Giveaway - CLOSED

I bought a few bits recently with a view to putting them together as a prize. There's no particularly event to celebrate, this is more of a just-for-the-hell-of-it kind of thing! Anyway, here are the JFTHOI prizes.








There's a BECCA Automatic Eye pencil in Majorca (black) released with the Halcyon Days collection. a BECCA Professional Brush Soap, an Avoir La Pêche collection palette from Sleek and an All For Eve Body Scrub. I've included a close up picture of the Sleek palette and you can see it is a little dusty but it is brand new and unused.


To enter you need this giveaway you need to do the following.

1. Leave me a comment to this post telling me which are your favourite kinds of posts on Modesty Brown (have I mentioned before that I am nosy?).

2. You need to be a follower of this blog via Google Friends Connect or email. Please let me know which way you follow in your comment.

3. Please leave me your email address to contact you if your comment does not link to your blog or profile.

This is an international giveaway so it is open to everyone. I know this a bit dull but as this a giveaway for followers, I reserve the right to remove any entries that I suspect are not from genuine blog readers.

The giveaway will remain open for entries until 10th June 2011, 21:00 BST. 

Best of luck! x

Glossybox

For those in the UK, there has been a lot of talk about the recently released Glossybox scheme. The idea is that you keep up to date with current product trends with a monthly delivery of five sample sized products. You pay £10 a month for your box which includes delivery and I believe you can cancel at any time without being tied in to a notice period.

I must admit, I'd decided not to buy a box the first month as I wasn't sure if it would be for me. When I was offered a box to try for review I freely admit that nosiness got the better of me and I couldn't resist checking it out. The presentation is impeccable, the pink box that it comes in is sturdy and attractive and I will be using it for storage. I liked the tissue paper and ribbon touch as it really feels like opening a present. Who wouldn't want to open a nice gift to themselves once a month?

Inside there were five products ranging from small sample size to full size. There was a small sample of BIONOVA Bioactive Cleanser for Normal/Dry skin (an oil based cleanser), a travel size bottle of Coco Shambhala Invigorate Body Lotion, a purse sized spritz bottle of Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Rapid Repair Spray, a full sized All For Eve lipstick and a full sized NARS Orgasm Illuminator. I am very interested to try the Coco Shambhala, Alterna and BIONOVA as I've never tried these brands before and Alterna is the only name I have come across before. The All for Eve lipstick and the Orgasm Illuminator are duplication of products that I already own.

This brings me to my thoughts on Glossybox. I think it is a really great idea, you get a lot for your £10 and I think for the vast majority of women (that aren't obsessed beauty bloggers) it really is a great scheme. I think if you're a bit beauty mad like me you run the risk of duplications or ending up with items that you tried but decided against purchasing. Having said that, I still think it represents great value for money if they keep up the current standard.

I'm not sure whether boxes will be tailored to skin type and colouring in the future. I think all the boxes that went out this month contained the same products but there is mention of them being tailored to individual needs. Glossybox has an online magazine and blog and will encourage subscribers to give feedback about the samples and gain loyalty points towards free products in future which sounds interesting. I will be interested to see how things evolve in the future. You can find out more about Glossybox from their website www.glossybox.co.uk.

What do you think of the scheme? For those in the UK, is this something you're likely to sign up for? I believe similar schemes exist in other Countries so I'd be interested to hear what my International readers make of it too.


Disclosure: This box was sent to me without cost for consideration for review.

Hand Creams Part II

Although the sun keeps putting in an appearance and Winter is behind us, I'm still finding I'm in need of a regular application of hand cream. I think it's the combination of being outside a lot and the frequent hand washing that comes with looking after small children that ravages my skin. I thought I would give an overview of some I have been using and liking recently.

Best for Maintenance - All for Eve Hand Cream (£7.50)
This is another item that I got as part of my TSV order from QVC. This sits in the kitchen and is used by both my husband and I. It has a lovely fresh fragrance and sinks in easily. I reach for this one when my hands are in good condition, I don't find it heavy duty enough for when my hands are chapped and dry but it's good for everyday use. I particularly like the shape of the packaging too.

Best for Luxury - Dr. Hauschka Hand Cream (£12.77)
I was sent a tube of this by a very lovely blogger after I tried hers and loved it. When I refer to this as being luxurious, it's because of the lovely texture of the cream. It's very moisturising without feeling heavy which is exactly what I'm after. I have a heavy body butter type cream which I use at night but it's too greasy for the day, unless I wear cotton gloves and frankly who wants to do that in the daytime? This is perfect for really soothing and nourishing without leaving me incapable of using my hands.

Best for Repair - Alva Stressed Hands Cream (£7.70)
I was very kindly sent this to try by Alva after they heard about my troubled hands. This cream is excellent for soothing dry, chapped hands. It does have an unusual scent, it's slightly medicinal as well as being quite citrussy. It contains avocado oil, marigold extract and camomile which I think accounts for the moisturising and soothing properties. The other plus is that it's fairly unisex, great for the man in your life if, like mine, they get chapped hands too.

Best for Ladylike Fragrance - The Body Shop Vitamin E Hand and Nail Cream (£8)
This is the most recent acquisition and was a gift from my children for my birthday. It has a nice feel, sinks in easily and my favourite thing is the scent. Oddly, I can't smell it immediately but after it sinks in to my skin I pick up the lovely rosy smell (it contains rose hip oil and geraniol) and I can't stop sniffing my hands.

Have you tried any of these? Do you find dry hands are a year round battle or are yours recovering now that winter is over? 

Recent Empties

I thought I would share with you some things I have recently used up. I always find these posts interesting and I think which products get used up completely is often very telling. This is a mixture of sample size and full size products.

Mane 'n Tail Conditioner

This sample size conditioner came with one of my Zuneta orders. I was quite excited to give it a try as I'd read about the Mane 'n Tail products before. It's quite a thick, blobby (for want of a better word) consistency and reminds me a little of an old conditioner I used as a girl. It was really yellow and I seem to vaguely remember something about egg yolks, maybe it was Wella or Alberto Balsam... Anyway, I digress! The Mane 'n Tail conditioner was nice to use and left my hair feeling soft. I think it would be particularly good for those with long hair that is prone to tangling.

All For Eve Shower Gel

I bought this as part of a TSV set on QVC. It has a lovely fresh scent, produces a beautiful lather and doesn't dry my skin. Best of all, it's supporting a really great cause. If you haven't come across All For Eve before, all net profits go to The Eve Appeal which supports research into gynaecological cancers. You can read more about it on their website here.

Batiste Brunette Dry Shampoo

I was really late to the dry shampoo party but I'm getting the hang of it now. I bought the Brunette version as I thought it would be good for avoiding the talc-y look on my dark hair. It also has the added advantage of disguising my grey roots a little. I find it so handy for the days when I'm short on time and it's saved me from being late for school drop off on more than one occasion. I will definitely replace it but might go for one of the other scents for a change.

Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser

I received this sample of Balancing Cleanser at an Alpha-H event a little while ago and I have been using it as my night time cleanser. The texture is between a lotion and a cream. I tend to squirt a bit in my hand, massage over my face and wipe off with a warm cloth (the Eve Lom muslins are my favourite). I find it good at removing all of my makeup used this way and with the consistency, I don't get any greasy residue. There's no scent and the packaging is basic but practical. I like it and if it wasn't for my desire to try a balm cleanser, I'd probably buy a full size.

Dior Capture Total One Essential serum sample

I received this sample when I went to get a shade match for the DiorSkin Nude foundation. I just looked up how much it costs for a full bottle, £65 for 30mls and £80 for 50mls. As the sample only lasted a couple of days, I couldn't really comment on long term performance but from my brief use, this wouldn't be a purchase for me. The serum is supposed to 'boost the performance' of any other treatment you use. The consistency is of the thin, milky cream rather than a liquid (I much prefer a liquid serum). I noticed it did leave a slightly tacky feel to the skin if I didn't apply moisturiser immediately. Although it felt hydrating as it went on, I didn't feel that it 'boosted' my moisturiser as my skin often felt dry again in the morning. It certainly didn't have any immediate plumping or radiance effect on the skin which was a little disappointing after my experience with the Bioeffects EGF serum.

Trilogy Gentle Facial Exfoliant

I was sent this exfoliant as part of my guest blogging stint on Zuneta last year and it's been part of my routine since then. I had previously been used to more gritty products but I found this did the job just as well without feeling scratchy. I love the smell too. This is one I would happily purchase again.

What products have you finished recently? Was it a rate or a hate?

Comparison of My Red Lipsticks

My Tom Ford lipstick has arrived and to mark the occasion I have done a comparison of my red lipsticks. I have posted lip swatches of most of the others quite recently but here I will show you how they look side by side. As well as the colours, you can see the difference in coverage and texture more so in the side by side swatches.

The colours I am comparing are Illamasqua Box, Eve Red by All For Eve, Avon Charged Cherry, Tom Ford Smoke Red and Illamasqua Fume lipgloss. It may seem strange to include a lipgloss but the Intense lipglosses are very pigmented.

L-R: Box, Smoke Red, Eve Red, Charged Cherry

L-R: Box, Smoke Red, Eve Red, Charged Cherry

L-R: Box, Smoke Red, Eve Red, Charged Cherry. Fume lipgloss below

L-R: Box, Eve Red, Charged Cherry, Smoke Red. Fume below.

More subdued light

Under flash

Below are my impression of all of the colours. In each case, I feel the colours are a touch more blue than they appear on screen.

Box - It's matte, opaque and very pigmented. More crimson and darker than it appears in some of the swatch pictures.

Smoke Red - It has the same depth of colour as Box (despite the appearance in the bullet) but it's more burgundy/maroon. It's pigmented and glossy with great staying power.

Eve Red - It has a nice satin finish, less pigmented and more neutral in tone than the others. Still more blue based in comparison to Fume.


Charged Cherry - As the name implies, this is a cherry red so this is a brighter, pinky toned red. It's more sheer and far less pigmented that the other lipsticks. As well as the glossy sheen it has a metallic pink sparkle in it that gives a very different finish to the others.

Fume - In the tube this looks scarlet but when swatched this has no blue to my eye and looks more of a tomato red than the other colours I have.

I will leave you with a sneak peak of how Smoke Red looks on my lips. I need to wear it a bit more before I post a review but my first impressions are that it was worth the wait!

Today's MakeUp and Shellac Update

I discovered my All For Eve QVC parcel on my doorstep yesterday. I ordered it before Christmas and I had literally no idea how long it had been sat there. Very relieved that it remained safe, I wasted no time in trying the lipstick out! The lipstick is a red designed by Daniel Sandler and is a flattering shade. It's not too orange or too blue and pigmented enough to give a nice coverage without being too in your face.

Flash

Natural light

On the rest of my face I am wearing

Face
Lancome Teint Miracle under-eye concealer
MAC Studio Finish concealer on blemishes
Edward Bess Island Rose compact rouge

Eyes
Too Face Shadow Insurance
Shu Uemura ME Brown 850 eyeshadow
L'Oreal Super Liner - can't remember the shade but it's the glittery black one
Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous mascara

I'm very pleased with the ME Brown eyeshadow, it's a pretty colour and not similar enough to Satin Taupe for me to feel like it's a dupe. I got IR Beige 800 at the same time but I'm not as enamoured with it as it's a pale, yellow gold rather than beige. I'm not sure I can make it work for me but we'll see.

I thought I would update you on the Shellac manicure. I had it done on Thursday night and yesterday I got a little tear. I now have a tear on my thumb and since I took the photos it's torn again on the same thumb nail. It's very disappointing but not at all unexpected.

How they look after 4 days

The Damage!

I think lifestyle must be to blame, I must be very heavy on my hands and nails. I hadn't realised until I uploaded the photos how dry my hands were. I've since found a bottle of almond oil and I will apply regularly to the skin around the nails in a bid to stop them drying out. I will keep you updated on manicure watch, I think I'll be lucky to hit the week mark without more major damage. Back to the drawing board I suppose...