BEAUTY: August Birchbox Review

Hello :)

I have been a Birchbox subscriber for over 2 years and I've decided that from now on I am going to share with you what I get each month.
We can then compare and see what other products they gave out this month!

I like that Birchbox come up with innovative ideas instead of the usual box format. This month was in a Scuba Birchbag and mine was in the colour Yellowtail. It's such a fun idea and I love that they are in neon colours; it matches the summer season so well.

The products I received were:
1) The Marcelle waterproof eyeliner in Expresso.

 I chose the brown colour as I tend to wear a nude eye or soft brown shades so I thought it would compliment it well. It's great to use in the summer months too because it is waterproof so it wont budge! It is so easy to apply and you can even blend it to create a smokey look. 

2) A Philip Kingsley dry shampoo.

 I am a HUGE fan of dry shampoos and I am always willing to try new ones on the market. It smells delicious and it isn't 'powdery' - it doesn't leave a white residue either which is fab news for us brunettes! 

3) amie Morning Dew Matte Finish Moisturiser.

As a girl with an oily t-zone I adore products that have a matte finish. It means I don't walk around looking like a sweaty mess! 

It doesn't really have a scent which is good because I don't love having a florally scenting face for the day. Once applied it doesn't leave my skin feeling taut or sticky which means you can go straight in with your foundation and/or concealer!

4) anatomicals citrus body scrub.

I was super excited when I saw this in my bag! I love exfoliating and keeping my skin looking fresh all year round; and now it smells fresh too! The citrus smell wakes you up in the morning and a little product goes a looooong way! 

5) Merci Handy.

This hand sanitiser is amazing! It doesn't have that alcohol smell to it. These merci gels have different scents and I got the 'New Wave'. It smells clean and very summery. It's in a 30ml bottle which makes it perfect for even the smallest of handbags!

6) English Laundry 'Notting Hill' perfume. 

I love the sample perfumes Birchbox send out because they are great for a night out; you can keep it in your handbag or clutch for top ups throughout the night! It smells fruity with a hint of floral and again, is very summery. I probably wouldn't buy a full size version as it isn't my preferred scent but it's great for a one time spray!

What did you all receive?! Let me know in the comments! 

Until next time, xo.

**Disclaimer - This Birchbox subscription is paid by me and none of the products were sponsors.**

BEAUTY: My Current Tanning Routine

My Current Tanning Routine

As summer approaches, we all want that sunkissed look to make us feel like a goddess! Some people want to have a golden glow before going on holiday so we aren't the palest person by the pool or at the beach.

There are various methods to get the bronzed skin tone and the safest is fake tan. Many brands have come out with their own line of fake tan and I have tried and tested most of them!

My current routine involves two brands: L'Oréal and Bondi Sands.

For my face I use the L'Oréal sublime bronze, express pro, spray. It is best used after cleansing your face and before applying moisturiser. You can apply either before bed or when you wake up. I like to do it before I sleep so that it has 8 hours to develop and I'm not sweating or touching my face. It gives you a natural looking glow and doesn't have the normal fake tan odour.

For my body, I use the Bondi Sands liquid gold tanning oil. Before I apply the oil I exfoliate and mooisturize. The tanning oil is lovely to apply and there is a guide colour so that you can see exactly where you have applied the tan. It smells like coconut when you apply but it does then have the biscuit smell after a while. You can put your clothes on right after application and get on with your day which I really like.



My Top tips for tanning: 

1. Exfoliate
2. Moisturise any dry areas of skin (knees, elbows etc.) 
3. Wait 30 minutes for moisturiser to dry
4. Apply tan with a mitt 
5. Moisturise every day to keep tan in tact 
6. Once tan starts to fade, repeat! 

I hope that this post inspires you to try new tans and feel like a golden goddess!!

Until next time, xo. 

**Disclaimer: All products are bought with my own money. This post is not sponsored.**

BEAUTY: Teeth Whitening Routine

Aesthetics are becoming so much more important and society is putting more pressure on the public to do everything to ensure they look 'perfect'.

Teeth whitening can be done in various ways. You can oil pull, bleach or whiten the non-abrasive way.
I like to try new things and recently I have been whitening my teeth at home.

I am currently using the Coco White coconut oil pulling sachets. It is weird at first as it isn't something I was used to having in my mouth. You can either warm up and melt the oil in a glass of warm/hot water; or simply empty the sachet into your mouth and warm it up that way.
You are supposed to swish the oil around your mouth for between 5 - 20 minutes. As it can feel weird at the beginning you can start off with 5 minutes and gradually work your way up to 20 minutes.

Once I have finished oil pulling, I place the oil from my mouth into some tissue and flush it down the toilet.
I then brush my teeth to remove any excess oil. I then use the Rapid White express 5 minute teeth whitening strips. There is an accelerator that you need to dab on your teeth first. Don't shut your mouth otherwise you will need to dab again. Once dabbed you need to place one of the strips on your top teeth. Do the same for the bottom teeth and then wait 5 minutes for the strips to dissolve.

The taste isn't great but the results are good!! I try not to open my mouth or swallow any saliva whilst the strips are on. However, once 5 minutes has passed, you can rinse your mouth with water. I do this several times to try and get the taste out my mouth. You shouldn't eat or drink anything for 15 minutes afterwards.

This is the most natural way to whiten your teeth, without the chemicals in the bleach. There are immediate results but you should do this process every day over the course of 1 - 2 weeks.

I hope this has given you some ideas about how you want to whiten your teeth and how to do it!

A girl's best accessory is her smile! 

Until next time, xo.


** This post is not sponsored. All products were bought with my own money.**

BEAUTY: John Frieda - Visibly Brighter

In today's post,  I will be talking about the John Frieda Visibly Brighter, hair lightening treatment.

I was looking at youtube videos and came across a vlogger who had tried out this product and you could see a slight difference in the hair colour. So, I decided that I too wanted to test this product out; especially as it is coming up to summer.

It is one tube with two products in each half. The lighter side has the lightening chemicals in it, such as amonia (which has a strong odour). You can use it before your normal shampoo & conditioner routine. You lather it up in your hair, focusing particularly on the roots of the hair. You then leave it for 5 minutes; and in this time you can do the usual thing: shave your legs/armpits, wash your body, or just sing. One time is up, you simply rinse it out and continue with your hair routine.

In my opinion, I did not see a difference in hair colour and neither could anyone else. Perhaps I should have left it on a little longer to allow the amonia to properly infuse with my hair. I may try this treatment again just to see whether or not it does make my hair go lighter.

Until next time, xo