Clinique Chubby Stick Freebie in Glamour Magazine (July 2014)

I know this is almost late but Glamour Magazine has this amazing freebie- Clinique Chubby Stick (Lip Balms) in Super Strawberry and Woppin Watermelon in its July 2014 Issue. I think the best time to pick up magazines (and their freebies) is summer time and I just love how various magazines try to outdo each other with these freebies...  I complain not!! The Clinique Chubby Sticks have been around for a little while now but I have never thought of buying them although the packaging looks super cute. Clinique even has Chubby Sticks for the cheeks (recent launch) and for the eyes which means these chubby lil' sticks must be doing well. If you have not picked up Glamour Magazine for July 2014 by now, there is a very high chance you will not get these lovely Clinique Chubby Sticks and I say this because every one I know went to pick these up. It was really difficult for me to get my hands on them because they all seemed to be sold out everywhere I went to. Also, the fact that the magazine as £2 was not helping matters at all!! As you can see, I was greedy enough to pick up two of these magazines; one from ASDA and one from Waitrose. Don't even bother with the newsagent or WHSmith as some terrible people actually steal the freebies from the magazine. I wonder how they do it and get away with it!! Anyway, if you want to get this, best to try Waitrose, Marks and Spencer or ASDA. Apart from these Chubby Sticks, Glamour had two other freebies/samples: The Clinique High Impact Mascara sample and the Clinique Dramatic Moisturiser but I did not pick these up because I had tried them out already. Enough rambling and let's dive in...P.S. some of the pictures have a yellow tinge which is only there because it was quite dark-Sowiee about that!!!



Clinique Chubby Stick in  06 Wopping Watermelon
At first,I thought this would not show up on my lips because it seemed very light but I was surprised. It actually did. It is a sheer light pink shade which feels really moisturising but not greasy. I really like it and I have worn this alone on "no makeup" makeup days and on top of MAC's Lovelorn Lipstick. I love how simple and chic it looks on my lips and I think it's perfect for an everyday look and if you work in a conservative office. The packaging is really cute but not in a very girlish way which I like. It can be twisted up to get more product but there is no need at this stage as there is enough to last for a while before I would need to do that. The thing is, the little part peeking out cannot be twisted back into the packaging (I think that's the style) so you need to be careful when closing the lid because you may damage it. However, that has not happened yet. Thank God for that!! This Chubby Stick has been keeping my lips really moisturised although it has to be reapplied every now and again which I don't mind at all.


Clinique Chubby Stick in 07 Super Strawberry
Now this was the shade that I had to haunt down because it was nowhere to be seen and I can imagine why. As the name implies, it is deep strawberry shade which is surprisingly pigmented for a lip balm. I think this looks much more flattering on my lips and would definitely suit ladies with dark skin tones. Just like the Wopping Watermelon, this applies really easily and does not feel heavy/greasy on the lips. It does what it says and that is to moisturise the lips while adding some much needed colour. I have only worn this on its own because it is beautiful like that. It's one of those lip balms that you can reapply without a mirror because the pencil is shaped in a way that traces the contours of your lips perfectly. Also, thumbs up  to Clinique for choosing really fun names for these Chubby Sticks...even the name Chubby Stick is a lovely name and reminds me of a chubby baby with fluffy cheeks...lol




Would I repurchase?
I really love these Chubby Sticks but for Pete's sake, they are £17 a pop and darlings, that is a lot of money for me to spend on a lip balm regardless of how wonderful it is. Maybe someday, when I have some loose change and Clinique is having their bonus time, just maybe!! If you are Lip Balm Girl and you don't mind the price, I would say go for it because it is truly amazing and the packaging is on point. I hope you had a wonderful weekend and I would see you in my next post..x

Weekend Post #9: Free Eyeko Eyelash Curlers with InStyle Magazine May 2014 Edition

Spring/Summer time are one of my favourite seasons because many magazines try to outdo each other with the lovely magazine freebies and I always try and pick up a few of my favourite gifts from the whole lot. The InStyle Magazine May2014 Edition is doling out Eyeko Eyelash Curlers with every issue and I promptly had to pick one. I have never really been serious with eyelash curlers because my lashes are quite curly but I have been quite curious about them and I really wanted to try one. In fact, I was so close to ordering this very Eyeko Eyelash Curlers after reading a few glowing reviews and I am so glad I did not. I would have been well cross!!! Of course, the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers are the ultimate and creme de la creme of all eye lash curlers but I have ready a few reviews about the Eyeko ones and they seem to be good at doing the job.

This particular one has a blue suede/velvet grip which makes it look ohh so lush. I love it. I have tried using it a few times and I like what I see and I would be reviewing it more in-depth but I thought it would be good to put this post up now in case you are interested in trying them. InStyle Magazine retails for £3.90 which is quite expensive but then the Eyeko Eyelash Curlers normally retail for £12 so it's a bargain. Apart from that, you get some nice reads especially the interview with my #WCW extraordinaire (Woman Crush Wednesday) Sarah Jessica Parker. I just love her and I don't think anyone can be more chic than she is...she is uber chic and sets the bar to a standard that's almost impossible to meet (that's my silly opinion but I am sure you can agree especially if you watch(ed) Sex and the City and her excellent portrayal of Carrie Bradshaw).... Rambling aside, you also get 15% off TopShop and a free John Frieda Shampoo/Conditioner/Serum satchet in it so go pick your copy and free eyelash curlers and thank me later...x

Top Beauty Sample Freebies (The Magazine Edition)

Hi Lovelies,
I don't want to jinx this but I want to see if I can put up a blog post everyday this week. I think I can do it and I know you'd like that, so why not? If you have not already read my previous post on How to get Beauty Freebies, I suggest you trot along and have a good read through. It's no hidden secret that I love beauty samples/freebies because it allows you try out beauty products without splurging or burning a hole in your bank account. I am yet to see anyone who does not like free stuff. If you know anyone like that, point them my way for some brainwashing :-)

 Anyway, I have been loving some recent freebies from many beauty magazines here in the UK such as  Glamour, Instyle, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire. When I walk into WHSmith, my eyes fleet over to the magazine sections scanning for any juicy freebies and these magazines have not failed me at all. This post would review some of my top and favourite beauty samples. Not all of them are still available but a few still are. Can you believe I actually buy more than one of the same magazine because I want all the variants of the samples it has? I have 2 Glamour magazine July Issue and same for Cosmopolitan; it's ridiculous but the freebies are more than worth the price of the magazine so it is a lil justified, I convince myself. Let's get started

                                                       Balance Me Pure Skin Face Wash

I love this lil' product because it is almost 100%natural- it is actually 98.8% natural origin and I think it makes the cut. If you have been following my skin care posts, you'd know I have been trying to stick to natural or almost natural products for my skin like Gamila Secret Cleansing Bar which has made visible difference to my skin. I decided to take a little break (one week) from my Gamila Secret Cleansing Bar to try this cleanser. All I can say is I think it is an excellent cleanser. It has a distinct fresh and organic smell which is kind of hard to describe. It gives my face a good cleanse and it is not very drying as I feared it may be. 

The good thing about it is how it balances out the PH of the skin rather than stripping it out of all its natural oils and altering the PH of the skin. I would definitely buy the full version when this runs out as I think it is perfect for the summer which is when my skin does not do well with the heat and humidity. You can find the Balance Me Cleanser in Glamour Magazine August Issue which is only £2. They have also kindly included three other Balance Me products such as the Balance Me Body Wash, Raspberry Lip Tint and Face Moisturiser- Talk about good value for money..right there in Glamour Magazine.

                                         Eyeko London Skinny Mini Liquid Eyeliner

Although, I am a religious fan of L'Oreal Liquid and Felt Tip Eyeliners, I could not resist picking up the August Issue of Marie Claire Magazine because of this amazing little eyeliner. Eyeko London has been around since 1999 and have the most amazing eye liners which have very good precision on application. 

They are a little more pricey than the L'Oreal eye liners but I think they are very good value for money. I love this skinny eyeliner because it applies precisely in a smooth thin line which is a look I try to go for when I am off to work or in a more formal setting.




 The best thing about this eye liner is how fast it drys and doesn't budge even if you are a frequent eye rubber like me (that sounded a bit weird?). I literally applied it on my hand to test , within seconds, I tried to rub it off and it didn't budge. 



I was super impressed and it is extremely easy to control for beginners because it is in a pen form. It is easy to take off with the right eye makeup remover or any good overall makeup remover. The skinny mini version fits perfectly into my makeup bag and it has since become a staple partner in there. 

                                 
                                      
                                              Neal's Yard Remedies Power Berry Daily Moisture

This is one of the freebies I have developed a bittersweet Love-Hate relationship. I am not a fan of its fragrance; I find it overbearing and unpleasant. Although it may not be unpleasant to everyone, it is not one of the favourite fragrances on my radar. On the other hand, it is extremely moisturising and it contains most sought after antioxidants obtained from Acai Berry, Bilberry and Goji Berry. You can say it is a medley of berries which are very rich in antioxidants that help fight the effects of free radicals that our skin constantly faces in the environment. 

You can see why I try to ignore the unpleasant smell and smother my skin with this little goodness in a tube. On top of that, it is a true organic product that does not contain any Parabens, Mineral oils, Silicones, Synthetic fragrances (Aha, no wonder) or Colours and Phthalates. It also promises to deliver a brighter dewy-looking skin although I can't say I have noticed that partly because I have not been using it consistently. What I have noticed is how moisturised and hydrated my skin feels especially in this scorching sun and heatwave. I got this freebie from the July Issue of Instyle Magazine and I think it may still be available in a few newsagents.

                 

                                         Model Co Fibre Lashxtend Mascara

I have already briefly introduced this mascara in my post on What's in my Makeup Bag?.  As you may or may not know, I am not a huge fan of mascaras because they mess with my contact lens. If I must wear it, I always go for lengthening mascaras as opposed to volumising ones. For me, the Model Co Lashxtend is perfect for lengthening.

                   

I love how the wand distributes the product evenly and I have experienced very minimal clumping which means no messing with the contact lens. This is now a staple in my makeup bag and we have slowly developed a little love affair. I got this from the July Issue of Glamour which I think I have spied in a couple of newsagent stores. 

Go grab one if you have a chance because it cost only £2 and you get both a nice read of Glamour Magazine and a free Model Co lengthening mascara. This was one of the magazines I actually bought two issues because I wanted a spare mascara:-)

                                                         
                                                              Mirror Mirror Make Me Blush

This is one of the best blushes I have ever used and the sad thing is, I don't think it is an actual brand that can be bought. I think it was made specially for the magazine. I got this from Shout Magazine which is one magazine I actually never read or buy. 

I only bought it because this blush had a very attractive packaging which I absolutely adore. It reminds me of Benefit Blush packaging. At first, I thought I had wasted my money because it didn't look very good when I opened it; it felt cheap to touch. 



On application, it was a different story altogether. Firstly, it was well pigmented against my skin and was very flattering against my overall makeup. I used this blush almost everyday and I feel so sad that one day it would run out and I would have no means of repurchasing it.



 I wish I actually bought two magazines at the time. Either ways, I still have the cute packaging to help me haunt it down and as a memento for good blushing moments.

                                                         Sunnies from Cosmpolitan

I decided go throw in a few random freebies I got from Cosmopolitan Magazines July Issue. I love these Sunnies because they actually protect your eyes from the UV rays. I love the different designs and shapes because I find it hard to get the right shape of sunnies to flatter my face. Oh well, when the sun is out, all I can do is try to protect my eyes regardless of fit :-)

I hope you enjoyed this post and feel free to let me know what freebies you have picked up this summer especially from beauty magazines who have been very generous. See you in my next post...toodles...xxx