Monthly Archives: July 2016

Bright & Bold picks from the MyBag sale

22nd July 2016

Sale season is a real test of my willpower and restraint. Now, more so than ever I need to be watching what I spend and not making rash purchase but when every shop on the high street and online is selling amazing wares at bargain prices it does make it highly likely that at some point I am going to take leave of my senses and cave in.

Today’s “I’m off sick and bored so might as well torture myself with online window shopping” website of choice is Mybag.com who are currently offering up to 40% off some of their extensive range of bags and accessories. As we’ve been blessed with such gorgeous weather lately my eyes have been wandering towards some of the brightest offerings and I’ve compiled my current wish list below (well, a rather scaled down one if I’m honest).

Aspinal of London | Michael Kors | Lulu Guiness | Lauren Ralph Lauren | Diane von Furstenberg | Furla

All of these would be just so perfect for the summer months and a great companion to my current favoured all denim attire. As it stands I’ve only just been able to justify only two sales purchases in the form of an £8 denim skirt and £15 pair of jeans, both essential and both regretfully not a bright and bold handbag!

Have you made the best of the bargains on offer? Which of these bags do you fancy the most?

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Posted in accessories, shopping, wish list

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Bloggers’ Beauty Secrets with Essence

20th July 2016
I’ve posted before about my love of bargain cosmetics brand Essence so I was really excited when another package from them dropped through my door last week. Essence teamed up with four beauty bloggers to create the “bloggers’ beauty secrets” collection where each created their own palettes and nail polishes. I admit I do usually steer clear of this kind of thing as it can seem a bit gimmicky but given that Essence are yet to fail me with the quality of their products and have previously hooked me up with the only bronzer I’ll ever use I thought it was only fair to go in to this with an open mind.
I’ve always got on well with Essence nail polishes and these were no exception. The pale blue “shine bright” is a gorgeous pastel shade that complimented my cool skin tone perfectly and the nude “all eyes on me” has just become my staple nail colour for every day wearing. They both apply wonderfully and dry fast. You can get away with just one coat of the nude, but you would definitely need two of the blue to avoid any streaks.
I was more nervous about the palette, called “the glow must go on” it looked quite dark and daunting in the packaging and I’m super pale which often leads to a muddy effect. In reality though the shades of the bronzer blend together well to give just a hint of colour and glow with a light touch application although this could easily be built up for a more dramatic effect. The same goes for the eyeshadows which took a little blending but were perfect for an easy summer look. This would be a great palette to pack for a holiday as you’ve pretty much got a complete look ready to go and should I manage to get away this summer I know it’ll be coming with me- bonus points for being so light and compact!

Excuse my slightly dishevelled appearance. It was 30 odd degrees when I took that photo and well, humidity and I do not get along!

You can find out more about essence and the collaboration on the Essence website. I’d love to know your thoughts.

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Posted in beauty, brands I love, review

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The one where I actually get dressed!

17th July 2016
Sick leave has made me lazy when it comes to getting dressed. Most days I just chuck on a pair of jeans and a slogan tee, or my trust denim pinafore and call it job done. This might be practical but doesn’t always lend itself to feeling confident so on the days where I know I am seeing someone or going somewhere I do push myself to make a bit of an effort!

Dress c/o Lilac Rose | Tee: New Look (old) | Converse: Schuh

This Emily and Fin dress is one of my favourite dresses and I don’t wear it nearly often enough. It’s one of those that just flatters and fits. I instantly felt so much better when I popped this outfit on, hence the outfit photos which I am slowly trying to get some confidence back in doing.

As much as I love sandals and dainty shoes I couldn’t break away from the call of my holographic Converse to pair with this outfit. I know casual trainers and girly dresses has been done to death but I love it and probably always will!

I’m going to be staying with my parents for a couple of weeks now and I have been selective in my packing (leaving the jeans behind!) so with Mum on hand I’m hoping to get back in to blogging properly…I’m not expecting miracles though, that denim pinafore of mine is verrrry forgiving!

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Posted in life, life stuff, outfits, shoes

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Giveaway: Win a Rose Gold iPhone SE!

13th July 2016
It’s fair to say I haven’t been the greatest blogger lately, both in terms of content and comments/interation with my blogging pals. This makes me even more excited about the competition I’m hosting from today as it gives me a chance to say “Thank You” to those that have stuck by me by giving you the chance to win a Rose Gold iPhone SE courtesy of the guys at Three (which will come with a sim card loaded with £10 of credit)
As I mentioned the other day my phone is soon due an upgrade and this is the model I have my eye on for numerous reasons (not least the colour!) so I’m going to be super envious of whoever wins this beauty! The iPhone SE features a 4-inch Retina display, an A9 chip with 64-bit desktop-class architecture, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, a 12MP iSight camera, a FaceTime HD camera with Retina Flash, Live Photos, 4G LTE2 and fast Wi-Fi, iOS 9 and iCloud. It’s the same shape as the iPhone 5s but features all of the benefits of iPhone 6s- a real little power pack!
It’s easy to see how this has become such a hit with fashion bloggers everywhere, it’s so pretty it seems almost a shame to cover it with a case (note the almost!) and makes blogging and interacting on social media whilst on the go a breeze. To get your entries in just follow the instructions below and make sure you check out the T&Cs.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

iPhone SE competition with Three – Ts&Cs.
1. These terms and conditions are the rules which apply to this competition. By submitting their entry, entrants will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by the following terms and conditions.
2. This competition is run by a daisy chain dream in conjunction with Hutchison 3G UK Limited, operating as Three, Star House, 20 Grenfell Road, Maidenhead, SL6 1EH.
3. To enter the competition entrants must complete the mandatory requirements before 00:00 on 27/07/2016.
4. Entrants must be aged 18 or over.
5. This promotion is open to residents of the UK, except for Three employees, their families or anyone else associated with this competition.
6. No responsibility can be accepted for entries that are lost or delayed, or which are not received for any reason.
7. Winners agree to participate in publicity as a daisy chain dream and Three may require.
8. The prize on offer is a 16GB iPhone SE (rose gold) and a Three Sim card loaded with £10 of credit.
9. The prize is only as stipulated and cannot be transferred and/or exchanged for cash.
10. Confirmation of the prize will be made by email to the winner by 29/07/2016.
11. Reasonable efforts will be made to contact the winner. If the winner cannot be contacted, or is unable to comply with these terms and conditions, a daisy chain dream and Three reserve the right to offer the prize to another eligible entrant. Failure to respond and/or provide an address, or failure to meet the eligibility requirements may result in forfeiture of the prize.
12. a daisy chain dream and Three reserve the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time. If we do this, we will publish the amended terms and conditions on the competition page.
13. a daisy chain dream and Three reserve the right to end this promotion at any time, and without notice.
Good Luck!

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Posted in competition, competitions, fashion, gadgets, giveaway

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My New Hair BFF

08th July 2016
Confession: I hate washing my hair. I have a lot of very thick hair and it’s a major effort to wash, dry and style it so any product I can find that gives me an extra day’s reprieve is very much welcome. I’ve been an advocate of dry shampoo since it first arrived on the hair care scene so when Bristol based online beauty retailer Bath and Unwind got in touch offering the chance to try out a newly launched dry shampoo from Moroccanoil I was eager to give it a whirl.
I’ve tried many a brand over the years with varying degrees of success. A creature of habit I often end up returning to Batiste as I find it doesn’t usually leave the powdery grey roots that some brands have done. The Moroccanoil product comes in two tones- light and dark and semi-unsure which category mine fell in to I opted to go for the light tones.

The first thing I need to mention about this product is the scent, it’s AMAZING! I find some of the dry shampoos quite sickly smelling but this has a light, fresh fragrance. Perfect for covering up hair that could kind of do with a wash without being overbearing.

The spray itself is a lovely product to use and having tried it out several times now I have not once noticed a residue left behind. It makes my hair feel light and fresh without being weighed down and easily gave an extra day between washes- it could even be stretched to two at a push!

The Moroccanoil dry shampoo also provides UV protection and volumising properties so it’s a really good all round product for people like me! The light tone spray is designed to enhance blonde hair and reduce brassiness but I found it was the perfect match for my coppery hair as well.

This is 100% a product I’ll be re-purchasing when this can runs out. It might be pricier than my usual brand but it also offers a lot more and leaves me feeling confident that people aren’t going to notice how lazy I can be when it comes to washing my hair!

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Posted in beauty, hair, review

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