Great Goth Gift Guide~ Unisex Gifts

Do you have a friend or relative with an appreciation for the darker things? If your not clued up finding that perfect Christmas gift can be a total nightmare. So here i give some ideas and tips on finding the perfect gift for your alternative familiar. This will be my final blog post for the Great Goth Gift Guide due to Christmas approaching far to quickly, there are just not enough hours in the day to get everything ready. As the other two posts have been mainly targeted towards women i thought i would make this more of a non gender specific guide. This is a really tricky one for me, i live in a small village so goth guys are pretty much non existent but i will do my best.

1. Books~ Doesn't everyone love to get their teeth into a good book, 50 shades of gray is a big hit but we are more interested in 50 shades of blood and gore. This isn't true of everyone though, romantic tragedy's or classic novels are also favoured. Barnes and Noble have a collection of beautiful leather bound books perfect for your literacy lover. I own a copy of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and it is one of my favourites, every detail from the cover to the artwork is perfection making a beautiful addition to any book collection. I would recommend Dracula, Frankenstein, The Edgar Allan Poe Collection or Wuthering Heights for a great gift. Most of these books are available on Amazon but i have also seen some of them in Waterstones.

2. Candles~ They are relaxing, smell great and create a romantic eerie atmosphere, in the short if you don't like candles you probably have no soul. My all time favourite candles are black and opium scented, they are elegant, mysterious and make inexpensive gifts. Another sought after brand is the weeping rose candle, these are black and have a red wax center which drips like blood down the candle. I have found both of these on Ebay and amazon for low prices. For something a little more mysterious why not pick up a skull shaped candle, these are a little more expensive but look beautiful. Gothic candle holders paired with black tea lights or tapered candles would make a perfect gift.

3. Music~ O.K so buying music for Goths is a tricky business, there's a wide range of music listened to in the gothic subculture. Some like metal, while others are more inclined to classical or other genres, unless you know your recipients taste its best not to buy anything too specific.When looking for music i use a website called getmetal, they have a big list of new album releases including Gothic metal. If you still have no idea what to buy Itunes has an extensive library of all genre's of music. I personally prefer to use Spotify, a music streaming subscription which i can use on my PC and iPhone. By using spotify i can listen to any song without purchasing it individually. This would be more suited to someone who spends a lot of time online or has a smart phone. Itunes and Spotify gift cards are both attainable in most supermarket but you can also buy e-cards online.

4. Goth Boots~ Goth boots are one of our big fashion staple pieces, they go with jeans they go with dresses we love them! Before you go browsing for some bad ass boots you need to know that while they are built to last they don't come cheap so if your looking to save the pennies buy something else. Popular brands are New Rock and Demonia, i have owned both brands and would say from experience that New Rocks last longer but Demonia are better looking.

Luna's Top Tip: Is your Goth friend vegetarian?, they might appreciate some animal friendly boots from Madfish. Keep hold of your receipt just in case the fit isn't quite right

5. Food~ Everyone loves to eat, and you don't necessarily need to find some kind of goth foods, although Halloween sweets will probably go down well. What kind of foods does your recipient like? I am a big foodie and love to cook, one of my favourite gift ideas is food subscription services. These are boxes of food that are sent out weekly or monthly depending on the subscription. Some of my favourites are the cake club which sends you a delicious slice of cake a month and the curry club, a box of fresh spices that comes with a curry recipe card. If your friend isn't the cooking type perhaps you could get them a gift certificate to there favourite restaurant.

6. Jewellery~ There's plenty of unisex Gothic jewellery out there, Alchemy Gothic is the first brand that springs to mind. They sell a gorgeous collection of both masculine, feminine and unisex pieces featuring dragons, fairies, skulls and other characters. A wide range of pieces are available for any budget, perhaps a belt buckle for your goth guy or a nice pendant if that's more his thing. Alchemy Gothic also have some gorgeous rings for someone special

Luna's Top Tip: If buying rings always find out the recipients size, guessing is never going to work!

I hope my little guide has helped you with your tricky Christmas recipients, Once again i want to thank all of you for reading my ramblings. My next post may be after Christmas so i take this time to wish you all a happy holiday (full of doom and gloom of course), See you in the New Year

Luna X

Image links books:http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/8f/6d/c7/8f6dc7e083f2fbe59866621529c43990.jpg candle:http://www.mensfashionmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/memento-mori-wax-skull-candle.jpg bass:http://stylefavor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Bass-Guitar-Wallpaper.jpg
boots:http://www.sinistersoles.com/v/vspfiles/templates/Sinister3/images/Right-2.gif bracelet: http://blackriverrock.co.uk/store/images/brr/alchemygothic/bracelets/A78.jpg food: http://gothiccakes.daenerys.co.uk/files/2012/04/Black-rose-cupcakes.jpg

December Haul!

Here's a haul video of some things i picked up on a recent shopping trip in Cardiff. It also features a few gifts that i have picked for friends. Enjoy Luna x

Great Goth Gift Giving Guide~ Fragrance

Do you have a friend or relative who with an appreciation for the darker things? If your not clued up finding that perfect Christmas gift can be a total nightmare. So here i give some ideas and tips on finding the perfect gift for your alternative familiar. Girl's love to smell nice FACT! So why not give your friend the gift of fragrance this Christmas. You should bare in mind that top selling celebrity fragrances are probably not going to impress. Before purchasing a fragrance you need to know if your giftee likes floral, fruity or spicy scents. Age is also an important factor when buying a perfume for someone, overly sweet fragrances are more suited to teenagers while delicate florals are for the mature woman. Here are my top 5 fragrances, these are more suited to those aged between 20-40.

*Luna's Top Tips
1. Always check the prices of fragrance gift sets, they are often cheaper than the bottle of perfume alone.
2. Some stores offer free gifts with perfume purchases so it's worth shopping around
3. Debenhams have a variety of "try now fragrance guarantee" fragrances which come with a sample of the perfume, these are ideal as a gift if you are unsure of your Goth's fragrance preference.

Top Notes
Middle/Heart Notes
Base Notes

1. Paco Robanne~ Black XS

This is definitely a perfect perfume for a metal chick, the kind of girl who rocks out all night in the mosh pits and doesn't get home until the early hours of the morning. This is one of my all time favourites, it is a floral scent with a hint of earthy fruitiness. It has a real confident sexiness about it which makes it perfect for evening wear but the sweetness would make it a good gift for an older teenager. The bottle is eye catching and has that alternative look about it, i once purchased this in Debenhams and i got a gorgeous black skull candle as a free gift.

RRP: 30ml £25, 50ml £32, 80ml £45

Perfume Notes: Cranberry, Pink Pepper and Tamarind, Rose, Cocoa and Black Violet, Vanilla, Patchouli and Mossoia Wood

2. Calvin Klein~ Euphoria

I absolutely adore this fragrance, my mum wore it a lot when i was a teenager (i used to sneakily put it on because i couldn't afford my own). It really is a timeless sensual evening essence that seems to work for women of all ages, the only way to accurately describe it's scent is euphoric (sorry for the pun). The bottle isn't particularly eye catching or unusual but i am yet to find someone who doesn't fall in love with its woody oriental contents.

RRP: 30ml £30, 50ml £38, 100ml £65

Perfume Notes: Pomegranate and Persimmon, Lotus blossom, Champaca Flower and Black Orchid, Liquid Amber, Black Violet and Mahogany Wood

3. The Perfume Shop~Vivabox 

The Vivabox by The Perfume Shop is the perfect fragrance gift if you have no idea what kind of scent your alternative friend looks for. Vivabox contains a variety of seven popular fragrance samples which are changed slightly each season. The great thing about this gift is that it contains a voucher for a full sized bottle of perfume so you can try each one and choose your favourite. These boxes are available for both men and women. The women's box currently contains; Jimmy Choo~Flash, Carolina Herrera 212 VIP, Lacoste~Touch of Pink, Boss~ Orange, Ghost, Paco Robanne~Black XS and Paco Robanne~Lady Million

RRP £37.99 at The Perfume Shop

4. Guerlain La Petite Robe Noir

Another one of my favourite scents, this one i would say is targeted more at the under 30's as it is a sweet, fruity floral (at least on my skin). I would describe this scent as chic, and seductive but definitely youthful. One of the notes that can be easily detected it the black cherry, it gives a fruity sweetness with sensual and mysterious notes of licorice and black tea. The bottle is a beautiful light pink faded into a mysterious inky black. I would recommend this fragrance to fashion conscious 20 somethings. 

RRP: 30ml £35, 50ml £59

Fragrance Notes: Black Cherry, Almond and Red Berries, Rose Licorice, Smokey Black Tea

5. Giorgio Armani Code

This little beauty would be ideal for the girl who takes a lot of pride in her appearance, think glam goth or Morticia Addams. I have the tiniest amount of Armani Code left in the bottle but i just can't bring myself to use it, the bottle is too beautiful to throw out. Armani describe it as spellbinding and elegant, i have to agree, it has an air of mystery about it, the colours remind me of the night, . This fragrance is an oriental floral (not the yucky granny kind), very delicate and sensual so it would be perfect for anyone 20+. I really have never smelt anything similar to this, it's the most elegant fragrance i have ever smelt and i am in love with it.

RRP 30ml £35, 50ml £45, 75ml £65

Fragrance Notes: Jasmine and Orange, Orange Blossom, Honey and Vanilla

Great Goth Gift Giving Guide~ Cosmetics

Do you have a friend or relative who with an appreciation for the darker things? If your not clued up finding that perfect Christmas gift can be a total nightmare. So here i give some ideas and tips on finding the perfect gift for your alternative familiar. Goth's are usually very creative, this doesn't mean that we are all artistically talented but is reflected in little things like the way that we dress or do our makeup. Today i will be focusing on Cosmetics. Before you go spending mad it's important to take notice of what your recipient is going to like. Do they wear dark or bright colours, are they really going to wear that blue lipstick and are they more interested in quality or quantity. Makeup is a great gift for your gothic girl, or guy, here are 5 of my favourite alternative cosmetic brands.

1. Sugarpill~ Sugarpill are a californian cruelty free cosmetics company founded by punk fashion designer Shrinkle. Shrinkle has created a line of highly pigmented brightly coloured pressed and powdered eye shadows that really are to die for. The packaging is embellished with graffiti symbols and bright colours, reflecting the alternative nature of the product. These aren't always easy to get hold of in the uk and can be a little pricey but if you can get it your on to a winner, especially if staying power is important to them. If your girl likes a shimmery goth eye i would recommend the cold chemistry palette which features four stunning shimmering shades. The pallet costs around £25.00 and can be found on cocktailcosmetics

2.Illamasqua~ These guys seriously know there stuff when it comes to making cosmetics so any illamasqua product would be perfect for a real makeup obsessive like myself. They have the most incredible nail varnish formula, highly pigmented chip resistant in shimmers and sparkles. At £14.50 a polish these are seriously pricey but are sure to impress a girl who is more interested in high quality makeup. They sell just about every makeup item you could possibly need, one of my favourite products is the Intense lip gloss. Intense lip gloss is a highly pigmented lip product that comes in unusual shades of black, purple and even silver. For a more luxurious present why not give the gift of makeup brushes, good quality brushes really do make all the difference and beauty obsessives will really appreciate this. Illamasqua also support the Sophie Lancaster foundation and sell wristbands raising awareness of prejudice and discrimination of alternative subcultures. All Illamasqua products are cruelty free including their cosmetics brushes which are cruelty free.

3. Barry M~ Needing some small last minute gifts? Budget cosmetics brand Barry M are really easy to get hold of, being available in the high street chain
Superdrug. They make over 100 different nail varnishes from plain blacks to textured and magnetic ones. These are available from as little as £2.99 but there are often various offers in store. These products are all very good quality and long lasting considering the price. I would also recommend gifting some of Barry M's dazzle dust, these are small pots of glitter and matte powdered eye shadows that come in just about every colour you could imagine. These also make really great stocking fillers. Barry M are another British cruelty free makeup company.





4. Stargazer~ These guys are pretty much the company that got me into makeup as a teenager, if you go into any alternative/ goth shop i guarantee you will find some. Stargazer like Barry M make brightly coloured low cost makeup, my favourite things as a teenager were the mascaras and eyeliners (i still have a red mascara in my collection). These would make a really good gift for teenagers or anyone just getting into makeup, they also make cheap stocking fillers. A product i use everyday is the Stargazer cake eyeliner, this is a pressed liner which creates a liquid liner once water is added. I love this product but it does take some practice with a good quality liner brush. I would suggest gifting the black but there are other colours to choose from, the violet is a lovely shade. Stargazer's pressed white face powder is another favourite of goths who prefer paler skin. Most of the products cost under £4.00 and are not tested on animals, however some of the cosmetics may contain products derived from animals.



5. Topshop~ Ok so this isn't really the first company that springs to mind when i think dark and mysterious but you would be surprised, Topshop has a dark side too. I recently splurged on a couple of products, the first being the nebula eyeshadow trio (£12.00). The packaging is black and rubbery and its contents are incredible, black, silver and gold shimmery shadows that are such great quality and perfect for that person in a hurry to get places. Topshop have a new collection of products collectively known as The Damned that would make great alternative gifts. One of the more interesting products they have is velvet lips (available for £10.00) which is a highly pigmented matte cream available in red, purple and black. Topshop also have a good selection of nail varnishes in desirable shades and finishes. My top 5 shades are; Cloak and Dagger, Plume, Blitz, Velvet Underground and Daredevil, all available for £6.00

Topshop Mini Makeup Haul/Review

Hello my lovely viewers, today i'm giving you my thoughts and feelings on a couple of item's from Topshop's makeup range. I am a total Topshop makeup virgin so i figured it was time for me to give in to temptation and pick up a few goodies.

The first thing that caught my eye was this gorgeous eye shadow compact in the shade Nebula. I wear a combination of blacks and silvers as part of my every day look and have been after a small compact to pop in my handbag, the packaging is pretty unusual, the compact itself has a rubbery feel which i really love. Nebula contains a beautiful trio of shimmery black, smokey grey and a cool gold shade. After testing this out i can say i am seriously impressed, even after hearing good reviews i am still surprised at just how good this is. I have tried every black eye shadow under the sun and most of them don't meet my standards, this one is actually black, not some dark grey or deep brown, but a deep dark BLACK! The silver is actually much darker and more pigmented than i expected so it blends perfectly with the black but still has enough shimmer to lighten the inner corners of your eyes. I used black on my eyelids and the gold to highlight my brow bones. Nebula set me back £12 and was worth every penny and more.

Topshop have the most gorgeous array of nail polishes i have seen in a long time, Barry M comes a close second. I seriously had to restrain myself and bought just two of them (i will be back for more of course). The first one i picked was Plume, this gorgeous purple, blue shimmery beauty. I tried it on my nails and found that its more of a tinted glitter polish than a strong solid colour unless you really layer it up. I wore it as a top coat over the my favourite Barry M nail polish (Vivid Purple) and the combination of the two are stunning, and definitely eye catching. Plume is available for £6 online and in store

I also picked up Gypsy Night because it's made up of my two favourite things; the colour black and glamorous sparkles. This polish is perfectly named it really is like looking at the night sky, unlike Plume i found i needed less coats of this to get a beautiful solid colour. I also applied it over a tarnished gold polish and it looked even better. The drying times of these polishes are about average but on the plus side they are far less gloopy and tacky than other high street varnishes. Gypsy Night also costs £6

Finally i picked up a lipgloss in the shade Surf Luxe, I never wear lip gloss especially not this time of year (sticky hair lips is never a good look) but it was free when you spent £15 on cosmetics. There were a good range of shades but i stuck to a fairly neutral tone (how dull of me). The product has no scent or flavour which is a little disappointing but the formulation feels nice on the lip, not sticky at all. I can't say i would recommend this product but that's more to do with personal preference. I would choose a tinted balm or lipstick over gloss any day, although i wouldn't mind trying the purple one. This gloss and other shades are available for £4 

I have to say i am really happy with the makeup that i got, i would 100% recommend purchasing the compacts because the pigmentation really is fab. I love the polishes too but i would suggest pairing the shimmer and glitter shades with some of the block colours in their range. I will be re-visiting Topshop to splurge on some more varnishes and possibly some other bits.

(Nebula Smokey eye)

                                                As always thanks for reading my ramblings,
                                                                           Luna x

Myleene Klass Nails

I finally have enough time off work to review some nail products (10 days, lucky me). The last time I had a week off I tested out a pack of Sleek nail stickers and I LOVED! them. The only downside was the price, £10 was a little costly for me. This time I have picked up these Myleene Klass Nails at the bargain price of £2.99. These come in a small range of basic designs, I chose the black and white polka dot wraps. In case you didn't know nail wraps are long slightly rubbery stickers that are smoothed over the nails. the ends are then filed off (most packs have a small nail file) and shaped to fit the nail. So i have to say considering the price i was pretty pleased with these. The only noticeable difference between these and the Sleek sticks are the texture, the Sleeks are a little more rubbery which makes them slightly easier to apply. They both took me about the same time to apply and have a good overall appearance. The Myleene nails look slightly rugged at the edges after application but it's hardly noticeable. After one day a sticker came off, the other ones stayed put for the next five days. So overall these are a total bargain especially if you are looking for some simple nail designs for a weekend or few days. If you plan on getting some long lasting wraps i would recommend using a topcoat or purchasing the sleek sticks instead.

Outfit of the Week #2

As promised i bring you my second outfit of the week. This was Tuesday's outfit, today is miserable and rainy so today's outfit is a little un-inspiring. Unfortunately i had no-one around to take a photograph for me. I attempted one with my camera but the battery died and i lost my patience. Here's a badly taken photo of my outfit (excuse the messy room, smudgy mirror and skull sticker). Tuesday was a gorgeous day as you can see, so i popped on my wellies and spent my morning picking berries in preparation for making sloe gin.

"Leather" Jacket £29.99~ H&M
Cheeter Skater Dress £12~ H&M, yes i love this place
Plain Black Tights ?~ I'm sure everyone has a pair in their wardrobe
Skull Wellies ?~ These were a valentines gift, i'm not sure where they were from but im sure you can find a pair on the mecca that is Ebay

October's Glossybox Unboxing Video

This month's theme is dark romance, everyone seems to have received a bad box this month. Perhaps the theme should have been rotten romance instead.

Outfit of the week

Hey guys, i know it's been a long time again (i won't make any excuses i'v just been rubbish lately). I thought i would start showing you some of my favourite things to wear when i'm out and about. I know a lot of bloggers do an outfit of the day but...

1. I don't own nearly enough clothes to wear something different each day 

2. Most day's i am in some kind of motorbike gear getting me from place to place (really not as sexy as they show you in the movies, most guys think about catwoman in leathers but most women wearing bike gear are going to look like an american football player). 

3. Let's be honest i hardly manage to do one post a week so there's no way in hell i would be able to make one everyday.

So i give you my outfit of the week! Today is a Friday so i ventured out to Haverfordwest with Mikey looking for halloween decorations and a couple of costume bits. 99p stores and £1 shops have some really great bits come October so do check them out. Also if any of you happen to be in the south Pembrokeshire area (pretty unlikely i'm sure) go and visit the shakey shack. They do the best milkshakes and smoothies, they make any kind of sweet or chocolate shakes but my personal favourite is mango and pineapple.

"Leather" Jacket £29.99~ I bought this last week in H&M for the bargain price of £29.99. It is a great staple peice which can be dress up with a lace skater dress and some alternative jewellery.
Bat Handbag £87~ Holdfast Handbags.com,i bought this bag as a christmas present to myself a couple of years ago. Miss Randi handmakes each bag so they can be customised, so of course i chose batty fabric.
Tutu style skirt ?~ I think i bought this for about £30 from a shop in camden lock (London), Ebay's always a good shout for a tutu though
Bandage Leggings £2~ Ebay, seriously Ebay is my love
Boots £180~ New Rock 272-S1, i have had these 6 years and wear them most days, i currently own two pairs so trust me when i say they are seriously worth the investment.

I hope you enjoyed a little glimpse at my personal style, i know it's not to everyone's taste but it suits me just fine.

Speak again next week (unless i forget or just generally become useless again)

Luna x

Gothic Beauties

Its no secret that i may have a small addiction to nail polish, which can't be blamed when they come in stunning deep dark shade like these three beauties. These are just three shades of the Gothic Beauties collection available from A-England. The British based company created by talented designer Adina Bodana offers colours inspired by fantasy, myths and novels of an era almost forgotten. Each gothic shade bares the name of a conflicted character taken from some of the greatest literary pieces written. The Gothic Beauties collection is perfect for gothic beauties (as its names suggests) or those who fancy dabbling in something a little dark and mysterious. 

These are three of my personal favorites from the collection; Tess D'urbervilles, Ophelia and Lady of Shalott
Other shades and collections are available for £9 a bottle at a-england.co.uk

Beauteco Box August

Sorry it's been so long since i have made a post, just when i thought things were looking up they got a whole lot more crazy. Here's the august beauteco box for you all. I'm thinking my next video will be Beauty boxes, the best and the worst products.  Speak soon Luna x

July Glossybox~ Seaside Splash

Hello little bats i'm back! Due to my clumsiness i won't be uploading any videos for quite some time, my poor little orange camera has passed away, although 6 years is a pretty good age. Good video camera's anyone? Here is July's Glossybox in its beachy seaside loveliness, perfect for this beautiful weather we have. This months box had six little lovelies in it

Essie~Sleek Sticks

I'v wanted to try nails stickers for sooooo long, but i never get enough time off work to really give them a fair test. I wasn't crazy about this design but once it was on i have to say they look pretty good. The stickers are easy to apply and position, i also found that one sticker was enough to cover two of the smaller nails on my hands. The stickers have been on for 3 days now, i have been rock climbing and beach swimming and they still look perfect (see picture above). I give these a 5/5 and i will be re-purchasing when i have my next week off work. 

Sleek Pout Paint in 162 Milkshake

I am in love with this pout paint, it is uber pigmented and comes in some unusual colours (perfect for me). The only down side is the staying power, my lips looked great until i had dinner and they were nude again. I would definitely advise using lipcote over this product or rimmel apocalips in celestial as an alternative. I had to mark this one down because of the staying power, wasn't mad on the colour either but i'm sure most people would like it. This product costs £4.99 for an 8ml tube.

Bamboo Style~ Boho Waves

I love the idea of this product, GOODBYE STRAIGHT BORING HAIR! HELLO BEAUTIFUL BEACH WAVES! So i gave this stuff a try, it smells pleasant and isn't sticky or greasy. Downside is i had to use half of the bottle to get any effect. My hair looked like i stole it from a bikini wearing surfer girl LOVE!!! But this stuff is expensive, i think i will bottle some sea water next time i go to the beach and save myself £23 (for 125ml). 

Anatomicals~ Spray Misty For Me

I'v had a load of anatomicals products from beauty boxes before and LOVE everything i have tried, so i was really looking forward to this spray. This product is intended to cool the face during hot weather. So this product... it cooled my face just as much as a lukewarm bottle of water, smelt kinda nice but not £6 nice. Kind of pointless if you ask me and definitely questionable as a "beauty" product. I would recommend filling a spray bottle with water and a little essential oil to give it a lovely scent.  Or as a top tip, buy some toner keep it in the fridge and tada! beautiful cool skin instantly. 

Coola Mineral Face SPF20

Sun cream in seaside beauty box was pretty predictable, but at the same time i guess its pretty useful. This product is natural and cruelty free which is AWESOME. But it only has an SPF of 20 which is just not strong enough for my skin, especially my face which burns first. This product also costs a whopping £29.99 for 50ml which is extortionate. As an alternative i would recommend the sunsense tinted SPF50.

Sleek Pout Paint~ Peek-a-Bloo

Yeah this stuff is BLUE! I put it on thinking who the hell puts blue lip stain in a beauty box (unless its halloween, then i'm all for that). I think it looks pretty cool (no pun intended), matches my hair too! After reading the info sheet i found out that it is a colour for mixing. Then i applied my favourite red lipstick over the blue tint and it made the most amazing purple with dark edges (true colour wont show up). I'v never worn a purple toned lipstick but it is my new fave! Pout paint is available at £4.99 a tube.

                         Peek a Bloo and Miners Lipstick in Scarlet                                                         Peek a Bloo

All of these lovely products came to a total cost of £34.78 which is good value as always. My top products this month are the Essie sleek sticks BIG RECOMMEND! and the Sleek pout paints. Thank you all again for reading my little blog, it feels good to be back.

v-v Luna x

Changes

I have been pretty absent for a while, shame on me! Since getting back from Download life has been one big emotional roller coaster of change, things seem to get a little crazy when i leave the county apparently. I am going to try my best to get back into blogging but if things get mad understandably I'm not going to be posting as often. Haul video's are going to be pretty few and far between due to financial shortenings (damn you useless motorbike!) but hopefully i will be heading up to London in a couple of months so maybe I'll do some filming and a haul of some sort. One change i will be making is my alter ego, i feel like i have outgrown Rottentouch and i will now be going by Luna, its just something that feels right. RIP Rottentouch and RIP little black motorbike

                           

Thank you all again for reading my oddities and ramblings

Luna x

Beauteco Box June

My second Beauteco box arrived in the post today, keep your eyes
peeled for a full review post. Vampire kisses v-v Rottentouch x

Beauteco Box May

Hello little bats, today's blog post is all about the new and exciting Beauteco box. Oh yawn not another beauty box i here you say, scrap that thought!. Unlike other beauty boxes this one allows you to pick a group of products from a choice of three different boxes (that means no more unwanted fragrance samples). Like other boxes it contains 5 products and costs £10 with p+p.

Mitchell and Peach~ English Growers Body Cream
I was excited to get this in my box as i have been wanting to try it for a long time but didn't want to fork out £36 for a full sized bottle. It is scented with a beautiful sweet lavender which is grown in the UK on a fifth generation farm. It left my skin feeling smooth, soft an smelling beautiful (not an overpowering lavender smell). This is the 50ml sample size, the fullsized product retails at £36

Anatomicals~ Grapefruit Body Scrub

I recently had this product in a Glossybox (smaller sized) and i loved it. The scrub is perfect for sensitive skin as the scrub isn't too rough or scratchy. It has a sweet fruity smell which lingers on the skin long after leaving the shower. This is the full sized scrub which is available for just £3.49

Anatomicals~ Hand Cream

Also in the box was another anatomicals products, i haven't tried this before but was looking forward to it. The scent is very subtle with a slight hint of something lemony (couldn't find lemon in the ingredients). It also contains vitamin E, Shea butter and sweet almond oil which left my hands feeling super soft. This product retails at £3 for a 100ml tube which is a total bargain if you ask me. 

Moa Balm
At first i wasn't sure what a "healing" balm should be used for, it sounds like tiger balm or something you would to sooth muscle aches. But it is actually a facial cleansing balm which is used to target blackheads wrinkles and even skin tone. This is the most perfect item that i could have received in a box. Currently the skin on my face scars after i get any spots or blemishes, after using this product my skin felt clean an some of the darker marks on my face had been reduced. A fullsize moa balm will set you back just £9.99 but you can also get mini balms for £4.99

Melvita~ Ultra Nourishing Cream

Ok so its pretty obvious i went for the box full of moisturizers and cream but i really do need to find something that works for my skin. This cream absorbs into the skin very quickly and gives quick results of smooth skin. The smell is rather unexpected, the packaging made me think it would smell of apricots or peaches but it actually smells of smarties (yes the sweets). This is a good product but i would rate other moisturisers above this one. A 200ml melvita cream costs £15

                                     

Due to some complications with the website my box was late being sent out, i received this in my box as a complimentary product . Beauteco have brilliant customer service and they actually realised there had been a problem before i did. I received an e-mail apologizing for the issues with the website an all of my details were put through manually, leaving me a very happy bunny. Onto the product....

Dr Bragi~ Age Management Moisturiser

This was a product available in some of the other boxes, the fullsized product is very expensive (£120!!) which is why i did not originally select it. I have tried the product before when it was featured in another beauty box and i can say it is a good product. The moisturiser is more of a gel than a cream and sinks into the skin quickly leaving good results. I have marked it down one point because of the price, i simply don't think it is worth £120.

Overall i can say that i have had a great experience with Beauteco an will be sticking with them next month for sure. It would be nice to see some cosmetics featured in future boxes but the quality of the products this month more than make up for this. The worth of my box (box 2) is £31.10. I hope you guys are interested in this new concept of a better beauty box. You can get one for yourself HERE

Thanks for reading, i leave you with a picture review of Olliecat's thoughts on the Beauteco box.

Vampire Bites v-v 

    Rottentouch x

15% off Mitchell an Peach BE1
20% off Moa Balm BBOX20
20% off Dr Bragi BBOX 20
15% Off Melvita MBEAUTECO15

May Beauteco box

Hi little bats, here's an unboxing video for you all. This is for the new
beauteco box, hope you enjoy. Vampire Bites v-v Rottentouch

May Haul

Hi little bats, here's my may monthly haul, this is a short and sweet one so

you won't need to grab a drink =)

                       

If looks could kill

Do looks really do mean everything or can they be deceiving. When you see something beautiful it's often hard to resist, especially if like me you have a serious fetish for unique looking items. I love unusual cosmetics, they look so much better on a dressing table than boring plain jars and and plastic containers. Here are 10 of my favourite pieces from light to dark, if looks could kill these little beauties would be deadly. 

My first little beauty is the Dita Von Teese Golden Vintage Blush by the company Art Deco. I am fortunate to own one of these gorgeous blush palettes which seems impossible to get hold of anymore. Anything with Dita's name on it is sure to have an air of classic beauty about it and this is no exception, its hard not to love the matching feather detailing on the compact and blush. The compact retails at £25 if your lucky enough to find one for yourself.

Next is a Pearl Face Primer by Paul and Joe that looks like it belongs in a sweet shop, yes a primer can look this damn yummy. The primer itself looks glittery and bright on application but blends to give a lovely subtle shimmered base. This product retails for £22 and is currently available from asos.com. This is a limited edition so if you love it go get it.

 Continuing with the pastel themes here's the ever popular Guerlain Meteorites Pearls. These pearls are available in a huge variety of shades, some for highlighting and contouring, others for use as face powder and the darker pearls for bronzing. The beautiful pastel colours conjure up images of mermaids, fairies and rainbow unicorns (well in my odd little head). These pearls retail at £30~£40

 Did someone say unicorns? Lime Crime have the magical cutesy packaging thing perfected, and what makes their products even more desirable is the array of beautiful colours available. Fancy something different? there's a green glitter lipstick perfect for a wicked witch wannabee (excuse the alliteration) and a serene mermaid blue. The carousel glitter glosses cost £11.50

 Now for something a little darker, that's what your here for right? Concrete Minerals have created a collection of highly pigmented, scratch that UBER HIGHLY PIGMENTED mineral shadows in an awesome zombie girl tin. The shadow colours include wonderfully hideous shades such as blood and guts, quarantine and living dead, although nightmare is a personal favourite of mine. This tin is now available in the UK (blood and guts for everyone!) for £23.99 from dracinabox.com

 Here's another awesome product by concrete minerals. The Sugar Skull Collection contains an array of beautiful bright colours in celebration of dia de muertos, that's the Mexican day of the dead to you and me. The sugar skull collection is available at cutecosmetics.co.uk for £25

 If you want your dressing table to look like a magical apothecary you can't go wrong with these unique nail polishes by Megan Miller. As well as looking like a cool potion bottle it is also environmentally friendly, not tested on animals and free of formaldehyde, DBP and toluene. These are available in a range of colours from a pearly white to  a gorgeous deep purple. These can be found at cutecosmetics.co.uk and retail for £8.95 each

 I love the idea of making your makeup collection a little more personal, a great way to do this is by using magnetic palettes. There are now an increasing number of companies using magnetic cosmetic pans (if yours aren't magnetic you can always cheat and glue them to the palette). My favourite palettes come from the seller Anothersoul on Etsy. They sell unique pieces and have quirky gothic designs (especially around Halloween). These palettes are available from £10 varying in size.

 Next up is a product i have been dying to get my hands on but as of yet I've had no luck. This is the gorgeous lipstick by YBF. The lipsticks come in stunning pewter cases and a choice of four colours. I have been looking for a lipstick case to hold my favourite colour (which happens to be really cheap and comes in a useless plastic applicator). These cost around £18 from ybfbeauty.com however they do not ship to the UK, so keep an eye on eBay if you want one of these lovelies. 

Finally i show you this incredible nail polish by a sister company of hot topic; black heart beauty. They have created skull shaped nail polishes in an incredible range of mixed colours. The polishes come in the most unusual UV, glow in the dark and glitter colours. These are unfortunately only available to residents of America and Canada (very sad face) and retail at a bargain £3.29

So there it is my top 10 unique beauty products, i hope i have provided you with some unique alternatives to boring makeup packaging.

Speak soon, Rottentouch x

Image 1: http://media.artdeco.eu/fileadmin/products/make-up/DitaVonTeese/2756554-GVblusher/2756554.jpg

Image 2: http://www.chicprofile.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Guerlain-Meteorites-Perles-Teint-Rose.jpg

Image 3: http://www.realbeauty.com/cm/realbeauty/images/5R/rby-paul-joe-pearl-primer-lgn.jpg

Image 4: http://i.beautylish.co/TZ08bnVM2AsUOe93oV3I9AH0Apo/bb_p-e5/lime-crime-makeup-carousel-gloss-present.jpg

Image 5: http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0192/7828/products/Concrete-Minerals_Zombie-Girl-NEW_large.jpg?1916

Image 6: http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0192/7828/products/Concrete-Minerals_Sugar-Skull-AD_large.jpg?1910

Image 7: http://www.cutecosmetics.co.uk/index.asp?function=PRODUCTIMAGEWINDOW&closedelay=20000&SRC=http://www.cutecosmetics.co.uk/ekmps/shops/cutecosmetics/images/megan-miller-3-free-nail-polish-velvet-lounge-2016-p[ekm]300x300[ekm].jpg

Image 8: http://img2.etsystatic.com/002/0/6213826/il_fullxfull.397768082_5wx9.jpg
Image 9: http://www.ybfbeauty.com/images/products/royalty-lipsticks-big.jpg
Image 10: http://img.hottopic.com/is/image/HotTopic/896641_hi?$bh_product$

Glossybox May 2013

Hello my little bats, here's the unboxing video for May's Glossybox.

                               Also featuring a very cute Olliecat.

May's Glossybox~ The Birthday Edition

Hello my little bats today i bring you another Glossybox review, the May Glossybox to be more specific. Also it is Glossybox's 2nd birthday. It feels like beauty boxes are still a new concept so its pretty mad when i realize how long i have been a subscriber. This months box came filled with a beautiful birthday themed paper and some lovely happy orange padding.

1. Jelly Pong Pong~ Fairy Lash Mascara

I was really excited to see this product in the box, i love jelly pong pong products and they are cruelty free which I'm all about. The name is appealing to me having gone through a phase in my teen years of dressing as a fairy to explore woodlands with a friend. After using the product i have to say i wasn't too impressed (sorry jelly). A single coat of mascara looks good but nothing special and a second coat is hideous. The texture is the weirdest thing about it, it literally turns to a rubbery glue which can be stretched and pulled of the lashes.... seriously i did this for about 5 minutes whilst weirding out. This is a full sized product which retails for £15

2. Roger and Gallet~ Fleur De Figuier
 I love love love these products! I am new to Roger and Gallet but i can see them becoming a new favourite of mine. This is a really good sized and interesting sample trio of a gentle shower cream, body lotion and fragrance water. I have used up the fragrance water already because it smells divine, it has a beautiful fruity scent (mostly grapefruit and fig). The shower cream and moisturizer both feel creamy and nourishing, they leave a beautiful subtle scent on the skin as well.  I will 100% be buying the fragrance which can currently only be bought from Marks and Spencers.
The fragrance water retails at £32 for 100ml, Body Lotion at £12.50 for 200ml and the Shower Cream at £9.50 for 200ml

3. Primae~ Harmony Balm
I have to say this was the least exciting product in the box this month, however that is mostly due to the boring packaging. Put some bats and cobwebs on the container and i would probably be all over it. The product is a moisture balm with aloe vera butter, which means it is super soothing and nourishing on the skin. But still not very exciting. A fullsized 30ml jar costs £26.50 

4. Headline Colour~ Catwalk
I have used this brand before when they were trading under the name killer colours and i am again pleased with their offerings. It only took a single coat of polish to get a good solid even colour and has lasted well without chipping. The colour is a coral red which I'm not super keen on as I'm usually drawn to a darker coloured nail. This is a full sized polish which retails at £9

5. Beautiful Movements~ Prime and Create Mixing Medium
I had never heard of this brand before which is created by a former pussycat doll, i have had some pretty poor experiences with celebrity make up brands but this one i am impressed with. I've been loving multi purpose products lately and this one really does a lot well. It functions as a primer and a mixing medium to be used with mineral shadows, powder blushers, bronzers and foundations. I have used it as a primer and a mixer with mineral shadow and it is really impressive. The full sized version of this product costs £20 for 20g

Freebee~ Mini Glossybox Nail files
Some of you may not receive this in your may Glossybox as it is a free gift included for subscribers of a year or over. What's not to like about these, they are a really handy size to pop in your bag and they are a nice bright colour too.

Again i am left pleased with this months Glossybox, they seem to be getting more consistent with the quality of their products. My favourites from this box have to be the Roger and Gallet products and the Beautiful Movement Primer although um sure to pickup some Headline Colours polish in some different colours. The total worth of this moths box is £36.91

Thanks again for reading.

Rottentouch x

15% Off Primae~ HBDGlossybox
Monnier Freres: £100 off any handbag over £300~ GLOSSYBOX100UK
20% Off June's Glossybox~ GIANTBOX