Glossybox 2017: A Year In Review

Hello Internet Beauties, 

Now this post took a little longer to get up than expected, due to sickness and losing the post the first time round! I've been super looking forward to this post though, so I am really excited to finally be able to share it with you!

The beginning of January is always a great time to reflect on the year just gone and I wanted to review a whole year of my GlossyBox subscription. This has been my first full Jan-Dec year of Glossybox and there have been some amazing boxes. Now, of course the ones pictured in the post cover photo are just a handful, but these were the only ones available for the photo! I make them sound like celebrities too busy to attend the award show haha, but what I mean is I use my other boxes for various storage methods, which I will be sharing later this month. 

So looking back over last 12 boxes, I picked a few of my most used or favourite products to share with you all: 

• Beauty UK, Contour/Powder Brush, from November's box:

I love the shape of the brush as it really is a perfect contour brush. It says it can be used as contour or powder, but for me it's definitely the shape and size of a contour brush. It's got just the right amount of firmness to apply well but still feels so soft! Plus, for the usual price of brushes, I'm surprised with how good quality these are for a more affordable brand, so I'm definitely going to be looking into getting more of these for my makeup bag! 

• Ruby, Tapered Blending Brush, from May's box:

Another brush received this year was the Ruby eyeshadow blending brush. I love to have a good blending brush for my shadow and this has definitely replaced my previous! This is another super soft brush and the longer bristles compared to some other brushes I've tried, really gives it a natural blend. I'm awful at buying and updating my brushes, so I'm really glad to receive some high quality ones throughout this year of Glossybox! 

• Kawaii Enterprise, Brush Cleansing Egg, from October's box:

While we are on the topic of brushes, if I'm bad at buying new brushes, then I'm awful at cleaning them! This Cleansing Egg is such a good invention - you can pop it over your fingers and use it to clean your brushes, making it super quick and easy. Exactly the kind of product us lazy makeup beauties need! 

• Model Co, 3D Lash Primer, from December's box:

This was actually in my overall 2017 favourites post, which means you know it must be good when it makes two favourites posts! Before getting this in Glossybox, I'd never used a lash primer but now this will be a staple in my makeup bag and a definite repurchase when mine runs out! 

• LAQA & Co, Chubby Lipstick, from December's box:

Oh. My. I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this lipstick! I was so surprised when I first used it, as its a dusky pink colour it wouldn't usually be my thing as I normally go for reds. However, this looks amazing and if it suits me when I can never normally get away with pinks for lips, it will suit any skin tone! Its such an amazing formula, matte finish but somehow super super moisturising. I am definitely going to be purchasing this in my favourite lip colour of red too, which will just make this product even more amazing! 

• Steve Laurant, Black Eyeliner Pen, from December's box:

I have always used an eyeliner pen, just because personally I find them so much more precise and easy to apply. However, shopping for one is never fun because I find the pen tip of so many is way too thick for the look I like. I thought my no7 eyeliner pen was thin and precise until I got this one. This pen tip is so narrow, it gives you such a precise line. It applies smoothly and is just a dream in it's gold rose packaging - so another definite repurchase for me! 

Lord & Berry, Magic Brow Pencil, from December's box:

This brow pencil was a real surprise to me when I unboxed it because it has a marbled effect throughout, meaning the pencil is two toned. I wasn't sure how this would work on application, but it really makes your brows so much more natural! Goof Proof by Benefit is my normal go-to brow pencil, but once my brows are a little more sorted from natural growth (let's not even talk about the love/hate relationship I have going on with these furry caterpillars on my face that some call brows!) I will definitely be replacing it for this Lord & Berry pencil because of how natural looking it is! 

And the overall GlossyBox 2017 Box winner is.... 

That probably wasn't a surprise considering 3 of the 6 favourites were from that month! For me, this was just an amazing box for products and value received. I remember the day I got this box through the post, I actually used all the products that same day for going out that evening, which is a super impressive box! It makes me really excited to see what 2018 Glossybox has to bring! 

What were your favourite GlossyBox products of 2017? Did you have an overall winning box? Let me know in the comments below! :)

2017 Beauty Favourites

Hello Internet Beauties!

Welcome to day 2 of #NewYearNewBlog. I hope you have all had a good start to 2018 so far and are feeling refreshed.

I thought there was no better way to kick of the new year blogging style with a classic 2017 Beauty Favourites post. We all love a good ‘favourites’ afterall don’t we?! So, let’s get started…

This isn’t in a particular order, but includes the 6 items that really stood out for me this year when I looked in my makeup drawer. 4 of them have been incorporated into my everyday routine, with 2 of them being used whenever I go out somewhere for the evening or more special, as they are highlighters, they are a bit too fancy for work every day!

1) The Porefessional Primer, Benefit, RRP: £27.50

Now this isn’t a new release product and in fact, I’m probably quite behind with this! I had trialed this many times before with miniature freebies from magazines etc. but had resisted buying this for so long due to the cost for what I consider to be quite a small tube, but struggled to find a primer as good that suited my skin. This year, I finally got a full size and I am so pleased I did. It’s so smooth, not greasy like many other primers of this type and makes your makeup spread so much further. You also really don’t need that much of it, which helps make it more justifiable price wise! I am almost at the end of my tube now, but have used it pretty much every day for the past 5 months, so I will definitely be buying another tube to take with me into 2018!

2) L'Oreal Lumi Magique Primer, RRP: £10.99

(Yes, the writing on the bottle has worn off, which you know is a sign of a well used product!)

This must have been the year of Primers and Highlighters! Although this is technically a primer, I see it as a hightligher/primer in one - let's call it a Highlighting Primer! This has a much more fluid consistency to it and such a bright shimmery glow. It's beautiful. The reason I call it a highlighter more than a primer is that I only use it on my cheekbones, however I apply it under my foundation, like a primer. It gives such a nice dewy glow and I think it's really interesting for a base. I use this when I want to really look radiant and bright, which is why I only use it on my cheekbones, as personally it would be too much for me to use all over. This thing also last for ages too, you don't even need a full pump for one application, so it's definitely an all round winner for price and quality! 

3) Model Co 3D Lash Primer, RRP: £7.00

So I have never tried a lash primer before and actually discovered this through the most recent GlossyBox and I absolutely love it! Although I've only had it for a month, it's already become a favourite. It's one of those that does exactly what it says - primes your lashes before mascara to make the mascara even more effective and it really works for me. I think I'll be re-purchasing this for a long time to come!

4&5) Benefit, 24 Hour Brow Setter and Goof Proof Brow, RRP: £20 each

I'm pairing these two together because they are both Benefit, but also have both become part of my daily brow routine and I discovered both products together. I actually originally purchased a brow kit in the Benefit summer sale, which these two products came in. I have since repurchased the Goof Proof Brow Pencil as I wanted a slightly darker shade than that came in the set (I'm shade 5) and gave the medium one that came in the set (shade 3) to my bestie! I love the Goof Proof pencil because it is so natural and so easy to use due to it's angled edge (I've nearly run out so it's hard to tell in the picture!) and the spooley on the other end of it is perfect for brushing out those brows. I loved the setting gel compared to others I've used because it is so buildable depending on how much you apply and if you apply a generous amount, it really does set them for 24 hours. However, looking at the individual price, as I'd previously got it in the set, it is a little steep. Luckily though, my original still has some left and I received a new one for Christmas in another lovely gift set, so I can keep this with me for now! 

6) Clinique, Chubby Stick Highlighter in shade 'Hefty Highlighter', RRP: £19.50

 

I actually received this as a freebie with one of my Clinique orders of their 3 step skincare system and have fallen in love ever since! This is such a natural cream highlight, that can be built up depending on how much you like. My personal preference is to use a few dabs on each cheekbone, for a subtle natural highlight. Although I received this as a free extra with my order, it will last for ages as I can barely tell I've used mine despite using it at least once a week, so it is definitely worth it in my opinion!

I’m not sure why, but 2017 seemed to be the year of me really expanding my collection of makeup and brands trialed. I’m thinking it’s maybe because of having a full year of receiving Glossyboxes, which links to tomorrow’s post, so keep your eyes peeled! 

What have your favourite products of 2017 been? Are there any you will definitely be leaving behind and not wanting to take into 2018?! Let me know in the comments below!