RottenOtter's Thoughts

Week In Photos 071

2012-01-29T20:13:00.001Z

Started reading the Uglies series on my Kindle - now up to book 3 // Finished jigsaw // New Tulips // Started Paris jigsaw // What my bedside table looks like from not knowing what polish to wear // Watching Lovefilms - Chuck is one of my favourite TV programmes at the moment.

Living Nature Blusher In Warm Summer

2012-01-28T18:32:00.000Z

I've only tried the odd few bits of make-up from Living Nature so thought I'd give one of their blushers a go. I couldn't find many proper photos of the actual shades so I totally guessed and went with Warm Summer*. The other shade being Cool Winter which is brown.

I always think the little words on the cardboard packaging are such a nice touch. Most of them have been "smile", but I really like "breathe". The blusher itself is encased in cardboard with an elastic band to secure it. Like with the Benefit box powders, I can see this getting quite battered after being kept in a make-up bag for a while or even just being in a make-up drawer. It's really slim though could have been made smaller by not including the brush which is pretty useless.

As for the colour, Warm Summer is a nice neutral pink. It's quite sheer which is perfect for a more natural look but it can be built up for more colour. You can see this on the last photo, bearing in mind the sunlight is horrible at the moment.

This Living Nature blush costs £14.99. Despite being a really nice colour I don't think it's worth the price when you compare it to other blushers with the same price.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2012-01-27T12:28:00.000Z

I've been looking for the perfect cookie recipe for such a long time and I've finally found it. I prefer soft chewy cookies. Like those you can get from Subway or Supermarkets. All the recipes I've tried, even those saying they're chewy, have turned out hard or even cake like.

This week The Guardian has included recipe cards and one of them was for cookies. I tried it last night and it was a success! The best recipe I've found so far so thought I'd share it. These are just chocolate chip cookies but you can add whatever you want to it. The original recipe had brazil nuts and cinnamon in it.

Ingredients (makes around 20 cookies):
125g unsalted butter, softened
225g light brown soft sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
1 medium egg
25g cocoa powder
175g plain flower
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
200g milk or dark chocolate chunks (I used white and milk chocolate chips)

Method:
Heat oven to 180c/gas mark 4.
Mix together butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Beat in the egg then stir in the cocoa.
Add the flour and soda and work until combined.
Mix in chocolate.
Pinch off nuggets of dough the size of a ping-pong ball and roll between your palms until smooth.
Cover a baking tray with baking paper and place cookie balls on it 3-4cm apart.
Bake for 12-14minutes.
Leave to cool for a few minutes then transfer to a rack.

Let me know if you try this recipe and how they went! I think they're perfect and my dad loved them too.

OPI Off With Her Red - NOTD

2012-01-26T11:00:00.000Z

The non-glitter polishes from the Alice In Wonderland collection have an amazing formula! If only all polishes could be like this one. Only one coat is needed and it's so smooth and easy to apply.

Despite liking dirty colours I'm not really a fan of this orangey-red, it just doesn't look right with my skin tone.

Nails Inc. Basil Street And Guppy 12 - NOTD

2012-01-23T11:45:00.000Z

Haven't done a colour with one glitter nail for such a long time. I think I was a bit over it but am starting to like it again now. It's the first time I've used Nails Inc. Basil Street, it was one of the polishes that came free with Marie Claire a few weeks or months ago. I actually really like it surprisingly as I haven't liked any other polishes I've tried from Marie Claire.

It took two coats on my left and 3 on my right for some reason. I think I apply my polish thinner with my left hand, anyone else do this? Thought it looked a bit plain on it's own so used Guppy 12 on my ring finger. It's one of the polishes I got for Christmas and is from Ebay. They're about £2 with free delivery.

Week In Photos 070

2012-01-22T16:00:00.000Z

Addicted to Tiny Tower // Homemade scones with jam and cream // Cinderella Panto at the Everyman Playhouse.

Living Nature Kowhai Flowers Nourishing Body Bar

2012-01-21T14:49:00.001Z

I usually prefer shower gels over soaps, as I find them less drying. But then I come across a few soaps that are incredibly moisturising and this is certainly one of them. It's so creamy and I can really tell a difference in my skin after using it. The name, Nourishing Body Bar*, is perfect for it. It's made up of olive oil, coconut oil and shea butter. The scent of this is lovely, very floral but not too over the top. You can see all the little flower petals through out the soap. Just a really nice soap that I've used up so quickly! It's also huge so definitely worth the money.

Models Own Slate Green - NOTD

2012-01-19T11:43:00.000Z

Quite a similar shade to Models Own Top Turquoise but I prefer this one, I think just the hint of green suits my skin tone more. Blue's just don't seem to look good on me.

I hated the formula though, not sure if I was just unlucky and got a bad bottle. It's watery, streaky and thin which needed 3 coats but still looks like it needed another coat.

Albert Dock, Liverpool

2012-01-17T10:30:00.000Z

Just a few photos I took whilst at the Albert Dock and Tate Gallery.

Week In Photos 069

2012-01-15T17:30:00.004Z

Tulips, my favourite flower // Pretty Sunsets this week // Albert Dock // Tate visit to see Alice In Wonderland Exhibition.

001 Went to see the Alice In Wonderland exhilaration at the Tate today as it ends in a couple of weeks. I have to say, I was pretty disappointed with it. It costs £7.20 to get in which I really don't think is worth it and way to expensive. Luckily I have a Tate card so I get in for free. There was some work by Salvador Dali and Max Ernst which I loved. Dali being my favourite artist. I wasn't very impressed with the rest and some I just didn't get.

Today I've Been ...

2012-01-14T15:36:00.000Z

... Organising my nail polish. I finally got my nail wheels in the post, along with a nail polish remover bottle that I've been wanting for a while. You know those ones that you press the top of and nail polish comes out onto the cotton ball??
I just love these nail wheels, I don't use them for photographing nail polish really, I prefer to actually paint my nails for blog posts. Instead I use them to decide what colour to go for. It's an easy way to look at all my polishes at the same time as I do have quite a lot.

I've decided to keep one nail for each brand as before I had various brands on the same wheel which I didn't like. It meant that if I bought more nail polish it would be all messed up. Next I'm going to add labels to each wheel but I think I might try printing them out, not sure yet.

Lush Yuzu And Cocoa Bubbleroon

2012-01-13T10:00:00.000Z

It's not often I'm disappointed by a Lush product but sadly this bubble bar is a bit of a let down. It's one of the newer products from Lush and I smelt it when I was last in London and put it on my Christmas list immediately. The scent is a mix of chocolate and citrus but once in the bath, the scent completely disappears.

That's not the only let down though. I used half of it for one bath and it took a long time to crumble and melt, I haven't had this problem with any other bubble bar. It also didn't create a lot of bubbles and the ones it did make didn't last for very long.

Lastly, Yuzu And Cocoa looks tiny compared to all the other bubble bars which I can normally get 4 baths out of. It's also not one of the cheapest being £2.95. Definitely not buying this one again!

Models Own Purple Ash - NOTD

2012-01-12T13:36:00.000Z

Love this colour and it has the perfect formula. You can even get away with only one coat! It's the perfect colour for this time of year as well.

Second Blog

2012-01-11T18:48:00.002Z

I've started a second blog, RottenOtter Eats, where I'm posting photos of my meals in the quest to become healthier and eat better. I know it's not going to be for everyone but thought I'd let you know in case you want to have a look. I'm also going to be posting recipes to go along with some of the meals I make.

Really looking forward to the summer so I can actually take photos of my dinner and it still being light outside! All the photos I've taken come out really yellow and have had to alter them a bit in photoshop.

Next Diamonds

2012-01-10T16:02:00.001Z

This is my latest edition to my perfume collection, although I had to get a new bottle as my other one stopped working when I dropped it. Luckily Next swapped it for a brand new one! I've been meaning to pick this perfume up for a while but as Next isn't a shop I go into very often it went to the back of my mind. After reading Cat's post about it, I decided I had to go and get it!

Next Diamonds is said to be similar to Miss Dior Cherie (which has been on my perfume wish list for a long time), Soap & Glory Pink and Katie Price's Stunning. Although I haven't smelt Stunning, I'm going to take Cat's word for it :)

Miss Dior Cherie is described as freesia, jasmine, orange blossom, popcorn, vanilla, caramel and patchouli. The Soap & Glory scent is described as bergamot, summer rose, peach, strawberry, gardenia blooms, jasmine, patchouli, warm amber and lush musks. Stunning is described as mandarin, violet and jasmine. Although Next Diamonds isn't described as well as the others, it is described as an opulent white floral fragrance entwined with fresh fruit nectars and crystalline musk.

As you can see they all have very similar notes which I haven't come across too much. I'm now thinking do any of the other Next scents smell like more expensive perfumes?

I have the little mini bottle, 30ml, which I can easily carry around in my bag or take away with me if needed. It's only about £6 as well which is a bargain compared to the price of Miss Dior Cherie, £50. The bottle is cute too and sits nicely with my other perfumes on my book shelf.

Out of all of these four, Diamonds is the cheapest by a lot, being only £10 for 75ml.

Week In Photos 068

2012-01-09T18:55:00.001Z

Enjoying breakfast of panatone and banana smoothie // Decluttering my ring tray // Childhood Jigsaw // Current make-up // Banana and peanut butter smoothie // Spiced butternut squash soup with croutons - both homemade // Painting make-up storage // Cucumber refresher // Maple syrup pancake with strawberries and cream // Peppermint patty green monster smoothie.

001 My internet has been down for the past two days and only came back on an hour ago so couldn't post this on my usual day, Sunday. Haven't been able to read any blogs, write any blog posts, watch youtube or catch up on American tv online. Although I did manage to finish reading Linger by Maggie Stiefvater which was really good. just started the third and final one and have no idea what's going to happen in it.

002 This past week has been all about breakfast and trying new drink recipes. My favourite being Cucumber Refresher which I posted about on Saturday. I'll probably be writing a blog post with recipe for each one as I love making and drinking smoothies. Also really enjoyed making the spiced butternut squash soup the other day. I'm not a huge fan of soups but I've really been liking them recently. I'm actually in the middle of making a barley and veg soup while I write this.

Cucumber Refresher

2012-01-07T16:47:00.000Z

I watched Ingrid's and Allison's vlogs last night and they were drinking cucumber refreshers which I've never heard of before. I like to make my own drink mixes and smoothies so thought I'd give it a go.

5 cups Low sugar lemonade

1 lg. English cucumber

4 tbsp honey

Directions

Chop/blend cucumber in blender or food processor until pulp like. Add lemonade. Strain mixture into a pitcher and add honey to taste. Serve with cucumber spear or lime wedge.

Recipe found on IChange.

It's a pretty simple recipe, I juiced the cucumber as I thought it would be easier than blending and then straining. If you don't have a juicer though it'll still be pretty easy to make. This recipe makes 5 - 8 glasses depending on the size and if you add ice. I actually forgot to add ice but next time I make this drink I'll definitely be putting ice in. .

A perfect drink for the summer! And one I'll be making a lot.

Today I've ...

2012-01-06T15:58:00.001Z

... been painting my make-up storage. This is only part one though as I still need to do something with the top set of drawers. I really want to use a grey wood stain on it but am having a hard time finding the right one. I want the colour to look something like this.

The easy part of painting my make-up storage was the bottom set of drawers. I'd previously painted them cream and blue which went with my old bedroom decor which you can see here. Obviously, I couldn't use the stain on already painted wood so I went with white to match my walls and the majority of my furniture.

When the weather is nicer I want to try and paint my desk and chest of drawers white to match the rest of my room. They're currently pine. I've had them for like 12 years or something ridiculous like that and I really don't like them. As I'm hoping to move out of my parents house as soon as possible I don't want to buy any new furniture. Also been reading Stylizimo and all the DIY's she's been doing. Sort of caught the DIY bug I think :)

Models Own Peach Puff - NOTD

2012-01-05T12:32:00.000Z

Another streaky and thin polish from Models Own although it looks ok from the photo. The majority of the polishes I bought from the last sale have been like this. The first lot of polishes I bought were fine but it seems like the formulas can be really hit or miss. Another 3 coat-er. It dries ok though but the application puts me off wearing it. It's a shame as it's a lovely colour.

Living Nature Soft Lights Illuminating Tint

2012-01-04T13:14:00.000Z

I've been trying to get this post up nearly every day this past week but we just haven't had any sun at all. The photos I have been able to take just don't do the product any justice. Think I might try taking them another day when it's sunnier and replace the photos below.

The Soft Lights Illuminating Tint* is described as a wonderful light foundation tint with a gentle shimmer or pearlesence. It gives your complexion a soft radiance and minimises the appearance of fine lines. Manuka Honey and natural oils give nourishment, and pure minerals provide the soft healthy glow.

I personally use it in conjunction with another foundation or tinted moisturiser as I find it to be too shimmery or glowy on it's own and I have dry skin. Those with oily skins, but still like their skin to have a subtle glow, will definitely want to mix it as well.

You can see in the photo above that the pump is white and silver which is actually a temporary pump as Living Nature have had problems with previous ones. When you purchase this you can request a new pump with the email address they provide and they will send one out to you. I'd definitely recommend doing this as this one doesn't have a lid so isn't good for traveling. I also much prefer the normal black lid to this one, it just goes better with the rest of the packaging.

It is available in three shades, Dawn Glow which I have and is the lightest, Day Glow and Evening Glow. I have very pale skin so Dawn Glow is still a bit too orange when used on it's own. As I've already said, I mix this with another foundation so this isn't a problem. It is a very sheer foundation so even though there is only 3 shades I think it would suit a lot more skin tones which is great.

As I said before, it was very hard to take photos of the shimmer but the top photo of my hand has the foundation alone and the bottom one doesn't have any at all. It just adds a bit more life to the skin and stops your face looking so flat. It isn't glitter, just a really subtle pearl shimmer.
If you didn't want to shimmer all over your face, especially if you have oily skin, you could just apply it to certain areas then apply your normal foundation and skip adding your highlighter.

The Illuminating Tint is 30ml, your normal foundation size, and cost £17.99. I use a little bit less than a pump for my face so this bottle will last a long time which makes the price worth it to me.

Have you tired this before? Or any products that are similar?

Lush Phoenix Rising Bath Bomb

2012-01-03T14:47:00.000Z

Once put into the bath, Phoenix Rising will sink to the bottom fizzing away slowly then rise with sparkling purple and green plumage. You can see the purple swirls in the photo above but I didn't get much green from the middle of the bath bomb, guessing each varies slightly. Once the bath bomb had completely dissolved the water was left a gorgeous purple colour which didn't stain the bath.

Also something that you can't see in the bath photo is the very fine gold glitter in the water which was lovely. Looked like the water wash shimmering but didn't stick to you.

The two main scents are cinnamon, Phoenix's is often quoted as using cinnamon sticks to build nests, and blackberry which surprisingly go really well together. This is also the most moisturising of Lush's bath bombs containing shea butter, cocoa butter and jojoba oil. I really felt a different to my skin when I got out the bath, almost like I'd used a bath melt instead of a bath bomb.

Although I don't tend to buy bath bombs that often as you can only really use them once I'll definitely be buying this one again. It costs £2.95.

The Best Of 2011

2012-01-02T11:00:00.000Z

First off, there have been so many products that I've discovered this year. Didn't think there'd be too many before I started putting this post together. Secondly, I cannot believe it's the end of 2011! This year's gone by so fast! Although I feel like I say this every year at the moment.

I've split the products up into sections so it's easier to talk about them and they're not all in one photo. These are all products I've bought this year and have fallen in love with. With the exception of two or three nail polishes.

Body And Hair:

This year has been about finding products to combat and help with my eczema. I've been using a mix of Lush Dream Cream, La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP, Weleda Skin Food* and Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream. All four have worked wonders and I couldn't recommend them enough even if you don't suffer from eczema. They work just as well, if not better than some of the creams I've been recommended from the doctor.

Only have one hair product but it is all I use in my hair after washing and is the Miracle Concentrate from V05.

Perfume:

Bought both of these perfumes on recommendations from Anna (Vivianna Does Makeup) and both have jumped into my top 10 perfumes list. They're both floral scents but are very different. Paco Rabanne Lady Million has notes of neroli, orange, raspberry, honey and patchouli. YSL Parisienne has notes of rose, peony, violet, musk and sandalwood.

Make-up:

I prefer Mac's Paint Pot in Bare Study to Urban Decay's primer potion as I find it can be a bit oily sometimes. Bare Study doesn't crease on me and if I'm in a rush I can just apply this, mascara and then I'm done. For lips, the sugar lip treatment* from Fresh has been a life saver and although I haven't had it long it's become a favourite and everyday product. Mac Creme Cup is one of my favourite lipsticks, the other being Mac's Gaga. It's the perfect everyday pink colour and I love the vanilla scent.

Picking a favourite eyeshadow was quite hard, my most used is the Naked palette but I bought that last year. I decided to go with the baked duos from Accessorize. I have Maia, Thalia and Zoria. They're so pigmented and look really pretty in the pan.

Lastly is the Sheer Skin Tint* from Liz Earle which I'd say is probably the number one product of this year. I've really struggled with foundations in the past as I'm very pale so even the lightest shade is usually too dark. The shade Bare 01 is the perfect shade for me and I can see this always being in my collection.

I'm hoping to discover my favourite concealer and powder next year!

Nail Polish:

l-r: MO Slate Grey, MO Utopia, MO Beth's Blue, MO Grace Green, MO Concrete Mixer*, MO Misty Grey, OPI I Lily Loves You, Orly Bonder, Orly Polished, H&M Looks Great On You

This year has been mainly based on nail polish, my collection has grown a lot since I started the blog. The majority are from Models Own as I bought a lot when they had the 50% off sale. Although I bought two or three of them last year I still wanted to include them as I've worn them so much and are my favourites.

I've posted NOTD's for all of these polishes which I've linked above. Pretty much stuck with the pastels and dirty colours this year which is definitely my most used and favourite shades. So glad I discovered the Orly base and top coats this year. They've helped my nail polish stay on for longer and I'll be buying the normal sizes once these mini's are finished.

Week In Photos 067

2012-01-01T20:06:00.000Z

Bokeh // Lush bath - Phoenix Rising // Made banana cupcakes and loaf with maple cream icing // Topped with glitter // New Year's desserts // Pretty sky.

001 Hope everyone had a good New Years! Mine was a pretty relaxed one with lots of yummy food which is what I wanted after the busyness of Christmas. I can also say I didn't start the year with a hangover which I have done for the last several years.

002 I've completed about half of the goals I set myself this time last year which I'm pleased about. I didn't think I'd do them all but it's nice to have something to works towards.

By chance, I discovered the career I want to pursue which is event and wedding planning.

I've drank a lot more water this year and always take a bottle with me where ever I go. I've also gotten a lot more into herbal tea's like lemon verbena and rose.

I haven't reached my happy weight or moved out of my parents house, but that's something I'm going to work towards this year.

I never scratched off a new city or country on my scratch map but I did visit Venice again which was amazing despite the rain and thunder storms.

I changed the look of my blog which then led to RottenOtter's Thoughts being temporarily deleted which was a stressful time to say the least. Luckily I managed to get it back in one piece.

And finally, even though it wasn't really a goal, I've carried on blogging and loved every minute of it! I've definitely taken more photos this year and even bought myself an external hard drive to store them all on.

I'm also going to set myself a goal to not buy any nail polish in 2012. I got a lot for Christmas and I need to use what I have more. Hopefully by the end of the year I'll have used every polish I own (a fair few times) and perhaps even finished a couple. Although I am going to allow myself to buy 6 polishes in case theirs any limited edition colours I fall in love with or visit a different country and find new polish brands.

Other things I'd like to do this year:
Finish off making my rag rug which I've been making for years, go round the galleries in London, save 10% of each pay check for the future, finish making the wreath, make red velvet cupcakes and macaroons successfully, make homemade nutella, take some photos for OOTD posts, hand paint some mugs, make my own wrapping paper and tags for Christmas, maybe even for birthdays, volunteer for the BuyArtFair again in Manchester, visit more cities around the UK, make a mini blackboard out of a picture frame, master knitting properly, put my crocheting skills to use and make something, buy a film camera: either a Diana or Holga.

December Empties

2011-12-31T11:01:00.000Z

Haven't finished too many full sized products this month which is what I was expecting since the majority of the things I'm using at the moment are pretty new and full.

Liz Earle Shampoo - Sad to see this finished, it's my second bottle and I really like it. You can read my full review here along with my mum's. I will eventually buy a new bottle but I have so many different shampoos at the moment I'm trying to finish them up. This is in my top favourite shampoos.

The Body Shop Lemongrass Foot Powder Lotion - Think this has been discontinued now and I'm glad to have finished it. I liked it when I bought it but recently it's just been drying my feet out which is not what I want. If they still sold this, I wouldn't buy it again.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish - This is just a mini tube that I take away with me and has lasted a surprisingly long time. I have another mini tube so don't need to repurchase just yet. The best cleanser I've tried so far, love it.

Liz Earle Sensitive Shave Cream - I really enjoyed using this mini tube of shave cream but it just doesn't work as well as the Bluebeards Revenge one does. I might buy a full sized tube at some point though.

Mark Hill Frizz Serum - This is another one that I liked when I bought it but didn't like once I started using it again. Wanted to finish it off though and glad I have. I've gone through three of these but won't be purchasing again. The V05 miracle concentrate works so much better.

Collection 200 Big Fake Mascara - I think I got a bit of an off one as it was basically dried up when I bought it. It was in it's proper packaging though and was all sealed up. If it's meant to be like this then I can't see the hype. Can't see myself buying this again.

Bunch of samples - Been trying out perfume samples this month and I've found two that I want to add to my ever growing perfume list. These are Angel by Thierry Mugler and Narciso Rodriguez for her. Also really liked the grapefruit face wash although there wasn't enough in the sample to try it out properly.

What was the last product you finished?

December Favourites

2011-12-30T10:49:00.000Z

This months favourites is my little winter survival kit. It's full of products to keep you moisturised with a bit of festive fun.

Soap & Glory Daily Smooth Body Butter - I've been using this on my feet every night to keep them smooth and soft. I walk around in my bare feet a lot in the summer so they're always really dry. This also smells great too.

Lush Helping Hands hand cream - I've been keeping this in my bag as well as on my bedside table so I'm constantly applying this to my hands each day. I'm not so keen on the scent but it's really moisturising which makes up for it. It's lavender and chamomile scented but I think it's the chamomile that I don't like. I also love the little pump dispenser.

Models Own Scarlet Sparkle - This is the perfect red glitter for this time of year. You can see my NOTD here. It's also pretty easy to remove for a glitter polish.

Space NK Laughter Perfume - I got this mini bottle of perfume in my Latest In Beauty fragrance box and it actually retails for £25. I only bought the box for £5! It's a spicy citrus cologne scent which I love and works all year round.

Fresh Brown Sugar Lip Treatment* - This is the only lip balm I've been using this month and it's worked wonders. You can read my full review here.

Weleda Wild Rose Body Wash* - This is the perfect winter body as it's just so moisturising and it smells amazing. You can read my full review here.

Gwdihw Nail Wizard* - Using this in conjunction with the Helping Hands hand cream has gotten my hands back into a good condition. Although my cuticles on my thumb and two fingers on my left hand haven't grown back. Not really sure what's up with that but it's been working wonders on my other cuticles. Love the scent too.

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream Skin Protectant - I've been using this to combat dry patches of skin like on my elbows and knees. You can read my full review here.