Have you got beauty box fatigue yet? I kind of feel like I have. I used to look forward to getting my monthly parcel of happiness like a child looks forward to Christmas.
What could be better than a box of bite-size beauty treats, shiny and new, in amongst all the bills, Talk Talk offers and takeaway fliers that seem to make up the bulk of direct mail today?
But over time, I’ve definitely begun to fall out of love.
Repeat products, uninspiring face wash samples and the realisation that I never used most of the products, but just hoarded them in a drawer for ‘when I go away’ have taken their toll.
I just feel utterly ‘meh’ about most of the contents these days. Periodically, I’ve cancelled my subscriptions with both Glossybox and Birchbox, only to open them up again – and then wonder why.
The only beauty box that’s excited me in recent memory is the fabulous Tili box, but that’s not every month (I am eagerly awaiting the February drop as we speak).
So when the January Birchbox landed, encouraging me to ‘Sprinkle Happiness’ in this most joyless of months, I was unconvinced. Take a look at what was inside…
We beauty bloggers are a fickle bunch, aren’t we? The thrill of the new always gets to us.
It doesn’t matter whether we’ve found our holy grail item or not, some good marketing and some pretty packaging can always switch us on to thinking about the next big thing.
This is especially true for me when it comes to mascaras.
I keep hoping that one will be so amazing, it will completely remove the need for me to use false lashes, but even with the most amazing one I’ve found (Too Faced’s Better Than Sex, FYI…), I still find myself reaching for lashes to give the look and impact I like.
The main problem, for me, is that my lashes are so darn straight. They just refuse to hold a curl, and I haven’t tried anything so far that helps with that.
When it comes to lashes, I like my mascaras to deliver volume more than anything else. I want a fat, dense, feathery look, so that’s the benchmark for me, although everyone is after something different.
Tarte’s Lights, Camera, Lashes formula was something I liked, so I was excited to try their new offering, Tarteist Lash Paint. Take a look to see how we got on…
I am a lover of luxury – that elusive sensation of a well-made beautiful product that’s a pleasure to use and delivers results. But sometimes the most luxurious options don’t have to be the priciest.
Economies of scale are a real thing, and in our globalised times, it's getting easier and easier to find luxurious products that don’t break the bank. Especially when there’s a global retailer involved.
Step forward unlikely beauty hero Aldi. Yep, the same place that brought you cut-price Continental foods also serves up some heavy-weight skincare. I’ve used and loved their Lacura Caviar range before – a line of premium-looking creams modelled on La Prairie, stuffed with anti-ageing goodies and packaged in heavy glass jars.
So when I spotted the gorgeous looking Cuvee Royal range, I couldn’t resist giving it a try.
What says ‘luxury’ more than a line of premium skincare made from champagne?
The scent of a new year is in the air, but what does it mean to you? To me, its always a chance for a fresh start.
I'm actually in the camp that believes that New Years Resolutions don't work, and I also don't think you should wait until a random point in the calendar to make changes that really need making.
So instead I set rolling goals for myself that can be worked towards. I'm a motivated person that's keen on self-improvement, so having something to work towards is definitely my vibe.
In 2016, I worked on three main areas of my life – streamlining, activating and experiencing. It was a year of seismic change in my personal life as I settled into a new home, got to grips with being a first-time mama and changed jobs after coming back from maternity leave.
So having my goals helped me keep a focus and gave my year consistency. And although there were areas where I could have done better (that's just life, right?), there were also lots and lots of positives.
Using my experiences in 2016, I've refreshed my personal goals for 2017. Most of them are ongoing ones or evolutions from my 2016 stuff - and that's important. If there's one thing I've learned, its that change isn't a single, big decision. It’s a series of little decisions every single day.
So, I thought I'd share my goals on the chance that they might be inspiring to someone out here. Let me know what you're working in the comments below!
It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I love to do ‘What’s in my bag?’ posts every so often. For some reason, I never seem to get tired of reading and watching other people’s – there’s something oddly comforting about it. Plus, I’m a big fan of handbags in general!
For quite some time after having Theo, I didn’t use a bag at all – I just chucked my stuff into his changing bag. Then when I first went back to work, I was cycling, so I had a rather unglamorous (but necessary) rucksack.
Since starting my new job a few months ago, I’m finally able to put on my adult pants and have a proper handbag again. Yay! And I’m celebrating with this post…
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