Monday, 9 March 2015
Mother's Day Gift Guide; The Rose Script Collection for Sanctum by Dan Gold
Sanctum Soho, London's first Rock and Roll hotel, is a stylish 30 bedroom boutique hotel located right in the heart of Soho. Featuring a secret roof top terrace with hot tubs, a private screening room, and art work by the star of London Ink, Dan Gold, the Sanctum provides a discreet social space for travellers and touring musicians. Even if you don't have the occasion (or the funds) to check into the Sanctum Soho and enjoy the late night parties and eccentric fun and frivolity, you can still get a sense of the Sanctum spirit with their range of makeup and toiletries bags. The range has been designed exclusively for Sanctum Soho by Dan Gold, who really is one of the world's most prolific tattoo artists, trusted by both Kate Moss and Britney to work with them in his unique style, fusing tattoo art with graffiti. The Rose Script Collection contains 3 items, a travel bag, makeup bag and pictured above the Rose Print Cosmetic Clutch. Inspired by the recent trend for bags with wrist straps, in my book this little beauty is way too pretty to be used as a wash bag and will be featuring as a chic and oh so glam evening clutch in my wardrobe this summer.
Yup you heard me Mum, sorry but this one's mine !!!
Sunday, 8 March 2015
Youth Liberator Serum Foundation from YSL
I have been using this foundation for months now so decided it was time I shared my thoughts with you all.
Available in 7 shades, the YSL Youth Liberator Serum Foundation is designed to revive skin’s youthful brightness and create a more uniform complexion.
I particularly love the way this product is packaged. It comes in a weighty glass bottle fitted with an easy to use, mess free pump (take note Nars!)! It should also have a lid, which unfortunately I've lost but take it from me that the lid is shaped like a little top hat and looks super cute.
The texture of the foundation is perfect if you like using a brush or beauty blender to apply. I tend to use both. I apply one pump onto the back of my hand, use a blender to dab it all over my face then a buffing brush to blend it out.
But it's the coverage it gives that gives this one its place in my make up stash. I would say it's definitely on the high end of the spectrum but it doesn't have a hint of that chalky, cakey look some high coverage foundations have, instead it gives you you the look of perfectly flawless radiant skin. If you prefer a matte look you might want to powder this one down but I love skin to look fresh and glowing so it's a win for me.
So what about wear time? I am a huge fan of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder and always lightly dust my face after applying my makeup. On my skin I found that combo really did last all day. I particularly loved that it contains SPF25 but if you like your nightclub photos - you may find it gives the dreaded ghost-face!!
This foundation gives me the appearance of flawless, glowing skin while it works on improving the look and texture of my natural complexion. That is definitely worth it's £34 price tag to me!
What would you pay for perfect skin?
L'Occitane Immortelle Precious Cream
I've really been loving this little cream recently so thought today I would share it with you all.
Isn't the name adorable? 'Precious', 'immortal' - both perfect words to associate with a face cream wouldn't you say? Top bit of branding from L'Occitane there!
And don't you just love the packaging? The bright blue glass jar with it's gold label and silver lid just looks perfect in my bathroom! LOVE!!
But it's when you unscrew the lid that the real magic happens. The texture truly is of whipped cream, light and fluffy enough to be instantly absorbed yet this extraordinary product can soothe and moisturise the most troubled unhappy skin, leaving it somehow comforted, super soft and deeply hydrated.
And I nearly forgot to tell you about the smell! You know that glorious smell that cold creams such as Nivea used to have? THAT!! I just can't get enough of this stuff...
L'Occitane Immortal Precious Cream is available for a bargain £33 from Marks and Spencer's at the moment - it's usually almost a tenner more from L'Occitane or online so hurry and snap yours up....
Saturday, 7 March 2015
The Best Brow Product for Strong Brows - Mac Fluidline Brow Gelcreme
I have found it. After literally YEARS of looking, I have found my perfect eye brow product, and it is of course made by MAC. So what is it about the Fluidline Brow Creme that I love.
Colour The colour of this product is perfect. My shade is deep dark brunette which applies darker than it looks in the pot but without the warmth of other products that leave me with the dreaded ginge brows.
Ease of application. I use my beloved Mac 203, literally just touch the colour in the pot then literally just draw along the bottom line of my brows. Using a flicking motion, I then draw the colour up through the body of the brow. I then draw in the top line using more pressure towards the middle and emphasising the arch. I then take the tip of the brush to manually draw a few strokes in at the inner corners to soften the look.
Adaptability. This is not a brow product for the faint hearted. This is definitely for those of us who like a kick ass brow. It can be adapted very easily though. I use slightly more product on my brush for nights out giving a strong, bold brow but merely touch my brush to the product when I want a more daytime look.
Longevity. Once on, this product won't run, fade or smudge. Until you remove them with an oil based cleanser - baby, dem brows ain't going nowhere,
. Have you found YOUR holy grail product? Do share!
Hourglass Opaque Rouge Lip Polish - In Edition
I picked this Hourglass Lip Polish up in a blog sale and to be honest, I bought it because I love everything I have ever owned from Hourglass, and because it was a bargain. I had looked at the range before in Space NK, but at £23 for the smallest tube I have ever seen (it looks like a sample size) I just couldn't bear to fork out! All hail the bargainous blog sale!!!
Apart from being teeny tiny, the packaging is as gorgeous as you would expect from Hourglass, the familiar bronzey-gold colour scheme broken up by a window showing the colour of the product inside. The Lip Polish can be applied directly to the lips using the doe foot applicator that comes with it but for precision, I like to use my Bobby Brown lip brush.
The colour I chose was Edition - a pinky-coral or coral-pink yes probably coral-pink best describes it - whatevs, it is a bright, bold, confident shade that I can't wait to try with a tan.
The formula is really thick and initially quite sticky but just let it dry ( it takes about 30 secs) and once it has, it will stick to your lips like glue. And when I say stick, I mean for 6 hours easily. Six hours of eating and drinking with maybe the odd snog thrown in, did not faze this baby at all. Genuinely, this is the first ever lip product I was conscious of removing at the end of the night.
In short, I LOVE the Hourglass Lip Polish and can't wait to pick up some more shades. Have you ever tried this product? What shades do you recommend I pick up next?
iQ - The Guilt free, Low Calorie Chocolate - And Its GOOD for You !!
If there is one thing I love as much as lipstick, it would have to be chocolate, but for years now I have tried to resist, as one diet after another told me it was sinful. Whatever my current eating plan was - low cal, low fat or sugar free - chocolate was always banned. So when I saw on Twitter recently a chocolate company that claimed their sweet treats were positively GOOD for you, I have to admit I was sceptical! But I knew it was my duty to you my dearest reader, and to the cause of scientific research, to try this chocolate for myself - well everyone has a duty to take one for the team sometimes - ahem - and moving on!!
IQ is a health promoting, raw, bean-to-bar chocolate made from the rare and intoxicating Peruvian Criolio bean which is sweetened with coconut blossom and created in the hills of Scotland, with love - awww!
It contains copper to protect your DNA from damage amd promote healthy skin and nails, magnese and phosphorous to support healthy bones and magnesium to strengthen your teeth, muscles and mood.
Guys, this chocolate isn't just good for you, it should be available on PRESCRiPTION!!
IQ Chocolate comes in the cutest of packaging and a variety of wonderful flavours - my favourite is the peppermint, I adore dark chocolate and mint!
Gluten free, dairy free, nut free, soya free GMO free - this chocolate contains no dodgy chemicals refined sugars, artificial additives or ingredients - oh and it is suitable for vegans!!!
Best of all at 197 calories for the WHOLE bar, IQ Superfood chocolate is the perfect guilt free treat so whatever your eating plan - ENJOY!!!
My Valentine
Money's been a bit tight around these parts recently so I wasn't expecting more than perhaps a card for Valentine's Day this weekend - as it turned out that was all my darling husband forgot. Roses, Fizz and not one but TWO pairs of Ted Baker shoes - it is fair to say I felt very, very spoiled.
In winter black courts are pretty much all I wear to work. Black patent with a perfect heel and a very discreet bit of gold detailing - these are absolutely perfect.
The second pair of shoes are very similar to the first but are an amped up version - perfect for wearing at night with a little black dress or printed trousers. Look at the taller, slimmer metal heel, the high shine leather, extensive detailing - still subtle but uber sexy.
All Ted Baker shoes have generous padding inside to ensure they are always comfortable to wear and of course that gorgeous gold sole - LOVE!!
After pressie time I was told to sit and relax while my OH made dinner - Brie tartlets, duck with minted peas and Creme Caramel, all courtesy of Mr Waitrose - oh come on he may be good but he isn't Master Chef! Whoever devised the menu, Brian executed it perfectly and it was delicious.
After dinner Brian got his card and pressie - no not THAT you dirty minded crowd. I had bought him all the makings for his favourite cocktail, the brandy Alexander, and it's fair to say he throughly enjoyed a fair few of them.
We both had a lovely Valentines and really appreciated the thought behind the treats we had each selected for the other.
How did you spend Valentine's this year, loved up with your partner or partying on a mates date???
My Work To Bar Makeup Essential - By Terry
So for me the love affair with beauty boxes is definitely over. They started off well but recently they seem to have all featured the same end of stock products and sample sizes which really haven't interested me at all. The one box I do still subscribe to is My Little Box which is described as a lifestyle box featuring a wide selection of offerings with my favourite ever, undoubtedly being a monochrome DVF scarf!!!! NICE huh??
This month though the star of the show was a beauty product from one of my favourite premium brands - By Terry. The product in question was the Crayon Khol Terribly and it is a cracker. The Crayon Kohl Terrybly is a waterproof eyeliner that has the perfect point to closely line the eyes. Being a Khol, it smudges out beautifully for smoky sexy look but work quickly cos once this has set, it's going nowhere! I am also pleased to note that when this one says it's waterproof it really means it, so no smearing or smudging with this crayon.
But what I love most about this pencil is the colour. It applies as a deep black with subtle gold highlights to add dimension but when you smudge it out the black fades to a bronze - keep going and you are left with a pretty pale gold.
It's like magic!
I've been taking the By Terry Crayon Kohl Terrybly with me to work for those impromptu drinks after work invitations when I want to add a little something to my makeup without taking it all off and starting again. I apply this Kohl around my eyes, smudge it through the crease and voila !
What is your desk to bar makeup essential ?
A Blogger's Must Have ???
Long before I started blogging myself, I was an avid blog reader and at first, I mistakenly thought that all you needed to start a blog was a catchy name, a good idea and a keyboard. How NAIVE!!!
Having started my own blog, I very quickly learned that in the blogosphere, one simply could NOT be considered as a REAL blogger without some blogging must-haves. In order to help other blogging newbies to avoid the mistake I made, I have decided to do a series on the items that any self respecting blogger must own. Some posts may be serious, others seriously tongue in cheek, I will leave it to you to decide which is which!
Today's Blogger Must Have is the Diptyque candle. Available from all the beauty blogger's favourite shopping emporiums such as Space NK and Cult Beauty this is a pricey piece at £40 for a full size candle or £20 for a mini but it really isn't something any self respecting blogger can afford to be without.
Beautifully packaged in their iconic glass jars, these candles flicker in the background of many a blog image. My favourite for winter is Amber, I am obsessed with its warm, rich, seductive scent, but if you really want to show, you're in the blogging know then your choice would probably be fig.
Although they are undeniably expensive, I do think these candles are a justifiable luxury. They fragrance a whole room within minutes of lighting, burn evenly and last for about 40 hours .
So if you are a new blogger and want to give your blog that je ne sais quoi, pick up a Diptyque candle today!
Well you really can't call yourself a blogger without one dahling!!!
MAC Lipstick - Viva Glam Rihanna
Today I bring to you the beauty that is Mac Viva Glam Rhianna!
As everyone knows I love lipstick and I am particularly fond of Mac lipsticks, but of all the lipsticks I have ever owned, Viva Glam Rhianna is without doubt my favourite.
First up can we take a moment to admire the packaging. The bullet is the same bullet shape that all Mac lippies come on but check out the metallic, red colour - sheeeexy!!
And the same can be said for the colour in that sleek blackened red bullet.... It is a bold red with enough blue to make your teeth pop, just one swipe and you're FIERCE!!!
And it's a FROST! This is not a formula I would usually go for, I am very much a girl who loves mattes but this isn't your run of the mill, granny Annie frost, with this lippy, the frost just gives the colour texture and dimension - work it girl!
It applies easily with no dragging and though it doesn't last the 4-6 hours Ruby Woo does, even with lots of cocktail swilling, I get a good 3-4 hours wear time from this shade.
This little beauty is still available from most Mac counters but is limited edition so hurry, snap it up, you know you want to!!!
The Mac Viva Glam Rhianna is my all time favourite Mac lipstick - what is yours???
Mothers Day Gift Guide - The Beauty Edit
So Mum's are the best right? They might drive us nuts sometimes but it's only because they love us a little too much! Of course we should let them know we love them back EVERY day of the year but when their own special day comes round (March 15th), it is only right to make a bit of a fuss!
Last week I introduced you to a lovely site where I found some lovely little homecare pieces I thought would be perfect for Mother's Day, this week I have found the perfect gift set - high end skincare at a high street price.
This beautiful set is available on the Yves Rocher website here or why not check out the full range of Yves Rocher products here.
Tuesday, 3 March 2015
Soap and Glory Solar Powder
This bronzer has received rave reviews from many of my favourite bloggers so when I recently saw that Soap and Glory were doing one of their recent 3 for 2s, Solar Powder was the first thing in my basket.
Isn't the packaging ADORABLE - I love a bit of 50s kitsch so this is right up my street. The compact is made of environmentally friendly cardboard so no reason to feel guilty and best of all it has a really good size mirror for touch ups on the go.
Inside the compact, there are actually two products a matte bronzer and subtly shimmering highlighter. Initially I found both a little light for my NW30 skin tone but I started experimenting and that's when the magic happened. For me the perfect way to use this product is not for highlighting but for old skool bronzing - to add a little colour to my face.
How I use the Solar Powder is to take a really big fluffy powder brush and swirl both sides together. I then simply tap off the excess and sweep over the tops of my cheekbones, across my forehead and down the centre of my nose - everywhere the sun would hit if it ever shone!!!
The look is a very subtle one. No need to worry about folk thinking I've just been tango'd with this product, it just warms up my pasty winter pallor and makes me look a little less DEAD!!!
Pricewise - At £11 for a generously sized compact WITH mirror, I reckon this is pretty affordable anyway but with Boots regular 3 for 2 offers on Soap and Glory, there is really no reason not to pick one up.
Friday, 27 February 2015
Weight Loss Wednesday - Getting Back On Track
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!
So my last weight loss Wednesday post was on 12 November and I only had 13 lbs left to lose. I can't remember what threw me off the wagon mid November but then Christmas came along, then 4 family birthdays in quick succession and suddenly it is the end of February and I have way more than 13lbs to lose.
I look back on the photo I posted back then and I remember how happy and confident I felt. I still had a tummy but I was looking and feeling fit, and healthy and most of all I felt like me!
So today I have weighed myself and resolved to stop the rot. I am ashamed to admit that I now have 35 pounds to lose a staggering stone and a half on in the last 10 weeks. I am ashamed but I am determined to turn this tide of compulsive eating and get back on track. If I am honest it is not the best week for me. I have a night out on Thursday and have booked a couple of nights away with my husband this weekend and the devil on my shoulder is whispering to me that I should leave it till Monday, that I deserve a treat.
But do you know what I deserve ? To feel healthy and confident. To enjoy shopping and buying nice clothes. To look in the mirror and like what I see.
Wednesday, 25 February 2015
My Last Supper - from Frankie and Benny's at the Glasgow Fort
My regular readers will know that I am a big fan of the Glasgow Fort, a shopping centre situated just off the M8 about five miles outside the city centre. Full of all of my favourite shops, restaurants and bars with plenty of free parking what is not to love?
One of my absolute favourite places to eat at the Glasgow Fort is Frankie and Benny's Italian Diner. Stepping inside is like stepping into an Italian Restaurant in New York in the 50's. There's a bar area serving fab cocktails (more on that later), booth style seating and framed baseball memorabilia.
The F&B menu is centred round our old favourites Pizza and Pasta but it also offers a good range of salads, burgers, fish, chicken and steak. I defy anyone not to find something to tickle their tastebuds.
We went in towards the end of the shift last Sunday night but were greeted warmly by a waiter who was friendly and enthusiastic but never imposed - don't you just hate a waiter who makes it all about him?
My husband was driving so he was really pleased to see an alcohol free Becks on the menu, while I treated myself to a Margarita. Now I like to think of myself as a bit of a Margarita connoisseur. I have certainly drank enough of them to know a good one and this was right up there amongst the best. Tangy, full of zest, with a strong Tequilla kick and just enough salt to bring out the flavours, lovely!
As we enjoyed our drinks we poured over the menu and eventually decided to skip the starter and head straight to the main course. I ordered Chicken and Chorizo Penne which was just as described - penne pasta with sliced chicken breast and generous chunks of spicy chorizo sausage tossed in a spicy tomato and chilli dressing and topped with shavings of fresh Parmesan. It was so good, rich and flavoursome, I loved every mouthful. My husband loves his pizza and this time he ordered a New Yorker Calzone - he raved about it. As he cut into it, I could see it was stuffed with spicy pepperoni , ham, bacon, mushrooms and mozzarella - all topped with a ladle of fresh tomato sauce. Yummy!
There wasn't much chat during the mains - just the occasional ' Mmmmmm' or ' You HAVE to try this' but it was a very contented silence. In all honesty I am rarely happier than when I am sharing delicious food with friends and family and luckily my husband feels the same.
After our empty plates were taken away we were given the dessert menus and all I can say is WOW! Waffles, Fudge Cake, Brownies, Apple Pie and some of the most tempting Sundaes I have ever seen. But I resisted. Well almost! I ordered another Margarita and my husband had a Blueberry Eton Mess, an aptly named muddle of vanilla and blueberry ice cream layered with meringue, blueberry sauce and whipped cream. WHICH THEY SERVED WITH TWO SPOONS ( evil laugh)!
By the time we were done with the dessert we were both totally stuffed and ready for a night on the couch catching up with the week's telly. There may or may not have been more drinks involved, but nothing in the class of those Margaritas!
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