Birchbox or Glossybox?

Being a beauty fanatic that I am it seemed only right to subscribe to a monthly beauty box subscription, right? I couldn't choose which so I subscribed to both Birchbox and Glossybox for a few months until I figured out which was most useful to me.

Every month I get very eager for the postman to deliver my beauty boxes and most of the time I am not disappointed, but I have been taken note on what I've been getting every month and will be talking briefly about products that stood out for me!

September

Glossybox September - HD Brows bronzer has become an everyday staple in my make-up set. Dr Lipp balm has done wonders for my lips during this winter time.

Birchbox September - Demolished the chocolate fairly quickly and since this box, I have purchased a few flavours and quite enjoyed it! I also have been carrying the mini size Bioderma with me when sleeping out so this has become super handy!

October

Glossybox October - I have already used up the Katy Perry perfume and because of this sample I received the big size for Christmas! The Harmony smoothie serum has become a staple in my skincare.

Birchbox October - This box really appealed to me because by this point my Dr Lipp balm ran out so to receive another was saving my pennies! 

The products I received in this box were fairly expensive. Egyptian cream is one product I used because it was one of those skincare products that helped improve the skin. Also been using the Laura Mercier foundation primer a few times too!

November

Glossybox November - I was happy to receive an eyeshadow because I like trying new make-up brands so I was happy to get this. Also, the Vichy products are highly blogged about so was happy to get to try them!

Birchbox November - I loved this box a lot! the herbal teas were nice (cinnamon not so much). I have used the shampoo up and the is a review ready to be posted and the Chella highlighter has really impressed me. 

Overall Summary...

I think overall I am going to continue with my Birchbox subscription and cancel my Glossybox subscription sometime in the New Year. I was happy at first with my Glossybox but it got off-putting receiving numerous perfume samples and products that are no use to me. September was the best box I ever received by Glossybox but the last 2 or even 3 were quite disappointing. One thing I would miss about this box is the appealing, reusable storage boxes the products arrive in.

Birchbox always send out a variety of products for me to try and their box fits the chosen theme of that month really well! I always seem to use more of my Birchbox samples than I do of my Glossy ones. Plus you get more samples around 6-7 at a time so you get more of your moneys worth.

I hope this post has been somewhat help to people who are undecided on which box to subscribe to. These are just my personal opinions, the boxes may change next year but I don't want to continue paying £10-£12 a month for something I am not impressed with. 

Glossybox or Birchbox?...
Birchbox!

DIY Vintage Deco for Bedroom

A DIY on how to create a vintage or 'shabby chic' deco for your bedroom re-using the Yankee candle jar. The is lots of different ways to reuse Yankee candle jars and this is one way!

You don't have to just use a candle jar you could use any jar you wanted to, the rose garments you can make yourself or purchase them off Amazon like I did.

It is a cute way to brighten up your room without spending a fortune.

All you need is:

Rose Garment

Yankee jar (or any jar)

Scissors

Optional:

Hand cream

Toilet roll tube

pliers

Step one: 

Firstly, just for the people who are re-using a candle jar - you need to freeze your jar for about half an hour or put boiling water into your jar to steep to get rid of the access wax.

Once you have the jar ready grab your scissors and rose garment!

Step Two:

Now for this, you need to cut your garment up in two depending on the length of it. Cut it to your satisfaction. I cut mine into two and then cut one part into another two just so I knew it would fit into the jar. (a whole garment won't fit or it will be too much)

With the remains of the garment just keep it for now as you can use it for other purposes.

But...if your garment is like this one I am using and has a metal wire inside you may find it tricky to cut it with scissors so maybe pliers is better to use.

Step 3:

At this point you take your garment you are going to place into the jar and curl it as though it was twirly pasta! if you are finding it difficult to curl as it is a bit hands-on and can hurt your hands especially with metal inside, use a toilet roll tube and rap your garment around that.

Final Step:

Now just start at one end and place it into your jar, this is the most fiddly bit I found. Move the roses and the wire around to suit your satisfactory, if you find the is too much garment cut some more off and there you go! your own cute vintage decor for your bedroom!

I hope you enjoyed this post and may possibly use this in your room or even in the bathroom! I never like wasting things that can be storage or deco for my room so a lot of things in my room I have re-used or used as something else, if you are interested in more of these let me know I could do other ways to re-use jars or I could show you other cute ways to create your room to look a little vintage!

My New Boots

Fashion has always been a passion for mine (and clearly rhyming) so I thought I would post about my new bargain babies that are on trend everywhere at the moment.

Winter is my favourite time of year for fashion and styling etc, I love the whole concept of thick oversized jumpers, ankle boots and nice fluffy socks. I have seen these boots all over blogs and Pinterest, but the price was never my cup of tea.

...until I came across these on eBay. When I first saw them they didn't have my size so I kept checking (they are very popular so hard to get a hold of) but, when I saw these in my size eventually I instantly had to purchase them!

What I love about these boots is they are easy to style with anything. I have worn mine with skater skirts but you could wear them with jeans, skater dresses anything really can work with these.

They are in trend at the moment so they are very popular and difficult to get your hands on. Topshop and River island sell these but they are a bit more pricey, mine was £33 which is brilliant compared to the high street shops. Such a staple piece to have in your wardrobe.

What have been your favourite winter boots?

<3

My Insomnia Tips

Being at a university has its pros and cons. One major downside for me personally is lack of sleep, whether that's because I am up pulling an all-nighter trying to hit those deadlines or have that dreading stomach feeling where it keeps you awake with worry. I suffer quite a bit with insomnia and it tends to flare up a lot more when I worry or have a lot on my mind.

I am no way an expert, but I do have some tips that help with insomnia for me personally and hopefully with you. Insomnia isn't anything an illness, but lack of sleep can have a huge effect on your everyday life. It can be such a problematic, stressful experience to have that has a lot to do with your brain that makes it difficult for you to get to sleep. If you are like me and stress out a lot with work, exams, deadlines etc it can be hard to get rid of those thoughts and go to sleep with ease. 

The signs of insomnia are:

• Difficulty falling asleep 
• Waking up during the night 
• Waking up early in the morning 
• Feeling irritable and tired and finding it difficult to function during the day

My Story.

I suffered from insomnia badly when I had my GCSEs and sometimes even at A level. I started getting insomnia really bad when I was up working on Art deadlines at 11-12 at night. This wasn't the best of nights, but we've all been there, right?

When going through my GCSEs I had a lot of exams in the same week some were even the day after I just sat one. So my stress levels were really high and I struggled a lot with sleeping - down to nerves, anxiety that sort of stuff! 

I used to stress myself out so much when I was in bed the night before an exam. I'd sit in bed thinking of how my exam will go, this leads me into staying awake, which lead me into imagining getting no sleep and fallen asleep in an exam - failing. So this panicked me and I would end up crying and wake my mam up (what a selfish child I was).

Sometimes it helped just to know someone else was awake, but once I went and told my mam she would always say something like 'get a drink' or 'read a book' which weren't the best ideas, but were comforting for me to actually get some sleep. Unsure how but sometimes you need reassurance at the weirdest of times.

Anyway, 's my insomnia got bad at times I was snappy (typical teenager) with lack of sleep so I travelled to my doctors to see what they would recommend.

Obviously, with it being insomnia the isn't a lot a doctor can advise other than leaflets and talks. I read through the leaflet they gave me and honestly it didn't help at all. When you are young I find problems like this just get pushed under the carpet.

These are the things I did find helpful though through time: 

• Getting into a routine of bedtime around 10-11pm
• Listen to music with an eye mask on
• Spray lavender scents on your pillow
• Stop doing work at 9 the latest
• Take your mind off work by watching tv, talking to a friend etc
• Green tea helped calm me

Surprisingly I grew out of insomnia once my exams were over with, once it hit A level and I got it again I just realised to be calm about it all and relax. Don't think about your exams, be relaxed and just think of something exciting like your holiday abroad or Christmas etc when trying to get to sleep.

I obviously still at times get sleepless nights off stress etc but the only thing I can recommend is NOT TO THINK ABOUT WHATEVER IS STRESSING YOU OUT. I know it is hard to get rid of that thought but if you do that you'd be surprised as to how simple getting to sleep can be.

What helps you get a good sleep??

<3

Topshop Lipsticks

A few years ago Topshop came out with a make-up line which was mostly online, but now my local store sells the products, which has made me so happy. Products such as nail varnishes, lipsticks, glosses, brushes, blushers, eyeliners and highlighters. I believe they have much more of a range nowadays, but back when I bought my first lipstick their makeup line was very limited.

After seeing a couple of reviews on Youtube about these dainty lipsticks I figured to give them a try and as you can see I now own 5 so I think that says it all.

1. Innocent

Innocent is a pastel type of purple so almost like lilac but, when applied on the lips looks more like a pastel pink/purple rather than just purple. My friend was wearing this lipstick when we were out and I had to ask where it was from as it was a lovely colour - like natural colour, not too in your face and not too plain. It just gives the right amount of colour, I don't think this is to everyone's taste in shade but it is something to look into. It is build-able but to be honest building on a pastel purple isn't always a nice colour it looks nice with just a little bit applied.

2. Macaroon

Macaroon was one of those colours you either love or hate I am a big sucker for pink lips so when I saw this I thought 'oh it's going to be too pink' but I swatched it on my hand in the Topshop store and it looked lovely, not too in your face at all!

The name reminds me of macaroon's as in the little deserts you can eat, so the name sounded tasty. The colour when you open the lipstick looks orangey/pink and when you apply it to your lips comes out exactly like a pinky orange, it is a lovely summery colour. I would wear this more in Summer than winter but it is a lovely colour - again buildable too.

3. Ohh Lala

Ohh la la (I think it is spelt) is a straight-up orange lipstick, not that I am a fan of wearing orange lips I purchased this years ago it was my first ever one I got so, at the time I obviously didn't pay much attention to what I was purchasing I just wanted to grab one. It is a nice colour and I have worn it once or twice but I don't think it suits my complexion very well. Nonetheless, if you are after an orange lipstick that is not too in your face but has a decent amount of cover on your lips then I recommend this.

4. Brighton Rock

This has such a dainty name as do all their names, but this one for me is my all time favourite Topshop lipstick. I love everything about this lipstick it is a vibrant pink not luminous pink but I kind of pink you'd want to wear that makes your lips noticeable. I wear this colour a lot on nice occasions, it tends to be my lipstick to wear on a night out as it suits my skin really well.  I do recommend this lipstick if you are like me and love pink lips! the coverage is brilliant - it is tough to remove though!

5. Pillow Talk

Not last but least Pillow Talk, I got this lipstick for my mam when I was in London's Topshop but I like to steal it from time to time. Anyway's this is a gorgeous, light pink shade, on your lips, it does have to be buildable as it is really fair colour. But once you have put enough cover on you will see how pretty the colour is. I like to wear this for a day to day wear, so when I go shopping or even just to uni I like something not too noticeable but you know the is something on your lips (if that makes any sense!) I do recommend this lipstick to people who suit light pink lips as I don't think this will be to everyone's taste as it doesn't suit everyone's skin tone unfortunately!

I do recommend you check out Topshop's range of lipsticks I think they are between £10 - £15 but if you are a student you can get discount!

I love everything about these lipsticks, the packaging they come in is really cute as is the container they are in.

Have you tried Topshop Makeup before??

Origins GinZing Eyecream Review

Having seen loads of reviews about this little miracle worker: Origins Ginzing eye-cream, I thought it was about time I put my student loan to good use. I mean, who needs books to study right??...oops.

I am only 21, but after reading so many articles about starting wrinkle creams and eye creams when you're young to reduce your chances of having them early on, I just have to jump on board.

Every evening before I go to sleep I like to pop a tiny amount of this under my eyes using my index finger, I lightly dab it into my under eyes. One thing for sure that I have noticed is how moisturised under my eyes feel. My concealer blends in so nicely and doesn't clump up under my skin.

I have also noticed this works amazing when I am feeling run down, unfortunately when I am ill I don't look a million dollars. I look like death. So applying this under my eyes definitely helps reduce the appearance of dark circles. It's not a miracle worker, I mean please send me your tips on reducing dark circles. But, it does definitely help make a difference and I hope in the future it helps postpone fine lines and wrinkles.

What eye cream do you use??

My Ombre Haircare

Having had bleached ends for a good few months now I figured now was a good time to share my hair care routine and what products I would recommend to people who are thinking about or who have damaged/bleached hair.

Hair Masks:

LUSH Marilyn Hair Mask

One of the most difficult things with bleaching your hair is keeping the colour in good condition. With ombre, it is quite easy to go orange or brassy if not looked after properly. Having done some research on removing brassy tones I decided a hair mask would be a great product to add to my hair care routine. This product is to be used as a pre-treatment before you wash your hair. I leave it on for half an hour and then rinse and go ahead with my shampoo and conditioner. This has definitely improved the look of my blonde and helped keep brassy tones at bay. It's not a miracle worker, but it's so conditioning and light on your hair.

Aussie Take The Heat 3 Minute Mask

When I don't have a lot of time or just can't be bothered to spend half an hour with a towel on my head I sometime's like to go ahead with this 3-minute mask. I have gone through so many of these 3-minute masks, they are so good for keeping your hair healthy. I rarely use heat on my hair, but when I do this is something I like to follow up with when I wash my hair.

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Hair Mask

This hair mask really helped keep my ends in good condition from breaking and becoming dry. For those who don't know, when you ombre your hair it can become quite dry, I have ombre'd my hair twice and I used this straight after I dyed it just to give me hair a deep treatment, so it's safe to say it's really good for conditioning.

Other Treatments:

Aussie Anti-Frizz Conditioning Milk

I have used this product long before I even bleached my hair, it is such a good product to have in your hair care. When I get out the shower I like to pop this onto the ends of my hair and let it soak in the moisture. I always try to air dry my hair to help keep my ends from damage. By the next morning, my ends feel so healthy and soft. 

Moroccan Oil

The perfect summer essential to have in my opinion, I take this lil guy on holiday with me as well. A little goes a long way so I try not to use this too often, but every now and then when my hair feels dry or lifeless I like to add this to the ends of my damp hair and by the next day my hair looks shiny and healthy. A pricey little bugger, but really worth the price!

Herbal Essences Split End Conditioner

This product smells so yummy, just that alone makes me enjoy using it. I never shampoo my hair without following with a conditioner and I hand down believe that and maybe the rarity of using heat is why my hair is in such good condition. I have again used this long before I bleached my hair and it has always been great for keeping my ends in good condition. I used to straighten my hair every day so you can imagine how split my hair was, this helped so much with that. 

Charles Worthington No Frizz Finishing Cream

Not the biggest of fans of Charles Worthington hair care, but this product is one of the few that doesn't grease my hair or feel heavy. If I do use heat on my hair I like to dab a pea-sized amount of this on the ends of my hair just to lock in the moisture. I also use this to tame any frizz or flyaways. 

Ombre Haircare Tips...

1. Try to avoid using heat on your hair for a few months to help restore moisture to your hair.

2. After you bleach your hair, apply a deep hair mask then a hair oil to keep it in condition.

3. Get someone else to bleach your ends for you if (like me) you don't trust yourself!

4. Plait your hair overnight if you want that beachy, wave effect.

What products do you use to keep your hair from damage?

On The Town Makeup

It's very rare I like to dress up and go on a night out on Saturday's, I am much more of a stay at home, eat Cheetos and watch Netflix kinda gal, but when I do occasionally go out I like to make a bit of an effort with my makeup and hair.

Here is what I used for my night out. 

Products I used in order:

 Rimmel London Wake me up foundation in ivory

 Collections lasting perfection concealer in fair - for under eyes and any blemishes

Mac mineralise skin finish in medium plus - for face to be set

Bourjois Chocolate bronzer in lightest shade - for contouring cheekbones

Sleek brow kit in light - for eyebrows

Revlon eyebrow style gel - keep eyebrows in shape

Mua mosaic blush - for the apple of cheeks

Sleek I diving eye shadow palette the colour Taupe - for eyelid colour

Benefits They're real mascara

Rimmel London Scandeleyes waterproof Kohl Liner

Mac lipstick in Chatterbox

Products I used:

Tangle Teezer 

Aussie Dual anti-frizz milk

Tresemme heat defence spray

Bumble & Bumble thickening spray

Hair-dryer by Nicki Clarke

Tresemme Hairspray

Backcomb brush by Avon

Vidal Sassoon curling iron

Charles Worthington RESULTS spray

Step by step process:

After washing my hair I applied Aussie Dual anti-frizz milk 

Brushed my hair using tangle teezer then applied Tresemme heat defence spray Followed with Bumble + Bumble thickening spray - then blow dried.

Once blow dried I just brushed through with a normal brush, then tied hair back

...

I washed my hair in the morning so when it got to around 7-8 my hair was when I got my hair curled

I applied heat defence spray to it once brushed then my friend curled it - Hair spraying sections

It took around an hour or more to curl as I have a lot of hair.

Once finished I hair sprayed it and backcombed certain sections

As a finishing spray, I used Charles Worthing results spray to add a bit of shine/gloss.

This is what I looked like when I was all finished..

Crop top - Topshop

Black skater skirt - Topshop

Wedges - Miss Selfridges

Rings - Topshop

Earrings - Urban Outfitters

What is your night out staple makeup??

Real Technique Make-up Brushes Review

Something quite iconic in the blogging industry at the moment is the new Real Technique Makeup Brushes. These brushes have taken the beauty fanatics hearts (and money) that's for sure. I decided to share some mini-reviews on a couple of the brushes I was able to get my hands on.

Powder Brush:

The Powder brush was the first brush I got by RT. I was on the hunt for a new powder brush and I came across these so I thought since they were so hyped up on Youtube and this that I'll give it a go. The powder brush is apart of the 'base' range, I like to use the powder brush after I have applied foundation, powder just sets it all in place. I do feel like after using this brush that my skin gets a healthier finish than it does to the brush I used before (eco tools).

Blush Brush:

The blush brush was actually one of the last brushes I bought from Boot's it is such a good brush not only for a blusher but for bronzer I like to use this for contouring my cheeks. It is apart of the 'finish' range, it leaves just enough on your cheekbones, not too much or round like some blush brushes do. Definitely, recommend this brush if you are like me and prefer blush brushes that don't leave circles on your face! 

Stippling Brush:

The stippling brush is part of the 'finish' range also. I like to use this to apply foundation it just leaves a high finish to your skin. By far the best brush I have used to apply my foundation to my skin. It just leaves a glowy, juicy and healthy finish to your foundation. I have used several brushes that just apply your foundation but don't give any effect so this brush was a surprise to me. It is probably one of the most hyped brushes I have seen, others agree with me about it given you a higher end finish. Mostly recommend this brush out of all their range!

Expert Face Brush:

The expert face brush is apart of the 'base' range just like the powder brush. However, I feel like it should be apart of the 'finish' range as it definitely gives a good finish to your skin. I use this to blend in remains of a foundation, I like to use the stippling brush to apply my foundation onto my face then this brush to blend it all in. It leaves a lovely finish using both together so I would recommend buying both if you want a 'high end' finish to your foundation. I noticed using this brush that my foundation was locked onto my skin better, as sometimes foundation can get difficult to blend depending on the brush you use. This definitely helped to avoid any blending problems! 

The Foundation Brush: 

The foundation brush is part of the 'base' range too, you can tell what range they are from by the colour :) anyway's..this brush I occasionally use to apply foundation depending on how my skin looks on that day. This is a good starter foundation brush from RT but, I would recommend the two above^ more. But if you want an alternative then try this it does has advantages: it is brilliant to apply to your skin, it has an angular shape to the bristles which gives your skin a bit of effect. 

Shading Brush:

The shading brush is the last brush to talk about if you are still awake from reading so much! zzz. Anyway's this brush is different it is apart of the 'eye' range it is the only eye range brush I have ATM. I use this to apply eye shadow or the occasional highlighter to areas around my eyes. It is such a soft brush, easy to apply eye shadow but with it being a shading brush the isn't a huge amount I can say about it unless I did a tutorial with using this! 

Have you tried these brushes yet??

Best & Worst Aussie Products

Haircare has always been a favourite of mine so today I thought I would write an in-depth review on all of the Aussie products I have tried. Aussie is currently my favourite drugstore brand for haircare, I have rarely been left disappointed and the prices are amazing, you always come across good hair deals in Boots.

Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo:

I love this shampoo. I have gone through maybe two or three bottles of this stuff. It definitely brings your hair to life, I noticed my hair looking a lot less dry and dull after using this. It has a lovely scent to it as most Aussie products do, so if you like nice scented shampoo this brands good for that. It definitely gives your hair a 'moist' feeling.

Aussie Colour Mate Shampoo:

I have only used this once or twice as I got it a few weeks ago, but I am sure I have had this bottle before. I dye my hair every other 5 months or so and to keep my hair in good condition I use a colour shampoo and personally, this lasted my colour much longer than any other colour shampoos have. It definitely 'stays colourful' on your hair, obviously you have to give it a few goes till you notice a difference but it is worth it!

Aussie Take The Heat Shampoo:

Take the heat? more like take the oils. This personally left my hair looking greasy within one use. I may give this another go one day but at the moment I won't be, just after one use my hair felt and looked greasy. I didn't give it long enough to see whether it has any benefits for protecting hair from damage but, I was put off with it within one use.

Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle Deep Treatment:

I have always loved and will remain loving Aussie's masks or 3-minute treatments! I like to use them once every week just so my hair is getting a good condition frequently. Tip - good to use if you have ombre hair and it is a little fragile.

After given the shampoo to this a go and wasn't being impressed I was reluctant to try this, but I didn't let the shampoo stop me..it is such a good treatment, I don't apply this to my scalp as much, I feel like this works more towards your ends of your hair. For me, this let my hair look shinier, healthier and on some occasions: thicker. All round good treatment by Aussie!

Aussie Dual Personality Anti-Frizz + Conditioning Milk:

What a mouthful to read! I purchased this in Boots when they had their 3 for 2 deal. This was the product I got free and what a great freebie it is! this is like my holy grail Aussie product. I cannot stress out enough for amazing this product really is! after you washed your hair and towel dried it you apply a pea sized amount of this to the ends of your hair. I like to apply it then plait it and leave it overnight, so I usually apply this at night. You see results within one use (well I did), I noticed my split ends were practically gone, my hair felt thicker, softer and like the bottle suggests 'anti-frizz' it DEFINITELY treats frizzy hair. I don't actually get frizzy hair but for those who do this may work for you!

Aussie Dual Personality Coloured Hair Protection + Shine Serum:

Last, but not least is an Aussie serum, I haven't ever actually used a serum so this is my first time! I have used this once or twice so not enough times to review this. But once I start using it more I will edit this or create a separate post. All I can really say about this is DON'T use loads because I applied maybe two pea sized amounts to the ends of my hair when my hair was damp, and the next day my ends were seriously so greasy it looked like straw 

You tried any Aussie products you'd recommend? 

Harry Potter World Studio Tour

Hello, Harry Potter fanatics! For today's post, I decided to put together a little adventure of what I got up to when I went to the amazing Harry Potter World Studio Tour in London. This place has been on my list forever and I was so excited to finally go! 

Not only did I get to see where some of the clips from the films were shot but I got to see a lot of gadgets, clothes etc the characters used! I absolutely loved the studio I felt like such a child in there. The music they played was from the films and everyone was so excited which made the whole experience feel a lot more magical. 

I couldn't leave the studio without some goodies so I bought the famous chocolate frog and Bertie Botts every flavour beans, which are not nice. I wish I could go back and buy one of their mugs but I am sure I will return soon.

I would love to go back in winter when they have the Christmas decorations up as one of my favourite parts of the HP films is the Christmas scenes.

I definitely would recommend going to the Harry Potter World Studio Tour in London if you are a huge fanatic like myself. It is full of so many things you see in the movies!

Have you been to the HP tour??

Welcome to Katiesworldofbeauty

Hi everyone,

My names Katie and I finally after months and months of debating decided to start my own blog. This blog will consist of beauty rambles mostly but occasionally I will be posting about fashion, lifestyle and anything inbetween!