Quantcast
Channel: B U B B L E G A R M
Viewing all 65 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

Nars 'Virtual Domination' swatches...

November 8, 2014, 2:51 am
$
0
0
Let the angels sing....


This limited edition'Virtual Domination'cheek palette exclusive to Space NK is the mother of all cheek palettes, well for me anyway! It's a beautiful palette, and has an extremely pretty design to the actual palette different to the black rubber we are used to from Nars. It just makes the palette extra special.... And extra special it is.


It's considerably thicker than the normal palettes but still light and compact enough to travel with.


And breathe..... The palette features 3 blush shades, 2 of them being limited edition, a highlighter also limited edition and the amazing 'Laguna' bronzer everyone raves about including me!!



*Drool* 


This palette is £45 and amazing value for money, the blushes are practically full size and the bronzer is much bigger. A standard blush is 0.16oz and a normal bronzer is 0.28oz and you get 0.35oz with this palette, it's a total steal if you are a Nars junkie or just a lover of cheek products. The product value on this works out about £117 so what more encouragement do you want. I didn't need much encouragement I was sold the moment I saw it! :)


Miss Liberty (LE)- Highlighter
Deep Throat - Blush
Sex Fantasy (LE) Blush
Final Cut (LE) Blush
Laguna - Bronzer


Final Cut - This is a matt peachy coral tone with a hint of orange, it actually reminds me of the darker side of Mac's 'Ripe Peach'. It's a lovely shade to brighten up for the colder season. It's highly pigmented and a little goes a long way.

Sex Fantasy - This is a cool toned matte pink and reminds me of Mac's 'Well Dressed', this shade isn't as pigmented as the rest but I like that as it's perfect for a flush of colour and for everyday use. 

Deep Throat - This is a peachy pink with hints of finely milled gold glitter for a sheen finish, this is highly pigmented and available in the permanent collection. Luckily for me I didn't own this shade, and it looks like it will be a great staple.

Miss Liberty - This is a light golden champagne shade with extremely finely milled glitter, it's a beautiful shade and will sit perfectly on the cheekbone. It has a slight luminous feel when applied on the skin and I feel this will work great on the eyelids too.

Laguna - The amazing golden bronze shade. Enough said. Check my bronzer comparison review here!




I love every single one of these shades, my skin is like a NC35 in Mac terms and they all look like they would work perfectly on me, like with all Nars shades the products can be applied with a heavy or light hand depending on the effect you want to achieve so this palette will definitely suit an array of complexions.

Well done Nars & Space NK!
FYI: I ordered this on Wednesday evening and it arrived yesterday. 2 days is really good for free delivery.

Will you be picking up this palette?
↧
Search

Ombre Balayage...

November 15, 2014, 12:00 pm
$
0
0
Short hair, ombre balayage and volume, yes please!



I had my hair chopped off into a long bob 6 weeks ago and whilst I had been enjoying it short, it had been lacking something since it had grown out quite a bit. I called my friend Cheidem and she quickly popped over after we discussed the effect I wanted to achieve. She is the same person who did my micro bead hair extensions and a mobile hairdresser so we were able to nibble, or more like I nibbled on all of these super unhealthy snacks in the comfort of my own home.


I wanted a natural gradient ombre that seamlessly blended in with NO brassy tones and a lot of ash tones shining through. Cheidem has her own technique with backcombing and using foils for no harsh lines. She also used her own conduction to make a toner to cancel out any orange which luckily I didn't get much of anyway.


We had SO much fun and she even did some recordings, so if you follow her on Instagram or You Tube you can check for updates. There is even a recording of me applying makeup whilst she dries my hair!! All of these photos were taken in natural light and no flash so the colour is exactly as you see. The balayage itself was weaved and she avoided the parting area for a more natural sun kissed effect with NO stripes. It's considerably lighter but it feels subtle if that even makes sense.


And no hair post is complete without some before and afters...


Needless to say I love it, and the shade of blonde is exactly how I desired and I will definitely be enjoying my lighter hair for the winter months. This length of shoulder length hair in my opinion needed some sort of balayage for some oomph. I will of course be styling it straight too so I will update more as the days progress. But, it certainly still looks seamless and beautiful straight too which was extremely important for me as there is no way I am going to style my hair curly every single day.

For more info and price quotes contact Cheidem
Professional Hair & Beauty Stylist
07983 766 698
info@curly-vision.com
www.curly-vision.com

Are you loving balayage as much as I am? And what do you think of going for the chop?!
↧
↧

Soap & Glory Makeup...

November 18, 2014, 4:23 am
$
0
0
Hands up, this is the first time I have tried any type of makeup from the brand'Soap & Glory' and I'm truly impressed. The two items I purchased are the 'Sexy Mother Pucker'lip plumping gloss &'Kick Ass Concealer'. The product names are quite gimmicky and I'm fine with that as long as it lives up to what it's claiming to do. 


The packaging is nothing special, quite basic with some eye catching font.


The shade of lipgloss I got is 'Candy Gloss'which is a sheer peachy pink with gold shimmer, almost like a sheer liquid rose gold. It claims to have a natural plant oil with super fill technology which makes the lips swell in order to achieve that plumped pout. It has a doe foot applicator which is great because I can't handle those mini brushes which take forever to apply. The consistency is smooth but a little sticky and the scent is very chemical based as you would expect. The gloss applies quickly and evenly and just feels like a normal gloss but after a couple of minutes you get a pins and needles sensation on your lips and they tingle quite a bit for a few minutes which is essentially it working and plumping your lips.


Here's a before and after of me applying the gloss taken about 10 minutes apart and you can judge the effect for yourself. I think it's pretty good, it's not extreme obviously, it's a subtle plump which makes your lips fuller, you can see the bottom lip plumped and smoothed out quite a bit as it created a deeper shadow under my lip.



On to the concealer....


The 'Kick Ass Concealer' is most definitelykick ass!! It's one of the best concealers I have tried, it has AMAZING coverage, it's extremely pigmented, creamy and applies beautifully with great staying power even when it's not set with powder. The concealer comes with 2 shades in 1 pot plus a setting powder and powder puff, like seriously what more do you want. FYI I have the shade 'medium'. It definitely reminds me of the 'Bobbi Brown' concealers and has been a lifesaver for me in the mornings and has made me look more awake and more human. It's great for dark circles and it has two shades so you can highlight and conceal at the same time. I have used it to cover spots too and it's fantastic for that too. It also retails at £10 which is perfectamondo!! (This reminds me to eventually do an overview of my favourite concealers!)


The swatches are just one swipe and you can see how beautiful the texture is.


These two products have definitely made me want to try more from their range! A big thumbs up from me!

Have you tried and 'Soap & Glory' makeup products, if so what are your thoughts & favourites?
↧

On Wednesdays we wear PINK....

November 19, 2014, 12:24 am
$
0
0
H A P P Y  W E D N E S D A Y

Mornin' all! Ok, so I am not wearing any pink clothing items per se, that doesn't really happen. You will not catch me with a pink top, dress or bag. But, you will catch me with pink brushes, lipstick and nail polish. I LOVE my pink but in small doses and here is some pink lovin' for you today!


Beauty Blender
I love this to apply my foundation & concealer, it really does live up to the hype and your kit isn't complete without one particularly if you like a natural dewy look as the wet sponge just enhances and blends to a beautiful finish. (I purchased mine from Amazon)

Gel Eye Mask
This is perfect when kept in the fridge to place on your eyes in the mornings for a few minutes to wake you up or to apply over a face mask and relax. (£1 from Primark) 

Silicone Face Scrub
I had to try this as I have seen so many people use a similar contraption on YT and I had to give it a go, I have been using it for about 5 days and I love it. The bristles are so soft it's almost like giving your face a massage when used to cleanse your face with a cleanser. it's also very hygienic as everything washes off easily. I want to get one more for cleansing brushes! (approx £1.50 from Primark)



Snow Fairy
The best sweet scented shower gel EVER! Not much more to say... It needs no explanation :) (Lush)

I Love... Raspberry & Blackberry 
This is a gorgeous sweet scented body spritzer and I have been non stop applying and layering over the snow fairy. If pink was a scent, I smell like pink right now. (£2.50)


And finally PINK roses!

I am obsessed with pink roses I wish I had them in every corner of the room, all different shades of pink of course, anyway I am getting side tracked. The last pink roses I got were from Tescos for £4 and they have lasted me 11 days. How? I change the water every day, make sure no leaves are touching the water and snip the ends off every day too and voila good as new everyday.

What are your favourite pink items? I have lots more, one including my favourite curling tong that i need to do an updated post on!
↧

Luxury Lush Pud Bath Bomb Review...

November 20, 2014, 1:34 pm
$
0
0
This bath bomb is the KING of exciting bath bombs. 

Lush is famous for their bath bombs and so at my last visit I asked the SA to show me the most exciting & colourful one for toddlers, yes this is the ultimate toddler bath bomb.


I mean the images speak for itself, it's pink and white with multicoloured circles that all very slowly fizz away in the bath water and lasts about 5 minutes which is good as most are gone in 1 minute flat. The circles separate from the pink creating a marbleised finish that all blends into each other and eventually it all turns into one shade of pink. Esra had SO much fun watching the colours change and blend. She also decided to paint herself with it which was quite funny & exciting to watch as she was all PINK! The downside is it does stain the skin slightly but does wash off quite easily. I'm happy to say it didn't stain the bath like I feared, so it's a win win and by far the best bath bomb we have tried and we have tried plenty that have never been worth blogging about. And the scent?... AMAZING!

I would definitely recommend this for older toddlers, 3+ and young children or adults too if you need some cheering up! It would make a great stocking filler for Xmas, but it's only limited edition so stock up, I'm going to get a few more and keep them as special treats.

Price £3.50 Link!

What are your favourite bath bombs?
↧
↧

Lee Stafford - Argan Oil Big Fat Hair Tong

November 24, 2014, 4:23 am
$
0
0
Good morning and happy Monday....*Goes off to make more coffee!*

I always get so many lovely messages and comments regarding my hair and how I style it on Instagram (thank you for being nice) and I wanted to address my life saviour in a much deserved blog post. The product in question is a mahoosive 'Big Fat hair tong by Lee Stafford'. It's from the argan oil range which is supposed to help with the shine in your hair but I'm not too sure about the science behind that claim. It says it has a ceramic coating of argan oil to help with shine and heat damage, whatever YES PLEASE!


I have used my fair share of hair tool including several different conical wands, heated rollers, normal small tongs, wavers, twisters.. you name it I have it but this Lee Stafford one is ALWAYS my favourite to use. I used to really love using the Babyliss conical wand but I found that it really made my hair look dull, the bigger cloud 9 version just didn't give me the same bounce and it was more of an effort to use. 
I have come to the conclusion that I prefer a tong with a clasp. This bad boy creates big loose effortless curls/waves with minimal effort and time. I think it's a 1 1/2" barrel which is perfect for me with shorter or longer hair.


It has a variable heat setting and warms up in about 2 minutes and it takes me on average 5 minutes to do my hair. A result indeed!


And I can't ever lose it as it's so bright and always stands out from the rest of my hair tools.


My hair today!


It's so easy to use, all I do is take big chunks and curl outwards away from my face, sometimes I only flick the ends out and not even the entire head of hair just to look more polished. I would definitely recommend it to anyone, you can also create lots of lovely volume at the base if you place your hair over the barrel at the root and hold it for a few seconds until it cools. I truly love it and I can't live without it. I don't have any exciting hair care that I use, I just use a serum when my hair is damp and sometimes'Fudge'sea salt spray, but today I used nothing, which is mainly how I rock. It's safe to say it's definitely the hair tool and not the hair products.

I purchased mine for £20 from Argos last year but I checked today and they don't have the argan oil version just THIS one. But it's available on the website HERE.

What's your favourite hair tool?
↧

Esra's Play Kitchen...

November 25, 2014, 12:30 am
$
0
0
Good morning world!

I love being a mama to my little princess and creating magical spaces for her to let her imagination flow. In the past I attempted to make a DIY play kitchen from 2 side cabinets which was actually successful but it didn't quite cut it, so when we moved we purchased the Ikea 'Duktig' kitchen for Esra which I obviously hacked. It's currently on sale for £49 so look no further if you are looking for Xmas gifts for toddlers.

Today I will share details of everything you have ever wanted to know about Esra's play kitchen.
  
Be warned this is a long picture heavy post! 


The first thing I did to the kitchen was paint nearly every surface white apart from the worktop and under part of the top shelf. I just used a plain white wood paint from Wickes. I changed the handles with white ones from Ikea's kitchen section as I wasn't too keen on the plastic grey ones. I also covered the microwave door with a scrap of fabric then finally settled on this 'Belle & Boo' gift wrap which suits the feel of the kitchen more, we don't use it as a microwave but more for storage. I LOVE how it turned out and so does Esra, she loves pointing to Boo everyday.


I painted the outside and inside of the oven door with black chalkboard paint so that Esra can draw whatever she is cooking or use it like a menu which has been pretty useful, and I also write messages for her to see when she wakes up which is pretty cute. Of course the kitchen has a lot of crochet bits I made including this hand towel.


I also placed the rustic shelf upside down to create a more earthy feel which adds to the charm. On the shelf are:
  • Honeybake'Le Toy Van'pink wooden mixer I got on sale from John Lewis
  • Vintage Teapot I painted mint green which was a gift from my grandmother
  • Sasse & Bellewooden toaster from Amazon


    • Le Toy Van Bakers basket I purchased from Igloo toy shop for half price as the box was torn, gotta love bargains! (seriously how adorable is the pretzel and wooden crate it comes in?!)





    • Mint green wooden mixing bowl from Boots.
    • Honeybake 'Le Toy Van' birthday cake from Amazon.
    • Voila cake & biscuit stand from Amazon
    • Belle & Boo Tea set (The cups are hanging on the hooks, the teapot is on the tray)
    • The white tub that stores the wooden utensils is from Ikea too.



      • Yep we have quite a bit of stuff, but it's hard not to!  We also have:
      • Melissa & Doug Pizza party set from Amazon
      • ELC pink kettle from Mothercare which makes a boiling & pouring sounds.
      • Asda pink wooden pot and pan set with mitten
      • Learning Resources Super sorting pie from Amazon (The best sorting toy ever!)
      • Learning Resources Counting cookiesfrom Amazon. (Amazing for learning numbers)
      • Plan Toys wooden Tea setwith red detailing from Amazon
      • Plan toys wooden food & beverage setfrom Amazon 
      • Plastic Cupcakes from Poundland - Also the shaker pictured with pink pom poms and pink beads is from pound land too but I did a DIY on it obviously and glued it shut.
      • Mini yellow clock is from Accessorize
      • Magic feeding bottles are from Amazon
      • We love playing shops with THISHape cash register which I didn't photograph but I'm sure you have seen it on my IG feed. It's stored in the bottom shelf on the right hand side.


      The Peter rabbit tin houses all of the chalks for the chalkboard and was fro TK Maxx, I think there was tea in it before. The wicker basket under the kitchen holds lego Duplo and the legs on the kitchen are adjustable if you flip the grey bits over so you can use it from very young.

      And yes more play food! We have some from Ikea, some wooden ones from Mothercare and some felt food I made including the eggs, salad, cupcakes and ice cream. We also have some foam food we collected from Cbeebies magazine too. (The tray is from Poundland) 


      All of the crochet bits were made by me or my mum which add that extra homely feel which I love. Esra's kitchen is definitely more amazing than mine. FYI The prayer in arabic is by LucyArts1 on Instagram.


      I also hung a wicker basket to go shopping with which I got for 99p from a charity shop but I added the wooden buttons and fastening of course. I basically have to hack everything lol.


      The pink tray is a melamine plate from Rice which I also got from Igloo toy shop and the pink pot is a ceramic one I picked up recently from Poundland, they also have a mint version too which we also have. The pink cake stand with the cupcake stand is from H&M home section.

      Wow that was a long post and I hope I covered everything, moral of the post, hack away and don't be afraid to update things to suit your taste. Esra has SO much fun with her play kitchen and plays with it every single day, she knows where everything goes and happily puts them back. (Ok not all the time) But, it's such a great way to teach organisational skills too... Yes my child at 3 is already an organisational freak and knows that everything has a place. A play kitchen is a magical thing for a toddler and this Ikea one is definitely budget friendly and is beautiful and sturdy once hacked of course. The first thing Esra does when she has a play date is cook up a storm even with older kids, thankfully it is something that your child will grow with so it's worth investing in some key pretend play toys to last for years to come. All this stuff wasn't purchased at once of course, that would be crazy. It has been accumulated over the past couple of years with Eid and birthday gifts. The good thing is there is always space for new ideas with a play kitchen, the next thing on our list is crochet donuts that I will one day eventually make.

      I hope I have given you some ideas and inspired you to think outside the box and of course helped you with a wish list for Xmas too. I have included as many links as possible to help you with your search, none of which are affiliate links btw.

      Now who is coming over for a tea party? That is the question....
      ↧

      OPI - Next stop the bikini zone...

      November 27, 2014, 10:13 am
      $
      0
      0
      Next stop the bikini zone?I have no idea why this nail polish is named this because to me it doesn't relate to summer or bikinis and is not suited for the Brazil range that launched this summer. Instead, it screams... Festive sparkles, cool lavender skies and snowflakes perfect for winter!

      The shade is a shimmering cool toned lilac with a golden opalescence finish, it also looks like a silver taupe in certain lights with a lilac undertone. The extremely finely milled glitter transfers as a beautiful shimmer that catches the eye and light, perfect for the festive season. This polish in my opinion will work great with a little black dress, smokey eye and nude lips!


      I am in love with this shade but the only downside is that it's quite sheer so you need 3 coats for it to look opaque, however the good side is that it dries really quickly and lasts a long time on the nails without chipping due to the shimmer which in essence strengthens the nails. Furthermore, it also wipes off easily as the glitter is so finely milled, so no elbow grease needed.

      A big thumbs up from me for this shade, I have worn it for my past 2 manicures so I had to share!

      What nail shades are you loving lately?
      ↧
      Search

      Hello December // Chit Chat

      December 1, 2014, 1:47 am
      $
      0
      0
      Good morning and can you believe it's already December?! December is my birthday month so I am always excited and now on the hunt for the perfect dress. I am determined to go into January more organised and better than any year before, if I can get over my cold that is. *blows nose*

      Image Source

      • This December I will be decluttering my home in a bid to go into the new year fresh instead of making resolutions and to forget about them 2 weeks later. I will be re editing my wardrobe and trying to live on less with a more minimalist style if that is even possible. I have spent the last couple of months getting rid of "stuff" slowly in every room and now December is the time to go full force. Power to me!
      • This year I turn 30!!! Wow it's crazy because when I was younger I always thought 30 was really old,  but actually now I see it's just the start of being a woman and appreciating everything. The past 10 years have been so amazing and rewarding, I graduated from university, got married, started a blog, had a baby and here I am.  I now want to do something more challenging, whether that be doing a masters or getting back into designing. I am excited to see what the next decade will unravel for me.
      • I aim to be more organised with my blog and am now scheduling posts beforehand to help me with time management. So get requesting your favourite kind of posts. I will also be trying to squeeze in more FOTD posts like I used to as the world needs to get in on the secrets of this mamas daily makeup. However, I feel that blog posts are not enough... I have been playing with the idea of YouTube as that is the next step forward to explain myself more clearly, it's one thing reading something and the next visually seeing them. But, I can't seem to bite the bullet and do it. Wish me luck and watch this space!!
      • Christmas? OK so we don't celebrate Christmas or have a tree and it's been quite hard trying to explain that to a 3 year old. But, she knows we have 2 Eids and that they are very special, she knows that different religions have different celebrations. It's my birthday on Christmas day so we still have something to celebrate. Furthermore, we will be celebrating winter and doing lots of winter crafts & activities to enjoy the jolly season.  I did consider getting a tiny pink tree for her room but fear that is the wrong way forward. I may do new year gifts but am undecided, any help on this subject is appreciated. However, I LOVE Christmas, I love looking at other peoples decorations and getting cozy at home watching cheesy Xmas movies!

        Wishing you all a blessed and jolly December.... And I hope we get some snow this year!! x X x
        ↧
        ↧

        Top 10 NUDE Lipsticks

        December 4, 2014, 1:00 am
        $
        0
        0

        Nude lips are my ultimate favourite... My signature look without a doubt is a subtle smokey eye with winged liner and nude lips! I am a nude lipstick addict, and can spot a very special one in an instant. I have owned them all throughout the years from high end to drugstore and these are the ones that have lasted and are my current favourites.
        If you would like some nostalgia you can see my 'Top 10 Nude Lip Products' here from 2009 and I am happy to say that a couple have made it through to this post too.

        Now time for some swooning....


        All of these photos of nude lipsticks just makes me so incredibly happy, you just can't go wrong with them. You can see how greatly loved these lipsticks are just by looking at the condition of them, some lipstick shopping is on the cards I think.


        And in an almost lightest to darkest order....


        1. MAC Myth - A light neutral almost matte nude, the lightest nude I own. This is way too light for me to wear on it's own, so I will either lightly dab it on, use it to tone down other lipsticks or use in the centre of the lips for a slight 3D effect. This would be great on fair skin tones if you want to wear it full on. 
        2. MACCreme D'Nude - A creamy muted peachy beige nude that goes on ever so smoothly due to it's creme sheen finish. It's the perfect night time nude to match ANY smokey eye.
        3. RIMMELKate 113 - A pigmented peach nude which compliments smokey brown eyes beautifully, it has an almost matte finish and I love the warmth it adds.
        4. MACShy Girl- A light peachy coral beige, this one is also a creme sheen so it has a slight gloss to it, it's perfect for day or night time looks.
        5. MACPure Zen - This is a slightly frosted warm nude which has a subtle sheen when applied and it's one of my ultimate favourites, it's extremely similar to'Hue'in finish and they are definitely close sisters but this is a tad warmer. Definitely a special lipstick!
        6. MACHue - A soft milky pale pink nude, this is my most favourite lipstick ever! I wear it in the evening mostly and is one I always count on and that always works well with me. It has a slightly cool undertone which I love and it's one I will forever keep on repurchasing. I have been known to wear it in the day too, and it's always in my bag.
        7. YSLRouge Volupte 2/Sensual Silk -A creamy pigmented light neutral nude, this always looks polished and adds a beautiful shine with no need for gloss, it smells and feels amazing. This one is definitely for special occasions and night outs.
        8. MAC Creme Cup - A milky light pink nude that has a cool blue undertone. This is my ultimate daytime nude to pair with a clean winged flick. This is always in my bag too!
        9. MACHoneylove - A light beige rose toned nude with a matte finish, this is the perfect daytime nude that looks like your natural lip colour, perfect for olive skin tones.
        10. RIMMELKate 03 - A dark warm nude that looks like 'my lips but better' shade, I love this for everyday particularly because it's almost matte yet still hydrating. This will look amazing on deeper skin tones too.


        Honourable mention goes to Rimmel'Nude Delight' a warm toned peachy neutral nude perfect for daytime which has a subtle sheen. I couldn't include it as I have run out but still feel it deserved a mention.

        FYI: The lipliners I use on rotation with these shades are, Mac Oak, Mac Dervish, L'oreal Cappuccino & L'oreal Honey.

        What are your favourite nude lipsticks? Next on my list is Mac Velvet Teddy!
        ↧

        Mary-Lou Manizer...

        December 6, 2014, 3:18 am
        $
        0
        0
        Welcome to my life Mary-Lou, you are possibly the best highlighter ever.

        If you are looking for the perfect highlighter to sparkle this festive season, then look no further.


        Hope you are having a lovely Saturday morning, last night I came home to a nice little parcel and of course I had to blog about it first thing this morning. I have seen quite a few 'The Balm'products floating about the bloghesphere but never actually tried anything. Laura from 'Buy Now Blog Later'raved about this product and did a little giveaway on IG too as it was THAT good, so of course I immediately ordered one for myself and here I am.


        The packaging is beautifully retro and sweet...


        It comes in a nice little mirror compact and holds 8.5g of product.


        It's a candlelit champagne shade with a beautiful shimmer without any glitter.


        It's highly pigmented with one swipe.... 


        And now let the angels sing... It's so beautiful once applied on the skin, it adds a candlelit glowing shimmer without any sparkle and has a beautiful velvet like texture that applies smoothly without being chalky or powdery. It's such a gorgeous warm champagne/vanilla shade and perfect to highlight the tops of the cheekbones or even use as an eyeshadow. I can see it working with many skin tones as it's quite light for fair skin tones yet warm enough for darker skin tones to not turn ashy. They also do several other shades too which may be great for deeper skin tones. This brand is certainly worth checking out and definitely worth the hype, and the price point is good value too, so no complaining from me. Next one my list, is the Bahama mama bronzer.


        And here's a comparison with some of the other highlighters I own, as you can see it's definitely the one that stands out the most.


        Price £16 - Available from many online UK websites including Feel Unique, Asos, Superdug and many more. Give google a go if you are interested for the cheapest price. I ordered mine from Amazon via Beauty B a third party seller.

        Do you own Mary-Lou? If not, what's your favourite highlighter?
        ↧

        Earring Storage + Date Night

        December 13, 2014, 3:02 am
        $
        0
        0
        Happy Saturday and good morning to you, the reason for my lack of posts the past week is simply organising and cleaning. I have been separating, donating and reorganising like crazy. I have really put pressure on myself to get the whole place sorted before the new year, I need to chill. Anyway, today I am showing you how I store my earrings.

        I have so many earrings, many of which I have purged. I can't truly appreciate them unless they are stored properly. I have used various storage options including hanging them around vases, on burlap, inside a multi pocket hanger and many more and none of them have been as effective as I would have liked. I have finally found the simplest easiest solution that is working great for me and they are tiny grip seal bags, it was either this or ice cube containers and I knew that would look pretty but wouldn't work. I love having a rummage and this way nothing gets tangled or lost, it's a nice organised type of chaos I can handle.


        I have stashed them all inside one of the Ikea Alex unit drawers alongside other bits of jewellery and it's working a treat. I really love that unit, it houses EVERYTHING!


        And hello from me, so last night was date night and it seems I can't whip out my SLR before we leave and opt for phone photos instead, which is why I hardly share date night photos anymore but I seriously need to, maybe that can be my new years resolution.


        I got the prettiest dress from H&M, I couldn't see it on the website but it's new as I haven't seen it in store before, it was a steal at £24.99. It's fitted at the waist and then has floaty with slightly shorter sides with quite a bit of fabric which is unusual for the high street. I wore it with black tights, block heel boots and a cropped leather jacket with a cream crochet shawl. I went for red on the lips using Illamasqua'Box'and Mac 'Impassioned'lipstick to get the perfect raspberry shade tone to match my Barry M Raspberry nails. I LOVE the 'Mary-Lou' highlighter as you can tell I lathered it on lol, but it's just so pretty! I teamed it with bare eyes with just a little eyeliner, mascara and a low up-do. It's a perfect festive date night look and I can't wait to wear the dress again! 

        Wishing you all a lovely weekend! x X x
        ↧

        Toys with a Conscience..

        December 19, 2014, 9:23 am
        $
        0
        0
        Good afternoon and hello! I have been MIA recently as Esra has been ill with viral infections for several weeks now so everything has gone off track. And, just as she was getting better she now has another ear infection and all my attention has been turned to her for major cuddles as you can imagine. She's doing a little better today and I'm praying it will continue that way....

        This morning we had a squishy delivery from Ikea which included this rather big brown bear who has taken over the cuddling role!


        Ikea has launched 'Soft Toys for Education'campaign  where proceeds from soft toy sales help fund to save the children and UNICEF's educational projects around the world. For every soft toy, book and children's game sold between 26 Oct - 27 Dec, Ikea Foundation will donate €1 to children's education through UNICEF and Save the Children. That's seriously amazing as there are so many fun & beautiful toys to choose from at Ikea which literally sell themselves, so the fact that part of the money is going to a good cause is truly wonderful. 


        I don't always run campaigns on this blog as you know, but since this one was about children it hits home and any way which we can help any child around the world is simply beautiful. I wanted to get the post up ASAP and maybe help you with a Christmas gift if you are stuck for ideas whilst helping a good cause.

        The big brown bear pictured is the Vandring Bjorn and priced at £13.


        It's the perfect gift to pair with a bear themed book, our current favourites are'I want my hat back'by Jon Klassen and'We're going on a bear hunt'by Michael Rosen. It will also work great with 'Brown bear, brown bear what do you see' by Eric Carle.


        It's also the perfect tea party guest.....


        Next on our wish list is this adorable little sausage dog (Smaslug) and deer (Sotnos) I can't wait to pick them up for Esra on our next visit to Ikea.

        What are your favourite soft toys from Ikea? 

        (Disclaimer - The bear was a PR sample sent for consideration for review, I was not paid for this post, there are no affiliate links and this is an honest post as always.)




        ↧
        ↧

        Current Favourites...

        December 21, 2014, 4:45 am
        $
        0
        0
        Happy Sunday, I hope you are all well and enjoying the festivities of this busy month! I wanted to share a few of my beauty favourites today with mini reviews that are putting a smile on my face.

        These are a few of my favourite things....



        Garnier Ambre Solaire Self Tanning Lotion 
        I have been using this stuff for years, I generally use it for my face at night when I want to wake up with a natural tanned glow, I sometimes mix it in with my moisturiser for a more subtle effect. I mainly use it every 2-3 days to keep me looking fresh.


        Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation 
        I have this in the shade 'beige'which is a tiny bit light for me, but I actually prefer it that way as I use it as a concealer for under my eyes and to highlight my cheekbones and centre of my face, this way I get a light coverage with a natural look that lasts all day without me wearing foundation all over my face.

        Beauty Blender 
        I love this for natural looks, it makes any foundation & concealer apply seamlessly and beautifully. I love it with the foundation I mentioned above, I wet the sponge and squeeze out the excess and dot the foundation under my eyes and on the centre parts of my face and blend out with the beauty blender using bouncing motions, it makes any foundation feel lighter and sit better on the skin.

        Body Shop Mini Strawberry Hand Cream
        I love that the body shop is doing mini hand cream versions of their amazing body butters, the strawberry one just smells so delicious I want to slather it all over my dry winter hands. I have the coconut one too which smells equally as delicious.

        Essie 'A Cut Above' Nailpolish
        I love this rose gold glitter topped over a nude polish, it's perfect for the festive season and definitely a winner for new years eve nails. I shared an image on IG but you can see it pictured below too. 

        Yves Rocher Flower Party By Night Perfume 
        This smells sweet, fruity and floral at the same time with a hint of spice and liquorish, it contains almond essential oil, star anise and bourbon vanilla extracts. It's a nice evening scent and I have been loving using it this past month as it's a sophisticated kind of sweet. It's also small which is perfect for the handbag or travel.



        What are you loving lately?

        (Disclaimer - The perfume was sent for consideration for review, I wasn't paid for this post and this post contains no affiliate links. I was also sent other items from the brand but only included the perfume as it was the only one I liked. Honest opinion as ALWAYS!)
        ↧

        Nail Care Must Haves

        December 22, 2014, 1:00 am
        $
        0
        0
        Happy Monday! *pass over the coffee please*

        I love taking care of my nails but being a busy mama they get neglected more often than they should. However, recently my nails are looking in tip top shape and I couldn't be happier. My problem was that my nails would grow and then chip or break really easily and I would have to start all over again. I also couldn't decide on a nail shape and I have finally agreed that almond nails suit my nail bed much nicer than square. I have been doing this routine for a few months now and everything is working great. Here's what my nails can't live without;



        OPI Nail Envy- This is an amazing nail strengthener that I apply it to my nails whenever I remember, it's recommended to apply a layer everyday for a few days and then remove, I do that sometimes too but I also use it as a top or base coat. This has definitely made a difference, my nails are no longer weak and instead a lot stronger with less bending as it contains protein and calcium to strengthen the nails. I sometimes also put a couple of coats on and use it like a clear polish which looks pretty too.

        Sally Hansen Gel Cuticle Remover - I apply this to the cuticles, let it sit for a bit and then wipe off and push my cuticles away, it seriously does the trick and I prefer this method to cutting them which I used to do. I do this about every 3 - 4 weeks.

        Cuticle Pusher- I use this to push my cuticles back and away after I have used the cuticle remover. It's so cheap and no nail care routine is complete without it.

        Leighton Denny Crystal Nail File - This is the mother of all nail files, I can not ever imagine using anything else, it's made a huge difference to the smoothness of the edges and strength of my nails. It's washable and reusable and you will never need another one unless you break it. If you are not using a glass nail file and your nails are breaking, that is probably a key factor as to the weakness and quality of the nail. This file is so smooth and a pleasure to use and I highly recommend it.

        Burts Bee's Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream - This smells amazing and is also so nourishing and beneficial at the same time, it's perfect for dry cracked cuticles and will have them back to normal in no time as it contains 100% natural sweet almond and lemon oils. (At the moment you can get little duo sets which contain the cuticle cream and lip balm which is worth checking out, see HERE)


        Nails coated with Nail Envy.

        What are your nail care favourites?
        ↧
        Search

        Smashbox Double Exposure Palette + Swatches

        December 23, 2014, 6:55 am
        $
        0
        0
        Time for some palette drooling!


        Introducing 'Double Exposure'the new palette by Smashbox including 14 shades that transform slightly differently when wet enabling you to have 28 shades. The palette contains shimmer, satin & matte shades that either turn metallic, sparkly, get deeper or intensify when wet. It's housed in a sturdy cardboard palette that comes with a mirrored magnetic closure lid that is practical and hard to miss.

        The palette is the ultimate neutral lovers dream, I definitely prefer it to the UD Naked palettes and that's quite a strong statement as the Naked palettes are beautiful too.


        I love that the palette contains cool and warm tones to create any type of neutral look, it has light shades suitable for daytime use and deeper darker shades perfect to create dramatic looks for the evening. It has every single type of shade you need including highlight, crease and depth enhancing shades.


        It also includes a double ended brush, personally this isn't enough for me to create an eye look t, but I like the short side for upper and lower lash line, and the angled fluffy side to deepen the outer V.  However, the quality of the brush is no doubt amazing as I have been using Smashbox brushes for years with no problems and they still look brand new. Plus, it's always a handy bonus when a palette contains a brush.


        Here's what they look like swatched...


        Some of the colours like 'Quartz'and 'Flushed'have a lovely duo chrome finish with hints of gold which look really pretty. The texture is smooth and pigmented, the matte shades are a little dusty but all you have to do is tap off the excess like with most matte shades. I really can not fault the palette.


        You can see that the shade 'Copper' turns completely metallic and looks so beautiful and warm, 'Fig'& 'Espresso' get deeper perfect to intensify any look. The shade 'Midnight' really reminds me of 'Contrast'from Mac, you can see it adds a little sparkle and same with the shade 'Temper'too.


        I love this palette and think it's truly beautiful. I can see me recreating lot of lovely looks with it and I think I will be using this for New years eve along with my birthday too.

        Price £37 
        See more info HERE.

        What are your thoughts on the 'Double Exposure' palette?

        (Disclaier - PR sample sent for consideration for review, I was not paid for this post and all opinions are my honest views as always - no affiliate links.)
        ↧

        The big 3 0 & Merry Christmas

        December 25, 2014, 5:14 am
        $
        0
        0
        It's official... I am now 30 and so here's to the 30's being the best decade of my life ever!! I just want to express how truly grateful I am for everything I have in my life, I'm humbled by your comments on Instagram everyday and I pray I can do better and be a better person everyday. Thank you all for your amazing support, I truly appreciate it.


        How amazing does this'Flake'cake look, I feel huge just staring at it but feel even better when it's in my belly of course! How can one person love chocolate so much!? A massive thank you to my husband who knows me too well! :)

        Merry Christmas to all of you who are celebrating today, I hope you are all having an amazing day with your loved ones.

        XoXo
        ↧
        ↧

        Why hello there....

        December 25, 2015, 11:33 am
        $
        0
        0
        Firstly, Merry Christmas to all those celebrating today. It's been exactly 1 whole year since I did the last blog post and this post is long overdue but here it is....

        Yup, it's my birthday again, another year older and wiser. I must admit, it's been nice having a break from picking up my camera, checking emails and updating but it feels good to be typing away right now too.

        As most of you know from Instagram, Esra unfortunately got Mastoiditis this time last year and required emergency surgery. I have deleted most of her photos and everything mentioning the hard times as I just can't bare to look at them. For those of you who don't know, 'mastoiditis' happens when a middle ear infection gets untreated, or in our case misdiagnosed several times. We went to A&E and the GP several times but kept getting assured it was a viral infection and that it would heal on it's own. Mastoiditis is very serious as the mastoid bone is the bone that supports the brain and if the infection had leaked through it could have caused major problems.  The surgery itself was stressful enough as the incision they made was right near the facial nerve. All my hairs are shivering and standing up thinking about it! Luckily, we got the surgery on time and my little pumpkin has made a very good recovery and is left unaffected thankfully. Anyway, I am so thankful that we overcame that stage in our life and have closed that chapter. I take everyday as a blessing and like to enjoy every moment. I just felt like I needed to update on here to let those know who didn't know.

        This year I got Esra a little pink "winter" tree that we popped into our fireplace, initially the decor was minimal but she kept coming home with little pine cones in her pocket along with metallic string and clay ornaments from nursery so basically everything got shoved onto it all artistically organised by Esra herself lol, it's so nice to see them smile.


        I want to start blogging again, but only once or twice a week about things that interest me and things I enjoy doing. I'm still liking the not checking emails every 2 seconds idea, and will keep that up for as long as I can. Blogging has changed SO much since I last started and it feels like everyone is a pro at it now, but my viewpoint has changed so much in that past year. I still love my makeup and beauty but I'm OK with not having an entire room full of products, I like to use natural products where possible instead of chemical based and like to take a more eco friendly option where I can too. My aim has always been to own decent sized makeup bag full of makeup and hopefully I will achieve that very soon as I have already downsized so much.
        I'm on a journey to become a "minimalist" and I feel like I'm almost there, but I need a final declutter in some key zones and plan on sharing some of my journey with you.

        Thank you all for your patience and hope you understand my lack of posts, hope you have all had a fab day and now enjoying some Christmas films in cosy pj's.

        I'm already planning my next post, speak soon... x X x
        ↧

        15 Weeks Pregnant...

        February 25, 2016, 4:11 am
        $
        0
        0
        Good afternoon and Happy Thursday, I'm back as you can see however, not quick enough like I promised for January. As you can see from the title of the post, I got pregnant :) therefore I had the worst morning sickness literally as soon as I found out and EVERYTHING was on hold as survival mode kicked in.

        We found out I was pregnant just before my birthday which is Christmas day, it was a lovely surprise even though it was still planned, it honestly feels crazy to be pregnant with baby no2 as it feels like yesterday I was pregnant with Esra. Baby's due date is 16th of August 2016. Esra is 4 but will be almost 5 when baby arrives, I think it's a nice age gap, I could no way have dealt with 2 toddlers and am glad we waited a little longer.

        I had the worst nausea which lasted 24 hours of the day, I was vomiting and not eating much and to top it off I got a cold in Decemeber followed by the worst Flu in the beginning of February. My nausea is almost gone now that I'm in the 2nd trimester but it does make an appearance now and then particularly in the evenings. However, I am feeling SO much better and feel back to my normal self, i can eat and enjoy my food and I am not sleeping as much as I did in the 1st trimester as I feel like my energy is coming back as the placenta kicks in.

        Here's baby bump at 15 weeks and 2 days, I'm smaller than I expected to be at this stage but I was quite tiny with Esra too and didn't start showing properly until much later. I did however expect to be massive at this stage as it's the 2nd pregnancy, but I'm sure I will eat my words and be huge towards the end lol.


        I'm roughly the same size I was with Esra, I did stop working out whilst I was really sick but ready to get back into it now, I want a healthy fit pregnancy and hopefully I keep it up, I damn well will keep it up! :) I'm just praying for an easy smooth pregnancy inshallah...


        Lets talk Lotions and Potions...

        My hair has been quite dry and I have been enjoying using the Organix'Argan oil of Morocco' range, I LOVE the serum on damp hair which definitely adds moisture to my locks. The shampoo and conditioner is great too however I want to try the'Coconut Milk' range next.



        With regards to my growing belly and breast area I have been using the Melvita'Extraordinary oil' and a mixture of the Neals Yard'Mothers Balm'. The Melvita oil absorbs instantly as it has a silky fine texture and is a "dry" oil which is great when you don't want to transfer oil to your clothes.

        However my absolute favourite for my belly is the'Mothers Balm'. I used 3 tubs of these for my pregnancy with Esra, I always apply this at night and sometimes in the morning. I got absolutely no stretch marks on my belly and I'm hoping that I don't get any this time round too. It's not a big deal if I do, but anything to prevent it.


        The 'Mothers Balm' has a really thick balmy texture and is quite greasy when applied, it does absorb but it still leaves a film on the skin which I love as it's really soothing and feels moisturised at all times. 10/10 from me!!



        The 13 week scan was truly amazing, as soon as I saw baby moving and heard the heart beating my heart melted. I was so anxious but everything seemed good at this stage thank god. I do panic when I don't have nausea and we didn't buy a doppler as I just feel like it will drive me mad. My next scan is on the 30th of March where we will find out the gender. I honestly don't mind what baby is as long as they are healthy inshallah. A girl would be lovely so that they can be sisters but a boy would be so lovely too, it will be nice to have one of each. I am happy with whatever god has planned for us, I just can't wait to find out so I can go shopping! :)

        Any gender guesses?


        Esra thinks baby is a boy and is really happy to be a big sister. We had to tell her right away as she kept jumping on me and asking me to pick her up and swing her around, so we had to tell her and she has handled it really well. She just wants to shop for baby too, she keeps picking up baby clothes and asking if we can buy them. She is SO excited and asks everyday if baby is coming out today.

        I am kind of in nesting mode already, obviously baby will sleep in our room with a moses basket for a while and then move into Esra's room. I'm trying to think of how I can make space for the both of them as Esra's room is quite small, but I can do it especially with my decluttering approach. It will be a challenge and I can't wait to see what we end up with.

        I haven't done any shopping for baby yet and don't really plan to until after the gender scan, but I'm sure I will be back to making some crochet goodies for baby in no time. I do however plan to be as minimalistic with this baby as much as possible. I feel much more ready and know what is really needed and what isn't. Wish me luck!

        So if you have read all the way to the end, well done :) and speak soon! x X x
        ↧

        Lush Haul...

        March 1, 2016, 4:44 am
        $
        0
        0
        Who can resist the scent of a Lush store?

        Definitely, not me... particularly when its a new mahoosive store in Oxford Street. I walked straight in and here's what I walked out with...


        I actually went in only to buy a cleanser and maybe 1 bath bomb...


        'Angels on bare skin'is a lovely soothing cleanser made from ground almonds and lavender oil. I used to use this in the past quite regularly but somehow it slipped my routine. However, pregnancy skin is a lot more sensitive so I thought the introduction of this back into my life will be just the'pick me up' my skin needs.


        This cleanser is soothing and calming and great for dry skin and eczema too, as you can see it is a solid crumbly product and you pinch a bit off and put it in the middle of your palm, add water and lather onto your skin. It smells of lavender so it's very comforting and a great product to use right before bed.


        I picked up 2 bubble bars, 1 bath bomb and I was given an extra bubble bar as a random act of kindness, the SA was so sweet and she even recognised me and told me she read my blog, shout out to you Zahra, thank you so much.


        The Comforter(Bubble Bar) This is an all time favourite, I always buy one with every Lush purchase as you don't have to use it all in one go. I crumble bits off and make it last as long as possible (About 4 baths worth). It smells AMAZING with a fresh fruity scent with notes of blackcurrant and bergamot. Furthermore, it produces lots of lovely bubbles and pink bath water, what more does one want?

        UltraViolet (Bubble Bar) This is from the new easter range and I purchased for the same reason as mentioned above, its a nice hefty large chunk and can be used for several baths when crumbled off. It looks amazing, like a dark rainbow and the scent is divine!! It contains Rosewood and jasmine so it's high in floral notes and produces lovely violet bath water and just sounds really relaxing. I think this one is for me! :)

        Fizzbanger (Bath Bomb) This is bright yellow and blue on the inside so changes colour as it fizzes away. Esra's favourite colour is green at the moment, so the fact that her bath water would eventually turn green, sold me on this one. It smells like citrus lemons and cinnamon and I'm sure Esra will have a lot of fun tonight. :)

        Down The Rabbit Hole (Bubble bar) This is part of their easter range, it looks like a candy swirl and smells really sweet with notes of orange, I am sure Esra will love this! (This was the one that was given to me as a random act of kindness.)


        I wish you could smell everything... Mmmmmmmm


        They had so many cool bath bombs and bubble bars, I basically want everything! I haven't been to Lush in AGES and really feel like I'm having withdrawal symptoms lol. I am planning to go back and get some shampoo and conditioner bars for my hair, I also want 'Big" shampoo and 'Curly Wurly' for Esra plus a whole lot more!

        What are your favourites from Lush right now? There was so many cool Easter items, and I really wish I got the bunch of carrots, check them out if you haven't already.

        On another note, I have all the ingredients to make my own bath bombs, so might try and make a few with Esra, that will be way more economic but probably won't look as good!
        ↧
        Viewing all 65 articles
        Browse latest View live
        Search