August Glossybox

August's Glossybox was International Superstars and included products from all over the world. 

I have to say that as I started writing this post I realised that I left a product out of these pictures, the Alessandro Pro White nail varnish was tucked away safely in my nail varnish draw where it has become a staple. I use it under my nail varnish to prevent my nails from discolouration and to protect them from flaking. 

The DHC Deep Cleansing Oil removes makeup like a dream, however if removing your eye makeup with it you have to be prepared to smudge black all over your face as this can be a bit messy. You massage this into your dry face with dry hands, which seems strange but it is fantastically effective. 

The All for Eve balm has become a handbag staple, its a lovely little product for using on dry lips, I also use this on and areas of dry skin. It has quite a strong herbal scent, which I love but others might not. 

Once again I found another great product in Lipcote, its fab! Just a quick layer over your lipstick, keep your lips parted for a few seconds ad voila!! Your lip colour stays on all day and doesn't flake or bleed. 

I have mixed feelings about the Glossybox lipstick, its a nice consistency and I do like the packaging however the colour is a little bit 'mature'. I have very pigmented lips, they are naturally quite red so although I cant wear very light lip colours I think this is pink is a bit too dark. 

And finally, the crappy product - Vera Valenti eyeshadow palette. Oh dear. First of all this came with one of those crappy eyeshadow applicators that went straight in the bin, secondly the selection of shade was something I would personally never choose - browns (okay I like browns) and greens (words cannot describe the hatred). But worst of all the quality of these shadows is appalling, as you can see from the swatches they are not only poorly pigmented (I had to dig my fingers in the product to get the colour you can see above), but also very very chalky. 

Apart from the eyeshadows I really loved this Glossybox, especially the Lipcote and Eve balm. 

Hair Care

You may have noticed that I have a lot of hair, it comes below my bust after two years of growing. Its also pretty damn thick and subsequently takes a long time to wash, dry and style. I have used a lot of products over the years, from mouses and serums to sprays and creams and have finally learnt what actually works with my hair. 

I try to use the least amount of hair products as possible, I find that the more products I use the worse my hair gets - it becomes flat and crispy, not desirable. 

Naked Shampoo and Conditioner - this is my favourite shampoo brand, they are 97% natural with no parabens nor are they tested no animals. I use a mild shampoo and a nourishing conditioner as my hair has a tendency to become dry and frizzy. These products smell delicious and natural, the smell stays on your hair after washing but isn't overpowering at all. 

Lee Stafford I Hate My Hair The Day Its Washed - this is great for hair that is limp and frizzy after being washed. It adds texture and shine, preventing those days when your hair just wont sit right. I spray this liberally on wet hair before blow-drying.

 V05 Smooth It - This is a great product for adding shine whilst protecting the hair from heat. If you get a bit carried away with this spray it can look like you have slathered lard on your head, when used with caution this product is great. I often spray this onto my natural bristle brush and then brush the product through my hair to distribute it evenly. 

One Palette, three looks.

The Urban Decay Naked 2 is a staple of my makeup routine, with twelve beautiful shades you can create so many lovely looks, here are three of my favourites.

1. Smokey Silvers - this is a great sultry evening look, very sparkly and dramatic. I pack verve onto the lid, and then taking a fluffy brush I blend pistol through the crease, adding extra definition by using a small amount of blackout on the outer corner and blending this into the crease colour. I then take these  colours under the eye with a small angled brush - the black on the outer third, then pistol then verve. I finish the look with plenty of liquid eyeliner, black liner on the waterline and lashings of mascara.

2. Sultry Purples - this is a more toned down look, still great for evenings and can be worn by the more daring in the daytime. I run tease across the lid before packing YDK onto the outer corner and buffing busted into the crease. I run busted under the bottom lashes but keep the waterline clean. I do my signature cat eyeliner and once again add lashings of mascara.

3. Golden Browns - I wear this look all the time, its a great daytime look and really emphasises the colour of my eyes. I use bootycall as an inner eye hi-light and then place chopper all over the lid, blending it out with foxy. Snakebite adds definition and shading through the crease and in the outer corner. I then take chopper under the eye, keeping away from the inner corner as the hi-light really opens up the eyes. I keep the waterline and bottom lashes bare as this allows the golden shadow to stand out. Once again eyeliner and mascara finish off the eyes.

L to R: verve, pistol, blackout, tease, YDY, busted, bootycall, chopper, snakebite.