Latest in Beauty: Backstage Beauty Edit

I re-subbed to Latest in Beauty just before the cut-off date for free postage with the new box (the new box price of £12.95 instead of £15) for 6 products will kick into action next month. There's also lots of treats and money off codes for LiB Box Pro members. If you sign up now, you'll pay £12.95 plus £3.95 postage for 3 months before becoming automatically becoming a LiB Box Pro.

From this month's picks I chose the Haul of Fame product - NARS High Pigment Longwear Eyeliner 0.7g (worth £19). I use black eyeliner most days so I'm looking forward to trying it.

The rest of my picks this month were from previous months. I've got a total obsession with Earthkind's Shampoo Bar for Problem Scalps with Tea Tree & Eucalyptus 50g (£6.95). It just works - see my review HERE. As long as it's a pick, I'll keep snapping it up! 

I love a good hair mask and this one by HASK sounds lush. I picked their Rose Oil & Peach Color Protection Deep Conditioner 50ml (£4). Looking forward to a little pamper sesh!

From Strivectin is their Super-C Retinol Brighten & Correct Vitamin C Serum 7ml (which is worth £14 ml by ml). Again, looking forward to trying and a review will follow.

Rounding up my picks this month is a full size duo from Natura Siberica - Organic Certified BB Correcting Cream 30ml (£8.99) and Organic Certified Moisturising Face Tonic 100ml (£8.99). Again, reviews to come.

Out of this month's box - I picked one much-loved product and five newbies. Have you selected a Latest in Beauty Box recently?

Latest in Beauty: Grazia Beauty Advent Calendar: The first eight days

I hummed and hawed about picking up a Grazia Advent Calendar in association with Latest in Beauty. During their Halloween sale it was marked down 20% (was £85) and I thought I was getting a real bargain until Black Friday week tipped up and it went down to £42! (next year I'll be waiting!) Here's what I received during the first 8 days:

Day 1 - Anastasia Liquid Lipstick in Ashton, which I'd received before. It looks like a nice pink shade in the tube but in reality it's a matte brown. Not for me, I passed this one along.

Day 2 - Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Cell Repair Night Oil 15ml which I've used before and my skin loved. It's a decent size too.

Day 3 - System Professional Reconstructive Elixir 30ml which I use all the time. My hair loves it. A very welcome addition to the calendar. This is worth £17 and was one of the reasons I had to have the advent calendar.

Day 4 - bareMinerals Skinlongevity Vital Power Infusion - again, I've used this serum before and it's lovely. 

Day 5 - St Tropez Self Tan Purity - Face Mist - I don't use self tan so I'll pass this one along also.

Day 6 - Omorovicza Illuminating Moisturiser - another product I was really excited about. Expect a review on the blog soon!

Day 7 - NARS Satin Lip Pencil - ooh I love this one! Gorgeous wearable shade.

Day 8 - Darphin Vetiver Aromatic Stress Relief Detox Oil Mask mini - I love the scent of vetiver. I'm looking forward to trying this out.

In the first 8 days there are 5 products I'm really excited about - which is not bad going! What advent calendar are you opening? (I've also got a lovely tea one I got from my friend Magi).

Feel Unique: Pick 'n' Mix: December 2016

My Feel Unique pick 'n' mix choices arrived yesterday and for £3.95 (with a voucher code worth that back) it's great value!

My picks this month:

A carded sample of NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna

2ml vial of Miller Harris's Vetiver Insolent EdP (adore this)

3 huge Burt's Bees samples:

Coconut Foot Cream 20g

Cleansing Oil with Coconut and Argan Oils 29.5ml

Almond & Milk Hand Cream 7g (used this before and loved!)

What did you pick this month?

HQ Hair - Freebie Offer

HQ Hair were running an offer recently - buy any product from the shop and get a free goodie bag worth £5 (this was limited to 200).  I bought Pure Fiji Nourishing Exotic Oil  in Coconut (£9.50 for 90ml).  I received this in April's Joliebox (and had tried before in a travel set).  You can use it for massage, as a bath oil, a hair oil and a super moisturising treatment for hands and feet - I love a multi purpose product, love coconut scents and this product in particular.

The freebie contained:

NARS sheer Glow Foundation (4ml) in Sante-Fe 

DuWop Venom Gloss (5ml)

Korres Quercetin & Oak Anti-Ageing & Anti-Wrinkle Light Texture Cream (1.5ml)

Versace Crystal Noir EDT 2ml Vial

Versace Yellow Diamond EDT Vial

Did you get this offer?

June Empties

Here are my June empties:

Khiel's Hand Salve - got this in the Advent Calendar, smells of eucalyptus.  Enjoyed using it but unsure if I'd re-purchase though it worked really well.

Elemis Absolute Eye Serum - love this eye care product - have already bought another - it just works.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Body Cream - love this, have got a few of these from swaps and beauty boxes.  I reviewed the body cream here.

Kerastase Lait Vital 1 Conditioner - love Kerastase products so will probably buy this again as it lasts for ages.

Armani Luminous Silk Foundation sample pot - a great foundation will probably buy again at some point.

Balance Me Rose Otto Body Wash - one of my favourites, I'm on my last one.. sob.  I'd buy again.

Tropic Skin Revive Firming Nourishing Cream - I got this in a swap.  Loved it.  Would probably purchase it again in winter time as its a fairly rich cream and too heavy for my skin now.

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser - mini sample - got a few uses of this.  Nice product but expensive to buy.

Bamford Geranium Bath Oil x 2 - One of my favourite bath oils - only got two left now so will probably buy full size at some point.

Garnier Fresh Essentials Eye Make Up Remover - a good budget buy - would re-purchase.

L'Occitane Desert Rose Ultra-Rich Body Cream sachet - really fab cream, very rich and smells good.  Have a full size tin of this still to use.  L'Occitane Desert Rose Hand Cream - loved this cream - it was a magazine freebie.  Have another of these to use.  L'Occitane Divine Cream mini pot - really loved using this.  Looking for it in swaps/on ebay at the moment.  I also used a 1ml sachet of this too.  L'Occitane Divine Eyes - 1ml sachet - lovely.  Would consider purchasing in the future.  L'Occitane Baume des Yeux Eye Balm - 1ml sachet - enjoyed using this, would perhaps purchase.

Gielly Green Hand and Body Wash and Hand and Body Lotion - Loved these.  You can see my review here.

Sanctuary Hand Wash - nice hand wash and will probably pick this up again.

L'Oreal Everpure Shampoo and Conditioner sachet - really liked using these and would consider purchasing full size.

Ro's Argan Body Conditioner from Lush.  I bought this with Xmas voucher.  A beautiful rose scented product.  I'd probably re-purchase but it is quite pricey.  You can read my review here.

Vaseline Aloe Fresh deodorant - a staple and this one works for me.

Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Milk Body Souffle Cream - love all Laura Mercier body lotions this is gorgeous, lightly scented with coconut and almond. Yum.

Iroisie Ultimate BB Cream sample sachet - this was from the latest Amarya box.  I struggled with this - didn't like the texture and I found it hard to spread on my skin.  So wouldn't purchase.

Japan Rose Bath salts - these were really nice - big pink salts which turned the bathwater pale pink.  Thanks Evelyn!

This Works Enjoy Multi-Tasking Lotion - I quite enjoyed using this lotion but wouldn't re-purchase as there are other lotions I prefer.

Pukka Radiance Serum 10ml and Pukka Deep Moisture Day Cream 10ml - I quite enjoyed using these products but I am unsure if I'd re-purchase.  The day cream was highly scented which put me off a bit.

YSL Waterproof Eye Pencil in simmering burgundy - absolutely love this although Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner in Blackberry is a good dupe.  Will probably buy again.

Antonia Burrell Natural Glow Cleansing Oil - I didn't like the scent of this, it was too overpowering and it made my skin feel dry after use so wouldn't re-purchase.  Luckily this was just a trial size which cost £2.95.

Prada Candy Body Lotion - got this in my Xmas box set.  Nice to use but would prefer to save up for another bottle of perfume rather than buy the body lotion.

Aveda Stress-Fix Soaking Salts - love these, make you feel totally relaxed and great after a hard day.  Will definitely buy these again though I wish they were a bit cheaper!

Lancome Hydra Zen Neurocalm Soothing Anti-Stress Moisturiser - nice product quite rich so I mainly used it at night.  Probably wouldn't purchase full size as its not really suited to my skin type.

Apivita Express Beauty Mask with grape - bought this from ebay.  Nice product.  See M&S now selling them online/instore so will probably pick this up again and I want to try the honey one.

RMK Cleansing Oil sachet - love this, got three uses from the sachet.  Will purchase this once I trawl through my numerous cleansers.

Pure Fiji Hydrating Body Lotion - lovely coconut scent.  Nice lotion to use but prefer the body oil in the range which came in Joliebox.

What have you been using up?

Lipstick/Gloss Stash

This is my lipstick/gloss/liner stash.

Lipsticks

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy - my favourite better than lips lipstick, just adds a shimmer of colour, Tom Ford Indian Rose - my only Tom Ford - love it.  Beautiful colour, texture and staying power (and luxe packaging).

New CID i-pout Berrylicious and Studio Make Up in Really Red - these were in beauty boxes, Revlon Lip Butters - in Berry Smoothie and Gumdrop - one of the American girls on Beauty Box Swaps got these for me (sent her paypal) just before they hit our shops here.  Berry Smoothie is my favourite.

Jane Iredale Lip & Cheek Stain Just Kissed - from Joliebox, love this and love the fact the colour changes depending on your mood - its gone from pale pink to dark pink to red.. I'd definitely purchase this full size, YSL Rouge Pur Couture mini in shade 09 - received this in the Selfridges Advent Calendar.  I also have another YSL lipstick but had this for a couple of years and all details have worn off its more of a sheer wine shade.

Poppy King for No.7 Sheer Wine Lipstick (this came in a set in the Christmas sales with the Lipgloss and Radiant Rouge Lip Tint).  MUA Lipstick - I won this in Sam's giveaway a while back (along with nail polish and eyeshadow).  You can see my post here.  Lancome L'Absolu Nu Lipstick in shade 302 - a pinky shade, great handbag size.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Barely Nude Creme Lipstick - this was a GWP - quite a brown shade not really worn it yet.  Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani - shade 506.  Mentioned this in my favourites here.  One of my favourite lipsticks at the moment.  Clinique Lip Palette - with four lipstick shades - pink-a-boo, rosalita, raspberry crush, cranberry cream.  This was included in a GWP set.

Gloss

Cargo x 3 glosses - Morocco, Paris & Tokyo - I got these in swaps, Bare Minerals Pretty Amazing Gloss - in two shades one full size (nude colour) and a mini in confidence - a red shade, New CID i-gloss in Baby Doll - received in a beauty box.  Lancome Juicy Tube - GWP size, Lancome gloss - GWP size - glittery pink shade.  Terre d'Oc Shine Lipgloss which I received in my May Amarya box in shade Grenade Benoa.

Collection 2000 Cream Puff Gloss in Fairy Cake which I received in my She Said Beauty Box, Giorgio Armani Gloss - can't see the shade but its a plum-pink, Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lipgloss in Midnight Cowboy, Du Wop Venom Gloss in Buttercup - I got this in a swap.  Benefit Benetint mini - was a magazine freebie - possibly Glamour.


Clinique Chubby Stick in Mega Melon (got this for Beauty Bible testing) and Chunky Cherry - love these - super moisturising with a pop of colour.  Can't wait for the Revlon Just Bitten Balm Stain, a chubby stick dupe.  I'm jealous Alex!, e.l.f. SuperGlossy Lip Shine in Malt Shake.  Received this in one of my Easter Bunny Swap Boxes, NARS mini gloss - got this as a freebie a while back.


Inika Lip Whip Gloss in Apricot bought this from Beauty Box Swaps - it was in a she said beauty box.  L'Occitane Pivoine Delicate EDT & Gloss - lovely pale pink gloss (and summery scent).  Great handbag friendly product.  Pixi Succulent Lip Twin - received this in my recent Latest in Beauty box.


Liners


Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Lip Pencil - 08 - Spice and 13 - Tearose.  These were both GWP sizes, Armani Lipliner - unsure of the shade but a neutral and goes with a lot of lippy shades - got a few of these in various used sizes, BareMinerals Lip Liner in Thistle


Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Rose


What size is your lipstick/gloss collection?  And do you use any of the above?

Freebies

I took a half day from work today and trawled the shops picking up a few freebies on the way.

Grazia magazine are offering a VIP make up consultation at Armani counters.  You get sample pots of Luminous Silk Foundation, Fluid Sheer, Blushing Fabric and a 2ml Eyes to Kill Excess Mascara in black. 

Also on the back cover of Grazia you can pick up a 2ml sample size of NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser at SpaceNK.

In Crabtree & Evelyn I got a mini sample pot of Avocado, Olive Oil & Basil Body Lotion.

p.s. I went for my Carmine Benito Brow Threading - It was agony!  My eyebrows were red for hours - but I am pleased with the results.

Diptyque Eau Rose Roll On

Happy Valentines Day!

I had a voucher for Harvey Nichols and decided to treat myself to something.  I was thinking something along the lines of an eye shadow or lipstick but I came across Diptyque Eau Rose 20 ml roll on at the SpaceNK counter.

I adore rose scents as I think I’ve mentioned before.  The scent retails at £30 for 20ml or £60 for 100ml.  Although I am guessing if this becomes one of my favourite scents its more economical to buy the larger size.  There is also a limited edition candle.

It’s gorgeous!  With top notes of bergamot, blackcurrant and Lychee and middle notes of damask and centifolia roses ending on notes of musk, cedar and honey.  The rose notes last and last (although I did re-apply a few times during the course of the day).

It comes boxed and encased in a black velvet pouch – would also make an amazing gift.

I asked if I could have a sample (SpaceNK usually give a sample(s) with purchase if you ask) and was given – 2ml mini tube NARS Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer and a 2ml tube NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser in Light2 Alaska - not tried either of these products.

Have you used this scent?