review – Everything's a story.

New Box!!! Omnomnom ;)

July 7, 2017 giastark

In my previous post (or a couple of posts back, I can’t remember) I mentioned that I’ve subscribed to a new monthly box and that it’s quite a bit different from the beauty boxes that I’ve been getting so far. Well, a couple of days ago I finally received the first one of those boxes and I’ve been itching to share it with you! I have to tell you though, in some ways I wish I’d have waited a month before placing my order (you’ll see why in a moment), but I was just too excited to try it out.

Tadaaaaaaaah! Degustabox!

Yes, apparently you can also subscribe to food! The reason why I wish I’d waited a month is because I really need to be good with snacking and stuff before the wedding so I’d fit into my dress haha. But it has been another example of the tiny amounts of willpower I have actually found from somewhere because I haven’t yet devoured everything in the box. I’m rather impressed with myself.

Firstly, the box itself is soooooooo cute! Secondly, it’s really well packaged. I think my food felt really safe and snug in there. Thirdly, you get this pretty little leaflet that tells you what you have in the box and on the other side there’s a recipe – this month it was ‘Beer can chicken on the BBQ’. And last but not least – all the fooooooood. Oh my goodness me.

There’s a bit of everything and I’m not going to go through it all in detail as I haven’t actually tried all of it yet. However I must say that I really like how there’s a couple of light bites (Mango with Vanilla Yoghurt Fruit Chips + Superfood Fruit Bar) in there, a few organic bits (Berrywhite Organic Drinks), some slightly naughtier snacks (Haribo Summer Frenzy + Walkers Pure Butter Shortbread Scottie Dogs) and actual cooking ingredients (Capsicana Brazilian Chilli & Coconut Quick Cook Sauce + Schwartz Authentic American Flavour) as well as drinks (Westons Cider + Eisberg Sauvignon Blanc Alcohol Free Wine). It’s got something for everyone, I think and I can’t wait to actually dig in there in a couple of weeks! Gobblegobblegobbleomnomnom.

So far I’ve had the ciders which surprisingly enough I really liked. I’m usually not a big fan of appley apple ciders, but the addition of rhubarb in one and damson in the other was rather pleasant. Then I also had the Berrywhite organic Lemon & Lime drink, which was quite mellow as it was juice blended with mineral water and I also had the alcohol free wine which again I quite enjoyed and would buy again.

Uhmmmm yeah so that was what I was so excited about. Food. I love food. Unfortunately it loves me back so much that once it’s in my mouth it’s like ‘Yeah, I like this girl, let’s just hop on her hips and stay there until the end of times’. Oh well, I’m sure many of you can relate to this and I’m not alone.

I’ll go and try not to eat any of the goodies now. Or have just one…

Beauty, Reviews, Unboxing

Glossy June

June 27, 2017June 27, 2017 giastark

Hellooooooooooooo people! It’s time to find out what I got in my June G-g-g-g-glooooossy box. I must say, you’re in for a treat this month.

Sleek Makeup, Power Plump Lip Crayon, in Notorious Nude, RRP £5.50. It’s so tingly! Holy cranberries haha. You may remember me saying that nude lip colours don’t really suit me, but funnily enough this one does. One might even say that it’s beauuuuuutiful. Also, it being a lip crayon it’s super easy to apply. Plus the tingling. It’s great! Would definitely recommend.

111 Skin, Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel, RRP £110 for full size. It’s an eye cream. And judging by the price it’s one helluva eye cream. I tried it for a couple of days and really liked everything about it – it was lightweight, absorbed really well and smelled nice. However my eyes have been super sensitive for the past few weeks (possibly because I’ve tested so many eye creams lately?), so I’ve stopped using anything on or around my eyes for a while. I’ll definitely go back to it once my eye situation has sorted itself out though.

Manna Kadar Cosmetics, Sheer Glo, RRP £22.50 for full size. It’s an illuminator or highlighter or whatever you want to call it or use it for. I used it all over my face (mixed with foundation) one day for that extra glow and dewy look and I must say it worked. It left my face only gently shimmering/glowing, no full on scary alien look. I don’t think I’ll be using this as a highlighter though as I’m just not that good at blending creamy products. If anyone would like to give me tips on that, I’d love it!

Batiste, Stylist Oomph My Locks XXL Volume Spray, RRP £4.29. Errhhhh, here we go again Batiste. It’s the exact same product I’ve already got from two other beauty boxes recently and I’m sorry but I just do not like it at all. It leaves my hair dull, sticky and covered in thick white powder no matter how little I spray and how hard I try to hide it and brush it out or rub it in. Is it me? Am I doing something wrong? Well, as it is at the moment I’ve got 3 bottles of it now (1 full and 2 travel sized ones), so if anyone would like a bottle, let me know!

Himalaya (Since 1930), Purifying Neem Face Wash, RRP £3.29 for full size. So for those of you who, like me, just heard of ‘neem’ for the first time – apparently it’s a herb. An awesome one at that. And that’s what you can expect of this face wash. It cleanses. Awesomely. Woosha-woosha.

Beautypro, Black Diamond, RRP £4.95 for 3. It’s one of those black face masks that you get to peel off! Omg I was so excited to try it and it was great. Just as disgusting as you’d expect. And so satisfying to take off. Yes, I’ll be buying more of this little beauty. Definitely recommend. Just go buy it already. Oh, I forgot to say that it’s got activated charcoal to deep cleanse and balance oil and is to be used at least once a week. Alright, now you have all the info so gogogogo get it!

This was my box and I loved it (mostly). Some brilliant new finds and additions to my bathroom drawers and makeup bag. Makeup drawers actually. I only really use my makeup bags when I’m travelling. Hmm. So many questions, so little brain power to ponder.

Books, Reviews

May Books

June 19, 2017June 19, 2017 giastark

Hi all! I still have two more posts to write about my holiday, but I thought I’d mix it up a little and write about what I read in May instead for a change. To be honest I thought I’d get more writing done over the weekend but poor time planning… Ok, that wasn’t honest, here’s honest – I was knackered and the weather was gorgeous. Although, I guess that’s still poor time planning as well. Well what do you know, eh? Anyway…

I only read two books in May. That brings me to a total of 15/30. Half way there! Wooohoooooo! One of them I’ve already written about a little and the other won’t come as a surprise to any of you, if you’ve read my previous book posts.

The first book I read was PS, I Love You by Cecelia Ahern. What an emotional roller coaster! I kept crying when reading it and then laughing on the next page – I was all over the place. (You can read my thoughts from when I was about 12 pages into the book here from my previous post.) I watched the film based on this book first and was therefore a bit apprehensive about how similar or different the book would be, but I found a pleasant mix of familiarity and new bits. It was a great (albeit emotionally wrecking) read.

The second book I read was Shadows of Self (Mistborn – Alloy Era #2) by Brandon Sanderson. Quite a few AMAZING twists in the story as is common for Mr Sanderson. Although I haven’t gotten quite into this series like I was into the original Mistborn books, I still absolutely loved it. I thought the story was great, the characters were built well and the magic was brilliant.

I was very happy with my choice of reading material in May, but I think I need to start writing my thoughts down as soon I’ve finished with a book. I find that I’m struggling a bit when I write after a month has passed and I’ve already read a few books afterwards. Hmm… Something to consider!

Books, My life

P.S. I Love you

May 16, 2017May 16, 2017 giastark

When my SO (Significant Otter) and I had just started dating, we used to watch a lot of films together every time we visited each other. This one time when we were staying at my place, I felt like watching a romantic film (as you do when you’re in a romantic place in your life). My SO suggested we watch P.S. I Love you. I hadn’t seen it before and I didn’t know anything about this film, so I happily agreed.

Sooooooo I can’t remember the exact moment, but from what I remember it was about 10 minutes into the film when something sad happened and I started to cry. I was doing my absolute best to not let my SO – then someone whom I’d just started to date – see what an absolute crybaby I am. I couldn’t stop blubbering however and my cushion that I was leaning on got absolutely soaking wet. And I mean soaking. I was probably severely dehydrated by the end of the film. Now when I see it on TV, already the starting credit things get me going. Just can’t hold it back. I’d have thought I’d develop some sort of immunity to it maybe but nooope. Not yet in any case. Maybe next time.

Anyway, long story short I decided to read the book now. So you can guess what I was doing 5 pages in. Yup – crying my eyes out. Very glad I didn’t start reading it on my lunch at work like I originally planned. I don’t know why I even had such a plan. Silly girl!

Yes, I wanted to tell you about something that never fails to make me cry. Go ahead and try to use it against me. I dare you! Ok, I don’t. Please don’t remind me of it in socially awkward situations. I’m already a liability amongst humans, no reason to make it worse.

Great film though. Hoping the book will be good as well. Didn’t get past 12 pages last night before I got a headache due to high amounts of water leaking from my eyes.

I’ll go keep reading it now.