Birchbox Best Of

So no nail art today, but I felt like breaking from the normal routine for something else I love: Birchboxes! Firstly just look at how beautiful they all are. I've been subscribed to them for a year now, and it seems about time I did a top ten of all the products I've used from them. This was surprisingly hard!

1. Seche Vite (Oct '15) The actual, literal reason I signed up for Birchbox, just to get this fast drying bad boy. It's still as perfect today as it was back then, a glossy and speedy end to any mani.
2. Kueshi Foot Cream (Apr '16) Lemme tell you a secret: I have nasty feet. They need exfoliating with a sander daily and it's rare that any moisturiser actually works for me, which is another reason to love Kueshi. Its light, eucalyptus scented goodness soaks in super fast so I'm not hopping around, and genuinely works. If angels could come in liquid form, they would be this.
3. L. Erikson Pony (Feb '16) Strange, right? A ponytail being one of the best things. But I use this thing nearly every day, and considering it's been nearly 8 months, it's one tough mother. I go through normal bands like no one's business. This also looks better than normal thin bands as a bracelet...
4. Cynthia Rowley Eyeliner (Apr '16) All my life, I've been using cheapy crappy eyeliner. I assumed this would be the same. I was wrong. It's so pigmented, so easy for smoky looks or neat defined wings. As inexperienced as I am, this is the best eyeliner ever.
5. So Susan Mascara (Nov '15) And this is the best mascara ever. Sure, I would prefer a lengthening formula for my teeny lashes, but volume is good for when I'm too lazy for eyeliner. Fluffy, defined, pretty lashes.
6. Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Cream (Jan '16) As a frequent user of acetone and other harsh chemicals, I need good hand creams. This rivals, if not bests, BodyShop hand creams. The smell is also amazing, it's indescribable but really fresh and uplifting. If I could bathe my whole body in this scent, you know I would.
7. Marcelle Eyeliner (Aug '16) I got mine in brown and it's the perfect brow pencil. I don't do coloured eyeliner, but I do do thick brows. Before this I only had stuff to darken brows, but not define. Now I can do both at once! 
8. Arrow Boost Lip Balm (Mar '16) A lip colour that also balms and smells amazing? Yes! Again, it's hard to describe the scent (or maybe I'm just bad at it), with hints of citrus and tang. I like this as a base for really dry liquid lipsticks. It's not the best lip balm I've ever used but I so love the packaging too. 
9. #NoFilter Mirror (Jan '16) What's there to say? It's a pretty mirror, we all need mirrors. Though we don't all like having to clean them as often as this one sided thing.
10. CM Style de Paris (Dec '15) I love perfumes, but half of the love goes to the packaging. Admittedly a tiny perfume sample isn't pretty, however when it smells like this, of flowers and lemons, I don't mind. If only the full size bottle wasn't so pricey, this is one of my favourite ever perfumes...

So there we have it, I hope you enjoyed this blabbering egotistical list. Lists are love, lists are life. Anyway, have a nice day whatever you're doing, and swatches will resume tomorrow. We're moving onto my second favourite polish brand... Stay tuned and beautiful.

Barry M - Meadow + Orchid

We can say goodbye to Barry M after today, I'm sure the people who actually read these posts are getting sick of it by now... But what shall I do next?

Apologies for the bad lighting on these: global warming has made today hot and sunny af. I'm not really complaining though.

Barry M "Meadow" is a pale mint, satin-effect polish.

2 Coats Barry M "Meadow"; 

I legit dreamed about this polish once, about how I was making a collection of my own polishes inspired by music, and this one was inspired by "Old Pine". Anyway, I've always found this formula to be hard to apply, as it's rather thick and slow drying. That's my excuse for it looking rough around the edges. It's a pretty polish but always underwhelms me, unusually for a polish in this spectrum. Maybe I just don't like washed out polishes. Regardless, the matte effect is pretty, though better on longer nails. 

Maybe I should grow mine out?

★★★✰✰

Barry M "Orchid" is a plum purple, satin-effect polish.

2 Coats Barry M "Orchid"

A colour I didn't expect to love more than the other. This picture doesn't do it justice, honestly. Sure, it's slow drying, is streaky, and brings out the yellow in my skin in an ugly manner, but when it catches the sun... It has a hot pink shimmer that really brings the polish to a new dimension. It's bright enough when matte, but if you topcoat this to make it glossy then - boom. We have reached a new dimension.

★★★★✰

It feels like the end of an era *crying. I'll probably take a break from swatch posts for a couple of days, to do some more interesting artwork. Probably... The life of the lazy.

Barry M - Classic Collection

I genuinely thought this was my last Barry M post. But... There is one teeny tiny collection I forgot about *laughing and crying forever. No biggie, they're not my fave brand for nothing! Now here's a treat: a mega post of all of my classic Barry M's! Some are new or their formula has lasted well, so they get the review run down. But a couple, like yesterday's "Black" and "Matte White" are too poorly for that. 

Barry M "Ballerina" is a mauve-pink, creme polish.

2 Coats Barry M "Ballerina"; 

One of my newest babies, but one of my oldest loves. Mauve pink is super in fashion now but I've wanted this for years! And thank goodness, it's a good match for my skin tone. Super chic and classy, subtle but pretty, I will probably get cremated in this polish. How morbid.

Only issue I have with "Ballerina" is it's quite patchy, and for some reason makes its own gradient on my nails. See how it goes from a warmer shade at my nail bed, to a purpler colour at the tip? I don't know either. But hey ho, I could say that's deliberate.

(This picture was also taken after three days of wear and one hard night out.)

★★★★✰

Barry M "Bright Pink" is a Barbie pink creme polish.

2 Coats Barry M "Bright Pink"

Gross story behind this: my sister found this on a train... Am I a tramp for wearing this? Yeah, probably. But it's worth the trampiness. This pink - nay, this PANK is delicious. It's perfect for when I feel like dolling up. That's not an everyday occurrence but it happens. Go, go, "Bright Pink"! You can be patchy and pretty lumpy (age, I guess), but you're sugary sweet to make up for it.

★★★★✰

Barry M "Masquerade" is a blue, purple, and rose gold mixed glitter polish.

2 Coats Barry M "Masquerade"

You got that right: two coats. Sponged on? Nope! I hate the sponging method of glitter application, sure it gives better pay off, but the mess is not worth it. Anyway, what a pretty glitter! From experience, this looks amazing over deep blue and gradients wonderfully. You know for a fact that it is a pain in the neck to remove though.

★★★★✰

Barry M "Children's Toys" (nee "216") is a silver and mixed glitter polish, in a sheer red suspension.

2 Coats Barry M "Some Glitter"

This one came from my friend's destash, don't really know why I picked it honestly. Before this I wore it once, and hated it... But hey, now I know how to apply glitters, this doesn't look so bad! I actually really like it! It's like children's toys and fireworks thrown together in a bottle. Maybe that's what I should call it... Okay, now it will appear as if it were always called that lol. And yes, this is a stupid hard polish to take off.

★★★✰✰

As I said in my last post, I won't be reviewing my older polishes because that just seems unfair lol. They're seniors, leave them alone! But here are some swatches just to show you what they look like. "Metallic Green" (nee 162) and "Indigo", the most luscious blue to ever lush.

Barry M - Crackle Glaze

I watch trends come and go, with most being swallowed by the chasm of time. Those that go, do so for a reason most of the time, but sometimes I miss and cling to old fads because they're a screenshot of a time gone by that I loved. 

And other times I like to revisit things to remind myself how much they suck. 

Barry M "Black Crackle Glaze" over "Matte White";

"White Crackle Glaze" over "Black".

Barry M "Black Crackle Glaze" is self explanatory.

Oh fads, fads, fads. To be honest, I think Crackle Glaze is pretty cool in terms of science and for creating a stylishly worn-down look, particularly the black. To those who love this look, go you! I do not. My nails are tiny as is and the crackle effect makes them look tinier somehow. I also hate applying Crackle Glaze because of how super fast drying it is, and how uneven it can be when it goes clumpy. Then again, it goes its job and I can't fault it for that.

★★✰✰✰

Barry M "White Crackle Glaze" is also self explanatory.

This has the same issues as the black, except it doesn't make my nails look as microscopic but also the shabby chic look isn't as effective. As a paler colour, it does go on more sheer than the black, which is pretty clear in the picture. It looks cute with paler colours, but... Yeah, it's crackle.

★★✰✰✰

As a side note, I will not be reviewing some of my older polishes (including the black and white used here), because they're so old that the formula has changed.

Barry M - Sunset Daylight Curing

I'm happy! Why? Because today I get to go to my boyfriend's new house for the first time! We don't get much time together (LDR, amiright) so this is a rare treat. In celebration, here are a couple of swatches of the only polishes he's ever bought me: two from the Barry M "Sunset Daylight Curing" collection, plus the gel-effect top coat on the pinkie and ring fingers.

Barry M "Can't Get You Out Of My Red" is a warm red, gel-effect polish.

2 Coats Barry M "CGYOOMR"; 

Daylight Curing Topcoat on ring + pinkie

Oosh! I never go for red polishes, the colour just doesn't excite me. But when red works, it works - and this werks! It's super duper glossy, even without the topper. Honestly, this is a stunning true red, I feel very classy and stylish whenever I wear this. Classy, but... Boring. It's just not me.

As I've said, red sheer polishes are the bane of my life. I don't get it! This is hardly sheer at all, and could be a one-coater with careful application. Amazing! 

★★★★✰

Barry M "The Way You Make Me Teal" is a green-leaning cobalt blue, gel-effect polish.

2 Coats Barry M "TWYMMT"
Daylight Curing Topcoat on ring + pinkie

Teal is much more my colour, but cobalt blue has to be my least favourite from the blue family. I'm fussy, I know. It just never does anything for me. This colour is a bit darker than the last, so shows up the impressive gloss a bit better (even without the topper), but that doesn't make it not dull for me. This isn't Barry M's fault, or my man for picking them. I'm not ungrateful! I'm just fussy. 

I actually did wear this for a few days, and even after three days, it wasn't chipped at all! So this collection really sticks around and lives up to its Gel name. The other colours in this collection are more my thing, and I'd definitely recommend them all to everyone else because they're shiny, strong, and super classy!

★★★★✰

The review of the topcoat will come later, whenever I decide to do a topcoat mega post. By mega I mean like... Three or four topcoats. Yeah... Newb Life.

Barry M - Happy Birthday Superdrug

Collabs are good. Collabs between things I love are great. Collabs between things I love that end up being amazing are the best! But collabs between things I love that don't end up so great are... This.

Barry M "Happy Birthday Superdrug" is a sheer hot pink suspension, filled with pink, white, and purple hex glitter.

2 Coats Barry M "Happy Birthday Superdrug"

Now obviously this polish is meant to be fun, which it really is. The hot pink (Superdrug's brand colour) is a good shade of the colour, and the hex glitters all match each other. I would definitely think this was a fun, party polish if I didn't know its purpose. Well done to Barry M for putting party in a bottle!

But we all know parties get a bit messy, some people like them while others don't, and even parties with the best people can have uninvited guests. To use these metaphors... This is a lumpy polish, for obvious reasons. It's easy enough to apply but yeah, it really needs a topper. Personally I don't like this kind of polish with glitter in it, and the pink isn't my thing, but I got it anyway. Over time, the polish hasn't gotten any gloopier than it already was, but the brush now looks like a toilet brush.

So yeah, that's about it. I know Barry M do collabs with Superdrug (and Boots) all the time, so I'm definitely sure there are better than this.

★★✰✰✰

Birchbox UK - HEROES - September 2016

And now, a break from our usual programme to play a game of "What's In The Box?" - the Birchbox, that is! I love, love, love Birchbox! As of next month, I will have been subscribed for a year and it's been a year full of great treats. Ooh, I should do a blog about my boxes and favourite products! Okay, I'll stop talking to myself and get on with the blog.

This won't be a review as such because I've had this box for a day so haven't had time to try anything just yet. So let's call it an unboxing! 

• amika "Bombshell Blowout Spray": I'm not one to do my hair, like ever. I'll straighten my fringe and that's it. But, ever the optimist, I may someday need a texture spray, and could always do with damage repair. The bottle is also pretty cute, a big plus!

• BirchBox x LalaBox: Yay, 36 free photos! There are few things I love more than free pics. Shipping fees apply, of course, but I'm so happy with this. It doesn't even count as a product I don't think, but thanks Birchbox! This is my monthly highlight. 

• Jane Iredale "Smooth Affair Facial Primer & Brightener": Birchbox is run by telepaths, because I've been wanting a new primer for a minute. Though when I took the lid off out of curiosity, the product started pouring out! Like it was too highly pressurised or something. So that's staying closed until I need it.

• ModelCo "Highlighting Trio": In this month, we got to pick one of two full size products, a blusher/rouge combo or this. I've not tried creamy cheek makeup before, but the colours are nice, especially the highlighter "Champagne". Not sure about the "Peach Bellini" blusher, as I never wear it. But hey, trying new things.

• NUXE "Prodigieux Show Oil": This stuff is stinking out my box, no my room! It's kind of a sparkly smell, almost floral, but pretty synthetic. Gotta be better than whatever my room smelled like before though. Yeah, I love shower gel and can always do with more of it.

• STARSKIN "Eye Catcher": My under eyes are always an issue for me. Too dark, too creased, all of that. This product excites me! I'm slightly concerned that there seems to be only one set inside, so I'll have to prioritise what day I use it on. Hmm... Masks are a rare treat.