50 shades of angry...

Ok, so this is supposed to be about things I heart but I couldn't let this pass me by...

I didn't like the sound of it but I also didn't want to miss out, so against my better judgement I read 50 Shades of Grey while I was on holiday.

Here's my honest review (without giving away the 'story').

I did not like it. I didn't like Ana - she seemed so weak and naive. I did not get the appeal of Christian - not description, personality or sexuality. I thought Ana's friend was the worse friend in the world for letting herself get into the situation (and the fact that she only had one friend was weird). I didn't think much happened in the story (other than lots of sex). I didn't find the sex enjoyable or pleasurable. At no point did I want to be Ana (and quite frankly I don't get why everyone on Facebook, or in the supermarket, or on their sun loungers, or on the bus wants to be in Ana's situation -at all!)

And don't even get me started on the writing. I keep finding myself about to say 'holy crap' before regaining my sanity just in time to stop myself. And teamed with all that talk of my inner goddess it makes me want to throw up. But the absolute worst offender is using the term 'my sex' instead of vagina (or any other words for lady parts). This is a girl who is happy to take part in all sorts of kinky sex acts but can't talk about it (even as an inner monologue)... Hmmm that makes a lot of sense - not!

Anyway rant over I just had to vent - thanks for listening.

Oh and one more thing... I don't want to read any more but I have a compulsion to finish what I start so do I read books two and three?

xoxo

How awesome is the July Glossybox? (*hint: very)

Ok, so I'm a bit late with this post (both because I got my Glossybox a week ago, and because I haven't posted for ages - oops sorry) but it's better late than never (right?).

This month's Glossybox is probably my favourite - ever!

It's billed as the festival box (though the themes are always a little dubious if you as me) and the products are great.

A HD Brows eye palette in foxy - four complimentary eye colours for brunettes (though as a blonde I don't mind)
An Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Skin Balancing Lotion (and extra bonus samples of this, a serum and a cleanser) - the perfect size for an upcoming trip to Devon
A Jelly Pong Pong lip and cheek gloss/stain in Irish Cream Pavlova - a bright coral pink which will be perfect for pretending it's summer ;)
A Monu gradual tan for face and body - I didn't love the Monu moisturiser from a previous box (a little too think for my liking) but with the lack of sun a tan is always welcome (and I'm too scared of a full on tan cream do a moisturising one is perfect)
A Cynol shampoo for coloured hair - I no nothing about the make but am always glad to receive a shampoo sample as they are always handy for trips away - shame they didn't include the conditioner too though

For the first time ever (and as a subscriber to Glossybox and the She Said Beauty box that saying a lot) I know I will use all the products in the next few months - hooray finally!!

What’s in my Glossybox (June 2012)?

I got my June Glossybox through yesterday and on first glance I wasn’t impressed but actually I think all the products may be useful.

My June Glossybox

Glossybox Serie Exclusive Pro Beauty Brush (a natural goat hair blush brush worth £15) and a sample BM Beauty Summer Warmth Bronzer (a shimmery pure mineral bronzer, full size £8 /4g)

Glossybox brush and BM Beauty bronzer

Yves Rocher France Ultra Volume Mini Mascara (sample of plumping mascara designed to last 12 hours, full size £16.90 /9ml)

Yves Rocher mascara

Agent Provocateur three perfume sample pack (1.5ml EDT samples of Agent Provocateur, Agent Provocateur Maitresse and Agent Provocateur L’Agent, full size £39 /50ml)

Agent Provocateur EDT sample pack

Vichy Dermablend Ultra Corrective Foundation Stick (set of six colour samples of this camouflage foundation designed to cover severe skin flaws for up to 16 hours, full size £19 /12g)

Vichy Dermablend foundation sample pack

The full selection of products available (as far as I can tell) are:

Everyone got a Glossybox brush, BM Beauty bronzer, and the Vichy Dermablend foundation

Those under 20 received a Dermalogica Clean Start set (it is designed for teenage skin though I have tried it before and quite liked it)

Then you got a selection from the following to make up your five products; HD Brows tweezers, MeMeMe nail polish, Yves Rocher Mascara, Paul Mitchell leave in conditioner, Green People organic SPF15 sun cream, Agent Provocateur perfume or Caudalie perfume

Now I have to add that I am a sucker for spoiler posts so I had in fact looked at the options for the month before my box arrived. There seemed to be quite a variety of boxes floating around and opinion was clearly divided on how bad or good the box was. But after reading so many posts (20 or so) I noticed was that people’s opinions of what made a good box varied a lot as well.

Some people were saying how great it was to get a good sized perfume sample and others were saying they couldn’t believe a perfume was included. Some people loved the inclusion of the concealer but other people thought it was a strange choice. Everyone has a different opinion of what is a good box. Some people like perfume, others don’t, some people like face creams, others like make up. Some people like to see tried and tested brands, others like to try new ones. You can’t please everyone, and Glossybox is a sample box, you will get a random selection of products (at least until they start using the beauty profiles a bit more). So if you don’t like a surprise then you probably shouldn’t sign up as you can’t expect to get what you like all the time.

However I will admit that the value of the contents should possibly have been closer (though does value really compare to a popular product? Personally I’d rather have a £4 product that I love than a £25 product I will never use) and perhaps the solution is to have less variation in the boxes. And if they are going to use a theme they should follow it a bit closer or get rid of the theme (If this was a sexy summer box it would have been nice to see products like; body moisturiser, exfoliator, fake tan, UV protection spray, lipbalm with SPF, or bright nail polish, or make up in summer colours, or waterproof mascara/eyeliner. I’ll give them the suncream and bronzer, and possibly even the summer scents, but I can use mascara, and conditioner, and tweezers, and make up brushes all year round. Summer is a time for good skin not lots of make up).

Personally I like the surprise (reading spoilers still counts as a surprise) and anticipation of getting a nice parcel each month so I will keep subscribing (I still have a tiny bit of wall space without a Glossybox box piled up against it).

Xoxo

Ps. If you don’t already subscribe try these codes:
15% off throughout June AFFJUNE15OFF

20% off your first glossybox and a free gift DV20OFF

And if you subscribe through this link I’ll get some Glossydots reward points (yey and thanks so much)

England to win?

Tonight was all about the football.

I'm not usually a football fan but for some reason i've really got into Euro 2012. It's nice to get behind your country, and fun to go to the pub and have something to cheer along with everyone else too.

And as it happened it also fits in with day 19 of the 30 Days of Creativity challenge. Today's topic was question mark - and with the football we had a lot of questions - would England win? Would they top the group? Would they through?

Luckily the answer to all three questions was yes. And I think it was helped in large part to the creative genius that was Lynsay's nails...

Supportive manicure

Xoxo

Shredding with style

So, I was out at lunch with friends yesterday and they kept mentioning 'the shred'. At first I pretended I knew what they were talking about but finally curiosity got the better of me and I asked.

Apparently the latest exercise fad is Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred - a 20 minute routine to complete every day for 30 days.

It didn't sound too crazy and a few of them had even seen some good results so I thought I'd investigate. A quick YouTube search found all three levels of 'the shred' and after flicking through the video for a few minutes it looked pretty do-able so from today I'm giving it a go and I'll let you know how I get on.

You didn't need too much space or any fancy equipment just somewhere to prop up your phone or laptop and some weights (which I do not own so instead I'm using my uber fancy Jean Paul Gaultier Diet Coke bottles which look beautiful in my room but until now have served no purpose). And the is only about £5 to buy. Easy (I hope)!

Xoxo

...and it was all so yellow

Trying to get back on track with the 30 Days of Creativity challenge today.

Day 18 theme was yellow. This was actually kind of perfect. The sun appeared and the first thing I saw when I stepped out of the office was this...

So my creativity today was channeled into yellow photos on my walk home...

And I managed to sync up the challenge, creativity, the theme and finally post it on Twitter.

Xoxo

Ps. Follow me @ohsoheartit if you like

Happy Birthday

Ok, so I've been rubbish at posting and at being creative over the past week but I've been busy and poorly and busy again.

A tiny shred of creativity for day 15...