Monthly Archives: March 2015

Easter with Lush

21st March 2015
There has been a distinct lack of Lush goodness on my blog over the years, I always felt like I was missing out as after a few years of obsessive usage I developed an allergy to some of the products that meant I couldn’t even walk past a shop without coming up in an angry red rash. Thankfully I seem to have outgrown that now and around the festive period I discovered that once again I can indulge in my obsession- just with a little more caution than before.

With Easter now rapidly approaching I thought now was high time to showcase some of the fabulous products Lush have to offer as an alternative to chocolate from the Easter Bunny. Now, I love my chocolate, but I like to think the Easter Bunny might do a little shopping outside of a supermarket too!

I think this is such a fun and vibrant collection from Lush (as one would except from the brand). I have already purchased the Hoppity Poppity bath bomb (£2.50) a few weeks ago when I was in need of a little pick me up and it’s such a fun addition to a bath, if you can bear to break up the cuteness!
Other notable products are: The Golden Egg (£3.75) a bath bomb melt that smells like honey toffee and gives everything a golden glow. Somewhere over the Rainbow soap (£4.25/100g) which looks certain to brighten up any bathroom. The candy floss scented Fluffy Egg (£2.95) apparently smells like candy floss, I think this is next on my purchase list! The pink Immaculate Eggception (£6.95) gives you three products in one neat, seasonal package, and last but by no means least the adorable Bunch of Carrots (£5.95) which probably don’t count as one of your five a day, sadly!
What do you think of the Easter collection from Lush? I’ve earmarked the Fluffy Egg as my next purchase and I’m hoping the Easter Bunny is also very generous. What other products from Lush do I need to try? It’s been so long since I’ve really been able to use them that I’m very much out of the loop!

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Posted in beauty, wish list

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Flamingo Gifts (round two!)

20th March 2015
Back before Christmas (which feels like forever ago now) I was spoilt rotten by a selection of gifts from the team at Flamingo Gifts. They recently got in touch again to see if I’d like the chance to review another selection of goodies and I didn’t hesitate in saying yes! I stand by what I said in my last post, Flamingo Gifts really is a one stop shop for a fun and funky present for someone special- or for yourself. I love browsing the site to check out the latest arrivals, it’s one of those little treasure troves where you never know what you might find.
As you can see, I was sent quite an epic selection which couldn’t be more me! The second I saw this biscuit makeup bag I was smitten. I’m a complete biscuit addict and this makes the perfect home for the various lipsticks and balms I carry around on a daily basis.

I was delighted to receive the Daisy Flamingo Candle as it’s been on my radar since it launched. I was a little unsure as to what it would smell like as I don’t think I’ve ever smelt a Daisy before but it makes for a lovely, subtle and Spring-like addition to my bedroom. I do love Flamingo candles, probably more than Yankee candles as they have such a fun and unique range of scents.

Also on the unique candle front came the Pyro Pet which is so macabre and yet so fun! Essentially the candle, when burnt down reveals a metal skeleton which very much makes it worth the £24.99 price tag…however, it’s so awesome to look at and I’m not sure I can bring myself to light it! One of these has been on my wish list for ages and I’m so stupidly happy to finally own one!

Another item that has been on my wish list for a long time were these Siamese Cat salt & pepper shakers which I have out on display in my room because they are too adorable to hide away until I move. I have always had a soft spot for novelty condiment holders and this pair just make me very happy.

Last but my no means least comes this Ted Baker mini notebook and pen which I have given to my Mum as she just loves Ted Baker and all things pink and girly. I adore Ted Baker’s stationary range for something chic and yet affordable. Mum is delighted with this and it was nice to be able to give her an extra Mother’s Day present!

I’ve been loving seeing what other bloggers picked up from Flamingo Gifts- it’s always interesting to get inspiration on what to buy for people and to discover items you’d perhaps previously ignore. Thank you to Flamingo Gifts for the amazing box of goodies- and for being all round awesome when it comes to providing a great shopping experience!

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Posted in gifts, review, shopping, wish list

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Double Up

18th March 2015
Although we’re now in the midst of March it’s still a bit too chilly out there to ditch the layers just yet. I’m itching to pull out some of my lighter pieces so I’ve been trying to get over my incompetence at layering in order to stop wearing the same outfits day in and day out. Oh to be one of those people that has minimalist, sleek chic nailed!

Dress: Monki at ASOS | Jumper: H&M | Shoes c/o Ikrush | Necklace c/o QVC

We’ll just ignore the wild hair here, I had not long ago got caught in a torrential downpour consisting of rain and hail- my natural waves turn to frizz and I had made a last ditch attempt to tame them with a hair brush before admitting defeat.
QVC are back on my radar once again with their amazing range of jewellery. They recently sent me this beautiful Aurora double stone pendant which I think finished off this outfit wonderfully. It’s a truly delicate and beautiful piece, quite different to anything I own and really reasonably priced at £25.50. The latest jewellery arrivals at QVC are really something- if, like me you’ve managed to let them drop off your radar over recent years then I strongly suggest you get re-acquainted, fast!
This Monki dress will forever be a favourite of mine, partly because of the journey we’ve been on together and what it represents and partly because the print just makes me so damn happy! I’ve never been one for tight fitting skirts so I don’t know what made me think to wear it like this, but actually I ended up liking the combination and it felt a bit more spring like than jeans, heavy skirts and thick fluffy knits.
Have you checked out QVC lately? I have a birthday coming up next month and I think that there are quite a few pieces on the website that will be making their way on to a wish list!

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Posted in jewellery, outfits, wish list

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What to wear for a Casino night out

17th March 2015
When they are going on a night out, women generally want to look as fashionable and beautiful as possible. With a recent boom in online casinos such as http://www.MobileCasino.co.nz, many are now choosing casino as one of their options for a night out but not quite sure what to wear or not to wear. Casinos are often portrayed in films as high glamour environments, in fact not all modern ones are actually that strict. This article will detail what to wear both for casinos with firm dress codes and those without.

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Dress Code Casino
If you are attending a casino with a dress code, in Las Vegas or anywhere else, generally nothing overtly revealing is the key point to remember. If it is casino party you are attending or a top class casino somewhere like Vegas you might want to wear heels, but if you are there primarily for the gaming, flat shoes may be more comfortable. Again, for parties or more glamorous nights, a little black dress will be a good option, whereas for nights where the focus is on the gaming, comfortable dress trousers, blouse and jacket would be better. Keep accessories like bags and shoes to a minimum as they will be in the way, and avoid trainers and jeans, as these could see you fall foul of the dress code.
Non Dress Code Casino
For the more informal casinos found in provincial locations, you can often get away with clean trainers and well-pressed jeans even at night. Again though, if the purpose of your evening is a party you will want something more visually striking and for this kind of casino it is totally acceptable to wear a cocktail dress. You will probably want to combine this with high heels and accessories such as jewellery, although avoid too many accessories, as you don?t want to be worrying about losing them during the evening.

Ultimately, casino dress codes vary wildly depending on how high class an establishment they are, so the best move is always to check in advance.

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This post has been published in accordance with my disclosure policy.

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New Hair Hero Products

16th March 2015
I know, a hair care post on this blog is even rarer than a beauty one (no, I don’t quite class them as the same thing!). I’ve been trying to take better care of my hair lately, having made the switch from my natural waves to a straighter style I had started to notice it becoming a little bit frazzled from the heat.

I was recently contacted by the team over at TheHut.com to see if they could help out with any hair or beauty problems, so I mentioned my fried locks and then sat back awaiting a miracle.

I wasn’t disappointed when two new products were delivered to my door, the team picked well when it came to solving my hair woes and things are already feeling in a lot better condition than they were a few weeks ago.

The first product was the most repair revival cream from KMS California which is a leave in conditioner that promises to restore the moisture balance within your hair. After just two uses of this product my hair was really feeling the benefit, no longer afraid it might snap off it looked healthier and felt much, much softer to the touch. Previously I never thought of spending £13.50 on a hair product but this will be part of my regular routine from here on out.

The second little miracle worker was a heat protection spray from KeraStraight. Again this has gone straight on the regular use list, cost aside. I’ve been on the hunt for a decent heat protection spray for years but have never found one I really loved. From the first use of this I knew I was on to a winner- with shiny, sleek hair with no fried ends after my (somewhat amateur) attempts at styling my hair this has well earned it’s £19.00 price tag.
What hair products do you know you can always rely on? One thing I have learnt from my forays in to hair and beauty posts is that it often is quality over quantity where my hair is concerned. I always find that my hair responds best to the higher end products than it does to cheaper ones- and I need to use far less, meaning lazy old me gets less build up and therefore doesn’t need to wash her hair as often! Now, if only I could become a wash and go girl my life would be complete…

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Posted in hair, review

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