I am a thirtysomething from London, with a cat, a husband, bookshelves which keep threatening to crush me under their load and chronic health conditions. Basically your average over stressed millennial. Welcome.
Coming at the end of January means most beauty boxes have to look forward, and Nailbox is no exception. This month’s is all about Valentine’s Day with three pinky shades in the box.
With their own brand orange sticks and a fancy treatment from Nail Apothecary, this box is a little too girly for me, and I’m a beauty blogger!
The orange sticks take me back to being a kid, my mum always seemed to have one out. Luckily my cuticles are virtually non-existent.
The gold flecked ridge filler is a nice addition to the box, I have a ridge on my thumb from smashing it in a door years ago, which means polish looks a bit odd sometimes.
The polishes are just too much pink for me to deal with. The Sinful Pro Shine in Baby Doll is my least favourite colour ever. Reminds me of Pepto Bismol.
The Seche Rendezvous is better, but still unlikely to get used much, and the Nails Inc Alexa collection Hearts look very pretty but seem very determined to stay in their bottle with the brush coming out heart-less.
Not the best box so far, for me anyway, but if you’re into pink, this is your dream box.
The Love Hearts win me over, I love sweets. :)🍬🍭
What do you think? Are you Little Miss (or Mr) Pink? Let me know in the comments below.
I took a bus through part of London today, something I rarely do, preferring the speed of the tube or walking the back streets. But it was nice to watch the city pass by.
The city called me/so I
came
– Emmy the Great
The buildings, some Victorian, some older, some new and glass fronted. The columns of St George’s Church in Bloomsbury, the narrow alleyways you can almost see the Artful Dodger vanishing down.
Photo via Twitter
When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life – Samuel Johnson
I didn’t take photos, blurry through the bus window, I just took it in. The quirky old fashioned gentlemen’s outfitter, the cafés and restaurants serving cuisine from every corner of the globe.
Picture via Twitter
That mix of old and new, those glass fronts amongst brilliant red brick, the people rushing by.
The title of this post is from a song about San Francisco by Vanessa Carlton, but London hums, the trains beneath the streets, the traffic rumbling past. The ranks of black cabs and red Boris bikes, hundreds of languages carried by the wind.
Via Twitter
What has always fascinated me is how organic London is, it grew not from plans drawn up in an office somewhere, but from necessity, taking in farmland and spitting out city.
There are hundreds of stories, both real and read in this city. The echoes of Twist and Holmes, the Ripper and Whittington. Soaked into the paving beneath our feet.
A new year a new box from My Little Box. Illustrated by regular artist Kamako the box edge offers us the MLB team’s wishes for the upcoming box, which is rather lovely.
Inside the colour theme of mint green and soft yellow/orange. As well as a lovely quote card for your wall, there’s a copy of the in-house magazine (and it’s staying a magazine, woohoo!)
Then there are the treats, and what a selection they’ve picked.
There’s a green and gold diary, perfect if you haven’t already got one, full of little messages and illustrations.
The little cloth bag holds three treats, a full size tub of Garnier Miracle Wake Up Cream, a little bottle of Ren 3 – in – 1 micellar cleansing water and a My Little Beauty lip balm.
There’s one final treat in the box. A set of message bracelets to wear yourself or give to friends.
I’m really happy with this box, MLB had a few weak ones last year but are starting strong in 2016.
What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments.
The inspiration for this post is Iris Apfel, 90 something New York eccentric, whose ethos seems to be “more is more”. She is my aspiration for old me.
I love her!
As a larger lady (Argh, the phrases we use – plus size, plus size to what??) I have become an expert at accessories. When you have lots of friends skinnier than you, you improvise.
You buy jewellery, bags, shoes and accessories so you don’t feel so awkward in shops that don’t cater for you. So bitchy shop assistants don’t look at you and laugh (I’m looking at you, girls in Top Shop). So you feel like you belong on the girly shopping trip.
To be honest, I hated being a fat teenager, and I wasn’t even that big, just bigger than my friends. The average size woman in the UK is a 16 (what that means varies brand to brand, and even within brands), but shops seem to tail off size wise at a 14.
It is better now, there are a few more options but still, there’s so much shame around being over that average and wanting to wear nice clothes, it makes me furious.
I have been both much bigger than I am today and also much skinnier. Everyone’s body is different, how we got to where we are varies just as wildly.
Without this becoming a therapy session – my weight has medical causes and emotional ones – my relationship with food is a mess. One I’m trying to get a handle on.
My best friend, who I love dearly, called me the accessories queen and she knows everything about me. I have turned adding the right accessory to an outfit into an art form.
It helps to be a magpie, with an eye for sparkly, unusual stuff.
I love this, it's so true
My cupboard/wardrobe/storage space in my tiny flat is crammed with earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, pins, bags, shoes, scarves (I got the Mr to put up a scarf rail for me, it’s heaving). You name it, I probably have it, but can’t guarantee I can find it.
Annoyingly I can’t wear earrings much anymore, two years ago I got an infection in my earlobe, ten years after getting them pierced, and since then they’ve been very sensitive to metal. It frustrates me because I have fantastic earrings and good sized lobes to hang them from.
My scarf addiction has caused disagreements, but you can chuck a scarf of any design on over an outfit and make it amazing. Jeans and a T-shirt, funky scarf boosts it from slobbing about to lunch ready. LBD, contrasting design worn like a shawl, gorgeous. Trust me.
I love finding a necklace that works with different necklines, from collars to décolletage, there’s a different design for every occasion.
An eye catching ring, sparkling in the light, can draw the eye to or away from your nails, depending on their condition. While the right bracelet can set off an unusual length sleeve.
Shoes are also great at going “hello, I may be wearing a fairly dull outfit to work, but we’re pretty” especially these ones.
Credit: likecool.com
Or these
Credit: likecool.con
Sadly, I don’t own either pair, but I do have ones with cat faces and some covered in flamingos.
I’m not really a hat person, I don’t have the right head shape for it, but I’ve noticed the floppy brimmed hat making a comeback and on the right head, it looks fantastic.
Credit: ebay.co.uk
I started wearing glasses a few years ago as a required thing, but I’ve always loved oversized sunglasses and cats eye frames with plain glass for dressing up and trying out new looks. EBay is great for really cheap frames and TKMaxx has a great selection of discounted designer sunglasses.
Finally there’s handbags, I love a good sized, sturdy bag, but also quirky clutches for nights out or special occasions and tote bags are a cute way to carry your shopping home, especially if like me you resent paying 5p for a crappy plastic bag that will probably break on the way home!
Spotted this amazing Fendi bag in Venice
What are your favourite accessories? Let me know in the comments.
Here’s two stories about two very different ways to respond to a customer. I should preface this by saying I have worked in several customer service roles and I know that while the customer is not always right, they do deserve a decent response.
Story one.
I bought a necklace from Punky Pins in their Boxing Day sale. It arrived, I failed to even take it out of the packaging for a while. When I did I discovered it was damaged.
So I dropped the team an email, and asked where to send it for a replacement. A response appeared the next morning. They were so sorry that had happened, could I send them a quick photo so they could see the damage and know whether or not to strengthen the chain before posting me a replacement.
That took all of ten seconds, they confirmed my address and promised to send out a new one asap.
Story 2.
I received an email from Glossybox that there was a problem with my account but not to worry, my box would be sent out once I’d checked my details. Which I did, a confirmation of updated details appeared, money went out, I sat back to wait for my box.
A week later, another email. I wasn’t going to be receiving a box. No reason given. So I sent them a message through their contact page. I heard nothing. Then my subscription was cancelled, something I only found out after logging into the site. I renewed it, they took a second payment.
I popped on Twitter and asked why I hadn’t received anything. They were busy. So am I, but I don’t use that as an excuse not to reply to emails in my job.
Eventually they said they’d never received my message and that I should give them a ring. I did, no answer and as I was at work, no time to keep trying.
So I sent them another message. And got a reply! Only it was a very rude one, they’d sold out of the boxes for January and would be sending me a ‘starter box’ despite my having been a subscriber for some time. If I wanted to return it, I could, at my own expense.
I complained via Twitter because I was so fed up. If I sent an email to a customer in any job like that, I would have been in serious shit.
I got another email, I could return the box (which I haven’t even received) and send my postage receipt and they’d pay that. But I am still two payments down, with no boxes.
Then they had the cheek to send a ‘how did we do’ email. Nothing has been resolved. I have sent an email laying out the whole saga. It probably won’t get read, easiest thing to do is claim they never received it.
To be continued.
How about you? Ever had to deal with companies like this? What’s your take on the importance of customer service? Let me know below.
The You Beauty Box has had a bit of a facelift, is moving website and is apparently going to be even better come February. Hope it stays at the same price of £6.95 inc p&p, and with the select your samples idea.
This month’s samples were from a wide range of brands and types.
If you follow me on Instagram then you’ll be aware of my love for lipbalms and especially the little cubes from balmi.
So it was pretty obvious I’d be popping their rose gold roseberry flavour in my box. With SPF 15, Shea butter, vitamin E and other skin loving ingredients, these little pots are a firm favourite.
My other pick was Korres Bergamot & Pear Body Milk (body lotion to you and me). I love the smell of this, having had it in a box sometime last year. Might have to treat myself to a full size tub at some point.
Also in the box are sample sachets of Dr Organic Snail Gel – something I’m not entirely convinced by, and Perfection Gel Cushions for those slightly uncomfy shoes.
It was Christmas Day, I was digesting an enormous lunch watching The Second Best Marigold Hotel (it was OK) from around the Christmas Tree at the out-laws, when my phone alerted me to the renewal of my LMB points and so off I went to see what the boutique could offer me.
While they have added lots of new products to the line up, you still need to get those bonus points (££) to get much.
And as it was Christmas, I thought, oh I’ll get some bonus points, they’ll last me. They did not. I spent them all.
This is not the cautionary tale – this is – do not shop online while under the influence of vast quantities of turkey, just don’t. I could not for the life of me remember what I’d bought so this box was a bit of a surprise when I opened it.
LMB have returned to their silver boxes, I preferred the rather fancier cream and black they sent out a few months back. But I digress. “What was in the box?” I hear you cry. Well here’s what my roast potato enduced memory wipe kept from me.
A handbag sized make up bag – I actually need this, daft as it sounds, woman of a million make up bags.
More like a few bits of make up, plasters and paracetamol
Lord & Berry Fluid Delicate Make Up Remover – did I mean to pick this? I have no idea. Blame the parsnips. But make up remover is always useful.
Percy & Reed Foaming Treatment Mask – I like P&R but they are not cheap so getting their products this way is a bargain. I probably did indeed select this.
Cailyn Mineral Eye Polish in Snow – I have no idea, probably picked out by the stuffing. This is very light, almost invisible eye shadow. My sister would like it, but it’s not very me.
Dr PawPaw Balm – I read an article raving about this Aussie lip balm/chafe balm/grumpy skin balm. The gravy remembered that and put this in my box. I’ll add it to the thousands of lip balms in my life.
Nails Inc in Colville Mews – I love Nails Inc, I love nail polish. Can I blame the fact that I picked a colour I already have on the cranberry sauce?
Roques ONeil Therapie Restore Aura Spray – something I definitely need I think. Spray onto face when frazzled, or opening boxes you have no memory of buying.
LMB have also added a range of jewellery items to their shop, and yep, you guessed it, my Christmas dinner coma picked out a few bits there too.
Pink quartz earrings – these look like upside down traffic cones. Therefore I love them. Also could probably stab someone with them. Pink quartz is a healing crystal and there’s me with my unicorn horn stabbing people earrings…
Gold necklace with green stone. Pretty self explanatory.
Pointy silver bracelet – again, says exactly what it is. Although when I first looked at it I wasn’t sure if I wore it on my wrist or my neck.
Green thread bracelet with bobbly silver charm – it’s a really good thing I don’t write the descriptions on the website.
Did your food coma induce you to buy anything you don’t remember this Christmas? Or is it just me?
My Little Beauty’s My Little Magic Box has been off on its adventures. The December party season themed box has only just made it into my hands.
I’m rather glad it turned up and to be honest I was so busy over Christmas I barely noticed. Hope you a great time box.
Inside the box, the boat has been well and truly pushed out for the festive season.
My Little World – the in-box magazine is magazine format once more, thank goodness, and I hope it stays that way.
On to the goodies.
The very chic make up bag inside the box, not the usual cloth drawstring, but one you might pop in an overnight bag.
Heat retaining mittens – the funny thing is I was walking to the bus stop in minus 2 the other day and I wished I had some gloves. How funny that these then arrive! I love the navy blue and gold, a theme throughout the box, and they’re really cosy. As someone who’s always tapping away on her phone, mittens are more use the full gloves and as we’re having a bit of a cold snap, these will see a lot of use.
The other mitten has bonded with my hand
Kusmi Tea – Anastasia blend. Made in France, these teas definitely have a Russian bent, this one is named after the famous Romanov princess, and is a blend of China and Ceylon teas.
Rituals Honey Touch Body Cream – rich and nourishing, with honey and rose.
Vice-Versa nail polishes – continuing the blue and gold colour scheme.
Nars blush in Orgasm – naughty Nars with your cheeky names.
It would have been nice to have had this box in December but it will all come in use in this bitter January. I’m actually wearing the mittens as I type this!
