Instagram Snaps

IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE!! AHHHHHHHHH!! I am such a fan of Christmas, if you couldn't tell already... It's hard to blog during the festive period as there is so much to get done like eat mince pies, drink mulled wine or winter pimms (you have to try this if you haven't), buy and wrap gifts, see your fiends and family, burn Christmas candles, decorate trees and rooms, write and post cards and just get all christmassy up in here. So, I decided to share some recent Instagram snaps with y'all, so you can see some of what I have been upto recently! Hope you enjoy, you can follow me @Emmylouisejane if you want to! Merry Christmas!

My chosen Christmas cards from M&S - Some gifts I have wrapped - The pancakes my dad made for breakfast (not all mine!) - Mulled wine at London's Winter Wonderland - Joy Christmas decoration - My labels from Paperchase - A hazelnut hot chocolate and muffin from Starbucks after a successful shopping trip - December Glossybox - Posing with my christmassy jumper and hat

December's Christmas GLOSSYBOX

December's GLOSSYBOX arrived and it was very very exciting! I happened to have the day off work so managed to get the delivery (side note: how are nigh time postmen not a thing yet? Gap in the market there for sure) and test everything, yes EVERYTHING. Now that you are brimming with excitement for December's GLOSSYBOX I will reveal its beautiful contents for you...

 In case you're excited the bird and star didn't come with #sadface

 



 Extra Christmassy tissue paper

 



 

Super large insert this time with lots of extra discounts!

Rituals 'Magic Touch'
Oh my god. I have never ever smelt a cream so good in my life and no, I am not being extreme. Starting with my favourite of the beauty box, this cream is just amazing. Not only does it smell so good (Cherry Blossom, damn that blossom smells fine), but it's made with rice milk which basically means it gets soaked into your skin super fast. I don't know about you guys, but moisturising can be so annoying if you are in a rush! I actually tend to skip it all together if it means my skinny jeans will go past my ankles and not create a wallpaper paste situation, so this is perfect. No word of a lie this delicious whipped magic cream is the bomb. £15 for 200ml & £5 for 70ml, worth every penny.

Argentum Apothecary 'La potion infinie'
December's GLOSSYBOX two sachets of this face cream, which is always a little bit annoying when you see mini tubs on the site and then you get some teeny sachets (booooo). However, that might be because this little beauty treat will set you back £147 a 70ml tub - ouch. Despite being a pricey little tub the cream itself was really luxurious and you only need a tiny bit (thankfully) each time, so even my first little sachet has lasted ages (it's for men and women, so you could split the price with your boyfriend?!). It has a really unique smell that suits both males and females and it promises to tighten you face, which you should feel working asap. I can vouch for this tightening of face feeling, which i think is down to the 'Xanthan Gum' and 'Aloe Barbedensis leaf 'extract. Overall, if you have the money I would recommend. 

The sachets came in this little envelope

 

Hopefully you can read this as it tells you more & there is a little bird which is always nice



Mary Greenwell 'Lemon by Mary Greenwell Eau de Parfum'
Just like the face cream, this perfume came in a teeny little tester which was really annoying because it smells so nice! Unlike the burberry one from November's GLOSSYBOX which you can see here this sample was too small as it was gone after 3 sprays. Despite the lack of it though this perfume is full of citrus notes that last all day long, so thumbs up to that.

Like I said tiny, but a delicious scent

Seche 'Seche Nail Lacquer'
I managed to get my hands on a seriously cute pink shade called 'Precious' which is unlike any other pinks I already own. It's a baby pink with a gorgeous shimmer to it which I thought looked just girly and cute. It lasted quite a while before noticeably chipping too, which is amaze because all my nail varnish chips off normally!

Another creepy hand shot from me

Sleek Makeup 'True Colour Lipstick'
I realised today that some people got the Sleek eyeshadow palette in their box which I am major jealous of, but at least I got a lipstick! I got a really glamorous red called 'Stiletto' which makes me love it even more (it reminds me of a Louboutin shoe!). It's a matte lipstick which I think will look amazing on everyone. I am a bit of a lipstick lover, these are £4.99 and there are 12 shades.... ahhh!

GLOSSYBOX Blusher
This was a bonus item thrown in as a Christmas gift! It's an unusual colour blush, like I think it has a kind of purple tone to it?! I was really excited to try this out and it didn't disappoint as the colour is really cool and I am glad it's different to my usual Laura Mercier one I use in the daytime.

I have included some pose-y snaps of me with the lipstick and blusher on so you can see it in action *Warning - poser alert* Let me know what you think of December's GLOSSYBOX!



November's GLOSSYBOX

Happy gift to me, happy gift to me! It is literally like getting a present every month as you kind of forget its coming and then BAM some little beauty treats arrive. This is what November's GLOSSYBOX had to offer...

 

DR.JART+ 'Water Fuse Beauty Balm'
This BB cream is a cult product over in Korea at the moment, which happens to be the country my 19yr old sister has been obsessed with for as long as I can remember. She knows everything there is to know about the Korean culture, music, lifestyle, clothing and beauty products, so I am 100% getting her to test run this BB cream for me as she is a) dying to and b) practically an expert - I will let you know her verdict! 

Burberry 'Burberry Body Eau de Parfum' 
Cutest glass bottle/bullet award ever. This is like a little dose of luxury, which I love. The scent is best described as 'classic', it has a subtle floral smell that isn't overpowring which I think will suit everyone. The packaging has the perfect beige colour with rose gold print, which totally compliments their branding and the classic scent of the perfume. I tried to find out whether it was 100% recycled material and apparently it has been made to be completely eco-friendly which is a bonus (also shows that you can be conscious yet classy with your designs, so top points). Despite it being far too adorable to use this will deffo be a welcome addition to my handbag.

Alison Claire Natural Beauty 'Mango Body Butter' 
I love the smell of mango in body butters, so I was really excited to try this. The packaging is great as it has a pump action so you don't end up using too much, which can be an error with body butter when you end up spending an hour rubbing it in due to accidental overload. I have used this since getting it and I have to say although it was a good cream it just wasn't mango-ey enough! I don't know if others will disagree, but if you have used The Body Shop's body butter in Mango before then this one doesn't quite impress. 

Nails Inc 'Kensington Caviar Top Coat' 
Smallest bottle ever! I'm a fan of nails inc and I know you shouldn't like something more because of the names or packaging, but they do name their nail varnishes really cool names. I have tried this top coat and it seems to be a good-un, it dries really quick and top coats are always great to have - thumbs up! 

Dermalogica 'Daily Microfoliant' 
If it's good enough for the models, then its good enough for me! A models favorite according to GLOSSYBOX that promises to leave your skin smoother and brighter. It's a bit like talcum powder that turns into a paste/foam when you put water on it - crazy! I used it the other day and I have to say my face did seem brighter and a lot smoother, so they haven't lied there. It also has a really fresh baby clean type smell which I personally like (not that I go around sniffing people's babies...). A lot of my friends say I have really nice skin with small pores, so as an added bonus to this post I will share a few skin secrets with you... 

1) Keep whatever skin exfoliator and/or cream you are using in the shower, your pores are then opened by the hot water making sure you get a good clean
2) Don't clean your face every day. Some people are probably like 'Whaaaaaaat' but I strongly believe that your skin needs to find its own balance of oils and whatever else it does and I think its good for your skin to deal with dirt and grime on its own to build up its own defenses. Too many chemicals and products are not good, so rest your skin every other day! 
3) Always remove your make up before bed. I like to remove mine with a face wipe and then use a cleanser to get rid of the extra make up that's left (this is because I'm lazy and I can't always be bothered to put cleanser on those little cotton wool pads - life's too short for cotton wool pads!)

Think that's it. Overall, November's GLOSSYBOX was pleasing - let me know what you thought if you are signed up or if you are thinking of signing up then check back here each month to see what you could get your mitts on.

October GLOSSYBOX review

Ok, so I have finally had time to test the products out from my October GLOSSYBOX and can share my verdict with you all. If you want to see the products then click to view my post here

Anatomicals 'Don't just clean it woman, scrub it body scrub'
I liked this scrub a lot, it has a nice smell and it's a great gentle exfoliator that you could use on a daily basis. I would use this as an everyday shower gel and something with more of a sea salt scrub for better exfoliation every 2ish weeks.

Yves Rocher France 'Instant Anti-Wrinkle Moisturiser - HYDRA VEGETAL'

Well, i know look 12 years old thanks to this anti-wrinkle cream! Just kidding, but I do really like it as an everyday moisturiser before bedtime. It smells really fresh and clean and you don't need to much to get good coverage, I would purchase this in the future.

 

Skinetica 'Anti-Blemish'

My spots did seem to reduce quite a lot after 2-3 days which was sooo good as I had my graduation, so I can fault it in that respect. The only downside is it kind of smells a bit funky, but that doesn't put me off.

The Organic Pharmacy 'Enzyme Peel Mask with Vitamin C & Papaya'

I have only managed to use this once since getting it and I do really like it, but £49 for the real deal...nahhh.

Sally Hansen 'Complete Salon Manicure'

I got a bit of a random colour to be honest, it came out like a grey-ish-black that wasn't the best, but it seemed to last quite well. Think I may need to use this a few more times - still not convinced!

Hope that helps anyone thinking of making these purchases! Let me know what you thought of the same products if you have used them, are you a GLOSSYBOX fan?

Love & kisses, Emmy x

Oh hello GLOSSYBOX!

Okay...I admit that I am a little bit behind on the GLOSSYBOX bandwagon, but my very first box (the October box, just) arrived today and I almost couldn't contain my excitement! For anyone else who is a bit late on the beauty box craze as well, check out the website here GLOSSYBOX for more information. I decided to get the 6 month subscription to see what it was like and show you all what you can expect:

The box itself: adorable!

 It's like a present for yourself

The description of what you got, offers & codes

The best bit: the products!

Up close & personal

Firstly, apologies for my bad photography skills, but hopefully you get the idea! (I need a bit more practice) Anyways, my box contained:

Anatomicals 'Don't just clean it woman, scrub it body scrub'

Love, love LOVE the packaging! It is fun and quirky, which I am always drawn to. I am a big fan of a body scrub to keep those nasty ingrown hairs at bay and give yourself a good clean and I am excited to use this one.

Yves Rocher France 'Instant Anti-Wrinkle Moisturiser - HYDRA VEGETAL'

A bit of a mouthful! I am looking forward to testing this brand, as I have heard good things. I was a bit gutted I got the anti-wrinkle cream over the lipstick as I am only 22, but I did ask my mum if she wanted to help me review it (she was slightly offended, yet excited)

Skinetica 'Anti-Blemish'

So, the timing of this could not have been better as I am sporting a huge spot on my chin that is giving me a whole different face shape right now aka a second head. I will deffo be testing this baby out tonight in the hope that my'growth' is reduced (it says results in 2-3 days so we shall see...)

The Organic Pharmacy 'Enzyme Peel Mask with Vitamin C & Papaya'

Again, it's like someone knew I had a breakout this week! I love papaya in products as it always smells so yummy, so hopefully my face will smell and look better after this.

Sally Hansen 'Complete Salon Manicure'

My last product (sad face) promises to be a 5 step manicure in one bottle - say whaaaat - including a base coat, strengthener, growth treatment, colour and a top coat. I got a metallic black, which was nice as it's a bit different from a matte black which I think can be a bit hard to wear on a regular basis. Hopefully it is chip resistant because that is my usual problem!

That is everything, hope you enjoyed having a sneak peak into my GLOSSYBOX. When I am a bit more organised with my blog I will put the images up of my monthly boxes when I have tested the products and give my verdict. I was a bit late this month, so I will have to review them in a separate post.

Love, Emmy x

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