January Glossy Box

Yes Glossybox! I've been seeing a few slightly negative reviews about these usually beloved products, and other similar beauty boxes, recently so signing back up to my subscription took some serious debating but I love love love getting parcels and was missing my monthly beauty treats! Well, clearly people were either whining over nothing or Glossybox noticed this negative publicity and pledged to knock our socks off because this has been my favourite GlossyBox ever.

The theme of the box, January detox, was definitely tailored to my tastes as my skin was having an absolute mare after all the bad Christmas food, central heating and one too many breakdowns in my uni library, all in all I was in need of a hero. And Glossybox came to rescue me with some amazing detox products. This box also contained an item I'd already had my eye on the Elemis FreshSkin Exfoliator, which is always a massive plus!

I was so excited to get one of their lovely boxes through my door (my first since summer). As always the gorgeous wrapping put a huge smile on my face and made me feel like it was my birthday, and with mine being 4 months away this was a feeling I'm in desperate need of.

I already knew the box was the detox one as it was mainly this which convinced me to return to Glossybox and was very excited about the upcoming products and when they arrived I wasn't disappointed!

The first thing I loved about this box was the free eye mask!I love little luxurious treats like this and it will be the perfect bath time treat to pop on and relax (I'm also a big fan of a midday nap so this should keep the light out!). Then there was the Jason Bee Healthier Lip Balm. I'm a huge fan of lip glosses, despite the oily skin I suffer from my lips can get really dry in the winter months (cheers central heating) and I love treating them with luxurious lip balms. This one certainly doesn't disappoint. Formulated with a rich, natural combination of moisture trapping beeswax, Vitamin E, and green tea extract this gives a nice fresh feeling on the lips and leaves them feeling silky soft. After putting this on my lips looked much healthier and even a little fuller, which is great for skinny lipped girls like me! J'adore. The award for freshest smelling product goes to the Duck Island Mandarin and Bergamot Body Lotion. This smells like what I imagine a desert island in the pacific ocean would smell like i.e. incredible, tropical and fresh. It goes on smoothly, rubs in easily and really the smell is amazing. The scent lasts and so does the hydration, this left me silky smooth and fabulously scented for a good 24 hours.

Moving on to the skincare , and the items I was most excited about, I was more than pleased by what I got. As I mentioned before i'd had my eye on the Elemis FreshSkin Exfoliator for quite some time and have to say I have not been disappointed. Elemis are a range i've known of for a while after purchasing some of their products from a spa 2 Christmases ago. They're probably one of my favourite high end brands simply because they're so reasonably priced, with the fresh skin range starting at just £6! For a luxury product which works as well as all Elemis products i've tried do then this is definitely worth it. This particular exfoliator is slightly pricier at £12 but that's what I love about Glossybox, I can literally try before I buy. I've only used this 4 times now and it's no exaggeration to say that I am amazed. My skin is having a nightmare at the moment and the FreshSkin exfoliator has well and truly given it the boot and it's on its way to recovery. I'm not one to believe n skin miracles but I could be on to one here and it's all thanks to Glossybox!

The second skincare product in this box was one i'd had my eye on without even realising it. The Premae Balance Rescue Face Toniuqe is the answer to one of my recent beauty prayers. At the moment I am using and apple cider vinegar and rosewater homemade toner. However smelling like a chippy during the day or on the nights when my boyfriend stays overis really not very appealing and so I needed something new which did a similar job without the stink (i'm still using the ACV toner at night-review up soon!). This face tonique contains sandlewood oil and rose water and aims to lift trapped dirt and close open pores. It leaves my skin feeling refreshed, without being drying and sees the daytime shine I suffer from well and truly off. It's also a much nicer alternative to smelling like the fish and chip shop. I really love this product and again it's probably something I wouldn't have tried without the guys at Glossy HQ.


Last but not least is the Monu aromatic mask which bossts mineral absoprton in the skin, leaving it refreshed and soft. This product does sound like it could be a little too much for my currently temperamental skin but having read lots of reviews online about it i'm excited to try it when my skin is behaving a little, in fact i've had to avoid using it so far because it smells so good!

So there we have it, one very satisfied Glossybox customer , as I said I've seen some negative reviews lately particularly mentioning the giving out of sample size sachets rather than smaller versions of full products. Hhowever these have usually been of the very expensive products. You already get fantastic savings for the £10 you pay for Glossybox anyway and as they introduce even better high end brands it's understandable that sachets and samples may sometimes be given out. After this January box I can't see how anyone would be disappointed, it's perfectly timed, there's something for everyone and there's some big name products and decent sample sizes in there too! What did you think of your January box? Did you enjoy yours or where the products not right for you?Let me know!

Wednesday Wishlist: Make-Up Bags

So this weeks wishlist is less of a wishlist and more of a I-NEED-but-which-one-do-I-pick-list? (how boring -I must be getting old!). I am in absolute desperate need of a new make up bag/way to organise my make up. I've moved my make up into a lovely green FCUK bag, after my bra drawer became too cramped (big boob problems, I had to upgrade to two bra drawers and my make up needed a new home. At home I devoted one whole drawer to toiletries and make up, dividing it up using IKEA Skubb bags which was perfect for my over neat-freakness.

However a move to uni and reduction of storage space see me have to reduce to just one half drawer but even now I can't do that. Keeping my make up in a big isn't really a bigger inconvenience but my make up is starting to take up a little bit too much room (by which I mean the sides of the bag are splitting) so I've started to shop around for another one , or two, maybe I can have a separate one for face and eyes-excessive? me? Never!

Wednesday Wishlist by alicia-faye-myers featuring bags & cases

1. Marilyn Monroe Make-up Bag- i'm a huge fan of anything with our mazza on it, she's one of my beauty idols so having her face on the side of this bag would provide me with definite make-up inspiration! My only issue with this bag is that it's white and foundation/blusher/mascara are bound to stain it into oblivion.

2. I heart Barry M bag- this bag would probably be more suited to storing my vast collection of Barry M nail polishes and I must now admit that having a nail polish bag is definitely a thought i'm entertaining. Especially considering that my nail polish collection now takes up so much room on my shelf i've had to move my (slightly important)course books on to my desk. Oops.

3. Contents: My Face bag- I loved the purple colour of this bag and as a girl who makes a lot of jokes about how horrendous I look without make-up the cheeky little slogan was just too fun for me to resist!

4. Doggy patterned bag- I've been referring to this little gem as 'the doggy bag' because i'm immature and have had my eye on it for a while. I love make-up and I love dogs, it's basically perfect.

5. Make up storage case-This one is a little different, it's a case not a bag, obviously. My inner neat freak is really drawn to this as it would organise my brushes and make up separately. Some of my brushes get a little squished up in my make up bag and this would help to keep them neat and clean which could only mean good things for my imperfection-prone skin!

So how do you store your make-up? In a bag? A draw or a cute little caddy like the one in this post? Which of these bags is your favourite and the big question: is having separate make up bags for eyes and face excessive? let me know!

Monday Money Saver: G21

So, as you may have noticed I enjoy a good old bargain and lots of my blog posts are focussed on saving you as many pennies as possible! As a northern student saving is second nature to me and as someone who has a bad habit of wearing things once and never again or wearing them to death and then never again i'm quite a fan of cheap, almost disposable fashion such as good old primarni!

Another great way of getting fab fashion pieces at unbelievable prices is through shopping at supermarkets. I have to admit before I knew of some of the lovely clothes available from ranges such as Tesco's F+F and Sainbury's TU, then i'd have laughed in the face of anyone who suggest I picked up some wardrobe essentials with the weekly shop. However last year my mum bought me a gorgeous heart patterned playsuit from George @ ASDA's G21 range and I was sold. I wore the playsuit throughout the entire summer and even gave it a whirl on some nights out. It was a gorgeous, unique piece that could have come straight out of Topshop however, it had only set my madre back £8.

Floral Bhomeia by alicia-faye-myers featuring peplum tops

After this I began browsing the rails more often when I went to get my bread and milk and found myself making a number of purchases and I really loved the G21 range, aimed at the younger shoppers out there! This is my selction of their best bits from their new Bohemia collection which I adore, my next online shop may have to feature some of these beauties! Most are under £15 so are an absolute bargain.


Are you a fan of supermarket fashion or do you still find the concept of being able to buy clothes along with your weekly shop a little alien? Do you like the clothes they have on offer or do you think they fail to match up to high street names? Have you purchased any of your most loved items from a supermarket fashion range? As always, I love hearing from you guys!

Bleached Converse DIY

Converse, the shoes of my youth and something my poor parents were forced to splash out on at £40 a pair. Me and converse then took a 2 year break where I couldn't bare the sight of them , I became a vans convert and my relationship with my chucks was well and truly over. That was until I started noticing a lot of girls on campus sporting white ones.Suddenly the converse were calling to me again, they were comfy and they go with everything and they gave a bit more coverage to the old ankle are than my low rise vans, I was sold.

However there was a small issue, no longer being 15, being at university, having my own job and , allegedly, being financially independent I couldn't ask ma and pa for the £45 a new pair would set me back. But then I landed on an idea, I must have had about 7 pairs of converse in my time and, with my hoarding habit, there was a high chance I had a pair stashed somewhere at home. Cue Christmas break and a raiding of my built in closet which I no longer dare to use and the discovery of these badboys. 1 step closer to my white converse wish.

Bleached Converse DIY-You will need:
-1 pair of converse that you wish to bleach
- A large bowl to keep your bleach and shoe in
- Standard bleach (I used Sainsbury's own thin bleach)

Step One
Wash the converse, I did this because mine were in a pretty disgusting state but it will help to get rid of any build up of yucky stuff from the environment which will allow the bleach to take better.

Step Two
Pour the bleach into a large bowl in which you can submerge your shoes, I used 1 Litre of bleach and an old washing up bowl. I poured the bleach in, submerged the shoes and then gave the bowl a swish to completely coat all of the canvas. I then left them in the bleach, checking every half hour to make sure they didn't start to fall apart!

Step Three
Once you're satisfied with the colour chuck them in the washing machine whilst still bleach soaked, add a whitening tablet and wash on a gentle spin for around half an hour.

Mine after first bleaching
Step four
Allow to dry, I put mine in the dryer but you can leave yours to dry overnight if you wish, I chucked a dryer sheet in with mine too to try take the edge off the bleachy scent but realistically it will stick around for a while!


The finished product

I'm really pleased with the finished outcome! These have already been worn a lot and I can see many a spring/summer outfit being complimented by these! My next step may be to purchase some cheeky laces to dress these up a bit. I've already got my eye on some Lacey AA ones to compliment my new chucks!I hope this guide helped those of you looking to upgrade your shoes.

OOTD and NailsInc Secret.

Jeans-Primark £12//Top-H&M £7//Blazer-F&F £10//Converse-Office £40//Scarf-Primark £4
Python print is a big trend for Spring Summer 2013 and this is very exciting news for me as I've had these jeans for around 2 years (a birthday present from my little brother nonetheless?!).I have them in black too and they're probably my favourite jeans ever. The colour is quite subtle and goes with everything yet the snake print pattern gives them an edgy feel that I love.

They're the perfect item to dress up or down and I love mixing smart pieces with more urban or casual pieces, paired with my trusty black blazer and white converse (that I bleached myself-tutorial coming soon!) this is the perfect day time outfit for a lunch date or spot of shopping. I accessorised with this absolute bargain of a scarf which is probably one of my most treasured items. I love a good silk scarf and cross prints have been one of my favourite trends to emerge in the past few years. I rocked this outfit on a visit to the pizza hut buffet with my pals Kezzy and Alex and my jeans basically didn't fit when I left-oops!

The second part of this post is some very exciting news from Nail Polish dons NailsInc, I got a lovely email telling me about their lucky dip offer where you can get 6 of their amazing varnishes for just £15! This saves an absolute fortune and although you don't get to pick the shades do you really need to when Nails Inc have such a gorgeous range of colours?!

Let me know if you guys snap up any of the Nails Inc polishes!I'd love to see a post on what shades you got. What are your opinions on the python print trend? Is it an animal print too far for you or a chic alternative to leopard print?

Wednesday Wishlist: Back to School Edition

I am currently enjoying 2 weeks off university after handing in all my essays and a dissertation proposal on Friday (I say enjoying as if I'm doing nothing, I'm actually going mental filling in job applications and reading for next semester) yet, as ever uni isn't far from my mind however my thoughts at the moment are a little more fashion focussed.

A new semester is always an excuse for me to indulge in some purchasing of some essentials and some not so essential items. Whilst I'm in desperate need of a bag to carry my thousands of books around there's also a few other items on my list. Getting new school shoes was the highlight if my 6 year old life (remember POD anyone?) and so even now, when i'm well past the days of uniform, I still like to treat myself! So when I woke up to an email from ASOS saying students got 25% off today I just had to have a sneaky look!

Too Cool for School by alicia-faye-myers featuring lace up wedges

Letterman Jumper for perfect Cheerleader Chic//A gorgeous rose gold watch to get you to class on time//Wedge Trainers-PE might not be a class any more but sports luxe is always in//Forest Green Satchel- the perfect Cambridge dupe//Tortoiseshell glasses for geek chic(you've got 20/20 vision/shhh)//Embroidered backpack for all your book carrying needs//Aztec Satchel for practicality and fashion//White Converse, comfy, goe with everything, a wardrobe essential.
If you like any of these items then hurry hurry! Asos' 25% off is for 48 hours only and ends Friday at 9pm! Not a student? Then find one and steal their NUS number, ASOS will never know ;)

Face Mask Faves

Adult Acne, of all the different topics flying around the blogosphere this seems to be a little neglected but probably because most of us don't consider ourselves adults just yet!

I refer to the blemishes, white heads and clogged pores I suffer from as adult acne because I actually had perfect skin until the age of 18. Developing spots as all of my friends' skin was clearing up was a major blow to my self esteem and I remember having many a freak out about having to start uni with 'hideous cystic acne' as I dramatically labelled it. I'm not entirely sure what caused me to break out suddenly at this age but hormones and stress are definite factors. I was completing my a-levels, suffering a worsening in the hormone-triggered migraines I suffered from and I'd just begun taking the pill so my delicate hormones were definitely going a little haywire.

My typical over-reaction to a few spots
3 years on and i've developed a better attitude to my skin, whilst it's still upsetting that i'm not enjoying the fabled 'best skin years of my life' that I thought my 20's would bring, dealing with my skin is getting a lot easier. Whilst i'm still perfecting my routine and am pretty sure I may have stubborn chin and jawline spots for the rest of my life one thing I have trialled and tested no end is face masks.

Fresh Faced and Fancy Free by alicia-faye-myers featuring a body shop

1. Montague Jeunesse Anti-Breakout Mask. This is a new mask from one of the first face mask ranges I discovered. Back in the perfect skin days when facemasks where just for fun their chocolate clay mask was one of the most divine i've ever experienced. The beautiful smell and texture left skin feeling smooth and of course smelling lovely. With the development of bad skin I turned to this trusted range to solve my problems! The anti break out one caught my eye because I first read the french 'anti-eruption' label and couldn't stop giggling. My spots often feel the size of Mt Vesuvius to me so 'eruption' seemed like an apt term. This mask left my skin feeling really deep cleansed instantly without drying and it managed to tackle the stubborn shine I always have left after using most face masks! Like all the other masks this is really well priced and I'd definitely reccomend it for anyone who needs a quick fix on a budget!

2.Garnier Pure Self Heating Sauna Mask. I've used a lot of the pure range before and whilst I found most of it a little too harsh for my skin this mask is great! I'm a big fan of self heating products as they feel like they give a really deep cleanse. This mask is the one I use the most and I'll probably pop one on every other week if I remember (for someone who's determined to tackle her problem skin i'm useless at remembering to do stuff to better it!). One pack gives two sachets of mask which great as I find some other masks contain enough for two applications in one sachet which can lead to the excess product drying out before you get to use it! All in all this mask is gentle enough for regular use but gives a nice deep cleanse for those with normal to oily skin.

3. Body Shop Tea Tree Mask. This refreshing masks is one of Body Shop's best sellers and it's easy to see why. One 100ml pot gives enough for a lot of applications so even though it's slightly pricer than the others it does go a long way! Tea Tree is one of the best things for troublesome skin but I do find applying it directly to my skin to be a little harsh (I went through a phase of applying it directly to blemish marks-big mistake. Pretty sure I burnt my corneas off with the fumes). This mask prevents that issue however as it has a lovely creamy texture which is gentle on sensitive skin and reduces the redness that other tea tree products can induce, for someone with distinctly porcelain skin this is most definitely a good thing.

4. Liz Earle Deep Cleansing Mask. Liz Earle is probably one of the most popular ranges in the world of beauty blogging and from some of the results i've seen it is no wonder why. While the cleansing products are a little out of my price range for something that isn't formulated for the oily skin I suffer from ths mask definitely is!I invested in this after using the Liz Earle website's online skin consultation and it was bought as a late birthday treat to myself this summer. I was wearing very little make up this summer and know this played a part but my skin truly was the best it's ever been whilst using this mask. It cleared up even my most stubborn blemishes and evened out my skin tone whilst also absorbing excess oils. It was also one of the only products I've ever used that seemed to make a difference to my blemish marks. I'm desperate for the day I have more money to purchase some more of this!

5. Soap and Glory No Clogs Allowed. I love love love love love! Soap and Glory products, if I could own the whole range then I would and this mask is no exception to my adoration. It has the adorable packaging and unique smell expected of a S&G product and it works. I have a few stubborn blackheads on my nose and open pores filled with oil (these look like lighter, tiny blackheads) and everything I have tried has failed except for this! It gives a really deep cleanse and as well as getting rid of any blemishes I have it also prevents others forming which is basically the holy grail of Skincare products amiright?

So there are my favourite face masks which have helped my oily skin sort it's act out but I do think certain ones would definitely help all skin types (Liz earle i'm looking at you). What are your favourite face masks? Do you use them regularly or are they more of a 'girlie night in' treat every once in a while?

Smell Ya Later: My Top Fragrance Five

Hello hello hello my lovely readers and followers! How are you all doing on this delightful Friday evening? I'm feeling pretty good after submitting the last lot of my coursework for Semester One, including my diss proposal (eek!)and am now back up north enjoying some serious R&R at home!

This, thankfully, allows me some time to get back into blogging THANK GOD. This blog has become a little passion project of mine and I've been going stir crazy with the lack of quality posts I've made. But now I'm back and hopefully the quality and quantity of posts is set to improve.

Today's post is on one of my key beauty products, not one that improves the way you look but one that improves your smell. Perfume, of course. I'm very much a person who responds to smells, most of my memories are associated with some kind of scent and if a friend wears a perfume regularly I instantly associate it with them. Jean Paul Gaultier Male, for example, has become known as 'Tom stuff' as it's my boyfriends scent of choice and it reminds me so much of him. The scent of Cacharel's Anais Anais takes me right back to my childhood watching my mother get ready and even Lynx Africa will forever remind me of an early love letter my 14 year old self received that was doused in the stuff (cringe!).

I can't leave the house without a spritz of scent and I even put some on for a video interview the other day-go figure?! I usually have a few scents on rotation but those above are my all time favourites!

1. Chloe EDP I was given this perfume for my 16th birthday when, fresh out my emo phase, I dove straight into a vintage obsession. This rose toned perfume with hints of lychee is delightfully powdery and somehow manages to smell like your gran would have done in the 50's whilst still being youthful and fresh. The tiniest little spritz goes a very very long way and it last all day. In addition to that the bottle is absolutely adorable and even though I haven't used this perfume in a long time I still have mine gracing my dresser!

2. Viktor and Rolf, Flowerbomb. Now one of my pals,I believe it's Hollyhas a serious dislike for this scent but I adore it. One of my friends wore it in college and it's honestly the most perfect smell. A little sweeter than some other scents I use but so unique that it's one not to miss! The box and bottle are also gorgeous and this perfume has a couture look that's to be expected from this Amsterdam based powerhouse.

3. Amor Amor, CacharelThis was one of the first 'grown up' perfumes I ever bought and I was definitely mimicking my mother's choice of anais anais. This is more of a 'youthful' perfume than some of the others wear and is so fruity and fresh it's the ideal summer fragrance. With notes of Lily of the Valley and Mandarin it's also got a slightly muskier tone that some of the others but is still so fruity and fresh it's the perfect boost on a summer morning! I adore this scent!

4. Jean Paul Gaultier My first encounter with this scent came in the form of it's very cheap rip off catsuit, the scent of many a 13 year old chav at my high school. It took my years to dissociate this smell with Key Stage 3. However, aged 18 I was given this just before going to uni and it honestly is one of my favourite perfumes ever. I currently don't wear it as the boyfriend wears the male version and that's just a little too cutesy for me. The famous bottle and bold scent make it the perfect night out perfume and this really does last forever.

5. Paco Rabanne Black XS A scent with a slightly bolder undertone now, this perfume strikes me as almost choclatey with hints of berries. The best way to describe this perfume is that it smells exactly how the bottle looks! Slightly ridiculous I know but this scent is very much , what my mother would call 'rock chick' and for once, she'd be right.

So that's my collection of some of my favourite scents! Do any of you wear any of these? Do you like these smells, or even hate them? What are your favourite perfumes? Do you go for high end brands or are you more likely to grab whatever body spray is on offer in boots? Let me know! As always, I love hearing from you guys :)

p.s I've had a lot of new followers lately so hello to you and thank you! I'd love to check out all your blogs so if you want me to then just leave a comment below.

Coursework Couture

So firstly i'd like to apologise for my absence of late! I've had the most horrendous bout of coursework of late so spare time for blogging has been minimum unfortunately. I'm slowly powering through essays and will finally reach the end of what I like to call 'hell week' on friday'.

As coursework has been dominating my life I decded to put together some classic 'geek chic' outfits inspired by those i've seen in the library (someone created a 'spotted' page for the library so everyone's dressing their best). So with ever handy Polyvore I put together some librarian-esque outfits with a bit of a twist.

Beau Blue by alicia-faye-myers featuring messenger bags

Nerd is the Word by alicia-faye-myers featuring a spike backpack

Perfect in Plaid by alicia-faye-myers featuring high waisted pants

Apologies for the rather brief update, I promise I'll be back as soon as possible! Hope you like the outfits-what's your opinion on geek chic? Has it had its day? Or is it a long standing trend that's well and truly here to stay? Also a big hello to the influx of new followers I've had recently! I'll be checking out all your blogs as soon as I have a spare moment!