Beauty samples: haul & review

I haven't done one of these in a long time and I thought it would be a really fun idea to do it again. I have so many samples of things lying around from lots of different places; some are from Glossybox's, some came as a free gift with magazines and others I have ordered to try before buying. I am a firm believer that first impressions always count so samples are a really convenient way to try out a product and see what I think of it instantly, before buying.

 

Elizabeth Arden - 'Visible Difference' Skin Balancing Exfoliationg Cleanser

 

Elizabeth Arden is one of my favourite skincare brands but I was pretty disappointed with this cleanser. It irritated my skin and made me break out in spots, but maybe this was more of a personal thing which won't affect everyone. It is easy to apply and leaves skin feeling soft, but it didn't exactly do me any favours.

 

Would I purchase this based on the sample? Sad to say this - but no.

 

 

Elemis - 'Loving Lips' Quenching Lip Balm

 

I had high hopes for this but it was a case of me comparing it to my favourite lip product, so not liking this one as much as that. The Elemis lip balm had a peppermint taste, which was really nice but I felt like it didn't give my lips enough moisture and softness and I had to reapply quite frequently.

 

Would I purchase this based on my sample? No.

 

 

Yves Rocher - Nutritive Vegel 24H Comfort Nourishing Cream

 

I received this moisturiser in a Glossybox and remember being really excited to try it out. It is a fantastic product; it sank into my skin really quickly and felt soft and nourished for 24 hours - as promised. My face was glowing healthily after use - would definitely recommend this.

 

Would I purchase this based on the sampe? Without a doubt!

 

 

L'oreal Paris - Anti-fatique Nude Magique BB Cream

 

This was the first ever BB Cream I had used but personally, it wasn't for me. I prefer wearing a proper foundation instead. I just didn't feel like I had enough coverage - maybe if I had flawless skin, I'd love this.

 

Would I purchase this based on the sample? No.

 

 

Balance Me - Moisture-rich Face Cream

 

I like face creams with a thin and creamy consistency but this one was incredibly thick and took much longer than other moisturisers to sink into the skin. Not a bad product as such, but it felt so so heavy on my face!

 

Would I purchase this based on the sample? No.

 

Balance Me - Radiance Face Mask

 

Another Balance Me product, but such a different opinion. I have used this face mask twice and both times, I hae been really impressed with the finished result. Skin felt soft and even after use with a much brighter, radiant complexion.

 

Would I purchase this based on the sample? Yes.

Elizabeth Arden Smokey Eyes Tutorial

It occured to me the other day that I have never actually done a make-up tutorial so I thought I would show you my favourite eye make-up style; my own version of a classic look, using the amazing Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Colour Eyeshadow Quad.

In this pallette (from left to right):
- Sterling
- Sugar Cube
- Black Tie-Contour
- Graphite

 

 

Firstly, I applied concealer under my eyes using my middle finger; I've always prefered to apply concealer with my finger as opposed to using brushes because I believe it is much more accurate.

 

 

 

Then, I swept the Sugar Cube shade across my eyebrow bone to act as a highlighter - this really brightened up my eyes, which is needed considering it's such a 'dark' look. Then, I brushed the Sterling shade - which is light grey - all over my eye lid using the eyeshadow brush which came with the pallette.

 

 

I then began to darken the outer corners of my eyes using the Graphite shade, which is a lovely dark grey colour. Again, I did this using the eyeshadow brush which came with the pallette by brushing from the outer corner of my eyes and blending into the centre of my eyelid. Applying a darker shade to the outer corners of your eyes is probably the most vital part of achieving a smokey eyed look.

 

 

 

Then, using the darkest shade - Black-Tie Contour - which is a glistening off-black. I applied a small amount into my outer corners and into my creases. To complete the look, I brushed this shade along my water line, as opposed to using eyeliner.

 

 

 

Eyeshadow completed! I then applied a very thin line of black liquid eyeliner - I used Collection 2000 Liquid Eyeliner. If you wanted, you could also draw a flick too - but this isn't my strong point so I missed that part out. Finally, I applied a coat of my favourite mascara (Collection 2000 Extreme Mascara) to my top lashes only.

 

I've become a massive fan of Elizabeth Arden products after I recieved a goodie bag worth £77 for free! (Click here to read that blog post) This eyeshadow pallette was part of the gift, however I believe they don't usually sell these shades as a set of four but only in duos or as a single shade - however, I love them and seriously recommend them!

Elizabeth Arden 'Beauty Gift' Haul/Review

On last weeks 'beauty deal of the week' I wrote about the Elizabeth Arden beauty gift worth £77, which you could get for free if you ordered two Elizabeth Arden products - at least one being skincare - from the Boots website. (Click HERE to read this post.) I just couldn't turn down this offer! After being converted to the brand through their amazing Eight Hour Lip Protectant, I had to give this a try. I believe that the offer has now ended - so it looks like I got in there at the right time.

 

I'll be honest; my first impression wasn't as amazing as I'd hoped but this was due to me being confused about some of the products! I'll go through them individually and give you my opinions - though after trying them all, I like every single one.

Oh and I think that the bag which the products came in will be very useful as a travel bag, filled with all my make-up and beauty bits. It's the perfect size and looks very cool and stylish too.

 

 



Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant - £25/50ml

 

This product is a massive essential in the world of beauty! Like I have said previously on my blog, I am not a huge fan of this product on my skin because it is basically a vey thick gel with an oily consistency so it is literally only best for particular dry or damaged parts of the skin, as opposed to using in various places. However, I have recently discovered this product as a lip balm and yes, I have been absolutely raving about this ever since this find. It is literally the best lip product I have ever come across. I have never been able to find a lip balm which comes anywhere close to this product; I've always had to put up with 'average' alternatives. I can't go anywhere without it now! One downside is that it is advertised as a fragrance-free product, but it definitely has some sort of scent, though I can't quite figure out what it is...

 

http://www.boots.com/en/Elizabeth-Arden-Eight-Hour-Cream-Skin-Protectant-50ml_9783/?cm_re=ElizabethArden_Home-_-P2B-_-C9083_Link1&cm_sp=ElizabethArden-_-8_Hour_Cream-_-ElizabethArdenC9083_Link1

 

 

Visible Difference Skin-Balancing Exfoliating Cleanser - £17/125ml

 

I was really excited to try this product out - my favourite cleansers are those that you can use in the shower as it is much more convenient and less time consuming, especially if you have quite a busy lifestyle. It couldn't be any more easier to use: you put a pea-sized amount on to your finger tips, rub your fingers together and apply to a wet face, which creates a foaming substance and then you wash it off with warm water. I love how it feels on my skin and it contains microbeads - which is something I look for in face products! It is slightly cheaper than most of their other products but it is still great to use. My skin feels soft and squeeky clean! It makes my skin look much more bright and awake - so would be a perfect match for women with tired or dull skin.

 

http://www.boots.com/en/Elizabeth-Arden-Visible-Difference-Skin-Balancing-Exfoliating-Cleanser-125ml_1268917/

 

 

Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum - £80/90 Capsules

 

My first thoughts on this product was something like "what is this? How do I use this? They look so weird!" I did receive the sample version of this product, which contains 14 capsules, though I still think that this is a generous-sized sample. It must be the strangest, most confusing beauty product I have ever come across. To use, I  ripped open the end of the capsule - which did get a little messy so have some tissues ready if you are going to use. I then applied the product to my face and was very surprised at how quickly it sank into my skin. It's a very weird serum; it is like a clear oil, which doesn't sound convincing but I saw instant results. It moisturised my skin naturally, without the feeling of having products on my face. It removed any dry areas instantly and left me with a noticeably softer complexion. However, the full sized version of this product is very, very expensive and I don't think that I would be prepared to spend £80 on this!

 

http://www.boots.com/en/Elizabeth-Arden-Ceramide-Capsules-Daily-Youth-Restoring-Serum-90-Capsules_1291197/

 

2.2g Quad Beautiful Color Eyeshadows in Sterling, Sugar Cube and Black Tie-Contour - £20

I love the shades of all of these eye shadows and to be honest, this was the product I was most looking forward to trying. These four shades are perfect for either smokey-eye looks or even to just complete a different look. I have only tried the shade on the far right, which is a smooth mid-grey colour - which I applied from the outer corners of my eyes and into my crease and blended. I wore this with a thin line of black liquid eyeliner and black mascara for a classic, simple smokey eyes look. The quality of this product is flawless and I now definitely want to check out more make-up from Elizabeth Arden.

 

http://www.boots.com/en/Elizabeth-Arden-Beautiful-Colour-Eyeshadow-Duo_1276312/

 

 

PREVAGE Anti-Aging Moisture Cream - £105/50ml

 

Wow, this is a really expensive product! This cream works as a great moisturiser, though I believe that it would be more beneficial to 'older' people, as it is an anti-aging cream. I am unable to comment on the anti-aging side of this product - though I have read excellent reviews on this. But yes, it is a very extensive moisturiser which leaves skin feeling softer to the touch and lasts all day. You do only have to use a very small amount of this product for it to work, which I guess makes the hefty price tag seem a little less worrying as it will most likely last longer than most other moisturisers. It is also recommended to use on sun damaged skin as not only does it revive moisture but it also has a Broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreens to help shield from the sun. I can see this being an essential during the summer months!

 

http://www.boots.com/en/Elizabeth-Arden-PREVAGE-Day-Intensive-Anti-aging-Moisture-Cream-SPF-30-50ml_1238614/

March Favourites

So we are coming towards the end of March now and (hopefully) closer to Spring weather - it is still freezing here in sunny Britain! I've loved quite a few products this month but here are my favourites.

 

 

Elizabeth Arden - Eight Hour Lip Protectant

 

This lip protectant is absolutely perfect! I have always had an issue with getting chapped lips easily but this product has helped me so much. It is the 'lip version' of the very popular Eight Hour Cream by Elizabeth Arden, which moisturises your lips beautifully, leaving them soft for hours on end. I only find myself having to reapply this once during the day. This lip product is a million times better than most, average lip balms which moisturise your lips for a short while and after years of using cheap brands, you really see the difference when you start using this. It is expensive but it is worth every single penny - one of my proudest purchases ever!

 

 

Murad - Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture For Eyes

 

This eye cream is an essential during the cold weather. As well as my usual moisturiser, I am also applying this product daily too. Of course, the eye area is a lot more sensitive and gets damaged much more easily than other parts of the face so having a good quality eye cream is a must. It keeps the area around the eyes feeling soft all day long, while also brightening the eyes and reviving tired skin.

 

 

Soap & Glory - Rich & Foamous Body Wash

 

I'm sure you have already seen my review on this product? (Click HERE to read this review!) A few weeks later and I am still in love with the smell of this - it seriously smells like cakes.  Its ingrediants are M-Suds MoistureBoost, raw flower honey, almond milk and supersoft skin conditioner with a yummy almond, oats and brown sugar scent which is such a brilliant combination. Not only does it smell gorgeous but it leaves your skin feeling super soft and moist too.

 

 

Miss Selfridge - Black Ankle Boots

 

I have been wanting to buy some ankle boots like these for ages and ages! After visiting almost every shop in the Trafford Centre, I finally found these. They are black suede boots with a slight 'wrinkley' effect on the front and black tassles on the back. They are flat-heeled which is preferable seeing as I'm very tall. They are the type of boots you could wear with a nice dress on a night out or pair with some leggings and a casual shirt, which is another reason I love them. They're stylish and comfy - brilliant find!

Beauty deal of the week #1

THIS IS A NEW WEEKLY POST TO MY BLOG!

 

Like all beauty bloggers and other product obsessed young women out there, I love trying out different products but haven't always got the money to splash out so I've decided to start writing a weekly blog post featuring the 'best beauty deal of the week.' I'm hoping to make this a weekly addition to my blog but of course, this depends on the availability of offers. Hope you enjoy this! :)

 

http://www.boots.com/en/Elizabeth-Arden/#1

 

My favourite offer this week is a FREE Elizabeth Arden beauty gift, worth £77, when you purchase two or more Elizabeth Arden products - at least one being skincare - from the Boots website. Also, you don't have to worry about delivery costs as Boots deliver free to your selected store within 3-5 working days, when you spend more than £25. They also deliver for free to your home address when you spend over £45 - though their are many cheap delivery options available if neither of these apply to you.

 

The gift contains:

• 50ml Visible Difference Skin Balancing Exfoliating Cleanser
• Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum, 14pcs (replica)
• 15ml Prevage AA Moisture Cream SPF 30 PA++
• 15ml FRAGRANCE FREE Eight Hour Cream Skin,
• 2.2g Quad Beautiful Color Eyeshadows in Sterling, Sugar Cube, Black Tie-Contour  

 

I've ordered mine - I'll share with you what I think when I receive the products!

 

 

Would you like to see a beauty offer every week? Let me know!

Samples haul and review!

I seem to have gained a large number of samples over the last 6 months from different places: some are from Glossybox's and others are whilst I was out and about shopping. I am a firm believer that if you don't love something when you first try it, you never will - so I guess this is when samples come in useful.

 

I have watched a few 'sample haul' YouTube videos from beauty vloggers and I've really enjoyed watching them, so I've decided to try it out too. I have a box full of samples and I have picked out a few to let you know whether it was love at first erm.. use or whether it will be shoved in a drawer and forgotten about forever!

 

 

 



Lemon by Mary Greenwell

 



This sample is teeny tiny and I would literally have gotten a handful of uses out of it, if I could have brought myself to use it more than once! When I saw the name 'Lemon' I was excited for a fresh, citrus scent but instead I was met with something an old lady would wear, but with the slight hint of grass. I honestly don't know why anyone would want to smell like this. The packaging is so pretty and it's yellow (my favourite colour) - so misleading.

 

Would I purchase based on the sample? No way!

 

 

Dermalogica daily microfoliant

 

The full-sized version of this product is pretty pricey - £38 and as you'd imagine based on that, it is popular with a number of celebrities. I can definitely see why because it is amazing! This daily microfoliant is a powder which you put on the palm of your hands, wet and rub your hands together to create a lovely, foamy substance - it pretty much acts as a fancy face wash. It's super easy to use and leaves your skin feeling unbeliveably soft and squeeky clean. I'd be really keen to try out more of their products or perhaps see if they have a cheaper alternative?

 

Would I purchase based on the sample? Yes - though I would need to have extra money lying around.

 

 

Monu Micro-exfoliant

 

I have previously written a review on a different Monu product (http://rainbowsandbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/monu-gentle-cleanser-review.html) and before I used the product I reviewed, I tried out something else which I fell in love with - yep, this sample is that product! Monu are so little heard of in the beauty community and it's so unfourunate because they make amazing products and really look after your skin. The Micro-exfoliant is easy to use and doesn't leave behind any residue or other nasty surprises. You literally just wet your face, rub it in and wash it off - simple! I always love products with microbeads; is it just me who feels like they work better?

 

Would I purchase based on the sample? Yes, and I've been converted to their other products.

 

 

Burberry Body

 

I was a little bit apprihensive when I first received this product due to its well-known 'chav' connotations but you should never judge a book by its cover. Despite the lid on this product being broke, meaning the squirty part (apologises for the bad technical terms) not working, it is a good product. It smells lovely and though it isn't the usual scent I would go for, I would buy it. It's perfect for a night out or a fancy meal, though I wouldn't wear it for day-to-day use. My fiancé also has a Burberry fragrance (Burberry Touch) and I think that smells great too. In conclusion, Burberry make good smelling fragrances!

 

Would I purchase based on the sample? Yes.

 

 

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

It is mainly known for being a skin cream but I can't stand it on my skin because of the consistency: it's very thick and gel-like, as opposed to soft and creamy. However, it is an AMAZING lip balm! I could certainly see the difference through just one use of this product after many years of using cheaper lip products. My lips feel super soft and moisturised and it only needs to be reapplied once or twice more throughout the day. I couldn't recommend it enough as a lip balm - best find ever!

 

Would I purchase based on the sample? I already have!

 

Would you like to see more sample hauls?

Glossybox UK March: Opening

(I was originally intending on posting a video of me opening the box so you could see my genuine first reaction to the products. I actually filmed this but because I'm impatient and couldn't take ages getting ready before I opened it, I looked like rubbish in the video so have decided not to upload it. I'm sorry! Haha. But I think that the descriptions below will probably benefit you more anyway. Hope you like this. Did you receive different products? Let me know! I always love hearing what everyone else received.)

 

 

This is the Glossybox as I received it; it looks pretty empty. The product sizes are quite small and I only received one full-sized product this month, which is kind of disappointing. Overall, I liked what I received but thought that the samples could have been a little more generous. There is plenty of variation of products too: 1 hair product, 1 fragrance, 1 nail polish, 1 make-up product and 1 skin product - which is how it should be every month.

 

This is the first time ever that I have actually heard of the majority of the brands. This is good because I guess they're more popular brands but on the other hand, it's a bad thing too because the theme is 'city chic' so I was expecting more international brands that perhaps, aren't that well heard of in Britain. Also, Glossybox is supposed to give us luxury products to try out - Tresemmé and Nails Inc aren't what I would call 'luxury products.'

 

 

The theme for this month's Glossybox is 'city chic' which is something I wasn't expecting but I was really excited to see what was inside. We received the usual leaflet with a list of the products inside and also a travelling book which I thought was quite cute; it has a number of cities and countries in it featuring images of their main attractions and a few random facts. It honestly looks like it took a while to make and a lot of thought has clearly gone into it. It made me want to see the world! Haha.

 

 

Juicy Couture - Couture LaLa - £63 / 100ml

 

When most people open their Glossybox and see a perfume sample, they think "uh-oh" but I love receiving fragrances because the majority of the time, they smell great and I discover brands I would never have considered buying. Couture LaLa is another one of them fragrances I would never have considered buying, but now I have smelt it - I want it! Juicy Couture is known to be quite chavvy (sorry) and isn't what I would consider to be a luxury product. However, I love the scent so I can't really complain. It's my favourite kind of scent: fruity, fresh and girly. I would definitely purchase this - though it is pricey.

 

 

Tresemmé - Salon Finish Extra Hold Hairspray - £4.69/500ml

 

I wasn't expecting to receive a Tresemmé product in a Glossybox but I am looking forward to using this. I love the smell of Tresemmé products (not sure why) so they are always a win for me. I have never tried their hair spray though so I can't wait to use it. It is 'extra hold' which is fantastic for me because I always go for the stronger hold hair sprays because my hair is thick and out of control at times. But still, Tresemmé in a Glossybox?

 

 

Nails Inc - St James - £11/10ml

 

This nail polish is London's 'contribution' to the city chic themed Glossybox. I love the shade; it's not blood red but more of a bold red with a slight dark-pink tint. This is the type of shade I would usually go for anyway so I can't wait to wear this. I was a little bit disappointed that we didn't receive a full-sized product of this considering nail polishes are generally small products anyway. But still, you could get a few uses out of this 4ml version. I really hope it's not one of those nail polishes that chips after 2 days!

 

 

Elizabeth Arden - Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant - £25/50ml

 

This sample is absolutely teeny tiny and in all honesty, I can't really understand its purpose. It is a 'New York' skin cream to revitalise tired skin - apparently it's best for those busy girls who are always on the go. I would be surprised if I got more than one use out of this product because it is only 7ml; it is the same length as my little finger! However, I am always open to new things and seeing as it's expensive and such a well-known brand, I have high hopes.

 

 

Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics - Lip Blush - £12/2.5g

 

This lip blush is a full size product (YAAAAY!) Jelly Pong Pong is the only brand in this box that I haven't heard of so if I like this, I would buy more of their products. Perhaps they are bigger abroad? I couldn't figure out where the brand is actually based. It looks like an over-sized crayon, which isn't terribly convincing and it smells like an over-sized crayon too. However, I love the shade and I think the red tone would suit most skin tones so it is very well chosen.

 

 

Let me know what products you received. What did you think?