**PRODUCT PRICES CORRECT AS OF MONDAY 24th JUNE 2019
SO! I wrote a little about HASK in my June 2019 Glossy Box Review, which you can read by clicking the link here.
Since I’m holding back the HASK Coconut Oil conditioner I received in June’s Glossy Box for a good cause, I got myself down to Boots and purchased the HASK conditioner better suited to my hair-type.
As you may or may not know I forgot to change my Glossy Box settings in ‘My Account’ from having virgin hair to denote the colour damage I’ve now inflicted on it, hence the product I got was not the best for my hair – not Glossy Box’s fault but my own.
The HASK masks ‘WERE’, for part of June 2019, on offer in Superdrug (at a bargain £1.66) but not anymore. They are now back to full price at £2.49**. Boots now have the HASK conditioners on offer for £2.00**, reduced from £3.00** in their third off sale. So I was going there anyway and picked myself one up and earned a couple of Boots points at the same time.
The one for me and so the one I chose, is as per pictured above of the Argan Oil variety to strengthen, restore and smooth dry, damaged hair; because at the end of the day I’m no natural blonde and my hair is therefore well and truly BLEACHED and therefore dry and damaged.
My hair is fine, straight, tangley (very, very, very tangley) and comes half way down my back – so long, I guess. But suprisingly, I only needed half a pack of this HASK on my hair. I thought I’d need at least three quarters but half a pack does go a long way…for my hair.
The HASK smells really nice! I say lemon-y…my friend says orange-y…so we’re going to agree somewhere in the middle and I’ll punt for citrus-ey. It’s lovely anyway…well, if you like lemony-orangey-citrusey! The texture is really thick and creamy.
After shampooing my hair (well actually I picked up a bottle of conditioner instead of the shampoo), so after conditioning and then shampooing my hair (I know, I’m an idiot), I coated my hair in the HASK, massaged it in as directed…had a sing in the shower for ten minutes whilst I waited for it to do it’s magic and then rinsed it out thoroughly – I know you know how to wash your hair, but I’m just telling you really that I followed the instructions on the back of the pack.
Dried my hair off and out with my trusted Tangle Teezer – literally the only thing that is allowed to touch my hair when it is wet, or else let’s just say there are tears…and shrieks…and a lot of swearing. I usually use Milkshake Whipped Cream Leave-In Conditioner, but I didn’t, because I wanted to see if my hair was less knotty with the HASK…and it was…I needed the Tangle Teezer (standard)…but I could definitely get away without the Whipped Cream.
I mean, my hair is still tangley, but it’s much easier to brush through than normal. And I also want to point out that seven weeks ago I ran out of purple shampoo which I haven’t got round to replacing. I usually use, again in the Milkshake range, their Silver Shine Light shampoo, once or twice a week to stop my blonde looking brassy…so my hair could also do with a bit of care in the ‘toning down’ department.
Well, HASK has done the job which has presently surprised me. I love my blonde again, the HASK has really toned it down but brightened it up – which sounds like a contradiction, I realise, but it isn’t!
My hair feels thicker, fuller, healthier and has toned the ‘becoming a little brassy’ roots down a treat. I’ve got to say I AM A HASK CONVERT…and I’ve still got half a pack left for next time.
This product was an absolute hit for me! I’ll definitely be purchasing it on a regular basis. I usually use Milk Shake Argan Deep Treatment mask, but will drop this in favour of this HASK conditioner.
Let me know if this was a hit (or not) for you in the Comments section.
This is my ‘Glossy Box’ June 2019 review. The Box actually landed on my doorstep last Friday, the same day I was notified of my ‘Sunshine Blogger Award’ nomination by ‘Our Favourite Jar’. So Friday 7th June 2019 was quite a ‘more exciting than usual’ kind of day!
The delay in writing this has been the rain! I needed to pick flowers from the garden to prettily illustrate this post and as I’d just had me ‘air done I didn’t want to get it wet! Also, I’ve been educating myself on certain subjects relating to my other Blog…I’m necessarily learning all about narcissism and narcissists and I’m not referring to fans of NARS unfortunately. So this review is a little later than anticipated…but it’s here now and away we go.
THE DISCLOSURES
The link to my full list of
Disclosures can be found HERE. I review it every month and if/when
necessary update it accordingly.
The main ‘Disclosures’ are:
I am not an expert.
I am not affiliated with Glossy Box
or any related company/products.
My thoughts are my own.
The info is correct at time of
writing.
I pay for my Boxes too!
If you do take the plunge because of my reviews, I’d be so grateful if you’d apply my referral code (all subscribers get one, not just me)…https://www.glossybox.co.uk/referrals.list?applyCode=JANE-R8 when you sign up at Glossy Box. You will get 20% off your first order and I will earn £10.00 for a successful referral (correct at time of writing – 14.06.2019), refer to Glossy Box for additional info as subject to their Ts and Cs.
PREAMBLE
If you don’t know anything about Glossy
Box, or want to know my take on it, feel free to click on THIS LINK for a previous relevant post.
Glossy Box’s own website is linked HERE if
you want to have a look and see if it is for you…or not.
You can otherwise follow Glossy Box
UK on Social Media.
I should explain that I also blog about relationship type things which is what the breakupmakeupwakeup stuff is all about- some of it is funny…some of it not so much! Check it out if you like.
Back to being Glossy.
THE JUNE BOX
Standard pink box. You know I love the boxes…but the themed ones are just more ‘special’…I mean, aren’t they! I sent all of mine to Mums on A Mission for Malawi, which you can read about in the link I’ve planted here.
This one will eventually be sent over to the Mums in time for their next shipment, in the meantime, I’ve got some new perfumes that need storing. So when the Box is empty this will be their new home.
MY PLEDGE
So as you’ll know if you’ve read my previous posts, I’m going to set aside one unopened and therefore un-reviewed item from each of my Glossy Boxes from May 2019 to April 2020 and give them to an appropriate charity, to be decided nearer to the time. The charity is more than likely going to be a Women’s Refuge or to benefit the homeless.
My intention was to save the most expensive item from each box but a lady who has been through both homelessness and horrific abuse jade.amber.888 (she has allowed me to give her Instagram handle by the way) advised me to select ‘practical’ over ‘expensive’. Which of course makes sense and I’m taking her advice on this.
JUNE 2019 – THE THEME
Well it IS technically Summer even though the season hasn’t told the weather yet, so I’m expecting a nice Summer theme? Yessss! Glossy Box are calling this a ‘Summer Soiree’. That sounds like my kind of Summer.
“This June, you’re invited to our Summer Soiree!
From the races to formal weddings, and garden parties to casual barbecues, summer is a time of celebration. That’s why we’ve filled our iconic pink box will all the essential beauty products you need to get ready for what every occasions lie ahead.
Our ‘Summer Soiree’ edit includes three gorgeous, highly-pigmented makeup products you can slip into your clutch and use on the go, as well as skincare and haircare that will help you get prepped and primed for the big day. You’re going to look stunning!’
So says Beauty Editor, ‘Elle Nash’
THANKS ELLE…AND OVER TO ME…
WHAT’S IN THE BOX
Allllll thisssss!
THE PRODUCTS
Five different products, hand picked by the Glossy experts greet us. Again some of us may have a variant on a couple of the products. I only get to test four because Hask’s Mask has been put aside to give to an appropriate charity in 10 Boxes time.
We were put on notice last month that this little expensive baby weighing in at 30ml and costing an eye watering £85.00 (that’s £2.83 [with a three recurring] per ml) was coming to us.
The product description claims, sorry, but just YAWN, that it ‘reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles’, but don’t they all these days. Proof is in the primer!
You only need a ‘pea size’ apparently and it’s PH balanced…but I’m sitting here just looking at it thinking…’even if you are GREAT…could I ever justify actually purchasing you?‘
See the tube it’s in (and this is full size) is very simple but of a classy design (white with black writing) and the tube feels really, really light and all I can think is that would I actually pick this up in a high street shop and think, ‘…I can live with £2.83 per ml – at a full size cost of £85.00 for a Primer‘. I can see myself standing at a till waiting to be served having palpitations over parting with 8 tenners and a fiver for a little tube of creamy stuff which claims to do what most other (cheaper) ones do!
LETS GIVE IT A TEST
I’ve got a nice clean face, all cleansed and ready to be painted in makeup. I’ll also just add that I’ve used Iconic’s ‘Prep Set Glow’ for a bit of a healthy glow since the sun isn’t doing its job at the moment.
This primer has quite a watery, ‘easy to spread’ consistency. Given its price tag I’m following the instruction to a tee by only using a ‘pee-size’ amount of product, which does cover my face…if this is good, I want it to last…till I can re-mortgage the house and purchase it again! It sinks into the skin nicely, I’ll give it that. On with the foundation…
…I’m using a high street, fairly low end (£9.99 in Boots) foundation Bourjois ‘Healthy Mix‘ since if this primer does convert me something is going to have to give; can’t afford expensive Primer AND expensive foundation at the same time. It really doesn’t matter to you what colour foundation I’ve used because you skin and my skin are just not going to be the same tone, same undertone, in the same condition etc.
Now usually, I’m not a great fan of this foundation. I don’t use it all that often, but having blended it in and given it a few minutes to settle into my skin, I must admit that it looks 80% better than with other primers I’ve used, including Guerlain Meteorites Base which is also not cheap! So I am somewhat impressed.
For me, at least, £85.00 is A LOT of money to hand over for any make product…BUT…you may not feel the same – your budget may be different to mine. It does seem to give good results…my foundation…THIS foundation…looks soooo much more flawless and my face does look ‘less liney’…you’re going to have to decide for yourself on this one!
My foundation stayed flawless too throughout the day – the primer held it in place all right…and that’s following 8 hours of being out and about although not really exerting myself to any extent!
ITS CREDENTIALS
So this is ‘full size’. £85.00. 30ml. It’s a primer with shelf life once opened of 12 months.
AVANT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
They’ve kept it simple and generic:
Facebook, Instagram and tweet-tweet Twitter @avantskincare
I’ve heard of ‘Hask’ but I’ve never actually purchased any of their products, so I’ve done a little bit of research for you all.
Their website looks ‘fresh’ and ‘clean’. I like it. Their products are stocked and sold in Superdrug, Boots, Morrisons and Waitrose and are made up of natural ingredients and oils steering clear of all the stuff that damages your hair and makes it fluffy like parabens and sulfates.
Now they also say that their products were designed to treat different hair problems. My hair was prone to being greasy (rather than dry). I’ve got the Coconut Oil variety for ‘all hair types’ but you may have the ‘Superfruit’ or ‘Macadamia Oil’ variety.
Damn, damn, damn – this is a reminder for all of you. This is not Glossy Box’s fault. I forgot to change my settings in ‘My Account’. Since I opened my account my hair has had the cr*p bleached out of it, professionally of course. I didn’t use a box…cause my hair would have fallen out with the amount of blonde it has in it. So I would consider it ‘dry’ and ‘damaged’ when previously it was virgin hair!
Had I changed the settings in ‘My Account’ I should have got the Macadmaia Oil version for ‘damaged hair’. Like I say my own fault here and a heads up for all of you to rmemeber to keep your details up-to-date. The ‘Superfruit’ version is also for ‘all hair types’.
Hask have got some hella interesting endorsements as well from leading hair stylists and they are also promoted on film and screen sets. Impressive little portfolio here they have. You can’t purchase their products direct.
I would have loved to have tested this product because my hair is feeling a little on the damaged side, but, I feel that it is the most appropriate this month to give to a homeless charity or women’s refuge. I will however purchase this item from one of the four stockists and give it a go. I’ll go for the Macadamia Oil one, again if I can find to be fair to the brand. I’ll give my review in a separate post.
THIS PRODUCT’S CREDENTIALS
You need to put plenty of product in your hair so that it’s all saturated of course, it is a mask, sooooo….to be expected. My hair is quite long so I’d probably use the whole pouch or three quarters anyway.
You get 50ml of product and I can also tell you that they do not test on animals and are additionally offended by any suggestion they would! Love companies with this mindset. Ought to be standard by now, but some are just not on board yet.
I can’t seem to find these actual masks being stocked in Boots, Morrisons or Waitrose…although all do stock Hask products…but what I can tell you is this. At time of writing (14th June 2019) these masks are on offer at Superdrug. Reduced from £2.49 to £1.66. I do not know how long this offer is going to be on for…so get yourself up to Superdrug quick smart if you want to snap some more up.
What do you think of this product – was it a good little addition? Let me know in the comments.
I seem to have amassed a lot of these ‘Sleek Makeup Palettes’. I recall purchasing one and the rest have come my way from Glossy Box. They do seem to collaborate a lot with Sleek – or at least that is my perception. This time you either get the Fair Palette or the Light Palette. I’ve got ‘Fair’ and I am fair.
The brand was created in London in the mid-90’s. I know that Boots stock this brand…and it’s reasonably priced. What I don’t know is whether it is cruelty free – if the brand could clarify this on their website that would be good…apologies if I’m just blind.
In the palette you get:
A matte contour powder.
An illuminating highlighter.
Shimmer blush.
The packaging is nice and sturdy as always, and compact
LET’S GIVE IT A TEST
So on top of the Avant Primer, Bourjois foundation, I’ve applied Iconic London creme highlight and contour in all the usual places. I’m therefore using this Sleek powder palette over the top. The highlighter is a really pretty shade BUT you really need quite a bit of product, it’s just soooo un-powdery…the product just goes to very little and its hard to get a brush to pick it up.
Same with the bronzer…and the blush…especially the blush (which I actually do not like a lot of…I don’t want to look like a painted doll), is barely there. I mean, when you compare it to the Annabelle Cosmetics Mineral blush (Rose), if you received it in place of the face mask from last month’s Glossy Box, there’s just no competition. They are like chalk and cheese. Little pigment to highly pigmented; requires A LOT of product to requires the tiniest amount of product.
This palette is a bit ‘Meh’ for me. It’s ok…it’s alright and that’s is really.
ITS CREDENTIALS
You get 20g of product and it lasts for 24 months. It’s £9.99 which is decent for a palette. Thing is with contouring I think once you find your go-to palettes it’s very hard to give another a go! If I’m out of Iconic London or Nars for example, only then would I contemplate any other palette. Although, a little moan here…the mirror fell out of my Iconic London palette after only the third time I opened it – just wouldn’t expect that from a brand like Iconic but there we go! Irrelevant moan over, which has nothing to do with Sleek or Glossy Box!
Modelco’s June contribution to the Glossy Box is a Matte Lip Creme in colour ‘Peachy Nude’. Now I do love a lippy. I do love a Matte. I do love a nude…BUT nudes don’t necessarily love me. Any hint of dry lips and me and a nude are not going to get along. However, I have continued using ‘Naturaline (Natural) Lip Treatment’ by Beauty Kitchen from the May 2019 Glossy Box which I reviewed and then gave a final verdict on (in the link here) and as a result my lips are in pretty good condition.
Let’s learn a little bit about Modelco. Well, they are an Australian company, Vegan and cruelty-free. They launched the first available to buy heated eyelash curler in 2002 and tan in a can thereafter. I’ve never tried a heated eyelash curler I know this because I would have burnt my eye out by now if I had.
Are heated eyelash curlers any good? Are they dangerous? Any experiences anybody with a heated eyelash curler? Please comment below and let me know you’re ok.
Co-founder Shelley Sullivan has worked with top models and listened to all of their gripes and suggestions and favourites when it came to makeup and her creations have been inspired by this information is what I can glean.
The brand has had some key collaborations too including with Elle Macpherson which is impressive. I’m liking the sound of this product. I hope it’s as good as I hope it’s going to be.
The Lip Creme included is described as ‘highly pigmented’ (it needs to be as a Matte), dense, non-sticky and also long lasting. Slap it on, wait one minute and you’re good to go…no blotting or dabbing – only they put it a bit more eloquently than that.
LET’S PUT IT ON
So, the colour is really pretty…and it smells good too! I’ve used a Bare Minerals Gen Nude lip liner in colour ‘Borderline’ which matches this quite well. The applicator is ok, the consistency IS thick and pigmented. It goes on evenly and the coverage is great. I’m really, really, really impressed with this. I don’t usually get on great with mattes in a liquid type formula as they tend to show every crack…but this one is REALLY nice.
This is an absolute winner for me and I’d love to try their other shades, which include…well I don’t know, because I can’t find any Lip Creme Matte on their site at all. Glossy Box states that this is Model Co’s latest launch…so perhaps Glossy Box got their hands on it before even Model Co did!
CREDENTIALS
Glossy Box has this retailing at £15.00. The Model Co site doesn’t appear to stock any of their own Lip Creme mattes?! That can’t be right? But it does appear to be the case.
I’ve had a look at the Boots website (which are apparently a stockist) but they don’t appear to have this lip creme (just lashes). Hmmmm. Lookfantastic only have the £16.00 lip lacquer, which does look pretty to be fair; but it’s still not the Lip Creme in matte. Anyway, you get 4ml of product and it has a 12 month shelf life.
Eyeshadow #054 is very, very, very pretty. It looks a bit rose-gold metalic to me. It can be used alone or blended in with other colours. It claims to be highly pigmented. I hope it is. I really hope it is.
Their website claims that these eyeshadow Stix, which come in 7 different colours (named by numbers…#051 through to #058) are:
Convenient
Textured
Blendable
Colour payoff (meaning you only need a little product)
I love the idea of pencil eye shadow, but it is all going to depend upon the quality of the product…and how well they sharpen…I’ve got an Estee Lauder makeup-pencil sharpener which just eats and destroys everything and anything it believes to be lacking in quality. Some of my lip pencils look like a dog’s used them as a chew toy.
As I flick through the ‘meechnmia’ website…one of their loose eyeshadows hits me…oooooooooooh! This is totally unrelated to this month’s Glossy Box, but you gotta look at this colour…
Can’t get much ‘BLUER’ than THAT!
I mean, I love it…and on the right face (not mine) this would look incredible. It looks so pigmented and bold – someone send me a pic of them rocking this colour eyeshadow please!
HERE WE GO
I thought this would be the star of the box. I was so looking forward to trying this and the colour looks really rose gold and pretty. But it’s not for me. I’ve got hardly anything to say about it…because…
…firstly, the pencil is really hard. I feel like I’m poking a stick in my eye whilst applying it. I can’t see any colour no matter how hard I press. Even on the back of my hand when I really press down, I still can’t see any colour.
I thought this was meant to be really pigmented and it was ‘Colour Payoff’. Have I been sent the wrong product. Honestly, I’m really sorry, but NO. There’s actually nothing on my eyelid to blend.
What do you all think? Am I missing something here?
CREDENTIALS
You get 2.2g of product which has an 18 month shelf life. This retails at £12.99 on their website.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Their social media should you wish to say hello and show them some love is:
Facebook and Instagram @meechnmia
Twitter @meechnmia1
OVERALL OPINION OF THE JUNE 2019 GLOSSY BOX
The Theme
Summer theme cause we’re all pleased the Summer is here. So a soirée is just the way forward. I think I could soirée in SOME of this month’s offerings, I’ll give it an 8.
The Box
Standard signature pink box gets a 5.
The Product Mix
So this month we got primer, contour palette (…hmmmm), hair mask, lippy, eyeshadow stick.
To be fair, for me, just the one item didn’t fit in this month. The contour palette and that’s for two reasons…
I got the Barry M palette in last month’s box (although it didn’t work for me for the reasons already stated in my May review) although granted I got the cream kit and this month’s was A powder kit…soooo…and…
Every time Glossy Box and Sleek put an item in the box it’s a blinkin palette! I mean Sleek do other products right? Yes they do, I just checked. I’d be happy to try their other products, but what I don’t need is another Sleek palette in my life…for at least two years.
THE SUCCESSES
The Avant Pro Perfecting Collagen Touche Eclat Primer was a big hit. It made a very, very average/less than average foundation look flawless – it’s just going to be a matter for you as to whether it is worth £85.00…ouch! I’m going to be keeping this aside for special events or when I feel particularly crappy and need a good old boost.
Modelco Lip Creme Matte I thought was a winner. The colour was pretty. It goes on evenly with a thick layer. Pigmented. Doesn’t feel heavy, doesn’t crack and it lasted for 5 hours without a touch up. I’d be interested to see if there are any other colours in this range. I love this and I’d definitely try other products with pleasure.
THE ‘NOT SO’ SUCCESSES
Sleek’s Palette was exactly what I expected. Nothing about is surprised or overwhelmed me. I find you have to use A LOT of product for any of it to show. The blush was so negligible that I actually topped it up with the Annabelle Cosmetic minerals blush from May’s Glossy Box as I just couldn’t get a hint of colour.
The big loser though is Meech N Mia’s Eyeshadow Chubby Stix. I just couldn’t get any colour AT ALL, even on my hand. I’m reading what Glossy Box say about it in their booklet which is…
…boasting a rich and creamy formula, it glides on effortlessly…(the colour pay-off is amazing)…
I just don’t get it…sorry!
NEXT MONTH’S GLOSSY BOX
So next month, July 2019, we can expect what appears to be a Morrocanoil hair treatment which multitasks as a conditioner, styler, finisher and also repairs sun damaged hair…sadly we’ve had no sun so it might be able to help me with my bleached mop instead.
But Glossy Box…whilst this does sound nice…we did have a hair treatment in this month’s box…soooo…hmmm.
Well, I’ve had a look at the Moroccanoil website, and this product seems to have been winning awards left, right and centre since 2010. It appears that you can only purchase their products in participating salons or on websites such as ‘Lookfantastic’ where a 25ml bottle (which is what I believe is coming to us in July) retails at £13.45.
NEXT REVIEW COMING JULY 2019
So…thank you all for stopping by…it’s been a pleasure….and I hope you come here again next time I post and to comment.
This is still new to me…so any comments, suggestions, criticisms, praise, opinions, likes, dislikes, keyboard warrior stuff…please go ahead and write it all out below.
Yesterday morning I woke up to the news that I had been nominated for ‘The Sunshine Blogger Award’ – the little ray of sunshine that I’m not! I was nominated by Claire Lomax at ‘Our Favourite Jar’ and I am both honoured and feeling very smug about the whole thing. I feel like a celeb at the Oscars!
Claire Blogs about her life and I Blog about relationship-type stuff (elsewhere) and of course on all things ‘Glossy Box’ (here).
My understanding is that this Award is given to bloggers by bloggers to promote and give us all a bit of a platform cause promoting ourselves is just so damn hard – no, honestly IT IS. I’m a novice at all this, only three-ish months into Blogging (just over a month for this one) and Claire has been enormously supportive – so, Claire, I double and triple send my thanks over to you.
THE SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD RULES
1 Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blogging site.
2 List the Sunshine Blogger Award rules and display the logo on your site.
3 Answer the Sunshine Blogger Award questions.
4 Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.
5 Notify the nominees of their nominations.
CLAIRE’S QUESTIONS/MY ANSWERS
What do you love about Blogging?
I’ve always loved writing and I wanted to somehow let others know about the disasters of my dating life in some form or another – friends have been trying to encourage me to do this for a very, very, very long time! My purpose was to let it be known that there are people out there who just cannot get relationships right and if those reading are one of those people, then I’m right there with them.
I knew I wasn’t up to a book and also felt that the format would just not work. Blogging therefore has allowed me to write chapters and snippets about anything dating/relationship wise that has been on my mind and has assisted me in processing my thoughts and experiences too.
It’s therapeutic, the Blogging community has mainly been brilliant and I hope what I write about reaches people that have been and/or are in similar situations as me and what I write assists them in getting through the crap with a smile on their face and makeup intact.
I’ve done the heartbreak so my readers can avoid some of it simply by learning from my God awful mistakes and misjudgements…the martyr that I am!
Otherwise I’ve bought the Glossy Box and reviewed it thoroughly, so if you don’t like the sound of it, you can give it a miss for the month thus saving you a bit of the dosh you’ve worked so hard for.
What do you hate about Blogging?
This is an EASY question. Some Bloggers, always the same Bloggers, just do not reciprocate! I don’t mean that I expect every Blog-posts I read and comment on HAVE TO read and comment on mine, especially if what I write about is of no interest to them. But some don’t even say thank you!
That annoys me. A LOT.
We all started somewhere and I always try to write meaningful comments for other Bloggers. So when I’ve spent 20 minutes reading and 10 minutes or more commenting and then I don’t get a thanks’ or even an acknowledgement in some instances…that fuels my ‘hate about Blogging’…and people actually!
See what you’ve started Claire? You’ve started a rant! And you know I love a rant!
What is your favourite Sunday ritual?
My Sunday ritual is ‘not having a ritual’. I don’t have children; I’m free and single as you’ll all know! I do what takes my fancy. But I do like a cup of tea whilst reading and commenting on ‘The Tea Chest’…and I love a Sunday roast. If my bestie can meet me for a little Preseco date then that’s going to be a Sunday at its best.
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
This is a hard question. Such a hard question – I’m a bit torn. I love all kinds of music. But I think I would have to choose The Miles Hunt Club ‘Everything is Not OK’ album – they only did the one but every song is perfect.
Miles Hunt (with or without The Wonder Stuff) is just so underrated – and his voice is even better live than it translates onto record if that’s possible.
I saw him perform as the lead singer of ‘The Miles Hunt Club’ in Cardiff. The band didn’t exist for long, but the songs on that album and his voice are just outstanding – plus it’s very understated…the songs on this album have not been played to death (or at all most probably) on the radio etc so they still feel fresh…and if they’re all I can listen to for the rest of my life, then I’m not going to chose songs that that have already been overexposed.
What is your go to movie?
EASIEST QUESTION EVER…no competition AT ALL.
The genius that is Withnail and I.
I love everything about this film from start to finish – it’s perfection. The acting, the writing, the production. There’s a drinking game in there too and a quote for every occasion…
‘I feel like a pig shat in my head…’
‘I demand to have some booze…’
‘Scrubbers…’
‘We’ve gone on holiday by mistake…’
‘What happened to my agent. Bastard must have died…’
‘…fork it’…
‘…we want the finest wines available to humanity…’
And so on and so on…
If you haven’t watched it…you gotta do something about that and give it a go…TONIGHT…NOW!
Which 5 people would you invite to a dinner party, dead or alive?
The most beautiful human who ever lived…my late grandmother…so that I could spend time in her presence just one more time and tell her how much I love and miss her.
Donald Trump so that I could either poison or throw food at the moron – he also wouldn’t be permitted to speak.
Jim Morrison – I’ve never met a genius and ‘A GOD’ before and I’d like to know his opinion of Trump.
Karl Pilkington – because I want to propose to him, so perhaps if I filled his stomach with great food and got him drunk he’d say ‘Yes’.
Mirrorof Aphrodite (Blogger) – because I want to know who the lady behind the incredible advice is and I want to pick her brain mercilessly, even though she already gives soooo much of her time to us all…for free.
Your specialist quiz subject?
Now, I do love a good quiz and I am very knowledgeable on ‘Africa’ I’d like to think. Either that or music, other than that…I’m a bit of a dunce.
If you couldn’t ever fail, what would you love to do?
I’d like to be the Captain(ess) of a yacht. Like if Bill Gates (for example) or someone rich a.f. had one…I’d like to Captain(ess) it! I’d get to live on the ocean, get paid, go to all the most amazing places and experience different cultures…and I might just get a tan unlike the milk bottle I look like now.
What would your talent contest entry be?
The only thing that I am talented at is picking out shit men to have relationships and almost relationships with. I’m so very talented at that. Line 50 men up and I’ll pick out the crappiest of the crap blindfolded – I can sniff them out; it’s a talent.
I can’t play an instrument, I definitely cannot sing or perform – so yeah…I’m utterly talent-less I’m afraid, apart from the shit men thing.
What would your superpower be?
My superpower would be to magically take plastic out of the ocean and turn it into ‘something(?)’ that cleans pollution out of the air.
What is your favourite social media platform?
This is tricky again because I hate social media. Hmmmm, so none of them! I hate the lot!
And for the sake of Blogging I force myself to use them and still feel very self-conscious about it all. Unfortunately a large part of Blogging is ‘social media’ orientated. So it’s a love/hate type hobby.
Before I started my Blog my social media presence was sooooo limited. It was just Facebook, security settings at their highest, with a few friends and a couple of family members. I’m starting to sort of enjoy Pinterest because of the anonymity of it…the rest…if I could Blog without them I’d be a very happy girl.
MY QUESTIONS
OK – so the rules state that I have to put 11 questions to you all and I’d love to know your answers to these you crazy kids…
1 Which do you think is your best Blog-post and why?
If you let me know I’ll read/comment on it if I haven’t already. Perhaps everyone I have nominated could do likewise, just to give all these amazing bloggers listed here an additional bit of support.
2 Which is the worst Blog-post you have written and why?
Again if you let me know I’ll give it a read and comment…and don’t be offended if I agree with you!
3 With the exception of ‘death’ cause that’s a forgone conclusion for everybody and everybody’s loved one…name one thing that has happened in your life that you wish you could change, and why.
4 If you were given a million quid/dollars etc and you had to spend it within 72 hours what would you do with it and why?
5 If you could change something about yourself (a certain character trait/something about your looks/a mannerism etc) what would that thing be?
6 If you knew now what you knew now when you were 16, how do you think your life would have been different.
7 Excluding children (cause I don’t have any so I can’t join in and I know many of you will choose these(!)), what’s been your biggest life achievement?
8 Let’s go all ‘Desert Island Discs’ for a moment – actually, let’s rip it right off. Give me your five favourite songs and if they provoke memories, let’s hear the memory!
9 What/who (famous person or otherwise) makes you laugh hysterically?
10 If you could re-live one day in your life, which day would it be and why?
11 Is there anything I can do today to help you to promote your Blog?
Please let me know…I’m only a small fish, but any help helps! I’m on Facebook, Bloglovin’, Instagram, Pinterest. I’m also on Twitter but to be honest, haven’t got a bloody clue what I’m doing…but I’ll try! I’m also on Word Press and Blogger. Anything I can do (within reason), I will.
MY LIST OF AMAZING NOMINEES
I just want to say that these are in no particular order.
I love every single Blogger equally on my list because all have been so amazing in one way or another and I also appreciate each in different ways. Their content is genuinely fantastic too; they’re just all round genuinely talented and considerate Bloggers.
The lady who nominated me and whose Blog makes me laugh/cry and look forward to reading her next post (apart from the one about the ‘Game of Thrones’, a show I cannot abide, as she knows) – back at you Claire Lomax at ‘Our Favourite Jar’!
The absolute star of my Blogging world who has helped me through dating situations (knowingly and unknowingly) since 2013 – yes…Mirror at ‘Mirror of Aphrodite’ – YOU LADY, are the kind of woman I aspire to be.
The man who makes me snort and die with laughter and also through the power of his writing gets me to feel what he feels and inspires me to write better. He’s more talented than he’d have you believe and I’m his number one fan – Phillip Slater at ‘My Journey From Here to There…’.
The cutie who is dedicated beyond dedication to her niche, does it so well and also never fails to help another Blogger out consistently and over and above – Kat Fenton at ‘Kitty Kats Crazy About Books’.
The Knowledge of All Things Tea whose posts just warm me through – I feel at home reading her posts and again, her support is consistent and fabulous – Justine Warne at ‘The Tea Chest – All Things Tea’.
A great mom, doing it by herself, doing it for the single mommas out there and doing it like the superstar pro she is – Eve Ramy at ‘Single Mum Survival Guide’.
The thriftiest Blogger you could EVER come across and whose posts give me sooooo many ways to save my pennies (which is essential when you come across the type of men I do) – Lee at ‘Earnings Portal’.
The beauty who supports me always from across the seas and writes beautifully every time she posts – Jenny Toney Bhatia at ‘Travelling Party of Four’.
Ashley – ‘The Irish Twins Momma’ – who recently set up the ‘Epic Bloggers Group’ on Facebook and is policing it with an iron rod to make sure all members are actually reciprocating any love shown to them.
The amazing story teller – Marian Wood – ‘Just Muddling ThroughLife’. I’m new to Marian’s Blog, but she’s such a talent and a great Blogging reciprocater which is the best kind of Blogger.
For being utterly hysterical and calling out all the cheating asshole men out there – Chumplady at ‘Leave a Cheater – Gain a Life’.
Nominees, I can’t wait to hear your answers to my questions – you’re all my favourites…
Everyone else…back to all things Glossy Box I promise!
I posted my review for the May 2019 Glossy Box here and wanted to update you all with regards to a few little things.
MY PLEDGE
If you have read my May 2019 review, you will know that I am saving one item from each of my Glossy Boxes for the next 12 months and then donating them to charity…I’m not sure which charity will benefit from the goodies yet, but it will more than likely be a Women’s Refuge or Homeless Shelter.
I got chatting to a very brave and engaging lady on Instagram (she has kindly allowed me to disclose her Instagram Tag which is ‘jade.amber.888’). jade.amber.888 explained that she had been homeless at a very young age and went on to experience horrific abuse and trauma that I simply cannot comprehend (I’m lucky to say).
I found her really inspirational, so strong and honest and an absolute SURVIVOR. A person who has ‘come out the other side’ and is slaying life. She explained to me that the best products to donate for a homeless/refuge type charity are not necessarily the most expensive or luxury.
Having been through both homelessness and abuse herself, she disclosed that the best beauty/body care items to donate are the more basic ones shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, mascara and lip balm. I suppose more practical items than say for example a mud mask.
Of course this makes absolute sense (after she politely pointed it out!) and it made me realise that I hadn’t put enough thought into ‘My Pledge’ than I should have.
So, whilst I saved the most expensive item from May’s Glossy Box (MudMasky) to donate as my first offering of 12, I will be more conscious henceforth to ensure that I choose the most fitting product to put aside which will not necessarily be the most expensive…but actually the most practical…if in doubt I’ll consult ‘jade.amber.888’.
MUMS ON A MISSION FOR MALAWI
I was sad to see the back of 11 of my empty Glossy Boxes! Here they are in all their glory…
My Little Collection!
I sent them on over filled with toothbrushes, flannels etc to Moms On A Mission For Malawi who are collecting empty Glossy Boxes to fill with essentials, including toothbrushes, sanitary products, bras etc to send to students based at a school in Malawi.
The shipment went to Malawi during May 2019 (I think mine arrived just in time for that shipment) but the Moms are still on the hunt for Glossy Boxes ready for future donation of basic items destined for the same location.
Here are my boxes all packed up, ready for a new life in Malawi!
Malawi Bound!
The Moms are doing an amazing job for such a great cause.
NATURALINE (Natural) LIP TREATMENT
I promised to give an update on this product which I have been using throughout the month of May and on now into June. I absolutely love it. My lips are usually just so dry and this product, used consistently (three times per day) has done them wonders.
Not many lip treatments work for me and I think this is because what I have used in the past has probably been petroleum based. But this stuff is great – with not a trace of petroleum. And affordable too. What’s more, there is still plenty of product left in the tin. I would definitely recommend this especially if, like me, your lips are like the Sahara Desert!
I’m giving this product a tried and tested solid 10 out of 10.
L’OXYGENE – NAILBERRY PARIS – LONDON
Again, this was an absolute winner from L’Oxygene and Glossy Box. I’ve already swooned over the colour.
After a week of wear…and as I did point out I didn’t use an under or overcoat, just two layers of product on each nail….the lacquer was still completely in tact. No scratches, no bubbles or bobbles and no chips. Just sleek and beautiful. This product is top notch. I can’t wait to try other colours in the range. This is THE BEST nail lacquer I have ever used. No word of exaggeration here. Very classy. Very long wearing. And a beautiful shade.
10 out of 10 for me again!
CONCLUSION
With the exception of the Barry M product which just did not work for me AT ALL, the products were a giant success this month. The Annabelle Minerals blush has become a staple inclusion into my make-up bag, which really was a surprise as I was going right off mineral make-up (a different brand though).
I will also praise Annabelle Minerals for their interaction with their clients on Social Media. They are very responsive, as has been my experience and appeared to be genuinely excited about being part of Glossy Box this month.
ONE FINAL WORD (FOR NOW)
Don’t forget to complete the surveys and if you like reviews on the Glossybox website by logging into your own account. You get credits (usually in the amounts of £0.25p and £0.50p) per survey/review you complete and you are in with a chance of winning £100.00 to spend on their site. I completed those open to me today and racked up a fair bit of credit which is a bonus.
I hope all of this has been of use to you…see you all later on in June 2019 just as soon as The Box lands on my doorstep!
Comments are always welcome…let me know your thoughts on this site, Glossy Box and anything related!
This is my very first Glossy Box review and I’m so excited. Excited that the Box has arrived and excited that my Blog is underway. That’s two doses of excitement and the weekend is here too which adds up to a trio of excitement; I can hardly contain myself.
THE DISCLOSURES
The link to my full list of Disclosures can be found HERE. I review it every month and if/when necessary update it accordingly.
The main ‘Disclosures’ are:
I am not an expert.
I am not affiliated with Glossy Box or any related company/products.
My thoughts are my own.
The info is correct at time of writing.
I pay for my Boxes too!
If you do take the plunge because of my reviews, I’d be so grateful if you’d apply my referral code (all subscribers get one, not just me)… https://www.glossybox.co.uk/referrals.list?applyCode=JANE-R8 when you sign up at Glossy Box. You will get 20% off your first order and I will earn £10.00 for a successful referral (correct at time of writing – 13.05.2019), refer to Glossy Box for additional info as subject to their Ts and Cs.
PREAMBLE
If you don’t know anything about Glossy Box, or want to know my take on it, feel free to click on THIS LINK for a previous relevant post.
Glossy Box’s own website is linked HERE if you want to have a look and see if it is for you…or not.
You can otherwise follow Glossy Box UK on Social Media.
I should explain that I also blog about relationship type things which is what the breakupmakeupwakeup stuff is all about- some of it is funny…some of it not so much! Check it out if you like.
Back to being Glossy…
THE MAY ‘BOX’
The original pink Box
The original branded Box is back for May 2019. Can’t moan. The Box is still a ‘good quality Box’ but I do love the patterns and designs of the themed ones.
I’ve got some unopened eye shadow pallets that need storing, so this is the Box that will keep those all together after the Glossy Box goodies have been removed.
Here’s something amazing you can do with your empty Boxes if they are beginning to take over your house…Moms On A Mission For Malawi are collecting them to fill with essentials, such as toothbrushes, sanitary products, bras etc to send to…those less fortunate that need a helping hand in yep…Malawi. Such a good cause.
THE GOLDEN TICKET
Glossy Box has been on the tease all month…cheeky! They got their Glossy heads together with Remington, and they’ve tucked away golden tickets in 50 of our Boxes. So 50 of us lot could win the ‘Curl & Straight Confidence 2 in 1 Straightener’. The current RRP at Boots (correct on 10th May 2019) is 1p short of £60.00 [reduced from £119.00] plus you earn 236 Boots points if you’ve got the old Recognition Card to hand.
So the first thing I’m looking for when I open the Box isssssss….the Golden Ticket….and I can tell you that…drum roll purleassssse…
I GOTTA GOLDEN TICKET…
I GOTTA GOLDEN TICKET! I GOTTA GOLDEN TICKET! I GOTTA GOLDEN TICKET!
Well, OK, I didn’t and I’m so disappointed – I should get a ticket because let’s be fair, that’s quite a good mock-up ticket I made there…and it took me ages…and I need help in the ‘straightener hair curling’ department…
Never mind, I still have THESE…
Aria
…but whilst they look so pink, leopard skin and beautiful…can I get my hair to CONSISTENTLY curl with them? No I can’t, not EVERY TIME…sometimes my shoulder action is all off kilter so my curls go like ‘start of a curl, straight bit, end of a curl’ all on one section of hair.
IF ANY OF YOU LUCKY LOT DID GET A GOLDEN TICKET YOU CAN GLOAT IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW…I LOVE A COMMENT AND EVEN A SMUG ONE WILL MAKE MY DAY…plus, did 50 tickets ACTUALLY go out?
A moment to get over the disappointment and I’m moving on.
MY PLEDGE
As pledged in my previous post, when I was doing my introductions and all, I said that I would hold back one unopened product per Box and in 12 months time collect the products up and give them to charity. A women’s refugee, Moms On A Mission For Malawi or some other worthwhile cause – we’ll decide nearer to the time…that’s you and me lovely reader because I’ll be seeking your input for that.
My intention is also to hold back the most expensive (RRP) product in each…so at the end of the year, some nice treats will be going to a very good cause.
MAY 2019 – THE THEME
‘We’re embracing high-end beauty trends this month! From mineral makeup, to Korean Beauty and sustainable skincare, we’ve curated a ‘Trending Beauty’ edit featuring all the products you need to stay en Vogue.
Our May box is filled with five full-size products, including makeup must-haves, front-running skincare and award-winning nailcare’.
Glossy Box Beauty Editor, Elle Nash
THANKS…AND OVER TO ME, ELLE
I’ve been looking forward to this month’s Box…because…it’s ‘High-End’. Doesn’t everybody love a little bit of ‘High-End’? But High-End can mean forking out stupid money just to give a new product or new brand a go.
You’ve heard the hype…but is what you are about to fork out on justify the hype? And when you’ve handed over the dosh and it isn’t all ‘that’ and can’t even match up to Poundland standard it’s a mighty kick in the purse.
So this month we get to try out a bit of luxury for about a tenner plus postage! Sounds good to me.
We are also promised Korean Beauty in some form or another and make-up of the mineral kind. I do like a bit of Bare Minerals…occasionally… although not so much anymore…so let’s crack on.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
OK…ok…here’s what the inside of May 2019’s Box looks like through the lense of my (unfiltered) i-phone:
May 2019 Box with my flowers…
THE PRODUCTS
Five new products for you to discover and play around with…and four for me because I did pledge not to open the product being set aside for the charitable cause…so I’d love you to tell me what you think of the product I can’t try in the comments below.
The Fine Five are:
Naturaline (Natural) Lip Treatment by Beauty Kitchen
L’oxygene by Nailberry Paris-London
Flawless Chisel Cheeks Contour Cream Kit by Barry M
Rose Mineral Blush by Annabelle Minerals
Aftermask Vitamin Serum by Mudmasky
LET’S GET STARTED
1). Naturaline (Natural) Lip Treatment.
‘Quick Fix For Dry Lips’-that’s what it says on the recycled tin
First up is ‘Beauty Kitchen’ – ‘Naturaline (Natural) Lip Treatment’. It claims to be a ‘Quick Fix For Dry Lips’ with zero petroleum and only ‘naturally derived’ ingredients; yep cause I like petroleum in my car engine but not anywhere near my mouth.
Now my lips are terrible for drying out and being flakey; so if this works I’ll be very happy.
I’m just having a look at Beauty Kitchen’s website. Their tagline is ‘Effective, Natural, Sustainable’ and they have ranges in skin-care, hair-car, bath and body. They have products containing plankton and plant seed oils.
The products look appealing to be fair and the company does actually appear to have a consciousness…it is trying to cut down on packaging and they have a ‘Return Refill Repeat’ initiative. The information I have read is that, their packaging is minimal and glass where possible. So they wash the packaging out and re-use it.
Great…however, I was curious as to how you return the packaging to them in order for them to achieve this…and whether there are costs for the consumer involved, how faffy this is and how they wash out the packaging.
I tried to click on the relevant link looking for answers but got an ‘error 404’ message. I tried again…and again…and again. No luck. The good news is THIS. I got code ‘404GET5’ which at time of writing [10th May 2019] gets you 5% off their products to compensate for the broken link when you purchase from their site.
They do also stock a Vegan version of this lip treatment product which comes in green packaging and free from Beeswax.
SNIFF SNIFF
I had a smell – it doesn’t smell of anything, except possibly a very subtle hint of ‘unscented candle’. If it had smelt of anything though I would have been a little suspicious of the claimed ‘100% naturally derived ingredients’. I didn’t expect it to be scented…but thought I’d check!
LET’S DIVE ON IN AND GIVE IT A TEST
So I swirled my finger around the tin and the treatment melts literally on touch…like butter. On my lips it’s not too oily and it doesn’t look like there’s been an oil spillage over the bottom half of my face. It’s not sticky either…just waxy and my skin absorbs it reasonably quickly. My lips do look and feel less dry after three or four minutes.
One application moisturises and protects for up to 8 hours, so my maths tells me I only apply this 3 times per day.
I’m going to continue giving this one ago for a few days and then I’ll post an update as really I need to give it more time and applications to allow it to do its thing before I can form a proper conclusion.
THE WEIGHT, COST, SHELF LIFE ETC.
It’s made in the UK. You get 20g of product and it has a shelf life (once opened) of 6 months.
Glossy Box states that the RRP for this 20g product is £2.99. This is also the price given by Beauty Kitchen and for the sake of £3.00 I won’t bother looking to see if you can get it cheaper elsewhere.
BEAUTY KITCHEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Give them a follow, mention, shout out or whatever, if you wish…
The second product is by Nailberry. This ‘Oxygenated Nail Lacquer’ comes in the absolute killer shade of ‘Love Me Tender’. The colour is just stunning – I want to paint my entire bedroom in it. This is so my colour of the moment. It’s vintage and dusky, the package labeling is ‘chic’ and I am literally swooning…oh…and take a little peek at their Instagram @nailberry_ for arty inspiration and further swoonage.
The idea behind this was developed in London by Sonia Hully a manicurist(?)/beauty therapist(?) who was concerned about the unhealthy state of her clients’ nails and looked into creating a healthier alternative to what she found on the market.
As the name suggests, the lacquer is oxygenated and as a result allows your nails to breath. It’s a healthy way of drowning them in paint. This formula is also patented…so you won’t get it elsewhere. None of their products are tested on animals which should be standard by now…but anyway…
Other shades that I think look appealing are ‘Blueberry’, ‘Serendipity’ (also my favourite word), ‘Maliblue’ and ‘Mystique Red’.
SNIFF, SNIFF
So I had a sniff and…no I didn’t…and I don’t suggest you do either! Also don’t drink it or get it in your eyes!
LET’S DIVE ON IN AND GIVE IT A TEST
So the brush applicator was the best I’ve ever used which is a weird thing to say I realise – upon closer inspection the website does hype the brush up. No ‘just lob any old brush in the top’ involved here…the brushes are engineered! They are ‘wide’ and have actually been tapered for easier application. The brush just spreads apart to coat the whole nail in one go…if you nail the swipe.
The brush was the perfect size for my nails and it’s really easy to apply the product on your nail whilst avoiding your skin (which is a change). The laquer itself is a nice consistency, not too thick, not to runny and it drys in absolutely no time – two to three minutes max.
I put one coat on and I was like…a disappointed ‘oooooooh’ – totally underwhelmed. I could still see a couple of little lines like the product wasn’t thick enough for the coverage expected. It was lighter than I thought it would be too.
Second coat on and OH YES…NOW you’re talking. For me one coat was not enough. It just wasn’t deep enough or enough coverage. Back to the website for their advice.
They suggest 1-2 coats, but advise to use their undercoat first and their top coat…neither of which I have…and you may not either…so…two coats on bare nail it was, with no overcoat.
One coat for me was a ‘never’. Two coats was a ‘love’, especially thanks to the tapered ‘no messing about’ brush. I tried to get a picture of my nails after two coats but couldn’t do the shade justice. The finish just looks sooooo even and smooth. I ended up swiping it on the lid of a white box and the colour came out on that, exactly as it looks on my nails…look…
Just imagine THAT on your digits
The website claims that all of their lacquers are ‘long wear’. I’ll come back to you on this in say…7 days and let you know what state the lacuqer is in. I’m not planning on doing any manual work, just day-to-date stuff, but remember that I don’t have an under or overcoat on either.
THE WEIGHT, COST, SHELF LIFE ETC.
You get 15ml of product and it has a shelf life (once opened) of 12 months.
Glossy Box states that the RRP for this 15ml product is £14.50. This is also the price given by Nailberry. I had a snoop around to see if you can purchase it for less…and found the same shade for £11.60 HERE.
The third product is by Barry M. I’ve linked the website HERE.
Let’s contour with Barry M
Let’s give these people their due, they are massively against animal testing.
They’ve actually got a page of their site dedicated to raising awareness and campaigning for animal cruelty to stop, so a big thumbs up there. They promote ‘Humane Society International’ which you can check out if you like.
So I like Barry M already! And, this palette is vegan too the website tells me. This makeup though is not high-end. You can bag yourself a foundation for…noooooo…£5.99. Hmmmm, I don’t know about this. I’m not being snobby and I’d give it a go on somebody else…but £5.99?
Has anyone tried Barry M foundation? What does £5.99 foundation do? I didn’t even realise it existed til just now.
LET’S DIVE ON IN AND GIVE IT A GO
The website is very ‘bubble-gummy’…it’s possibly moreso aimed at a younger audience?!
Skin primed…and I’ve used Pur Liquid Veil Airbrush foundation. FYI, I’ve got fair skin (naturally dry), with cool undertones and blue eyes. I don’t tan, I just turn lobster.
Love a fresh new virgin palette ❤️
From this cream contour palette, I used the product top middle to highlight and the product underneath it (bottom middle) to contour.
HIGHLIGHT
I applied this under my eyes, down the centre of my nose, on the Cupid’s bow and on my chin…and at first I thought my liver had packed in. It turned my skin YELLOW! Under my eyes you could see some lines appearing which was the only thing it was highlighting.
I blended it in and it just really didn’t do much. The yellow paled out to pretty much nothing. More product and the same thing happened.
Hmmmmm.
CONTOUR
So I applied contour to my big forehead, cheekbone area, around my jawline, on each side of my nose and a little under my bottom lip. It ‘painted on’ easily and was very DARK on my skin.
Time to blend…and it just went to nothing. More product, blend with a lighter hand, it still went to…nothing. My forehead ended up looking a bit like muddy water had dried on it.
I added some Nars bronzing powder over the top. Added product 4 (reviewed below) and sprayed BEAUTY MUST HAVE Urban Decay’s iconic, can’t be without, All Nighter Setting Spray. I’d rather not wear makeup than wear it without setting spray…and Urban Decay’s is just OMG…no words.
Off I went, about my day. And well, no surprise…a couple of hours in and the product had just completely sunk into my skin. Now if All Nighter can’t keep it from doing that…
This product just blends to nothing. It isn’t for me.
Has anyone got a positive outcome with this product? What do you guys think? Did it work for you? Let me know in the comments below.
THE WEIGHT, COST, SHELF LIFE ETC.
You get 14.5g of product, which has a once opened shelf life of 18 months. I won’t need 18 months to get through this Barry – I’ve used a third of the palette after one use.
It retails at £7.99 which makes me doubt the quality of the ingredients…sorry, but it does! It’s a ‘contour kit’…as soon as you add ‘contour’ and ‘kit’ to the equation you expect to be can easily spending £30.00 upwards. ‘Contour’ and ‘palette’, you’re looking at £45.00 plus!
BARRY M COSMETICS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Give Barry M some love on:
Instagram and Twitter @barrymcosmetics
Facebook @ILoveBarryM – Barry M’s got an ego hasn’t he!
4). Rose Mineral Blush
I’d never heard of Annabelle Minerals before I must admit…so back to the web to educate myself.
The first thing I spotted is that they only use four ingredients, which are…
Interesting only FOUR INGREDIENTS…
haven’t got a clue?
When I clicked on the correct link hoping for a clue, this is the ONLY ‘information’ I am given.
Well…what the hell does that mean??
I don’t understand what that means Annabelle?
Let’s find the actual product on their strange site, where they appear to only want to tell me a half a story.
And now I can finally tell you what the four ingredients are…just because I am sure you are dying to know after all that suspense…
Mica (thought he was a singer…turns out he’s a mineral too).
Titanium Dioxide.
Zinc Oxide.
Iron Oxides.
OK…this mineral blush is alleged to be highly pigmented in the colour ‘Rose’…It looks very pinky! I’m not sure about this…for my face. My face isn’t sure either.
LET’S DIVE ON IN AND GIVE IT A TEST
Primer applied. Pur foundation, sprayed on…as the nozzle has decided to work today. I’ve contoured with product 3…by Barry M…and…
More ‘rose gold’ than ‘rose’?
…I’ve opened the lid…it’s looks a ‘dusky rose gold’ rather than Rose…which actually pleases me. What colour would you describe it as?
It is very pigmented, so they aren’t lying there and I would actually consider using this as an eye shadow…but not today…let’s use it where it’s designed to go for the purpose of this review.
I thought I’d hate it…but actually, it is really quite pretty. You need to go in with very little product on your brush (unlike with Barry’s product) and build up…slowly…very slowly…because… ‘the look’ otherwise could turn into a ‘been out in the sun too long’ disaster. It feels light on the skin and it looks flawless too.
I’ve had it on all day now…A good eight hours. I’ve been outside, hospital visiting in muggy-hospital conditions for two hours and it still looks flawless. I’m converted. I love it…but like I say…a little bit of product here goes a long way.
That was an absolute hit and I am really surprised. Good job Annabelle.
THE WEIGHT, COST, SHELF LIFE ETC.
You get 4g of product in the pot with a 12 months shelf life which is decent I think, because my mineral products tend to go along way…although I have gone off them a LOT recently…so that might be the reason why my mineral products are still knocking around many months post purchase.
For comparison purposes…‘Bare Minerals’ blush in similar colour (and pressed, but mineral all the same) is almost double the price at £23.00 although for 2g more product. Personally, I think the Annabelle product is really great and I’d choose it over that particular rival especially taking into account the variation in price.
It RRPs at £12.50 according to Glossy Box and £12.41 according to the company’s own website.
ANNABELLE MINERALS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
You can follow Annabelle Minerals on…
Facebook @AnnabelleMineralsUK
Instagram @annabelleminerals_uk
Like me…she keeps a low profile on Twitter (Annabelle and I need to sort that right out)!
So this is new to me. A product made specifically for putting on your face AFTER you’ve applied and washed off a Facemask??? So doesn’t this product get the easy job.
Surely the Facemask has done the hard work already. Seems like it has the potential to be taking all the credit for something it has not contributed to.
Let’s have a look at the website and find out a bit about his strangeness…ok…so they’ve done their homework here. And I initially missed the point to be fair. They claim that applying moisturiser after a facemask is really bad because it’s density blocks your freshly opened pores and your good intentions become a bad idea! Makes sense!
WARNING…I’m giving you detailed information here so that you DO NOT need to watch their video advertising this product. It really is patronising a.f. and just god awful. They need a re-think…there aren’t many 7 year olds that could afford THIS product…so why are they talking as though pre-teens and toddlers are their target audience, is what I want to know?
I’ve watched it for you – I took one for the team…but now you’re curious…so…the link is HERE if you fancy being spoken to like a little babba…and don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Their product is claimed to be the first of its kind. It is made from ‘natural’ and ‘sourced from the sea’ ingredients, such as; a type of brown seaweed for extra smoothing, sea fennel for anti-aging, rice starch for feeding, dulse for protection and rose water (which I bloody swear by) for nourishment.
LET’S DIVE ON IN AND GIVE IT A TEST – AND ALL THE INFO
Oh…damn…I can’t. This is the one I am holding back for a good cause. Oh man…I’m really disappointed! I really want to try it. OOHHHHHHH. Me and my stupid pledge ideas.
It is by far the most pricey of the products in this month’s box, with an RRP of **WHAAATTT** £43.00 for 30ml of product, which is FYI, made in Amsterdam – one of my fave places. They make a batch each month to keep it fresh…which is probably why it costs £1.43 per ml!
Now I need to know…I have to know…is this magic aftermask? Would it have given me a new face. Would I have looked like Margot Robbie after an application or two?
Have you tried this product? What do you think of it? Would you pay £43.00 for 30ml? Please…do comment below! I’m expecting great things! Did you get great things? Does your skin now emit radiance to the tune of £43.00 per 30ml?
MUDMASKY ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Give them a thumbs up or down – let them know what you thought of their sissy-talking video for starters and tag me in!!
Well, I loved the theme on paper…but Glossy Box, I sort of didn’t get it.
High end would be…Mudmasky and Nailberry?
Mineral Makeup would be…Annabelle Minerals
Sustainable Skincare would be… all of them, which is great. Love that – Glossy Box, I applaud you this month for that. Us as humans have taken enough from the universe in the name of beauty.
But, which product(s) is (are) Korean inspired??? Am I missing something or did I take the reference to Korean beauty too literally, because I was expecting an iridescent lipstick with a flower embalmed or something similar.
I’ve reverted to the Glossy Box information insert and the only link I can find to Korean Beauty is on the front cover where it states ‘K-Beauty is at the forefront of revolutionary beauty treatments’ and then within the description of the Mudmasky product it states ‘This serum is at the forefont of an up-and-coming beauty trend!’ and that is the only link I can find to Korean beauty. I don’t get it! Unless THAT is it?!
So I am a bit confused over this! Does anybody care to explain to me in the comments section below? Let me know what you were expecting in the K-beauty department.
The Box
I’m giving the actual Box a ‘5 out of 10’ – BECAUSE I’M SPOILED.
I love the actual Boxes…love ’em, lurrrrve them BUT. Over the months there have been some beauties and the odd one I wasn’t as keen on. So I’m setting the bar for the standard pink Box always as a ‘5’ so there is room for loving the Box design more or less each month. I think that is fair.
Not having a Golden Ticket sucked…but hopefully 50 of you will all comment below with ‘I got a ticket’ and then at least I can smile at 50 comments!
The Product Mix
So, we had nails, cheeks, face (contour) with lip and skincare basically covered this month.
Almost 48 hours in and I am VERY pleasantly surprised with Beauty Kitchen’s lip treatment. I’ve given it 5 applications now and my lips are feeling soft and moisurised which is amazing for me. The product sinks in a treat and doesn’t look or feel greasy. It’s definitely made a positive difference.
Nailberry in colour ‘Love Me Tender’ was just wow in terms of application, colour, smoothness and shine…this kind of dusky pink is my absolute colour of the moment. This one is going to be down to whether you too love this colour or would prefer a red or a purple or y’know…you just aren’t a dusky pink kind of person…but I’d be surprised if you could legitimately pick fault with the brand and the patented quality of the actual lacquer.
The Barry M Contour Kit is, a bit naff tbh. I’m currently using the Iconic London ‘Multi Use Cream Contour Palette’, which is hard to top. As I’ve almost run out I was hoping the Barry M kit would see me through…but nope!
Btw…as I copied that link for Iconic London TODAY, SUNDAY 12 MAY 2019, I saw a banner on the Iconic London website stating that you get a ‘free contour palette if you spend £35.00’ or more – I don’t know how long that offer is on for, probably hours rather than days, so…I take no responsibility for this offer ending imminently.
Barry M gets 10 out of 10 for promoting anti-animal cruelty though.
I’m a bit ‘mehh’ over mineral blush…(and mineral eyeshadow for that matter where the colours just seem to mix into a great big hot mess of ‘dirty’. Perhaps that’s just me and I’m doing something wrong…perhaps my brushes need a wash!).
Mineral this and mineral that doesn’t excite me anymore. I usually either can’t tell it’s on or I end up looking like a circus clown. The Annabelle mineral blush was therefore a very positive surprise…I really liked it…just don’t be heavy handed!!!
The Mudmasky product was a great idea by Glossy Box IMO…because I’d never heard of an aftermask serum before and I certainly wouldn’t want to go out and spend nearly £50.00 on something I would have hoped the actual mask would have achieved!
So THAT product is certainly one I think we all appreciate (although, obvs I can’t actually try mine!)…you can all have a go and decide whether it’s a life changer or a red herring and choose going forward whether to have a splurge on a replacement when it runs out or save your coppers for something else…like two Nars lipsticks…or whatever takes your fancy.
The RRP for these products combined based on Glossy Boxes calculations is £80.98.
For me, each out of 10:
The Box is a 5 – and always will be for ‘the standard pink one’.
The Theme is an 8 – didn’t get the K-Beauty link or reference to ‘trending hair colours’ for that matter which I just spotted was mentioned on the front of the Glossy card.
Natruline is a 7.5 (after 24 hours).
Love Me Tender is a 9 (I’ll up date this in 7 days to factor in longevity).
The Contour Cream kit is a 2 and a very last resort.
Rose Mineral Blush is shockingly a 9.5 – the packaging is boring so it lost a 0.5. Is that fair?!
Aftermask Vitamin Serum is…over to you…
I’ll add up the scores you give it and work out an average on 31st May 2019 and then do a final score for May’s Box.
What score would you give Glossy Box for its May 2019 effort?
NEXT MONTH’S GLOSSY BOX
The little spoiler for the June 2019 box is we get to try ‘Avant’s Silky Lightweight Primer’ – let’s give it it’s full name ‘Pro Perfecting Collagen Primer Touche Eclat’ at £80-blinkin-5 quid a pop, that’s £85.00. A. POP!
Whether we’ll get a full size at 30ml, I don’t know. I’ve checked Avant’s website and yes…this ‘new’ 30ml product IS definitely priced at £85.00 at time of writing. I thought I was being a little frivolous when I forked out in the region of £45.00 for the Guerlain Meteorites Base Primer…but the pearls talked to me and told me I was doing the right thing.
I was going to put a photo here of my almost used up bottle, but HERE’S a link showing a brand new bottle in its full glory (mine wasn’t from Harrod’s btw).
There’s a theme here…add a little French into the title of a makeup product and the price just rockets!
Back to Avant, sorry I digressed! The product description claims, sorry, but just YAWN, that it reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles’, but don’t they all these days. Proof is in the primer! You only need a ‘pea size’ apparently and it’s PH balanced…so we’ll look forward to giving that a go next month…unless you take the leap of faith without waiting until June’s box.
NEXT REVIEW COMING JUNE 2019
So…thank you all for stopping by…it’s been a pleasure….and I hope you come here again next time I post and to comment.
This is new to me…so any comments, suggestions, criticisms, praise, opinions, likes, dislikes, keyboard warrior stuff…please go ahead and write it all out below.
If you do take the plunge because of my reviews, I’d be so grateful if you’d apply my referral code (all subscribers get one, not just me)… https://www.glossybox.co.uk/referrals.list?applyCode=JANE-R8 when you sign up at Glossy Box. You will get 20% off your first order and I will earn £10.00 for a successful referral (correct at time of writing – 13.05.2019).
ALL INFORMATION, PRICES, CONTACT DETAILS, WEBSITES ETC ARE CORRECT AT TIME OF WRITING (AS PER INDICATED IN EACH POST).
I am not responsible, when/should the details in (1) above change.
I am not sponsored by, employed by or in any other way affiliated to Glossy Box or any of the companies they are/may be affiliated to.
I am not sponsored by, employed by or in any other way affiliated with any of the company-products I also refer to/review.
I am not a beauty/makeup expert and do not profess to be.
I am just a monthly Glossy Box subscriber who loves makeup, beauty and surprises and decided to start a blog about it.
I’ve not pinched anybodies photos, the pics here were all taken by me.
I pay for my subscription boxes just like you all do, and
If any of the above changes I will let you know.
I am not responsible for any reactions, allergies etc that you may encounter because of the products in the Boxes – you remain responsible for your own vigilance.
If you are vegetarian, vegan or have any other concerns with the products reviewed for moral, religious or any other reasons, you are again responsible for being self-vigilant.
Re: the May 2019 Glossy Box – I was NOT the winner of a Golden Ticket.
Re: the May 2019 Glossy Box review – I refer to a promotion by Iconic London. The promotion was in force at time of publishing this post (Sunday 12th May 2019 at 10.15am) – I do not know how long the promotion is on for.
My opinions are my own, my thoughts are my own, this content belongs to me and I can take my own damn photos! Glossy Box has no input with regards to what I write and how I express my ramblings. My reviews are honest, accurate to the best of my intentions and knowledge, written with integrity and if THE Box and/or its content is genuinely not up to scratch…I’ve got a big mouth and I’ll say!
Just a thought…I also blog about relationships, relationship breakdowns…some of it’s sad…some of it’s funny…it’s all about ‘tough love’ and based on my experiences…if you are feeling less than glossy, because of a breakup or you’re going through a difficult relationship, the link to my blog ‘Breakup, Makeup, Wake up’ IS HERE…I’d love you to read that too.
If you do take the plunge because of my reviews, I’d be so grateful if you’d apply my referral code (all subscribers get one, not just me)… https://www.glossybox.co.uk/referrals.list?applyCode=JANE-R8 when you sign up at Glossy Box. You will get 20% off your first order and I will earn £10.00 for a successful referral (correct at time of writing – 14.06.2019).
Here’s a bit about ‘Glossy Box’ and what I understand, ‘we’ as subscribers, can expect to feel glossy about in May 2019.
THE DISCLOSURE
As already stated…I am not sponsored by, employed by or in any other way affiliated with Glossy Box despite parking a photo (which I took this morning in my house, using my phone and applying my phone’s filters btw), their logo and go-to packaging below. I am not a beauty/makeup expert and do not profess to be. I am just a monthly Glossy Box subscriber who loves makeup, beauty and surprises and decided to start a blog about it.
My opinions are my own, my thoughts are my own, this content belongs to me and I can take my own damn photos! Glossy Box has no input with regards to what I write and how I express my ramblings. My reviews are honest, accurate to the best of my intentions and knowledge, written with integrity and if THE box is genuinely not up to scratch…I’ve got a big mouth and I’ll say!
Glossy Box Branding and Logo FYI
HOW TO FIND ‘GLOSSY BOX’
First off, this is the link to ‘Glossy Box UK’…so that’s where all the magic happens…how it works…what it costs…promotions…what you can expect…what else they do, blah, blah, blah. If it’s not for you that’s fine…if it is then great!
I won’t quote exact subscription prices/costs here, because there are many subscription options to choose from depending upon the length of your preferred commitment to the product. I’m also aware of the possibility that pricing and such might change without me realising and then you’ll all shout at and troll me for misleading you! So I’m keeping clear-on-out of the cost element…that’s between you and Glossy Box Account’s Department…
WHAT YOU GET
You get five (I have on rare occasions received six) beauty related/make-up products per month which are apparently selected by the Glossy beauty experts. They are all packaged, tied with ribbon, boxed up and posted out to the subscribed-up, beauty loving consumer. When I initially signed up I was asked to fill in an online questionnaire about my skin tone (‘pale’ or romantically referred to as ‘with cool undertones’), eye colour (blue), the state of my skin (dry as the Sahara) so that where there is a product with variables (i.e. to suit dry or oily skin) they can send me the most appropriate version of that bronzer or blusher etc.
The cost of the items in each box are alleged to have a combined RRP of more than the cost of the box subscription and at time of writing [1st May 2019] £50.00 or more – I’ll have a look into this for you every month so that you don’t have to and so that we can make sure Glossy remains value for money and does what it says on the box.
WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE BOX
I normally receive an email between the 7th and the 9th of each month confirming that my Glossy Box has been dispatched. I am able to track the progress of my precious cargo as it makes it way through the network. Generally I receive the box between the 9th and 11th of the month. I’ve never received a Glossy Box later than the 12th of the month that I can recall and I have never not received one when I should have – that’s just been my experience but I can’t vouch for anyone else.
THE ACTUAL LOVELINESS OF THE DAMN BOX
The box in which your products arrive is sure to be either in keeping with the ‘theme’ of the month or otherwise pink with the ‘Glossy Box’ logo (as photographed above). I love…literally lurvveee the boxes themselves…they are of really good quality, they aren’t those nasty cheep-ass collapsible ones so they stack nice and sturdily in my wardrobes with purses, belts, change, trinkets, unopened makeup etc inside and I’ve also been known to use them as gift boxes for family/friends – the thrifty/cheap skate that I am!
I even boxed up the remainder of an ex’s stuff in one of them once and posted it to him – waste of a box, expensive on the postage, but showed a bit of class – I chose a pretty pink one to further accentuate my femininity immediately proceeding a nice dumping…he wasn’t much of a ‘pink’ person so he won’t get any use out of it, perhaps I should have asked him to mail it back to me once he’d emptied his cheap, crappy fits in a box stuff?
Any how…
Each month there is a different theme going on…so for example, February 2019 had the ‘Valentine’s Day’ touch. June 2018 had a ‘Summer-sun’ type vibe. Here’s the February 2019 throwback box photographed here…if only my Valentine’s Day had been as ‘smoochable’, ‘loveable’ and ‘adorbs’ as THIS box…
The flower did not come with the box, I stuck it there to be arty. I did not receive the flower on Valentine’s day – I bought it myself in January 2019…those are the sad facts!
Sometimes Glossy Box have two differently themed boxes and selects which subscribers get which theme…randomly I believe? For example last month (April 2019) they had concurrent ‘Fruity’ and ‘Floral’ themes going on. I got ‘Fruity’, in keeping with me being a bit of a ‘fruit cake’ – they wouldn’t have known this so I didn’t take their choice personally…the box design fits the theme and a couple of the products differed from the ones in the ‘Floral’ box but only, so far as I can tell from the Glossy Box website, in terms of fragrance…
MY LITTLE PLEDGE
From this month forward, out of every box I receive, I will withhold a product and this time next year…when I have accrued 12 unused items I will donate them to an appropriate charity…Domestic Abuse/Women’s Aid/Shelter/Homeless Charity…whichever I feel is most appropriate at the time…or you can have your say and the majority will dictate who/which Charity gets the items.
As I will not be able to test the products I am holding back, you can tell me what you think of them. I want the donated items to be completely unused and sealed…because makeup and beauty goes off just as soon as it is opened…and hella quickly, don’t we all know.
THEY’VE THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING!
Each box also comes with a colourful, double sided card that explains what you need to know about the products included and usually gives a little hint as to what you can expect the following month without giving full disclosure…cause that would spoil the surprise…and nobody wants their surprises ruined by full and frank disclosure.
WHAT HAS BEEN SAID BY ‘GLOSSY BOX’ ABOUT ITS’ MAY 2019 BOX
Now…this peaked my interest massively this morning…because the month of May is…oh yes…IT IS…‘High End Beauty Trends’. Now you’re talking you Glossy people – their website claims the products inside the box retail at ‘over £75.00’ – that’s their claim…and on Instagram they have photographed one of their pink signature boxes with a picture of Justin Timberlake on the front which is a bit of a mindf**k, because unless you get him delivered to your door folded up in your box or he is actually going to be acting as Father Christmas for the month and delivering the May edition boxes then I have no idea what THAT is all about.
IF though, IF…the picture on the front of my Glossy Box is of JT’s mug or any other celebrity for that matter…I for one will NOT be happy, I’m too old for shrines to celebrities in my bedroom. I like my Glossy Boxes ‘classy’ not ‘cheesy a.f’. Please, Glossy Box, do not make my first review of your product centre around ‘misplaced celebrity branding’…
But what I do understand from their ‘gram is that for this month Glossy Box has hinted at the inclusion of ‘Korean Beauty’, which is right on trend. I’m thinking clear, flawless skin and pretty cosmetics such as iridescent lipstick with a flower inside which when applied blends to match your particular tone. DISCLAIMER…I have no idea what is in the box – DO not be heartbroken if the flower embalmed lipstick is not part of the deal. These are just the beauty products that come to mind when ‘I’ dream about ‘Korean Beauty’ products.
So…that is what us subscribers and/or subscribers-to-be can look forward to when the Postman (or JT) delivers our box to us in May 2019…can’t wait to receive it and also find out where this Blog goes!
Any comments, questions, suggestions? I love comments, I’ll try to answer your questions and I’m definitely open to suggestions! This is all very new to me, so please leave yours below…x
If you do take the plunge because of my reviews, I’d be so grateful if you’d apply my referral code (all subscribers get one, not just me)… https://www.glossybox.co.uk/referrals.list?applyCode=JANE-R8 when you sign up at Glossy Box. You will get 20% off your first order and I will earn £10.00 for a successful referral (correct at time of writing – 13.05.2019).
A QUICK CHEEKY MENTION ABOUT WHAT ELSE I WRITE ABOUT…
I do have another blog which is all about relationships, breakups etc. So if any of you are not quite feeling overly glossy because your heart is broken…you might like to check THIS OUT…
I fell in love with ‘Glossy Box’ many ‘Boxes’ ago and from the very first ‘Box’.
Selected, I understand, by their ‘Beauty Experts’ you are certain to receive five make-up/beauty products all beautifully packaged and delivered to your door each month. ‘Glossy Box’ is one of those ‘subscription produced boxes’ you’ve probably heard of and umm’d and ahh’d about signing up to. Their’s is make-up/beauty themed and inspired.
Some of the products are by brands you will have heard of, some brands are up and coming/just breaking through, some are ones you may not of heard of but might excite you if you just give them a chance. I am not a beauty expert, I’m just a girl who loves make-up/beauty products put together to inspire me, tied up in a pretty box and delivered to my door every month for a price that is affordable for me.
Glossy Box DOES NOT sponsor me and other than being a subscriber I am not otherwise affiliated with them. I intend to let you know all about the box I received and what’s in it each month. My reviews, opinions, ravings and waffles are my own. All of my reviews, opinions and posts are created with honesty.
I usually like/love the products but I’ll tell you if I just…y’know…don’t…and I’ll especially tell you if I REALLY don’t love ’em and if I REALLY do and everything in between.
I’ll link the Glossy Box website to each post and then you can decide for yourselves whether you want to give it a whirl or not! Feel free to ask any questions you like, give me your opinions and comment however you so wish. I’m going to be reviewing, posting pictures, bigging up and critiquing everything Glossy Box.
Follow me, contact me, engage with me and let’s feel glossy together, and if ‘Glossy Box’ is having an ‘off month’ and it’s lost its gloss, you can tell me all about that too.
And finally, if you do take the plunge because of my reviews, I’d be so grateful if you’d apply my referral code (all subscribers get one, not just me)… https://www.glossybox.co.uk/referrals.list?applyCode=JANE-R8 when you sign up at Glossy Box. You will get 20% off your first order and I will earn £10.00 for a successful referral (correct at time of writing – 13.05.2019).
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