• May lusting // June wish list •

How on earth are we in June already? I've been looking forward to this month for so long - I finish my PGCE and become a qualified teacher, and I'm treating myself to a DSLR (Canon 700d maybe?) to celebrate! To think that we're 6 months into 2014 is just scary though, I can't believe how fast this year is going. Actually, I just can't believe how fast life is going! A new job means a full-time income for the first time in my life which excites me, so my lustings for the month are mostly high-end. If you missed my April lustings, you can catch up on the post here.

1. MAC Pro Sculpting Cream
Currently £18 from MAC, click here to be directed to the site.
I much prefer cream products to powder products, especially when it comes to highlighting and contouring (benefit watts up - the love of my life!) and the shade range of the MAC Pro Sculpting Cream is just amazing. I'm currently using the Bourjois Bronzing Primer and loving it, but to me it's more of a bronzer than a contour. I've done some research and found that the shades in the sculpting cream are sort of greyish, so perfect for contouring, which is exactly what I'm looking for. I'm loving the contour look at the moment so I'm enjoying experimenting with different products to achieve the desired effect.

2. MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer in Reckless and Kooky
Currently £3 from Superdrug, click here to be directed to the site.
MUA have done it again; they've blown me away with the quality of their products. The amount of times I've gone into Boots and swatched the velvet lip lacquers is ridiculous, but unfortunately Superdrug never seems to stock Reckless (deep, classic red) and Kooky (deep, dark purple) which are the two colours I'm really interested in. I'm going to have to make an order for these products as they just look stunning - matte, but creamy, and so incredibly pigmented. I need to get my hands on them!

3. Topshop MOTO Bleach Acid Wash Mom Jeans
Currently £40 from Topshop, click here to be directed to the site.
I spent the whole of Thursday trying on every single pair of Mom jeans in my local Topshop, but it was so difficult to find a size that fits me at the waist but are short enough to be ankle grazers. I'm determined to find a pair that fits me and I'm certainly not giving up, because they'd look perfect on a dress-down day with a slouchy t-shirt and some Birkenstocks. My mum couldn't believe that these were coming back in fashion and I'm so glad they are because they're so so gorgeous.

4. Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine in 'Boy'
Currently £25 from Boots, click here to be directed to the site.
All you need to do is search 'Chanel lipstick boy' in Google and you'll know why it's on my lust list...it's a gorgeous sheer peachy-pink colour which is my go-to at the minute. It's glossy without being sticky, leaving a beautiful shine and it's so moisturising. This shade would be perfect for summer as it's a (forgive me) 'my lips but better' shade - so cliche, I know, but it really is. Go search for it!

5. Philip Kingsley One More Day Dry Shampoo 200ml
Currently £13.50 from Lookfantastic.com, click here to be directed to the site.
I received a sample of this in my May Birchbox and fell in love with it straight away! Dry shampoo is my life-saver and I use it every day in between washes, so I'm always up for trying new brands and formulas. I'm so impressed with my sample because it doesn't leave a white cast in my hair and it smells amazing. As soon as I've run out, I'll be buying myself the full size.

6. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette
Currently £56 from Space NK, click here to be directed to the site.
When this palette was temporarily discontinued I was gutted, which made me realise how much I wanted it. You've probably heard/read the hype around the ambient lighting powders and, although I've never tested or swatched them myself, I feel like I can trust other people's opinions, especially as I haven't read a bad thing about them. The powders are setting powders with a luminous finish, creating the illusion of a 'lit from within' glow, as if you're being lit up by light. The palette includes 'Incandescent Light' a pearl highlighter, 'Dim Light' a natural beige powder and 'Radiant Light' a warm golden-beige powder. It's an excuse to try out 3 gorgeous powders from the ambient lighting range.

I'm so excited to add these to my wish list and will definitely be
prioritising them as they're all such stunning products.
Have you tried any of these products?

Daniela

• May Birchbox #2 // review •

I was so impressed with the last Birchbox that I just couldn't wait for the next one - and it did not disappoint.

With a mix of high-end and middle-end products (the majority being higher) I was so excited to see my favourite mascara and a well-known cleanser as soon as I opened the box. The products are based around 'outdoor adventures' - spending longer outside in the warmer weather - and this stunning box is a collaboration with Harper's Bazaar. If you wanted to see what I received in last month's Birchbox, you can click here to read that post.

Soigne Nail Lacquer in Cerise // £11 (full size)

This stunning nail polish is so opaque, so easy to apply and has such a lovely thin wand to work with. It's such a beautiful colour and I'm really pleased I received this in my box - I checked out the other colours that other's received and I already have those sorts of colours in my collection, but this one I feel is quite unique. It's grown up, but still a pretty, fun pink. And look a that packaging! How cute?!

Benefit They're Real! Mascara // £19.50 (full size)

I can't profess my love enough for this product. I've written a full review of it here, where you can see how the product works to transform my eyelashes into fluttery, volumised beauties. The plastic bristles really grip every single lash and the formula is so budge proof that it lasts all day and into the night. It volumises, lengthens and is the blackest black, making lashes stand out and appear much fuller. 10 out of 10 for this product and I will always repurchase, so it's handy to have a mini travel-size tube of it!

Philip Kingsley One More Day Dry Shampoo // £13.50 (full size)

I am loyal to my Batiste but I have heard that there are dry shampoos which don't leave your hair white, so I'm always up for giving new things a go. This product therefore was very much welcomed into my haircare collection. It works perfectly and doesn't leave any residue in my hair, it turns my hair from a greasy mess into a voluminous mane and it smells delightful, too. I've used it to death and there's still product in it which makes me think that the £13.50 price tag is worth it. I'm going to look into buying myself a bottle of this when I run out as I think it does a fantastic job (and makes me a lot more lazy when it comes to hair washing!)

Aromatherapy Associates Revive Morning Bath & Shower Oil // £39 (full size)

This smells divine! It doesn't get more luxurious than Aromatherapy Associates and I'm so happy to have received this in my box. I've used it once but I used it sparingly (so I could get another use out of it - cheapskate!) and it created the most uplifting, invigorating scent in my bathroom. My skin felt so soft after use and I'll be popping this on my Christmas list as I don't think I could justify spending this much money on myself for a bath product, however I'd very happily receive this as a gift! *secretly hopes Mum/Dad/brother/boyfriend is reading this...*

Liz Earle Beauty Co Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser // £13.50 (for 100ml)

I don't want to say too much about this product as I'm planning a post where I compare it to one of my favourite lower end hot cloth cleansers, but I have to say that this product really is lovely. My skin is going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment due to a certain product (read this post here) so I'm treating it with a little more TLC as I usually would, and the Cleanse and Polish is so gentle that it's helping to calm my skin down a little. I love that it comes with a little muslin cloth, and honestly, how generous is this sample size? You literally need a pea-sized amount so I can see this lasting me a rather long time!

There are the five gorgeous products I received in this months Birchbox - not one of them a dud, a mix of make up, skincare and haircare - which is exactly what I'm looking for in a beauty box. If you haven't subscribed yet, I really urge you to give it a go. It's opened my eyes to some products which I ordinarily wouldn't have the opportunity to try out (Aromatherapy Associates...)

What did you think of this months Birchbox? Which was your favourite product?

Daniela