My first GlossyBox October 2012 - initial thoughts!

So I've been curious about subscribing to GlossyBox for a while, it's gotten to the point where I'm buying products for the sake of it and wasting a lot of things that I buy because they don't work out and they're often large sizes (hence the waste). Branching out and trying new brands is my aim here, so.... my initial thoughts!

Comes beautifully boxed (not the main concern, but packaging is always something I tend to go for!) and everything inside is nicely packaged! 

Anatomicals body scrub
not a fan of the smell of this.... perhaps I will enjoy using it, but I've just actually bought the Body Shop sweet lemon scrub so that totally trumps this one for now! 
Yves Rocher France - Hydra Vegetal
An anti-wrinkle moisturiser.... I think this is a hard product to place, as people are many different ages who order the box. This doesn't apply to my skin's needs, but hey, it's never too early to try these things I guess! Plus it's nice that the RRP 30ml is £18 which makes me feel like I've got more than my money's worth for the entire box!
Skinetica - anti blemish
My main skin concern is persistent blemishes, so this was welcomed with open arms! Excited to try this one the most I think, as it says it works within a couple of days (hopefully!).
Green People - organic self tan
( or The Organic Pharmacy - Enzyme peel mask as I got...... )
Slightly confused with this one, I know that all the boxes are different, and there are a certain amount of products which get mixed up and sent out depending on your skin etc. However, my leaflet says I should have got the Green People product (which I would have really wanted to try) but instead I got the Mask... Surely the leaflet you receive with your box directly relates to what you have in your own box? Therefore I have the leaflet with details for a product which I don't actually have? Perhaps this is normal, but I'm confused, any comments on the matter would be great guys! :)
Sally Hansen - complete salon manicure
I've not had too much luck with Sally Hansen products in the past, but these look like reasonably quality products. I've actually tried these out already (eager!) and the first thought is how incredibly THIN the formula is!! I received 340 Black Platinum, and it goes on very sheer (almost grey) with the first coat (looks awful) however a second coat and the colour is really very nice!

 I'll do an updated post on all of the products in this months glossy box when I've used them for a week or so! :)

The beauty box idea is pretty good for trying stuff out which you might not have necessarily chosen to buy yourself from the high street! 

Thanks for reading! Please feel free to leave a comment and I'll get back to you!

Check out my YouTube channel! lucyhelen89

*NEW* Superdrug Naturally Radiant skincare range mini review!

Check out my YouTube Channel :) lucyhelen89

This range is extremely new to the market, launching at the beginning of October 2012 and I just happened to stumble across it as I was searching for a new 'winter' moisturiser as the weather is getting harsher and my skin is getting drier. Since buying three items from the range; Hot cloth cleanser (with muslin cloth), day cream SPF15 & renewing night cream, I haven't actually seen much written about it in terms of reviews etc.... apart from a little hype around the Brightening radiance balm (which I didn't purchase this time). This range is all half price until 4th December in Superdrug stores (and online) so it's definitely worth a try while they're at this great price! Everything is around £2.99 (was £5.99)

Naturally Radiant Hot Cloth Cleanser 150ml with muslin cloth.
"Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser is formulated with a unique energising complex and infused with Kiwi Fruit and Mulberry extracts to help revive skin’s radiance and even out skin tone.Enriched with nourishing Cocoa Butter, this rich and creamy formulation melts into the skin and cleanses away make-up and impurities, whilst also providing gentle exfoliation, leaving skin feeling renewed, soft and ultra clean."

I was really excited to see this in the range, as I have heard a lot of great reviews on other hot cloth cleansers (most of which being out of my price range, for example the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish). 

First thing you'll notice is the smell of the product, as it has a few quite potent ingredients including Kiwi and Mulberry, the smell is very strong but one that I like, it reminds me of something from my childhood but I can't quite figure out what! To use, I apply the product all over a dry face (not a wet one as it suggests, as I think that the cream sinks in more and helps to moisturise better) I then wet the muslin cloth in hot-ish water and work in circular motions to remove the cleanser from the face. 

This product feels incredible when you're using it, it really feels like it's cleansing the pores and nourishing the skin, it really feels like a treat to use! Because it's so gentle, I can use it every day (sometimes twice!). I really agree with it's claim that it evens out skin tone! I suffer with large acne scars and they are quite pigmented (I never go out without foundation nowadays) but I have really noticed a difference in my skintone since using the product, I am now looking at my skin in the mirror and I'm not as horrified as usual, so it must be working!! Really really impressed with this, and the size of the bottle means it's value for money, even when it goes back up to £5.99! Worth a try definitely if you have sensitive skin or uneven skintone!

Naturally Radiant Brightening day cream 75ml SPF15 Normal/combi 
"Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Day Cream SPF15 is formulated with a unique energising complex and infused with Kiwi Fruit and Mulberry extracts to help revive skin’s radiance and even out skin tone.
Enriched with nourishing Sugar Beet extract, this lightweight formulation provides all day moisturisation, helping to smooth and soften skin’s texture, whilst also protecting against UV rays to keep skin looking youthful."

Seeing as I was buying the cleanser and night cream (below) I thought it would be worthwhile getting the basic range so I went for the day cream as well! I usually stay away from moisturisers with SPF in because I can find them greasy,  but this version was for Normal/combination, so while it's going to moisturise and protect from UV rays, it's not going to be greasy for anyone with oily skin (there is also a normal/dry version which I guess would be a thicker consistency for people with extremely dry skin. This one is great too!

 I love the smell again, and it goes on a treat after the hot cloth cleanser and the face just feels so clean and moisturised it's really a nice feeling. This also makes a great base for makeup (I don't really bother with primers as I don't like the feeling of putting too much product on my face, so I generally just use moisturisers - although I have been trying a sample of Clarins beauty balm which is essentially a primer.... I can do a review if anyone would like). Overall a really nice day cream so far, I'm looking forward to it working with the cleanser to even out my skintone even more! :)

Naturally Radiant renewing night cream 75ml
"Superdrug Naturally Radiant Renewing Night Cream is formulated with a unique energising complex and infused with Kiwi Fruit and Mulberry extracts to help revive skin’s radiance and even out skin tone.
Enriched with nourishing Sugar Beet extract and skin renewing Fruit Acids, this intensive formulation delivers rich and long-lasting moisturisation, whilst helping to refine skin’s texture as you sleep, leaving skin feeling smoother and looking more youthful."

Night creams can really be hit and miss when it comes to my skin.... if they're quite thick they usually give me breakouts during the night etc, which is always annoying to wake up to! This one however, goes on like a dream, feels thick enough but also doesn't leave the skin sticky or greasy. I have woken up every morning since starting with it feeling nourished and fresh. My skin almost has a dewy finish to it (without make up might I add!) which is brilliant!

Overall:

I am really glad I stumbled upon this range! The differences in my skin that I've noticed after just a week using it have been incredible! I feel really comfortable in my own skin at the moment, and I really do think it's down to the 'brightening' and tone correcting qualities in this range! Head over to SUPERDRUG and try it for yourself! I'm hoping that the products will continue to work for my skin, and I'll do an updated review in a few weeks! :)

Thanks for reading, any questions just leave a comment below <3 lucy xo

Boots and Superdrug haul! Some old favourites and some new things I've been wanting to try out!

Check out my YouTube Channel :) lucyhelen89

I've been a bit quiet in the blogging world over the summer, this is down to working quite a bit and also trying to restrain myself from buying any more products before I've used up the ones I've got (an impossible task let me tell you...) I've got quite a big haul here and the reason is that it's getting colder here in the UK and I'm finding that my 'summer' products, especially skincare products, just aren't nourishing my skin! So I thought I'd go ahead and try some new products in preparation for winter :)

Superdrug Naturally Radiant skincare range
Hot cloth cleansers are raved about in the blogging world, in particular the Liz Earle brand. With that one being out of my price range, I came across this Superdrug one and at only £2.99 it was a must have! Recently I've been slacking when it comes to removing my make up, which is a bad idea as I have problem skin as it is...... so this gentle approach I'm really looking forward to trying! I went and bought the night and day creams from the range too, so I'll do an update if anyone would be interested just leave a comment below :)

Essie Rock Solid base coat
my nails have been a nightmare recently, peeling and breaking... so I took advantage of the 3 for 2 offer in  boots and got myself the Essie base coat and the collection 2000 essentials which I always go back to. The Lasting perfection powder in Fair, and the lasting perfection concealer in 2 Fair. 

Laidbare pore mask
OHDEUXFOIS recommended this face mask as a great way to minimise pores and generally make your skin really really soft! She reviewed it and first of all commented on the smell... I completely agree, it's an amazing smell! The notes that come through the strongest are liquorice and its really a treat to use. I'll do an in depth review on this if you're wondering how I'm getting on with it, I've only used it once so far so can't really offer any real views in terms of the effects!

Dove products (their stuff always smells SO good!) & toothpaste!
I always seem to go back to this deoderant, smells insane and does the job! perfect! The dove leave in treatment for hair is a risky product for me.... I have fine hair, but due to dying, it's been quite brittle at the ends and generally looks a bit of a haystack so I'm looking forward to using this at night and hopefully (fingers crossed) it won't leave my hair greasy for days... I've stayed away from all the hair oils out at the moment because of the grease factor, but I thought I'd give this a try seeing as it was only £1.99!
Toothpaste is a slight obsession at the moment, my teeth are quite white anyway, but I want them to have that wow factor, so I've been intrigued by the colgate 1 week whitening one :) I'll let you know how I get on!

Quite a big haul for me.... although I did pick up some bargains along the way! I really think that the Superdrug range is a good deal, as I can end up spending a fortune on skincare (Philosophy etc) so it's nice to try cheaper alternatives! And from the reviews I've seen, the hot cloth cleanser is very comparable to the Liz Earle cleanse and polish!

Thanks for reading, I appreciate your comments and will reply to them asap :)
~Lucy~