July Favourites 2016

Hello my lovelies and welcome to August! For me this excites me as we are potentially entering another Summers month and how gorgeous has the weather been in July? Totally amazing is the answer to that. Pure chance that I managed to book two weeks worth of holiday during mid July. Personally, I would say that July has been a good month. I have enjoyed many things during my holiday. Although I didn't actually go away I had a very productive time with gardening and house jobies accompanied by lot's of lovely treat days. I have spent many an afternoon waling on the Downs with Mum. I feel so lucky that we can call the South East our home. Holiday started pretty damn on the Friday going out for dinner and watching the new Ab Fab film, definitely worth a watch! The following day I went to Hastings with my gorgeous mother and best friend. Since moving to Sussex me and Mum have always wanted a sunny day trip to Hastings yet this never happened last year for many reasons such as work, moving house and the weather. Now we can finally tick it off our bucket list. I loved it we did many "touristy" activities such as travelling up the Hastings lift to the top of the cliffs and visiting the cute quirky shops that I would say are very similar to The Lanes in Brighton yet a lot smaller and undiscovered. We then tackled Adventure golf which I have no shame in admitting that I came last in.  After a caffeine shop we had a spontaneous go on the go-karting which was a bit too much for an adrenaline rush for me but something you've got to do once in your life. No day trip to the sea could be possible without a fish and chip lunch and a wonder along the sea front.

Another treat day that I wrote a blog post on that you can read by clicking here was a day out to Chichester with Mum. It has been a dream of Mums to see a real lavender field in full bloom. She discovered one in Laudington so we visited the gorgeous lavender field and she could tick it off her bucket list. I would agree that it was incredible and something you have to see in person. We then went into Chichester and had a cheeky Bill's lunch before continuing our cultural day where we wondered around the town, visited the cathedral and palace gardens.

I haven't been to Brighton recently so what do you do on a gorgeous sunny day I ask you? Spontaneous day trip to Brighton is the answer. Massive sales in Home Sense resulted in some unintentional shopping yet when you can buy beautiful homeward for such good value it would be rude not to. My bedroom is definitely getting there. Mum hadn't visited all of the lanes before so I showed her some more of the lanes. If someone then says who fancies going to Bill's for lunch, I'm hardly going to say no. So TWO Bill's lunches this holiday, what a special treat that was! I mean who can resist the staple dish of Bill's Halloumi burger? Classic. We walked along the beach with crystal blue waters and clear blue sky heaven. Very fitting for ice-cream on the beach, seaside staple. I've heard great reviews of the Boho Gelato ice cream shop so when we stumbled across it we had to go in. They have an amazing range of flavours it is literally impossible to chose. Whilst in Brighton I also got my taro cards read which was a first for me but very intriguing.

The final spontaneous outing of the holiday had to of course be a trip to London. No holiday or time off work would be complete without it. I personally adore London and I haven't had a summer fix yet so it was an easy conclusion to come to. Top tip, book train tickets online it is a lot cheaper.

Yet asides from all of these amazing adventures; chilling in the garden or the odd visit to garden centres has been very therapeutic. Being able to treat my Mum to a coffee and cake at the garden centre whilst sitting in the sun looking over the plants and the downs is very calming. Also quite special as when I was little me and my Mum would spend many a day together at the garden centre playing in the playground then she would always treat me to a slice of chocolate cake so it's almost like we have been recreating those happy childhood memories and traditions.

Back to the point of this blog post. As I have been on holiday there have been many products I have loved using over July so narrowing it down to my top five has actually been quite challenging and a little on the stressful side for me.

Summer Saviour Shampoo And Conditioner By L'Oreal
I would describe this as my Summer shampoo and conditioner of choice. When we are lucky enough to have proper summer weather my hair doesn't seem to cope with this. It goes very brittle, dry and frizzy and all of the moisture seems to disappear. Very unfair I know. Whilst in Superdrug I discovered a new shampoo range by L'Oreal which instantly appealed to me. Summer Saviour, I mean hello that is totally what I need. The shampoo is for dry hair exposed to sun, salt, sand and chlorine, the perfect item to pack in your suitcase for a summer holiday. The shampoo is packed full of oils and claims to nourish your hair and restore shine. I would say I agree with these statements and I think it might just be my new best friend for Summer. Fingers crossed along with the conditioner, my hair will survive the summer, wahey.

Baked Bronzer By The Body Shop
During the summer as I tend to wear make-up most days of the week I always find that my face is less bronzed then the rest of my face. To overcome the challenging prospect of a bronzed body and pale face I have rediscovered a bronzer from The Body Shop that I have been loving again. I still carry out my usual contouring routine with my trusty Hoola bronzer and What's Up highlighter by Benefit yet I use The Body Shop bronzer for an all over healthy glow afterwards. It is a baked bronzer in the shade 02 Warm Glow. I would say that it is a good dupe for the Mac Mineralise Skin Finish powders for an all over healthy glow and shine. Although it's shimmery it doesn't look as if you've covered yourself in glitter. It just adds a bit of warmth to my skin. I love it when you rediscover a trusty beauty item as I have many previous fond memories of using this little gem.

Fruit Salad Bubble Bath By Imperial Leather
I have recently been really enjoying the Imperial Leather products. When they are continually on offer in Boots for £1 you can't say no. This month my scent of choice has been Fruit Salad which is based on the retro pic 'n' mix fruit salad sweets. Personally I never liked the sweets themselves yet I adore the scent of this shower cream. It's a really hard scent to describe. It's fresh, fruity and sweet. It reminds me of sherbet mixed with tutti fruity. Perfect for feeling fresh this summer. I know the products are called shower creams yet I use them as bubble bath as they create beautiful scented bubbles and the added moisture in the formulation leaves your bath water and skin feeling silky soft afterwards. Imperial Leather have a wide range of products and I can highly recommend that you check out the entire range. Whether you are sweet, fruity, floral, neutral or musky there are a whole range of scents to chose from. At a £1 each - total bargain.

Nouvelle Vague Nail Polish By L'Oreal 
I have always loved painting my nails and having time off work has meant I have been able to paint my nails more often and have the time to not rush and enjoy it whilst taking care painting my nails. I have loved changing my nail colour regularly this month; featuring bright summery colours or sweet pale pastels. It has been really challenging narrowing it down to a favourite nail polish but I do love a retro discovery. I have had this nail polish for a couple of years now yet I have really enjoyed rediscovering it over July. It's a beautiful pastel, pale lilac shade with a slight cornfield blue tone to it. Perfect for summer. I really like pastel shades in summer as they make you look more tanned. Good sneaky tip there. It is a really easy shade to wear and compliments many a different outfit combination. In fact I am currently wearing it now whilst typing away. I love it when you rediscover old favourites.

The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette By Maybelline
This was another cheeky purchase for my holiday. I really don't need any more eyeshadows yet I caught sight of this beauty and the naughty beauty loving shopper inside of me couldn't resist. It is a gorgeous nude eyeshadow palette containing twelve eyeshadows, half matte and half shimmer. I am a sucker for a nude eyeshadow palette especially one containing warm shades. The fact that the palette contained warm golds I thought it would be perfect for summer. The fact it was also on offer also made it feel a lot easier. It's hard to pick favourite shades as each day I have been enjoying trying different combinations of eyeshadows. It's very rare for me to actually say that I like every shade in the palette. I know that I will use this palette throughout the year and at some stage every shade will be used again and again. Wow, what a good purchase this was. It's so satisfying to know that you get your moneys worth. I hate it when you finish a palette yet you are left with two or three shades that you never touched as you couldn't find a use for it. I would highly recommend this palette! The eyeshadows themselves are really blendable with great pigmentation. One of my best discoveries this year.

Thank you for reading this blog post my lovelies. I would love to know in the comments which products you have loved using over July. Let's hope August is another gorgeous month. I won't lie but the Summer really is my favourite season.

XXX

In A Field Of Purple

Hello my lovelies, how are you all? Yesterday I had a gorgeous outing to Chichester with my Mum. It has always been her dream to see a field of Lavender and after many, many months of planning we finally found one. Many years ago we went to Provence where she hoped to see the fields however the crops had all been harvested. We visited the Laudington lavender field and it was incredible. After walking up a long track you are suddenly hit by a wave of a rich dark purple and it is incredible. There was a rich smell of lavender that words can't describe and you were also welcomed by the smell of bees. The farm sell their own products which is how we discovered the farm. At the start of every month they always set up their own market stall in Lewes where they sell a huge array of products from lavender candles, soaps, creams, sprays and even chocolates. The list is endless. They are currently holding open days from the 13th - 17th of July and it is highly worth a visit and coping with the traffic through Worthing. I hate being stuck in traffic; I don't have the best patience in the whole world.

What I wore:

Jacket - New Look
Dress - H&M
Shoes - New Look
Bag - Accesorize
Nail Polish - Barry M Sugar Apple
Necklace - Topshop
Earrings - Topshop
Bracelet - Pandora

To continue our gorgeous outing we headed into Chichester. We treated ourselves to coffee and lunch at Bill's which is our favourite restaurant and a new restaurant to tick off. I can highly recommend the chicken caesar salad.

Chichester is a shopping lovers dream. There are loads of beautiful and high end shops to discover and the town itself seemed really calm and peaceful. Chichester is ideal for Christmas shopping. I have never seen a Jack Wills with it's own front garden.

Afterwards we visited the Cathedral which was massive and chilled and walked around the gorgeous Palace Gardens. I could have quite happily spent the entire afternoon just chilling in the gardens.

I treated us both to a peach iced tea from Starbucks and we headed back. We were so, so lucky with the weather it was a perfect warm summers day.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post my lovelies. I had a gorgeous day yesterday and I can highly recommend a visit!

XXX

June Favourites 2016

Hello my lovelies and welcome to July. Where is the time going? I can't believe that we are already now half way through the year. I know I say this every year but this year is literally flying by, I can't keep up.

Moringa Body Sorbet By The Body Shop
As you all know I am a sucker for a body sorbet from The Body Shop and even more so throughout the warmer summer months. They are a moisturiser with a twist. They aren't thick and creamy instead they remind me of aftersun as they provide that instant soothing and cooling sensation. Instead of a creamy formulation, the body sorbets have a slightly more oily texture. I feel by writing oil that I have instantly put you all off. Apologies. Maybe oil is the wrong word, instead imagine a sorbet as the name suggests. Inside the sorbet are teeny tiny little air bubbles that pop and absorb into your skin. The sorbet leaves you feeling instantly refreshed whilst smelling amazing. What I love about the body sorbets is that they absorb into your skin within seconds allowing you to be able to function. What I mean by function is get dressed and continue your day. I love applying the sorbet after a morning wash or if I have been outside soaking in the gorgeous sunshine. Throughout June I have been using a sorbet in the scent Moringa which I have been loving. It is fresh, floral and perfect for Summer. It reminds me of summer meadows in the countryside so I would highly recommend that you make this your new best friend next month. I would say that if you are going on holiday it is essential that you take a body sorbet with you.

The Righteous Body Butter By Soap And Glory
I adore Soap And Glory; I love the products, the brand and the packaging. A couple of Christmases ago my Mum brought me one of these and ever since it has become a yearly tradition which I really hope continues as I look forward to using this every year. It is the most gorgeous and luxurious body cream with a gorgeous fresh, floral scent. The scent is gentle and very refreshing and therefore perfect for the warmer Spring/Summer months. I have therefore been obsessed with this body cream throughout June using in in bulk everyday. I also love the tub. Soap and Glory aren't reserved on their products and you get a heck of a lot of cream in the pot. A very economical buy. The fact that the tub is so big somehow makes the product feel even more luxurious and it is very satisfying to open and be welcomed to the gorgeous fresh scent. The butter itself is super moisturising and it leaves your skin feeling silky soft and nourished afterwards. A must have all year round yet particularly for Summer. Next time you're near a Soap and Glory counter I would highly recommend that you give the tub a good old sniff, trust me you won't regret it.

Bubble Baths By Imperial Learther
I am a sucker for bubble baths, always have and always will be. Whether it's the morning, mid-day or evening, summer or winter I will never say no to a gorgeous and comforting bubble bath. Whilst shopping in Boots with my Mum the other day I noticed that the Imperial Leather bubble baths were on offer. Being a sucker for beauty products and bargains I couldn't resist and I have stocked up. I love the range of scents and formulations that they produce. Whether you're nutty, fruity, fresh, floral, sweet or neutral there is a product for everyone.

I have been loving three scents in particular which all appear very similar and unsurprisingly are classic 'what i call Ellie scents'. No surprises I opt for sweet scents and of course my ultimate favourite of coconut. These scents also cover three purposes: Nourishing, moisturising and Comforting which are again classic Ellie criteria in a bubble bath for the perfect pamper evening.

Marshmallow 
This was the first scent that I was drawn to mainly because I was curious to what a marshmallow is supposed to smell like. What that is I still don't know but I like it. It is very soft, subtle and gentle. It has a beautiful pale baby pink colour and it leaves your skin feeling moisturised and really soft afterwards. Amazingly if you smelt a marshmallow it would probably smell the same, sugary and sweet. Shock horror marshmallow is part of the sweets range and true to it's name extremely comforting. I absolutely adore this and I have already worked by way through multiple bottles. I think for it's pure originality this has to be my favourite scent.

Vanilla And Almond Milk
Vanilla and Almond are two of my favourite scents so of course I was going to have to buy this one. It is part of the Classics range and it is described as nourishing. It is a beautiful pale taupe shade, a cream with warm brown undertones running through it. It has a really refreshing sweet scent that brightens you whilst also providing that added bit of TLC. I could never turn down vanilla and almond scented products.

Coconut And Tiare Flower
I am an absolute sucker for all things coconut. I have never heard of a Tiare Flower before but what I do know is that it smells amazing alongside coconut whatever it may be. I love coconut all year round although I would say mainly in Summer as it has a beautiful summery tropical feel towards it. If you suffer from dry skin I would recommend trying this one as it has added moisturiser which is perfect for tackling dry skin. I have seen that this one is currently a firm favourite whether that's on beauty blogs or just generally throughout the shops. Coconut is all the rage at the moment. The bubble bath is part of the fruity collection and perfect for a summers day allowing you to picture yourself relaxing on a warm sandy tropical beach sipping some sort of coconut cocktail, or is that just me? 

Pink Rules Sheer Pink Lipstick By Rimmel 
You may remember recently reading a little cheeky make-up haul post on my blog back in May which featured a couple of the new Sheer Lipsticks by Rimmel. If you have forgotten or missed the post and want a little nosy you can click here to do so. I have recently been obsessed with the lipstick in the shade Pink Rules and I have worn in pretty much everyday throughout June. It appears to be a vibrant, hot bright fuchsia shade which I would normally be slightly terrified of and avoid as I'm not sure that full on bright lipsticks suit me. However, what I love about these lipsticks is that they're sheer allowing you to build up as much colour as you like. The lipstick is still incredibly pigmented so I don't need to apply a vast amount so you definitely get your moneys worth. The lipsticks themselves are also really moisturising which is perfect for the warm summer weather. The other shade I picked up was a coral shade which I think will be more of a Spring shade for me but I'm sure that it will also make an appearance throughout Summer. The lipsticks are really affordable yet a really good quality. Out of the highstreet brands in Boots/ Superdrug I would highly recommend that you check out Rimmel for lipsticks. A personal favourite of mine and they take up the largest space in my lipstick collection. I am also always reading positive reviews about the lipsticks in beauty blogs. If you need a new side kick for the Summer I would hands down recommend the new range of sheer lipsticks; great price, great quality, great formulation and a great range to chose from.

Pure Natural Beauty Sugar Grape Face Serum By M&S
Thanks to by subscription to Glossybox last year I discovered Face Serums. Thumbs up from the face, thumbs down from the bank account. I had previously been using a very expensive face serum from a French company that I received in a previous Glossybox. Much to my distress this had recently finished after I had extracted every last drop that I could. Rather then shipping an already very pricy face serum from France I thought I would take the spontaneous and slightly risky option and try and find a new one. I then learnt that all face serums are very, very pricy. Poop. Who knew. Although, if they are effective then I personally believe that they are worth investing into as you're only born with one face that has to last a life time so I believe that it is important to take care of it. For those of you who don't know, you apply a face serum to a clean face before moisturising and applying your make-up. Face serums are designed to add radiance to your face whilst smoothing your skin, minimising pores and hydrating your skin aiming to provide a younger complexion. The first new face serum I have been experimenting with is an M&S one in the fragrance of Sugar Grape. I wouldn't instantly say it smelt of grape yet grapes don't really have a distinctive fragrance. To be honest though, the scent wasn't a key element when choosing a new serum. I find that the serum instantly absorbs into my skin adding extra moisture to my face. I find that alongside moisturiser and a face primer my face feels super soft which gives a more natural finish to my foundation. So far so good and I'll be interested to see what the long term benefits could be from using the new serum.

Thank you for reading this blog post my lovelies. We seemed to have focussed on skin care throughout June which probably isn't a bad thing now that we are hitting those Summer months. I would love to know what products you will be recommending to your friends and family this month and whether you have tried any of these products and what you thought of them. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.

XXX 

May Favourites

Hello my lovelies and a Happy Wednesday to you all. Pinch Punch it's the 1st of June who can believe it? The year is totally flying by I can't keep up. It only seems like yesterday that I was sat here typing away for my April favourites blog post. Now we're coming up to the half way mark through the year even though we are almost on the cusp of Summer soon we will be on the Christmas countdown.  I hope you all enjoyed a fabby long weekend with the bank holiday, that's one of the best things about May; we're treated to a whole two bank holidays.

I have definitely started to notice in a change in the products that I have been enjoying to use recently. We are  creeping into more summery colours and products which excites me immensely.

Mango Body Butter By The Body Shop
I hate the feeling of having dry skin which I seem to be prone to mainly over the Summer and Winter months. So I suppose you could say that I basically have dry skin all year. I think that it is important to take good care of your skin so I try to force myself to moisturise as much as possible. Not the most exciting of beauty tasks but still an essential. Over summer I also find that moisturising helps maintain a tan which is also beneficial compared to a patchy, streaky and flakey look - nice. When it comes to body butters and moisturises I always find myself returning to The Body Shop for a rich and nourishing moisturiser in the form of their body butters. Over May I have particularly enjoyed using the Mango scent which I haven't used for a while. It leaves your skin feeling nourished and refreshed with a gorgeous fresh fruity scent. This is definitely more of a summer then winter scent. I find the body butters incredibly moisturising and you feel as if you are really benefiting your skin whist you can feel all of the moisture being absorbed. My skin feels super soft for days after a deep moisturising session.

Pink Grapefruit Body Mist By The Body Shop
Scent wise I have found myself really enjoying using the pink grapefruit body spray from The Body Shop recently. I have owned this for quite a while now however, I have found myself returning to this little gem and it has been my staple scent this past month. It is really refreshing and fruity and perfect for those warm summer days where you feel as if you need a little refresher through out the day. Fresh and fruity summer scents have definitely been a theme for me recently. Roll on Summer is all I can say.

Hand Food Hand Cream By Soap And Glory 
Returning to all things creamy I have found myself totally loving the classic Hans Food hand cream from Soap and Glory recently. I have been using this hand cream non-stop through out each day recently and I have been loving it. It has a gorgeous sweet floral scent combining cocoa and marshmallow making it a very sweet yet refreshing hand cream. I absolutely adore the scent which is perfect for summer. The hand cream itself is deeply nourishing and a small amount goes a long, long way so you get your money's worth with this product. I have been using the hand cream endlessly even when my hands don't need any cream just because they are left so soft afterwards and the scent is very comforting. It has become a little habit for me; when in doubt, whack out the hand cream. I love Soap and Glory products and I will 100% be repurchasing this product in the future. A summer essential for you all.

Nude Eyes Uncovered Eyeshadow Palette By Collection 
Again this isn't a new addition to my make-up collection but I personally love rediscovering older products in my collection. Recently I have found myself really enjoying using this nude eye shadow palette by collection. It is composed of six gorgeous nude eyeshadows including a matte warm toned highlighter with the best name in the universe - white chocolate, two gorgeous gold shimmery shades, two brown shimmery shades and a matte black which is perfect for contouring and as a liner. The eyeshadow palette is amazing value at only £2.99 yet you wouldn't believe it judging by the amazing quality of the eyeshadows. The eyeshadows are really creamy and blendable making them perfect for contouring. They are super pigmented with amazing colour pay off that lasts all day. These eyeshadows make contouring dead fast and speedy making it appear as if you have spent half an hour doing your eye make-up as supposed to a couple of minutes. They are perfect for applying make-up quickly before rushing off to work. I already have my eye on a couple of the other eyeshadow palettes from the Collection range as they are gorgeous. I also adore the names of all the eyeshadows with a lovely sweet theme running through the palette such as White Chocolate, Buttercream, Biscuit, Chocolate Milk, Brown Sugar and Espresso - hello to you my friends. The palette is also really compact making it perfect for travelling and being tucked inside your make-up bag. I am so, so happy that I rediscovered this beautiful gem last month.

Summer Pink Lipstick By Maybelline
This was one of the first lipstick shades that I ever purchased and it has since continued to be a staple within my extravagant and ever expanding collection. This will always be a special shade to me. Fellow make-up junkies I'm sure will relate to having certain products that they will continue to buy as they have been significant for them. I purchased this shade for the first time when I first started my make-up collection and it will continue to hold a firm place in my collection for many years to come. I even remember buying this lipstick on a gorgeous warm summery day during the summer holidays. I love the Maybelline colour sensational lipsticks; they are the whole package when it comes to lipsticks. They have a gorgeous and nourishing smooth moisturising formula whilst being extremely pigmented. They nourish my lips and they don't leave them looking dry. The colour pay off is amazing and lasts for hours and hours even after food and drink with little top ups needed. The lipsticks also have a gorgeous coconut scent that I personally adore as I'm sure you all know that I am a sucker for coconut. Since the range was first introduced I have enjoyed expanding my collection of gorgeous shades from a huge range but this will always be a personal classic for me. The shade is a beautiful bright pink with a hint of shimmer. However, the lipstick luckily doesn't look glittery on the lips. Instead the satin finish leaves you with the ultimate shiny lips without the need of lip gloss which I personally struggle with. I can tolerate lip gloss on warm days with little wind and when my hair is tied up. Useful tip - never eat pastry when wearing lip gloss, it isn't pretty. Lip gloss aside, the lipsticks are really affordable with a huge range of shades to chose from. Highly, highly recommend these lipsticks to anyone out there seeking a new purchase.

Thank you for reading this blog post my lovelies. I would love to know what products you have all enjoyed using over May.

XXX

Cheeky Summer Superdrug Splurge

Good afternoon my lovelies! The weather today is absolute poop so I find myself sat here typing away enjoying a coffee and some banana bread looking for some homely comforts. What could be more comforting then drooling over a recent cheeky Superdrug splurge? A couple of weeks ago I was having a girly shopping day in Lewes with my Mum. It was a gorgeous and warm sunny day, we had coffee and luck out, had our hair cuts and did a little bit of cheeky shopping, oops.

It has been a while since I last found myself spending hours and hours scanning endless make-up and beauty counters in Boots and Superdrug. I have been very well reserved recently I'm actually quite proud of myself. Judging by the size of my make-up collection I really don't need any more make-up however, that isn't part of the English Dictionary in my books and I personally believe that you can never have too much make-up.

There have been a lot and I mean a lot of new releases recently that I have had my eye on and have wanted to have a nosy at. There were so many more products that I could easily have picked up and indulged on however I am trying to be careful with money at the moment. My Mum did have to help restrain me though; it was a two person job. Since leaving school and working my will power has 100% decreased.

For fellow make-up addicts, junkies and lovers I thought I would share what beautiful new products I found that I thought would be gorgeous for Spring and Summer.

Make-Up Bag By Zoella Beauty

I use my make-up bag 6/7 times a week and after a while they can start to look a little on the grubby side which is of course natural. Personally I am all for good personal hygiene. I have had my eye on this gorgeous pale pink make-up bag for a while now but I could find myself resisting no more. At least I actually have an excuse that I do need a new make-up bag now. I love the gorgeous combination of the pale pink and rose fold dots. This screams summer to me and very fitting for my new summer make-up goodies. I also love the quote on the bag of 'Just Say Yes' as this is something I would personally like to do more of to new opportunities that may arise. I guess fear of the unknown is a sucker for me creating anxiety although recently I believe I am getting better at throwing caution to the wind and saying yes to new opportunities and adventures which is a good thing in my book.

I know that this make-up bag will be well used and loved over Summer. You can pick your own bag up for £8.00. A must have for your new make-up goodies and treats.

Bronze and Sculpt Contour Kit By MUA 

Contouring may possibly be my favourite part of applying make-up. I think it's because I find it fascinating and intriguing as to how you can really change the shape and appearance of your face by applying two different shades of powder. It boggles my mind. I guess it's the little things. MUA is a new brand to me. I first discovered the brand when I received an eyeshadow palette in a glossy box one month which I have loved, cherished and used ever since. The eyeshadows are really pigmented, blend able and creamy yet MUA is a really cheap and affordable make-up brand. It is therefore the perfect brand for those of you watching the pennies as I know I am. The gorgeous gold packaging caught my eye as I glanced past the stand and seeing as I had such success with the eyeshadows I thought I would give the contouring kit ago. I mean how could you miss this little beauty it's absolutely stunning. I love the gold packaging. Hidden inside is a gorgeous golden shimmery highlighter and tucked underneath the highlighter is the gorgeous matte brown bronzer. I think both shades will look gorgeous alongside a golden tan.

I picked this fellow up in the shade Light/Medium yet there are others available. I am a sucker for bronzers and have tried many yet I have a couple of firm favourites including Hoola by Benefit and the Soap and Glory Solar powder however I do have high hopes for this one and it will be a welcome addition to my gorgeous collection. I love the fact at how compact it is yet you have a really decent size bronzer and highlighter. This will make it the perfect addition to your make-up bag as it is small and compact for on the go usage. What will make you fall in love with it even more and is another tick box well and truly ticked is the fact that it also contains a really good mirror. Boom. I cannot think of any negatives to this little baby. The product itself is also super pigmented there are literally no downsides here. Alongside the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer and the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder this could be another drugstore beauty favourite that stands it's ground for years and years to come. I highly recommend that you grab one especially as it is only £5.00 - yes £5.00.

Rimmel Lipsticks

Top Clockwise: Latino, Spin All Spring, Vintage Pink, Pink Rules

Moisture Renew Lipsticks By Rimmel 

Vintage Pink and Latino 

Rimmel have recently increased their range of the moisture renew lipsticks by introducing a sheer and shine range. Seeing the new lipsticks I also had a nosy at some of the lipsticks from the original collection. I could of quite happily brought ten but I restrained myself to two. Something which I don't feel guilty for although the quantity did then double but what can you do? I have always loved Rimmel lipsticks. I just had a nosy at my collection where I found twelve all from different ranges including the Classic Kate Moss range, the matte Kate Moss Range, the Rita Ora lip crayons and now of course the moisture renew range. Sometimes I struggle to find lipsticks that are wearable against my dark red lips although these lipsticks are incredibly pigmented. I think they might be the most pigmented lipsticks that I own allowing me a greater variation of colours to chose from. This of course made the decision a lot more tricky. The lipsticks are also really moisturising and they aren't drying. Of course they also have really good colour pay off which lasts a long time on your lips. I also love the sleek packaging with the purple case. I think it makes the lipsticks quite modern and sophisticated. The lipsticks also smell and taste amazing which shouldn't be an important factor but it is still an added bonus in my books. I highly recommend that you spend a long time swatting these lipsticks as they are well worth the pocket money. They are also really affordable at only £6.49 each which I think is really good considering they are of a A* quality.

Vintage Pink 180
I think of this to be a more sophisticated lip colour. It isn't your bright fuchsia or barbie doll pink put it that way. It is a luxurious dark mauve with almost purple undertones yet it actually appears more berry toned on the lips. I feel it really compliments my dark lips. This would be perfect for a subtle lip colour perhaps for work or an evening do. It isn't what I consider a classic Spring or Summer shade, perhaps more wintery but I know I will still wear this throughout the entire year.

Latino 200
I have had my eye on this shade for years and years now; right back to when the original collection was first introduced. Typical Ellie but this is another berry tone shade with shimmer running through it. It is a brighter and more pinker colour then Vintage Pink. It is the perfect bright Summer berry shade for me and I already know that this will become a staple and all time favourite for me. The shimmer also adds that added bit of shine to it making your lips appear super glossy without lipgloss. I think yet again this shade really suits my natural lip colour and I think it may be my favourite out of the four colours.

Sheer and Shine Lipstick By Rimmel 

Pink Rules and Spin All Spring

I was originally drawn to the Rimmel lipstick counter because of the new Sheer and Shine lipsticks. There are six in the collection of which I picked up two. They are the same price to the lipsticks in the original range except they are in a pale baby pink case. Again I also love the packaging of these and I love the fact that they are of a different colour case making the lipsticks distinctive from the classics. They just look really fun and summery in my make-up bag and collection. Right up my street. The lipsticks appear as really bright and bold colours yet they are sheer lipsticks allowing you to build up coverage to the desired amount of colour. They also have a different scent to the original collection that reminds me of pink grapefruit. Being Summer I don't know if it is supposed to be or not but let me know what you recon.

Pink Rules 300
Pink Rules appears to be a bright fuchsia with red tones towards it. However, as the lipsticks are of a sheer formula it actually swatches as a more sheer berry pink. It doesn't appear as bright on the lips. This makes more wearable for me personally as I'm not a total fan of bright lip colours as I'm not sure that they suit me. I find a bright sheer lipstick more subtle for that added hint of colour without being too in your face if you know what I mean. This will be perfect for Summer when my wardrobe tends to be a lot more colourful.

Spin All Spring 600
This is a gorgeous coral orange with shimmer running through it. I usually avoid orange lipsticks as I don't think that they compliment my skin tone however the fact that this lipstick is sheer makes it a lot more wearable for me. I just find the subtle hint really refreshing on the lips providing that extra subtle hint of colour. Yet again these lipsticks are really moisturising and are incredibly shinny. I can see these becoming the ultimate summer essentials and new best friends.

Thank you for reading this blog post my lovelies. I would love to know if you have tried any of the products or any cheeky products that you have picked up recently. All this talk of Summer seems to have brought the sun out which pleases me immensely. I am now debating baking a gingerbread cake this afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday my lovelies.

XXX

Stocking Up On Bath Bombs

Top - Down: Butterball, Blackberry, Think Pink, Honey Bee, Fizzbanger 

Good morning my lovelies and a Happy Sunday to you all! Yesterday I had a lovely shopping day with my Mother although it was also a little cheeky with lot's and lot's of spontaneous purchases - slaps wrist. I love going shopping with my Mum and spending some quality mother and daughter time together. We always make it into a fun day by spoiling ourselves and treating ourselves to coffee and lunch out. Clothes, shoes, lingerie, chocolates, beauty products and candles were all purchased including a gorgeous summer pineapple phone case. I can well and truly say that the Summer wardrobe is now at the ready and I am now waiting for the Summer weather. Knowing my luck that amazing week that we had last week was probably a one off but thats sods law for you there.

Whilst going crazy in town the amazing and very distinctive hint of Lush hit us and neither of us could say no to that. I looked at my bath bomb box (yes I am sad and have a box, no actually two boxes dedicated to Lush bath booms) and noticed that there was only one bomb remaining. It was the fluffy egg from the Easter collection that I highly enjoyed last night. Although I think of bath bombs as a more Autumnal and Winter pamper treat I still like to treat myself to an indulgent pamper night once a week; including a face pack, nail TLC and a Lush bath bomb. I would do this more often if I had the time during the week but work always seems to get in the way.

I have recently been working my way through limited edition Lush products such as from the Christmas, Mothers Day and Easter collections. I haven't actually used many products from the original core collection recently. Shock horror but there are actually some bombs from the originally collection that I haven't ever tried. As much as I was tempted to stock up on all the favourites such as Twilight I resisted and restrained myself. Feeling spontaneous I picked up bath bombs that aren't new to the collection yet I have never tested these before. I thought I would write a mini haul post for all of you fellow Lush fanatics.

Butterball
If you're a lover of all things sweet then you will love this little acorn. It has a gorgeous vanilla and cocoa scent to it which I personally love. I am a sucker for sweet scents at the moment and this bomb is right up my street. If you're a fan of bright colours, glitter and fizzing then this isn't the bomb for you. For me it is a very comforting, soothing and some what indulgent bomb. It is packed full of cocoa butter that will melt and dissolve into your bath water which leaves your skin super soft afterwards. Honestly it will feel softer then a baby's bot. Pre-warning you will want to give your bath a little wipe down afterwards as when that butter dries it is a nightmare to clean. I don't think of this as your typical Summer bath treat. For summer I tend to think of more fresh fruity and floral scents however if you are in need for a bit of TLC then I would recommend that you give this one a try. It will nourish and repair your skin as well as your mind, mood and body. I love the Butterbear bath bomb from the Christmas range which is based on the original butterball. Basically same bomb, different shape. It isn't the biggest bomb in the whole wide world and it will only cost you £2.65 however it is an essential to have in your collection for times of need.

Blackberry
My logic here was I love blackberries so I'm sure a blackberry bath bomb will be amazing. I believe this bomb will go a gorgeous and rich deep purple shade whilst releasing bergamot oils that are calming and uplifting and essential for releasing any stress. I personally wouldn't smell this bomb and say 'wow blackberries' however I find it quite musky and relaxing. Scent wise it reminds me of the scent you get when you walk into a spa that has lit incense and essential oils. This is a larger bomb and will cost you £3.35 however I think it will be perfect after a stressful day.

Think Pink
This is an obvious one for me. As you all know I am an absolute sucker for sweet scents so there are no surprises here that I was instantly drawn to this little gem. I also love the gorgeous vibrant pink and candy flowers which screams summer in a bath bomb to me. Yet again this bath bomb is packed with sweet vanilla alongside calming and relaxing lavender which also provides a slight floral scent making it a bit less sweet then the well known stable Snow Fairy Lush scent. I also quite like the fact that this bath bomb isn't the generic bath bomb shape, theres Lush pushing the boundaries for you all there. This bomb will cost you £2.65 and I could easily see myself returning and buying another three or four of these as I think it will be up there as a new favourite. High hopes for you.

Honey Bee
I would describe this bath bomb as another more summery treat. I adore honey. In fact I pretty much have honey every single day with my breakfast and I also love to bake with it. I haven't tried this bomb before but it has been screaming out to me for a few weeks now every time I have walked past Lush and seen the gorgeous bee display in the window. I believe this will turn your bath water a gorgeous pastel yellow shade which is perfect for summer. The bath bomb contains honey and aloe vera which are both cleansing and soothing whilst the rhassoul mud helps to moisturise your skin. This sounds like the ultimate summer bath treat to me. It is a giant bath bomb costing you £3.50 but I cannot wait to try it.

Fizzbanger
I think this is going to be a spectacular bath bomb. I love how vibrant it is; you cannot miss it. I think this will be a statement bath bomb that will change colour and release popping candy. For some reason I think this one will be perfect for Autumn around fireworks night. It has a gorgeous sweet apple and cinnamon scent towards it which I think to be a classic Autumn scent. However, I'm never going to say no to that scent as yet again it is another sweet and sickly scent that is right up my street. I love the combination of the sweet crisp apple (which reminds me of Snow White from the Christmas range) alongside the spicy cinnamon. Apple pie anyone? This is another big bath bomb and very satisfying to hold. This one will also cost you £3.50 but I think it will be well worth your money and another personal favourite in the making.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post my lovelies. No new releases I'm afraid but I am an ultimate Lush fanatic and I love reading blog posts on Lush products. I can't help myself I think I'm addicted to Lush. As soon as I visit a store that's it and money is spent, spent spent. I would love to know what your personal favourites from Lush are. I can't wait to give these a try and add them to my repertoire. Have a gorgeous Sunday my lovelies.

XXX

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (GF)

Hello my lovelies and a Happy Summers Sunday to you all. Summer seems to be officially here which makes me so happy and what a way to celebrate with a spot o baking. For me personally, baking is a way to relax and de-stress; it is very therapeutic. I have recently increased my work hours and finding my self with spare time is a rarity at the moment. However, I find myself with a free Sunday morning so the obvious solution is to bake. When I glanced over at the fruit bowl this morning and caught sight of a couple of over ripe bananas the obvious solution for me is banana bread. I personally love banana bread and I haven't made any this year and it is very quick and easy to make. My excitement further grew by finding a pack of un-opened chocolate chips in the cupboard. I can officially say that the jigsaw puzzle is now complete. I have already posted a blog post with a recipe for a Banana, Fudge and White Chocolate Loaf Cake which you can see by clicking here.  That was a personal favourite of mine; banana, fudge and white chocolate are my favourite flavour combinations at the moment and who could resist the amazing and ultimate flavour combination in cake form? I thought I would try something a bit different this time by making the banana bread gluten free. I find that gluten free cakes are a lot lighter and are also more moist myself.

I love banana bread and it can be enjoyed in so many different ways. You can really make it your own whether you add chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, spices or the whole cherbang. Next time I have left over bananas I might add some pecan nuts. I love experimenting with new flavour combinations. Once you have a basic banana bread recipe the world is your oyster.

Ingredients

125g unsalted butter
120g caster sugar
3 eggs
2 ripe bananas peeled and mashed
225g Gluten Free plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g milk chocolate chips

Method

1) Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin and preheat your oven to 180°C/ 160°Fan/ Gas mark 4

2) Beat your butter and sugar together until pale, light and fluffy. You could do this with an electric whisk but I find the old fashioned method of a wooden spoon more satisfying and a great way to release any tension

3) Whisk your eggs together and add half of the eggs to your cake batter followed by half of the flour which you should sift into the bowl. Fold the ingredients together followed by the remaining eggs and flour once fully incorporated

4) Add your mashed banana, baking powder, xanthan gum, vanilla extract and cinnamon and fold into the cake batter

5) Finally stir in your chocolate chips, it is essential to test a couple first

6) Pour your cake batter into the loaf tin and bake for 50 - 60 minutes until golden brown and a skewer is clean after being inserted into the centre of the cake. If you think the top of the cake is cooking too quick and looking a dark brown before the cake is cooked you could cover the cake with foil to stop it from burning

7) Once cooked leave your cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire wrack to cool completely. Once the cake has cooled you can slice the loaf and enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post my lovelies. I won't lie to you but banana bread is a personal favourite of mine. I love the beautiful banana flavour which goes so amazingly with the melted milk chocolate. The cake is so moist and it also keeps for a really long time. Perfect for the cake tin to crack out in times of need of comfort or a pick-me-up. I would love to know in the comments if you tried this recipe or what your favourite flavour combinations are to add to your banana bread. I hope you all enjoy the rest of this amazing Summer's Sunday.

XXX

April Favourites 2016

Good morning my lovelies and a Happy Sunday and May Day to you all. This month has totally flown by for me I honestly don't know where it has gone. I feel I have failed slightly on the blogging side of life but I have been a little busy bee at work. It wouldn't be the first of the month without a classic favourites post.

Cocoa Body Butter By The Body Shop
As you all know I love The Body Shop. Not a day goes by where I don't use at least one of their products. Skincare, bath and body, home and makeup they have it covered with an amazing range of products to chose from. Over April I have been enjoying using the Cocoa body butter. I used to love the scent when I was younger but I don't know if I overdosed or my choice of scents changed but I kind of went off the scent and only just used it again recently. I am now a huge fan of sickly sweet and sugary scents which I used to avoid. The butter itself is so moisturising and perfect for anyone that suffers from dry skin. I love the scent and my skin is always left feeling silky smooth afterwards and smelling of chocolate and vanilla - yum!

Gradual Tan Body Lotion By Garnier
Moisturising my skin is something that I am ashamed to admit that I am guilty of not doing regularly enough. When I'm busy during the week and getting back late I find my self slipping into naughty habits. However, I have found myself getting into a good routine of moisturising my legs using the gradual tan lotion everyday. Spring is the awkward transition stage when more flesh is exposed that has been hibernating under cosy jumpers and pyjama bottoms for months and hasn't seen sunlight for nearly half a year. To make the transition a little less painful I find a little helping hand for the pale legs is required. I have been alternating between using this and a gradual tan lotion by Dove which is my holy grail. Feeling spontaneous I have been trying the new Garnier gradual tan lotion of which I have been pleasantly surprised. What I love about both lotions is that they don't have the horrible fake tan smell. Instead this one has a fresh and fruity apricot smell which I love. The lotion absorbs instantly which is perfect for if you're pushed for time as you're not left standing in your bedroom naked for half an hour waiting for your body to finish absorbing the moisturiser. I have also noticed a quick change with my legs looking a little more golden. It's perfect as they don't look obviously tanned yet they've just got that base before they're exposed to sunlight again. A 2 in 1 product for me as a really efficient and smooth moisturiser along with a gradual tan that is instant to use, perfect.

Colour Rush Lip Crayon In Give Me A Cuddle By Rimmel
This isn't a new product for me, instead it's a classic that I have rediscovered again recently. Throughout Spring I have been enjoying wearing a peachy pink lip colour. It's brighter, very Spring like, fun and colourful. Perviously I had been sticking to my darker berry shades throughout Autumn and Winter so as soon as the sun is out, any excuse for some pastel colours. I have been really into pastels in general this past month, not just in terms of lipstick. Whether it's lip colour, nails or clothes I have been obsessed with pale pastels. It just makes me think of Spring and Easter. What can I say pastel colours make me smile. I have been particularly enjoying pairing this colour with an Essie nail polish that I mentioned in my last favourites post called Lovie Dovie which is a gorgeous pastel barbie doll pink shade. The two pair very nicely together, I can highly recommend the combination. They're like two little peas in a pod. The formulation of the lip crayon is lovely and soft whilst being very moisturising yet it also has really good colour pay off. I would describe it as a lip balm, lipstick and a lipgloss all in one. I won't lie but I also love the vanilla sweet scent that it has which makes it even better in my eyes as I am a sucker for vanilla.

High Beam Crayon Highlighter By Benefit 
I personally love a spontaneous treat splurge, I mean who doesn't? I don't tend to ever treat myself to high end make-up very often as I normally see it as a treat to request these beautiful little creations as a gift for my Birthday or Christmas when you're being poked for gift ideas by relatives. I've had my eye on the Benefit High Beam highlighter crayon for quite some time now and I had also read many a positive review on beauty blogs. So on one day off I had a wave of spontaneity consume me and I took the splurge and picked one up; and I haven't looked back since. I am planning on writing a full review of the crayon on a separate and dedicated blog post so I'll treat you all to a quick summary. The crayon is really smooth and creamy and really easy to blend. It is a gorgeous iridescent oyster cream pink shade which I find really suits my skin tone for highlighting. The crayon is almost matte with a beautiful silver shimmer yet it appears matte on the skin so you don't appear glittery. I have been using the crayon specifically under my eyebrow to highlight my brow bone which I find helps to widen and brighten any tired looking eyeballs. I don't know why by I find the word eyeball a really cringy word. It's nice to have a specific eye-highlighter-product-thingy as supposed to using eyeshadows. I may also start experimenting and using the crayon around my eyes as a highlighter in the inner corner to help combat those resistant dark circles that I seem to be prone to. What a successful spontaneous splurge; maybe I should have these more often who knows.

What's Nude Eyeshadow Quad By Soap And Glory 
Similar to the lip crayon this isn't a new purchase in my make-up collection, instead it is the return of a golden oldy, a classic if you like. It has featured in many a favourites post before. I am a sucker for nude and pink eyeshadows as I find that they compliment my green eyes by emphasising and opposing the colour. I just adore this beautiful little quad. A- it is small and compact and takes up very little space in your make-up bag. B- it is from Soap an Glory which is one of my favourite highstreet make-up brands which I find to be of tip top quality. C- the eyeshadow quad contains four beautiful, creamy and blendable shades that are all really wearable for everyday use. I have got into a little routine recently of using this beautiful quad almost everyday in my working weekday make-up routine. The quad contains a gorgeous matte highlighter, a creamy pink matte nude, a matte dark brown and a dark brown with a hint of shimmer. The perfect eyeshadow cocktail combination. The shades blend together really easily producing the perfect nude eye. Perfect for quick, easy and effortless eye make-up that using your contouring skills can make you appear to have spend hours creating when really it was a little two minute job. D- the quirky pack even comments on how they haven't bothered providing a cheap sponge brush which I find painful to use. I wouldn't recommend these for contouring with. It is just the perfect eyeshadow quad that is cheap and affordable yet of tip top quality.

Thank you for reading this blog post my lovelies. I would love to know what products you have all been enjoying to use over April. I hope you enjoy your bank holiday three day weekend you lucky sausages.

XXX

Peanut Butter And White Chocolate Chip Cookies (GF)

Hello my lovelies and a Happy, Happy Wednesday to you all - otherwise known as a day off for me, nice. There is nothing more that I love to do on a day off other then bake. I find it very comforting and therapeutic listening to the radio or my music. The sun was shinning and it was sheer perfection on this gorgeous Spring morning.

Recently I have been craving white chocolate and peanut butter. I say recently but to be honest these are both foods that I always love to eat. On this rare occasion that I actually had both ingredients fully stocked I thought the obvious solution was to create a beautiful creation in a giant cookie form.

This is an American recipe that I found on a baking blog, hence why the measurements are in cup form. I was originally nervous to bake using cup measurements however I think my confidence has increased and I am enjoying experimenting with new recipes and using the most adorable pastel cup measurers.

The recipe itself is so simple and quick; probably one of the easiest cookie recipes that I have ever baked. There are also very few ingredients which makes life a lot easier. I made 12 giant cookies but you could chose to make more smaller ones but when there's white chocolate and peanut butter involved, the only answer is a giant cookie for me.

Ingredients - makes 12

1 cup of crunchy organic peanut butter
3/4 cup of light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup of white chocolate chips or chunks

Method

1) Preheat your oven to 180°C/ 160°Fan

2) Grease and line two baking trays

3) Whisk the peanut butter, sugar, egg, vanilla extract and baking powder using an electric hand whisk to form a dough like texture and consistency

4) Mix in your white chocolate chips or chunks

5) Flatten golf ball sizes of cookie dough onto your baking sheet evenly spaced, be careful as these do spread and rise

6) Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until golden brown, half way through the bake I rotated the trays in the oven to aim to get an even bake

7) Allow the cookies to fully cool on the baking tray before transferring to a wire wrack to cool

I hope you enjoyed this recipe my lovelies. I would love to know in the comments if you attempt the recipe and what you thought of the cookies. All I know is that the house smells incredible right now and very welcoming and comforting. Warm peanut butter and white chocolate cookies, what more could you ask for? These cookies are amazingly gooey I cannot actually express the gooeyness of these cookies enough right now. The perfect morning snack with a lovely coffee. What more can I say then Happy Wednesday my lovelies and Happy Baking.

XXX

Benefit They're Real

Hello my lovelies and let me introduce you to the Holy Grail of all Mascara products. Let us all pray thanks to the beauty God's for allowing the creation of the best mascara in the whole wide world. The They're Real Mascara by Benefit isn't a new edition or release but I will hold my hands up and admit it has been one that I have been slow to trying.

Christmas 2014 saw me being lucky enough to receive my first They're Real from my Mum. Ever since using it I have been hooked. I have been so taken by it, it has totally slipped my mind to write a blog post on it.

Like I have mentioned previously I have never been one to get excited by mascaras. I have tried many a different mascaras and yes I will admit there are noticeable differences and some are of a greater quality then others. Yet I have never been one to rush out and buy the latest release. I naturally have quite long eye lashes and that's not me blowing my own trumpet it's just something people have told me even when I was a little girl I remember my swimming teacher saying "gosh you do have amazingly long eye lashes". However, after the first time of trying the They're Real my mascara views were instantly transformed and I understood the hype.

I love the gorgeous sleek packaging of the mascara. The silver metal effect is right up my street it looks like a high end product which I would say it definitely is and should be described in that way. The brush size is the perfect size for my eyes and I love the brushes on the brush as they don't get clumped and are all uniform.

The mascara is an all in one - it lengthens, thickens, curls, separates and increases the volume of your lashes; all you could wish for in a mascara. I find that when applying this mascara I only need one application and my lashes are instantly transformed yet they are still left looking natural without appearing false or caked in mascara. The best way to use the mascara is to place the brush at the base of your eyelashes and wiggle the brush horizontally whilst moving the brush vertically to provide you with one coat rather then just applying lot's of coats vertically as this will help you to coat the entire eye lash. You can then layer the mascara to build up coverage for your desired look. I love the rich dark colour which compliments my dark hair and eyebrows. I have never had issues with this mascara smudging or drying out. I cannot rave about it enough.

Now that I have tried this mascara I don't think I would be able to use any other mascara unless it was ever discontinued. I would advice Benefit not to do this or I'm pretty sure they would have a riot and uprising on their hands.

Christmas 2015 also saw me lucky enough to receive another They're Real mascara from my Mum. This time it features the limited edition Swarovski packaging - gorgeous. The mascara is the same amazing formula which I totally agree with. As the old saying goes 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'. Instead this little gem is covered in a gorgeous matte jet black shell with gorgeous silver studs on the applicator handle. Very swish and very posh I love it. I think it's a shame that it is only limited edition as it looks perfect in my make-up collection. I have defiantly been spoilt this Christmas that is for sure.

XXX

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint Spring 2016 Collection

L - R: Butterscotch Sundae, Pink Lemonade, Acai Smoothie

L - R: Butterscotch Sundae, Pink Lemonade, Acai Smoothie 

Hello my lovelies, I have a lovely Spring blog post for you all today that leaves me feeling all warm and gooey inside. I love painting my nails; always have and I always will. Those of you that have followed my blog for a while now will know that Barry M is a personal favourite of mine. It is cheap and affordable yet the quality of the nail paints is inanely good. They have the biggest range of colours, formulations and finishes to chose from such as the original collection, gelly, matte, sunset, speedy, glitterati and aquarium ranges. I am totally unashamed to admit that I have a draw of nail polishes dedicated to Barry M. My personal favourite are the Gelly nail polishes. The Gelly paints have a slightly thicker formulation as they are based on the fact that they appear to be a proper gel nail paint where you can set your nails using UV light. The Gelly's are amazingly shinny and glossy. Most of the time I don't even bother with a top coat. Yes I know I'm lazy. They are also pretty chip resistant. I recon that there is the greatest range of colours for the Gelly collection and Barry M are constantly creating new beauties to join their amazing and vast collection. I have so many shades that an uneducated nail lover would look at the draw and say "Do you really need six nudes that look exactly the same?" The answer my lovelies will always be "Yes" as we know that they aren't the same and are all equally as gorgeous and need to be appreciated for different days, outfits and seasons.

True to form Barry M were quick off the marks to release their Spring 2016 collection. This collection excited me immensely and I was straight down to Boots to pick these up. It is probably the collection that has excited me the most over the years. I have never known myself to drop everything and go to Boots just for nail polishes before.

Barry M realised four gelly nail paints and I picked up three of the four. First of all thank you Barry M for going down the pastel nude road. Spring is one of my favourite seasons for nail polishes it is packed full of pastels and prettiness. I already own pretty much every pastel shade under the sun so it was refreshing to see a Spring nail collection that featured heavily on the nude side. Very sophisticated may I add. Perfect for the start of my third decade in my twenties. Nudes are perfect as they go with every outfit, you can't go wrong with them; unless like me you manage to get black pen on your nails.

The shades I picked up were Pink Lemonade (pale pink nude), Butterscotch Sundae (pale golden brown nude) and Acai Smoothie (subtle pale taupe purple). The final shade in the collection is called Cream Soda which is a pale creamy shade with light green undertones to it, similar to Shore Thing by Essie. Totally honest I have mixed feelings about this one as I have seen some pictures on social media where I think it looks gorgeous and others where I'm not sure. Having said that I instantly fell in love with the three that I picked up. The hardest decision was debating which to wear first. After wearing all three shades my love for the shades has grown and I am full to bursting point. For weeks I have been quite boring as all I have been doing is alternating between the three shades but I just can't help myself.

On a side note can we also just take the time to appreciate how adorable the names of these nail polishes are. Super, super cute! Barry M always turn up trumps with their styling.

Pink Lemonade

Pink Lemonade - two coats and a top coat

This was the first shade that I trialled. It is a gorgeous nude pale pink. You're probably thinking what's special about this one then? Well, it has a slightly warm tone to it making it perfect for Spring/Summer. Personally I think pale pinks with a cooler tone are more suited to winter. The fact this nail polish has warm tones will make it look really pretty alongside white tops and t-shirts that are essential for Spring without washing you out. It's a gorgeous shade and it is really easy to wear. I would also add it is more pink in reality but it was a tricky one to photograph to get the true shade.

Butterscotch Sundae 

Butterscotch Sundae - two coats and a top coat

You may be thinking that this one looks identical to Pink Lemonade. I promise you they are different. Butterscotch Sundae is a pale brown nude with a gold tone. Again this also makes it a warm shade to wear. These warm shades are great for making your hands look more tanned then they are and are therefore perfect for that awkward transition into Spring/Summer where you're starting to de-layer and expose flesh yet this flesh hasn't had a chance to see the sun since last summer as it has been quite happily hibernating. I'm going to stop typing the word flesh now. I would say that it is most similar to an older gelly shade that is another personal favourite of mine called Lychee although it is lighter and more golden.

Acai Smoothie

I would say that I have probably worn this nail polish the most. It is the hybrid of Spring combining nudes and pastels. I call it a hybrid as it isn't a true pastel purple. The polish is too dark and less bright to be a pastel yet too warm to be a pure nude as it has that added colour. Although I would still call it a beautiful and sophisticated neutral shade that is equally as easy to wear as the above shades. Nudes are so easy as they go with every outfit although purple can be harder to incorporate to outfits. I thought I would struggle yet so far so good.

Thank you for reading this blog post my lovelies. If you are a fellow nail lover then I think you may have enjoyed it. Let me know in the comments if you have these polishes and what your favourite shades are. I personally love Barry M and I have been tickled pink by yet another gorgeous collection. Normally I find it easy to chose a favourite shade, two seconds boom. However with this collection I honestly can't chose a favourite. My nail polish collection is continually expanding into multiple draws but I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

XXX

March Favourites 2016

Hello my lovelies and a Happy Friday to you all! Who has that Friday feeling? I know I do. It's also April Fool's day - help us all. First of all, where has the month gone it has seemed to fly by. March always seems to go quickly with Mother's day, my Mum's birthday and Easter. Plus I have also been to stay with family and friends. It has been a busy and crazy month that's for sure.

Lovie Dovie Nail Polish By Essie

One of the best things about March is the official arrival of Spring; and when it comes to nail polish this means I can go totally crazy and crack out the pastel nail polishes. This makes me immensely happy. One nail polish that I have been reaching for in particular is Lovie Dovie by Essie. This isn't a new nail polish, I have had this colour for many years now. A retro if you like. In a way I am surprised at myself for reaching for this polish so much as I tend to normally wear it more in the Summer. I don't know why but in my head I see Spring for super, super pale pastels; pinks, greens, blues and purples that are so pale they are almost white. Whilst in the Summer I tend to go slightly brighter. It might be because I have been using gradual tanning lotion this past month in preparation for Spring I don't know. Lovie Dovie is your classic barbie doll pink. I'm normally more of a dark pink or pastel pink girl yet I have just found myself reaching for this colour so much recently. Even now as I'm sat here typing away I find myself smiling as I get a glimpse of my busy fingers typing away wearing this beautiful shade. The Essie nail polishes are a beautiful thick formula yet they aren't too thick where they can look streaky. I only need two coats to get a beautiful full coverage. The polishes themselves are also super glossy. There are so many amazing colours to chose from with beautiful names Essie is a brand that I would highly recommend. I love my collection.

Acai Smoothie Nail Polish By Barry M

Another nail polish that I have found myself reaching for a lot over March was surprise, surprise a Barry M shade. Acai Smoothie is one of the latest additions to their Gelly collection which is my favourite range that Barry M produce. Again, surprisingly to myself this isn't a pastel shade. It is a beautiful mauve purple. It is one of four for the Spring 2016 collection with the theme of pastels and nudes yet this is the darkest shade of the collection. I thought I would find it quite difficult to pair this shade with multiple outfits however this hasn't been the case. It is actually a really easy shade to wear and I have also found myself reaching for this a lot recently. I have basically alternated between the two shades over March. To sum it up, the gelly collection is thick, glossy, long lasting and easy to apply. Barry M is also really affordable and a cheaper alternative to Essie yet the quality of the nail polish would make you think that it is from a high end beauty brand. If you are interested in the Gelly Spring 2016 collection you can read my blog post by clicking here.

The Strength Restorer Serum By Garnier

Hair care is really important to me and I am always after products that can help to keep my hair looking healthy. I do straighten my hair regularly although when it comes to styling it could probably be worse. Even so I still want to look after my hair. I have recently been using a serum from Garnier which I have been really enjoying. I love the Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Care range; in particular the Strength and Sleek restorers. I thought I would test out the Serum from the strength restorer range. I apply two pumps through the ends of my hair after washing it. I find that my hair gets really knotty after I've washed it so if I apply the oil before brushing my hair it makes it a whole lot easier to deal with. I find that alongside my tangle teeser, brushing my hair after washing it isn't a nightmare anymore as the brush can glide through. Not only that I have found that it leaves my hair looking super shiny which I approve of and appreciate immensely. The strength restorer range also smells of honey; very refreshing and Spring like so what's not to love?

Snow Fairy Shower Gel By Lush

When it comes to washing and all things hygienic I have been loving using the Snow Fairy shower gel by Lush. Yes I know it was from their Christmas range and yes I know that it is now April but what can I say, I'm a free spirit. If you're like me and you love scents that are sweet and slightly food related then you will love the scent of Snow Fairy. It is a super sweet scent and too sweet for many but I personally love it. It is a Lush christmas classic. If you say the words 'Lush Christmas Range' to a true Lush fan then they will instantly reply with 'Snow Fairy'. I wish it wasn't limited edition yet I suppose maybe it wouldn't be as special to be if I could buy it all year round. It is a beautiful barbie doll pink with a silver simmer running through it. Packed full of candy floss and sugary sweetness it is just to die for. The quality of the Lush shower gels is also really good. I picked up a small bottle yet this will last me a long time. That doesn't mean I don't wash often - I do. The shower gel itself lathers really easily and creates beautiful Lush bubbles for your shower or bath. I have actually been enjoying using this sweet scent for the start of Spring as it's very refreshing.

Summer Glow Body Lotion By Dove

During the colder months I find that I get dry skin quite easily, especially as I was really ill the previous month I have been slapping on the moisturiser. In true preparation for Spring/Summer I have brought one of my oldest and dearest friends out of hibernation. I have been using the Dove Summer Glow body lotion for years now. I think it goes back to my year 11 prom in 2012. My legs always tan the least so I like to give them a little head start for when it is warm and sunny enough to crack out the skirts and shorts. The body lotion is really moisturising and it leaves my skin feeling really soft afterwards. It absorbs into your skin really quickly. Not only is it benefiting by reducing the dry skin yet it is also a gradual tan giving a bit of warmth and colour to my legs. It has a lovely scent towards it and luckily not the one of ammonia that some fake tans have. I usually get through three or four of these bottles over Spring and Summer but that's not too bad for over half of the years worth.

Thank you for reading this blog post my lovelies. I would love to know what products you have loved using over March and if they are similar to mine. Enjoy the rest of your day it's not long to go for that weekend push now.

XXX