House Swap.

Caroline and Frances's marriage is hanging together by a thread due to the hurt and tensions caused by addiction, infidelity, and depression. When a chance comes for them to have a city break away together via an internet house swap site they leap at it to try and recapture some of their former togetherness. But (of course) things don't go as planned -  an eerily stark house, an overly friendly neighbour, and a series of strange coincidences soon finds Caroline in despair and fearful as her past comes back to haunt her and familiar tensions once again rear their ugly heads. 

I love British psychological thrillers and The House Swap was well written, whip-smart, and absorbing. There's an edge of menace throughout this dark and chilling book that makes it an eerie and atmospheric read. 

The book is well written and plotted and slowly yet steadily the background to the story is revealed. There are plenty of little twists along the way to keep you guessing until the end when everything is revealed and neatly packaged away. It is rare that I enjoy a book with unlikeable characters but I found myself thoroughly engrossed in this one and I don't think that there was anything about it that disappointed me.

Recommended.     

The Secret Lives of Color.

In The Secret Lives of Color design journalist Kassia St Clair explores the world of colors. After a short introduction about what colors are and how we see and perceive them Kassia takes us a trip across the spectrum. The stories of individual colors, how they are made up, how they came to be, and the origins of their names are told in a series of short (1-2 pages) essays. Each page edge is printed with the color being discussed. 

The Secret Lives of Colors is a fascinating read for anyone interested in design, art history or simply pigments. The essays are highly entertaining and anecdotal and some of them really made me think! How did certain pigments come about? How did the fine artists of the past cope with a limited palette? Why do we associate different colors with specific things? (And a hundred and one other questions that I hadn't previously even considered!)

I read this book cover to cover, but equally, it is a book that is perfect to dip in and out of. I think it is a great book for gifting as although not overly large it is handsome enough to grace a coffee table. 

I recommend this unusual and informative book highly. 

Walmart Beauty Box (Trendsetter): Summer 2018.

Walmart Beauty Box is a subscription box which 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. Let's take a look inside the Summer Trendsetter box.

Full Sized Items.

Lala Fox Honey Nourishing Sheet Mask.

I'm not sure if a single sheet mask counts as a full sized item but you usually buy them individually so I'll be generous and count it as such! I'm not a fan of sheet masks but I will give this moisturising honey one a go.

Unicorn Bath Bomb.

Like the single sheet mask I'm not sure if a single bath bomb should be classified as a full-sized product but once again I am being generous! I'm not a bather so I usually pass bath items onto Mr C&C but this Unicorn bomb smells like an explosion in a candy store, it's very sweet and sickly so I think that I will be giving this a pass - I can't have the husband walking around smelling like a thirteen-year-old girl. I guess this serves me right for signing up for the 'young person's box'! 

Mini Items.

Pantene Foam Conditioner - Sheer Volume.

I like Pantene products as a rule and I have seen these foaming conditioners in the shops and thought that they looked interesting. I'm sure these conditioners are a little gimmicky but I enjoy a foaming shower gel and find them fun so I'm keen to try this out although I'm not sure how effective a conditioner it will be.

Samples.

Garnier Fructus Damage Repairing Treat 1 Minute Hair Mask.

This is quite a skimpy feeling sample, there's enough product in the sachet for me, but if you had long thick hair there wouldn't be enough. I always have plenty of hair masks hanging around from goody bags etc for which I am grateful as I never have to buy them. Garnier isn't my favourite brand of haircare but I will use this at some point.

Garnier Skinactive Soothing 3-in-1 Moisturiser.

I had one of these samples from CVS recently. There's quite a lot of product in this sachet of multi-use cream that you can use as a day or night cream or as a mask. I used the other one I had as an overnight mask, it smelled pleasantly of rose,s but I found that it did absolutely nothing to my skin. This is another pass for me, I will give it away as I have so many other good creams and masks that I prefer.

Kleenex Wet Wipes.

Some people got a packet of these but my box only contained a single wet wipe. I don't mind as these aren't a product that I use really. I am thinking that I can pop this in my bag next time I fly and use it as a hand wipe. In reality, it will probably end up at the back of my bathroom cabinet and forgotten about. Another miss I'm afraid.

Overall.

After a couple of disappointing Walmart Boxes, last season's Spring Box was a good one. This month it seems we are back to disappointing. The only thing I am interested in is the Pantene Foam Conditioner. Half of the box was single-use samples and there weren't even any coupons. This is a pretty terrible box all in all, bad enough to make me want to cancel my subscription. Walmart you've got one last chance! If my next box is as crappy as this one I'm out of here...

If in spite of my dreadful review, you would like to subscribe to Walmart Beauty Boxes you can do so by going to walmart.com Details and sign up 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.

How Hard Can It Be?

After taking time out from her career to raise her children Kate Reddy the heroine of I Don't Know How She Does It is back!

With a crumbling home to restore, two teenagers to provide for along with a husband who feels the need to quit work in order to 'find himself' and retrain as a counsellor, Kate finds herself needing to return to work. Knocking a few years off her age Kate puts on her best supportive undergarments (!) and returns to work in the field of finance.

Of course, Kate being Kate, she doesn't only have a career to restart, she has to do it while battling her way through the menopause, dealing with her social media obsessed children, ageing parents, a functioning alcoholic best friend, and a marital crisis. Then to throw a further spanner into the works of her life, a man she is obsessed with sends her an email.

I absolutely loved  I Don't Know How She does it (and Allison Pearson's other book I Think I Love You) so I was eager to read How Hard Can It Be? So what's the verdict? Well, I enjoyed it but not as much as I was expecting it too. Kate is still a brilliantly likeable heroine and I was on her side sympathising with her throughout this episode of her life But it took some time for the book to get going and I found the first 150 or so pages a bit of a drag. It was only once Kate returned to work that the story took off for me. The writing and story do flow well once the book gets going and while it's not lol funny it is filled with plenty of amusing and witty observations about all aspects of modern life, from hipster cocktail bars to customer call centers.

There are a few inconsistencies and things that you need to take with a grain of salt along the way but overall it's a fun witty beach type read (once it gets going). The book's primarily happy ending ties up a lot of loose ends and there's certainly scope for another instalment of Kate's life to be told in a further volume -  which I am sure is in the works.

I think that I may have been anticipating this book too much but once it got going after that long slow start I found it to be an enjoyable and relaxing read. This is one to pop in your beach bag!

The Other Mother.

Daphne and Laurel are both new mothers with baby girls called Chloe (although sophisticated Laurel spells her Chloe's name with an umlaut). Both are married to older men and living isolated lives in suburban Westchester when they meet at a New Mum's group where, to Daphne's delight, Laurel takes her under her wing and the two become close friends. But it soon appears that Laurel is a little obsessed with Daphne as they begin dressing alike, styling their hair the same, and Laurel appropriating Daphne's stories as her own. As their friendship becomes darker Daphne feels she has to escape, from both Laurel and her own domineering husband, and she accepts an archivists job with an author who lives in the shadows of a sinister upstate psychiatric hospital where the story of one of the inmates uncannily mirrors that of Laurel and Daphne.

The Other Mother had potential as a domestic suspense novel but there was simply too much going on. There were so many twists and turns to this tale that it became bewildering and nonsensical. Carol Goodman is a well-respected thriller writer but I felt that she had lost her way with this story - there were too many things happening and the plot simply wasn't tight enough. 

This is a dark tale, dealing with mental illness, psychosis, and postpartum depression, and it isn't something that I would recommend to anyone who is feeling distressed or who is a new mother. In fact, this is such an unbelievable and confused muddle of a book that I would advise anyone to give it a wide berth. 

Not recommended.    

Empties: July 2018.

July's pile of empties was another impressive one! I managed to finish up thirteen full-sized products and twenty-three samples.

Skincare.

I got through seven full-sized skincare items. I used two cleansers, Ren Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk is more of a light cream than a milk. I bought this in the winter when the severe cold was sucking every last drop of moisture from my skin and I found this really did help with hydration levels and any cold weather-related redness. It did a great job of dissolving makeup but honestly, I liked this so much I used it for first, second, and morning cleanses. I liked how the practical pump packaging kept the product fresh and dispensed just the right amount. I'm definitely getting this again to use in winter.

No7 Beautiful Skin Melting Gel Cleanser was a gel/balm consistency that did indeed melt down into an oil and then emulsify with the addition of water. It did a great job of removing makeup and I thought this powdery scented gel was, like other balms, best suited to a first cleanse. I got this in an Ulta sale for $5.00 which was a bargain price!

I've long had my eyes on a big bottle of toning water from Santa Maria Novella so when I saw this in a sale I snapped it up. This one is the Orange Blossom Water. It's a very basic but lovely product, that was refreshing to use as a toner. It has a pleasing neroli scent with a touch of mint and that bottle is simply gorgeous isn't it?

I used up two very different serums. I'm sure everybody knows about Sunday Riley Good Genes and my love of it by now, so I won't bang on about this Lactic Acid serum, but I will say that it does make a visible difference to my skin and that I have already cracked open another bottle! The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics is a Hyaluronic Acid serum introduced for folks like myself who found The Ordinary H.A. 2% too thick and sticky. This one is the consistency of water and it absorbs well. It wasn't the best H.A. serum that I have used but it was easily absorbed without any tacky residue and it is super cheap ($5-6 if I remember correctly?). I quite liked this but it has a terrible scent of, I kid you not, dirty feet and hot dogs which means that I won't be getting this again unless I'm having to be very economical with my skincare purchases!

Skin Owl Beauty Drops P.M. is a facial oil with a berry-like aroma. It was quite an 'oily oil' but it did absorb fairly well. I made a real effort to use this up as it has been open a while and I found that it wasn't an oil that I liked enough to reach for all that often. I like an oil that feels 'dryer' than this one,  plus I didn't notice it making a big difference to my skin.

I am sad that I finished my Oribe BalmEssence Lip Balm, soothing, moisturizing, lemony fresh, and in a beautiful pot, there wasn't anything I didn't like about this one. Actually, I don't like the price so unless I find it on sale again this one has sadly gone from my routine for good...

I used up a whopping fifteen skincare, makeup, and fragrance samples so I will try to be brief!

Goldfaden MD Pure Start is a non-foaming grapefruit scented gel cleanser that cleansed without stripping. It did do a good job of removing makeup but I prefer it as a second or morning cleanser. I like this a lot, it's on my shopping list!  I used two Bi-Phase eye make up removers: Lancome Bi Facil and Clinique Take The Day Off. These are both much of a muchness for me,  I prefer to use a cream or water remover but both of these worked well.

I used two eye cream samples. Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes is rich but absorbs well, leaving my eye area brighter and smoother. I have bought this in the past and had forgotten how nice it was. 111SkinSpace Defense Eye Lift Gel is a high-end GWP staple it seems! I've used many of these over the years and it always fails to impress me, it really doesn't seem to do anything and it's a very pricey product.

Tata Harper Resurfacing Serum is a new addition to the range. It was a very wet hydrating serum but I didn't notice any difference to my skin when I used it beyond hydration. Chantecaille Flower Harmonizing Cream is a calming moisturiser and I enjoyed using it after deep cleansing or masking, it's very soothing for stressed skin. Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream has that typically Fresh cucumber type fragrance, it's a lovely light if somewhat basic moisturiser but it is nice to wear in the warmer weather and sits well under SPF and makeup. I wasn't all that keen on Olay Regenerist Whip, it did feel quite cooling on application but it had an odd almost plastic like rather than aerated texture and it was quite strongly perfumed. I used this as a nighttime final layer to seal everything in but wouldn't really recommend it.

I used up two mini sunscreens.  I like to carry a spray sunscreen in my bag for daily top-ups when out and about and used Amore Pacific Sun Protection Mist SPF 30 in this way. The spray mechanism on this delivered a nice fine spritz that felt cooling and it had a sophisticated summery scent. I'm not a fan of Philosophy products as a rule but their Ultimate Miracle Worker was a pleasant surprise. It ticked all my sunscreen boxes (no white cast, easily absorbed, comfortable to wear, etc etc) and was moisturising at the same time.

I used a mini ByTerry Baume De Rose. This cult product isn't my favourite, I do like its rose scent but it does nothing at all for my lips, in fact, I think it makes them feel drier if anything. I also used a mini Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in the shade 'Lucky' I'm trying to work my way through a stash of mini glosses before I buy more full sized ones and Lucky is a wearable shimmering nude that I like to wear over a nude lipstick.

I also used two perfume samples. L'Etat d'Orange Libre Jasmine and Cigarettes is a pure jasmine dirtied up with tobacco that is very wearable and one of the least complex scents from this innovative perfume house. Etro Paisley opens with a big blast of amber but swiftly develops into a warm ylang-ylang based scent - there's something very 1970's about this one that strikes a chord with me.

Haircare.

I only use a Clarifying Shampoo about twice a month so I have had this one from Moroccan Oil open for-evah! Sulphate and Paraben free, this has the distinctive Moroccan Oil Argan scent and is safe for colour treated hair. My hair felt very clean but I did need to put a lot of moisture back into it (I normally masked) after using this. I didn't dislike it but I do much prefer Bumble+Bumble Sunday Shampoo and that is what I purchased to replace this.

I usually love OGX products and while this Shea Soft &Smooth Conditioner left it frizz-free it also didn't detangle it at all. However, this did smell amazing, coconutty and caramel-like at the same time - delish!

I used a mini Rahua Classic Shampoo, this is possibly my all-time favourite shampoo, especially when paired with its matching conditioner. Evo Fabuloso Colour Intensive Conditioner is one of those purple colour correcting conditioners for blondes. I thought this mini, which I used sporadically, was okay, it left my hair soft and smooth but I didn't notice any change in the colour. I also used a mini tube of Matrix Biolage Cleansing Conditioner. This did what it promised, it cleansed my hair and left it soft enough and detangled. Although it's not the sort of product that I would buy I can see that it's handy for a trip or a gym bag.

I used a full-sized L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil Lustrous Oil Serum. This is one of the best drugstore hair care products in my book! Scent wise there's a big nod towards Moroccan Oil, and it does a superb job of smoothing and detangling hair without weighing it down, leaving it nice and soft at the same time.

Samples of Oribe Supershine Moisturising Cream and Ouai Hair Oil took care of my locks when I was away on trips in July. I love both of these leave in conditioners and have used them both many times before.

Bodycare.

I used another Nivea Foaming Silk Body Wash. These cheap and cheerful bath products are fun to use and leave my skin soft but I do go through them quickly. This one was the 'Warm Vanilla & Jasmine Blossom' scented one but I must admit that all the ones in the blue tins simply smell like Nivea to me. I also finished up a tube of Zest Fruit Boost Shower Gel. This is a concentrated gel but I used it up about as quickly as I would a regular gel, its citrus scent was very refreshing to use and left my bathroom fragranced. The packaging of this looks fun and appealing resembling a large tooth tube but it isn't practical as once opened the product would ooze out unless it was left upside down which is very annoying.

I've snuck an Algenist Purifying & Replenishing Cleanser into my bodycare empties. I bought this on a whim and was surprised to find that it was very foamy. It left my skin clean but feeling a little too tight so I repurposed this one as a hand wash to avoid wasting it.

Sol Janeiro Brazillian Bum Bum Cream is possibly the most buzzed about body range at the moment. I used up two samples and I'm a little 'meh' about it. The smell is super summery - very tropical beach but it stays on your skin for a long time and I think that it is a little too overpowering. The cream itself is good, it's rich and moisturizing and absorbs well but it is kind of expensive for a body cream, more than I'd like to spend certainly - this one falls in the happy to use it if it's free pile, for me at least. Final bodycare product for this month is Susanne Kaufmann Ingerweröl Detox Oil. This one is expensive too but a little goes a long way and it's made of high-quality natural ingredients. It has a lovely, fresh, lemony spa scent and while I can't attest to it's 'detox' abilities 'Ingerweröl' is a delight to say! If I was going to splurge on a bodycare item it would be this one!

I'm pleased at the rate I've been getting through products and producing empties so far this year. Let's hope I can keep the effort going in August too!