Is This It?

August Glossybox

2012-09-05T12:28:00.001-07:00

August's Glossybox was International Superstars and included products from all over the world.

I have to say that as I started writing this post I realised that I left a product out of these pictures, the Alessandro Pro White nail varnish was tucked away safely in my nail varnish draw where it has become a staple. I use it under my nail varnish to prevent my nails from discolouration and to protect them from flaking.

The DHC Deep Cleansing Oil removes makeup like a dream, however if removing your eye makeup with it you have to be prepared to smudge black all over your face as this can be a bit messy. You massage this into your dry face with dry hands, which seems strange but it is fantastically effective.

The All for Eve balm has become a handbag staple, its a lovely little product for using on dry lips, I also use this on and areas of dry skin. It has quite a strong herbal scent, which I love but others might not.

Once again I found another great product in Lipcote, its fab! Just a quick layer over your lipstick, keep your lips parted for a few seconds ad voila!! Your lip colour stays on all day and doesn't flake or bleed.

I have mixed feelings about the Glossybox lipstick, its a nice consistency and I do like the packaging however the colour is a little bit 'mature'. I have very pigmented lips, they are naturally quite red so although I cant wear very light lip colours I think this is pink is a bit too dark.

And finally, the crappy product - Vera Valenti eyeshadow palette. Oh dear. First of all this came with one of those crappy eyeshadow applicators that went straight in the bin, secondly the selection of shade was something I would personally never choose - browns (okay I like browns) and greens (words cannot describe the hatred). But worst of all the quality of these shadows is appalling, as you can see from the swatches they are not only poorly pigmented (I had to dig my fingers in the product to get the colour you can see above), but also very very chalky.

Apart from the eyeshadows I really loved this Glossybox, especially the Lipcote and Eve balm.

Hair Care

2012-08-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that I have a lot of hair, it comes below my bust after two years of growing. Its also pretty damn thick and subsequently takes a long time to wash, dry and style. I have used a lot of products over the years, from mouses and serums to sprays and creams and have finally learnt what actually works with my hair.

I try to use the least amount of hair products as possible, I find that the more products I use the worse my hair gets - it becomes flat and crispy, not desirable.

Naked Shampoo and Conditioner - this is my favourite shampoo brand, they are 97% natural with no parabens nor are they tested no animals. I use a mild shampoo and a nourishing conditioner as my hair has a tendency to become dry and frizzy. These products smell delicious and natural, the smell stays on your hair after washing but isn't overpowering at all.

Lee Stafford I Hate My Hair The Day Its Washed - this is great for hair that is limp and frizzy after being washed. It adds texture and shine, preventing those days when your hair just wont sit right. I spray this liberally on wet hair before blow-drying.

V05 Smooth It - This is a great product for adding shine whilst protecting the hair from heat. If you get a bit carried away with this spray it can look like you have slathered lard on your head, when used with caution this product is great. I often spray this onto my natural bristle brush and then brush the product through my hair to distribute it evenly.

One Palette, three looks.

2012-08-27T10:59:00.001-07:00

The Urban Decay Naked 2 is a staple of my makeup routine, with twelve beautiful shades you can create so many lovely looks, here are three of my favourites.

1. Smokey Silvers - this is a great sultry evening look, very sparkly and dramatic. I pack verve onto the lid, and then taking a fluffy brush I blend pistol through the crease, adding extra definition by using a small amount of blackout on the outer corner and blending this into the crease colour. I then take these colours under the eye with a small angled brush - the black on the outer third, then pistol then verve. I finish the look with plenty of liquid eyeliner, black liner on the waterline and lashings of mascara.

2. Sultry Purples - this is a more toned down look, still great for evenings and can be worn by the more daring in the daytime. I run tease across the lid before packing YDK onto the outer corner and buffing busted into the crease. I run busted under the bottom lashes but keep the waterline clean. I do my signature cat eyeliner and once again add lashings of mascara.

3. Golden Browns - I wear this look all the time, its a great daytime look and really emphasises the colour of my eyes. I use bootycall as an inner eye hi-light and then place chopper all over the lid, blending it out with foxy. Snakebite adds definition and shading through the crease and in the outer corner. I then take chopper under the eye, keeping away from the inner corner as the hi-light really opens up the eyes. I keep the waterline and bottom lashes bare as this allows the golden shadow to stand out. Once again eyeliner and mascara finish off the eyes.

L to R: verve, pistol, blackout, tease, YDY, busted, bootycall, chopper, snakebite.

Five Favourite Brushes.

2012-08-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

In a world where makeup brushes can set you back up to £30 its important to know what you are buying and the quality of the brushes that are on the market. Although a lot of the time the rule 'you get what you pay for' does apply, you can pick up some great quality AND affordable brush sets. That being said, here are my five favourite makeup brushes.

1. Real Techniques Buffing Brush - this brush is a god send to liquid foundation users. By
using this is small circular motions you can really work the product into the skin thereby creating a flawless and natural finish. You can also build more coverage where it is needed by in effect pushing the product into the skin. This brush is only available in the core set for roughly £20, however apparently the expert face brush is just as good and can be bought separately if you dont want to fork out of a whole load of brushes.

2. Real Techniques Blush Brush - once again I dont use this brush for what its designed for, but sometimes in life you just have to break the rules! This is a great big, fluffy brush perfect for dusting powder over the T-zone without disturbing foundation. You can buy this one separately for around £10.

3.Space NK Blush Brush - I use this brush for contour and bronzer. The flattered shape means its perfect for applying colour under the cheekbones. This is such a good quality brush, the bristles are so soft and dense. Although this brush does come with a hefty price tag, £28 I really do recommend it.

4. Urban Decay Double Ended Brush - this is a hybrid brush, combining the Urban Decay Shadow Brush and Crease Brush. It comes free with the Naked 2 and I presume with the original Naked palette also. I love double ended brushes as they are all you need for creating a simple daytime look and you can therefore chuck them in your makeup bag when going out and know that one brush will do you just fine.

5. Real Techniques Eyeliner Brush - the perfect brush for your gel eyeliner this brush is the ideal thickness, allowing you to create a neat, thin line or a thick an dramatic cat eye. I also really like the length of the bristles, they make is so easy to do your eyeliner in one sweep as opposed to lots of little movements. Once again this comes in one of the Real Technique core kits for around £20.

Pussy Cat Nails.

2012-08-22T03:39:00.002-07:00

A while ago I bought two sets of nail stickers off ebay (seller Janchristie). This is only the second time I have used them, and although they are quite delicate and therefore time consuming to use they do look great.

All you need is a pack of stickers, nail scissors, tweezers, a pale nail colour and a clear nail varnish. Its really important to have a pale base as the stickers wont show up on anything too dark or too bright. I used Rimmel's Caramel Cupcake and Sally Hansen Maximum Growth.

1. Paint nails with base colour and leave until completely dry - if the nails are still slightly damp the nail varnish will smudge and it will be ruined.

2. Cut around the sticker, trying to keep close to the image but allowing a little bit of room for you to peel the image from the backing.

3. Take your tweezers and carefully separate the sticky front layer from the backing, this can be really irritating, but be patient.

4. With your tweezers place the sticker on the nail, smoothing it down carefully to ensure that the sticker dosent crease or get air bubbles underneath.

5. When you are happy with the position of the sticker apply a thin coat of clear nail varnish over the nail to seal the sticker, this will keep it in place and mean the nail will last longer.

You can buy all different kinds of sticker, from tabby cats to pugs and flowers. I personally like the effect of having a sticker on either just the tumb or ring finger, however if you wanted a more playful look you could put one on each nail, or even alternate between different stickers on each nail.

Cleaning My Brushes.

2012-08-20T13:19:00.000-07:00

Once a week I wash my most used brushes. I find that brushes used on liquid products specifically (foundation, concealer etc) get dirty super easily. Also, because I occasionally get spots I find that it is really important to clean my brushes to remove any bacteria that could be spread all around my face - causing even more spots.

So here are my dirty brushes, I find that the hardest ones to clean are my eyeliner brush and my concealer brush. With both of these the product gets really deep into the bristles and therefore they require more attention than others.

For each brush I take a small amount of Johnson's baby shampoo in the palm of my hand and gently swirl the brush around, running it under the water (never holding the bristle end up as this causes water to get in the handel) until the water coming off the brush is clean. Im about to buy some special brush shampoo as this does the job perfectly. The shampoo is really gentle and therefore doesn't cause the dye to run but does manage to remove all of the makeup. Furthermore the shampoo smells really good!

Its super quick to clean your brushes this way, it probably takes about five minuets or less to clean a big handful. After I've cleaned them I warp them in a clean towel and leave them to dry gradually, I never put them near a heat source (like a radiator) as this can damage the glue and then you suffer from wobbly brush disorder! Like this they probably dry in a few hours, which is fine if you do your brushes in the morning after getting ready and then leave them through the day.

Everyday Face.

2012-08-14T23:52:00.000-07:00

Im a creature of habit and once I find makeup I like I end up doing it every day. On a day to day basis I prefer soft and natural makeup that is relatively quick and easy to do.

Preparation: Fist of all I make sure my skin is really clean by cleansing with my Nivea cleanser and then using my Clinique Acne Solutions toner. I then moisturise with my Clinique Superbalanced Gel.

Base: I use my Mac Face and Body Foundation in C1 and buff this into my skin with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush. This gives a light but seamless finish, this foundation is a good colour for me in summer, however in winter I do mix it with some of my Illamasqua Light Liquid foundation in 2. After my foundation I use my Collection 2000 concealer under my eyes, around my nose and on any blemishes and blend this with the Deluxe Crease Brush. These two products both feel light and natural on the skin and definitely dont look 'cakey'.

Cheeks: Over my T-zone I brush Rimmel Stay Matte powder in translucent with my Blush Brush to ensure I dont look too shiny. I then take the Contour Brush and apply Rimmel's Santa Rose blush on my cheeks for a very soft, pretty pink glow.

Eyes: I use my HD Brows kit in Bombshell alongside my Brow Brush to fill in my brows, some days if Im feeling lazy I do miss the step as you cant actually see all of my brows because of my fringe. However, everyday I do use a Rimmel Glam Eyes liquid eyeliner to create a cat eye, with this I use my Este Lauder Sumptuous Waterproof mascara to give me really defined lashes. I use a few layer on my top lashes for quite a dramatic look and then a tiny amount on the bottom lashes just to define them slightly.

Lips: Lastly I use my Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in lovestruck. When applied heavily this gives a lovely bright lip, but if you just dab the colour on to the lips it leaves a lovely pink flush which makes the lips look healthy and kissable.

Instagram: bfdavies

Hot Rollers.

2012-08-13T03:34:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I picked up these Revlon Hot Rollers in an attempt to find the perfect way to archive big, bouncy curls. The set is pretty cheap, I picked mine up for about £20 from Amazon, and is really easy to use.

You simply plug them in and turn them on, when they are hot the red dot on top of the central roller turns white. They do take a little while, maybe 10 minutes to get hot but they are perfect to plug in whilst you do your makeup, dry your hair or have a shower. They are very hot when they heat fully, so if you are very sensitive when it comes to heat you can always use them before they come to the highest temperature.

There are three different sized rollers, small, medium and large, you get 18 rollers in total - six of each size. The large ones are best used around the crown and top of the head as they give the most volume and softest curls, whilst the smaller sizes give tighter, more defined curls. I find that on my whole head of very long (just below the bust) and thick hair I use about 15 rollers, however this will vary depending on the style of curl you want.

You get little clips with each roller, which have one curved side and one straight. You simply slip these over the roller, pushing the straight side into the hair at the base of the roller. Although these pins do work well on the small rollers I find on the larger rollers they tend to be a bit rubbish as there is too much hair to be secured my the small pin. However the large rollers dont completely fall out, they just feel slightly loose. Im contemplating buying 6 bigger clips to use on the large rollers, but if your hair is mid-length or short these ones will be fine for you.

I really love the look of my hair after using the rollers. Its much softer and more bouncy than when I curl my hair with a wand and therefore it looks much more natural. I do brush through my hair with a natural bristle brush when I take the rollers out to break up the curls. I then turn my head upside down and give my hair a quick spray with hair spray to ensure the curls stay in all day - just dont over do it and make them crispy!

Instagram: bfdavies

Henna.

2012-08-09T13:50:00.001-07:00

I've hennaed my hair a couple of times in the past, always using Lush's Cacca Marron, a dark chestnut colour. I've loved the results as it adds a warmth and depth to my dark hair. However for summer I fancied something a little different, so on my last trip to Lush I picked up six blocks of Cacca Rouge.

Initially I was slightly concerned about the bright red claims however I was reassured that over my dark brown hair the results wouldn't be too shocking.

Anyone who has used Henna before will know what a disgusting process it is. Firstly you have to melt the blocks made from natural plant extracts and mix the disgusting stuff until it has the consistency of un-whipped double cream. Its best to apply Vaseline around the hairline to prevent skin staining and then using gloves you slather the hot mixture all over your hair (this takes a while and is best done whilst wearing old clothes that you dont mind ruining). Then wrap your head in cling-film and an old towel and leave for three whole hours!! Washing the henna out is an interesting battle, get in the shower be patient and just keep washing and when you can tackle it with a wide tooth comb. Your hair will smell of the henna for a couple of days, but its not noticeable unless people are sniffing your hair! The henna leaves your hair so soft, shiny and healthy.

Before

After

Although it is a bloody palaver I really do recommend using henna on your hair, its so much better than chemical hair dyes and for those searching for the perfect warm chestnut tone or dark red will find their dream hair colour in the form of a smell green block from Lush! The colour last quite a long time, however it does depend on how often you wash your hair and how long you leave the henna on for. I would advise using colour preserving hair products as you really do want to preserve the vibrancy of the initial colour.

instagram: bfdavies

July Favourites.

2012-08-07T07:12:00.000-07:00

This is officially the first edition of what will now be regular 'monthly favourites'. I am officially pulling my socks up when it comes to blogging and shall ensure that I do at least two posts a week. Lately I've been lacking inspiration, however the way to improve my blog is definitely not sitting on my bum thinking about it but rather sorting my self out and getting on with it.

I've tried quite a few new products over the past month and have definitely found some great things. In my July Glossybox I received a HD Brows Kit in 'Bombshell' which has served as a saviour, it allows me to enhance my natural brow shape and use a combination of colours to create a really natural look.
I've also jumped upon the bandwagon and tried the Revlon Kissable Balm Stains, mine is in Lovestruck and my god do I lov it. Im not a big fan of bright lip colours, however this is just lovely! The formula is great as it doesn't feel too try, nor too heavy on the lips.

Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in 'Lovestruck'

I also added to my Real Techniques brushes (I already have the two core sets) with the wonderful Blush Brush. I love all of these brushes, but the blush brush is so wonderfully soft, its great for a sweep of bronzer, a soft blush or finishing a look with powder. In addition I picked up the Sleek Ultra Mattes pallet in dark. Im so impressed with these shadows, for the price they are amazing! I find it really hard to find drugstore completely matte shadows but these are wonderful, Sleek also do a bright matte palette, however personal I find these more neutral shades much more 'me'. The matte shades can be used to make a subtle daytime look, I like using the brown, purple tones and grey shade as they are all very muted.

A few of my favourite shades from the palette

I spent a week of July on holiday where finally my summer clothes could leave my wardrobe and I could get some much needed vitamin D. It was so nice to not have to think about layers and warmth, and just pop on a pair of shorts and a crop top, this Silence and Noise cream lace top was perfect for hot days and evenings, it has a deep V in the back which makes is really sexy and means it looks fab when your hair is in a high bun. However it was a big shock when I came back to England and realised I could no long wonder around in a bikini and little top! In my state of fashion confusion I picked up these American Apparel Easy Jeans in the really light wash, they totally cured my fashion block. They are not only so comfy and flattering but they are also very easy to wear; you can just throw on a cute top and cardigan and then (sadly necessary in England) a leather jacket.

After coming back from holiday the pressure of the 'beach body' has no longer been ensuring eat well and watch my weight and therefore I have transformed into a major piggy. My food favourite of the month has to be Eat Natural Bars, all the flavours are amazing, however these almond, apricot and yoghurt ones are delicious. They deliver the perfect sugar kick without being full of calories and bad stuff. And OH MY GOD the brazil nut, cranberry and dark chocolate bars, well they are so good I could happily eat a whole box.

July Glossybox.

2012-08-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

Last month's box came just after I got home from holiday, which was annoying because this box was a 'festival' box and was therefore full of summery, lightweight and speedy products which are ideal for sun-seekers. But hey-ho I can still enjoy last month's lovely in the beautiful English sun (if only...)

The stand out product this month was the HD Brows brow kit. I've been lusting after one of these for months, I've struggled to find a colour ashy enough but these are just perfect. Although the palette is actually 'Bombshell' and is therefore designed for blondes, but the combination of colours still works perfectly with my hair colour. The four different shades allow you to build a more 'multi-dimensional' look.

I also really like the Jelly Pong Pong Lip Frosting. This can be used on both lips and cheeks for a lovely pink glossy finish. Although Im by no means the biggest fan of lip glosses this isn't too stick so it gets a thumbs up. On the cheeks it gives a soft sheen and a light colour, although at first it is quite tacky on the skin it does feel better after a few minutes.

When I first saw the Monu Gloden Glow gradual tan I was a bit cautious. However I applied it in a small patch on my arm and a few hours later was shocked by the colour. It developed quickly and instead of looking ridiculously orange as most do on my pale skin, this looked very natural. Shame about the full size price though!!

I also received a Clynol Salon Exclusive Enrich Colour Shampoo which is perfect timing as I just coloured my hair with Henna and want to ensure the colour stays vibrant. I have been using the Aussie colour protecting products but it will be nice to try out a more luxury brand.

Lastly the box also contained a sample of Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Skin Balancing Lotion. This is light weight formula with SPF 15, so its a great summer product for those with great skin who have the confidence to go bare faced out in the sun. I cant stress the importance of using products with SPF in summer, I speak from experience. Having really pale and delicate skin on my face I have learnt the hard way that you must put suncream on your face (I have the mistake of missing out my face to thank for millions of freckles) and, ideally a special product designed for the face as many normal suncreams can irritate the sensitive skin on your face, especially around the eyes and mouth.

I also received small samples of Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Exfoliating Cleanser and Optimising Skin Serum. i have to say that I havent used these yet as firstly, Im stuck in my ways with my skin care routine and secondly Im not a big fan of sachets of samples and I have to admit they usually end up in the bin.

Loved the July Glossybox, the HD Brows Kit was a stand out product as it is such a wonderful product and is great quality as the shadows last all day,

Turkey!

2012-07-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

I have recently returned from a week spent in the beautiful Turkish sunshine with the boy and thought I would share some holiday pictures.
We had such a great week, filled with laughs, messing around in the pool, watching desperate housewives and drinking too much wine and too many cocktails!

June Glossybox

2012-07-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

So here it is, the next installment. This box was better than last months and over all I was a happy chappy.

One of my favourite products was the Yves Rocher mascara. This little sample is lovely, the brush shape is pretty unique and the bristles are fine meaning there is minimal clumping and lots of length, If you like a mascara that adds volume not length this may not be the one for you, but otherwise its rather lovely.

The Vichy derma blend concealer samples were lovely. The packaging is great, neat, compact and hygienic. There are six colours included, however they were all too dark for my whitest of white skin tone and they were all quite pinky. The coverage provided was good when applied with a brush, however when I applied too much it went pretty wonky after a while.

I also received a BM bronzer. As soon as a saw this I thought 'no way' and low and behold I was right. It may have been a lovely colour, however on my pale skin it looks like I have smeared poo on my face! I dont know about you but it is a look that personally I dont like. The colour is quite nice and therefore I will just use this as an eyeshadow.

This brush was a nice surprise, the Glossybox brushes are goat hair and although personally I prefer synthetic the brush was soft and generally nice. I used it to apply blush and it gave a smooth and even application. However the brush smells horrible, like really really strange. Im going to give it a good wash and see what happens.

Christ where do I start. EUGH! So I thought, oooh fancy perfume samples and foolishly sprayed some on my wrist before smelling it. What a mistake. Let me tell you, I went straight to the sink and washed and scrubbed that wrist because it smelt horrible.

So this month was generally good, apart from the smelly perfume! I have to say that my favourite product has to be the mascara because it was so lengthening and pretty. At £16 its not much more expensive than my usual mascara and therefore I probably would purchase it.

Animal Friendly

2012-06-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

It seems insane that in a time when scientists can create artificial skin that cosmetics companies still test on animals. Animal testing seems prehistoric in this day and age. However still hundreds of our daily products are tested on animals, from your mascara to shampoo. Also springily many big name brands still test on our little furry friends, from Mayballine to Dove.

Sadly its really hard to know if a product is actually animal friendly or not, although the specific brand may say they dont test on animals the large company that owns that brand may conduct animal testing. Therefore by buying the products of the large company you are still, although indirectly, supporting animal testing.

As a vegetarian and animal lover I do my best to look after man's best friend by using brands that dont test on animals, however when I found out that Aussie test their hair products on animals I was really torn. I adore Aussie products, from their shampoo to heat protectant everything smells beautiful and leaves my hair so soft, so when faced with the decision to give up my favorite hair care or support the animal testing industry it was a hard call. However ethics have to come before luscious hair and i set out to find a replacement product.

Low and behold i came across Naked cosmetics; they dont test on animals, use 97% natural ingredients and dont include parabens. WOO HOOO. And the best part? They beat Aussie hands down. They have an extensive range of products that can be found in Boots shop or on their website and they come with a big fat recommendation. Alongside naked Body Shop is a good place to look for animal friendly makeup and products as their ethos is pretty great.

I know that animal testing isnt always the first thing to consider when choosing a new mascara, and sometimes budget means one doesn't have the luxury of choosing a more environmentally friendly product, but if and when you have the opportunity to choose the fairer more sustainable method just consider Peter Rabbit, Bambi, Lassie, Tom and Jerry.

May Glossybox

2012-06-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

I have decided to do my Glossybox posts the month after I recieve the box, this means that instead of just listing the products I can give my opinion and talk about whether I used them, what I thought and if I will buy them.

That being said here we go. May was Glossybox's first birthday and the box came with a birthday balloon and super cute birthday paper.

When I first got my box I was pretty happy with the contents, however this changed when I saw what other people had and I felt so cheated! I totally drew the short straw this month.

These were my four larger subjects, I loved the Nobel Isle bubble bath. At first the smell seems quite masculine however once I put it in my bath i thought it smelt lovely. My skin is usually really picky about bath products however this gave me no irritation what-so-ever (phew).

I already had a sample of the Neal's Yard Moisturiser from Elle and was therefore a bit disappointed to see one here. However this moisturiser is quite nice, the consistency is good; not to thick and greasy nor is it thin and runny. It is scented however the smell isnt overpowering.

The third product was the Eldora false eyelashes. These look really nice, they are full and long without being too over the top. However I found that the band is really thick and stiff which makes the lashes really hard to apply. The inner corners were all spiky and pokey and I really didn't like these when they were on.

And the fourth product was the Collection 2000 Gel Eyeliner. I have quite a few gel eyeliners and they are definitely my favourite out of gel, pencil and liquid. However this was a piece of poo. It came with a little brush that went straight in the bin. It went on quite nicely with a solid colour, although after half an hour it was smudged all under my eyes and on my eyelids. I dont have oily eyelids at all and never have problems with my other gel eyeliners but this was just wrong.

I also got two perfume samples. Im quite fussy when it comes to perfume but these were quite nice. They were both very fresh feminine scents however personally I dont think they are anything special.

So there you have it, my May Glossybox. Personally I thought it was pretty crap, I wish I had gotten the HD brows products. I wont be buying any of these products, because even though I like the Nobel Isle bubble bath its really expensive for a bath product.

Fingers crossed June's box will be better!

Summer feet

2012-06-10T03:43:00.003-07:00

I felt it was about time to get my toesies up to standard. Im a serial bare foot walker so my feet do get in quite bad condition (ew I know), and with flip flop season coming up last night I decided to get sandal ready feet.

I bought a Peppermint Soothing Pumice Scrub from The Body Shop and used this on my feet in the bath. It smells so strong, but I love the smell of peppermint so no complaints here. Its got a very strange consistency as its quite gelatinous and wobbly, it has small rough grains of volcanic rock that act as exfoliating beads, and although they were fine on my feet my hands got a bit sore rubbing it in so maybe doing this with exfoliating gloves on would be best. However It really softened the skin of my feet and there was a huge improvement on my heels where I have the most dry skin.

I then used a foot file, also from The Body Shop, to file away any left over dead skin. It has a rough side which I used first, and then a finer side which is good for smoothing the area.

Im not the type to buy a mouisturiser especially for my feet so I used my Clinique Deep Comfort Body Butter. This is the richest, most luxurious body butter of all time. It has no scent, like all clinique products, and soaks into the skin quickly.

I then buffed my toe nails to smooth them and painted them with a bright pink from Barry M. And after all of this I have to say that my feet are looking rather pretty, and are very very soft.

Summer Wish-list

2012-06-09T00:29:00.001-07:00

Recently I have been doing my anual summer shopping, picking up new bits and pieces of summer clothing to revamp last year's summer wardrobe. Im all sorted on the swimwear front with fun prints, block colours, stripes and spots, however I am still lusting after a few items.

The perfect black maxi dress? This one is from warehouse, the material is lightweight
and breezy and the slits on each side add a little something extra to the otherwise very simple design.

The shorts are such a nice colour, I've been looking for a good pair of bleached denim shorts
and I think that these from River Island are super cute.

What can I say? I live in my Disco Pants so naturally am now lusting after these
American Apparel Riding Pants. Although they aren't ideal for hot weather,
in an English summer (aka rain) they will be perfect.

On the other hand these lightweight Zara palazzo pants are perfect for evening walks
along the sand and for protecting pale skin from the sun.

My studded slippers aren't exactly holiday material, however now I can carry on the trend
with these studded sandals from Zara.

I can imagine these shorts to be my new pool-side must have. They are a soft jersey material
and are therefore great for pulling on over a bikini. I love this bright red shade,
maybe its time to inject some colour in to my otherwise neutral summer wardrobe.

Absences

2012-06-05T13:33:00.001-07:00

So I haven't blogged in weeks, which is rubbish as I was aiming for three posts a week (will it EVER happen?), however my life has been quite a roller-coaster of late.

A week before christmas my beloved grandmother was diagnosed with acute leukemia and given a prognosis of only three months to live. As you could imagine the fantastic timing lead to the worst christmas on records with tears and awkward silences at record highs. It was so hard knowing that it would be our last christmas with her, and it made celebrations feel false and pointless.

Me and my mum tried to do something every weekend with my nan, and mum had cut back her working hours so she could spend two days in the week with her mum. Me and my mum have a very similar relationship to my mum and nan, we are exceptionally close, loving and honest with each other. We are both exceptionally affectionate and have both a physically and psychologically intimate relationship; with lots of cuddles and very few secrets. This closeness meant that we supported each other through the whole ordeal, and in ways it has brought us closer together.

As time progressed I began experiencing a growing sense of doom, it felt that in a matter of time life was going to implode, everything was hanging in the balance; my family, my mental stability and my education. Fast-forwarding four months, my grandmother had already outlived her three months so we were now playing with what felt like borrowed time.

Although for four months everything was going well, my nan was getting transfusions every few weeks and although she was tired she was still able to live a normal life. However all of this changed three weeks ago. Transfusions stopped working and all of a sudden the plateau that my nan had been on suddenly began to fall away and her blood levels plummeted.

Death is hard, but seeing someone you love suffering is worse. Death almost came as a relief, it gave her back her dignity and ended her pain and tourment.

Currently Im in shock. For the last weeks my concentration has been on my Nan and worrying about how she has been feeling however it seems that the transaction between feeling sorry for her and feeling sorry for myself is not complete and Im stuck in a limbo.

Losing a loved one is hard and it hi-lights the fragility of human life. Its so easy to say 'I'll do it tomorrow' and life life in the future not the present. However one day 'tomorrow' wont come, so if there is something you want to do, or want to say do it as soon as you can, because wants the point in waiting?

Birthday Wishes.

2012-05-12T11:21:00.000-07:00

It was my 17th birthday yesterday and I spent a lovely day with my family.
I have important exams in the near future, (save me!) so sadly had to spend yesterday morning revising, but I let myself have an evening off to enjoy celebrations with those I love.
I went out for a delicious meal with my grandmother, mum, dad and boyfriend. Eating out can be a little bit difficult because oh so picky here always ends up making a scene; I'm a pescetarian who is slowly turning vegetarian, who doesn't like mushrooms, aubergine or courgette (aka anything slightly slimy). I also dont eat main courses, I know I know, you're thinking who is this person? But I never like mains, they are always too big and disappointing, by the time I've eaten half of them I bored. SO its two starters and a pudding for me. Three nice small courses is perfect!
I have to say that the dessert is my favourite part of the meal, by far! Last nice I had a gorgeous dark chocolate tart with Bailey's ice-cream and it was to die for. I love dark chocolate, the tart was so rich and creamy.
I had a really lovely evening which made up for a boring day making revision cards and doing practice essays. I'm so grateful to be able to spend my birthday with the people I love the most, and all I can say is thank you.
On the note of thank yous, I thought I would share some of my fantastic presents I received this year. Everyone was super generous, my parents are paying for my driving lessons and my boyfriend bought me some beautiful things.

Real Techniques brush sets

Space.NK travel brush set

Alexander McQueen skull scarf

Vivienne Westwood necklace and Girls and Pearls bracelet

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle perfume

Nars Hilighter

Its Friday and Im in Love.

2012-05-09T13:34:00.001-07:00

Its not Friday. Its Wednesday. BUT I am in love with these products.
I have a dozen or so products that just work for me, the problem is I constantly I forget about them as my attention is distracted by something new, shiny and all together over-rated. So here they are, the products I am always coming back to because I just cant find anything like them.

1. Mac Matchmaster, when you are as pale as me (and thats REALLY pale) it can be so hard to find a foundation that actually matches your skin, never mind when you have tonnes of freckles as well. This does the best job, the undertones are neutral and the shade is 1.0, which thankfully, does not look like orange paint on my face. It can also be mixed with moisturiser to make it nice and sheer. The only bad thing about this foundation is the smell, which reminds me of paint.

2. Clinique Anti Redness Pressed Powder, as you can tell, this product isn't exactly new! I've had it for almost a year and a half and it has lasted me so well. I have problems with quite high pigmentation in my cheeks and this powder cancels out this redness. I just apply it over my foundation and Bob's your uncle! Red cheeks, what red cheeks?

3. NXY blush in peach, although this blush isn't peach it is a lovely colour. It is a light pink with a touch of peach, its also really pigmented and just gives a really nice light flush of colour. And you cant go wrong at £5 a blush can you?

4. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel, this is perfect for combination skin.The gel means that it isn't too heavy for any oily areas of the face, but it is still moisturising enough to combat those dry spots. This is also really good to mix half and half with foundation when your skin is being friendly and you want a lighter coverage.

5. Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Deep Moisture Body Lotion, this is just lovely, it is so rich and nourishing. The pump top means there are no messy hands or dribbles. I use this on my arms and legs and its really soothing on the skin after shaving.

6. Marc Jacobs Daisy Perfume, every time I smell this I just cant help but smile. This is my everyday perfume and I love the smell because it is sweet, fresh and the main tones of violet immediately reminds me of my nanny.

7. Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lip Tint in Endless Blossom and Sweet Vanilla Salve, Im really not a lip product kind of gal. I hate, HATE, HATE lipstick. Its always on cups and glasses or god forbid, teeth. I love this lip tint because its subtle and just doesn't budge, the colour can be built from a soft, subtle pink to a much brighter colour. Whilst this lip balm not only smells delicious but it really softening and lovely.

8. Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer, this covers those horrible little spots like a dream. It's also good on dark circles, although sometimes it does crease and go a bit funky. Once again the price means that I simply cant say no. This concealer also comes in a really light shade, however I do find that it can be a bit yellow.

I have to say that I had to stop myself from putting Almod Oil on this list of loves!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies?

2012-04-29T05:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I stumbled across a recipe that claimed to be for the best chocolate chip cookies... I couldn't resist trying it out.

Makes 30 cookies

Ingredients:

240g unsalted butter

150g granulated sugar

150g brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

480g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

340g dark chocolate, chopped into pieces

(Preheat oven to 180 and grease two baking sheets and line with grease-proof paper)

1. Cream butter and both sugars until smooth.

2. Add the vanilla and both eggs, mix until combined.

3. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into the mixture, mix until combined.

4. Add the chocolate and mix until combined.

5. Roll the mixture into gold ball sized pieces and place well spaced on prepared trays.

6. Cook at 180 for 10-15 minuets, until golden.

You can also add sea salt if you wish, just sprinkle a small amount over the cookies before you cook them. We used sea salt flakes for this and loved it. I would say maybe try it out on a few before doing all of them salted, just in case you dont like it.

The verdict- I wouldn't say they were the BEST cookies in the world, personally Im more of a triple chocolate girl, but Im not complaining, they are very nice!

What is great is how easy the recipe is, especially if you have a big food processor because then you just 'bung' everything in, even the boyfriend didn't complain about having to help!

I Love You, Almond Oil.

2012-04-26T12:12:00.003-07:00

There are few products that I truly love. Usually there is always a but, a catch, something that I would change, be that the price, the smell or the colour. I have to say that almond oil is one of the products I simply cannot complain about.

For a long time I have looked for something that would really nourish my hair and moisturise it. I've been growing it for just over two years now and its just passed my boobs. I can be a little bit heat-happy, although I did manage a month heat free last summer. I like my hair looking different, straight on Monday, curly on Wednesday in a bun on Friday, and although I do try to look after it, it is damaged.
I've tried lots of things from conditioners to hair masques and although some I have liked, (Im a sucka for Aussie products) I've never adored anything as much as almond oil.

At £1.99 from a local health food shop its cheap as chips. And the best thing is that its wonderfully multipurpose.

For my hair I take a small amount of oil in the palm of my hands and run it through the ends and mid-lengths of my hair. I then put on my lovely strawberry shower cap (lock your boyfriends up!!) and let the oil sit for about twenty minutes. I then massage my scalp with a small amount of oil and then wash it all out with shampoo, throughly as to avoid looking like a chip pan, and hey presto, soft, shiny, healthy hair! I typically do this once or twice a week.

For my skin I use the oil on any very dry parts of my body, elbows, knees, shoulders, all those little bits that may get dry and sore in winter. I let the oil soak in and it really nourishes the skin and leaves it silky smooth. I also use a very small amount on my face at night, although I have combination skin my nose and forehead can get exceptionally dry and this combats that wonderfully. It also makes your face smooth as a baby's bum!

And last but not least its great to smooth over chapped lips. You can use it at night like on your face and leave it to soak in as you sleep. Also when my lips are in a really bad state, cold english winters are hard on lips, I make a lip scrub from almond oil, sugar and a teeny bit of lemon, it works a treat.

I have to say that I love my Almond Oil.

Neon or Pastell?

2012-04-19T09:06:00.002-07:00

Ah, the ongoing debate, the battle of the colours... neon or pastell?
Both have their good and bad, from garish 70s outfits to the easter bunny.
But is it best to go bright, or subtle?

In my opinion, subtle is the way forward. Even though a pastelle overload can make you look like a the easter bunny or a small child, when worn with modesty they are b-e-a-utiful.

Here are some pastell pieces I love.

Topshop and ASOS rings, Accessorize, Fresh water pearl and
Topshop earrings, Fresh water pearl bracelet.

Barry M Mint Green, Peach Melba and Blue Moon.

Zara shirt, H&M denim top, Topshop silk skirt and
Topshop lace t-shirt.

A Few Favourite Jewellery Pieces.

2012-04-16T11:34:00.002-07:00

Although I do have quite a lot of jewellery, Im actually really fussy. But once I find a piece I want, I cannot take it off!
So here are a few of my favourite pieces, for old to new and cheap to expensive, I love them.

Vintage silver snake ring

Beaded gold and silver Toast bracelet

Vintage gold and leather watch

Vintage silver three bangle bracelet

Silver locket on black silk chain

Vintage gold and jade necklace

Links of London silver charm bracelet

An introduction.

2012-04-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

Looking my best (or at least trying to!), is something I enjoy, and subsequently I have a two foot high pile of Elle magazine in the corner of my room and more makeup than one girl needs. My wardrobe is always bulging, I never have enough clothes hangers and I've lost count of the amount of times I have announced 'Okay, I dont need anymore clothes'. But something lovely, sparkly, girly or pretty always comes along and proves me wrong.
One of my favourite things to do is grab a recipe book on a rainy day and dedicate a few hours making something deliciously sweet, and preferably chocolatey, to devour.

So there you have it, thats me, and this blog is where I intend to share my life with you, from outfit of the days and product reviews to chocolate truffel cakes (oh god its good!) and 'day in the life of' posts.