it is however I'm sold, once my little version has run out I will be re-purchasing.

Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance Toner

Eau Thermale Cleanance Toner - £8.75 Boots

 

 

I come across this by accident when reading the #bbloggers chat on Twitter and I'm so glad I did. Eau Thermale Avene is a brand that had always intrigued me so I decided to take advantage of the 3-for-2 Boots offer a few months ago and added this into my purchase. Its a Toner that purifies oily skin that contains matifying powders that you have to shake up in the bottle to mix it with the lotion that are there to mop up any excess oil from the face. Applied with a cotton wool pad to the t-zone or in my case all over my face, it is the only toner I have used so far that really feels like it has matifyed my face without leaving it dry and stiff, the lotion actually feels really refreshing and used alongside the Cleanance moisturiser, it really does keep your skin shine free for most of the day.

Eau Thermale Avene Thermal Spring Water



Eau Thermale Avene Thermal Spring Water - £6.50 Boots

 

My friend swears by this product and pushed me into buying it when I was purchasing my Cleanance products. I really really didn't want to buy it as on the face of it, its just spring water in a can. Well I don't like to admit when I'm wrong but on this occasion I was! Even though I didn't feel the need for it seeing as I already use a toner, you apply this to your face in-between toner and moisturiser. Spritz the face then leave it for a few minutes (I brush my teeth whilst waiting for it to dry) and pat any residue with a tissue. This not only refreshes the skin, it also calms down any redness and it gives your skin a glow without making it look oily. You can also use this to set your makeup although I haven't used it for this purpose yet. The mist is really fine and the spray covers the whole face so you don't over use it. I bought the 50ml bottle for around £3 with the next size up costing £6.50 - there is an even larger version available for £10. I can imagine this being really lovely to use in the Summer (if we ever get a Summer!) as its really cooling and refreshing. If you are unsure about whether to try it then make like I did and buy the 50ml bottle first.

 

Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance Emulsion

Cleanance Emulsion - £10.50 Boots



 

As my final part of my Boots 3-for-2 binge I bought the Eau Thermale Cleanance moisturiser, or Emulsion as it says on the tube. Again this is for oily, blemish prone skin and can be used in the morning and at night - this suits me perfectly as I'm still on the fence when it comes to night creams. This is a lovely and light moisturiser that doesn't leave me feeling that my skin is clogged up but, it also acts as a great base for my makeup and moisturises my dry areas really well. Even though I really like this I think the fact that its £10.50 for just a 40ml tube is making me think about whether or not I will repurchase when I run out. For the price, I would expect a little more product.

 

St Ives Daily Microdermabrasion 

St Ives Daily Microdermabrasion - £4.99 Boots



 

Even though my skin is more on the oily side, I do suffer from dry patches especially on the bridge of my nose. I love love LOVE St Ives scrubs and I usually use the blemish fighting version however I was intrigued by the daily microdermabrasion. This is more of a gel consitancy compared to other scrubs from St Ives and its also a lot finer as you are able to use it daily. I'm still undecided about it, I would never scrub my face daily as it would play havoc with it and make it constantly oily. However it does leave the skin lovely and soft when used but I think I might revert back to the blemish fighting scrub when I am done with this, I think its because I like the feel of a more grainer scrub rather than a gel.

 

Elemis Fruit Active Rejuvenating Mask

Fruit Active Rejuvenating Mask - £28 Elemis

 

This is my all time favourite mask... EVER! My skin can look quite dull at times and even though I should use a purifying mask, they just leave my skin looking and feeling really tight. I need something that is going to give me a little bit of a glow and this is it! Its £28 which is expensive but as with most higher end products, a little goes a long way. It contains extracts of Kiwi and Strawberry fruit which deep cleanses the skin and is designed to lift the tone of your complexion. I usually use this once a week whilst lounging in the bath and I leave it on for about 20 minutes before wiping off with a hot damp cloth. Its my little bit of luxury and I always receive comments on my skin after I have used it as it seems to make my make up sit really nicely on my skin. Its for this reason that I make sure I use this before getting ready for a big night out!

 

Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm for Eyes and Lips

Multivitamin Power Firm - £37.10 Dermalogica

 

Ok, so I don't normally spend nearly £40 on something that is just 15ml HOWEVER this little power potion is my secret weapon! Since hitting the big 3-0 I have become more aware of the need to introduce anti-aging products into my skincare routine. I can't use anti-aging cleansers and moisturisers as they are way too rich for my skin however, I like to think I am blessed with good genes (thanks Mum!) as I don't have any deep wrinkles but the skin around my eyes does have fine lines. I discovered this after having a Dermalogica facial and loved the smell of it - it smells like sweets! When I asked the therapist what it was she said it was this. It is jam packed full of vitamins and is used to combat those little dehydration lines you can get around your eyes and lips. You apply just a TINY amount with your ring finger around your eyes and in a really weird way you can feel it working even though it doesn't tingle on the skin. Makeup sits really well on it and I think it makes my eyes look a lot brighter. One tube of this will last you around 9 months so even though the initial outlay is a lot, you will get a lot of use out of it. I cannot praise it enough!

 

I hope you have liked my little breakdown of the products I love at the moment.  What are your must have skincare products?

 

x



 

Embrace the change.......

I've been a naughty blogger these past couple of weeks, work has gotten in the way however that is NO excuse so my Easter revolution is to be a good blogger. After all, there are no excuses now that I have discovered that you can schedule posts!

I also decided to change the angle of my blog slightly, I love all things beauty not just nails and I found that when planning blog posts that a lot of what I wanted to write was about beauty as a whole so this  has prompted me to change my blog name to Smash Beauty!

I hope you like the new name (not really that different from the last name) and I hope you will forgive me for being a bad blogger so far :) x