January Gambettes Box Review*

A few months ago I reviewed the new Gambettes Box and in January I was very kindly sent the second box. Since My Little Box has now gone, I needed something to fill that gap and the excitement of receiving a mystery box in the post each month. Whilst I am still on the hunt for another beauty box, the Gambettes Box has definitely satisfied the fashion side of things.

If you don’t know much about Gambettes Box then I will give you an overview. Designed in Paris, each month you will receive 2 pairs of tights which will both be different. So far all of the tights I have received have been fashionable and of really great quality. The designs are unique and not something you can pick up in any old high street store.

This months box contained a gorgeous grey pair of tights called 'Patins' with black polka dots. The tights are 50 denier so great for this time of year when you want a bit more coverage. The second pair were called 'Gadins' and were a pair of black bunting tights, 30 denier. I really like these and the pattern is unlike any other pair that I own.

You also get a couple of cards inside with ideas on how to style your new tights, which I really love. I love the excitement of not knowing what you are going to receive. Both boxes have provided me with stylish and high quality tights that I cannot complain about. I love the packaging and the inserts.

At only £13.90 a box, they make a great gift for a friend too, or a nice treat for yourself each month. Although this is a monthly subscription service you are free to cancel at any time.

Interested? Click here to order your first box. Let me know if you would like me to feature these tights in a fashion post or outfit of the day. What do you think of Gambettes Box?

*I received this item free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

Kaomojibalms Lip Balm Review*

I have loads of different lip balms in my collection, however they sit in my drawer and don’t stand out to me at all. When I heard about Kaomojibalms, I thought they looked and sounded really fun. A “Kaomoji” is the original Japanese version of an emoji, or emoticon. These lip balms are packaged with an emoji on the front. You can really express yourself with these and I think they look really cute!

Unlike many lip balms currently available on the market, the kaomojibalms aim to use natural products that help to heal chapped lips and moisturise and sooth them long term. With ingredients like Vitamin E, this ensures the effects are long lasting. It is recommended that you use these balms once per day and I have been adding this to my morning beauty routine. The good thing is these can be used alongside other lip products and lipsticks. Only premium ingredients are used and there are no parabens or phthalates. Detailed ingredient information is available on the packaging and on the website. They are also suitable for vegans and have not been tested on animals.

I received 2 different designs as you can see however the original collection launched with 9 products. There are more and more coming out every day. There are four flavours. I received one in Cherry Pom, and one in frosted mint but there is also a coconut cream and French vanilla available. I think the flavours are true to what they say and are scented nicely, they don’t smell cheap. Again, new flavours are being released all the time!

I think the Kaomojibalms would make a great stocking filler this Christmas and a great gift for any friend to brighten their day. You can buy the lip balms in Topshop. For more information head over to the Kaomojibalms Twitter. What do you think of these? Post and share your kaomji-story!

*I received this item free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

My Little Box August - Wild Summer Edition

Another month has arrived and another My Little Box has hit my doorstep! It seems to come around so quickly. This month's box has a 1970's vibe to it and I'll be honest, it hasn’t been my favourite box of them all! The box came with a Beach Boys print saying "good vibrations". I'm not really sure where I will put this as it doesn't really match my décor but a nice print in any case.

The first item I received was this Nana Benz Necklace. In the 1970s the nana Benz girls made their fortunes selling wax print designs. Nicknamed for the Mercedes they used to drive around town they were the ultimate vintage girl gang. This months necklace design is paying homage to the badass business women and their blinged out rides. Wear it loud and wear it proud. This necklace has gold hardwear and rope detailing along the front. It easily clips on and off so you don’t have to fiddle around trying to get it on. It is quite a statement piece so I will need to find some appropriate clothing to wear this with. It's not my usual style but will be interesting to try and style this up.

This gold Gem Catcher is very interesting and when I first saw it I wasn't 100% sure what it was! This can be hung on the wall and then you can hang your jewellery from it. It is hung by a piece of string but I can’t see why you couldn't replace the string for a piece of ribbon or something else that matches your décor. I hung a few necklaces on here just to test it and they appear to be safe and secure, I don't think they would fall off but if you have bigger pieces of jewellery then they may not stay on as well so be careful what you choose to put on here.

This isn’t the first time I have received the Ren 3-in-1 cleansing water in my box. I am pleased to see it again as I had used my other bottle. This smells fresh and leaves my skin feeling clean and soft. What I love about it is that it is a cleanser, make up remover and toner in one and doesn’t require rinsing so I can settle down in bed and use this without having to then get up again.

The My Little Beauty item this month was this Blush Me Tender cream blush. The shade is said to be universally flattering and it a peachy pink colour. The Formula is very creamy and this applies very easily and blends like a treat leaving a gorgeous colour on the cheeks. This doesn’t have a cheap scent like many of the blushers I have tried in the past and has good staying power when applied with a primer and setting powder.

Finally we received this Bareminerals skinlongevity vital power infusion. This product is halfway between a serum and an essence and has a lovely light texture to it. It retails at £34 for 30ml and we received a 7.5ml sample. It claims to dismiss signs of aging, brightens the skin and promotes skin vitality. I have been applying this morning and night after cleansing with the Ren Cleanser and it applies really well. It has a lovely scent to it.

Overall, not a bad box but not really themed as such, I am not sure how these items contribute to a Wild Summer but there we go, I look forward to seeing what we get next month!

Dyson Supersonic Blow Dry Review

Last week I met up with my friend and fellow blogger Kim and she told me all about her experience having had a blow dry with the new Dyson hair dryers. I thought it sounded amazing, and Kim very kindly passed my details on to Lydia who then contacted me.

I couldn’t wait to meet Lydia and have a lovely professional blow dry with the new product, something I had heard of but never had the pleasure of seeing in action. I arrived at John Lewis in Norwich where Lydia greeted me and sat me down. She showed me the Dyson Supersonic and explained to me how it worked. It retails at £299.99 which is definitely an investment but is definitely something you can add to your Christmas or birthday list. I was sceptical at first, but trust me this product will change your beauty routine.

First off, Lydia dampened my hair and showed me how quick it was to then dry it again. My hair can take on average 45 minutes to an hour to dry, however with the Dyson I was able to get it done in less than 15 minutes. Lydia explained that there are 3 different attachments which are all magnetic and can easily be rotated depending on the angle you want to dry your hair. I tried all of the attachments out to see what styles I could create. The hair dryer itself is extremely light, I was surprised at how easy it was to hold and move around.

Another thing that surprised me was how quiet it was in comparison to my usual hair dryer. The motor has been placed in the handle which not only makes it easier to hold, the weight is balanced. The microprocessor measures and regulates air temperature 20 times every second, keeping the temperature under control. This meant it wasn’t as hot as regular dryers but due to the better and faster airflow this allowed for quicker drying times. Heat and power settings can be adjusted simply by clicking a button on the back. There are 4 heat and 3 speed settings. The surfaces of the attachments stay cool even after use so there is no need to worry about children grabbing them after use and hurting themselves. It also means you can blow dry your hair right to the root without burning your scalp.

After finding out about all the features and accessories it was time for me to put the Dyson Supersonic to the test. We decided to go with the diffuser head which would give the effect of beautiful beach waves. I cannot believe how simple it was to create this look. Firstly I tipped my head upside down, I then placed sections of the hair into the diffuser nozzle and once dry I was left with voluminous waves. The best thing about this dryer was that I had no frizz either. I loved the natural effortless style it created with barely any effort put in from myself. The cable is also 2.7m long meaning I could tip my head upside down and give myself plenty of space away from the plug in order to create this look

Overall, I really enjoyed using the Dyson Supersonic, it is definitely one for the Christmas list! As you can see in the photo above, my beach waves stayed in all day, in fact they even looked a bit better after as they settled more! Thank you to Lydia for having me at John Lewis for this blow dry. What do you think?

*This post is not sponsored however I got to try the product out for free in exchange for this review.

My Little Los Angeles Box

Finally, My Little Box has arrived once again and this one has got me falling right back in love with it. When I tore open the box and saw the Los Angeles design, I was over the moon at the theme. This is the second box that has been themed on a destination that I have visited (the other being Brooklyn) so the theme to me is even closer to home. I love the destination themes, I think they work so well and the products seem to be pretty spot on. Anyway on to what I received.

This map was included in the box and it really did bring back memories of my holiday and the places I visited. I had to get out my photo album and match up the landmarks on the map with my own photos and I think this will be a great addition to the scrapbook I made back when I visited. It would also look nice framed on the wall in my office so I am unsure what to do with it at the moment.

 

Next up was this bracelet. The packaging states this was inspired by the cotton candy colours of a Californian sunset. Each of the beads represents a wish for love, health and happiness. I have enjoyed styling this with some of my summer outfits, it just gives a nice pop of colour.

I then received a small sized bottle of the Palmers Coconut Oil body lotion. I love this lotion as the scent is amazing compared to some lotions that don't really smell of much. The size is perfect for travelling too and I love using this on sunburn too ad it really hydrates the skin.

The next My Little Beauty item I received was this Coco Sunrise hair and body oil which I love. Again, it smells delicious and sinks into the skin with ease without leaving a greasy residue.

Burt's Bees is a brand I have known and used for a while so I was very happy to see a familiar name in this box. This deep cleansing cream is amazing and I cannot fault it. It gently removes excess oil, dirt and make up from the skin. I have enjoyed using this and feeling like I am getting a really deep clean.

One of the lifestyle items in this months box was this tote bag with 'Take Me Away' written on it. It's a decent size and I will probably take it on holiday with me to pack essentials and it can double up as a shopper if I go out for the day too. The design is colourful and bright, I love it.

Finally, we received some stickers with a California theme. I am in love with the cactus sticker. I am going to use these in my California scrap book so that my memories can live on.

Really impressed with this box. What do you think?

Pink Parcel ‘Monthly’ Subscription Box Review*

I love trying new subscription boxes so when I was offered the chance to try out Pink Parcel I couldn’t wait to see what it was all about. Having seen this box on various other blogs, I knew all about the concept but had never actually purchased this previously or had a proper look into what sort of items you receive. The box is laid out really nicely and everything has its own little compartment which I thought was a really nice touch and made opening it even more exciting!

Pink Parcel is a monthly subscription box that co-insides with your periods so it arrives right on time! There are 3 delivery dates to choose from so pick the one that matches closest with your cycle. It is filled with beauty products, treats and sanitary items. It aims to help you get through it and trust me, the items I received were absolutely spot on and for once I was able to use every single item in the box. It costs just £6.99 for your first box and only £10.50 a box afterwards. The thing I really liked is that when signing up you can choose your preferred brand and type of sanitary wear depending on what suits you.

The first thing I spotted was the little treats. I know for a fact when I am on my period I crave sweet things so the addition of these items was perfect. I received some Rhythm 108 Lemon and Ginger Tea biscuits which were gluten and dairy free and a great source of fibre. These were absolutely delicious and in the little packed I received 2 biscuits – enough to satisfy my sweet craving without going overboard on calories. There was also a mini chocolate bar and a teabag. The teabag was flavoured with ginger which is ideal for settling the stomach during this time of the month.

The next products are ideal if you want a bit of a pamper session. The handy razor to make everything nice and smooth, the makeup brush to cover up any imperfections and the coffee scrub which is my personal favourite item. The scrub made my skin feel so soft, and the coconut was a lovely addition. I really want to try out other scrubs!

To continue with the pamper session, I also received this lovely nude nail varnish and some rosewater facial toner. Its important to take extra care of your skin when you’re on your period as you can be more prone to break-outs so the toner is a lovely product to make sure everything is clean and fresh. I used this before bed after cleansing and woke up with lovely smooth and clear skin.

I chose the brand Always as it is a firm favourite with me and my preferred option of sanitary towels. Tampons are also available if you prefer as are other brands. The sanitary items are split into three categories which I have shown you below. Firstly, the box labelled night. These towels are the more absorbent ones in the Pink Parcel and ideal for night times when you need that little bit extra to last you longer.

You then receive a little bag with towels in ‘for now’. I love the little black drawstring bag, it’s a discreet way of storing them in your handbag and comes with a couple of different sized towels that you can use depending on how heavy your flow is.

The final box, marked ‘for later’ is packed with even more sanitary towels, perfect for popping away in a drawer.

I absolutely love this box and think it is a fantastic idea and really takes the pressure off remembering to buy sanitary items. I know I have certainly forgot my period is due and then been caught short. This box was packed with really great items and I think it really did cheer me up during that time of the month where I am rather grumpy. Find Pink Parcel on Instagram and Facebook.

*I received this box free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

My Little Friday Night Box

When My Little Box arrived this month, I ripped it open in anticipation to discover the box theme was Friday Night. Conveniently, my box arrived on a Friday so I had no problem in opening it up there and then and seeing what was inside. I was greeted with a colourful array of goodies as you can see!

As usual, we received the small linen bag. I do really like these, I use them for everything and they really do come in handy. I have one in my bag with my phone charger in, another with medicines and plasters and they’re great to pop my phone in at the gym so that I can hang it off the machines rather than trying to balance it on the small platforms available. (The joys of having an iPhone 7 plus!). We also received a little print as we usually do and a little booklet too which came in an envelope with some cocktail recipes and an invite to pass on to someone for a dinner party.

I really like the packaging on this body cream that I received. I haven’t seen many other people get this in their box. It is a really nice item and handy to pop on your body to moisturise any dry areas before hitting the town. I haven’t heard of this brand before but would like to see what else they have to offer.

It took me a moment to realise what this item was exactly however it is in fact a Black Bow Tie Bra Accessory. I have never seen anything like this before on the market, although I am sure there are similar items available. This bow is designed to slip onto the back of your bra meaning it doesn’t matter if you have a backless dress or top on. I personally do not own anything backless, maybe because I don’t want my bra strap on show who knows! I do think this is quite a unique item and I do like it, I will definitely keep it for those times when I need it. Any suggestions on how else I can use it? I was thinking a hair accessory would also look pretty cute or maybe slipping it onto a dog collar?

I really like the My Little Beauty Eye Pencil and Smudger in black. This pencil is very pigmented, goes on smooth and dries matte. It stays put all day. The smudger works well to blend out a smoky eye which works great for a Friday night out on the town.

This Gold Triangle Hair Pin was another one of the lifestyle pieces we received in this month’s box. I really like this item despite not yet having a chance to use it. I think it’s a nice item which will jazz up any hairstyle. Triangles were ‘in’ a while back so it’s nice to see they are sticking to trends. The hair pin is easy to use and feels pretty strong. You can use this in a variety of hairstyles or more importantly to get that hair away from your face when dancing the night away on a Friday!

The nail varnish in this month’s box was a bit of a disappointment if I’m honest when comparing this to what other people got. The colour is a dark taupe, something that doesn’t resonate with a Friday night to me. The brand is Nailmatic, one I am not familiar with. I would have expected something a bit more glittery or bright for the summer. This is not something I would wear this time of year but I will pop it in my drawer and keep it safe for autumn. 

The final lifestyle item we received were this pack of four cork coasters with a colourful design on them. They don’t really match the décor of my house but will be good for a backup when I do happen to be having Friday Night drinks and need some extra coasters to go around. The quality feels nice. I think I will keep these in my office for now to brighten the room up a bit, but the fact they have ‘My Little Box’ branded all over them means they won’t become part of my regular homewares. 

Overall this box was OK – I wasn’t blown away by the contents and think they could have made the theme a little better. I am coming up to my year anniversary of getting this box so hope they can bring something out of the bag this month to keep me committed! What do you think?

My Little Garden Box - April

Another month has arrived and another My Little Box has popped through my letterbox. This month I had managed to dodge most of the hints so had absolutely no clue what the theme was going to be. As you can see, this month’s theme is all about The Garden, with some lovely products and little extras to go along with it. The only negative thing I have to say about this box is that it arrived a week later than usual! I saw that the French boxes were received a lot earlier than ours when usually we get them around the same time. Hopefully it’s a one off.

Instead of the usual print that we get each month, we received a monthly fruit and veg calendar showing you which produce is in season. I think it is a nice list, I am going to pop it inside my pantry to remind me what fruit and veg is available at what times so that I can adapt and change my meal plans according to the season. A nice item to receive I think! Alongside this was a magnetic shopping list pad ideal for the fridge with a few recipes thrown in. I do all of my shopping online but this is handy to have if I run out of something mid-week and need a quick dash to the shop.

We also received a ‘wear it your way’ scarf which can be used around the neck or to accessorise your handbag. You can even use it as a headband. The quality is nice, not as nice as the snood we received in a previous box but it is a pretty item and I like the colouring.

The largest item in this month’s box and the reason it felt so heavy was the full sized Mixa Sensitive Skin Restorative Body Moisturiser. Full sized this item costs just £6.49 and is aimed at people with very dry skin. In the summer months I definitely need something like this to keep my skin hydrated. I like that the dispenser is a pump so this is really easy to apply without getting residue all over the lid. It reminds me of sun lotion and has a similar scent but doesn’t leave any sticky residue. So far, I like the product but it doesn’t wow me as far as moisturisers go.

I love this water bottle with added fruit infuser. I had one of these a while ago but have no idea what happened to it. I like the design, however it could have been a bit brighter to fit in with the garden theme of the box. I am yet to use this but I picture myself adding kiwi and maybe strawberries to the piece in the middle then having lovely fruit infused water. I think lemon would also work well here too. I look forward to trying this out when the weather gets a bit warmer to enable me to have a lovely refreshing drink.

The next My Little Beauty item of the month was this Vitamin Shot Face Scrub. This is made with bamboo extract, apricot seeds and Argon oil so a real good mixture of nourishing products. The scrub has a gel like texture and is bright orange in colour but does not give off much scent. I would have liked this to be really citrusy to go with the bright colours and fresh ingredients. The scrub is nice on the other hand and leaves my skin feeling clean and soft.

The last My Little Beauty item I received was the Easy Morning Moisturiser which I have seen a few people say that this was a duplicate item from a previous box. I have looked back on all of my previous posts and it appears that I have never received this before and it is completely new to me. I replaced my usual moisturiser with this one in the morning and I have been enjoying it. It doesn’t make a significant difference to my usual brand but it gives me the option of trying something a bit difference once in a while.

As a little bonus this month we received these Ape Coconut bites. I literally got 3 and a half bites in the back so they were over before they were even started but they were quite nice. The coconut was sweet and crispy and I did really like these as a snack but I could have done with a few more. I imagine these are available in larger sized bags and I would like to try them out and find out if there are possibly more flavours/types available.

What do you think of this month’s box? I love the unique theme!