Beauxoxo Glitter Bow In Pastel White- Review

I absolutely love this White Pastel Glitter Hair Bow from Beauxoxo and won this just before Christmas in a giveaway that Georgie was running. It took me a good while to choose from the colour range of glitter bows as there's so many beautiful choices. I finally decided on the white pastel bow as I thought this would be more versatile and go with absolutely everything. I'd love one in each colour. The bows retail for £5 each and there are smaller ones available too for £3 each.

Beauxoxo is an online boutique which sells a wide range of handmade, stunning, hair accessories. Owned and created by the lovely Georgie, Beauxoxo was created in 2010 and has flourished. A new children's range is going to be added soon too. 

Georgie's blog 'Dreams That Glitter xoxo' is one of my favourites. Great detail and effort is given with each blog post and the writing is very eloquent. I love Georgie's book reviews and her haul posts too as she is very inspirational. Not only are her photoshoots amazing quality, her communication is friendly and vibrant too.

The packaging is very well thought out and I love the whole concept of the brand. My favourite collection has to be the Glitter Heart Hair Bands .The whole styling of the model down to the sequinned, glitter make up, pink dip dye hair and the I'm Your Present Sweetheart earrings are just perfect.

The glitter bow is exceptionally well made and fastens at the back with an alligator clip. The glitter has no fall out either so no matter how many times you wear it, it retains its full sparkle.

I have worn the bow in two different ways. Here at a Christmas party, I pulled up the front section of my hair and secured it at the back of my head. The bow stayed in place all night and was really comfortable.

I love wearing my hair up in a messy bun too and wear the bow just underneath.

Overall- I would highly recommend this glitter bow as it is excellent quality and a good price for a beautiful handmade bow clip. 

Love Laura xoxo

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara Review

Benefit has got to be one of my favourite make up brands ever. I love the whole retro vibe, packaging and new releases that the company comes up with. I absolutely love the styling of the new salons that have popped up and the the design of the bar that they had before Christmas too.

I bought Elle magazine as it had Benefit make up free with it and not only that it was their new release of the Roller Lash mascara. The full sized version of this mascara costs £19.50 usually so for the price of the magazine it was a great way of trying it out for much cheaper.

I have tried out all of Benefit's mascaras before and this is the one that has stood out the most to me. I love the idea that it lifts and curls your eyelashes as I want long fluttery lashes.

The sample size comes in a small 3g tube and has a regular lid rather than the pink roller of the full sized version. The mascara wand is also black on this version rather than pink which is a shame as I love the retro roller version.

The brush has been designed so that it hooks the eyelashes and the little spikes ensure that it catches many lashes in order to lift. 

 What Benefit say about Roller Lash;

"Why we love it!

It’s a roller for lashes! The eye-opening Hook ‘n’ Roll™ brush grabs, separates, lifts and curls…while the instant curve-setting formula holds for 12 hours.

 

Curl Power!

97% said it visibly lifts lashes* 

87% said it gives long-lasting curl* 

94% said eyes look more wide open* 

*consumer panel survey on 31 women after 4 weeks

How to apply

Gently wiggle the wand from base of lashes to tip. Repeat across your lashline, making sure to catch every lash.

Details

Easy-to-remove

Contains Provitamin B5 and Serin, ingredients known for their lash-conditioning benefits

Water-resistant

Ink black

Satin finish 

8.5 g Net wt. 0.3 oz.

Beauty tip

For super curl AND length, apply roller lash first to curl & lift your lashes then layer they’re real! lengthening mascara on top. It’s sexy drama beyond belief!"

Here's my lashes without mascara on and they are quite curled already naturally. They are blonde on the ends too which are more noticeable when mascara is added as they are longer than they look.

This is one coat of the Roller Lash mascara and I found that it was really easy to apply and curled my lashes. It makes for a wide eyed look and is my favourite of Benefit's mascara so far. I love the black shade and found that it lasted the whole day without any smudges or crumbling.

I wouldn't say it was super easy to remove as some mascara remained and smudged under my eyes but after a second wipe it all came off.

Overall, I love this mascara and would buy the full sized version of it. If you are looking for a mascara that curls your lashes then this is the one whereas if you're looking for length then I would try the They're Real mascara instead.

Love Laura xoxo

What's In My Kawaii Box March?

Woohoo my March Kawaii Box arrived and once again I couldn't wait to open it.  I subscribe each month to Kawaii Box and it costs $18.90 per month and that includes free shipping from Japan. I love this box as it contains super cute items and I've never been disappointed with a box. I love collecting all of the accessories and stationery and trying out the different candy that they pop in the box each month.

Here is my review and unboxing of March 2015's Kawaii Box. 

Here's what was contained in my box this month. In your box you get a card which adds a nice little touch each month and written on it this time says, "You can't spell cute without u."

Here are all my items which were contained in the box. Such a lot packaged into the little box!

With the candy this month I'm really please to receive a Kracie kit. This one looks as though it's a marshamallow like candy which you dip and twist into crystallised pieces of sugar candy. 

I've not tried a green tea Kit Kat before so this little sample is great to receive to taste.

Onto the accessories. I absolutely love the pastel cube bracelet. It reminds me a little of dolly mixtures and is just my cup of tea. I like the lollipop hair clip although I think it's suited to someone younger than me, although I am still a child at heart. 

I also really like this white diamond travel tag as I don't currently own anything like this.

Next I received a little candy charm which looks a little cheap and smells of strong rubber. I also received this little Kawaii raccoon which is a cutie. 

In the box was a great quality pair of chopstcks and four stationery items this month. The pen will come in handy to use everyday and I absolutely love the galaxy print case. I really want a ring in a galaxy print cabochon.

I received Birthday stickers this month which are lovely too and will be great for decorating envelopes, letter or popping into Birthday cards. I also received a Hello Kitty esque pair of glasses eraser.

Another good box this month and my favourite items are the Kracie candy kit, the Galaxy print case and the pastel bracelet.

Love Laura xoxo

What's In My Glossybox For March 2015?

Oooooo my Glossybox arrived just after lunchtime again and I was excited to find out what was inside it. I forgot to mention before that the editor has now changed and the boxes seem to be much improved. Lots of full sized products have been appearing and the quality has upped its game too.

Glossybox, if you've not come across it before, is a beauty subscription box that costs £10 per month plus p+p. It works out cheaper if you pay for your subscription in advance but I just pay for mine monthly. Inside you find a selection of beauty samples and brands that you may not have heard of before. I love these type of boxes as it'l like receiving a Birthday surprise each month.

Let's take a peek at what I found inside this month's box.......

Here's all my products for this month. Straight away I just loved it. It has a varied selection and I will use absolutely everything this month.

First up are these Dove Advanced Hair Series- Youthful Vitality Shampoo & Conditioner. 

As I had my hair balyaged, the blonde has damaged my hair again so anything that helps is a bonus. I've tried other Dove conditioner samples before and they was good so hopefully this new one will be too. Their deodorant definitely does not work for me at all. It lasts around one hour on me and then I start to become unfresh!

Full sized for these would be £5.99 for 250ml so it'll have to be amazing for me to repurchase these.

Ooooo finally a polish in a colour that I love. There were far too many reds that I received in the past and I don't even like red.

This ncLA - Nail Lacquer in the shade, 'Like.... Totally Valley Girl' costs £13 and is their best selling shade. It's also free from toxins too. I've not heard of this brand before so it's a chance to discover something new. Love the shade name. It reminds me of Clueless of Sweet Valley High!

I've not tried many Essence products before so this Lash Princess Volume Mascara will be perfect for me to try out the brand. I love the name of the product as I want princess lashes. This has a cobra head shaped wand to create length and volume which is what I look for in a mascara. It costs £3.30 which is a bargain price.

My lips have been so chapped just recently. I have tonnes of lipbalms and glosses but none that seem to be doing the job of nourishing and caring. Sigh. I love Carmex and I've not tried one of these Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balms before. I like how it gives a berry sheer tint to it too. Hopefully the Vitamin E and Aloe will make my lip in tip top condition. This is more expensive than their other lipbalms and comes in at £4.49.

Finally I have a NAOBAY - Moisturizing Peeling is essentially an exfoliator to remove dead skin cells and to brighten your complexion. At first I thought it was going to be one of those peel off face masks that my mum used to have when I was a little girl. I was feeling the nostalgia and then I realised it wasn't. Oh! This is a full sized product and costs £13.71. It looks like the sort of product you would see in a spa with the crisp whiteness and wood effect. It's from a Spanish brand and is marketed as an organic peeling milk.

So that's my Glossybox for March.

My favourites this month are the Carmex, Mascara and pink nail polish.

What did you get in yours?

Love Laura xoxo

Here's my January 2015 Glossybox incase you missed it.

Vivabox Perfume Samples Review

Vivabox is a perfume sample box with a twist. You try out seven well known perfumes, choose your favourite scent and then use the enclosed voucher inside the box to exchange it for a full sized perfume at The Perfume Shop. The box costs £37.99 plus £3.99 for postage and packaging.

I think that these are a great idea to test out perfumes that you haven't tried before or to send or receive as a gift when someone doesn't know what perfume you like. 

Perfumes can be hard to buy for people unless you know them really well as they are so different and suit different personalities. 

I have quite a few favourite perfumes and have a collection of samples already from various beauty boxes so I regularly wear a variety of perfumes. This is a really great way of knowing what scents wear well and discovering new ones that I may not have tried before. When trying these, I used a different sample perfume each day to get an idea if I liked it or not.

The seven different perfume samples that are contained in the box are;

Hugo Boss - Boss Ma Vie Pour Femme EDP "A fresh green feminine scent that wraps you in a floral blanket of freesia and rose."

I say;
The little vial is hard to open as it's one of the old style ones that you have to pull off the lid and it contains a plastic stick which you use to dab to your pulse points. I have tried this perfume before and I would wear it on a night out. It reminds me of sophistication and is feminine. If I trade my voucher for this one I would receive a 30ml EDP (Eau De Parfum.) I like it but I don't absolutely love it.

Caroline Herrera 212 VIP EDP "Are you on the VIP list? This explosion of bergamot, vanilla and musk is full of attitude."

I say;
This is too strong for me and has a kick of sweetness. By looking at the notes contained in this I would have thought I liked it but sadly not. It must be the musk and gardenia that is too much for me. It makes me pull a face! I could have swapped the voucher for a 30ml EDP but I won't be doing for this one.

Jimmy Choo- Jimmy Choo EDP "A modern fruity chypre with sensual sweet toffee at its base."

I say;
I didn't even know what chypre meant so I went off to Google it. It means that it belongs to a family of perfumes with citrus top notes. This has a strong fragrance which is also sweet. It lasts a long time but it's one that  don't want to keep on smelling. Again this is just not me. It's too grown up and even though I could get a 40ml EDP, I won't be using my voucher for this one either.

Nina- Nina Ricci EDT " An enchanting floral with mouthwatering notes of  red toffee apple, praline, vanilla and citrus. Simply magical."

I say;
Nina Ricci was the first perfume that I bought with my Birthday money when I was thirteen years old. This perfume is therefore nostalgic to me and when I sprayed this it took me back to when I originally had. I remember it being a green bottle with a pink lid and I liked it so much that I didn't want to use it in case it ran out! I can use my voucher for a 50ml EDT of this and I'm thinking of getting it. I really like it now as much as I did back then.



Paco Rabanne Black XS EDT " A sensual mix of cranberries, black violet and vanilla- this is for girls who like to bend the rules."

I say;
Again , not for me. It's too strong and doesn't match my personality at all. I could have used the voucher for a 50ml Eau De Toilette but I won't be doing for this one.

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy EDP "Feeling flirty? Try an enticing floral gourmand scent containing juicy notes of mandarin, wild berry and caramel."

I say;
Oh Juicy Couture you can do no wrong in my eyes. I already have the Eau De Parfum of this one and I love the scent. I can exchange for a 30ml EDP for this scent and I'm torn between getting this one or another option. Do I get this one again so that I have two of them? Mmmmm decisions decisions.

Kenzo- Flower By Kenzo "Packed with a cornucopia of vibrant, floral notes, including parma violet, Bulgarian rose and wild hawthorn."

I say;
I saw the ingredient parma violet and immediately thought of sweeties but again this scent just isn't for me. It's just not got the mixture of notes that work well for me so I won't be getting this perfume either. Too strong for my nostrils!

I think I'm going to go for either the Juicy Couture or the Nina Ricci options. After searching on The Perfume Shop for the Nina Ricci it costs £39.50 for the 30ml EDT and The Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy is priced at £34.50 for 30ml EDP.

With at least four of the perfumes you are getting the equivalent value of the box for the others they are priced lower. Therefore this box is not one where you think that it's a great bargain but it's great to either get a chance to sample a few perfumes that you already had your eyes on or great to give as a gift.

Would I purchase for myself? No as I would just go to a department store and spray the testers to see if I liked a particular scent. I might buy it as a luxury gift for someone but I think I'd just rather find out what scents they like and end up saving myself a little money too.

Did I like receiving this as a gift? Yes I did as I thought it was exciting to have the little perfumes to test out to see if I could find a new favourite and wear a new scent every day. I have found my love again for an old favourite and confirmed my love of Juicy Couture.

Love Laura xoxo

Jelly Belly - Berry Blue - Lip Balm and Nail Polish Review

What a sweet little set that my mum bought me for Christmas. I absolutely love Jelly Belly's. They're one of my favourite sweeties with cinnamon being my favourite flavour. When I went to Selfridge's at the Trafford Centre in Manchester I used to get the lollipops that were a large hard candy jelly bean and loved them.

This pack is the Jelly Belly Berry Blue which contains a lip balm and a scented nail polish and when searching I found it for £4 on the Superdrug website.

 

The lipbalm is blue in colour and has a subtle berry scent. It applies quite waxy on the lips and lasts a good hour. It applies clear onto the lips so there's no worries about looking like you've just had a blue ice pop! The lipbalm is really smooth to apply and feels smooth on the lips also. It's fun but not one that I would rely on for chapped lips. I do have my eye on the party pack though now as I want to sniff them all.

The polish is in a dinky little bottle and upon opening I noticed that it's a very simple brush and some of the bristles were loose and wonky. It has a thin consistency but is really easy to apply onto your nails. I loved the colour more than I was actually expecting as it was vibrant and a lovely berry blue shade. 

The polish does need more than one coat to be fully opaque but I just used one coat as soon as I try to apply more than one coat on my nails it just smudges no matter how long I leave it to dry. 

The polish  has a very strong chemical smell to it but once it's dried onto the nails it has a lovely berry scent to it which lasts quite a while.

One of the things I look for in a polish is the durability and unfortunately this started to chip on the same day but as fun while it lasted.

Would I buy it again? Yes, to try out the different scents and because they're fun. I would prefer a pink shade next time though and maybe a vibrant orange for summer.

Have you tried these before? I love the concept of scented nail polishes.

Love Laura xoxo