REVLON COLOURSTAY GEL-ENVY NAIL POLISHES!

REVLON ColourStay Gel-Envy
Nail Polishes.

Happy Monday! Being somebody who was an aggressive nail biter since they were very little, over the past year I have eradicated the bad habit and grown my nails out - this also means that I can very rarely go without having my nails painted one colour or another.

I've tried many nail polishes in this very short year where my nails are long enough to actually paint but very recently, I have found my favourites...

The Revlon COLOURSTAY GEL-ENVY Nail Polishes.

After being introduced to these by a friend, these are the only nail polishes I have been wearing for a long time now, none of my other nail polishes compare. These can be purchased for £6.99 each at BOOTS which (for me anyway) is quite a lot to pay for one nail polish and I don't think I would usually pay that price for one.

However, I would much rather spend that price for one of these nail polishes than getting more for a cheaper price which don't compare. I currently have three shades: Checkmate (540) , Perfect Pair (535) & Hold 'Em (460).

The first shade I purchased was "Perfect Pair (535)" which is a beautiful pinky-nude - the perfect pinky-nude for me. Some nudes I find to be more of a purple-tone which I'm not really a fan of, I much prefer this pink undertone. I think I've already used about half of these nail varnish I've worn it so much. I would say it's my favourite but after trying out my next two shades I don't think I could choose a favourite.

The next shade I have is "Checkmate (540)" which is a very cool-toned stone shade (a grey nude). I've never had a nail polish which is this colour before and I was quite hesitant to purchase it but I really like it! It looks like a very classy, subtle shade on your nails - I really like it!

The last shade I own is "Hold 'Em (460) which is a beautiful plum-purple shade - absolutely gorgeous. Sometimes I really struggle to apply darker nail polishes as they can be quite messy but the formula of these makes them really easy to apply. This shade is the perfect plum - not too dark. 

The formula of the nail polishes is quite thin but has a very great coverage - the darker shades seem to be fine with one coat and I only tend to need two thin coats of the lighter shades just to be sure it fully covers my nail. The brush is a paddle-style brush which means it very easy to use and apply the polish with. They also dry quite quickly (as long as you don't apply too much for each coat). They have that gel-like finish which is really pretty and shiny and it also claims to act as a base coat (which is a bonus since you don't have to use a base coat layer). The more layers of nail polish I apply, the messier it seems to get because of how impatient I am but I find these don't need a top coat as the finish is nice (although they do look extra nice with a top coat).

I can't recommend these enough, I absolutely love them and definitely look forward to purchasing more shades.

Thank you for reading! 

Holly Amber X

 Note: I have just saw on the BOOTS website that they are offering select Gel-Envy nail polishes on a 3 for £12 offer so if you are interested I'd definitely have a look at purchasing some on this offer, great value for money!

JANUARY GLOSSYBOX REVIEW!

Along with the new month comes the exciting thought of receiving my monthly GLOSSYBOX subscription - waking up to the knock on the door and speaking deliriously to the postman as I was still half asleep must have been entertaining for him. 

The first item in my box was the UNANI Dermo Defense Face Mask which was a full-sized product (I can't find an English/American site where this product is listed on but it is £11.36 on this Spanish website). I was really excited when I saw this face mask product as I've been wanting to purchase a weekly face mask for a while now. It is a herbal-based formula which cares for a protects the skin. It is said to be targeted at sensitive skin and you are advised to use this once or twice a week by applying, leaving for 10 minutes and then rinsing off.

When I first used this, I was surprised and slightly put-off by it's consistency - it's not like any face mask I have used before. It is a very very thin consistency, almost water-like, which seems to absorb into and not sit on the skin as many face masks do. 

I can't say it's my favourite consistency but I'm predicting this is due to the herbal base of ingredients; it just wasn't what I was expecting. It did seem to hydrate my skin and leave it feeling soft but it didn't feel like it had been cleansed or give me as deep a clean as I would have liked from a face mask. 

The second item in the box was a simple red nail varnish from ANGELE Paris (I can't find a shade name or code) which retails for £6.32. Again, I can't find a website where this is sold which is slightly annoying. This isn't my favourite nail varnish - its very thin and states that you would need two coats and a top coat and the brush is not a paddle-style brush. I'm sure it's not a terrible nail varnish to many other people but I'm so lazy when painting my nails; I like to be able to apply one coat with an easy-to-use brush and I'm done. 

Swatches of the GLOSSYBOX
Mauve Eyeshadow.

The third item in the box was a GLOSSYBOX eyeshadow in the shade "Glossy Mauve" which retails for £7.10 (not that I can find a website where it can be purchased, again). I'm very glad mine wasn't broken when it arrived as I've saw this happen in quite a few people's boxes this month. The colour itself it definitely my type of shade - a purple-brown shade -and it has a nice satin finish. The formula seems okay; I think it would apply better wet where it would be a lot more pigmented. I definitely would not apply this with your finger as, when I have tried to swatch it, the product sticks to my finger and near enough none of the product applies to the back of my hand without a lot of effort. It's not a bad eyeshadow, but no where near my favourite.

The fourth item in the box was a luxury-sized sample of the MADARA Cellular Repair Serum  which is £38.00 (for the full-sized version).

"The clinically proven serum from MADARA combines a cell repairing bio-complex alongside revitalising birch juice (the wonder ingredient the beauty world is currently buzzing about) to plump skin, while boosting hydration and radiance"

I like the consistency of the product and it has a lot of good reviews about minimising wrinkles and giving a youthful, instant lifting effect. However, I hate the scent of it so much,  I wouldn't complain if it was subtle or if the scent wasn't as strong when it sets into the skin but it stays on the skin for a very long time. It does say to follow with a moisturiser which got rid of the scent but it really put me off using it again. I'm not sure how often I will be using this or how I will fit it into my skincare routine. I may give it away for someone else to try (it may just be me who dislikes the scent). 

The final product in the box (and the only one I seemed to really like this month) was a TEEEZ Oasis Gem Lipstick in the shade "Coral Onyx" with a satin matte finish (this can be purchased for £11.93 as quoted on the information leaflet but I cannot find it on the website). I don't own a lipstick this colour so I was really happy with the shade, the formula is also really good and I like that it sets to a slightly matte finish which doesn't look or feel drying on the lips. It claims to last for 8 hours but I haven't worn it for that long yet - the finish does make me think it would last for quite a long time though.

"Coral Onyx" TEEEZ lipstick.

I also loveeeeee the packaging! It's so different to anything else I own and is really attractive. I think this will be a lovely formula and shade for the summer.

Although I wasn't thrilled with my GLOSSYBOX this month, I usually love this subscription service and I won't be cancelling my subscription - I'm sure that I won't always love the products I receive and I'm sure other people who received these products might have reviewed them completely differently to I have and thats the decision you make when subscribing to a service which sends you different products every month. I won't give a sugar-coated review about how I felt about this month's box as it would be pointless in me writing about them but I am hopeful that next month's will be better and I still believe that, for what you pay, you get the chance to try out some wonderful products. 

If you are interested in GLOSSYBOX please read my previous reviews and visit their website - if you decide to subscribe for one month, three months or even more, please do so through this link as I receive reward points. 

Thank you for reading, 

Holly Amber X

DECEMBER GLOSSYBOX REVIEW!

The collaboration box with Really Ree was only ROSE GOLD!!! Everyone's current favourite colour, I'm sure.

It was so beautiful! Most definitely my favourite design of all the boxes I have received so far. It was also wonderfully festive with "Let it snow!" written down the front side in the same rose-gold colour.

A little side note: I never throw away my GLOSSYBOX boxes! I simply remove the packaging inside of them and use them as makeup/beauty product containers - I've saw plenty of other uses for them also! They're just too pretty and high-quality to get rid of.

As if the design wasn't brilliant enough, there was 6 products as oppose to 5 in this month's edition which was thrilling! The bonus 6th item included in the box was the STARSKIN Balancing Bio-cellulose Second Skin face mask (the behind the scenes version) which is £8.50 at SELFRIDGES.
It includes a mask which is soaked in a vitamin-packed serum. The one I received claims to be "intensely soothing...deeply purifying...pore refining...sebum balancing...(and provides) breakout prevention"
The mask should be applied onto dry skin and left on for 20-25 minutes (with 10 minutes in the fridge beforehand to enhance its calming and cooling effect). It includes ingredients such as coconut juice, vitamin B, vitamin C and chamomile (and so many more).

I haven't tried this yet; I'm saving it for a pamper day where my skin needs some revitalising! However, I am very excited to try it out, it sounds wonderful.

The next product I came to was the HYLAMIDE pore delete (prismatic liquid) which is £18.00 for the full-sized version. It claims to blur pores and mattify the area; unlike a normal primer, you apply this after your foundation but before your powder (or as the last step in your skincare routine). I've been using it after my foundation and have found it a little hard to use as the consistency is quite thin but as you pat it into the area it becomes very tacky. Nonetheless - it does what it claims to! It definitely makes the area seem "blurry" and minimises your pores and it also mattifies the skin. I'm just not too sure about the consistency of this product but I'm going to continue to use it, it might just need some getting used to!

The third product in the box was the COLLECTION long-lasting nail effects nail polish in the shade "Cosmic stars" (retailing for £2.99). The colour is a gorgeous glittery purple, so perfect for the festive month! Although these nail polishes are relatively cheap, I loved receiving this in my GLOSSYBOX this month; a colour I'm sure I'll be wearing throughout the Christmas period.

It claims to be a chip-free nail varnish which lasts up to 7 days - I very much hope so! Nothing annoys me more than spending an hour painting your nails (whilst trying not to smudge them) for it to chip and break off the very next day!

The fourth product in the box I was very wary of when I first opened it. It was the ESSENCE liquid lipstick in the shade "Show Off" which retails for £2.50. First off, I'm not a huge fan of this brand and I wasn't crazy about the packaging of this product - it felt slightly cheap and I was a little disappointed. Still, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover! (Slightly cliche but its true). The product itself is very pigmented and gives off a wonderful colour and coverage. Also, the shine it gives is beautiful just like a lipgloss but it doesn't feel as if it is going to shift after half an hour like one!
The shade is a slightly red, party-pink tone (not one I'd personally wear on a day-to-day basis). Though I don't think this colour suits me all too well, this may be down to my incline towards the safe, nude colours - boring holl.

To sum up, the packaging could definitely be better but the product itself is surprisingly good - for £2.50 I'd definitely give it a go, I'm considering purchasing an everyday shade for myself too (maybe "almost real" - a very safe, pink nude).

The fifth product in the box was the ETRE BELLE Golden Skin Caviar Eye Roll-on which, for the larger size, retails for just over £30.00! Safe to say, for that price I had very high hopes for this product. The cooling gel-like product is meant to refresh the skin under the eyes and soothe it - reducing the tired, run-down look that many students like myself tend to experience I'm sure! The size of this produce (the smaller version) is such a wonderful, handbag-like size which you can whip out and roll along the skin under your eyes to look instantly revitalised. 

The product is extremely cooling and soothing, I love the feeling of this when I apply it in the morning (when I'm usually struggling to keep my eyes open) and at night before bed. Definitely one of my favourite items in the box - I love feeling like you've received a luxury item when you pay so little for the subscription!

And finally my favourite product in this month's edition... the SO SUSAN Statement Skin Highlighting Pencil (which retails for £15.00) in the shade "Starlight" - such a pretty name! Before subscribing to GLOSSYBOX, I hadn't tried the SO SUSAN brand but I wish I had, I just love the products I've tried out so far. This highlighting pencil is a gorgeous white/champagne gold colour which is extremely pigmented (but with very little/no glitter). The shape of the pencil makes it perfect to highlight smaller areas such as the inner corners of the eyes or the cupids bow or the broader areas like the tops of the cheek bones. I've been using this so much (on it's own and below a powder highlighter). It blends wonderfully and it claims to work well mixed in with your foundation too. Also, its paraben and fragrance free which is always a bonus. 

The full-sized version of the products in the box this month total to £77.00 (considering only one product was travel-sized, in my opinion, and you only pay £10.00 for the whole box, I think thats pretty good value for money!) Very pleased with the December box and the extra item was a wonderful surprise. If you are at all interested in subscribing, I'd appreciate if you did so through my personal link as I receive reward points :) 

Thank you, as always, for reading!

Holly Amber X