Review: Urban Veda Exfoliating Facial Polish

- Urban Veda Radiance Exfoliating Facial Polish £8.99 - 

After receiving this as a sample in a Birchbox a few months ago this has quickly become part of my daily routine (which you can read about here). To control my oily skin an exfoliator is mandatory, especially in the Summer, and after going through various others this one is my favourite so far. It's completely natural with no parabens or GM ingredients and consists mainly of marigold, papaya and coriander all to help aid radiant skin and an enhanced complexion.

The microbeads within the product are fine and really small which I think is essential for facial exfoliators. If the grain is too thick you can often be left with feeling like you've lost a layer of skin which after many red faced incidents, I learnt the hard way. I use this every morning and night after using a cleanser and before moisturising. It makes my skin feel super soft and makes a huge difference to how my moisturiser and make up apply, helps keep the oil in my skin at bay all day and balances and brightens my complexion.

This works wonderfully as an exfoliator and it's a great product for the price, I'd definitely recommend trying it if you can!

Do you use exfolaitors? What one's your favourite?

Lots of love.

Review: Birchbox

- birchbox -

This is a bit of last minute post hence the reasons why the pictures aren't great quality (we can all thank instagram for that). I just wanted to make this post as I've seen a lot of controversy over whether these beauty boxes are worth it or not.

I've been subscribed to Birchbox for about 6 months now and I haven't really been disappointed at all. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I'm not really expecting amazing things which I know sounds strange for something I'm paying monthly for but more often than not, or actually most of the time in my case, I've been sent a brand I've never heard of (which I love), a nice variety of products and they've seemed to actually pay attention to my beauty profile and sent me products accordingly.

The idea of a beauty box, I think, is great. I love trying new products and especially from lesser known or even international brands that I otherwise wouldn't have heard about let alone been able to find where they're stocked and that is the main reason I opted for the Birchbox as opposed to Glossybox. From other bloggers I've seen what they've recieved in their Glossybox each month and it all seems to be easily accessible 'highstreet' brands and products whereas Birchbox I've found has more of a variety. I'd still enjoy trying new products each month even if they were highstreet brands (there are no beauty snobs over here) but for the same amount of money, or I think that Birchbox is slightly less actually, I much prefer the wider range of brands and products I get each month.

So all in all I really like beauty boxes and I'd love to subscribe to more! There are always going to be some months better than others and I think that just makes it more interesting and at least there might be at least one thing you like each month rather than wasting the whole £12.95 on one product you end up hating.

Just an FYI, I really loved this months Birchbox. The packaging was beautiful and all 5 products were really useable and just all round lovely!

The products for May 2014:
benefit they're real mascara £19.50
aromatherapy associates revive bath oil £39.00
soigne nail varnish £11.00
philip kingsley dry shampoo £13.50
liz earle cleanse & polish £13.50

I'd be really interested to know what you think and if you're subscribed to a beauty box and what one!

Lots of love.