Cohorted beauty box review

My relationship with Cohorted is bittersweet. Since their launch of their beauty boxes I have been desperately trying to get hold of one. I even came so close with the August box only to have it whipped out of my basket at checkout and met with the dreaded "SOLD OUT". However, by some stroke of luck I managed to get my paws on the September box and it was worth the wait! 

Firstly, the box is only £19.99 plus shipping (£2.50 or free for all orders over £20.. Cheeky Cohorted!)  but the contents of the box are always worth a lot more. I believe my little card told me that Septembers box was worth around £75. 

The packaging is super pretty and I felt weirdly special undoing the bow to open the box! It's the little things in life 

First thing I noticed made my jaw drop. Honestly. I literally couldn't believe it and wondered if they had made some sort of mistake. 

"Nude tude" by The Balm palette. I had my eye on this for ages but for £37 I was holding off.. And here I am getting it in a £20 beauty box! I'm a fan of their shadows anyway as I love the "Meet Mr Matte" palette so I was VERY excited to receive this. 

The next item I spotted was another jaw dropper. A full size NARS lip pencil lipstick. I can't remember the colour name because I'm rubbish, but it's a beautiful orangey browny red shade and is perfect for Autumn winter! 

But first 

(Excuse the rest of my face please, this was a evening photo after I had been at work all day!)

Next up was a mini eye primer again by The Balm 

A very cute Molton Brown bath and shower gel (promptly gifted to the mother    in law)

And a shower gel by GUCCI. Yup. GUCCI

I was a little surprised to see two bath/shower products in one box but honestly the rest more than made up for it. This box is incredible value for money. The products provided are popular well known products and in actual wearable colours. This is a premium beauty box service for a more than reasonable price in my opinion, and a massive hit with me. 

The October box is available to preorder from 6pm tomorrow. I'll race you to check out

https://www.cohorted.co.uk/pre-order-october-beauty-box.html

Too faced Cocoa Contour palette and review

Hi all!! 

I make no secret of my love for the cocoa infused Too Faced products. They are creamy, pigmented and smell like my favourite food. So I kind of knew that this was going to be a hit! My little sister kindly bought this for me for my birthday, but I believe it retails at around £32. 

It came in a cardboard sleeve which is cute but will irritate me and no doubt end up in the bin. Here's the back of it though

I really wish they would print this on the back of the actual palette rather than on the sleeve ( Too Faced - we did talk about this with the chocolate palette, please listen to us!)

The front of the actual palette is the same as the sleeve, and the back looks like this;

And the usual little diagram sheet which is always helpful 

The palette contains 2 highlighting shades (one matte highlight and one shimmer/ glitter highlight) and 2 contour shades (medium and dark) as well as a nifty little brush.  I was a bit afraid of the glittery highlight but honestly it's not as harsh on the face as it is in the pan. 

Here are some swatches 

So my verdict is that I really like this palette. BUT I am white as a sheet
naturally and I would really like it if Too Faced released a "Milk chocolate contour palette" for those of us with fair skin, as the milk chocolate soilel bronzer suits my skin tone perfectly. This one I have to be a little careful of not to get too heavy. 

Here's a before and after with the worst lighting ever 

Before : 

After : 

Quite subtle but that's how it's meant to be right!?

Anyone else a huge fan of the Too faced Cocoa palettes or contour kits in general? Anyone have any recommendations for contour with super pale skin? 

Xxx

1 Minute review! L'Oreal Paris Miss Manga Punky Mascara Blue

Let's get straight to it. I (like everyone else) love Loreal mascara. However... The "Miss Manga" formula is probably my least favourite. It's weird considering I like spider lashes but there you have it!! I am a walking contradiction. When I saw the brilliant blue of this new shade though I had to give it a go ; 

It's most definitely the bluest mascara I have ever used!  It looked a bit shocking on my lashes but made a nice change for holibobs 

The formula appears to be the same as the normal "Miss Manga" mascara but the colour pay off is amazing. This particular one isn't waterproof but didn't flake or smudge on me either 

After trying the full on look, I then put it just on my lower lash line. I think I prefer this look as it's more subtle but still brings attention to the eyes

Would I purchase this again? 

Only if I couldn't find another formula with the same colour payoff.. If you want BLUE lashes then this one is for you! I also should point out that I do have my lashes tinted however at this point they were pretty blonde, which may have intensified the colour "pop"

I personally will stick to boring black with my "L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes So Couture mascara" for the time being. 

Kiss cosmetics company and review!

So who are Kiss cosmetics?

 Kiss cosmetics are a makeup brand who launched this summer.. however bloggers got to hear all about the brand before the launch. This is because the company invited all bloggers (no matter how big or small) to participate in the development of the products. We were invited to a private Facebook group where we were asked a variety of questions regarding formula, package preferences, what we value most in our makeup products and even which names we preferred! I thought the whole idea was fab and Kiss cosmetics have basically ended up giving the majority of customers exactly what they want. 

You can read more about their launch here; http://kisscosmetics.co.uk/blog/?p=718

Once launched, Kiss have continued their  involvement with the blogging community by offering all bloggers that signed up a chance of receiving a free sample (I believe these samples will soon be able to purchase at a cost of £2 each which is genius.. How often have we bought a drug store lippie only to discover that it really does not suit us as much as we might want it too?!) 

Mine came swiftly in the post by recorded delivery 

I received the kiss stick ( lipstick) and the first thing that  I noticed when I opened the package was the card depicting all the different shades available ;

Me being a glass half empty kind of girl thought "Great.. I'm going to end up with a orange that I would never wear (doesn't suit me) and will hate to review!" Imagine how excited I was when I opened this beautiful shade 

It's called "Naked Pink" and it's just beautiful!! The perfect wearable dusty mauve pink shade. In. love. We also reviewed some voucher codes for money off products and delivery charges

First off, this lipstick is one of the most pigmented I have ever tried. The swatch above was one stroke. If you are a makeup bully then be careful, as the formula is quite soft and smooth, but this also makes the application easy and you can barely feel it on the lips

Pout baby pout! 

This is the colour upon application at the tube station (around 8:30)

How did it wear? Beautifully. I'm always concerned with how lippies wear as they tend to settle in the outside line of my lip and I end up looking like I'm wearing some incredibly dodgy 80s lip liner. This was the product by about 10am

( my natural lips have no pigment and I look like a zombie by the way.. So there's definitely colour on there!)

And by lunch time! 

Still there (barely) and no dodgy liner lips. Score. Not bad for only £7. Yup. That's how much the full size is! Honestly I love it and will be purchasing the full size once this runs out. Oh and maybe the shade "Birthday suit". Oh and maybe the lip expholiater.. You get the idea. 

The lipsticks (and other products) are available to purchase online NOW at http://kisscosmetics.co.uk 

* Although this product was sent to me by the company to review all opinions are my own, if I hated it then you would know about it! * 

(Another!) Cherry diva mini haul!

*sigh* Sorry if you guys are getting fed up with these posts but.. I can't stop shopping here. So hauls will continue. This is what I purchased on my latest online spree! 

This was what I originally went on for and the photo does not do it justice! I've been wanting a neckline like this for ages and this little beaut was only £5. Unfortunately I've managed to break the plain chain section already (no idea how but it did travel to Lanzarote) but it's still wearable! I love it! Super 90s and grunge and pretty

Next was this little baby that I've been eyeing up for a while now 

It was only £1 and no idea why I haven't bought it before but I finally caved. It reminds me of Snow White and I love it 

Next was this bad boy which I'm wearing today! It's embossed with roses and is super cute (for a skull!) 

It's on a lot gold chain and it's quite big too! Only £3.50

I've been eyeing this next choker for a while but now that it's in the sale for £1 it would have been rude not to

Lastly was this layered necklace. I haven't worn it yet (I'm a little afraid of "chain" style necklaces) but I'm sure I'll be brave enough soon. I just loved the vintage looking key mostly. This one set me back £5

So all in all I only spent £16.50 with shipping costs (only 99p in the UK) cheap as chips! 

I think I was quite restrained but I do already have my eye on this so who knows how long for?! 

I also recommend signing up for their newsletter if you are considering making a purchase as they always have different offers and flash sales and the like 

Shop Cherry Diva here ; http://www.cherrydiva.co.uk

LVL Lash treatment and review

Look! lashes!! I know big lashes are no new thing, but I have been seriously obsessed with having huge lashes since I was 13 years old. When I was on holiday I was lucky enough to meet a lovely 18 year old who took me under her wing and taught me how to "properly" apply mascara.

 I have spent over an hour doing my mascara on more than one occasion. I'm definitely a lash perfectionist and want them long and separated. 

So one day I went to my boyfriends house and saw his sister. Her lashes were twice the size as usual AND she had no mascara on. What is this sorcery?! I needed it yesterday! 

LVL lashes. LVL stands for "Lengh, volume and lift" and as you can see from my before and after, I think that's a pretty accurate description. The treatment took around 1 hour, and I had to have a patch test done at least 24 hours beforehand. 

From what I could feel, my lashes were tinted and then shields were placed on my eyes. My lashes were placed on the shields and the treatment applied. It sounds painful but I felt nothing at all and the results are amazing.  My therapist is called Emma and she's pretty damn fabulous herself too in my opinion! This little statement is taken from her website

http://www.mybeautybyemma.co.uk/lvl/

"LVL is a revolutionary treatment that provides you with longer looking lashes without the need for lash extensions. LVL which stands for Length, Volume and Lift uses an innovative technique to gently lift and straighten the lashes, giving your lashes a thicker and more voluminous look. The results are immediately visible and it is a low-maintenance and long-lasting treatment with the results lasting up to 6 weeks. The treatment takes approximatley 45mins-1hour and includes an eyelash tint."

The treatment cost £40 and is worth every single penny. This is seriously the best thing that has ever happened to my makeup and eyelash life. I can achieve the same long lashes with minimum time and effort, and can even go without mascara at a push. It's like I've got my lash extensions again, only better (no pain, no ruined lashes, no crossed lashes, I can actually wash my face properly etc)

Honestly I would recommend this treatment (and Emma with it)  to anyone who likes the longer lash look. I am definitely a convert and will be getting them done on a regular basis from now on. 

Here's a nice side view for you! (Ignore my red skin I had my brows waxed, pale ladies feel my pain!) 

With mascara..

2 weeks on and still fabulous 

For information and booking enquiries, please see Emma's website 

 

http://www.mybeautybyemma.co.uk/lvl/ or Facebook page Emma Nixon ( Beauty by Emma) 

Daenerys inspired braids

I love a braid. It doesn't take all that much effort (once you are used to it) and makes you look like you spent ages doing your hair (in reality I spend hours on my makeup and little or no time dealing with my locks) 

I also love Dany from Game of Thrones. She's a badass dragon queen with nice hair. What's not to love? I've tried lots of braid looks, but my latest attempt is a more "wearable" version of this (without looking like a completely mental fan girl) 

So here's my attempt 

 I've got to say, I kind of love it. It's basically a French, Dutch braid plaited towards the back of the head so that it stays in that position itself. A Dutch braid is simply a plait where the pieces are placed under each other, not over. If you do not know how to Dutch/French braid then it's worth checking out some YouTube tutorials, as that's how I learnt! 

It's super comfortable and keeps my hair off my face in this unusually hot British weather. 

Front view! I secured the end of the braids with small elastics, and they have stayed in place all day! 

Have any of you guys tried to recreate any Game of Thrones / Daenerys Targaryen inspired hair styles? 

Pawsome subscription box for dogs! *WARNING - Contains cuteness*

Hi all!

Sorry I've been AWOL. I have no excuse really except that I'm rubbish sometimes

Anyway this is a bit of a different post but it was too cute not to share. A little while ago I was scrolling through Facebook when I saw an advert for the Pawsome subscription service.

 Intrigued, I had a look and they were doing an offer where the first box was free ( it is normally priced at £19.99) Being the owner of this little girl (Minnie Mouse) I had to try it

When you sign up they take some information about the breed and age of your dog and their name in case you want to add multiple animals. A good few weeks went by and I didn't receive my box, and I started to think that maybe it hadn't processed or maybe when something seems too good to be true that it is.. But then I received a email from them. Basically they had (understandably) had a lot of interest since they offered the first box free so they were just running a little behind. Low and behold I came home yesterday to a HUGE box of doggie things. 

The first thing I noted was that it had not one, but TWO toys in it which is perfect for my little one as she loves her toys but chews them to pieces. The first was a little mouse plush ( well suited to a dog named after the most famous female mouse of all time) 

The second one was a little ball / rope monkey

The box also contained some wipes for her fur ( or hair as she is a Yorkshire terrier) and a blue travel water bottle/bowl (always useful) 

And two large bags of appropriately sized treats. 

Here's Minnie enjoying the banana and chicken ones 

Safe to say she loves them and the box is a hit in this house! 

Would I continue this subscription? Honestly I can't afford too. £19.99 is a lot to pay per month for treats for my dog especially as she is already spoiled as it is However, as a one off for her birthday or for Christmas I think it's great, and you definately get your money's worth. 

It would also be nice if they introduced a smaller box with a smaller price tag to be able to justify a monthly billing.

What do you think about subscription services for pets? 

A few extra Minnie photos for good measure ( before and after hair cut)