Bean's mum's blog

My Birchbox came last week and I was really pleased with it but due to other commitments I have only just got around to reviewing this box. This box is a collaboration with Harpers Bazaar and unlike the Lulu guiness box the box has been designed and it isn't just a designed sleeve with one of their grey brown boxes inside.

I can't believe that January is almost already gone. Last year flew by and it looks like this will be the same if January is any indication. Sometimes I worry about that. My son is so little at the moment but he is growing ever so fast and every day he gets more language or learns new skill.  Anyway, off I drift off again. I apologise for lapses of attention but my momma head is on at the moment. It's January 2014 (wow 2014) empties. The first of my empties this month is a product the company has discontinued as it was limited edition and this has made me very sad. This is the Yves Rocher Collection cacao Cocoa & raspberry perfumed shower gel.  Both scents are equally represented, with the chocolate being a definite undertone to me. This makes me hungry for chocolate, potentially dangerous if, like me, you are trying to lose weight. I have been using this for Edward's baths and one of the best ways to get him into the bath, if he is be...

I got my half price advent calendar yesterday and was over the moon as a few of my products from the first one are running low. However, I wasn't so overjoyed to see a massive rip along the front of my box and along my box. I will have to contact them about this as their parcel carriers have done this in transit. I am just thankful it is well packaged inside so nothing was broken or burst, as that would have been a sticky mess. Yuk!   Here is the rip a little closer. Poor woman nearly got decapitated. Here is everything I got for £29.90. I have detailed them all in my previous advent posts so in this post I will only show the ones I especially loved using or the ones I needed desperately as they had nearly ran out. I am not saying the other products sucked but these are the products I have particularly looked forward to getting more of because I really loved using these the first time around and because they make getting another both well worth the money...

I have to admit my box came at 4pm and by that time the curiosity to see what I had was too much and I first looked at their Facebook site, oh my they have stirred up a hornets nest, and then went and looked at my surveys to see what I would get in my box and to be honest as a Christmas box it was a let down. On receiving it and opening the outside packaging I was pleasantly surprised as the pattern is really nice and my picture doesn't really do it justice. It is reminiscent of lots of Christmas trees to my eyes. Really a lot prettier than the normal box. First thing I saw when I opened the box was a voucher, which I will discuss below, as well as a rather festive looking set of cards as well as my information cards. To be honest I preferred the leaflet and these cards just feel like they are looking for another opportunity to sell to me. Call my a cynic, but it probably is. This is my $20 Baublebar gift card and a bit of a fake gift as all it does is give you free...

On the eighth day of advent my Ciate advent calendar gave to me: A 5ml bottle of Ciate nail varnish in the shade 'kiss chase'. This is a beautiful baby pink shade, only slightly darker than normal baby pinks. It would be a lovely summer shade. On the eighth day of advent my youbeauty advent calender gave to me: A 7.5ml bottle of Aromatherapy Associates London Inner Strength Bath & Shower Oil. This smells almost edible. You can smell cardamon and oil in the scent and you need very little to get a scent that lingers on your body for a long time. I really like this scent and love the calm that rolls over me when I lie in a bath with this oil in it. This sample is worth about 5.31 and the full size product can be purchased  here.