MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas has been so busy in my house, so I've not had any time to blog, with the last minute rushing around stresses, family time and daily food babies. This year was lovely for me and my family, lots of food, country walks, copious amounts of alcohol, Downtown Abbey box sets and endless board games. Santa was kind and bought me a few nice treats, and I've also bought myself a lot of pressies too! I will be featuring some of my gifts in future posts, there are a few reviews coming up and a lot of fashion posts so keep your eyes peeled!
Thought I would do a little wishlist as it's now 1.14am and I really need to get to bed! It's my birthday on the 5th January so these are a few ideas for my family and friends, I find it so hard to decide what I want though as a lot of things I can buy myself, but wishlists are a good way for me to decide what I want to do with my money as I'm a persistant impulse-buyer. I've had so many people tell me I would love Morroccan Oil so I'm keen to try it out. I was offered a free bottle of this at my old job last year as we had some freebies and I stupidly declined not realising how big Morroccan Oil would become! Dohhh D: The clutch I saw in Bank the day after boxing day and fell in love with. I have so many ideas for outfits I could team it with and it's a complete bargain at just £25! The sweatpants I have actually just ordered over at Jack Wills as I was scared they would sell out, they've just gone in the sale! I don't really have any 'loungewear' and these look perfect for travelling, though theyre not what I would usually go for, but I am trying to be practical with my spending this year! I do love Topshop make-up and have noticed these gorgeous colours in their nail range which I need in my life! The 2 middle shades are my favourite and will probably be purchased in the next week or so if I can make it into the city. The Enrapture styler looks amazing after reading Emmas review, I really like the idea of being able to alter the heat settings in each section of the tong.

How was everybody's Christmas? What treats did Santa bring you? How did you celebrate the day?

MODELS OWN HI-DEFINER PRO EYELINER

I use liquid eyeliner every day of my life, and i've tried out so many (Rimmel, H&M, Benefit, Stila, Beauty UK, Mabelline to name a few!) but this one by MODELS OWN is the best of the lot!

"This dazzling liquid liner gives a defined and dramatic look with amazing staying power. 'Wow' all day and night with Models Own Hi-Definer Pro-Eyeliner."

It's very pigmented, it dosent go grey or slide off after a few hours which so many other eyeliners do. It comes in a 4ml tube much like a small mascara tube, so you get a lot of product for a bargainous £6!
The thin brush allows you to get the perfect line, and it dries almost instantly so dosent smudge atall.
I love the packaging, it stands out in my make-up bag and it's my favourite colour, whats more to like?!

I honestly don't have anything bad to say about this. Love the eyeliner, love the packaging and quantity, love the price!

MODELS OWN Hi-Definer Pro Eyeliner is available here and for a limited time if you buy it together with any Hi-Definer mascara you can save £2!
You can also purchase MODELS OWN from selected Boots stores.

LUSH POW WOW LIP SCRUB

I first read about LUSH lip scrubs on Holly's blog, as soon as I heard this one was popping candy I had to have it!
I haven't been into LUSH for years, my Mum used to buy me a bath bomb as a treat every now and again when I was younger but that hasn't happened in a while! If I'm completly honest, I'm not a fan of LUSH packaging, I like my packaging girly!
You basicly put this on your lips, rub your lips together, and then lick off and let the popping candy do its magic! I'm all for a gimmicky beauty product so I was all over this! Obviously because its popping candy the granules are quite large, so its not something you can really use out and about because it goes everywhere, but I use this most evenings before I go to bed and my lips are noticably softer :) It smells exactly like the green fruit pastille too! Yum! I did find that mine melted a little, it looked kinda gloopy but I took it back to the store and was told this is a common problem with the product and was caused by temperature change, and that it resets after a while. I used a blotting paper to get rid of this as it was putting me off a little, but it's fine now :)

Pow Wow is priced at £4.75 and is available exclusively for Christmas, you can buy it here

What do you think of LUSH as a brand? Have you tried Pow Wow or any of the other limited edition christmas products? What do you think?

VIVO ULTIMATE BROW AND EYE COLOUR REVIEW

I don't normally go for supermarket/cheaper brand make-up, as snobby as that sounds, because I just get visions of scratchy foamy applicators, colours that arent very pigmented, and the worry of having to use a lot to get any kind of coverage, but budget brand cosmetics are definatly upping their standards if this set is anything to go by!
I never really paid my eyebrows much attention, I saw the September Glossybox and thought the HD Brows looked pretty cool, but at £19.95, I couldnt justify spending the money on something I didnt even know if I wanted or would use. After a recent trip to London I decided enough was enough when I saw how rubbish my brows looked in this picture!
Exhibit A(I'm on the right, excuse the face):

I read Lily's review of the Vivo palette and decided to try it as it's so cheap at just £5. I was so nervous trying this out, yep it's make-up and it washes off but as a brow virgin I have no idea what I'm doing! I decided to play it safe and use the midde shade, just a little sweep through the thicker part of my brows to darken them. It looked scary to me at first as I'm not used to paying my eyebrows such attention, but after I put the sealing gel (not gonna lie, I thought it was mascara until I read the back!) over the top I found the effect was really nice, not too heavy like I anticipated, just a subtle hint of colour that I know will stay put all day (I've just finished an 8 hour shift and its stayed put!)
The colours work really nicely as eyeshadows too, especially for day time. Basicly, go out and buy this! It's definatly in my everyday makeup bag from this day forward :)
Here are my eyebrows after using the palette. Not really a huge amount of difference, but as I said, I was dipping my toes in carefully. Not a great picture either as it's taken on a webcam, though I do love this shot of me and my beautiful twin nieces :)

Vivo cosmetics are available exclusively at Tesco

Have you tried any of the Vivo range? What are your favourite items from the collection? Do you use the Brow Palette yourself?

ITS BEEN A WHILE...

I've been so busy lately! I've had my bedroom decorated and I've had the dreaded lurgey! Currently sitting here with my Minnie Mouse mug filled with hot blackcurrant, though I'd much rather have a Costa Black Cherry Hot Chocolate! Soooo scrummy!
I have braved the cold for a little bit of retail therapy though, I'm never too ill to shop!

Excuse the unexciting photo, I'm rushing this post a little and didnt have time to try them on!
Floral vest top, £10 (sale), Black jumper, £26, Floral kimono, £15 (sale), all Topshop

I love so many things in topshop at the moment! Latest on the wishlist are these, HOW BEAUTIFUL?! Plus I don't have any red shoes so it only seems right that I should get these for if I ever go to Emalrald City, a la Dorothy!

I'm sorry this post is a little lacklustre, I shall be posting soon with some reviews!

What kind of reviews would you like to see featured on my blog?

NEW COAT

I've been needing a new coat for a while, as last years one is looking very tired and bobbly, so I popped into Primark as im on a limited budget this month to see what this seasons collection has to offer. There are so many different styles and colours to chose from compared to last year, I'm really impressed actually. This is the one I chose:

I must say I'm a little bit shy when it comes to coats, I like to stick to classic shapes and colours as a coat is something I wear so often in winter, it HAS to go with everything. I chose this one because it's a practical (not usually the most important factor when I'm shopping!) Navy Blue and it's unlike any of my other coats which I still wear from time to time. It was a toss up between this one or the exact same in camel, but I chose this one because it's more versatile.

At £18 I thought I had a abargain, when I got it to the till and found it was down to £14.90 I was even more pleased! Even if it only lasts a year like my last one i'm happy. The fur is detatchable and convieniently fits perfectly onto last years leather jacket too!

Definatly £15 well spent, and who knows, if im feeling rich next month I might go back and buy the camel version aswell!

What coat are you waering this year? How do you think Primark compares to the rest of the highstreet this AW?

ITS GLOSSYBOX TIME!

This morning I woke to my Mum shouting to me that GlossyBox had come, something I'd normally be so excited about, though after reading Lily and Emma's reviews I'm kind of meh about this month.

Lets take a look inside...

 

Illamasqua Freak perfume, Nail Rock Nail Wraps, Dead Sea Spa Magik Bath Salts, FC5 Swiss Ultra Hydrating Hand Creme, Monu Professional Skincare Revitalising Moisturiser

Gotta say GlossyBox, I'm not impressed with this box. It seems very 'empty' compared to last months box, and I've not tried any of the items yet because theyre simply not something I'm interested in. 

My favourite product is probably the perfume. I'm not normally a fan of perfume samples, but knowing this is unisex is handy, my boyfriend comes to stay a lot so having something he can use in the mornings is a good thing. It's not what I'd usually go for at all but theres something about it I really like and will probably put this on my christmas list. 

The nail wraps are something I really didnt like about the box. They've been used before in a previous box and I find it much easier to paint my own nail art, as these are fiddly and from my experience look quite tacky on, though this may be me being rubbish at them! I'll probably give these to one of my friends.

The bath salts are something I wouldnt use, I dont like take taking baths anyway as I hate soaking in my own filth! I'll give these to my Mum, though she already has a lot of Dead Sea Spa Magik products so she may already have these. 

The moisturiser I think is a full sized product, again something I'm not really excited about. Maybe if the packaging was more 'me' I would use this, but I'm pretty happy with my current moisturiser (Soap & Glory For Daily Youth 6-In-One Superboost Moisture Lotion). Same goes for the hand creme.

Overall, this box isn't really relevant to me. I would have liked to recieve the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer as it's a product I'm intrigued by and is something I would actually use, but hey-ho, you win some, you lose some. I'll definatly hold out for next months box, but i think if its anything like this one I'll probably call it quits on my subscription.

What did you think of this months GlossyBox? Will you be keeping your subscription? What was your favourite item in this months box?

SOAP & GLORY THE FAB PORE 15 MINUTE FACIAL PEEL

I bought this product a few weeks ago after reading a few reviews. I have combination skin that's very prone to acne, especially as I'm the biggest picker ever. I just can't leave anything alone!
My skin has been paticuarly bad lately so I decided to try this out as I don't have a mask that I reguarly use.

"Soap & Glory The Fab Pore™ 15 Minute Facial Peel 50ml has an intensive pore refining action with our exclusive PORESHRINK-R COMPLEX. Ideal for greasy, spot prone or problem skin, or for a strategic attack on a misbehaving T-Zone."

The first thing I noticed about the mask was the lovely, typically S&G packaging, winner for me, and a nice sized pot, it literally fits in the palm of your hand. One thing I really like about this product is that the mask itsself has blue beads in it, so you can see that you've rubbed the fourmula in properly.

You can just kick back and relax for 15 minutes while the mask does its job, and when I say you can relax, you actually can, it dosent dry up and leave that horribly uncomfortable 'cant-smile-unless-i-crack-this' feel. A few splashes of water and my skin felt refreshed and smooth. I've been using this product at least once a week for a month now and I would say my skin is definatly smoother and my spots are less red and angry looking. The pot does say to use it 2-3 times a week, and I will be doing so in the coming months, as my skin is definatly a confidence issue at the moment, I'm just so bad at sticking to skincare routines!

The fab Pore retails at £8 at Boots. I feel the price is good for what you get out of the product. It will last ages as you only use a grape sized dollop at a time. If I used this 2-3 times a week I can confidently say I'm sure my skin would benefit.

You can read more about Soap & Glory at http://www.soapandglory.com/

Do you like Soap and Glory products? Have you tried The Fab Pore? What did you think of it? Do you recommend any other items from the Soap & Glory range?

BURTS BEES ORANGE ESSENCE FACIAL CLEANSER

I wanted to review this cleanser as it's one of my all time skincare favourites. I first tried Burts Bees when I was around 14, I got a starter gift set for Christmas and the cleanser was included. It's taken so long for me to track it down since then as i think it was discontinued, or is only available online but I've finally found it on probably the most obvious place - Www.Boots.Com, and it's also available direct through Www.BurtsBees.Co.Uk

You get 120g in the tube so it's gonna last a while, especially as you only really use about a pea size dollop every time. You rub the formula into dry skin then simply wash off with cold water. It is quite sticky, kind of like rubbing marmalade on your face(!!) but once I'd washed it off it left my skin buttery soft. It's ideal for sensitive skin, and you can use it on your eyes without it irritating or stinging.

Burts bees use all natural ingredients in their products and never test on animals

"Your well-being is affected every single day by the personal care products you use. Our goal is to create and educate people on truly natural products that have a positive effect on both you and the world you live in for the good of your well-being, for the good of the environment and for The Greater Good. Simply put, we strive to make people's lives better every day — naturally."

I honestly love this cleanser, I can't go out without having used it first. After using this I took a cotton pad soaked in toner over my face and theres absoulutly no product residue afterwards. It's just a really lovely product that gives a really deep clean for sensitive skin and the packaging is great. It's £10.99 a tube, which I think is a bit expensive if you havent tried the brand before and just want to trial the product, but I would quite happily pay that much myself.

For more information about the brand and other products, visit Www.BurtsBees.Co.Uk


Do you use Burts Bees products? How do you rate them? Is Burts Bees a brand you'd be interested in trying?

GLAMOUR MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2011 & NAILS INC

So I was browsing my local newsagents the other day when I saw that you get a free Nails Inc polish with this months issue. Theres 4 colours to choose from, Tate, Victoria, Piccadilly Circus and Basil Street, I chose Piccadilly Circus, its a lovely Wintery Raspberry shade. I don't actually have any Nails Inc products, well I did have one free with Glamour a year or so ago that I didnt get on too well with so it went to my Mum. I was a little worried I might have the same problems, but at £2 it's a gamble I was prepared to take.

So I bought the mag, had a little flick through an kind of forgot about the polish until today (typical me!) when I was getting ready for work. I tried some nail art with it and I've gotta say, I think this may become my new favourite polish! It applies so smoothly, the colour is true to how it looks in the bottle, dries relatively quick and looks like it's gonna be pretty chip resistant. I'm pleased! Heres a little snap of the nails I used to practice with (Broadway Real Life Natural Nails Real Short)

It was my first attempt at the glitter gradient so I need a bit of practice there but I love the leopard print and will definatly be wearing this once I'm done with my current pink glitter nails. These are the products I used

For the glitter gradient: Nails Inc in Piccadilly Circus (FREE with this months Glamour Magazine!)
Silver Glitter Nail Art Pen (via this ebay shop, £6.60 for 24, obviously not as good as the WAH one, but such a bargain!)
To do this I basicly painted the glitter on as if it was a french tip using the striper brush, and then kind of dragged it downwards to get that gradient effect, maybe I'll do a tutorial if people want to see it)

For the leopard print: Nails Inc in Picadilly Circus
Models Own/WAH Nails Nail Art Pen in Black (£6)
Pink Glitter Nail Art Pen
I learnt the Leopard technique by watching Gem's tutorial which you can see for yourself here by the way :)

Have you bought the latest issue of Glamour? What shade did you pick? Let me know guys, as I'm so tempted to go back and buy the other three shades!