Friday 11 December 2015

Baking | Reindeer Biscuits

Good Evening! 



So I decided to do a bit of a different blog post today, one that doesn't involve beauty....I know bizarre right, but I have really been enjoying reading more lifestyle type of blog posts recently like Hannah Maggs, who does beautiful posts about her son Grayson. 

So when I was doing a bit of baking with my daughter the other day I decided to get the lights and camera out and take some pictures. I generally dislike baking with a 3 year old as it's normally messy and what your trying to make usually comes out nothing like you intended! I decided to try and relax and just let her make as much mess as she wanted....and it ended up being a lot of fun and after some slight modifications to the icing when she had gone to bed - they didn't look bad at all!



We just used a standard biscuit recipe as my daughter is extremely fussy and doesn't like gingerbread...or anything that's not plain really! 


Ingredients:



  • Flour 300g
  • Butter 250g (softened)
  • Caster sugar 140g 
  • 1 Egg Yolk
  • 2 Tsp Vanilla extract

These are so simple to make - 

Mix the butter and the sugar. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Sift in the flour. Get your hands in there and combine it all together. I then put it into the fridge for 30mins or so. 



I didn't want to have to go out and buy Christmas cookie cutters especially for this so I found a clever trick on-line, upside down gingerbread man cookie cutters = reindeer 
heads! 




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Thursday 3 December 2015

Favourites | November | 2015

I haven't blogged for quite a while as life has been quite...manic! I thought I would do a little favourites post to get back into blogging!


 1. Soap & Glory | Butter Yourself |£10.00

"Rough Elbows? Bumpy upper arms? Flaky lower legs? Deploy...... Butter Yourself."

I love soap and glory products also I am a bit of a sucker for the quirky packaging! This is a product that I have re-purchased and will continue too. Its a body lotion that you apply whilst your skin is still damp from the shower. I have always suffered from bumpy skin on my upper arms, and this is the only thing I have used that actually gets rid of them. Although I do have to use it all the time as if I don't use it for a few days the bumps come back, this doesn't bother me as it does work, and I have tried numerous products in the past to get rid of them!



L'oreal | Skin Perfection Nourishing Cleansing Wipes |£3.49 

I know that face wipes aren't the best thing to use to remove make-up, but when you have stuff to do in the evening like making packed lunches and watching MIC, you just want to go straight to bed without the hassle of cleansing and toning etc! When I do need a face wipe to take off my make-up these are the ones I grab. I have dry skin and these are fabulous for that, I wake up in the morning and my skin feels so soft that I could have done a full cleanse! They are always on some kind of offer as well like at the moment L'oreal products are 2 for £5 in Superdrug!



Emite Make Up | Diamond Heart Base Primer | Full-Size - 35.00

I received this in my November Glossybox and I love it, it evens my skin tone and really makes my make-up last a lot longer. It helps create a dewy, glowy, healthy skin. 




Urban Decay | Naked 3 Palette |£38.00 

I have fallen in love with this again this month. I go through phases with eye shadows, I got stuck in a rutt with my MAC shadows. I grabbed this to do my eyes at the start of November and have used it everyday since! Urban Decay eye shadows are such a brilliant quality. They apply smoothly, have no fall out and are so easily blend able, everything you'd expect from a high end eye shadow. With it coming up to Christmas I think Urban Decay palettes are a beautiful gift for a make-up lover. They have so many pretty palettes, I was lucky enough to receive the new smoky palette this week for my Birthday and I can already tell that it is going to be in my December favourites! The new Gwen Stefani palette looks incredible also!



Estee Lauder | Double Wear Foundation | £30.00

I am surprised I have gone back to using this. I used to use this all the time but I realised that it was too drying for my already dry skin! The reason I got it was as I ran out of my Nars Sheer Glow and as we don't have a Nars stand in my town and I didn't want to wait for delivery so I went back to Estee Lauder. I have a love hate relationship with this foundation. I love the way it looks on the skin, I love the high coverage and I love the staying power. The only thing I don't like is that if I wear it for a long time I get really dry skin, its the only downside, as much as I love this foundation I will probably go back to Nars when this has run out! 



Homesense | Candles | £5.99

I recently found these candles in Homesense, when I first saw them I thought they were bath and body work candles as they're the same type of holder and have the 3 wicks. I looked on-line and found out they are from Walmart in America. These candles are incredible, they burn evenly and put out a lot of scent. Every time I light Deck The Halls people comment on how my house smells like Christmas! If you happen to see these in TKMAXX or Homesense be sure to grab them (if they have a nice scent!).





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Sunday 19 July 2015

Glossy Box July 2015 | Vive La France

Good Evening!

Yesterday I received my July Glossybox and the theme of it is Vive La France! I love this box, it is all skincare, no make-up, which personally I quite like. I always try new make-up anyway, but I tend to get stuck in a rut with skincare, so its nice to try new brands! 



Noxidoxi | Enhancing Serum Base | RRP £33.46 full size
"Serum is the power-house of any skincare regime. From Bordeaux-born brand Noxidoxi, this has a CRC6 moisturising complex, which hydrates the skin's surface as well as the deeper layers, while a cocktail of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories protect the skin. Layer under moisturiser." 

Lollipops | Lip Balm Delicieuse | RRP £4.15 full size  
"A wonderful French find. This rich and creamy balm immediately soothes and softens with antioxidants and vitamin E, as well as protecting the lips from UV damage. Perfect for the summer!"

Teoxane Cosmeceuticals | Perfect Skin Refiner | RRP £70.00 full size
"With hyaluronic acid to plump and hydrate skin, 10% glycolic acid to help resurface the skin and calming ingredients to reduce irritation. Start by using it every other night (you'll feel a mild tingling at first) and as with all potent treatments, a high SPF is a must during the day."

Yves Rocher | Comme Une Evidence Eau De Parfum | RRP £24.50 full size
"This quintessentially French musky floral scent is light, feminine and airy. It intertwines notes of violet leaves, rose, lily of the valley and patchouli for a subtle scent that lasts all day (or night) long."

Glossybox | Exclusive Travel pouch | £3.99
"With exclusive artwork by fashion illustrator Jamie Lee Reardin, this zip-lock pouch is the chicest way to keep your beauty essentials safe through security, or use it as your everyday make-up bag."


























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Wednesday 15 July 2015

Current favourite Lipsticks | July 15

Hi Guys, I thought I would do a little post about the lipsticks that haven't left my bag recently. These are the lipsticks I have been reaching for everyday for the past month or so.




MAC | PLINK! | Lustre | £15.50

I love this lipstick, it is really sheer, its a lustre finish so its sheer with a pearly finish. This colour is a warm toned nude, it leaves a sheer pink shine on your lips. This is great for an everyday lipstick, super pretty!



Rimmel | Lasting finish Kate Moss | 32 | £5.49

This is a peachy nude, with an orange undertone. This is a beautiful colour and I think most skin tones could pull this off.  I've seen it on both pale and tanned skin and it looks great, it’s a really flattering colour. It lasts well too considering its a "drugstore" product. It does need to be re-applied after eating or drinking,  like most lipsticks, but if you would like something different to the usual pinks and reds I highly recommend trying this.



MAC | Velvet Teddy | Matte | £15.50


I have wanted this lipstick since last year, when I heard it is the lipstick Kylie Jenner wore. It sold out at the time, so when I was recently in a MAC store and saw it...I had to have it. It is a beautiful pinky nude with a brown undertone.  It is a matte finish so lasts well. I tend to apply this along with my Rimmel lip liner in the colour Spice!


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Sunday 12 July 2015

St Tropez Gradual Tan in Shower | Review

Hi Guys. I have always found it so difficult to find a self-tan that has no downfalls. They are always either an unnatural colour, streaky or just hard to apply. So, when I saw that St Tropez were bringing out a gradual tan that you apply in the shower....I needed it in my life!


What St Tropez Say:

"Just 3 minutes as part of your daily regime. A convenient way to build a sunkissed, gradual glow, that provides up to 24 hour moisturisation. UK's first ever product that uses water to promote a gradual tan, this unique streak-free formulation activates on clean, wet skin, in three minutes flat. This no nonsense hero allows you to minimise grooming time and enjoy an even and natural looking glow, without the fuss and time traditionally associated with tanning - perfect for those with busy lifestyles, or if you're simply looking for a low maintenance all year round glow."


What I say: 

I don't have a bad word to say about this tan. It is a lovely natural colour, it’s easy to apply and nearly impossible to make it streaky. If you have fair skin and struggle to find a tan that doesn't look ridiculous I highly recommend you try this one. It is really easy to apply. I Just shower as usual washing my hair and body, then I turn the water off and apply the St Tropez tan all over, rubbing in circular motions. It lathers up so you can see where it has been applied, finally I rinse it off. It is currently buy one get one half price at Boots - here.


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Tuesday 9 June 2015

Glossy Box | June 2015

Hey guys! So I was super excited when the postman came today with my Glossy Box. I used to subscribe to Birch Box, but since seeing the Glossy Boxes I much prefer these. They come in a pretty pink box, and are wrapped really nicely with black tissue paper. I have only had them for 2 months but so far I have received no tea samples and no teeny tiny samples which used to really annoy me about Birch Box.



Here is what is in the June Box, it is festival themed.

1| MONU SPA | Rosewood Reviving Mist | RRP £11.95



I'm really excited about this, I love face mists, especially during the summer months, they are really refreshing and hydrating. Last year I had the Caudalie Beauty Elixir, which I loved, hopefully this MONU one is as good as it's certainly a lot cheaper!

2| Glossybox Flash Tattoos | RRP £6.50



These are really cool and the gold would look great on tanned skin, I have seen people wearing these tattoos on their wrists with bangles and think they look great.

3| Halo | Fragrance free facial wipes | RRP £1.20



These are really handy if you are going camping or to a festival as they are compact so you don't need to take a full pack of face-wipes!

4| Kueshi Anticellulite Booster | RRP £14.55



This is a full size bottle, and I am quite happy as I have just run out of my body lotion. Although I don't believe what it promises (to tone skin and remove cellulite) I will get use out of this as an everyday moisturiser!

5| Essence Gel Polish | RRP £1.71



I like getting nail polishes in these boxes as I rarely buy new colours I just get stuck in a rut and use the same colour all of the time. This is a nice orangey red colour and its formula is great, really opaque and shiny!
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Sunday 7 June 2015

June Empties | 2015

Hey Guys!

I thought I'd do an empties post as I have been saving my empty products in a box and the box was getting quite full! These products are my empties from the past few months.



Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub | £8.00

"Smashed Brown Sugar & Sweet Lime, Almond Oil & Macadamia Grains"

I love this scrub as I love most Soap and Glory products. This has lasted ages, I got it for Christmas and probably opened it in February so it has lasted for several months. Is smells incredible... a sweet, citrus-y scent that really wakes you up in the morning. I will probably re-purchase this just for the smell!

Soap & Glory Whipped Clean Shower Butter | £7.00

"Pistachio, Almond and Sweet Vanilla Scent"

Once again Soap & Glory do not disappoint on scent. This is a completely different scent to the body scrub, it’s a sweet vanilla scent....it smells edible. I love Soap & Glory's packaging they have humorous names with witty quotes on them. I don't know if I'd personally re-purchase this, as much as the scent was amazing the product itself was a bit meh, but I'd be happy if I received it as a gift.

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation | £31.00

I don't have a single negative comment on this foundation. I am in love with it. I first caved and purchased this foundation last year after reading outstanding reviews on every blog that I came across. This foundation has changed my life (Ok, a bit dramatic I know!). I have done a full review on this here. This foundation is hydrating, dewy, medium/high coverage and makes your skin look flawless. If I was being really picky the one mini downfall is that it doesn't come with a pump, but you can buy one separately! Will I re-purchase this? OF COURSE!

Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express | £7.99

I have done a full review on this also here. I really like this mascara and I have re-purchased it a couple of times.I feel it gives good length and volume, it is affordable and the packaging is quite cool. I prefer the Maybelline Falsies mascara but I think I purchased The Rocket when I had completely run out of mascara and the only shop I could get to had run out of The Falsies. This is a good high-street mascara and I probably will end up re-purchasing.

Bourjois Paris Bronzing Powder | £7.99

This isn't technically an empty but the bronzer has smashed so it is going in the bin. Not a massive fan of this powder, I find it quite orange-y on my skin tone and I don't personally think it blends very well. Also people say it smells like chocolate....I don't know what kind of chocolate they eat but I don't think it smells like chocolate, not like the Too Faced one does anyway!

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer | £4.19

You have more than likely read every beauty blogger bang on about this product, this is such a great high-street concealer. In fact I ran out last week and went to get some more today and it was sold out in every colour. It has really high coverage and is really affordable. I will re-purchase this as soon as it is back in stock in my Boots!

Estee Lauder Double Wear | £29.50

This is a great foundation and I have been using it on and off for about 6 years. It is really high coverage and lasts all day without fail. The only downside to this foundation is as I have dry skin it does cling to dry patches. It also has SPF in it so flashes back on photographs. I always say I'm not going to re-purchase as it dries my skin out, but always seem to go straight to it when I don't know what other foundation to try. Having said that I have now found Nars Sheer Glow so maybe I won't re-purchase...but no promises!




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Thursday 4 June 2015

Glossy Box | May | Sorry it's late!

GlossyBox | May 2015 | Sign-up Here


























Sass | Perfect Skin Concentrate | RRP £12.00

"Our intimate skin is really sensitive. Ingrown hairs and shave bumps can be pretty irritating and frustrating. Have you ever felt that no sooner than you’ve finished shaving, or had a wax, that it’s time to start again? At SASS® we wanted to change the constant intimate hair battle & ensure women protect their most delicate skin."



Zerreau | Towel Off Shampoo Foam | RRP £7.95

"Zerreau saves time, effectively cleans hair and leaves no residues! Zerreau is also available in two delicious fragrances: Strawberry and Apple.Zero water or rinsing required, it effectively cleans your hair leaving it silky soft & clean. No alcohol or parabens, infused with delicate scents and with no sticky residues"



MeMeMe | Enchanted Eyes Dual Ended Wand | RRP £6.95

"Introducing MeMeMe's NEW, catwalk and trend-inspired dual ended eye cream wand. Designed with a two toned colour feature comprising of two complimenting shades for an effortless, quick and high impact application. It's never been easier to create multi-tonal looks, in an instant"



Etre Belle | Aloe Vera Ultra Moisturising Gel | RRP £15.93

"With Liposomes. Especially smoothing moisturizing gel free of fat, tightening and reviving the skin. Elasticity will be improved considerably.Apply to face and neck for a hydrating glow."



Philosophy | Renewed Hope In a Jar | RRP £35.50 

"Endorsed by celebrities, top dermatologists, plastic surgeons and our beloved customers alike, hope in a jar is a world-renown moisturiser loaded with antioxidants in a unique souffle texture. Originally created for the medical market to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, skin discoloration, rough texture and dehydration. Hope in a jar dramatically improves skin radiance and gently exfoliates, revealing smoother, healthier looking skin and texture."



I think that this is a great box, they are all really good sized samples and are all from great brands. Sign up here, they are £10pm plus P&P!

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Wednesday 20 May 2015

Current Every Day Makeup | May 2015

Hello, my lovelies. I thought I would do an updated current make-up post as a lot of my everyday products have changed since my last one! 




Skin | 

I have recently been trying the ARAD Day moisturiser, which I have been enjoying. It is a thick rich cream and has been great on my dry skin, I picked it up when I was in Homesense the other day, I haven't heard of the brand before so thought I would give it a go. 
I have been using an old favourite of mine the Estee Lauder Double Wear, although this foundation isn't great on dry skin, I find if I moisturise well it isn't a problem, I love the coverage of this foundation and the staying power is like no other! For concealer I have been using a mixture of Mac Pro Longwear concealer under my eyes and the famous Collection Lasting perfection on any blemishes. I really like both of these concealers although I do find that the collection creases under my eyes which is why I use Pro Longwear. 


Arad Day Moisturiser | Estee Lauder Double Wear | Mac Pro Longwear Collection lasting perfection





Eyes |

On my eyes I have been using both my Urban Decay Naked 3 palette and a few of my Mac eyeshadows. The main colours I have been using from the Urban Decay palette are Limit and Nooner, I like to use these through the crease. The two Mac colours I have been using are Naked Lunch and Woodwinked. 
I have been using Eyeko Black Magic Mascara and Maybelline Master Precise felt tip eyeliner. I'm not a massive fan of the Eyeko mascara I feel it doesn't volumise or lengthen my lashes but its OK for eveyday use. Whereas I love the Maybelline Master Precise it is probably one of the best highstreet liners I have used, it is really simple to get a precise line (hence the name).


Collection Eyebrow Kit | Naked 3 Palette | Mac Eyeshadows






















Eyebrows |

I have been using the lightest colour in the Collection Eyebrow Kit as I have recently gone blonde again, this is a great affordable eyebrow kit, but as with most palettes I chucked the brush that came with it away and I just use my own angled brush to apply. I then finish them by using the Eyeko Brow Gel which I love. 


Eyeko Brow Gel | Eyeko Black Magic Mascara | Maybelline Master Precise 


























Cheeks | 

On my cheeks, I have been using my Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Palette which I recently reviewed (here). Also I have been using the MUA Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter in gold, This is a great highstreet highlighter which is a really pretty colour and is affordable.

Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit | MUA Undress Your Skin




























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Sunday 17 May 2015

L'Oreal Infallible Foundation | Review

Hello my lovelies!



I have been trying the L'Oreal Infallible Foundation for a couple of weeks now so I thought I would do a little review on it!

What L'Oreal say | 


"High coverage longwear foundation that hides the appearance of fatigue and blemishes.
Now with Hydrating Hyaluron Comlex the 24HR non-stop formula is touch-proof and stays fresh for lasting comfort." 

What I say | 

I would say it is a medium coverage, it's definitely not as high coverage as Estee Lauder Double Wear, but it does cover redness and blemishes well. It is quite hydrating which is good as I have quite dry skin. 24 hours is a long time to claim that it can last for...who wears their foundation for 24hours!? I would say this lasted about 5 hours before it needed touching up. I felt like this foundation needed a lot of blending, I tried many different ways of application before i found the best was to use my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, but even with that I felt it needed a lot of blending, as it just seemed to sit on the skin, it took a lot to make it set. I wouldn't say it was "touch proof" as I say it felt like it just sat on top of the skin. It did make my skin look flawless and it felt very light on my skin. The finish is semi-matte with a nice glow, I found it did sink into my pores so tried applying it with a primer which seemed to help. It wore of of my nose and forehead quite quickly, so when I applied the next day I powdered my T-zone which helped considerably. It comes in 8 colours - which are all quite light.  Overall I will wear this as an everyday foundation although I prefer my Rimmel Match Perfection, and I'll continue to wear my Double Wear for special occasions. So I am still to find my high street Holy Grail Foundation! :(




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