The 2013 Christmas Tag

Blogger_Christmas_Tag

The wonderful and clever Georgina has gone and done it again and created another seasonal tag! And as I enjoyed the last one so much I thought I would do the Christmas version... because I can't get enough of Christmas and love talking about it! 

You can find Georgina's answers here along with links to all the other bloggers who have done the tag. Of course feel free to do this as well and use my image or Georgina's. 

1.  Do you prefer a real Christmas tree or synthetic?
I think if you have grown up with a real Christmas tree it becomes a tradition to go and pick it and dance around it trying not to stand on the pine needles all Christmas. However that wasn't me so a good old plastic one does me fine... and I'm sure always will! 

2.  You're in a coffee shop, it's December, what do you pick?
Decisions, decisions! I'm actually very fussy when it comes to hot drinks and have only just got into drinking a very milky coffee! So I would probably stand there umming and ahhing for 10 minutes then go with the safer option of a white hot chocolate. But this year I'm going to try to branch out and try an Orange Mocha from Starbucks. 

3.  Whats your favourite colour scheme for decorating the tree?
Now that I'm a fully fledged adult I go for quite a stylish look with lots of silver baubles and silver beads draped over the branches. However when I was little I remember helping to decorate the tree with the now retro seeming multi coloured lights and masses of tinsel and mis-match baubles. I actually kind of wish I could have that kind of tree again as it seems a lot more magical.  

4.  Giving or receiving?
I of course love opening presents on Christmas Day then having a pile of new things to enjoy and try out on Boxing Day however I really feel I get more enjoyment from givng presents. I would say it's more the writing lists of ideas of what to buy people, the late night shopping and then wrapping them up and making them look pretty. Then the actual giving of them would come last... just because there are so many presents flying about on Christmas Day for people to actually spend time looking over their presents. That is so what Boxing Day is for... and films... and food of course! 

5.  To mince pie or not to?
For the longest time I thought mine pies actually contained mince meat which totally put me off. To the point that even though I now know it's minced fruit I'm still put off. But then again I also don't like pastry all that much... so no mince pies for me, thank you. 

6.  What's your traditional Sunday lunch?
I'm not sure if this question just means in general or what a typical Christmas lunch would consist of... so I will go for Christmas day lunch. I go to my sisters for Christmas Day and luckily she's a very cook. We have Turkey of course, mash potatoes, roast potatoes, little sausages wrapped in bacon, stuffing and french style peas. So amazing! 

7.  Christmas day fashion
If I didn't have to go out on Christmas Day I'd definitelyy spend it in my pyjamas (generally new Christmas ones!) but as I do, I try to dress up a little bit but also dress for comfort. So a nice not overly fitted dress with black tights.

8.  What's your favourite Christmas song?
I pretty much love all Christmas songs but the one that makes me feel most festive is 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday' by Wizzard. Christmas songs whilst out present shopping and then wrapping presents are a must! I may even own the Justin Bieber Christmas album....

9.  What's your favourite Christmas film?
This is such a tough one because there are so many I like... but it has to be 'Surviving Christmas' it's not overly popular but it just makes me laugh so much and it has that wonderful Christmas spirit to it. 

10.  Open presents before or after lunch?
 Always before! I actually don't know anyone who leaves presents until after lunch... it just seems way too proper and grown-up for my liking.

Hope you enjoyed my answers and of course feel free to do the tag as well and leave me a comment linking to yours so I can have a read! 

Fee xo. 
 

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Jimmy Choo Flash Perfume Review

Jimmy_Choo_Flash

I have a specific party season scent for you today! Yes, I may be enjoying it way ahead of the holiday season but this sweet floral perfume is fast becoming my daytime favourite. 

You see I am a true lover of sweet perfumes - Guerlain Insolence, Thierry Mugler Angel, Prada Candy, Harajuku Lovers G.... and now Jimmy Choo Flash.

For me there are two types of sweet when it comes to scents - gourmand (yummy) sweet and floral sweet and this is definitely the later with notes of white flowers making up the floral part and the sweet coming from notes of tangerine and apparently strawberry, which I really can't smell.

When the fragrance settles down the white flowers of lily and jasmine stay along with a slightly peppery scent that gives it that sophisticated edge. This also comes with great staying power for around 6-7 hours on me and spritzed on to a scarf it just doesn't fade - well done Jimmy!

Jimmy_Choo_Flash_Review 

As for the bottle the idea behind it was for it to look like paparazzi flash bulbs, which I actually think it does and gives it a very glitzy look. I also love that it's cubed shaped and textured, really different from everything else in my perfume collection.

Who would I suggest this to? Anyone that likes a sweet slightly sickly fragrance, of course in a good way! Also someone that is looking for a perfume that they can spritz all over themselves before a night out that wants a strong girly scent. However for some reason I really couldn't see this working in summer heat... it would be too much. 

You can find the 40ml EDP for £30.50 from Fragrance Direct here which isn't too bad I don't think.

I feel I should probably be wearing this as a more evening scent as it's quite glamorous but I really am addicted to how sweet it is! 

Fee xo.

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NOTD - NYC Rock Muse Smoky Top Coat in Red Hot

NYC_Rock_Muse_Red_Hot_Top_Coat

Today I have a subtle festive look to share with you. Festive because it contains red and white... which instantly makes me think of candy canes, and also because there is glitter! 

These nails don't scream Christmas but definitely have a festive look to them. 

When it comes to red glitter nail polishes there are generally two types - opaque red glitters that cover the whole nail and are a nightmare to remove (favourite - Barry M Red Glitter) or loose red glitter held in a red jelly base (favourite - Models Own Scarlet Sparkle). However NYC have brought out quite a rare glitter with Rose Muse Red Hot as it's sparse in a clear base making this ideal to apply over any base colour. 
 
NYC_Red_Hot_Top_Coat 

Here I have applied two coats of NYC Rock Muse Smoky Top Coat in Red Hot over Avon Nail Experts in French Manicure White as it's my favourite white nail polish. This combination just makes the red look even bolder and also festive. 

Red Hot also contains large pieces of silver glitter which I'm not sure is needed but may look good if built up. Though with just two coats it really isn't that noticeable. This is one of the newer shades in the NYC Rock Muse range which includes - Black, Green Day and Gold Maiden all priced at £1.99 and often included in the 3 for £5 offer NYC often run in Superdrug. 

I could also see this working over a green base for Christmas. Definitely recommend at only £1.99! 

Fee xo.

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Christmas Gift Guide - 5 Unique Beauty Gifts

Unique_Beauty_Gifts

When it comes to buying a gift for a true beauty lover it can be tough! Beauty sets just don't make the cut and you can never be to sure what they already own. 

So here I have come up with 5 ideas that I feel are slightly out of the box without costing too much!

Vintage_Beauty_Prints

Framed Vintage Beauty Prints
 Prints from £1.98 at All Posters
This is one of my favourite ideas and at quite a reasonable price as well. My idea here is to buy a large vintage print/ad and frame it yourself. Above are a few of my favourites from a large selection that can be found on All Posters in the Hair & Beauty Vintage Art section here. My favourites have to be the two vintage Bourjois prints from around 1950 here and here which only cost £11.99 and are quite a large 50 x 70 cm in size. Then a large frame could be purchased from Ikea (or similar) for around £7. Making this a great large gift for under £20. 

Forever Young: The Science of Nutrigenomics for Glowing, Wrinkle-Free Skin and Radiant Health at Every Age by Nicholas Perricone
£7.69 - Amazon here 
For the skincare obsessed. This was a book I came across when trying to find more in-depth beauty books to read and this is definitely in-depth. Most skincare lovers will have heard of or tried out the pricey Perricone MD products but now Nicholas Perricone shares a lot more details on how to achieve good skin though diet, supplements and products. 100% on my Christmas list. 

Create Your Own Couture Nails Inc Nail Polish 
£20 - Nails Inc here
I absolutely love this idea! Though the Nails Inc website you can now create a customised bottle of nail polish as an amazing gift for a friend or family member. First you select your crystal topped cap from a selection of 8, then it's on to picking your shade out of the 72 available. Then on to the best part - creating a name for the polish! This could be the name of the recipient or you could get creative! Then finally you are able to customise the gift box with different stickers. For £20 I feel this is excellent value for money. 

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Japonesque Lipstick Palette Kit 
£9.75 - Amazon here
This reminds me of a more grown up version of the 'Make Your Own...' sets I remember receiving at Christmas when I was a lot younger. This kit lets the recipient use up all there nearly used lipsticks or select their favourite lipsticks to create a compact lipstick palette. Or they can even combine shades to create whole new lipsticks! This is an interesting gift that I can see most beauty lovers being pleased to receive. 

Allure Beauty Magazine 12 Month Subscription 
£24.83 Delivered or £12.42 for Digital copy to tablet/iPad here
One of my favourite gifts to give and receive is a magazine subscription for a year as it's something that can be enjoyed every month and really does feel like a gift that keeps on giving. Sadly here in the UK we don't have a specific beauty magazine and have to make do with small beauty sections in fashion magazine. However there is Allure, which is the No.1 beauty mag in America.... and it doesn't actually work out that pricey at just under £25 if purchased through allure.com... compared to Whsmith who charge £70 for the same subscription?! There is also the cheaper option of purchasing a digital subscription.

Hope this has been a helpful gift guide! 

What has been your favourite beauty gift to receive? 

Fee xo.

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Christmas House Advent Calendar

Christmas_House_Advent_Calendar

With only a week until the start of December it's time to be getting your Advent Calendar sorting if you haven't already. My calendar of choice this year is a lovely Lindt one (here) as I love Lindt chocolate. Then I have this wonderful Christmas House Advent Calendar for my nieces to enjoy that I will be filling with chocolate and little gifts - hair accessories, little Moshi Monsters etc. 

This amazing Advent Calendar can be found at Dot Com Gift Shop for £18.95 here which is a tiny bit steep but it is something that you can bring out every year and it much more exciting than the standard chocolate advent calendar!

It can also double up as a Christmas decoration and can be proudly be displayed on a sideboard or in the kitchen and will fit in with most decors. 

Dot_Com_Gift_Shop_Advent_House

As for chocolate treat ideas to fill this advent calendar or any fill-your-own calendar really. I am thinking it needs to be filled with cute little chocolates like some lovely Lindt Mini Bears here and Thornton's Robin Alpine Logs which really are a work of art here. The rest could be filled with pick n' mix sweets and small toys or just more chocolates if it's for an adult. 

I will of course be moving the numbered boxes around so it's more interesting and thinking of some extra special treats for the 23 and 24 boxes! 

Do you still have an advent calendar? If so what kind do you get? 

Last year I went for a Thornton's one... and actually wouldn't recommend it as the chocolate tasted quite cheap! 

Fee xo.

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Guest Post - That Lisa Clare's 5 Favourite Things about Winter

Winter_Favourites

A lot of people may think I’m mental when I say how much I look forward to Autumn/Winter every year. Thinking about it, it is kind of odd to look forward to freezing temperatures, dark nights and white knuckle weather conditions.

 For me though, there are a few things about Winter that put it head and shoulders above Spring/Summer, despite the central heating bills and terrible photography lighting. Featured in no particular order…

knitwear

Knitwear
I just love getting warm! There’s no better feeling than wrapping up in a HUGE jumper and hiding under a blanket with a nice cuppa when it’s freezing out. I find it much harder in Summer to get cool. There’s only so much you can take off! I also love the look in general of a big, chunky knit with skinnies and a pair of tall Winter boots. It’s one of my favourite styles, not to mention one of the comfiest. And don’t even get me started on scarves, snoods and woolly hats…. Heaven! Last year I took up crochet and I’m already lining up many many projects to keep me snug this season. 
 
bangs

Bangs!
Every year at around this time I get it into my head that I want to be Zooey Deschanel. Without fail. Out comes the chocolatey brown hair dye followed by my hairdressing shears. I just think it’s a great look for Winter and one that can be adapted to suit anyone. I accept that a bang straight, full fringe doesn’t work for everyone but a good hairdresser can adapt a fringe to suit almost any face shape. Plus it’s that little bit of extra protection from the cold and looks fab peeping out from under a winter hat. 
 
argan gold

Baths
I’ll admit that I’m a bath lover at any time on the year. In fact, we never even had a shower in our house until I was about 14. I was raised on long, hot baths and cannot be without them in Winter. They really are the best way to warm up and relax. Of course this also means that I am a bubble bath fanatic and I’m quite choosy (and use approximately a quarter of a bottle in every bath, naturally). Radox are a favourite of mine but just recently I’ve been trying these Argan Gold bath and shower products by Creightons. I’m a total argan convert and I love the idea of soaking in it. I have the creamy bath and the shower butter and, as well as smelling gorgeous, they are vitamin rich and so good for the skin (and a total bargain at £3 each). 
 
coffee

Coffee
I’m not a coffee drinker. I don’t touch it at home and don’t even buy it. When Winter comes around, however, I turn into the biggest Starbucks/Costa freak going! I’m so lucky that my University is within spitting distance of both and, as the weather has been getting colder, a coffee run has become an essential errand en route to lectures. I’m also a sucker for Christmas flavours and the infamous Starbucks ‘Red Cup’. Gingerbread and Toffee Nut Soya Lattes are a seasonal staple for me. I can’t survive the Winter without them! 
 
BarryM Matte 074-horz

Seasonal Nail Polish Shades
As soon as the wind picks up and the leaves start falling, all the neons and pastels in my nail polish collection are BANISHED and out come my neutrals, browns and berry colours. I find I always go for darker shades in Winter as well. Dark chocolate, deep wine red and raspberry shades. This year I’ve discovered the new Matte shades by Barry M which are so season appropriate! My favourite so far, however, has got to be Nails Inc St Martins Lane from their Limited Edition Autumn/Winter Collection. It’s the perfect deep blackcurrant/violet that reminds me so much of Ribena! Only problem is I’m still a bit clumsy with darker polishes, as this photo will demonstrate haha.

What do you love about Winter? Do you look forward to the change in seasons? 

You can visit Lisa's great blog here.  

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My Travel Makeup Bag(s)

Travel_Makeup

As you read this I will be approximately 30,000 feet in the air on my way to Lanzarote for a little winter sun. I'm off for 10 days and come back on the 1st December hopefully fully relaxed and ready for Christmas! 

I have quite a few scheduled posts coming up whilst I'm away including this one which I wrote as I packed my makeup bag - no easy job when you have so much makeup I can tell you that.

When it comes to holiday makeup I do try to wear a lot less so I purposefully limit myself. I focus mainly on base products to make my skin look good and then lip products, especially for at night. I also limit nail polish by just taking one or two minis as I know I will buy a few nail polishes whilst I'm on holiday.

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Decanting products... 

The boring part that needs to be done! Especially as I use mainly SLS-free products that don't come in travel sizes. For shampoo I have L'Oreal Ever Riche Nourish & Taming Shampoo... smells holiday-ish, hydrating, foams well and most importantly SLS-free. For shower gel I am taking Halos N Horns Gentle Body Wash/Bubble Bath (only in Boots) which is for children.... but I like the smell and it's SLS-free.

For cleansing my face I decanted some of my Organic Surge Daily Care Face Wash and some L'Oreal Micellar Solution for when I'm wanting to be lazy. The other two pots you can see are a little Sunsense Invisible Tint SPF 50 and KIKO Skin Glow Day Cream.

Also taking a sealed pot of nail polish remover pads... hate using these but they are travel friendly. Moroccan Oil and Dove Conditioner... a must! Then as a treat two sachets of Rodial 5 Minute Facial as it just makes the skin look amazing. Another essential product is the Origins Spot Remover Gel in case I develop a nasty big spot whilst I'm away, though the sun tends to be good to my skin. 

packing_makeup_travel

Travel makeup bag and brushes...

For all the above extras I take a small cosmetic bag from Fresh and then for my makeup I use a medium size Paul & Joe cosmetic bag that is quite Mary Poppins in that it holds a lot. 

For brushes I am limiting myself this year as I really don't need much. For foundation I will just use my fingers then buff it in along with my concealer with the double ended Kiko brush which I love. I also use the powder brush end for powder. Then for my cheeks I have a duo fibre Sigma brush. Then two eye brushes one from the Naked 2 palette and a mini bareMinerals brush. Finally my trusty Models Own Angled Brush is for taking eyeshadow under the eyes and sometimes filling in my brows. 

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The good stuff... 

As you can see I'm not taking very much at all... though I'm sure some would say it's still quite a bit! But this really is as minimal as I could go. 

Base - As I mentioned, base for me is the most important so I have a Dermalogica Skin Perfect Primer that is SPF 30 that I can wear under a BB cream or alone as it has a slight tint to it. As for bb creams which I'm not normally a fan of I have the Pur Minerals CC Cream and Dr Jarts Premium BB Cream which has an SPF 40... both are ideal for hot weather. I also have a Garnier Under Eye Dark Circle Cream, Mini Benefit High Beam highlighter, Rimmel Stay Matte Translucent Powder and Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer.

Lips -Last year on holiday I either wore a lip balm during the day or a NYC Applelicious Glossy Lip Balm (review and swatches here) as they are so comfortable. So this year I will be taking two of the NYC Glossy Lip Balms (other not photographed) and a hydrating lip balm with SPF in my carry-on luggage. Then for at night I have my favourite Kiko Long Lasting Lipstick in Rosy Beige which dries down to a semi matte finish that stays put through eating and drinking. I also have a deluxe trio sample of the Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy CC lipsticks that will be ideal for at night.

Cheeks - Keeping it simple here with my favourite powder blush - the Balm Frat Boy which is a lovely pale pink shade. Then Topshop Cream Blush in Neon Rose my summer favourite.

Eyes - For eyes I probably will end up taking a Sleek  eye shadow palette but I have also included a Essence quad that is good for everyday. Then a recent Tony Moly mascara I have been enjoying which will be sealed with bareMinerals Locked & Coated to keep it waterproof - a total saviour of a product. Then finally my favourite brown Diego Dalla Palma eyeliner which I use to fill my eyebrows with and for my eyes, winged out or for a smokey look.

Travel_beauty_minis 

Extras...
   
Extras include a handy Nails Inc mini top coat and base coat, Essie mini in Snap Happy, mini nail files, two mini perfumes - one evening, one night, eyelash curlers and a Xen Tan Travel Self Tan for Face

I also thought I would include what books I am taking with me as last year I was left without anything to read as I didn't enjoy the book I took with me. So this year I'm prepared and have read the first chapter of both books to see if I can get in to them or not. So I have Never Let Me Go and A Monster Calls which fingers crossed I will thoroughly enjoy as I love getting absorbed in to a book on holiday whilst laying by the pool or on the beach. 

Hope you enjoy all the scheduled posts I have planned whilst I'm away! 

Fee xo.  

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Holidays Are Coming Wish List


Chistmas_Wish_List

Call these treats for yourself or gift ideas. I thought I'd combine some super festive things into one post!

Starting from the top... 

Lily Flame Christmas Pudding Candle 
 (£7.48 - eBay here
 I'm a total sucker for a festive candle come December and this listing has many - Silent Night, It's Christmas, Ho Ho Ho!, Cranberry Crush and Winterwood. They all sound great and come with topping on the top of the candle wax.

Wooden Block Calendar
 (£5.00 Matalan in-store) 
 I spotted this in-store last week and instantly thought how it could be used as a more grown up way of counting down to Christmas. Then of course used through out the year as a desk calender. 

Tesco Christmas Socks 
 (2 for £2 - Tesco here or in-store)
 Fun festive socks are a must at Christmas. This year Tesco have a great range of Christmas socks that are well worth the £1 price tag. I own quite a few pairs now.

Nails Inc Mini Best Dressed Nail Polish Set
 (£16.00 - ASOS here)
Oh, how badly I want to treat myself to this set! The glitters are just perfect for Christmas and seem a lot more exciting than last years mini set. 

Asda Red Alpine Seasonal Mug 
 (£2.50 - Asda here out of stock but still in-store!)
 One of my favourite recent Christmas buys! This is a large teacup shaped mug that is just so festive and fun. Sadly it is out of stock but 100% check in store. However the grey version is in stock here.

China Glaze Happy Holiglaze Mini Nail Polish Set 
(£9.99 - Nail Polish Direct here & here)
China Glaze know how to do festive nail polishes! I treated myself to a mini set last year and will be using the polishes again this year as I love the glitters so much. These two sets are the lowest I could find them online, plus you receive £1 off when you 'like' their Facebook page at the checkout. 

Let It Snow - 3 short stories 
 (£5.75 - Amazon here)
Reading is normally out of the question in the run up to Christmas as I'm too busy blogging, Christmas shopping or wrapping presents. But this year I want to make time for a Christmas read before bed. This looks ideal as it's three stories in one and includes a festive story from the wonderful John Green. 

Nigella Christmas 
(£13.52 - Amazon here
 If you love to cook or read cookbooks then this is a must! This is the most festive cook book ever, full of yummy food and DIY food gift recipes. It's also a really large size so that is can sit on the coffee table and look pretty!

ASOS Check Print Scarf 
(£4.50 - ASOS here)
 Last but not least a Christmas-y looking scarf that will go with everything! I was tempted to buy the much talked about tartan scarf from Primark however I'm loving this much more for the festive red and green colours in it. 


Why does there have to be soooo many nice things out for Christmas? I want it all! 

Fee xo. 

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Snowy Trees Nail Art

Snowy_Trees_Nail_Art

Last week I was challenged by Marisota to create a Christmas nail look in the their 12 Nails of Christmas Challenge which 11 other bloggers are taking part in!

I received a wonderful box of nail treats to use to come up with a look. As snow is apparently on it's way and I'm wish for a white Christmas this year I thought I would create a snowy scene on my nails.

I love the combination of red and white so I used Essie Russian Roulette (£6.99 - Superdrug) for the base... this may now be my ultimate festive red as it's just the right shade and so glossy. I then used the Barry M Nail Art Pen in White (£4.99 - Boots here) to create the snowy trees and snow. I decided to not be too neat here as I wanted to create the look of when snow is coming down thick and fast!

Winter_Scene_Nail_Art 

To create the trees and snow I used the pen to first paint on the snow at the bottom of the nails drawing a wavy line from one side of my nail to the other and filling it in. For the trees I created a basic Christmas tree shape on my nails which I filled in and left to dry. I then added a few strokes of white to the end of the tree shape to make them look a little more snowy. 

As an added extra I then placed Crystal Gemstones by Andrea Fulerton (£6.61 - Amazon here) on the top of each tree to act as a little sparkly star. To finish I used Essie Let It Shine Top Coat (£8.99 - Boots here) to seal in the nail art. 

 For these nails I would team them with white knitwear for a casual look such as the lovely lace collar fluffy jumper from Marisota above. This would also make the red on the nails look more vivid and festive! 

Lots more Christmas nail looks to come in December! 

Fee xo.

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Under £2 Makeup Brush Set from eBay

eBay_Makeup_Brushes_cheap

I have more than enough makeup brushes but I was sorely lacking in different eye brushes so I took to eBay to find some Sigma style dupes. 

After lots of browsing I came across this listing of many different sets of brushes. I was tempted to splurge on a few more sets as they are excellent value but decided on the Silver - 4pcs set for an amazing£1.66!

For such bargain brushes I have been more than impressed with the quality of these so far (update: I still use these 3 years on!). The handles are sturdy and full size with the ferrule made from strong aluminium. Along with soft bristles that are ideal for eyeshadow blending/shading.

Here is how I like to use each brush...

Eye_Makeup_brushes_cheap

Left to right 

Soft Flat Top Brush - When I first got this set I was a bit unsure how best to use this brush but after a bit of trial and error I discovered it's an ideal shape for using with cream eye shadows especially the Maybelline Color Tattoos as this fits flat into the pot perfectly, picking up the product evenly. I could also see this being good for stippling/blending under eye concealer.

Soft Angled Shading Brush - I use this as my crease brush for the outer corners of my eyes especially when I want a smokey eye. This is great for blending out or in eyeshadow.

Soft Dome Brush - This is my general clean blending brush that I use to blend the edges of eyeshadow without picking up any product. Probably my most needed brush, so I'm glad I have this now.  

Soft Blending Brush - As I don't need too many eye brushes I decided to use this to blend out concealer as my Sigma one had started to shed on my face more and more. As this is round and ultra soft this does a great job of lightly buffing in concealer - I use the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer. So far so good with zero shedding. 

Delivery does take a while for this product but it's 100% worth it!

Fee xo.

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My £5 Deborah Lippmann Nail Polishes!

Deborah_Lippmann_TK_Maxx

Today I had to share with you possibly my best bargain purchase of the year! Now you may be ooo-ing at my £5 polish finds but what if I told you I meant £5 for all three?! Yes, I snagged these bad boys up for a mere £5 in TK Maxx, down from £15... which is still a bargain really. 

Deborah Lippmann really are the creme de la creme of nail polishes normally costing £10 each at House of Fraser but lots of 'older stock' has winged it's ways into TK Maxx stores up and down the country. All packaged in bags of 3, I discovered these amongst lots of others at the full price of £15 on the clearance shelf. 

These were the most separated looking polishes out of the lot... mainly because they had been laying on their side for too long I imagine. However after a little shake up out of the boxes they were back to normal, so don't be put off if you see any horribly separated ones!

Deborah_Lippmann_clearance_TKmaxx 

Fortunately the reduced set contained 3 beautiful shades that I love, so I got extra lucky there. My favourite shade has to be Cleopatra in New York as it's such a striking glitter, then Superstar which is a beautiful opaque autumnal copper glitter and then finally Supermodel which is a vivid red sheer jelly polish that I have found to be amazing with jelly sandwich nails... NOTD to come soon. 

 With a saving of £25 I am so pleased with these nail polishes and may have to pop back in to see if they have any more very soon.

TK Maxx is definitely the place to be checking out reduced nail polish sets at the moment. I also spotted sets from Orly, Essie, Nails Inc and Revlon. 

Fee xo. 


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Organic Surge Beauty Bloggers Favourites Bundle

Organic_Surge_Blogger_Bundle

As a lover of natural and organic products Organic Surge is one of favourite skincare brands. So I was more than pleased to find out the brand had released a special Beauty Bloggers Favourites Bundle exclusively for bloggers and their readers (not sold through their main website). 

The bundle consists of four of the most highly rated products that beauty bloggers have reviewed in 2013 with at 13% on the set and free delivery. 

The set includes - Blissful Daily Moisturiser 50ml, Lavender Meadow Hand & Nail Cream 75ml, 2-Minute Moisture Hair Mask 150ml, Citrus Mint Shower Gel 250ml.
 Available for £20.95 here.

I can instantly say this is a pretty great bundle as only the hand & nail cream is new to me, with all the rest being products I use frequently and would re-purchase. Below are a few mini reviews/rambles on each product.

Organic_Surge_Bundles

2-Minute Moisture Mask
This is one of my favourite hair masks to use to pamper my hair a bit. I find the silicone-free formula to condition my hair enough to tame any frizz I have and to de-tangle my hair from shampooing. I also love the smell of this... sweet with a hint of the pure coconut oil. The 150ml tub also lasts ages as only a small amount is needed. 

Blissful Daily Moisturiser for Normal/Combination Skin 
Another favourite here which I use when my skin is feeling dry from cold weather/too much central heating. This is aimed at normal to combination skin but I personally feel it's too heavy and would be better suited to being a night cream or on dry areas of the face. However this is without a doubt ideal for sensitive skin and is lightly scented with essential oils. I also love that the moisturiser comes in a weighty glass jar making it feel quite a high end product.

Organic_Surge_Offer_Christmas 

Citrus Mint Shower Gel 
A lovely zingy fresh shower gel here that is ideal for morning showers. I find most OS Shower Gels have quite a subtle scent however this citrus mint is much more of a punch scent with a blend of mint and lemon to create quite an invigorating scent that is quite nice. This also foams very well for being SLS free (though this does contain Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate- considered to be the milder and safer alternative to SLS's).  

Lavender Meadow Hand & Nail Cream 
 This is the only product I hadn't already been using in the bundle so I can't say too much about it. But from a few uses now I can say this is a lovely winter appropriate hand cream. The formula surprisingly feels light and almost serum like but once absorbed into the skin you can feel the moisturising layer left behind - not sticky but silky feeling. I have more than enough hand creams but this is 100% going to be kept next to my kitchen sink as I can see this making a difference after washing up or washing my hands. 

Organic Surge also offer other bundles here but I really feel this is the best all round bundle containing products for the face, body, hair and hands. 

Great for a treat to yourself or a gift for a body care junkie. 

Fee xo.

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Nicky Clarke Desired Wide Plate Hair Straighteners Review

Nicky_Clarke_Desired_Wide_Styler

For over 10 years now I have been straightening my hair. Well I say straightening but it was more attempting to with the products that were available when I was in my teens. However hair care technology has come on more than leaps and bounds to the point that we can now own professional hairdresser quality tools that give amazing results. 

A brand that deliver this is Nicky Clarke Electricals offering a wide range of styling tools. Including the DesiRED range which includes ceramic straighteners, wide plate ceramic straighteners, a professional hair dryer and ceramic tongs.

Here I have the Wide Plate Ceramic Straightener to show you which I have been using religiously for the past two months. The reason for this is I been totally won over by these and can hand on heart state I given my previous much more expensive pair of hair straighteners to my sister - much to her delight!

The wonderfully red DesiRed Wide Plate Straighteners are currently on sale (at time of posting - 14/11/13) for £39.99, exclusively at Boots here with a huge saving of £40.00 - RRP £79.99.


So what has me loving these straighteners so much I hear you ask...

 Wide Ceramic Plates - Before trying these out I was a little apprehensive at using wide plate straighteners. Even though I've always had medium to long, thick hair I some how had this preconceived idea that wide plates wouldn't be as effective or beneficial to me. But how wrong I was! These wide plate straighteners couldn't suit my hair any better in fact. Even on first use of these I realised the wide plates (that aren't overly wide so don't feel bulky in any way) allow the hair to be straightened much faster and only need to be stroked through the hair once, which of course reduces the chance of heat damage to the hair. 

Variable Heat Setting - This combined with the heat setting for thick hair creates a totally sleek finish that will straighten and tame the thickest of hair. Though the straighteners do have a variable heat setting of - fine, medium, thick and max. I haven't needed to use the top temperature of 230oC but I can see this being ideal for unruly thick or curly hair. I can also see the fine setting being ideal for use on fringes.

Nicky_Clarke_Wide_Hair_Straighteners_Boots 

Other features...

 Floating Ceramic Plates -This was another feature that I was unsure how beneficial it would be for me. Mainly because I didn't know what it actually was! However I soon discovered it meant that the plates are designed to glide though your hair without tugging it as the two ceramic plates don't press down on the hair but float very close either side. This really does make a noticeable differance compared other hair straighteners as snagging your hair/getting it caught in the side of the plates just doesn't happen. 

Auto Shut-off - Now this is a reassuring feature. If you are someone that instantly worries you might not have turned your hair straighteners off the minute you leave the house then this will put you at ease. Within an hour of the hair straighteners being turned on they will automatically turn off for safety.

Other little extras include a very speedy heat up time (I'd say no more than 30 seconds) and a lengthy 3 metre cable, meaning I'm able to sit at my makeup table to use them.


Overall the Desired Wide Plate Hair Straighteners have honestly more than impressed me. Straightening my hair is now a breeze, I actually find I now don't need to section off my hair as it does such a large amount at a time... though I am aware this may not be such a great thing as I now find myself straightening my hair more than ever - heat protectant spray recommendations are much appreciated! Also my hair does stay straightened throughout the day which is a huge plus, a sign of professional hair straighteners for me. 

Of course every product has it's disadvantages but here it is difficult to find any when they do exactly what they state. However I would say a heat mat is sorely missing as the straighteners do heat up to such a high degree and need to be placed on a suitable surface.

All in all a more than pleasing product that really delivers great results.

If you are looking for a pair of hair straighteners that are high in quality I really would recommend these in an instant now.

Fee xo. 


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NOTD - Sinful Colors Easy Going & Barry M Rose Quartz

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Today I decided I needed super feminine 'sugar plum fairy' nails instead of the deep autumnal tones I have been going for recently.

My eyes instantly fell on Barry M Rose Quartz as it's just such a lovely girly glitter without being too much. Which I decided to pair with Sinful Colors Easy Going. I also decided I need an accent nail with Essie Beyond Cozy which I really need to get a full size bottle of before Christmas! 

To start my manicure I applied just two coats of Sinful Colors Easy Going (£1.99 - Boots here) which was enough as the polish is perfectly opaque for such a light pastel pink. I feel I should point out that I love Sinful Colors oh so much since they launched in Boots stores. They have so many shades (including amazing glitters) and the consistency and finish can't be fault - amazing for £1.99. I'm also sure the range is on 3 for 2 in Boots making 3 polishes only £3.98 at the moment! 

Essie_Beyond_Cozy 

I then applied a single coat of Barry M Rose Quartz (£3.00 - Amazon here) to all my nails bar my two accent ring finger nails. Barry M was the brand that first got me into glitter nail polishes as they just have so many vivid packed glitters that cover the whole nail.... however I actually think my favourite glitter from Mr. Barry M has to be Rose Quartz as it's just so pretty with it's slight rose gold hue. 

To finish I applied two coats of Essie Beyond Cozy to my ring fingers, which is a mini bottle that came in the Essie Winter 2012 set (now discontinued). And actually my favourite from the set/collection... super sparkly and ideal for Christmas. This is nearly all used up now so I will be getting the full size ASAP for the bargain price of £3.99 from eBay here.

I'm so pleased with how these nails look, especially the accent nail which adds a bit more interest. 

Happy, pretty nails! 

Fee xo.

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Lazy Links #8

Lazy Links

This week I have been.... 

Spending! Eeeep, not the time of year to really be spending on myself but I desperately needed some new glasses and sunglasses. Plus I'm going on holiday in just under 2 weeks which means - clothes shopping! I still plan a Primark visit (I'm sure there will be Christmas purchases involved - a novelty jumper, *that* red wine coloured velvet skater skirt and of course some mandatory pyjamas) for basics. But the main bulk of my holiday shopping has been happening on the ASOS sale, New Look and Fragrance Direct.

Lusting after Maybelline Color Show Brocades in Knitted Gold (swatches found here)... Isn't it amazing! I'm crossing my fingers and toes that this shade is out in the UK as the blog I discovered it on is an irish one. It will be mine! 

Writing down lots of Christmas post ideas... I feel I haven't fully got in to the swing of things as I will be going on holiday soon and that is a sure way to undo all the festive feelings I have. But once I'm back (on the 1st December) I plan to love Christmas more than Buddy the Elf minus spaghetti with maple syrup for breakfast mind. I hopefully will have some interesting gift guides to show you for even the cheapest of budgets, lots of festive nail art, a few lovely giveaways and some Christmas-y interviews

I've also have been stocking up on books for winter/my holiday. I asked a lovely blog reader of mine called Vilde (who has read an amazing 300 books this year!) what she'd recommend as a holiday read. After asking what genre of books I liked she suggested 'A Monster Calls' which had been sitting in my Amazon Wish List for the past two months. So I instantly purchased that - thanks Vilde! I also have 'The Last Letter from Your Lover','The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' and 'Never Let Me Go' to read.

Craving a Christmas hot drink! The festive red cups are back for Costa and Starbucks plus a range of wintry drinks. I plan to brave the cold and go shopping next week but what to get! I'm torn between a Costa White Hot Chocolate or a Starbucks Chocolate Orange Mocha. What is your favourite festive hot drink?

Stocking up on Christmas magazines and catalogues. I already have my multiple copies of Glamour mag for the Nails Inc/Kate Spade free nail polishes and The Body Shop Joy Card (I got £3 ones), I also bought Woman & Home magazine (very festive) and I've sure I will be picking up Marie Claire. Sadly though Red magazine has been a let down on the Christmas front... guest edited by Goop/Gwyneth Paltrow it's just all a bit too serious and un-christmas like for me! 

Also got my Boots Christmas catalogue and a lovely luxury Booths supermarket one that contains some amazing recipes. Just the John Lewis one still to pick up. Sometimes it's the little things like this that can make you feel quite festive.

Hope you all have a lovely Sunday whatever your plans! And make sure to share with me your favourite hot winter time drink with me! 

Fee xo.


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