Dottie K

Glossybox: Valentine's Day Edition

2012-01-30T16:34:00.000Z

Hello all :) Apologies for dropping off the blogging radar recently, things have been a bit hectic lately but I'm getting back into the swing of things, starting off with a Glossybox post!

As you may have heard, the first Glossybox of 2012 is a limited edition hot pink box in celebration of Valentine's Day which is just 2 weeks away, packed with items to make you look your best on the day.

The Goodies

On to the products and first up there are two items from Davines. First up there's the Authentic Cleansing Nectar for hair and body, and secondly the Authentic Moisturising Balm for face, hair and body. These smell absolutely divine, I cannot wait to use them!

Next, we have the First Aid Beauty (or FAB) Gentle Body Wash Daily Treatment with Antioxidant Booster which claims to cleanse, calm redness and relieve dry skin. Perfect time of year to receive this. Check out the cute Glossybox sweetie!

Up next we have the Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner in Black. It's your standard pencil liner, with extra long handle. I haven't used Eyeko since they rebranded and hiked up their prices so it'll be interesting to see what this liner is like and whether it's worth the price tag.

Finally we have the Murad Skin Perfecting Dewy Finish Primer. I usually stay clear of anything that contains the word dewy, as I much prefer a matte finish to my make up. However I'm more than willing to give this a go and see how it looks on the skin.

Swatches

On to the obligatory product swatches and from left to right we have: Murad Skin Perfecting Primer, Eyeko Skinny Liner, First Aid Beauty Gentle Body Wash, Davines Authentic Moisturising Balm and Davines Authentic Cleansing Nectar

♥ ♥ ♥

Have you received the Valentine's Day edition Glossybox? Will you be making a special effort on Valentine's Day? Have you tried any of the products in this month's box? Let me know what you think :)

Win with Witch!

2012-01-20T08:00:00.000Z

The lovely ladies over at Witch are currently hosting a competition on the old Facey B to give you and a friend the chance to hot foot it down to London town to receive a make up tutorial with celebrity make up artist Lisa Valencia on March 16th.

Check out this perfect fresh faced look that Lisa created using Witch Cosmetics:

You've got to be in it to win it

All you have to do is pop over to the Witch Facebook page and tell them why you should win. Simples!

The competition is open until February 2nd

♥

Good luck sugarpuffs!

Zebra Print Nails

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000Z

I think I'm going to have to admit I'm a little bit addicted to Instagram! I've been wanting to do zebra print nails for a while so here we go :)

Base colour: Rimmel Lycra Pro Show Off topped with OPI Princesses Rule

Zebra Stripes: Art Deco Black Striper Polish

Top Coat: China Glaze Fast Forward

♥

A little Liz Earle loving

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000Z

Just before Christmas, I had a bit of a Liz Earle splurge. I've been loving Cleanse & Polish for months now, so I thought it was time to try some other products. The great thing about the Liz Earle website is that you can buy mini versions of the full sized products so I ordered everything that I wanted to try and also stocked up on a large Cleanse & Polish. Look how they wrap everything up :) So cute!

Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

I picked up the Christmas edition as it was a larger size and also came with a muslin cloth. They also sent me a complimentary sample size which will be handy to take to IMATS with me :)

Skin Repair Light Moisturiser for Combination/Oily skin

I really want to get my skincare routine down to products from one single brand so after hearing good things about this moisturiser, I decided to pick a sample tube of this up. It smells amazing, hydrates my skin without leaving it greasy or sticky. I also find I can wear it under make up and it doesn't make a difference to the longevity of my foundation.

Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer

I needed a good toner so picked up the small spritzer bottle. This smells just like the moisturiser - heavenly! I use it after cleansing with Cleanse & Polish. It's lovely and refreshing.

Energising Body Scrub

I purchased this after trying a sample of it because I really loved it. I nearly bought the full sized product, but I'm very fickle with body scrubs - love them for 5 minutes then move on. I think once I've used up the ridiculous amounts of scrubs I have, I'll be buying the full sized version of this.

Sheer Pink Lip Shimmer

Finally, I thought I'd pick up this lip salve. It's pretty but the scent is an acquired taste. Not really my cup of tea but if you like herbally scents, this could be one for you.

♥

Have you got any favourite Liz Earle products that I should try?

Boxing Day Sales: The not leaving your sofa edition

2012-01-11T08:00:00.000Z

Thanks to work, this is the first year I've not had the luxury of being able to go sale shopping after Christmas. On the one day I did have off over the festive season, I wasted no time hunting down some beauty bargains on the old interweb :)

Buyapowa

Ladies, I am a convert. I'm on my ~~third~~ fourth purchase, and counting. I've saved myself a few precious pounds lately, my first purchase being Benefit's They're Real mascara (£12), and my second purchase being the highly sought after YSL Touche Eclat (£13).

I'm quite glad I got both of these at such good prices. I hate buying things full price only to not like them. I'm afraid that the Benefit mascara is one of them. Although I'm really liking Touche Eclat. Dark under-eye circles be gone!

I've also just bought Origins Vitazing Moisturiser and Origins Super Spot Remover, both of which I'm totally blaming on Vivianna ;) Really quite excited to try them!

Total savings at Buyapowa: £18.50

Avon

I was attracted to the Little Red Dress collection in the Christmas Avon brochure and I picked up a few extra bits too!

Little Red Dress Eye Shadow Quad in Starlet

Can you believe I don't own a set of shadows to create a dark smoky eye? Me either!

Little Red Dress Mascara in Black

The wand on this mascara really intrigued me - do excuse the slightly out of focus photo, I must have taken about 30 and this was the best of the bunch! A lovely mascara that coats each lash without clumping. Perfect for those small inner lashes and lower lash line.

Little Red Dress Lipsticks in Red 2000 (top) and Pout (bottom)

Red 2000 is a perfect classic red, and Pout is a perfect nude shade that goes with any make up look

True Colour Blush in Russet

A bit of an impulse buy - it looked beautiful on the model - a lush peachy shade

Barcelona necklace

Retro glam!

Advance Techniques

And finally, on my quest for big, bouncy retro hair, I picked up a large barrelled brush and some Curl Defining Gel

I think everything I ordered from Avon was on offer!

Total savings at Avon: £27.91

Feel Unique

Another purchase I'll be blaming Vivianna for - sorry haha - the Jemma Kidd Light As Air Foundation (£20), and the Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow Radiance Creme in Ice Gold (£13.60)! Both are causing a bit of a stir in the blogging community lately, so I thought it was about time I saw what all the fuss was about :)

Loving the foundation - I can use it over moisturiser, powder with my Kryolan anti-shine powder, and it stays put all day and doesn't go shiny! That's a first for me! I picked up the Ultra Light shade.

The Radiance Creme gives such a subtle, beautiful shimmer. It's the perfect finishing touch to any look. I've been using a fan brush to apply on cheekbones.

I also picked up some holographic polishes from Nubar (£7.25-£8.05) which I'd been lusting over for a while. I'll have some NOTDs coming up soon :)

Total savings at Feel Unique: £9.20

eBay

Carrying on the nail polish shopping spree, I went a little crazy on eBay and picked up 5 Essie polishes

L-R: Kisses & Bisses, Topless & Barefoot, My Place or Yours, Tart Deco and Cute As A Button

I really only wanted Topless & Barefoot - yet another Vivianna inspired purchase! As they were coming from across the pond, at such great prices, it was rude not to indulge, right? This little lot cost £27.88 including shipping. If I'd bought them in the UK it would have cost £49.75 for the polishes alone!

Total savings on eBay: £21.87

The Body Shop

I'd been lusting after another Face & Body brush from the Body Shop for ages, but didn't want to pay £16 for it. Thanks to a heads up from a few other bloggers, I picked up this brush set and brush roll for a bargain-tastic £15 - saving myself £27!

Total savings at The Body Shop: £27

♥

Total overall savings: £104.48 - incredible!

These are my beauty bargains - I'm quite pleased with myself - saved a fortune! Have you gone crazy in the sales?

These are a few of my favourite things

2012-01-09T08:00:00.001Z

♥ Sleek Rose Gold Blush
Rediscovered and fallen back in love with it :)

♥ 17 Metallic Eyes in Wild Nude
Beautiful colour and a fab base - I've been loving nudey browns for a bit of a quick smoky eye.

♥ Collection 2000 Glam Crystals Gel Liners
Perfect to add sparkle to your make up!

♥ Queen Cosmetics Eyelash Cream

I am loving this product! My eyelashes are so much fuller and longer! *flutters*

♥ Marc Jacobs Oh, Lola!
This perfume is the perfect mix of fruity and floral and perfect for daytime wear

~*~

Which products have you been loving lately?

Things I learned in December 2011

2012-01-02T08:00:00.000Z

My last ever things I learned post for 2011! I've really enjoyed writing these, it's a snapshot of a bit of every day. Shall I keep these up in 2012? Let me know :)

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001. Following on from my Things I learned in November 2011 post, I learned today that my boss must be able to dance as he has a gold line dancing medal on his desk. Well I never.

002. Frankie & Benny's hotdogs are just delicious. So are their waiters ;)

003. I am a little bit addicted to Monopoly on the iPhone. Saying that I am yet to win. My competitive streak dislikes this!

004. Sundays at work aren't as quiet as they used to be.

005. China Glaze Ruby Pumps is a lot less hassle when you layer it over an opaque polish.

006. This saving money thing isn't going well.

007. I own a ridiculous 174 nail polishes.

008. Dreams are sent to try us. Or just plain freak us out.

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009. I'm not a massive fan of change.

010. I now own 183 nail polishes. Whoops. Superdrug suck. And bah humbug to Christmas shopping on a Saturday!

011. I think I've finally gotten used to our new car.

012. Late shifts can go quickly.

013. Men also do subtle. Who knew?

014. People do get terribly irate over the silliest things.

015. We'd be lost without fossil fuels.

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016. Sometimes I just never learn

017. When it comes to baking, you really can make it up as you go along!

018. I should stop reading too much into things...

019. BuyaPowa is actually quite good!

020. Tu Clothing at Sainsbury's should not be ignored. Quite impressed to be honest.

021. My bank like to have random amounts disappear from my bank. I dislike this.

022. I have lost all sense of date, time and common sense.

023. Unexpected bad news is the worst kind

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024. It's fine to make up the rules of pool as you go along ;)

025. I'm a bit addicted to a Snoopy game on my iPhone

026. Sale shopping can be done from the comfort of your own sofa. Perfect.

027. People don't phone call centres on a bank holiday. But cheers for paying me double for doing nothing :)

028. I am feeling broody. There are too many cute babies dressed in festive outfits!

029. Maybe, just maybe, this is the start of something new and very good.

030. I can get Staffordshire oatcakes in my local Sainsbury's. Amazing.

031. New Year's Eve is always full of drama.

♥

What have you learned this month? Have you had any big life lessons this year? Feel free to share :) Just call me Auntie Kim ;)

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Last but not least, have a bloody fabulous 2012!

Love to all :)

Christmas 2011

2011-12-31T09:00:00.000Z

Hello my dears :)

I hope you're all well and that you had a lovely Christmas. Tell me, what did you get up to?

I thought I'd do a post summing up what the festive period has involved for me :)

One. Cute reindeer that I came across unexpectedly at a local garden centre! So, so cute and friendly!

Two. Decorating the Christmas tree with new sparkly decorations that I bought after a bit of a shopping spree!

Three. Burning the Christmas Eve Yankee Candle. It smells like berries :)

Four. Beautiful festive flowers that I unexpectedly won at work on Christmas Eve!

Five. My Christmas hat that I wore to work on Christmas Eve and out in town that night. It flashed and everything!

Six. Chocolate mint cupcakes, handmade by moi, with an uber cool gold finish!

Seven. Making a chocolate log has become a bit of a tradition in our house, although I must confess it was my Dad that created this beauty.

Eight. Christmas pressies! Check out the ridiculously huge chocolate Santa that my Mum thought was a hilarious present!

Nine. A beautiful present from my sister - she knows me really well, I'd been eyeing this up for a while. I'd really like the matching bag but it's sold out everywhere!

Ten. Sale bargains that I picked up in Boots over the bank holiday.

♥

How was your Christmas?

Merry Christmas!!!

2011-12-25T11:23:00.002Z

Hello sweethearts!

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A very merry Christmas to each and everyone of you :) I hope you have a lovely day!

♥

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000Z

Look Beauty 'Bling'

♥

Christmas Gift Ideas: The Last Minute Edition!

2011-12-19T08:00:00.000Z

With just 6 shopping days left until Christmas, here's my last minute gift guide if you're a bit stuck for ideas. And best of all, the majority of these items can be found on your high street or nearest city!

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Skincare

Soap & Glory are one of my favourite high street brands with their famously fragrant skincare products and cute retro packaging. My bathroom, bedroom and handbag are never short of a Soap & Glory must have! The Soap & Glory range can be found in Boots stores and Harvey Nichols.

I would buy this just for the case - it's so cute! This features some of my absolute favourite Soap & Glory products ever. You cannot go wrong with this gift!

Not Just A Pretty Case - £35

Another cute case featuring a lovely collection of travel sized Soap & Glory products

Do A Bubble Take - £18

♥

Liz Earle products have become a staple in my skincare routine this year and now I wouldn't be without them. The Liz Earle range can be found online (last order date is today!), in their four stores, Fenwick London, John Lewis stores nationwide and selected boutique stockists.

What better place to start than their iconic Cleanse and Polish coupled with the new award winning Sheer Skin Tint?

Liz Earle Cleanse and Colour Duo - £34.75

A firm favourite of mine is the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, and I may have treated myself to the Christmas edition in a recent cheeky order!

Liz Earle Christmas Cleanse and Polish Limited Edition - £18.50

Fragrance

I'm a perfume junkie. There I said it. I have at least 10 knocking around at the moment so I thought I'd share with you some of my favourites which would make lovely Christmas gifts.

I received this Oh, Lola! gift set for my birthday recently and it is beautiful! I've been wearing it pretty much every day :)

"A sparkling, fruity floral, Oh, Lola! captures the flirtatious essence of her easy charm. Oh, Lola! opens with refreshing top note of effervescent raspberry. Her pink femininity is reflected in the beautiful peony heart. A sensual elegance with addictive vanilla in the dry down leaves an unforgettable flirtatious touch."

Marc Jacobs Oh, Lola! Gift Set - £50

Possibly the most beautiful perfume I own, Jimmy Choo's signature first fragrance is deliciously sweet and long-lasting.

"A modern fruity Chypre with warm, rich, woody depths. A fragrance inspired by modern women, strong, empowered, beautiful, seductive and alluring with a hidden and mysterious sense of confident sexuality."

Jimmy Choo Eau De Parfum - £39-£68

Illamasqua have easily become one of my favourite brands this year. When I heard they were launching a fragrance I was ridiculously overly excited and I decided to treat myself for my birthday!

"The first fragrance from Illamasqua, Freak is a concoction of dangerously exotic unconventional flowers that Illamasqua has unashamedly blended together to celebrate the night."

Illamasqua Freak - £59.00

Cosmetics

Boots pretty much have every Christmas gift angle covered this year and all gift sets are on a 3 for 2 deal! I have been loving the 17 range this year, and No 7 is always a lovely brand to indulge in now and again so I've picked some of the items I'd love to have under the Christmas tree this year :)

17 polishes are without a doubt fab quality for the price and this set contains some must have polish shades

17 Mini Nail Library - £10

Dabbling in a bit of nail art? Yes please!

17 Metallic Nails Decoration Kit - £16

For a classic make up look, this palette is perfect and perfect for travel!

No 7 Get The Look Daytime Palette - £12

A perfect red lip duo and a gorgeous red clutch bag!

No 7 and Poppy King Celebrate Flirty and Fabulous - £20

♥

Benefit are a fun brand and have some beautiful products in their range. Why not treat someone to a gorgeous gift set?

"Ladies, this brightening kit is quite a catch! Finding mr. bright is filled with all of the essentials for a luminous complexion. Complete with a step-by-step brightening lesson...this kit's the total package!"

Finding Mr. Bright - £28.50

"Eye Wanna! is for gals who have it all - and wanna shimmy all night long! With eyeshadows in all shades of fabulosity, my kit will take you from work mode to party status in the blink of an eye. Go ahead, get noticed and steal the scene!"

Eye Wanna! The Maggie Collection - £28.50

Your last chance to order with Benefit online is Wednesday! Or pop down to a Benefit boutique, Harrods, selected Boots stores, or Debenhams, Selfridges, John Lewis, Fenwicks or House of Fraser department stores nationwide.

♥

Talking of gift sets, Illamasqua have an amazing gift set featuring their signature fragrance, Freak.

"Raved about by professionals, bloggers and make-up enthusiasts everywhere, each set includes Nail Varnish in Wink (soft lilac), Liquid Metal in Phenomena (molten silver), a sensual Sheer Lipgloss in Tantrum (deep berry pink), and the Freak fragrance."

Freak Limited Edition Gift Set - £80

"Use mystery and intrigue to illuminate the night with this seductive duo. Wear the colour-rich, red orange lipstick of Ignite alone for an electrifying effect, or layer with the warm caramel nude of Sheer Lipgloss in Provoke for a pout with depth and dimension that no-one can ignore."

Midnight Pout Lip Duo - £20.00

To truly spoil a friend, family member or yourself (come on, you know you want to!), why not skip along to Illamasqua's Christmas boutique and feast your eyes on their decadently gorgeous Christmas gift sets. Their last date for ordering online is Thursday! Also don't forget you can purchase Illamasqua at their stores in London, Leeds and Liverpool as well as counters in selected Selfridges, Debenhams and Fenwicks department stores nationwide.

♥

How's your Christmas shopping going? I confess I've still got a little bit left to do. Will I ever learn?

Saturday Summary

2011-12-17T08:00:00.000Z

Look who I found at Baytree garden centre? He says hello!

♥ Sparkly nail polish

♥ Sunday drives and Christmassy things!

♥ Addicted to Flight Control on my iPhone! Anyone else?

♥ Discovering new music

♥ Friends

♥ Free apps

♥ Seeing old friends

~*~

Listening to:

Christina Perri - lovestrong.

Lady Antebellum - Need You Now

Watching:

Glee

CSI

Buying:

Sparkly nail polish

Reading:

Blogs

A few to follow:

001. Frootibeauty

002. Gem Fatale's Style Blog

003. Get Gawjus!

♥

How has your week been?

EOTD: Winter Frost

2011-12-16T08:00:00.001Z

Just a quick post today :)

I woke on Saturday to find a properly frosty morning outside, and it inspired me to do something a little wintery with my make up before I braved the cold to finish off my Christmas shopping.

Apologies for the slightly blurry iPhone pic but it brings out the sparkles :)

I primed with Urban Decay Primer Potion, then dug out an old fave - 17's Starry Eyes trio in Moondust using the lighter shade on the inner corner, lighter blue shade over two thirds of the eye and also under my lower lashes and went in with the darkest colour on the outer corner. I added a bit of Illamasqua Beguile pigment for added sparkle, lined my upper lash line with No 7's Gel Eyeliner in Blue, lined my waterline with Illamasqua Medium Pencil in Vow, curled my lashes and applied two coats of Avon superSHOCK MAX mascara on the top lashes, and used Max Factor Masterpiece High Definition Mascara on my lower lashes.

Simple. Easy. Wintery.

♥

What's your favourite festive make up look?

FOTD: Teal Pop

2011-12-14T08:00:00.001Z

After being inspired by the gorgeous Esteeem over at Frootibeauty, I decided to whip out my Urban Decay palettes and give the look a go. I ended up using my Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette and an Urban Decay palette that I won from Esteeem in a recent giveaway. Obviously mine doesn't look anything near as good as hers, but here you go :)

Excuse the hat, I papped myself just as I was going out :)

Face

The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist

Kryolan Ultra Fluid Foundation in Alabaster

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair 1

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC15

Illamasqua Eyebrow Cake in Gaze

Benefit Coralista

NYX Taupe

17 Barely Blush Lipstick

Kryolan Anti Shine Powder

Eyes

Urban Decay Primer Potion all over the lid

Vanilla on the inner corner and browbone

Half Baked on the middle of the eye

Smog on the outer corner

Twice Baked blended up into the crease

Deep End under the lower lashline

24/7 Liner in Zero on the upper lashline and lower waterline

Avon superSHOCK MAX mascara on upper lashes

Max Factor Masterpiece High Definiton mascara on lower lashes

♥

Are you a fan of bright pops of colour to draw attention to your eyes?

IMATS London 2012

2011-12-12T08:00:00.001Z

Oh my days I am so excited. IMATS London is less than 2 months away! I had such a great time when I went in January and I only went for one day. This year I'm making a proper weekend of it, spending 4 days in London and going to IMATS on Saturday and Sunday. Double the shopping potential :D

This time around, IMATS is going to be bigger and better as the show is moving to the Great Hall inside of Alexandra Palace. I thought this year's show was huge so I cannot wait to see what it will look like in February.

Once again there is a long list of exhibitors that I will be queuing up at to part with my hard earned cash, hopefully with some very tempting discounts.

Some of the brands that I'll be checking out include:

Charles Fox
For countless stashes of Make Up Artist Magazine and make up must haves!

Illamasqua
Oh need I say more? Obsessed with this brand at the moment!

PAM
Stockists of some of the more hard to access brands of make up, I'll definitely be checking out Louise Young and Ben Nye as I missed them last time!

Crown Brush
Proving that you can never have too many make up brushes, this stand was jam packed all day which is why I'll be aiming to get here uber early to pick up another stash!

Graftobian
I managed to miss checking this brand out last time around, but I've heard some great things about their products so I will absolutely be stopping by their stand

Guru Makeup Emporium
Guru had brilliant discounts on Make Up For Ever last year so I will definitely be popping by to pick up some more items. Namely the HD foundation, blushes and diamond powders.

Inglot
For every nail polish, eye shadow and lipstick shade under the sun, this is a must visit stand. Make sure to get there early though because the queues are massive!

Make Up Artist Magazine
For endless backcopies of this magazine, this stall is a must visit if you're a fan.

Make Up For Ever
I don't remember Make Up For Ever having a standalone stall back in January, but I'm hoping they have a larger selection of their products than PAM and Guru Makeup Emporium so I can try some new things

~*~

There'll no doubt be some amazing sights to see once again. I really enjoyed watching artists at work at stands like Brushstroke and Academy of Freelance Make Up. One of the highlights this year was watching the Student Competition - there's some amazingly talented people out there! I'll make sure to remember my actual camera this year so I can take some videos if I get close enough!

~*~

Tickets are available from the IMATS website - £40 per day or £65 for two days on standard admission. Prices are slightly lower if you're a student.

Alternatively, pop tickets on your wishlist to Santa. Who knows, he might oblige ;)

♥

Are you coming to IMATS or planning to? It'd be great to see you if you are!

Saturday Summary

2011-12-10T09:00:00.000Z

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♥ Playing Monopoly

♥ A spot of online shopping with lots of reductions? Hello!

♥ Sparkly nail polish

♥ Cleaning and tidying - bit weird but feels so good once it's done! Is that weird?

♥ Putting up the Christmas tree :D

♥ Hilarious occurences at work

♥ My new camera has arrived! And the Christmas tree is up at work. Just trying to convince someone to dress up as Santa. Wish me luck ;)

~*~

Listening to:

Christmas songs - time to get festive :D

Watching:

Pan Am - obsessed with this show! Anyone else?

Reading:

Blogs

A few to follow:

001. Flaws and All

002. Flutter and Sparkle

003. Forever Glitter

~*~

How has your week been?

Review: Queen Cosmetics Eyelash Cream

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000Z

There was a lot of hype in the blogosphere about products like RapidLash and RevitaLash. I tried the former day in, day out for months on end. Finished the tube and didn't really notice a difference. Had I really wasted £40? I think I did unfortunately. Then Little Miss Sceptical was given the chance to try Queen Cosmetics Eyelash Cream...

Product

Queen Cosmetics say: Queen Eyelash Cream is a unique and classic Queen product created back in the 1930s. It really is a tiny pot of wonder! It can be used when you don't want to wear mascara but want to define your lashes a little or, even better, for conditioning lashes to prevent dryness and breakages or to help repair dry, damaged lashes. Some of our customers also use it to keep eyebrows neat and glossy-looking.

I say: I've been using Queen Cosmetics Eyelash Cream daily for just over a month now. It's simple and easy to use and I always slick some on to my lashes and brows every night without fail after cleansing. I also wear it during the day if I'm having a no make up day to not only treat my lashes to some moisturising nourishment but also to define them a little. I've found that my lashes have substantially improved using this product which surprised me as I wasn't getting results with RapidLash which costs 4 times the price of Queen Cosmetics Eyelash Cream. My lashes are fuller, longer and stronger and my upper lash lines are now more densely populated than they were before!

Application

Queen Cosmetics say: To improve the condition of your lashes, use Queen Cosmetics Eyelash Cream daily, by applying it gently with your fingertips to cleansed eyes. As with all Queen Cosmetics skin care products, Eyelash Cream is free from irritating perfume, masking fragrance essential oils and is not tested on animals; a real bonus if you suffer from sensitive skin, or your eyes have a sensitivity to eye make-up.

I say: After cleansing, I slick some of the product on to a clean finger and gently apply to my upper and lower lash lines and also to my brows to give them some much needed nourishment. Whilst gathering product information for this review, I came across the following on the Queen Cosmetics website:

"Do you ever wonder why men often have much better eyelashes than women - longer, glossier and thicker? It is often said that one reason is because they do not wear mascara so their eyelashes are not subjected to the daily application and removal process which can cause lashes to become dry, brittle or broken."

I've never really given it much thought before but I think they're right when they say men have better lashes than we do. One of my male work colleagues has the most enviable set of lashes I've ever seen. I've yet to see a woman with natural lashes to rival. And it simply must be because of our use of make up and make up removers. Lo and behold, using Queen Cosmetics Eyelash Cream really does pay off and the proof is in the photos...

Both of the above photos are of my natural lashes - not a product or mascara in sight!

Price: £9.70
Size: 12ml
Available from: Queen Cosmetics

Ratings

Product: 10/10
Price: 10/10
Packaging: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
Purchase: Yes. If I ever run out!

♥

Have you tried eyelash growth products? Are they working for you?

*PR Sample - read my disclaimer

NOTD: 17 Magnetic Nail Polish

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000Z

I've finally managed to track down the illusive magnetic polishes from 17. They've been selling like hotcakes by the looks of the empty shelves in Boots! Luckily I have now bought 3 out of the 4 shades and today I'm showcasing the grey.

I won't lie to you, at first I found it quite tricky to get the effect just right but with a bit of patience and practice, it can look really good. Leanne and I got some lovely compliments on our nails in Kiko and I've converted some girls at work too!

♥

What do you think of the magnetic polish trend? Hit or miss?

Saturday Summary

2011-12-03T09:00:00.000Z

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♥ Fab night out and no hangover? Why yes please.

♥ Ikea & Frankie and Benny's

♥ Costa Frosted Mint Hot Chocolate

♥ Having 'training' which consisted of playing with pipe cleaners and playing the Shopping Basket game

♥ Making my own ringtone for my iPhone

♥ Doing new stuff at work

♥ Starting my Christmas shopping - even if I did end up buying more for me haha!

~*~

Listening to:

Radio 1

Watching:

Pan Am

Reading:

Blogs

Buying:

Clothes, accessories, perfume and make up

A few to follow:

001. Emerald Sparkled

002. Emily's Nail Files

003. essbeevee

~*~

How has your week been? Have you started Christmas shopping?

Things I learnt in November 2011

2011-12-02T08:00:00.000Z

I always love November. So close to Christmas, the winter clothes and accessories are out in force, the nights are drawing in, the festive season is about to begin and it's my birthday month. Awesome :D

Source

001. Interflora flowers are beautiful :) And with the right attitude, new opportunities will come your way!

002. Most Scottish people I encounter are really rather angry. I dislike this.

003. I'm over the matte nail trend.

004. A simple thank you can put a real smile on my face :)

005. I really wish I could ballroom dance

006. I hate when I do a nail design and don't like it.

007. Christmas lights are up :D

Source

008. Costa Coffee's Black Forest Hot Chocolates are lush!

009. New opportunities at work might be daunting, but change is good! Also insanely envious of a work colleague that's going to Vegas next week!

010. Figures can be overwhelming.

011. I cannot stand the smell of oranges.

012. X Factor = Fix Factor

013. My second youngest cousin is the politest little boy! So sweet!

014. Communication is key. Seems to be lacking in some areas.

Source

015. Coca Cola is the secret to chocolate cake. Who knew?

016. Change should not be feared, but embraced.

017. I push myself too hard sometimes.

018. Work is so much more fun when fundraising and friendly rivalry is involved!

019. I don't like being disorganised

020. Magnetic nail polish is a pain in the bum sometimes

021. Westfield Stratford City is amazing!!

022. Baking can be a proper comedy fest sometimes

Source

023. Hummingbird Bakery recipes never fail to be mouth-wateringly delicious!

024. It's Sod's Law that I scour the whole of Lincoln to find something to wear to a party, then end up ordering online.

025. My boss was a backing dancer for Take That. Still not sure if I believe that though... I was a bit merry when someone told me.

026. Despite drinking for the first time in months, I woke up hangover free. Win.

027. I really like driving our new car :D That's once I'd figured out where the bite was hahaha. Totally didn't stall it AGAIN.

028. Pro Plus really do work. Thank the Gods of caffeine for that!

029. There are 'sky funerals' in Tibet where they chop the body up on a mountain and birds eat it...

030. I can make my own ringtones instead of paying for them. Me 1 - 0 iTunes.

♥

How was November for you?

These are a few of my favourite things

2011-11-30T08:00:00.000Z

Oo the end of November brings us closer to Christmas :D And the end of the month brings another favourites post!

♥ 17 Magnetic Polish

When I get it right, this looks really beautiful and I've had so many compliments on it. An NOTD or two (or three) are on their way :)

♥ Queen Cosmetics Eyelash Cream
Well hello thicker, longer lashes!

♥ Urban Decay Super Curling Mascara
Hands down the best mascara I've used in ages! Lengthened, volumised, defined lashes? Check.

♥ Topshop Cream Blush in Neon Rose
I've been reaching for this blush pretty much every day. Love it to give a bright pop of colour!

♥ Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil
A Glossybox hit I have to say! My legs have been a bit dry lately but slathering this on after showering has really pepped them up!

♥ Liz Earle Energising Body Scrub
I received this sample after visiting the Liz Earle store in Leeds back in August and have only just got around to trying it. I LOVE it. The first body scrub I've tried that doesn't leave an odd residue behind. And it smells gorgeous!

~*~

Which products have been your favourites this month?

Review: Ahava Purifying Mud Mask

2011-11-28T08:00:00.000Z

In my quest for a face mask that I really like and isn't ridiculously messy has brought me to this Purifying Mud Mask from Ahava. I've been using this twice a week for almost a month so I thought it was time to let you in on my thoughts :)

Product

Ahava say: A unique blend of natural Dead Sea mud and minerals, this gentle mask deeply clarifies and purifies your skin. It provides renewed freshness and a smoother complexion. Approved for sensitive skin. Allergy tested. SLS/SLES free. Paraben free. Not tested on animals.

I say: Having really liked the previous Ahava products that I've tried, I wasn't disappointed with this one. It does exactly what it says on the tube quickly and effectively. I'm a bit funny with face products because sometimes I can find they irritate my skin, but I am pleased to report this mask is lovely and calming and I didn't experience any sensitivity or irritation.

Application

Ahava say: Apply generously avoiding the eye area. Rinse after 2 minutes.

I say: I roughly use the amount of product as shown above and slather it all over my face and neck. I don't think this is strongly scented, it just smells a bit clay like (obviously!) but it's only on your face for two minutes anyway. The mask dries pretty quickly and although you can't really feel your face 'tighten' a lot like with some other masks - you know the ones I mean, smile and your face cracks ;) - if you smile you can feel the tightness but there's no cracking in sight! I think it feels really nice actually haha. Maybe I'm just weird. When it comes to removal, I find warm water and a muslin cloth work well together to leave you with fresh, smooth skin. Overall, a nice product but it was a bit messy to remove. However, I love that this only needs to be on your face for two minutes - perfect if you're in a rush to get ready!

'Scuse the dodgy face shot!

Price: £20.00

Size: 125g

Available from: Ahava

Ratings

Product: 10/10

Packaging: 10/10

Price: 6/10

Overall: 8/10

Purchase: Nice product, but a bit pricey. One to pop on the Xmas list methinks :)

*PR Sample - read my disclaimer

Saturday Summary

2011-11-26T09:00:00.000Z

Source

♥ 9 days off work - bliss!

♥ Italian food

♥ Westfield trip with my Leannypops <3

♥ Baking

♥ Birthday cake

♥ Party planning

♥ The work Christmas party!

~*~

Listening to:

One Direction - Up All Night

Watching:

Alan Carr Chatty Man

Buying:

Christmas party outfit

Reading:
Blogs - it's been nice to catch up!

A few to follow:
001. effiesmakeupbox
002. elevatormusik
003. ellie's beauty blog

~*~

How was your week?

Review: John Frieda Precision Foam Colour in Medium Burgundy

2011-11-25T08:00:00.002Z

Following the incredibly successful launch of the Precision Foam Colour range back in November last year - remember me singing their praises? - John Frieda were inundated with positive responses along with requests for new shades. The colour experts at John Frieda love a challenge, so they subsequently developed six new shades to expand their already fabulous collection.

Recently I had the opportunity to try one of the new shades. I'd been toying with the idea of going red for a while, and as the festive season dawns, I opted to go for 5RV Medium Burgundy. I've used Precision Foam a few times before and have absolutely loved it so I was intrigued to see what Medium Burgundy could do for me. Let's take a look shall we?

The packaging is pretty nifty as it tells you how easy it is to use the product, which shade you are so you can keep a reminder in your purse for that next repurchase, and also tells you which products to use to help maintain your colour.

Product

Kit contents clockwise from top left: Developer, Colourant, Conditioner, Gloves, Instructions, Foamer

John Frieda say: This revolutionary, non-drip foam covers every strand perfectly, so you are assured of shiny, natural-looking results.

I say: Precision Foam Dye can be used for all over colour or root application. I was using it for the former but the instructions give directions for both types of application which is useful. It does exactly what it says on the box. Application was easy, development was quick, leaving me with a gorgeous, flawless all over colour.

Application

John Frieda say: No need for complicated application tools or help from friends. This unique foam spreads quickly and easily, flawlessly covering the hard-to-reach hair on the back of your head, roots and hairline. Precision Foam Colour allows you to achieve the same salon-precise coverage that you would receive from a professional colourist. Our nourishing, after-colour conditioner seals in colour fot long-lasting tonal richness, while keeping hair soft and silky.

I say: Follow the instructions in the booklet and you really cannot go wrong. If there was a comedic manual about hair dying for dummies, this product would be featured, it's so simple to use! Foolproof I promise! For me, Precision Foam Dye has revolutionised the way I dye my hair. The only thing that took a while was rinsing my hair. My bath looked like a crime scene from an episode of CSI! Other than that, I found this ridiculously easy to use and the fact that this foams means that it really reaches every strand so you don't end up with patchy colour. The ammonia smell that is part and parcel of most hair dyes isn't so bad with this, although more noticeable with this colour than my previous one. Maybe that's the formula. You may have seen me mention on Twitter that I loved the conditioner that comes with Precision Foam Colour. My hair was left silky soft and smooth. And it smells amazing to boot!

Adding the colourant to the developer

This is what the dye looks like when the colourant has been added to the developer. Before you get started with the dying process, a handy tip is to put a water resistant gel like Vaseline around your hairline - don't forget your ears! - so that any dye you get on your skin (trust me, this WILL happen to you) comes off easily :)

After tilting the bottle 5 times your dye should look like this

Add the foamer and you're ready to begin!

A single squeeze of the bottle will produce this amount of foam which is perfect to start with. I know it doesn't look red, but it does go darker the longer it's in the bottle :) Time to apply!

Follow the directions until you end up in this attractive state below. You can just about see the amount of dye I got all over my face. But thanks to Vaseline, it came off with a simple wipe :D I left my dye on for 20-30 minutes which was a bit longer than the instructions say for all-over colour but I wanted to ensure it really covered my dark hair.

The results

My hair was dark brown to start with, the last dye I used was John Frieda Precision Foam in 3N Deep Brown-Black. Medium Burgundy turned my hair this gorgeous shade:

For other shots of my hair, check out my birthday FOTD

And if you still don't believe that it's this easy to achieve gorgeous red hair, check out the John Frieda video below which as you can see is slightly more glamourous than my photos ;)

Price: £9.99 but can usually be found on offer in Boots/Superdrug/Tesco - it's buy one get one free in Superdrug right now!

Available from: Boots, Superdrug, Sainsbury's & Tesco

Ratings

Product: 10/10

Packaging: 10/10

Price: 8/10

Overall: 9/10

Purchase: Absolutely!

♥

Fancy winning one of the new shades? Pop on over to the John Frieda Facebook page to like them and then enter the Selected By You prize draw where you could win one of 100 boxes of each colour. It ends on Monday, so what are you waiting for?

*PR Sample - read my disclaimer

Birthday FOTD

2011-11-24T08:00:00.000Z

I'm spoiling you folks this week with an FOTD. A lot of you said a while back that you'd like to see more, so here you go. Don't say I don't listen to you :p

Face

Liz Earle Skin Tint in #1

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in #1 Light

MAC Studio Fix Concealer in NC15

Illamasqua Eyebrow Cake in Gaze

Illamasqua Cream Blush in Promise

NYX Powder Blush in Taupe

Kryolan Anti-Shine Powder

Eyes

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Kiko Long Lasting Shadow Stick in #18
Illamsqua Medium Pencil in Vow

Urban Decay Super Curling Mascara

Lips

Topshop Pillow Talk Lipstick

Alva Organic Liquid Lipgloss in Pale Violet

♥

I'm really loving the Liz Earle Skin Tint - adding it to my Christmas wish list ;) Have you tried it? Which products are you using on your face at the moment?

Out & About: Westfield Stratford City

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000Z

On Monday I went down to London town to see my favourite blogger ever, Leanne of Do Not Refreeze fame. We went to Westfield Stratford City to have a pre-birthday lunch and a spot of good old shopping. I thought I'd share with you some snaps I took during the day, and all of the products that I bought.

I was greeted by the Police Box from Doctor Who at the entrance to Westfield. Turns out there was a bit of a Doctor Who meet and greet with three stars of the show and an interview with Jo Whiley. Apparently they're kind of a big deal ;)

Strawberry Dacquiri before lunch at TGI Fridays. That Leanne bird made me ;)

I was pretty excited to pop into Kiko and I picked up some beautiful products!

Long Lasting Shadow Stick in #18 - these are the Kiko equivalent of MAC shadesticks. This colour is BEAUTIFUL. This photo really doesn't do it justice. I couldn't stop looking at my hand after I swatched it in store! If you're ever near Kiko, pick it up! It was a steal at £7.90 :)

Copper Shadow in #132 - a lovely dirty brown copper shade

Blue Shadow in #165 - I picked this up because it looked like a dupe of MAC Deep Truth which I've wanted for ages but couldn't justify buying when I don't wear heavy eye make up very often. At this price I couldn't resist!

Grey Shadow in #176 - Again, this photo really doesn't do this shadow justice. It's not a plain old dark grey. It's so much more. And looks amazing over the shadow stick I picked up!

L-R: 176, 132 and 165

These shadows are incredibly pigmented and are just £5.90!

I also bought a glass nail file (£3.50) and the lovely cashier popped in a couple of samples of their 3D lifting foundation :)

The bag they gave me implied you can shop online but there doesn't seem to be a UK option at the moment. Keep your eyes peeled though because you never know!

Christmas lights :D

A quick trip to Primark resulted in some much needed gloves and hair essentials

Pretty lights :) I felt to festive with the Christmas lights, decorations and Christmas music!

Beauty Base is a discount store that mainly sells fragrance but they do have a fab colour co-ordinated section of nail polish and make up. I picked up a few polishes - rude to say no at just 99p each right?

L-R: Cactus, Tropical Storm, Twilight, Magnetic Force

L-R: Base Coat and Lilac Frost

L-R: A Travalo and Alkaline Blue

As you can see, I didn't go crazy. The one impulse purchase I made was a Travalo perfume thingymajig (official terminology don't you know!) which I found at the till.

According to the bag Beauty Base gave me, you can also shop online with them. Although the website seems to not work. Useful!

I stopped by Boots. I only really intended to pick up an Illusion D'Ombre from Chanel but it was out of stock. Counter staff were rude and unhelpful. Shame as I've never experienced that before in Boots.

I picked up a couple more of the 17 Magnetic nail polishes and as it was 3 for 2, picked up a blush and I also grabbed a new Hand Maid from Soap & Glory

It took me ages to figure out how to get this product to work. It's supposed to come out of the middle of the brush. I didn't realise that until I unscrewed it and got blush everywhere *sigh*

I popped into Superdrug and nothing took my fancy, but when I saw the huge Batiste cans on offer for £2.45 I snapped one up. And I've finally remembered to pick up Lipcote. Have you tried it?

Whilst Leanne was watching the Doctor Who cast interview, I went for a wander and ended up in H&M...

... where I bought this. Because I am a magpie and am attracted to anything sparkly.

I also popped into Topshop and picked up Pillow Talk lipstick after seeing it on the lovely Kaushal's FOTD post

Christmas :) And I spy Leanne! (centre left in the white top)

I had a lovely day and absolutely love the new Westfield. I'm hopefully planning on popping back the Monday after the IMATS weekend in February if anyone fancies a bit of retail therapy :)

Check out this fab melting clock that I got in Menkind! Sitting proudly on the mantelpiece in the lounge :)

♥

Today I turn the grand old age of 23. At some point, I'll be putting my feet up, having a cuppa and a slice of something I made earlier ;)

Congratulations if you got to the end of this epic post! Have a virtual slice of cake and have a fab day :)

Illamasqua S.O.P.H.I.E Competition

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000Z

If you've been a long time reader of my blog, you'll recall that I've written about Illamasqua and their support of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation before.

When I received this email from Illamasqua, I had to share it with you all.

This coming Saturday would have been Sophie Lancaster's 25th birthday.

Sophie was killed in 2007 just for the way she looked. Set up after her death, the Sophie Lancaster Foundation aims to:

♦ create a lasting legacy to Sophie
♦ to provide educational group-works that will challenge the prejudice and intolerance towards people from alternative subcultures
♦ to campaign to have the UK Hate Crime legislation extended to include people from "alternative subcultures" or Lifestyle and Dress"
♦ to work in conjunction with politicians and police forces to ensure individuals who are part of subcultures are protected by the law

You can find out more about the Sophie Lancaster Foundation on their website and Facebook page

In honour of Sophie's birthday, and to mark their support for the Sophie Lancaster foundation, which aims to Stamp Out Prejudice, Hatred, and Intolerance Everywhere, Illamasqua are hosting an internationally open competition to win a selection of cult pieces from the Illamasqua collection including:

♥ Medium Pencil in Sophie
♥ Pure Pigment in Zeitgeist
♥ Nail Polish in Unnatural
♥ Intense Lipgloss in Repulse
♥ False Eyelashes in #21
and
♥ S.O.P.H.I.E wristband

There will be 5 lucky winners announced on Monday 28th November.

So, pop over to the Sophie competition, you've got until midnight on Sunday 27th November to enter!

Please continue to support this amazing charity and the work that it does.

Thanks for reading :)

Saturday Summary

2011-11-19T08:00:00.000Z

Source

♥ Rest and relaxation

♥ Spending time with family

♥ Getting to grips with a new role at work

♥ A visit from the Fairy Hobmother - have you made a wish?

♥ Online window shopping

♥ Baking cupcakes

♥ Children In Need activities at work

~*~

Listening to:

Michael Buble - Crazy Love

Katy Perry - Teenage Dream

Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Reading:

Figures and reports

Buying:

Costa Christmas drinks

Watching:

Garrow's Law

A few to follow:

001. Dreams That Glitter

002. Dutchess Roz

003. eeevc

~*~

How has your week been? What did you do for Children in Need?

NOTD: Plaid Nails

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000Z

I've finally had a bash at something new for a change!

I decided to use the Leighton Denny Babydoll polish that came in the October Glossybox. Really hated the colour when I put it on. Hence why it ended up in my blog shop - clever plug there ;)

I also used a generic black striping polish and the Models Own White Nail Art Pen. The latter was an epic fail. Although saying that, it's the older version. The new ones are a lot easier to use. I finished with adding a couple of silver lines using the Barry M Foil Effects in Silver.

What do you think?

I want to try some festive nail art seeing as it's that time of year again. Would you like to see me try anything in particular?

♥

In other news, after commenting on Jennie's post, I was one of the lucky people to be visited by the Fairy Hobmother from Appliances Online, which was absolutely lovely as it's almost my birthday! I received a £50 Amazon voucher, which I'll be using to treat myself to a new camera :D As the festive season is almost upon us, tell me what your wish would be - you might be in with a chance of a visit from the Fairy Hobmother yourself!

Review: Good Things Miracle Mattifier Moisturiser

2011-11-14T08:00:00.000Z

It's no secret that I'm not a fan of moisturising before applying foundation. It's never worked for me in the past. However, Lily convinced me that I needed to try this particular moisturiser so I picked it up in Boots recently, eager to see if it upheld it's claims. Here goes!

Product

Good Things say: Even if your skin is oily, it needs moisture to keep it soft and healthy. Miracle Mattifier with blackcurrant and goji berry super fruits pulls off a clever balancing act. It is quickly absorbed to hydrate your skin, also helping to absorb any excess oil, so your skin stays smooth and matte and is less prone to breakouts. Free from Parabens, mineral oils, sodium laureate sulphate and animal ingredients. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

I say: Finally, a moisturiser for oily skin! I like that this can be used before make up. Before using this, I simply used to forgo moisturiser because it decreased the longevity of my foundation. Using Miracle Mattifier, I can moisturise before applying foundation without worrying about touching up my face at every opportunity. Whilst using this helps mattify, my face doesn't stay matte all day, it just stays matte for longer, which is still good. Also incredibly pleased that it doesn't contain chemical nasties :)

Application

Good Things say: Smooth gently into your face and neck using light, upward movements.

I say: This feels like any other moisturiser and has a fruity scent, as you'd expect with it containing blackcurrant and goji berries. It's not overly creamy, but it absorbs quickly leaving a matte complexion which you can leave if you like, or apply your make up over. I find that when I applied foundation over the top, my T-zone did stay matte for longer but I still had to blot towards the end of the day.

Price: £7.99

Size: 100ml

Available from: Boots and Superdrug

Ratings

Product: 8/10

Price: 8/10

Packaging: 10/10

Overall: 9/10

Repurchase: Yes

♥

It tickled me slightly that the company is based in Melton Mowbray. It's not that far from me. It has two decent exports. Pork Pie (sorry veggies!) and Good Things MMM :)

Saturday Summary

2011-11-12T09:00:00.004Z

Hello my gorgeous people :)

Source

This photo absolutely sums up my week

:)

♥ Having the weekend off

♥ Watching Sleepless in Seattle. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Too cute.

♥ Costa Coffee's Black Forest Hot Chocolates. Nom.

♥ Funny occurrences at work

♥ Emails that make my day!

♥ The boss preferring me in the role I'm trying out to the person that does it for a living. Too funny!

♥ Pro Plus. Thank God for your existence.

~*~

Listening to:

Pixie Lott - What Do You Take Me For?
Kelly Rowland - Down For Whatever
Rihanna - We Found Love

Buying:

Workwear and coffee

Watching:

The Impressions Show

Reading:
Way too much data for my little brain to handle!

A few to follow:

001. Danny Kelly

002. Diamonds & Pearls

003. Do Not Refreeze

~*~

How has your week been?

Bargain Central: Bella Pierre Wild Forest Green Shimmer Kit

2011-11-11T08:00:00.002Z

Whilst I was on holiday back in September, I popped into TK Maxx in Carlisle. I had a rummage around the beauty section, as I always do when I pop in to any TK Maxx, to see if I could find any bargains. I was surprised to come across this beautiful kit from Bella Pierre!

Check out the price reduction! I paid 25% of the retail price. Kerching!

What's in the kit?

3 mineral pigment pots (2.35g), 1 make up base pot (8.5g), one shadow brush and a double ended liner brush

L-R: Discotheque, Forest, Reluctance

I did try to swatch them, honest, but I couldn't get them to photograph properly. Must try harder!

Make up Base

Makeup Lesson

The kit even comes with a make up lesson so you can try to recreate the look on the front of the box using all of the products in the kit which is super helpful if you want a bit of guidance or are a first time user of the brand.

Also in the box is some handy information about the pigments

It also tells you the pros of the kit and other uses. I know from previous experience that the pigments are multi-use products. Disappointingly, there were no instructions in this kit (perils of having it rifled through on TK Maxx's shelves?) although I can tell you that the combinations go like this:

Eyeliner - Pigment + Water or an agent like Illamasqua's Sealing Gel

Lip Gloss - Pigment + Vaseline or a clear gloss

Nail polish - Pigment + clear polish (check out MUA's clear polishes for £1 for this!)

Blusher - A light dusting over the cheeks (although not these green shades perhaps!)

Body Bronzer - Dust over your shoulders, arms and décolletage (although again, perhaps not green lol!)

Hair Highlighter - Pigment + clear mascara

Mascara - Pigment + your standard mascara or even a clear mascara

All in all, a pretty good kit don't you think? I probably wouldn't pay full price for one but I was hardly going to resist it for a value-licious tenner!

♥

Are you a fan of Bella Pierre? Have you found any bargains in the TK Maxx beauty section recently?

NOTD: Barry M Foil Effects meets MUA Nail Quake

2011-11-09T08:00:00.000Z

As soon as I saw a work colleague sporting Barry M's Silver Foil Effects polish, I knew I had to have it. So I hop, skipped and jumped my way down the high street to purchase.

Products Used

Barry M Foil Effects in Silver

MUA Nail Quake Polish in Jailbreak

MUA Nail Quake Polish in Shockwaves

♥

What do you think? Have you tried the new Foil Effects polishes?

Review: Queen Cosmetics Eye Make Up Remover

2011-11-07T08:00:00.001Z

The one thing that I hate about make up, is removing it. Especially eye make up. You know when you use that amazing waterproof, won't-budge-an-inch eyeliner? Or that blackest of all blacks mascara? When your make up wipes just give you panda eyes. When your follow up cleanser just irritates and stings? Well I have just the thing for it. And not a red, watery eye in sight!

Product

Queen Cosmetics say: Queen Eye Make-up Remover is a gentle yet very effective cream remover which lifts off even the most stubborn eye make-up quickly and easily without causing irritation to sensitive eyes. It is suitable for all skin types.

I say: This is a solid cream product, which I wasn't expecting. It was a bit of a relief actually as I cannot stand putting make up removal lotions anywhere near my eyes. It's non greasy and removes every trace of make up, even the most waterproof of products, like my Nars eyeliner. No panda eyes in sight. No irritation. Thumbs up! Thank you Queen Cosmetics for making make up removal easy!

Application

Queen Cosmetics say: Eye Make-up Remover should be patted gently over the eyes with soft tissue or a cotton bud. Remove very gently with soft tissue or damp cotton wool, taking care not to pull at the delicate under-eye skin.

I say: I simply follow the instructions for quick and easy make up removal. This cream is not greasy, or scented, and make up just glides off with a damn cotton pad. Simples! I think this is excellent value for money as I don't need a lot. Whilst I'm a proper Scrooge about things, I think there are areas where you can afford to splash out, and this is most certainly one of them. I would not hesitate to repurchase this as not only does it work incredibly well, I haven't experienced any irritation whatsoever, it's incredibly gentle to my eyes and I think this will last me for ages.

Now let's see it in action!

Left to right: NARS Via Appia Larger than Life Long Wear Eyeliner, Avon Supershock Gel Liner in Black, Stila Smudgestick in Moray and No 7 Metallic Eyes Pencil in Green

I swipe a clean finger through the product then rub over the swatches...

... then use a clean, damp cotton pad just to remove in one easy motion, leaving thoroughly cleansed skin and not a trace of product in sight!

Size: 50g

Price: £14.50

Available from: Queen Cosmetics

Ratings

Product: 10/10

Price: 8/10

Packaging: 10/10

Overall: 9/10

Would I purchase?: Absolutely!

♥

*PR Sample - Disclaimer

Saturday Summary

2011-11-05T09:00:00.000Z

This week has been pretty darn good! Feeling so much better about things now everything seems to have fallen into place :)

♥ Quiet, relaxed weekends at work

♥ Angry Birds

♥ Halloween

♥ New job, new opportunities, new start :D

♥ Kit Kats & childhood memories - anyone else remember ZZZap?! Or Funhouse?

♥ Getting organised

♥ Funny workplace jokes

~*~

Listening to:

Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto

Watching:

Young Apprentice

Buying:
Clothes

Reading:
Christmas brochures

A few to follow:
001. Cosmetic Candy
002. Dainty Dresses
003. Daisy Bee Beauty

~*~

How has your week been?

Christmas Gift Ideas Part One!

2011-11-04T08:00:00.000Z

Time is ticking and I'm sure we're all counting down the sleeps until Christmas Day! No? Me either but I'm sure someone is!* I thought I'd do a series of posts for Christmas gift inspiration. Why don't you settle down with a cuppa and have a look at some of these fab experience gifts :)

* Spa Breaks *

If you haven't heard of Wahanda, I'd be very surprised! They're one of my favourite websites for tracking down the best deals for all things beauty related. They have a fab section dedicated to great value spa breaks from individual treatments to one day experiences and weekends away valid at a variety of spas and hotels nationwide and even in Europe.

Here's a few that have caught my eye:

♥ Late Escape Day at Ragdale Hall, Leicestershire for £106 ♥

Source

- Welcome drink

- Facial

- 3 course lunch

- Full use of spa facilities

- Light supper

- Valid for 6 months from date of purchase

♥ Rasul Spa Day for Two at Rookery Hall, Cheshire for £49 ♥

Source

- Rasul treatment

- Full use of spa and club facilities

- Step in the footsteps of the stars - this is where David & Victoria Beckham got engaged!

- Valid for 6 months from date of purchased

♥ 7 Night Spa Break at Clube Praia da Oura, Portugal for £59 ♥

Source

- 7 nights accommodation

- Champagne on arrival

- Free use of the Xanadu Health Club

- 10% off beauty treatments

- Valid for bookings made until May (must be booked by December 15th)

And don't forget if you're new to Wahanda, you'll get £5 for every friend you invite to Wahanda and they'll also get £5 too!

* Hair Treatments *

♥ Toni & Guy gift cards ♥

Source

- Can be used on hair treatments or products

- Available up the value of £90

- Can be bought and used in all 225 salons nationwide

* Manicures and Pedicures *

As you can probably tell, I'm a huge fan of nail polish and nail art, and one of my favourite brands of polish is Nails Inc. Being one of the top nail polish brands in the UK, you know you're getting quality products and services. So why not treat someone to a Nails Inc manicure or pedicure with a Nails Inc Voucher?

How about some of these fab options:

♥ Nails Inc vouchers start at £20 ♥

Source

Enabling the recipient of the voucher to choose:

- A mini manicure (£17.50)

- Nail art with 13 gorgeous designs to choose from as prices start from just £7 on top of a manicure

♥ Terrific tootsies voucher for £48 ♥

Source

- Have your tootsies pampered by professionals for 45 minutes

♥ 3 week manicure voucher for £55 ♥

Source

- Instantly dry, glossy, chip-resistant nails for 3 weeks!

If you're feeling uber generous, you could gift The Flirty Dozen - a year's worth of Nails Inc heavenly hands manicures for the princely sum of £360!

Source

Why do it yourself when you can be pampered by someone else? Available at selected Nails Inc counters nationwide.

♥

Do any of these options tickle your fancy? Have you started thinking about Christmas gifts yet?

P.S. Feel free to strategically bookmark this page or leave this page open for your significant other/parents/siblings etc ;)

* It's 50 sleeps in case you were wondering. There really is an app for that ;)

** FYI, this isn't a sponsored post :)

Things I learnt in October 2011

2011-11-02T08:00:00.000Z

Well hello November! Quite possibly my favourite month of the year :) October was interesting for so many different reasons. Here are my rambling lessons for the month...

Source

001. Gary Barlow AND Robbie Williams? PHWOAR FACTOR.

002. They had curling irons in the early 1900s. Genuinely amazed.

003. The new system at work launched and was fairly hitch free. Astounded. Truly. In other news, I applied for my own job and got invited to an assessment. I'm on fire.

004. I need to do what makes me happy :)

005. I knew enjoying my job wouldn't last long. Remind me why I applied for it again?

006. I am a perfectionist. Cue staying up until 12:45 to perfect an application form...

007. Work can be hilarious sometimes.

Source

008. Lady Gaga is a very intriguing person and never fails to surprise me!

009. Car salesmen are not all pushy vultures

010. I passed the assessment for my own job and now have an interview for it...

011. Opportunities are like buses. You wait ages for one and then three come along at once!

012. It is advisable to stand your ground. And don't be afraid to haggle.

013. I kind of regret applying for my own job. However really glad I've taken a chance on other opportunities, as they've paid off!

014. I now know how it feels to feel sick with worry :/

015. Sitting and doing absolutely nothing is actually quite relaxing

Source

016. I don't miss the days of working to deadlines.

017. Never underestimate your boss' capability to be nice and understanding.

018. Actually, never underestimate anything your employer regarding anything. Especially when it results in being offered a job.

019. Its ok to treat yourself to sausage and chips.

020. When I want to be out of work on time at the end of my shift, you can guarantee I'll get the last irate caller of the day *facepalm*

021. I miss the fact that ATMs at my old uni give out £5 notes. Amused me greatly.

022. Renting apartments does not look cheap. Uhoh.

023. I do love going for a drive in the beautiful Autumn countryside

Source

024. I can do early starts without feeling tired. Win :D

025. Getting shampoo in your eyes hurts. A lot.

026. Boots Christmas Points evenings are not as exciting as they make out.

027. The iPhone 4S is amazing!

028. I am bargain hunter extraordinare

029. Weekends at work, whilst sounding like a drag, are actually quite fun

030. I am quite addicted to Angry Birds and Santa's Rush on iPhone. Uhoh. I am app-solutely hooked. See what I did there? ;)

031. Illamasqua pigment mixed with Sealing Gel has amazing staying power!

♥

How was October for you?

These are a few of my favourite things

2011-10-31T08:00:00.000Z

Seriously, where did October go? Hands up who pressed the fast forward button? The end of another month brings another favourites post! There's quite a lot in here this time around :)

♥ Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner Pencil in Black

This is an amazing liner. Opaque in one swatch. Can be used from the pencil or with a brush, which I prefer. Stays put all day with zero smudging!

♥ Avon Supershock Mascara

At first I wasn't sure about this but I've persevered and now it's a firm favourite. Two to three coats gives me AMAZINGLY full lashes. Love.

♥ Queen Cosmetics Eye Make Up Remover
Loving this for removing the most stubborn of eyeliners and mascara!

♥ No 7 Lash Adapt Mascara

Super impressed with this! I can build a few coats up without clumps and my lashes look fuller, longer and more defined.

♥ Sigma F82 Brush

My new favourite foundation brush

♥ NYX Taupe Blush

Perfect contour shade for me to add a bit of definition

♥ China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat
Finally bought a new bottle of this - hello to instant drying, longer lasting, chip resistant manicures!

♥ Topshop Cream Blush in Neon Rose
Beautiful!!!

♥ Illamasqua Lipstick in Fable
Possibly my new favourite lippie, especially teamed with Topshop's Neon Rose blush!

~*~

Which products have you been loving this month?

Saturday Summary

2011-10-29T18:26:00.001+01:00

Crikey this has been one busy week! I hope you've all had a lovely and less hectic one!

Source

♥ Dreaming of the future

♥ Country drives

♥ Caring friends and colleagues

♥ Anticipation

♥ Primark shopping sprees

♥ My iPhone 4S arriving!!!!

♥ A successful shopping trip to Nottingham

~*~

Listening to:

Evanescence - Evanescence

Kelly Clarkson - Stronger

Watching:

Frozen Planet

Buying:

PJs and bargain mascara

A few to follow:

001. Charlotte's Obsessions

002. Cheryl's Beauty Blog

003. Click And Make Up!

~*~

How has your week been?

Review: Ahava Dermud Intensive Hand Cream

2011-10-28T08:00:00.000+01:00

Ah hand creams, something I am never without on a daily basis. Whether it's on my dresser, laying on the desk at work or tucked in my handbag, you can be sure wherever I go, hand cream is something that I always have to hand. I recently had the opportunity to try this particular cream from Ahava.

Product

Ahava say: Ahava's Dermud Intensive Hand Cream is a leave-on Dead Sea Mud cream with active dead sea minerals formulated specifically for dry and sensitive skin relief. This hand-treating mud-enriched cream deeply nourishes your skin, calming and smoothing dry and rough hands. Approved for sensitive skin. Allergy tested. Paraben free. Cruelty free.

I say: I'll start off by saying how utterly lovely the scent of this product is! It's not overly strong but you certainly notice it and it lingers deliciously on your skin. The cream feels very luxurious and has transformed my hands to the softest, smoothest condition. With the rapid change in the weather recently, I've felt the need to use a heavier duty hand cream as my skin on my hands has shown the tell-tale signs of feeling dry, and with that can come sensitivity, but I've been regularly applying this hand cream and my hands have gone back to being soft and supple with no sensitivity in sight. The fact that it's paraben free is a bonus. As is it being cruelty free. Thumbs up!

Application

Ahava say: Massage into hands whenever needed.

I say: The first thing I noticed about this cream was the texture. It's smooth but feels quite thick yet I've found that is absorbs very quickly and gets to work instantaneously. My hands are left silky smooth and hydrated without being sticky or greasy.

Size: 100ml
Price: £18
Available from: Ahava

Ratings
Product: 10/10
Price: 7/10
Packaging: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
Would I purchase?: Yes

♥

Which hand creams are you using at the moment? Do you tend to use a different cream for different seasons and weather conditions?

*PR Sample - Disclaimer

NOTD: 17 Sulk

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000+01:00

Can you believe that I didn't own a metallic green polish before picking up Sulk from 17's current nail collection? Bad beauty blogger! Fear not, all has been remedied :)

Products used

17 Sulk

China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat

♥

This polish is beautiful! A must have methinks :)

Wear It Pink!

2011-10-24T08:00:00.001+01:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this Friday is Wear It Pink day in conjunction with the Breast Cancer Campaign. The idea is that you wear something pink and give £2 to the charity. What better way to channel your inner Barbie girl than helping out a fabulous charity?

To give you some background, the Breast Cancer Campaign aims to beat breast cancer by funding innovative world-class research to understand how cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and accounts for nearly one in three of all cancers in women. In the UK, around 48,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year. That's an astounding 130 cases a day.

The Breast Cancer Campaign currently funds 95 projects worth almost £16.5 million in 31 locations across the UK and Ireland.

How to get involved

Organising a wear it pink day is fun and easy. Team up with colleagues, family or friends, wear something pink and donate £2 to Breast Cancer Campaign. It’s a simple way to BE PART OF THE CURE and support the thousands of people affected by breast cancer in the UK today

Check out the fab range of Wear It Pink goodies available at Debenhams including the official Wear It Pink T-shirts as modelled by business woman Michelle Mone:

There's a whole assortment of pink items available whose proceeds, full or partial, are going towards supporting the campaign, so keep an eye out for them :)

How am I getting involved?

Being a beauty blogger, I've amassed an assortment of pink goodies so I'm going to 'Wear It Pink' with pink make up, and of course donate to the Breast Cancer Campaign! Here are some of the items I might be using this Friday:

Cheeks

Anti-Clockwise from left:

Illamasqua Cream Blush in Promise

MAC Powder Blush in Well Dressed
Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Pink

Illamasqua Powder Blush in Unrequited

Illamasqua Illuminator in Poised

Benefit Posie Tint

Eyes

Anti-Clockwise from left:

MAC Wintersky
Collection 2000 Dazzle Me! in Illusion

GOSH Effect Powder in Meringue

Lips

Anti-Clockwise from centre:
Illamasqua Fable

Topshop Brighton Rock

MAC Creme Cup
YSL Candy Volupte in Pomegranate
L'Oreal Freshly Candy
Barry M 153
MAC Viva Glam Gaga I

Nails

Left to right:

Bourjois Rose Lounge

OPI Princesses Rule!

Avon Strawberry

MUA Shade 15

♥

What will you be sporting make up wise this Friday? Are you taking part in any fundraising activities? Let me know :)

Saturday Summary (on a Sunday)

2011-10-23T09:00:00.000+01:00

Gosh, this week has been so busy and hectic! Hence why I'm posting a day late. Does anyone else feel bad when they do that? Eek. Anywho, on to the post :)

Source

♥ Being made to work on a Saturday but pretty much doing nothing all day. Win.

♥ Downton Abbey

♥ My boss being really nice about a potentially awkward situation

♥ Being offered a job!

♥ Lion bars - retro! Who remembers them?

♥ Talking about the work Xmas do - even if it is a little early

♥ Retail therapy, aka raiding Primark!

~*~

Listening to:

Adele 21

Reading:

Estate agent websites

Buying:

Knitwear, Topshop make up and new boots

A few to follow:
001. Blushingloves
002. Buttons, Bows & Brogues
003. Charli...

~*~

How was your week? Anything exciting happened to you? I'm all ears :)

NOTD: Gemstone Fury

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000+01:00

I recently picked up a few of the new polishes from 17 in Boots. Two of them instantly screamed out to me 'Ruffian mani'. I haven't done a Ruffian for ages, so here we are!

Products Used

Nails Inc Kensington Caviar Base Coat

17 Fast Finish in Fury (bronzed gold)

7 Fast Finish in Gemstone (deep wine purple)

♥

I do love a Ruffian mani and I think they look great for Autumn/Winter. What do you think?

Sigma Brush Order

2011-10-17T08:00:00.000+01:00

A couple of weeks ago I made an order with Sigma for a few brushes so I thought I'd show you which ones I bought :)

The brushes

Flat Top Synthetic Kabuki - F80

As pretty much every beauty blogger has told me how good the F80 is, I had to buy one. Designed to buff in liquid foundation, I ordered it to use with this purpose in mind.

I like it for foundation application, it's certainly a step up from my e.l.f. Powder Brush. I find it more densely packed, and lovely and soft. I haven't experienced any shedding. It's a nice brush, but I'm not sure if it lives up to the hype but maybe that's just me?

Round Top Synthetic Kabuki - F82

I really liked the look of the round top on the F82 so I ordered one of these too. It's designed for achieving flawless coverage with liquid and powder products, especially under the eyes and around the nose.

I started off using this to buff in my foundation and concealer and it gave a beautiful finish. However I've started using this to apply my foundation and I actually prefer it to the F80. It's soft and densely packed and it fits the contours of my face very well. Again, I haven't experienced any shedding with this brush.

Eye Liner - E05

For the amount of gel liners I have, I was running out of brushes, so I thought I'd give the Sigma liner brush a go. It's designed for achieving precision and giving fine lines.

The brush is soft but firm with a tapered end and it's perfect for applying gel liner! It's firm but flexible and I haven't had any shedding with this brush either.

Lip - L05

I already own an L05 and I absolutely love it. I had to order another one!

It's the perfect size for filling in my lips with colour. Generally, I don't like lip brushes because they're small, spindly and pathetic. But the Sigma one is amazing. It's soft but firm, perfectly shaped and doesn't shed.

♥

As my order total was over $30 I received a free gift - what a lovely touch :)

Blending - E25 (Travel sized)

Primarily designed for blending and softening lines, the E25 can also be used to apply primer and base shadow colours.

A handy travel sized version of the E25 brush - perfect to add to my handbag for touching up crease work during the day. Beautifully soft and no shedding so far!

♥

I know I must be the last beauty blogger to have tried the Sigma F80. I'm really loving the F82 though, that'll be a definite repurchase for sure! I really like what I've tried so far. What are your favourite Sigma brushes?

Saturday Summary

2011-10-15T09:00:00.000+01:00

Morning lovelies

Source

♥ One is slightly disillusioned with the X Factor judges. And it all started off so well...

♥ Car shopping

♥ Regretting :(

♥ Lovely work colleagues

♥ Buying a new family car!

♥ Getting the most amazing news :D

♥ Purchasing an iPhone 4S :D Can't wait for it to arrive!

~*~

Listening to:
001. Birdy - People Help The People
002. Delilah - Go
003. Rihanna - We Found Love

Reading:
Car brochures

Watching:
Strictly Come Dancing
CSI
Grey's Anatomy

Buying:
Avon Supershock Liners
ASOS sale bargains
iPhone 4S :D

A few to follow:
001. Beautylicious Love
002. Beauty's Bad Habit
003. Betwixt Beauty

~*~

How was your week?

Review: VO5 Hot Oil Moisture Soak Elixir

2011-10-14T08:00:00.001+01:00

I'm sure you know how much I've already raved about the VO5 Miracle Concentrate. Well, I picked up the Hot Oil Moisture Soak Elixir to give my hair an extra treat. I am in love!

Product

VO5 say: Reconstructs damaged hair in 1 minute for dry, rebellious hair. Doubles the strength of hair to reduce breakage. Seeks out and binds to weak sites of every strand. Removes 75% more chlorine than shampooing alone.

I say: I had my reservations about using an oil based product on my hair, however I've been incredibly impressed! Since using this I think the condition of my hair has drastically improved. It's certainly noticeably softer and a lot more manageable. No more tangles for me!

Application

VO5 say: Use before shampooing. Wet hair. Using the triangle indicators as a guide, apply one application directly onto the hair and leave for up to 1 minute. Rinse hair, scalp and skin thoroughly, shampoo and rinse. Dry and style as usual. Can be used as often as required without overloading the hair.

I say: You can get about 5 uses out of a bottle of this which isn't bad value for money. Talking of the bottle, you flip the lid and squeeze to get the product out but as it's quite liquid, it can get a bit messy! The product smells quite nice. Reminds me of baby shampoo! I pour it on my scalp, massage it in, taking it down the length of my hair and leave for a minute before rinsing then I carry on with my regular shampoo and conditioning routine. My hair is left beautifully soft, silky and shiny. Thumbs up from me!

Price: The RRP for the newly packaged product is £4.28. For the one pictured, I have seen it at £4.99 and £4.07.

Size: 75ml

Available from: Online at Superdrug and Boots - please note both websites are showing different packaging. VO5 have relaunched this in the pink packaging to match the rest of the range :)

Ratings

Product: 10/10

Price: 10/10

Packaging: 8/10

Overall: 9/10

Repurchase: I'm on my ~~3rd~~ 4th bottle and counting!

♥

Have you tried the VO5 haircare range?

NOTD: Illamasqua Faux Pas

2011-10-12T08:00:00.000+01:00

I just had to show you my new favourite nail polish!

Faux Pas is one of the new rubber finish polishes from the Illamasqua Theatre of the Nameless Collection, and it's a beautiful blue-violet shade.

I can't stop looking at my nails! I'm super impressed because it was opaque in one coat!

♥

What do you think? Have you picked up any of the Theatre of the Nameless polishes?

Bargain Central: Avon Order

2011-10-10T08:00:00.001+01:00

After hearing that the Avon Supershock Gel Liner pencils were back on the Avon website, I had to make another order.

Only, as you can see, I got sidetracked by some fab bargains. Every single item I bought was on offer. How's that for some super savvy shopping?

Supershock Gel Liners in and Black and Silver

Beautiful colours!

I already own a Black Sparkle version of the Supershock liner which is beautiful. These two are so beautifully opaque with one swatch, I'm amazed. The silver really surprised me. It's so different to any other silver liner I've tried before. It's a beautifully shimmery liner. A must have staple in any girl's collection!

Foundation Samples

How cool is this? Avon offer trial sized samples of all their foundations for just 99p so I picked up a couple. I wasn't sure what their shading was like but I picked up the Mattifying Foundation and Magix Cashmere Finish Foundation, both in the shade Ivory.

Matte Polish in Red Velvet

A beautiful red wine shade with a slight golden undercurrent to it

Extra Lasting Lipstick in Vintage Pink

Not gonna lie, I saw this on a model in the brochure that was floating around at work. Beautiful.

It's quite a red toned pink but I think it's beautiful!

Senses Vintage Glamour Shower Gel

I picked this up because I thought it'd look pretty in the bathroom - sucker for pretty packaging!

Owl Necklace

I've got a thing for owl necklaces at the moment!

Dina Ring

I love how retro this looks!

♥

Are you a fan of Avon? Have you picked anything up lately?

I've just found out that Avon's new gel eyeliners are out. I need to pick at least two of them up, so watch this space because they look stunning!

Saturday Summary

2011-10-08T08:00:00.000+01:00

Source

♥ Gary Barlow AND Robbie Williams on X Factor. Mmm. Eye candy.

♥ Mr Whippy Ice Cream

♥ Being invited to an assessment for the job I applied for

♥ Friends

♥ Amazing opportunities that just fall into your lap

♥ Listening to feel good choons!

♥ Having a proper laugh at work

~*~

Listening to:

001. One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful

002. Adele - Rumour Has It

003. Maroon 5 - Moves Like Jagger

Watching:

001. X Factor

001. Downton Abbey

002. Glee

Buying:

Red Bull. The only thing to get me through long shifts.

A few to follow:

001. Beauty Marked

002. Beauty: Not Just Skin Deep

003. Beauty Fulfilled

~*~

How was your week?

Review: John Frieda Frizz-Ease Daily Miracle Treatment

2011-10-05T08:00:00.000+01:00

Hello dolls :)

I'm really into my haircare at the moment, and I really rate John Frieda, so there couldn't be a better time for another product to be introduced into my hair care regime. I rarely use heated appliances on my hair these days, but with the weather deteriorating, and to avoid frizz central, the ghds are back out. So I needed a good leave-in conditioning treatment to help nourish my tresses.

Product

John Frieda say: Vitamin infused leave in conditioner nourishes and detangles dry, damaged strands to help hair resist breakage and feel silky-smooth. With heat protectant. Safe for colour treated hair.

I say: The first thing I noticed on the bottle is that not only is this a leave-in conditioner, but it also has built in heat protection. This negates the need for a separate heat protection product when drying and styling my hair. Moving on to the actual product, this is your standard liquid spray conditioner, much like spraying your hair with water etc. I mentioned that because I've also just tried the KMS one from the August GlossyBox and it wasn't a liquid, more of a full on conditioner texture which I found quite odd. Back to John Frieda, and I love the scent of this product. I spray this liberally all over my hair for an extra conditioning burst before heat styling. I'm so pleased that this is suitable for colour treated hair! I'm up for anything that protects my colour a bit longer!

Application

John Frieda say: Spray liberally throughout clean, damp hair. Do not rinse out.

I say: I tend to use this on the day between washes, especially if I'm quickly running my ghds over my locks, for an extra conditioning boost, which is only fair if I'm forcing my hair to endure some serious heat. The pump on this product is great, I've not experienced any leaking as of yet which can happen with similar products. The scent as I've mentioned is lovely. This dries fairly quickly without leaving my hair sticky or greasy. It helps leave my hair super soft and in fairly good condition even in case of a super long ghd induced frazzle! Thumbs up from me :)

Price: £5.59

Size: 200ml

Available from: Should be available from Boots & Superdrug and all other John Frieda stockists now, however it doesn't seem to be online yet and I haven't seen it in store but as soon as I get some more information, I'll update this post!

Ratings

Product: 10/10

Price: 8/10

Packaging: 10/10

Overall: 9/10

Purchase: Yes - I'm all for a 2 in 1 product!

♥

Are you a fan of John Frieda? Which products are you using on your hair at the moment?

* PR sample

Things I learnt in September 2011

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000+01:00

Hello lovelies :)

September was a pretty good month for me. Here are the things I learned over the last 30 days. Enjoy, and let me know if you learned anything interesting last month!

Source

001. Oh London. I love you.

002. A situation at work has come to an abrupt and surprising end which I was a bit uneasy about.

003. Every sob story on X Factor involves an Adele song

004. I can never leave the Debenhams Beauty section without buying something. Hello new Urban Decay 24/7 Liquid Liners, you beauts.

005. Work was so lovely today. Quiet, calm, serene. A weight was lifted that I didn't realise I was carrying. A much more relaxed atmosphere.

006. I don't like to see people being taken advantage of.

007. If I hear the words Rose Gold one more blinking time... and no, I'm not talking about the infamous Sleek blush.

008. Its nice to know I can't swap my shifts to take holiday, but a colleague can have his shift swap ok'd with the boss because he wants to play footie with the work team. Nice.

Source

009. I can be minimalist when packing my make up bag for trips.

010. I can't stand silence when I'm home alone.

011. I am a hopeless romantic.

012. My bag is not going to fit the million things that I need to take away with me tomorrow.

013. I think some people suffer from Ivory Tower Syndrome. Yes, I did just make that up.

014. I get travel sick. AT MY AGE. Ridiculous.

015. Lake Windermere is beautiful. I'd like to live in a house with access to a lake and it's own boathouse. But I need roughly £1.5million for this. Not going to happen. Also, swans are dangerous.

016. People up north are not as friendly as they're made out to be. Sad face.

Source

017. I should pay more attention to the make up I own. Just realised I have two of the same lippie! And the same blush... oh dear. For the latter I blame Bourjois and their repackaging...

018. I miss talking to the bestie on a regular basis

019. My word, some people can blow me away with the words they say :)

020. ... but then they can turn instantly. What did I do to deserve that?

021. Being ill is no fun.

022. Losing my voice is not cool. Especially when I'm due back to work tomorrow...

023. Sigma release discount codes. I never knew this, but have taken full advantage :D

024. I can do a flawless French manicure with zero mistakes. Amazed.

Source

025. The worse something tastes, the better it does you. Case in point: Covooooonia. Obviously written with Ainsley Harriott's voiceover in mind.

026. Hummingbird Bakery frosting can be frozen successfully.

027. I go back to work and immediately need a day off to recover from the manic craziness!

028. Boots have Christmas gift sets in already. Summer's not even over. Ok, well it nearly is. But still.

029. I'm over this heatwave. I'm ready for Autumn. Get cold already! I'm seeing Christmas advertising everywhere. So summer can jog on now.

030. Watching Season 8 of Grey's Anatomy made me realise I couldn't ever be a doctor. Having to remember all those operation procedures? I can't even remember what I did yesterday.

♥

How was September for you?

Saturday Summary

2011-10-01T08:00:00.000+01:00

Hello my snazzy little sunbeams :)

Source

♥ Soup

♥ French manicures

♥ James Morrison

♥ Gok Wan

♥ Funny things at work

♥ Crumpets

♥ Illamasqua discount + PayPal funds = order time!

~*~

Listening to:

James Morrison - The Awakening

Watching:

001. Maegan

002. Jennie

003. Mrs Brown's Boys - hilarious comedy on the Beeb.

Buying:

Liz Earle bargains

Sigma brushes

Reading:

Jenny's amazing blog - check out her recipes!

A few fab faves:
001. Bubblegarm
002. Bamboozle Beauty Blog
003. Beauty and the blog

~*~

How has your week been?

These are a few of my favourite things

2011-09-30T08:00:00.000+01:00

Hello dears :)

It's that time again!

♥ Illamasqua Beguile Pure Pigment

This is BEAUTIFUL. Can be layered over absolutely anything for a bit of added sparkle

♥ Kerastase Chroma Reflect Conditioner

This gives me super soft and silky hair whilst maintaining my colour

♥ VO5 Hot Oil Elixir

A lovely pre-shampoo treatment to restore and soften hair

♥ Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm

My lip saviour. Never will I stray from ye again.

♥ Champneys Miracle Balm
A lovely moisturising balm that I've been using on my cuticles. A snip at £5 a pot. My cuticles have never been in better condition!

♥ Dove Intensive Nourishment Hand Cream

This smells amazing, has a great consistency, is travel sized and has worked wonders on my hands.

♥ MAC 224 Brush
I finally picked this up in Selfridges at the beginning of the month and I've been using it with my MAC Studio Finish Concealer. A match made in heaven and a flawless finish. Convert!

♥ MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC15
I couldn't not put this in, as I feel it's finally starting to work well for me paired with the 224 brush!

~*~

Which products have you been loving this month?

NOTD: Classic French Manicure

2011-09-28T07:00:00.000+01:00

Oh my dears, I am so pleased with myself. Why I hear you ask? Well I've managed to do a French manicure, no mistakes, no drama, no hassle. Pleased as punch. This never happens!

Products used

Nails Inc Kensington Caviar Base Coat

China Glaze White on White

Bourjois Rose Lounge

Rimmel Pro Super Wear Extra Shine Top Coat

♥

I've managed to achieve a super shiny salon finish too as I buffed my talons to within an inch of their lives with my Models Own multi way buffery thing.

Are you a fan of the classic French mani? Do you find it easy or do you get in a bit of a pickle?

Review: Living Nature Deep Cleansing Mask

2011-09-26T07:00:00.000+01:00

Morning petals!

I was recently sent a couple of samples of Living Nature's Deep Cleansing Mask to try. They describe this product as a weekly ritual of deep purification to restore your skin's health and balance. I'm really into my skincare and whilst I've got my skincare regime perfected, a face mask isn't something that I tend to use, although I know I probably should! Read on to see what I thought :)

Product

Living Nature say: Made with ultra-purifying Hallo Clay, our Deep Cleansing Mask will detoxify the skin, leaving it clear and balanced, with pores refined. Antimicrobial Manuka extract helps cleanse and heal and Active Manuka Honey nourishes and repairs.

I say: Upon opening the sachet, I squeezed out the mask to find what I thought to be too much for my face, however as I applied, I found that there was no excess which was nice. I hate wasting things. I could smell the clay, which I expected with it clay being a key ingredient, but it wasn't a strong scent. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the mask had a subtle citrus scent to it which I really liked! Unlike other masks that I've tried, I found this got to work incredibly quickly and I could feel that familiar tightening effect, which I quite like - call me weird if you like! I left it on to work for 20+ minutes whilst I was in the shower and when it came to rinsing off, I found it didn't come off that easily, so I ended up using a muslin cloth. My skin was left smooth, soft, bright and clear. Thumbs up from me!

Application

Living Nature say: Apply liberally, avoiding eye area. Leave for at least 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. For best results, apply after Vitalising Exfoliant or Cleansing Clay Peel, and follow with Hydrating Toning Gel. For acne-prone and oily to normal skin.

I say: I applied this roughly with my fingers all over my face, avoiding the eye area as instructed. I left it on for 20+ minutes whilst doing other tasks and then rinsed off. Or tried to. As I mentioned above, I found it didn't come off that easily with just water alone so I used a muslin cloth soaked in warm water to remove the product. A minor gripe, but it hasn't put me off. I really really like the fact that the mask comes in individual sachets. This means no product wastage and perfect for travelling with!

Obligatory photo of me in the mask. Sorry!

At least it wasn't green and I didn't look like a witch ;)

Price: £18.40

Size: 10 x 5ml sachets - which makes it £1.84 per sachet. Not bad!

Available from: Living Nature and My Pure

Ratings

Product: 10/10

Price: 10/10

Packaging: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

Purchase: When pay day rolls around, I'll definitely be treating myself to this!

♥

Are you a fan of Living Nature? Which face masks are you currently rating?

*PR sample

Saturday Summary

2011-09-24T08:00:00.000+01:00

Hello dears :)

Source

♥ Driving

♥ Lie-ins

♥ Discount codes!

♥ Sale emails - hello cheeky clothing orders :D

♥ Having amazing chats with old friends

♥ Revamping my blog - what do you think of the new look?

♥ My sister bringing over her adorably cute kitten, Gizmo:

Sorry it's a bit blurry, I took it on my Blackberry!

~*~

Listening to:

Ed Sheeran's +

Watching:

001. X Factor

002. Downton Abbey - so glad it's back!

003. New Glee!

Buying:

Clothes

Jewellery

Reading:

Blogs

A few fab faves:

001. A Daisy Chain Dream

002. All That Glitters & Sparkles

003. Amy Antoinette

~*~

How has your week been?

How much is my face worth?

2011-09-23T07:00:00.000+01:00

I've been meaning to do this post for absolutely ages. I think I was scared at the prospect of seeing the final total! I know I spend a ridiculous amount of money on make up, but how much actually goes on to my face on a daily basis? Let's find out!

These are the products I tend to reach for most on a daily basis. I do switch up my blushes, lippies and shadows but other than that, everything stays the same.

Missha BB Cream - £11.46

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - £4.19

MAC Studio Fix Concealer - £13.50

Illamasqua Brow Cake in Gaze - £14.50

MAC Powder Blush in Well Dressed - £17.00

Urban Decay Primer Potion - £14.50

NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Grand Palais - £23.50

Maybelline Gel Liner - £7.99

Illamasqua Masquara - £15.00

Dior Addict Lipstick in Model - £22.00 (although I used £10 of my Debenhams Beauty Card points so it only cost me £12!)

Kryolan Anti-Shine Powder - £12.20

Total = £155.84

Eek. Wow. Scary when you think how much money is on my face on a daily basis! However these products are worth each and every penny and are great value for money as they last forever! And I'm sure I once heard Trinny & Susannah explain that if you divide a product's price by the number of times used, that's how much it costs each time you use it. So there you go!

♥

Have you ever done a post like this? Link me up :)

NOTD: Leopards are out in force

2011-09-21T07:00:00.000+01:00

You guessed it kids, another leopard print mani!

When I have zero inspiration, this is my fall back design because I find it so quick and easy and it's different every time as I can simply switch up the colours. This week I tried a couple of my new Bourjois polishes.

Products used

Nails Inc Kensington Caviar Base Coat

Bourjois Bleu Model

Bourjois Magenta Show

Models Own Nail Art Pen - the new one, which I highly rate!

Rimmel Lycra Pro Clear Polish

♥

The green polish is a 3 coater which is a shame, but something I anticipated - don't you always find these sorts of colours always need 3 coats? Maybe it's the formula. Anyway, I digress. Lovely colour, lovely polish.

What do you think?

Got the munchies?

2011-09-19T07:00:00.000+01:00

Morning dolls :)

I know I'm probably the last person to try a Graze box, but I took the plunge a few weeks ago after being given a code for a free box and here we are!

I've had a few boxes now and I thought it was about time I shared them with you! Keep reading for a special treat :D

The stats

- You get 4 snacks per box along with a useful leaflet with the nutritional breakdown

- You can choose to receive a nibble box or a nutrition box (more on this here)

- Each graze box is nutritionally tailored for you

- You can browse and rate items so Graze will not send you things that you don't like. Once you've tried something, if you didn't like it you can 'bin' it or you can let them know if you like/love it so they know when to send it again
- You can put your boxes on hold if you're going away - I've just done that, you simply tell Graze when you're away and they'll set postpone your next box until you're home again :)
- All of that for just £3.49 each (inc delivery)!!

What's inside my box?

This snack box contains Belgian dark chocolate buttons, almonds, flame raisins and cherries - a lovely combination that I really enjoy munching on at my desk!

This snack box contains spicy thai rice crackers with aromatic kaffir lime leaves - not my cup of tea so I had to bin this selection. But that's the beauty of the Graze rating system!

This snack box contains banana, coconut and jumbo raisins - I'm not a fan of banana but the coconut and raisins are lush! There's another snack box that contains coconut and raisins though so I've binned this combo in favour of the other one

This snack box contains rustic rolled oat flapjack with honeycomb and milk chocolate, Graze flapjacks are the best! So, so yummy and are perfect for tea breaks!

♥

I think the Graze boxes are fab, I get a lovely mix of savoury and sweet in each one. They're perfect for work as I'm snacking on healthy things when I get hungry before or after lunch, and thanks to the way the Graze boxes are nutritionally tailored, the snacks balance your sugar levels so you're fuller for longer. I've been eating healthily for absolutely ages now but these will really keep you away from those pesky vending machines and prevent you from ordering a sneaky cupcake with your mid morning coffee!

♥

If you'd like to try a box, click HERE to try one for free! You'll also get your next box for half price! I've popped the code in the left sidebar too so you can use it later if you don't want to now :)

Are you a fan of the Graze boxes?

Saturday Summary

2011-09-17T09:00:00.000+01:00

Oh happy Saturdays my little sugar puffs!

Source

Look where I've been this week :)

~*~

♥ Being home alone has its perks. Namely sole control of the TV remote :D

♥ Spending the afternoon watching Jane Eyre. I really want to go and see the new film.

♥ Moving seats at work

♥ Reading Billy Connolly's Route 66

♥ Fresh, country air

♥ Cruising around Lake Windermere

♥ Relaxed evenings in a pub

~*~

Listening to:

001. Dappy - No Regrets

002. Jay Z & Kanye West - Otis

003. The Kooks - Is It Me

Watching:

Billy Connolly's Route 66

Reading:

Marie Claire
Billy Connolly's Route 66

Buying:
Coffee

Blog discovery of the week:

sleep.wake.hope

~*~

I hope you've all had a beautiful week :)

Would you like to see some holiday snaps?

Ding Dong, Avon Calling!

2011-09-16T07:00:00.000+01:00

Crikey, I think I'm showing my age with that reference ;)

After seeing Nicola from Pixiwoo use a gorgeous blush and highlighter from Avon, I wasted no time popping over to their website to purchase. I picked up a few other things as well and got a free gift with purchase.

What did I get?

Supershock Max Mascara - £7

I haven't made my mind up about this yet, but it doesn't seem to be anything special but I need to give it a good road test before I review it

Colour & Contour Blush Duo - £5

The blush in this is a beautiful dusky rose shade. But where this product really shines is the highlighter. It's beautiful! Look:

I'm also wearing the lippie, gloss and mascara in this pic :)

Nailwear Speed Dry Nail Enamel in Strawberry - £3.50

This is a lot more pink than I thought but a beautiful shade nonetheless

Pro Luscious Pout Lip Colour in Pink Crush - £6

Yes I know, another pink lippie but I thought I'd try it. In the lid there's a separate gloss:

Nailwear Pro Polish in Sequined Turquoise

This was one of the freebies with my order, a beautiful green-blue shade with a whole tonne of glitter inside. Reminds me of glittering Aegean seas. Or something poetic like that ;)

Anew Clinical Thermafirm Face Lifting Cream

I also received a small sample pot of Avon's 'facelift in a jar'

♥

I managed to save a whopping £10 on the RRP of the products that I purchased which was quite a save! I also got free shipping which I think was because I went to Avon via the Nectar card website. I'm pretty chuffed with my mini haul :D

~*~

Did you know you can now sign up to Avon's A-list and collect points with your purchases? There are tiers of points and the higher you get, the more special offers you're entitled to, including some serious product discounts. As a member of the A-list, you're also entitled to a special birthday offer and a speedy online checkout. What more reason do you need to pop along for a little splurge?

NOTD: Leopard Print Brights

2011-09-14T07:00:00.000+01:00

Hello possums :)

I've got a colourful leopard print NOTD for you, inspired by the very creative Milly from Pearls & Poodles!

Products Used

L-R: Collection 2000 Fruit Salad, Primark Yes Cyan!, GOSH Wild Lilac, Miss Sporty Gold, e.l.f. Black

Nails Inc Kensington Caviar Base and Top Coats

Dotting Tool

♥

I have so much love for the Primark polish, such a shame they're discontinuing their make up range - the polishes are fab! Anyway, what do you think? Do you like to embrace the brights?

Speed Review: Glossybox

2011-09-12T07:00:00.000+01:00

Hello lovelies

I thought I'd wait to give my two pence worth on GlossyBox until I'd had a few boxes. I've had four now so I think now is as good a time as any to give you an insight into the boxes I've received.

What's it all about?

Source

For those of you not familiar with GlossyBox - where on earth have you been? - the concept is that you pay £10 per month to receive a box of 5 premium brand samples, with some of them being full sized products which means we're getting an amazing bargain. From this month, we now have to pay an added £2.95 in P&P fees. Sigh. Am I the only person that hates paying P&P? To be fair though £2.95 is nothing when you can be receiving £50+ worth of products.

How does it work?

Once registered on the GlossyBox website, you can complete your Beauty Profile so you can receive products you're interested in. You receive your GlossyBox in the second half of every month

You can review each item to receive GlossyDots which you can rack up until you have enough to claim a free box. Currently, one product survey rewards you with 20 GlossyDots and 1000 GlossyDots gets you a free box. So that's 50 products to review in 10 boxes before you receive a free box.

The GlossyBox

Ok so once a month, you get a box delivered to your door, first class recorded delivery no less! I'm super impressed by the packaging, even the outer box is gorgeous. The actual GlossyBox is a pale pink box containing 5 gift wrapped samples. You get a card explaining the idea of that particular month's box, and a breakdown of what's in your box on the reverse side.

Once you've undone the ribbon and tissue paper, you can see the products.

May's GlossyBox

This was the first GlossyBox and the one that had everyone talking

NARS Orgasm Illuminator was a big hit for a lot of people, but it didn't work for me. Very nice to have been able to try it though as it was my first foray into the world of NARS, and it hasn't put me off.

The All For Eve lipstick was a source of contention for many, but I understand that GlossyBox did indeed donate to The Eve Appeal so they didn't lose out on the charitable profits of the lipstick. Again, unfortunately this lipstick is not for me. This did not deter me however from getting the next box.

Also in my box were a few skincare and haircare bits. The one product that stood out for me was the Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Color Hold Rapid Repair Spray. It gives my hair a much needed conditioning boost on the go and is perfect to pop in my handbag, where it's been living for a few weeks now!

June's GlossyBox

This was the box that was a let down for some. I usually wouldn't say no to a mini Batiste, but I couldn't stand the smell of the original formula. The mini OPI DS polish was nice, but I have to confess, I've misplaced it. Whoops! I've tried BioEffect before so it was nice to have another sample of that. The perfume isn't one I'd usually go for but I was pleasantly surprised. I've got a ridiculous amount of body products and I'm sorry to say the O-Mega Body Buff is languishing in a drawer in my bathroom right now.

July's GlossyBox

I'm pleased to say, GlossyBox were right back on form with the July box!

I received some Nouveau lashes, and a sample of Xen-Tan in dark, which I'm still too scared to try considering my skin has never encountered fake tan before! Have you tried this? If so, please let me know how you got on with it :)

I was sent an Illamasqua lipgloss, and a Ciate paint pot. I will confess I ended up swapping the gloss and polish with Terri but at least we got products we wanted in the end ;)

I received Weleda's Pomegranate Body Oil, which despite the strong scent, I actually really like.

I think July's box was my favourite so far!

August's GlossyBox

I think the August box is a Marmite box. Love it or hate it. I wasn't wowed by it.

Rebel Nails - this design is vile. I'm sorry but it's not my cup of tea.

The Ahava body lotion smells amazing and it's a perfect travel sized item so it's coming on holiday with me. However I have no use whatsoever for an Acne cleanser, when I haven't indicated to GlossyBox that I have bad skin...

Daniel Sandler Jumbo Jet Mascara. Well, who doesn't need another mascara? I like it, but it's nothing special. I certainly wouldn't pay £14.85 for it which I do believe is the RRP.

♥

Overall, I think whilst a good idea and good value for money, GlossyBox can be a bit hit and miss. Sometimes there are great products, sometimes not so great. I also think it's down to personal preference though, and as I've mentioned, I've received products that I have no use for or have disliked, but then I can't expect to like everything. It's a great opportunity to try brands from the higher end of the market. Providing GlossyBox keep this up, I'll be repurchasing :)

What are your thoughts on GlossyBox?

And the winners are...

2011-09-11T13:46:00.000+01:00

Drumroll please...

Congratulations ladies!

Check your inboxes for an email from me :)

Thank you once again to everyone that entered ♥