Library Of Fragrance - Baby Powder and Thunderstorm Review

Hi everyone!

Remember on my Birthday wishlist where I included Library Of Fragrance scents? Well I was over the moon to receive the *Baby Powder and *Thunderstorm scents. You can buy 2 for £25 from Boots and I really want the fresh coconut and mango ones now after spotting them on the website.

The concept of these perfumes really intrigued me as I adore anything quirky and the thought of having a perfume that smelt like an everyday item, of which some are abstract, appealed to my nature.

Packaging:

 The packaging to me is clear and simple. I like the use of a coloured box so that the scents are recognisable. It reminds me of the game Monopoly with their coloured property cards. The bottles are very plain and I would have liked to have seen something more quirky to go alongside the scents.

Price: 

The perfumes are available in the UK from Boots and are price at £15 each or two for £25. This works out at £12.50 a bottle which I think is a great price and I may have to buy two (or four) very soon.

Performance:

*Baby Powder and *Thunderstorm are two of the most popular scents in the collection. I couldn't wait to try these so I sprayed Baby Powder on myself and spritzed my other half with the Thunderstorm. I could not stop smelling these!

Baby Powder smells exactly the same as.........baby powder and it's a gorgeous powdery baby smell which I'm very happy to smell of. 

The 15ml spritzer tubes will actually last me quite a while so I'll get many a spray out of this.

After spritzing the Thunderstorm on my other half it was like a dawn of recognition and an awe of discovery! We both agreed that that would  be what a thunderstorm smells like and it was a very wearable scent. I loved it on him.

The scents last a good few hours and then they can be topped up as I did so that I continued to smell lovely. I didn't find them overpowering at all, they had the perfect strength.

I want to sample them all!

Here's what the brand Demeter have to say about their products from their website here;

"The Library of Fragrance products are produced by New York-based company, Demeter Fragrance Library Inc.

Originally established in 1996, Demeter set out to create fragrances that captured all the wonderful smells that surround us every day, but are too often under appreciated in our busy, pressured, multi-tasking world. The first three scents belonging to the collection – Dirt,Grass and Tomato – were launched at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City. With the brand quickly gathering a loyal cult following, the concept soon expanded to include an even broader range of smells – no matter how odd or unusual – and scents such as Gin & Tonic, Baby Powder and even Play-Doh began to populate the library.

Today, Demeter’s head office remains in Greater New York, whilst the 20,000 square foot factory is located in central Pennsylvania. Everything the company sells is made in this factory, enabling the brand to continue to specialise in unique fragrances and the kind of labour-intensive, short-run, hand-bottled production that makes it possible to carry such a diverse ‘library’ of products.

Scents are now created by Demeter’s CEO, Mark Crames, who has been running fragrance companies since 1986. His creations include the top-selling Baby Powder, Pure Soap and Clean Skin and he continues to travel the world looking for inspiration for great, new Demeter experiences.

Today, Demeter’s products are sold in over 35 countries – from Paris, to Moscow, to Hong Kong. There are over 300 unique fragrances in The Library of Fragrance collection – 101 of these are available in the UK via this website, with a carefully curated selection of favourites available exclusively at Boots."

Love Laura xoxo

*PR items sent very kindly for me to sample.

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

Makeup Revolution Haul

I've wanted to try Makeup Revolution products for the longest time so when I had some Christmas money, I decided straight away to get some items. At the time there was a Christmas promotion whereby if you spent £25 or more on items then you got a free gift with your order. After seeing what you would get, I took full advantage of the offer.

Makeup Revolution was launched in London in March 2014 and in that time has gained fast popularity. Their products range from as little as £1 and I have heard fantastic comments about the pigmentation of the makeup. New products are launching all the time and I already want/ need the I love Makeup Blushing Hearts (I adore the heart shaped packaging,)  the Naked Chocolate Palette  and the new Lip Lava's.  Anything with cute packaging and I neeeeed it!

I decided on three eye shadow palettes these being;

Iconic 1 - I chose this one as it had lots of shimmer shades and I love nudes as they make my blue eyes stand out more. I loved the look of the golds in particular and can't wait to see if they are buttery and pigmented.

Iconic 3 Again this has a great mix of shimmers and mattes and what I love about this one is the more pink/ gold shades. These really remind me of the Urban Decay Palettes but for a much smaller price tag of £4 compared to £37. 

Mermaids vs Unicorns When I heard the name of this palette, it made me want it even more! I love mermaids and I love Unicorns so great name choice.  I've only actually started wearing nude colours recently whereas this palette is definitely my go to. I like wearing blues and greens so I'm leaning towards a Mermaid already. 

 

I got the blush palette in All About The Pink  for £6 and it has a mixture of shimmer, matte and baked blushers. I love pink blushers and these six shades look fabulous.

I love lipsticks and so I decided to choose six different ones as they were an amazing £1 each.

The colours I chose were;

Enchant,

Magnificent

Flashing

Sweetheart

Dazzle

Cheer

Mostly pink shades with a purple too as I loved the look of this shade.

This is the free gift that I got with my order. I wanted one of these palettes as soon as I saw them, yes purely for the pink gem heart on the front! This is the I Heart Passion palette and it will look beautiful on my dressing.

Also included with the gift were these three lipglosses. The vibrant pink shade looks an absolute beaut.

I also got this vivid blush lacquer too which is not a shade I would necessarily choose myself but it will be great to try it out and see if I suit it or not.

What do you recommend from Makeup Revolution? Have you tried this brand before?

Love Laura xoxo

What's In My Glossybox January 2015 ?

 Hello Glitter Rays!

My Glossybox just arrived and I was excited to open my box of beauty. I almost cancelled my subscription for a number of reasons being that I have too many products, last January's box wasn't very good and I wanted to cut out one box. As you can clearly see my finger didn't press unsubscribe and here is my box. I'm so glad that I decided to keep it as this month is a fab one. It contains five full sized products and I've not tried any of the items before so it's all new to me.

 I received a card this month with the details of the products and the price lists. ( Mine was missing last month.) I'm glad they have gone back to including an information card as I don't always see my e-mail from them and therefore just miss all the product details completely.

This month there's a wide variety of products and I love how there's much more concentration on make up this month (my favourite.) It all looks so pretty with all the pinkness going on.

I love Jelly Pong Pong but I'm confused as I'm not sure whether it's turned into So Susan or whether it's just their sister brand. I've had lots of their cosmetics over the past five years or so but never tried this All Over Glow which retails for £10. I love their packaging and the scent of their products too. I prefer to buy them as a deal at the Clothes Show Live as I feel that their products are rather on the high side. 

"This brightening gel is great for problem skin (as it's oil free) and is packed with micronized pearlescent pigments that catch the light, highlighting the face for a radiant glow that doesn't look glittery."

Glossybox says: "Dab along cheek and brow bones using your ring finger then switch to a small brush to blend."

I say- So this should be great as a highlighter and I can't wait to see the results.

I love lip balms and especially in this weather I am desperately needing one that is extremely effective in soothing and preventing chapped lips. This one is Naked Lips - Organic Lip Balm in Superfruits and retails for five euros. 

"Some balms taste a little waxy for our liking but this 100% natural formula is sweet tasting, packed full of oils from some of the world's most anti-oxidant rich fruits snf berries and leaves lips nourished and subtly sheeny."

Glossybox says: " For super smooth lips buff away dry skin with the end of a soft, wet tooth brush and then slick with balm."

I say- It smells sweet and natural and nourished my lips straight away.

Nicka KK New York- Colorluxe Powder Blush 8.95 euros.

"Say hello to loose powder blush without the mess. Packed in a faux metal pot complete with a soft, powder puff applicator, this blush is easy to apply and won't cause a powder explosion at the bottom of your handbag."

Glossybox says: " Apply blush to the cheek bones rather than lower down on the apples of the cheeks in order to quickly lift the face (the pop of colour will also draw attention to your eyes)

I say- I have the shade Romantic and I hope it compliments my skin tone. I recommend to blend blusher well. 

Kueshi Natural & Pleasant Cosmetics- Revitalizing Face Toner 10.70 Euros.

"This toner contains a soothing blend of calendula, chamomile and aloe vera to calm and rehydrate skin."

Glossybox says: " Saturate a cotton pad with toner then sweep it over cleaned skin before applying your usual serum and/or moisturiser on top."

I say: The ingredients in this are very calming and should be great to tone my face with.

Finally I received a MeMeMe Eye Liner Pencil in Clay which retails for £4.

" This British born brand has created the perfect eye-pencil: long-lasting but extra soft so it easily glides along the lashes without pulling at skin. We picked this clay shade because it suits all eye colours and is a day-to-night staple."

Glossybox says: " Line inside the lash line (also known as the water line) and smudge beneath lashes for a sexy worn-in feel.

I say- I love soft eye liners and will get good use out of this. I've not had this particular shade before but it will be great for an every day wear. I tend to put it just underneath my lash line as putting it on my water line makes my eyes water.

So a much improved Glossybox this month. What a way to start the year with five full sized products! I will use every one of them too which is brilliant.

My favourite items are the lip balm , eyeliner and the highlighter.

What do you think of this month's box?

Love Laura xoxo

What I Got In My Soap & Glory Boots Box

After trying out the Sugar Crush body butter by Soap & Glory, I was really impressed and so I kept on checking the Boots website for this offer to arrive online. Usually costing £60 it was a star offer for £29 which is a fab reduction. On the morning that it went online, the website was playing up and wouldn't let me check out. When I tried later on in the afternoon, they were all sold out (gutted!) I remembered my mum telling me though that last year she saw them in the actual Boots' stores and they were all piled up like a pyramid, so before I started work on the Saturday, I dashed in and found lots of them left and near the entrance to the store. (Phew!)

The products are all stored in this box which is limited edition and has been designed by 'London's Queen of doodle' Hattie Stewart. I love the design of the box as it mixes Christmas, pink and retroness. I'm going to keep the box on display in my bathroom and when I've finished using all the products (probably next Christmas!) I will use it to store other items in.

Inside the box is this handy drawstring bag which is great quality and houses all of the products.

Here's all of the ten full-sized items that are contained inside the bag. I love how they have included a wide range of different items from their products line to try out. I've not tried out any of these before so I have a lot of catching up to do.

Here I've put all of the creams together and these are;

The Righteous Butter- Body Butter 300ml

Butter Yourself - Moisture Lotion 500ml

Heel Genius- Foot Cream- 125ml

Hand Dream- Super Cream 100ml

For the make-up items there is;

Off Your Face- 3 in 1 Daily Purifying Cloths x25

Thick and Fast- Super Volume Mascara 10ml

Sexy Mother Pucker- Lip Lacquer in Charm Offensive 7ml

Here I have popped the shower items together and there is;

Whipped Clean- Shower butter 250ml

Orangeasm- Body Wash 500ml

Sugar Crush- Body Scrub 300ml. I have the Sugar Crush body butter and it's smells amazing and that's what prompted me to buy all of these goodies!

Have you tried Soap & Glory before? Did you buy this star offer?

Love Laura xoxo

What's In My November Glossybox?

Hello. I hope you are all well.

Today I have my November Glossybox unboxing to show you. I thought I had received it last week and then I got a sudden realisation that it was my missing August box that has only just been resent. It took from August until last week to sort it out and get it resent which is disappointing to say the least. 

Anyway onto this November box. In my e-mail box everyone was sent a spoiler to say that each box was going to contain a Burt's Bees lip product which I was looking forward to receiving. I do love beauty boxes but I'm not sure after Christmas whether I am going to continue with them as I want my Kawaii ones and foodie ones instead. We shall see.

The products were contained in the luxury pink Glossy box with tissue paper, sticker and paper crinkles. It always looks impressive does Glossybox and it's a lovely treat to arrive through the post. 

If you're not familiar with Glossybox, it's a monthly subscription box which contains beauty items and costs £10 plus £3.25 postage and packaging per month. If you pay month by month as you go on, you can unsubscribe at any time.

On first glimpse I was impressed by the contents. I was pleased to see that there is a contents card with information and prices on this month as I didn't like it being online. I was used to having a card in there for quick reference. 

I adore hair care. I could stare at it in Boots for the longest time. I am in search of a miracle, softening and glossy product that makes my curls look fab without any frizz. I can't wait to try out this OGX Argan Oil Of Morocco Shampoo. The oil contained inside is said to rapidly reach the hair shaft and restore shine, soften and strengthen the hair. The full size of this is only £3 for 385ml so if I like it I will certainly be purchasing the full size. The size I received was a dinky 88.7ml. Some subscribers may have received the conditioner instead which I would usually prefer. I needed more shampoo though so I'm happy.

I love eyeliner as it makes my eyes stand out. Without it my eyes look really bare and I notice a difference. I've not heard of this Lollipops Make Up Eye Pencil before but I love the name of the brand! On the card it states that it's international and when searching the website it says that the products are made in France and Italy. I'm liking the look of their lipsticks as well as other products very much. I love that this pencil is twist-up-able as I can never be bothered finding a sharpener. Usually once it's gone blunt I just reach for a new one so with twistables I can use them to the end. 

I love the pink and gold leopard packaging and love how it contains Vitamin E with anti-aging and anti-radical action. I love, love, love that the pencil glides on like a dream too. I get rid of pencils that you need to exert effort or drag across the skin and I can tell already that this is going to be an absolute dream. I will get lots of use out of this product.

The eye pencil costs 14 euros.

Next we have this Monu Skincare- Refining Capri Facial Oil which was so hard to photograph with the days getting darker earlier and the white text on the bottle. The full size of this oil would be £26 for 100ml and I received 30ml. 

"An invigorating facial oil to balance oily skin and decongest pores to ensure that breakouts remain a thing of the past."

The oil contans grape seed, Camphor ( I had to google what this is and it's a white crystalline substance with an aromatic scent and is found in essential oils) and citrus oils. I unscrewed the lid and  sniffed it and I can smell lemons in there.

Oooo I love lip products and haven't had anything from Burt's Bees before. This costs £6.99 and I'm really happy with the shade Pucker that I received. 

"100% natural, sheer colour enriched with moisturising Apricot Wax glides on lips for a sweet and super shiny finish.. so your lips shine as much as your personality." 

This smells deliciously sweet like strawberries and glided on my lips. It feels really moisturising on my lips too. If you touch it, it does have that slightly sticky feeling.

Last but not least I received this H2O+ Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment which would cost £27.50 full sized which is 50ml. I received 8ml in a small tube. You can buy the full size from Marks & Spencer's. 

"This oil-free moisture gel delivers deep hydration while minimising the appearance of fine lines." I usually leave skin products in little tubes but this actually sounds good so I'm going to make a point of trying this out.

So that's November's Glossybox. I do like this box and feel that they are improving and getting back to their roots of where they first started. 

My favourite products this month are the shampoo, eye pencil and Burt's Bees.

What do you think of this box? Did you get one too?

Love Laura xoxo

Oh and the invitation is to use on a website that has designer clothes and I got a £20 voucher to use. I haven't been on the site so I'm not sure how far this £20 will go.

What's Inside My Birchbox Telegraph Box?

Today I have an unboxing to show you from Birchbox. They have partnered up with The Telegraph and produced this special edition box.

I haven't had a Birchbox in a number of months now as I stopped my subscription so this box made the the whole experience fresh and exciting again.

If you're not familiar with Birchbox, it's a monthly box subscription that costs £10 + £2.95 postage and packaging. Inside you receive five beauty samples.

The contents are housed in a plain cardboard small box and inside you find that the beauty samples are in a lovely drawstring bag. 

Here's the first look that I got as I opened the drawstring. I was already pleasantly surprised. The beauty products stayed neat inside the box too when travelling.

First up is this nail polish by Soigne. I've not heard of this brand before but I'm loving the shade Pomegranate for its vibrancy. The nail lacquer retails for £11 so already this pays for the box and everything else is a bonus.

I love dry shampoo and use it regularly. It freshens up your hair and gives a lovely scent too as though it's just been washed. This Philip Kingsley spray would be £13.50 to buy full sized so it's nice to receive a luxury product to try out.

Look how this Liz Earle Hot Cloth and Cleanser has been wrapped up!

This retails from £13.25 and is a cult hot cloth cleanser. It is suitable for all skin types and produces clean and radiant skin. I need to try this out this time as I once just gave it to my mum. When it comes to make up I want it all but with skin care it doesn't seem to excite me.

Oooooo I love a bit of Benefit. This mini They're Real mascara is a great addition to have as it costs £19.50 full size. It's a non smudge formula which is great for daytime but hard work to take off at night or you know, the net morning if you've forgotten!

Last but not least I got the Aromatherapy Associates - Relax Light Bath & Shower Oil which would be £39 if it was full sized. I love shower oils as they feel luxurious. The one that I've tried is the L'Occitane Almond Shower oil and that was lush.

What lovely luxe treats in this box.

My favourites are the Benefit mascara and the nail polish. It has made me want to purchase the box again especially the Christmas edition next month. 

Love Laura xoxo

(I won this with the Telegraph as a prize so it's an example box of the sorts of items that you receive inside a Birchbox.)