A YouTube Video

31 December 2014

So I know everyone is talking New Year plans or post round ups, but before I signed off for 2014 I wanted to share an update on the YouTube channel I talked about before.  First things first, it exists. Me friend Nettie and I did sit down and film a video, but I might have stupidly not transferred the close up shots from her memory card to my laptop, so editing is still in progress for that! 

In the meantime, I threw caution to the wind, and filmed a video of me unboxing my secret santa gift. All is explained in the video, so if you want to hear me talking at the speed of light (I only do so for the first minute) then click below!



And before I forget Happy New Year :) Wishing you all a wonderful time tonight, be safe and enjoy whatever you do :) xxx


| find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

2014 Round Up - Popular Posts

29 December 2014

Considering we are approaching the New Year I thought now would be an appropriate time to round up my most read posts of the year. I've never done this before, but after realising that people actually read my blog, I was super intrigued to know what sorts of posts were popular. I've compiled a list of the top 10.


3. Introducing BeZonter Christmas Crackers 
4. October Book List 

5. Book Review: The List
6. Cleansers On The Go 

7. Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant Review 
8. Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama 24H Gel Liner (Black) Review 

9. December Book List 
10. September Birchbox 


So that's it for my final post of 2014! I'd like so say a huge thank you to all of you who read my blog! It means so much to me looking at my analytics and statistics and seeing that people are actually engaging with my blog. I'm not one to focus on numbers or followers, so it actually means the world to me that I see the amount of reads or clicks on links increasing. This has been happening since the second half of the year and has really shown me that putting the effort in will get you results. I'm even impressed at my bloglovin' stats - I don't promote my bloglovin so much but I've managed to increase it by over 50% since March this year. 

Anyway enough numbers for now, but I really do want to say a massive massive thank you for taking the time to read my little space on the internet. I'm really looking forward to 2015 and where I will take this blog. For me I just love writing, so it will always be about creating enjoyable and relatable content, and I'm really excited for how I'm going to go about that in 2015! 

What are your most read posts of the year? Link them below as I'd love to have a look! 


 | find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

Empties #2

22 December 2014

As it’s coming to end of the year, I thought I’d do my second round of empties. They’ve just been sat in a box and after cleaning up my room, I decided it was time to snap some pictures, give my thoughts and chuck ‘em away. 

I’ve split them into three sections, make-up, skincare and 'other.'

Skincare


REN Clarimatte Invisible Pores Detox Mask - I’m not sure how I feel about this mask. I remember the first time I used this I loved the results, and then I bought this full size one. However, I can’t really say I’ve noticed any sort of reduction in my pore size, or really any major improvement. I only ran out of this last week, so maybe I’ll leave it a while to see if my skin misses it before I give my final verdict.
Would I repurchase? Maybe.

Benefit It's potent! Eye Cream - I got this in my September Birchbox and this product was just meh. First of all I started using it in place of my other eye cream but after a week I noticed that the texture of my eye area had changed, it was a bit similar to milia, but not milia. I stopped using it, then decided I’d switch to using it in the evening every other day. The funny texture change to my skin never came back. Like I said before I was already using another eye cream, so whether this one helped to combat my dark circles I do not know but overall I was not impressed with it.
Would I purchase it? No.  

Clearasil Daily Clear Superfruits Refreshing Pads 65 Pads - I bought this after Caroline Hirons talked about it here. In hindsight I really should have thought more about it before buying it, because I personally don’t think she’s ever used it to recommend it (something I've assumed from one of her replies to comments on the video). But anyway I wanted to add exfoliation pads into my routine and this seemed like a good place to start. I was really impressed with how long this lasted, but I don’t think it did too much for my skin if I’m honest. It didn’t irritate my skin which I’m glad about, but it’s been about 3 weeks since I finished it and my skin really hasn’t missed it.
Would I repurchase? No. 

NUDE ProGenius - I wanted this oil for a while and it even featured in my March wishlist, so when I got it in my August Birchbox I was super happy. Ah how thankful am I for my little tester you ask? Very thankful. I did not notice any changes in my skin with this oil, which is super weird considering all the good ingredients it's made up of, and the hype the surrounds it. Alas, this was not the product for my skin and I’m super glad I was able to test it out, instead of forking out for it.
Would I purchase it? No. 

Seaweed Pore-Cleaning Facial Exfoliator - So I love the face wash of this and for some reason that I’ve forgotten, I picked this up (it was probably an offer). This product was blah for me, it did nothing and was just annoying to use if I’m honest. I think I much prefer washing my face and using an exfoliating pad, rather than going back in with a exfoliating wash.
Would I repurchase? No.


Make-up


Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Mascara - I think this was one of the first products I bought when I decided I want to improve my brow situation (I’m pretty sure this was a decision I made in January this year - late I know). At first I liked it and then I didn’t and then I did, when it ran out I decided I wanted to try one of the many eyebrow products available in Boots and Superdrug and I ended up buying one of the Revlon ones – big mistake. I really like Brow Drama, the colour is perfect for me and I find it just holds the hairs in place without looking crispy or even feeling crispy. Although don’t quote me on the feeling crispy bit, it’s been about two months since I used it.
Would I repurchase? Yes, I shall do right after I use up the Revlon one.

Smashbox Liquid Halo HD Foundation - I’ve already spoken about my love for this foundation. For me, it the foundation, I actually use it a lot because at the moment, I only have like two foundations that I use, so really I have to be reaching for this a lot. I love the coverage on this and the colour is such a perfect match for me.
Would I repurchase? I already have!

No7 Fanomenal Lashes Mascara - I stole this mascara from my mum and I actually really enjoyed using it. I always used it as a second mascara just to get to fan out my eyelashes as the names suggests. I didn’t think this was a great mascara, but I thought it was really good at declumping lashes, which made it a good product for me! However upon seeing the price, I don't think it's that bloody good.
Would I purchase it? No.

Rimmel Exaggerate Automatic Waterproof Eye Definer - I love this eyeliner. I rock eyeliner in my waterline every day so it needs to be absolute perfection.This is actually my second one of these, so without a doubt it's love for me. It doesn’t smudge everywhere or fade away. When I get back from work it’s still there and I just really like that it stays put so I don’t have to worry about panda eyes. It's also retractable which for me is a must have for eyeliner.
Would I repurchase? Already have.


Others



Natures Way Organic Coconut Oil - Ahh coconut oil what a year you’ve had. I used this for a variety of things but mainly for my hair. I decided last year I really wanted to take care of my natural hair so I went about researching what I needed and coconut oil turned out to be a ‘must-have.’ This brand was also heavily recommended in terms of hair growth for my texture type. I love this stuff because along with castor oil and shea butter, my hair has grown significantly and it feels so healthy. Coconut oil has been such a good way for me to retain moisture (my hair is super dry). I also used this for removing make-up (then I switched to something else) and cooking (don’t worry everything is all hygienic). I love the fragrance it produces when you cook with it and of course it’s a better oil for cooking and all that jazz. I also used this as a moisturiser when I want to pamper myself. P.S I actually buy mine off Ebay, it's the cheapest I've found!
Would I repurchase? Already have!

Garnier Express 2in1 eye make up remover - I’ve already done a post about this eye make-up remover and I finally used it up. I still love it as much as I did when I wrote my post. It doesn’t leave my eyelids feeling greasy even if I’ve used it after I’ve cleansed my face. It does such a great job at taking off my eye make-up and it’s just so quick and effortless to use.
Would I repurchase? Yes, I stocked up when I saw it was on offer!

Weleda Sea Buckthorn Body Oil - This is another sample that came from Birchbox and this was the most recent one (because y’know I still haven’t received my December one). I’m not use to using oils on my skin, as I’ve always used cream (moisturiser), and occasionally used coconut oil as said above. However this was such a lovely product to use, it smelled wonderful and just felt like a treat to use! I can’t comment on whether it improved my dry skin or anything, but I definitely think this would be a great product for a pamper day.
Would I purchase? Maybe.



| find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

Updates & Apologies

19 December 2014


I’d like to apologise for the lack of content on my blog, I’m sure no one cares but man oh man December has been a rubbish one. For the first week my depression set in and quite frankly everything became difficult and I didn’t find anything enjoyable. I then I had my work Christmas party and then managed to get the flu, which basically left me stuck in bed for three days. So literally for the first twelve days of December I was a miserable fucker.


All of the stuff I had planned for December seems to be a bit too late to post now, so right now I am focusing on what sort of stuff I want to post in January! The post with my friend’s crackers was meant to be up ages before it was posted but for reasons listed above it wasn’t. Sorry that all the above sounds like a moan, but it's only been this week that I've actually felt better physically and mentally, so I'm just getting it out there. 

That’s all from me. I do have a couple of posts planned before the end of the year, but they won't be festive ones as I am not a Christmas person. I hope everyone has a good weekend! 

 | find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

Introducing BeZonter Christmas Crackers

14 December 2014


So with the holidays approaching I thought I’d better post something festive on the blog. I know Christmas is about many many things, but let’s talk about something that doesn’t get that much coverage over Christmas but is a well loved part of it. CHRISTMAS CRACKERS. I absolutely loved crackers as a kid, it is one of the good things I think about when I think about Christmas; those little jokes and rubbish toys that you forget about within 10 minutes, but most importantly the snapping sound when you pull them apart. Today I bring you your childhood crackers with gifts you’ll want to keep!



BeZonter is the creation of one of my dearest friends Tamar. We went to secondary school together, so right from the age of 11 I’ve had the pleasure of knowing her and it makes me so happy to see she’s doing something she loves! Tamar has always been entrepreneur, when we were at school she was the girl you’d go to for cakes and chocolates because the vending machine didn’t have half as good as a selection as she did. So whilst we were scoffing our faces Tamar was pocketing away our money because she had the sense to fill the gap. And now here she is doing it again with her Christmas crackers. I should say now that I haven’t been compensated in any way or any of that stuff. I literally ask Tamar if I could write about her products because she’s a star and I love to write.

Tamar’s aim with BeZonter is ‘to create a product that has less of an impact on the environment and a big part of this has been sourcing gifts I think people will treasure and not trash. All tubes and packaging are made from recycled material (although not 100%) or are biodegradable.’ 

I told you it was your childhood crackers but better and more environmentally friendly! All the crackers are handmade from the softest recycled cotton paper which is hand made and hand printed in India. The crackers are priced different according to their design and what gift option you choose but prices start at £30 and go up to £60. You'll receive 6 crackers with every order. To give you an idea of what sort of gifts you can receive I've included pictures and information below. You'll receive 6 of the gifts in your chosen category along with a snap, hat, joke gift and surprise gift! Now on to the goodies! 

Gift Group 1 - £30/35 

Whoopee cushion (green, white or red available), Hand warmer (various colors), Bicycle Clip Bookmark - mark your place with a bike clip,  Pencil Sharpener bottle cap - Reuse a plastic bottle and catch your shavings,  Wooden mini-iq puzzle (we've managed to solve them all ... great fun!),  Leaf-shaped filigree earrings - gold colour,  Incense sticks - Frankincense and Musk,  Robot-fish - collectable clownfish activated in water - with bonus batteries,  Small card punch (various colours and design - this one's the heart-shape), Multi-strand bracelet with silver charms in various designs (bird, seahorse ...), Puppy stapler (blue or pink), Hand felted soap (various colors), Your very own bunny island and Passion fruit bath bombs.

Gift Group 2 - £35/40 

Cactus/ Mushroom candle, Multi-strand bracelet (various designgs, bird, seahorse, musical...), Wooden mini IQ puzzle,  Facecloth compressed into heart shape,  Bathbombs,  Tweezers, Nail caviar (various colors), Key ring ruler, Butterfly seedballs - simply scatter in garden watch as flowers grow and butterflies come to visit, Frankincense or musk incense,  Guitar bottle opener, Owl necklace and Hand felted soap.

Gift Group 3 - £40/45 

Bobino headphone cord wrap, Key-shaped bottle opener keyring (silver or vintage look), Bird necklace, Metal IQ puzzles (various designs all challenging), Bag hook (also have flower design), Money / pill holder keyring, Egg timer, Nail caviar, Headphone splitter- share your music, Phoney phone charm (owl, fox or kitten design), Funny Fruit Faces compact facecloth 100% cotton (various designs),  Heart-shaped filigree necklace - vintage look, Eraser table tennis, Hula girl air fresher, Iron on fox by sass& belle, Shark bottle opener key ring and Fish bottle opener key ring.

Gift Group 4 - £60 


Seaglass charm necklace, Rose bag hook, Wine stopper/ pourer, Owl headphone protector, Grow your own Thyme/ Oregano kit, Candle holder, 925 Sterling silver heart necklace, Shark bottle opener, Money holder- keep a spare not on your keys for emergencies, Key cover multi tool- nail file, tweezers, bottle opener, screwdriver x3, thread cutter, 925 Sterling silver tree of life necklace, Metal IQ puzzle, Fish bottle opener, ikey- add a short-key button to your phone for instant photography or whatever you programme it to do, Grow beans with a message, Butterfly bag hook, Nail art pens x2 and Personitas wish fairy with 3 wishes and some fairy dust to ensure they come true.

And those are the gifts, I love the variety and definitely make a difference from your normal table cracker. My friend Tamar kindly gave me a discount code for my readers :) If you use SBlog25 you will receive 25% off your order! It expires on December 31st. 

You can purchase BeZonter crackers from here or e-mail Tamar directly on bezonteruk@gmail.com Custom boxes can be made to order.



| find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

December Book List

3 December 2014

Another month has passed I’m taking you through the books I plan to read in December. Oh and Goodreads and my book challenge? Let’s not mention that, it’s a sore subject. I did however managed to finish The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, so yay for that! 

So last month I absolutely loved the books I read. Mother, Mother and Willpower were amazing. For me I could relate a lot to Mother, Mother and it was just so wonderful written and not over the top. Willpower was great because it taught me a lot of things, it did feature a lot of experiment talk (I’d say 75%) but it used it was used to get the point across. It was a great learning tool though and I really do feel like it has helped me to understand a bit more about my own willpower, and possibly why I seem to lack it at certain points. I’m nearly done with The Power, however did not get to finish it in November but not long now until I do! But on to this month’s book list!



So three books for this month, and hopefully I’ll be able to read some more during the time off over the holidays.

Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger. I actually picked this up in November and started to read about 30 pages of it because I’d forgotten to take anything with me to work. However I did stop reading it, so I plan to pick it up for this month. I liked the first book and of course I really like the film, so I was interested to see what the sequel is like. Truth be told in those 30 pages I think I can safely say it is not as good, and if any of the reviews I’ve read about it is anything to go by, then yep it’s not as good. But still worth a read eh? After all I do want to see what ‘Ahn-dre-ah’ made of herself after she left Runway.

Simplify by Joshua Becker. I absolutely love Joshua Becker’s blog Becoming Minimalist, I think he writes about something incredibly important. He writes about minimalism on his blog and his book is about ways to simplify your life and I’m home, which I’m sure ultimately comes down to not giving in to consumerism. I’m super excited for this because despite what it looks like on the blog I really do like to think about my purchases, and not get too caught up in having so much. If I’m honest having so much stresses me out, so I do need tips to streamline my life and not get caught up in ‘buy buy buy’.

The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness by Pema Chödrön. I’ve had this book in my ‘save for later’ basket for a while now and randomly in November I thought of it again, so I purchased it on the Kindle last week as for some reason it was 99p. I’m super excited to read this; I was recommended this by my psychologist over a year and a bit ago, so I think it’s time I finally read it.

What are you reading this month?

 | find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

The Make-Up Brush Wish

29 November 2014

Ahh the ending of another month. This month has been an interesting one; I’d also say it’s been a good one. It’s been a month of many firsts and a month of growth for me but I don’t have any learning to share. I don’t technically have a wish list for you either, I just have the one item a make-up brush, one that I think will rule them all:

This is the Kevyn Aucoin 'The Foundation Brush' priced at £66. 

The minute I saw this come into the frame in Suzie’s video I was like ‘what on earth is that beauty’ and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I don’t even know why I love the look of it so much, but I do and seeing Suzie use it in the video I was just like ‘I need that in my life.’ 

Thing is, I don’t think I’d ever be willing to part with my hard earned cash for a foundation brush, seriously I’m not gonna lie. So it’s a wishlist item, not a save to buy item, because I cannot justify the price tag no matter how much I love the look of it. If anyone reading this is secretly in love with me, you should know that this is the way to my heart. 

Img Credit: 1

 | find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

EATS: Dirty Tommi's Pop Up

26 November 2014

So I am a burger fiend through and through, I have a long list of burger places in London that I will chow through. That’s in addition to my 'restaurants in London to go' to list. I just bloody love burgers. So when I read about a Mac and Cheese burger in Timeout London, I was ready to cross another burger place off my list.

I’d read about Dirty Bones before, but after reading that they were collaborating with Tommi’s Burger Joint to create a one off menu and it involved mac and cheese and burger in one, I knew I had to finally pay it a visit. So 2pm last Sunday I took myself to High Street Kensington, to do something other than sitting at home dreading Monday. The collab is only available on Sundays, so there's that as well. Not going to lie there are far better blogs out that explain the collab properly, so give it a search if you’re really interested but for now, let’s get on to the food!






I don’t have the greatest pictures as it was so dark in there. 
We ordered: Chicken Wings. Strawberry Shortbread. Dirty Bounty. Dirty Mac Burger. Dirty Fried Chicken Burger. Dirty Bones Mac and Cheese. Sloppi Dirty Fries.

So as you can see we did quite well for the three of us. We only ordered one starter because two of us just wanted to get straight to the burger. I thought the chicken wings were absolutely lovely and I’m pleasantly surprised by this because it didn’t sound all that great, but they were lemon, chilli and spring onion chicken wings and they were just amazing.

My friend and I tried out the two boozy shakes on the menu which were Strawberry Shortbread and Dirty Bounty and they were looooooovely. My other friend got orange juice, so I didn’t even ask what he thought of it.

So onto the main meal then! So two of us got the Dirty Mac Burger and then there was the Dirty Fried Chicken Burger. Plus two sides of mac and cheese and some Sloppi Dirty Fries. Let’s just say it was like love at first bite, the bun was so soft, the burger was delicious and the mac and cheese just gave it all kinds of cheesy goodness. I could have been cheesier, but the burger was a beaut there is just no denying that. I am told the Friend Chicken Burger was absolutely amazing, but I was too busy chowing down on mine that I declined to taste. So the actual mac and cheese was where I was a bit like ‘meh’ don’t get me wrong it was nice, but it lacked some flavouring. The boys were mega happy with it though, so maybe that’s just me!

For me the star of the show was the Sloppi Dirty Fries, I just looooooved the Kimchi sauce which I had never tried before. To give you a better idea of what was on the fries I’ve kindly borrowed the description from here ‘triple cooked fries covered in Tommi’s sloppi joe mince, topped with Kimchi sauce & spring onions. Served with Dirty Bones gravy.’ I loved it and so did the boys, they actually ended up finishing if for me because I was super stuffed! I think because it was something I'd never tried before, it really stuck out in my memory, that and it was bloody tasty.

The boys said they could have happily eaten the meal again, but I was stuffed, so we talked for a long arse time and were not made to feel like we had to leave (there wasn’t that many people around anyway). We didn’t order desert though, I’m not actually a person that really orders deserts in restaurants as I’m always SO full from my main, as was the case here.

Now I will say I think the reason I wasn’t uber impressed was because the food was like lukewarm, I dunno about you but I like my burgers like fresh from whatever cooking device. So I think that’s what made me feel ‘so so’ about everything, because for the most part the flavour was all there, but I feel like when food is hot it just tastes better. We had the most fantastic waitress though; she knew her stuff and was super friendly so overall I was super happy with the dining experience.

I’m pretty sure this Sunday might be the last Sunday, but it's also pretty unclear when it ends. But if you want a taste of the above, I say head down there sharpish just incase I am right!


 | find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

November Birchbox

24 November 2014



So my November Birchbox landed on my doorstep about a week ago (let me not even go into the drama that I went through to get the box, Yodel are the worst ever). So I thought I’d show you the goodies that I was given this month.



The theme for this month is Cosy at Home and we all know I’m all about cosiness. This month I got try the Montezuma’s Organic 54% Cocoa Milk Chocolate. I’m always eyeing this up in Tossed so it was nice to finally try it. I’m too used to eating crap chocolate, so for me it wasn’t as delicious as Cadbury’s bar, but it was still damn good. 

The next thing I tried was the Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip Plumper Rio, sample boxes are so hit and miss when it comes to lip colours so I wasn’t expecting anything I can use. I personally wouldn’t wear this shade because it looks like foundation lips. Silly old me tried this on inside forgetting it was a lip plumper and spent 5 minutes wondering why it was stinging so much. 

I’ve written a couple of posts on cleansers and I was surprised to find a full size cleanser from Dr. Jart+ V7 Cleansing Foam. I was surprised for two reasons, one it was full size but also because I stay away from foam cleansers, for me they always make my skin feel stripped. I used this on the day I got the box and I’m not going to lie, it felt like I was using those soap bars that instantly make everything dry and I HATE those bar soaps. Honestly the minute the water went into contact with the cleanser I just felt that dreaded dryness. I’m going to give it another go, but honestly? I’m wishing they had given me one of the other products. 

I also received the Beauty Protector Protect & Treat Mask for hair and I’m looking forward to trying that to see if it can give my weave some life! Another full size product was the OPI Turn on the Haute Light – I absolutely love this name! To be honest when I saw it I was like ‘ooh this is nice but nope wouldn’t ever suit me’ but I painted my nails with it the next day and actually wore it out and I liked it. I think it would look lovely on the tips of red painted nails. The last thing I got was the Weleda Sea Buckthorn Body Oil, I am yet to use it but it definitely sounds perfect for winter! 

Not going to lie nothing in this box really tickled by fancy but it will be nice to try out these products.

| find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

Cleansers On The Go

21 November 2014


Following my review on the First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay, I thought I’d talk about the different cleansers I’m using at the moment and how I’m finding them. 

I have three cleansers that I have been reaching for daily and the first one is Lush’s Ultrabland. After seeing Caroline Hirons video about cleansers, I was intrigued by Ultrabland and seeing as it was more purse friendly that the others she was suggested, I decided to snap it up. I had never used a balm cleanser before so I was really interested to see what it would be like. I really enjoyed using this, as it really worked well at keeping my skin clean without stripping my skin. I use a muslin cloth to remove this after applying and I always found it just left my skin feeling calm and clean. I never used this to remove make-up so I was always applying it directly to my skin. I think super simple to use and leaves you with a lovely clean face! I think this is a perfect balm cleanser to always have for those days when your skin needs nourishment, which is mainly due to the fact that it is made with almond oil, beeswax and honey. Oh and it smells lovely! 

I received the Balance Me Cleanse & Smooth Face Balm in my October Birchbox. It is also a balm and arrived after I purchased the Lush one, so I was happy to have two types of blams to try. What I love about this balm is that it has these tiny grains which do a wonderful job of taking away dirt and helping to exfoliate. Lush’s Ultrabland is totally smooth, so it was nice to see a difference in this balm. It works wonders at making your skin feel nourished and I use a muslin cloth to remove this. Again I apply it directly to my skin after my first cleanse. The one thing about this is the smell, I mentioned this in my October Birchbox post, but the smell is so incredibly odd. I can bare it but it is super funky, I’m sure that it down to the natural ingredients they use. 

I won’t bang on too much about the FAB Deep Cleanser as you can read my full review here. This one I love because on those days when I just cannot find the hundreds of muslin clothes or flannels that I own, I can just get down to fuss free face washing. I especially love this stuff when I feel like my skin is feeling congested and oily and the last thing I want to do is slap a balm on it. This one gets right down to cleaning, without stripping and leaves me with cleaner feeling skin. 

So that’s all for what I’ve been using! I actually finished Ultrabland two days ago so I’ve added another one into the mix, which you will hear about shortly! 

What are your favourite cleansers?

| find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay

17 November 2014




So about a month and a half ago I picked up Lush's Ultrabland and whilst I have no qualms with it, I still wanted to find a cleanser that was aimed at my skin type. Having oily skin means I’m always hunting for something that’s going to help look and feel less oily. 

I’ve heard a lot about the First Aid Beauty Radiance Pads, so when I came across the First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay I was like RED CLAY?! What is that? I still don’t know but considering I already use charcoal and white clay in masks, I thought red might as well come along for the journey.

I’ve been using this for a month now and I can say that I am happy with it. This product isn’t really meant to do much more than balance out the oil control for oily skin, and for me that’s perfect. I switch up my cleansers anyway so I can’t say it’s really made my skin less oily, but I don’t find that I am more oily. What I do love about this is that it really does clean the skin and feels detoxifying; I mainly use this after I’ve cleansed away my foundation. I feel like it’s the best thing for my skin after I’ve had makeup on for ten odd hours, not to mention after I’ve been commuting and dealing with air conditioning and central heating. I think possibly like the name suggests, you use it when your skin is in need of 'rescuing' although as it's a cleanser it great enough for day to day use.

I recently took this to my sisters when I stayed there and she used it in the evening and in the morning she said that the product was great because had made her skin look amazing. I’m not sure how much truth there is, but I thought I’d throw that in there mainly because my sister is type of person who uses something once and expects instant results.

It is a bit pricey in terms of how much I’d spend on a cleanser (I actually got a 10% discount) and I don’t actually think I’ll repurchase it because I feel like I’ll be going back to my beloved Body Shop Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial Wash. Overall this does what is says on the tin and most importantly, it has not broken me out so I’m definitely a happy chappy.

--

Have you tried this cleanser or any First Aid Beauty products? The Radiance pads should be mine as soon as I finish the ones I currently have, I also have my eye on the oatmeal mask..oh dear.

P.S The Feel Unique addiction is real, I’ve ordered a skincare set that I can’t wait to share with you all when it arrives!

| find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

Wishlists - Looking Back

12 November 2014

Sorry things have been quiet over here for a bit, I've been struck down by some sort of Winter bug, I guess I should have added flu mediciation to my November needs eh? Anyway on to todays post.



I was searching through my blog for something and came across some of the wishlists I posted during the year (does anyone else end up getting distracted by reading all their old posts and then spotting all their errors? No, just me?) I was pleasantly surprised to see that actually I had purchased some of the things I wanted, not a lot of them mind you, but considering I forgot about them about a week after posting I was indeed surprised. 

I mentioned in this post that a lot of the time wishlists seem to be something of a passing thing, you post it and then forget that you want it and look for the next thing you want. I think it’s super important to go back and revisit these things and see if t here is actually anything there that still makes you go ‘oh I still want that!’ I got that with my February wishlist, I seriously still want all of them apart from the NARS Bronzer. 

So everything I have bought has actually been from my March wishlist, although one was a sample that I deffo did not buy. I thought I’d round up briefly how I found them and whether I would repurchase. 

So I wanted the Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-Oil and I did end up purchasing it, I actually loved this when I first got it. I had never used a serum or a facial oil prior to using it so I was really excited for it. It worked really well in the beginning, it made me skin plump and brighter and I absolutely loved it. But as I said here / lately I think its benefits have worn off, so whilst I enjoy using it I’m not sure how effective it is on my skin right now. I’m really unsure as to whether I would buy this again. 

Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant was another product I was after and you can see from the review I did here, that I was just not impressed with the product, it didn't deliver any of the promises for me personally. I still have it now because I use it occasionally but this is not something I would buy again. Tried and tested and it failed. 

The NUDE ProGenius oil was another thing I wanted but I was lucky enough to receive a sample size in my August Birchbox. I’m super disappointed that I didn’t see or feel any benefits from it because I really wanted to. The sample size was great I felt because I got at least 2 weeks use of it. After a week of putting it on at night and not seeing any results, I switched to using it in my moisturiser (using just the one pump) to help with the change of weather. Considering how expensive this is, I just know I couldn’t buy it because I saw no benefits. 

--

Have you bought yourself anything that you’ve put on your wishlist? Was it worth it? Stay tuned as I've just purchased something that's been sitting in my Feel Unique wishlist and I'm so so excited to try it out! 

| find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

5 things you need this November

7 November 2014


The Essentials: Blankets, Electric Blankets, Candles, Hot Water Bottles and Hot Drinks


Seeing as we've arrived in November and there's a chill in air, I thought I'd talk about keeping warm and cosy in the colder months. You'll probably see a theme developing as you read, but I'm all about light and warmth right now, the season just calls for it! 

1. A blanket – If you don’t own a blanket, then I don’t really know what I can say to you, apart from GET ONE. They are so perfect in the winter, from keeping you warm in bed to keep your legs warm when you’re lounging on the sofa watching TV (admittedly I don’t watch TV, but watching it with a blanket sounds good). I actually only have one blanket that I love; I don’t even know where my other one is. My blanket was actually a present from my ex when he went to Ireland so I’m terribly afraid for the day when it has had its time, as I don’t have the slightest clue where he got it from! But it’s purple (my favourite colour) and just incredibly warm, it’s not fluffy like a lot of blankets (which I hate). Make sure you get a feel for your blanket because not all blankets are made equal! They are just perfect for keeping you cosy and warm. 

Blankets I’ve had my eye on: Fleece BlanketPearl Knitted Blanket, Winter Berry Blanket

2. An electric blanket – I know, you’re thinking this is overkill, a blanket AND an electric blanket? But trust me it is needed (plus I'm talking an electric UNDERblanket), if you get cold really easily like I do. Or even worse if like me, you have the coldest room in the house. You can layer yourself like a sandwich with the blanket method I have going on. I stumbled across electric blankets when I was visiting my ex’s (doesn't he feature a lot in this post) family in Ireland. Their house was seriously cold and in the middle of nowhere, so we had blankets upon blankets and then she told me “make sure you switch on the electric blanket before you get into bed to warm it up.” And I was just there like what is this contraption?! Call me dim but I imagined electric blankets to be these crinkly things you had when you went camping, I don’t even know where I got this idea from because I’ve been camping loads and never had one of them. I got given the Morphy Richards Electric Blanket (Double) a year ago and I love. I've had it out for a month, but didn't actually use it until like three days ago. If you live in the UK, you'll know that it is getting super cold. When my nephews come round, they do not move from my bed when this is on. This just a top up to adding some warmth into your life, just don’t sleep with it on all night because you will most likely wake up in the middle of the night feeling like you’re about to boil. 


3. Scented candles - You can just buy normal candles, but I honestly don’t remember the last time I bought a regular candle. Why buy a non-scented when you can fill your room with gorgeous smells whilst having that beautiful candlelight glow? I recently went to Primark to repurchase a favourite Sweet Vanilla & Coconut and ended up picking up Pineapple & Ginger, as well Red Berries & Orchid. I'm a lover of sweet scents and always seem to go for anything that has vanilla in it. I’m a candle whore and have tried a whole bunch, Yankee candles are obviously a favourite but Sainsbury’s have lovely smelling candles, as does TK Maxx. I actually bought the nicest candle from TK Maxx about two years ago which was eggnog scented - It was SO good, but I can't find it anymore. 

Candles I adore: Yankee Candle Strawberry Buttercream, Sainsbury's Madagascan Vanilla, For Every Body Candles (they don't seem to have the eggnog one but they do other awesome scents). 

4. A hot water bottle – Yep I have rounded it all off by coming back the topic of heat. This one is perfect for if you’re at home, at a friend’s house or at work. Obviously it depends on where you work, but I work in an office and there are forever wars about the temperature, which then results in us all working in Antarctica. So it depends on where it’s easier for you to keep one, I’ve taken mine to work because as we can tell from the above, I have enough to keep me warm at home. You can pick up water bottles from anywhere; I’m pretty sure mine is from Poundland and is like 3+ years old. 


5. A hot drink – Ah to keep one’s self hydrated. Hydration is super important anyway, but of course you know during the winter you have to really amp it up. I find hot drinks are the best way to do this mainly because it keeps you warm. I am a lover of herbal teas and I'm constantly drinking green tea during the day. I buy the Sea Dyke Brand from Chinatown or my local Thai shop, but I also love camomile tea or just hot water with lemon. Find your drink and hydrate your body, it will keep your head clear and keep you warm. 

Teas I love:  Twinings Jasmine Green, Twinings Camomile & Honey

So that is it for my November needs. Is there anything you can’t do without during the winter months? Let me know, I’m always looking for things to make this time of year bearable!



| find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

October Birchbox

4 November 2014

I know what you're thinking, why are you so late with getting this up. But my box was late getting to me! The postman (or lady) decided I obviously didn’t want my box and delivered it to someone else (I don’t know this for sure). So the lovely people at Birchbox sent me another one, and this time it made it to me! I actually ended up with two because after I got my replacement, I also got sent another one, so I e-mailed them asking if they wanted me to return it and they said I could just keep it. I'm just going to give it to a friend haha. As it's been a while since I got it, I have used some of the products for a bit now I thought I'd comment on if they worked or whatever, rather than just give you a run down of what's in the box.




For October, Birchbox teamed up with the charity Coppafeel to give us a dose of pink and a guide on what to look out for when you check the boobies for lumps. So with that came this lovely pink pouch, which I just love because it can be re-used! The theme for this month is actually “Work It” to help us 9-5 people out there keep motivated. They actually included a 14 day checklist for things to keep you going which I thought was super cool, and in order to make you use it one of the samples was Birchbox Pink Lipstick Pen, super cute and handy. So moving on to the beauty bits we have.

The Shaveworks The Cool Fix was something I was really looking forward to because ingrown hairs are a pain and I was looking into getting Tend Skin, when this came along. But I think as this suited to preventing ingrown hairs, it didn't meet my needs as such. So will have to continue using before I make up my mind. The KMS California HAIR PLAY Playable Texture was a meh product for me, I've only used this once. I'm a bit weary of hair products that say texture because ever since I used a sea salt spray in my weave and it turned into a dry mess. So I only stick to what I know.

One thing I was super excited for was the Balance Me Cleanse & Smooth Face Balm because I really thought the eyecream I received from Balance Me in July's box was great!  I do enjoy using this cleanser, can't say I have seen any sort of improvement in my skin but it hasn't broken me out. The only thing is the smell, I know Balance Me is super natural and all, but goodness this thing just smells so funky. It only lingers for like a few seconds upon application, but urgh it is not something I am getting used to at all. I do love using it because of the tiny grains it has, my other balm is Lush's Ultrabland but it super smooth, so this is nice for those days when I want to remove the nitty gritties.


I'm always looking to add to my nail varnish collection so the Lollipops Voyage a Paris Nail Varnish was perfect for me! I own a few reds but this one is still different from the other ones I own. I love the colour as it's a very bright red. Looks gorgeous on the toes as well as the fingers! So I received Pixi by Petra Shea Butter Lip Balm in Honey Nectar as my lip product, I was really hoping for the other colour because I just knew this wouldn't suit my skin tone and I was right.


I'm super excited for my November box, I've read that the theme is based around being cosy and I'm all about that life..!

| find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

November Book List

2 November 2014



So it’s book time again! First things first - the October Book List. So I set myself the goal of three books and three books I did read, however The One Hundred Year Old Man has been left behind (again), I m half way through it though. I picked up An Absolute Deception in my work library and after reading two books on the Kindle I decided I missed an actual book so got stuck into that one. I’m glad I managed to read the three book target that I set myself, but I really do want to finish reading The One Hundred Year Old Man because I actually find the book interesting!

From the time of writing this I have 11 books until I reach my target and considering I’m averaging 3 books a month, I’m slightly apprehensive that I won’t reach that target. I’m not going to lie that upsets me slightly, but I really don’t have the time to read so much anymore :(

Anyway let us get on to what is on the menu for this month:

The Power by Rhona Byrne - After ‘The Secret’ last month, one of my friends who told me to read it gave me ‘The Power’ which is the next book up from ‘The Secret’ (I could be wrong). I’m so excited to read this! If you read my ‘3 things I learned this month’ you’ll know that I really loved ‘The Secret.’

Mother, Mother by Koren Zailckas - So I ordered a real physical book! I don’t know about you guys but I have a huge amount of books in my ‘save for later’ basket on Amazon and I decided it was time I stopped adding to it and actually started buying from it. Considering I buy most things for the Kindle I decided a physical book was needed. I really can’t remember where I heard about this book but I’m excited to get stuck into it. 

Willpower: Rediscovering our Greatest Strength by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tirney - This is another book that I have had in my ‘save for later’ basket and again I can’t remember where I heard about it but I think it sounds interesting. I think originally I thought it would give me some tips to stop stuffing my face, but after seeing the phrase ‘willpower decreases every time you use it’ I’m just intrigued to find out what it’s all about and you all know I love a self help book!

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson - And of course this one is back on the list; I WILL get through it this month!


 | find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

3 things I've learned this month.

30 October 2014


So I’m back with my monthly learning, I left out September because there wasn’t a lot to share and I always want these to be authentic, so I am back to share what the life has been teaching me. I have done some serious learning this month. Things have happened that have just forced me to learn and I’m kinda glad for them in a way because actually, I can’t keep on going on the way I have been, so I’ve rounded up the 3 things I’ve learned in the month of October. 

1. A problem shared is a problem halved – Well sort of. Basically I have issues when it comes to sharing personal things. I barely share good news with people for fear of it going wrong, so I definitely don’t share bad news. But this month I did receive bad news and instead of bottling it up and pretending it didn’t exist, I shared it with people because guess what? I’ve realised I am not always right and most of the time when things happen I really do need perspective. It wasn’t a situation I ever had to deal with and therefore I was out of my depth so I asked people for help. This meant talking to people face to face about what I should do, and even e-mailing them. I emailed the lovely Michelle over at Daisybutter who replied to me and gave me some great advice. But the point I’m making is I saw past the bad news as a reflection of myself and reached out for help, and suddenly the news seemed manageable rather than devastating. I collated the advice I’d been given and I’m now in a much better place to deal with it. 

2. I eat out too much – I really do. So following on from bad news day I decided I needed a treat and happily jumped at the chance to eat out when I was invited. Thing is previous day I’d gone out to eat. And would be going out to eat again. This one isn’t anything deep but I really do need to stop spending my money in restaurants and start bloody saving! 

3. Reading The Secret was the best thing I did in October – I mean in terms of my mental health and just overall wellbeing. I probably did loads of good things this month, but this book, oh man. People have been telling me for like 2 years to read this book and it was always something I was going to do one day. I was at work towards the end of September and it had been sitting in my Amazon basket for so long, and even though I had several other books to read I thought ‘I really want to read this book right now.’ This book was just so great; if you’ve read it then you probably already know how good it is. But it just reaffirmed so much of what I already know and taught me new things that just made so much sense. It teaches such simple things and I really cannot believe it’s taken me that long to read it, but strangely enough I think I read it at the right time for me. I think if I had read it at any other point in my life it wouldn’t have resonated with me so much, but reading it now I can just see how frikkin true the whole book is. Luckily for me one of my friends who had been telling me to read it has just given me ‘The Power’ which is the second one to read, what I like even more is that it was bought in India! I don’t know why but to me that makes it so much more of a special gift! 

Et voilà! Short and sweet life lessons! I for one intend to really take these three lessons with me into November. They are all things that will do me good and I’m very proud of myself about the first one!  

What have you learned this month? I hope everyone is having a good Halloween (if you’re doing anything for it)!

 | find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

Recent purchases from Boots

28 October 2014


So on Saturday I set myself the mission of getting some things off my ‘to buy list’ so I took myself off to Oxford Street and ended up in the Boots near Marble Arch.




I have been looking for a deeper shade of lipstick for a while, I own a lot of deep purples but I really wanted something a bit vampy and red, after seeing ItsLinamar swatch Black Cherry I decided I’d check it out. I nearly didn’t buy this because when I got to Boots and swatched it, I though it looked similar to a lot of my other lipsticks, but boy was I wrong. I actually decided in Boots that I wouldn’t get Black Cherry but Va Va Violet, so I picked up that (or what I thought was that) instead. On my way home I decided to have a peek at my goodies and noticed that some cretin put Black Cherry in the Va Va Violet slot and I was indeed still carrying Black Cherry. I was already near my house and tbh going back was out of the question for me. Luckily for me Camden has a Boots so I decided I’d go swap it before I went home, so I walk in to Boots and of course they don’t even stock Va Va Violet. So Black Cherry and I were meant to be. When I got home and put it on I found that boy I was wrong, I did not have this shade at all. It was exactly what I have been looking for, so I’m glad I have this baby. It’s a crème finish so really is perfect for everyday. I shall most likely do a swatch and review of this a little later.



I was also on the hunt for Barry M’s Blood Red but alas I couldn’t find it. I did however want a burgundy shade and as I mentioned in this post, I have been craving a matte nail varnish. So I came across ‘Crush’ and it met both my needs, so I snapped it up. I’ve worn it already and absolutely love the shade and it’s perfect for autumn. It isn’t too dark and vampy but it being that reddish burgundy colour means it provides the autumnal feel whilst being sophisticated.


The last thing I bought was this by No7. I actually heard about this from Sian in her skincare video. I was really intrigued because this is a peel mask. I remember using peel masks back in my early teens and haven’t actually touched one since. I need all the help I can with my pores, so I was more than happy to snap it up. Call me weird but I was super attracted to the word ‘Vacuum’ in the title, anything that gives me the impression that it is going to suck up my pores can stay in my book. Anyway I’ve used this twice (the first time involved me having to open the door to the pizza guy – the shame), as instructed I use it on my nose and a small bit on my forehead. I also use it on my chin. I of course was not able to peel it all off in one go (can anyone actually do that) but I did enjoy the peeling element, and upon the first inspection of my pores they looked like they had reduced in size. If anything my nose looked cleaner and there were fewer blackheads! I will give a full review once I’ve been using it for a while.

And that was my Boots round up! I managed to get 10% off this because I had loaded the offer through the Boots app, so that was a nice surprise! I also snuck into Superdrug after buying the Barry M nail varnish and saw they were doing 3 for 2, so I think I might have to pick up some more colours!

| find me on bloglovin’, twitter, tumblr & instagram |

Latest Instagrams

© pull down the moon. Design by FCD.