FeelUnique: Pick 'N' Mix Product Reviews

As far as I'm aware, the Pick 'n' Mix service on FeelUnique is relatively new. It's actually a fantastic idea and let's you get your hands on loads of great samples from typically expensive brands. Sure, they're only sample sizes but it's enough for you to test it out and see how you feel about the product. Pick 'N' Mix gives you the opportunity to test out 5 samples of selected products on a monthly basis. It comes at a small cost of £3.95 which covers the postage/packaging of the products. However, you get that £3.95 returned to you to spend on any other purchase you make excluding your next Pick 'N' Mix package. Seriously, that's a ridiculously good deal. So, I figured I'll test out 5 random products and give reviews on all of them.


1) Jane Iredale - Lip Drink

Unfortunately my lips are prone to drying out all year round. I don't get a break from it no matter how much lip balm I apply. It's just one of those lemons life has thrown at me. Speaking of lemons; this lip balm smells citrusy, but in a pleasant way. Sometimes products scents are far too strong and completely off-putting but this smells delicious! Honestly, I have conflicted feelings towards the actual purpose of the product. It does moisturize your lips but it feels like there's nothing on your lips. For me, this doesn't work. I apply a tonne of lip balm so I can feel that it's there and know that it's working. I don't know if that's the intention with this product that less is more, but personally I didn't like it. My lips still felt a bit dry after using it which isn't helpful. I wouldn't purchase the full sized version of this product - I don't believe it's worth the £14 it's currently priced at.

2) Yves Saint Laurent - Top Secrets Instant Moisture Glow

I rarely ever buy expensive brand products and that's down to the price tag attached to the majority of them. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this is only £34. That's still pretty steep for a moisturizer, but wait until I tell you more about it. This moisturiser is a delight to use. It comes out of the packaging a slightly pink shade, but it goes on clear. It has a light consistency and yet it's very hydrating when you put it on. With having such dry skin, I usually find lighter moisturisers do nothing to help my skin, but this one is perfect. It leaves my skin soft and glowing. It really does what it says on the tin [or tube, if we're going to be precise]! My face looked so refreshed after using this and I would seriously consider buying the full-sized tube. YSL, you've done it again and I'm absolutely sold on this one. Also, just discovered that you can't purchase this on FeelUnique anymore and you can only get it through YSL's website. Update: I bought the full-sized product.


3) JASON - Powersmile All Natural Whitening Toothpaste

I told you I chose random ones, didn't I? Your teeth are one of the most important parts of your body because a nice smile can go a long way to brightening up your day! I'm borderline obsessive over my teeth. They may not be perfect, but one day they will be. Until that day comes I will dabble with tooth-whitening products. This is the first one I've tried in quite a while because they're damaging for your teeth. It's not a secret that a lot of teeth-whitening products wear away at the enamel to leave your teeth worse off in the long-run. Of course, using them in moderation will not harm them too drastically. As it says on the packaging, it is 'All Natural' and is free from: Parabens, SLS, Phtalates, Preservatives, Artificial colours, Aritificial sweeteners, Saccharin and Propylene Glycol. Honestly, I'm not sure what half of those ingredients are to begin with, but I'll hedge my bets that they'll damage your teeth. So, it's a good job they're not in this toothpaste. Unfortunately, that's about as far as my praises go. It didn't have the greatest of tastes - alas, you're not eating it, but still you don't want to feel like your cleaning your teeth with detergent. The so-called whitening properties are definitely not visible after first usage. Fair enough, my teeth aren't in a terrible condition to begin with, but the slight yellow staining hadn't improved after using this toothpaste. Maybe after a few more uses, there might be a noticeable difference but I won't be buying more to find out. [£3.75]


4) Origins - Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask to Clear Pores

I've known about origins for a long, long time and my sister has a few products of theirs. Since I'm really into face masks at the moment, I figured I'd give this a go. Origins prides itself on being one of the most well-known skincare brands worldwide and it's not difficult to understand why this brand is loved and used by many. This face mask was fantastic! My skin felt so soft and it looked a lot fresher. I still prefer sheet masks, but that's more of a personal situation. As you can imagine with it being charcoal based, it's obviously a dark product and it goes onto your skin a dark grey colour. Charcoal is a detoxifying agent used in many brands skincare ranges these days, and if you get the right range it'll work wonders for your skin. I was skeptical to try charcoal based products but this face mask has totally changed my perspective on them. I'd recommend this to anyone. Give it a go, it might just be the treat your skin's after! [£24]

5) MOR Emporium Classics - Candied Vanilla Hand Cream

I suffer from eczema which makes working with water a lot a pain in the ass. My hands often feel gross from extensively washing dishes. Whilst searching through the many pages of sample sized goodies, I came across this hand cream. Of course as it usually does, intrigue took over and I thought "sure, might as well give it a go" since my hands could use some TLC. Oh my gosh, it smells absolutely incredible. It definitely smells like vanilla which is always a good thing. It is quite strong though, so if you're not into strongly fragranced products then this won't be for you at all. Once I was done sniffing my hands for a while, I came to realise they were lovely and soft. Some hands creams leave my hands feeling greasy and worse off, but not this one. It feels amazing and it dries super quickly which is a bonus. This really is worth it's £9 price tag [usually £15, currently 30% off on FeelUnqiue]. Seriously, this hand cream is everything. I'd recommend this to anyone.

Until next time,

Luce xo

Kindness Costs Nothing

This is the first post I've written that mentions my work. I never thought I'd write something like this, I didn't think there'd ever be a reason to. But today, the line was crossed for me. Working in retail is difficult at times and especially when it's busy. Every staff member does their absolute best and most to make sure the business continues to run smoothly even during these periods. However, there are times when we can't sit back and simply "take it" anymore. Most of our customers are fantastic, I will be honest and tell you that. Sadly, there are a few who tarnish that viewing occasionally. For example, this afternoon I had a middle-aged man verbally abuse me ("filthy c***" & "f***ing bas**** to be exact) and it was appalling. Never once have I been treat so horrifically by another person in my life. Instead of shaming this man, I'd rather spread more kindness than hatred. After the hatred I received today over something so trivial; I'd rather not spread more of that anger/hatred. It's not in my nature to react that way. As hurt and threatened by this encounter as I was, I won't let it ruin my good nature, and I won't let it bring me down.

Later on a lady stopped by and asked if it was ok for her to sit down as she'd just been to physio and her back was crippling her. Instead of saying no and banishing her, I let her sit and in the mean-time brought her a free hot chocolate because she was having a hard enough day as it was, I didn't want it to become any worse for her. After that she profusely thanked me for my kindness, and I felt so much better knowing I'd brightened up another persons day by doing something so simple. By no means am I an angel, and nor will I ever claim to be. There are plenty of others who display similar acts of kindness daily, and you're honestly all amazing. I have been raised with the right morals that I've lived by my entire life so far. As the title of this post states, kindness costs nothing. A little can often go a long way. It's true that you never know what another person is struggling with and sometimes, we as humans just need a little extra love to help us through the day. There's enough hatred circulating in this world to begin with and it's about time people stopped adding to it. Please, spread love and kindness rather than hatred and abuse. The latter will never get you anywhere, and the older you get the more you'll regret the things you said and did to people and how you hurt them. Where's the point of bringing yourself and others down? Being a bully will get you nowhere; it'll turn you into a monster. I'm certain that the majority of people were not raised in a manner that made make them so negative towards others. And even if you were, don't become the person everyone else labelled you to become. You're worth so much more than that.

The bottom line is that life is too short. We need to live in the moment. Spread as much love, kindness and happiness as we possibly can. At the same time, we need to defend ourselves when necessary with words because they will change people's perspective during conflict; actions will not. Being physically abusive will only land you in further trouble; don't stoop to that level. Also, don't be verbally abusive; use your words to invoke thought and change rather than negativity. Every single one of you has a purpose in life; you're all worth so much more than you could ever imagine. Live your life to the fullest, and in the meantime be the best you can be. I believe in all of you, and hope that your futures are filled with more joy, kindness and love than you know what to do with!

Thank you for your support thus far with the blog, and my best wishes to all of you in whatever you're doing with your life at the moment. Everything will get better if it isn't so great already.

Until Next Time,

Luce xo

'I love Summer' Tag

I'm quite certain this is the first 'tag' post I've ever participated in. Since it's summer, it's time to try new things so I'm going to go for it. My friend, Chloe Stedman a.k.a http://chloestedman.blogspot.co.uk suggested I do the 'I love Summer' tag and she's also done it. Well, let's get started!

1) What is your dream vacation?

This is a tough one since I'm an aspiring World Traveler. But I love adventure, so a road trip around America/Canada would be pretty incredible. Also, I've always wanted to visit Italy so they're the joint #1 dream vacay's for me!

2) Favourite summer drink

Anything cold. I'm currently hooked on fresh orange juice, though. It's a shame the sugar content is so high but when it tastes as good as it does, it can't be helped, I must drink it.

3) S'mores or Ice Cream

Ice cream. Honestly, I've never tried S'mores but I imagine I'm missing out 'cause they sound amazing.

4) Pool or Beach?

Beach. It's more adventurous than sitting by the pool all day. 

5) Would you rather spend a summer day outside by the pool or inside watching Netflix?

Since we don't own a pool, I'm going to opt for the latter. Currently suffering with an addiction to Dexter which I recommend everybody watches. Trust me on this one, it's amazing. [As I've come to discover in numerous episodes it is also extremely graphic: sex/murder scenes are brutal and there's often not much they don't show - please bare this in mind]. 

6) Favourite Summer Memory. 

I'm torn between our family 2010 summer holiday to Florida and NYC with friends in 2016. Florida had Disney World *insert heart-eye emoji* and Universal Studios which have some of the best roller-coasters I've been on in my life, I'm a bit of an adrenaline junky. But NYC is the city of dreams, and we did so many incredible things while we were there (read about it all here). Ah, I'm sorry I can't decide on just one! There's way too many to choose from. 

NYC at night from The Empire State Building.

7) Favourite Summer Nail Polish. 

Bright colours are a must in the summer. ORLY's range of neon colours are so great for the summer. My personal fave is the Melt Your Popsicle. It's neon orange, if you're not into neons I'd stay really far away from this range of colours... Melt your popsicle is such a pretty colour! You might want to wear sunglasses whilst wearing it though, there's potential for being blinded by it's brightness. 

8) Sunglasses or Hats?

Personally, I'd go for sunglasses due to having prescription lenses. No point in going on holiday if you can't see anything, right? 

9) Favourite Summer Scent

Victoria's secret body sprays smell gorgeous! Love Addict is my current fave. Bargain alert: You can get 2 bottles for £9.09... Quick, go grab some! 

10) Favourite Barbeque Food

Gotta be burgers. So bad, but yet so good for you. I could devour one right this second to be honest.

One of the best burgers I've ever eaten from TGI Fridays.

11) Bikini's, Tankini's or one piece? 

I'd probably opt for a one piece. I'm not a fan of swimwear due to the fact it clings to all the places I don't want it to. Maybe one day I'll change my mind and flaunt this bod in a bikini, here's to hoping!

12) Summertime Book Recommendations

I could give an extensively long list, but I shall refrain and only list a few. 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak which is definitely a heart-wrencher. 

Just Friends by Billy Taylor. I don't even know how to begin with this book because parts of it literally broke me. I sobbed, laughed and overall, adored reading this book.

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic which is a relatively new book, and sadly underrated because it's fantastic. Warning: It can be highly graphic and there's a lot of violence in this book. I'd avoid reading it if you're not ok with gore/violence. I've reviewed this book fully here. 

Until next time,

Luce xo

NYC Sephora Haul

During our time in NYC, a trip to Sephora was an absolute must! Half of the labels in the store we don't have here in the UK and they're some of the best ones. (If we do have them, then we tend to have to pay horrendous amounts for shipping). Hence why me and my friends couldn't resist spending extortionate amounts of money in this store. If you're a beauty lover, like myself, this place is pretty much end game for your bank card. Since we were on holiday, it was deemed acceptable to go a tad slacker on our budgets and splash out on dearer brands. Oh boy, it was so worth it!

Anastasia Beverely Hills: Glow Kit & Brow Powder Duo [Brunette/Dark Brown]

By this point in time, this brand has taken the make-up world by storm. It's highlighters are especially popular and it's not difficult to understand why. The pigmentation of these products is outstanding. A light dusting of any of the colours on your cheeks and you're sparkling! If you want to have the most highlighted face on the streets without looking like one of the Cullens, then this glow is the one for you. The colours are honestly beautiful, neutral and long-lasting. There's no need to worry about it coming off after being in intense heat. 

Now, if you're anything like me, brows are super important.I'm borderline obsessive over the 'perfect brows', I can't help it. Since I'm not a fan of pencils, I usually opt for brow powders instead. Make-up tip: always go a shade lighter than you're actual brow shade for the most natural look. Again, this little pot must be filled with magic because my brows look amazing whenever I use this powder. The pigmentation is lovely so it doesn't take long to get my brows exactly how I like them! Alongside the powder, I purchased Anastasia's #12 brush and I'm in love with both products. My brows have no struggle staying in place all day thanks to these beauties! This is a god-send if you work in a hot environment which I do almost every day. The brow brush is double-ended and a good-size. I often feel like some brow brushes are too long and hard to handle, but no this one. The angled brush is so soft and helps to easily apply the powder.

Whilst in Sephora, my friend, Chloe, purchased Anastasia's Brow Wiz Pencil and I'm going to post the review she sent me for it (don't worry, I've been given permission to do so!):

"I am a lover of both brows and brow pencils; in this day and age of make-up, who isn't? So when I became sucked in by Sephora, it is unsurprising that this is the first product I picked up. Unlike other brow pencils that I've tried, Brow Wiz is extremely thin which means you can fill your brows in without them looking overdrawn or too dramatic. Also, I love the fact that it's not in no way chalky or waxy, but creamy enough to hold your brows in place and keep them looking great all day long! I wore this is 34 degree heat in NYC and I still had strong brows after the rest of my makeup had slid down my face. Honestly, I love this product and cannot recommend this enough. Go get it while you can! It will quite literally change your brow game forever." - [written by chloestedman.blogspot.co.uk]

Fresh: Soy Face Cleanser

Back in the UK, I'd come across many of my favourite beauty guru's using this cleanser. The price tag was initially what scared me off - £30 is excessive for a face wash, right? Wrong. Not this one. If only I'd known what a skin changer this would be I'd have bought it in a heartbeat, and will do so from now on. I have dry and sensitive skin so ordinary brand face washes, such as simple and biore, tend to completely dry my skin out. This Soy Face Cleanser does the exact opposite. Instead, my skin is left looking refreshed and super soft. The best part is that this can even be used on your eyelids which is unheard of in the world of cleansers! Well, mainly the cheaper brand ones 'cause there's way too many harsh chemicals in them. It hasn't got a thick, gloopy consistency either which menas you only need to use a 50p sized amount to cover your entire face. There are no exfoliating beads in this one; so if that's what you prefer I'd look elsewhere. If you can forget about the price tag, then splash out on this product. You won't regret it! 

BITE Lipstick: Fig

I'd never heard of BITE before until I discovered their stand in Sephora. Intrigue took over and I decided to purchase one of their lipsticks. Initially, it was the gorgeous pinky nude shade that stole my heart. The colour pay off with these lipsticks is incredible. They have a matte finish, but they don't dry your lips out and leave them feeling all gross and chalky. It's so easy to apply that I don't even need to use  a lip brush to do, and I'm not exactly an expert at applying lipsticks so that definitely says something! I can't recommend these lipsticks enough. Give them a go, you won't regret it! 

Kat Von D: Tattoo Liner & Ink Liner

For a long time now I'd been desperate to try out these eyeliners. I'd read so many rave reviews about them that I couldn't not buy them. However, disappointment set in a mere week after purchasing the Tattoo Liner. For a product so highly praised, it didn't remotely live up to it's high standards. I'd only had it a week before the nib went sticky as if the product was drying up. Since I'm protective of my eyeliners, I always double check to make sure lids are firmly fastened out so they don't dry out quickly. Also, in the process of reapplication, the nib would simply take off any existing eyeliner that was on my lid. That shouldn't happen. It was unfortunate, and maybe I just had one from a faulty batch. However, after that disappointment I will not be purchasing a Tattoo Liner again. Nor would I recommend it to anyone else, either. 

On the flip side, the Ink Liner is a joy to use. It's so easy to apply and it doesn't smudge! This liner is long-lasting and I love it. It's far better than the Tattoo Liner, and reapplication isn't an issue. So far I've had no issues with this one. I can't comment on it's waterproofing qualities as I don't wear it in situations where it would be a necessity, my apologies. 

Sephora: Sheet Mask

Sheet masks have been around a relatively long time now, but they're still quite elusive here in the UK. If you want to buy one, you've got to go either really cheap and crappy or ridiculously expensive. Seeing as the Sephora ranges were only $6, I figured I might as well give them a try. Honestly, I prefer sheet masks to normal masks as there's less mess made when using them. There's a lot of product in these masks so when you remove them your skin does feel a tad greasy. That's nothing major though, as it dries off to leave your face feeling smooth and refreshed. You'll literally be glowing after using one of these masks - in a good, non-greasy way of course. A slight downfall is when applying them to your face they can be a bit difficult to work with as they tend to crease. That could be because I'm inexperienced with using them, so don't just take my word for it. I'd highly recommend these sheet masks.

Luce Reviews: The Foxhole Court

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic follows the story of Neil Josten who becomes a member of Palmetto State University's (PSU Foxes) Exy team. His upbringing has been far from simple as he is the son of the murderous crime lord known as 'The Butcher'. After being on the run for the majority of his life, he's used to moving from place to place on short notice. However, joining PSU's Exy team takes him down an unsure path and one that lacks escape routes. Neil knew the risks of joining PSU Foxes but initially had no choice but to accept the offer. This Exy team is often a part of live broadcasts meaning hiding from the sports news channels was an impossibility. Unfortunately, this leaves Neil at a disadvantage as he could easily be tracked down by the his father and killed if he were to discover it was him. The lies he tells others can only withstand the strain of time and his other team members for so long, before his truths can be discovered he plans to move onto his next destination. One of the members of the Exy team happens to be an old friend and he can't leave him behind again. Neil has to come to the decision on whether or not this Exy Team is worth risking his life for. After 8 years he's finally found a place where he feels he belongs: should he stay or should he go?

That's the general synopsis of the book and even writing that got me excited. Honestly, this book is incredible and I completely understand why people rave about it. Every character in this book has a story to tell, and each one is as brutal and horrific as the last. The best thing about this book is that it leaves no story untold. You find out about each of the character's backstories and why they became a member of the Foxes exy team. The truth is that each character has come from a miserable background and the coach, David Wymack, picks each member based on their brokenness. Exy is basically a rougher version of Lacrosse and there's no saying what injuries could be made while out on the court. They all live and breathe the sport.

In saying all this I must explicitly warn you all of the books triggers. There is a lot of violence, drugs and mental health issues are frequently mentioned. At times, they can be graphically explained so I'd suggest avoiding this book if those topics are not something you'd want to read about. The book itself isn't completely realistic, either. Of course it's not, it's a fictional novel and there's a lot of times when you could be left thinking, "That really wouldn't happen". So if you're super-duper into realism then this book won't be for you. In fact, you'd be better off reading a non-fiction piece if that's what you're after.

Honestly, I adored this book. There wasn't a time when I lost interest in it as there's so many plot twists it's hard not to want to find out what happens next. It's easy to become invested in the character's well-beings as parts of their struggles can be related to. Exy is easily understandable as Sakavic has done an amazing job of describing exactly how it's played. It's a shame it's not a real sport. I guess health and safety would be against it ever being played, and we don't want to upset them! God forbid!

I'd recommend this book to anybody. It's so beautifully written, even with the minor grammatical mistakes here and there. This book can be bought on Amazon - Paperback edition is £7, but it's mainly an e-book and it's free! Seriously, a book this good deserves all the love a reader can give. Don't pass on the opportunity to read it, you won't regret it!

Until next time,

Luce xo