MAC Viva Glam - Ariana Grande

Anyone who knows me will know all bout my lipstick obsession - especially berry tones. So when I learnt that Ariana Grande had teamed up with MAC & many other celebrity style icons (Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga & Rihanna to name a few) to bring out her own lipstick , I knew I needed it in my collection.

The lipstick - which currently retails for £15.50 - forms part of the brands Viva Glam range. For those who don't know,Viva Glam is a collection that donates all money (minus VAT) to the MAC Aids Fund to support men, women & children effected by HIV/Aids. So - by purchasing this product not only do you receive a stunning new lipstick, you also support those in need.

*heart eyes emoji*

Key Points: 

Packaging: Now I love MAC's classic sleek black "bullet" packaging. However the added pop of pink - something traditional to the Viva Glam range - is something that really catches my eye. I also love the added "signature" from the chosen celebrity which I feel really adds a fun little bonus.

Shade: As you can see from the swatch above, this product is a deep plum shade & one that I feel would suit most skin tones. This is the perfect shade to wear during the winter months or to use as a statement evening look.

Finish: As a lover of gloss finishes, I can find the thought of a matte lipstick a little daunting at times. Yet the matte finish of this product combined with the classic MAC formulae allows for an easy application which isn't at all drying. However for those like me that prefer gloss (or even suffer from dry lips) a simple layer of lip balm - or even lip gloss on top - adds the perfect dose of moisture to avoid any potential "cracking" or "drying" that can be associated with matte products. *Tip* apply a layer of product with a lip brush to help avoid any accidental smudging onto skin!*

Scent: Of course, this lipstick contains the traditional MAC lipstick scent. A gorgeous light vanilla smell that makes application that little more special.

It's safe to say that as soon as I opened the cute little box, it was love at first sight & I have been completely won over by this lipstick. I personally think this is a stunning product & it's made all the more special by knowing the proceeds are going to charity. I'll definitely be checking products from MAC's Viva Glam collection in the future.

What do you think of the Viva Glam Ariana Grande Lipstick?

xxx

Birchbox | Best. Year. Ever.

For those who don't know Birchbox runs a new theme each month. So - with the vision of starting the year with a bang -  Birchbox have teamed up with Pinterest to create the "Best. Year. Ever" for January's box.

So after falling instantly in love with the treats in December's Birchbox (read a full review here) it's safe to say that I was very excited to receive an email to remind me that my January box had been dispatched.

Items received: 

Absolution Cleansing Water [x]

Whish Body Butter [x]

Jelly Pong Pong Lightening Pencil [x]

Parlor Shampoo & Conditioner [x]

Benefit "They're Real" Tinted Lash Primer [x]

#NoFilter Mirror [x]

Pinterest Post Cards

The first thing that stood out to me was how gorgeous the box itself looks. You can never go wrong with a combination of inspirational quotes, cute photos & *of course* lots of pink. I also love the Pinterest inspired post cards -  these would make a perfect inspirational quote to pin around the house or as a cute little note to a friend. 

There are a few products that instantly caught my eye this month including Benefit's Lash Primer (as a huge fan of the They're Real Mascara I have high hopes for this) & Absolution's cleansing water which boasts to be the perfect product for removing make-up. 

Overall it's safe to say that I'm very happy with the products that I've received from Birchbox this month with the only downside being that the cute pink mirror had arrived smashed. I'm looking forward to testing each new item & hoping to find something new to add to my favourites.

Have you tried any of these products?

What are your thoughts?

xxx

January Sales Wishlist - Part Two

Following on from my "January Sales Wishlist Part 1" (which featured all things beauty) part 2 details the remaining items that have recently caught my eye. These all fall under the fashion/home-ware theme & are items that I personally find adorable.

1. Pendant Necklace - Accessorize - £3.00 reduced from £6.00 [x]

2. Reindeer Cushion - Tesco - £2.00 reduced from £5.00 [x]

3. Mickey Mouse Mug - Disney Store - £4.86 reduced from £6.95 [x] 

4. Duster Jacket - Miss Selfridge - £20.00 reduced from £39.00 [x]

5. Red Chunky Heels - New Look - £14.00 reduced from £27.99 [x]

6. Navy & Black Handbag - Ted Baker - £101.00 reduced from £169.00 [x]

These items would stand out to me whilst at full price, so I love them even more whilst they're discounted. Of course I like each of these items, but my favourites include the Mickey Mouse mug (because, Disney), the Miss Selfridge jacket (which I find effortlessly chic) & the Red Chunky Heels from New Look as the gold detailing really sets these apart.

I hope you've enjoyed this mini-series showing my favourite items from the 2016 January sales. There's nothing I love more than finding a good bargain!

Which are your favourite places to find Fashion and/or home-ware

sale items?

xxx

Lush "You've Been Mangoed" Bath Melt

After a particularly long & stressful week & no spa-days booked into my diary *sobs* I opted for the next best thing - a new bath-time treat from Lush.

I have to admit, when in Lush I'm guilty of making a beeline straight for the bath bombs. However on this occasion I decided to have a good old browse. This lead me to stumbling across the brand's selection of Bath Melts - something I've never tried before. Lush's Bath Melts are a range of luxury oils designed to dissolve in the bath & soften skin - perfect for an evening of pampering.

So, after having a browse of all the different melts available- which all smelt amazing, of course - I finally settled for the sherbet scented, "You've Been Mangoed".

As you can see above the melt comes in a bright green solid-form which dissolves when placed into warm water. With a mixture of Mango, Shea & Avocado butters, plus both lemongrass and lime oils this bath melt is perfect for banishing dry skin. I usually suffer from both dry skin & eczema (especially in the winter months) so loved how this melt left my skin feeling instantly soft & hydrated, yet not at all greasy.

Whilst this doesn't contain any of the traditional Lush special effects - no glitter, bright colours or hidden petals will be found here - I found the effects of the oils themselves put this product right up with the bath bombs - plus it retails for the extremely purse friendly price of only £2.00.. bargain!

Overall it's safe to say that I will definitely be picking up other bath melts from Lush's range - especially when I feel my skin is in particular need of a hydration boost. The only slight downside I would point out is the oils can leave the bath itself slippery, so take extra care when standing up. However this is a downside to any oil-based product & is easy enough to rinse away.

Have you tried any of the Lush Bath Melt range?

What are your thoughts?
xxx

January Sales Wishlist - Part One

Now that Christmas has officially come to an end *sobs* only one thing can cheer me up.. January Sales. There's nothing I love more than finding a good bargain, especially if that bargain is on an item I've been lusting over for months.

Of course actually attending sales in person is not for me (you won't find me queuing outside Next at 5 am on boxing day) BUT I do love to sit at my laptop from the comfort of my own home (preferably in pyjamas, with chocolate & a good Disney film on the telly) ready to find a good bargain from my favourite online stores.

As there are quite a few items on my wish list this year,  I have decided to put together a two part "mini-series" detailing all the items that have managed to find their way onto my "Sale Wishlist".

Welcome to part one - all things beauty! 

1. Benefit's "You're So Party" Gift Set - Boots - £26.33 reduced from £39.50 [x]

2. Urban Decay "Smoky Eye Palette" - Feel Unique - £34.20 reduced from £38.00 [x]

3. Clarisonic Mia 2, Keith Haring Special Edition - Feel Unique - £100.00 reduced from £125.00 [x]

4. Liz Earle "Sparkling Skin Duo" Set - Boots - £18.66 reduced from £28.00 [x]

5. Colour Crush Festive Lipstick in shade "Coral Blush" - The Body Shop - £5.00 reduced from £10.00 [x]

6. Real Techniques Bold Metals Essentials kit with Bag - Boots - £25.00 reduced from £64.00 [x]

Above are a mix of products that I have tried/tested & fallen in love with - Liz Earle being a holy grail product of mine - along with new items that I've had my eye for a while now. These include Urban Decay's "Smoky eye" palette & the Clarisonic facial brush, both of which have received great reviews within the blogging world. I also found the sets from Benefit & Real Techniques to be of amazing value when the original price & products themselves are considered. 

I hope you liked the first post within my little January Sales series - Part two will feature all things Fashion/Home-ware. 

Have you tried any of the above products?

What are your thoughts?

xxx

CocoMelody Wedding Dresses*

Whether it be my favourite childhood princess or a family celebration, I've always loved the thought of weddings. In fact this love (combined with my of organising & planning) went on to inspire me to complete a degree in Events Management at university. So when I received the email from the team at CocoMelody asking if I'd like to write a post detailing their gorgeous wedding dresses, I jumped at the chance..

For those who don't know CocoMelody is a bridal store that offers both elegant & affordable wedding dresses to brides all over the world. After many hours of research (aka staring lovingly at dresses whilst imagining how each would look on myself) I finally managed to pick out three dresses that I really deserved to be shown-off here on Small & Blonde.

The first dress to catch my eye was this stunning lace design from the brands "2016 wedding dresses". What really stood out here was the detailing of the lace overlay from the shoulder straps right down to the slight train, allowing for just a hint of Disney princess. 

In contrast to the lace design is a dress that features within the brands "Beach Wedding Dresses". The waist detailing coupled with a classic design offers a simple yet elegant look that leaves me day-dreaming of saying my vows on a far-off exotic beach. 

For the third and final dress I couldn't resist including this beautiful champagne design. Although similar to the first dress featured, the subtle colour change adds a unique twist that is perfect for brides looking for something a little different. 

For me, a wedding dress is all about elegance & class, something I think each of these manage to balance perfectly. So whether you're a brides-to-be yourself or know someone planning their dream wedding, be sure to check out CocoMelody. Plus - if shopping online - enter code Wedding15 to recieve $15.00 off any full priced dress over $150.00.

Which is your favourite wedding dress?

xxx

2015 Christmas Gifts - Part Two

Following on from my previous post (which showed the gifts I received from my boyfriend & can be found here) this post details the lovely present I was lucky enough to receive from my family & friends this year.

Again - I just want to quickly point out that this is in no-way bragging or showing off as I'm writing this due to the fact that I personally love reading posts like this & having a nose at what people received for Christmas.

As you can see I was incredibly lucky this year & received some amazing gifts from my family & friends. These gifts include Soap & Glory gift sets, Pandora Charms, a scarf, adorable teddy-bear slippers, a Liz Earle gift set, make-up brushes, Paper Towns by John Green (I'm sure this will tug at my heart strings just like A Fault in Our Stars), earrings, miniature bottles of wine, a Marie Mug (one of my favourite Disney characters), a candle, both the Aristocats & The Little Mermaid on DVD, a pink Peter Pan collard top, cat gloves, a pair of "riding" style boots, two necklaces, a Ted Baker nail varnish set (which I am in love with), the first 3 Star Wars films on DVD,  and lots & lots of chocolate/sweets. I also received some money/gift vouches which haven't been included above as I thought that may be a little odd. 

Obviously Christmas is about more than gifts & is really all about spending quality time with loved ones without the everyday stresses of work & day-day life (which is definitely something I seem to appreciate the older I get, especially living an hour from my home town) but I am incredibly gratful for all the lovely presents I received this year & as I previously mentioned, I love to have a nose at posts like this so thought it would be the perfect opportunity to get involved myself. 

If you've written a similar post, let me know in the comments as I'd love

to read for myself. 

xxx

2015 Christmas Gifts - Part One

This year it's safe to say that I was well & truly spoilt by both my family & Ollie (my boyfriend for those who don't know) so I thought I'd put together a little post detailing the lovely gifts I was lucky enough to receive. Of course *disclaimer alert* this is in no way bragging or showing off - I simply love reading posts like this & wanted to jump on the bandwagon myself. 

I thought it best to split this post up to save me waffling on & boring everyone involved. So this post will detail the lovely gifts I received from Ollie & I think the next will detail those from family/friends. 

As you can see from above, I was lucky enough to receive some amazing gifts from Ollie this year. These included the first season of AMC's "Fear the Walking Dead" (a prequel series to my all-time favourite show The Walking Dead), fluffy Minnie Mouse socks, a Sheep cuddly toy from the game "Minecraft" (this is a game we sometimes play together & I have soft spot for the block-shaped animals) a Pandora Bracelet with a gorgeous heart claps, a build-your-own Pikachu figure (again a character that I had a particular soft-spot for when I was younger), some cute gingerbread pyjamas & a Mac lipstick in the shade Full Fuschia. 

Ollie also purchased tickets for us to visit the Harry Potter Studio Tours (something I've wanted to do ever since it opened).. to go alongside the these he gave me the first book in the Harry Potter Series (The Philosophers Stone) & the Xbox 360 Lego game (which is honestly a lot of fun!). He also included a pair of "Harry-Potter-style" glasses which he has insisted I wear on our visit. 

It's safe to say that I love each & every gift I received from Ollie this year as it's easy to see just how much thought has gone into each one. I'm one very happy girl. 

I hope you had a lovely Christmas & have an amazing 2016!

xxx

New Years Eve | OOTD

Happy New Year all! 

Where has this year gone? I'm sure only yesterday I was opening the first door on my advent calendar & now it's officially 2016?! So what better way to start of a new year of blogging than a little OOTD showing what I *finally* decided to wear to welcome in the New Year. 

This year Ollie & I decided to welcome 2016 in a local bar whilst enjoying a few drinks. This was then followed by a huge late-night food order (who doesn't love 2am cheesy chips after a little too much vodka?!).

Top - Primark - £9.00 

Trousers - New Look - £15.00 

Shoes - New Look - £30.00(ish)

As you can see I opted for a pair of black skinny trousers & a navy "boxy" chiffon shirt. I found this combination perfect for keeping me a little warmer whilst also covering any lumps & bumps gained from over eating throughout Christmas. This was then tied together with my trusty & well loved black wedges to ensure my feet weren't in too much pain as the night went on.

I found this the perfect outfit for a night out as it was both comfortable & flattering so I'm sure I'll be reaching for it on a night out soon.

However you celebrated, 

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year's Eve

xxx