GlossyBox - Valentine's Edition

After what seems like an eternity since the Christmas GlossyBox the January edition has finally arrived...whooo!

With the tag line "pink is the new red" this box has been marketed as a Valentine's special. The box is a fabulous shade of fuschia finished off with a cute heart sticker --- ah I do love the little touches.

Right enough of the outside, let's dig inside the tissue paper............

My box contained:

• Clarins Extra Firming Day Cream
• Clarins Extra Firming Night Cream
• Murad Hybrids Skin Perfecting Primer
• FAB body moisturiser
• Eyeko skinny eyeliner   

Clarins Extra Firming Night Cream

Clarins isn't one of my go to brands; I know that it has a good reputation, but I tend to associate their skincare range with an older clientele.  However I am always open and excited to try new products and I wasn't disappointed with this cream. 

It had a good consistency, not too thick or too watery.  You don't need to use much for a full face and neck coverage (which is just as well as it is only a 15ml tube!)

The scent was light, I think apricot maybe.   I am prone to an oily t-zone so I try to avoid using thick, greasy night creams as they only worsen this.  This cream worked well on my skin as it was a happy medium in terms of thickness and it absorbed into my skin quickly. 

After using this, I would now consider Clarins products in my skincare regime.

Clarins Extra Firming Day Cream

I wasn't particularly bowled over by the day cream.  As far as I could see on the label it doesn't contain SPF, which is usually a given with day creams, especially those at the higher end of the price bracket.

It had a light consistency and absorbed into my skin on application.  Nothing really to complain about, but equally nothing really to shout home about.  And when you are spending £20 plus on a face cream, I like to feel like I am getting something special / extra for my money - either a luxurious feel on the skin, or added ingredients - otherwise I'd rather spend £8 on an Olay cream.

Murad Hybrids Skin Perfecting Primer

I know some of you reading this probably think primers are just a beauty marketers way of getting us to spend more money on products.  But trust me, find a good primer and you'll never look back.

The job of a primer is to set the base for your makeup, give your skin a smooth and even head start before applying foundation, powder, bronzer etc.

For me, the most important area to apply primer is to your eyelids.  This helps to keep your eyeshadow in place all day, and not slide into the creases of your eyelids. 

I usually go for a thick primer and apply a light coverage.  My personal favourite is - L'Oreal Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer.

This cream is a lot thinner and looks more like a tinted moisturiser.  It goes into the skin quickly meaning that you can crack on apply the rest of your makeup straight away, whereas the thicker primers require you to wait a few minutes first.  (I apply my primer when I get out the shower, this gives it ten minutes to settle into my skin as I dry my hair before applying makeup).

I was pleased with the results; it gave a smooth matt look which is exactly what I want from a primer.  however this one sells itself on giving a dewy finish - which to me, it didn't do.  But this was a bonus, as my skin is oily, so a dewy finish would have only made my skin look worse rather than better.

Remember this cream is tinted, so apply well around your jaw and hairline.

Enjoyed using this and will continue to use and finish the bottle - however it has not made me want to leave my allegience to the L'Oreal primer.

FAB body moisturiser

I was excited to see this brand  as I loved the face wash in last month's box, so I was looking forward to trying this moisturiser.

First impressions - badly designed bottle.  This is a seriously thick body cream and the bottle had a small squeezy hole, there was no way the cream was coming out of there.  So I unscrewed the lid and squeezed, still nothing.  Next attempt - the tomato ketchup approach: banging on the bottom, still nothing - then suddenly a massive splodge! 

The cream has a very light scent, I can only describe it as sort of botanical / plant like.  Which for many people would be a good thing, as they don't like their body creams to be too fragrant or over powering.  However I do love a strong fruity / vanilla body cream - but that's just my preference.

The cream itself glided on and gave an instant sheen and smooth appearence to my skin.  It absorbed quickly - not like body butters that sit on the surface for ages meaning you can't get dressed for at least half an hour after application (which can be v annoying!)

Overall I was pleased with the cream itself but disappointed with the dispenser.  It would definitely add minutes onto your morning beauty routine battling to get the cream out of the bottle.  And we all know how precious every minute is in a morning!

Eyeko skinny eyeliner

I love the shape of this eyeliner - looks so sexy and spaceage.  More interesting than your bog standard pencil.  I was pleased that I received the black one (I believe there are several other colours appearing in people's boxes) as black liner would definitely be one of my couldn't live without makeup products.

I feel naked without my eyeliner on!  I'm a liquid liner girl on top and a pencil on the bottom.  I like to apply a pencil on the inner rim of my lower lash line.  This pencil went on easily and left a good depth of colour that is showing no signs of budging.  I'm really impressed with this product and it has made a happy addition to my makeup box.

(please excuse the bags - it was 5.30am when I took this photo)

I have been reading comments on the GlossyBox Facebook page, and I have to chuckle to myself.  Some people just love moaning and complaing don't they!  Complaints included - "I was disappointed with my box as I received the boy moisturiser.  I don't use moisturiser so it's no good to me."  I'm sorry but if you don't use body creams, that what the heck are you doing subscribing to GlossyBox?? - it's for beauty product junkies...and every beauty product lover worth their salt slathers themself in lotion morning and evening!

I thought the point of GlossyBox was to try new things; some you'll like, some you won't.  But rather than spending a fortune on full size bottle of everything and wasting them; with this we get a little taste test of things and can then decide which to invest in and which not to.

Overall I am really happy with my January GlossyBox - infact I've yet to be disappointed by one; keep up the good work folks.