Farewell to Carmine Beauty Box

This is just a quick post to say I have just received an email from Carmine saying that the are closing their service.  They are encouraging people to sign up to Glossybox, which would be fine but I have already subscribed to Glossybox.

So now Feelunique and Carmine have both gone - they were my favourite beauty boxes so I am left feeling a bit "meh".  I subscribe to Glossybox and new beauty box on the block, SheSaid.  I have been thinking of cancelling my Glossybox and I wasn't overexcited by my first SheSaid box but I will give it another go.

Hmmm, is it wrong that I am now about to do an Internet search on what other beauty boxes are on the market - is it possible to be addicted to these subscription services?!?

Dermalogica Body Hydrating Cream

I was given a large bottle of Dermalogica Body Hydrating Cream at Christmas.  I am a huge fan of Dermalogica's facial skincare range so I was pleased to receive this gift but it ended up sitting on my shelf for three months whilst I used up other body lotions that had nicer bottles and nicer smells!

However I started using this cream last week and WOW its amazing!  It has a very subtle smell, I'm useless at describing scents but I do think it has quite a fresh smell, the smell does fade quickly though so there are no clashes with perfume.

It is called a cream but it has a very light texture and my favourite thing about this cream is that it absorbs really quickly into the skin.  I get dressed straight away after using it.  This is so important to me as I really detest any product that sits on the skin.

Since I've been using this cream I have noticed that my skin feels softer - I find that really impressive as I have used various body creams over the years and whilst some have smelt lovely and have definitely kept my skin moisturised, none have made my skin feel as soft as this one has!

Its not the cheapest product with a 473ml bottle with a pump retailing at £36.50 but as ever you can find this product cheaper online!  However I will definitely splash out in future as I cannot fault it! 

Clarins Face Treatment Oil Lotus

I've had my eye on the Clarins Face Treatment Oil for a while and recently they repackaged all the face oils and have been pushing them, meaning they are constantly in my eye line when I zipping through beauty departments - eek! 

Last weekend I gave in and bought it for myself.  I chose Lotus as I have combination skin and lotus is apparently naturally astringent and the blend of rosewood, geranium and lotus purifies and tightens pores and refines the skin texture.  Sounds good I thought.  I was particularly keen on the tightening of pores!

The Clarins assistant told me to apply a couple of drops every night for three weeks to see a difference and then use the oil when I felt the need thereafter.

I used the oil for four nights and.......have broken out in spots.....ok its only three spots but normally I (luckily) have clear skin so am not over the moon that I have any spots at all.  I've stopped using the oil but am wondering what to do.....should I start up again, is getting spots a normal part of this oil - a breakout and then mega clear skin?  Or maybe oil just doesn't work on my skin?

I've previously tried Shu Uemura cleansing oils and they did nothing for me at all and left my skin feeling slightly greasy.

Has anyone else used the Clarins Oil - did you have any breakouts or did you find it worked from the off?  I'm going to have a think about whether to use or whether to bung onto Ebay!!!

Space NK

I'm sure there are lots of you out there who love Space Nk, I live near one of their stores and was forever popping in there for a browse, sniff and spray (ooh that sounds wrong!)  It was the best shop to go and treat yourself in, they had great ranges of hard to find make up brands and skincare you couldn't find anywhere else.

I also used to really like that the assistants in Space NK were so knowledgeable, I would often trust them with finding me the exact shade of foundation I should wear or I would trust their opinion on colours of eyeshadows/lipsticks when I was unsure.

It pains me to say this but I just don't feel the same about Space NK any more.  I feel that things have changed and not for the better, my thoughts are below:-

1. The shop assistants have become more pushy.  An example, a while back I went in a store to ask about a Lipstick Queen lipstick, the assistant showed me the lipstick I was looking for (which I loved, Lipstick Queen is a fab brand) but then she proceeded to try and sell me a Chantecaille lipstick instead!  Surprise Surprise the Chantecaille lipstick is more expensive! 

This has happened more than once, they always seem to be pushing you to buy a more expensive product.  To be honest when they do this I just feel like walking out and not buying anything.

2. The brands and ranges stocked are no longer as exciting as they were.  I remember when Space NK used to stock items you couldn't get anywhere else and they were often introducing new and exciting products.  However to cut them some slack I see they have just started stocking Kevyn Aucoin make up which I'm pretty excited about.

3. Another gripe about the assistants is that they don't seem as acknowledgeable as they used to be, recently in the Westbourne Grove branch there was a boy working there (honestly he wasn't a man - at the oldest he seemed about 18/19) and I really don't believe that he would have been able to advise a thirty something woman on skincare.  Ok maybe I am wrong and he is a skincare/make up whizz and if thats the case I apologise!  Another time a different assistant put some Chantecaille foundation on me - well the result was shocking, it was waaaaaay too dark for me and looked horrible.  It was then that I thought it was wrong that I have more knowledge foundations than an assistant in Space NK!!

I hope things improve soon because at the moment I am much more excited about the beauty hall in Liberty and Fenwicks than I am at Space NK.

Glossybox November 2011

From what I've read online there were very mixed feelings about this month's Glossybox.  I can understand why, I received mine yesterday and was fairly underwhelmed.  My box contained the following:

Nail Rock Designer Nail Wraps in Leopard
I like to have weekly manicures (its my vice!) and tend to be a bit boring and just go for classic reds and dark reds so these nail wraps are just not me.  I've alread put them on ebay!!

Illamasqua Freak EDP
I love this perfume - I recently discovered it in Selfridges and whilst at first I was unsure, the unusual scent really grew on me and I bought a bottle.  So I am going to carry this sample in my handbag.

Dead Sea Spa Magik Bath Salts
This was the product that I was really unimpressed with, I thought the whole point of Glossybox was that we receive luxury products, current trends and niche brands - I don't think these bath salts fall into any of these categories.  Its been around for years, its not a luxury or niche brand so why was it included in our boxes?  Plus to add salt to the wound I don't have a bath - pah!!

Monu Revistalising Moisturiser
I hadn't heard of this brand and did think of giving it away but I tried it this morning and it feels quite light and absorbed quickly - I was fairly impressed.  I am going to hang onto this and take it with me if ever I stay away from home.  However it won't replace my favourite moisturiser - Dermalogica Active Moist!

Arbonne FC5 Ultra Hydrating Hand Creme
This was another brand I had not heard of.  I tried the creme last night and liked the citrus type smell and the fact it sunk in (I hate hand creams that leave my hands greasy).  I feel it would be a good cream to use during the day whilst at work.  I am going to keep it on my desk.

I did think about unsubscribing as there were no "Wow" products this month but I am going to hang on for December's box - I am hoping it'll be extra special as its Christmas!  Fingers crossed I'm right!!