BIRCHBOX JULY 2016 - NEVER-ENDING SUMMER

This month, Birchbox teamed up with style icon Millie Mackintosh for July's box design and an exclusive lip product. Theres so much to love in this months box! First of all there is TWO full sized products, and the chance to choose a John Frieda hair product. At the end of my post is a link in which you can earn £5 when you sign up to Birchbox.

LOCxMillie Ultra-Gloss Lip Pencil in Bohemian Rose - RRP £9

First up is this LOC lip crayon designed by Millie Mackintosh herself. She certainly has great taste as this is going to be a winner with everyone. The colour is really summery and can be worn both day and night. Its really easy to apply, and unlike other gloss lipsticks, this one ISNT sticky!! Hallelujah!

John Frieda Frizz Ease - RRP £9.99

Next up is a full size John Frieda Fizz Ease Forever Smooth Anti-Frizz Primer - gosh, what a mouthful! This is designed to fight the frizz by realigning the structure of your hair. I must say that this is my favourite product in this months box. Every subscriber has the choice of the Frizz Ease or the Luxurious Volume 7 Day In-Shower Treatment.

Nails Inc Nail Varnish - RRP £15

Also in this months box is a mini nail varnish from Nails Inc. I got a gorgeous blue shade called Chelsea Physic Garden. Its a lovely summery shade and will look amazing with a tan on holiday. I am so happy with this one as surprisingly, I don't own a blue nail polish - shock right?! 

Elemis Hydra-nourish Night Cream - RRP £43

I also got a 15ml sample of this Elemis night cream which I am yet to try out. It is designed to bring skin back to life and rehydrate your complexion. Whats also interesting is that it has silk tree extracts which helps reduce the signs of fatigue.

Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Mask - RRP £19.99 for 4

Finally we have a moisture boosting face mask from a brand called Indeed Labs. I had never heard of this brand until now so I am excited to try them out and see the results. These masks work by slowly releasing hyaluronic acid into the skin to relieve dry skin. These masks look so cool and I cant wait to try them out tonight!

If you would like to treat yourself to your very own Birchbox, use my referral link to sign up and you will receive 50 points (worth £5) to spend in the birchbox store. If you are signed up to Unidays you will also get a massive 50% off of your first box. 

Love, Maddie x

MY GO TO EYESHADOW PALETTES - THE BALM

The Balm has to be one of my favourite make up brands out there. The quality of their products is incredible and such good value for money. Can we also talk about how damn cool their packaging is?!! I'm going to be talking a little bit about my favourite eye shadow palettes. 

The first palette I want to talk about is The Balms Nude Tude. Each shade is extremely pigmented and blends like dream. I tend to use the lighter shades in this palette to create natural day time looks. Although, it is really easy to create a night time look by using the other end of the palette. I would recommend this palette to any one who is just starting out at make up as the colours are super easy to wear and really easy to apply.

This next palette is easily one of my favourite palettes ever! its a completely matte palette, hence the name - Meet Matt(e) Nude. The eye shadow pans in this palette are so big, so you are definitely getting your moneys worth. Each shade is named after a different Matt, so we have Matt Johnson, Matt Wood etc. There are some blue, maroon, pink and yellow toned shades - perfect for creating some day-to-night looks. This is a must have for matte eye shadow lovers.

Finally we have the Balm Jovi palette. I absolutely adore the range of colours this palette offers. In my opinion, this is the ultimate travel palette. Each shade is named after a famous rock band/singer which is pretty cool. It has 12 eye shadows, a bomb asf highlighter, blush and two lip/cheek stains. What more could you want in one palette?!

I cant wait to get my hands on some more products from the Balm. I'm desperately after the Meet Matt(e) Trimony palette. I'd love to hear what your go to eye shadow palette is. Let me know in the comments section down below.

TheBalm products are available to buy from Superdrug and FeelUnique.

Love, Maddie x

BIRCHBOX MAY 2016 - FOR THE DREAMERS

It's that time again where I get to share with you what I got in this months Birchbox! The theme for May is 'For the dreamers'. A box packed with beauty products to make you look and feel like a dream.

This months box arrived topped with a special silver coating - like the stuff on scratch cards. Three lucky subscribers will have a secret message underneath telling them that they've won a holiday courtesy of Destinology Holidays. I wish I took a 'before' picture, but I just couldn't wait to scratch off the surface to see if I was one of the lucky ones. Unfortunately I wasn't, but I still had a lot of fun scratching off every single bit of the coating. Needless to say, I did NOT have fun cleaning up the mess it made. I'd recommend doing this outside so you don't make a mess of your mums carpet like I did - lol!

Spectrum Collections Unicorn Tears Wonder Sponge RRP £4.99

First up is this make up blending sponge from Spectrum. Can we just start by appreciating the name of this product! I mean, unicorn tears?! How cute! I am a total sponge convert ever since buying my beauty blender, so I'm happy to add another to my collection. What's also good is that this month every subscriber gets to choose what colour sponge they would like. I chose purple so I don't get mixed up with my pink Beautyblender.

Vita Coco Coconut Oil RRP £9.99

When I saw this in my box I instantly thought of Anna SacconeJoly. She literally always uses this when she's cooking meals, so I'm looking forward to trying this myself. What excites me more is that not only can this be used for cooking, but it can be used as a hair mask, as a moisturiser or to remove eye make up. A truly versatile product which I am excited to try out!

TheBalm Stainiac in Beauty Queen RRP £10.00

I was really hoping to get this in my Birchbox this month when I saw the sneak peeks. I am a massive fan of the Balm cosmetics, especially their eye palettes. This is a raspberry tinted cheek stain which also doubles up as a lip tint. The colour is quite subtle but it is buildable if you want that more intense pop of colour. Its quite a small sample which is quite disappointing, however it's a great size for popping into your handbag. I am so happy I got to try out this product!

Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet RRP £23.00

I have never tried anything from this brand before but I have heard good things. This sorbet is packed with antioxidant-boosting benefits to really treat your skin. The gel to cream formula is designed to hydrate, reduce redness and soothe skin. I am going to give this to my mum as I'm not massively into moisturisers but I will be sure to update you guys on what she thinks of the product.

Rituals Tao Wai Wang Mild Exfoliating Body Scrub RRP £19.50

Next up is this body scrub made with ultra fine Chinese bamboo particles, white lotus and Yi Yi Ren extract. This stuff is described as 'a spa treatment in a pot'. I first discovered Rituals when I received a shower gel in my beauty box a few months back. If you're looking to invest in a luxury bath time treat, definitely try out this brand.

Philip Kingsley Prep Polishing Balm RRP £18.50

Last but not least, we have this hair balm from one of my all time favourite haircare brands - Philip Kingsley! This balm-to-serum formula is designed to tame flyaways and condition frazzled and dry ends. I'm all about sleek, healthy looking hair so I can't wait to see the results. This little tube is also great for using on-the-go so I will be popping this into my handbag.

So that's everything that I got in this months Birchbox. Once again, I am super duper happy with the selection of products and brands. 

If you would like to treat yourself to your very own Birchbox, use my referral link to sign up and you will receive 50 points (worth £5) to spend on anything in the Birchbox store. If you are a student and have access to Unidays, you can also snag yourself a massive 25% off of your first box.

Hope you enjoyed this post, 

Love Maddie x

HOLIDAY BEAUTY ESSENTIALS

I have just returned from an amazing holiday to Morocco so I thought it was a good idea to share with you my Holiday Beauty Essentials. Trust me, my make up bags were absolutely brimming, so I have just picked out a handful of things that I think are the absolute necessities for travel.

First up are these cleansing face wipes from a brand I have only recently discovered - YesTo. I am literally obsessed with these cleansing wipes, they are coconut scented so they smell divine. They make your face feel really hydrated and do a good job at removing make up, including waterproof mascara! I also took these in my hand luggage so I could use them to clean my hands on the plane. 

I have so many skincare products so it was really difficult to decide on what to take with me. I opted for this REN wonderful night-time facial. It's really moisturising and smells nice too. This particular one is 10ml so it was perfect for travel and the size also meant that I could take it on the plane with me.

Batiste is my ultimate holiday essential! When I am on holiday my hair tends to get 'dirtier' quicker from all the sun cream and pool water. Instead of washing my hair every single day, I like to use dry shampoo in between washes to freshen up my hair. I chose the tropical Batiste because it smells AMAZING and reminds me of holidays! You can also pick this up in mini travel sized cans which is super handy if you're on a luggage weight restriction.

Next up is my trusty Tangle Teezer! It is compact so it doesn't take up lots of room and it also has a cap which prevents things getting caught up in the bristles. The Tangle Teezer can also be used on both wet and dry hair so it is really handy to take to the pool.

If you're like me and you don't tan what so ever, then bronzer is going to be your best friend whilst on holiday! My all time favourite is Benefits Hoola. Its a lovely matte bronzer with cool undertones. It also comes with a little compact brush so you don't need to worry about packing one.

Cleaning make up brushes is always a chore but if you're going away for a long period then you're going to have to clean your brushes at some point. Beautyblender's Solid Cleanser is perfect for travelling because it is so . You won't need to worry about packing a big bottle of baby shampoo or brush cleanser because this does the same job.

A good highlighter is also a necessity. If you don't feel like wearing a full face of make up, then you can pop on a little bit of this to give you a lovely healthy looking glow. I loooove Benefit's High Beam because it looks so natural and blends really well.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I'd love to hear what products you take with you on your holidays!
Love, Maddie x

SAY GOODBYE TO FALSIES - MOODSTRUCK 3D FIBER LASH+ REVIEW

I am a huge fan of mascara - in fact, I couldn't go without it. I think it just completes a look and makes me look awake. 

I have seen many posts and videos floating about Facebook of this 3D Fiber Lash mascara from Younique and have always been sceptical as to whether it actually works. Not too long ago, I finally got to try out the mascara for myself, thanks to Jen Harrison who owns her own international makeup and skincare company.

The Younique Fiber Lash mascara duo comes in a cute little bag and an easy step by step instruction leaflet. The Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lashes is said to increase average lash volume by 400%. Its hypoallergenic formula brings tired lashes to life. 

Transplanting Gel

First up, you need to apply the transplanting gel and then immediately apply the 3D fibers, followed by a further coat of the gel to help seal the fibers. You can repeat this process as many times as you want for a more bold and intense look. I personally think that one coat is enough but this is down to personal preference.

3D Fibers

On my first attempt, my lashes did go clumpy and fuzzy, but this is because I was totally new to the product, so it did take a little getting used to. However, I am overall impressed with how much it intensifies the lashes. It really does look like you are wearing false lashes or have had eye lash extensions. 

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes fuller and longer looking lashes.
So girls, why spend £40 on eye lash extensions when you can achieve the same look by simply just using this mascara?!

I hope you found this review helpful. The Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lash+ is available to buy here, for £23.

Love, Maddie

EVERYDAY DRUGSTORE MAKEUP

Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil: http://bit.ly/1Kas3H5

Rimmel Exaggerate Undercover Shadow Primer: http://bit.ly/1KEVETX

Kiko Cream Crush: http://bit.ly/1TPbgJZ

Sleek iDivine Oh So Special Palette: http://bit.ly/1Vr3gPC

Ardell Demi Wispie Lashes: http://amzn.to/1QrXhZN

Maybelline Baby Skin: http://bit.ly/1PASSR8

L'Oreal Infallible 24hr Foundation: http://bit.ly/1ZSD55H

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer: http://bit.ly/1lbqMEe

L'Oreal Infallible Matte Powder: http://bit.ly/1PSocuU

Sleek Bronze Block Light: http://bit.ly/1WNH83n

Sleek Precious Metals Highlighting Palette: http://bit.ly/1TnBVzw

Lord and Berry Lip Liner (Silhouette): http://bit.ly/1Tnx1m0

Rimmel Kate Nude 45: http://bit.ly/1ZSDLbl

Sorry about the quality of the images! That's iPhone cameras for ya!

Love, Maddie x

L'OREAL INFALLIBLE 24HR FOUNDATION REVIEW

Hello! I hope you've had a good week. 

Last weekend, I managed to pick up the L'Oreal Infallible 24hr Foundation and Matte Powder.

Okay, so maybe I didn't entirely neeeed these products but after trying out the testers in store I really couldn't resist! (Plus, I did get to use up some of my Superdrug beauty points!)

The L'Oreal Infallible 24hr foundation costs £9.99 and the Matte powder costs £4.99, but I was lucky enough to snap up these products on a 'buy one get one half price' deal in Superdrug.
I've heard everyone raving about the Infallible primer and Matte foundation so I was super excited to get my hands on these.

The foundation claims:

• 24 hour coverage
• No transfer
• No visible imperfections
• No visible shine
• No dry-out
• No mask-effect

It is also enriched with hydrating hyaluron and extreme hold pigments for optimum comfort.

This foundation comes in 8 different shades with 'Porcelain' being the lightest and 'Golden Sun' being the darkest. Of course, I picked up the lightest shade for my milk bottle skin tone.

I have quite oily skin and I always opt for a full coverage. I applied two layers of this so it's totally buildable and it didn't leave me looking really cakey.

However, my face ended up pretty shiney after a full day at college. So unfortunately, it didn't last 24 hours like it claimed to, but what do you expect?

The Infallible Matte powder comes in 3 different shades. Again, I picked up the lightest shade which is 123 Warm Vanilla.

I applied this over the foundation to reduce shine and I was really impressed with the matte finish that it gave. 

Another thing that I really like about this product is that it has a little mirror in the compartment underneath, so it is ideal for touch ups on the go!

Overall, I was really impressed with these products and I would definitely repurchase them again.

Check out the Infallible range in Superdrug here

Love, Maddie x

AEOS SKINCARE OPTIMAL ESSENTIALS REVIEW

Hello there, I hope you are having a good day. 
I cannot believe we are more than half way through January, Christmas seems so long ago now. One of my new years resolutions was to properly look after my skin and to make sure I had a skincare routine to follow for the new year. 

I recently tried out some new products from AEOS (Active Energised Organic Skincare)

About the brand
AEOS is an organic brand who use the essential oils of plants and herbs to provide moisture and hydration to the skin. The products are all organic and contain no toxins or synthetics. I tried out the AEOS Optimal Essentials kit,which is designed for maximum hydration and nourishment.

3 Phase System
AEOS products are designed to be used together as a 3 phase system to allow the products to penetrate to deeper layers of the skin to allow maximum effects.

Morning
Phase 1: Renewal
Begin by cleansing your skin with the Gentle cleansing lotion and follow with the Gentle exfoliant. 
The smell is so fresh so it makes me feel more awake in the mornings. 

Phase 2: Rebalance
After cleansing, you should use the Energising condition, followed by the Refreshing Hydrating mist. 

Phase 3: Replenish
The final part of the morning routine is applying the Realive Serum followed by the Enriching Moisturiser. 
A little goes a long way with the moisturiser, you really do not need a lot. I leave the moisturiser to settle for a minute or so and then proceed to apply my makeup. 

Evening
Phase 1: Renewal
First start by removing all makeup with the Cleansing Oil de Maq and follow by cleansing with the Dew Facial Wash.
I found that this oil is very good at removing all traces of makeup including mascara (BONUS!)

Phase 2: Rebalance
Apply the Energising Conditioner followed by the Refreshing Hydrating Mist. 

Phase 3: Replensish
The final step is to apply the Realive Serum followed by the Enriching Moisturiser.

I am so glad that I got to try out these products. My skin definitely looks and feels more healthy after trying these products and I believe this is all down to the Phase 3 system and the natural ingredients. 
My favourite products from this range were the Cleansing Oil de Maq, Realive Serum and the Refreshing Hydrating Mist. 

Want to try AEOS yourself? The Optimal Essentials kit is available to buy here for £68.

Love, Maddie x

GET TO KNOW ME TAG

Hello again!

So today I am going to be doing the Get To Know Me Tag so you can find out a little more about me.

Me
Nicknames: Maddie, Madd
Birthday: 3rd May
Starsign: Taurus
Occupation: Full time college student, part time receptionist and shop assistant

Appearance
Hair colour: Blonde
Hair length: Medium
Eye colour: Hazel
Braces: I've already had them
Tattoos: None, I'm not 18 and I don't particularly want any
Piercings: Two in ear lobes, nose and belly button
Left or right handed: Left

Favourites
Film: I literally don't have a favourite but I'm into comedies and horrors
TV show: KUWTK, Corrie
Book: Paper towns
Drink: SMOOTHIES
Shoes: Vans
Restaurant: Oooo anywhere that serves pizza and pasta
Holiday destination: Has to be EGYPT!!! This year will be my 8th holiday there

Currently
Feeling: Ridiculously tired
Single or taken: Taken
Watching: The Sacconejolys
Wearing: Cosy rabbit onesie from Primark!
Listening to: Nothing atm
Eating: The last thing I ate was a Mcdonalds.. healthy I know

Randoms
Time spent getting ready in mornings: About 45 minutes
Favourite YouTubers: Sacconejolys, Emily Canham, Jake Boys, Zoe and Alfie, Joe, Hannah Renee, Chloe Morton, Eve Bennett (I HAVE SO MANY TO LIST!)
Number of selfies taken a day: I take selfies on good face days
Where do you want to live? London
Favourite artists: Ed Sheeran, The 1975, Justin Bieber
Hobbies: Graphic Design and watching YouTube


So that's the end of this post, I hope you enjoyed reading a bit more about me.
I will have some product reviews up by the end of the week and maybe a small beauty haul, who knows!

Love, Maddie x

WOULD YOU RATHER BEAUTY TAG

Questions:

1) If you had £1000 to spend, would you rather buy clothes or makeup? 

I'd have to say makeup because there is sooooo many products that I am desperate to try out!

2) Would you rather only shop at MAC or Sephora?

Well we don't have a Sephora in the UK so it would have to be MAC. However, if I had the choice I'd choose Sephora because there is so many brands to choose from.

3) Would you rather live without makeup or nail polish?

I'd definitely have to go without nail polish. I don't know what I'd do without makeup.

4) Would you rather have no eyelashes or no eyebrows?

No eyebrows because I fill mine in anyway! I wouldn't be able to apply false eye lashes every day haha!

5) Would you rather use just one eye shadow colour or one lip colour for the rest of your life?

I'd have to say one eye shadow colour because I tend to use the same colours daily anyway.

6) Would you rather have Kylie Jenners lips or Cara Delevignes brows?

CARAS BROWS! Gosh, that girls brows are on fleek.

7) Would you rather only wash your hair once a month or only brush your teeth once a month?
This has to be the grossest question. I'd say only wash my hair once a month because you can use dry shampoo. 

8) Would you rather throw away your entire makeup collection or your entire skincare collection?

I have so much more makeup products so I'd say I'd have to get rid of my skincare collection.

9) Would you rather have a faint monobrow that you can't remove or a faint moustache that you can't remove?

Hmmmm... I'd rather have a faint monobrow lol!

10) Would you rather have a bad haircut or a bad hair colour?
I'd rather have a bad haircut because eventually it would grow out and you can always tie it up so it's not on show.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed answering these questions! 

Please let me know some of your ideas for future blog posts! 

M x