Spring Wishlist

Now the clocks have gone back it's officially the time of the lighter nights & warmer days (well..slightly warmer days.. sometimes). As much as I love winter and getting all snuggled up in the warm - there's just something about spring that seems to make everyone happy!

Personally whenever I think of the spring months all things pretty & fresh pop to mind - and of course, new born baby lambs! So cute!

I thought this would be the perfect time to put together a little "spring wishlist" and show off a few of the items I love that, in my opinion, would help freshen up my home/wardrobe/make-up collection.

1. Hoppity Poppity Bath Bomb - Lush - £2.50 [x]

2. Artificial Tulips & Vase - Asda - £8.00 [x]

3. Floral Pointed Pumps - New Look - £17.99 [x]

4. Leather Shopper & Clutch - Ted Baker - £169.00 [x]

5. Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in shade Coral - Superdrug - £5.49 [x]

6. Bumble Bee Cushion - Tesco - £10.00 [x]

7. "Angelic" Eye Shadow Palette - Collection - £4.49 [x]

(Not yet available to buy online - however are stocked in Boots)

8. Mint Green Gem Necklace - New Look - £5.99 [x]

9. Rabbit Ornament - Asda - £5.00 [x]

I love each of these items & think they'd each be the perfect way to inject a little of the "spring time" feeling into either the home, wardrobe or make-up collection. I definitely think I'll have to start a little savings pot & then go out & treat myself to a few of these items soon! 

What's on your spring wishlist?

xxx

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation

After a lunch with the girls a little while back - I decided to kill some time in town whilst waiting for my boyfriend to finish work. The smart thing would of been for me to go home - especially considering we only like a short walk from the city centre - but nope.. somehow I found myself wandering into the local MAC store for a browse.

I know what you're thinking..who just browses in MAC? 

I completely agree with you - but I honestly did have the intention of just browsing. However within no more than five minuets in the shop, I found myself at the counter asking one of the girls if she could match me up to some foundation. I don't even know how it happened.. It's like my brain left my head & floated off to make-up land. 

Now, this may shock a few of you out there, but I have never owned a MAC foundation before.. I know - I know. But I just couldn't justify £20.00 & up on foundation whilst trying to live on a student budget.. Other things had priority like alcohol vegetables. 

However since beginning my full time job, my mindset has changed too "what's the point in working so hard if I can't treat myself?!".. I'd probably go insane working all those hours with nothing nice to show for it! 

Before I walked up to the counter in the first instance I honestly felt a little nervous and dare I say it, intimidated by these girls who look so down right amazing  but once I started chatting to them, they were actually lovely & so helpful.

So there I was, sat in the chair at MAC.. surrounded by girls whose make-up had been applied to perfection (I honestly felt like some sort of troll..) explaining to the sales assistant how - yes - I did want the foundation to match my natural skin tone (I'm usually too lazy to fake tan) how I wanted something medium/full coverage & how I have quite dry skin.

After nodding along, the girl vanished for a few minuets before returning with MAC's Studio Sculpt Foundation. She explained how this was perfect for dry skin as it's super moisturising and also ticks off all the things I requested. She tested some out on my skin & explained how nice the shade looked on me (I know - I'm sure they're paid to say that, but still.. a compliment is a compliment) & I happily agreed to take it.

I have shade NW15 - I know, pretty pale. 

I've been using this for on and off for a few weeks now & I can honestly say I love this foundation.

 I was a little unsure at first as I had read that some MAC foundations had caused people to break out & obviously this wasn't something I wanted to happen.. But besides a couple of spots when I started using this product *which if I'm honest were probably going to appear either way* I've not had any problems yet. 

More Things I love:

• Moisturising - The sales assistant wasn't lying. Wearing this foundation leaves my skin feeling silky smooth & moisturised throughout the day 
• Shade - In my opinion, there's nothing better than finding a foundation that matches your skin tone perfectly 
• Wear - I was worried that this would wear off throughout the day, but I actually find it to be long lasting 
• Coverage -  Studio Sculpt definitely met my requirements as a medium coverage foundation that's easily build-able 
• Fragrance - I can't really describe what this exactly smells like, but it has such a lovely scent - especially for a foundation

There are only really two downsides that I have found so far with this foundations. The first being that it can take a while to dry on this skin (but whilst I wait for this I tend to go ahead and concentrate on my eyebrows etc.) and the other being that sometimes it feels a little thicker on my skin than other foundation. I wouldn't go as far as to say this feels "cakey" but sometimes I feel a bit aware of it on my skin.. if that makes sense? However overall, these really are tiny "cons" that haven't put me off this foundation yet.

Retailing at £25.00 this is obviously on the pricier side in comparison to high-street brand foundations. However you're definitely paying for quality. I won't be giving up my favourite drug store foundations any time soon - but this MAC foundation has found a place in make-up collection that I doubt will be replaced any-time soon.

Studio Fix can be purchased in store or online here x 

What's your favourite foundation?

xxx

Evening Skincare Routine

One of the things I love about reading blog posts is picking up on hints and tips from others. Whether it's a review on a product that I've had my eye on for a while or reading about a way of doing things that I simply hadn't thought about before.

So whilst taking off my make-up a few days back -  I thought why not put together a little "evening skincare routine"? It would be the perfect way to put together a few product reviews along with an in-sight into my little routine.

My evening skin care routine is nothing particularly fancy, doesn't take that long & only contains 3 steps... however I find it's the perfect way to remove my make-up (including stubborn mascara) & leaves my skin feeling perfectly clean.

Step One: 

To help start to take off my make-up I massage Nivea's Daily Essentials Sensitve Cleansing Milk into dry skin & after a few minuets rise off with warm water. I find this helps remove the bulk of my make-up & prepare my skin for using my favourite cleanser.

Now this isn't a product that I would use on it's own - but I find it works perfectly to start breaking down & removing make-up. 

Step Two: 

I then use my Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser by gently massaging it into my damp skin. I always make sure to take extra time to massage this over my eye-lashes as I hate waking up to find random smudges of mascara under my eyes.
I then take the Liz Earle Muslin Cloth, run it under warm water & use it remove any excess make-up. I instantly fell in love with this cleanser from the first use. I honestly find it's the only product that really removes my make-up & leaves my skin feeling properly clean. 

Step Three: 

Finally I gently pour a generous amount of the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic onto cotton wool pad, and sweep across skin. This removes any bits of make-up or dirt that may be straggling behind as well as adding moisturiser to leave skin feeling beautifully soft. Bonus.. This product also smells gorgeous!

& there we have it - clean & make-up free skin!

Although the Liz Earle products are a little more on the pricey side (with the cleanser retailing at around £14.00 for a 100ml pump & the toner retailing at £14.50 for a 200ml bottle) they really are 100% worth the extra pennies. I'd much rather pay a little more & know my skin is being properly cleaned, then purchase a cheaper product & have make-up/day-day dirt left behind. 

If you're interested in trying out any of the Liz Earle products - but aren't sure about spending the higher prices only to find it's not a product for you, miniature products can be purchased online. These are the products featured in the above photos. 

The "Hot Cloth Cleanser Starter Pack" can be bought for £6.00. This includes a 30ml tube of cleanser and a Muslin cloth.  In addition to this, a 50ml bottle of the Instant Boost Skin Tonic can be purchased for £6.00. The website states that this is enough product to last one week - however I think this is a massive understatement. With daily use I found this lasted me around 3 weeks, as you really do only need a large pea sized amount. 

Follow the links below to view each of the above products online:
Nivea Cleansing Milk x

Hot Cloth Cleanser x
Instant Boost Skin Tonic x 

After going through many different products, I think I've finally found the perfect evening skin care routine for me. I truly believe this is the best combination of products to leave my skin clean & moisturised. I also can't wait to try other products in the Liz Earle range. 

What's your favourite "evening routine" product?

xxx

Miniture Barry M Haul

On a recent trip into town after work I decided to have (what I thought would be) a quick look in Superdrug.. However, after around half an hour browsing the different beauty products & being successfully side tracked by the Barry M offers - I found myself wandering out of the shop with a little bag of goodies.

Oops...

The first item that magically ended up in my hand was the gorgeous Natural Glow Palette.. 

I've been wanting to expand my eye shadow pallet collection for a while now, and couldn't resit this Barry M  pallet. The product contains two matte shadows, four shadows with a slight shimmer and a light pink blush. The colours are a selection of gorgeous soft pastels that are perfect for spring/summer & the packaging is simple but pretty with the rose gold lettering adding a touch of elegance.
Bonus - the mirror is also the perfect size for when your travelling around & don't want to carry lots of separate items.

I've had my eye on a couple of the more high-end pallets recently but I'm really happy with this find. I can't wait to create different make-up looks with this item & think it would be perfect for both day time & evening wear.

The next items that were accidentally purchased were two of Barry M's Nail Paints. 

I've been a massive fan of the Barry M nail Varnish's for years.. Right back to the days of the crackling top coat  (hands up if you thought that effect was incredible too..).

The first nail varnish I picked up was one of Barry M's silk effect varnishes in the shade Pearl. I've heard a few rumours within the blogging world that white nails are going to be a popular option for Spring/Summer 2015 & it's easy to see why. The pale white colour offers the same clean and fresh look that a nude polish offers whilst being a little more on vibrant side. 

I'm also excited to try see exactly how the "Silk" effect looks once applied. I'm imagining a cross between shimmer & gloss - so let's hope this doesn't disappoint! 

The second nail paint I picked up was one of the Gelly Hi-Shine effects in the shade Guava. Whilst being the polar opposite shade to my first choice I felt this would be perfect for a summer statement nail - especially after a winter of dark nails. 

Even though the Gelly Hi-shine range has been on the shelves for a while now it's something I'm yet to try out. I love the idea of gel overlays (there's something about a perfectly glossy nail that just looks amazing) but the thought of my nails being ruined is something that fills my stomach with dread - So I'm hoping this will offer a cheap at home alternative.

Close ups... 

Superdrug are currently running an offer on  Barry M Nail which includes each of the products mentioned. The Natural Glow Palette usually retails for £6.49 however is currently on offer for £4.49 & you can also pick up two nail paints for £6 - or they retail individually at £3.99.

To view each of these products on Superdrug's wesbite click the links below:

Natural Glow Palette - [x]
Silk Effect Nail Paint in Pearl - [x]
Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint in Guava - [x]

Even though this was only a mini haul there's just something about treating myself to a few new beauty items that always makes me happy (simple things & simple minds? Probably.)

I'm sure I'll "accidentally" wander into Superdrug or Boots again soon for another browse of what beauty products are on offer. 

Which are your favourite Barry M products?

xxx

MAC Cinderella Lipstick - Royal Ball

Now - I wouldn't usually say I get overly excited over new make-up collections. Maybe this was to do with being a student for the past few years & not really having the spare money to splurge on "non-essential" items (although lets be honest - make-up is definitely an essential).

But when I saw that MAC had confirmed the release of their Cinderella collection - I was more than a little interested. I wrote a blog post about it - which you can read here - and even set a countdown on my phone once the the date had been released *I'm not even ashamed about how crazy this may (definitely) make me seem*.

My excitement (crazy) levels continued to rise the closer the release date got.. I found myself looking at the #MACCinderella trend on Twitter, simply to read the thoughts & opinions of people who were as excited as me. Then.. the night finally came. Twitter was alive with nervous/excited chit chat.. What time would MAC release the collection? How fast would it sell out? Would we be able to get our hands on the items our hearts are set on?

All life changing questions - of course.

Now - like I said - I don't usually get super excited over new collection releases. However the night before this release I forced myself to stay up until midnight (Cinderella... Midnight... I thought this made sense for the release time) but was greeted with disappointment when alas it wasn't released. So I decided that, as I had work the following day, I couldn't/wouldn't be waking up every hour to check.. (although when I happened to wake up at 4am and when my boyfriend left for work at 6am I'll admit that I did quickly refresh the page on my phone.. just be to safe).

I even found myself dreaming that the collection had sold out - resulting in me waking up in a panic.. (You'd be right to think I was going slightly crazy here.. I thought it about myself too.. But, lipstick!!)

Unfortunately I had to accept that the world wouldn't be stopping because of the release of the MAC's most recent collection.. so I trotted off to work & excitedly explained to my colleagues all about my nervous night of waiting & the excitement (admittedly, most of who didn't quite understand what I was jabbering on about or why I was so excited).

I decided to have one more look at the MAC website - not expecting anything & accepting that there was a high chance that I would miss the launch - only to be delighted to see that.. wait.. what?!... it had launched.. (oh the joy).

It's safe to say I have never selected an item & checked out so fast in my life. If there was some sort of online shopping Olympics.. I certainly would have won gold. I contemplated going back to have a quick look at the other products but luckily thought against it, checked out and paid.

I then proceeded to happily skip around the office.. much to the amusement/confusion of most of the people I work with.

Two/Three days later.. on a dreary weekday morning, I wander into the office & what's that sat on my desk... is it from MAC?! OH MY GOD IT IS!! 

& finally.. here it is...

*heart eyes emoji*

I think from now on I'll definitely be showing a lot more excitement towards new make-up collections.. But hopefully there wont be any more panic-stricken dreams! 

This post did originally start out as a review.. but I ended up jabbering on about simply buying the lipstick (who knew it could be such a dramatic event?!) but I'll definitely look into doing a separate review post for this lipstick. 

Did you manage to get any products from the MAC Cinderella collection?

Which is your favourite product?

xxx

Asda Homeware Wishlist

With spring (hopefully) being just around the corner, I finally decided to bite the bullet and sort out the clutter in my flat.. It was time for a spring clear out! 

Over the past few months junk has seemed to gather itself around our flat - particularly in the spare room, which was more of a storage space then a bedroom - & I finally decided enough was enough. 

The flat's been our home for roughly 8 months now, so there was really no excuse to not unpack those last few boxes & find "forever" homes for all the items we have... Plus, if Spring isn't the time to have a clear out.. when is?

Whilst in my "cleaning/tidying" mindset (it's very rare that I actually want to clean/tidy) ASDA's new spring line advert came onto the TV. Now I love home-wear.. especially when it's at a good price.. So naturally I found myself browsing the ASDA home section within  minuets of seeing the advert, & excitedly texting my Mum to have a look at the collection (I may not live at home - but Mum's opinion still counts for a whole lot). 

There were so many items that I completely fell in love with so I couldn't resist sharing a few of them on my beloved Small & Blonde.. Plus I do love putting together a good wishlist post (It allows me to dream of all the items I'd love to call my own...)

So, here we are...

 I love them all.... 

1. Pink Heart Plate - £5.00 [x]

2. Watercolour Rabbit Cushion - £7.00 [x]

3. Birds Duvet Set - £12.00 to fit a double bed [x]

4. "Life Is Short..." Wall Art - £5.00 [x]

5. "I Love You More Than Sleep" Alarm Clock - £6.00 [x]

6. Artificial Sweet Pea's & Vase - £14.00 [x]

7. Bow Design Wall Hooks - £10.00 [x]

8. Hanging Heart - £4.00 [x]

9. Map Cushion - £7.00 [x]

I love each of these & think they'd be the perfect way to brighten up your home/bedroom for the spring/summer months. I'll definitely be treating myself to some of these items soon. 

xxx

Lush's "Shiny Happy People" Gift Box

I wandered into work a few days ago and.. what's this? A surprise seems be waiting on my desk? A Lush shopping bag!
I'll admit that at first I was a little confused & wondered if perhaps someone had accidentally forgotten to pick up their shopping - but then a friend popped over and explained the Lush bag was in fact a belated birthday present!

What better way to brighten up a dull Wednesday morning?!

Once I opened the bag I saw I'd been treated to Lush's "Shiny Happy People" gift box.

The box contains 3 products: 

Bohemian Soap: 
"This is a solid soap with a light citrus scent... A simple but powerful blend of lemon oil and glycerine, with a palm-free soap base. Bohemian is gently cleansing.." 

Happy Hippy Shower Gel: 

"This shower gel bursting with pink grapefruit is just the thing to add some early-morning zest. We squeeze fresh pink grapefruit and add grapefruit & Bergamot essential oils."

Green Fun: 

"This 4-in-1 product can be used as a solid shampoo, bubble bar, soap or even for play. Enjoy making models and shapes out of it & then either break off a small piece & use as a soap or shampoo, or crumble under running water for bubble bath."

There's so much I love about this gift box. To start the wrapping paper is so cheerful & fun.. It almost felt like a shame to open it.. The products also smell so gorgeous and fresh - Perfect now we're *hopefully* starting to say goodbye to winter & hello to all things spring! Finally, I love the ethics that Lush has in regards to things like animal testing. Their cruelty free campaign (which you can read more about here & scrolling to the bottom of the page) always makes buying/using their products have an element of feel good factor about it. 

The "Shiny Happy People" gift box retails for £12.75 & can either be bought online [x] or in store. 

What's your favourite Lush product?

xxx

Pay Day Haul

Last week my favourite day of the month finally arrived - Pay day!

After working hard all  month & countless early mornings, I thought it was only fair to get a few little treats for myself.

Although I've been working full time for roughly 7 months now, there must be a little part of me that thinks like a student.. (when I was at university, my loan rarely stretched far enough for treats like this so I haven't quite got used to going out shopping).. but if you can't treat yourself after a long month of working hard, when can you?!

I still haven't quite managed to grasp how to photo clothes...

1. Skinny Jeans - £14.99 -New Look [x]

2. Marvel Super Hero Shorts - £4.00 - Primark 

3. Black Floppy Hat - £8.00 -  Primark 

4. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - £4.19 - Superdrug [x]

5. Faux suede Dolly Shoes - £4.00 - Primark 

6. Les Misérables - £5.00 - Amazon [x]

7. Black Roll Neck Top - £9.99 - New Look [x]
(I couldn't find the exact top on the New Look website, so I've linked a similar one)

My favourite items from this haul include New Look's skinny jeans - they're a mixture between jeans and jeggings, so I find them much comfier than normal jeans, but they're still much better quality then a pair of material leggings - They're a great staple & will go well with both casual items (think converse or Chelsea boots) or dressed up with a pair of heels/wedges. 

Another favourite item has to be the floppy hat.. I've been after one of these hats since last summer - and had just about given up finding one that suited me. That is until I spotted this in Primark. I think it a very flattering look and such a simple accessory that can easily glam up an otherwise casual outfit. 

If you read my February Favourites post, you'll know that I've been loving the songs from Les Misérables recently - so when this popped up on Amazon, I couldn't resist buying it to add to my DVD collection!

Finally - I can't wait to wear the superhero shorts to the gym! I think they're so cool & such a bargain at only £4! Primark had a few more styles available - none quite as cool as these, but I'm sure I'll be making a trip back to purchase the others soon.. Who needs to splash out on expensive gym wear when you can get shorts like this for a fraction of the price?!

What are your favourite items to shop for at the moment? 

I'm sure I could be persuaded to treat myself to a few more items! 

xxx

February Favourites

With February leaving us until 2016 (is it just me that thinks this month has flown by?!) I thought I'd put together my first Monthly Favourites post.

So here's a few of beauty & lifestyle items that I've been loving throughout the month of February.

(Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8)

1. Les Misérables - 
In particular the songs. If you haven't heard them, the Les Misérables songs are pretty amazing. I've found that if I'm feeling a bit down (post-birthday blues maybe) or even just a little sleepy, singing my heart out along with  Anne Hathaway and Samantha Banks has been the perfect pick me up this month. 
2. New Look's Kabuki Brush [x] - 
When I was got this brush I really wasn't expecting too much. However I've been loving using this recently. I've been using this pretty much everyday this month to apply and set my face powder & it works perfectly. The bristles are so soft and it's the perfect size for me. Plus for only £3.99 this brush is an absolute bargain! 
3. Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser [x] - 
As much as I love brands like Nivea and Simple for face products, recently I've loved using the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser. Although a little pricer then Nivea/Simple etc. This is the only cleanser that really removes all my make-up and leaves my skin feeling so soft. Plus I also find that if any pesky spots pop up, this cleanser is incredible at quickly shrinking down again. 
4. Barry M Baby Pink Nail Varnish [x] - 
I've had this shade of polish on my nails for roughly a week now and I've received so many compliments from people saying how pretty it looks. In addition to the kind words, the polish hasn't chipped once - which is always a great bonus. I hate nothing more then taking the time to paint my nails only for them to chip within a few hours. 
5. Cinderella Latte Mug [x] - 
I was given this mug by my work colleagues as one of my birthday presents and I absolutely love it! If there's one thing I need to get through a day in the office, it's definitely coffee and this is one of my favourite mugs to use. What Disney lover wouldn't love this sitting on their desk?!
6. The Gym [x] - 
After months of saying I'd do it, I finally bit the bullet and joined the gym. Whilst looking around there were many different gyms to choose from - but I really wanted something that wasn't going to eat away at my money - yet still offered everything I wanted to start getting into shape. I eventually decided on a company called The Gym Group. They have gyms up and down the country and are very pocket friendly at only £12.99 a month, and has all the equipment I need and more. I may not be anywhere near to an athlete yet, but I've loved going to the gym this month as it leaves me feeling so much healthier. 
7. Rimmel's Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation [x] - 
After reading such good reviews on this foundation I couldn't resits buying it a few months back. Now this foundation has become my everyday foundation. Now I wouldn't know if it really lasts 25 hours (who has their foundation on for that amount of time?) but it last pretty much all day. I also love the coverage this foundation provides as it covers any redness or blemishes on my skin. 
8. Orange Is The New Black -
I started watching Orange Is The New Black around 2 weeks ago (I know, I know - where have I been?) & I'm roughly about half way through the first season. If you didn't know - Orange Is The New Black is about Piper Chapman, a 30 something year old woman, who is sent to prison for a crime she committed ten years ago. The show follows the highs and lows that Piper faces as she adjusts to life behind bars. 
I'm already hooked to Orange Is The New Black & would 100% recommend it if you're looking for something new to watch. 

I hope you've enjoyed my first monthly favourites post - I may make this a regular appearance on my blog every few months. 

What's been your favourite lifestyle/beauty item of the month?

I'm always on the look out for new products or items to try out! 

xxx