Birchbox June 2015 | French Sole

The June Birchbox highlights the start of summer and the box this month was sponsored by ‘French Sole’, which is a very lovely and expensive brand of shoes. The boxes this month were optional and I picked the nautical themed one, with navy blue and white strips and a red love heart in the middle. I love anything French so this style was perfect for me! 

There was a mix of products for this month..  

One if the main products inside this box is a shoe bag from French sole, I recently purchased a pair of Havana flip-flops and feel this bag will be perfect for keeping them in. The bag is exactly the same as the lid of the box, very pretty and chic and perfect for carrying my flip-flops. 

The box also contained some of the gold temporary tattoos, I have seen many people wear these for festivals this summer and I am really looking forward to wearing them when I go on holiday!

Next I received the Balance Me Super Moisturising Body Wash, it claims to be rich, hydrating and dry-skin friendly. This is a very good size sample and the largest of the products in the box. 

I also received the Iris Prima perfume from Penhaligon, I love these little perfume samples as I feel they are perfect for putting in your handbag and taking around with you. This perfume retails at £85, so is definitely the most expensive product in my box. The scent is very strong so you would only need a few sprays otherwise it could become overpowering. 

For haircare I had the HIP Shampoo it claims to be an ultra shine shampoo and states to transform your hair into happy, healthy hair. 

I also received the Yes To Cucumber facial wipes; I have always wanted to try some of the Yes To products and particularly the cucumber brand. 

The final thing in the box this month is a lip stain from Cynthia Rowley, I have heard a lot of good things about this brand so I am excited to test the product out. 

If I am being honest, I loved the style and theme for this box but feel slightly disappointed in the products I received. I always feel slightly annoyed when I receive a shampoo but no conditioner to match as I feel I cannot give it a full review without. However, I know that not every box will be brilliant so I will look forward to July’s box.

How was your Birchbox this month?

ShannonKims

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Get Ready With Me | Current Make Up Routine

Get Ready With Me | Current Make Up Routine 

Very recently I have been loving my Bourjois CC Cream, the coverage is amazing and it feels incredibly light on my skin. I love this product as it lasts for a very long time before I feel the need to reapply. Next I will take my Lasting Perfecting Concealer by Collection and touch up any places I feel I need more coverage – under the eyes, down my nose and over any blemishes I have at the time. 

To set my make up I like to use the MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation with a large powder brush and I swipe this over my T zone. I then use the Hoola Bronzer by Benefit to contour and create definition on my face. Next I us any blush that takes my fancy; currently I have been using the blush inside my Urban Decay On the Run Palette, it looks like it would be very bright but it actually appears quite natural. 

For my eyes I use the Urban Decay On the Run Palette, as I base I will take the Urban Decay primer to ensure that my eyeshadow lasts all day. I then take the lighter matte colours for an everyday look. To finish I will add my Revlon liner, this eyeliner is a felt liner so make it very easy to line the eyes. I will then curl my lashes and apply my mascara, the mascara I am currently using is the Benefit Roller Lash. A while ago I did a review on the Roller Lash mascara, I was not impressed with it as I felt it would clump my lashes. However, when I came to use this mascara a couple of weeks ago I loved it! 

Finally my favourite lip combination at the moment is the L’Oreal Lip Liner in the colour Bois de Rose, my MAC Lipstick in the colour Viva Glam II and then finally I will take my Urban Decay Lipgloss in the colour Sesso.  

ShannonKims 

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What is in my Travel Make Up Bag? | Holiday to Spain

Very soon I am off to Spain for a relaxing holiday, something I am really looking forward to. This year has been very stressful and I am grateful to be given the opportunity to spend some time relaxing in the sun! Because of this I thought I would take the opportunity to show you what is in my Travel Make Up Bag. 

I have not been wearing too much make up recently and because of the warmer weather I don’t like to have so much coverage. Therefore, I feel the make up I have included reflects this. 

The make up bag itself is from Primark, it is very cute with the lolly pops and the pastel colours making it perfect for summer! It’s a very boxy shape making it the perfect size for my make up and also all my brushes. I have been in the need for a new make up bag since the zip broke on my old one, I love Primark make up bags as they are great quality and so cheap! 

The main product that I have in my make up bag is the Urban Decay On the Run Palette, this palette is perfect for travelling as it has a lot of your basic products in one place making it a lot easier than taking a lot of different products which could take up a lot of room! 

Inside the Urban Decay palette there are a selection of eyeshadows that are great for day and evening looks. It also contains a bronzer, blusher and highlighter. There are also slots that contained a few products when I bought the palette I have kept the lipgloss inside which is an amazing colour. But I have swapped out two of these for my own products. The first is the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer, which I absolutely love. It is so affordable and the coverage is amazing. The second thing I have put in the palette is a L’Oreal lip liner that I love to match with the Urban Decay Lipgloss, this combination has been my go to lip duo recently! 

I am also taking the Bourjois CC Cream. I absolutely love this product, it honestly feels like I am not wearing any make up when I apply I to my, it is very light but gives a good amount of coverage. I like to apply it with my fingers as I feel this gives the best results! It makes my face feel like it’s glowing but not oily! 

I will also be taking my MAC Pro Longwear concealer for the evenings when I want slightly more coverage to my face. I have also packed the Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot powder, which is perfect for reducing shine and keeping my make up in place in the hot weather. 

For my eyebrows I use the Benefit Brow Zings, I love this stuff as it defines my brows perfectly and is also the correct colour! For my eyelashes I will be taking two different mascaras, the first being the Benefit Roller Lash and also the Maybelline Colossal mascara in waterproof I have tried this before and it’s amazing! It lengthens and separates the lashes and doesn’t run when water is applied. 

Finally for lip products I will be taking three different MAC Lipsticks the first being Velvet Teddy, Plumful and Speed Diall. I will also be talking chapstick with SPF so my lips do not burn! 

For tools and brushes I will be taking my beauty blender and then a number of brushes from Real Techniques and one MAC eyeshadow brush. I will also be taking my eyelash curlers by Benefit, I love these they are amazing at really curling and defining my lashes. 

That’s everything! It may seem like a lot but I like to be well prepared when I go on holiday. (Even if I end up using none of it!)

ShannonKims

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Birchbox May 2015 | Free Your Mind

For the month of May Birchbox gave us the opportunity to colour the boxes ourselves in order to bring creativity back to our lives. Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to colour the box myself but feel it would have been quite a fun activity to do. (Leave links down below if you coloured in your box!)

Onto what came inside… 

The box this month had the aim to ‘Free Your Mind’ and it definitely reflects this. Inside the first thing I notice is a pack of coloured pencils to colour in your box. I love this idea as it gives you something to do once you have finished playing with all the products. 

 The partner for this month is the nail brand ‘WAH London’, again there was the option to chose your sample, I opted for the Press On Nails. When they came, personally, they are very over the top for me. I feel they will be perfect for a night out but not for everyday. 

Next up is the Parlour Moisturizing Sea Salt Spray; I am really looking forward to trying this when I go on holiday next week. Sea Salt Sprays are perfect for hot weather as they tame the hair, whilst still giving it that tousled look. 

I also have a Whish body butter in the almond scent. I have received one of these body butters before but in the lavender sent and I really liked the feel. However, the sent can be very over powering! 

The Number 4 Reconstructing Masque is something I have never heard of and came in a little sachet. It states that it will turn your hair from lacklustre to luscious with this moisturising treatment. 

For make up I received a bronzer duo from Jelly Pong Pong, this is a brand I have never heard of before. This cute little sample would be perfect for taking away as it is very small! Swatching the product it feels very creamy and soft. The pigmentation is not heavy at all but still looks very beautiful.

The final product in the box is the Mattfinity Lip Rouge by Mirenese in the colour Paris. Again, this is a brand I have never heard of but I love the way the lipgloss looks. The colour is very beautiful and when swatching the pigmentation is incredible. It doesn’t look too matte and seems it would be very creamy on the lips. 

Did you receive a box this month? What were your thoughts of it? 

ShannonKims

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Where Have I Been?

If you regularly follow my blog you would have noticed I have been absent for a number of weeks. Unfortunately, on the 2^nd of May my Dad passed away after his long and difficult battle with cancer. As I am sure you will all understand I decided to take time away from blogging and also university to focus on my family and myself. The events that unfolded were extremely quick, shocking and devastating. I can only say that I am very pleased to have been home when I was. 

They say that only special people are allowed into this club and my dad was definitely one of them. From the moment he was diagnosed to the day he left us he never complained and something was only a problem when there was actually a problem. His laid back attitude to life and his fantastic wit was what got us through the year. Unfortunately the world has lost an amazing man. Cancer is an illness no one can predict, my dad was the healthiest, loveliest, most amazing man you would ever meet and we would never have thought, a few years ago from now, that it would have chosen him. 

I wish everyday that he could still be here, but to know that he is no longer in pain comforts me. He is my brightest star looking down on me and I know that he will always look out and watch over me, just as he did when he was alive. 

ShannonKims 

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