New Year and New Thoughts

I hope you all have a fantastic time celebrating New Year.

I am relieved this year is over to be completely honest, as it has been a pretty tough time. A Lot has happened in the last couple of years which has completely thrown me into a different direction. I am going to sound very cliche when I write this, but having going through some difficult times, it has brought me much closer to the people in my life that I know love me dearly. If it wasn't for my Dad and Sister I have no idea how I would function. I am fortunate to have them both in my life. The past two years especially has shown me that you never know what is around the corner, and people who you think will always be a constant in your life might prove you wrong.

With that being said, I have experienced some great things this year.  Its not all doom and gloom, I have so much to be grateful for, and I feel that this year I have found something very special and I feel truly happy at long last. I feel quite content at this moment in time and it is a strange yet wonderful feeling.

i know everyone has 'life lessons' and say this sort of thing at the end of the year, every year, but for me I have been a very unhappy person for a very long time.  I hope to change this. I hope this is another new chapter in my life which holds lots of happiness.

I hope 2014 will be a great year for you!

Take care, I will see you in 2014! 

What are your last thoughts on your 2013?

Maybelline Baby Lips - Worth The Hype?

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in Peach Kiss



The Baby Lips hit the UK just a few Months ago and everyone seemed to go absolutely crazy for them! I had managed to get my hands on one before they were released in the UK as I won a competition. I featured this in a favourite post back in February but wanted to wait until they were released here in the UK before I wrote about it. I forgot to write about it, then wasn't sure if there really needed to be another blog post about the ever so hyped tinted lip balm, but I thought hey why not?

The lip balm I own is in Peach Kiss, which as you can see is a very muted peach which gives just the tinest amount of sheer tint. It is effectively just a lip balm with a small sheen to it, I would not say it is highly pigmented in colour, but for me, a great product to pop into your hand bag. I didn't feel it necessary to include swatch photos of the lip product on the lips as it gives only the tiniest hint of colour which would not be noticable on a photograph.

I have read many blog posts about these lip balms and I have to say I was surprised a lot of people weren't bowled over by it. I think they are a great product as it leaves my lips feeling moisturised, but it is just a lip balm and is a little overrated for what i is - but hey- it does the job! I do think they are over-hyped but I do really like the product. I wouldn't go out and buy the entire collection as I really don't need another lip balm (!) but it is a great staple if you are on the go and need just a little something on your lips, or perhaps if you aren't too kean on a bright lip or lip stick, this is a subtle touch of colour.

Have you tried any of the Maybelline Baby Lips?

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas To You All!

I hope you all have a fantastic time celebrating the festivities. Take care!

Happy Holidays!

xxx

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lash Extending Treatment Mascara

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lash Extending Treatment Mascara in Black

Black, RRP £21, available at Boots

I was really excited when I purchased this treatment mascara as Elizabeth Arden is a well - loved brand, and I knew it would be a good quality product. The product boasts to optimize the look of lashes, making application smoother and easier, the mascara lasting longer, and lashes to feel softer, healthier looking and less likely for breakage. All of these points sound fantastic, don't you think? For me, the treatment mascara lives up to my expectations. My lahses do not feel clumpy or tacky after applying this, nor do they look sparse and stuck together. It feels like the are opened (if that makes sense?) a lot more evenly. They look natural, yet thicker and slightly longer, making them look healthy and looking wide awake.

The product doesn't give that annoying 'just-after-application-dots-above-your-lids' thing that a lot of mascaras tend to do to me. I use this treatment mascara before applying my normal every day mascara (usually Soap and Glory Thick and Fast or Benefit They're Real) and it seems to make my lashes feel and look better, and last longer through-out the day too. 

 I would purchase this product again as it worked well for me.

Have you tried a treatment mascara like this before? What are your thoughts?

Clothes Show Live 2013

Clothes Show Live Birmingham NEC 2013*

I am sure you are aware if you live in the UK, that Clothes Show Live takes place at the NEC arena in Birmingham every year in December, showcasing many fashion outlets, beauty products, recruitment centres, as well as off-course the fashion show itself. I have been previously when I was around 15, around seven years ago (wow I feel old!) and I remember really enjoying the day, I was thrilled to find I had won tickets to attend this year. 

I was super excited, I made sure I woke extra early to ensure I arrived at the NEC bang on 9AM. On arrival, I was impressed to see it wasn't ridiculously busy at that time and so I could have a good look around with ease. As you can see from the photograph I took below, it was pretty quiet when we arrived, it didn't stay that way for long though! 

There were many fashion stalls representing themselves at the show, I found there was many indie clothing brands which sold a lot of on trend pieces. I am not really a trend follower, I was more interested in the beauty side of things and that is what I was excited about. 

With brands such as Barry M, Rimmel, Models Own, Bare Minerals, Miss Patisserie, Clarins, Fake Bake,  Ciate,  Helen E Cosmetics, Jelly Pong Pong, So...? With Attitude, With Love Jess, Elemis, Bomb Cosmetics, w7, Laurens Way, Leighton Denny, Mary Kay, along with other indie beauty stalls, I was over-whelmed and brought a few things. 

A few of the reality TV stars from Made In Chelsea and The Only Way Is Essex were at the event over the weekend, I caught a glimpse of Gemma Collins from TOWIE representing her plus size clothing brand, she is even more pretty in real life.

With plenty of stalls, including; womens wear, mens wear, candles, jewellery, teeth whitening, confectionary, beauty, hair, accessories, vintage, plus size, perfume, lingerie and footwear, there was plenty to see and purchase!

The same as every year, a few Magazine stands were offering their goody bags for £3, including Cosmopolitan and Company and Elle Magazine, which is good value for money seeing as the magazines tend to cost around £3 alone anyway.

A lot of the make up brands had fantastic deals on goody bags and buying so many any times for a certain price, making fantastic discounts. Some highlights were; Rimmel's £5 goodie bag including 4 products, Barry M's goody bag for £10, 10 items for £10 at w7 or 3 for £10 for higher priced items, Buy 3 Models Own Polishes for £10 and a free goody bag, Buy two goodies bags from Jelly Pong Pong for £10 which included four items, and many more.   

Echo falls, Diet Coke and Starbucks were dotted around the floor giving away samples which kept us refreshed!

A disappointing point of the event, was that there were about 6 cash machines inside the hall, and none of them worked. There were two outside the hall which off course was super busy, I would recommend withdrawing money before arriving at the building if you were to go in future, as not many of the stalls accept card payment.  

There were lots of social media onsite with photobooths, Capital Radio FM were there along with a camera crew so there was a lot going on. There was also a 'Take Me Out Live' event where you could pay to watch, or auditions for you to take part in the show!

As I arrived early I didn't have chance to catch all of the fashion shows, but I am told they were fantastic. 

The halls were easily located as there were many sign posts to direct you to the hall, staff were very friendly and helpful, and overall I was impressed with the day and enjoyed myself. It was off-course began to get very, very busy at around 11 AM, so I would suggest if you are given quite a early afternoon fashion show time, go as early as you can to avoid queues and missing out on some fantastic deals. 

I picked up quite a lot of beauty bits, I haven't had chance to sit down and photograph them all properly on my camera, but once I do, I will test out and review the products and pop them up in a different blog post! I took a couple of rubbish quality photos on my phone though which I have included below. 

Have you been to the Clothes Show Live before? 

My Eyebrow Routine

How I Do My Eyebrows

Anyone that knows me well enough knows how obsessive I cn get with my eye brows. I like them to look nicely shaped and filled in. My eyebrows are something that I take pride in. Some may mock, but I just really like them to look neat and tidy, as naturally they are sparse and messy.

Once a fortnight (or whenever I feel they need doing) I wax my eyebrows using waxing strips especially designed for eyebrows, which are from Superdrug. The packs are really inexpensive and easy to use. They are readily shaped in short strips so they fit nicely underneath the brow.

 Between waxes, I pluck any stray hairs if I need to, but I try to keep this to a minimum as I can get quite obsessive and end up with none (!). I use slanted tweezers which I have had for years, I have no idea where they are from.

To style and fill in my brows I use a few different products and tools. I use an eyebrow brush to brush the hair the way I want it to sit (which I forgot to include in the photograph below, but we all know what they look like!). Next, I use w7's Style Eyes, which is effectively just a eyelash wand with a wet gel which helps to shape the brow. I use this before any other product so the hairs stay in place and it is easier to use.

I then use a thin, angled eyebrow brush from MUA Proffesional to apply the products. I use MUA Pro - Brow shadow (the darkest shade) firstly to fill my brows in, and then go over with a Real Techniques angled eye brush with Mac's Brun Eyeshadow. To finish, I use the wax included in the MUA Pro brow set to set my eyebrows. Thats it.

I know some people find it strange I use a fair few products on 'just eyebrows' - but it takes me less than five minutes to do. I always try to follow my eye brows natural shape, and I try my best not to go over the top with them, but I do really like doing them myself. I used to get them waxed at a Salon every two Months, but I just find it more convenient to do it at home now. My eyebrows are something I do every day - I can happily go for weeks without wearing any other make up, aslong as my brows are tidy and filled in.

What make - up is essential for you everyday?

Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray

                   Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray

 50ml, RRP £7.50, available at Boots

I think everyone on the blogging scene went crazy when this Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray was included free in a magazine not so many Months back now. Off course, me loving a bargain jumped on that bandwaggon with the rest of them and picked it up. Bumble and Bumble are a brand that I had never tried before, and to be honest nothing in their range ever really stood out for me. I love hair care products, but I also find it difficult parting with such a lot of cash for products I can get elsewhere which are still really great quality and do the job for me, for a noticeably smaller price. I wanted to put this to the test to see if it is worth the hype and the price tag.

When applying this it is advised to use on damp hair. I am no expert on anything to do with hair but I did find it a little out of the ordinary for me to be applying hairspray to my hair when it is still partly wet. Bumble and Bumble state that this is so it protects your hair from the heat and to give the right hold while still taming the frizz and giving direction to the hair.

I found this to not do anything at all to my hair. I didn't feel that once blow dryed and styled as normal after application, that my hair had any extra hold. It seemed slightly less frizzy but that was all I noticed that made a difference. I didn't feel my hair had any more volume after blow drying. I personally wouldn't purchase this product at full price as it didn't live up to my expectations, perhaps this is because of my hair type and style, but it didn't do great wonders for me. I have since read a few more reviews online and have found that a handful of people say it is a little more work if you have thick dark hair, maybe I'm not using it correctly? 

In conclusion I feel this hairspray is quite mediocre and I probably wouldn't buy it again.

Have you tried this hairspray? How did you get on with it? 



Review: Yankee Candle in Warm Spice

                                             Yankee Candle Warm Spice

It is no word of a lie when I say I really love candles. I know every blogger and their mum seem to yarp on about the candle God of all Gods Yankee, but they really are worth all of the glory as they are the best candles I have used. That aside, I thought I would write up a few reviews on some of my favourite scents, as I haven't really done this much on my blog before.

Warm Spice is a scent which is pretty self - explantory... think creamy, home baking, cinnamon, nuts and brown sugar. The scent is very crisp and sweet, without it being overally sweet or sickly. The scent does not smell synthetic or fake, it smells like real home baking at Christmas time. The long - lasting smell is quite strong but not overwhelming.

This burns really nicely and evenly, which is good value for money in my opinion. I find when buying cheaper candles they don't burn as equal as Yankee Candles do.

The scent fills an entire room, and the burn time is really good for about 25+ hours I would say on average. I really like the tumblers, but I have no preferance between Yankees tumblers or jars.

Are you a fan of Candles?

What is your favourite?

Neal and Wolf Elevate Volumising Lotion

Neal and Wolf Elevate

Volumising Lotion*

I hate blow drying my hair. It has to be one of the most boring and most time- consuming parts of my day. I know I shouldn't blow dry my hair too much, as my hair shouldn't be put under so much heat, but 9 times out of 10 I don't have enough time in the day to let it dry naturally. I try to use styling products which can begin to work during the blow drying process, so that it saves me time afterwards from styling even more.

This is where this little beauty comes in; a Volumising Lotion for all hair types by Neal & Wolf. I hadn't heard a lot about this product previous to me owning it, but I am so glad I have it in my life now as it is a life saver.

It is great for creating big, volumous hair. I use it with a big round brush while blow drying to create more depth and volume. You only need to apply the smallest amount all over damp hair before blow drying. I have had this product since January now and it is still going strong, it lasts a long time. I featured it in a favourites post back in February having really enjoyed using it, I still recommend now 10 Months on. This will definitely be a repurchase from me, I would recommend this to anyone that hais particularly flat hair as that is what I have and this product does wonders for me.

Review: Yankee Candle Simply Home Merry Berry

Yankee Candle

Simply Home

Merry Berry

I am doing a little different post to normal today. I have a huge love for burning candles, and I have noticed a lot of you alll do too. I know a lot of people love to burn the original Yankee Candles, but I use purchase  candles from their Simply Home range a lot and I really like their burning time and scents, so thought I would share with you some of my thoughts.

Perfect for the Festive Season upon us, I bring you 'Merry Berry'. As its title suggests, it smells strongly of fruity berries.The scent is very strong, it fills a room with quite strong berry and wintery scent. It is a lovely, fresh, festive scent for this time of year.  It burns realy well, with a good 40+ hours burn time. The scent lasts well in a room. When they are burning for a long time the jar does get dirty, but that is the same with most candles anyway.

These retail at £9 and are readily available in store at ASDA.

Have you tried any Simply Home candles by Yankee? 

Mac Pro LongWear Lipcreme in Goes and Goes

MAC Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Goes and Goes

Like most bloggers, I like to try out different products by different brands when experimenting with shades I may not be brave enough to wear all the time. I adore the look of purple lipstick, but I wasn't sure if it would suit me, if it would look too bright against my pale skin, or what shade of purple would look right. A couple of Months ago I headed to an outlet shoping centre and found a little shelf of MAC products in the CCO.

This lipstick I picked out is a Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Goes and Goes. As far as I am aware, this is no longer available and is not in their current lipstick line. I know this product is not readily available like others in the current line, but you may be able to pick it up at a CCO, online or even a blog sale or charity shop, you never know.

I have to be honest and say that this does feel a little sticky once applied onto the lips. It also feels drying after a while on the lips, nothing a good lip balm can't sort out, but it is a little dissapointing seeing as it is a MAC product, a relatively high end make up brand which I expected a little more quality from, especially from a Pro Longwear Lipcreme, which are notibly more expensive than their normal lipsticks. The pigmentation and colour pay off is fantastic though. It is quite a blue toned purple, which does look quite pink based upon first application, but looks much brighter once built up and applied more. It lasts a good four hours on the lips before wearing off into a pink stain, I think it has a decent staying power, but I wouldn't agree that it is long lasting as the lipstick collection name would suggest. Beautiful colour nonetheless!

What are your thoughts on a purple lip?

Christmas Giveaway! NO 7 Nail Set

Christmas Giveaway!

As a little 'thank you' for you supporting me and my blog, I thought I would hold a little Christmas Giveaway. I really appreciate all the support my readers give me, especially in the past few Months where I haven't been able to blog as frequently as I would like to. 

 

Up for grabs is this beautiful Nail Glitter Collection Set by No 7, now I don't know about you but glittery nail polishes really put me in a festive mood at Christmas time, and this set includes a gold, silver and pink glitter top coat which are perfect for any upcoming parties you may have. The set also includes two other pretty polishes which are in Beanie and Temptress.

To enter, you MUST follow my blog via GFC and leave your email address so I can contact you if you win. You can also follow me on bloglovin, twitter and tweet about the Giveaway to gain extra entries! Use the rafflecopter below - it is super easy! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good Luck and Happy 1st of December! 

xxxxxxxxx

Glamour Latest In Beauty Box

Glamour Beauty Box!

Latest In Beauty

Beauty boxes aren't usually my thing. I hate surprises and I would rather spend £12-15 on something I really want, rather than spending it on a box full of contents I know nothing about, I am very boring I know. When I saw this deal though I had to snap it up! Latest in Beauty have joined up with Glamour Magazine to create a box full of party must haves! It is a one off beauty box where you are shown before purchase what is inside - just wait to see what it has to offer! 

For just £14.99 (plus p+p) you get 6 products!

The products included are:

Eyeko Lash Curler

Benefit They're Real Mascara Mini

Maybelline Baby Lips

Balance Me Radiance Face Oil

Philip Kingsley One More Day Dry Shampoo

Toni & Guy Glamour Firm Hold Hairspray

HD Brows Eye and Brow Palette

I think there are some fab products in this box, especially the brow palette which retails from £18 alone!

All of this for under £20? Fancy it?

Buy it here!

The Vintage Cosmetic Company Eyelash Curler

The Vintage Cosmetic Company Eyelash Curler

First of, how adorable is the packaging? The Vintage Cosmetic Company are well known and well loved for their beautiful packaging and their inexpensive beauty tools, I am fairly new to the brand, but having hearing a lot of good things about them, I was eager to try out these eye lash curlers, plus I haven't used eye lash curlers in years!

I must say I was really impressed when using these eyelash curlers. They made my lashes look curly and I looked more wide awake! I noticed a good difference by using these alone before my normal two mascara application. They are sturdy and easy to use, I would recommend them as they do a really great job.

Check out more of their products over on the website!

http://www.thevintagecosmeticcompany.co.uk/ 

XxX

The Festive Gift Fair 2013

                                                  The Festive Gift Fair Birmingham NEC 2013*

On Saturday the 23rd of November, I was kindly sent tickets to attend the festive gift fair located at the NEC Arena in Birmingham, as I won the tickets through a fantastic giveaway. A big thanks to Rachel from Pretty Petticoats (who has a fantastic blog by the way, be sure to have a look!) for making it all possible.

The gift fair was open from 9.30AM up until around 4PM. We arrived roughly around 10.30AM and it was so so busy! I didn't manage to take any photographs bar the one below, which shows just how busy it got! There were a range of many different stalls for lots of quirky and different products, including lots of candle stall, skincare, beauty and hair stalls, decorative and personalized gifts, clothing, toys, festive gifts, alcohol, food and drink, home-ware, jewelry and much more. The full list of exhibitors can be found here.

For the blogger in me, I was excited to see stalls such as Lauren's Way, Elemis (they had a treatment bus!) and Helen E Cosmetics!

There were also lots of singers performing, notably the Birmingham choir; they sounded fantastic! 

It was a fantastic day spent at the NEC, coincidentally there was also comicon and a motorbike convention taking place at the NEC on the same day, so the trains and the arena was super busy!

It was a great festive day out and I would recommend going next year if you get the chance!



Recent Empties

 


Its been a while since I have written an empties post but I love reading them and thougth I would share a few bits of used up as of late.

The Body Shop Cranberry Joy Body, Room and Linen Spiriz:
I pick up things like this in the sales and fall in love with them. This scent is much stronger and long - lasting than the Avon Room and Body sprays.

Paris Hilton Perfume:
This is a repurchase as I love this perfume, it smells very girly and super sweet. it is quite hard to rack down though, so I get mine from Body Care or online.

So..? Brit Perfume:
This was just something I had in my handbag for work, it was nice but nothing I would rush out to buy again.

Yankee Candle im Warm Spice:
I bought this when I was in Yorkshire from a Clintons Cards Outlet store and it cost less than £6! Complete bargain. It lasted really well and the scent is beautiful, very strong and made my bedroom smell very much like cinammon.

Soap and Glory Scrub Your Nose In It:
This is a face/clay scrub or mask by the lovely Soap and Glry, I really liked using this as it was very fresh and smelt slightly minty. It made my skin feels fresh and awake so I would buy this again once I have used all of my other face masks.

Batiste Dry Shampoo (for dark/deep brown hair):
Another repurchase, I love Batiste dry shampoo but this is my favourite as it leaves no white marks on my hair as it is aimed for dark brown hair. It gives good volume and leaves hair looking clean and refreshed.

Soft & Gentle Extra Fresh Antiperspirant in lotus and Watermelon:
Just a random one here, this was nice but nothing extra - special, a boring empty roduct but it was pleasant and did the job!

Mac Lipstick In Speak Louder

Speak Louder

It has been a while since I have sat down and written a blog post featuring a Mac product. I have had this lipstick for about 6 months or so now and I really like it.

This lipstick is a cremesheen finish, which is a favourite finish of mine as it looks pigmented and feels soft on the lips, but doesn't look matte.

The colour, as you can see from the photographs below, is a blue - toned red fuchsia pink. I feel it is quite a timeless pink that I would wear any Season of the year. As pigmented and bright as it is, I still find it a colour which is easily wearable in the day time without looking too over the top. 

Speak louder feels very moisturising and creamy; with some Mac lipsticks I find that they are a little too thick than I would like them to be, but this is just right. 

Speak Louder is very pigmented and shows a lot of colour on first swipe, so you don't have to build it up a lot of you don't want to. 

I have found this lipstick long - lasting, it does wear of after 4/5 hours or so, but leaves a lovely stain on the lips.

Which Mac lipsticks do you recommend and why?

Review: Paper Themes Bunting

Wedding/Party Bunting*

Bunting is something which has been around for years, but it has recently become more fashionable than ever to have it dotted around your home; as you can see from the photographs above that is how I have styled mine out. Wedding bunting (you can find more styles by clicking the link) is proving to be more popular these days, as it is inexpensive, looks quirky, and is a simple and sophisticated little touch.

This style of bunting is the Chic White Heart Tissue Garland (2.5m), which retails for just £3.49. I loved the idea of the bunting being made out of tissue paper, as it looks so simple, cute and shabby chic; ideal for around the home, at a wedding , or even at a party or BBQ.

I would recommend Paper Themes as I have used and loved products from them before. Paper Themes specialise in wedding invitations, alongisde lots of other wedding stationary and personalised favours, just to name a few.

You can purchase this particular bunting from Paper Themes by clicking on the link here. 

Bodhi Palmarosa Verde Purifying Bath & Shower Therapy

Bodhi Palmarosa Verde Purifying Bath & Shower Therapy*

I have blogged previously about Bodhi products, everything I have tried from Bodhi I have really liked. This is no exception. This is the Palmarosa Verde Purifying Bath and Shower Therapy. It is a beautifuly scented shower gel or bubble bath. It smells divine, very refreshing to use on an early Morning and is sure to wake you up! It smells very fresh and Summery, lathers really nicely as a body wash and the scent lasts a good while on the skin.

The full sized 250ml bottle of this product costs £23 and is available here.

Soap and Glory Heel Genius

Soap and Glory

Heel Genius Foot Cream

Soap and Glory Heel Genius, £5.50 from Boots

Foot Cream. What an interesting subject to blog about.
Ahem.
I hadn't realised up until recently that I use a huge amount of body lotions to make my skin feel extra nice... but I don't tend to look after my feet. I had this 'Heel Genis Foot Cream' a few years ago, but I think gave up on it and it got donated to a charity shop as I didn't use it. I rwecieved another one in one of their gift sets at Christmas, but neglected it until I had a good sort out a few weeks ago.

This foot cream is a 'soak in foot mask marvel' which you leave on your feet through the night, wearing cotton socks on your feet so it doesn't go all over your sheets. Soap and Glory say it leaves your feet feeling smooth and soft. I agree, it does make them feel soft. Am I kind of missing the point here? I haven't found that by using this foot cream helps my feet any better than a normal body moisturiser would. I have dry feet as I am on to go a lot. I expected a bit more from this, as Soap and Glory are a fab brand and the majority of their products leave me with fab results. I just dont think this really made much difference for me. I think it smells lovely just like many of their produts but I don't find it to be a miracle product and I doubt I would repurchase it in future.
Have you tried this? What is your verdict?

Soap and Glory Sit Tight Intense XS

Soap and Glory Sit Tight Intense XS 

I brought this body firming serum about four or fives Months back now on a whim. I never really thought much of body firming products before, I didn't quite understand how they worked. I decided to give this Soap and Glory one a go though as I trust their products and wanted to see if it actually worked.

To use, you simply twist the top of the rolling massager to 'On', squeeze the tube slightly, and massage onto your skin in a circular motion.  This is best to use on the top of your legs and thighs I have found. You do this for a few minutes, then leave for a few more minutes to allow the product to absorb into your skin. This is meant to help to 'shift excess fluid and smooth bumpy areas'.
It does feel very strange the first few times you use it. I didn't expect much from it but you do feel a slight heated tingly sensation, not uncomfortable at all but you can feel the pressure applied onto your skin.
I used this every other Morning and Night for over two Months, expecting fabulous results. off course you do have to exercise and eat healthily, in order for a more toned body, it cant work wonders (!) but I did find it to work well for me. It isn't an overall fantastic life changing product, I still have cellulite and all! But I do think it makes my skin feel a little tighter and smoother.

What are your thoughts on body firming products like this? Would you give them a go? 

Green People Fruit Scrub Exfoliator

Green People Fruit Scrub Exfoliator*

Exfoliator scrubs are something I have always loved to use. I love a good face scrub (and especially love face masks) and love trying new scrubs out to see if they help in keeping my spot prone skin a little bit clearer.

This particular exfoliating scrub is by the brand Green People, whom I have tried a handful of products by them before and really liked.

This exfoliating scrub works really well for me and my skin. After use my skin feels soft and refreshed. I find with some exfoliate scrubs, they can leave your skin feeling dry but this one doesn't. It is a great in - shower product, I would purchase this in the future. One thing I will say is that the 'exfoliating beads' (if that's what you would call them) are a little larger than most scrubs I have used in the past, but I still think it is a fabulous product.

You can purchase the full sized 50ml product from Green People's website for £11.95.

Headmasters Heat Defence Serum

Headmasters Miracle Protect Salon Experts 

Heat Defence Serum*

"Actively reduces breakage, reduce blow-dry time and sheild hair from heat damage whilst sealing your style. Concentrated vitamin E promotes healthy, beautiful condition, leaving your hair super shiny, silky soft & frizz-free."

I don't know about you, but I am constantly using heat on my hair. I always blow dry my hair and have a constant battle with my straighteners on a Morning to get a sleek and smooth finish. I hate to think how damaged my hair is right now, infact just looking at my split ends and how frazzled it always looks makes me more than annoyed with the state it is in.

Heat defence products are something that I know I should use, but I don't all that often use them. I have used many heat defence sprays in the past; with little to none actually working and protecting my hair from heat from flat irons and hair dryers. I have been giving this heat defence serum by Headmasters a go for the past 2 Months and I thought I would share the results with you.

You use this product before applying heat to the hair, it really does reduce blow drying time, I am not sure how but it works. The product does feel a little thick so I try not to apply too much. It leaves my hair looking that little softer, smoother and sleek. I wouldn't say its the best heat defence product out there as it is not, but it leaves my hair feeling a lot less frizzy and a little more easier to tame.

This product is available in all Headmasters Salons at the price of £5.99.

Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo

Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo

Read more about Big Sexy Hair Range here

I was really lucky to be able to to try a few products from Sexy Hair, one of them being this Big Sexy Hair Volumising Dry Shampoo. If, like me, your hair is dull and a little bit lifeless, you may want to give this a whirl. I use dry shampoo like no tomorrow, not generally for refreshing my hair between washes; as my hair is quite oily so I have to wash it every other day anyway. It is great for creating volume and big hair. Sexy Hair also claim it provides UV protection which is a bonus. It smells pleasant, which is a good find in dry shampoo as I often find they don't smell very nice!

I would suggest this dry shampoo to anyone if you can get your hands on it, it is quite a tricky one to track down but if you are near a Sexy Hair Salon or supplier I would definitely recommend :)

What is your staple dry shampoo? Any favourites? 

Top 3 Dresses from the New Look Sale

My Top Three Dresses From The New Look Sale!

When I see an online sale from the likes of New Look or Dorothy Perkins I am a little bit like a magpie and want EVERYTHING! I was browsing the New Look sale online, and, as usual, filtering my searches to the dresses, stumbled across three stunning little numbers I have fell over heels in love with, all in my size! Yay! (This never happens!). I have so many dresses I can't justify buying all three. I thought I would share them here.

18 and East Purple Floral Frill Dress

Link Here

Was £27.99 Now £11

Monochrome Necklace Trim Sleeveless Dress

Link Here

Was £24.99 Now £18

Mela Black Bird Print Dress

Link Here

Was £25 Now £15

Which dress do you prefer?

All pictures used in this post are from the corresponding links from the New Look website.

MUA Matte Perfect Primer

MUA Matte Perfect Primer 

I am sure if you have been following my blog for a while now you will know I love a good bargain and Hate spending more money than I need to. For beauty, I often look for cheaper brands that are good quality. I use a selection of MUA products every day and the majority of the products I own I think are fab! They are so inexpensive with products ranging from £1 to the highest £8. I usually take advantage of the Online Offers when they have them on as they are too good to miss. I picked this primer up in there 50% sale I believe.

I am quite fussy when it comes to primers. The only one I never have any problem with is the Loreal Studio Secrets Primer, but that is pretty pricey so I thought I would give this one ago, costing only £4.

As you can see from the name of the product, it is a matte primer. It promises to 'control oil and reduce shine' so that your make up looks perfect.

For me, though, I have found it clogs up my pores and imperfections and my skin looks really cakey, even though I only use the recommended pea size amount. I do think the product reduces shine, but I dont find it soft on the skin and I just didn't get on well with it. I have very, very oily skin so this may be why.

I am after a great primer, have you any recommendations?

You can purchase this Primer for £4 at MUA online or at Superdrug.

Apivita Face Mask With Pomegranate

Apivita Face Mask With Pomegranate*

After kindly being given this gorgeous face mask back in April, I thought it was about time to give it the credit it is worth!

This isn't much of a review today, as it is pretty much self explanatory as a face mask. I just wanted to raise awareness to other face mask worshippers, that this is out there as it is a really great product.

As you can imagine, it smells divine - just like fresh pomegranate. Apivita promise that they "replace water in the face mask range with green tea infusion to enhance the antioxidant action of the products." - which to you and me, that basically means it is much better for your skin!

I leave the face mask on my skin for about 10 minutes before rinsing away with water.

After removing the face mask my skin is left feeling soft and very moisturised.

I use this once a fortnight, I feel it gives my skin a good lift when it is looking dull.

You can find this product on their website here .

You can purchase the product from Marks and Spencers online here for £13.

Have you tried any Apivita products?

What is your favourite face mask?

Quote To Live By

 Image Source here

Every so often when I am having a down day, I find a really lovely inspiring quote that completely brightens up my day and changes my perspective on a few things. I thought I would share it here so maybe it could cheer your day up a little bit, too!

Hope you are having a lovely day, whatever you are doing.

xxxx

YVES ROCHER Lipstick in Sweet Red

YVES ROCHER Grand Rouge Lipstick in Sweet Red*

YVES ROCHER is a brand I had heard a little about but was unfamilar with.
The lipstick I will briefly be discussing today is this Grand Rouge Lipstick, aptly named 'Sweet Red'.
As you can see from the above photograph, the packaging looks very high end in its classic rose gold bullet, simple yet looks very fancy.
The colour is a bright red, I would say quite a blue toned red which is very wearable for me in the day time, compared to some darker reds I just wouldn't have the courage to wear.
The texture on the lips is very creamy and is quite moisturising.
The lipstick costs £19, which sounds expensive - but the quality of the lipstick is fantastic as it lasts all day. It doesn't even feel like you are wearing anything on your lips as it is soft and moisturising.
Unfortunately, having taking this photograph of this product back in May, I did not photograph swatches of the product and am now unable to do so without a camera which has since broke. I hope you understand, sorry about that!
I am sure you can see just how gorgeous the colour is on the photograph though.
You can see all of the other Grand Rouge Lipsticks on YVES ROCHER wesbite here.

All photographs on this particular post belong to me. If you wish to use these photographs, please ask permission first.

Bodhi Mint Thé Bath and Shower Therapy

Bodhi

 Mint Thé Refreshing Bath and Shower Therapy*

Hi everyone. Today I am reviewing a fantastic Bodhi product. You may have read a previous post I have written on a Bodhi Sensual Body moisturizer, which you can read here. After attending a Bloggers Meet Up in April, a Birmingham based company 'Bodhi' kindly sponsored the 'Brum Meet Up' and gave us a few samples to try. We were even lucky enough to have talks from the founder of the brand, Elijah. He was a
 really nice person and told us a lot of background information on his company and the products.

Bodhi Mint The Bath and Shower Therapy, £23 for full size 250 ml bottle

We were each kindly given some lovely samples to try out from the range, one of them being a sample of the Mint Thé. It is basically a shower or bath wash, but can be used as a bath essence too. I personally used it as a body wash as I couldn't resist using it for a shower on a Morning. It lathers really nicely, but the scent is the most stunning thing about this product, it is gorgeous. I am an absolute sucker for mint and zesty scents. This scent is so refreshing, with top notes of peppermint, spearmint, grapefruit, eucalyptus and may chang, makes it the perfect body wash to use on a Morning as it truly woke me up.

You can view the rest of the Bodhi range on the website here.

Don't forget to follow Bodhi on Twitter for more updates!

Love Her Style: Vanessa White from The Saturdays

Love Her Style!

Vanessa White from The Saturdays

Image Source



Image Source

I don't know about you but when reading glossy magazines I always find myself looking at the celebrity style pages first... I am super nosey and love to see what trends they're rocking!
One of my favourite ladies with style is the gorgeous Vanessa from The Saturdays - she always look gorgeous and definitely knows how to dress her gorgeous figure. The above pictures are my favourite, she looks fab in bright electric blue and textured prints!
Whos style would you like to steal?