Jolie Box December

I've been subscribed to Glossy Box, Feel Unique and Boudoir Prive (now Jolie Box UK) for a while now. The first box I subscribed to was Glossy Box back in June. There's always mixed reviews of these boxes and I totally understand that - Not everyone has the same taste! I personally would love to see a lifestyle product in the boxes, perhaps maybe every now and again? I loved the tea which was included a couple of times in Boudoir Prive and I would love to see products such as candles or room sprays to be included aswell. I see these as a luxury product I only buy every once in a while so I wouldn't mind testing a few out before buying something expensive.

I was excited to see that Boudoir Prive was becoming Jolie Box UK as this is my ultimate favourite of the boxes I have subscribed to and I can see this as a great opportunity for expansion for them. I've always felt that Boudoir Prive in the past has provided brands which aren't necessarily well known and I like this! It gives me a better view on what products are out there besides the ones that are commonly raved upon in the blogging world. I hope this carries on in Jolie Box UK.

Low and behold - JOLIE BOX UK!









The Low down:
OPI Gold Shatter Nail Lacquer - VERY exciting. I love shatter nail varnishes and I haven't got a gold one.
Mitchell and Peach Shower Wash - Smells expensive!
New CID Cosmetics i-gloss in Babydoll (Mid toned pink) - Lovely! Not sure on the light as I nearly blinded myself with it on first application. Non-sticky.
Jane Iredale 24-Karat Gold Dust in Rose Gold - Described as a multi-use shimmer powder for cheeks, lips, body, eyes and hair. Not sure about using this in my hair but I think I'll really enjoy using this on my eyes and cheeks.
Yon-Ka Vital Defense - An anti-aging cream. Many people moan on about getting anti-aging products in their boxes due to their age. I don't mind. I believe in prevention and many anti-aging products contain exfoliants which are great for a mild exfoliation without scrubbing away at youself.

Very excited to see TWO bonus items this month!
Kusmi Detox Tea - This is my favourite product from the box. I love tea! I love the packaging and I will definitely be taking advantage of their offer codes included in the box. I'm nursing a cup of this now and its very refreshing.
Jolie Box Concealer Brush - I've never used a concealer brush before and this gives me the perfect opportunity to give it a go. Seems very soft but yet still stiff enough to apply product evenly.

I've seen a few different variants of products on some other blogs with the colours of some products.

What do you like to see in you beauty boxes? Whats your favourite?

Bryden x

November - Mobile Montage

Left to Right - Top - Trying out a new hair style - Good Ol' Sunday Roast - Tom Hanks (my friend Sarah's cat)
Left to Right - Bottom - Cigar Shack at Hotel Du Vin, Newcastle - Starbucks Red cups! - Jeremy Kyle

Bryden x

Urban Outfitters - Newcastle Upon Tyne

How exciting is this!? An Urban Outfitters in Newcastle Upon Tyne!

When I first heard about the store opening I didn't know whether to believe it or not. Urban Outfitters is one of those places which I'd go out of my way to pop into if I was in another town.

Women’s brands in the store will be:

TBA

CHEAP MONDAY

EVIL TWIN

MINK PINK

PETIT BATEAU

SOMETHING ELSE

VAUDEVILLE & BURLESQUE

I'm a massive fan of TBA, Cheap Monday and Mink Pink so I can see that the arrival of an Urban Outfitters is probably going to have a negative effect on my bank account!

I wasn't able to visit the shop on its opening day (9th December) but Urban Outfitters were kind enough to contact us and provide some images of the store and their Summer Look Book. I have to say - It looks exactly how I imagined it to be! The store mirrors the style of clothing exactly.









Favorites from the Summer Look Book





Do you have an Urban Outfitters near you? Do you shop there very often?

Bryden

ALL OF THESE PHOTOGRAPHS WERE PROVIDED BY URBAN OUTFITTERS AND USED WITH THEIR PERMISSION

Big up the bloggers!

Here's a few of my favourite reads at the moment:

Sandra @ Niotillfem

Sandra's blog is mostly in Swedish but she does offer some translation at the end of her posts. My link should come up using Google translate into english.
Wonderful blog and such a pretty girl. Her posts are mainly about her adventures in life. I particularly love reading her posts where she posts a picture every hour. I would describe her blog as more of a lifestyle blog.



Sarah B @ The Stylish Heart

Sarah's wardrobe is to die for! Lovely outfit of the day posts.



Kate @ Gh0stparties

I challenge you to find a girl with a more interesting voice! Kate is such a lovely girl and I look forward to seeing her posts. A blog dedicated to outfit of the days and make up.



Jenn and Sarah @ Clothes Encounters

I feel like these girls need no introduction! Two pretty girls making the most of thrift shops. Great inspiration!



Who are you loving to read at the moment?

Bryden x

Christmas Wish List - Bryden

If I could have everything...

Christmas Wish List - Bryden by treblesandamixer featuring print dresses

Winter Saviours

So it's that time of year again when the weather gets colder and your hair gets up in a frizz! Using my usual products just weren't cutting it and switching up was the only option. I've been using these for just over a month now and they're working quite nicely!



John Freida Frizz Ease Shampoo and Conditioner - Smooth Start
I was getting very frustrated at coming home every night from work and returning with a ball of frizz for hair knowing fine well that earlier in the morning my hair had been straightened within an inch of its life! The quest for a new shampoo and conditioner began - It actually didn't take too long as I remembered that Claire had used this a while back and said it made her hair too flat. So I thought I'd give this a go and it was perfect!

John Freida Frizz Ease Serums
The purple one is extra strength and the orange/yellow one is the heat defense one. The consistency of these products are very different. The extra strength one is much thicker than the heat defense. The heat defense one is more like runny honey in consistency.
I have two of these for two different weather/event situations. For example if the weather is particularly damp I will use the extra strength one. If the weather is ok I will just use the heat defense one. Easy!

Vaseline Deep Conditioning Cocoa Butter Lotion
I bought this on a whim because I needed a body lotion quick. Works well and smells wonderful. I can't find any faults in this product however, there is always a part of me that strives for more prettier packaging or unusual scents.



Climate Control Hairspray by Lee Stafford
This stuff is super crunchy on the hair BUT it does work. Sets the style and helps create a barrier against the elements.

Hand Creams - Soap and Glory Hand Food and FC5 Swiss Ultra Hydrating Hand Cream
Hand Creams are a must in the winter for me. I suffer from dry hands all year and they get a little worse in winter. I have used Hand Food for just over a year now and its lovely. Melts into the skin easily and doesn't leave that awful residue you can find with some other brands. It also smells out of this word! The little tube next to it is the FC5 cream. I only got this a couple of days ago in my glossy box and I am already in love. In my opinion this is much better than the Soap and Glory one as it leaves even less of a residue. It also smells wonderful. The smell reminds me of something but I can't think of what it is. Very fresh scent!

Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturiser
I have very oily skin down my t-zone and I am constantly having to touch up using oil sheets during the day. Saying that though... I can also suffer from dehydrated skin. My solution was to try a light moisturiser under my usual oil control lotion (Murad Oil control) and it's working well soo far. The Aveeno cream has tiny TINY little sparkles in. They're actually soo tiny I can't see them under natural light and I only actually noticed them after catching a glimpse of my hand under a lamp after applying. This cream really brightens the skin without any visible sparkle.

Lip/Cuticles/Dry patches - Lanolips and Lucas' Paw Paw
I use both of these products to sort out dry lips, cuticles and any other dry patches. Both work well. Quite a difference in consistency within the product - Lanolips is a clear thick balm and the Lucas' Paw Paw is more of a 'spreadable' balm (more like Vaseline). I tend to use the Lucas' Paw Paw on my lips before bed as I can find the texture of the Lanolips quite irritating when I'm trying to sleep.
I've found that the Lanolips is more effective on cuticles then the Paw Paw.

So there we have it! Sorry we haven't posted for soo long. In all honestly we've both been very busy at work and Claire has recently started a college courses.

What are your winter saviours?

Bryden x

Leader Of The Pack.

Like most little girls, when I was younger I was obsessed with clothing and styles from different eras. For me it was always the '50s and '60s that appealed to me the most. Since I've grown up this hasn't changed. I don't know if it's the recent death of Amy Winehouse (Which despite her personal problems, I cannot deny how talented she was and how much her music meant to me. 'Frank' was the soundtrack to my later teen years. R.I.P.) but lately I've been listening to a lot of '60s girl groups, who were a clear inspiration to her music and personal style.

My friend Kaite and I have been fantasising on Twitter lately how AWESOME it would be to be in a '60s girl group. Imagine- the hair, the matching clothes, the attitude! In the words of Kaite-
"Girls were so much better before spray tans, Primark & techno."

Here's some of my favourite girl group looks...


Girly lace from The Crystals.


The Marvelettes rocking the stripes and ridiculously sized hair bow combo.


My number one '60s home girls- The Shangri-Las.




'Colour blocking' pioneers.


1st prize for girl group style goes to, without a doubt, to The Ronettes.






BEST HAIR EVER.





Is anyone else obsessed with '60s girl groups? Does anyone have any suggestions of girl groups '60s or modern for me to check out?

In other news, it's my 26th birthday on Thursday, so I'll probably be a bit drunk this weekend to forget how old I'm getting. Expect some messy photos to follow!

Claire
x