Bean's mum's blog

I am really sorry that my blog has gone silent but coping through Flu at the moment. Hopefully you are all well and normal service will resume soon and I'll update my advent posts. x-J-x

So, thankfully with this post I am up to date with my advent calendars even though I am feeling like I should sleep all the time. I hope you all feel better than I do at the moment and like these posts. So, here are my day 18 goodies:

Another day. Another lot of goodies for my advent calendars. And another day of a horrid cold. But paerhaps these goodies will cheer me up...

Sorry, I am two days behind on my advent calendar but I will catch up today hopefully.  This is day sixteen of my advent calendar and has a nice selection of products.

For me this an infinitely special Memebox. Mid September I started to speak on Makeuptalk about wanting a dirty girl box, the name originating from watching way too much Frasier growing up... thanks mom. I wanted a box where you could get dirty before you get clean. I then went on to email them to request a box with the Dirty girl name and actually naming a product that appeared in this box. It could all be a coincidence that this box appeared for purchase a few weeks after the email and Makeuptalk discussion or it may be due to that. I'll never know but either way this is a great box and I will never know either way. Welcome to the dirty gal box.

Another day, five more doors and today is okay but another day that doesn't really blow me away but at least there are no accessories today and the tea light smells nice.

Today's advent calendar picks are a bit meh for me today but all are useful to me, but one, and I like opening the calendars as it is exciting and I knew that eventually I would get a meh day. Unfortunately it is going to be that day today.

It has taken me a very long time to review this box mainly because it has taken me a long time to simmer down since I received this thumbs up bloggers box. In September some bloggers, myself included, received a survey from Memebox asking about our favourite products. This box was supposed to constructed from that and we all looked forward to it but when we received this we received what seems like a 'ignore the bloggers, put in leftovers box'. The main thing that points to that is that some of these products were only in the memeboxes after the survey was filled in and sent back. Not really a smart move on memeboxes part. So, I bring to you the 'thumbs down psychic bloggers memebox'.

I am a bit late to put my code this month but my code to get $5 off $30 (not including p and p) is V6FAQ0 and if you use my link here you also get additional money off at $100 ($5) and $100 ($10 instead of $5) Thankyou for reading. x-J-x

Today was another great day in my advent calendars and unlike yesterday I will use all of these products and there is a great selection for me to use. For skincare to makeup to nail care there are useful products a go go.

I hope you forgive me for being a little behind but we spent today and yesterday swapping two bedrooms in our house so Edward could get a big boy bedroom. So I had no internet on my company for two days so now I am catching up. And here I bring you yesterday's advent calendars.

I have been having a few good days and I knew that a bad one would come and today is the day. Don't get me wrong, all but one can be used but no real wow products today.

Another day another box but this time I won't get the rage I got with Glossybox as this one has really pleased me with fair size samples and full sized products from luxe brands and a full sized exclusive coin purse. A real happy Christmas box from Birchbox.

For my second mask in my 5 masks in ten days I have used the YET don't worry mask sheet heart beating mask. This is to add moisture to the skin and to make it feel soft and healthy.

Wow, into double figures with the advent calendars already and getting ever so close to Christmas. Where is the year going? Another great day in advent calendar land though as you can see when you look at what I received.

Memebox globals generally are the creme de la creme of the memeboxes. So I was quite surprised to receive a global which was more like a leftovers box than a really good global like most of the past ones were. For me, these are the showcase memeboxes and were actually the first on the market so this is even more disappointing than if it was a themed box.

A better day than yesterday today and today other than the tea light surprising me a little, as it wasn't pink or white or red, all the items are fab and huge size samples for the formats that they are and I am really happy.

I have to admit that when my box arrived I saw the outer box and thought it was a beautiful box but as soon as I opened it I saw the contents and that was where the festive feelings ended. How this is this the Christmas box I have no idea but to be honest as soon as I saw the contents I cancelled my subscription.

To balance out Apple mojito there is this box.  I knew that this box bundle was a risk but despite them being only $19 each I was optimistic and I certainly never expected the bundle to contain a box which contained four low ticket items and that the scent boxes would blow this box out of the water.  But I'll show you why I am so irritated by showing you what I received.

Day seven was fab yesterday and today it looks like another so so day as although I will use it all there is nothing which really jumps out and bites me. But at least I will use it all. Now to show you what was in my advent calendars:

The second box in the bundle with the apple mojito is the Blackout box and it isn't necessarily a bad box but it isn't amazing.  It has only four items and I wouldn't have purchased it if I had known that it was best suited for oily skin and dyed hair. With dry hair and skin I am well aware that there is a good chance that products from this box may well dry my skin out even more so are totally inappropriate for me. But I'll show you what there is because for other people this may be a great box for the $19 plus p and p price.

I had a particularly bad day yesterday so everything is going up a little later than expected but hopefully no one minds too much. Thankfully, though, this isn't too delayed and it is a good day in advent calendar land. Plus I get to shop on someone else's money so, for the most part, I am very happy.

Day 6 and we are back to a meh day and tbh I am really starting to get irritated that the candles have no names on the bottom of them due to the reasoning that  if I loved one and wanted to order one online it would be impossible. But back to the calendar and away with the grumpiness.

I know that they aren't releasing many, if any, boxes at the moment but back when I ordered this box they were still releasing a lot of boxes. So many, in fact, that this box was part of a trio set.  These were also the first $19 boxes that they had ever released too and unlike it's two baby brother, which I will review next, this one is very good value. It has five items and although some are repeats it is actually a really good box.

Somethings are just amazing and for me this is the first product that I have ever come across at this price range, maybe any price range, where I could not do without it. Usually I am a take it or leave itgirls in terms of products but this is a product that if I am having problems sleeping always does the job of relaxing me and helps solve my insomnia.

Memebox unboxing posts are a bit behind so I am spending the next week catching up, well hopefully, on my older boxes and although these will be unboxings they will at least give you idea of what was in the boxes... just incase they relaese more..... although at the moment the releses are alow and sparse. But back to the box. This is the Miracle Mask box, although I am not sure where the miracle is.

It's the fifth of December today and I am seriously wondering where the time is going in the last few years. My baby boy is three now and for me it was only just last Christmas. Christmas feels too soon but I suppose at least Christmas means advent calendars and today I am really happy about that as today's products are amazing.

When Birchbox sends product in my Birchbox most get used and I like them.  But occassionally I get one that I am completely in love with and this is one of those products I will be buying more of in the Birchbox shop.

I have quite a few sheets masks stashed so when Genie from Geniesfavouriteproducts, who I know from MUT, suggested that we do a #maskgeniechallenge which involves using 5 masks in 10 days I was completely on board with that suggestion. This will be my first mask for that challenge.

Day 4 was one of the best days so far and I am so so happy with what I have receieve today. All five products can be used, even if you one does have the strangest texture. Yankee candles advent Calendar This is in a pink shade  and to be honest I have stopped trying to guess the shade. It is sugary sweet though so it will be a nice scent to have in my bedroom. The body shop advent calendar Frosted Cranberry Shower Gel I have this already as I bought a cranberry gift set from the body shop and I really love the scent.  I had handwashes in a similar scent last year from their boxing day sale and really loved them so I am really happy to have this to bath in. Such a beautiful scent. Yummy. Youbeauty advent calenda r Essie Nail Lacquer in Ignite the night 13.5ml I love Essie nail polishes as they are a fairly good in terms of not chipping so receiving one in a nice glittery shade which doesn't look too childish but is fab for the festive season....

My Lookfantastic box has arrived this morning and for me is a bit of a slow burner as when I first looked at it I wasn't terribly in love but the more I look the more excited I am with this box. There are seven items and it is excellent value.

Day 3 of advent bought better luck for me as the calendars were kind and I will use all five items. Yankee Candle calendar Spiced Orange tealight I assume that it is a spiced orange candle as there is no label on the bottom but orange is the dominant scent. Smells spicy and fruity and beautiful. The Body Shop advent calendar Cranberry soap I thought this was strawberry on my youtube video but I think it is the Frosted Cranberry scent. I think I might be coming down with a cold hence the confusion. This is a nice soap and I will use it on Edward in the bath but in general we don't use bar soap as it can be drying on the skin. Youbeautydiscovery Advent Calendar Molton Brown Orange & Bergamot Body Wash 30ml I am not sure whether I like it or not as the bergamot seems to dominate a bit too much in my opinion. Will try it in my bath though and see what it is like. Benefit Advent Calendar They're Real mascara 3g I already have a sampl...

When I think of skin elixirs I think of serums and essences and ampoules so what I received in this box was surprising and when I saw the spoilers I wasn't too happy but having it here I quite like it. This box had five items in it that ranged from twenty to forty four dollars and there was no filler products in here so that it is good. Also all of them but one seem to show English ingredients either partially or in their entirety which is great as I am trying to find products that are not going to dry my skin out. Now to show you what there was in the box:

As part of my latest in beauty Dream box II box I received the Double Buff exfoliator. I have to admit that I wasn't sure what I would think as I have never used an exfoliator which was purely an exfoliator before, my Soap & Glory cleanser had exfoliating beads in it, so I was wondering whether this would be too rough on my skin. But below are my thoughts.

So, I am back with day 2 and after another bad night's sleep this is another early morning opening but I am at least having better luck today even if one is still disappointing, sigh. But I'll stop yabbering on and show you what I received.

I seem to be bouncing back and forth between old and new Memeboxes to review and today I will review one that I only received a few hours ago and this is the fall/winter natural make up which arrived with my Skincare Elixir box. It has six items as listed below:

I really enjoyed doing my Advent Calendars last year so I have done them again this year. I am shocked though that it is December because I am really wondering where the year went... but, anyway, back to Day 1 of the advent calendars.