Book Club: Book of the Month #1

The guernsey literary and potato peel society

Hi everyone, this post is less beauty themed and is perhaps more of a lifestyle related post. I moved to a new area in November last year and i quickly found a favourite cafe of mine called The Bird's Nest which is in the centre of town inside the market hall in Shrewsbury. I recently heard that they have a book club which meets the first Tuesday of every month and as i am new to the area i decided to take part.

I've always been a book lover, ever since i was really young i would immerse myself in anything i could get my hands on and as a result i got a pretty vivid imagination. I once read a book by Nostradamus cover to cover and became convinced at ten years old that the world was going to end. I think i worried my parents enough to restrict me to children's books from then on!

Anyway, the book i am reading this month took my surprise as at first i was like uhhh.. i don't think this is my cup of tea, but when i got into it i was so pleasantly surprised. I'm only a couple of chapters in but i'm already laughing my head off at some bits and i am looking forward to reading the rest.

                  Source: Goodreads.com

The book is called The Guernsey and Literary Potato Peel Society and is written by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. I got an iPad Mini for christmas so i picked this up using my kindle app for £4.20 off Amazon, which is really good value however my guilt about neglecting the high street bothers me. I thought it would be interesting to share the book of the month with you to see if anyone has any thoughts on the book *no spoilers please* and also incase anyone else shares an interest in reading. I'll do an update after i have finished reading it, i haven't got long until i meet the group for the first time so i'd better get cracking!

Lots of Love,

L'oreal Confettis Top Coat Nail Polish

speckled easter nails

Hi everyone, i've recovered (just about) from a horrible 24 hour bug, yesterday i could not get out of bed for love nor money, it was abs horrific! However, i'm BACK and feeling better than yesterday, yay. This post is a review of the new L'oreal top coat confettis nail polish which are taking over the beauty realm like wildfire and unless you've been under a rock or in bed like me i'm sure you have seen this before. I thought i would do mine in an Easter style and i don't mean to jump the gun but sunshine might be on its way so i fancied a sunny yellow shade! A girl can dream ;)

What do you think of my sunny nails? I love this l'oreal confetti polish, it's a kind of version of the speckled Illamasqua polishes (which do look lovely) and this way you can tailor your nails by using whichever shade you like as a base polish! So purdy! This polish was £4.99 for 5ml from Boots. Bargain!

What do you think of my speckled nails, have you got any colour recs?

Lots of Love,

Figs & Rouge Lip, Face and Body Balm

100% Pure and Natural

Hi lovely readers, i hope you're having a great weekend! I definitely had a good Saturday, i went into town with the boy to get some bits and we stopped off at our local market hall and had a lovely lunch! Then i went to collect some chocolates i won off Twitter which were absolutely DIVINE! I got a couple of bits from New Look too which i will show you guys soon, i hope they fit though as it was so busy i couldn't be bothered to try on :/

This post is based on a lovely product i received in my Valentines Glossybox this month which i showed you previously here. Figs and Rouge is a 100% Organic Balm which is suitable for the lips face and body. I got 'Rambling Rose' flavour but depending on which Glossybox you received you could have had Peppermint and Teatree or Cherry Vanilla, yum! Figs and Rouge balm is made in the UK, is petroleum free and is not tested on animals. Figs and Rouge normally retails at £4.99 and is available from Boots, Feel Unique, Urban Outfitters, Naturismo and other stockists.

I love the packaging of this balm but more than anything i love the balm itself. It soothes and moisturises my lips and it seems the texture is quite granular but i really like it as it does feel so lovely to apply. I'm not sure how this would fare as a body balm as the tin itself is small. I do find i need regular top ups to keep my lips moisturised, but i do suffer particularly badly with dry lips.

As i said all the ingredients are natural: Ricinus communis oil, hydrogenated castor oil, copernicia cerifera wax, pelargonium graveolens oil, citronellol, geraniol, linalool, citral and limonene. I will definitely be rebuying this when i run out and i am also going to explore their other products further, as the website seems to offer a lot of choice and also interesting flavours too!

I love this balm and i highly recommend it. 

What do you think of the Figs and Rouge Balm?

Lots of Love,

The Life Post

Life Update #1

Hi everyone, i hope you are all having a lovely weekend! This post is just a little post obviously about me and how things are at the moment. I've been feeling a bit down lately as i'm watching everyone around me move further on in terms of work and career and it can be a bit disheartening when you're a student. 

I don't know if you know but i'm currently studying for my masters in Forensic Psychology which i decided to do after i graduated last summer. My initial degree was a long and difficult road in itself and it truly was a three year slog. Sometimes i think to myself "What was it all for?" as Psychology isn't as short and sweet as right yup now you're a psychologist, it doesn't work like that unfortunately. 

Now i'm a graduate in further study and i have found recently that saying this in interviews can actually count against you and i've found myself being discounted for jobs as soon as i mention that i'm a student. This is a bit disheartening, especially when you've invested so much as study isn't cheap, all in the hope of getting a job. Now i have decided not to say i am a student when applying, my lectures finish in March anyway and then it's just my dissertation due in September, so i am ready and willing and almost desperate to get a job now.

Fingers crossed and i hope i get a job soon, i'm getting involved in voluntary work so that's a good thing. But just incase anyone else feels like they're in the same boat, my advice is keep going and in the words of Ben Howard; Keep your head up, keep your heart strong!

After all, it's more important to be happy than to worry yourself silly, i believe in fate and i know that when something is meant to be, it will be. I just hope it's soon!

Lots of Love,

No7 Beautiful Skin Hydration Mask

And On the 7th Day God Gave Soft Skin

Hi Dolls! I am sure many of us are face mask junkies and i myself have developed a certain penchance for face masks, however my budget currently only allows me to try high street face masks - but i don't think there's anything wrong with that because there are some crackers out there! The mask i am going to review today is the Hydration Mask by No7 available from Boots for £12.50.

This mask has become a favourite of mine. Whilst in the bath i exfoliate with St Ives, i then apply a face mask of choice and obviously leave on for said amount of time before washing off. I then follow up using this beauty, which can be left on for up to ten minutes, however even 2-3 minutes does the job! After washing off, you are left with beautifully soft skin which feels like a baby's whatsit.. this really does do what it claims to and my skin is left lovely and soft.

I have sensitive skin and the only thing i will state as a complaint is that this mask does feel slightly uncomfortable at first, i won't go so far as to say it stings but i do feel a SLIGHT sensation of some sort, however my skin is never ever red afterwards and i can't see any physical complaints. I don't want to sound AM DRAM because this sensation really shouldn't detract from the performance of this product, as it is great.

I highly recommend that you check out this mask as it will help you achieve lovely soft skin. In terms of hydration, i would say the effects of this are short-lived with regards to improving dry skin, but for a couple of days at least your skin should feel noticeably softer.

Have you tried this mask, what did you think?

Lots of Love, 

The Glinda Palette FOTD #1

Urban Decay Magic

Hi everyone, i hope you're all well, how cold is it today?? One second we think the weather is improving and Spring is on it's way, and then BOOM another cold snap! Brrrr. Anyway, to brighten things up today i decided to play with my Glinda Palette by Urban Decay which i have previously reviewed here. This is my first proper experiment with a palette for blog purposes and i am no MUA so please don't judge me too harshly :)

Here we go this is the first look i have created with my Glinda Palette, i hope you like it!

I created this look by applying Illusion as the base shade and then applying the pearly half of Aura into the crease leading outwards away from the eye. Magic was applied into the inner corner of my eye and was then blended outwards. I used the gold half of Oz along the upper lash line before applying the eye pencil in shade Rockstar along the lower lash line. 2 x coats of Covergirl Lashblastluxe Mascara to finish, et voila!

All i need now is the dress, a wand and a bubble and i shall be Glinda! 

What do you think of my Glinda look?

Lots of Love,

Bionsen Roll On and Pump Spray Deodorant

Stay fresh and smell gorgeous... naturally

Hi everyone, today's post is based on a new deodorant range which is coming onto the market this month. I was very kindly offered the chance to review these products by Bionsen and i am extremely happy and grateful for this opportunity to deliver my review.

According to Bionsen themselves, the Bionsen's deodorant range contains a unique blend of Japanese Spa Minerals which are aluminium and paraben free. These products have been tested by the Clinic of Dermatology at Siena University and are formulated using vital minerals found in the volcanic spas of Japan which are long-prized for their ability to nourish the skin and keep it healthy. As mentioned, the entire Bionsen range is free from aluminium and parabens (which have been linked to skin irritation and allergic reactions in those with sensitive skin) which is good to know, because i myself suffer from sensitive skin.

I reviewed the Deodrant Roll-on (50ml) and the Deodorant Pump Spray (100ml) as shown below:

I found that both of these products had a great fresh scent and true to their label they did keep me fresh over a 24 hour period. The pump spray was quite a novel item to me as i have not experienced deodorant in pump form before only a spray. The spray was really nice to use because it doesn't have the pressure of an aerosol spray which can irritate my underarms sometimes, so this is a lovely alternative for those sensitive ladies like me.

There are five products in the Bionsen range altogether:

- Deodorant stick (40ml)
- Deodorant Roll-on (50ml)
- Deodorant Pump Spray (100ml)
- Deodorant Aerosol Spray (150ml)
- Deo Total Body (20g crystals)

The deodorant roll-on will be priced at £2.35 and the pump spray at £2.75 available from Morrisons supermarkets this february. Other stockists include the Bionsen website aswell as other leading supermarkets and Boots.

What do you think of these deodorants, do you steer clear of Aluminium and Parabens?

Lots of Love,

L'oreal Color Riche Nail Polish - 818 Sweet Amethyst

Rose Gold Love

I picked up this polish on the weekend from my local Boots. It is shade number 818 - Sweet Amethyst by L'oreal and it is my new love as i rarely see rose gold polishes around!

I got away with one coat of this and the little brush applies the polish well. I love how it catches the light it is so pretty.

What do you think of this nail polish?

Lots of Love,

My Natural FOTD

My Everyday Look

Hi everyone! Today i am going to do a self-photo on my blog which is something i have never done before. I have finally built up the confidence to get myself out there and show you what i do to achieve my most worn everyday look. I'm not somebody who wears a great deal of makeup everyday but i do admit i can't really go without wearing makeup if i am going to leave the house because i feel much better with my makeup on to be honest. 

What products did i use?

So this is actually looking like quite a lot of products for a natural look, haha but i think i take a lot of work to look even remotely human sometimes i won't lie :) Today i tried the Vichy Dermablend for the first time, i got shade Opal which is the palest shade but i still find you can easily look like you've been tangoed if you're not careful!

I use a lot of concealers as you can see because i get tired eyes that make me look about 80! I used glow all out all over, before using my Prime Time eyeshadow primer by Bare Minerals which i can't rave about enough because you only need the tiniest bit for both eyes to last all day! I used my Stila in the light palette in shades bare and kitten, followed by my Stila smudge stick liner in shade Tetra along the top of each eyelid. Covergirl lastblastluxe mascara was then applied x 2 coats.

The blusher i used is Gina by Nars and i love this so much! My eyebrows were filled in with my Browzings by Benefit in shade Medium which i have had for a good two years now. Lips are Kate for Rimmel in shade 03, my favourite natural lipstick of choice.

My Tools

I applied the concealer first with the second brush in by Stila before applying foundation with my fingers, sorry but it was the most workable way! The Real Techniques powder brush on the far right was then used to apply glow all out all over my face. The eyeshadow brush i used for the base shade bare was the contour shadow Bare Minerals brush and kitten was applied with my MAC 239 brush. My favourite brush for applying Nars blush has to be my Cosmopolitan blush brush because it has just the right angle for a great application.

I hope you enjoyed my natural FOTD post, this is my first one and i know i don't look totally amazing but i thought i would dip my toe in the water post-wise and see how i got on. 

What do you think, would you like to see more posts like this?

Lots of Love,

February Favourites

The Sun Is Shining, The Weather Is Sweet

Hi everyone! Can you believe the sun is shining.. what kind of sorcery is this?? Just in time for the lovely pair of sunnies i bought yesterday! Yee-ha! I hope you're all well and that you're having a fabulous weekend!

This post is based on my current monthly favourites that i can't get enough of! I change my mind like the weather so what's in with me one minute could very well be out the next... but these have been loved for a good few weeks.

1. Stila In the Light Palette

This is raved about by every man and his dog on twitter and i have reviewed it previously here. I still can't get enough of this palette and in my opinion the shade 'kitten' is possibly my favourite eyeshadow of all time. I certainly won't be trying the smudge pot version anytime soon though, i'll stick with me shadow!

2. Nars Gina Blush

I have had this blusher for a good while now, Nars blushers are firm favourites of mine as they apply so well and they are so vivid upon application. I recently acquired Orgasm also, but Gina is very well used and i love the kind of burnt orange colour to it.

3. Soap and Glory Glow All Out

I've had this for soo long and i never used to think much of it, boy has this changed! I love this powder it is amazing, i apply this after my powder on top of my foundation sometimes but it also works as a powder itself after foundation all over for a great pearly pinky glow. Love this and i recently acquired the bronzer which i can't wait to try. I hope it is just as good!

4. Covergirl Lashblastluxe Mascara

This was a total bargain find in TK MAXX and i have previously reviewed this mascara here so you can see for yourself just how good it is. For £4 this was a bargain and i love the way it gives me huuuuge lashes. I like to lay it on thick!

5. MAC Brush No 239

I love this eyeshadow brush so much as it is just the perfect size for sweeping eyeshadow onto my eyelid only, sometimes i don't want the eyeshadow all over my eyelid like i would with a base shade, therefore this brush allows me the ease the apply shadow specifically to the lid. Love this brush so much and also want the number 238!

6. Alien Perfume by Thierry Mugler

Oh my god i wanted this perfume for so long but i always thought it was quite expensive for a what i would call non-high end perfume, but the perfume shop recently had a good deal on for the sets of both alien and angel, even though to be honest it was still over £30. Alien is a gorgeous scent unlike anything i usually go for, i would describe it as sexy, musky and mysterious! It is so nice you should try it out! I don't think much of Angel though, but each to their own.

I hope you have enjoyed my February loves post, this just a small snippet of what i obviously use on a day to day basis, but these are some of my faves.


Lots of love,

Barry M Lipstick 101 - Marshmallow

Pink To Make The Boys Wink

Hey lovelies, this post is yet another lipstick review.. i swear i'm the lipstick queen of late i don't know what's wrong with me i can't stop buying them! After the letdown of Happy Hibiscus by MAC, actually there have been some developments on that.. it's a lot better if you smudge it in with your fingers! Odd but it works it into the lips and then it looks a whole lot better than it did when i first reviewed it!


Anywho my search for a pale pink babydoll style lipstick has continued and i stumbled across my next contender, Barry M 101 lipstick in shade 'Marshmallow'. I do love Barry M for their sheer cheapness and out there colour range, they really go for it and obviously they are very reasonable. I got this lipstick and two glosses for £4.49 each but.. in Superdrug it must be 3 for 2 at the moment according to my receipt! I'm also a student so i get a cheeky 10% off in Superdrug which i likey a lot!












OOOOO... AAAAAAA.... I really dig this lipstick and i think it is VERY close to my perfect baby doll/pale pink lipstick, however i wouldn't say it was THE ONE, you know, the perfect all encompassing pale pink lipstick that makes me feel like a million dollars, but it is very nice!

What do you think of this lipstick, do you have any recommendations for me?

Lots of Love,

Bourjois Paris Rouge Edition Lipsticks

Oooh La La

Bonjour lovely readers! This post is a review of two of the new Rouge Edition lipsticks released by Bourjois Paris. I myself have never been a huge fan of Bourjois Paris, this is not to say i don't like them i just don't normally stop by their product stand, of course i've had a couple of their blushers in the past but they have never been my 'go-to' brand of choice. This might change.


There are 18 shades to choose from incorporating a wide colour selection from brights to corals and pinks and nudes and there is a colour for everyone i imagine! These are £7.99 in Boots and are currently on buy one get one half price which is good to know, i also got some random face gems included too which was a nice perk!



I got two shades, #17 Rose Millesme





and #10 Rouge Buzz





Here are the swatches:

#17 Rose Millesime





and #10






My favourite is #10 as i find this an almost blood red colour which is so different to anything i've ever worn before. These lipsticks aim to provide 10 hours of hydration and they certainly feel lovely and smooth once applied and the colour payoff is fabulous as you can see.

The only issue i had with these lipsticks was the fact that they weren't sealed and when i got home i noticed they had both been damaged, which is obviously disappointing and makes me wonder about possible hygiene issues. That aside, i think these are worth a try especially for the buy one get one half price offer, stock up now!

What do you think of the Bourjois Rouge Edition lipsticks?

Butter London Lippy Review - Fiddlesticks

Well Fiddlydee

Hi Dolls! Today's post is a review of a Butter London Lippy called Fiddlesticks! I picked up this lippy as part of my naughty TK MAXX haul as shown here and i got three lippy's for £10! Oopsie I was bad that day but so many good things were on the shelves! Now i haven't tried a Butter London product before, although i have heard great things about their polishes they have been on my wishlist for a good while now, so when i saw a lip trio in TK MAXX i just had to have them to give them a whirl!

So, a bit of background on Butter London! Their products are free from harmful products such as Formaldehyde, Tourene, DBP or paragens and they were the first company to sell 3 free nail lacquer in the US. From what i can gather the company has british elements obviously such as the name 'Butter London' and the company was founded by a british entrepeneur called Sasha Muir, however it appears Butter London is based in the US but distributes through many UK stockists.

This is fiddlesticks!






Fiddlesticks is a gorgeous glittery purple shade which looks so beautiful!





When i first saw the doe foot applicator i was a little disappointed as this can accrue bacteria but i'm not that fussy about it but i do hate that you can't scrape the last of the gloss from the bottom of the tube due to the length being shorter. Oh well better than a brush IMO. The stickers on the side of the product were also a little annoying and my OCD went wild, but they peel off easily!


Here's a couple of swatches:






This lipgloss applies so well and i have to say i really really love it! Whilst i was a little surprised at how sheer it applied as compared to how it looks in the tube, it has such a nice berry tinge with subtle amounts of glitter which make it look really pretty once on. I find that the formula is not sticky at all and it actually feels lovely and is very moisturising!

Overall, i am so impressed with this product and i can't wait to try the other two from my trio pack. I would love to give you an exact price for a Butter London lippy but from my research online it seems as though the prices fluctuate dramatically depending on which distributor you choose! Anywhere from £6 to £13 each it seems! I got 3 for £10 from TK MAXX.

What do you think of Butter London Lippy?