SOAP AND GLORY GIFT SET BOX REVIEW

So I kind of spoilt myself just before christmas and gave myself a little treat by purchasing this 'AMAZING' gift box of some of my holy grail products which I cannot live without - literally. I purchased this gift box for £30.00 on offer with the contents together worth £60.00 which was a bargain! I picked up this beauty from Boots in the UK but it was also available on the Soap and Glory website and they do ship worldwide. The box consists of 10 full sized products, some of which are best sellers across the Soap and Glory line.

The gift box set includes:
• HAND DREAM™ Super Cream 100ml
• ORANGEASM™ Body Wash 500ml
• BUTTER YOURSELF™ Moisture Lotion 500ml
• HEEL GENIUS™ Foot Cream 125ml
• SUGAR CRUSH™ Body Scrub 300ml
• WHIPPED CLEAN™ Shower Butter 250ml
• THE RIGHTEOUS BUTTER™ Body Butter 300ml
• OFF YOUR FACE™ 3 in 1 Daily Purifying Cloths (25 cloths)
• SEXY MOTHER PUCKER™ Lip Lacquer in Charm Offensive 7ml
• THICK & FAST™ Super Volume Mascara 10ml

Soap & Glory 'The Next Big Thing' Gift Box.

The first product I had to use was the Thick and Fast Mascara which has now become my second favourite to the MAC False Lashes Mascara. The formula is thick and if you have straight and fine eyelashes like me then you need a mascara which gives you both the thickness and the curl. Unfortunately, I still haven't found such a mascara but I did come across a beauty blogger who recommend the Chanel Le Volume mascara which gives thickness like Soap and Glory's Thick and Fast but drops your lashes due to the thickness which is similar to this mascara. I like to finish off my lashes with Thick and Fast and its gives them a boost but remember as the formula is thick, too much application will make your lashes clumpy and unappealing. But overall, I do like this mascara and I will buy it again for its thickness - I will be purchasing the Chanel Le Volume mascara soon too. You can purchase this product at Boots or the Soap and Glory online site for £10.00. 

The second product which I always buy so having a back up felt good is the Sugar Body Scrub. I absolutely love this product as its has macadamia oil, it leaves the skin soft whilst also exfoliating the dry skin. I love using this product twice a week in the shower before shaving so it lifts up any ingrowing hair to give me a clean shave. This product can be purchased from the Soap and Glory website or the Boots online site or in store for £8.00. 

The Righteous Butter is another reason why I love Soap and Glory so much! The thick formula hydrates the skin and leaves it smelling beautiful. I use this product after a shower and I personally fell in love with the smell, this is my back up as i'm already working my way through one, whoops! This can also be purchased online at S&G and Boots for £10.50. 

Personally, I am not a big fan of lip glosses as i'm more of a matte lipstick person so when I realised I had this product in the gift set I did plan on giving it away to a friend but I did some swatches on my hand I loved the shade (Half Baked). I will be doing an in-depth review on this product with pictures of me wearing it so its easier for you ladies to see the shade. This product is available at S&G online and Boots for £9.00. 

When I first saw the wipes packet in the gift set I didn't bother reading it to see what they were for as I initially assumed they were make-up removal wipes however after getting home and unpacking my shopping I realised they were in fact purifying wipes. I used these wipes after my dettol exfoliation after taking my makeup of and I love them. My skin feels fresh and especially after taking all the make up off, my skin feels clean and ready for bed. This is the first time I have used purifying cloths so i'm not sure how many other companies do them but I will make sure to report back on the best ones I find. These cloths are available at S&G for £4.50 which is quite pricey for wipes but if they do the job, what more can a girl ask for?!

On a Sunday night I love doing a mani and pedi and I was on the lookout for a good hand and foot moisturiser so you can understand my excitement when I found that this box set had both the products I needed. The Heel Genius is actually a genius, its softens hard dry skin around your heel and if you're like me and you love wearing heels you need to protect your feet! 

The hand moisturiser sits on my bed side drawer as I use it every night before I sleep, it has to be one of my holy grail products which I will never stop purchasing as I love it way too much. Heel Genius can be purchased for £5.50 and Hand Dream for £7.00. 

The  Body Wash I haven't used as of yet as I'm still working through other products for reviews but a separate review will be available soon, so keep your eyes peeled ladies. The Orangeasm Body wash can be purchased for £6.50.

And lastly, the Butter Yourself Moisture Lotion was a new purchase as I haven never really been intrigued to purchase this item nor did I see the need, personally  However after using it I love it dearly, it has now entered my everyday routine and sits on my vanity waiting patiently to be used as it deserves to be. Its a thick and rich formula which works to clear up dry and patchy skin leaving its softer, smoother and best of all smelling like flowers. Unlike other drugstore lotions this formula works to sit into the skin straight away rather than later, so it'll get to work straight away - so if you're in a rush this is the best purchase you'll ever make and your skin will love you for it. This product can be purchased for £10.00 at S&G online or at Boots in-store or online. 

The box is something that I will never throw out as I love the design wayyyyyy too much so i'd keep it for storage or keep it to sit under my vanity with my skincare and body care products. The products were in a drawstring bag which I found tacky as I was looking forward to something more organised from S&G, hopefully they'll outdo themselves next christmas. 

I hope you ladies enjoyed this post. If you have any reviews you'd like me to do, please do comment below or drop me a message on my contact page.

Thank you for reading my lovelies. 

MINI MAC HAUL

I finally received my package from Selfridges after ages but I didn't order much from this order as most of the stuff that I wanted was out of stock (sad face). Anyways I did pick up two little items which i've eagerly been waiting to get back in stock for me to purchase and FINALLY Selfridges was a doll.

MAC Powder Blush and Viva Glam III Lipstick

I picked up the MAC Powder Blush in the shade 'Dessert Rose' which is like a washed out red shade but blushers like these look flattering on all skin shades. I do own other MAC blushers which I will review soon and will also upload pictures of my collection. I purchased this little one in the Selfridges Sale from Boxing day which is still ongoing with further reductions with 10% off high end beauty (www.selfridges.com) - The RRP for this product was £18.00 but with the sale reduction I got it for £16.20 which personally I think is a great bargain for MAC item as I pay £15.50 for a MAC lipstick. 

MAC Powder Blush in Shade 'Dessert Rose' 

 Alongside the MAC Powder Blusher I also purchased the VIVA GLAM Matte Lipstick in shade III. This is the perfect 'go to' shade for a look thats more concentrated on your eyes and contouring but I personally LOVE this shade as I'm staring to fall in love with darker shades day by day - thanks to the older sister. However there are downsides to wearing dark lipstick shades day in and say out - I've already posted a review for my favourite MAC Matte Lipsticks but I will be doing a review for this little one soon and I shall also post a picture of me wearing it so you have a better idea of the shade for your reference. This lipstick originally was £15.50 but with the sale I did get a bargain for £13.95 which is a great price for such a pigmented lipstick that looks amazing and stays put throughout the day.

MAC Viva Glam III

I hope you ladies enjoyed this post. If you have any reviews you'd like me to do, please message me or drop a comment below.

Thank you for reading my lovelies.

THE BODY SHOP HAUL!

I received my order today from The Body Shop and was feeling really lazy to take pictures but I will upload pictures of before and after with the masks I purchased. The Body Shop had an offer of £20.00 off when you spend £40.00, so half of my order was free and I had free delivery too which I was really chuffed about as I LOVE The Body Shop! All of the products I purchased in this haul were first time buys as I wanted to review them for you ladies and see if they actually work. 

Image Source: The Body Shop

For ages I've been looking for a seaweed mask from a good company and as I love myself some Body Shop I thought I'd give it a try. It says it clarifies the skin, draws out any impurities, and refreshes the skin. Directions to use: apply a thin layer all over the face and rinse within 10 mins, repeat twice a week - I will be reviewing all these products once I have used them for a well amount of time to draw up my opinion. Alongside this I also purchased the Tea Tree Face Mask which helps remove impurities, absorbs excess oil, and soothes skin - this makes is for people with oily skin but as I have pores and blemishes across my cheeks I needed a mask for an every 2 week use to soothe my skin. Both of these masks were £10.00 each and I was quite surprised when they arrived, as the tub literally fits in the size of the palm of my hand but as I would use this weekly and every 2 weeks maybe the size isn't an issue but I will report back whether they are worth your money or not. 

As I have blemish prone, I wanted a gel that I could apply to help prevent future breakouts and soothe the blemishes so I purchased the Tea Tree Blemish Gel which was for £6.00 for a 2.5ml bottle which I think is worth it but obviously I need to see some improvements in my skin, Body Shop. The cap is a twist off and has a dofer wand so its super user friendly and you don't waste any products as its applied straight to the blemish or damaged skin. The Body Shop says this product helps with soothing the targeted area, instantly cools without over-drying the skin, and finally its clinically proven to give clearer looking skin - we'll see about that soon Body shop (Review for all these products will be up soon ladies). 

I was casually searching through the best sellers and came across the Vitamin E Eye Cream and as I have poor eye sight it affects the skin around my eye as I'm constantly rubbing my eyes which makes them sore. This was for £11.00 and is one of The Body Shop's bestseller but before I ordered I read the online reviews on the product listing from previous customers who tried the item and they were all positive so I wanted to give this newbie a little test run. The Body Shop says, it moisturises and hydrates the skin whilst also protecting the delicate skin around the eye, it reduces the appearances of fine lines, leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth and gently massages the skin to help  reduce the puffiness. I have already started using this product today so the review will be up much sooner than anticipated - just sit tight and wait ladies. 

Finally, the last product I purchased is an Overnight Vitamin E Serum which my mum has been using for months, I started using it from her for few weeks ago and its really helped restore and replenish my skin so I decided it was time for my own and my mum hid hers which I don't blame her for, hehe. This product recharges, replenishes and softens your skin, its an 8 hour beauty sleep for your skin, skin looks fresher, rested and more radiant, and this is The Body Shops highest concentration of Wheatgerm oil which is believed to help prevent skin problems. I will be wiring up a review for the Overnight Serum tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled beauties. 

I hope you ladies found this post useful with any of your future purchases at The Body Shop - Reviews for these products will be online shortly. 

Thank you reading my lovelies. 

BOOHOO HAUL

So literally only an hour ago I found out about Boohoo offering free next day delivery on orders placed today before 20:00BST with the code CELEBRATE so the obvious thing for me to do was to order. I don't usually shop from Boohoo as I prefer going in store and trying on the clothes and shoes before making any purchases but Boohoo have free returns so I checked them out. 

Image Source: Boohoo.com 

Only one item I purchased was off the sale rack which is the orange overrides woven tee was RRP £14.00 but was on sale at £10.00 which is a bargain for such a beautiful tee which I will be uploading pictures here once its arrived. I also purchased another tunic in 'charcoal grey' which was £14.00, I couldn't help myself the beautiful material finished with the pom poms across the hem of the tunic just makes it perfect for all year round. You can style this tunic with black jeans and a pair of boots for winter + spring and then use it in summer with a pair of shorts and tights as seen on the model. 

I'm a sucker for statement necklaces and i've recently been seeing this coin necklaces floating around Instagram with companies selling them but I wasn't sure to trust them so when I found it on Boohoo I had to buy it. This necklace is £10.00 and is available in Silver as you can see in the picture and also gold which was really pretty too. I also purchased a pair of chelsea boots in suede as I have leather knee high boots and biker boots but I really wanted to add these babies to my collection and these were for £28.00. 

I hope you ladies enjoyed this post and do check out Boohoo for a great bargain. 

Thank you for reading my lovelies. 

CONTACT

If you have any questions/enquiries or would like to contact me the easiest way to do so is through email: 

beauteajunkie@gmail.com


Follow me Twitter for more updates my lovelies - @Beauteajunkie

Back to University (Semester 2)

I am a second year university student so I'm over the whole 'freshers' and to be honest I'm over 'refreshers' too as I just don't see the point but thats just my opinion. If you're a first year student don't listen to your class friends about the year not counting towards your final grade, I mean it doesn't as you do need 40% to pass but if you put in the effort in first year you'll be able to ease into second year where you grade actually counts. And its easier to gain placement with good grades from first year  which is vital across all courses, employers want grades but they also want experience! 

Image Source: Google

For semester 2, I already have all my essentials such as a notebook, stationary, diary (2015), and my trusty Macbook and of course folders. If you were to see my university work you'd freak as I'm kind of an organisation crazed human which I don't think is such a bad thing but of course I'd say that. 

I'm also in the process of getting my CV and my Online Professional Blog to companies for a summer internship in London and across Birmingham. I would strongly recommend you do the same if you're a university student as it would look great on your CV for future employments and its also great to get insight into where you want to see yourself in a few years, career wise.

As i'm undertaking a media degree, there are many different aspects that I could go in to and gain employment. When I started my degree I was hell bent on woking in the television industry but after completing a Level 4 & now Level 5 in Media Relations and doing a 2 week placement at a PR firm, I've decided that I want to see my self within the PR industry. So if you're unsure or want to get a taster for something else, apply at local offices or companies now to ensure you have placement for the summer to put your mind at ease, it surely did for me. 

I hope this post helped and if you have any questions do comment below and i'll get back to you as soon as I can. 

Thank you for reading my lovelies. 

HEAT PROTECTION FROM EVERYDAY STYLERS

First of all can we all just stare at the packaging before we actually use or review it! Honestly, L'Oreal outdid themselves with this baby, it has actually become one of my holy grail products although I use many heat protecting sprays from time to time to be able to review them you girlies. I have been using L'Oreal Elnett Heat Protecting Styling Spray since secondary school and it has truly worked to fit its purpose by both protecting and giving my hair life!!!

Years before using this product I'd go straight in with the straightener and curling wand to style my hair without actually thinking twice about the damage it was causing my beautiful long locks which I cut off for prom (which i do regret dearly). And now I cannot touch my hair with a blow dryer without spraying it down with heat protector. Girls the best advice I can give you is to protect your hair, you do not want dry, dull, or coarse looking hair as it does not look attractive and its very rough to touch. If you do have dry, dull or coarse hair I will be doing a blog post to get your hair back to life soon on this space (there are a few products I have used which helped me to get my hair back to smooth after all the damage I previously caused it - all shall be revealed soon my lovelies).

L'Oreal Elnett Heat Styling Spray - BOOTS (£5.99) - Image source: Google

Anyways back to L'Oreals Elnett Heat Protecting spray is not sticky nor does it leave your hair greasy which I have heard many girls claim. It really depends on how you use the product, as my hair gets greasy within 2 days of washing and styling it, I prefer using the heat protecting spray whilst my hair is damp to dry from air drying and then i go in with the blow dryer. I also spray it into my hair sparingly before styling with heat but i'd advise you to use less if your hair tends to get greasy fast. Another thing, do not spray ANY heat protector on OR near your roots as this will turn your hair greasy and sticky after you have styled it - stick to spraying towards the mid to ends of your hair. 

The packaging is super user friendly with an easy to use nozzle and of course the beautiful gold packaging which would look amazing on any vanity. I recently tried the Tresemme heat styling spray, when I went to use the product I found the nozzle was broken and resulted in no product actually coming up to be used which left me to purchase a plastic bottle just to use the spray (Review for Tressemme Heat Styling Spray will also be up soon). 

I strongly recommend you try the product for yourself and watch it work wonders on your hair - L'Oreal Elnett Heat Protecting Styling Spray can be purchased at any drug store such as BOOTS for £5.99. 

Thank you reading my lovelies. 

Homemade Natural Remedies for Acne, Blackheads & Pimples

So with my first Skincare post I wanted to attack a problem that nearly every girl will experience at some point in her life whether its during puberty or later on in life. As everyone has different skin types, you need to ensure that whatever products you use are for your skin type and that it’s actually helping your skin and not further damaging it, you can do so by reading reviews on products sites.

There are many home remedies that I will be sharing on my blog that I will personally try and I will also try my best to get some treatments for the girlies with oily and combination skin. So keep your eyes peeled on this site for more treatments.

Egg White Mask (DRY SKIN)

Egg whites temporarily tighten pores reducing chances of future blackheads, and will also remove current blackheads. Egg whites are rich in nutrients for your skin, and are a little less drying than some other home remedies for blackheads.

You will need the following:

• 1 egg
• Facial tissue or toilet paper
• A small bowl
• A clean towel

Directions

1. Separate the yolk from the white and rinse your face. Pat your face dry and then apply a thin layer of egg white over your skin.

There are two ways to go from here-

1. Place a strip of facial tissue or toilet paper over the wet egg white, being sure to press it onto your face gently. Allow the first layer to dry. Carefully apply a second layer of egg white over the tissue. When the mask is dry, your face may feel tight this is supposed to happen. Peel the tissue off, and then gently wash your face to remove any residue. Pat dry and moisturize as usual. I recommend using The Body Shop – Tea Tree Lotion as it cleanses and works on dry skin really well by preventing any future breakouts.
2. OR, you can leave out the tissue and simply apply 3-5 layers of egg white, being sure to let each layer dry in between applications. If you do not let the layers dry, this will not work!

I will try different and new natural remedies, which I will review and report back to you. I am
awaiting an order from The Body Shop (My FAV Skincare store of all time) where I purchased masks for combination skin, which I will also review up on this space so keep checking back. 

Thank you for reading my lovelies.

REVIEW: MAC Lipstick (Shades; Taupe and Diva)

MAC - DIVA - £15.50

There isn’t any shopping trip that I can walk past MAC and not purchase anything at all, it’s a bad habit but I think its good because I can review them for you girlies. I picked up the MAC Matte lipsticks in Taupe, which is on the ‘nude’ and ‘brown’ shades whereas the Diva is more on the ‘burgundy’ and ‘dark’ side. I do love both the lipsticks and I used them everyday depending on my mood, as you girls know the lipstick matches the mood.

This lipstick basically does what its for; it’s a creamy formula which dries up to a matte finish and all you need is one coat as it very pigmented which means you use less daily. However the Taupe needs two layers if you’re really looking for the ‘bare’ look which I tend to go for when I do the ‘cba makeup look’ – guilty as charged, I do need to stock up on that.

MAC - TAUPE - £15.50

Another thing I LOVE about this product would be that as the day passes I don’t feel the need to re-apply my lipstick as it doesn’t fade and looks fresh from the morning application. When I use drugstore lippies, I always stay cautious as they do need to be re-touched during the day on many occasions as they are not very pigmented and don’t last.

Taupe is a nudey brown shade which I love for when I don’t have time to apply lip liner so I would just apply the lipstick however as Diva is a deep burgundy shade you do need lip liner to initially define your lips and then use the lipstick, this will also give you a great finished look for your overall make up.

One major let down on the beautiful Diva would be that as its quite a dark colour and very pigmented you need to ensure you hydrate your lips overnight as it does tend to dry up your lips after you remove it, this is due to the Matte and its shade. I would not recommend you hydrate your lips with Vaseline or a lip balm before application, as this would remove the matiness from the final look.

In a nutshell, I would definitely recommend buying these products as Mac have the best shades and also as you only need on layer and you’re good to go for the day.

To give you girlies a better look at the shade of the lipsticks here are some photos of me wearing. I hope they help you in choosing your shades. (I am a shade NC35 at MAC) J  

MAC - TAUPE

MAC  - DIVA

ABOUT ME

Hello and welcome to my beauty blog lovelies! My name is Shaheela and I am a BA undergraduate in Media with a slight addiction to makeup. 

I've recently been following other amazing beauty bloggers and Youtube channels and finally built up enough courage to start up my own to give my honest opinion on products and guide you through skincare and haircare 101. 

For reference I have dry/sensitive skin and I am a NC35 at MAC. In regards to skincare please note that what works for me may not work you and vice versa so please do a little research into any skincare purchased before buying or trying and treatments recommend on my blog. 

Apart from Beauty, Skincare, and Haircare, I will also be blogging on Lifestyle which will be based on university essentials and guides on surviving university. I will also be answering any questions for students at college thinking about university and help with any advice I can give based on personal experiences. 

Disclaimer

Any products that I have received for free, been gifted or sent to review as a PR sample have been marked with an (*) to maintain an open and honest policy on Beautea Junkie. Most of my collection has been purchased by myself. Regardless, I am always 100% honest when talking about and/or reviewing any product, and all opinions are my own.  

All photography and content on Beautea Junkie belong to me unless otherwise stated. Please contact me via email - beauteajunkie@gmail.com if you have any questions, general or PR enquiries.

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