My Yearly Favourites

Hi guys

Happy New Year!!!! I hope your head doesn't hurt too much today ha-ha. 

I say it every year, but I cannot believe how quickly this year went and I also can't believe everything that happened in 2016. It felt like the year that every music legend was taken, there was numerous atrocities all over the world and there were some very important issues highlighted which will hopefully be the beginning of something very special. I also can't forget the UK voted to leave the EU, Donald Trump is the President of the USA with Nigel Farage being an unofficial spokesperson for Britain and Marmite almost caused a rammy in our local supermarkets! But lets leave all that behind, this post isn't meant to be heavy at all, I just couldn't believe the things that have happened and I wanted to reminisce. This post however, is all about beauty.

Korean Skincare | Tony Moly I'm Real Sheet Masks

Hi guys,

After a harrowing week last week, I lost all my uni work from my pen drive and laptop including my dissertation and an essay, i've decided to chill today. No need to worry though as I managed to get some of my dissertation notes from my supervisor who I thankfully emailed a couple of days before but I had to start my essay from the beginning again which annoyed me as it was almost finished! A break is very much needed ha-ha. 

My Christmas Wish List

Hi guys, 

I thought I would put together my Christmas Wish List today. I haven’t been lusting after many makeup items but I am all over home comforts this year such as bath products, skincare, pyjamas and candles. I have added a few beauty items too so don’t worry. This isn’t a huge expensive wish list, infact the majority of items are under £30 so there’s something for everyone, even if it’s little stocking fillers for that special someone in your life. 

Lush Christmas Haul 2016

Hi guys, 

I went a little nuts in Lush a few weeks ago, as you do, and bought almost everything they had, I was only in for a birthday and Christmas gift and instead, I ended up with a fully stocked bathroom ha-ha. I do love Lush and their Christmas range is always on point so I picked myself up a lot of bath products as well as a few face masks to combat my oily/sensitive skin at this time of year. I wanted to buy products I hadn’t tried previously so these are the ones I went for in the end.

Beauty Essentials | Shadow Switch Dry Brush Cleaner

Hermes Fragrance | Un Jardin En Méditerranée

Hi guys,

I should actually be studying but I sacked it off to do this little blog post instead ha-ha. We all need a break sometimes and this is my down time.

I have been wearing Hermes Un Jardin En Mediterranee (from £59) since I was 18 years old when a colleague of mine, Sam, introduced me to the brand. I think it launched in 2003 and was quite unknown here. Im pretty sure it was only House of Fraser who stocked it back then. Even now, it is quite hard to source online so I always purchase from HoF or John Lewis as I know they arent selling fakes and they are reasonably priced too. Obviously you could source it directly from Hermes, but I wasn’t about the online shopping back then, not a lot of people were to be honest so it was HoF or JL all the way.

As you can imagine, I earned nothing back then, I was only a hairdressing junior so I relied on samples and quick skooshes from Sam as she always had a bottle tucked away in her designer handbag. If truth be told, I think this is where my obsession with designer handbags and unusual scents came from as I looked up to Sam as she was such a good role model plus she was stunning and effortlessly chic. I am 31 now and I still wear this perfume. I always have a bottle and as soon as I know it’s about to run out, I order another one so I am never without.

I have yet to find a similar perfume, I don’t know if I’m not looking hard enough or if there really isn’t anything like this as it is quite unique. It is described as the spirit of a Mediterranean garden which is both sensual and enveloping. It contains aromas of Fig Woods and Leaves, Orange Blossom, Bergamot (my all-time fave scent) and White Oleander. As soon as I had a whiff of this beauty, I was hooked. It really does capture the senses. Liam's step sister commented on it by saying it was the most sexual fragrance she has ever smelled, so that gives you an idea of the scent. I wear this on special occasions or on date nights (it works wonders!) and I am never short of compliments. 

This is also a unisex fragrance so any guys out there who love this scent, can get away with it too. I personally think its a little too floral to be worn by men, but if you like it, wear the hell out of it!

A perfect fragrance for all seasons.

Have you checked out my latest featuring Perfect Autumn Nail Polishes?

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Autumn Nails

Max Factor Raspberry Blush, Essie Maki Me Happy, Essie Playing Koi and Nails Inc Colville Mews

Max Factor Raspberry Blush, Essie Maki Me Happy, Essie Playing Koi and Nails Inc Colville Mews

 

Max Factor Raspberry Blush, Essie Maki Me Happy, Essie Playing Koi and Nails Inc Colville Mews

Hi guys,

I started Uni this week and I honestly thought I was going to hate it, but so far so good. The only thing, which is something I despise, is the fact we have to do presentations in most of the modules! Arggghhh. For anyone who knows me, knows I can talk and I have gave presentations before but there is something about doing it on a subject I am not too keen on, not well versed in and also the fact I have to stand at the front of a lecture hall in front of my classmates that makes me want to whitey all over the place! Anyway, as it’s my honours year, I am only there until March so I need to get my finger out and grab this thing by the balls if I want a good mark to round off my accountancy degree. Obviously I would love a First but I will take anything at this stage ha-ha.

I decided to talk nails today as I am really loving the autumn shades out there at the moment. Obviously you know I love Autumn but I’m not usually one for bright or dark coloured nails, I normally stick to nudes but after browsing the Boots shelves and picking out some new Essie shades, I thought I would give you a wee peak at what colours I will be wearing.

With all of these, I normally give myself an at home manicure where I trim my nails, buff any ridges and push back my cuticles. I then apply the Sally Hansen Miracle Cure (£9.95) as a base coat, two coats of polish and the Bourjois Top Coat (£5.99) before drying with my Fan Dryer (£8.99). All of these polishes last between 4 to 7 days depending on what i've been doing. Usually on a cleaning day, I will have my hands in water a lot so the polish flakes off but if I am just doing regular things like dishes and showering etc then it will last a little longer.

1. Max Factor Glossfinity Raspberry Blush (£5.99)

As the same would suggest, this is a gorgeous raspberry pink shade which is the perfect dark berry, in my opinion.

2. Essie Maki Me Happy (£7.99)

This is a crimson berry shade which is just beautiful. If you want to have a nice new red nail polish I would suggest this.

3. Essie Playing Koi (£7.99)

This is a rusty orange shade. It does dry a little darker on the nails than what is portrayed in the bottle. It is gorgeous though. Perfect for autumn.

4. Nails Inc Colville Mews (£15)

I am loving this latte nude shade at the moment. It is the perfect nude for me as I love the slight brown shade to it.

So there we have it, my favourite shades this autumn. As I say, im not one for colourful nails but something about these grabbed my attention and I have worn them every couple of days recently. What are your favourite shades this season?

P.S The autumn print (from £3.80) in the background can be sourced via Sweet Allures Etsy Store. 

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Some Halloween Costume Inspiration?

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Why I Am Excited For Autumn

Print bought via Sweet Allure

Hi guys,

I thought I would just have another chatty post today. I’ve been doing a lot of that recently apart from the CB12 review and the reason behind it was the fact I was getting a little bored of writing the same kind of posts. Don’t get me wrong, I adore writing beauty content but I feel like I have lost my mojo a bit and I am taking a little break from it. I’m not saying I have stopped but I just want to get some of my thoughts down and things that I enjoy as this blog is supposed to be about me and my opinions but also about me as a person so my lovely readers get a feel for who I am and what I am about. So... I am going to talk about my favourite season EVER! Autumn. The official day for autumn to begin is something like the 22nd September but as far as I am concerned it starts as of today, the 1st September. 

Now you will notice there is no pumpkin spiced lattes or Ugg boots in this post ladies and gentlemen! I’m not criticising but I’m not too fussed about those things really. Everything else however, is what I’m looking forward to most.

Print bought via Sweet Allure

1. Weather

Ok, I’m not one to moan about it being too hot, especially when the sun is shining but man oh man, it’s just been too humid recently. I live in Glasgow and we pretty much get about 11 months of rain/wind but the other month is normally made up of a few sunny days, maybe a few weeks if we are lucky and then just some unbearably humid days with no sunshine whatsoever. What the fuck is that all about? Give me sunshine or don’t but don’t make me sweat with no chance of a BBQ or tan in return! Give me a break mate.

2. Clothes

Nothing screams autumn to me more than plenty of loose layers, chunky knitwear and some cute boots. I love the colours of the season too when it comes to clothes as they are all so inviting and comfy looking. 

3. All the Holidays

Let’s face it, the best holidays ever take place in autumn, apart from Christmas of course. But my favourite has to be Halloween. I love everything about it, especially if there is a party going on. I love Halloween sweets, candied apples, dressing up, having a night to get drunk with all my besties and then chilling out with some awesome horror movies. 

4. Movies

I love all the movies at this time of year. They are some of the best, especially when there is a good old fashioned horror going on at the cinema but I love the classics such as Hocus Pocus, Chucky and Beetlejuice. They just scream autumn to me.

5. Return of TV

As far as I am concerned, the TV situation is seriously lacking during the summer months. I understand why but when you live in Glasgow, there aren’t many opportunities to go out and enjoy the sun so you end up staying in more often than not hence the reason I am excited for some fall TV. The ones I am most excited about are Great British Bake Off, Great British Menu, The Fall (Jamie Dornan anyone?!), Cold Feet, Gilmore Girls (YASSSSSSS), Black Mirror, Westworld, How to get away with Murder, Transparent, Our Girl, Divorce, Criminal Minds and SVU. I have just finished season one and two of The Affair but I don’t think that will be back until the winter. Another great show that I watched online was The Night Of. I think it might have started already or may be starting soon but I highly recommend it.

6. Food

Who doesn’t love a huge hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows? I mean it is a staple when it comes to the colder months. Usually people will say this is a winter drink but for me it all starts in autumn. It doesn’t just end with HC, I touched upon this in the holiday section of the post but for me I love everything Halloween based with some great meat, vegetables and fruits thrown in for good measure. I am happy with a good stew, a glass of red wine and then a banging dessert, usually something apple based.

7. Colours

There is something about the colours of autumn that gives me great comfort. I just love the red, orange, yellow and green hues flowing through each and every street but it’s the parks where it’s really at. I love going for wee walks in the autumn months as the whole place is truly magical.

8. Homeware

Now this is probably my most favourite of the lot. I absolutely love going into the supermarkets and stores round about me and seeing all their gorgeous autumnal products on display. Again, it’s mostly the colours that capture me but it’s the designs on mugs, bedding, cushions, etc. that really gets me excited. Next Home has got to be one of my favourite places on earth and it does not let me down when autumn hits. It’s also a favourite due to the fact that Costa lives upstairs and I can grab a Chai Latte and some cake before walking about the store.

9. Dark Lips

I love a deep dark lip when the colder months come in, it’s just the perfect time to make those bad boys stand out. Anything that is red, purple or deep pink is where it’s at for me when it comes to makeup. I especially love Nars Liv, Mac Rebel and Rimmel #107 as they are the perfect shades for autumn.

10. Baths and Comfy Pjs

Come on now! How could I write this post and not talk about my two favourite things in the world. When the colder months come in, I am all about baths and comfy warm pyjamas. I absolutely adore it and I always buy a few new pairs of pyjamas every year. Lush and Pretty Suds are probably my favourite websites to buy from when it comes to bath products as they have a wide range and always have some great smelling autumn delights. Throw in a good book and a large glass of red wine and I am one happy lassie.

So there we have it, my top highlights of autumn. Seriously, how many times can I say autumn in this post ha-ha. Autumn, autumn, autumn.

What are your top choices?

Have you checked out my latest featuring A New Teeth Whitening Product?
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*All photos are courtesy of Pixabay

Teeth Whitening with CB12 White Including Results

Hi guys, 

I don’t know if you know this about me but I hate my teeth. Well hate is a strong word but I dislike them sometimes. The problem isn't with anything other than the colour as they aren't as white as they used to be and for that reason, I dislike them. Obviously you will see the cheeky wee tooth on the left hand side is a little crooked, that's due to me falling on a rock at the beach when I was thirteen and then I chipped it on a champagne glass a few years ago. 

I could go ahead and blame everything else for the lack of whiteness but who am I kidding, it’s the copious amounts of red wine and coffee I consume that’s done most of the damage. I also smoked for a number of years so that’s yellowed them a bit. They aren’t over the top yellow (until you get up close and personal), most people compliment me on my teeth but I notice all the yellow parts, especially when I go right up to the mirror or take close up shots (see pics below) and it does my head in so I wanted to whiten them. 

I know what you are thinking, why don't I just go to a dentist and have them professionally whitened? but I don't have that kind of money! It’s so expensive and even with my gorgeous dentist, Claire, offering me a discount, it’s still too much so I resort to these kinds of measures.

As you may or may not know, I came across Doll White UK Teeth Whitening Strips* last year and thought they were great. They made such a noticeable difference after just one use so I continued to use them and was wowed by them. I did eventually stop using the strips as I couldn't keep up with the price tag so I went on the hunt for something more affordable. That’s where CB12 kindly stepped in.

The name sounds very scientific doesn't it. I mean come on, CB12 White*(£15)! Or is that just me that thinks that? Anyway as you can guess from the name and the post title, this is a new teeth whitening product which promises to remove stains in less than two weeks, prevent future stains and keep your breath smelling fresh for up to 12 hours! I don't normally believe such statements but on this one, I shouted "Sign me up buddy". 

The solution itself is liquid based, very much like a mouthwash so no need for gum shields or strips. I don't really like things like that due to the fact that I slabber all over the place and it's not really attractive is it? This solution contains Fluoride which helps to strengthen enamel and is also alcohol free. On first use, I brushed my teeth as normal and then took 1/2 cap full of the liquid and swished around my mouth for a minute. It stung a little bit, as a normal mouth wash would but wasn’t uncomfortable at all. The soft peppermint taste was pleasant, it wasn’t overly minty. Once I was finished with it, I spat out (sorry, but couldn’t think of another word) and was surprised by the lack of aftertaste and burning. I usually hate that, but with this, there was no problem. I then used twice per day every day for the full twelve days as recommended.

I have to say, I was a little miffed that I didn’t see instant results like I did with the Doll White Strips but around Day 5 I began to notice the stains on my front teeth fading and that kept me going with it. After the twelve days was up, I was over the moon at the difference. As you can see from the before and after shots, there is a massive change. I took the before shot the day before I started and the after shot this morning before publishing this post. 

I just have to say, both of these photos were taken in the same bedroom of my house. As its Glasgow, it was a little dull on both days but the lighting turned out to be ok. They were not altered and they are my teeth in both shots. Just in case anyone says I have used teeth whitening apps, I haven’t. The only work I done to these pictures were to crop them so it was purely my teeth and lips that were shown as nobody wants to see up my nostrils. Or do you? I then made a comparison picture and added some writing. 

Hopefully you can all see the results from using this teeth whitening solution and for that reason, I would highly recommend it. The only thing that I wouldn't agree with is the fact that you have fresh breath for up to 12 hours. I don't suffer from bad breath, obviously if I eat smelly food or drink coffee then I will but it’s nothing for me to worry about. This maybe worked for about an hour or so but definitely not 12 hours.

All in all, a fantastic product with visible results. Highly recommend to anyone who wants to give their teeth a little clean and to anyone who wants to prevent future staining. I have loved using it and I will be buying a few of these to keep the results coming.

PS. Print can be bought via Dorkface Shop

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Hair Treatment For An Itchy Scalp

Hi guys, 

I have had the worst case of itchy scalp recently. I don’t know if it’s a build-up of using cheaper shampoos but it’s been a major pain in the arse. As you know, I used to work in a hairdressers in my younger years so we got to try out the new Aveda merchandise when we got a shipment in so we could sell it onto our clients. I liked having the option of using more expensive products but I felt the cheaper varieties, especially conditoners, worked just as well. 

Ever since my hairdressing days, I have used a conditioner twice per week, left it on my damp hair overnight and rinsed out in the morning. It’s always breathed new life into my hair and made it feel fantastic. But now I feel as though there is a slight build up in my hair, I don’t know how right enough as I don’t use dry shampoo that often, I never put mousse in it unless it’s a night out and I hardly ever spray hairspray. The only thing I do is put some KMS Quick Drying Spray (£14) at the ends of my hair before blow drying. But as I say, it felt as though it needed a good scrub. 

If you have had an itchy scalp before then you share my pain. I wanted to find something that would help me out but wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg but the only products that seemed to be up to the job were the Lush Big Sea Salt Shampoo (£6.75 to £21.50) and Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt (£39) but I was horrified at the price of these products and knew I would never buy them so I decided to make my own. I know what you’re thinking, I happily spend stupid money on makeup but I won’t spend it on haircare? Your damn right! 

I really wanted something to scrub at my scalp and calm the itching down (I swear I don’t have lice!) so I decided to emulate the sea salt scrub by adding 2 tablespoons of each of the following: pink salt, lemon juice, coconut shampoo and olive oil until it made a coarse paste. If your salt is on the rather large size, just smash it up using the back of a spoon or in a pestle and mortar until it has crumbled to a better size. I then starting rubbing onto my dry scalp by lightly massaging in, I done this for a good ten minutes and until all of the paste was used up. I tied my hair up and left this for a couple of minute while my shower began to warm up. I washed off under the hot shower and carried on with my normal hair care routine.

I can’t believe I am about to say it, but my head instantly felt better. There was no itching at all. My hair also felt as though I had put in a texturizing spray which was incredible as it styled better when I curled it with my straighteners and felt a little coarser without using any product. 

I would highly recommend using this scrub as it worked wonders for me. The itching subsided, my hair styled better and my hair actually felt nicer. Give it a go if you suffer from an itchy scalp or if you have a build-up in your hair as it will really help you out.

This is going to be my last post until after the 20th as I am away on holiday. I hope you have enjoyed and if you have any other hair treatments for me, leave me a comment below.

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Slendertoxtea | Slender Slim & Slendertox Coffee

Hi guys,

I’m sure you are aware of all the detox teas and coffees out there at the moment. They have been making their rounds on social media by Towie stars, Geordie Shore stars and even the Kardashians so it’s no wonder they have become quite popular. After all if Kim and Kylie are using them, then they must work right? I am not shaming people for buying these types of products due to this reason, I am a sucker for buying something that my favourites celebs are endorsing but I don’t really believe it will work, I just want to try it. 

Being a beauty blogger, I tend to "buy to try" so I can give my honest review. As you may or may not know, I tried the Slendertoxtea a while ago and I didn’t really like it. Sure, I lost weight, but I didn’t like the experience. I felt as though my body was rejecting the tea and I felt like I was punishing myself. However, I found out they released coffee blends and I decided why the hell not! I am a weird specimen, I have this incessant need to try things out, and I am a curious cat after all.

Now, I don't want it to seem like I am promoting detox programs or shaming woman into trying these items. I am simply trying them out to give you an idea of what they are like. I don't necessarily buy to lose weight, I buy to see how the ingredients affect me and to give my honest review on such a hyped up product. If you don't want to try it, that's fine and if you do then make sure you read other honest reviews to find out if these types of products are for you. Don't buy because you want to look like a model or celebrity as it doesn't quite work like that and certainly don't buy if you feel like it is going to help you lose loads of weight, only a healthy diet and regular exercise will help with that.

Both of these coffees promise to aid weightloss, increase your energy levels, detoxify the liver and to cleanse the colon. Yes, cleanse your colon, so you will be making regular trips to the toilet i'm afraid. It is advised that you start these on a weekend to get your body used to it before heading back to work on the Monday morning.

Slender Slim Coffee (£13.99) - Now called Slim Coffee Creamy Latte Flavour

Ingredients: Creamer, Soluble Coffee, Grain of Barley and Rye, Fibre, Inulin, Green Coffee Beans and L-Carnitine. This has 22 calories per 1 teaspoon serving.

This product contains dairy and is made up of non-roasted coffee beans, known as green coffee. This particular coffee contains the highest levels of Chlorogenic Acid, yeah me neither.  Apparently it speeds up your metabolism and helps to lose unwanted fat. It also inhibits the uptake of glucose in the intestines & regulates the metabolism which results in weight loss. 

I added 2 tsps. with hot, not boiled, water into a cup and added 1/2 tsp of sugar/sweetener as I found the coffee to be a little sweet. I didn’t add milk as I like it black. This is a very enjoyable drink, I had no problems with taste whatsoever. This isn’t a high end coffee so its not strong but there is a definite coffee taste to it. During the ten days, I had no side effects. I was slightly gassy on day one and then nothing for the duration of the detox. Very enjoyable, no issues and no results ha-ha. I have to say, I didn't notice any difference with this drink at all. It didn't reduce bloating, I didn't lose weight and I didn't have any extra energy. Sadly this wasn't for me.

Slendertox Coffee (£13.99) - Now called Detox Coffee Mocha Flavour 

Ingredients: Same as above. This also has 22 calories per 1 teaspoon serving.

This is pretty much the same coffee as it contains the same ingredients according to pack details. I found this to be a little more creamier but I needed more sweetener than the Slim version. I prepared this in the exact same way, just with freshly boiled water that had been left to cool every so slightly. It was nice, but again, I didn't notice any increased energy, nor a reduction of bloating or weight. 

For me, both of these products were not worth the price tag. I would rather buy normal coffee that tasted like a strong coffee (that's my preference) but if you prefer a smoother, weaker coffee then these might be for you. As I said, I didn't notice any weight loss with these. I have joined Slimming World and only been losing 2lbs per week but this is down to eating better not this coffee. Last week I maintained (kept the same weight) and I drank the coffee all through the week so if it worked, I would have lost something.

Would you try a detox coffee?

Have you noticed a difference if you have used them?

Have you checked out my latest featuring 

My Reasons For Not Buying Beauty Boxes Anymore?
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