Bed Head Haul!

I'm having a bit of a Bed Head moment in my house at the moment... as you can see! I've used Bed Head Masterpiece Hairspray for a few years now, at full price this is a little steep for a hairspray. Although it's the only hairspray that I turn to on almost a daily basis. I'm not sure if it's the great smell or the fact that my hair still feels natural after using it but either way I'm totally hooked on this hairspray despite the price tag.

Since I've enjoyed using other Bed Head products in the past (and there was an offer on) I thought I'd try out the Oh Bee Hive dry shampoo & Small Talk.

Again at full price I think Oh Bee Hive is a bit steep for a dry shampoo however having used it a couple of times I do really like it. It won't be replacing the trusty Batiste dry shampoo on weekdays however I think it's going to be  a handy addition to my hair arsenal! It does seam to add volume to my up do when I've used it, and I think there's less white powder left in my hair compared to other dry shampoos that I've used. That being said I did notice a couple of white strips in my ponytail a few hours after putting this in the first time.... lesson learned to be more careful! I'm a total sucker for the amazing smell of the Bed Head products and yet again I love the smell of this.

I picked up the Small Talk mini version for just $3... who couldn't resist that?!  After reading the bottle I wasn't exactly sure what the aim of this product was (yes I still bought it). Now I'm a little wiser and as I thought it is aimed to add body and volume. So far I've not been over impressed by this product, it's ok.  I normally use the Super Star Blow Dry Lotion and I don't think this is a patch on the lotion. I found the cream quite thick to run through my hair and I was conscious of avoiding product build up. I won't be pushing this to the back of my drawer yet, I think I'll be limiting this to days when I'm putting my hair up at the moment.

Finally, a non Bed Head product ... I'm sure you've heard enough from me on Bed Head for a while. I would highly recommend the Tangle Teezer brushes. I never thought I'd be such an advocate for these little brushes. I picked this up for after the gym, my hair is normally pretty good and doesn't knot up. However even for hair like mine this brush makes life so much easier. Plus it's small enough to throw into any handbag and for weekends away.

xxx

Skin perfection?

L'Oréal Paris Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution 

There's been a lot of blogs written about Micellar Water and they are the reason that I NEEDED to get my hands on some to try some for myself. The Boot's near me didn't have any (much to my distress!).  I was delighted when I popped into a Boots in London and found the L'Oreal version. You know that you're a beauty addict when you get this excited about cleanser!!   I've been using this for a couple of months now so I thought I would add in my tuppence worth....

The L'Oreal version wasn't the version that I was planning to buy, however I didn't have a lot of options so L'Oreal it was.  Plus it was less than £5 so I didn't feel guilty buying yet another cleanser. 

I don't have another water to compare to but I've been pretty impressed with this.  I've found this really handy to have in my cleansing armour I really like the natural feel of this and it's more soothing than my normal lazy day fall back on face wipes. The water is great as an addition to my normal cleansing routine  and I'm still on my first bottle, which is a bonus for my wallet too!

I did get lazy for a few days and only used this as a cleanser, for my skin this isn't good enough to keep my skin clear and I still found traces of make up even after 2-3 cleansing pads worth.... and I don't wear a lot of foundation! In that respect I don't think it lives up to "skin perfection".

 I will be keeping this in my routine as an addition to my cleansing routine to freshen up my skin/ sort me out on late nights and the perfect way to remove mascara!  I will be buying this again & I can't wait to try other versions. Have you tried this version, how does it compare?

xxx

Fab Friday

I can't think of many better things to do on a Friday than to have a total chill after a busy week. I had a total pamper night the other evening. Nails, hot chocolate and gossip girl .... AMAZING!

I am totally in love with this candle at the moment. It's a Yankee Candle in Midnight Jasmine that I got for Christmas. It smells much better when it's lit than I initially thought it would. I think it smells like a much more expensive candle.

Now that Spring has arrived I've been  loving brighter nail colors. I couldn't decide between the gel style pink from Barry M or a bright red from the Fearne range of colors. Both of these are pretty old but I still love them both. I ended up going for the red and topping it with a NARS glitter polish. 

Topped off with Elemis pro collagen hand cream and a few episodes of gossip girl made for a perfect evening!

xxx

All things glitter

As a bit of a different post, I thought I would share with you my fave jewellery.  

I wear my Micheal Kors watch pretty much every day, I love it! I've never found a watch that I have wanted to wear before this one. It was a risk buying such an expensive experiment, thankfully it paid off and I have worn this to death!  I think having a statement watch which really adds to my outfit makes me want to wear this as much as possible. Plus it's covered in sparkly gems! I'm very tempted to get the silver version....

I don't often wear a lot of jewellery however I do love rings. These are two of my current favorites! The little bow ring is from Astrid and Miyu & the Love ring is from Zara Taylor (I'm on my second version of this ring!).

xxx

Liz Earle Body Wash Review

I've recently been using the Liz Earle Orange Flower Botanical Body Wash.  I would never normally consider buying a Liz Earle body wash as I assumed it would be quite expensive, but as with all of these things it came as part of a QVC pack.  It's actually a lot more affordable than I thought it would be, it's £12 for 200ml. Plus, the bottle has lasted me quite a while too.  This is well and truly on my re-purchase list.

The body wash is fairly thick and lathers up really well meaning that you don't need to use much. It smells really lovely (and leaves my bathroom smelling amazing for ages after a shower!). 

I've got quite sensitive skin and it's not reacted at all to this. In fact, it feels very natural on my skin.   Before I started using this I had been using up a lot of  Elemis body washes (also part of QVC deals!) and, yet again, Liz Earle has lived up to the same standards and my beloved Elemis.

Have you used this? What did you think?

Handbag Make Up

I thought I would share with you all my handbag make up bits and bobs today. I love seeing what everyone else uses day to day so I thought I would share my handbag favs.  I'm not very good at topping up my make up during the day but I always have a selection of these with me and the full lot when I have a date night after work!! 

 Stainiac Lip Tint, Super Shock Max Mascara (review here),  Maybelline Master Smoky Eye shadow Pencil,  Sephora Face Sheets, Mini Dandelion Lip Gloss,  LAQ & CO fat lip pencil.

My selection includes a brigh red lip colour, I love this for an immediate evening update to my makeup. Alternatively I use the mini lip stain and gloss for a more natural look. Rather than carrying around more than I need to in my already packed handbag (how does that happen?) I tend to use the stainiac for a top up of colour on my cheeks.

I picked up the sephora sheets when I was in America at the end of this year, these are a great handbag addition for me. They get rid of any shine and I think really freshen up makeup.

Finally my fav mascara and eyeliner. A top up of mascara always makes me feel ready to face the world. Complemented with a little brown eyeliner to (hopefully) make my blue eyes stand out.

I had to share this makeup bag with you, I love it.  I think it looks a wee bit retro and I love how it opens right up at the top so that you can see everything inside. Plus, It makes me feel super glam carrying my make up in it. It's not the most compact bag but I love the look...hmmmmmmm, this logic may also explane why my handbag is always so packed! Unfortunately I didn't also get to enjoy the first class flight that the bag came from, but I do have some generous relatives who donated to to me.

Xxx

A Wee Break

                

This weekend I got taken away for a LOVELY weekend in the Scottish country side. It was such a treat to be taken away. We had some amazing food, lovely views, a little snow and a few glasses of vino!

 One of my favorite parts about going away is picking my outfits for the weekend. I thought I would share with you what made it into my short list for the weekend.

Firstly my Mulberry and Hunters... I maintain these are practical (!) but also love the opportunity to wear them both at once and make the most of two great British brands in my eyes!  ....... even if they did make me look like a city girl dropped in the middle of the countryside!

During the day we spent most of the time checking out the local views & enjoying a few hours in front of the fire with the papers, magazines and a glass of red wine. BLISS  

                                                 

My daytime outfit consisted off M&S leggings, white long vest from Primark under my Reiss T-shirt, I love this top!! I paired this all with my trusty Uggs, H&M tweed blazer, Micheal Kors rose gold watch & my tan bag.

For dinner we booked into the hotel restaurant which had good reviews. I took the opportunity to pack my glad rags. Well I actually packed two outfits but this is what I wore..

                                      

I picked up this dress from Primark this week, it was only £5!! I've not bought anything from Primark for ages but I fell in love with this dress. I think it looks much more expensive than £5... win win!

I paired this with black tights, a vintage black patent bag and my trusty Jimmy Choo heels. What do you think? I loved wearing this outfit, plus it's super comfy!

                                      

As a wee non clothing item we packed a bottle of prosecco to enjoy before dinner. Since there wasn't a fridge I put it into this cute little cooler!! It's far too cute not to share....

xxx

St Moriz vs St Tropez.... The good, bad and ugly!

As a Scottish girl with the typical Celtic colouring (read GREY skin tone) I have tried out a fair few fake tans in my time. 

I've done a full circle with St Tropez, they were the first tan I ever used, back when they only did the cream. After years of faithful use I went off St Tropez and tried out lots of others including Fake Bake, Sun etc. etc. etc.

 I haven't written off any of these tans, I like to keep my options open!!!............However, I have come back to St Tropez since I started using the mousse version. I know that it's been around for a long time but I'm sure that it's getting better! It is so easy to apply and I've found that I can use it during the day without looking like a crazy person.  

It goes on evenly and gives me a great colour. Using it with a Mitt I've never had any issues with application... which is saying something seeing as my boyfriend does my back & he's not exactly an expert! The downside? That's got to be the price. 

That's when I found St Moriz (mousse), at first I was VERY cautious about using this since it is SO cheap but I have to say. It does a great job for the fraction of the prices St Tropez. The application process is similar to St Tropez. It gives me even colour which doesn't go orange and it's just as easy to apply. It's currently on at the moment, developing away nicely - I find I can put a little on in the morning and it's not too obvious that it's developing WIN in my book. 

The downside? I find that this dry’s out my skin after a few applications.  I apply lots of moisturiser before I apply it to solve this little problem - although that's just good practice for all tans in my book!!  I'm also not convinced that the tan lasts for as long as St Tropez. Great for a night out though.

I am a fan of both of these and highly recommend using them, particularly using St Tropez as a base and St Moriz to top up ..........my personal favourite combo!  I have a fabby 'natural' tan my purse is happy and my skin doesn't dry out, what's not to love.

xxx

PS... If you are using these don't forget to mix with moisturiser for your face. It gives a much more natural colour. Happy Tanning!

Skin Bliss Indeed!

First of all I promise this will be my last Elemis chat for a while ..... In case you hasn't guessed I'm going through an Elemis phase at the moment. This little phase is mainly thanks to birthday and Christmas presents of lovely Elemis gift sets.

I don't think I've talked about skin bliss capsules yet... I have been talking about them so much in the real world (!) that I find it hard to tell! 

For those of you who haven't tried them yet, you get two sets of capsules in the tub one for day and one for night. It looks like you are supposed to use these as a course but I use them as and when my skin needs them. 

I really love the daytime ones & tend to use them up quicker. You only get a tiny bit in each one but if you rub it through your hands first it's plenty for the face. It even goes under make up well. I do try to match the day and night ones when I use them but to be honest I often forget ...I'm not very good in the evening, I just want to go to my bed!!!! 

It feels a bit oily but when my skin is dry that's ok with me. I wouldn't want to use it all the time they feel like a little luxury and that's exactly how I use them. I will be gutted when I finish these, not sure I could justify more .....unless they are a good deal! 

Xxx

Jan Hair Basics

I don't often have strong opinions on my shampoo and conditioner and I'm quite relaxed about my hair routine normally. I think that's mostly because my hair is straight, straight, straight and 0% volume regardless of what I do..... ANYWAY, after trying out some Liz Earl shampoo and conditioner which was lovely but a tad too expensive for day to day, I sat up and paid more attention to my hair routine.

I have always liked the Aussie shampoo and conditioner (which I always pick up in Boots) and I have been re-converted. They do exactly what they say on the tin and I think they leave my hair feeling great. I'm also a fan of their leave in conditioners, not the best that I've ever used but do a good job for a averaged price product. I never feel like I'm filling my hair with rubbish.

I also tried out V05, I'm not sure if I've missed the point on this one but I really didn't love it. Perhaps it was a mental block after using Liz Earl but I felt like I was putting cheap nasties through my hair which felt weighed down after.

At the moment I will be using Aussie products although I'm on the look out for all natural products. Any recommendations?

Xxx

New 'Face' Brush

I have been looking out for a new make up brush recently, mostly for my mineral foundation. For about 10 years I've had my set of Bobbi Brown brushes which are still in great condition and I LOVE them. Amazing when you think I use them nearly everyday! 

ANYWAY I thought it was a good bet to buy a Bobbi Brown brush that would work with my mineral foundation. After a bit of research I got this....

The Bobbi Brown Face Brush.

So far so good, this is much softer on my face than my previous two brushes.

Previously I had the bare minerals brush which I didn't rate at all, it shed lots of  bristles. Following that I had a Jane Iredale brush which was much better but after a short while I realised the bristles were a little tough on my skin. 

This brush is very thick with soft bristles and I love the way it distributed my make up. PLUS, its small enough to easily put in my make up bag with my travel brushes.  It  is a bit more expensive than other brushes on the market however if it even lasts half the time of my current brushes it will be a bargain!!!

December Faves

I have to say I love love love monthly favourite posts on other blogs so I'm trying to do it too. It's a also the posts that make me want to buy the most too!!! Here's My December Faves.....

Firstly my Mia brush! It is fab and makes all cleansers better, my skin has got better and better since I've been using this. It's amazing seeing all the make up coming off. When I don't use it I end up with so much make up on my face cloth. My skin freaked out recently & between this removing the nasties & my trusted SOS cream I was sorted ASAP!!! It is well and truly on my Favs list.


A long with my Liz Earl cleanser I have been using this Elemis Balm Cleanser. I maybe use this once or twice a week as a treat! I really like it, it has quite a thick luxurious consistency which in my opinion smells amazing. It came with a face cloth to use with it, which I do. One of the tips I picked up is to put the balm on and the warm cloth on top to allow it to sink in. It makes me feel like I'm having a lux facial even when I'm just in the shower. I love this so much that I've got my next tub ready!!!! Elemis seam to be putting this in a lot of their beauty sets at the moment, so look out for good deals, best ones I've had have been trusty QVC, the airport and I've seen a couple of sets on Feel Unique (not sure if they have the balm tho).

My Yankee Candle is my non beauty contribution, I think these give off a great smell. Since moving into our flat we have acquired around five new smells!!! This is my bathroom fav which as you can
probably see is nearly burnt out :-(

I have been using both the Frangipani shower cream and the Frangipani Oil (hiding behind my Mia brush in the pic!!). Both of these are travel size and I really like them! I can see why some people don't like the smell but for me I really like it. Again it reminds me of being at a spa.

As winters been taking its toll I've been keeping my skin fresh with a Clinique scrub, I've gift a full size verision of this in the cupboard!!

 Finally on a day to day basis I've been using the Elemis skin nourishing cream, it has lasted for ages and doesn't have a strong smell so great to pair with the above. I got this in a set which is a treat, not sure I would splash out for it on its own tho!