2015 Oscars - Looks That I Love

Whenever an awards ceremony comes around, I love nothing more than seeing which looks each A-lister chose to walk the red carpet. With this year seeing the 87th Academy Awards, the choice of gorgeous dresses & looks definitely didn't disappoint.

The day after the awards, I shamelessly spent my lunch break at work scrolling through photo after photo of beautiful gowns whilst allowing myself to daydream about dolling myself up to walk the red carpet .. (not that I'm entirely sure what awards ceremony I'd be attending, seeing as I can neither sing nor act - but hey.. we can all dream of finding fame somehow right?).

After lusting after all the red carpet looks, I knew I couldn't resist putting a blog post together showing off the looks I loved the most (I know, I know - a post dedicated to the looks of the Oscar's is more than stereotypical of your typical beauty/lifestyle blog - but hey, I'm not sorry to fall into that stereotype..).

So - here's just a few of my favourite looks from the 2015 Oscars..

              Jennifer Lopez                                                    Reese Witherspoon                                  Dakota Johnson                                                     

Anna Kendrik                                         Kelly Ripa                                                 Lupita Nyong'o

    Jennifer Aniston                                     Jamie Chung                                                 Jessica Chastain

Zendaya                                                 Emma Stone                                           Jenna Dewan Tatum

 (Photo Source x) 

(I honestly feel that I need at least half of these dresses - even just to wear them around my flat.. )

It was pretty difficult to narrow down the list of celebs that stood out to me, but above is a mixture of some of my favourite A - Listers & women who - I feel - got their red carpet 100% on point. 

I've definitely discovered more than a few new style icons from this years Academy Awards red carpet - even if I may not ever have the opportunity to quite re-create their style.. 

Which was your favourite look from this years Oscars?

xxx  

Leo Bancroft Ultimately Intense Moisture Mask - Review

Like most girls, I love treating myself to a little pamper session - especially when I have a new product to try out. I spotted a sachet the Leo Bancroft Ultimately Intense Deep Moisture Mask whilst shopping a few days for an absolute bargain of £1 (enough for one use). For such a cheap price, I decided that it really wouldn't matter if the product didn't turn out well - & then if it did.. well great!

So.. after along week at work I decided that I deserved a little pamper session & my hair deserved a little pick me up. I ran myself a hot bath and then hopped in, all excited to try out my new product (hopefully I'm not the only one who gets excited about these little things...). 

I also thought this would be the perfect excuse to write a review post.. so here goes. 

Source
I forgot to take a photo of my sachet before using it.. oops. 

Now, I was a little torn after using this product. I did like it - but I was trying to decide whether this was something that I was truly loved. So I've decided to put together a little Pro's & Con's list. 

Pros: 

• Price - £1 for a sachet or £4 for 150 ml bottle - very pocket friendly!
• Amount of product - for the price, I found you received a lot of product in the sachet - which is always good. There's nothing worse then feeling ripped off with a small amount of product.
• Coverage- I have a lot of hair. It's thick and pretty long - so I find that I generally need to use a fair amount of conditioner if I want to feel like my hair is getting a good amount of product. The sachet came with more than enough product to cover the mid-lengths & ends of my hair, which is great. 
• Packaging - I know, I know "never judge a book by it's cover".. but generally speaking we all know that if something looks nice - especially a beauty product - it's going to draw us in. For a product that is so affordable, I think the packaging is sleek and professional looking. If I wasn't aware of the price, I would have definitely put it up there with the pricier brands. It especially reminds me of the John Freida shampoos/conditioners. 
• Soft Hair - This product did leave my hair feeling lovely & soft. My hair doesn't tend to get greasy.. but it tends to get dry and limp the longer I leave it between washes. So after using this, I can say with confidence that my hair does feel soft again. (Yipeee - dry hair is not a good look for me).

Cons: 

• Fragrance - I'm the type of person who loves my products to smell good.. If it's going on my body, I want it too smell nice. Now I'm not saying this smelt particularly bad, but there was something about it that I wasn't too keen on.  
• Living up to my expectations - Even though this was only £1, I think I let myself get a little over-excited (okay.. a lot over excited..) and I half expected this to work some sort of miracle. Don't get me wrong, it definitely did make my hair feel soft - I could feel this even when rinsing my hair - but I think I was expecting some sort of silk effect. This could be more of a "con" on my behalf then that of the product - I suppose I should of known better then to expect miracles. 

I hope this explains a little more why I'm so torn. This is a product that is more than affordable and - despite the pocket friendly price - you aren't cheated with small amount of product. However - as I've written above - I let myself be slightly fooled by the the promise of "deep moisture". 

Now I need to be 100% honest here - the directions state that you should leave this on your hair for 15 mins. I'll hold my hands up here and admit that I only left this for 10 instead of 15.. I wanted to go the full 15, but the bath was starting to get cold and I was getting a little bored. Maybe if I'd left this that extra 5 mins then I would have seen the results I was expecting.. Who knows?

Overall - I'd say that yes, I would recommend this product. Especially if you're looking for something that won't break the bank. It's something that I'll more than likely purchase again in the future - but not to be used as a real deep moisture surge for my hair.. but perhaps instead as a weekly treatment & as a little pick me up to see away that dryness. 

Have you ever used this product?

If so what are your thoughts?

Or if not what is your go to hair mask?

I'd love to know! 

xxx

23rd Birthday - Haul

So on Sunday one of my favourite days of the year came around.. my birthday! This year was the year of turning the big 2 3, eeeek! I love birthdays.. whether it be mine or a friend/family members as it's a great excuse to spoil those we love & spend time together to celebrate. 

I'm definitely one of those birth-week people (you know, those people who stretch their birthday celebrations over the period of a week instead of the usual day or two) as I love any excuse to have as much fun as possible. So - keeping with this tradition - this years celebrations included a few lunches, drinks with my work friends, my family coming up on the day itself for lunch and a big catch up, and then next Saturday a few friends & my boyfriend are heading to a local bar for a couple (well.. probably a fair few) cocktails. 

I'm the type of person who loves to have a nose on Youtube/blogs to see what people got for their birthdays. Either purely for the sake of being nosey - or for a little inspiration for a gift for an upcoming birthday (or myself...). So as I was very lucky and spoilt this year - so I decided to put together a birthday haul post.

1. Faux Snakeskin Textured Handbag - New Look [x]

2. Happy Birthday Chocolates - Hotel Chocolat [x]

3. Sanctuary Giftset - Boots [x]

(unfortunately I can't find the exact set so I've linked to a similar one)

4. Mini Champagne - Lanson [x]

5. Davidoff Cool Water Perfume - The Perfume Shop [x]

6. Gone Girl Book - Waterstones [x]

7. The Fault In Our Stars DVD - Tesco [x]

8. Black Paisley Pattern Crop Top - New Look [x]

9. Cinderella Mug - The Disney Shop [x]

10. Pink Flower Necklace - New Look [x]

In addition to this I was also given gift vouchers for New Look, River Island, Top Shop/Dorothy Perkins/Miss Selfridge (you can use each voucher at any of these shops - handy!) Mac and Laurence John (a hair dressers back home which I love to go to) - along with a bag full of sweets/chocolate from Ollie as a "work survival kit" - so I can have something sweet as a pick me up in the office, which I thought was a lovely thought! 

As I said I was incredibly spoilt this year by my family, friends, colleagues and boyfriend & I didn't expect anywhere near as much - it really did make me feel very loved. 

I've linked each item above (bar the gift vouchers as these are available by popping into the shop) in-case you fancied treating yourself or someone close to you.. just click on the little x to be directed to the item that takes your fancy.

So.. here's to being 23!

This is also my first haul post - so I'd love any feedback or tips! 

xxx

Furry Friends Tag: Fizz

After seeing this the Furry Friends Tag on a few different blogs, I couldn't resist giving it a ago. After all - how could I be a self proclaimed "crazy cat lady" without taking the opportunity to write about my Fizz?

Ahh she's such a cutie!

1) What is your pet’s name?

Fizz - named by my sister during a phase which involved a love for the Tweenies (who remembers those odd children characters?!)

2) What kind of pet is it and what breed?
She's a kitty-cat and I think she's a mix of tabby and tortoiseshell 

3) How long have you had your pet friend?

Oooh roughly 9 or 10 years now I think.. So she's definitely a member of the family now.

4) How did you get your pet?

I popped home quickly one weekend before going on a day trip & saw a tin of cat food on the window sill. For some reason I jumped to the conclusion that my mum was feeding a stray (I have no idea why as she doesn't do this) but when I walked into the living room, there was a teeny tiny little grey kitten sitting nervously behind a plant pot... Welcome Fizz!

5) How old is your pet?

We've had her since she was about 6 weeks old... so about 9/10 now in human years - I'm not sure what that is in kitty years though.. 

6) What are some quirky things about your pet’s personality?

I'd say for a cat, Fizz has quite a big personality. 

She get's moody sometimes. An example is when people come to visit & she decides that they've been their too long. Usually she'll lay on the carpet happily (as you can see above) but if Fizz is annoyed with us she'll sit with her back to us and ignore everyone. 

On the flip side - she's become very loving/almost needy in her older age. When she was a kitten I'm sure Fizz thought she was definitely more of a lion then a cat. She would pretend to be asleep on the floor and then pounce and attack your feet as you walked past.. She was 100% not a lap cat ... however now - especially if my mum goes away & I house sit - she'll come and snuggle up on your lap. 

She also seems to hate  being left in a room if you're near by - so she'll come wander into the kitchen or into the garden so she isn't alone. 

Finally, as you can see in a photo above, she sometimes does what we call her "meerkat impression". This includes sitting up on her back legs, which usually happens when someone's at the door & she wants to take a peak to see who it is - or if she simply wants to stretch after a long nap.

7) What does your relationship with your pet mean to you?
I personally think a home isn't complete without a pet, so I'm not ashamed to say that Fizz is a very important part my family. 

8) What are some of your favourite past times with your pet?
I don't think there's too many activities you can do with a cat - but as we're not allowed to have pets in our flat, Fizz lives with my mum - so when I love to sit and give her a good fuss when I make a trip back home. 

Also she's a little on the tubby side (as you can probably tell) so rarely gets treats... I love to treat her to some kitty-cat treats (she goes wild for those dreamies treats - honestly never seen the little porker move so fast!) or a little bit of ham etc. 

*Side Note* I know this isn't healthy so she doesn't get the treats a lot! *

9) What are the nicknames that you call your pet?

Fizz-Wizz
I have no idea where this came from & it's not the most original nick-name but it seems to have stuck over the years. 

Probably only having fusses so I'd feed her those Dreamies...

Although I'm sure some people won't understand this post and think "it's just a cat" - but she's been around for roughly 10 years now & to me is a furry little part of the family. 

(I know, I know - crazy cat lady in the making!)

I tag anyone who wants to take part in this... 

xxx

Another milestone for Small & Blonde

 Over the last few weeks I've noticed my number of followers gradually creeping up.. Then a few days back I noticed that little blue 1 at the top of the Bloglovin' page (which always excites me) only this time it was to let me know that my beloved Small & Blonde had reached 200 followers!

To say this made me happy would be a massive understatement & I promptly squealed  excitedly to my boyfriend.

Source

When my little blog hit 100 followers I wrote a little thank-you post (which you can read here) and I really wanted to do that again. I know 200 isn't a big number in comparison to some blogs out there, but I never imagined anyone would be interested in my posts. 

So I wanted to write a quick post to thank-you to anyone who ever reads and/or comments on any posts I write. Seeing that little blue notification pop up on the Bloglovin' motivates me to keep on writing posts & hopefully continue to grow my little corner of the internet. 

Me when I saw the notification
Source

If anyone has any blogging tips, please feel free to let me know!

xxx

My New Found Wanderlust

Recently I've found that I have this huge motivation to travel and see the world - for someone who is terrified of flying & usually has a pretty big anxiety attack before having to even travel by train, this is a pretty big deal.

So, I hear you ask - if you're so awful at travelling, why the sudden want to travel?

Well - it all started when one of my best-friends - who most definitely has the travel bug after spending six months in China, another six months in Dublin and a summer in the U.S - posted to Facebook that once he finishes university in June, he'll be moving to Florida for a year  to work. I was so happy for him & I suddenly realised how much I want to get out there and see the world.

Now, I am currently very happy in my job and would say I have it pretty good here in England, so I don't think I'll be jetting off anywhere for six months to a year - however I know I could still visit some amazing places in a shorter time span.. and who knows, a few years down the line I may be in the position where I can take a six month break from work & jet off to the other side of the world.

With my birthday looming - the big 2 3! - I have decided to combine my new found wanderlust & growing a little older (plus I'd like to think wiser) with a blog post..

So.. without further a do, I'll stop my waffling on & get to the most important part... Travelling!

I've decided to put together a list of some of the top places I'd love to visit...

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 

1. Amsterdam 2. Santorini 3. China 

4. Italy 5. Australia 6. Germany 

7. Paris 8. Kenya 9. America 

10. The Maldives 11. Egypt 12. Canada 13. Thailand 

14. Disney World 15. Lapland  

16. Morocco 

Okay, okay - I'll admit it I have been to Disney World in Florida before, but what Disney lover like me could leave such a place off their list? 

Whilst this isn't the entire list of places across the globe I'd like to one day visit, I think it's a pretty good list to begin with... Time to start saving those pennies! 

Where are the top places you want to visit? 

Or do you have any recommendations?

xxx

Valentines Gift Ideas For That Special Someone

As I'm sure everyone's aware, Valentines Day is just around the corner. Now I'm not a huge believer of splashing out for a crazy Valentines day (We should probably let people know we love them all year round, not just on the 14th February) but it's a good excuse to be a little more on the romantic side that normal.

However - who says Valentines has to be purely for couples?! We love so many different people!

Now of course, if you have one, this includes a significant other. But this can also include a best friend, family member or even if you just fancy treating yourself to something pretty (go ahead.. you deserve it!) - there's something on this list to treat whoever you love.

1. "Our Story" Personal Timeline - Find Me A Gift - £17.99 [x]

2. Fill In Yourself Love Book - Not On The High Street - £8.00 [x]

3. "You're My Lobster" cookie - Not On The High Street - £7.00 [x]

4. Personalised Cushion - Not On The High Street- £30.00 [x]

5. "Heart Throb" Bath Bomb - Lush - £3.65 [x]

6. Personalised Typography Print - Not On The High Street - £18.50 [x]

7. "Soppy" Valentines Book - Asos - £10.99 [x]

8. Chocolate Heart Slab - Hotel Chocolat - £3.75 [x]

9. "I Love You More Than..." Coaster - Not On The High Street - £6.50 [x]

I think these gifts are each adorable.. Any F.R.I.E.N.D.S fan would love the Lobster Cookie, made famous by Phoebe's strange, but cute saying. Although a little on the pricey side for a cookie, you're bound to win brownie point if your loved one is a true fan of the show.  

If you're looking for something slightly more romantic I adore The Typography Print & The Personalised Cushion, both available at Not On The Highstreet.  Each are so cute and could take pride within the home without being overly "in your face" romance wise. 

However, if you're looking to treat someone else, other's items could easily be given to a friend.. If you're willing to let your bestie know that you love them more than Ryan Gosling, Daniel Craig and Chocolate - I think that's a friendship that'll last a life time! 

Finally - what more could you ask for as a little treat for yourself then a relaxing bath and some chocolate?! Enter Lush's "Heart Throb" bath bomb and the Hotel Chocolat slab (if you haven't tried chocolate from Hotel Chocolat I'd strongly recommend it - delicious!).

Do you have any plans for the day?

xxx

Outfit of the day - work

I'm one of those people who never knows what to wear to work. I wish I could be the type of person who selects their outfits the night before and then all that's left to do in the morning is simply get dressed.

However for some reason, even if I do chose an outfit & hang it up ready, when the morning comes I can never just put it on & be happy. There will always be some reason why I need to switch tops, change leggings or go for trousers instead of a skirt. This always results in a pile of clothes being left on the bed as I charge out the door in the morning due to being late (and as my boyfriend is usually still dozing whilst I get ready for work, I wouldn't say he's usually to impressed with being buried under my clothes). 

The reasons for disregarding an outfit can vary from it's too cold to wear this today, to I reaalllly feel like wearing those shoes  - but they just don't go with this skirt! or even Ugh no.. this top does NO favours for me right now!

The outfit in this post was one of these and I actually had out for roughly a week  until finally I decided to put the clothes on & leave them there (although this was probably more due to forgetting to do a clothes wash and being very limited my work appropriate clothing - oops). 

S'cuse the scruffy hair - this was taken after work. Oops. 

Shoes always deserve a close up...

Top - New Look - £5.99 [x]

Skater Skirt - New Look  - £9.99 [x]

Tights - Primark
Chelsea Boots - Treds - £9.99 [x]
(These were reduced from £24.99 - bargain!).

I love this outfit. I think skater skirts are so flattering, as they nicely cover any lumps and bumps around the stomach area, whilst being so comfy to wear. I also love this top. When I first brought this I was a bit unsure.. I don't own anything in this highnecked style, but as I've been seeing so many items in this style around, I decided to bite the bullet and give it a go.. & I'm so glad I did. It's only slightly high around the neck (not at all "turtle neck" don't worry) and is the perfect way to add something a bit different to your look. 

Finally, these boots (Which I spotted from a post on the lovely Rachel Coco's blog - click here to take a look) are one of my favourite pairs of shoes. They're so comfy and go with everything.. Plus, they were an absolute bargain at only £9.99 - Amazing! 

Overall I think this is a great outfit to wear to work, but it would be equally as great to wear for a day of shopping or to a meal with friends... and in the summer, just whip off those tights & switch the boots for some cute sandals and you're all set for the warmer weather!

What are your work-wear staple items?

I'd love some inspiration so maybe getting ready in the morning can become a little easier!

xxx

MAC Cinderella Collection 2015

If you're a fan of beauty you'll know that Mac have released a number of collections in the past. These have generally been inspired by iconic brands such as The Simpson and Archie's Girls or designed by A list celebs like Rihanna. 

However, I've seen a few posts and photos recently around the blogging world that feature an upcoming Mac collection that have got me ridiculously excited.. & if you're a Disney fan like me, it's probably a safe bet that you'll be pretty excited about this too.. 

What's the collection you ask? Okay okay... It's the Mac Cinderella collection! *squeals with excitement*. 

Source                                 Source

As you can see from the right hand photo the collection seems to boast some gorgeous colours in simple, yet lovely packaging.. Whilst the left photo (which is an advertisement I love!) shows how the collection will be realised in March.. Which suddenly seems so so far away, I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to wait! 

I've already got my eye on the lipstick (how cute would it be to wear a Disney Cinderella lipstick?!) and I'm sure I'll be more than a little bit tempted by other items in the collection. 

xxx