Friday 30 August 2013

Liz Earle Botanical Essence No 15

If you know me, you'll know i recently went from one perfume (I was faithful to Coco Chanel for YEARS) to owning so many its a daily struggle to find which one represents my mood (and one with not to many memories attached to it yet)

Liz Earle Botanical Essence No 15, isn't new, and its not exactly hot off the press, but i recently came across it as perfume isn't something I, and many of my friends associate with Liz Earle. 

Described as "Vibrant" - I can almost agree it is a lively scent and does linger for quite some time. A strong Sandalwood, Damask Rose and Cinnamon. The Damask Rose gives off an almost musky type smell, quite masculine in smell, which is different to how i imagined it would smell, i imagined something light, almost fresh linen-esq. 

I felt the urge to do a mini review because of its smell and connects with the brand so well,You can smell the essential ingredients that are in the facial products so they connect on a smell basis, however it is slightly stronger but definitely stands out from most perfumes a little goes a long way and it definitely makes a statement.

Photo Credit uk.lizearle.com

Purchase HERE

X BB X 

Thursday 29 August 2013

Nails of the week #NOTW

Despite my pure LOVE of nails, I haven't actually done any nail posts. Probably because I'm not into the whole, nail art craze everyone seems to be into! I'm just here like, Shiny colours, simple colours, classic. 


I am also, if you can't tell, a bit of a falsie addict, my nails never grew, so a few years ago (7 or 8) I started getting falsies and fell in love with perfection. 


This weeks nail colour is French Affair by Essie. A untypical colour for me, i usually go for deeper colours, or neutral creams. But as it was pouring rain and i was feeling a little delicate, i thought a nice girly pink would pick me up. It did. I was right. 

Essie is my ultimate favorite nail polish brand. I have flirted with other brands, but ultimately, Essie has my heart, hard wearing (i do a lot of tapping) a lovely shine to them and so many colours it takes me a good while to choose the next one! I also find they smell less than other brands and whether this is intentional or not, its definitely a plus!

Maybe I'll start experimenting with my nails, I'm just aware of how "messy" it can appear. In my opinion if there is one thing that ruins a good outfit its chipped, smudged nails.

Nails done just ups the glam a little more don't you think?

X BB X



Wednesday 28 August 2013

Seeing RED.

Let me introduce my two favorite REDs, with autumn approaching, i feel its almost time to start ditching the balm and sparkly gloss and get back to embracing the power lip. 

Mac Red (Left) and Ruby Woo (Right).

I am SUCH a MAC addict, their lipsticks are second to none for staying power, variety and colour power.


These two are my favorites for such contrasting reasons on one hand i want moisturising but not glossy, long lasting and non fading but i also want it to come off easy when its time for it to come off. (don't ask for much do i?) Enter MAC Red, a lightweight, so light I've forgotten im wearing it on several occasions and smudged it across my face. Rookie error i know, but you'd be surprised how often this happens.

Then, I want a powerful, statement lip. Then i turn to Ruby Woo, a classic in the red lip world. I feel applying a balm and letting it dry before applying it as because its matte it can be a bit drying and on colder evenings a pre-balm can be the difference between a powerful statement and cracks in the colour. 

Again MAC Red (left) and Ruby Woo (Right) Swatches:


Also recent invested a deeper, darker red for Autumn. Russian Red

Swatch:


Bring on Autumn,  my lipstick collection is ready!


X BB X




Tuesday 27 August 2013

Aveda's Shampoo & Conditioner Duo

Aveda's Exfoliating Shampoo and Thickening Condition. 

I've been colouring, highlighting and bleaching my hair since the tender age of 13, so its no wonder my hair has days when it just won't co-operate. 

I went through a stage of my hair being quite thin and thankfully it recovered (took a while but it got there) My hairs still quite fine so im always on the look out for treatments, thickening and moisturising shampoos. So when i came across Aveda's thickening duo, how could i resist?


I found the shampoo to be a little runnier than i would of preferred, i like a good thick texture, and it did't lather up very well, even after using the entire tube, and i felt it was quite drying.


The thickening conditioner was nicer, with a smooth texture. They both smell quite "Natural" and by Natural i mean quite earthy, non chemically and generally give off that "Natural Vibe". 



This duo, is a great treat for thinning hair, aside from texture of the shampoo this is a great treat for your hair, as long as you don't mind giving up the bubbles! 

X BB X



Saturday 24 August 2013

Dior BB Cream Review


Im currently on the hunt for my perfect fit cover up, whether is a BB, a CC or a foundation. Colour matching is so important, its tiresome but its ulitmately going to stop me looking like an oompa loompa. 

Dior recently caught my eye, and i'd never considered them for make up before and i was pleasently surprised. The Dior Skin Nude BB Creme is just such a fantastic product and at the higher end of my budget .(i am turning into an investor tho, so maybe this is a middle band budget product considering the results) 

Dior really delivers with this BB cream, its so lightweat, it lets my skinbreath, i have found that most foundations can be a bit stuffy. It glides on nicely, gives a nice amount of coverage and lasts. 

Its tube but its got a pump, no squeezing needed! Whoever had that decision in the creation process did good, i much prefer a pump based foundation.

I used Dior Nude Skin in Light. 

X BB X


Thursday 22 August 2013

Benefit Brow Zings

Benefit Brow Zings

Absolute brow saviour.

This double whammy product has a crayon like side and a powder side. To create the shape and colour i like i mix both sides together which is different to my usual pencil and liquid to tame the wild ones routine i have stuck to for a while.This product is definitely a revolutionary in the brow world and i can totally understand why it sells.

With brows being such an accessory in today's beauty world its important to find a shape and product that help to create your perfect brow shape and enhance natural colouring. I'm not brave enough to dive into tinting and too be honest i barely pluck my eyebrows, i was blessed with a natural arched shape and their mousy blonde in colour so a little bit of make up trickery can make them thicker and more defined in colour. This is not saying that I'm not a slave to plucking the strays cos there are a few but i am doing it less and less.


Brow Zing comes in different colours which is a huge help, i have found it difficult on my hunt for the perfect brow product to find one that comes in different colours, which is odd as their isn't a standard brow colour! I'm stickler for perfection to and when it comes to committing to a product it needs to survive a few tests, so off to Fenwicks i popped to torture the poor girls at the counter.

So they did my bros and me and brows carried on with my day. I wanna know how long it lasts, does it smudge and most importantly will anyone comment on my brow-do. I'll admit my fringe hinders the complimenting but i still hope... So how did it do?

Well, i really went all out and took myself to the gym (yes the gym) I did get a few puzzled looks (jealousy obvs) So post gym? well it was running down my face and the powder hadn't flaked anywhere, so congrats Brow Zing, onto my wish list you go!

I used Brow Zings in light :)

X BB X

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Boots Cocoa Butter & Vitamin E Body Cream

I LOVE finding a bargain, this Boots body lotion is just dreamy.


Cocoa butter and vitamin E are amazing skin food ingredients!



Quite a thick texture, and not strong smelling which is a bonus, I'm not a fan of over powering daily moisterisers as they clash with my perfume.


One small blob is enough for an entire arm.


Rubs in nicely, soaks in quickly so there's no dancing around waiting to get dressed in the mornings or evenings. I usually use Palmers, but my local boots store was all out, and I was in need of moisturiser so i thought why not give this a go! This is a fantastic alternative and more expensive cocoa butter products at only £1.49 for 390ml! I only use cocoa butter based moisturisers on my skin, after a few years of trying lots of different body butters, creams and lotions, cocoa butter is the one consistant product that never lets my skin down. This has definitely spurred my inner bargain hunter! 

X BB X






Monday 19 August 2013

Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser

Post Weekend Treat!

Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser is a little skincare treat i use once a week after a long night, hectic schedule and when i know i won't get any rest for a while, this helps rejuvenate my skin, leaving it bright, fresh and clean. 

The Cloth really is something special, sometimes i feel it is the only thing that gets my skin as clean as i like it and being able to physically see the dirt be washed away boosts that clean and pampered feeling. 

Pores feel cleansed without deep exfoliation, my skin gets sensitive so exfoliating can leave my skin red and irritated, the cloth is the perfect alternative. 



The creamy cleanser is also a slightly more luxurious choice over my usual foam cleanser. The smell is so calming, its actually relaxing to cleanse my face, I always feel after cleansing that I could do with a good nap.  

Starting the week cleansed and pampered! Have a lovely week 

X BB X



Sunday 18 August 2013

Dear Batiste ... I love you just a little bit

Since using dry shampoo I've been waiting for some sort of conditioning mist that doesn't go on when wet, doesn't weigh my hair down and doesn't make my hair greasy... It seems the lovely clever people at batiste were thinking the very same and came up with their new conditioning mist, which needs to come in mini form ASAP 



And it comes with Argan Oil, which is one of my must haves for hair products and body products at the moment. 



Is a lot lighter than any other form of after wash conditioning product, the smell isn't over powering,,it defrizzes my hair in seconds, which is great after my hair has battled winds and the humidity London has experienced recently. The large can is slightly to big for me to carry around all day should i need a top up. So far, one application is all that's needed. It's not got a colour to it, so there's no need for brushing out like with dry shampoo. It's quick, it's easy, it's on budget and more importantly it works, frizz is kept at bay all day. 


Little snapshot of my slick quick pony as I rush out x 

X BB X



Saturday 17 August 2013

Night @ Meat Liquor

Meat Liquor is one my FAVE places, I love the vibe, the food and the cocktails.


I Know its not necessarily beauty related and it most certainly didnt help my "im going to get fit this summer" plan, but OH-MY-GOD it is worth it. It is my ulimate cheer me up place to go, I get to sit soak in the atmosphere, Cocktails brought to my table, thoughts drowned out by music and im surrounded by people just enjoying the moment.


Summer of Love Cocktail, Second fave to Henrietta Fizz.


I don't blame you for admiring my Dirty Chicken Burger and Cheese Fries. PERFECT Combination. 
The lack of plates is most certainly a plus, crockery is over rated in my opinion, and the burger wasn't around long so it wouldn't have spend to much time on a plate! 

Best way to start a weekend!

So, if your looking for somewhere to immerse yourself in good food, cocktails and music, this is the place to be! Be sure to get there early enough to avoid the ques!

X BB X 

Friday 16 August 2013

Kira PMS Relief


 I was recently given the opportunity to review and test Kira PMS Relief. Over the counter painkillers can loose their effectiveness, and the time taken for them to kick in just doesn't suit my hectic lifestyle. I naturally jumped at the chance to test anything that would alleviate the struggle of "that time" .


The plan is to take one a day for four months and see how it goes, so far im just starting Month two and i did start the last packet during "that time" and i can safely say that i was conviently less bloated this time around, less "fussy" - there was no drama over who ate the last of the jam, why cant i get the new jam jar open and who left the jam out the fridge and other food based drama's.


Needless to say, i quite pleased at the moment and considering its Herbal its a better alternative to popping more ibroprofen than i care to count, and i don't look like an idiot hugging a hot water bottle and being stopped half way out the door attempting to take said hot water to work.


*

There is no taste to them, they go down easy. I find some tablets have a funny coating or a powdery taste before you swallow them, these go down without you noticing. They're not coated so im not taking in any excess sugar without realising  So far, I only have good things to say about these little things, another post will come at the end of my trial. 

 X BB X



*These are a PR Sample. 

Thursday 15 August 2013

Perfume of the week..

I have WAY to many perfumes, out of choice, and presents and I've got a sneaky suspicion they're just appearing on my shelf. Made the conscious choice to wear just one a week and only wear my signature (Coco Chanel) on special occasions

This Week's selected scent is: 

Lancome La Vie Est Belle

The prettiest smelling perfume!



This is my second bottle since Christmas. It was bought as a present along with the moisturiser which enhances the smell so much it just lingers lightly around, and in a light breeze i'll catch a whiff of myself and think, oooo i smell pretty! 

Light, floral and slightly fruity. Not overly sweet, but just sweet enough. 

The packaging is so delicate and reflective of the smell. The braille writing on the side really is a special little touch, I don't know of any other brand to go into that much detail on the box. The white glitter sucks me in, im a sucker for the shiny things. The cute bow around the top of the bottle just reminds you of what a girly smell this is. I dislike perfumes that are to overpowering, much more a fan of those light subtle notes that hang around as you create memories. 

Only a little bottle this time! Got a big one last time and i got a bit spray happy, the littler the bottle the more i treasure it. 

X BB X 


Wednesday 14 August 2013

This Weeks Wish List

Spent sometime wondering around the shops today - I've already spent my next payday money here are my top three on my Topshop Wish List: 


These trousers can be Hit or Miss, but i LOVE them, walked past, felt the jacquard fabric and just fell in love, definitely on my Must Purchase list

FLORAL JACQUARD CIGARETTE TROUSERS

  • Price: £42.00




The reason i love this is because for some reason it reminds me of something Baby Spice (Emma Bunton) wore as a spice girl... Textured, playful and practical day to night wear, I'm all about the multitasking right now!

EMBELLISHED BEAD LINE CAMI TOP

  • Price: £36.00

Absolutely love this bag, it'd be perfect for the Summer to Winter transition, and it can hold a lot, I'm known for carrying a huge bag!  

STINGRAY WINGED HOLDALL

  • Price: £42.00


On reflection these three would be the perfect day to night ensamble for the end of summer as it gets a bit to cool for dresses.

X BB X

Dr Organic's Moroccan Argan Oil.. Hair Saviour!

I LOVE Dr Organc, the body oil and hand cream are two of my favorite products, so when this landed on my lap, how could i resist?


Firstly let me just rave about the lid, its a no spill lid! It slots over the pump and stops it leaking and being accidentally pushed and for an oil based product this is an absolute savior - no more discovering its leaked everywhere, before I've even put this on my hair its already impressed me.



Ingredient list: nurturing and great ingredients for taming fizz, and creating the perfect hair texture. 



Texture: Its an oil, so as you can guess a little goes a long way with this product i used two pumps for my whole hair and I've got quite long hair. Having recently died my hair, I'm aware hair can be volatile after being coloured and my hair frizzy (or "fair fluffy" A term used to describe my best friends hair by her boyfriend - comic in the making which is actually quite a cute term for "frizzy") at the bets of times! So after vowing to take care of my hair post dying it. This is definitely a nice little weekly treat for my hair - I can find oil can make hair a bit greasy and sometimes go a bit limp as it gets weighed down by product.

Hair is currently in heaven, smelling devine. Quite a strong smell at first but really melts into the hair nicely, smells natural and you can definitely smells each of the ingredients in their own right. I would wait a while before applying perfume as the two smells might clash. 

X BB X

Tuesday 13 August 2013

Mini Project

 I've always been a creative person, so, with some time off, I've decided to get my creative cap on and do a little bit of what i love (making a mess) I decided to fill a canvas with words and images that I felt described Me, My Life, My Friends, My Memories, Goals and inspirational and aspirational quotes... So here it is, the working progress.. 



 Hoping to get it finished before i have to return to work and it gets put on the back burner... What do you think? 

X BB X







Hair Died. RIP Blondie.

So, I've been itching to die my hair recently, I even flirted with dip dying it red and blonde thinking it would be fun, turns out, red didnt suit me when i was 15, and it probably wont now. When you're stuck in a hair rut, no outfit feels complete, and no matter how many times you wash it, style it, it never looks the way you want it to. So, who do i turn to? Usually a pricey hairdresser, but with my recent promise to be more frugal with my money, i thought i'd turn to a home dye and with nothing but rave reviews Garnier Olia seemed the only option. 



I chose a dark blonde, because I've home died my hair light blonde in the past and ended up orange and not the sexy auburn kind, the orange, might be trying to look like chucky from the rugrats sort of orange. Colour 7.13



The before photos - Im getting the feeling your understanding my rut?... No dye since feb - I was toying with going light or dark or both and without a firm decision and the fast pace this year seems to be going at, suddenly we're in august and i've stll not made up my mind 100%


Non-spill packaging... yet I still managed to masacre my room. Whoops.



It's nothing but a waiting game, the butterflies kick in and i start to have "flaming orange" flash backs... no turning back now... egg timers on 30mins and counting




See, told you i managed to get it all over the place, lucky it all came off with ease (thanks garnier, for anticpating my messyness)


And whilst its darker than i intended... I quite like it. Its not stripey or orange, its got even coverage, and my hair is so soft i can't leave it alone. Do excuse the make-up-less face, Whilst in the shower i still managed to get some die or shampoo or some form of mixture in my eye, so i de-makeuped and went natural for the evening. 

I can honestly say, from going from salon to home dye and back again 100 times this is easiest home dye. It smells pleasant, My room as often smelt bleachy and horrible for days, but Olia leaves behind no smell and even smells pleasant during application. The after rinsing conditioner is just dreamy. I've not used many Garnier products, only their BB cream (Which i also wholeheartedly love) I am an Olia convert... Which colour do i try next?

Make over part one - DONE

Not sure i'll attempt cutting it myself, now... where did i leave that hairdressers number?

X BB X


Monday 12 August 2013

I've Got A Onesie...

With my week off, i thought id invest in some well earned lazy lounge wear..


Here is my giraffe onesie. 


Complete with hood.


Onesie is a lifestyle choice, I'm thinking that I've already got to attached to mine, i can see an epidemic coming on... If you start to see me wondering around super markets late at night, clutching tubs of Ben & Jerry's please stop me, send me home and remind me that an onesie is not OOTD.

Cosy Love

X BB X