Glossy Box - Maggie Li September Edition.

September Glossy Box - Maggie Li Edition - £10.00 (plus p+p)

You'll have all probably seen my annoying tweets about how long it took me to receive this month's Glossy Box, which has actually resulted in my cancelling my subscription. I won't bore you with why etc etc, but I was getting less impressed with the products I was getting sent and wanted to try something different. So this will actually be my last Glossy Box review for a while.

September's box was designed by London-based illustrator Maggie Li, and it looks super super cute. All the products in this month's box came from up and coming stars across the industry, and hopefully will become very popular from Glossy Box. I'd only ever heard of the Lady GaGa perfume to be honest, but was still looking forward to trying the different products.

While on the subject of Lady GaGa, her new perfume 'Fame Fragrance - Black Fluid' is absolutely amazing. When I first saw this advertised I couldn't help but think that it would just be another celebrity's perfume launched to us, that didn't really smell of anything new, but I have to say Black Fluid is nothing like this. It's really floral and sweet, and it isn't too musky or heavy too. It has hints of apricot and saffron, which actually work really well together. I'll be lucky if this little tester lasts me more than a week, as I've already popped it in my work bag.

The next set of samples that I received were the Rodial Glamoxy Snake Serum and 5 Minute Facial sachets. Another product that I'd never heard of, and initially thought was very strange. The Snake Serum is supposed to reduce the appearance of frown lines and wrinkles, which can apparently be seen instantly, and generally help the condition of your skin. I actually don't have any frown lines or wrinkles at the minute, funnily enough, but I'm sure I'll get round to trying this. The 5 Minute Facial is a clay mask that you apply to your face and leave for five minutes, as the name suggests. I'm quite into face masks at the minute, so this one will definitely get tried and tested soon.

Another eye cream... I seem to have a box full of these kinds of things at the minute. The Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream is designed to soothe tired eyes while smoothing dark circles and reducing the appearance of fine lines. Again, I'm always up for trying eye creams or anything that will reduce my dark circles, so this seems good to me. It is also made of 99% natural products, which again is something I'm always interested in trying.

The next sample was quite a big one in my opinion and will definitely be one that I'll use. I've been researching day and night creams for a while now, so it's quite handy to have been sent Vichy's Idealia Day Care Cream. It is said to smooth your skin's texture and improve complexion, which I think is a must-have when it's coming up to winter. My complexion seems to be in awful condition at the minute, so this little pot has already taken its place in my skin care routine.

The last product that I received in my Glossy Box was Maghrabian Hair Oil. At the minute I'm all about hair oils because my hair is super dry, so this is the perfect thing for me. It gives hair extra nutrition and helps to condition and help bring shine back to your hair.

To say this will be my last Glossy Box for a bit, I do quite like a few of the products and will definitely get my money's worth from using them. Expect a few reviews of some of the products in the next few weeks.

What did you think of the September Glossy Box? What was your favourite sample?

We Meet Again...

Hello all, again.

I've had an absolute nightmare with littlegoldstars. I decided that in the end if would be more beneficial to just start from scratch, which I know is massive and risky. I've basically starting from being a little blog again so bare with me.


Thank you :) xo

Nail Varnish Bargains

1. Plum Raisin 2. Emerald 3. Cocoa Motion 4. Racing Rubies

I thought I'd share some little bargains I've bought over the past few days, and yes, it is more nail varnish. I can't get enough and in my post a few days ago I said how I couldn't find any nice colours at the minute. Well, I happened to stumble across some gorgeous colours when I didn't even expect to or really have the money on me (thank you Mummy!)

The first two, Plum Raisin and Emerald, were from good old Tesco. Months ago I did a little review of some other Tesco polishes, which you can find here, and I was really impressed with the colours and the quality. For 99p you really can't go wrong and I tend to take the little polishes on holiday with me in case I want to change my colour quickly. I wanted some darker shades and was instantly drawn to the dark purple and black colours, which both a hint of sparkle and shine to them. I've only used them for the swatches above, but the quality seems as good as ever and it took two coats to get a full colour.

The second two are Maybelline Express Finish polishes. I got these from my local Discount UK, which is like Home Bargains or any other discount shops, and was actually really surprised with the selection they had. Usually you find your normal low-end, cheap make-up, but I was shocked when I found brands such as Maybelline, Nivea, Sally Hansen and Revlon - I was in heaven! These two polishes were £1 each, which is an absolute bargain compared to the £4.00 price tag in Superdrug. They are completely the same product, there's obviously just not as much choice colour wise.

I absolutely LOVE the Maybelline polishes. I painted both my fingers and toes in Cocoa Motion and as soon as half my family saw, they wanted in on the action too. So now the ladies in my family all have nails coloured in either that or Racing Rubies, so we all match. I'd urge anyone to root through your local discount shops for little gems like these! A £3 saving on a drug store polish is an absolutely amazing bargain for me, and I'm definitely thinking about going back to get my hands on some Sally Hansen goodies.

What is your favourite bargain buy?

No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation

No 7 Beautifully Matte Foundation -£12.00

Oh yes, another foundation post. I bet you're all sick of me rambling on about my latest foundation dramas. I have an absolute nightmare finding a colour that completely and utterly suits my skin, as I seem to go from drastically tanned to pale in a matter of months. I've been using my favourite MAC Studio Sculpt in NW30 since I got back from Egypt in June and this has served me for a good few months, even through my second holiday a few weeks ago. As its running low at the minute I decided to take the risk and try something new... again!

I'd seen the new No 7 foundation test advertised and thought, as if they can match a foundation with a machine. Well I'll tell you now, they really do, and they do such a good job! I went into the bigger Boots store in Meadowhall and asked the lady working at the counter if she could help me with a foundation as I wasn't really sure what to get. She sat me down, took a patch of make-up from both my cheeks, and whipped out a little camera-style machine. I instantly looked at my friend and she looked a bit worried. She held the machine to my skin and with a click of a button, a little picture of my skin appeared on the screen.

Around the little picture were two foundation swatches that had been matched to my skin tone and colour. The best match for me was 'Cool Ivory', which I must admit is the colour I usually go for when choosing any foundation. There was also another colour that was a shade darker than this, I can't remember the name, but the advisor explained that I could warm up the Ivory colour with a little bronzer if I needed to. I ended up going with the colour as I was that impressed with the match. My friend/beauty advisor studies beauty at college and she also agreed with the colouring, so obviously with a second opinion I was sold.

The Beautifully Matte foundation is a matte foundation, obviously, that gives high coverage and a really good matte finish that I love. It is also meant to fight shine and help to prevent blemishes, which is a plus in my books. It feels so lovely on my skin and it really doesn't feel like I have foundation on at all, the coverage is really good and the colour is perfect. I was so impressed with the service I got from No 7 and I will definitely be buying this foundation over and over again. At £12.00 it's nearly half the price of what I pay for my MAC foundation and I feel much more comfortable using this. I'd also like to add that if you're buying from Boots at the minute they have their popular No 7 voucher promotion on, so what more do you need?!

Have you had the No 7 test yet? What are your opinions on it?

Alessandro Pro White Nail Polish

Alessandro Pro White Nail Polish - £7.85*

When I first saw August's International Glossy Box I was actually a bit unsure whether I would both like and use any of the products, just for the fact that I'd never heard of them before. This product is one of those that I was wondering about, but I decided to do a bit of research before I tried it.

Alessandro International is a German website that offers a wide range of nail polishes and products, as well as things for hand and nail care and nail art. While looking round their website I found a section on UV nail and gel nail products, which was really good. It's safe to say I was actually really impressed with the products they had to offer. They have an absolutely huge range of nail polishes in some amazing colours, it was quite hard to look without wanting to order any.

Anyway, moving onto the Pro White. This nail polish is supposed to brighten up your nails and cover up any yellowing that you may have on them. To be honest my nails have never ever had a yellow tint to them, and if they did it wouldn't matter because 99% of the time I have them painted anyway. It isn't often that I have plain nails but at the minute I can't seem to find a colour I like, so I took this opportunity to try Pro White.

I cleaned up my nails with some nail polish remover and quickly tidied them up, then applied a coat of Pro White onto them. It was really quick to dry, which is always good in my books, so I applied another coat to see if it amplified the results. I did one hand first to compare to my natural nails, and to be honest I wasn't overly impressed. I expected the results to be really good, but the painted nails looked more purple and blue than gleaming white. The polish actually has a slightly purple tint when it's in the bottle, so I'm guessing this is a factor towards it, but overall I was slightly disappointed.

I painted them yesterday and looking at them this morning they do look very clean and shiny, but there is still a slight blue colouring to them. I'm thinking that maybe it may take a few days to see the effects overall? Anyway everything about the polish was really impressive and the brush is the perfect size to spread over the nail in one application. There's nothing I hate more than the brush being too big and it spreading polish onto the sides of your fingers. I think I'm going to give my nails a few days to be able to gleam, then maybe think about painting them if I don't see results.

Have you tried Pro White before? What do you think of it?

Instagram Update

using some samples/byebye all inclusive band/DIY studding/found this cutie in my car/chilling with my new bestie/breakfast/christmas pjs are out/cold monday mornings/necessity. 

I haven't done one of these little Instagram catchups in a while, so what better to do on this horrible Monday morning? I haven't been using Instagram loads because I've been on holiday and busy with work, so my photo's aren't that interesting yet. These are from the past week where I've mostly worked and chilled out after because I've been absolutely exhausted. The weather today is so awful and its making me want to slob in my pjs all day, but I have work at four, boo. 

Daily Want #6

H&M Dress - £29.99

I haven't done a daily want in a while, mainly because I haven't really been shopping a lot or buying much since I got back from Lanzarote. I think I've only bought a few things for myself, which is really not like me. I decided to have a little window browse this morning while I have some free time before work, and to also look for little treats for myself. I have a love-hate relationship with H&M because some times there is absolutely loads I want, then a few weeks later there seems to be absolutely nothing I like. It's very hit and miss in my opinion.

Saying this, I decided to have a little look anyway and this dress instantly caught my eye. I think it was more the colour than anything else just because there isn't a lot of it about at the minute. I really like the cut of the dress too, but I can't help thinking it might be one of those things that looks lovely... until you try it on? I need a dress for my graduation in November and I'm really unsure if this is the right kind of thing, but I've decided that I really really want it. I always get a bit scared when I have to order something without trying it on, so maybe I'll keep my eyes pealed in the shops.

What do you think of this dress? Is it graduation-worthy?

YSL Touche Éclat Radiant Touch

YSL Touche Éclat Radiant Touch Highlighting Pen - 19.00 euros

I'm not one to usually go out on a whim and buy something I'm a bit scared about using, but I've been eyeing this little beauty up for a good few months now. I've read so many reviews about this specific piece and to be honest I've been in two minds about actually getting out my card and spending money on it. I picked this up on my holiday in Lanzarote a few weeks ago and I've only just tried it. I was tempted to buy it on the plane and with the £5 saving, I literally had to hold myself back. I was so glad I did though, as I managed to find this in a huge perfume chain shop called Dahlia. I paid 19.00 euros, which roughly works out at about £15, which is such a bargain in my eyes. It would be rude not to try it, right?!

A lovely Spanish lady helped me try out different tones and she even took into concentration that my tan would be fading in a few months, and finally we both decided on Shade 2. Looking at the swatch image I know it looks super light on my skin but I literally am so pale, especially on my face. I wasn't so convinced at first but after using it a few times I can already see that its the right shade for me. I was super happy after and vowed not to use it until I got home and it was totally necessary.

I still can't believe how beautiful this product actually is, from the packaging to the actual pen itself. It feels weird to say a piece of make up looks beautiful, but honestly I think this every time I see it. I think it's the gold packaging on both the box and the pen itself, it makes them feel so much more luxurious and high-end. Its one of those things that looks too good to use, but I couldn't help myself.

You get a handy little instruction sheet tucked in the box too and its so useful. I was a bit unsure about how and where to actually apply the product but the instructions give you tips when applying it to your under eyes and how to enhance your features, such as your eyes and lips. I've been using it to mask my huge eye bags while I've had my early morning shifts at work this week and it is literally a life saver. It makes my skin feel so lovely and when I use it under my eyes I have no bags what so ever... not to mention my eyes feel and look a lot brighter. This little beauty might become my new favourite product, but I'm definitely going to have to ration it. 

Have you used Touch Éclat before? What do you like about it?

Ecotools Bamboo Brush Set

Ecotools 5 Piece Brush Set - around £10.00

My best friend swears by Ecotools brushes and uses them all the time, so she finally convinced me to try them. When I got back from Lanzarote this little 5 piece set was waiting for me, and to be honest I wasn't exactly overwhelmed. Firstly I was so confused as to why it was a 5 piece brush set but only with 4 brushes... until I realised that the little holding pouch was the fifth item, silly me! They're super cute and small, which makes them perfect to carry around, and they feel so soft compared to other brushes I've got.

All of Ecotool's brushes feature the bamboo handles, with the tops of them made from recycled aluminium and the bristles are super soft. In the mini set there's a mineral foundation brush, concealer brush, eye shadow brush and a mini 'Kabuki', which is more of a small blusher/bronzer brush. The colouring is a bit different to the ones I'd seen in Boots but I figured as long as they all do the same thing, it doesn't really matter right?! I ordered this set from Ebay and paid around £10.00. There is a similar set for sale here, and I know they look different to the image on there too, but I'm guessing its normal... but that's not important right?!

I've used the mineral foundation brush and the Kabuki so far and I'm so impressed! I've found that my make-up goes onto my skin a lot better and I don't get half as much caked across my face like I used to with my old brushes. I don't usually spend a lot on make-up brushes and just tend to use whatever I can find that looks decent in Boots or Superdrug, but after trying these out its kind of changed my opinion. I'm yet to use the other two brushes but I will definitely update this post when I do.

What's your favourite Ecotools brush? Have you used them before?

Holiday Series - A Few Outfits

I wanted to do a little post showing some of the outfits I wore while I was away in Lanzarote. Admittedly I didn't take loads of pictures of what I wore, but these were just a few that I really liked. Lanzarote has gorgeous weather but at night it can get really breezy, so some nights I found myself covering up a little more with a maxi dress/skirt or a kimono. The regular day outfit was obviously a bikini then come sort of cover up, mainly a dress or playsuit, then a casual look at night time.

001. The maxi dress here is from New Look a few months ago. I absolutely love it! One problem is that it is very fitted, which makes it really see-through, so I actually bought the dress a size bigger to try and help this problem. It did work, but simular coloured,  no VPL underwear is advisable! I don't usually go for maxi dresses but this one was the perfect length and style with a t-shirt style sleeve. This is one item you could wear in the day or dress it up at night, and the colour is gorgeous too.

002. Everyone say Hi to my brother making an appearance in this! I didn't have one of just me in this outfit but I wanted to show it because I really like it. It's just a simple floral vest from Tesco (of all places) and high waisted denim shorts from Primark. This was one of the hotter nights in Lanzarote so something simple and cool was needed. I wore these shorts to death on holiday because they are so comfy. My friend has literally a matching pair from New Look that were around £20, which I love because mine were half that - love a good Primark bargain.

003. Prior to buying this dress, I'd literally had my eye on it for months. I originally wanted it as a 21st birthday celebration dress but after finding one I loved more, I totally forgot about this. On a trip to Manchester I then found it on sale in Ark, for £15, so I was completely sold and snapped the last one up. I thought it would be really see-through and clingy but it's actually lovely and I've really warmed to the cut-outs at the side. I love shirt-style dresses too and this has become an absolute favourite, I just don't know if I'm going to have chance to wear it again this wear.

What are your favourite things to wear on holiday?

Argania Hair Oil Treatment.

I got sent two of these little sachet samples to try from Argania. I saw a tweet they had put out about bloggers reviewing their products, so I thought why not!? I'm a big fan of hair oils and treatments so this was the perfect thing for me. I'd never actually heard of Argania or tried their oils, so again this proved the perfect product for me to try.

The oil treatment is made with organic Moroccan argan oil, which is becoming extremely popular in hair products. This oil is said to be able to reduce dry and frizzy hair while giving it instant boy and also restores damaged hair to perfect condition. What's also interesting is that it apparently helps to protect and assist in extending the life of hair colour, which I can ALWAYS do with. The product felt quite greasy when I first put it into my hands, which worried me a little, but it also smelt really nice and wasn't too powerful.

You only need a tiny amount of the oil treatment, as too much can cause your hair to be overly greasy, then all you do is just rub it in your palms and run through either damp or dry hair. I applied some to damp hair and blow-dried it straight after and the effects were amazing. My hair was instantly shiny and soft, even after using my GHD's over it. Argania say that their 100ml bottle can last you for up to a year with the small amount that needs to be used, so I'm definitely going to invest after I've made the most of my little sachets.

Have you tried Argania Oil before? 

Lanzarote Outfit Post - Take One

Hello strangers! I thought I would post a little blog update from the beautiful island of Lanzarote! Yes, I am still here and to be honest I don't ever want to come home! Life is so slow paced and chilled here it's unreal, not to mention non-stop 30 degree sun.

This is just a little outfit post of my outfit tonight seeing as I have both a good picture and decent wifi. It gets a little windy at night in Lanzarote but I decided to brave this dress I got in the sake at Ark a few months ago. It's am absolute beaut and definitely a favourite, with a sort of Aztec black and cream print shirt dress with cut-out sides. For £15 I can't grumble at it one bit!

I am back on Thursday so there will be lots of blog posts to follow, don't worry bloggers! xo

A Few Lanzarote Photos

Holiday Times

Good morning bloggers,

In a hour or so I will be off on my journey to the airport, to start my little eleven day break in Lanzarote with the fam. I doubt I'll be blogging while I'm away due to the ridiculous price of internet on my iPhone, but no doubt I will have lots of posts when I'm back! If I miraculously drag myself away from cocktails and the sun lounger onto a computer there may be the occasional post, but to be honest I think cocktails will win every time!

If there's any posts you would like to see, leave ideas in the comments box and I'll read them all and reply when I'm back.

I'll try to bring some Spanish sun back for you all xo

My First MUA Goodies

Undressed Palette, Lipsticks in Shade 5 and Shade 15, Eyebrow Pencil in Brunette

After the blogger craze about MUA products I decided it was about time to jump on the bandwagon and try a few of their products. I had to go for a few lipsticks as they're my absolute favourite thing and at £1 you really cannot grumble. I also decided to try the Undressed Palette as believe it or not, I don't own hardly any eye-shadow or anything of that form... shocking I know. I always get a bit scared when applying it because I never really wear it, so I always worry that I'll look silly. As well as that I ordered an eyebrow pencil to try, just as a different product to my all-time love HD Palette. It was a real shock when I'd finished with the pencil, just because it was so creamy and a lot darker than the powder I use. It might take a bit of time to get used to the massively dark eyebrow look.

I've not tried Undressed yet so there will no doubt be a post about that, but I absolutely love the two lipsticks. I didn't expect a lot after paying £1 for them but I absolutely love Shade 15. It's quite a coraly coloured lipstick and it feels so nice when you apply it. Another cute little thing about MUA lipsticks is that they have a little secret pot of lip balm on the bottom of them. You know the clear coloured part... if you pull that off you'll find a tiny pot of coloured balm, which is the perfect idea.

Shade 5 of the lipstick is a light pink, but is filled with tiny little glitter pigments. I love the colour of this lipstick but I'm not a huge fan of glittery lips, so I'm a bit unsure about this at the minute. Again this lipstick comes with a little secret lip balm, which is a really nice colour too. I can't wait to order a few more of these little beauties to try. I could order half the range for the price of a MAC lipstick, and to be honest the coral shade is a lot nicer than my MAC. A big bold statement there, everyone should give MUA a go.

Have you tried any of these before? What's your favourite MUA product?