So before I was kindly gifted this  British Beauty Box, it is safe to say I was a 'subscription box virgin'. Don't get me wrong, I have always loved the idea of them and think they're a great way to try new products but I just never decided to bite the bullet. After trying this box out, I have no idea what was holding me back and truly regret waiting so long. This beauty box is a little more premium than some of the boxes you get and you receive at least 3 full-sized products which I think is brilliant for the £35 monthly fee. 

So in my box, I was really happy with the variety of products I got in it and I liked that they were all brands I had never heard before as there is nothing more disappointing than receiving products you've already heard about. Well that's my opinion anyway as I feel these boxes should encourage you to try new products and explore different brands at a much more affordable price. You have the option of purchasing yearly or quarterly with the option to cancel at any time! A perfect little treat all year round!

I am so glad I was given to opportunity to try this box and will happily explore others from now on without holding back! Have you tried any subscription boxes?

Gemma x

I will never forget the first time I put on fake tan because since then I never looked back. Fake tan life is great, I don't know how or why but I just feel so much better when it's on. My outfits look better, my skin looks better, I'm not the only one? The only downfall to fake tan, which I'm sure everyone will agree with, is the smell. My boyfriend always takes a whiff and you can tell by his face that the smell is a little odd. When I found out about this Coconut range from Fake Bake I was mesmerised and had to get my hands on it! 

First of all, the application was amazing! I had never used a serum like application but it took less time to apply than a mousse I usually use and it didn't streak at all! I will never go back to be honest. It is a medium shade and honestly I wish I had got darker because it gave me a great colour the first day but just a glow after that. When it came the smell it definitely wasn't as strong and you could smell the hint of coconut. Of course there was a slight fake tan smell but I even got it boyfriend checked and he said it smelt much better! I got these kindly gifted by Fragrance Direct and would recommend them with fast delivery and great offers!

Gemma x

Okay, so I have now found my newest addictions - perfumes! A while ago I would be using the same fragrance day and night and never really switched it up, I think I just got comfortable. I'm so glad that has now changed as I have discovered so many amazing scents including these four above!

I like to try and change my fragrance every season and get a new day and night scent to spruce it up. Fragrance Direct have kindly sent out these new fragrances for men and women that not only look stunning but also smell great too. For women, I went with la vie est belle and black opium which are classics but with a new design which I am in love with. Personally I use la vie est belle in the day as it has a fresher and fruiter scent and then black opium in the evening as it has a more sexy smell. For men, I chose some new scents - Eros Flame by Versace and Infinite by Hugo Boss. Infinite has has the usual, gorgeous male scent that I love where as Eros Flame took me by surprise and was little more fresh and fruity but still amazing.

What perfumes are you wearing at the moment?
Gemma x 

Skincare products and routines are becoming so much more hyped recently am I right? I'm not complaining as my skin has never felt better and I love a good excuse to go and buy new products to try but currently I have been sold by these beauties. For Christmas I was treated to a Pixi skincare set and I have never tried them before. Admittedly, it did take me a while to open them and use because the packaging is adorable with the pastel colours. The scent of these products are perfect for skincare making you feel cosy and calm but I am particularly impressed with the peel and polish and how such a simple product can make me face glow! I also am in love with the glow tonic as it is very refreshing but also very kind on skin as some can be a bit too harsh...

Pixi is definitely my new favourite skincare brand, not only could I sit there and photograph them all day but also constantly use them. Which skincare brand is your go to?

Gemma x

After speaking with a few friends I’m definitely not the only one who struggles with gift ideas when it comes to Mother’s Day. For me, it’s just been Christmas and my mum’s birthday so when it gets to mother’s day panic mode is on. Surprisingly this year has been made really easy for me when The Perfume Shop got in touch with me about their new Marc Jacob’s Daisy collection. Their fragrance is something I’m sure everybody is familiar with but when I was shown this packaging it surprised me. Their bottle has been given a summer makeover and will make you dream of summer. There are four different bottle designs with this being one I was kindly gifted and is also my favourite! Aside from the bottle the smell is as fabulous as ever and really has a summer fresh smell.

This is a new addition this year so unless your mum is a shopoholic then this is bound to be new to her collection. Starting at £57 with the bottle being a healthy size get over to The Perfume Shop and bag this number while you can! (Maybe even one for yourself?)

Gemma x

I've been feeling poorly for the past few weeks and if there's one thing that can cheer me up, like most girls its shopping! Some of these were top ups of my favourite products and others brand new like the Primark lashes which are stunning on. I went into Primark knowing that a lot of people rave about their eyelashes and spotted these from their glam lash collection. They were the more expensive of their range but they are definitely very realist looking as in the lashes look almost like mink ones. I've worn them a few times are they are very glam but actually so comfortable to wear!

The rest of my purchases were my restock as they really are my favourites. Starting with the Urban Decay all nighter foundation - this never fails me. Its just the right coverage and also very mattifying which is something I love in foundation. Next was my Anastasia Brow Gel which I was unsure to repurchase. I don't know just for me can I justify that amount on a gel when any gel would work the same. I ended up repurchasing not only to treat myself but as much as I was unsure I can't knock the product, it works for me! Next purchase was of course the Laura Mercier powder which I don't even have to go into detail with as everyone will agree it's the best powder out there. Lastly, my Kiko bronzer... I actually don't know of any bronzers so when I hit the pan on my current Kiko I panicked - do I go for a new one or do I stick with something I know and love. After searching around I decided to stay with my Kiko product as it's nice and buildable but also a really good bronzing shade for me! 

What's your makeup favs?

Gemma x

Not too long ago I was sucked into the hair extension phase and honestly I loved every minute of it until my hair grew and the up keep was getting too much resulting in me taking them out. I know I had gone from having thick hair to my natural, thinner hair but I'm almost certain my hair was a lot thinner than usual. For most girls I know, hair means a lot so I was so gutted and unhappy with my hair, I just constantly wanted to tie it up and hide it away. 

I began to do some research into some proper products to help with the quality of my hair as honestly, the most I'd ever use was a heat protector and even that was occasional (oops). I came across this hair burst brand in Holland and Barretts and Superdrug and they had amazingggg reviews. For me, I wouldn't class them as cheap. The shampoo and conditioner was around £20 and the hair elixir £15 so I did expect to see some results if I had invested in them. The aim of the brand is natural products to boost your hair growth and get as much length as possible in the shortest time while also strengthening  your hair and protecting it from breakage (the bain of my life).

I've been using these products for about a month now and honestly my hair growth as come from no where. It began at my collarbone and has grown around 2-3 inches as well as my hair finally starting to feel thick and healthy again. I was so happy with my results especially as I do love a good full head of highlights and I can still get my hair to grow! Definitely give these a try!!

Gemma 

Since this being my first Christmas spent with a boyfriend, boy how I've realised how hard it is to buy for men! For my dad and grandad it was easy just to get them a voucher or something but I couldn't do that to my boyfriend as that would be no fun to unwrap. I feel like skincare stuff always goes down a treat as there's no way they wouldn't like them but then there's so many brands I've never heard of which makes my indecisiveness 10x harder - this is where Nivea comes in...

Until recently, I had never heard of this brand let alone tried out their products. I know what you're thinking, where have you been hiding huh Gemma? But honestly I don't think it's a brand that crops up a lot, maybe because their products are a little more advanced than others who knows. 

Not too along ago was my birthday and my sister kindly got me these from BeautyBay to try. Minus the fancy terms, the red bottle is basically a home skin peel and the product on the left is a strong toner. These products do need to be used carefully as they are to improve your skin texture, so I wouldn't go overboard if I were you... Both products I felt had an effect straight away, they gave my skin a tingly feeling that wasn't uncomfortable but also brightened and softened my skin. I've been using them for about a week now hoping that it will even my skin texture and will definately keep you updated. 

Have you tried this brand before?

Gemma

I know it's a bad habit (with also lots of good), but I love trying out new cosmetic/skincare products. I think you can class that as a hobby right? Now for some of you I'm sure ItCosmetics isn't a new cosmetic/skincare brand but it wasn't too long ago that it was launched in the UK and I am so happy it is now in my life. Now I know this is a super bold statement but after trying on these three products I'm ready to say that this may be my new favourite go to brand! I have never been so impressed with every single product that it straight away was swapped into my daily products. The packaging is simple and sleek and the quality of the products is something you cannot fault (I will go into detail later in the post). The price point I would say is fairly similar to MAC's price points and oh so worth it too...

So the three products I had tried was an eye concealer, mascara and eye liner. I wear eye liner the majority of the time when I go out so for me it's important that I find a pigmented, thin and easy applicator which this eyeliner easily ticks off. Can I also mention that it has some sort of super powers when staying on, you can't get it to budge but it's not a nightmare when taking off of a night which is so good. Trust me, I've done a lot of things with this eyeliner on and it's still perfect. 

The mascara is stunning, not as impressive as the others but still stunning. With one application your lashes look long and full and it doesn't rub off onto your eyelid/skin. I really like the applicator as it is easy to grip and apply too!

This concealer. Let me tell you if you haven't had sleep since 2003, this concealer will cover that up with ease! Now it's super important that you use the tiny amount and slowly build up as it is a thick consistency and can easily looked 'caked' but if you apply it right, it will mask away any lack of sleep you may have. It is in the £20 mark which is a lot compared to my Collection 2000 concealer but honestly with the little amount you need it would probably equal out anyway.

I am so impressed with the brand that I cannot wait to try the other products, especially as halloween is around the corner! If you haven't tried it out, you needed to!

Gemma x

As an avid fan of Essie nail polish, I was very keen to see the shades that were in the limited edition Fall 2017 collection. The shades were inspired by the cool and relaxed vibes that defined 1990s style and funnily enough when I was chatting to the lovely Siobhan from their PR team, I mentioned that for once I actually liked every single shade in the collection and could see myself wearing them all! I'm currently rocking mixetaupe as I love that it is an off-white tone that can still be rocked in the 'Summer' that we are having here in England. If I'm honest, I think Fall and Winter Collections suit me much more as I love these pastel/nude tones that aren't too bright and in your face.

What is your favourite shade?

Gem x