Tangerine.

Set in Tangiers in 1956, Tangerine recounts the story of Alice Shipley who is living there rather unhappily with her rakish husband John. When Alice's ex-college roommate, Lucy Mason, shows up unexpectedly, Alice soon finds herself feeling stifled with a head full of thoughts that soon have her and those around her questioning her state of mind.

This novel of suspense has been said to be inspired by Alfred Hitchcock and Patricia Highsmith. I found it to be a highly derivative female version of 'The Talented Mr Ripley'. 

The writing is adequate if a little repetitive, but the plot isn't original, tight, or detailed enough and verges on being unbelievable at times. Coupled with the tale's unpleasant characters and a somewhat stereotypical view of Morocco I was left feeling unsatisfied.

(One of the things that initially attracted me to the book was that it was set in Morocco in the year of Moroccan independence and considering that the name of the book refers to the natives of Tangiers I was expecting this exotic local to have more significance to the story. However, there was scarcely any mention of the political upheavals of the time and apart from mentioning the names of a few famous cafes and landmarks the setting could have been almost anywhere).   

Although Tangerine is a debut novel I was expecting it to be a competently executed literary thriller as it has had excellent reviews and been so widely recommended. Sadly I found this book to have been a victim of overhyping which left me feeling unsatisfied. 

Next New Space NK Event NYC 2018.

If you have seen my beauty related posts you will know that I love a good GWP and that I like to attend beauty events whenever I can. I'm fortunate to be living in NYC and there are often events to attend and some of my favourite events here are those hosted by Space NK as not only are they very informative they frequently include generous gifts and/offers.

Last month I attended one of their Next New events, a ticketed event that occurs once a year (I believe last year's, which I missed, was the first). The event was held in NYC's West Village one evening and ticket holders got to meet and chat with founders and representatives from thirty-four brands whose products are stocked at Space NK. Not only were the reps interesting, friendly and informative about their brand's newest releases, each brand had gifts for attendees which ranged from selections of samples to full-sized products. There were also mini makeovers and hairstyling available on site. And I mustn't forget to mention free drinks and nibbles!

It was a bit of a last minute decision by me to attend this year's event but I am so glad that I did as it was a truly amazing evening! A pre-purchased $25.00 ticket was exchanged at the entrance for a $30.00 gift card to use either on the night or at a later date and guests were given a tote bag to fill with their purchases and gifts.

Everybody I met at the event was lovely but I particularly enjoyed talking to fellow Brits from Votary and Windle and Moodie. The Votary girls were beyond generous with their gift as were Artis, Oribe and Rossano Ferretti. I also had a lovely chat With Francesco Clark from Clark's Botanicals who is as inspiring as he is nice.

I could not believe how many gifts I walked away with (and I didn't even stop by the Lipstick Queen, ByTerry or Ilia stands!) over $600.00 worth of product plus three cosmetic bags and the Space NK tote bag! I'm going to use everything from the event.

I'm so happy that I got to experience this wonderful evening and hope that I can visit it again next year. A big thank you goes out to Space NK for organising such a great night and also to all the participating brands.
us.spacenk.com

Theft By Finding. Diaries 1977-2002.

Theft by Finding is volume one of writer and humorist David Sedaris' personal diaries written between 1977 and 2002. (I'm assuming a Volume II from 2002- present will be forthcoming as a follow up). 

I love David Sedaris, his previous books are some of the few that actually do make me LOL. These snippets from his diaries give an insight into his early life and show how he evolved as both a writer and a person. Some of the early entries are a little depressing as he drinks and drugs his way through a series of apartments in the wrong part of town and dead end jobs but slowly he sorts his life out and his lot improves. (Hooray!) 

Theft by Finding isn't a traditional biography, rather it is a collection of short extracts which are arranged chronologically and form a series of small vignettes - some connected, others not. Many are simply small observations or snippets of overheard conversations.

Honestly, I must admit that I didn't love the first half of this volume, not just because it was a little sad and depressing, but more because the material hadn't really stood the test of time and the writing was less polished than the later entries. I did however like the later part of the book a lot and there were many entries there that made me chuckle. 

I read this volume straight through but you could equally dip in and out of it reading small sections at a time. If you are a David Sedaris fan I think you will enjoy this, but if in doubt I would suggest waiting for the second volume as the later material here was simply so much better.

   

Walmart Beauty Box (Trendsetter): Spring 2018.

Walmart Beauty Box is a subscription box that ships automatically four times a year once you have signed up for it. Containing a selection of full-sized products, samples, minis, and money off coupons the box itself is free, but you must pay $5.00 for shipping and processing. There are two versions of the box intended to appeal to different age groups. I receive the 'Trendsetter' box aimed at younger customers, there is also a 'Classic' box for older customers.

There has been some problem with the shipping and distribution of these boxes of late but my Spring box arrived in a timely manner. Let's have a look inside...

Mini and Travel Sized Items.

Rembrandt 3 Day Whitening Boost Kit.

This is a set of six tooth whitening strips. It isn't an item that I ever use but I will pass them along to someone who does. I've received Crest White Strips in my Walmart box before but Rembrandt is a  slightly more upmarket brand.

Hello Toothpaste - Activated Charcoal (.85oz).

Hello Toothpastes are a fluoride-free formula, that contains no SLS and keeps the inclusion of 'unnatural' ingredients to a minimum. They are also cruelty-free and bear the Leaping Bunny insignia. I have had quite a few of these toothpastes in previous Walmart boxes and while they may not be the most exciting product, they always come in handy. I've read good and bad things about charcoal toothpaste but I am expecting this to be quite gentle and will at least try it out. 

Soft Soap Earth Blend Shower Gel 'Coconut and Fig' (2oz).

I love SoftSoap Shower Gels, they are one of my favourite drugstore brands. This Coconut and Fig scented one smells delicious, it's very summery and I look forward to using it immensely.

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Body Lotion 'Sheer Hydration' (1oz).

Aveeno is another great drugstore brand and their body lotions not only hydrate skin very well they leave skin calmed and soothed. 

Samples.

Dove Exfoliating Body Polish 'Macadamia and Rice Milk' (1oz).

I tried a couple of samples of this quite recently. I loved the scent and how it felt when I used it but I found that it didn't do a great job of softening my skin. My skin felt a little irritated afterwards and I needed to use a lot of lotion to relieve it. I may give this another try, but I may also pass it along to someone else.

Garnier Whole Blends Gentle Shampoo & Conditioner 'Oat Delicacy' (2x.34fl oz).

I'm not super excited about these two samples but sachets of shampoo and conditioner are always useful to take on trips and I will certainly use these two up over the coming months.

SOO AE Acai Berry Revitalizing Sleeping Mask (.35oz).

I must confess that I've still not used the Donkey Milk Mask by SOO AE that was in my last Walmart Box. This sleeping mask promises to brighten and renew and I will put both of these masks next to my sink and endeavour to use them up sometime this month.

Coupons.

There is a free hairband from Clairol attached to a coupon for a free box of Nice 'n Easy Hair Color. Unlike some coupons that Walmart includes this one is redeemable anywhere and although I don't currently use Nice 'n Easy I will use this token to pick up a box and try it.

There's also a coupon for $2.00 off a Rembrandt Tooth Whitening Kit and a chance to win a $100.00 gift card if you complete a Brand Share survey about our box.

Overall.

My last Walmart box was pretty uninspiring but I'm quite pleased with this box. At least the contents feel seasonally appropriate and the contents are Spring-like in feel and very Instagrammable! There are a few repeat items but I will use everything apart from the tooth strips. The inclusion of the coupon for a hair dye means that the value is here in this quarter's box and the Soft Soap mini is super cute! All in all, it is a definite improvement over my last box. Let's hope they keep up the good work and that the Summer box is as good as this one! 

You can sign up and subscribe to Walmart Beauty Boxes at walmart.com Details and sign up link can be found under 'special offers' in the online beauty section and you can sign up for both versions of the box 'Trendsetter" and 'Classic' if you wish.

CVS Beauty Day Giveaway: Spring 2018.

Ah, CVS Beauty Day Giveaway! 

From time to time I will go into my local CVS and there will be a table full of free goody bags containing samples, minis, and money off coupons. I love samples, GWP's and free things in general so I always pick up one of these bags if I come across them!
In the past I always used to get an email notification about these Beauty Days, but for the past couple of years they just seem to pop up on random weekends. I think they are seasonal, that is four times a year, but I could be totally wrong about that, perhaps they are more frequent? I'm guessing that Beauty Days and their bag contents vary from store to store, but again who knows? 

Anyway, enough of my musings about CVS and their promo department, here's a look at what was  in the Giveaway Bag that I picked up last weekend...

The bag was rich in haircare samples - which is fine by me! There were shampoo and conditioner sample sachets from Nexxus (Kerafix Damage Healing), Carol's Daughter (Black Vanilla) and 

Love Beauty and Planet (Argan Oil and Lavender) along with a 50 ml mini of Aussie 3 Minute Moist Conditioner and a sachet of Garnier Whole Blends Honey Treasures Repairing Hair Mask.

There were two skincare sachet samples: Garnier Skin Active Soothing 3-in-1 Moisturiser which can be used as a day cream, night cream or mask and Olay Regenerist Whip Cream.

There were also sample sachets of Amlactin Rapid Relief Body Lotion and My Magic Mud Activated Charcoal Tooth Cleaning Powder along with money off coupons for $3.00 off Amlactin and Nexxus products.

I'm a little hesitant to use the My Magic Mud Tooth Powder as it seems a little faddish and I have read that charcoal powders can be too abrasive for use on teeth but I will use everything else in the bag. I'm especially looking forward to trying out the Love Beauty and Planet haircare and the Garnier Skin Active 3-in-1 cream looks interesting.

These bags are such fun and definitely a nice little perk to pick up unexpectedly don't you think?

cvs.com

The French Girl.

Six friends from Oxford are holidaying in a French villa. Severine is the sophisticated teenager living next door who visits them daily. On the day that the friends return to England Severine disappears.

Ten years later Severine's body is discovered in a well at the villa. Alan Modan, the investigating police officer, shows up in London to question the holiday makers in the hope of resolving the murder. One of the friends, legal recruiter Kate Channing, soon appears to be the prime suspect. 

Can Kate find out what really happened in order to prove her innocence and at the same time saving her reputation and fledgling business venture? Or will Kate become a victim?

The French Girl was very much Kate Channing's story. It is recounted from her point of view and in addition to the murder/mystery there are side plots involving Kate's work dramas and her love life. Kate's a likeable character and from the beginning I was on her side.  Her work and love dramas fitted very nicely into the clever plot as well.

This was a bit of a slow starter for me but once the story started taking shape I found it pretty enthralling and the last hundred or so pages were so good - real edge of the seat stuff! It's a well written story, with believable characters and a credible plot that doesn't rely on unrealistic scenarios or coincidences to make things work.  The French Girl is smart and sharp, if you like thrillers and psychological dramas you're in for a treat!

Recommended. 

Why I'm fast becoming a dedicated Ulta shopper!

While Space NK is always going to be my first love when it comes to beauty shopping their products do tend to be at the luxury, and therefore pricier, end of the spectrum. I'd love to buy everything from them but there are those pesky little things called bills to pay... 

Which is why I'm enjoying a little bit of Ulta from time to time these days. Their products range from department store/Sephora brands to drugstore ones and they stock a variety of those brands that have some great value products in their line up such as The Body Shop, Boot's and Mario Badescu. Plus they sell all of those mundane beauty items that we all need from time to time such as hair dyes, depilatory creams and nail files. Product wise Ulta really do have you covered, although I've mostly been shopping there of late to buy haircare, body care and the 'boring bits'. 

If you join their Ultamate Rewards program (it's free) they offer you points on every purchase that convert into cash rewards that you can use towards future beauty splurges. Membership also allows you to take advantage of triple points days (or even x5 point days), money off coupons and numerous special offers (half priced featured products BOGO's and so on). These all add up and you can score some serious beauty bargains!
If you shop online shipping over $50.00 is free and you can score even more extra money back if you shop through a money back site such as EBates.

Ulta have frequent GWP's available, and you know how I love a good GWP!
Some of these are brand specific, some are bumper bags of samples and minis and some, like the one pictured above (yes, that's a GWP not a haul!!) are a mix of full sized products and samples.
Most of their GWP's are only available for a short time, some just a number of hours, so signing up for their emails is the best way to find out about them and snag one for yourself.

The pictured gift of bathroom treats was a recent GWP with purchases of $50.00 or more.
My actual haul was made up of Epsom salts, hair dyes and a couple of bath poufs, honestly not exciting enough to be pictured, unlike the rather generous and lovely gift.

This particular GWP contains full sizes of Rituals Ritual of Sakura Foaming Shower Gel (200ml), Zoella Beauty Soak Opera Bath and Shower Cream (250ml), and Thymes Kimono Rose Bath Salts (60g) and a generously sized sample of Frank Body Original Coffee Scrub (20g) along with a Daily Concepts Exfoliating Body Scrubber.
The value of this gift is a little over $30.00 which I think is great especially as we will use all it's products.

 It's always nice to get some pampering bathroom treats and even better when they are for free, don't you think? 

ulta.com

The Woman in the Window.

After her involvement in a tragic accident psychologist Anna Ford develops severe agoraphobia and is unable to leave her home. She never ventures out, her doctors and therapists visit her at home, and groceries are ordered online and delivered. The only other human interactions she experiences are those that she sees through the windows of her Harlem brownstone.

One night Anna witnesses a woman being stabbed in a house opposite hers. After she makes a frantic emergency call the police question Anna. No one will believe her story as Anna has a history of acting out to gain attention, is self medicating with prescription drugs, and drinking far too much. Can Anna convince people that what she 'saw' was real or will she too become a victim?

The Woman in the Window has had so many good reviews and is another one of those books that everyone appears to be either reading or wanting to read.

It's a quick read and one that I found engrossing. At the time I was reading it, it didn't 'wow' me, but it is one of those books that now I have finished I keep thinking about! 

There were lots of subtle hints and clues peppered throughout the story and the plot was really quite intricate. The portrayal of Anna as a desperate woman falling apart and the squalidness of her situation was very well written. There were some creepy scenes in this and setting the tale in a eerie old brownstone was a clever move by the author as it added to the whole 'noir' atmosphere of the story. The ending was superb, a nail biting twist that took me completely by surprise!

On consideration The Woman in the Window was very good. I sort of regret having sped my way through this. I really feel I should go back and read it more carefully but as I know the outcome I most likely won't... If you do read it take your time and savour it you won't be disappointed.

Recommended.

Empties: April 2018.

Once again (already?!?) it's time to have a look at my monthly pile of empties.

I'm still trying to reduce my stash somewhat as there are plenty of new products that I'm keen to try but I can't justify purchasing them when I have so much in stock already! I have been trying hard to concentrate on using almost empty products and resisting the urge to open up new items before I finish something up. Although this isn't the biggest pile of empties I did manage to use up some bumper sized products, along with a few items that I have been trying to empty for a while. Fifteen full sized products and twelve samples in all which isn't bad.

Skincare.

I was pleased that I managed to finish eight full sized skin care items.

Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel has been featured in many of my empties posts. I think that it is a great cleanser for the price. It cleans my skin well without stripping it and I like it as a morning cleanser. I do wish they would make this without the excessive fragrance and colouring but if you are okay with fragranced face products and haven't tried this you really should!

The Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Make Up Remover is something of a cult product and another pocket friendly item. The bottle was huge and it lasted me for such a long time. If you haven't tried this it is a clear water consistency liquid that smells lightly of Chamomile. It didn't sting my eyes at all but I did find that it didn't remove waterproof mascaras all that efficiently. This was okay but it didn't overly impress me and I prefer something that feels a little more nourishing. I wouldn't get this again even though I am happy to have tried it.

I used up another La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water. I always have a tin of mineral water next to my sink. I love to layer it between products (especially Hyaluronic Acid ones) as well as use it for rinsing my face after cleansing/treatments. Nothing fancy about this but it is easily available and one I often have in stock.

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2%+B5. Honestly I had a struggle to finish this, it is a very thick serum that I found didn't absorb all that well. I had the best results with this when I applied it to damp skin and sprayed mineral water on top but otherwise I felt that it sat on top of my skin rather than sinking in. I also had problems with this causing other products to pill and roll - no way could I use this layered with oils unfortunately. The Ordinary do have a newly reformulated HA which I have bought to try but this older formula even at it's incredibly low price was a big fail as far as I'm concerned.

I had a sample of Caudalie VineActive Eye Cream that I quite liked but when I consistently used this full sized tube it left me unimpressed. It is a light cream but oddly feels quite oily once on my lids. I didn't find that it did much at all to improve my eye area other than temporarily hydrating it. I'm kind of bummed that this didn't impress me as I usually like Caudalie products.

Lierac Hydra-Chrono Hydrating Balm was a cooling, soothing gel moisturiser. There is a little oil in the formula but it was very watery in feel. I liked this basic hydrator but as with all gel products I found I used it up very quickly.

I used up two full sized lip balms in April. Kiehl's #1 Lip Balm isn't one of my favourites, it's okay but I feel that it sits on top of my lips rather than sinking in, I never buy these but I have quite a few around that I got for free which I am trying to use up.
Like the Kiehl's balm Smith's Rosebud Salve is basically a petroleum gel but this is much lighter in formula and does appear to sink in. I like this pale pink rose scented balm and often have one in my bag for use on mostly lips but also my cuticles. I think that the tin this comes in is super adorable!

In addition I also used up seven skincare samples.

Cle de Peau Softening Cleansing Foam is a lovely rich cleanser. It produces more of a cream than a foam, a little of this goes a long, long way you really only need to use the tiniest amount and it leaves skin so so soft.

3Lab Super Eye Treatment and Natura Bisse Diamond Extreme Eye are both fantastic and both very expensive! The 3Lab is more serum like in consistency and was great for use during the day while the richer Diamond Extreme Eye was better for use at night. I loved using this duo and things did look smoother and brighter but they are way too pricey for my pocket! 

Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask is a classic product that is lovely to use and always leaves my skin softened, calmed and hydrated, as ever I enjoyed using this very much.

Finally Aveeno Ultra Calming Night Cream and La Mar Moisturising Cream were both basic moisturisers that I used at night. These were both fine but neither were anything special.

Haircare.

L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil Nourishing Conditioner is such a good drugstore product - I've found the whole of this range to be great in fact. This smells like Moroccan Oil and although it is quite thick and a little oily in feel, it rinsed out easily leaving my hair incredibly silky feeling without adding any weight or greasiness to it - I already have more of this in my stash.

Pantene Pro-V Hairspray #4 did a good job of holding hair in place but it did leave quite a lot of residue in my hair. It smelled quite fruity which was preferable to the usual chemical like smell of cheaper hair sprays but overall this was merely okay for me.

Ouai Finishing Cream was a leave in conditioner/finisher that I had high hopes for as I have liked most OUAI products, but it was too heavy for my hair and made it look stringy. I gave this to Mr C&C who finished it up but he wasn't keen enough on it to get it again.   

Body care.

I only finished three body care items but two of them are ginormous!

Soap & Glory Rich and Foamous Body Wash was creamy and lathered well. I liked it's sweet nutty brown sugar scent, it wasn't too sweet and it lingered in my bathroom making it smell lovely. Soap & Glory Smoothie Star Body Milk was another hit for me! Another sweet but not sickly fragranced nutty scent (which complemented the body wash perfectly) this was very thick and nourishing. It was ever so slightly tacky feeling but these two products left my skin noticeably softer when I used them together.

I'm very impressed with L'Occitane body products and their Ultra Rich Body Cream was lovely. This was a very thick cream but it melted into my skin beautifully. I didn't need to use much of this and it left my skin very soft and comfortable. It's baby powder like scent wasn't my favourite but it wasn't offensive at all and faded quickly. 

Make up and perfume.

Two mascaras are going in the bin this month. I rarely buy a mascara but I did succumb to the hype around L'Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise and purchase a tube. I wasn't sure about this at first but once it dried up a tad I liked it a lot. The brush was good and it added length and volume to my lashes in a way that was bold but not too overdone. It stayed in pace throughout the day, in fact the only negative thing I would say about this is that it was a little tough to remove  thoroughly. It's not my favorite mascara but it may well be my favourite drugstore mascara.
Mineral Fusion Volumizing Mascara was a fail for me I'm afraid. I was excited to try this 'natural' formula and I had high hopes for it. It had a lovely feeling creamy formula but it flaked off so badly during the course of the day that I abandoned using it long before it was empty.

Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer in the shade 'Light' was a great eye shadow primer. Easily applied with a doe foot this blended easily, evening out the colour of skin and filling small lines and my eye make up stayed in place much longer when I used it. I was impressed, I would get this again.

I used up three perfume samples. Atelier Cologne Sud Magnolia wasn't to my taste as I find that all of Atelier Cologne EDT's smell a bit sharp and chemical like on me. I did like Helmut Lang Cuiron, it's very masculine but it's woody musky tones added up to a soft leather scent - very 1970's! Byredo Gypsy Water is a soft green aquatic scent. I always find these type of fragrances a tad too fabric softener like on me and this didn't last long on me either - it's not bad, it's just not my type of thing.

Overall I'm pleased with April's empty pile, I'm slowly getting through older products and making room in my cupboards for some lovely new things.