Review: Schwarzkopf Essensity Intense Repair Mask

My hunt for the perfect hair mask to quench my parched hair's thirst is somewhat of an ongoing adventure, though I gotta admit that this one's a pretty serious contender.

As far as texture goes, this hair mask is absolutely spot-on. It's got enough slip to massage into hair easily, but is also thick and creamy enough not to drip out of the hair while you leave it to sink in.
I used this every other wash instead of conditioner and it worked an absolute treat on my hair.

It does that wonderful thing of being really nourishing but without making the hair feel heavy afterwards. It adds shine and it even seems like my hair didn't take quite as long to blow dry afterwards.

The only downside? The pot is on the smaller side, so it really didn't last that long - about a month of using it 1-2 times a week and it was gone. It's definitely something I'd look to repurchase, though!

Review: Mark Hill Intensive Conditioning Mask

Every other hair wash, I slap on something thick, gooey and nourishing on my hair. A hair mask or deep conditioner is as deeply embedded in my beauty routine as filing my nails when they break off. As my hair is naturally quite dry and bleaching it makes it extra brittle, it's not a step I could ever imagine skipping. As a result, I've tried a lot of products that claim to bring back your hair from the brink of near-death, from budget to high end (but mainly on the budget side of things).

As such, this is one that sits very snugly in the middle. It's got a very satisfying scoopy texture... you know, when you just get a nice feeling scooping it up with your hands...? ...no? I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's neither too runny, so you don't have to worry about it dripping out of your hair, nor so thick that you can't spread it evenly. It's got a sweet and fruity scent but by no means is it overpowering.

One thing I do really like about this is that it only takes a few minutes to get to work. None of that wrapping hair in a towel, waiting for half an hour and then getting back in the shower faff. This I just slap on, then I do my showery-exfoliatey-shavey things and it's ready to be rinsed off again.
It's more of a quick fix, however, than a long term solution. Post shower, my hair is left soft and silky, but without having the ingredients right here in front of me, I can almost swear blindly, that it ought to be down to some silicone magic - so it's not one for you if that's an ingredient you avoid in your hair products!

Personally, while I do try to shake it up a little from time to time, silicones are not an ingredient that I avoid altogether, though I do make an effort to go on silicone breaks to let my hair breathe occasionally. As far as other drugstore masks go, I'd say this is definitely superior to other cheap and cheerful options, such as Herbal Essences, albeit I wouldn't recommend it as a long term solution if your hair is brittle and damaged.

Monthly Favourites: May 2014

1) Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara

Wow, two months in a row my favourites include a Bourjois mascara! I've only just published a review on this one (you can find it here), but if you don't want to go through a lengthy post, then let me just tell you that this is my new favourite drugstore mascara. I think I even prefer it to my trusted Max Factor False Lash Effect! It gives defined, long, fluttery lashes that still look incredibly natural. It's not quite as good as my ultimate holy grail mascara, Benefit's "They're Real!", but at a fraction of a price, this comes a very close second.

2) Pro:Voke Twice A Week Brightening Shampoo & Intensive Treatment Conditioner

I've already featured this shampoo in my favourites once, but it was recently that I purchased the matching conditioner and both together definitely deserve another mention. I've tried a lot of purple shampoos and conditioners to keep my blonde hair from going brassy and no matter the price tag, none of them even come close to these. Not only are they powerful enough to really knock every last bit of yellow out of your hair, they also leave my hair feeling insanely soft and nourished - and they're less than a fiver each!

3) Rimmel Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Paint in Rich Russet

This is a classic case of "the blogger made me buy it". After seeing so many of my favourite bloggers rave about this eye shadow and this colour in particular, I just couldn't help myself but make a sneaky purchase. While it's not the most amazing eye shadow ever, the neutral colour and its versatility are what makes this a stand-out product for me. It's so easy to blend it into a neutral daytime look or layer it up for a bronzed smokey eye, which makes it the perfect day-to-night product. The fact that it comes in a handy tube and can easily be blended with your fingers makes it perfect for on the go. The formula will also stay on my lids pretty much all day once it's dried down. It's crazy to think how far high street cream shadow formulas have come in the last few years!

4) Super Facialist by Una Brennan Brighten & Refine Facial Scrub

Now, this is a scrub for scrub lovers. When I exfoliate my face, I want to feel like I'm actually doing something and this fits the bill perfectly. The grains are tiny and spread very well, but boy are they effective! Do not use this on dry skin unless you like the feeling of sandpaper on your face. In the shower, however, used on wet skin it's the perfect once or twice weekly deep clean that my face needs.

Review: Denman Grooming Brush

As much as I'm dreaming of investing in a Mason Pearson brush one day, it seems like there is always something I would much rather spend my money on than an expensive hair brush. So at the moment, I'm on the lookout for a decent drugstore brush and so far, this is the best one I've found.

My hair is thick and can get pretty tangled up in the mornings, so a lot of brushes just tug and pull on my roots. This brush has lots of long, stiff plastic bristles encased in smaller, short, natural bristles. At first I thought it wasn't actually doing anything, but it actually manages to smooth my hair out without any tugging whatsoever.

In the six or so months that I've had it, it's held up pretty well. It's still got all its bristles (unlike a lot of other cheaper brushes that I'd bought in the past) and it cleans easily enough as well. The natural bristles do make it a bit of a dust catcher, so I need to wash it about once every other week, but I've not seen any detriment to it (such as glue coming loose) from washing it.
But the best thing? Being able to brush my hair without having to pull clumps of hair out of my hair brush.

The Denman Grooming Brush comes in three different sizes: Small, Medium and Large. The one I've got is the medium sized one which retails at £9.79.

Love Me Beauty Box April 14

I gotta admit I wasn't too keen on this month's Love Me Beauty Box when I first saw the options. Two repeat brands and products I'll use but wasn't overly excited about meant that for the first time I seriously considered just skipping the month altogether. But after opening it and having a proper look at all the products I can honestly say I'm glad I didn't. Let's crack on, shall we?

1) Betty Hula | Secret Wonder Oil Roller Ball

Full size: £6.25

At first I thought I wouldn't have any use for this rollerball. It's recommended for stretch marks and scarring and I don't have any stretch marks and all the various little scars all over my body (what can I say, I'm clumsy) have already faded. I couldn't really think of any dry skin areas either other than my legs and I could imagine it being a right pain trying to apply oil in a rollerball to such a large area. 

After doing a bit of research I found out that you can also use this on the face, so I might try it in place of my overnight serum or moisturiser. If that doesn't work, it's also meant to be really good for sunburn, so I might try that if I spend a little too much time in the sunshine.

2) Models Own | Nail Art Pen in Pastel Pink

Full size: £6

Models Own is a repeat brand for Love Me Beauty and you could choose from either another nail polish or this nail art pen. In all honesty it was mainly this product that drew me towards this particular menu. I've never really tried my hand at nail art as I didn't expect to be any good at it, but it's about time I at least gave it a go.

Sadly I managed to break off all but three of my nails last week, so it's going to be a little while until I can try this out properly.

3) Neal & Wolf | Glow Super Shine Spray

Full size: £9.50

Neal & Wolf is another repeat brand, but while I've tried quite a lot of their products almost every single one was a hit, so I don't mind getting another one. At first I thought this was a sample size, as it is more on the smaller side, but it's actually a full sized product. I've not had a shine spray for years - it's one of those things I always considered buying but never got round to it, so I'm happy to finally have one in my stash. And who knows, a little might go a long way.

4) Redken | Colour Extend Conditioner

Full size: £9.99 for 250ml / Sample value: £1.20

I'm not overly sure what to think of this product just yet. I much prefer to use the same brand shampoo and conditioner and as a matter of fact I don't even use normal conditioner, as I tend to alternate between purple shampoo/conditioner combo and a deep repair hair mask. I'm sure I'll find a way to use it anyway and on my long hair the sample size should be enough for about two washes.

5) Various Bonus Items

Value: £30.72

This month Love Me Beauty included a few items in their box that weren't on the menu listings or on the card that accompanied the box. I actually received the Melvita Extraordinary Water in last month's box and I still have about a quarter of the bottle left, but I'm actually really happy that I got another one, as I love it to pieces and was looking at getting a full sized one.

The Hello Fresh voucher also got me very, very excited. I've been thinking about trying this food delivery service (they deliver fresh ingredients and recipe cards and then you get to cook the food from scratch) for a while, but I've been put off by the price. Now I've got the perfect excuse to give it a go!

The two sachets of the Weleda Stretch Mark Massage oil weren't such a great hit. As I've already explained above I don't have any stretch marks or any scarring that could be helped, so I tried to use it on my dry legs. Not only did the oil in a sachet make a huge mess, but it also left me feeling very sticky and made it almost impossible to put on some leggings.

Total value: £53.67

Even though I originally thought there would only be four items in this box I ended up with a total of six (seven if you want to count the gift card which will most definitely be used) and the value is among the highest that I've seen in these boxes. None of the items are hugely exciting, but I'll find a way of using everything, so it's another hit from Love Me Beauty!

Sample Summary #12

1) Calvin Klein | Downtown Body Lotion

Full size: £22.50

Rating: 2/5

I know I always complain about body lotions that are designed to go with a perfume, as they tend to do nothing to my skin other than leave a sticky film on my body - but recently I've kind of softened up a little bit and decided to change by outlook a little. I suppose that their aim is not primarily to moisturise, but instead to make sure a certain scent lingers on the skin just a bit longer than it would without. Having said that, at £22.50 a pop, I feel like it's not that outrageous to demand just a little bit more from a body lotion.

As for the scent, it's a mix of woody and floral notes which is quite young and easy to wear. I think you could safely say that if you like other CK fragrances, chances are you'll be a fan of this one, too.

2) Giorgio Armani | Si Perfumed Body Lotion

Full size: £35.50

Rating: 2/5

Another perfumed body lotion and again I could pretty much just repeat what I've already said above. The scent, however, is absolutely gorgeous and manages to be fruity, but somehow still sophisticated. I'm no good at describing scents and it's been a while since I used this up, so I'll spare you my pathetic attempts, but I'd certainly consider treating myself to the perfume after sampling this!

3) Maybelline | SuperStay Better Skin Foundation

Full size: £8.99

Rating: 4.5/5

As with most foundation samples the shade I had was too dark for my skin tone, but I was determined to try it out, as I'd heard quite a lot of bloggers rave about this foundation. So, with some serious neck and chest blending I gave it a go and was pretty damn impressed. The foundation gives good coverage with a semi-matte finish. You know the kind where your skin looks matte and even, but not dead? Yeah, that one. It felt really light on the skin which is always something I look out for and managed to stay on my face all throughout a sweaty underground rock gig! The only thing that lets it down a little is the very limited shade selection and I'm not sure I'd be able to find a decent match for my skin tone - otherwise I'd most certainly love to try a whole bottle of this!

4) La Claree | Ultra Melting Body Milk

Full size: £18

Rating: 3.5/5

On to a few beauty box samples that I've been using over the past few weeks. Unfortunately the packaging of this sample meant that I only managed to scrape out about half of the product, but what I did manage to use was simply divine. The cream has a light, almost mousse like texture, but feels deeply moisturising on the skin without leaving behind a greasy layer. You can see your skin soften almost instantly. The scent is quite delicate and reminds me a little bit of almond milk. It's pleasant but subtle. However, I just don't feel like the £18 price tag is justified, as there are a lot of really great body lotions out there that perform just as well and cost about half as much. I think this one would make a really great gift, though, as it just feels so luxurious to use.

5) Inner Me | Beautify Me Vitamin Complex

Full size: £15

Rating: 1/5

This isn't strictly speaking a sample, but rather a two week vitamin course, but as I received it in a beauty box and didn't feel like it deserved a post on its own, I thought I'd squeeze it in with these.

Now, I firmly believe that a lot of our appearance is based on what we put in our bodies, rather than just on what we slap on the outside. I took two of these supplements every day religiously for two weeks and, well... nothing changed. I tried to look for some sort of improvement in my skin, hair or nails, but it just wasn't there. Hey, maybe my diet is already so healthy that the vitamins didn't make a difference (... stress the "maybe"...), but I can't help but feel that rather than spend £15 on pills every two weeks, you'd be much better off cutting down on processed foods, alcohol and cigarettes and instead upping your water intake and eating more fresh fruit and veg.

6) Percy and Reed | Dry Conditioner

Full size: £12

Rating: 4/5

I honestly don't know what I would do with my life if it wasn't for dry shampoo. Not only does it mean more time in bed and healthier strands as I don't have to wash my hair every day, but there's also nothing quite like it to give a little bit of texture to my layered hair. Yet sometimes it can leave my hair literally a bit straw like and this is where this little gem comes in. It is literally like softness in a can and a quick spray leaves my hair refreshed but still glossy and smooth. The lid comes off the packaging all the time which is a bit annoying and obviously it doesn't replace washing your hair regularly, but for lazy days this is absolutely perfect.

7) Pureology | Colour Stylist Silk Bodifier

Full size: £17.85

Rating: 2/5

I was filled with dread when I got this sample. Memories of my teenage years came flooding back with images of crispy, mousse filled roots and frizzy curls. My hair was bad - really, really bad back then and I feel like my insistence on regularly using copious amounts of hair mousse was partly to blame. Sure enough, I completely OD'ed upon first application (hey, that nozzle is hard to control!) and was left with hair so sticky I was forced to rewash it. The mousse almost landed in the bin, but I decided to give it another chance, carefully eyeing up that rebellious nozzle. Used in moderation, it did give my hair just a tiny bit more body, but nothing that would really make me take note. I did use it up completely, but it's certainly not a product I'd look into purchasing.

Monthly Favourites: February 2014

1) Fudge Urban Sea Salt Spray

It never occurred to me to get a salt spray for my hair. When I'm on a beach holiday the salt doesn't make my hair look good in any way - it tends to resemble a tangled up pile of seaweed! I was gifted this to try and I've been in love since the first application. To start off with it's got an amazing coconut scent that smells good enough to eat. It doesn't really do that much to your hair, but it adds just that little bit of texture, a touch of volume and encourages my hair to go into its natural wavy state without getting all tangled up. It's just a perfect little boost for second day hair.

2) Marc Jacobs Honey Perfume

This perfume was a late Christmas gift and I've shamelessly been wearing it almost every day. It's a wonderfully uplifting and happy scent that's not too overpowering. I won't waffle on about it too much as I've done a full review on it just a few days ago. You can find it here.

3) Seventeen Phwoarr Paint

This is a typical case of "the blogger made me buy it". After seeing this on loads of my favourite beauty blogs I nipped into my local Boots and got myself a pot of Phwoarr Paint and I'm so glad I did! This is the concealer I've been waiting for all my life. It's thick enough to seamlessly cover even stubborn blemishes and my serious dark circles, but doesn't crease or cake at all. And it's from the highstreet and a complete bargain! What's not to love?

4) Pro:Voke Touch of Silver Shampoo

As my hair is bleached I have to treat it with purple shampoo and conditioner every other wash to prevent it from going brassy. I've been on the hunt for the perfect one for ages and certainly didn't think I'd finally find it in this £2 bottle from a brand I'd never heard of. But not only does it have the perfect strength to get rid of any yellow or orange undertones but without causing any dodgy purple patches where my hair is a bit lighter. Most of all, it leaves my hair really healthy, smooth and soft. This is definitely a repurchase!

Review: Lee Stafford Poker Straight Flat Iron Protection Shine Mist

Woahhh, what a mouthful this product name is! Gotte love them 3 for 2s at Boots, though. I was stocking up on purple shampoo and conditioner when a little offer meant I could sneak something into my basket completely free of charge, so in went this little pink bottle which promises to protect my hair from the almost daily straightening that I put it through. Granted, that was quite a while ago now, but I'm sure there'll be another 3 for 2 soon, as they have a tendency to crop up frequently.

I love the bright pink packaging of Lee Stafford products and it always draws me towards them when browsing the aisles of Boots, but I could definitely do without the mixture of upper- and lowercase lettering on the label. It's awfully outdated.
I've always been told that it's important to use heat protectant when blowdrying and straightening your hair to avoid breakage, but chose to avoid this advice for the majority of my life. Ever since I started using heat protectant my hair has been stronger and healthier, though I wouldn't say the difference is particularly mind blowing.

Anyway, this isn't the first heat protectant I've used and it's always a tad difficult to judge their efficiency other than by the fact that my hair isn't ruined (hey, that's better than nothing).
Positives I would like to mention is that the spray smells nice, albeit a little too sweet for me, the nozzle doesn't get blocked like it does with some other sprays and you can be quite generous with it without your hair going sticky or crispy.
Not bad for £5.99! If you're interested, you can find the Poker Straight Flat Iron Protection Shine Mist (whew) here.

Love Me Beauty Box February 14

Hooray, we finally, finally have internet at our new home! When the Virgin man came over on Friday this week I literally couldn't have been happier. This month's Love Me Beauty Box arrived on Monday and the pictures have been sat on my computer waiting to be uploaded and talked about all week.
This month saw the inclusion of a surprise product for the first time ever - the only thing the subscribers knew was that it would be a hero product from a previous box. This is something that had me slightly worried, as I'm not a huge fan of repeat products, but I needn't have panicked as I got something I loved the first time around and used up every drop of.

1) Percy & Reed | No-Fuss Flawlessness Dry Conditioner

Full size: £12.00

I've certainly heard of dry shampoo before and I'm not entirely sure how I'd survive without it to be honest, but dry conditioner? I gave this a quick spritz yesterday and it's pretty impressive stuff. It is literally like instant softness in a can. A spritz of Batiste followed by a spritz of this and who needs to wash their hair ever again? (Okay, maybe that's going a step too far) I also own a styling creme by Percy & Reed which came with a magazine and both products are awesome, so it's definitely got me hooked on trying more from the brand.

2) La Claree | Ultra Melting Body Milk

Full size: £24.00 for 200ml / Sample value: £3.43

La Claree is not a brand I've ever heard of before and I could only find a link to their French website, though they do seem to ship to all of Europe. The body milk has a very light and airy texture, but is nonetheless rich and moisturising. It has a very soft, soapy and slightly almondy smell and is overall a very lovely product. Shame I had to throw half of my sample in the bin, because after two applications it's nigh on impossible to get the rest out of the packaging. I see the idea behind the pretty little mini bottle, but it just doesn't work in dispensing the product!

3) Bakewell Soap Company | Multi-Purpose Pocket Balm in "Hard Working Formula"

Full size: £4.95

This is yet another brand that's completely new to me and from the looks of it it can't be a very big company, as the label looks like it's literally been printed on someone's home printer. The balm is quite hard and waxy in texture and I do wish it was slightly softer, as that would just make it so much easier to pick up. It has quite a strong scent of essential oils, but as you only use small amounts at a time, it tends to diffuse quickly. I've used it overnight on my lips, as they get a bit dry in this horrible weather and have woken up with soft lips every morning.

4) Inner Me | Beautify Me Vitamin Complex

Full size: £15.00

This is a product I was really excited about when it came to this month's boxes. It's exactly the kind of thing I'd really like to try, but can't quite get myself to spend the money on it in case it's rubbish or I don't like it. I don't think any other beauty boxes have done vitamins before, either, so these have got quite the novelty factor as well. I'm a firm believer in looking after yourself from within - my skin always looks its best when I make sure to eat well and drink 2 litres of water a day - so I'm really curious if I see an improvement after the two weeks of this course.

5) Murad | Osmolyte Tonic

Full size: £10.00

So, after reading a handful of blog posts on everyone's February box I was fully expecting to see an Artdeco gloss in my box - instead, I got this spray on toner which I also received back in my September box last year (full post here). That's not to say that I'm disappointed, because I really liked this product and I'm sure I'll use it up a second time around. I wonder if the mystery products were chosen at random, or if I was given this because unlike most people I consistently rank skincare at a higher preference than make-up. If it's the latter, then hat off to you, Love Me Beauty, as it would make you the first and only beauty box brand to ever take into account what your customers put into their profile.

Total value: £45.38

It feels like another success from Love Me Beauty who have once again provided me with a box full of products that I will actually use and make the most of. Not to mention that four out of the five products come in full sizes. I honestly didn't think that they'd manage to pull off giving away so many full products each and every month for so long, but somehow they're still going strong. While the mystery product was a nice touch this month, however, I'd still prefer to get new things each month rather than repeat items. Other than that, this beauty box has managed to impress once again.

Review: L'Oreal Studio Line #TXT Range

These two products are some of the line-up from the new L'Oreal #TXT range for Studio Line, which aims to give hair a textured look with plenty of grip - a slightly edgy, messy look which is exactly what I usually go for with my hair style. As it turns out, one of the above was a total hit with me, while the other is one I'll be giving a miss. Can you guess which is which?

Let's start with the Wave Creating Spray. According to instructions you're meant to generously spray this onto damp hair, then blow dry until your hair is half dry, put it up into two or more buns, blow dry it a bit further and finish drying it by scrunching it upwards.

My hair is actually naturally wavy and I usually straighten it right after washing and then just let it naturally curl and wave as it pleases the day after. A curling spray is therefore not something I would usually look for, but nevertheless I thought I would give this a whirl.

I followed the instructions carefully with the only difference being that I put my hair into three top knots rather than two - one in the back and one either side of my head, as I felt that that would give my waves some better structure.

Sadly, what I ended up with was nothing like the girl in the picture's hair. It was more like three big sticky dreadlocks. I wouldn't say my hair was any wavier than usual, it was just messy - and not in a good way. I wonder if it's because my hair is naturally quite thick and wavy? I do find that my hair is particularly picky when it comes to styling products, but then I've read other reviews and they paint a similar picture to what's happened with my hair.

Moving on to the second one of the bunch: The Volume Supersizing Spray. Now, here's a different story altogether. For a start, a bit of volume is something I'm always happy about. I have to use a lot of heavy deep conditioners and hair masks to keep my bleached hair strong and shiny, but they can often weigh it down and make it look a bit flat.

You use this by spraying it directly onto the roots and then giving them a bit of a rub with your fingers for instant lift. You can then smooth over any rough and rebellious bits afterwards. Make sure to keep a good distance from your head with the spray, though, or otherwise your hair will feel wet and greasy (obviously what I did on first application). But aside from that, this stuff really works and it works well! Here's some cheesy before and after pictures:

Before: With freshly straightened hair. Grumpy faaaaace!

After: Va-Va-Voom to my roots!

There's your proof. The finish is a bit messy, but in a "messy on purpose" way and I can easily see myself repurchasing this spray once it's run out.

There's two more products in the #TXT line-up, which I don't have, as they're aimed more towards short hair: the Dishevelling Dry Putty and the Grooming Soft Clay.
Meanwhile, you can find the Wave Creating Spray for £3.79 here and the Volume Supersizing Spray for the same price here (or in any drugstore or big supermarket).

Have you tried anything out of the Studio Line #TXT range? What did you think?

Monthly Favourites: January 2014

1) Yes Nurse! Hand cream

There's not much to say about this hand cream that I haven't said before (check out my full review of this one here), but it's quite possibly the best hand cream I've ever used. No faffing about with greasy, slimy hands that won't let you touch anything without leaving a snail trail. This sinks in pretty much instantly and protects my hands from the harsh environment. Every winter my hands would get so dry that the skin would crack at the knuckles - now that's a thing of the past. The tube in the picture has been in my handbag for a while, so it's gone a bit manky and it's starting to run low as well, but I can definitely see myself repurchasing this.

2) MAC Cream Colour Base in Hush

I've had this product for ages and it's only recently, when rummaging through my stash, that I rediscovered it. I've not put it down ever since! It's got quite a hard, waxy cream texture, but I find that that makes it perfect for placing a strategic highlight on top of the cheekbones as well as above the lip on the cupid's bow. It works best when blended in with fingers, as I find that brushes struggle to pick up the pigment. I actually reviewed this product on my blog in May two years ago, back when I lived in Germany for a bit and wrote my posts in two languages! Click here for a blast from the past.

3) Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray

This mini thickening spray came as a freebie with a magazine sometime last autumn I think. The first time I used it I was a tad overzealous and as a result my hair went literally horizontal after blow drying. There's volume and there's too much volume. After that incident I've banished the spray to the back of my unwanted drawer, but something made me dig it out again at the start of the month and give it another go. Turns out, if you're not overgenerous with your application, this is actually a brilliant product that gives me just that little bit of lift to my hair without being at all sticky or drying on the hair. 

4) Maybelline Color Tattoo in Permanent Taupe

Right before Christmas there was a 3 for 2 deal on all Rimmel products on at Boots, and as I was in the market for a new foundation and mascara anyway, I popped this into my basket as well, seeing as I'd heard so many good things about the Color Tattoos from various blogs. Turns out, I can completely understand the hype. The formula is simply brilliant. Nice and creamy and blendable to begin with, it eventually settles into a powder finish that does not budge all day. Permanent Taupe is a little less pigmented and more muted compared to the other shades on offer, but it works amazing with a winged eye liner. I can't wait to get my hands on some of the other colours, including On and On Bronze!

Love Me Beauty Box January 14

After last month's slight disappointment with my Love Me Beauty box and the options they had on offer, the first box of this year got me excited again with some lovely menus to choose from. Four out of five items are full sized products and there's a nice mix of make-up, haircare and skincare. All the menus featured the Anatomicals shower gel, the Pureology styling mousse, the Cosmetics a la Carte mascara and the NYX eye shadow, albeit in different shades depending on the menu. Lastly, you got to choose between a Weleda body oil sample, a Weleda hand cream sample or a full sized Arran Aromatics soap. The menu I went for was Menu 3, as I liked the eye shadow shade the most out of all of the options.

1) NYX Cosmetics | Single Eyeshadow in "Sahara"

Full size: £5.00

NYX Cosmetics Single Eyeshadow in Sahara swatch in day light

The first item in the box was a full sized eye shadow by NYX - a brand I used to see quite a lot of when I lived in Germany, but that's not overly prevalent over here in the UK. This eyeshadow is the only reason I chose this particular menu, as the other shades on offer were a bright orange which I wouldn't really know how to wear and a dark smoky grey which I have enough of in my collection already. Sahara translates as a light sparkly champagne onto the skin and admittedly I'm not overly impressed with the pigmentation. It might work quite well as a base colour, however, or for adding a bit of sparkle to an everyday make-up look.

2) Arran Aromatics | Apothecary Wheatgerm & Vitamin E Soap

Full size: £2.75

As I chose my box by eye shadow colour this is a product that I was sort of forced to pick. I would have preferred the Weleda body oil sample to be completely honest, as it's difficult to get excited over soap. However, it's something we all need and I have no doubt that I'll use it. I haven't unwrapped it yet, as I want to leave it fresh for when we move into our new home, so I can't really comment on the scent of this product.

3) Anatomicals | Rose & Jasmine Body Cleanser

Full size: £3.00

I know there's quite a few people who don't like getting body wash in their beauty boxes and while I understand completely where they're coming from, I personally don't mind at all, as long as it's not too frequent. Shower gel is something everyone needs, but I usually get mine from the Pound shop or on special offer from the supermarket, so it's nice to have something a tad more special from time to time. Having said that, this one only comes in at £3 anyway, so it's certainly not a splurge product anyway! I really like the smell of roses, so to me this scent is pure bliss. Not to mention I'm a huge fan of Anatomicals' packaging design and cheeky slogans!

4) Pureology | Colour Stylist Silk Bodifier

Full size: £15.00 for 250ml / Sample value: £4.88

Well, admittedly it's been quite a while since I've used mousse on my hair and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this sample. Memories of sticky, crispy hair come to mind, but perhaps mousse formulas have improved over the years and I'll fall in love with this product. I've heard a lot of beauty bloggers rave about Pureology and their sulfate-free products, so it's nice to try something from the brand for myself. This mousse in particular is also made for colour-treated hair, so should be perfect for my bleached tresses.

5) Cosmetics a la Carte | Divine Lash Mascara in "Black"

Full size: £23.00

Even after browsing their website, I can't quite fathom where I've heard of this brand before, but the name does certainly ring a bell. Hailed as this month's star product, I'm certainly excited to try this mascara. Which girl doesn't love mascara after all? This one has quite spiky looking long synthetic bristles - a bit like a hybrid between a traditional mascara wand and a lash comb. I can't wait to give this a trial run on my lashes and see how it performs!

Total value: £38.63

It feels like Love Me Beauty have certainly kicked off the New Year by returning back to form. Out of the five products I received this month, I can say with certainty that I will use each and every single one. I like the nice mix of product types and high-end vs. budget brands featured. Even though two brands have been in boxes before (Arran Aromatics and Anatomicals), they're completely different types of products, so I don't mind like I did with last month's Lord & Berry scenario. Now I can't wait to see what's going to be in next month's box!

Are you subscribed to Love Me Beauty? If so, what did you think of this month's boxes?