Last week I was browsing through my instagram feed and came across an offer I couldn't refuse from feelunique, their new radiance box. The box contains 4 full size goodies and was only £35 which is half the RRP of £75 so I snapped it up quickly and it came this morning, I'm very excited to get going. All of the products in this box are things I have heard beauty bloggers rave about and of course wanted to try but are rather pricey for a student like me, so when I sore it I couldn't afford not to really, could I?

 Here are the products in the beautiful box, it was all very fancily packaged with a ribbon and all. The Glam glow mask was a little smaller than I thought it would be, though knowing how expensive the larger size was I knew it was still a nice little bargain.

The Caudalie Beauty Elixir 30ml was the item I tried first there and then, the spritz was fine and cooling like promised and spelt like I was in a spa, and after is had sunk into my skin,  my make-up which was a few hours old appeared much more fresh and dewy than before - I was very impressed with this. I also used it later on after taking my make-up off as a toner, my skin felt more moisturised after using it. The only downside is I'm not a fan of sprays especially in a night time routine as I always think they take too long to sink into the skin.

That night I decided to try the REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial after I had cleansed, I was a little scared at first as it did seem very abrasive and maybe a little strong with the acidic ingredients but after using it my skin was baby soft and even, not too harsh at all. I've not found a product yet other than the REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask that had managed to make my skin feel brand new again but this did it in 1/10 of the time! Next I tried the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads which I thought my sting my skin a little after the last product but it was surprisingly gentle and soft on my skin leaving it feeling very fresh and clean.

The last thing I tried was the GLAMGLOW® YOUTHMUD® Tinglexfoliate Treatment. This I have to say was what I was most excited about after a lot of hype. This is only a first impression so I can't yet comment on how it helps with spots etc. So while I was applying this I noticed it wasn't a smooth consistency it had some larger lumps, and almost straight away I felt a tingly feeling in my t-zone area which I personally like as it feels like something's happening. Though it wasn't too uncomfortable, the smell was your usual mud mask thought slightly citrusy. I used this mask in the morning and after I washed it of I felt like my skin had never been so soft and it looked very bright. Also my make-up applied so well afterwards, it was effortless and I think that was my favourite thing about this mask.

So overall I thought this box has introduced me to some amazing products that will probably make their way into my regular routine. The price was the selling point for me and I really do think my skin is looking much more radiant and bright after using these products for a few days. I will let you know how I get on with these products by including in my monthly favourites and other posts.

Remember that FeelUnique also tend to have groupon vouchers so the one I used was £15 for a £25 spend which made my overall purchase just £25, amazing!

Let me know if you have tried and of these products before and if you managed to get your hands on this box as I know it was a fast seller.

Gemma x

At the minute contouring is the obsession of the beauty world, everybody seems to be aspiring for the Kim K look that only very skilled make-up artists would tackle in the past. Along with this their only seems to be one main contender in this ever growing market, the Anastasia Beverly hills contour kit, and I think its a shame that a few gems have been slipping through the cracks, so I decided to pick up the new smashbox contouring kit and give it ago after hearing it was a Kim K favourite.



As a novice to contouring this kit didn't look too overwhelming, all of the three colour's where comparable too ones I already use but all compacted into one. The palette retails for £35 or their about and you could say that this was fairly expensive for a three colour palette when others exist with more colour's for a very similar price and it is very true. But personally I don't think the colour's available have ever been as suited to me and universal for many skin tones while remaining compact and travel friendly.

The palette itself doesn't feel especially luxurious, it's made of plastic but is lovely and sleek, I've tested it and its nearly exactly the same size as my I phone 5S. The large size mirror is also a bonus for me and again a perfect travelling palette, and a demonstration is stuck onto half the mirror for those who are needing  a little guide, but its easily removed to make the mirror larger. The best little perk for me is it comes with a small travel size contouring brush that is the perfect size for chiseling those cheek bones and is lovely and soft.

The colour's themselves feel very soft and creamy almost, and once put onto the skin blend seamlessly for a very natural look that doesn't say I've just rubbed a load of contour on my cheeks and now it looks like I've been rolling around in the mud look (no judgement I've been there). The first shade on the left is the 'contour' shade (my personal favorite), I find the colour is very similar to my Kevin Aucoin sculpting powder but just a touch warmer and not as grey, this is what I think will make this colour a lovely contour shade for many skin tones. The middle bronzer colour is a lovely warm middle of the road sort of shade, this isn't anything special for me personally though does remind me of Benefit's Hoola in someways, however it does warm up the complexion nicely and is a lovely edition to this palette so you don't need to take an extra bronzer in your make-up bag. Then moving onto the matte highlight shade which is very much a new concept for me, but I liked the idea of highlighting under my contour which is something I would have never tried with a more sparkly or dewy highlight (sweaty jawline anyone?) but this does a very good job of highlighting all over. It made me feel slightly more sophisticated for some reason using a matte highlighter and it worked perfectly on the brow bone, cupids bow etc.



So overall, is this a product for everyone? I don't think so mainly due to it's price as mentioned earlier. However to the right person this palette really is a game changer, well it has been for me, i finally feel like i know what contouring is and means and the technique is getting there. Its simple, compact, and could maybe be considered a 'best of' for the Anastasia palette if you need the smaller stepping stone into the world of contouring. I thought this palette really deserved a mention if not just for that contour shade which no one but Kevin has got close to yet!

Gemma x

So currently I am in the middle of my final exams for the last year of my university course, so to say I am stressed is an understatement. So as the very responsible student I am  I thought I would take a small study break in order to share some of the things that have helped me along the way. Stress can affect people in many ways, I personally break out like a bee hive and my sleeping pattern becomes non-existent, but no need to fret their are ways to help the situation and make revision slightly (very very slightly) enjoyable?



1. Everybody has their own way of revising/studying and so I think its important to find out early what works for you! Get yourself organised and don't worry what other people or your friends are doing because their strategy might not necessarily work for you, and vice versa. Also don't worry too much about your friends progress and how they seem to know everything because I can promise you, more times than not they are thinking the exact same thing about you. Stick to your technique and your personal plan and things will always find away of falling into place.

2. This leads me nicely on to my 2nd tip, make some sort of plan of how long each day you going to revise and what you are going to do, and stick to it. It's not necessarily so important to complete all the dead lines you give yourself as we can all be a little over ambitious. However if you know you work better in the morning or evening make sure you do it and don't pass is on until later.You will know when you go to bed that night if you have pushed yourself as much as possible that day or if you know you could have done more.  In your plan make sure you give yourself time for downtime and relaxing, do something you find calming and takes you out of exam mode to give you brain a little break.

3. The environment you set up for yourself can be crucial to the quality of the revision you get done. If you set yourself up in bed you will not want to revise and the thought of just climbing into said bed and hibernating until summer is far too tempting! Instead set up a space in the kitchen, library etc where you know you work best. Personally I can't stand noise so working from the library is a no go for me, also I like making my own playlists of chill music and just feel much more comfortable in my own space. Load yourself up on your favourite snacks and drinks (think brain food) as a small incentive for when you have finished a topic/lecture etc..

4. My last tip to reduce stress during exam time is something you will definitely have heard before and probably are sick of but it is the most important. Eat right, drink plenty of water and sleep plenty. After 4 years of school, 2 years of college and now 3 years of university I feel qualified enough to say this really is vital during exams. Your brain will not work to it's optimum capability if you don't eat and drink properly. Fatty, salty and greasy food will do nothing to help with the rubbish mood you are in from revising and if you don't sleep plenty your brain will be no use for the exam please trust me. I have on many occasions  stayed up the  whole night before an exam cramming and then thought I could counteract that with caffeine in the morning, oh how I was wrong. I could barely read the words on the paper never mind understanding the question and the caffeine jitters were doing nothing to help me try and remember everything I had been cramming the night before.

So that's my little bit of advice, and even if you've heard it all before I hope it helps someone and drives them into gear. Just remember it doesn't last forever. Now I'm going to stop distracting myself and get back to revising for my last exam, wish me luck!!

Gemma x