sutty's closet

Review: L'Oreal Preference Brasilia (Dark Brown)

2012-11-24T00:03:00.003+00:00

Buongiorno!

It's been a while, but this time I think I'll be back for good. I've had a rough year, but at last (touch wood) I am back on track. I suffer from a chronic illness called Interstitial Cystitis and have only recently been given a diagnosis and effective medication, after a painful 6 years, which has felt like a whole lifetime to be honest.

I forgot what it was like to live a day without feeling pain...and now the days without pain outnumber the days with. I feel so happy to have my life back. I will get round to writing a post on I.C, as I feel it's important everybody should know more about it...but, for now, here is a review of L'Oreal's Brasilia (dark brown) hair colour from their Recital Preference range.

I was a blonde until the beginning of autumn, but I was lured back over to the dark side a few weeks ago. The blonde was enjoyable while it lasted, but my heart is brunette. I only wish I had been certain of this BEFORE (fml) I shelled out a small fortune on my blonde 'do.

The first dye I used over the blonde was a mid brown, however I have decided to take the plunge by going super-dark. I eventually chose L'Oreal's Brasilia (3 Dark Brown) as it was on special in Boots for £6, and I remember a friend I had when I was younger used this shade, and it always turned out lovely on her.

The box describes 3 Brasilia as "an intensely dark brown. Rich and exceptional. For all brunettes searching for radiant colour. Works well on all skin tones."

The amount of mixture you get isn't great, my hair is a shoulder length bob, but any longer would require 2 boxes in my opinion (for all of the hair to be well covered to ensure an even colour). However, the consistency was really creamy so didn't drip all over during application.

The smell of this dye was quite eggy and strong, however this was improved once the little pouch of "High Shine Elixir" (I think it's just their fancy way of saying conditioning oil) was added. The developing time for this dye was 30 minutes, but I left it on my hair an extra 10 (on purpose, brown dyes fade quicker from hair that has been lightened). I made sure to wipe my ears and around my hairline to minimise the dye from staining my skin.

Once I washed the dye off, I used a generous blob of the High Shine Conditioner which is included in the box. This was amazing, and my hair felt instantly smoother, even as I was massaging it onto my head. A quick rinse, and all that was left was to blow dry my hair, and ta-da!

The colour I was left with was a deep blue-black colour, which I personally love, but I know this will fade a lot over the next week. I will probably end up dying my hair black, even though my mother will kill me! As you can see on the photo above, my hair has been left in marvellous condition too - it hasn't looked so shiny since the last time I was a brunette!

I highly recommend L'Oreal's Brasilia to anybody wanting to achieve a glossy, vibrant darkest brunette. I will post another picture in a week or so to show you all how much the dye has washed out.

Have any of you used another colour from the Recital Preference range?

What is your favourite brunette hair dye?

Love, hugs + silky-smooth, ultra-shiny brunette ponytails!

How To Get The Things You Want

2012-10-10T15:08:00.000+01:00

There are many things we wish to buy, maybe it's a new sofa to replace the outdated one in the sitting room, a new outfit for an up-and-coming event or an electronic appliance to please the techno-geek in our lives.

Despite our want for such items, it isn't always possible to buy them whenever we desire. This may be due to mortgage repayments, bills or any other outgoing expenses which we have to contend with on a regular basis.

Waiting for our wages to hit our bank balance can sometimes be a long and tedious process; especially if you have your eye on a certain something! Yet, this doesn't have to be the case and there is a way to overcome this common dilemma. Buy now pay later schemes give you the flexibility to invest in an assortment of goods without paying anything up front – perfect for those attempting to walk the difficult tightrope of personal financial management.

Many online department stores allow their loyal customers to set up an account, offering them an array of payment options.

At Isme, any order placed with a total of over £50 will fall into this category. The consumer must enter a promotional code into the system upon checkout; this will then allow them to sit back, worry-free, for the next 12 months.

Those that pay off the full amount before the end of the 12 months will be entitled to an interest-free sale. Such an account will also entitle you to other options, some of which include minimum direct debits on a monthly basis.

With so many options to choose from and an interest free payment scheme, getting your hands on the goods you want now has never been easier.

Any of today’s consumers are entitled to this deal and because of this, they are able to buy into an assortment of much-needed devices, gadgets and personal items.

Because of this and many other benefits, internet shopping has become one of the fastest growing areas of retail. Customers enjoy the ease and variety of shopping online and spend a large amount of time searching the web for various products and deals.

If you haven’t tried out the wonders of internet shopping just yet, make sure you take note of the many advantages available prior to doing so. Not only will it save you time and money but will also open up a whole world of shopping opportunities.

Hello again, after a mid-summer hiatus!

2012-07-10T19:00:00.001+01:00

Well, well, well! Hello to all of my beautiful followers after my mid-summer blogging hiatus. I really feel like I've neglected Sutty's Closet, but I'm pleased to say I'm back!

I'm going through a really difficult time in my life at the minute. I live with an illness which causes severe, chronic pain. I'll be writing a post on it soon, because if I can help any girl (or boy) who thinks they might have the same condition as I have, but is yet to be diagnosed, I'll feel like my suffering has been worthwhile if I can give support to others even in the smallest way.

On to the exciting stuff!

Back when we were all celebrating the jubilee, I held a blog giveaway to thank you all for reading, following and supporting me. There really is no better feeling than knowing people are enjoying what you have to say.

I am pleased to announce the winner is the lovely Bethan of Quotations & Fluff (you all must check out her blog, it is fab). I asked you all what it was that made you proud to be a woman, and Bethan's answer was my favourite. Here's what she said...

"What makes me proud to be a woman? That’s a difficult one because I make sure I always feel proud of my gender. Women are unique because we’ve come so far, women are an example of how you cannot keep those with a voice oppressed. I’m proud that so many women are now successful and are seen as role models. The increasing number of women in typically ‘male’ subjects such as politics and education makes me proud. The fact that women are perceived as more hardworking makes me proud. I’m proud that women are fighting for the right to be equal all over the world and are making a mockery of those who are sexist and slut-shame. I’m proud that there is a community where women share tips and reviews on beauty and fashion for other women and more importantly, to make themselves proud!"

Congratulations Bethan, your beauty hamper (below) will be with you very, very soon!

Stay tuned everyone, I have some brilliant posts lined up (and hopefully I will put a smile on all of your faces at my expensive - three words, holiday + food poisoning, so much fun!)

Love, kisses + sunkissed blonde locks

Technic's £1.49 "Carnival" OPI glitter nail polish dupe

2012-06-12T18:14:00.000+01:00

Recently I have become obsessed with glitter nail polish.

A self-confessed girly girl, there's nothing I love more than anything that sparkles. When I was 13 it was acceptable to wear Tammy girl t-shirts encrusted with diamantés, but at the age of 21, my tastes have matured (a lot), so the one way I get my sparkle fix nowadays is adorning my finger nails with the glitziest of glitter nail polishes.

So you can imagine how delighted I was when I stumbled across the little gem that is Technic's "Carnival" multi-coloured glitter polish in Blushers, a bargain beauty store in my home town. At £1.49, not only is this polish purse friendly, it's a blatant dupe of OPI's "Rainbow Connection" polish.

What I really love about "Carnival" is that the pieces of glitter are big instead of being teeny tiny. This makes your nails look really sparkly, so you'll only need around 3 coats if you want full on glitter. Whereas polishes with small pieces of glitter in look great as top coats, "Carnival" looks best, in my opinion, worn alone. However, I did apply a nude base coat before applying this, as I think it gives a more even result.

I can see this being my favourite nail polish this summer. And if we have a typical British summertime, at least I'll feel happy every time I look down to admire my sparkly manicure!

Have you tried this nail polish?

What is your favourite glittery polish?

Love, hugs + glittery nails

Urban Decay Naked2: the smoky-eye lover's holy grail

2012-06-10T20:56:00.001+01:00

It's official.

If I could only pick one product to use every day for the rest of my life, if would be Urban Decay's Naked2 palette. For all of the self proclaimed smoky-eyeaholics out there, Naked2 has been sent to us to answer all of our eye-shadow dilemmas.

Black eye-liner and dark eye-shadows found themselves being the most used products in my make-up bag ever since I started experimenting with cosmetics during my high school years. I wouldn't leave the house without popping a jet black Kohl into my jacket pocket. Applied, and re-applied haphazardly throughout the course of drunken teenage nights, my youthful flirtation with these products eventually blossomed into a long-term romance. If there's one thing that defines my look, it's my love for smoky eyes (that, and stripy shirts).

The day-time look smoky eye I created with Urban Decay's Naked2 palette

It's my passion for the smoky-eyed look (and the quest to perfect it and experiment with it) which lead me into discovering Urban Decay's Naked2 eye-shadow palette. The phenomenal success of the original Naked palette, released in the summer of 2010, spurred on Urban Decay into revamping the best-seller - thus Naked2 was launched at the end of 2011.

Whereas the original Naked palette contained 12 neutral bronze and cocoa shades, Naked2 is made up of 12 neutral taupe and greige (greyish beige, hellooooo!) shades. Ranging from dreamy creams (perfect used as base colours and highlighting the brow bone) to sultry coppers, gunmetal greys and the blackest of blacks - Naked2 is versatile enough to be worn during the day, as well as evenings, when a little more sex appeal and sultriness is called for.

Before I go any further with this review, it's best to say now, that Naked2 (or the original Naked) doesn't come at a cheap price - £36 (ouch) to be exact. Luckily, I managed to get hold of Naked2 for £19.99 from a seller on Ebay who distributes factory seconds. This meant the cardboard box the palette came in was superficially damaged, but the actual product was untouched and in perfect condition.

Still, £19.99 is a huge amount to blow on eye-shadow - but let me reassure you, the price is absolutely justified.

I am blown away with the quality of the pigment-rich shades, the sturdy metal tin the product comes in (complete with mirror) as well as the double-ended eye-shadow brush included inside. Still not convinced? After a whole day of wearing, the shadows do not crease on my eyelids! Crease free eye-shadow at last! Hallelujah!

The 12 shades included are...

Foxy: a semi-matte creamy white

Half Baked (also in the original Naked palette): a deep shimmering copper

Bootycall: a semi-matte cream

Chopper: a shimmering light bronze

Tease: a semi-matte taupe

Snakebite: a shimmering grey/taupe

Suspect: a lightly shimmering grey taupe

Pistol: a shimmering gun metal grey

Verve: a lightly shimmering creamy silver

YDK: a shimmery greyish bronze

Busted: a shimmering deep purply bronze

Blackout: a matte blackest black

I fell in love with the colours included - they're not too orangey and harsh, minimal fall-out and most importantly, perfectly suit my light olive skin tone. I checked out the shades in the original Naked and I think Naked2 is less harsh and more wearable. The possibilities of colour combinations/effects you can create with Naked2 are endless - there's colours subtle and natural enough to wear day to day, and most importantly, there's colours you can use to create the perfect sultry and seriously sexy smoky eye.

Below is step-by-step how I created the day-time smoky eye look with Naked2. For a night-time smoky eye, I would simply add more of "Blackout" on my upper and lower lash line and more of "Busted" on my whole eyelid.

1. Cover the whole lid and brow bone with "Bootycall"

2. Highlight the brow bone with "Foxy"

3. Follow the crease of the lid with "Pistol" and blend upwards towards the brow bone

4. Cover the outer 3rd of eyelid with "Snakebite" and blend outwards

5. Apply "Bootycall" as you would with liquid eye-liner and blend well

6. Use "YDK" underneath the eye and blend well in a downwards sweep

7. Finish with lashings of black mascara and black eye-liner on the waterline to make the eyes pop!

I really can't find any negatives with this product, apart from the obvious fact that it is quite expensive. But I've had this product for around 3 months, and have used it almost every day and the shadows look barely touched. The pigments are so rich you don't need to use a lot on your brush to get an effective result. All of my other eye-shadows are now redundant because of this

The only criticism I have is that the two lightest shades, "Foxy" and "Bootycall" are really quite similar. Other than that - girls, what are you waiting for? I can guarantee you'll love Naked2!

Do you own the original Naked palette?

Which palette do you prefer - Naked or Naked2?

Love, kisses + smoky eyes

H&M mid-summer sale splurge!

2012-06-08T22:00:00.000+01:00

With my dream escape to Morocco edging ever closer, it's safe to say that the one thing occupying my mind more than anything (no, not the all inclusive food and drink) - is my holiday wardrobe.

I'm sure all you girls will agree, that a huge amount of your time leading up to a summer holiday is spent fantasising about how a week in the sun will somehow transform you into a perfectly bronzed, superbly dressed, lithe exotic goddess. The sad, but unfortunate reality of it is, most of us will end up sunburnt, sunstroked (not a real word admittedly), dehydrated, itchy 'down there' after bikini wax stubble starts to poke through, looking 3 months pregnant after taking advantage of all-inclusive alcohol and stuck to the toilet after some suspect tapas. But a girl can dream, can't she?

A few days ago the H&M mid-summer sale started - and I hate to use 'North-Eastern' sayings, as they're rather cliché and embarrassing...but I was on it like a car bonnet. Cringe. For the uninformed, yes I do talk like those off Geordie Shore. Here's the lovely little bargains I picked up, at an even lovelier price...

Conscious Collection 100% recycled polyester shorts £9.99 (were £19.99)

Chambray dress £7.99 (was £19.99)

Frill and drawstring dress £6.49 (was £12.99)

Gold jersey pleat dress £6.49 (was £12.99)

All in all, I am extremely pleased with my summery bargains! I am patiently awaiting their arrival - just hope they all fit as H&M sizes tend to be either too generous or very small fitting.

Have you bought anything from the H&M mid-summer sale?

When do you go on your summer holiday?

Love + peace

Diamond Jubilee giveaway!

2012-06-03T15:20:00.001+01:00

Hello!

I hope you're all enjoying the celebrations which are going on all over the country for the Queen's diamond jubilee; whether you're having a small get-together with your family indulging in copious amounts of tea and strawberries and cream, or kicking it old school by holding a street party complete with Union Jack party hats, napkins, plates and table cloths and of course, dangerous amounts of sausage rolls.

It's times like these I feel extremely proud to be British (putting the fact aside we do the best, albeit largely beige coloured, party buffets in the world). If there's one woman who shows what it means to have 'girl power', it's Queen Lizzie. She's been on the throne 60 years now, and shows no sign of giving up her place to Charles without a fight. And why should she? It's so refreshing to see a woman, instead of a man, who isn't ashamed to acknowledge how much power they have.

So, I thought I'd celebrate the jubilee my own way. Since starting this blog I have been overwhelmed by the feedback my amazing readers have given me. As it stands, almost 60 of you lovely lot follow my blog. What better way to celebrate than to hold a giveaway for thanking you all for reading? Want to be in a chance for winning everything in the picture below? Read on...

What will the winner receive? An unashamedly girly hamper full of my favourite beauty buys and must have products to make sure you look fabulous and perfectly preened all summer long.

Here's what's up for grabs

* Batiste "Blush" dry shampoo

*Scandalous "Rock Chick" hair wave spray

* The Beauty Parlour "Saving Face" Day Cream with SPF8

* Nivea "Pearl & Beauty" gentle care anti-perspirant deodorant

* Nivea "Soft Rose" tinted lip balm with SPF10

* Montagne Jeunesse "Fruit Pulp" moisturising strawberry face mask

* Pretty Perfect "Twist and Out" instant nail polish remover

* Eyelure: The Collection "Star" strip false eyelashes

* Lush "Think Pink" bath ballistic

* Rimmel "Disco Ball" glittery nail polish

How do I enter?

Comment on this post, and tell us all, in 150 words or less, what it is that makes you proud to be a woman. Take this theme as literally or as liberally as you want to! Entries will be taken until midnight on Friday 15th June 2012.

Who can enter?

Anyone, as long as you are a resident of the UK (otherwise it will cost me too much money to ship to others countries - sorry!)

Good luck!

Love, kisses + ponytails

xoxo

Batiste welcome gorgeous new scents for summer

2012-05-29T19:17:00.002+01:00

Earlier this week, I was thrilled when Batiste sent me some of their latest products to try out.

I'm sure you girls are well aware of who Batiste are - but if you're not, they are THE dry shampoo company. I say this because before Batiste, dry shampoo was relatively unheard of, despite being invented back in the 1970s.

However, Batiste have helped to revive and popularise (dare I say it? single-handedly) this miraculous, bad hair day saving product. Apart from rescuing thousands of us from attacks of teenage greasy hair syndrome over the years, it's fair to say almost every haircare company have taken Batiste's lead and have released their own dry shampoo.

The three latest additions to Batiste's ever-expanding wardrobe of scents are fruity and cheeky "Cherry", seductive and elegant "Lace", and sassy and daring "Wild". I really love how Batiste are evolving, as they seem to be focusing on the design of the tins and choosing fragrances which appeal to girls as individuals, based on their personal style and interests.

After all, we know the product does exactly what it says on the tin, so the only thing Batiste can do now is experiment with scent and packaging.

But, which one will you be throwing in your suitcase this summer? Cherry, Lace or Wild? Read on to find out.

Cherry

"fruity & cheeky"

Style icons: Katy Perry, Dita Von Teese and Paloma Faith

What "Cherry" smells like...

Despite the name, Cherry doesn't have a particularly cherryish fragrance, which disappointed me a bit. The scent however is not unpleasant, it's light and fruity and is bound to appeal to younger fans of Batiste and those of you who prefer subtle fragrance. And with a kitsch cherry-print design inspired by vintage glamour and bygone eras, Cherry is bound to be a hit amongst burlesque-y babes and retro lovers.

A few of your favourite things...

Polka dots, red lipstick, pearls, ribbons, pretty dresses, ice-cream sundaes, vintage cars, John Travolta in Grease, half-moon manicures, lusting after Christian Louboutin heels

Where to buy?

Superdrug, Boots, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Waitrose, Wilkinsons, Savers and Lloyds chemists for £2.99 (200ml)

Lace

"seductive & elegant"

Style icons: Florence Welch, Alexa Chung and Fearne Cotton

What "Lace" smells like...

With a hearty base of white musk, cedarwood and sandalwood, flirty top notes of citrus, nutmeg and pink pepper and a generous dose of floral tones including rose, orchid, iris, jasmine and ylang-ylang, Lace is Batiste's most grown-up and sophisticated scent to date. Fans of classic scents such as Chanel No.5 and Miss Dior Cherie will fall in love with this; if not for the dreamy fragrance, the design inspired by vintage embroidery and lace is guaranteed to make you swoon. The scent of Lace is not unpleasant by any means, but may be too heavy and cloying for some.

A few of your favourite things...

Lace dresses, collecting vintage jewellery, leather handbags, drinking tea, romance, visiting museums and art galleries, old-school starlets like Audrey Hepburn and Anna Karina

Where to buy?

Available in Boots and Superdrug for £2.99 (200ml)

Wild

"sassy & daring"

Style icons: Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Jessie J

What "Wild" smells like...

A seriously sexy blend of cocoa, oriental florals, delicious vanilla, heady musk and wood - Wild is by far my favourite of Batiste's new releases. Bold and edgy, Wild instantly reminded me of Thierry Mugler's special edition of Angel, magnified with bitter cocoa powder, from his "Le Gout Du Parfum" range. And with a design inspired by sassy animal print, which has experienced a huge revival in the fashion world, your dresser can look as chic as your wardrobe.

A few of your favourite things...

Your leather jacket, eyeliner, house parties, false eyelashes, sequins, festivals, dancing, animal print, experimenting with new hairstyles, sky-scraper heels

Where to buy?

A Boots exclusive, grab yours now for £2.99 (200ml)

_____

Which new Batiste fragrance will you be buying?

Which Batiste dry-shampoo is your favourite?

What fragrance would you like to see released by Batiste?

Love, peace + dry-shampooed ponytails

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this blog are my own. I have not been paid to advertise products- it is something I do for fun in my spare time, however endeavour to deliver honest reviews. If you would like to use any of my original photography featured on the blog, feel free, but please link back to me and give credit where due.

weekly haul #1...holiday special

2012-05-24T15:34:00.000+01:00

The past few weeks have been so depressing as I haven't been able to leave the house much. Especially when the weather has been so lovely, it's such a shame not to be able to go out to enjoy the beautiful sunshine. I joined the gym a few days ago as I love the feel-good rush you get after a work-out, plus I'm determined to get myself into shape for my bikini. Lying on the couch doubled over in pain results in me comfort eating, which then results in me gaining weight around the mid-riff. I don't like this, at all! So the gym will be my second home now for the next 4 weeks.

Yesterday I went on a shopping trip to the Metro Centre (my friends know just how to cheer me up!), so it was a perfect opportunity to get in some goodies to update my summer wardrobe in preparation for our Moroccan holiday. Of course, being skint students, the first shop we headed to was...PRIMARK! Where else? My boyfriend refuses to enter, but you can't go wrong in Primark for bargain holiday clothes. I am very happy with my lovely purchases...

ABOVE: Suitcase £20 Primark

First on my list was a cute suitcase, as I am taking stand against my Dad insisting I use one of his boring ugly black monstrosities. I was delighted to pick up this little beauty for £20. Finally, a suitcase I don't have to tie a coloured shopping bag to in order to recognise it on the endless stream of cases on the airport luggage belt!

ABOVE: Leather sandals £6 reduced from £12 Primark,

lime bandeau top £2.50 Primark, Aztec print shorts £3 Primark

I was in desperate need of holiday wardrobe essentials (shorts, sandals, vests). Primark is my #1 destination for said items; if I had bought the Topshop equivalent of the above outfit it would have cost at least £50. But for £11.50, I picked up a lime green bandeau, real leather sandals (FOR £6, AMAZING!) at half price and some funky Aztec print shorts. For some reason I'm scared of wearing bright colours, so I've been gradually adding bolder pieces to my wardrobe to try and wean me off my usual choices of navy and black.

ABOVE: Aztec print bralet £6 Primark, pink jelly sandals £4 Primark

I was absolutely ecstatic when I nabbed this Aztec print bralet at an unbelievably cheap price of £6. I have been after something like this for ages. I don't think I'm confident enough yet to wear this with shorts as I'd have too much belly on show, but I think it will look fab with my high-waisted maxi skirt. And of course, how could I resist a pair of jelly sandals when they were only £4? They are my guilty pleasure - I used to love them as a child! The 90's children amongst you will remember the silver and pink glittery ones we used to lust after...

On the subject of jelly sandals, another pair I couldn't resist were from River Island - they currently have 40% off selected items and these were included! I nabbed them for £10 instead of £18. I think I have all bases covered now when it comes to sandals - leather, metallic, blingtastic, girly... I promise I won't buy another pair.

ABOVE: Beaded jelly sandals £10 reduced from £18 River Island

As my friends know, I am absolutely addicted to perfume. Perfume is my thing - I must have at least 30 bottles, a mixture of yet to-be-opened, empty and half full, littering my dressing table. I was on the hunt for a summery, fresh hand-bag sized spray I could pop in my beach bag, and I found a perfect mini version of CK One Shock (20ml bottle) from Boots. I used my Boots £5 off fragrance voucher and nabbed this for £7 instead of £12. Get yours quick!

ABOVE: CK One Shock 20ml £7 instead of £12 with Boots £5 off fragrance voucher

And finally, the last thing on my list was a couple of new lipsticks. I intended to buy another nude lipstick (shade #3) from the Kate Moss for Rimmel range. I absolutely adore it, and it's the only lipstick I've ever used fully. I was chuffed to see new shades had been added to the range, and couldn't help but investing in the newest nude shade (#26) which is slightly lighter and more sheer than #3, as well as the light coral pink shade (#16). I find nudes and pinks work best on me (and most other girls) when they are a lovely sunkissed colour! I will review these at a later date.

ABOVE: Kate Moss for Rimmel lipstick (shades #16 + #26) on promotion for £3.99 instead of the usual price of £5.49 Boots

So, what have you all been buying for your summer holidays?

I can't wait for some sunshine!

Love, kisses + ponytails

a little gift from the viktor & rolf secret service..

2012-05-24T12:27:00.001+01:00

So, this morning I received the cutest little gift in the post from the Viktor & Rolf Secret Service! Along with a personalised letter, a shiny gold mirror in the shape of the V&R trademark wax stamp, with it's own black velvet pouch, was enclosed.

I have been a huge fan of their debut fragrance, Flowerbomb, for YEARS now - I really did fall in love with it the first time I tried it, and have yet to find a nicer perfume.

Despite the name of the perfume, it isn't overpowering like a lot of floral scents are. In fact, I would say Flowerbomb was more of a gourmand fragrance; imagine the smell of a sweet shop in a bottle with a sprinkling of summer blooms, and you have Flowerbomb.

My mam bought me a bottle for my 18th birthday and was the first luxury fragrance I owned - a much needed upgrade from my usual 99p Impulse and Charlie sprays! I cherished it so much I have only recently ran out (I WILL be buying a new bottle when my funds allow it). It's one of those scents that really makes you feel glamorous and special, and is the perfect finishing touch when you already feel a million dollars in a new party dress.

Are you a member of the Viktor & Rolf Secret Service?

What's your favourite Viktor & Rolf fragrance?

Love + kisses

review: "cupcake" facemask by lush

2012-05-21T12:35:00.003+01:00

When I'm PMSing, I may as well be hooked up to a drip of liquid chocolate. Apart from stuffing my face full of all of the beige food I can find (custard cream biscuits, mashed potato, crisps, fudge, peanuts, cheese, bread - or if I'm feeling extra fat, a mashed potato sandwich), chocolate is without a doubt my go-to food when my monthly friend pays a visit. I say friend, it's anything but my friend. It leaves me fat, spotty and miserable.

So you can only imagine my delight, when my sister brought me home a pot of Lush's chocolate "Cupcake" face mask. Why just eat chocolate, when you can smother it all over your face too?! This is brilliant. Why didn't I think of this before?

For £5.75 for a 75g pot of FRESH face mask (free of preservatives and chemical nasties), Cupcake is by far one of my favourite items from the skin care range Lush has to offer.

I first bought it a few years ago when suffering quite badly from troublesome teenage skin, and was amazed by how much it soothed the angry red lumps and bumps. I always liked to think that my "teenage" acne would piss off, ideally the day I turned 20. I dreamt of the day I'd wake up with flawless dewy skin, but it's yet to happen. In fact, it's only the other day my sister described my face as looking like a "greasy potato". Aren't sisters great? But no, at nearly 21 and a half years old, I am STILL suffering and work very hard to keep my skin under control.

Crammed full of ingredients which work to purify (rhassoul mud), soothe (linseed infusion), cleanse and tone (fresh mint, spearmint oil) and moisturise (cocoa butter) all at once, Cupcake is a must have for oily skin types prone to breakouts.

It left my skin feeling smoother and my pores looked visibly smaller, all whilst delivering a much needed moisture kick to patches on my skin which have been dried out by acne treatments. And for a product which looks and smells like chocolate, you can indulge in it as much as you like without worrying about calorie counting!

Pros

:) Easy to apply

:) Soothes inflamed skin and reduces painful swelling

:) Great value for money! A little goes a very long way

:) Purifies, soothes, cleanses, tones and moisturises in one easy step

:) IT'S MADE FROM CHOCOLATE

:) IT SMELLS OF CHOCOLATE

:) I LOVE CHOCOLATE

Cons

:( Can be very messy! Needs to be washed off as soon as it starts drying, otherwise you end up with crumbly brown bits EVERYWHERE

:( The moisturising cocoa butter should be blended into the mixture more, instead of appearing like little chunks! As the fresh face masks should be kept in the fridge, the lumps of cocoa butter don't melt when the mask is so cold

Who would I recommend this product to?

Girls (and boys!) with oily skin who suffer from breakouts of underlying painful boils and spots. This product is amazing at soothing acne prone skin, especially when applied straight from the fridge, and removed by gently wiping away with a cold flannel.

Rating

5/5 (no, really, I love it that much)

CJG for Topshop

2012-05-20T20:17:00.000+01:00

I'm sure a lot of you here already know that on Thursday, Chloe Green (daughter of THE Sir Philip Green a.k.a THE OWNER OF ARCADIA) launched her debut shoe collection for Topshop, following in the perfectly manicured footsteps of Kate Moss.

With prices ranging from £115-£175 (ouch!), the range isn't exactly purse friendly - well, it is if you're prepared to live on a diet of white rice, pasta and beans until your next student loan comes in. But, a girl can dream.

Here's the statement Topshop issued alongside the collection...

"Inspired by her love of illustrated butterflies, hearts and charms as well as darker roses, skulls and animal motifs, innocence is set against a mystical backdrop in Chloe Green's debut shoe collection. With each shoe named after a special person in her life and featuring her signature green sole, Chloe hopes you'll enjoy wearing her shoes as much as she loved designing them."

Considering the prices are so eye-wateringly steep, I must admit there's not many of the designs which really induce serious shoe lust. If I was to shell out a small fortune on a pair of heels I would a. have to fall deeply, madly in love with them at first sight, and b. would have to make sure they were versatile enough to dress up or dress down as not to be worn once.

However, I do have favourites ("LYDIA" £165 and "BELLA BEA" £150). Shame that they're the most expensive too! They're girly, have a wedge heel (SO COMFORTABLE!) and the colours are really light and summery.

I can just imagine myself now wearing them; with my broderie anglaise sun-dress, or with a vest and denim cut-offs, or even with my floral playsuit... The list goes on and on, but unless I inherit a small fortune and a country manor house from an Aunt I never knew existed, or win the lottery, the likelihood of me owning a pair of these beauties are slim to none.

What do you think of the collection?

Love/hate? Maybe you've bought a pair? (DAMN YOU!)

Love, kisses and ponytails

label watch: nereus london

2012-05-19T14:13:00.002+01:00

So whilst browsing my new followers on Twitter this morning, I was delighted to discover a London-based independent fashion label, Nereus London, were following me (@NereusLondon).

Nereus London have traded in the world famous and eternally fashionable Spitalfields Market, and specialise in breathing new life into wardrobe staples. Their garments are now available to buy on their boutique page on ASOS Marketplace - click here to check it out, you won't be disappointed! All of the pictures I have used are courtesy of ASOS.

Reworked/Customized Levi's High Waisted Tie Dye Shorts £48

For me, the stand-out pieces in their Spring/Summer'12 collection are the reworked and customised Levi's which they have tie-dyed and embellished with pretty jewels (my guilty pleasure). The dreamy, galactic colours used are the perfect way to ease yourself into the pastel trend which is huge this season, especially if you're not a girly-girl and the thought of being dressed in baby pink scares the hell out of you. Personally, I'd team these shorts with a plain white or grey vest and my Doc Marten's - perfect!

Oversized Tie Dye Crop Top £26

Optional Tie-Front Snake Print Top £18

Tie Dye Crop Top £25

If you want to switch it up and wear tie dye on top, Nereus have it covered. They also offer equally lust-worthy tie dye slouchy T-Shirts and vests which are perfect for the coming festival season. Embrace your inner hippie and team with your favourite denim cut-offs, leather boots and poncho and you're on to a winner.

Peace out,

Love + ponytails

review: john frieda 'go blonder' range

2012-05-18T21:00:00.000+01:00

Like a little sucker, the day after I got my hair blonde, I was straight down the shops looking for new hair care products to adorn *cough* clutter *cough* my dresser. I really could open my own branch of Boots from my bedroom as the amount of cosmetics/beauty + hair products I own is insane.

On a not so glamorous trip to ASDA with Mother Bear, I made a beeline for my favourite isle! Oh yes, I have a favourite isle.

No not the cake isle!

THE SMELLIES ISLE! For all of you who are confused by the word "smellies" I'm not surprised. It's one of those words either your family uses or doesn't. Anyway, one offer caught my attention - ASDA currently have a 3 for £10 promotion on luxury haircare. I normally buy all my cosmetics from Boots; when I compared the prices they also have a 3 for £10 on the same lines.

The 3 items I chose were the John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder shampoo, and the conditioner from the same range (normal price £5.89 each for a 250ml bottle), and the John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder lightening spray (normal price £6.99 for a 100ml bottle).

PACKAGING:
Not the prettiest - I absolutely adore ultra-girly packaging by brand such as Soap & Glory, and packaging is obviously the first thing that attracts someone to a product. But it's not the outside what counts, it's what the product does. The bright white and yellow bottles can be spotted for a mile off, so I suppose that's a good thing. However, the packaging is nothing special and if the product hadn't been on offer it wouldn't have jumped out at me.

SMELL/CONSISTENCY/VALUE:

I love fragrant products, and this is where the range really disappointed me. I expected a pretty-smelling shampoo and conditioner, and is the minimum you'd expect from a high end product like this. It's clean and simple smelling with a hint of menthol, but nothing special.

The consistency of the shampoo was good, and it lathered well- it's really thick so you don't need a lot (a 50p sized piece is more than enough for long hair), and the conditioner was rich and creamy. A little really does go a long way; use this product sparingly and it would last you 2 months or more. Personally, I'm going to use this product a few times a week as a way of brightening up my hair if I'm going on a night out/somewhere special - so hopefully it will last me longer than that!

The lightening spray is just a liquid you apply to your hair after you've washed it and whilst it's still damp. I sprayed liberally around my crown and blow dried my hair on a low heat (this product is heat activated so it's probably best to avoid straightening/high heat because you could really dry out your hair).

EFFECTIVENESS:
After one use of the shampoo and conditioner, I really did notice a change in the colour of my newly blonde hair. No, it wasn't drastic, and if you're looking for a miracle product, this isn't it. Ultimately, to get bright blonde tresses, highlights are the way to go. The shampoo and conditioner will simply enhance your blonde and will make it really dazzle. However, my hair certainly did look brighter and a more "clear" blonde, and it really helped to tone down the coppery tones. The spray on the other hand...WOW. I read reems of negative, terrifying reviews on the net so was apprehensive. I have used the spray twice now, and it's helped to lift the darker parts of my hair that will be lightened even further when I go for my second round of highlights. The darker bits now blend in much better with the blonder parts of my hair.

PROS:

:) Such a bargain when it's on an offer 3 for £10, you'll save around £7 if you take advatange of this!

:) The conditioner left my hair feeling extremely soft and manageable, despite it being processed quite heavily over the past week.

:) The lightening spray (when used CORRECTLY!) is amazing in brightening up existing highlights and blending roots and darker patches.

CONS:

X The price of this stuff when not on promotion is a bit steep, and I can't imagine a lot of students could afford to replenish their supplies on a regular basis. However, I would be prepared to pay the £6.99 non-promotional price of the lightening spray, as it works absolute wonders.

X After I rinsed the shampoo off, my hair did feel quite dry- however the conditioner worked amazingly well in restoring moisture levels which the shampoo had stripped my hair of.

X There's no denying the huge numbers of mainly negative reviews on the lightening spray. My hair is slightly damaged from taking it from black to blonde, but that's to be expected, and it's nothing a deep conditioning treatment and a good trim can't sort. But if your hair is naturally dry, or really damaged/brittle from colouring, I honestly wouldn't recommend you use this. Personally, the lightening spray made my hair feel a tad dry after use, but after a good old dousing with Argan oil treatment, it's back to being its silky-soft self. If in doubt, do a patch test before spraying it all over. DO NOT USE THE LIGHTENING SPRAY DAILY. Once a week will suffice!

OVERALL VERDICT:

Shampoo 3/5

Conditioner 4/5

Lightening spray 4/5 (if used correctly and sparingly)

*BEWARE*

! Do not use the Lightening Spray on intensely lightened/bleached hair, there's a big risk you'll damage your already over-processed locks (this product comes with a warning on the packaging). The spray contains hydrogen peroxide AKA bleach! This stuff can be nasty and extremely damaging. You have been warned. !

Love, hugs + blonde ponytails
xo

blonde ambition

2012-05-18T14:27:00.002+01:00

On my last post, I told you all how I have recently dyed my hair blonde.

For anyone who knows me, you'll know that this decision was an extreme one - I have been dabbling with dark dyes since my early teenage years. I had even forgot what my natural hair colour was, as it has been constantly hidden under endless amounts of raven and blue-black dyes for over a decade now. So, at the ripe old age of 21 (WAHHHHHHHHHHH!), I decided enough was enough, and before I knew it, last week I found myself sitting in the hairdressers asking for blonde hair. Me, blonde. Blonde. Hmm.

ABOVE: Before, with my dyed black hair

I think the reasoning behind this drastic change is because I feel like since I first started dying my hair I have changed so much as a person. The majority of the years I spent with black hair weren't particularly the happiest. Blonde hair is fun, light and summery. So...if I can't bring the sun to my hometown of Sunderland (which is, ironically, NEVER sunny), I'll bring the sun to my hair.

It set me back £65 (a small fortune by any student's standards, luckily I have a small job to fund such crazy moves) for a cut, full head of blonde highlights and a toner. This was an extremely reasonable price in my opinion - I know many friends who have spent hundreds at salons correcting their dark locks in a bid for a blonde mane. Dare I even say it? I think £65 is a bargain.

ABOVE: Kaedere <3

At the start of the year, I discovered a little salon called Kaedere in Sunderland, and I have a wonderful hairdresser there called Lesley. She does my sister's colour, and has managed to get it a pure platinum blonde without her hair looking or feeling over-processed or damaged. I would highly recommend it, you won't be disappointed girls! After the amazing job Lesley done on my sister's colour, I don't think I would have trusted anyone else to take me to blonde.

ABOVE: Blonde! (Not the best picture, but it shows how lovely the colour is)

After 3 hours in the hairdressers seat, I was absolutely thrilled with the result. Looking in the mirror, I felt like a new woman (I'm really not exagerrating). The end result was a warm dark blonde with slight copper undertones, which is to be expected when your hair is extremely dark, either naturally or artificially. I have an appointment booked for 20th June for another round of highlighting which will eliminate the darker/coppery patches, and I will have the light honey tresses that I am lusting after, just in time for my amazing summer holiday in Morocco!

I can't wait.

Stay tuned for several reviews I have lined up - since becoming a blondie I have stocked up on a plethora of colour enhancing hair products.

Love, kisses + (blonde) ponytails

xoxo

a quick update...

2012-05-15T00:03:00.000+01:00

I just want to apologise to my loyal readers for the lack of new posts. I'm dealing with a bitch of an illness and things get too much for me sometimes, and the pain is hard to deal with.

Ideally, I'd be posting something every day to keep my mind from wandering and being sad. But it's easier said than done...all I want to do is curl up in a ball and sleep.

Sometimes, I think, 'invisible' illnesses - those that involve chronic pain, are misunderstood. People don't appreciate how much of a detrimental effect pain can have on a person. My whole body and mind is tired at the minute, but I don't plan to take this lying down.

I have nearly 5 months before I go back to university, my final year. I can't quite believe it myself. It seems like yesterday I was all bright eyed and bushy-tailed out from college, eager to start my degree.

So, I've made it my personal mission to NOT lie around and mope, however much I want to do that, and however hard it may be to stop myself from doing that. I have so many exciting things in store over the coming months, and the thought of these things is what is keeping me going. I'm going to London to cover Graduate Fashion Week, I've got a fabulous holiday booked to Morocco with my best girls and it's very possible I'll be visiting my boyfriend in San Francisco in August (he's working there over the summer).

When there's so many exciting things happening, I'm hoping it's enough to inject that sparkle back into me I feel like I've lost over the past few months.

So, here's to hoping...

Love, peace + ponytails

PS. I've went blonde, but more of that later

PPS. 2000 pageviews! Somebody pop open the Lambrini...

The Met Costume Institute Gala 2012

2012-05-08T20:55:00.002+01:00

Forget London fashion week. In fact, forget New York fashion week, Paris fashion week and Milan fashion week. Forget all four put together.

The annual Met Costume Institute Gala is the one event on the fash calendar that I absolutely cannot wait for. Toted as one of the most anticipated, glamorous and exclusive events in the world by the who's-who in fashion, the event which has been running since 1948 never fails to wow us mere-mortals who can only dream of wearing gowns so expensive, it would be cheaper to buy a penthouse in London, deck it out wall-to-wall in solid gold furniture, all whilst living on a diet of caviar and truffle oil for a year.

However, save up your pocket money, and for the lip-quivering sum of *£3,000, you could be rubbing shoulders with the stars. (*Please note, this is the price of the CHEAPEST ticket available, so will probably be comparable to buying the cheapest ticket to Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at the theatre. But hey, you'll be rubbing shoulders with the perfectly preened and immaculately dressed. Well, perhaps not rubbing shoulders. At least you'll be in the same room as them.)

There's something so tantalisingly exciting about seeing the most beautiful people in the world looking, well - even more immaculate and beautiful than usual, if that's even possible.

The first thing I done when I got up this morning was to frantically scour the pages of The Fashion Spot for the deets and the all-important visuals from the event which took place in NYC last night. Cue endless amount of admiring/envious sighs as I fawned over the beautiful creations the A-list flaunted on the red carpet.

And so, I've compiled a list of the best dressed (in my opinion). Perhaps 'best' is an understatement, because today I am seriously questioning my sexuality after seeing how jaw-droppingly beautiful some of the women looked last night. Who knew that an exquisitely crafted garment had the ability to alter someone's sexual orientation? So, sit back, and prepare to be wowed. You'll probably have a new girl crush by the time you've finished reading!

WINNER: "THE RISK-TAKER" AWARD

Lana Del Rey

"Chain-mail" and "long, black goth cape" conjur rather unsettling images as two separate concepts, but together? Surely a recipe for a fashion disaster - or not, as our favourite songstress Lana Del Rey proved as she stepped out in custom Joseph Altuzarra. Teamed with freshly dyed chocolate brown locks and a matte aubergine lip, Lana smouldered in her simple yet stunning ensemble, with the balance of timeless elegance and femme-fetale being just right.

WINNER: "THE BELLE OF THE BALL" AWARD

Lily Collins

Who knew Phil Collins could spawn something so beautiful?! Lily looked dainty as a doll in Valentino - I really love how she complimented her youthful appearance with floaty chiffon in virginal cream and white, whilst keeping her make-up natural looking with coral blush and a rosy lip. Lace, bows and shamelessly feminine - what's not to love? The one to watch in 2012, prepare to see her as a regular fixture on the style pages of Grazia and Vogue.

WINNER: "THE QUEEN OF COOL" AWARD

Dree Hemingway

Wearing a customised creation from the Topshop Unique A/W '12 collection, Ms. Hemingway proved just how she earned her achingly cool style credentials. Cheeky panels of peek-a-boo chiffon provided enough naughtiness to give a real wow-factor to an otherwise plain dress, whilst the shin length was refreshing amongst a sea of floor-sweeping gowns. A slick of orange red lipstick and mussed up bed-hair was the perfect finishing touch to Dree's Met look which oozed effortless style.

WINNER: "THE GLAMAZON" AWARD

Beyonce

Pick your jaws up off the floor, ladies and gentleman. After last night, Beyonce can officially add "yummy mummy" to her already enviable CV. Bey looked radiant in an exquisite couture Givenchy creation, with purple ostrich feathers at the hem providing an edgy kick of colour to take the gown from being exquisite to out of this world. I love her hair a slightly bit darker- the warm honey hue really compliments her glowing peaches 'n' cream complexion.

WINNER: "THE ENGLISH ROSE" AWARD

Michelle Dockery

Out of the few Brit girls at the Met last night, Downtown Abbey's Michelle Dockery certainly did us proud. In a simple black Ralph Lauren gown emphasised with metallic detailing on the bust, Michelle is officially our poster girl for the anti-TOWIE movement, where simplicity, elegance and natural beauty comes up trumps against the scantily clad oompa-loompa look which so many girls of our generation buy into (why is a mystery!). And teamed with the addition of black silky gloves, I'm sure this ensemble would have had Audrey Hepburn's stamp of approval.

WINNER: "THE STYLE CHAMELEON" AWARD

Rihanna

Ahhh, the ever-changing style of Rihanna. Fashion icon, or the manufactured product of a hard-working team of stylists and publicity machine? Probably the latter, however nobody can deny the fact that RiRi looked drop-dead gorgeous last night. In a black croc-print Tom Ford dress, black stilettos and pared down make-up, Rihanna ticked all the right boxes when it came down to perfecting a look fit for the Met red carpet. And I am loving her new black weave, the blonde was nasty and cheap-looking on her. Please drop the faux-gangster persona Ri, you look phenomenal without the gimmicky clothes!

WINNER: "THE RED HOT" AWARD

Eva Mendes

With metallic being the biggest story on the red carpet of the Met Gala 2012, Eva stood out for all of the right reasons and opted for a spicy orange silk gown by Prada. The high-waisted skirt with an additional on-trend peplum emphasised Eva's enviable hourglass figure, whilst the black and white embellishment on the bust broke up the bold colour. A perfect example of how to compliment your summer sun-kissed complexion with rich jewel colour and neutral makeup.

valentine's, shmalentine's?

2012-02-05T15:37:00.002+00:00

It's nearly upon us. The one day 99% of singletons dread. Or maybe you're not single, but you still hate it.

That's right - Valentine's day falls on the 14th of this month. But you already knew that didn't you? Of course you did.

It seems as though you can't escape Valentine's day, even if you want to. What was once a card and bouquet of flowers occasion has now become a diamond necklace, kinky undies and champagne affair. It's true - Valentine's Day is the latest victim of Americanisation, alongside Halloween. I remember when I was a child, trick and treating for penny sweets satisfied me, but now October 31st is now all pinatas, taffy apples and pumpkin pie.

When V day comes along, shop windows are awash with sickly sweet displays of teddy bears clutching onto hearts bearing clichéd messages, stacks of ribbon-wrapped boxes of luxury chocolates, "I <3 U" balloons and mounds of annoying fluff. Apart from making the singles amongst us feel a mixture of impending doom/jealousy/anger/nausea, it makes those in a relationship sweat, as they feel obliged to buy for their beau. After all, if you don't get them a present, they'll think you don't love them, won't they?

I remember when I was about 11, a boy from school gave me a single white rose on Valentine's day. I was overjoyed, I was flattered by the attention - even if he did push a note through my door the next day saying "It only cost 50 fucking pence anyway" after I told him the feelings weren't reciprocated.

The fact is, people are no longer satisfied with small gestures on Valentine's day. If your boyfriend/girlfriend doesn't shower you with gifts it must mean they don't love you, mustn't it?

So, if we now expect presents from our other halves, why oh why do they get it so wrong when it comes to choosing something that we like? It almost makes us doubt they see us as their "soul-mate". For someone who you spend so much of your time with, you think they'd know you inside out. But nope, their presents say otherwise.

Sorry, if I sound like an ungrateful bitch, but it seems as though most men are incapable of present buying. If they're going to spend their money, they may as well buy something you'd truly appreciate. So if you'd like your BF to buy you something you really want, leave this page accidentally-on-purpose open, hoping they'll have a read and take the hint...

N.B- Fellas, below is a simple breakdown of the mistakes you make when buying presents for Valentine's day. If you want to be in your girlfriend's good books, take note. It will pay off. Yes, in that way, you dirty minded scoundrels.

UNDERWEAR

WHAT MEN BUY US: Something lacy and racy (and maybe crotchless)

WHAT WE REALLY WANT: Pretty silk pyjamas

For some reason, men are attracted to tacky underwear like moths are attracted to light, like bluebottles are attracted to dog poo. We've all experienced walking past an Ann Summers' window with a BF. Their eyes are instantly glued to it, and you all of a sudden feel extremely inadequate next to the mannequins (who aren't even real women) with their perfect breasts and pert bottoms, all trussed up in babydolls and fuck-me pumps.

If you were a foot taller and two stone lighter, you may not feel so much hatred towards kinky bedroom attire. The facts are, you are 5 foot nothing and enjoy chocolate far, far too much. When you try it on, what looked like sexy enticing negligee on the hanger, ends up being a fancy bit of string which effectively cuts through your pale sun-starved flesh like you're a piece of human cheese, barely covering your nipples.

At least if you could save the thong to use as an eye-patch if you ever went out as a pirate for fancy dress? Hmm. Maybe not.

PERFUME

WHAT MEN BUY US: Britney Spear's "Fantasy" perfume (or any other celebrity fragrance come to that)

WHAT WE REALLY WANT: A haute-class eau de parfum

OK, I have nothing against Britney's perfume. As far as fragrances go, it ticks all the right boxes. Or should I say it ticks the one crucial box- it smells pleasant. But, Febreze smells nice doesn't it? Same goes for Fairy washing up liquid and freshly baked pies.

The truth is, what we really want is a special perfume. One that comes in packaging so gorgeous, we refuse to throw it out. We even refuse to throw the bottle out when it's empty just because it's so pretty. One we can use sparingly and on special occasions - the perfect finishing touch to go with a beautiful party dress, making us feel like princesses as we waltz out the front door, like a ballerina walking on feather light clouds.

Yes, a 13 year old would be ecstatic with a bottle of Britney, but we were thinking something more along the lines of Jimmy Choo, Chanel or Viktor + Rolf. Not the first perfume you see on the special offers stand in Boots.

CHOCOLATE

WHAT MEN BUY US: A box of Cadbury's Milk Tray

WHAT WE REALLY WANT: A gourmet selection of chocolates in cute packaging

Just like a pleasant perfume, good chocolate has one defining feature. It should taste nice, and to us women, all chocolate tastes nice, really. Even really cheap chocolate. Freddos were only 10p and they tasted amazing.

But rocking up on Valentine's day with a box of Cadbury's Milk Tray, is well just, disappointing. The one day in the year you can really spoil us, at least make the effort to find something we wouldn't normally buy for ourselves. Because, let's be honest, we'd buy ourselves a box of Milk Tray when we're enduring PMT. Actually, we'd probably buy ourselves a box of Thorntons.

Push the boat out and be adventurous. Find us a box of chocolate with exotic, unusual flavours - don't just pick up the first box you see on the section in ASDA dedicated to February 14th. Crème-brulee, twice roasted coffee bean, champagne truffle, summer berry torte. You get the picture.

FLOWERS

WHAT MEN BUY US: A bunch of daffodils grabbed last minute from the garage

WHAT WE REALLY WANT: A dozen red roses

The worst possible present to get your girlfriend.

Not only does it show us you haven't put much thought into our present, it probably shows us you forgot it was even Valentine's day until your girlfriend text you "cant wait 2 c u tnite babe, happy valentines day gawjus xx". Shit, better run to the garage.

If there's one present to give that proves romance isn't dead, is a bouquet of beautiful flowers. Forget the wilting and sad looking arrangements in Aldi - what we'd really love is a dozen roses from Interflora. Red. Wrapped in pointless cellophane and tied with a red silk ribbon. Soppy message attached. Delivered to our house, or even to our work if you want us to feel extra smug that we have such a thoughtful, loving boyfriend.

JEWELLERY

WHAT MEN BUY US: Anything from Claire's Accessories

WHAT WE REALLY WANT: A simple, classic piece of jewellery

Perhaps the most embarrassing present to give your girlfriend. Not only would you have looked extremely strange looking through jewellery in a shop for pre-pubescent girls, you pick something we wouldn't dream of wearing.

Neon loops - do you think we are living in the 1980s? Faux-silver and gold chains which go all knotty and green after the first wear, complete with chihuahua pendant - you do realise I'm 21 and not 12? Belly button bar - I don't even have my belly button pierced!!!!

However, a dainty, inconspicuous box containing a simple piece of jewellery is sure to impress. Even if it's a pair of gold studs, we'll be overjoyed you've taken the effort to choose something we can cherish forever.

Happy Valentine's day shopping!

Peace + love

i heard that you like the bad girls, honey is that true?

2012-02-01T19:29:00.000+00:00

There's no surprise really, that on Monday, the one thing on my list of priorities (apart from prolonging my lie-in for as long as possible) was going onto itunes to download a copy of Lana Del Rey's eagerly anticipated debut album "Born To Die".

From the second I discovered her, flicking through the music channels one rainy day, I became instantly transfixed by the haunting beauty of "Video Games" (below) as well as developing a penchant for the crazy Miss Paz De La Huerta after her cameo in the video. For those who don't know who Paz De La Huerta is, youtube her. She's a drunken hot mess and I love her.

And so, like a junkie I've been fiending to get another fix of LDR. Much safer than a fix of LSD, I'm sure you'll all agree. I am officially a Lana Del Rey enthusiast. Read enthusiast as stalker. And with 15 meaty tracks, "Born To Die" certainly does not disappoint.

Lana Del Rey, real name Elizabeth Grant, is a 25 year old New Yorker who doesn't hide the fact she had an extremely privileged upbringing - she wouldn't be out of place amongst the Blair and Serena's of the world.

She has been described as a "self-style gangster Nancy Sinatra" (and aside from the fact she's drop dead gorgeous and wouldn't look out of place on the cover of a 1960s Vogue, all dough-eyed and pouting in her sex-kitten fashion) Lana brings a well needed touch of old-school class and theatrics to an industry drowning in a sea of auto-tuned, carbon copy mannequins. Imagine the best parts of Nancy Sinatra, Kate Bush, Paloma Faith and Lykke Li crammed into one perfectly presented package, and you have Lana Del Rey.

Opening the album is the title track, which does a pretty good job of showing how the album means to go on. Bold orchestral soundtracks with melancholy harmonies strung over hip-hop influenced beats, peppered with bitter-sweet lyrics of love lost, ill-fated romances and times gone by, all whilst being sung alternating between a voice with the ability of being seductive husky in one breath and bone-chillingly sad in the next. Not to mention the fact the whole album is so well produced, reminiscent of Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", almost too well produced; it's rich in emotion, jam-packed with stringed instruments and brimming full of killer lyrics.

LDR is guaranteed to strike a chord with the melodramatic and the souls amongst us who have experienced heartache and break. I'm not ashamed to say I'm one of them. Listen to "Summertime Sadness", "Dark Paradise" and "Lucky Ones" at your own risk, you could end up in tears. Especially you ladies...you know, when it's your time of the month and a clip of a hamster getting put down on Animal Hospital can leave you emotionally bereft. Slow indie-pop ballads with a retro feel seems to be what Lana does best.

"Off To The Races" is a slightly macabre number with obvious sexual undertones, which could well be the musical interpretation of Vladimir Nabokov's infamous Lolita, with the opening lines of the book being recycled as lyrics- "light of my fire, light of my loins". LDR's own nymphoesque contribution of "I'm your little scarlet, starlet, singing in the garden" paints a rather seedy picture in your mind of a very young girl desperately lusting over an older (perhaps creepy) man. Perhaps what is more disturbing is that LDR sings in a way which is unsettlingly child-like, something which is prominent throughout the album, most notably on "Lolita" (surprise, surprise) and the beloved "Video Games".

The glamorous lifestyle Lana has always known has been a blatant inspiration. In between the melancholy and despair, we're given lovely delicious little slices of the opulent and hedonistic lifestyles lead by the privileged upper-class, even if it does feel slightly arrogant. The best examples of this are in "Radio" ("my life is sweet like cinnamon, like a fucking dream I'm living in") and "National Anthem" ("money is the reason we exist, everybody knows it, it's a fact"). All this is done whilst injecting a satisfying dose of wholesome Americana in the form Western style guitar and banjo, putting LDR in very good stead if there ever was another Bond Film; I can imagine her penning the soundtrack, or even starring as a Bond girl. Imagine Shirley Bassey's "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Goldfinger" with even more attitude, an added hip-hop beat and a little brashness.

For £9.99, the deluxe edition was well worth the money. So, if you've read this and think you'd enjoy, get yourself on itunes. If you don't want the whole album, the tracks are available for 99p each. I've put together a mini-listing which I think best encapsulates "Born To Die."

Video Games

Born To Die

National Anthem

Blue Jeans

Off To The Races

Lucky Ones

Overall, the album will no doubt allow Lana to make significant impact on the mainstream music industry. One criticism of the album is that there doesn't seem to be any tracks which feel genuinely positive or uplifting - however, all tracks are moving in a sad, brooding kind of way. I would have loved to have heard more hip-hop rhythms and synths, but otherwise, a cracking debut which has already earnt it's place amongst my most played on itunes.

Rating: 4/5

1000 page views! and free gelato...

2012-02-01T17:36:00.002+00:00

Hello all,

Sorry for my absence and lack of posting :( I have been rather unwell with a bladder infection and anyone who has ever experienced one will know how painful they are...but I'm feeling on the mend now and have an album review lined up to be posted tonight.

But on a more positive note...

My blog has had over 1000 page views! Thank you so much to all who read, I hope I keep you entertained even it is only for a fleeting moment...

AND EVEN MORE EXCITING THAN THAT...

Today I got the most amazing phone call from the owner of the Lickety Split creamery in Seaham, which I posted about a few weeks ago. They loved my blog and the review I done so much they've said I can come down and have any sundae off their special Valentine's menu for free! Just looking at the Valentine's menu is making my mouth water:

Available from the first to the 20th of February, a selection of sexy sundaes to share or enjoy alone (£10.95)

Cream Dream (2 to share)

Pure Indulgence (2 to share)

Sticky Fudge Split (2 to share)

Rockin' Rose Love Boat

Champagne Citrus

If you live in the North-East, and you haven't visited Lickety Split...make sure you get your ass down there ASAP. Of course I'll be taking my camera again and will report back to you all how delicious my sundae was! And who will I be taking to share the sundae with? Well...that's for me to know and for you to find out ;)

Love + kisses

xoxo

work, work, work...and a ponytail!

2012-01-16T22:27:00.000+00:00

Just a quick message to let you know I haven't been kidnapped/pressganged into joining a crew of rebel pirates/abducted by aliens.

I feel as though I've seriously neglected my blog the past few days, so first and foremost are my apologies. I look forward to writing some more stuff to bring smiles to all of your pretty faces very soon! My coursework will be done and dusted (for now) on Wednesday, so stay tuned.

After living on popcorn, energy drink, peach melbas and wine gums whilst writing essays for 5 days straight, I feel like I've had all the life sucked out me by a dementor. Nothing a few lie ins and bacon butties can't fix though! So, I shall be back to posting as usual, very, very soon.

Secondly, a big thank you to all of my lovely new followers. There's no better feeling when people tell you they enjoy what you write :)

P.S. You have no idea how happy I am that I can get my hair into a ponytail ^^ (sort of, I can get most of my hair up, maybe I should call it a phonytail? hmm) after shaving most of my hair off back in the summer, so apologies again, this time for being shamelessly vain and showing you all! Weee! I <3 my ponytail :)

I realise I don't look exactly ecstatic with my ponytail on the first photo, so here's a happier looking one.

Just to clarify, my head isn't a strange shape, it's a silly effect on my webcam!

Peace, love and ponytails

amo il gelato, i love you ice cream

2012-01-12T22:22:00.003+00:00

So, I've been feeling a bit down in the dumps the past few days. My mam knows when I'm not feeling good, it's like she can read my mind. It's quite scary really...but I love that she knows me so well. She really is my best friend in the world.

Anyway, yesterday she promised me she'd take me to perhaps my most favourite place EVER. And I mean ever ever ever. It's even better than my squidgy bed with two duvets, although after a I've visited this place, it usually ends up me lying in said bed, in a sugar induced half-comatose state.

Two words. Lickety Split. The number one destination in the North-East of England for ice cream lovers. Situated on the coast front in the small seaside village of Seaham, about 10 minutes drive from where I live, Lickety Split is the place to be if you're in need of a sugar/feel-good fix in the form of a delicious ice cream sundae!

Growing up with ice cream playing such a huge part of my heritage (my mam's father was from the italian Minchella family, who have an ice cream business in the North-East), I've had my fair share of gelato. So much, I think I'm a pretty good judge of what makes an excellent ice cream.

From outside, Lickety Split doesn’t look special, but once inside it’s as if you’ve entered a genuine 1950s diner- think the sort of place which would be fit to be the hangout of the Pink Ladies and T-Birds. Every detail has been considered to offer an authentic experience- from the juke box, to kitsch neon light signs, checkered floor and red leather booths, not forgetting a smattering of vintage posters on each wall.

My camera was playing up, so I didn't manage to get any decent photos of the interior :( but here are some moutherwateringly delightful shots of the ice cream sundaes! (I know you'll be tempted to lick the screen, but don't, trust me - you won't be able to taste it and you'll look very strange if someone walks in whilst you're doing it).

Safe to say, my resolution for 'healthy eating' has well and truly been broken. I think I gained half a stone just from looking at it.

My mam eventually settled on the 'Cherry Lee Lewis' (left), a concoction of chocolate ice cream and morello cherry ice cream, topped with fresh cream and pistachios, and with a filling of warmed sour cherries in syrup. I created my own sundae (right)- bubblegum ice cream, Hannah Montana ice cream (pink bubblegum icecream with Smarties) and banana ice cream with fresh cream, fudge chunks, mini-marshmallows and bubblegum syrup. Safe to say mine probably contained enough E numbers to power a whole classroom full of 5-year olds for a few hours.

We ate every last drop, with my mam even dropping and smashing her sundae glass, trying to get the cherry syrup out of the bottom. CRINGE.

What's the best ice cream you've ever had?

Do you know a place which you think could rival Lickety Split?

your exclusive look at the trends of s/s12!

2012-01-10T20:46:00.000+00:00

don't lose who you are, in the blur of the stars

2012-01-08T22:33:00.000+00:00

It happens to so many people, yet for some reason we are all scared to talk about it.

I was shocked, disgusted, appalled and saddened when I checked the news today. A 15 year old school girl from New York, by the name of Amanda Cummings, chose to end her life after suffering at the hands of bullies. I'm not ashamed to say I cried as I read through the story.

Amanda died from her horrific injuries in hospital, almost a week after she threw herself in front of a bus as she clutched onto a suicide note.

ABOVE: Amanda Cummings

When I saw a picture of Amanda, I saw a beautiful young girl. And no, I didn't know Amanda personally, so I don't know what sort of person she was. But I do know this; nobody, and I mean nobody, deserves to be bullied.

To be bullied to the point of throwing yourself in front of a bus to end your sadness, as a last resort to end the pain you face, either mentally or physically, shows just how devastating bullying can be on a victim's mindset. That getting hit by a bus, and more than likely dying in the most undignified painful way, is more appealing than the thought of living, really says something- don't you think?

Yes, Amanda is gone now and I hope she's at peace. But, she leaves her family and her friends behind, who will never ever forget her, and forget why she died the way she did.

This story isn't unique though, last year I saw far too many stories just like this. Mainly young people, victims of bullying who purposefully chose to end their life to escape their tormentors.

There's a chance that those who are reading this have been bullied, but there's also the chance there's bullies reading this too. If you are a bully, I would like you to read on...

There's this girl I used to know from school. She wasn't the most popular girl, or the most pretty girl. She kept herself to herself, and had a small close-knit group of friends. But as she got older, people started to change.

Her oldest friends drifted away from her- they started dying their hair, getting boyfriends, smoking...some of them even joined the most popular clique of girls who also had the rep for being the nastiest. She found herself alone.

This girl felt like everything and everyone around her was changing. Except for one thing- she didn't feel like she was changing at all.

She'd spend lunchtimes sitting by herself, or with her sister. As pathetic as she felt, she joined the calligraphy club and choir, just so she didn't have to feel so ashamed to be seen on her own.

Then it got worse. The taunting and sly remarks. "Geek." "Swot". "Ugly cunt". "Fucking freak."

I even saw someone in the corridor take their chewing gum out of their mouth, and stick it on the back of her head, getting it stuck in her long blonde hair. She sobbed loud tears, as what felt like hundreds of students laughed and pointed at her as she fumbled with the chewing gum in her hair. The teachers had to cut it out with blunt scissors. It was such a mess, she had to go to the hairdressers and get her hair cut into a bob.

She carried on though, as hard as it was. I used to see her on a morning, and her eyes would be swollen and red from how hard she'd been crying the night before. She couldn't even look at herself in the mirror anymore because she was so ashamed at what she saw.

She lost all motivation. She'd fake illnesses just so she didn't have to go to school, and I think her mother knew this, but she would never kick up a fuss. Instead she'd lie with her on her bed, stroking her hair telling her it would all pass one day.

And then the day which really hit her the hardest. Quite literally.

A whole classroom full of students looked on, in stunned silence as she took the most painful beating of her life.

One punch to the face, and another, and another. And a few more after that. She looked so pathetic just lying on the desk, she couldn't even fight back. Just paralysed with the most terrible fear she'd ever known.

That girl was me.

And that was the day that changed my life.

Things get worse before they get better. And I know that more than anyone. For years after I struggled, even until my last year of college the memories felt as raw as paper cuts.

School hadn't been the happiest days of my life. They had been the hardest. It had turned me into a nervous wreck with no confidence. Until one morning, I woke up, and something clicked.

They all want to get the better of me. They want me to fail. They are winning if they know I feel like I'm losing.

"Geek" and "swot" only made me study harder, carry on playing piano, draw in my sketchbook and sing in the choir.

"Ugly cunt" made me love my short bob, and taught myself how to draw on my eye-liner perfectly every morning before school.

And "fucking freak", well, that made me to be unafraid of who I was.

So, if you're a bully, and you've managed to read till the end, without gut-wrenching shame taking over you- I applaud you. I hope this has given you the insight to a victim's mind, so maybe you'll think twice before you call them a name which gives you your kicks. Maybe you'll think twice before lifting your fist? These are all just maybes, but I hope I've made it something you'll feel ashamed and disgusted in even thinking about doing, let alone acting upon.

And if you are bullied...I hope this has made you that bit stronger. My mother was right and things do get better, even if it does feel it's going to take an eternity to achieve. I leave you with the song below. Have a listen. I hope the words inspire you.

Rest in peace Amanda

hip-hip hooray!

2012-01-08T16:54:00.000+00:00

As promised earlier, here is the post on the fabulous news that I received the Kreativ Blogger Award, as nominated by Jennifer at Inordinately Plush. If you haven't checked her blog out already, do it NOW.

It's a great feeling knowing people are reading and enjoying what you have to say. So stay tuned, because I still have plenty left to say...

So, here are the rules if you have been tagged in this post:

1. Link back to the person who gave you the award.

2. Answer the 7 questions below.

3. Award 10 other bloggers and let them know.

4. Share 7 random facts about yourself.

1. Name your favourite song: Atticus by The Noisettes, everything about the song is perfect..."to kill a mockingbird is to silence the sound that seduces you..". And the fact it's sung by Shingai Shoniwa, who I have a massive girl crush on.

2. Name your favourite dessert: Hmmm...it would have to be treacle sponge and custard. I remember being at school, and everyone would moan if our year group was on last sitting for dinner time. I would secretly love it, as the cooks would give me all of the leftover treacle sponge so they didn't have to throw it out. Yes, I am a greedy cow.

3. What ticks you off? Bullying in any shape or form. It's the lowest of the low.

4. When I'm upset, I...play some piano or guitar, music is a great way of letting go of pent up emotions.

5. Favourite pet? My first, and only pet, well apart from goldfish- they shouldn't count as pets, was my guinea pig Fidget. He was so adorable- ginger and white, with brown ears and little pink feet. I used to swaddle him up in a blanket like a newborn baby and bottle feed him. I wish I was joking, but I'm really not. *Please don't phone the RSPCA*

6. Black/White? Black without a doubt. Sometimes I will end up wearing a full black outfit, and not even realise it till I look in my full-length mirror and see I look like the Grim Reaper.

7. Biggest fear? Losing the ones I love.

8. Everyday attitude? I'm a self-confessed pessimist, but I'm working on that. I think my problem lies in the fact I'm a perfectionist...I always feel like I can do better and I'm massively scared of failure.

9. What is perfection? Nobody or nothing is perfect, but some people are pretty close to it, just by being who they are.

10. Guilty pleasure? Going to bed early to watch QI on the Dave Channel. Stephen Fry is God.

7 Facts About Me:

I have a weird crush on Derren Brown. I'm half-Italian, from my mother's side. I’m the most determined person you'll ever meet. It makes me feel physically sick when people use the word "nom". I'm allergic to all furry animals, but I WILL be a crazy cat woman when I'm older. I found a £3000 diamond in an envelope when I was about 8, it had dropped out of the postman's bag as someone had ordered it specially to be custom-made into a ring- I returned it and got a £5 reward. I believe in ghosts.

I'm passing this award to:

Sailor Lou <- my beautiful cousin from Oz

Eliza Mae Makeup

Lovely Jubbly

Un bonjour de France

Instinct of Style

Natasha Marie's Beauty Diary

Aspirations of Glam

#Golly Gosh

Bows and Belles

Project Lisahh-Jayne

That's all for now my lovelies xo