Thursday 27 February 2014

MAC SHEEN SUPREME LIPSTICK: NEW TEMPTATION





Hi lovelies! Recently, my sister came home from uni for a few days, and the absolute babe bought this little beauty back for me! If you know me at all, you'll be aware of my undying love for red lipstick - lots of red lipstick, so another to add to my ever growing collection is always welcomed with open arms. This particular lippie is from MAC's Sheen Supreme range and is in the shade 'New Temptation'. I'd never tried any lipsticks from MAC outside of the normal lipstick range, so I was really excited to give this a go.

'New Temptation' is a semi-sheer blue toned red shade. As the formula 'sheen supreme' suggests, it's incredibly glossy on the lips - definitely no need for a gloss on top of this one! The formula is beautifully soft and smooth and it literally feels like a balm on the lips, with the staying power and pigmentation of a lipstick. This has good staying power, particularly without eating or drinking, but on a night out, not drinking is never an option, so after a few cocktails the glossiness has worn off a little, but it definitely does stain the lips a little and keep its colour for a good few hours.

The slight sheerness of this makes this look a little more pink on my lips, still red, but definitely with a pinky tone. I'm definitely a red lipstick girl and you'll rarely catch me wearing anything else on a night out, so for me, this is the perfect in between for when I fancy something a bit different, but still in my red comfort zone! I think this would be perfect for you if you love the look of a red lip, but are a little shy when it comes to a real pillar box red. One fab thing I've found about this is it doesn't seem to like my teeth, which is great news for me, because as much as I love red lippie, I do not love it making me look like I've got gum disease and bleeding teeth. Even applied liberally, this didn't get on my teeth at all - bonus!

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this lipstick, particularly if you fancy a very slightly more subtle red, or just love a super glossy colour!

What do you think? What's your favourite red lipstick, I'd love to know - I'm on a mission to buy all of them.

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Tuesday 25 February 2014

THE VINTAGE COSMETIC COMPANY GRACIE LASHES







Hi lovelies! Being an Essex girl, false lashes are pretty much part of the uniform when going on a night out, so when The Vintage Cosmetic Company asked me if I'd like to give their Gracie Lashes* a go, I jumped at the chance! I'd had experience with The Vintage Cosmetic company before, as they have been at several blogger events and press days I'd been to, but I'd never actually applied the lashes myself, so I was interested to see how easy they would be to apply.

When I first looked at these lashes, I kind of didn't want to take them out of their box, as it's just so cute! If you're a sucker for cute, girly packaging, then I think the pretty pink, floral design would be reason alone to buy these lashes! Onto the important bit though, these lashes are amazing quality, particularly for the price as they're only £6! What I love about these is that they're on a clear strip, so it makes the line virtually undetectable on the eye. The Gracie lashes provide a longer, more volumised look without the obvious 'false lash look'. They make your eyes 'pop', but aren't so long and thick that they couldn't be worn during the day, or on a more casual night out.

These lashes are some of the lightest lashes I've ever worn, and once applied, you pretty much forget they're there! I love this, because there's nothing I find more irritating on a night out than feeling your false lashes, like when they weigh your eyes down? Yeah that. The glue that comes with these lashes is fab too, it's not too runny or too thick, meaning it's super easy to use. It's also clear, which is fab if you wanted to wear the lashes without eyeliner, as it's pretty much invisible once dried. I apply these lashes using tweezers as I find it's the easiest way, popping them close to my lash line in the middle first, then using the tweezer to secure the corners. As the strip the lashes are on is so fine, these are really easy to bend to the shape of your eye, making them absolutely perfect for beginners! While they were on, these lashes didn't budge all night, despite several cocktails, so that's definitely saying something.

If you haven't already guessed, I'd thoroughly recommend these lashes, as they're super pretty and so easy to use. If you'd like something a little more natural (or more dramatic!) the Vintage Cosmetic Company have many more options on their website!

*Product was gifted to me for reviewing purposes, this is not a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.

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Monday 24 February 2014

PRIMARK PRETTIES: £5 AND UNDER MINI HAUL





Hi lovelies! If you follow me on instagram you'll have already seen this little lot, but I just had to share some of the bits I picked up in Primark lately as I was so pleased with my bargains! The slipper socks are my third pair from Primark, as I have the Bambi and Tweety Pie ones already, but I just couldn't resist these pretty pink Minnie Mouse ones! At only £4 a go, how can you not? I really love these as I'm not one for big bulky slippers, so these are the perfect in between for me. And while we're talking about irresistibly cute but unnecessary purchases, how cute are these My Little Pony socks?! I couldn't leave them there, I just couldn't. These were only £2.50 too, so they just had to come home with me.

Next up was my absolute favourite purchase of the day, this gorgeous leather look mini skirt! I got it in a size six and for once, it was very true to size and fit absolutely perfectly. Primark can be a bit hit and miss with their sizing but this was spot on, just the right length too (short, basically, I hate anything too long!!). The best part? This was on sale for £5!! Whaaaat?! I was thrilled to bits with this, so if you like it I'd get down to your local Primark asap to see if you can track down this gem! Finally, I picked up two statement necklaces, each only £5. I love Primark for trendy jewellery, as I don't like paying lots of money for things I might not wear too many times, or that might go out of style quickly. I think these will be perfect for dressing up a simple black dress on a night out, as it really livens up a plain outfit.

What do you think? Have you found any gems in Primark lately?

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GIFT GUIDE: DESIGNED IN BRITAIN*

It isn’t easy to buy gifts “for him”. It’s too cliché to go down the ‘best gifts for men’ route, but you definitely want to get him something. If your mate is the classy sophisticated type, then these awesome gifts that will make him feel like royalty from head-to-toe.

Finlay & Co: Wooden Sunglasses

 Who would have thought the UK would have a market for sunglasses? We all know there’s not that much sun! No matter, this innovative and well-crafted British brand is slowly becoming an iconic name in UK eyewear. The founders have a hook that’s unusual and eco: every frame is cut from one piece of wood, resulting in a grain look that is totally unique – just like your man. See Finlay & Co.

Taylor of Old Bond Street: Edwardian Shaving Set
Not only is this brand a piece of British history, this shaving set is designed in a traditional Edwardian style. The brush is pure badger with a horn handle and nickel settings in Taylor’s signature balanced design. When he gets ready in the morning, it will be like watching Downton Abbey every time!





Barbour: Heritage Hook Crew Jumper
Barbour is one of those classic British brands that just says style and class. Barbour’s Hook Crew jumper is warm, durable and 100% cotton. This Highlands-inspired Barbour jumper also has wax patches that allude to the brand’s renowned piece: the wax jacket. It’s flattering and comfortable, so you’ll want to cuddle him all day long when he’s wearing it.




Jo Malone: Dark Amber and Ginger Lily Cologne
Jo Malone is a quintessentially British brand with fragrances that are elegant and understated. Their bespoke scents always have a story. This dark amber and ginger lily cologne is a relaxing scent inspired by the ritual of Japanese incense appreciation. The amber and orchid enriched cologne has a woody aroma with hints of cardamom, ginger and water lily, meaning he will look and smell luxurious.




Cambridge Satchel Company: The Classic satchel
As a brand, the Cambridge Satchel Company may not have the history of other companies, but the product does. The bag that swept the fashion blogs around the world is based on the traditional schoolboy satchel design, giving it an implied historical narrative. Stick to the classic style in the vintage chestnut colour to keep your man looking structured and refined.




*Sponsored Post


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LIFESTYLE: TIPS FOR PERFECTING A LOFT CONVERSION*

Hi lovelies! Today, this post is bought to you by LuxeDeco, I've been working on trying to encorporate more lifestyle posts into the usual fashion and beauty side of my blog and thought this post by LuxeDeco had some fab info that some of you might find useful! Let me know if you like to see this sort of post, as I'm definitely interested in incorporating more homey/ lifestyle posts into my blog in the future!

Tips to Perfecting your Loft Conversion
Using your loft space to add another room to the house not only adds more living space, but it adds to the value of your home. Planning this conversion can be tricky, but with a few tips you can really make the most out of this space.

Heating
I love a good duvet. You know, the kind that is so light that when you fluff it slowly falls back towards the bed but keeps you warm in rooms so cold you can see your breath. Of course, it is preferable to have a warm loft so you should sort out the heating early on. Find radiators that primarily match the style of the your house and less so the style of the conversion – a future buyer may not like the bronze art nouveau radiators you chose for your gothic style bedroom conversion…

Consider the awkward shapes
Rather than fighting with the twists and turns of your loft space, accommodate it. Find ways to create bespoke pieces or to incorporate them into the style of the room. Windows will inevitably have an odd shape and ceilings will certainly slope at random angles, so look for a bespoke solution rather than trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. These blinds were created by Hillarys to suit the slanted window.

Compensate for low ceilings
Most loft conversions are going to have low or pitched ceilings. This is another characteristic that can be used to express the personality of the room. Hanging a simple pendant light over a low bed looks elegant. In my recent loft conversion, I was looking for a bed to fit into my room with low ceilings and I spoke to the LuxDeco concierge, who recommended a bed with a low headboard and short legs. I really like the Bonaldo Florence bed. It comes in neutral colours which kept with the fresh and airy look I was going for up there.

Incorporate period detail
Make sure that globally the style of your conversion matches the rest of the house. Having an ultra-modern loft space could clash with a Georgian style home that’s kept it’s early-19th century charms. Don’t go overboard of course, just keep it to the finishing touches. Perhaps stained glass windows or reclaimed floorboards – just keep the overall scheme simple. I love these bespoke contemporary window pieces that Cambridge Stained Glass  do!

*Sponsored Post

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Friday 21 February 2014

DITCHING THE B*TCHING



Hi lovelies! Let me ask you something, have you ever walked up to a girl in the street, that you've never met before, purely to tell her that her lipstick doesn't suit her? Or that her eyes look weird? Or that's she too fat, or too skinny? Have you ever listened to a stranger talking and interrupted to tell them how stupid they are? You're probably thinking 'No! Of course not! Who does that?!', but then let me ask you this, have you ever commented on an Instagram post to say 'that dress isn't for you' or indirectly tweeted about someone's looks, or started a slanging match on twitter just because you disagree with a comment someone has made? Maybe?

Well, that's what I wanted to talk about today. I see so much of this every single day, all over the internet. Girls commenting on other girls photos picking at their apperance, bloggers starting arguments with other bloggers over minor things, disagreements over tweets, nasty, bitchy comments on Guru Gossip (boo, hiss!) and I just don't get it. It genuinely shocks and upsets me when I see this, particularly in the blogging community, but elsewhere too. Just today, I saw a photo of a totally stunning girl on Instagram, with a comment along the lines of 'Your dress doesn't suit you, you look really weird', not the worst comment ever, but that'd certainly be enough to ruin my day.

What gets to me, is the girl that wrote it probably wrote it in a second, then went about her day, while if the girl who posted the photo saw the comment, it could've seriously knocked her confidence. I know that some people take things like that well and can just brush it off, but I also know that a lot of people, myself included, can't. While I've not experienced this much myself, I'm not too proud to admit that things like that would genuinely hurt me, had they have been directed at me. It's not just comments on photos either, I've seen people be unnecessarily nasty and rude over a simple tweet that they've disagreed with, or hashtag they didn't like and I just don't understand what people are getting out of it. Obviously people are going to disagree sometimes, and discussions about this can be interesting and helpful, but is there really a need to argue about it? You get all riled up over something that really didn't have anything to do with you, get yourself into an argument, often with several people involved, then not only put a downer on your own day, but several other people's too.

Something I think that is important to remember, is that nastily calling someone out on something you disagree with doesn't make you a bigger or smarter person. Commenting on someone's looks on a photo will not make you feel any better about yourself and sitting typing nasty things over the internet can do a lot more damage than you realise. Just because you're not face to face seeing the damage you've caused, it doesn't mean it isn't there. You could've ruined someone's day, knocked someone's confidence or battered someone's possibly already low self esteem and for what exactly? Do you really enjoy those two seconds of tweeting a nasty tweet, or posting a bitchy comment? Or do you write it, then forget about it? Words can hurt people just as much as physical violence, your words. Do you really want to be that person?

So, instead of the bitching and nastiness, today, I challenge you to give out at least one compliment to someone. It could be your best friend or a stranger. Not just a 'you look nice' or, 'fab blog post!', take time, look deeper and think about it. Does their hair look particularly lovely today? Do they have a really pretty, happy smile? Did their blog post really interest you? Tell them exactly why they're so fab. Make someone feel amazing. Remember that your words could have a huge impact on someone, so why not make it a good one?

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Thursday 20 February 2014

THE TMI TAG


Hi lovelies! A while ago now, I saw the TMI tag on the lovely Lola's blog and she tagged everyone reading her post to do this tag, so, falling under the 'everyone' category, I decided to get cracking! I love a good tag post as I think it's fun to get to know the blogger behind the blog a little bit, so let's get into it!

1. What are you wearing?
As I'm writing this, PJs and Bambi slippers, it's pretty much my at home uniform right now.

2. Have you ever been in love?
Yes, right now!

3. Have you ever had a terrible break up?
Not terrible as such, just a bit messy and awkward!! Is a good breakup a thing?

4. How tall are you?
About 5'5 I think, pretty average!

5. How much do you weigh?
Ooh cheeky. Around 7st 12lb or thereabouts, I don't worry too much about the actual number though, I think as long as you're happy with what you look like it really doesn't matter.

6. Any tattoos?
Yes, two tiny ones. I have 'this too shall pass' written down one arm and a tiny heart just below my collarbone.

7. Any piercings?
Just my ears, I don't really like too many piercings that much, definitely not on me anyway.

8. You OTP? (one true pairing)
Chuck and Blair!! THEY'RE REAL TO ME.

9. Your favourite show?
Same as Lola, Gossip Girl. Hence my last answer.

10. Favourite Band?
I have a lot of favourites, I love Arctic Monkeys, Mumford and Sons, Deaf Havana, Kodaline, to name a few! I often like singers more than actual bands though, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Ellie Goulding are some of my favourites right now.

11. Something you miss?
My twin sister! She lives in Canterbury at the moment for Uni and I miss having her around all the time! Although, she's actually home for a few days right now, but usually I miss her!

12. Favourite Song?
I have loooads but one of my all time favourites is Sweet Child of Mine by Guns N Roses. My current favourite though is How Long Will I Love You by Ellie Goulding.

13. How old are you?
19

14. What zodiac sign are you?
I'm a taurus.

15. Qualities you look for in a partner?
Good sense of humour, ambitious, strong, not necessarily in a physical sense, but strong minded and strong willed, you would never catch me with a push over!

16. Favourite Quote?
"This too shall pass", it's a good one to remember all round, good times come to an end, and bad times come to an end, so enjoy the good and get through the bad!

17. Favourite Actor?
Tom Hanks, he's literally in all my favourite films, Forrest Gump, Castaway, Big, Toy Story...

18. Favourite colour?
Pink! Did you guess?

19. Loud music or soft?
Medium? I hate music too loud, but also cannot stand having to strain to hear anything, so kind of the middle.

20. Where do you go when you're sad?
Wherever my boyfriend or my mum is.

21. How long does it take you to shower?
This depends, if I'm having a girly shower i.e. hair mask, body scrub, shaving my legs, purple shampooing (blonde problems), up to half an hour, but if I'm having a 'shit, I'm late, hurry up and get clean' shower, then around 5-10 minutes.
.
22. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
On a work day I give myself an hour, but can be ready in about 40 minutes, unless I have to wash my hair. Weekends are another story...

23. Ever been in a physical fight?
No way, it'll be accused of being sexist I'm sure, but as much as I hate fighting in general, I think it's super unattractive for girls to fight. Sort out your problems like a grown up and talk it out, or failing that take it to twitter #war!!! (Don't do that)

24. Turn on?
Someone who also loves puppies.

25. Turn off?
Someone who doesn't love puppies, I mean, what? And being rude, arrogant, blah blah..

26. The reason you started blogging?
I actually starting blogging in college as a fashion blog to go alongside my projects, as I did art and design with fashion as my main subject area, then I slowly turned my blog into an everything blog and here we are!

27. Fears?
Running out of red lipstick, or some other colour actually becoming the 'new black'.

28. Last thing that made you cry?
This speech.

29. Last time you said you loved someone?
This morning before Darren left for work!

30. Meaning behind your blog name?
I'm Chloe and I blog... my way? I don't know, to be honest, I typed Chloe's Words or something similar that wasn't available as a URL (glad I didn't go with that) and Chloe's Way came up as a suggestion, I thought, hey that sounds really cool and went with it. I'm imaginative like that.

31. Last book you read?
'About A Girl' by Lindsey Kelk, loved it!

32. The book you're currently reading?
'Pictures of Lily' by Paige Toon, it was free on iTunes 12 Days of Christmas, so I thought okay, let's give it a go. It's good so far, there are Koalas.

33. Last show you watched?
The Simpsons, always.

34. Last person you talked to?
My mum!

35. The relationship between you and the last person you texted?
He's my boyfriend!

36. Favourite Food?
Sweeties! I'm a kid, haribos, pick n mix.. especially at the Cinema! I also love Cherries, de-stoned, I'm a diva.

37. Place you want to visit?
New York (again), LA and Paris.

38. Last place you were?
Work yesterday, then I was sent home ill, boooo.

39. Do you have a crush?
No, unless my boyfriend counts! I've never been the 'celebrity crush' type, they're just normal (but airbrushed) people.

40. Last time you kissed someone?
This morning, before Darren left for work!

41. Last time you were insulted?
I can't remember the last time I was actually genuinely insulted, a little girl at work asked me if I was becoming an old lady when I left my purple shampoo on too long and ended up with silver streaks a few weeks ago, but I'm not sure that counts!!

42. Favourite flavour of sweet?
The red ones.

43. What instruments do you play?
Guitar!

44. Favourite piece of jewellery?
My Tiffany's things are the obvious choice, but I also love a good statement necklace. You'll rarely catch me on a night out without one.

45. Last sport you played?
Table tennis with a 9 year old at work. I lost..

46. Last song that you sang?
Jesus of Suburbia by Green Day, not even sorry.

47. Favourite chat up line?
'Hi, I have amnesia, do I come here often?'

48. Have you ever used it?
What? I forgot the question...
ba-dum-chh!

49. Last time you hung out with anyone?
Last night, with Darren, if that counts. If not it was Saturday night.

50. Who should answer this tag next?
EVERYONE! I love these tags, it's a nosey persons dream, do it do it do it! I tag you!!!

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Tuesday 18 February 2014

LUSH DREAM CREAM REVIEW




Hi lovelies! Recently I posted a haul post with lots of Lush goodies my amazing sister bought for me, including this (not so) little pot of absolute perfection. I posted my first impressions in that post, but as I've had a bit more time to play with this, I thought I'd do a full review on it as I've been absolutely obsessed with it these past couple of weeks. So, if you live in the UK, you'll know that we've had some pretty crappy weather lately, strong winds, heavy rain and icy cold temperatures do not do much for my poor skin. And by not much, I mean wreak havoc. I often get those little dry patches and bumps on the back of my arms and while I know they're quite common (and mine aren't too bad), they still annoy me. A lot. So, knowing this, my sister included 'Dream Cream' in my box of treats.

I'd heard a lot about Dream Cream before and knew it was supposed to be amazing for dry, sensitive skin. But I'd only ever had the tiniest sample, which I used twice, then lost. So while I knew it was good, I didn't really know if it had much of an effect with continued use. When I opened this, I was amazed with how much product you got. It's actually quite a thin consistency, which initially, made me slightly skeptical as to how well it would work. Generally, products for super dry skin are more buttery and thick so I was a bit confused by the more thinner lotion in this little tub. However, any doubts were thrown out of the window when I actually used this. You need a tiny amount to cover your arms and legs and it melts into the skin beautifully, without leaving you with a stick residue. The pot says to use generously, but I'm assuming that's a bit of a 'buy more!' trick, as I find a small amount is more than enough.

The scent of this is a little odd, it's not really perfumed in anyway, to me, it smells slightly like rosewater mixed with playdoh. Strange, but if you've smelt this you'll know what I mean (or think I'm insane). It's featured ingredient is Oatmilk, so maybe that has something to do with the scent, who knows! It's not an offensive scent, but not the prettiest either, so because of this, I tend to use it at night before bed. This works out well anyway as it means it has more time to really soak into the skin. As I mentioned before, you apply a small amount, enough to cover your arms and legs, then it soaks in super quickly, no waiting around to dry here! After just a few uses, this made my skin feel softer, smoother and completely desensitized, which is great, as my skin starts to get horribly sensitive in this rubbish weather. Putting in onto sore or sensitive skin is like an instant relief, it's cooling and calming and after just a few uses, you will definitely notice the difference in your skin. The big question for me though, was will it get rid of those irritating bumps? The answer? Yes! Finally, something that actually completely works! It doesn't just reduce them, but with continued use, actually totally got rid of them. Hurrah!

So, if like me, you suffer from sore, sensitive, sad skin in the winter months (or any time of year!), I'd thoroughly recommend this, it has been a total lifesaver for me.

What are some of your skin saviors in the winter? I'd love to know!

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Sunday 16 February 2014

BEAUTIFUL BARGAINS: £1 PHILOSOPHY DUPE



Hi lovelies! Happy Sunday! I hope you've all had a fab weekend so far, I myself have had a lovely couple of days, out for dinner with Darren for Valentines day followed by a pamper day with my Mum yesterday then an impromptu night out with friends last night. If you follow me on twitter and remember my tweet saying I was looking forward to a chilled out weekend in after a busy week, turns out I lied. Anyway! It's finally time for another Beautiful Bargains post! I haven't done one of these for ages, but I really loved doing them, so recently, when I was out shopping in town and I popped into a shop called 'Savers' (I'm not sure if these are everywhere, but I know there are a few dotted around Essex and Hertfordshire!) and I came across this gorgeous looking shower gel, I knew it had to be shared. At a very quick glance, I thought it was a Philosophy shower gel and got very excited. I then realised it was a dupe brand called 'Possibility' and was only £1, even more excited!

This little beauty is called 'Pink Champagne Sorbet', which honestly could not be more me. It smells yummy, it's pink and it's slightly relevant to the party girl in me. Love. It. This smells absolutely gorgeous, really fruity and pretty, with an actual hint of champagne (or just alcohol, but never mind that, it really is lovely). It, like Philosopy, has a 3 in 1 formula and is a shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath all in one. I've not used this for Shampoo yet, as I can be quite fussy with shampoo at times, but I am going to try it, purely because I want my hair to smell like fruity pink champagne! In the bath and as a shower gel though, this is amazing, it lathers up beautifully and makes the entire room smell fab. It's paraben free and very gentle on the skin, so despite it being a cheapy shower gel, I don't think you'd need to worry if you had sensitive skin with this one.

Overall, for a measly pound, you can't really go wrong, so if you get the chance to try this, I'd thoroughly recommend it, particularly for all you super girly girls out there! It'd also make a fab addition to any gift, as it looks a lot more expensive and luxurious than it is - bonus!

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Thursday 13 February 2014

VALENTINES DAY, MY THOUGHTS

Victoria's Secret products available for UK on Bath and Body Shop
Pjs - Wildfox

Hi lovelies! A lot of people don't like Valentines Day and in some ways, I can totally understand that, but I've actually always loved it. Despite spending my last 4 or 5 Valentine's Day's in a relationship, I even loved it when I was single. It seems like a day just for people who are all loved up and sickening for single people, but I think a day to celebrate love should be for everyone! So, with this in mind I thought I'd share a few ideas I had for celebrating Valentines day...

If you're in a Relationship...
The obvious (and what Darren and I are doing!!) is going out for a nice romantic meal. I know that a lot of people don't like the idea of a big expensive night out for Valentines, as it's often seen as quite a commercialised day and we should 'show our love every day', so another nice idea would be to have a nice quiet movie night in, perhaps with a bottle of wine (if you're of age, of course!) and lots of popcorn, compulsory, obviously. Perhaps cooking your partner their favourite meal and simply spending quality time together. I think despite what people say, it's not always easy to show just how much you care every single day, as we lead busy lives! So, Valentines day is the perfect excuse to set aside some couple time and really appreciate one another.

If you're spending it with Friends...
As Valentines is a Friday, it's the perfect day to gather up some girlfriends and go on a boy free night out and have a few cocktails - pink and red ones if you fancy sticking to the theme. Or even have an anti Valentine's evening and have a girls night in, complete with scary movies. At least you don't have to shave your legs!!

If you're spending it Alone...
If you're having a night in for one this Valentines day, show yourself how much you care and have some serious you time. Get out all your most luxurious bath and body bits and properly pamper yourself. A hot bubble bath (lush bath bomb optional, but recommended), all over body scrub, body butter, face mask, hair mask, freshly painted nails and toenails... Make yourself feel (and smell!) gorgeous, then cuddle up with a good book, movie, or your bloglovin' feed! And definitely don't forget the hot chocolate.

It was actually recently bought to my attention that Ladbrokes Bingo has created a fun tool for Valentine’s Day. It's 'The Science behind the perfect Valentines date'. You put in your date's gender, gender preference, hair and eye colour and it tells you what kind of date you should go on! It's actually really funny as you could put in your boyfriend or girlfriend, or even just a friend and it tells you what you should do, what meal you should have - and even what you can expect at the end of the night! It's just a silly little thing, but I wanted to share it in this post, as it gave me a laugh and thought it might for some of you guys too! I also did a post here on Valentines gift ideas, so if your boyfriend is a bit slow, or you just fancy treating yourself, why not drop some hints now, you deserve it!

What are you doing for Valentine's Day this year?

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Wednesday 12 February 2014

LITTLE LUSH HAUL




Hey lovelies! The other day, I was super surprised when a box of Lush goodies arrived in the post from my lovely sister Hannah. I was so excited as I don't live too close to a Lush store, so I don't get to go often, so it was definitely an amazing surprise to be treated to all of this - thanks sis!

She got me a few things I'd tried before as well as some that are new to me. One that I have tried before (and reviewed here) is the Catastrophe Cosmetic mask. I won't go on too much as I have previously reviewed this, but this is basically the best mask in the whole world, ever, if you have skin that's going through a bit of a tough time with all this crazy weather. It's perfect on sensitive skin with dry patches, but also sorts out any spots and oiliness too, perfect! Another item that's an old favourite of mine is the Tea Tree Toner (again, review here), which is again, amazing on skin that's a little bit confused. It isn't drying on drier patches, but is perfect on odd spots or skin that's breaking out. The final item I have tried before is 'Dream Cream', however I've only ever had a sample of this. This is a body moisturiser which is supposed to be amazing on super dry skin - particularly those annoying red bumps some of us (including me!!) get on the backs of our arms. The sample I tried of this was absolutely lovely, however I will review this in full when I've given it a proper go. It has a strange smell, it's not sweet or perfumey like a lot of Lush products, it kind of smells like Rosewater mixed with Playdough. If you've smelt it you'll know what I mean by this. It's in no way a nasty or offensive scent, just not the sweetest smelling product. The scent doesn't linger for too long though, so even if you don't like it, I doubt it'd be enough to put anyone off.

Onto the products I haven't tried before! First off is 'Roots', which is a Hair Treatment Mask meant to Volumise and Nourish your hair. I've never tried anything like this, so it'll be interesting to give this a go! The scent is quite minty, which I really like. I've heard the mint makes your scalp feel all tingly, but this is yet to be discovered! The next two items were the ones I was most excited about, mostly because they're pink! First is the 'Melting Marshmallow Moment' Luxury Bath Melt. I've never tried a bath melt before, but this one smells like Snow Fairy, so that's a very good start. This is supposed to melt really slowly, leaving your bath pink with a little foam on top, which is apparently super good for softening your skin. We'll have to see how this goes when I try it, but from scent and colour alone, I already love it! Lastly, she picked out the 'The Kiss' lipgloss, which is one of Lush's valentines products. This is a pretty gloss with a hint of pink, it's made from Shea butter, so not only does it leave your lips with a pretty pink sheen, it's also super moisturising too! This is in a tin, so it feels a bit strange to apply a gloss from a tin, but as it's sort of a balm to I can forgive it!

Let me know if you'd like to see anything reviewed individually, I'd be happy to do some!
Have you tried anything new from Lush lately? Let me know!

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Monday 10 February 2014

GIVEAWAY: PERSONALISED EMMA BRIDGEWATER MUG*



Hi lovelies! Today, I have another giveaway for you all and this time it's one I'm super excited about. Recently, I have been in touch with the lovely people at Emma Bridgewater and they have very kindly offered to team up with me to give away a personalised 1/2 pint mug to one of you guys! You lucky things! I was so excited to be given this opportunity as I've always adored Emma Bridgewater products and I'm sure many of you will know and love them too. This is also a very different giveaway from my usual make up and beauty product giveaways, so I hope you all agree that it makes a very nice change indeed!

There's actually a shop in my town that stocks a lot of Emma Bridgewater mugs, plates and other bits and bobs and I very often drag Darren around looking at everything, wishing I could fill my kitchen cupboards with nothing but these gorgeous designs. My personal favourites are the Hearts Design and the Sampler design, as I'm a sucker for the pretty pinkness!
You can check out the designs here, they have lots of lovely designs and they are changing all the time, so you don't have to decide right now which mug you'd like if you won. You can check out some other personalised mug ideas here. When I pick the winner, I will contact you to let you know and you will be able to choose which design you would like on your mug and what you would like written on it. You could get your name, blog name, a nickname - or perhaps someone elses name, or a family member like 'mum' or 'nan' - as they'd make fab Mother's Day presents (though I'd completely understand if you'd like to keep it for yourself, that's definitely what I'd do!!). So, if you win, you can tell me which design and name (or words) you would like on your mug and I will let the lovelies at Emma Bridgewater know, so they can get it made for you!

As with all of my giveaways, you can enter using the Raffle Copter form below. All terms and conditions will be in the form below, just remember to ask permission from your parents if you are under 18, as you will need to give your address if you win! This giveaway will be running for one week and the winner will be announced on the Raffle Copter form in this post and on twitter. Remember to leave a valid email address or twitter name in a comment below, otherwise I won't be able to contact you if you win - and you definitely don't want to miss out! So, get entering and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Saturday 8 February 2014

NEW IN: ESQIDO LASHES






Hi lovelies! I have something rather exciting to share with you all today! Recently, these beautiful lashes dropped through my post box and as soon as I saw them, I couldn't wait to show them to you all! These are genuine Mink lashes, which may set off alarm bells, but not to worry, they're made from naturally shed fur, which is then sterilized before use to ensure that they are hypoallergenic - no cruelty involved! The thing that absolutely sold these lashes to me was the fact that the BFF lashes (the thicker pair of the two) are the ones Candice Swanepoel has previously worn in VS fashion shows. Uh, yes please!

The packaging is just gorgeous, the white and rose gold made them almost too pretty to use (in fact, after using them, I put them back very carefully in the box!!). This is certainly not packaging that will be going in the bin any time soon - and not only because of how gorgeous it is, there is another reason to keep the pretty boxes! These lashes are actually supposed to last up to 25 uses, way more than regular drugstore lashes. I have used these lashes and after taking them off at night, I gently peeled away any glue left on them and put them away and they felt as good as new! Obviously, as these are genuine mink lashes, I expected them to feel a little more Luxe than my usual eylures, but oh wow. These literally feel like real lashes, you can really feel the amazing quality of these lashes. They're really easy to use as they take to the shape of your eye super easily. I have worn these lashes, but they will be making their debut in another post to come, so you can see what they look like on very soon. I can tell you now though that they feel super luxurious and excellent quality. I used them with a regular eyelash glue, but they went on so much easier and stayed put all night.

Honestly, as much as these are expensive, I would buy them myself purely because of how incredibly natural they look on the eye and the amazing quality of the lashes.

What do you think? Would you like to give these lashes a go?

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