Lou's Reviews || Original Source Mint & Tee Tree

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

I'm an exciting kinda gal. I like to live on the edge. I do fun and thrilling things.

Sometimes though, I just want to talk about soap. Today is one of those days. 

Hand soap in our bathroom is never something I over think or bother about too much. Usually I just pick up whatever is on offer in the supermarket and be done with it. 

Recently, I picked up this handwash- The Original Source Mint and Tee Tree Anti-Bacterial Handwash, for £1.15, and it's love.

This liquid soap feels all kinds of good on your hands. It's minty freshness leaves you squeaky clean and it smells huh-mazing. Seriously, guests have commented on this soap. Matt said, (brace yourselves now),  "I like it". High praise indeed.

I love the funky packaging, the pretty colour (you know my love for pastel greens), the smell (that's my favourite bit) and the fact that it serves it's purpose and washes your germies away.

I know, hand soap isn't exactly thrilling stuff, makeup and skincare is far more interesting, but I truly love this stuff enough to consider it review worthy. I would encourage you to give it a little wiff next time you're in the hygiene aisle and try to resist it!

Am I over excited for soap? Do you stay loyal to one brand or do you choose things that are on offer?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is DotComGiftShop . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE.    

MUA Blush Perfection Cream Blusher | Review

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

For the majority of my makeup wearing life I have been a bronzer girl. I love to bronze, highlight, shimmer, contour, the lot. With naturally red skin, I hid away from products that promised flushed cheeked and rosey glows and stuck to what I knew.

What a silly billy I was.

After a recent I-Can-Wear-Blusher discovery, I added two MUA Blush Perfection Cream Blushers to my collection and have been so impressed with their quality.

With an affordable price tag of £2 and 4 different shades to choose from, I think these could be a makeup bag staple.

I found them to have good, buildable pigmentation, easy to blend properties and they lasted a satisfactory amount of time. Obviously the likes of MAC and Illamasqua are going to outshine these in the quality stakes, but for £2 a piece, these blushers were above and beyond my expectations.

I really liked that you could apply a few layers to have quite a strong look, or simple apply a tiny bit for a fresh flush. I was also pleased that the cream blusher worked well with my fingers, for when you don't have a brush to hand.

The packaging is sweet and the clear hinged lid allows you to see exactly what shade you are picking up. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the shade have names. I'm a huge fan of their budget £1 lipsticks but wish, wish, wish that they would give them pretty names. 'Shade 13' is just so uninspiring, no matter how amazing the colour is.

Overall, I don't have anything bad to say about these little gems and suggest you give them a swatch next time you are in your local Superdrug.

Have you tried these before? Are you a fan of MUA? I know I am!

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is 21st Serendipity . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE. 

Lou's Reviews :: GHD Cherry Blossom Styler

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

In the past few months, I have received a great many questions about my hair, what it's like, how it is styled, favourite products to achieve certain looks, the list goes on.

I plan on getting round to answering these queries in good time, but today I'm going to talk about a brand of products that I have been happily using and trusting for about 7 years now. GHD aka Good Hair Day.

Unless you have been living under bald rock, you will have heard of GHD's. The British run company sell hair electrical hair tools as well as styling products to achieve every look you can think of. Initially selling products in salons (for the first two years of their business -2001 - 2003- they did no advertising and relied solely on excellent recommendations), they now have a full range of products on a beautifully laid out website and regularly bring out limited edition merchandise.

One such product is the GHD Cherry Blossom Styler* which retails for £129.00, with £10 going to Breakthrough Breast Cancer, a cause very close to my heart. 

Just as much as I love my set of GHD Straighteners from 2004 (yes, still going strong, touch wood), I love these too. They have an array of lovely features, both cosmetic and functional. As a lover of all things pink and girly I am thrilled with the pretty pink blades, floral designed box and cherry blossom heat-resistant bag, which had enough space for hot blades and a divide to keep the wire safe- nobody wants melted electrics in their beauty kit! Yikes! I also like that you when the styler is on (indicated by the lit up GHD motto), it will automatically turn itself off after 30 minutes, so there is no acute panic when you're half way down the road and wondering if you remembered to turn them off. Zoe and I once had to turn a taxi to the station around to go back and check on mine, we hadn't turned them off! Uh oh! 

Other little features that make all the difference are the swivel cord which allows you to twist and turn the tool without being restricted or becoming tangled and the rounded barrel which allows you to create beautiful curls, waves and flicks. 

The reason I love my GHD's (this lovely new pair and my older pair) so very much, aside from their reliability and ability to tame my insanely thick hair like non-other, is because you can create so many looks with them. They really can do everything! Hmmmm except crimp, but really, who wants to crimp their own hair? I had mine done once and it was NOT a good look haha!

I've put together a little 'hair collage' from pictures I had floating about of different styles I've had in my hair created by GHD's. Do excuse the posey faces and picture quality, some of these are instagram snaps or video screenshots. I'm pretty boring and usually go for the same kind of thing - wavy/curly/volumised/straight with a flick, but even when I'm having a 'hair up' sort of day, I will use my GHD's to tame little frizzy bits at the front or remove any annoying kinks.

In summary, I have nothing bad to say about GHD Stylers. I've loved them for years and hope I will continue doing so until I'm old and grey and my grandchildren are telling me that I look like mutton dressed as lamb with my big shmexy hair! Hahaha!

Are you a GHD lover like me?

Toodlepip!

xx

PS-

Told you I didn't look great crimped! Haha xx

Lou's Reviews || Diptyque Travel Collection

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

A few weeks ago, I was invited to a very beautiful smelling event with Diptyque. As is customary (and a brilliant perk) of blogger events, we were sent away with a gorgeous little goodie bag of Diptyque products to test and play with.

I don't always feature the products I am gifted, sometimes because they aren't all that amazing or sometimes because they don't really suit the genre of this slice of the web, but these had to be shared. It's love. Super scented love.

This set is The Art Of Body Care Travel Collection which retails for £35.00.

It consists of luxurious body lotion, hand balm, revitalising bath and shower gel and a little pot of smoothing body polish. I have spent a few weeks trying all of these out and have thoroughly enjoyed them. With many beauty or toiletry products it is a matter of, 'do they work? do they do the job in hand?' and if they do then it's happy days. With this little kit it has not just been a matter of functionality but it has been a pleasure to incorporate them into my beauty regime. 

The hero product from this set for me is the hand balm. With a gentle scent of apricot, this hand cream soaks in beautifully leaving no greasy film (urgh, I hate that), my hands feel smooth and plump and most importantly, thoroughly moisturised. I love that this kit supplies it in a miniature which is perfect for popping in your handbag or keeping in the car glove box for quick applications on the go. In times of need I've also used a little bit of it on my face and thought it was lovely, although clearly this is not it's main purpose. 

The other three items in this travel kit have all been above par and I really do feel that the price tag reflects the quality of these charming little pamper products. All in all, I am thrilled with this beautifully packaged back of gorgeousness.

Have you tried any of Diptyque's products? Would you pay a little bit more for luxury?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews || Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lipbalms

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

I'm a bit late to the party on this one but I couldn't let summer slip through my our fingers without showcasing these b-e-a-utiful lip products over here in Glitter Land.

You may remember them from my June or July Favourites video (I've been loving them a while), but really I wanted them to be on here too because frankly, they just look so dagnam pretty!

These are the Clarins Enchanted Summer Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balms* and I have loved them!

They are luxurious lip product consisting of an inner core of lipstick, encased in a beautifully fruity scented lipbalm. If you are after something incredibly pigmented, these are probably not for you (with the exception of 'Cystal Violet -second from the left- which I think will look fabulous this Autumn). However, if you are looking for a lipbalm with a bit of pep in it's step and feel happy forking out a somewhat hefty £16.50, then these will be right up your street.

On application they leave a hint of colour and my lips feel nourished for hours. Kissy kissy!

As you can see from the above swatches, these are a wash of colour with low opacity rather than a heavy duty lipstick. 

What I enjoy about these are the colours, scents (I'm usually very fussy but really liked these), the packaging (terribly important to a hard core makeup addict and these are a pleasure to pull out of my handbag) and the fun factor of the actual product.

What I didn't enjoy was the price. To me, £16.50 is a lot of money for a balm, but I can appreciate that Clarins is a luxury brand so would view this as a treat or special gift to myself, as opposed to a 'kit essential'. 

These are sadly limited edition items but are still stocked on the website so now is your chance to treat yourself or someone lovely in your life.

Is this the sort of product that tickles your pickle?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Lady of Vintage. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top! 

Lou's Reviews || Bunny Rabbit Night Light

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

I had a beauty post planned for today but you know when something just excites you and you can't wait? I have that!

A couple of weeks ago I was asked if I would like to try anything from dotcomgiftshop. I receive quite a few emails like this (I know, a fun problem to have!) and usually decline on the basis that the products don't suit this blog or they don't float my boat. I decided to have a mosey on their site and oh my oh my EVERYTHING floated my boat! It was like an Aladdin's Cave of treasure and I was abuzz with fizz and dither!

 (At dusk)

After a couple of emails they very kindly sent me this Rabbit Night Light and I already love him. I love him so much, I have already placed an order for 4 more, but we'll talk about that later. 

The little glowing beauty retails for £4.95 which I think is a total bargain. It is powered by one standard battery (which is included), so no fussy wires or hazards for little fingers and also no restrictions on where you can display him- total freedom.

 

(At night)

I know this is only a nightlight, but you may know that I have a serious penchant for woodland creatures and quite a fetish for lovely lighting (my house is almost entirely lit by fairy twinkle lights) so this product really does make me very, very happy. Call me sad, I don't mind!

With the price being under a fiver, it coming in a cute box and lots of children to buy for this Christmas (yep, I'm already starting on that one), I have now ordered 4 more for my 3 nieces and my friend's little boy, Oliver. These would make great stand alone gifts or very swish stocking fillers if you are the generous sort.

I love seeing little corners of my home aglow with cute ornaments, candles and twinkles. It makes me smile.

Do these amazing lights make you want to hop off on purchase one? Hop...get it?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Lady of Vintage. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!  

Lou's Reviews || Balmi Lip Balm

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

If you read a lot of beauty blogs then you may well have read a little bit about this product before as I believe the PR company running the Balmi shibang sent out a fair few- yay for being generous!!

Even though these are featuring on lots and lots of other sites, I thought I would throw my two cents in anyway because I'm just wild like that. 

Balmi is a beautifully scented natural lip balm that comes in 5 different flavours and is available to buy in boots for £4.99.

 

This globe shaped balm is available in 5 different flavours (mint, coconut, strawberry, blackcurrant and raspberry) and contains vitamin E, shea butter and jojoba oil. 

I have been using the coconut lip balm (in white packaging, crazily enough) for a couple of weeks now and absolutely love it. I really feel like my lips are left nourished and succulent and unlike some lip products, this lasts a fair few hours before you feel you'd like a top up.

I featured this is in my July Favourites video and pointed out that if you pull the little keyring/bag charm attachments, a little portal at the bottom is opened and the product is left exposed. Whilst talking about it I thought it was a safety issue (choking hazard for Mama's like me) but a couple of people in the comments thought it might be an alternative way of using the balm- like to apply with your finger sort of a deal. It's still a mystery to me, but I thought I would tell you anyway!

All in all, a good product. Lip balm doesn't really float my boat on a general basis, it's just sort of a thing that is about, but this did excite me a little bit, I thought it was 'neato'.

Have you tried these balmi balls? Have you noticed how similar they look to the EOS ones?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Lady of Vintage. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!   

Lou's Reviews || Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

I spend a lot of time on my nails. Too long really. I actually pondered out loud in the car today to a captive Matt, 'I wonder how many minutes of my life have been spent painting my nails?'. I don't think he was too interested, but I am, haha. Guesses on the back of a postcard!

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat

So this is the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat. How much do you enjoy the translucent red bottle? It reminds of the kind of makeup packaging they had in the 80's and this, for some reason, makes me smile. 

It's a fairly simple product. You apply it to freshly painted nails, it speedens the drying process, provides a protect shield against chipping and adds an extra layer of gloss. 

I have been using the for a few weeks (I used to use a China Glaze top coat or go without) and I really have noticed a difference. My nail polish stays put a lot longer (like 2-3 days) and my manicures do look a lot more sheeny shiny, which is something I really love. I can't say my nail polish dries a great deal quicker, but I like to do my nails when the baby is in bed and I have a little 'me time', so I'm happy to sit still and be quiet for ten minutes- it's peaceful. 

For £5.99 this little guy won't break the bank and if you were looking for a new top coat or a product to make you nails look that little bit better, I would happily recommend it. 

Not a very in depth review I know, bit let's face it, it's a shiny see-through thing you wipe on the end of your digits, not the hadron collider ;).

Do you use a top coat or are you a paint 'n' go kind of a gal?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Confessions of a Secret Shopper. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!

Lou's Reviews || YSL Shocking Mascara

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Whilst in town last week with Baby Glitter, I accidentally fell into House of Fraiser, fell into the YSL counter and then my credit card fell into the payment machine and a brand new mascara fell into my bag. Obviously, I am on a spending ban, so am absolutely not to blame for any of this. 

Since I now have it (against my will of course), I thought I would review it. Oopsie. 

YSL Mascara | Shocking | Deep Black

So here we have my accidental purchase. An accidental spend of £23.00 to be precise, but after trying this for a few days, I have no regrets at all.

I'm a sucker for the way things look and it's clear to see that the packaging for this product is luxurious- gold tube with embossed logo and sheeny shiny golden box to make it feel extra special. I know it's only card and plastic but I honestly feel a little bit excited when I pull this out of my makeup bag. It just looks special.

The wand has short plastic bristles of varying lengths. I get on really well with plastic wands and am happy to spend a bit of extra time applying. This is definitely not a 'wizz through and go' kind of product, you have to give it due care and attention. A luxury product deserves luxury care.

(Sadly I'm not a fresh faced 19 year old anymore so I have laughter lines and Mummyhood doesn't lend well to plenty of sleep so yes, there are little veins. I feel quite self conscious about this but figured the best way to give a full review of a mascara was on my peepers, so there we are, wrinkles and all!)

After using this mascara, I was IMPRESSED. It really gave so much length to my lashes and made me feel very doll like. I would go as far as to say this product has made my lashes the longest they have ever been without the aid of falsies.

The mascara lasted all day AND all night without smudging, flaking or generally misbehaving. The only tiny problem I have with it was that it made my lashes feel a little crispy, but with that much lengthening and staying power, I can overlook that for sure!

I know £23 is a lot of money to pay when the high street offers a plethora of alternatives, but if you are looking to treat yourself, this is your answer.

Have you tried this mascara? Does it entice you?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews || Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Another day, another review- I'm on a roll eh?!

I bought these Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains a few days ago from Superdrug for £5.99 each (an introductory offer as soon they will be £7.99) and already LOVE them. 

I was pleased as punch with the Revlon Lip Butters (I now own even more and will be featuring my new ones soon), so I had quite a lot of faith in Revlon bringing out another great lip product. 

I have heard many liken these nourishing little pencils of colour to the Clinique Chubby Sticks, but as I haven't tried them, I can't really compare. What I can say though is that I have tried other 'balm sticks' of a similiar ilk and never really got excited by them. This was either because they lacked pigmentation OR dried my lips.

Well, these are the opposite- hoo-ray. They have fabulous colour payoff (so much so that when I was on Skype to ZoeChummy and wearing 'Lovesick', she thought I was wearing one of my MAC Lipsticks) and leave my lips feeling soft and juicy and not at all flakey dry.

I'm not usually one for lip swatches because it's weird to see my own mouth in such detail (so please don't point and laugh), but I felt like 'mouth shots' would do this product a lot more justice than regular skin swipes. 

The staying power of these are great. This is probably where the 'stain' part comes in and I'm really happy about this. I had reservations that something so nourishing and hydrating would wear off very quickly. My Lip Butters are gorgeous but I do have to reapply fairly regularly, unlike these.

The packaging is just right for me and reflects the price point well. Not crazy flashy, but pretty and something I'm confident to pull out of my handbag. Also, you won't need to sharpen these, as you simply twist the silver bottom and more product twirls up.

There are 7 colours of these available in the UK (but more for our lucky American friends) and whilst I am in town tomorrow I may just pick up a couple more (so that spending ban went well!).

Do these Balm Stains entice you as much as they do me? Have my up close lips scared you off Sprinkle of Glitter?!

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews || Sienna X Tan

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

A little while back I was contacted by the kind folks at Sienna X Tan, who had clearly noticed my lust for the brown stuff, and asked if I would like to have a little play with some of their products. 

Naturally, I jumped at the chance and have had a rip roaringly good time making myself look like a bronzed goddess. Well, bronzed a least. 

Sienna X Tan is a British brand which offers a full range of false tan products for a full range of locations (home or salon) and has been featured on celebrities like Jessie J and the Strictly Come Dancing gang- how swish. 

I was sent the at home products (as you can see above) and after testing them all with the aid of my chum Clare, I have fallen head over heels in love. Tanny, tanny, love.

First up are the non tan products. A body wash, a scrub and a balm, all retailing for £11.95 each. My favourite out of these had to be the scrub, which I used on my arms and legs the morning before I tanned. I tend to apply false tan in the evenings and then if it is a gradual one, I know I will wake up all bronzey yummy and not have to wait all day- I'm impatient with these things. 

I found the scrub to be beautifully scented (it contains lemongrass and ginger) but not overpowering which I was pleased about. The product itself was gentle with tiny grainy bits to buff away any dead skin and leave you in prime condition to take the tan. I liked that the grains where smaller than some scrubs, as this gave it a more gentle feel than I have experienced before (I once felt like I was rubbing gravel into my arms). I only used this on my arms, legs and feet and would not advise you use it on your face or neck. 

The Balance Body Wash was lovely, lathered well and smelt of holidays. It also left me feeling clean, which let's face it, is what you look for in a wash!

I have been applying the Balance Body Balm after the false tan (leaving it a good half an hour or so to sink in and settle) and really enjoyed this too. It sank in very easily and left my skin lovely and supple. I think this will be down to the fact that it contains almond oil and shea butter- woop woop. The product itself was a creamy gold in colour which I thought was unusual for a balm but very fitting for a fake tan accomplice.

 

Now onto the best bit- the fake tans! Wooo!

For this part I enlisted the help of my chum Clare, who you may remember from my Alton Towers Vlog last week. Clare, like me, is a tanaholic so we spent quite a merry evening in my bedroom being girlie and reminiscing about Liverpool where we both used to live and where the air is thick with tan fumes!

Clare tried the Express Tanning Mist (£15.95) and these are a few things she had to say about it:

"Gorgeous smell of coconut, similar to Palmers Cocoa Butter."

"It dried almost immediately but I could rub it in with a mitt to ensure an even coverage."

"It looked a golden brown as soon as applied and then developed into a deeper golden tan after a few hours."

"There was a good, even coverage."

"The spray made it easy to do my own back as it was more like an aerosol than a wet spray."

Clare also said that it was the best spray she has ever used and asked me to send her a link of where she can buy some. This coming from a lady who I have never seen looking pasty, must be special.

The tan I have been most impressed with was the Gradual Glowing Self Tan. This claims to be streak free and have an anti-cellulite formulation. It also contains aloe vera, almond oil and cocoa butter. 

Applying it took time and concentration. This isn't something I resent, but if you are in a hurry, the Express Tanning Mist might suit you better. The product itself was a white cream, which sank easily into my skin and was simple to dispense from the mess free pump bottle. I applied it in small, even, circular motions and Clare kindly did my back. The fragrance was lightly coconutty and this pleased me no end. Far too often Matt takes the micky out of me and asks if I have been using my 'biscuit sauce', well not this time!

As this is a gradual tan, there were no instant results, apart from feeling a little sticky for a few minutes. After I had dried, I popped on my clothes, went to bed and woke up excited to see the results. 

Good news!! I was a lovely bronzey shade! Not orange, not a sickly yellow, just gorgeous light brown and even all over! My only mishap was one of my legs but that was down to me not applying everywhere (a danger of chatting away to a friend). To sort this out I just rubbed a little more product into the pale patch and by the afternoon I was good a new. 

My false tan lasted beautifully for 5 days and then started to fade. The tan on my face faded much faster, but that's because I cleanse it deeply every day, so this isn't any cause for concern.

 

The last two products I was sent were a brucey bonus indeed- Shimmer Sprays (£4.95)!! You know my love for glitter, so it's pretty much a given that I'm going to rave about sparkle in a can, especially when they are under five pounds. 

These are fairly simple, hold 20-30cm away from your skin and spray where sparkle is desired. 'Silver Glam' is filled with silver glitter and 'Gold Glam' with gold. They are both quite heavily fragranced (sweetly floral) so would also double up as a body spray. The glitter is finely milled but definitely noticeable and has a good lasting power- this would stay on all night if you were going to a party or event. 

Naturally, Shimmer Sprays are not for everyone, but they float my boat. Slightly immature? I don't care. Haha.

 

All in all, I have a new love. Up until now I have used Garnier Dry Mist, but these products really do top it by a long shot. I am aware that I was gifted these so you might well think I am raving to please the PR's but can really tell you hand on heart that I love them and feel confident and comfortable in recommending them to you. I will definitely be repurchasing the Gradual Glowing Self Tan AND the Express Tanning Mist.

I am really impressed with the scent, lasting power, ease of application and packaging (oh hello cute pink lids and goldy gold bottles). I also think the price point is great and the fact that it is a British brand makes me want to support them and out economy all the more.

Well, I think we can say this is one of the most positive reviews I've written in a really long time! I am one happy, and very well tanned, blogger!

Do you enjoy being tantastic? Have you tried Sienna X Tan?

Toodletanpip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Confessions of a Secret Shopper. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!

PS- I typed the word 'tan' no less than 26 times in this post!! ARGH!

Lou's Reviews || JolieBox || June

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

If you have not dipped your pedicured toe very deeply into the world of beauty blogs, you may not have heard of Jolie Box. It is, in a nutshell, a beauty subscription service, where for £10 plus £2.95 p&p, you will be sent a little parcel of product samples. The samples promise to be miniatures or full sized (not piddly little sachets) and spanning across a range of items. So you could have hair, skin, cosmetic or fragrance items. You never know what you will receive and it is a gamble. If you like surprises, this will be right up your street.

I am very fortunate and was sent this box complimentary for review purposes but as always, my opinions are not swayed by a freebie and are honest.

I won't give you a run down of every item in the box as I think I am perhaps a little late and you will have seen a dozen of these already, but I will tell you a few things about my overall feelings towards the June box. Good plan? I hope so.

I liked the orange packaging. I'm not gaga wild for orange (unlike some...Zoe, we're all looking at you here), but this pleased me. It's summer after all and if you can't embrace a sturdy orange box now, when can you? I will shortly be doing a blog post on what I do with my empty subscription service boxes. Does that thrill you? Haha.

I was actually very impressed with some of the contents. The Yon-ka Pamplemousse (say 'pamplemousse' over and over and you can't help but smile) cream was perfectly matched to my skin type which Joliebox had previously enquired about. I think that beauty boxes would do well to customise the boxes a little as a big problem with them is receiving something unsuitable to your needs. I appreciate that this must be an administrative nightmare, not to mention an extra cost to the company, so was impressed that JolieBox gave it a whirl. I am thoroughly enjoying the L'Occitane Angelica Hydration Cream too. The little green pot is darling and the smell light and fresh. 

Unfortunately the lipstick and the nail file didn't float my boat. I thought the lipstick packaging was cheap feeling and unsightly and the colour wasn't to my taste. Saying that, colour preferences are never going to be the same for every customer so it might be something you love. The nail file was just a nail file. Handy. Haha, how much can you say about a nail file?

I have tried out the Institut Esthederm UV inCellium Spray (a pre-tanning treatment to prolong your tan) but can't be sure it did anything (that I noticed anyway) so I don't feel I can really give an opinion on it.

I love that JolieBox provide a little magazine pamphlet and that inside the box they products are secured in a little baggie so there is no mess. This month there were also some money off vouchers and discount codes included so that was an added bonus.

All in all, a pleasant box. I think if I had paid the £12.95 I would have enjoyed the concept of having those items send in beautiful box to my door and discovering them at home, but if I saw the exact same products in a little bag in a shop, I don't think I would part with my £12.95. What I am trying to say is that with this king of thing you are half paying for the experience rather than the beauty products. A lot of the time a full sized item in these boxes is valued at more than £12.95 so you are getting your money's worth, but the question is, 'Did you really want that product anyway?'.

I suppose it all boils down to whether you enjoy suprises, packages and discovering new things in a risky way. Oooohhh that's starting to sound very 50 Shades of Grey! Haha.

What are your thoughts on this particular box? Do you have any overall thoughts on beauty subscription services?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Confessions of a Secret Shopper. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!

Lou's Reviews || Clean Skin 5 in 1 Water | ThisWorks

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

It was my birthday in April (mini woop) and one of my lovely chums, Fleur, very kindly gave me a This Works 5 in 1 Water Cleanser  as part of my present. She also bought me a wallet, a cute key chain and threw me a little party complete with champagne and cake- she's far too generous! (If you did want to see some snaps from that night, Zoe did this blog post on it).

I've never used this sort of cleanser before as I have tended to lean toward creams, balms and washes that lather, so I was pretty interested to see if this would do the job.

To use it all you have to do is squib (yep, squib) a generous amount of product onto a cotton wool pad, gently swipe round your face and voila, yukkies removed and your skin feels beautiful.

I would use 2 or 3 of these circular pads or 1 of my big square ones (featured in a haul video a while back). I like to take my time and ensure I look after every part of my face and that I'm not just harshly rubbing in a haphazard manner. I think if you are going to have a luxury product, you may as well take your time and enjoy the experience.

I have been surprised and pleased at how well this 5 in 1 cleansing water has worked. It boasts soluble olive oil to gently remove impurities and unclog pores (something I really do feel it has done, I just feel so much clearer), almond oil to remove makeup, wild water mint to cool the skin, glycolic acid to balance ph levels and rosewater to help shed skin cells and increase elasticity.

Normally I'm pretty sceptical of these wonder products and think them too good to be true, but I really have been thrilled with this. After I use it, I feel like all the dirt, makeup and pollution in my skin has been drawn away and my skin is just my skin. Not my skin plus residue or my skin plus a layer of 'day', if that makes sense!

I have also noticed that after using this, moisturiser sinks in like a dream. It literally just vanishes into my face leaving me feeling soft and supple and glowy. What more could you want?

I think the packaging is pleasing (although not travel friendly unless you have an enormous washbag), the smell is non existent (perfect for fussy folk like me), the price tag high (£21) but reasonable for a luxury cleanser (and a little goes a long way) and the product actually does all the things it promotes.

One downfall that I will just throw in was that I wasn't much match for my heavy eyemakeup (liquid eyeliner/85 layers of mascara). I'm not too sad about this because I never think any product will do this amazingly well (except Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish) and am happy to use this purely as a face/skin product.

All in all, hurrah huzzah for This Works Clean Skin 5 in 1 Water. You can find this in a array of places like Boots or online retailers and I have linked it above, but do feel free to do your research and use good old google. 

Have you tried this or any other 'water' cleaners? What did you think? Is £21 too steep for a cleanser?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Confessions of a Secret Shopper. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!   

PS-

If there are typos in this, I apologise, I feel like my brain has fallen out today! Haha!

Lou's Reviews || Angelica Hydration Face Mist | L'Occitane

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

What with this marvellous summer we are having *looks outside to grey clouds and whistling winds* I was glad when I was given an Angelica Hydration Face Mist to try from the lovely lady at L'Occitane.

I am quite a newbie to facial mists, the only other one I have tried was from Avene and I used it whilst in labour. To be quite frank, I was so drugged up on meptid that I could have been spritzing urine on my face and I wouldn't have cared, so I don't think that gave me a well rounded opinion of the product! The times I did use it un-drugged-on-labour-meds however, I had really liked it, so I had high hopes for the L'Occitane version.

L'Occitane themselves claim that this product 'instantly refreshes' the skin and can be used to set and prolong your makeup. Sounds good. 

Wellllll I have mixed feelings on this item. Firstly, it's nice. It feels nice to spray a gentle cool mist of water over your face, it smells very fresh and clean, I didn't have any bad reactions or breakouts and I can see that it would be really handy in hot climates or on aeroplanes/coaches etc. Secondly, the packaging is pleasant and functional.

However (and here is where I feel guilty for not rav-rav-raving but I always promise to be honest), I don't really buy into it's magical  properties. I didn't feel like my makeup lasted any longer than it would have without a fine mist of special water, after I had been refreshed I felt like I needed to apply moisturiser sooner and with my current lifestyle (staying at home with the baby in a moderate climate), I felt it wasn't really needed.

I am aware that the PR lady didn't know this and if I had been taking a transatlantic flight to somewhere hot this summer I may well have shouted from the rooftops about it, so please don't think me mean. I just feel that if I hadn't been gifted this product, I would not have spent the rrp of £15 on it. 

All in all, not a bad product at all, just not something someone like me really needs. Sorry L'Occitane!

Are you a fan of face mists? When do you use them most?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Dashing Divas. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!

Lou's Reviews || Impress Nails by Broadway

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

I try a lot of beauty products. A lorra lorra beauty products. Over time, it's taken a little bit more to excite me and a product has to be a little bit special to make me rave rave rave about it. Well, Impress Nails by Broadway have hit the spot. Yeah baby.

I bought this set of nails for £8.99 from Boots a few weeks ago and this weekend, finally got round to giving them a whirl. It was actually by accident as I was on a conference call (oh la la) with Mrs Thrifty for our upcoming project (any guesses) and started fiddling with the package. Within minutes I'd worked out how these little beauties worked and applied a full set. I can't stress how easy they are to do!

Each clear plastic bottle-case comes with 24 nails in 12 varying sizes. Each nail is like a little plastic shell. There is a double-sided-sticky-tape layer on the underbelly (as opposed to the patterned top area) with a tiny tab to allow you to peel it off easily. All you do is peel the tab, reveal the sticky underneath area and press on to your nail in the place you want it. And it's set. No glue mess. No drying time. Done.

(oooff pass me the Lemonyflutter cuticle butter please!)

I am THRILLED with this product. I think the packaging is cute, the range of patterns and effects is wide and the speed and ease in which you can have perfect nails is great!

The only downside for me was the price. £8.99 per pack is a lot of money. When you consider that they only last a week and if you wanted to reuse them you'd have to buy some nail glue, it's a hard sum to swallow. I looked into more affordable alternatives and I found an American Ebay seller who you can buy 2 sets from for less than £15 and that included P&P which is good news. You can rummage round that shop for yourself HERE. Or, if you would prefer to pay more/are loyal to Boots, you can find them HERE.

*So far I have only worn these for 2 days but they are still in perfect mint condition. I will come back and pop in my 'findings' on this blog post at the end of the week, so do pop back if you are interested. 

All in all, love love lovity love having gorgeous easy nails. This is a bit naughty and please pretend you didn't hear it from me, buuuuut, these would be great if you had chipped nails and were in a massive rush. Simply stick on over the top and no-one's the wiser. I doubt they would last as long but I'm always up for a last minute problem solver, tehehe. Shhhh.

Are you as impressed as me with Impress nails? If not, why not?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Dashing Divas. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!

Lou's Reviews :: L'Occitane Pivoine Délicate Shimmering Powder

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

I was recently very kindly given a couple of L'Occitane products to try out for you Sprinklerinos and since I have now had a chance to properly try them, I thought I would share my thoughts on my favourite one- the Pivoine Delicate Shimmering Powder from the limited edition Peony Collection.

I'll warn you now, if you don't like glitter, this is NOT the product for you and would be £22 wasted. If like me, you adore the twinkling allure of shimmer, then you're in for a treat.

You know in romantic old black and white movies, when the leading lady is wearing a silk night gown as she applies her makeup at her decadent mirrored dressing table, and then spritzes herself with luxurious perfume from an elegant glass bottle with the tasselled atomiser? This has the exact same appeal. No, it isn't perfume, there isn't a tassel and I don't look good in silk night gowns (although I do have a saucy little cerise kimono jobby for getting ready in before nights out and the like- ooer missus), but in short, it gives me the same thrills and chills.

In my humble opinion, if a product excites you this much, you're on to a winner. 

The idea is that you apply the shimmer to skin and hair, it leaves a delicately scented, silky finish and most prominently a beautiful pale pink and silver sparkle.

I am aware that if applied too liberally you run the risk of being look like the over enthused 13 year old at the 1999 disco (yes, that was me, I'm just naturally enthusiastic for things), but frankly, I don't care one jot. If you do, just apply less or perhaps apply it in less obvious areas, like the ends of your hair for a shimmer ombre or your shoulders, for a sultry summer sparkle.

I think we all know my love for glitter, so this review is probably leaning a little towards the biased side, but there is nothing I don't like about this product. The fragrance is enjoyable, the packaging feminine, the sparkle pay off is fantastic, I have used it A LOT but still have a great deal of product left (you are given 8g in the bottle) and it's a pleasure to use. Love, love, love.

Are you as excited by scented glitter in a fancy bottle as me? Only the clinically mad don't love glitter, surely? SURELY?!

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Dashing Divas. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!  

Lou's Reviews :: Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

I don't know about you, but I have a serious lipgloss addiction. The rational, sane side of me knows I have every shade under the sun, but like a magpie to tinfoil, when I see them all lined up side by side, glinting like jewels under the light, I have to buy them. It's some sort of disease, but I'll gloss over it. Hehe, see what I did there?! I'm too cool.

I recently bought 3 of the Revlon ColorBurst glosses in Peony (coral with gold shimmer), Crystal Water (milky clear with blue and lilac shimmer) and Hot Pink (fuchsia with gold, silver and blue shimmer), for £7.99 each. When I made my purchase Boots were actually holding a 3 for 2 deal, so it only worked out at £5.33 for each one- I do love a good bargain!

I have been using these for a good few weeks now and have really enjoyed them. They are sheeny-shiny rather than gunky-sticky and add a wash of colour to the the lip. Alternatively, they add oomph if applied over your lipstick of choice. They have decent lasting power and an easy to use sponge applicator. 

I must say, these are nice, but not 'wow'. You know how some things make you want to shout and cheer for them and some things make you want to stamp on and smash and then sooommee things are good/nice/pleasant enough? That's these.

I don't think I will be running to the Revlon counter to buy more, but if I saw a particularly pretty shade, I would feel happy and confident in my purchase.

Oooffff that was a weird review today wasn't it?! Haha! Normally I only talk about products that I love, love, love, but I thought it might make a change to give you a different opinion because you just can't love everything, can you?

Have you tried Revlon ColorBurst? What did you think?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Laura from Secret Diary of a Fashion Journalist. If you would like to know more about advertising on Sprinkle of Glitter, check out my 'Sponsor' page up at the top!