Glossybox - Harrods Edition

This month Glossybox has an extra special treat in store for their subscribers. The March Glossybox is being brought to you in association with Harrods beauty hall!

This special edition box contains five out of a possible fifteen products including Clarins moisturisers, Fendi, Valentino and Versace perfumes, Bliss body butter, Molton Brown shower gels, YSL serum and SK-11 cream. Though my favourite product of them all is the adorable Burberry miniature lipstick!

The products I received in my box this month were:

• YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum (can't wait to try this!)
• Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlily Moisture Bath and Shower
• Narcisco Rodriguez for her
• Ojon Damage Reverse Instant Restorative Hair Serim (love this)
• Burberry Miniature Lip Mist Copper no.202

I may have to go all out and admit that this is probably my favourite G'box of all time. I love the mix of products and brands and can see myself using every single one. Oh and did I mention the mini Burberry lipstick?

It's probably unnatural to get so excited about a mini lipstick, but it's just too cute!

What do you think about the March box? Are you excited by the Harrods edition? Which of the products are your favourites this month? Do you have also have a strange obsession with miniatures? ;) xxx

MeMeMe Arch Angel

Ever wondered why they say that big, bushy brows can make you look more youthful? All you have to do is think of every Disney villain ever created. Their thin, harsh brows will tell you all you need to know... So it's time to put down those tweezers ladies and nurture your brows back to their full glory.

Big brows are once again all over the catwalks this season and I couldn't be happier. Although I am not a fan of overly exaggerated eyebrows a la the Scouse brow, I do think that a defined, yet feminine brow can frame the face beautifully adding definition and character.

One of my favourite products to fill in and shape my eyebrows when I'm in a hurry is MeMeMe Arch Angel. The tinted gel works amazingly to add some colour to the brow and set the brow hairs, while the highlighting cream adds that little bit of definition and creates a sharp, clean line under the brow making it look much more polished and helping to hide any stray baby hairs.

The above photo was taken after using the Arch Angel on clean skin and eyebrows. As you can see the gel adds a little bit of colour to the brows, without staining the skin or making the brows look too dark or harsh. I think that it would make all brows just that little bit richer. The highlighter adds a subtle sheen, but is at the same time very soft and translucent, making it accessible to all skin tones.

The brow can be defined even further if you use a little powder prior to applying the Arch angel gel for are stronger, more polished look.

Bookmark your diaries for the release of Arch Angel on the 11th of April for £8.50 from MeMeMe's website and Superdrug stores nationwide. It's a great, multipurpose product that works in seconds and is pretty much foolproof as there is no shaping or shading involved.

What products do you use to groom your brows? Are you tempted to pick up Arch Angel? What do you look for in a brow product? xxx

*PR Sample*

Beauty Marked Sketch

On Saturday one of my work girlies was celebrating her birthday in Soho so I popped in for a few cocktails. As I had been on the go all day I decided to quickly amp up my makeup for a fun night out.

As I was in a bit of a rush I didn't have a chance to write down everything I used (bad beauty blogger!), but I was mainly playing with a few products from my collection to create a deep, sultry plum smokey eye and a nude nip.

Skin:

• NARS Sheer Glow foundation (looks great in photos) mixed with Dior Forever (lasts well).
• Bobbi Brown creamy concealer.
• ELF glow powder (it's not very shimmery, so works great as a setting powder when you want your skin to look radiant).
•  YSL Afrique bronzer
• NARS Angelika Blush

Eyes:

• MAC Macriviolet fluidline (as base)
• MAC Beauty Marked e/s (on lid)
• MAC Sketch e/s (in crease and lower lashline)
• Blackberry pigment sample (on centre of lid for a little shimmer)
• MAC Shroom and Vanilla e/s (as highlight on brow bone)
• L'Oreal Carbon Gloss liquid liner
• Eyeko Skinny Brush Mascara (£15 here)
• Lashaholic LA03 Wispy Strip Lashes (£7.95 here)

 Lips:

• MAC Creme d'nude
• Clarins Instant Light lipgloss 02 Apricot Shimmer (£10.80 here)

I love the look of a red based purple as I think it makes all eye colours brighter and more vibrant!

What do you guys think of purple eye shadow? It can be a tricky one to work with, but it is one of my absolute favourite colours! What are your favourite eyeshadow colours? xxx

Avon Ideal Flawless Foundation

I must admit that I am a relative newcomer to Avon's products, but I was excited to be given the opportunity to try their new Ideal Flawless Foundation SPF 15 that promises full coverage creating a virtually undetectable veil of natural-looking, flawless perfection.

The range has a very impressive selection of 16 shades from the palest Light Pink (my colour) to the richest Earth, with great variation among the colours to cover cool, warm and neutral skin tones.  The campaign is fronted by the gorgeous Alesha Dixon, Avon's Beauty and Empowerment ambassador, who looks absolutely radiant in the promotional imagery.

I have been wearing this foundation for the last three weeks and testing it out in a range of environments. I am always hesitant to post about products as soon as I receive them, especially where skin is concerned, because it is all too easy to try something once and proclaim your love for it. Since your skin can change quite dramatically depending on the weather, environment, your activities and (umm) your cycle I always try to be thorough in testing out foundations in a myriad of situations.

As can be seen above this foundation has quite a thick liquid formulation, almost akin to a mousse. However, it is very easy to spread due to its silicone content and feels quite slippery on application. In the bottle there is a little shimmer visible, but I didn't find that this translated to the skin once applied.

One pump was enough to cover my whole face giving an even medium/full coverage. As the foundation doesn't sink into the skin quickly while blending this does give you time to work with it, but also means that it isn't incredibly long lasting as it doesn't set matte. This is not to say that it disappears halfway through the day, but I did find that if I was going out after work I needed to add a little extra for a flawless look. I tend to get an oily t-zone and though the foundation didn't accentuate this I did feel that my face looked a little more shiny about 6 hours after application. If you are a fan of the slightly dewy, glowing look then this is a great foundation to try!

Ideal Flawless gives a lovely finish to the skin and makes it feel velvety soft. Though I would say that it wasn't 'invisible' as you can definitely see that I was wearing makeup. It didn't look heavy or cakey, but the coverage was definitely there and the foundation perceptible. I will let you all be the judge... the photo below has not been edited (except for cropping and increase in exposure as I get ready in the pitch black mornings lol).

One thing I would recommend while wearing this is to make sure your skin is smooth and well moisturised as it can cling to dry areas and make them more visible, though it is easy enough to buff away after application.

Overall I have really enjoyed trying out this foundation as it gives a lovely coverage and velvety finish to the skin making it look smooth and glowing. There is a great selection of colours to suit a broad range of skin tones and given it's affordable price point of £12 (currently on offer for £10 on Avon's website here) I definitely think it is one worth checking out!

Have you guys tried Avon's latest foundation offering? What do you think of the finish? Are you a fan of Avon's products? Do you have any favourites/ recommendations for me to try? xxx

Neom Organics Happiness Candle Review

Neom is an organic company that offers a modern, luxurious take on beauty and home treatments. The brand aims to introduce its customers to the benefits of beautiful, organic products that also work as holistic treatments because their essential oil content is so high. Neom strongly oppose synthetic scents and harsh ingredients, but also believe beauty should be about spoiling yourself, fabulous scents and utter indulgence!

I was therefore really excited when I was offered the chance to try one of their new candles - Happiness with White Neroli, Mimosa & Lemon combined with natural fresh grass notes to create the awakening of spring (£37.50). The fragrance of this candle is delicate, yet it effortlessly fills the room, without being overpowering.

NEOM Luxury Organics candles are made using only vegetable wax and pure essential oils rather than synthetic fragrances so they burn without releasing harmful pollutants, toxins or soot. As I have a myriad allergies I was keen to see whether this candle would burn as cleanly as promised and I put it to the test by holding a white piece of paper (at a safe distance) above the flame for a few minutes. Indeed there was no trace of soot or any kind of residue visible!

Neom candles are designed tp work as powerful holistic treatments as you breathe in the scented air so it is recommended to burn them for between 2-4 hours at a time. Each candle has 3 wicks and burns for up to 55 hours. I have used this candle almost every night since it was sent to me and have noticed that it burns really evenly, without any dips in the wax. There is nothing more frustrating than when you purchase a large candle to find that it quickly burns straight through the middle, leaving the wax around the edges untouched. The vegetable wax in the Neom candle melts quickly once the candle is lit, so it is always even when it re-solidifies.

Neom are so passionate about the purity and quality of their products that they have even created their own promise!

I am really impressed with what I have seen from Neom so far and look forward to trying more of their products in the future!

Have you tried any Neom products? Do you prefer using organic products? What are your favourite candle brands? xxx