Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual Review

Hello everyone!

I know I have only just done my Christmas post, but I said on twitter that I was going to do a review of the Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual that I got for Christmas, and here it is! This is the first book review I've done, but it is a book on makeup, so not too outside the comfort zone!!

I got this book for Christmas from my other half, and started reading it that night! It's split in to 12 chapters, that range from the basics of makeup application, right through to professional equipment and advanced looks (such as bridal makeup). It includes an introduction to every chapter, step by step guides with pictures, and helpful little tips that are relevant to everyone who loves makeup. It is useful for those who already know quite a lot about makeup application and have been a makeup lover for years, to those just starting to use makeup who want to know how to get a good everyday look. 

It is a book that is easy to refer back to, and I know I will be going back to mine for quick tips and ideas for a long time. It is not the most in depth makeup book out there, and I've read some reviews from people who say it was not at all what they were looking for, but for those who want a simple and easy to use reference book on makeup application and ideas, it is a must have. I love mine, and am very happy with it. 

It includes tips for all kinds of skin types, and even has a little section at the back on the history of makeup which I found interesting! 

The only downside is that some of the tips are things that anyone who uses makeup a lot will already know... For example how to apply foundation, and ways to wear eyeliner. However, there are still a lot of tips in there that are interesting, especially in the advanced makeup chapters. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves makeup, or for anyone thinking about wearing makeup for the first time. Mine is the hardback version, and cost around £16 from amazon, so it's not too expensive either. 

(reading this back, I've just realised how often I use the word makeup, but can't really replace with anything, so sorry!!) 

Have any of you read it, and what were your opinions?  

Love to you all x

Christmas 2013

Hello everyone!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, filled with food, family and presents :)

Sorry for the lack of posts recently... it's been majorly hectic over the holidays and I haven't had a moment to myself to get on the laptop and write. I now have a free night before New Years Eve to sit and catch up with all things blog related!

Firstly tonight, I wanted to do a quick Christmas post. I have been so lucky this year, and feel so privileged to have the most amazing family and friends. Here are a few pics of our day...

Sorry about the quality of the pics, I may have had a bit too much wine with dinner and the pics I took got progressively more blurry as the day went on! But over all I had a lovely day, and am planning to do a few review posts over the next couple of weeks of a few of the things I got (book/outfit/make up posts), so I promise the pics in them posts will be a lot better! 

Thank you for reading, hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and I would love to know how all of you spent your day? 

Comments always appreciated! 

Love to you all x

Christmas Outfit

Hello everyone!!

Aahhhh Christmas is almost here! Are you all as excited as I am?

I know the last post for #TheWnterProject is an OOTD post, but I don't think I'm going to be able to do the post on Christmas eve, and I've had a load of issues with scheduling posts, so I thought I would show you all now the outfit I'm going to wear on Christmas day. It's a new dress that I chose and my parents ordered for me from asos.com. I will show both the picture and the link below.

I'm planning to wear it with heeled black ankle boots and a statement bracelet. I will post pics if I can get them after Christmas, but at the min I don't have a camera and am hoping to get one from the other half as my Christmas present. Hope you like, and I'm sorry I won't be able to do the final post for the winter project. Have loved doing every moment of it, and will post a round up post after Christmas!

(Link here)

Merry Christmas!! 

Love to you all x

A Little Christmas Treat....

Hello again!

Just to rub it in a little bit (sorry) I now have nothing but free time up until Christmas! I can actually feel the jealousy from here! No work to do, no Christmas shopping left to buy, I'm finished. Nothing but wrapping (which I actually love), seeing family, and Christmas baking left for me to do.

This year, I actually shocked myself in finishing my Christmas shopping under budget! So, as a treat for doing so, I've decided to buy myself a little present. A well done for being good this year :P But what to choose! There a lot of stuff I really want but I kinda know I'm getting it for Christmas, so I want something I cant treat myself with to accompany them... and join my ever growing make up hoard! I officially can't decide what though.... So I need your help. Should it be:

1. The Urban Decay Fun Palette 

I LOVE Urban Decay palettes. I have asked for the Naked 3 palette as I know I need it in my life, but I think the shades in this little palette are just so... well.... fun! The brighter colours would make a nice change to the large collection of nudes and browns that I have. 

2. MAC Lipstick in Candy Yum Yum 

I am a self confessed lipstick hoarder. I have way too many already, but I lack a bright girly pink colour, so I think that this would actually fill a gap in my make up collection. I think MAC lipsticks are really good, and they don't dry out my lips too much in the colder weather either. This is a shade that I could see becoming a firm favorite as the weather warms up and it turns to spring... so its kind of like a investment. Right?? 

3. NARS Multiple Bronzer 

I think NARS do lovely blusher/bronzer palettes, and I love their eyeshadows, but this is something that a few people have said is really good, but I've never really paid much attention to. The idea is that its a bronzing stick that you can use on your cheeks, eyes and body. I like the idea of it being versatile, but I honestly can't believe that it would look right on anywhere but your cheeks... I want to try it for its uses as a bronzer alone, as I love their powder ones, and at the same time could investigate whether it does actually work elsewhere or not. 

So come on then people.... help me?! Which one should I buy myself for Christmas...? Lets put it to the vote :) 

Love to you all x

The Winter Project Week #6: Christmas Make Up

Hello everyone! Wow, I can't believe that #TheWinterProject only has a couple of posts left! Must mean it's nearly Christmas though, yay!! This week, we are posting about our favorite make up looks for Christmas. 

To be honest, when it comes to Christmas day, I don't tend to do much with my make up. I'm more excited about opening presents and eating way too much food to spend too long looking in the mirror, so to me, Christmas make up should be simple but still bold and festive. That's why I always turn to a statement lipstick, and bold festive nails (which I can do the night before)! That's why, instead of posting a whole make up look, I'm going to show you my favorite lipsticks and nail polishes for this time of year :) 

As you can see, I love my pinks and reds. I think reds are more festive, but pink tones tend to suit my skin tone more. As you can see from the top picture, all of these lipsticks look well worn. That is because I love them all, and have had 2 or 3 of them for a couple of years now (only tend to bring them out in winter)! In order from left to right, we have: MUA - Shade 3, Shiseido - Perfect Rouge, Astor - Rouge Couture and Avon - Smitten Red. 

Not only do all of these lipsticks give you a big bold sweep of colour, but they are all very moisturising too, which makes them especially perfect for this time of year. I find that the one by Shiseido looks especially bold and glamorous if worn with a layer of clear high shine lip gloss over the top. But as I tend to eat my own weight in turkey and pigs in blankets on the day, I think lip gloss would wear off pretty quickly! As lipsticks on their own, they are very long wearing (after doing the swatches earlier I have actually stained my arm a pinky red colour... Oops)!

When it comes to my nails, I normally tend to go for a metallic colour at Christmas. The Barry M Gold Foil Effect nail polish is a firm favorite of mine, and I have blogged about it already. Its like it was meant to be worn on Christmas day. You only need one coat, its quick and simple to apply, hard wearing, and instantly glamorous. Then we have the polish by Astor in Tonic Orange. I'd never heard of the brand Astor until recently, when a friend of mine received some Astor products as an unwanted present, and so gave them to me to try. I will be doing a full post about what I got when I have finished trying everything, but this orange nail polish and the lipstick mentioned above have both been brilliant. It's branded as being long wearing, and it really is. I put it on to try about 5 days ago, and its only just starting to chip at the ends. That's amazing for me as I have my hands into everything all the time and usually need to re-paint after around 3 days. It's bright, bold, and is a twist to the usual red nails of this season. 

So there we have it, some of my favorite make up for Christmas. Thank you for reading, and all comments are appreciated. MERRY CHRISTMAS! :) 

Love to you all x

Argan Oil Shampoo Review

Hello :) Hope you're all good, and have exciting plans for the weekend! 

Today, I thought I'd do a quick review on this shampoo and conditioner. I've reviewed the hair oil before, and went on about how good it was, especially considering the price. I don't have particularly dry hair, but found it made my hair feel healthier and more conditioned. So when I saw these for only £1 each in Tesco, I had to give them a try. I've used them a few times now, and am ready to tell you what I thought....

Ok, firstly, can we just take a minute to talk about the price.... £1 each!!! For that you get a 150ml bottle, which isn't huge but is still amazing for that price! Plus, the product is quite thick, so you don't need as much as you would with some other brands. A small bit really lathers up in your hair and does the job. 

The product is thick and creamy in texture, and as I said, lathers up really well. It doesn't have a strong scent like a lot of shampoo products now a days, but it does smell clean and fresh which I like. I was worried that it would end up making my hair a bit too greasy, as I don't really have dry hair, and thought maybe the oil would be a bit too much. I was wrong. It leaves my hair feeling clean, shiny and in amazing condition. It does say on the bottle that it is suitable for any hair type, and I really believe that to be true. 

When you put the conditioner on, it does feel a bit thick, almost like rubbing butter through your hair. This concerned me slightly, but once I realised that it wasn't going to leave my hair greasy, I got used to it. It feels like doing a deep conditioning treatment every time.

I tend to wash my hair every other day, but one time after using it, I was feeling lazy and left it an extra day, and it didn't look greasy at all. It's like it makes your hair fresh for longer than normal. I am a big fan of this! I still wash it every other day, but now even on the second day my hair is thick and smooth and doesn't look limp like it tends to with other brands. 

As you can tell, I am VERY impressed with this product. I honestly can't think of any downsides to it! Plus, I actually can not get over how much of a bargain it was! Have pretty much converted my whole family to using now as well :) 

My review... 4.5 stars!! LOVED it :) 

Thank you all for reading, any comments are appreciated!! 

Do you have any bargain beauty loves?? 

Love to you all x

The Winter Project #5: Christmas Accessories

Hello everyone! Firstly I would like to start by saying sorry for my lack of posts recently, and I am gutted that I missed last weeks post for #thewinterproject! Was down in Berkshire for my friends wedding and forgot my laptop, then was really ill when I came home and just looking at the computer screen was making me feel dizzy! Am getting better now though, so am happy to be back!!

This weeks post for the winter project is all about favorite Christmas accessories. This should be a fun one, as I LOVE accessories in winter. Christmas is also a good time to wear novelty things that look really cute but that you couldn't get away with at any other time of year. People are in a good mood and everyone is all for having a bit of fun. Here are the accessories I'm loving at the moment for the festive season. The bolder the print and the more glitter the better I say! So bring on festive hats, gold and glittery clutch bags, and socks that would make you cringe at any other time of year :) ......

So there we go, a lot of red patterns and gold accessories for the festive season. Thank you for reading and cant wait to read everyone's posts!! All comments are, as always, appreciated! 

Love to you all x

The Versatile Blogger Award

Hello everyone! Hope all is good. I want to start by saying a massive thank you to Elizabeth from The Beauty Inside who nominated me for this award. It really means a lot, and I honestly advise you all check out her wonderful blog. It's a real favorite of mine :)

The Rules:

Display the Award Certificate on your blog
Announce your win and thank the blogger that nominated you 
Present other bloggers with the award
Link your nominees in your post, and let them know they've been nominated 
Post 7 interesting things about yourself

Honestly, the reason it's taken me a while to get round to doing this post is because I was struggling to think of 7 facts about myself that I haven't already used in my Sunshine Award and Leibster Award posts... I'm not really that interesting!! But here goes:

1. My star sign in Gemini, which is accurate as I have a very split personality.
2. I'm shockingly awful with technology, and can break laptops just by looking at them.
3. I'm allergic to animals, but still want a puppy.
4. I'm hugely scared of clowns. They should not be allowed anywhere near children!!
5. I don't want kids, but would happily keep my best friends little girl Addy. She's adorable. Fact.
6. I really want to start taking dance lessons again.
7. I'm hoping to get married by summer next year, although with my lack of savings, it will probably be the year after.

And now I nominate:

mia brielle
blogging by sophie
what lauren sayss
the-wallflowerrr
what molly loves
my chocolate box of life
beauty in beta

So there we are my lovelies! Hope you enjoyed my post, and thank you again for the wonderful nomination. Make sure you check out Elizabeth's blog (the link is at the top of the post). Thank you for reading!

Love to you all x

The Winter Project #3: Favorite Winter Scents

Hello everyone! Well it's now week 3 of #thewinterproject, and today is all about our favorite winter scents. Rather than doing a perfume post, as most people who read my blog will know there is only one perfume I really love and wear, I have instead decided to do a post on my 3 favorite winter candles. I am slightly obsessed with candles. I live in a pretty small flat and the place is full of them... but on the plus side, it always smells lovely!

My all time favorites have to be Yankee Candles. Not only are they made with natural high quality ingredients, but they smell amazing too. They are a tad on the expensive side however they do last a very long time I find, so it's not really much different than buying a cheap one and having to keep replacing it. If you love candles as much as me, they are more than worth the money.

These 3 are my all times favorites for this time of year. We have Merry Marshmallow, Mandarin Cranberry, and Black Cherry.

All of these fragrances are are beautiful. The marshmallow one is incredibly sweet (which I love) and the mandarin and cranberry, and the black cherry, are both really deep fruity scents, which make me think of cold winter nights at home wrapped up in a blanket sipping hot drinks. All of them smell good enough to eat too!

I don't think there's anything more relaxing than sitting with a book, with a candle flickering next to you, to me that it the typical winter memory, and these beautiful smelling sweet, sugary and fruity smells have always gone hand in hand with that memory.

So that's it from me, what are everyone else's favorite winter scents?

Thank you for reading :)

Love to you all x

Sunshine Award!

Hello everyone :)

I am so excited to have been nominated for a Sunshine Award from the amazing Lindsey over at whimsical allure and I can't wait to get on and do this post. It's always lovely to hear that people actually like to read your blog, so thank you Lindsey!

Rules: 

1. Post 11 random facts about yourself
2. Answer 11 facts from the nominating blogger
3. Nominate 11 lovely bloggers who you feel bring sunshine to the world of blogging, and notify them!
4. Write 11 questions for those you nominated

Also, don't forget to acknowledge the nominating blogger :)

So here we go then....

11 Facts about me: 

1. I like to study and learn new things, and am actually a little bit of a geek.

2. It has always been my ambition to run a marathon. 

3. I love to paint. 

4. I'm a little bit addicted to salt and vinegar crisps.

5. I have an obsession with candles and my house in full of them. 

6. I moved from London to live in a tiny little village in Yorkshire. 

7. I love my family more than anything in the world. 

8. I've always wanted a Pug, and if I got one I'd call him Wilson. 

9. I have Vogue on subscription, have every issue stacked up from the last 6 years, and even have a copy of the June 1991 edition (the year and month I was born). 

10. I have my own special mug to have my coffee in every morning. 

11. I seem to get ill or injured a lot, and I mean a lot. Good job my sister pretty much runs York Hospital!

Her Questions For Me:

1. What is your favorite book?

     The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde 

2. What’s the one beauty item you cannot do without

     I'd have to say mascara. Even if I don't bother too much with makeup, I don't feel comfortable without mascara on. 

3. Tea or Coffee?
Coffee.. I can't function without my coffee in a morning!

4. What is your favorite season?
Probably Spring. I love seeing all the colour and pretty patterns come out after winter.

5. If you could tell your 18 year old self something, what would it be? 
Relax and enjoy being 18, don't worry about the future cause it sorts itself out :) 

6.What is your dream vacation destination? 
I'd love to go to America and travel round, or go to Italy. I have Hawaii in mind for my honeymoon.

7. What is your favorite online shop? 

Ahhhh this is a hard one! I love ASOS, they seem to have everything, but ill have to go with feelunique.com

8. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Honestly, I'm pretty happy where I am! 

9. It's Christmas time, do you prefer eggnog or hot cocoa? 

Hot cocoa all the way.. with marshmallows <3 

10. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment? 
I did pretty well at school and while I was there had some philosophy articles published in journals, I am very proud of that, but honestly, I'm bad with money, so saving enough for my own place with my other half is something I'm really proud of too. 

11. What is your guilty pleasure?  

Probably drinking more wine than I should while listening to cheesey music :P shh.... don't tell! 

Now I Nominate: 

one stop savvy
mia brielle
kittens in top hats
makeup by candle light
the agoraphobic fashionista
cosmetic smile-x.
bethany worrall
beautrina

rosy blossom
beauty book blog
cant buy me lovvve

My Questions: 

1. Who is your favorite band/singer?
2. What 3 things would you take with you on a desert island?
3. What would your dream job be?
4. If you could have one magical power, what would it be?
5. What is your fondest memory?

6. You're given £1,000 to go shopping, what do you buy first?
7. Do you have any hidden talents?
8. What is/was your favorite subject at school?

9. What is your most annoying/worst habit? 

10. What is your favorite thing to eat?
11. What is your favorite thing about blogging? 

So there we go, that's me finished :) thank you again to Lindsey for nominating me (link to her wonderful blog here). I've loved answering the questions, and to those I've nominated, let me know when you've done posts so I can have a look. Love all your blogs, they're brilliant and you should all be proud :) 

Thank you for reading! 

Love to you all x

Christmas Wishlist...

Hello my lovelies :) 

I've been in a very Christmassy mood today, probably because of the freezing weather, so I thought I'd do a Christmas wishlist post. I love reading people's wishlists, so if anyone wants to link me any in the comments I'd love to read them! 

Firstly we have a Magic Wand Bubble Bar from Lush. I think Lush do lovely products, especially at Christmas, and this wand looks so pretty! I really like the idea of being able to wave it around in the bath to create lots of lovely smelling bubbles. 

Secondly, we have the Nars Up To The Moon Palette. Love the nudes and wintery shades of this, and it has been a long time since I last had a Nars palette. My old one ran out about 6 months ago, and I've been tempted to replace it ever since. Though I've been a good girl and waited for Santa to bring me one.

The Third item on my list is the one I'm most excited to try. If I don't get it for Christmas then I may have to buy it for my self in the new year. Its a Nails Inc polish diary, and it comes with 12 shades which are supposed to be perfect for the 12 months in the year. I wouldn't be disciplined enough to wait a month before trying the next shade, but it does look like it has a good mix of colours, including nudes, brights and glitters, so I feel its a good investment (it's around £50 but that's for 12 nail polishes!). 

We then have the Woodland Splodge Scarf from Topshop. I know I featured a Topshop scarf in my post for the winter project, but yesterday I spotted this one, and it got added to the list. I told you I have a scarf addiction! 

I had to add Chanel Chance, which I have already said is my favorite perfume. It smells amazing, really light and fresh, and its the only perfume I wear on a regular basis. I still have some of mine left, but Christmas seems to be the best time to stock up on your favorite perfumes as a lot of shops seem to do special deals and gift sets. 

The shoes are from ASOS, and although they aren't the most practical thing for winter, I just can't resist a nice pair of heels! Plus, it's kind of become a tradition for me to ask for a pair of shoes for Christmas that I want to wear out on new years eve. These classic black and gold ones are perfect for the party season and would go well with pretty much any outfit. 

Another one I'm excited about on this list is the Oasis tote bag. I honestly don't have many bags, and only 2 decent sized ones (most are little clutches). I love the complimentary cream and brown together with the bold blocks of red at the sides. Would be great for me to hoard hand creams and lipsticks in too........

Lastly, we have another treat from Lush.... The Christmas Penguins! I saw these online and just thought they were unbelievably cute! Haven't seen them in the store yet, although I'm sure they will smell amazing... most things from Lush tend to! 

Well there we go, that is my finished and final Christmas Wishlist! What do you all have on your Christmas list? Comments always welcomed, and thank you for reading :)

Love to you all x

Leibster Award!

This award is used by bloggers who have 200 follows or less promote each other in order to make more friends in the blogging community and attract more attention to their blog! Each nominee must first list 11 random facts about their self, then answer the 11 questions provided by the person who nominated them. Lastly, choose 11 bloggers who have 200 followers or less on bloglovin and ask them your own 11 questions!

Wow, I have just been nominated for the Leibster Award by the lovely Just Nicolette (Link to her wonderful blog here). I'm so happy and honored to know that my blog is actually being read, as I love writing it :) So a HUGE thank you to all those out there who take the time to have a look! <3

The Rules:

1. Post 11 facts about yourself
2. Answer the 11 questions the awarding blogger posted for you
3. Nominate 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers an link them in your post
4. Let them know they have been nominated 
5. No tag backs!

So let's get started....

11 Facts About Me:

1. I'm slightly addicted to home study courses. Got national diplomas in Journalism, Vintage Fashion Studies, IT, Makeup Artistry and am now on my Beauty Therapy Lvl 3. GEEK! :P

2. I would love to be a full time writer, although failing that, I plan to study to become a social worker.

3. I'm the baby of the family. I'm 22, and my sisters are 38 and 41. It's often like having 3 mums.

4. I've been with my fiance for almost 2 years now, although we actually got engaged after just 2 months!!

5. I have a weird habit for naming things... the plant near my window is called Spike (I'm rather odd!).

6. My favorite thing to eat in the whole world is blueberries.

7. I lived in London for most of my life, but moved up to Yorkshire last year to be near the rest of my family. It's cold up here.

8. I want to learn to play a musical instrument. My other half used to be in a band and I'm always jealous when he plays the keyboard.

9. When I was 19, I had a couple of philosophy articles published in a national journal.

10. I've only ever been abroad once in my life and that was to Paris. I need to go travelling asap!

11. My makeup hoarding is getting out of control, and I find lipsticks in the most random places round my house (e.g next to my pillow, the knife and fork drawer, and inside bowls in the cupboard... how do they get there???).

Next, Her Questions For Me: 

1. When did you start your blog? 

4th September this year... it's still very new :) 

2. If your life were a television show what would the theme song be? 

Ooohh that's a hard one... I have no idea!! My life is too random for any song :P 

3. Do you have a hidden talent?

I'm pretty good at painting and sketching. I don't do it as much as I used to though. 

4. What is your favorite animal?

Probably ducks. Random, but if I get really stressed, I like to go feed the ducks. 

5. What is the last book you read?

I like reading classics (it stuck after Alevel English Lit). The last book I read was The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. It's my favorite book and I read it every year. 

6. What is the one thing you can't leave home without?

My phone. I feel completely lost without it.

7. Where would you like to travel to?

I've always wanted to travel round America. Rent a car and go coast to coast. That and Italy. 

8. What is your favorite food?

Blueberries <3 

9. Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate?

Coffee!! I feel sorry for anyone who speaks to me in a morning before I've had a cup of coffee! 

10. What is your candle scent of the moment?

I'm loving all the Christmasy ones out at the min. Got a Blackberry Frost one which is AMAZING!! 

11. What is your favorite color?

I'd have to say purple :) 

Now I Nominate: 

1. laurenwanders
2. ssthenextchapter
3. bloggingbysophie
4. venturerkerrylouise
5. lippylikes
6. The Beauty Inside
7. thebeautifultruth
8. sweetheartsweetmind
9. bold95beauty
10. skaybeauty
11. onestopsavvy


Now My Questions: 

1. What made you start blogging?
2. Other than blogging, what do you most love to do in your spare time?
3. Where is the most exciting place you have ever visited?
4. What is your best childhood memory?
5. Who is your favorite band/singer?
6. What is your favorite film?
7. What would your dream job be and why?
8. Are you a morning or night person?
9. What do you like to do to really relax?
10. What would you say you spent most of your money on, other than rent/bills etc?
11. What has your favorite thing about blogging been so far?


So that's it from me. Again, I just want to say thank you for the nomination, it really means a lot :) and thank you to all those out there who take the time to read my posts!

Love to you all x

The Winter Project #2 - Winter Accessories

Hello my lovelies, hope everyone is well and keeping warm!

So its come round to the second week of #thewinterproject, and today is all about favorite winter accessories! :)

What I thought I'd do with this post, is show you the accessories I'm loving at the moment as kind of a wishlist post. I'm going Christmas shopping tomorrow, and these are the things I might treat myself to :)

1. Topshop Net Bow Headband: £10

I love headbands for winter. I've always been a bit of a hat lover when it comes to winter, but this season, I'm wanting to buy a couple of headbands instead, as I think they add something a bit different to a winter outfit. This one is simple yet has some lovely elegant detail with the lace bow, and is a bargain at only £10! 

2. River Island Brown Floral Print Scarf: £18

I have to admit something to you. I am a bit of a scarf hoarder! I think I now have around 20, and the list seems to grow almost weekly in winter. I love them, and most of them are printed scarves rather than woolly ones. I think you can brighten up any outfit with them, so when I'm stuck for what to wear, I throw on a plain black dress and add a bright scarf. I saw this the other day when browsing online, and loved the unusual pattern. 

3. Warehouse Quilted Leather Gloves from Asos.com: £26

I actually treated myself to these last night when looking online! Oops! I have bought several pairs of pretty knitted gloves in the past, all with lovely designs, but I play with my hands a lot, and am always picking things up and fiddling, and knitted gloves seem to wear out really quickly. Last year I bought some leather ones, and they lasted all winter without a problem. When I saw these quilted leather effect ones, I thought they looked classic, and will keep my hands nice and warm at the same time! Might even dedicate a  post to them when they arrive :)  

4. Hunter Wellies: Price Varies

The one thing I just could not live without in winter is my wellies. I have chocolate brown Hunters at the moment, and to say that I love them would be an understatement. For Christmas, I have asked for another pair, seeing as I get so much wear out of them! These classic pillar box red ones are what I have decided on, although there are so many to choose from that I may change my mind! 

5. Hunter Socks: Price Varies 

Finally, to go with my beloved brown Hunters, I have decided that I need some of these lovely cable knit Hunter socks. The winters get very cold here in Yorkshire and I'm hoping these cute little things help! I think they are around £30 from Hunters website, but you can shop around to find them cheaper. 

So there we are! My top 5 wishlist picks for winter accessories! Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! All comments, links, and opinions are always welcomed...

I am already looking forward to the next #thewinterproject post next Tuesday :) 

Love to you all x

Rescue Oil Review

Hello my lovelies!

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was cold. Very cold!

Cold weather tends to dry my skin out quite a lot so I've learnt that I need to go on the attack when it comes to keeping my skin hydrated in winter. Moisturize all the time, and above moisturizer, one thing I've been using to keep my skin soft and even in colour throughout the last couple of weeks is Rescue Oil. Normally, I turn to the infamous Bio Oil, because, apart from being good for scars it evens out skin tones and keeps it well hydrated. But I fancied a change.

A while ago I blogged about a cocoa therapy oil I was using as a cheaper alternative to Bio Oil, and I loved it. So that got me thinking that there must be a lot of other great alternatives out there. I was browsing through Boots and came across this for £2.99. You can even get it on ebay for just £2! 

The bottle I bought was 40ml, and that's lasted me a month when used on my hands, arms and legs. So it's really not bad value at all. 

The first thing you notice about the product is the bright orange colour! I like it, it helps to give your skin a nice healthy glow. Then you notice the smell. It smells lovely - really clean and fresh, and the smell lasts long after the oil has absorbed into your skin. 

The only downside about this oil, is that it is almost as runny as water. It's not really a problem, just means that after applying it, I was left with little orange splash marks on my white bath mat! lovely! It washed off though so it didn't bother me too much.

My skin is hydrated, it doesn't make me feel sticky and greasy, and it absorbs quickly into skin leaving a lovely fragrance. What more can you ask for from something only costing a couple of pounds! I don't love it as much as Bio Oil, but I will be buying this product again as it has done exactly what I needed it to do :) 

So... My rating..... 

Rescue Oil: 3.5 Stars! 

Thank you to everyone for reading, and all comments, as always, are welcomed and appreciated! 

Love to you all x 

2013's Beauty Loves

Hello everyone!

As those who follow me on twitter might have seen, the other day I was reading Grazia, and they had a section all about their 2013 beauty awards, listing all of their favorite products from this year. It got me thinking about what mine are, and I decided to do a post about it. Sorry in advance for the lack of photos, a lot of the stuff I decided on has either run out and needs to be re-bought, or is in such a well used state that it would NOT look it's best in a picture!

So here we go :)

1. Clinique Take Off The Day Make Up Remover 

I know I go on and on about Clinique's makeup remover, but I honestly think its the best out there. I've tried a lot of different ones, and this is the only one that makes me feel like I'm doing something really nourishing to my skin by taking makeup off. It feels like moisturising. The one I buy (and I'm running out... please bring me some Santa!) is £17 for 125ml, and that lasts me ages! The last one I got was for my birthday in June, which makes it value for money as well as a really good product.

2. Balance Me Balancing Face Moisturiser

I've talked about Balance Me's moisturiser before when I got a small free sample in a magazine a while ago. I talked about its light floral scent, it's thick creamy texture, and the way that it manages to deeply hydrate your skin without feeling greasy. I loved it. So when it ran out, I went and bought myself the full sized version! It was £24 for 50ml. I bought it last month and have used less than a quarter, so I can see this product lasting me a long time. You don't need a lot to really feel the benefits!

3. Benefit Full Finish Lipstick in Slow Zone

This lipstick is a light pink, and makes my complexion look so much lighter and fresher. Its well pigmented and doesn't seem to dry my lips out like a lot of lipstick tend to do. I bought it for £14 a while ago, but when I looked on the benefit website earlier, I see its now £7. I may have cheekily ordered myself another when I saw that!

4. Barry M Foil Effect in Gold 

Now I know I talked about this in my post for #TheWinterProject, so I won't say too much about it, but it has been my go to nail polish ever since I bought it. Whenever I'm stuck on what to do with my nails, this is what I choose. You do have to buff them beforehand as the foil effect means it picks up any ridges, but one coat and it gives you a feeling of instant glamour. Was perfect in the sunshine, and its perfect for the party season. All for just £3.99. LOVE it :)

5. Redken Colour Extend Rich Recovery Protective Treatment

I love Redken. When I buy their products though, I do tend to buy the gift sets which include little bits of everything in them, and I always go for the colour protect range. I dye my hair a lot, and this is the best product I've found for helping to keep my colour looking bright and my hair feeling healthy. It's the only full size product I buy, and 250ml is £17.50 from feelunique.com. It smells lovely, and this treatment is my go to product to keep my hair looking bright and healthy. The perfect treat for your hair! Also, the pot lasts quite a long time (depending on hair length and how often you use it of course). I have quite long hair but only use the product when I feel my hair needs a boost, and it lasts me a couple of months. 

6. Chanel Chance 

Now I'm not one to usually do a fragrance post, as I'm not a huge lover of perfume. I use it, but tend to stick to what I like and don't try many new ones. This is my favorite of all time though. I buy it over and over, and never get tired of the light, fresh scent that it gives. I cant go into what the various tones are as I will admit I know nothing about all that, but I can say it smells lovely, and I never get bored of it. Prices vary from place to place, but the last bottle I bought was from thefragranceshop, and I got 35ml for £47.50. It is a bit pricey, but in my opinion, completely worth it, as its the only one I wear.

My Best Discovery of 2013 
What I thought I'd do, is also give a mention to the best brand that I've come across this year, and all things considered, it has to be the VERY reasonably prices MUA. With a lot of products for just £1, they are exceptional value for money, and everything I've tried from them, including eyeshadows, lipsticks, nail polishes, powder and eyeliner has been brilliant. Well pigmented, long lasting, and good for my skin. Why would you not love all that for such low prices!? I cant wait to try their highlighter, as I've read some rave reviews about it.

Well, they are my top beauty loves of this year. Sorry this post has been a tad wordy, will do a lighter post next time :) As always, all comments are appreciated, and thank you for reading!

Love to you all x

The Winter Project #1 - Winter Nail Polishes

Hello everyone! Today is the first post for #TheWinterProject, and I'm so excited to be involved. Each Tuesday we will be covering a different topic and today we are starting with our favorite winter nail polishes.

Now I'm not really one for subscribing to colour trends and themes when it comes to my nails, but I do have to admit that when it comes to this time a year, I am all about reds, golds and all things shimmery. I think its nature or something to gravitate toward these bold and exciting colours at this time of year. So what I have done today, is to pick my top 5 colours for Autumn and Winter.

Well it just wouldn't be right to not include a couple of red tones in this post would it? I love red nail varnish, especially when it gets nearer to Christmas. These are two of my favorites at the moment. The first is Barry M in Raspberry, and the second is Kate Spade for Nails Inc in Big Apple Red. I am one of the ones lucky enough to pick this Nails Inc polish up in this months Glamour Magazine for just £2, but Nails Inc have always been a favorite of mine. 

As you can see from the examples (both of which have only one coat) they are both big bright colours, and add a nice pop of colour to the large amounts of black and grey that seem to be popular in clothing at this time of year. 

Next we have another Barry M favorite of mine I mentioned this gold foil effect nail polish a while back in one of my posts, but you really do have to try it to believe how good it is. It looks more elegant than a bright glittery gold, and for my skin tone, I think it's perfect. The only downside is that you need perfectly smooth nails to wear it. If you have any bumps or ridges in your nails, it will pick them up and exaggerate them, so remember to give them a buff first :) You only need one coat, and no top coat with this else it ruins the foil effect. I was worried that it wouldn't last as long on my nails without a top coat, but it took around 5 days for it to start getting chipped, and would probably last longer in someone less clumsy than me. 

The next colour I'm loving at the minute is a surprising one. I normally stick to Barry M, Nails Inc or Essie when it comes to my nails, and I do have a couple of Rimmel and Revlon ones, but this one by L.A. Colour in metallic purple has become a bit of a favorite. It cost something like £1.99, and for that I expected it to be thin, runny, and rubbish. I only bought it because I needed that colour to go with a fancy dress costume and happened to spot it in a discount shop when I was about to lose all hope. It does take quite a while to try, and you do need two coats, but if you have the patience, what you end up with is shimmery, long lasting, and perfectly glittery for the festive season. I'm more than happy with it, especially for the price! 

Lastly we have another Barry M polish (told you I liked them!) this time in Copper. In the picture it looks like a solid bronze colour, but in reality its a thick glittery polish, but which gives the illusion of a solid colour in low light, or with two or three coats. It looks amazing on its own, especially for the party season, but my favorite way to wear it (how I have my nails right now) is layered over the Barry M Raspberry. You can hardly see the red shining through, but it gives a deep opulent effect, and looks like a colour you might find on a christmas bauble :) I LOVE it! 

So there we have it. My first post for #TheWinterProject. I'm looking forward to next week already, and would love to read what other people have as their winter faves! Thank you all for reading

Love to you all x