MAC Giveaway!

Hi everyone!

I am so excited to do my first ever giveaway! This is to say a huge big pooches and cream thank you for following my blog and for making my blogging experience one of the best things i have ever done!

The prize is by MAC; Primped Out Lip Look Bag - Lavish Coral shown here:

This set is so cute, it includes 4 items; a lip pencil, cremesheen lipstick, cremesheen glass and a little purse!

Unfortunately as this is my first giveaway, this is only open to UK residents!

Enjoy and happy entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Benefit #Hervanaversary Umbrella Win

You Know Me, In Anticipation For Precipitation

Hi gorgeous readers,

This is a post to let you all know that those Twitter competitions really do work! I'm sure you all know this, but as an avid Twitter user the naive me said to myself "Don't bother entering these competitions, no-one ever wins these things!" Well *note to self* they DO win! And you were one of 'em! Not sure whether i'm talking 3rd or even 4th person here but whatever! 

Benefit were running a Twitter competition to win a Hervana umbrella last week and in order to win you had to tweet #hervanaversary between 12 and 2pm for a chance to win. I tried for literally 3 days solid and in the end I WON ONE!

Now i never usually win anything.. seriously! I'm not kidding, but last week i got lucky. Not only did i win this gorgeous brolly i also won an Illamasqua giveaway which i will be posting about soon, so if you're not sick of me already here is a picture of me with my new brolly and i really am trying not to annoy you all i just wanted to say, go for it! Enter those comps!

Pleased. As. Punch. Thankyou Benefit!

The Wellies Post

Flower Power

Hi everyone! How are we all? I hope you're all feeling well. I for one am so glad that the snow has gone, yay!

As this is (hopefully) a sign that we are heading towards Spring, i thought it would be a suitable time to review some great value wellington boots and i was very lucky that Barratts gave me this opportunity.

I always feel that Wellington boots (wellies) get a bit of a harsh deal.. i doubt if anyone asked you what kind of shoe you would be, that you would say you would be a wellington boot, (i'd be a Jimmy Choo, thanks for asking) but no-one can doubt that they are practical, functional, waterproof and last but not least; extremely handy when it comes to festivals!

This is my first EVER pair of wellington boots:

These boots have buckles on the sides!

Looking pretty happy and excited to take Priscilla for a walk in my wellington boots!

They seem to have gotten the seal of approval..

Off we go!

Out in the fields!

Yay, these wellies passed the test! 

I'm a size 7 normally, i stuck to my size and these fit me perfectly. They are super comfy, waterproof, durable and extremely useful for walking Priscilla through the wet and muddy fields. I'm a girly girl and i absolutely love the flowery pattern on these, so pretty! Also, dog walking is now super fun because i can protect my clothes and i don't have to worry about the mud or the puddles.

As you see from my face, i love these wellies. 

They are £18 + £3.50 P+P from Barratts online and you can find them here. They have a great selection of very reasonably priced Wellington boots (and also other shoes, obviously) and the delivery was super super fast as they arrived the next day. Fabulous, thankyou Barratts!

What do you think of these wellington boots?

MAC Lipstick - Viva Glam Nicki

This One Is For The Boys With The Booming System

Hi everyone! 

This post is based on a product i have been lusting over for such a long time. Not only am i a huuuuge fan of Nicki Minaj but i also love MAC cosmetics, therefore it feels so good to finally own this lipstick!

I got this MAC Viva Glam Nicki lipstick from Selfridges in Birmingham on the weekend. I didn't realise that the proceeds of this product (less VAT) go towards the MAC Aids Fund which helps women, men and children everywhere who are affected by aids. 

This is such a good cause and i am so pleased to see cosmetic companies giving something back!

I cannot gush about this lipstick enough! It is my new favourite and therefore it will take pride of place on my dressing table for 2013. 

It is a really bold, vibrant pink that is bound to get you some attention!

What do you think? Do you love this lipstick as much as i do? I'm in love!

As Nicki would say, i love you barbs!


- If you would like to see a review of MAC Viva Glam V by a lovely lady; Miss Beauty Bits, check it out here! Share the blog love guys! xx

Botanics Facial Oil

The Power of Love Plants

Hey everyone!

I hope you're all feeling good today, i know i woke up with a smile on my face after realising that today is Apocalips day! Yay!! Hopefully i'll have my mitts on those babies by the end of the day :)

This is a review of a product i am currently loving and appreciating A LOT. Since it got so cold as i have said in previous posts, my skin is going absolutely haywire! Dry skin, breakouts, itchiness... you name it, i'm experiencing it. 

After reading a lot about facial oils, i decided i want to try them. I have been lusting after the Antipodes Divine Facial Oil, but as yet my beauty budget pursestrings won't quite stretch, it's not even a case of kiss the magic card and hope either! So, i popped into Boots last week to look for a budget friendly buy and this is what i found; Botanics Facial Oil.

This facial oil by Botanics is 100% organic and claims to lack in moisture for 8 hours. I have been using this for about five days now and i am very impressed as i feel like my skin is finally returning to normal! Hurrah!

I apply a few drops of this using the pipette which is fab, every morning and evening after cleansing. I have definitely noticed that my skin has more moisture and also a bit more of a glow. I think this is the pick-me-up i needed!

This is currently £4.99 at Boots and is normally £9.99. Although this is a good product £10 would effectively still be a bit steep for me, i know i know, some say you can't put a price on good skincare but my bank balance wouldn't agree.

So, if you would like to try this product, stock up whilst it's on offer; you might even have to squeeze past me - i'll be the one bulk buying the Apocalips!

I hope you liked this review!

Benefit - Fine One One

Someone Call Nine Fine One One

Hi everyone!


I am so excited to deliver this review of Benefit's new product, Fine One One.


According to Benefit, Fine One One is a sheer brightening cheek and lip trio which encompasses shades of pink champagne, sheer watermelon and soft coral. These shades blend together in order to deliver you beautiful cheeks and lips, enough to brighten any dull day!

Fine One One contains 3 shades which are designed to glide onto the cheekbone from the apple of the cheek to the temple and should be applied with the highlighter facing up towards you.




Here is Fine One One applied to the face with NO blending as yet.



And lightly blended into the face:







I think this product is extremely innovative and as always i love the uniqueness of Benefit's products. I think that the one swipe application is incredibly easy, especially for those who don't currently highlight and contour. Fine One One gives a gorgeous warm glow to my skin as well as a great pop of colour, suitable for any blusher-phobes!

I received this product as part of my goodie bag for attending the Birmingham Bloggers Meetup (thankyou you guys you made my day).

Fine One One full-size is priced at £23.50.


What do you think?

Urban Outfitters Goodies

I Drink You're Cute

Hi everyone!


This is just a quick post to show a few things i picked up from Urban Outfitters, god i love this shop!





It was buy one get one free on sale items, so i got two pairs of socks for my boyfriend for £5! Yay!


I couldn't leave without getting myself a little something, so i got this awesome mug!! You know how some people collect stamps or keyrings or whatever, well i collect mugs (yes mugs), and i think this one was made for me!


Unfortunately the mug wasn't on sale it was £9, but i love it!


Have you had any good buys lately?

STEAMCREAM Review

Does Exactly What It Says On The Tin

Hi everyone! This morning my review is of a handmade moisturiser which uses natural ingredients fused together by a shot of steam. Unlike other moisturisers whose ingredients are bound together by powerful emulsifying techniques, STEAMCREAM ingredients are held together through steam to create a lightweight gentle emulsion.

(Note: I'm saying STEAMCREAM as that is how the product is spelt, not because i think you may be experiencing visual impairment) :)


I came across this cream in my Latest in Beauty Box which i reviewed here. The first thing that struck me about this cream was the beautiful packaging. STEAMCREAM have developed a great eco-friendly concept of packaging their moisturiser and their tins are really what stands out to me straight away.


They come in all sorts of designs and i really recommend you take a look as they are so beautiful.





















This moisturiser is a 3 in 1 moisturiser for face, body and hands and is suitable for all skin types which i think is great. In my opinion this is a great product which really works in terms of moisturisation. Lately my skin has been feeling like a leather boot but this has aided me greatly during this cold weather.


Here is the product on my skin so you can get a sense of STEAMCREAM's texture and consistency:








Initially i thought the product looked thicker than i imagined but when applied it was light and non-greasy and did exactly what it said on the tin (excuse the pun). I also love that after i've finished my STEAMCREAM i can also find a use for the tin so i won't have to throw it away like all my other old moisturisers.


STEAMCREAM 3 in 1 moisturiser is £12.95 for 75g which i think is a great price as it will last me a good while. You can buy this from their website or from their many UK stockists such as House of Fraser, John Lewis, Selfridges, Fenwick and also perhaps strangely, Topshop. Online you can find this at Amazon, Asos, Feel Unique and many other places listed on their website.


I hope you enjoyed my review!






What do you think of this product?

Empties Post #2

Hi everyone,


This is a post on the products i have managed to use up lately! I don't really go through enough products to do monthly posts, maybe because i have so much junk it takes me an age to get through stuff! Haha!


Here are my empty products:










1. Bare Minerals Foundation in Light. I love this product and i will do a review on it soon, i have been using Bare Minerals foundation for a while now and i do rate it as even though i have dry skin i don't find the powder formulation cakey or drying at all and i am super impressed with the coverage. Luckily i have another pot as back up so no need to panic!


2. Garnier Comforting Cleansing Lotion. I use this cleanser to remove my makeup with cotton wool pads and to generally give my skin a clean morning and night. The Rose is suitable for dry skin and i find this cleanser helps to keep my skin clear.


3. Mudd Original Face Mask. I tried this Mudd face mask as it was only 64p from Boots, however i found it quite drying on my skin. I don't think i should use dead sea mud on my skin as perhaps the salt dries it. I won't be repurchasing this one!


4. Coconut Milk Shampoo by Organix. I enjoyed trying this Shampoo and i also bought the conditioner, they both smell lovely and they keep my hair looking good. However i am not totally unsure how organic this actually is, as the ingredients state that this product contains alcohol and several methyl- ingredients.


5. St Ives 'Invigorating' Skin Scrub. This is one of my favourite products ever! I love using this to exfoliate as it only takes a second and it really works. I'm going to get more of this as this is my fourth or fifth i've been using this product forever.


That's my empties post, i hope you enjoyed reading it!


XOXO

Cute Post

Priscilla

As you may or may not know, the inspiration behind my blog is my lovely Pekinese Priscilla. She loves the snow so much that i just had to take some pictures to show you. I hope you enjoy them and i hope it sets you up for a lovely weekend!

Have a great weekend!

XOXO

Boots Haul

Shine Bright Like a Diamond

Hi everyone!

How are we all? I am freezing! It has been snowing all day near me so far, but it seems to be slowing down now. I've got a nice big mug of tea in front of me as i'm writing this post so i am now feeling better than i was this morning! 

I had an interview which didn't go well, started off by this weather then even though the role had been advertised as part-time, when i asked in the interview they said they were looking for a full time person, as i'm at Uni Wednesdays and Thursdays i doubt i'll get the job. So, i got my sorry self down to Boots and bought more beauty products! Yay!

So, what did i get?

1. Botanics 100% Organic facial oil, scientifically proven to lack in moisture for 8 hours apparantly. This products melts into lacklustre skin to soften, condition and restore a natural glow. As i can't get my hands on Antipodes Divine Facial oil i will make do with this for the moment. The product advises two applications morning and night after cleansing and advise massaging a few drops onto the face and neck.

This sounds lovely and was also £4.99 instead of £9.99, £5 off at the moment!

2. Lip Inflation in Clear by Sally Hansen, i have heard many good things about Soap and Glory's Clear Sexy Motherpucker but this caught my eye. Mind you i'm not sure what this will be like as i thought Nails were more Sally Hansen's area? I'm after a trout pout so we shall see how we go. This was £6.39.

3. A girl always needs hair grips right! They seem to disappear off into hair grip world in no time at all. These were 1.49. 

4. FINALLY my Boots had the Hydration Mask for Dry/Very Dry skin back in stock. I've been dying to get hold of this product for ages and i am so excited to try it! I had been waiting to use my voucher offering £5 off No7 skincare, this product was supposed to be £12.50 but i paid £7.50. Bargain!

5. Ok, i'm pretty sure this is the product that i didn't think was available in the UK, but i might be wrong. I am absolutely sure this is the product i have seen being used in several of my favourite American Beauty you-tuber videos and if it is - hooray! I got shade 030 Nude and i am so excited to try it!! This was £12.99.

I won't be doing another haul until the Rimmel Apocalips come out, i will literally be camped outside Boots until they open on the 23rd! I can't wait!

What do you think of my haul? I seem to have got skincare, makeup and hair down in one go! :)

Thankyou for reading!

XOXO

Glossybox January 2013 Review

Morning everyone!

This morning i woke up to my Glossybox, hooray what a nice surprise it was too!

What did i get?

1. Vichy Normaderm 3 in 1 cleanser. This is a multi-tasking product which can be used as a cleanser, exfoliator or mask.

2. A sleep mask!

3. Renu Flash Relax Mask. This provides an instant detox effect as it contains Ginseng and Magnesium to relax fine lines and also vitamins C and B5 to enhance natural radiance whilst also promoting moisture balance. This is paraben free so suitable for the sensitive skinnies like me!

4. Balance Rescue Face Tonique is a refreshing toner for combination skin which matifies and rejuvenates congested skin. This is alcohol and fragrance free and cuts through dirt and excess oil without stripping skin of natural oils.

5. Jason Lips Bee Healthier is a rich, natural lip balm stick which contains beeswax, Vitamin E and Green Tea extract to heal soothe and protect lips while Shea Butter and Sweet Almond Oil moisturise. 

6. Sanctuary Spa Active Reverse Thermal Transformation Mask is an intensely warming two step mask which contains an initial peptide transformation serum which you apply before applying the thermal rose clay to generate a warming effect.

In my opinion this is a much better box for me than the December one which i reviewed here. I can solidly say 4 out of 6 products will be given a go instantly, (products 1, 3, 5, and 6). A sleep mask is useful but i don't anticipate any long haul journeys in the near future sadly but it's nice to keep. The face tonic may send my skin a bit haywire as i am a dry to normal and i don't normally use toners on the skin as a rule so i might give this a miss.

But all in all, i am pleased!

What do you think of this months Glossybox?

XOXO