Author: ramblingmads

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.
beauty, beauty boxes, birchbox, make up, reviews, skincare

Birchbox x Pinterest

ramblingmads

Captioned “Best. Year. Ever” Birchbox kicks off 2016 with a collaboration with online scrapbook site Pinterest.

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Pinning has become a huge trend, with people compiling their dream weddings, cars, cakes, shoes and other things onto Pinterest’s digital mood boards. I do it too. Much handier than covering my walls in magazine cuttings like we did pre-internet. (Yes, there was such a time).

So how does a collab between a beauty box and a website work exactly? Well, inside the beauty booklet are suggestions for boards to create on Pinterest for the upcoming year. There are also five cute cards designed by illustrator Viktorija Semjonova in keeping with the theme. The Birchbox blog will have more throughout the year.

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Onto the beauty samples.

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There are five products in the box, and annoyingly some of them have been here before.

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Left to Right.

Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle – I’ve had this little chap several times in the past. While it does work quite well as a dentangler, so does my conditioner.

Absolution L’Eau Soir et Martin – basically a micellar water, 2015’s big product. Containing aloe vera and hazelnut oil, a no rinse required make up remover.

Benefit They’re Real! Tinted Primer – apparently this coats and seperates lashes before your mascara. Or on its own.

Birchbox pocket mirror.

Jelly Pong Pong Lighten Up Brightener + Waterliner – I definitely have one of these, I used it the other day. Suppose it saves me buying a new one. It’s a great highlighter pencil, scribble it on!

Whish Three Whishes Almond Body Butter – I am all about almonds, I eat them, drink them (almond milk hot chocolate anyone?) and smother them on my skin and hair so this’ll be a little treat for my skin.

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Are you a Birchbox subscriber? What did you think about this box? Let me know below.

ramblingmads

beauty, feminism, life

Can feminists be into beauty?

ramblingmads

Short answer – yes.

Longer answer – still yes. They’re not mutually exclusive.

I’m a feminist, more than that I’m an intersectional feminist who doesn’t hate men, has never burned a bra (those things cost) and loves beauty products and wearing make up.

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Feminist and beauty blogger, you bet'cha

If you’re not, then that’s cool. If you think the beauty industry subjucates women, is fatphobic, racist etc, then that’s fine. I see your point, I even agree with some of that, but I don’t see the harm in wanting to make up my face, in enjoying skincare and perfume and washing my hair.

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Beauty faves

I read feminist media like Bitch and Bust magazines, The Riveter, and others, but I also haunt the make up aisles of Superdrug and read beauty blogs, follow Caroline Hirons and Sali Hughes (beauty writers, who also happen to be awesome women) and listen to music that isn’t mainstream.

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Feminist stickers and magazines

And that’s cool. There’s room for all sorts in the world. There really is. Just not if you’re an asshole – please take your negative, bigotted views elsewhere. There’s a world that needs changing out there, and I am so looking forward to it.

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Feminist Sticker Club Dec '15

ramblingmads

beauty, haircare, healthy, make up, skincare

Skincare Saviours in the Winter Weather

ramblingmads

January is finally here and with it more drizzly, wet, cold, miserable weather. Which is hell on skin, even if it’s not as ridiculously sensitive as mine!

Here are my tips and tricks for happy skin in the New Year.

💜 Drink water. An obvious one – what you put in your body is what you get out. We’re 75% water, and without it your skin struggles. It helps keep skin soft and plump, slows down wrinkles, and cleans up the gunk that becomes spots.

💜 Moisturise! water inside – moisture outside. Find one that works for you and slap it on, even if you’re just sitting around the house without make up – feed your skin. Central heating doesn’t help.

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Current favourite moisturiser

💜 Cleanse – personally I think washing my face is a brilliant way to perk up. I always feel a bit more awake and alive with a clean face. Since I got a sonic brush (use once a week) I definitely see a difference.

💜 Don’t neglect your smile. Lips have thinner skin than the rest of your face. Skin that is more prone to cracking and peeling. Invest in a good lip balm. I have dozens, and top up throughout the day.

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The best lip balm ever!

💜 But I can’t see my own nose! With winter comes colds, flu and other nasty bugs. Constant nose blowing leaves the skin around your nostrils damaged, dry and unhappy. A bit of extra moisture never goes awry – a dab of good ol’ Vaseline should do the trick.

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Vaseline & Dr Lipp - dry skin beware!

💜 Don’t sleep in your make up. Seriously. This is horrid. I admit I have done this in the past (I blame the booze) but that way lies breakouts and blocked pores. Invest in a decent make up remover/cleanser and take the face off before you crash.

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Loving these at the moment.

💜 Show your hair some love too. Don a hair turban and let a mask soak in, wash out the pollution and rub in some argan oil. I swear by it – no more split ends and happier hair – brilliant!

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Shiny hair ahoy!

ramblingmads

beauty, beauty boxes, haircare, make up, reviews, skincare

Dollibox December

ramblingmads

Following the lovely Which Beauty Box UK is lethal to my bank account! Showcasing the best boxes around,  and inspiring other beauty lovers. And so it is with Dollibox.

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A fairly new box, it contains five cult and premium beauty products, full size and sample size.

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I’m not madly keen on how pink the packaging is, but since that gets recycled, it doesn’t really matter.

What’s inside counts. The box is £10 plus postage, and this month’s is worth over £30.

Anubis Polivitamic Cleansing Mousse – containing the essential vitamin C, this gentle mousse promises to soothe and cleanse your skin.

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Bare Naturals Pomegranate & Pink Grapefruit soap – made with 100% natural ingredients, this delicately scented soap is designed to leave hands clean and soft.

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Model Co Highlighting Trio – featuring a luminizer, blush and bronzer, this little pot is designed to suit any skin tone and leave you with glowing skin.

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Osmo Intensive Deep Repair Mask – containing jojoba oil, patchouli and ylang ylang to nourish and repair stressed out hair.

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Barefoot Lavender & Mint Foot Cream – with tea tree oil and other natural ingredients, no parabens, this soothes tired feet, reviving them and softening the skin.

All in all, this is a nicely curated box, perfect for the party season, and for spoiling yourself in the cold, wet winter.

ramblingmads

beauty boxes, nail polish, nails inc, reviews

Nailbox December

ramblingmads

Nailbox’s latest dropped into my lap this Christmas Eve with Spring shades for 2016.

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Lilacs, and Nails Inc’s Blossom polish.

Plus a nail art pen, and randomly, a set of tweezers, for brows, not nails! It’s called Nailbox chaps, don’t dilute the brand!

I like the shades of purple and the Blossom (aka Bloomsbury Way) would look great over the top or even on naked nails!

Won’t be rocking these shades till after the sun comes back, spring flourishes don’t really match with the almost constant deluge outside.

If you want to see my Christmas nails, you’ll have to pop over to Instagram to find out!

Merry Christmas.💅⛄🎁❄🎀🎅🎄🌞

ramblingmads

blogging, life, upcoming

Life update – still here!

ramblingmads

It’s been a bit quiet round here, I’ve been a wee bit busy.

I started a new job last week, which so far, so good. But it’s meant I’ve been a bit knackered and not had the energy to write much. Once I get my routine sorted, that will change, promise!

Working a three day week, then it’s Christmas, so that’ll hopefully give me some blogging time, before I head back to the office in the New Year.

However, I am a bit more active on Instagram and Twitter, so feel free to find me there and say hello, I’m @ramblingmads on both.

Keep an eye out for the posts I am busily drafting and polishing.

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Tube station cheer

ramblingmads

baking, birchbox, lifestyle, lifestyle boxes, reviews

Birchbox Home – Limited Edition Box

ramblingmads

The postman brought me a lovely treat this week. The limited edition Birchbox Home box.

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This would make an amazing gift for Christmas if you’re stuck for ideas.

Inside is a range of lovely home accessories and foodie treats to add a touch of colour in these dark days. I mean, sunset before 4pm, what’s that all about!?!

Coming B Birdie Recipe Holder – this sweet resin bird holds your recipe cards so they don’t end up covered in sticky fingerprints.

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La Cocette Paris Chic Chick Oven Glove in Ochre – really cute oven mitt, but the Mr says the print on it is something a little cheeky. 🍈🍈

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Jamini 2 Table Placemats in Blue Wave – these are lovely and machine washable (which is very important when you live with a messy eater!)

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Birchbox Home Tea Time Mug – this has already been swiped and filled with a brew.

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To accompany the mug –

Mini Labo x Birchbox Home Tea Time Ball Infuser and Kusmi Tea Tsarevna (a Russian inspired blend of black tea with spices and oranges)

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Continuing with the tea time theme are a recipe card and jar of lemon curd from Kitchen Trotter

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There’s also an English Scone Mix from Marlette – all you need to add is butter, milk and eggs, everything else has been measured and mixed for you.

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Garden Trading 4 Measuring Spoons – ceramic measuring spoons to help you get your measurements perfect.

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Mini Labo x Birchbox Home Tea Tray (see above) – this is a lovely way to make your afternoon cuppa seem like a luxury, put your mug and biscuits on this pretty patterned tray to serve.

Finally there’s a lovely scented soap bar to scrub up after all the baking. Scented with rose, white musk, jasmine and iris, with poppy oil.

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I can’t wait to pop the kettle on and make great use of these goodies.

Cheers ☕

ramblingmads

family, friends, life, mental health, relationships

This Is Not A Gift Guide

ramblingmads

I was skimming along my twitter timeline the other day and saw a link to another gift guide on some website or other, where a gift was recommended that was “only £4,995”, that “only” just kills me.

A lot of people are struggling at the moment, finances are tight, a shop assistant I spoke to today said that they were still waiting for the Christmas rush, she was worried that if there wasn’t one she’d lose her job.

Five grand is a lot of money, and completely out of many people’s ability as a one off spend on a Christmas present.

Growing up there were times money was tight, when my dad was made redundant, when my mum was not working because she had two small children at home, when my parents bought their house. But we never went without.

We always had presents, I remember getting a new bike one year, and my auntie used to send us dresses every year, which we wore for Christmas day lunch, there were pyjamas, books, board games, toys, but not more than we could actually play with, we certainly weren’t spoiled.

So when I see these completely unrealistic gift guides being promoted, and there are more realistic ones out there, with presents that very few could buy, it makes me cross.

You don’t have to be religious to celebrate Christmas, Jesus was probably born in June and people have celebrated the solstice/yule etc for thousands of years, but it shouldn’t be all about stuff.

We’ve become too materialistic, yes I blog about beauty products, but I am also passionate about things that matter, I’m a proud feminist, I speak out against injustices, I am currently furious about the foul way some people treat other members of their communities due to race or religion.

Christmas, for me anyway, is about family, friends, being together, doing things like decorating the house, eating a meal, watching cheesy films, together.

Not about how much stuff you get, or how much money you spend.

So, I won’t be suggesting gifts, I won’t be telling you that spending £4,995 on a gift shows someone how much you love them. Just be with them, do things together.

ramblingmads

beauty, beauty boxes, birchbox, make up, nail polish, reviews, skincare

Birchbag – All That Glimmers

ramblingmads

For their December edition Birchbox has set out a jazzy festive clutch bag full of products designed to help you through the party season.

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Benefit Puff Off! & They’re Real Push Up Liner Duo – exclusive to Birchbox, this liner and eye cream work together – the liner to complete your look and the cream to de-puff those under eye bags.

Model Co Ultra Long Lasting Lipstick in Kitty – this is a full size lipstick in a pretty pink shade, which sadly isn’t mine.

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Ciate London Mini Paint Pot – I received the shade Iced Frappé – which I wouldn’t  say is particularly festive but colours vary.

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Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream – this moisturiser features Mediterranean algae to fight aging. Apparently it reduces wrinkles, firm skin and boost radiance in 15 days, but I don’t think there’s enough in this sample sized tube to test that theory.

Skin & Co Sicilian Body Gel – with Sicilian orange and olive extracts, this little bottle packs a sweet smelling punch. Perfect for waking you up in the morning after the night before.

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Bonus – Roloxin Lift Instant Skin Smoothing Masque – a 10 minute face mask to smooth wrinkles and hide party fatigue. Saving this for New Year’s Day recovery!

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The bag itself is very festive, in dark green velvet like the dresses I wore at Christmas as a child, with lots of gold sparkles. It’s a good size for all your bits and bobs too.

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